28 Rules Group

Commentary on Rule IX Part IV

R&I (176 top—178 )

(All Highlighting, Bolding and Underlining—MDR)

The dualities are then resolved in synthesis and, again for the first time, the initiate comprehends the meaning of the ancient words, so inappropriately translated "isolated unity." To him, in the future, there is no light or dark, no good or evil, no difference or separation. The star that has shone forth, veiling and standing between him and the Lord of the World, the Ancient of Days, is seen as the entrance or doorway and as the admitting agency into something other and larger than simply the planetary life. In the earlier two initiations, the Angel of the Presence stood between the disciple-candidate and the Presence. At the later initiations, the Angel of the Presence is the Christ Himself, one with the soul of the candidate (the individual Angel of the Presence). Through the heart of Christ passes the dynamic power of the One Initiator, as a stream of light, stepped down or toned down by the Christ in order that the candidate can appropriate its potency without risk or danger.

1. “Isolated unity” is an advanced initiatory theme for those upon the first ray. It is accessible to those upon other rays once that part of the Path is reached during which the first ray is being strengthened in the energy system.

2. One wonders what more appropriate translation of the idea behind “isolated unity” the Tibetan would offer.

3. The Tibetan seems to be saying that, ponder how we will upon “isolated unity” (and ponder we must), we will not understand it until the experience of the third initiation.

4. Although the stage of isolated unity can be initially and somewhat understood by the initiate of the third degree, it really describes the state of awareness of the Master as indicated in the following:

“Isolated unity describes the stage which the Master has reached; isolated individuality is that of the disciple; isolated identity (with the soul) is that of the disciple up to and including the third initiation.” (DINA I 717)

5. We can see that between the third and fifth initiation is a developmental stage involving the growth of the awareness of isolated unity.

6. For the third degree initiate upon the White Path, the Path of Love, isolation is understood as illusory at the third degree. For comparable initiates upon the dark path, their isolation from humanity, and from the Divine Plan is confirmed.

7. It is clear, it is not, that much pondering on the true nature of synthesis, and on the reconciliation and resolution of the opposites is preparation for the third degree.

8. When one reads the following sentence, “to him, in the future, there is no light or dark, no good or evil, no difference or separation”, one wonders if it is not the fifth degree (the solar third degree) which is being explained.

9. The philosopher Nietzsche attempted to convey the idea of a state “Beyond Good and Evil”, but the exponent of such a state was still an individual, and had not fused with soul or Spirit. The result was that individuals claimed for themselves the prerogatives of gods, thus violating planetary Law. The “superman” is not an isolated individual, but a fused and blended spiritual-soul who is a member of the Spiritual Hierarchy of the planet.

10. The initiate of the third degree, at the moment of initiation, may see beyond light and dark, good and evil, and all forms of difference, but it may well be at the fifth degree that he finally brings these realizations into full expression upon the lowest planes utilizing the mechanism of the brain.

11. We think often of the “door of initiation”. Here the interesting idea is brought forward that the “point of light”, the “star of initiation”, is in fact a “doorway” or a door leading to states of being that lie beyond the normal planetary life. The star, however, is not a thwarting door but an admitting door. Before a candidate has proved himself, the door of initiation is an obstruction. After proof has been rendered, the door becomes a portal of admission, opening to the candidate and allowing him to pass into new dimensions of potentiality.

12. There follow some amazing technicalities concerning the personnel involved the initiation process. The Solar Angel (the Angel of the Presence), Who has supervised the developing human being for millions of years is involved and stands “between the disciple-candidate and the Presence” at the first two initiations. It is clear that some energy must shield the disciple-candidate from the Presence during the initiations of the threshold (the first and second) and even afterwards, when the Christ (merged with the Angel of the Presence) acts as the shielding, modulating factor, but does not stand between the disciple-candidate and the One Initiator. The Christ moderates the energy of Sanat Kumara so that it may reach the candidate without destroying him.

13. A principle emerges: love must moderate will, if will is to be beneficially applied.

14. Thoughts arise as to the positioning of the sponsors (and the Solar Angel) during the processes of initiation. At the first two initiations, it appears that the Angel stands between the candidate and the Presence (whether before or behind the Christ, Who is the Hierophant, is not stated), buffering the candidate from excessive exposure to the highest energies. Though the Christ is the Hierophant at these first two initiation, Sanat Kumara (though not officiating) is present as the Presence, one with the Monad of the candidate and underlying the entire process

15. At the third degree, and perhaps beyond, it could appear that the Christ, Himself, stands between the candidate and the Presence, because “the Angel of the Presence is the Christ Himself, one with the soul of the candidate (the individual Angel of the Presence)”. If the Solar Angel stood between the candidate and the Presence, it could be inferred that Christ, taking the place of the Solar Angel, would do likewise. This is not explicitly stated, however, and probably for good reason. It is more probable that the Christ stands behind, though still acting as the protector. The next of the Tibetan’s paragraphs suggests this latter possibility.

16. An important point to emerge is that the “heart of Christ” is involved at the third degree in protecting the initiate from direct impact from the energies the Hierophant, Sanat Kumara.

17. We see what extraordinary care is exerted to ensure that the candidate is not damaged by the very energies which are intended to bring spiritual benefit to him.

After the third initiation, the candidate must face the One Initiator alone, with no protective Individual standing between him and the eternal source of all-power.

18. One rather enigmatic fact concerning the sentence above is the use of the word “after”. We will wonder why the word “at” is not used instead of “after”, for what follows is certainly a description of the third initiation (following by some interesting facts concerning the fourth and fifth).

19. It would seem that an understanding of Rule IX can be applied to aspects of the third, fourth and fifth initiations.

The Christ is present, supporting and attentive. He stands directly behind the initiate so as to arrest and distribute the potency passing through the initiate's body and centres; the candidate is also flanked on either side by a Master. Nevertheless, he faces the Initiator alone and unprotected.

20. Here is position of the Christ in the initiation process is clearly stated.

21. We must interpret carefully the phrase “he faces the Initiator alone and unprotected”. It is the word “faces” which is ambiguous, because when such a term is used, it usually means a “face to face” encounter. Further reading, however, reveals that this is not the case.

Even now, at this much later initiation, he cannot see "eye to eye"—as the phrase goes.

22. When the words “this much later initiation” are used, it is a clear reference to the fourth degree which occurs “much later”, certainly, than the first, though not necessarily much later than the second, which can be taken in the same life as the third.

He becomes aware of a growing point of light which, from a pin-point of intensest brilliance develops before him into a five-pointed star.

23. In the previous commentary we read that “this star is simply a point of vivid light”. This statement seems to mask the importance of the actual star-like appearance of the light.

24. In the excerpt immediately above the manner, the star-like appearance follows the appearance of the “pin-point of intensest brilliance”

At the fourth initiation, it is not a star which shines forth before him, but a triangle; and within that triangle he will perceive an eye regarding him, and for the first time he does see the Most High "eye to eye."

25. The “triangle” can be thought to symbolize the spiritual triad and the “eye”, the Monad within the triad.

At the fifth initiation no [Page 177] symbol or light substance separates or protects him, but he stands before the Initiator face to face, and the freedom of the City of God is his. He is not yet a Member of the Great Council, but he has the right of entrance into Shamballa, and from that point he passes on to a more intimate relation, if that is his chosen destiny. He may not even finally become a Member of the Great Council; that is reserved for relatively few and for Those Who can take even still higher initiations within the ring-pass-not of our planet—a task of profound difficulty. There are other and interesting alternatives, as I have elsewhere told you. The initiate may pass out of this planetary life altogether along one or other of the various Paths by means of which a Master can start upon the Path of the Higher Evolution and for which all that has transpired in the past will have prepared Him. Whichever Way He goes, the Master remains a part of the purpose; He knows forever the secret of the darkness which brings light, and the "inscrutable will of God" is no longer a mystery to Him. He comprehends the divine idea and can now cooperate with it; He has reached a point of realisation which enables Him to fathom what lies behind the Plan for which the Hierarchy has worked for aeons.

26. We see in this paragraph, that even though the Christ has taken the place of the Solar Angel, He stands in a position different to that of the Solar Angel at the first two initiation. He stands “behind” the candidate so that the candidate may face the One Initiator (or, rather, the star that represents Him) alone and directly.

27. A new point in the developmental process has been reached. During the first two initiations, understanding of and infusion by the soul is the main objective and, fittingly, Christ is the Hierophant. At the third degree, though soul infusion is not complete (and will not be complete until the fourth degree), the main objective is coming in touch with a still higher aspect of the human energy system, the Monad, and therefore, the Christ stands “supportive and attentive”. We might say that He stands in an attitude of loving-understanding.

28. The Christ’s function is to “arrest and distribute” the initiatory potency of Sanat Kumara. It becomes clear that the Christ (in conjunction with Sanat Kumara) guides the initiatory energy to its correct destination within the inner bodies of the candidate.

29. In many languages we have the expression, “seeing eye to eye”. It usually means that “we understand each other and we agree”. Or “we have the same perspective or point of view”. Now we see that this expression stems from a deep, internal initiatory happening.

30. The “eye to eye” contact at the fourth degree certainly indicates a new level of comprehension by the initiate of Sanat Kumara and His Purpose.

31. The “eye of the Initiator” is reserved for the fourth degree. The point of light, transforming itself into a star in the consciousness of the candidate, is the instrument used by the Initiator at the third degree. The point of light and star represent the One Initiator but are still a veil upon His full Presence (even as the “eye” is a veil).

32. At the fourth degree the “eye in the triangle” appears and the contact with the Initiator is “eye to eye”. This is a buddhic initiation, involving the intuition. The eye sees that which is immediately before it “all at once” just as the intuition sees that which it perceives with simultaneity. The initiate is seen and completely understood by the Initiator. It is probable that the initiate also begins to see far more of what the “Eye of the Initiator” sees, and that the initiate’s intuition (or ability to see comprehensively, holistically and instantaneously) is greatly stimulated. The Doctrine of the Eye precedes the Doctrine of the Heart. It is reasonable to think that the Doctrine of the Eye has a special connection to the fourth degree whereas the Doctrine of the Heart is related, climactically, to the fifth degree.

33. Although the fourth initiation especially stimulates the heart, it is reasonable to think of the fifth degree as related to the heart as well (especially the heart in the head which is the major aspect of the thousand petalled lotus), for Leo, the fifth sign (numerically correlated to the fifth initiation) is the sign of the heart, and is connected to the “dome” of the head. This head center emphasis is completed at the seventh initiation.

34. Note the nature of the protecting devices used at the third and fourth initiations. Light substance is protective but so is the symbol of the eye. Both are mediators. Even though the Christ stands by protectively, the energy of Sanat Kumara still must be mediated—through light and through symbol. When we attempt to decipher symbols, we must realize that they are veils preventing full access to the potency they conceal. A deciphered symbol admits to this potency—but not completely.

35. At the fifth degree the initiate sees the One Initiator “face to face” It must be an awesome sight—in beauty and power. In this Leonian initiation, the face stands for the real Identity of the King. It is normally understood that the face of a human being reveals his identity. This must also be true for the Identity of Sanat Kumara—even if only partially so. Surely great revelations concerning the Plan and Purpose of the King must dawn at that time. This fifth initiation is called the “Revelation”. Yet, even the Masters do not know the “full name” of Sanat Kumara.

36. The newly made Master has the freedom of the City of God—Shamballa, though He is not yet a member of Shamballa. Put in terms of energy, it means that the Master can raise His own point of tension to the Shamballic level, and thus tune in on that which may there be known, but that this Master does not sustain His point of tension at that level, for He has other things to do, and is therefore not privy to all that transpires in the inmost Council Chamber (of which He probably will not be a member).

37. A Master dwells on the periphery of Shamballa, just as a third degree initiate takes his place on the periphery of Hierarchy. Greater intimacy with the Center is possible for both, but progress is gradual and must be earned.

38. We come to realize that the Master who has the “freedom of the City of God” may never become a Member of the Great Council within Shamballa. There are many other possible destinies, and only Those Whose chosen (and appointed) destiny it is, become full Members of the higher Center. If, however, He is admitted (through Sanat Kumara’s own need and the Master’s own choice) into membership, it means that He will become capable of taking still higher initiations than the fifth on our planet—a profoundly difficult task (we are told), especially beyond the sixth. Shamballa must be a Center of training for those Who are to take initiations beyond the sixth. Those Who remain with Shamballa after the sixth initiation are upon the Path of Earth Service—the first and humblest, and most sacrificial of the Seven Major Paths (now nine, probably since the focus of Hierarchy moved to the buddhic plane around the year 1925).

39. The seven or nine Paths are simply the beginning of the Path of Higher Evolution. Virtually endless opportunity greets the aspiring Monad once it has completed its sojourn within the field of vibration we call Earth.

40. At this point, we are not entering on a discussion of the Seven Paths. The point of importance is this:

“Whichever Way He goes, the Master remains a part of the purpose; He knows forever the secret of the darkness which brings light, and the ‘inscrutable will of God’ is no longer a mystery to Him”.

The Will of God is so luminous as to be invisible. We are by now familiar with the idea that “darkness”(in this context) is intensest light. The “inscrutable will of God” is no longer a mystery to the Chohan of the Sixth Degree, but what do we mean by “God”? We do not mean the ABSOLUTE DEITY; we do not even mean the Universal Logos, or various of the descending degrees of Logoi Who preside over families of galaxies, galaxies, and vast structures within galaxies, and even of constellations. We mean our Planetary Logos and, to a degree, our Solar Logos.

41. As we progress, veil after veil is lifted, but inscrutability describes our relationship to that which lies ever on ahead. When we ‘re-become’ the Universal Logos, we are no longer inscrutable to our Self (our Universal Self), but then, the great and ABSOLUTE DARKNESS of ENDLESS INFINITUDE is forever inscrutable. The point: as long as Time and Space exist (which they do, periodically, for ever) there will always be mysteries.

42. It takes a long time, doesn’t it, before we can become truly effective cooperators. Our sight (when subjected to form) is so dimmed, that we don’t know what is really and deeply happening and why. Suffice it to say that we are working our way into a state of usefulness for the “One in Whom we live and move and have our being”.

Just as the disciple enters the world of meaning and so can interpret events, just as the Hierarchy works in the world of mediation, applying the Plan which the world of meaning has revealed, so the higher initiate works consciously in the world of purpose which the Plan implements, the world of meaning interprets, and the world of events expresses in sequential order and under the evolutionary Law.

43. The world of meaning is the field of illumination for the disciple and for the initiate up to and including the third degree. The initiate of the third and fourth degree works increasingly in the world of causes. The members of the Hierarchy, fourth and fifth degree initiates, work in the world of mediation (functioning as mediators between Shamballic Will and humanity). This might also be called the world of significance. Initiates of the sixth degree and beyond work in the world of purpose, and the Masters are learning so to work.

44. It is interesting to read that the world of meaning “interprets” the world of purpose implemented by the Plan. The idea of interpretation suggests the importance of Mercury to the world of meaning. Meaning arises when the correct relationship of the part to a perceived context is rightly understood and the correct relationship of the perceived context to the part is also rightly understood.. An understanding of meaning depends upon discerning the nature of relationships correctly.

45. It would be instructive to list some of the “worlds” suggested here and elsewhere and place them in order (a debatable proposition). There may be some overlap between indicated terms.

a. World of being

b. World of purpose

c. World of significance

d. World of mediation

e. World of causes

f. World of meaning

g. World of events

46. One might imagine that seven planes would be suggested in this enumeration, but it is difficult to find a place for the astral body.

a. World of Being—logoic plane

b. World of Purpose—monadic plane

c. World of Significance—atmic planet

d. World of Mediation—buddhic plane

e. World of Causes—higher mental plane

f. World of Meaning—concrete mental plane

g. World of Events—etheric/physical plane

47. Purpose is an archetypal pattern or “Fixed Design” held in the mind of God, the Planetary Logos. Plan implements purpose in time and space. The “Fixed Design” must be intelligently applied, but this requires adaptation. The Masters are “adepts”, and they adapt the Purpose by means of Plan. The disciples and lesser initiates of the world are not so powerful or so effective in action, but they can at least understand, by means of interpretation and, to some measure, apply the implemented Purpose (called Plan) presented by Hierarchy. They bring the Plan down further into the immediate conditions of the eighteen lower subplanes, expressing this interpreted Plan in the world of events.

48. From the highest to the lowest, all phases in the manifestation of God’s Purpose are meant to be intelligently and effectively related.

The symbol which expresses the door of evolution is the crescent moon; that of the process of evolution—as it affects the material or substantial life of the man—is the waxing and the waning moon—the symbol of growing desire and of the dying out of desire. The symbol of the world of meaning is Light—the light which shines upon the ways of men, interpreting events and bestowing revelation. The [Page 178] symbol of the world of mediation is the revolving Cross, whilst the symbol of the world of purpose is a twofold one: the five-pointed star and then the radiant heart of the Sun. Remember that when we talk and think in symbols, we are placing something between ourselves and reality—something protective, interpretive and significant, but something nevertheless veiling and hiding. After the fifth initiation all veils are rent and naught stands between the initiate and Essential Being.

49. For the sake of clarity, let us list these symbols:

a. Crescent moon—door of evolution

b. Waxing and waning moon—process of evolution

c. Light—world of meaning

d. Revolving Cross—world of meditation

e. Five pointed star and radiant Heart of the Sun—world of purpose

50. These symbols are interesting. The “crescent moon” is the symbol expressive of the “door of evolution”. The light of the crescent moon is dim, but there is hope of growth. The light involved is reflected light—not the original source. The crescent moon is also the symbol for receptivity leading to growth. The newly individualized human being is consciously entering the world of “lunar” substance (the eighteen lower subplanes) and, at first, that is all of which he is aware.

51. The symbol for the process of evolution is the waxing and waning moon. Desire grows, desire dies. This happens in tiny cycles, larger ones, throughout one incarnation, and, over all, over the course of all incarnations of a human being. The lunar nature craves fulfillment—the crescent moon gradually becoming fuller until the full moon is reached. The lunar satisfaction, represented by the full moon, is eventually found wanting, and desire gives way to the relinquishment of desire—often in preparation for still other desires (as many cycles are passed) but, eventually, relinquished desire leads to aspiration towards a life of a supra-lunar order—namely, a solar life. Thus the moon which once waxed full, wanes until its light is no more. This waning parallels the appearance at the start of the evolutionary process of a crescent moon.

52. The symbol for the world of meaning is Light. This is easily understood. In the world of meaning we find out how all things are related to each other. Light reveals these relationships, and the relationships when revealed generate more light. One seeks illumination in the world of meaning.

53. The world of mediation has for its symbol a revolving cross. We are not told in what direction the cross is revolving. There is the involutionary revolving cross (unfortunately chosen by the Nazis as their symbol), and also the clockwise revolving cross, with which the solar potentials are associated. Both types of revolving cross can be understood as positive. As the chakras reach fulfillment, they revolve in both directions (clockwise and counterclockwise) simultaneously, as “the wheel turns upon itself”. The members of Hierarchy (in the world of mediation) precipitate redemptive energy into humanity, and magnetically draw humanity’s energy upward towards Themselves. As the cross, the symbol of matter revolves, it creates the circle—the symbol of spiritual fulfillment.

54. If we relate the world of mediation to the buddhic plane the Cross (one meaning of which is relinquishment through love) is an appropriate symbol. The buddhic plane is the fourth and the Cross is fourfold. The revolving Cross is also a symbol of synthesis. In esoteric astrology initiates synthesize their experience on the three Crosses.

55. The two symbols of the world of purpose are the five pointed star and the radiant heart of the Sun. It is the Master (the five pointed star) who begins to know the divine Purpose as it really is. He is fivefold Brahma completed—the consummation of the first solar system having taken, by some systems of reckoning, the first cosmic initiation. He is ready to begin in earnest the new program for our present solar system, which is based upon the “heart of the Sun” and not, alone, upon the external (Brahmic) Sun. Purpose, in our solar system, has more to do with the Heart of the Sun than with the physical sun or with the Central Spiritual Sun (which will guide the evolutionary process in the next solar system.

56. As initiations proceed from the fifth to the seventh, the “Heart of the Sun” opens more and more to the advancing initiate. At the seventh initiation, he becomes a Master in the solar program of initiations, just as a ninth degree initiate can be considered a Master in the program of Sirian initiations (which began at the fifth).

57. The learning which we should extract from all this is that God’s Purpose is Love. On our planet and in our solar system, it is impossible to separate Purpose from Love. One who attempts to do so is not respecting the second ray soul of our Planetary Logos and the second ray soul of the Solar Logos.

58. We learn that the rending of the veils is completed at the fifth initiation. At the fourth, “the veil of the Temple is rent in twain”, but the debris of the rending process is not finally dissipated until the fifth. This correlates with the idea that the causal body is destroyed at the fourth initiation, but that the debris of that destruction is not entirely scattered and dispersed until the fifth—when the Sun shines forth, unobstructedly.

59. The world of purpose (as here discussed), therefore, spans the fourth and fifth initiations: the Cross (fourth) and the Heart of the Sun (fifth).

60. Interestingly, Master DK (when His identity was still undisclosed) said “I am an initiate into the mysteries of being”. Pondering His statement, we should understand that the world of purpose and the world of being overlap.

61. Although after the fifth initiation “naught stands between the initiate and Essential Being”, He, the Master, is not yet entirely merged in Essential Being, for the phase of monadic absorption still lies ahead of Him.

62. For our purposes, the Monad is the repository of Essential Being, yet in a way, the Monad is still a limitation upon or encapsulation of Essential Being. The One Ray of the Absolute is Essential Being. That Ray abides, throughout cosmos, in various states of immersion in matter. Until the great “Day Be With Us” which concludes the manifestation of the one and only periodic Universe (composed of all parallel periodic ‘universes’), the real experience of Essential Being will elude us (we—the progressively retracted emanations on our way ‘Home’)