The primary purpose of the Spiritual Group is as a tool through which the teaching is brought into in the world and then perpetuated. However in order to function, the real working group does not have to be concrete in the sense of having a church or organization; nor must it have a meeting hall, residence, or physical center by any name. While it can have any of these things, they are not vital to function in this time, or age. Rather, the real Spiritual Group is part of the larger process of real cooperation and growth without limitation of a parochial structure. Whenever it does have a specific form there will be the tendency to move toward the crystallization of the teaching rather than the expansion. Part of the work of those making up the group will be to counteract that tendency and to ensure that degradation or crystallization does not take place; that it instead stays vibrant to help meet whatever are current needs and possibilities; that it remains as a viable and growing conduit suitable and appropriate to the current culture and society.
No less important is the secondary purpose, the creation and work done through the physical group. This is done so the participants can learn to get to the level of cooperation and unity of function stated above. The physical group is created and maintained so the members may learn how to work with each other, which can lead, in part, to being able to work in the larger unseen process taking place. It is both a classroom and a working collaboration. This is done on several levels and in many steps and stages. To discuss how this works requires an understanding of the differences between a "grouping" and a group; and the qualities or attributes of a real working group.
Prior to that; however, a very short mention is needed of what I mean by "larger unseen process". When I say that I refer to the overall guiding spirit working through all those beings seen and unseen in this world and on other, finer levels. This implies that there are those "other levels" and that there are conscious active personalities living and cooperating. Further, it implies that this is conveyed, by a variety of means, to those working in this earth. For that to happen, the individuals here must be able to perceive this. What I have just said can not be proven by logic. It may be argued or even possible examples given, but none of this will be proof. The way that someone can truly perceive the validity or falseness of these statements is to grow to and attune to and be aware of IF this is taking place. This is a by-product of spiritual growth. It is also one of the learning and active functions of those in a group working as a partner. Until a person has reached that level, he or she must either take the statement on faith, dismiss it, or hold it in abeyance awaiting further inner clarification.
In a real group what is necessary is a functional attunement and ability to work together for a common goal as one unit - as one cooperative body - with common intentions and understanding; while at the same time perceiving and working as a so-called individual. This is true with any real group, be it in business, sport, other areas, or spiritual. In a spiritual group this gathering of people many times is at first formed with those who share a common initiation in a path or teaching. However, this is not necessary; as for people to be able to function as members of the same body only requires the abilities and intention to do so. An "initiation" is a beginning. It does not imply any further realization or experience. If it is real, it usually does connect those persons in some generally accepted framework and process. In a Real Learning situation it generally also connects to those who make up the larger body - both seen and unseen. There can be, and is, a transmission from those to the initiate. It is present and has an influence, even if not understood by or conscious to the initiate. There are many groups working and functioning in this way. This group also may provide opportunities for the individual member to gain the experience necessary to become aware of, and then make the transition to, being a member of a larger, more unseen group and function. There are also some, but fewer, who work in a manner which is universal in nature rather than sectarian. This group consists of those who have grown to this level and have the abilities and intentions, as well as the knowing that it is appropriate for him or her to take part.
In a grouping we do not find these levels and degrees of cooperation and intention. What many people refer to as a group, including those within it, have the chacteristics of what I call a grouping. With some little attention, and on analysis, this is what is found with most so-called groups. A grouping is more often made up of random people who have expressed some common interest or people who are drawn together because of some common function. For example, this is what happens when some people who work within a single business or government agency or organization are brought together to do something. While these people may outwardly express some common goal, on examination this is generally found not to be so.
In a grouping the members intentions are usually not the same. There is usually a disparity between the individuals goals and desires. The personal desires form a large portion of the attitudes and positions each person takes. They at the very least shade any "agreement". While they may say the same words, those words are interpreted according to the individuals framework, understanding, desires and conditioning. In a grouping we usually do not find unanimity of purpose or action as one conscious body. Even with an acceptance of majority rule, we find a degree of reluctance in those who make up the minority. There is a lack of harmonization and unity. The terms and words that are used are many times understood differently by each person. So while they may say the same thing, it is understood and accepted differently. There can be some degree of trust of each other, but it may not be close to total, or enough. There is usually not an embracing of differing perspectives as means to understanding and then to use that understanding to reach a real cooperative goal. While disagreement may not be encouraged, it may be either deliberately or unknowingly discouraged.
People associating or working through what I call a grouping can and do function very effectively within that framework. Obviously it has been done for many years and this kind of so-called group is typically found throughout societies today. Compared to what I call a group these work with more limited functions and are simply on different levels than I have described. In addition, with proper guidance and/or training those within a grouping can increase their levels of cooperation, intention, and function and become more effective. From a spiritual standpoint the difficuly is when people misinterpret what they are doing; when they consider it is something it is not. One of the more common misintrepretations is when people associate with each other and consider their activities to be Real Spiritual work when it in fact is primarily a social activity with the satisfaction of social needs.
A real group may at times also regress and act with the characteristics of a grouping. It behooves those members to try to be aware of this and then to take the appropriate correctives to reduce or eliminate the lesser functions and strengthen and return to those of the group. I will give you an example. I was once invited to attend a meeting of a working group of leaders/guides. They were all members of the same spiritual lineage. The meeting started with a general statement, or invocation. It was repeated without real attention or awareness, but rather by rote. There was then a period of meditation and attunement. This was done to try and establish a common unity. Following that were several statements of what I will can business activities. These were primarily just of a housekeeping nature and were mostly reports of what was taking place. After that portion, was a remembering of someone who had recently died. The remembering included going around so each person could mention something appropriate to the person. Most intellectually described a vignette or two of his life. A few conveyed what they attuned to regarding the value of or functions of that person. At the end of this portion was another attunement and the conveying of "good wishes" to the one who passed and and sending of healing to his living wife. After this section there was a longer discussion of when to hold an annual, week long, spiritual gathering. Planned dates were mentioned. These were considered only on the following basis: the availability and personal preferences of some of those attending this meeting. At no time did this move to include a deeper consideration and attunement to what was needed for those who might come, and the best, most appropriate timing. Finally dates that accommodated the participants were agreed to. Following this was another meditation/attunement and a visiting period for lunch. In function, these people moved back and forth from acting as a real conscious group to a personality based and social grouping. As I mentioned above, there is nothing inherently "wrong" about personality based and social interactions. The difficulty arises when it is misinterpreted for something other that what it is.
Now a little bit about the characteristics of a group. The persons making it up may originally have been brought together by a guide (although there certainly can be other ways for this to take place). At a minimum, this person would have been aware of the qualities, needs, and potentials of those individuals - and that the timing was appropriate to begin to form this association. He or she may have brought these people together so they can learn and gain from each other; with the ability to grow to a functioning group. At this point, they are a grouping. The leader or guide can act as a facilitator in this process with the intention to eventually leave it up to the members to carry on in the correct manner. Usually this is done, initially at least, through considering issues relating to more local activities or plans. It should be remembered that these members are usually working through their own limitations or dealing with their own conditioning or misunderstandings. The work with others in this setting can be useful in this process.
In the beginning there is at least a generally common understanding of the meaning of the words and terms used. This is one of the reasons for the use of words or terms in a language of a different society or culture. Many times they more accurately describe a situation or function than words found in the local language. By using them a common understanding can grow. The downside of that it is a trap that many individuals fall into in so-called groups who use these words. They change from being shorthand for a function to one in which the members may feel more special or "spiritual". They then become part of some sort of false culture of separateness that grows and is self-reinforcing. The people forget, if they ever knew, that the reason for using these non-local words or terms is only because they were more accurate descriptors.
A real group, in addition to having a common understanding and acceptance of the words used strives to harmony in all ways - from breath, to decisions, to action. There will be a seeking of unity of purpose. There will be a welcome acceptance of and the valuing of other perspectives, and a desire to learn and gain from each other through those points of view. In discussion and decision making there is a blend of using intellect and intuition. There is a conscious balancing. There is an attempt through attunement to a "greater" guidance which is non-personal or individual. There is a seeking for unanimity rather than acceptance of majority rule.
Here is a story that is familiar to most people. Several people went in to a dark room. Inside there was an elephant. Each person felt only one part of the elephant. Then based on that, each described it. One, who felt the trunk said it was like a snake, one who touched the leg said it was like a tree trunk, the one who encountered the ear said the elephant was like a big flap, and so on. None knew the elephant in whole. It is sometimes like that in a group. The individual perceptions are encouraged as a means to eventually get a larger picture and more accurate understanding.
Through a group, a teacher or guide, acting also as a facilitator, can bring together those people who can learn to harmonize. To do this they will have to overcome individual differences. The intention is that the group will eventually be the receptacle for the Real, and then, as the members attain to an awareness of this, they may be able to convey and perpetuate it.
The physical group also gives a means to perpetuate the teaching. This is through attunement of the Heart and Breath and the strengthening of that which flows to and through it. Larger and stronger that the sum of the individuals, together the group can feed off of it, and in common feed into it. It can then express this more into the world.
The works that the members will do in their daily lives will reflect both the common purpose of the group and their own. This group purpose may and will change over time. Initially it may be started and impelled by the inner knowing, revelation, and purposes as understood and brought through the teacher or guide acting as central sun. Later it will hopefully evolve as it grows in both spirit and life. It will then continue as an entity through which it can be a self-promoting presence.
Earlier I wrote that the group is both a classroom and a working collaboration; and that this is done on several levels and in many steps and stages. With a bit of understanding of the differences between what I call a grouping and a group and how a group functions in a more general sense; I will discuss how a real group can be formed and how the people in it can move from a grouping and learn to function as a working group. There are three main ways or approaches to form a working group. All eventually reach the same end. They each start with a guide or leader seeing both the real need for one and the potential for certain people to learn to act a one. In the real group, the persons grow to being a single body with one common awareness.
In one approach the guide throws several people together and uses the process to weed out those who are unable to learn. He or she then uses the work needing to be done as a catalyst for learning. At each step this leader guides the people left how to work more effectively, both individually and together - to make the next step. This requires constant attention and assistance for those to gain at least the basic tools and abilities to progress. These include, at a minimum, being able to quiet the mind and being able to attune to another. Because of that, there may be many preliminary exercises or practices used to gain this base level of function. This requires someone who really knows what he or she is doing and what correctives to make at any given time and stage.
In a second approach, rather the dealing with any outer work and using those items as impetus for learning, these people first focus on gaining the tools and abilities through practices. They then can move on to other group work and apply those tools to what needs to be done. In this approach the preliminary guiding or helping can be through a "student teacher", one learning to guide. This grouping is monitored by the real guide who also assists the student in his or her work. The guide takes less of a hands on approach, leaving that more to the student. Correctives can then be made as needed.
The third approach is to select the appropriate people who also have previously gained those minimum levels of functions needed. They then are assisted to continue their work and growth in a setting with other people. Here, they can consider questions of how to meet certain goals or solve some problems or needs.
The particulars and practices will vary depending upon what the people and each group or grouping needs. There is no way to generalize and say that this or that will be done. It very much depends on individual needs. I will give a little example of some work I did with one group or people. Each of these persons had some experience in quieting their mind and with attuning. Together I posed a question and asked for a response of what each person saw and felt. After hearing from everyone I then gave a practice which required quieting the thinking and attuning to something higher. I then asked the same question and asked that it again be considered. Each person became aware of more and different aspects. They then did another, higher, practice. Following that I again asked for more consideration. Again, each person "saw" more. We then did an attunement to consider not as individuals but as one body - a more real group. This brought forth another level of awareness and responses. This is simply one example of group work in a limited setting, but gives you a little idea of one approach.
At the beginning of this article I wrote of two main purposes for group work. One as a tool through which the teaching is brought into in the world and then perpetuated; and two done so the participants can learn to get to the level of cooperation and unity of function stated above. The physical group is created and maintained so the members may learn how to work with each other, which can lead, in part, to being able to work in the larger unseen process taking place.
The reasons it is so important to learn to function in a group as one Being are twofold. First, and most obvious, is that should there ever be a "peoplehood" in which we live together as one unit, it will be a very large group. Secondly, in the process of becoming the ideal society, there must be guidance. There is that guidance now, as there has been. However much of that takes place on a level or plane which, while it includes the physical, is also unseen to the human eyes, and is more refined than the physical senses can experience. To be able to not only become aware of this group, but also to be able to function as part of it, a person must be able to move past the portion of personality in which he or she wants or needs to provide something individually. In addition, the member of that group must be able to attune to what is needed to be done without the physical cues or feedback that is usually present in a physical group - not matter how dispersed it may be or how infrequently it meets. The physical group gives the individual part of the practices that are necessary to grow through it to be a part of the larger, less physical or non-physical one.
In addition to those, as more and more people, through various paths or ways grow into the common Universal Way and begin to function more and more from that perspective, the group will naturally grow. What will take place is the natural blending and harmonizing of those on the same wavelength listening to the same symphony, and acting as part of the higher group. As this happens, the individual people will also be able to function in the world more and more as members of the same body. The effects of peace, harmony, and beauty will then grow stronger and more real in everyday life in this world.