The Seventh Purpose of Deity
Ray VII. Ceremonial Order or Magic
"Let
the Temple of the Lord be built", the seventh great Angel cried. Then to their places
in the north, the south, the west and east, seven great sons of God moved with measured
pace and took their seats. The work of building thus began.
The doors
were closed. The light shone dim. The temple walls could not be seen. The seven were
silent and their forms were veiled. The time had not arrived for the breaking [84] forth
of light. The Word could not be uttered. Only between the seven Forms the work went on. A
silent call went forth from each to each. Yet still the temple door stayed shut.
As time
went on, the sounds of life were heard. The door was opened, and the door was shut. Each
time it opened, the power within the temple grew; each time the light waxed stronger, for
one by one the sons of men entered the temple, passed from north to south, from west to
east and in the center of the heart found light, found understanding and the power to
work. They entered through the door; they passed before the Seven; they raised the
temple's veil and entered into life.
The temple
grew in beauty. Its lines, its walls, its decorations, and its height and depth and
breadth slowly emerged and entered into light.
Out from
the east, the Word went forth: Open the door to all the sons of men who come from all the
darkened valleys of the land and seek the temple of the Lord. Give them the light. Unveil
the inner shrine, and through the work of all the craftsmen of the Lord extend the
temple's walls and thus irradiate the world. Sound forth the Word creative and raise the
dead to life.
Thus shall
the temple of the light be carried from heaven to earth. Thus shall its walls be reared
upon the great plains of the world of men. Thus shall the light reveal and nurture all the
dreams of men.
Then shall
the Master in the cast awaken those who are asleep. Then shall the warden in the west test
and try all the true seekers after light. Then shall the warden in the south instruct and
aid the blind. Then shall the gate into the north remain wide open, for there the unseen
Master stands with welcoming hand and understanding heart, to lead the pilgrims to the
east where the true light shines forth.
"Why
this opening of the temple?" demand the greater Seven. "Because the work is
ready; the craftsmen are prepared. God has created in the light. His sons can now create.
What can else be done?"
"Naught!"
came the answer from the greater Seven. "Let the work proceed. Let the sons of God
create."
These words
will be noted by many as of deep significance and as indicating a wide intention (during
the coming cycle) [85] to open the door wide into the temple of the hidden mystery to man.
One by one we shall undergo the esoteric and spiritual counterpart of the psychological
factor which is called "a mental test." That test will demonstrate a man's
usefulness in mental work and power, it will show his capacity to build thought-forms and
to vitalize them. This I dealt with in A Treatise on White Magic, and the
relation of that treatise to the magical work of the seventh ray and its cycle of activity
will become increasingly apparent. A Treatise on White Magic is an attempt to lay
down the rules for training and for work which will make it possible for the candidate to
the mysteries to enter the temple and to take his place as a creative worker and thus aid
in the magical work of the Lord of the Temple.
The names
whereby this ray Lord is known are many, and their meaning is of prime significance today.
The work of the future can be seen from a study of these names:
- The Unveiled
Magician
- The Worker
in the Magical Art
- The Creator
of the Form
- The Bestower
of Light from the Second Lord
- The
Manipulator of the Wand
- The Watcher
in the East
- The
Custodian of the Seventh Plan
- The Invoker
of Wrath
- The Keeper
of the Magical Word
- The Temple
Guardian
- The
Representative of God
- The One Who
lifts to Life
- The Lord of
Death
- The One Who
feeds the Sacred Fire
- The Whirling
Sphere
- The Sword of
the Initiator
- The Divine
Alchemical Worker
- The Builder
of the Square
- The
Orienting Force [86]
- The Fiery
Unifier
- The Key to
the Mystery
- The
Expression of the Will
- The Revealer
of Beauty
This ray
Lord has a peculiar power on earth and on the physical plane of divine manifestation. His
usefulness to His six Brothers is therefore apparent. He makes Their work appear. He is
the most active of all the rays in this world period, and is never out of manifestation
for more than fifteen hundred years. It is almost as if He whirled in and out of active
work under a very rapid cycle, and His closest relation, symbolically, is to His Brethren
of the second and fifth rays in this world period.
He builds (using second ray cooperation) through the power of thought (thus cooperating
with the Lord of the fifth ray and on the physical plane, which is His own essential and
peculiar sphere). In another world period His relation with the other ray Lords may
undergo change, but at this time His work will be more easily understood when He is
recognized as aiding the building Lord of the second ray and utilizing the energies of the
Lord of concrete thought.
The aphorisms embodying His qualities run as follows, and were esoterically whispered
into His ears when He "left the most high place and descended into the seventh sphere
to carry out the work assigned."
- Take thy tools with thee, brother of the building light. Carve deep. Construct and shape
the living stone.
Quality - power to create.
- Choose well thy workers. Love them all. Pick six to do thy will. Remain the seventh in
the east. Yet call the world to enter into that which thou shalt build. Blend all together
in the will of God.
Quality - power to cooperate.
- Sit in the center and the east as well. Move not from there. [87] Send out thy force to
do thy will and gather back thy forces. Use well the power of thought. Sit still.
Quality - power to think.
- See all parts enter into the purpose. Build towards beauty, brother Lord. Make all
colors bright and clear. See to the inner glory. Build the shrine well. Use care.
Quality - revelation of the beauty of God.
- Watch well thy thought. Enter at will into the mind of God. Pluck thence the power, the
plan, the part to play. Reveal the mind of God.
Quality - mental power.
- Stay in the east. The five have given thee a friendly Word. I, the sixth, tell thee to
use it on the dead. Revive the dead. Build forms anew. Guard well that Word. Make all men
seek it for themselves.
Quality - power to vivify.
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