THE RIGHT USE OF ENERGY
THE RIGHT USE OF ENERGY
In considering the overcoming of wrong vibration and the right direction of astral energy it might be of value here if we were very briefly to list the major energies which impress the human organism and circulate through the sentient body of man.
1. Energies passing and repassing through the sentient body of the planet itself. This is, in other words, the astral body of the spirit of the earth. This entity is not the planetary Logos, but a being of great power on the involutionary arc, who holds the same relation to the planetary Logos as the astral elemental does to the human being. Facts about this life will be found in the Treatise on Cosmic Fire. Its life is the aggregate of a vast number of lives, and those lunar pitris or lesser builders who constitute the sentient life of the personality aspect of the planetary Logos—a more potent force for good and also for evil, as we use the word "evil". Evil, per se, is non-existent, as is good in the sense of the pairs of opposites. Only in time and in space are there varying states of consciousness, producing differing outer effects. The energy of this involutionary life has a potent effect on that other tiny involutionary life which constitutes our astral elemental. The fact that protects from complete sensitive identification with this greater life is man's individuality and the potency of his rapidly coordinating personality.
Man is an individual. He is the result of other factors and the combination of these factors constitutes his protection from complete absorption in the planetary sentient life, as is the case with the animals. At death, man's astral body disintegrates and then its particles [312] again constitute undifferentiated fragments of the great whole.
2. Certain astral energies, emanating from some planetary forms which as yet exist not in the form of physical planets, nor yet in the etheric realm, but which are enclosed within the ring-pass-not of our solar system. They represent, in the planetary sense, two groups of lives:—First, those astral shells of decaying and disintegrating planets which are to be seen by the initiate, still revolving around our sun, but which are nevertheless fast disappearing. Our moon will join their number when the complete disintegration of the outer form has taken place. Second, the astral forms of those lesser solar lives on the evolutionary arc who are taking form slowly but have not yet taken an etheric body, and will never in this world period take a physical body. These two groups are the planetary correspondences to the re-incarnating types of men, and to those who have passed over and are slowly shedding their bodies, prior to eventual rebirth, or who have completely vacated their shells.
There are two of these astral forms in close proximity to our Earth, which are rapidly "decomposing", if I may so term it, and yet have a very potent influence. On account of this close relation, they produce two types of desire or of astral tendency among men. One produces much of that instinctual tendency to cruelty which one sees in children and in certain types of men, and the other has an effect upon the sex life and produces some of those tendencies to perversions which cause so much difficulty now. Sadistic tendencies and sex perversions find much strengthening influence from these dying astral emanations. In ancient days they were still more potent, being closer to our earth than now; hence the ritualistic cruelties and the horrors, for instance, of Sodom and Gomorrah. Their power is rapidly declining and it should be remembered that they would have no [313] power at all were there not in humanity itself certain instincts upon which these energies can work. It should also be remembered that in Lemurian times their influence was constructive, for in those days, the lesson of sex and the intelligent registering of pain had a place in the schemes of those who were endeavouring to lead animal man into human consciousness—not into soul consciousness or even into self-consciousness in those very early times.
Close to our earth, on the road to rebirth, is a great Life in process of taking etheric form. This Life, being on the evolutionary arc and not constituting the life of a decaying shell, is having a real effect in the inauguration of the New Age. This effect is twofold:—through the emanations from the astral body of this great Life the work of breaking down the separative wall of individualism which demonstrates in man as selfishness and in nations as nationalism is carried forward. Through this rapidly integrating etheric body this Life is bringing the etheric body of our planet into a state of increased rapid vibration. Reference will be found in the Treatise on Cosmic Fire to an avatar from Sirius who comes to bring about certain planetary effects. This Life is not that avatar but is in the nature of a forerunner—of a St. John the Baptist, who "baptiseth with water (astral emanations) and the Holy Ghost". More information along these lines is not possible, but mention is made of it, as the energies coming from these two factors must be borne in mind.
3. Astral energies emanating from the new sign of the zodiac into which we are now entering, the sign Aquarius. This sign, that of the water-carrier, is a living sign and an emotional sign. It will (through the effect of its potent force) stimulate the astral bodies of men into a new coherency, into a brotherhood of humanity which will ignore all racial and national differences and will [314] carry the life of men forward into synthesis and unity. This means a tide of unifying life of such power that one cannot now vision it, but which—in a thousand years—will have welded all mankind into a perfect brotherhood. Its emotional effect will be to "purify" the astral bodies of men so that the material world ceases to hold such potent allure, and may in its later stages bring about a state of exaggeration as potent in the line of sentiency as that which we have undergone in the line of materiality! The final stages of all signs produce over-development of the factor on which they most potently work. At present the effect of this sign is constructive among the pioneers of the race, and destructive among the rank and file of humanity. Facts about the coming Aquarian age can be searched for in the current books on the subject and it profits not for me to enlarge upon them here.
4. Faint emanations from the sacred "heart of the sun", unrecognized by the masses but instantly calling forth response from the mystics of the race who are asserting increasingly a group integrity of a very real moment and interest. These emanations are too high to be sensed by humanity at large, but the mystics react and are drawn together by the sensing of the new vibration. Their work is then to step down the vibration so that its effects can be sensed in time by the foremost of the race. The work of this group of mystics must therefore inevitably grow, for the "heart of the solar Logos" beats now in closer rhythm with this planet than has heretofore been the case (this not being a sacred planet.) The love and thought of that divine Life is turned towards this "little daughter of a long lost son", as our planet is sometimes called in the occult books of the Great Ones.
5. Another mass emanation which sweeps the astral body of man into strenuous activity is the impulsive desire of the astral body of the fourth or human kingdom, [315] viewing it as a whole, or as the expression of a life. This sentient body of humanity responds in an unrealised manner to all the four above types of astral energy and according to the calibre of the individual astral body, and according to the stage of development so will come response. It is in this fact that the roots of mass psychology and of mob rule lie. Also the roots of public opinion, so-called, are to be found here, but it will be long before the psychologists of the academic schools will recognize these four factors. It is with this type of sentient response that the leaders of men seek to work, moulding the thoughts of men in order to awaken desire for this, that and the other. They work with this type of sentient matter without the least understanding of the situation, and without any comprehension of the factors with which they are dealing; they work magnetically if on the second ray, and with the inspiring of fear through destruction if on the first ray. If on the third ray, they use the Law of Expediency. Thus all three work with the astral bodies of men, and their capacity to succeed is dependent largely upon their own type of astral body, and its power to attract others who are sufficiently developed to respond with adequate sentiency and then to carry forward the good work. The man in the street is therefore the victim of the astral potency of those who drive him either for their own ends or for the good of his soul—for it works in both directions.
6. The astral life, or sensitive emanations of a man's surrounding family or friends. They affect him far more than he may credit, or he may affect them, according to which side is positive and which is negative. Everyone we meet, or contact, every person with whom we live or daily consort has an effect upon us, either for good or evil. They either stir up our emotional nature in a good and high sense, and so aid its work of re-orientation, or they lower its standard so that progress is hindered and [316] the work of drawing downwards towards materiality is carried forward. This we know well, and it is unnecessary for me to enlarge upon it here.
7. The emotional (astral sentient) equipment with which a man enters into life, which he utilises, and which he builds as life progresses. Many a man is the victim of an emotional body which he has himself constructed as he responded to the energies of the groups enumerated above. The astral body reacts to all emanations of a sensitive character in three ways:
a. Emotional. The astral body is swept into response of some kind to the emanations of the astral bodies—group bodies or individual—of those surrounding him. This phrase warrants careful study.
b. Sensitive. There is always a registering of all impressions by the sensitive astral body, even if emotional response lacks, and disciples have to learn to distinguish carefully between the two. Sometimes when emotional reaction lacks, as generally understood, there is nevertheless a registering of the originating cause which sought to bring about an effect on the emotional body.
c. Simple reaction. The registering or the refusal to register or respond to an impact, to an emotional impression. This can be either good or bad.
In all three cases, one or other of the pairs of opposites is chosen and the choice depends upon the quality of the astral mechanism of the man concerned. A fourth method involves complete detachment from the emotional body altogether, and a complete capacity to isolate oneself from any sensory impression at will—in order to serve with greater efficiency and to love with greater intelligence. Forget not that in the last analysis, love and emotion are not the same.
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The practical question now arises: How is one to overcome the wrong vibration?
First:—It is necessary that one recognises what wrong vibration is, and that one is able to register reaction. A vibration, an impulse, an emotion, a desire originate in a lower aspect of the form side. They differ from an emanation coming from the soul. The two impacts upon the sentient body must be recognised as different. The question has to be asked: Is this reaction a response to personality life or is it a response to the soul consciousness? Does this impulse which seeks to sweep my sentient body into activity come from the divine Life within me or is it coming from the form aspect in any of its manifestations? Does it cause my astral body to become active in such a way that those who are en rapport with me are hurt thereby or helped? Are they hindered or aided?
A close study of one's emotional reactions brings one to the consideration of that basic characteristic which cannot be over-emphasized in view of the world's present condition. Harmlessness. I tell you that the achieving of harmlessness in the positive sense (not in the negative) means the attainment of that step which leads definitely to the Portal of Initiation. When first mentioned, it sounds of small moment, and to bring the whole subject of initiation into such small account that it becomes unimportant. But let him who so thinks practice that positive harmlessness which works out in right thought (because based on intelligent love), right speech (because governed by self-control), and right action (because founded on an understanding of the Law), and he will find that the attempt will call forth all the resources of his being and take much time to achieve. It is not the harmlessness that comes from weakness and sentimental loving disposition, which dislikes trouble because it upsets the settled harmony of life and leads to consequent [318] discomfort. It is not the harmlessness of the little evolved negative impotent man or woman, who has not the power to hurt because possessing so little equipment wherewith damage can be done.
It is the harmlessness that springs from true understanding and control of the personality by the soul, that leads inevitably to spiritual expression in every-day life. It emanates from a capacity to enter into the consciousness and to penetrate into the realisation of one's brother, and when this has been accomplished—all is forgiven and all is lost sight of in the desire to aid and to help.
Response to wrong vibration will not be basically prevented by the methods of either "building a shell", or by "insulation" through the power of mantrams and visualisation. These two methods are temporary expedients by which those who as yet have somewhat to learn seek to protect themselves. The building of a shell leads to separativeness, as you well know, and necessitates the eventual overcoming of the habit of shell-building, and a shattering and consuming of the shells already built. This latter can be more easily done than the overcoming of the habit. Automatically the building process goes on until finally the aspirant has built so many ramparts around himself that he can neither get out nor can any contacts be made with him. The process of insulation, which is a more advanced practice and calls for more magical knowledge, consists of the emanating of certain energies of the vital body in a particular direction, which serve to keep other energies at a distance through what is called impact. Through this impact upon approaching energies, they are reversed and sent in another direction. But those energies must go somewhere, and should they damage another person, is not the one who reversed their direction through a desire to protect himself responsible?
The practice of harmlessness is the best and easiest [319] way for the aspirant to work. There is then nothing in him which is inimical to any life in any form, and he therefore attracts to himself only that which is beneficent. He uses the beneficent forces thus attracted for the helping of other beings. This has to be the first step, and the discipline it entails and the constant supervision of all the activities on the three planes of human evolution and of all reactions bring the emotional body under the dominance of the illumined mind. They also bring about the understanding of one's fellow men.
There is secondly, a later stage wherein the disciple learns to absorb and transmute the wrong vibrations and the energies which are destructive. He has no shells nor barriers. He does not insulate himself nor isolate himself from his brothers. Through harmlessness he has learnt to neutralise all evil emanations. Now he acts with a positiveness of a new kind. Definitely and with full awareness of what he is doing, he gathers into himself all the evil emanations (destructive energies, and wrong forces) and he breaks them up into their component parts and returns them whence they came, neutralised, impotent and harmless, yet intact in nature. You say that this is a hard teaching and conveys but little to the average aspirant? Such is ever the way in esoteric teaching, but those who know will understand and for them I speak.
Another method is still more advanced and is utilised by the initiate. Through a knowledge of the law and of certain Words of Power he can command the energies to reverse themselves and to return to their originating centre. But with this method we have nothing to do. There must as yet be much practice in harmlessness and a close watch kept upon its application in the daily life.
The right direction of astral energy can be summed up in its three aspects from the ancient Book of Rules, given to chelas of the entering degrees. All true esoteric [320] schools begin with the control of the astral body and, the chela had to memorise and practice these three rules after he had made some real growth in the manifestation of harmlessness.
Rule I. Enter thy brother's heart and see his woe. Then speak. Let the words spoken convey to him the potent force he needs to loose his chains. Yet loose them not thyself. Thine is the work to speak with understanding. The force received by him will aid him in his work.
Rule II. Enter thy brother's mind and read his thoughts, but only when thy thoughts are pure. Then think. Let the thoughts thus created enter thy brother's mind and blend with his. Yet keep detached thyself, for none have the right to sway a brother's mind. The only right there is, will make him say: "He loves. He standeth by. He knows. He thinks with me and I am strong to do the right." Learn thus to speak. Learn thus to think.
Rule III. Blend with thy brother's soul and know him as he is. Only upon the plane of soul can this be done. Elsewhere the blending feeds the fuel of his lower life. Then focus on the plan. Thus will he see the part that he and you and all men play. Thus will he enter into life and know the work accomplished.
A note, appended to these three rules says:
"These three energies—of speech, of thought, and of purpose—when wielded with understanding by the chela and blended with the awakening forces of his brother whom he seeks to aid, are the three energies with which all adepts work."
It is almost impossible to translate these ancient formulas into adequate terms, but the above rough paraphrase will convey the idea to the illumined; these rules [321] sum up the few thoughts which the average aspirant needs to grasp about the right direction of energy, and for which he is ready.