1|00:00:01|680|00:00:06|720Hi everybody, and welcome again to our continuing 2|00:00:08|160|00:00:11|360work with the first initiation, where I'm throwing in some 3|00:00:11|860|00:00:15|440extra references here that I did not find in 4|00:00:15|940|00:00:17|920the compilation that I was using. 5|00:00:18|720|00:00:22|120Maybe because they don't all say "first 6|00:00:22|620|00:00:26|240initiation," they sometimes indicate it in a different way. 7|00:00:28|470|00:00:32|710So as I say, when I run into things 8|00:00:33|210|00:00:36|750that I've done before, if I don't have something different to say, I'll probably skip 9|00:00:37|250|00:00:41|030them. But for the moment, I'll just proceed with this. 10|00:00:41|110|00:00:44|870We've done about one third of this 11|00:00:46|550|00:00:49|990extra references document. 12|00:00:50|950|00:00:54|630So, okay, this next one is 13|00:00:55|130|00:00:59|310from "Initiation Human and Solar," where of course, you can find such 14|00:00:59|630|00:01:02|670excellent descriptions of the initiations. 15|00:01:02|750|00:01:06|030If you want to read in a continuous manner, 16|00:01:06|990|00:01:09|630it's very worthwhile. And I suggest, 17|00:01:10|830|00:01:13|150you know, really that you do that. 18|00:01:13|950|00:01:17|510And if you want to go to a commentary that's on 19|00:01:18|010|00:01:21|490that on Makara, I've done a pretty, I think a 20|00:01:21|990|00:01:25|490pretty complete commentary on all of the 21|00:01:25|990|00:01:29|410chapters of "Initiation Human and Solar." 22|00:01:30|850|00:01:34|490All right, going on then. This is about whether the 23|00:01:34|990|00:01:38|330initiations are taken in the causal body or the 24|00:01:38|830|00:01:42|250astral body. "The ceremony of initiation takes place on 25|00:01:42|750|00:01:47|270the three higher subplanes of the mental plane and on the three higher 26|00:01:47|350|00:01:52|950subplanes according to 27|00:01:53|450|00:01:56|750the initiation." //(IHS, p.15)// Now that seems 28|00:01:57|250|00:01:58|230to suggest that in a way. 29|00:02:01|670|00:02:05|070Well, okay, let's see about that. Is the third subplane, then the second and 30|00:02:05|570|00:02:10|670the first involved, or with the causal 31|00:02:11|170|00:02:15|420body egoic lotus having moved to the second subplane. Are all these initiations 32|00:02:15|920|00:02:20|020taken on the second subplane, as seems to be indicated 33|00:02:20|660|00:02:24|420elsewhere? Because really the 34|00:02:24|920|00:02:28|620highest of the mental subplanes is the 35|00:02:29|120|00:02:32|660place of expression of the monadic permanent atom. 36|00:02:33|160|00:02:36|500And I do believe we can substantiate the idea that the causal body 37|00:02:36|580|00:02:41|020is destroyed on the second subplane 38|00:02:41|740|00:02:44|220of the higher mental plane. 39|00:02:44|940|00:02:48|180But let's see, you know, there are different, different takes on 40|00:02:48|680|00:02:53|140all this. "The five pointed star at 41|00:02:53|640|00:02:57|180the initiations on the mental plane //(IHS, p.15)// flashes out before the head 42|00:02:57|340|00:03:01|500of the initiate." //(IHS, p.16)// I think. 43|00:03:03|420|00:03:07|180Yeah, okay, well, I'll just 44|00:03:09|260|00:03:13|620say that in a way the 45|00:03:14|120|00:03:17|860chamber of initiation is the 46|00:03:18|360|00:03:21|740causal body. That is the cave 47|00:03:22|240|00:03:26|140of initiation within the egoic lotus. 48|00:03:26|640|00:03:30|820Now how that is all positioned and where 49|00:03:31|320|00:03:34|950the consciousness exactly of the initiate's focus 50|00:03:35|450|00:03:39|390on what vibratory level? I suppose it depends on the 51|00:03:41|230|00:03:45|070initiation being taken. I suppose each one of the petals is 52|00:03:45|570|00:03:49|150at a different vibratory level. I suspect each 53|00:03:49|650|00:03:53|390of the petals of the lotus may be on 54|00:03:53|890|00:03:57|390a different vibratory 55|00:03:58|990|00:04:03|340level and according to 56|00:04:03|840|00:04:07|100the initiation will be the focus. This is what I 57|00:04:07|600|00:04:11|140suspect. I cannot substantiate this, but I offer you as 58|00:04:11|640|00:04:15|620well my speculations on this and you can continue 59|00:04:15|700|00:04:19|340with your own speculations. "The five pointed 60|00:04:19|840|00:04:22|180star at the initiations on the mental plane." 61|00:04:23|300|00:04:26|620And that's initiation 1, 2 and 3. And I 62|00:04:27|120|00:04:31|320suppose 4 begins on the mental plane anyway and 63|00:04:31|820|00:04:35|240involves the Buddhic plane "flashes out above the head 64|00:04:35|320|00:04:39|080of the initiate." Above the head. And now the question is 65|00:04:40|040|00:04:43|280in a way, does the 66|00:04:43|780|00:04:45|720initiate see it? 67|00:04:46|680|00:04:50|200Okay, this concerns the first initiations which 68|00:04:50|700|00:04:54|260are undergone in the causal //(IHS, p.16)// body. How many are there? "It has 69|00:04:54|760|00:04:57|980been said //(IHS, p.16)// that the first two initiations take place upon the 70|00:04:58|480|00:05:02|340astral plane. //(IHS, p.16)// But this is incorrect //(IHS, p.16)// and the statement has given rise to 71|00:05:02|420|00:05:05|740misunderstanding. They are felt 72|00:05:06|240|00:05:09|940profoundly in connection with the astral and physical bodies." I suppose the 73|00:05:10|260|00:05:14|020first initiation with the physical body and the second very much 74|00:05:14|520|00:05:17|380with the astral and the lower mental as well. 75|00:05:18|180|00:05:21|420That would be the third initiation "and affect 76|00:05:22|220|00:05:26|540their control. //(IHS, p.16)// Okay. The chief effect being 77|00:05:26|700|00:05:30|500felt in those bodies, the initiate may interpret them //(IHS, p.16)// 78|00:05:31|000|00:05:34|700as having taken place on the planes concerned. //(IHS, p.16)// 79|00:05:35|200|00:05:38|940Well, you know, I suppose there are a lot of etheric 80|00:05:39|440|00:05:43|100physical changes that occur in relation to the first initiation. 81|00:05:43|660|00:05:48|390We just have to correlate the bodies with the initiations as 82|00:05:48|890|00:05:52|870the vividness of the effect and the stimulation of the first two initiations 83|00:05:53|370|00:05:55|750work out largely in the astral body. //(IHS, p.16)// 84|00:05:56|550|00:06:00|230Okay, so. But there would be certainly an effect in the physical, 85|00:06:00|790|00:06:04|950but vividness in the astral body. So basically even 86|00:06:05|110|00:06:07|430the first initiation has a strong... 87|00:06:11|990|00:06:15|780Has a strong astral body effect. 88|00:06:16|100|00:06:19|900But it must ever be remembered that the major initiations are 89|00:06:20|400|00:06:23|860taken in the causal body or dissociated from that body on the 90|00:06:24|360|00:06:28|260Buddhic plane or atmic plane. //(IHS, p.16)// And I suspect the 91|00:06:28|760|00:06:33|380fourth initiation is such in 92|00:06:33|880|00:06:38|700relation to the Buddhic plane. And I 93|00:06:39|200|00:06:42|140would suspect the fifth initiation... 94|00:06:45|420|00:06:46|300Okay, well, 95|00:06:51|100|00:06:55|340the fifth initiation in relation to the 96|00:06:58|220|00:06:59|180atmic plane. 97|00:07:02|620|00:07:05|980And that is an initiation incidentally that we, 98|00:07:06|480|00:07:08|860you know, it's ruled by the first ray. 99|00:07:10|110|00:07:13|910And of course Atma represents the first ray 100|00:07:14|410|00:07:18|390aspect of the spiritual triad. So the 101|00:07:18|890|00:07:22|350spiritual will is involved. The first ray and the fifth initiation, it all 102|00:07:22|850|00:07:26|110fits together now. 103|00:07:26|270|00:07:30|030Okay, so what have we extracted 104|00:07:30|350|00:07:34|430from that? The area in 105|00:07:34|930|00:07:38|770which the initiate faces 106|00:07:38|850|00:07:42|610the initiator or a representation of 107|00:07:43|110|00:07:45|890the initiator, as in the case of Sanat Kumara, 108|00:07:46|450|00:07:49|810the star, the I and 109|00:07:50|310|00:07:52|690then only then at the fifth degree, 110|00:07:53|970|00:07:57|890which is Leonian in a way and has to do with identity 111|00:07:58|390|00:07:59|890then face to face. 112|00:08:01|820|00:08:05|580Okay, now we'll... 113|00:08:06|060|00:08:09|980This one we've done many times and I guess 114|00:08:10|480|00:08:14|060it's just the collection of the requirements of the 115|00:08:15|020|00:08:18|180first and second initiation. So, 116|00:08:18|680|00:08:21|100you know, basically for the first initiation, 117|00:08:22|540|00:08:26|420loving one's fellow men, being interested in esoteric teaching 118|00:08:26|920|00:08:31|410or some spiritual teaching of a real nature, and disciplining 119|00:08:31|910|00:08:35|930oneself to attain greater beauty of life. These indicate 120|00:08:36|430|00:08:39|730the first degree. And then you add to it those 121|00:08:40|230|00:08:43|690who are seeking mental polarization. It will occur after the 122|00:08:44|190|00:08:47|290second degree mental polarization. You can see that 123|00:08:47|790|00:08:51|410if you study the sixth initiation. In that little section 124|00:08:51|890|00:08:55|890in the rays on the initiations, we see that 125|00:08:56|390|00:08:59|690mental polarization is not the same as mental focus, is not 126|00:09:00|190|00:09:03|810even the same as an illumined mind and spiritual intelligence 127|00:09:04|310|00:09:07|730which go along with the second initiation. 128|00:09:08|290|00:09:12|850Mental polarization is something more. And I imagine that the soul has 129|00:09:13|350|00:09:17|290a special relationship to the mental body when mental polarization 130|00:09:17|790|00:09:22|030occurs. So the thinking 131|00:09:22|530|00:09:28|070nature is awakened. And one is no longer only residing 132|00:09:28|570|00:09:31|670in one's kama-manasic... 133|00:09:32|170|00:09:35|910The results of one's kama-manasic initiation. One is going, 134|00:09:36|410|00:09:40|190trying to go farther. So the desire and aspiration to 135|00:09:40|690|00:09:44|390think and to know coupled with the distinguishing marks of the first. 136|00:09:45|190|00:09:49|050But then there's a bit more regarding the first initiation. 137|00:09:49|550|00:09:54|250And we should sort of have these in our mind simultaneously. 138|00:09:54|750|00:10:00|570All true aspirants have taken the first initiation. //(DINAI, p.716)// And here are the signatures 139|00:10:00|650|00:10:04|370of those who have the intensive struggle 140|00:10:04|870|00:10:09|290to grow into the spiritual life. To follow the determined orientation 141|00:10:09|850|00:10:13|170to the things of the spirit and the 142|00:10:13|670|00:10:18|410soul as it represents the spirit. And to follow on the way of determined orientation 143|00:10:19|770|00:10:22|890and to live by the light of that spirit. //(DINAI, p.716)// 144|00:10:23|390|00:10:26|570So struggling to grow orientation towards the spirit, 145|00:10:26|970|00:10:30|490living by the light of that spirit, which in this 146|00:10:30|990|00:10:34|450case at first is the soul as it 147|00:10:34|950|00:10:38|050represents the spirit. And indeed the soul does represent the 148|00:10:38|550|00:10:42|010spirit. For it's very much a result of the impulse 149|00:10:42|510|00:10:47|370from the monad that the soul body is created. 150|00:10:47|690|00:10:52|810Either because, as in an earlier system, there was a great calling 151|00:10:52|970|00:10:55|210from animal man, 152|00:10:56|170|00:10:59|690or because in this 153|00:11:00|190|00:11:04|170particular system there was a... The time had come for the awakening 154|00:11:04|670|00:11:08|590of the planetary heart. The monad is associated also with 155|00:11:08|660|00:11:12|500the heart center of the solar Logos, 156|00:11:14|820|00:11:19|660it being on the second sub-plane. And there we see the heart 157|00:11:20|160|00:11:23|140center somewhat lower. You know, 158|00:11:23|540|00:11:27|620heart centers are found on the second subplane. As you'll notice here in 159|00:11:28|120|00:11:31|340this chart, number eight in the Tibetan's books and 160|00:11:31|840|00:11:35|540A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, heart center is found here and here. 161|00:11:36|720|00:11:39|920So in fact, 162|00:11:40|080|00:11:44|960the soul does represent the monad. 163|00:11:45|460|00:11:49|800And the soul consciousness as it is experienced very fully within 164|00:11:50|300|00:11:54|680the jewel in the lotus one day, is really the extension of monadic consciousness. 165|00:11:55|180|00:11:59|840Everything is the monad in various degrees of attenuation 166|00:12:00|240|00:12:02|000as we deal with the lower planes. 167|00:12:03|310|00:12:03|870Okay, 168|00:12:06|590|00:12:11|750now I think I 169|00:12:12|250|00:12:16|910think I may... Yeah, I think I may have dealt 170|00:12:17|410|00:12:20|270with this one organization. 171|00:12:20|350|00:12:23|830Yes, I think I did. And let's just see 172|00:12:24|330|00:12:26|910whether I did. All right, 173|00:12:29|160|00:12:33|080first initiation. And let's see 174|00:12:33|580|00:12:35|560here. This is all about the... 175|00:12:37|320|00:12:40|840This was all about the Black Lodge, you know, and how they can, 176|00:12:41|880|00:12:44|520can and must take the first initiation. 177|00:12:45|560|00:12:49|520So this... Yeah, first initiation 178|00:12:50|020|00:12:53|880of humanity. Okay. And here 179|00:12:54|380|00:12:57|760again is the humanity's first 180|00:12:58|260|00:13:00|720degree at the stage which we are now considering. 181|00:13:05|120|00:13:06|080Let's see here. 182|00:13:08|080|00:13:12|880Well, maybe it 183|00:13:12|960|00:13:17|880offers something additional. So why don't I take a look at that at 184|00:13:18|380|00:13:22|270the stage which we are now considering. And let's see where we are exactly in 185|00:13:22|770|00:13:25|990Cosmic Fire, page 869 and 870, at the stage we are 186|00:13:26|490|00:13:30|190now considering that of the organization and unfoldment of the first tier 187|00:13:30|690|00:13:34|470of petals. Sounds familiar. The egoic influence felt at 188|00:13:34|970|00:13:35|790the beginning is but small. //(TCF, p.869)// 189|00:13:41|070|00:13:45|390Yeah, I think we have done this one. So let's just say this 190|00:13:45|950|00:13:49|130has been commented upon. 191|00:13:50|810|00:13:54|570When I was extracting these from the A.A.B. 192|00:13:54|650|00:13:58|530extracts, I sometimes doubled 193|00:13:59|030|00:14:02|810up. Okay, now this is interesting 194|00:14:03|210|00:14:05|130from Cosmic Fire here. 195|00:14:06|410|00:14:09|770And the monadic ray is 196|00:14:10|270|00:14:13|850felt in the mental unit on the path or after the first initiation. 197|00:14:14|350|00:14:17|600What really is the path? We're not really treading the 198|00:14:18|100|00:14:21|560path until we have taken the first initiation. 199|00:14:22|360|00:14:26|200The stimulation, he says, for instance, that is the result of the action 200|00:14:26|760|00:14:30|680of the monadic ray upon the mental unit is only felt 201|00:14:31|080|00:14:35|280when the aspirant treads the path or after 202|00:14:35|780|00:14:38|960he has taken the first initiation. Well, is it 203|00:14:39|460|00:14:43|520the same thing? Is it an equivalence or are they sequential? We can decide. 204|00:14:44|020|00:14:47|800But the true path, I think, relates from the first 205|00:14:48|300|00:14:51|600initiation onward. Then you are really a confirmed 206|00:14:51|760|00:14:55|960disciple, although from some respects considered to be probationary 207|00:14:56|460|00:15:00|440until accepted discipleship is reached. 208|00:15:00|940|00:15:05|440Now, you know, we know that the monad has an effect upon 209|00:15:05|940|00:15:09|080the ray of the mind, just as the soul has an effect upon the ray 210|00:15:09|580|00:15:10|480of the astral body. And the... 211|00:15:13|390|00:15:17|150Yeah, the personality has the effect upon the 212|00:15:17|630|00:15:20|270ray of the personality. 213|00:15:21|070|00:15:24|590So, you know, say you have a mind that's on a particular 214|00:15:25|630|00:15:29|070ray, let's say the fourth ray, but your monad is the third. 215|00:15:29|230|00:15:33|470And so the third ray influence will be blending 216|00:15:33|970|00:15:37|520with the fourth ray tendencies if 217|00:15:38|020|00:15:41|840you are of a sufficient stage of development to 218|00:15:42|160|00:15:45|840warrant that blending. So the stimulation 219|00:15:46|080|00:15:50|240is occurring, you know, once you've taken the first degree. You're not aware of the 220|00:15:50|740|00:15:54|120monad's presence within the soul nature, but it 221|00:15:54|620|00:15:58|880does have an effect. The action of the egoic ray upon 222|00:15:59|380|00:16:02|840the astral permanent atom is felt as soon as the ego can 223|00:16:03|340|00:16:06|820make a good connection with the physical brain. And so that is. 224|00:16:07|860|00:16:12|100Well, what should we say earlier? This is an important reference earlier 225|00:16:13|460|00:16:17|780when this is so, the egoic ray is beginning to affect that 226|00:16:18|280|00:16:22|300astral permanent atom powerfully and continuously. And this occurs when 227|00:16:22|800|00:16:26|580a man is highly evolved and is nearing the path. So he's nearing 228|00:16:26|980|00:16:28|260the first initiation. 229|00:16:31|040|00:16:34|960And if I was to look here on page 71, 230|00:16:36|560|00:16:38|880would I find it? Let's just see. 231|00:16:39|680|00:16:42|560Okay. And maybe there would be. 232|00:16:43|520|00:16:47|520Right. Well, he basically says here that 233|00:16:48|020|00:16:51|520the personality ray has a direct action upon the physical permanent 234|00:16:52|020|00:16:56|320atom //(TCF, p.71)// and is going to blend, I suppose, 235|00:16:56|400|00:17:00|100its ray, that of the physical permanent atom. 236|00:17:00|600|00:17:04|420And the egoic ray has a similar effect upon the astral permanent atom. The monadic 237|00:17:04|920|00:17:06|820ray has a close effect. 238|00:17:08|020|00:17:12|020It has a close connection with the mental unit. 239|00:17:12|500|00:17:16|260The connection, the word "connection" is not the same as "direct 240|00:17:16|760|00:17:20|380action," but... Well, for the moment, we can think of it 241|00:17:20|880|00:17:21|620maybe that way. 242|00:17:24|779|00:17:29|099The effect which they have is threefold, he says, but it is not simultaneous. 243|00:17:29|599|00:17:32|819They work ever, as do all things in nature, in ordered cycles. 244|00:17:33|319|00:17:36|419For instance, the stimulation—for instance, that is the 245|00:17:36|919|00:17:40|379result of the action of the monadic ray upon the mental unit—is 246|00:17:40|879|00:17:45|179only felt when the aspirant treads the path or after he has taken the 247|00:17:45|679|00:17:49|459first initiation. And that's what we have been studying 248|00:17:49|959|00:17:51|240here. And... 249|00:17:53|880|00:17:56|520Yeah, so the effect, 250|00:17:56|760|00:17:57|320perhaps. 251|00:18:01|080|00:18:04|400Oh, there's such important stuff here, you know. And I've made comment 252|00:18:04|900|00:18:07|800upon this in a written form. 253|00:18:09|000|00:18:12|720The different spirillae in the permanent atoms and whether they are 254|00:18:13|220|00:18:15|880associated with the personality of the first force, 255|00:18:16|380|00:18:20|370spirillae. The egoic ray concerns the fifth 256|00:18:20|530|00:18:24|290and the sixth, and the monadic ray the seventh. 257|00:18:27|010|00:18:27|650All right, 258|00:18:34|530|00:18:37|410I wanted to get something here that was related. 259|00:18:38|370|00:18:40|610And we find this in Esoteric Psychology, 260|00:18:41|490|00:18:45|140volume one. See what 261|00:18:45|640|00:18:49|700we've just been reading. Cosmic Fire tells us that the monadic 262|00:18:50|200|00:18:53|620ray has an effect upon the mental unit, the egoic ray 263|00:18:54|120|00:18:59|340upon the astral permanent atom, and the personality upon the physical 264|00:18:59|840|00:19:00|380permanent atom. 265|00:19:03|180|00:19:05|580But that's not upon the vehicle itself. 266|00:19:05|900|00:19:09|260There's another reference here. The personality ray 267|00:19:09|860|00:19:13|460finds its major field of activity and expression in 268|00:19:13|960|00:19:17|380the physical body. It determines its life trend 269|00:19:17|540|00:19:20|740and purpose, its appearance and occupation. 270|00:19:21|460|00:19:24|820It is selective of quality when influenced by the 271|00:19:25|540|00:19:29|100egoic ray, because we have life, quality and appearance, 272|00:19:29|600|00:19:33|620and quality is associated with the egoic ray. The egoic ray has direct 273|00:19:34|120|00:19:37|780and specific action upon the astral body. We're not only talking here 274|00:19:38|180|00:19:42|700about the astral permanent atom. Hence the battlefield of 275|00:19:43|200|00:19:46|620the life is ever on the plane of illusions. He's calling that the 276|00:19:47|120|00:19:50|580astral plane. As the soul seeks to dispel the ancient glamour, 277|00:19:51|060|00:19:55|140the aspirant is enabled to walk in the light. The monadic ray 278|00:19:55|300|00:19:59|100influences the mental body after the integration of 279|00:19:59|600|00:20:02|910the personality has been brought about. Now you 280|00:20:03|410|00:20:07|150know, what kind of integration is this? The integration which is previous 281|00:20:07|550|00:20:11|430to a substantial degree of soul infusion 282|00:20:11|930|00:20:15|790because there is such an integration. And that integrated personality may war 283|00:20:16|290|00:20:19|990against the tendency towards increased 284|00:20:20|490|00:20:24|830soul infusion. It causes the mind nature to achieve that clear vision which 285|00:20:24|910|00:20:28|310finds its consummation at the fourth initiation and releases 286|00:20:28|810|00:20:32|680the man from the limitations of form. So there 287|00:20:33|180|00:20:37|160is an analogy to this triplicity and an interesting symbolic 288|00:20:37|660|00:20:40|520relation in the three initiations. 289|00:20:41|400|00:20:45|200So maybe that, you know, would have to be put 290|00:20:45|700|00:20:47|240in here as well. 291|00:20:48|680|00:20:52|280Subsidiary. Oh, 292|00:20:52|840|00:20:54|840oh goodness, there it is. 293|00:20:55|640|00:20:59|720I went looking for it and it was there all the 294|00:21:00|220|00:21:03|920time. Well, that's what we, that's what we tend 295|00:21:04|420|00:21:08|200to discover as we go along. But anyway, there has to be some 296|00:21:08|700|00:21:12|520sort of manner in which the different monadic egoic 297|00:21:13|020|00:21:18|200personality rays influence the ray that is already present. 298|00:21:19|320|00:21:22|760And it's at the first 299|00:21:23|260|00:21:26|870initiation anyway, apparently, that the monadic 300|00:21:27|370|00:21:30|590ray is beginning to have its effect. 301|00:21:31|230|00:21:34|430It's only felt when the aspirant treads the path 302|00:21:35|150|00:21:38|630or after he has taken the first initiation. Then it leads to a 303|00:21:39|130|00:21:42|590kind of clarity of mind, clear vision, 304|00:21:43|150|00:21:46|430which will find its consummation at the fourth degree. 305|00:21:47|790|00:21:51|950Again, you know, D.K. was discussing with this individual 306|00:21:52|450|00:21:55|980who thought he was taking the fourth degree. But basically D.K. told 307|00:21:56|480|00:21:59|940him, "Look, the clarity of your vision is not 308|00:22:00|440|00:22:03|620sufficient for the fourth degree because you are still blinded 309|00:22:04|120|00:22:08|580by certain glamours and so forth." He talked about the fourth degree being 310|00:22:09|080|00:22:12|460approached clear-eyed. So maybe that has something 311|00:22:12|960|00:22:15|060to do with the monad's influence. 312|00:22:16|580|00:22:20|740Now here is something I've mentioned before and I think it's quite interesting. 313|00:22:21|060|00:22:24|110From Esoteric Psychology, 314|00:22:24|510|00:22:27|910Volume 2, page 386: "It is interesting to note 315|00:22:28|410|00:22:31|870that prior to the first initiation, 316|00:22:33|310|00:22:37|150the personalities of all aspirants 317|00:22:38|269|00:22:42|310to this great expansion of consciousness will be found upon the third 318|00:22:42|810|00:22:47|190ray, which is like the solar plexus center, a great clearinghouse 319|00:22:47|690|00:22:52|450for energies because 320|00:22:52|950|00:22:56|570the energies have to pass through that 321|00:22:57|070|00:23:00|650center. A great clearinghouse for energies and a great transmuting 322|00:23:00|810|00:23:05|290station." I suppose transmutation is 323|00:23:05|790|00:23:09|370purification, if I may use the term. So let's, 324|00:23:09|870|00:23:12|330let's just say to ourselves that trans... 325|00:23:14|340|00:23:15|780All right, I see what the problem is. 326|00:23:17|780|00:23:21|460Yeah, the problem is that I had a different cut 327|00:23:21|960|00:23:25|300and paste there. All right. Sorry for these 328|00:23:25|860|00:23:29|220minor technical delays, but it doesn't make sense to stop 329|00:23:29|720|00:23:33|380because then you get involved with all kinds of other difficulties. 330|00:23:34|900|00:23:39|980Yeah. So transmutation is 331|00:23:40|480|00:23:44|530purification. It is the elevation 332|00:23:45|730|00:23:50|850of the quality of the atoms. 333|00:23:52|290|00:23:53|490It says, if he may... 334|00:23:55|650|00:23:59|890Now, here, there's something here that I have put 335|00:24:00|390|00:24:04|210in: "At the third initiation, you need not have the third 336|00:24:04|530|00:24:08|250ray." Well, I'm not sure quite what 337|00:24:08|750|00:24:12|760I meant by that. But let's just see if something emerges. 338|00:24:13|480|00:24:18|120"Third Ray is needed for an integrated personality." That's our next 339|00:24:18|360|00:24:21|800thing to consider. And that's in Rays 340|00:24:22|300|00:24:25|400and the Initiation: "Certain of the advanced humanity of the period 341|00:24:26|120|00:24:29|680gradually found their way onto, or rather into, the stream of 342|00:24:30|180|00:24:33|640divine energy we call the third Ray." And this is, 343|00:24:33|720|00:24:37|320let's say, prior to the first initiation. 344|00:24:38|870|00:24:42|390"It was a period of growing intelligence." 345|00:24:42|890|00:24:46|550Now, you know, you cannot have the third 346|00:24:47|050|00:24:51|990Ray as part of your soul 347|00:24:52|490|00:24:54|550expression. Let's see if I can... 348|00:24:55|670|00:24:59|670You cannot... Okay. You cannot have the third Ray as part 349|00:25:00|170|00:25:03|790of your soul 350|00:25:04|290|00:25:08|150expression, and maybe even personality expression, before the period 351|00:25:08|650|00:25:12|470of intelligence supervenes. So during 352|00:25:12|970|00:25:16|470the Atlantean period, which this is discussing, 353|00:25:16|870|00:25:20|950people reached that stage of intelligence and could transfer 354|00:25:21|450|00:25:26|270onto the third ray. "The possibility, therefore, of their becoming integrated 355|00:25:26|770|00:25:30|310personalities was for the first time recognized," because the third ray has 356|00:25:30|810|00:25:33|940to be important in the factor of integration. Interestingly, 357|00:25:34|580|00:25:37|780I'll put that down: "Third Ray, important in the 358|00:25:38|280|00:25:40|260factor of integration." 359|00:25:41|300|00:25:47|740And both Cancer and 360|00:25:48|240|00:25:52|340Capricorn have the third Ray 361|00:25:52|820|00:25:54|740streaming through them. 362|00:25:57|540|00:26:00|940And they are both signs 363|00:26:01|440|00:26:04|460of integration. "Such an integration must 364|00:26:04|960|00:26:08|060ever precede conscious human initiation." 365|00:26:08|860|00:26:11|580And, well, 366|00:26:11|980|00:26:15|740conscious human initiation, it could be the third degree. 367|00:26:17|660|00:26:21|140Because certainly an integrated personality is needed by then, but maybe even the 368|00:26:21|640|00:26:26|080first degree. Perhaps even the first degree 369|00:26:26|160|00:26:28|880is indicated. All right. 370|00:26:30|800|00:26:31|600So, you know, 371|00:26:33|440|00:26:37|200different kinds of personality and soul 372|00:26:38|080|00:26:42|520rays are entering as 373|00:26:43|020|00:26:46|280possible expressions at different periods. 374|00:26:46|780|00:26:51|200Now, the first and the second ray personality 375|00:26:51|700|00:26:55|120and even soul do 376|00:26:55|620|00:27:00|000not enter until the time that one 377|00:27:00|500|00:27:03|920is approaching the first initiation. The third ray personality— 378|00:27:04|420|00:27:07|560remember that everything begins with 4, 5, 6 and 7. The possibility 379|00:27:08|060|00:27:12|040of a third ray personality and even a third ray soul, in which the sixth 380|00:27:12|540|00:27:16|000of the fourth ray can transfer onto the third ray soul 381|00:27:16|500|00:27:20|590nature, comes in during the period of intelligence, which is 382|00:27:20|670|00:27:24|750always preceding the actual 383|00:27:24|830|00:27:29|030initiatory period—actually preceding the 384|00:27:29|530|00:27:32|830first initiation. Okay, 385|00:27:34|990|00:27:38|230so, you know, I've sometimes talked before: if you're a third ray 386|00:27:38|730|00:27:42|550soul, can you have a third ray personality? And it has seemed to 387|00:27:43|050|00:27:46|940me that the doubling of the rays—same soul ray 388|00:27:47|440|00:27:51|140and personality ray—occur only at quite an advanced stage. 389|00:27:51|540|00:27:55|140Now, you read about this, as far as I know, only once in 390|00:27:55|640|00:27:58|740the teaching, and that is with regard to the integration 391|00:27:59|620|00:28:03|660of the first ray soul—the integration process involving 392|00:28:04|160|00:28:07|460the first ray soul, where at long last it is possible— 393|00:28:08|100|00:28:11|860I suspect rare; none of the disciples 394|00:28:12|360|00:28:16|200had this—to have both a first ray soul and a first ray personality. 395|00:28:16|440|00:28:19|720And it's only when balance can really be maintained. 396|00:28:20|220|00:28:24|960Maybe a fourth ray mind is found there, and 397|00:28:25|460|00:28:28|920a second ray astral body and a sixth ray physical 398|00:28:29|080|00:28:32|360etheric body, and the balance is thereby achieved. 399|00:28:32|860|00:28:36|240Well, probably it would be a different story with a double 400|00:28:36|740|00:28:40|010two or a double three. These things, I suspect, 401|00:28:40|510|00:28:44|050are possible and for certain purposes, but only 402|00:28:44|530|00:28:48|410when the balance can be preserved. And I don't think that's 403|00:28:48|910|00:28:53|050at the first initiation or that period where 404|00:28:53|550|00:28:57|210we're just really starting on the spiritual path, and so 405|00:28:57|710|00:29:00|970much struggle and adjustment lies ahead of us. I don't 406|00:29:01|470|00:29:04|850think that balance can at all be achieved 407|00:29:05|490|00:29:09|210at that early stage. And so the double ray, in my 408|00:29:09|710|00:29:13|490opinion anyway, is not likely there. I've seen some ray theorists 409|00:29:13|890|00:29:17|330that load up their assessments with like four, 410|00:29:17|830|00:29:21|009four, four, four, four, four, you know, that kind of thing, or three, three, 411|00:29:21|509|00:29:25|290three, three, three, you know. But I don't think there's 412|00:29:25|790|00:29:29|330a rational basis for that kind of doubling 413|00:29:29|830|00:29:32|320up, tripling up, quadrupling up the rays. 414|00:29:33|600|00:29:38|280Okay, now the next section is— 415|00:29:42|480|00:29:46|480it's from Cosmic Fire, and it's about 416|00:29:46|980|00:29:50|320the pranic fire and kundalini fire at the first 417|00:29:50|820|00:29:53|960initiation. So this is a technical matter concerning the first 418|00:29:54|460|00:29:59|350initiation: "It produces a quickening of the normal vibration 419|00:29:59|850|00:30:04|030of the physical body so that it responds with more readiness 420|00:30:04|530|00:30:09|310to the higher note of the ego, and causes a steady 421|00:30:09|810|00:30:12|190rising of the blending fires"—I suppose 422|00:30:12|510|00:30:15|710kundalini and pranic—"through the threefold 423|00:30:16|210|00:30:19|390channel of the spinal column." Now let's see what the "it" is. 424|00:30:21|630|00:30:25|980You know, that's the trouble with taking these references a 425|00:30:26|480|00:30:30|140little bit out of context. You're beginning 426|00:30:30|640|00:30:33|940somewhere and you're not quite sure where. And let's see where 427|00:30:34|440|00:30:38|220it is. Yeah, this is an important one: 123 and 124. 428|00:30:38|940|00:30:42|180So the third stage is that in which active 429|00:30:42|680|00:30:46|180radiatory matter, or prana, is blended ever more perfectly with 430|00:30:46|680|00:30:50|260the fire latent in matter—we might call that kundalini 431|00:30:50|760|00:30:53|570fire—and this results in certain effects, 432|00:30:54|070|00:30:56|970this blending. So I'm going to— 433|00:30:59|130|00:31:02|490yeah, I'm going to at least 434|00:31:02|990|00:31:06|930put this part. Obviously, this is one of those sections, and I detailed 435|00:31:07|430|00:31:11|130it quite adequately, I hope, 436|00:31:11|930|00:31:15|290in the written commentary on A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 437|00:31:15|790|00:31:18|500which you can find on Makara. 438|00:31:20|020|00:31:23|460So if I go here, I'll be able to get the 439|00:31:23|960|00:31:25|860it won't. I... Okay, 440|00:31:27|940|00:31:31|660so the third stage is that in which active radiatory 441|00:31:32|160|00:31:35|460matter, or prana—remember there is active fire and latent 442|00:31:35|960|00:31:39|540fire—is blended ever more perfectly with the fire latent 443|00:31:40|040|00:31:44|010in matter. And this results in this quickening of 444|00:31:44|510|00:31:48|090the normal vibration of the physical body, so it can respond to the 445|00:31:48|590|00:31:51|450higher note of the ego. We have to get it keyed up so that the 446|00:31:51|950|00:31:57|250egoic energy can 447|00:31:57|330|00:32:01|050be absorbed and applied. And it 448|00:32:01|550|00:32:05|530causes a steady rising of the blended fires. So these fires 449|00:32:06|030|00:32:10|700are prana and latent. It's active—active 450|00:32:11|200|00:32:13|260fire and latent fire. They're blending. 451|00:32:14|140|00:32:18|380So the blending fires are active 452|00:32:18|460|00:32:21|340fire and latent fire. 453|00:32:22|700|00:32:26|860And I'm going to just make that blue so 454|00:32:27|360|00:32:30|140we can keep it under control. 455|00:32:31|260|00:32:34|500Okay. Through the threefold channel in the spinal 456|00:32:35|000|00:32:38|040column. And we're not yet here talking about the 457|00:32:38|540|00:32:41|280particular routes that are followed in the second stage. 458|00:32:42|320|00:32:45|880This vitalizing blended fire reaches the 459|00:32:46|380|00:32:50|960center between the lower part of the shoulder blades. 460|00:32:51|360|00:32:55|120And let's just call that a 461|00:32:55|280|00:32:58|880pranic center, which is described on page 462|00:32:59|520|00:33:02|160170 of Cosmic Fire, I believe. 463|00:33:03|170|00:33:06|850Let's just check it out. Or if not 464|00:33:07|350|00:33:11|050quite 170, then 169. The shoulder center. 465|00:33:11|550|00:33:15|130That's it. The center near the diaphragm, but above it and 466|00:33:15|630|00:33:18|529the spleen. Okay. Okay. 467|00:33:19|029|00:33:22|570So which is the point of 468|00:33:23|070|00:33:26|690conjunction and of complete merging of the fire from the base of the spine 469|00:33:27|190|00:33:30|980and the fire circulating along the pranic triangle, 470|00:33:31|480|00:33:35|260which we've just looked at on page 169. It will be remembered 471|00:33:35|760|00:33:37|940how one point of this triangle originates there. 472|00:33:39|460|00:33:43|300Yeah, it's going to be, I suppose, 473|00:33:43|800|00:33:47|500the shoulder center. When the threefold basic fire and the 474|00:33:48|000|00:33:50|740threefold pranic fire meet and merge. 475|00:33:52|020|00:33:54|580That's interesting, that they are each threefold. 476|00:33:55|060|00:33:58|830Then evolution proceeds with greatly 477|00:33:59|330|00:34:03|270increased velocity. Notice to say around 478|00:34:03|770|00:34:06|910the period of the first initiation. This is affected, 479|00:34:07|410|00:34:11|630definitely, at least finally, by the first initiation. 480|00:34:12|110|00:34:15|510Apparently it could occur before when the polarization becomes 481|00:34:16|010|00:34:19|470fixed in one or other of the three higher centers, 482|00:34:19|970|00:34:23|920which center being dependent on a man's ray. And this is the 483|00:34:24|420|00:34:28|880monadic ray. So these are some of the energy things that 484|00:34:29|380|00:34:33|000are happening as the first initiation is being taken. 485|00:34:33|640|00:34:37|440There is a blending of active fire and latent fire. 486|00:34:37|940|00:34:42|680Each one of them is threefold. They are merging together in 487|00:34:42|760|00:34:45|960a center in the pranic triangle. It's the 488|00:34:46|460|00:34:49|480highest center in the pranic triangle. 489|00:34:50|539|00:34:53|619And the entire process of 490|00:34:54|119|00:34:58|379evolution is being speeded up from the time the blending and merging occurs around 491|00:34:58|879|00:35:02|659the period of the first initiation. Well, this blending and 492|00:35:03|159|00:35:06|579merging of the fires in general, we don't 493|00:35:07|079|00:35:10|499have to be concerned with or work with. This will 494|00:35:10|999|00:35:14|819happen quite naturally unless a master is taking a 495|00:35:15|319|00:35:19|280student under special advisement and special cultivation. 496|00:35:19|920|00:35:23|080But you might wonder why the master would do that around the time 497|00:35:23|580|00:35:27|080of the first initiation, because it's just the beginning, really. Maybe around the 498|00:35:27|580|00:35:31|360time of the third initiation. That could happen because the person is an accepted 499|00:35:31|860|00:35:35|920disciple. And some ability might be seen by the master which warrants 500|00:35:36|320|00:35:40|240the special training. You know, I keep on thinking about C.W. 501|00:35:40|740|00:35:45|300Leadbeater, who had many gifts. And those gifts were 502|00:35:45|800|00:35:50|100the result, I think, of some special training he received from Master Kuthumi. 503|00:35:50|900|00:35:54|900You know, his ability was seen, and he did write 504|00:35:55|400|00:36:00|819extensively and awakened people to many interior 505|00:36:01|060|00:36:04|860events, or at least he described them, and people became aware 506|00:36:05|360|00:36:08|740of them. So fires are blending, 507|00:36:09|700|00:36:12|580and there's a kind of a sixfold blending. 508|00:36:13|080|00:36:16|710Interesting that the personality itself... You know, when you look at 509|00:36:17|210|00:36:20|510Gemini, Castor and Pollux, Pollux is 510|00:36:20|670|00:36:25|070a giant star, but Castor is 511|00:36:25|570|00:36:29|230really six stars. It's three doubles. So it's kind of 512|00:36:29|730|00:36:33|270interesting that when you think about the three and the three and three times two, 513|00:36:33|770|00:36:36|990we have a six related to the personality. 514|00:36:37|070|00:36:41|080So these are, I suppose, the fires 515|00:36:41|400|00:36:46|280of the personality that we are here discussing. 516|00:36:46|520|00:36:50|360In any case, the initiatory process 517|00:36:50|680|00:36:54|040represents a speeding up of evolution and even from 518|00:36:54|540|00:36:58|200the time immediately before the first initiation. And so this 519|00:36:58|700|00:37:01|000is good to know. Okay. 520|00:37:01|880|00:37:03|800All right. Now, 521|00:37:06|580|00:37:07|140excuse me. 522|00:37:09|940|00:37:13|260Now, this is from Dinah 2. I mean, you know, in a way, we're kind 523|00:37:13|760|00:37:17|860of skipping all over the place here. It's a little less 524|00:37:18|820|00:37:22|100coherent than the actual compilation, which at least 525|00:37:23|060|00:37:27|380had the books in order. For myself, 526|00:37:27|620|00:37:31|020I was... The order here is as I excised 527|00:37:31|520|00:37:35|160them for my own references, as I was poring over the 528|00:37:35|660|00:37:39|520books. Over the books. So accepted disciples are in 529|00:37:40|020|00:37:43|360the hierarchy and have taken the first initiation. This is an 530|00:37:43|860|00:37:46|640idea with which we are familiar. And if you do look, 531|00:37:50|160|00:37:53|600I guess that's... That's one. We'll do this one. 532|00:37:59|370|00:38:03|530Okay, well, that's nice, but I'm 533|00:38:04|030|00:38:07|130looking for something different there. I'm looking for that. 534|00:38:07|530|00:38:12|130And this blue circle is the circle of 535|00:38:12|630|00:38:17|570hierarchy. It also seems to be a circle including Shambhala. 536|00:38:18|070|00:38:20|890And we do see that, well, 537|00:38:21|390|00:38:25|900even people of lower grade than the accepted disciple are 538|00:38:26|400|00:38:30|860found within the periphery or on the periphery of hierarchy. 539|00:38:31|020|00:38:33|180So as students of these things, 540|00:38:34|380|00:38:37|420if we have taken the first degree or the second degree, 541|00:38:40|380|00:38:43|980or even if we are on the probationary path, we really are under the 542|00:38:44|460|00:38:48|340influence of hierarchy. And having 543|00:38:48|840|00:38:52|100taken the first or second degree or for sure, when we are an accepted 544|00:38:52|600|00:38:56|990disciple, we are, we might say, within the 545|00:38:57|490|00:39:01|470periphery of hierarchy. But the question is, can you 546|00:39:01|970|00:39:04|070see it? Can you see it in yourself? Can you see it in others? 547|00:39:04|790|00:39:09|190I mean, when you look, can you practice that 548|00:39:09|690|00:39:13|270third siddhi on the higher mental plane called 549|00:39:15|350|00:39:19|240spiritual discernment? Can you 550|00:39:19|740|00:39:24|080see the approximate spiritual level, 551|00:39:24|480|00:39:27|720level of spiritual evolution, and therefore know 552|00:39:28|220|00:39:31|680how to speak and what to offer and what to 553|00:39:32|240|00:39:35|560attempt to evoke? You know, so we 554|00:39:36|060|00:39:39|480need to practice this with people we know. We don't, 555|00:39:39|980|00:39:43|360you know, need to make judgments and kind of rank people, and it can be 556|00:39:43|860|00:39:47|750a form of egotism when we do that. But if we are bound to help 557|00:39:48|250|00:39:53|190somebody and D.K. suggests spending five hours studying 558|00:39:53|690|00:39:57|110the person before you really begin, then we want to 559|00:39:57|610|00:40:01|030have some kind of ability to place such a person 560|00:40:01|530|00:40:04|310and see what they are striving towards, 561|00:40:05|350|00:40:08|710the level at which they stand. I mean, have they taken the first degree? 562|00:40:09|030|00:40:12|720Are they little chelas? Are they chelas 563|00:40:13|220|00:40:17|120in the light? Are they really accepted disciples, you know, 564|00:40:18|480|00:40:21|960and so forth? Or, you know, do some of the higher 565|00:40:22|460|00:40:24|560stages of discipleship apply to them? 566|00:40:25|440|00:40:29|600We maybe cannot know for sure and mistakes are made. But in 567|00:40:30|100|00:40:33|200order at least to deliver something helpful, 568|00:40:33|760|00:40:37|080we have to have that kind 569|00:40:37|580|00:40:40|850of idea to give us at least a starting 570|00:40:41|350|00:40:43|250point, a point of orientation. 571|00:40:44|450|00:40:48|050All right. So I would remind you, says Master D.K., 572|00:40:48|550|00:40:50|290that when you think of the hierarchy, 573|00:40:51|890|00:40:54|770you think in the terms of the masters, as most people do, 574|00:40:55|170|00:40:58|490and of the higher initiates. And this is not correct. I think 575|00:40:58|990|00:41:02|450I did this one before, but it bears repeating. Every accepted disciple is 576|00:41:02|950|00:41:06|820within the periphery of hierarchy, within it. Not just standing on 577|00:41:07|320|00:41:11|140the periphery, you know, sort of knocking at the door, but has actually been brought 578|00:41:11|640|00:41:16|300in because, being accepted, they are members of the ashram, and however 579|00:41:16|700|00:41:19|340lowly their status, they're in. 580|00:41:19|980|00:41:23|180And the ashram is within the hierarchy, of course. 581|00:41:23|820|00:41:27|740So every accepted disciple is within the periphery 582|00:41:28|240|00:41:31|870of hierarchy, as that map seems to show us. And as 583|00:41:32|370|00:41:36|150I frequently pointed out, all have in some past life 584|00:41:37|990|00:41:40|870only, or in this life as well. 585|00:41:42|230|00:41:45|509Well, he seems to hint at the importance of taking the first 586|00:41:46|009|00:41:49|830initiation in a past life. Have taken the 587|00:41:50|330|00:41:53|910first initiation. Every disciple has been to Bethlehem, you know, the house 588|00:41:54|410|00:41:58|320of bread. It's an etheric place, etheric physical place, 589|00:41:58|820|00:42:02|800really, and sort of commits us to work within the phenomenal worlds. 590|00:42:03|760|00:42:08|080We have that birth within the heart at the lowest level 591|00:42:08|320|00:42:11|680and have much to work out on that lowest 592|00:42:12|180|00:42:15|440level, even on the, you know, the systemic, 593|00:42:18|080|00:42:21|760gaseous, liquid and dense levels 594|00:42:22|260|00:42:25|720or subplanes. Every disciple has been to Bethlehem and has seen the star 595|00:42:26|440|00:42:30|960in the east, which we 596|00:42:31|460|00:42:35|080can say which inspired his or her aspiration. 597|00:42:36|360|00:42:40|840And the three kings 598|00:42:42|120|00:42:45|880within himself made 599|00:42:46|680|00:42:50|330the journey towards that star 600|00:42:51|930|00:42:56|250and then have participated 601|00:42:56|730|00:43:00|410in the birth. Well, that's looking 602|00:43:00|910|00:43:03|730at the three kings a little bit differently, you know, but we all have the 603|00:43:04|230|00:43:08|090three kings within our nature and, you know, probably representing 604|00:43:08|590|00:43:12|050the mental, astral and etheric 605|00:43:12|550|00:43:16|320physical nature. And we have to bring them towards 606|00:43:16|820|00:43:20|920the higher possibilities represented by that star, which represents a higher 607|00:43:21|420|00:43:23|960power with which we are coming into rapport. 608|00:43:25|000|00:43:29|160So do realise that we are finding 609|00:43:29|800|00:43:33|360higher potencies in these kinds of studies and our 610|00:43:33|860|00:43:37|240aspirational objective is really to be in rapport with 611|00:43:37|740|00:43:40|920these higher potencies and not just talk about them. Obviously that 612|00:43:41|420|00:43:46|140star which shines forth in fuller splendour each time another initiation 613|00:43:46|540|00:43:50|460is taken. So with the first, second and third degree there 614|00:43:50|960|00:43:53|500is that star. And he talks about the stars. 615|00:43:54|860|00:43:58|567He talks about a seven- 616|00:43:58|751|00:44:04|460pointed star at 617|00:44:04|960|00:44:09|500some of the higher initiations. And also six- 618|00:44:10|000|00:44:14|190pointed and five-pointed is 619|00:44:14|690|00:44:17|910the usual. So he does talk about that in relation. 620|00:44:18|470|00:44:22|590Some of the higher, the more 621|00:44:23|090|00:44:27|029pointed stars, what can I say, are found 622|00:44:27|529|00:44:30|670at the higher initiations and involve the Buddhic 623|00:44:31|170|00:44:35|390and the atmic plane and so forth. But there are these inner phenomena 624|00:44:35|890|00:44:39|550which are in the nature of confirmations. 625|00:44:39|950|00:44:43|390And I was just thinking that, you know, 626|00:44:43|890|00:44:47|710Madame Roerich and some other first-rate people that I know see stars. 627|00:44:48|210|00:44:51|070They, you know, at certain points when they're on the right track, 628|00:44:51|550|00:44:55|670they see a star of a certain kind flashing 629|00:44:56|170|00:44:59|670forth in confirmation or affirmation of what they're thinking or 630|00:45:00|170|00:45:03|990the process that they are going through or what they're discovering. And when evil is 631|00:45:04|490|00:45:08|060present, when the danger is present, they may see a black star. 632|00:45:09|100|00:45:12|620That was reported in relation to Madame Roerich. 633|00:45:12|700|00:45:16|180And, well, and I think 634|00:45:16|680|00:45:21|340it takes place with other people too. I don't know if it's a, specifically a, 635|00:45:23|100|00:45:26|180what can I say, a first ray soul kind of 636|00:45:26|680|00:45:30|580thing, but maybe it's available to everybody. But Master Morya 637|00:45:31|080|00:45:34|730is the only one that I have read that is dealing with it. 638|00:45:36|490|00:45:40|730Well, here's something interesting about Arjuna 639|00:45:41|230|00:45:44|410and the first initiation. We're all Arjuna, aren't we? 640|00:45:44|910|00:45:48|449We are the warring disciple at war with 641|00:45:48|949|00:45:54|050the members of our own household. This is from Esoteric Psychology 217 642|00:45:54|550|00:45:58|660and 18. And you know, the fight really begins well 643|00:45:59|160|00:46:02|660before the first initiation. But the fight only gets more intense and 644|00:46:03|160|00:46:07|260the dweller on the threshold is not really overcome 645|00:46:08|220|00:46:10|380until the fourth degree, perhaps. 646|00:46:11|260|00:46:15|060Maybe it's humanity's dweller and a little bit of that 647|00:46:15|560|00:46:19|340immense thought form is negated or conquered. 648|00:46:19|840|00:46:21|980or somehow neutralized. Our own dweller, perhaps. 649|00:46:23|340|00:46:26|950It's... It's called a fearful conflict. It involves Mars and 650|00:46:27|450|00:46:31|230the moon. And the moon probably veiling the 651|00:46:31|730|00:46:34|830planet of will, Vulcan. It says veiling a hidden planet, page 70 652|00:46:35|330|00:46:38|230or 71 in Esoteric Astrology. You make up your own mind. 653|00:46:39|670|00:46:43|310But we do struggle, okay? And humanity is the struggling kingdom. 654|00:46:43|810|00:46:47|310It's a fourth ray kingdom and its sign is Scorpio. And you just can't get 655|00:46:47|810|00:46:52|030a sign in which any more struggle is occurring. So it's 656|00:46:52|530|00:46:55|670really through conflict in Scorpio, in the fourth ray, 657|00:46:55|750|00:46:58|230we do eventually achieve harmony. 658|00:46:59|670|00:47:03|310So here's Arjuna, and that's who we are. We are the one who 659|00:47:03|810|00:47:07|430is torn between the different aspects 660|00:47:07|930|00:47:11|750of his nature, higher and lower, when he is definitely aware of the issues involved. 661|00:47:12|790|00:47:17|160And it takes a while because at first he is dejected and doesn't know what 662|00:47:17|660|00:47:20|920to do because they are both members of his household and he feels 663|00:47:21|420|00:47:25|000closely related to both and definitely throws the weight of his influence, 664|00:47:25|560|00:47:28|920desires and mind on the side 665|00:47:29|420|00:47:33|960of the soul. He can take the first initiation. So that's Arjuna 666|00:47:35|480|00:47:38|520and the first initiation. That's what this is all about. 667|00:47:39|480|00:47:44|110So, you know, let's ask: when can Arjuna take 668|00:47:44|610|00:47:47|870the first initiation? And we are all Arjuna 669|00:47:47|950|00:47:51|390or Arjuna, however we 670|00:47:51|890|00:47:55|470want to pronounce that. Here in Finland, everything is laid on the first 671|00:47:55|970|00:47:59|910syllable. So French is very different, you know. Let's say 672|00:48:00|410|00:48:04|270the word "information." Information, you know, it's the fourth syllable. 673|00:48:04|670|00:48:07|390But here, if it was... 674|00:48:08|190|00:48:12|790the word for in Finnish for information is "opastus." 675|00:48:12|950|00:48:16|630Instead of "opastus" or "opastus," it's... "Opastus" is 676|00:48:17|130|00:48:20|430always the first syllable. And that gives me 677|00:48:20|930|00:48:24|230a problem. Okay, when the ray of the soul focuses itself 678|00:48:24|310|00:48:27|590fully through him and all 679|00:48:28|090|00:48:31|190his centers are controlled by that focus, 680|00:48:31|350|00:48:35|030soul ray, he then becomes the transfigured initiate 681|00:48:35|530|00:48:40|710and takes the third initiation as well. This is so important when... 682|00:48:41|210|00:48:45|430you know, this is a major extent of soul infusion, 683|00:48:46|150|00:48:49|510really. So here's when we can take the first, here we 684|00:48:50|010|00:48:53|590can take the second. We can imagine that there is some interim 685|00:48:54|090|00:48:57|670stage involving the second initiation. 686|00:48:59|030|00:49:02|230So whatever the centers are doing is the ray of the soul 687|00:49:02|730|00:49:05|890that is basically controlling them. So, you know, 688|00:49:06|390|00:49:10|130I would ask you: do you feel your soul ray coming in? 689|00:49:11|170|00:49:15|130And if you... you know, if you've decided what it is and you've 690|00:49:15|630|00:49:19|130ascertained it, or pretty certain of it, you know, don't let any teacher 691|00:49:19|630|00:49:23|090tell you exactly what it is. D.K. is D.K., and he can tell you, 692|00:49:23|590|00:49:26|530but everything else is an educated guess. 693|00:49:28|370|00:49:31|790So, you know, you've got to experiment for yourself, really. 694|00:49:32|270|00:49:35|710But do you feel something coming in? And does it come over you? 695|00:49:36|210|00:49:40|350And how do you detect it? 696|00:49:40|830|00:49:45|470You know, this presence of the soul energy focusing 697|00:49:45|970|00:49:51|230fully through you and controlling your centers 698|00:49:51|550|00:49:55|190of speech, of love, of vision, you know, 699|00:49:55|690|00:49:58|580whatever. Controlling your centers. Do you feel that? 700|00:49:59|140|00:50:04|260That's a question for all of us. The ray of the personality is occultly extinguished. 701|00:50:04|760|00:50:08|780Occultly extinguished? Not just extinguished, but occultly extinguished 702|00:50:09|280|00:50:13|820or absorbed by the ray of the soul. And all the potencies and attributes of 703|00:50:14|320|00:50:17|580the lower rays become subsidiary to and coded by the soul ray. This is so good, 704|00:50:18|080|00:50:21|580isn't it? This is really a good one and something 705|00:50:22|080|00:50:25|230that we want to refer to in 706|00:50:25|730|00:50:28|550our process, right? I just use different colors, right? 707|00:50:29|270|00:50:32|550Okay. When the ray of the soul 708|00:50:33|050|00:50:38|022focuses fully through him, maybe we would call it like 75%. 709|00:50:38|278|00:50:42|39075%. Atomic matter is found 710|00:50:42|470|00:50:45|630in the etheric vehicle, 711|00:50:46|130|00:50:49|670and maybe in the astral vehicle too. It's a 712|00:50:50|170|00:50:53|970little more problematic when you come to the mental vehicle, because we 713|00:50:54|470|00:50:58|370have a different kind of etheric setup. With the angel 714|00:50:58|450|00:51:01|730there or the egoic lotus there, 715|00:51:04|850|00:51:06|930the disciple becomes a man of God. 716|00:51:08|290|00:51:11|970a person whose powers are controlled by the dominant vibration of the Soul 717|00:51:12|470|00:51:15|730Ray and whose inner sensitive mechanism 718|00:51:16|230|00:51:19|500is vibrating to the measure of that Soul Ray, which in turn, 719|00:51:19|660|00:51:23|180in its turn, is being itself reoriented 720|00:51:23|680|00:51:27|060to and controlled by the monadic ray. And let's 721|00:51:27|560|00:51:30|460just call it, you know, what do we have here? Blending. Whoa. 722|00:51:32|700|00:51:35|660Blending. Blending and blending. 723|00:51:39|260|00:51:42|940All right, so we have a lot of blending going on here 724|00:51:44|870|00:51:48|750of these different rays. And whereas you may be able to detect the presence 725|00:51:49|250|00:51:52|590of a given ray, you know, I ask this for all of us: Can we 726|00:51:53|090|00:51:57|950detect the presence of a blend? Now, that's another refinement in 727|00:51:58|450|00:52:02|070our analysis. Can you detect 728|00:52:02|570|00:52:06|390two rays together, three rays together? Can you discriminate? 729|00:52:06|790|00:52:10|640Discernment? Discern perhaps is the word. 730|00:52:11|600|00:52:14|000Well, you know, we'll get better at it for sure. 731|00:52:15|440|00:52:18|880So this is a very valuable paragraph. We are Arjuna, 732|00:52:19|840|00:52:23|600and when we finally decide, "Hey, I'm going to live the life 733|00:52:24|100|00:52:27|080of the soul," this is the first initiation. 734|00:52:27|580|00:52:32|160He can take that. Then his physical orientation, 735|00:52:32|640|00:52:36|240his desires, and his mind are on the side 736|00:52:36|320|00:52:39|920of the soul. So since we're dealing with the first initiation 737|00:52:40|420|00:52:43|880here, this is really the important one, 738|00:52:44|380|00:52:46|960you know. And I'll make it bigger as a result. 739|00:52:50|000|00:52:53|280So I assume people like ourselves have thrown the weight 740|00:52:53|780|00:52:57|400of our influence, desires and mind on 741|00:52:57|900|00:53:01|290the side of the soul. Not perfectly, of course, but we don't so much 742|00:53:01|790|00:53:05|530want what the personality wants, or at least we struggle with it. And the ancient 743|00:53:06|330|00:53:10|050authority of the personality is eventually beaten. It is 744|00:53:10|550|00:53:14|570conquered at the third degree when the 745|00:53:15|070|00:53:19|890soul is focusing fully through him. Now maybe 746|00:53:20|390|00:53:23|930it's only a portion of the solar angel that much, which is the angel of 747|00:53:24|430|00:53:28|480the Presence. You know, as I say, if the angel of the Presence with 748|00:53:28|980|00:53:32|960all its tremendous radiance and development focused fully 749|00:53:33|460|00:53:37|360through any vehicle that we have presently, I'm afraid the vehicle couldn't 750|00:53:37|860|00:53:41|160stand it, you know. So anyway, we are 751|00:53:41|660|00:53:45|720on our way to becoming men and women of God or, you know, true brothers 752|00:53:46|220|00:53:49|040to the hierarchy, a man of God. 753|00:53:50|080|00:53:53|650And I think they have to work very hard to 754|00:53:54|150|00:53:59|090make sure that our vibration is controlled by 755|00:53:59|590|00:54:03|570the Soul Ray. Our mechanism, the aspects of our mechanism, all controlled 756|00:54:04|070|00:54:06|890by the Soul Ray. So I would say this: 757|00:54:07|930|00:54:12|010Take an accounting of how much 758|00:54:12|730|00:54:16|890of your energy system is controlled 759|00:54:17|390|00:54:21|020by the Soul Ray and where are the 760|00:54:21|500|00:54:24|740resistances? Yeah, 761|00:54:25|240|00:54:27|580where are the resistances? 762|00:54:28|700|00:54:31|820And then you can work on those accordingly. 763|00:54:32|380|00:54:35|820Okay, let's see what else we have. A little bit more. Christ's coming. 764|00:54:36|320|00:54:39|260Well, I've said this before, but it really bears repeating. 765|00:54:39|660|00:54:43|260Will indicate that humanity is taking the first 766|00:54:43|760|00:54:47|280initiation. I think what I've done is talked about it, but maybe 767|00:54:47|780|00:54:50|880the reference has not been brought forward. You will see therefore why the Christ 768|00:54:50|960|00:54:54|800must come at this time, for he is the one who 769|00:54:55|300|00:54:58|800presides. I think I've read it. But why not first and second 770|00:54:59|300|00:55:02|760initiations? At the first and second initiations. And it is 771|00:55:03|260|00:55:07|200his coming which will indicate that humanity has taken the 772|00:55:07|700|00:55:11|000first initiation. Well, we seem pretty far 773|00:55:11|500|00:55:15|160from it right now, don't we? Of course it's 774|00:55:15|660|00:55:18|840the raising of all the darkness before the clearing, 775|00:55:19|340|00:55:21|800the inevitable clearing. So, okay, 776|00:55:24|760|00:55:28|640there's progress being made and as Master Morya says, 777|00:55:29|140|00:55:32|680oftentimes the worse the better. Okay, 778|00:55:33|180|00:55:36|360well maybe for a first ray type it is. So it is 779|00:55:36|860|00:55:41|190his coming which will indicate that humanity has taken the first initiation. So obviously 780|00:55:41|270|00:55:44|470he hasn't reappeared yet in the way that he will, 781|00:55:44|630|00:55:48|590which will confirm and consolidate the work done and 782|00:55:49|090|00:55:52|750which will inaugurate the world cycle and period in which the task 783|00:55:53|250|00:55:56|750of reorganizing the emotional and psychic life of humanity will 784|00:55:57|250|00:56:01|270take place. There's your seventh Ray and Aquarius. And with Aquarius 785|00:56:01|770|00:56:05|950representing the higher energies and their work upon the waves 786|00:56:06|450|00:56:10|340of the astral body, the psychic body, basically this period will release 787|00:56:10|840|00:56:14|940the energy of goodwill, especially in the third part of the Aquarian 788|00:56:15|440|00:56:18|740Age, and thus automatically bring about right human relations. 789|00:56:18|900|00:56:22|220And what do we see here? You know, so important. And we 790|00:56:22|720|00:56:27|620see why D.K. has emphasized goodwill, that goodwill will automatically 791|00:56:29|060|00:56:30|820lead to right human relations. 792|00:56:32|500|00:56:33|940Okay, two... 793|00:56:35|880|00:56:39|160No, here we are: right human relations. 794|00:56:40|680|00:56:44|480So if we can possibly exercise goodwill in 795|00:56:44|980|00:56:48|360all of our dealings, all of our interactions, 796|00:56:48|760|00:56:52|480well, this will lead 797|00:56:52|980|00:56:56|760to the kind of relationships that must be present in the world 798|00:56:57|000|00:57:00|460to a certain extent, because peace will be built upon it. And 799|00:57:00|530|00:57:03|890the Lord cannot come before a measure 800|00:57:04|390|00:57:08|050of peace, far more than exists now, is established in humanity. 801|00:57:08|550|00:57:11|730I mean, the presence of his energy would, I suppose, 802|00:57:11|810|00:57:15|690if it were premature, would cause a tremendous amount of 803|00:57:16|190|00:57:20|050chaos and would, you know, stimulate negative 804|00:57:20|930|00:57:24|930forces, because energy is energy, you know, and if there are too many negative forces around, 805|00:57:25|430|00:57:28|540then they could be, in man, stimulated. 806|00:57:28|860|00:57:32|060Of course, there will probably be an attack upon him and his headquarters. 807|00:57:33|420|00:57:36|900Maybe the Black Lodge is not beaten back yet, 808|00:57:37|400|00:57:41|100and maybe we really have to wait almost until the Judgment Day for this particular 809|00:57:41|260|00:57:44|620planet for the Black Lodge to be negated 810|00:57:45|120|00:57:48|300with respect to most 811|00:57:48|800|00:57:49|340of this planet. 812|00:57:51|990|00:57:55|950But these things are in the mind of those who know the plan and 813|00:57:56|450|00:57:59|510know it in a very high and certain manner. 814|00:58:00|150|00:58:03|510So for us, we're piecing it all together and a little bit of 815|00:58:04|010|00:58:07|350insight comes here and there, and before 816|00:58:07|429|00:58:10|910long we will have an understanding. So, 817|00:58:11|410|00:58:14|950okay, so basically what I'm going to say here with 818|00:58:15|450|00:58:18|870hope is that we're reaching the end of 819|00:58:19|370|00:58:19|510this particular... 820|00:58:27|040|00:58:31|040I'm looking for... I wanted to make it easier, you know, but I'm 821|00:58:31|540|00:58:35|160not sure I have. So I'm going 822|00:58:35|660|00:58:39|160to put this in where we ended, try to get 823|00:58:39|660|00:58:43|400this out to you, you know, so that you can piece 824|00:58:43|900|00:58:48|150these things together and have a whole picture 825|00:58:48|650|00:58:51|910of it. Right? And it would be right here. 826|00:58:52|410|00:58:56|790So this is the end of number 10 and 827|00:58:56|950|00:58:59|990the beginning of number 11, and who knows when. 828|00:59:00|490|00:59:04|590So I'm going to sort of erase the 2nd of July here because I 829|00:59:05|090|00:59:08|230just don't know when it will be possible. 830|00:59:09|990|00:59:11|750Okay, friends, I hope that 831|00:59:14|080|00:59:18|480you are learning the 832|00:59:18|980|00:59:22|240method of pure reason. 833|00:59:22|480|00:59:25|520You know, it's an intuitive method under Mercury, and it 834|00:59:26|240|00:59:29|920has to do with the positioning 835|00:59:30|000|00:59:33|680of different items of knowledge and 836|00:59:34|180|00:59:38|120their causes and the relationships in a way that 837|00:59:38|620|00:59:42|770is true and actually reflects the archetypal 838|00:59:42|850|00:59:46|090purpose of things, rather than just 839|00:59:46|590|00:59:50|650some kind of arrangement which is subject to illusion. 840|00:59:51|150|00:59:54|330A true... now, a true arrangement of 841|00:59:54|830|00:59:58|490knowledge. Now, I'm not saying that I can deliver that, but I hope I can 842|00:59:58|990|01:00:03|250give some hints about relations that will stimulate 843|01:00:03|570|01:00:07|980your intuition and your apprehension 844|01:00:08|480|01:00:11|700of pure reason. You know, 845|01:00:12|200|01:00:15|100it's one of the Buddhic faculties, isn't it? 846|01:00:15|820|01:00:18|220Okay, so let's... 847|01:00:19|100|01:00:24|060We'll go on now and thank you for your participation, 848|01:00:24|560|01:00:27|900and we'll continue. You know, we have... Well, we have 849|01:00:29|340|01:00:33|450a fair amount to go. And I've tried not 850|01:00:33|950|01:00:37|330to be too repetitious, but when I see a really good paragraph, I just 851|01:00:37|830|01:00:41|810can't resist saying something additional about it. 852|01:00:42|310|01:00:46|050Hopefully, in all of this talk, the outlines of 853|01:00:46|550|01:00:49|690things as they are will emerge for you and will emerge 854|01:00:50|190|01:00:53|970for me. Okay. Many blessings, lots of love, and see you before long.