A Treatise on Cosmic Fire

by Alice A Bailey

  a. The powerful vibration of the Lords of the three Rays, and of Their radiation, stimulates the four Heavenly [464] Men and develops Their apprehension, enabling Them to expand Their consciousness.

  b. The consciousness of the Heavenly Men stimulates all the units in Their bodies, but causes specialised response from those who are actively and intelligently working at the development of group consciousness. The vibration, for instance, of a planetary Logos has a peculiar effect upon all those who are initiates, adepts and chohans, and brings their three major spirillae to the necessitated vibration. This work is begun when the sixth spirilla (in the minor group of seven) is active.

  c. The consciousness of man is stimulated and developed when—at a certain stage—he can respond to the vibration of members of the Occult Hierarchy, and is thus nearing the portal into the fifth kingdom. This coincides with the vibratory activity of the fifth spirilla.

  d. In like manner, the less evolved units of the race, who are scarcely more than animals, are brought to the necessary stage of vibration by the play upon their mental bodies of the combined vibrations of men, whose fourth spirilla is functioning adequately. In these last two cases we are dealing with the spirillae of the mental permanent atom. In the other two we are dealing with occult mysteries, bound up in the vivification of solar and not human permanent atoms.

  e. The fourth Creative Hierarchy, viewed as a unit functioning on this planet (and leaving out of consideration its manifestation in other schemes) works in a magnetic manner, and in a stimulative capacity upon the animal kingdom, the force of its vibration pouring on to the astral bodies of the animals, and producing response. This awakens to a more effective apprehension all the units of the animal kingdom. Hence it can be seen how close is the interplay, and the interdependence, and how closely united all these greater and lesser lives are with each other. Growth and development in one part of the [465] body logoic produces a corresponding advance in the whole. No man, for instance, can make definite and specialised progress without his brother benefiting,—this benefiting taking the form of:

  The increase of the total consciousness of the group.

  The stimulation of units in the group.

  The group magnetism producing increased healing or blending effects upon allied groups.

  In this thought lies, for the servant of the Master, incentive to effort; no man who strives for mastery, who struggles to attain, and who aims at expansion of consciousness but is having some effect—in ever widening spirals—upon all whom he contacts, devas, men, and animals. That he knows it not, and that he may be totally unaware of the subtle stimulating emanation which proceeds from him may be true, but nevertheless the law works.

  The third effect of the coming in of this ray is one that may at first repel—it will cause a great destruction in the animal kingdom. During the next few hundred years many of the old animal forms will die out and become extinct. To supply the wants of man, through disease, and through causes latent in the animal kingdom itself, much destruction will be brought about. It must ever be borne in mind that a building force is likewise a destroying one, and new forms for the animal evolution are, at this time, one of the recognized needs. The immense slaughter in America is part of the working out of the plan. The inner life or fire which animates the animal groups, and which is the life expression of an Entity, will, under this seventh influence, blaze up and burn out the old, and permit the escape of the life, to newer and better forms.

  Our subject for immediate consideration concerns the [466] deva evolution, and the effect of the incoming ray upon them.

  The first point to be noted is that this influence at this time affects primarily the devas of the physical plane, the devas of the ethers, or of the shadows, as they are sometimes called, and not, to the same extent, the devas of the astral or mental planes. Every Ray affects in more or less degree the plane or subplane which is its numerical correspondence; the student should bear this in mind, and should therefore recollect that for all purposes of investigation at this time the seventh Ray of Ceremonial Magic will have a powerful influence:

  On the seventh or physical plane, regarding it as a unit.

  On the seventh subplane or the lowest subplane on the physical, the astral and the mental planes.

  On the seventh or lowest human principle: prana in the etheric body.

  On all Monads in incarnation who are seventh Ray Monads.

  On a peculiar group of devas who are the agents, or “mediates” between magicians (either white or black) and the elemental forces. This group is occultly known as “The Mediatory Seventh,” and is divided into two divisions:

  a. Those working with evolutionary forces.

  b. Those working with involutionary forces.

  One group is the agent of constructive purpose, and the other of destructive. More need not be submitted anent this group as they are not easily contacted, fortunately for man, and can as yet only be reached by a particular group ritual accurately performed,—a thing as yet practically unknown. The Masons eventually will be one of the chief agents of contact, and as men are as yet not ready for such power as this will put into their hands, [467] true masonry will develop but slowly. Nevertheless, under the magnetic force of this seventh Ray, the growth of masonry is inevitably sure.

  This Ray of Ceremonial Magic will consequently have a very profound effect upon the physical plane, for not only is this plane coming under its cyclic force but at all times its planetary Logos has a special effect upon it; the Raja-Lord of this plane is what is occultly termed the “Reflection in the Water of Chaos” of the planetary Logos. Hence in the matter of this plane (which is the body of the Raja-Lord) certain very definite events are occurring which—though invisible to the ordinary man—are apparent to the eye of the spiritual man or adept.

  The matter of the plane becomes receptive to positive force for the feminine or deva aspect, being negative, becomes responsive to the positive energy of the Heavenly Man. This energy, finding the line of least resistance, pours into the substance of the plane, or the substantial body of the Deva Lords. Owing to the receptive condition of this body it follows certain lines and produces definitely constructive results.

  Constructive results transpire in the negative etheric matter of the plane and on the four higher subplanes. On the lower three a contrary effect is produced, and the energy of the Heavenly Man will lead to the destruction of form, preparatory to the building work. The building ever originates on, and proceeds from, etheric levels. Cataclysms of a world wide nature will occur during the next one thousand years; continents will be shaken; lands will be raised and submerged, culminating in the profound material disaster which will overtake the world towards the close of the fourth branch race of the sixth subrace. This will usher in the infant sixth rootrace.

  The devas of the ethers, with which we are most concerned, [468] will be affected in several ways, and the results upon the other evolutions will be far-reaching. We must remember always that the devas are the qualities and attributes of matter, the active builders, who work consciously or unconsciously upon the plane. Here I would point out that all the devas of the higher levels of the mental plane, for instance, and of the systemic planes from there on to the centre (the divine plane, the plane of the Logos, sometimes called Adi) co-operate consciously, and are of high rank in the system, and of position equal to all the ranks and grades of the Hierarchy from a first degree initiate up to, but not including, the Lord of the World Himself. Below these higher levels, where the concrete is touched, we have lesser grades of devas who work unconsciously, with the following exceptions, who are conscious forces and entities and of high position:

  a. The Raja-lord of a plane.

  b. Seven devas who work under Him, and are the entities who inform the matter of the seven subplanes.

  c. Fourteen representatives of the Rays, Who cycle into and out of power, according to the Ray, waxing or waning.

  d. Four devas who are the plane repre
sentatives of the four Maharajahs (the Lords of Karma) and are the focal points for karmic influence in connection with man. The four Maharajahs are the dispensers of karma to the Heavenly Men, and thus to the cells, centres, and organs of His body necessarily; but the whole system works through graded representatives; the same laws govern these agents of plane karma as govern the systemic and cosmic, and during plane manifestation they are, for instance, the only unit in form [469] permitted to pass beyond the plane ring-pass-not. All other units in manifestation on a plane have to discard the vehicle through which they function before they can pass on to subtler levels.

  c. Types of Karma. We might here enumerate the different types of KARMA, even though we have not the time to enlarge upon the subject. A book by itself of vast proportions could not contain all that might be said. We should bear in mind that KARMA is imposed upon the ensouling entity through the medium of matter or of substance itself (which is coloured by it) and that this matter or substance is intelligent material composed of deva essence.

  Cosmic Karma—Imposed upon the solar Logos from outside of the system.

  Systemic Karma—The working out by the Logos of effects set in motion in previous Kalpas, and which influence His present type of Body.

  Planetary Karma—The individual karma of a Heavenly Man, which is just as different from that of another Heavenly Man, as is the karma of the different members of the human family.

  The Karma of a chain, which is bound up in the life experience of that entity who ensouls a chain, and is a centre in the body of a Heavenly Man, in the same sense as a Heavenly Man within His scheme is a centre in the body of the solar Logos.

  Globe Karma—The individual destiny of the entity who is a centre in the body of the ensouling Life of a chain.

  These five existences above enumerated, who are worked upon by karma, are all cosmic and solar Lords of Light, Who achieved intelligence, and passed through the human kingdom many kalpas ago.

  Plane Karma—This is inextricably mixed up with the [470] karma of the planetary Logos and of the Raja-Lord, and is dependent upon the interplay between these two opposite poles,—the masculine and feminine aspect of the Divine Hermaphrodite.

  The Karma of a subplane, or the destiny of certain lesser entities who manifest through these planes.

  In these two types of karma, we have what one might term the “Karma of the Hierarchies” as it has been brought about since the manifesting of the solar system. It is the result of the past of this system, and not so much the working out of effects originating in previous solar systems.

  The Karma of the kingdoms of nature as we know them on our planet:

  a. The mineral kingdom.

  b. The vegetable kingdom.

  c. The animal kingdom.

  This is necessarily the karma of the different lunar Lords who ensoul these kingdoms, and who are working out their purposes through them. We must note that we have touched therefore upon cosmic, solar, and lunar karma. In the latter is hid the great mystery of the Moon, and her place in the planetary scheme.

  The Karma of the Human Hierarchy (154) (155) (156) in its seven groups, and of the individual Monads. This in itself is a vast and intricate subject and—during the particular cycle of the Earth globe—can be divided into: [471]

  a. World karma. (The seven root-races.)

  b. Racial karma, or the destiny and purpose of each root-race.

  c. Subrace karma, for each subrace has its own destiny to work out.

  d. National karma.

  e. Family karma.

  f. Individual karma.

  All these different types of karma are intermingled and bound up in a manner inconceivable and inextricable [472] to man; even the adepts cannot untangle the mystery beyond that of the groups affiliated with them, while the Chohans of the higher degrees work with the karma of the larger groups (which are the aggregates of the lesser groups).

  All the lesser grades of devas, “The Army of the Voice,” on each plane, the lesser builders and elementals in their myriads, work unconsciously, being guided and directed by words and sound. In this way vibrations are set up in the essence of the planes by the conscious Builders.

  There is not much to be added at this point anent the deva evolution; much that might be imparted is perforce withheld owing to the danger arising from superficial knowledge, unaccompanied by wisdom and the inner vision. There are three more points to add to the four already given, concerning primarily the relationship of the devas to man in the future, and their closer approximation to him through the incoming type of force. This approximation, though inevitable, will not have for the human hierarchy results entirely beneficent, and before the true method of contact is comprehended, and the consequent association wisely utilised, much suffering will eventuate and much bitter experience will be undergone. When it is remembered that the devas are, in their totality, the mother aspect, the great builders of form, and the nourishers of that which is as yet unable to guard itself, any return of man to a closer dependence upon the devas is as if a full grown man returned to the care of his mother, offering up his self-reliance in exchange for material benefit. The devas are the mother of the form, but the self-conscious unit, MAN, should realize his independence of the form, and should follow the path of Self-expression. This should be pondered on, for in days to come (when units here and there contact the devas, and inevitably pay the penalty) it may be helpful [473] if the reason is understood, and man realises his necessary separation from these Essences in the three worlds. Approach between the two lines of evolution becomes possible on the plane of buddhi, but then it is an approach of two essences, and not an approach of the concrete to the essence. Man, while functioning in material, substantial forms in the three worlds, may not trespass across the separating line between the two evolutions. Only on the planes of solar fire or on the cosmic etheric levels may contact be permitted; on the planes of the cosmic dense physical plane (our mental, astral and physical planes) disaster only results from contact. I have dwelt on this point, for the danger is real, and near at hand.

  The deva evolution will, through this seventh Ray force have much to do with the transmission of prana to units of the three higher kingdoms of nature, and this easier transmission (from the etheric levels of the physical plane) will parallel a correspondingly easier transmission of spiritual or psychical force from the fourth cosmic ether, the buddhic plane. The results of this pranic transmission will be more healthy physical bodies among the sons of men. This need not be looked for at this time, and will only begin to be noticeable about three hundred years hence, when the incoming seventh Ray Egos will be numerically strong enough to be recognised as the prevailing type for a certain period. Their physical bodies, owing to their being built for seventh Ray force will respond more readily than the others, though first Ray egos and fifth Ray Egos will benefit enormously from this influence. The etheric devas will build during a peculiarly favourable period, and the physical bodies then constructed will be distinguished by:

  a. Resilience,

  b. Enormous physical magnetism, [474]

  c. Ability to reject false magnetism,

  d. Capacity to absorb solar rays,

  e. Great strength and resistance,

  f. A delicacy and refinement in appearance as yet unknown.

  The etheric levels of the plane will be full of an increased activity, and slowly but surely, as the decades slip away, man will become conscious of these levels, and aware of their inhabitants. The immediate effect of this greater etheric energy will be that a numerically larger number of people will possess etheric vision, and will be able normally and naturally to live consciously on etheric levels. The majority of men only function consciously on the three lower levels of the physical—the gaseous, the liquid, and the dense—and the etheric levels are as sealed to them as are the astral. In the coming centuries, man’s normal habitat will be the entire physical plane up to, though not including, the second subplane. The fourth and third et
heric levels will be as familiar to him as the usual physical landscape to which he is now accustomed.

  The centre of attention of medical and scientific students will be focussed on the etheric body, and the dependence of the physical body upon the etheric body will be recognised. This will change the attitude of the medical profession, and magnetic healing and vibratory stimulation will supersede the present methods of surgery and drug assimilation. Man’s vision being then normally etheric, will have the effect of forcing him to recognise that which is now called the “unseen world,” or the superphysical. Men in their etheric bodies will be noted, and communicated with, and the devas and elementals of the ethers will be studied and recognised. When this is so, then the true use of ceremonial ritual as a protection and safeguard to man will assume its right place.

  [475] The work of the devas in connection with the animal and the vegetable kingdoms will be likewise recognised, and much that is now possible through ignorance will become impossible and obsolete. The time will come, when the attitude of man to the animal kingdom will be revolutionised, and the slaughter, ill-treatment, and that form of cruelty called “sport,” will be done away with.

  A mysterious change in the attitude of men and women to the sex question, marriage and the work of procreation will result from the development of etheric vision, and the consequent recognition of the devas. This change will be based on the realisation of the true nature of matter, or of the mother aspect, and of the effect of the Sun upon substance. The unity of life will be a known and scientific fact, and life in matter will no longer be a theory but a fundamental of science. This cannot be enlarged upon here.

  3. Manas in the Final Rounds.