First steps
At the beginning of the path of the 22 steps to the first cosmic initiation it is necessary to leave the three involutionary kingdoms of Maya ( and Prakriti ) and the lower self behind, and of course the small human EGO :
1. The unintelligent masses are lead and inspired from their materialistic, psychic and momentary wishes and desires. Most of them are determined and governed by their wishes for posession and luxury, by the longing for "tangible" things, for comfort and economic, social and religious security. The man of this step stands under the influence of the densest form of MAYA.
2. Others let themselves lend by their longing for emotional feeling of well-being and mental stability and the safty that their higher wishes will be fulfilled. All that is MAYA in its emotional (astral) aspects.
3. Mental MAYA means illusions of many sorts.
After the 3 basic involutionary steps the subdivisions become so numerous that it is difficult to distinguish them :
In this mixed society we find pure egoism, often up to the highest potency, a growing understanding for the community, the growing recognition that other people have the same right for hapyness and harmony und the constant strive to adapt the personal character and "way of life" so far, that the purely selfish interests do not harm other people.
So we come to the REALLY GOOD avarage-man who endeavours to adapt to his vicinity and his goup-connections and his obligations so far, that a touch of real love can be seen. It is here not thought of the kind of love to family, children and relatives that is directed from the instincts. Man has this kind of love common with the animal-kingdom, which often breaks when these next people insist on their rights. The connection is not strong enough and the motives are too selfish to resist to the temptation. Here is more thought of that kind of love that accepts the rights of the others and tries consciously to adapt to these accepted rights but insists tough on den rights of the own personality.
*After all this the path of the ASPIRANT begins.
All that is not a purely personal psychic process in society but an inner process of transmutation, that finally leads to the transfiguration by the forces of the higher spiritual soul und further things. Aspiration alone is not sufficient : The spiritual forces must come down and transform the person. That is the deeper sense of the many techniques. The "karma" must be sufficient(in indish terminology : "prakriti" must agree) - and "god(ishvara)" must agree to the entering into his kingdom.
(Further : A.A. Bailey : A treatise on the seven rays II, or automatically translated by google-translate.)
of Spirituality
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