You can easily appreciate the fact that the evocation of the energy of the will and its effect upon the unprepared, materialistically minded person might and would prove a disaster. It would simply serve to focus and strengthen the lower self-will, which is the name we give to realised and determined desire. It could then create such a driving force, directed to selfish ends, that the person might become a monster of wickedness. In the history of the race, one or two advanced personalities have done this with dire results both to themselves and to the people of their time. One such figure in ancient times was Nero; the modern example is Hitler. What, however, has made the latter so dangerous an enemy of the human family is that during the last two thousand years mankind has advanced to a point where it can also be responsive to certain aspects of this first ray [586] force. Hitler, therefore, found associates and co-operators who added their receptivity to his so that an entire group became the responsive agents of the destructive energy, expressing itself in its lowest aspect. This is what enabled them to work ruthlessly, powerfully, selfishly, cruelly and successfully at the destruction of all that attempted to impede their projects and desires.
There is only one way in which focussed evil will, with its responsiveness to the Shamballa force, can be overcome and that is by the opposition of an equally focussed spiritual will, displayed by responsive men and women of goodwill who can train themselves to be sensitive to this type of new incoming energy and can learn how to invoke and evoke it.
You can consequently see why there was more than the casual use of a current word in my mind when the terms of goodwill and of the will-to-good were discussed. All the time, I had in my thoughts not just kindness and good intention, but the focussed will-to-good which can and must evoke the Shamballa energy and use it for the arresting of the forces of evil.
This, I realise, is a relatively new idea to many of you; to others of you it will mean little or nothing; others again may have faint glimmerings of this new approach to God and service which—again I say—can and must remake, rebuild, and rehabilitate the world. I would like here to point out that the will aspect can be contacted only from the mental plane and only those, therefore, who are working with and through the mind can begin to appropriate this energy. Those who seek to evoke the Shamballa force are approaching close to the energy of fire. Fire is the symbol and the quality of the mental plane. Fire is an aspect of the divine nature. Fire was an outstanding aspect [587] of the war. Fire is produced by physical means and the aid of the mineral kingdom and this was the great menacing and chosen means of destruction in this war. This is a fulfilment of the ancient prophecy that the attempt to destroy the Aryan race will be by means of fire, just as ancient Atlantis was destroyed by water. But, fiery goodwill and the conscious focussed use of the Shamballa force can counter fire by fire and this must be done.
I cannot give you more upon this subject until you have given time to its consideration and have sought to understand the use of the will, its nature, purpose and its relation to what you understand by the human will. You must ponder upon how it should be employed and in what manner aspirants and disciples who are mentally polarised can focus that will and safely shoulder the responsibility for its wise use. Later when you know more about it, I can give you further knowledge upon the matter. I would however like to make one practical suggestion. Might there not be organised a group who would take this subject as the theme of their meditation and who would try to fit themselves—by right understanding —to contact and use the Shamballa energy? Would it not be possible gradually to elaborate this theme of the revelation of the divine will so that the general subject may be ready for presentation to the thinking public when peace truly comes? There is much to be considered in this connection. There is the demonstration of the three aspects of the will as enumerated above; there is the preparation of the individual for the expression of this energy; there is a mature consideration to be given to the relation of the Hierarchy to Shamballa, carried forward as the Masters attempt to work out divine purpose and to be the distributing Agents of the will energy. There is the effort to be made to comprehend somewhat the nature of [588] the direct impact of the first aspect upon the human consciousness, apart from the hierarchical centre altogether—an impact made without any of the absorbing and stepping-down process to which the Hierarchy subjects it. I have referred to this direct contact elsewhere; it can be more direct and complete when there is greater safety brought about by a more understanding human approach.
One of the causes lying behind World War II is to be found in a premature contact—a contact made by certain selfish minds of a relatively high quality, aided by the Black Lodge. To offset this and eventually bring about the elimination of the influence of the dark forces from our planet must come the active, conscious use of the Shamballa force by the White Lodge, aided by the men and women whose will-to-good is strong enough to safeguard them from personal peril in their work and from being deflected on to wrong and dangerous lines. This aid necessitates a certain definite and planned contact and interplay between the two centres: Humanity and Hierarchy. When this is better established, there can be organised and known cooperation and the members of both great centres can “stand together with massed intent.” This massed intent will be the correspondence upon the mental plane of the massed intent of the general public who stand with the power of appeal upon their lips and in their hearts. To this appeal must be added the focussed will of the world thinkers and intuitives who will use their minds and brains in the affirmation of right.
It was for the reason that the will aspect was involved that I made our last point in our consideration of the seven rays to be a consideration of the Rays, Constellations and Planets, as given in Tabulation X. The inter-relation there given concerns the first aspect of the will, as I have [589] here indicated. The analysis of this tabulation will complete our consideration of esoteric astrology.
The seven stars of the Great Bear are the originating sources of the seven rays of our solar system. The seven Rishis of the Great Bear express Themselves through the medium of the seven planetary Logoi Who are Their Representatives and to whom they stand in the relation of Prototype. These seven planetary Spirits manifest through the medium of the seven sacred planets.
Each of these seven rays, coming from the Great Bear, are transmitted into our solar system through the medium of three constellations and their ruling planets. The following tabulation will make this clear, but must be interpreted only in terms of the present turn of the great zodiacal wheel of 25,000 years.
2. Various Aspects of the Will
We have now the difficult task of considering an aspect of divine manifestation which is as yet so little apparent upon the physical plane that we lack the exact word with which to express it and those words available are likewise misleading. I can, however, attempt to give you certain concepts, relationships and parallels which may serve to close this section on astrology and lay a foundation for future teaching around the year 2025. That is the mode whereby all revelation comes. A thought is given; a symbol described; an idea portrayed. Then, as the minds of men ponder upon it and the intuitives of the world pick up the thought, it serves as a seed thought which eventually comes to fruition with the presentation and the unfolding of a revelation which serves to lead the race of men nearer to their goal. [590]
TABULATION X
Ray Constellations Planets Orthodox Planets Esoteric
I. Will or Power Aries. The Ram . . . . Mars . . . . . Mercury
Leo. The Lion . . . . The Sun . . The Sun
Capricorn. The Goat . . . . Saturn . . . . Saturn
II. Love-Wisdom Gemini. The Twins . . . Mercury . . Venus
Virgo. The Virgin . . . Mercury . . The Moon
Pisces. The Fishes . . . Jupiter . . . . Pluto
III. Active Intelligence Cancer. The Crab . . . . The Moon . Neptune
Libra. The Scales . . . Venus . . . . Uranus
Capricorn. The Goat . . . . Saturn . . .
. Saturn
IV. Harmony through Taurus. The Bull . . . . Venus . . . . Vulcan
Conflict Scorpio. The Scorpion . Mars . . . . . Mars
Sagittarius. The Archer . . . Jupiter . . . . The Earth
V. Concrete Science Leo. The Lion . . . . The Sun . . The Sun
Sagittarius. The Archer . . . Jupiter . . . . The Earth
Aquarius. The Water
Carrier . . . . . . Uranus . . . Jupiter
VI. Devotion. Idealism Virgo. The Virgin . . . Mercury . . The Moon
Sagittarius. The Archer . . . Jupiter . . . . The Earth
Pisces. The Fishes . . . Jupiter . . . . Pluto
VII. Ceremonial Order Aries. The Ram . . . . Mars . . . . . Mercury
Cancer. The Crab . . . . The Moon . Neptune
Capricorn. The Goat . . . . Saturn . . . . Saturn
We are considering the expression of the Shamballa force in terms of Will, i.e., of divine purpose, latent in the mind of God since the beginning of time and the dawn of creation. In God’s mind, that idea is seen whole and complete. In manifestation it is a gradual, self-revealing evolutionary and demonstrated activity. We know somewhat of the intelligence aspect of God. It is revealed in the living activity of substance. Of the love of that Great Thinker, we are learning slowly and its revelation has reached the stage where the human mind can contrast its [591] mode of living activity with the visioned and sensed love of Deity, expressed as yet by the desire for right human relations and right treatment of all that is non-human. Of the will and purpose of God, humanity knows nothing, for the individual will or the collective human will which could act as interpreter, revealer and also serve as a mode of contact, is dedicated to selfishness and blind to the higher reaches of divine expression. Mankind’s so-called acquiescence in the will of God is based on his wish life, on his negativity and on the visions of the saints. Their keynote was submission and their highest point of spiritual contact was still tinged with dualism and still conditioned by modes of human interpretation.
Under the occult method, we must begin with the universal and the whole; in time the individual and the particular will stand revealed, but in relation to the whole. It should be possible, through a study of the seven rays and their related constellations and their transmitting agents, the planets, to gain some general idea of the pouring through of the Shamballa energy as emerging purpose on the physical plane.
I have earlier referred to three major expressions of the will aspect. There is will, as the conditioner of the life aspect. This refers not to events, happenings and occurrence, but to the nature of the life manifestations in any cycle, through any nation or race, where humanity is concerned. This refers also to the broad and general lines which at any time upon the planet are setting the pace for the evolution of forms and which basically concerns the force and endurance of the life as it manifests through and creates those external conditions which are qualified and expressed in terms of life, of quality and appearance. The word “life” in this triplicity of terms refers to life as [592] humanity understands it. The word “life” to which I here refer is the life to which H.P.B. refers as that which synthesises spirit, soul and body. (See The Secret Doctrine, I. 81). It is in reality that fourth something which hovers behind all manifestation and behind all objects, all qualified expressions of divinity and which is hinted at in the Bhagavad Gita in the words: “Having pervaded this whole universe with a fragment of Myself, I remain.”
There is next the will which brings fulfilment. This is the basis of all relationships and all processes of inter-relation in our solar system and (as far as humanity is concerned) in the planet. It is the prime factor in bringing about the inevitability of the divine consummation; it is the cause of all fruition of all forms on all planes and of divine intention; it is that which lies back of consciousness itself. I know not how else to express this in words and having done so they prove wholly inadequate. There is a faint, dim, uncertain reflection of this will-fulfilment in the joy of achievement as registered by a human being who finds his heart’s desire. Long processes of evolution precede this fulfilment and long experience of the living activity of the will of God as Life. This concentrated evolutionary effort, this undeviating purpose has called forth more than desire and more than the will-to-be-active. There is a realised achievement from the very start for this is the divine will-to-completion which precedes the creative effort. It is the synthesis of creation, or persistent endeavour, adherence to vision and complete sacrifice, and all of these in terms of divine experienced experiment, if I might so formulate the idea. Remember, therefore, that all through these experiences of the divine will runs the thread of a fulfilled synthesis. This is more than cohesion in time and space; it is more [593] than the principle of privation about which H.P.B. speaks, and more than self-imposed limitation. It is the end seen from the beginning; it is alpha and omega producing the completed whole and the perfect fruition of the divine will.
It is, finally, the will which conquers death. This again must not be interpreted in terms of death as it affects the form nature of manifestation. The note of synthesis and triumph—realised and complete—persists behind all that we can recognise as death. This will is the principle of victory, of the ultimate goal of life when fruition is achieved; it is the final united success or unified conformity to a long foreseen purpose of spirit-matter, life-form, plus that something which is the dream and goal of the highest initiates in the Hierarchy to contact—the secret revelation of Shamballa itself. More it is not possible to say. If Christ Himself is striving towards that knowledge, it is not possible for us to do more than speculate.
In these few words, I have sought to convey an idea of a vast subjective realisation. What I am hinting at in reality is the objective of that “endless Way of which Nirvana itself is but the open door”—the Way to the higher evolution for which our evolutionary process prepares mankind. I am indicating what is the goal of all hierarchical endeavour. Mankind is so preoccupied with the attitude and effort of the Hierarchy as regards human welfare and guidance that the goal of the efforts of the Masters of the Wisdom is naturally overlooked. It is in reality no concern of man. Nevertheless, the picture of the divine Plan so oft emphasised in occult books and by occult teachers is distorted unless it is realised that just as humanity strives towards the Hierarchy, so that Hierarchy itself strives towards Shamballa. As the Old Commentary has it:
[594] “He who sees in the dark light of Shamballa penetrates to that which lies beyond our little sphere to that which can be sensed behind the holy triangle (Venus, Mercury, the Earth, A.A.B.). There is to be found the point of radiant fire which shines within the eye (Taurus), which burns upon the mountain-top (Capricorn) and which the water cannot quench (Aquarius). These are the holiest three.”
As we consider the seven rays as outlined in Tabulation X, I would have you bear in mind that we are viewing them as expressions of this threefold will. We have studied them in some detail in my other books from the angle of consciousness and from the point of view as producing changes and expansions of consciousness in man, in nations and in races. Now, as far as may be possible, we are going to consider these rays as they express the pure, living activity of Deity as it fulfils Itself in manifestation as pure incentive, directed impersonal energy, divine instinct which latter is a blend of instinctual force and intuitive energy. It might be pointed out to those of you who have some measure of occult perception that this synthetic Life, being cosmic, emerges from cosmic planes and not systemic. Hence the difficulty in comprehending it.
1. The conditioning will is the synthesis of the life of the cosmic physical plane of which our seven planes are the seven subplanes. Until, therefore, the human consciousness is far more expanded than it is, it is not possible for man to understand this synthetic realisation.
2. The will which brings fulfilment is the divine incentive [595] (impulse is not the correct term) coming from the cosmic astral plane.
3. The will which
conquers death is an outpouring from the cosmic mental plane.
From these three cosmic planes (embracing the sacred personality of the Logoi, solar and planetary) come the united energies of the three constellations which control and energise our solar system: The Great Bear, the Pleiades and Sirius; these work through the medium of the seven rays and these in turn express themselves through the twelve constellations which form the great zodiacal wheel. The Lords or ruling Powers of these twelve sources of light and life “step down” the potency of these three major energies so that our solar Logos can absorb them; they “tune out” those aspects of these three Potencies which are not suited to our systemic life at this point in the evolutionary process, just as the Hierarchy upon our little planet tunes out or steps down the energies from Shamballa. These three major energies in a mysterious manner express themselves through the seven rays just as all triplicities subdivide into septenates, yet preserve their identity. These seven energies, emanating from the major three and transmitted via the twelve constellations, are embodied in the seven sacred planets and are represented on our Earth by the seven Spirits before the throne of God (the symbol of synthesis). This tremendous inter-relation is embodied in one great process of: Transmission. Reception. Absorption. Relation and Living Activity. The method is one of Invocation and Evocation. In these two sentences, you have one of the most important clues to the whole evolutionary process; the key to the mystery of time and space, and the solution of [596] all problems. But the factor which is of major importance is that the whole matter is an expression of focussed Will.
In considering this process, I would have you study Tabulation X, for it is a symbolic form, embodying what I seek to convey. I would point out that the will aspect—as it is embodied in the rays and transmitted by the constellations—works out destructively when concentrated through an orthodox planet and constructively when concentrated through an esoteric planet. Here you have the secret guide to the significance of death and immortality. This is something which the average astrologer will be unable to prove because the cycles involved are too long; intuitively he can however grasp the probability of my proposition. May I again remind you that our theme is the divine plan, purpose and will; it is not the evolution of consciousness, or of the second aspect of divinity. It concerns spirit and not soul. We are attempting in some measure to formulate the life of the Father, the will of the Monad and the purpose of Spirit. In all these (the three aspects of the will) lies germinating the seed of the next solar system, the third, and the fruition of the Personality Manifestation of the Logos. We need, therefore, to formulate the interpretation of the seven rays in terms of will and not of love or consciousness. This we will now attempt to do.
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