Fellowship
of Cosmic Fire
Commentary
Semester VIII Section XI
TCF
1060-1062: S8S11 Part II
Most of the Tibetan’s
text is put in font 16, to provide better legibility when
projected during classes. Footnotes and references from other
AAB Books and from other pages of TCF are put
in font 14. Commentary appears in font 12. Underlining, Bolding and Highlighting by MDR)
It is suggested that this Commentary be read with the TCF book handy,
for the sake of continuity. As analysis of the text is pursued, many paragraphs
are divided, and the compact presentation in the book, itself, will convey the overall meaning of the paragraph. So please read an entire paragraph and then
study the Commentary
1. The Law
of Radiation.
It will be found that more time
will be given to this expression of divine activity than to any other in this
section, as it is the one of the most practical utility.
1.
It is wonderful to allow thought to range to the ‘boundary’ of the
Universe (if such exists) but Master DK is nothing if not practical. Even
discussion of “wild speculation” has a practical objective—the induction of
humility in the reader.
This Law of Radiation is one that is beginning
to be recognised by scientists since their acceptation of the radioactivity of
certain substances, and when they are willing to approximate the occult
conception of the radiatory, or emanatory
condition, of all substances at a specific point in evolution, then
they will very definitely approach Reality.
2.
The appearance of radiation depends upon the point in evolution
reached by any substance or atom.
3.
The Age of Aquarius will be an ‘Age of Radiation’ as the foremost
ruler of Aquarius (Uranus—the planet of radioactivity) suggests.
Radiation is the outer effect
produced by all forms in all kingdoms when their internal activity has reached
such a stage of vibratory activity that the confining walls of the form no
longer form a prison, but permit of the escape of the subjective essence.
4.
It is clear that the concept of “radiation” is inescapably united
to the concept of “liberation”.
5.
Uranus, the planet of radiation is also the planet of liberation.
6.
A wild speculative thought enters the mind: what will happen when
the entire Universe becomes radioactive? Will not the final Universal Pralaya
be with us? And, of course, we will
be ‘there’.
It marks a specific point
of attainment in the evolutionary process, and this is equally true
of the atom of substance with which the chemist and physicist deal, when
working with the elements, as it is of the forms in the vegetable kingdom, the [Page
1061] forms in the animal kingdom, in the human, and, likewise, in the
divine.
7.
We are to expect, then, the appearance not only of radioactive
atoms, but of radioactive plants, animals, human beings, and many greater
Beings.
8.
The higher initiates and Masters are, from this perspective,
radioactive human beings.
9.
Radioactivity is always a stage occurring prior to liberation and
indicates the onset of the process of liberation.
From some angles of vision, it
might be regarded as the "true form" (which is to be understood
occultly as the etheric form of energy)
10.
Always this must be emphasized…
making its
presence felt in such a way that it becomes apparent even to the scientist.
11.
DK seems to suggest that the “scientist” is presently not too
capable of really deep penetration! There are apparently others to whom the
revelation will come much more easily but, before long, the
it will be necessary that scientists, too, validate that radioactivity
has a deeper significance than they had thought.
Students should here remember two
things:
First, that in
all occult conclusions, it is the body of energy which is dealt with and the
subjective life back of the form which is recognised as being of supreme
importance.
12.
The occultist deals always with causes and not with effects.
Relative to the dense physical plane, the etheric plane is considered causal
and substantial.
Second,
that the dense objective manifestation, as has been reiterated frequently, is
not regarded as a principle at all; the occultist deals with principles alone.
13.
If we fail to deal with principles but literally engross ourselves in that which is not a
principle, we do not deserve the name “occultists”. Are members of the Black
Lodge, then, true “occultists”? For they are deeply engrossed in all that is
densely material, though their power in the three lower worlds—etheric, astral
and lower mental, is also appreciable.
It might be of value here to
remind the student also that three things have to be recognised in all manifestation:
First, that
the tangible objective exterior, negative, receptive, and occultly
unorganised, is without form and usefulness apart from the inner energy.
14.
This level of nature will automatically mould itself according the
pattern produced in principled substance.
15.
We cling to that which is densely material, forgetting that it has
no real form at all, and no real or
lasting value. It is but a means to an end.
Second, that the "true form" or the
force-vehicle energises and produces the cohesion of that which is unorganised.
16.
Principles produce their own form of cohesion. That which is
unprincipled has no form of its own.
17.
In this respect, form production at its lowest level demonstrates on the systemic etheric plane.
Third, that
the "volatile essence," or the spiritual
essential Life, focuses itself in some one point within the "true
form."10
[Page
1062]
18.
The volatile essence is the Monad itself—or, shall we say, that
part or emanation of the Monad which has descended into the five lower worlds.
19.
The monadic vehicle per se should not be included when seeking to
understand the essential nature of the volatile essence. It is pure being
itself.
Footnote
10:
Form: "The model according to which
nature does its external work.—S. D., II, 107; see S. D., I, 619.
20.
This has been called in scientific terminology, the “morphogenic
field”. “Morpho” suggests “form”, and “genic” suggests ‘the generation of’. In
the morphogenic field we have the form-producing field.
1. Divine
ideation passes from the abstract to the concrete or visible form.
21.
Divine ideas take their origin (as far as man is concerned) within
the cosmic ethers. Their true origin is really much higher—the cosmic mental
plane and on still higher planes. It is utterly impossible for man to determine
the origin of Ideas. Ultimately they would have to be traced to Divine Cosmic
Ideation on the very highest possible planes of cosmos or ‘BEYOND’.
a. The
objective is an emanation of the subjective.—S. D., I, 407.
22.
This, every true occultist knows. That which is objective to him is
always an effect of something still more subjective.
b.
Impulse is Spirit energy causing objectivity.—S. D., I, 349, 683.
23.
We are not speaking of lower impulses to which all human beings are
subject. We are speaking of “spiritual
impulse” again emanating (as far as man can determine) from within the cosmic
ethers.
b. The Logos renders objective a concealed thought.—S. D., II, 28.
24.
Here is a beautiful idea. We do not know what lies hidden in the
“Mind of God” but we do know that the deepest purposes and intentions are
certainly hidden to man. Think of the first Purpose of Sanat Kumara!
a. The unknown, unseen and
unheard purpose of Sanat Kumara. It is
the secret of life itself and is known only to Him alone. In its initial phase of this new expression,
it works through the Manu and the Master Morya; it is that which veils the
central mystery which all esoteric schools—if true to their inaugurating
impulse—will eventually reveal. What
that is we do not yet know, but it is hinted at in Rule XIII. (R&I 241)
2. Three
things required before any form of energy can become objective:—S. D., I, 89.
1. Privation Separation Initial impulse. Energy. Will.
25.
These four all pertain to the first divine aspect.
26.
Privation suggests the absence of any impurity or encumbrance.
Privation represents complete abstraction of cause from effect.
2. Form Quality or shape Nature. Love.
27.
These four all pertain to the second aspect of divinity.
3. Matter Objective sphere Intelligent
activity.
28.
These all pertain to the third aspect of divinity.
See S.
D., III, 561.
3. Life
precedes form.—S. D., I, 242.
29.
Yet certain strictly physical psychologists think that mind is a
by-product of chemical reactions within the brain!
a. The
Thinker ever remains.—S. D., II, 28.
30.
In this case, the true Thinker is the Monad—certainly not an
abstract or passive spirit.
a.
Force of
life is the transformation into energy of the thought of the Logos.—See S.
D., III, 179.
31.
This is a more abstract statement. In this instance, “energy”
represents a lower form of expression than logoic “thought”.
32.
We are speaking of the energizing of logoic thought so that it can
be manifested.
33.
We understand from this statement that thought is energy.
4. Spirit
evolves through form and out of form.—S. D., I, 680.
34.
Spirit does not allow itself to remain forever free of form. Spirit
descends through form. Form is its tool, even though it is Spirit’s intention
to return to its own “high place” enriched by the gifts conferred by form
experience.
a. Spirit
has to acquire full self-consciousness.—S. D., I, 215
35.
This is an enigmatic statement. Full Self-consciousness exists on
the highest planes, yet Spirit has deliberately incapacitated itself in its ‘Self-attenuating
descent’. It is the attenuated emanation of true Spirit which must acquire full
S/self-consciousness—again!—only to realize that it has always had full Self-consciousness.
b. Form
imprisons Spirit.—S. D., II, 775.
36.
And Spirit will not tolerate this. This imprisonment—really a form
of Self-imprisonment, is the root of
“divine discontent”. There is none other than Spirit, itself, to cause this
imprisonment.
37.
This is an interesting term because it shows the Will of Spirit to
be rid of all “content”—i.e., of anything other than itself!
c. The
principle of limitation is form.—S. D., III, 561.
38.
Matter, per se, is not the principle of limitation. Matter, in its
pure essence, is as formless as
Spirit. (We should ponder this.) But here we are speaking of Mulaprakriti
before Fohat has caused its subdivision.
39.
Within our spheres of activity, Saturn, the ‘planet of limitation’
is also the ‘planet of form’.
d. Spirit
informs all sheaths.—S. D., I, 669, note.
40.
There is nothing that is “Spiritless”. This is also true of
soul—there is nothing that is “Soul-less”—even “lost souls” have, ultimately, soul if by soul we mean consciousness.
Some form of consciousness is always present even in the lowest state of
existence.
b.
Spirit passes through the cycle of Being.—S. D., I, 160.
41.
And Spirit determines this cycle. Ultimately, it is the One and
Ultimate Spirit which determines all
cycles through which emanated aspects of itself pass.
5. The devas are the origin of form.—S. D.,
I, 488.
42.
Is Mulaprakriti, then, the greatest or all Devas?
They
exist in two great groups:
a. The
Ahhi are the vehicle of divine thought.—S. D., I, 70.
43.
The Ah-hi operate minimally within the
cosmic ethers.
44.
There are probably Ah-hi which are operative within the
super-cosmic ethers—the cosmic buddhic, atmic, monadic and logoic planes.
45.
Are the Ah-hi, the “Sounders of the Word”?
b. The
Army of the Voice.—S. D., I, 124.
46.
These beings are closer to physicality. Their highest
representatives are found upon the higher reaches of the cosmic physical plane.
There is a higher and a lower Army of the Voice.
They are
the sum-total of the substance of the four higher planes and of the three
lower.
47.
This is an expanded
definition of the Army of the Voice. DK specifies,
that they are active only upon the systemic and cosmic etheric planes
(excluding for the most part, the logoic plane, whereon they are latent). He
seems to omit the systemic astral and mental planes—though I believe He leaves
room for some of their activity on those levels.
These particular devas in "their
serried ranks" are the directive agents of the divine energy which
implements the purposes of Deity upon the physical plane. They
work only on etheric levels—either upon our [systemic
physical
plane or on the cosmic etheric levels.
They are therefore active in the realm of maya, which is the etheric
plane as we usually understand it, or upon the planes of the Spiritual Triad. They are not
active on the three gross physical levels or upon the astral or mental planes,
nor are they active upon the highest or logoic plane. There
they are implicit or latent but not active. They are the great "impulsive
factors" in manifestation, organising substance, directing the
multiplicity of lives and beings who constitute the
forms through which God expresses divinity. In a peculiar sense, they are
the embodiment of the divine purpose upon the planes of the Monad and of the
Triad, just as the aggregate of energies in man's etheric body is the
result of his inner direction and the cause of his outer manifestation. To understand more fully the function of the
deva forces, a man must arrive at some understanding of the forces in his
etheric body which, in their turn, are the consequence of his point of
attainment—an attainment demonstrated by his astral (emotional) and mental
natures and activities. These indicate
his point of development. (R&I 179)
6. There
is a form which combines all forms.—S. D., I, 77, 118.
48.
Would this not be the form of the Universe?
49.
If we think only in terms of that which is the immediately
macrocosm for man, that form will be the ‘Solar Atom’.
In studying the subject of
radiatory activity, we are dealing with the effect produced by the inner essence
50.
The volatile essence…
as it makes its presence felt through the form,
when the form has been brought to a stage of such refinement that it becomes
possible.
51.
There will be no radioactivity unless the form is a refined form.
Thus, purification leads to radioactivity.
At this point in our studies, this seems obvious.
When this realisation is applied
to all the forms in all the kingdoms, it will be found possible to bridge
the gaps existing between the different forms of life,
52.
Radioactivity occurs in those forms within any kingdom which are on
verge of entry into the next and highest kingdom.
and the
"elements" in every kingdom, and those
unifying radiating centres will be found.
53.
Unifying radiating centers are those centers which are responsible
for the unification of kingdoms. They are the most advanced lives in any
kingdom.
54.
When dealing with the mineral kingdom we seem to know how to
designate the “elements” but we shall have to designate them differently when
dealing with kingdoms higher than the mineral.
The word
"element" is yet confined to the basic substances in what is called
essential matter, and the chemist and physicist are busy with such lives;
55.
DK seeks to broaden our understanding of the term “element”.
Certainly the study of astrology has already done this.
but their
correspondence (in the occult sense of the term) is to be found in every
kingdom in nature,
56.
We can see that the “elements” in progressively higher kingdoms are
progressively more complex.
57.
May we think of them as the essential building blocks of the forms
found in every kingdom? In this case the least of the plants (bacteria?
Viruses?) and the least of the animals (amoeba?) would
be considered elemental to their particular kingdom. What of the least of the
human beings?
and there are forms
of life in the vegetable kingdom which are occultly regarded as
"radioactive," the
eucalyptus tree being one such form.
58.
Perhaps the flammability of the eucalyptus and its powerful perfume
are indications of its radioactive nature.
There are forms of animal life
equally at an analogous stage
59.
Are these the domesticated animals of the highest kind---the dog,
horse, cat, and elephant?
60.
These would be the “unifying radiating centres” of the animal
kingdom.
61.
The eucalyptus would be one of the “unifying radiating centres” in
the plant kingdom.
and the human unit
(as it approaches "liberation") demonstrates a similar phenomenon.
62.
The radioactive human being is also to be considered a “unifying
radiating center”. Those who are passing through the first three initiations
are, then, “unifying radiating centres”. Arhats and Masters are already full
members of the kingdom above the human kingdom—the
63.
But what specifically are the elements in any kingdom?
64.
Might we find the simplest form of elemental life in any kingdom,
and view the other forms within that kingdom as combinations of the most
fundamental element? This is true of the chemical elements but will require
must patient thought before we discover how it is true of the “elements” of the
vegetable kingdom and the animal kingdom, and also the human kingdom. The
matter is obscure to our usual trend of thought.
Again, as a planetary scheme
nears its consummation, it becomes
"radioactive," and through radiation transfers its essence to another "absorbent
planet," or
planets, as is the case with a solar system also.
65.
Radioactivity precedes synthesis. Is Venus already radioactive? It
is approaching synthetic absorption into its destined synthesizing planet—
66.
Something very subtle is here stated—that a planet may be absorbed by more than one planet. This will offer
us an entirely new line of thought.
67.
Would this absorption occur sequentially or simultaneously? Another
important consideration.
68.
I have speculated upon this earlier. If for instance, if the
radioactive essence of the Earth were to be absorbed into Venus, could it
eventually be transferred to Saturn even though Venus is destined to be
absorbed by Neptune?
69.
Or if Earth is destined to be absorbed by Saturn, will its essence
eventually be transferred to Uranus when Saturn is absorbed by Uranus?
70.
Or could Venus and Mercury both be absorbed by Saturn first (as
indicated by the configuration on TCF 373) eventually, then, to be absorbed by
Neptune and Uranus respectively?
71.
Many are the mysteries.
Its essence, or true Life, is absorbed by a receiving
constellation, and the outer "case" returns to its original
unorganised condition.
72.
This is so vitally important. Only the essence of any unit is
received by the greater unit which acts to it as a synthesizer.
73.
But what does that essence include? All principled substance?
Perhaps?
74.
Certainly the outer “case” or dense physical plane returns to its
material and hence unorganized state.