The Path of Return
Through untold eons, the Monad has wandered through the lower Kingdoms, escaped the animal Kingdom through individualization and through hundreds of human incarnations until the man realizes he has a higher correspondence to his personality, a higher self. The Monad is on an evolutionary path, the Path of Return to itself as source.
Religion attempts to constrain his higher self into a simple box and mysticism takes the man a little further yet towards the One, but at some point the man begins the Path of Aspiration, passes on to the Path of Probation and then eventually the Path of Discipleship. Through the Path of Discipleship, the process of alignment of the lower vehicles, the integrated personality with the soul has been of paramount necessity, but along this road, after a point, the disciple cannot evolve further through conscious alignment.
At that point, working with the will, personal and divine, to identify with the Monad is necessary for the disciple to evolve towards the third initiation, which once passed, he becomes initiate. This work is identified with what has been termed the Science of the Antahkarana and forms, whether known or not, the central work of the disciple on this Path of Return. For there is a gap in consciousness, the three higher manasic sub-planes which at individualization was bridged by the Solar Angel, else there would be no repository for the exemplary deeds of a man to reincarnate with. Now, eighteen or so million years later, it is up to the man to forge his own way, out of himself, across this gap of the higher mind and this he must do alone (though there is help from above as we shall see).
But there exists a gap in consciousness, though not in fact. The sutratmic strand of energy bridges the gap, and tenuously relates monad, soul and personality. But the consciousness thread extends only from soul to personality—from the involutionary sense. From the evolutionary angle (using a paradoxical phrase) there is only a very little conscious awareness existing between the soul and
the personality, from the standpoint of the personality upon the evolutionary arc of the Path of Return. A man's whole effort is to become aware of the soul and to transmute his consciousness into that of the soul, whilst still preserving the consciousness of the personality. As the fusion of soul and personality is strengthened, the creative thread becomes increasingly active, and thus the
Brent K Stewart, PhD 1
The Path of Return
three threads steadily fuse, blend, become dominant, and the aspirant is then ready to bridge the gap and unite the Spiritual Triad and the personality, through the medium of the soul. This involves a direct effort at divine creative work. The clue to understanding lies perhaps in the thought that hitherto the relation between soul and personality has been steadily carried forward, primarily by the soul, as it stimulated the personality to effort, vision and expansion. Now—at this stage—the integrated, rapidly developing personality becomes consciously active, and (in unison with the soul) starts building the antahkarana—a fusion of the three threads and a projection of them into the “higher wider reaches” of the mental plane, until the abstract mind and the lower concrete mind are related by the triple cable. [RI 458-9]
The transition from alignment being the way of evolution for the probationer/disciple to that of identification for the disciple/initiate is described in Rule V of the Fourteen Rules of Group Initiation given in part I of the Rays and the Initiations.
Rule V.
For Applicants: Let the applicant see to it that the Solar Angel dims the light of the lunar angels, remaining the sole luminary in the microcosmic sky.
For Disciples and Initiates: In unison let the group perceive the Triad shining forth, dimming the light of the soul and blotting out the light of form. The macrocosmic Whole is all there is. Let the group perceive that Whole and then no longer use the thought “My soul and thine.” [RI 20]
We see herein two things. That the light of the Spiritual Triad (“I see the Greatest light”) eclipses that of the soul which the aspirant/probationer has long sought to align themselves with. “The soul is the goal.” This conscious soul alignment may have been performed in either the individual or group setting, but the unity of group participation is stressed unequivocally with respect to the Triad. The process of “the group perceiving the Triad shining forth” involves the building of the Antahkarana (personally and in greater and greater Wholes) as we shall see through use of the will and identification (first principle). The disciple/initiate is exhorted that the macrocosmic Whole is all there is. This is a statement of synthesis (also first principle). Therefore, the focus shifts from developing greater and greater soul consciousness (second principle) to the cultivation of will and identification with the Monad (first principle).
The layout of the manuscript is as follows. First, a brief enumeration of the three major sciences of the new age. Next, what the antahkarana is and its meaning, followed by a section on
Brent K Stewart, PhD 2
The Path of Return
antahkaranic anatomy. Lastly, and most importantly, the six stages in building the antahkarana are delineated.
Of the Three Major Sciences of the New Age
On the initial pages of Education in the New Age, related by the Master DK (also known as ‘the Tibetan’) through his amanuensis Alice A. Bailey (AAB), the topic of something termed the Antahkarana is central to the education in the Aquarian age. NB: the customary means of citing the works of the Master DK/AAB are used as square-bracketed abbreviations of the monograph’s title, a summary of which is included in the references section at the end of this manuscript.
This presentation might be regarded as concerning itself with three different aspects of one general theme, which is that of the new and coming educational methods and ideas …
1. The Technique of the Education of the Future.
2. The Science of the Antahkarana. This deals with the mode of bridging the gap which exists in man's consciousness between the world of ordinary human experience, the threefold world of physical-emotional-mental functioning, and the higher levels of so-called spiritual development which is the world of ideas, of intuitive perception, of spiritual insight and understanding.
3. Methods of Building the Antahkarana. This leads to the overcoming of the limitations— physical and psychological—which restrict man's free expression of his innate divinity. Here we can only prepare the ground for this third point because the subject involves advanced meditation practices which must be approached gradually. I have dealt with meditation in my other books. [ENA 1-2]
Dealt with in “my other books” as the word Antahkarana appears 366 times in fourteen of the canon of 24 Books on Esoteric Philosophy by Master DK/AAB, generally known in the Trans Himalayan Wisdom or Ageless Wisdom community as the ‘Blue Books’. However, the single book of the 24 mentioned which contains the greatest concentration of teachings on the Antahkarana is Volume V of A Treatise on the Seven Rays: The Rays and the Initiations. This frequency and distribution of the topic amongst the Blue Books indicates the importance of this
Brent K Stewart, PhD 3
The Path of Return
topic to the ‘Path’, but we will see how the Antahkarana is not only the primary topic of future education as indicated above, but is a primary task of the disciple.
Later on in Education in the New Age, Master DK states that three major sciences will eventually dominate: the Sciences of the Antahkarana, of Meditation and of Service. Meditation and service may be of some familiarity to disciples and aspirants, but not necessarily the Antahkarana. However, we are told that these three are linked to each other in that meditation is preparatory to the disciple’s Antahkaranic work and also that service grows out of the successful application of the other two. [ENA 85-6]
2. The Science of Meditation. At present meditation is associated in the minds of men with religious matters. But that relates only to theme. The science can be applied to every possible life process. In reality, this science is a subsidiary branch, preparatory to the Science of the Antahkarana. It is really the true science of occult bridge building or bridging in consciousness. By its means, particularly in the early stages, the building process is facilitated. It is one of the major ways of spiritual functioning; it is one of the many ways to God; it relates the individual mind eventually to the higher mind and later to the Universal Mind. It is one of the major building techniques and will eventually dominate the new educational methods in schools and colleges. It is intended primarily to:
a. Produce sensitivity to the higher impressions.
b. Build the first half of the antahkarana, that between the personality and the soul.
c. Produce an eventual continuity of consciousness.
Meditation is essentially the science of light, because it works in the substance of light. One branch of it is concerned with the science of visualisation because, as the light continues to bring revelation, the power to visualise can grow with the aid of the illumined mind, and the later work of training the disciple to create is then made possible. It might be added here that the building of the second half of the antahkarana (that which bridges the gap in consciousness between the soul and the spiritual triad) is called the science of vision, because just as the first half of the bridge is built through the use of mental substance, so the second half is built through the use of light substance. [ENA 96-7]
So, as the science of the Antahkarana appears central to the work of the disciple, what exactly is the Antahkarana and how does the disciple go about executing this crucial work? Master DK provides the following further description of the Antahkarana and the work entailed.
1. The Science of the Antahkarana. This is the new and true science of the mind, which will utilise mental substance for the building of the bridge between personality and soul, and then between the soul and the spiritual triad. This constitutes active work in substance subtler than the substance of
Brent K Stewart, PhD 4
The Path of Return
the three worlds of ordinary human evolution. It concerns the substance of the three higher levels of the mental plane. These symbolic bridges, when constructed, will facilitate the stream or flow of consciousness and will produce that continuity of consciousness, or that sense of unimpeded awareness, which will finally end the fear of death, negate all sense of separateness, and make a man responsive in his brain consciousness to impressions coming to him from the higher spiritual realms or from the Mind of God. Thus he will more easily be initiated into the purposes and plans of the Creator. [ENA 95-6]
Master DK mentions the concept of bridge and bridging. In fact, the Antahkarana is sometimes referred to as the ‘Rainbow Bridge’. That is a topic later covered later under the group and planetary Antahkarana. However, it is easy, for the disciple to imagine the most
beautiful bridge of luminous matter being constructed, a ‘thing’, even if of the subtlest substance, however, the concept of ‘bridging’ is most relevant. The building of the Antahkarana is a process, a process, which the disciple generates from within himself or herself, as a spider’s web, following steps the Master DK provides in the Rays and the Initiations.
Also related in the above quote are the topics of personality, soul and the spiritual triad. Each of these has specific meaning to the occult student of the trans-Himalayan wisdom. The substance of the three highest planes of the mental brings in the topic of the Egoic Lotus (EL) and the Solar Angel as well. This will also draw us into the topics of the unfolding of the EL petals, the Initiations and stages on the Path, as well as associations with Esoteric Astrology. The building of the Antahkarana also leads, eventually, to sensitivity to and perfect alignment with the Plan, the highest possible service.
3. The Science of Service grows normally and naturally out of the successful application of the other two sciences. As the linking up of soul and personality proceeds, and as the knowledge of the plan and the light of the soul pour into the brain consciousness, the normal result is the subordination of the lower to the higher. Identification with group purposes and plans is the natural attribute of the soul. As this identification is carried forward on mental and soul levels, it produces a corresponding activity in the personal life and this activity we call service. Service is the true science of creation and is a scientific method of establishing continuity. [ENA 97]
Brent K Stewart, PhD 5
The Path of Return
What is the Antahkarana and What of its Meaning?
Antahkarana is a Sanskrit word (अÛतःकरण) also found in Hindi. The Hindi word translates
to the English ‘conscience’, however, in Sanskrit translates as ‘soul’. It is interesting to look at the components of the word to see if any additional meaning results. ‘AntaH’ or ‘antar’ translates to ‘within’ or ‘in the middle of’ [1] and ‘kAraNa’ to ‘reasoning’ [1], but also ‘procedure.’ [2] Thus, we have when re-assembled, ‘internal reasoning’ or ‘internal procedure’. We are told that the buddhic plane is the realm of pure reason [DNA-II 426] and the ‘densest’ part of the soul is on the higher mental planes. Thus, Antahkarana could be seen to mean going within to our soul or highest reason.
On initial introduction to the concept of building the antahkarana, examples of bridges built by human hands with the most beautiful lighting or rainbows may come to the mind of the disciple. However, as the practice entailed in the Rays and the Initiations is followed, the ‘matter’ on which the bridge is built, from the perspective of the disciple, becomes less and less form-like, e.g., building with mental matter or mental light, and more and more a process. This is the ‘as-if’ learning process, leading via successive approximations towards what is to be achieved as the process is refined and eventually perfected.
In the Hebrew Qabbālāh, there is an old mystic aphorism, which tells us that “a stone becomes a plant, a plant becomes a beast, a beast becomes a man, and a man becomes a god.” [3] This in essence is the monadic evolutionary sojourn. The beast became man, at least on this round, at human individualization some 18-21 million years ago in Lemuria when the Lords of the Flame instilled the germ of instinct in certain groups of animal-men until it flowered into mind [TCF 1147].
Brent K Stewart, PhD 6
The Path of Return
We are told that the Solar Angels are returning nirvanis from a previous Mahamanvantara and originate from the logoic middle principle, emanating from the Heart of the Sun.
These Beings are Nirvanis from a preceding Mahamanvantara … They themselves originate from the logoic middle principle… [TCF 681]
The angels are called by various names as planetary spirits, Asuras, etc., but in order to get a proper idea of their nature, you may consider them as standing in the same relation to the spiritually regenerated and released world Brahmins or the Nirmanakayas as these stand to the ordinary humanity. The angels were such Brahmins in previous Mahamanvantaras, who spent those enormous periods in suffering and toil for the sake of rearing wisdom in the world and hence they emerged as angels from the infinite womb of Aditi under their karmic impulse after a period of Mahapralaya. [TCF 683]
They are the Fire Dhyanis, and emanate from the Heart of the Sun.” [4]
John Nash in his article entitled Solar Angel describes their coming:
… to Earth 18 million years ago in response to an appeal from our Planetary Logos. During the 3rd rootrace, in ancient Lemuria, the Logos became concerned at our slow evolutionary progress; man was individualized, but remained “mindless.” …
The Solar Angels had perfected manas, or mind, in a previous manvantara but, for karmic reasons, were required to take human form once more. They came in three waves. The first wave “saw the vile forms” of animal man and withdrew, concluding that the time was not ripe for intervention. The second implanted manas in primitive man and then withdrew; but that proved inadequate to accelerate human progress to the desired rate…
The third wave of Solar Angels entered into one-on-one relationships with human entities. By that time, we are told, man had reached the physical, emotional, and embryonic mental level of “the average domesticated animal” of today. Each Solar Angel took up residence on the mental plane of its human charge, in what became the causal body. From there it could bridge the gulf between the lower vehicles and the as-yet dormant Spiritual Triad… [5]
In another paragraph of A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, Master DK provides a classification of the solar angels:
The solar angels exist in three groups, all of which are concerned with the self-consciousness aspect, all of which are energized and connected with the fifth spirilla of the logoic permanent atom, and all of which work as a unit.
One group, the highest, is connected with the logoic head center, whether solar or planetary. They work with the manasic permanent atoms and embody the will-to-be in dense physical incarnation. Their power is felt on the atomic sub-plane and on the second; they are the substance and the life
of those planes. Another group is connected definitely with the causal bodies of all Egos and are of prime importance in this solar system. They come from the heart center, and express that force. The third group, corresponding to the throat center, show forth their power on the fourth subplane through the mental units. They are the sumtotal of the power of the Ego to see, to hear and to speak (or sound) in the strictly occult sense. [TCF 698-699]
Brent K Stewart, PhD 7
The Path of Return
Herein we see the origin of the Three Minds requiring bridging by the antahkarana (mental unit, causal body and mental permanent atom). It is the causal body, the Egoic Lotus, which provides the incarnational storehouse for man’s evolution up until the fourth initiation.
Master DK further relates in detail the Three Minds to be bridged via the antahkarana by the disciple/initiate. He denotes the importance of Rays 1, 2 and 5 in this process. Note that these are the primary rays involved in the astrological sign Leo (Rays 1 and 5 passing through that sign to the Solar Logos) and the ‘planet’ ruling Leo being the Sun (Ray 2) on the exoteric, esoteric (veiling Neptune) and hierarchical (veiling Uranus) levels.
I would like here also to point out some further relationships. You know well that upon the mental plane the three aspects of mind, or the three focal points of mental perception and activity, are to be found:
1. The lower concrete mind. This expresses itself most completely through the fifth Ray of Concrete Science, reflecting the lower phase of the will aspect of divinity and summarising within itself all knowledge as well as the egoic memory. This lower concrete mind is related to the knowledge petals of the egoic lotus and is capable of pronounced soul illumination, proving eventually to be the searchlight of the soul. It can be brought under control through the processes of concentration. It is transient in time and space. Through conscious, creative work, it can be related to the manasic permanent atom or to the abstract mind.
2. The Son of Mind. This is the soul itself, governed by the second aspect of all the seven rays—a point I would ask you seriously to register. It reflects the lower phase of the love aspect of divinity and summarises in itself the results of all accumulated knowledge which is wisdom, illuminated by the light of the intuition. Another way of expressing this is to describe it as love, availing itself of experience and knowledge. It expresses itself most fully through the love petals of its innate being. Through dedicated and devoted service it brings the divine Plan into activity in the three worlds of human accomplishment. It is therefore related to the second aspect of the Spiritual Triad and is brought into functioning activity through meditation. It then controls and utilises for its own spiritual ends the consecrated personality, via the illumined mind, referred to above. It is eternal in time and space.
3. The abstract mind. This reveals itself most completely under the influence of the first Ray of Will or Power, reflecting the higher aspect of the will of divinity or of the atmic principles it summarises in itself when fully developed the purpose of Deity, and thus becomes responsible for the emergence of the Plan. It energises the will petals until such time as the eternal life of the soul is absorbed into that which is neither transient nor eternal but which is endless, boundless and unknown. It is brought into conscious functioning through the building of the antahkarana. This “radiant rainbow bridge” unites the illumined personality, focussed in the mind body, motivated by the love of the soul, with the Monad or with the One Life, and thus enables the divine manifesting Son of God to express the significance of the words: God is Love and God is a consuming Fire. This fire, energised by love, has burnt out all personality qualities, leaving only a purified instrument, coloured by the soul ray and no longer necessitating the existence of a soul
Brent K Stewart, PhD 8
The Path of Return
body. The personality has by this time completely absorbed the soul, or to put it perhaps more accurately, both soul and personality have been fused and blended into one instrument for the use of the One Life. [RI 460-1; this author’s emphasis]
Therefore, we see our slow evolutionary progress as a need for intervention of the Lords of Flame and the Solar Angels, but why might this have been the case? It would take us too far outside the bounds of this manuscript, but the author suggests the arrested development of mind in the previous chain, the so-called ‘moon-chain disaster’ as a possibility. However, this is not the only deficit encountered in man’s evolution on this, the earth-chain. It is said that a break in the creativity thread caused a gap on the mental plane, possibly during the fourth, Atlantean, root-race.
The Creativity Thread is the nadi that transmits the energy of the Substance Aspect from the persona instrument to the Soul. This thread was misused during the last years of Atlantis, when human beings were natural magicians and created for selfish purposes. The resulting destruction was stopped by an “overload” of the human Antahkarana. This overload broke the Antahkarana (producing the gap on the mental plane) and shattered the Creativity Thread [6]
In order to halt the destruction, the Great White Lodge broke the antahkarana, the three-fold thread connecting incarnate Humanity with its overshadowing soul. [7]
This is substantiated in The Nature of the Soul by Lucille Cedercrans (said to author books appealing to seventh ray souls as the Blue Books appeal to second ray souls):
During the Atlantean period when all human beings were conscious magicians according to Plan, humanity, for an inexplicable reason (except that it be karmic), denied the Logoic Plan for one of its own. That is, men conceived and created according to their own separative purposes. In so doing the economy of the Planetary Life was misused, and the relationship of Spirit, matter and consciousness altered, and the antakarana between man and his own Soul broken. As the word sounded in time and space it took on a destructive tone because it was sounded in violation of the One Life.
The breaking of the antakarana resulted in an upheaval within the consciousness of the Planetary Life and man set himself adrift from the Logoic Purpose which had brought him into being, i.e., he broke off his own relationship with God.
It was not a vengeful God who denied man his Divine heritage. It was man himself, who destroyed his own awareness of himself as Soul, and consequently shut the door upon his creative genius.
The outer results of this act came in the form of a cataclysm which wiped out the Atlantean civilization. The violent changing of the earth’s surfaces, the inundation of heavily populated areas with water, and the gradual decline of man’s knowledge of the creative process, were but outer reflections of the terrible upheaval taking place within the consciousness of the Planet itself.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 9
The Path of Return
Since that time, humanity has gradually brought itself back to the reappearing cycle of
opportunity. The antakarana, not only between man and his Soul, but between the Hierarchy and humanity, is being reconstructed by those disciples in the world who consciously serve the Plan. That Plan which has to do with man as a creator is once again being focussed downward, and the redemption of both consciousness and substance for Logoic Purpose becomes possible. [8]
However, this author could not substantiate this proposed break in the creativity thread in Atlantean times from a thorough search of the Blue Books.
Anatomy of the Antahkarana
The Antahkarana is said to consist of several components: the life thread (also known as the sutratma or silver cord), the consciousness thread (also known as the antahkarana) and the creativity thread. Each component has more than one term in the literature and colloquially, so for the newcomer to the Blue Books and the esoteric literature, there can be some confusion. The term antahkarana is used interchangeably with the entire ensemble of threads and just the consciousness thread; however, it is the extension of the creativity thread, towards the Spiritual Triad (manasic permanent atom) and Monad that is the pertinent subject of DKs teachings on the Science of the Antahkarana.
Students should train themselves to distinguish between the sutratma and the antahkarana, between the life thread and the thread of consciousness. One thread is the basis of immortality and the other the basis of continuity. Herein lies a fine distinction for the investigator. One thread (the sutratma) links and vivifies all forms into one functioning whole and embodies in itself the will and the purpose of the expressing entity, be it man, God or a crystal. The other thread (the antahkarana) embodies the response of the consciousness within the form to a steadily expanding range of contacts within the environing whole.
The sutratma is the direct stream of life, unbroken and immutable, which can be regarded symbolically as a direct stream of living energy flowing from the centre to the periphery, and from the source to the outer expression or the phenomenal appearance. It is the life. It produces the individual process and the evolutionary unfoldment of all forms. [ENA 26-7]
The life thread extends from Monad, through the jewel in the Egoic Lotus and anchors in the human heart. The consciousness thread extends from the human soul and anchors in the head. These two threads are created on the involutionary arc. The creation of these threads and the
Brent K Stewart, PhD 10
The Path of Return
signals/energies, which pour through them, come from spirit or soul consciousness down through to the lower vehicles. The function of these threads, though providing life and sentience to the earthly human being, acts unconsciously to human perception.
But there exists a gap in consciousness, though not in fact. The sutratmic strand of energy bridges the gap, and tenuously relates monad, soul and personality. But the consciousness thread extends only from soul to personality—from the involutionary sense. From the evolutionary angle (using a paradoxical phrase) there is only a very little conscious awareness existing between the soul and
the personality, from the standpoint of the personality upon the evolutionary arc of the Path of Return. A man's whole effort is to become aware of the soul and to transmute his consciousness into that of the soul, whilst still preserving the consciousness of the personality. As the fusion of soul and personality is strengthened, the creative thread becomes increasingly active, and thus the three threads steadily fuse, blend, become dominant, and the aspirant is then ready to bridge the gap and unite the Spiritual Triad and the personality, through the medium of the soul. This involves a direct effort at divine creative work. The clue to understanding lies perhaps in the thought that hitherto the relation between soul and personality has been steadily carried forward, primarily by the soul, as it stimulated the personality to effort, vision and expansion. Now—at this stage—the integrated, rapidly developing personality becomes consciously active, and (in unison with the soul) starts building the antahkarana—a fusion of the three threads and a projection of them into the “higher wider reaches” of the mental plane, until the abstract mind and the lower concrete mind are related by the triple cable. [RI 458-9]
During a person’s life, the life thread remains anchored in the physical heart. However, the consciousness thread, although anchored in the physical brain, detaches during sleep into the astral body, leaving the physical body in the care of the etheric body and life thread. The astral and mental bodies are then free to explore, usually unconsciously to physical brain consciousness until well along the Path, the astral and mental realms. During deepest sleep, it is said rest in the Egoic Lotus itself.
It is, therefore, the path of life, which reaches from the Monad to the personality, via the soul. This is the thread soul and it is one and indivisible. It conveys the energy of life and finds its final anchor in the centre of the human heart and at some central focal point in all forms of divine expression. Naught is and naught remains but life. The consciousness thread (antahkarana) is the result of the union of life and substance or of the basic energies which constitute the first differentiation in time and space; this produces something different, which only emerges as a third divine manifestation after the union of the basic dualities has taken place.
The life thread, the silver cord or the sutratma is, as far as man is concerned, dual in nature. The life thread proper, which is one of the two threads which constitute the sutratma, is anchored in the heart, whilst the other thread, which embodies the principle of consciousness, is anchored in the head. This you already know, but this I feel the need to constantly reiterate. In the work of the
Brent K Stewart, PhD 11
The Path of Return
evolutionary cycle, however, man has to repeat what God has already done. He must himself create, both in the world of consciousness and of life. Like a spider, man spins connecting threads, and thus bridges and makes contact with his environment, thereby gaining experience and sustenance. The spider symbol is often used in the ancient occult books and the scriptures of India in connection with this activity of the human being. These threads, which man creates, are triple in number, and with the two basic threads which have been created by the soul, constitute the five types of energy which make man a conscious human being. [RI 449-50]
It is man’s opportunity on the Path of Return, the evolutionary arc back towards source, the Monad, to create from within himself the creativity thread to the mental unit and then bridging himself in an invocationary sense, the gap in consciousness between mental unit and manasic permanent atom, the same span that the Egoic Lotus now provides. This channel is built from the bottom up.
The triple threads created by man are anchored in the solar plexus, the head and the heart. When the astral body and the mind nature are beginning to function as a unit, and the soul also is consciously connected (do not forget that it is always unconsciously linked), an extension of this fivefold thread—the basic two and the human three—is carried to the throat centre; when that occurs man can become a conscious creator on the physical plane. From these major lines of energy lesser lines can radiate at will. It is upon this knowledge that all future intelligent psychic unfoldment must be based.
In the above paragraph and its implications you have a brief and inadequate statement as to the Science of the Antahkarana. [ENA 32-3]
The creativity thread, when sufficiently constructed is anchored in the throat [ENA 146] and consists of three sections or threads bridging: (1) physical body to etheric body, (2) etheric body to astral body, and (3) astral body to mental body. This links in an evolutionary sense the lower 18 sub-planes up through the mental unit, the integrated personality.
The creative thread itself is triple in nature. It is slowly constructed down the ages by the man. As he becomes truly alive, from the standpoint of intelligent awareness and the desire fully to express himself, the process is materially hastened. These three self-created lesser threads which constitute the third thread of the antahkarana extend eventually:
1. From the physical body to the etheric body, passing from the heart to the spleen, and thence to the body of prana, the vital or etheric body, unites with force from the egoic will petals.
2. From the etheric body to the astral body. This thread passes from the solar plexus to the heart and from thence to the astral body, picking up the energy of the thread mentioned above, unites with force the love petals.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 12
The Path of Return
3. From the astral body to the mental vehicle. This thread passes from the ajna centre to the head centre and from thence to the mind body, picking up the energy of the other two threads mentioned above, unites with the force from the knowledge petals. [ENA 147]
This is the first mention of the ajna center, which is key for integration of the personality and in the construction the third and last aspect of the creativity thread within the personality.
The ajna centre focusses the abstracted energy of the five centres up the spine and is the seat of personality power. [EP-II 553]
2. The stage wherein transference is made into the ajna centre and the personality life becomes integrated and powerful.
Period The later stages of the Path of Discipleship and up till the time of the third initiation. Keynote Expression of the soul, through the medium of the personality.
Objective The understanding of the Plan and consequent cooperation with it. [EP-II 528] This author has found some confusion between the above descriptions and the wonderful diagrams of the “The Egoic Lotus and the Centers” (Chart VIII [TCF 817]) and “Egoic Lotus” (Chart IX [TCF 823]) of which both Keith Bailey and Tuija Robbins have re-created in color. These diagrams relate the downward, unconscious connections between the Spiritual Triad permanent atoms, the nine outer petals of the Egoic Lotus and the centers within the mental, astral and etheric bodies and on into portions of the physical body (e.g., heart and brain). So there are the downward, unconscious connections between pairs of centers and clusters of petals of the EL (see my diagram): head and base centers with the sacrifice petals, heart and solar plexus centers with the love petals and throat and sacral centers with the knowledge petals. The EL petals also develop connections with the Spiritual Triad permanent atoms and mental body chakras on the fourth sub-plane of the mental plane (level of the mental unit): Sacrifice-petals (7-9): atmic permanent atom and mental body root chakra Love-petals (4-6): buddhic permanent atom and mental body solar plexus chakra Knowledge-petals (1-3): manasic permanent atom and mental body sacral chakra
Brent K Stewart, PhD 13
The Path of Return
As there are said to be three aspects/strands of the creativity thread, is it little wonder that we see three aspects/strands to the downward connection between the EL petals, which this author will call the consciousness thread, though paradoxically the human being is unconscious to its actions, though does provide the human sentiency.
Keith Bailey’s color rendition of Chart VIII: The Egoic Lotus and the
Centers [TCF 817; http://www.light-weaver.com/bk/chart6.html]
Brent K Stewart, PhD 14
The Path of Return
] Tuija Robbins’ color rendition of Chart IX: The Egoic Lotus [TCF 823]
Brent K Stewart, PhD 15
The Path of Return
Stages in the Antahkaranic Building Process
According to what we are told in the Rays and the Initiations, there are six stages to the building of the antahkarana: Intention, Visualization and Projection, followed by Invocation/Evocation, Stabilization and Resurrection. We are exhorted to appreciate the “occult significance” of these words, to “penetrate into the world of meaning.” (RI 485)
Brønsted mentions the importance of ‘unconscious’ soul contact to the process, conveying energies through the Egoic lotus petals: [9; emphasis by this author]
Third aspect contributes creative energy from the knowledge petals of the egoic lotus via the throat center, and this is necessary for the process of visualization.
Second aspect contributes love-wisdom or group consciousness from the love petals via the heart center, and this is necessary for the magnetic attraction of mental energy substance and for the development of discrimination in order to reduce the waste of energy.
First aspect contributes spiritual will from the sacrifice petals via the head center, and this is necessary for maintaining the point of tension and for the projection of the thread by means of the word of power.
Brønsted mentions etheric centers above, which correspond with those given by Master DK for the elements of the heretofore-postulated consciousness thread structure (e.g., Chart VIII [TCF 817]).
It might be said that the unconscious bridging by the personality to the causal body is from the mental unit level chakras to the Egoic Lotus petals with the corresponding, and reciprocally evoked bridging in from Spiritual Triad to Egoic lotus by the Soul. These links are established unconsciously by the aspirant and probationer as he develops his mental vehicle.
The Nature of the Antahkarana
One of the difficulties connected with this study of the antahkarana is the fact that hitherto the work done upon the antahkarana has been entirely unconscious. [RI 452]
Although not the conscious process of building the antahkarana given in Rays and Initiations, these are important as they not only provide for soul contact, but also impressions from the Soul (from triadal realms).
Brent K Stewart, PhD 16
The Path of Return
The period covered by the conscious building of the antahkarana is that from the final stages of the Path of Probation to the third initiation. [RI 462]
You will understand, therefore, why the study of the Science of the Antahkarana forms part of my instruction to this group. No major initiation [1st solar initiation, the 3rd initiation] can be taken until there is some measure of conscious use of the antahkarana. [RI 19]
Thus, this antahkaranic work cannot be affected until the disciple has at least the knowledge petals completely unfolded (first initiation), the love-petals nearly completely unfolded (nearing the second initiation in which they are completely unfolded) and the sacrifice petals unfolding (first initiation the seventh petal unfolding, the second initiation the eighth petal unfolding and the third initiation, wherein all sacrifice petals are completely unfolded).
The author is not aware of occult meditation given to specifically and consciously accelerate the unfolding of the petals of the causal body, per se, so the process of the causal body as intermediary goes on ‘unconsciously’, at least until the disciple is developing his vehicles on the Path. However, beginning with the final stages of the Path of Probation (first initiation) conscious building of the antahkarana between the mental unit and manasic permanent atom can begin in earnest as laid out in the following six process stages.
Process stage 1: Intention
Intention (in-tension) derives from the Latin intendere meaning tension, stretching or straining. It also has a meaning in medicine: the process of the healing of a wound, which is appropriate considering the possible origin of the gap in consciousness the building of the antahkarana is meant to resolve. The conscious building of the antahkarana begins with the focusing of a field of mental-energy in extreme tension at the mental unit and involves:
a. The achievement of right orientation; and this must take place in two stages: first, towards the soul as one aspect of the building energy, and second, towards the Triad.
b. A mental understanding of the task to be carried out. This involves the use of the mind in two ways: responsiveness to buddhic or intuitional impression and an act of the creative imagination.
c. A process of energy gathering or of force absorption, in order that the needed energies are confined within a mental ring-pass-not, prior to the later process of visualisation and projection.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 17
The Path of Return
d. A period of clear thinking anent process and intention, so that the dedicated bridge-builder may clearly perceive what is being done.
e. The steady preservation of tension without undue physical strain upon the brain cells. [RI 487-8, this author’s emphasis]
This accumulated field of mental-energy, the “mind held steady in the light,” has been likened to the extreme tension of an archer’s bow pulled back to its furthest extent before the arrow is released; the arrow oriented towards the Monad (target). This reminds us of the mounted archer of Sagittarius, of which it is said (presumably from the Old Commentary)
Sagittarius gradually “piercing the heart with his arrows, and then upon the flight of the arrow, the man reaches Capricorn.” Then comes the Crisis of Renunciation. [EA 61]
We are also reminded that in the process of building the antahkarana, it is essential that the awareness of the Solar Angel must be present along with the intention of the personality. This is the primary reason for the mental-energy tension, that the soul turns its attention towards the intending personality and aids in the process. Thus, it is crucial that the antahkaranic thought form arising from mental intention and emotional aspiration be endowed with spiritual will flowing from the soul.
Process stage 2: Visualization
When the appropriate level of mental-energy tension has been achieved at the mental unit such that the disciple is working in concert with the Solar Angel, then comes a creative aspect of imagination in conjunction with intuitive perception in visualizing the “bridge of light in all its beauty and completeness.” [RI 489] The mental-energy accumulated within the ring-pass-not must be molded into the thought form of the antahkarana. This is accomplished with creative imagination, an astral quality, raised to the highest level of the astral plane, so that such becomes responsive to buddhic intuitive impression, making visualization an active agent in the process.
Consequently, you will have at this point:
The buddhic activity of impression.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 18
The Path of Return
The tension of the mental vehicle, as it holds the needed energy-substance at the point of projection.
The imaginative processes of the astral body. [RI 490]
Thus, a current of force is instilled between astral (creative imagination) and buddhic (intuition) bodies, the resulting visualization organizing the collected mental-energy into the antahkaranic thoughtform.
Process stage 3: Projection
Mental-energy, really mental-matter, has been collected and organized according to intuitive directed imagination (visualization). We have, thus far, the manas and buddhi of atma-buddhi manas, so it is most likely the time to inject spiritual will into the equation to project the antahkarana across the gap in consciousness, between the mental unit and mental permanent atom (and beyond towards the Monad). The spiritual will is invoked through a Word of Power, which projects the thread of organized energy by means of sound towards the Monad. The Word of Power being different for each of the seven soul rays.
This is the work performed consciously through occult meditation. In the case of an archer, we could say that the three steps above accord to the maxim: “Ready (intention), aim (visualization), fire (projection).”
The shift of consciousness between linear, logical, analytical thought, to non rational states of consciousness as found in some forms of prayer, art, or Zen, for example, suggests an underlying world of primary importance in the construct of human identity and culture. One example of this shift comes from Zen and the Art of Archery. The Zen archer stands with bow drawn and arrow cocked [ready]. The archer aims, then waits awhile [aim]. As the archer waits, consciousness shifts so that the target and archer identify as one, letting the arrow fly to its target [fire]. It is the shift of consciousness that (re)defines humanity and its capacities. [10]
Chart VIII – The Egoic Lotus and the Centers from A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (difficult to read, see also Tuija Robbins’ Egoic Lotus color drawing) shows the inter-relationships between the Egoic lotus petals and the various mental, astral and etheric body chakras and Spiritual Triad permanent atoms.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 19
The Path of Return
In order to project the antahkarana across the gap between the mental unit and manasic permanent atom, the spiritual will is invoked through a Word of Power. A Word of Power is given for each soul ray:
Ray One…Will or Power
“I ASSERT THE FACT” [RI 515]
Ray Two…Love-Wisdom
“I SEE THE GREATEST LIGHT” [RI 516]
Ray Three…Active Intelligence
“PURPOSE ITSELF AM I”
Ray Four…Harmony through Conflict
“TWO MERGE WITH ONE”
Ray Five…Concrete Knowledge or Science
“THREE MINDS UNITE” [RI 517]
(This asserts the fact that the Universal Mind, the higher mind and the lower concrete mind are blended through the projected antahkarana.)
Ray Six…Devotion or Idealism
“THE HIGHEST LIGHT CONTROLS”
Ray Seven…Ceremonial Law or Order
“THE HIGHEST AND THE LOWEST MEET” [RI 518]
Process stage 4: Invocation and Evocation
There are many references in the Blue Books to the ‘Science of Invocation and Evocation.’ Invocation is a conscious focused appeal to higher levels of the spiritual life (e.g., the higher self or Hierarchy) whilst evocation is the response to an invocative appeal. The former three stages of the process: intention, visualization and projection are those in which the personality participates, invocatively, one might say. The latter three stages of the process are the response to the invocative appeal by the Soul or Monad.
The disciple has already garnered the attention of the Soul through the first step in the process, intention, and is therefore recognized as a “point of invocative tension.” [RI 493] From the reservoir of collected energy, molded through visualization, the arrow of will is projected
Brent K Stewart, PhD 20
The Path of Return
through the Word of Power towards the Monad; a minute thread attached thereto, the projected antahkarana. The Monad working through the Spiritual Triad, in response to this invocative appeal responds, projecting energy along the initially tenuous antahkarana to the Soul and eventually the personality. Eventually, after the fourth initiation,
The “rainbow bridge” becomes a channel for the impact of monadic or life energy upon substance, so that substance, taking form under the cyclic intention of the planetary Logos, may become increasingly coloured or qualified by the energy of universality. [RI 280]
Continued practice of this process produces ever more gradual exchange between the monadically impulsed Spiritual Triad and the invocative soul-infused personality.
Finally, contact between that which the Monad projects and that which the disciple is projecting is made, and then come the fifth and sixth stages. [RI 495]
Process stage 5: Stabilisation
As strand after strand are woven together through continued meditation on building the antahkarana, “spiritual living and scientific, technical occult work” [RI 493] there is a growing sense that along this increasingly lighted path that man is himself the way, the Path of Return to source, through greater and greater identification with the Monad, the One. Man extrudes the path from himself as does the spider its web, thin, yet immeasurably strong, glistening with dewy light in the early morning sun. The antahkarana meditation process continues, day after day, becoming more and more perfected each time, the tenuous threads becoming metaphorically cords, ropes and eventually cables, able to handle greater and greater monadic impression towards the disciple/initiate co-evolving the ability to handle such.
Process stage 6: Resurrection
Eventually, the process is complete; the antahkarana stands finished, presumably just prior to the fourth initiation, as we are told that:
… there is now no other medium of intercourse between the initiate and the One Whom he now knows to be himself. He ascends in full consciousness into the sphere of monadic life; he is resurrected from the dark cave of the personality life into the blazing light of divinity; he is no
Brent K Stewart, PhD 21
The Path of Return
longer only a part of humanity and a member also of the Hierarchy, but he belongs to the great company of Those Whose will is consciously divine and Who are the Custodians of the Plan. They are responsive to impression from Shamballa and are under the direction of the Heads of the Hierarchy. [RI 495]
This condition, that of “no other medium of intercourse,” is that after the destruction of the Egoic Lotus at the fourth initiation.
Also, the term Resurrection applies to the individual at the sixth initiation, far beyond the scope of this manuscript, however, we are told that there is also the planetary Antahkarana, made up of the sum of individual antahkaranas. Each soul ray being one of the seven rays associated with seven colors and thus the “rainbow” of the rainbow bridge. This forms a portion of the initial preparation of the full moon Solar Fire festival mediations.
The line or the path or the Way of Resurrection is the “Radiant Way” to which we have given the cumbersome name of the Antahkarana; this Way leads straight and directly from one great planetary centre to another—from Humanity to the Hierarchy and from the Hierarchy to Shamballa. This is the Way of Resurrection. It is a Way which is composed of the light of intelligent substance, of the radiant attractive substance of love, and the karmic way which is infused by the essence of inflexible will. Forget not that karma is essentially the conditioned will of the planetary Logos as He orders all things toward the ultimate goal of life itself through the process of livingness, of loving understanding, and of intelligent activity.
Therefore, the order to resurrect, as understood by the initiate, concerns solely the application of the will nature and the aspect of Shamballa to the impulsing of hierarchical attraction and activity. It does not concern the individual life of the upward-moving aspirant or disciple, no matter what his degree, except incidentally and because major divine macrocosmic impulses must have lesser microcosmic effects. All these stupendous words with which we have been dealing relate to the cooperation of the initiate with the Will of Shamballa, and therefore, my brothers, are only dim hints to you. [RI 318-9, this author’s emphasis]
Epilogue
So the disciple, drawing from within himself a thread of solar fire, which attached to the arrow of will, builds the antahkarana between the mental unit and manasic permanent atom; and not stopping, the arrow flies onwards towards the Monad through the Spiritual Triad. Such is described in the beautiful language of an ancient catechism elaborating three racial/psychological
Brent K Stewart, PhD 22
The Path of Return
stages (Atlantean centaur, Aryan archer on white horse and towards the sixth root race - bow and arrow fragments):
“Where is the animal, O Lanoo? and where the Man?
Fused into one, O Master of my Life. The two are one. But both have disappeared and naught remains but the deep fire of my desire.
Where is the horse, the white horse of the soul? Where is the rider of that horse, O Lanoo?
Gone towards the gate, O Master of my Life. But something speeds ahead between the pillars of an open door—something that I myself have loosed.
And what remains to thee, O wise Lanoo, now that the horses of two kinds have left thee and the rider, unattached, stands free? Now what remains?
Naught but my bow and arrow, O Master of my Life, but they suffice, and, when the right time comes, I, thy Lanoo, will follow fast upon the shaft I sent. The horses I will leave upon this side of the door, for them I have no further need. I enter free, regain the arrow which I sent and speed upon my way, passing from door to door, and each time the arrow speeds ahead.” [EA 176-7]
The archer, arrow and target, all one, ever evolving on the Path of Return towards the One.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 23
The Path of Return
Glossary [LOM 350-60]
Antahkarana - The path, or bridge, between higher and lower mind, serving as a medium of communication between the two. It is built by the aspirant himself in mental matter.
Atlantis. The continent that was submerged in the Atlantic Ocean, according to the occult teaching and Plato. Atlantis was the home of the Fourth Root Race, whom we now call the Atlanteans.
Causal Body. This body is, from the standpoint of the physical plane, no body, either subjective or objective. It is, nevertheless, the centre of the egoic consciousness, and is formed of the conjunction of buddhi and manas. It is relatively permanent and lasts throughout the long cycle of incarnations, and is only dissipated after the fourth initiation, when the need for further rebirth on the part of a human being no longer exists.
Etheric body. (Etheric double.) The physical body of a human being is, according to occult teaching, formed of two parts, the dense physical body, and the etheric body. The dense physical body is formed of matter of the lowest three subplanes of the physical plane. The etheric body is formed of the four highest or etheric subplanes of the physical plane.
Lords of the Flame. One of the great Hierarchies of spiritual beings who guide the solar system. They took control of the evolution of humanity upon this planet about 18 million years ago, during the middle of the Lemurian, or third root race.
Mahamanvantara. The great period of time of an entire solar system. This term is applied to the greater solar cycles. It implies a period of universal activity.
Manvantara. A period of activity as opposed to a period of rest, without reference to any specific length of cycle. Frequently used to express a period of planetary activity and its seven races.
Microcosm. The little universe, or man manifesting through his body, the physical body.
Monad. The One. The threefold spirit on its own plane. In occultism it often means the unified triad—Atma, Buddhi, Manas, Spiritual Will, Intuition and Higher mind,—or the immortal part of man which reincarnates in the lower kingdoms and gradually progresses through them to man and thence to the final goal.
Permanent atom. Those five atoms, with the mental unit, one on each of the five planes of human evolution (the mental unit being also on the mental plane) which the monad appropriates for purposes of manifestation. They form a stable centre and are relatively permanent. Around them the various sheaths or bodies are built. They are literally small force centres.
Ray. One of the seven streams of force of the Logos; the seven great lights. Each of them is the embodiment of a great cosmic entity. The seven Rays can be divided into the three Rays of Aspect and the four Rays of Attribute, as follows:
Rays of Aspect
1. The Ray of Will, or Power.
2. The Ray of Love-Wisdom.
3. The Ray of Activity or Adaptability.
Rays of Attribute
4. The Ray of Harmony, Beauty, Art, or Unity.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 24
The Path of Return
5. The Ray of Concrete Knowledge or Science.
6. The Ray of Abstract Idealism or Devotion.
7. The Ray of Ceremonial Magic, or Law.
The above names are simply some chosen from among many, and embody the different aspects of force by means of which the Logos manifests.
Ring-pass-not. This is at the circumference of the manifested solar system, and is the periphery of the influence of the sun, both esoterically and exoterically understood. The limit of the field of activity of the central life force.
Root Race. One of the seven races of man which evolve upon a planet during the great cycle of planetary existence. This cycle is called a world period. The Aryan root race, to which the Hindu, European, and modern American races belong, is the fifth, the Chinese and Japanese belonging to the fourth race.
Triad. The spiritual Man; the expression of the monad. It is the germinal spirit containing the potentialities of divinity. These potentialities will be unfolded during the course of evolution. This Triad forms the individualised or separated self, or Ego.
Note: This glossary does not undertake fully to explain all the above terms. It is simply an attempt to render into English certain words used in this book, so that the reader may understand their connotation. The majority of the definitions have been culled from the Theosophical Glossary, The Secret Doctrine, and the Voice of the Silence.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 25
The Path of Return
Bibliography – 24 Books on Esoteric Philosophy by Master DK/AAB
[EA] Bailey, Alice A. and Khul, Djwhal. Esoteric Astrology. Vol. III. A Treatise on the Seven Rays. Lucis Publishing Company, New York (1997).
[ENA] Bailey, Alice A. and Khul, Djwhal. Education in the New Age. Lucis Publishing Company, New York (2012).
[EP-II] Bailey, Alice A. and Khul, Djwhal. Esoteric Psychology. Vol. II. A Treatise on the Seven Rays. Lucis Publishing Company, New York (1995).
[LOM] Bailey, Alice A. and Khul, Djwhal. Letters on Occult Meditation. Lucis Publishing Company, New York (2002).
[RI] Bailey, Alice A. and Khul, Djwhal. The Rays and the Initiations. Vol. V. A Treatise on the Seven Rays. Lucis Publishing Company, New York (2002).
[TCF] Bailey, Alice A. and Khul, Djwhal. A Treatise on Cosmic Fire. Lucis Publishing Company, New York (1970).
Bibliography – Other
[1] http://spokensanskrit.de/. Version 4.2 of a hypertext Sanskrit dictionary English - Sanskrit and Sanskrit - English for spoken Sanskrit.
[2] Keller, Agathe. Expounding the Mathematical Seed, Vol. 1: The Translation, Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel (2006), p. 2.
[3] De Purucker, G. The Esoteric Tradition. Theosophical University Press, Pasadena, CA, 3rd & Revised Edition (2011) p. 316.
[4] Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna. The Secret Doctrine. Theosophical Pub. Society (1997) vol II, p. 96.
[5] nash, John. The Solar Angel. The Beacon Magazine (March/April 2001) pp. 7-14. [6] Knape, Glen. The Temple and the Word. Preparation Press. Concord, CA (2007) p. 101.
[7] Knape, Glen. The Ashram of Synthesis. Preparation Press. Kindle Edition (2011) Kindle Locations 2499-2500.
[8] Cedercrans, Lucille. The Nature of the Soul. Wisdom Impressions. Whittier, CA (1993) pp.160-1.
[9] Brønsted, Niels. The Path of Spiritual Evolution. Journal of Esoteric Psychology (Vol XI, no. 2, 1997-8) pp. 5-6.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 26
The Path of Return
[10] Zlomislić, Marko, et al. Bhakti, Kuruna, Agape. Global Academic Publishing, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, (2003) pp. 212-3.
Brent K Stewart, PhD 27