IV. MACROCOSMIC AND MICROCOSMIC ETHERS
1. The Planetary Logos and the Ethers
Logoi pass out of their ring-pass-not cyclically, under the law of karma
The importance of the number four, the fourth plane or sub-planes, the fourth ether (cosmic, systemic, or planetary), and the fourth earth chain in the evolution of the planetary Logos
Man, the indwelling thinker, passes out of his etheric ring-pass-not at night and functions elsewhere.
So too, under the law, the planetary Logos can pass His ring-pass-not at seasons corresponding in the planet to the hours of man's temporary repose, or pralaya.
The solar Logos does the same, during cycles, which are not the cycles succeeding those we term ‘solar pralaya’, but are lesser cycles succeeding the 'days of Brahma' or ‘periods of lesser activity’.
All these are governed by karma, and just as the true Man himself applies the law of karma to his vehicles, and in his tiny system is the correspondence to the fourth group of karmic entities we call the Lipika Lords; He applies the law to his threefold lower nature.
The fourth group of extra-cosmic Entities (Who have Their place subsidiary to the three cosmic Logoi Who are the threefold sum total of the logoic nature), can pass the bounds of the solar ring-pass-not in Their cycles.
This is a profound mystery; its complexity is increased by the recollection that
Ø The fourth Creative Hierarchy of human Monads, and
Ø The Lipika Lords in Their three groups:
(i.e. the first group, the second, and the ‘four Maharajahs’, making the totality of the threefold ‘karmic rulers who stand between the solar Logos and the seven planetary Logoi’),
are more closely allied than the other Hierarchies, and their destinies are intimately interwoven. [Page 112]
Ø A further link in this chain is that the four rays of mind (which concern the karma of the four planetary Logoi (Which ones? Are they the ones that carry the four rays of mind – 4, 5, 6, 7 – Mercury, Venus, Mars/Neptune, Uranus? Ed.)) in their totality hold in their keeping the present evolutionary process for Man, viewing him as the Thinker.
Ø These four, with the karmic four, work in the closest co-operation.
Therefore, we have the following groups interacting:
- The four ‘Maharajahs’, the ‘lesser Lipika Lords’ [1] , who apply past karma and work it out in the present.
- The four ‘Lipikas of the second group’, referred to by H. P. B. as occupied in applying future karma, and wielding the future destiny of the races.
- The work of the first group of four cosmic Lipika Lords is occult. It is only revealed at the fourth Initiation (only slightly) and will not be touched on here.
- The fourth Creative Hierarchy of human Monads, held by a fourfold karmic law under guidance of the Lipikas.
- The four planetary Logoi [2] of Harmony, Knowledge, Abstract Thought and Ceremonial, who are in Their totality the ‘Quaternary of Manas’ while in process of evolution, and who pass under Their influence all the sons of men. [Page 113]
- The Deva Lords of the four planes of
Ø Buddhi, or the plane of spiritual Intuition,
Ø Manas, or the mental plane,
Ø Desire, and the
Ø Physical,
who are allied to human evolution in more closely than the higher three.
Further correspondence is found in the following, which even now is in process of development:
- The fourth plane of Buddhi is that on which the planetary Logoi begin to make Their ‘escape’ from Their ‘planetary ring-pass-not,’ or from ‘the etheric web’ (that has its counterpart on all planes).
- Simultaneously to when man begins to co-ordinate the buddhic vehicle (i.e. when he develops the power to contact ever so slightly the buddhic plane), then he begins to achieve ability consciously to ‘escape’ from ‘the etheric web on the physical plane’.
- Later he ‘escapes’ from its correspondence on the astral plane, and finally from the correspondence on the fourth sub-plane of the mental plane this time via the mental unit.
- This leads eventually to causal functioning (the ability to dwell, and be active in, the vehicle of the Ego, who is the embodiment of the love and wisdom aspect of the Monad).
Note here the correspondence to the fact, that many can even now ‘escape from the etheric body’, and ‘function in their astral sheath’, which is the personality reflection of that same second aspect (Ego, soul, Ed.). [Page 114]
When a man takes the fourth Initiation, he functions in the fourth plane vehicle, the buddhic, and has ‘escaped’ permanently from the personality ring-pass-not, on the fourth sub-plane of the mental.
There is naught to hold him to the three worlds.
At the first Initiation he ‘escapes from a ring-pass-not’ in a more temporary sense, but he has yet to ‘escape from the three higher mental levels’, which are mental correspondences to the higher ethers, and to develop full consciousness on these three higher sub-planes.
Ø We have here a correspondence to the work to be done by the initiate after he has achieved the fourth solar plane, the buddhic.
There yet remains development of full consciousness on the three higher planes of spirit before he can ‘escape from the solar ring-pass-not,’ which is achieved at the seventh Initiation, taken somewhere in the system, or in its cosmic correspondence reached by the cosmic sutratma, or cosmic thread of life [3]
[I get the sense that ‘escape’ in this context means ‘to develop consciousness beyond the previous confines – on to whatever is the next plane or sub-plane for the advancing unit”, Ed.]
Ø This fourth earth chain is in this connection one of the most important, for it is the appointed place for the domination of the etheric body by the human monad, with the aim in view of both human and planetary ‘escape from limitations’.
Ø This fourth earth chain, though not one of the seven sacred planetary chains, is of vital importance at this time to the planetary Logos, who temporarily employs it as a medium of incarnation, and of expression.
Ø This fourth round finds the solution of its strenuous and chaotic life in the simple fact of the ‘shattering of the etheric web’ in order to effect liberation, and permit a later and more adequate form to be employed. [Page 115]
Follow a further chain of ideas by recalling that:
Ø The fourth ether is even now being studied and developed by scientists, and is already somewhat harnessed to the service of man
Ø The fourth sub-plane of the astral plane is the normal functioning ground of the average man and that in this round ‘escape from the etheric vehicle’ is being achieved
Ø The fourth sub-plane of the mental plane is the present goal of endeavour of one-fourth of the human family
Ø The fourth manvantara will see the solar ring-pass-not offering ‘avenues of escape’ to those who have reached the necessary point
Ø The four planetary Logoi will perfect Their escape from Their planetary environment, and will function with greater ease on the cosmic astral plane, paralleling on cosmic levels the achievement of the human units who are the cells in Their bodies.
Ø Our solar Logos, being a Logos of the fourth order, will begin to co-ordinate His cosmic buddhic body, and as He develops ‘cosmic mind’ He will gradually achieve, by the aid of that mind, the ability to touch the cosmic buddhic plane.
These correspondences help us to realise the work to be done with the etheric web as we take up the matter of the various hindrances to the desired progress and the appointed ‘escape’ and ‘destined liberation’
Later we will consider the etheric web, and its ‘static condition’. Remember two things:
- This ‘static condition’ is only so when viewed from the standpoint of man at the present time.
It is termed so to make plainer the changes that must be effected, and the dangers that must be offset.
Evolution moves so slowly from man's point of view that it seems to be almost stationary, especially where ‘etheric evolution’ is concerned. [Page 116]
- We will be concerning ourselves only with the physical etheric body and not with its correspondences on all planes.
This is because our system is on the cosmic etheric levels, and hence is of prime importance to us.
2. Cosmic and Systemic Ethers
Let us here briefly recapitulate certain fundamental hypotheses, to clear up any confusion concerning the solar system.
Some of these ‘facts’ are well known, others are inferential, while some are the expression of old and true correspondences couched in a more modern form.
a. The lowest cosmic plane is the ‘cosmic physical plane’. It is the only one which the finite mind of man can in any way comprehend
b. This ‘cosmic physical plane’ exists in matter differentiated into seven qualities, groups, grades, or vibrations
c. These seven differentiations are the seven major ‘planes’ of our solar system
For purposes of clarity, we tabulate under headings physical, systemic, and cosmic, so the relationship and correspondences may be apparent, and the connection to that which is above, and to that which is below, or included, may be more easily seen. [Page 117]
CHART III — THE SEVEN PLANES OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
TCF p. 117
THE PLANES |
||
Physical Plane |
Systemic Planes |
Cosmic Planes |
| 1. Atomic plane 1st etheric sub-plane |
Divine. Adi. Primordial matter |
Atomic plane 1st cosmic ether |
| 2. Sub-atomic Second etheric sub-plane |
Monadic. Anupadaka The Akasha |
Sub-atomic 2nd cosmic ether |
| 3. Super-etheric Third etheric sub-plane |
Spiritual. Atmic Æther |
3rd cosmic ether |
Plane of Union or At-One-Ment |
||
| 4. Fourth etheric sub-plane |
Intuitional. Buddhic Air |
4th cosmic ether |
The Lower Three Worlds |
||
| 5. Gaseous |
Mental. Fire |
Gaseous Cosmic sub-etheric |
| 6. Liquid |
Astral. Emotional |
Liquid |
| 7. Dense physical |
Physical plane |
Dense physical |
[Page 118]
d. The seven major ‘planes’ of our solar system are but the seven ‘sub-planes’ of the ‘cosmic physical plane’
We can consequently see the reason for the emphasis laid by H. P. B. [4] on the fact that ‘matter’ and ‘ether’ are synonymous terms and that this ‘ether’ is found in some form on all the planes
‘Ether’ is but a gradation of ‘cosmic atomic matter,’ called when undifferentiated, mulaprakriti or ‘primordial pre-genetic substance’, and when differentiated by Fohat (or the energising Life, the third Logos or Brahma) it is termed prakriti, or ‘matter’. [5]
e. Our solar system is what is called a system of the fourth order. It has its ‘location’ on the fourth ‘cosmic etheric plane’, counting from above downwards. [Page 119]
f. The fourth ‘cosmic etheric plane’ forms the meeting ground for the past and the future, and is the present.
g. The fourth, buddhic or intuitional, systemic plane (the correspondence in the system of this ‘fourth cosmic ether’) is the meeting ground, or plane of union, for that which is man and for that which will be superman, and links the past with that which is to be.
h. The following correspondences in time repay careful meditation. They are based on a realisation of the relationship between the fourth ‘cosmic ether’, (the buddhic plane), and the fourth physical etheric sub-plane.
Ø The fourth sub-plane of mind (the correspondence on the mental plane of the physical etheric), is likewise a ‘point of transition from out of a lower into a higher,’ and is the ‘transferring locality’ into the next higher body (personality to soul? Ed.).
Ø The fourth sub-plane of the monadic plane is the ‘place of transition from off the egoic ray (whichever that ray may be) on to the monadic ray’ (soul to Monad, Ed.)
i. The three major rays are organised on the three higher sub-planes of the monadic plane in the same way that the three abstract sub-planes of the mental are the ‘group of transference from off the personality ray on to the egoic’
Ø The four lesser rays blend with the third (3rd) major ray of active intelligence on the mental (5th) plane and on the atmic (3rd) plane.
Ø The four Logoi or planetary Spirits work as one, (1) on the atmic plane.
j. Another synthesis takes place on the synthetic second (2nd) ray on the second (2nd) sub-plane of the buddhic (4th) plane and the monadic (2nd) plane
k. The comparatively few Monads of will or power (1st ray) are synthesised on the atomic sub-plane of the atmic (3rd).
All three groups of Monads work in triple form on the mental plane under the Mahachohan, the Manu, and the Bodhisattva, or the Christ
Ø On the second or monadic plane they work as a unit,
Ø They demonstrate their dual work on the atmic plane, and
Ø They demonstrate their essential triplicity on the buddhic plane. [6] [Page 120]
The fourth etheric plane
holds the key to the dominance of matter
Note that:
Ø On the fourth physical ether man begins to co-ordinate his astral, or emotional body, and to ‘escape’ at ever more frequent intervals into that vehicle.
Ø ‘Continuity of consciousness’ is achieved when a man has mastered the four ethers.
Ø On the fourth sub-plane of the mental plane, man begins to control his causal or egoic body, and to polarise his consciousness therein until the polarisation is complete. (He begins to ‘escape the limitations’ of his concrete mind and personality, Ed.)
Ø He functions consciously on it (the whole mental plane? Ed.) when he has mastered the correspondences to the ethers on the mental plane.
Ø On the buddhic plane (the fourth cosmic ether) the Heavenly Men (or the grouped consciousness of the human and deva Monads) begin to function, and to ‘escape’ eventually from the cosmic etheric planes.
Ø When these three cosmic ethers are mastered, the functioning is perfected, polarisation is centred in the monadic vehicles, and the seven Heavenly Men have achieved Their goal.
The Heavenly Men are
the grouped consciousness of the human and deva Monads
l. On these (cosmic) etheric levels, therefore, the Logos of our system repeats, as a grand totality, the experiences of His tiny reflections on the physical planes
[Page 121]
He co-ordinates His cosmic astral body, and attains continuity of consciousness when He has mastered the three cosmic ethers.
m. Observe that just as in man the dense physical body and its three grades — dense, liquid and gaseous — is not recognised as a ‘principle’, so in the cosmic sense the physical (dense) astral (liquid) and mental (gaseous) levels are likewise regarded as ‘non-existing’, and the solar system has its location on the fourth ether.
The seven sacred planets are composed of matter of this fourth ether, and the seven Heavenly Men, whose bodies they are, function normally on the fourth plane of the system, the buddhic or the fourth cosmic ether.
When man has attained the consciousness of the (4th) buddhic plane, he has raised his consciousness to that of the Heavenly Man in whose body he is a cell.
This is achieved at the fourth Initiation, the liberating initiation.
At the fifth Initiation he ascends with the Heavenly Man on to the fifth plane, the atmic (from the human standpoint, fifth plane counting from below upwards)
At the sixth Initiation he has dominated the second cosmic ether and has monadic consciousness and continuity of function (from the human standpoint, the sixth plane from below upwards)
At the seventh Initiation he dominates the entire sphere of matter contained in the lowest cosmic plane, escapes from all etheric contact, and functions on the cosmic astral plane (from the human standpoint, the seventh plane from below upwards)
n. The past solar system saw
Ø The surmounting of the three lowest cosmic physical planes (5th-7th planes), viewed from the matter standpoint, and
Ø The co-ordination of the dense threefold physical form in which all life is found, dense matter, liquid matter, gaseous matter.
A correspondence may be seen here in the work achieved in the first three rootraces. [7]
[Page 122]
3. The Protective Purpose of the Etheric Body
Let us leave things cosmic and almost incomprehensible, and come down to practical evolution.
We now study man's etheric body and the harm that may ensue should that body (through the breaking of the law) no longer perform its protective function.
Let us see first of all what those protective functions are:
4. The ‘etheric web’ acts as a ‘separator’ (or dividing web) between the astral and dense physical bodies
5. It circulates the ‘inflowing vitality’ or ‘pranic fluid’ and carries on its work in three stages:
First stage:
The ‘pranic fluid’ and ‘solar radiations’ are received, circulated three times around the pranic triangle, and then distributed to the periphery of the body, animating and vitalising all physical organs, and conducing to the automatic subconscious workings of the body of dense matter.
[Page 123]
When perfectly accomplishing its object, it protects from disease. Ills of the flesh are unknown to one who absorbs and distributes prana with accuracy.
This hint is recommended to all physicians. When properly comprehended, it will result in a change in medicine from a curative to preventive foundation.
Second stage:
The ‘pranic’ fluids begin to ‘blend with the fire at the base of the spine’ and to ‘drive that fire slowly upwards’, transferring its ‘heat’ from ‘the centres below the solar plexus’ to the three higher centres — the heart, throat and head.
This is a long slow process when left to the unaided force of nature; but it is just here that (in a few cases) a quickening of the process is permitted in order to equip workers in the field of human service.
This is the object of all occult training.
We will take this up in greater detail when we handle our next point, "Kundalini and the Spine."
[From later: In the second stage this ‘vitalising blended fire’ reaches a ‘centre between the lower part of the shoulder blades’, the ‘point of conjunction and complete merging’ of the ‘fire from the base of the spine’ and the ‘fire circulating along the pranic triangle’. [Page 124]
Remember how one point of the pranic triangle originates there? When the threefold ‘basic fire’ and the threefold ‘pranic fire’ meet and merge, then evolution proceeds with greatly increased velocity.
This is effected definitely at the first Initiation when the polarisation becomes fixed in one of the three higher centres, which centre being dependent on a man's ray]
Third stage:
‘Active radiatory matter or prana’ is ‘blended ever more perfectly with the ‘fire latent in matter’
This results in:
\ Quickening of the normal vibration of the physical body so it responds more readily to the higher note of the Ego
\ A steady rising of the blending fires through the threefold channel in the spinal column
In the second stage this ‘vitalising blended fire’ reaches a ‘centre between the lower part of the shoulder blades’, which is the ‘point of conjunction and complete merging’ of the ‘fire from the base of the spine’ and the ‘fire circulating along the pranic triangle’. [Page 124]
This is one point of the pranic triangle.
When the threefold ‘basic fire’ and the threefold ‘pranic fire’ meet and merge, then evolution proceeds with greatly increased velocity.
This is effected definitely at the first Initiation, when the ‘polarisation’ becomes fixed in one of the three higher centres,—which centre being dependent upon a man's ray.
The result of this merging leads to a change in the action of the centres:
They become "wheels turning upon themselves," and from a purely ‘rotary movement’ become ‘fourth dimensional in action’, and manifest as ‘radiant whirling centres of living fire’
The three major head centres (the sequence varying according to ray) become active and a similar process occurs between them as was effected in the pranic triangle.
Ø From being three centres reacting but faintly to each other's vibratory movement (feeling the ‘warmth’ and ‘rhythm’ of each other, yet separated), the ‘fire’ leaps from centre to centre
Ø Each ‘whirling wheel’ becomes ‘linked by a chain of fire’ till there is a triangle of fire through which the kundalini and pranic fires radiate back and forth
Circulation is also carried on
Ø The ‘fire of kundalini’ produces the ‘heat’ of the centre, and its intense ‘radiance’ and ‘brilliance’;while
Ø The ‘pranic emanatory fire’ produces ever-increasing ‘activity’ and ‘rotation’
Ø As time elapses between the first and fourth Initiation, the ‘threefold channel in the spine’, and the entire etheric body is gradually cleansed and purified by the action of the fire till all "dross" (as the Christian expresses it) is ‘burnt away’, and naught remains to impede the progress of this ‘flame’
Ø As the ‘fire of kundalini’ and ‘prana’ proceed with their work, and the ‘channel becomes more and more cleared’, the centres more ‘active’, and the body purer, the ‘flame of spirit’, or the ‘fire from the Ego’, comes more actively downwards till a ‘flame’ of real brilliance issues from the top of the head. [Page 125]
Ø This ‘flame’ surges upwards through the bodies towards its source, the causal body.
Simultaneously with the activity of these ‘fires of matter’ and ‘fires of Spirit’, the ‘fires of mind’, or manas, burn with greater intensity
These are ‘the fires given at individualisation’
Ø They are fed continuously by the ‘fire of matter’
Ø Their ‘heat’ is augmented by ‘solar emanatory fire’, which originates on the cosmic levels of mind.
Ø It is this aspect of ‘the manasic fire’ that develops under the forms of instinct, animal memory, and functional recollection, which are so apparent in the little evolved man.
As time progresses the ‘fire of mind’ burns more brightly
Ø Eventually it reaches a point where it begins to ‘burn through the etheric web’ — that portion of the web guarding the centre at the very top of the head, and admitting entrance to the down-flow from the Spirit.
By its means certain things are brought about:
1. The kundalini fire is consciously directed and controlled by the mind or will aspect from the mental plane.
2. The two fires of matter by the power of the mind of man are blended first with each other, and, secondly, with the fire of mind.
3. The united result of this blending is the destruction (under rule and order), of the etheric web
4. This produces continuity of consciousness, and admits "Life more abundant," or the ‘third fire of Spirit’ into the personal life of man.
5. The down-rush of Spirit, and the uprising of ‘the inner fires of matter’ (controlled and directed by the conscious action of ‘the fire of mind’) produce corresponding results on the same levels on the astral and mental planes. A parallel contact is brought about. The great work of liberation proceeds in an ordered manner.
The three first initiations see these results perfected, and lead to the fourth, where the intensity of the united fires results in the complete ‘burning away of all barriers’, and the ‘liberation of the Spirit’ by conscious directed effort from out its threefold lower sheath. [Page 126]
Man has consciously to bring about his own liberation.
These results are self-induced by the man himself, as he is ‘emancipated from the three worlds’, and has ‘broken the wheel of rebirth’ himself instead of being broken upon it.
CAUTIONS
¤ Note how important is the etheric vehicle’s role as ‘the separator of the fires’
¤ Respect the dangers of tampering injudiciously, ignorantly or wilfully with these fires
Should a man, by will or over-development of the mind, acquire power to blend these ‘fires of matter’ and to ‘drive them forward’, he stands in danger of
Ø Obsession
Ø Insanity
Ø Dire disease in some part of his body
Ø Over-development of the sex impulse, by driving the force in an uneven manner upwards; by forcing its radiation to undesirable centres
Ø Even physical death
The reason for this is that
Ø The matter of his body is not yet pure enough to stand ‘the uniting of the flames’
Ø ‘The channel up the spine is still clogged and blocked’, and therefore ‘acts as a barrier, turning the flame backwards and downwards’
Ø The ‘flame’ (being united by the power of mind and not being accompanied by a simultaneous down-flow from the plane of spirit), permits entrance, through the ‘burning’ etheric, of undesirable and extraneous forces, currents, even entities
Ø These wreck, tear and ruin what is left of the etheric vehicle, the brain tissue, and even the dense physical body itself.
Ø The unwary man, being unaware of his Ray and therefore of the proper geometrical form of triangle for correctly circulating ‘fire’ from centre to centre, will ‘drive the fire in unlawful progression’ and thus ‘burn up tissue’. [Page 127]
Ø This will (if in nothing worse) set back his progress for several lives to be spent rebuilding where he destroyed, and recapitulating on right lines all the work to be done.
r If a man persists from life to life in this line of action
r If he neglects his spiritual development and concentrates on intellectual effort turned to manipulation of matter for selfish ends
r If he continues this in spite of the promptings of his inner self, and in spite of the warnings that may reach him from Those who watch, and
r If this is carried on for a long period
he may bring upon himself a destruction that is final for this manvantara or cycle.
He may, by the uniting of ‘the two fires of matter’ and the ‘dual expression of mental fire’, succeed in the complete destruction of the physical permanent atom, and thereby sever his connection with the higher self for aeons of time.
H. P. B. has somewhat touched on this when speaking of "lost souls" [8]
The reality of this dire disaster must be emphasized
All who approach this subject of ‘the fires of matter’ must take due care – it has hidden dangers
The blending of the fires must be the result of spiritualised knowledge, and must be directed solely by the Light of the Spirit,
The Light of the Spirit
þ Works through love and is love
þ Seeks this unification and this utter merging not from the point of view of sense or of material gratification, but because liberation and purification is desired in order that the higher union with the Logos may be effected
þ This union is then desired, not for selfish ends, but because group perfection is the goal and scope for greater service to the race must be achieved
[Page 128]
V. DEATH AND THE ETHERIC BODY
I do not purpose to give facts for scientists to verify, nor to point out the next step for investigators; that I may do so is purely secondary.
I seek to indicate the development and correspondence of the threefold whole that the solar system is.
The solar system is the vehicle through which a great cosmic Entity, the solar Logos, manifests:
¤ Active intelligence with the
¤ Purpose of demonstrating perfectly the
¤ Love side of His nature
Underlying this design is a more esoteric purpose, hidden in the Will Consciousness of the Supreme Being; it will be demonstrated when the present objective is attained
Manifestation and non-manifestation is a prime, or essential duality:
[It also is reminiscent of the mystery of infinity and zero, Ed.]
The alternation of objective manifestation and subjective obscuration, (periodic out-breathing, an in-breathing of all that has been carried forward through evolution) embodies in the system one of the basic cosmic vibrations, the key-note of that cosmic ENTITY whose body we are.
The ‘heart beats of the Logos’ (if it might be so expressed) are the source of all cyclic evolution.
Hence the importance attached to development of the "heart" or "love aspect," and the interest awakened by the study of rhythm.
This is true, not only cosmically and macrocosmically, but also in the human unit.
Underlying all physical sense attached to rhythm, vibration, cycles and heartbeat, lie their subjective analogies—love, feeling, emotion, desire, harmony, synthesis and ordered sequence.
Behind these lies the source of all, the identity of the Supreme Being Who thus expresses Himself.
| Objective physical items |
Subjective analogies |
| heartbeat vibration cycles and rhythm |
love, feeling emotion, desire, harmony synthesis and ordered sequence |
Therefore, the study of pralaya, (the withdrawal of the life out of the etheric vehicle) will be the same whether one studies the withdrawal of
¤ The human etheric double
¤ The planetary etheric double
¤ The etheric double of the solar system
[Page 129] The effect is the same and the consequences similar.
What is the result of this withdrawal? Or rather: What causes that ‘something’ we call ‘death’ or pralaya? The withdrawal of the etheric double of a man, a planet, and a system is brought about by the following causes:
a. The cessation of desire
This should be the result of all evolutionary process
True ‘death’, under the law, is brought about by the attainment of the objective, and hence by the cessation of aspiration
This, as the perfected cycle draws to its close, will be true
¤ Of the individual human being,
¤ Of the Heavenly Man, and
¤ Of the Logos Himself.
b. By the slowing down and gradual cessation of the cyclic rhythm, the ‘adequate vibration’ is achieved, and ‘the work’ accomplished.
When the vibration or note is perfectly felt or sounded, it causes (at the point of synthesis with other vibrations) the utter shattering of the forms
Motion is characterised by three qualities:
¤ Inertia (Tamas)
¤ Mobility (Rajas)
¤ Rhythm (Sattva)
These three are experienced in the above sequence, implying a period of slow activity (Tamas) succeeded by one of extreme or rapid movement (Rajas)
The middle period (Rajas) produces (as the true note and rate is sought) cycles of chaos, experiment, experience and comprehension
Following on these two degrees of motion (which are characteristic of the atom, Man, of the Heavenly Man or group, and of the Logos or the Totality) comes a period of rhythm and of stabilisation wherein the point of balance is achieved (Sattva). [Page 130]
By the force of balancing the pairs of opposites, and thus producing equilibrium, pralaya is the inevitable sequence.
c. By the severing the physical from the subtler body on the inner planes, through the ‘shattering of the web’
This has a threefold effect:
1. The life that had
¤ Animated the physical form (both dense and etheric) and which
¤ Had its starting point in the permanent atom, and from thence
¤ “Pervaded the moving and the unmoving” (in God, the Heavenly Man, and the human being, as well as in the atom of matter)
¤ Is withdrawn entirely within the atom upon the plane of abstraction.
This "plane of abstraction" is a different one for the entities involved:
1. For the physical permanent atom, it is the atomic level
2. For man, it is the causal vehicle
3. For the Heavenly Man, it is the second plane of monadic life, His habitat.
4. For the Logos, it is the plane of Adi
These mark the points for the ‘disappearance of the unit into pralaya’
Remember that it is pralaya when viewed from below
From the higher vision, that sees the subtler continuously overshadowing the dense when not in objective manifestation, pralaya is simply subjectivity
It is not ‘that which is not,’ but simply ‘that which is esoteric’
2. The etheric double of a man, a planetary Logos, and a solar Logos, being shattered, becomes non-polarised as regards its indweller, and permits therefore of ‘escape’
¤ It is no longer a source of attraction
¤ It is no longer a focal magnetic point
¤ It becomes non-magnetic, and the Law of Attraction ceases to control it
¤ Hence disintegration of the form ensues.
[Page 131]
¤ The Ego ceases to be attracted by its form on the physical plane, and, proceeding to inbreathe, withdraws its life out of the sheath
¤ The cycle draws to a close
¤ The experiment has been made
¤ The objective (a relative one from life to life and from incarnation to incarnation) has been achieved
¤ There remains nothing more to desire
¤ The Ego (soul), the thinking entity, loses interest in the form
¤ The Ego turns his attention inward
¤ His polarisation changes, and
¤ The physical-etheric body is dropped away
Likewise, the planetary Logos in His greater cycle (the synthesis or the aggregate of the tiny cycles of the cells of His body) pursues the same course
¤ He ceases to be attracted ‘downward’ or ‘outward’
¤ He turns His gaze ‘within’
¤ He gathers inward the aggregate of the smaller lives within His body, the planet
¤ He severs connection
¤ Outer attraction ceases and all gravitates towards the centre instead of scattering to the periphery of His body
In the system, the solar Logos follows the same process
¤ From His high place of abstraction, He ceases to be attracted by His body of manifestation
¤ He withdraws His interest and
¤ The two pairs of opposites, the spirit and the matter of the vehicle, dissociate
¤ With this dissociation the solar system, that "Son of Necessity," (or of desire), ceases to be, and passes out of objective existence
3. This leads finally, to the scattering of the atoms of the etheric body into their primordial condition
The subjective life, the synthesis of will and love taking active form, is withdrawn, but the faculty or inherent quality of matter persists.
At the end of each period of manifestation, matter (though distributed again into its primal form) is
\ active intelligent matter plus
\ the gain of objectivity, and
\ the increased radiatory and latent activity
it has gained through experience
¤ The partnership is dissolved
¤ The form then breaks up
¤ The magnetism that held it in coherent shape is no longer present, and dissipation is complete
¤ Matter persists, but the form no longer persists.
¤ The work of the second Logos ends, and the divine incarnation of the ‘Son’ (soul, consciousness, love…) is concluded. [Page 132]
¤ But the faculty or inherent quality of matter persists
¤ At the end of each period of manifestation, matter (though distributed again into its primal form) is active intelligent matter plus the gain of objectivity, and the increased radiatory and latent activity it has gained through experience
Let me illustrate for the solar system, the incarnation of the solar Logos:
\ The matter of the solar system, when undifferentiated, was ‘active intelligent matter’, which is all that can be predicated of it.
\ This ‘active intelligent matter’ was ‘matter qualified by an earlier experience, and coloured by an earlier incarnation’
\ Now this matter is in form, the solar system is not in pralaya but in objectivity
\ This period of objectivity has in view the addition of another quality to the logoic content, that of love and wisdom
\ Therefore at the next solar pralaya, at the close of ‘the one hundred years of Brahma’, the matter of the solar system will be coloured by active intelligence, and by active love.
\ This means that the aggregate of solar atomic matter will vibrate to another key than it did at the first dawn of manifestation.
This can be worked out similarly in connection with the planetary Logos and the human unit, for the analogy holds good.
There is a correspondence (on a tiny scale) in that each human life period sees a man taking a more evolved physical body
\ Of a greater responsiveness
\ Tuned to a higher key
\ Of more adequate refinement
\ Vibrating to a different measure
In these thoughts lies much, if carefully studied and logically extended
d. By ‘transmutation of the violet into the blue’
This cannot be enlarged on
I simply make the statement, and leave those students whose karma permits and whose intuition suffices to work it out
e. By ‘withdrawal of the life’, the form gradually dissipates
This is an interesting ‘reflex action’.
The reflex action here is:
The greater Builders and Devas (who are the ‘active agents during manifestation’, who ‘hold the form in coherent shape’, ‘transmuting, applying and circulating the pranic emanations’), lose their attraction to the matter of the form, and turn their attention elsewhere.
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\ On the path of out-breathing (whether human, planetary or logoic) these building devas (on the same Ray as the unit desiring manifestation, or on a complementary Ray) are attracted by his will and desire, and perform their office of construction.
\ On the path of in-breathing (whether human, planetary or logoic) they are no longer attracted, and the form begins to dissipate
\ They withdraw their interest and the forces (entities) who are the agents of destruction, carry on their necessary work of breaking up the form
\ They scatter it—as it is occultly expressed—to "The four winds of Heaven," or ‘to the regions of the four breaths’, — a fourfold separation and distribution (What are they? Ed.)
A hint is here given for careful consideration.
In all of the above, no pictures have been drawn of deathbed scenes, nor of the ‘dramatic escape of the palpitating etheric body from the centre in the head’, as might have been anticipated
Yet some of the rules and purposes governing this withdrawal have been mentioned.
The aim of each life (whether human, planetary or solar) is the carrying out of a definite purpose:
The purpose of each life is the development of a more adequate form for the use of the spirit
\ When this purpose is achieved then the Indweller turns his attention away, and the form disintegrates, having served his need
\ This spiritual purpose is not always achieved in every human life
\ It is not always achieved, even in each planetary cycle
\ The so-called ‘mystery of the moon’ is ‘the mystery of failure’
\ These understandings lead, when comprehended, to a life of dignity and offer an aim worthy of our best endeavour
\ When this angle of truth is universally recognised (as it will be when the intelligence of the race suffices), then evolution will proceed with greater certainty, and ‘failures’ will be less numerous