Fellowship of Cosmic Fire

Commentary Semester VIII Section V

TCF 989 - 994: S8S5

Part III.1

(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

b. The Source of Black Magic.  In touching upon this point, we are trespassing into the realms of the mystery

1.            The word “trespassing” indicates that we as human beings are not really permitted to enter this realm of inquiry. We would be completely incapable of doing so without the guidance of a Teacher such as the Tibetan.

and the domain of the inexplicable.

2.            We wonder whether it is inexplicable even to the Masters of the Wisdom.

 Certain statements can, however, be made here which, if pondered upon, may throw a little light upon this dark subject.

3.            Obviously, as far as the human conscious is concerned, this is one of the darkest of subjects.

4.            We gather that the subject is inexplicable to students of our spiritual rank. We wonder to what grade of Intelligence it is truly explicable.

 

First.  It should be remembered that the whole subject of planet­ary evil (and students must distinguish carefully between planet­ary and cosmic evil) lies hid in the individual life cycles and in the history of the Great Being who is the planetary Logos of the Earth.

5.            We might say that “planetary evil’ is something natural and unavoidable during the earlier developmental stages of our Planetary Logos. There are cycles during the history of the Logos of our Earth when certain aspects of His nature will necessarily be subjected to relative darkness and ignorance.

6.            While planetary evil is, in the earlier stages of the development of our Planetary Logos inescapable, this is not the case with the expression of cosmic evil upon our planet. Such expression arises through the freewill of those who choose to align themselves which the sources of cosmic evil even if those who align are incompletely aware of the true nature of such sources..

Therefore, until a man has taken certain initiations and thus achieved a measure of planetary consciousness,

7.            We could assume that the initiations here discussed are minimally the third and fourth initiations. What we might call the “planetarization of consciousness” becomes something of a reality at the third initiation.

 it is useless for him to speculate upon that record.  H. P. B. has touched, in the Secret Doctrine,95 [S.D., III, 62; Section 6, page 67] upon the subject of "the imperfect Gods," and in these words lies the key to planetary evil.

8.            The “imperfect Gods” are the non-sacred planets ensouled by the relatively less evolved planetary Deities. The Planetary Logos of our Earth, of Mars and Pluto are all, from this perspective, “imperfect Gods”

9.            We can wonder whether planetary evil exists within and upon the sacred planetary schemes. It would seem that a great deal of it had been overcome through the process of planetary initiation.

10.         One may suspect that when a lesser equivalent to the fifth cosmic initiation is taken, planetary evil is overcome to a significant extent. We may remember that there are two series of initiations which concern a Planetary Logos—a “cosmic” series and a lesser series involving planetary chains.

11.         One may also wonder whether the human exponents of evil are found on all planets within the solar system or only within and upon non-sacred planetary schemes. Venus, for instance, has overcome the type of evil which is found upon the Earth. Are member of the Dark Brotherhood there to be found?

12.         There are some very interesting elaborations on the “imperfect Gods” to be found in Esoteric Healing, 297-298. The present state of these “Gods” results not only in the expression of planetary evil but, in general, of planetary disease as well.

Second.  It might briefly be said that, as far as our humanity is concerned, the terms planetary evil and cosmic evil might be interpreted thus:

13.         It would seem that in relation to other human evolutions within our solar system, planetary and cosmic evil would be interpreted differently.

14.         As well, beings higher in consciousness than human beings will probably understand these two terms from a higher perspective than that possible to man.

Planetary evil arises from certain relations existing between our planetary Logos and another planetary Logos.  When this condition of polar opposition is adjusted, then planetary evil will cease.

15.         The term “polar opposition” suggests the involvement of the Planetary Logos of Venus, so often considered to be the polar opposite or “alter ego” of the Logos of the Earth-scheme.

16.         Planetary evil is the result of ignorance. Venus is the “Light-Bearer” to Earth. When the light is more completely distributed and expressed through Earth-scheme processes, such evil will cease.

17.         Additionally, there is much to recommend a consideration of the non-sacred planet Mars when considering that which promotes the expression planetary evil within the Earth-scheme.

The adjustment will be brought about through the mediation (occultly understood) of a third planetary Logos.

18.         When we mention a term like “meditation”, the function of Mercury the ‘Mediator’ is suggested.

19.         Just as there is a triangle between Venus, Earth and Mars so there is one between Mercury, Venus and Earth.

20.         Mercury stands for many things, but in this case it can represent the mediating mind which represents the powers of the Venusian Solar Angel to the personality aspect of man and of the planet.

 

 These three will eventually form an equilateral triangle, and then planetary evil will cease.

21.         We note the emphasis upon an “equilateral triangle” suggesting the equal or equilibrized presence of three kinds of energies.

22.         The triangle Venus, Mars and Earth also needs adjustment. Venus tames the energy of Mars. Planetary evil is reinforced by the cruder energies of Mars.

23.         If Mercury is, in fact, the mediating planet here referenced by the Tibetan, we may be dealing with the necessity of completing a kind of Antahkarana between the Earth and Venus. From this perspective, such evil will cease when this bridge is completed. The same may be said of the human being with respect to the evil caused by ignorance.

  Free circulation will ensue; planetary obscuration will become possible, and the "imperfect Gods" will have achieved a relative perfection.

24.         By “imperfect Gods” does DK mean all non-sacred planets in our solar system?

25.         Interestingly, both Venus and Mercury are undergoing planetary obscuration. Earth lags behind them in this process but is not as far from the initial phases of obscuration as we might tend to believe.

26.         The Buddha and the Christ represent Mercury and Venus respectively. The influence upon humanity of these two great Saviors is part of the process of equilibrization and contributes to the most necessary reconciliation of the third and second rays within humanity and upon the planet in general.

27.         From another perspective, an adjustment between all four energies is necessary if planetary evil is to be entirely eradicated upon our planet. Venus, Mercury and Mars can be seen to representative the higher mind, the concrete mind and the astral body of the Earth (which is the planet related to the etheric body). Mercury also has higher meanings.

Thus will the karma of the manvantara, or secondary [Page 990] cycle, be adjusted, and so much planetary karmic evil be "worked off."

28.         Maybe not the entirety of planetary karmic evil but “much” of it.

29.         A “manvantara” is usually considered a round or alternatively a “Day of Brahma”; perhaps, from another perspective, a “Year of Brahma”. The term “manvantara” is relatively flexible depending upon the context in which it is used.

a.            A manvantara can be one chain round.

b.            A manvantara can be seven chain rounds.

c.            From a higher perspective, a manvantara can be one scheme round.

d.            A manvantara can be equated with a Day of Brahma, a Week of Brahma or even a Year of Brahma.

30.         These are smaller cycles when compared to a mahamanvantara.

 

 All the above must be interpreted in its esoteric sense and not its exoteric.

31.         We are not so much dealing with the exoteric expression of events but with conditions within the inner vehicles and principles of a Planetary Logos.

Cosmic evil from the standpoint of our planet

32.         Let us note this, as it is apparently possible to consider "cosmic evil" from the standpoint of other planets. Our entire solar system is affected by it.

 consists in the relation between that spiritual intelligent Unit or "Rishi of the

Superior Constellation" as He is called (who is the informing Life of one of the seven stars of the Great Bear, and our planetary prototype) and one of the forces of the Pleiades.96 [S.D., II 579-581]

33.         We may with reason infer that “spiritual intelligent Unit” is the Logos of Alioth, the third star in the handle of the “Big Dipper”. There is a star in the Pleiades which corresponds to this star. It is probably a star emitting the third ray. Is the name of this star “Maia”?

34.         Which of the Seven Rishis is “our planetary prototype”? From what is said above, it seems to be the third star, Alioth. The personality ray of our Planetary Logos is the third. Presently, the third ray is the strongest ray on our planet. It this temporary strength sufficient cause for considering the third major star of the Great Bear as our planetary prototype? When the second ray becomes the ray expressing most strongly through our planet will our planetary prototype change to the second star in the Great Bear—Mizar?

35.         Our planetary prototype with the Great Bear obviously has a ray connection with our planet. The question is: is this ray connection based on the personality ray, the soul ray or the monadic ray? Or can the prototype change as our planet, in its evolution, expresses in greatest strength its soul ray and finally its monadic ray?

36.         We also should not overlook the Tibetan’s use of the term “forces” in the phrase “one of the forces of the Pleiades”. Why does He use this term “forces” instead of the term “energies”? Does it have to do with the relative sacredness of the star in question?

Students need here to remember that the "seven sisters" are occultly called the "seven wives" of the Rishis,

37.         The term “occultly” is important. Obviously the Rishis and the Sisters are in relationship with each other even though not located in the same area of space.

38.         We may assume that the relationship is bi-polar, with the Rishis representing the positive pole and the Sisters the negative.

and that the dual forces (resultant from that relationship) converge and play through that one of the planetary Logoi who is the Logos of any particular planet, and is the "reflection" of any specific Rishi.

39.         Earlier we saw the use of the term “prototype”. Each Rishi the Great Bear is a prototype to at least one of the major planets within our solar system. Now we see the use of the term “reflection”.

40.         The term “reflection” is useful when considering the ray in fullest expression through a planet at any one time and the Rishi Who is the source of that ray. The term “prototype” seems, somehow, more essential and indicates a more enduring relationship.

41.         A “reflection” carries the energy pattern of that which is reflected but not in the same degree or level of intensity.

 

In this relation, at present lacking perfect adjustment, lies hid the mystery of cosmic evil as it makes itself felt in any particular planetary scheme.

42.         Let us take note: the nature and origin of cosmic evil is a “mystery” in relation to any planet through which it may manifest.

43.         Also—imperfection and evil are questions of relationship. When relationships are harmonized and then perfected, imperfection and evil disappear.

44.         We may presume that, with respect to certain planets, the relationship involving one of the Rishis and one of the Pleiades is in better adjustment than with respect to others.

45.         We might presume that, when compared to the Rishis and the Pleiades, the planetary schemes represent the negative or material aspect of the triangular relationship.

 Again, when the heavenly triangle

46.         Each of these triangles (involving two stars and a planetary scheme) is a “heavenly” triangle.

 

 is duly equilibrated, and the force circulates freely through

47.         DK refers to this process of perfecting relationships as ‘equilibrization of relationships’.

48.         We are given the hint that when relationships are equilibrated, blockages to the free flow of energy disappear.

a. One of the stars of the Great Bear,

b. The Pleiad involved,

c. The planetary scheme concerned,

49.         This tabulation gives us an important hint regarding the appearance of cosmic evil in every planetary scheme. We see that imperfect adjustment of Great Intelligences with respect to each other is involved in what we, often glibly, call “cosmic evil”.

then again cosmic evil will be negated, and a relative perfection achieved.

50.         Much greater adjustments over far greater spans of time are required to negate cosmic evil.

51.         Let us note that, even with its negation, the perfection achieved is only “relative”. The “relative perfection” here mentioned probably concerns conditions upon and within the planetary scheme which is the third point in any such triangle.

 

 This will mark the attainment of primary perfection, and the consummation of the greater cycle.

52.         What this cycle may be, we cannot ascertain. Perhaps it is the cycle of the solar system. Or it could be a cycle of all the solar systems through which our Solar Logos has incarnated and will be incarnating as He passes through all developmental stages up to His sixth cosmic initiation. By that time, all Planetary Logoi should have been perfected-as planets.

53.         The “relative perfection” to be achieved is considered, nonetheless, a “primary perfection”—probably because it involved two great stars from prototypical constellations and the dissipation of cosmic evil. When, however, planetary evil disappears, we may infer that we are to consider it as an attainment of secondary perfection.

 

Cyclic evil, or tertiary evil, lies hid in the relation between the globes in any particular scheme, two of them ever being in opposition until equilibrised by force emanating from a third.

54.         What of the adjustment between two schemes? It seems that one type of adjustment has not been referenced.

55.         Note—we are told of adjustments between “globes” in a particular “scheme” and not ‘globes in a particular chain’. If referencing a scheme and not a chain, how does one know which globes to choose? There are so many at the scheme level.

56.         We learn that there is always a mediating or equilibrizing energy adjusting the relationship between two centers representing the positive and negative poles. Does Mercury provide an equilibrizing energy between Venus and our Earth (these being polar opposites)?

57.         Let us tabulate:

a.            Primary Evil or Cosmic Evil concerns adjustments between two ‘Stellar Logoi’ and a Planetary Logos.

b.            Secondary Evil or Planetary Evil concerns adjustments between two Planetary Logoi and another Planetary Logos. The example given concerns our own Planetary Logos and its relationship to two other Planetary Logoi.

c.            Tertiary Evil (is this evil within a planetary chain?) concerns adjustments between two planetary globes and another globe.

d.            We wonder about the omission of adjustments between two planetary chains and another planetary chain.

58.         We may begin to assume that the conflict between opposites involved in the expression of evil must always be equilibrated. Equilibrization (perhaps through the second aspect) is required for the negation of evil—whether cyclic, planetary or cosmic.

  Students will only apprehend the significance of this teaching as they study the pairs of opposites in their own cycles, and the equilibrising work of the Ego.

59.         From this perspective, the “pairs of opposites” within the energy system of a disciple are the Monad and the personality.

60.         For the human being, then, it can be inferred, that the Ego reconciles the Monad to the personality, and thus, Spirit to matter.

61.         If, in general, the equilibrizer represents the second aspect, then it is more problematic to choose Mercury as the equilibrizer between the Earth and Venus.

A fourth type of evil growing out of the above finds [Page 991] its main expression in the sorrows and troubles of the fourth or human kingdom, and will find its solution in two ways:  [firstly] by the balancing of the forces of the three kingdoms (the spiritual or fifth kingdom, the human, and the animal),

62.         There is a fourth type of evil which applies directly to the fourth kingdom of nature rather than to a planet or globe. Shall we call it ‘Quadrennial Evil’?

63.         It becomes clear that humanity shall not rid itself of this type of evil until the soul is brought into right relationship with both the human and animal nature.

64.         In this quadrennial relationship, man (Mercury) is the equilibrizer. Venus represents the fifth or spiritual kingdom and Mars/Earth the animal kingdom. The appropriateness of this lower relationship seems to support the triangle of Mercury, Venus, Earth/Mars as the planets involved in the expression of planetary evil.

 

and secondly, by the negation of the attractive power of the three lower kingdoms (the mineral, the vegetable, and the animal, who thus form one unit), by the spiritual kingdom, utilising the fourth or human kingdom.

65.         In one respect, the three lower kingdoms are collectively the Moon (veiling the energies of Vulcan, Neptune and Uranus), and are associated with the lunar lords. The fifth kingdom under Venus must negate the attraction of the Moon.

66.         We can see and understand the meaning of difficult aspects between Venus and the Moon (from one perspective) and between Venus and Mars from another.

 

In all these cases, triangles of force are formed which, when balanced, procure the desired end.

67.         We are speaking of the equilibrizing of triangles in order to produce perfected adjustment and consequent full and ideal energy-flow.

68.         Along with this equilibrization comes the elimination of evil incident to maladjustments between the three factors constituting any particular triangle.

 

Black magic is spoken of as making its appearance upon our planet during the fourth root race.97 [S.D., I, 451, 452; II, 221, 234, 519]

69.         Whatever may have been the abuses in Lemuria, they were, apparently, not the result of the specific focus of the Black Lodge upon humanity.

70.         This is not to say that evil beings who were initiates in the first solar system were not present in Lemuria. There is every indication that they were present, just as the “nomads” who wandered into the Earth-scheme of the second solar system were present even before individualization occurred in the middle of the third root race of fourth round of the Earth-chain of the Earth-scheme.

71.         It would seem that Black Lodge initiates originating within the solar system immediately antedating ours may have been present on the Moon-chain (as, apparently, an eruption of cosmic evil occurred there, too) as well as within both the Lemurian rootrace and the Atlantean rootrace. Their influence in the fifth rootrace was demonstrably present in the first and second world wars.

…a part of the mystery of evil is to be found in the readiness of certain of these cosmic entities (particularly our planetary Logos in the moon chain) to remain polarised in the physical etheric body after having supposedly dominated the material aspect, or gained the control of the third Fire in an earlier system.  A hint lies here for the wise student anent present evil on this planet. (TCF 721)

 It should be borne in mind here that this means strictly in connection with the fourth kingdom and its conscious use by wrongly developed men.

72.         Master DK is speaking in a rather specific manner and in connection with the Earth-chain of the Earth-scheme within the second solar system.

73.         DK is also not speaking of unconsciously expressed magic of a lower kind. He is speaking of the deliberate, conscious use of that which we call black magic and which characterizes the approach of the Black Lodge associated with the Earth-scheme.

 

The forces of evil of the planetary and cosmic kind have been present since manifestation [the manifestation of our Planetary Logos] set in, being latent in the karma of the planetary Logos,

74.         Here He explains the distinction between the presence on Earth of the representatives of the Black Lodge and the conscious use of black magic by “wrongly developed men”.

 

 but human beings began consciously to work with these forces and to use them for specified selfish ends in this round during the fourth root race.

75.         Perhaps the mental development of Lemurians was not sufficient to enable them to work consciously with black magic. Also, the relatively intelligent (and relatively selfish) Egos from the Moon-chain had not yet entered the Earth-chain during Lemurian times.

76.         So we are speaking not only of evil on a large scale but of humanity’s conscious, deliberate indulgence in black magic for strictly selfish ends. This indulgence did not arise until the fourth root-race, and even then probably not until the third or fourth subraces of that root-race.

 

Black magicians work under certain great Entities, six in number,

77.         Let us note that these Entities are greater than the twelve present leaders of the Black Lodge on Earth—six of them in the East and six of them in the West. The number six, however, is significant in the expression conscious, deliberate evil.

The dark forces are ruled on the physical plane by a group of six oriental leaders and six occidental leaders; of these the oriental are the most powerful because they are the oldest racially and therefore the most experienced.  (EP II 577-578)

who are spoken of, for instance, in the Christian Bible as having the number 666.98 [Bible. Rev. 13:18]

78.         We must determine whether all these Entities collectively are characterized by the number 666 or whether each such Entity is thus characterized.

79.         The planet (a non-sacred planet) most correlated with the number 666 is Mars, and it would not be surprising to find that these six Entities have a close relation, within our solar system, to Mars.

 

They came in (being cosmic, not systemic) on that stream of force emanating from cosmic mental levels which produced the three worlds of human endeavour.

80.         Black magicians work under cosmic Entities.

81.         The coming in of these Entities is probably the coming into our solar system.

82.         It is probable that the planet Mars (a distributor of the sixth ray) is related to these cosmic Entities.

83.         Just as the soul on the higher mental plane produces within the lower three worlds the three elemental vehicles of the human being, so a cosmic type of soul (the type of soul possessed by our Planetary Logos and Solar Logos) produces three cosmic personality vehicles for cosmic elemental expression within the three lower cosmic worlds (and especially within the lower two and a half cosmic worlds or planes).

84.         The Solar Angel expressing through the higher mental plane arranges the creation of the lower vehicles of the human being. The greater energy stream which animates the work of the Solar Angels on the higher mental plane emanates from the cosmic mental plane.

85.         It is evident that these six Entities are related to the personality expression of our Planetary Logos and perhaps to the personality expression of our Solar Logos. Similarly and on a lower level, the lesser members of the Black Lodge work with forces drawn from the personality vehicles of man

 

Students should remember here the fact that the three lower planes of our solar system are not considered as embodying a cosmic principle,

86.         Though a number of the human principles find expression upon and through the three lower planes of our solar system…

87.         We note the use of the word “cosmic” to describe the type of principle under discussion. We are speaking of principles as they apply to the Solar Logos and our Planetary Logos and not of the principles of a human being.

 for they form the dense physical body of the Logos, and the dense physical body is not considered a principle.

88.         Even the systemic higher mental plane is considered part of the dense physical body of the Solar Logos, though not necessarily a part or the dense physical body of our Planetary Logos.

 

There is an occult significance in the expression "unprincipled."

89.         We can think of two meanings:

a.            Not animated by one of the principles of the Logos; this is the cosmic meaning.

b.            Inferior in moral expression, i.e., not abiding by or conforming to expected standards.

90.         The two meanings are obviously related.

 

 These entities

91.         Six Entities…

 are the sumtotal of the substance of the three lower subplanes of the cosmic physical plane (our three lower systemic [Page 992] planes), and it is under them that the black magicians are swept into activity, often unconsciously, but rising to power as they work consciously.99

92.         We must wonder about the polarity of these Entities. Since there are six of them representing three lower systemic planes, it would seem that they come in bi-polar pairs.

93.         We must also wonder about the relationship between these six Entities and the Raja Deva Lords of the lower three systemic planes. The Raja Deva Lords are definitely evolutionary and are equivalent (some of them at least) to a human initiate of the seventh degree. Are the six great Entities involutionary in nature?

94.         We note that the six Entities provide a certain power which sweeps the black magicians into power, often unconsciously to themselves.

95.         It is curious to realize that black magicians, for all their intelligence, are completely or largely unconscious of the greater maleficent powers which impel them.

96.         As black magicians pursue their goals with increasing consciousness, they increase in power.

Footnote 99
It might here be asked what, if any, relation there may be in this connection with the inner round?

97.         The question inquires whether the rise in power of black magicians has anything to do with the inner round.

 The inner round has many meanings some impossible to give, but two things may here be said:  That it concerns itself with the effect of the triangular balancing of forces towards the close of the cycle,

98.         Does this cycle concern our solar system or is it a much larger cycle concerning the "One About Whom Naught May Be Said"?

99.         Three types of electrical force must be reconciled towards the close of any cycle (incidentally eliminating evil). We can imagine the constellation Libra (whose symbol is the triangle), or similar equilibrizing energies, involved in this balancing.

when the force or energy involved is circulating unimpeded, even if slowly, through:

1.   Two constellations of the solar system,

100.      This is a peculiar statement, as constellations usually consist of more than one solar system and are not (according to standard definition) contained within a solar system.

101.      It would make more sense if the statement were “two constellations and the solar system”.

102.      Of course the term “solar system” might not mean a system consisting of one star and a number of planets, but rather a larger structure consisting of a number of constellations. From this perspective the system of the "One About Whom Naught May Be Said" might be considered a “solar system”

 

2.   The planetary schemes

103.      We might presume that these are the planetary schemes of our solar system, but, if we are speaking of a cycle larger than a solar systemic cycle, a number the planetary schemes of a number of solar systems might be indicated.

 

3.   Three globes in the scheme.

104.      We presume the higher globes of a grouping of seven or ten globes to be included.

105.      The information given in this footnote is obscure and seems to be occultly blinded.

 

It should be remembered that all these three are interdependent.  The force begins thus to flow when any cycle is two thirds run.

106.      We seem to be speaking of the forces which flow through the “inner round”.

107.      As a general principle, we might say that equilibrizing forces begin to flow when any cycle of two third run.

108.      We might also infer that it is useless to attempt to eliminate evil until two thirds of a cycle has run its course.

109.      It is interesting that after two thirds of the incarnation of a human being have passed, that human being will choose a vocation in line with soul quality.

 It deals with the greater Initiations, and is the correspondence on the higher planes to the occult short cut to wisdom and knowledge which we call the Path of Initiation.

110.      DK is giving us an analogy between the inner round and the Path of Initiation.

111.      It would seem that, via the inner round, higher initiations can be taken. The inner round, apparently, represents the possibility for accelerated progress. Connected with it, we have been told, are rare opportunities and certain dangers.

 

In the early stages of human unfoldment all men are unconscious black magicians, but are not occultly "damned" thereby.

112.      This means that, due to ignorance, all undeveloped men use their powers selfishly. They are, however, largely unaware that they are doing so.

113.      Occult damnation occurs through the deliberate, willful and prolonged prostitution of human powers to selfish ends.

 

 As evolution proceeds they [most human beings who have been laboring in the Hall of Ignorance] come under the force of the second aspect, and the majority respond to it,

114.      DK hints at the idea that black magic occurs under the influence of the third aspect of divinity.

 

 escaping from the meshes of the black magicians, and coming under the force of a different number.

115.      The majority escapes from its response to the number three and begins to respond to the number two.

116.      When the word “meshes” is used it suggest the idea of the “web”—a symbol for the third ray under which black magicians principally work.

117.      We see that the Christ Force offers a way of escape for all those who are overly-influenced by the third aspect of divinity.

 

The few who do not do so in this manvantara are the "failures" who have to continue the struggle at a later date.

118.      Here we are speaking of ‘manvantaric failure’ but not of ‘mahamanvantaric failure’. If manvantaric failure continues, however, it may end in mahamanvantaric failure.

119.      There are also some forms of failure which are more natural and relate to the ‘date’ (within the developmental process of a solar system) on which certain groups of Monads began their evolutionary journey. Commencement of this journey (if too far into the cycle of the solar system) may result in the impossibility of achieving liberation within that solar system.

120.      This, our second solar system, will have its mahamanvantaric “failures” even as the previous solar system had its failures (those who were compelled to continue their development in this, our present, solar system instead of completing it in the preceding system). Such failures will result either from ‘late commencement’ or from prolonged inadequate response to the major energy expressed in the system. An initial inadequate response may be rectified within the mahamanvantara and would thus simply result in “manvantaric failure”.

121.      For instance, if certain units in our solar system of Love-Wisdom do not respond adequately to Love-Wisdom, and continue that inadequate response in subsequent manvantaras, they will have to continue their development of Love-Wisdom in the next or Will solar system.

 

  A tiny percentage wilfully refuse to "pass on," and they become the true "black magicians."

122.      The type of failure indicated here is not what the Tibetan means by failure within a manvantara nor even failure (through ignorance) within a mahamanvantara. It is much more serious and its consequences far more dire.

123.      The failures, due to initial or prolonged inadequate response or to late commencement in the evolutionary process, are either unfortunate or predictable, but willful refusal to “pass on” is quite another matter. It is this misapplication of the will which makes of a man a true black magician and, thus, a member or the Black Lodge (responsive to cosmic evil).

124.      We see how small a percentage of all human beings willfully refuse to move forward into responsiveness to the second aspect of divinity. Such beings willfully refuse to love.

 

For them the end is ever the same, first, severance of the Ego from the Monad, entailing a wait for many aeons until another solar system has its being.

125.      This is the greatest disaster which can befall the human unit.

126.      We note that the term “aeon”, as here used, must necessarily be less than that of a solar system. The use of this term is, more often than not, indefinite.

127.      When the term “Ego” is used, we do not initially know whether the spiritual triad is indicated or the Ego (in the egoic body) on the higher mental plane. Probably, it is the latter, for the following reason:

It is the rejection of the Triadal Lives by units in the fourth Hierarchy, that of the human Monads, which precipitates a man eventually into the eighth sphere.  He refuses to become a Christ, a Saviour and remains self-centred. (TCF 1199)

128.      To remain focussed as a lower ego, uninfluenced by the Ego on the higher mental plane, is a form of self-centeredness. It is also possible to remain focussed in the Ego on the higher mental plane (uninspired by the Triadal Lives). This would eventuate in a higher form of self-centeredness.

129.      For the remainder of the present solar system, one whose Ego has been severed from the Monad will express through decaying identity and without hope of Spirit-redemption.

 

  In the case of the "failures"

130.      This is a category which incurs far less karmic punishment than the category of black magicians.

 the Ego severed itself from the personality or lower self, entailing a set­back for a lesser period, but still having opportunity within the system.

131.      In the category of those who have not become true members of the Black Lodge, there appear to be failures within the solar system and failures at the termination of the solar system (condemned to pursue continued development in the next solar system).

132.      The one who is not a member of the Black Lodge and who fails at the termination of the solar system still enters the succeeding solar system as an individualized Ego. The black magician enters the next solar system as one who must again undertake the entire monadic pilgrimage through all the lower kingdoms. So we see that the loss incurred by a black magician is vastly more severe.

133.      Severance from the Ego seems equivalent to severance from a supervisory Solar Angel. The one thus severed can be considered, from a certain technical perspective, “soulless”, He still has an individualized identity but it is uninspired by a higher Ego, i.e., by a Solar Angel. Perhaps re-association with another Solar Angel or with some other form of supervisory force is possible within the same solar system.

134.      Along this line, we understand that there are a number of human beings (of different kinds) who are not associated with Solar Angels. The most undeveloped human beings are not. As well, those who individualized on the Moon-chain and achieved on the Moon-chain were not. The “failures” of which we are speaking, however, are advanced types who, it appears, are deprived of the privilege of continued supervision by a solar “Guide”. At least, such guidance is interrupted.

135.      When the personality is severed from the Ego how long is the severance? Can it be that the Ego or Solar Angel still ‘hovers above’ the severed personality for some time awaiting a condition of contrition before re-associating itself with that particular human being? Can it be that the severed personality spends many cycles upon the astral plane before such a re-association becomes possible? We can see that much remains to be explored regarding the fate of those who have been severed from the higher Ego.

136.      As for those who experience the severance of the Ego from the Monad, their fate is far more obscure.

Second,

137.      DK continues speaking of black magicians who are member of the Black Lodge, and not of the ordinary “failures” (whether ‘manvantaric failures’ or ‘mahamanvantaric failures’—the latter existing for two main reasons).

 

a cycle of existence, spent in unlimited evil, and dependent upon the vitality of the severed egoic body and its innate persistence.

138.      Close consideration of this statement confirms that it is the egoic body that is severed from the Monad and not the spiritual triad. A severed egoic body will persist for a long time—perhaps for the duration of the dense physical body of our Planetary Logos.

 

These are the ordinary "lost souls" spoken of in the Secret Doctrine.1 

139.      DK clarifies that the “lost souls” are black magicians whose egoic bodies have been severed from their Monads.

140.      The following tabulation explains why there are so few “lost souls”

Footnote 1:  No soul can be lost where—

a. One good aspiration is present.

b. One unselfish deed is done.

c. The life is strong in virtue.

d. The life is righteous.

e. The life is a naturally pure life.—

Isis Unveiled, II, 368. -- Read S. D., III, 528, 529.

141.      The last three stipulations indicate those who are high souls and who, consequently, cannot ever be considered “lost souls”.

142.      The first two stipulations indicate those who are nearly spiritually impoverished (spiritually spent) but are prevented from becoming “lost souls” by the presence of the tiniest bit of good still resident within their nature.

143.      If (following the behest of at least one good aspiration) one unselfish deed is done, a path of recovery from evil has begun.

 

If students will study these conditions, and will extend the same concept to an earlier and more matured solar system, they will get [Page 993] some light upon the problem of the origin of evil in this solar system.

144.      Basically the origin of evil in this solar system stems from an immediately preceding solar system—the immediately former incarnation of our Solar Logos.

145.      There are also, as we have been discussing, extra-systemic origins of the evil which affects our solar system.

146.      We might gather that the previous solar system was not brought to an abrupt end as was the Moon-chain of our Earth-scheme, but that it reached its full maturity. We presently live in a solar system which is only approximately midway through its complete development.

147.      We might wonder why, in preparation for a discussion on white magic, so much attention should be paid to black magic and its origin. Perhaps the dangers of a misguided approach to the magical process are very great. Much of human civilization was already destroyed during the Atlantean era precisely for this reason. It is necessary for aspirants to the magical art to be forewarned in the strongest terms.