This is next to impossible for man to understand and will seem inexplicable, but this hint is imparted in order that man may realize the interdependence of the various systems, and the place they hold in a greater scheme; the intent is not to give the student uncorrelated facts of no apparent use to him. Without the premise of our position within a vaster scheme, man's deductions will remain inaccurate.

We will now proceed with our enumeration of the groups of Egos according to their characteristics, but it might be wise to deal first with a problem which may be in some minds and see if it is not capable of solution. Two problems come before the mind of the thoughtful student; one concerns the position (in connection with any particular planetary scheme) of those vast groups of Egos, which are embodied by Lives, emanating from any one of the seven Rays, and associated with any of the various schemes. The other deals with the effect produced by the "coming-in" of Egos on the mental plane which are not "bud" Egos, but are possibly very fully developed, such as disciples and initiates.

These thoughts may be clarified if certain statements are made relating to the mental plane, and which will serve as indications as to the direction in which the solution of these problems may be sought.

All the Logoi of the differing schemes are expressing Themselves upon this plane. There are certain schemes in the system which find their lowest manifestation on this plane, and have no physical body such as the Earth, and the other dense planets. They exist through the medium of gaseous matter, and their spheres of manifestation are simply composed of the four cosmic ethers and the cosmic gaseous. But all the great Lives of the solar system do possess bodies of our systemic mental matter, and therefore on that plane communication between all these Entities becomes a possibility. This fact is the basis of occult realization, and the true ground for the at-one-ment. Matter of the abstract levels of the mental plane enters into the composition of the vehicles for all these greater Existences and through the medium of this energized substance each can get en rapport with each, no matter what Their individual goal of attainment may be. The units, therefore, in Their bodies can equally get in touch with all other Egos and groups once they have achieved the consciousness of the mental plane (causal consciousness) and know the varying group "keys," the group tones and colors.

It will consequently be apparent to the careful student that in this fact lies the true relationship between the various groups of Egos, no matter what degree of evolution, or what ray and in which scheme they may be. The basic truth here involved may be better grasped if the following occult phrases are studied:

"Within the Hall of Ignorance kama-manas rules. The man, weighed down by much misplaced desire, seeks for the object of his heart's attention within the murky halls of densest maya. He finds it there but dies ere garnering all the longed-for fruit. The serpent stings him, and the joy desired recedes from out his grasp. All seeking thus the selfish fruits of karma must each despise each other; hence strife and greed, ill-will and hatred, death and retribution, karmic invocation and the thunderbolt of vengeance characterize this Hall. [850]

Within the Hall of Learning intellect rules and seeks to guide. Desire of a higher kind, the fruit of manas and its use, supplants the lower kamic urge. Man weighs and balances, and in the twilight Halls of Intellection seeks for the fruit of knowledge. He finds it but to realize that knowledge is not all; he dies upon the open field of knowledge, hearing a cry beat on his dying ears: "Know that the knower greater is than knowledge; the One who seeks is greater than the sought.

Within the Hall of Wisdom the Spirit rules; the One within the lesser ones assumes supreme control. Death is not known within these halls, for its two great gates are passed. Discord and strife both disappear and only harmony is seen. The knowers see themselves as One; they recognize the field wherein knowledge grows as Brahmic dissonance and differentiation. Knowledge they know as method, an instrument of purpose utilized by all and just a germ of eventual recognition. Within this hall union of each with each, blending of one and all, and unity of action, goal and skill marks every high endeavor."