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Esoteric Astrology - The Rays, Constellations and Planets - Cosmic Energies and Transformation
Ray III - Active Intelligence Cancer - Libra - Capricorn working through five planets: The Moon - Venus - Saturn - Neptune - Uranus. In this divine expression of ray energy is to be found the key or clue to what is commonly called evolution. The emphasis, is necessarily from the angle of the form nature and upon the phenomenal side. Today, however, the evolutionary process can be considered from the two aspects of the evolution of form and the evolution of consciousness; science and psychology contribute to this a gradually developing whole or picture. But that which I deal with here is the evolution of That which is both consciousness and form but which is more than either, i.e. the One Who wills to manifest and to know or to become aware. It is this which lies behind and which is greater than the Identity in time and space to which we give the name Logos. I seek to deal, therefore, with the Creative Will which is dynamically manifesting, consciously establishing contact and persistently focused in the form whilst time and space endure. [629] This third aspect of the divine expression is the result or outcome of the activity of the other two major rays. You must, with care, distinguish in your minds between matter or the Mother and substance or the "Holy Spirit over-shadowing the Mother"; it is with this latter we are concerned, for we are regarding all these rays in terms of will, of spirit, and of life. This whole treatise, therefore, deals with an idea which lies beyond or behind the entire content of modern knowledge and is consequently inexplicable to the finite mind. All that is possible is to indicate That which exists prior to manifestation and which persists after the cycle of manifestation is over - unprovable, unknowable and intangible. This inherent Reality is to the manifested Logos what the sensed, immortal Self is to the man in incarnation. As the abstract mind of man develops, these subjective themes, leading to the central Theme of manifestation, will become clearer and the density of the mystery will lighten. With this promise you must be content for you are not yet initiate. The initiate will sense whereof I speak. This evolving Reality which is focused in the third Ray of Active Intelligence during the "period of appearance" has - in this solar system - undertaken the task of developing conscious "awareness of Itself in that which it is not." This is carried forward in three stages - all of them the result of process, of progress, of activity and of mind or intelligent perception. These three stages are: The stage wherein sensory perception is transmuted into knowledge. This is the stage in which the form gradually and steadily adapts itself to the requirements of the perceiving Self. The stage wherein knowledge is transmuted into wisdom, [630] or consciousness utilizes the gradually acquired knowledge to achieve detachment from the form, the organ of perception. The stage wherein wisdom is transmuted into omniscience and both consciousness and form are superseded by the One Who exists, Who is conscious, but Who remains as greater than either of these two phases of divine life. This One wills to incarnate, wills to know, wills to be conscious, but is none of these phases essentially, having realized them, prior to manifestation. This third ray will is the producer of external synthesis in successive stages, carried forward from temporary syntheses until there is complete unification between consciousness and form and later complete at-one-ment realized between That which is neither consciousness nor form but the Creator of both and the relating Principle of spirit-matter. It will be seen how the above definition shows the function of the third ray to be the will-to-initiate on the physical plane that which will express divinity; that it defines not only appearance but the revelation of that quality of which the appearance is the effect or result, and that inherent in these two propositions lies the third which states that this creative will is not only the cause of manifestation and the guarantee of achievement, but is also the proof of the potency of that Life which ever defeats and annihilates death. So, we come back to our initial proposition of that divine trinity of Life-Quality-Appearance (considered in the opening pages of Volume I); thus also to the creativity of the three major rays; thus to their basic relation and thus to their enduring and persistent synthesis. The circle of revelation is rounded out; the cycle is completed; the serpent of matter, the serpent of wisdom and the serpent of life are seen to be one [631] whole and behind the three "stands the Eternal Dragon for ever spawning forth the triple serpent, for ever saying: Go forth and come thou back." Thus speaks the Old Commentary in reference to this matter. Three words are concerned with this triple manifestation: Attraction, Subtraction, Abstraction and these three are related (as far as man is concerned) to the first three initiations, but only from the will aspect and in relation definitely to the third ray upon the physical plane, or rather on the plane of the etheric body or the vital effective activity. It is this which must be borne in mind when considering the active work of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This Trinity in manifestation knows Itself as the Transcending Reality and utters ever the word: "Having pervaded this whole universe with a fragment of Myself, I remain." This Trinity in manifestation knows Itself as the Transmitting One and says through the words of the Christ: "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me." This, through the attractive power which the Transmitting One transmits. This Trinity in manifestation knows Itself to be the Transforming Agent and through the voice of the many chants the words: "Glory to God in the highest, on Earth peace, goodwill to men" - glory, peace and the will-to-good being the effects of the transmitted life of the Transcendent One. Finally, at the end of the age, it knows Itself as the Transfigured One and realizes that the paean of the angels: "Glory to God in the highest" is the enunciation of its ultimate perfection and triumph. Can more be said anent this subject? The major Rays of Aspect embody the entire story; the minor Rays of Attribute contribute the detail in process and enterprise. They [632] are conditioned by the three major rays. It is not, therefore, my intention to take up the analysis of the four remaining triangles. I have indicated enough in this treatise to enable the interested student to work out for himself their subjective theme. I will, however, consider briefly the three constellations connected with the third ray; their significance is relatively clear.
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