The
Path of Higher Evolution ~
The
Seven Cosmic Streams
Path I - The Path of Earth Service
Path II - The Path of Magnetic Work
Path III - The Path of Training for Planetary Logoi
Path IV - The Path to Sirius
Path V - The Ray Path
Path VI - The Path of the Solar Logos
Path VII - The Path of Absolute Sonship (1)
Summaries of the Seven Cosmic Paths ~ Light-Weaver.com
It is useful … for aspirants to discipleship … to get this different point of view and begin to unfold within themselves a new sensitivity to impression coming from sources higher than the Hierarchy itself. (2)
Among the Ageless Wisdom teachings given to us through the books of Alice A. Bailey, the subject of the Cosmic Paths could well be the loftiest of topics. As we pursue attainment of monadic consciousness, consideration of these seven energy streams may assist in our ability to achieve the requisite demonstration of Divine Purpose.
The Doorway
In the advanced levels of initiation, the monad reveals the door which opens on the Way of Higher Evolution. This doorway exists in rarified, etheric material on the highest planes of the Cosmic Physical Plane. Thus access to this door is the product of attaining a similarly high vibration of attunement, in one’s vehicles. “It is the electrical fire which forms the door of initiation for those initiations which guard the Way to the Higher Evolution.” (3)
The door into the Way of the Higher Evolution simply permits the entrance of the sensitive initiate into "spheres of intimacy" (as they are sometimes called) which are this time cosmic in their implications, planetary in their effects, and which give to the initiate what has been called the "key to the Sun"—as it conditions the solar system—just as the door to initiation gives to the aspirant the "key to the kingdom of God." (4)
Through Alice Bailey’s writings the Tibetan teacher imparts key points regarding these seven Cosmic Paths, from which the Master chooses direction some time and experience after their Causal body ~ the individuated Soul body itself ~ was sacrificed in order, through their life, to bridge monadic awareness into the three worlds of experience: the physical, astral / emotional, and mental planes.
All Paths Lead to the Same Place
Essential to this teaching is the postulation that all of these Paths eventually lead to the same place: the Central Spiritual Sun. (5) All the Cosmic Paths gradually came into being when our planetary Logos ~ the deity of our planet ~ created the Earth and started the involutionary process of Creation. Much later, due to the process of evolution, they are accessed as the Path of Return. (6)
"Each of these Paths eventually leads to one or other of the six constellations which (with ours) form the seven centers in the body of the ONE ABOUT WHOM NAUGHT MAY BE SAID." (7) This great Being, also called the Cosmic Logos, is comprised etherically of seven solar systems, including ours. (8) These seven systems are Its force centers. Our solar system, together with six other solar systems, orbits around a Cosmic Center. (9)
Lives Within Lives
When considering the macrocosm, the Ageless Wisdom imparts the esoteric model of the universe, wherein the relationships of great Beings represent ever larger Lives within the great Life. The general ranking, e.g., planetary, solar and hierarchical, is suggested and by this very suggestion brings order into human thinking as we view apparent chaos in the more limited point of view. (10)
Evolution in the Universe
| Human Kingdom | Human Being | Seven Centers |
| Planetary | Planetary Logos | Seven Globes |
| Systemic | Solar Logos | Seven Planetary Schemes |
| Cosmic | Cosmic Logos | Seven Solar Systems |
| Super Cosmic | Super Cosmic Logos | Seven Constellations |
The treading of the Way of Higher Evolution enables a Master eventually to function upon other cosmic levels, having transcended the entire Cosmic Physical Plane encompassing the human, superhuman, and divine worlds. (12) The door to this realm is reached at the point of attainment of the sixth initiation, at which event the Master chooses which one of the seven Ways or Paths is theirs to follow.
"The seven Paths are all concerned with purpose, just as the seven Ashrams are all concerned with the plan." (13) In the Master’s evolution of identification from the group to the whole, at this doorway he is confronted by other identifications beyond the planetary ring-pass-not.
In the "centre where the will of God is known" the intelligent loving Master, now responsive to the energy of the will, is faced with the seven Paths whereon that will can come to fruition and the “units of love can be transferred because they also will and know.” They can then form part of the third solar system which will be definitely under the influences coming from the cosmic mental plane, just as, in this solar system, the energies coming from the cosmic astral plane have been the major influence. (14)
Cosmic Relationship
Through research and exploration, modern astrophysics has come to recognize the connections of individual stars, and that these great sun systems exist in gravitational relationship with other stars in clusters or constellations. From a macrocosmic perspective, these groupings form the bodies of great Beings in manifestation.
Considering the ray and plane forces as they stream into our solar system:
All these streams of energy form geometrical designs of great beauty to the eye of the initiated seer. We have the transverse and bisecting lines, the seven lines of force which form the planes, and the seven spiraling lines, thus forming lines of systemic latitude and longitude, and their interplay and interaction produce a whole of wondrous beauty and design. When these are visualised in colour, and seen in their true radiance, it will be realized that the point of attainment of our solar Logos is very high, for the beauty of the logoic Soul is expressed by that which is seen. (15)
Our solar system forms or is part of the heart center of the Cosmic Logos. (16) As we begin to understand our corresponding planetary purpose, it is useful to consider what is the purpose of the greater Beings in which our planetary Logos has its existence. Like the solar Logos, our planetary Logos, in whose body of manifestation we reside, in time and space, is concerned with the principle of Buddhi; i.e., universal Love, wisdom, pure reason.
For planet Earth, Shamballa is the center where the highest will of the Solar Logos is imposed upon the will of our Planetary Logos. (17) The most general purpose of any Planetary Logos is to implement the will of the Solar Logos in its sphere of influence. Beyond that, the objective is determined by its place within the greater whole. (18)
As human beings, our advancement in consciousness is connected to the evolution of our planetary Logos and Its own expansion in evolution. "The planetary Logos expands His consciousness to measure up with the will and purpose of the Solar Logos." (19) Furthermore, our Divine Destiny as humanity calls us “... to develop a station of light within the planetary body which will affect not only our own solar system, but the seven solar systems of which ours is one.” (20)
Sirius and Initiation
Related to the writings about the Cosmic Paths, Bailey discusses the importance of the connection between the great star Sirius ~ largest of the relatively close by star systems at 8.6 light years away and the brightest star in our night sky ~ and the constellation Leo.
Since the Path to Sirius is Path IV, fourth of the seven Cosmic Paths, we may infer that the connection of Sirius to our Sun "which veils a zodiacal sign" (21) reveals the Sirius~Leo connection to be a major hookup in this fourth Path ~ of added significance because, we are told, the “lords of compassion” most frequently follow this Path. (22) "The majority of liberated humanity, and therefore a large number of the initiates who have to make decision, choose this way to the cosmic center." (23)
Esoteric as the Bailey material regarding the seven Paths may be, it gives us a foundation for further study and evolution. Implicit in the teaching is that once we have surmounted first the Probationary Path, and later the Path of Initiation, we will eventually attain the liberation of monadic consciousness and achieve at-one-ment of consciousness with the planetary Logos (24). Only then, as a Master of the Wisdom and Lord of Compassion, will we have finally prepared to make the choice which confronts each, for the treading of their one chosen Path.
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Cosmic
Identification
Path I~The Path of Earth Service
Path II~The Path of Magnetic Work
Path III~The Path of Training for Planetary Logoi
Path IV~The Path to Sirius
Path V~The Ray Path
Path VI~The Path of the Solar Logos
Path VII~The Path of Absolute Sonship
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Images:
Top:
Rho
Oph Dark Cloud, photograph by David Malin
© Anglo-Australian Observatory/Royal Observatory Edinburgh
Middle: The Colorful Clouds
of Rho Ophiuchi,
Adam Block, Astronomy Picture of the Day
All of
the following references are from the books written by
Alice A. Bailey and published by Lucis
Trust, New York:
(1) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 1242
(2) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 362
(3) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 352
(4) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 366
(5) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 356, 391
6) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 404
(7) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 1242
(8) Esoteric
Psychology I, p. 150
(9) Initation,
Human and Solar, p. 190
(10) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 361
(11) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 293
(12) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 363-364
(13) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 371
(14) The
Rays and the Initiations, p 377
(15) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 1184
(16) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 519 - 520
(17) The
Externalisation of the Hierarchy, p. 534
(18) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 121, 400
(19) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 1043
(20) Esoteric
Psychology II, p. 217
(21) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 1260
(22) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 1259
(23) The
Rays and the Initiations, p. 414
(24) A
Treatise on Cosmic Fire, p. 1241
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