Section Two – The Fire of Mind – Solar Fire
Division D. Thought Elementals and Fire Elementals
Under this division we shall briefly give an outline of the
study which we will undertake upon this vast and stupendous
subject, for, as it definitely concerns the evolution of
man and his power eventually to create, it will be wise for
us to take up the matter in some detail.
This section is not intended to give interesting bits of
information anent the devas; I only seek to deal with the
matter in its practical application to man, and to give as
much of the necessary knowledge as will enable a man to
control and build his own system, to understand the method
of creation and to comprehend somewhat the lesser lives and
the paralleling deva evolution with which he may be
concerned.
D.I. Thought Forms
D.I.1. Their Function
It will be noted that in studying this matter we have not
started with that which is most apparent, the exoteric form
in mental matter, but with the inner life or Idea within
the form and with the Laws that govern the creative [552]
aspect. This function of every thought form, is threefold:
- To respond to vibration
- To provide a body for an idea
- To carry out specific purpose.
Let us first study the logoic thought form and then
turn our attention to the thought forms fabricated by the
Thinker from the systemic mental planes and in mental
matter. We have to note that, in the case of the Logos, all
upon which we have to base our conclusions are His physical
manifestation, and His quality, psychic nature, aroma,
emanation or magnetism, as we see it working out through
the form. Hence we are very much handicapped.
D.I.1.a. Response to Vibration
It is always recognized in occult circles that the whole
object of human evolution is to enable the Thinker to
respond to every contact fully and consciously, and thus to
utilize his material sheath, or sheaths, as adequate
transmitter of such contact. The most easily studied human
thought-form is the one the Ego creates through which to
function. He builds his sheaths by the power of thought,
and the dense physical body is the best sheath that – at
any particular stage of evolution – he can at the time
manufacture. The same can be predicated of the solar Logos.
He builds by the power of thought a body which can respond
to that group of vibrations which are concerned with the
cosmic physical plane (the only one we can study). It is
not yet adequate, and does not fully express the logoic
Thinker. The vibrations to which the systemic thought-form
must respond are many in number, but for our purposes might
be enumerated as mainly seven:
- The vibrations of the cosmic physical plane, viewing
it as all the matter of that plane which exists [553]
outside the logoic ring-pass-not. It concerns the pranic
and akashic fluids and currents.
- The vibrations of the cosmic astral plane as they
affect the physical form of divine manifestation. This
involves cosmically the action upon our solar Logos of
the emotional quality of other cosmic entities, and
concerns the magnetic effect upon Him of their psychic
emanation. This, in view of the fact that His dense
physical body is not a principle, is of a more potent
nature than the first set of vibrations, as is the case
also in man's evolution.
- Vibrations from that which, within the logoic
consciousness, is recognized as the logoic Higher Self,
or His emanating source. This brings the solar system
within the vibratory radius of certain constellations
which have a position of profound importance in the
general evolution of the system.
- Vibrations from Sirius via the cosmic mental
plane.
- Vibrations from the seven Rishis of the Great Bear,
and primarily from those two Who are the Prototypes of
the Lords of the seventh and fifth Rays. This is a most
important point, and finds its microcosmic correspondence
in the place which the seventh Ray has in the building of
a thought-form, and the use of the fifth Ray in the work
of concretion. All magicians who work with matter and who
are occupied with form-building (either consciously or
unconsciously) call in these two types of force or
energy.
- Certain very remote vibrations, as yet no more
appreciable in the logoic Body than is monadic influence
in that of average man, from the ONE ABOUT WHOM NAUGHT
MAY BE SAID, that cosmic [554] Existence Who is
expressing Himself through seven centers of force, of
which our solar system is one.
- A series of vibrations which will become more potent
as our Logos nears that period which is occultly called
"Divine Maturity," which emanate from that constellation
in the Heavens which embodies His polar opposite. This is
a deep mystery and concerns the cosmic marriage of the
Logos.
It will be apparent, therefore, how little can as yet
be predicated anent the future of the solar system until
the vibrations of the sixth and seventh order become more
powerful, and their effects can consequently be studied
more easily. It is not possible here to do more than
indicate the seven types of vibrations to which our solar
Logos (functioning in a material body) will in due course
of time consciously, and fully, respond. He responds to
vibrations of the first, second, third and fourth order
quite fully at this time, but as yet (though responding)
cannot fully, and consciously, utilize these types of
energy. The vibration of the fifth order is recognized by
Him, particularly in three of His centers, but is not as
yet fully under His control. The other two are sensed, and
felt, but so remotely as to be almost outside the range of
His consciousness.
In carrying out these ideas in connection with man and the
thought forms which he fabricates (such as his material
sheaths), the correspondence can be worked out within the
system, and from the point of view of the planetary schemes
in which man has his place. The work of man as he builds in
mental thought matter and constructs forms extraneous to
himself, we shall deal with later.
The methods whereby vibratory response is brought about
might be enumerated as follows: [555]
- Through the factor of time in evolution.
- Through extra-systemic stimulation and intensive
training, whether for a Logos or a man.
- Through the process of Initiation, and the
application of the Rods of Initiation.
The factor of evolution is recognized and studied by
many schools of thought, esoteric or exoteric. The
extra-systemic stimulation involves a large number of
factors, but the main two to be remembered are that this
stimulation will be applied:
- Through the group to the unit.
- Through a more evolved "Kingdom of Nature" to a less
evolved.
As regards the third factor of Initiation, it must be
borne in mind that we are here considering only the great
initiations, and not the numerous expansions of
consciousness which can be traced through all kingdoms and
all manifestations.
In connection with what we have considered above, anent the
primary function of a thought-form (the power to respond to
vibration) I would emphasize the necessity of remembering
that that response must be made by the inner embodied Idea,
and that it will then through a complex reflex action,
bring about response from the material sheath which veils
it. Vibration is the result of subjective impulse, and
makes its appeal to the subjective consciousness through
impact upon whatever may be understood as substance; this
impact is transmitted direct to the inner life, and in due
turn is retransmitted to substance in the form of
recognition or realization. An analogous process may be
studied in the nerve reactions of the physical frame, and
their alliance with the brain consciousness.
As will be seen in the three worlds of man's emprise, man
will work as a Creator and will follow a similar procedure.
[556] His thought forms will be constructed of mental
matter, chosen specifically because it vibrates to the same
type of vibration as the Idea seeking embodiment, and these
forms will persist – as does the logoic thought form, the
solar system – for just as long as the factor of Will, or
dynamic vitality, continues to hold it together.
This brings us to our next point:
D.I.1.b. To Provide a Body for an Idea
In this statement we have latent the basic principle of
incarnation, and of activity, even of existence itself. It
involves the expansion of our idea to include the cosmic
mental plane as we consider the Logos, and as the creative
faculty of man is studied we are taken to the mental plane
of the solar system. One fundamental thought must here be
given and pondered upon: This creative impulse, this
tendency towards the concretion of the abstract, this
inherent ability to "take form" has its fullest expression
as yet in physical matter. The "raison d'être" is that –
for man – all substances with which he creates, all forms
which he builds, and all processes of concretion which he
carries on, are created, built and carried on within the
physical body of the Logos. Herein can be found the
reason for the emphasis laid in nature on the sex aspect,
and on that of physical reproduction; it can be seen in all
the kingdoms of nature, with the exception of the first and
fifth. This is a most significant point and the exceptions
should be studied in their widest connotation, for they
contain the basic mystery of sex on the involutionary path,
and on the evolutionary. In them we have the two extremes.
It will have been noted that as the idea that the solar
system is the physical vehicle of the Logos and His body of
manifestation is grasped, many problems become elucidated,
and two points especially will gradually be apprehended by
the student, if he meditates and studies:
First. That in due course of time, as the
Logos [557] achieves liberation from the trammels of
physical matter, the whole objective system will come to be
regarded as an idea or concept, clothed in a veil or sheath
of subtler matter than the physical, and the logoic body
will be viewed as the product of will and desire, and
physical matter in any of its grades will not enter into
its composition; it will simply be a desire body. This will
bring about a condition of affairs inconceivable to us, and
only to be somewhat apprehended by the man who can function
upon the systemic buddhic plane the fourth cosmic ether.
Bear in mind here that our astral plane is but the sixth
subplane of the cosmic physical plane and that this
provides us with no real grounds from which to reason
concerning the cosmic astral plane. Only when the astral
plane is a calm receiver of buddhic impulse, or a liquid
reflector of that plane (which will not be till the close
of the mahamanvantara) shall we be able to formulate any
ideas anent the cosmic astral plane.
Second. That the entire sex aspect of
manifestation, as we understand it in the different
kingdoms of nature, is an expression of the energy of the
Logos, as it flows through and stimulates that center in
His body which corresponds to the generative organs. All
the creative functions of the vegetable, animal, and human
family, viewing them as a whole, are as yet purely
physical, and based on lower desire. The desire of the
Logos for
physical incarnation is as yet the
dominant note. Later His desire for that will be less and
will become transmuted into desire for creation on mental
levels only. This is what brings the Destroyer aspect into
activity, leading to eventual obscuration, and the physical
"death" of the solar system. Indication that this aspect is
coming into power will be seen when two great events
transpire: [558]
- The ability of man consciously to create on mental
levels, and the consequent transmutation of his lower sex
impulses into higher.
- The mental vitalization of another large section of
the animal kingdom.
When these two things can be seen working out in any
round, it will be indicative of a decided mental
polarization of the Logos; we can only become cognizant of
this by studying His body of manifestation in its component
parts.
What is here predicated anent the logoic thought form can
be equally well stated about that of a Heavenly Man, and a
planetary scheme. As His cosmic polarization becomes more
mental, and as His cosmic desire nature becomes transmuted,
the force that plays through His centers will
correspondingly be seen to vary in direction; He will
withdraw force from certain of His lower centers and
globes; He will cease to be interested in physical
incarnation, and He will eventually withdraw within
Himself. His thought-form will show a gradual diminution of
vitality; the dense physical globe will die and pass out of
objectivity, and other globes will temporarily hold His
life, though not for long. In due course of time the entire
scheme will be obscured, and He will function only in His
cosmic astral body.
Such is the case too with a chain and its informing Life,
viewing a chain as simply a center in the body of the
planetary Logos, yet having its own central factor. This
can be seen in the Moon in a most interesting way. The
desire of its Occupant was no longer for physical
manifestation; He therefore withdrew His life. All that is
left is the devitalized shell; the two other aspects have
gone and only the third aspect, the inherent life of matter
itself, remains gradually to dissipate also as the
centuries elapse. In connection with man, a similar
condition [559] is seen in the gradual disintegration of
the physical body after death; the two other aspects are
removed, and the form decays.
As these fundamental facts are grasped, and man begins to
appreciate his position as Creator, the entire aspect of
the sex question will also change; and emphasis will be
laid upon the laws of mental creation, on the
formulation of thought-forms in a scientific manner, and
the dense physical aspect of creation will be in abeyance.
When this is so, then will man be coming into his divine
right, and the human kingdom be fulfiling its legitimate
function. The sex aspect – as at present expressing itself
– and the whole process of reproduction is one which man
shares with the animal kingdom, and is based upon his
animal instincts, and his dense physical nature, which is
not a principle. When he is totally emancipated from the
animal kingdom, and the third and fourth kingdoms stand
distinct from each other, then the sex nature, and the
organs of reproduction will be viewed by the average man in
a very different manner than at present. Creation will
eventually be the result of thought impulses and not
desire impulses; the process will be then (once the
initial impulse on the mental plane has been given), as
normal, as safe, and as unconscious as the act of breathing
is now. When this is so (and the time is a long way ahead),
physical reproduction will still continue, but the physical
form will be spoken of in terms of concretion and of
energy, and the emphasis will be laid upon that which is to
be embodied. This stage will be entered upon when the
functions of the etheric body are scientifically grasped
and understood and the laws of creative thought are a
matter of public knowledge and discussion; it will coincide
with a period wherein the animal kingdom will again be
under manasic impression, and individualization will again
be permitted. [560]
It will be generally recognized at that time that
Spirit-matter are two aspects of the one Unity, and the
present terminology of Spirit, and material substance, will
have given place to the broader concept of negative and
positive energy as the two aspects of the One Energy. All
phenomena will then be expressed in force terms, and the
sex question – or the union of the male and female, the
negative and the positive, on the physical plane – will be
redeemed and purified.
An embodied idea, therefore, is literally a positive
impulse, emanating from mental levels, and clothing itself
in a veil of negative substance. These two factors in turn
will be regarded as emanations from a still greater force
center, which is expressing purpose through them both.
A thought form, as constructed by man, is the union of a
positive emanation and a negative. These two are the
emanations of a Unity, the coherent Thinker.
D.I.1.c. To Carry Out Specific Purpose
We touch here upon the most vital element in the building
of thought-forms. In our first point we touched upon the
aspect of consciousness, or "response to sensation, or
feeling," and thus brought into our study of the building
process the second aspect logoic, that of the Ego, or the
realization of essential duality. In our second point the
more objective aspect was somewhat elaborated, and the
tangible form dealt with, thus bringing in the third logoic
aspect, that of intelligent substance, or that through
which consciousness seeks expression. Now the will or
purpose aspect is to be considered, bringing therefore the
first aspect logoic, or the "will-to-be" to the fore. When
this third point is meditated upon with care, it will be
noted (as might be expected) that it includes the other
two, and synthesizes them.
Certain factors must be borne in mind as we consider these
words "specific purpose." By their tabulation [561] we
shall endeavor to make as clear as may be, this very
complex matter. The ideas involved are:
The Factor of Identity. Specific purpose is
the practical application of the will, or intent, of a
conscious intelligent Existence as it shows itself in:
- Its source
- Its mission
- Its method
- Its objective.
All these will vary according to the nature of the
emanating Identity. All thought forms – logoic, planetary,
and human – (for no other entities of lesser grade work as
mental creators), emanate from a mind, are built for the
purpose of carrying out some active work, demonstrate under
set rules and laws, and have a definite goal, or expected
consummation.
The Factor of Time. Specific
purpose in the solar system is the gradual evolution of a
definite plan originating in the Mind of the Logos, and
slowly, and cyclically, achieving consummation. Three vast
periods of time are consumed in the process:
- The period of construction, wherein the form is
built.
- The period of utilization, wherein the form is
occupied, vitalized by a central Life, and employed.
- The period of dissolution, wherein the form is
devitalized, destroyed and dissipated.
In the first stage, that which concerns the tangible,
that which deals with objectivity, is the more emphasized,
and of supreme importance. In the second stage, the life
within the form, or the subjective consciousness, comes
gradually to the fore, and
the quality, or the
psyche of the thought-form, becomes apparent. In the final
stage, the thought form (having performed its mission),
separates into its basic duality, and will or energy (which
lies, as a unity, back of duality), ceases in intent. [562]
The objective life (spiritual life where cosmic
thought-forms are concerned; manasic life when solar
thought forms are constructed; and elemental life
where human thought-forms are built) withdraws and the form
dissipates.
In all these cases it will be apparent that only in the
study of the development of the
quality of the
thought-form will its inherent purpose be revealed; only as
its emanative processes are comprehended will the nature of
its mission become recognizable. This is true fundamentally
of all forms. Where the relatively unimportant forms – such
as those constructed by man at this time – are concerned,
this can easily be discovered, and to the trained
clairvoyant each form reveals:
- By its color,
- By its vibration,
- By its direction,
- By its keynote,
the nature of the inner life, the quality of its
vibration and the nature of its goal. In the summation of
all these points will the purpose reveal itself.
The Factor of Karma. Every thought-form comes
under the law of Karma through the effect it produces. At
this stage in the history of the system – that vast
transitional stage between dense physical life and
existence in the logoic etheric body – it is not easy for
us to differentiate between those thought forms which are
effects and those which are causes. It should be remembered
here that only cosmic and solar lords formulate
thoughts. The lunar Lords and all lesser intelligences
do not do so. Therefore, the two above mentioned groups
come under karmic law. They only are self-conscious, and
therefore responsible. Where self-consciousness is not,
there is no responsibility. Hence animals are not held to
be responsible, and though they [563] suffer on the
physical plane and in their physical vehicles, on the
subtler planes they are freed from karma, for they have
neither memory nor anticipation; they lack the correlating
faculty and as the spark of mind is missing, they are held
free from the law of retribution, except where the physical
body is concerned. The reason for the suffering in the
animal kingdom is hidden in the mystery of the sin of the
mindless,180 and in that terrible period spoken
of in the Secret Doctrine, which resulted in
abortions and distortions of all kinds. Had this period not
occurred, and this particular type of "miscarriage of
purpose" not taken place, we should not have had the
fearful karmic relationship which now exists between the
third and the fourth kingdom.
180 The sin of the Mindless. See S. D.,
II, 195, 201. This sin has to do with the period of the
Separation of the Sexes in the early third root-race, the
Lemurian. The same historical fact is hinted at also in the
Bible in Genesis VI, 2:4.
"They (the sexes) had already separated before the ray
of divine reason had enlightened the dark region of their
hitherto slumbering minds, and had sinned. That is
to say, they had committed evil unconsciously by producing
an effect which was unnatural."
See also S. D., II, 721, 728.
The effect of the life and persistence of a thought-form,
if maleficent and destructive, works out as "evil karma" if
beneficent it works as "good karma" in the group in which
the emanator has a place. This is what is meant by there
being no karma attached to the working out of a good and
altruistic deed.
The Factor of the Lesser Builders. Here a
most interesting factor comes in upon which we shall
enlarge later, when considering the elementals. The
specific purpose of a thought-form is connected very
closely with the type of deva essence of which it is
constructed, and (in connection with man on the mental
plane), with the type of elemental which he can control,
and send forth as the occupier, or vitalizing agency of the
thought-form. Roughly speaking, a solar Logos works only
through the greater Builders, the Manasaputras in Their
[564] various grades on the two higher planes of the solar
system. He works through Them, and sends Them forth upon
the mission of constructing, and vitalizing the systemic
thought-form, with a specific purpose in view. The
planetary Logoi work primarily through the Builders of the
next three planes (atma-buddhi-manas), who construct and
control the work of the planetary schemes. Men work through
the builders of the lower mental planes, and the astral
plane, for the human thought-forms are kama-manasic; the
physical plane builders are swept automatically into action
by the force of the currents, and energies set up in
subtler matter, by the great Builders.
The [following] tabulation may make this clear.
The Building Entities (Tabulation IV)
Quality |
|
Entity |
Center |
Personality |
Kingdom |
1. |
Atma |
Logos |
Head (Brain) |
Grand Heavenly Man |
Seventh |
Unity |
2-3. |
Buddhi Manas |
Planetary Logos |
Heart and Throat |
Heavenly Men |
Sixth & Fifth |
Duality |
4. |
Mental |
Man |
Solar Plexus Base of Spine |
Man |
Fourth |
Triplicity |
5. |
Astral |
Animal |
Generative Organs |
|
Third |
Duality |
6. |
Etheric |
Vegetable |
Spleen |
|
Second |
Transitional |
7. |
Dense |
Mineral |
None |
|
First |
Unity |
If the table is carefully studied, it will be seen
that the fivefold earlier enumeration concerns the most
important kingdoms in nature, whilst the final two are
peculiarly interesting in that the mineral kingdom can in
no sense be considered a principle, but simply the densest
point of concretion of the abstract, and that the vegetable
kingdom has a peculiar place in the economy of the system
as the transmitter of the vital pranic fluid; the vegetable
kingdom is definitely a bridge between the conscious and
the unconscious. Here I am using these words in their
broadest and most general sense. Though it is known that
the mineral kingdom has a consciousness of its own, yet
sensation is more distinctly recognizable in the
second kingdom, and the distinction between the
consciousness of the mineral and that of the animal is so
vast that their respective consciousness are basically
unlike. Between these stands the vegetable kingdom,
approximating more generally the animal consciousness than
the mineral, and having a most esoteric relationship to the
deva evolution.
All these kingdoms of nature are "forms of thought"; all
have body, vitality, quality and purpose, and all are [566]
sent out by a greater life than their own upon a specific
mission; they are sent forth by those who are
self-conscious and are a blend of mind, spirit and
objective form. Only the self-conscious can create, and
only they are capable of purpose, of coordination, of
direction and control.
Even though it may seem that much has been left unsaid, yet
in due consideration of the above four points in connection
with "purpose" in a thought-form, much can be worked out by
the student himself.
In extending these ideas to a solar Logos, many questions
of interest arise which are profitable only in so far as
they expand the concept, and widen the horizon of the
Thinker. The logoic purpose is not yet comprehensible to
man; it does not profit him to meditate thereon, yet in the
formulation of ideas, and their apprehension by thinkers
may come the gradual dawning of a day of recognition, and a
subsequent cooperation with that divine purpose. Let us,
therefore, formulate some of these questions, leaving the
future to reveal the answer:
- What may be the purpose of the present incarnation of
the solar Logos?
- What is the purpose which may perhaps be working out
in our own planetary scheme and what is the basic plan of
our planetary Logos?
- Wherein does it differ from other planetary
schemes?
- What is the purpose lying back of the relation
existing between our Earth and Venus?
- Is the purpose of the animal kingdom, as a whole, in
any way to be ascertained?
- What is the purpose back of the present root-race
evolution? Can we realize it?
- What is the purpose behind the differing national
forms? [567]
Let us next bring the whole idea own o a more
practical basis, and formulate questions along the
following lines:
- In what type of matter do I usually formulate
thoughts?
- What is the psychic quality of my thought-forms?
- With what specific purpose do I use mental
matter?
- Do I work in mental matter consciously or
unconsciously?
- Do I vitalize my thought-forms with a high or a low
order of entity?
- Do I study the laws of construction?
- Do I realize the power of the will to vitalize?
- Do I destroy thought-forms when they have
accomplished their purpose by a conscious act of the
will?
- Do I make forms which bring karmic effects, or do I
build those which go to the good of the group?
Many such thoughts will arise, and in the study of
thought man learns the laws of being.
D.I.2. The Laws of Thought
There are three great laws, that we might term the
fundamental laws of the cosmos, of that greater system
(recognized by all astronomers), of which we form a part,
and seven laws inherent in the solar system. These seven we
might consider secondary laws, though, from the standpoint
of humanity, they appear as major ones.
D.I.2.a. Three Cosmic Laws
The first of the cosmic laws is the Law of
Synthesis. It is almost impossible for those of us who
have not the buddhic faculty in any way developed, to
comprehend the scope of this law. It is the law that
demonstrates the fact that all things – abstract and
concrete – exist as one; it is the law governing the
thought form of that One of the cosmic Logoi [568] in Whose
consciousness both our system, and our greater center, have
a part. It is a unit of His thought, a thought form in its
entirety, a concrete whole, and not the differentiated
process that we feel our evolving system to be. It is the
sumtotal, the center and the periphery, and the circle of
manifestation regarded as a unit.
The second law is the Law of Attraction and
Repulsion. Fundamentally, the law describes the
compelling force of attraction that holds our solar system
to the Sirian; that holds our planets revolving around our
central unit, the sun; that holds the lesser systems of
atomic and molecular matter circulating around a center in
the planet; and that holds the matter of all physical plane
bodies, and that of the subtle bodies coordinated around
their microcosmic center.
The third law is the Law of Economy, and is the law
which adjusts all that concerns the material and spiritual
evolution of the cosmos to the best possible advantage and
with the least expenditure of force. It makes perfect each
atom of time, and each eternal period, and carries all
onward, and upward, and through, with the least possible
effort, with the proper adjustment of equilibrium, and with
the necessary rate of rhythm. Unevenness of rhythm is
really an illusion of time, and does not exist in the
cosmic center. We need to ponder on this, for it holds the
secret of peace, and we need to grasp the significance of
that word through, for it describes the next racial
expansion of consciousness, and has an occult meaning.
In the nomenclature of these laws much is lost, for it is
well nigh impossible to resolve abstractions into the terms
of speech, and not lose the inner sense in the process. In
these laws we again have the threefold idea demonstrated,
and the correspondence, as might be expected, holds good.
[569]
- The Law of Synthesis – The Will Aspect – 1st
Aspect.
- The Law of Attraction – The Love Aspect – 2nd
Aspect.
- The Law of Economy – The Activity Aspect – 3rd
Aspect.
D.I.2.b. Seven Systemic Laws
Subsidiary to the three major laws, we find the seven laws
of our solar system. Again we find the law of analogy
elucidating, and the three becoming the seven as elsewhere
in the logoic scheme. In each of these seven laws we find
an interesting correlation with the seven planes. They are:
- The Law of Vibration, the basis of
manifestation, starting on the first plane. This is the
atomic law of the system, in the same sense that on each
of our planes the first subplane is the atomic
plane.
- The Law of Cohesion. On the second plane
cohesion is first apparent. It is the first molecular
plane of the system, and is the home of the Monad. Divine
coherency is demonstrated.
- The Law of Disintegration. On the third plane
comes the final casting-off, the ultimate shedding of the
sheaths, of the fivefold superman. A Chohan of the sixth
Initiation discards all the sheaths beneath the monadic
vehicle, from the atmic to the physical.
- The Law of Magnetic Control holds sway
paramountly on the buddhic plane, and in the development
of the control of this law lies hid the control of the
personality by the Monad via the egoic body.
- The Law of Fixation demonstrates principally
on the mental plane and has a close connection with
manas, the fifth principle. The mind controls and
stabilizes, and coherency is the result.
- The Law of Love is the law of the astral
plane. It aims at the transmutation of the desire nature,
and links it up with the greater magnetism of the love
aspect on the buddhic plane.
- The Law of Sacrifice and Death is the
controlling factor on the physical plane. The destruction
of the form, in order that the evolving life may
progress, is one of the fundamental methods in
evolution.
The Intermediate Law of Karma. – There is also
an intermediate law, which is the synthetic law of the
system [570] of Sirius. This law is called by the generic
term, the Law of Karma, and really predicates the effect
the Sirian system has on our solar system. Each of the two
systems, as regards its internal economy, is independent in
time and space, or (in other words), in manifestation. We
have practically no effect on our parent system, the reflex
action is so slight as to be negligible, but very definite
effects are felt in our system through causes arising in
Sirius. These causes, when experienced as effects, are
called by us the Law of Karma, and at the beginning they
started systemic Karma which, once in effect, constitutes
that which is called
Karma in our occult and
oriental literature.
The Lipika Lords of our system, the systemic Lords of
Karma, are under the rule of a greater corresponding Lord
on Sirius.
We have therefore:
- The three cosmic laws of Synthesis, Attraction and
Economy.
- The Sirian law of Karma.
- The seven laws of the solar system.
As we have been told, our seven major vibrations are
the vibrations of the lowest cosmic plane; there is our
habitat. Our Logos Himself, the heart of His system, is on
the cosmic astral plane; he is polarized there. Just as the
units of the fourth Creative Hierarchy, the human, are
evolving through the use of physical bodies, but are
polarized at this time in their astral vehicles, so we have
seen that the objective solar system forms the physical
body of the Logos, though His polarity is in His astral
body. It is significant that in this greater manvantara,
the Logos is to take the fourth cosmic Initiation. A hint
which may enlighten lies in the correspondence which exists
between this statement and the [571] fourth root-race
development, and this, the fourth or astral
round.
181
181 The present Round, which is the
fourth, is the one in which desire, or response to contact
and sensation is being brought to its fullest expression.
In the next round, the fifth, the fifth principle of mind,
or manas, will reach fruition.
The system of the Sirian Logos is on the cosmic mental
plane, and in a subtle way, incomprehensible to us, our
Logos, with His system, forms a part of a still greater
Logos. This does not involve loss of identity, though the
matter is too abstruse to express more adequately. It is in
this analogy that the basic idea can be found of all
teaching given out about the Grand Heavenly Man. The whole
conception of these laws is bound up in this idea. We have
the three laws of the cosmic higher planes, holding in a
synthesis of beauty the greater and the lesser system. Next
we have the great law of Sirius, the Law of Karma, on the
third subplane of the cosmic mental plane, which law really
controls our Logos, and His actions, in the same way as the
ego – in due course of evolution – controls the human
personality.
We need to remember that, under the Law of Correspondences,
we shall have a relationship in the Cosmos, similar to that
existing in the microcosm between the ego and the
personality. The suggestion holds much that we might
consider with benefit. We must not, however, carry the
analogy too far; as we have not yet evolved to where we
have planetary consciousness, still less systemic, how can
we really expect even to conceive of the A B C of cosmic
truth? Just broad hints, wide conceptions, and
generalities, are as yet possible. Of one thing we can be
sure, and that is that identity ever remains.
Let me explain by illustration:
Each one of us, in due process of evolution, forms part of
one of the Heavenly Men, Who Themselves form the [572]
seven centers in that greater Heavenly Man, the Logos. Yet,
though we are merged with the whole, we do not lose our
identity, but forever remain separated units of
consciousness, though one with all that lives or is. In
like manner our Logos loses not His identity, even though
He forms part of the Consciousness of the Logos of Sirius.
In His turn, the Sirian Logos forms one of the seven Grand
Heavenly Men, who are the centers in the body of ONE OF
WHOM NOUGHT MAY BE SAID.
D.I.2.b.i The Laws and the Planes
We might, while studying the seven laws of the solar
system, take them plane by plane, showing certain things –
three in all:
- We might study their effect as they demonstrate on
the path of involution.
- As they manifest on the path of evolution, or
return.
- We might also touch on the laws as they affect the
human and deva organisms that evolve by means of
them.
As we do this, we shall gradually get a broad general
idea of how this system of ours (the thought-form of the
Logos), was gradually built up, how it is controlled and
held together, and how numerous and intricate are the
interrelations. Certain fundamental hypotheses are assumed,
which must form the background for all we would say. We
must assume first that a Builder, or some Creative Mind, is
working to bring about an ordered production, and is
seeking to manifest through a demonstrable objective. The
objective universe is but the product of some subjective
mind. Next we must posit that the material for the building
of this universe lay ready to the hand of the Builder, and
that this material itself is the fruit of some previous
system, all that is left of some past consummated product.
Given, therefore, the Builder and the material, we must
next accede [573] to the proposition that this Builder
proceeds with His building under some definite laws that
guide His choice of material, that control the form that He
erects, and that indicate to Him the process to be followed
in the consummating of His idea. We must not forget that
three great symbols stand, in the mind of the Logos, for
each of His three systems, that the whole exists for Him as
a concrete thought-form, for He is learning to manipulate
the matter of the cosmic mental plane on concrete levels,
in the same way that man is working on the laws of thought,
and on the building of thought-forms.
It is impossible to do more than sense the symbols of the
systems past and present. Perhaps if we could visualize a
swastika of ten arms revolving at right angles, of a
radiant green color, all the ten arms emanating from a
central blazing sun, we might have some idea of the
thought-form that formed the basis of System I, the
activity system. The basic thought-form for the
second system embodies the green swastika of the first
manifestation, and adds to it concentric and interlaced
circles in blue, in groups of three, linked by one large
circle. Both symbols are, of course, in the higher
dimensions. The symbol for the next system is unknown.
After grasping and conceding these three basic ideas, we
can now proceed to the working out of the laws of the
system on the seven planes, remembering always that these
seven laws hold good on the numerically corresponding
subplane on each plane. Let me briefly illustrate:
The fourth law,
Magnetic Control, for instance,
holds sway on the fourth subplane of each plane, in the
fourth round, and in the fourth root-race specially. We
shall then have the correspondence as follows:
- 4th Law – Magnetic Control.
- 4th Ray – Harmony or beauty.
- 4th Plane – The buddhic. [574]
- 4th Subplane – Buddhic Magnetic Control.
- 4th Round – Dense Physical Magnetism, controlling sex
manifestation on the physical plane, and inspired by
astral desire, the reflection of the buddhic.
- 4th Root-Race – The Atlantean, in which the above
qualities specially demonstrated.
D.I.2.b.i.A. The Law of Vibration
This is the law of the first plane, and it governs all the
atomic subplanes of each plane. It marks the beginning of
the work of the Logos, the first setting in motion of
mulaprakriti. On each plane the vibration of the atomic
subplane sets in motion the matter of that plane. It is the
key measure. We might sum up the significance of this law
in the words, "light" or "fire." It is the law of fire; it
governs the transmutation of differentiated colors back to
their synthesis. It controls the breaking up of the One
into the seven, and then the reabsorption back into the
One. It is really the basic law of evolution, which
necessitates involution. It is analogous to the first
movement the Logos made to express Himself through this
solar system. He uttered the Sound, a threefold Sound, one
sound for each of His three systems, and started a ripple
on the ocean of space. The Sound grows in volume as time
progresses, and when it has reached its full volume, when
it is fully completed, it forms one of the notes in the
major cosmic chord. Each note has six subtones, which, with
the first, make the seven; the Law of Vibration, therefore,
comprises eighteen lesser vibrations and three major,
making the twenty-one of our three systems. Two multiplied
by nine (2x9), makes the necessary eighteen, which is the
key number of our love system. Twenty-seven holds hid the
mystery of the third system.
On the path of involution, the seven great Breaths or
Sounds drove to the atomic subplane of each plane, and
[575] there the basic vibration repeated in its own little
world the method of logoic vibration, giving rise itself to
six subsidiary breaths. We get the same correspondence here
as we did in the matter of the Rays, for we shall find that
the lines of vibration are 1-2-4-6. Logically this would be
so, for involution is negative, receptive, and corresponds
to the feminine pole, just as the abstract rays were 2-4-6.
This truth requires meditation, and an attempt to think
abstractly; it is linked to the fact that the whole second
system is receptive and feminine; it concerns the evolution
of consciousness of the psyche.
On the path of evolution this law controls the positive
aspect of the process. All is rhythm and movement, and when
all that evolves on each plane attains the vibration of the
atomic subplane, then the goal is reached. When, therefore,
we have achieved the first main vibrations, and have
perfected vehicles for all evolutions (not merely the
human), of fivefold atomic subplane matter, then we have
completed the round of evolution for this system. In the
coming system we shall add the next two vibrations that
complete the scale, and our Logos will then have completed
His building.
The fourth Creative Hierarchy, that of the human Monads,
has to learn to vibrate positively, but the devas proceed
along the. line of least resistance; they remain negative,
taking the line of acquiescence, of falling in with the
law. Only the human Monads, and only in the three worlds,
follow the positive line, and by resistance, struggle,
battle and strife learn the lesson of divine
acquiescence. Yet, owing to the increase of friction
through that very struggle, they progress with a relatively
greater rapidity than the devas. They have need to do this,
for they have lost ground to make up.
The Law of Vibration is the law of progress, of movement
and of rotation. On the seventh or lowest plane, the
vibration is slow, clogged and lethargic from the [576]
standpoint of the first, and it is in learning to vibrate
or to rotate more rapidly, that we mount the path of
return. It involves, therefore necessarily, the building in
of finer matter into the vehicles, both deva and human. In
this second system, on the five planes of human evolution,
we have the five vehicles – physical, astral, mental,
buddhic and atmic – which have all to be purified,
rarefied, intensified and refined. In the two lowest, the
physical and the astral, only matter of the five higher
subplanes, of their respective planes, is to be found, for
the two lowest subplanes are too low for deva or human
bodies; they were dominated in the first system. The mental
body is the first in which we find matter of all the
subplanes. The aim of evolution for us is love dominated by
intelligence – or intelligence dominated by love, for the
interaction will be complete. The human race came into the
chain at a point where it naturally took bodies of the
fifth astral and physical subplanes, and we can see here an
analogy to the coming into the fourth root-race of the more
advanced Egos.
D.I.b.i.B. The Law of Cohesion
This is one of the branch laws of the cosmic Law of
Attraction. It is interesting to notice how this law
demonstrates in this Love-System in a threefold manner:
- On the plane of the Monad, as the law of
cohesion, the law of birth, if we might use that term,
resulting in the appearance of the Monads in their seven
groups. Love the source, and the Monad of love, the
result.
- On the plane of buddhi, as the law of magnetic
control. It shows itself as the love-wisdom aspect,
irradiating the ego, and eventually gathering to itself
the essence of all experience, garnered, via the Ego,
through the personality lives, and controlled throughout
from the plane of buddhi. Magnetism, and the capacity to
show love, are occultly synonymous.
- On the astral plane, as love demonstrating
through the [577] personality. All branches of the law of
attraction, demonstrating in this system, show themselves
as a force that ingathers, that tends to coherence, that
results in adhesion, and leads to absorption. All these
terms are needed to give a general idea of the basic
quality of this law.
This law is one of the most important of the systemic
laws, if it is permissible to differentiate at all; we
might term it the law of coalescence.
On the path of involution it controls the primal gathering
together of molecular matter, beneath the atomic subplane.
It is the basis of the attractive quality that sets in
motion the molecules and draws them into the needed
aggregations. It is the measure of the subplanes. The
atomic subplane sets the rate of vibration; the Law of
Cohesion might be said to fix the coloring of each plane.
It is the same thing in other words. We need always to
remember in discussing these abstract fundamentals that
words but dim the meaning, and serve but as suggestions and
not as elucidations.
In manifestation the cosmic Law of Attraction controls all
these subsidiary laws, just as the Law of Synthesis governs
pralaya and obscuration, and the law of Economy deals with
the general working out, along the line of least
resistance, of the logoic scheme. During manifestation we
have most to do with the Law of Attraction, and it will be
found, on study, that each subsidiary law is but a
differentiation of that law.
This second law of the system governs specially the second
plane, and the second subplane on each plane. It might be
interesting to work this out and trace the underlying
correspondence, bearing in mind always that all that can be
done is to point out certain things, and indicate lines of
thought that may lead, if pursued, to illumination.
Ray Two and Law Two are closely allied, and it is [578]
interesting to realize that it is on the second subplane of
the monadic plane that the majority of the Monads have
their habitat; there are a few Monads of power or will on
the atomic subplane, but their numbers are not many, and
they simply form a nucleus in evolutionary preparation for
System III, the power system. The majority of the Monads
are on the second subplane and they are the Monads of love;
on the third subplane can be found quite a number of the
Monads of activity, but numerically not as many as the
Monads of love. They are the failures of System I.
There is a direct channel, as we know, between the atomic
subplane on each plane. This is more or less true of each
subplane and its corresponding higher subplane numerically,
and there is, therefore, a direct and quite expansive
channel between the second subplane on all planes, enabling
the Monads of love to link up with peculiar facility with
all their vehicles when composed of second subplane matter.
After initiation, the causal body is found on the second
subplane of the mental plane, and monadic control then
commences.
The Monads of love return (after life in the three worlds
and the attainment of the goal) to their originating second
subplane, that being also the goal for the monads of
activity who have to develop the love aspect. In the five
worlds of human evolution both groups of Monads have to
control atomic and molecular matter as well and this is
done by the utilization to the full (as full as may be
possible in this second system), of the will or power
aspect.
The "Kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent take
it by force," or by Will or power. It is not Will, as we
shall know it in the final system but it is Will as known
in this system, and it has to be utilized to the uttermost
by the evolving Monad in his struggle to control each
atomic subplane. The Monads of power have [579] a
much greater struggle, and hence the fact so often apparent
that people on what we term the power Ray, have so often a
hard time, and are so frequently unlovable. They have to
build in on all the six planes the love aspect, which is
not prominent in their development.
A hint has been given us as to the approximate figures
governing the Monads:
- 35 Thousand million Monads of love,
- 20 Thousand million Monads of activity,
- 5 Thousand million Monads of power,
making a total of sixty thousand million human Monads.
The Monads of power, though in manifestation, are as yet
very rare in incarnation. They came in, in large numbers,
at the close of the moon chain, and will come in again in
full numerical strength in the last two rounds of the
present chain.
We might now briefly trace the correspondence in the second
round and the second root-race, showing how the Law of
Cohesion was specially active at these periods. A condition
of nebulosity of a pronouncedly volatile condition, marked
the first round and race. Movement, and the accompaniment
of heat, is their distinguishing quality, much as in System
I, but in the second round, and also in the second race, a
definite cohesion is noticeable, and form is more clearly
recognizable in outline. Cohesion is also plainly to be
seen as the distinguishing feature of our present system,
the second. It is the aim of all things to unite;
approximation, unification, a simultaneous attraction
between two or more is ever to be seen as a governing
principle, whether we look at the sex problem, or whether
it demonstrates in business organization, in scientific
development, in manufacture, or in politics. Well might we
say that the At-one-ment of the many separated is
the keynote of our system. One more suggestion may be
given: On the path of [580] involution this law governs the
gathering together and the segregation of matter; on the
evolutionary path it controls the building of forms. It has
been stated that the matter of the lowest subplane forms
the basis of a new plane; therefore we have on the atomic
subplane a point where merging takes place, which makes it
a plane of synthesis, just as in the same way the first or
logoic plane is the plane of synthesis for this system.
There takes place the merging of evolution into an
inconceivably higher state.
D.I.2.b.i.C. The Law of Disintegration
This is the law that governs the destruction of the form in
order that the indwelling life may shine forth in fullness.
It is another aspect of the Law of Cohesion – the reverse
side (if one might so express it), and is just as much a
part of the divine plan as that of attraction. It is one of
the laws that ends with the solar system, for the great
laws of attraction, cohesion and love last on into that
which is to come. The Law of Disintegration has its
correspondence in cosmic law, but it is almost
incomprehensible to us. The Law of Economy holds the key to
this law. When the Monad has circled through all
disintegrating forms, and has achieved the sixth
Initiation, it is resolved into its primal monadic source,
and the five lesser sheaths are destroyed. Later on the
Monads themselves are synthesized, not disintegrated. This
law controls only from the third plane, and ceases action
in this particular fashion when the third plane is
transcended.
This law is one of the most difficult for the race to
understand. Some of its workings (those on the path of
evolution), can be seen and somewhat comprehended, but on
the path of involution, or of construction, the working out
of the law is not so apparent to the superficial observer.
On the path of involution it controls the process of the
[581] breaking up of group souls; it governs the periods
when the permanent triads are transferred from one form to
another; it works through the great world cataclysms, and
we need to remember that it governs, not only the physical
plane catastrophes (as we erroneously term them), but the
corresponding cataclysms on the astral plane, and the lower
levels of the mental plane. It governs physical plane
disruptions, especially those affecting the mineral world;
it controls the disintegration, on the astral plane, of
thought-forms; it dissolves the astral vehicle when left
behind, and the mental likewise. The dissipation of the
etheric double is the result of its working.
Again we can correlate this law with that of Attraction,
for the two interact upon each other. This law breaks up
the forms, and the Law of Attraction draws back to primal
sources the material of those forms, prior to rebuilding
them anew.
On the path of evolution the effects of this law are well
known, not only in the destruction of the discarded
vehicles touched upon above, but in the breaking up of the
forms in which great ideals are embodied, – the forms of
political control, the forms in which nature itself
evolves, apart from those in which individual consciousness
manifests, the great religious thought-forms, the
philanthropic concepts and all the forms which science,
art, and religion take at any one particular time. All
eventually break under the working of this law.
Its workings are more apparent to the average human mind in
its manifestations at this time on the physical plane. We
can trace the connection between the atmic and the physical
plane (demonstrating on the lower plane as the law of
sacrifice and death), but its effect can be seen on all the
five planes as well. It is the law that destroys the final
sheath that separates the perfected Jiva. It has not yet
been fully brought out [582] (for the law of
correspondences has been little studied, nor is it readily
apparent) that on the third subplane of each plane this law
works in a special manner, causing a very definite
breaking-up of something that is tending to separation.
Like all that works in the system, the process is slow; the
work of disintegration begins on the third subplane, and is
finished on the second, when the Law of Disintegration
comes under the influence of the Law of Cohesion, the
disintegration having effected that which makes cohesion
possible. We can see an illustration of this on the mental
plane. The causal body of the average man is on the third
subplane, and as a man becomes fit for the merging into the
Triad, that causal body has to be discarded and done away
with. Under the Law of Sacrifice and Death, the
disintegration is begun on the third level and is
consummated on the second, when the man merges with the
Triad, preparatory to the final merging with the Monad.
Another illustration of the same thing can be found on the
physical plane. When a man has reached the point where he
can sense and see the fourth ether, he is ready for the
burning away of the etheric web, which has its location
midway between the third and second subplane matter which
composes his physical body. When this disintegration is
effected, the man merges with his astral vehicle,
establishing a consequent continuity of consciousness. This
correspondence, and this disintegration, can be traced on
each plane, till finally on the atmic level on its third
subplane comes the final disintegration, which results in a
merging with the monadic consciousness.
The third Ray, that of adaptability or activity, has a
close connection with this law. It is through activity (or
the adaptation of matter to need), that the form comes into
being; through activity it is employed, and through that
very adaptation it becomes a perfect form, [583] and at the
moment of perfection loses its usefulness; it crystallizes,
breaks, and the evolving life escapes to find for itself
new forms of greater capacity and adequacy. It is so in the
life of the reincarnating Ego; it is so in the rounds and
races of humanity; it is so in the solar system; it is so
in all cosmic processes.
In the third chain, the moon chain, we have an interesting
related fact. On the moon chain the point of attainment for
the individual was the arhat or fourth Initiation, – the
initiation which marks the final breaking with the three
worlds, and the disintegration of the egoic body.
At the end of the third root-race came the first of the
great cataclysms that broke the race form, and inaugurated
a new one, for it was the first definitely human race as we
now know it. The analogy will be found to hold good no
matter from what angle the subject may be studied. In the
third subrace a correspondence can be traced, though it is
not yet apparent to the circumscribed vision which
characterizes most of us. Close proximity to an effect
often veils a cause.
D.I.2.b.i.D. The Law of Magnetic Control182
182 Note the correspondence that can be traced
here. On the second plane we have the Law of Cohesion –
love. On the second plane of the manifesting Triad, the Law
of Magnetic Control – love. Again lower down on the second
plane of the Personality, the Law of Love. The accuracy of
the analogy is quite interesting, and provides room for
speculation.
This law is the basic law controlling the Spiritual Triad.
Through this law, the force of evolution drives the Ego to
progress through the cycle of reincarnation back to union
with his kind. Through separation he finds himself, and
then – driven by the indwelling buddhic or Christ principle
– transcends himself, and finds himself again in all
selves. This law holds the evolving lower self in a
coherent form. It controls the Ego in the causal body, in
the same way that the Logos controls the Monad on the
second plane. It is the law of the buddhic plane; the [584]
Master is one Who can function on the buddhic levels, and
Who has magnetic control in the three worlds. The lower is
always controlled from above, and the effect the buddhic
levels have on the three lower is paramount, though that is
scarcely yet conceded by our thinkers. It is the Law of
Love, in the three worlds, that holds all together, and
that draws all upward. It is the demonstration, in the
Triad, of the Law of Attraction.
On the path of involution this law works with the permanent
atoms in the causal body. It is the buddhic principle, and
its relation with the lower permanent atom of the Triad is
the mainspring of the life of the Ego. On the path of
descent it has much to do with the placing of the permanent
atoms, but this matter is very abstruse, and the time has
not yet come for further elucidation. At the third
outpouring, (in which the fourth kingdom, the human, was
formed), it was this Law of Magnetic Control that effected
the juncture of astro-animal man, and the descending Monad,
using the spark of mind as the method of at-one-ment. Again
we can see how it works. The monadic plane, the buddhic
plane, and the astral plane are all three closely allied,
and we find there the line of least resistance. Hence the
facility with which the mystic contacts the buddhic and
even higher planes. The lines of least resistance in the
three systems are:
- System I. Physical, mental, and atmic.
The atmic was the highest point of achievement in that
system.
- System II. Astral, buddhic and monadic.
- System III. Mental, atmic and logoic.
Note the correspondence therefore to be seen between
the fourth kingdom and the working of this, the fourth law.
It is of vital moment in this fourth chain.
As regards human evolution, this fourth law is of prime
importance at this time. The aim of human [585] endeavor is
both to be controlled by this law, and likewise to wield it
in service. It is the law whereby sex expression, as we
know it, is transmuted and elevated; sex is only the
physical plane demonstration of the Law of Attraction; it
is the working out of that law in the human kingdom, and in
all the lower kingdoms, too. The love of all that breathes,
and the attraction that works out in service, is the same
thing as demonstrated in the Triad. Sex expression, the
coming together of two, becomes transmuted into the coming
together of many for acts of service, which will give birth
to new ideals, and to a new race – the spiritual.
Here I might point out a numerical fact that may be of
interest in connection with the fourth hierarchy. This
human hierarchy is the fourth, as we know, yet if we count
the five hierarchies that have passed on, it is in reality
the ninth. Nine is the number of initiation, the number of
the adept, and of the man who functions in his buddhic
vehicle.
The fourth Ray also operates in close connection with the
fourth Law. It is the Ray of Harmony or Beauty – Harmony
through control, that control entailing the knowledge of
wisdom. It is the harmony of similarity; it is the
equilibrizing of all through the realization of the laws of
magnetism that produce the coordination of the many diverse
into the one homogeneous; magnetism governs the synthesis
of the many aspects into a form of unity. This harmony is
reached through the fifth plane, and the fifth Ray of
Concrete Knowledge acts as a step to the fourth, for many
who work on the fifth Ray pass eventually to the fourth. In
this system the fifth Ray is of paramount importance in the
development of all egos. Each must pass some time on it
before definitely remaining on his monadic Ray. In many
incarnations much time is spent on the fifth subplane of
each plane, which is governed principally by the fifth Ray.
All pass [586] then on the fourth subplane governed by the
fourth Ray, and in this particular period of the fourth
round in the fourth chain, more time is spent on the fourth
subplane by evolving Egos than on any other. Many come into
incarnation directly on to this plane, and it is here that
they begin to think harmoniously.
D.2.b.ii. The Laws in the Three Worlds
We will now take up and briefly study the three most
important laws affecting the evolving human being, as he
lives his life in the three worlds. These laws are:
- The Law of Fixation.
- The Law of Love.
- The Law of Sacrifice and Death.
These laws are all dominated and controlled eventually
by the three higher laws in the system – the Laws of
Magnetic Control, of Disintegration, and of Cohesion. There
is a direct connection between these seven laws and the
seven Rays or Vibrations, and if we study the
correspondence we shall recognize the fact that the first
law, that of Vibration, is the controlling law of the six,
demonstrating through the second law, that of Cohesion,
just as the solar Logos is at this time manifesting Himself
through His second aspect in this the second solar system.
The first Ray of Will or Power is the first aspect of the
All-self, and in the third outpouring,183 came
[587] down to the fifth plane, along with the other monads.
A subtle correspondence exists between the monads of Will
on the fifth plane, the fifth law, and the fifth Ray.
183 The Three Outpourings. "In the
diagram the symbols of the three Aspects (of the Logos) are
placed outside of time and space, and only the streams of
influence from them descend into our system of planes...
They represent in due order what are commonly called the
three Persons of the Trinity... It will be seen that from
each of them an outpouring of life or force is projected
into the planes below. The first of these in order is the
straight line which descends from the third Aspect; the
second is that part of the large oval which lies on our
left hand – the stream which descends from the second
Aspect until it has touched the lowest point in matter, and
then rises again up the side on our right hand until it
reaches the lower mental level. It will be noted that in
both of these outpourings the divine life becomes darker
and more veiled as it descends into matter, until at the
lowest point we might almost fail to recognize it as divine
life at all; but as it rises again when it has passed its
nadir it shows itself somewhat more clearly. The third
outpouring which descends from the highest aspect of the
Logos differs from the others in that it is in no way
clouded by the matter through which it passes, but retains
its virgin purity and splendor untarnished. It will be
noted that this outpouring descends only to the level of
the buddhic plane (the fourth plane) and that the link
between the two is formed by a triangle in a circle,
representing the individual soul of man – the reincarnating
ego. Here the triangle is contributed by the third
outpouring and the circle by the second..." - The
Christian Creed, by C. W. Leadbeater, pp. 39, 40.
The second Ray or the Love-Wisdom aspect wields a control
on the fourth and sixth planes, and dominates the Laws of
Cohesion and Magnetic Control, and the astral Law of Love.
There is a direct interlinking between the abstract Rays
and the laws of the planes where they specially control.
The third Ray which is the Activity aspect, controls the
Laws of Disintegration and of Death, on the third and
seventh planes.
Therefore, it will be apparent to the careful student of
the wisdom that:
- The Power-Aspect – Ray 1, Planes 1 and 5, and
the Laws of Fixation and Vibration, form one interlocking
whole.
- The Love Aspect – Ray 2, Planes 2, 4, 6, and
the Laws of Cohesion, Magnetic Control, and of Love, form
another unit.
- The Activity Aspect – Ray 3, Planes 3 and 7,
and the Laws of Disintegration, Sacrifice and Death, make
still another group.
It is logical for the first Ray only to have control,
as yet, on two planes, for the Power Aspect waits for
another system in order to demonstrate in full development.
Ray two, the synthetic Ray for our system, [588] controls
on three planes; it has the preponderance, for paramountly
we are the Monads of Love, and Love is our synthesis. Ray
three, the dominant Ray of the system which is past, its
synthetic Ray, controls on two planes, and on one that is
little understood, for, just as the physical body is not
considered a principle, so there is a sphere of activity
that is not included in our enumeration, it is past and
gone. Some explanation of this lies hid in the occult
words, "The Eighth Sphere."
In regard to the four minor Rays of Harmony, Concrete
Science, Devotion and Ceremonial Order, their control
exists in degrees on all the planes, but they have their
particular emphasis in the evolution of the reincarnating
ego in the three worlds at this time. These four Rays
control, in a subtle and peculiar manner, the four kingdoms
of nature – mineral, vegetable, animal and human – and at
their merging into the three Rays of Aspect (the Activity
Ray of the Mahachohan being the synthesizer of the lower
four in our planetary scheme) have a correspondence with
the merging of man (the product of the three kingdoms and
the fourth) into the superman kingdom, the spiritual. The
fourth Ray and the fourth Kingdom form a point of harmony
for the lower three, and all four then pass into the major
or upper three. This is worthy of our serious thought, and
the analogy of the fourth plane will also be apparent. For
this system, the buddhic plane, the human kingdom, and the
fourth Ray of Harmony or Beauty or Synthesis, have a point
of correspondence, just as the fourth root-race is the one
in which the synthesis is first observed – the door into
the fifth kingdom of Spirit being then opened; the fourth
root-race also developed the astral capacity that made
contact with the fourth or buddhic level possible.
In a subtle way too (I use the word subtle for lack of a
better, meaning a statement of actuality that seems an
[589] illusion), the three minor Rays, Concrete Science,
Devotion and Ceremonial Law, have each a connection with
the three kingdoms of nature below the human, and with the
three laws of the three lower worlds.
The Ray of Ceremonial Order has special significance
at this time; it controls life in the mineral world, and in
the final stages of involutionary life at the point where
the upward turn of evolution is made. Through Ceremonial
Order comes the control of the lesser builders, the
elemental forces, the point of synthesis in the lowest
plane of all, the period of transition. In all such periods
the seventh Ray comes in (as now) the Ray of Law and Order,
of accurate arrangement and formation. It is the reflection
on the physical plane of the Power and Activity Aspects
working in synthesis. Rays 1, 3, 7, have an interplay, as
we know. Ray seven is the appearance in combination of the
forces of evolution. It is the manifestation of Power and
Activity on the lowest plane of all. It is allied to the
laws of the third and seventh planes, Disintegration and
Death, for all periods of transition are periods of the
destruction and building of forms, and the shattering of
the old in order that newer and better chalices of life may
be constructed.
The Ray of Devotion has a definite though little
known connection with the vegetable kingdom. We must
remember that it is linked to a subsidiary law of the
cosmic Law of Attraction. It is in the vegetable kingdom
that we find one of the first and temporary approximations
between the evolving human Monad, and the evolving deva
Monad. The two parallel evolutions touch in that kingdom,
and then again follow their own paths, finding their next
point of contact on the fourth or buddhic level, and a
final merging on the second.
The concrete Rays have an especial effect on the
negative evolution of the devas, who form the
feminine aspect of the divine hermaphroditic Man, working
along [590] the lines of more positive development. The
abstract Rays do a similar work on the positive human
hierarchy, tending towards a more receptive attitude. This
hierarchy forms the masculine aspect of the divine
Hermaphrodite. But at three points on the path of evolution
the Monads of Love, working on the abstract qualities,
touch the devas of activity working on concrete faculty.
The perfection of the two evolutions marks the point of
attainment of the divine Heavenly Man; it is the perfecting
of the two major centers, creative activity and love, of
the Logos. In their lower aspect these centers are known as
the centers of generation and the solar plexus, but are
transmuted, as evolution proceeds, into the throat and
heart centers. Then, in a dual synthesis, they will pass on
into the third system, that in which the Power aspect is
developed, and the head centers will be complete. This
achieved, our Logos has triumphed, and measured up to the
sixth cosmic Initiation, just as He should measure up in
this system to the fourth.
The Ray of Concrete Science has a peculiar
relationship to the animal kingdom, in that it is the Ray
that governs the merging of that kingdom into the human.
The planet, Venus, in her fifth round, gave the impetus
which produced the spark of mind in animal man – a fact
well known. It is also the fifth Ray, and has an
interesting connection with the fifth Law of Fixation. We
might study, too, with profit, the analogy that can be seen
between these factors and the fifth root-race, the race of
peculiarly strong development of the concrete mind. The Law
of Analogy always holds good.
With this as a basis, the three laws of the personality
become replete with life, and can be summed up in the
well-known term, "The Law of Rebirth and Death in the three
worlds." The fifth law governs a fixed point in the
personality, that of the fifth principle. [591]
The Law of Love in the astral body also has its points for
consideration. There is a direct link between the astral
body (love in the personality), the buddhic vehicle (love
in the Triad), and the Monads of Love. Later on, this will
be understood more fully, but it is the main channel for
the basic law of the system, Love. These three points mark
periods of completion, and likewise starting-points for
fresh endeavor in the life of the evolving Monad – from the
personality to the Triad, from the Triad to the Monad, from
the Monad back again to its source.
D.I.2.b.ii.E. The Law of Fixation
This is the governing law of the mental plane, finding its
greater correspondence in the Law of Karma on cosmic mental
levels. "As a man thinks, so is he;" according to his
thoughts are his desires and acts, and so results the
future. He fixes for himself the resultant karma. The word
"Fixation" is chosen for two purposes: First, because the
word implies the capacity of the thinker to shape his own
destiny, and secondly because the word implies a
stabilizing idea, for as evolution progresses, the Ego
evolves the faculty of forming definite concrete
thought-forms, and, through these stable products, of
subduing the fluctuations of the astral body.
This law of the fifth, or mental Plane is one of the most
important laws with which we have to do at any time, and it
will find its most complete demonstration in the next, or
fifth round. In relation to this fourth round the following
facts may be gathered about its working:
It is the law under which the evolving personality builds
up, during the course of many lives, the causal body; it
fixes the matter inhering in that body, placed there by the
man as the ages slip away, and crystallizes it. Before the
fourth Initiation the crystallization is complete, and the
inevitable shattering that is the result of crystallization
in all forms, takes place, setting the [592] indwelling
life free for further progress. All forms are but
hindrances and limitations, and ultimately must go, but
they have their needed place in the development of the
race. Eventually the causal body of the entire race itself
disintegrates.
This law governs the crystallization of all forms prior to
their shattering in the process of evolution.
It governs the time of rebirth, being one of the
subsidiary branches of the Law of Karma. Each of the seven
subsidiary laws is linked to one of the cosmic laws, or
with the Sirian Law of Karma. We need always to remember
that the consciousness of the cosmic mental plane is the
logoic goal of attainment, and that the Sirian Logos is to
our solar Logos what the human Ego is to the personality.
The Law of Karma, or cosmic Fixation, is the law of the
cosmic mental plane, and controls the corresponding law in
our system.
In the fifth round this law will act as the divider,
temporarily crystallizing and fixing into two great classes
the human Monads, as they evolve. One group then
(containing those who will reach the goal), will pass
gradually out from under the domination of this law, and
will come under the Law of Magnetic Control. The other will
remain under the law in a static condition, until in a
later period a fresh opportunity will come; old forms will
break, and in another mahamanvantara, and in its fifth
period, will come the chance for which they will have
waited, when they can again swing into the current of
evolution and the imprisoned spirits may mount again
towards their source.
In an occult sense this law is for us the one with which we
are the most intimately concerned. It plays an important
part in the hands of the Lords of Flame, and is one of
Their main factors in controlling the three worlds. Note
here an interesting fact, that Venus is the sixth planet
(esoterically the second), and is in her [593] fifth round,
and hence is ahead of us along every line. This law
demonstrates the static quality of love, static
temporarily, but necessarily so when viewed from the
standpoint of time, the great deluder. On the path of
involution this law again works with the permanent atoms in
the three worlds, with the building in of material around
those atoms, in connection with the building devas and the
reincarnating Egos. The devas are the mother aspect, the
builders of the body, and the reincarnating Jivas are the
son aspect; yet the two are but one, and the result is the
divine hermaphroditic man. (See page 512.)
D.I.2.b.ii.F. The Law of Love
It is not easy, in this brief digest, to approach the
tremendous problem of the place love plays in the evolving
scheme of things as understood by three-dimensional man. A
treatise could be written on the subject, and yet leave it
unexhausted. Much light comes if we can ponder deeply on
the three expressions of Love: Love in the Personality,
Love in the Ego, and Love in the Monad. Love in the
Personality gradually develops through the stages of love
of self, pure and simple and entirely selfish, to love of
family and friends, to love of men and women, until it
arrives at the stage of love of humanity or group love
consciousness which is the predominant characteristic of
the Ego. A Master of Compassion loves, suffers with, and
remains with His kind and with His kin. Love in the Ego
gradually develops from love of humanity into love
universal – a love that expresses not only love of
humanity, but also love of the deva evolutions in their
totality, and of all forms of divine manifestation. Love in
the Personality is love in the three worlds; love in the
Ego is love in the solar system, and all that it contains;
whilst love in the Monad demonstrates a measure of cosmic
love, and embraces much that is outside the solar system
altogether. [594]
This term "The Law of Love," is after all too generic a
term to apply to one law governing one plane, but will have
to suffice for the present, as it conveys the type of idea
that is needed, to our minds. The Law of Love is in reality
but the law of the system in demonstration on all the
planes. Love was the impelling motive for manifestation,
and love it is that keeps all in ordered sequence; love
bears all on the path of return to the Father's bosom, and
love eventually perfects all that is. It is love that
builds the forms that cradle temporarily the inner hidden
life, and love is the cause of the disruption of those
forms, and their utter shattering, so that the life may
further progress. Love manifests on each plane as the urge
that drives the evolving Monad onwards to its goal, and
love is the key to the deva kingdom, and the reason of the
blending of the two kingdoms eventually into the divine
Hermaphrodite. Love works through the concrete rays in the
building of the system, and in the rearing of the structure
that shelters the Spirit, and love works through the
abstract rays for the full and potent development of that
inherent divinity. Love demonstrates, through the concrete
rays, the aspects of divinity, forming the persona
that hides the one Self; love demonstrates through the
abstract rays in developing the attributes of divinity, in
evolving to fullest measure the kingdom of God within. Love
in the concrete rays leads to the path of occultism; love
in the abstract rays leads to that of the mystic. Love
forms the sheath and inspires the life; love causes the
logoic vibration to surge forward, carrying all on its way,
and bringing all to perfected manifestation.
In System I, Activity, Desire for Expression, and the
Impulse to Move was the basic note. That activity
produced certain results, certain permanent effects, and
thus formed the nucleus for the present system. Ordered
Activity is the foundation of this system, of ordered [595]
Love, and leads to system three, wherein ordered Activity,
with ordered Love for its impulse, results in ordered
loving Power.
The sixth Ray of devotion and the sixth law of love have a
close alliance, and on the sixth plane comes the powerful
working out in the lower Triad, the Personality, of the Law
of Love. On the astral plane, the home of the desires,
originate those feelings which we call personal love; in
the lowest type of human being this shows itself as animal
passion; as evolution proceeds it shows itself as a gradual
expansion of the love faculty, passing through the stages
of love of mate, love of family, love of surrounding
associates, to love of one's entire environment; patriotism
gives place later to love of humanity, often humanity as
exemplified in one of the Great Ones. The astral plane is,
at the present time, the most important for us, for in
desire – not corrected or transmuted – lies the difference
between the personal consciousness and that of the
Ego.185
185 Why do we consider this matter of the devas
of the middle system (as we might call those connected with
this system and with buddhi and kama-manas) in our
consideration of thought forms? For two reasons: One is
that all that is in the solar system is but substance
energized from the cosmic mental and astral planes, and
built into form through the power of electrical law; all
that can be known is but forms ensouled by ideas. Secondly,
that in the knowledge of the creative processes of the
system, man learns for himself how in time to become a
creator. We might illustrate this by remarking that one of
the main functions of the Theosophical movement in all its
many branches is to build a form which can be ensouled, in
due time, by the idea of Brotherhood.
In the sixth Scheme, that of Venus, this can be seen
clearly; it is the scheme of love. Viewed from one angle,
the Venusian Scheme is the second, and from another it is
the sixth. It depends upon whether we reason from the
circumference to the center or the reverse.
It is the home of the planetary Logos of the sixth Ray.
This may sound like a contradiction, but it is not so
really; we must remember the interlocking, the gradual
shifting and changing, that takes place in time on all
[596] the Rays. In the same way the Earth chain is the
third if viewed from one aspect and the fifth viewed from
another.
In the sixth chain of each scheme, this sixth law and the
sixth Ray have a very important significance, whilst the
seventh chain of each scheme is always synthetic – Love and
Activity in a perfect balance. The same effect can be
demonstrated in the sixth Round. In the sixth Round of the
present chain of the Earth scheme, the sixth law will
demonstrate with great clarity and force, as love shown in
brotherhood, love translated or transmuted from the astral
to the buddhic. So in the sixth root-race and the sixth
subrace a similar analogy will be seen. Out of the
shattered form of the fifth subrace of the fifth root race,
built up under the fifth Ray of Concrete Knowledge, with
the aid of the fifth Law of Fixation, will emerge the sixth
subrace of brotherly love – love shown in the realization
of the one life latent in each Son of God.
D.I.2.b.ii.G. The Law of Sacrifice and Death
This law links itself to the third law, that of
Disintegration following the connection that always exists
between the atmic and the physical plane. The Law of
Disintegration controls the fivefold destruction of forms
in the five lower worlds, and the Law of Death controls
similarly in the three worlds. It is subsidiary to the
third law. The Law of Sacrifice is the Law of Death in the
subtle bodies, whilst what we call death is the analogous
thing in the physical body. This law governs the gradual
disintegration of concrete forms and their sacrifice to the
evolving life, and is closely linked in its manifestation
with the seventh Ray. This Ray is the one that largely
controls, that manipulates, that geometrizes and that holds
sway over the form side, governing the elemental
forces of nature. The physical plane is the most concrete
exemplification of the form side; it holds the divine life
imprisoned or [597] enmeshed at its densest point, and it
works at this time in line with the seventh law. In a
mysterious way this law is the reverse side of the first,
or the Law of Vibration. It is Vulcan and Neptune in
opposition, which is as yet an almost incomprehensible
thing for us. The densest form of expression on the
physical plane is after all but a form of synthesis; just
as the rarest form of expression on the highest plane is
but unity or synthesis of a finer kind. One is the
synthesis of matter, and the other the synthesis of life.
This law governs the seventh chain in each scheme; each
chain having achieved the fullest expression possible in
the scheme, comes under the Law of Death, and obscuration
and disintegration supervenes. In a cosmic sense and
analogy, it is the law that governs the coming in of
pralaya at the end of a system. It is the law that shatters
the cross of the cosmic Christ, and places the form of the
Christ within the tomb for a period of time.
D.I.2.b.iii The Principle of Mutation
In concluding the above information about the laws, it is
needful that we all recognize the extreme danger of
dogmatizing about these matters, and the risk of laying
down hard and fast rules. Much must remain unexplained and
untouched, and much also will serve to raise only questions
in our minds. Comprehension is as yet impossible. Until
fourth-dimensional sight is ours, it will scarcely be
possible for us to do more than hint at, and get a passing
vision of, the complexity and the interweaving in the
system. It is not easy for us to do more than grip as a
mental concept the fact that the rays, schemes, planets,
chains, rounds, races and laws form a unit; seen from the
angle of human vision the confusion seems unimaginable, and
the key of its solution to be so hidden as to be useless;
yet, seen from the angle of logoic sight, [598] the whole
moves in unison, and is geometrically accurate. In order to
give some idea of the complexity of the arrangement, I
would like here to point out that the Rays themselves
circulate, the Law of Karma controlling the interweaving.
For instance, Ray I may pass around a scheme (if it is the
paramount Ray of the scheme) with its first subray
manifesting in a chain, its second in a round, its third in
a world period, its fourth in a root race, its fifth in a
subrace, and its sixth in a branch race. I give this in
illustration, and not as the statement of a fact in present
manifestation. This gives us some idea of the vastness of
the process, and of its wonderful beauty. It is impossible
for us, sweeping through on some one Ray, to visualize or
in any way to apprehend this beauty; yet, to those on
higher levels and with a wider range of vision, the
gorgeousness of the design is apparent.
This complexity is for us very much increased because we do
not yet understand the principle governing this mutation.
Nor is it possible for even the highest human mind in the
three worlds to do more than sense and approximate that
principle. By mutation I mean the fact that there is a
constant changing and shifting, an endless interweaving and
interlocking, and a ceaseless ebb and flow, in the dramatic
interplay of the forces that stand for the dual synthesis
of Spirit and matter. There is constant rotation in the
Rays and planes, in their relative importance from the
standpoint of time, which is the standpoint most closely
associated with us. But we can rest assured that there is
some fundamental principle directing all the activities of
the Logos in His system, and by wrestling to discover the
basic principle on which our microcosmic lives rest, we may
discover aspects of this inherent logoic principle. This
opens to our consideration a wide range of vision, and
[599] though it emphasizes the complexity of the subject,
it also demonstrates the divine magnitude of the scheme,
with its magnificent intricacies. The reason the fourth is
a major round is because in this round two things happened
– the spark of mind was implanted and the door was opened
from the animal kingdom into the human; and later, another
door opened, on to the Path leading from the human kingdom
into the spiritual – again a dual reason. The fifth round
is a major round because it marks a point in evolution
where those who will achieve the goal, and those who will
not, are sharply differentiated into two groups; the
seventh is a major round because it will mark the merging
of the two evolutions, the human and the deva.
The major root races are chosen under the Law of
Correspondence. In the third root race came the third
Outpouring, the merging and the point of contact between
the Spiritual Triad and the Lower Quaternary. The fifth
root race marks a point where higher and lower manas
approximate, and where the concrete mind, meeting its
highest development of this round, gives place to the
intuition from above. Here again we have a twofold reason.
The seventh root race again demonstrates dual attainment,
love in activity, the basis of the third system of Will or
Power.
The three major Rays, being dual, are their own sufficient
explanation. They are at present the mode of expression of
the three aspects, and demonstrate under their appropriate
Logoi, Who manipulate world affairs through the three
departments, of which the rulers on our planet are the Lord
Maitreya, the Manu, and the Mahachohan. The three major
planes demonstrate easily their unique position – on plane
two we have the home of the Monads of Love, on plane five
we find the habitat of their reflections, the reincarnating
Egos, and [600] on the physical plane we find the working
out at its densest point of the life of the Spirit.
This principle of mutation governs every department in the
Law of Correspondences, and certain things can be stated as
regards the system, and its component parts which will be
found illuminating if we remember that they are facts
for the present. Let me again illustrate: we have
been told that the three major Rays at this time are
the first, the second, and the seventh. But later, the Rays
now major may become subsidiary, and others take their
place, though for this solar system the second Ray, being
the synthetic Ray, will always be a major Ray. Perhaps we
can here get a hint on this great principle, though we must
be careful not to draw it out to too fine a conclusion. For
this system the major Rays will always be the dual Rays –
the negative-positive Rays, the masculine-feminine Rays –
this being the dual system. The major Rays for system three
will be those in triple manifestation.
The following table may be found of interest, if regarded
as relative, and as holding information for the present
time, but also as being subject to change and circulation:
- 7 Rays – Major 1-2-7 – Four subsidiary converging on
the fifth.
- 7 Principles – 3 Major – Monad, Ego and Personality,
synthesizing at various stages the four subsidiary.
- 7 Chains – Major 1-4-7
- 7 Planes – Major 2-5-7
- 7 Manvantaras – Major 3-4-7
- 7 Rounds – Major 4-5-7
- 7 Root races – Major 3-5-7
- 7 Sub races – Major 1-5-6
- 7 Initiations – Major 1-4-5 – if viewed from the
angle of human attainment, and 1-5-7 if viewed from a
higher. [601]
D.II. Thought Elementals and Devas
D.II.1. The Ruler of Fire – Agni
D.II.1.a. Agni and the Solar Logos
Thus far in this treatise we have considered the first
section of the book which has dealt somewhat with the
internal fires of the system, both macrocosmic and
microcosmic. In this the second section we are dealing with
the fire of mind. This section, together with the nine
introductory questions, constitutes the main part of the
treatise. In it we have dealt with the nature and function
of mind and with the egoic ray. We have dealt also,
somewhat, with the form side of thought, with its material
manifestation and with its substance.
We proceed now to take up the consideration of the Ruler
of Fire, AGNI, and are brought to the study of the
vitality that energizes and the Life that animates; to the
contemplation of the Fire that drives, propels, and
produces the activity and organization of all forms. The
realization of this will reveal the fact that what we are
dealing with is the "Life and the lives,"186 as
it is called187 [602] in the Secret
Doctrine; with Agni, the Lord of Fire, the Creator, the
Preserver, and the Destroyer; and with the forty-nine fires
through which He manifests. We are dealing with solar fire
per se, with the essence of thought, with the coherent life
of all forms, with the consciousness in its evolving
aspect, or with Agni, the sumtotal of the Gods. He is
Vishnu and the Sun in His glory; He is the fire of matter
and the fire of mind blended and fused; He is the
intelligence which throbs in every atom; He is the Mind
that actuates the system; He is the fire of substance and
the substance of the fire; He is the Flame and that which
the Flame destroys.
186 The Life and the Lives. H. P. B. says
in the
Secret Doctrine: "Occultism does not accept
anything inorganic in the Cosmos. The expression employed
by Science 'inorganic substance' means simply that the
latent life, slumbering in the molecules of so-called
'inert matter' is incognisable. All is Life, and every atom
of even mineral dust is a Life, though beyond our
comprehension and perception... Life therefore is
everywhere in the Universe... wherever there is an atom of
matter, a particle or a molecule, even in its most gaseous
condition, there is life in it however latent and
unconscious." – S. D., I, 269, 281, 282.
187 The Life and the Lives.
- Everything lives and is conscious , but all life and
consciousness is not similar to the human. – S. D., I,
79.
- Life is the one form of existence manifesting in
matter.
- Matter is the vehicle for the manifesting of
soul.
- Soul is the vehicle for the manifesting of
Spirit.
Therefore: 1st Logos, 2nd Logos, 3rd Logos
cooperate.
Illustration:
- Life of the 3rd Logos – animating atoms of
matter.
- Life of the 2nd Logos – animating the forms, or
aggregate of atoms.
- Life of the 1st Logos – animating the composite
forms.
- The one Life synthesizes this triplicity. Let us work
this out in the Macrocosm and Microcosm.
- Fohat, Prana, Electricity, Magnetic Fluid, are
all terms used f or this one vitalizing life.
- The Microcosm is animated and vitalized by prana,
and its actions controlled by the indwelling
Thinker.
- The Macrocosm is animated and vitalized by Fohat;
its actions are controlled by the informing
Intelligence we call the Logos.
188 "...Agni, who is the source of all that
gives light and heat. So that there are different species
of Agni (fire); but "whatever other fires there may be,
they are but the ramifications of Agni, the immortal" (Rig
Veda, L, 59 I). The primary division of Agni is threefold.
"Agni," says the Vishnu Purana, "has three sons, Suchi,
Pavamana, and Pavaka" (I, x). Suchi means the Saura, or
Solar fire; Pavamana means Nirmathana, fire produced by
friction, as the friction of two pieces of wood; and Pavaka
means the vaidyuta or fire of the firmament, i.e. the fire
of the lightning, or electric fire.
The sources of these three fires, I may observe in
passing, constitute the three principal deities spoken of
in the Veda, namely, Surya, the sun, representing the solar
fire; Indra (and sometimes, Vayu) the rain-producing deity,
representing the fire of the firmament; and Agni,
representing the terrestrial fire, the fire produced by
friction (Nirukta, VII, 4); and all these three, be it
remembered, are merely the ramifications of one Agni; which
in its turn is an emanation from the Supreme One, as the
reader will find from the allegorical description given of
Agni as being the mouth-born son of Brahma, in the Vishnu
purana.
Now, each of the triple forms of Agni has numerous
subdivisions. The solar fire is distinguished by several
divisions according to the nature of the rays emitted by
the great luminary." – The Theosophist, Vol. VII, p.
196.
Students of the Secret Doctrine when they read
carelessly are apt to consider Him only as the fire of
matter and omit to note that He is Himself the sumtotal –
and this is especially the case when they find that Agni is
the Lord of the mental plane. 88 He is the animating life
of the solar system, and that life is the life of [603]
God, the energy of the Logos, and the manifestation of the
radiance which veils the Central Sun. Only as He is
recognized as Fohat, the energy of matter, as Wisdom, the
nature of the Ego and its motivation, and as essential
unity, can any due conception be arrived at as to His
nature or being. He is not the solar Logos on the cosmic
mental plane, for the egoic consciousness of the Logos is
more than His physical manifestation, but Agni is the
sumtotal of that portion of the logoic Ego which is
reflected down into His physical vehicle; He is the life of
the logoic Personality, with all that is included in that
expression. He is to the solar Logos on His own plane
what the coherent personality of a human being is to his
Ego in the causal body. This is a very important point to
be grasped, and if meditated upon will bring to the student
much enlightenment. His is the life that fuses and blends
the threefold nature of the Logos when in physical
incarnation; His is the coherent force that makes a unity
of the triple logoic Personality, but man can only arrive
at His essential nature by the study of the logoic physical
vehicle – hence the difficulty; he can only understand by a
consideration of His psychic emanation as it can be sensed
and viewed by passing the history of the races in
retrospect. Man's personality reveals his nature as his
life progresses; his psychic quality unfolds as the years
slip away, and when he passes out of incarnation he is
spoken of in terms of quality, good or bad, selfish or
unselfish; the effect of his "emanation" during life is
that which remains in men's minds. Thus only can the logoic
personality express itself, and our knowledge of His nature
is consequently limited by our close perspective, and
handicapped by the fact that we are participants in His
life, and integral parts of His manifestation.
It is only as we begin to function upon the buddhic plane
that we can in any way "live in the subjective" [604] side
of nature, and it is only as our knowledge of the spiritual
life increases, and as we pass definitely through the
portal of initiation into the fifth kingdom that we can
appreciate the distinction between the dense physical, and
the vital body. Only as we become polarized in the cosmic
etheric body and are no longer held prisoner by a dense
material sheath (for the three lower planes are but the
dense body of the Logos) do we come to a fuller
understanding of the psychic nature of the Logos, for we
stand then in the body which bridges the gulf between the
dense physical, and the astral body of the Logos. Only when
this is the case do we understand the function of the Lord
Agni as the vital life of the cosmic etheric, as the
vitality of the Heavenly Men and the activity of Their
sheaths.
D.II.1.b. Agni and the Mental Plane
I seek to deal with a very important point here,
emphasizing the close connection between Agni, the sumtotal
of the life force of the logoic threefold personality, as
He is seen at work on the mental plane (which closely
concerns man), and that manifesting driving force or
intelligent will which emanates from the cosmic mental
plane. There is a very interesting series of
correspondences to be worked out here and we might briefly
indicate the lines to be followed in this connection by the
ensuing tabulation:
- The 5th cosmic plane – The cosmic mental.
- The 5th systemic plane – The mental plane.
- The 5th subplane of the physical – The gaseous.
- The 5th principle – Manas.
- The 5th Law – Fixation, the Law of Concretion.
- The 5th Ray – Concrete knowledge.
- The 5th round – The round of manasic attainment.
[605]
- The 5th root-race – The Aryan. Mental
development.
- The 5th subrace – The Teutonic and Anglo-Saxon.
Concrete mind.
- The 5th group of Devas – Fire Devas of the mental
plane.
- The 5th Manvantara – Three-fifths of the manasaputras
achieve.
- The 5th scheme – The Lord of concrete science.
- The 5th Mahamanvantara (or solar system) – The solar
Logos achieves His fifth major Initiation.
- The 5th chain – Principal evolution – fire
devas.
- The 5th Hierarchy – The greater Builders.
- Vibrations of fifth order – Manasic.
It will, therefore, be apparent that when the system
is viewed in reverse order and the physical plane is
counted as the first (as it often is when considering it as
the field of strictly human evolution), that the third
plane – the mental plane – comes under the same group of
correspondences and Agni, as the energizing factor of the
dense physical body of the Logos, or as the fire of His
most concrete manifestation, vitalizing, warming and
holding all together, has to be considered.
Three hierarchies are, in this mahamanvantara, of profound
significance, the fourth or human Creative Hierarchy, and
the two deva hierarchies, the fifth and sixth.
The fourth Hierarchy in the larger scheme is literally the
ninth, for five hierarchies have earlier passed on and are
considered as pure abstractions. In this system concretion
concerns us, and the blending of form and of energy into
one coherent whole. In the ninth, tenth and eleventh
Hierarchies lie the clue to the nature of Agni, the Lord of
fire, the sumtotal of systemic vitality. He who understands
the significance of these figures, and their relation to
each other as the triple division of a Unity in time and
space will have discovered [606] one of the keys which
will unlock a door hitherto fast closed. They are the
numbers of achievement, of potentiality brought into full
activity and of innate capacity demonstrating in perfect
fruition. All potentiality lies in the vitalizing,
energizing power of Agni, and in His ability to stimulate.
He is life itself, and the driving force of evolution, of
psychic development and of consciousness. This fact is
hidden in these figures, and not the evolution of
substance, which is but a result, emanating from psychic
causes. These three numbers are the basis of the cyclic
calculations which concern the egoic cycles, and the cycles
of Vishnu, as distinguished from the cycles dealing with
the third aspect. Occult students have not sufficiently
grasped the fact that objectivity is an inevitable result
of an inner conscious subjective life. When this is better
apprehended, bodies on the physical plane, for instance,
will be purified, developed and beautified through a
scientific attention paid to the development of the psyche,
to the unfoldment of the Ego, and to the stimulation of the
egoic vibration. The cause will be dealt with and not the
effect, and hence the growing appreciation by the human
family of the study of psychology, even though as yet they
are but studying the kama-manasic body, and have not
reached back to the egoic consciousness. The lunar Lords
have had their day; now Agni, as the solar Lord of life and
energy, will assume due importance in human life.
D.II.1.c. Agni and the Three Fires
In studying the manifestation of Agni in the solar system
it should be remembered that we are considering here His
essential nature as actuating fire. We have seen
that He is the threefold logoic personality, but He is the
threefold Logos in a subjective sense, and the [607] form
aspect is only subsidiary. Perhaps a tabulation may make
this point clearer.
Agni – Lord of Fire (Tabulation V)
[608]
Aspect |
Fire |
Result |
Subjective Manifestation |
Origin of Energy |
Objective Manifestation |
First: Will. |
Electric Fire. |
Activity of Spirit. |
The One Life. Unity. Spiritual. Dynamic. Coherence.
Synthesis. |
Central Spiritual Sun. |
The Solar System (etheric and dense). |
Second: Love-Wisdom. |
Solar Fire |
Activity of Consciousness. Egoism. Vitality.
Magnetism. |
The seven Heavenly Men. The seven Rays. The seven
types of Mind. |
The Heart of the Sun. |
The seven Rays manifesting through the seven
Planetary Schemes. |
Third: Activity. |
Fire by Friction |
Activity in Matter. Atomic Vitality. Energy. |
The seven Fires. The Akasha. |
The Physical Sun. |
The seven Planes. |
Each of these three aspects of the One Fire,
showing as the Creative Fire, Preserving Fire, and
Destroying Fire, must be studied as electrical phenomena,
and this under the aspects of light, flame, and heat, of
electricity, radiance and motion, of will, desire and
action. Only thus will the true nature of Agni be
apprehended. As the logoic personality He is demonstrating
through a triplicity of sheaths forming a unity, and only
thus will it become apparent why at this stage in evolution
the material aspect is the most considered.
The entire system is the physical sheath of the Logos and
consequently the most easily cognized, for the Logos is as
yet centered in His cosmic sheaths and can only reveal
Himself through their medium.
Man's just apprehension of this mystery of electricity will
only come about as he studies himself, and knows himself to
be a triple fire, manifesting in many aspects.
Man, a Fire
Monadic fire. |
Electric fire. |
Spirit Will. |
The Central Spiritual Sun. |
Egoic fire. |
Solar fire. |
Consciousness Love-Wisdom. |
The Heart of the Sun. |
Personality fire. |
Fire by Friction. |
Physical Man. |
Physical Sun. |
Each of these fires can also be studied in a
threefold manner and under three aspects.
The Monad
Will aspect. |
Electric fire. |
Flame. |
Spiritual Will. |
Love-Wisdom. |
Solar fire. |
Light. |
Spiritual Love. |
Active Intelligence. |
Fire by Friction. |
Heat. |
Spiritual Intelligence. |
The Ego
Will. |
Atma. |
Electric fire. |
The Spark. The Jewel in the Lotus. |
Conscious Will. |
Love-Wisdom. |
Buddhi. |
Solar fire. |
The Rays. The twelve-petalled Lotus. |
Conscious Love. |
Active Intelligence. |
Manas. |
Fire by Friction. |
Substance. The Permanent Atoms. |
Conscious Activity. |
The Personality
Will. |
Mental body. |
Electric fire. |
Lower Mind. |
Thought. |
Love. |
Astral body. |
Solar fire. |
Kama. |
Desire. |
Activity. |
Physical body. |
Fire by Friction. |
Prana. |
Activity |
I seek to emphasize here the fact that in this
threefold manifestation there is a ninefold unfoldment. It
should ever be borne in mind that seven is the number which
governs the evolution of substance and of form building in
the solar system, but that nine is the number governing the
development of the consciousness within that form of the
psyche. This is seen in the sevenfold display of logoic
life through the planetary scheme, and the ninefold nature
of egoic unfoldment. If the student here substitutes for
the words, Monad, Ego and personality, the three aspects of
the Logos, and will bear in mind that as yet all that he
can ascertain or cognize is the lowest of the logoic
manifestations – the personality – it will be apparent why
so much must remain mysterious to even the higher grades of
initiates, and why even the perfected Dhyan Chohan cannot
penetrate the secrets of the Logos outside His
system.
189 They [610] can cognize much
concerning Agni, the Lord of Fire, but until They can
contact that of which He is an emanation, a reflection or a
ray, there is a limit to what may be known.
189 H.P.B. in the Secret Doctrine refers
to "...the solution of the riddle... before which even the
highest Dhyan Chohan must bow in silence and ignorance –
the Unspeakable Mystery of that which is called by the
Vedantins, Parabrahman." – S. D., I, 352.
Agni is Fohat, the threefold Energy (emanating from the
logoic Ego) which produces the solar system, the physical
vehicle of the Logos, and animates the atoms of substance.
He is the basis of the evolutionary process, or the cause
of the psychic unfoldment of the Logos, and He is that
vitality which ultimately brings about a divine synthesis
in which the form approximates subjective demand, and after
being consciously directed, and manipulated, is finally
discarded. This is the goal for the Logos as it is for man;
this marks the final liberation of a human being, of a
Heavenly Man and of a solar Logos. We could divide the
process into three periods:
- First. The period wherein the fire of
matter (the heat of mother) hides, nourishes and brings
to birth the infant Ego. This is the period of purely
personality life, when the third aspect dominates, and
man is in the veil of illusion.
- Second. The period wherein the Ego, or
subjective life within the form, passes through certain
stages of unfoldment, and comes to an ever fuller
consciousness. This is the period of egoic development,
and is produced by the gradual merging and blending of
the two fires. It is the life of service and of the
Path.
- Third. The period wherein the egoic
consciousness itself is superseded by spiritual
realization, and the fire of Spirit blends with the other
two.
At first the personality acts the part of mother, or
of material aspect, to the germ of the inner life. Then
[611] the Ego manifests its life within the personal life,
and produces a shining forth which "growth ever more and
more until the perfect day." (Bible. Proverbs IV, 18.) At
that perfect day of revelation it is seen what man in
essence is, and the Spirit within is revealed. This can be
studied from the Christian angle, and Paul was but voicing
an occult truth when he enunciated the facts concerning the
birth of the Christ within the heart, and the growth of the
higher life at the expense of the lower. Thus also can it
be taught along occult, and not mystic, lines in the
recognition (by science) of the vitalization of the
permanent atoms (the force centers of the sheaths or
substance), of the unfoldment of the egoic lotus, and the
awakening of its petals, and in the final revelation of the
jewel in the lotus.
All that can be said of man can be predicated of the Logos
on an inconceivably greater scale. As man discovers the
laws of his own material sheaths – the laws of substance –
he is ascertaining the nature of the fires of the outer man
or Fohat, as he vitalizes the logoic vehicle; the fires of
his own sheaths are aspects of Agni as the fire of matter.
As he ascertains the nature of consciousness, and the laws
of psychical unfoldment he is studying the nature of the
vitality of the subjective man, and the laws of conscious
being, thus studying Agni as He manifests as Light and Cool
Radiance, shining through the vehicle. Later (for the time
is not yet) as he comes to comprehend the nature of his
Monad, the spiritual or essential life which is developing
consciousness by means of the sheaths, he will discover the
nature of Agni as He shews forth as pure electricity. Even
though this is not yet possible, nevertheless the statement
as to the lines of investigation which can be pursued, and
the realization of that which may eventually [612] be
achieved, may cause men's minds to turn to the study of the
real and of the true.
D.II.2. The Fire Devas – The Greater Builders
I have divided the groups of devas and elementals into
evolutionary and involutionary Builders – those who are in
themselves positive force, and those which are negative
force, the conscious and the blind workers. It is
absolutely essential that students bear in mind here that
we are studying the mystery of electricity and therefore
must remember the following facts:
D.II.2.a. Introductory Remarks
The Mystery of Electricity. The greater Builders are
the positive aspect of substance or of electrical phenomena
whilst the lesser Builders are the negative aspect.
Two types of force are represented in the activities of
these two groups and it is their interaction and interplay
which produces Light, or the manifested solar system.
Their sumtotal is substance in its totality, the
intelligent active form, built for the purpose of providing
a habitation for a central subjective life.
They are also the sumtotal of the Pitris,191 or
Fathers of mankind, viewing mankind as the race itself, the
fourth kingdom in nature, the Heavenly Men in physical
manifestation. This is a most important point to
emphasize. These deva activities in relation to
Self-Consciousness (which is the distinctive characteristic
of humanity) can best be studied in the large, or through
[613] the consideration of groups, of races, and of the
life of the scheme, the manifestation of one of the
Heavenly Men. When the student brings his study of deva
work down to the terms of his own individual life he is apt
to become confused through too close a juxtaposition.
191 The Lunar Pitris. "The great Chohans
called the Lords of the Moon, of the airy bodies: Bring
forth Men," they were told , "men of your nature. Give them
their forms within. She (Mother Earth) will build coverings
without (for external bodies). Males – females will they
be. Lords of the Flame also... They went each on his
allotted lands: Seven of them each on his lot. The Lords of
the Flame remained behind. They would not go. They would
not create." –
Stanza III, 12, 13, S. D., II, 79,
81.
192 The Lunar Pitris created the physical
man. – S. D., I, 114, 197. They exist in three great
classes.
- The most developed.
- They form, in Round one, the sumtotal of the
three kingdoms, and achieve a human form. – S. D., I,
203.
- In Rounds two and three they are the sumtotal of
that which will eventually be human.
- In Round four at the beginning they form the
etheric bodies of our Earth humanity.
- Those whose bodies are taken by the Solar Angels – S.
D., I, 203.
- The sum total of the three kingdoms at present
known.
193 The Earth gives man his body; the Gods
give him his five inner principles... Spirit is one. – S.
D., I, 248.
- The Earth gives the dense physical.
- The Lunar Gods give him three lower principles:
- Etheric body
- Prana
- Kama – manas
- The Solar Gods give him two principles:
- Lower mind
- Higher mind
- The Monad is the unified two highest principles:
- Buddhi
- Atma
– S. D., I, 248.
194 The totality of form. God is "One,
notwithstanding the innumerable forms which are in Him," so
is man, on earth the microcosm of the macrocosm. – S. D.,
II, 197; II, 303; III, 584.
- Everything is comprised in man.
- He unites in himself all forms.
- The mystery of the earthly man is the mystery of the
Heavenly Man.
- The potentiality of every organ useful to animal life
is locked up in man, the Microcosm of the Macrocosm. – S.
D., II, 723.
195 Pitris – The ancestors or creators
of mankind. They are of seven classes, three of which are
incorporeal and four corporeal. These are usually called
the Lunar Pitris or Ancestors and must not be confounded
with the Solar Pitris or Angels, who give mind to
man, and create the relatively permanent body of the ego,
or Higher Self.
196 Devas ...he would have (1) divided
the Devas into two classes – and called them the
"Rupa-devas" and the "Arupa-devas" (the "form" or
objective, and the "formless" or subjective Dhyan Chohans;
and (2) would have done the same for his class of "men"
since there are Shells and "Mara-rupas" – i.e. bodies
doomed to annihilation. All these are:
- "Rupa-devas" – Dhyan Chohans, having forms
(Ex-men).
- "Arupa-devas" – Dhyan Chohans, having no forms
(Ex-men).
- "Pisachas" – (two-principled) ghosts.
- "Mara-rupa" – Doomed to death (three
principled).
- Asuras – Elementals – having human form (Future
men).
- Beasts – Elementals second class – animal elementals
(Future men).
- Rakshasas – (Demons) Souls or Astral Forms of
sorcerers; men who have reached the apex of knowledge in
the forbidden art. Dead or alive they have, so to say,
cheated nature; but it is only temporary – until our
planet goes into obscuration, after which they have
nolens volens to be annihilated.
It is these seven groups that form the principal
divisions of the Dwellers of the subjective world around
us." –
Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, 107.
197 Rupa, with form or body.
Arupa, formless or bodiless.
Generally speaking, the term rupa is applied to
all forms in the three worlds whilst the term arupa
is applied to all forms through which existences manifest
on the four higher levels of the solar system and the
abstract levels of the mental plane.
The greater Builders are the solar Pitris, whilst the
lesser Builders are the lunar ancestors. I would here
explain the occult meaning of the word "ancestor," as used
in esotericism. It means literally initiatory life impulse.
It is that subjective activity which produces objectivity,
and concerns those emanatory impulses which come from any
positive center of force, and which sweep the negative
aspect into the line of that force, and thus produce a form
of some kind. The word "ancestor" is used in connection
with both aspects.
The solar Logos is the initiatory impulse or Father
of the Son in His physical incarnation, a solar system. He
is the sumtotal of the Pitris, in the process of providing
form. The union of Father (positive force) and
Mother (negative force) produces that central blaze which
we call the form, the body of manifestation of the Son.
A Heavenly Man holds an analogous position in
relation to a planetary scheme. He is the central germ of
positive life or force, which, in due course of time,
demonstrates as a planetary scheme, or an incarnation of
the planetary Logos. A man similarly is the positive life
or energy which, through action on negative force, creates
bodies of manifestation through which he can shine or
radiate.192, 193, 194
The lesser Builders195 are the negative aspect
and are swept into action in group formation through the
play [614] of positive force upon them, or through the
action of the conscious Minds of the system. At the present
stage of evolution – during the period of Light – it is
difficult for the human being (until he has attained the
consciousness of the Ego) to differentiate between the
types of force, and to work consciously with these
dual aspects. An Adept of the Light works with force in
substance, viewing substance as that which is negative, and
therefore occultly to be moved, and He can do this because
He has (in the three worlds of His endeavor) achieved
unity, or the point of balance and equilibrium, and can
therefore balance forces and deal with positive and
negative energies as appears best in the interests of the
plan of evolution. The Brother of Darkness, knowing himself
to be positive force in essence, works with negative
substance, or with the lesser Builders to bring about ends
[615] of his own, incited thereto by selfish motive. The
Brothers of Light cooperate with the positive aspect in,
and of, all forms – the building devas of evolutionary
intent – in order to bring about the purposes of the
Heavenly Man Who is the sumtotal of planetary physical
manifestation.
It can be seen, therefore, how necessary it is that the
functions of the devas of all grades be comprehended. It is
however equally important that man should refrain from the
manipulation of these forces of nature until such time as
he "knows" himself, and his own powers, and until he has
fully unfolded the consciousness of the ego; then, and only
then, can he safely, wisely, and intelligently cooperate in
the plan. As yet, for the average man or even the advanced
man this is dangerous to attempt and impossible to
accomplish.
Now, let us add a few more statements upon which the
student can ponder before we pass on to study specifically
the three main groups of building devas on the three planes
in the three worlds which most intimately concern man.
The building devas196 are the Ahhi, or Universal
Mind. They contain within their consciousness the plan
logoic, [616] and inherently possess the power to work it
out in time and space, being the conscious forces of
evolution.
They not only embody the Divine Thought but are that
through which it manifests, and its actuating activity.
They are essentially motion. The lesser builders are more
particularly the material form which is actuated, and in
their cohorts are the substance of matter (considering
substance as that which lies back of matter).
They are that which produces concretion and which gives
form to the abstract. The terms "rupa" and "arupa" devas
are relative,
197 for the formless levels and the
formless lives are only so from the standpoint of man in
the three worlds; the formless lives are those which are
functioning in and through the etheric body of the Logos,
formed of the matter of the four higher planes of the
system. From this point of view the mental plane provides
an interesting consideration: its three higher subplanes
are positive, and centralize the positive force of the
plane. This focusing of the positive affects the negative
substance of the four lower planes and brings about
likewise:
- The formation of force centers on the causal levels,
those force centers being egoic groups in their various
divisions.
- The concretion of substance, or the building of the
dense physical body of the Logos.
On the physical plane of the solar system an analogous
process can be seen taking place as regards the physical
[617] body of man, or his concrete manifestation. In his
case, the fourth subplane is the focal point of positive
force. On that plane are located
the etheric centers of
man, which have, in the evolutionary process and in the
work of force direction, a relationship to his physical
body similar to the relationship which groups of Egos on
the mental plane have to the dense physical body of the
Logos. This is a profound occult hint.
In the words "prana and the etheric body" (or life force
and form) we have the key to the mystery of the solar and
lunar pitris, and a hint as to the place of the physical
body in the scheme of things. The solar Pitris and devas
find their force expression most adequately through man,
with all that is included in that term. They are the source
of his self-consciousness, and it is their action upon the
negative aspect which produces the human Ego (on a large
scale, viewing them in their totality as cosmic force); it
is their action upon the negative or mother aspect which,
on cosmic levels, produces that Self-conscious Unity, a
solar Logos, functioning through His physical vehicle. From
the Christian standpoint, the greater Builders are the Holy
Spirit, or force over-shadowing and fecundating matter,
whilst the negative or lesser Builders correspond to the
Virgin Mary.
The lunar Pitris, and lesser builders from the systemic
point of view find their fullest expression in the animal
kingdom. When they, as the initiatory impulse, had produced
animal man they had performed their prime function, and
just as (on a smaller scale and in connection with only one
of the Heavenly Men) the moon is a dying and decadent
world, so on a systemic scale and therefore covering a vast
period of time, the work of the lunar Pitris is slowly
coming to a conclusion as the power of the third kingdom,
the animal, over the human is being [618] superseded by
spiritual power; the systemic correspondence to lunar
pitric activity will occultly die out.
The lunar Pitris,198, 199 the builders of man's
lunar body and their correspondence in the other kingdoms
of nature, are the sumtotal of the dense physical body of
the Logos, or the substance of the mental, astral and
physical planes (the gaseous, liquid and dense bodies which
form a unity, His physical vehicle, viewing it apart from
the etheric). They are the product of an earlier solar
system; their activities date from there. That system
stands to the present one as the lunar chain to ours. That
is why the physical body is considered no principle (either
for man or the solar Logos); that is why the lower nature
is considered evil, and why man must "slay his lunar
body."201 Evil is that which can be controlled
and subdued but which is permitted to govern. The positive
can always manipulate the negative. When the negative line
is followed and the line of least resistance to that which
is no principle, is pursued, then we have evil.
198 The Lunar, or Barhishad Pitris have the
following function: – S. D., II, 99.
- They are the Ancestors of Man. – S. D., II, 107.
- They are the Fashioners of his form.
- They possessed the physical creative fire.
- They could only clothe the human monads.
- They could not make man in their likeness.
- They could not give him mind. – S. D., II, 82.
- They build his external form.
- They give the lower principle. – S. D., II, 92.
199 Temporarily they are the Conquerors of
Spirit. – S. D., II, 66.
- Spirit becomes immersed in material forms.
- Forms are the battle ground.
- Eventually Spirit will slay the forms. – S. D., II,
67.
- Note the esoteric order. – S. D., II, 88, 92, 100;
II, 116.
201 In the Voice of the Silence the
words occur:
"Before that Path is entered, thou must destroy thy lunar
body, cleanse thy mind body, and make clean thy heart."
In the first solar system the negative substance aspect,
the Mother aspect or matter, was perfected. The lower
Pitris dominated. In this system force activity lies in the
hands of the solar Pitris or greater devas. At the close of
the mahamanvantara they will have built according [619] to
the plan a perfect sheath or vehicle of expression for the
Divine Thought, and this through the manipulation of
negative substance; they utilize the heat of the Mother to
nourish the germ of the Divine Thought, and to bring it to
fruition. When the germ has developed to maturity the
Mother aspect no longer has a place, and the Man occultly
is freed or liberated. This idea runs through all
manifestations, and the kingdoms of nature or the form (no
matter what form it may be) nourish the germ of that which
is the next step on in the evolutionary process, and are
considered the Mother aspect. This aspect is eventually
discarded and superseded. For example, the third kingdom,
the animal, in the early stages nourishes and preserves the
germ of that which will some day be a man; the personality
is the preserver of that which will some day unfold into
spiritual man.
It will thus become apparent to students how the Heavenly
Man, viewing Him as a solar Deity, a self-conscious Entity,
works with His negative aspect through positive force, from
logoic etheric levels upon the three aspects of the logoic
dense physical, thus bringing to maturity the atoms and
cells of His Body, fostering the germ of
self-consciousness, fanning the flame until each unit
becomes fully group conscious and aware of his place within
the body corporate. Each human being likewise, functioning
in the three worlds, works in a corresponding way upon the
conscious cells of his bodies, until each atom eventually
achieves its goal. The Heavenly Man works necessarily
through egoic groups, pouring positive force upon them
until they emerge from passivity and negativity into
potency and activity. Man works correspondingly through his
centers upon his sheaths, and has a responsibility to the
lesser lives which under the karmic law must be worked out.
This is the basis of the evolutionary process. [620]
D.II.2.b. The Functions of the Devas
Having predicated certain basic facts about the devas,
viewing them as the sum total of the energy of substance
and of substance itself, we come down to more technical
details and to the more detailed consideration of these
building forces as they construct the thought-form of the
Logos, the solar System. From this consideration of them
certain practical knowledge will eventuate:
- First. Knowledge of how to build in
mental matter in the three worlds, and how to employ the
devas of the gaseous plane of the cosmic physical.
- Second. Realization of how to combine
the pairs of opposites, and thus give body and form to
concept.
- Third. Materialization upon the
physical plane of the embodied idea.
1.
Manifestation of the Logoic Aspects. This
is achieved through the close consideration of the laws of
being, and of the method pursued by the Logos in giving His
conception form, thus working out His purpose, or will,
through that form. In the three planes of man's endeavor we
have reflected the three aspects of the Logos as they
produce manifestation:
- The Mental Plane – reflection of the first
aspect. The plane of concept, of the union of
Father-Spirit-Will and Mother-Matter-Energy. This is the
work of the Logos, and this union produces the Son, for
Divine Thought takes form. The body of the Ego is there
found.
- Astral Plane – reflection of the second
aspect, the Son. Materialization proceeds through desire,
and the form grows and evolves, becoming more
adequate.
- Physical Plane – Manifestation. The
thought-form (of man or the Logos) appears in activity.
The Son is born on the physical plane, the thought of the
Thinker (divine or human) becomes an entity, separated
[621] from its originating source, yet energized by the
vitality emanating from him.
All this becomes possible – speaking now from the
human standpoint – through the action of the devas who are
that which embodies thought, and that which give it its
separated energy, as distinct from the purpose which will
work out to fruition as the form becomes adequate as a
medium of expression.
2. Deva force substance. As we consider the
devas of the seven planes of the solar system, and
especially as we consider those who work in the three
worlds, we must bear in mind the following statements:
The First Statement. They are the devas
who are the dual force-substance of the lowest cosmic
plane, the cosmic physical. As regards the three
worlds, they are the deva force and substance202
which compose the dense physical body of the Logos, hence
man is limited, as he works on these planes, to those devas
who are primarily regarded (from the higher levels) as
having no part in the seven principles of the Logos; to
those devas who form the gaseous, liquid, and concrete form
of the Logos, the devas of concrete fire, of water and of
earth in its densest aspect; to those devas who are the
automatic, subconscious builders, carrying on the work of
the dense physical vehicle of the Logos in the same sense
as the builders in man's body work automatically and
unconsciously, producing the cells and energizing the
bodily functions. This is the basis of the danger to man in
tampering with these forces. He is too close to them in
many ways; he identifies himself with them and until [622]
he has attained the consciousness of the Ego, and has with
full knowledge established his identity with the Spirit
aspect and not with substance, he is liable to be swept
into the line of blind force, and become a lost soul should
he trespass ignorantly, and curiously, into their domain.
202 The Solar Angels are dual in Nature. "Manas
is dual – Lunar in the lower, Solar in its upper portion."
– S. D., II, 520, 675.
- The solar aspect is attracted towards Buddhi.
- The other descends into, or is attracted by the lower
animal.
- The Solar Angels form the "Soul" or Second
Aspect.
- The chief "Soul" is Manas, or mind." – S. D., II.
521.
He is concerned also with those devas who are as yet
animated by the life and purpose which distinguished the
evolution of the first solar system. That life is the life
of God, and that purpose is the working out of His will,
but it is evil from our present standpoint, for it is
superseded as far as man is concerned by a different
purpose and goal. Therefore, identification with that which
is past, retrogression and the methods of the old are for a
man a return along the path of self-conscious evolution,
and lead eventually to a loss of the egoic principle, or of
ego-ism, which distinguishes a man (human or heavenly) from
the rest of evolution.
The Second Statement. The hope for the
devas and for the form aspect lies in the fact that each of
the subplanes of the cosmic physical plane comes under the
direct influence of cosmic forces, originating on the six
other cosmic planes. Of these forces everything is
unknown and inconceivable, except the vague and general
indications of these currents and forces as they may be
felt as emanating from the cosmic planes.
The cosmic mental plane. This manifests for
us in the three types of force to be seen on the systemic
mental plane. These three types have not been sufficiently
studied, and are:
- The force which plays through all the manasic
permanent atoms, and which produces basically that
manifestation which we call the three worlds.
- The force which animates those groups of "lotuses"
[623] which we call egoic groups or centers –
aggregations of causal bodies.
- The force which vitalizes all the mental units and
which is distributed thence to all the other permanent
atoms.
These three types of force deal with the substance
aspect – permanent atoms, causal vehicle, and mental units,
and are therefore directly impressing themselves upon the
devas who build these forms out of their own substance, and
thus develop the divine plan. These three types of force
affect substance, but with a psychic intent, being
themselves swayed and actuated according to divine purpose,
and from high levels. They emanate from the concrete levels
of the cosmic mental plane (being therefore the force
flowing through the mental unit of the Logos), and are
concerned with the force center which focalizes the logoic
mental body. They are the force of Agni in His first
aspect. He is that fire which is distinctive of the cosmic
mental plane, reflected in the cosmic gaseous subplane of
the cosmic physical plane – our systemic mental plane.
The Cosmic Astral Plane. The force from this
plane plays through our systemic astral plane, the cosmic
liquid physical subplane, and it is practically subject
only to two differentiations, each of them occultly
embodied in two great groups of devas:
- First. The devas who are the substance
or force of the astral plane, viewing it as the sumtotal
of desire, of feeling and of sensation. They are,
therefore, the nerve centers, or nerve plexi, of the
logoic physical body, for the systemic astral plane
provides the nervous system of the logoic physical body.
It is the body of intensest vibration from the physical
standpoint, and the vehicle through which all is
transmitted to that portion of the logoic physical body
which corresponds to the brain [624] in man. I can
elucidate this no further, but the few words here
imparted open up a tremendous range of thought, and give
the key to much which transpires and which is distressing
in solar evolution as well as human.
-
Second. Those devas who are the sumtotal
of the astral light. They are the agents of the karmic
lords, who are in themselves deva entities of an
inconceivably advanced evolution and who, in their own
substance,
- Record.
- Produce effects from cause.
- Direct force.
This particular group of devas emanate from a
great force center which we generalize by calling it by
the name of the sun Sirius. Sirius-kama-manas – the
cosmic astral plane and the systemic astral plane –
make a close interlocking chain, and form the line of
least resistance for a particular type of negative
force to pour through.
The Cosmic Physical Plane. This is the
force (external and internal) of the solar system itself,
and of its environing space. It might be regarded as the
pranic forces, pouring through the logoic etheric body (our
four higher subplanes) which are positive to the lower
three, impregnating these lower three planes (a reflection
in substance, or in the Brahma aspect, of the union of
Father-Mother) and producing the purely concrete
manifestation. This is why the physical vehicle has such
control during long stages of man's evolution, for the
force of this type of energy is necessarily felt
more strongly than any other. It is deva force, and
substance, which is so close to us as powerfully to delude
us. Here lies the mystery of maya, and here is to be found
the secret of illusion. Here exists for man the first great
stage of the battle for full Self-consciousness, and for
identification with the God-aspect, and not with the [625]
matter-aspect. Here lies the occult reason why man is
called by his father's name and not his mother's. When man
has dominated the deva essences of the physical plane, he
controls next those of the astral and dominates the mental
essences. Having achieved this
in his own nature he
can then safely become a magician and contact, control and
work with, the devas in connection with the plans of the
Heavenly Man. In the realization of the three types of
force, will be found for man the key to the mystery of his
centers.
The secret of the note of the head, the heart, and the
throat center is found here and their blending with the
lower centers so that the note of the higher sounds out,
and the lower produces only harmony. Upon the note of
nature the Logos has to superimpose a higher note. To the
natural note of the center (which is found through the
development of the lower center, which is its reflection or
correspondence) must be added the dominant note of the
higher center, and, in the dual harmony the center vibrates
as desired. The note is the result of correct activity.
That is why the lower centers of man are (in the early
stages of his career) the controlling factor. He has to
learn their note, and from it to attain the key of the
higher. Then the higher takes the prominent place, and the
lower only serves the purpose of providing that which is
understood as occult "depth." Why is this? Because in these
notes those groups of devas who are the force and energy of
the centers (which are centers in substance) are contacted
and controlled. Through their activity, directed through
the centers, the material sheaths – physical, astral and
mental – are built.
These ideas of force and the sheaths are the basis of the
astrological teaching that is one of the keys to the
Secret Doctrine.203 We should therefore
bear in mind that [626] the Deva Lords, Agni, Varuna,
Kshiti,204 represent in the exoteric teaching
the substance aspect of the dense body of the Logos, whilst
the force aspect as flowing through the etheric body of the
Logos is considered under various names, such as Shiva,
Surya, Brahma. Yet the two aspects are but one.
203 The Astrological Key is referred to
in the S. D., Vol. II, 26.
204 Agni, the God of Fire in the Veda;
the oldest and the most revered of the Gods in India. He is
the triple aspect of Fire and therefore the sum total of
manifestation. He is regarded also as the Lord of the
mental plane (the 5th plane) whose symbol is Fire.
Varuna, the God of Water, in the sense of the
waters of space, or the waters of matter. He is regarded
also as the Ruler of the astral plane (the 6th plane) whose
symbol is water.
Kshiti, the God of the Earth in the sense of
dense substance, and not a planetary body; he is the God of
the physical plane, the seventh plane.
The Third Statement. The final point I seek
to make here is that in connection with these three
lower planes and their many groups of devas it must be
remembered that their polar opposites are to be found in
the great devas of the highest three planes.
Divine |
1st Cosmic ether |
Primordial Fire |
Mental Plane |
Fire. |
Monadic |
2nd Cosmic ether |
Akasha |
Astral Plane |
Astral light. |
Spiritual or Atmic |
3rd Cosmic ether |
Aether |
Physical Plane |
Ether. |
The particular type of differentiated force which
they embody, when brought into union with each other is
that which causes concretion, or the appearance, in space
and time, of the dense physical body. This should be
carefully considered, along with the very interesting fact
that on the fourth plane of our system (the fourth cosmic
ether, or buddhic plane) we have the sphere of certain
occult happenings which cannot be more than hinted at,
because their true significance is one of the secrets of
initiation. They are an aspect of the plan of the Logos
which can be contacted
direct by those who have
expanded their consciousness adequately. [627]
The buddhic plane, or fourth cosmic ether, is the plane
whereon:
- The sacred planets function.
- Man will eventually function freed from the triple
lower man.
- The true meaning of the words "Divine Hermaphrodite"
is there to be comprehended.
- It is predominantly the plane of life-force, and one
of the planes of generation.
- Here man will for the first time understand and
utilize his relationship with the devas.
- It will see the fruition of the combined evolutionary
process of the two solar systems.
- It is the plane from whence all planetary avatars
emanate.
- The Heavenly Men take the first Initiation on this
plane.
- On this plane the true inner significance of the
"Sun" is apprehended.
More I cannot say, but careful study of that which is
here given may open up much that is of significance in the
study of the macrocosm and the microcosm.
D.II.2.c. The Devas and the Planes
Preliminary Remarks. We have considered in
broad and general terms the various types of force which
animate deva substance, and its origin. Now we can study
more specifically the deva entities in their various
groups, having laid down the fundamentals in connection
with them.
In this particular section students must remember that we
are not considering those builders of involutionary
development which are spoken of in theosophical and occult
literature as the elemental essences. We are discussing
those who are on the evolutionary arc, and who are the
agents of cosmic force, whilst the lesser builders are the
agents specifically of solar and of lunar force. Solar
force implies the various differentiations of the threefold
cosmic force as it manifests within the solar [628] system.
Solar force can also (as far as the creative or building
faculty of man is concerned) be termed planetary force, for
every human being (be he Adept or ordinary man) builds and
creates his thought forms – consciously or unconsciously –
within the planetary spheres in the three worlds.
We shall now come to a considerable amount of tabulation,
for all that it is wise and possible to give at this time
are certain facts, names and outlines which can only be
demonstrated through the law of correspondence. The key to
comprehension is always this law. The basic differentiation
in the solar system is as follows:
Agni |
Electric fire |
Spirit |
Central Spiritual Sun |
Energy |
Surya |
Solar fire |
Vishnu |
Heart of the Sun |
Light |
Brahma |
Fire by friction |
|
Physical visible Sun |
Fohat |
- As electric fire the Logos manifests as the
seven aspects of Will, spiritual impulse or purpose.
- As solar fire He manifests as the seven Rays,
or as the Light of Wisdom, the Consciousness, radiating
through the form.
- As fire by friction He manifests as the seven
Sons of Fohat, the seven great fires, or the active heat
of intelligent substance.
These three aspects of the God of Fire, and of the
fire of God, are the three Entities of the logoic Trinity,
and each in turn manifests through seven other Entities Who
form their total manifestation.
Sevenfold electric fire. The seven types of
spiritual existences, or the seven Spirits before the
Throne in Their essential essence; the dynamic force or
will lying back of all manifestation. They form on their
own plane in a peculiar sense the logoic "Jewel in the
Lotus," and [629] hence are inconceivable to our
intelligence in this solar system, as They are not revealed
until the "Son be made perfect," or the logoic
consciousness is fully awakened. They are esoterically the
"Spirits of Darkness."
Sevenfold solar fire. The seven Heavenly Men,
the sumtotal of Light, the seven Rays of manifestation of
the Spiritual Sun. In time and space these seven Rays of
Light become the nine (the major three, with the third
demonstrating as seven) and are thus esoterically the nine
petals of the logoic Ego as He manifests in His physical
vehicle. They are esoterically the "Sons of Light."
Sevenfold fire by friction. The seven
brothers of Fohat. The seven manifestations of electricity,
or of electrical phenomena. These are the seven Raja-Lords
or Devas of the seven planes; they are the seven Fires, or
those seven states of activity through which consciousness
is expressing itself. They are the vehicles of
consciousness and the seven vibrations. They are
esoterically the "Brothers of energy."
Therefore it will be apparent that the sumtotal of logoic
manifestation as it can be seen in existence in time and
space is:
- Seven Spirits – sevenfold will.
- Seven Rays – sevenfold quality or psyche.
- Seven Deva Lords – sevenfold form.
The latter are literally the seven spirillae, or
force vibrations within the logoic physical permanent
atom. This needs to be carefully borne in mind and
pondered upon. The seven Rays are the sumtotal of the
psychic nature of the Logos, as it radiates through His
physical form – His seven qualities, the aggregate of the
expression of His desire, or love nature. The seven Spirits
are the sumtotal of His Will-to-be aspect, the synthetic
Life of His total manifestation, that which causes the
persistence [630] of the form, and its evolution for as
long as the logoic Ego seeks physical existence. To carry
the simile, or analogy, even further back and thus bear in
mind the resemblance between microcosmic and macrocosmic
development we have:
- The seven Spirits who find Their originating
incentive on:
- The cosmic lower mental levels.
- The logoic "Jewel in the Lotus."
- The cosmic atmic plane.
- The seven Heavenly Men are in the line of force from:
- The cosmic astral plane.
- The logoic nine-petalled lotus.
- The cosmic buddhic plane (the seven Rishis of the
Great Bear).
- The seven Sons of Fohat find their vital force
emanating from:
- The cosmic physical plane.
- The logoic permanent atoms (within the causal
body).
- The cosmic higher mental levels.
Yet these three are but the expressions of One
Existence, for behind the Logos in physical incarnation is
to be found the logoic Monad, expressing Itself through the
logoic Ego, and its reflection, the logoic Personality.
All these spiritual Essences are individualized
self-conscious Identities, and the "Fiery Lives" are real,
and conscious, vital Existences. Thus we see the Logos
manifesting as One Unity yet Three in One; we see the
threefold Unity differentiating into the seven great Lives,
containing within Themselves all lesser lives.
Another broad differentiation must next be touched upon:
[631]
- The seven Fires form the forty-nine Fires.
- The seven Heavenly Men manifest through forty-nine
lesser Rays.
- The seven Spirits shew forth as forty-nine
Existences.
In connection with the Spirit aspect it will prove
unprofitable to carry the thought any further. Of Spirit
per se we can know nothing, and beyond predicating
the forty-nine
205 solar Manus (each of the
Heavenly Men is expressing Himself on the physical plane
through seven Manus) it is impossible to go. Therefore, in
discussing these abstract questions, we will concern
ourselves only with the seven Rays of Light, or Heavenly
Men, and the seven Fires.
205 The forty-nine Manus. They are the patrons
or guardians of the race cycles in a manvantara, or Day of
Brahma. There are seven races in a world period, and there
are seven world periods.
Each of the seven Rays of Light differentiates into seven
making the forty-nine aspects of the logoic psychic nature,
as it shews itself on the cosmic physical plane, and each
of the seven Fires manifests as seven lesser Fires, making
the forty-nine Fires referred to by H. P. B. in the
Secret Doctrine (See S. D., 1, 567.). The seven
Heavenly Men manifest each through seven lesser Entities,
Who form the psychic centers in Their body in the same
manner as They – in Their turn – form the psychic centers
in the logoic vahan or vehicle. Each of the seven Fires, or
Deva Lords, of a plane manifest through seven lesser devas,
who form the central fire, and consciousness of the
substance of a subplane. It is with their mutual interplay
and work that we are now concerned, or with the study of
matter as it is affected and built into form through the
medium of Divine Thought or Will.
Of the higher Fires (the Lords of the four higher planes) I
do not seek to deal, for it only profits us to [632] study
the construction of thought-forms in the three worlds
through the medium of deva essences; these are vitalized
and manipulated by the Builders, the Dhyan Chohans, the
Heavenly Men through the force of Their Life, through Their
knowledge of the logoic Will or purpose, and through the
power of Their psychic nature. Thus They are occupied in
building the logoic physical body, and in carrying out His
plans in that body, in this way fulfiling the purpose for
which He incarnated. Their work is infinitely greater than
this, for it lies primarily on cosmic levels, but this is
what concerns us, and all that we can, in any way grasp.
Man in the three worlds of human endeavor works at two
things:
- First. The building of his body of
manifestation, a threefold body.
- Second. The construction of
thought-forms, which he builds of mental matter and
vitalizes by desire, and which he holds within his aura,
thus constructing a tiny system of his own.
Both man, and the Heavenly Men, work in deva
substance; both cooperate with the devas; both manifest
will, psychic quality and intelligent activity as they
pursue their work but a difference lies, not only in
degree, but in consciousness. Man works usually
unconsciously. The Heavenly Men, on cosmic levels, work for
the most part consciously. Herein lies a hint as to the
stage of evolution of our Logos. This matter is of real
difficulty, for the subject is abstruse and profound. We
will now leave these basic ideas, and deal more
specifically with the devas with whom we are immediately
concerned, or with the three groups I have outlined – the
Agnichaitans, the Agnisuryans, and the Agnishvattas. They
are concerned primarily with the evolution of the dense
body of the Logos, the liquid, gaseous and dense subplanes
of the [633] cosmic physical, or the three worlds of human
endeavor; with the magnetic radiation of the Logos through
His physical vehicle, and with the radiatory emanations of
the particular Heavenly Man Who is expressing Himself
through our planet. Finally they are concerned with the
evolution of consciousness
207 in the three
worlds, and particularly with the individualization of the
human unit of consciousness, and with the vitalization of
the centers in the body of the Heavenly Man with Whom we
are peculiarly connected.
207 The Lunar Angels have to reach the plane of
the Solar Angels. – S. D., I, 203.
- They have to win immortality. – S. D., III, 518,
519.
- Self-consciousness is their goal. – S. D., I, 205;
II, 622.
The subject of our consideration now is the fire devas of
the physical plane, those great building devas who are
working out the purposes of the Logos in his dense,
physical body. Let us get our ideas as clear as possible on
this matter; in the following tabulation, the status of
these devas will be apparent at a glance:
Name |
Cosmic Plane |
Systemic Plane |
Nature |
Ruler |
Agnichaitan |
7th subplane cosmic phyiscal |
Physical |
Densest concretion |
Kshiti |
Agnisuryan |
6th subplane cosmic physical |
Astral |
Liquid |
Varuna |
Agnishvatta |
5th subplane cosmic physical |
Mental |
Gaseous |
Agni |
The Agnichaitans. These are the devas who
construct, and build in matter of the densest kind in
connection with logoic manifestation. They function on the
seventh subplane of the cosmic physical plane, and are the
producers of the greatest concretion. In the planetary body
of our planetary Logos they are the builders of the Earth,
His densest form, and throughout the entire solar system
they are the sumtotal of that activity and vibration [634]
which demonstrates through what we call "solid substance."
Therefore, it will be apparent that under the law they will
have a peculiarly powerful effect on the lowest subplane of
the systemic physical plane; hence their esoteric
appellation of the "Agnichaitans of the inner or central
heat." They are the totality of the lowest vibration in the
cosmic physical vehicle. The Agnisuryans are the
builders on the sixth subplane of the cosmic physical
plane, our systemic astral plane. They represent, as I have
before hinted, the sympathetic nervous system in the logoic
physical body, just as their brothers of the seventh
vibration represent the sumtotal of the circulatory or
blood system. A hint to the student who is interested in
the physiological key lies in the relationship between the
two great groups of devas who build and construct the most
objective portion of logoic manifestation, and the two
groups of corpuscles which in their mutual interaction hold
the body in health; there is an analogy also in the
relationship between the devas of the astral plane, and the
motor and sensory nerves of the physical body. I will not
enlarge upon this angle of vision.
These devas have to do, in a very esoteric sense, with the
nerve plexus in the:
- Solar system. (Physical Sun)
- Planetary scheme. (Dense Planet)
- Human physical body. (Dense Body)
and are therefore a powerful factor in the eventual
vitalization of the centers in man. The etheric centers, or
the focal points of force of a Heavenly Man are on the
fourth cosmic ether, the buddhic plane. The astral plane is
closely allied to the buddhic, and as the etheric centers
of our Heavenly Man, for instance, come into full activity,
the force is transmitted through the astral correspondence
[635] to the fourth physical ether, in which the centers of
man exist.
The Agnishvattas are the builders on the fifth or
gaseous subplane of the cosmic physical, and – from the
human standpoint – are the most profoundly important, for
they are the builders of the body of consciousness per se.
From the psychic standpoint of occult physiology, they have
a close connection with the physical brain, the seat or
empire of the Thinker, and as at this stage all that we can
know must be viewed kama-manasically, it will be apparent
that between the sympathetic nervous system and the brain
is such a close interaction as to make one organized whole.
This microcosmic correspondence is of interest, but in
studying these groups of devas at present we will view them
principally in their work as systemic and planetary
builders, leaving the student to trace out for himself the
human analogy. He will learn thereby. Having indicated
certain lines of thought, we will now take up these groups
one at a time and consider them.
D.II.2.c.i. The Agnichaitans – Physical Plane Devas
These devas are the sumtotal of physical plane substance.
This plane is, as we know, divided into two parts:
- The four ethers, four subplanes.
- The demonstrably concrete or dense three
subplanes.
We have here a subdivision of the seventh subplane of
the cosmic physical plane making the lowest manifestation
one that is divided into forty-nine subplanes or states of
activity. For purposes of active work, the devas of the
system are divided into forty-nine groups – the forty-nine
fires. The Agnichaitans in turn are also divided into
forty-nine groups, thus reflecting the whole. [636]
- The Raja-Lord. Kshiti. The life of the physical
plane.
- Three groups of Agnichaitans concerned with:
- The force or energy of physical substance. That
electrical aspect which produces activity.
- The construction of forms. They produce the union
of negative and positive substance, and thus bring
into being all that can be seen, and touched in the
exoteric and ordinary connotation.
- The internal heat of substance which nourishes
and causes reproduction. They form the purely mother
aspect.
These three groups are subdivided again into seven
groups which form the matter of each subplane, viewing that
matter as the body of manifestation of one of the seven
devas through whom the Raja-Lord of the plane is
manifesting.
These seven groups are again divided into seven, making
forty-nine.
The three groups function as follows:
- Group A. on the first subplane. They are the sumtotal
of the atomic matter of the physical plane.
- Group B. on the second, third and fourth etheric
subplanes. They are the substance of those planes, the
transmitters of prana, through which prana flows to the
most concrete aspects of the logoic dense vahan, or
vehicle.
- Group C. the lowest three subplanes; they are the
devas who are the essences of all that is tangible,
visible and objective.
A very real distinction must be made by students
between the centers and the remainder of the body, as they
investigate the construction of the body of the solar Logos
or of a planetary Logos. [637]
The centers are allied or connected with consciousness, and
are composed of self-conscious units – the human Monads.
The remainder of the body is composed of deva substance,
yet the two together form a unity. The deva units therefore
far outnumber the human, and deva substance is also
feminine and negative, the human Hierarchy being masculine.
Through the positive activity of the centers, the negative
deva substance is influenced, built and energized. This is
true of a solar Logos, a planetary Logos and a human being.
Three types of force, therefore, play upon or through these
devas:
- That energizing the devas of the first subplane, the
atomic. This emanates directly from the first aspect of
Brahma, or Agni, considering Him as a self-conscious
Identity, the third Person of the logoic Trinity, and
therefore Spirit, Soul and Body Himself in His separated
essential nature.
- That energizing the devas of construction, or the
form building groups; this comes from the second aspect
of Brahma, and is prana, issuing from the physical Sun,
and working under the Law of Attraction.
- That energizing the devas of the lowest three orders,
emanating from Brahma in His third aspect. Thus in the
dual force, or the aspects of matter itself, interacting
the one upon the other, densest forms of all are
produced. Yet these three function as one.
Group C. Agnichaitans
In considering these groups of Agnichaitans, we must
remember that we are dealing with that manifestation of the
Logos with which exoteric science is dealing, and that as
regards Group C, science is already making fair progress in
the accumulation of knowledge; it remains yet for science
to [638] acknowledge the "entified" nature of
substance,208, 209 and thus account for the life
that energizes the substance of the three lower subplanes.
This recognition by science that all forms are built of
intelligent lives will come about when the science of magic
begins again to come to the fore, and when the laws of
being are better understood. Magic concerns itself with the
manipulation of the lesser lives by a greater life; when
the scientist begins to work with the consciousness that
animates substance (atomic or electronic), and when he
brings under his conscious control the forms built of this
substance, he will gradually become cognizant of the fact
that all entities of all grades and of varying
constitutions go to the construction of that which is seen.
This will not be until science has definitely admitted the
existence of etheric matter as understood by the
occultist, and until it has developed the hypothesis
that this ether is in differing vibrations. When the
etheric counterpart of all that exists is allocated to its
rightful place, and known to be of more importance in the
scale of being than the dense vehicle, being essentially
the body of the [639] life, or vitality, then the rôle of
the scientist and the occultist will merge.
208 The "entified" nature of all substance is
technically known as Hylozoism. H. P. B. says: "Hylozoism,
when philosophically understood, is the highest aspect of
Pantheism. It is the only possible escape from idiotic
Atheism based on lethal materiality, and the still more
idiotic anthropomorphic conceptions of the Monotheists;
between which it stands on its own entirely neutral ground.
Hylozoism demands absolute Divine Thought, which would
pervade the numberless active creating Forces, or
"Creators," which Entities are moved by, and have their
being in, from and through that Divine Thought... Such
active "Creators" are known to exist and are believed in
because perceived and sensed by the Inner Man in the
Occultist." – S. D., II, 167, 168.
209 An atom is an entified abstraction. – S.
D., I, 559-560.
- The informing entity of the system is the Logos.
- The informing entity of a plane is its raja-Lord.
Such as Indra, Agni, Varuna, Kshiti.
- The informing entity of a planet is its planetary
Logos.
- The informing entity in the Microcosm is a Dhyan
Chohan.
- The informing entity in the causal body is the Divine
Thinker.
- The informing entity in a physical atom is an
elemental life.
Fire is in all things. – S. D., I, 146; II, 258.
- The informing entity is Fire – S. D., I, 145,
146.
- The matter of the form is permeated with fire. – S.
D., I, 112.
- The developing mind is cosmic fire. – S. D., I,
114.
H. P. B. has said (See S. D., II, 621.) that the dense
physical is not a principle, and this point is frequently
overlooked in connection with man and the Logos. Its
importance cannot be too strongly realized for it has the
effect of transferring the point of centralization, or of
polarization in the case of man into his etheric body,
composed of matter of the four higher subplanes of the
systemic physical plane, and in the case of the Logos, of
the four higher subplanes of the cosmic physical plane. The
point is one of a very real complexity, for it involves the
realization that, from the standpoint of the occultist, the
lowest vibration with which he may concern himself is that
of the systemic etheric in its four lesser allied
vibrations; similarly macrocosmically the lowest logoic
vibration with which the greater Adepts are concerned is
the cosmic etheric. The three lowest systemic and cosmic
vibrations are the result of:
- Reflex action on the part of negative
substance for the lower three are negative to the higher
four.
- Synchronous vibration, inherent in negative
substance, the residue of an earlier system, and
embodying therefore past karma for the Logos and
for man.
- Vibrations that are gradually being superseded
by the imposition of a higher note; therefore for both
man and the Logos, they occultly form the "body of
death."
This brings us to the point which we are seeking to
make anent this third group of the lowest devas. They are
very destructive where man is concerned, for they embody
the final and therefore powerful vibration of the past
system, the conscious activity of dense matter. Hence there
is consequently a profound truth in the [640] statement
that man is at the "mercy of the elements." Man can
physically be burned and destroyed by fire; he is helpless
before volcanic action, and cannot protect himself from the
ravages of fire, unless in the initial stages of such deva
endeavor. The occult importance of the war man wages on the
fire devas for instance is very real in connection with the
fire department in any city. The time lies far ahead as
yet, but it will surely come, when the personnel of these
departments will be chosen for their ability to control the
agnichaitans when manifesting destructively, and their
methods will no longer be that of water (or the calling in
of the water devas to neutralize the fire devas), but that
of incantation, and a knowledge of the sounds that will
swing into action forces which will control the fiery
destructive elements.
The third group of these devas is very definitely connected
with the control of the Manu's department, and of the great
devas associated with that department on this planet.
Through their activity during certain cycles the entire
surface of the Earth is changed through the medium of
volcanic action; continents are raised and submerged;
volcanoes are active or quiescent, and thus the world is
purified by fire. In their own department these
Agnichaitans are kept busy building the mineral forms
through the agency of fire; they are the alchemists of the
lower regions, and through contact with them, and through
the knowledge of "the words" by which they are controlled,
the future scientific alchemists (I use this expression in
contradistinction to the idealistic alchemists of the past)
will work with minerals and with the lives embodied in all
mineral forms.
The secret of the transmutation of the baser metals into
gold will be revealed when world conditions are such that
gold is no longer the standard and hence the free
manufacture of gold will not lead to disaster, and [641]
when scientists work with the life aspect, or with positive
electrical life, and not with the substance or form aspect.
We have seen that the work of the lowest group of
Agnichaitans is to build continents by fire, to purify by
fire during alternate cycles, and to construct the metals
and the minerals. It is also concerned with the tending of
the fires of the hearth, or those fires which warm, cheer
and produce livable conditions in a planet, and
incidentally in a home. This is of very vital import, for
it means that they are connected with the central basic
fires in the bowels of the Earth, with the central basic
fire that nourishes and warms the physical forms of all the
kingdoms of nature, and consequently with the kundalini
fire at the base of the spine in individual man.
It is not advisable for us further to enlarge upon their
functions. It should be noted that in connection with the
matter aspect there is less to be said than on
consciousness, and on the hylozoistic aspect of
manifestation. The reason lies in the fact that exoteric
science is slowly, yet steadily, finding out the nature of
phenomena, and discovering for itself the character of
electrical manifestation. In their slowness of discovery
lies safety. It is not wise nor right yet for the true
nature of these different forces and powers to be fully
known; therefore, it is not possible for us to do more than
indicate certain broad general lines. In due course of
time, as the human family becomes centered in the higher,
and not in the lower nature, and as the force from the
higher planes can more easily impose itself on the lower,
the facts concerning these Lives and Builders, their
methods of work, and the laws of their being will be known.
Knowledge at this time would be productive of two results.
It would first of all bring the human family into the power
(as yet blind and destructive) of [642] certain elementals,
who are of a nature analogous to that of the physical body.
Hence destruction of the form would ensue, or paralysis and
insanity on a large scale would eventuate. Secondly, it
would put power into the hands of certain of the Brothers
of the Left Hand Path211 and of a number of
unconscious magicians (of whom there are quite a number)
who would use it only for selfish, evil and material ends.
Hence no more can be said anent dense physical substance
and its embodiers. The Agnichaitans of the third group are
as yet a menace to man, and are only handled in group
formation, and on a large scale by the head of the Manu's
department through their own rulers – certain devas of a
development equal to that of the sixth Initiation.
211 the left-hand path is that followed
by the black magician, and by the brothers of the shadows.
it originates in the use of the forces of nature for
selfish ends; it is characterized by intense selfishness
and separativeness, and ends in avitchi, the 8th sphere,
the home of lost souls, or those shells of the lower man
which have become separated from their egoic or individual
life principle.
The occult Hierarchy of our planet is primarily concerned
with the development of self-consciousness in man, and with
the intelligent interpretation of the happenings of Nature;
it is concerned with a wise cooperation with the building
Forces of nature; and the object of its main endeavor is
the vitalization and activity of the centers in the
Heavenly Man of our planet, and in the individual units of
the human family.
The occult Hierarchy is a great force center, the heart,
head, and throat of the Heavenly Man as these three centers
function in a triple coordination. Paralleling their
activities along the line of consciousness (and primarily
consciousness or intelligence as it demonstrates through
the third and fourth kingdoms) is to be found a great
hierarchy of devas who concern themselves with the
development of that portion of the body of a Heavenly Man
which is not included in the active centers. Perhaps some
idea of what I seek to convey [643] may be gathered from an
illustration. The occult Hierarchy is concerned with the
unfoldment of the nine-petalled Lotus in the Heavenly Man,
and in man (the former through reflex action between the
cosmic physical and the cosmic mental), while the great
deva Hierarchy is concerned with the permanent atoms, with
the egoic body, and with the development of the spirillae.
Thus the function of the Agnichaitans of the lowest
furnaces – macrocosmically and microcosmically – will be
seen and comprehended by the wise student.
Group B. Agnichaitans
In taking up the matter of the second group of Agnichaitans
– Group B – we are dealing with that important group of
devas who are designated in some works as the "devas of the
shadows." Their function is primarily a fourfold one, and
they are the basis of motion or of activity on all planes,
which activity is produced by the interplay of the negative
and positive aspects of Brahma, the manifested God.
- First, they are the builders of the etheric bodies of
all sentient existences, and primarily of all the etheric
bodies of men.
- Second, they are the transmitters of prana.
- Third, they perform a very definite function in the
evolutionary process of linking up the four kingdoms of
nature, being essentially the transmuters and
transmitters of the lower into the higher. They build
between each kingdom – mineral, vegetable, animal and
human – that which in each case corresponds to the
antahkarana, or the bridge linking higher and lower
manas, and which therefore is the channel for the
transmission of the life from out of the lower human
kingdom into the higher spiritual one. It will be found
that between each of the different stages of
consciousness (from the subconscious through the
self-conscious to the superconscious) there is a period
of linking, of building, and of bridging, and this is
carried out by the agency of [644] certain groups of
devas on all the planes. These three groups on the
physical plane find their counterparts and their work
paralleled on higher levels. The point to be remembered
is that this work of bridging from one stage or from one
kingdom to another has to be performed under the
following conditions:
- As the result of an impulse emanating from the lower,
or originating in the active desire of the lower to
embrace or contact the higher. This is of paramount
importance, for all progress must be self-induced,
self-initiated, and be the result of an inner
activity.
- As the result of reflex action from the higher stage
or kingdom; it is brought about by the activity of the
lower which calls forth a response from the higher. All
vibration, it must be remembered, travels along waves of
living substance.
- As the result of extraneous stimulation produced by
the activity of certain conscious powers, interested in
the process of evolutionary development.
All these conditions can be seen in the process of the
initiation of man, and of his transference from the fourth
kingdom into the spiritual. His efforts must be
self-induced, or the effect of his own self-conscious
endeavor; they will meet with a response from his
superconsciousness, the atmic aspect or Spirit and this
dual interplay will be further aided by the Guardians of
the Rites of Initiation. Yet all three effects are felt in
spirit-matter; all proceed under the law of vibration, and
this law is literally the response of deva substance to
force emanating from some conscious or unconscious source.
Fourth, these "devas of the shadows," perform certain
activities of an interesting and varied kind, but [645] of
such diversity as to make enumeration well-nigh impossible.
We might attempt with brevity to state a few of these
functions, remembering ever that what can be predicated of
them on the physical plane can also be predicated of their
correspondences on all the planes. This we can leave to the
student to work out for himself, begging him again to bear
in mind that we are dealing with the devas on the
evolutionary arc, which may be divided into the following
classes, amongst many others.
- Class 1. The special agents of magic. They are
peculiarly susceptible to the building vibrations of the
seven rays.
- Class 2. A group of Agnichaitans who manifest as
physical plane electricity. They are a group who are
coming somewhat under the control of man, and will be
more and more dominated by him.
- Class 3. A group who form the health auras of all the
three middle kingdoms of nature (vegetable, animal and
human) either collectively or individually. Man is coming
into contact with them along medical lines and beginning
somewhat to recognize them. One of the great errors into
which the human family has fallen has been the endeavor
to administer mineral drugs to man for medicinal
purposes. It has resulted in a combination of deva
substances which was never intended. The relation of man
to the lower kingdoms, and particularly to the animal and
mineral, has brought about a peculiar condition in the
deva world and has tended to complicate deva evolution.
The use of animal food (and the use of minerals as
medicine in a lesser degree) has produced a commingling
of deva substance, and of vibrations which are not
attuned to each other. The vegetable kingdom is in a
totally different situation, and part of its karma has
lain in the providing of food for man; this has resulted
in a needed transmutation of the life [646] of that
kingdom into the higher stage (the animal) which is its
goal. The transmutation of vegetable life takes place
necessarily on the physical plane. Hence its availability
as food. The transmutation of the life of the animal into
the human kingdom takes place on kama-manasic levels.
Hence the non-availability, esoterically understood, of
the animal as food for man. This is an argument for
vegetarian living which needs due consideration.
- Class 4. A very important class of etheric devas (as
far as man is concerned) who are definitely the
constituent substance of his centers. They occupy this
position for karmic reasons, and are, from many angles,
some of the most highly evolved of the devas of the
shadows. They are distinguished by their ability to
respond to a particular set of planetary vibrations in a
peculiar manner, and in their essential essence, and in
their own peculiar sphere enable man to react to Ray
stimulation. Each center is under the influence of one or
other of the planets. In this fact lies the ability of
man eventually – through the agency of his centers – to
put himself en rapport with the sevenfold soul of the
world.
- Class 5. We have here a very important group of
devas, who are peculiarly active and esoterically
dominant during this round; they are the Agnichaitans who
form the center which vibrates to the measure of
kundalini in its many forms and demonstrations; this is
the center at the base of the spine. In this center we
have a very effective display of the two polarities, for
the petals of the center which is the seat of kundalini,
and the fire or vitality which animates them are negative
and positive to each other. This center is to be found in
some form or other in all sentient beings and upon it
largely depends: [647]
- Consciousness at one of its seven stages.
- Continuity of existence.
- Perpetuation of species or reproduction on some
or other of the planes.
It might be of interest here to note that this center
is literally a fourfold radiation, and the "Cross of the
Holy Spirit," the equal armed Cross, is its symbol. This
four-petalled lotus is the result of evolution. In the
first kingdom of nature, the mineral, through which a
specific Entity is manifesting, this center is a unity on
etheric levels, for only one petal is to be seen. In the
vegetable kingdom, viewing it as the expression of a great
Existence, two petals are becoming active. In the third
kingdom, the animal, the center at the base of the spine
will be found to have three petals, whereas in man, the
lotus is vibrating in a fourfold manner. At each initiation
of the great Being Who is manifesting through our planet,
one of these petals becomes unfolded on etheric levels, so
that at individualization, the four became active, and His
self-conscious activity was brought right down on to the
physical plane. The analogy can be seen typified at His
great Initiation which took place in the fourth round and
the third root-race; the correspondence between the third
kingdom and the fourth, and their production of the
esoteric seven is one of the lines of study for the
occultist.
As each of the petals of the etheric centers becomes
vibrant, or an at-one-ment is brought about in deva
substance, a quickening takes place on allied levels in the
cosmic etheric body of the planetary Logos, and of the
solar Logos. Certain correspondences in the petals of the
egoic lotus of the different units of the human family, and
(on cosmic levels) in the solar and planetary egoic bodies
become apparent. It should also be borne in mind that these
basic centers, wherein the [648] kundalini fire lies
hidden, are found in the following Existences, as They
function in physical bodies:
- A solar Logos.
- A planetary Logos.
- Those Entities Who are the sumtotal of consciousness
as it expresses itself through the different kingdoms of
nature – manifesting through them as a man manifests
through his body.
- The Lord of a chain.
- The Lord of a globe.
- Certain Beings Who form the life of specific groups.
They are esoteric, and Their function is one of the
secrets of initiation.
- Man.
- Animals.
It should be here also remarked that in the logoic
manifestation one of the planetary schemes forms the center
in the logoic body which harbors kundalini. This scheme,
whose name must not as yet be revealed, is largely given
over to deva control – the two groups of devas meeting
there, and performing their function of animating the dense
physical body of the Logos in the same way as the kundalini
in man at this stage animates his dense physical vehicle.
Later, as the third major scheme assimilates the
life-activity of the lower four, this kundalini fire will
be withdrawn, and will be transmuted into the activity of
the logoic Throat center.
In planetary manifestation, one of the chains performs a
similar work in the evolutionary process of the planetary
Logos. Again the same can be predicated of one of the
globes in a chain. In this fourth round, therefore, it can
be seen why the fire at the base of the spine (viewing it
in its esoteric significance, and in connection with the
Logos, and the Logoi, and not only in connection with man)
plays so dominant a part in the stimulation of [649] the
logoic Quaternary, or of His Lower Self. Herein is found
the mystery of present evil, the source of present
distress, and the basis of planetary experience. The
kundalini fire in the logoic body is at the height of its
activity in stimulating His physical body – our lower three
systemic planes – and the four petals of that particular
center are coming into full activity in this fourth round.
It must be remembered that He is the sumtotal of all the
centers in manifestation, and the aggregate of all the
fires of kundalini in every department of nature. The
trouble in our planet, and likewise the hope for our
planet, lies in this very fact. The etheric center of our
planetary Logos being in matter of the fourth cosmic ether
(the buddhic plane) stimulates at present His lower
quaternary, our three worlds of human endeavor. The
direction of the force lies here, and not until the next
round (when three-fifths of the human kingdom will be
developing the buddhic vehicle), will the point of
equilibrium for Him be reached, and the direction of the
serpent fire be directed higher.
This holds the clue to much. A further clue to the sad
condition to be seen in the world (especially along sex
lines) lies in the fact that those units of the human
family who contribute to the constitution of this
particular center out of the seven, are frequently at this
stage over-vitalized, the physical vehicle vitality
indicating to them the line of least resistance. To word it
otherwise: The deva forces who form the center, and are
likewise the activity of the center, are as yet
over-dominant, and the power they acquired in the earlier
solar system has not yet been transmuted into spiritual
power.
We have above considered a few of the devas of the ethers
but have of necessity left many untouched. The vastness of
our subject will be apparent when it is remembered that in
dealing with the devas we are dealing [650] with that which
is the basic substance of manifestation, or Spirit-matter;
with the negative or the mother aspect, in the divine
duality, and with the sum total of all that is. We are
concerned with the tangible form, using the word "tangible"
as that which can be apprehended by consciousness in one or
other of its many states. The utter impossibility of
cataloguing the forms and aspects of deva substance, or of
tabulating the myriad groups and classes will be borne in
on our comprehension. On all the planes these three groups
will be found, and all are recipients of force. An analogy
likewise exists between these three groups of devas on the
systemic physical plane, and their correspondences on the
cosmic physical plane. Briefly it might be pointed out that
we have:
- Group A – The plane Adi – Divine evolution.
Systemic atomic.
- Group B – The three worlds of the Triad – Spiritual
evolution.
Logoic etheric.
- Group C – The three worlds – Human evolution.
Logoic dense physical.
In this lies much of interest for the student as it
makes clear the correspondence between the evolution of
substance and the evolution of spirit.
As regards the devas of Group B, little more can be said.
Only a few more generalities are advisable.
These devas, especially those of the fourth ether, are so
closely connected with man that one of the immediate
developments ahead will be his awakening to a realization
of their existence, and his consequent gradual domination
of them. This domination will be the result of several
things but will only be complete when he can function on
the fourth cosmic ether, the buddhic plane. One of the
things the Hierarchy at this stage is seeking to do, is to
retard this awakening of the mass of mankind to this
realization, for that event will necessitate [651] many
adjustments, and, at the beginning, may produce many
apparently evil effects. The development of the physical
eye is a thing which is proceeding under the Law, and
inevitably the whole race of men will at length attain that
dual focus which will enable man to see both the dense and
the etheric forms. At this stage his inability to do so is
largely due to a lack of pranic vitality. This is mainly
the result of wrong conditions of living, and the misuse of
food. The present general trend towards juster and purer
conditions of life, the return of man to simpler and saner
ways, the widespread feeling for bathing, fresh air, and
sunlight, and the greater desire for vegetable, and nut
foods, will result inevitably in a more ready assimilation
of the pranic fluids. This will produce certain changes,
and improvements, in the physical organs, and in the
vitality of the etheric body.
Therefore, those of us who see somewhat of the Plan are
urged to spread the knowledge of the Wisdom Religion, and
above all to break loose from the preconceived dogmas of
pre-war days. It should be pointed out here that the war
was a great occult event, and caused a vital change in many
of the plans and arrangements of the Hierarchy.
Modifications have been necessitated, and some events will
have to be delayed whilst others will be hastened. One of
the profoundest effects of the war was felt among the devas
of the shadows, and primarily among those of the fourth
order. The etheric web which protected certain groups in
the human and animal kingdoms was rent in various places,
and the results of that disaster have to be offset. Another
effect upon the devas resulting from the war, as it worked,
can be seen among the devas of Group A, or those devas who
are (in an occult sense) the physical permanent atoms of
all self-conscious beings. The fourth spirilla was
tremendously stimulated, and its evolution hastened [652]
to an extraordinary degree, so that some of the lesser
evolved men, through the stress of danger and experience,
had this fourth spirilla brought up to, and beyond, that of
normal humanity. Through this stimulation of the fourth
spirilla of the units of the fourth Creative Hierarchy in
this fourth round on the fourth globe in this fourth
scheme, a tremendous push onward along the evolutionary
path has been effected, and hence one of the great objects
of the war has been achieved. A still more terrific
stimulation was given in the fourth root-race during the
war of that period, and the result was the passing on to
the Path of Initiation of many who normally would not even
now be treading it. A similar effect can be looked for at
this time, and the Hierarchy is preparing itself for the
taking over of much of an extra-planetary nature owing to
the almost immediate availability of comparatively large
numbers of the sons of man. We must not forget that this
stimulation of the spirillae affects the matter aspect, or
deva substance. Man is literally deva substance, and a God,
thus being a true reflection of the solar Logos.212,
213
212
"Thus God dwells in all,
From life's minute beginnings, up at last
To man – the consummation of this scheme
Of being, the completion of this sphere
Of life: whose attributes had here and there
Been scattered o'er the visible world before,
Asking to be combined, dim fragments meant
To be united in some wondrous whole,
Imperfect qualities throughout creation,
Suggesting some one creature yet to make,
Some point where all those scattered rays should meet
Convergent in the faculties of man...
When all the race is perfected alike
As man, that is; all tended to mankind,
And, man produced, all has its end thus far:
But in completed man begins anew
A tendency to God. Prognostics told
Man's near approach; so in man's self arise
August anticipations, symbols, types
Of a dim splendor ever on before
In that eternal circle life pursues.
For men begin to pass their nature's bound
And find new hopes and cares which fast supplant [653]
Their proper joys and griefs; they grow too great
For narrow creeds of right and wrong, which fade
Before the unmeasured thirst for good; while peace
Rises within them ever more and more.
Such men are even now upon the earth,
Serene amid the half formed creatures round.
– Paracelsus by Robert Browning.
213
- Man is an animal, plus a living God, within his
physical Shell. S. D., II, 85. S. D., II, 284.
- Man is the Macrocosm for the animal, therefore he
contains all that is meant by the term animal. – S.
D., II, 179, 187.
- Divine consciousness is received from the living
God. – S. D., II, 103.
- The animal forms the basis and the contrast for
the divine. – S. D., II, 100.
- The light of the Logos is awakened in animal man.
– S. D., II, 45.
- Man is the Tabernacle, the vehicle only, of his God.
– S. D., I, 233, 281; II, 316; III, 66.
Compare S. D., II, 174. Read Proverbs VIII
Study Biblical description of Tabernacle:
- Outer court, the place of animal sacrifice and
purification.
- The Holy place, the place of consecration and
service.
- The Holy of Holies.
The first corresponds to the life of the
personality.
The second to that of the Ego, or Higher Self.
The last to that of the Monad, or Divine Self.
- Man contains in himself every element found in the
universe. S. D., I, 619; III, 584.
- All in nature tends to become Man. – S. D., II,
179.
- All the impulses of the dual, centripetal and
centrifugal force are directed towards one point –
Man. – S. D., II, 179.
- Man is the storehouse... he unites in himself all
forms. – S. D., II, 303.
- The potentiality of every organ useful to animal
life is locked up in Man. – S. D., II, 723.
- Man tends to become a God and then God, like every
other atom in the universe. – S. D., I, 183.
Compare the atom and the Microcosm, man. Illustration:
– S. D., I, 174.
Every atom has seven planes of being. – S. D., I, 205.
Read S. D., I, 201.
- Every atom contains the germ from which he may
raise the tree of knowledge. (Of good and evil,
therefore conscious discrimination). – S. D., II,
622.
- It is the spiritual evolution of the inner
immortal man that forms the fundamental tenet of the
occult sciences – S. D., I, 694.
- Atoms and souls are synonymous terms in the
language of the initiates. – S. D., I, 620-621.
- Human beings... those Intelligences who have reached
the appropriate equilibrium between Spirit and Matter –
S. D., I, 132.
Read also carefully: – S. D., I, 267, 449; S. D., II,
190.
- On the descending arc Spirit becomes material. –
S. D., I, 693.
- On the middle turn of the base both meet in man –
S. D., I, 214, 271.
- On the ascending arc Spirit asserts itself at the
expense of the material.
- This is true of Gods and of men. See S. D., II,
88.
- Man is therefore a compound of Spirit and matter.
– S. D., II, 45.
- In man the intelligence links the two. – S. D.,
II, 102, 103.
See note to S. D., II, 130. Compare S. D., II,
394.
Group A. Agnichaitans
We have seen that on all planes the groups of devas can be
divided into three [654] main groups, even though usually
studied in their dual capacity of involutionary and
evolutionary force units. Broadly speaking, these groups
can be viewed as:
- Those which embody the positive aspect, or positive
electrical phenomena.
- Those which embody the negative aspect.
- That group which – in time and space – is the union
of the two aspects and which – during evolution –
demonstrates the third type of electrical phenomena.
Another grouping of this triplicity can be made which
brings them into line with the order of manifestation as
laid down in the ancient cosmogony, and this we followed
when we enumerated the groups of Agnichaitans.
- Group A – Corresponds to the manifestations of
existence as seen on the highest plane, or that aspect
which is understood by the term Agni.
- Group B – Corresponds to the Vishnu-Surya
aspect.
- Group C – Corresponds to the Brahma or the creative
Logos aspect.
We have recapitulated thus, as it is desirable to have
the thought clearly defined.
We have touched upon the two lower groups of devas. Now, we
might take up the consideration of Group A, the most
important group on the physical plane from the standpoint
of creation, and of objectivity, for they are the life of
matter itself and the intelligence animating the forms of
all that exists on the systemic physical [656] plane; they
are not self-conscious intelligence, but consciousness as
understood by the occultist.
Each of the atomic subplanes in the solar system is closely
interrelated with the others, and the seven atomic
subplanes of all the planes form a unity, and are
essentially the cosmic physical plane as the term is
occultly understood. The subplanes of which they are the
originating source bear the same relationship to them as
the six principles do to the seventh. Therefore, the devas
of Group A are the concentrated creative force of the
subplanes, the origin of the objective side of physical
manifestation, and the source of the seven Breaths of the
creative Logos on the physical plane. But it must be
remembered that in each scheme the creative impulse or will
is the planetary Logos of the scheme, Who as truly creates
His body of Manifestation under the Law (His dense physical
planet) as man – under the same Law – creates his physical
body, or as the solar Logos (at the other end of the scale)
creates His body, a solar system.
This has a definite and esoteric bearing upon the subject
under discussion, and the essential differences between the
Heavenly Men seeking manifestation will be seen in Their
schemes, and therefore in the types of devas through whom
They function, and out of whose essence Their form is made.
It might be expressed thus: Just as each man has a body
which, in its main characteristics and form, resembles
other bodies, yet in its quality and personal distinctive
features is unique, so each of the Heavenly Men builds for
Himself a body out of deva substance or spirit-matter which
is of the same nature as that of His brothers, and yet
which is distinctive, colored by His own peculiar coloring,
vibrant to His own particular key, and able to demonstrate
His own unique quality. This is produced through the
peculiar type of deva [656] essence He chooses, or (to word
it perhaps more occultly) it has involved the response of
certain peculiar groups of devas to His note. They embody
in themselves just those constituents which He requires to
build His body or scheme. It will, therefore, be recognized
that the devas of Group A, being what we might call the
key-devas, are of prime importance, and, from our
present standpoint, must remain abstract and esoteric. If
we consider this under the Law of Analogy, and study the
essentially esoteric nature of the plane of the Logos (the
first plane, called Adi) the reason for this will be
apparent. If the devas of Group A could be recognized, or
even contacted by advanced men, the study of their nature,
coloring and tone would reveal to unprepared humanity the
coloring and tone of our particular planetary Logos. For
this knowledge the race is not ready. It would reveal also,
through the study of the Law of Action and Reaction, which
of the incarnating Egos were on the ray of this Logos; the
deductions from this would lead men into dangerous realms,
and put power into hands as yet unprepared to wield it
wisely.
Therefore, Group A of Agnichaitans must remain profoundly
esoteric, and their true nature can only be revealed to the
Adept of the great Law.
Thus only a few hints are permissible, and these deal
simply with the relationship of man to these entities. He
is related to them primarily because his physical permanent
atom is directly energized by them, being a part of their
essential nature, and having a place in their form. It will
be apparent to any student that if the permanent atoms of
the lower man are within the causal periphery the devas of
the three worlds on the atomic subplanes must work in the
closest cooperation; there must be unity of purpose and of
plan.
The devas of the atomic levels of all the planes in our
scheme work in close affiliation: [657]
- With each other, thus making seven groups who are the
sumtotal of the Brahma aspect of our planetary
Logos.
- With the seven groups who constitute the atomic
matter of that scheme which is the polar opposite of
ours.
- With that particular group in that scheme which is
one of the points in a systemic triangle of which our
scheme and our opposite scheme are the other two.
- With corresponding groups in lesser degree in all the
systemic schemes.
- With the scheme which corresponds to the first
aspect, or the plane of Adi.
- With those devas who form the spirit-substance of the
manifestation of that particular Rishi of the Great Bear
Who is the prototype of our particular planetary
Logos.
- With those devas who form the substance of that one
of those esoteric existences who are spoken of in the
Secret Doctrine (See S. D, II, 579-582) as "The
wives of the seven Rishis," or the seven sisters, the
Pleiades. One of these seven sisters has a close
connection with our Heavenly Man, and therefore we have
an interesting cosmic interplay as follows:
- One of the seven Rishis of the Great Bear.
- One of the seven Sisters, or a Pleiad.
- The Heavenly Man of our scheme.
This interplay will be threefold and as far as we are
concerned just now will involve a transmission of life
force through the atomic matter of our planes, circulating
in deva substance. This will materially affect certain
types of humanity more than others, according to their ray
and nature, and this effect will demonstrate in [658] a
vivification of the spirillae of the permanent atoms and of
the centers.
D.II.2.c.ii. Agnisuryans – Astral Plane Devas
We start here upon a consideration of those groups of devas
who are the substance of the astral plane, the Agnisuryans.
They may be considered in the following manner, and by the
employment of synonymous terms, some general idea of their
function may be arrived at before we begin to differentiate
them into groups and study their relation to:
- The various entities who are the soul of the
differing kingdoms, or groups, such as the animal
kingdom, the human kingdom, and higher in the scale of
consciousness than men – the planetary Logos.
- Man himself.
- The plane as a totality.
We might consider these devas:
- First, as the substance of the astral plane in its
seven grades.
- Second, as that aspect of logoic manifestation which
corresponds to the liquid subplane in the systemic
physical plane.
- Third, as the vehicle of the deva lord Varuna.
- Fourth, as the animating lives of that involutionary
matter of the astral plane which we call the elemental
essence, and as the vitality energizing the desire
elementals of all that is sentient. Viewed in this aspect
in connection especially with man, they are the
correspondence on the astral plane to the "devas of the
shadows," for the desire bodies of all human beings are
composed of matter of the second, third and fourth
subplanes of the astral plane. This is a point which
should be closely considered, and the analogy between the
etheric body, the vehicle of prana vitalizing the dense
physical, and [659] man's astral body, and the method of
its vitalization will be found illuminating.
- Fifth, from the standpoint of the physical plane, as
the sumtotal of material activity (even though
subjective) which produces that which is tangible and
objective. Just as the solar system is a "Son of
Necessity," or of desire, so the physical bodies of all
that exist are the product of the desire of some greater
or lesser entity within the system.
It might be apposite here to point out the lines along
which energy – whether manasic, pranic, or astral – enters
the system and reaches a particular plane, thus finding its
way to all units of consciousness, from an atom to a solar
Logos.
The dense physical plane itself is energized via:
- The planetary etheric body.
- The mental plane, or the cosmic gaseous
subplane.
- The atmic plane, or the third cosmic ether.
- The plane of adi, or the first cosmic ether.
and inferentially (by means of the logoic permanent
atom) a similar flow of force enters from cosmic levels.
The astral plane is energized via:
- The buddhic plane, the fourth cosmic ether.
- The monadic plane, the second cosmic ether.
- The cosmic astral plane, and thus to the Heart of all
Being.
The mental plane is energized via:
- The atmic plane, the third cosmic ether.
- The plane adi, the first cosmic ether.
- The cosmic mental plane, beyond which it is
unnecessary for us to go.
It will be noted by the careful student that these
planes might be looked at in connection with the three
worlds [660] as demonstrating two types of force – first, a
force which tends to differentiation such as on the mental
plane (the plane of inherent separation) and on the
physical plane (the plane of actual separation); secondly,
a force which tends to unity, such as on the astral plane,
and on the plane of essential harmony, the buddhic plane.
It must be remembered that we are considering force as it
flows through, or permeates, deva substance. A hint as to
the truth lies in the fact that at present the astral body
of man is positive to the physical plane, negative to the
mental, and positive to the buddhic plane. As evolution
proceeds, the astral body should become positive to the
mental, and thus prove incapable of being swayed by thought
currents, and the separative processes of that plane, and
negative to the buddhic plane, or receptive to the forces
from that plane. When it has attained equilibrium, and the
forces are evenly balanced, the astral body should become
the transmitter from the buddhic plane, the fourth cosmic
ether, via the gaseous, to the dense physical plane. This
thought should be studied in connection with the burning of
the etheric web of the planet, thus illumination may come.
Literally, there is no such division on the astral plane as
we find on the mental or on the physical planes. On both
those planes, we have a division into two: the mental plane
being divided into higher and lower, rupa and arupa,
concrete and abstract, and the physical plane into the
etheric levels and the dense subplanes.
There is, therefore, a correspondence between these two.
The reason for this apparent division (considering the
question apart from the states of consciousness of a human
being) is due to the stage of development of the great
devas who embody the plane, who ensoul it, and who manifest
through it as a man manifests through his body, Varuna, the
Lord of the astral plane, has achieved a more unified
conscious control than His brothers of [661] the mental and
physical planes. He comes into manifestation in connection
with one of the Heavenly Men, Who is the Lord of a major
Ray. The other two are linked up with the Lords of a minor
Ray. There is a suggestive hint for students in this
information. We may justly ask why, if this is so, it
should apparently manifest so disastrously in connection
with man? There are several reasons for this, one being
that the force flowing through the vehicle of the great
deva, the plane, is consequently stronger than in the other
two cases, and this is owing to His more advanced stage of
development and also to the fact that the Logos Himself is
polarized in His astral body. Another reason is that he has
a peculiar link with the Ruler of the animal kingdom, and
as the human being has not yet dissociated himself from,
nor learnt to control, his animal nature, he too comes
under the influence of this tremendous force. There are
other reasons hidden in the karma of our Heavenly Man, but
the above reasons suffice.
D.II.2.c.ii.A The Function of the Agnisuryans
The devas of the astral plane are those with whom man is
very specially connected at this time owing to his astral
polarization, and to the place desire and feeling play in
his development. Consciousness expands through contact,
through intelligent appreciation of that which is
contacted, and through realization of that which is to be
gained through a specific contact. That which is contacted
depends upon reciprocal vibration, and the place therefore
of desire (which is the going out after sensation) and of
feeling (which is the reflex of that desire) is of real
importance; they put man constantly in touch – even though
he realizes it not – with deva substance of some kind or
another. Even when man has reached a relatively high stage
of evolution, the demonstration of that point of attainment
is seen in the type of not-self which he contacts; it is
only when he is an initiate that [662] he begins to
approximate, and to know the meaning of the essential unity
which lies at the heart of Being, and to comprehend the
oneness of the Universal Soul, and the Unity of that
subjective Life which secretes itself behind form of every
kind. It should never be forgotten that the matter aspect
is found on all planes; also that forms are ever to be
found, until the solar ring-pass-not is transcended and the
Logos escapes from His present limitation. Owing to this
the devas of the astral plane assume a very important place
in the three worlds.
Previously, we considered them in a fivefold aspect,
dividing them into five groups. At this point we will limit
our consideration to the relationship of self-conscious
units such as Man and the planetary Logos to this deva
substance. A great distinction exists between man and his
prototype, a Heavenly Man.
The astral plane plays a very real part in the evolution of
man, having a close connection with one of his principles.
Astral matter and vibration is one of the controlling
factors in the lives of the great majority of people. To
the Heavenly Man, astral matter corresponds to the liquid
portion in the physical body of man, and is for Him
therefore no principle.
The astral plane is man's principal battleground and the
area of his most intense field of sensation, – mental
sensation (esoterically understood) is for him as yet only
a possibility. The astral body is the seat of man's most
violent vibration, and these vibrations are a potent cause
of his physical plane activities. If man only realized it,
the devas of the astral plane at present very largely
control what he does and says, and his goal of evolution
(his immediate goal) is to liberate himself from their
control in order that he, the real Ego or thinker, may be
the dominating influence. To be explicit, and thus to
illustrate this point: the little elemental lives which
form the body of the emotions, and the positive [663] life
of any evolutionary deva who (through similarity of
vibration) is linked to any particular man and who gives to
him an astral body of a coherent and positive power, are as
yet practically in control of the majority. Man usually
does as his desires and instincts prompt him. If this
evolutionary deva is of a high order (as will be the case
in a highly developed man) the vibration will be high, and
the desires and instincts will be good and exoterically
right. Nevertheless, if the man is controlled by them, he
is as yet under deva influence, and must free himself. If
the deva life is of a low order, the man will demonstrate
low and vicious instincts, and desires of a vile caliber.
If these remarks are rightly apprehended, some
understanding will come of what is meant when the deva
evolution is spoken of as being a "parallel evolution " to
that of man. In the three worlds the two lines of evolution
parallel each other, and must not be consciously one. In
the planes of the Triad they are known as a unity,
producing the Divine Hermaphrodite, or the Heavenly Man –
the self-conscious human units embodying the three aspects
of divinity, while the conscious deva units embody the
divine attributes. The two, blended together, form the body
of manifestation, the centers and substance of the Heavenly
Man. Great is the mystery, and until man knows his place
within the conscious whole, he should reserve his opinion
as to the meaning thereof. It will be apparent, therefore,
in view of the connection between the astral plane with its
unified work, and the buddhic plane with the conscious
harmony there experienced, that the astral body of man
calls for the closest study and understanding. A link will
be found through its medium with the buddhic plane and
harmonious activity on the physical plane will be produced.
The student of occultism should study carefully in this
connection: [664]
- The physical sun, and its relation to prana and the
etheric body.
- The subjective sun, and its connection with the
astral plane, with the kama-manasic principle, and the
astral body.
- The central spiritual sun, and its relation to the
Spirit or atma in man. (S. D., II, 250, 251.)
- The heart of the sun, and its relation to the lower
and higher mental bodies, producing that peculiar
manifestation we call the causal body. In this connection
it must be remembered that the force which flows from the
heart of the sun, works through a triangle formed by the
Venusian scheme, the Earth and the sun.
That another triangle was also formed involving two
planets was to be expected under the law, and the triangles
vary according to the scheme involved.
Cosmically there is a very interesting series of triangles
which will be found by the student of esoteric astronomy
and of occult cycles. They originate in the central sun of
our particular group of solar systems. This series involves
the Pleiades. The fact that this is so will not be known
until the last decade of the present century, and will not
be recognized by science till that time when certain lines
of knowledge and discovery will bring scientists to a
realization that there is a third type of electricity,
which ever balances and forms the apex of the triangle. But
the time is not yet.
All that is here said is expressed in terms of deva groups
and deva forces, which form (in their aggregate) substance
responsive to analogous vibration. This is occultly
expressed under certain definite names. It is possible,
therefore, to transmit safely information of a character
incomprehensible to the profane in such a phrase, for
instance, as: "The triangle of... of... and of Group... of
the Agnisuryans formed itself, and in the turning of the
Wheel produced the third." This conveys to the mind of the
occultist the knowledge [665] that in the flow of force
from a particular constellation, outside our system
altogether, through a particular planetary scheme, and thus
through the astral body of a planetary Logos, a condition
was brought about which produced the appearance of the
third kingdom in nature, the sentient conscious animal
kingdom. Some such similar phrase embodies also the deva
connection with man's individualization, but it profits not
to pass it on; the above is only quoted in order to do
three things:
- Demonstrate somewhat the nature and extent of the
forces flowing through our system.
- Show the close connection we have with the deva
evolution.
- Emphasize the triangular nature and interrelation of
all that eventuates.
It might be advisable here to bring out a point in
connection with the devas of the lower planes (those with
whom man is peculiarly connected). They can be divided into
certain groups, indicating their place in the scale of
consciousness. Perhaps the question may here be asked why
we are dealing only with those deva groups which are to be
found in the three worlds. Occultly understood, these devas
(of the type we are considering) are only found in the
dense physical body of the Logos – being the substance of
the lower three subplanes of the cosmic physical. The old
Commentary says as follows:
"The spheres of fire seek location upon the lower three.
They originate by medium of the fifth, yet merge upon the
planes of yoga. When the fiery essences permeate all,
then there is no more the fifth nor sixth, nor seventh,
but only the three shining by medium of the fourth."
Therefore, for the purposes of our present
study, the devas are only to be found in the three worlds.
Beyond those three planes we have the three aspects of
[666] the major three manifesting through the fourth; we
have consequently the spheres of the planetary Logoi upon
the plane of buddhi. They synthesize all that has been
developing through the denser manifestation. From the
standpoint of the esoteric philosophy, the cosmic physical
plane on which our entire solar system has its place must
be studied in a dual manner:
- From the point of view of the Heavenly Men, covering
the evolutions of the four higher planes, or the etheric
levels. Of these we can know practically nothing until
after initiation, at which time the consciousness of the
human being is transferred gradually on to the cosmic
etheric planes.
- From the standpoint of the human being in the three
worlds. Man is the consummating evolution in the three
worlds, just as the Heavenly Men are in the higher
four.
In the three worlds, we have the parallel evolutions –
deva and human in their many varying grades – the human
naturally concerning us the most intimately, though the two
evolve through interaction with each other. In the higher
four worlds, we have this duality viewed as a unity, and
the aspect of the synthetic evolution of the Heavenly Men
is the one considered. It would interest us much could we
but understand a little of the point of view of those great
devas Who cooperate intelligently in the plan of evolution.
They have Their own method of expressing these ideas, the
medium being color which can be heard, and sound which can
be seen. Man reverses the process and sees colors and hears
sounds. A hint lies here as to the necessity for symbols,
for they are signs which convey cosmic truths, and
instruction, and can be
comprehended alike by the
evolved of both evolutions. It should be borne in mind,
as earlier pointed out, that: [667]
- Man is demonstrating the aspects of divinity. The
devas are demonstrating the attributes of divinity.
- Man is evolving the inner vision and must learn to
see.
The devas are evolving the inner hearing and must learn
to hear.
- Both are as yet imperfect, and an imperfect world is
the result.
- Man is evolving by means of contact and experience.
He expands.
The devas evolve by means of the lessening of contact.
Limitation is the law for them.
- Man aims at self-control.
Devas must develop by being controlled.
- Man is innately Love – the Force which produces
coherency.
The devas are innately intelligence, – the force which
produces activity.
- The third type of force, that of Will, the balancing
equilibrium of electrical phenomena, has to play equally
upon and through both evolutions, but in the one it
demonstrates as self-consciousness, and in the other as
constructive vibration.
In the Heavenly Man these two great aspects of
divinity are equally blended, and in the course of the
mahamanvantara the imperfect Gods become perfect. These
broad and general distinctions are pointed out as they
throw light upon the relationship of Man to the devas.
The devas of the physical plane, though divided into the
three groups A, B, C, are under another grouping spoken of
as "the Devas of the Seventh Order." The seventh
order is peculiarly linked to the devas of the first order
on the first plane. They are the reflectors of the mind of
God of which the first order is the expression, and
manifest it as it has worked through from the [668]
archetypal plane. This seventh order of devas is directly
under the influence of the seventh Ray, and the planetary
Logos of that Ray works in close cooperation with the
Raja-Lord of the seventh plane. As the goal of evolution
for the devas is the inner hearing, it will be apparent why
mantric sounds and balanced modulations are the method of
contacting them, and of producing varying phenomena. This
seventh order of devas is the one with which the workers on
the left hand path are concerned, working through vampirism
and the devitalization of their victims. They deal with the
etheric bodies of their enemies, and by means of sounds
affect deva substance, thus producing the desired results.
The white Magician does not work on the physical plane with
physical substance. He transfers His activities to a higher
level, and hence deals with desires and motives. He works
through the devas of the sixth order.
The devas of the sixth order are those of the astral
plane, and are the devas who have the most to do with the
forces which produce the phenomena we call love, sex
impulse, instinct, or the driving urge and motive which
demonstrates later on the physical plane in activity of
some kind. The positive vibration set up on the astral
plane produces results on the physical and that is why the
White Brother, if He works with the devas at all, works
only on the astral plane and with the positive aspect.
These devas of the sixth order, as might be expected, are
closely linked with those of the second order on the.
monadic plane, and with the heart center of the particular
Heavenly Man on Whose Ray they may be found. They are
allied too to the deva forces on the buddhic plane and in
these three great orders of devas we have a powerful
triangle of electrical force, – the three types of
electricity which are met with in occult books. It should
be borne in mind that the equilibrizing [669] type of force
(at present an unknown type) flows in from the buddhic
plane at this time, and the apex of the triangle is there.

These three orders are (in this solar system) the most
potent, especially in this fourth round. They influence
particularly the fourth kingdom of nature, and are the
basis of that search for balance, of that aspiration
towards harmony, union and yoga which distinguishes man in
all grades; it shows in its lower manifestation as the sex
instinct as we know it, and in its higher as longing for
union with God.
These devas of the sixth order come under the special
influence of the Lord of the sixth Ray of Abstract
Idealism, and it is their connection with Him which
facilitates the working through of the archetypal idea on
to the physical plane. The sixth Creative Hierarchy
likewise is specially connected with this particular order
of devas, and through this dual influence is produced that
physical manifestation which is definitely objective, – one
type of force working through the etheric manifestation,
and the other through the dense physical.
This will as yet prove an insoluble mystery to the student,
but in the significance of numbers much can be discovered.
This angle of the matter should be studied in order to
bring out the true meaning of this sixth order of devas,
whose symbol is the six-pointed Star set at a particular
angle and in full manifestation. The six-pointed star is
the sign that a "Son of Necessity" [670] (no matter whether
God or man) has sought physical incarnation. The devas of
the sixth order, the Agnisuryans, are a prime factor in
bringing this about. In the sixth round these devas will
begin to make their presence felt more and more potently,
but the strength of their vibration will be very gradually
turned upwards, and not downwards into the physical plane.
This will involve the transmutation of desire into
aspiration, and will produce eventually the liberation of
the planetary Logos, and bring a manvantara (or His cycle
of physical incarnation) to a close. Withdrawal of the
force of desire results likewise in the cessation of man's
physical existence. The old Commentary expresses this truth
in the following words:
"The Sixth retire within themselves; they turn towards
the Fifth, leaving the Seventh alone."
In continuing our consideration of these deva
orders, it should be pointed out that these three lower
deva orders – the lower fifth, the sixth and the seventh –
have a close connection with the moon. They are the
building agents which (working on the involutionary matter
of the three worlds) construct the lower three bodies of
incarnating man. They are a branch of the lunar Pitris, but
the fact should be remembered that this particular branch
of pitris are those functioning in our particular scheme,
and are closely allied to our planetary Logos. Groups of
these Pitris are found wherever man is in incarnation in
all the schemes, but in other schemes they differ somewhat
from ours, as the "Mystery of the Moon" is connected with a
peculiar esoteric condition which concerns our own
planetary Logos.
Wherever man is in incarnation, the Builders of his bodies
are to be found but they will differ in:
- Their rate of vibration.
- Their stage of development. [671]
- Consciousness.
- Fohatic, magnetic and dynamic force.
It should be remembered also that each round sees the
deva substance or the deva evolution changing; they also
evolve and, therefore, the subject of the devas in their
dual aspect as the negative and positive substance which
produces objectivity must be studied in a threefold manner
if a true idea is to be approximated. Therefore, the devas
– who are the sumtotal of substance – must be considered
from:
- The standpoint of round development.
- The standpoint of any particular planetary Logos as
they form His body of manifestation, a scheme.
- The standpoint of the human kingdom.
When this is not done, a wrong and narrow idea is the
result. In future time, as may be seen from a study of the
Secret Doctrine, (See S. D., I, 288; II, 179, 187.)
the Logos in His septenary Nature will be seen as the
Macrocosm for Man, whilst the Microcosm, Man himself, will
be seen also as the Macrocosm for the three lower kingdoms.
This is simply one way of studying the evolution of the
conscious Entity – God, Man, or lesser life – by means of
deva substance; it involves the study of the positive and
negative interaction. As says the old Commentary again:
"When Father approaches Mother, that which will be taketh
form. The union of the two concealeth the true mystery of
Being.
When the two great devas seek each other, when they
meet and merge, the promise of life is fulfiled.
When the one who sees and knows stands midway between
his parents, then can be seen the fruition of knowledge,
and all is known upon the planes of consciousness.
When Anu, the infinitesimal, is seen to contain
Ishvara in His potency, when the lesser spheres and
cycles expand into the [672] circle of the Heavens, then
shall the essential Unity be cognized and manifested
fully.
When the One that holds the life becomes the three
behind which that life is hidden; when the three by
revolution become the seven and the ten; when the thirty
million crores of deva lives repeat the revolution; when
the central point is reached and reveals the three, the
nine, and the inner blazing JEWEL, then is the circle of
manifestation consummated, and the One again becomes the
ten, the seven, the three and the point."
Herein lies the key to the mystic marriage,
and to the student of occultism much may be revealed
through the study of these pairs of opposites; it will
cause the revelation of the process (in time and space)
whereby this union and its fruit is consummated, and the
resultant creation of the divine Hermaphrodite is seen upon
His Own high plane.
We must ever keep clearly in mind that we are dealing in
this section with the evolutionary devas who are the
positive Life animating involutionary matter or deva
substance. Consequently, the correspondence of the mystic
marriage of Spirit and matter can be seen working out also
in deva substance itself, through the interaction of
negative and positive deva lives. Substance itself
represents essential duality; forms repeat the same
duality, and when we arrive at man himself again, we have
duality plus a third factor. These three orders of deva
substance – the lower fifth, the sixth and seventh – are a
very mysterious group as far as man is
concerned.217 [673]
217 Sankaracharya and Buddha. The great sage
Sankaracharya who is known to us all as the leading head of
the adwaitic movement that was set on foot subsequent to
the time of the equally great Sage known as Gautama Buddha,
the head of the doctrine of Buddhi or Buddhism. Both are
great Masters of compassion and may be conceived as the two
hemispheres of the burning globe of light that is placed on
the central mental mount to impart light to the East and
the West. The two great Masters are mystically connected,
if you will listen to H. P. B., and to understand the
natures of these two beings is to understand the nature of
the entire cosmos divisible as two hemispheres, the one
being the land of the sunrise of thought eternal and the
other being "the Pillar to the West upon whose face the
rising sun of thought eternal poureth forth its most
glorious waves." They are representatives for us (the poor
children of the dust of the ground) of the two great powers
known in the Puranas as Shiva and Vishnu, the universal
sower and reaper, who by their interaction are said to
support the universe of progress. – Some Thoughts on the
Gita, pp. 92-3.
They have scarcely been hinted at as yet in occult
literature, but they contain within themselves the secret
of our planetary individualization. They were the group
which had much to do with the "sin of the mindless," and
are very closely associated with animal man. To the power
and control which these pitris assumed must be ascribed
much of the disastrous early happenings referred to in the
Secret Doctrine, such as the above mentioned "sin,"
and also the early "failures" in building suitable vehicles
for Spirits seeking incarnation. Here also may be found the
beginnings of that mysterious divergence which we call the
"left and right hand paths," which conditions (existing
within the body logoic and consequently being part of the
divine consciousness) originated in the remote "space of
time," when the sons of God were seeking form. It has to do
with a special condition in the astral body of our
planetary Logos, and with His history as it lies hidden in
the astral light.
It concerns that which He has to surmount and many of the
problems which face the occultist, including the "sin of
the mindless," the failure in Atlantean days, and even that
mysterious "failure" of the Buddha (which has a planetary
significance only hinted at in the Secret
Doctrine)218 can be traced back to the
condition of the deva substance of which the astral body of
our planet, and the astral bodies of all forms are formed.
Our planetary Logos is one of the Lords spoken of as being
a lesser lord, and more "full of passion" than the higher
three. Not even yet is His work completed, and deva [674]
substance in its various living orders is not yet brought
fully under His control. The deva evolution has far to
travel.
218 The Stanzas at the beginning of Volume II of
the
Secret Doctrine make these failures apparent. –
S. D., II, 195, 201, 721, 728.
The Failure of the Buddha. See S. D., III, 376-588.
The Imperfect Gods are referred to in S. D., I, 214,
449; II, 223; III, 209.
If this idea be extended to the solar system, it will be
apparent that the astral vehicles of the different
planetary Logoi differ. This difference is necessarily
dependent upon Their cosmic astral life which directly
affects the systemic astral, or the physical liquid
subplane of the cosmic physical. This is a point but
little realized. The dense physical body of the planetary
Logos exists, as we know, in a threefold condition – dense,
liquid, and gaseous – and each is acted upon directly from
the corresponding cosmic plane. The condition of the
various physical planets will some day be found to be
dependent upon this fact.
When the psychic nature of the planetary Logos is
understood (which knowledge is entered upon after
initiation, being a part of the Wisdom) the nature of the
different schemes, as regards their watery aspect, for
instance, will be found to be connected with a particular
astral state. As the initiate progresses in wisdom, he
intuitively comprehends the essential nature of the seven
groups, or of the logoic Septenate, which is that
concerning their color or quality. This color or quality is
dependent upon the psychic nature of any particular
planetary Logos, and His emotional or desire nature can
thereby be somewhat studied by the initiate. This will lead
eventually to a scientific consideration of the effect of
this nature upon His dense physical body, and particularly
that portion of it which we call the astral plane, the
liquid subplane of the cosmic physical plane. A reflection
of this (or a further working out, if that term is
preferred) is found in the liquid portions of the physical
planet.
The seventh subplane of the cosmic physical plane can be
subdivided into seven, which are our seven physical [675]
subplanes. It is this knowledge which enables a magician to
work. Given a certain physical phenomenon – such as the
weight of water, for instance, upon a planet – and an
initiate of the higher orders can form deductions from it
as to the quality of the exalted Life manifesting through a
plane. He arrives at this knowledge through a process of
reasoning from the liquid (sixth) subplane of the systemic
physical plane to:
- The liquid subplane of the cosmic physical, our
systemic astral plane.
- The fourth cosmic ether, the buddhic plane.
- The second cosmic ether, the monadic plane, or the
plane of the seven Heavenly Men.
- The cosmic astral plane, thus getting in touch with
the desire nature of the God.
This method naturally involves a vast knowledge of the
deva substance and predicates an intuitive realization of
their orders and groups, the keynotes of those orders and
of the planes, and also of the triple nature of substance
and a knowledge of how to work with the third type of
electrical force, which is the type of energy which puts a
man in touch with extra-systemic phenomena. Hence that
force still remains unknown, and is only contacted as yet
by high initiates.
It will again be apparent why the Agnisuryans are of such
supreme importance; they embody force which is a direct
emanation from the cosmic astral plane and which reveals –
when triply blended – the desire nature of our Heavenly
Man, and of any particular planetary Logos. In the two
opposites, which are called by the theologians "Heaven and
Hell," we have two of these types of force hinted at, and
in this thought we have indicated one of the keys to the
astral plane.
D.II.2.c.ii.B. Summary
Before passing to the consideration of [676] those devas
who are concerned with the construction of man's causal
body, and who are the linking group between the Triad and
the Quaternary, both in man and the Logos, we will briefly
enumerate the principal groups of Agnisuryans on the
systemic astral plane, as they, in their totality, form the
body of manifestation of the great deva or Raja-Lord of the
plane.
- First. The Raja-Lord of the Plane, the great
deva Varuna, Who is the central Life of the substance of
the astral plane of our planetary scheme. He is Himself
an outpost of the consciousness of that greater Deva Who
embodies the substance of the solar astral plane, or the
sixth subplane of the cosmic physical plane. He again in
His turn reflects His prototype, that great cosmic Entity
Who ensouls the cosmic astral plane.
- Second. Seven great Devas, who are the
positive force of each of the seven subplanes of the
systemic astral plane.
- Third. Various groups of devas, performing
different functions carrying out varying activities, and
producing constructive results. They might be enumerated
as follows, bearing in mind the fact that we are but
touching upon a few of the many groups, and that there
are numbers whose name is utterly unknown to man and
would be unintelligible if mentioned:
- Those devas who form the permanent atomic substance
of all the Monads, both in and out of physical
incarnation. They are divided into seven groups according
to the Ray of the Monad.
- Those devas who form the "liquid" aspect in the
physical body of the planetary Logos and of the solar
Logos. They are myriads in number, and include deva
existences ranging all the way from those who ensoul the
astral plane, and the astral currents of the highest
religious and aspirational nature, to the little water
[677] spirits which are reflections of such astral
entities precipitated in watery physical matter.
- A group of devas, who form the desire body of that
great entity who ensouls the animal kingdom. They are the
total kamic manifestation (divorced from mentality) of
animal desire in its incentive impulsive aspect.
- Certain devas who – being of the third order – form
the Heaven of the average orthodox Christian or believer
of any faith. Another group – being the seventh order –
form the Hell for the same class of thinker.
- Those devas who form the astral life of any
thought-form. These we will deal with later when studying
thought-form construction.
- A mysterious group of devas intimately connected at
this time with the sex expression in the human family on
the physical plane. They are a group who are, at this
juncture, swept into being, and they embody the fire of
sex expression as we understand it. They are the impulse,
or instinct, back of physical sex desire. They were
peculiarly dominant in the fourth root-race, at which
time sex conditions reached a stage of unbelievable
horror from our point of view. They are gradually being
controlled, and when the last of the Lemurian Egos has
passed into the fifth root-race they will be slowly
passed out of the solar system altogether. They are
connected with the passional "fire" of the solar Logos
and with one of His centers in particular; this center is
being gradually obscured and its fire transferred into a
higher center.
- There is also a group of devas connected with the
Lodge of Masters, whose work it is to build the
aspirational forms towards which average man may aspire.
They are divided into certain groups – three in number –
connected with science, religion and philosophy, and
through these groups of deva substance the Heads of the
three departments reach men. It is one of Their [678]
channels for work. The Master Jesus is particularly
active at this time along this line, working in
collaboration with certain adepts on the scientific line,
who – through the desired union of science and religion –
seek to shatter the materialism of the west on the one
hand and on the other the sentimental devotion of the
many devotees of all faiths. This is made possible now
through the passing out of the sixth Ray and the coming
in of the seventh. It should be borne in mind by all
students when considering the planes, plane substance and
energy that they are in a condition of flux and change
all the time. The matter of all planes circulates, and
cyclically certain portions become more energized than
others; the matter of the planes is thus under a
threefold influence, or – to word it otherwise – deva
substance is subjected to a threefold cyclic stimulation:
- Ray stimulation, dependent upon any Ray
being in or out of power. It is intersystemic and
planetary.
- Zodiacal stimulation, which is an
extra-systemic stimulation, and is also cosmic and
cyclic.
- Solar stimulation, or the impact of direct
solar force or energy upon the substance of a plane;
this emanates from the "Heart of the Sun" and is
peculiarly potent.
All the planes are subjected to this threefold
influence but in the case of the buddhic and the astral
planes, the force of this third stimulation is very
great. The adepts – working in conjunction with the
great devas – utilize cyclic opportunity to effect
definitely constructive results.
- A group of devas closely connected with the mysteries
of initiation. They form what is esoterically called the
"path of the Heart," and are the bridge between the
astral and the buddhic planes. They are in no way [679]
connected with the permanent atoms in the causal body,
but are very definitely associated with the central tier
of petals in the egoic lotus, or with the "petals of
love." Force interacts between these three petals on the
one hand, and the devas who form the "Path of the Heart"
upon the other, those who are the bridge of
astral-buddhic matter whereby initiates of a certain
mystic type make the "great approach."
- Devas of all degrees and vibratory capacity who make
up the bulk of the desire forms of every kind.
- The devas of transinutative force. They are a
peculiar group of devas who embody the "fires of
transmutation" and are called by various names, such as:
- The furnaces of purifications.
- The melting elements.
- The gods of incense.
It is impossible to enumerate more now, and likewise
profitless and it has only been deemed advisable to bring
these many types of deva substance to the notice of
students on account of the pre-eminent importance of the
astral body in the three worlds. It is by the domination of
these deva lives, and the "transmutation of desire" into
aspiration, and by the purificatory fires of the astral
plane that man eventually succeeds in attaining buddhic
consciousness.
It has been the recognition of the cleansing power of the
occult fluids – water and blood – that has led to the
emphasis laid by Christians (even though erroneously
interpreted) upon these two.
D.II.3. The Solar Angels – The Agnishvattas
Introductory Remarks
We start here upon the consideration of the Agnishvattas,
or the Fire devas of the mental plane, and are [680] thus
launched upon the most stupendous subject in connection
with our planetary evolution; it is the one having the most
occult significance for man, for these solar
Angels219 concern his own essential nature, and
are also the creative power by which he works. For all
practical purposes, and for the elucidation of the
spiritual evolution of man, this immediate section is of
the greatest interest and importance; it should be one of
the most widely studied sections of this treatise. Man is
ever profoundly interested in himself, and before he can
duly develop must comprehend scientifically the laws
of his own nature, and the constitution of his own "mode of
expression." He must realize likewise somewhat of the
interrelation of the three fires in order that he may
himself at some future date "blaze forth."
219 Solar angels are therefore entities of a
high spiritual order – with a refined consciousness that
corresponds to the material substance in which they are
clothed. In order to connect this with what I have said
already, you may consider the solar angels as collectively
forming the Lord Brahma of the lotus isle. The angels are
called by various names as planetary spirits, Asuras, etc.,
but in order to get a proper idea of their nature, you may
consider them as standing in the same relation to the
spiritually regenerated and released world Brahmins or the
Nirmanakayas as these stand to the ordinary humanity. The
angels were such Brahmins in previous Mahamanvantaras, who
spent those enormous periods in suffering and toil for the
sake of rearing wisdom in the world and hence they emerged
as angels from the infinite womb of Aditi under their
karmic impulse after a period of Mahapralaya. – Some
Thoughts on the Gita, page 137.
The question of these Fire Dhyanis and their relation to
man is a most profound mystery, and the entire matter is so
clothed in intricate legends that students are apt to
despair of ever arriving at the desired, and necessary
clarity of thought. Not yet will it be possible entirely to
dispel the clouds which veil the central mystery, but
perhaps, by due tabulation and synthesis, and by a cautious
amplification of the data already imparted, the thoughts of
the wise student may become somewhat less confused.
There are two statements in the
Secret Doctrine
which are often overlooked by the casual reader but which,
if [681] duly pondered upon, convey much information. Let
us make note of these two statements:
- Two connecting principles are needed. This requires a
living spiritual Fire of the middle principle from the
Fifth and third states of Pleroma. This fire is the
possession of the Triangles.
- These Beings are Nirvanis from a preceding
Mahamanvantara.
We have been considering somewhat the devas of
evolutionary tendency who are grouped roughly together as
the lunar Pitris.
220 These lunar Pitris are
divided into four groups and are concerned with the
building of man's dual physical body, with his astral body
and with his lower mental body; these sheaths are energized
by their force through the medium of the permanent atoms.
But for the purposes of the subjective nature of man, they
are to be considered in their three groups – etheric,
astral and lower mental. The work of the Agnishvattas (the
self-conscious principles, the Builders or constructors of
the egoic body on the higher mental levels) is to unite the
higher three principles – atma, buddhi, manas – and the
lower three, and thus become in very truth the middle
principle in man. They themselves originate from the logoic
middle principle. (S. D., II, 83.) Thus the esoteric seven
is completed. The physical body in its denser manifestation
is, as we know, not esoterically considered a principle.
220 The Lunar Pitris are all Nature Spirits. –
S. D., II, 107.
- They possess, or are the containers of the fire of
the third aspect. – S. D., II, 81.
- Their work precedes that of the Solar Angels. – S.
D., I, 268.
- They exist in seven classes as do the Solar Angels. –
S. D., II, 96.
- Three incorporeal, which are the three elemental
kingdoms of nature, providing man with his etheric,
astral and mental bodies.
- Four corporeal which are the forms of the four
kingdoms of nature. – S. D., II, 93.
- See S. D., II, 233.
The devas of the lower mental levels in relation to [682]
man work through the mental unit, and are, roughly
speaking, divided into four groups, being in fact the first
condensation of the threefold lower body of man. They form
part of his lunar body. They are directly linked with the
highest spiritual essences, and represent the lowest
manifestation of force emanating from the cosmic mental
plane, and finding its link with the human Hierarchy
through the mental units. They are the gaseous devas of the
logoic physical body. We will not deal with them in greater
detail at this moment for as we study the subject of the
fifth principle certain points will become clearer; their
work in connection with man can be enlarged upon as we
proceed. More detail at this moment would but serve to
complicate.
Let us be quite clear in our minds just what we are in
process of considering. We are dealing with:
- That fifth state of consciousness called the mental
plane,
- The substance of that plane as it exists in its dual
aspect, rupa and arupa,222
- The lives who ensoul that matter, especially in their
relation to man,
- The Egos or the self-conscious units who form the
middle point in manifestation,
- The building of the causal body, the opening of the
egoic Lotus, and the construction of those groups we call
egoic groups,
- The individuality of those Existences whom we call
- Agnishvattas.
- Manasa devas.
- Fire dhyanis.
- Solar angels, or solar Pitris.
- The Asuras.
and many other names mentioned in the occult books.
[683]
222 For rupa and arupa definitions see pages
615, 616.
Much confusion exists in the minds of students as to the
distinction between the Agnishvattas who incarnated in man,
and those who simply were responsible for the implanting of
the manasic or mental spark in animal man. This opens up
for us the entire question of individualization itself, and
the incarnation of certain spiritual existences who – when
in bodily form – are spoken of as Avatars, as Buddhas of
Activity, or as direct manifestations of the Logos. The
entire mystery is hidden in the relationship of the
individual Monads who form the various centers in the body
of a planetary Logos and the self-conscious Identity of
that planetary Logos Himself. The student must here bear in
mind the fact that the mental plane is the first aspect of
the dense physical body of the planetary Logos, the buddhic
plane being a cosmic etheric plane, and the one whereon are
to be found the etheric centers of a Heavenly Man. From the
buddhic plane (in a planetary or solar sense) comes the
vitality and impulse which galvanizes the dense physical
vehicle into purposeful and coherent action; it is on the
mental plane, therefore, that this impulse is first felt
and the contact between the two realized. Herein lies a
hint which will serve a purpose if pondered upon. The
student should study the place and purpose of the mental
plane, and its relation to the planetary Logos and a solar
Logos. As he investigates more closely the nature of his
own etheric body, he must extend that knowledge to higher
levels, and must endeavor to comprehend the constitution of
the greater sphere of which he is but a part. As the nature
of his own centers, and their effective action upon his own
dense physical body, is better understood, he will pass to
a fuller comprehension of the corresponding effect in the
body of the Logos.
It is on the mental plane (the reflection in the three
worlds of the third and fifth states of Pleroma), that the
full force of etheric vitality is felt. A hint as to the
[684] significance of this may be found in the fact that
the etheric body of man receives, and transmits prana
directly to the physical body, and that the vitality of the
physical frame is to be gauged largely by the condition and
action of the heart. The heart circulates vitality to the
myriads of cells that constitute the dense physical sheath;
something analogous is seen in the fact that these fire
devas are "the Heart of the Dhyan chohanic
body,"223 for their energy comes from the
spiritual sun, in the same sense that the energy of the
pranic devas of the etheric body comes from the physical
sun. This energy of the Agnishvattas manifests on the
mental plane, the gaseous subplane of the cosmic physical
just as the energy of the etheric centers on the fourth
etheric subplane manifests first and potently on the
gaseous matter of the physical body. This is why the Sons
of Wisdom, embodying the buddhic principle, the life force,
or love aspect, are nevertheless known on the fifth plane
as the self-conscious principles; buddhi uses manas as a
vehicle, and occult writers often speak in terms of the
vehicle. The Ego, or the self-conscious Identity is in
essence and in truth Love-Wisdom, but manifests primarily
as intelligent consciousness.
223 This name is given to them in the Secret
Doctrine, Volume II, page 96.
We should endeavor to study carefully the following
statement which is concerned with kama-manas, and which
deals with the conditions which produce individualization,
or which call forth into self-conscious Being the Monads
seeking full self-expression. It is as follows:
Only as the heart center of a Heavenly Man (each in His
cycle and each differing cyclically) becomes vitalized and
attains a certain vibratory capacity does the
individualization of the Monads become possible under the
Law.
Again, it is only as the threefold dense physical body of a
planetary Logos (as expressed by our three worlds, the
mental, astral and dense physical planes) has reached [685]
a corresponding vibration and retraced the cyclic
development of the previous mahamanvantara, that there is
produced that vibratory contact which causes the shining
out upon the mental plane of the egoic groups. It brings
forth a manifestation of the heart impulses of the Heavenly
Man, and thus swings into objectivity those Monads
(energized by the life of the Heart) who form various
centers. The old Commentary says:
"When the Heart of the Body throbs with spiritual energy,
when its sevenfold content thrills under the spiritual
impulse, then the currents spread and circulate and
divine manifestation becomes a Reality; the divine Man
incarnates."
The physical plane analogy is seen at the life
stimulation which is felt between the third and fourth
month during the prenatal period, when the heart of the
child thrills with life and individual existence becomes a
possibility.
This life vibration emanates from the soul of the mother
(the correspondence to the Pleroma or universal soul) and
is coincident with the awakening of the third spirilla in
the permanent physical atom of the infant. It must be borne
in mind that just as in each round all the preceding stages
are rapidly recapitulated, and just as in the prenatal
period the fetus recapitulates during the formative process
the history of the preceding kingdoms, so in the solar
system a similar procedure can be seen. When a certain
point is reached and the lower three planes are vibrating,
or energized, then cosmic incarnation becomes a
possibility; the "Heart" occultly awakens, and the "Son of
God," the expression of the desire and love of the Logos,
is born.224, 225 The cosmic incarnation of
certain exalted Beings is consummated, and one of the
indications of this is the appearance of the egoic groups
[686] on mental levels, and the resultant
individualization. Method and time may vary according to
the nature of any particular planetary Logos, but for each
and all the "Heart of the Body" has to thrill with
awakening life before the response comes from the lower.
The lunar Pitris have to carry on their work in our scheme
and system before the solar angels, thrilling with
expectancy, take possession of the forms prepared through
their endeavor, and stimulate them into self-conscious life
and separated existence. Thus the four great schemes in the
solar system, which are the vehicles for four of the
planetary Logoi (Who constitute the logoic Quaternary),
have to reach a certain stage of vibratory capacity, and of
consciousness before a similar happening occurs in its
fullness in the solar system, and the lower four and higher
three are synthesized. The logoic heart is thrilling, and
response comes already from all the schemes, as three
spirillae are vibrating in all of them, but the Son of God
is not yet fully and cosmically self-conscious. As response
comes the centers awaken. One logoic center is responding
fully to the heart stimulation, and that is Venus, who is
passing through the final round.
224 Compare S. D., I, 203; II, 108, 122, 279.
225 These three planes are the
correspondences to the three lower spirillae in the
physical permanent atom of the solar Logos and the
planetary Logos.
If the student endeavors to dissociate our solar system
from that which preceded it, and if he considers the
pralaya at the close of this mahamanvantara to be a final
one, and the utter consummation of all things, he errs. In
the preceding system the cosmic physical plane attained a
certain vibratory capacity, and the devas of the internal
furnaces became (relatively speaking) highly evolved, the
"fires of matter" then blazing forth. Certain Existences
attained self-consciousness in that earlier system, and are
the "Nirvanis" spoken of by H. P. B. (See S. D., II, 83,
84, 243.) As might be expected, they are characterized by
active intelligence, achieved and developed by means of
material evolution during a previous mahamanvantara. They
[687] are the Manasa devas and in their totality are the
vehicles of the Divine mind, the dhyan-chohanic forces, the
aggregate of the Ahhi. In this solar system the vibration
of the cosmic astral plane is becoming dominant, and
through that vibration, travelling via the fourth cosmic
ether (whereon as earlier stated are the etheric centers of
the planetary Logoi) and our systemic astral plane, certain
eventualities become possible. The "Sons of desire," logoic
or human, can learn certain lessons, undergo certain
experiences, and add the faculty of love-wisdom to the
intelligence earlier gained.
Our solar Logos, and the Heavenly Men, are polarized on the
cosmic astral plane, and the effect of Their life energy as
it flows through the systemic "Heart" can be seen in the
activity of the astral plane, and in the part sex and
passion play in the development of man. At the close of
this mahamanvantara there will be ready for manifestation
in the coming third system nirvanis who will be, in very
essence, "active intelligent love"; they will have to wait
until the five lower planes of the system have reached a
stage of vibratory development which will permit them to
enter, as the nirvanis in this system waited until the
three lower planes became adequate in vibratory response.
We are here speaking in terms of the Heavenly Men. In the
Earth scheme, the analogy is hidden in the advent of the
Egos in the third round, in the third root race and in the
third chain. Individualization, as we understand it, was
not possible until the "third state of pleroma" was
reached, either universally where a Heavenly Man is
concerned, or relatively in connection with a human unit.
Considering the same subject from below upwards it is the
animal in the third kingdom which individualizes. Viewing
it from above downwards it is the fifth kingdom, the
spiritual, which ensouls the third and produces the fourth,
or self-conscious human kingdom. These figures [688] should
be studied for they hold the mystery hid, and though the
true occult meaning will not be revealed until the third
major Initiation, nor fully comprehended until the fifth,
yet light may stream in on a difficult point. Equally so in
the next solar system, individualization (if such an
inadequate term may be applied to a state of consciousness
inconceivable even to an initiate of the third Initiation)
will not be possible until the second or sixth stage of
Pleroma. Consciousness will blaze forth then on the Monadic
plane, and it will be the plane of individualization. All
states of consciousness below that high level will be to
the Logos what the consciousness of the three worlds is to
Him now. Just as the physical body of man is not a
principle, so all planes at this time below the fourth
cosmic ether are not considered by the Logos to be a
principle.
Our present solar Angels or fire devas will then have a
position analogous to that of the lunar Pitris now, for all
will form a part of the divine consciousness, and yet, will
be esoterically considered as "below the threshold" of
consciousness. Man has to learn to control, guide and use
the deva substances of which his lower sheaths are made;
this goal involves the development of full
self-consciousness, which is brought about through the
agency of the solar Angels or builders and vitalizers of
the egoic body; they are those through whom
self-consciousness becomes a fact. In the next solar system
they too will no longer embody the type of consciousness
towards which man aspires; he will have to rise to still
greater realizations, and again by occultly "putting his
foot upon" them these higher realizations will become
possible. In this solar system he has to mount by the
putting his foot upon the serpent of matter. He rises by
domination of matter and becomes himself a serpent of
wisdom. In the next solar system he will mount upward by
means of the serpent of wisdom, and by the domination [689]
and control of the Agnishvattas, achieve something of which
even the illuminated mind of the highest Dhyan-chohan can
not yet conceive.
D.II.3.a. The Fifth Principle
The solar Angels are the Pitris, the builders of the body
of the Ego, and the producers of individualization or the
realized consciousness, the Agnishvattas, the great devas
of Mind.
Certain broad and general affirmations have been laid down
with the purpose in view of opening up this stupendous and
practical subject, and in an endeavor to link up this solar
system in its fundamental manasic aspect with the past and
the future.
The section we are now approaching concerns the development
of the divine Manasaputras, viewing them as a collective
whole, containing the Divine Mind, and considering the
individual Monad, who responds to Their life as a part of
the body of these Dhyani Buddhas.
D.II.3.a.i. Cosmically considered
An occult sentence has its place here. It holds the key to
the mystery of the fivefold Dhyanis:
"The higher Three in cyclic unison sought to know and to
be known. The lower Three (for we count not here the
eighth) knew not nor saw; they only heard and touched.
The fourth had not a place. The Fifth (which also is the
fourth) formed at the middle point a cosmic TAU, which
was reflected on the cosmic Seventh."
H. P. B. states
227, 228 that the
individualized Monad has more spiritual consciousness than
the monad itself on its own plane, the second. It must be
remembered here that the planetary Logoi are only in
physical incarnation in our system, their bodies of
individualization being on the cosmic mental plane,
therefore full expression for them [690] is impossible
during manifestation. Relatively therefore,
during
manifestation, man is able to express
himself
fully when he attains the "consciousness of the high
places." It should, therefore, be pointed out at the very
beginning of our study of this fifth principle that the
divine Manasaputras on their own plane must be considered
from the standpoint of physical incarnation, whereas man
can be considered from what is, for him, a spiritual
aspect.
229
227 S. D., I, 200, 201.
228 See S. D., I, 201; II, 251, 252.
229
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2. |
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3. |
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4. |
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Principle. |
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7. |
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8. |
This has a cosmic and systemic significance and to
throw light upon that occurrence which concerns our own
scheme, the Stanzas on the coming of the Lords of Flame
should here be studied.
Human individualization, or the emergence of the
self-conscious units on the mental plane, is involved in a
larger development, for it synchronizes with the
appropriation of a dense physical body by the Planetary
Logos; this body is composed of matter of our three lower
planes. As the etheric centers of the Manasaputras on the
fourth cosmic etheric plane become vitalized, they produce
increased activity on the systemic mental plane, the cosmic
gaseous, and the consciousness of the Heavenly Man
and His life energy begins to make itself felt.
Simultaneously, under the Law, mind force or manasic energy
pours in from the fifth cosmic plane, the cosmic mental.
This dual energy, contacting that which is inherent in the
dense physical body of the Logos itself, produces
correspondences to the centers upon that plane and the
egoic groups appear. They blend in latency the three types
of electricity, and are themselves electrical phenomena.
They are composed of those atoms, or types of lives, which
are a part of the fourth [691] Creative Hierarchy, the
aggregate of purely human Monads. Similarly, this triple
force, produced by this conscious appropriation by the
Heavenly Man, animates deva substance and the dense
physical body of the planetary Logos is manifested
objectively. This is what is meant by the statements that
devas are found only in the three worlds. It is a statement
analogous to the one that humanity is only found in the
three worlds; nevertheless, the human Monads in their seven
types are found on the plane of spirit – as it is the plane
of duality – the deva monads are likewise found there.
Students should ever bear in mind that these occult
subjects can be expressed in a twofold manner:
- In terms of the three worlds, or from the standpoint
of the logoic dense physical body.
- In terms of force or energy, or from the standpoint
of the logoic body of prana or vitality, the four cosmic
ethers.
What we understand by the fifth principle is but the
expression on the causal plane of that force or energy
which emanates from the logoic causal body on the fifth
cosmic plane, via the logoic correspondence to the mental
unit. (These correspondences involve a concept far in
advance of what is possible even to an initiate at this
time). In the fifth round, the inner significance may
become more apparent to the disciple. As the logoic will is
gradually transmuted into desire and thus the physical
incarnation is produced, a tremendous downflow of
vitalizing force from the fifth cosmic plane takes place,
until it arrives at our fifth plane, the mental. This force
it is which – at the correct cyclic moment – causes certain
eventualities in time and space and in the three worlds,
His dense physical body. The first of these events is the
appropriation
by the Logos of that dense physical
vehicle, and the flashing into manifestation [692] of the
physical Sun and the physical planets. Though this, from
our standpoint, covers an inconceivably vast period of
time, to the Logos it is but the brief period of gestation
which all bodies undergo. A second momentous occurrence is
the appropriation
by the various
Prajapatis,
230 or Heavenly Men of their
physical bodies – again at varying times and according to
their evolutionary stage. This is of later date for the
seven than for the three. An idea of the meaning of this
distinction can be gleaned by the student, as he studies
the process of the incarnating ego.
230 Prajapatis. The Progenitors; the
givers of life to all on this earth. They are seven and
then ten corresponding to the seven and ten Sephiroth.
Cosmically, they are the seven Rishis of the Great Bear;
systemically they are the seven planetary Logoi, and from
the standpoint of our planet they are the seven Kumaras.
See S. D., I, 109, 122, 459, 661; II, 33, 36; footnote
80.
What do we consequently find? First of all, impulse, or the
will-to-be, emanating from the mental plane; then desire,
emanating from the astral plane, producing manifestation on
the dense physical.
This idea must be extended to the three Logoi or logoic
Aspects and we then have the key to the mystery of the nine
Sephiroth, the triple Trimurti.
The other event might be noted, – the appropriation at a
still later period in time and space by the individual
Monads of their bodies of manifestation.
The pouring in of this force of energy, emanating from the
fifth logoic Principle, brings about two things:
- The appropriation by the sevenfold Logos of His dense
physical body.
- The appearance on the fifth systemic plane of the
causal bodies of the human Monads.
or
- For the greater Life it was incarnation.
- For the lesser lives it was individualization.
This needs pondering upon. [693]
It will, therefore, be apparent to all thinkers why this
fifth principle stirred the third aspect into
self-conscious activity.
D.II.3.a.ii. Hylozoistically considered231
231 Hylozoism: From Greek "ule," matter;
"zoon," animal; and "ism." Ism is a suffix embodying the
doctrine or abstract idea of the noun to which it is
attached. Hylozoism is the doctrine that all matter is
endowed with life.
"When we have attained to this conception of hylozoism of a
living material universe, the mystery of nature will be
solved." – Standard Dictionary.
In continuing our consideration of the fifth logoic
Principle, we will now view it in its hylozoistic aspect.
We have seen that it can be regarded as the force, the
energy or the quality which emanates from the logoic mental
unit on the cosmic mental plane; this necessarily has a
definite effect on the fifth systemic plane, and on the
fifth subplane of the physical plane, the gaseous. Before
taking up the subject of the Agnishvattas in detail, there
are three points which should be borne in mind.
First, it should be remembered that all the planes
of our system, viewing them as deva substance, form the
spirillae in the physical permanent atom of the solar
Logos. This has earlier been pointed out, but needs
re-emphasizing here. All consciousness, all memory, all
faculty is stored up in the permanent atoms, and we are
consequently dealing here with that consciousness; the
student should nevertheless bear in mind that it is on the
atomic subplanes that the logoic consciousness (remote as
even that may be from the Reality) centers itself. This
permanent atom of the solar system, which holds the same
relation to the logoic physical body as the human permanent
atom does to that of a man, is a recipient of force, and
is, therefore, receptive to force emanations from another
extra-systemic source. Some idea of the illusory character
of manifestation, both human and logoic, may be gathered
from the relation of the permanent atoms to the rest of the
structure. Apart [694] from the permanent atom, the human
physical body does not exist.
Again, forms differ as do kingdoms according to the nature
of the force flowing through them. In the animal kingdom
that which corresponds to the permanent atom responds to
force of an involutionary character, emanating from a
particular group. The human permanent atom responds to
force emanating from a group on the evolutionary arc and
the Ray of a particular planetary Logos in Whose body a
human Monad has a definite place.
Secondly, it must be noted that in view of the above
it will be apparent that we are, at this period of manasic
inflow and development, concerned with the coming into full
vitality and activity of the fifth logoic spirilla; this
vitalization shows itself in the intense activity of the
mental plane, and the threefold nature of the electrical
phenomena to be witnessed upon it.
- The atomic subplane – manasic permanent atoms –
Positive.
- The fourth subplane – mental units – Negative.
- The egoic groups – causal bodies – Equilibrium or
neutral.
This is in process of demonstration during the course
of evolution. We are dealing here with the substance aspect
and considering energy in its various manifestations. The
response of deva substance to the inflow of force on the
mental plane has a threefold effect in connection with the
Logos or the Septenate:
- It produces a greatly increased vitality in the
logoic centers on the fourth cosmic ether, due to reflex
action, which is felt both above and below the plane of
activity.
- It stimulates the efforts of the highest specimens of
the third kingdom, and a dual effect is produced [695]
through this, for the fourth kingdom in nature makes its
appearance on the physical plane and the Triads are
reflected on the mental plane in the causal bodies to be
found thereon.
- As earlier said, the dense physical is linked and
coordinated with the etheric bodies of the solar logos
and of the planetary Logos. Therefore, the lower three
planes are synthesized with the higher four, and the
devas of an earlier mahamanvantara or solar cycle are
brought into conjunction with those of a newer order who
were awaiting just conditions. The physical incarnation
of the Logos is completed. The lower three kingdoms,
being negative to the higher force, the mutual attraction
of these two and their interaction bring into being the
fourth or human kingdom. The three fires of mind, Spirit
and matter are brought together and the work of full
self-consciousness begun.
Finally, the student should very carefully
study here the significance of the numbers three, four and
five in the evolution of consciousness. Numerology has
hitherto been studied primarily, and rightly, from the
substance aspect, but not so much from the standpoint of
conscious energy. The Triad, for instance, is usually
looked upon by our students as the triangle formed by the
manasic-buddhic and atmic permanent atoms; the cube stands
for the lower material man, and the five-pointed star has
frequently a very material interpretation. All these angles
of vision are necessary, and must precede the study of the
subjective aspect, but they lay the emphasis upon the
material rather than upon the subjective; the subject
nevertheless should be studied psychologically. In this
solar system, the above numbers are the most important from
the angle of the evolution of consciousness. [696] In the
earlier system, the numbers six and seven held the mystery
hid. In the next system, it will be two and one. This
refers only to the psychical development. Let me
illustrate: The five-pointed star on the mental plane
signifies (among other things) the evolution, by means of
the five senses in the three worlds (which are also capable
of a fivefold differentiation) of the fifth principle, the
attainment of self-consciousness, and the development of
the fifth spirilla. On the buddhic plane, when flashing
forth at initiation, this number signifies the full
development of the fifth principle or quality, the
completed cycle of the Ego upon the five Rays under the
Mahachohan, and the assimilation of all that is to be
learned upon them, and the attainment – not only of full
self-consciousness, but also of the consciousness of the
group wherein a man is found. It infers the full unfoldment
of five of the egoic petals, leaving four to open before
the final initiation.
The five-pointed star at the initiations on the mental
plane flashes out above the head of the initiate. This
concerns the first three initiations which are undergone in
the causal vehicle. It has been said that the first two
initiations take place upon the astral plane and this is
correct, but has given rise to a misunderstanding. They are
felt profoundly in connection with the astral and physical
bodies and with the lower mental, and effect their control.
The chief effect being felt in those bodies, the initiate
may interpret them as having taken place on the planes
concerned, for the vividness of the effect, and the
stimulation works out largely in the astral body. But it
must ever be remembered that the major initiations are
taken in the causal body or – dissociated from that body –
on the buddhic plane. At the final two initiations, which
set a man free from the three worlds and enable him to
function in the logoic body of vitality and to wield the
force which animates that logoic [697] vehicle, the
initiate becomes the five-pointed star, and it descends
upon him, merges in him, and he is seen at its very
center. This descent is brought about through the
action of the Initiator, wielding the Rod of Power, and
puts a man in touch with the center in the Body of the
planetary Logos of which he is a part; this is consciously
effected. The two initiations, called the sixth and
seventh, take place on the atmic plane; the five-pointed
star "blazes forth from within itself" as the esoteric
phrase has it, and becomes the seven-pointed star; it
descends upon the man and he enters into the Flame.
Initiation and the mystery of numbers primarily concern
consciousness, and not fundamentally "ability to function
on a plane," nor the energy of matter, as might be gathered
from so many occult books. They deal with the subjective
life, life as part of the consciousness and
self-realization of a planetary Logos, or Lord of a Ray,
and not life in matter as we understand it. A
Heavenly Man functions in His pranic vehicle, and there His
consciousness is to be found as far as we are concerned in
this system; He works consciously through His
centers.
To sum up: There is a stage in the evolution of
consciousness where the three, the four and the five blend
and merge perfectly. Confusion on this point arises from
two causes which are the point of individual achievement of
the student. We interpret and color statements according to
the state of our own inner consciousness. H. P. B. hints at
this (See S. D., III, 456.) when dealing with the
principles; also the interpretation of these figures varies
according to the key employed. The fifth or spiritual
kingdom is entered when the units of the fourth kingdom
have succeeded in vitalizing the fifth spirilla in all the
atoms of the threefold lower man; when they [698] have
unfolded three of the egoic petals and are in process of
unfolding the fourth and fifth and when they are becoming
conscious of the pranic force of the Heavenly Man.
D.II.3.a.iii. The Solar Angels and the Fifth Principle
We can now study the Entities concerned with this fifth
principle and their effect upon the evolution of
consciousness.
Where man is concerned these solar Angels, the
Agnishvattas, produce the union of the spiritual Triad, or
divine Self, and the Quaternary, or lower self. Where the
Logos is concerned, whether solar or planetary, they
produce conditions whereby the etheric, and the dense
physical become a unit.
They represent a peculiar type of electrical force; their
work is to blend and fuse, and above all else they are the
"transmuting fires" of the system, and are those agents who
pass the life of God through their bodies of flame as it
descends from the higher into the lower, and again as it
ascends from the lower into the higher. They are connected
in their highest groups with that portion of the logoic
head center which corresponds to the heart, and here is the
clue to the mystery of kama-manas. The kamic angels are
vitalized from the "heart" center and the manasic angels
from the logoic head center, via the point within that
center connected with the heart. These two dominating
groups are the sumtotal of kama-manas in all its
manifestations. The solar angels exist in three groups, all
of which are concerned with the self-consciousness aspect,
all of which are energized and connected with the fifth
spirilla of the logoic permanent atom, and all of which
work as a unit.
One group, the highest, is connected with the logoic head
center, whether solar or planetary. They work with the
manasic permanent atoms and embody the will-to-be in dense
physical incarnation. Their power is felt on the atomic
subplane and on the second; they are the [699] substance
and the life of those planes. Another group is connected
definitely with the causal bodies of all Egos and are of
prime importance in this solar system. They come from the
heart center, and express that force. The third group,
corresponding to the throat center, show forth their power
on the fourth subplane through the mental units. They are
the sumtotal of the power of the Ego to see, to hear and to
speak (or sound) in the strictly occult sense.
A hint may here be given to those who have power to see.
Three constellations are connected with the fifth logoic
principle in its threefold manifestation: Sirius, two of
the Pleiades, and a small constellation whose name must be
ascertained by the intuition of the student. These three
govern the appropriation by the Logos of His dense body.
When the last pralaya ended, and the etheric body had been
coordinated, a triangle in the Heavens was formed under law
which permitted a flow of force, producing vibration on the
fifth systemic plane. That triangle still persists, and is
the cause of the continued inflow of manasic force; it is
connected with the spirillae in the logoic mental unit and
as long as His will-to-be persists, the energy will
continue to flow through. In the fifth round, it will be
felt at its height.
In considering the Entities233 who gave the
manasic principle to man, we must remember that they are
the beings who, in earlier manvantaras have achieved, and
who – in this round – waited for a specific moment at [700]
which to enter, and so continue their work. A parallel case
can be seen at the entry – in Atlantean days – of Egos from
the moon-chain. The parallel is not exact, as a peculiar
condition prevailed on the moon, and a peculiar karmic
purpose brought them all in at that time.
233 A very natural question might here be asked:
– Why do we consider this matter of the devas of the middle
system (as we might call those connected with this system
and with buddhi and kama-manas) in our consideration of
thought forms? For two reasons: One is that all that is in
the solar system is but substance energized from the cosmic
mental and astral planes, and built into form through the
power of electrical Law; all that can be known is but forms
ensouled by ideas. Secondly, that in the knowledge of the
creative processes of the system, man learns for himself
how in time to become a creator. We might illustrate this
by remarking that one of the main functions of the
Theosophical movement in all its many branches is to build
a form which can be ensouled, in due time, by the idea of
Brotherhood.
It should here be remembered that in the moon the fifth
principle of manas incubated normally, and instinct
gradually developed until it imperceptibly merged into
manas, being of a similar nature; in this round a peculiar
condition necessitated extra-planetary stimulation, and
this special group of Pitris effected a transition of the
lower into the higher through a downflow of energy via the
Earth's Primary from an extra-systemic center.
The central three rounds, as in the planes and principles,
are the most important for the evolution of the
self-conscious units in this system, and this working
towards perfection of the three, the four, and the five,
mark, for the planetary Logos, as for man, the cycle of
maturity. The earlier and later cycles mark that of growth
towards maturity, and the garnering of the fruits of
earlier experience. The three Halls again can be here
considered from this aspect, and the central period
allocated to the Hall of Learning.
On all the planets these manasadevas are found working,
ever in their three groups but varying the methods employed
according to the stage of the evolution of the planet
concerned, and the karma of its planetary Lord. Their
method of work on the Earth can be studied in the
Secret
Doctrine and has a most significant interest for men at
this time.
234 The three groups should be
carefully considered from the standpoint of their occult
work, which is hinted at under the terms of:
- Those who refused to incarnate.
- Those who implanted the spark of manas.
- Those who took bodies and molded the type. [701]
234 See all the earlier part of the Secret
Doctrine, Volume II.
The second group, the intermediate, can be subdivided into
two lesser groups:
- Those who implant the spark of manas,
- Those who fan and feed the latent flame in the best
types of animal man,
thus again making five. These statements have been
accepted at their face value, but little attention is paid
to the real meaning. Much profit would come if the student
would study the subject from the standpoint of energy, and
of magnetic interaction. Those who refused to incarnate or
to energize with their life the prepared forms, were acting
under Law, and their opposition to incarnation in these
forms was
based on magnetic repulsion. They could
not energize the forms provided, for it involved the
opposition of that which is
occultly the same. The
lesser was not negative to the greater Life. Where the
Spark was implanted we have the receptivity of the negative
aspect to the positive force and therefore the progress of
the work. In every case we have deva substance of one
polarity energized by another polarity with the goal in
view of producing – through their mutual interaction – a
balancing of forces, and the attainment of a third type of
electrical phenomena.
The question of the coming of the Lords of Flame is
discussed hereafter under the heading "Individualization."
At this point we are only dealing with the work of these
chohanic forces in a systemic and cosmic sense. These solar
entities, being liberated intelligent Essences were in
pralaya of a secondary nature when the time came for their
reappearance in manifestation. When the WORD sounded forth
which produced desire in the Triad for self-expression, and
when the sound of the lower manifestation had blended with
it, and had risen up into the Heavens, as the occult books
express it, [702] an effect was produced which caused a
response in certain allied constellations; this set loose
energy which swept into the solar system, carrying with it
those solar angels who "rested in the Heart of God until
the hour was come." Their appearance upon the mental plane
brought about the union of Spirit and matter, and from this
union was born a self-conscious Identity, the Ego. On
cosmic levels, an analogous process occurs in connection
with such stupendous Identities as a solar Logos, and the
septenary Lives.
As the energy of a human being, seeking incarnation, passes
down from the plane of intensive purpose, the mental plane,
into the physical vehicle on the gaseous or fifth subplane,
so a somewhat analogous stimulation takes place in the body
logoic. A somewhat similar process can also be seen in
connection with this energy in a human body as it
stimulates the life of the individual cell, and brings
about relatively its intelligent cooperation in group work,
and its ability to take its place in the body corporate. It
is so with the human Monads, the cells in the body logoic.
When science recognizes this fact (which will scarcely be
yet awhile) attention will be turned to the volatile
essences of the body, to the heart center particularly, and
its relation to these gaseous elements. The heart will be
found to be not only the engine which circulates the life
fluids, but also the generator of a certain type of
intelligent essence which is the positive factor in the
life of the cell.
Some idea can be gathered from this as to the microcosmic
process, for the individualization of the units is brought
about through a macrocosmic happening which produces
effects in the microcosm.
A final point here needs emphasizing. Occultly understood,
the five Kumaras or the five Mind-born Sons of Brahma are
the embodiers of this manasic force on [703] our planet;
but They only reflect (in the Hierarchy of our planet) the
function of the five Kumaras or Rishis who are the Lords of
the five Rays manifesting through the four lesser planets
and the synthesizing planet.
These five Kumaras are the channels for this force and one
of Them, the Lord of the planet Venus, embodies in Himself
the function of the fifth Hierarchy. This accounts for the
activity of Venus at the moment of individualization in
this round. In the next round, this fifth Hierarchy will be
utilizing our Earth scheme in this way, and we shall then
see manas in full fruition working out in the human family.
This fifth Hierarchy of Agnishvattas in their many grades
embody the "I principle" and are the producers of
self-consciousness, and the builders of man's body of
realization. In time and space, and on the mental plane,
they are Man himself in essential essence; they enable him
to build his own body of causes, to unfold his own egoic
lotus, and gradually to free himself from the limitations
of the form which he has constructed, and thus to put
himself – in due course of time – into the line of another
type of energy, that of buddhi. To word it otherwise,
through Their work man can become conscious without the
manasic vehicle, for manas is but the form through which a
higher principle is making itself known. The life of God
comes cyclically under the influence of the different
Hierarchies or forces, all of which temporarily build for
it a vehicle, pass it through their substance, give to it
in this way a certain quality or coloring, and increase
thereby its vibratory capacity until eventually the life is
set free from hierarchical limitation. It then returns to
its eternal Source plus the gain of its experiences and
with the increased energy which is the result of its
various transitions.
Let us bear carefully in mind, that the Rays are the
positive aspect in manifestation and pass down into [704]
negative matter, deva or hierarchical substance, thus
causing certain evidences of activity. The Hierarchies are
the negative aspect as far as the Rays are concerned and
are responsive to Ray impulse. But within each Ray and each
Hierarchy in this system a dual force again will be found.
The Sons of God are bisexual. The deva substance is also
dual, for the evolutionary devas are the positive energy of
the atom, cell or subhuman form, for instance, while the
electrons or lesser lives within the form are negative.
The mystery of the Manasaputras is hidden in this, and in
the function of the fifth Hierarchy, and it is not possible
to reveal more of it. The secret of Buddhi, the sixth or
Christ principle, which concerns these Sons of God, and the
secret of the fifth Hierarchy which is the vehicle or
recipient of buddhi, cannot be mentioned outside initiated
circles. It holds hid the possibility of egoic unfoldment,
and keeps secret the karma of the Heavenly Men, the five
Kumaras.
The fifth principle of manas is embodied in the five
Kumaras, and if the student studies the significance of the
first five petals which are unfolded in the egoic lotus, he
may touch upon the fringe of the mystery. The fifth Ray,
which is the Ray of the fifth Kumara, is potently
responsive to the energy flowing through the fifth
Hierarchy. As the student of occultism knows, the Lord of
the fifth Ray holds that place in the Septenary
enumeration, but under the fivefold classification, he
holds the third or middle place.
1. The cosmic Lord of Will or Power. |
2. The cosmic Lord of Love-Wisdom. |
3. The cosmic Lord of Active Intelligence |
1. |
4. The cosmic Lord of Harmony |
2. |
5. The cosmic Lord of Concrete Knowledge |
3. |
6. The cosmic Lord of Abstract Idealism |
4. |
7. The cosmic Lord of Ceremonial Magic |
5. |
[705]
This should be pondered on, and His close connection
therefore, as a transmitter of force within the Moon chain,
the third chain, in connection with the third kingdom, the
animal, and with the third round, must be borne in mind.
One symbol that may be found in the archaic records in lieu
of His Name or description is an inverted five-pointed
star, with the luminous Triangle at the center. It will be
noted that the points involved in this symbol number eight
– a picture of that peculiar state of consciousness brought
about when the mind is seen to be the slayer of the Real.
The secret of planetary avitchi235 is hidden
here, just as the third major scheme can be viewed as
systemic avitchi, and the moon at one time held an
analogous position in connection with our scheme. This must
be interpreted in terms of consciousness, and not of
locality.
235 Avitchi. A state of consciousness,
not necessarily after death or between births for it can
take place on earth as well. Literally it means
"uninterrupted hell." The last of the eight hells we are
told where "the culprits die and are reborn without
interruption – yet not without hope of final redemption."
See S. D., III, 510, 521, 528, 529.
In the fifth round, at its middle point, certain things
will eventuate.
The fifth Hierarchy will rise to its full power. This will
precede the Judgment Day, and will mark a point of
tremendous struggle, for the manasic vehicle "manas" (which
they embody) will rebel against the translation of the life
within (the buddhi). There will, therefore, be seen on a
racial scale and involving millions simultaneously, a
repetition of the selfsame struggle which embroils the man
who seeks to transcend mind and to live the life of Spirit.
This will be the final Armageddon, the planetary
kurukshetra, and will be succeeded by the Judgment Day when
the Sons of Manas will be cast out and the Dragons of
Wisdom rule. This only means that those in whom the manasic
principle is over-potent or underdeveloped will be
considered as failures and will [706] have to wait for a
more suitable period for development, while those who are
living the buddhic life, and in whom it is waxing stronger
– spiritual men, aspirants, disciples of various degrees,
initiates and adepts – will be left to pursue the natural
course of evolution on this scheme.
The mystery of Capricorn is hidden in these five and in the
Biblical words "the sheep and the goats."236 The
Christian hints at this when he speaks of the Christ
reigning on earth a thousand years during which the serpent
is imprisoned. The Christ principle will triumph for the
remainder of the manvantara, and the lower material nature
and mind will be held in abeyance until the next round,
when fresh opportunity will arise for certain groups of the
discarded, though the majority will be held over until
another system. Something similar again will take place on
the fifth chain but as it concerns a center in the
planetary Logos of which we know but little, we need not
here enlarge upon it.
236 Bible. Rev., 20:6-7. Matt., 25:32.
The planetary chains embody centers, and as they are
awakened and come under stimulation, they swing into
physical incarnation certain types of manasaputras. The
type dominated by the fifth chain energy is little known as
it is yet in process of evolution within another scheme,
the fifth, so it is waste of our time to consider it. It is
connected with the unfoldment of the fifth egoic petal of a
planetary Logos on His Own plane and consequently with the
activity of the fifth spirilla. When the hour strikes,
these units of energy will "come in" from another scheme on
a stream of cosmic energy which will swing through a
particular systemic triangle, just as when the egos came in
this round.
It might here be pointed out that the solar Angels
concerned with the fifth Hierarchy are naturally a potent
factor in the evolution of the fifth or spiritual kingdom;
they are that which make it possible, for they not only
[707] bridge the gap between the fourth and third kingdoms,
but bridge that found between the fourth and fifth.
We need not consider any further this question of the fifth
principle, for two reasons:
First, that the subject has been sufficiently covered for
our purpose in an earlier section, and secondly, that the
full revelation in connection with cosmic manas and the
entities who come in on that influence may not further be
revealed at this moment. That which is given in the
Secret Doctrine, and supplemented here by further
details, will suffice for the investigations of students
for another generation. Each generation should produce
those able to ascertain subjective fact for themselves;
they will utilize that which is exoteric and known as
stepping stones on the path to perfect knowledge. They will
know, and they will give out, and only the next cycle of
fifty years after their work is accomplished will see the
recognition by the many of the truth revealed by the few.
In the case of H. P. B. this is apparent. On the tide of
the present endeavor, the Secret Doctrine will be
vindicated and her work justified.
D.II.3.b. On Individualization
D.II.3.b.i. The Work of the Solar Angels
Let us briefly consider the general construction of the
body of the Ego enumerating its component parts and bearing
in mind that the form is ever prepared prior to occupancy.
From the study of this body, we can get some idea of, and
some light upon macrocosmic Individualization.
The causal body, called sometimes (though inaccurately) the
"karana sarira," has its place on the third subplane of the
mental plane, the lowest abstract plane, and the one
whereon the Ray of the third Logos provides the necessary
"light for construction." (This is because each subplane
comes specially under the influence of its Number, Name, or
Lord.) When the hour [708] strikes and the vehicles for
buddhi are to be coordinated certain great Beings, Lords of
the Flame, or Manasadevas, through driving external force,
come in conjunction with the material of that subplane, and
vitalize it with Their Own energy. They form a new and
positive impulse which coordinates the material of the
plane and produces a temporary balancing of forces. Hence
the meaning of the "white," or transparent condition of the
new causal body. It remains with the newborn ego first to
upset the equilibrium, and then to regain it, at the close
of the process, producing a radiant form, full of primal
colors.
At the coming in of the Manasadevas to produce
self-consciousness and to bring about the incarnation of
the divine Egos, four things occur on that plane. If the
student adds to these four those which have been already
imparted in various occult books anent the effect of
individualization on animal man and his appearance as a
self-conscious identity on the physical plane, a working
hypothesis is provided whereby man can scientifically
undertake his own unfoldment. These four are given in the
order of their appearance in time and space:
First. There appear upon the third subplane
of the mental plane certain vibratory impulses – nine in
number – corresponding to the fivefold vibration of these
Manasadevas in conjunction with the fourfold vibration set
up from below and inherent in the matter of this subplane,
the fifth from the lower standpoint. This produces "the
ninefold egoic lotus," which is at this stage tightly
closed, the nine petals folded one upon the other. They are
vibrant, and scintillating "light" but not of excessive
brightness. These "lotus buds" are in groups, according to
the influence of the particular ones of the fivefold
Dhyanis Who are acting upon it and Who form it out of Their
own substance, coloring it faintly with the "fire of
manas." [709]
Second. There appears a triangle on the
mental plane, produced by manasic activity, and this
triangle of fire begins slowly to circulate between the
manasic permanent atom, and a point at the center of the
egoic lotus, and thence to the mental unit, which has
appeared upon the fourth subplane through innate instinct
approximating mentality. This triangle of fire, which is
formed of pure electrical manasic force, waxes ever
brighter until it produces an answering vibration from both
the lower and the higher. This triangle is the nucleus of
the antahkarana. The work of the highly evolved man is to
reduce this triangle to a unity, and by means of high
aspiration (which is simply transmuted desire affecting
mental matter) turn it into the Path and thus reproduce in
a higher synthetic form the earlier "path" along which the
descending Spirit came to take possession of its vehicle,
the causal body, and from thence again work through the
lower personal self.
Third. At a certain stage of vibratory
activity, the work of the Lords of the Flame having
produced a body or form and a vibration calling for
response, there occurs a practically simultaneous
happening.
A downflow of buddhi takes place along the line of the
manasic triangle until it reaches a point at the very
center of the lotus. There, by the power of its own
vibration, it causes a change in the appearance of the
lotus. At the very heart of the lotus, three more petals
appear which close in on the central flame, covering it
closely, and remaining closed until the time comes for the
revelation of the "jewel in the Lotus." The egoic lotus is
now composed of twelve petals, nine of these appear at this
stage in bud form and three are completely hidden and
mysterious.
At the same time, the three permanent atoms are enclosed
within the lotus, and are seen by the clairvoyant as three
points of light in the lower part of the bud, [710] beneath
the central portion. They form at this stage a dimly
burning triangle. The causal body, though only in an
embryonic condition, is now ready for full activity as the
aeons slip away, and is complete in all its threefold
nature. The matter aspect, which concerns the
material form of the man in the three worlds, or his active
intelligent personal self can be developed and controlled
through the medium of the mental unit, the astral permanent
atom and the physical permanent atom. The Spirit
aspect lies concealed at the heart of the lotus, in due
course of time to stand revealed when the manasadevas have
done their work. The will that persists forever is there.
The consciousness aspect embodying the love-wisdom
of the divine Ego as it reveals itself by the means of mind
is predominantly there, and in the nine petals and their
vibratory capacity lies hid all opportunity, all innate
capacity to progress, and all the ability to function as a
self-conscious unit, that entity we call Man.237
Mahadeva sits at the heart, Surya or Vishnu reveals Him in
His essence as the Wisdom of Love and the Love of Wisdom,
and Brahma, the Creative Logos makes that revelation
possible. The Father in [711] Heaven is to be revealed
through the Christ, the Son, by the method of incarnation
made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit. All this
has been brought about by the sacrifice and instrumentality
of certain cosmic entities who "offer Themselves" up in
order that Man may be. From their very essence, they give
out that which is needed to produce the individualizing
principle, and that which we call "self-consciousness," and
thus enable the divine Spirit to enter into fuller life by
means of limitation by form, by means of the lessons
garnered through a long pilgrimage, and through the
"assimilation of manifold existences."
237 The Solar Lord, the Divine Ego. Of
the two courses of soul development referred to by H. P. B.
in her "Voice of the Silence" as the path of
"Dhyana" and "Dharma" or the "Paramitas," Ramayana is based
upon the latter. The "Seven Portals," referred to in the
book of the same name, correspond very probably to the
seven cantos of this sacred poem. But I have read only the
first canto, and I shall give you the analysis of it, so
far as I know. Excluding the preface to the poem, the first
thing, in the first canto, is a description of the peculiar
circumstances that attended Rama's birth in Dasaratha's
family. Dasaratha is, as you all know, a descendant of
solar kings, who began to rule over this earth from the
time of Manu the Vyvaswatha. As his name implies, he is a
king whose car can travel in ten directions, or taking the
occult microcosmic sense, he is king of the human body,
which has ten senses of action and perception that connect
it with the ten directions. You are thoroughly familiar
with the idea that our ancient philosophers used to
describe the body as a town with nine gates. The nine gates
are, as you know, the nine orifices of the human body. If
you add to the nine one more for the orifice known as the
Brahma-rundra or the door of Brahma, you get ten gates
corresponding to the ten directions. The word "Dasaratha"
indicates the consciousness connected with our senses,
which consciousness is inferior to the consciousness which
we call mind. – The Theosophist, Vol. XIII, p. 340.
The fourth point to be noted is that when these
three events have occurred, the light or fire that
circulates along the manasic triangle is withdrawn to the
center of the lotus, and this "prototype" of the future
antahkarana, if so it may be expressed, disappears. The
threefold energy of the petals, the atoms and the "jewel"
is now centralized, because impulse must now be generated
which will produce a downflow of energy from the newly made
causal vehicle into the three worlds of human endeavor.
We have dealt with the method of individualization through
the coming in of the Lords of the Flame because it is the
prime method in this solar system; whatever methods may be
pursued in the varying schemes and chains, this – at the
middle stage – is the universal rule. Karmic conditions
having to do with a planetary Logos may effect
modifications, and bring into action manasadevas whose
activity may not be the same in working detail, but the
results are ever similar, and the divine Egos in their
causal bodies have analogous instruments to work through.
[...]
A final point which is of profound significance is
that the Agnishvattas construct the petals out of Their
Own substance, which is substance energized by the
principle [712] of "I-ness," or ahamkara. They
proceed to energize the permanent atoms with Their own
positive force, so as to bring the fifth spirilla in due
course of time into full activity and
usefulness. All possibility, all hopefulness and
optimism, and all future success lies hid in these two
points.
As we have seen, the work of the Agnishvattas on the mental
plane resulted in a downflow of force or energy from the
Monad (or Spirit) and this, in conjunction with the energy
of the lower quaternary produced the appearance of the body
of the Ego on the mental plane. In ordinary electric light,
we have a faint illustration of the thought I seek to
convey. By the approximation of the two polarities, light
is created. By an analogous type of electrical phenomena,
the light of the Monad shines forth, but we have to extend
the idea to the subtler planes, and deal with seven types
of force or energy in connection with the one polarity and
with four in connection with the other. A scientific
formula for the process of individualization conveys this
dual approximation with its differing types of energy in
one symbol and a number, but it cannot here be revealed.
The Manasadevas are themselves energized by force from the
cosmic mental plane – a force which has been in operation
ever since the individualization of the solar Logos in
kalpas far distant. They, in Their corporate nature, embody
the will or purpose of the Logos, and are the cosmic
"prototypes" of our solar Angels. The solar Angels on the
mental plane of the system embody as much of that will and
purpose as the Logos can work through in one single
incarnation and as They, in Their groups, can develop. They
work, therefore, through egoic groups and primarily, after
individualization, upon the mental units of the separated
identities who go to the constituency of the groups. This
is Their secondary work. Their work in part might be
described as follows: [713]
Primarily, they bring about the union of the divine
Ego and the lower personal self. This has been dealt with.
Secondly, they work through the mental units,
impressing upon the atom that portion, microscopic as it
may be, of the logoic purpose which the individual can work
out on the physical plane. At first their influence is
unconsciously assimilated, and the man responds to the plan
blindly and ignorantly. Later, as evolution proceeds, their
work is recognized by the man in a conscious cooperation
with the plan of evolution.238 After the third
initiation, the will or purpose aspect predominates.
238 The Sacrificer or Yajamana. The
yajamana is the person who has sacrificed himself for the
good of the world and who has undertaken to mould the
affairs of it, in obedience to the law. If the human body
be taken as the sacrificial ground, the manas in him is the
yajamana. All the doings of man in all his life from birth
to death, form one grand yagnic process that is conducted
by the true human entity called the Manas. He, who is
willing to sacrifice his body, speech, and thought to the
good of all the world, is a real yagnika and all the higher
lokas are reserved for him. The central keynote of
yagnika's life is to do good unto all, irrespective of
caste and creed even as the sun shines for all.
– Some Thoughts on the Gita, page 90.
It might here be noted that it is the positive force of the
Manasadevas that produces initiation. Their function is
embodied by the Hierophant. He, seeing before Him the
vehicle for buddhi, passes the voltage from the higher
planes through His body, and by means of the Rod (charged
with positive manasic force) transmits this higher manasic
energy to the initiate so that he is enabled to know
consciously and to recognize the plan for his group-center
through the immensely increased stimulation. This force
descends from the manasic permanent atom via the
antahkarana and is directed to whichever center the
Hierophant – under the Law – sees should be stimulated. He
stabilizes the force, and regulates its flow as it
circulates throughout the egoic Lotus, so that when the
work of unfoldment is accomplished the sixth principle at
the Heart of the Lotus can stand revealed. After each
initiation the Lotus is more [714] unfolded and light from
the center begins to blaze forth – a light or fire which
ultimately burns through the three enshrining petals, and
permits the full inner glory to be seen, and the electric
fire of spirit to be manifested. As this is brought about
on the second subplane of the mental plane (whereon the
egoic lotus is now situated) a corresponding stimulation
takes place in the dense substance which forms the petals
or wheels of the centers on the astral and etheric levels.
D.II.3.b.ii. Individualization and the Races
If this treatise serves no other purpose than to direct the
attention of the scientific and philosophic students to the
study of force or energy in man and in groups, and to
interpret man and the human family in terms of electrical
phenomena, much good will have been accomplished. The
polarity of a man, of a group, and of a congery of groups,
the polarity of the planets and their relationship to each
other and to the Sun, the polarity of the solar system and
its relationship to other systems, the polarity of one
plane to another, and of one principle to another, the
polarity of the subtler vehicles, and the scientific
application of the laws of electricity to the totality of
existence on the physical plane will bring about a
revolution upon the planet second only to that effected at
the time of individualization. I would point out here a
certain significant fact which students will do well
carefully to consider.
In the third root-race239
individualization took place. It was an event which became
possible through certain conditions and polar
relationships, and because the scientific laws were
understood and the Knowers took [715] advantage of a
peculiar electrical condition to hasten the evolution of
the race. It was electrical phenomena of a stupendous kind,
and produced the "lights which ever burn." It was the
result of the knowledge of natural law and its adaptation
to opportunity.
239 Root races. The
Secret
Doctrine teaches that these seven groups of human units
inhabit seven continents during evolution. – S. D., II, 6,
7, 8.
- First race – The Imperishable Sacred Land.
- The 2nd race – The Hyperborean Land.
- The 3rd race – Lemurian.
- The 4th race – Atlantean.
- The 5th race – Aryan.
- Two more races will succeed the present one.
In the fourth root-race another adaptation of force
occurred. Again time and opportunity were taken advantage
of to open the door into the fifth kingdom by the method of
forced initiation. A third type of electricity played its
part in bringing about this event, and it is the effect of
this electrical phenomen upon the units (who are themselves
centers of energy) which – scientifically viewed –
indicates a man's suitability for the ceremony of
initiation, and his availability as a transmitter of
spiritual energy to the world. Every initiate is
technically a transmitter of force and his work is
consequently threefold:
- To provide a threefold vehicle capable of the
necessary resistance to the force and able to receive and
hold it.
- To transmit it as energy to the world which he
serves.
- To store up a certain amount of it for a twofold
purpose:
- To provide a reservoir of force for emergencies
and for special work as required by the Great
Ones.
- To act as a dynamo for the immediate group which
all advanced souls, disciples and initiates gather
around them on some one or other of the planes in the
three worlds.
In the fifth root-race, another tremendous
happening may be looked for, and the time lies immediately
ahead. It had its beginning in the energy which eventually
culminated in the world war. The first effect of the
appearance of fresh electrical stimulation from
extra-systemic [716] centers, is ever to bring about a
primary destruction leading on to revelation. That which is
imprisoned must be loosed. So it will be in this root-race,
the fifth. Certain cosmic forces are at work and the full
effect of their energy is not yet apparent. This incoming
force, the Hierarchy will avail itself of in order to push
forward the planetary plans. In every case the effect of
the phenomenon is felt in some one or other of the kingdoms
beside the human. In the individualization period, it is
apparent that a tremendous stimulation took place in
the
animal kingdom – a stimulation which has persisted, and
which has led to the phenomenon of "domestic animals" as we
call them, and their relatively high stage of intelligence
as compared to the wild animals. In Atlantean days the
opening of the door into the fifth kingdom, or into the
stage of buddhic consciousness, had a profound effect upon
the vegetable kingdom. This effect can be seen
working out in such results as are achieved by Burbank, and
which are of a nature corresponding to the initiatory
process in man, involving a rapid achievement of relative
perfection.
In the tremendous event which is impending, in the great
revelation which is near at hand, the Hierarchy will again
take advantage of the time and the energy to bring about
certain events which will work out primarily in the human
kingdom but which will also be seen as force regeneration
in the mineral kingdom. The energy, when first felt
in the human kingdom, brought about the conditions which
caused the tremendous activity which resulted in war, and
which is causing the present world stress; in the mineral
kingdom it affected certain of the minerals and elements,
and the radioactive substances made their appearance. This
characteristic (or radioactivity) of pitchblende and the
other involved units is comparatively a new development
under the evolutionary law, and one which, though latent,
only [717] needed the drawing forth of the type of energy
now beginning to pour in on the earth. This force began to
flow in at the end of the eighteenth century, and its full
effect is by no means yet felt, for it will be several
hundred years before it passes away. By means of it,
certain discoveries are possible, and the new order comes
in upon it. The Great Ones, Who know the time and the hour,
will bring about, in our root-race, that which corresponds
to the occurrences in the earlier third and fourth races.
D.II.3.b.iii. Methods of Individualization
We have seen how the characteristic method of
individualization in this solar system is the result of
force emanating from the cosmic mental plane, which sweeps
into activity those entities whose function it is to form
the body of the ego out of their own living substance on
the mental plane and thus, through their own quality and
nature, endow human units on the physical plane with the
faculty of self-consciousness, thus producing Man. It is
their work also to energize the mental units of all men,
and to coordinate, by means of the force which they embody,
and to energize the sheaths of the threefold lower man, so
that they may in due course of time intelligently express
the will and purpose of the indwelling Thinker. Through the
carrying out of this function in the case of the human
family, certain planetary and systemic conditions are
brought about.
The dense and etheric bodies of the Logos and of the
planetary Logoi are merged, and one coherent vehicle of
expression is provided for these cosmic Entities.
In the producing of self-consciousness in the human family,
the full conscious occupation by the Logos involved is
consummated. It is the moment of fruition, and (from a
certain esoteric standpoint) marks the attainment of one
perfected Septenary. The three involutionary or elemental
kingdoms and the three subhuman [718] kingdoms find their
seventh principle in the fourth kingdom in nature, 3 + 4 =
7. When the life of God has circled through these seven
kingdoms, then full self-consciousness is achieved from a
certain relative standpoint, and the Son is on the way to
attainment. This relative perfection has then to be carried
on to other stages, but they are stages in which the
separated self-consciousness of the Identities concerned
(whether human or planetary) must eventually merge itself
in universal consciousness.
Certain centers in the bodies logoic and planetary are also
stimulated and the Rays (if it might be so expressed)
become radioactive. It is this radiation which will
eventually bring about conscious group activity,
which will lead to interaction between the planets, and
which, under the Law of Attraction and Repulsion, will
bring about eventual synthesis.
On extra-systemic or cosmic levels, the individualization
process produces a corresponding activity in the egoic body
of the Logos, and hence increased vibration in that center
in the body of the ONE ABOUT WHOM NOUGHT MAY BE SAID, which
our Logos represents. It also produces a reaction or
"occult recognition" in the prototype of the Septenate, or
in the seven Rishis of the Great Bear, and this reaction in
cosmic circles will persist until the end of the
mahamanvantara, when the Logos is set free (even though
temporarily), from physical plane existence.
It also brings about a setting loose of force from the
cosmic mental plane which is cyclic in character. In this
round, the fourth, the maximum force of this cycle was felt
in the third root race. In the next round, during the
fourth root race, and for a very brief period, a fresh
cycle will reach its zenith, and will again open the door
of individualization in order to permit the entry of
certain very advanced Egos who are seeking [719]
incarnation in order to carry out a special piece of work.
This round will provide no bodies adequate to their need.
The next round may do so if the plans proceed as
anticipated. In this case the Manasadevas concerned will
not individualize animal men as in the previous round, but
will stimulate the mental germ in those members of the
present human family who – as H. P. B. says – though
apparently men, are without the spark of
mind.240 During the next seven hundred years,
these low aboriginal races will practically die out and
will not – in this round – reincarnate. They will be
rejected. In the next round opportunity will again
occur, and the Manasadevas will again renew their work of
forming individualistic nuclei for the development of
self-consciousness. The Egos awaiting opportunity will not,
of course, enter in until the human type of that era is
sufficiently refined for their purpose. They are concerned
with the unfoldment of the sixth petal of the logoic egoic
Lotus, and are of such a nature that we can scarcely
conceive of them. They are on the line of the Buddhas of
Activity, but the above named are free for this
mahamanvantara, whereas these particular Egos have yet
somewhat to work out. They could only "come in" in the
middle of the fifth round, and were a group of initiates
who arrested their own evolution (technically speaking) in
order to take up a special piece of work on the planet
Vulcan; therefore, they must return to continue and
complete that which has been left undone. Owing to the
results of their experience on Vulcan, the physical vehicle
necessitated is of such an order that they could not at
this time, and in this round, incarnate without disaster.
240 Such are the Veddhas of Ceylon, the Bushman
of Australia, and certain of the lowest of the African
races.
See S. D., II, 206, 300, 439.
Individualization in the next round will begin to show
indications of the third method, – that of the next system.
[720] This method has been described as that of "occult
abstraction." It will concern itself with the withdrawal
from out of the lowest type of the then existing men
(through knowledge of the etheric constitution of the body)
of the vitality latent in it, and a temporary turning of
that latent fire to the increase of the activity of the
germ or spark of mind; this will be effected by a dynamic
action of the will. This seems impossible, and well nigh
senseless phraseology when considered in terms of
consciousness and of spirituality, but let the student
study the phenomenon in terms of the cosmic physical plane,
and from the standpoint of the gaseous and etheric
subplanes, and he will see that in all these septenary
fires it is ever the fire of matter in reality, and these
sevenfold diversifications of electrical phenomena can ever
affect each other.
Thus, in the mahamanvantara, the three methods of
individualization in connection with our planetary scheme
are to be seen
- In the Moon chain, the gradual evolution of
self-consciousness under natural law.
- In the Earth chain that of achieved
self-consciousness through the aid of extraneous
agencies. It is the distinctive method of this
system.
- In the next round and chain the method will be
abstraction through will power, but this in an embryonic
manner.
I have dealt with these three from the standpoint of
our own scheme. In all the schemes whereon man is found at
some period or another, these three methods will be
contacted. They mark the gradual control by the Logos on
cosmic levels of His threefold lower nature. In the first,
the correspondence lies in the latent consciousness of
matter, and works under the Law of Economy. It concerns
primarily the Self-consciousness of the Logos [721] in His
dense physical body, and His polarization therein. It is
likewise the same for a Heavenly Man, and a part of the
mystery of evil is to be found in the readiness of certain
of these cosmic entities (particularly our planetary Logos
in the moon chain) to remain polarized in the physical
etheric body after having supposedly dominated the material
aspect, or gained the control of the third Fire in an
earlier system. A hint lies here for the wise student anent
present evil on this planet.
The second correspondence concerns the latent
"consciousness of desire," and works under the Law of
Attraction; it is the law for this system, and deals with
the ability of the Logos to "love wisely," in the occult
sense of the term. It has relation to the polarization of
the Logos in His astral body, and produces the phenomenon
called "sex activity" on all planes in the system. In the
earlier system, emancipation was effected through the
faculty of discrimination, though that word as used
today is but a faint indication of the systemic process in
those days. Through the force engendered during the process
that vibration was set up which persists today in matter.
It is evidenced by the active intelligence and the
discriminative selective capacity of the atom of substance.
In this system emancipation will be brought about through
the line of occult dispassion; this likewise will
leave its mark upon matter, tinging it in such a way that
in the third system, primordial substance will demonstrate
a second quality. In the next system "non-attachment
through abstraction" is as near as we can get to the method
of the liberating process but it is useless for man to
speculate upon this as his mind cannot conceive of the
condition.
D.II.3.b.iv. Avatars, Their Nature and Their Work
We have, in our discussion above, connected the phenomenon
of individualization with the appropriation by the Logos,
or by a planetary Logos, of Their dense physical [722]
vehicles, and Their self-conscious existence through the
medium of the physical body. A very difficult and
mysterious subject might be touched upon here, – that of
AVATARS, and though it will not be possible for us to
expound it fully, as it is one of the most occult and
secret of the mysteries, perhaps a little light may be
thrown upon this profound subject.
For purposes of clarity and in order to elucidate a matter
of extreme difficulty to the occidental mind above all (on
account of the fact that it has not yet grasped the
rationale of the process of reincarnation), it would be
wise to divide the differing types of avatars into five
groups, bearing in mind that every avatar is a Ray,
emanated from a pure spiritual source, and that a
self-conscious entity only earns the right to this peculiar
form of work through a previous series of lives of
achievement.
- Cosmic Avatars.
- Solar Avatars.
- Interplanetary Avatars.
- Planetary Avatars.
- Human Avatars.
As just said, an avatar is a Ray of effulgent and
perfected glory, clothing itself in matter for the purpose
of service. All avatars in the strict sense of the word are
liberated souls, but the cosmic and solar avatars are
liberated from the two lower planes of the cosmic planes.
While the planetary and the interplanetary avatars are
liberated from the cosmic physical plane, our systemic
planes, the human avatar has achieved freedom from the five
planes of human endeavor. In a strictly technical and lower
sense, a Master in physical plane incarnation is a type of
avatar, for He is a "freed soul" and therefore only chooses
to incarnate for specific purpose, but we [723] will not
deal with Them. Let us again subdivide these groups so as
still further to clarify our ideas:
D.II.3.b.iv.A. Cosmic Avatars
They represent embodied force from the following cosmic
centers among others:
- Sirius.
- That one of the seven stars of the Great Bear which
is ensouled by the prototype of the Lord of our third
major Ray.
- Our cosmic center.
They represent entities as far removed from the
consciousness of Man, as man is from the consciousness of
the atom of substance. Thousands of those great cycles
which we call "a hundred years of Brahma" have passed since
They approximated the human stage, and They embody force
and consciousness which is concerned with the intelligent
coordination of the starry Heavens.
They have achieved all that man can conceive of as the
transcendence of will, of love and of intelligence, and in
the synthesis of those three have added qualities and
vibrations for which we have no terms, and which cannot be
visioned by even our highest adepts. Their appearance in a
solar system is very unusual, and is only recognized on the
highest two planes. Yet, owing to the material nature of
our solar system, Their advent is literally the appearance
in a physical form of a spiritual Being Who is fully
conscious.
Such entities from Sirius appear at the occasion of the
initiation of the solar Logos, and They have a peculiar
connection with the five Kumaras and through Them (using
Them as focal points for force) with the Mahachohan's
department in all the occult Hierarchies of the system.
Only once has such a Being visited our system, in
connection with the appearance in time and space of the
five mind-born Sons of Brahma. The effect of such a visit
as that of the Avatar from Sirius is seen [724] as the
sumtotal of civilization and culture, viewing these from
the standpoint of the entire system and in one flash of
time.
An avatar from the cosmic center will appear as pralaya is
nearing and will produce in the body of the Logos that
which we call "Death." He is the cosmic Reaper, and
(to reduce the above to words of an understandable nature)
He belongs to a group which represents the abstracting
energy of the cosmos, of which we find faint
correspondences in the work of the "destroyer" aspect of
the Logos, and in the forces which produce physical death,
and the disintegration of the physical body of man. It is
not possible to say more oil these fundamentally esoteric
matters, and the value of what is said lies largely in the
bringing to the mind of the student the reality of our
cosmic interrelation.
D.II.3.b.iv.B. Solar Avatars
These avatars are of three types though there are really
many more. They are also extra-systemic visitors, and are
mainly concerned with certain processes in the system,
among others the administration of the law of cause and
effect, or of karma. They embody the karma of the past
kalpas as far as our Logos is concerned, and give the
initiatory impulse to the processes of adjustment, of
expiation and of recognition as it concerns the present
system as a whole. One such Entity, the "Karmic Avatar"
appeared upon the second logoic vibration, being swept in
on the second Breath; He has stayed until now: He will
remain with us until all the schemes have entered upon
their fifth round, and are nearing their "Judgment Day." At
that time, He can withdraw, leaving the planetary Logoi
concerned to fulfil the karmic purpose unwatched. The
vibratory impulse will then be so strong and the
realization of the buddhic principle so consciously vivid
that nothing can then arrest the onward march of affairs.
Under Him work a number of cosmic entities who, as stated
in the Secret [725] Doctrine,241
have the privilege of "passing the ring-pass-not"; these
are, nevertheless, not avatars for They are Themselves
evolving through the administration of karma. It is Their
work, and opportunity to progress.
241 These are the Lipika Lords. See S. D., I,
157.
An avatar can learn nothing from the place of His
appearance. His work is to apply the force of some type of
electrical energy to substance in one of its many grades,
and thus bring about anticipated results.
Another type of solar avatar, Who can be seen appearing in
the schemes, has relation to the heart center of a
planetary Logos, and appears on the higher planes (never on
the lower) when the heart activity is making itself felt,
and when the energizing process is seen to bring about
three things:
- An expansion of consciousness.
- An increase of spiritual light and brilliancy.
- Planetary radioactivity.
It is this planetary phenomenon which produces (in
connection with the fourth kingdom in nature) the throwing
open of the door of initiation to man. Such avatars do not
come in connection with any particular Hierarchy but only
in relation to the total system. They produce the blending
of the colors, and the synthesis of the units in their
groups.
At the initiation of a planetary Logos, an avatar may
appear in His scheme on the seventh globe from that cosmic
center or star which is ensouled by the particular Rishi
Who (in the constellation of the Great Bear) is His cosmic
prototype. This is, for the Entity concerned, the taking of
a physical form, for our higher planes are but matter from
Their standpoint. This has been emphasized frequently, as
its significance is not yet sufficiently grasped. By means
of the appearance of this Avatar on the seventh globe, the
planetary Logos is [726] enabled to preserve continuity of
cosmic consciousness even when in physical incarnation;
this solar avatar performs the same function for the
planetary Logos as the Guru does for His disciple. He makes
certain events possible by means of the stimulation and
protection of His aura, and He acts as a transmitter of
electrical energy from the cosmic center. We must be
careful to hold this analogy very lightly, for the real
work accomplished cannot be grasped by man. This avatar has
naturally a direct effect upon the centers of the Heavenly
Man and therefore upon the units or human Monads, but only
indirectly and upon the Monad on its own plane. This
influence meets with little response from the Monad until
after the third Initiation when its conscious life becomes
so strong that it grips afresh its egoic expression in one
direction, and awakens to planetary realization in another.
This type of avatar appears only at the time of the
initiation of a planetary Logos. The number of initiations
taken by a planetary Logos in this system vary from two to
four.
D.II.3.b.iv.C. Interplanetary Avatars
A very interesting group of avatars is here to be found.
They are mainly concerned with three things: first with the
superintendence of the transfer of force units or
egoic groups from one scheme to another (not with
individual units from chain to chain). They appear usually
twice in the history of a scheme, and though unable to take
physical bodies of grosser material than those formed of
atmic and the buddhic substance, they work with impulse in
mental matter and thus effect these group transfers. They
Themselves are subdivided into three groups:
- Those effecting the transfer from the minor schemes
or Ray manifestations on to the third Ray; They concern
Themselves with the result of the merging of the polar
opposites in the four [727] lesser schemes until but one
is left; and then with the transference of the life and
quality of this remaining one on to the third Ray.
- Those dealing with the transference and interaction
of the life forces between the three major Rays.
- Those producing the final systemic transfer at the
end of the age.
Secondly, certain avatars from the fourth Creative
Hierarchy, for esoteric and for us inexplicable reasons,
leave Their Own Hierarchy, and appear in one or other of
the deva Hierarchies. This happens only once in the history
of each scheme and occurs at the time of its densest
physical appearance, and has relation to the transference
of deva impulse from one scheme to another. They are
connected in this way with the appearance of the
self-conscious units, being the primal embodiment of the
latent self-consciousness of the atom of deva substance.
They set the type for the devas of any particular scheme.
Once in the history of each scheme, an avatar from the
constellation Capricorn appears on mental levels. This
level is the lowest one on which these interplanetary
deities appear. No more can be communicated on this matter.
"The mystery of the goat" lies hidden here. This avatar
makes His appearance in the third round of the third chain,
and disappears in the fifth round of the fourth chain.
These interplanetary avatars come in, as the products of
much earlier kalpas when systemic conditions are refined
enough to permit of Their appearance. They are the
nirmanakayas of an earlier solar cycle Who now again take
the opportunity to effect (in an active sense and through
physical manifestation) certain uncompleted work.
D.II.3.b.iv.D. Planetary Avatars
These emanate from the central [728] planetary Logos of a
scheme and embody His will and purpose. They are of two
different kinds. The first type is a manifestation on
etheric physical levels of the planetary Logos Himself for
a specific length of time. It involves the definite taking
of a physical body by one of the Kumaras. Such an avatar is
to be seen in Sanat Kumara, Who, with the three other
Kumaras, embodies the four planetary quaternic principles.
In a very real sense, Sanat Kumara is the incarnation of
the Lord of the Ray Himself; He is the Silent Watcher, the
great Sacrifice for humanity.242
242 S. D., I, 494; II, 112, 149, 333.
As noted in the above paragraph, there are secondly three
Entities Who embody planetary principles. They are
(speaking from the present standpoint) the dynamic energy
which holds together the three lower kingdoms, viewing
these kingdoms as units and not as differentiations. They
are closely connected with the energy aspect of the three
earlier chains, and it only needed the work of an
interplanetary avatar (at the formation of the triangle
which resulted in the individualization period in Lemurian
days) to enable Them to take etheric bodies and incarnate
among men. They act as focal points for the energy of the
planetary Logos on His own plane. The first Kumara is in a
mysterious sense the energy which produces
self-consciousness in the human family. The three other
kumaras, or the three Buddhas of Activity, act as similar
focal points for the energy which animates the three lower
kingdoms, and which produces their differing grades of
consciousness. It is not possible to express this great
mystery more clearly but if the student couples these few
hints with those earlier given in the Secret
Doctrine, the mystery of the "Holy Four" may be
somewhat clarified from the standpoint of energy and
evolution.
The times and seasons of their appearing vary [729]
according to the particular karma of the Lord of the Ray,
and nothing in connection with these great cycles, and
incarnation periods, can be revealed to the unpledged and
the profane.
D.II.3.b.iv.E. Human Avatars
These are fully dealt with by H. P. B. and there is nothing
further to add to her information, for the time is not
ripe.243 All the above has its place here, as it
concerns the mystery of force and consciousness, and the
fullest manifestation of a planetary Logos and of a solar
Logos in a dense physical body is hidden in the appearance
of these various avatars and in their effect.
243 S. D., III, Section 41 ; III, 345.
D.II.3.b.v. Individualization, a form of Initiation
There is but little more that can be said at this time
anent individualization. What has been said here and in the
Secret Doctrine is but a manner of endeavoring to
express profound and significant facts, concerning
existence and manifestation, in terms of human thought, and
through the limiting medium of language. From the most
esoteric standpoint "Man is a deva;" he is Spirit and deva
substance, united through the work of conscious deva
energy. He unites within himself the three aspects of the
Deity. He is, while in objectivity:
- The Self, the Not-Self, and the intelligent link in a
very vital sense.
- He is Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, in synthetic
manifestation.
- He is the medium whereby the Will of God, the Love of
God, and the Mind of God become intelligible and
apparent.
- He is positive electrical force, plus negative
electrical force, plus the equilibrising medium.
- He is the Flame, the Fire, and the Spark in essential
manifestation.
- He is electric fire, solar fire and fire by friction.
[730]
But the point which it is necessary here to emphasize,
is that man does not, in space and time and in the three
worlds, demonstrate all these aspects simultaneously, but
only simultaneously towards the close of the process of
evolution. As in the Macrocosm, Brahma manifests activity
first, then the second or middle aspect and finally the
first or purposeful will makes itself seen, so with the
microcosm.
The Brahma aspect, that in which the Not-Self or
material aspect is apparent and predominant. This covers
the subhuman stages, and the first three cycles of the
Personality Life:
- First cycle – savage state.
- Second cycle – average man.
- Third cycle – intellectual successful man.
The Vishnu aspect, that in which the
love-wisdom aspect gradually predominates and emerges
through the medium of the Brahma aspect. It covers the
final two stages of the human personality life, and that
period of egoic growth which embraces the final two
Initiations:
- First cycle – The Path of Probation.
- Second cycle – The Path of Initiation (till the third
Initiation).
- Third cycle – That covering the fourth and fifth
Initiations.
This is the temporary consummation, but just as in the
animal kingdom, the human mind was latent and instinctive,
and just as in the human kingdom the buddhic aspect is
latent and instinctive, so during the final cycle of human
endeavor, the Atma, or highest aspect of the Monad, is also
latent and instinctive. This must produce later stages of
development. There are no gaps in evolution, and no periods
wherein there is total absence of any one aspect; all are
ever present but they [731] "show forth" in alternation.
Only when the fires of matter are blazing brightly, and
become radiatory, does it become possible for the fire of
mind to show forth, even though ever inherently present.
Only when these two fires of matter and of mind have
reached a stage of energetic heat and light, can the
electric fire of Spirit show forth in its glory. Only again
when these three are unitedly burning does the fire of
matter die down for lack of that which it may consume, and
only when that occurs is it possible for the fires of mind
(on mental levels) to burn up that which it has hitherto
animated. When this is accomplished, the fire of pure
Spirit (increased and intensified by the gaseous essence of
the fire of matter, or "fire by friction," and colored, and
rendered radiatory by the fire of mind) blazes forth in
perfected glory, so that naught is seen save one vibrant
flame. This idea can be extended away from Man to a
Heavenly Man, and again to the Logos in His cosmic
relationship.
- Individualization marks one stage of the
process in the intensification of "fire by friction." It
has relation to the achievement of Brahma, and marks a
point in the energizing of substance. Certain forms are
ready for self-consciousness. Two cosmic Rays of
differing polarities are mutually attracted.
- Initiation marks a stage in the
intensification of "solar Fire." It has relation to the
achievement of Vishnu, and marks a point in the evolution
of consciousness, through self-consciousness to group
consciousness, or universal consciousness.
- Identification with the aggregate of all
groups might be the term used to express the final stages
of the evolutionary process; it marks a period towards
the close of the mahamanvantara when all groups begin
consciously to work out the eternal Will. It involves a
type of realization, incredible to man now but which is
conceivable [732] (though not yet practicable) to the
Chohans of the Hierarchy now on Earth. They work
consciously carrying out the Will of the planetary Logos
in the planet, but even They are as yet far from
appreciating fully the Will and purpose of the Logos as
He works through the system. Glimpses They may get, and
an idea of the general plan, but the details are as yet
unrecognizable.
D.II.3.c. On Incarnation
D.II.3.c.i. Cosmic, Planetary and Human
We leave now the consideration of self-consciousness, as it
is produced through the medium of the particular type of
deva substance which the Agnishvattas provided for the body
of the Ego, and pass on to the study of incarnation,
cosmic, planetary and human. A hint as to the constitution
of these solar Pitris and Manasadevas may come to the
student who ponders upon the place of the egoic unit in the
body of the planetary Logos, and in the particular center
of which it forms a component part. These Manasadevas and
Dhyan Chohans who produce self-consciousness in man are
indeed the energy and substance of the cosmic Heavenly Man.
The word "incarnation" in its root meaning conveys the
fundamental truth involved in the taking of a dense
physical body, and should technically be applied only to
that period of manifestation which concerns the three lower
subplanes of the:
- Cosmic physical plane, in relation to a solar Logos
and to a planetary Logos.
- Systemic physical plane, in relation to man.
This connotation has been preserved where the cosmic
entities are concerned, but when man is under consideration
the term has been applied to the unification of the etheric
double with the dense physical body, or to the
appropriation by man of the vehicle composed of the [733]
substance of the lowest subplane of the cosmic physical
plane in its lowest aspects. This distinction has a certain
significance and should be remembered. This appropriation
is governed by the same laws which governed the
appropriation by the Logos of His physical vehicle. In
order to get an idea of what the procedure is, it might be
of value if we considered the different kinds of pralaya,
and pondered upon those periods which ensue between
incarnations. From the point of view of any unit involved,
a pralaya is a period of quiescence, of cessation from a
particular type of activity, involving objectivity, yet
from the point of view of the great whole with which the
unit may be involved, a pralaya may be considered merely as
a transference of force from one direction into another.
Though the unit may be temporarily devitalized as regards
its form, yet the greater Entity persists, and is still
active.
Let us take up the matter first from the human standpoint,
and study pralaya as it affects the Monad in
incarnation.244 There are five types of pralaya
with which we may legitimately concern ourselves. We should
notice first the fact that this condition is primarily one
that concerns the relationship between Spirit and matter,
in which a condition in substance is brought about through
the action of the energizing factor, the Spirit. It has,
therefore, to do with the relation of the greater devas as
They carry out Their work of form-building [734] under the
Law of Will of God to the lesser devas who represent living
substance. It will be apparent to the student that it
concerns the relation of the Holy Spirit to the Mother in
the production of the Son, and then the relation of the Son
to the Mother. If the ideas formulated in this treatise
have been carefully followed, it will be obvious that in
studying the question of pralaya, we are studying the
relation (in time and space) of the positive energy of the
solar Logos, the planetary Logos, and of Man to the
substance through which alone manifestation is possible.
Through this relation, existence on the objective planes
can be brought about.
244 There are fundamentally three kinds of
Pralaya. See S. D, I, 397-398.
- Solar pralaya. This comes at the end of one
hundred years of Brahma. It marks reabsorption into
unity. It marks end of manifestation of solar system.
Concerns the solar Logos.
- Incidental pralaya. This succeeds the days of
Brahma. It marks periods between manvantaras. Temporary
form ceases but duality remains. Concerns a planetary
Logos.
- Individual pralaya. Achieved by a man at the
fifth initiation. Marks attainment of perfection.
Concerns the monad.
There is also the pralaya in connection with human
evolution which we call devachanic. It concerns the
personality.
D.II.3.c.ii. The Nature of Pralaya
We can view pralaya as the work of "abstraction," and as
the method which brings the form under the Destroyer aspect
of Spirit, working ever under the Law of Attraction, of
which the Law of Synthesis is but a branch. The basic law
of the system is that which governs the relation of all
atoms to the aggregate of atoms, and of the Self to the
Not-self. It is (from the occult standpoint) the most
powerful force-demonstration in the system, and should the
law inconceivably cease to work, instantaneously the system
and all forms therein, planetary, human and other would
cease to be. By an act of will the planetary schemes
persist, by an act of will the system is; by an act of the
egoic will man appears. When the Will of the Logos, of the
Heavenly Man, and of the human divine Ego is turned to
other ends, the substance of Their vehicles is affected,
and disintegration sets in. The five types of pralaya which
concern the human unit are as follows:
D.II.3.c.ii.A. The Period of Pralaya between two
Incarnations
This is of a triple nature and affects the substance of the
three vehicles, physical, astral and mental, reducing the
form to its primitive substance, and dissipating its atomic
structure. The energy of the second aspect (that of the
form-builder) is withdrawn by the will of the Ego, [735]
and the atoms composing the form become dissociated from
each other, and are resolved into the reservoir of essence
to be recollected again when the hour strikes. This
condition is brought about gradually by stages of which we
are aware.
The first stage is the withdrawal of the life force in the
etheric vehicle from the threefold (dense, liquid and
gaseous) dense physical body and the consequent "falling
into corruption," and becoming "scattered to the elements."
Objective man fades out, and is no more seen by the
physical eye, though still in his etheric body. When
etheric vision is developed, the thought of death will
assume very different proportions. When a man can be seen
functioning in his etheric physical body by the majority of
the race, the dropping of the dense body will be considered
just a "release."
The next stage is the withdrawal of the life force from the
etheric body or coil, and its devitalization. The etheric
coil is but an extension of one aspect of the sutratma or
thread, and this thread is spun by the Ego from within the
causal body much as a spider spins a thread. It can be
shortened or extended at will, and when the period of
pralaya has been decided upon, this thread of light, or of
solar fire (note the word "solar") is withdrawn, and
gathered back to the atomic subplane where it will still
vitalize the permanent atom and hold it connected within
the causal body. The life impulses are then – as far as the
physical plane is concerned – centralized within the atomic
sphere.
The third stage is the withdrawal of the life force from so
that it disintegrates in a similar manner and the life is
centralized within the astral permanent atom. It has gained
an increase of vitality through physical plane existence,
and added color through astral experience.
The final stage for the human atom is its withdrawal [736]
from the mental vehicle. The life forces after this
fourfold abstraction are centralized entirely within the
egoic sphere; contact with the three lower planes is still
inherently possible by means of the permanent atoms, the
force centers of the three personality aspects.
In each incarnation the life forces have gained through the
utilization of the vehicles,
- An increased activity, which is stored in the
physical permanent atom.
- An added coloring, which is stored in the astral
permanent atom.
- A developed quality of strength, or purpose in
action, which is stored in the mental unit.
These are wrought into faculty in devachan.
Devachan245, 246 is a state of consciousness,
reflecting, in [737] the life of the Personality, that
higher state which we call nirvanic consciousness, and
which is brought about by egoic action. It is but a dim
reflection in the separated units (and therefore tinged
with selfishness and separative pleasure) of the group
condition called nirvanic. In this high state of
consciousness each separate identity, though
self-realizing, shares in the group realization, and
therein lies bliss for the unit. Separation is no longer
felt, only unity and essential oneness is known. Therefore,
as might be naturally deduced, there is no devachan for the
savage or little evolved man, as they merit it not, and
have not the mentality to realize it; hence, therefore, the
rapidity of their incarnations, and the brevity of the
pralayic period. There is little in their case for the Ego,
on its own plane, to assimilate in the residue of
incarnations, and hence the life principle withdraws
rapidly from out of the mental form, with the resulting
impulse of the Ego to reincarnate almost immediately.
245 Devachan.
"(3) 'Who goes to Devachan?' The personal Ego, of course,
but beatified, purified, holy. Every Ego – the
combination of the sixth and seventh principles – which,
after the period of unconscious gestation is reborn into
the Devachan, is of necessity as innocent and pure as a
newborn babe. The fact of his being reborn at all shows
the preponderance of good over evil in his old
personality. And while the Karma (of evil) steps aside
for the time being to follow him in his future
earth-reincarnation, he brings along with him but the
Karma of his good deeds, words, and thoughts into this
Devachan. 'Bad' is a relative term for us – as you were
told more than once before, – and the Law of
Retribution is the only law that never errs. Hence
all those who have not slipped down Into the mire of
unredeemable sin and bestiality – go to the Devachan.
They will have to pay for their sins, voluntary and
involuntary, later on. Meanwhile they are rewarded;
receive the effects of the causes produced by them."
"Of course it is a state, one, so to say, of
intense selfishness during which an Ego
reaps the reward of his unselfishness on earth. He
is completely engrossed in the bliss of all his personal
earthly affections, preferences, thoughts, and gathers in
the fruit of his meritorious actions. No pain, no grief
nor even the shadow of a sorrow comes to darken the
bright horizon of his unalloyed happiness; for, it is
a state of perpetual 'Maya'. ...Since the conscious
perception of one's personality on earth is but an
evanescent dream that sense will be equally that of a
dream in the Devachan – only a hundredfold
intensified."
" 'Bardo' is the period between death and rebirth –
and may last from a few years to a kalpa. It is divided
into three subperiods
- when the Ego delivered of its mortal coil
enters into Kama-Loka (the abode of
Elementaries);
- when it enters into 'Gestation State';
- when it is reborn in the Rupa-Loka of
Devachan.
Subperiod (1) may last from a few minutes to a
number of years – the phrase 'a few years'
becoming puzzling and utterly worthless without a more
complete explanation; Subperiod 2nd is 'very long'; as
you say, longer sometimes than you may even imagine, yet
proportionate to the Ego's spiritual stamina; Subperiod
3rd lasts in proportion to the good Karma, after
which the monad is again reincarnated."
"...Every effect must be proportionate to the cause.
And, as man's terms of incarnate existence bear but a
small proportion to his periods of inter-natal existence
in the manvantaric cycle, so the good thoughts, words,
and deeds of any one of these 'lives' on a globe are
causative of effects, the working out of which requires
far more time than the evolution of the causes
occupied."
- From Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, pp.
100-105-106.
246 Devachan. A state intermediate
between two earth lives into which the Ego enters after its
separation from its lower aspects or sheaths
When the life of the personality has been full and rich,
yet has not reached the stage wherein the personal self can
consciously cooperate with the ego, periods of
personality nirvana are undergone, their length depending
upon the interest of the life, and the ability of the man
to meditate upon experience. Later, when the Ego dominates
the personality life, the interest of the man is raised to
higher levels, and the nirvana of the soul [738] becomes
his goal. He has no interest in devachan. Therefore, those
upon the Path (either the probationary Path, or the Path of
Initiation) do not, as a rule, go to devachan, but
immediate incarnation becomes the rule in the turning of
the wheel of life; this time it is brought about by the
conscious cooperation of the personal Self with the divine
Self or Ego.
D.II.3.c.ii.B. The Period between Egoic Cycles
Herein is hid the mystery of the 777 incarnations and
concerns the relation of the unit to his group on the egoic
plane, prior to the unfoldment of the fifth petal. It
concerns man in the period between the savage stage and
that of the disciple, when he is an average man but still
in the two Halls. The mystery of all root races lies here,
and the egoic cycles coincide with the building of racial
forms, and civilizations. A man will reincarnate again and
again in the various subraces of a root race until a
certain cycle has been covered; then he may undergo a
pralayic condition until in a later (and sometimes much
later) root race he will respond to its vibratory call, and
the egoic impulse to incarnate will again be felt. In
illustration of this, we should bear in mind that the more
advanced humanity of today did not incarnate until the
fourth root race. These cycles are one of the mysteries of
initiation, though one of the earlier mysteries, and are
revealed at the second initiation as they enable the
initiate to comprehend his position, to see somewhat the
nature of the karmic impulse, and to read his own record in
the astral light.
These might be considered the two lesser pralayic periods
and concern primarily life in the three worlds.
D.II.3.c.ii.C. Next comes the period wherein the man has
attained freedom
A man has at this stage succeeded, under law, in
"abstracting" himself, the freed soul, from out of the
matter of the three worlds. He has used and worked with
deva substance and has gained all the vibratory [739]
contact possible, and has secured all the intended
"realizations" and "revelations"; he can no longer be held
imprisoned by the devas. He is free until, consciously and
willingly, and in another round, he can return as a member
of a Hierarchy to continue His work of service for the
little evolved humanity of that distant time. As this
concerns the seven paths of opportunity for a Master we
will not deal with it here.247 This is the great
human pralaya.
D.II.3.c.ii.D. Planetary Pralaya
Man, after these cyclic happenings, is now a conscious part
of his group, and a vibrant point in a center in the body
of a Heavenly Man, consciously alive and consciously aware
of his place in the great whole. This involves a
realization as to the center of which he is a point of
energy, a knowledge of the type of force he is to transmit,
and to manipulate from cosmic levels, and a conscious
relation with the six other centers in the planetary Life
with which he is associated.
This period of conscious activity in etheric substance (of
which the planetary body is formed) persists according to
the karma of the planetary Lord, for the unit is now
consciously associated with planetary karma, and is a
participant in the working out of the will and purpose of
the Lord of His Ray. On the higher planes of the system,
this stage persists for the length of the life of a scheme;
to which a period of pralaya succeeds that has its
beginning towards the end of the seventh round in any
scheme or of the fifth if the Law of Persistence of a
scheme is working out through cycles of five. I am [740]
here generalizing and speaking in broad terms; the karma of
the units differ and a man – according to the path he
chooses after the fifth initiation – stays and works within
his own scheme, but changes may occur through the following
factors:
- Planetary karma.
- The will of the Lord of his Ray.
- Orders emanating from the solar Logos which are
conveyed to him after liberation via the planetary Logos
and through the medium of the chohan of his Ray.
He is then "abstracted" under a mysterious planetary
law which only works on cosmic etheric levels, and is
transferred to his destination. If we interpret all the
above in terms of energy and of radioactivity and thus
avoid the dangers of materialistic interpretation, the
meaning will become clearer.
247 The seven Paths upon one of which all must
pass:
- Path 1. The Path of Earth Service.
- Path 2. The Path of Magnetic Work.
- Path 3. The Path of the Planetary Logoi.
- Path 4. The Path to Sirius.
- Path 5. The Ray Path.
- Path 6. The Path of the Solar Logos.
- Path 7. The Path of Absolute Sonship.
D.II.3.c.ii.E. The Great Pralaya
This interval comes at the close of every one hundred years
of Brahma, and sweeps into dissolution forms of every kind
– subtle and dense – throughout the entire system. It is a
period analogous to that dealt with when we considered the
abstraction of man from his etheric vehicle, and his
ability then to function on the astral plane, dissociated
from his dual physical form. Within the system a process
similar to that undergone when man withdraws the etheric
body out of the dense physical vehicle, will be seen
towards the close of the mahamanvantara. It will cover the
period wherein the lesser four Rays merge and blend,
seeking duality, and their polar opposites. Eventually the
four become two, the two become one, and all are then
synthesized into the third major Ray. The time is not yet,
but lies countless aeons ahead. It is the first appearance
of the destroyer aspect in connection with the planetary
schemes, and marks the beginning of the [741] time when the
"Heavens will melt with fervent heat," and the Sun becomes
seven suns. (See S. D., II, 746, 747.)
The microcosmic correspondence can be seen in the following
process. The physical permanent atom absorbs the entire
life force of the physical body, and its inherent heat and
light is thereby increased until at the fourth initiation
the seven spirillae are fully vitalized, and vibrant. The
internal heat of the atom, plus the external heat of the
egoic body wherein it has its place, produces then that
which destroys the permanent atom. Temporarily, and just
prior to destruction, it becomes a tiny sevenfold sun owing
to the radiation and activity of the spirillae. So with the
physical sun of the system; it will in a similar manner
become seven suns, when it has absorbed the life essence of
the fully evolved planes, and of the planetary schemes
thereon. The ensuing conflagration is the final work of the
Destroyer aspect. It marks the moment of the highest
development of deva substance in the system, the
consummation of the work of Agni and his fire angels, and
the initiation of Brahma. Atomic substance will then
individualize (which, as we know, is the goal for
the atom) and after the great pralaya the next solar system
will start with the threefold Spirit manifesting through
substance which is essentially distinguished by active
intelligent love. This is necessarily incomprehensible to
our fourth round minds.
We have thus considered the various types of pralaya, in so
far as they affect the human unit; each unit finds its ways
eventually into one of the cosmic astral centers of the
particular cosmic Entity Who is the Lord of his Ray, and
therefore at the great pralaya those human units who have
achieved, and who have not passed to other distant cosmic
centers, will find their place there.
Before we take up planetary and cosmic pralaya, we might
here consider the relationship of the Agnishvattas [742]
(who caused the individualization of animal man on this
planet), to other and previous cycles of evolution, and why
we have only dealt with them from the point of view of a
mahamanvantara, and of a kalpa. The reason we have not
considered specifically the group of Agnishvattas, Kumaras
and Rudras connected with the Earth has been because we
have handled the entire subject from the planetary
standpoint, and not from that of the human family. The
student who seeks detailed information as to the
Agnishvattas of the Earth chain has but to study the
Secret Doctrine. We have attempted to carry the
thought of the student beyond his own tiny sphere to the
consideration of the work of the Manasadevas in the solar
system. In every scheme They have Their place, but in some
– as in the Jupiter scheme – They are just beginning Their
work, and in others – as in the Vulcan and Venus schemes –
Their work is nearly completed. Venus is in her last round,
and has nearly developed her fourth kingdom to perfection,
or as much as it is possible in the system. In the Earth
scheme, They are in full tide of work, and only in the next
round will They demonstrate the height of Their activity.
They pass cyclically through the schemes and under Law –
the Law of Karma for the planetary Logos, for They are
essentially concerned with His Life as it actuates His
centers. They come into a scheme on a wave of manasic
energy from the head center of the Logos, and in the
process of passing through his Heart center three things
occur:
- They become differentiated into seven groups.
- They direct Themselves as streams of energy to some
particular scheme.
- Their contact with a scheme is that which produces
the manifestation of the fourth Creative Hierarchy, and
leads to the Monads taking form in the three worlds.
[743]
These entities who sacrifice Themselves for the human
Hierarchy (and we must note here the accuracy of the fact
that They emanate from the logoic head center, or from the
will aspect), are the true Saviors who give Their lives for
the good of the race.
They stand in relation to the
totality of the schemes as the Occult Hierarchy of any
particular planet stands to men upon that planet.
During pralaya They are withdrawn (as all else), from
manifestation, and return to a cosmic center of which the
logoic head center is but a dim reflection; they return the
richer for experience.
The old Commentary says:
"The deva shineth with added light when the virtue of the
will hath entered. He garnereth color as the reaper
garners wheat, and storeth it up for the feeding of the
multitude. Over all this deva host the mystic Goat
presideth. Makara is, and is not, yet the link
persisteth."
Rounds come and go but (except from the
standpoint of a particular planet), the Manasadevas are
forever present, but their influence is not forever felt.
In considering planetary pralaya, we might briefly
enumerate the following periods of quiescence:
- Between Two Globes in a Chain. This covers the
period of abstraction of the seeds of all life, and its
transference from one sphere to another. The seed manu of
a globe gathers all the life forces into Himself, as does
the Logos at the close of a system, and as also
transpires at the close of a chain, and holds them
quiescent in His aura. This covers a period of a
manvantara, or of one day of Brahma.
- Between Two Chains. This covers the period of
a mahamanvantara, or of one year of Brahma. There are
many ways of arriving at the greater cycles, but there is
no need to confuse with the intricacies of figures. The
ten Prajapatis or Rishis, or [744] the ten planetary
Logoi, manifest through Their ten schemes in time and
space, the hour of Their appearing differing. Each
likewise manifests as does the Logos through a septenate
and a triad, making again a ten of perfection.
- Between Two Solar Systems. This covers the
period of one hundred years of Brahma, and through the
study of the planetary cycles comprehension of these
greater cycles may come. Complication comes to the
student nevertheless in the fact that two of the schemes
cover their cyclic periods in five rounds, while others
have seven; one scheme has but three rounds, but a
mystery is hidden here: on the inner round one planet has
nine cycles to run before the purpose of its Lord is
completed.
Certain lesser periods of pralaya do not concern man
at all, but concern
the atom of matter as it is released
from form of any kind in the subhuman kingdoms. Pralaya is
the result of radioactivity carried to a conclusion.
D.II.3.c.iii. Types of Human Rebirth
In our study of the building of thought-forms and the
agencies for their construction, we have considered:
- The deva substance out of which they are
constructed.
- The energy which animates them and its source.
- Their appearance in time and space, or their
incarnation.
- Their disappearance or pralaya.
- The constructing entities who in a threefold manner
produce these forms, utilizing the process of:
- Meditation, which is ever the preliminary to
construction.
- Dynamic force, or the positive energy which
seizes upon its polar opposite (negative substance),
and utilizes it. [745]
- The impartation of color or quality, which moulds
that which has been prepared.
- A secondary vitalization, which sets in separate
motion the thought-form thus created.
We will now consider the mystery of rebirth, or the
incarnation of those lives which exist in subtler matter,
and yet which seek form according to law, and touch upon
their specific intent on dense physical levels. We can
consider this in connection with the cosmic entities who
seek existence on the physical plane of the cosmos, our
solar systemic planes, or the reincarnating jivas who are
driven by the Law towards earthly manifestation in order to
become fully conscious, and acquire (by means of sentient
existence), added faculty and power.
H. P. B. has said that rebirths may be divided into three
classes: (See S. D., III, 364, 365, 367.)
- Those of Avatars.
- Those of Adepts.
- Those of jivas seeking development.
To those who are endeavoring to grasp somewhat the
mystery of rebirth and its laws and purpose, and who are
confused when considering the mystery of the Buddha, and
the secret purpose of that mysterious Entity, the Silent
Watcher; to those who find the problem of understanding the
position of the Kumaras and Their relation to the planetary
Logos almost an insuperable one, it might be wise to say:
Study and meditate upon the difference existing between the
lower principles and the higher three; study and meditate
upon the place and position of these lower principles in
the body of the planetary Logos and ponder upon the
correspondence between:
- The devachan of the reincarnating jiva.
- The nirvana of the Adept. [746]
- The pralaya of a cosmic Entity, such as the Lord of a
chain, the Lord of a scheme, and the Lord of a Ray.
I say
correspondence in its esoteric
significance, and do not seek to infer analogy in detail,
but only in purpose and in experience. It may be said of
all three states that they are periods of development, long
cycles of meditation, and interludes between stages of
activity. Hence the emphasis laid in the East and in all
occult schools of development upon meditation, for it is
the means of bringing to the unit under development the
capacity which will produce:
- Abstraction, or liberation from form.
- Creative power.
- Direction of energy, through an act of the will.
- Future constructive activity.
By means of meditation, a man finds freedom from the
delusion of the senses, and their vibratory lure; he finds
his own positive center of energy and becomes consciously
able to use it; he becomes, therefore, aware of his real
Self, functioning freely and consciously beyond the planes
of sense; he enters into the plans of the greater Entity
within Whose radiatory capacity he has a place; he can then
consciously proceed to carry out those plans as he can
grasp them at varying stages of realization; and he becomes
aware of essential unity. But when a man has thus freed
himself from the objects of sense in the three worlds he
again becomes aware of the need of further meditation, and
it is this (to man in the three worlds), inconceivable form
of meditation that engrosses the attention of the Adept,
and which is undertaken by Him in two great stages, each
preceding the two final Initiations, the sixth and the
seventh. I refer not here only to Adepts who "make the
sacrifice," and choose rebirth for service on the planet,
but to all adepts. Freedom to work on any Path must be
gained by occult [747] meditation; freedom to escape beyond
the ring-pass-not is also thus attained, and likewise the
curious state of quiescence which is achieved by Those Who
have offered for service as the occult Hierarchy in the
next round. In Them have to be stored the psychic seeds of
knowledge which will be available in the fifth round; this
necessitates for Them an attitude of receptivity to
occurrences at the close of each root-race, when there is,
on subtler levels, a gathering in of psychic force, and its
storing with Those prepared for its reception. Their work
is analogous to that of the Seed-Manu, Who Himself works
through a septenate as do these storers of the psychic
life-forces.
Again for such cosmic Entities as the planetary Logoi
periods of meditation transpire, but these concern Them on
the cosmic planes, and only the effects are felt on this.
They meditate in Their physical brains, and therefore in
substance as does man, but the process is carried on in the
etheric brain. This should be pondered on, for it holds the
mystery hid. Also, the fact that some of these Lords of the
Rays are more proficient in meditation than others, and
thus achieve differing results which work out in Their
schemes, should be carefully borne in mind.
D.II.3.c.iv. The Future Coming of the Avatar
THE COMING AVATAR
"From the zenith to the nadir, from dawn to fall of
night, from the emergence into being of all that is or
may be to the passing into peace of all that hath
achieved, gleameth the orb of blue and the inner radiant
fire.
From the gates of gold down to the pit of earth, out
from the flaming fire down to the circle of gloom, rideth
the secret Avatar, bearing the sword that pierceth.
Naught can arrest His approach, and none may say Him
nay. To the darkness of our sphere He rideth alone, and
on His approach is seen the uttermost disaster, and the
chaos of that which seeketh to withstand. [748]
The Asuras veil their faces, and the pit of maya
reeleth to the foundation. The stars of the eternal Lhas
vibrate to that sound, – the WORD uttered with sevenfold
intensity.
Greater the chaos becometh; the major center with all
the seven circulating spheres rock with the echoes of
disintegration. The fumes of utter blackness mount
upwards in dissipation. The noise discordant of the
warring elements greets the oncoming One, and deters Him
not. The strife and cries of the fourth great Hierarchy,
blending with the softer note of the Builders of the
fifth and sixth, meet His approach. Yet He passeth on His
way, sweeping the circle of the spheres, and sounding
forth the WORD.
* * *
From the nadir to the zenith, from eve unto the
Day be with us, from the circle of manifestation to the
center of pralayic peace, is seen the enveloping blue,
lost in the flame of achievement.
Up from the pit of maya back to the portals of gold,
forth from the gloom and darkness back to the splendor of
day, rideth the Manifested One, the Avatar, bearing the
shattered Cross.
Naught can arrest His return, none can impede His
Path, for He passeth along the upper way, bearing His
people with Him. Cometh the dissolution of pain, cometh
the end of strife, cometh the merging of the spheres and
the blending of the hierarchies. All then is reabsorbed
within the orb, the circle of manifestation. The forms
that exist in maya, and the flame that devoureth all, are
garnered by the One Who rideth the Heavens and entereth
into the timeless Aeon."
(From the Archives of the Lodge.)
We have touched upon the subject of Avatars
and the various classes into which they might be divided.
We might now enlarge somewhat more upon the methods. The
methods whereby certain cosmic Existences and certain
highly evolved Entities appear among men to do a specific
work might be very inadequately, and cursorily summarized,
as follows:
- The method of over-shadowing.
- The method of embodying some principle. [749]
- The method seen in the mystery of the Bodhisattva, or
the Christ.
- The method of direct incarnation.
The handicap of words is great, and the above phrases
but convey a hint as to the true meaning. Therein lies
safety for the student, for the real significance would be
incomprehensible to him, and would but mislead him and
guide him along the path of misunderstanding. Until a man
is a pledged initiate, he cannot comprehend the matter. Of
these, the most ordinary method is the first. All these
methods of manifestation will perhaps be better understood
by the student if he
interprets them always in terms of
force and energy, and if he notes that dim reflections
of the same processes, and faint analogies can be traced
among the reincarnating jivas. When a man has reached a
certain development and can be of service to the world,
cases occur when he is
over-shadowed by a great
adept, or – as in the case of H. P. B.- by One greater than
an adept. A chela can be a center through which his master
can pour His energy and force for the helping of the world,
and in certain important crises men have been over-shadowed
by more than one of the Great Ones.
250 [750]
250
Discipleship or Chelaship ...The ancient mysteries were
but a school of spiritual training and perfection in true
wisdom; that the preliminary qualification was the
purification of the heart from all sensual passions and
false preconceptions; that, while the hand of the Master
might lead the neophyte through the dangers of the stage
where, like the infant, he could not walk alone, he was
obliged, in the higher paths, to learn to guide and guard
himself, as the adult man has to do in ordinary life;
that the ultimate goal was the expansion of the self into
infinite existence and potentialities; and, lastly, that,
however the initial forms and ceremonies may have
differed in appearance, an identical aim was in view.
-
The Theosophist, Vol. IX, p. 246.
The pure heart and clean mind alone permit one to attain
salvation. This was his doctrine. So, likewise, is it
taught in the Aryan Mahabharata (Sec. CXCIX. Vana Parva)
which says: "Those high souled persons that do not commit
sins in word, deed, heart and soul, are said to undergo
ascetic austerities, and not that they suffer their
bodies to be wasted by fasts and penances. He that hath
no feeling of kindness for relatives cannot be free from
sin, even if his body be pure. That hard-heartedness of
his is the enemy of his asceticism. Asceticism, again, is
not mere abstinence from the pleasures of the world. He
that is always pure and decked with virtues, he that
practices kindness all his life, is a Muni, even though
he lead a domestic life."
-
The Theosophist, Vol. XIII, p. 259.
What occurs on lower planes is but a reflection of higher
processes, and in this thought may lie illumination. A man
is a force center, either for his Ego, when sufficiently
evolved, or, via his Ego, of his group force; when very
highly developed he can consciously be over-shadowed by an
exponent of a different type of force, which blends with
his group, or Ray, force, and produces significant results
in his life on earth.
Again when an Ego is highly evolved he may choose during
any particular incarnation to work paramountly through any
one principle among the lower four; when this is the case
the man's life on earth is significantly that of an
embodied principle. He seems to strike one note and
to sound out one tone. His work is clearly to be seen along
one line. He is a fanatic of high degree, but accomplishes
big things for his subrace, even though the physical brain
may not be consciously aware of the egoic impulse. This
process has a curious relation to the obscuration, or
fading out, of the personality, for the particular
principle embodied works through a corresponding permanent
atom, and its spirillae become over-rapidly developed, and
hence their term of service wears to a close. This is a
fact which is nevertheless taken advantage of when a
superman, or great adept, becomes the embodiment (during a
root-race) of a principle; the vestures or sheaths of which
the permanent atom is the nucleus (through the innate
strength of the developed spirillae) are preserved by the
aid of mantric formulas. The vibration is perpetuated for a
specific length of time, and for as long as the vesture or
sheath may be required. A hint is here conveyed which may
be of service.
Again, when a man has become a disciple he may, if he so
wish, remain upon the astral plane and work there, and – at
his pleasure, and under the adjustment of karma by [751]
his Guru – he may take immediate physical birth. A hint as
to the mystery of the Bodhisattva may be found in
these two thoughts, provided the student transfers the
whole concept to the etheric levels of the cosmic physical
plane, and remembers that on these levels the adept works
altogether as a part of a group, and not as a separated
Identity, as does the ego in the three worlds.
Therefore, the energy pouring through Him may be:
- That of a particular center in the body of the
planetary Logos in its total force.
- That of a particular set of vibrations within that
center, or a part of its vibratory force.
- That of the energy of a particular principle, either
one of His own higher principles which He is seeking to
bring to bear upon the earth, by taking incarnation for
that specific purpose, or the energy of one of the
planetary logoic principles, as it pours through Him via
a particular spirilla or life current in the permanent
atom of the planetary Logos.
When these types of force are centralized in any
particular adept, and He is expressing simply that
extraneous force and nothing else, the effect is shown on
the physical plane in the appearance of an avatar.
An
avatar is, but an adept is made, but frequently the
force, energy, purpose or will of a cosmic Entity, will
utilize the vehicles of an adept in order to contact the
physical planes. This method whereby cosmic Existences make
Their power felt can be seen working out on all the planes
of the cosmic physical plane. A striking instance of this
can be seen in the case of the Kumaras, Who, under certain
planetary forces, and through the formation of a systemic
triangle, gave the impulse to the third kingdom which
produced the fourth by bringing it into conjunction with
the fifth. These Kumaras, Sanat Kumara and [752] His three
pupils, having achieved the highest initiation possible in
the last great cycle, but having as yet (from Their
standpoint) another step to take, offered Themselves to the
planetary Logos of Their Ray as "focal points" for His
force, so that thereby He might hasten and perfect His
plans on Earth within the cycle of manifestation. They have
demonstrated three out of the four methods. They are
over-shadowed by the planetary Logos, and He works
directly as the Initiator (in relation to man) through
Sanat Kumara, and with the three kingdoms in nature through
the three Buddhas of Activity, – Sanat Kumara, being thus
concerned directly with the ego on the mental plane, and
His three Pupils being concerned with the other three types
of consciousness, of which man is the summation. At the
moment of initiation (after the second Initiation) Sanat
Kumara becomes the direct mouthpiece and agent of the
Planetary Logos. That great Entity speaks through Him and
for one brief second (if one can use such a term in
connection with a plane whereon time, as we understand it,
is not) the planetary Logos of a man's Ray consciously –
via His etheric brain – turns His thought upon the
Initiate, and "calls him by His Name."
Again the Kumaras are embodied principles, but in
this connection we must remember that this means that the
force and energy of one of the principles of the Logos are
pouring through Them via that which – to Them – corresponds
to the Monad. Through Them, during Their period of
incarnation and voluntary sacrifice, the great Prototype of
the planetary Logos begins to make His Presence felt, and
force from the constellation of the, Great Bear faintly
vibrates on earth. At initiation, man, becomes aware
consciously of the Presence of the planetary Logos through
self-induced contact with his own divine Spirit. At the
fifth Initiation he becomes aware of the full extent of
this planetary group influence, and [753] of his part in
the great whole. At the sixth and seventh Initiations the
influence of the planetary Prototype is sensed, reaching
him via the planetary Logos working through the Initiator.
The method of direct incarnation was earlier seen
when the Kumaras were in physical form. This only applied
to some of Them; Sanat Kumara and His Pupils are in
physical form, but have not taken dense physical bodies.
They work on the vital etheric levels, and dwell in etheric
bodies. Shamballa, where They dwell, exists in physical
matter as do the Kumaras, but it is matter of the higher
ethers of the physical plane, and only when man has
developed etheric vision will the mystery lying beyond the
Himalayas be revealed. Therefore, Sanat Kumara is the
planetary Logos yet He is not. A reflection of this
method of direct incarnation can be seen when a disciple
steps out of his body and permits his Guru, or a more
advanced chela, to use it.
The mystery of the Bodhisattvas (S. D., I. 82, 83.) has
been touched upon by H. P. B. and until students have
assimilated and studied what she has said, there is no more
to add. Apprehension of truth is ever the factor that calls
for fresh revelation.
A very interesting period will come about the year 1966 and
persist to the end of the century. It is one for which the
Great Ones are already making due preparation. It concerns
a centennial effort of the Lodge and of the Personages
taking part therein. Each century sees a centennial effort
of the Lodge along a particular line of force made to
forward the ends of evolution, and the effort for the
twentieth century will be upon a larger scale than has been
the case for a very long time, and will involve a number of
Great Ones. In a similar effort during the nineteenth
century, H. P. B. was concerned, and a fairly large number
of chelas. In the effort immediately ahead, [754] several
of the Great Ones are concerned and the Master of the
Masters Himself; in Their "forthcoming" for work three out
of the various methods of appearing mentioned earlier will
be seen in full activity, and it is on these three that we
might now touch.
In the appearing of the Bodhisattva Himself, the
mystery
of the Bodhisattva will be seen in its fullest sense,
and it is not for us here to enlarge upon it. Suffice it to
say that the vestures of the GREAT ONE will be used, but
time will show whether the coming Lord will clothe upon
those vestures a physical vehicle at this particular
juncture, or whether the astral plane may not be the field
of His activity. If the student ponders upon the
consequences entailed in the appropriation of this vesture,
much light upon probable happenings will be thrown. The
vestures act in a dual capacity:
- They are very highly magnetized, and therefore have a
profound and far-reaching effect when utilized.
- They act as a focal point for the force of the Lord
Buddha and link up the coming Lord with Him, enabling Him
to increase His Own stupendous resources by drawing upon
still higher force centers, via the Lord Buddha.
This force will find its expression upon the astral
plane, producing vast results of a quieting nature and
bringing, by reflex action, peace on earth. The
transmutation of desire into aspiration, and the
transformation of low desire into high desire, will be some
of the effects, while the result of the force flowing
through will produce profound reactions of the deva
denizens of that plane. Through the vibration thus set up
will come the possibility of many (who would otherwise not
do so) taking the first initiation. Later, towards the end
of the greater cycle, the coming Avatar will again employ
the vestures [755] with all that is entailed thereby, and
will take a physical body, thus demonstrating on the
physical plane the force of the Logos in the administration
of the Law. When He comes at the close of this century and
makes His power felt, He will come as the Teacher of Love
and Unity, and the keynote He will strike will be
regeneration through love poured forth on all. As He will
work primarily on the astral plane, this will demonstrate
on the physical plane in the formation of active groups in
every city of any size, and in every country, which will
work aggressively for unity, cooperation and brotherhood in
every department of life – economic, religious, social and
scientific.
These groups will achieve results now impossible, owing to
the retention of buddhic force, but later this force will
be set loose on earth via the medium of the Great Lord,
operating as an aspect of the Logos, and as a focal point
for the consciousness and energy of the Buddha.
It is this impending probability which is held in mind
during the century at the annual recurrence of the Wesak
festival. Students would do well to further the ends of the
occult Hierarchy by a similar concentration at the time of
the festival, thus setting up currents of thought which
will have a great appeal in the occult sense of that term.
Indication of the nearing of this event will be seen in the
reaction which will be set up during the next twenty-five
years against crime, sovietism, and the extreme radicalism
which is now being made use of by certain powers to achieve
ends contrary to the plans of the Lord. The era of peace
will be ushered in by a gathering together on earth of the
forces which stand for construction, and development, and
by a conscious deliberate banding together of groups in
every land who embody the principle (as far as they can
vision it) of Brotherhood. Watch [756] the signs of the
times, and be not discouraged over the immediate future.
The appearance of the Great Lord on the astral plane
(whether followed by His physical incarnation or not) will
date from a certain Wesak festival at which a mantram
(known only to those attaining the seventh Initiation) will
be pronounced by the Buddha, thus setting loose force, and
enabling His great Brother to fulfil his mission. Hence the
gradual recognition of the Wesak festival, and its true
significance in the occident is desirable, and opportunity
will be offered to all who are willing to place themselves
in the line of this force, and thus become vitalized by it,
and consequently available for service. The reaction
mentioned above, will also become possible through the
pressure brought to bear by the present children, many of
whom are chelas and some initiates. They have come in to
prepare the way for the coming of His Feet.
When the hour strikes (five years prior to the date of His
descent) they will be in the full flower of their service
and will have recognized their work, even though they may
not be conscious of that which the future holds hid.
When the hour has come (and already a few cases are to be
found), many cases of
over-shadowing will be seen
and will demonstrate in a threefold manner. In all
countries, in the orient and the occident, prepared
disciples and highly evolved men and women, will be found
who will be doing the work along the lines intended, and
who will be occupying places of prominence which will make
them available for the reaching of the many; their bodies
also will be sufficiently pure to permit of the
over-shadowing. It will only be possible in the case of
those who have been consecrated since childhood, who have
been servers of the race all their lives, or who, in
previous lives, have acquired the right by karma. This
threefold over-shadowing will manifest as:
- First. An impression upon the physical
brain of the [757] man or woman, of thoughts, plans for
work, ideals and intentions which (emanating from the
Avatar) will yet be unrecognized by him as being other
than his own; he will proceed to put them into action,
unconsciously helped by the force flowing in. This is
literally a form of higher mental telepathy working out
on physical levels.
- Second. The over-shadowing of the chela
during his work (such as lecturing, writing, or
teaching), and his illumination for service. He will be
conscious of this, though perhaps unable to explain it,
and will seek more and more to be available for use,
rendering himself up in utter selflessness to the
inspiration of His Lord. This is effected via the chela's
Ego, the force flowing through his astral permanent atom;
and it is only possible when the fifth petal is
unfolded.
- Third. The conscious cooperation of the
chela is necessitated in the third method of
over-shadowing. In this case he will (with full knowledge
of the laws of his being and nature) surrender himself
and step out of his physical body, handing it over for
the use of the Great Lord or one of His Masters. This is
only possible in the case of a chela who has brought all
the three lower bodies into alignment, and necessitates
the unfolding of the sixth petal. By an act of conscious
will he renders up his body, and stands aside for a
specific length of time.
These methods of over-shadowing will be largely the
ones used by the Great Lord and His Masters at the end of
the century, and for this reason They are sending into
incarnation, in every country, disciples who have the
opportunity offered them to respond to the need of
humanity. Hence the need of training men and women to
recognize the higher psychism, and the true inspiration and
mediumship, and to do this scientifically. In fifty years
time, the need for true psychics and conscious mediums
(such as H. P. B., for instance) will be very great [758]
if the Master's plans are to be carried to fruition, and
the movement must be set on foot in preparation for the
coming of Him for Whom all nations wait. In this work many
have their share, provided they demonstrate the necessary
endurance.
Naturally, the first group will be the largest, for it does
not necessitate so much knowledge, but more risk is
entailed with them than with the others – the risk of a
perversion of the plans, and of disaster to the unit
involved. The second group will be less numerous, and the
last group will involve only a handful, or two or three in
certain countries. In this case, it will be verily true
that, through sacrifice, the Son of Man will again tread
the highways of men, and His physical incarnation be a
fact. Very few will be thus available for His use, as the
force He carries requires a peculiarly resilient
instrument, but due preparation is being made.
Again the method of
direct incarnation will be
employed by certain of the Masters and initiates through
the process of:
- Physical birth.
- Appropriation of a suitable vehicle, or body.
- Direct creation by an act of will. This will be
rare.
The second, or middle, method will be the one most
frequently employed. Six of the Masters, as yet quite
unknown to the average occult student by name, have already
sought physical incarnation – one in India, another in
England, two in northern America, and one in central
Europe, whilst another has made a great sacrifice, and
taken a Russian body in the desire to act as a peace center
in that distracted land. Certain initiates of the third
Initiation have taken feminine bodies, – one in India will
in due time do much toward the emancipation of the women of
India, whilst another has a peculiar work to do in
connection with the animal kingdom which likewise is
awaiting the day of His appearing. [759]
The Master Jesus will take a physical vehicle, and with
certain of His chelas effect a respiritualization of the
Catholic churches, breaking down the barrier separating the
Episcopal and Greek churches from the Roman. This may be
looked for, should plans progress as hoped, about the year
1980. The Master Hilarion will also come forth, and become
a focal point of buddhic energy in the vast spiritualistic
movement, whilst another Master is working with the
Christian Science endeavor in an effort to swing it on to
sounder lines. It is interesting to note that those
movements which have laid the emphasis so strongly on the
heart or love aspect, may respond more rapidly to the
inflow of force at the Coming than other movements which
consider themselves very advanced. The "mind may slay" the
recognition of the Real, and hatred between brothers swing
the tide of love-force away. The three Masters so closely
allied with the theosophical movement are already making
Their preparations, and will also move among men,
recognized by Their Own and by those who have eyes to see.
To those of Their chelas on earth who undergo the necessary
discipline, opportunity will be offered to work on the
astral plane and, should they so choose, an immediate
incarnation, provided they have achieved continuity of
consciousness. He Who is known as D. K. is planning to
restore – via His students – some of the old and occult
methods of healing and to demonstrate:
- The place of the etheric body.
- The effect of pranic force.
- The opening up of etheric vision.
It is not permissible to say more in connection with
the plans of the Great Ones. Their appearing will not be
simultaneous in time, for the people could not stand the
tremendously increased inflow of force, and recognition of
Them and of Their methods will depend upon the intuition,
[760] and the training of the inner senses. They come with
no herald, and only Their works will proclaim Them.
D.II.3.c.v. Impulse and Incarnation
Perhaps light upon this very difficult question of the
incarnating jivas, of adepts and of avatars may come if the
student remembers that:
- An ordinary man demonstrates the third aspect
of intelligent activity in his personality life, and is
evolving consciously the second aspect, or the egoic
manifestation on the physical plane.
- An adept in incarnation is demonstrating fully
the second aspect as well as the third, and in his own
internal life is in process of evolving the first aspect,
or is endeavoring to bring through the monadic life into
conscious activity on the buddhic plane.
-
An avatar demonstrates one of two things,
according to his peculiar karma:
- The pure light of the Monad, brought
through by means of the perfected Ego and personality
on to the physical plane. The line of force extends
straight through from monadic levels to the
physical.
- The light of the Logos Himself in one or
other aspect, this being transmitted consciously via
the Monad straight through to the physical plane from
the planetary Logos, or even from the solar Logos
Himself.
In the first two cases, desire for sentient existence,
or desire for service to humanity, are the factors which
produce physical manifestation (one through the force of
evolution itself, the other through a conscious act of the
will). Desire for sentient existence is but the latent
second aspect seeking expression by means of the Not-Self,
and in the other case the manifested second aspect
consciously utilizes form as a means to an end. In the case
[761] of all avatars it is the will aspect which is brought
into play, and which produces appearance – either the will
of the perfected adept, such as the Buddha Himself, or (as
in the case of the true Avatar, Who is, and Who has not
achieved) the will of the planetary Logos or of the solar
Logos, taking form for a specific purpose. It involves a
higher display of the creative faculty than that displayed
by the Adept in the creation of His body of manifestation,
the Mayavirupa.
252 The terms "appropriation of a
physical body" and "creation of a physical body" must be
extended to include all the planes of the solar system, and
not just our physical plane, the seventh subplane of the
cosmic physical.
252 The Mayavirupa is literally the
illusory form; it is the body of temporary manifestation
which the Adept creates on occasion through the power of
the will and in which He functions in order to make certain
contacts on the physical plane and to engage in certain
work for the race.
The causes which combine to produce incarnation, are seen
to be three:
- Egoic impulse.
- The activity of the solar and lunar Angels.
- Karma, or the place which antecedent action plays in
producing manifestation.
We can hardly dissociate them in the consideration of
our subject owing to the innate constitution of the egoic
body itself and the factor the indwelling consciousness
plays in producing appearance through an act of will. Let
us briefly, therefore, reconsider what we have learned
anent the egoic body and its constitution, and then take up
the steps followed by the Ego in producing results in the
three worlds.
We have seen that on the third level of the mental plane,
the egoic lotus is found and the student should picture it
to himself as follows:
Concealed at the very center or heart of the lotus is a
brilliant point of electric fire of a blue-white hue (the
[762] jewel in the lotus) surrounded, and completely
hidden, by three closely folded petals. Around this central
nucleus, or inner flame, are arranged the nine petals in
circles of three petals each, making three circles in all.
These petals are formed out of the substance of the solar
angels, as are the central three, – substance which is not
only sentient as is the substance of the forms in the three
worlds and the lunar bodies, but which has an added quality
of "I-ness" or of self-consciousness, enabling the
spiritual unity at the center (by means of it) to acquire
knowledge, awareness, and self-realization. These nine
petals are of a predominant orange hue, though the six
other colors are found as secondary colors in a varying
degree. The inner three petals are of a lovely lemon-yellow
hue. At the base of the lotus petals are the three points
of light which mark the position of the permanent atoms,
and which are the medium of communication between the solar
Angels and the lunar Pitris. By means of these permanent
atoms the Ego, according to its state of evolution can
construct his lunar bodies, acquire knowledge on the lower
three planes, and thus buy his experience, and becomes
aware. On a higher turn of the spiral, the Monad
through the egoic petals, and thus with the aid of the
solar Angels, acquires knowledge and equally on more
exalted levels becomes aware.
The light within these permanent atoms has a dull red glow
and we have, therefore, all the three fires demonstrating
in the causal body – electric fire at the center,
solar fire enclosing it as the flame encloses the
central nucleus or essence in a candle flame, and fire
by friction, this latter fire resembling the glowing
red wick which lies at the base of the higher flame.
These three types of fire on the mental plane – meeting and
unified in the egoic body – produce in time a radiation or
warmth which streams out from all sides of the lotus, and
forms that spheroidal shape noted by investigators. [763]
The more fully developed the Ego may be, and the more the
petals are unfolded, the greater the beauty of the
surrounding sphere, and the more refined its coloring.
At the early stages after individualization, the egoic body
has the appearance of a bud. The electric fire at the
center is not apparent, and all the nine petals are closed
down upon the inner three; the orange color has a dead
aspect and the three points of light at the base are just
points and nothing more; the triangle which is later seen
connecting the points is not demonstrated. The surrounding
sphere is colorless and is only to be appreciated as
undulatory vibrations (like waves in the air or ether)
reaching barely beyond the petal outline.
By the time the third Initiation is reached, a wondrous
transformation has transpired. The outer sphere is
palpitating with every color in the rainbow, and is of wide
radius; the streams of electrical energy circulating in it
are so powerful that they are escaping beyond the periphery
of the circle, resembling the rays of the sun. The nine
petals are fully unfolded, forming a gracious setting for
the central jewel, and their orange hue is now of a
gorgeous translucence, shot with many colors, that of the
egoic ray predominating. The triangle at the base is now
quickened and scintillating, and the three points are small
blazing fires, showing to the eye of the clairvoyant as
sevenfold whorls of light, circulating their light from
point to point of a rapidly moving triangle.
By the time the fourth Initiation is reached, the activity
of this triangle is so great that it looks more like a
wheel in rapid revolution. It has a fourth dimensional
aspect. The three petals at the center are opening up,
revealing the "blazing jewel." At this initiation, through
the action of the Hierophant wielding the electric Rod of
Power, the three fires are suddenly stimulated by a
downflow of electric, or positive force, from the [764]
Monad, and their blazing out in response produces that
merging which destroys the entire sphere, dissipates all
appearance of form, and produces a moment of equilibrium,
or of suspension, in which the "elements are consumed with
fervent heat." The moment of highest radiation is known.
Then – through the pronouncement of a certain Word of Power
– the great solar Angels gather back into themselves the
solar fire, thus producing the final dissipation of the
form, and hence the separation of the life from the form;
the fire of matter returns to the general reservoir, and
the permanent atoms and the causal body are no more. The
central electric fire becomes centralized in atma-buddhi.
The Thinker or spiritual entity stands free of the three
worlds, and functions consciously on the buddhic plane.
Between these two stages of quiescent (though
self-conscious) inertia and of that radiant activity which
produces a balancing of forces, is a long series of lives.
In our consideration of the subject of the reincarnating
jivas, we have touched upon three subjects:
- Avatars, with the intent of disposing of the
confusion in the minds of students as to certain types of
appearances. In our present study we shall deal only with
the process followed by ordinary men.
- Pralayas, with the intent of arousing in the
mind of the student the idea of interludes of quiescence
dependent upon the intervening periods of activity.
- The appearance of the body egoic and its
general conformation, with the intent of awakening the
realization of the student to the fact that evolution
affects that body also, and not only man's forms in the
three worlds. The effects of the process are
interdependent, and as the lower self develops, or the
personality becomes more active and intelligent, results
are produced in the higher body. As these effects are
cumulative, and not ephemeral [765] as are the lower
results, the egoic body becomes equally more active and
its manifestation of energy is increased. Towards the
close of the evolutionary period in the three worlds a
constant interchange of energy is seen to be taking
place; the lower forms become irradiated with light, and
reflect the higher radiance; the egoic body is the Sun of
the lower system, and its bodies reflect its rays, as the
moon reflects the light of the solar sun. Similarly the
egoic Sun, – through the interaction – shines with ever
greater intensity and glory. On the higher levels a
similar interaction takes place for a brief period
between the Monad and its reflection the Ego, but only in
the coming solar system will this interaction be carried
to its logical conclusion.
Having, therefore, very briefly dealt with these three
topics, we can now proceed to consider the process followed
by the Ego when seeking manifestation in the three worlds.
Let us endeavor in our thoughts to interpret all these
processes in terms of energy and of force. The old
Commentary says:
When the Spark is touched to the four wicks, and when
spiritual Fire in its threefold essence meets with that
which is combustible, the Flame bursts forth. Faint the
flicker at the first appearing, and near to death it
seems, but the wicks smolder and glow, and the heat is
retained. This is cycle the first, and is called that of
the glowing wheel.
The flicker grows into a tiny flame and the four wicks
burn, but are not consumed, for the heat does not
suffice. The light of these three fires is yet so small
that the cave is not illumined. Nevertheless, the flame
and the essential heat can be felt by the One Who
approaches and watches. This is the second cycle, and is
called that of the warming wheel.
The tiny flame becomes a lighted lamp. The fire flares
up, but much smoke is there, for the wicks are burning
fast, and the heat suffices for their quick destruction.
The lamp, set in the midst of darkness, makes the thick
blackness manifest itself; the light and warmth are felt.
This, the third cycle, is called that of the
lighted wheel. [766]
The four wicks and the flame appear as one, and nearly
all the smoke is gone, for flame is mostly seen. The cave
itself is lighted up, though the lamp is yet apparent.
Cycle the fourth is called the hour of the flaming
wheel.
The final cycle comes when even the lamp itself is
burned, destroyed through the intensity of heat. The One
Who watches, seeing the work accomplished, fans the
central point of fire and produces a sudden flaming. The
wicks are naught – the flame is all. This, so the Sacred
Science says, is called the cycle of the wheel
consumed.
Here in the arcane symbology is hid (in terms of energy and
of radiant activity) the whole secret of egoic energy, and
of impulse making its presence felt in the substance of the
lower planes; the student should interpret the above
sentences both macrocosmically and microcosmically. In all
manifestation, the originating impulse comes from the first
aspect which is hidden at the heart of the egoic lotus, but
this hidden Identity works under law, and in the earlier
stages (the first three cycles) the process goes on under
the Law of Economy, which is the law of substance itself;
in the final two cycles this law becomes merged (though not
superseded, being still potent) with the Law of Attraction,
which is the fundamental law of the divine Self. It is the
failure to realize this which has resulted in the confusion
existing in the minds of many metaphysicians as to which
demonstrated first, desire or will, and as to the
distinction between them, between impulse and purpose, and
between instinct and intention. In the earlier stages man
reincarnates under the Law of Economy, and though the will
aspect lies back of the process, yet for a long time it is
the pull of sensation and its reflex in consciousness,
desire, which produces rebirth. Sensation, being a quality
in matter or substance, the Self in the beginning
identifies Itself with sensation. Later, when the Self is
beginning to, identify Itself with Itself, and to recognize
the nature of the Not-Self, the Law of Attraction and
Repulsion [767] becomes more active, and conscious will and
purpose are displayed. Here it should be remembered that a
profound difference in time and space exists between the
Logos, or Macrocosm, and Man, the Microcosm. Average man
comes into incarnation through egoic impulse, based on
desire and on the relation of the second aspect to the
third aspect or of the Self to the Not-Self. He will
eventually bring about (through evolution) the revelation
of the first aspect, and then egoic impulse (based on
conscious mental apprehension of the purpose in view) will
be the dominant factor, and will demonstrate through a
definite will to act. In connection with the Logos, the
first stage has been left far behind, and logoic
manifestation is based on will and purpose and on conscious
intelligent activity. The reason for this is that the
Logos, and the planetary Logoi likewise, are on the path of
cosmic initiation. Therefore, though the originating
impulse comes from the central point, it is not at first
apparent. At the moment of individualization, the dim
outline of a form such as earlier described has made its
appearance on mental levels, and (which is a point not as
yet recognized by students) it becomes apparent that a
period on mental levels has transpired given over to a
preparation for the imminent event. Through the activity of
the solar Angels the twelve petals have gradually taken
form, as the point of electric fire at the heart has begun
to make itself felt even though not as yet localized. Then
the first three petals take shape, and close down upon the
vibrant point, or "jewel" under the potency of the Law of
Attraction. One by one the nine other petals take shape as
the vibrations begin to affect solar substance, the three
types of petals being each under the influence of one or
other of the major Rays; these, in their turn, come under
the influence of force from cosmic centers. [768]
As earlier said, these petals form a bud, each being
closely folded. Only faint vibrations are to be seen
pulsating in the bud, just enough to testify to its being a
living organism. Shadowy and dim can the ring-pass-not be
seen, the encircling limit of the activity of the coming
Consciousness. It is an ovoid or sphere, and very small as
yet. This process of forming the egoic lotus has gone on
silently from the moment that the lower animal man, or the
lower four principles, had reached a point where the energy
(generated by him) could begin to make itself felt on
mental levels. When the fire of the lower prepared sheaths
(the threefold fire of substance itself) becomes
radioactive, this nebulous appearance on the third subplane
of the mental plane begins to be organized, as the result
of the downward pull of the higher by the lower, and as the
response of the Spirit aspect to the radiations, or
attraction, of matter. But individualization as we
understand it is not yet effected. This process of
radioactivity on the part of the lower, and of a downflow
of energy from the higher, covers a long period wherein the
solar Angels are working on Their Own plane and the lower
Pitris are also working on theirs; one group is producing
the nucleus of the egoic body, and the other the receptacle
for the life of God, or the Monad in the three worlds.
Then comes a set time in the life of the planetary Logos
wherein His centers become active in a particular manner;
this is coincident with the incarnation of the Monads, and
their descent into the three worlds. A systemic triangle is
formed (for ever the three produce the seven), and through
this setting loose of threefold energy, the work of the
solar and lunar Pitris is coordinated, and the three
permanent atoms are appropriated by the jiva concerned, and
appear at the base of the egoic lotus. Individualization
has taken place and the work of at-one-ment is completed;
the fourth kingdom [769] in nature is a "fait accompli;"
the Monad has clothed itself in material sheaths, and the
self conscious unit appears on the physical plane. If all
that H. P. B. has to say anent the first three rounds of
our Earth scheme is read as dealing with the period of
condensation of the causal body upon the mental level, and
as covering the time leading up to the appearance in the
fourth round of man as we now have him, some light may be
thrown upon this difficult matter.
The egoic lotuses can be seen grouped together, and each of
them forms part of a group. These groups in their turn form
part of a vaster lotus which embodies the consciousness of
a still greater Entity whose "jewel" may be found on the
second subplane. All these in their turn may be divided
into seven fundamental groups. These seven groups or
aggregates of egoic lotuses form the seven types of
consciousness of those Entities Who are the seven centers
of force for our own planetary Logos. These seven in their
turn will be synthesized on higher levels into the three
higher centers, till the entire energy and force which they
represent is gathered up, and absorbed by the center
corresponding to the highest head center of the planetary
Logos. Each Logos embodies one type of cosmic energy. Each
of His centers embodies this type of energy in one of its
seven differentiations. Each of these seven in turn
manifests through egoic groups, and these again are
composed of those points of energy we call Egos.
These multitudes of egoic groups form a radiant
interlocking whole, though all are diverse and differing,
both as to their point of development, and their secondary
coloring. Just as the petals in the egoic lotus of the
incarnating jivas unfold in differing order and at
different periods, so the egoic groups also unfold
diversely as to time and sequence. This produces a
wonderful appearance. Again just as the Master can (by
[770] studying the group or larger lotus of which He is a
part), ascertain the condition of the human units who go to
its constitution, so the planetary Logos can ascertain
through conscious identification (note the term) the
condition of the various groups through whom His work must
be accomplished.
It will now be apparent to the student that the appearance
of the incarnating jivas on the physical plane will be
governed by three things:
- First of all, on impulse based on the will-purpose of
the Life animating the aggregate of groups on any subray,
or one of the seven larger groups.
- Second, on impulse based on the will, tinged by
desire, of the Life animating a man's egoic group.
- Third, on impulse, based on the desire of the Ego for
physical plane manifestation.
As identification of a man with his group becomes
matured the desire impulse becomes modified until it is
eventually superseded by group will. If these facts are
pondered upon it will be apparent that Egos come into
incarnation therefore not singly but according to group
urge, and thus collectively. This is the basis of
collective karma, and of family karma. The individual urge,
which is, of course, a reaction to group urge, is the
result of personal karma. Hence, though we may by these
reflections, have thrown some light upon this question of
reincarnation, we have nevertheless said much to increase
the magnitude of the question, and its complexity. Average
man is confined to the use of the physical brain, and is,
therefore, unable to think in group terms.
This egoic impulse in any group or any group unit makes
itself felt as a pulsation, or access of energy, emanating
from the central point. This central activity is produced
by the action of the planetary Logos working through the
groups in His centers, and according to the [771] center
under stimulation so will the groups concerned be affected.
Beyond mentioning this fact, we cannot enlarge, for the
subject is stupendous, and beyond a man's comprehension; it
is only necessary for him to appreciate his dependence in
this matter upon the planetary Logos.
From the group center, therefore, emanates an urge to
renewed activity, and this spreads throughout the
group
lotus until the units who respond to that particular
ray vibration occultly "awaken." All this time (as far as
the jivas are concerned) this aspect of force has been that
of the first aspect, and has passed from the central points
to other central points. The positive nuclei in each case
are affected by this flashing forth of electric fire, or
energy. Each point concerned responds by a primary
contraction followed by an outgoing or expansive display of
energy. Each Identity concerned proceeds to sound a WORD.
This sound expands into a mantram and the solar angels
vibrate in response. There is a point of interest to be
noted here.
- The first aspect works through a Word of Power.
- The second aspect works through mantric
combinations.
- The third aspect works through mathematical
formulas.
Having sounded the Word the first aspect, represented
by the electric fire at the center of the lotus, sinks back
into quiescence, and becomes an abstraction as far as the
self-conscious unit is concerned. The work has been begun,
the necessary vibration has been set up, and the whole
process then proceeds under law. The solar angels have
begun their activity, and until their work has reached a
very high stage, the Spirit aspect must become, in the
causal body, an analogy to the Silent Watcher. As the solar
Angels continue sounding out the mantram, which is the
basis of their work, the lunar Pitris respond [772] to
certain sounds in that mantram (not to all by any means at
first) and gather out of those sounds the formula under
which their work must proceed. So the Word is the basis of
the mantram, and the mantram is the basis of the formula.
At each incarnation, finer forms are required, and the
formulas therefore grow more complicated, and the sounds on
which they are based become more numerous. In time, the
formulas are completed, and the lunar Pitris respond no
more to the sounds or mantrams chanted on the mental plane.
This is indicative of the stage of perfection, and shows
that the three worlds have no more a downward pull for the
jiva concerned. Desire for lower manifestation and
experience has no more sway, and only conscious purpose is
left. Then, and only then, can the true Mayavirupa be
constructed; the Master then sounds the mantram for
Himself, and builds without formulas in the three
worlds. At the time too that man begins to tread the
Probationary Path, the mantrams of the solar Angels begin
to die down, and slowly (as the petals of the inner circle
open up) the true Word emerges until the three enshrining
petals burst open, and the central spark is revealed. Then
the Word is fully known, and mantrams and formulas have no
further use. Thus is the beauty of the scheme revealed.
When the planetary Logos is concerned, the Word sounded on
cosmic levels is being resolved into mantrams on the cosmic
etheric planes, for He is in a position to create
consciously on those levels; He works nevertheless through
formulas on the dense physical planes of His scheme, our
three worlds of endeavor.
To return to the reincarnating jivas: When the initiatory
impulse has been given, the vibration thrills through the
petals, and activity starts in those of them which respond
to the note of that Word. The solar Angels direct the
vibration, and the mantram for that particular [773] type
of Ego is begun. Finally the vibration reaches the mental
unit at the base of the lotus bud, and the lunar Pitris are
called into activity. They begin to work out their formulas
for the particular type of vehicle which is required.
D.II.3.c.vi. Activity of the Pitris
The joint activity of the solar and the lunar
Pitris253 in the process pursued by the
reincarnating Ego is our next subject of consideration. The
Ego, driven by desire for physical experience, has made the
initial move and a vibration, emanating from the center of
the lotus bud, has reached the lotus petals, and has
consequently vibrated in deva substance, or in [774] matter
vitalized by the Agnishvattas. As they are galvanized into
activity (according to the group affected) the vibration is
increased, and a dual sound is emitted. This dual sound is
the basis of the mantram upon which the Ego's cycle of
incarnation is founded. The vibration, pulsating through
the outer circle of petals (for the two inner circles and
the three central petals are not as yet responsive) arrives
at the triangle formed by the three permanent atoms, and
vivifies the three lower spirillae, causing a slight
response in the fourth, and leaving the higher three yet
dormant. In each round one of the spirillae has been
'created,' and in this fourth round (through the creation
of the fourth spirilla) the fourth or human kingdom can
come into being. The word 'creation' must be occultly
understood, and means the appearance in active
manifestation of some form of energy. Only in the next
round will the fifth spirilla be an active functioning unit
in a sense incomprehensible now.
253 The joint activity of solar and lunar
Pitris. – S. D., II, 258.
- "The spark hangs from the flame by the finest thread
of Fohat.
- The three-tongued flame that never dies –
Triad.
- The four wicks – Quaternary.
- The thread of Fohat – Thread of Life.
- It journeys through the seven worlds of maya.
- Macrocosmically – the seven planetary
schemes.
- Planetary – the seven chains of a scheme.
- Microcosmically – the seven globes of a
chain.
Note and meditate upon:
"...the divine Septenary hanging from the triad,
thus forming the Decad and its permutations. Seven,
five and three."
- It stops in the first, and is a metal and a stone; it
passes into the second and behold – a plant; the plant
whirls through seven forms and becomes a sacred animal."
– Compare S. D., I, 266.
Note the kabalistic aphorism: "A stone becomes a
plant; a plant, a beast; a beast, a man; a man, a
spirit; and the spirit, God." – S. D., I, 267.
- From the combined attributes of these, Manu, the
Thinker, is formed. - See S. D., II, 179, 187.
- Who forms him? The seven lives and the One Life. –
See S. D., II, 268.
The seven groups of lives who form the three lower
bodies. The lunar Pitris or fathers of the material
forms.
- Who completes him? The fivefold Lha.
Who unites the higher Spiritual Triad and the lower
self?
- The fivefold Gods of the intelligence.
- The fifth principle of mind.
- Who perfects the last body? Fish, sin, and soma.
- Fish, sin and soma collectively compose the three
symbols of the immortal being.
- Fish – symbol of the buddhic principle, the
manifested life on earth. Note the avatara of Vishnu.
The sign of Pisces, the fish. Jesus the fisher of
men.
- Sin – The fall of man, involution of Spirit.
- Soma – Moon. The work of lunar Pitris, providing
bodies.
Read stanza VII, 6, S. D., I, 285.
Students should bear in mind that this applies primarily to
the humanity individualized on this globe, and was also
equally true in the earlier chain; units, however, which
come into this fourth or Earth Chain from the earlier one,
are much ahead of earth's humanity, and their fifth
spirilla is awakening into organized activity in this
round. All in Nature overlaps.
When therefore this vibration from the central Will has
arrived at the atomic triangle it is an indication that the
entire lotus is turning its force downwards, and for
the period of manifestation the flow of egoic energy is
towards the lower, and consequently away from the higher.
There is at this stage very little turning of egoic energy
in the direction of the Monad, for it has not yet generated
enough force, and is not as yet radioactive towards the
Spirit aspect. Its activities are primarily internal and
self-centered for the greater part of the time, or are
directed towards arousing the permanent atoms, [775] and
not towards the unfolding of the petals. This should be
carefully borne in mind.
The work of the solar Angels is of a triple nature:
-
Directing the vibration towards the atomic
triangle. Here a very interesting fact must
be borne in mind. The three permanent atoms, or the
three points of the triangle, do not always hold the
same relative position as regards the center of the
lotus, but according to the stage of development so
will be the position of the atoms, and so will be the
apprehension of the inflowing force. In the earlier
stages, the physical permanent atom is the first to
receive the inflow, passing it through its system to
the astral permanent atom and the mental unit. This
force is circulated four times around the triangle
(this being the fourth round) until the mental unit is
again contacted and the energy becomes centralized in
the fourth spirilla of the mental unit. Then and only
then do the lunar Pitris begin their work, and commence
the coordination of the substance which will form the
mental sheath, next working with the astral body and
finally with the etheric body.
At a later stage in the evolution of man (the stage
wherein the average man is now) the astral permanent
atom is the first contacted, and the energy circulates
through it to the other two. At the stage of advanced
intellectual man, the mental unit takes the primary
place. In this case there is now the possibility of the
alignment of the three bodies which will later be an
accomplished fact. The fifth spirilla in the lower two
atoms increases its vibration. As we know, there are
only four spirillae in the mental unit and the moment
that that is in full activity, the coordination of the
antahkarana becomes a possibility. Changes are now
taking place in the egoic lotus, and the petals are
unfolding, that unfoldment being partially dependent
upon the vibration in the spirillae and their
awakening. [776]
The student should bear in mind the fact that as
soon as the mental unit has become the apex of the
atomic triangle a condition is brought about wherein
force in the future will enter the three atoms
simultaneously through the three unfolded petals of the
outer circle, and the man has therefore reached a very
definite stage in evolution. The direction of force,
and its application to the atoms is the work of the
solar Pitris. As evolution proceeds, their work in this
connection becomes more complex, for the petals are
unfolding, and the triangle is revolving more
rapidly.
-
Pronouncing the mantram which will make possible the
777 incarnations.
Each of the figures in this triplicity stands
for:
- A cycle of egoic, manifestation.
- A particular sound which will enable the Ego to
express some subray of this egoic ray.
- The three circles of petals which will unfold as
the result of incarnation.
- The particular group of manasadevas who form the
causal body of the Ego concerned.
The mantric sounds are therefore based on these
figures, and through the mantram (which grows in
volume, depth and number of sounds involved as time
elapses) the force is directed, the petals concerned
are stimulated into activity, and the lunar Pitris
become aware of the work to be done in preparation for
any incarnation.
-
Building into the causal body that which is required
for its completion.
In the early stages this work is comparatively small
but as the third stage of development is reached, and
the man is demonstrating character and ability, their
work is rapidly increased, and they are kept fully
occupied in the work of perfecting the egoic body, in
expanding the egoic consciousness, if metaphysical
terms are preferred. All [777] this is accomplished by
means of the material furnished by the lower self. When
that lower Personality becomes gradually radioactive,
these radiations are attracted to the positive ego, and
are absorbed into its nature through the activity of
the solar Angels.
These three activities are the main work of the solar
Pitris where man is concerned. Where the group, and not the
individual, is concerned, their work lies along the line of
adjusting the egoic units in their groups, and of making
them group conscious, but this is only possible towards the
final stages of evolution when the work of the highest
group of Agnishvattas is in order. The middle group who
form the nine petals are always the most active. They work
in connection with the lower group who are the direct
transmitters of energy to the atomic triangle, receiving it
from the middle group. More of their work it is not
possible to detail, for the work of the Agnishvattas is
vast and intricate, and differs also in the various schemes
in certain particulars. Those who are working in the
Uranus, the Neptune, and the Saturn scheme work somewhat
differently to those functioning in the Venus, the Vulcan,
the Mars, the Mercury, the Jupiter, the Earth and the
exoteric Saturn scheme, and so do the Manasadevas of the
inner round. We should note here that we again have a
triplicity of groups, representing a triplicity of force,
and herein lies a hint. In the central list of schemes the
middle and lower group of Agnishvattas are active. In the
others the higher group and middle group hold sway as these
planets are the most occult and sacred in manifestation,
and are concerned only with egos who are on the Path, and
who are therefore group-active. In connection with Uranus,
Neptune and Saturn, this might be expected as they are the
synthesizing planetary schemes, and provide conditions
suitable only for the very advanced stages. They are the
"reaping" planets. [778]
Much confusion in connection with Egos exists in the minds
of our students on account of their failure to realize that
(as H. P. B. has pointed out – S. D., I, 41, 83.) the
Secret Doctrine is primarily concerned with the
planetary scheme of our Earth, and has little to impart
anent the other schemes, and their methods of evolving
self-consciousness. The general procedure on the mental
levels is the same, but as each scheme embodies one
particular type of force, the peculiarity of that force
will color all its evolution, and the work of the
Agnishvattas will correspond. It is not possible to state
what is the peculiar coloring of the Ray which is embodied
in our scheme, as it is one of the most secret of the
mysteries revealed at initiation, but students must bear in
mind that in the fundamentals laid down here we are not
dealing specifically with our scheme.
A great deal has been said in modern occult literature
anent the process followed in the perfecting of those Egos
who choose to remain with the Hierarchy of our planet, and
their methods of development (through chelaship to
adeptship). But nothing practically has been imparted anent
the many egos who reach a certain high stage of evolution
in our scheme and who are then transferred to one of the
three synthesizing schemes, passing first to the scheme
which is the polar opposite to ours, and from thence to the
synthesizing scheme. They are numerically more than
those who remain within the Earth scheme. Whichever may
be the synthesizing scheme to which they are attracted, it
marks and indicates their start upon one of the three
cosmic paths. The work of the Manasadevas is carried on
throughout the entire system, and a constant circulation
transpires, and a constant transmission of energy, and of
force units embodying that energy, goes on throughout the
entire system. This transmission becomes possible in any
scheme when the [779] fourth or human kingdom becomes
radioactive; it really marks the setting in of the period
of obscuration. Venus is a case in point. Metaphysically
stated, it marks the point when the Logoi begin to
dissociate Themselves from Their dense physical bodies, or
from the three worlds of human endeavor.
The three groups of Agnishvattas concerned with the
evolution of man on the mental level have each a specific
function, as we have already seen, and the lowest of the
three deal primarily with the transmission of force or
energy to the three permanent atoms. In the dual sounding
of the egoic mantram by the lowest of the three groups
changes are brought about and the lunar Pitris (who concern
themselves with the lower three vehicles) enter upon their
work, the key being given to them by the solar Angels.
These lunar Pitris embody the substance of man's lower
bodies, just as the solar Pitris sacrifice themselves to
give him his egoic body, and his consciousness.
255,
256 They are substance in its dual aspect, and the
Lunar Pitris in their higher grades are the positive energy
of atomic substance, and in their lower are the negative
[780] aspect of the same substance. They might be
considered,
in connection with man, as triple in
their ranks:
- The highest group of all receives the energy from the
higher levels, and ensouls the spirillae of the three
permanent atoms.
- The second group, being the positive energy that
attracts, builds and forms the body of man on the three
planes.
- The lowest group are the negative aspect of energized
substance and the matter of the three sheaths.
255 The Ego is described thus in the
Secret
Doctrine: Each is a pillar of Light. Having chosen its
vehicle, it expanded, surrounding with an akashic aura the
human animal, with the Divine Principle settled within the
human form. – S. D., III, 494.
They are the Fire Dhyanis, and emanate from the Heart of
the Sun." – S. D., II, 96. Read the words of the Commentary
on S. D., II, 96.
They are the Sons of Fire and fashion inner man. – S.
D., II, 114
256 The solar Angels (Sons of Wisdom) are
entities seeking fuller consciousness. - S. D., II, 176,
177; II, 643.
- They had intellect through previous contact with
matter.
- They were incarnated under the law of Karma. – S. D.,
III, 517.
- They had to become all wise.
- Read carefully S. D., II, 243 note.
- These solar Angels are high intelligences. – S. D.,
II, 259.
- They are Nirmanakayas.257 – S. D., II,
266.
- They are the celestial yogis. – S. D., II, 257.
257 "Nirmanakaya" is a name made up of two
words which signify "having no body," and has no reference
whatever to moral qualities. It is a state of
consciousness. The great Teachers of Nirvanic spheres are
called by this name.
In connection with the solar system they embody the Brahma
aspect, being the product of earlier cycles wherein
conscious activity was achieved, but self-consciousness was
only arrived at by certain cosmic entities who passed
through conscious substance, and gave to it that
potentiality which will enable atomic substance – after
many kalpas – to develop self-consciousness. In connection
with a planet, they are called by a mysterious name which
may not be revealed, as it conceals the mystery of the
scheme which preceded ours, and of which ours is a
reproduction. There are Pitris who work in connection with
a planet, and with a solar system as well as those working
in connection with the human kingdom. They embody the
energy of substance as demonstrated in a system, a scheme
and a human cycle.
There are also in connection with our peculiar Earth
scheme, those lunar Pitris. who reached their present stage
of activity in the moon chain. They are deva groups but
(unlike the Agnishvattas) they have not passed through the
human stage; for them it has yet to be achieved, and their
present experience in connection with the human Hierarchy
has that end in view. It should be remembered that it is a
fundamental law in occult development that any life can
only give out that [781] which it has possessed, and
possession of the varying attributes of consciousness from
that of the atom up to the consciousness of a solar Logos,
is the result of long cycles of acquirement. The solar
Pitris, therefore, could give to man his consciousness; the
lunar Pitris could give to him the instinctual
consciousness of his vehicles. In their aggregate in all
the kingdoms of nature, on this planet and elsewhere, they
give to the planetary Logos and to the solar Logos the
sumtotal of the form consciousness of Their respective
bodies. This is the case in every scheme in the system, but
in the Earth chain a peculiar condition of affairs was
brought about through the planetary failure coincident with
the moon chain; this is the cause of the present balancing
of forces on this chain. The fourth chain in every scheme
sees the work of the solar Pitris in connection with man
begun. It sees also the Pitris of his sheaths in activity
through the impulse given by the solar Angels. The matter
of those sheaths has passed through three chains and three
rounds and is vibrant to a note which is tuned to the... To
word it otherwise, the third can be clearly sounded, and is
followed naturally by the fifth, or the dominant. The
simultaneous sounding of the third and the fifth, basing it
upon the planetary keynote, produces the effect of a
threefold chord, or a fourth tone, a complex sound. I am
here dealing with the chord of the human hierarchy as a
whole. Within the hierarchy there is again diversity, based
upon the hierarchical chord, and this produces the many
egoic chords and notes; these produce in their turn
objective manifestation.
We can now trace the progress of egoic energy as it passes
down from the abstract levels to the permanent atoms. On
each plane the work is threefold, and might be tabulated as
follows:
- The response within the permanent atom to the
vibration set up by the solar Pitris; to word it [782]
otherwise: the response of the highest group of lunar
Pitris to the chord of the Ego. This definitely affects
the spirillae of the atom, according to the stage of
evolution of the Ego concerned.
- The response of the substance to the atomic vibration
upon the particular plane involved. This concerns the
second group of Pitris, whose function it is to gather
together the substance attuned to any particular key, and
to aggregate it around the permanent atom. They work
under the Law of Magnetic Attraction, and are the
attractive energy of the permanent atom. On a tiny scale
each permanent atom has (to the substance of a man's
sheaths) a position relative to that which the physical
sun holds to the substance of the system. It is the
nucleus of attractive force.
- The response of the negative substance concerned and
its molding into the desired form through the dual energy
of the two higher groups of Pitris. Some thought of the
unity of this threefold work has been given in the
differentiation of the substance of any plane into:
- Atomic substance.
- Molecular substance.
- Elemental essence.
This differentiation is not entirely accurate, and a
truer idea of the underlying concept might be conveyed if
the word "energy" took the place of "substance and
essence." This third group of Pitris is really not
correctly termed Pitris at all. The true lunar Pitris are
those of the first and highest group, for they embody one
aspect of the intelligent will of Brahma, or of
God-in-substance. The third group are literally the lesser
Builders, and are blind incoherent forces, subject to the
energy emanating from the two higher groups. Occultly these
three groups are divided into the following: [783]
- The Pitris who see, but touch nor handle not.
- The Pitris who touch but see not.
- The Pitris who hear but neither see nor touch.
As they all have the gift of occult hearing, they are
characterized as the "Pitris with the open ear"; they work
entirely under the influence of the egoic mantram. If these
differentiations are studied a great deal may become
apparent anent a very important group of deva workers. They
are a group who only come into manifestation as a
coordinated triplicity in the fourth round in order
to provide vehicles for man; the reason for this lies hid
in the karma of the seven Logoi, as They energize the
fourth, fifth and sixth Hierarchies. In the earlier round
in each scheme these three groups attain a certain stage of
necessitated growth, and embody the highest evolution of
the substance aspect. Only the highest and most perfected
of the atoms of substance find their way into the vehicles
of man, – those which have been the integral parts of the
higher evolutionary forms.
D.II.3.c.vii. The Work of Form-building
This work of form-building proceeds under definite laws,
which are the laws of substance itself; the effect is the
same for human, planetary and solar vehicles. The different
stages might be enumerated as follows:
- The Nebulous. The stage wherein the
matter of the coming sheath begins to separate itself
gradually from the aggregate of plane substance, and to
assume a nebulous or milky aspect. This corresponds to
the "fire-mist" stage in the formation of a solar system
and of a planet. The Pitris of the Mist are then active
as one of the many subsidiary groups of the three major
groups.
- The Inchoate. Condensation has set in
but all is as yet inchoate, and the condition is chaotic;
there is no definite form. "The Pitris of the Chaos" hold
sway, and are characterized by excessive energy, and
violent activity, for the greater the condensation prior
to coordination [784] the more terrific are the effects
of activity. This is true of Gods, of men, and of
atoms.
- The Fiery. The internal energy of the
rapidly congregating atoms and their effect upon each
other produces an increase of heat, and a consequent
demonstration of the spheroidal form, so that the vehicle
of all entities is seen to be fundamentally a sphere,
rolling upon itself and attracting and repulsing other
spheres. "Pitris of the Fiery Spheres" add their labors
to those of the earlier two and a very definite stage is
reached. The lunar Pitris on every scheme, and throughout
the system, are literally the active agents in the
building of the dense physical body of the Logos; they
energize the substance of the three planes in the three
worlds, the mental, the astral and the dense physical
planes of the system. This needs much pondering
upon.
- The Watery. The ball or sphere of
gaseous fiery essence becomes still more condensed and
liquefied; it begins to solidify on its outer surface and
the ring-pass-not of each sheath is more clearly defined.
The heat of the sphere becomes increased and is
centralized at the core or heart of the sphere where it
produces that pulsation at the center which characterizes
the sun, the planet, and the various vehicles of all
incarnating entities. It is an analogous stage to that of
the awakening of life in the fetus during the prenatal
stage, and this analogy can be seen working out in the
form-building which proceeds on every plane. This stage
marks the coordination of the work of the two higher
groups of lunar Pitris, and the "Pitris of the Dual Heat"
are now intelligently cooperating. The heart and brain of
the substance of the slowly evolving form are linked. The
student will find it interesting to trace the analogy of
this, the watery stage, to the place the astral plane
holds in the planetary and systemic body, and the
alliance between mind and heart which is hidden in the
term "kama-manas." One [785] of the profoundest occult
mysteries will be revealed to the consciousness of man
when he has solved the secret of the building of his
astral vehicle, and the forming of the link which exists
between that sheath and the astral light in its totality
on the astral plane.
- The Etheric. The stage is not to be
confined to the building of the physical body in its
etheric division, for its counterpart is found on all the
planes with which man is concerned in the three worlds.
The condensation and the solidification of the material
has proceeded till now the three groups of Pitris form a
unity in work. The rhythm set up has been established and
the work synchronized. The lesser builders work
systematically and the law of Karma is demonstrating
actively, for it should be remembered that it is the
inherent karma, coloring, or vibratory response of the
substance itself which is the selective reaction to the
egoic note. Only that substance which has (through past
utilization) been keyed to a certain note and vibration
will respond to the mantram and to the subsequent
vibrations issuing from the permanent atom. This stage is
one of great importance, for it marks the vital
circulation throughout the entire vehicle of a particular
type of force. This can be clearly seen in relation to
the etheric body which circulates the vital force or
prana of the sun. A similar linking up with the force
concerned is to be seen on the astral and the mental
planes. "The Pitris of the Triple Heat" are now working
synthetically, and the brain, the heart and the lower
centers are coordinated. The lower and the higher are
linked, and the channels are unimpeded so that the
circulation of the triple energy is possible. This is
true of the form building of all entities, macrocosmic
and microcosmic. It is marked by the active cooperation
of another group of Pitris, termed "The Pitris of
Vitality" in connection with the others. Group after
group [786] cooperate, for the three main bodies are
distributed among many lesser.
- The Solid. This marks the final stage
in actual form building, and signifies the moment wherein
the work is done as regards the aggregating and shaping
of substance. The greater part of the work of the lunar
Pitris stands now accomplished. The word "solid" refers
not solely to the lowest objective manifestation, for a
solid form may be ethereal, and only the stage of
evolution of the entity involved will reveal its relative
significance.
All that has been here laid down as to the progressive
stages of form construction on every plane is true of all
forms in all systems and schemes, and is true of all
thought-form. building. Alan is constructing thought-forms
all the time, and is following unconsciously the same
method as his Ego pursues in building his bodies, as the
Logos follows in building His system, and as a planetary
Logos uses in constructing His scheme.
A man speaks, and a very diversified mantram is the result.
The energy thus generated swings into activity a multitude
of little lives which proceed to build a form for his
thought; they pursue analogous stages to those just
outlined. At this time, man sets up these mantric
vibrations unconsciously, and in ignorance of the laws of
sound and of their effect. The occult work that he is
carrying on is thus unknown to him. Later he will speak
less, know more, and construct more accurate forms, which
will produce powerful effects on physical levels. Thus
eventually in distant cycles will the world be "saved," and
not just a unit here and there.
In connection with this building of man's sheaths certain
interesting points of manifestation occur which might be
dealt with now, leaving the student to work out the
correspondences in relation to the system and the planet,
and giving only general indications which may be of use to
him in his conclusions. [787] In all the work of
form-building, certain very vital occasions occur which
concern the Ego even more than the sheaths themselves,
though the reflex action between the lower personal self
and the higher is so close as to be well nigh inseparable.
The moment wherein the Ego appropriates the sheath.
This takes place only after the fourth spirilla is
beginning to vibrate, and the period differs according to
the power of the ego over the lower self. In connection
with the dense physical vehicle, an analogy can be seen
when the Ego ceases from his work of over-shadowing, and at
some period between the fourth and seventh year makes his
contact with the physical brain of the child. A similar
occurrence takes place in connection with the etheric
vehicle, the astral, and the mental.
The moment wherein the energy of the Ego is transmitted
from one sheath to a lower one. It is often
overlooked that the path of incarnation is not a quick one,
but that the Ego descends very slowly and takes possession
gradually of his vehicles; the less evolved the man, the
slower is the process. We are dealing here with the period
of time which transpires after the Ego has made the first
move towards descent, and not with the time which elapses
between two incarnations. This work of passing on to a
plane for purposes of incarnation marks a definite crisis,
and is characterized by the exertion of the will in
sacrifice, the appropriation of the substance in love, and
its energizing into activity.
The moment wherein the particular type of force with
which any particular sheath is energized is
appropriated. This brings the sheath concerned:
- Under the influence of the egoic ray,
- Under the influence of a particular subray of the
egoic ray,
- And through that influence – [788]
- Under certain astrological influences,
- Under certain planetary radiations,
- Under the influences of certain force currents,
emanating from certain constellations.
These three events have a very interesting analogy in
connection with the work of the Logos in the construction
of His physical body, the solar system, and also in certain
correspondences which can be seen embodied in facts dealt
with at the first three Initiations.
From the standpoint of the lower self, the two most vital
moments in the work of the reincarnating Ego, are those in
which the mental unit is re-energized into cyclic activity,
and in which the etheric body is vitalized. It concerns
that which links the center at the base of the spine with a
certain point within the physical brain via the spleen.
This is dealing purely with the physiological key.
We might now touch upon a very interesting point concerning
the dense physical body, dealing therefore with that which
is not considered a principle either in the macrocosm or
the microcosm. As we know, man is essentially mental man,
and astral man; then the two take to themselves an etheric
sheath for purposes of objective work. That is the true
lower man, these two in the etheric body. But later –
in order to know even on the lowest plane of all – man
takes to himself a coat of skin, as the Bible expresses it,
and puts on (over his etheric body) that outer illusory
form we know so well. It is his lowest point of objectivity
and his direct "imprisoning." This appropriation of a dense
sheath by the Ego is subject to a very peculiar piece of
karma connected with the four Kumaras, or Heavenly Men, Who
form the logoic Quaternary. In the schemes which concern
the logoic Triad (or those of the three major Rays or
Heavenly Men) dense physical incarnation is not the
appointed [789] lot, and man functions in his lowest
manifestation in etheric matter.
This appropriation of the lowest body is distinguished in
several ways from the approach to the other sheaths. For
one thing, there is no permanent atom to be vitalized. The
physical plane is a complete reflection of the mental; the
lowest three subplanes reflect the abstract subplanes and
the four etheric subplanes reflect the four mental concrete
planes. The manifestation of the Ego on the mental plane
(or the causal body) is not the result of energy emanating
from the permanent atoms as a nucleus of force but is the
result of different forces, and primarily of group force.
It is predominantly marked by an act of an exterior force,
and is lost in the mysteries of planetary karma. This is
equally true of man's lowest manifestations. It is the
result of reflex action, and is based on the force of the
group of etheric centers through which man (as an aggregate
of lives) is functioning. The activity of these centers
sets up an answering vibration in the three lowest
subplanes of the physical plane, and the interaction
between the two causes an adherence to, or aggregation
around, the etheric body of particles of what we
erroneously term "dense substance." This type of energized
substance is swept up in the vortex of force currents
issuing from the centers and cannot escape. These units of
force, therefore, pile up according to the energy direction
around and within the etheric sheath till it is hidden and
concealed, yet interpenetrating. An inexorable law, the law
of matter itself, brings this about, and only those can
escape the effect of the vitality of their own centers who
are definitely "Lords of Yoga" and can – through the
conscious will of their own being – escape the compelling
force of the Law of Attraction working on the lowest cosmic
physical subplane.
An interesting analogy (accurate on general lines [790]
though in detail not so apparent) exists between the
building of the antahkarana on mental levels between the
mental unit and the manasic permanent atom (whereby the
Path of Liberation is traveled, and man set free) and the
opening up of the channel between the center at the base of
the spine and the brain and thence to the head center.
Through this latter channel man escapes out of the dense
physical body, and continuity of consciousness (between the
astral and the physical planes) is reached. In the one
case, through right direction of force, the etheric web no
longer forms a barrier; it is destroyed and the man is
fully conscious
in the physical brain of what
transpires on the astral plane. In the other case, the
causal body also is eventually destroyed through the right
direction of force. We will not here take up the specific
work of building upon the scaffolding of the etheric body
the dense physical form. It has been sufficiently dealt
with in other books. We will only want to touch upon two
more points which are of interest in this consideration of
the work of the lunar Pitris in building man's body. In
connection with the building of the dense body, it should
be stated that it appears as a human form, much in the
nature of a cross within the ovoid of the other spheres. It
is notably of a fivefold nature:
- Head.
- Two Arms.
- Two Legs.
According to the position assumed by the man, he is
seen as a symbol of the cross and is then fourfold (the two
legs being considered as one lower limb) or, if separated,
as fivefold, and has been then considered as the symbol of
the five-pointed star. This fivefold nature of the dense
physical body is brought about through the fact that only
five centers primarily are really active in average man
[791] up to the third Initiation; all are there, and all
are vitalized, but only five in this fivefold normal
evolution are dominant. The force emanating from these
five, therefore, sweeps the dense substance into a close
aggregation. As two of the centers are not functioning as
actively as the other five, an ovoid is not formed as in
the case of the etheric, astral and mental sheaths. The
fivefold shape of physical man is the result of the
fivefold direction of force currents from five centers.
It might be interesting also to point out that the
interaction of the energy of the solar Pitris and of the
lunar Pitris produces a very definite effect upon the lower
group of lunar Pitris, and is one of the means whereby they
will eventually reach the stage at which the solar Pitris
are. This (if fully realized by man) will bring him to a
very careful control of his sheaths, and to a close
attention to the direction in which his force or energy is
turned. He is responsible for the work of aiding in the
evolution of substance, being himself a manasaputra.
D.II.3.c.viii. Incarnation and Karma
In resuming our consideration of the process pursued by the
reincarnating Ego, it is necessary to point out that the
entire subject radically concerns energy, and that
according to the place in evolution of the unit of force
involved, so will the length of time required for the
process be brief, or the reverse. In the early stages, the
initiatory impulse is heavy and slow, and the matter
required for the sheaths is of a correspondingly "low"
grade, that is, it is of low vibratory capacity, and the
time elapsing between the first vibration outwards on the
mental plane, and the coordination of the dense physical
body is a long one. Later on, the vibration becomes more
powerful and the effects therefore are more rapidly felt.
At the close of evolution, when the human unit is upon the
Path and consciously controlling his destiny, and working
off [792] karma, the intervals intervening between two
incarnations are brief or not as the man may choose in the
interests of the work to be done, and according to his
intention to achieve liberation from form. It must also be
remembered that as the evolutionary process proceeds, the
egoic activity calls out response not only from substance
in the three worlds, but also from the formless levels of
the system. The response will be felt finally on monadic
levels. Then, after a moment of equilibrium, the effect of
the rhythm is felt entirely on the higher planes, and
leaves the lower.
The word "moment" is used here in its occult significance
to specify a period of time, and must be considered as a
period relative to a day or year of Brahma. One of the
secrets of initiation is concerned with the apprehension of
cycles, and with their duration, and the following terms
have to be appreciated, their duration recognized, and
their antithesis (an intervening pralaya) duly considered
before a man is considered a true occultist.
- 100 years of Brahma – An occult century. The period
of a solar system.
- One year of Brahma – The period of seven chains,
where the seven planetary schemes are concerned.
- One week of Brahma – The period of seven rounds in
one scheme. It has a chain significance.
- One day of Brahma – The occult period of a
round.
- One hour of Brahma – Concerns interchain
affairs.
- One Brahmic minute – Concerns the planetary centers,
and therefore egoic groups.
- One Brahmic moment – Concerns an egoic group, and its
relation to the whole.
These are the greater periods of time, and when their
significance is comprehended, much that is now obscure
[793] will be revealed. As yet, it is only to initiates
that the true figures are given, the figures in the
Secret Doctrine, such as the 100 years of Brahma,
strike
the general average but it must be ever
remembered that in considering the figures where a scheme,
for instance, is concerned, much latitude has to be allowed
for individual planetary karma, and idiosyncrasy.
The following points are worthy of consideration when upon
this subject, and deal with some interesting factors.
All the planetary Rishis are not equally "long-lived," in
the occult sense of the term, and the seven planetary Logoi
of the seven sacred planets are at different stages of
evolution; Their vibratory response, therefore, differs,
producing varying effects in time.
The three major planetary schemes (Uranus, Neptune, and
Saturn) have not, as yet, received their fullest
stimulation, and will not do so until the "energy of the
sacred seven" has been transferred to Them. Figures,
therefore, as regards their duration and persistence are
not in order.
The figures for the planets concerned with the "inner
round" differ as to length of time but not as to space
location from those of other planets.
The true figures in connection with any planetary scheme
and its occult activity are not ascertainable by the man
who cannot be trusted with the significance of the other
planetary bodies (of great number) within the solar
ring-pass-not. The entire solar sphere is full of such
bodies, characterized by the same features as are the seven
and the ten, and each of them in some degree has an effect
upon the whole. Figures, therefore, cannot be considered as
final until the effect of the lesser planetary bodies upon
their immediate neighbors is known, and the extent of their
planetary radiation has been gauged. There are more than
115 of such bodies to be reckoned with, and all are at
varying stages of vibratory [794] impulse. They have
definite orbits, they turn upon their axis, they draw their
"life" and substance from the sun, but owing to their
relative insignificance, they have not yet been considered
factors of moment. This attitude of mind will change when
etheric vision is a fact, and the reality of the existence
of an etheric double of all that is in manifestation will
be recognized by scientists. This fact will be demonstrated
towards the close of the century, and, during the early
part of the next century a revolution in astronomical
circles will occur which will result in the study of the
"etheric planets." As these bodies are organs of energy,
permeating the dense form, the study of the interaction of
solar energy, and the occult "give and take" of planetary
bodies will assume a new significance. Certain planetary
bodies (both greater and lesser) are "absorbers," others
are "radiators," while some are in the stage of
demonstrating a dual activity, and are being "transmuted."
All these circumstances require to be considered by the
initiate who is dealing with cycles.
Figures also must be computed when the effect upon the
planets of what are called "asteroids" is known. This is
much greater than exoteric science has so far admitted, but
the significance of this must eventually be interpreted in
terms of energy and on etheric levels.
Another factor in computation which must also be considered
is the effect of the various moons upon any planetary
scheme, and the true meaning of the eighth sphere in
connection with dense substance. Every moon is occultly a
"point of corruption," or that which is passing off in
noxious gases. The transmutation of the form has been
proceeded with in their case to a point where all that
represents vital energy has left, all solar live has
passed off, no remnants of pranic energy remain, and that
which is to be seen is simply the decay of the physical
body – a decay which is proceeding on etheric levels as
well as [795] on physical. The decay of a moon has as great
an evil effect upon all that contacts it as a decaying body
on earth has upon its surroundings. It is occultly
"offensive." This will be more truly apprehended when the
etheric double of our moon is studied. As the moon becomes
small through the process of disintegration, its effect
upon the Earth will be correspondingly lessened, and this
stage will be paralleled by a consequent greater freedom
from evil impulse of the sons of men. Better conditions
among the animals will be another result above all else,
and the dying out of that which is noxious in the animal
kingdom. By the time the seventh round is reached, the evil
effect of the then moon (which will have to all intents and
purposes practically disappeared) will be finished. During
the fifth round, men will discover how to neutralize any
remaining effects through scientific achievement and
knowledge of the necessary sounds and mantrams, and thus
much evil will be offset. The etheric moon is included in
these remarks. The greatest effect of moon conditions is to
be seen working out predominantly in the terror, and
present distress in the animal kingdom. (Bible. Romans,
8:22.)
A further factor in cyclic computation lies in the effect
of the following stars and constellations upon our system
and upon any particular scheme within the system:
- The Great Bear.
- The Little Bear.
- The Pole Star, especially where our planet is
concerned.
- The Pleiades.
- The constellation of Capricorn.
- Draco.
- Sirius.
- The various constellations and stars of the Zodiac.
[796]
The mystery is hidden in esoteric astrology, and until
the subject of energy working through the etheric body, of
radioactivity, and of the transmutation of all bodies from
a lower state into a higher is better comprehended, the
true mystery of the "influence" of these various bodies
upon each other will remain at its present stage – an
unrevealed secret. If the radiatory effect of a human being
or of a group of human beings upon each other is as yet
practically an unknown thing from the standpoint of
practical science, so the occult effect of these greater
forms upon each other remains unknown. Science recognizes
certain effects, leading and tending to the general
coherence of the universe, just as the general laws of the
social order among men are theoretically apprehended, but
the true scientific realization of energy-radiations
emanating from the etheric bodies of all these suns and
groups of suns, and from all these planets and groups of
planets is little understood. Their atomic activity is
recognized, but that department of their being, which finds
its correspondence in "animal magnetism" in man, is little
realized, while the even more potent factor of the magnetic
radiation of their astral bodies is totally uncalculated,
nor is it admitted. All these factors have to be allowed
for in any consideration of the factor of time and cycles,
and the true esoteric knowledge is not to be gained by the
study of figures by the lower mind. It comes as the result
of the intuition and is stimulated at initiation.
All that has here been pointed out, can be applied equally
(though in a very finite sense) to the ego and its cycles,
and also equally, considerations other than the purely
"personal" will enter into its time periods. The influence
of other groups and of other units, the effects of
radiation from other rays, and of certain types of force as
yet unrevealed, and thus outside our consideration, are
concerned with its appearing, with the duration of its
[797] manifestation, its subsequent obscuration, and final
pralayic interval. As the Ego has time periods
corresponding to those of Brahma, and its "100 years" and
its "777 incarnations" have a solar analogy, so equally
groups of Egos differ as to time, just as the planetary
schemes are analogous in evolution but differ where their
periods are concerned. The Law of Periodicity is one, but
as it is based upon initial impulse, and upon the rhythmic
beat of the "central heart" or the "central sun" of any
organism (solar system, planetary scheme, planetary chain,
egoic group or individual egoic life) the true nature or
"family" of any such organism must be ascertained before
cyclic pronouncements can be made with any hope of
approximate accuracy. This was why H. P. B. sought to
emphasize the need of studying the "astral family" and
occult heredity of any person, for in the astral is to be
found the clue to the "egoic family or group." With this
clue the student can then ascertain the characteristics of
his group on egoic levels, its place among other egoic
groups, and eventually his ray or group center. As time
elapses, the true study of heredity and esoteric
transmission will open up, and the whole fabric of thought
built up around such modern expressions as:
- Consanguinity or blood ties
- Physical heredity
- Atavism
- Intermarriage
- Family relationships
- The family unit
- Soul mates
- Divorce and many other terms
will be shifted to higher planes, and will be
recognized and used in connection with soul relationships.
They are, as yet, but a faint realization on the physical
plane of [798] certain inner relations, which are seeking
outer response. When all aggregates of ideas are
interpreted in terms of force and energy, in terms of
attraction and repulsion, or the vibratory response of
units to each other, and of aggregates of units to other
groups, we shall have the clearing up of many problems and
a simplification of life. Men will be true to their group
affiliations, and the present misgrouping and mismating
will gradually, through knowledge, die out.
We can now take up the consideration of karma in its
relation to the act of reincarnation. As we are well aware,
the law of karma is the most stupendous law of the system
and one which it is impossible for the average man in any
way to comprehend, for, if traced back along its central
root and its many ramifications, one eventually reaches the
position where causes antedating the solar system have to
be dealt with, and this point of view can only be usefully
grasped by a high initiate.
This great law really concerns, or is based on causes which
are inherent in the constitution of matter itself and on
the interaction between atomic units whether we use this
expression in connection with an atom of substance, a human
being, a planetary atom or a solar atom.
We might express it also in saying that the will aspect or
initiatory impulse is primarily that which produces cause,
which is cause itself. It should be remembered ever that
cause involves the idea of duality, i.e., that which
initiates, and that which is produced simultaneously by the
initiation. The two ideas are inseparable, yet nevertheless
the second idea in its most abstract connotation must not
be considered literally as an
effect; true effect
involves a third idea. Some appreciation of the problem may
be gleaned by a consideration of phenomena which ever
involves this dual initiatory cause and its objective
effect: [799]
- Spirit-matter in dual activity produces the objective
universe.
- Electric fire and fire by friction when brought into
contact produce solar fire; it flashes forth from
darkness, yet a darkness which is potent with
energy.
- Will-desire is the cause of incarnation; the
will-to-be reacting on substance (whose main quality is
desire or responsiveness to sensation) produces the forms
through which the central Life or Existence seeks
expression.
- Ideas and thought-matter together produce
thought-forms.
If the student considers these points, it will become
apparent that it is not possible for him to do more than
study the
effects produced by the juxtaposition of
the pairs of opposites; he cannot dissociate them in his
mind and deal with Spirit
per se, or with matter per
se, any more than the atom of substance in man's physical
body can dissociate itself from that body, and consider
itself independently of form influences. All atoms are
always controlled by the following factors, just as a man
in the body of a planetary Logos, and a planetary Logos
within His greater Whole will be equally controlled by the
same basic principles:
- The influence and quality of the organ or unit
in which it finds a place. In the human atom this means
his group force or influence.
- The life influence of the entire physical body
of which any atom is a corporate part. In the human atom
this means the influence of the particular center in
which his egoic group has a place, and the type of energy
which it embodies.
- The life influence of the desire or astral
body, the strongest karmic agency which has to be
considered. [800] In the human atom, this involves the
influence of the three centers in the body of the
Heavenly Man which form any specific "force triangle,"
and which have much to do with the liberation of groups
of Egos from manifestation.
- The life influences of the mental body, or of
that principle which imposes upon the atom the quality of
activity in form, which governs the reaction of the atom
to its group life, and which enables the quality of its
life to be demonstrated. In the human atom this concerns
those causes which are incident to a man's Ray, or
literally the influence of the life of the planetary
Logos as He functions as a self-conscious Life on His Own
plane, as He works out His Own plans, and consequently
sweeps into activity the cells of His body as mere
incidents where He (the basic central life) is
concerned.
- The life impulse of the Thinker functioning in
the causal body who – though a great abstraction or the
Absolute where the cellular life is concerned – is
nevertheless a potent and active factor in the imposition
of rhythm upon the atom in every body. In the human atom,
this brings in the influence of the life of the solar
Logos, for that Life imposes rhythm upon every human atom
in the system, and does so through the agency of
substance and its inherent quality, sensation.
In these thoughts, we have but approached the study of
karma from a fresh angle, and endeavored to show the
sources of the "influences" which play upon all atomic
lives.
The atom likewise is controlled by its own "esse," or by
its own inherent nature or vibration, which was the quality
of matter itself before it was aggregated into a solar
system, and which was the vibratory activity produced
through the rhythmic life of an earlier solar system. [801]
This is equally true of all atoms of all grades, but only
in connection with the atom of substance, and to some
degree with the human atom, is it in any way possible to
ascertain the predisposing causes. Until the mystery of the
Great Bear is revealed and is known as it is, and until the
influence of the Pleiades is comprehended, and the true
significance of the cosmic triangle formed by
- The seven Rishis of the Great Bear,
- The seven planetary Logoi of our solar system,
- The seven Pleiades or Sisters,
is revealed, the karma of the seven sacred planets
will remain unknown. All that we can see is its working out
in the solar system. The intricacy of the whole subject
will be apparent when it is borne in mind that not only do
these three groups form a cosmic triangle, but that within
that triangle many lesser triangles have to be studied. Any
one of the seven Rishis with one of our planetary Logoi and
one of the seven Sisters may form a subsidiary triangle,
and all must thus be Studied.
In connection with the karma of the solar Logos, the
subject is even more abstract and incomprehensible. It lies
hidden – not in the seven constellations – but in the three
constellations which concern the three bodies of His
Personality and which in themselves are but manifestations
of a central LIFE past our concept and our recognition. It
concerns the manifestation in time and space of the ONE
ABOUT WHOM NAUGHT MAY BE SAID, and Whose relationship to
the solar Logos finds a faint analogy in that of the
planetary Logos to man, the human unit. It profits not to
extend the thought any further.
We are but seeking to emphasize the fact of the
interdependence of all atoms and forms, to lay stress upon
the reality of the variety of influences which play upon
all [802] that is manifesting, and to call attention to the
fact of the karma of the past aeons, kalpas and that
unknowable period in which the initiatory impulses were set
up which are still persisting, and which God, man and atoms
are still working out and off. Influences or vibrations,
calling forth response, play upon every form and atom in
the solar system and all that can be predicated of them is
that they tend to develop consciousness of some kind,
impose certain rhythms according to that conscious
response, and produce aggregations or group activity.
The liberation from karma about which would-be occult
students so glibly talk is after all but the freeing of the
atom from its own personal problem (the problem of response
to unitary sensation), and its conscious acquiescence in
group response and work. It marks the dissociation of the
human atom from the rhythm imposed upon him by the lower
"influences" which find their channel of approach through
his vehicles, or lunar bodies, and his consequent willing
recognition of the will-impulse of his greater whole, or
the life of the egoic group – a center in the planetary
body. It involves atomic control, but involves also
conscious subjection to the karma of the Heavenly Man. Man
is no longer the slave of the rhythm of matter per se, but
controls it in the three worlds of his endeavor; he is
still nevertheless controlled by the group karma of the
planetary center, by its influence, life and vibratory
impulse. The same can be predicated of a Heavenly Man, and
of a solar Logos.
We might, in closing, express the same thought in terms of
fire, remembering that words only limit and confine the
thought, and that the main reason for this mode of approach
is to bring pictorially before man some aspects of the
central idea.
"Electric fire, or will-impulse" in conjunction with "fire
by friction" produces light or "solar fire." Electric fire
is force or energy of some kind, and hence in [803] itself
is fundamentally an emanation. "Fire by friction" is
substance with the quality of heat as its predominant
characteristic; it is latent heat or sensation. Both these
ideas, therefore, convey the idea of duality. An emanation
must have its originating source, and heat is but the
result of friction, and is necessarily dual. Both these
concepts involve facts long antedating the solar system,
and hidden in the Universal Mind. All that we can
scientifically ascertain is the nature of that which is
produced by their approximation, and this is solar fire or
light. These thoughts may make clear somewhat the
significance of the number five, esoterically considered.
Electric fire, being an emanation is essentially dual in
concept, and so is fire by friction; they together produce
solar fire, and thus the esoteric fifth.
It will be apparent that when a man speaks of karma, he is
dealing with something much wider than the interplay of
effect and cause within the sphere of his own individual
routine. He is, in all things, governed by causes
originating in the aggregate of lives which form his egoic
group, by the aggregate of groups which form one petal in a
center of a Heavenly Man, by force or purpose circulating
through a triangle of centers, and by the life energy or
purposeful will of the planetary Logos Himself. Finally he
is governed by the will of the solar Logos as it
demonstrates itself in initiatory activity. Beyond this we
need hardly go, but enough has been said to show that every
human atom is under the dominance of forces outside his own
consciousness, which sweep him and others into situations
from which there is no escape, and which are to him
incomprehensible.
This has been at no time better illustrated than in the
event of the late war and in present world conditions;
these are effects of causes having their origin in the
renewed activity of a certain planetary triangle, and in
the vibration set up by our planetary Logos on the
moon-chain, [804] and which had a faint beginning in an
earlier solar system. This vibration impinged primarily
upon certain atoms and groups of atoms in His body,
principally those composing the human and animal kingdoms,
and produced the apparently dire results which we have been
witnessing. So great was the effect of His energy, that the
vegetable kingdom was somewhat (though not so much)
affected, and the mineral kingdom felt the effect in a
startling manner, far more than the vegetable kingdom and
almost as much as the animal. Here we have a setting of
circumstances outside human and even group control, which
illustrates the helplessness of man in certain conditions,
and which serves to bring in factors apparently apart from
the individual vibration of the fourth kingdom.
Nevertheless, within limits, man definitely does "control
his destiny," and can initiate action which produces
effects recognizable by him as being dependent upon his
activity along a particular line. He does, on a miniature
scale, repeat the procedure of the Logos on a vaster scale,
and thus is the arbiter of his own destiny, the producer of
his own drama, the architect of his own home, and the
initiator of his own affairs. Though he may be the meeting
place of forces outside his control, yet he can utilize
force, circumstance and environment and can turn them, if
he so will, to his own ends.
The working out of karmic law in a man's own life might be
broadly divided into three divisions, in each of which a
different type of energy is demonstrating, producing
effects upon the lower and higher bodies of a definite
nature.
In the very early stages, when man is scarcely more than an
animal, the vibratory activity of the atoms of his three
sheaths (and of the lowest primarily) governs all actions
on his part. He is the victim of the vibratory activity of
physical substance, and much that occurs is the [805]
consequence of the interaction between the Ego and its
lowest manifestation, the physical sheath. The center of
attention is the physical body and only faintly are the two
subtler bodies responding. The egoic impulse is slow and
heavy, and the vibration is directed to producing response
between the egoic consciousness and the atoms of the
physical body. The physical permanent atom is more active
than the other two. It is the aspect of "fire by friction"
which is fanned by the egoic breath, with a triple object
in view:
- Coordinating the physical body.
- Increasing the resistance of the etheric web, a work
which was only carried to the desired point by the middle
of the Atlantean root-race.
- Bringing certain of the lower centers to the
necessary stage of expression.
The heat of the atoms in the bodies is increased
during this stage, and their atomic life coordinated, while
the triangle between the three permanent atoms becomes a
demonstrable fact and not a faint indication.
During the second stage, the law of karma or karmic
influence (through the inevitable reflex action produced by
the increased activity of the sheaths) turns its attention
to the working out of desire, and its transmutation into
the higher aspiration. Through experience, the pairs of
opposites are recognized by the Thinker, and he becomes no
longer the victim of the vibratory impulses of his physical
body; the factor of intelligent choice becomes apparent.
The man begins to discriminate between the pairs of
opposites, choosing ever in the early stages that which
appeals most to his lower nature and that which he believes
will bring him pleasure. The center of the attention of the
Ego is the astral body, and it becomes so closely
coordinated with the physical body that the two form one
united expression of desire. The mental body [806] remains
comparatively inactive at this stage. The love nature of
the Ego is in process of being developed, and this stage is
the longest of the three. It deals with the evolution of
the petals of the egoic lotus, and with the blending of
solar fire and of fire by friction. Reflex action between
the lower and the higher during this middle period produces
three effects, which will be seen, if carefully studied to
convey much information anent the working out of the law of
Karma. These three effects are:
- The development of the astral permanent atom with a
concurrent stimulation of the physical permanent atom,
and thus the growth and evolution of the two sheaths
concerned.
- The coordination of the threefold man through the
innate vitality of the astral body and its effect upon
the mental and the physical. This is the kama-manasic
period, and as this body is the only complete sphere in
the threefold lower man, it is the most powerful body
inherently for it embodies (as does the solar system) the
heart aspect, or embryonic love nature, which it is the
object of macrocosmic and microcosmic evolution to
develop.
- Finally the unfoldment of the nine egoic petals in
three stages.
In the working out of the law we must therefore note
that man is first of all the victim of the impulses of
dense substance or of the brahma aspect, and thus repeats
rapidly the evolutionary process of the preceding solar
system; in the second stage he is the victim of desire, or
of his own love nature.
In the third stage, the law of karma works through a man's
mental nature, and awakens in him recognition of the law,
and an intellectual apprehension of cause and of effect.
This is the shortest stage but is also the most powerful;
it concerns the evolution of the three inner [807] petals
shielding the "jewel," and their ability to disclose at the
right moment that which lies hidden. It covers the period
of the evolution of advanced man, and of the man upon the
Path. In connection with the human family it covers the
first half of the next round, prior to the great
separation. Electric fire is beginning to make its
radiations felt, and the will or purpose of the Ego is now
consciously realized upon the physical plane. The three
permanent atoms form a triangle of light, and the petals of
the lotus are rapidly unfolding. When the will and purpose
of the Ego are realized by man in his waking consciousness
in the physical brain, then the law of karma in the three
worlds is becoming neutralized, and man is on the verge of
liberation. He has exhausted the initial vibration, and
there is no response within his sheaths to the threefold
vibration of the three worlds; he stands freed from the
three kingdoms and the fourth.
D.II.3.d. On the Building of the Causal Body
We enter now upon one of the most vitally practical parts
of our Treatise on Fire, that which deals with the building
of the causal body, or body of manifestation of the Ego. It
concerns the work of the solar Angels, or the true
self-conscious Identity, man. If the student has in any way
apprehended the general trend of the earlier pages, he will
now be in a condition of mind which will enable him to
interpret all that is said in terms of energy, or of that
vibratory activity which is produced by the three major
phases of electrical phenomena, the union which produces
that divine manifestation called Man, or, when the
aggregated units are considered, the human kingdom.
D.II.3.d.i. Introductory Remarks
We have studied somewhat the constitution of the Triangles,
or Pitris, Who, through self-sacrifice, endow man with
self-consciousness, building his egoic vehicle out of Their
own essence. We [808] have touched briefly upon the lunar
Pitris, who endow man with his lower sheaths and principles
through which the energy of the solar Lords may make itself
felt, and we shall now proceed to study three things:
- First, the effect of the higher energy upon the lower
bodies, as it gradually makes itself felt during the
evolutionary process, and thus simultaneously "redeems"
man in an occult sense, and also "elevates" the lunar
Pitris.
- Second, the effect of this energy on the mental plane
in the development and unfoldment of the egoic
lotus.
- Third, the awakening to activity of the central Life
within the lotus. This activity demonstrates in a twofold
manner:
- As the realization by the man on the physical
plane within the physical brain of his divine nature,
resulting in a consequent demonstration of divinity
upon earth, prior to liberation.
- As the conscious activity of the individual Ego
on the mental plane in cooperation with its group or
groups.
In the first case, we have the effect of the egoic
life upon its sheaths, and their subsequent control, and in
the second case we have the self-awakening of the egoic
unit on its own plane; in the third case, we have a group
realization, or the entrance by the unit into the
consciousness of the Heavenly Man.
It will not be possible to do more than indicate broad
general lines of development. The subject of egoic
evolution cannot be fully comprehended until after
initiation, but it is felt now by the Teachers on the inner
side that the main principles had better be given out at
once in view of the unexpected development (since the
opening of this century) of two great sciences:
- The Science of Electricity. The investigations of
[809] scientists have been greatly stimulated by the
discovery of radium, which is an electrical phenomenon of
a certain kind, and by the knowledge this discovery
brought of the radioactive substances; the development of
the many methods of utilizing electricity has also
greatly aided. This science has brought man to the
threshold of a discovery which will revolutionize world
thought on these matters, and which will eventually solve
a great part of the economic problem, thus leaving many
more persons free for mental growth and work. This
expansion of knowledge can be looked for before one
hundred and fifty years have transpired.
- The Science of Psychology. The psychoanalytic
theories which (though indicative of progress) are yet
tending in a wrong direction, may prove disastrous to the
higher development of the race unless the true nature of
the "psyche" is elucidated. When the public mind has
apprehended, even cursorily, the following briefly stated
facts, the trend of popular education, the object of
political science, and the goal of economic and social
endeavor will take a new and better direction. These
facts might be summed up in the following postulates:
- Man is in essence divine.259 This has
ever been enunciated throughout the ages, but remains
as yet a beautiful theory or belief, and not a proven
scientific fact, nor is it universally held.
[810]
- Man is in fact a fragment of the Universal Mind,
or world soul,260 and as a fragment is
thus partaker of the instincts and quality of that
soul, as it manifests through the human family.
Therefore, unity is only possible upon the plane of
mind. This, if true, must lead to the tendency to
develop within the physical brain a conscious
realization of group affiliations on the mental
plane, a conscious recognition of group
relationships, ideals and goal, and a conscious
manifestation of that continuity of consciousness
which is the object of evolution at this time. It
will further produce the transference of the race
consciousness from the physical plane to the mental,
and a consequent solving through "knowledge, love,
and sacrifice" of all present problems. This will
bring about emancipation from the present physical
plane disorder. It must lead to the education of the
public as to the nature of man, and the development
of the powers latent within him – powers which will
set him free from his present limitations, and which
will produce in the human family a collective
repudiation of. the present conditions. When men
everywhere recognize themselves and each other, as
divine self-conscious units, functioning primarily in
the causal body but utilizing the three lower
vehicles only as a means of contact with the three
lower planes, we will have government, politics,
economics and the social order readjusted upon sound,
sane and divine lines.
- Man in his lower nature, and in his three
vehicles, is an aggregate of lesser lives, dependent
upon him for their group nature, for their type of
activity, and collective response, and [811] who –
through the energy or activity of the solar Lord –
will themselves later be raised, and developed to the
human stage.
When these three facts are understood, then and
only then will we have a right and just comprehension
of the nature of man.
259 Each human being is an incarnation of God. –
S. D., III, 449.
Compare: – S. D., II, 541; S. D., III, 475; and the
Biblical words: "I have said, Ye are Gods." "Know ye not
that ye are the Temple of the Holy Spirit?"
No Being can become a God without passing through the
human cycles. - S. D., II, 336.
Man therefore is like God in that he represents the
pairs of opposites, good and evil, light and darkness, male
and female, etc. He is a duality.
He represents also God in that He is a triplicity, being
three in one, and one in three. - See S. D., II, 553.
By man the divine Monad is meant. - S. D., II, 196.
260 S. D., I, Proem., pp. 42-44.
Again, this realization will bring about three changes in
the thought of the age:
-
A readjustment of the medical knowledge of man,
resulting in a truer understanding of the physical
body, of its treatment, and of its protection, and thus
producing a juster apprehension of the laws of health.
The aim of the physician will then be to find out what
it is in a man's life which is preventing egoic energy
from flooding every part of his being; to find out what
lines of thought are being indulged in which are
causing that inertia of the will aspect which is so
conducive to wrongdoing; to ascertain what it is in the
emotional body which is affecting the nervous system,
and thus obstructing the flow of energy from the love
petals of the egoic lotus (via the astral permanent
atom) to the astral body, and from thence to the
nervous system; to discover what is the hindrance in
the etheric body which is preventing the right flow of
prana, or of solar vitality to every part of the body.
It is essential that in days to come medical men
should realize that disease in the physical body is
incidental to wrong internal conditions. This is
already being somewhat considered but the whole
question will remain but a beautiful theory (even
though an incontrovertible one in view of the
achievements of mental scientists and of the various
faith healers) until the true nature of the ego, its
constitution, its powers, and its field of influence
are duly apprehended.
This revelation will come when medical men accept
this [812] teaching as a working hypothesis, and then
begin to note, for instance, the powers of endurance
shown by the great souls of the earth, and their
capacity to work at high pressure, and to remain
practically immune from disease until (at the close of
a long life of usefulness) the Ego deliberately chooses
to "die-out" of physical existence. It will come when
the medical profession concentrates upon preventative
action, substituting sunshine, a vegetarian diet, and
the application of the laws of magnetic vibration and
vitality for the present regimen of drugs and surgical
operations. Then will come the time when finer and
better human beings will manifest on earth. When also
physicians learn the nature of the etheric body, and
the work of the spleen as a focal point for pranic
emanations, then sound principles and methods will be
introduced which will do away with such diseases as
tuberculosis, debility, malnutrition and the diseases
of the blood and of the kidneys. When doctors
comprehend the effect of the emotions upon the nervous
system, they will turn their attention to the
amelioration of environal conditions, and will study
the effects of the emotional currents upon the fluids
of the body, and primarily upon the great nerve
centers, and the spinal column. When the connection
between the dense physical and the subtler bodies is a
fact established in medical circles, then will the
right treatment of lunacy, of obsessions, and of wrong
mental conditions be better comprehended, and the
results more successful; finally, when the nature of
egoic force, or of energy is studied, and the function
of the physical brain as the transmitter of egoic
intent is better comprehended, then the coordination of
man's entire being will be studied, and illness,
debility and disease, will be traced to their just
cause, and will be treated through the cause and not
just through the effect.
-
The entire social world of thought will apply
itself to the understanding of the emotional nature of
[813] humanity, to the group relationships involved,
and to the interaction between individuals and other
individuals, between groups and other groups. These
relationships will be interpreted wisely and broadly
and a man will be taught his responsibility to the
lesser lives which he ensouls. This will produce a just
direction of individual force, and its utilization for
the stabilization, the development, and the refining of
the substance of the different vehicles. Men will also
be taught their definite responsibility under law to
their own individual families. This will bring about
the protection of the family unit, and its scientific
development; it will cause the elimination of marital
troubles, and the abolition of abuses of different
kinds, so prevalent now in many family circles.
Responsibility to the community in which a man is
placed will likewise be emphasized. Men will be taught
the true esoteric meaning of citizenship – a
citizenship based upon egoic group relations, the law
of rebirth, and the real meaning of the law of karma.
They will be taught national responsibility, and the
place of the community within the nation, and of the
nation within the comity of nations. Men will finally
be taught their responsibility to the animal kingdom.
This will be brought about in three ways:
- Man's truer understanding of his own animal
nature.
- A comprehension of the laws of individualization,
and the effect of the influence of the fourth, or
human, kingdom upon the third, or animal,
kingdom.
- The work of an Avatar of a lesser order Who will
come in the beginning of the next century to reveal
to man his relationship to the third kingdom. His way
is being prepared by the many who in these days are
developing public interest through the [814] various
societies for the benefit and protection of animals,
and through the many stories to be found in books and
current periodicals.
We are told by H. P. B. (S. D., III, 580.) that
the sense of responsibility is one of the first
indications of egoic control, and as more and more of
the human family come under egoic influence, conditions
will be bettered slowly and steadily in every
department of life.
- In the educational world an apprehension of
man's true nature will bring about a fundamental change
in the methods of teaching. The emphasis will be laid
upon teaching people the fact of the Ego on its own
plane, the nature of the lunar bodies, and the methods of
aligning the lower bodies so that the Ego can communicate
direct with the physical brain, and thus control the
lower nature and work out its purposes. Men will be
taught how, through concentration and meditation, they
can ascertain knowledge for themselves, can develop the
intuition, and thus draw upon the resources of the Ego.
Then will men be taught to think, to assume control of
the mental body, and thus develop their latent
powers.
In the above few remarks are indicated very briefly
and inadequately the results which may be looked for from a
true understanding of the essential nature of man. It has
been written in view of the necessity these days of a
statement as to the real or inner man, and as to the laws
of the kingdom of God. That inner man has ever been known
to be there, and the "kingdom within" has ever been
proclaimed until H. P. B. came and gave out the same old
truths from a new angle, giving an occult turn to mystic
thought. Now comes the opportunity for man to realize the
laws of his own being, and in that realization those who
stand on the verge of intuitional apprehension of knowledge
and those of scientific bent who are willing to accept
these truths as a working [815] hypothesis to be utilized
as a basis for experiment until proven false, will have the
chance to solve the world problems from within. Thus will
the Christ principle be manifested upon earth, and thus
will the Christ nature be demonstrated to be a fact in
nature itself.
The value to the public thought of a true explanation of
the evolution of the Ego, and its gradually developing
power on earth is very great. There are two ways in which
man may view this matter, both of which provide food for
meditation, and well merit serious consideration. Both of
them have been somewhat dealt with by thinkers of many
schools of thought, and hence do not require any lengthy
elucidation. The problem may be regarded as one calling for
the elevation of the inner consciousness of the human unit
(functioning in the physical body) to the higher levels of
the mental plane, and therefore involves a raising or
expansion of his waking consciousness till it becomes aware
of this higher life. This is the way of mystical approach,
and many instances of its successful accomplishment can be
studied in the lives of the mystics of all ages. By sheer
devotion and strenuous application, and by a severe
disciplining of the physical body, the mystic effects his
entrance into the heart center of his little system, and
his life becomes irradiated by the beams of his own central
sun – the egoic light divine. The problem may again be
regarded as one in which the effort of the man is
concentrated in an attempt to bring down into the physical
brain consciousness, and thus on to the physical plane, the
life and power and energy of the inner center, the Ego.
This involves necessarily a scientific apprehension of the
laws of being, and a recognition of the dual nature of the
Self. It involves a devotion to the work of bringing about
a domination of the lunar lords through the radiant control
of the solar Lord. This is the occult method. It is the
method of studying the constitution of those entities who
form the [816] fourfold lower nature, the personality, and
a close investigation of those divine Essences Who build
the body of the Ego or higher self. To this must be added a
severe application of the laws of nature to the individual
problem.
What is proposed in this Treatise is to follow the latter
method, as the aim is to make clear the rationale of the
process.
D.II.3.d.ii. The Evolution of the Petals
The building of the causal body is the result of dual
energy, that of the lower self with its reflex action upon
the higher unit, and that of the natural energy of the self
as it makes its direct impress upon the substance of the
egoic lotus. It should here be remembered that, subtle
though the material may be, the egoic lotus is as truly
substance of a particular vibration as is the physical
body, only (owing to its rarity) physical plane man regards
it practically as non-substantial. It is in fact, as
earlier pointed out, the result of the dual vibration of
the fivefold Dhyanis or Gods in conjunction with the
fourfold Quaternary, or the Pitris of the lower vehicles.
Through a conscious effort of the planetary Logoi, these
Dhyanis and lower Pitris are brought into a close
relationship. This produces (upon the third subplane of the
mental plane) a ninefold vibration or whorl in the gaseous
matter of the plane – for this is the cosmic gaseous
subplane – which, after a certain period of persistence,
assumes the form of a nine-petalled lotus. This lotus is
folded over in bud shape upon the central point, or heart
of the lotus – that spark of electric fire which by its
action or innate vitality working upon the substance of the
lotus, attracts to itself sufficient of that substance to
form three inner petals, which closely shield the central
spark; these are nevertheless of the same substance or
essence as the nine other petals. The student must be
careful not to materialize his concept too much and it
might therefore be wise for him to view [818] this
manifestation from other angles and employ other terms to
express the same idea. For instance, the body of the Ego
may be viewed in the following four ways:
- As nine vibrations, emanating from a central
point, which, in its pulsation or radiations produces
three major vibrations of great force pursuing a circular
activity around the center; the nine vibrations pursue a
diagonal path until they reach the periphery of the egoic
sphere of influence. At this point they swing around,
thus forming the well-known spheroidal form of the causal
body.
- As nine petals of a lotus, radiating from a
common center, and hiding within themselves three central
petals, which conceal a central point of fire. The
radiations from the tip of each petal are those which
cause the illusion of a spheroidal shape.
- As nine spokes of a wheel, converging towards
a central hub, which is in itself threefold, and which
hides the central energy or dynamo of force – the
generator of all the activity.
- As nine types of energy which produce definite
emanations from a threefold unit, again itself an
outgoing from a central unit of force.
For all purposes, the second definition will be the
one of the most use to us in our attempt to picture the
constitution, nature, method of development and true
evolution of the Ego, functioning in the causal body.
In terms of fire, the same truths may be expressed as
follows, and this should be carefully pondered upon by the
student of this Treatise:
- Electric fire – Spirit – Will aspect – Jewel in the
lotus.
- Solar fire – Consciousness – Love aspect – The nine
petals.
- Fire by friction – Substance – Activity aspect – The
three permanent atoms. [819]
- In electric fire, the Monad is represented in
its threefold nature, and stands for that type of
manifestation which will be brought to its highest stage
of development in the next solar system.
- In solar fire, these solar Pitris in their
ninefold formation represent and make possible the
unfolding of the consciousness of the Monad through the
medium of the Ego in the three worlds of human
evolution.
- In fire by friction, the lunar Pitris are
represented and constitute the lower self, the
personality, or those vehicles by means of which the Ego
in turn is to acquire experience on the lower
planes.
Yet these three are one in manifestation within the
egoic auric egg, and the interchange of energy and vitality
proceeds steadily. Spirit uses the Soul, or the Ego, as a
vehicle of enlightenment, and the Ego uses the lower
Quaternary as its medium of expression. The evolution of
Spirit can really therefore be divided into three stages:
- First. The stage in which the lunar Pitris function
primarily, and prepare the lower sheaths for occupancy.
The lower vibrations control, and "fire by friction" is
that which warms and nourishes to the practical exclusion
of all else.
- Second. The stage in which the solar Pitris gradually
become predominant, in which the egoic consciousness is
developed. The sheaths are occupied by the Thinker, are
gradually controlled by him, are bent to his will and
purpose, and are eventually discarded. The middle
vibrations control and solar fire irradiates; it lights
up in due course of evolution the lower sheaths; it
gradually increases its heat, and eventually aids in the
destruction of the forms.
- Third. The stage in which electric fire is revealed,
and through the intensity of its blaze puts out the other
fires. The lunar Pitris have fulfiled their work, the
solar Pitris [820] have developed the self-conscious
unit, man, and the monad (having utilized both) discards
both, and withdraws into itself, this time plus the gain
of material existence, and plus developed
love-wisdom.
In terms of the old Commentary, the truth is thus
stated:
The Lord of Life Himself sits at the heart and
watches. The Lords of solar fire pursue their task and
sacrifice themselves to the lunar Lords of all the lower
planes. They die, but resurrect. They pass without, and
come again. Yet the Lord of Life sits still.
The lunar Lords begin to die; their power begins to
wane with each successive cycle. The solar Lords shine
forth in triumph and consign the fourfold ones to fire, –
the fire which burns and dissipates the form.
Many times the work repeats itself; the cycles wax and
wane, until the day triumphant when the solar Lord
acclaims himself and knows himself the ruler.
The Lord of Life then turns Himself, and arises in His
might. He consumes the solar Lords, and they perish as
did the lunar Lords. He speaks a Word; the fire descends.
The blaze bursts forth. Gone is the lower fire through
the flame of solar burning, gone is the middle fire
through the intensity of fire from Heaven.
Naught remaineth save a threefold flame of violet,
indigo and yellow. THAT disappears. Then darkness reigns.
Yet the Lord of Life persists, though invisible.
As we know, the egoic lotus consists of three
circles, – each circle being composed of three petals, and
all shielding the inner bud where hides the jewel. It is
with the evolution of these petals that we are concerned,
with their formation, their vitalization, their nurturing,
and eventual unfoldment. It will be useful for the student
at this stage to remember that we are primarily dealing
with the development of the second aspect in man, the
love-wisdom aspect, and are only secondarily considering
the third aspect, that of activity which finds its
energizing centers in the three permanent atoms. [821]
These three circles of petals are called in the esoteric
terminology:
- The "outer knowledge" triad, or the lords of active
wisdom.
- The middle "love" triad, or the lords of active
love.
- The inner "sacrificial" triad, or the lords of active
will.
The first is the summation of experience and developed
consciousness; the second is the application of that
knowledge in love and service, or the expression of the
Self and the Not-Self in reciprocal vibration; and the
third is the full expression of knowledge and love turned
toward the conscious sacrifice of all to the furthering of
the plans of the planetary Logos, and to the carrying out
of His purposes in group work. Each of these three groups
of petals come under the definite guidance of three groups
of Agnishvattas, who form them out of their own substance
and who in essence are the threefold Ego during its
manifestation. Through them flows the force and coherent
energy of those mysterious Entities whom (when considering
the human family as a whole) we call:
- The Buddhas or Lords of Activity.
- The Buddhas or Lords of Compassionate Love.
- The Buddhas of Sacrifice, of Whom the Lord of the
World is, to man, the best known exponent.
Through these three groups flows that threefold energy
which, on the mental plane, finds its medium of expression
in connection with the human kingdom, in the three groups
of Agnishvattas or solar Pitris above referred to. These
groups form the substance of the three circles of petals,
and each group has also a special influence upon the
particular petal belonging to their especial scale of
vibrations. For the sake of clarity, we might tabulate the
various petals so that the student may [822] get a clearer
comprehension of the conformation of his own causal
vehicle, and some idea of the various triangular
relationships:
- The outer "knowledge" triad:
- Petal 1 – Knowledge on the physical plane.
Colors: Orange, green and violet.
- Petal 2 – Love on the physical plane.
Colors: Orange, rose and blue.
- Petal 3 – Sacrifice on the physical plane.
Colors: Orange, yellow and indigo.
These three petals are organized and vitalized
in the Hall of Ignorance, but remain unopened and
only begin to unfold as the second circle is
organized.
- The middle "love" triad:
- Petal 1 – Higher Knowledge applied through love
on the physical and astral planes.
Colors: Rose, and the original three.
- Petal 2 – Higher intelligent love on the physical
and astral planes.
Colors: Rose and the corresponding three.
- Petal 3 – Loving intelligent sacrifice on the
physical and astral planes.
Colors: Rose and the same three.
These three petals preserve the fundamental
orange but add the color rose in every petal, so
that four colors are now seen. These petals are
organized and vitalized in the Hall of Learning,
but remain unopened. The outer tier of petals
simultaneously unfolds till it is open entirely,
revealing the second circle; the third remains
shielded.
- The inner "sacrificial" triad:
- Petal 1 – The Will to sacrifice through knowledge
on the mental plane, and thus intelligently to
dominate the entire threefold lower man.
Colors: Yellow and the four colors, orange, green,
violet and rose. [824]
- Petal 2 – The will to sacrifice through love on
the mental plane, and thus to serve.
Colors: Yellow and the four colors, orange, violet,
rose and blue.
- Petal 3 – The utter sacrifice of all forever.
Colors: Yellow, orange, rose, blue and indigo.
In the mystery of these subsidiary colors and of the
gradual shining forth within the lotus of five colors in
any one petal at one time, is veiled the mystery of the
five Kumaras. (S. D., I, 483.) The student who seeks the
significance of the preponderance of orange and of rose is
approaching the secret of the two Kumaras Who fell. More it
is not possible to say, but the colors hold the esoteric
key to this great occurrence. This inner circle of petals
is organized and vitalized in the Hall of Wisdom, and
simultaneously the middle circle unfolds, so that two rows
of petals are duly opened, and only the third remains to be
unclosed. This final opening is effected during the period
of treading the stages of the Path of Initiation, and in
this round it is hastened by the rites of initiation and by
the strenuous and abnormal efforts of the man himself,
aided by the electrical work of the Initiator, wielding the
Rod of Power.
Though we have thus divided off the different stages of
development, we have but dealt with the general average,
gathering our facts from the records to which we have
access and which are grouped in relation to this subject
into the three groups, related to:
- The Monads of power.
- The Monads of love.
- The Monads of activity.
The student must remember that according to these
groupings, so will be the tendency of the petals to unfold.
For instance, in the case of the majority of men, being
[825] Monads of Love, the love petals are more easily
awakened, for love is the nature of the present
manifestation and the line of love in some direction (low,
high, or spiritual) is the line of least resistance for the
many. Yet the Monads of activity are numerous and
influential and the first petal in each ring is for them
the easiest to unfold. For both groups the "knowledge"
petal is the first opened, owing to the inherent nature of
the Manasadevas themselves, and their basic vibration. For
all, sacrifice is the hardest, for it involves ever the two
factors of intelligence and love, – intelligent knowledge
and a love that goes out to that which must be saved
through sacrifice.
In these three circles of petals lies concealed another
clue to the mystery of the 777 incarnations. The figures do
not convey an exact number of years, but are figurative and
symbolical; they are intended to convey the thought of
three cycles of varying duration, based upon the septenary
nature of the manifesting monad.
First. The 700 incarnations. These concern
the unfoldment of the outer circle. This is the longest
period. The initial vibration is slow and heavy, and
millennia of lives have to elapse before the interchange of
energy between the Ego and its reflection, the personal
self (the lower threefold man) is such that the
consciousness of the man occultly "awakens" in the Hall of
Learning. For advanced man at this time these incarnations
took place upon the moon chain and in some cases upon
certain planets connected with the inner round. This is the
circumstance which necessitated his "coming-in" during the
Atlantean root-race. Men of this type refused to incarnate
earlier, as the bodies were too coarse; this was the cyclic
reflection (on the lowest plane) of the refusal of the
Monads to incarnate at the dawn of manvantaric opportunity.
No real "sin" was committed; it was their privilege to
discriminate, and this refusal has its [826] bearing upon
conditions upon Earth, being the basis of the great class
distinctions which – in every land – have been so fruitful
of trouble and the esoteric foundation of the "caste"
system, so abused now in India. The problem of labor and
capital has its roots in the subjective distinction between
"equipped and unequipped" Egos, between those units of the
human family on earth who have passed out of the Hall of
Ignorance, and those who are yet groping in its dark and
gloomy corridors; between those Egos who are only "bud"
Egos, and those who have organized the outer circle of
petals, and whose petals are ready to open up.
The idea of a septenate of centuries must be carefully
pondered upon, and as ever in all occult matters, the idea
of triplicity must be also borne in mind with a
synthesizing period, which is a summation of the triple
coordination:
3 periods of 3 tens |
90 years. |
1 synthesizing period |
10 years. |
|
|
|
100 years. |
This seven times repeated |
* 7 |
|
|
|
700 years. |
Each cycle (again figurative cycles) leaves one of the
petals more vitalized, and has a definite effect on each.
Second. The 70 incarnations. These concern the unfoldment
of the middle circle. Much may be learned from a
consideration of the occult significance involved in the
sending out of their followers by any initiate (such as the
Christ) in groups of seventy, going two and two. These
seventy incarnations primarily effect the development of
love in the personal life, the evolution of the astral
nature, based on the recognition of the pairs of opposites,
and their equilibrising in love and service.
This cycle covers the period passed by the man in the [827]
Hall of Learning and has its correspondence in the
Atlantean root-race and its conflict between the Lords of
the Dark Face and the Brotherhood of Light. Within the life
of each individual, a similar conflict wages during this
period, ending with the final kurukshetra or battleground
which earns for the man the right to tread the Probationary
Path, and eventually the privilege to stand before the
Portal of Initiation. Again the numerical significance of
the numbers must be studied; this time they are hid in the
number ten, or three cycles of three lesser periods, each
making nine, and one synthesizing period, leading up to the
consummation of one period within the greater cycle; this
is signified by the ten of relative perfection.263,
264 The interplay between kamic impulse and manasic
energy has produced a realization within the consciousness
of the Ego of that [828] which he has learned within the
two Halls; the outer circle of petals is unfolded, and the
central ring is ready to open.
263 The Number 10. – See S. D., I, 125,
126.
-
The three, enclosed within the circle are the sacred
Four.
- Adi-Sanat, the Number, Unity. The Logos, or the
One in physical incarnation. God and man function as
unities on their respective physical planes.
- The Voice of the Word, the Numbers, for He
is one and nine. The second aspect. The embodied
Idea. Consciousness.
-
The formless Square, the matter aspect,
substance and form. Limitation.
Trace these out in connection with:
- A solar Logos informing a solar system.
- A planetary Logos, informing a planetary
scheme.
- Man, informing his bodies of
manifestation.
-
The ten are the arupa universe.
The emphasis here is laid upon the subjective Lives,
or the Intelligent Consciousness within the forms.
These ten might be called:
- The first Logos – Shiva – Father – Will.
- The second Logos – Vishnu – Son –
Love-wisdom.
- The third Logos – Brahma – Holy Ghost –
Intelligence over-shadowing Matter, Mother.
- The Lord of Cosmic Will – First Ray.
- The Lord of Cosmic Love – Second Ray.
- The Lord of Cosmic Intelligence – Third Ray.
- The Lord of Cosmic Harmony – Fourth Ray.
- The Lord of Cosmic Knowledge – Fifth Ray.
- The Lord of Cosmic Devotion – Sixth Ray.
- The Lord of Cosmic Ceremonial – Seventh Ray.
They are the subjective consciousness, the cause
of manifestation.
264 S. D., I, 214; II, 393, 445, 446.
Third. The 7 incarnations. These are those
passed upon the Probationary Path. This is an interesting
period in which certain things are effected which might be
described in the following terms:
The two outer rings of petals are stimulated in a new and
special sense through the conscious act of the probationary
disciple. Much of the work hitherto has been pursued under
the ordinary laws of evolution and has been unconscious.
Now all that changes as the mental body becomes active, and
two of the will petals are coordinated, and one "awakes"
vitality and unfolds.
The fire or energy from these two rings begins to circulate
along the atomic triangle and when this is the case it
marks a very momentous epoch; a dual work has been
consummated in the personal lower life and in the egoic:
- The permanent atoms have the four lower spirillae
fully active (two groups of two each) and the fifth is in
process of arousement into equal activity. The triangle
is in circulatory action but has not yet achieved its
full brightness nor its rotary or fourth dimensional
revolution.
- The two circles of petals are "awake," one being wide
open and the other on the verge of opening.
Thus in the life of the probationer two aspects of the
divine life are making themselves apparent, and though as
yet much remains to be done, nevertheless when the inner
circle of petals is awakened – through the instrumentality
of the curious and abnormal process of initiation – the
remaining aspect will be brought into similar prominence,
and produce the perfected man in the three [829] worlds.
Thus is the work of the Solar Pitris consummated.
The fact of the abnormality of the process of initiation
must here be emphasized.
Initiation is in the nature of a great experiment which our
planetary Logos is making during this round. In earlier and
perhaps in later rounds the whole process will follow
natural law. In this round and on this chain, our planetary
Logos on His high level is what is esoterically called
"sitting for yoga," and is definitely undergoing certain
processes of training in order to stimulate His centers.
This fact is being taken advantage of by the Hierarchy on
Earth to produce certain results in the races under Their
guidance. The whole process is optional, and a man may – if
he so choose – follow the normal process, and take aeons of
time to effect what some are choosing to do in a briefer
period, through a self-chosen forcing process.
At the termination of the 777 incarnations, a man passes
through the door of initiation and enters upon a brief
synthesizing process, or a final period in which he garners
the fruits of the experience in the two first halls, and
transmutes knowledge into wisdom, transforms the shadow of
things seen into the energy of that which is, and achieves
the final liberation from all the lower forms which seek to
hold him prisoner. This period of initiation itself is
divided into seven stages, but only five of these concern
the evolution of the Ego, just as the five Kumaras concern
primarily the evolution of Humanity in the system and on
this planet. Thus again we have the four exoteric Kumaras,
of Whom two fell, and the three esoteric, of whom One
gathers the life forces of the four exoteric, making with
Them the five above mentioned. The student must study this
question from the point of view of energy or life force,
considering it from the aspect of polarity and of the
mystic marriage, from [830] the comprehension of the real
meaning of the sex relation, of the meeting and merging of
the pairs of opposites, and the work of the one who
synthesizes where every type of energy is concerned. For
instance:
- The Ego synthesizes or gathers in the life forces of
the fourfold lower man.
- The Mahachohan's Ray on Earth synthesizes the life
forces of the lower four. This Ray is the third subray of
our planetary Ray.
- The third major Ray of the solar system blends the
minor four.
- The fifth Kumara blends and unites in Himself the
work of the lower four.
The reflection of all this in the Microcosm can be
studied by the man who understands how the physical body is
the vehicle of all the principles. By the time the third
Initiation is taken, the inner circle of petals is opened
and the full-blown lotus in all its beauty can be seen. At
the fourth Initiation the inner bud bursts open through the
effect of the electrical force of the Rod, which brings in
the power of the synthetic ray of the solar system itself;
the inner jewel is thus revealed. The work has been
accomplished; the energy resident in the permanent atoms,
has vitalized all the spirillae whilst the perfected force
of the lotus, and the dynamic will of the central spark are
brought into full and united activity. This brings about a
threefold display of vital force which causes the
disintegration of the form and the following results:
- The permanent atoms become radioactive, and
their ring-pass-not is therefore no longer a barrier to
the lesser units within; the electronic lives in their
various groups escape, and return to the eternal
reservoir. They form substance of a very high [831]
order, and will produce the forms of those existences
who, in another cycle, will seek vehicles.
-
The petals are destroyed by the action of fire,
and the multiplicity of deva lives which form them and
give to them their coherence and quality are gathered
back by the solar Pitris of the highest order into the
Heart of the Sun; they will be directed outward again
in another solar system.
The atomic substance will be used for another
manvantara, but the solar Pitris will not again be
called upon to sacrifice themselves until the next
solar system when they will come in as planetary Rays,
thus repeating upon monadic levels in the next system
what they have done in this. They will then be the
planetary Logoi.
- The central Life electric returns to its
source, escaping out of prison and functioning as a
center of energy on planes of cosmic etheric energy.
We have endeavored above to convey a general idea of
the evolutionary process in connection with the Ego and its
progression under karmic and cyclic law. If the student
ponders upon these two laws it will become apparent to him
that both might be summed up under the generic term of the
Law of Rhythm. All manifestation is the result of active
energy producing certain results, and expenditure of energy
in any one direction will necessitate an equal expenditure
in an opposite. This in terms of the Ego and its life
experience brings about three stages:
- First. The stage wherein the energy manifested
acts outwardly. The Self becomes identified with its
sheaths. This is the strictly personal stage.
- Second. The stage wherein adjustment under law
is being sought, and the Self is neither entirely
identified with its sheaths, nor identified entirely with
Itself. It is [832] learning to choose between the pairs
of opposites. This is the period of the fiercest strife
and turmoil, and the battlefield wherein the adjustment
has to be made; it is the laboratory period wherein
enough transmutative force is generated by the disciple
to carry him to the opposite extreme of the earlier
stage, – that stage wherein the energy will manifest
within and not without.
- Third. The stage wherein the energy of the Ego
is centered at the heart of the circle, and not in the
periphery, being applied from thence through the
conscious effort of the Ego in group service. The pull of
the lower nature is superseded, and the attraction of
that which is higher even than the Ego is felt. The
earlier process has then to be repeated on a higher turn
of the spiral, and monadic energy begins to work upon the
Ego as the egoic worked upon the personality. The Monad,
which has been identifying Itself with the Ego (its outer
manifestation) begins again to seek its own true center
"within the Heart," and on the higher levels results
affecting distribution and conservation of energy may
again be seen.
It is necessary to emphasize this procedure because it
is important that all occultists should learn to interpret
and to think in terms of energy and of force, in
contradistinction to the sheaths or instruments employed.
The mystic has recognized this "force" factor, but has only
worked with the positive force aspect. The occultist must
recognize and work with three types of force, or energy,
and therein lies the distinction between his work and that
of the mystic. He recognizes:
- Positive force – Or that which energizes.
- Negative force – Or that which is the recipient of
energy; that which acts or assumes form under the impact
of positive force. [833]
- Light, or harmonic force – That which is produced by
the union of these two. The result is radiant
energy, and is the result of the equilibrising of the
two others.
These three aspects of energy have been called, as has
been often said:
- Electric fire – positive energy – Father.
- Fire by friction – negative energy – Mother.
- Solar fire – radiant energy – Sun or Son.
Each of these two last aspects demonstrates within
itself in a dual manner, but the effect is a unified whole
as regards the great Unity in which they are demonstrating.
The problem of the devas may be somewhat better understood
if it is remembered that they in themselves embody the two
types of energy. For instance, the solar Pitris are the
substance of the egoic bodies and groups, and the medium of
expression for the Spirit aspect, for Spirit manifests by
means of soul. The lunar Pitris, who form the personal
lower self, being the aggregate of the lower sheaths, are
energized and used by the solar Lords. These solar Angels
again are in many groups and express within their own ranks
a dual energy, both positive and negative. There is the
positive life of the egoic lotus which coordinates,
preserves, and actuates the petals, and there is also the
energy of the petal substance itself, or the negative
aspect which is swept by the positive force of the greater
solar Lords into living whorls or wheels which we
symbolically call "petals." There is a close analogy in
connection with the planetary Logos, and the solar Logos
between prana, the life force which animates the etheric
body of man, and by means of that [834] force coheres the
dense physical body, and that synthesizing life force of
the Logos which animates every atom on every plane of the
system. If this is meditated upon, and the fact of all our
planes being the etheric and dense manifestation of the
solar Logos is realized, then the place played by the solar
Angels may become somewhat elucidated, and their relation
to the planetary Logos and to the solar Logos may become
also clearer.
We must not only study them in connection with ourselves
and with our effort to identify ourselves with the solar
Lords of the lunar Pitris, but must recognize also:
- The solar Angels of a planetary scheme.
- The solar Angels of the solar system.
- The lunar lords of the scheme and system.
The word "lunar" is here an anachronism and is
technically inaccurate. The moon or moons in any scheme are
systemic effects, and are not causes. In certain planetary
relationships, they are considered causes, but in
connection with our solar system they are not. Yet also, in
connection with a system, there exist cosmically certain
bodies in space which have as definite an effect upon the
system as the moon has upon the earth. This is something as
yet unknown and incomprehensible to metaphysicians,
scientists and astronomers. War wages cosmically as yet
between the systemic "lunar" lords, and those Entities who
are analogous to the solar Lords on cosmic levels. Until
our students extend their concept to include in their
calculations the logoic astral and mental bodies as the
Logos seeks to express emotion and mind on the physical
plane (through His physical body, a solar system) they will
not progress far towards the heart of the solar mystery.
Until the force of the cosmic lunar Lords is sought for,
the fact of there being entire constellations beyond our
solar system in process of disintegration in time and space
in a manner similar to [835] the disintegration of the moon
will not be known nor the effects of this traced.
Eventually our solar system will pass into a similar state.
The true mystery of evil
265 lies here, and the
true reality of the "War in Heaven" must here be sought.
Similarly it must be remembered that planetary schemes pass
into obscuration and "die out," through the withdrawal in
all cases of the positive life and energy and of the
electric fire which is the animating principle of every
system, scheme, globe, kingdom in nature, and human unit.
This produces again in every case the dying out of the
"solar radiance," or of the light produced by the
commingling of the negative and positive energy. All that
is left in every case again is the habitual energy of the
substance upon which, and through which, the positive
energy has had such a [836] remarkable effect. This
negative type of force gradually dissipates, or disperses
itself, and seeks the central reservoir of energy. The
spheroidal form is thus disintegrated. This can be seen
working out now in the case of the moon, and the same rule
holds good for all bodies. We might word it otherwise: The
solar Devas (or radiant energy) return to the central Heart
or to the source which breathed them out. This leaves the
lesser deva substance dependent upon its own internal heat,
as it involves the withdrawal of that which built substance
into form. This deva substance is of many kinds and perhaps
the consequent procedure can be more clearly understood if
we say that as the form breaks up the lesser builders and
devas return to their
group soul. Certain of them,
those who form the bodies of the fourth kingdom in nature,
and who are therefore the highest kind of substance through
which consciousness can manifest in the three worlds, are
on the road
towards individualization, – they are
nearer the human stage than the substance of the three
other kingdoms. They occupy a place in the deva evolution
analogous to that which a man holds in the human kingdom
(note that I say kingdom, not evolution) who is nearing the
Path. The goal for the devas (below the rank of solar
Pitris) is individualization, and their objective is to
become men in some future cycle. The goal for a man is
initiation, or to become a conscious Dhyan Chohan, and in
some distant cycle to do for the humanity of that age what
the solar Pitris have done for him, and make their
self-conscious expression a possibility. The goal for a
solar Pitri is, as said earlier, to become a logoic
Ray.
266 [837]
265 Problem of Evil.
The following quotation is from a trance writing, given
through Dr. Anna Kingsford; it runs thus:
You have demanded also the origin of evil. This is a
great subject, and we should have withheld it from you
longer, but that it seems to us now that you are in need
of it. Understand then that Evil is the result of
Creation. For Creation is the result of the projection of
Spirit into matter; and with this projection came the
first germ of evil. We would have you know that there is
no such thing as a purely spiritual evil, but evil is the
result of the materialization of Spirit. If you examine
carefully all we have said to you concerning the various
forms of evil, you will see that every one is the result
of the limitation of the power to perceive that the whole
Universe is but the Larger Self... It is, then, true that
God created evil; but yet it is true that God is Spirit,
and being Spirit is incapable of evil. Evil is then
purely and solely the result of the materialization of
God. This is a great mystery. We can but indicate it
tonight... God is perception itself. God is universal
percipience. God is that which sees and that which is
seen. If we could see all, hear all, touch all, and so
forth, there would be no evil, for evil comes of the
limitation of perception. Such limitation was necessary
if God was to produce aught other than God. Aught other
than God must be less than God. Without evil, therefore,
God would have remained alone. All things are God
according to the measure of the Spirit in them.
That is to say, a perfected humanity will be a
perfect vehicle of the divine Spirit (see the Mercaba of
Ezekiel, 1st Chapter). Great is our indebtedness to the
Seers who throw out for us flashes of light on the darkness
and mystery of human life, where the struggling Spirit
within is so often buried in the depths of this mysterious
Chaos, thereby making visible the darkness, so that we are
enabled to see a few steps of the Way ahead, thus
encouraging us to press forward with renewed assurance that
the mists and clouds will be dispelled, and we shall in due
time enter the fullness of the divine Presence.
- The Theosophist, Vol. XXIX, p. 50.
266 The Goal for the Pitris:
The lunar Pitris are on a level with the lower
Principles. – S. D., II, 82.
- They create our lower principles – S. D., II,
92.
- They possess creative fire but not divine fire – S.
D., II, 81, 82.
- They evolve the human form – S. D., I, 203.
- They will eventually become men – S. D., I, 203.
Compare S. D., II, 99.
The higher Principles are latent in the animals. – S.
D., II, 266, 279.
- The solar Pitris embody the fifth principle – S. D.,
I, 241.
- They give consciousness to man – S. D., I, 204.
- They furnish the vehicle for the incarnating Monad,
forming the egoic body - S. D., I, 237.
- They develop the human type – S. D., II, 243.
Compare S. D., II, 96.
267 Unseen Planets:
"Not all of the Intra-Mercurial planets, nor yet those in
the orbit of Neptune, are yet discovered, although they
are strongly suspected. We know that such exist and where
they exist; and that there are innumerable planets "burnt
out" they say, – in Obscuration we say; – planets in
formation and not yet luminous, etc." ...
"When so attached the 'tasimeter' will afford the
possibility not only to measure the heat of the remotest
of visible stars, but to detect by their invisible
radiations stars that are unseen and otherwise
undetectable, hence planets also. The discoverer, an F.
T. S., a good deal protected by M., thinks that if, at
any point in a blank space of heavens – a space that
appears blank even through a telescope of the highest
power – the tasimeter indicates an accession of
temperature and does so invariably; this will be a
regular proof that the instrument is in range with the
stellar body either non-luminous or so distant as to be
beyond the reach of telescopic vision. His tasimeter, he
says, 'is affected by a wider range of etheric
undulations than the Eye can take cognizance of.' Science
will Hear sounds from certain planets before she Sees
them. This is a Prophecy."
– Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, p. 169.
To return to the matter which we were considering; – Just
as the moon is a deterrent or malefic force where the Earth
is concerned, and productive of evil "influences," so all
such disintegrating bodies are equally destructive. Such
bodies exist within the solar ring-pass-not,267
unrecognized as yet, and disintegrating constellations (of
which there are many in the universe, unknown and
unrecognized by scientists) have an equally malefic effect
upon our system, and upon all that passes into their sphere
of influence. There is one such constellation, situated
between the lesser Dipper and our system, and another,
interrelated with the Pleiades and our system which still
have a profound effect upon the physical body of the solar
Logos.
The above paragraph is specifically worded thus because the
effects are felt in the lowest sheath of all, and are
responsible for much that is ignorantly termed "black
magic." These two constellations have ran their cycles and
are "dissolving." Some of their life force and energy has
been transferred to our solar system, [838] just as the
lunar life force was transferred to our earth, and this it
is that is the cause of much cyclic evil. The process of
decay and the evil emanations induced still have power to
influence forms which are responsive to what was for them
an earlier vibration. The substance of these forms is
magnetically linked with the decaying body, much as the
etheric double is connected with its dense sheath, and
effects are therefore manifested. Purificatory fire is the
only cure for this magnetic corruption, and this is being
utilized freely by the planetary Logoi in Their schemes,
and by the solar Logos in the system.
D.II.3.d.ii.A. Purificatory Fire
"The fire burned low. A dull red glow slumbered within the
Heart of Mother. Its warmth was scarcely felt. The first
and second of the inner lines throbbed with the burning,
but the rest were cold.
The Sons of God looked down from the innermost center. They
looked, then turned away Their gaze and thoughts to other
spheres. Their hour had not yet come. The elemental fires
had not prepared the altar for the Lords. The sacrificial
fire waited in its high place and the steady glow beneath
increased.
The fire burned clearer, and the first and second slowly
lighted up. Their glow became a line of brilliant fire yet
the five remained untouched. The Sons of God again looked
down. For one brief second They thought upon the Mother,
and as They thought the third caught fire. Swiftly They
looked away for the form as yet relayed to Them no call.
The heat was latent and no outer warmth ascended to Their
place.
The aeons passed. The glow increased. The Spheres took
form, but dissipated rapidly, lacking coherent force. They
passed. They came again. Action incessant, noise and fire
and smoldering heat characterized Their cycles. But the
Lhas in Their high heaven spurned this elemental work and
gazed within Themselves. They meditated.
* * *
The glow became a steady burning and tiny flames were seen.
The first, the second, and the third became three lines of
fire and one triangle was consummated. Yet the four are
seen quiescent [839] and respond not to the heat. Thus do
the cycles and the elemental lives pass and repass, and
their work continues.
The forms are set, yet brief their span. They move not, yet
they pass. The hour has come for the great awakening. They
pass no longer down but mount.
This is the interlude for which the Lhas in Their high
place have waited. They may not enter yet the forms
prepared, but feel Their hour approaching. They meditate
anew, and for a minute gaze upon the myriad threefold fires
until the fourth responds.
The sixty seconds passed in dynamic concentration produce
forms of triple kind, three sets of forms, and myriads in
the three. The Heart of Mother contracts, and expands with
these sixty fiery breaths. The lines become allied, and
cubes are formed, shielding the inner fire. The altar is
prepared, and four square stands. The altar glows, red at
the center and warm without.
* * *
The altar flames. Its heat mounts up, yet it burns not, nor
is consumed. Its heat, which has no flame, reaches a higher
sphere; the Sons of God for a brief period warm Themselves,
yet approach not nearer to it until the passing of another
cycle. They await the hour, the hour of sacrifice.
The solar Lords, taking the Word as sounded by the Sons of
God, arise in the fierceness of their solar life and
approach the altar. The four lines glow and burn. The sun
applies a ray; the solar Lords pass it through Their
substance and again approach the altar. The fifth line
awakens and becomes a glowing point, and then a dull red
line, measuring the distance 'twixt the altar and the One
Who watches.
The fivefold fire dynamic begins to flicker and to burn. It
lights not yet without; it simply glows. The aeons pass
away, the cycles come and go.
Steadily the solar Lords sacrifice Themselves; They are the
fire upon the altar. The fourth provides the fuel.
* * *
The Sons of God still watch. The work nears its final
consummation. The Eternal Lhas in Their high place call
each to each, and four take up the cry: "The fire is
burning. Does the heat suffice?" [840]
Two answer to each other: " 'The fire is burning; the altar
is well-nigh destroyed. What happens next?' " "Add to the
fire with fuel from Heaven. Breathe on the blazing fire and
fan its flame to utter fierceness."
Thus the command goes out from One Who watches, silent
hitherto, through countless aeons. They send forth breath.
Something prevents the passage of the breath. They call for
aid. One makes His appearance Who has not yet been seen.
He lifts His hand. The one, the two, the three, the four
and five merge into one and mingle with the sixth. The
flame mounts up, responding to the breath. The final
disappearance of the cube is needed and then the work
stands forth."
From the archives of The Lodge.
D.II.3.d.iii. The Names of the Egoic Lotuses
We might consider briefly the work of forming the egoic
lotus on its own plane; this is as the result of the work
of the Agnishvattas, after its segregation in space, and
the formation of its ring-pass-not. We have touched upon
the remotest and earliest stages. One point we have not yet
emphasized but which is of interest to the thoughtful
student. This is the fact of the difference existing
between the egoic bodies owing to their varying stages of
development. For instance, up till the middle of the
Atlantean root-race (S.D., I, 196.) (when the door of
individualization was closed), Egos were to be seen at many
differing stages from the newly organized "buds,"
representing freshly individualized men, to the highly
developed causal bodies of the different disciples and
initiates, who were superintending the evolution of the
race. Now the egoic bodies might be grouped from the
evolutionary standpoint as follows:
On the third subplane of the mental plane:
- Bud egos. Our planetary scheme, being
at the midway point in its evolution, there are therefore
no unopened "buds" strictly speaking. All the egoic
lotuses have at least one petal open. All the lotuses are
organized, but there are vast differences among those of
small development, [841] showing forth in the brilliancy
of the permanent atoms, and in the stage of petal
unfoldment.
- Brahmic lotuses in which the first or
knowledge petal is fully unfolded. They are so called as
they represent on the physical plane the fully active
intelligent unity, the man of small mental development,
the lowest type of workers, agriculturists, and peasants
on every continent. They are also, called "third class
creators," as they express themselves only through the
act of physical creation on the physical plane, and their
function is largely to provide vehicles for those of
their own group.
- The lotuses of Brahman, in which the second
petal is showing signs of opening and the second aspect
in its lowest manifestation is showing signs of
demonstration. They stand as representing certain groups
of Egos from certain planetary schemes, notably Jupiter
and Venus, who are a grade higher than the class above,
but which have as yet a long way to go. They are called
"second class creators," for though they demonstrate on
the physical plane in the act of physical creation, yet
they are more swayed by love than by animal instinct as
in the first case. They are to be found incarnating at
this time in the Orient, particularly in India and in the
Latin countries, and just lately in America.
- Primary lotuses. These are a group of
special interest brought in under the influence of the
Lord of the fifth Ray, and therefore fundamentally allied
to the energy which is the special manifestation in this
system and the basis of all achievement, that is, manas.
They were quiescent during the Atlantean root-race but
have come in during the fourth and fifth subraces of this
root-race. They are a group a good deal more advanced
than the earlier classes but need much to develop the
second petal. With them the first and the third petals in
the first circle are opening, but the middle petal is yet
shut. The middle tier also shows no signs of vitality.
Owing [842] to conditions in their emanating planet,
their development has been one-sided, and hence their
entering on a wave of energy into this scheme in order to
"round" themselves out, as it is called. They may be seen
in the purely intellectual selfish scientific type. They
are responsible for much of the advanced application of
mechanical science to the needs of men, and for the
introduction of certain types of machinery; they work
largely in connection with the energy of the mineral
kingdom. By this it must be inferred that the solar Lords
who embody this type are linked with a group of lunar
Lords who respond magnetically to the devas of the
mineral kingdom. Their work for the race has at present a
deleterious effect, but when the second petal is opened,
the wonders then to be achieved by them in loving service
along their own particular line will be one of the
factors which will regenerate the fourth kingdom. They
will achieve emancipation in the fifth round, four fifths
of them passing on to the Path and one fifth set back for
another cycle.
- Lotuses of passion or desire. They are
so called because their fundamental nature is embodied
love in some one or other form. The bulk of the Monads of
Love are among this large group and they are to be seen
incarnating in the bulk of the well-to-do, kindly people
of the world. They are divided into five groups, of whom
three individualized upon this planet, and two were the
very latest to individualize upon the moon chain. They
have two petals unfolded and the third is for them at
this time the object of their attention. Many may succeed
in unfolding it before the seventh root-race of this
round but the bulk of them will unfold it in the second
root-race of the next round, and will stand ready before
the close of the round to pass on to the probationary
path, having unfolded one tier of petals, and organized
the second. All these lotuses of the first circle are
divided into groups but interplay goes on between them;
energy in any center [843] produces reflex energy in
another. It must be remembered that in closing the door
in Atlantean times to the animal kingdom, and the
consequent temporary cessation of the forming of any more
"bud lotuses" the effect was dual, in directions other
than the human or the animal. It was the result of the
internal decision on the part of the planetary Logos to
turn His attention away from the act of creation on the
systemic mental plane to the work of progressive
evolution. This caused a cessation of certain types of
activity, producing a quiescence in certain of His
centers, and an increased activity in others. It also had
an effect upon the solar Angels, and consequently upon
the Heart of the solar system from whence they are drawn.
Floods of energy or streams of force from the heart of
the sun (the subjective Sun) were arrested and directed
elsewhere, while the Pitris already active began to
center their attention upon the work begun, and
temporarily new beginnings were out of order. It must not
be forgotten here that the work of the solar Pitris from
their point of view, is not primarily the evolution of
man, but is the process of their own development within
the plan of the solar Logos. The evolution of the human
race is, for them, but a method.
Perfected men are in the councils of the planetary Logos of
their particular ray; the solar Pitris are in the council
of the solar Logos.269
269 All these will become solar Logoi of varying
grades.
It might be of value here if we temporarily stopped our
consideration of the egoic groups and briefly tabulated the
evolutions, remembering that in this tabulation, the planes
of differentiation alone are concerned; on the plane of the
unmanifest or of the subjective, only unity is known. It
must again be remembered that the term "unmanifest" is one
of relative importance only, and concerns man's
apprehension of all that is. To the solar Logos the planes
of the unmanifest are objective. Man has not as yet
achieved etheric vision, and the etheric [845] subplanes
are to him as yet unmanifest. The solar Logos has cosmic
etheric vision fully developed, and because He is on the
cosmic Path all is known and fully revealed to Him within
the solar System.
Lives and Goals (Tabulation VI)
Lives |
Goal |
1. Planetary Logoi – The major Three. |
Cosmic liberation; the final cosmic
Initiations. |
2. The minor four planetary Logoi. |
Cosmic Initiation, or the first four
Initiations. |
3. The informing Lives of a planetary globe. |
Manus of a cosmic chain. Not a seed manu, but a
periodical manu of lesser degree. This involves an
unrevealable mystery, connected with certain
Hierarchies of color. |
4. The informing Life of a kingdom in nature. |
Transference in one of three directions:
- To the line of the solar Pitris.
- To Sirius, as a karmic adjuster.
- To the solar system of the next order to work
in connection with the planetary Logos of his own
line as ruler of a kingdom or life wave in the
system, and not just in a scheme.
|
5. The solar Pitris. |
The highest three groups will become major
planetary Logoi; the lower four groups will become
minor planetary Logoi. |
6. The Human evolution. |
To become the solar Pitris of another cycle. To
follow any of the paths earlier enumerated. Those who
become solar Pitris, being the bulk of humanity, return
to Sirius to be breathed out again into activity. |
7. The lunar Pitris |
To become men. They will in their higher grades
pass directly into the animal evolution of the next
cycle and so eventually individualize. Their three
higher grades will become animal-men, and the lower
four will contribute to the quaternic forms of the men
of the next creation. |
8. The Animal evolution |
Human kingdom. |
9. The Vegetable evolution |
The Animal kingdom. |
10. The Mineral evolution |
The Vegetable kingdom. |
11. The four higher grades of lesser Builders on
all planes. |
They will form the manifested double or form of
that mysterious third evolution of the next system;
that is, the etheric body of the planetary entity. This
mysterious life is as yet an unfathomable mystery and
one which will not be revealed till the final one of
the triplicity of solar systems of our solar
Logos. |
12. The tree lower grades of the lesser
Builders |
The physical body in its densest form of the
planetary entity. |
It might here be noted that the planetary Entity is
the sumtotal of all the elemental lives of the lesser
Builders functioning as, or forming, the substance of any
particular globe in physical objectivity. The mystery of
the whole subject lies hidden in three things: First, the
fact that our three planes, physical, astral, and mental,
form the dense body of the solar Logos, and are therefore
not considered as forming principles.
The second fact is that the lesser "lives" or the elemental
essence are the "refuse" of an earlier system, and react to
inherent impulses so powerfully that it was only possible
to control them through the dynamic will of the Logos,
consciously applied. The word "refuse" must be interpreted
analogically, and as is understood when it is said that man
gathers to himself in each fresh incarnation matter to form
his dense physical body which is tinged with the earlier
vibrations of preceding incarnations. These "lives" have
been gradually drawn in during the entire mahamanvantara as
it became safe and possible to control and bend them to the
will of the greater Builders. Much of the earlier
energy-substance in systemic construction has been passed
on into that force-matter which we call that of the lunar
Pitris, and its place has gradually been taken by this type
of energy, gathered in from the greater sphere in which our
Logos has place. The twelve evolutions are after all but
the twelve types of energy, manifesting ever in three
groups of forces, and again as one group when synthesized
during the process of manifestation. They are fourfold in
interaction, and have a systemic ebb and flow about which
little is known.
Third, the fact of the coming into incarnation of the [846]
informing life " of this low grade substance, who is an
entity from a point in the Heavens which may not be
mentioned: He embodies influences of a manasic nature, but
manas at its very lowest vibration. Perhaps some idea of
this may be gathered if it is stated that there is a
resemblance between this vibration, or this energizing
life, and the basic vibration of the solar system preceding
this one. We must remember that our basic vibration was the
result of the evolutionary process of the entire earlier
system. This entity has the same analogous relation to the
deva evolution as the mysterious "bridges" which baffle
scientists, and which are found between the vegetable and
the animal kingdom, and the mineral and the vegetable; they
are neither the one nor the other. On a large scale, this
"life" or the informing entity of the lower life of the
physical plane of the solar system is neither a full
exponent of the subconscious life of the earlier system,
nor of the elemental life of this; only in the next system
will be seen the manifestation of a form of consciousness
of a type at present inconceivable to man. Esoterically he
is stated to have "neither sight nor hearing"; he is
neither deva nor human in essence. He is occultly "blind,"
utterly unaware; he is capable only of movement, and
resembles the fetus in the womb; that which is coming to
the birth only the next greater cycle will reveal. The
mystery of the moon (S. D., I, 172, footnote.) or of the
"divine lunatic" is connected somewhat with the revelation
(through the premature compassion of our planetary Logos)
of the life of this nature, informing the dense globe of
the moon chain. On His high level, pity awoke in the heart
of the planetary Logos for certain involutionary existences
within the moon chain, and (like the Buddha on a lesser
scale and at a much later date) compassionate zeal brought
the karmic results with which we are still concerned. The
"beast" must be driven back [847] for his own good to run
his cycle, hidden in his den and confined within safe
limits until the dawning of a new system brings him
conscious opportunity.
More we may not say. It must be remembered that the
mysteries of existence are as yet but little cognized by
man. In cases where profound mysteries lie, man is often
totally unaware of it; and frequently man remains blind and
deaf where no mystery is but only revelation for those who
have eyes to see and ears to hear. When man has penetrated
to those secrets which lie behind the lower kingdoms in
nature, when he has solved the problem of the constitution
of the interior of the Earth, and has from there worked his
way back to knowledge of the working of the involutionary
path and the lives which tread that path, then and then
only will he begin to realize the strangeness of that which
lies beyond his ken.
One further hint may be given, which will serve to throw a
beam of light upon the problem for those who are ready, and
will add to the confusion of the non-intuitive: – From the
standpoint of the ONE ABOUT WHOM NAUGHT MAY BE SAID, to
Whom our solar system is but a center (which center being
one of the three truths revealed at the seventh Initiation)
- System I – was characterized by the organization of a
center, and the mysterious life we have been speaking
about was produced by the "lowest vibration of the
center."
- System II – is characterized by the activity in three
dimensions of this center, and the evolution of three
types of consciousness, deva, human and subhuman, in all
their many grades and hierarchies. It is the period of
the balancing of the forces in the center.
- System III – will be characterized by the fourth
dimensional activity of the center, and the twelve types
of evolution will become four types of force. [848]
This is next to impossible for man to understand and
will seem inexplicable, but this hint is imparted in order
that man may realize the interdependence of the various
systems, and the place they hold in a greater scheme; the
intent is not to give the student uncorrelated facts of no
apparent use to him. Without the premise of our position
within a vaster scheme, man's deductions will remain
inaccurate.
We will now proceed with our enumeration of the groups of
Egos according to their characteristics, but it might be
wise to deal first with a problem which may be in some
minds and see if it is not capable of solution. Two
problems come before the mind of the thoughtful student;
one concerns the position (in connection with any
particular planetary scheme) of those vast groups of Egos,
which are embodied by Lives, emanating from any one of the
seven Rays, and associated with any of the various schemes.
The other deals with the effect produced by the "coming-in"
of Egos on the mental plane which are not "bud" Egos, but
are possibly very fully developed, such as disciples and
initiates.
These thoughts may be clarified if certain statements are
made relating to the mental plane, and which will serve as
indications as to the direction in which the solution of
these problems may be sought.
The mental plane is, as H. P. B. has pointed out, the
vastest of all the planes with which we are concerned. It
is the key plane of the solar system. It is the pivotal
plane upon which the great Wheel turns. It is the meeting
place of the three lines of evolution and has been for this
reason esoterically termed "the council chamber of the
Three Divinities." On this plane, the three Persons of
the logoic Trinity meet in united work. Below two Persons
may be seen associated; above another duality functions,
but only on this plane do the Three make an at-one-ment.
[849]
All the Logoi of the differing schemes are expressing
Themselves upon this plane. There are certain schemes in
the system which find their lowest manifestation on this
plane, and have no physical body such as the Earth, and the
other dense planets. They exist through the medium of
gaseous matter, and their spheres of manifestation are
simply composed of the four cosmic ethers and the cosmic
gaseous. But all the great Lives of the solar system do
possess bodies of our systemic mental matter, and therefore
on that plane communication between all these Entities
becomes a possibility.
This fact is the basis of occult
realization, and the true ground for the at-one-ment.
Matter of the abstract levels of the mental plane enters
into the composition of the vehicles for all these greater
Existences and through the medium of this energized
substance each can get en rapport with each, no matter what
Their individual goal of attainment may be. The units,
therefore, in Their bodies can equally get in touch with
all other Egos and groups once they have achieved the
consciousness of the mental plane (causal consciousness)
and know the varying group "keys," the group tones and
colors. It will consequently be apparent to the careful
student that in this fact lies the true relationship
between the various groups of Egos, no matter what degree
of evolution, or what ray and in which scheme they may be.
The basic truth here involved may be better grasped if the
following occult phrases are studied:
"Within the Hall of Ignorance kama-manas rules.
The man, weighed down by much misplaced desire, seeks for
the object of his heart's attention within the murky
halls of densest maya. He finds it there but dies ere
garnering all the longed-for fruit. The serpent stings
him, and the joy desired recedes from out his grasp. All
seeking thus the selfish fruits of karma must each
despise each other; hence strife and greed, ill-will and
hatred, death and retribution, karmic invocation and the
thunderbolt of vengeance characterize this Hall.
[850]
Within the Hall of Learning intellect rules and
seeks to guide. Desire of a higher kind, the fruit of
manas and its use, supplants the lower kamic urge. Man
weighs and balances, and in the twilight Halls of
Intellection seeks for the fruit of knowledge. He finds
it but to realize that knowledge is not all; he dies upon
the open field of knowledge, hearing a cry beat on his
dying ears: "Know that the knower greater is than
knowledge; the One who seeks is greater than the
sought.
Within the Hall of Wisdom the Spirit rules; the
One within the lesser ones assumes supreme control. Death
is not known within these halls, for its two great gates
are passed. Discord and strife both disappear and only
harmony is seen. The knowers see themselves as One; they
recognize the field wherein knowledge grows as Brahmic
dissonance and differentiation. Knowledge they know as
method, an instrument of purpose utilized by all and just
a germ of eventual recognition. Within this hall union of
each with each, blending of one and all, and unity of
action, goal and skill marks every high endeavor."
If these words are pondered on, it will be
realized that true union exists in the realization that the
greater life ever includes the lesser, and that each
expansion of consciousness brings man closer to this
realized Oneness.
Therefore, if one might venture to express an abstraction
and a state of consciousness in terms of time and space,
and through the limitation of language, it might be stated
that on egoic levels, or on the three higher subplanes of
the mental plane, there exists a channel of communication,
based on similarity of vibration and oneness of endeavor,
between every one of the planetary schemes, within the
solar ring-pass-not. Here, and here alone (as regards the
three worlds and the human kingdom), becomes possible the
establishing of egoic relationships and the transmission of
thought substance between
- Units and egoic groups.
- Groups and other groups. [851]
- Greater groups with still greater or with lesser
ones.
- Egos in one planetary scheme with those in
another.
The Ahhi, the greater Builders,
271 Who are
the Lords working out the will of the solar Logos, mainly
use two planes for communication with each other and with
Their cohorts:
71 From a Sensa word meaning "serpents." These are the
Dragons of Wisdom. - See S. D., I, 55, 69, 70.
- First, the second plane, where They
communicate by means of a spiritual medium
incomprehensible to man at present.
- Second, the mental plane, where They
communicate with all lesser lives by means of a type of
mental telepathy.
The "coming-in" of advanced Egos from the inner round,
or from other planetary schemes, or from subtler spheres
where they have been in pralaya awaiting opportunity is
produced in a triple manner and is the result of a triple
activity. It is caused by an understanding between the
planetary Logos of a scheme, and a brother planetary Logos
whereby an exchange is effected. The student must here
think in terms of force and energy, of magnetic interaction
and the
conscious transmission of energy out of the
body of the planetary Logos, via the centers or a center,
into the body of another planetary Logos.
The cause here
is the will or purpose, the object is sensation, and the
method is force transference. Exactly the same
understanding lies back of the coming in of egos from the
inner round, only this time the energy is sent forth by
certain existences (working in connection with any
planetary Logos) who are the "custodians of the inner
circle." This touches upon a mystery and deals with the
coming-in of high Egos, of Avatars, of Buddhas, [852] of
masters, of initiates, and of disciples, and of all who
have to wait for group, and not individual, urge for the
fulfilment of cyclic karma on a large scale, and whose
"wheels" are controlled by cosmic forces and not by purely
systemic forces.
Another factor might be termed the karmic results of seeds
sown in days long past, and hidden in the mysteries of the
earlier system, scheme, or chain as the case may be. All
these three groups of manifestation follow karmic impulse,
and this impulse it is which controls the time period, and
method of the appearance in any group of planetary egos, of
newly born lotus buds, or of lotuses which are termed
"mystically transplanted." These latter are probably of a
high degree of unfoldment. This is possible in individual
cases and in the case of entire groups.
A third factor has to do with the transference of Egos or
lotuses from one sphere of activity to another and this
necessarily produces conditions calling for the appearance
of similar centers to take their place. Energy transmitted
must be supplied from elsewhere, and this is another
predisposing factor for the appearance of egoic lotuses in
any scheme. The law of the conservation of force holds good
on any plane.
This whole question of the transference of egoic lotuses
from any one scheme to another, or from chain to chain, on
the mental plane is one of very real intricacy, and cannot
be elucidated to the unpledged disciple. Only these general
indications are in any way possible.
It must also be remembered in connection with our planet
that Egos appear in those groups whose lotuses are not
produced as the result of the Law of Attraction working
between the animal kingdom of the globe and the higher
Triads, but which are Egos who have individualized
elsewhere, and who therefore come in with their petals
already organized, and perhaps with several [853] petals
unfolded. This has necessarily a profound effect both upon
the groups in which they appear, and upon the type of man
who will make his appearance subsequently in physical plane
incarnation. This is touched upon in the Secret
Doctrine when the question of the early teachers and
divine kings who occupied the ill-favored bodies of the
early humanity, is broached."272, 273
272 See the early part of the Secret
Doctrine, Volume II.
273 C. W. Leadbeater had a dim apprehension
of this idea when he referred to those boat loads of Egos
from the moon chain. He has of course materialized the idea
far too much; if the same fundamental idea is expressed in
terms of force and of the appearance of force centers
within the earth chain, which force centers are the result
of energy emanating from an earlier chain and producing
whorls in the ether or substance of the mental plane, then
the true significance may be more easily grasped.
To continue with our consideration of egoic groups: It
might be briefly stated that the egoic groups in connection
with our planet may be roughly grouped according to the
stage of lotus organization, as follows:
- Egos who were produced through the individualization
process in Lemurian days. They are the Earth humanity,
along with the second group.
- Egos who have individualized during the Atlantean
root-race until the door was shut.
- Egos who have "come-in" from the moon chain and who
are much more evolved than the earth humanity.
- Egos who have been swept in since Atlantean days to
take the place of those Egos who have achieved
liberation, and whose causal bodies have disappeared, or
whose lotuses have "died out" leaving a vacuum in force
substance which must be supplied and filled. They usually
come in from one of two schemes:
- From the scheme embodied by the polar opposite of
our planetary Logos.
- From that scheme which is allied with these two
in forming a systemic triangle. [854]
These cases are necessarily rare at present but
will become more frequent as more and more of the human
race take the fourth Initiation.
- Certain rare Egos or lotuses from schemes not
enumerated in the above triplicity. They are usually only
brought in so that they may perfect certain developments
in their own nature, to carry out experimental work in
connection with the deva kingdom, or to produce certain
group results desired by the planetary Logos. They
frequently do not descend into dense physical incarnation
but work primarily on mental and astral levels, returning
to their own spheres eventually for the final stages of
liberation.
All these lotuses in their myriad differentiations
have specific effects upon each other on mental levels, and
these effects are as yet utterly unrealized by man.
Nevertheless, they are the basis of the true psychology,
and the grounds of all true activity. The student would do
well to ponder upon the effect any advanced Ego would be
likely to have upon:
- Other Egos in his group.
- The solar Pitris who are the substance of the
group.
- The lunar Pitris, who are linked with the solar
Pitris through the permanent atoms.
We have enumerated above certain classifications of
groups of Egos to be found on the causal levels of the
mental plane, so as to give students some idea of the
vastness of the subject, and the complexity of the problem.
It must be remembered that on the third subplane of the
mental plane there is no individual separation such as we
find when in physical manifestation, but nevertheless group
separation is to be seen. These groups are far too many to
enumerate in detail. We have outlined and named five of the
larger groups as catalogued under [855] one scheme of
tabulation in the Hall of Records. Other methods of
enumeration exist, and even under the one here used, these
five groups are each subdivided into ten groups, and these
again are broken up into lesser units, all of them being
known and portrayed under certain symbols.
When we come to the second subplane of the mental plane
(the plane whereon the egoic bodies of advanced humanity,
of disciples, and of initiates are found) the method of
grouping will be according to:
- Ray.
- Subray.
- Department (whether under the Manu, the Mahachohan or
the Bodhisattva on our earth scheme or their analogies on
other schemes).
- The Master's group.
These egoic lotuses are all organized, and have a
number of petals unfolded whilst some are in the final
stages of development. They have also been grouped under
the following three heads:
- Lotuses of revelation. Those in which
the "jewel" is just about to be revealed.
- Lotuses with perfume. Those whose
occult "smell" or aroma is permeating their environment.
They are those Egos who have not yet completely unfolded
the final tier of petals, but whose lives are of magnetic
force in the three worlds, and whose careers are
distinguished by altruistic service.
- Radiant lotuses, or those whose light is
beginning to shine forth as lights in a dark place.
They are grouped also according to primary color, to
subsidiary coloring, according to key or tone, and one
tabulation is entirely numerical. It might be of interest
[856] to the student if we here pointed out that in the
Hall of Records in connection with the human Egos certain
of the records under symbological terminology keep a minute
account of the following facts concerning each unit:
The lunar record. This deals with all the
lower vehicles and forms, employed by the human Monads and
concerns itself with:
- Their rate of vibration,
- Their type,
- Their key number,
- The particular group of lunar Lords who are concerned
with those bodies,
- The detailed history of the elemental lives who
construct the bodies.
This information is employed by the karmic official
responsible for the production of a new set of vehicles at
each incarnation, in order to assist the working out of
karma. The history of the lunar bodies is stored up in the
permanent atoms.
The solar record. This deals with the more
permanent egoic vehicle, and concerns itself with:
- The rate of vibration.
- The history of the petal unfoldment.
- The history of any particular group of solar Angels
concerned with the formation of the lotus.
- The activity of the deva substance out of which the
lotus is constructed.
- Group relationships.
This information is used by the Master Who has made
Himself responsible for the stimulation and the growth of
any particular series of Egos, and also by advanced Egos
who are consciously working with their group.
The consciousness record. This concerns the
response of the indwelling Entity to its surroundings. It
deals [857] with the utilization of knowledge by the
knower, and is in many ways the most intricate and the most
lengthy of the records.
These records are mostly used by the Lord of the World and
His pupils to ascertain information in connection with the
planetary centers. They are arranged in such a way that the
entire record of any group, however vast and extensive, is
embodied in seven sheets of symbols, each containing
forty-nine symbols. These sheets are changed and corrected
once every seven years, and are precipitated on astral
matter by an effort of will by the Chohan responsible for
the particular group involved.
D.II.3.d.iv. The Petals and the Etheric Centers
It remains now to point out the close connection between
the unfoldment of the petals in the egoic lotuses and the
etheric centers in man. It is through the centers that
psychic energy flows. Students should carefully bear in
mind the two following facts:
First, the etheric body is vitalized, as we know, by prana.
Pranic energy is the stimulator of animal activity, and of
physical plane development. Its effect is primarily upon
the atoms of the physical body and it has a triple effect
upon the substance of the physical body:
- It preserves the animal health of the body.
- It constructs and builds in the body, through its
energy and force currents, what is needed to replace the
daily wear and tear.
- It is the medium whereby man comes into physical
touch with his brother man. Physical magnetism is
largely, even if not wholly, dependent upon prana.
The etheric, centers are the force vortices formed in
etheric matter by astral impulse, transmitted via the [858]
astral centers. These astral centers in their turn are the
transmitters of still higher energy, and thus the statement
is technically true, that the etheric centers are the
source of man's psychic energy, and are therefore affected
by the unfoldment of the petals. Every petal is in its turn
a type of force center, and the energy emanating from it
affects the etheric centers, and produces every type of
psychic energy of the true kind.
The energy flowing from the Ego is but little felt in the
early stages of development. Man follows his allotted path
through animal and racial instinct, and can be safely left
to the stimulation emanating from his group centers, and to
the ordinary driving force inherent in form, and to the
earlier life waves. It is only when he has reached a
comparatively advanced stage (in comparison with that of
animal man) that egoic or psychic force pours through his
centers in such a way as to produce results in
consciousness – of these he will eventually become
profoundly aware within his physical brain. I do not here
refer to the ordinary animal psychism displayed by the
higher animals, and found among certain of the post
Lemurian races. This is a type of consciousness inherent in
the atoms, and is a constituent part of the "soul of the
world." It is unconscious and uncontrolled and has no part
in this teaching. I refer to the conscious psychism which
is displayed by advanced humanity, by disciples and
initiates of all grades. This kind is the result of the
pouring in of egoic energy through the etheric centers
(mainly through five of them) in such a way that the
consciousness of the physical brain becomes aware of it,
and also aware of:
- Its purpose,
- Its technique,
- The effects produced within the lower self of the man
himself and also upon others, [859]
- His ability to employ it or not as he may desire. It
is under his control.
The centers with which the student is concerned are,
as we know, four in number:
- The head,
- The heart,
- The throat,
- The base of the spine.
These are the only ones which should receive
consideration. His work is to transfer the force or energy
out of the two lower – the spinal and the solar plexus –
into the three higher. It is presumed that he has already
transferred, or is in process of transferring, the energy
of the generative organs into the center of desire, the
solar plexus, with the aim in view of guiding it still
higher to the throat center. The splenic center, being the
vehicle of prana, is specially developed under evolutionary
law, and its energy is not transferred to another center,
but is consciously diffused. When its correspondence in the
head center is awakened, this becomes the organ of occult
healing; through it the healer (by an act of will), absorbs
prana and vitality from the ethers, and then breathes it
out again upon the object to be healed by an act of
compassionate healing.
In connection with the etheric centers, we should note the
fact that the major head center is twofold in structure,
and consists of a lotus of ninety-six petals between the
eyebrows, and of a twelve-petalled lotus at the top of the
head, with ninety-six petals in a subsidiary whorl. The
significance of these figures is profound. In every case
the figure twelve is met with, showing a definite relation
to the basic psychic lotuses on egoic levels. Twelve
multiplied by eight stands for the twelve petals in each
case, while in the figure eight lies hidden the idea of
duality: [860]
- The four of the quaternary,
- The four of the egoic auric egg (the three aspects,
and the ring-pass-not.)
We must note also, that the idea of twelve in
connection with the centers is found in three of them:
- The higher head center,
- The secondary head center,
- The heart center.
If the student studies this condition, and links up
the idea of the three tiers of petals in the
twelve-petalled lotus, he may find illumination. More it is
not possible to give at this stage.
It is only when the etheric centers – the two head centers
and the heart center – are fully active with their twelve
petals completely unfolded that the central circle of
petals in the egoic lotus (the fourth or inner circle)
unfolds. The significance of the four circles in the egoic
lotus, and the eight circles of twelve petals each in the
etheric lotuses on the mental plane is of great importance.
The centers with which man has to deal are necessarily five
at this stage owing to the following facts, which must be
studied if a man desires to awaken his centers according to
plan, and if he wishes safely to follow along the line of
the true psychic unfoldment:
- The fact that the energy starts from the fifth plane,
the mental, where man is concerned,
- The fact that it is through the agency of the fifth
principle that man can consciously work at his own
unfoldment,
- The fact that the path of evolution is for man a
fivefold one, covering the five planes of human
unfoldment; and is divided into five stages as regards
the Ego,
- The fact that although this is the second solar
system from the standpoint of the egoic cycles of the
Logos, [861] or His second major egoic cycle, yet it is
the fifth when viewed from another angle, that of the
lesser cycles. It corresponds to the fifth period in
human evolution, that in which man treads the path. The
Logos is now treading the cosmic Path.
- The fact that the fifth spirilla is in process of
awakening. This has to be effected before the interplay
of energy between the egoic lotus and the etheric centers
becomes so powerful as to awaken man's physical brain,
and cause him to become aware of the inner currents. This
takes place usually when the fifth petal is
organized.
This whole question can also be viewed in a larger
manner from the standpoint of the five Kumaras. It must be
remembered that the aggregate of the etheric centers of any
particular group of men form the force centers or minute
"energy units" in the larger petals of their group center.
These again form petals in some particular planetary
center, and the aggregate of these petals form those larger
centers of energy which we call "planetary centers." These
in their turn form centers of force for the Logos.
Yet the mystery in connection with this is so profound that
unless the student carefully guards himself from too
mathematical and material a concept, he will go astray. The
etheric centers of man are not on the same plane as the
etheric centers of a planetary Logos. His centers are on
the plane of the fourth cosmic ether, the systemic buddhic
plane, and it is only when man has taken the final
initiation that his energy becomes incorporated into that
of the planetary center on its own plane. The etheric
centers of the planetary Logos are transmitters and
transmuters of force, and bear the same relation to Him as
do the physical centers to a human being. All the dense
physical centers, such as the mouth, for instance, [862]
are transmitters of some type of energy arising in the
human brain or will.
The understanding of force, of force transmission, and of
the effects of liberated force upon the higher planes is
the secret of occult knowledge. Force or energy flows in
from the Ego. It works through the etheric centers and
produces results on the three planes, varying according to
the age of the soul. As yet, through lack of alignment,
this egoic force does not reach the physical brain as fully
as it later will, but it does reach the astral centers, and
is frequently the cause of much of that lack of emotional
control everywhere to be seen. The astral substance is as
yet insufficiently organized, and when aroused by egoic
energy moves violently. Astral substance is played upon by
two counter streams of force: first, the egoic, and
secondly, that vibration set up through countless ages on
the physical plane, which is latent in substance itself,
and is the result of an earlier solar system. This it is
which produces the violent action and reaction to be seen
in every life.
It is not possible to give more data concerning the
unfoldment of the petals and their connection with the
etheric centers. Three hints of practical import anent this
stupendous subject may however be given which, if duly
pondered upon, may carry illumination to those who are
ready.
The first is that the etheric centers become active in a
fourth dimensional sense (or become wheels turning upon
themselves) when the aspirant has complied with certain
details.
He must work upon the unfoldment of the fifth and sixth
petals, or the final two in the second circle and must
endeavor to bring about two things in connection with his
threefold lower nature: [863]
- He must align his three bodies so that there is a
direct channel of contact formed between the Ego and the
physical brain.
- He must strive to bring about a stabilization of both
the astral body and the mind, and must aim at that
emotional equilibrium which is produced by the conscious
"balancing of forces."
He must study the laws of transmutation and be a
student of that divine alchemy which will result in a
knowledge of how to transmute the lower force into the
higher, of how to transfer his consciousness into the
higher vehicles, and of how to manipulate energy currents
so that his own nature is transformed. He will then become
a channel for the light of the Ego, and for the
illumination of buddhi to pour through for the saving of
the race, and the lighting of those who stumble in dark
places. He must demonstrate the laws of radioactivity in
his own life on the physical plane. His life must begin to
radiate, and to have a magnetic effect upon others. By this
I mean he will begin to influence that which is imprisoned
in others, for he will reach – through his own powerful
vibrations – the hidden center in each one. I do not mean
by this the physical or magnetic effect that many quite
unevolved souls have upon others. I refer to that spiritual
radiation that is only responded to and realized by those
who themselves are becoming aware of the spiritual center
within the heart. At this stage the man is recognized as
one who can speak occultly "heart to heart." He becomes a
stimulator of the heart center in his brother, and one who
arouses men into activity for others.
The second hint is that as the aspirant becomes
progressively radioactive, and as the energy of the inner
God demonstrates more and more through the lower
personality, the "heat radiations" become so powerful that
very definite results are produced of a personal, and also
[864] of an environal, nature. A few of these results might
be enumerated as follows:
- The etheric web, separating the lower physical
consciousness of the brain from the astral plane begins
to undergo a lengthy process of destruction, and the
first "rents" in the web occur. It is through these that
the student becomes aware of the inner planes, becomes
conscious in the physical brain of the inner happenings,
and can (if a disciple) make his contacts with his Ego
and (via that ego) with his Guru.274 This
marks a very important development.
- The higher head center increases its activity and
becomes capable of receiving flashes of illumination from
the higher planes. This happens only occasionally at
first but with increasing frequency as the years
progress, and the "rents" become more numerous.
- The various triangles become vivified and proceed to
increased activity in due geometrical progression, whilst
the center between the shoulder blades, the converging
point for certain fires, becomes active. This marks a
definite stage in the process of transferring the fires
into the higher centers. Roughly speaking, this period of
the transference of the heat or energy of the lower
centers into the higher may be divided into two parts:
first, that in which the centers in the lower part of the
body (those below the diaphragm) are transferred into the
centers in the higher part of the torso. These centers in
the torso are three in number, the heart, the throat, and
the center between the shoulder blades. We must here note
that the throat center is situated in the lower part of
the throat, and properly belongs to the torso and not to
the head. It should also be stated here that the center
between the shoulder blades is not a "sacred" center, but
is of a temporary nature, and is created by the aspirant
himself during the process of transference. [865]
- The second stage is that in which the energy of the
lower six centers:
- The throat,
- The heart,
- The solar plexus,
- The spleen,
- The organs of generation,
- The base of the spine,
are – in due order according to a man's ray and
subray – transferred into the correspondences within
the head center. These seven head centers are the
reflection in the microcosm of those "mansions prepared
in the Heavens" which receive the sevenfold energy of
the monad. These are the chambers prepared by the lower
energy which are to be the recipients of "soul or the
higher psychic energy."
The final hint which can be given, may be summed up in
the words that as the aspirant progresses,
275 he
not only balances the pairs of opposites, but the secret of
his brother's heart becomes revealed to him. He becomes an
acknowledged force in the world, and is recognized as one
who can be depended upon to serve. Men turn to him for
assistance and help along his recognized line, and he
begins to sound forth his note so as to be heard not only
in human but in deva ranks as well. This he does, at [866]
this stage, through the pen in literature, through the
spoken word in lecturing and teaching, through music,
painting and art. He reaches the hearts of men in some way
or another, and becomes a helper and server of his race.
Two more characteristics of this stage might hero be
enumerated.
The aspirant has an appreciation of the occult value of
money in service. He seeks nothing for himself, save that
which may equip him for the work to be done, and he looks
upon money, and that which money can purchase, as something
which is to be used for others and a means to bring about
the fruition of the Master's plans as he senses those
plans. The occult significance of money is little
appreciated, yet one of the greatest tests as to the
position of a man upon the probationary path is that which
concerns his attitude to and his handling of that which all
men seek in order to gratify desire. Only he who desires
naught for himself can be a recipient of financial bounty,
and a dispenser of the riches of the universe. In other
cases where riches increase, they bring with them naught
but sorrow and distress, discontent and misuse.
274 A Guru is a spiritual teacher.
275 Aspirant.
"The practices which make for union with the Soul are:
fervent aspiration, spiritual reading, and complete
obedience to the Master.
The word which I have rendered "fervent aspiration"
means primarily "fire"; and in the Eastern teaching, it
means the fire which gives life and light, and at the
same time the fire which purifies. We have, therefore, as
our first practice, as the first of the means of
spiritual growth, that fiery quality of the will which
enkindles and illumines, and, at the same time, the
steady practice of purification, the burning away of all
known impurities."
"Their aim is, to bring soul-vision, and to wear away
hindrances."
"The Rules are these: purity, serenity, fervent
aspiration, spiritual reading, and perfect obedience to
the Master."
"The perfection of the powers of the bodily vesture
comes through the wearing away of impurities, and through
fervent aspiration."
- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Book II, 1, 2, 32,
43 (C. Johnston's Edition).
276 The three Halls through which the soul of
man must progress are spoken of in The Voice of the
Silence, pp. 19, 20.
- 1st Hall – Hall of Ignorance – infant humanity –
Physical plane.
- 2nd Hall – Hall of Learning – average man – Astral
plane.
- 3rd Hall – Hall of Wisdom – spiritual man – Mental
plane.
The longest time is spent in the Hall of Ignorance.
The later period in the Hall of Learning is called the
Probationary Path. In the Hall of Wisdom the Initiate
approaches the central mystery of Being.
At this stage also the aspirant's life becomes an
"instrument of destruction" in the occult sense of the
term. Wherever he goes the force which flows through him
from the higher planes, and from his own inner God,
produces at times peculiar results upon his environment. It
acts as a stimulator of both the good and the evil. The
lunar Pitris who form the bodies of his brothers and his
own body are likewise stimulated, their activity is
increased, and their power greatly aggravated. This fact is
used by Those Who work on the inner side to bring about
certain desired ends. This it is also which oft times
temporarily causes the downfall of advanced souls. They
cannot stand the force pouring into them, or upon them,
[867] and through the temporary over-stimulation of their
centers and vehicles they go astray. This can be seen
working out in groups as well as in individuals. But,
inversely, if the lunar Lords of the lower self have been
earlier subjugated and brought under control, then the
effect of the force and energy contacted is to stimulate
the response of the physical brain consciousness and the
head centers to egoic contact. Then the otherwise
destructive force becomes a factor for good and helpful
stimulation, and can be used by Those Who know how, to lead
men on to further illumination.
All these stages have to work out on all the three lower
planes and in the three bodies; this they do according to
the particular Ray and subray. In this fashion the work of
the disciple is carried forward, and his testing and
training carried out until the two circles of petals are
unfolded, and the third is organized. Thus he is brought,
through right direction of energy and wise manipulation of
force currents, to the Portal of Initiation, and graduates
out of the Hall of Learning276 into the great
Hall of Wisdom – that Hall wherein he gradually becomes
"aware" of forces, and powers, latent in his own Ego and
egoic group. It is the Hall wherein he gains the right to
use the force of the egoic group, for he can now be trusted
to wield it only for the helping of humanity. After the
fourth Initiation, he becomes a sharer in, and can be
trusted with some part of the energy of the planetary Logos
and thus be enabled to carry forward the plans of that
Logos for evolution. [868]
D.II.3.d.v. Initiation and the Petals
In considering the connection of the petals and their
unfoldment through initiation, there is little which it is
permissible to give out at this time for the information of
the general public. All that is possible is to give certain
statements, containing:
- Hints as to the right direction of the energy,
- Suggestions as to the basic mysteries which man has
to solve,
- Indications as to certain correspondences,
- Practical points for constructive thinking.
Students must remember that the aim of all truly
occult teachers is not to give information but to train
their pupils in the use of thought energy. It will
therefore be apparent why this method of instruction is the
one invariably used. It is the method which involves the
dropping of a hint on the part of the Teacher, and the
correlation perhaps of certain correspondences, coupled
with a suggestion as to the sources of light. It involves,
on the part of the pupil, the following recognitions:
- That the hint may be worth following.
- That meditation is the pathway to the source of
light, and that the hint dropped is the "seed" for
meditation.
- That facts, ill-assorted and uncorrelated, are
menaces to knowledge and no help.
- That every aspect of truth, progressively grasped,
has to be assimilated, and welded into the experience of
the student.
- That unless the correspondences agree in an atomic,
personal, planetary and cosmic fashion, they are not to
be trusted.
- That much information is withheld until the student
is a disciple, and still more until he is a pledged
initiate. The reason for this is to be found in the [869]
fact that all knowledge concerns energy, its application,
and its use or misuse.
Let us now continue with our consideration of the
petals and Initiation.
Each of the three circles of lotus petals is closely
connected with one of the three Halls. This has been
earlier referred to. Much of the work connected with the
first tier of petals is part of the experience in
the Hall of Ignorance. The act of organizing and preparing
for unfoldment is the most important stage, and that with
which man is the most concerned. The act of petal opening
is of briefer duration, and is produced by the pouring in
of solar heat or fire, and thus bringing about a fresh
access of energy. This is produced in our earth scheme
through the cooperation of the Mahachohan, of the Chohan of
a man's egoic group, and the particular Ego concerned. The
following tabulation may be found helpful:
- Knowledge Petals – First circle
- Organized in the Hall of Ignorance.
- Guided by the force and energy of the
Mahachohan.
- The third group of solar Pitris affected.
- Love Petals – Second circle
- Organized in the Hall of Learning.
- Guided by the force of the Bodhisattva.
- The second group of solar Lords affected.
- Will or Sacrifice Petals – Third circle
- Organized in the Hall of Wisdom.
- Guided by the force and energy of the Manu.
- The first group of solar Angels affected.
At the stage which we are considering (that of the
organization and unfoldment of the first tier of petals),
the egoic influence felt at the beginning is but small, but
when the three petals become sufficiently active and alive
through the energy accumulated and stored up in the [870]
ego during the activities of the personal life, a form of
initiation then takes place which is a reflection (on a
lower plane) of the great manasic initiations. The energy
in the outer circle of petals causes it to spring apart
from the next circle, and to unfold. This threefold energy
becomes interactive and a very definite stage is thus
reached. This series of initiations is seldom recognized
within the physical brain consciousness owing to the
relatively inchoate stage of the bodies, and the
unresponsiveness of the brain matter. Yet they are
nevertheless initiations of a definite though less
important character, and they involve primarily the display
(within the personal life of the man) of an intelligent
recognition of his group relationships on earth. This
recognition is frequently selfish in character, as, for
instance, that which the union worker displays, but it is
indicative of group interplay.
A similar process takes place when the second circle of
petals is organized and ready for unfoldment. This time the
World Teacher, the Master and the Ego concerned are
cooperating, for these smaller initiations deal with the
love nature, with astral or emotional organization, and
with the recognition (by the man in his personal life) of
some form of unselfish love, and of a love for some object,
person or ideal which leads to altruistic endeavor, and to
the negation of the lower self.
This brings us to the third group of petals or to the
unfolding of the will or sacrifice petals, based on
intelligent purpose and pure love. The force in this group
calls in a different factor, that of the Manu, as well as
the force of the Bodhisattva, and the desired effect is
produced through the full cooperation of the fully awakened
Ego, aided by his own Master (if he is evolving in a cycle
wherein hierarchical effort for humanity takes the form it
does in this present one), and the Manu. Eventually (after
the second Initiation) the Lord of the World comes [871] in
as a factor, – the Lord of world power, fully expressing
itself in love.
Speaking generally, therefore, it might be stated that
egoic groups in whom the knowledge petals are being
organized and unfolded come under the primary influence of
the Mahachohan; those in whom the love aspect, or the
second circle of petals, is opening come under the primary
influence of the Bodhisattva, with the knowledge unfoldment
paralleling the work; whilst those in whom the third tier
is being opened come under the energy direction of the
Manu, with the two other types of force coordinated. It
will be apparent to the careful reader that in this fact
lies hid the secret of why the Mahachohan holds office
longer than either of His two Brothers, holding it as He
does for an entire world period. The key to these cycles
lies hid in the following thoughts: the Bodhisattva and the
Manu change more frequently and pass on to other work owing
to the fact that They each embody one type of triple force,
whereas the Mahachohan is the focal point for five types of
energy, each in its turn triple in nature.
In each case of petal unfoldment, certain types of force
are generated, dealt with, assimilated, and used, at first
unconsciously and finally with full intelligence.
In the
Hall of Ignorance the force of the energy of
Brahma (the activity and intelligence of substance) is that
mostly dealt with, and the man has to learn the meaning of
activity based on:
- Inherent energy,
- Absorbed energy,
- Group energy,
- Material energy or that which is hidden in physical
plane matter.
In the
Hall of Learning the disciple becomes
aware of, and uses the energy of, the second aspect in
form-building, in social relations, in family and other
group affiliations. [872] He comes to the true recognition
of sex and its relations but as yet views this force as
something to be controlled and not something to be
consciously and constructively utilized.
In the Hall of Wisdom the initiate comes to the
knowledge of the first great aspect of energy, the dynamic
use of will in sacrifice, and to him is then committed the
key to the three fold mystery of energy. Of this energy in
its threefold aspect he became aware in the other two
halls. At the third, fourth and fifth Initiations the three
keys to the three mysteries are given to him.
The key to the mystery sensed in the first Hall, the
mystery of Brahma, is handed to him and he can then unlock
the hidden energies of atomic substance. The key to the
mystery of sex, or of the pairs of opposites, is thrust
into his hand, and he can then unlock the hidden forces
within all forms. The key to the mystery of sacrifice and
to the secret of the Silent Watchers in the cosmos is
revealed to him, and he learns to unlock the hidden
energies of the will aspect. The dynamo of the solar system
is shown to him, if it might so be expressed, and the
intricacies of its mechanism revealed.
The following are the three basic mysteries of the solar
system:
- The mystery of Electricity. The mystery
of Brahma. The secret of the third aspect. It is latent
in the physical sun.
- The mystery of Polarity, or of the universal
sex impulse. The secret of the second aspect. It is
latent in the Heart of the Sun, i.e., in the subjective
Sun.
- The mystery of Fire itself, or the dynamic
central systemic force. The secret of the first aspect.
It is latent in the central spiritual sun.
These three mysteries which we have touched upon
above, come in a peculiar sense under the jurisdiction of
[873] certain great Lords or Existences, and They have much
to do with the revealing of the mystery to those prepared
initiates Who come under Their influence during the final
stages of the Path.
The mystery of electricity has three keys, each of
which is held in the hands of one of the Buddhas of
Activity. Theirs is the prerogative to control the
electrical forces of the physical plane, and Theirs the
right to direct the three major streams of this type of
force in connection with
our present globe. These
three streams are concerned with atomic substance, out of
which all forms are constructed. In connection with
our
chain there are three mysterious Entities (of whom our
three Pratyeka Buddhas are but the Earth reflections) Who
perform a similar function in connection with the
electrical forces of the chain.
In the scheme, the
planetary Logos has also three cooperating Existences Who
are the summation of His third Aspect, and who perform
therefore work similar to that performed by the three
aspects of Brahma in the solar system. The mystery of this
threefold type of electricity is largely connected with the
lesser Builders, with the elemental essence in one
particular aspect, – its lowest and most profound for men
to apprehend as it concerns the secret of that which
"substands" or "stands back" of all that is objective. In a
secondary sense it concerns the forces in the ethers which
are those which energize and produce the activities of all
atoms. Another type deals with the electrical phenomenon
which finds its expression in the light which man has
somewhat harnessed, in the phenomena such as thunder storms
and the manifestation of lightning, with the aurora
borealis, and in the production of earthquakes and all
volcanic action. All these manifestations are based on
electrical activity of some kind, and have to do with the
"soul of things," or with the essence of matter. The old
Commentary says: [874]
"The garment of God is driven aside by the energy of His
movements, and the real Man stands revealed, yet remains
hidden, for who knows the secret of a man as it exists in
his own self-recognition."
The mystery of electricity deals with the
"garment" of God, just as the mystery of polarity deals
with His "form."
In the mystery of Polarity, we have three different
types of force manifesting and thus it is apparent that the
two mysteries deal with the six forces. These three types
of force are manipulated by the Buddhas of Love. They,
through Their sacrifice, concern Themselves with the
problem of sex, or of "magnetic approach" on all the
planes. The Buddha of Whom we speak and Who contacts His
people at the full moon of Wesak, is one of the three
connected with our globe, having taken the place of
One Who passed on to higher work in connection with the
Chain, for the same hierarchical grading is seen as in
connection with the Buddhas of Action. One group might be
considered the divine Carpenters of the planetary system,
the other the divine Assemblers of its parts and the Ones
Who, through the magnetic influence They wield, unite the
diversities and build them into form.
The present ideas anent Sex must be transmuted and raised
from the existing lower connotation to its true
significance. Sex – in the three worlds – has to do with
the work of the lunar Pitris and the solar Lords. It
signifies essentially the form-building work in substance,
and its energizing by the spiritual aspect. It signifies
the elevation of the material aspect through the influence
of Spirit as the two together perform their legitimate
function in cooperation and thus – by their mutual union
and blending – produce the Son in all His glory. This
method of interpreting it is equally true of all the
Existences manifesting on any plane, systemic and cosmic.
Certain [875] factors enter into the thought of sex which
might be enumerated as follows:
- Mutual attraction,
- Complementary suitability,
- Instinctual appeal,
- Approach, and recognized cooperation,
- Union,
- The next stage is the temporary importance of the
material aspect, that of the Mother, the feminine
aspect,
- The withdrawal into a temporary retirement of the
Father,
- The work of creating the Son,
- The evolution and growth of the Son, both materially
and in consciousness,
- Emancipation of the Son from his Mother, or the
liberation of the soul at maturity from matter,
- Recognition by the Son of the Father and his return
to that Father.
The final result of all these successive stages being
that all the three aspects have performed their functions
(their dharma) on the physical plane and all three have
demonstrated certain types of energy.
The Father aspect manifests in giving the initial
impulse or the positive electrical demonstration which is
the germ of the created Son, and Whose Life is embodied in
the Son. The occult significance of the words of the Christ
in answer to the cry "Lord, show us the Father" is little
appreciated. "He that has seen Me has seen the Father, for
I and my Father are One," He said. (Bible. John XIV, 8.)
The Mother, or the negative aspect, builds and
nourishes, guards and cherishes the Son through the
antenatal, and the infant stages, and stands around Him
during later stages, giving of the energy of her own body
and activity in ministry to His need. [876]
The Son, the combined energy of Father and of
Mother, embodies both types and all the dual sets of
qualities, but has a character all His Own, an essence
which is His peculiar nature, and an energy which leads Him
to fulfil His Own ends and projects, and which will
eventually cause Him to repeat the process of producing, -
- Conception,
- Creation,
- Conscious growth,
as did His Father.
When we reach the mystery of Fire, we are concerned
with that mysterious extra-systemic energy which is the
basis of both the activity of Mother and the Life of the
Son. The Son in very deed "becomes His Mother's husband,"
as say the ancient Scriptures. This is but an enigmatical
phrase unless interpreted in terms of the combination of
energy. Only when the Son has reached maturity and knows
Himself as essentially the same as the Father can He
consciously perform His Father's function, and produce and
perpetuate that which is needed for the sustaining of
cosmic generation.
The electricity of substance, the electricity of form, and
the electricity of Life itself must blend and meet before
the true Man (whether Logos, or human being) realizes
himself as creator. Man at this stage knows somewhat of the
electricity of substance, and is coming to the belief as to
the electricity of form (even though as yet he calls it
magnetism) but as yet he knows nought of the electrical
reality of life itself. Only when the "jewel in the Lotus"
is about to be revealed, or the third circle of petals is
about to open up, does the initiate begin to have a
realization of the true meaning of the word "life" or
spirit. The consciousness has to be fully awakened before
he can ever understand that great energizing something of
which the other types of energy are but expressions. [877]
There are only two more points to be considered in
connection with the petals and initiation.
First, it should be noted that the words "knowledge, love
and sacrifice" mean much more occultly than the apparent
significance of the terms. Each circle of petals stands for
one of these three ideas, and each circle again embodies
these three aspects of existence in a greater or lesser
degree. These three concepts are the modes of expression of
the three great qualities which (from the standpoint of the
Past, the Present and the Future) characterize the natures
of all the manifesting entities – Gods, men and devas. From
the standpoint of the central factor in manifestation, man,
it should be realized that knowledge was inherent in
the previous solar system, and is the faculty of which he
has to avail himself. It is there available for his use. It
is the hidden energy of the planetary Logos which he has to
learn to focus through his physical brain, and thus apply.
Love is the faculty inherent in the present. It is
the hidden energy of the planetary Logos of which he must
avail himself and focus in his heart center and thus apply.
Sacrifice is the faculty which will be his in the
future, which he will intelligently focus through the
highest head center and thus apply. It is dependent upon
his development of consciousness, and therefore upon his
recognition of the esoteric purpose of his group, and of
the planetary existences. As it involves what is termed "a
solar and lunar act of abnegation" it involves, therefore,
a due comprehension of solar and of lunar energy, and a
bringing of both these two groups to a stage of cooperative
activity. It concerns, therefore, the nature of the Jewel
in the lotus, and it is only when the three sacrifice
petals in the three tiers are unfolded that this particular
type of energy is released. The lunar Lords of the three
bodies have been controlled, and their vibration
synchronized, so that the great act of sacrifice finds them
ready [878] for the final process of renunciation. The
solar Lords, in their three major groups, are equally ready
for the final sacrifice, which involves the "rupture
between the sun and the moon" as it is called. This results
in the breaking of the magnetic link between the true man,
and the vibratory sensitive substance of which his three
world bodies are made. The need for incarnation is no
longer felt, the chains of karma are broken, and the man is
liberated. The "lunar Lords return to their own place" or –
as the Christian expresses it – "Satan is bound for a
thousand years," (Bible. Rev. XX, 2.) this meaning only
that pralayic peace is the lot of these entities until the
return of manvantaric opportunity.
The final sacrifice involves also the disappearance of the
lower triangle, or the severing of the connection between
the three permanent atoms in the lower part of the causal
body or egoic lotus, and the central unit of energy. The
energy of these atoms is set loose through the intense heat
produced by the union of the three fires and is reabsorbed
into the general reservoir in interplanetary space. The
fiery triangle is lost sight of in the general blaze, and
the deva essences who temporarily formed it cease their
activity.
Again, the solar Angels complete their initial sacrifice by
a final one, and offer themselves upon the fiery altar. The
causal body is completely destroyed. The four lower groups
of solar Pitris return to the heart of the subjective sun,
or to that inmost center of the system from whence they
came, whilst the three higher groups are carried (by the
force and energy generated in the fiery furnace and blaze,
and through the stimulation produced by the blazing forth
of the central jewel) straight to the central spiritual
sun, there to abide until another kalpa calls them forth to
sacrifice Themselves, this time as planetary Logoi. The
student must bear in mind that [879] in thinking of the
Pitris, he must ever think in group terms. The Pitris who
formed the egoic body of a human being do not – alone and
isolated – form planetary Logoi. The forty-nine groups of
solar fires concerned in the great work are those spoken
of, and they become the forty-nine planetary Logoi in
connection with seven solar systems. In them is hid the
mystery of the three who become the sixteen – united or
synthesized by the seventeenth – a correspondence upon
cosmic levels of the seven with the eighth sphere. This
must remain practically an insoluble mystery to man at
present.
The four groups who found their way to the Heart of the
system will reappear as the four planetary Logoi who are
the twenty-eight and who thus produce the possibility of
the ten of perfection in another series of manifesting
systems.
The seven types of solar energy find the "path of return"
to their central emanating source; by the disruption of the
tie between them and the lunar lords (who are esoterically
spoken of as "dead or dying on the field of battle") the
great sacrifice is consummated, and they are free to return
in triumph.
The occult significance of these words in connection with
the energy standing behind and working through all
appearance might be expressed as follows:
Knowledge279 is the right apprehension of
the laws of energy, of the conservation of force, of the
sources of [880] energy, of its qualities, its types and
its vibrations. It involves an apprehension of:
279
- There are seven branches of knowledge mentioned in
the Puranas: - S. D., I, 192.
- The Gnosis, the hidden Knowledge, is the seventh
Principle, the six schools of Indian philosophy are the
six principles. – S. D., I, 299.
These six schools are:
- The school of Logic – Proof of right
perception.
- The atomic school – System of particulars.
Elements. Alchemy and chemistry.
- The Sankhya school – System of numbers. The
materialistic school. The theory of the seven states
of matter or prakriti.
- The school of Yoga – Union. The rule of daily
life. Mysticism.
- The school of Ceremonial Religion – Ritual.
Worship of the devas or Gods.
- The Vedanta school – Has to do with non-duality.
Deals with the relation of Atman in man to the
Logos.
- There are four branches of knowledge to which H. P.
B. specially refers: - S. D., I, 192.
These four are probably those with which man has
dealt the most, in this fourth round and fourth chain.
– Compare S. D., I, 70, 95, 107, 227.
The four Noble Truths. The four Vedas. The four
Gospels. The four basic admissions. The four ready
Elements. The four grades of Initiation.
- Yajna Vidya – The performance of religious
rites in order to produce certain results. Ceremonial
magic. It is concerned with Sound, therefore with the
Akasha, or the ether of space. The "yajna" is the
invisible Deity who pervades space. Perhaps this
concerns the physical plane?
- Mahavidya – The great magic knowledge. It
has degenerated into Tantrika worship. Deals with the
feminine aspect, or the matter (mother) aspect. The
basis of black magic. True mahayoga has to do with
the form (second aspect) and its adaptation to Spirit
and its needs. Perhaps this concerns the astral
plane?
- Guyha vidya – The science of mantrams. The
secret knowledge of mystic mantrams. The occult
potency of sound, of the Word. Perhaps this concerns
the mental plane?
- Atma vidya – True spiritual wisdom.
- Knowledge of truth is a common inheritance. – S. D.,
II, 47, 3.
- Knowledge is a relative subject, and varies according
to the grade achieved.
- Ranges of further knowledge open up before a
planetary Logos. - S. D., II, 740.
- The four truths can be arrived at by unaided man.
– S. D., III, 420.
- Finally, Knowledge is a dangerous weapon: This is due
to Personal Selfishness. It is only safe when:
- One gives oneself up to it, body, soul and
spirit. – S. D., III, 62, 63.
- One has an unshakeable belief in one's own
divinity – S. D., III, 62, 63.
- One recognizes one's own immortal Principle.
- One knows oneself – S. D., III, 435, 436.
- All the virtues are practiced. – S. D., III,
262.
- One has experience. – S. D., III, 481.
- One realizes knowledge is the fruit of Spirit
alone. – S. D., III, 453.
- Knowledge is acquired through the region of the
higher mind. – S. D., III, 453.
- The different key vibrations.
- The centers whereby force enters.
- The channels along which it circulates. [881]
- The triangles and other geometrical figures which it
produces during evolution.
- The cycles and the ebb and flow of energy in
connection with the different types of planetary
manifestation, including all the kingdoms of nature.
- The true significance of those force aspects which we
call "periods of pralaya" and those we call "periods of
manifestation." It also involves a right realization of
the laws of obscuration.
All this the man has been learning in the various
Halls through practical experience, involving pleasure and
pain; these, in the final initiations, bring him to a
realization not only of the existence of these forces but
of how to wield and manipulate them. This is knowledge: to
rightly direct force currents, first in the three worlds of
human endeavor, and then in the solar system.
Love is the right apprehension of the uses and
purposes of form, and of the energies involved in
form-building, the utilization of form, and the eventual
dissipation of the superseded form. It involves a
realization of the Laws of Attraction and Repulsion, of the
magnetic interplay between all forms, great and small, of
group relationships, of the galvanizing power of the
unifying life, and the attractive power of one unit upon
another, be it atom, man, or solar system. It involves an
understanding of all forms, form purposes, and form
relationships; it concerns the building processes in man
himself, and in the solar system; and it necessitates the
development of those powers within man which will make him
a conscious Builder, a solar Pitri of a coming cycle. This
[882] is one of the great revelations at initiation: the
unveiling to the initiate of the particular cosmic center
whence emanates the type of force or energy which he, the
initiate, will be concerned with when he becomes in due
course of time a solar Pitri, or divine manasaputra to a
coming humanity. Hence he must have, not only knowledge,
but the energy of love likewise to enable him to perform
the function of linking the higher three and the lower four
of a future race of men at some distant period, thus
permitting of their individualizing through the
sacrifice of his own fully conscious middle principle.
Sacrifice involves even more than what has been
already pointed out. It involves the following factors:
- Knowledge of the purposes and intentions of the
planetary Logos,
- Realization of the particular and peculiar type of
energy, and of the quality of his own Ray Lord,
- Comprehension of the different groups of existences
who are participating in planetary evolution and in solar
manifestation,
- A revelation as to certain cosmic enterprises in
which our planetary Logos is acting as an intelligent
cooperator. Thus is brought in the factor of
extra-systemic force.
When all these and other factors are considered, it is
evident that the energy set loose in sacrifice to these
plans and intentions involves such a vast field of
comprehending wisdom that it is not possible for the
average man ever to sense it. It deals with the purposes
and plans of the Silent Watchers over the three planes –
the five, and the seven; it deals with the dynamic force of
the great Destroying Angels on all the planes, who will
eventually – through the manipulation of the three forms of
energy – bring to an end all that is. These angels are a
mysterious group of fohatic Lives Who sound forth the [883]
trumpets of destruction, and by means of the notes sounded
produce that shattering which will set loose the energy of
forms.
The second point is very briefly given. It concerns the
innermost circle of petals, or that set of three petals, or
those three streams of whirling energy, which immediately
surround the "jewel in the lotus." Each of these three
petals is related to one of the three circles, and is
organized as each of the three circles is unfolded. They
form, therefore, a synthesis of knowledge, love or
sacrifice, and are closely connected through the type of
force flowing through them with one of the three higher
centers of the planetary Logos of a man's particular ray.
This central unit of threefold force is dealt with in a
specific manner at initiation.
At the first, the second, and the third Initiations, one of
the three petals opens up, permitting an ever freer display
of the central electric point. At the fourth Initiation,
the jewel (being completely revealed) through its blazing
light, its intense radiatory heat, and its terrific outflow
of force, produces the disintegration of the surrounding
form, the shattering of the causal body, the destruction of
the Temple of Solomon, and the dissolution of the lotus
flower. The work of the Initiator in this connection is
very interesting. Through the medium of the Rod of
Initiation and of certain Words of Power, He brings about
results of a coordinating, transmuting and liberating
nature.
Through the action of the Rod as wielded at the first two
Initiations, the two outer circles unfold, the energy of
the two is set free and the two sets of force as embodied
in the six petals are coordinated and become interactive.
This stage of petal adjustment succeeds upon that called
earlier "unfoldment" and has to do with the simultaneous
action of the two tiers of petals. The interplay between
the two circles is completed, and the [884] circulation of
the force currents perfected. According to a man's ray and
subray, so is the Rod applied to what might be termed the
"key" petal. This of course differs according to the unit
of force involved. It is of interest to note here that, as
the petal substance is deva substance and as the energy of
the petals is the energy of certain manasadevas (one of the
three higher orders of Agnishvattas) the initiate is
over-shadowed (the word is not entirely satisfactory in
explaining the type of deva service here necessitated, but
it must suffice) by a great deva who represents the
equilibrium of substantial vibration which is brought about
by the efforts of the initiate, aided by the adepts who
present him, and who each represent one of the two
polarities of force. This is temporarily stabilized by the
Initiator. These three factors,
- The representing deva,
- The two adepts,
- The initiator,
form, for a brief second, a triangle of force with the
initiate at the center. Through them circulates the
terrific power, the "fire from Heaven," which is brought
down from the higher triad through the agency of the
electrical rod.
This application of extra-egoic force is in itself of a
threefold nature, as symbolized by the three protective
agencies and the threefold nature of the Rod itself. It
emanates in a primary sense from the planetary Logos of a
man's ray, and proceeds from that one of the planetary
centers which corresponds to either the head, heart, or
throat center in a human unit. This energy is applied to
the corresponding tier of petals and to the corresponding
petal in a tier according to the initiation taken, and
according to the primary and secondary ray. A close
connection can be traced here between the petals and the
centers on the etheric level of the physical plane, [885]
and thus it can be seen how (when the necessary work is
done) it is possible to have a direct transmission of force
from the higher planes to the lower in the following order:
- From the logoic center, or the planetary Logos, to
the Monad on its own plane.
- From that Monad to one of the three tiers of petals,
according to the aspect or ray concerned.
- From the tier of petals, viewed as a unit, to one of
the petals in the circle, according to the quality and
type of force, using the petal as a transmitting
agency.
- From the particular petal in which the force is
momentarily centered to one of the permanent atoms, again
according to ray and type of force.
- From the permanent atom via the atomic triangle, and
the mental, and astral centers, to that one of the three
higher centers in the etheric body particularly
concerned.
- From the etheric center to the physical brain.
We have here put very briefly the process of force
transmission from the Monad to man on the physical plane,
and hence it will be apparent why the emphasis is so
consistently laid upon the necessity for bodily purity (in
all the three bodies), and upon the alignment of those
bodies so that the flow of force may be unimpeded. The
effects of this downflow of force may be viewed in a
twofold manner, that is, in a material and in a psychic
sense.
The material effect, or the result of this
stimulation upon the forms and upon the atoms in the forms,
is to render them radioactive, or to set loose the energy
of substance. This is the liberating of the energy
imprisoned within the form, and concerns the Brahma aspect,
and [886] the evolution of matter itself. It affects the
lunar bodies, and therefore relates to the lunar Lords or
Pitris, causing a weakening of their hold upon the lesser
builders, bringing them more under the force streams from
the solar Angels, and leading to a situation which will
eventually result in a return of the lunar Pitris of all
degrees to the central point for force substance. In a
psychic sense the result of the downflow is a stimulation
of consciousness, and the acquisition (through that
stimulation) of the psychic powers latent in man. His three
higher physical centers, the pineal gland, the pituitary
body, and the alta major center are affected, and man
becomes psychically aware in the physical brain of the
higher influences, happenings and powers. According to the
ray concerned, so is the center affected. The force of the
lunar Lords, which has succeeded in keeping these three
organs quiescent, is superseded and the solar Angels pour
in their energy.
All this again is closely connected with the threefold
energy of the physical body, and produces effects within
the spinal column which arouses the kundalini fire at the
base of the spine, causing it to mount along the triple
spinal channel, again according to ray and aspect involved.
More anent this may not here be said, as the dangers of a
premature knowledge along this line are far greater than
the dangers of ignorance. Suffice it to point out that the
fires at the lower centers, – those below the diaphragm –
have, by the time the second initiation is reached, usually
mounted to the center between the shoulder blades; at the
second initiation they rise as far as the head, and all the
fires of the torso are then active. All that remains then
to do is to centralize them, to produce the necessary
geometrical interplay between the seven head centers, and
then to focus them all prior to the final liberation in the
highest center of all. [887]
D.II.4. The Fire Elementals, the Lesser Builders
D.II.4.a. Introductory
It will be apparent now that in our consideration of the
deva Builders, great and small, of the solar system, we
have hitherto practically confined ourselves to those who
are the functioning agents in the three worlds of human
endeavor. We have dealt briefly with the Builders on the
evolutionary arc, the greater entities who either have
passed through the human kingdom, and therefore have left
that stage of evolution behind them in earlier cycles, or
are at this time the "solar agents" of human manifestation.
All these forms of divine existence represent – in their
own place – aspects of positive force. We come now
to the consideration of the lesser builders in the three
worlds, those who represent the negative aspect of
force, being on the involutionary arc, and who are,
therefore, the recipients of energy and influences. They
are worked upon by energy, and through the activity of the
greater Builders are forced into different directions in
space, being built into the differing forms. The energy
that works upon them, as is well known, emanates from the
second aspect, and in their totality they form the great
Mother.
I would call to the attention of all students the fact that
these lesser builders are literally a "sea of fire" upon
which the great breath, or the AUM, takes effect. Each
fiery spark, or atom, becomes (through the action of the
Word), vitalized with new life, and impregnated with a
different type of energy. In the union of the life of
atomic substance itself with that which causes the atoms to
cohere, and to form vehicles of some kind or another, can
be seen demonstrating the "Son of God." Herein lies the
essential duality of all manifestation; this duality is
later supplemented by the life of the One Who sounds the
Word. Thus is the cosmic incarnation [888] brought about
with the three factors entering in. This has been
sufficiently dealt with in earlier pages.
Much that will have to be said will be of a tabulatory
nature, and the only way in which students can check up the
approximate accuracy of that which is imparted will be
through a careful meditation upon:
- The Law of Correspondences.
- The realizable probabilities.
- The indications in occult literature of a
corroborative nature.
Students should remember that we are dealing with
involutionary substance, or atomic matter. This atomic
matter is
living substance, each atom being a tiny
life palpitating with the vitality of the third Logos.
These lives, being negative energy, are responsive to their
polar opposite, and can (under the Law of Attraction and
Repulsion) be built into forms which are the expression of
the second aspect. Eventually the forms themselves become
in their turn negative, and responsive to still another
type of force, becoming recipients of the life of the first
Logos when the fourth or human kingdom is reached.
This Treatise seeks to prove, that in the fourth kingdom
the three fires meet:
- Fire by friction, or the negative Brahma Aspect, the
third Aspect.
- Solar Fire, or the positive negative Vishnu Aspect,
the second Aspect.
- Electric Fire, or the positive Shiva Aspect, the
first Aspect.
Man in the three worlds, consciously or unconsciously,
recapitulates the logoic process, and becomes a creator,
working in substance through the factor of his positive
energy. He wills, he thinks, he speaks, and thought-forms
eventuate. Atomic substance is attracted to the [889]
enunciator. The tiny lives which compose that substance are
forced (through the energy of the thinker), into forms,
which are themselves active, vitalized and powerful. What
man builds is either a beneficent or a maleficent creation
according to the underlying desire, motive, or purpose.
It is essential that we endeavor to make practical what is
here to be imparted, as it is useless for man to study the
groups of lesser builders, their functions and their names,
unless he realizes that with many of them he has an
intimate connection, being himself one of the great
builders, and a creator within the planetary scheme. Men
should remember that through the power of their thoughts
and their spoken words they definitely produce effects upon
other human beings functioning on the three planes of human
evolution and upon the entire animal kingdom. The
separative and maleficent thoughts of man are largely
responsible for the savage nature of wild beasts, and the
destructive quality of some of nature's processes,
including certain phenomena, such as plague and famine.
It is of no value to man to know the names of some of the
"army of the voice" unless he comprehends his relationship
to that army, unless he apprehends the responsibility which
is his to be a beneficent creator, working under the law of
love, and not impelled to the creative act through selfish
desire, or uncontrolled activity.
D.II.4.b. Physical Plane Elementals
It should be remembered that the devas we have been
considering are the originators of impulse, and the
manipulators of energy in their own degree, and on their
own plane. In connection with them are to be found,
therefore, the recipients of force, or the multitude of
lives of an elemental nature which form the sumtotal of the
matter of a plane. These are swept on waves of energy,
through the impulse of the Breath, and as the result of
[890] vibratory action, into all forms as we know them on
the physical plane. Therefore, in connection with
manifestation on the physical plane the devas may be
divided into three groups:
- The transmitters of the will of God, the
originators of activity in deva substance. These are the
greater builders in their various groups.
- The manipulators of the initiated energy.
These are the myriads of workers with force who transmit
the impulse in their turn to the elemental essence. They
are the builders of lesser degree, but are on the
evolutionary arc as are the first group.
- The recipients of force, the sumtotal of the
living substance of a plane. These lives are passive in
the hands of the builders of greater degree.
The three groups to be considered are:
- The elementals of densest matter.
- The elementals of liquid matter.
- The elementals of gaseous matter.
We must bear in mind as we study these three groups
that we are not concerned with the transmitters, but with
the manipulators and with the recipients of energy.
D.II.4.b.i. The Elementals of Densest Matter
These are the workers and builders which are concerned with
the tangible and objective part of all manifestation. In
their totality they literally form that which can be
touched, seen, and contacted physically by man. In
considering these matters we must never dissociate the
various groups in our minds in a too literal sense, for
they all interpenetrate and blend, in the same manner as
man's physical body is compounded of dense, liquid,
gaseous, and etheric matter. Diversity, producing a unity,
is everywhere to be seen; this fact must constantly be
borne [891] in mind by the occult student when studying the
subhuman forms of existence. There is a distinct danger in
all tabulations, for they tend to the forming of hard and
fast divisions, whereas unity pervades all.
Among the manipulating devas of the lowest level of the
dense physical plane are to be found certain subterranean
forms of existence, of which hints are to be found in the
ancient and occult books. There is to be found in the very
bowels of the earth, an evolution of a peculiar nature,
with a close resemblance to the human. They have bodies of
a peculiarly gross kind, which might be regarded as
distinctly physical as we understand the term. They dwell
in settlements, or groups, under a form of government
suited to their needs in the central caves several miles
below the crust of the earth. Their work is closely
connected with the mineral kingdom, and the "agnichaitans"
of the central fires are under their control. Their bodies
are constituted so as to stand much pressure, and they are
not dependent upon as free a circulation of air as man is,
nor do they resent the great heat to be found in the
earth's interior. Little can here be communicated anent
these existences, for they are connected with the lesser
vital portions of the physical body of the planetary Logos,
finding their microcosmic correspondence in the feet and
legs of a man. They are one of the factors which make
possible the revolutionary progressive activity of a
planet.
Allied with them are several other groups of low class
entities, whose place in the scheme of things can only be
described as having relation to the grosser planetary
functions. Little is gained by enlarging upon these lives
and their work; it is not possible for man in any way to
contact them, nor would it be desirable. When they have
pursued their evolutionary cycle, they will take their
place in a later cycle in the ranks of certain deva bodies
that are related to the animal kingdom. [892]
It is commonly supposed that all the fairies, gnomes,
elves, and like nature spirits are to be found solely in
etheric matter, but this is not so. They are to be found in
bodies of gaseous and liquid substance likewise, but the
mistake has arisen for the reason that the basis of all
that which can be objectively seen is the etheric
structure, and these little busy lives frequently protect
their dense physical activities through the agency of
glamor, and cast a veil over their objective manifestation.
When etheric vision is present then they can be seen, for
the glamor, as we understand it, is only a veil over that
which is tangible.
Students must at this juncture remember that all dense
physical forms, whether of a tree, an animal, a mineral, a
drop of water, or a precious stone, are in themselves
elemental lives constructed of living substance by the aid
of living manipulators, acting under the direction of
intelligent architects. It will immediately become apparent
why it is not possible in any way to tabulate in connection
with this particular lowest group. A beautiful diamond, a
stately tree, or a fish in the water are but devas after
all. It is the recognition of this essential livingness
which constitutes the basic fact in all occult
investigation, and is the secret of all beneficent magic.
It is not my purpose, therefore, to deal more specifically
with these lowest forms of divine life, except to impart
two facts, and thus give indication of the solution of two
problems which have oft disturbed the average student;
these are, first, the problem as to the purpose of all
reptilian life, and, secondly, the specific connection of
the bird evolution with the deva kingdom. The secret of the
reptile kingdom is one of the mysteries of the
second round, and there is a profound significance
connected with the expression "the serpents of wisdom"
which is applied to all adepts of the good law. [893] The
reptile kingdom has an interesting place in all
mythologies, and all ancient forms of truth impartation,
and this for no arbitrary reason. It is not possible to
enlarge upon the underlying truth which is hidden in the
karmic history of our planetary Logos, and is revealed as
part of the teaching given to initiates of the second
degree.
The second great life impulse, or life wave, initiated by
our planetary Logos, when brought in conjunction with the
first, was the basis of that activity which we call
evolutionary energy; it resulted in a gradual unrolling, or
revelation, of the divine form. The heavenly serpent
manifested, being produced out of the egg, and began its
convolutions, gaining in strength and majesty, and
producing through its immense fecundity millions of lesser
"serpents." The reptile kingdom is the most important part
of the animal kingdom in certain aspects, if such an
apparently contradictory statement can be made. For all
animal life can be seen passing through it during the
prenatal stage, or returning to it when the form is in
advanced decomposition. The connection is not purely a
physical one, but it is also psychic. When the real nature
and method of the kundalini, or serpent fire, is known,
this relation will be better understood, and the history of
the second round assume a new importance.
The secret of life lies hidden in the serpent stage, – not
the life of the Spirit, but the life of the soul, and this
will be revealed as the "serpent of the astral light" is
truly approached, and duly studied. One of the four Lipika
Lords, Who stand nearest to our planetary Logos, is called
"The Living Serpent," and His emblem is a serpent of blue
with one eye, in the form of a ruby, in its head. Students
who care to carry the symbology a little further can
connect this idea with the "eye of Shiva" which sees and
knows all, and records all, as [894] does the human eye in
lesser degree; all is photographed upon the astral light,
as the human eye receives impressions upon the retina. The
same thought is frequently conveyed in the Christian Bible,
in the Hebrew and Christian recognition of the all-seeing
eye of God. The application and value of the hints here
given may be apparent if the subject of the third eye is
studied, and its relation to the spine, and the spinal
currents investigated. This third eye is one of the objects
of kundalinic vivification, and in the spinal territory
there is first the center at the base of the spine, the
home of the sleeping fire. Next we have the triple channel
along which that fire will travel in due course of
evolution, and finally we find at the summit of the column,
and surmounting all, that small organ called the pineal
gland, which when vivified causes the third eye to open,
and the beauties of the higher, subtler planes to stand
revealed. All this physico-psychical occurrence is possible
to man owing to certain events which happened to the
Heavenly Serpent the second, or serpent, round. These
happenings necessitated the formation and evolution of that
peculiar and mysterious family we call the reptilian. These
forms of divine life are very intimately connected with the
second planetary scheme, being responsive to energy
emanating from that scheme, and reaching the earth via the
second globe in the second chain. A group of special devas
(connected with a particular open sound in the planetary
Word), work with the reptile evolution.
It should be noted here that this evolution on the etheric
planes has a closer effect upon man than on the physical.
If students will apply themselves to the consideration of
these facts, to the investigation of the serpent lore in
all lands, mythologies and scriptures, and if they will
link up all this knowledge with that concerning those
heavenly constellations which have a serpent appellation
(such as, for instance, the Dragon), much [895]
illumination may come. If the intuition suffices, knowledge
may then be imparted which will make clearer the connection
between the physical bodies with their centers, and the
psychic nature.
The bird kingdom is specifically allied to the deva
evolution. It is the bridging kingdom between the purely
deva evolution and two other manifestations of life.
First. Certain groups of devas who desire to pass
into the human kingdom, having developed certain faculties,
can do so via the bird kingdom, and certain devas who wish
to get in communication with human beings can do so via the
bird kingdom. This truth is hinted at in the Christian
Bible and Christian religious representations by angels or
devas being frequently represented as having wings. These
cases are not many, as the usual method is for the devas
gradually to work themselves towards individualization
through expansive feeling, but in the cases which do occur
these devas pass several cycles in the bird kingdom,
building in a response to a vibration which will ultimately
swing them into the human family. In this way they become
accustomed to the use of a gross form without the
limitations, and impurities, which the animal kingdom
engenders.
Second. Many devas pass out of the group of passive
lives in the effort to become manipulating lives via the
bird kingdom, and before becoming fairies, elves, gnomes,
or other sprites, pass a certain number of cycles in the
bird realm.
Why the two above events occur will not be apparent to the
casual reader, nor will the true connection between the
birds and the devas be accurately realized by the occult
student unless he applies himself to the consideration of
the "bird or swan out of time and space," and the place
that birds play in the mysteries. Herein lies for him the
clue. He must remember likewise the fact that every life of
every degree, from a god to the most [896] insignificant of
the lesser devas, or builders, must at some time or another
pass through the human family.
As H. P. B. has pointed out,280 birds and
serpents are closely connected with wisdom, and therefore
with the psychic nature of God, of men, and of devas. The
study of mythology should reveal certain stages and
relationships which will make this matter clearer.
280 S. D., Section X, Vol. I, 384, 435; II, 306.
D.II.4.b.ii. The Elementals and Lesser Devas of Liquid
Matter
A very interesting illustration of the interpenetrating of
all the living matter of creation can be seen in connection
with the atmosphere surrounding our planet. In it is to be
found:
- Moisture, or those living essences which are the
liquid elementals.
- Gaseous substance, or those lives which are linked to
all fiery essences, being volatile and the result of
heat.
- Etheric matter, or the lowest orders of the devas of
the ethers.
This major triplicity, when in conjunction, produces
that which we breathe, and that in which we live and move
and have our being. To the thoughtful student the air is
full of symbology, for it is a synthesis, and that which
bridges the higher and the lower strata of manifestation.
We must center our attention first upon those lives which
constitute the sumtotal of all that is watery, and liquid
throughout manifestation, and in dealing with this we must
remember that we are concerned with the most occult of
investigations, and with matters which are very closely
connected with man's evolution.
The many groups of the water devas of the manipulatory
class have been roughly grouped by mythological writers,
under the terms undines, mermaids, and other [897]
expressions, but their diversity is great, and this will be
necessarily apparent when it is remembered that the
sumtotal of water upon the earth (oceans, seas, rivers,
lakes and streams), far exceeds the dry portion, or land,
and every drop of moisture is in itself a tiny life,
fulfiling its function and running its cycle. The mythic
forms above referred to are but those myriad lives built
into a form through which an evolutionary deva is seeking
expression.
The extreme interest of this subject might be expressed
under certain statements which will give the student some
idea of the close attention which should, and eventually
will be paid to this subject of the deva lives of watery
manifestation. As said above, the aggregate of these lives
is greater than the aggregate of those lives which form the
sum total of solid earth as we understand the term, even
though they do not exceed the number of lives which form
the gaseous portion of manifestation; this gaseous portion
is found in the atmosphere, interpenetrating dense matter,
and filling in a large degree the interior caverns of the
planet. The microcosmic resemblance to the great Life of
the planet is seen in the fact that both forms are but
outer sheaths or frameworks, sheltering an inner "vault";
both forms are hollow, both have their negative and
positive extremities, their poles, so to speak, and
internally much proceeds affecting the outer evolutions.
One of the most occult of the planets, Neptune, presides
over the "devas of the waters"; their presiding deva Lord,
Varuna, the Raja of the astral plane, being an emanation
from that planet. Students will find it of profound
interest to study the close interaction therefore between:
- The sixth plane, the astral plane, and the sixth
subplane of the physical plane, the liquid subplane.
[898]
- The sixth subplane of each plane in the solar system,
and their relation to each other.
Herein will be found one reason why men of a
relatively low type of physical body, and having an astral
body with some sixth subplane matter in it are responsive
to higher things and have a spiritual aspiration. The
influence emanating from the sixth subplane of the buddhic
plane calls out a reciprocal response from the sixth
subplane matter in other bodies, and the sixth principle of
buddhi under the Law of Correspondences intensifies that
vibration.
The name Neptune is one under which the planetary Logos of
one of the major three schemes is known upon our planet.
Certain of His influences and energies affect paramountly
the deva essence of this sixth subplane matter, reaching
them via the Raja Lord Varuna. This knowledge is of
practical value astrologically, for it will enable men to
understand the nature of their own physical bodies, and
above all of their astral bodies. It is an occult fact that
the type of astral matter in a man's body decides the
quality of the watery substance of his physical body. There
is, in occultism, no dissociating the physico-psychic
natures, for the latter determines the former. The planet
Neptune therefore has a profound effect and a close
connection under the Law of Correspondences with the sixth,
or astral plane, which is the plane of the liquid portion
of the logoic physical body, with the sixth subplane of the
physical plane, or with the liquid portion of the human
physical body and of the planetary physical body, also with
the sixth type of energy or force, or the sixth ray.
The major scheme over which Neptune presides forms a
systemic triangle of great interest for esoteric
astrologers with the sixth scheme and one other. This is
symbolized in the three pronged trident which the god
Neptune [899] is always portrayed as holding, the prongs
being literally the symbolic triangles connected with each
other by three lines of force.
This planet has also a vital relation to the sixth logoic
principle, or Buddhi, and therefore the sixth principle of
man. No man begins to coordinate the buddhic vehicles until
he comes under Neptunian influence in some life or another.
When this is the case, his personality horoscope will show
Neptunian influence dominating somewhere.
The Neptunian scheme governs one of the three paths of
return, and gathers to itself eventually all those Egos who
attain primarily through the manipulation of the sixth type
of energy usually called devotion. It is Neptunian
influence likewise which presides over and makes possible
the second Initiation, wherein the initiate produces
results in the astral body, and wherein his astral centers
are the object of the Hierophant's attention. This
particular type of energy flows through three centers.
- That particular head center which is linked to the
heart center.
- The heart center.
- The solar plexus.
The planet Neptune, along with the planetary Logos of
the sixth ray controls the astral centers in man. This
statement involves much esoteric macrocosmic significance.
"When it is remembered that all centers – human and divine
– are composed of deva essence, the connection between this
influence and the devas, and their reflex effect upon man,
will immediately become apparent.
In the mystery of the sea and the secret of its occult
"drying up" or absorption, will be revealed eventually the
significance underlying: [900]
- The sex impulse, macrocosmically and microcosmically
interpreted.
- The cessation of desire.
- The direction of fire to the throat center instead of
to the generative organs.
- Pralaya and obscuration.
- The meaning of the words "There shall be no more sea"
found in the Christian Bible.
When meditating upon these thoughts, students will
find it well to bear in mind the fact that Neptune is one
of the major or synthesizing planets, that it is an
"absorbing" or "abstracting" planet, and that it is
connected with the process whereby eventual perfection is
demonstrated. The Son is made perfect, and the cosmic
incarnation is brought to a close.
There is again a very close esoteric connection between the
fact lying behind the Biblical words "the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters," (Bible. Gen., I, 2.)
and the ordered lawful activity of the Great Mother as she
performs her work of body-building under the impulse of
desire. The true relation between the astral plane and the
physical plane will only become apparent as students
carefully bear in mind that the astral plane of the solar
system is the sixth subplane of the cosmic physical plane,
and constitutes the sumtotal of the liquid substance of the
logoic physical body. When this is realized, the work of
the deva essence takes due place; the factor of desire, or
of astral motion, and its reflex action upon the physical
body via the sixth subplane will become apparent, and the
Great Mother will be seen actively engaged, under the
influence of desire, in the work of building, nourishing,
and producing that warmth and moisture which make
manifestation possible. The Mother is the greatest of the
devas, and closely linked [901] with the devas of the
waters, for moisture of some kind or another is an
essential to all life.
The sixth principle, therefore, or the love aspect (the
Christ principle), and the sixth plane, are connected;
there is an interplay of energy between the fourth cosmic
ether, or buddhic energy, and the sixth plane, or astral
energy. The devas on both these planes belong essentially
to groups over which Neptunian influence presides, hence
the astral plane can, and eventually will, directly reflect
the buddhic.
The greater building devas on the second plane of
the solar system, the monadic plane or the second cosmic
ether, direct the energies of the manipulating devas of the
fourth cosmic ether, the buddhic plane.
The manipulating devas of the fourth cosmic ether
will, in due course of evolution, work out the plan in
objective perfection through the medium of the living
substance of the lesser devas of the liquid or astral
plane. When they have done this two results will be seen:
first, the astral plane will perfectly reflect the buddhic
plane and, secondly, the result of that will be that the
physical plane will produce the exact vehicle needed for
microcosmic or macrocosmic expression through the force of
water, or desire.
All this is revealed to esotericists in the symbology of
the circulatory system in man. As the blood system, with
its two types of channels (arteries and veins) and its two
types of builders (the red and the white corpuscles), is
studied from the occult standpoint, much will be
ascertained of a revolutionary nature. The laws of the path
of outgoing, and of the path of return, with the two groups
of deva lives therein concerned, will be apprehended by
man. A further hint may here be given. In the physical body
of man in connection with the circulatory system, we find,
in the three factors – the heart, the arteries, and the
veins – the clue to the three types [902] of devas, and
also to the systemic triangle which they represent, and
further, to the three modes of divine expression. There is
a planetary as well as a systemic circulation, and it is
carried on through the medium of deva substance everywhere,
macrocosmically as well as microcosmically.
The devas of the sixth physical subplane can be divided
into three groups, and these again into seven and into
forty-nine, thus corresponding with all groups in the solar
system. These groups (in their essential nature) respond to
that "which lies above more than that which lies below,"
which is only an occult way of expressing a relationship of
an intimate nature between the devas of fire and the devas
of water, and a negation of a close connection between the
water devas and the earth. Occultly expressed, through the
action of the fire devas, the water devas find liberation.
The devas of water find for themselves the path of service
in their great work of nourishing all the vegetable and
animal life upon the planet; the goal for them is to enter
into that higher group of devas which we call the gaseous
or fire devas. These, through the action of their fire upon
the waters, produce that sequence of evaporation,
condensation, and eventual precipitation which – through
its constant activity – nourishes all life upon the earth.
Thus again can the psychic laws of love be seen at work in
the deva kingdom as in the human; first, the withdrawal or
segregation of the unit from the group (called
individualization in man, and evaporation in the water
realm). Next, condensation, or the amalgamation of the unit
with a newer or higher group, this we call condensation for
the devas of the waters, and initiation in man; finally,
the sacrifice of the group of human or deva atoms to the
good of the whole. So does the law of service and sacrifice
govern all the second aspect divine in all its departments
great [903] or small. Such is the law. But in the human
kingdom, though love is the fulfiling of the law, it is
arrived at along the path of pain and sorrow, and every
true lover and server of humanity is stretched upon the
cross until for them the sixth principle dominates, and the
sixth type of matter in their bodies is completely
subjected to the higher energy.282 In the case
of the devas, love is the fulfiling of the law without pain
or sorrow. It is for them the line of least resistance, for
they are the mother aspect, the feminine side of
manifestation, and the easy path for them is to give, to
nourish, and to tend. Therefore, the devas of the waters
pour themselves out in service to the vegetable and animal
kingdoms, and in the transmutative fires all that holds
them on the sixth subplane will eventually be overcome, and
through occult "distillation and evaporation" these devas
will eventually form part of the gaseous fiery group and
become those fires which are the basis of the divine
alchemy.
282
"Measure thy life by loss instead of gain,
Not by the wine drunk but by the wine poured forth;
For Love's strength standeth in Love's sacrifice;
And he who suffers most has most to give."
- The Disciples, by Mrs. Hamilton King.
Speaking generally, it must be remembered that the earth
devas of densest matter become, in the course of evolution,
the devas of the waters, and find their way eventually on
to the astral plane, the cosmic liquid; the devas of the
waters of the physical plane find their way, through
service, on to the gaseous subplane, and then to the cosmic
gaseous, becoming the devas of the mental plane. This
literally and occultly constitutes the transmutation of
desire into thought.
The gaseous devas become eventually the devas of the fourth
ether, and from thence in long aeons, find their way to the
cosmic fourth ether, the buddhic plane. These three groups
are therefore
cosmically connected with: [904]
- The cosmic astral plane and the constellation whence
emotional and desire energy originates.
- The cosmic mental plane, and therefore with the
constellation Sirius.
- The cosmic buddhic plane, and the constellation of
the Pleiades.
Thus can the whole process be worked out, if man
carefully studies his own nature, and the law of analogy.
D.II.4.b.iii. The Devas of the Gaseous Subplane
In dealing with the elementals, or lesser devas, under the
manipulatory devas of this extensive group, we are dealing
with the devas of fire, and with the fiery essences of
substantial nature which can be seen manifesting in myriads
of forms. Certain of the subdivisions of this group are
known to students, such as:
- The salamanders, or the fiery lives which can
be seen by clairvoyants leaping in the flames of a
furnace or of a volcano; this group can be subdivided
into four groups according to color – red, orange,
yellow, and violet – the last of which approximate very
closely to the devas of the fourth ether,
- The agnichaitans; this is a term applied to
the fiery lives, which are the sumtotal of the plane
substance, as seen in the first part of our treatise, and
also to the tiny essences which compose the fires of
manifestation. as the nature of physical plane
electricity is understood and studied, and its true
condition realized, the reality of the existence of these
agnichaitans will stand revealed.
As the race becomes clairvoyant, as it surely will in
a great degree before the close of this root-race, these
gaseous devas will stand revealed, and men will realize
that they are working with fiery lives, and that they are
themselves closely allied to these lives through the fires
of their own bodies. The clairvoyance which is in process
[905] of developing in this root-race is entirely physical,
and, under the law, its development is to be anticipated,
for the Aryan root-race is that one wherein man – in this
fourth round – comes to full self-consciousness. This
involves complete physical vision, and the use in
perfection of the three physical plane senses of hearing,
touch, and sight. In the next root-race, astral
clairvoyance will be prevalent, though not universal, and
thus contact with the buddhic plane will be more easily
achieved. In the earlier root-race of the next round, the
fifth, there will be a recapitulation of the activities of
this round, until, in the fifth root-race, the sumtotal of
that achieved in this round will be seen. Men will then
begin to demonstrate mental clairvoyance. Thus the cycles
mingle and overlap, in order that no unit of life, however
small and unimportant, may fail in opportunity.
These agnichaitans of the third subplane come particularly
under the influence of Saturnian energy. They are the great
fusers of substance, and it is in connection with them that
the transmutation of metals becomes possible. They have a
relationship to the mineral kingdom analogous to that which
the watery devas have to the vegetable and animal. They
are, as will be apparent, connected with the throat center
of a planetary Logos and of a solar Logos, and it is
through their activity that the transmission of sound
through the air becomes possible. It might surprise
students and inventors could they but realize that the
present rapid growth of wireless communication everywhere
is due to the swinging into contact with the human
vibration of a group of fiery deva lives hitherto
uncontacted.
Just as each plane has its seven subplanes, so likewise
each subplane can be subdivided, thus making forty-nine
fires on every plane, or the three hundred and forty-three
fires of the solar system. Herein can be found the clue to
the mystery of the "fourth between the three" [906] which
has at times bewildered students of the occult records.
There are several ways of reading these figures, 3 4 3, but
the only occult method which can be hinted at here, lies in
the recognition of the three higher planes, the three lower
planes, the fourth plane of meeting between them. This
fourth plane has occultly been called "the meeting place."
When it is remembered that the goal for these gaseous devas
is the fourth cosmic ether, or the buddhic plane and that
they (in their major and minor groups) are the internal
macrocosmic and microcosmic fires, some idea may be gained
as to the true significance of the eventual at-one-ment
between the two lines of evolution for the goal for man
likewise is the buddhic plane.
On the third subplane, therefore, in its fifth division of
deva essences, certain groups are now being contacted in
this, the fifth root-race; the result of this contact can
be seen in the stimulation of responsive vibration, which
is demonstrated already in the discovery of wireless
intercourse and of radium.
There will also be seen a paralleling increased vibration
of the human spirillae which will result, before the end of
the round, in the awakening to full activity of the fifth
spirilla of the human physical permanent atom.
Hence the work of the Mahachohan at this time in connection
with seventh ray (which is temporarily acting as the
synthesis of the five types of energy over which He
presides), might be summed up as follows:
First, He is utilizing the seventh type of energy in
order to further the recognition by the human unit of the
subtler substance of the physical plane. This seventh ray
is a primary factor in the production of objectivity. The
energy of the planetary Logos of the seventh scheme
dominates the seventh plane; it is the ray whereon deva
substance and Spirit can meet and adapt [907] themselves to
each other with greater facility than on any other ray
except the third.
Man, at present, is fully conscious, through some one or
other of his senses, on the three lower subplanes; it is
intended that he shall be equally conscious on the four
higher. This has to be brought about by the stimulation of
the deva substance which composes his bodies. This will be
accomplished through the dynamic will of the transmitting
devas as they energize the manipulatory devas, and thus
affect the myriads of lesser lives which compose man's
body, and also by an increased responsiveness of the
indwelling man or thinker to the contact made upon his
body. This increased awareness will be brought about by the
arousing of the fifth spirilla, by the unfolding of the
fifth petal in the egoic lotus, and by the gradual opening
of the third eye through the arousing and uniform activity
of five factors: the center at the base of the spine, the
three channels in the spinal column, and the pineal gland.
All these factors involve the activity of deva essence,
plus the resultant awareness of the thinker. This will be
followed by the conscious use of the newly-awakened powers.
In this manner the close interrelation and interdependence
of the two lines of evolution becomes magnificently
apparent.
Second, the Mahachohan is working specifically at
this time (in cooperation with the Manu), with the devas of
the gaseous subplane; this is in connection with the
destroying work they are to effect by the end of this
root-race, in order to liberate Spirit from constricting
forms. Volcanic action therefore may be looked for,
demonstrating in unexpected localities, as well as within
the sphere of the present earthquake and volcanic zones.
Serious disturbance may be looked for in California before
the end of the century, and in Alaska likewise.
The work of the Mahachohan can also be seen in the [908]
effect that the devas of the kundalini fire are producing
upon man. These are a peculiar group of Agnichaitans who
have reached a stage of evolution which permits of their
being separated off from their group into a group connected
with a certain fire in man's bodies. This fire owing to its
present activity, and the direction of that activity, is
responsible for the reaction against physical marriage, and
for the desire evinced by highly evolved men everywhere to
evade the marriage relation, and confine themselves to
creation upon the mental or astral planes. This is due to
the present inclination of the manipulatory devas of the
lower generative organs to seek the throat center, and to
function there, utilizing the strength of the kundalini
fire to bring this about. All this is under the law of
evolution, but in the interim between cause and justified
effect much harm, evasion of the law, and consequent
suffering can be seen. Owing, therefore, to the violent
reaction at this time against the safeguarding laws of
civilization, it has been decided that the nature and
functions of the devas must be somewhat revealed to man,
and that their place in the scheme of things, and man's
close connection and dependence upon them, must be given
out.283 At the same time, the means whereby they
can be contacted, and the words whereby they can be
controlled, will be withheld.
283 If man can be brought to a realization of
the nature of his own being and of his constitution, and
can be led to comprehend the rationale of that which can be
seen occurring, and if the thinkers of the race can be
shown the risks incident upon present happenings in the
deva evolution, much danger may be averted. Hence the
decision to extend the scope of this book to include more
detailed information anent the deva evolution.
Laxness in the marriage relation, due to this particular
cause, is only seen amongst the highly evolved and amongst
the independent thinkers of the race. Similar laxness
amongst the masses, and the low types of humanity, is based
upon a different reason, and their promiscuity is due to
certain developments of the animal nature in its lowest
manifestation. These two causes [909] will bear
consideration by those who have the present needs of
civilization at heart. They can then cooperate with the
Mahachohan in the work of effecting the very necessary
transfer of force from a lower to a higher center, and
prevent (through knowledge), the incidental license. This
will bring about a refusal to besmirch the great love or
sex impulse of nature.
The ceremonial ray has been often called "the marriage
ritual of the Son," because upon this ray Spirit and matter
can meet and have union. This fact also should be borne in
mind during the next one hundred years, for they will see
great changes in the marriage laws. The present laxity will
inevitably bring a reaction, and the laws will become more
stringent, in order to safeguard the race during a
transition period. These laws will not be along the line of
making escape from the marriage relation more difficult,
but will take effect at the other end, so to speak; the
rising generation will be properly taught and guarded, and
indiscriminate, hasty marriage will not be permitted, nor
will juveniles be allowed rashly to enter into the marriage
obligation. There is no need to enlarge further upon this,
for in working out their own problems men learn, and all
that those upon the inner side are permitted to do is to
give a hint or an indication.
Another angle of the Mahachohan's work at this time is
connected with sound, and therefore with the particular
devas whom we are considering. Through the mismanagement of
men, and their unbalanced development, the sounds of earth,
such as those of the great cities, of the manufactories,
and of the implements of war, have brought about a very
serious condition among the gaseous devas. This has to be
offset in some way and the future efforts of civilization
will be directed towards the spreading of a revolt against
the evils of congested living and to the dissemination of
an impulse of a widespread [910] nature to seek the country
and wide spaces. One of the main interests in the future
will be a tendency towards the elimination of noise, owing
to the increased sensitiveness of the race. When the energy
of water and of the atom is harnessed for the use of man,
our present types of factories, our methods of navigation
and of transportation, such as steamers and railway
apparatus, will be entirely revolutionized. This will have
a potent effect not only on man but on the devas.
D.II.4.c. The Elementals of the Ethers
We will consider now the etheric levels of the physical
plane or the four highest subplanes of the physical plane.
These etheric levels are but gradations of physical plane
matter of a rarer and more refined kind, but physical
nevertheless. They are termed in most textbooks:
- The first ether, or atomic matter.
- The second ether, or subatomic matter.
- The third ether, or super-etheric matter.
- The fourth ether, or simply etheric matter.
The fourth ether is the only one as yet recognized by
scientists, and is the subject of their present
investigations, little though they may realize it.
On the atomic subplane are the permanent physical atoms of
all humanity and the appropriated atoms of the deva
kingdom. The devas do not develop as do the human race.
They reincarnate in groups, and not as individuals, though
each group is composed of units, and has nothing of the
nature of the involutionary group soul. The group soul on
the involutionary path and that upon the evolutionary are
unlike; one is passing on to differentiation and is
composed of entities animated by one general life; the
other has differentiated, and each entity is a separate
unit of the one life, complete in itself, yet one with the
whole. [911]
There are many types of life to be contacted on the four
etheric levels, but we can only concern ourselves at
present with the deva life, remembering that the deva
evolution is of equal importance to that of the human.
These devas are many in number, are of involutionary and
evolutionary nature, and of all grades and types. Ruling
over them on the physical plane is the great deva Kshiti.
He is a deva of rank and power equal to a Chohan of a Ray;
He presides over everything outside the human kingdom upon
the physical plane, and He has for His council the four
subordinate deva lords of the four etheric levels. He, with
these subordinate devas, presides over a subsidiary council
of seven devas who handle all that concerns the deva
evolution, and the work of the greater and the lesser
builders.
The deva Ruler of the fourth, or lowest ether, has
delegated a member of His council to meet with certain of
the Masters at this time for two specific purposes, first,
to see whether the approximation of the two lines of
evolution, human and deva, might be now tentatively
permitted, and, secondly, to reveal some of the methods of
healing and the causes of physical disability which are
inherent in the etheric double.
Devas of all kinds and colors are found on the physical
etheric levels, but the prevailing hue is violet, hence the
term so often employed, the "devas of the shadows." With
the coming in of the ceremonial ray of violet, we have the
amplification therefore of the violet vibration, always
inherent on these levels, and the great opportunity
therefore for contact between the two kingdoms. It is in
the development of etheric vision (which is a capacity of
the physical human eye) and not in clairvoyance that this
mutual apprehension will become possible. With the coming
in likewise of this ray will arrive those who belong
thereon, with a natural gift of seeing etherically.
Children will frequently be born who will [912] see
etherically as easily as the average human being sees
physically; as conditions of harmony gradually evolve out
of the present world chaos, devas and human beings will
meet as friends.
As the two planes, astral and physical, merge and blend,
and continuity of consciousness is experienced upon the
two, it will be difficult for human beings to differentiate
at first between devas of the astral plane, and those of
the physical. At the beginning of this period of
recognition, men will principally contact the violet devas,
for those of the higher ranks amongst them are definitely
making the attempt to contact the human. These devas of the
shadows are of a dark purple on the fourth etheric level,
of a lighter purple, much the same color as violet, on the
third etheric level, a light violet, on the second, whilst
on the atomic subplane they are of a glorious translucent
lavender.
Some of the groups of devas to be contacted on the physical
plane are as follows:
- Four groups of violet devas, associated with
the etheric doubles of all that exists on the physic
plane. These four are in two divisions, those associated
with the building of the etheric doubles, and those out
of whose substance these doubles are built.
- The green devas of the vegetable kingdom.
These exist in two divisions also. They are of high
development, and will be contacted principally along the
lines of magnetization. The greater devas of this order
preside over the magnetic spots of the earth, guard the
solitude of the forests, reserve intact spaces on the
planet which are required to be kept inviolate; they
defend them from molestation, and with the violet devas
are at this time working definitely, though temporarily,
under the Lord Maitreya. The Raja Lord of the astral
plane, Varuna [913] and his brother Kshiti, have been
called to the council chamber of the Hierarchy for
specific consultation, and just as the Masters are
endeavoring to prepare humanity for service when the
World Teacher comes, so these Raja Lords are working
along similar lines in connection with the devas. They
are arduous in Their work, intense in Their zeal, but
much obstructed by man.
- The white devas of the air and water who
preside over the atmosphere work with certain aspects of
electrical phenomena, and control the seas, rivers, and
streams. From among them, at a certain stage in their
evolution, are gathered the guardian angels of the race
when in physical plane incarnation. Each unit of the
human family has his guardian deva.
Each group of devas has some specific method of
development and some means whereby they evolve and attain a
particular goal.
- For the violet devas the path of attainment
lies through feeling, and through educating the race in
the perfecting of the physical body in its two
departments.
- For the green devas the path of service is
seen in magnetization, of which the human race knows
nothing as yet. Through this power they act as the
protectors of the vegetable plant life, and of the sacred
spots of the earth; in their work lies the safety of
man's body, for from the vegetable kingdom for the
remainder of this round comes the nourishment of that
body.
- For the white devas the path of service lies
in the guarding of the individuals of the human family,
in the care and segregation of types, in the control of
the water and air elementals, and much that concerns the
fish kingdom.
Thus in the service of humanity in some form or
another lies attainment for these physical plane devas.
They have much to give and do for humanity, and in time
[914] it will be apparent to the human unit what he has to
give towards the perfecting of the deva kingdom. A great
hastening of their evolution goes forward now coincident
with that of the human family. There is another group of
devas about which much may not as yet be communicated. They
have come in from another planetary scheme, and are
specialists in their particular line. They have attained,
or passed through, the human kingdom, and are of equal rank
with certain members of the Hierarchy, having chosen to
stay and work in connection with the physical plane
evolution. They are not many in number, being only twelve.
Four work in the violet group, five in the green group, and
two in the white, with a presiding officer of rank equal to
a Chohan. The number of the deva evolution is six, as that
of man is now five, and as ten stands for perfected man, so
twelve stands for perfection in the deva kingdom. This
group presides over the three earlier enumerated. Certain
subsidiary groups are found.
- Under group 1 are found all the elementals
working with the etheric doubles of men, all the
elementals forming the etheric bodies wherein is life,
and all the elementals working with the etheric
counterparts of so-called inanimate objects. These are
named in the order and the importance of their
development. The violet devas are on the evolutionary
path; the elementals are on the involutionary path, the
goal for them being to pass into the deva kingdom of
violet hue.
- Under group 2 work the fairies of plant life,
the elves who build and paint the flowers, the radiant
little beings who inhabit the woods and the fields, the
elementals who work with the fruits, vegetables, and with
all that leads to the covering of the earth's surface
with verdure. Associated with them are the [915] lesser
devas of magnetization, those attached to sacred spots,
to talismans and to stones, and also a special group to
be found around the habitations of the Masters wherever
situated.
- Under group 3 work the elementals of the air
and the sea, the sylphs, the water fairies, and the devas
who guard each human being. Here only general hints are
given. This list is not complete and does not include the
grosser elementals, the brownies, and those that inhabit
the dark spaces of the earth, the cities and the
subterranean spots of the earth's crust.
The devas of the ethers carry on their foreheads a
translucent symbol in the form of a crescent moon, and by
this they may be distinguished from the astral devas by
those able to see clairvoyantly.
As we consider the devas of the ethers, we find that they
fall naturally – as far as manifestation is concerned –
into two main groups. Each group is represented on each of
the four subplanes, and this grouping must be considered as
but one method of differentiation out of the many possible.
These groups are, first, those devas who are the
transmitters of prana to all forms of life; they are a
group of intermediary devas, and may be regarded as the
energy providers in their various differentiations;
secondly, those devas who form the etheric bodies of every
form in manifestation. These constitute the bulk of the
lesser devas.
There are naturally many other organized intelligences in
the great Army of the Voice in connection with this primary
division of the physical plane, but if the student will
consider these two groups, and will investigate their
relationship to man and to the Heavenly Man within Whose
body they are to be found, he will learn much which will
enable him to comprehend problems hitherto considered
insoluble, and will find many things [916] revealed which
will tend to revolutionize the findings of modern science,
and bring about changes in the care of the physical body.
D.II.4.c.i. The Devas and Energy
Before we take up the consideration of these two groups it
might be wise here to emphasize the necessity of
remembering that when we consider the etheric levels of the
physical plane we are dealing with those planes upon which
the true form is to be found, and are approaching
the solution of the mystery of the Holy Spirit and the
Mother. In this realization, and its extension to include
an entire solar system, will come a clarifying of the
connection between the four higher planes of the system and
the three worlds of human endeavor. We have, in the
macrocosm, the four planes of superconscious life,
or those four central vibrations which are the basis of the
life and energy of the etheric body of a planetary Logos
and of a solar Logos, and the three planes of conscious and
of self-conscious life which form the dense physical
vehicle of a Heavenly Man, and of the Grand Man of the
Heavens.
By a close scrutiny of these conditions in the macrocosm
and in the microcosm will come a comprehension of the
reason why the physical vehicle is never considered a
principle at all by occultists. The Holy Spirit, the One
Who over-shadows and Who implants the germ of life in the
waiting acquiescent Virgin Mother or matter (causing her to
awaken and to commence her great work of producing the
divine incarnation) is a primary factor from the standpoint
of the second solar system. In a way incomprehensible to
modern thinkers, the Mother, or the divine Aspirant to the
mysteries of the cosmic marriage, was (in a previous
system) the dominant factor. In this system in connection
with substance it is the Holy Spirit. The work, therefore,
on etheric levels, and the energy and activity originating
therefrom, are the factors that primarily are responsible
on the physical [917] plane or all that is tangible,
objective, and manifested. The accretion of matter around
the vital body, and the densification of substance around
the vital etheric nucleus are in themselves the result of
interaction, and the final interchange of vibration between
that which might be called the residue from an earlier
manifestation, and the vibration of this present one.
It is here – in the relation between positive electrical
energy in its fourfold differentiation, and the triple
negative receptive lower substance – that scientists will
eventually arrive at certain definite deductions and
discover:
- The secret of matter itself, that is, matter as we
know and see it.
- The key to the process of creation upon the physical
plane, and the method whereby density and concretion on
the three lower levels are brought about.
- The formulas for organic transmutation, or the key to
the processes whereby the elements as we know them can be
disintegrated and recombined.
Only when scientists are prepared to admit the fact
that there is a body of vitality which acts as a focal
point in every organized form, and only when they are
willing to consider each element and form of every degree
as constituting part of a still greater vital body, will
the true methods of the great goddess Nature become their
methods. To do this they must be prepared to accept the
sevenfold differentiation of the physical plane as stated
by Eastern occultism, to recognize the triple nature of the
septenary manifestation.
- The atomic or Shiva energy, the energy of the first
subplane or the first etheric plane.
- The vital form building energy of the three ensuing
etheric levels.
- The negative receptive energy of the three planes
[918] of the dense physical, the gaseous, the liquid and
the truly dense.
They will also eventually consider the interplay
between the lower three and the higher four in that great
atom called the physical plane. This can be seen duplicated
in the atom of the physicist or chemist. Scientific
students who are interested in these matters will find it
worth while to consider the correspondence between these
three types of energy, and that which is understood by the
words, atoms, electrons, and ions.
All that manifests (from God to man)284 is the
result of these three types of energy or force, of their
combination, their interplay, and their psychic action and
reaction. During the great cycle of logoic appearance it is
the second type of energy which dominates and which is of
evolutionary importance, and this is why the etheric body
which lies back of all that is visible is the most
important. This is equally true of gods, of men and of
atoms.
284 The
Secret Doctrine says that: God,
Monad, and Atom are the correspondences of Spirit, Mind and
Body. – S. D., I, 679.
The Logos is manifesting in this mahamanvantara as Manas
(the Divine Manasaputras in their totality) utilizing
atomic sheaths for purposes of evolution and with the aim
in view of developing the second aspect of buddhi or
wisdom. Wisdom must have manas, or intelligent mind for its
basis. He is the sumtotal of Intelligence, evolving in
order to develop Love.
Much time is spent in speculating upon the sources of life,
upon the springs of action, and upon the impulses which
underlie the creative processes. Hitherto science has
worked somewhat blindly and has spent much time
investigating the lower three planes. It has dealt
principally with the Mother, with the negative receptive
matter, and is only now becoming aware of the Holy Spirit
aspect, or of the energy which enables that Mother to
fulfil her function, and to carry on her work.
Considering the same problem microcosmically it may
be pointed out that men are only now beginning to be [919]
aware of the springs of spiritual action, and of the
sources of spiritual life. The energy of the higher planes
is only revealing itself as men begin to tread the Way, and
to come under the influence of buddhi, which flows from the
fourth cosmic etheric plane.
Finally, when scientists are willing to recognize and to
cooperate with the intelligent forces that are to be found
on etheric levels, and when they become convinced of the
hylozoistic nature of all that exists, their findings and
their work will be brought into a more accurate
correspondence with things as they really are. This, as has
been earlier pointed out, will be brought about as the race
develops etheric vision, and the truth of the contentions
of the occultist is proved past all controversy.
It will have been noted that in the enumeration of these
two main groups, we did not touch upon that great group of
Builders who are called esoterically "Those who transmit
the Word." I have only dealt with the two groups who
constitute the "Army of the Voice." This is due to the fact
that in this section we are only dealing with that army, or
with those builders, great and small, who are swept into
activity as the Word of the physical plane sounds forth.
The "Transmitters of the Word" upon the first subplane or
atomic level are those who take up the vibratory sound as
it reaches them from the astral plane and – passing it
through their bodies – send it forth to the remaining
subplanes. These transmitters may be, for purposes of
clarity, considered as seven in number. In their totality
they form the atomic physical bodies of the Raja Lord of
the plane and in a peculiarly occult sense these seven form
(in their lower differentiations on etheric levels) the
sumtotal of the etheric centers of all human beings, just
as on the cosmic etheric levels are found the centers of a
Heavenly Man.
The connection between the centers and etheric substance,
systemic and human, opens up a vast range for [920]
thought. The "Transmitters of the Word" on the atomic
subplane of each plane are devas of vast power and
prerogative who may be stated to be connected with the
Father aspect, and embodiments of electric fire. They are
all fully self-conscious, having passed through the human
stage in earlier kalpas. They are also corporate parts of
the seven primary head centers in the body of a solar Logos
or planetary Logos.
Though connected with the Father aspect, they are
nevertheless part of the body of the Son, and each of them,
according to the plane which he energizes, is a component
part of one or other of the seven centers, either solar or
planetary – planetary when only the particular center is
concerned, systemic when that center is viewed as an
integral part of the whole.
Each of these great lives (embodying deva energy of the
first degree) is an emanation from the central spiritual
sun in the first instance and from one of the three major
constellations in the second instance. Systemically they
fall into three groups:
- Group 1 includes those transmitters of the Word who
are found on the three lower subplanes of the plane Adi,
or the logoic plane.
- Group 2 comprises those great builders who transmit
the Word on the three next systemic planes, the monadic,
the atmic and the buddhic.
- Group 3 is formed of those who carry on a similar
function in the three worlds of human endeavor.
Fundamentally they are also emanations from one of the
seven stars of the Great Bear in the third instance.
In these triple emanatory forces may be found the origin of
all that is visible and objective, and through their agency
our solar system takes its place within the greater cosmic
scheme, and a certain basic cosmic fire is formed. They are
the sumtotal of the head, the heart and the throat centers
of the solar Logos, and their correspondences will be found
within a Heavenly Man, a [921] human being, and an atom.
Hence the scientist, as he discovers the nature of the
atom, is putting himself in touch with these three types of
solar energy, and is unraveling the central mystery of the
system. As the triple nature of the atom stands revealed,
so likewise the triple nature of man and of God gradually
becomes proven. The energy of these groups passes through
the physical sun, and from thence they sound the Word for
the particular plane of their specific endeavor.
The student must not make the mistake of thinking that
these seven great transmitters are the seven Heavenly Men.
They form one half of Their real nature. This is all that
can be said of this great mystery, though it might be added
that from another angle of vision, they form but one third
of his threefold divine nature. Man is dual, being Spirit
and matter; he is also, during evolution, a triplicity, so
it is with a Heavenly Man, and hence the mystery. The great
Transmitter of the Word on the physical plane, which is the
one under our consideration, is the energizing factor of
the throat center of Brahma. An interesting tabulation of
the threefold centers and the three divine aspects might
here be given which may prove of use to the student, though
he should carefully bear in mind that these centers are for
the purpose of generating and transmitting energy.
- The transmitter of energy on the physical plane forms
the throat center in the body of Brahma, the third
aspect.
- The transmitter of energy upon the astral plane forms
the heart center of Brahma.
- The transmitter of the Word on the mental plane forms
the head center of this, the third aspect.
These three Raja Lords, devas, or transmitters, form
the three centers of logoic force in the three worlds.
They are the lowest energy aspect of Brahma. [922]
- The Transmitter of the Word upon the buddhic plane
forms the throat center of Vishnu, the second aspect.
From thence the Word goes forth that builds the dense
physical form of a Heavenly Man or of a solar Logos.
- The Transmitter of energy upon the monadic plane
forms the heart center of Vishnu, the second aspect.
- The Transmitter of force upon the atmic plane forms
the head center of Vishnu.
This tabulation will be confusing to students unless
it is realized that we are here considering these aspects
only as dualities, and are dealing with one of the dual
parts. It will be apparent that in the Vishnu aspect, for
instance, which manifests upon the second plane, the energy
of that plane will act as the head center to the succeeding
planes, and this apprehension, rightly grasped, will
clarify the others.
The Transmitter of the Word on the first plane of Adi is
the embodiment of the throat center of a cosmic entity.
From this statement will come a just realization of our
place in the cosmic scheme, and the fundamentally physical
nature of the seven planes of the solar system is also here
demonstrated, the nature of Brahma, or the Holy Spirit,
becoming apparent.
The old Commentary says:
"Brahma is One, yet includes His brother. Vishnu is One,
yet existeth not apart from His brother, younger in point
of time yet older far. Shiva is One, and antedates Them
both, yet He appeareth not nor is He seen, until They
both have cycled through Their courses."
The above sevenfold tabulation can be, under
the law of correspondences, applied equally to every plane,
for the transmitters and workers on each plane form similar
groups. Equally well can man consider this tabulation in
connection with his seven centers, and from a study [923]
of the two together he will gain knowledge as to the type
of energy which flows through any particular center. These
transmitters likewise can be heard sounding forth the Word
with particular force and power in that planetary scheme
which corresponds to their note and is keyed to their
vibration. The planetary schemes, therefore, will fall into
a similar grouping, and this will open up for students a
vast field of conjecture. The seven Prajapatis fall into
two groups of three, with one dominating. Students will do
well to remember in studying the solar system, the planes,
the schemes, man and the atom, that the groupings of the
lines or streams of energy during the evolutionary cycles
fall naturally into four divisions:
- 1-3-3
- 4-3
- 3-4
- 3-1-3
- Division 1 can be understood under the law of
correspondences when the nature of the atomic plane of
the solar system, the three cosmic etheric planes, and
the three planes of human endeavor are investigated in
connection with each other.
- Division 2 becomes easier of comprehension when the
close relation between the four cosmic etheric planes and
the three lower planes is grasped. This can be
illuminated by a study of the four physical ethers and
the three lower subplanes of our physical plane.
- Division 3 finds the clue to its mystery in the
constitution of the mental plane, with its three formless
levels, and its four levels of form.
- Division 4 can be grasped as the student arrives at a
comprehension of his own nature as a spiritual triad, an
egoic body and a threefold lower man. He can likewise
approach the first division in a similar manner, and view
himself as a primary force or Monad, a triple secondary
[924] force or Ego, and a threefold lower energy, or
personality, remembering that we are here dealing only
with creative energy and with the Brahma aspect of
manifestation as it coordinates itself with the Vishnu
aspect.
D.II.4.c.ii. The Transmitters of Prana
We have in an earlier section of this treatise considered
somewhat the devas who are the transmitters of prana for
the etheric body of man and of the planet. They are the
reflection upon the lowest plane of the Vishnu aspect of
divinity; the seven subplanes of our physical plane reflect
in a dim and distorted fashion the three aspects, and are a
shadow, dark and unrevealing, of the Godhead. This group of
transmitters are responsible for three principal results,
and are active along three main lines.
They are the devas who vitalize and produce the energy of
all forms of sentient life. Theirs is the life which
pulsates through the etheric body of every plant and animal
and of all intermediate forms of life, and which
constitutes the raging fire which is seen circulating
through all etheric vehicles. Among many other functions
they produce the warmth of the sun and of all bodies; they
are the cause of solar, planetary, and human radiation, and
they nourish and preserve all forms. They occultly mediate
between the Father and the Mother on each plane, whether
cosmic or systemic. They originate in the sun, and are
closely related to the logoic and planetary solar plexus,
for the evolutionary process, as in all manifestation, is
the result of desire, acting upon the creative faculties
and producing that which is objective.
They are the devas who energize the myriads of minute lives
which build the etheric bodies of all that is seen and
tangible, and who are the instigators of the creative
processes on the three lowest subplanes of the physical
plane. Systemically, the devas engaged in this line of
activity can be subdivided into two groups: [925]
- Those who work on the four higher systemic planes and
from thence influence in the three worlds, producing
through reflex action the desired results.
- Those who work in the three worlds of human endeavor,
producing directly dense physical manifestation.
All the etheric devas who transmit energy on the
physical plane belong to the second division above
enumerated, and according to the subplane on which they
work come under the guidance of a greater intelligence on a
corresponding plane.
There are also the devas who form the attractive force of
all subhuman forms, holding the forms of the three lower
kingdoms of nature together in coherency, and thus
producing the body of manifestation of the great Entity who
is the sumtotal of the life of the kingdom, and of the
lesser beings who ensoul different families and groups
within any specific kingdom.
The Devas of the Etheric Double
The subject that we are to deal with now concerns those
devas who are etheric doubles of all that is. It is full of
profit therefore to the wise student, for it reveals the
method whereby all forms materialize upon the physical
plane.
It is not the purpose of this treatise to trace the
materialization of a form as it originates upon the
archetypal planes, through the agency of divine thought,
and from thence (through directed streams of intelligent
energy) acquires substance as it is reproduced upon each
plane, until eventually (upon the physical plane) the form
stands revealed at its densest point of manifestation. No
form is as yet perfect, and it is this fact which
necessitates cyclic evolution, and the continual production
of forms until they approximate reality in fact and in
deed. The method of form production may be tabulated as
follows: [926]
FORM PRODUCTION
- Divine thought – The cosmic mental plane.
- Divine desire – The cosmic astral plane.
- Divine activity – The cosmic physical plane (our
seven systemic planes).
-
The logoic Breath – First plane – The
Sound285A.
This is the first etheric appearance of a solar
system upon the atomic subplane of the cosmic physical
plane. The seeds of life are all latent. Faculty
inheres from an earlier solar essence.
-
The logoic Sound – Second plane – The Sound A U.
This is the body of the solar system in the second
ether. This plane is the archetypal plane. The seeds of
[927] life are vibrating or germinating. The seven
centers of energy are apparent. The one deva Agni is
seen as seven. The form is now potentially perfect.
-
The logoic triple Word – The third plane – The Sound
A U M.
The body of the solar system in substance of the
third etheric plane is seen, and the three function as
one. The triple energy of the Logos is coordinated, and
nothing now can hinder the Work of evolution. The three
groups of devas are active, and the archetypal form is
in process of materialization.
-
The logoic septenary Word – The fourth plane – The
seven syllabled Word
The logoic etheric centers become active.
The etheric body of the solar system is now
complete, though it will not be perfected till the end
of another manvantara. The greater body of vitality is
ready to energize the dense physical vehicle. The seven
centers with their forty-nine major petals are vibrant,
and consciousness thrills through every atom in the
system.
285 Mantric Sounds. A mantram is a
combination of sounds, of words and of phrases that,
through virtue of certain rhythmic effects, achieve results
that would not be possible apart from them. The most sacred
of all the Eastern mantrams given out as yet to the public
is the one embodied in the words: "Om mani padme hum."
Every syllable of this phrase has a secret potency, and its
totality has seven meanings and can bring about seven
different results.
There are various mantric forms, based upon this formula
and upon the Sacred Word, which, sounded rhythmically and
in different keys, accomplish certain desired ends, such as
the invoking of protective angels or devas, and definite
work, either constructive or destructive upon the
planes.
The potency of a mantram depends upon the point in
evolution of the man who employs it. Uttered by an ordinary
man it serves to stimulate the good within his bodies, to
protect him, and it will also prove of beneficent influence
upon his environment. Uttered by an adept or initiate its
possibilities for good are infinite and far-reaching.
Mantrams are of many kinds, and generally speaking might
be enumerated as follows:
- Some very esoteric mantrams, existing in the original
Sensa, in the custody of the Great White Lodge.
- Some Sanskrit mantrams employed by initiates and
adepts.
- Mantrams connected with the different rays.
- Mantrams used in healing.
- Mantrams used in the departments of either the Manu,
the Bodhisattva, or the Mahachohan.
- Mantrams used in connection with the devas and the
elemental kingdoms.
- Special mantrams connected with fire.
All these mantrams depend for their potency upon the
sound and rhythm and upon the syllabic emphasis imparted to
them when enunciating and intoning. They depend too upon
the capacity of the man who uses them to visualize and to
will the desired effect.
An interlude or period of pause is to be found at this
stage of development; in it the processes of coordination
and of stabilization are carried on; the energy or the
vibration is increased until it becomes possible, by a
simultaneous effort, emanating from all the three aspects,
to bring into objectivity that which is as yet subjective.
This is paralleled by man on the physical plane in the
applied effort he has to make to bring through and
materialize, that which he has conceived and desired. The
reason so many people fail in materializing their concepts,
and hence come to be reckoned as failures, is owing to the
fact of their inability to make a coordinated applied
effort, and thus set in motion substance of the three lower
subplanes of the physical plane. They [928] succeed in
bringing their concept through from the mental plane (as
does the Logos on cosmic levels) as far as the fourth
etheric level of the physical, and there their energy
becomes exhausted owing to three things:
- Lack of sustained will or concentration,
- Lack of alignment with the Ego,
- A weakness of coordination between the two parts of
the physical vehicle.
-
The logoic Phrase – Fifth plane – The plane of the
logoic mantram of 35 stanzas.
The gaseous body.
The gaseous form of the solar system now appears,
and the energy centers become veiled and hidden.
Accretion and concretion rapidly proceeds. The three
groups of builders coordinate their efforts afresh and
a new influx of energy – bearing devas from the logoic
head center – pours in. The lesser builders respond to
the logoic mantram chanted anew at each manvantara, and
the seven streams of energy from the seven logoic
centers are directed downwards.
-
The logoic Song of Love or Desire – The Sixth plane
– A poem in forty-two verses.
The logoic liquid body.
This song or vibration causes the bringing in of a
body of devas from the logoic heart center to swell the
efforts of those already active. The liquid body of the
solar Logos appears, and the form exists in its six
differentiations. Concretion is very rapid, and
activity is considerably more violent owing to the
greater density of the accruing substance.
-
The logoic Book of Life – Seventh plane – Exists in
forty-nine chapters.
The entire form stands revealed. During evolution it
must manifest its purpose and its nature. A third group
[929] of devas from the logoic throat center appear,
and cooperate with their brothers. All the fires are
burning, all the centers are active, and every petal,
forty-nine in number, on the fourth plane of Buddhi is
producing a reflex activity upon the dense physical
plane.
Men, when occupied in creation of any kind, and in the
process of producing forms on earth which embody an idea,
work along similar lines. The analogy is perfect.
In connection with those human beings who create nothing,
but who are only swept into activity under the urge of
circumstance – and they are the bulk of the human race – it
should be pointed out that they are a part of the creative
activity of some greater, and more advanced, entity. As
self-conscious evolution proceeds, more and more of the
human family will become creators and intelligent workers
in connection with deva substance. In the initial stages,
therefore, of their dissociation from a passive attitude,
there will be found a revolt against law and order, a
refusal to be governed, and an ability evidenced to follow
out an individual concept at the expense of the group,
great or small. This apparent defect, evolution itself and
experience will remedy, and as the consciousness becomes
alive to higher vibrations the man will become aware of the
purpose and plan of the Intelligence of his group. He will
awaken to the beauty of that plan and will begin to
submerge his own interests in the greater, and to cooperate
intelligently. The creative power which had before been of
a separative nature will be offered as a willing sacrifice
to the greater energy, and his small plans and ideas will
be merged in the greater ones. He will no longer, however,
be a passive unit, swept hither and thither by the energy
of his group, but will become a positive, active potent
force, self-immolated through intelligent recognition of
the greater plan.
He will become alive to the fact that there are living
[930] forces in nature. As the greater energy thrills
through him, his own latent powers are awakened. He sees
and knows the deva forces and can consequently work with
them intelligently. Some he will control and manipulate,
with others he will cooperate, and others still he will
obey.
It is in the realization of these facts anent deva
substance, the power of sound, the law of vibration, and
the ability to produce forms in conformity with law, that
the true magician can be seen. Herein too lies one of the
distinctions to be found between magicians of the Good Law,
and those of the Left-hand Path. A white magician can
control and manipulate deva substance, and he proceeds to
do it through an intelligent cooperation with the greater
builders. Owing to the purity and holiness of his life, and
the height of his own vibration, he can contact them in
some one or other of their grades. The magician of the
shadows controls and manipulates deva substance on the
astral and physical plane and on the lower levels of the
mental plane through the force of his own vibration and
knowledge, but not through cooperation with the directing
builders. He cannot contact them, as his character is
impure through selfishness, and his vibration is too low;
his power therefore is limited and destructive, yet immense
within certain restrictions.
The devas of the etheric doubles fall into two groups. They
are those who are the lesser builders, and who, under
direction from the greater builders, form the etheric
doubles of all that can be seen and all that is tangible on
the dense physical plane. They exist in vast hosts and are
omnipresent; they gather and build the material needed to
form the etheric double of everything, and they do this
under certain laws and work under certain restrictions.
They are called in occult phraseology "the listening
devas," for they are the ones who pick up that
particular note and tone from the transmitters of [931] the
physical plane sound which is needed to gather the
substance for any intended material form Again, they are
spoken of as "having ears but seeing not." They work in
close cooperation with the elementals of the dense physical
body. This second group are spoken of as the "seeing
elementals," for they exist in matter of the three
lower subplanes and can therefore see on the objective
plane in the occult sense which always implies an analogy
between sight and knowledge. The "listening
builders" gather the material; the "seeing elementals"
take that gathered material, and build it into any specific
form. They exist in many groups according to their point in
he evolution, and some of them might be tabulated as
follows:
-
The builders of the human vehicle.
This is the highest group of lesser builders, who
are highly specialized. These will be dealt with
somewhat in detail later.
-
The builders of the forms in the three kingdoms of
nature in their two divisions.
- First. The builders of the mineral
kingdom. These are the workers occultly called "the
elemental alchemists." They are in many groups
connected with the differing elements, metals,
chemicals, and minerals, and with what are called
active and radioactive substances. They are the
custodians of two secrets, that of the immetalisation
of the Monad, and the secret of the transmutation of
metals.
- Second. The builders of the vegetable
kingdom. They exist in many groups and are termed
"the surface alchemists" and "the bridging units."
They build the doubles of every form of vegetable
life, and just as the "alchemists" of the mineral
kingdom are mostly concerned with the action of fire,
these other alchemical workers are concerned with the
liquid action of divine [932] manifestation. They
work, therefore, in cooperation with the devas of the
waters, or liquid substance, whilst the earlier
mentioned group work with the gaseous devas. A hint
is here conveyed, but greater expansion of the
statement is not possible, owing to the danger of the
knowledge to be reached. With them is hidden three
secrets: One is concerned with the earlier solar
system, or the green solar system; another deals with
the laws of bridging, or the interaction between the
kingdoms of nature, and the third is connected with
the history of the second round; this secret when
revealed will make clear why man (under the law)
should be a vegetarian and not carnivorous.
Scientists are learning already certain things
connected with the second secret, and they may hope,
as the knowledge of the significance of color is
extended, to glean hints as to the first. The third
secret will not be indicated more clearly till the
sixth race is living upon earth.
- Third. The builders of all animal etheric
forms. These are a group closely allied with those
who build the human form. They came in force from a
reservoir of energy which was kept in a quiescent
condition until the physical condition of any
particular scheme warranted their activity. With them
came in much that accounts for the present sad
condition, for much of the fear, hatred, and
destructive condition to be found among the animals
is caused by their bodies being built, and the work
of evolution carried on by the "imperfect gods" (as
H. P. B. expresses it) working in imperfect matter as
yet imperfectly manipulated. The secret of fear is
hidden in the etheric body, and the particular type
of substance out of which it may be built.
-
The builders of the planetary etheric web.
Their work is exceedingly obscure and exists in
three divisions: [933]
- The materialization of the web. This is
only perfected by the fourth round, and was purposely
hurried in connection with our planet owing to karmic
conditions, and under the law of spiritual necessity.
A correspondence to this can be seen in the case of
man himself. The etheric web was very loosely
coordinated in man at the beginning of the fourth
root-race. Spiritual necessity forced its rapid
consolidation, and it is now so constituted that it
forms a barrier between the physical and the astral
plane.
- The preservation of the planetary web.
This will be continued until the sixth round. During
this period spiritual evolution proceeds with a
certain degree of planetary safety, for the web
protects from certain solar influences, and acts
largely as a sifter and a distributor of solar
forces.
- The destruction of the web. This takes
place towards the end of planetary evolution, thus
permitting the escape of the imprisoned planetary
life and the absorption of the life essence into its
synthesizer. The process of destruction can only be
described in the words perforation and
disintegration.
-
The builders of the etheric body of the planetary
Entity.
This great involutionary life must remain for many
aeons a mystery. His etheric body is now in process of
building, and only in another solar system will he
assume definite physical form. Sufficient energy has
not yet been generated to permit of his manifestation
objectively. He remains as yet subjective. He has his
solar correspondence. [934]
-
The builders of the planetary body.
This proceeds under the same law as that of the
solar system and of man, but, as in the solar system,
it proceeds upon the higher planes. Students are here
recommended to trace the relation between the solar and
cosmic planes in this specific connection.
-
The etheric doubles of all that man creates.
These are a special group of etheric builders who,
under karma, are forced to act in conjunction with
human beings.
These are but a few out of the many groups possible to
touch upon; it is needless further to enlarge, as no
substantial profit will eventuate from the impartation of
further information. Only the briefest indications can be
given and touched upon. It is neither safe nor advisable as
yet to impart to men knowledge anent the workers in etheric
matter, which would enable them to contact them, nor is it
wise as yet to link up coherently the scattered facts
already given in different occult books. Science is
treading on the borderland of discovery, and trespassing
already into the domain of the building devas. Caution is
needed. Yet if the hints given above are studied, if the
various secrets of the builders are pondered upon, and if
the esoteric side of Masonry is carefully and persistently
meditated upon, the work of the Great Architect and His
many assistants will stand forth in a clearer and a fuller
light. One hint may here be given, forgetting not that the
work is twofold:
The construction of the tabernacle, or the building of the
temporary forms is the work of the Divine Carpenter, whilst
the building of the Temple of Solomon, or the construction
of the more permanent structure is the work of the
Supervising Architect. One concerns operative, and the
other speculative Masonry in the true esoteric significance
of the word. [935]
The devas who form the etheric doubles of all objects out
of their own substance must also be considered. These
builders are the sumtotal of all physical plane substance,
and constitute the matter of the etheric levels of the
physical plane. They exist, therefore, in four groups, and
each group has a curious karmic relation to one of the four
kingdoms in nature:
Group |
– |
Plane |
– |
Kingdom |
First |
– |
One |
– |
Human. |
Second |
– |
Two |
– |
Animal. |
Third |
– |
Three |
– |
Vegetable. |
Fourth |
– |
Four |
– |
Mineral. |
The substance of the highest physical form of a human being
is therefore atomic. The Master's physical body is made of
atomic matter, and when He wishes to materialize it on the
dense physical plane, He forms a sheath of gaseous
substance upon that atomic matter, perfect in its
delineation of all the known physical traits. The substance
of the highest form of animal body is that of the second
ether, and herein is to be found a clue as to the relation
between all sea and watery forms to the animal. The highest
form of body possible for the vegetable form of life is
that of the third ether. These facts will be demonstrated
in the seventh round when the present three kingdoms of
nature – the human, the animal, and the vegetable will
objectively exist in etheric matter; that will be for them
their densest manifestation. The mineral kingdom will find
its highest manifestation in matter of the fourth ether,
and this transmutation is already taking place, for all the
radioactive substances now being discovered are literally
becoming matter of the fourth ether. The mineral kingdom is
relatively nearing its possible manvantaric perfection, and
by the time the seventh round is reached all mineral lives
(not forms) [936] will have been transferred to another
planet. This will not be so with the other three kingdoms.
The etheric deva substance is acted upon in two ways:
- It is awakened into a specific activity by the
sounding of the physical plane word, and it is built into
forms by the lesser builders.
- It will, therefore, be apparent that it comes under
the influence of two types of force or energy.
We will now briefly take up the subject of the work of
the devas who build man's etheric and dense physical body.
By dividing our thoughts into two sections, we may be able
to cover the ground somewhat more easily, dealing first
with the building devas and the microcosm and then with the
lesser builders of the etheric levels.
D.II.4.d. The Elementals and the Microcosm
D.II.4.d.i. Man and the Building Devas
Man, in the process of evolution, as he pursues the method
of reincarnation, works with four types of builders and
three major grades of building essence or deva substance.
He connects with the transmitting devas who are found in
connection with the microcosm on the fourth subplane of the
mental plane, and on the atomic subplanes of the astral and
physical plane. He connects next with the devas concerned
with:
- The mental unit.
- The astral permanent atom.
- The physical permanent atom.
He cooperates with the work of the building devas who
form the etheric body, and influences the building devas of
the dense physical substances, so that the necessary
physical vehicle for his objective manifestation becomes an
actuality.
These are the four main groups of devas which come under
the influence of any particular Ego. They unitedly [937]
produce the lower man, and bring into manifestation the
Personality, that reflection of the Ego and shadow of the
Monad. The three grades of building essence which are built
into forms through the activity of the above four groups
are here briefly recognized as the mental substance, built
into the mental body, the astral substance, built into the
astral vehicle and the matter of the physical body. These
seven groups form, in their totality, what we might call
the Brahma aspect of the microcosm.
From another point of view, we may be considered as
studying the action of the solar Angel, or Lord, upon the
lunar angels, and the process whereby the solar Lord
imposes a certain rhythm and vibration upon different
aspects of lower manifestation. Esoterically, this is all
hidden in the words of a very ancient writing, which says:
"As the moon revolves, she reflects. As she reflects, she
causes response in that which failed to radiate. These
three, the Sun, the Moon, and the Mother, produce that
which pursues a tiny cycle, and burns."
The first step of the Ego towards producing a
"shadow" is expressed in the words "The Ego sounds his
note." He utters his voice, and (as in the logoic process)
the lesser "army of the voice" responds immediately to it.
According to the tone and quality of the voice, so is the
nature of the responsive agents. According to the depth or
height of the note, and according to its volume, so is the
status or grade of building deva which replies to the call.
This egoic note produces, therefore, certain effects:
It sweeps into activity devas who proceed to transmit the
sound. They utter a word.
It reaches the listening devas of the second grade who take
up the word and proceed to elaborate it into what might be
called a mantric phrase. The building process definitely
begins in a sequential threefold manner. The [938] mental
body begins to coordinate in three stages. All the building
stages overlap. When, for instance, the coordination of the
mental body is in its second stage, the first stage of
astral concretion begins. This is carried on for seven
stages (three major and four minor) which overlap in an
intricate fashion. Again, when the second stage is reached,
a vibration is produced which awakens response in etheric
matter on the physical plane, and the builders of the
etheric double commence their activity. Again the process
is repeated. When the second stage of the work of these
etheric devas is begun,
conception takes place upon the
physical plane. This is a very important point to be
remembered, for it brings the entire process of human birth
definitely into line with established karmic law. It shows
the close connection between that which is subjective and
that which is tangible and seen. The building of the
physical body proceeds like that of the three stages during
the prenatal period:
- The work of the building devas during the three and a
half months prior to the realization of life. This period
sees the third stage of the building of the etheric body
entered upon.
- The building work of the next three and a half months
of the gestation period.
- The final process of concretion carried on through
the remaining two months.
Students will here find it interesting to trace out
the correspondence in this method of producing evolutionary
manifestation in a planetary scheme with its rounds and
races, and in a solar system with its manvantaras and
greater cycles.
In summing up this very cursory outline, the work of the
etheric devas does not cease at the birth of the man, but
is continued likewise in three stages, which find a close
analogy in the life period of a solar system. [939]
First, their work is directed to the steady increase of the
human physical vehicle, so that it may follow accurately
the lines of growth of the two subtler bodies. This is
carried on till maturity is reached. The next stage is that
in which their work consists largely of repair work, and
the preservation of the body during the years of full
manhood so that it can measure up to the purpose of the
subjective life. This purpose necessarily varies according
to the stage of development of the man. Finally comes the
stage when the work of building ceases. The vitality in the
etheric body waxes dim, and the processes of destruction
begin. The Ego begins to call in his forces. The "sound"
becomes faint and dim; there is less and less volume for
the transmitters to pass on, and the initial vibration gets
fainter and fainter. The period of obscuration comes in.
First the physical body waxes weak and useless; then the
Ego withdraws from the centers, and functions for a few
hours in the etheric double. This in turn is devitalized,
and so the process is carried on till one by one the
sheaths are discarded and the egoic "shadow" is dissipated.
D.II.4.d.ii. The Work of the Building Devas
Let us now consider the work of the building devas on the
three planes, dealing with them in two groups:
- Those who are connected with the permanent
atoms.
- Those who are responsible for the building
process.
The devas of the permanent atoms. This
particular group of devas are the aggregate of the lives
who form the mental unit and the two permanent atoms. They,
as we know, have their place within the causal periphery,
and are focal points of egoic energy. They are the very
highest type of building devas, and form a group of lives
which are closely allied to the solar Angels.
They exist
in seven groups connected with three of the spirillae of
[940] the logoic physical permanent atom. These three
spirillae are to these seven groups of lives what the three
major rays are to the seven groups of rays on the egoic
subplanes of the mental plane. This phrase will bear
meditating upon, and may convey much information to the
intuitional thinker. There is a correspondence between the
three permanent atomic triads, and the appearance of man in
the third root race. A curiously interesting sequence of
the three lines of force can be seen in:
- The triads of the involutionary group soul.
- The appearance of triple natured man in the third
root race.
- The triads in the causal bodies of any self-conscious
unit.
These building devas are the ones who take up the
sound as the Ego sends it forth through certain of the
transmitting deva agencies, and by the vibration which this
sets up they drive into activity the surrounding deva
essence in their two groups:
- Those who build the form.
- Those who are built into the form.
They only affect those of analogous vibration. The
stages of the building of any of the four forms through
which lower man (the Quaternary) functions, follow exactly
analogous stages to the building of the dense physical
body, for instance, of a planet, or of a solar system. This
can be traced all the way from the nebulous and chaotic
stages through the fiery to the solid, or to the relatively
solid where a subtle body is concerned. There is no need
for us further to enlarge. H. P. B. has outlined these
stages in the
Secret Doctrine, (S. D., I, 279, 280.)
and they have been dealt with in an earlier part of this
Treatise.
We have dealt at some length already with the work [941] of
the transmitting devas upon the three planes in the three
worlds, and with that of the devas connected with those
relatively permanent focal points – the permanent atoms
within the causal periphery. We can now consider the group
of builders who, responding to the note of the transmitting
agencies and to the initial vibration of the second group
of builders concerned with the triple lower self, begin the
work of aggregating and molding the living substance
necessary for egoic manifestation upon the lower planes.
We have seen that the first three stages of the egoic work
are:
- The sounding of the appropriate note, which note is
indicative of man's place in evolution, and of the nature
of his "psyche," or Ego.
- The transmission of this note by the solar Angel, and
the three groups of devas connected with the three
permanent atoms.
- The vibration set up within these atoms which is in
line with the note sounded, and which becomes so strong
as to make itself felt in the surrounding deva substance,
thus awakening response.
These may be considered as the three primary stages,
and we find demonstrated (in connection with the microcosm)
the three factors of sound, color and vibration, which,
under the Law of Analogy, reflect the three aspects of the
macrocosm. Here too is found a resemblance to the work of
the first three Sephiroths of the Kabalah, – the primary
stage of manifestation finding its dim reflection in the
work of the Ego in the three worlds.
The second stage now takes place, in which the work of
building proceeds until the microcosm, man, makes his
appearance upon the physical plane. This is succeeded by a
third stage of evolution, in which the psychic nature of
man is to demonstrate through the medium of the [942]
created forms. Then the next two groups of Sephiroth are
seen reproduced in man. He is demonstrated to be nine from
another angle but we are only concerned in this section
with the builders of the form.
These groups of builders are four in number:
- The builders of the mental body.
- The builders of the astral body.
- The builders of the etheric body.
- The builders of the dense physical.
Each of these groups can be subdivided into four or
seven or three, according to the plane concerned. Students
must remember that matter from the two lowest subplanes of
the physical and of the astral planes are never built into
the human body as now constituted; it is of too low a
vibration, and too coarse a grade for even the lowest type
of men on earth at this time. It must be pointed out also
that in the average man, the matter of some subplane will
preponderate according to the depth of his nature and his
place on the ladder of evolution. The "builders" of the
human body work under the direction of one of the Lords of
Karma from the lowest group. These Lords are to be found in
three groups, and a Lord out of the third group has the
work of superintending the builders of the human being on
the three planes. Under Him are to be found certain karmic
agents, who again are divided into the following groups:
- Three karmic agents responsible to the karmic Lords
for the work on the three planes.
- Five karmic Lords who work in close connection with
the Manus of the various races, and who are responsible
for the correct building of the varying race types.
- Karmic agents responsible for the subraces types of
the present time. [943]
- Certain intermediary agents who represent (within
these three groups) the seven Ray types.
- Those agents of the good Law who are connected
specifically with the work of the etheric centers, and
their response to the different planetary centers.
- The keepers of the records.
These various intelligences manipulate the building
forces through the medium of streams of energy, which
streams are set in motion when the Ego sounds his note. It
must be remembered that in more or less degree upon his own
plane the Ego is aware of his karma, and of what must be
done to promote growth during the coming incarnation. He
works, therefore, in connection with these Lords, but is
only directly in touch with an agent of the sixth group and
of the fourth. Through these two the work proceeds as far
as the Ego is individually concerned, and they set in
motion for him
(after he has sounded his note) the
machinery of the Law.
The builders of the human personality again are divided
into seven main groups; all devas, just as is the case with
the human Monads, come under one or other of the seven
Rays, and are responsive to one or other of the seven
logoic streams of fiery energy. According to a man's egoic
Ray, so will be the type of deva substance influenced.
These builders work with certain elementals, but it is only
upon the physical plane that any idea can be given as to
their nature and work. These elementals are the little
entities who, adhering to the plan as embodied by the
builders, blindly construct the fabric of the body, and
form the sheaths through which the Ego is to express
himself. On the etheric planes they build the real "form"
out of etheric substance, and produce the sheath of
intricate lines of interlacing fiery strands, which is in
[944] reality an extension of the sutratma, or life thread.
As it is woven and interlaced it becomes vitalized with the
life energy sent down from the Ego, just as Shiva, the
Father, gives to the Son the real "bios" or life, while the
Mother warms, builds, and nourishes the body. The work of
the etheric elementals reaches its primary consummation
when the sutratma is connected with the three centers of
the physical nature within the cranium – the pineal gland,
the pituitary body, and the alta major center. Occultly,
the most important connection is the entrance of the
sutratma into the center at the top of the head, that
through which the life of the etheric body withdraws at the
moment of death. This is the vital point. The "thread" of
life there, by the time the seventh year is reached, has
divided itself into three branches, reaching out to the
three centers. The realization of this fact will eventually
prove of much interest to scientists. A good deal of
imbecility, or of arrested development will be found to
have its origin in the etheric connection with these three
centers. The etheric web is literally the fine network of
fiery threads which spreads itself over the center, and
forms an area of fairly large dimensions. It separates the
two bodies, astral and physical. A similar corresponding
area will be found in the solar system. Through it the
cosmic forces must pass to the different planetary schemes.
The elemental groups of the dense physical plane who are
swept into activity by the builders, are three in number:
- The gaseous elementals.
- The liquid elementals.
- The strictly dense elementals.
One group concerns itself with the fiery channels,
with the fires of the human body, and with the different
gases to be found within the human periphery. Another group
[945] is to be seen working in connection with the
circulatory system, and with all the liquids, juices, and
waters of the body; whilst the third is largely involved in
the construction of the frame, through the right
apportioning of the minerals and chemicals. A hint in
connection with medicine is here to be found; it is
occultly true that just as the liquid devas and elementals
are closely related to the vegetable kingdom, and both to
the plane of the emotions, the logoic liquid body, so the
ills of men which affect the circulatory system, the
kidneys, the bladder, and the lubrication of the joints,
will find a CURE in vegetable constituents and above all in
the right adjustment of the emotional nature.
Several influences other than those mentioned have to be
considered when the subject of the work of these builders
of man's body is under discussion. Not only are they
affected by:
- A man's note,
- The color poured forth by the transmitting
agents,
- The karmic agents,
but they come under:
- Group karma and vibration which will sweep in another
group of agencies and builders, and thus affect a man's
bodies,
- Racial karma, an extension of the above,
- Forces playing upon the planet from another scheme,
or through the formation of a systemic triangle,
- A cosmic triangle of force of some specific kind
which may bring in entities and energies of any
particular scheme incident upon the karma of the
planetary Logos.
It will, therefore, be apparent to the student how
intricate this subject is and how truly each man is the
outcome of force of some kind – egoic primarily, but also
[946] planetary, and even systemic. Yet withal, no man is
ever put into circumstances which are insurmountable, once
he has reached the point where he has intelligently put
himself on the side of evolution, or of God. Prior to that
he may, and will, be driven by the gales of circumstance;
the press of group and racial karma will force him into
situations necessary for the process of awakening him to
his own innate possibilities. Once he becomes the conscious
builder himself, seeking to control the forces and builders
of his lower nature, and to construct the Temple of
Solomon, then he is no longer subject to the earlier
conditions. He becomes a ruler, a builder, and a
transmitter, until the time comes when he is one with the
solar Angels, and the work of human evolution is
accomplished.
What has been said above is very superficial, and only that
has been imparted which has a profound significance for man
at this time. Much must be inferred, and more must be
arrived at under the Law of Correspondences. It must ever
be borne in mind likewise that our basic conception is one
of fiery energy, of force centers set in motion, and kept
in active vibration, by the pulsation of still greater
centers. Every form is built of fiery atoms, or energetic
lives, through the agency of greater lives, and is held in
coherent form within the still greater sheaths, – that
greater sheath being to the lesser what the macrocosm is to
the microcosm. All these groups of building lives may be
divided into three groups of energy units, and their nature
deduced from the phrases:
- Groups of lives animated by dynamic energy.
- Groups of lives animated by radiant energy.
- Groups of lives animated by atomic energy.
These again are the sumtotal of the three fires,
electric fire, solar fire and fire by friction. In terms of
the cosmic [947] physical plane, the correspondence to the
systemic plane can be seen in the following tabulation:
- Dynamic energy – electric fire – atomic subplane.
First etheric substance. Plane adi.
- Radiant energy – solar fire – three cosmic etheric
levels. Logoic etheric body.
- Atomic energy – fire by friction – three planes of
the three worlds. Logoic dense vehicle.
Each plane will be found to reflect this order in an
interesting manner.
D.III. Man as a Creator in Mental Matter
D.III.1. The Creation of Thought Forms
The subject we are now to deal with cannot be handled too
explicitly on account of the attendant dangers. In the
creative processes man is dealing with electrical phenomena
of some kind, with that which is vitally affected by each
thought emanating from him, and with those lesser lives who
(aggregated together) form, from certain angles of vision,
a source of very real danger to man. We might embody that
which can be said in certain statements.
a. Much that is to be seen now of a distressing nature
in the world can be directly traced to the wrong
manipulation of mental matter by man; to erroneous
conceptions as to the nature of matter itself, and to
dangerous conditions brought about by the united creative
attempts of human beings down the centuries.
Misunderstandings have arisen as to the the purpose of the
vital fluids of the universe and this has added to the
distress, as have certain distortions of the astral light,
producing a subsidiary or secondary glamor, or reflected
[948] light which intensifies the maya already created.
This secondary reflection has been produced by man himself
in the evolutionary attempt to balance the pairs of
opposites, and has produced a condition which must be
surmounted before the true occult balancing begins. It
might be regarded as the sumtotal of that great
manifestation (created only by man) called "The Dweller on
the Threshold."
One of the greatest impediments upon the Path of Return and
one for which man is distinctly responsible within occult
limits are those animated forms which he has produced ever
since the middle of the Atlantean root race when the mind
factor began slowly to assume increasing importance. The
selfishness, the sordid motives, the prompt response to
evil impulses for which the human race has been
distinguished has brought about a condition of affairs
unparalleled in the system. A gigantic thought form hovers
over the entire human family, built by men everywhere
during the ages, energized by the insane desires and evil
inclinations of all that is worst in man's nature, and kept
alive by the prompting of his lower desires. This thought
form has to be broken up and dissipated by man himself
during the latter part of this round before the conclusion
of the cycle, and its dissipation will be one of the forces
tending to the production of interplanetary pralaya. It is
this piece of creative bungling, if so it might be called,
which the Great Ones are occupied in destroying. Under the
Law of Karma it has to be dissipated by those who have
created it; the work of the Masters has to be carried on,
therefore, indirectly, and must take the form of
illuminating the sons of men in gradually increasing
degree, so that they can see clearly this "Dweller on the
Threshold" of the new life, and the antagonist who stands
between the fourth kingdom of nature and the fifth. Every
time a son of man stands upon the Probationary Path [949]
Their work is facilitated, for it means that one small
stream of life-energy is directed into new channels, and
away from the old stream, which tends to vitalize and feed
the evil form, and one more conscious assailant can be
trained to cooperate in the work of destruction. Every time
an initiate is admitted to the Lodge degrees, it means that
a new and powerful agent is available for the bringing down
of force from higher levels to aid in the work of
disintegration. In the comprehension of these two methods
of aggressive work (that of the aspirant and the initiate)
will come much of vital interest to the careful student of
analogy. Here lies the clue to the present problem of evil,
and to the vitality of the hold which the matter aspect has
on the spiritual. This gigantic thought form, the product
of man's ignorance and selfishness, is kept alive and
vitalized in three ways:
- First, by the aggregate of the evil desires, wicked
intentions, and selfish purposes of each individual man.
Every wrong thought, when embodied in speech or
manifested in action on the physical plane, goes to swell
the proportions of this evil entity.
- Second, by the fostering care of the brothers of the
shadow, and those representatives of what may be called
"cosmic evil" who (under the karma of the fourth or human
family, in this fourth round), assume stupendous
responsibilities, make possible the secondary
vitalization of the thought form and produce conditions
of such a dire description that under law rapid
crystallization supervenes, and ultimate destruction
becomes possible. Students would do well to broaden their
concept as to the purpose of evil and the place the evil
forces play in the general scheme.
- Third, by the energy still extant and the vibration
still to be felt which is the persistence of force from
[950] an earlier solar system, and an emanation from that
which is no longer considered in this solar system to be
a principle.
These three factors are the main ones to be considered
by the Great Ones in Their work of enabling men to break
loose from the influence of this self-imposed form, to
destroy that which they have themselves constructed, and to
shake themselves free from the illusion cast by the
persistent vampire which they have nourished and
strengthened for millennia of years. This work of
destruction the Great Ones are bringing about in four main
ways:
- By the strength of Their united thoughts and
meditations.
- By the work of the Hierarchy in training and teaching
individuals, who thus break away from blind group
activity, and become conscious centers of force and
cooperators in the work of destruction. This work has to
be carried on from mental levels. Hence the training of
disciples to meditate and work in mental matter.
- By the use of certain mantrams and words which bring
in interplanetary force of the fourth order. This force
is then directed towards this distorted creation of the
fourth Creative Hierarchy (the fourth or human kingdom)
and tends to augment the work of destruction. Much of
this work is carried on by the Nirmanakayas,
- By stimulating the egoic bodies of men so that the
solar Angels may carry on with greater precision and
force their conflict with the lunar gods. This is the
true war in heaven. As the solar Gods287
descend ever [951] nearer to the physical plane, and in
their descent assume a steadily increasing control of the
lunar natures, the thoughts and desires of men are
consequently purified and refined. The solar fires put
out the lunar light, and the lower nature is eventually
purified and transmuted. In time the solar Angels blaze
forth in all their glory through the medium of the lower
nature on the physical plane, that lower nature providing
fuel to the flames. The hated "Dweller on the Threshold"
thus gradually dies for lack of sustenance, and
disintegrates for lack of vitality, and man is set
free.
287 The Solar Gods are the "Fallen Angels" – S.
D., II, 287.
- They warm the shadows – the human bodies.
- They in their turn are warmed by the Monad, or Atma.
– S. D., II, 116, 117, 284.
- They are the Serpents of Wisdom. – S. D., II,
240.
- Their nature is Knowledge and Love. – S. D., II,
527.
- They come in from the cosmic mental plane. – S. D.,
III, 540.
The Ego, or Solar Angel is imprisoned. – S. D., I,
621.
- It has to liberate itself from the thralldom of
sensuous perception.
- It has to see in the light of the one Reality.
- See S. D., II, 578.
- To redeem humanity – S. D., II, 257.
- To endow him with human affections and aspirations. –
S. D., II, 257.
- They give to men intelligence and consciousness. – S.
D., I, 204.
b. At present much of the manipulation of mental matter
and its direction into forms of some kind or another
emanates from lower levels, and is the result of
powerful desire based on physical attraction. The desire
bodies, and not the mental bodies of the majority of men
are the most powerful, and set up such a strong vibration
(due to the force of two groups of lunar lords) that the
third group of lunar entities who construct the mental body
are swept into a willing response, and the whole threefold
lower nature is immediately engaged in the dire process of
feeding the dreaded "Dweller." This direction of energy
follows the line of least resistance. One of the primary
works of the Ego, as we well know, is to impose a new
rhythm upon his shadow and reflection, the lower man, and
it is this imposition which in time deflects energy away
from man's distorted creation, and brings his vibration
into tune with that of his solar Angel.
The devas who are the sumtotal of the energy of substance
itself care not what form they build. They are [952]
irresponsibly responsive to energy currents, and theirs is
not the problem of dealing with sources of energy.
Therefore, the place of man in the cosmic plan becomes more
vital and apparent when it is realized that one of his main
responsibilities is the direction of energy currents from
the mental plane, and the creation of that which is desired
on higher levels. Men, as a whole, are undergoing
evolutionary development in order that they may become
conscious creators in matter. This involves
- A realization of the archetypal plan,
- An understanding of the laws governing the building
of processes of nature,
- A conscious process of willing creation, so that man
cooperates with the ideal, works under law, and produces
that which is in line with the planetary plan, and which
tends to further the best interests of the race,
- A comprehension as to the nature of energy, and an
ability to direct energy currents, to disintegrate (or
withdraw energy from) all forms in the three worlds,
- An appreciation of the nature of the devas, their
constitution and place as builders, and of the words and
sounds whereby they are directed and controlled.
When the energy currents of the human family are
directed from egoic levels only, when desire is transmuted,
and the fifth principle awakened and finally illuminated by
the sixth, then and only then will the strength of the
impulse emanating from lower levels die out and the
"Dweller on the Threshold" (who now haunts the human
family) likewise die. In other words, when the dense
physical body of the planetary Logos (composed of matter of
the three worlds of human endeavor) is completely purified
and vitalized by the force of the life flowing from etheric
levels, and when all His centers (formed of human units)
are fully awakened, then will [953] those centers be
channels for pure force, and such an entity as the
"Dweller" be an impossibility.
All that I have here said anent this "Dweller on the
Threshold" of the Path between the two great kingdoms, the
fourth and the fifth, can be studied by the student with a
personal application. Facing each earnest aspirant to the
Mysteries is that vitalized form which he has himself
constructed and nourished during the course of his previous
incarnations, and which represents the sumtotal of his evil
desires, motives and thoughts. For ages it has vampirized
him, and for ages it has represented that which he has
failed to achieve. It affects not only himself but also all
those units whom he contacts and meets. In its destruction
he has to pursue methods similar to those followed by the
Great Ones, and through the increasing power of his solar
Angel, through the force of his Ego, and through a study of
law, the knowledge of the power of sound, and the control
of speech, he will eventually bring about its
disintegration. The old Commentary says:
"The solar Angel must put out the light of the lunar
angels and then for lack of warmth and light, that which
has served to hinder no longer is."
c. As yet but few of the human family work
deliberately and consciously in mental matter only.
The energy exerted by men is mostly kama-manasic or
desire coupled with lower mind, with a preponderance, as
might be expected, of desire force. This is to be inferred
from the second statement. The whole trend of evolution is
to bring about ability to build in mental matter, and two
things lie ahead of the race:
First. The gradual dissipation of the
indefinite masses of kama-manasic matter which surround
practically every unit of the human family, producing a
condition of murkiness and fog within, and around, each
aura. Gradually [954] this will clear away, and men will be
seen surrounded by clear-cut thought forms, characterized
by a distinctive vibration, and distinguished by a
particular quality incident to a man's ray and therefore to
his type of mind.
Second. The aggregate of human thought forms
which now are of a personal character, vibrating around
each human being as the planets vibrate around the sun,
will tend to approximate a
group center. Thought
energy, which now emanates from each human being as a
comparatively weak stream of an indefinite conglomeration
of mental matter, of no particular character, forming no
particularly distinct forms and persisting in animating
those forms for but a brief period, will be directed
towards the creation of that desired by
the group,
and not solely towards that desired by the unit. This is
the basis, very largely, for the antagonism that all
constructive thinkers and
group workers encounter.
The stream of energy which they emanate, and which
constructs vital thought forms, runs counter to that of the
masses of men, awakens opposition, and produces temporary
chaos. The prominent workers and thinkers of the human
family, under the direction of the Lodge, are engaged in
three things:
- The imposition of the newer and higher rhythm upon
men.
- The dissipation of the murky clouds of half-vitalized
indefinite thought forms which surround our planet, thus
permitting the entry of interplanetary force, and of
force from the higher mental levels.
- The awakening within men of the power to think
clearly, to energize their thought forms accurately, and
to hold in vital form those thought constructions whereby
they may attain their objective, and [955] bring about
desired conditions upon the physical plane.
These three objectives necessitate a clear
comprehension among such vital thinkers and workers, of the
power of thought; of the direction of thought currents, of
the science of thought building, of the manipulation under
law and order of mental matter, and of the process of
thought manifestation through the two factors of sound and
vitalization. It involves likewise the ability to negate or
render futile all impulses arising from the lower self
which are of a centralized and purely personal aspect, and
the faculty of working in group form, each thought being
sent upon the definite mission of adding its quota of
energy and matter to some one stream which is specific and
known. This last is of importance, for no worker for
humanity becomes of real assistance until he (consciously
and with full knowledge of his work) definitely directs his
thought energy towards some particular channel of service
to the race.
d. In all thought building, therefore, of a
high order, men have several things to do, which might be
enumerated as follows:
First, to purify their lower desires so that they are
enabled to see clearly in the occult sense. No man has
clear vision who is obsessed with his own needs, actions,
and interests, and unconscious of that which is higher and
of group activity. This clear vision brings about an
ability to read, even if unconsciously at first, the
akashic records, and thus ascertain the point of departure
for the new and incoming thought impulses, an ability to
lose sight of self interest in group interest, and thus
cooperate with the plan, and a faculty that enables him to
become aware of the keynote of the race, and aware of the
"cry of humanity."
Next, to secure control over the mind. This involves [956]
certain important things: A realization of the nature of
the mind and brain through concentration, an understanding
of the relation which should exist between the physical
brain and Man, the real Thinker on the physical plane, an
ability, gradually developed once the mind is brought under
control through concentration, to meditate in the occult
sense, and thus bring through the plan from higher levels,
ascertain his individual share in the plan, and then
cooperate in the work of some particular group of
Nirmanakayas. This is succeeded by a consideration of the
laws of energy. A man discovers how to build a thought form
of a particular quality and tone, to energize it with his
own life, and thus have – on mental levels – a small
creation, the child of his will, which he can use as a
messenger, or as a means for the manifestation of an idea.
Students will do well to consider these points with care,
if they seek to become conscious operators.
Finally, having constructed a thought form, the next thing
the servant of humanity has to learn is how to send it on
its mission, whatever that may be, holding it through his
own vital energy in its due form, keeping it vibrating to
its own measure, and eventually bringing about its
destruction when it has fulfiled its mission. The average
man is often the victim of his own thought forms. He
constructs them, but is neither strong enough to send them
out to do their work, nor wise enough to dissipate them
when required. This has brought about the thick swirling
fog of half-formed, semi-vitalized forms in which eighty
five percent of the human race is surrounded.
In his work as thought builder, man has to show forth the
characteristics of the Logos, the great Architect or
Builder of the universe. He has to parallel His work as:
- The one who conceives the idea.
- The one who clothes the idea in matter. [957]
- The one who energizes the idea, and thus enables the
form to preserve its outline and perform its
mission.
- The one who – in time and space – through desire and
love, directs that thought form, vitalizes it
continuously, until the objective is attained.
- The one who, when the desired end has been
accomplished, destroys or disintegrates the thought form
by withdrawing his energy (occultly, the "attention is
withdrawn," or "the eye is no longer upon" it), so that
the lesser lives (which had been built into the desired
form) fall away and return to the general reservoir of
deva substance.
Thus, in all creative work in mental matter, man is
likewise to be seen as a Trinity at work; he is the
creator, preserver, and destroyer.
e. In all occult work in mental matter which has to
manifest upon the physical plane, and thus achieve
objectivity, man has to work as a unit. This
infers the ability, therefore, of the threefold lower man
to be subordinated to the Ego, so that the dynamic will of
the Ego may be imposed upon the physical brain. The method
of the man on the physical plane who is engaged in
conscious work in mental matter is to be considered in two
divisions: first, the initial process of alignment with the
Ego, so that the plan, purpose and method of achievement
may be impressed upon the physical brain, and then a
secondary process in which the man, using the physical
brain consciously, proceeds to carry out the plan,
construct through will and purpose the necessitated form,
and then, having built and energized the form, to "keep his
eye upon it." This is stating occultly the great truth back
of all processes of energizing. "The eye of the Lord" is
much referred to in the Christian Bible, and occultly
understood, the eye is that which brings power to its
servant, the thought form. Scientists [958] are becoming
interested in the power of the human eye, and that faculty
of control and of recognition which is everywhere seen as
existing will have its scientific and occult explanation
when it is studied as an instrument of initiatory
energy.
Therefore, it will be apparent that a thought form is the
result of two types of energy:
- That emanating in the first instance from the Ego on
abstract levels.
- That originating in a secondary sense from the man on
the physical plane through the medium of the brain.
That men do not recognize the first factor as a
general rule is that which is responsible for much that is
evil. When the "Science of the Self" has assumed due
proportions men will be careful to ascertain the egoic
impulses in all thought process, and to utilize true egoic
energy before they begin manipulating deva substance, and
building forms of deva lives.
D.III.2. Thought Form Building in the Three Worlds
I have a few more words to say anent this subject of man as
a Creator in mental matter. The words are addressed to all
those students who – through their ability to concentrate –
have developed a certain measure of thought control, and
who desire to understand the process of creation with
greater scientific accuracy. We will, therefore, consider
two factors in the process of thought-form. building:
- That of aligning with the Ego288.
- The process of impressing the egoic will, on the
physical brain, or (to word it otherwise) the initial
utilization of egoic energy. [959]
288 Alignment: See Letters on Occult
Meditation, pp. 1-7.
Let us take them one by one:
D.III.2.a. Alignment with the Ego
This, as we know, is only possible to the man who has
reached the Probationary Path, or a certain very definite
point in evolution. Through knowledge and practice, the
power has been acquired of automatically and scientifically
utilizing the sutratma (or channel) as a means of contact.
When to this ability is added that of utilizing with equal
ease the antahkarana (or bridge between the Triad and the
personality) then we have a powerful agent of the Hierarchy
on the earth. We might generalize in the following manner
as to the stages of growth and consequent ability to become
the agent of ever increasing powers, tapping the resources
of dynamic energy in the three worlds.
- Lower types of humanity use the sutratma as it
passes through the etheric body.
- Average men utilize almost entirely that part of the
sutratma which passes through the astral plane. Their
reactions are largely based on desire, and are
emotional.
- Intellectual men utilize the sutratma as it
passes through the lower levels of the mental plane, down
through the astral to the physical in its two sections.
Their activities are energized by mind and not by desire,
as in the earlier cases.
- Aspirants on the physical plane use the
sutratma as it passes through the two lower subplanes of
the abstract levels of the mental plane, and are
beginning gradually to build the antahkarana, or the
bridge between the Triad and the Personality. The power
of the Ego can begin to make itself felt.
- Applicants for initiation and initiates up to
the third initiation use both the sutratma and the
antahkarana, employing them as a unit. The power of the
Triad begins to pour through, thus energizing all human
[960] activities upon the physical plane, and vitalizing
in ever increasing degree the man's thought forms. The
key to the formation of the Mayavirupa is found in the
right comprehension of the process.
If students will study carefully the above
differentiations, much light will be thrown upon the
quality of the energy employed in thought-form building.
In the early stages of alignment, it has to be concisely
and carefully brought about through concentration and
meditation. Later, when the right rhythm has been set up in
the bodies, and the purification of the sheaths has been
rigidly pursued, the dual activity will become practically
instantaneous, and the student can then turn his attention
to the work of conscious building and vitalization;
his point of concentration will not then be given to the
attainment of alignment.
Accurate alignment entails,
- Mental quiescence, or stable vibration,
- Emotional stability, resulting in limpid
reflection,
- Etheric poise, producing a condition in the head
center which would permit of the direct application of
force to the physical brain via the center.
D.III.b. Physical Brain Impression
The accurate realization by the physical brain of what the
Ego is seeking to convey concerning the work to be done
only becomes possible when two things are realized:
- Direct alignment.
- The transmission of the egoic energy or will to one
or other of the three physical centers in the head:
- The pineal gland.
- The pituitary body.
- The alta major center, or that nerve center at
the top of the spine, where the cranium and the spine
make approximate contact. When this congery of nerves
[962] is fully developed, it forms a center of
communication between he vital energy of the spinal
column (the kundalini fire) and the energy of the two
head centers above enumerated. It is the physical
correspondence to the antahkarana on higher
levels.
The pituitary body (in all cases of correct normal
development) forms the center which receives the threefold
vitalization pouring through the sutratma from the lower
mental, the astral, and the etheric planes. The pineal
gland comes into activity when this action is enhanced by
the pouring through of energy from the Ego on its own
plane. When the antahkarana is in process of utilization
the alta major center is likewise employed, and the three
physical head centers
begin to work as a unit, thus
forming a kind of triangle. By the time the third
Initiation is reached, this triangle is fully awakened and
the fire (or energy) is circulated freely.
It will be apparent, therefore, that man's ability to
create in mental matter grows as he treads the Path. He
needs to remember that (from the angle from which we are
studying) we are not considering the power of the Ego to
produce forms on the mental plane, but the ability of
physical plane man to create upon the mental plane those
vehicles for energy which – when set in motion by his
conscious will – will produce certain specific effects upon
the physical plane. This is brought about by egoic energy
passed down the sutratma to the physical brain, and
retransmitted back to the mental plane, plus or minus that
which has been gained or lost in the process. The true
Adept, through knowledge, conserves all energy while in
process of transmission, and augments it with the energy
contacted. It is, therefore, the energy of will, plus that
of desire, fed by the energy of the physical brain.
Literally, therefore, it is a small résumé of the creative
process of the Godhead, being the [963] energy of the three
persons unified, and considered from the standpoint of the
physical. It is the at-one-ment of the three fires in man,
being in fact:
- That much of the fire of spirit, or electric fire,
which any particular Ego is embodying (relatively little
prior to the third Initiation) or is able to transmit,
coupled with,
- That much of the fire of the solar Angel (solar fire)
or the egoic aspect which the Ego is able to transmit.
This is but little in average man, a good deal in the man
on the probationary path, and a full downpour by the time
the third Initiation is reached.
- That much of the fire of substance in its purified
state which can penetrate. This is dependent upon the
purity of the three sheaths, and in the case of a highly
advanced man is the kundalinic fire as it swells the
blaze produced by the other two.
When, therefore, the alignment is corrected, and the
physical head centers are awakening, it becomes possible
for man to become a conscious creator in mental matter.
D.IV. Man and the Fire Spirits or Builders
This section we will consider in somewhat greater detail
than the previous one, as it concerns much of present
practical value to man. This will be seen particularly as
we study the effects of speech, and the occult significance
of the spoken word.
D.IV.1. The Will Aspect and Creation
In a previous division, we dealt somewhat with the
transmission of the will of the Ego to the physical brain,
and we saw how only in those persons who (through
evolutionary development) had the sutratma and the
antahkarana connected, and whose three physical head
centers were more or less awakened, was the will of the Ego
capable of transmission. In the other cases, such as the
average man and little developed man, the purpose [964]
affecting the physical brain emanated from the astral or
lower mental levels, and was, therefore, more likely to be
the impulse of some lunar Lord, even if of a high order,
than the divine will of the solar Angel, who is the true
man.
D.IV.1.a. The Condition of the Magician
It is of value to remember that when the physical head
centers are awakened (through alignment of the etheric
centers) we have the very lowest aspect of egoic
influence. From these three centers, man on the
Probationary Path, and up to the third Initiation, directs
and controls his sheath, and from them spreads that
illumination which will irradiate the physical plane life.
By the time the third Initiation is reached, the internal
triangle is in full process of circulatory transmission,
and the whole life of the Personality is subjected to the
will of the Ego. "The Star absorbs the light of the moon,
so that the rays of the Sun may be reflected back" is the
occult way of expressing the truth anent this point in
evolution. It might be of value here also to point out the
condition of the etheric centers during this process of
direct solar control.
Before the three physical head centers awaken, man is
largely subjected to force flowing through the four minor
etheric centers; later the three major centers – the head,
the heart, and the throat – begin to vibrate, gradually
assuming a greater sweep of activity, till their energy
tends to negate that of the lower centers, to absorb their
vitality and deflect the direction of their vitality, until
the three higher wheels are in full fourth dimensional
activity. As this proceeds, the three physical head centers
begin to awake from dormancy into activity, the effect
being felt as follows:
- As the major head center awakens, the pineal gland
begins to function.
- As the heart center becomes fully alive, the
pituitary body enters into activity. [965]
- As the throat center assumes its right place in the
process of evolution, the alta major center vibrates
adequately.
When the triangle of force that these three physical
centers form is in circulatory effect, the greater triangle
can be seen in circulation; it then becomes a "wheel
turning upon itself." The major etheric centers are in full
action, and the man is nearing the moment of liberation.
In the work of creation, as occultly carried on, all these
three physical centers have to be utilized, and from a
consideration of the subject it will become apparent why it
has been necessary to deal with them in this order.
By means of the pineal gland,289 the
organ of spiritual perception, man ascertains the will and
purpose of the Ego, and from thence he draws the necessary
energy [966] from the higher levels, via the head center
and the sutratma.
289 The Pineal Gland. The Third Eye. – S. D.,
III, 548.
- Goal of evolution to develop the inner vision.
- The occult significance of the eye. – S. D., III,
577.
- The "eye of Taurus the Bull." – (Compare bull's-eye.)
The constellation of Taurus was called the Mother of
Revelation and the interpreter of the divine Voice. –
S. D., I, 721.
- The organs of inner vision:
- The exoteric organ – Pineal gland –
physical.
- The esoteric organ – the third eye – etheric.
Note: Students must be careful to
distinguish between the third eye and the pineal
gland. – See S. D., II, 308.
"The third eye is dead and acts no longer." It
has left behind a witness to its existence in the
Pineal gland.
- The Pineal gland is a small pea-like mass of grey
nervous matter attached to the back of the third
ventricle of the brain.
- The Pituitary Body stands to the Pineal gland as
manas does to Buddhi, or mind to wisdom. – S. D., III,
504, 505.
- The Pineal gland reached its highest development
proportionately with the Lowest Physical development. –
S. D., II, 308, 313.
- The third eye exists in etheric matter.
- In front of the head.
- On a level with the eyes.
- It is an energy center formed by a triangle of force:
- The Pituitary Body.
- The Pineal Gland.
- The alta major center.
- The opened or third eye does not convey direct
clairvoyance but is the organ through which direct and
certain knowledge is obtained. – S. D., I. 77.
- The initiate directs the eye towards the essence
of things.
- The third eye must be acquired by the ascetic
before he becomes an adept. – S. D., II, 651.
- Students of occultism ought to know that the third
eye is indissoluble connected with karma. – S. D., II,
312, note; S. D., II, 316, 320.
- From its Atlantean past, the fifth root-race is
working out fourth root-race causes.
- Because it reveals that which is its past. – S.
D., II, 297, 320, 813.
- The third eye is the mirror of the soul. – S. D., II,
312.
- To the inner spiritual eye the Gods are no more
abstractions than our soul and body are to us. – S. D.,
I, 694.
- The inner eye can see through the veil of matter.
– S. D., I, 694.
- The spiritual eye reveals the super-sensual
states. – S. D., II, 561
- In the spiritual regenerated man the third eye is
active. – S. D., II, 458.
By means of the pituitary body, the second element
of desire or of the form-building energy, becomes
available, and under the law of attraction he can mould,
and build in deva substance.
When the alta major center, the synthesis of what
might be called nervous energy, is awake, it becomes
possible for him to materialize and activate the desired
form which, through attractive energy, he is in process of
constructing.
It will be apparent, therefore, why it is that so few
people ever construct thought forms which are of
constructive lasting benefit to humanity, and also why it
is that the Great Ones, (as They work through Their
disciples) are forced to work with groups, being seldom
able to find a man or woman whose three physical head
centers are simultaneously active. They frequently have to
work with large groups before the quota of energy supplied
to Them for the accomplishment of Their ends measures up to
that necessitated.
It will be obvious, likewise, that the disciple's power for
service for humanity is dependent largely upon three
things: [967]
- The state of his bodies and their egoic
alignment.
- The condition of activity present in the physical
head centers.
- The circulatory action of the triangular transmission
of force.
These factors are again dependent upon others, among
which might be enumerated:
- The ability of the disciple to meditate.
- The capacity he displays for bringing through
accurately from the subtler levels the plans and purposes
of which his Ego is cognizant.
- The purity of his motives.
- His power to "hold a state of meditation," and while
in that state begin to build the form for his idea, and
thus materialize the plan of his Ego.
- The amount of energy he can pour later into his
thought form and thus procure for it a period of
existence, or its tiny "day of Brahma."
These subsidiary factors are again dependent upon:
- His place on the ladder of evolution.
- The condition of his bodies.
- His karmic condition.
- The tenuosity of the etheric web.
- The caliber of his physical body, and its relative
refinement.
It is necessary here to warn the student against the
error of making any hard or fast rule anent the sequential
order of the development of the physical head centers, and
the vitalization of the force centers. This process is
incident upon many things, such as the ray upon which the
monad may be found, and the nature of the development in
the past incarnations. Nature, in all departments of her
corporate life, parallels her efforts, and overlaps her
various processes, and it takes a seer of [968] vast wisdom
and experience to state exactly the stage at which any
particular unit of the human family may be. He that is wise
always refrains from assertion until he knows.
Let us now consider:
D.IV.1.b. The Construction, Vitalization, and Actuating of
the Thought Form
The Ego, having brought about a condition of receptivity,
or of recognition in the physical brain of the man, and
having drawn from him the necessary response, the process
of building is thereupon begun.
This process of physical plane response is based – as is
all else in nature – upon the relation of the polar
opposites. The physical centers are receptive to the
positive influence of the force centers. The physical brain
is responsive to the positive influence of the lower nature
in the earlier evolutionary stages, or to the reactions of
the substance of the sheaths, the impress of the lunar
Lords. It responds in the later stages to the positive
influence of the Ego or the impress of the solar Lord.
As is apparent, this building process is divided into three
parts, which overlap, and assume an appearance of
simultaneity. When (as is the case with the majority of the
human family) the process is an
unconscious one,
produced by reflex action and based largely on the
accomplishment of desire, all is carried on with great
rapidity, and leads to rapid results – these results being
effective of accomplishment according to the ability of the
man to vitalize and hold in coherent form his idea. Most of
the thought forms created by average man are only
relatively effective, and this within great limitations,
and having but a restricted radius. When man is learning
consciously to create, which he does through the
organization of thought, concentration and meditation, he
proceeds more slowly, for he has two primary things to do
before the creative process can be carried through: [969]
- To contact or communicate with the Ego, or solar
Angel.
- To study the process of creation and to make it
conform step by step with natural evolutionary law.
The above is necessarily but another way of defining
meditation and its objective.
Later on, when a man is an expert in meditation, the work
of thought creation proceeds with ever increasing rapidity,
until he surpasses (on a higher turn of the spiral) the
activity of the earlier unconscious period.
Starting, therefore, with the recognition of the egoic
intent in the physical brain, the man proceeds to build the
form for his idea. He begins first to organize the material
required upon the mental plane. It is on that plane
that the impulse takes to itself its primary form. On the
desire or astral plane, the process of vitalization
is largely pursued, for the length of the life of any
thought form (even such an one as our solar system) is
dependent upon the persistence of desire, and the strength
of the desire.
On the etheric levels of the physical plane the
process of physical concretion takes place; as the physical
vehicle assumes the necessary proportions, the thought form
becomes divorced from the one who is giving it form. Any
idea of enough strength will inevitably materialize in
dense physical matter, but the man work of its creator
ceases when he has worked with it on mental, astral and
etheric levels. The dense physical response is automatic
and inevitable. Some ideas of a large and important nature,
which have arisen in the consciousness of the Guides of the
race, reach full manifestation only through the medium of
many agents, and the dynamic impulses of many minds. A few
work consciously, when this is the case, at the production
of the necessitated [970] form; many more are swept into
activity and lend their aid through the very negativity of
their natures; they are "forced" to be interested in spite
of themselves, and are "swept into the movement," not
through any mental apprehension or "vital desire," but
because it is the thing to do. In this may be seen an
instance of the ability of the Great Ones to utilize
conditions of apparent inertia and negativity (due to
little development), and thus produce good results.
We will here only deal with the man who is learning
consciously to build, and will not consider the process as
pursued by the adept, or the chaotic attempts of the little
evolved. Having grasped the idea, and having with care
discriminated the motive underlying the idea, thus
ascertaining its utilitarian purposes, and its value to the
group in the service of humanity, the man has certain
things to do which, for the sake of clarity, we might sum
up in certain statements:
He has, first of all, to hold the idea sufficiently long
for it to be faithfully registered in the physical brain.
Frequently the Ego will "get through" to the brain some
concept, some portion of the plan, and yet will have to
repeat the process continuously over quite a long period
before the physical response is such that the solar Angel
can rest assured that it is intelligently registered and
recorded. It is perhaps unnecessary to say that the entire
process is greatly facilitated if the "shadow," or the man,
pursues regular meditation, cultivates the habit of a daily
and hourly recollectedness of the higher Self, and before
retiring at night endeavors to "hold the thought" of
bringing through at the time of awakening as much as
possible of any egoic impress. When the reaction between
the two factors, the Ego and the receptive physical brain,
is established, the interplay is reciprocal, and the two
are keyed or tuned to each other, the second stage is
entered upon. The idea is conceived. [971]
A period of gestation is then pursued, itself divided into
various stages. The man broods over the idea; he ponders
upon it, thereby setting up activity in mental matter, and
attracting to his germ thought the material necessary for
its clothing. He pictures to himself the contour of the
thought form, clothing it with color, and painting in its
details. Hence will be seen the great value of a true
imagination, and its ordered scientific use. Imagination is
kama-manasic in origin, being neither pure desire nor pure
mind, and is a purely human product, being superseded by
the intuition in perfected men, and in the higher
Intelligences of Nature.
When his will, or the initial impulse is sufficiently
strong, and when the imagination, or power of
visualization, is adequately vivid, the second part of the
gestation period is entered upon, and the vitalization by
desire is begun. The interplay of mental impulse and desire
produce what might be called a pulsation in the organizing
form of the idea, and it becomes
alive. It is yet
but nebulous and its tenuosity is great, but it shows signs
of organization and the outline of its form. Students must
remember that this entire process is being carried on now
during this stage which we are considering from within the
brain. There is thus a definite correspondence to the work
of the nine Sephiroth:
- The initial three correspond to the egoic impulse
with which we have earlier dealt.
- The secondary group of Sephiroth find their analogy
in the work pursued in the stage we are now dealing with,
or the impulse of mind-desire, emanating consciously from
man's brain.
- The work of the final three is accomplished when the
thought form, being clothed in mental and astral matter,
passes into objectivity on the physical plane. [972]
A later stage in the gestation period is pursued when
the thought form, being clothed in mental matter, and
having become vitalized by desire, takes to itself a layer
of substance of astral matter, and is consequently enabled
to function on the astral plane as well as the mental. Here
its growth is rapid. It should be carefully borne in mind
that the process of building in mental matter proceeds
simultaneously, and that the development is now twofold.
Here the conscious builder must be careful to hold the
balance, and not to let imagination unduly assume too large
proportions. The manasic element and the kamic element must
be justly proportioned, or else will be seen that too
common manifestation, an idea wrongly conceived and
nurtured, and therefore impossible of playing its just part
in the evolutionary plan, being but a grotesque distortion.
The idea now is reaching a critical stage, and should be
ready for the assumption of physical matter and to take to
itself an etheric form. When on etheric levels, it receives
that final impulse which will lead to what may be called
its "actuating," or its reception of that motivating
impulse which will lead to its dissociation from its
originator, and the sending out to assume
- A dense form.
- A separate existence.
It should be remembered that the thought form has now
passed from the mental plane, taken to itself an astral
sheath, and likewise is gathering to itself a body of
etheric matter. When it has reached this stage its
vitalization is proceeding apace, and the hour of its
separated existence is drawing near.
This vitalization is consciously carried out by the man who
– according to the original intent or initial impulse –
directs to the thought form energy of some kind. This
energy is directed from one or other of the three higher
centers, according to the quality of the embodied idea,
[973] and will be seen pouring towards the rapidly
objectivising idea from the particular center involved. We
must not forget that we are considering the thought form of
the conscious builder. The thought forms of the
majority of human beings are energized from no such high
source, but find their active impulse emanating from either
the solar plexus, or the still lower organs of generation.
It is this constant stream of emotional or sexual energy
which is responsible for the chaotic conditions of the
present; the balance is not preserved, the interaction
between the two, and the myriads of thought forms
consequently produced of a low order and vibration are
producing a condition which is going to require all the
efforts of mental workers eventually to negate, offset, and
transmute. These forms, which scarce merit the prefix
"thought," being largely kamic with an admixture of the
lowest grade of mental matter, are responsible for the
heavy, slow vibrating or pulsating fog or cloak which
envelops the human family, and which produces much of the
present evil, crime and mental lethargy. People are mainly
polarized in the astral body, as we know, and the lower
centers are the most active; when an atmosphere or
environment of thought-forms of a low key and vitalized by
all the baser forms of astral energy is coupled to this, it
will become apparent how stupendous is the task of lifting
humanity to a clearer, purer and better atmosphere, and how
easy it is for the lower aspects and appetites to flourish
and to grow.
As the vitalization is pursued and the energy is poured
from one or other of the centers into the thought-form, the
conscious builder begins to extend this influence in
order to send it forth from him to perform its mission,
whatever that may be, to make it occultly "radiant" so that
its vibrations will emanate, and make themselves felt, and
finally to make it magnetic, so that something [974] in the
thought form will call forth response from other thought
forms or from the minds it may contact.
When these three objectives have been reached, the life of
the form itself is now so strong that it can pursue its own
little life cycle and fulfil its work, being only linked to
its creator by a tiny thread of radiant substance, which is
a correspondence to the sutratma. All forms have such a
sutratma. It links a man's bodies to the inner Identity, or
to that magnetic current which, emanating from the true
Identity, the solar Logos, connects the Creator of the
solar system with His great thought form by a stream of
energy from the central Spiritual Sun to a point in the
center of the physical Sun.
As long as the attention of the creator of any thought
form, great or small, is turned towards it, that magnetic
link persists, the thought form is vitalized, and its work
carried on. When the work has been accomplished, and the
thought-form has served its purpose, every creator,
consciously or unconsciously, turns his attention
elsewhere, and his thought form disintegrates.
Hence the occult significance of all the processes occultly
involved in sight, can be seen. As long as the eye of the
Creator is upon that which is created, just so long does it
persist; let the Creator withdraw "the light of his
countenance" and the death of the thought form ensues, for
vitality or energy follows the line of the eye. When,
therefore, a man, in meditation, considers his work and
builds his thought form for service, he is occultly
looking, and consequently energizing; he begins to use the
third eye in its secondary aspect. The third or spiritual
eye has several functions. Amongst others, it is the organ
of illumination, the unveiled eye of the soul, through
which light and illumination comes into the mind, and thus
the entire lower life becomes irradiated. It is also the
organ through which pours the directing energy [975] which
streams out from the conscious creating adept to the
instruments of service, his thought-forms.
The little evolved do not, of course, employ the third eye
for the stimulating of their thought-forms. The energy used
by them in the majority of cases originates in the solar
plexus, and works in two directions, either via the organs
of generation, or through the physical eyes. In many people
these three points – the lower organs, the solar plexus,
and the physical eyes – form a triangle of force, around
which the stream of energy flows before going out to the
objectivised thought form. In the aspirant, and the man who
is intellectual, the triangle may be from the solar plexus,
to the throat center and thence to the eyes. Later, as the
aspirant grows in knowledge and purity of motive, the
triangle of energy will have the heart for its lowest point
instead of the solar plexus, and the third eye will begin
to do its work, though as yet very imperfectly.
Just as long as the "Eye" is directed to the created form,
the current of force will be transmitted to it, and the
more one-pointed the man may be the more this energy will
be centralized and effective. Much of the ineffectiveness
of people is due to the fact that their interests are not
centralized but very diffuse, and no one thing engrosses
their attention. They scatter their energy and are
attempting to satisfy every wandering desire, and to dabble
in everything which comes their way. Therefore, no thought
they think ever assumes a proper form, or is ever duly
energized. They are consequently surrounded by a dense
cloud of half-formed disintegrating thought forms and
clouds of partially energized matter in process of
dissolution. This produces occultly a condition similar to
the decay of a physical form, and is equally unpleasant and
unwholesome. It accounts for much of the diseased condition
of the human family at this time.
Failure in thought creation is due also to the fact that
[976] the laws of thought are not taught, and men do not
know how, through meditation, to create those children of
their activity to carry on their work. Results on the
physical plane are much more quickly achieved through
scientific thought creation than through the directly
physical plane means. This is becoming more realized, but
until the race has reached a point of greater purity and
unselfishness, the more detailed explanation of the process
must necessarily be withheld.
Another reason for creative ineffectiveness is owing to the
currents which emanate from the majority of people being of
such a low order that the thought forms never reach the
point of independent action, except through cumulative
group work. Until matter of the three higher subplanes of
the astral and physical planes finds its place in the
thought form, it has to be energized principally by mob
energy. When the higher substance begins to find its way
into the form, then it can be seen acting independently,
for the individual Ego of the man concerned can begin to
work through the matter – a thing before impossible. The
Ego cannot work freely in the personality until third
subplane matter is found in his bodies; the correspondence
consequently holds good.
Once the thought form has been vitalized and its etheric
form is completed or "sealed" as it is called, it can
attain the dense physical form if desired. This does not
mean that the individual thought forms of every man take
dense substance upon the etheric, but they will eventuate
in activity upon the physical plane. A man, for instance,
is thinking a kindly thought; he has built it up and
vitalized it; it is objective to the clairvoyant and exists
in etheric matter close to the man. It will, therefore,
find physical expression in an act of kindness or a
physical caress. When the act is over, the caress
consummated, the interest of the man in that particular
thought form fades out and it dies. Similarly with a crime
– the [977] thought form has been built up and inevitably
it will find its physical expression in some deed of one
kind or another. All activity of every kind is the result:
- Of thought forms built consciously or
unconsciously.
- Of self-initiated thought forms or of the effect of
the thought forms of others.
- Of responsiveness to one's own inner impulses, or of
responsiveness to the impulses of others, and therefore
to group thought forms.
It will be apparent, therefore, how vital is this
matter, and how influenced men and women are by the thought
forms they themselves create, or the mental children of
other men.
D.IV.1.c. The Occult Significance of Speech
The old Scripture saith: "In the multitude of words there
wanteth not sin," (Bible. Prov. 10:19.) because in a tide
of words at this stage of man's evolution, many are spoken
purposelessly or from motives which (when analyzed) will be
found to be based purely in the personality. The greater
the progress that is made along the path of approach to the
Mysteries, the greater the care that must be taken by the
aspirant. This is necessary for three reasons:
- First, owing to his stage in evolution, he is able to
enforce his words in a manner which would surprise him
could he but see on the mental plane. He builds more
accurately than the average men, his subsequent
thought-form is more strongly vitalized, and it performs
the function whereon it is sent by the "Sound" or speech
with greater precision.
- Second, any word spoken and consequent thought-form
built (unless along the higher path and not based on
personality impulses) is apt to cause a barrier of mental
matter between a man and his goal. This matter or
separating wall has to be dissipated before further [978]
advance can be made, and this process is karmic and
unavoidable.
- Third, speech is very largely a mode of communication
on the physical levels; on the subtler levels whereon the
worker stands, and in his communications with his fellow
workers and chosen cooperators it will play an ever
lessening part. Intuitive perception and telepathic
interplay will distinguish the intercourse between
aspirants and disciples, and when this is coupled with a
full trust, sympathy and united effort for the plan we
will have a formation wherewith the Master can work, and
through which He can pour His force. The Master works
through groups (large or small) and the work is
facilitated for Them if the interplay between units of
the group is steady and uninterrupted. One of the most
frequent causes of difficulty in group work and
consequent arrest of the inflow of force from the Master
temporarily is based on misuse of speech. It brings about
a clogging of the channel for the time being on the
mental plane.
I mention these three factors for this question of
group work is of vital importance and much is hoped from it
in these days. If in any organization on the physical plane
the Masters can get a nucleus of even three people who
mutually interact (I choose the word deliberately) and who
disinterestedly follow the path of service, They can
produce more definite results in a shorter space of time
than is possible with a large and active body of people who
may be sincere and earnest but do not know the meaning of
trust in, and cooperation with each other and who guard not
the gate of speech.
If a man succeeds in understanding the significance of
speech, if he learns how to speak, when to speak, what is
gained by speech, and what happens when he speaks, he is
well on the way to achieving his goal. The person [979] who
regulates his speech rightly is the person who is going to
make the most progress. This has ever been realized by all
leaders of occult movements. That most occult order of
Pythagoras at Crotona, and many other of the esoteric
schools in Europe and Asia had a rule that all neophytes
and probationers were not permitted to speak for two years
after entering the school and when they had learned to keep
silence for that period, they were given the right to
speak, for they had learned a specific reticence.
It might be of value here if students realized that every
good speaker is doing a most occult work. A good lecturer
(for instance) is one who is doing work that is analogous
on a small scale to that done by the solar Logos. What did
He do? He thought, He built, He vitalized. A lecturer,
therefore, segregates the material with which he is going
to build his lecture and which he is going to vitalize. Out
of all the thought matter of the world he gathers together
the substance which he individually seeks to use. Next he
copies the work of the second Logos in wisely building it
into form. He constructs the form, and then when it is
constructed, he finishes up by playing the part of the
first Person of the Trinity putting his Spirit, vitality
and force into it so that it is a vibrant, living
manifestation. When a lecturer or speaker of any kind can
accomplish that, he can always hold his audience and his
audience will always learn from him; they will recognize
that which the thought form is intended to convey.
In everyday life when the student speaks, he is doing just
the same thing, only the trouble frequently arises that in
his speech he constructs something that is usually not
worth while and vitalizes it with the wrong kind of energy,
so that the form, instead of being a constructive, vital,
helpful force, is a destructive one in the world. If we
study the various cosmologies of the world, we shall [980]
see that the process of creation was carried on by the
means of sound or speech or the Word. We have it in the
Christian Bible, "In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was God. All things were made by Him and without Him
was not anything made that was made." (Bible. John I.)
Thus, according to the Christian teaching, the worlds were
made by the Word of God.
In the Hindu Scriptures we will find that the Lord Vishnu,
Who stands for the second Person of the Trinity, is called
"The Voice." He is the great Singer Who has built the
worlds and the universe by His song. He is the Revealer of
the thought of God Who has constructed the universe of
solar systems. Just as the Christian speaks about the great
Word, the Word of God, the Christ, so the Hindu speaks of
Vishnu, the great Singer, creating by means of His song.
In physical plane manifestation, we are known by our
speech; we are known by our reticence, by the things we
say, and by the things we leave unsaid and are judged by
the quality of our conversation. We think of people in
terms of what they say, because their words disclose the
type of thought-matter in which they work and the quality
of energy or life which they put behind their words. To the
various solar Logoi of the vast constellations that are
apparent when we scan the starry heavens, the quality of
the Logos of our solar system is seen through the medium of
that great thought form He has built by the power of His
speech, and which is energized by His particular quality of
love. When God speaks, the worlds are made and at this
present time He is only in process of speaking. He has not
yet concluded what He has to say, and hence the present
apparent imperfection. When that great divine phrase or
sentence which occupies His thought is brought to a close,
we [981] will have a perfect solar system inhabited by
perfect existences.
Through speech a thought is evoked and becomes present; it
is brought out of abstraction and out of a nebulous
condition and materialized upon the physical plane,
producing (could we but see it) something very definite on
etheric levels. Objective manifestation is produced, for
"Things are that which the Word makes them in naming them."
Speech is literally a great magical force, and the adepts
or white magicians, through knowledge of the forces and
power of silence and of speech, can produce effects upon
the physical plane. As we well know, there is a branch of
magical work which consists in the utilization of this
knowledge in the form of Words of Power and of those
mantrams and formulae which set in motion the hidden
energies of nature and call the devas to their work.
Speech is one of the keys which opens the doors of
communication between men and subtler beings. It gives the
clue to the discovery of those entities who are contacted
on the other side of the veil. But only he who has learned
to keep silent, and has arrived at the knowledge of the
times to speak can pass this veil and make certain esoteric
contacts. Magic consists, we are told in the Secret
Doctrine, in addressing the Gods in Their own language;
therefore, the speech of average man cannot reach Them.
Therefore, those who seek to learn the occult language,
those who yearn to become aware of the words which will
penetrate to the ears of those who stand on the other side,
and those who seek to utilize the formulae and phrases
which will give them power over the Builders, have to
unlearn their previous use of words and to refrain from
ordinary methods of talking. Then the new language will be
theirs and the new expressions, words, mantrams and
formulas will be entrusted to their care. [982]
The laws of speech are the laws of matter and students can
apply the laws governing physical plane substance to their
use of words, for it concerns the manipulation of matter on
other levels. Speech is the great medium whereby we make
apparent the nature of the little system we are
constructing – that system of which each human unit is the
central sun, for under the Law of Attraction he draws to
himself that which he needs.
D.IV.2. The Nature of Magic292
We have considered somewhat at length the building of
thought forms, and have seen that the process pursued by
man is analogous to that pursued by the threefold Logos in
the creation of the solar system. We are to deal now with
that great department in occultism which is usually termed
magic. The man who masters the esoteric significance of
what is here said will take his place in the ranks of those
entitled to call themselves the "Brothers of White Magic."
The subject is too immense to be more than briefly touched
upon, for it covers [983] the entire range of endeavor in
the field of material construction.
292 Magic. – S. D., I, 284.
- Magic is a divine science which leads to a
participation in the attributes of divinity itself. –
Isis Unveiled, I, 25-27.
- All magical operations consist in freeing oneself
from the coils of the Ancient Serpent. – Isis Unveiled ,
I, 138.
- The object of the art of magic is the perfection of
man. – Isis Unveiled, I, 309.
- Magic explores the essence and power of everything. –
Isis Unveiled, I, 282; S. D., II, 538.
- Magic and magnetism are synonymous terms. – Isis
Unveiled, I, 279.
- Magic is the sumtotal of natural knowledge. – Isis
Unveiled, II, 99, 189.
- Magic does not imply a transgression of the laws of
nature. – Isis Unveiled, I, Preface.
The Basis of Magic.
- Magic is based on the inner powers in man's soul. –
Isis Unveiled, I, 459.
- The trinity of nature is the lock of magic, the
trinity of man the key that fits it. – Isis Unveiled, II,
635.
- Magic is occult psychology. – Isis Unveiled, I,
612-616.
- The astral light is the chief agent of magic. – Isis
Unveiled, I, 128, 616; S. D., I, 275; II, 537.
293 Magic.
The very word Magic bears within itself proof of its high
origin. The Latin Magus, the Greek Magos, a magician,
gives us all those other words that are so indicative of
authority, wisdom, superiority. Then we have magnitude,
magnificent, magniloquent, to express greatness in
position, in action and in speech. With the termination
slightly changed the same words become majesty, implying
dominion, and again, we have magistrate, anything that is
magisterial which again has been simplified into Master,
and finally by the process of word evolution has become
plain Mister. But the Latin is only a transmitter of
words. We can equally follow up the historical
development of this root until we reach the Zend where we
find it doing duty as the name for the whole priestly
caste. The magi were renowned all over the world for
their wisdom and skill in occultism and no doubt our word
magic is mostly indebted to that source for its present
existence and meaning. That we need not pause even here
for back of the Zend "mag," "looms up the Sanskrit, maha,
signifying great." It is thought by good scholars that
maha was originally spelled magha. To be sure, there is
in the Sanskrit the word Maga meaning a priest of the
Sun, but this was evidently a later borrowing from the
Zend which had originally derived its root from its
neighbor the Sanskrit.
– Lucifer, Vol. X, p. 157.
We must deal first with the mental attitude of man as he
faces the work of creation, and his ability to bring
through, via the mental body, the purpose of the Ego,
thereby impressing the building agents on the mental plane
with a certain rate of rhythm, and a certain vibratory
activity. This is the prime factor which results (on the
physical plane) in direct egoic activity. We must also bear
in mind, that in the consideration of this matter we are
not dealing with the every day work of average man, but are
speaking of the organized creative work, under law and
rule, of the advanced man. We thereby set a standard and
emphasize the ideal towards which occult students should
strive.
We must also consider the work of the wise magical student
upon the astral plane, whereon, through purified desire and
sanctified emotion, he provides those equilibrized
conditions and those stable vibrations, which will permit
of the transmission without hindrance to the physical plane
via the physical brain of the man, of the vibratory
activity emanating from the Ego, and of the circulatory
action of the higher force. Hence (if a remark of a
practical nature may be interpolated for the average
student) the cultivation of emotional tranquility is one of
the first steps towards the achievement of the needed
equipment of the white magician. This tranquility is not to
be achieved by an effort of the will which succeeds in
strangling all astral vibratory activity, but by the
cultivation of response to the Ego, and a negation of all
response to the inherent vibration of the astral sheath
itself.
We will take up the work of force transmission on the
physical plane via the etheric centers and the physical
brain, studying somewhat the effect of sound as it is
emitted unconsciously in everyday speech, and [984]
consciously in the ordered regulated words of the true
worker in magic.293
In this connection, therefore, owing to the vital practical
value of this section, and to the dangers attendant upon a
comprehension of these matters by those who are as yet
unready for the work of conscious manipulation of force, it
is proposed to impart the necessary teaching under the
formula of "Rules of Magic," with certain elucidating
comments. In this way, the magical work is fully
safeguarded, and at the same time sufficient is imparted to
those who have the inner ear attentive, and the eye of
wisdom in process of opening.
D.IV.2.a. Black Magicians and White
Much is said among occult students these days anent white
and black magic,294 and much that is said is
without force, or truth. It has [985] been truly said that
between the two types of workers, the line of demarcation
is so slight as to be difficult of recognition by those
who, as yet, merit not the term "knower."
The distinction between the two exists in both motive and
method, and might be summed up as follows:
The white magician has for motive that which will be of
benefit to the group for whom he is expending his energy
and time. The magician of the left hand path ever works
alone, or if he at any time cooperates with others,
it is with a hidden selfish purpose. The exponent of white
magic interests himself in the work of constructive
endeavor in order to cooperate in hierarchical plans, and
to further the desires of the planetary Logos. The Brother
of Darkness occupies himself with that which lies outside
the plans of the Hierarchy and with that which is not
included in the purpose of the Lord of the planetary Ray.
The white magician, as has been earlier said, works
entirely through the greater Deva Builders, and through
sound and numbers he blends their work, and thus influences
the lesser Builders who form the substance of their bodies,
and therefore of all that is. He works [986] through group
centers and vital points of energy, and from thence
produces, in substance, the desired results. The dark
brother works directly with substance itself, and with the
lesser builders; He does not cooperate with the forces
which emanate from egoic levels. The lesser cohorts of the
"Army of the Voice" are his servants, and not the directing
Intelligences in the three worlds, and he therefore works
primarily on the astral and physical planes, only in rare
cases working with the mental forces, and only in a few
special cases, hidden in cosmic karma, is a black magician
found working on the higher mental levels. Yet the cases
which are there to be discovered are the main contributing
causes of all manifesting black magic.
294 Magic. – The art of divine Magic
consists in the ability to perceive the essence of things
in the light of nature (astral light), and – by using the
soul-powers of the Spirit – to produce material things from
the unseen universe, and in such operations the Above and
the Below must be brought together and made to act
harmoniously. - S. D., II, 538.
Magic is the second of the four Vidyas, and is the great
mahaVidya in the Tantric writings. It needs the light of
the fourth vidya (atma-vidya) thrown on it in order to be
White magic. – S. D., I, 192.
Black Magic is defined by H. P. B. as
follows:
- Black magic employs the astral light for purposes of
deception and seduction, whereas the white magician
employs it for purposes of information, and the aiding of
evolution. – S. D., I, 274.
- Black magic works with opposing poles. The white
magician seeks the point of equilibrium or balance, and
of synthesis. – S. D., I, 448.
- Black magic has for its symbol the inverted 5-pointed
star.
White magic uses the same symbol with the point
uppermost.
- Black magic is mahavidya without the light of
atma-vidya.
White magic is mahavidya illumined by atma-vidya. – S.
D., I, 592.
- Black magic is ruled over by the moon.
White magic is ruled over by the sun.
- Black and white magic arose during the great schism
which started during the fourth root-race. – S. D., II,
221, 445, 520.
- Black magic is based on the degradation of sex and of
the creative function.
White magic is based on the transmutation of the creative
faculty into the higher creative thought, the generative
organs being neglected by the inner fire, which passes to
the throat, the center of creative sound.
- Black magic deals with the forces of involution.
White magic works with the powers of evolution.
- Black magic is concerned with the form, with
matter.
White magic is concerned with the life within the form,
with Spirit.
The Brother of Light works ever through the inherent force
of the second aspect as long as he is functioning in
connection with the three lower planes. After the third
Initiation, he works increasingly with spiritual energy, or
with the force of the first aspect. He impresses the lower
substances, and manipulates the lesser building lives with
the vibration of love, and the attractive coherency of the
Son, and through wisdom the forms are built. He learns to
work from the heart, and therefore to manipulate that
energy which streams from the "Heart of the Sun" until
(when he becomes a Buddha) he can dispense somewhat the
force emanating from the "Spiritual Sun." Therefore, the
heart center in the Brother of the right hand path is the
transmitting agency for the building force, and the
triangle he uses in this work is
- The center in the head which corresponds, to the
heart.
- The heart center itself.
- The throat center.
The Brothers of the left hand path work with the
forces of the third aspect entirely, and this it is which
[987] gives them so much apparent power, for the second
aspect is only in process of reaching its vibratory
consummation, whereas the third aspect is at the height of
its vibratory activity, being the product of the
evolutionary processes of the preceding major solar system.
He works from the throat center almost entirely, and
manipulates primarily the forces of the physical sun. This
is the reason why he achieves many of his ends through the
method of pranic stimulation or of pranic devitalization,
and why, also, most of his effects are carried out on the
physical plane. He works, therefore, through
- The center in the head corresponding to the throat
center.
- The throat center.
- The center at the base of the spine.
The white magician works always in cooperation with
others, and is himself under the direction of certain group
Heads.. For instance, the Brothers of the White Lodge work
under the three great Lords and conform to the plans laid
down, subordinating Their individual purposes and ideas to
the great general scheme. The black magician usually works
in an intensely individualistic way, and can be seen
carrying out his schemes alone, or with the aid of
subordinates. He brooks usually no known superior, but is
nevertheless frequently the victim of agents on higher
levels of cosmic evil, who use him as he uses his inferior
cooperators, that is, he works (as far as the bigger
purpose is involved) blindly and unconsciously.
The white magician, as is well known, works on the side of
evolution or in connection with the Path of Return. The
black brother occupies himself with the forces of
involution, or with the Path of Outgoing. They form the
great balancing force in evolution, and though they [988]
are occupied with the material side of manifestation and
the Brother of Light is concerned with the aspect of soul
or consciousness, they and their work, under the great law
of evolution, contribute to the general purpose of the
solar Logos, though (and this is of tremendous occult
significance to the illuminated student) not to the
individual purpose of the planetary Logos.
Finally, it might be briefly said in connection with the
distinctions between magicians that the magician of the
Good Law works with the soul of things. His brothers of
darkness work with the material aspect.
The white magician works through the force centers, on the
first and fourth subplanes of each plane. The black
magician works through the permanent atoms, and with the
substance and forms concerned. The white magician utilizes
in this connection the higher three centers. The black
magician uses the energy of the lower three centers (the
organs of generation, the spleen, and the solar plexus)
synthesizing their energy by an act of the will and
directing it to the center at the base of the spine, so
that the fourfold energy is thence transmitted to the
throat center.
The white magician uses the kundalini force as it is
transmitted via the central spinal channel. The black
magician uses the inferior channels, dividing the fourfold
energy in two units, which mount via the two channels,
leaving the central one dormant. Hence it will be apparent
that one works with duality and the other with unity. On
the planes of duality, therefore, it is apparent why the
black magician has so much power. The plane of unity for
humanity is the mental plane. The planes of diversity are
the astral and the physical. Hence the black magician is of
more apparent power than the white brother on the two lower
planes in the three worlds.
The white brother works under the Hierarchy, or under the
great King, carrying out His planetary purposes. [989] The
dark brother works under certain separated Entities,
unknown to him, who are connected with the forces of matter
itself. Much more could be given in this connection, but
what is here imparted suffices for our purpose.
D.IV.2.b. The Source of Black Magic
In touching upon this point, we are trespassing into the
realms of the mystery and the domain of the inexplicable.
Certain statements can, however, be made here which, if
pondered upon, may throw a little light upon this dark
subject.
First. It should be remembered that the whole subject of
planetary evil (and students must distinguish carefully
between planetary and cosmic evil) lies hid in the
individual life cycles and in the history of the Great
Being who is the planetary Logos of the Earth. Therefore,
until a man has taken certain initiations and thus achieved
a measure of planetary consciousness, it is useless for him
to speculate upon that record. H. P. B. has touched, in the
Secret Doctrine, (S. D., III, 62; Section 6, page
67.) upon the subject of "the imperfect Gods," and in these
words lies the key to planetary evil.
Second. It might briefly be said that, as far as our
humanity is concerned, the terms planetary evil and cosmic
evil might be interpreted thus:
Planetary evil arises from certain relations existing
between our planetary Logos and another planetary Logos.
When this condition of polar opposition is adjusted, then
planetary evil will cease. The adjustment will be brought
about through the mediation (occultly understood) of a
third planetary Logos. These three will eventually form an
equilateral triangle, and then planetary evil will cease.
Free circulation will ensue; planetary obscuration will
become possible, and the "imperfect Gods" will have
achieved a relative perfection. Thus will the karma of the
manvantara, or secondary [990] cycle, be adjusted, and so
much planetary karmic evil be "worked off." All the above
must be interpreted in its esoteric sense and not its
exoteric.
Cosmic evil from the standpoint of our planet consists in
the relation between that spiritual intelligent Unit or
"Rishi of the Superior Constellation" as He is called (who
is the informing Life of one of the seven stars of the
Great Bear, and our planetary prototype) and one of the
forces of the Pleiades. (S. D., II, 579-581.) Students need
here to remember that the "seven sisters" are occultly
called the "seven wives" of the Rishis, and that the dual
forces (resultant from that relationship) converge and play
through that one of the planetary Logoi who is the Logos of
any particular planet, and is the "reflection" of any
specific Rishi. In this relation, at present lacking
perfect adjustment, lies hid the mystery of cosmic evil as
it makes itself felt in any particular planetary scheme.
Again, when the heavenly triangle is duly equilibrated, and
the force circulates freely through
- One of the stars of the Great Bear,
- The Pleiad involved,
- The planetary scheme concerned,
then again cosmic evil will be negated, and a relative
perfection achieved. This will mark the attainment of
primary perfection, and the consummation of the greater
cycle.
Cyclic evil, or tertiary evil, lies hid in the relation
between the globes in any particular scheme, two of them
ever being in opposition until equilibrized by force
emanating from a third. Students will only apprehend the
significance of this teaching as they study the pairs of
opposites in their own cycles, and the equilibrizing work
of the Ego.
A fourth type of evil growing out of the above finds [991]
its main expression in the sorrows and troubles of the
fourth or human kingdom, and will find its solution in two
ways: by the balancing of the forces of the three kingdoms
(the spiritual or fifth kingdom, the human, and the
animal), and secondly, by the negation of the attractive
power of the three lower kingdoms (the mineral, the
vegetable, and the animal, who thus form one unit), by the
spiritual kingdom, utilizing the fourth or human kingdom.
In all these cases, triangles of force are formed which,
when balanced, procure the desired end.
Black magic is spoken of as making its appearance upon our
planet during the fourth root race.297 It should
be borne in mind here that this means strictly in
connection with the fourth kingdom and its conscious use by
wrongly developed men. The forces of evil of the planetary
and cosmic kind have been present since manifestation set
in, being latent in the karma of the planetary Logos, but
human beings began consciously to work with these forces
and to use them for specified selfish ends in this round
during the fourth root race.
297 S. D., I, 451, 452; II, 221, 234, 519.
299 It might here be asked what, if any,
relation there may be in this connection with the inner
round? The inner round has many meanings, some impossible
to give, but two things may here be said: That it concerns
itself with the effect of the triangular balancing of
forces towards the close of the cycle, when the force or
energy involved is circulating unimpeded, even if slowly,
through:
- Two constellations of the solar system,
- The planetary schemes,
- Three globes in the scheme.
It should be remembered that all these three are
interdependent. The force begins thus to flow when any
cycle is two thirds run. It deals with the greater
Initiations, and is the correspondence on the higher planes
to the occult short cut to wisdom and knowledge which we
call the Path of Initiation.
301 No soul can be lost where:
- One good aspiration is present.
- One unselfish deed is done.
- The life is strong in virtue.
- The life is righteous.
- The life is a naturally pure life. – Isis Unveiled,
II, 368.
Read S. D., III, 528, 529.
Black magicians work under certain great Entities, six in
number, who are spoken of, for instance, in the Christian
Bible as having the number 666. (Rev. 13:18.) They came in
(being cosmic, not systemic) on that stream of force
emanating from cosmic mental levels which produced the
three worlds of human endeavor. Students should remember
here the fact that the three lower planes of our solar
system are not considered as embodying a cosmic principle,
for they form the dense physical body of the Logos, and the
dense physical body is not considered a principle. There is
an occult significance in the expression "unprincipled."
These entities are the sumtotal of the substance of the
three lower subplanes of the cosmic physical plane (our
three lower systemic [992] planes), and it is under them
that the black magicians are swept into activity, often
unconsciously, but rising to power as they work
consciously.299
In the early stages of human unfoldment all men are
unconscious black magicians, but are not occultly "damned"
thereby. As evolution proceeds they come under the force of
the second aspect, and the majority respond to it, escaping
from the meshes of the black magicians, and coming under
the force of a different number. The few who do not do so
in this manvantara are the "failures" who have to continue
the struggle at a later date. A tiny percentage wilfuly
refuse to "pass on," and they become the true "black
magicians." For them the end is ever the same, first,
severance of the Ego from the Monad, entailing a wait for
many aeons until another solar system has its being. In the
case of the "failures" the Ego severed itself from the
personality or lower self, entailing a setback for a lesser
period, but still having opportunity within the system.
Second, a cycle of existence, spent in unlimited evil, and
dependent upon the vitality of the severed egoic body and
its innate persistence. These are the ordinary "lost souls"
spoken of in the Secret Doctrine.301 If
students will study these conditions, and will extend the
same concept to an earlier and more matured solar system,
they will get [993] some light upon the problem of the
origin of evil in this solar system.
D.IV.2.c. Conditions for White Magic
In considering the factors requiring adjustment prior to
undertaking the work of magic, we are dealing with that
which is of eminently practical value. Unless students of
magic enter upon this pursuit fortified by pure motive,
clean bodies, and high aspiration, they are foredoomed to
disappointment and even to disaster. All those who seek to
work consciously with the forces of manifestation, and who
endeavor to control the Energies of all that is seen, need
the strong protection of purity. This is a point which
cannot be too strongly emphasized and urged, and hence the
constant injunctions to self control, comprehension of the
nature of man, and devotion to the cause of humanity. The
pursuit of magical investigation is dangerous in three
ways.
If a man's bodies are not sufficiently purified and their
atomic vibration is not sufficiently high, he is in danger
of over-stimulation when brought in contact with the forces
of nature, and this inevitably entails the destruction and
disintegration of one or other of his bodies. At times it
may entail the destruction of two or more, and when this is
the case, it involves a definite setback to egoic
unfoldment, for it requires, in such cases, a much longer
interval between incarnations, owing to the difficulty of
assembling the needed materials in the sheaths.
Further, unless a man is strengthened in his endeavor by
right motive, he is liable to be led astray by the
acquisition of power. Knowledge of the laws of magic puts
into the hands of the student powers which enable him to
create, to acquire, and to control. Such powers [994] are
fraught with menace to the unprepared and unready, for the
student can, in this case, turn them to selfish ends, use
them for his own temporal material advancement, and acquire
in this way that which will feed the desires of the lower
nature. He takes, therefore, the first step towards the
left hand path, and each life may see him progressing
towards it with greater readiness, until (almost
unconsciously) he will find himself in the ranks of the
black masters. Such a state of affairs can only be offset
through the cultivation of altruism, sincere love of man,
and a steady negation of all lower desire.
The third danger which menaces the unwary student of magic
lies in the fact that when he tampers with these forces and
energies he is dealing with that which is akin to his own
lower nature. He, therefore, follows the line of least
resistance; he augments these energies, thereby increasing
their response to the lower and to the material aspects of
his nature. This he does at the expense of his higher
nature, retarding its unfoldment and delaying his progress.
Incidentally also, he attracts the attention of those
masters of the left hand path who are ever on the lookout
for those who can be bent to their purposes, and he becomes
(unwittingly at first), an agent on the side of evil.
It will be apparent, therefore, that the student has need
of the following qualities before he undertakes the arduous
task of becoming a conscious Master of Magic:
- Physical Purity. This is a thing not easily to
be acquired, but entailing many lives of strenuous
effort. Through abstinence, right continence, clean
living, vegetarian diet, and rigid self-control, the man
gradually raises the vibration of his physical atoms,
builds a body of ever greater resistance and strength,
and succeeds in "manifesting" forth in a sheath of
greater refinement.
- Etheric Freedom. This term does not convey all
that [995] I seek to impart, but it suffices for need of
a better. The student of magic who can safely undertake
the enterprise, will have constructed an etheric body of
such a nature that vitality, or pranic force and energy,
can circulate unimpeded; he will have formed an etheric
web of such tenuosity that it forms no barrier to
consciousness. This is all that can be said on this
subject, owing to the danger involved, but it suffices
for the conveyance of information to those who are
beginning to know.
- Astral Stability. The student of magic aims,
above all, to purify his desires, and so to transmute his
emotions that the lower physical purity and the higher
mental responsiveness and transmutative power may equally
be available. Every magician has to learn the fact that,
in this solar system, during the cycle of humanity, the
astral body is the pivotal point of endeavor, having a
reflex effect on both the other sheaths, the physical and
the mental. He, therefore, aims at transmuting (as has
often been said) lower desire into aspiration; at
changing the lower cruder colors which distinguish the
astral body of average man, for the clearer, purer tones
of the spiritual man, and of transforming its normal
chaotic vibration, and the "stormy sea of life," for the
steady rhythmic response to that which is highest and the
center of peace. These things he effects by constant
watchfulness, unremitting control, and steady
meditation.
- Mental Poise. These words are used in the
occult sense, wherein the mind (as it is commonly
understood) becomes the keen steady instrument of the
indwelling thinker, and the point from which he can
travel onwards to higher realms of comprehension. It is
the foundation stone whence the higher expansion can be
initiated.
Let not the would-be student of magic proceed in his
investigations and his experiments until he has attended to
these injunctions, and until the whole bent of his thought
is towards their manifestation and their demonstration
[996] in his every day life. When he has so worked,
ceaselessly and untiringly, and his physical plane life and
service bear witness to the inner transmutation, then he
can proceed to parallel this life with magical studies and
work. Only the solar Angel can do the work of the white
magician, and he effects it through the control of the
lunar angels and their complete subjugation. They are
arrayed against him, until, through meditation, aspiration,
and control, he bends them to his will and they become his
servants.
This thought brings us to the vital and real distinction
between the white brother and the brother of darkness, and
in this summation we will conclude the present discussion
and proceed with the rules.
The worker in white magic utilizes ever the energy of the
Solar Angel to effect his ends. The dark brother works
through the inherent force of the lunar lords, which are
allied in nature to all that is objective. In an old book
of magic, hidden in the caves of learning, guarded by the
Masters, are the following conclusive words, which find
their place in this
Treatise on Fire through their
very appropriateness:
"The Brothers of the Sun, through the force of solar
fire, fanned to a flame in the blazing vault of the
second Heaven, put out the lower lunar fires, and render
naught that lower 'fire by friction.'
The Brother of the Moon ignores the sun and solar
heat; borrows his fire from all that triply is, and
pursues his cycle. The fires of hell await, and lunar
fire dies out. Then neither sun nor moon avails him, only
the highest heaven awaits the spark electric, seeking
vibration synchronous from that which lies beneath. And
yet it cometh not."
D.IV.3. Fifteen Rules for Magic
These rules will necessarily be of an esoteric nature, and
the student will need to remember that the terminology is
in the nature of a blind, which ever carries [997]
revelation to those who have the clue, but tends to perplex
and to bewilder the student who as yet is unready for the
truth. I would also remind the student to bear in mind that
all that is here imparted concerns "white magic,"
and is given from the standpoint of the solar Angel, and of
solar Fire. Bearing these two points in mind the student
will find much in these rules to produce eventual internal
illumination. We will divide them into three groups of
aphorisms or occult phrases; of these, the first will
concern itself with the work of the magician on the mental
plane, with his manipulation of solar energy, and his
ability to sweep the Builders into cooperation with his
purposes.
The second group will carry the work on down to the plane
of desire, and of vitalization, and will convey information
as to the balancing of the pairs of opposites, and their
equilibrising, so that eventual manifestation becomes
possible.
The third group of rules will deal with the physical plane,
with the transmission of force:
- Through the centers,
- Through the brain,
- Through the physical plane itself.
D.IV.3.a. Six Rules for the Mental Plane
Certain of the laws of speech will be given, and the
significance of color and of sound will appear beneath the
exoteric form of the phrasing to those whose perception
suffices.
RULE I
The Solar Angel collects himself, scatters not his force,
but in meditation deep communicates with his reflection.
The significance of this rule is easily to be
seen. The white magician is ever one who, through conscious
alignment with his Ego, with his "Angel," is receptive to
his plans and purposes, and therefore capable of receiving
the higher impression. We must remember that [998] white
magic works from above downwards, and is the result of
solar vibration, and not of the heating impulses emanating
from one or other of the lunar Pitris; the downflow of the
impressing energy from the solar Pitri is the result of his
internal recollectedness, his indrawing of his forces prior
to sending them out concentratedly to his shadow, man, and
his steady meditation upon the purpose and the plan. It may
be of use to the student if he here remembers that the Ego
(as well as the Logos) is in deep meditation during the
whole cycle of physical incarnation. This solar meditation
is cyclic in nature, the Pitri involved sending out to his
"reflection" rhythmic streams of energy, which streams are
recognized by the man concerned as his "higher impulses,"
his dreams and aspirations. Therefore, it will be apparent
why workers in white magic are ever advanced, and spiritual
men, for the "reflection" is seldom responsive to the Ego
or the solar Angel until many cycles of incarnation have
transpired. The solar Pitri communicates with his "shadow"
or reflection by means of the sutratma, which passes down
through the bodies to a point of entrance in the physical
brain.
RULE II
When the shadow hath responded, in meditation deep the
work proceedeth. The lower light is thrown upward; the
greater light illuminates the three, and the work of the
four proceedeth.
Here the work of the two, the Ego on its own
plane, and its instrument in the three worlds, is shown as
linked and coordinated. As we well know, the main function
of meditation is to bring the lower instrument into such a
condition of receptivity and vibratory response that the
Ego, or solar Angel, can use it, and produce specific
results. This involves, therefore, a downflow of force from
the upper levels of the mental plane [999] (the habitat of
the real Man) and a reciprocal vibration, emanating from
Man, the Reflection. When these two vibrations are attuned,
and the interplay is rhythmic, then the two meditations
proceed synchronously, and the work of magic and of
creation can proceed unimpeded. It will, therefore, be
apparent that the brain is the physical correspondence to
the force centers upon the mental plane, and that the
vibration has to be consciously set up by the man when
meditating. When this is effected, the man can be a
conscious creator, and the work proceeds therefore in a
triple manner; the force circulates freely via three points
of centralized activity:
- First. From that circle of petals in the egoic
lotus which the Ego chooses to use, or is in a position
to use. This is conditioned by the objective in view, and
the state of egoic unfoldment.
- Secondly. The center in the physical brain
which is active in meditation. This is also conditioned
by the man's point in evolution, and the particular goal
in mind.
- Thirdly. The center of force generated by the
man upon the lower mental plane, as he proceeds to form
the necessitated thought form, and to sweep into activity
those builders who can respond to the vibration sent
forth. This is likewise conditioned by the strength of
his meditation, the fullness of the note sent forth by
him, and the strength of his initiated vibration.
Hence, the first thing the solar Angel does is to form
a triangle, consisting of himself, the man on the physical
plane, and the tiny point of force which is the result of
their united endeavor. It will be of value to students of
meditation to ponder upon this procedure, and to study the
correspondence between it and the work of the solar Logos
as He created "the Heavens and the Earth." The [1000]
Highest and the lowest aspects met, spirit and matter were
brought into contact with each other; the consequence of
this interplay was the birth of the Son, or the great solar
thought form. In the three worlds, man, the lesser Deity,
within his limits, proceeds along analogous lines. The
three who are illumined by the light of the One are the
three persons of the lower Triad, the mental body, the
astral body, and the physical body. They, with the
Illuminator, make the "Four" referred to, and thus becomes
apparent the microcosmic Tetraktys.
The two rules above form the esoteric basis of all
meditation, and need to be carefully studied if results are
to be achieved.
RULE III
The Energy circulates. The point of light, the product of
the labors of the Four, waxeth and groweth. The myriads
gather round its glowing warmth until its light recedes.
Its fire grows dim. Then shall the second sound go forth.
The white magician, having, through meditation
and conscious purpose, formed a focal point of energy upon
the mental plane, increases the vibration through strenuous
concentration; he begins then to visualize in detail the
form he is seeking to build; he pictures it with all its
component parts, and sees "before his mind's eye" the
consummated product of the egoic meditation as he has
succeeded in bringing it through. This produces what is
here called "the secondary note," the first being the note
emanating from the Ego on its own plane, which awakened the
"reflection" and called forth response. The vibration
becomes stronger, and the note sounded by the man on the
physical plane ascends and is heard upon the mental plane.
Hence, in all meditation that is [1001] of occult value,
the man has to do certain things in order to aid in
bringing about the results.
He tranquilizes his bodies in order that there be no
impediment to the egoic intent, and listens for the
"Voice of the Silence." He responds then to that
Voice consciously, and broods over the imparted plans.
He then sounds the Sacred Word, taking up the note of the
Ego as he believes he hears it, and sending it forth to
swell the egoic sound, and to set in motion matter on the
mental plane. He (synchronously with this sounding)
visualizes the proposed thought form which is to embody
egoic purposes, and pictures it in detail.
We must not forget that we are here dealing with those
conscious meditations, based on knowledge and long
experience, which produce magical results on the physical
plane. We are not dealing here with those meditations which
have for their purpose the revelation of the inner God, and
the bringing in of the illuminating fire of the Ego.
When this process is proceeding under rule and order, the
focal point of energy on the lower mental plane gains in
strength; its light or fire makes itself felt; it becomes,
in the occult sense, visually objective, and attracts the
attention of the lesser builders through
- Its radiation or warmth,
- Its active vibration,
- Its sound or note,
- Its light.
The elemental workers of responsive capacity are
gathered and swept into the radius of the force, and begin
to gather around. The intended form begins to be apparent,
and tiny life after tiny life takes its place in its
construction. The result of this "coherency" is that the
inner light becomes veiled, its brilliancy dimmed, just as
the inner light of the Ego in its shadow, or thought form,
man, is similarly dimmed and hidden. [1002]
RULE IV
Sound, light, vibration, and the form blend and merge,
and thus the work is one. It proceedeth under the law,
and naught can hinder now the work from going forward.
The man breathes deeply. He concentrates his forces, and
drives the thought-form from him.
Here we have a very important piece of work of
magic dealt with, and one that is little considered and
known. The force used by the Ego in the work of forcing the
man to carry out His purpose has been
dynamic will,
and the petal, or energy center, employed has been one of
the
will petals. The man has, up till now, been
driven by egoic will, but has blended with this much of the
energy of the attraction aspect (desire or love) thereby
gathering to himself on the mental plane, the material
needed for his thought form. He has succeeded so far that
on the concrete levels of the mental plane is to be seen a
form in mental matter which is coherent, alive, vibrant,
and of a desired nature. Its internal activity is such that
its persistence for the length of time necessary to ensure
achievement of the egoic purpose is assured; it stands
ready to be sent forth upon its mission, to gather to
itself material of a denser nature upon the astral plane,
and to achieve greater consolidation. This is brought about
by an act of will emanating from the man, and he gives the
living form power "to break loose." It is exactly at this
point, fortunately for the human race, that the majority of
magical investigators fail in their work. They build a form
in mental matter, but do not know how to send it forth, so
that inevitably it will fulfil its mission. Thus many
thought forms die a natural death on the mental plane owing
to the inability of the man to exert the will faculty
constructively, and his failure to understand the laws of
thought-form construction. Another factor is his lack of
knowledge [1003] of the formula which releases the
elemental builders from their surroundings, and forces them
to cohere within the periphery of the thought form for as
long as the thinker desires.
Finally, they die owing to the incapacity of the man, which
prevents him holding a meditation long enough, and
formulating his ideas clearly enough to bring about
ultimate materialization.
Men are, as yet, too impure and too selfish to be trusted
with this knowledge. Their thought forms would be
constructed in order to be sent on selfish missions and for
destructive ends, and until they are more spiritual, and
have gained control over their lower nature, the magical
words which galvanize into separated activity the form in
mental substance will not be available for their use.
It might be asked how it is that men do achieve their ends,
through concentration and visualization, and do manage to
send forth thought forms which reach their objective. In
two ways this can be brought about:
- First. By an unconscious recollection