3. 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 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 marvelous 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,
it 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 [252] 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 by the esotericist "the true
nerves and the sensory centers." 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 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 a 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 [253] 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.
Secondly, the so-called wild animals, such as the lion, the tiger, and the other
carnivorous and dangerous wild animals.
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 [254] the power to scent that food, to
the identification of the smell of a beloved master and 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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