If you turn the pages of a book on alchemy, astrology or occult metaphysics you will perhaps come across a diagram of a human body covered with various planetary signs and signs of the zodiac. On the other hand, if you care to look through several books on the same subjects you will see that they will vary or disagree about the appropriate positions of the signs and the parts of the body. This shows that there is either a disagreement about the position of the signs, or the signs in themselves do not matter and have nothing to do with the physical planets as we know them.
To say that a certain organ or part of the body is “under the influence” of a certain planet or sign and to admit it mentally is another way of saying that one is at the mercy of that which appears in a mirror. In some eastern systems some of these body centres are referred to as the “chakras”, and some systems in the west refer to the endocrine glands as being important centres, and many ill-advised students spend endless time trying to “open” or in some way influence these centres thinking that it will help along their “spiritual” development.
Because it is natural for man to be “spiritual” or “psychic” or whatever, and because he already lives in a “spiritual” world and is already an integral part of the whole cosmos, this must surely be his natural element and he must, therefore, be naturally fitted, as a fish in water, to this environment he is living in. This means that he does not have to acquire or develop any faculty to become more aware of his natural surroundings because these are already the prominent faculties of his whole being. All he has to do is to allow his natural self to harmonise with his own element. The term “progress” only indicates that one becomes more aware of what is going on than the other fellow, and it does not give him any more rights and privileges within the Divine Scheme. Harmony is the inherent nature of the universe; so is Love, and where seeming conditions would try and convince us otherwise, it is the very nature of the Universal Mind, or God, to inform us of our illusions and help us to put them right. Thus, to be at Peace and Whole in every way is natural. To be Joyful is natural, and to respond to the wonderful glories of this earth is natural, so when men say it is easier to be “evil” than to follow their inherent make-up of divine qualities, they are following the “evil” of their own self-deception because it pleases them. They are self-styled teachers who maintain that it is only by exerting influences externally on the person that one can “discover himself”, and who teach that the knowledge of the body centres and planetary influences are esoteric sciences, and some believe that they are the sole guardians of certain mysteries, but really these are self-made “mysteries” which help perpetuate the illusions. True knowledge and esoteric truths are within one’s own mind to be discovered, and one naturally lives them out if he follows his own true nature.
Rituals and ceremonies are only performed because people want to do them and believe that they help them. This may be so but it does not change themselves or the attitude of the Divine Intelligence towards them.
After all we have said about the expansion of awareness and experience of other spheres, there is only one focal point to be understood – one’s own true Self or the God within.
We have taught that everything perceived by the senses is but a reflection of the within, therefore when it comes to the awareness of other “spheres” or “worlds” one should by now be able to see that every object or movement witnessed via “physical consciousness” is but a symbol of an internal or invisible force. To help you see this a little more clearly, try to imagine the perimeter of your body as the surface of a mirror which is reflecting all that which is within its circumference outwardly to be witnessed as being external to yourself. For example, this lesson on paper symbolises from an external point a process which is now going on within your present experience. The “esoteric doctrine” is, therefore, truly esoteric because the acceptance of any external evidence is completely out of the question.
The Sun, the planets and, in fact, every external symbol is regarded as an effect of an internal universe, and it is in this internal world or universe that the true initiate dwells. In this light it can be seen that one’s Reality is in the world of Infinite Mind, and the experience is in the activity of this Mind. Mind is the “spiritual” substance in which everything takes place throughout the whole universe; it is within this substance that all manifestation occurs. Thus, every organ or part of the physical body is an occult instrument so tuned as to experience all the glories of God in activity. Your “magical instruments” are your thoughts, or those which you entertain, for all thoughts do not originate in your own facet of mind. This depends on your own powers of reasoning and discrimination, therefore, all “magical operation” becomes, or is, the powerful use of the will. To know and experience Venus, for example, means that one understands the principle of Venus within one’s own consciousness, recognising that the external planet Venus is but a distant symbol of a beautiful condition within one’s own self.
In our teaching, all manifestation is based on two principles only – Cause and Effect, which represent the male and female aspects respectively, and that which is unmanifest – God Himself. Thus, we have only God and Himself in manifestation. God Himself is sexless, and sexual division occurs only in the world which He has created from within His own being. Thus, all manifestation is based upon a process of movement or creativity. This process is maintained by God’s own inherent radiating forces which keeps this living organism called creation in existence. God is the First Cause; creation is the effect. This means that every living thing within the area of His consciousness is a product of His Mind, and all form is maintained by the life energy or Spirit emanating from Him. Thus, man himself is just another vehicle of His own manifestation. As the Psalmist says, “We are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand” (Psalm 100). Now, because He gave to His creation a certain domain of its own, He gave unto man the ability to become God of himself, and that is how the terms “Son of Man” and “Son of God” are synonymous. This reveals the mystery of Jesus. He, Jesus, recognised this great truth, and claimed it as the right of all men. We are verily the Son of God as a complete and whole unit within the cosmic structure itself. Thus, we are, as a whole, the “Only Begotten” in totality.
What is the great and final mystery of the initiate?
Initially he has toiled and sweated, renouncing the theories of the world until he has gained the Crown of Life. He has known the Perfection of his Being. He knows that he is an indestructible, beautiful, spiritual being, free from the conditions from which other men suffer. Now he must choose; “Shall I remain in peace or shall I return to involve myself in human affairs again so that I might radiate this glory among men?” In the first instance one has sought the Self for the very sake of the Self, and this process could lack compassion.
The way of compassion is the choice made by all Great Teachers – the Christs and the Buddhas – and this is why they are considered to be truly Great Lords. In fact they are fulfilling the conditions necessary to be future Lords of Creation, that in some future time they will be as Suns creating and maintaining their own worlds peopled with beings of their own creation and like unto themselves.
Just as God our Father has fragmented His life for us as commemorated in the Communion Service, so should we, finally, render up ourselves as a sacrifice on the alter of manifestation, that our energies might be food and drink to those who struggle within the great illusion of effects. If we were to remain within the precincts of the Holy of Holies we could not make personal contact with men. All we can do is to radiate energy. If we wish to be involved in God’s activity we can do this only within the area of activity, and this means being involved in the worlds of form. It is only within these worlds that we can become effective messengers of God.
Summary
All Suns, planets, geometrical patterns, numbers, masculine and feminine aspects – in truth, all creation – are but the effects of the movement of God or the Creator Himself.
Thus, all knowledge, all science, all teachings, all systems of whatever sort are man’s own speculations upon the workings of this activity.
Because a “bridge” is continually kept open directly between God and His creation, it is possible to commune directly with Him and to receive the true knowledge of His Being. This has been possible because of the creatures who were first created by Him and who assumed their own autonomy and became as gods like unto Him. These things then formed the Angelic Hierarchy.
Because of what they did, and because God blessed them in this act, it is possible for every being within the manifested worlds to attain the same status. God, therefore, by the use of His messengers or angels, makes the secrets of the true way available directly to those who are willing to take on such great responsibilities. The secret of this release is to free oneself from the effects within the worlds, and no matter what arguments human beings place before you in their claims for free-thinking, modern outlook, teachings of the day, scientific discoveries, all forms of occultism, divination, etc., etc., all is of no avail unless the true “religious and moral teachings” as given by the Great Teachers are lived out to the letter and in the true spirit.