Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00311)

Tuesday, January 22, 2002


Re: Evolution: Rounds, Globes Races -- Cycles Of
Progress


Dear Friends:

Someone inquired as to what Theosophy had to offer on this vast
subject.

Here are some preliminary statements. No doubt there will be
questions and comments for our use and consideration ?

Best wishes,

Dallas


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CYCLES: Rounds, Globes, Races

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Part I


A GENERAL SURVEY of FUNDAMENTALS


Madame Blavatsky epitomizes the teaching concerning universal
cycles of time as follows:

"The "Master" in the Sanctuary of our souls is "the Higher
Self"--the divine spirit whose consciousness is based upon and
derived solely from the Mind, which we have agreed to call the
Human Soul (the "Spiritual Soul" being the vehicle of the
Spirit).

In its turn the former (the personal or human soul) is a compound
in its highest form, of spiritual aspirations, volitions, and
divine love; and in its lower aspect, of animal desires and
terrestrial passions imparted to it by association with its
vehicle, the seat of all these.

It thus stands as a link and a medium between the animal nature
of man which its higher reason seeks to subdue, and his divine
spiritual nature to which it gravitates, whenever it has the
upper hand in its struggle with the inner animal.

The latter is the instinctual "animal Soul" and is the hotbed of
those passions, which, as just shown, are lulled instead of being
killed, and locked up in their breasts by some imprudent
enthusiasts."
HPB Articles, Vol. II, pp. 105-6. "OCCULTISM VS. THE
OCCULT ARTS".



CYCLES OF EVOLUTION AND PROGRESS

This study includes us (humanity, mankind), as a part of the
study of cycles, This is because the whole of manifestation is
designed to focus in and on human development. An ancient Sage
named Patanjali said: "For the sake of the development of Soul
(mind) alone, the Universe exists."

It views its perfection, as a goal -- one that enables every unit
to obtain a conscious awareness of that vast Unity. Once
attained, it can consciously perceive the whole Universe in its
vast and totally inter-related variety, as well as each of the
countless "life-atoms" (the cooperative Units--Monads).


KARMA -- IMPARTIAL UNIVERSAL LAW OF PROGRESS

Karma or, the One Law of cooperation between co-immortals becomes
clear as an essential component of it. It is this law which
makes the Universe sensitive, as a whole, to every component
monad. It is this law that preserves to every Unit its rights
and privileges, and demands that every such Unit have an equal
opportunity to progress and to achieve the Great, common GOAL of
"Supreme Perfection."



UNITY OF ALL IN ALL

In the beginning of The SECRET DOCTRINE , [Vol. 1, p. 120 ] the
spiritual Instructor says:


"Lift thy head, oh Lanoo; dost thou see one, or countless lights
above thee, burning in the dark midnight sky?"

"I sense one Flame, oh Gurudeva, I see countless undetached
sparks shining in it."

"Thou sayest well. And now look around and into thyself. That
light which burns inside thee, dost thou feel it different in
anywise from the light that shines in thy Brother-men?"

"It is in no way different, though the prisoner is held in
bondage by Karma, and though its outer garments delude the
ignorant into saying, 'Thy Soul and My Soul.' "


It thus becomes the task of Theosophy to restore to our present
human consciousness a sense of the vast amount of time that has
already been spent in the evolution of our ability to think.


ETERNITY OF ALL BEINGS

The "Occult Catechism" is earlier quoted in The SECRET DOCTRINE
Vol. I, p. 11 ):


"What is it that ever is?"

"Space, the eternal Anupadaka (parentless)."

"What is it that ever was?"

"The Germ in the Root."

"Then there are three Eternals?"

"No, the three are one. That which ever is, is one; that which
ever was, is one; that which is ever being and becoming is also
one: and this is Space."

"Explain, oh Lanoo (disciple)." --

"The One is an unbroken Circle (ring) with no circumference, for
it is nowhere and everywhere; The One is the boundless plane of
the Circle, manifesting a diameter only during the manvantaric
periods; the One is the indivisible point found nowhere,
perceived everywhere during those periods; it is the Vertical
and the Horizontal, the Father and the Mother, the summit and
base of the Father, the two extremities of the Mother, reaching
in reality nowhere, for the One is the Ring as also the rings,
that are within that Ring.

Light in darkness and darkness in light; the 'Breath which is
eternal.'

It proceeds from without inwardly, when it is everywhere, and
from within outwardly, when it is nowhere--(i.e., maya, one of
the centers). It expands and it contracts (exhalation and
inhalation). When it expands the mother diffuses and scatters;
when it contracts, the mother draws back and ingathers. This
produces the periods of Evolution and Dissolution, Manvantara and
Pralaya.

The Germ is invisible and fiery; the Root (the plane of the
circle) is cool; but during Evolution and Manvantara her garment
is cold and radiant. Hot Breath is the Father who devours the
progeny of the many-faced Element (heterogeneous); and leaves
the single faced ones (homogeneous). Cool Breath is the Mother,
who conceives, forms, brings forth, and receives them back into
her bosom, to reform them at the Dawn (of the Day of Brahma, or
Manvantara) ..."
[ SECRET DOCTRINE, Vol. I, pp. 11-12 ]



3 LINES OF EVOLUTION MEET IN MAN

In The SECRET DOCTRINE [ Vol. I, p. 181 ], we find that HPB
shows us that there are three lines of Evolution which meet and
mingle in all aspects of human progress.

1. The Monadic (or Spiritual),

2. the Intellectual (thought and feelings), and

3. the physical.


SOLIDIFICATION OF MATTER

The Monad (now having become the self-conscious human Unit in
evolution), is an eternal Being, compounded of Spirit - Matter
and Mind. Hence the periods of time used in evolving the ever
more material and "solid" bodies, and the intelligence that we
can see giving those forms an independent consciousness, are
enormous. The solidification of the material form alone occupied
3 "Rounds," and each have 7 divisions named the 7 "Globes." With
that there was a concurrent development of consciousness, mind,
and instinct.

In considering the Spiritual as the starting point, Mme.
Blavatsky in the SECRET DOCTRINE offers this concept:

"There is one absolute Reality which antecedes all manifested,
conditioned, being. This Infinite and Eternal Cause is the
rootless root of "all that was, is, or ever shall be." It is of
course devoid of
all attributes and is essentially without any relation to
manifested, finite Being. It is "Be-ness" rather than Being (in
Sanskrit, SAT), and is beyond all thought or speculation...Thus,
then, the first fundamental axiom of the Secret Doctrine is this
metaphysical ONE ABSOLUTE--BENESS--symbolized by finite
intelligence as the theological trinity."
[ The Secret Doctrine, Vol. I, p. 14 ]



TIME NEEDED FOR EVOLUTION AND PERFECTION

How are we going to approach the divisions of time in which the
evolution of consciousness and intelligence on our Earth ?



ROUNDS - GLOBES -- RACES -- SUB-RACES

In explaining these it became necessary to use words that implied
those long time periods. These were named : Rounds.

A "Round" consisted of a "host" (or a group) of intelligent
Monadic units, passing through 7 "Globes." These "Globes" were
defined (as smaller time-periods) each being also, one of the
seven stages in the evolution of consciousness, and the
development of mastery by each Unit over those aspects it lived
in and through, as part of its eternal "Journey."

An analogy is pictured as a group of children going day after ay
to school to learn ever more complex lessons. And the curriculum
is a study of the Universe in all its variety.

Each "Globe" was further divided into 7 "Races," or 7
characteristic periods of time, in which the "host" acquired
facility in dealing with different combinations of matter, and
the emotional and the intellectual faculties that form a part of
its identity. Further, each of those are seen to be divided
into 7 "Sub-races." These words (Round, Globe, Race) do not
employ the same meaning we give to them in ordinary speech.

[For purpose of analogy we could arbitrarily say that a selected
"Year" has 7 "months." Each "month" has 7 "weeks." Each "week"
has 7 "days" and so on.

The reason for the use of SEVEN is that the great Principles of
Nature correspond to the "human Principles." This 7 x 7 x 7 x 7
x 7 ... field of Time gives the many permutations an opportunity
to
combine and work with each other.]



SPACE -- EVER UNMODIFIED AND ETERNAL

Everything takes place in Space. HPB explains in one place:

"Space exists where there is nothing else, and must so exist
whether the Universe is one absolute vacuum or a full Plenum.
Space is what the ancients called the One invisible and unknown
(now unknowable) Deity. " [ TRANSACTIONS OF THE BLAVATSKY LODGE,
p.. 12, ULT Edition; BLAVATSKY: Collected Works (TPH), Vol.
10 ]

A Master of Wisdom commented: "There is not one finger's breadth
(angula) of void Space in the whole Boundless Universe)." [ SD I
289 ] "Reality in the manifested world is composed of a unity of
units." [SD I 629]



CAUSE FOR EVOLUTION AND BEINGS

Our Earth, and we, ourselves, and the many beings (monads) in
and on it are held in Theosophy to be the result of causes that
were started earlier, in a previous cycle of evolution. The
"causes of existence," is an all-inclusive term. These "causes"
are the sum total, or the KARMA of a World, (and all the beings
that form it). In our case this Karma refers to the actions and
thought-consequences we generated during the earlier Manvantara,
or age of Brahmâ. We then lived and worked and played together
in the same general fashion as we do now.



UNIVERSAL PLAN AND DESIGN

No cause set in motion in Nature is ever lost. There is always a
design, a Plan present in the Universal (or Absolute Mind) and
this is carried forward through Pralaya after Pralaya, and from
Manvantara to Manvantara. It is immutable. It is KARMA.

There are Intelligent Mind-beings who are simultaneously the
Servants and Guides of this Karma, or, the Universal WILL -- that
"Causeless Cause." The highest Dhyanis [Wise Ones], the Logoi,
carry forward and execute the details of that Plan. The Absolute
is absolute consciousness eternally.



CONSCIOUSNESS AND INTELLIGENCE

This One Consciousness becomes "fragmented" into the countless
"rays" of relative consciousness periodically, (through its
constituent Monads) at every "Manvantaric dawn." "Every monad
reflects every other. Every monad is a living mirror of the
universe within its own sphere." [ SD I 631 ]

The Divine Mind is, must be, before differentiation takes place.
It is called the Divine Ideation, which is eternal in its
Potentiality and periodical in its Potency.

In every "Manifestation" [Manvantara] it becomes the Divine Mind,
Mahat, Anima Mundi or Universal Soul. Mahat, is the great
Manvantaric Principle of Intelligence. It acts through the
uncountable Monads, as a "Brain" through which the Universal and
Eternal Mind radiates those Dhyanis, as those who embody the
nascent Consciousness or Ideation. They are the "Cosmocratores"
of the ancient Greeks. The eternal Builders, whose duty it is to
reconstruct the Universe -- as a school (as before described).



MONAD IS A TRINITY IN MANIFESTATION

As the shadow of this primordial triangle [SPIRIT - PRIMORDIAL
MATTER - MAHAT] falls lower and lower through the descending
planes [ Rounds and Globes ], it becomes with every stage more
involved in generating the "material circumstances."

It is misleading to apply our present known mechanical laws to
the higher metaphysics of cosmogony, or of space and time, as we
know them, for neither existed then. The reflection of the triad
in space and time, or the objective universe, comes later.



PURPOSE AND REASON FOR MANIFESTATION

But we need also to ask: what is the reason and purpose of all
This that we live in?


Mr. Judge offers these concepts to consider :

"What then is the universe for, and for what final purpose is man
the immortal thinker here in evolution? It is all for the
experience and emancipation of the soul, for the purpose of
raising the entire mass of manifested matter up to the stature,
nature, and dignity of conscious god-hood, The great aim is to
reach to self-consciousness, by and through the perfecting after
transformation, of the whole mass of matter, as well as what we
now call soul. Nothing is or is to be left out. The aim for
present man is his initiation into complete knowledge, and for
the other kingdoms below him that they be raised up gradually
from stage to stage to be in time initiated also. This is
evolution carried to its highest power; it is a magnificent
prospect; it makes of man a god, and gives to every part of
nature the strength and possibility of being one day the same;
there is strength and nobility in it, for by this no man is
dwarfed and belittled, for no one is so originally sinful that he
cannot rise above all sin." [ OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY , p. 60 ]


But we may ask ourselves: What is the reason for our being here?

Let us consider together that in the hearts of all, at some time
there arises the desire for knowledge. He who thinks his desires
will be fulfilled, as the little bird in the nest, who has only
to open his mouth to be fed, will very truly be disappointed.

The soul develops like the flower, and unconsciously to the soil
in which it grows. Shut out the light and the soil grows damp
and sterile, the flower withers or grows pale and sickly. Each
and every one is here for a good and wise reason. If we find
partially the "why we are here," then is there not good reason
that we should by intelligent contact, study life deeply, and
seek in it the farther elucidation of the problem. Is it not for
the study of ourselves so much, as the thought for others that
opens the door? The events of life and their causes lead to
knowledge. They must be studied when they are manifested in
daily life.


Mme. Blavatsky offers us a very important and basic view to
consider on this:

"It is the Spiritual evolution of the inner, immortal man that
forms the fundamental tenet in the Occult Sciences...the One
Universal Life, independent of matter...and...the individual
intelligences that animate the various manifestations of this
Principle...The One Life is closely related to the one law which
governs the World of Being--Karma." [ S D I 634 ]


Writing to Mr. Sinnett on the subject of our evolution here, one
of the Masters of Wisdom said:

"Every Spiritual Individuality [Higher Manas] has a gigantic
evolutionary journey to perform, a tremendous gyratory progress
to accomplish. First--at the very beginning of the great
Maha-manvanataric rotation, from first to last of the man-bearing
"planets [Globes]," as on each of them, the monad has to pass
through the seven successive races of man...up to the present
fifth race, or rather variety, and through two more races, before
he has done with this one. Each of the 7 races send 7 ramifying
branchlets from the Parent Branch: and through each of these in
turn man has to evolute before he passes on to the next higher
race; and that--seven times...The branchlets typify varying
specimens of humanity--physically and spiritually--and no one of
us can miss one single rung of the ladder...when I say "man," I
mean a human being of our type. There are other and innumerable
manvantaric chains of globes bearing intelligent beings--both in
and out of our solar system--the crowns or apexes of evolutionary
being in their respective chains, some--physically and
intellectually--lower, others immeasurably higher than the man of
our chain..." [Mahatma Letters, p. 119, Barker Edn. ]


One may thus further say that the object of this great process of
evolutionary concentration, amalgamation and precipitation is to
give to every race, as well as every individual Monad, the
benefit of the progress and power of the whole derived from prior
progress in other Globes, Rounds and earlier systems we used in
prior Manvantaras

Nature never does her work in a hasty fashion, but, by the sure
method of mixture, precipitation, and separation, it brings about
the greatest perfection...Hence man did not spring from a single
pair. Neither did he come from any tribe or family of monkey.

The SECRET DOCTRINE teaches that 7 races of men [ 7 categories of
mind and temperament ] appeared simultaneously on the earth at
the beginning of this process.



Part	II


UNIVERSAL EVOLUTION



If we wish to epitomize the whole evolutionary process we may
say:

"This brings us to the doctrine of Universal Evolution as
expounded by the Sages of the Wisdom-Religion. The Spirit, or
Purusha, they say, proceeds from Brahma [the ABSOLUTE] through
the various forms of matter evolved at the same time, beginning
in the world of the spiritual from the highest and in the
material world from the lowest form, one that is still unknown to
modern science. Thus, therefore, the mineral, vegetable and
animal forms each imprison a spark of the Divine, a portion of
the indivisible Purusha. These are the Monads that are evolving
all together, each at its own place and pace.

These sparks struggle to "return to the Father," or in other
words, to secure self-consciousness and at last come into the
highest form, on Earth, that of man, where alone
self-consciousness is possible to them. The period calculated in
human time, during which this evolution goes on embraces
millions of ages. Each spark of divinity has, therefore,
millions of ages in which to accomplish its mission. All depends
upon the individual's own will and efforts, we determine our own
future by our choices. We can accelerate or retard our progress
by our own choices.

Each particular spirit [Monad] goes through the Manvantara, or
enters into manifestation for its own enrichment and for that of
the Whole.


MAN'S ORIGINS

Man came to this "globe" from another, though of course then a
being of very great power before being completely enmeshed in
matter, so the lower kingdoms came likewise in germ and type from
other globes, and carry on their evolution step by step upward by
the aid of man, who is, in all periods of manifestation, at the
front of the wave of life.


GREAT SOULS ASSIST IN EVOLUTION

This is the point where the intelligent aid and interference from
a mind or mass of minds is absolutely necessary. Such aid and
interference was and is the fact, for nature unaided cannot do
the work right. It is Man who does this. Not the man of the
day, weak and ignorant as he (we) are(is), but Great Souls, high
and holy Men of immense power, knowledge and wisdom (just as
every man would now know he could become). By methods known to
themselves and to the Great Lodge they work on the forms so
brought over, and by adding here, taking away there, and often
altering, they gradually transform. This process is carried on
chiefly in the purely astral period preceding the gross physical
stage, as the impulses thus given will surely carry themselves
forward through the succeeding times. When the midway point of
evolution is reached the species emerge on to the present stage.

Various names have been given to these beings now removed from
our plane. They are the Dhyanis, the Creators, the Guides, the
Great Spirits, and so on by many titles. Mahatmas and Rishis are
thus gradually evolved during a Manvantara, and become after its
expiration, "planetary spirits," who guide the evolution of other
future planets and systems. The "planetary spirits" of our globe
are those who in previous manvantaras made the efforts, and
became in the course of that long period Mahatmas.


UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD IS SPIRITUAL IDENTITY OF ALL

This system is thus seen to be based upon the identity of
Spiritual Being, [the One Universal Monad] and, under the name of
"Universal Brotherhood," constitutes the basic idea of theosophy
whose object is the realization of that Brotherhood among men.


MAN'S PLACE AND RESPONSIBILITY

Man occupies the most important place in the whole scheme of
evolution. He stands where Spirit and matter meet. He is the
link between the higher beings and those below. He has so to
act, so to think and act, in and upon and with this physical
matter that he raises it all up, and gives it another tendency,
another trend. By the very constitution of his nature, by reason
of his being connected as he is in a physical body with all
nature, the Secret Doctrine states that man can become greater
than any one of the Dhyan Chohans and equal to all of them put
together. That is the goal which lies before him--the goal of
the "Kingly Mystery"--the seeing and knowing and feeling and
acting universally. For there is a power in man which enables
him to judge aright; he has the all-seeing eye--the
all-encompassing sight which permits him to see the justice of
all things. And always there is present the power of choice in
one direction or another. The questions before each human being
are: Whom will ye serve? Will you serve the higher spiritual
nature, or the body of flesh?"


In conclusion, let us quote something that Mr. Judge wrote. It
offers us all not only food for reflection but a challenge:


"A visitor from one of the other planets of the solar system who
might learn the term Mahatma after arriving here would certainly
suppose that the etymology of the word undoubtedly inspired the
believers in Mahatmas with the devotion, fearlessness, hope, and
energy which such an ideal should arouse in those who have the
welfare of the human race at heart.

The whole sweep, meaning, and possibility of evolution are
contained in the word Mahatma. Maha is "great," Atma is "soul,"
and both compounded into one mean those great souls who have
triumphed before us not because they are made of different stuff
and are of some strange family, but just because they are of the
human race.

Reincarnation, karma, the sevenfold division, retribution,
reward, struggle, failure, success, illumination, power, and a
vast embracing love for man, all these lie in that single word.

The soul emerges from the unknown, begins to work in and with
matter, is reborn again and again, makes karma, develops the 6
vehicles for itself, meets retribution for sin and punishment for
mistake, grows strong by suffering, succeeds in bursting through
the gloom, is enlightened by true illumination, grasps power,
retains charity, expands with love for orphaned humanity, and
thenceforth helps all others who remain in darkness until all may
be raised up to the place with the "Father in Heaven" who is the
Higher Self." [WQJ Articles. II, p. 39-40.
"MAHATMAS As IDEALS AND FACTS"]


HPB states:

"He who would profit by the wisdom of the universal mind, has to
reach it through the whole of Humanity without distinction of
race, complexion, religion or social status. It is altruism, not
ego-ism even in its most legal and noble conceptions, that can
lead the unit to merge its little Self in the Universal Selves.
It is to these needs and to this work that the disciple of true
Occultism has to devote himself, if he would obtain Theosophy,
divine Wisdom and Knowledge."
[ HPB Articles. Vol. II, p. 107. OCCULTISM vs. THE OCCULT
ARTS ]


Applying this to Mankind, HPB adds:

"...our Ego is a ray of the Universal Mind, individualized for
the space of a cosmic life-cycle, during which space of time it
gets experience in almost numberless reincarnations or rebirths,
after which it returns to its Parent-Source. The Occultist would
call the "Higher Ego" the immortal Entity, whose shadow and
reflection is the human Manas, the mind limited by its physical
senses. The two may be well compared to the Master-artist and
the pupil-musician. In the course of natural evolution our
"brain-mind" will be replaced by a finer organism, and helped by
the 6th [Buddhi] and the 7th [Atma] senses..." --H P B
[ Theos. Articles & Notes, p. 208; from Lucifer, Vol. 7, pp
75-6. ]


DTB
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