DIVISION C - THE EGOIC RAY AND SOLAR FIRE
II. THE NATURE OF THE PERMANENT ATOMS - Part 1
II. THE NATURE OF THE PERMANENT ATOMS - Part 1
1. The purpose of the permanent atoms.
The three permanent atoms are in themselves centres of force, or those aspects of the personality which hold hid the fires of substance, or of objectivity; it cannot be too strongly pointed out at this juncture that, in considering the threefold man in the three worlds, we are dealing with substance which (in connection with logoic manifestation) is considered the dense physical. Surrounding these three atoms is the causal sheath, answering the following purposes:
It separates one unit of egoic consciousness from another unit of consciousness, yet is itself part of the gaseous body (the fifth cosmic physical subplane) in the physical body of the planetary Logos, Who is the central life of any particular group of Monads. This fact has been little appreciated, and merits careful consideration. [508] It holds hid spiritual potentialities in its inherent ability to respond to the higher vibration; from the moment of individualisation till it is discarded at initiation, the life within steadily develops these potentialities, and produces certain definite results by the utilisation of the three permanent atoms. It gradually vivifies and awakens them until, on the three planes, the central life has an adequate point of contact which can originate the necessitated vibration in the matter of the plane.
The permanent atoms on each plane serve a fourfold purpose as regards the central or egoic life:
They are the distributors of a certain type of force.
They are the conservers of faculty or ability to respond to a particular vibration.
They are the assimilators of experience and the transmuters of that experience into quality. This is the direct result of the work of the egoic Ray as it plays upon the atom.
They hold hid the memory of the unit of consciousness. When fully vibrant they are the raison d'être for the continuity of the consciousness of the man functioning in the causal body. This distinction must be carefully made.
We must always remember in studying these difficult matters that we are dealing with the logoic dense physical body and that:
The mental unit is found in logoic gaseous matter.
The astral permanent atom in logoic liquid matter.
The physical permanent atom in dense physical substance.
And they therefore have their place in matter of the three lowest subplanes of the physical body of the Logos. Consequently when in the process of evolution, and through initiation, man achieves the consciousness of the Spiritual Triad, and transfers his polarisation into the three triadal [509] permanent atoms, he is simply able to function consciously in the etheric body of his particular planetary Logos. Work out the analogy in the microcosmic development and note how in order to function consciously in his individual etheric body a man has to burn through what has been called the etheric web, and study how the fires of initiation produce something analogous in the planetary etheric body, and eventually in the cosmic etheric. As each unit of consciousness, through self-induced effort, achieves the goal and crosses the 'burning-ground,' a microscopic portion of the etheric web of the planetary etheric body is consumed by fire; this results in a definite gain for that great Entity, the planetary Logos, through the relatively unimportant liberation of the force of one cell in His body. When all the units or cells in His body have achieved, He too is set free from dense manifestation and physically dies. This stage is succeeded by the comparatively brief one of etheric existence (covering the period of planetary obscuration), and then He is liberated from incarnation altogether.
Viewing this process from the standpoint of the Logos, the Brahma aspect passes out, or the life withdraws from the physical permanent atom, leaving later stages on cosmic levels, with which we need not concern ourselves. These cover the withdrawal of the logoic life from out of the other two aspects. In a solar system, which is a physical incarnation of the Logos, the Brahma aspect is apparently the most important, it being the medium of expression, yet it is the subjective aspect, or the life-desire of the Logos which is fundamentally of moment; this concerns His endeavour on high levels, and on cosmic planes beyond the ken of the highest Chohan.
It might be of value here if I pointed out that the Egoic Ray of the human unit [clxviii]67 with which we are concerning [510] ourselves, manifests as regards each ray just as does the logoic manifestation. Each of the seven Rays, viewed in connection with the causal bodies of men, demonstrates as a unity on the first subplane, as a triplicity on the second and as seven on the third, forming there the forty-nine groups which most concern evolving man. According to the angle of vision, this numbering of groups may be increased or lessened, but for purposes of studying the aspects of mind, the above enumeration suffices. In the course of his many septenary lives, and as the cyclic sevens pass over him, man passes under the influence of the seven sub-rays of his own Ray. Then he begins to synthesise and merge the seven into the major three sub-rays, returning thus to unity on his own egoic Ray.
First. The septenary status governs the time from individualisation till he enters upon the Path.
Second. The threefold status governs the time up till the third Initiation.
Third. He achieves the unity of his Ray by the fifth Initiation, and is then consciously a part of the body of the Heavenly Man.
The same idea can be worked out in connection with the awakening of the life forces within the permanent atoms, viewing each atom as the seventh principle in each of the three aspects of the personality.
2. Their Place In the Egoic Body.
a. The importance of the astral permanent atom. There is one fact to be grasped in connection with the place of the permanent atom within the causal periphery and its evolution, that needs to be emphasised with care, and that is that the astral permanent atom in this solar system is the recipient of a great flow of force or energy, and receives more stimulation and energising than any of the others, and this for the following reasons:
[511]
First. The centre of polarisation for the fourth, or human kingdom, is in the astral consciousness viewing this kingdom as a unity in expression. From the astral, and through the desire nature, the majority of men inevitably direct and control the physical vehicle. The astral body is in the direct line of force via the buddhic from monadic levels, 2-4-6.
Second. The goal set before humanity is that of becoming Masters of the Wisdom, or conscious units in the Body of the Dragon of Wisdom or of Love. This a man achieves when he can function consciously in the buddhic vehicle, or when the astral permanent atom is superseded by the buddhic permanent atom.
Third. The next reason is that the second aspect of the Logos (that of love or the manifestation of the love nature of the Logos through the medium of the Son) is the one demonstrated in this system. This system is:
a. A Son of Necessity, or of desire
b. Vibrant to the key of the cosmic Ray of Love
c. The form through which this ray of cosmic Love (shown in the inter-relation between the Self and the Not-Self, or through duality) is expressing itself
d. Governed by the cosmic Law of Attraction. The monads of love are the dominating quality. (I choose this word 'quality' specifically.)
Fourth. The centre in the cosmic body of the ONE ABOUT WHOM NOUGHT MAY BE SAID of which our solar Logos is the embodied force is the heart centre. Here we have one of the clues to the mystery of electricity. The sacred planets, with certain allied etheric spheres within the ring-pass-not, are parts of that heart centre, and are 'petals in the Lotus,' or in the heart centre of that great unknown Existence Who stands to the solar Logos as He in His turn stands to the Heavenly [512] Men Who are His centres, and specially as He stands to the particular Heavenly Man Who is the embodied force of the logoic Heart centre. Therefore, it will be apparent to the careful student that the entire force and energy of the system and its life quality will be that which we call (having perforce to use handicapping, misleading words) LOVE. This will account for the fact that the force that plays through that cosmic heart centre will be the paramount force found in the manifestation of a solar Logos, and of a Heavenly Man; it will likewise produce its microcosmic analogy, and reflective reactions; hence the relative importance of the astral permanent atom within the causal periphery. It is in the direct line of active force emanating from the cosmic existence, and passing to it in ever lessening degree, via the solar Logos in His system of love, and the planetary Logos within a scheme, the Dragon of Wisdom-Love.
This force when rightly directed and properly controlled is the great transmuting agency, which eventually will make of the human unit a Master of the Wisdom, a Lord of Love, a Dragon of Wisdom in lesser degree.
Finally: this solar system, the objective physical manifestation of the Logos, is interpenetrated by His astral body, as is the case with the human manifestation. As the Logos is polarised in His cosmic astral sheath and has not yet attained cosmic mental polarisation His force or desire nature is the main incentive for the subjective Life and lives that underlie the form.
If the student will ponder with care these five facts, he will get a clue to the problems of existence as realised around us, to the causes of the heat of the solar system, to the method of the cosmic Law of Attraction and Repulsion, which governs all atomic forms, and to the question of SEX which is apparent in every kingdom of nature. They give the clue also to the constitution of the Divine Hermaphrodite.
[513]
Therefore, it is necessary to bear in mind the relative importance of the permanent atom of the second aspect of the personality within the causal periphery, and to remember that the force which flows through that atom and which is the animating force of the astral body is following the lines of least resistance and really might be considered as bearing upon his physical manifestation in a manner twice as strong as that reaching him through the other two. The Logos expresses Himself now through the Divine Ray, His second aspect, and this Ray is the sumtotal of the radiation of the Lords of Wisdom, the Heavenly Men, the Dragons Who are Unity and Who are Love. Through Them this force flows, and They in turn clothe Themselves with form, or as H. P. B. expresses it 'The primordial Ray becomes the vahan for the Divine Ray.' [clxix]68 Their life animates every atom of substance when built into form, and Their life is the sumtotal of Logoic magnetism, or the great desire nature of the Logos going out after the Not-Self, producing the cosmic Marriage; it is the logoic demonstration of the sex appeal, His search for His polar opposite, and their mystic union.
This process is repeated by the microcosm following the line of his being, and this brings him likewise into incarnation, or into mystic union with form.
b. The atomic triangle. The causal sheath is to the clairvoyant therefore a sphere of vibrant living substance; within it can be seen three fiery points. At the heart of the sphere is a central blaze of light, emitting rays; these rays are given as seven in number, and play upon these points or circles (analogous to the electrons in the atoms of science) and at this stageproduce most effect upon the astral permanent atom. The physical permanent atom has a position relatively close to the positive centre, and the force plays through it, and passes on to the astral permanent atom in the form of five rays of parti-coloured light which blend with the intensely vivid hue of the astral permanent atom, and increase its intensity until the blaze is so excessive that it appears to the onlooker as if the two points blended, or the two electrons merged, and (in merging) produce such an intensity of light that they are seen as dissolving. The mental unit, having a position within the causal body analogous to the planet furthermost from the sun, becomes vibrant likewise, and the two other points (considered now as one) begin to interact with the mental unit, and a similar process is set up and is pursued until these two points—circulating around their positive centre—also approach each other, blend, merge, and dissolve. The centre of positive life gathers or synthesises the three points, and thus the three fires of the personality repeat on their tiny scale the microcosmic procedure as seen in the synthesis of electric fire, solar fire, and fire by friction, and only a blazing unit is left. This blazing unit, through the combined heat of its being, burns up the causal body, and escapes back on to the planes of abstraction. Thus man is the Path itself, and also the pilgrim upon the Path; thus does he burn, but is also the burning-ground.
The analogy holds true in the case of the microcosm viewed from monadic levels in his manifestation as Monad, Ego and Personality, and thus the process is carried on as it concerns a Heavenly Man, and likewise a solar Logos. Should the brain suffice to hold the concept, thus [515] is the process also on cosmic levels for such high existences as the seven Rishis of the Great Bear, and that still greater Being, the ONE ABOUT WHOM NOUGHT MAY BE SAID.
3. The Spirillae and the Egoic Ray.
We will take up now the subject of the spirillae within the permanent atom, and see in what manner they are affected by the egoic ray, remembering always that we are considering them as:
First. The interior economy of the life germ on the three planes which concern man in the three worlds; second, as the seventh principle in each of the three sheaths; and third, as the positive nucleus of force which holds together the matter of the three sheaths.
Let us therefore study two things:
The composition of the permanent atom.
The difference between the mental unit and the astral and physical permanent atoms.
To do this with clarity, and so bring some kind of definite concept into being from the dark regions of abstraction, let us tabulate:
a. The composition of the permanent atom: The permanent atom of the astral and physical planes is a sphere of physical or astral substance, composed of atomic matter, and characterised by the following qualities:
Responsiveness. This is its inherent power to respond to the vibration of some one of the Heavenly Men, as it is transmitted via the deva, or Brahma aspect, of His threefold nature. The permanent atom finds its place within the sphere of influence of one or other of the great devas who are the Raja-Lords of a plane.
Form Building Power. These devas sound forth two syllables of the threefold microcosmic word and are each (on their own plane) the coherent agency which gathers [516] substance into form, and attracts matter for purposes ofobjectivity. The astral sound produces the microcosmic 'Son of Necessity,' and when it reverberates on the physicalplane produces physical incarnation, and the sudden appearance on etheric levels of the seven centres. The building of the dense physical is the result of consequent automatic action in deva essence, for it must ever be borne in mind that man is essentially (as regards the physical plane) an etheric being, and his dense physical body is esoterically regarded as 'below the threshold' and is not considered a principle.
Relative Permanency. In the seventh principle of all manifesting entities is stored up and developed capacity, acquired ability, and the atomic memory, or in other words the heredity of the Thinker, viewing him from the physical standpoint or from the emotional. There is no permanence whatever in the sheaths; they are built into temporary forms, and dissolved when the Thinker has exhausted their possibilities, but the seventh principle of each sheath gathers to itself the achieved qualities and stores them up—under the Law of Karma—to work out again and to demonstrate as the plane impulse at each fresh cycle of manifestation. This permanency is itself likewise only a relative one, and as the inner fire within the atom burns more brightly, as the external fires of the ego or solar fire beat upon it with ever increasing intensity, the atom in due time is consumed, and the inner blaze becomes so great that it destroys its encompassing wall.
Heat. Herein lies the distinction between the permanent atoms on all planes, and the atomic matter of which they form a part. It is not easy to make this distinction clear, nor is it desirable at this time; the true facts of the case are one of the guarded secrets of initiation, but the distinction between the permanent atom, and atomic matter, may be somewhat comprehended if we state:
[517]
The permanent atom is one that has been appropriated by one of the lives that form the centres in the body of a solar Lord, whilst atomic matter per se goes to the formation of other parts of His great body of light.
A permanent atom is one which has come under the attractive power of the second aspect, whilst atomic matter itself is vitalised by the life of the third aspect.
A permanent atom follows the line of the least resistance of force, and is passing out of the control of the Deva Lord and coming under the control of positive life. This concerns the evolution of consciousness in substance.
A permanent atom comes under the direct control of the lower of the three groups of Lipika Lords, and is the agency through which They work in the imposition of karma upon the particular entity who may be utilising it. They work directly with the permanent atoms of men, and produce results through the agency of form until they have exhausted the vibratory capacity of any particular atom; when this is the case the atom passes into the stage of obscuration, as does the seventh principle of any sheath. It comes under the influence of the first aspect, manifesting as the Destroyer.
Remember that in these affirmations we are concerning ourselves with the microcosm, and with the permanent atoms which are related to him; as regards the solar Logos manifesting in the system, we are concerned with but one permanent atom, and this is His physical permanent atom. It is thus true that within the permanent physical atom of the solar Logos lies hid the ability to respond consciously to the vibration of all the planes, lies hid the secret of the karmic purpose of His incarnation, and lies concealed the mystery of His functional activity; but we cannot penetrate the secret as yet of His three lower permanent atoms as they function as a unity within His causal vehicle. Until we can do this it is useless for us to conjecture as to His fundamental Being.
The difference between them: The mental unit is in a unique and peculiar position as regards man, the Thinker in the causal body. This point will be discussed shortly, suffice it to say here that its mystery lies hid in the nature of the Heavenly Men Themselves. The following correspondence holds the key to this mystery, but it can only be indicated, leaving it to the student to work out the truth for himself. On the three planes of logoic manifestation—the highest three—we have the three aspects manifesting; on the buddhic plane, the fourth cosmic ether, we have the logoic etheric centres demonstrating, or those force vortices which animate the three lower planes of the dense physical manifestation. In connection with the Heavenly Men we have a secondary manifestation, and on the buddhic plane we have Their third aspect found, leaving for Their paramount manifestation of force, the cosmic gaseous plane, or the manasic plane; They are essentially the divine Thinkers, the Manasaputras. In connection, therefore, with the Microcosm, viewing him as part of a centre in the body of a Heavenly Man, we have a lesser descent within the gaseous or fire manifestation of a solar Lord. This concerns the three higher subplanes of what might be considered as the manifestation of Man's three higher aspects in mental matter, whilst on the fourth subplane we have the mental centres of man within the periphery of his mental body, of which the mental unit is the unifying factor. This is—as has been earlier said—a deep mystery, and one that can be no further amplified.
b. The Planes and Fiery Energy. It seems desirable that we should here discuss the analogies on each plane, [clxx]69 with the seven sub-planes, reminding the student that we are speaking of the planes as the field of evolution of a solar Logos, and not only as a field for the development of man. In the solar system we have:
First, the three higher planes, which have been rightly called the planes of the three aspects; second, the seventh logoic principle is on the first plane, and we can consider it as the impulse in physical matter which produced His body of objectivity.
On the second plane are found the seven Heavenly Men, Who are His principal centres of force. There are others, but we are not here concerned with Them. These latter have achieved a certain specific goal, and are the [520]embodiment of centres which are now quiescent or out of manifestation, the logoic kundalini having turned its attention elsewhere. Under another enumeration they make the ten of the esoteric life, and can also be enumerated as twelve, thus forming the twelve-petalled Lotus, or the heart centre in the Body of the ONE ABOUT WHOM NOUGHT MAY BE SAID.
On the fourth cosmic ether the buddhic plane, are found the etheric centres of the Logos. There are to be found the esoteric planets and the Sun, viewed as the centre of the buddhic principles, and from thence the Logos animates His dense physical manifestation.
Finally, on the three lower planes we have His gaseous, liquid, and dense bodies or sheaths, forming in themselves a unity in one peculiar sense; they are as much a coherent whole as the three higher planes form a unified triple expression of the three persons of the Trinity.
We have a similar analogy in the subplanes of each plane in the system, and this will become ever more apparent as man achieves a greater clarity of vision, and can consciously ascertain for himself the truth about the subjective life. Let us briefly take these planes and study the life or force manifestation on each, laying the emphasis upon the lower four, and not so much upon the planes which do not concern man so closely.
The Logoic Plane. The first, the second, and the third subplanes of the first cosmic ether respond specifically to the vibration of one of the three aspects, or to those cosmic Entities Whose influence reaches the matter of the planes from without the system altogether. On the fourth subplane comes a primary blending of the three fiery Lives, producing archetypally that force manifestation of electricity which eventually causes the blazing forth of the Sons of Light on the next plane. In this electrical connotation we have the three higher planes ever embodying the threefold Spirit aspect, the lower [521] three embodying the threefold substance aspect, and then a plane of at-one-ment whereon an approximation is made which, on the path of return, marks the moment of achievement, and the point of triumph. This is succeeded by obscuration. Hence on every plane in the solar system we have a fourth plane whereon the struggle for perfect illumination, and subsequent liberation takes place, the battle ground, the Kurukshetra. Though for man the fourth plane, the buddhic, is the place of triumph, and the goal of his endeavour, for the Heavenly Man it is the battle-ground, while for the solar Logos it is the burning-ground.
This differentiation of the subplanes of the systemic planes into a higher three, a lower three, and a central plane of harmony is only so from the standpoint of electrical phenomena, and not from the standpoint of either pure Spirit, or pure substance, viewed apart from each other. It concerns the mystery of electricity, and the production of light. The three higher planes concern the central Forces or Lives, the three lower concern the lesser Forces or Lives. We must bear this carefully in mind, remembering that to the occultist there is no such thing as substance, but only Force in varying degrees, only Energy of differentiated quality, only Lives emanating from different sources, each distinctive and apart, and only Consciousness producing intelligent effect through the medium of space.
I would point out that the Lord Agni shows forth His fiery life on the atomic subplane of each plane; He shows forth as solar fire on the second, third and fourth, and as 'fire by friction' on the fifth, sixth and seventh. From the point of view of the microcosm, the Spark in the Flame, man demonstrates as electric fire on the second plane, or the second cosmic ether; as solar fire on the third, fourth and the three higher subplanes of the fifth [522] plane, and as fire by friction on the lower subplanes of the fifth, on the sixth, and seventh planes.
c. The Planes and the Three Fires. On every plane we have, relatively speaking:
a. Electric fire demonstrating as the prime condition on the higher three.
b. Fire by friction as the most significant factor on the lower three.
c. Solar fire, showing forth as the blaze produced by union on the central plane.
In the solar system this is to be seen in connection with a Heavenly Man on the buddhic plane, where They blaze forth through Their etheric centres. In connection with man on the mental plane, we have a similar condition: the three higher subplanes concern the Spirit aspect in the causal body, the three lower subplanes concern primarily the mental sheath, or fire by friction; the fourth subplane is that on which the force centres of the mental body are to be found. So it is on the physical plane for man—his etheric centres being located in matter of the fourth ether.
Each of the three Persons of the Trinity manifests equally as does a man, as Spirit, Soul or Ego, and Substance. In connection with Brahma, we have the Spirit aspect animating the three higher subplanes of every plane, or the first fire aspect. His soul aspect is found on the fourth subplane of each plane whereon are situated the etheric centres of all manifested entities. His substance aspect is primarily contacted on the three lower subplanes. Hence we have the forty-nine fires of matter, or the seven fires of each plane, the union of the higher three and the lower three producing that blaze which we call the wheels of fire or the centres on the fourth subplane of each plane.
In connection with the second aspect there is a similar [523] condition. Solar fire blazes forth in its electrical aspect on the second plane, and demonstrates thus also on the third and fourth planes, but finds its central demonstration on manasic levels, shining through the causal vehicles of the egoic groups. Only two and a half planes then remain through which the fire by friction aspect may manifest, eighteen subplanes in all which concern the third aspect of the second Person of the logoic Trinity.
For man, the microcosm, a similar differentiation is possible; His Monad can be studied in its threefold essence on its own plane, his egoic aspect likewise, and the Brahma aspect of the Ego is found within the permanent atoms. Students should therefore study with care:
1. The Planes. The manifestation of Brahma, the third or substance aspect, and should apply to this Entity the same triple constitution as is apparent in the other two. The planes of electric fire, the planes of his lower nature, and the point of blazing forth or conflagration for him (the etheric centres) must be carefully studied. Brahma is the positive life of matter; He is the revelation of substance and the blaze that can be seen.
2. Vibration. The manifestation of the second aspect. These vibrations of consciousness are the major three words which are the sumtotal of egoic life, the minor three which govern the third aspect of the Ego, and the chord of at-one-ment which is that which is sounding forth now.
The three aspects of Spirit as they are seen can only be expressed in terms of the other two in this solar system, and of their nature extra-systemically nought can profitably be said at this stage of cognition.
The above thoughts upon the planes, and the ninefold nature of all that is, take one into regions as yet almost beyond the grasp of man; yet only when the substance [524] aspect is studied by the scientist in its triple nature will truth be approximated, and the true nature of electrical phenomena be comprehended; then and only then will electricity be harnessed and utilised by man as a unity, and not just in one of its aspects as at present; the negative electricity of the planet is all that is as yet contacted for commercial purposes. It must be remembered that this term is used in the sense of negative in relation to solar electricity. When man has found out how to contact and utilise positive solar electricity in combination with negative planetary electricity, we shall have a very dangerous condition brought about, and one of the factors which will eventually manifest in the destruction of the fifth root race by fire. At that great cataclysm—as the Bible says "the Heavens will melt with fervent heat." [clxxi]70 This will be seen in a still greater degree in the next round, and will cause that destruction by fire of the forms of the men who have failed, which will liberate the lives on a stupendous scale, and thus temporarily 'purify' the Earth from elements which would tend to hinder the evolutionary process. As the cycles pass away, the balancing of these fiery currents will be gradually brought about, and will result in a planetary condition of harmony, and of esoteric equality, which will provide ideal environment for harmonious man.
Only when the soul aspect is studied by the psychologist in its threefold essential nature will the mystery of consciousness become apparent, and the nature of the three magnetic groups, in their various subdivisions with their consequent effectual radiation become a factor in the public life. This concerns itself with the definite development of the psyche under law, with the scientific expansion of the consciousness, and will eventually bring about conditions wherein the work, preliminary to the first initiation, will be purely exoteric, and no longer[525] part of an esoteric process. In due course of time, it will be found that the self-induced efforts whereby a man consciously prepares his centres for the application of the Rod of Initiation at the first Initiation, will be the subject of books, and of lectures, and form part of the ordinary thought of the masses. This again will eventuate in a cleavage between the two groups in the middle of the fifth round. It must be remembered that this cleavage will be part of a natural process, and not a drastic ruling, imposed upon an unwilling people. The KNOWERS and the students of the Knowledge—actuated by group consciousness, and working consciously—will separate themselvesin group formation from those who know not, and from those who care not. This cleavage will be self-induced, and a natural outgrowth of the group life; it will in itself be of a temporary nature for the fundamental aim in view will be the bringing about of an eventual closer merging; it will mark primarily the line of demarcation between the lower four Rays of consciousness, and the higher three. It is also a mystery hid in the relationship between the four exoteric Kumaras, [clxxii]71 and the esoteric three, and from the point of view of man separates those who are developing the consciousness of the Triad from those who as yet are living the life of the Quaternary. It concerns those who respond to the solar Lords, distinguishing them from those who recognise as yet only the control of the lunar Lords. In terms of Fire: those who warm themselves by means of fire by friction and respond not to the heat of solar fire remain within the cavern, thus living in the dark; whilst those whose being is irradiated by the Sun of Wisdom, and who bask in the rays of solar heat dwell in the light, and enjoy an ever increasing freedom, and vital existence.
The true significance of the three aspects of Spirit is only becoming apparent to the initiate of high degree, [526]and cannot be expressed in words, nor comprehended by man before he has passed out of the human kingdom into the spiritual. Therefore, it is needless for us to pause here to consider it at greater length.
We might sum up the matter in terms of the Old Commentary from which source H. P. B. quoted so often:
"The Blessed Ones hide Their threefold nature, but reveal Their triple essence by means of the three great groups of atoms. Three are the atoms, and threefold the radiation. The inner core of fire hides itself and is known only through radiation and that which radiates. Only after the blaze dies out and the heat is no longer felt can the fire be known."
We can now resume our consideration of the mystery of the mental unit, and note wherein it differs from the otherpermanent atoms; we might then briefly summarise a mass of esoteric information anent the permanent atoms, which will suffice for many years to come as the basis of investigation for occult students. The permanent atoms, and their internal economy, will remain a mystery for a long time, and only a few general indications can here be given.
The fundamental difference between the mental unit and the other two atoms consists in the fact that it contains only four spirillae instead of seven. This is brought about by the very facts of evolution itself, for the mental unit is the first aspect of the personality triad, or of man functioning, in the human kingdom on the three lower planes. At his transference into the spiritual kingdom, these three aspects—the mental body, the astral body, and the physical body—are synthesised into the higher by a dual process:
1. His polarisation shifts from out of the lower three atoms into the Triadal atoms.
2. The force which these atoms generate and embody is merged and blended into the higher force points.
[527]
A permanent atom is the positive nucleus or germ substance to the sheath wherein it is found. It is that which is the basis of form-building, and it is literally a vibrant point of force, emanating from the second aspect of the Monad, which aggregates to itself, and subsequently builds into form, the negative or third aspect. But it must here be remembered that this second aspect is itself dual, and that in considering the permanent atoms we are dealing with the feminine aspect of the second Person. The spirillae therefore are but streams of force, or second aspect vitality which circulates geometrically within the circumscribing wall of substance, composed of third aspect force or substance. What has been said of objectivity, or of the cosmic atom can be equally well predicated of the permanent atom of man the microcosm:
"The primordial ray is the vehicle of the divine Ray." [clxxiii]72 Negative force forms a receptacle for positive force. Atoms are but force centres, and the centres as we know of them are but aggregates of force points which have reached a specific point in evolution, and are responding to the first great aspect in some degree, or to electric fire.
This sentence, is one to be seriously pondered, for it holds hid much information for the student, and when duly comprehended will result in the light of knowledge being shed upon the problems of manifestation. It concerns the secret of the position of the different kingdoms of nature within the logoic body, and their place and part, for all depends upon the type of force which animates, upon the interplay of that force in substance, upon the dual, triple, or united aspect of force, and upon its septenary demonstration in form-building.
Every atom is a focal point of force, the force of substance itself, the life or vitality of the third aspect, the [528] life of that cosmic Entity Who is to the Logos the negative aspect of electricity.
Every form [clxxiv]73 and aggregate of atoms, is simply a force centre produced by the action of positive force and its interaction with negative energy. It is the vitality of the second aspect working in conjunction with the third, and producing—in time and space—that illusion or maya which temporarily blazes forth, and attracts attention, creating the impression that matter is a concrete something. There is no such thing as concretion in reality; there is only force of different kinds, and the effect produced on consciousness by their interplay.
Back of all forms and of all substances (as yet but little contacted and realised) lies a third type of force, which utilises these two other factors to produce eventual harmony, and which is itself on its own plane the sumtotal of the second. It can be called:
a. The one synthesising Life.
b. Electric fire.
c. The point of equilibrium.
d. Unity or harmony.
e. Pure Spirit.
f. Dynamic Will.
g. Existence.
It is a Force, working through a dual manifestation of differentiated force, through the energy of matter, the coherency of forms, through force centres, and force points. It is FOHAT in triple demonstration, of which the final or third is as yet unknown and inconceivable.
This brings me to the consideration of the fact earlier stated that the mental unit possesses but four of the streams of force. Each of the streams of force in the permanent atoms vibrates to the note of a particular subplane, and serves as the medium for the vitalisation of the matter of the subplane, which is built into any particular body around a permanent atom. It is the force of the Heavenly Man as it animates the cells of His form, and holds them as a coherent unity. Here it must be remembered that, from the point of view of the microcosm, the aspect of pure Spirit or of Electric Fire remains in this solar system as an abstraction. A man can attain group consciousness; he can vibrate to the note of the Heavenly Man in Whose body he is a cell; he can demonstrate in relative perfection fire by friction and solar fire, but it remains for a later mahamanvantara to reveal [530] the true nature of Spirit. Therefore in man, functioning in the human family, this fact is apparent and the correspondence to be seen. Until he passes out of the three worlds, and until he becomes a Master of the Wisdom, he has this truth concealed in these three aspects. The mental is not a septenary permanent atom, but only responds to four types of force, and not to the entire range of vibrations. Herein lies a reason for tolerance. Until a man is coming consciously under the control of the Ego and is beginning to sense the vibration of the manasic permanent atom, it is useless to expect him to respond to certain ideals, or to grasp certain aspects of truth. The mental unit suffices for his need, and no bridge exists between it and the manasic permanent atom.
Two and a half planes are concerned with the evolution of man, per se, in the fourth kingdom, and he only begins to transcend them as he nears the Path and treads it. From the standpoint of average man in physical incarnation, the egoic consciousness, within the causal periphery, is as abstract as is the Logos viewed as the Dweller within the system. These two and a half planes are of peculiar interest to the Logos, as they embody:
That which, for Him, lies below the threshold of consciousness.
Those centres from which logoic kundalini is turning.
That which is not considered a principle.
That which is gradually passing into obscuration.
It is impossible to enlarge further upon this mystery.
4. Summary.
Before proceeding further, however, it might be well to sum up some of the facts anent the spirillae and the atom, and then we can take up the subject of the causal body and man, the individual.
[531]
1. The four lower spirillae are definitely under the influence of the personality Ray.
2. The fifth and sixth spirillae are more specifically under the egoic Ray, whatever that Ray may be.
3. The fifth spirilla has a peculiar value inasmuch as it synthesises the lower four. It is the third when counting the streams of spiral force from the standpoint of the atomic pole. It vibrates to five types of force.
4. The spirillae are literally ten in number, three major and seven minor. But from the unity point of view, they are the four and the major three, the remaining lesser three being counted as one with their major, inasmuch as they are direct reflections.
5. The permanent atoms are not heart-shaped as portrayed in certain books. A certain number of atoms are of that type but they are not the permanent atoms which are more definitely spheroidal and are slightly flattened at the top, where the correspondence to the polar depression may be found, and equally flattened at the under surface.
6. The arrangement of the spirillae within the permanent atoms varies on each plane and the ones most frequently described are those of the physical plane. The arrangement of these tiny force vortices and their internal economy on each plane is one of the secrets of initiation and may not be revealed. One hint only may be given to guide the student: The astral permanent atom has its internal streams of force arranged so that the spirals do approach quite closely the conformation of a heart, though the pointed end is eliminated. The buddhic permanent atom has its spirillae arranged so as to form approximately a figure eight with a central stream bisecting the double spiral.
7. The closer the approach to reality the simpler will be found the arrangement of the spirilla. These streams of force show a septenary arrangement in the [532] lower three permanent atoms of man, while the higher three contain but three spirillae—the major three.
8. It should be noted that there are but six permanent atoms connected with human evolution, while a Heavenly Man has but five, and even then only one in the solar system. (The mystery of a planet and its central life has not yet been revealed. It is connected with another manifestation of which as yet nought is known.)
9. It should be remembered that we are dealing with a physical incarnation of these great Entities and that Their permanent atoms, with the exception of the physical, are extra-systemic.
10. The causal body of the Heavenly Men is upon the third subplane of the cosmic mental plane, while that of the solar Logos and those of the three Persons of the logoic Trinity are upon the first subplane.
11. The permanent atoms of men are upon the atomic subplane of each plane, with the one exception of the mental unit. Those of the animal groups are upon the second subplane; those of the vegetable groups are upon the third subplane; those of the mineral groups are upon the fourth subplane. There is, therefore, a close analogy between these focal points of force of the group—human or otherwise—and a chain, a globe, and a round, and in their due application comes enlightenment. The sumtotal of the permanent atoms of any particular kingdom form the streams of force or spirillae in the greater atoms of solar entities or of lunar entities, while the sumtotal of the permanent atoms of man in the spiritual kingdom (the three triadal atoms, atma-buddhi-manas) form the spiral streams of force within certain centres.
12. As the permanent atoms become radioactive in due course of evolution, the result within the centre is a marked increase of vibration.
13. The permanent atoms concern solar entities when they are found on or above the higher mental. They [533]concern lunar entities on the lower mental, the astral and the physical planes.
14. It should be noted that in this solar system the following entities manifest through:
I. One permanent atom . . . the physical.
1. A solar Logos.
2. The three major Rays, or Lords of Aspect.
3. The seven Heavenly Men.
4. The forty-nine Regents of the planetary chains.
II. Two permanent atoms . . . the physical and the astral.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий