A Treatise on Cosmic Fire

by Alice A Bailey

NEPTUNE—This school concerns itself with the development and fostering of the desire element and its graduates are called “the Sons of Vishnu.” Their symbol is a robe with a full sailed boat portrayed over the heart, the significance of which will be apparent to those who have eyes to see.

  It is not permissible to touch upon the other planetary schools, nor would it profit. Certain further facts can be ascertained by the student of meditation who is aligned with his Ego, and in touch with his egoic group.

  [1180] The teaching given on our earth scheme in the Hall of Wisdom has been dealt with in many occult books, including Initiation, Human and Solar, and need not be enlarged upon here.

  Some of the aspects of this law are here indicated. The ground is by no means covered but enough has been shown to indicate its magnitude and extent. In closing, it must be pointed out that the Law of Karma is from some angles of vision the sum total of this Law of Attraction for it governs the relation of all forms to that which uses the form, and of all lives to each other.

  Students of the Law of Attraction must be careful to bear in mind certain things. These should be carefully considered and realised as the subject is studied.

  They must remember first, that all these subsidiary laws are really only the manifestation of the One Law; that they are but differentiated terms, employed to express one great method of manifestation.

  Secondly, that all energy, demonstrating in the solar system, is after all the energy of the logoic physical permanent atom, having its nucleus on the atomic subplane of the cosmic physical. This physical permanent atom (as is the case with the corresponding atom of the incarnating jiva), has its place within the causal body of the Logos on His own plane; it is, therefore, impressed by the totality of the force of the egoic cosmic lotus, or the attractive quality of cosmic love. This force is transmitted to the solar system in two ways: Through the medium of the Sun, which is in an occult sense the physical permanent atom; it, therefore, attracts, and holds attracted, all within its sphere of influence, thus producing the logoic physical body: through the medium of the planes which are the correspondences to the seven spirillae of the physical permanent atom of a human being. Thus a dual type of attractive force is found: one, basic and fundamental; the other more differentiated and secondary. [1181]

  CHART XI — ETHERIC-ATOMIC PHILOSOPHY OF FORCE

  Fig 135. The General form of an atom, including the spirals and 1st Spirillae, together with influx and efflux ethers, represented by dots, which pass trhough these spirillae. The 2nd and 3rd spirillae and their still finer ethers are not shown.

  From ‘the Principles of Light and Colour’,

  Edwin D. Babbitt, New York 1878

  [1182] These streams of energy, judged by their effects, are called in human terminology laws, because their results are ever immutable and irresistible, and their effects remain unchangeably the same, varying only according to the form which is the subject of the energic impulse.

  Thirdly, the student must bear in mind that the seven planes, or the seven spirillae of the logoic permanent atom, are not all equally vitalised by the attractive pull emanating from the logoic lotus via the heart of the Sun. Five of them are more “alive” than the other two; these five do not include the highest and the lowest. The words “the heart of the Sun” must be understood to mean more than a locality situated in the interior recesses of the solar body, and have reference to the nature of the solar sphere. This solar sphere is closely similar to the atom pictured in the book by Babbitt and later in Occult Chemistry by Mrs. Besant. The Sun is heart-shaped, and (seen from cosmic angles) has a depression at what we might call its north pole. This is formed by the impact of logoic energy upon solar substance.

  This energy which impinges upon the solar sphere, and is thence distributed to all parts of the entire system, emanates from three cosmic centres and, therefore, is triple during this particular cycle.

  a. From the sevenfold great Bear.

  b. From the Sun Sirius.

  c. From the Pleiades.

  It must be remembered that the possible cosmic streams of energy available for use in our solar system are seven in number, of which three are major. These three vary during vast and incalculable cycles.

  Students may find it of use to remember that,

  a. The Law of Economy demonstrates as an urge,

  b. The Law of Attraction as a pull,

  c. The Law of Synthesis as a tendency to concentrate at a centre, or to merge.

  [1183] The streams of energy which pour forth through the medium of the Sun from the egoic lotus and which are in reality “logoic Soul energy” attract to them that which is akin to them in vibration. This may sound rather like the statement of a platitude, but is susceptible of really deep significance to the student, being accountable for all systemic phenomena. These streams pass in different directions, and in the knowledge of occult direction comes knowledge of the various hierarchies of being, and the secret of the esoteric symbols.

  The main stream of energy enters at the top depression in the solar sphere and passes through the entire ring-pass-not, bisecting it into two halves.

  With this stream enters that group of active lives whom we call the “Lords of Karma.” They preside over the attractive forces, and distribute them justly. They enter, pass to the centre of the sphere and there (if I may so express it) locate, and set up the “Holy Temple of Divine Justice,” sending out to the four quarters of the circle the four Maharajahs, their representatives. So is the equal armed Cross formed—and all the wheels of energy set in motion. This is conditioned by the karmic seeds of an earlier system, and only that substance is utilised by the Logos, and only those lives come into manifestation who have set up a mutual attraction.

  These five streams of living energy (the one and the four) are the basis of the onward march of all things; these are sometimes esoterically called “the forward moving Lives.” They embody the Will of the Logos. It is the note they sound and the attractive pull which they initiate which bring into contact with the solar sphere a group of existences whose mode of activity is spiral and not forward.

  These groups are seven in number and pass into manifestation [1184] through what is for them a great door of Initiation. In some of the occult books, these seven groups are spoken of as the “seven cosmic Initiates Who have passed within the Heart, and there remain until the test is passed.” These are the seven Hierarchies of Beings, the seven Dhyan Chohans. They spiral into manifestation, cutting across the fourfold cross, and touching the cruciform stream of energy in certain places. The places where the streams of love energy cross the streams of will and karmic energy are mystically called the “Caves of dual light” and when a reincarnating or liberated jiva enters one of these Caves in the course of his pilgrimage, he takes an initiation, and passes on to a higher turn of the spiral.

  Another stream of energy follows a different route, which is a little difficult to make clear. This particular set of active lives enter the heart shaped depression, pass around the edge of the ring-pass-not to the lowest part of the solar sphere and then mount upwards, coming into opposition therefore with the stream of downpouring energy. This stream of force is called “lunar” force for lack of a better term. They form the body of the raja Lord of each of the planes, and are governed by the Law of Economy.

  All these streams of energy form geometrical designs of great beauty to the eye of the initiated seer. We have the transverse and bisecting lines, the seven lines of force which form the planes, and the seven spiralling lines, thus forming lines of systemic latitude and longitude, and their interplay and interaction produce a whole of wondrous beauty and design. When these are visualised in colour, and seen in their true radiance, it will be realised that the point of attainment of our solar Logos is very high, for the beauty of the logoic Soul is expressed by that which is seen. [1185]

  II. THE EFFECTS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

  The Law of Attraction produces certain effects which it might prof
it us to touch upon here, provided we remember that only a few effects out of many possible are being considered.

  1. Association.

  The first effect might be called association. Under this law the karmic Lords are enabled to bring together those lives (human, subhuman, and superhuman) which have earlier been associated, and have, therefore, somewhat to work out. The seven Heavenly Men, for instance, are a few out of the great band of associated Lives who have chosen to come into incarnation in this kalpa for purposes of mutual help and mutual correction. They are really destined to work together, but nevertheless on other cosmic planes have points of contact unknown to us.

  Under this attractive pull the informing existences of the various kingdoms of nature are engaged in mutual interaction, and thus swing into lesser but similar activity all the lives of these various bodies of manifestation. These lines of attraction are veiled in mystery, and all that it is possible to indicate is the karma of the Lord of the second or vegetable kingdom with the Lord of the fifth kingdom, and a close line of linking energy between the Lord of the mineral kingdom and the human. These points are only for reference to our own planetary scheme. The Lord of the Moon chain and the Lord of our present animal kingdom are “blood brothers” and in their relationship and the esoteric interference of the “Man of Men” (the human family personified) is hidden the mystery of present animal karma and the slaughter of animal forms, the terror of wild beasts and the work of vivisectionists.

  Under this Law, too, is found “the Path” upon which [1186] men lift themselves out of the human state of consciousness into the divine, but on this there is no need to enlarge.

  2. Form Building.

  The second effect is form building. Upon this we will not enlarge at any length, as all that it is at present possible to impart anent this subject has already been given in this Treatise, and other works of a similar nature. It is the middle, or second aspect which is ever responsible for the construction of a form around a central nucleus. Students would find it useful to study and meditate upon the appended tabulation of energy streams and their objectivising through mutual interplay.

  As time goes on, science will become aware of the basic nature and fundamental accuracy of the method whereby every form can be divided into its three aspects, and viewed as an Entity energised by three types of force, emanating from various points extraneous to the form under consideration. It can be considered also as expressing in some way or another, in its various parts, force or energy originating in the three forces of manifestation, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Where this is the case and the premise admitted, the entire outlook on life, on nature, medicine and science and on methods of construction or destruction will be changed. Things will be viewed as essential triplicities, men will be regarded as a combination of energy units, and work with things and with men from the form aspect will be revolutionised. In the tabulation much information is given anent the form building aspects of energy and the Law of Attraction as it shows itself in the working of the various groups of the Army of the Voice. It is this Army which is responsible for the attraction which is the medium of bringing together the material required by the free Spirits in order to construct their bodies of manifestation. The [1187]

  TABULATION VII

  ENERGIES

  SOLAR LOGOS:

  Source Focal Point Medium Type of Energy Nature of Fire

  1. Causal Body. Jewel Central Spiritual Sun. Cosmic Will Electric Fire - Positive.

  2. Causal Body. Lotus (two petalled) Heart of the Sun. Cosmic Love - (The Son) Solar Fire - Harmony - Equilibrium.

  3. Physical Plane Nucleus. Permanent Atom. The Physical Sun. Cosmic Activity (Universal Mind). Fire by Friction - Negative.

  PLANETARY LOGOS:

  1. Planetary Causal Body. Jewel Heavenly Man (On his own plane.) Systemic Will Electric Fire - Positive.

  2. Planetary Causal Body. Lotus Egoic Groups Systemic Love Solar Fire - Harmony - Balance.

  3. Physical Plane Nucleus. Permanent Atom. Physical Planet. Systemic Activity. Fire by Friction - Negative.

  MAN:

  1. Human Causal Body. Jewel Monad Spirit Atma-Buddhi Electric Fire - Positive Force.

  2. Human Causal Body. Lotus Solar Angel Manasic Ego Solar Fire - Equilibrising Force.

  3. Plane Nucleus. Permanent Atom. Lunar Angels Lower Three-fold Man. Fire by Friction - Negative.

  PLANES:

  1. Plane Raja Lord. A Deva Hierarchy. Atomic Sub-plane. Fohatic Central Fire - Initiatory.

  2. Plane Devas. Centres Prana Solar Energy Form building Fire.

  3. Elementals. Elemental Essence. Molecular Substance. Lunar Force The Mother’s Heat.

  ATOMS:

  1. Atom Nucleus Plane Deva Positive Electric.

  2. Atomic Unit of Form. Sphere Plane Devas Balancing Solar Fire.

  3. Electrons Nuclei Elementals Negative Fire by Friction.

  [1188]vibration initiated by the Sound, which is the expression of the Law of Synthesis, is succeeded by the Voice or Word, and that Word as it progresses outward from the centre to the periphery (for, occultly understood, the Word is “spoken from the Heart”) becomes

  a. A phrase.

  b. Phrases.

  c. Sentences.

  d. Speech.

  e. The myriad sounds of nature.

  Each of these terms can be explained in terms of attractive energy, and this attractive energy is likewise the demonstration of the life of an Existence of some grade or other.

  “God speaks and the forms are made.” This tabulation should form the basis of a complete phase of study along this line and is one of the most basic given in this Treatise.

  3. Adaptation of the form to the life.

  This is the process of gradually providing forms which are due expressions of the indwelling consciousness which is the great purpose of what we call “Mother Nature”; this she does, working under the Law of Attraction which we are considering. This law, therefore, governs two aspects of unfoldment, that which concerns the soul or consciousness aspect and that relating to the Spirit on its own plane. It is the cause of that continuous cycle of form taking, of form utilisation and of form rejection which characterises the incarnations of every kind and type of living being. The student should here remember that the Existences who are the attractive force in manifestation, the Dhyan Chohans, are seven in number, and that, therefore, the quality of the vehicles which form Their bodies will have the sevenfold variation according to the specific nature of the Lords of Life.

  [1189] The only way to arrive at a realisation of the basic qualities of these planetary Logoi is through a consideration of the energy emanating from Them, and it is this which the true esoteric astrology will eventually reveal. The time is not yet; it will come when the scientific consideration of human magnetism, of the distinctions between the seven types of men, and the nature of the Ego is more truly followed. Then will be revealed the nature of planetary magnetism and the quality of any specific planetary soul as it is known through the aggregated nature of the men, responsive to and exponents of any particular planetary Ray. The mystery is increased by the fact that there are not only certain logoic qualities manifesting which are not included by the term “sacred,” but that there are numerous other aspects of what we might term “secondary centres of fire,” generated and making their presence felt. We have a correspondence to this in the fact that there are centres of energy in man which are not purely etheric centres but are the product of the interaction of the etheric centres and certain forms of negative energy of the lowest kind. Such, for instance, is the heart. There is the heart centre, one of the major centers on the etheric planes, but there is also the physical heart which is an energy generator also; there are the lower organs of generation which are equally a reflex product with an energy which is the resultant of the higher vibrations yet which has a quality all its own. This has its correspondence in the solar system. Many are the lesser planets and numerous are the planetoids which have an
energy or attractive quality all their own and which, from the systemic standpoint, must be allowed for in the measuring of the attraction producing the forms of or upon any particular planet.

  As we know from a study of the Secret Doctrine, certain of the planetary Logoi are pure and passionless whilst others are still under the domination of desire and [1190] of passion. (S. D., I, 214, 449; II, 223.) This quality of Theirs necessarily attracts to Them that which They need for the due expression of Their life in any scheme, and controls the nature of those egoic groups who are (for Them) generating force centres. Hence the nature of men upon earth. All human beings are paramountly governed by certain planetary attractions, impressions or influences which might be enumerated in the order of their importance.

  There is, first of all, the attractive pull of the Life of the planetary Logos of this particular planet. This is necessarily the strongest and is one of the basic factors which have settled the lines the human form has taken upon this planet. There are human beings, or exponents of self-consciousness on other planets, but the forms they utilise are not the same as ours.

  There is next, the attractive pull of the planetary Logos Who is the complementary Life to that of our Logos. This involves a planetary Logos responsive to a vibration which harmonises with that of our Logos but Who, when in union with Him, forms what might be called “the Third” or His dominant, as the case may be. It is not possible to reveal whether the blending of the note will mean that our scheme will absorb that which expresses the note of another scheme, or vice versa. It means that somewhere in the solar system is a planetary scheme of some kind (not necessarily one of the seven or of the ten) which has an interplay with ours and which, therefore, inevitably affects the egoic groups. We must note also the fact that—in connection with the expression of a Heavenly Man—the egoic groups are energy centres and make His dense physical body eventually an accomplished fact.