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A Treatise on Cosmic Fire - Section Two - Introductory Questions
In connection with Man the cycles are equally threefold: The Monadic cycle, which corresponds in man to the 100 years of Brahma, and to a planetary scheme. The Egoic cycle. The Personality cycle. In these thoughts on cycles we have opened up a vast range of thought, especially if we link the idea of egoic and personality cycles to the vaster periods in connection with a planetary Logos. The idea is capable of vast expansion, and is governed by certain fundamental ideas that must be carefully considered and contemplated. [303] The cycles in a man's personality manifestation demonstrate in groups of fours and sevens, and follow the usual evolutionary sequence, as: Differentiation, the involutionary process, or the one becoming the many, the homogeneous becoming the heterogeneous. Balance, or the process of karmic adjustment. Synthesis, or spiritualization, the many again becoming the One. Obscuration, or liberation, the end of the evolutionary process, or the freeing of Spirit from the limitations of matter. By this we must understand that all incarnations on the physical plane are not of equal importance, but some are of more moment than others; some, from the point of view of the Ego, are practically negligible, others count; some are to the evolving human Spirit of importance analogous to the incarnation of a planetary Logos in a globe, or through a root-race, whilst others are as relatively unimportant to him as the manifestation of a branch-race is to a Heavenly Man. As yet, owing to the small point of development of the average man, the astral incarnations or cycles count for little, but they are by no means to be discounted, and are oft relatively of more importance than the physical. In due course of time the astral cycles will be better comprehended and their relation to the physical. When it is realized that the physical body is not a principle but that the kama-manasic principle (or desire-mind principle) is one of the most vital to man then the period or cycle in which a man functions on the fifth subplane of the astral (the fundamentally kama-manasic plane) will assume its rightful place. It is so again with the mental cycles and so with the causal. The causal cycles or the egoic cycles, which include all the groups of lesser [304] cycles in the three worlds correspond to a complete round in the cycles of a Heavenly Man. There are seven such cycles, but the number of lesser cycles (included within the seven) is one of the secrets of Initiation. The egoic cycles proceed in groups of sevens and of threes, and not in groups of fours and sevens as do the personality cycles, and the same ratio must be predicated of the central cycles of a Heavenly Man and of a solar Logos. The monadic cycles proceed in groups of ones and of threes as do the basic cycles of those great Entities of which man is the microcosmic reflection. If the general concept here laid down is studied in relation to the schemes, and other forms of manifestation to each other and, if the microcosm himself is studied as the clue to the whole, some idea will begin to permeate the mind as to the purpose underlying all these manifestations. It should be borne also in mind that just as the average man in each incarnation achieves three objects: The development of consciousness or the awakening of the faculty of awareness, The achievement of a certain proportion of permanent faculty, or the definite increase of the content of the causal body, The making of karma, or the setting in motion (by action) of causes which necessitate certain unavoidable effects, so a Heavenly Man at one stage of His evolution does the same. As man progresses and as he enters upon the Probationary Path and the subsequent Path of Initiation, he succeeds in bringing about some further noticeable developments. As before, his consciousness expands, but he begins to work intelligently from above and does not work blindly on the lower planes. [305] The building of the causal body is carried to full completion, and he begins next to shatter what he earlier wrought, and to destroy the Temple so carefully constructed, finding it too to be a limitation. He ceases to make karma in the three worlds, but begins to work it off, or, literally, to "wind up his affairs." So do the Heavenly Men, for They likewise have a cosmic path to tread, analogous to that trodden by man, as he nears the goal of his endeavor. Again we can with exactitude carry the concept further still, and predicate action of a similar nature by the solar Logos. The consideration of this question is nearly concluded and it must be apparent that the relation between the aforementioned manifestations is of a psychic nature (using the word psychic in its true sense, as having reference to the psyche, or soul, or consciousness) and deals with the gradual expansion of Soul-Knowledge in a Heavenly Man. A word of warning should here be sounded. Though all these cosmic Beings find in man a reflection of Their Own Nature, yet the analogy of resemblance must not be pushed to extremity. Man reflects, but he reflects not perfectly; man is evolving, but he is not occupied with the same problems in exact detail as are the perfected Manasaputras. Man aims at becoming a Divine Manasaputra, or perfected Son of Mind showing forth all the powers inherent in mind, and thus becoming like unto his monadic source, a Heavenly Man. A Heavenly Man has developed Manas, and is occupied with the problem of becoming a Son of Wisdom, not inherently but in full manifestation. A solar Logos is both a Divine Manasaputra and likewise a Dragon of Wisdom, and His problem concerns itself [306] with the development of the principle of cosmic Will which will make Him what has been called a "Lion of Cosmic Will." Throughout all these graded manifestations the law holds good, and the lesser is included in the greater. Hence the need for the student to preserve with care a due sense of proportion, a discrimination as to time in evolution, and a just appreciation of the place of each unit within its greater sphere. Having sounded this note of warning we can now proceed with the concluding remarks anent this final question. It has been stated that a mystery lies hid in the 777 incarnations. This figure provides room for much speculation. (S. D., I, 191.) It should be pointed out that it does not hold the number of a stated cycle of incarnations through which a man must pass, but holds the key to the three major cycles previously mentioned. Primarily this number applies to the planetary Logos of our scheme and not so much to other schemes. Each Heavenly Man has His number and the number of our Heavenly Man lies hid in the above three figures, just as 666 and 888 holds the mystery hid of two other Heavenly Men. This number 777 is also the number of transmutation, which is the fundamental work of all the Heavenly Men. The basic work of man is accumulation and acquisition, or the acquiring of that which must later be transmuted. The work of transmutation, or the true cycle of 777 commences on the Probationary Path, and is definitely the activity of a Heavenly Man being realized and responded to by the cells in His Body. Only when His Body has reached a certain vibratory movement can He truly influence the individual cells. This work of transmuting cell activity was begun on this planet during the last root-race, and the divine alchemy proceeds. The progress made is as yet but small, but each transmuted [307] conscious cell increases the speed and the accuracy of the work. Time alone is needed for the completion of the work. In connection with this matter of transmutation comes the legend of the Philosopher's Stone, which is literally the application of the Rod of Initiation in one sense. [308]
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