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Initiation, Human and Solar, by Alice A. Bailey, [1922], at sacred-texts.com
We now come to the consideration of the secrets committed at the initiation ceremony to the initiate. It is apparent, of course, that only the fact of the secret, and an indication as to the matter with which it concerns itself can be touched upon, and even this would be left unmentioned were it not that a knowledge of the general outline of the subject may inspire the applicant for initiation to a more careful study of such a subject and to a more diligent equipping of his mental body with information. Thereby (when in due course of time he stands before the Initiator) he will lose no time in utilising the acquired secret.
The Sevenfold Secret.
After the administration of the oath which pledges the initiate to inviolable secrecy, the newly made initiate advances alone closer to the Hierophant; he then places his hand upon the lower end of the Rod of Initiation which is held in the centre by the Hierophant. The Three Who stand around the throne of office then place Their hands upon the glowing diamond which surmounts the Rod, and when these five personalities are thus linked by the circulating energy emanating from the Rod, the Initiator confides to the initiate the secret. The reason for this is as follows: Each of the five initiations with which we are immediately concerned (for the higher two, not being compulsory, are outside our present consideration) affects one of the five centres in man,
2. The heart,
3. The throat,
4. The solar plexus,
5. The base of the spine,
and reveals to him knowledge concerning the various types of force or energy by which the solar system is animated, and which reach him via a particular etheric centre. At the application of the Rod his centres were affected in a particular fashion. By the impartation of the Secret, the reason is committed to his care, and that reason is demonstrated to him to be identical with that which necessarily produces some particular planetary manifestation, and which causes a certain specific greater cycle.
It might be pointed out that:—
2. Each secret deals with, and is the enunciation of, one of the seven laws of nature. They therefore concern one or other of the basic evolutions of each planetary scheme. Each scheme embodies one of the laws as its primary law, and all its evolutions tend to demonstrate the perfection of that law with its six subsidiary mutations, these six differing in one particular in each case according to the primary law manifested.
3. Each secret conveys a key to the nature of some particular Planetary Logos, and consequently gives the clue to the characteristics of those Monads who are on that particular planetary ray. It is obvious how necessary such knowledge is to the adept who seeks to work with the sons of men, and to manipulate the force currents affecting them and which they emanate.
These seven secrets are simply short formulas, not of mantric value, such as in the case of the Sacred Word, but of a mathematical nature, precisely worded so as to convey the exact intent of the speaker. To the uninitiated they would look and sound like algebraical formulas, except that each is composed (when seen clairvoyantly) of an oval of a specific hue, according to the secret imparted, containing five peculiar hieroglyphics or symbols. One symbol contains the formula of the law concerned, another gives the planetary key and tone, a third deals with vibration, whilst the fourth shows the number and department under which the ray concerned falls. The last hieroglyph gives one of the seven hierarchical keys by means of which the members of our planetary hierarchy can link up with the solar. This is evidently very vague and ambiguous information, but it will serve to show that, as in the case of the Words, apprehension had to involve two senses, so in the cognition of the secrets the two senses again come into play, and the secret is both heard and appears symbolically to the inner eye.
It will now be apparent why so much stress is laid upon the study of symbols, and why students are urged to ponder and meditate upon the cosmic and systemic signs. It prepares them for the grasp and inner retention of the symbols and formulas which embody the knowledge whereby they can eventually work. These formulas are based upon nine symbols which are now recognised:—
2. The lotus.
3. The triangle.
4. The cube.
6. Eight animal forms, the goat, the bull, the elephant, the man, the dragon, the bear, the lion, and the dog.
7. The line.
8. Certain signs of the Zodiac, hence the need for the study of astrology.
9. The cup, or the holy grail.
All these symbols allied, interwoven, or taken in part, are combined to express one or other of the seven Secrets. The initiate has to recognise them by sight as well as to hear them, and by an effort of the will to imprint them irrevocably upon his memory. This he is aided to do in three ways:—First, by a long prior training in observation; this can be begun here and now by all aspirants, and as they learn to imprint details accurately upon their memory they are laying the foundation for that acute instantaneous apprehension of that which is shown them by the Hierophant; secondly, by having cultivated within themselves the power to visualise again that which has once been seen. It will be apparent here why the emphasis has been laid by all wise teachers of meditation upon the faculty of the careful building of mental pictures. The aim has been two-fold:—
b. To enable him to picture again accurately the imparted secret, so that it may instantly be of use to him whenever needed.
[paragraph continues] Finally, by the strongly applied will of the other four Personalities who are holding the Rod at the same time as the
initiate. Their trained intense mental concentration greatly facilitates his apprehension.
In the case of human evolution certain types of force are generated, dealt with, assimilated, and used, at first unconsciously, and finally with full intelligence.
b. Absorbed energy.
c. Group energy.
d. Material energy, or that which is hidden in physical plane matter.
b. In the Hall of Learning he becomes aware of, and uses the energy of the second aspect in form building, in social relations, and in family affiliations. He comes to the recognition of sex and its relations, but as yet views this force as something to be controlled, but not consciously and constructively utilised.
c. In the Hall of Wisdom he comes to the knowledge of the first aspect of energy, the dynamic use of will in sacrifice, and to him is then committed the key to the threefold mystery of energy. This energy in its threefold aspect he became aware of, in the other two Halls. At the third initiation, and at the fourth and fifth, the three keys to the three mysteries are given to him.
The key to the mystery sensed in the first Hall, the mystery of Brahma, is handed to him, and he can then unlock the hidden energies of atomic substance. p. 168 [paragraph continues] The key to the mystery of sex, or of the pairs of opposites, is thrust into his hand, and he can then unlock the hidden forces of the will aspect. The dynamo of the solar system is shown to him,—if it might be so expressed—and the intricacies of the mechanism revealed.
The Three Solar Mysteries.
The three mysteries of the solar system are:—
2. The mystery of Polarity, or of the universal sex impulse. The secret of the second aspect. It is latent in the Heart of the Sun, or the subjective Sun.
3. The mystery of Fire itself, or the dynamic central systemic force. The secret of the first aspect. It is latent in the Central Spiritual Sun.
Their Sequential Revelation.
The secrets, as imparted sequentially to the initiate, are roughly three in number, though within them may be found lesser mysteries which are earlier revealed. At the third initiation the first of the three fundamental secrets of the solar system is imparted to the initiate, immediately after he has taken the oath. This we might, for lack of a better term, call "the secret of electricity." It concerns the phenomena of the dense objective manifestation of the Logos. It would be wise here for the student to remember that the three planes of the three worlds, physical, astral, and mental, form the dense physical body of the solar Logos. whilst the
four higher form His etheric body. Students are apt to for- get that our seven planes are the seven sub-planes of the cosmic physical. This has a very definite bearing on the secret of electricity. This is why the secret is not revealed till the third initiation, and is prepared for by the impartation of two lesser secrets which concern the physical and astral planes, and which are imparted at the first two initiations by the Bodhisattva.
Electrical phenomena are scientifically recognised as dual in nature, but the inherent triplicity of electricity is as yet but a matter for speculation for modern science. The fact that it is triple is demonstrated to the initiate at the first initiation, and the secret of how to balance forces on the physical plane, and thereby produce equilibrium, is revealed to him at the first initiation. This secret likewise puts him in touch with certain of the Builders on the physical plane—that is, on the etheric levels—and he can then produce physical plane phenomena should he deem it wise. This he seldom does, as the results gained thereby are practically unimportant and he wastes not energy in this manner. The workers with the involutionary forces, the brothers of darkness, employ this method for the startling and the enthralling of the unwary. Not thus work the brothers of humanity.
The secret of the coherence of the atom is revealed to the initiate, and he then is in a position to study the microcosm under the law of correspondences in a new and illuminating manner. Similarly, through this revelation concerning the densest part of the logoic body, he can ascertain much concerning the previous solar system, and the facts anent the first round of our scheme. This secret is also called "the mystery of matter."
At the second initiation "the secret of the sea" is unfolded to him, and through this revelation two subjects of profound
interest become clarified to his inner vision. They are:—
b. The law of karma.
He is, after this, in a position to do two things, without which he cannot work off that which hinders, and thus achieve liberation; he can read the akashic records and ascertain the past, thereby enabling himself to work intelligently in the present, and he can begin to balance his karma, to work off his obligations, and to understand how karma in the three worlds can be negated. The relation of that hierarchy of spiritual beings who are connected with the law of karma as it affects man is demonstrated to him, and he knows with first-hand knowledge that the lords of karma are no myth, or symbolical units, but are highly intelligent entities who wield the law for the benefit of humanity, and thus enable men to become fully self-conscious and self-reliant in the occult sense, and to become creators through perfected knowledge.
At the third initiation "the secret of fohat" is given to him, and then the mystery of the threefold body of the triple Logos is his, and the why of the phenomena of the dense liquid and gaseous bodies of the Supreme Being is unfolded before his amazed vision. The two secrets previously imparted, and the knowledge which they gave having been utilised, the initiate is now in a position to profit by this greater revelation, and to understand somewhat the following facts:—
2. The transmission of energy from the Ego to the physical body via the force centres on the various planes.
By the knowledge thus imparted, and the progress which the initiate has made in the study of the law of analogy, he can comprehend the manipulation of the same forces on a vastly larger scale in the planetary scheme and in the solar system. The method of development in the three earlier rounds is revealed to him, and he understands, practically as well as theoretically, the evolutionary process in its earlier stages. The key to the three lower kingdoms of nature is in his hands, and certain ideas anent the subject of polarity, of at-one-ment, and essential union, are beginning to come within his range of consciousness, only waiting for the fourth initiation to complete the revelation.
This secret of electricity, which is essentially triple in its nature, deals with the Brahma or third aspect, and is called sometimes by the following names:—
2. The Revelation of the Mother.
3. The Secret of Fohatic Force.
4. The Mystery of the Creator.
5. The Secret of the Three Who issued from the First (solar system),
and also by four mystic phrases conveying much light to the intuition:
7. The Key to the Divine Storehouse.
8. The Light that Guides through the triple caves of Darkness.
9. The Clue to the Energy uniting Fire and Water.
[paragraph continues] In all these names much information will come to the student who carefully ponders them, remembering that they deal with the Brahma aspect in its lowest manifestation and with the three worlds of human endeavour, and thus meditating, the student must relate this present solar system to the preceding one, in which the Brahma aspect dominated, as the Vishnu, or consciousness aspect dominates in this.
The initiate, through the knowledge imparted, is now in a position to understand his own triple lower nature, and therefore to balance it in relation to the higher, to read the records and understand his place within the group, to manipulate the forces in the three worlds and thereby effect liberation for himself, thus helping the ends of evolution, and to co-operate intelligently with the plans of the Planetary Logos as they may be revealed to him stage by stage. He can now wield power, and becomes a centre of energy in a greatly increased degree, being able to dispense or retract force currents. The moment a man becomes consciously powerful on the mental plane, his power for good is a hundredfold increased.
At the fourth initiation another of the great secrets is revealed to him. It is called "the mystery of polarity," and the clue to the significance of sex in every department of nature on all the planes is given to him. It is not possible to say much along these lines. All that can be done is to enumerate some of the subjects to which it gives the clue, adding to this the information that in our planetary scheme; owing to the point in evolution of our own Planetary Logos, this secret is the most vital. Our Planetary Logos is at the stage wherein He is consciously seeking the at-one-ment with his polar opposite, another Planetary Logos.
The subjects on which this secret throws a flood of light are:—
b. The balancing of forces in all departments of nature.
c. The clue as to which Scheme forms with ours a duality.
d. The true name of our Planetary Logos and His relation to the Solar Logos.
e. "The Marriage of the Lamb" and the problem of the heavenly bride. A clue to this lies in the solar system of S… which must be read astrologically.
f. The mystery of the Gemini, and the connection of our particular Planetary Logos with that constellation.
[paragraph continues] On a lesser scale, and in relation to the microcosm, the following subjects are illuminated when the initiate receives the second great secret, or the fourth which includes the earlier lesser ones:—
h. The method of egoic at-one-ment is seen clearly revealed, and the antahkarana is shown in its real nature, and having been thus revealed, is dispensed with.
i. The essential unity existing between the Ego and the personality is seen.
j. The relation of the two evolutions, human and deva, is no longer a mystery, but their position in the body of the Heavenly Man is seen to be a fact.
One could go on emphasising the multiplicity of matters which the mystery of polarity, when revealed, makes clear to the initiate, but the above suffices. This secret concerns primarily the Vishnu, or second aspect. It sums up in one short phrase the totality of knowledge gained in the Hall of Wisdom, as the earlier secrets summed up the totality achieved in the Hall of Learning. It deals with consciousness and its development by and through the matter aspect. It concerns literally the unification of the self and the not-self till they are verily and indeed one.
At the fifth initiation the great secret which concerns the fire or spirit aspect is revealed to the wondering and amazed Master, and He realises in a sense incomprehensible to man the fact that all is fire and fire is all. This secret may be said to reveal to the Initiate that which makes clear to Him:
b. The work and method of the destroyer aspect of divinity.
c. The processes whereby obscuration and pralaya are induced.
d. The mathematical formula which sums up all the cycles of manifestation.
e. The triple nature of fire, and the effect of the great fire upon the lesser.
As this Shiva, or first, aspect is the one which will arrive at perfection, or, rather, come within the reach of comprehension within the next solar system, it profits not to continue considering this secret. The following tabulation may make the whole matter clearer to the mind of the student:—
|
Secret of |
Initiation |
Logos |
Source of |
Planes |
|
Fohat |
Third |
Brahma |
Physical |
Seven |
|
Polarity |
Fourth |
Vishnu |
Subjective |
Four |
|
Fire |
Fifth |
Shiva |
Central |
Two |
As the student will observe, the source of the particular energy concerned is one aspect of the sun.
At the sixth and seventh initiations two more secrets are revealed, one—a lesser secret—preparing the way for the revelation of the fourth. Only four secrets of a major order are revealed to initiates on this planet, and herein lies the clue to our position in the scheme of solar evolution. There are only five secrets altogether, of a major kind, revealed in this solar system, owing to the fact that this is a system wherein pre-eminently the fifth principle of mind forms the basis of unfoldment. This fifth revelation is only imparted to those who pass to the Schemes of synthesis.