Another energy-giving of great importance is the acquisition of Self-knowledge, for by such work we will ultimately be in a position to guide others to fulfill their spiritual destinies, and to relieve them from suffering. Man, in our observation, spends too much time with glamour; with fashions and fads; with ephemeral baubles that does not benefit the soul--even with too much indulgence in matters of psychic phenomena, of "trying the spirits" instead of investigating the inner nature of the soul; of resolving psychological imbalances and increasing the awareness of the unity and oneness of all manifestations. Adam, or unregenerated Man, should curb his desires for sensation, no matter where it may be found: in the media, TV commercials, the neighbourhood gossiper, and--this may come as a surprise to some--even in occult or New Age literature. We should end our polarization in the emotional body and climb higher up along the mountain side; we should cease dilly-dallying in the astral world; we should halt most of our attachment and indulgence with psychic matters that more often than not, only arouse pride and arrogance.

Preoccupation with carnal appetites such as sex, wealth, power, and fame eventually lead to suffering. Man wastes his time seeking peace and happiness without--depending upon external sources or environment--and if acquired, he is deluded into thinking of the permanency of such a state. Peace and happiness that are dependent upon externals are artificial and transient, for matter is in a constant state of flux; and as such, an unreliable source of experiencing the state of well-being in a constant, continuous manner. When the Nazarene Master declared "My peace I give unto you," it is to the unfoldment of the Christ nature within us that is referred to, which does give us a sense of bliss. Living in harmony with the Tao, and knowledge of the True Self and the laws of the Cosmic, leads us to abundant living; it provides us with a greater perspective of life of which all seemingly injustices that we experience and encounter in the mundane sphere are understood as blessings coming from God. Before the New Jerusalem can come into existence, all of the old values, beliefs, attitudes and customs that cause spiritual stagnation and inertia would have to be destroyed, and thrown into the flames for transmutation. Alchemically, Man is both the crucible and the philosophical matter to be transformed.

It is an axiom within the world of esotericism that everything that exists is vibratory. The differences in manifestation of objects being that of a variation in its frequency, or vibratory rate. Even consciousness or one's personality is vibratory; and the higher the rate, the higher-the soul-expression, intelligence, spirituality, level of awareness, and habitual thought-pattern. Vibration is energy-in-motion, the exhalation of Parabrahm, the pulsating Word, symbolised by the ancient swastika. Without vibration that would be no stimulus to the senses, and therefore, non-awareness of life. What we sense; however, does not convey the Real nature of things, for our senses deceive us, and our interpretation of what we sense is subjected to error; the brain sees what the mind wants it to see. Man, therefore, does not immediately realize or is aware of his transcendental being, his Absolute Self; he instead sees and believes that the "skandas," his mortal aggregates is his Ego. Esoteric Buddhism teaches us that there is a self to be refuted and a Self to be accepted.; one is conventional, the other is absolute. The real nature of things the enlightened prince Gautama called "sunyata" or voidness. All is energy in motion; that which we call Spirit is energy vibrating at a tremendous rate; matter, on the other hand, is energy vibrating at the nadir of the cosmic scale of vibration. Nature, as scientists say, abhors a vacuum. Space is therefore apparent, and not Real. This seemingly contradicts the statement of the Buddhist that all is void; in reality, however, this substantiates Buddhism's esoteric viewpoint of the false self and the Real Self. Space, and all manifestations therein, from this point of view are illusory; all is SELF, or being, and nothing can truly exist outside of it.

Man, like all other beings and intelligences is a focalized-pattern of energy manifesting within the Omni-consciousness of the One. At the present stage of his evolution, Man has come to realize the three-fold principle of awareness: the knower, the thing known and the knowing--this is a sense of separation, of duality; animals, especially domestic beasts, are on the verge of attaining this state through the cosmic process of individualization. As evolution proceeds, from the dualistic point of view, the present principle of awareness will merge into a state of Oneness, of being the All. From a dualist, Man becomes a non-dualist.

This paper may contain inconsistencies as it is presented in a shifting form from the dualistic to the non-dualistic point of view; but since we recognize the two truths, the relative and the absolute, it is hoped that readers would likewise adjust their understanding. Conventional truth was what Pontius Pilate enquired of his divine prisoner. Absolute truth was what Jesus sought to represent. The highest respect that can be paid to the Absolute, as all sages have discovered, is silence.

All organic matter is composed of infinitesimal lives, and a higher intelligence mould such life-infused matter into form. Within Man are lesser lives of sentient beings. The cells in his body are beings endowed with consciousness, although the nature of their consciousness can only be conjectured. Man, himself, is analogous to the cells in his body. The composite lives of human beings is a part of a greater being, a greater Life-unit. It is, therefore, rightly declared in scriptures that we live and move in "His" being. This phenomenon is what is known as the hylozoistic theory.

The Shiva Samhita, a manual on Yoga, declares:

"He who . . . knows the microcosm of the body, being absolved from all sins, reaches the highest state."

We shall, therefore, take a closer look at the microcosm, for to know the Self and its expressions, it is important to understand something of the hidden constitution of Man; his occult anatomy and physiology, and his True Reality and purpose. We propose the following essential points of which we will discuss briefly:

1. The 7 Principles

2. The Chakras

3. The Principle Nadis & Kundalini

4. Chrism Oil & Brain Dews

5. Sutratma, Antahkarana & the Permanent Seed-Atoms

6. The Causal Body & Electronic Belt

7. The Dweller on the Threshold, "I AM" & the Flame Within

8. The Rays Governing Man & the Stream of Consciousness

9. Man's Purpose on Earth

The 7 Principles

For Man to exist, to manifest in a realm, he would have to possess a body to function in. That there are 7 planes in the Physical Cosmic Plane, with each plane consisting of 7 subdivisions, making it 49 planes in all, is a teaching of modern Theosophy. The seven planes or dimensions are called, "Physical," "Astral," "Mental," "Buddhic," "Atmic," "Monadic," and "Logoic." St. Paul's "third heaven" goes no higher than the Astral Plane; while Prophet Muhammad's (blessed in his name) journey to the "seventh heaven" is said to be in the Mental or Buddhic dimensions.

Teachings of the sages; however, differ in their division of Man into his component parts, his "bodies" or "principles," as it is called by modern occultists. They divide Man into 3, 5, or 7--the most common being 3 and 7. This seemingly contradictory assertion by the Seers is probably because of their perspective and their methodology of conveying the Secret Doctrine. According to the triune system, the divisions labelled by Christian mystics are body, mind, and soul; or body, soul, and spirit. St. Paul, however, taught a system of dual bodies; he declared that we had a natural, and a spiritual body (I Cor 15:44). The triune concept within Christianity, it would seem, evolved a little later as the religion progressed in its influence within the European kingdoms. Other ancient traditions and modern mystical teachings acknowledged the division of Man's being as a triad, among which are to be found in the following table:

Martinism | Buddhism | Hindu | Hebrew | Christianity | Theosophy

Ame | Dharmakaya | Atman | Ruach | Spirit | Monad

Plastic Envelope | Sambogakaya | Jiva | Neshamah | Soul | Ego

Physical Body | Nirmanakaya | Rupa | Nephesh | Body | Personality

Some liberal thinkers of occultism call the tripartite being of Man as self, Self, and SELF--which reminds one of the assertion of someone in a transcendental consciousness state: "I AM," "I AM THAT," or "I AM THAT I AM." We should not, however, make the mistake of thinking that there are three selves. There is only one SELF functioning at various levels; and while burdened with matter, an aspect of the SELF is deluded into thinking that the physical body, emotions and mind are the foundation of its existence. It is possible to correspond the threefold being of Man, the Monad, Ego, and Personality with the following:

Monad -- Man

Ego -- Hu-man

Personality -- Human Being

The Monad is Man, the spark of God, or the atom within God's body; the Ego as Hu-man, has a portion of the Monad in its being, making it semi-divine; while the Personality as the Human Being upon the physical plane, has a fragment of the Ego, with a minuscule spark of the Monad in the Holy of Holies burning within the heart.

It might be appropriate here to define the word "principle" as used to refer to Man's occult "bodies." The American Heritage Dictionary defines it as "a basic source." Principles, in our present context, therefore, are creative centers, sources and builders of forms for the spirit of Man to ensoul; they originate sheaths for the spirit of Man to function at the various levels or planes of the omniverse. According to the definition above, the lowest sheath, the physical body, is not considered a principle because it is not causative; it does not create or engender any other sheaths; of itself, it is lifeless. It is mainly reactive to pulsating streams of energy emanating from the higher principles; and without them, it lies inert. The physical body is sometimes; however, considered as a principle for the purposes of tabulating the list of bodies that Man functions in:

1. Divine Spirit or Atma

2. Life Spirit or Buddhi

3. Human Spirit or Higher Mental/Causal Body

4. Mental Sheath

5. Astral Body

6. Etheric Body

7. Physical Body

The physical body, as a pseudo-principle is sometimes replaced in the list by the fiery spark of Man, his core identity that emanated from the Spiritual Sun, called by Theosophists "Monad," or "Virgin Spirit" by the Rosicrucians. Man's individualized being, or Ego is represented by the threefold Spirit enumerated above: the Divine, Life and Human. The personality of Man's being, on the other hand, sometimes called "the Quarternary," or the lower trinity if the etheric-physical bodies are considered as one--is represented by the three lower bodies and the mental sheath. The Quarternary is the child of the higher trinity, Man's Ego, while the Ego itself is an emanation of the Monad. Patterns of interlacing energy form that being we call "Man."

"The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Cor 15:47)

According to the third point of the Quarternary Law of Martinism (not to be confused with the 4 lower principles of the microcosm), all emanations that proceed from a higher source carry a lesser amount of its progenitor's characteristics, potencies and qualities. The Ego, according to this law, as a lesser manifestation of the Monad, expresses creative powers, intelligence, and consciousness in a lesser proportion to that which the Monad possesses. On a lower octave of the total spectrum of energy-principles, the Personality is in an analogous state. As a precious child of the Ego, it manifests very little of its emanator's inherent divinity--although the seed, or image of the Monad, the flickering fire, does lie as a minute spark in the altar of the physical heart.

The Monad issued-out of the highest principle of the Solar Logos as a Divine Spark. It is sometimes called "the Solar Angel." Solomon, or SOL-OM-ON, is a personification of this central core within the microcosm. The three syllables in the name of this Hebrew monarch, represent the Highest Principle in the Universe, or the Monad in three different languages : Hebrew, Hindu, and Egyptian.

Be-ness, or Being is the natural state of the Monad; becoming is the nature of the lower principles. The consciousness of the Spark of the Logos is divine, and its awareness and consciousness are attuned with "Ra," or "Helios," its progenitor. It is, in fact, a cellular body within the greater body of the Solar Logos. The Monad was created in God's image and it is God's likeness that the Ego is destined to become through the process of evolutionary transformation. It is through the Ego, the individualized Man, that the Monad fulfills its destiny, the reason for its be-ing. The Ego, however, is incapable of returning to the Monad, to merge with it without gaining the benefit of certain experiences and nourishment from the realms of Matter. It, therefore, engendered the Quarternary--the four lower bodies. The Human Spirit, or Higher Mental--the aspect of God's intelligence, caused a crystallization of part of itself on a lower plane, and the Mental sheath was born. Buddhi, or the Life Spirit--the aspect of God's Love, brought the Astral body into existence; and finally, Atma, or the Divine Spirit--the aspect of God's Will, formed the etheric and physical bodies. The Quarternary evolves in the lower realms and conveys pabulum--or soul-force, the fruit of its physical sojourn, to the Ego. This was intended and designed by the Solar Logos; however, the Personality, the persona, sometimes strays from its destiny like a wayward child, like a prodigal son, with the consequences of spiritual stagnation along the evolutionary spiral.

One of the purposes of the Quarternary is to manifest fully Monadic-Consciousness in the lower worlds. This is preceded by the attainment of Egoic awareness. In Figure 1, we present graphically this attainment according to the stages of Man's development represented by the average man, the Initiate, and the Adept. We symbolize the Monad with the circle, the Ego with the triangle, and the Quarternary with the square; and all three of them surrounded by the Auric-Egg, represented by the oval. This Auric-Egg is a subtle sac that encloses all of the components of the microcosm. In picture b, the Initiate begins to acquire Egoic awareness of which the average man in a lacks. In c the Adept possessing full Egoic-Consciousness, is just beginning to acquire Monadic awareness.

Although the subject of spiritual evolution is interesting and of prime importance to Self-knowing, we will continue with it later as it is a digression from our present subject. We will instead consider certain esoteric matters associated with the 7 principles.

As mentioned previously, Man is a septenate, and a threefold being; his seven principles corresponds to the seven realms. Man, in his present stage, is only aware of the physical plane. When his consciousness develops and unfolds in the normal course of evolution, he will be able to function with conscious Self-awareness in all seven planes of Life. We have mentioned the threefold-spirit above. The soul, or psyche of Man, is also threefold: it is conscious, emotional, and intellectual.

In Esoteric Christianity, the septenary in its division of 3 and 4, is personified by Joseph, Mary and Jesus--the Ego; and the quadruped, the ass, as the Quarternary. The docile nature of the beast indicates the mastery and complete control of the Ego over the Personality. Krishna's chariot with Arjuna onboard has the same esoteric significance.

Some schools of esoteric thought call the Ego, "Christ"--the intermediary between God (Monad) and Man (Personality). St. Paul, in one of his letters, admonished his disciples to allow Christ to form within them. Esoterically, this refers to the growth of Egoic influence within the force-field of the Personality.

The Ego is the divine trinity within the microcosm. It is, in fact, the Real Man, the invisible, sentient, and intelligent being. It is bisexual or bipolar, possessing both the masculine and feminine polarities. It represents the Father/Mother God in the microcosm. Atma, the Father aspect, expresses omnipotence; while Buddhi, the Mother aspect--or the Holy Spirit, expresses omnipresence. The higher mental, or Abstract Mind, is that aspect of the Ego, the Son, which is omniscient. In the Qabalah, in the Tree of Life, the Ego is Tiphareth, whereas the Monad is represented by Kether. Intuition is a faculty that has its origin in the Ego--or in Buddhi, to be more specific. Divine Love and compassion are other expressions of the Buddhic principle. It stands to reason that to develop intuition one has to have compassion; love truly, unconditionally, wisely, and divinely. Alchemists of the Renaissance called Buddhi, "the White Eagle."

In the Masonic mysteries, the threefold Ego is represented by King Solomon, King Hyram, and Hiram Abiff. The ruffians responsible for the "death" of the Master Mason, Hiram Abiff, are the personifications of the physical body, the astral form and the Mental sheath. The killing of Hiram is microcosmically speaking, the willful forgetfulness and disobedience of the lower self--the Personality, the false ego, towards the Higher Self--the Spiritual Triad. The lower mind, the intellect and desires, slays the Voice of Silence, the sway of the Ego; and the Word, that Word of God, which Hiram Abiff personifies, is lost in the being of the Master Mason. Recovery of that which was lost--the acceptance of Egoic influence into the life of the aspirant, occurs when the ruffians repent and align themselves to the higher will. When the Ego dominates the Personality, the aspirant has verily attained the title of a Master Mason. The aspirant acquires a greater understanding, a greater wisdom and a maturity of thought as a result of the resurrection of Hiram Abiff. Spiritual wisdom is the true criterion of Man's age, and not the material years of the physical body.

Once the Ego has control over the personality, Monadic influence gradually comes into sway. The elements of the Monad and the Ego are collectively the stone that the builders, or the analytical intellect rejected. The word "stone" in Hebrew is "Ahben." It is composed of two words "Ah," meaning "father," and "Ben," meaning "son." The stone is therefore, the oneness of the Monad--the Father, and the Ego--the Son. Mystical stones is a constant theme in various spiritual traditions. In Islam we have the Hajar Aswad in the Ka'ba. Solomon's Temple was built with the "shamir" stone; the mystical Shambhalla preserves the Chintamani; in Revelation, the child of God is given a white stone, etc. The spiritual essence of the Quran itself is the letter Ba with a dot--the dot representing the Stone. This is a profound mystery that will not be discussed in this paper.

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