The esoteric work of the Christ 
by Benjamin Creme

Discussion of the Avatars standing behind Maitreya, the energies flowing through him and transforming the planet, and his function as hierophant at the first two initiations.

The decision to return to full physical plane work and living was not, we can be sure, lightly or easily taken by the Christ. The Master Djwhal Khul (in The Reappearance of the Christ through Alice A. Bailey), tells us that it took nine years – from June 1936 to June 1945 – for the decision to be made. The Hierarchy is still working in the state of tension engendered by that momentous decision which culminated in his entry into the modern world on 19 July 1977.

His decision to reappear had profound occult repercussions: as a result of it, he was granted the right to use - for the first time - the great mantram or prayer known as the Great Invocation, and to give it out to humanity. Not a day has passed since June 1945 without his sounding it forth for the benefit of the world.

Spirit of Peace

His decision led, also, to his becoming the recipient of and channel for certain great divine energies which, in his work for humanity in this new age, will enhance and potentize all he does. The Spirit of Peace or Equilibrium overshadowed him in a way very similar to that whereby Maitreya overshadowed the disciple Jesus in Palestine. Working closely with the Law of Action and Reaction, the effect of this cosmic entity's work through Maitreya will be to produce a reaction to the present chaotic and violent conditions, and to usher in an era of peace and emotional calm commensurate to the hatred and violence today.

The Christ Consciousness

He became the embodiment, in an altogether new and most potent way, of the energy that we call the Christ Principle or Christ Consciousness –  the energy of evolution per se. Flowing from him into the world, this energy has reoriented humanity to the spiritual (not necessarily religious) life, prepared it to recognize and follow him now, and to accept the principle of sharing. Millions are responding to this potent energy today and, as it awakens them to the spiritual basis of life, one of the Christ's modes of appearance is fulfilled – in the hearts of men.

Avatar of Synthesis

A great cosmic Being, the Avatar of Synthesis, entered our planetary life through the Christ. He embodies the energies of will, love and intelligence, plus another energy for which we have as yet no name. This entity can come only as low as the mental plane, and from that level he pours his fourfold energy through the Christ, and thus into the world. Together with the Buddha, who brings in the wisdom energy from cosmic levels, these great Beings form a triangle whose energies the Christ channels to us. In this coming time, he will be known as the 'Point within the Triangle'. The will of the Avatar, his synthesizing force, the love of the spirit of peace or equilibrium and the wisdom of the Buddha, focused through the Christ, will transform –  and are now transforming –  this world. Thus one of the major works of the Christ, as the transmitter of energies, will proceed.

The Water of Life

"I come that men may have life and that life more abundantly."

As the dispenser of the 'Water of Life of Aquarius', Maitreya will perform one of his major tasks in the new time ahead. As he so eloquently puts it in Message No. 42:

"Many times have you heard me say that my coming means change. 
Specifically, the greatest change will be in the hearts and minds of men, for my return among you is a sign that men are ready to receive new life. 
That new life for men do I bring in abundance. 
On all the planes this life will flow, reaching the hearts and souls and bodies of men, bringing them nearer to the source of life itself. 
My task will be to channel those waters of life through you. I am the water carrier. I am the vessel of truth. 
That truth shall I reveal to you and lift you into your true nature. 
I am the river. 
Through me flows the new stream of God-given life, and this shall I bestow on you. 
Thus shall we together walk through my garden, smell the perfume of my flowers, and know the joy of closeness to God.
My friends, these things are not dreams. All of this will be yours. My mission will vouchsafe this to you."

His is the task to transmit these waters of life: as physical life, nourishing the very cells of our bodies; as a new livingness – love and light within our hearts; and as life more abundantly – love, light and power within and above the head of the disciple of the Christ, enabling him to cooperate more fully with the Plan issuing from Shamballa, the 'Centre where the Will of God is known.'

Nourishing the Little Ones

As the Hierophant at the first two initiations, Maitreya's work will be to take the masses of humanity into the Kingdom of God – the Hierarchy – through the portals of initiation. Many stand now on the threshold. One of his most important roles will be as the nourisher of the little ones. Who are these little ones? They are those who have taken the first two initiations and who stand ready for that experience of Transfiguration, the third initiation, which is the first demonstration of true divinity. By the nourishing, the stimulation of their spiritual life, he will bring them, as he so often says in the messages, to "the feet of God," "before the throne."

Uniting East and West

Contrary to the belief of many Christians that the Christ comes exclusively for them, he comes as the World Teacher, for all humanity. With the help of his brother the Buddha, he will unite East and West; in particular, the different approaches to God of the East and of the West. Notwithstanding the Christ's teaching in Palestine, that God is within, the general approach to God in the West has been to see him as transcendent, above and beyond his creation, essentially unknowable by that creation, only to be worshipped from afar. The approach of the East, on the other hand, is to see God as immanent, in man and all creation, "closer than hand or foot, closer than the breath." Maitreya will synthesize these two approaches.

The Christ is the great exponent and expression of love, while the Buddha is the embodiment of wisdom. In this coming time, the Christ will fuse and blend these two divine energies and answer the call of the East as well as that of the West for succour and guidance. He will be in truth the World Teacher, come to inaugurate the new age of synthesis and brotherhood based on the establishment of right human relations.

No Avatar has been so equipped for his task as the Christ now is. Fusing and blending in himself the energies of will, love and wisdom, overshadowed by the Spirit of Peace or Equilibrium, aided by the Avatar of Synthesis and the Buddha; focusing through himself the sum total of the energies of the last 2,000 years of Pisces and of the coming potencies of Aquarius, he is a mighty Avatar, equal to his daunting task.

That task is to create harmony out of chaos, awaken humanity to its true nature and destiny, and to guide and inspire the building of the new civilization. He will be with us for the next 2,500 years –  the whole of the age of Aquarius. As we come into incarnation time and time again during that period, we will find the Christ, Maitreya, at the center of our planetary life.

Then his work for humanity will be over and, having trained and prepared his successor, he will go on to higher work on the Way of the higher Evolution. His path, the path of absolute sonship, will take him away from this earth, to return, as foretold by H.P. Blavatsky, as the Cosmic Christ, the Cosmic Maitreya, at the end of the last, the seventh, world cycle.

[This article is a summary of the teachings on the subject by the Master Djwhal Khul in The Reappearance of the Christ by Alice A. Bailey (Lucis Publishing Co.). Readers are referred to that work for a deeper and more detailed account of the Christ's future work and teachings.]