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A Treatise on Cosmic Fire - Section Two - Division E - Motion on the Plane of Mind
V. Motion and the Form-Building Impulse

1. Motion and the Mental Sheath

In the first section of this treatise we dealt somewhat with various phases of activity when considering "fire by friction," and the fiery motion of substance itself. We will only touch on some further aspects of the matter, for it is necessary that the student should bear in mind [1098] certain things. He should endeavor to ascertain the relationship between the universal mind (or the systemic mind) and cosmic mind, and seek to comprehend the purpose of the mental sheath, which is one of the most interesting of the various bodies on account of its fiery gaseous constitution. He should also seek to bring about through meditation that mental control and alignment which will result in stabilization, and a responsiveness to causal impression. This will lead to the transmission of egoic instruction to the man on the physical plane.

Certain points in connection with the mental sheath require emphasizing, though it is not our purpose to do more than call attention to their nature. Under the law of correspondence, the student should be able to arrive at certain conclusions and judge wisely the assignment of purpose and place to the particular set of lunar pitris who form the vehicle.

The mental body is composed of only four types of essence, whereas the astral body and the physical are formed of seven types. The devas who compose this body are grouped together as "the cohorts of the fourth order" and have a close connection with that group of cosmic Lives who (through the impress of their influence upon solar matter) are responsible for the fact that our solar system is a system of the fourth order. This group of Lives is manipulated and controlled, in the macrocosmic sense, from cosmic mental levels via the central spiritual sun, and through what is called in esoteric parlance "the fourth solar cavity." If students will meditate upon the nature of the human heart and its various divisions, and particularly upon one of the valves, light upon this complex problem may be forthcoming. There is a constant inflow of energy from these great Entities on cosmic mental levels; this inflow is the very life itself of the solar units who are the sumtotal of the four lower subplanes of the mental plane, and consequently the life [1099] of the individual units who form the mental bodies of all human beings.

It will be apparent to all careful students that on all the planes, the fourth subplane has a peculiar and close relation to the fourth Creative Hierarchy, that of the human monads, and this is peculiarly the case in connection with the mental body. Through the medium of the plane number (five), and the subplane number (four), the possibility of initiation for the human being becomes a fact and that particular form of activity which distinguishes his progress is brought about. There are, therefore, two main streams of energy responsible for the form of the mental sheaths,

  1. That emanating from the fourth subplane of the cosmic mental plane, including consequently the remaining three subplanes.
  2. That emanating from the aggregate of those lives who form the fourth Creative Hierarchy. As we know, the esoteric number of this Hierarchy is nine, the exoteric number being four.

It is the blending of these two streams of force which (within the confines of the three worlds) results in the progressive activity of man. When this is coupled with the self-engendered action of the individual atoms of any sheath, we have spiral-progressive motion. This is true macrocosmically and microcosmically, for the activity of the cosmic physical plane (our seven systemic planes), is largely dependent upon the coordinated activity of certain force manifestations, which might be enumerated as follows:

  1. That of the fourth Creative Hierarchy, who, in their aggregate, form the force centers.
  2. The emanating influences of the fourth cosmic ether, the buddhic plane, upon which is dependent, [1100] throughout the system, the manifestation of that which is tangible and objective.
  3. The opening up, both macrocosmically and microcosmically, of the fourth aspect of the solar and human egoic lotus; this is the revelation of the "Jewel in the Lotus," and macrocosmically is the perfect coordination of the three aspects through the medium of substance; this is the completion of logoic purpose, which is that of the fourth group. It might be expressed otherwise:

    "When all is known of the significance of fourth dimensional existence, then the fourth order with the fifth will complete the sacred nine."

  4. The specific alignment, interplay or free circulation of force simultaneously through the following manifestations of the one life:
    1. The logoic Quaternary and equally the human.
    2. The fourth systemic ether.
    3. The fourth cosmic ether, the buddhic.
    4. The fourth Creative Hierarchy.

When this has been completed, the goal universal will have been reached, and the Logos will have assumed the desired control of His physical body; the human units will be then functioning upon the buddhic plane, and the groups of lives who form the mental bodies of the human beings (who are numerically allied with the above progression) will have equally achieved.

Certain influences and forces play upon the mental sheath of any human being, and produce in it that activity which is termed "spiral progressive." These forces might be briefly considered as comprising the following:

  1. The energies of the atoms of substance which compose the mental body.
  2. The energies of the lunar father who is the coherent [1101] life of the mental group body. These two groups concern the Not-Self, the third aspect of monadic manifestation.
  3. The energies of the solar Angel, or Father, which is the coordinating principle behind manifestation in the three worlds.
  4. The energies of the intelligent lives who form the body egoic. These lives find their emanating source on other levels than the systemic. These two groups concern the egoic principle, the middle principle which links the above and the below, and is the second aspect of monadic manifestation.
  5. The energy emanating from the "Jewel in the Lotus" itself, the focal point of energy in the Upper Triad. This concerns the Self, the highest aspect of monadic manifestation.

The effects produced by the play of these five types of energy upon each other produce (through the medium of the mental unit) that which we term the mental sheath. This sheath is after all only the aggregate of those atoms within a specific area with which the Thinker has to do, which he holds magnetically within his ring-pass-not, and which serve as the medium for his mental expression, according to his point of evolution. This same definition will be recognized as true of all atomic sheaths, and one of the things which students of the occult sciences will eventually do is to investigate the nature of the informing lives of the sheaths, the qualities of the energies influencing such lives, and the character and force of the basic underlying principles. They will thus arrive at facts concerning energies in the human kingdom which will prove of inestimable value.

In order to keep the basic idea of this Treatise corresponding in its various divisions, I might call your attention to the four points we considered relative to motion [1102] in the physical and astral sheaths. We found that the effects of such motion might be regarded as four altogether:

  • Separation.
  • Momentum.
  • Frictional Activity.
  • Absorption.
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