A Treatise on Cosmic Fire Read online

  A Treatise on Cosmic Fire

  by

  ALICE A. BAILEY

  Index Edition

  Published by the Lucis Publishing Companies

  The first and only publisher of the

  24 books of Alice A. Bailey

  www.lucistrust.org/books

  Dedicated with Gratitude to

  HELENA PETROVNA BLAVATSKY,

  that great disciple who lighted her torch in the

  East and brought the light to Europe and America in 1875.

  COPYRIGHT © 1951 BY LUCIS TRUST

  COPYRIGHT © RENEWED 1979 BY LUCIS TRUST

  First Printing, 1925

  Ninth Printing, 1973 (First Paperback Edition)

  Eighteenth Printing, 2017

  Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 95233713

  First Ebook edition 2012. This 2018. ISBN No. 978-0-85330-417-3

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  The publication of this book is financed by the Tibetan Book Fund which is established for the perpetuation of the teachings of the Tibetan and Alice A. Bailey.

  This Fund is controlled by the Lucis Trust, a tax-exempt, religious, educational corporation.

  The Lucis Publishing Company is a non-profit organisation owned by the Lucis Trust. No royalties are paid on this book.

  The book has been translated into Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Russian and Spanish. Translation into other languages is proceeding.

  LUCIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

  866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 482, New York, NY 10017

  LUCIS PRESS, Ltd.

  Suite 54, 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EF

  BOOKS BY ALICE A. BAILEY

  Initiation, Human and Solar

  Letters on Occult Meditation

  The Consciousness of the Atom

  A Treatise on Cosmic Fire

  The Light of the Soul

  The Soul and its Mechanism

  From Intellect to Intuition

  A Treatise on White Magic

  From Bethlehem to Calvary

  Discipleship in the New Age–Vol. I

  Discipleship in the New Age–Vol. II

  Problems of Humanity

  The Reappearance of the Christ

  The Destiny of the Nations

  Glamour: A World Problem

  Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle

  The Unfinished Autobiography

  Education in the New Age

  The Externalisation of the Hierarchy

  A Treatise on the Seven Rays:

  Vol. I–Esoteric Psychology

  Vol. II–Esoteric Psychology

  Vol. III–Esoteric Astrology

  Vol. IV–Esoteric Healing

  Vol. V–The Rays and the Initiations

  Contents

  Cover

  EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE TIBETAN

  THE GREAT INVOCATION

  INTRODUCTION

  FOREWORD

  FIRE

  CHARTS

  INTRODUCTORY POSTULATES

  STANZAS OF DZYAN

  SECTION ONE. The Internal Fires - Fire by Friction

  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

  I. FIRE IN THE MACROCOSM

  II. FIRE IN THE MICROCOSM

  III. FIRE IN MANIFESTATION.

  DIVISION A - THE INTERNAL FIRES OF THE SHEATHS.

  I. THE THREE CHANNELS FOR THE FIRE

  II. FIRE ELEMENTALS AND DEVAS

  DIVISION B - THE PERSONALITY RAY AND FIRE BY FRICTION

  I. THE WORK OF THE THREE RAYS

  II. THE PERSONALITY RAY AND THE PERMANENT ATOM

  III. THE PERSONALITY RAY AND KARMA

  DIVISION C - THE ETHERIC BODY AND PRANA

  I. THE NATURE OF THE ETHERIC BODY

  II. THE NATURE OF PRANA

  III. THE FUNCTION OF THE ETHERIC BODY

  IV. MACROCOSMIC AND MICROCOSMIC ETHERS

  V. DEATH AND THE ETHERIC BODY

  DIVISION D - KUNDALINI AND THE SPINE

  I. KUNDALINI AND THE THREE TRIANGLES

  II. THE AROUSING OF KUNDALINI

  DIVISION E - MOTION ON THE PHYSICAL AND ASTRAL PLANES

  I. PRELIMINARY REMARKS

  II. THE EFFECTS OF ROTARY MOTION

  III. THE QUALITIES OF ROTARY MOTION

  IV. ROTARY MOTION AND SYMBOLISM

  V. MOTION AND THE CENTRES

  DIVISION F - THE LAW OF ECONOMY

  I. ITS EFFECT IN MATTER

  II. THE SUBSIDIARY LAWS

  SECTION TWO. The Fire of Mind - Solar Fire

  INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS

  I. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SON TO THE SUN?

  II. WHAT IS EVOLUTION AND HOW DOES IT PROCEED?

  III. WHY IS THIS SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLVING ALONG THE LINES OF DUALITY?

  IV. WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS? WHAT IS ITS PLACE IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS?

  V. IS THERE A DIRECT ANALOGY BETWEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEM, A PLANET, A MAN AND AN ATOM?

  VI. WHAT IS THE MIND ASPECT? WHY IS THE MANASIC PRINCIPLE OF SUCH IMPORTANCE? WHO ARE THE MANASAPUTRAS?

  VII. WHY IS THE PROGRESS OF EVOLUTION CYCLIC?

  VIII. WHY IS KNOWLEDGE BOTH EXOTERIC AND ESOTERIC?

  IX. WHAT IS THE RELATION BETWEEN:

  DIVISION A - THE NATURE MANAS OR MIND

  I. THREE MANIFESTATIONS OF MANAS

  II. DEFINITIONS OF MANAS OR MIND

  DIVISION B - MANAS AS A COSMIC, SYSTEMIC AND HUMAN FACTOR

  I. THE ORIGIN OF MANAS, OR MIND

  II. THE POSITION OF MANAS

  III. THE PRESENT STAGE OF MANASIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE THREE GROUPS

  IV. THE FUTURE OF MANAS

  DIVISION C - THE EGOIC RAY AND SOLAR FIRE

  I. THE NATURE OF THE EGOIC OR CAUSAL BODY

  II. THE NATURE OF THE PERMANENT ATOMS

  III. THE EGOIC LOTUS

  DIVISION D - THOUGHT ELEMENTALS AND FIRE ELEMENTALS

  I. THOUGHT FORMS

  II. THOUGHT ELEMENTALS AND DEVAS.

  III. Man as a creator in mental matter

  IV. Man and the Fire Spirits or Builders

  DIVISION E - MOTION ON THE PLANE OF MIND

  I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

  II. THE NATURE OF THIS MOTION

  III. RESULTS OF ITS ACTIVITY.

  IV. THE TURNING OF THE WHEEL

  V. MOTION AND THE FORM-BUILDING IMPULSE

  VI. EFFECTS OF SYNTHETIC MOTION

  DIVISION F. - THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

  I. THE SUBSIDIARY LAWS

  II. THE EFFECTS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

  III. GROUP RELATIONS

  SECTION THREE. The Fire of Spirit - Electric Fire

  DIVISION A. CERTAIN BASIC STATEMENTS.

  DIVISION B. THE NATURE OF THE SEVEN COSMIC PATHS.

  DIVISION C. SEVEN ESOTERIC STANZAS.

  FINALE

  THE ARCANE SCHOOL

  INDEX

  Footnotes

  EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE TIBETAN

  Suffice it to say, that I am a Tibetan disciple of a certain degree, and this tells you but little, for all are disciples from the humblest aspirant up to, and beyond, the Christ Himself. I live in a physical body like other men, on the borders of Tibet, and at times (from the exoteric standpoint) preside over a large group of Tibetan lamas, when my other duties permit. It is this fact that has caused it to be reported that I am an abbot of this particular lamasery. Those associated with me in the work of the Hierarchy (and all true disciples are associated in this work) know me by still another name a
nd office. A.A.B. knows who I am and recognises me by two of my names.

  I am a brother of yours, who has travelled a little longer upon the Path than has the average student, and has therefore incurred greater responsibilities. I am one who has wrestled and fought his way into a greater measure of light than has the aspirant who will read this article, and I must therefore act as a transmitter of the light, no matter what the cost. I am not an old man, as age counts among the teachers, yet I am not young or inexperienced. My work is to teach and spread the knowledge of the Ageless Wisdom wherever I can find a response, and I have been doing this for many years. I seek also to help the Master M. and the Master K.H. whenever opportunity offers, for I have been long connected with Them and with Their work. In all the above, I have told you much; yet at the same time I have told you nothing which would lead you to offer me that blind obedience and the foolish devotion which the emotional aspirant offers to the Guru and Master Whom he is as yet unable to contact. Nor will he make that desired contact until he has transmuted emotional devotion into unselfish service to humanity-not to the Master.

  The books that I have written are sent out with no claim for their acceptance. They may, or may not, be correct, true and useful. It is for you to ascertain their truth by right practice and by the exercise of the intuition. Neither I nor A.A.B. is the least interested in having them acclaimed as inspired writings, or in having anyone speak of them (with bated breath) as being the work of one of the Masters. If they present truth in such a way that it follows sequentially upon that already offered in the world teachings, if the information given raises the aspiration and the will-to-serve from the plane of the emotions to that of the mind (the plane whereon the Masters can be found) then they will have served their purpose. If the teaching conveyed calls forth a response from the illumined mind of the worker in the world, and brings a flashing forth of his intuition, then let that teaching be accepted. But not otherwise. If the statements meet with eventual corroboration, or are deemed true under the test of the Law of Correspondences, then that is well and good. But should this not be so, let not the student accept what is said.

  August 1934

  THE GREAT INVOCATION

  From the point of Light within the Mind of God

  Let light stream forth into the minds of men.

  Let Light descend on Earth.

  From the point of Love within the Heart of God

  Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.

  May Christ return to Earth.

  From the centre where the Will of God is known

  Let purpose guide the little wills of men—

  The purpose which the Masters know and serve.

  From the centre which we call the race of men

  Let the Plan of Love and Light work out.

  And may it seal the door where evil dwells.

  Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.

  “The above Invocation or Prayer does not belong to any person or group but to all Humanity. The beauty and the strength of this Invocation lies in its simplicity, and in its expression of certain central truths which all men, innately and normally, accept—the truth of the existence of a basic Intelligence to Whom we vaguely give the name of God; the truth that behind all outer seeming, the motivating power of the universe is Love; the truth that a great Individuality came to earth, called by Christians, the Christ, and embodied that love so that we could understand; the truth that both love and intelligence are effects of what is called the Will of God; and finally the self-evident truth that only through humanity itself can the Divine Plan work out.”

  ALICE A. BAILEY

  INTRODUCTION

  “To the God Who is in the FIRE and Who is in the waters;

  To the God Who has suffused Himself through all the world;

  To the God Who is in summer plants and in the lords of the forest;

  To that God be adoration, adoration.”

  Sh’vet Upanishad, II.17

  [vi] The story of the many years of telepathic work by the Tibetan with Alice A. Bailey is revealed in her Unfinished Autobiography, published in 1951. This includes the circumstances of her first contact with him, on the physical plane, which took place in California in November 1919. Thirty years’ work was planned. When this had been accomplished, and within thirty days after that period, Mrs. Bailey gained her release from the limitations of the physical vehicle.

  The Autobiography also contains certain statements by the Tibetan in regard to his work and some information as to the reasons why it was undertaken. In the early stages the work involved careful attention to the physical plane conditions which might best help to make the telepathic process more successful. But during the latter years the technique was so perfected and the etheric mechanism of A.A.B. so skilfully attuned and adjusted that the whole process was practically effortless, and the reality and practical usefulness of telepathic interplay was demonstrated to an unique degree.

  The spiritual truths dealt with involved in many cases the expression by the lower concrete mind (often with the insuperable restrictions of the English language) of abstract ideas and hitherto quite unknown concepts of spiritual realities. This unescapable limitation of truth has been frequently called to the attention of the readers of the books so produced but is all too often forgotten. Its constant remembrance will constitute in the years to come one of the chief factors in preventing the crystallisation of the teaching from producing yet one more dogmatic sectarian cult.

  The present volume, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, first published in 1925, was the third book jointly produced and carries inherent evidence that it will stand as the major and most far-reaching portion of the thirty-year teachings, notwithstanding the profundity and usefulness of the volumes published in the series [vii] entitled A Treatise on the Seven Rays or of any other of the books.

  During the long course of the work the minds of the Tibetan and A.A.B. became so closely attuned that they were in effect—so far as much of the production of the teaching was concerned—a single joint projecting mechanism. Even to the end A.A.B. often spoke of her amazement at the glimpses she obtained through contact with the Tibetan’s mind, of limitless vistas of spiritual truths which she could not possibly have otherwise contacted, and often of a quality she could not possibly express. This experience was the basis of her often proclaimed but frequently little-understood assertion that all the teachings she was aiding in producing was in fact only the A B C of esoteric knowledge, and that in the future she would gladly abandon any pronoucement in the present teaching, when she found better and more deeply esoteric teaching available. Clear and profound as the teaching actually is in the books published in her name, the truths imparted are so partial and subject to later revelation and expansion that this fact, if constantly remembered, will give us a second much-needed safeguard against that quality of the concrete mind which constantly tends to produce sectarianism.

  At the very beginning of the joint effort and after careful consideration it was decided between the Tibetan (D.K.) and A.A.B. that she as the working disciple on the outer plane should shoulder as much as possible of karmic responsibility on that plane, and that the teaching should go to the public over her signature. This involved the burden of leadership in the esoteric field and precipitated attack and condemnation from persons and organisations whose positions and activities were more Piscean and authoritarian.

  The entire platform upon which esoteric teaching stands before the public today has been liberated from the limitations and follies of mystery, glamour, claim-making and impracticality, by the position taken by the Tibetan and A.A.B. The stand taken against dogmatic assertion has helped to establish a new era of mental freedom for the students of the progressively unfolding revelation of the Ageless Wisdom.

  [viii]The age-old method of arriving at truth by the process of accepting new authorities and comparing them with previously established doctrines, while of undoubted value in the training of the mind,
is gradually being transcended. In its place is emerging in both the religious and philosophical worlds a new capacity to take a more scientific position. Spiritual teaching will be increasingly accepted as an hypothesis to be proved less by scholasticism, historical foundation and authority, and more by the results of its effect upon the life lived and its practical usefulness in solving the problems of humanity.