1. The event is recognized as fact past all controversy. No doubt remains in the disciple's mind.

2. There is recognized an inhibition on the disciple's part to mention the happening to any one. Months or years may slip away before the disciple will mention it, and then only to those who are also recognized as disciples or to some fellow worker, also under the same group influence, whose right it is to know and whose right is sanctioned by the Master of the group.

3. Certain factors, governing the Master's relation to the disciple, are gradually recognized and begin increasingly to govern the disciple's life.

1. He recognizes that his points of contact with his Master are governed by group emergency and need, and deal with his group service. It gradually dawns on him that his Master is only interested in him insofar as his ego can be used in service, through the personality on the physical plane. He begins to realize that his Master works with his soul and that it is his ego, therefore, which is en rapport with the Master and not the personal self. His problem, therefore, becomes increasingly clear and this is the problem of all disciples. It is to keep the [171] channel of communication open between the soul and the brain, via the mind, so that when the Master seeks to communicate, He can do so at once and easily. Sometimes a Master has to wait weeks before He can get His disciple's ear, for the channel upward is closed and the soul is not en rapport with the brain. This is especially true of the early stages of discipleship.
2. He finds that it is he who shuts the door in the majority of cases through lower psychism, physical disability, and lack of mind control, and he therefore discovers that he has to work constantly and ceaselessly with his lower self.
3. He finds that one of the first things he has to do is to learn to discriminate between:
   • His own soul's vibration.
   • The vibration of the group of disciples with whom he is associated.
   • The vibration of the Master.

   All three are different and it is easy to confuse them, especially at first. It is a safe rule for aspirants to assume when they contact a high vibration and stimulus, that it is their own soul contacting them, the Master in the heart, and not run off with the idea (so flattering to their pride and personality) that the Master is endeavoring to reach them.

4. He finds also that it is not the habit of the Masters to flatter or to make promises to their disciples. They are too busy and too wise, nor do They trouble Themselves to tell Their disciples that they are destined for high office, or that they are Their intermediaries and that the Hierarchy is depending upon them. Ambition, love of power, and the self-sufficiency which characterizes many mental types test out the struggling aspirant, and he gets from his personality all that he needs in that line. These qualities delude him and lead him astray, forcing [172] him onto a pedestal from which eventually he must descend. The Masters say nothing to feed pride in Their disciples, nor do They speak words to them which could foster in Their chelas the spirit of separateness.
5. The disciple soon finds also that the Masters are not easily accessible. They are busy men, ill able to spare even a few moments in which to communicate with the disciple, and only in emergencies, in the case of a beginner on the Path of Discipleship, do the Masters expend the necessary energy with which to get en rapport. With old and tried disciples, the contacts are more frequent, being more easily achieved and bearing more rapid results. It should be remembered, however, that the newer the disciple the more he demands attention and considers he should have it. The old and more experienced servers seek to fulfil their obligations and carry forward their work with as little contact with the Masters as possible. They seek to save the Master's time and frequently consider an interview with the Master as demonstrating failure on their part, and producing, therefore, regret that they have had to take the Master's precious time, and force Him to use His energy in order to safeguard the work from error and the disciple perhaps from harm. The aim of every high disciple is to carry out his work and be en rapport with the spiritual force center which is his group, and thus in steady touch with the Master, without interviews and phenomenal contacts. Many only expect to contact their Master once a year, usually at the time of the full moon in May.
6. He finds also that the relationship between Master and disciple is governed by law and that there are definite stages of contact and grades in the desired rapport. These can be enumerated, but cannot be enlarged upon.