The Golden Star

VISION 6

The Astral Fire

“But,” said Ma-u, “I see no Fire here, except the golden sheen that seems to be everywhere. Yet, you said that this is the Prince-dom of the Rulers in the World of the Astral Fire; I cannot understand this, dear Messenger.”

Neteru-Hem smiled and answered: “Although you do not seem to see the Astral Fire, my Son, you are actually within that great Ocean of Fire. The walls of Flame that surround this part of the Cosmic, and which also surround in a similar manner the whole of the material Universe and the Astral Regions, are but the outer manifestation of that which lies within this great Circle. Even if the impossible should happen, and an impure material Astral body or mind penetrate through the Flames, which are visible, the invisible Fire in which we are now would utterly destroy such a body or mind in a flash.”

“But,” said Ma-u and Ma-uti in one breath, “how is it that we are not destroyed in this manner, as we are both here with you?”

“Are you sure that you are, my dear children?” asked Neteru-Hem in return, while the Priests, who had smilingly listened to this conversation, regarded the pair with twinkling eyes.

“Are we not?” asked the two in amazed voices.

“Wait a little longer, my dear disciples,” said the Messenger; “all will be made clear later.”

“The Secret of the Fire lies hidden in the second letter of the Sacred Word, and the Guardians of it, the Devas of Fohatic heat, watch over it. When the Mighty One drew in His Breath and pronounced the Word, the Sacred Sparks went forth and gave all form Vitality that compelled expansion of consciousness and growth. When Matter and Water blended with Fire the inner Spark amalgamated all; and there was Life.

“As you can read in the Stanzas of Dzyan:

‘When the great Wheel turned upon its own axis the seven lesser wheels came into being; and they revolved around, within, and forward; and all that has existence WAS. Although the Wheels are diverse, they are one in unification, and when the great Wheel was evolved the inner Fire burst forth. When it touched the first Wheel there was Life and in its circulation a million fires rose up. Then the Sons of God looked within the depth of the Flame and took from its heart the Sacred Stone of Fire and proceeded to the next Wheel. As each Wheel came into being new flames burst forth, and so seven Wheels evolved, and with each wheel a blue-white flame, which became a rosy light and the seven-fold eternal Principle. In the end the orange tint of the inner fire blended with yellow, rose, and blue, and mingled their subtle tones. And thus the Flame became the Fire and the Light shone forth. And Seven Rays came into being; from Logos they spread to man, and all manifestations, both spiritual and material, are subject to the influence and magnetism of these Rays.’

“The nature of Fire is threefold; but it is fivefold in manifestation, as represented by the five senses.

“There is the internal and vitalizing fire which animates the objective solar system and the bodies of all living beings in whatever state of evolution. There is also the mental fire which animates the mind of the Logos and vitalizes the mind of man; it links the mind of man by intelligent will to the Logos. And finally there is the Divine Flame; the dominant characteristic of the God of our Solar System; and this flame in man is equal to the highest thoughts of which he is capable. It leads him onward in his evolution, back to the Divine from the material.

“The vitalizing fire is responsible for the activity, the rotary motion, and the development of matter by means of friction. The mental fire controls the evolution of the mind and its vital energy, and also the mind’s work in connection with its duty to transform all things material with which it comes in contact into spiritual purification. The Divine Flame controls and aids the mind on its pathway back to the original divine source from which it first descended, and was thence projected into matter.

“The Seven Rays are connected with:

  1. Divine Will, Purpose and Power; also with the mineral kingdom.
  2. Love and Wisdom; also the vegetable kingdom.
  3. Active Intelligence and the animal kingdom.
  4. Harmony, Art and Beauty, and Humanity as a whole.
  5. Science and the Soul.
  6. Devotion and Abstract Idealism; also the Planetary Lives.
  7. Ceremonial Magic and the Solar Lives.

“The Fire of the lower, or animal, nature in the physical body is centralized at the base of the spine, from which it radiates in all directions by means of the spinal column, and works in close connection with the central ganglia; being especially associated with the spleen.

“In the astral, or etheric, body there is also the organ of active or radiatory fire, which is the exact counterpart of that of the physical body; in fact, these two fires are one.

“The spine and spleen are the most important parts necessary to health, and when the spleen is free from congestion and the spinal column duly adjusted, aligned and healthy, there will be very little illness of any sort.

“There are seven Lords of Fire, and they control numerous groups of entities, from the great Fire Devas right down to the little salamanders, who can be seen dancing in every flame, and in all the fires of the home and the factory. They belong to the same group as the Fire Elementals of the internal fires of the earth. In the heat of the animal or human body, as well as in the warmth of the terrestrial regions, dwell the Fire Spirits, who focus the essence of warmth within themselves. In volcanoes or in large conflagrations dwell the Agnichaitans, who are Fire Spirits, of a higher grade and more powerful. They are closely allied to the great Devas who form the Sun’s fiery envelope.

“Then, there are the pranic elements of fire, which permeate the texture of the human or animal body, or of plants, and they blend with the fires of the Microcosm.

“Finally, there are some of the Devas who ensoul certain of the great Light Rays.”

“May we see more of this realm, dear Messenger?” asked Ma-uti.

“Certainly you may, my child, follow me.”

So saying, the Messenger took leave of the priests, and, descending from the terrace, followed a path that led towards a park-like stretch of country. Ma-u and Ma-uti, following him, were amazed afresh at the beauty of their surroundings. Scene after scene of the most wonderful landscape unfolded on all sides as they proceeded. Gorgeous copper-beeches spread their branches, filled with shining, warm foliage; chestnut trees were laden with their lovely and symmetrical white or pink candles; graceful silver birches raised their gleaming white boles, beplumed with drooping festoons of hanging slender branches laden with exquisite leaves, the most refined and chaste of all trees; and every tree, from the mysterious poplar to the mighty oak was represented; shining with the inward fires of vitality and joying in their splendour.

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