Fellowship of Cosmic Fire
Commentary Semester IX Section X Part II
TCF 1168-1170 : S9S10 Part II
I. THE SUBSIDIARY LAWS
The subsidiary aspects, or laws, of the Law of Attraction might be enumerated as follows:
1. The Law of Chemical Affinity.
This law governs the soul aspect in the mineral kingdom.
1. Here we are dealing with the “anima mundi” or “soul of the world”—the lower worlds especially.
2. We notice that it is the consciousness or “soul aspect” of the mineral kingdom which is governed by this law more than the matter aspect.
3. It may seem unusual to think of the mineral kingdom as possessing “soul”, but according to the Hylozoistic Theory there is no aspect of Creation devoid of soul or consciousness of some type.
It concerns the marriage of the atoms, and the romance of the elements.
4. DK is deliberately using analogical terms which apply more to the human level of existence than to the world of so-called “inanimate matter”. Really, He is telling us that the mineral kingdom is animate.
5. He is also telling us that all the issues of affinity, attraction and repulsion exist in this mineral world (governed by its soul) just as they exist in the human kingdom governed by the soul aspect (both the incarnated soul aspect and the aspect of soul which is said to be “on its own plane”).
6. He seems to be working against the prevalent thought that the mineral kingdom is lifeless, inert, unconscious.
It serves to perpetuate the life of the mineral kingdom and to preserve its integrity.
7. This is an interesting idea. Is DK saying that without the marriage of the atoms and the romance of the elements the life of the mineral kingdom would not be perpetuated?
8. This leads one to consider the question of ‘sex’ within the mineral kingdom and the methods of death and reproduction related to it, if such truly exists.
9. If reincarnation is a universal law, in what manner does it operate within the mineral kingdom with its group soul and many group soul subdivisions? Are there incarnate and discarnate members of this kingdom? Is it possible that certain ‘units’ in the mineral kingdom are ‘out of incarnation’ while, presumably, a smaller proportion are ‘in incarnation’? These are odd thoughts but it seems that the Tibetan is inclining us to think along such lines.
It is the cause of the immetalisation of the Monad.
10. DK is telling us that the Law of Chemical Affinity is the “cause of the immetalisation of the Monad”. Has the ‘soul’ of the mineral kingdom attracted the descending Monad from its high estate? During the Second Outpouring, a Monad on the monadic plane takes to itself an atom of etheric substance which becomes, for it, a permanent atom. In this way that this permanent atom must ‘journey’ through the mineral kingdom in its many subdivisions and that this ‘journey’ is part of the pre-individualization pilgrimage of that which will one day be called the “human Monad”. Speculation on this possibility leads us towards some thoughts seldom thought!
11. In this process of monadic immetalisation, would Monads of certain types ‘incarnate’ within certain elements resonant to that type? These are questions which we are probably not accustomed to consider but all have to do with the possible relation between spiritual affinity and material affinity.
2. The Law of Progress.
It is called this in the vegetable kingdom owing to the fact that it is in this kingdom that definite objective response to stimulation can be noted.
12. Because the word “objective response” is used in relation to the vegetable kingdom, does this mean that “subjective response” is possible in the mineral kingdom?
13. Or is it possible that “objective response” occurs even in relation to the mineral kingdom but cannot be “noted”—at least not by ordinary means and methods of perception?
14. Since there is a hierarchy in the mineral kingdom it must be possible for the lives ensouling various elements to ‘ascend’ and so, progress or progression of a type must exist.
15. Yet the type of response to impact possible in the mineral kingdom must be very much less than that possible in the vegetable kingdom.
16. To us, the vegetable kingdom seems very much ‘alive’ whereas to all but the most knowledgeable occult investigator, the mineral kingdom seems rather ‘dead’.
17. There have been experiments by the famous Indian scientist J.C. Bose pointing to the kind of ‘reaction’ in metals which suggest that they are living rather than inanimate.
18. Here we learn something of great importance from one of Bose’s most famous lectures:
"I dedicate today this Institute as not merely a laboratory but a temple." His reverent solemnity stole like an unseen cloak over the crowded auditorium. "In the pursuit of my investigations I was unconsciously led into the border region of physics and physiology. To my amazement, I found boundary lines vanishing, and points of contact emerging, between the realms of the living and the non-living. Inorganic matter was perceived as anything but inert; it was a thrill under the action of multitudinous forces.
"A universal reaction seemed to bring metal, plant and animal under a common law. They all exhibited essentially the same phenomena of fatigue and depression, with possibilities of recovery and of exaltation, as well as the permanent irresponsiveness associated with death. Filled with awe at this stupendous generalization, it was with great hope that I announced my results before the Royal Society—results demonstrated by experiments. But the physiologists present advised me to confine myself to physical investigations, in which my success had been assured, rather than encroach on their preserves. I had unwittingly strayed into the domain of an unfamiliar caste system and so offended its etiquette.”
It is the basis of the phenomenon of sensation, which is the key to this solar system of love, our system being a "Son of Necessity" or of desire.
19. We are obliged to relate progression to sensation. We can infer that because of capacity of consciousness to respond sentiently to contacts, progression is possible (through adaptation). This response produces that interactivity (exhibiting the dynamics of attraction and repulsion) which makes possible the gathering of all sentient beings into groups reflective of archetypal patterns.
20. We live in a sentient, astral-buddhic solar system. It was the desire of the Solar Logos which brought our Solar Logos into manifestation on the cosmic physical plane. Once His desire was sufficiently intense, the precipitation of the solar system became inevitable, unavoidable, necessary. Thus He is called a “Son of Necessity”.
This law is the working out into manifestation of the informing consciousness of a part of the deva kingdom, and of certain pranic energies.
21. These are very occult statements which must await full clarification until another time.
22. We may gather that certain devas and certain pranic energies are responsible for progression. These devas are builders which build in such a way that progress according to the desire and will of the Greater Being is instituted.
23. In general, prana is vitality itself, and contributes to the animation which keeps the units in any living system moving towards a more desirable arrangement.
24. We may imagine that the “part of the deva kingdom” concerned is not the highest part but rather the consciousness of those unconscious though evolutionary Builders who work specifically with the vegetable kingdom.
The student will find much of esoteric interest in the following line of living forces:
a. The second chain, globe and round,
25. In relation to the Earth-scheme, we are speaking of the Venus-chain and globe.
26. The “round” can be the scheme round related to the Planetary Logos as a whole, or a chain round related, for instance, to the fourth chain and to the Chain-Lord of the fourth chain.
b. The vegetable kingdom,
27. The vegetable kingdom is the kingdom ruled by Venus and expressing all the soft line rays: two, four and six. Hence the affinity with the second round, for rays four and six are subsidiaries of the second ray.
c. The devas of desire in their second reflected groupings,
28. How many groupings are there—perhaps seven? The second grouping links with the second kingdom and the second round(s), the second chain and second globe.
29. From whence the reflection? Are we speaking of a reflection from the Agnisuryans of the buddhic plane (through which the principle of Love-Wisdom is expressed)? The devas of desire are keyed to the astral plane (which resonates to the buddhic plane), yet are there “devas of desire” to be found upon the buddhic plane expressing, perhaps, the “heart’s desire” of the Solar Logos?
d. The heart of the Sun,
30. This is a very high link to the soul nature of the Solar Logos. Naturally a second ray quality emanates from this center and this correlates with the various entries on this listing.
e. The second Ray force.
31. Finally, the supreme forces (for our solar system, at least) which conditions all the entries on the listing.
32. The relationship of numerical resonance to alignment is of great importance.
3. The Law of Sex.
This is the term applied to the force which brings about the physical merging of the two poles in connection with the animal kingdom, and of man, viewing him as responsive to the call of his animal nature.
33. We note that the Law of Sex is the third subsidiary law; both the sacral center and throat center are on the third ray line (with the seventh ray involved in relation to both centers at various points in the evolutionary process). Sex pertains more to the third aspect than to the love aspect, though it is related to the second aspect in various secondary ways.
34. DK is interpreting this law in relation to the human being and that aspect of his nature which is directly related to the animal kingdom, the third kingdom.
35. We note that the idea expressed here is not only about “merging” but, specifically, about “physical merging”. So the aspect of sex here emphasized is particularly “physical” in nature.
36. Of course, if sex is more broadly understood, it can be found operative in relation to all kingdoms of nature even the Solar Kingdom. Our Solar Logos is said to have His “polar opposite”—His ‘marriage partner’ and even galactic ‘marriages’ can be inferred.
It concerns itself with the due guarding of the form in this particular cycle and its perpetuation.
37. If we consider this requirement, we see how far humanity has deviated from the intended approach to sex. The human form is not at all well-guarded at this time and sex is prostituted for personal pleasure rather than used responsibly for the perpetuation of the race. That sex inevitably leads to perpetuation cannot be denied, but is the approach to perpetuation conscious and responsible, that is the question!
It is only powerful during the period of the duality of the sexes and their separation and, in the case of man, will be offset by a higher expression of the law when man is again androgynous.
38. We see that humanity is definitely heading towards androgyny. There are many human beings who (in their present state of consciousness) would not welcome this eventuality and certainly disbelieve in the possibility.
39. It would seem that androgyny will begin to appear in the sixth root-race with its emphasis upon the buddhic plane and perhaps be consummated in the seventh when Uranus rules. The fifth rootrace operates under the Law of Cleavages and, so it would seem, the separation of the sexes will persist during its period of expression. Yet, even now, tendencies towards at least psychological androgyny can be detected.
40. The Law of Sex has been operative, then, since approximately the middle of the Lemurian root race and will probably persist until well into the succeeding root-races, as it cannot be expected that all men (some of whom will not even achieve entry on the Path until the next round) are to achieve androgyny at the same time. Some may, we may anticipate, during the final root-races of this round—the fourth.
41. Truly, the Divine Plan holds in store many changes of form and consciousness which cannot easily be understood at this point in our development.
It is [Page 1169] the law of marriage,
42. Here DK will lift the understanding of the Law of Sex onto various higher turns of the spiral. Just above he has told us that when man is again androgynous the Law of Sex will not be entirely suspended but a higher expression of the law will be operative.
and finds some aspects of its manifestation not only in marriage of men and animals in the physical sense, but in the "occult marriage" of
43. Here DK discriminates between physical marriage and “occult marriage”. This is an important discrimination for all who study the occult sciences, as there is a type of marriage possible for the soul under the Law of Magnetic Impulse when physical marriage, per se, is not. The Law of Magnetic Impulse is ruled by Libra just as is the process of physical-plane marriage.
44. As students of occultism we must be alert to an understanding of the higher implications of apparently ‘lower’ laws. The Law of Analogy will assist us.
a. The Soul and the Spirit.
45. This is an advanced form of marriage, lying quite far ahead of the average probationer or disciple. The function of Jupiter in relation to Gemini contributes to the consummation of this kind of marriage. One cannot begin to think of its possibility until the third initiation has been taken. The Masters have achieved this type of “marriage”. The Chohans have, in a way, transcended it.
b. The Son with his Mother (or the Soul with the physical substance).
46. To those who do not approach philosophically, this type of “marriage” cannot help but seem incestuous, but we understand that we are speaking of the merging of the second and third aspects of divinity.
47. The curriculum of the modern disciple is precisely this and his meditations are primarily aimed at soul-infusion.
c. The negative planetary lives with the positive ones earlier pointed out.
48. In one sense we are speaking of the marriage of the evolutionary devas with the elemental lives. But questions of positive and negative are relative and so there are many ‘marriages’ which involve lives which are relatively positive with those which are relatively negative.
49. Here we are largely speaking of the relationship between the members of the Army of the Voice with the elemental building essences of the various planes and subplanes.
d. The systemic marriage, or the merging of the two final planetary schemes after their absorption of the other forces.
50. This is a very interesting kind of marriage and will take us to an examination of Chart VI, TCF 373. We note that over and above the large Saturn-scheme (may it be the scheme of “esoteric Saturn”?) stand Uranus and Neptune—very likely the final two schemes which, having etherically absorbed all the planets in the Saturn-scheme, subsequently merge with each other.
51. We remember that these final mergings do not involve the dense physical planets at all, but only their subtle principles, beginning, probably, with their etheric natures.
e. The cosmic marriage, or the merging of our solar system with its opposite cosmic pole, another constellation
52. Here is an interesting, possibly blinded, statement. Is our solar system a “constellation” (and our planets really “stars”) as some theorists have speculated? Is the “opposite cosmic pole” of our Solar Logos and His system really another “constellation” or is it a solar system?
53. If the opposite pole should happen to be Sirius, would we define Sirius as a solar system or constellation? Sirius A does have at least one other star associated with it, Sirius B, and perhaps Sirius C? Is this association enough to give it the status of the “constellation”?
54. The word “another” seems to suggest that our solar system is really a “constellation”—a thought of some interest since The Secret Doctrine seems to imply that Mars was once a Sun!
55. There is some discussion whether Sirius should be included within the "Seven Solar Systems of Which Ours is One" or whether it should stand on its own (associated with two companion stars) as a “constellation”? (cf. EA 50)
56. Of course we do not know whether Sirius B and Sirius C (inferred) are really ensouled bodies or whether they were ensouled by the Logos which now ensouls Sirius A. The question of the livingness of Sirius B and Sirius C will have to be closely examined when such examination is possible.
57. In the Egyptian Mysteries however, a place is given to Sirius B as ruling the fourth initiation, in which case it would seem to be something more than an unensouled remnant.
The cosmic marriage of stars and Systems
58. By “Systems” does DK mean solar systems or systems of stars? The distinction could be important.
59. There is much to relate the star Sirius (A) with the star Sol (our Sun).
is the cause of the occasional irregular flaring-up or intensification of suns and their increased luminosity which is sometimes seen, and which has frequently been the subject of discussion.
60. Do we find Master DK speaking here of supernovae? If so, these spectacular events have usually not been seen as related to two stars but only to one.
61. Where we see the intensification of one sun, then, are we supposed to search for another which, as the ‘marriage partner’ of the former, may be involved in the process of “flaring up”?
4. The Law of Magnetism.
This is the law which produces the unifying of a personality, and though it is an expression of lunar force, is, nevertheless, of a much higher order than the law of physical sex.
62. Here Master DK seems to be discriminating between the “Law of Physical Sex” and the “Law of Sex” which is capable of being interpreted on a number of different turns of the spiral.
63. We can see that DK has in mind some very specific levels of application when He discusses these laws. The concept of “magnetism” in general is so much greater than the application here discussed, but it is certainly an interesting application.
64. In essence we see that the Law of Magnetism is responsible for the integration of the personality in various stages—the unification of the lunar lords (and their tiny elemental lives) which compose and constitute the personality vehicles.
65. We are speaking here of magnetism as it operates in the lunar realm. Obviously it has applications (if broadly understand) in much higher realms. If the Law of Sex has higher applications, we can expect that this will be true of the Law of Magnetism.
It is the expression of the law as it is demonstrated by the three major groups of lunar pitris.
66. These three major groups are, of course, associated with the physical-etheric, astral and lower mental planes.
These three groups are not concerned with the building of the forms of the animal kingdom,
67. Because they are major groups…
for they are the builders of the body of man in the final three stages of the path of evolution:
68. There is an implication that there are other lunar pitris who are builders of the body of man in the earlier stages of the Path of Evolution.
69. The lunar pitris as builders are clearly on the Path of Evolution and are not, strictly speaking, elementals or elemental lives.
70. We would have, then, for each level (physical-etheric, astral and mental) three categories of lives:
a. The inert building essence of each level
b. The elemental unities (sometimes called the “lunar lords” or “lunar elementals” comprised of the aggregated building essence once they have been gathered and shaped by the building forces.
c. The lunar pitris as evolutionary though unconscious “builders” which build the forms of the lunar elementals.
a. The stage of high intellectuality, or of artistic attainment,
71. This is the stage, technically considered, of “advanced man”.
b. The stage of discipleship,
72. In this case, the stage of discipleship seems to precede that stage of treading the Path.
c. The stage of treading the Path.
73. Perhaps we can consider this stage as beginning at the first initiation, though the idea of various Paths, such as the Path of Aspiration, and the Path of Probationary Discipleship, precede the first initiation.
74. It seems clear that DK in speaking of the “major groups of lunar pitris”, is speaking of those who only build during the final stages of the Path!
75. Clearly some form of building was necessary long before these advanced stages are reached. Were the earlier stages of building performed by lunar pitris who were not among the “major groups”? This seems to be the implication.
The lower four groups concern themselves with the earlier stages, and with the animal aspects of attraction in both the kingdoms. [Page 1170]
76. Here the clarification comes—there are four lower groups of lunar pitris associated with the human kingdom and also with the animal kingdom.
77. We might think, then, that the four elemental vehicles of man—the physical elemental, the astral elemental, the mental elemental and the personality elemental are built by the members of these lower four groups, and that the higher three groups build only once there has been a great deal of evolutionary experience.
78. Where are the three major group and what are they ‘doing’ as the four lower groups are doing their work preparing the way?