A Treatise on Cosmic Fire

by Alice A Bailey

  1. Ray stimulation, dependent upon any Ray being in or out of power. It is inter-systemic and planetary.

  2. Zodiacal stimulation, which is an extra-systemic stimulation, and is also cosmic and cyclic.

  3. Solar stimulation, or the impact of direct solar force or energy upon the substance of a plane; this emanates from the “Heart of the Sun” and is peculiarly potent.

  All the planes are subjected to this threefold influence but in the case of the buddhic and the astral planes, the force of this third stimulation is very great. The adepts—working in conjunction with the great devas—utilise cyclic opportunity to effect definitely constructive results.

  8. A group of devas closely connected with the mysteries of initiation. They form what is esoterically called the “path of the Heart,” and are the bridge between the astral and the buddhic planes. They are in no way [679] connected with the permanent atoms in the causal body, but are very definitely associated with the central tier of petals in the egoic lotus, or with the “petals of love.” Force interacts between these three petals on the one hand, and the devas who form the “Path of the Heart” upon the other, those who are the bridge of astral-buddhic matter whereby initiates of a certain mystic type make the “great approach.”

  9. Devas of all degrees and vibratory capacity who make up the bulk of the desire forms of every kind.

  10. The devas of transmutative force. They are a peculiar group of devas who embody the “fires of transmutation” and are called by various names, such as:

  The furnaces of purifications.

  The melting elements.

  The gods of incense.

  It is impossible to enumerate more now, and likewise profitless and it has only been deemed advisable to bring these many types of deva substance to the notice of students on account of the pre-eminent importance of the astral body in the three worlds. It is by the domination of these deva lives, and the “transmutation of desire” into aspiration, and by the purificatory fires of the astral plane that man eventually succeeds in attaining buddhic consciousness.

  It has been the recognition of the cleansing power of the occult fluids—water and blood—that has led to the emphasis laid by Christians (even though erroneously interpreted) upon these two.

  3. The Solar Angels, The Agnishvattas.

  Introductory Remarks.

  We start here upon the consideration of the Agnishvattas, or the Fire devas of the mental plane, and are [680] thus launched upon the most stupendous subject in connection with our planetary evolution; it is the one having the most occult significance for man, for these solar Angels (219) concern his own essential nature, and are also the creative power by which he works. For all practical purposes, and for the elucidation of the spiritual evolution of man, this immediate section is of the greatest interest and importance; it should be one of the most widely studied sections of this treatise. Man is ever profoundly interested in himself, and before he can duly develop must comprehend scientifically the laws of his own nature, and the constitution of his own “mode of expression.” He must realise likewise somewhat of the inter-relation of the three fires in order that he may himself at some future date “blaze forth.”

  The question of these Fire Dhyanis and their relation to man is a most profound mystery, and the entire matter is so clothed in intricate legends that students are apt to despair of ever arriving at the desired, and necessary clarity of thought. Not yet will it be possible entirely to dispel the clouds which veil the central mystery, but perhaps, by due tabulation and synthesis, and by a cautious amplification of the data already imparted, the thoughts of the wise student may become somewhat less confused.

  There are two statements in the Secret Doctrine which are often overlooked by the casual reader but which, if [681] duly pondered upon, convey much information. Let us make note of these two statements:

  1. Two connecting principles are needed. This requires a living spiritual Fire of the middle principle from the Fifth and third states of Pleroma. This fire is the possession of the Triangles.

  2. These Beings are Nirvanis from a preceding Mahamanvantara.

  We have been considering somewhat the devas of evolutionary tendency who are grouped roughly together as the lunar Pitris. (220) These lunar Pitris are divided into four groups and are concerned with the building of man’s dual physical body, with his astral body and with his lower mental body; these sheaths are energised by their force through the medium of the permanent atoms. But for the purposes of the subjective nature of man, they are to be considered in their three groups—etheric, astral and lower mental. The work of the Agnishvattas (the self-conscious principles, the Builders or constructors of the egoic body on the higher mental levels) is to unite the higher three principles—atma, buddhi, manas—and the lower three, and thus become in very truth the middle principle in man. They themselves originate from the logoic middle principle. (S. D., II, 83.) Thus the esoteric seven is completed. The physical body in its denser manifestation is, as we know, not esoterically considered a principle.

  The devas of the lower mental levels in relation to [682] man work through the mental unit, and are, roughly speaking, divided into four groups, being in fact the first condensation of the threefold lower body of man. They form part of his lunar body. They are directly linked with the highest spiritual essences, and represent the lowest manifestation of force emanating from the cosmic mental plane, and finding its link with the human Hierarchy through the mental units. They are the gaseous devas of the logoic physical body. We will not deal with them in greater detail at this moment for as we study the subject of the fifth principle certain points will become clearer; their work in connection with man can be enlarged upon as we proceed. More detail at this moment would but serve to complicate.

  Let us be quite clear in our minds just what we are in process of considering. We are dealing with:

  1. That fifth state of consciousness called the mental plane,

  2. The substance of that plane as it exists in its dual aspect, rupa and arupa, (222)

  3. The lives who ensoul that matter, especially in their relation to man,

  4. The Egos or the self-conscious units who form the middle point in manifestation,

  5. The building of the causal body, the opening of the egoic Lotus, and the construction of those groups we call egoic groups,

  6. The individuality of those Existences whom we call:

  a. Agnishvattas.

  b. Manasa devas.

  c. Fire dhyanis.

  d. Solar angels, or solar Pitris.

  e. The Asuras.

  and many other names mentioned in the occult books.

  [683] Much confusion exists in the minds of students as to the distinction between the Agnishvattas who incarnated in man, and those who simply were responsible for the implanting of the manasic or mental spark in animal man. This opens up for us the entire question of individualisation itself, and the incarnation of certain spiritual existences who—when in bodily form—are spoken of as Avatars, as Buddhas of Activity, or as direct manifestations of the Logos. The entire mystery is hidden in the relationship of the individual Monads who form the various centres in the body of a planetary Logos and the self-conscious Identity of that planetary Logos Himself. The student must here bear in mind the fact that the mental plane is the first aspect of the dense physical body of the planetary Logos, the buddhic plane being a cosmic etheric plane, and the one whereon are to be found the etheric centres of a Heavenly Man.

  From the buddhic plane (in a planetary or solar sense) comes the vitality and impulse which galvanises the dense physical vehicle into purposeful and coherent action; it is on the mental plane, therefore, that this impulse is first felt and the contact between the two realised. Herein lies a hint which will serve a purpose if pondered upon. The student should study the place and purpose of the mental plane, and its relation to the planetary Logos and a solar Logos. As he investigates more closely the nature of his own etheric body, h
e must extend that knowledge to higher levels, and must endeavour to comprehend the constitution of the greater sphere of which he is but a part. As the nature of his own centres, and their effective action upon his own dense physical body, is better understood, he will pass to a fuller comprehension of the corresponding effect in the body of the Logos.

  It is on the mental plane (the reflection in the three worlds of the third and fifth states of Pleroma), that the full force of etheric vitality is felt. A hint as to the [684] significance of this may be found in the fact that the etheric body of man receives, and transmits prana directly to the physical body, and that the vitality of the physical frame is to be gauged largely by the condition and action of the heart. The heart circulates vitality to the myriads of cells that constitute the dense physical sheath; something analogous is seen in the fact that these fire devas are “the Heart of the Dhyan chohanic body,” (223) for their energy comes from the spiritual sun, in the same sense that the energy of the pranic devas of the etheric body comes from the physical sun. This energy of the Agnishvattas manifests on the mental plane, the gaseous subplane of the cosmic physical just as the energy of the etheric centres on the fourth etheric subplane manifests first and potently on the gaseous matter of the physical body. This is why the Sons of Wisdom, embodying the buddhic principle, the life force, or love aspect, are nevertheless known on the fifth plane as the self-conscious principles; buddhi uses manas as a vehicle, and occult writers often speak in terms of the vehicle. The Ego, or the self-conscious Identity is in essence and in truth Love-Wisdom, but manifests primarily as intelligent consciousness.

  We should endeavor to study carefully the following statement which is concerned with kama-manas, and which deals with the conditions which produce individualisation, or which call forth into self-conscious Being the Monads seeking full self-expression. It is as follows:

  Only as the heart centre of a Heavenly Man (each in His cycle and each differing cyclically) becomes vitalised and attains a certain vibratory capacity does the individualisation of the Monads become possible under the Law.

  Again, it is only as the threefold dense physical body of a planetary Logos (as expressed by our three worlds, the mental, astral and dense physical planes) has reached [685] a corresponding vibration and retraced the cyclic development of the previous mahamanvantara, that there is produced that vibratory contact which causes the shining out upon the mental plane of the egoic groups. It brings forth a manifestation of the heart impulses of the Heavenly Man, and thus swings into objectivity those Monads (energised by the life of the Heart) who form various centres. The old Commentary says:

  “When the Heart of the Body throbs with spiritual energy, when its sevenfold content thrills under the spiritual impulse, then the currents spread and circulate and divine manifestation becomes a Reality; the divine Man incarnates.”

  The physical plane analogy is seen at the life stimulation which is felt between the third and fourth month during the prenatal period, when the heart of the child thrills with life and individual existence becomes a possibility.

  This life vibration emanates from the soul of the mother (the correspondence to the Pleroma or universal soul) and is coincident with the awakening of the third spirilla in the permanent physical atom of the infant. It must be borne in mind that just as in each round all the preceding stages are rapidly recapitulated, and just as in the prenatal period the foetus recapitulates during the formative process the history of the preceding kingdoms, so in the solar system a similar procedure can be seen. When a certain point is reached and the lower three planes are vibrating, or energised, then cosmic incarnation becomes a possibility; the “Heart” occultly awakens, and the “Son of God,” the expression of the desire and love of the Logos, is born.(224, 225) The cosmic incarnation of certain exalted Beings is consummated, and one of the indications of this is the appearance of the egoic groups [686] on mental levels, and the resultant individualisation. Method and time may vary according to the nature of any particular planetary Logos, but for each and all the “Heart of the Body” has to thrill with awakening life before the response comes from the lower. The lunar Pitris have to carry on their work in our scheme and system before the solar angels, thrilling with expectancy, take possession of the forms prepared through their endeavour, and stimulate them into self-conscious life and separated existence. Thus the four great schemes in the solar system, which are the vehicles for four of the planetary Logoi (Who constitute the logoic Quaternary), have to reach a certain stage of vibratory capacity, and of consciousness before a similar happening occurs in its fullness in the solar system, and the lower four and higher three are synthesised. The logoic heart is thrilling, and response comes already from all the schemes, as three spirillae are vibrating in all of them, but the Son of God is not yet fully and cosmically self-conscious. As response comes the centres awaken. One logoic centre is responding fully to the heart stimulation, and that is Venus, who is passing through the final round.

  If the student endeavours to dissociate our solar system from that which preceded it, and if he considers the pralaya at the close of this mahamanvantara to be a final one, and the utter consummation of all things, he errs. In the preceding system the cosmic physical plane attained a certain vibratory capacity, and the devas of the internal furnaces became (relatively speaking) highly evolved, the “fires of matter” then blazing forth. Certain Existences attained self-consciousness in that earlier system, and are the “nirvanis” spoken of by H. P. B. (See S. D., II, 83, 84, 243.) As might be expected, they are characterised by active intelligence, achieved and developed by means of material evolution during a previous mahamanvantara. They [687] are the Manasa devas and in their totality are the vehicles of the Divine mind, the dhyan-chohanic forces, the aggregate of the Ah-hi. In this solar system the vibration of the cosmic astral plane is becoming dominant, and through that vibration, travelling via the fourth cosmic ether (whereon as earlier stated are the etheric centres of the planetary Logoi) and our systemic astral plane, certain eventualities become possible. The “Sons of desire,” logoic or human, can learn certain lessons, undergo certain experiences, and add the faculty of love-wisdom to the intelligence earlier gained.

  Our solar Logos, and the Heavenly Men, are polarised on the cosmic astral plane, and the effect of Their life energy as it flows through the systemic “Heart” can be seen in the activity of the astral plane, and in the part sex and passion play in the development of man. At the close of this mahamanvantara there will be ready for manifestation in the coming third system nirvanis who will be, in very essence, “active intelligent love”; they will have to wait until the five lower planes of the system have reached a stage of vibratory development which will permit them to enter, as the nirvanis in this system waited until the three lower planes became adequate in vibratory response. We are here speaking in terms of the Heavenly Men. In the Earth scheme, the analogy is hidden in the advent of the Egos in the third round, in the third root race and in the third chain. Individualisation, as we understand it, was not possible until the “third state of pleroma” was reached, either universally where a Heavenly Man is concerned, or relatively in connection with a human unit.

  Considering the same subject from below upwards it is the animal in the third kingdom which individualises. Viewing it from above downwards it is the fifth kingdom, the spiritual, which ensouls the third and produces the fourth, or self-conscious human kingdom. These figures [688] should be studied for they hold the mystery hid, and though the true occult meaning will not be revealed until the third major Initiation, nor fully comprehended until the fifth, yet light may stream in on a difficult point. Equally so in the next solar system, individualisation (if such an inadequate term may be applied to a state of consciousness inconceivable even to an initiate of the third Initiation) will not be possible until the second or sixth stage of Pleroma. Consciousness will blaze forth then on the Monadic plane, and it will be the plane of individualisation. All states of
consciousness below that high level will be to the Logos what the consciousness of the three worlds is to Him now. Just as the physical body of man is not a principle, so all planes at this time below the fourth cosmic ether are not considered by the Logos to be a principle.

  Our present solar Angels or fire devas will then have a position analogous to that of the lunar Pitris now, for all will form a part of the divine consciousness, and yet, will be esoterically considered as “below the threshold” of consciousness. Man has to learn to control, guide and use the deva substances of which his lower sheaths are made; this goal involves the development of full self-consciousness, which is brought about through the agency of the solar Angels or builders and vitalisers of the egoic body; they are those through whom self-consciousness becomes a fact. In the next solar system they too will no longer embody the type of consciousness towards which man aspires; he will have to rise to still greater realisations, and again by occultly “putting his foot upon” them these higher realisations will become possible. In this solar system he has to mount by the putting his foot upon the serpent of matter. He rises by domination of matter and becomes himself a serpent of wisdom. In the next solar system he will mount upward by means of the “serpent of wisdom,” and by the domination [689] and control of the Agnishvattas, achieve something of which even the illuminated mind of the highest Dhyan-chohan can not yet conceive.