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A Treatise on Cosmic Fire - Section Two - Introductory Questions
3. The third idea involved is that of the Two Types of Cycles

1. Rotation on the axis: This is to be seen whether we are dealing with a minute atom of substance, with a planet revolving on its axis, with the rotation of the causal body, or with the rotation of a solar system.

  1. In relation to the human being, this might be considered as the rotation of the various sheaths around the central consciousness during any one incarnation.
  2. In relation to a Heavenly Man it might be considered as the rotation of a globe within a chain, or the period of one incarnation.
  3. In relation to a solar Logos it might be considered as one complete revolution of the Sun in space, with all that is included within the ring-pass-not.

2. Rotation around an orbit. This is the revolution of a sphere of life, not only on its axis, but along a spheroidal path or orbit around a central point.

  1. In connection with man this might be considered as the revolution of the wheel of life, or the passage of an entity through the three lower planes down into incarnation and back again.
  2. In connection with a Heavenly Man it might be considered as the cycle which we call a round in which the life of the Heavenly Man cycles through all the seven globes.
  3. In connection with the solar Logos it is the complete revolution of the solar system around its cosmic center.

It is to be noted at this point that the ideas dealt with in connection with cyclic evolution cannot be posited apart from the concept of consciousness. The ideas of [278] time, of space, and of activity (from the point of view of the occultist), can only be conceived as relative to some conscious entity, to some Thinker.

Time to the occultist is that cycle, greater or lesser, in which some life runs some specific course, in which some particular period begins, continues, and ends, in connection with the awareness of some Entity, and is recognized only as time when the participating life has reached a considerable stage of awareness. Time has been defined as a succession of states of consciousness, 15 and it therefore may be studied from the point of view of [279]

  1. Logoic consciousness, or the successive states of divine realization within the solar sphere.
  2. Planetary consciousness, or the consciousness of a Heavenly Man as He cycles successively through the scheme.
  3. Causal consciousness, or the successive expanding of the intelligent awareness of a human being from life to life.
  4. Human consciousness, or the awareness of a man on the physical plane, and progressively on the emotional and the mental planes.
  5. Animal, vegetable and mineral consciousness which differs from the human consciousness in many particulars, and primarily in that it does not coordinate, or deduce and recognize separate identity. It resembles human consciousness in that it covers the response to successive contacts of the units involved during their small cycles.
  6. Atomic consciousness, demonstrating through successive states of repulsion and attraction. In this last definition lies the key to the other states of consciousness.

15 The Secret Doctrine says:

  1. The Universe is in reality but a huge aggregation of states of consciousness. - S. D., II, 633. I, 70, 626.
  2. Spirit and consciousness are synonymous terms. - S. D., I, 43, 125, 349, 350, 592, 593.
  3. Every atom in the universe is endowed with consciousness, - S. D., I, 105. II, 709, 742.
  4. Six types of Consciousness as embodied in the Kingdom of Nature on the five planes of Human Evolution. - S. D., II 123. II, 678.
    1. The Mineral Kingdom 1.
      Intelligent activity. All atoms show ability to select, to discriminate intelligently under the Law of Attraction and Repulsion. - S. D., I, 295.
    2. Vegetable Kingdom 2.
      Intelligent activity plus embryo sensation or feeling.
    3. Animal Kingdom 3.
      Intelligent activity, sensation plus instinct, or embryo mentality. - S. D., III, 573, 574.

      These three embody the subhuman consciousness.

    4. Human consciousness 4.
      Intelligent activity, love or perfected feeling or realization and will, or intelligent purpose. The three aspects. S. D., I, 215, 231.- S. D., II, 552. III, 579.

      This is Self Consciousness - the middle point. - S. D., I, 297.

    5. Spiritual Consciousness 5.
      Buddhic realization. The unit is aware of his group. The separated unit identifies himself with his ray or type. - S. D., III, 572. I, 183, 623.
    6. Atmic Consciousness 6.
      The consciousness of the unit of the Septenary solar system. - S. D., II, 673. II, 741.

      These two embody superconsciousness.

The seventh type embraces them all and is God Consciousness. - S. D., II, 740 note. Study also S. D., I, 300, 301, 183, 221, 623. S. D., II, 32 note, 741, 552 note. - S. D., III, 573, 574, 558, 557, 584.
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