Editing Share International (section)

==Beliefs, practices and background==
[[Benjamin Creme]] was a student of the esoteric teachings of [[Alice Bailey]], [[Helena Blavatsky]] and [[Helena Roerich]].{{sfnp|Barrett|2001|p=348}} Share International's lectures and publications further these authors' ideas about Maitreya (meaning "kindliness or compassion" in [[Sanskrit]]).{{sfnp|Leadbeater|1925|p=295}} According to the Ageless Wisdom Teachings, the Advent of Maitreya fulfills not only [[Buddhist]] prophecies about the appearance of a future great teacher named ''Maitreya'', but also the prophecies of a number of other world religions ― including [[Christianity]] (the second coming of [[Christ]]), [[Hinduism]] (the [[Kalki]] avatar of [[Vishnu]]), [[Islam]] (the [[Imam Mahdi]]) and [[Judaism]] (the Jewish [[Messiah]]). Creme claimed that Maitreya was actually Jesus's teacher, and Maitreya manifested through (or ''overshadowed'') [[Master Jesus|Jesus]] 2,000 years ago.{{sfnp|Brown|1998|p=8}}  

In 1974, Benjamin Creme began teaching "Transmission Meditation", offering it as a means of pooling positive, spiritual energy for the benefit of Humanity. In Transmission Meditation, groups sit silently receiving spiritual energy 'stepped-down' and transmitted through them by the Masters of Wisdom (also called by some groups [[Ascended Master]]s). This group meditation is both a means of accelerating one's spiritual development and a form of service, in contrast to other types of meditation that focus solely on relaxation, physical restoration, mitigating stress or optimizing cognition.{{sfnp|Brown|1998|p=250}}{{sfnp|Melton|1990|p=136}}

Creme was generally reluctant to share the exact details about Maitreya's appearances on television and elsewhere ― as he stated that Maitreya discouraged people from chasing after him, and that no one could own him. Nonetheless, Creme confirmed that on 11 June 1988, Maitreya had appeared before 6000 Kenyans in an outdoor church where he spoke perfect Swahili for 18 minutes before disappearing, as had been reported in the ''Kenya Times''.{{sfnp|Mutungi|1988}} Both CNN and the BBC reported on this event, including the fact that many miraculous healings occurred there.{{sfnp|Brown|1998|p=349}}

Before his death, Creme increasingly described the Emergence as a gradual and intentional process rather than a distinctive event, as, according to Creme, Maitreya and the Masters of Wisdom are reluctant to infringe Humanity's free will.{{sfnp|Barrett|2001|p=347}}{{sfnp|Brown|1998|p=8}}{{sfnp|Nagel|1994}}