CHAPTER XIX.

RULES FOR APPLICANTS
There are certain aphorisms and injunctions which the applicant for initiation needs to study and obey. There is a great distinction between the terms 'aspirant to the Path' and 'applicant for initiation'. He who as- pires and strives towards discipleship is in no way pledged to the same specific attitude ^nd discipline as is the appli- cant for initiation, and he can, if he so choose, take as long as he desires in the treading of the Probationary Path. The man who seeks initiation is in a different position, and having once made application has to bring his life under a definite rule, and a strict regime which is only optional to the disciple.
The rules given here are fourteen in number, and are gathered from a series of instructions compiled for those who seek to take the first initiation.
RULES FOR APPLICANTS
Rule 1
Let the disciple search within the heart's deep cave. If there the fire burns bright, warming his brother yet heating not himself, the hour has come for mak- ing application to stand before the door.
When love for all beings, irrespective of who they may be, is beginning to be a realised fact in the heart of a disciple, and yet nevertheless love for himself exists not, then comes the indication that he is nearing the portal of initiation, and may make the necessary preliminary pledges. These are necessitated before his Master hands in his name as a candidate for initiation. If he cares not
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for the suffering and pain of the lower self, if it is imma- terial to him whether happiness comes his way or not, if the sole purpose of his life is to serve and save the world, and if his brother's need is for him of greater moment than his own, then is the fire of love irradiating his being, and the world can warm itself at his feet. This love has to be a practical, tested manifestation, and not just a theory, nor simply an impractical ideal and a pleasing sentiment. It is something that has grown in the trials and tests of life, so that the primary impulse of the life is towards self-sacrifice and the immolation of the lower na- ture.
Rule 2.
When application has been made in triple form, then let the disciple withdraw that application, and forget it has been made.
Herein lies one of the initial tests. The disciple's at- titude of mind must be that he cares not whether he takes initiation or not. Selfish motive must not enter in. Only those applications which reach the Master through the energy engendered through pure altruistic motive, are transmitted by him to the recording angel of the Hier- archy; only those disciples who seek initiation because of the added power to help and bless that it confers, will find a response to their plea. Those careless of initiation re- ceive not the occult accolade, and those anxious, through selfishness or curiosity, to participate in the mysteries, en- ter not the door but remain knocking outside. Those who are keen to serve, those who are weighed down with a sense of world need, and the personal responsibility there- by awakened, and who have fulfilled the law, knock and
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meet with response, and make application which meets with recognition. They are the ones who send forth a cry for added power to aid, which penetrates to the ear of Those Who silently wait.
Eule 3
Triple the call must be, and long it takes to sound it forth. Let the disciple sound the cry across the des- ert, over the sea, and through the fires which separate him from the veiled and hidden door.
Under this symbology comes to the disciple the in- junction to make the desert of the physical plane life to blossom like the rose, so that from the garden of the low- er life may arise those sounds and scents, and a vibration strong enough to cross the intervening space be- tween it and the portal ; to still the restless waters of the emotional life, so that in their limpid, still expanse, that portal may be reflected, and the lower life mirror forth the spiritual life of the indwelling divinity; to pass through the fiery furnace those motives, words, and thoughts which are the mainspring of activity, and have their origin upon the mental plane. When these three aspects of the manifesting Ego, the God within, are brought under con- trol, co-ordinated, and utilised, then, even unconsciously to himself, will the voice of the disciple be heard, demand- ing the opening of the door. When the lower life upon the physical plane is fertilized, the emotional stabilised, and the menial transmuted, then naught can prevent the latch upon that door being lifted, and the disciple passing through. Only synchronous vibration to that which lies the other side of the door produces its opening, and when the key of the disciple's life is all nning itself to that of the
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Hierarchical life, then, one by one, the doors will open, and nothing can keep them closed.
Rule 4.
Let the disciple tend the evolution of the fire ; nourish the lesser lives, and thus keep the wheel revolving.
Here comes an injunction to the disciple to remember his responsibility to those many lesser lives which, in their sum total, compose his triple body of manifestation. Thus is evolution possible, and thus each life, in the dif- ferent kingdoms of nature, consciously or unconsciously, fulfils its function of rightly energising that which is to it as is the planet to the sun. Thus will the unfolding of the plan logoic proceed with greater accuracy. The kingdom of God is within, and the duty of that inner hidden Ruler is twofold, first, to the lives which form the bodies, physi- cal, astral, and mental, and then to the macrocosm, the world of which the microcosm is but an infinitesimal part.
Rule 5.
Let the applicant see to it that the solar angel dims the light of the lunar angels, remaining the sole lu- minary in the microscosmic sky.
To fulfil this injunction all applicants need to do two things, first, to study their origin, to realise their own true psychology occultly understood, and to become scien- tifically aware of the real nature of the Ego, or the Higher Self, functioning in the causal body. Then they have to assert upon the physical plane, through the medium of the three lower bodies, their innate divinity, and to dem- onstrate in ever increasing degree, their essential value.
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Secondly, to study the constitution of man, to understand the method of functioning in the lower nature, to realise the interdependence and interrelation of all living things, and thus bring the lesser lives, which compose those three bodies of manifestation, under control. Thus the solar Lord, the inner Keality, the Son of the Father, and the Thinker on his own plane becomes the intermediary be- tween that which is of the earth, earthy, and that which finds its home within the sun. Two verses in the Christian Bible hide something of this idea within themselves, and students in the Occident may find it helpful to meditate upon them : — "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ." "O Lord, our God, other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us, but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name.7' The last verse is particularly interesting, as it demonstrates the suppression of the lower sound and creative force by that which is of higher origin.
Rule- 6.
The purificatory fires burn dim and low when the third is sacrificed to the fourth. Therefore let the disciple refrain from taking life, and let him nour- ish that which is lowest with the produce of the sec- ond.
This rule might be summed up in the trite instruction to each disciple that he be strictly vegetarian. The lower nature becomes clogged and heavy, and the inner blaze can- not shine forth when meat is included in the diet. This is Aspirants can choose to eal meat or not ;is they prefer, but
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eating of every kind be stopped, and the strictest atten- tion must be paid to diet. A disciple must confine himself to vegetables, grains, fruits and nuts. Only thus can he build the type of physical body which can stand the en- try of the real man who has stood in his subtler bodies be- fore the Initiator. Should he not do this, and should it be possible for him to take initiation without having thus prepared himself, the physical body would be shattered by the energy pouring through the newly stimulated centres, and dire danger to the brain, the spine, or the heart would eventuate.
It must, of course, here be recognised that no hard or fast rules can ever be laid down, except the initial one that for all applicants for initiation meat, fish, and fermented liquors of all kinds, as well as the use of tobacco, are ab- solutely forbidden. For those who can stand it, eggs and cheese are sometimes better eliminated from the diet, but this is not in any way compulsory. It is advisable always that those who are in process of developing psychic facul- ties of any kind should not permit themselves to eat eggs and very little cheese. Milk and butter come under a dif- ferent category, and most initiates and applicants find it necessary to retain them in the diet. A few exceptional people can subsist and retain their full physical energies on the diet mentioned in the preceding paragraph, but there the ideal is embodied, and, as we all know, the ideal is seldom attainable in the present transitional period.
In this connection two things should be emphasized: — First, the need that all appplicants have for com- mon sense; this factor is very often lacking, and students do well to remember that unbalanced fanatics are not desirable members of the Hierarchy. Equilibrium, a just sense of proportion, a due regard for environing condi- tions, and a sane common sense, are the marks of the true
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occultist. When a real sense of humour exists likewise, many dangers will be avoided. Secondly, a recognition of time, and an ability to move slowly when effecting changes in the diet and in the habits of a lifetime. Everything in nature progresses slowly, and applicants must learn the oc- cult truth of the words : — "Make haste slowly." A pro- cess of gradual elimination is usually the path of wisdom, and this eliminating period should — under ideal conditions which so seldom exist — cover the stage which we call that of the aspirant, so that when a man becomes an applicant for initiation he will have done the necessary preparatory purification of the diet.
Rule 7.
Let the disciple turn his attention to the enunciating of those sounds which echo in the halls where walks the Master. Let him not sound the lesser notes which awaken vibration within the halls of Maya (Illusion).
The disciple who seeks to enter within the portals of initiation, cannot do so until he has learnt the power of speech and the power of silence. This has a deeper and a wider significance than perhaps is apparent, for it holds, if rightly interpreted, the key to manifestation, the clue to the great cycles, and the revelation of the purpose un- derlying pralaya. Until a man comprehends the signifi- cance of the spoken word, and until he utilises the silence of the high places for the bringing about of desired effects on one plane or another, he cannot be admitted into those realms wherein every sound and every word spoken pro- duces powerful results in matter of some kind, being ener- gised by two predominant factors, (a) a powerful will, scientifically applied, (b) right motive, purified in the tires.
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An adept is a creator in mental matter, an originator of impulses on the mental plane, thereby producing results in astral or physical manifestation. These results are powerful and effective, and hence the necessity for their originator to be pure in thought, accurate in word, and skilful in action. When these ideas are realised by ap- plicants, the immediate consequence will be important changes in the life of every day. These changes might, for the sake of their practical use, be enumerated as fol- lows:
a. Motives will be closely searched, and a strict check will be kept upon originating impulses. Hence during the first year in which the applicant devotes himself to the work of preparation for initiation he will, three times a day, keep a writ- ten account of the investigations he pursues, which concern his motives, or the mainspring of action.
b. Speech will be watched, and an endeavour will be made to eliminate all unkind, unnecessary and wasteful words. The effects of the spoken word will be studied, and be traced back to those origin- ating impulses which, in every case, initiate action upon the physical plane.
c. Silence will be cultivated, and applicants will be careful to preserve strict silence concerning them- selves, their occult work or knowledge, the affairs of those associated with them, and the work of their occult group. Only in group circles or in connection with their superiors, will a wise latitude in speech be permitted. There is a time to speak. That time comes when the group can be served by
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wise words, a careful intimation of conditions, good or bad, and a rare, but necessary word to some brother concerning the inner life, or to some superior or group of officials, in cases where a brother may be hindering a group through error of some kind, or might help the group if put to different work, d. The effect of the Sacred Word will be studied, and conditions for its use wisely arranged. The sounding of the Word, and its effect upon a par- ticular esoteric centre (not in any case whatso- ever a physical centre) will be watched, and the life thereby influenced and regulated. The whole question of the study of sound and of words, sacred or otherwise, has to be taken up by appli- cants for initiation. This is something which must be faced more strenuously by all eventuating occult groups.
Rule 8.
When the disciple nears the portal, the Greater Seven must awaken and bring forth response from the lesser seven upon the double circle.
This rule is a very difficult one, and one which holds in it the elements of danger for the man who undertakes too early to tread the final path. Literally it can be inter- preted thus : The would-be initiate must develop some- what the vibration of the seven head centres, and thus sweep into increased vibratory activity the seven centres in the body upon the etheric plane; affecting also, through reciprocal vibration, the seven physical centres which are inevitably stimulated when the etheric centres come to- wards their maximum vibration. It is not necessary to enlarge upon this point beyond pointing out thai as the
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seven centres within the head become responsive to the Ego the following seven centres,
1. The head, considered as a unit,
2. The heart,
3. The throat,
4. The solar plexus,
5. The base of the spine,
6. The spleen,
7. The organs of generation,
are also affected, but affected along the line of purification and control. This will produce results in the definitely physical organs through which man functions on the phys- ical plane. In illustration : — Man can then transfer con- sciously the creative fire and energy from the organs of generation to the throat, or, through the conscious control of the heart, produce suspended animation of the physical body. This is not achieved through what is called Hatha Yoga practices, or concentrating the attention upon the physical organs, but through the development of the con- trol by the inner God, Who works through the head centre and thus dominates all else.
The applicant, therefore, will bend all his energies towards the development of the spiritual life, which de- velopment will be the outcome of right thinking, medita- tion, and service. Through deep study of all there is to be known concerning energy and its focal points, he will co-ordinate his life so that the life of the spirit may flow through it. This study can only be safely undertaken at present in group work and under guidance from a teacher ; the pupils will pledge themselves to permit no experimen- tation in their lives, and no careless trifling with the fires of the body. They will simply apply themselves to a theoretical comprehension and a life of service.
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The centres will then develop normally, whilst the ap- plicant bends his attention to loving his brother perfectly in truth and in deed, to serving wholeheartedly, to thinking intelligently, and to keeping a close watch upon himself. He will also record all that seems to him in his inner life to be concerned with the evolution of the centres. This record can be surveyed by the teacher, comment made, de- duction sought, and the quota of information thus gained filed for group reference. In this way much knowledge can be stored up for use.
The applicant who misuses knowledge, who indulges in such practices as 'breathing for development', or con- centrating upon tne centres, will inevitably fail in his en- deavour to reach the portal, and will pay the price in his body by the appearance of insanity, of neurasthenic con- ditions, and various physical ills.
Rule 9.
Let the disciple merge himself within the circle of his other selves. Let but one colour blend them and their unity appear. Only when the group is known and sensed can energy be wisely emanated.
One thing all disciples and applicants for initiation have to do is to find that particular group of servers to which they belong on the inner plane, to recognise them upon the physical plane, and to unite with them in service for the race. This recognition will be based upon : —
a. Unity of aim.
b. Oneness of vibration.
c [dentity in group affiliation. (1. Karmic links of long standing.
c. Ability to work in harmonious relation.
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Superficially, this may appear one of the easiest of the rules, but in practice it is not so. Mistakes are easily made, and the problem of working harmoniously in group alignment is not so simple as it may appear. Egoic vibra- tion and relationship may exist, yet the outer personalities may not harmonise. It is the work, then, of the applicant to strengthen the grip of his Ego upon his personality, so that the esoteric group relation may become possible upon the physical plane. He will do this by the disciplining of his own personality, and not by the correction of his brothers.
Rule 10.
The Army of the Voice, the devas in their serried ranks, work ceaselessly. Let the disciple apply himself to the consideration of their methods; let him learn the rules whereby that Army works within the veils of Maya.
This rule refers to the work of occult investigation, which must be pursued at some time or another by all who seek initiation. Though it is not safe for the uniniti- ated to tamper with the parallel evolution of the devas, yet it is necessary and safe to investigate the procedure pursued by the builders, the methods followed by them, in reproducing from the archetype, via the etheric. that which we call physical manifestation ; their groups must be some- what theoretically cognised, and the sounds whereby they are swept into activity considered. This involves, there- fore, the organised study, by all applicants, of : —
1. The purpose of sound.
2. The esoteric meaning of words, of grammar, and of syntax.
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3. The laws of vibration and of electricity, and many other subsidiary studies which concern them- selves with the manifestation of divinity and conscious- ness through the medium of deva substance and the ac- tivity of the controlling devas. The laws of the macrocosm will be investigated, and the correspondence between the activities of the microcosm, and the active manifestation of the macrocosm will be recognised.
Rule 11.
Let the disciple transfer the fire from the lower tri- angle to the higher, and preserve that which is created through the fire of the midway point.
This means, literally, the control by the initiate of the sex impulse, as usually understood, and the transference of the fire which now normally vitalises the generative or- gans to the throat centre, thus leading to creation upon the mental plane through the agency of mind. That which is to be created must then be nourished and sustained by the love energy of nature issuing from the heart centre.
The lower triangle referred to is: —
1. The solar plexus.
2. The base of the spine.
3. The generative organs.
Whilst the higher one is, as pointed out : —
1. The head.
2. The throat.
3. The heart.
This might be interpreted by the superficial reader as an injunction to the celibate lite, and the pledging of the ap- plicanl to abstain from all physical manifestation of the sex impulse. This is not so. Many initiates have attained their objective when duly and wisely participating in the
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marriage relation. An initiate cultivates a peculiar atti- tude of mind, wherein there is a recognition that all forms of manifestation are divine, and that the physical plane is as much a form of divine expression as any of the higher planes. He realises that the lowest manifestation of divinity must be under the conscious control of that in- dwelling divinity, and that all acts of every kind should be regulated by the endeavour to fulfil every duty and obliga- tion, to control every action and deed, and to utilise the physical vehicle so that the group may be thereby benefited and aided in its spiritual progress, and the law perfectly fulfilled.
That it may be advisable, at certain stages, for a man to perfect control along any particular line through a tem- porary abstention is not to be denied, but that is a means to an end, and will be succeeded by stages when — the con- trol having been gained — the man demonstrates perfectly through the medium of the physical body, the attributes of divinity, and every centre will be normally and wisely used, and thus race purposes furthered.
Initiates and Masters, in many cases marry, and normally perform their duties as husbands, wives, and householders, but all is controlled and regulated by pur- pose and intention, and none is carried away by passion or desire. In the perfect man upon the physical plane, all the centres are under complete control, and their energy is legitimately used; the spiritual will of the divine inner God is the main factor, and there will be a unity of effort shown on all the planes through all the centres for the greatest good of the greatest number.
This point has been touched upon because so many students go astray upon these matters, and cultivate either an attitude of mind which results in the complete atrophying of the entire normal physical nature, or in-
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dulge in an orgy of license nnder the specious plea of "stimulating the centres,'' and thus furthering astral de- velopment. The true initiate should be known by his wise and sanctified normality, by his steady conformity to that which is best for the group as emphasised by the group laws of the land, by his control and his refraining from ex- cess of any kind, and by the example he sets to his environ- ing associates of spiritual living and moral rectitude, coupled with the discipline of his life.
Rule 12.
Let the disciple learn the use of the hand in service; let him seek the mark of the messenger in his feet, and let him learn to see with the eye that looks out from between the two.
This rule looks easy of interpretation upon the first reading, and seems to enjoin upon the applicant the use of the hands in service, of the feet upon hierarchial errands, and the development of clairvoyance. But the real mean- ing is much more esoteric. Occultly understood, the 'use of the hands' is the utilisation of the chakras (or centres) in the palms of the hands in: —
a. Healing bodily ills.
1). Blessing, and thus curing emotional ills.
c. Raised in prayer, or the use of the centres of the hands during meditation in the manipulation of mental matter and currents. These three points will bear careful consideration, and much may be learnt by occidental students from the study of the life of Christ, and a consideration of His methods in using His hands. More cannot be said here, as the sub- ject is boo vast to be enlarged upon in this brief commen- tary.
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The "mark of the messenger" in the feet, is a refer- ence to that well known symbol of the wings on the heels of Mercury. Much upon this subject will be revealed to stu- dents in occult schools who will gather together all that can be found concerning the Messenger of the Gods, and who also will study with care information which astro- logical students have gleaned anent the planet Mercury, and which occult students have gathered concerning the inner round.
On the surface, the expression "the eye which looks out from between the two" seems to signify the third eye, which clairvoyants utilise, but the meaning is very much deeper than that, and lies hidden in the following facts : —
a. That the inner vision is that which all self con- scious beings, from a Logos to a man, are in process of developing.
b. That the Ego, or Higher Self, is literally to the Monad what the third eye is to man, and there- fore is described as looking out from between the Monad or spiritual self on the one hand, and the personal self on the other.
In the fullest sense, therefore, this rule incites the ap- plicant to develop self consciousness, and thus learn to function in the causal body on the higher levels of the men- tal plane, controlling from thence all the lower vehicles and seeing clearly all that can be seen in the three worlds, in the past and in the future.
Rule 13.
Four things the disciple must learn and comprehend before he can be shewn that inmost mystery : first, the laws of that which radiates ; the five meanings of mag- netisation make the second; the third is transmuta-
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tion, or the secret lost of alchemy ; and lastly the first letter of the Word which has been imparted, or the hidden name egoic.
This rule cannot be enlarged upon. Tt concerns mysteries and subjects too immense to be fully handled here. It is included in these rules so that it may form a subject for meditation, for study, and for group discussion.
The final rule is very brief and consists of five words :
Rule 14.
Listen, touch, see, apply, know.
These words concern what the Christian might aptly call the consecration of the three major senses, and their utilisation in the evolution of the inner spiritual life, ap- plication then made of that which is learnt and ascer- tained, followed by the fruition of realised knoAvledge.
AN ESOTEBIC CATECHISM.
The following are some words from Archive XIII of the Masters' Kecords, that carry with them a message for the straggler on the way. They are somewhat on the line of an old catechism, and used to be recited by the par- ticipants in the lesser mysteries before they passed on in- to the greater.
What seest thou. O Pilgrim? Life* up thine eyes and tell what thou beholdest.
I see a ladder, mounting within the vault of blue, its feet lost sight of in the mists and fogs that circle round our planet.
Where standest thou, O Pilgrim? On what are placed thy feet?
I stand upon a portion of the ladder, the fourth division well nigh mounted ; its latter part stretches before me into the darkness of a stormy night. Beyond that sphere of utter gloom I see the ladder rise again, radiant and glow- ing in its fifth division.
What marks those portions which you thus describe as separated from another part? Do not all form but one completed ladder of clearly marked proportions?
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210 ESOTERIC CATECHISM
Always a gap appeareth to the eye, which (when ap- proached more closely) resolveth then itself into a Cross, by which one mounteth to the next division.
What canseth then the Cross? How monnt yon by its aid?
The Cross is formed by aspirations, instilled by Godlike urge, which cut athwart the lower world desires, implanted by the life developed from below.
Explain more clearly what you mean, and how that Cross becomes the Way.
The arms that form the Cross become the great dividing line, placed twixt the lower and the higher. Upon those arms the hands are nailed, — the hands that grasp and hold, ministering to the lower needs, trained thus through many aeons. Lo, when the hands are helpless held, and cannot grasp and hold, the inner life slips from its sheath, mounting the limb upright. It passeth from the lower fourth, and the Cross doth bridge the gap.
Pass they with ease that mount that limb, and leave the fourth behind?
They pass through tears, through clouds and mists; they suffer and they die. They bid adieu to all earth's friends; they mount the Way alone; they bridge the gap with lov- ing deeds done in the pain of living; they lift one hand aloft to II ini Who standeth just above; they lean one down- ward lo the man who standeth next below. The hands, freed from the transverse arms, arc freed but to be held, — held by the One Who standeth by, held by the one they
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lift. Only the empty nail-marked hands can keep the chain complete.
Where ends the ladder's length? What point of gloom is pierced by it and where projects its end?
It cuts the crystallising sphere with all its myriad forms ; it pierces through the watery plane, washed by the swirling tides; it passes through the nethermost hell, down into densest maya, and ends within the latent fire, the molten lake of fiercest burning, touching the denizens of fire, the Agnichaitans of the scarlet heat.
Where mounts the ladder's length? Where is its con- summation?
It mounteth through the radiant spheres, through all their six divisions. It riseth to the mighty Seat within the final fifth, and passeth from that mighty Seat to yet another greater.
Who sits upon that mighty Seat within the final fifth?
He with the Name we mention not, save in utter adoration ; the Youth of Endless Summers, the Light of Life itself, the Wondrous One, the Ancient One, Lord of Venusian Love, the great Kumara with the Flaming Sword, the Peace of all the Earth.
Sits He alone, this Wondrous One, upon His sapphire throne?
He sits alone, yet close upon the rainbow steps there stand three other Lords, garnering the product of Their work and sacrificing all Their gain to aid the Lord of Love.
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Are They assisted in Their work? Do other Ones of greater powers than ours stand too upon the ladder?
These might}' Four, Action and Love, in wise co-operation work with Their Brothers of a lesser grade, the three Great Lords we know.
Who aid these mighty Lords? Who carry on Their work, linking the lower with the higher?
The Brothers of Logoic Love in all Their many grades. They stay within the final fifth till it absorbeth all the fourth.
Where mounts the ladder then?
To the greatest Lord of all, before Whom e'en that Ancient One bends in obeisance low ; before Whose throne of efful- gent light Angels of highest rank, Masters and Lords of uttermost compassion, prostrate Themselves and humbly bend, waiting the Word to rise.
When sounds that Word and what transpires when it echoes through the spheres?
That Word sounds not till all is done, until the Lord of endless love deemeth the work correct. He uttereth then a lesser Word that vibrateth through the scheme. The greater Lord of cosmic Love, hearing the circling sound, addeth completion to the chord, and breatheth forth the whole.
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What will be seen, O Pilgrim on the Way, when sounds that final chord?
The music of the endless spheres, the merging of the seven ; the end of tears, of sin, of strife, the shattering of forms ; the finish of the ladder, the blending in the All, completion of the circling spheres and their entry into peace.
What part, O Pilgrim on the Way, play you within this scheme? How will you enter into peace? How stand before your Lord?
I play my part with stern resolve, with earnest aspiration ; I look above, I help below ; I dream not, nor I rest ; I toil ; I serve; I reap; I pray; I am the Cross; I am the Way; I tread upon the work I do ; I mount upon my slain self ; I kill desire, and I strive, forgetting all reward. I forego peace ; I forfeit rest, and in the stress of pain I lose myself and find Myself and enter into peace.
FINIS
GLOSSARY
Adept. A Master, or human being who, having traversed the path of evolution and entered upon the final stage of that path, the Path of Initiation, has taken five of the Initiations, and has therefore passed into the Fifth, or Spiritual kingdom, having but two more Initiations to take.
Adi. The First; the primeval; the atomic plane of the solar system ; the highest of the seven planes.
Agni. The Lord of Fire in the Vedas. The oldest and most revered of the Gods in India. One of the three great deities Agni, Vayu and Surya, and also all the three, as he is the triple aspect of fire; fire is the es- sence of the solar system. The Bible says : "Our God is a consuming fire." It is also the symbol of the mental plane of which Agni is paramountly lord.
Agnichaitans. A group of fire devas.
Atlantis. The continent that was submerged in the At- lantic and Pacific oceans, according to the occult teaching and Plato. Atlantis was the home of the Fourth Root Race, whom we now call the Atlanteans.
Antakarana. ( or Antaskarana ) . The path, or bridge, be- tween higher and lower mind, serving as a medium of communication between the two. It is built by the aspirant himself in mental matter.
Ashram. The centre to which the Master gathers the dis- ciples and aspirants for personal instruction.
Atma. The Universal Spirit; the divine Monad; the seventh Principle; so-called in the septenary consti- tution of man. (See diagram in Introduction.)
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216 GLOSSARY
Atomic sub plane. The matter of the solar system is divided by the occultists into seven planes or states, the highest of which is the atomic plane. Similarly, each of the seven planes is divided into seven sub- planes, of which the highest is called the atomic sub- plane. There are therefore fortynine subplanes, and seven of these are atomic.
Aura. A subtle invisible essence or fluid which emanates from human and animal bodies, and even from things. It is a psychic effluvium, partaking of both mind and body. It is electro-vital, and also electro- mental.
Auric egg. An appellation that has been given to the causal body owing to its form.
Boddhisattva. Literally, he whose consciousness has be- come intelligence, or buddhi. Those who need but one more incarnation to become perfect buddhas. As used in these letters the Boddhisattva is the name of the office which is at present occupied by the Lord Maitreya, Who is known in the Occident as the Christ. This office might be translated as that of World Teacher. The Boddhisattva is the Head of all the religions of the world, and the Master of the Masters and of the angels.
Buddha (The). The name given to Gautama. Born in India about B.C. 621 he become a full buddha in B.C. 592. The Buddha is one who is the "Enlightened", and has attained the highest degree of knowledge possible for man in this solar system.
Buddhi. The Universal Soul or Mind. It is the spiritual soul in man (the Sixth Principle) and therefore the vehicle of Atma, the Spirit, which is the Seventh Principle.
GLOSSARY 217
Causal Body. This body is, from the standpoint of the physical plane, no body, either subjective or objec- tive. It is, nevertheless, the centre of the egoic con- sciousness, and is formed of the conjunction of buddhi and manas. It is relatively permanent and lasts throughout the long cycle of incarnations, and is only dissipated after the fourth initiation, when the need for further rebirth on the part of a human being no longer exists.
Chohan. Lord, Master, a Chief. In this book it refers to those Ade/pts who have gone on and taken the sixth initiation.
Deva, (or Angel). A god. In Sanskrit a resplendent deity. A Deva is a celestial being, whether good, bad, or indifferent. Devas are divided into many groups, and are called not only angels and arch- angels, but lesser and greater builders.
Egoic Groups. On the third subplane of the fifth plane, the mental, are found the causal bodies of the in- dividual men and women. These bodies, which are the expression of the Ego, or of the individualised self -consciousness, are gathered together into groups according to the ray or quality of the particular Ego involved.
Elementals. The Spirits of the Elements; the creatures involved in the four kingdoms, or elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Except a few of the higher kinds and their rulers they are forces of nature more than ethereal men and women.
Etheric body. (Etheric double.) The physical body of a human being is, according to occult teaching, formed of two parts, the dense physical body, and the etheric body. The dense physical body is formed
218 GLOSSAKY
of matter of the lowest three subplanes of the physi- cal plane. The etheric body is formed of the four highest or etheric subplanes of the physical plane. Fifth Principle. The principle of mind; that faculty in man which is the intelligent thinking principle, and which differentiates man from the animals.
Fohat. Cosmic electricity; primordial light; the ever- present electrical energy; the universal propelling vital force; the ceaseless destructive and formative power; the synthesis of the many forms of electrical phenomena.
Guru. Spiritual Teacher. A Master in metaphysical and ethical doctrines.
Hierarchy. That group of spiritual beings on the inner planes of the solar system who are the intelligent forces of nature, and who control the evolutionary processes. They are themselves divided into twelve Hierarchies. Within our planetary scheme, the earth scheme, there is a reflection of this Hierarchy which is called by the occultist the Occult Hierarchy. This Hierarchy is formed of chohans, adepts, and initiates working through their disciples, and, by this means, in the world. ( See diagram in Chapter VIII. )
Initiation. From the Latin root meaning the first prin- ciples of any science. One who is penetrating into the mysteries of the science of the Self and of the one self in all selves. The Path of Initiation is the final stage of the path of evolution trodden by man, and is divided into ^ve stages, called the Five Initiations.
Kali yuga. "Yuga" is an age or cycle. According to the Indian philosophy our evolution is divided into four yugas or cycles. The Kali-yuga is the present age. It means the "Black Age", a period of 432,000 years.
GLOSSARY 219
Karma. Physical action. Metaphysically, the law of re- tribution ; the law of cause and effect, or ethical caus- ation. There is the karma of merit and the karma of demerit. It is the power that controls all things, the resultant of moral action, or the moral effect of an act committed for the attainment of something which gratifies a personal desire.
Kumara. The highest seven selfconscious beings in the solar system. These seven Kumaras manifest through the medium of a planetary scheme in the same way as a human being manifests through the medium of a physical body. They are called by the Hindu "the mind-born sons of Brahma" amongst other names. They are the sum total of intelligence and of wisdom. Within the planetary scheme the re- flection of the systemic order is also seen. At the head of our world evolution stands the first Kumara, aided by six other Kumaras, three exoteric and three esoteric, who are the focal points for the distribution of the force of the systemic Kumaras.
Kundalini. The power of Life: one of the forces of na- ture. It is a power known only to those who practise concentration in yoga, and is centred within the spine.
Lemuria. A modern term first used by some naturalists and now adopted by Theosophists to indicate a con- tinent that, according to the Secret Doctrine of the East, preceded Atlantis. It was the home of the third root race.
Logos. The deity manifested through every nation and people. The outward expression, or the effect of the cause which is ever concealed. Thus, speech is the
220 GLOSSARY
Logos of thought, hence it is aptly translated by the "verbum" and the "word" in its metaphysical sense. (See John 1.1-3.)
Lord of Civilisation. (See Mahachohan).
Lords of the Flame. One of the great Hierarchies of spiritual beings who guide the solar system. They took control of the evolution of humanity upon this planet about 18 million years ago, during the middle of the Lemurian, or third root race.
Macrocosm. The great universe, literally; or God mani- festing through His body, the solar system.
Mahachohan. The Head of the third great department of the Hierarchy. This great being is the Lord of Civ- ilisation, and the flowering forth of the principle of intelligence. He is the embodiment on the planet of the third, or intelligence aspect of deity in its fifth activity.
Mahamanvantra. The great interludes of time between two solar systems. This term is frequently applied to the greater solar cycles. It implies a period of uni- versal activity.
Manas, or Manasic Principle. Literally, the Mind, the mental faculty; that which distinguishes man from the mere animal. It is the individualising principle; that which enables man to know that he exists, feels, and knows. It is divided in some schools into two parts, higher or abstract mind, and lower or con- crete mind.
Mantrams. Verses from the Vedas. In the exoteric sense a mantram, (or that psychic faculty or power that conveys perception or thought) is the older por- tion of the Vedas, the second part of which is com- posed of the Brahmanas. In esoteric phraseology mantram is the word made flesh, or rendered objec-
GLOSSARY 221
tive through divine magic. A form of words or syllables rhythmically arranged, so that when sound- ed certain vibrations are generated.
Manu. The representative name of the great Being Who is the Ruler, primal progenitor and chief of the hu- man race. It comes from the Sanskrit root "man" — to think.
Manvantara. A period of activity as opposed to a period of rest, without reference to any specific length of cycle. Frequently used to express a period of planetary activity and its seven races.
Mayavi Bupa. Sanskrit, "Illusive Form." It is the body of manifestation created by the adept by an act of will for use in the three worlds. It has no material connection with the physical body. It is spiritual and etherial and passes everywhere without let or hindrance. It is built by the power of the lower mind, of the highest type of astral matter.
Microcosm. The little universe, or man manifesting through his body, the physical body.
Monad. The One. The three-fold spirit on its own plane. In occultism it often means the unified triad — Atma, Buddhi, Manas, Spiritual Will, Intuition and Higher mind, — or the immortal part of man which rein- carnates in the lower kingdoms and gradually progresses through them to man and thence to the final goal.
Nirmanakaya. Those perfected beings who renounce Mrvana (the highest state of spiritual bliss) and choose a life of self-sacrifice, becoming members of that invisible host which ever protects humanity within karmic limits.
Permanent atom. Those five atoms, with the mental unit, one on each of the five planes of human evolution
222 GLOSSARY
(the mental unit being also on the mental plane) which the monad appropriates for purposes of mani- festation. They form a stable centre and are rel- atively permanent. Around them the various sheaths or bodies are built. They are literally small force centres.
Planetary Logos. This term is generally applied to the seven highest spirits corresponding to the seven arch- angels of the Christian. They have all passed through the human stage and are now manifesting through a planet and its evolutions, in the same way that man manifests through his physical body. The highest planetary spirit working through any particular globe is, in reality, the personal God of the planet.
Prakriti. Derives its name from its function as the mate- rial cause of the first evolution of the universe. It may be said to be composed of two roots, "pra" to manifest, and "krita" to make ; meaning, that which caused the universe to manifest itself.
Prana. The Life Principle, the breath of Life. The oc- cultist believes the following statement: "Life we look upon as the one form of existence, manifesting in what is called matter, or what, incorrectly sepa- rating them, we name Spirit, Soul, and Matter in man. Matter is the vehicle for the manifestation of God on this plane of existence; soul is the vehicle for the manifestation of spirit, and these three as a trinity are synthesised by Life, which pervades them all."
Purusha. The spiritual self. The embodied self. The word literally means "The dweller in the city" — that is, in the body. It is derived from the Sanskrit "pura" which means city or body, and "usha" a derivative of the verb "vas", to dwell.
GLOSSAEY 22^
Quarternary. The four-fold lower self, or man, in the three worlds. There are various divisions of this, but per- haps for our purpose the best is to enumerate the four as follows :
1. Lower mind.
2. Emotional or karmic body.
3. Prana, or the Life Principle.
4. The etheric body, or the highest division of the two-fold physical body.
Raja Lord. The word "Eaja" simply means King or Prince; the word has been applied to those great angels or entities who ensoul the seven planes. These are great devas who are the sum total and the con- trolling intelligence of a plane.
Raja Yoga. The true system of developing psychic and spiritual powers and union with one's higher self or the Ego. It involves the exercise, regulation, and concentration of thought.
Ray. One of the seven streams of force of the Logos ; the seven great lights. Each of them is the embodiment of a great cosmic entity. The seven Eays can be divided into the three Eays of Aspect and the four Eays of Attribute, as follows :
Rays of Aspect
1. The Eay of Will, or Power.
2. The Eay of Love-Wisdom.
3. The Eay of Activity or Adaptibility.
Rays of Attribute
4. The Eay of Harmony, Beauty, Art, or Unity.
5. The Eay of concrete knowledge or Science.
6. The Eay of abstract idealism or devotion.
7. The Eay of Ceremonial Magic, or Law.
224 GLOSSARY
The above names are simply some chosen from among many, and embody the different aspects of force by means of which the Logos manifests.
Ring-pass-not. This is at the circumference of the mani- fested solar system, and is the periphery of the in- fluence of the sun, both esoterically and exoterically understood. The limit of the field of activity of the central life force.
Root Race. One of the seven races of man which evolve up- on a planet during the great cycle of planetary exist- ence. This cycle is called a world period. The Aryan root race, to which the Hindu, European, and modern American races belong, is the fifth, the Chinese and Japanese belonging to the fourth race.
Sensa, or Senzar. The name for the secret sacerdotal language, or the "mystery speech" of the initiated adepts all over the world. It is a universal language, and largely a hieroglyphic cypher.
Shamballa. The City of the Gods, which is in the West to some nations, in the East to others, in the North or South to yet others. It is the sacred island in the Gobi Desert. It is the home of mysticism and the Secret Doctrine.
Triad. The Spiritual Man ; the expression of the monad. It is the germinal spirit containing the potentialities of divinity. These potentialities will be unfolded during the course of evolution. This Triad forms the individualised or separated self, or Ego.
Viveka. The Sanskrit "discrimination". The very first step in the path of occultism is the discrimina- tion between the real and the unreal, between sub- stance and phenomenon, between the Self and the Not-self, between spirit and matter.
GLOSSARY 225
Wesak. A festival which takes place in the Himalayas at the full moon of May. It is said that at this festival, at which all the members of the Hierarchy are present, the Buddha, for a brief period, renews his touch and association with the work of our planet.
Yoga. 1. One of the six schools of India, said to be founded by Pantanjali, but really of much earlier origin. 2. The practice of Meditation as a means of leading to spiritual liberation.
Note: This glossary does not undertake fully to explain all the above terms. It is simply an attempt to render into English certain words used in these Let- ters, so that the reader may understand their con- notation. The majority of the definitions have been culled from the Theosophical Glossary, the Secret Doctrine, and the Voice of the Silence.
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