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Fellowship of Cosmic Fire
First Semester - Section 1

FM 25 March - NM 8 April 2005
FCF S1S1Q : VSK 25 March 05

A Treatise on Cosmic Fire  pp. 3-7
plus Contents Overview, Charts & Tabulations
(Stanzas, pp. 11-33, will be treated in depth at a later time.)

 

Note:  Please keep in mind that it is not necessary to understand it all at first reading.  The sections are repeated and developed further along the book.  Trust that as you read further the detailed whole will become clear to you.

To retain the numbering of TCF questions originally formulated by MDR for the 5-year course on Esoteric Philosophy (1994-1999), those questions are bolded and followed by an A. Some commentary already created to the student responses can be found on the website link.

 

1. As an exercise, (re)familiarize yourself with the overall structure of the book, paying particular attention to the Table of Contents. If we realize there are 3 Fires and 5 Manifestations, do you see suggestion of this in the structure of the book being 6 chapters for Section 1, 6 chapter for Section 2, and 3 chapters for Section 3?

2.  Review the Charts and Tabulations and the vocabulary used. Especially memorize and note the similarity of Charts III and VIII and X. Recreate the basics of these charts in your own sketching. For example, how you could rework it, say into a spherical (concentric circular) form, or can you also do so in some other integral manner? What are other logical ways of showing 'descent' or permeation of a plane, by energy?

1A.      p. 3-7:  Study carefully the three Fundamentals of The Secret Doctrine  as presented in A Treatise on Cosmic Fire;  Why are these statements absolutely fundamental  to an understanding of life and cosmos? Why is the understanding of each of these fundamentals so important? Why are they important to you?

3.  p. 3:  How is the First Cosmic Logos distinct from the Boundless Immutable Principle; i.e., how can something that is “unmanifested” be an aspect of the totality of the manifested Universe?

4.         p. 3:  See Chart I on page 56. Are there any apparent discrepancies or additional hints to describe the Three Logoi as listed on p. 3? Are the three Logoi sequential or simultaneous in their appearance and action? What plane, cosmic or systemic, and subplane, might the Three Logoi 'residing' on – if any at all? (Also review MDR's commentary, points 186 – 212, v.1.3.1.)

5.  p. 4:  What are the nine Potencies or Emanation? What are the nine Sephiroth? What are the nine Causes of Initiation? What is the relation of the 7 Rays to these 3 triplicities? (See MDR's commentary, points 227 – 246, v. 1.3.1)   

6.  p. 5: “a. Energy is in motion and circulates”. Review commentary points 247 – 275. Can you essentialize these comments according to most meaning to you?

7.  p. 5:  Point c: How is astrology suggested to be of similar basis as that of brotherhood and the communion of saints? (See commentary points 277 – 279.)

8.  p. 5:  Are the corporate Entities, the product of the seven centres of logoic Force, the same? (Listed a, b, c, d: planetary Logoi, Spirits before the Throne, the Rays, the Heavenly Men.)  Commentary references: 286 – 297.

9.  p. 5:  Do you think that the Fifth Ray's name as that of Concrete Knowledge or Science is the Science that we think of today, even if rudimentarily?

10.       p. 5-6:  Is there correlation between the Rays and the Systemic Laws? If so, how might you describe Ray 3 of Active Intelligence and the Law of Disintegration, or Ray 7 of Ceremonial Magic or Order and the Law of Sacrifice and Death, etc.?

12.       p. 5-6:  Regarding the Law of Periodicity and the correlations (commentary points 298 – 322), could you essentialize this material into coherent rationale from the modern scientific perspective.

13.       p. 6:  Point 5: What Law or Laws are now in power? Which are in manifestation and which in obscuration? Are these related to the Rays which are in or out of Manifestation?

2A.      p. 6: Explain (in one sentence per Law) your understanding of the Seven Systemic Laws?

14.       p. 6:  Point 3 and commentary #331 & #335: Which Law would you say is more influential in your life, the Law of Fixation or the Law of Magnetic Control?

15.       p. 6:  Points 2 & 6, and Commentary 338 – 342:  Can you relate the Cosmic Laws to the three great cycles of Manifested Life? e.g., the Law of Economy to the column of Birth, or Life, or Death? Rework this tabulation in a way most meaningful to you.

16.       p. 7:  Point 7, and Commentary 343 – 347:  Why would the knowledge of cycles involve the knowledge of sound and colour?

17.       p. 7: Point 8:  Why would the mystery of the cycles be especially mentioned as only available to the perfected adept? Can you give any examples of who is a perfected adept or what level this refers to?

18.       p. 7: Point 8 and Commentary 348 – 353:  How might the significance of the numbers mentioned in #348, and the numbers of Mars and Earth, being 666 and 777 respectively, be related? What would the 555 be? Why might knowledge of cycles be related to the third and fifth rays? 

19.       p. 7:  III “All Souls are identical with the Oversoul” and “Soul is 'an aspect' of every form of life ...” and Commentary point 356:  Elaborate on the relationship of soul and form and the sometimes unusual assignation of the 2nd and 3rd aspects both to Soul and Form Building.

20.       p. 7: Point 3 and Commentary points 365 – 370:  What is obscuring the realisation among mankind of the “fact in nature” of brotherhood? How would you explain the essential nature of Brotherhood, scientifically and or poetically? 

3A.      p. 7: What is your understanding of the Law of Correspondences? How, specifically, is it different from the Law of Analogy? Why is the Law of Correspondences the great interpretive law of the system?

21.       p. 7: Point 5:  Is the Law of Analogy ineffective if we consider that God is the Macrocosm for 7 kingdoms of nature, and man is the Macrocosm for just 3 (sub-human) kingdoms in nature? Are there only 3 sub-human kingdoms? What would 'being macrocosm' to these kingdoms mean in terms of spiritual responsibility or karma? 

22.       p. 7: Point 6:  Is the “group consciousness, as exemplified by a planetary Logos” different from the type of group consciousness that disciples commonly speak of?