Fellowship of Cosmic
Fire
Commentary Semester VIII Section IV
TCF 967 - 969 : S8S4 Part III
28 November – 13 December 2008
(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
It will be obvious, likewise,
that the disciple's power for service
for humanity is dependent largely upon three things: [Page 967]
a. The state
of his bodies and their egoic alignment.
1.
Notice the occult factors
on which the disciple’s power for service to humanity depends. This is probably
little realized by those who are interested or engaged in service.
2.
We can never forget the importance of the condition of the
instrument.
3.
Instruments in good condition, however, are not sufficient. They
must be correctly aligned with the Ego.
b. The
condition of activity present in the physical head centres.
4.
Not only are the etheric centers to be sufficiently stimulated and
in circulatory relationship, the physical
head centers must be activated.
5.
Service must work out onto the physical plane, so the physical
apparatus, though not a principle, is of real
importance.
c.
The circulatory action of the triangular transmission of force.
6.
Presumably this applies to the transmission of force between the
crown, ajna and alta major centers. In some manner
there must be a triangular transmission of force (a more physical relationship—is
it electro-chemical?) between the physical centers as well.
These factors are again dependent
upon others, among which might be enumerated:
7.
We remember that we are speaking of the disciple’s power in service
and the factors upon which such power depends.
1.
The ability of the disciple to meditate.
8.
We are being told that without the power to meditate, there can be
no true service, because without meditation the necessary physical plane activations,
stimulations, alignment and interconnection cannot be established.
9.
How often has servers related their effectiveness in service to
their power to meditate? At least servers associated with the Ageless Wisdom
must do so.
2.
The capacity he displays for bringing
through accurately
from the subtler levels the plans and
purposes of which his Ego is
cognisant.
10.
This capacity, presumably, is somewhat dependent upon alignment but,
perhaps, a certain profound quality of attentiveness is also required. Alignment
may exist, but the power to bring through with accuracy still wanting.
11.
We note that the Ego, on its own plane, is aware of aspects of the
Plan of which the soul-in-incarnation is usually unaware. As the capacity for
meditation grows and as alignment strengthens, some of that of which the Ego is
aware will filter into the consciousness of the soul-in-incarnation within the
personality. The disciple is literally an advanced condition of the
soul-in-incarnation.
12.
The thought of independent (though interrelated) centers
of consciousness to be found within the entirety of our nature (from the Monad
to the physical plane) is to be pondered.
3.
The purity of his motives.
13.
Such purity, therefore, has physical plane effects and affects the
disciple’s power in service. Obviously, if motives are impure, that tells us
something about the condition of the astral and mental bodies. Impure motives
arise from impure psychological conditions and such conditions (such energy
dynamics within the lower vehicles) block the downflow of higher energies.
4.
His power to "hold a state of meditation," and while in
that state begin to build the form
for his idea, and thus
materialise the plan of his Ego.
14.
We began with the “power to meditate” as a prerequisite for
ensuring certain physical plane developments necessary for power in service.
Now we see that a sustained state of
meditation is required, and also one in which constructive thoughtform building
can be achieved.
15.
One cannot build magically and with spiritual constructiveness unless
in a state of meditation—presumably sustained
meditation.
5.
The amount of energy he can pour later into
his thought form and thus procure for it a period of existence, or its tiny
"day of Brahma."
16.
It is not enough to build accurate thoughtforms in line with the
Divine Plan; one must also empower
those thoughtforms.
17.
The energizing of thoughtforms may be considered related to occult
breathing and to the degree of concentration of which the meditator is capable.
18.
Each thoughtform has its tiny “day of Brahma”, its span of
endurance as a separate entity. The use of this term invites us to apply what
is here said to the manner in which the Planetary Logos creates, and even the
manner in which the Solar Logos creates.
These subsidiary factors are
again dependent upon:
19.
We are being given tabulations of certain requirements necessary
for those who would serve humanity with power and effectiveness. Each group of
requirements seems dependent on certain other requirements:
a.
Power in service is dependent upon the condition of the personality
instruments, their degree of alignment with the Ego and the degree of
activation and interrelation between the physical plane head centers and their
etheric counterparts.
b.
These physical conditions are dependent upon meditation, accurate
reception of that which is touched in meditation, purity of motive, the power
to build thoughtforms while in a state of meditation, and the capacity of the
meditator to empower his thoughtforms.
c.
This latter group of requirements is dependent upon certain
conditions described below:
a. His place
on the ladder of evolution.
20.
The true white magician is ever an advanced soul.
21.
It is futile for the individual to attempt thoughtform building
under the influence of the Ego before the Ego has become a sensed and felt
factor in his life.
b. The
condition of his bodies.
22.
The condition of all vehicles of the personality. This condition
will affect the condition of the physical plane apparatus to be found in the
head.
23.
Weak and chaotic vehicles cannot participate in the process of
white magical thoughtform building.
c.
His karmic condition.
24.
There are many preoccupations forced by unresolved karma. These
preoccupations deprive the disciple of the time to fulfill other of the
requirements.
25.
The karmic condition of the vehicles may also prevent them from
adequately playing their role in ensuring the presence of the necessary
requirements. We remember that the personality vehicles must be in good
condition if a real capacity for white magic is to arise and karmic conditions
(weakening the vehicles or rendering them disorganized) may militate against
this.
d. The
tenuosity of the etheric web.
26.
If the etheric web is thick and, therefore, relatively
impenetrable, the finer energies from higher dimensions will not be able to get
through to stimulate the physical apparatus in the head, the activation of
which is so necessary in producing the white magician.
27.
We remember that as evolution proceeds, the gradual burning of the
etheric web also proceeds. In the undeveloped human being, this web is very
much intact and prevents the conscious intercommunication between the different
aspects of man’s personality nature and their communication with the Ego and
still higher aspects of man’s nature.
e. The
calibre of his physical body, and its relative refinement.
28.
This requirement has already been mentioned. The calibre of the
physical vehicle is directly related to the condition of the all-important
triangle of head centers.
29.
Here we are speaking of the degree of transmutation which remains
to be accomplished. Personality vehicles which are not in process of
transmutation will be obstructive to the white magical creation of soul-aligned
thoughtforms.
It is necessary here to warn
the student against the error of making any hard or fast rule anent the sequential
order of the development of the physical head centres, and the vitalisation of
the force centres.
30.
Such development seems to depend on many and variable factors—for
instance, the ray of the Monad.
31.
In any case, many etheric and physical developments are occurring
with relative simultaneity but this
is not readily apparent to most disciples.
This process is incident upon
many things, such as the ray upon
which the monad may be found, and the
nature of the development in the past incarnations.
32.
It is quite arresting to consider that the ray of the highest
center within the constitution of man is responsible for the sequence of
etheric and physical plane developments. The Monad has a definite
etheric-physical influence.
33.
Different incarnations offer different kinds of opportunities for
development. Probably the astrological configurations to be found in those
incarnations are of importance in this process. We all build upon our past.
Tendencies established in the past have influential momentum in the present.
34.
If we do not know who as man was
it is difficult to determine who he is
in his present incarnation.
Nature, in all departments of her
corporate life, parallels her
efforts, and overlaps her various processes, and it takes a seer of [Page 968] vast
wisdom and experience to state exactly the stage at which any particular unit
of the human family may be.
35.
Presumably a Master such as DK is such a seer, for He seems very capable
of assessing the stage of development which His students have achieved.
36.
The overlapping processes of nature are to be pondered. To reduce
the growth process to a strictly linear sequence of states is an error. At best
it reveals an incomplete picture of the truth. Such formulations satisfy only the
limited human mind which, despite the truth, seems to possess the
‘will-to-be-satisfied’!
He
that is wise always refrains from assertion until he knows.
37.
This is frequently the Master’s advice to His students. Many are
the apparently knowledgeable assertions prematurely offered.
Let us now consider:
38.
We now enter a subject of great importance to all white magical
procedure.
b. The
construction, vitalisation, and actuating of the thought form.
39.
Three factors have been given, and presumably they occur more or
less in sequential order, though we must acknowledge the presence of
overlapping processes just discussed.
40.
In the white magical process, sufficiently vitalized,
well-constructed thoughtforms are to become actual,
i.e., are to become tangibly manifested.
The Ego, having brought about a condition of receptivity, or of
recognition in the physical brain of the man,
41.
This has been accomplished through the cooperation of the Solar
Angel with the higher aspect of man (an attenuated extension of the presence of
the Monad) focused on the higher mental plane.
42.
We see that work occurs from two directions. Bringing the
instrument into the proper condition is not the task of the soul-in-incarnation
alone.
and having
drawn from him the necessary response,
43.
The Ego has invoked the
lower man; response, or evocation, followed.
the process of
building is thereupon begun.
44.
We see that building (presumably relatively constructive
thoughtform building) begins after response to the Ego’s invocation has arisen
in the lower man.
This process of physical plane
response is based—as is all
else in nature—upon the relation of
the polar opposites.
45.
DK is telling us that all natural process arises from bi-polar
interplay.
The physical centres are receptive to the
positive influence of the force centres.
46.
Negativity (electrically considered) is another name of
receptivity.
47.
In studying occultism, we must always realize that etheric energy
is positive to the strictly physical
plane apparatus.
The physical brain is responsive to the positive influence of the
lower nature in the earlier evolutionary stages,
48.
During the Lemurian and Atlantean stages of human development, the
lower nature is positive and the physical brain negative, receptive or
responsive. The lower nature runs the man.
49.
During the Aryan Race comes man’s great opportunity to reverse this
polarity.
or to the reactions
of the substance of the sheaths, the impress of the lunar Lords.
50.
The lunar lords have had control over the behavior of the human
being for millions of years. Because the lunar lords represent (from the
perspective of the Planetary Logos) unprincipled
substance, man’s behavior under their influence is unprincipled—in the moral
sense.
51.
We see that polarity changes over the course of evolution. At first
the lunar lords are positive and influential; later, the etheric body, which is often numbered among the principles,
turns positive to the physical brain and to the physical body as a whole and,
thus, turns positive to the lunar lords and their influence.
It [the physical brain] responds
in the later stages to the positive influence of the Ego or the impress of the
solar Lord.
52.
We have a threefold sequence:
a.
At first the physical brain is negative to the influence of the
personality vehicles and thus to the lunar lords.
b.
Then the physical brain becomes negative or receptive to the
etheric body.
c.
At last the physical brain becomes negative to the positive Ego.
53.
Here the Ego is called the “solar Lord” but this is not the same
thing as to consider the Ego as identical with the Solar Angel in its true and
independent nature. We must remember that the Solar Angel is a “returning
Nirvani from a previous mahamanvantara”. The Ego of man-the-Monad is less that
this—far less.
54.
We might question ourselves: “To which of these three sources is our physical brain currently negative or
receptive?”
As is apparent, this building
process is divided into three parts, which
overlap, and assume an appearance of simultaneity.
55.
DK is giving us a hint concerning how relatively sequential
processes, by overlapping, assume the appearance of simultaneity without
actually being so.
56.
For practical purposes, we must realize that both sequentiality and
simultaneity are facts in nature.
When (as is the case with the
majority of the human family) the
process is an unconscious one,
57.
The building process is an unconscious one.
produced by
reflex action and based largely on the accomplishment of desire,
58.
It seems that desire, when accomplished, contributes to the
building process.
59.
The mental elemental lives respond with reflexive activity to the
impulse of desire.
60.
We certainly know that many human beings build their thoughtforms
(really kama-manasic forms which are a mixture of thought and desire) under the
impulse of desire. Perhaps we should say that these persons to not so much build the thoughtforms but that within
their energy system, thoughtforms are built by
reflex as the lower manasic vehicle responds to the promptings of desire.
all is
carried on with great rapidity,
61.
Because there is no reflection! The salutary influence of the
planet Saturn (a planet of mentality) is not applied.
62.
All proceeds under the rapidity of Mars which is one of the rulers
of the astral body.
and leads to
rapid results—these results being
effective of accomplishment according to the ability of the man to vitalise and
hold in coherent form his idea.
63.
We are speaking of the building process of the average man swayed
far more by desire than mentality.
64.
Intensity and persistence of desire contributes to the coherence of
the thoughtform.
Most of the thought forms created
by average man are only relatively effective, and
this within great limitations, and having but a restricted radius.
65.
Average human beings are far from being white magicians.
66.
We learn of the limited nature of the thoughtforms of average
people and of the restricted radius within which they are only relatively
effective. Given the nature and quality of these thoughtforms, we are fortunate
that this is the case.
When man is learning consciously
to create, which he does through the
organisation of thought, concentration and meditation,
67.
Three factors are given involving largely the use of the fifth and
seventh rays.
he proceeds more
slowly,
68.
The restraining, reflective influence of Saturn is employed in his
thoughtform building process.
for he has two
primary things to do before the creative process can be carried through: [Page 969]
69.
We are now speaking of conscious
building and conscious creativity.
a. To
contact or communicate with the Ego, or solar Angel.
70.
This is absolutely necessary. Whether we think of the Ego and
“solar Angel” as equivalent or merely as cooperative, contact must be made with
a supervising Entity on the higher mental plane and communication established.
b. To study
the process of creation and to make it conform step by step with
natural evolutionary law.
71.
For this reason A Treatise on White Magic was written. We can see from reading it
how complex is the process of creation and how much the Tibetan refrained from
including in this book, voluminous though it may be.
72.
The great danger to humanity is the unleashing of a creative
potency which is out of conformity with evolutionary law. Man would then create
only that which must later be destroyed if the Plan is to be manifested.
The above is necessarily but
another way of defining meditation and its objective.
73.
DK has defined creative meditation. The objective of the kind of
meditation we are here discussing is creative.
There are other forms of meditation which may have different objectives.
Later on, when a man is an expert
in meditation,
74.
To become so is certainly possible and is held out for us as an
incentive.
the work of thought
creation proceeds with ever increasing rapidity, until he surpasses (on a higher turn of the spiral) the activity of
the earlier unconscious period.
75.
We have been told of the rapidity of the creative process when
under the impulse of desire. The interim process sees a slowing of the process
under the reflective influence of Saturn. Later, again, when the meditator
becomes highly accomplished, the creative process achieves even greater speed
than it had when under the influence of desire.
76.
DK is telling us that the well-trained mind is more rapid than
desire.
77.
Most of us, however, are not yet experts in meditation.
Starting, therefore, with the recognition of the egoic intent in
the physical brain, the man proceeds to build the form for his
idea.
78.
Notice that ideas come from a higher spiritual realm than the realm
in which human thought originates.
79.
For practical purposes we may say that ideas come from the Ego or
Solar Angel though true ideas have sources even higher.
80.
One must not start building unless within the physical brain there
is the recognition of egoic intent. Presumably such intent can be recognized by
its impressive and selfless quality.
He begins first to organise the material
required upon the mental plane.
81.
The man organizes his material to produce coherent thought.
82.
Even before organizing the material, he must gather the material. This, of course, requires a certain capacity
for discriminative selectivity.
It is on that plane that the impulse takes to
itself its primary form.
83.
This is the primary form
of the descending thoughtform but certainly not the final one.
84.
The impulse is the idea. The supervising or building consciousness
is something still more essential and real. It is our very selves.
On the desire or astral plane, the process of vitalisation is largely
pursued,
85.
Vitalization is a term often associated with the etheric body, but
we see that in the magical process of thoughtform building, the vitalization
occurs largely on the astral plane. The thoughtform becomes vibrant and
pulsates with color.
86.
We well know that the factor of desire keeps thoughtforms alive.
for the length of the
life of any thought form (even such an one as our solar system) is dependent
upon the persistence of desire, and the strength of the desire.
87.
The personality of a human being is a thoughtform and we realize
that the “desire to live” (sometimes confused with the “will-to-live”) is very influential
in keeping that thoughtform alive, i.e., in physical incarnation.
88.
The desire to remain in incarnation perpetuates that incarnation.
This is surely not the only factor
influencing the length of an incarnation but it is a significant one in many cases.
Of course, no human being desiring “to live forever”
in a particular personality can do so, but the duration of that personality’s
physical body can be lengthened through intense desire. This may also apply to
the perpetuation of the astral and mental bodies in the post-mortem state.
On the etheric levels of the physical plane the process of physical concretion takes place;
89.
Thus far we have discussed the processes of formation and vitalization.
These processes are followed concretion taking place on the etheric plane.
as the
physical vehicle assumes the necessary proportions, the thought form becomes divorced from the one who is giving it form.
90.
This is a great interest. The creator must always, at the point of
objectification, release his creation.
At least such a release is desirable. The consequences of not doing so are
destructive.
91.
We are being told that the “divorce” comes “as the physical vehicle
assumes the necessary proportions”. The systemic physical plane includes both
the etheric aspect and the dense physical aspect. DK is probably speaking of
the assumption of necessary proportions as a process occurring upon the etheric
plane.
92.
In any case, as the objective form takes shape, the form becomes
divorced from the one who created it.
Any idea of enough strength
will inevitably materialise
in dense physical matter,
93.
This should be an arresting thought. The question is—what exactly
is enough strength?
but the main work of its creator ceases
when he has worked with it on mental, astral and etheric levels.
94.
Our question is: “does the ‘divorce’ of which DK speaks at least
begin on the etheric plane”? It surely must be consummated on the dense
physical plane.
The dense physical response is automatic and inevitable.
95.
Apparently the occult creator has no extensive dense physical plane
work to do. This should strike us as important when we think of our own
creative process and will inform us concerning whether we have been creating
using occult methods or only normal methods (which are very active upon the
dense physical subplanes, per se).
96.
We must not overlook, however, the Tibetan’s use of the words “main
work”, indicating that there may still be some
work to be accomplished on the dense physical subplanes, even though relatively
minor work.
Some ideas of a large and important nature, which have
arisen in the consciousness of the Guides of the race, reach full manifestation only through the medium of many agents,
and the dynamic impulses of many minds.
97.
DK is telling us that some ideas are too large to be contained or
embodied by any one human being. Perhaps these are the ideas “whose time has
come”—ideas which move entire nations, cultures, civilizations and even human
civilization considered as a whole.
98.
As we think of the ideas which now propel us, do we think we are
involved in the execution of any such large and important ideas? If so, do we
recognize the group of those who are similarly impulsed?
A few work consciously, when this is the case, at the
production of the necessitated [Page 970] form;
99.
We could say that the Divine Purpose is the repository of the
greatest ideas (from a planetary perspective), and that some of the Masters can
work consciously at the registration of this Purpose (“Registrants of the
Purpose”). They can build thoughtforms which embody this Purpose. Human beings
recognize such thoughtforms as the Divine Plan.
many more are swept into activity and lend
their aid through the very negativity of their natures; they are
"forced" to be interested in spite of themselves, and are "swept
into the movement," not through any mental apprehension or "vital
desire," but because it is the
thing to do.
100. DK is speaking of conscious
and unconscious creators, indicating that there are many more who are
unconscious than conscious.
101. We see that ideas can
compel, can force. We are being told
that many people follow the direction of an idea not because they think about
it, or even because they desire to follow, but due to some etheric force. There
is a certain inevitability in this.
102. We should ponder how often
we have been swept into action by great ideas or thoughts without any conscious
apprehension on our part and with no real desire to do what we have found
ourselves doing!
103. The “thing to do” is an
energy pattern with which one can hardly resist engagement. DK speaks of the
people who are “swept up and down the land”. Only very strong and conscious
thinkers can choose whether or not to accept this ‘sweep’. Probably there are
some sweeping actions which we cannot
possibly resist. If the Planetary Logos strongly wills a certain action,
can the cells in His body (human beings) resist?
In this may be seen an instance
of the ability of the Great Ones to
utilise conditions of apparent inertia and negativity (due to little
development), and thus produce good results.
104. There is a great
benevolence which sweeps the unknowing and even the unwilling into positive
patterns of action.
105. The entire process is an
electrical one. The negative units are attracted to the positive energy source
and, per force, must move (really, be moved) in accordance with the impulses
emanating from that source.
106. Thus, even when we cannot
direct ourselves into constructive channels, we are directed.
We will here only deal with the man who is learning consciously to
build, and will not consider the process as pursued by the adept, or
the chaotic attempts of the little evolved.
107. Thus, we are dealing with
the building efforts of the conscious aspirant.