A while ago we’ve been discussing the opportunity of dealing openly with certain subjects in situations where the interest and the initiatory level of the participants are suitable to the value of the matter.

This matter arose because of the realization that the environments of esotericists’ can have various natures. Some of them have emotional mystic and devotional tendencies whilst others sympathize with mysteriosophic and hermetic aspects. At first sight it seemed that everybody was clear to which were the goals to achieve. So much that they talked widely and with conceptual generosity about what is necessary to reach in order to ‘catch’ the mystery of our existence.

Looking beyond the surface, though, it was clear that they couldn’t perceive the idea of how to reach the goals prescribed by the many ramifications of the same Theme (initiation).

Personally, even if those discussions were made a long time ago, I haven’t yet decided for sure if it is legitimate to talk openly about a certain type of esotericism. Either I don’t know yet for sure which is the right context where to deal with certain subjects. Common sense tells me that if I judged a context better than others I would be unfair to all the other esoterical containers. And this is neither fair nor right. On the other hand, I am not willing to wait any longer to discuss subjects that might interest other esotericists as well as me. A good choice could be to opt for an impartial context without an ideological uniform, such as Esonet.

Here everyone is himself and he represents only what he individually thinks. If any of us wears a special uniform (rose and cross, mason, templar, alchemist) in the outside world this doesn’t affect personal conventions. The person who thinks he’s different because of the uniform he wears, though, must learn that the particular language familiar to him is only one of the many pictorial and emotional means used by the initiatory Teaching to reach us humans (made of the same numbers of men and women). The specificity of a language is far from being original and therefore precious; it is the first big limit for the free flow of ideas and therefore it is an obstacle for the Freedom of the same Teaching.
Disintegration is then a must for an advanced disciple.

In the non-integration we find the so-called freedom (to fly with one’s mind); this word is an inheritance of the devotional culture. Furthermore, disintegration opens the mind to the synthesis of the meanings transmitted through conceptual, symbolical and literal forms.

Once upon a time the definition ‘restoration of the ancient mysteries’ was used to deal with the most precious subjects of the initiatory esotericism. It sounds quite funny, but it’s actually an exhausting job of great significance if we face it without method, patience, consistency, strength and will.

The idea of considering the expression of principles aiming at the restoration of the ancient mysteries, even with caution, in an electronic site, ignoring the human factor, makes me feel as if I am ‘leaving a message in a bottle and leaving the bottle at the mercy of the current’.

If by current, though, we mean destiny, karma or law of cause and effect it is a different matter; I’m intrigued by it and I’m curious to try this approach. And then, as a song of the dear Jannacci says, ‘hide and see the effect it makes!’

When we know (or at least we hope we do) what we want we must find out how to obtain it. This is a rule. If we want to talk about the use of method and rules, this is a compendium of rules or Laws that we could wittily call a Manual of instructions for the use of life.

This compendium of Laws was recently called with a symbolical name: Great Book of Nature.

The Great Book of Nature is accompanied by the Book of the Seven Seals.

The first is a compendium of rules of initiatory science that gathers and illustrates the main Laws of universal MOTION (that mystics call the Hand or the Action of God). In these Rules we find the bridge of connection and the analogy between microcosm and macrocosm, which is the most interesting thing for an initiate.

Both the greater and the two-dimensional visions are a concentration of the same sphere of action (cosmic habitat of conscience) and therefore they are supported by the same rules. Here is the analogy between big and small. Once we understand this, we ‘surf’ from the perception of the greater vision to the perception of the lesser one, and vice versa, without real disconnections. The latter will only occur in the individual conscience when this is linked to material prejudices which separate (here again the aspirant needs to dis-integrate from mundane models).

The initiatory esoterical vision, namely the education of the aspirant, once he has learnt the basics (the Laws) of the universal physical Wheel (the motion of the cycles of existence), should tend towards the only physical instrument that allows the candidate’s conscience to see the two faces of reality: the physical and the metaphysical ones. The mind (Psichè), in its several aspects, is the first occult instrument for the aspirant; the first one for the initiate is the Word.

The Voice is the breath; the will of the mind invigorate them and makes them vibrate through the thought.

The school of these and other greater instruments is the Temple. This is the psycho-dramatic representative ‘theater’ of every initiatory School. The conscience of Self develops where the dramas of human heart are represented. These are the aims of ceremonial Mysteries and Rituals. Every ceremonial (initiatory) Order represents, limited by its own language, the memory of the main Mysteries of the Old Mediterranean Schools of ancient Oriental descent…: the Light of Wisdom comes from the East; some esoterical catechisms say.

It is a Lost Memory and it has not been found yet (like the Holy Grail), also because it is searched in the wrong places. If we don’t find what is lost we can’t use the Holy Word of the access to the Greater Initiation. Only a few lesser initiations (physical-emotional) are left as a reference and they are represented fragmentarily.

If we want to discuss initiatory esotericism we should ‘start from the start’. That is to consider the laws contained in the Great Book of Nature. For the moment we can leave aside the Book of the Seven Seals, which deals with the planetary systemic laws (the 7 seals are the 7 holy planets of esoterical astrology whose central atom, or soul, is the Sun).

If all that reaches the mind is originated by another mind, we should also consider what it is that regulates this instrument of the conscience. If the mind is focused on our own physical, emotional and instinctual system, the same conscience, in its empirical-educative process will be affected by it.

To develop the potentiality of the mind means to supply the conscience with the chance to develop itself through a quality of superior experience. This is the heaviest responsibility that man has towards himself; the same or more than he has towards his son, because a son can eventually free himself from the will of a bad parent. The conscience can’t free itself from the will of a poor (in spirit) personality.

The better the quality of the vital experience we provide to the conscience through our thoughts, the better will be the ‘nourishment of its (!) soul’. The more experiences of the best quality are available to the conscience and the higher will be the ability of Free Will that, for the ordinary man is unfortunately limited to a fortuitous freedom of choice.

The end of the introspective stage should lead the participant to the learning of the elements that support the carrying out of the so-called ceremonial Mysteries.

These, in their synthesis, are the same both for the devotional and for the mysteriosophical systems (see Freemasonry) even if for a long time they have undergone the transformations imposed by a heavy profane interference. Their initiative and operative roots, based on the hieratic principle of evocation-invocation, have been buried. According to this principle in motion two similes attract each other; the greater simile attracts the lesser one. This is at the basis of the sacred Theurgy, a faint trace of which we can find in prayers and mantram.

As far as I’m concerned, I’d start by proposing the laws that regulate what an Initiate should achieve, which is the domain of his inner and outer world.

I will mention them without commenting them; I think that a rule comments itself.

We will not refer to any particular branches because initiatory science is only one and it is not good to change it into ideological streams, even with good intentions. Only when we address the very young Brothers we need to translate their meanings into allegories, turning them into ‘esoterical’ tales, in myths and legends.

All this will happen on an experimental basis; it is easy to start this attempt and it would be just as easy to stop it.

The information on the mysteries is taken by compendia written by Masters that for me have the reputation of Instructors and Initiates. I leave it to you to gather all that you think interesting in the quantity you like.

The fundamental Laws

Introductory summary to the laws regulating the action of planetary life. These laws will be gradually explained individually.
The Laws that rule the universe are so divided:

The 3 Main Laws:
The Law of Economy;
The Law of Attraction;
The Law of Synthesis;

The 7 Minor Laws that rule the solar System:
The Law of Vibration;
The Law of Cohesion;
The Law of Disintegration;
The Law of Magnetic Control;
The Law of Fixation;
The Law of Love;
The Law of Sacrifice and Death.

The 7 Fundamental Laws of the Soul.
The 3 higher Laws:
The Law of Sacrifice;
The Law of Magnetic Impulse;
The Law of Service.
The 4 Inferior Laws:
The Law of Rejection;
The Law of Group Progress;
The Law of Expansive Answer;
The Law of the Four (Inferior Quaternary).
The occult meaning of these Laws is hidden in the high Masonic Degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.

The 7 Laws of the Soul and the Group Life

The ordinary man tends to separation whilst the Laws that rule the life of the Soul tend to cohesion and Group progress. Depending on his extension, this group can be called Hierarchy, Order, Community, Communion and Brotherhood.
The 3 superior Laws:

1) Law of Sacrifice;
2) Law of Magnetic Impulse;
3) Law of Service.

The 4 inferior Laws:
1) Law of Rejection;
2) Law of Group Progress;
3) Law of Expansive Answer;
4) Law of the Inferior Four (Quaternary).

The Law of Sacrifice

Exoterical denomination: Law of Sacrifice;
Esoterical denomination: Law of those who choose to die (in their animal nature);
Symbol: a pink cross with a golden bird (esoterical symbol of Rose and Cross);
Energy: Conflict: effusion of unifying energy; the integration of the opposites through Harmonics.

The ‘cohesion’ of these three impulses, Law of Sacrifice, Magnetic Impulse and Service reached its complete manifestation during the Age of Pisces (the Age of Christ). This cohesion produced the impulse to give and therefore the sense of forgiveness and expiation. When man identifies himself with the Soul (his true Self) and not with the form that contains him, the transitory self that lasts only a cycle of animal life (personality) understands the meaning of this Law. He allows it to govern him and he will deliberately decide to ‘die in the form (in the lower passion of form) without pain, suffering or real death’. This Law is called the Law of Salvation that leads to the abandon of ephemeral and illusory profits.

For the Disciple life becomes a series of renounces until he has learnt that ‘there’s neither real sacrifice nor real pain in the renunciation of the ephemeralness’. The renouncement becomes natural with discrimination (the fair judgment to give value, weight and measure to the things of the physical world). To the ability to discriminate, which is not the sense of privileging one thing rather than another, follow indifference and detachment from events and futile ideas.

The Law of Magnetic Impulse

Exoterical denomination: Law of Magnetic Impulse;
Esoterical denomination: Law of Polar Union (between any opposite polarity such as + and -);
Symbol: two globes of fire and a triangle of irradiating energy;
Energy: Love

This Law, on the levels above the mental one, rules the reciprocal relationship, action, exchange and interpretation among the 7 Groups of Souls that express in the formal world the 7 qualities of Ray. It also rules the relationships between Souls that, even separated in the physical manifestation, are always in communication with each other. In the Kingdom of the Soul the Law of Magnetic Impulse is the same as the law of Attraction in the phenomenal world. It is the Law that most of all affects the human Race. It rules the relationship between the Souls of a Group and those of other Groups that operate on a different Ray.

The Law of Service

Exoterical denomination: Law of Service;
Esoterical denomination: Law of Water (Age of the Aquarius) and of Pisces (continuation of the age of the Pisces, the Christ-Jesus).
Symbol: a man with a jug of water;
Energy: vivifying energy of the Devotion to the Ideal.

The Service is the Initiate’s Path of Work par excellence. With his activity of Service, the Initiate offers his abilities ‘to the Benefit of the humankind’. The Service rules the Order and the right relationships in the Group and among Groups, where everyone works following the directions of a particular energy. To carry out an independent form of service without the control of an Instructor, without having reached the complete control over one’s lower nature (the astral body) it is an activity which causes serious damages to the Work of the Initiate Masters; especially with the improvisation, indiscipline and presumptuousness (and sometimes arrogance) of some young proselytes. It is quite common for many proselyte not yet accepted to talk nonsense about their Initiate Masters; in this way they show they don’t ‘know’ Their Teachings (?) which have always been hidden to the mass. They show that they are able to interpret their intentions and to discuss on words which are for them only ‘dead letter’. The ignorance of such people is only smaller than their mouths and the air they expel with no purpose whatsoever, to state their ideas and personal opinions on subject they know nothing about.

Such devotees give a ‘humanized’ image of the Great Initiates and the Great Guides of humankind and make them look like pious and devout men. To highlight a humanized image of the Initiate Masters means to reduce them to a simple object of personal cult in front of eyes that can’t see and minds that can’t understand. If these people, who only know the exterior image of the Initiate Masters, want to carry out ‘their own path of service’, they create one that suits their needs, their narrow personal views; they create a path that gives them an illusory gratification because they think they’re doing ‘something’ important, spiritual and universal. This demonstrates clearly how astralism and illusion seethe copiously in the ‘esoterical voluntary service’, sullying all the good intentions of aspirants not yet –called- to the Threshold of Discipleship. We know for sure that the White Work has been more damaged by ignorance and foolish devotion of zealous aspirants than by the occult influence of dark Powers.

We know for sure that the last thing that a Member of the White Hierarchy, busy to follow the realization of a Project after he has identify its right timing, is to find himself surrounded by a cheering crowd of devotees and ‘occasional contributors’ (reflect on this definition) that try to attract his attention by pulling him right and left. This is the reason why the Masons move so quietly and accept as contributors only men that have crossed the point of no return. They want educated and intelligent apprentices, which have proved their discretion and ability to pursue the ideal of the Common Project and not to cultivate the cult of the figure of the Master promoting the Project. The Initiate Masters need men keen on being educated and turning their old habits into qualities. In other words there’s need for people that are available to change first and to serve then.

The Initiate Masters don’t want devotees but apprentices that follow their Teachings. Men who want to refine their attitude for a Common Service and not to invent, as it usually happens, a form of personal and separate service, moving around without any reference; carrying out esoterical adventures without having a clue, promoting, without being asked, actions that they think can be useful to the spiritual Ideal but in actual fact go towards the opposite direction. In order to cooperate with a Master, then, we must first of all learn the Rule of Silence and dedicate completely to learn and understand. Most of all we must learn to respect in every occasion (even when talking to other aspirants) the image of a Master that we don’t know yet. We must learn not to divulge nonsense that ‘can be used against Him’ making him look like a phenomenon, a strange and mysterious object for the ambiguous and often nasty curiosity of profane ignorance. One of Them said: ‘don’t cast pearls before swine’.

Most of all we must learn the responsibility we have towards the initiatory Hierarchy if we consider ourselves its affiliates. If the man who speaks ‘on behalf’ of a Master or his Teaching is not competent, if the subjects he discusses are so imprecise or incomplete that they don’t correspond to the truth any more, the consequence is that they lay themselves to the most materialistic and profane criticism through an indefensible exposition. This will not obscure the image of the foolish aspirant but it will be used to disparage the Teaching of that Master and those foolish personal arguments will be used as an ‘arrow’ against the wisdom of the Hierarchy. It is incredible how many ‘devout aspirants’ don’t realize that what they say and do in their everyday life thwarts the Work of the Initiate Masters in the environment they live in. They don’t realize that with their foolishness they contribute daily to ruin the image of the Master they ‘love’. When they talk to materialistic people who are keen on listening to ‘curious’ arguments, they provide with their nonsense every reason to think that the initiatory setting is an incredible pile of subculture, fantasy and superstition, a childish fib unapproachable by educated and sensible people. This is the damage caused every day by pseudo-esotericists, driven only by their opinions and ignorance. Despite all this the Initiate Masters don’t accuse them of anything; they only let them go to their destiny. The thought flies with words and the recklessness of someone who isn’t at least a lesser initiate can bring dangers to the whole initiatory Communion. This is the reason why the first stage of Discipleship is only a long period of instruction and Service ‘aimed at improving oneself’. Once we have reached the control of our lower emotions and we express a personal autonomy, we can turn our ‘abilities’ to helping others. We will know, then, what to do, how to do it and when.

When man acts under the law of Service the following qualities appear in him: harmlessness; deliberate abstention from deeds or words that could offend or provoke misunderstandings; the will not to harm in any way his Group; the non-judgment, namely the keenness to leave others do what they think best; the criticism is replaced by the ‘sonorous Silence’ (we will see later the Rule of Silence and how silence can become absolutely impetuous).

The contact we obtain with an Initiate Master or an advanced Adept is only the result of the quality and intensity of the Service given to the humankind; the three educative systems divulged will help guiding a gradually bigger number of aspirants from the unreal to the real and from the aspiration to the realization of the initiation. These systems are:

• The Science of the Mind and the Art of Visualization;
• The Science of Construction of the Bridges (of conscience). That is the construction of the linking bridge (Ars Pontificia) between the mind of the personal and lower self and the transpersonal and higher Ego;
• The Science of Service, namely the Technique of Unification.

The quality of the Service and the ability to serve shows ‘a well defined point’ of the progress achieved by the apprentice on the Path of Initiation and it is not possible to serve spontaneously, lovingly and wisely before reaching that point. This law is the influence that some energy has on the planetary rhythm. These energies and impulses emanate from the zodiac sign we proceed towards. The Law of Service was expressed in full by the Master Jesus. He was the forerunner of the Age of Aquarius when, after the long darkness of the Vulgar Age (the western Iron Age or the eastern Kali Yuga), the spiritual afflatus will appear to humankind. Indeed, the Master Jesus said he was ‘the water of life’ and the ‘live water’ necessary to men. This is the esoterical definition of this law. Symbolically the law of Service is represented by a man with a crock on his head.

The Law of Rejection

Exoterical denomination: Law of Rejection;
Esoterical denomination: Law of the destroying Angels;
Symbol: an Angel with a flaming sword;
Ray Energy: energy rejecting the Will and the Power.

It refers to the dispersion or rejection of the aspects of formal life and the refusal of passional desire. It expresses only through the superior part of the mental plane and therefore it acts only on the advanced apprentice. The act of rejecting is the main requisite for the true knowledge of Self, because it divides, disperses but at the same time it reveals. It acts through love and in the interest of Unity (the divine Intention is Unity). It is an aspect of one of the highest cosmic laws, that is the law of cosmic Attraction (Attraction and Rejection are always together). All that is attracted will be rejected in the long run. This is the sense of Re-generation and recreation of every form of the universe. This laws acts through the energy of the forms (the soul of all forms) and it doesn’t act on the matter; the latter is subjected to its action only by reflection. Man understands and acts on this law only after the 3rd real Initiation.

The Law of Group Progress

Exoterical denomination: Law of Group Progress;
Esoterical denomination: Law of Elevation;
Symbol: a Mountain and a Goat;
Energy: the evolutionary factor is expressed through the cycles of the Great Ritual of Nature.

Rhythmic evolutionary spiral.
When the apprentice has identified the right rhythms to operate according to the directions of his Group and he carries out with certainty and conscience the expansions of self necessary for the Initiation, he starts benefiting from the ‘push’ of the law that governs individual and Group Progress; he learns to follow it both intuitively and intellectually. By following the course of this law he prepares for the Initiation; it is important to realize that we prepare for Initiation by ourselves. The goal of a Group is not to perfection their members individually, even if this happens by reflection, but to teach them to coexist, integrate and strengthen mutually, until the form a Unity through which the energy of the spiritual Hierarchy can freely flow to reach humankind. This is the Service; it is not supposed to assist or comfort, but it is directed towards the mental levels of man in order to accelerate the process of liberation from the sensual levels of the astralism he caused himself. Astralism is the Great Illusion (or Maya) that imprisons man’s feelings holding humankind as a hostage. The preliminaries of Group Work are:

1) Unity originates from Cohesion and Communion of intentions that arise around the Common Project (i.e. to collaborate actively to the Service of the Hierarchy directed to the Welfare of humankind); whilst Group Integration originates from the practice of impersonal love directed without distinction towards every Brother or Sister;

2) The development of the ability of thought is focused on the Thoughts-seeds suggested by a Master. To develop the Thoughts-seeds through visualization means to develop one’s creativity and refine one’s intuition. To develop the ability to visualize concepts and ideas in a three-dimensional way opens ‘the eye of the mind’, which is a symbolic way of representing the ‘vertical telepathy’. It emphasizes the domain of its material nature when it’s not needed any more. In the present Age man must look for the instruments of his evolution in the domain of other planes, superior to the physical one. On the ethereal plane the ethereal eye catches a glimpse of the activity of the energetic centers (Chakra) that are developed through the Laya Yoga. On the astral plane the astral eye observes in its plane the manifestation of the passional forms of desires, dreams and hallucinations. On the astral plane it is the basin of Maya: the Great Illusion. This must be avoided. The astrality is dissolved through the Asparsha Yoga. On the mental plane there is the vision of the mental eye; this is at first clouded by astrality, then, also thanks to the Jnana Yoga, it becomes clearer and clearer, up to reach an adamantine clearness. At this point it is called clear-vision. Rajah Yoga and training to visualization, even when the latter is only two-dimensional, accelerate the manifestation of the conditions to obtain the opening of the eye of the mind that leads to the Consciousness of the soul, its Presence and its Thought (the Ego, the intelligent activity of the Triad of the soul). To align with the vertical axis of the soul (vertical telepathy) leads to the spiritual vision. The meanings of the spiritual vision are mentally concretized (or they would be incomprehensible) with the development of the Art of three-dimensional Visualization and through the Agni Yoga (Yoga of Fire). The meanings of the several types of Yoga Philosophy and their levels of action will be described later in their respective area.

3) The Group Activity can be resumed in three parts: Instruction, Service and use of the Ritual.
The requisites to take advantage of the law of Elevation are the purity of the body, the domain of emotions and mental steadiness; these abilities must be practiced every day. Both the relations between members of the same Group and between the members of different Groups will be based on the egoic values of individuals (on the hierarchy of the quality of values) and not on personal attachments or sympathies of the members.

Summary
Let’s resume the first 5 Laws that directly regard aspirants and apprentices.
Law of Sacrifice physical Unity: love for the multitudes Master Jesus the Savior the Servants of the world, those who follow the Saviors of the world ‘deliberately dying every day with regard to desire’ altruism.
Law of Magnetic Impulse physical, ethereal or vital Unity: the aspirants worldwide Religion universal ecclesiastic Orders devotion love for ideas Schools of philosophy idealism.
Law of Service humanitarian activities sympathy, love and compassion for the humankind astral Unity: apprentices in trial.
Law of Rejection fight against evil love for good discrimination mental Unity: apprentices
Law of Group Progress Groups connected to the Hierarchy Groups of the Servants of the world love for synthesis inclusivism Unity of the soul: Initiates.
The Law of Expansive Answer and the Law of the Lower Four (Quaternary) are the last two Laws of the Soul and they are not open to a lesser interpretation; only the Initiate or someone who is going to be one can understand and use them.
*****
Now we will look at some of the most important ‘Rules’ that lead the Light of the Soul to obscure the personality and then to activate the Soul to rule on the darkness of its lower domains.

Synthesis. This is the ability to conceive and express ideas in the form of a unique image (symbol) in a direct form without using the sinusoidal method that is needed by the lower reason. In other words the sinusoidal method is an energetic curve (a triangle of tension) formed by three elements: an access, an apex and an exit. From a base of inattention or indifference we go to the attention for an event or a question; in order to react or answer to the latter we raise to an apex of tension in search of an answer or a solution. The peak of the attention curve is reached through the reasoned composition of a satisfactory solution. In the ordinary man the first solution counts. Therefore the solution is usually approximate, it is not necessarily the most efficient or the most economical in terms of time and energy. However, if the satisfaction of the need is reached, the threshold of effort and attention immediately turns to the bottom, decreasing its tension until it disappears in a conclusion. This happens until the next event will call again the attention of the person, usually very weak, to the reality outside his individual sphere (attention towards his own moments of individual life).
The ability of synthesis has nothing to do with the faculty of ‘resuming’ or ‘shortening’ formulations, typical of the lower levels of the mind. The synthesis is the first factor that reveals the Divine nature in man, because the first great aspect of God’s mind is Synthesis. The ability of synthesis is tightly linked to the Law of Attraction and the Principle of Cohesion; in man it is the impulse for union and unification that demonstrates in his world the Principle of Divine Unity. The principle of unification ‘materializes’ in the physical world by reaching the complementariness of every duality. Duality is in actual fact only the lack of an ‘inclusive’ self conscience. The belief of being ‘separated’ in many parts (mind here, mind there, body this, body that, this is better, that is worse) is only the result of a ‘schizophrenic’ vision of the material reason, which says: ‘here ‘I’ am and the rest is not me because I don’t rule it’. The animal reason, even when educated, perceives itself illusorily as the center of life of ‘its own’ conscience. It believes that ‘conscience’ belongs to it whilst it comes from the metaphysical planes of the spiritual manifestation. Physical conscience, though, doesn’t belong to the material manifestation despite being its inner space; the vital center of man is not the physical reason but the conscience of his superior Self. The egocentric vision of personality causes it to abuse its ‘rights’, by using improperly the materialized energy of the Soul: the conscience. The dual and materialistic vision of personality makes it believe it ‘has’ a Soul, whilst it ‘is’ part of the Soul. It is not personality, then, that owns a Soul but the Soul that expresses a personality. Through endless ‘adjustments’ (cycles of material manifestation), the Soul will eventually constitute an advanced enough personality to integrate with its subtle planes; in this way the Soul will be able to ‘reflect itself’ and manifest up to the matter (personality) the spiritual Principle that rules it. This spiritual Principle is the Monad.
The faculty of the hidden Vision. This is the ability of inner vision. It is the vision granted to the man who has reached the apex of the earthly path (the 3rd Initiation) and has entered the first stage of the cosmic Path. The second part of the Path leads to develop a harmony and a comprehension never before touched by the highest human intuition. The inner vision gradually develops in the superior instinct (egoic and animic) that leads to Intuition, higher Intellect and eventually the Illumination of the physical mind from the Triad of the soul. The quality of the inner vision is an expression of the Principle of Continuity that constituted the ability to ‘remain’ under the influence of the Divine principle inside us (the Light of the Soul). This Principle is based on a more clear-vision of the Divinity and therefore of the ability to perceive the Continuity of Its Plan and Its Purpose.
The impulse to Formulate a Plan is the ability of the Initiate to work and design farsighted plans. This is the faculty to ‘answer’ the Divine Plans because the soul ‘knows’ God’s plan. This ability is expressed concretely with the intelligent activity joined by the right choice of ‘time’ operated with the use of the Great Ritual of Nature (cycles-cadences-rhythms). The individual soul aspires to the realization of the task assigned to all the souls, which is to act as an ‘intermediary’ between the world of Ideas (archetypes), the world of ideation and the world of forms. In order to achieve this faculty the apprentice must be helped to develop the vision of the whole and abandon the individual vision and the vision related to only one part of the physical thought (the phenomenon of intellectual specialization); he must contemplate the objective vision and penetrate it up to reach the essential qualities that give it its meaning.

The impulse to creative life.
The impulse to creative life is obtained through the use of creative imagination. All that is still to be revealed is in and around us. The meaning of everything that is embodied in a form, the reachable sense behind every appearance, the reality hidden by the symbol and the truth expressed in the substance are all parts of an integral reality not yet perceived by man’s relativity. The reality of the psychically evolved man is the world of causes, whilst the reality of the spiritual man is the world of archetypes. Archetypes are the substance of the Divine plan and they create causes. The latter express their phenomena (to give a point of reference to this idea we will say that the intelligence of the Ego is called the causal body of man). In order to reach the revelation of the world of causes we basically need two things: 1st, the consistent and subjective effort to create mental forms able to express a truth perceived only with intuition; 2nd, to make an effort to become sensitive to the world of causes and archetypes, of which all phenomena, and therefore man as well, being a living phenomena are the result of the lower manifestation. Perceiving the world of causes (for example with vertical telepathy) ‘is the only means to reach the reality’ of every meaning in its integral form and not only in relation with the phenomenon perceivable to the animal form. The Adept who senses the causes that move the effects of his sphere of life can reproduce forms of thought that are assonant with them; that is he will be able to reproduce in his thoughts and physical activity (word-action) harmonious ‘models’ which will not be in conflict with the causes they are connected to. These models will be so harmonious that they will become a close reflection of the impulse hidden in archetypes; so assonant that they will reflect the wave of Life that permeates Creation without distortions. This would be the Heaven on earth of mystics, to reflect on the physical plane through Ourselves, with our Spirit, the image of the Archetype One-God manifested.
This process starts by developing our creative imagination; this must not be confused with fanciness or fantasy. Imagination creates in the lower planes of the mind the image of what the intuition perceived (vision-realization) coming from the subtle planes of the Ego or the soul itself. This link produces assonance between the Idea perceived and the image reproduced in the physical mind and it is called psychic precipitation (from the top to the bottom) or descending Initiation. Hermeticists called it occult instruction (revealed to the inner ear and eye of man); this instruction came from the Secret Master, also called Superior Incognito. Leaving aside the mythology of pseudo-initiates that propose themselves as masters or superior incognito, the words Secret Master or Superior Incognito express the soul as the first true spiritual Guide of the initiate. The Ego (superior Self) is the true ‘Door’ of Hierarchy. This is why it is said that the Masters Initiates only act at the level of superior ego and the disciple must go up to them with the help of an Instructor; how high should he go up, though? Up to the link with the Ego, up to perceive the presence of the soul. The technique of approaching the Masters Initiates is called the Method of the Presence and this will be taught individually by the Instructor, keeping in mind the different kinds of self conscience existing between a Pupil and another. The stages of approach between the lower self and the superior Ego are accompanied by moments of intense psychic distress; this must be endured and re-lived many times, in order for the physical mind to get used to the more intense vibration that comes from the most subtle (fastest) levels of the Ego. The personal mind will have to ‘grow’ by raising its frequency to establish a balanced and continuous contact with the superior Self. There are three decisive factors in the mental ‘growth’ of the aspirant. First of all we have the disposition to endure the pain of revelation. It is very difficult to bear the weight of the truth, therefore men preferred to ‘build’ a world of dreams and illusions all around them. It is easier to ‘see’ what we don’t want, such as what we really are, or what we are scared of, such as the fear of birth, the fear of life and death.
The second factor is the ability to persist on the level of revelation. The revelation is also the condition of the apprentice that stands still in the Light of the soul. This mental ‘position’ is expressed by the mot: ‘and so in the Light, steady I am.’ The Initiate stays focused on the image of the revelation and he transfers it through the Art of Visualization on the part of conscience identified with the physical brain, enlightening its substance. Imagination precedes Visualization and this faculty to create psychic images joins the mind (aura) to the brain, expressing the splendor revealed by the Ego on the plane of personality as well. In order to develop his imagination, the apprentice will have to be educated to persevere in the practice of symbolic Meditation (occult use of the symbols and mandalas); to this the exercises of visualization will follow. The true creative art is a function of the thought of the superior Ego; the task of the apprentice is to align to it by meditating and by focusing his attention not only on the exterior meanings of the forms but most of all on the world of their inner meanings.

The ability of Analysis is the fifth quality of the physical man that activates the interest of the soul towards him. The power of analysis is the ability to discriminate, distinguishing what is true and steady from what is cyclic, changeable and transitory. The power of analysis is a psychic attribute of a superior order; if it is used by an egocentric and individualistic personality, though, it suggests a sense of separation and diversity (dualism). On the contrary, if the sense of synthesis is kept, it can be expressed with the right use of emphasis. On the plane of phenomena analysis inspires to the comprehension of the fifth Kingdom of Nature (the spiritual one.)

The Faculty to realize. This is the faculty of those who recognize ideas in their synthetic form (archetypical and symbolical) and use ‘their own energy’ to realize them. Only today man has started seeing the Power of ideas. The Power of an archetypical idea can be liberating or constricting. If we use it to untie the bonds of the Idea (pure thought) with the world of forms, than this is a liberating action (destructive aspect). If we use it to strengthen the bonds by realizing concretely a project (remember that the physical man is the project that the soul works at), this will be an action that imprisons in the form of the energy of the idea (constructive aspect). The young scholar should reflect on the last statement that we will find when we’ll deal with the Teaching on death. We conclude by defining the general sense that constitutes the Laws. This is the same sense shared by all the other Laws that are not mentioned in this short work.

A. The Faculty to idealize resolves the conflicting relation between the great dualities of the physical world. This is one of the fundamental rules to join the domain of the soul. The physical man on the battlefield of dualities (the battle of the Armageddon is against astralism) against abstract and transpersonal idealization finds the Path defined as ‘subtle as a razor’s edge’ (as subtle as the thread of conscience that links the lowers self to the higher Self). This is the Path that will lead him to liberation (by dissolving the astral form) and to Initiation (by integrating with the form of the soul). The Faculty to idealize is the true mysticism and it rules the relations between life and form, spirit and matter.

We conclude by defining the general sense that constitutes the Laws. This is the same sense shared by all the other Laws that are not mentioned in this short work.

According to the initiatory Teaching, a law is the effect of the intelligent activity of life that works together with the physical matter. Remember that the laws as well are indicated with names that show their relation with the humankind. When they act in other Kingdoms (mineral, vegetal, animal and human) laws have a different influence than that on man and therefore the nomenclature is different.

DEFINITION OF LAW

The law presumes a superior Entity gifted with intelligence that, having a well defined goal, co-ordinates its forces to develop a consistent and gradual plan. With clear knowledge of the aim It prepares steps and stages that, when followed properly, ensure the execution of the plan. The word ‘law’ is usually associated with the idea of subjection to an activity we think unavoidable, inflexible and not understood by those who must obey it. It implies in a way the feeling of absorption and impossibility to avoid it or to change the destiny it prescribes. It is unavoidable that this inspires in the conscience of the psychically non-advanced man the sensation of being a victim, like a leaf drawn to an unknown place that can only be guessed. It suggests the feeling of being ruled by an apparently inescapable force that produces collective results at the expenses of the individual. Until the conscience has reached the right expansion to be able to perceive higher goals, this attitude of the lower mind will be unavoidable. When man is in contact with his higher Self, he takes part of the Knowledge of the goal. He is at the top of the mountain where his view covers wider horizons with different perspectives. He realizes, then, that the law is only the spiritual impulse, the incentive and the manifestation of the Entity where he lives and acts. He learns that this impulse expresses an intelligent proposition, wisely directed and based on Love that appears through the Principle of Unity and Cohesion. Man (now integrated with the subtlest part of Himself) starts devoting himself with intelligence to the execution of every law. He opens to the spiritual living impulse insofar as his individual nature allows him to react to it, transmit it and use it. He stops finding obstacles and he starts transmitting. He ends the cycle of closed and egocentric life and opens wide the doors of spiritual energy. The law that he was scared of and mistrusted earlier on is recognized as a means for purifying and vivifying action that pushes him with all the creatures towards a glorious goal.

Athos A. Altomonte