The three fundamental centers of vital importance from the standpoint of the average man, polarized in his emotional body and living the normal life of the man of the world, are:

1. The base of the spine.
2. The solar plexus.
3. The heart center.

The three major centers for the man nearing the Probationary Path, and for the man who is aiming at a life of altruism, having examined the attractions of the three worlds, are:

1. The base of the spine.
2. The heart.
3. The throat.

His solar plexus is left then to normal functioning, having served its purpose as a center for the emotional focusing. The activity of the fire becomes more centered in the throat. [74]

The three major centers for the man on the Path itself in its twofold divisions are:

1. The heart.
2. The throat.
3. The head.

The divine activity has developed the solar plexus center, is controlling all the centers below the solar plexus, and is passing upward in ordered progression until it is focused and vivifying the head centers.

Earlier we divided the life of the man into five main periods, tracing his development in each. We might (if we are careful to generalize widely) apply the same to the five centers.

• Period I - wherein the base of the spine is the most active in the purely rotary sense and not in a fourth-dimensional. The inner fire is focused on the vivification of the organs of generation and on the functional physical life of the personality.
• Period II - wherein the solar plexus is the goal of the attention of the fire and when the emotional counterpart vibrates synchronously. Two centers are thus vibrating, even though the measure be slow; the others are alive; pulsation can be seen, but there is no circular movement.
• Period III - The divine fire now mounts to the heart center and the three rotate in ordered measured unison. I would point out that the vivification of any one center causes an accession of force in all, and I would further point out that in the head are seven centers (three major and four minor) and that these centers directly correspond to one or other center in the body. They are the synthesis, and, on the stimulation of their corresponding center, receive themselves a corresponding acquisition of rotary power. [75]
• Period IV - marks the definite stimulation of the throat center. All the creative activity of the threefold man - physical, emotional and mental, - is turned upward in service, and his life begins occultly to sound. He is occultly productive. He manifests forth and his sound goes out before him. This is an occult statement of fact definitely apparent to those who have the inner vision. Coordination between the centers becomes apparent; rotation is intensified, and the centers themselves change in appearance, becoming unfolded, and the rotary movement becomes fourth-dimensional, turning inward upon itself. The centers are then radiating nuclei of light, and the corresponding four lower head centers are equally alive.
• Period V - marks the application of the fire to the head centers and their complete awakening.