We ended the last presentation by introducing the symbology surrounding the cross. This is about as ancient as a symbol can get and is almost universal to all cultures. However, it is in Christianity that this symbol has been misunderstood because of the false narrative around the supposed crucifixion of a character portrayed in the four gospels, found in the Bible. To understand where this particular perspective comes from, one has to appreciate that the gospels were written by Gnostic scholars, who wanted to convey their esoterically derived symbology to a wider audience. They did this through a character called Jesus, who was loosely modelled on a firebrand insurrectionist called Jesus Barabbas. The arrival and departure of the real World Teacher, Christ/Maitreya had occurred over a century earlier. The Gnostics, as they were members of bonafide mystery schools and knew their onions, knew what they were referring to when they described the crucifixion of ‘Jesus’.
When a monad exists the 4th Kingdom of Nature and enters the 5th Kingdom, it enters the Unity/Essential World (46). What is happening is that the monad is swapping the causal envelope, located in the corner of the 2nd Triad, for a newly minted envelope in the 2nd Triad proper (5th Kingdom). In between these two triads, the monad is temporarily suspended “in an unknown nothing”. The monad feels dizzy and feels it has lost “everything”. What it appears to have lost is its causal consciousness. The only thing the monad knows at this moment is its self-identity, “I am that I am”. Laurency tells us that this symbology originated from Atlantian scripts that were recorded in a diminished form in the Babylon archives. It was here, when the Jewish elite was in exile, that they came upon these texts, saw the term “I am that I am” and attributed it to their tribal ‘God’ Yahweh. The Gnostics picked up on this theme and wrote it into their gospels.
So, what were the Gnostics actually referring to? The causal self (1st-Self) is crucified during its incarnation. During this crucifixion, which is the incarnation, the self becomes aware of its “divine Sonship”. This, if you remember, is God Immanent. At the moment of transition from the 1st to the 2nd-Triad, the monad cries out “my God, my God, why hath thou forsaken me?” Clearly, the monad feels abandoned in this brief moment of “condensed” eternity”. This leads to the root of the concept of crucifixion. We are all crucified when we return to the 1st Triad to begin a new incarnation.
There is one expression that is very misleading and that is the “Law of Sacrifice”. Laurency states that the only monads that truly sacrifice themselves are the highest cosmic collective beings, who build the entire Universe. For all the other monads, visiting on or managing each plane of matter, there is no sacrifice, since giving is a condition of development. The Bible says, “to him who gives will be given”. The only apparent sacrifice you could consider would be the shedding of the lower to gain the higher. It is only through service that a monad develops the qualities and abilities that are conditions of higher evolution. Laurency suggests that the “law of sacrifice” should be renamed to the “law of giving”.
When one is focused on oneself, bound up with egoism, the “will to unity” is abandoned. This is bad news, as the only way to enter the 5th Kingdom is to ‘major’ on ‘unity’. Laurency informs us that only initiates truly understand the significance of the term “sacrifice”, yet the concept of sacrifice underpins the whole raison d’être for Christianity. We end up with a grotesque misconception that God demands a sacrifice to be able to “forgive sins”. The solution to this problem was to send his only ‘son’ to be crucified. Sacrificing to the gods was practised in many civilisations, from the Maya, to the Babylonians. Why, oh why, would any god, let alone the Absolute, require a sacrifice? What does it prove? Now if a black magician has cut themselves off from the life-sustaining energies that flow from the higher worlds, via their guardian angel, then they require energy from somewhere. Enter the ‘sacrifice’. So wherever you see ‘god’ demanding a sacrifice, you know who you are really dealing with.
Let us now look at what would be presented in a version of esoteric history. For starters, any divisions on a historical timeline would correlate to zodiacal epochs. These will be grouped so that human evolution can be followed, for example, through the 3rd, 4th and 5th-root races. If this was the case, we would be looking at about 40 million years of history. If we decided to choose a timeline from the advent of the Plenary Government, our timeline would start 18 million years ago and if you chose the causalization of ape-men, then we would begin 21 million years ago. After the collapse of the Atlantian civilisation, humanity was no longer directly guided by the Hierarchy. What progress humanity made was facilitated by information shared from, closed, esoteric knowledge orders. Before the advent of Christianity, society knew there were these secretive bodies. Christianity was hell-bent of suppressing all forms of thought other than their warped view of life. The knowledge orders, consequently, went cryptic. When they were mentioned, it was because they were forgeries. A good example is the Rosicrucians, who were a Jesuit forgery initiated in the 17th Century. Saint Germain, aka, the Master R, actually published some examples of genuine Rosicrucian symbols, which no one was able to interpret. This was an attempt to expose the forgery. The sad fact is that the old esoteric orders have always been imitated in order to mislead Humanity. Laurency informs us that around 2,200 CE, new orders will be established and they would not be hidden. The teaching will be open. It is another matter how many people would understanding what was being said, rather like Hylozoics.
We are told that each zodiacal epoch produces its culture, so you can guess how many cultures there have been. These cultures are the product of the seven Rays that emanate from the zodiacal constellations. This results in each epoch exhibiting seven types of flora and fauna. Each type is linked back to one of the seven rays.
How would you define “culture” from an esoteric perspective? Laurency tells us that it is freedom for all within the limits of equal rights for all. This is predicated on tolerance. Culture must go beyond the limits of nations or races. It must recognise the constructive as well as the destructive forces in our collective existence. It must seek to be inclusive rather than exclusive. Culture should lead to the understanding of the Laws of Life. Laurency points out that the art within a culture should have reality as its basis, as opposed to formlessness. Clearly, he did not like modern art. Through culture, you come to realise that every nation has a particular task in the consciousness development of Humanity. I think we can safely conclude that all nations have fallen short in this task.
To conclude our look at the terms and symbolisms used in occult and esoteric literature here is a quick run-through of some words and sayings.
Laurency feels that the term “esoterician” should only be used for people who have accepted Hylozoics as a working hypothesis. Note the term ‘hypothesis’. It only becomes a fact when you can prove it yourself, objectively. Esoteric faculties include telepathy, telekinesis, levitation, psychometry, clairvoyance and clairaudience.
From a consciousness point of view, consciousness development and revelation are synonymous. Revelation becomes knowledge when formulated into words for others to understand.
Continuity of consciousness means the monad can recall experiences in higher envelopes when present back in their physical-etheric body.
By now, you should all be aware of the designation of each world into seven subplanes, one of which is atomic and the rest molecular. You should also appreciate that mental and spiritual bodies are divided between two triads. We have spent practically all our time talking about the Cosmic Physical Kingdom, as this is the only one accessible to us. The names of the higher cosmic kingdoms follow the pattern used to delineate the subdivisions in the Cosmic Physical Plane simply because no serviceable alternative has been given. This is why the Hylozoic use of mathematical notations for each plane is a highly desirable alternative.
The term “initiation” has many meanings but the most important is the gradual acquisition of higher kinds of atomic consciousness. It can also mean acceptance into an esoteric knowledge order and the passing of degrees within that order.
A few esoteric symbols are worth clarifying, so when the student meets them, they have an inkling of their true meaning.
The “will of God” refers to the consciousness development of the monad in all seven parallel streams of evolution, found on this globe, of which the human and devic streams are but two.
The “return of the Christ” is the reappearance of the Hierarchy, to assume leadership of the planet. Let us hope we do not cock things up again if and when this happens.
The term “faith” refers actually to a mental atom. It is an idea and it is irresistible mental energy. Notice we are referring to Trinity here; matter, consciousness, motion. Faith is often referred to as a seed, alluding to its material nature.
Other symbols are on less firm foundations. An example is “thou art come from earth: thou wilt once more return to earth; the spirit will return to God who gave it.” This assumes that we separate from a universal spirit and are eventually reunited with it and annihilated as a result. We know this not to be true, as the monad may share in the Universal Cosmic Consciousness, but it is still an independent entity. Its own being.
In esoteric symbolism, the “sword” refers to energy from the 1st Department, the “pen” the energies from the 2nd Department and money, energy from the 3rd Department.
Three lunar festivals are significant to esotericians and occultists. These are the full moons of Aries, Taurus and Gemini. They help to draw our attention to the existence of the Planetary Hierarchy, The Planetary Government and the necessity for Universal Brotherhood. They draw energies from the Unity (46), Lower Spiritual (45), and the Causal (47:1-3) worlds respectively.
One story you may remember is that of Jonah and the Whale. In case you are interested, the whale represents the Higher Causal Body and Jonah represents the Lower Causal Body. The whale swallows Jonah at the end of an incarnation cycle. I bet you never thought that when you read the story.
The term “word” has many meanings. Two of interest are, “the word made flesh”, which alludes to the incarnation of a higher conscious being into physical incarnation and the “lost word of the master”, which refers to esoteric knowledge, linked to words of power, mantras and the concentration of dynamis, which is released as a charge of energy.
The circle with a point at its centre refers to form and consciousness, whether it refers to a solar system, a planet, a human or an atom. The central point is the primordial atom. This atom makes consciousness and the manifestation of energy possible.
The last symbol in this series of presentations is that of the “way”. This represents the automatic activation of the seven main centres of the aggregate envelopes. The lowest three chakras are already active in all of us. The aspirant starts its journey on the ‘way’ when they activate their heart centre through devotion and service to humanity and evolution in general.