The Animal Kingdom
- Influences:
The third Ray of Active Intelligence or of Adaptability is potent in this kingdom and will
express itself increasingly as time goes on, until it has produced in the animal world
that reaction to life and to environment which can best be described as "animal
one-pointedness." Then, at this point and cyclically, the sixth Ray of Devotion or
Idealism can make its pressure felt as the urge towards a goal, and thus [426] produce a
relation to man which makes of him the desired goal. This is to be seen through the medium
of the tamed, the trained and the domestic animals.
- Results:
In the one case we find the third ray producing the emergence of instinct, which in its
turn creates and uses that marvellous response apparatus we call the nervous system, the
brain, and the five senses, which lie behind and which are responsible for them as a
whole. It should be noted that, wide as we may regard the difference between man and the
animals, there is really a much closer relation than that existing between the animal and
the vegetable. In the case of the sixth ray, we have the appearance of the power to be
domesticated and trained which is, in the last analysis, the power to love, to serve and
to emerge from the herd into the group. Ponder on the words of this last paradoxical
statement.
- Process:
This is called concretization. In this kingdom we have for the first time a true
organization of the etheric body into what are called "the true nerves and the
sensory centers" by the esotericists. Plants also have nerves, but they have in them
nothing of the same intricacy of relation and of plexus as we find in the human being and
in the animal. Both kingdoms share the same general grouping of nerves, of force centers
and channels, with a spinal column and a brain. This organization of a sensitive response
apparatus constitutes, in reality, the densification of the subtle etheric body.
- Secret:
This is called transfusion, which is a very inadequate word to express the early blending
in the animal of the psychological [427] factors which lead to the process of
individualization. It is a process of life giving, of intelligent integration and of
psychological unfoldment to meet emergency.
- Purpose:
This is called experimentation. Here we come to a great mystery and one that is peculiar
to our planet. In many esoteric books it has been stated and hinted that there has been a
mistake, or serious error, on the part of God Himself, of our planetary Logos, and that
this mistake has involved our planet, and all that it contains, in the visible misery,
chaos and suffering. Shall we say that there has been no mistake, but simply a great
experiment, of the success or failure of which it is not yet possible to judge? The
objective of the experiment might be stated as follows:
It is the intent of the planetary Logos to bring about a psychological condition which can
best be described as one of "divine lucidity." The work of the psyche, and the
goal of the true psychology is to see life clearly, as it is, and with all that is
involved. This does not mean conditions and environment, but Life. This process was
begun in the animal kingdom and will be consummated in the human. These are described in
the Old Commentary as "the two eyes of Deity, both blind at first, but which
later see, though the right eye sees more clearly than the left." The first dim
indication of this tendency towards lucidity is seen in the faculty of the plant to turn
towards the sun. It is practically non-existent in the mineral kingdom.
- Divisions:
First, the higher animals and the domestic animals, such as the dog, the horse and the
elephant. [428]
Secondly, the so-called wild animals, such as the lion, the tiger and other carnivorous
and dangerous wild beasts.
Thirdly, the mass of lesser animals that seem to meet no particular need nor to fill any
special purpose, such as the harmless yet multitudinous lives found in our forests, our
jungles and the fields of our planet. Instances of these in the West are the rabbits and
other rodents. This is a wide and general specification of no scientific import at all;
but it covers adequately the karmic divisions and the general conformation into which
these groupings of lives fall in this kingdom.
- Objective
Agency:
Fire and water, - fierce desire and incipient mind. These are symbolized in the animal
power to eat and drink.
- Subjective
Agency:
Smell or scent, - the instinctual discovery of that which is needed, from the activity of
ranging forth for food, and the use of the power to scent that food, to the identification
of the smell of a beloved master or friend.
- Quality:
Tamas or inertia, - but in this case it is the tamasic nature of mind and not that of
matter, as usually understood. The chitta or mind-stuff can be equally tamasic.
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