How to Form a Study Group

In the study of mysticism and occultism, in addition to the careful reading and meditation upon the ideals presented, it is helpful to have a number of fellow students who are interested in the same teachings, to organize a class and study together. The union of the auras of a number of harmonized students creates a vortex into which a strong force of enlightenment on the subject studied is naturally drawn.

Arrange to meet regularly at some convenient place and time and choose one of your number to read the lesson. Select a few pages of either The Secret Doctrine or The Voice of the Silence a week in advance of the meeting and have each member carefully study and meditate upon them during the week, making notes of the ideas that seem most important.

Begin promptly at the hour designated. Open the meeting with a period of Entering the Silence in which you still your mind, turn the current of your thoughts from the affairs of daily life and concentrate them upon some harmonizing topic announced beforehand, such as harmony, peace, light, love, understanding, etc. Have the organizer read a few lines from the lesson selected and all who feel so prompted comment thereon, especially giving the new ideas that may have come to them during their study. Invite interruptions and discussion. Any questions you cannot answer send to the local President of the Lodge in your area, who will submit them to the relevant contact person who will provide a suitable answer as soon as possible. Keep a kindly but firm rein over all discussions, allowing plenty of latitude, so long as it does not stray too far away from the subject. Studiously avoid arguments. One should state one’s interpretation of the passage under discussion and let it rest there. It will be excellent training in clear thinking to formulate your opinion as definitely as possible. Do not try to convince others or impose your views upon them. Simply state your views and grant others the same freedom of thought and expression which you desire for yourself. Above all be cheerful and good natured and let peace, harmony and love abound, for without these conditions the study will degenerate into mere intellectual discussions and the Voice of Intuition which you are seeking to cultivate will be drowned out.

In this way meetings become intensely interesting and helpful, for the different viewpoints brought out serve to make clear aspects of the subject not always in the printed lesson. Thus, one lesson will often extend over three or four meetings. Strive ever to bring out the heart or inner side in all your discussions of the lesson, not permitting the intellectual to predominate. Seek for the loving help that is contained in each lesson and always conclude by pointing it out plainly so that all can see and carry it home with them.

Let all the students strive continually to spread these Teachings wherever and whenever Wisdom inspires them, but do not seek to force them upon anyone. Have them invite their friends to the meetings, those to whom they are led to talk and who become interested, but not to be anxious about their coming, leaving them free to follow the leadings of their own hearts.

Try to send in monthly reports of the progress of your meetings and of the different members always encouraging, however, personal correspondence direct with the President of the local Lodge when a student is confronted with a vital Soul problem.

After the class has been working harmoniously for some time, if it is desired to expand it into a local center to carry on a more organized line of work, write to the President of the local Lodge for further information.

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