Aunt Clair
9th January 2012, 04:22 PM
Excerpted from Alice Bailey's Works on Initiation of the Magician through Mystic Projection to the Higher Teaching Planes of Shamballah
The ceremony of 6th initiation takes place on the monadic plane The five-pointed star flashes out above the head of the initiate.This is undergone in the causal body. At the final two initiations which set a magician free from the three worlds, and enable them to function in the body of vitality of the Logos and wield that force, the initiate becomes the five-pointed star and it descends upon them, merges in them, and they are seen at its very center. This descent is brought about by the action of the Initiator, wielding the Rod of Power, and puts a magician in touch with the center in the Body of the Planetary Logos of which they are part, and this consciously. The five-pointed star "blazes forth from within Itself," as the esoteric phrase has it, and becomes the seven-pointed star; it descends upon the man and he enters within the flame.
The sixth initiation marks the point of attainment of the Christ, and brings the synthetic ray of the system under His control. We need to remember that initiation gives the initiate power on the rays, and not power over the rays, for this marks a very definite difference. Every initiate has, of course, for his primary or spiritual ray one of the three major rays, and the ray of his Monad is the one on which he at length gains power. The love ray, or the synthetic ray of the system, is the final one achieved.
Those who pass away from the earth after the fifth initiation, or those who do not become Masters in physical incarnation, take their subsequent initiations elsewhere in the system. All are in the Logoic Consciousness. One great fact to be borne in mind is, that the initiations of the planet or of the solar system are but the preparatory initiations of admission into the greater Lodge on Sirius. At this sixth Initiation the most marvelous vision of the entire series is his. He sees the solar system as a unit, and gets a brief revealing which opens to his amazed understanding the fundamental purpose of the solar Logos; for the first time he sees the plans as a whole in all their ramifications.
The force of the Rod is twofold, and its power terrific. Apart and alone the initiate could not receive the voltage from the Rod without serious hurt, but in triangular transmission comes safety. We need to remember here that two Masters sponsor all applicants for initiation, and represents two polarities of the electric All. Part of their function is to stand with applicants for initiation when they come before the Great Lord.When the rods are held in the hands of the Initiator in his position of power, and at the stated seasons, they act as transmitters of electric force from very high levels, so high indeed that the "Flaming Diamond," at certain of the final initiations, the sixth and seventh, transmits force via the Logos from outside the system altogether. One Rod of Initiation is used for the first two initiations, and is wielded by the Great Lord. It is magnetized by the application of the "Flaming Diamond," and holds the fire hidden that irradiates the Wisdom Religion.
1. The Path of Earth Service
This is the Path that keeps a man linked to the Hierarchy that is pledged to the service of our planet, and to the help of its evolutions. It comprises those who work under the Lord of the World in the seven groups into which our Masters of the Wisdom are divided. Not so many Masters follow this Path as some of the others, and only enough are permitted to do so to carry on planetary evolution satisfactorily. More is known about this path than about the others, and more will be found out as members of our humanity fit themselves to contact the Brotherhood. Their field of employ, their methods of work, will eventually become exoteric knowledge, and as the seven groups are recognized and known, schools of development for the filling of posts in these groups will be the logical sequence.
2. The Path of Magnetic Work
Those who do the work of wielding forces, or electrical magnetism for the use of the Great Ones on all the planes, pass to this Path. They wield the elemental formative energy, manipulating matter of every density and vibration. Great waves of ideas and surging currents of public opinion on astral levels, as well as on the higher levels where the Great Ones work, are manipulated by them. A large number of fifth ray people, those who have the Ray of Concrete Knowledge for their monadic ray, pass to this line of endeavor. The inherent quality in the type of the monad settles usually the line of activity. The karma of the fifth ray is one of the factors which produces this. These monads work with Fohat, and must, to the end of the greater manvantara. They have their eventual position on the cosmic mental plane, but as yet the capacity for abstract thought is so little developed that it is impossible for us to comprehend the significance of this expression.
3. The Path of Training for Planetary Logo
This Path is trodden by those who will take up the work of the seven Planetary Logoi of the next system, and of the forty-nine subplanetary Logoi, their assistants, and of certain other Entities working in that particular department. There will be seven systems, though we are only concerned with the three major systems, of which our present system is the second major system. Each Chohan of a ray takes a certain number of initiates of the sixth initiation and trains them specially for this work; special aptitude in color and sound predisposes the choice, and the ability to work with "psyche," or the spirits in evolution marks a man out for this high post. We might say that the Planetary Logoi are the divine psychologists, and therefore in the training for this post psychology is the basic subject, though it is a psychology inconceivable as yet to us. Every Planetary Logos has, in his own special planet, schools for the development of subordinate Logoi, and there trains them for this high office, giving them opportunity for wide experience. Even the Logoi themselves progress onward, and their places must be taken.
4. The Path to Sirius
Very little may be communicated about this Path, and the curiously close relation between it and the Pleiades can only be mentioned, further speculation being impossible. The bulk of liberated humanity goes this way, and the prospect holds out glorious possibilities. The seven stars of the Pleiades are the goal for the seven types, and this is hinted at in the Book of job, in the words, "Canst thou bind the sweet influence of the Pleiades?" In the mystery of this influence, and in the secret of the sun Sirius, are hidden the facts of our cosmic evolution, and incidentally, therefore, of our solar system.
5. The Ray Path
It is difficult to know by what other name to call this Path, as so little is known about it. In treading it, a man stays on his own ray, and works thereon in the various kingdoms on all the planes, carrying out the behests of the Lord of the World, and working under his direction. It carries a man to every part of the solar system, yet links him definitely with the synthetic ray. It is a very complex path, for it necessitates a capacity for the most intricate mathematics, and an ability to geometric in a manner incomprehensible to our three-dimensional brains. This path is taken by the man to whom the law of vibration is of profound importance. He works first in the council chamber of the Lord of the World at Shamballa, manipulating the law of vibration on his own ray. Later he will have his habitat on the planet corresponding to his own ray, and not on the earth unless he is on the ray of the Planetary Logos holding sway upon the earth. Later again as his evolution progresses, he will pass to the sun; then having mastered all connected with vibration in this system he will pass to the cosmic system, going off his own ray (which is but a subsidiary ray of one cosmic ray), on to the corresponding cosmic ray.Just as the evolution of man in this system is fivefold, so in the above we have enumerated the principal five Paths from which a Master has to choose. The remaining two can only be touched upon still more briefly, for they hold but a very few of the evolving sons of men, owing to the high point of attainment necessitated for their entrance, and the fact that those who enter upon them pass out of the system altogether. They do not lead to Sirius, as do some of the other Paths. It will be noted that four groups remain in the system, passing eventually, in dim and distant aeons, to the cosmic planes. One group passes directly to Sirius, and the remaining two groups pass directly after initiation to the cosmic planes, with no period of intermediate work on earth, in the system, or on Sirius. These two Paths are:
6. The Path the Logos Himself Is On
It will have become apparent to all occult students who have studied with care the world processes in the light of the law of correspondences, that the Logos on the cosmic planes is evolving inner cosmic vision, just as man in his lesser degree is aiming at the same vision in the system. This might be called the development of the cosmic third eye. In the physical plane structure of the eye lies hid the secret and in its study may come some revelation of the mystery. A certain part of the eye is the nucleus of sight, and the apparatus of vision itself; the remainder of the eye acts as a protecting shell, and both parts are required, and neither can exist without the other. So in this greater case, only the analogy exists on such high levels that words only blur and dim the truth. Certain of the sons of men, a nucleus who reached a very high initiation in the previous solar system, formed an esoteric group around the Logos when he decided upon further progress. In consequence he formed this system, cosmic desire for incarnation driving him on. This esoteric group remains with the Logos on the atomic, or first plane of the system, on the subjective inner side, and it corresponds, in an occult sense, to the pupil of the eye. The real home of these great Entities is upon the cosmic buddhic plane.Gradually, by dint of hard effort, certain Masters have qualified themselves, or are qualifying themselves, to take the place of the original members of the group, permitting of their return to a cosmic center around which our system, and the greater system of Sirius revolve. Only one adept here and there has the necessary qualifications, for it involves the development of a certain type of response to cosmic vibration. It means a specializing in the inner sight, and the development of a certain measure of cosmic vision. More of the deva evolution pass to this path than do the human. Human beings pass to it via the deva evolution, which can be entered by transference to the fifth Path, the ray Path. On this latter Path, the two evolutions can merge, and from the fifth Path the sixth can be entered.
7. The Path of Absolute Sonship
This Sonship is a correspondence on the highest plane to that grade of discipleship which we call "Son of the Master." It is the Sonship to a Being higher than our Logos, of whom we may not speak. It is the great controlling Path of Karma. The Lipika Lords are on this Path, and all who are fitted for that line of work, and who are close to the Logos in a personal intimate sense, pass to the Path of absolute Sonship. It is the Path of the special intimates of the Logos, and into their hands he has put the working out of karma in the solar system. They know his wishes, his will and his aim, and to them he entrusts the carrying out of his behests. This group, associated with the Logos, forms a special group linked to a still higher Logos.
The ceremony of 6th initiation takes place on the monadic plane The five-pointed star flashes out above the head of the initiate.This is undergone in the causal body. At the final two initiations which set a magician free from the three worlds, and enable them to function in the body of vitality of the Logos and wield that force, the initiate becomes the five-pointed star and it descends upon them, merges in them, and they are seen at its very center. This descent is brought about by the action of the Initiator, wielding the Rod of Power, and puts a magician in touch with the center in the Body of the Planetary Logos of which they are part, and this consciously. The five-pointed star "blazes forth from within Itself," as the esoteric phrase has it, and becomes the seven-pointed star; it descends upon the man and he enters within the flame.
The sixth initiation marks the point of attainment of the Christ, and brings the synthetic ray of the system under His control. We need to remember that initiation gives the initiate power on the rays, and not power over the rays, for this marks a very definite difference. Every initiate has, of course, for his primary or spiritual ray one of the three major rays, and the ray of his Monad is the one on which he at length gains power. The love ray, or the synthetic ray of the system, is the final one achieved.
Those who pass away from the earth after the fifth initiation, or those who do not become Masters in physical incarnation, take their subsequent initiations elsewhere in the system. All are in the Logoic Consciousness. One great fact to be borne in mind is, that the initiations of the planet or of the solar system are but the preparatory initiations of admission into the greater Lodge on Sirius. At this sixth Initiation the most marvelous vision of the entire series is his. He sees the solar system as a unit, and gets a brief revealing which opens to his amazed understanding the fundamental purpose of the solar Logos; for the first time he sees the plans as a whole in all their ramifications.
The force of the Rod is twofold, and its power terrific. Apart and alone the initiate could not receive the voltage from the Rod without serious hurt, but in triangular transmission comes safety. We need to remember here that two Masters sponsor all applicants for initiation, and represents two polarities of the electric All. Part of their function is to stand with applicants for initiation when they come before the Great Lord.When the rods are held in the hands of the Initiator in his position of power, and at the stated seasons, they act as transmitters of electric force from very high levels, so high indeed that the "Flaming Diamond," at certain of the final initiations, the sixth and seventh, transmits force via the Logos from outside the system altogether. One Rod of Initiation is used for the first two initiations, and is wielded by the Great Lord. It is magnetized by the application of the "Flaming Diamond," and holds the fire hidden that irradiates the Wisdom Religion.
1. The Path of Earth Service
This is the Path that keeps a man linked to the Hierarchy that is pledged to the service of our planet, and to the help of its evolutions. It comprises those who work under the Lord of the World in the seven groups into which our Masters of the Wisdom are divided. Not so many Masters follow this Path as some of the others, and only enough are permitted to do so to carry on planetary evolution satisfactorily. More is known about this path than about the others, and more will be found out as members of our humanity fit themselves to contact the Brotherhood. Their field of employ, their methods of work, will eventually become exoteric knowledge, and as the seven groups are recognized and known, schools of development for the filling of posts in these groups will be the logical sequence.
2. The Path of Magnetic Work
Those who do the work of wielding forces, or electrical magnetism for the use of the Great Ones on all the planes, pass to this Path. They wield the elemental formative energy, manipulating matter of every density and vibration. Great waves of ideas and surging currents of public opinion on astral levels, as well as on the higher levels where the Great Ones work, are manipulated by them. A large number of fifth ray people, those who have the Ray of Concrete Knowledge for their monadic ray, pass to this line of endeavor. The inherent quality in the type of the monad settles usually the line of activity. The karma of the fifth ray is one of the factors which produces this. These monads work with Fohat, and must, to the end of the greater manvantara. They have their eventual position on the cosmic mental plane, but as yet the capacity for abstract thought is so little developed that it is impossible for us to comprehend the significance of this expression.
3. The Path of Training for Planetary Logo
This Path is trodden by those who will take up the work of the seven Planetary Logoi of the next system, and of the forty-nine subplanetary Logoi, their assistants, and of certain other Entities working in that particular department. There will be seven systems, though we are only concerned with the three major systems, of which our present system is the second major system. Each Chohan of a ray takes a certain number of initiates of the sixth initiation and trains them specially for this work; special aptitude in color and sound predisposes the choice, and the ability to work with "psyche," or the spirits in evolution marks a man out for this high post. We might say that the Planetary Logoi are the divine psychologists, and therefore in the training for this post psychology is the basic subject, though it is a psychology inconceivable as yet to us. Every Planetary Logos has, in his own special planet, schools for the development of subordinate Logoi, and there trains them for this high office, giving them opportunity for wide experience. Even the Logoi themselves progress onward, and their places must be taken.
4. The Path to Sirius
Very little may be communicated about this Path, and the curiously close relation between it and the Pleiades can only be mentioned, further speculation being impossible. The bulk of liberated humanity goes this way, and the prospect holds out glorious possibilities. The seven stars of the Pleiades are the goal for the seven types, and this is hinted at in the Book of job, in the words, "Canst thou bind the sweet influence of the Pleiades?" In the mystery of this influence, and in the secret of the sun Sirius, are hidden the facts of our cosmic evolution, and incidentally, therefore, of our solar system.
5. The Ray Path
It is difficult to know by what other name to call this Path, as so little is known about it. In treading it, a man stays on his own ray, and works thereon in the various kingdoms on all the planes, carrying out the behests of the Lord of the World, and working under his direction. It carries a man to every part of the solar system, yet links him definitely with the synthetic ray. It is a very complex path, for it necessitates a capacity for the most intricate mathematics, and an ability to geometric in a manner incomprehensible to our three-dimensional brains. This path is taken by the man to whom the law of vibration is of profound importance. He works first in the council chamber of the Lord of the World at Shamballa, manipulating the law of vibration on his own ray. Later he will have his habitat on the planet corresponding to his own ray, and not on the earth unless he is on the ray of the Planetary Logos holding sway upon the earth. Later again as his evolution progresses, he will pass to the sun; then having mastered all connected with vibration in this system he will pass to the cosmic system, going off his own ray (which is but a subsidiary ray of one cosmic ray), on to the corresponding cosmic ray.Just as the evolution of man in this system is fivefold, so in the above we have enumerated the principal five Paths from which a Master has to choose. The remaining two can only be touched upon still more briefly, for they hold but a very few of the evolving sons of men, owing to the high point of attainment necessitated for their entrance, and the fact that those who enter upon them pass out of the system altogether. They do not lead to Sirius, as do some of the other Paths. It will be noted that four groups remain in the system, passing eventually, in dim and distant aeons, to the cosmic planes. One group passes directly to Sirius, and the remaining two groups pass directly after initiation to the cosmic planes, with no period of intermediate work on earth, in the system, or on Sirius. These two Paths are:
6. The Path the Logos Himself Is On
It will have become apparent to all occult students who have studied with care the world processes in the light of the law of correspondences, that the Logos on the cosmic planes is evolving inner cosmic vision, just as man in his lesser degree is aiming at the same vision in the system. This might be called the development of the cosmic third eye. In the physical plane structure of the eye lies hid the secret and in its study may come some revelation of the mystery. A certain part of the eye is the nucleus of sight, and the apparatus of vision itself; the remainder of the eye acts as a protecting shell, and both parts are required, and neither can exist without the other. So in this greater case, only the analogy exists on such high levels that words only blur and dim the truth. Certain of the sons of men, a nucleus who reached a very high initiation in the previous solar system, formed an esoteric group around the Logos when he decided upon further progress. In consequence he formed this system, cosmic desire for incarnation driving him on. This esoteric group remains with the Logos on the atomic, or first plane of the system, on the subjective inner side, and it corresponds, in an occult sense, to the pupil of the eye. The real home of these great Entities is upon the cosmic buddhic plane.Gradually, by dint of hard effort, certain Masters have qualified themselves, or are qualifying themselves, to take the place of the original members of the group, permitting of their return to a cosmic center around which our system, and the greater system of Sirius revolve. Only one adept here and there has the necessary qualifications, for it involves the development of a certain type of response to cosmic vibration. It means a specializing in the inner sight, and the development of a certain measure of cosmic vision. More of the deva evolution pass to this path than do the human. Human beings pass to it via the deva evolution, which can be entered by transference to the fifth Path, the ray Path. On this latter Path, the two evolutions can merge, and from the fifth Path the sixth can be entered.
7. The Path of Absolute Sonship
This Sonship is a correspondence on the highest plane to that grade of discipleship which we call "Son of the Master." It is the Sonship to a Being higher than our Logos, of whom we may not speak. It is the great controlling Path of Karma. The Lipika Lords are on this Path, and all who are fitted for that line of work, and who are close to the Logos in a personal intimate sense, pass to the Path of absolute Sonship. It is the Path of the special intimates of the Logos, and into their hands he has put the working out of karma in the solar system. They know his wishes, his will and his aim, and to them he entrusts the carrying out of his behests. This group, associated with the Logos, forms a special group linked to a still higher Logos.