THE WESAK FESTIVAL AT THE TAURUS FULL MOON

By Leoni Hodgson, April 2010

PMAFA, PhD Esotericism, www.brisbanegoodwill.com

Wesak is the most sacred time of the year, when the Sun which represents the God of Light and Love, is in
Taurus the sign of Light; and the Moon, representing the prison of the soul, is in the Sign of Death – Scorpio,
weakening the evil force which binds humanity in greed. This is the time when the Christ and all his Lords
assemble in the Sacred Wesak Valley, and invoke the Buddha – Lord of Light and Wisdom, to transmit a blessing
to all mankind. As a consequence, the most powerful spiritual light descends deep into humanity, lessening
glamour and illusion, so the light of truth may shine, enabling people to see their way ahead more clearly, and
make better choices for themselves and for the world.

1. GAUTAMA BUDDHA’S LIFE AND MISSION

Gautama, born about 500 BC, was brought up in a royal household . Although his father tried to protect Gautama from
disturbing experiences, he escaped from the royal compound and when he saw the suffering caused by being an outcast
from society, or sick or aged, he left his father’s palace and began his mission to find out how human beings could escape
this pain.
After experimentation with various spiritual approaches, Gautama reverted to ‘the middle way’ (a characteristic name for
‘Buddhism’). He gained his enlightened state while sitting beneath a bodhi tree, and as a result of intense concentration
on ‘seeing things as they really are’. In this process - the culmination of all his incarnations, he passed through four stages
of progressive insight, and reached enlightenment.
His life service then was to share this truth with mankind. He spent the rest of his life wandering about with an increasing
band of disciples, teaching. The essence of which is contained in the Four Noble Truths, a strategy to deal with the not-
self:
1. This is a world of pain.
2. The cause of pain is attachment to things we desire.
3. To heal this pain, practise detachment.
4. Success will free you both from pain and from the Wheel of Rebirth.
2. EXTRACTS FROM THE BUDDHA’S LAST SERMON
Two of the most powerful things he said in this final sermon was:
1. Make of yourself a light; and
2. Rely upon yourself: do not depend upon anyone else.
To make of yourself a light he said you need to:
Consider the impurity of your body:
knowing that both its pain and its delight are causes of suffering, how can you indulge in its desires?
Consider your lower ego ‘self’.
Think of its transiency. How can you fall into delusion about it
and cherish pride and selfishness, knowing that they must all end in inevitable suffering?
Then the Buddha gave his method in the process of gaining enlightenment
The teachings which I give you, I gained by following the path myself.
You should follow these teachings and conform to their spirit on every occasion.
The point of my teachings is to control your mind.
Keep your mind from greed, and you will keep your behaviour right,
Keep your mind pure and your words will be faithful.
You must break the bonds of worldly passions and drive them away as you would a viper.
You must positively protect your own mind.
By always thinking about the transiency of your life,
You will be able to resist greed and anger, and will be able to avoid all evils.
If you find your mind tempted and so entangled in greed,
You must suppress and control the temptation; be the master of your own mind.
A man’s mind may make him a Buddha, or it may make him a beast.
Misled by error, it becomes a demon; enlightened, one becomes a Buddha.
Therefore, control your mind and do not let it deviate from the right path.
Then at the end Buddha said
My disciples, my end is approaching, my body falling apart like an old cart.
But do not lament. Life is ever changing; none can escape the dissolution of the body.
Realise that nothing is permanent and learn from it the emptiness of human life.
Do not cherish the unworthy desire that the changeable might become unchanging.
And do not forget that death is only the end of the physical body.
A human body must die, but the Wisdom of Enlightenment will exist forever.

3. THE WESAK FESTIVAL

Wesak - full moon in May, the most sacred time of the year... When the Sun - representing the God of Light and
Love, is in the sign of Light - Taurus; And the Moon - representing the forces of ignorance which hold mankind
prisoner moves into the Sign of Death - Scorpio, weakening its power.
This is Wesak, sacred time, holy time, time of awesome silence and of peaceful Will Supreme.
This is the time when the Christ and all his Lords, and all those who love their fellow men, assemble in the
Sacred Wesak Valley to perform a service for humanity.
Why do they come to this valley, in the valley ‘neath the mountain? Why this place of all the places on the
Earth? For it has a sacred power, a magnetism rare, a resonance with heaven. And from the sacred Wesak
Valley, on behalf of mankind, the Christ invokes the Buddha - Lord of Light, Lord of Wisdom, chosen Agent of
Shamballa’s Lord. And from the highest Heaven, the greatest of all blessings comes, transmitted by the Buddha,
to the Christ, and thence to all of humankind.
Light descends from out the highest realm into the weary, darkened plains of Earth, enabling humanity to rise
illumined, joyous in that Light.
At the north end of the valley is the sacred mountain - Kylash, and below it, on the valley floor, is a large altar
rock. Upon it is a crystal bowl. Garlands of lotus flowers cover the rock. Pilgrims have journeyed from far and
wide to join the celebrations both physically and astrally, and assemble before the altar. In a clearing
immediately before the altar, many great Ones have gathered.
As the beginning of the proceedings approaches, a hush fills the valley, all eyes are drawn to the altar. Then the
great Lords - Christ, The Manu, and Master R. appear in their etheric bodies and stand before the rock, facing
north. As they stand there in deep silence. The Masters and Initiates gather behind them according to rank.
At a given signal, the great Ones form 3 concentric circles and start to chant. As the chanting deepens, the 3
visitors materialise fully and in the centre appears the glorious figure of the Christ, the Lord of Peace and Love.
He stands there in a white robe, his hair falling down his shoulders in waves. In His hand he holds a Rod of
Power. It has large diamond knobs on both ends of the rod, radiating a blue and orange aura of great beauty.
The initiates in the three circles face Him at the centre, And as He becomes more visible, they how to Him and
chant a mantram of salutation.
Then the circles form one circle with a cross, in the centre of which stands the Christ.
Then a triangle within the circle if formed. At the apex stands the Christ, facing the rock. The Christ
places the Rod upon the rock.
Then a triangle superimposed within three ovals, interlocking at the centre of the triangle where the
Christ stands.
Then a six-pointed star.
Then the star of Christ - the pentagram. The Christ stands at the apex, near the rock; at the right point
the Manu; at the left point Master R. Great Ones stand at the other two points and one in the centre.
The chanting creates great tension in the gathering, then the Christ taking His Rod from the rock says:
“Ready, Lord, come.”
Just a few seconds before the full moon in the blue sky there appears a speck of light which slowly comes
closer, and changes into the radiant figure of the Lord Gautama Buddha, sitting cross-legged in a pure yellow
vestment and flooded with an awesome beauty of light and colour, His right hand raised in blessing.
When He reaches a point above the rock, the Great Invocation is sounded by the Christ. And all present fall in
prostration, touching their foreheads to the earth.
This Great Invocation creates a stupendous current of energy which passes through the hearts of all and
reaches to God. This is the most sacred moment of the year when humanity and divinity make a contact. At the
exact time of the full moon the Buddha passes to Christ the energy of the first ray which is received by Christ
and changed into the will-to-good.
The forces of Enlightenment, the Will and Freedom flood the higher sphere of our planet and charge all who can
function on these levels. It is an opportunity to sweep away the accumulations of our superstitions, prejudices,
glamours, illusions, ignorance, pride, greed and vanities - thus releasing the imprisoned spiritual spark within us,
and opening our eyes to the vision that essentially we are ever growing suns.
Christ takes the bowl and raises it over His head then replaces it on the rock. The great Ones chant sacred hymns.
Buddha blesses the crowd and slowly disappears into space. Christ distributes the blessed water to all. Then the great
Ones depart.

5. WORDS FROM THE TIBETAN MASTER - A CHALLENGING OPPORTUNITY

During the Wesak Festival this year, Those Who are seeking to lift humanity nearer to the Light and to expand the
consciousness of mankind, will be gathering Their forces for a renewed approach with its inevitable consequences. These
consequences are the stimulation of the human family to a fresh spiritual effort; the process and the exalted Personnel
involved have been described by me in my previous message (A Treatise on the Seven Rays, Vol. II, Esoteric
Psychology, pp. 683-688); They will also bring about the strengthening of the New Group of World Servers so that they
can work with greater effectiveness, vision the Plan with greater clarity and—within themselves as a group—bring [Page
25] about greater integration. Thus they can aid in carrying out the plans of the Council of the Hierarchy to meet the
immediate human emergency. As I told you before, the plans for humanity are not laid down, for humanity determines its
own destiny; the effort is directed towards establishing a closer relationship between humanity and the Hierarchy.
It is possible for all aspirants and disciples to participate in this effort to the extent of rendering the task of the Masters
easier by their clarity of thinking, their renewed spiritual effort, and the rededication of themselves to the task of service.
To this effort I call you. It is a continuing effort which will be spread over many years. The opportunity will be offered to all
true servers and aspirants and, above all, to the New Group of World Servers to participate in the establishing of the
necessary momentum in the immediate cycle.
I call you, therefore, to a month of inner silence, of introspective thought, of self-control and of meditation, to self-
forgetfulness and attentiveness to opportunity and not to your own inner aspiration to achieve. I call you to
concentrate upon the world need for peace, mutual understanding and illumination and to forget utterly your own needs—
mental, emotional and physical. I call you to prayer and to fasting, though along what lines your abstinence should go is
for you to decide. For the five days of meditation, I call you to a more complete `fasting,' to a grave silence, to an inner
focalisation, to a purity of thought and to an active spirit of loving kindness which will make you a pure channel. Thus will
the work of the Hierarchy be facilitated and the door opened to the regenerative forces of Those extra-planetary Beings
Who offer Their help at this time and particularly during 1936. The response of this Festival will submit a gauge of
opportunity for the guidance of the Great Ones. (This theme is developed in the book, A Treatise on the Seven Rays, Vol.
II, Esoteric Psychology, pp. 629-751, which contains the writings from May, 1935, to April, 1938, inclusive.)
One practical thing also I will ask of you. Will you say, each night and morning, with all your heart's desire [Page 26] and
with the attention of your mind as well, the following words. Their united saying will set up a rhythm and a momentum of
great potency.
Let the Forces of Light bring illumination to mankind.
Let the Spirit of Peace be spread abroad.
May men of goodwill everywhere meet in a spirit of cooperation.
May forgiveness on the part of all men be the keynote at this time.
Let power attend the efforts of the Great Ones.
So let it be, and help us to do our part.
These words sound simple, but the "Forces of Light" is the name for certain new Powers which are being invoked by the
Hierarchy at this time, Whose potencies can be brought into great activity at the May full moon if due effort is made. The
Spirit of Peace which is invoked is an inter-planetary Agent of great power Whose cooperation has been promised if all
aspirants and disciples can cooperate to break through the shell of separation and hatred which holds our planet in thrall.
May I therefore close with these simple words: Please give us your aid, my brothers.