The Fires of Evolution

A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (Section 2, Division D, II-3) continues consideration of the building of the causal body. The soul in incarnation must necessarily utilize and/or wield various forces of the higher worlds and materials of the lower worlds, evoking whatever higher forces can be brought to bear on the lower vehicles (the personality) (lower life and consciousness). Similarly, the personality on its level learns to imitate the occult “work” of the soul by

utilizing and/or wielding forces in the lower worlds. As the individual evolves, that utilization is increasingly tempered by wisdom (and conscience) and

eventually is superseded by the overshadowing qualification of the soul.

However, in every working there is necessarily implied a balance of forces as well as an application of force (as even every qualification is an application of force). And in every working there is necessarily involved the deva lives of the forces and materials (substance) related. The grand flow of energy within any scheme (and all lesser flows) is (or embraces) a combination of progressive (evolutionary) (forward-looking) force and regressive (devolutionary) (backward- looking) force. Every ensouled element of the manifested universe is qualified in the progressive sense, and every element of material substance is also qualified in the regressive sense (so that as the life-forces are withdrawn, the material can disintegrate, releasing the locked “energies” for further adaptation and

utilization). While a balance exists between these two aspects, evolution favors the progressive side (i.e., overall, and particularly with regard to consciousness, the progressive forces are greater in magnitude and momentum than the

regressive forces).

The progressive (positive) aspect is called “good” and the regressive (negative) aspect is called “evil” and how one identifies with these forces (however

consciously or unconsciously) determines to a large extent the measure or likelihood of progress or regress. Positive influences abound from every life on every level. Yet so too do negative influences abound from every disintegrating form on every level (e.g., a human corpse, the moon, a dissolving constellation, etc.). Those who identify too strongly with the dark side (disintegration) (regression) (egoistic extremes) (material substance) are naturally attracted to

black magic and the dark path, while those who identify with the light (love) (life) side are naturally impelled further toward or along the spiritual path.

Thus, those who act (consciously or otherwise) to constrain or limit the flow of life (love) (light) are to that measure or extent participating in the dark side, while those who act to encourage or allow the flow of life (love) (light) to

manifest (properly) are to that measure or extent participating in the light side. The causal body is built with the consequences of every “good” action (behavior) (feeling) (thought), while the consequences of every “bad” action have no effect on the causal body save to inhibit its being built (i.e., the “good” is incorporated but the “bad” is not incorporated).

The role of cosmic fire is in this sense to stimulate and facilitate evolutionary progress while burning away the coarser material (of lesser vibrations). As the various fires are cultivated and synthesized, the quality and character of the vibratory nature (of the substance (consciousness)) are improved and the retarding effects (inherent inertia of matter) overcome. Thus cosmic fire

(evolution) promotes adaptability, flexibility, freedom (lack of attachment), and simplification (lack of entanglement).

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The Fires of Evolution 2

A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (Section 2, Division D, II-3) concludes consideration of the building of the causal body. There are a number of different types of egoic lotuses (in the higher sense), depending on the degree or extent of development or unfoldment and depending on the sequence and extent of petallic unfoldment (determined by the ray nature of the soul). There is also an historic dimension in the sense that while most human souls (lotuses) originally appear as (unfolded) bud lotuses (at individualization), some emerge on the plane of the soul already substantially developed and unfolded due to experience in earlier cycles.

Ultimately, each type of lotus represents both an extent and a quality, within the greater scheme of soul groups and groups of souls.

The lotus of the soul (the causal body) is placed upon and within the mental plane. That mental plane “is the key plane of the solar system. It is the pivotal

plane upon which the great wheel turns. It is the meeting place of the three lines of evolution.” The mental plane is the common plane of consciousness for all of the great lives within the solar system, as each of the great lives has a mental vehicle. This “is the basis of occult realization, and the true ground for atonement.” Rapport is thus achieved “through the medium of this energized substance.”

Kama-manas rules within the hall of ignorance, the first phase of the soul’s evolution. Manas rules within the hall of learning, the second phase of the soul’s evolution. And manas-buddhi rules in the hall of wisdom, the third phase of the soul’s evolution. In kama-manas the mind is distracted by the desires and feelings and experience of the lower life. In manas proper the mind is relatively self-involved (as intellect), and while much is learned there is also much self- deception based in ego and illusion. In buddhi-manas the mind is liberated by higher qualification and true rapport is achieved. The keys to success on the mental plane are integrity in the sense of being an integrated personality undistracted by lower, coarser, personal entanglements, and responsiveness in the sense of being open-minded (relatively without ego) and (therefore) receptive to truth.

From one perspective (the first sub-plane) there are five soul groups (according to source and timing of individualization or appearance within the Earth

scheme): (1) and (2) those which individualized in the Lemurian Epoch and the Atlantean Epoch (respectively) [the true humanity of the earth chain], (3) those which “have come-in from the previous (moon) chain and who are much more evolved than the earth humanity,” and (4) and (5) those (rather rarely) swept in from other logoi or other schemes for particular purposes. From another

perspective (the second sub-plane) there are three or seven soul groups (according to the rays) (and further organized by sub-rays and ashrams).

The causal body is closely related to these groupings and is further related to the various psychic centers (chakras) and the flow of prana. In fact, from one perspective all that a human being is in incarnation is the collection of chakras and their quality and relationships with each other. As the chakras are

unfolded, the soul is able to communicate with the personality (form) through more direct qualification. And eventually, through successive initiations, as the consciousness is revealed on the plane of the soul, there is direct realization

(apprehension) of the place of the soul within the planetary and solar

organization of (planetary and systemic) chakras. While all is energy, all that is readily apparent is simply the effect of energy (force).

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