Glossary

A

Abstraction: The movement of consciousness to a point above the normal horizontal focus of awareness, i.e., to the abstract mind or to the plane of the Soul as opposed to the intellectual mind, emotions or physical body.

Action: The activity of the Soul as it reaches into and through the personality to bring its life and affairs into right relationship with a higher purpose, i.e., the Divine Plan.

Agni Yoga: The discipline of practical Spirituality, in other words, of embodying the Presence of Divinity in the daily life. It is also called “the Living Ethics” or the “yoga of fiery energy, of consciousness, and of responsible, directed thought”. It is also known as Fire Yoga. This Fire refers to the spiritual Fire or Energy present in every human being and which is the cause of consciousness. This Fire is at one with the universal Fire or Energy of Divinity responsible for the all the manifestations and the sustenance of the entire Cosmos.

Ajna Center: 1. One of the seven major energy centers or chakras in the etheric body of the human being. It is located between and approximately two inches in front of the eyebrows; its main manifestation in the physical body is the pituitary gland. 2. The seat of the Observer. Literally from Sanskrit, ‘ajna’ means ‘command’ (of master). See also: Energy Centers, Observer.

Align: To bring into relationship or to establish contact with a particular level of consciousness, or thought-form, or energy (i.e., one or more of the Seven Rays). To “recognize the existence of the Soul as being everywhere equally present” is to align with the Soul.

Alignment: 1. Any connection between energy centers, energies, or states of consciousness. 2. The connection created between various centers, energies, thought-forms etc. during meditation. See also: Soul Mind Brain Alignment.

Angel: 1. An individualized portion of the substantial or “Mother” aspect of Divinity. 2. A being of Light. See also: Deva.

Angel of The Presence: The light body of The Christ. It is also the “body” of the individual Soul of every human being.

Appearance: The form or body through which a Soul incarnates in the three lower worlds (physical, emotional or mental).

Aquarian Age: 1. In astrology, the celestial age between Pisces and Capricorn. 2. A period lasting approximately 2500 years, typified by growing humanitarian sensitivity, and service to humanity and the planet. 3. Each age is signified by the precession (moving backwards) of the equinox which is caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis. This means that the stability of the Spring equinox is only apparent since it is now at the point of moving into the sign of Aquarius. Therefore the Aquarian "Age".

Archetype: The thought pattern or blueprint from which an activity or a form is given its shape. For example every wheel (wagon, car, tractor, bicycle, etc.) is the out-picturing of the wheel archetype.

Art and Science of Form Building: The work of the conscious Soul incarnate who builds thought-forms and service activities based upon a perception of the Divine Plan.

Ashram: 1. A condition of group consciousness and/or 2. a group Soul composed of many individualized souls all of whom are drawn together on Soul levels via the similarity of Soul Ray and the service of the same Divine Purpose. At the heart of each group is a member or Master of the Hierarchy of Light who holds the focus for the group in relationship to the Divine Plan.

Astral: 1. Substance vibrating at a frequency below that of the mind and above that of the physical-etheric. 2. Feeling nature: emotions, desires, passions.

Astral Plane: 1. Matter vibrating above the frequency of the physical-dense and physical-etheric planes, but below that of the mental plane. 2. An aggregate of all the substance impressed and shaped by the emotional currents, desires and activities of humanity. What may also be referred to as the collective unconscious.

At-one-ment: 1. The mergence in consciousness of the incarnated Soul with the overshadowing Soul; and the mergence of the Soul with the One Life. 2. The capacity to merge in consciousness with another life in order to know or understand it.

Atma: The first aspect of the manifesting Divinity, as in Atma – Buddhi – Manas. It refers to the highest aspect of consciousness of the One Self, the Spiritual Will. It uses the Atmic Body as its instrument.

Atmic Body: It is the Light body or spiritual vehicle formed by the spiritual will of the Soul. It is the vehicle for the conscious identification of the human Soul with the One Life omnipresent throughout the Earth.

Atmic Plane: A plane of reality an octave above the buddhic plane that corresponds with the Fifth Initiation and the atmic body. It is the level of spiritual will for the overshadowing Soul of the human being and the source of personal will. It is also the plane of reality where the Divine Plan for the earth takes shape.

AUM: A symbolic representation of the triune Sound that gives existence, consciousness and appearance to all souls and forms in the universe. It becomes OM when consciousness and appearance are merged in one identity.

B

Base of the Spine Center: 1. One of the seven major energy centers or chakras in the etheric body of the human being, located at the base of the spinal column; its main manifestation in the physical body are the adrenals glands. 2. The organ through which the vital energy of the core of the planet (i.e., kundalini) enters the human form to constantly nourish the core of all its atoms. See also: Energy Centers, Kundalini.

Brain: A focal point in substance for the incarnating consciousness of the Soul. The brain is a precipitation of mental, astral and etheric substances.

Breath: 1. The cycle of activity (exhalation) and of inactivity (inhalation) of a form. For example: the cycle of the seasons, the rhythm of the moon, the sleep/rest of the physical body. 2. The creation and activation of a form by the Soul: an incarnation, a thought, or a service activity. 3. The natural, cyclic movement of a form.

Buddhi: The second aspect of the manifesting Divinity, as in Atma – Buddhi – Manas. It refers to the Love-Wisdom aspect of consciousness of the One Self. It uses the Intuition as its instrument. See also: Intuition.

Buddhic Plane: This is the plane of the overshadowing Soul and lies above the plane of mind. It is, as far as humanity is concerned, the realm of pure consciousness or love/wisdom.

C

Causative Triangle: Spirit, Soul, Form… or Life, Consciousness, Substance.

Ceremonial Magic: 1. The conscious manipulation (by means of thought power) of energy, force and substance to produce phenomenal (as in activity) appearance in the world of affairs. It is not to be confused with the astral manipulation of forms already in existence through an outer ritual. See also: Seventh Ray.

Conscious Creativity: The state wherein the human being creates forms while having full awareness and understanding of each step of the creative process.

Conscious Soul Incarnated: 1. When the over-shadowing spiritual Soul has incarnated fully into its persona. 2. The completion of the Third Initiation.

Consciousness: 1. The “container” of the sense of Identity in the One Life or pure Spirit’s exploration of Its own essence through Space and Time. 2. The sense of awareness experienced at any level of existence. 3. The product of the interaction between pure Spirt and Substance. 4. The second aspect of the manifested Trinity, as in Spirit, Soul, Form… or Life, Consciousness, Substance. See also: One Life.

Creative Hierarchies: The Orders of Beings or Spiritual Essences who are that aspect of Divinity responsible for the creation of all forms (spiritual, mental, subtle and material) in our Solar System. They made the forms out of their own essence and, by doing this, evolve in consciousness through graded stages of development. The incentive to build the forms and to evolve is impressed on the Creative Hierarchies by another aspect of Divinity, a group of spiritual Beings, responsible for the Divine Purpose and called “the Seven Rays”. There are twelve Creative Hierarchies in our Solar System. See also: Divine Purpose, Divine Plan, One Life, Wisdom.

Creative Hierarchy, Third: Order of Beings who are the builders or creators of the Archetypes for all states of consciousness and forms in our Solar System. It is a vast group belonging to the Devic Order of Beings. They are also called “the Great Builders”. See also: Devas, Devic Evolution.

Creative Hierarchy, Fourth: Order of Beings who are the Spiritual Essences of the human beings, or their Spirit aspect. Their essential quality is Love and Sacrificial Will. They are the true and everlasting ‘Self’ in each human being, and they use the Soul as their vehicle of manifestation at the level of Mind; from this level, with the aid of the Fifth Creative Hierarchy, they direct and guide the creation of the human form in its three aspects: mind, desire-feeling nature, and physical form. See also: Human Being.

Creative Hierarchy, Fifth: Order of Beings, belonging to the Devic evolution, who are the creators of all the individual human souls and of the group souls of the animals. Some of them are also “the Soul aspect” of every archetypal idea at the level of Mind. Their essential quality is Mind and this is their gift or contribution to the human and animal evolutions. They build the human souls under the direction of the Fourth Creative Hierarchy. See also: Devas, Devic Evolution, Human Being.

Creative Hierarchy, Sixth: Order of Beings, belonging to the Devic evolution, who are the builders of all forms, mental, astral and physical, found in the known four kingdoms of Nature, including the human forms. They do this under the direction of the Fifth Creative Hierarchy and following the blueprints of the Archetypes created by the Third Creative Hierarchy. For this reason they are also called “the Lesser Builders”. See also: Creative Hierarchy Third, Creative Hierarchy Fifth, Devas, Devic Evolution, Human Being.

Custodian of The Light: 1. A steward or keeper of an inspired knowledge; those who guard and disseminate the Wisdom knowing it belongs to the One Life and not to any group or individual. 2. The work of the Disciple of the Light.

Cycle of Opportunity: The opening of an evolutionary possibility which allows a new direction in consciousness to be taken. These opportunities occur for the individual, a nation or humanity as a whole. They manifest periodically during the changes of the Ray or zodiacal energies, and for the individual according to karma and effort.

Cycles: 1. The pattern of activity and inactivity (or rest and motion) which all forms conform to. 2. The vibratory activity of life as it strives to complete the purpose for which it was created.

D

Detachment: The relationship of consciousness to form when the consciousness is no longer caught up in the activity of the form but stands observing it.

Devas: Spiritual Beings, also called “Angels”, constituting Orders of Beings in our Solar System who are evolving parallel to the human souls. Their Orders extend from sub-human elementals to super-human beings on a level with Planetary Logoi. Devas are the expression of ‘the Creative Intelligence‘ aspect of Divinity and work intelligently with substance to create all types of forms: spiritual, mental, subtle and material; for this reason they are also called “the ‘active builders”. Devas evolve by acquiescing to the dictates of the Will. Humans evolve by becoming the Will after expressing Love.

Deva of Appearance: The life and Soul force of a thought (an expression of the Will) as it flows from the etheric blueprint created by the thought into its manifesting form.

Devic Evolution: The process by which the devic lives or beings return to the center of the One Life. This is accomplished by a greater union with the Will aspect, in cooperation with the Consciousness aspect, that is, by building the perfect form to out-picture the Divine Plan.

Disciple: 1. Anyone who, through persistent aspiration and right action, is responding to the magnetic influence of the Spiritual Soul. 2. Anyone who has undergone the Second Initiation. See also: Initiate.

Discipleship: The movement of the incarnated Soul from theory to practice. It is more a stage of a process than a stage of static possession because the life of discipleship implies a realization of the Soul and of the Divine Plan and the courage to serve both.

Discipline: The conscious practice of re-orienting one’s identity to the will of the Soul. This is possible through a progressive, rhythmic control of the mental, emotional and physical habits held within the form (persona).

Disillusion: The disintegration of the emotional forms (glamour) or intellectual concepts (illusion) to which one has become attached but which are not based on Truth.

Divine Plan: 1. The universal manifesting system of Life. 2. The universal relationship between Energy and Substance moving to fulfill a Purpose through the creation of both diverse and synthesized states of consciousness. 3. The universal system of Natural Law.

Divine Prototype: An archetype or first cause from which forms are created in the three lower worlds (physical, astral, mental). For example, the Soul is the divine prototype for the human being. See also: Archetype.

Divine Purpose: The ultimate synthetic state of Identity and Consciousness being developed through the process of evolution. There is a Divine Purpose and Plan for each planetary system on the Solar System, and one Divine Purpose and Plan for the Solar System that synthesizes those of the planetary systems.

Divine Will: The overshadowing Will Power of Divinity that is implementing the Divine Purpose through the Divine Plan. See also: Will of the Soul.

Divinity: For the Wisdom, the Absolute Source or Causeless Cause of all or the One Life present in all. This postulate of Divinity is different from the usual religious understanding of Deity (in which the ‘deity’ is separate from its creations). Instead, Divinity is simultaneously both, abstract and omnipresent in all beings and things. Divinity is not a personalized god but an omnipresent Beingness expressing Itself as all beings and things through a universal system that is intelligent, loving and willful. See also: One Life, Wisdom.

Duality: The automatic division of all aspects or facets of existence into polarities by the consciousness trapped in the form nature (i.e., Soul vs. persona, God vs. Matter, etc.).

Dweller on the Threshold: 1. In the human being, the sum total of consciousness identified with form who would pursue the nature of that form. 2. The total consciousness which has remained identified with the separated self from past incarnations. This form must be transmuted and the consciousness connected with it redeemed before a certain level of attainment can be achieved.

E

Economy: 1. The organization of the energy, force and substance of an entity into the activity that will manifest the life purpose of the entity. 2. In humanity and the individual, the organization of its mental energy, desire force and etheric substance needed to manifest its life purpose.

Ego: From the Latin meaning ‘I’. In a consciousness context the term ‘ego’ is used to refer to the essential experience of ‘I-ness’, or separate existence. The sense of ego arises with subject-object dualism, that is, the experience of being an individual looking out at an ‘other’ — that is, other beings and the world at large.

Elementals: One of the Orders of beings of the Devic Evolution. This Order comprises the direct builders of all forms and phenomena in Nature. In turn, this Order is divided in four classes: fire elementals, air elementals, water elementals and earth elementals. The terms fire, air , water and earth refer here to the quality of the forces which the elementals in these four groups handle in their building activities.

Emotion: The effect produced by the impact of astral force upon the sensory system of the physical body. It is how the human senses translate astral forces (from the astral plane).

Energy Centers (a.k.a.. Chakras): 1. The etheric organs or complex vortices which overshadow the physical-dense organs of the human body and that are the instruments of contact for the incarnated Soul. They are responsible for the coordination and vitalization of all the bodies (mental, astral and physical) and their correlation with the Soul, the main center of consciousness. In the human being there are seven major, twenty-one minor, and forty-nine minute centers which increase and wane in influence as individual and collective humanity grows and develops in consciousness. 2. The etheric organs of any form of life that are responsible for the formation, vitalization and coordination of the physical organs or organic structures. See also: Ajna, Base, Head, Heart, Solar Plexus, Sacral, and Throat Centers; Planetary Centers.

Enlightenment: 1. The transfiguration of the human being made possible by transforming the gross physical-dense, astral, and mental substances of his being into pure Light. 2. The merger of the overshadowing Soul with the human being. See also: Group Consciousness.

Essence: Typically used to mean the inner, spiritual nature of someone or something. This may be either its Soul, spirit or ultimately, the non-dual or Absolute nature — each being progressively more essential. Essence is therefore a somewhat relative term, but is generally used to indicate the inner spiritual reality. See also: Soul, Spirit.

Etheric Body: 1. In the Cosmos, the vital-energy body which interpenetrates all space-form, relating, feeding, and sustaining the many informing lives within the One Life. 2. In the individual, the communicating and connecting body which gives the persona its coherence and unity. 3. Sometimes called the Body of Light when it has been spiritualized. See also: Energy Centers.

Evocation: The calling forth into expression of that Divine Potential which is latent within the manifest form of any being.

F

Fifth Kingdom: The fifth kingdom in Nature, also called “the kingdom of Conscious Souls” in reference to the incarnated Soul or Soul infused persona.

Free Will: A power founded on self-consciousness and the natural law of “cause and effect”. At its most basic expression, free will endows every human being with the capacity to initiate, direct and control thoughts, feelings, words and actions, as well as with the responsibility of the effects produced by these. At an expanded expression, free will endows human beings with the power to change the course of their thought and feeling life, the direction of their desire tendencies, and the course of their physical plane life. In other words, it endows human beings with the power to disengage from the physical and psychological conditioning of their environment and to choose new paths of development and expression. Lastly, at its deepest level, free will is the primary power for human beings to expand in Consciousness and to change Space and Time.

Full Moon: In the monthly meditation cycle — when the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are aligned to each other in this order — this event marks the period of greatest receptivity of the person to the overshadowing Soul.

G

Glamour: In esoteric teachings the word glamour has a particular meaning. It is defined as a mental illusion when intensified by desire. “Glamour has been likened to a mist or fog in which the spiritual seekers wander and which distorts all that they see and contact, preventing them from ever seeing life truly or clearly or the conditions surrounding them as they essentially are... They are deceived by the appearance and forget that which the appearance veils. The emanatory astral reactions which each human being initiates ever surround him and through this fog and mist he looks out upon a distorted world.” See also: Illusion, Maya.

Group Consciousness: A process and its final result, a state of consciousness, in which the sense of identity is no longer seated in one’s individuality but in the omnipresent Self, also called the One Self or Christ Principle. This is a level of conscious awareness arrived at through long, self-applied disciplines in consciousness. In Group Consciousness, the individuality is still there but at a subconscious level, analogous to the instinctual consciousness which in human beings is now functioning at a subconscious level. See also: Enlightenment, Soul.

Group Initiation: 1. An expansion of consciousness of a group Soul into a wider awareness of the purpose of the Logos in whom the group Soul is a unit of consciousness. 2. When this group Soul is able to act as a One Life, rather than with the response of any separated persona or group of personae, then the embodiment of the initiation or group expansion takes place.

Group Service: 1. The life, creativity and activity of the one who embodies, in a certain measure, ‘Group Consciousness’. 2. The spontaneous life expression of the one whose mind, desire-feeling nature and physical plane activities are motived by love and ruled by wisdom.

Group Soul: In the physical world a person is a single entity with its own individual Soul. In the spirit world, however, its individuality is not separated in the same way. Every individual Soul has certain energy affinities and shared qualities in consciousness with other souls forming thus a group Soul or over-Soul. This group Soul has a greater individuality than the human individuality. Fragments of this greater essence incarnate on the physical world for experiences that will add a luster to this greater essence when they return to it. Only a small part of the whole group Soul individuality can be manifested in physical form on Earth at any one time. On the other hand, one does not lose the earthly individuality when returning to the group Soul, for it is like a stream that flows into a river.

H

Harmlessness: A state of consciousness in which one’s thoughts, feelings, desires, words and actions are in harmony with the Divine Plan and Purpose.

Head Center (a.k.a. Crown Center): 1. One of the seven major energy centers or chakras in the etheric body of the human being, located at the top of the head; its main manifestation in the physical body is the pineal gland. 2. The highest center in the human form and lowest center in the human Soul. The organ of Group Consciousness. See also: Energy Centers.

Heart Center: 1. One of the seven major energy centers or chakras in the etheric body of the human being, located behind the spine and between the shoulder blades; its main manifestation in the physical body is the thymus gland. 2. The organ of universal/unconditional love. See also: Energy Centers.

Hierarchy: 1. Those spiritual beings (Initiates and Adepts) who have passed through the human stage of development, are fully ‘group conscious’, and are now working to foster the Divine Plan on Earth. 2. The planetary heart center. 3. That group of spiritual beings on the inner planes of the Solar System who are the intelligent forces of Nature, and who control the evolutionary processes. Within our planetary scheme, the Earth scheme, there is a reflection of this Solar Hierarchy which is called by many the Spiritual Hierarchy or the Hierarchy of Light. This Hierarchy is formed of Chohans, Adepts, and Initiates working through their Disciples, and, by this means, in the world.

Higher Mind (a.k.a. Abstract Mind): 1. The contemplative activity of the Soul. 2. The organized substance surrounding the Soul on its own plane.

Human Consciousness: The stage in evolution when a unit of life or being becomes self-conscious as an individual and is no longer identified with the "herd" state of consciousness.

Human Being: 1. The vehicle of manifestation and eventual expression for the Spiritual Essences of the Fourth Creative Hierarchy. 2. That multidimensional work of creation made possible by the contribution of the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Creative Hierarchies. It includes the human Spiritual Essence, the Soul, and the human form in its three aspects of mind, desire-feeling nature and body. See also: Creative Hierarchies.

I

Idea: The thought-form built by the mind as it translates from the world of meaning (Buddhic Plane) an archetypal state of consciousness. When capitalized, ‘Ideas’ refer to the transcendent archetypes and principles as realized in the Universal Mind. All that exists in form is based on, or emanates from, the realm of universals, of the over-Soul or spirit. Ideas are part of the basic structure or ‘content’ of the formless realms of spirit. Ideas may be directly perceived by spiritual intuition and higher forms of realization.

Illumination: The flooding of one’s consciousness with the experience of the Love and the Purpose of the One Life as the over-soul’s state of consciousness blends with one’s brain awareness.

Illusion: 1. The distortion of mental matter by a mind that perceives reality incompletely. 2. An incomplete or distorted perception of the archetypal realm of Ideas. See also: Glamour, Maya.

Individualization: The long process in consciousness from the “herd”, instinctual identity to complete self-identity. On Earth this process takes place in the human kingdom experience.

Initiate: A human Soul who has achieved complete realization of the over-Soul state of consciousness. Technically, an Initiate is a human being having completed the Third Initiation. See also: Disciple, Master.

Initiation: A self-initiated process of expansions in consciousness whereby successive and graded stages of unification and at-one-ment take place between the man or woman in incarnation, his/her Soul, and the divine Monad or spark of Divinity. Each stage confers on the Initiate a deeper understanding of the meaning and purpose of the Divine Plan, a fuller awareness of his/her part in that Plan, and an increasing ability to work consciously and intelligently towards its fulfillment.

Intuition: The experience of direct knowledge or realization without the use of the intellect, the feeling nature, or the senses (whether physical or psychic senses). Intuition is an experience in consciousness that transcends the dualism of the mind and the senses, giving the capacity to commune with beings and archetypes and to know them from deep identification and attunement. Intuition is sometimes used synonymously with psychic abilities (such as clairvoyance or telepathy) but psychic sensitivities are still based on the dualism of ‘observer’ and ‘field of observation’; therefore, they do not represent the true spiritual knowing that is experienced with the Intuition. Although the Intuition may apparently accompany or inform an intellectual perception, it is essentially formless in nature and is not dependent on the mind for its functioning. Intuition is at the heart of the spiritual development which is the birthright of all human beings, and its gradual unfoldment brings a growing identification with Love and Wisdom.

J

Jewel (in the Lotus): The seat of consciousness at the core of an energy center or chakra in the etheric body or in the Soul.

Joy: The state of consciousness of the Soul as it recognizes and seeks to serve the One Life. Often mistaken for happiness which is a condition of the persona as it realizes an accomplishment or acquires a new possession. Happiness is temporary, based as it is on the transitory qualities of the persona (changeable and fickle according to fad and collective pressures). Joy, being a state of consciousness of the Soul, is permanent regardless of the condition of the persona. See also: Enlightenment.

K

Kingdom of Souls: The fifth kingdom of Nature, above the human or fourth kingdom, integrated by all those human souls who have achieved liberation from the human state of consciousness through the process of Initiation. See also: Initiate, Initiation.

Kundalini: 1. The seed energy of consciousness at the very core of atomic matter in the physical body of the human being, and which through the process of Initiation is naturally and progressively awakened to flow up the spine, activating each energy center in the etheric body until it reaches the head centers. 2. In itself, kundalini is the latent fire of consciousness at the very core of all atoms that constitute Matter. It is the true negative pole of Electricity. In other words, it is pure Spirit vibrating at its lowest possible frequency. Kundalini is then, in its essence, the energy of ‘intelligent consciousness’.

L

Logos: An Identity of Divinity in the manifested Cosmos who holds in focus a vast ‘group consciousness’ and who, by doing this, is responsible for the evolution (in consciousness and form) of all beings in a system. For example, a Planetary Logos is responsible for the evolution of all living beings within a planetary system; a Solar Logos holds that responsibility on a star system level, and so forth. See also: Divinity, One Life, Wisdom.

M

Manas: The third aspect of the manifesting Divinity, as in Atma – Buddhi – Manas. It refers to that aspect of consciousness of the One Self described as ‘the Creative Intelligence’. This aspect uses Mind as its instrument; hence, the name “Manas” which in Sanskrit means ‘mind’.

Master: A human Soul who has achieved complete realization of the over-Soul state of consciousness and has entered on the Path of Identification with Divinity. Technically, an Master is a human being having completed the Fifth Initiation. See also: Disciple, Initiate.

Maya: The inherent limitation of Substance to build forms and phenomena that accurately represent the contents of the spiritual archetypes and the Divine Plan. In the human being the mind, the feeling nature and the physical body are built from Substance; for this reason the products of the intellect, the feeling nature and the physical senses are distortions of true Reality. Through the process of Initiation the human being awakens to faculties of perception that are not limited by Maya. See also: Glamour, Illusion, Initiation, Intuition.

Meditation: 1. The internal discipline whereby the individual’s consciousness is gradually abstracted from the senses, emotions and intellect and re-identified with the Soul. 2. The creative activity of the Spiritual Soul.

Mental Body: In the human form, the energy field or “body” made of a finer spectrum of vibrations, than the physical and astral/emotional bodies. It is the subtlest of the three form bodies used by a human being during physical incarnation. The lower aspect of the mental body is linked to the physical and psychic senses; for this reason, the thought processes at this level are related to processing sensory information, to naming or concretely categorizing experience, and also to thinking with reliance on forms such as words and images. This lower aspect of the mental body is also a focus of concrete skills and abilities. The higher aspect of the mental body is more abstract and is the source of our ability to reason, reflect and have some degree of conscious choice or ‘free will’. The higher mind is most distinctive of the human kingdom, being undeveloped in the animal kingdom, growing during human incarnations, and being increasingly transcended in the spiritual kingdoms. The higher mind in humanity is the logical, reasoning, investigative and reflective intelligence. It gives the power to transcend simple identification with instinctual, emotional and habitual reactions and thoughts, and to consider new perspectives, reason to new conclusions, and choose new directions. It is the foundation of spiritual awakening, giving ability to discriminate spiritual values.

Mental Plane: 1. Matter vibrating above the frequency of physical-etheric and astral planes, but below that of the buddhic plane. 2. An aggregate of all the Substance impressed and shaped by the mind.

Mental Polarization: 1. The capacity of the human being to maintain the everyday focus of consciousness in the mind. 2. To be focused in the head and interact with the world through the ajna center. See also: Ajna Center.

Mind: 1. Usual description of the mental body of the human being. 2. The vehicle through which the world of meaning (the realm of the Spiritual Soul) is translated into thoughts and applied to the three lower worlds of human experience (intellectual world, desire-feeling world and physical world).

Monad: 1. The central life or divine “spark” or “fragment of Divinity” that animates the Soul in all beings, giving consciousness and purpose to the process of evolution. 2. The individualized “spark” of Divinity in every human being, containing and seeking to express the perfect expression of Will-Power, Love-Wisdom and Creative Intelligence.

N

Nature Spirits: 1. Also called “Elementals”, they are one of the Orders of beings of the Devic Evolution. They are builders of all forms in the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms, plus in larger natural forms such as mountains, rivers, etc. They are intelligent entities who use their own “bodies” or substance to build all the natural forms. See also: Elementals.

O

Observer, The: 1. The essential Identity that every human being is, also known as the Thinker or Knower. 2. At the beginning of the human series of incarnations, the Observer is found at the core of the Soul on the plane of Mind. Through the process of many incarnations, the Observer progressively takes control of its creation, the human form. When complete self-consciousness is achieved, the Observer is found, still on the plane of Mind, but as the full director of the human form at a point in the head, behind the forehead. See also: Ajna Center.

One Life, The: The One Beingness or Existence which is the Causeless Cause of All expressing itself through multitudes of beings organized in universal systems of consciousness (i.e., kingdoms of nature, planets, star systems, galaxies, and so forth). The One Life pervades all forms and those forms are Its expressions, in time and space. See also: Divinity, Wisdom.

P

Pair of Opposites: The contrasting results of the constant categorizing of all experiences in life made by the human consciousness under the pressure of evolution on the individual to constantly define “what one is and what one is not”. These contrasting results have no real existence in Time and Space and only exist in the “eyes of the beholder”; though they serve as a mechanism in consciousness that helps the beholder to define his or her sense of identity. Examples of pairs of opposites are: good–evil, god–devil, spirit–matter, light–darkness, like–dislike, and so forth to numberless opposites. The many pairs of opposites created by the human consciousness are the building blocks for the systems of values through which humanity filters its life experiences and rules its behavior.

Paradox: Two apparently opposite views which are united or reconciled by a higher perspective or truth.

Persona, Personality: 1. The state of consciousness of a human Self during incarnation. 2. The individualized physical-etheric, astral and mental vehicles. 3. The form aspect of an individual, their ‘appearance’ or ‘persona’; the personality is made up of three aspects: physical, emotional and mental.

Pineal Gland: 1. The physical-dense manifestation of the Head Center. 2. A small, cone-shaped endocrine organ in the posterior forebrain, secreting melatonin and involved in the biorhythms and gonadal development. See also: Head Center.

Pituitary Gland: 1. The physical-dense manifestation of the Ajna Center. 2. A small oval endocrine gland attached to the base of the brain and consisting of an anterior and a posterior lobe, the secretions of which control the other endocrine glands in the body and influence growth, metabolism, and maturation. Also called “Hypophysis”, “Pituitary Body”. See also: Ajna Center.

Plan, The: The unfolding Purpose of the One Life for our Earth, and insofar as humanity is concerned, it is “Everyone a Christ”. See also: Divine Plan, Divine Purpose.

Planetary Age: A 2500 year cycle in the life of Earth in which the planet and all its life forms are exposed to a set of subtle and tangible galactic energies whose main influence is upon the consciousness aspect in all beings. See also: Aquarian Age.

Planetary Centers: The higher correspondence of the Energy Centers in the human being. They are constituted by the grouping of the Spiritual Essences of the seven natural kingdoms of the planet. For example, the incarnated souls of all human beings constitute the planetary energy center where “the Creative Intelligence” aspect of Divinity finds expression; this is the correspondence to the “throat energy center” in the human being. Another example: the liberated human souls (the Spiritual Hierarchy) constitute the planetary energy center where “the Love–Wisdom” aspect of Divinity finds expression; this is the correspondence to the “heart center” in the human being. See also: Energy Centers.

Planetary Life: The One Life responsible for the manifestation and evolutionary progress of the entire system of life and consciousness in a planet. See also: Divinity, Logos, One Life.

Planetary Logos: 1. The One Life for a planet. 2. The highest Spiritual Essence who is the focal point for the creative Fiat that manifests, sustains and moves forward the entire system of life and consciousness of a planet.

Polar Opposites: The two contrasting aspects of one reality as they are perceived by the human consciousness; for example: good–evil, like–dislike, light-darkness. See also: Pair of Opposites.

Presence, The: The deep realization in one’s spiritual consciousness of the One Life immanent in all consciousness and all forms, including in one’s identity. It is a deep identification in one’s consciousness with the One Life. See also: Divinity, Initiation, One Life.

R

Radiation: The emanations of energy through any being as a result of the flow of the One Life through the etheric body of this being. These emanations increase in potency and quality as that being’s consciousness progressively expands to include more refined and subtle aspects of Divinity. The main organs of radiation in the etheric body are the seven major energy centers. See also: Energy Centers.

S

Sacral Center: 1. One of the seven major energy centers or chakras in the etheric body of the human being, located behind the spine in the sacral area; its main manifestation are the gonads. 2. The center of instinctual creativity, including the reproductive impulse, and of the desire life. See also: Energy Centers.

Sacrifice: 1. To make holy. To acknowledge the Presence of the One Life in all beings and things. 2. That expression of the Will, which together with Love, characterizes the Spiritual Self in each human being. See also, Creative Hierarchy Fourth.

Seven Rays: The major seven emanations of energy from Divinity in our Solar System. They are the carriers of the Divine Will. Each of them embodies a particular characteristic of Divinity, and their task is to awaken consciousness in all the Orders of Beings that constitute the Solar System. They stimulate this awakening through a direct influence of the psyche or Soul in all beings and through a direct conditioning of the forms used to produce this awakening. The Seven Ray energies cycle throughout all the dimensions and planets of the Solar System in a progressive order and rhythm so that all Beings are cyclically exposed to their beneficial influence. See also: Creative Hierarchies, Divine Plan, Divine Purpose, Divine Will.

Solar Plexus Center: 1. One of the seven major energy centers or chakras in the etheric body of the human being, located behind the spine in the upper lumbar area; its main manifestation is the endocrine pancreas. 2. The center of the emotional life and personal will. See also: Energy Centers.

Soul: Used in many spiritual teachings and philosophies with various meanings. In its truer meaning, the Soul is the center or seat of consciousness in all beings where the sense of identity is progressively focused as life experiences are lived. The Soul is present in all beings, regardless of the kingdom of Nature to which they may belong. However, it is in the human kingdom where the opportunity for the full potential of the development of consciousness exists. In human beings, the Soul persists from one incarnation to the next, representing the accumulated wisdom and character of all experiences, human and otherwise. Through the process known as Initiation, the maximum potential of consciousness is developed. See also: Consciousness, Enlightenment, Group Consciousness, Initiation.

Soul-Infused Persona: When the overshadowing Soul has fully incarnated into the persona and the Third Initiation is complete.

Spirit: The Spiritual Essence of every being from which life, consciousness and form emanate. All beings are a trinity in themselves and a direct reflection of the three Aspects that characterize Divinity in our Solar System. The trinity of the human being is: first, a Spiritual Essence or Spirit belonging to the Fourth Creative Hierarchy; an individualized consciousness whose seat is the human Soul; and a form composed of a mind, a desire-feeling nature and a physical body. It is in the context of this trinity that the place and role of Spirit can be fully grasped. See also: Creative Hierarchy Fourth, Soul, Persona.

Spiritual Alchemy: The self-initiated process of expansions of consciousness aimed to the development of its full potential.

Spiritual Soul: Also called “over-Soul”. The center or seat of that state of consciousness which is identified with and responsive to Spirit.

Subconscious: The activity of consciousness “below” the ordinary brain awareness. It is essentially the state of consciousness of desire-feeling nature with its wish life, unfulfilled thoughts and desires, habits and reactions from the past, plus the individual relationship to the collective desire-feeling life of humanity.

Surrender, to: To give back or return the personal will to the Divine Will. This type of surrendering requires the relinquishing of “identification with” all that the Self perceives itself to be (even the Soul), so that there is no longer any identification with a lesser “I”. Surrendering, in this context, is different from “submission”. In surrendering there is a willful union of one’s will with the Divine Will. In submission there is not union of wills but an acquiescence of one’s will to a greater will.

Synthesis: 1. The state of consciousness that sees as one complete whole ‘causes’, their ‘effects’, and the partial states of consciousness that identify either just with ‘causes’ or just with ‘effects’. 2. The state of being or identity that does not identify itself with consciousness or with form but that sees itself as the source of states of consciousness and form manifestations.

Synthesis Ashram: Within the Spiritual Hierarchy of the Earth, a new state of consciousness embodying “Synthesis” and that is producing a new expression of the Divine Will and the Divine Plan with the goal of impulsing consciousness in humanity and in the other kingdoms of Nature to a new and more expanded level of development. See also: Divine Plan, Divine Will, Hierarchy, Synthesis.

T

Three Worlds: The mental, feeling and physical realms within which the normal human consciousness moves; that is, the so-called “mental”, “astral” and “etheric-physical” planes.

Triad: The over-Soul or spiritual Soul of the human being. Its characteristics are “sacrificial will”, “love-wisdom”, and “creative intelligence”. Its seat or realm of existence is higher or more refined and “more spiritual” than the mental plane.

Third Initiation: Also called the Transfiguration Initiation or Illumination. This is the third major Initiation within the system of expansions of consciousness sponsored by the Spiritual Hierarchy of our planet. This Third Initiation involves a self-initiated process of transferring one’s state of identity from the the persona to the over-Soul or spiritual Soul.

Throat Center: 1. One of the seven major energy centers or chakras in the etheric body of the human being, located in the back of the neck; its main manifestation is the thyroid gland. 2. The center of mental expression and higher creativity. See also: Energy Centers.

U

Unconscious: Any condition wherein the incarnated human Soul is identified with a portion of its instrument (i.e., mind, desire-feeling nature and body) rather than as its identity as the Self.

V

Visualization: The faculty of the over-Soul, which is also available to the incarnated human being, that pictures states of consciousness and/or their forms of manifestation. It is a main tool for creativity both on the subtle planes of existence and on the physical plane.

W

Will of the Soul: Those aspects of the Divine Will as interpreted by the over-Soul and projected downward to the persona while in incarnation.

Wisdom, The Ageless: A formulation of spiritual philosophy taught by the Spiritual Hierarchy of the Earth and which is founded on these basic premises:

1. There exists in our manifested universe the expression of an Energy or Life which is the responsible cause of the diverse forms and the vast hierarchy of sentient beings who compose the sum total of all that is. This ‘One Life’ pervades all states of consciousness and forms, and these states of consciousness and forms are the expressions, in time and space, of this central universal Energy.
2. The One Life, manifesting through Substance, produces a third factor which is Consciousness. Consciousness, the result of the union of the two poles of Spirit and Substance, is the Soul of all beings and things. Consciousness is the form-building principle, producing attraction and cohesion, and it is an aspect or type of energy, distinguished from that of Substance itself.
3. In our Solar System, the purpose for which the One Life takes form and the reason of its manifested Beingness is the unfoldment or the revelation of Consciousness.
4. The energy of Consciousness, or Soul, is that aspect of the One Universal Energy, or the One Life, that sweeps atoms into the aggregates which we call organisms and forms. This energy of Consciousness exhibits a harmonious array of qualities and creative potencies known as “the Seven Rays”. Each form, or natural grouping of forms and the state of consciousness it sponsors are the result of a quality (or set of qualities) impressed upon them by one or several of the Seven Rays or any of their sub-harmonics. The Seven Rays are then the energy that produces forms, species, kingdoms, types and all the differentiations marking and distinguishing the myriad states of consciousness and forms through which the One Life itself manifests.
5. Both the One Life and the many souls it originates manifest cyclically through an ordered and harmonious system of states of consciousness and forms. Through this ordered system, all forms wax and wane in and out of manifestation in order to progressively fulfill the ultimate purpose of the souls that created them.
6. The Life principle, or the One Universal Energy will remain undiscovered and unrecognized by humanity until such time as the Soul or Consciousness principle, the builder of the forms, is studied, recognized and investigated.
7. This is only possible as humanity steps forth into a fuller conscious possession of its divine heritage, and working as a Soul and in control of its mechanism (physical, emotional and mental), can work consciously en rapport with the Soul in all forms.

Y

Yoga: From Sanskrit, meaning ‘union’. A system of self-initiated disciplines for expanding the consciousness from the usual human state of consciousness identified with form to the state of conscious identification with the over-Soul or Spiritual Soul. See also: Initiation, Spiritual Soul.

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