Fellowship of Cosmic Fire

COLOR CODE
TCF TEXT in BLACK
MDR Commentary in BLUE (numbered)
OTHER Commentary in VIOLET (lettered)
QUESTIONS in GREEN (MDR’s=”#A”)
CONJECTURE or CONFLICTS in ORANGE
HELP WANTED & GOOD IDEAS in PINK
Various Highlighting used for contextual emphasis or hints

3. The prana of forms.

It must first be pointed out that forms are necessarily of two kinds, each having a different place in the scheme:

Forms that are the result of the work of the third and the second Logos, and Their united life. Such forms are the units in the vegetable, animal and mineral kingdoms.

1. Forms which are not yet self-conscious are the combined creator labor of the Third Logos and Second Logos.

2. Are there forms which pre-exist the beginning of the mineral kingdom? If so, they do would be the work of these two Logoi?

3. It appears there are the three elemental kingdoms or groups, and they are of the Third Aspect alone. Check references around:

TCF p. 1194: “a. Three incorporeal who are the elemental kingdoms.”

TCF: “The work of a human atom, therefore, is but a replica of that which proceeds in the planetary, or solar atom, and serves as an incentive to those minute individual lives which find their place in the six subhuman kingdoms (the [Page 1215] three elemental, and the three material)”

TCF: [Page 1139] The fourth or human group, unites all three lives. The periodic manifestation of the three elemental groups (through the medium of the three lower kingdoms) is, therefore, governed by factors hidden in the nature of that great vibration which we call tamasic, or heavy rhythm. It is the vibration of Brahma, the third aspect, the mother or matter aspect. …

4. Are there deva forms which arise from the cooperation of only these two Logoi? Are not the ones mentioned deva forms, perhaps, as hinted below, not “strictly deva” but more elemental, or involutionary deva?

5. Remember when speaking of Logoi in this way, we are not discussing either Solar Logoi or Planetary Logoi, but (when confining ourselves to our solar system) to the third, second and first aspects of our Solar Logos (responsible, respectively, for the first, second and third “Outpourings”).

Forms that are the result of the united action of the three Logoi, and comprise the strictly deva and human forms.

6. It is easy to understand why man, a self-conscious being, (in order to exist) requires the creativity of the First Logos as well as the Second and Third Logoi. Why should this be the case for all devas? Or are only the self-conscious devas thus created?

7. One answer might be that the devas represent the law, and the First Logos is the carrier of Will and Law.

8. He is using the term ‘logos’ here largely in its non-agency sense, meaning the function of form-making. Therefore the three lower kingdoms on Earth are made under the Brahma/Vishnu influence or the logos of spirit matter and the logos of creative wisdom (see p 94), otherwise referred to the Universal World Soul (Treatise p 3).

9. The Shiva Aspect is, however, present in human and deva formation. This must be significant since it means that human beings are potentially available for divine development.

10. … the prana of forms (p 93), in our scheme, are of two kinds:

11. He adds that there is also a third and simpler form of matter “of which all other forms are made”. It is atomic and molecular matter, animated by the third logos (of the Brahma aspect).

There is also the still simpler form embodied in the substance of which all the other forms are made. This matter is strictly speaking the atomic and molecular matter, and is animated by the life or energy of the third Logos.

12. Usually “form” is related to the work of the Second Logos, but it correct to say that the tiny atom of substance and more complex molecules are, indeed, forms.

13. These tiny building blocks result from the work of the differentiating and separating work of the “Third Logos” at the “First Outpouring”.

14. All this is detailed in the map below.

15. It seems this third aspect energy is simply the material which is used to create all the other forms; mineral, vegetable, and animal.

CHART II — LOGOS OF A SOLAR SYSTEM

[Footnote 43 brought forward]
43: "The Three Outpourings. In the diagram the "symbols of the three Aspects (of the Logos) are placed outside of time and space, and only the streams of influence from them descend into our system of planes....They represent in due order what are commonly called the three Persons of the Trinity....

It will be seen that from each of them an outpouring of life or force is projected into the planes below. The first of these in order is the straight line which descends from the third Aspect; the second is that part of the large oval which lies on our left hand—the stream which descends from the second Aspect until it has touched the lowest point in matter, and then rises again up the side on our right hand until it reaches the lower mental level.

It will be noted that in both of these outpourings the divine life becomes darker and more veiled as it descends into matter, until at the lowest point we might almost fail to recognise it as divine life at all; but as it rises again when it has passed its nadir it shows itself somewhat more clearly.

The third outpouring which descends from the highest aspect of the Logos differs from the others in that it is in no way clouded by the matter through which it passes, but retains its virgin purity and splendour untarnished.

It will be noted that this outpouring descends only to the level of the buddhic plane (the fourth plane) and that the link between the two is formed by a triangle in a circle, representing the individual soul of man—the reincarnating ego.

Here the triangle is contributed by the third outpouring and the circle by the second...."—The Christian Creed, by C. W. Leadbeater, pp. 39, 40.)

16. The important thing to note in Leadbeater’s description of the Three Outpourings is that the Third Outpouring descends unobscured by the levels of matter through which it descends.

17. The circle and triangle seem to be missing from the diagram. The triangle will represent the threefold monad (and is, thus, directly related to the Third Outpouring. The circle is said to relate to the Second Outpouring, and is the ‘circle of form’.

18. The triangle within the circle is a symbol for the soul of man within the causal body.

19. We note that the Third Outpouring descends no lower than the buddhic plane. The buddhi plane is still one of the planes of life, and is not part of the threefold dense physical nature of the Solar Logos.

20. There is a hint within this fact that the purity of the monad can be met first on the buddhic plane (and especially at the fourth initiation, which discloses the buddhic plane to man in a way not possible when the causal body existed).

21. Sometimes the monad is called atma-buddhi, indicating its presence within the two highest planes of the spiritual triad.

22. Should the monad be contacted by means of the higher mind, such contact will be mediated and less direct, for even the higher mind is considered but the gaseous part of the dense physical body of the Solar Logos, and into that body the monad (per se) does not descend.

23. Chart II, p 94 and the Note on the Three Outpourings, p 95. The Chart shows the three Outpourings against a background of a good deal of information. … Let’s begin with the Outpourings (life force or energy which produces manifestation) … The three logoi mentioned are those of p 3 of the Treatise and they are therefore represented as functions (rather than as agents or beings).

24. The aim is to show how the Outpourings operate within a solar system. Hence the seven planes represented are our usual seven planes. On the extreme left of the diagram, these seven planes are broken down into seven subplanes.

25. The atomic or highest subplane is always shown differently to the others because it is the subplane from which differentiation begins. The cosmic definition of this representation of the solar system is that it is the cosmic physical plane – the lowest of all the cosmic planes (as indicated on the extreme left).

26. The Outpourings follow a definite route. Number 1 is from the third logos (of the Brahma Aspect). The Chart calls it ‘Creative Wisdom’, whereas on page 3 it is called Cosmic Ideation, the Universal World Soul. This Outpouring operates as a ‘Lifewave Evolution of Matter though, it is shown in its involutionary mode descending from the idea of creation through the seven planes in a straight line (i.e. the straight line in the ovoid in the centre of the Chart) and plunging to the dense physical.

27. However, Lifewave number 2 (Vishnu Aspect, the curved line on the left of the ovoid), governing the Evolution of Form follows a curved descent and then a part-way curved ascent on the opposite side of the ovoid. The curve would suggest that this Lifewave meets resistance both as involution (left-hand curve) and as evolution (right-hand curve). Notice too, that it is form using matter to evolve; hence the part-way ascent on the right of the ovoid.

28. The terms used for the seven planes (for the atmic and above) are not the ones most familiar to us. Perhaps the use of the term ‘Nirvanic’ is meant to show that these higher planes all embrace group consciousness. However, by all means mentally substitute the more familiar terms of those in Chart III (p 117).

29. It isn’t difficult to see why Outpouring 1 is a straight line. Matter is present already; it merely has to be revivified. Outpouring 2 has to develop particular forms into particular shapes, etc. It has to work on matter to do this and the process will require time and effort. This outpouring is curved because it meets resistance.

30. The second Outpouring ascends on the right-hand side of the ovoid as far as the mental unit. For further evolutionary movement there has to be Outpouring number 3, the Lifewave of Spirit (Shiva Aspect). This descends only to the buddhic plane.

31. Therefore there is a gap on the mental plane between the Outpourings. The human ego is formed between the two planes – i.e. the buddhic and the mental unit on the lower mental plane. The human ego develops a causal body at individualisation which body, as we know, is based on the higher mental plane. The Note describes this ego as the triangle (the three triadic principles of the monad reflected in the human soul) in the circle (the causal body).

32. The process of individualisation is explained a little later in the Treatise. It is an enormous feat carried out by the heavenly men. Hence via the individualised ego and the third Lifewave, we can see the divine possibilities in human beings – which don’t exist in the lower kingdoms (until they have evolved through the human stage).

33. One might say that these points cover the dominant message of Chart II. What else is going on in the Chart? Various information is added:

Anuapadaka – tattva or essential nature – the Monad on its own plane.

Atmic – ether, sound

Buddhic – air, touch

Manasic – fire, light,

Astral – water, taste

Physical – earth, smell

34. Why are the atomic subplanes of each plane shown in Chart II as distinct? It would seem that the answer lies in the difference of this subplane's nature and role. It is less clearly differentiated than the other six subplanes. Moreover, its role is to convey monadic energy. This helps to explain why the human principles are not based on the atomic subplanes. If these principles are to have form, then they must be based on a plane where form can be coherently developed, i.e. below the atomic subplanes.

35. But here is a passage about the law of vibration indicating how the first or atomic subplane in each plane control the other six.

TCF page 586: "These laws are all dominated and controlled eventually by the three higher laws in the system—the Laws of Magnetic Control, of Disintegration, and of Cohesion. There is a direct connection between these seven laws and the seven Rays or Vibrations, and if we study the correspondence we shall recognise the fact that the first law, that of Vibration, is the controlling law of the six, demonstrating through the second law, that of Cohesion, just as the solar Logos is at this time manifesting Himself through His second aspect in this the second solar system".

In dealing with the first group of forms, [produced by the united work of the Second and Third Logos] it must be noted that the pranic emanations given off by units of the animal and vegetable kingdom (after they have absorbed both solar and planetary prana) are naturally a combination of the two, [solar and planetary prana] and are transmitted by means of surface radiation, as in solar and planetary prana, to certain lesser groups of devas of a not very high order, who have a curious and intricate relationship to the group soul of the radiating animal or vegetable.

36. Another analogy is given involving still lesser groups of devas. We are dealing here with the “pranic emanations given off by units of the animal and vegetable kingdoms”.

37. These emanations are a combination of both solar and planetary prana.

38. The lesser group of devas receive the “surface radiation” from groups of animals and members of the vegetable kingdom.

39. We note that animals and vegetables evolve by means of a group soul.

40. DK says that surplus solar and planetary pranic emanations are given off by members of the animal and plant kingdoms, and that this is transmitted as surface radiation to lower groups of devas, who have a relationship to the group soul of animals and vegetables.

This matter cannot be dealt with here. These devas are also of a violet hue, but of such a pale color as to be almost grey; they are in a transitional state, and merge with a puzzling confusion with groups of entities that are almost on the involutionary arc.^42,43,43a

41. We are presented with obscure intricacies.

42. We are not to confuse these devas of a grayish-violet hue with the violet devas who transmit planetary (and solar) prana to man.

43. If there are “entities” on the involutionary arc, then there are certainly forms of life on that arc. The Second Logos (in combination with the Third Logos) builds such forms.

44. These devas are also of a violet hue, which is very pale. They merge with “groups of entities that are almost on the involutionary arc”.

42: Involutionary Arc is the term applied to the first part of the evolutionary process. It covers the "path of descent," or the coming down of Spirit into ever denser matter until the lowest point is reached, the point of densest concretion. The latter half of the process is called evolutionary and marks the ascent or return of Spirit to its emanating source, plus the gains of the evolutionary process.

45. This definition of the “Involutionary Arc” is very straightforward. There are, however, some puzzling intricacies and many questions about the nature of involutionary beings.

Footnote 41 inserted above, under the Chart II.
43a See S. D., I, 98, 99, 100, 103.

1. The root of life was in every drop of the ocean of immortality. Every atom in matter was impregnated with the life of the Logos.

46. Presumably, this impregnation refers to the Third Logos and the First Outpouring.

2. The ocean was radiant light, which was Fire, Heat, Motion. These three are the subjective life manifesting objectively. Fire: The essence of the first Logos. Electric fire. Spirit. Heat: Duality. The essence of the second Logos. Solar fire. The Son aspect. Consciousness. Motion: The essence of the third Logos. Fire by friction. Matter.

47. The “ocean” here mentioned appears to be the ocean of all matter within the ring-pass-not of a Solar Logos.

48. Fire, Heat and Motion are interestingly distinguished and these distinctions should be remembered.

a. Fire in relation to the First Logos (Third Outpouring)

b. Heat in relation to the Second Logos (Second Outpouring)

c. Motion in relation to the Third Logos (First Outpouring)

49. Fire is essential.

50. Heat relates to the duality which frequency represents. Wave motion is involved.

51. Motion is the rearrangement of pattern in space. It indicates change of relationship. Motion and change are inseparable.

52. Below we are given a tabulation which makes the Trinity clear in relation to the Macrocosm and Microcosm.

First Logos Fire The will to live or to be. Electric.

Second Logos Heat Duality, or love between two. Solar.

Third Logos Motion The fire of mind, the relation between. Fire by friction.

This is the subjective expression.

53. The highest form of Will is the “will to live or to be”.

54. We note that the concept of “heat” involves the dynamic of attraction between two. Two attracted units feel “heat” for each other.

55. The Third Logos is seen here as a relating agent (almost a Second Logos function). Mind, however, is a relating agent.

56. There is often an interchangeability between the second and third aspects in some tabulations. An example of this is the idea that the Mother is both the second and the third. The Son, as well, is the third in sequential order, who becomes the second.

The Sun Will or power.

Venus-Mercury Love and Wisdom.

Saturn Activity or intelligence.

This is the objective expression.

57. Although the Solar Logos/Sun is given as a primarily second ray being, we can see how, as the veil for Vulcan (one of the chief planets of will) it can be considered as a representation of the first ray and of the First Logos.

58. As the central star of our solar system, the Sun is all-powerful.

59. Venus and Mercury can easily be seen as the representatives of Love (Venus, Christ) and Wisdom (Mercury, Buddha). Other planets such as second ray Jupiter and second ray/sixth ray Neptune can also be associated with the Second Logos and Second Outpouring.

60. Saturn is always associated with the third aspect of divinity thought it has much of the first aspect associated with it.

61. In terms of colour associations, we would relate Green of the Third Aspect to Saturn; the dual Second Ray Blue-Indigo for Venus-Mercury; and the First Aspect to the ‘red’, the archetype of our Flaming Yellow Gold Fourth Order Sun in the role of the ‘head’. The Violets relate to 7^th aspect, which implicates both Third Ray Saturn and Earth, as the 7th centers in the solar septenate and decad, respectively.

The Monad Electric fire Will or power.

The Ego Solar fire Love and wisdom.

The Personality Fire by friction Activity or intelligence.

This is the subjective expression.

62. The microcosmic parallel to the first chart is here given.

63. The Monad, Ego and Personality are the correspondences to the First, Second and Third Logoi.

The mental body Will or power Fire.

The astral body Love-wisdom Heat.

The physical body Active intelligence Motion.

This is the objective expression.

64. It is important for disciples to distinguish between mental fire and astral heat. Fire, per se, leads to detachment and reduction to essence. Heat, as here understood, leads to joining and merging.

65. To distinguish heat from motion, we might think of heat as vibration within a sustained pattern. The concept of motion requires no concept of pattern. Motion is foundational to heat and heat derivative from motion.

The brain Monad Will or power. Electric fire.

The heart Ego Love-wisdom. Solar fire.

Lower organs Personality Active intelligence.)

66. Here the brain is said to correspond with the Monad, but the Monad also has its seat within the heart.

67. So there can sometimes be a reversal when considering heart and brain. In the heart is life—the monad. The soul (second aspect) is also anchored in the brain.

68. There are many ways to divide the human body according to the Law of Correspondences and many have validity. Our task is not to become fixated on any one form of division as the only way.

In dealing with the second group, [involving all three Logoi] the human form transmits the emanative radiations to a much higher grade of deva. These devas are of a more pronounced hue, and after due assimilation of the human radiation, they transmit it principally to the animal kingdom, thus demonstrating the close relationship between the two kingdoms. If the above explanation of the intricate inter-relation between the sun and the planets, between the planets and the evolving forms upon them, between the forms themselves in ever descending importance demonstrates nothing more than the exquisite interdependence of all existences, then much will have been achieved.

69. The principle to emerge from this paragraph is the “exquisite interdependence of all existences”.

70. Just as the animal and vegetable forms transmitted (via surface radiation) pranic emanations to grayish-violet type of deva, human forms transmits their emanative radiations to “a much higher grade of deva”, “of a more pronounced hue”—though the specific color is not given.

71. Human emanative prana is then transmitted, but these higher type of devas, principally to the animal kingdom.

72. In such pranic transmissions between higher and lower kingdoms, close relationships between such kingdoms is demonstrated.

73. A second group are the human forms. These transmit emanative radiations to a much higher grade of deva. Having absorbed human radiation, these devas pass on their radiation to the animal kingdom – demonstrating again the close relations between the human and animal kingdoms.

74. The message of the pranic emanations from sun, planet, humans, and lower kingdoms is one of interdependence and of close association with the deva evolution. Thus para 1 on p 96 is really telling us that the actual task of pranic transmission between kingdoms is carried out by the deva evolution.

75. This is simply a matter of evolution and progress. The mineral kingdom is influenced merely by the third logos. The vegetable and mineral kingdoms who are in the next stage are influenced by the third and the second logos. The human and deva evolutions who are in the next stage of divine evolvement draw their inspirations and living energies from all three logoi.

76. The significance here is that human beings are potentially divine because the human form embodies all three logoi, whereas the lower kingdom embody only two (2nd and 3rd). This is helpful in showing how humanity is a vital link in the process of transmission. We can (and do, however inadequately) transmit spiritual energies which will enable us to become the fifth kingdom. The three lower kingdoms reflect spiritual energy to a lesser degree but can only reach the fifth kingdom by passing through the human stage.

77. The lower three kingdoms may only advance via the human stage. Yet we know that a few devas manage to pass into the human kingdom ahead of the general stage of development. Presumably this happens because these few devas attain a special closeness to the human world. …

Another fact which must also be brought out is the close relationship between all these evolutions of nature, from the celestial sun down to the humblest violet via the [Page 97] deva evolution which acts as the transmitting transmuting force throughout the system.

78. The Tibetan is stressing the reality of the close interrelationship between all forms of life.

79. The “humblest violet” (through its color) is actually related to the Sun.

80. The function of the deva evolution is given. Throughout the solar system (and probably throughout any system) this kingdom serves as the “transmitting, transmuting force”. This may tell us something about the “feminine” in relation to the “masculine”.

Lastly, all work with fire. Fire internal, inherent and latent; fire radiatory and emanative; fire generated, assimilated and radiated; fire vivifying stimulating, and destroying; fire transmitted, reflected, and absorbed; fire, the basis of all life; fire, the essence of all existence; fire, the means of development, and the impulse behind all evolutionary process; fire, the builder, the preserver and the constructor; fire, the originator, the process and the goal; fire the purifier and the consumer.

81. This description of fire, its types and processes is an excellent summary of all that has been taught in the preceding pages. All the many processes are succinctly encapsulated.

82. To test ourselves, we might take each of these categories of fire and seek to name the processes to which they apply:

a. Fire internal, inherent and latent

b. Fire radiatory and emanative

c. Fire generated, assimilated and radiated

d. Fire vivifying, stimulating and destroying

e. Fire transmitted, reflected, and absorbed

f. Fire the basis of all life

g. Fire, the essence of all existence

h. Fire, the means of development and the impulse behind all evolutionary process

i. Fire, the builder, the preserver and the constructor

j. Fire, the originator, the process and the goal

k. Fire the purifier and the consumer.

83. This, indeed, is a synthesis on the nature of fire.

84. The God of Fire and the fire of God interacting upon each other, till all fires blend and blaze and till all that exists, is passed through the fire – from the solar system to an ant – and emerges as a triple perfection. Fire then passes out from the ring-pass-not as perfected essence emerging from the human ring-pass-not, the planetary ring-pass-not or the solar. The wheel of fire turns and all within that wheel is subjected to the threefold flame, and eventually stands perfected.

85. Fire, then, is seen as the evolutionary essence. It is a term applied to the pilgrimage of spirit within matter. This essence is the source of power, the goal of unity which it (the power) is creating and the process.

86. The result is what He calls the triple perfection of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (p 94). These Aspects can then be passed on for further stages of evolution.

The God of Fire and the fire of God interacting upon each other, till all fires blend and blaze and till all that exists, is passed through the fire—from a solar system to an ant—and emerges as a triple perfection.

87. The processes of fire guarantee the emergence of a “triple perfection”.

Fire then passes out from the ring-pass-not as perfected essence, whether essence emerging from the human ring-pass-not, the planetary ring-pass-not or the solar. The wheel of fire turns and all within that wheel is subjected to the threefold flame, and eventually stands perfected.

88. All that can be names in our solar system (and all the other larger systems) is fire. The essence is fire and all entities are distinct forms of fire.

89. Every entity is essentially a “wheel of fire”, and that wheel must turn.

90. All is subjected to the threefold flame which is, yet, one flame.

91. The Conclusion: ‘Fire perfects’. There is no way to perfection except through fire.

92. Why bring in Fire on p 97? Fire (capital F) is a unifying idea. It is a word which enables us to see that the various items of discussion really form ONE evoloution. Hence the discussion about prana is but one aspect of that total evolution of Fire.