Beshiira wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 4:02 pm
Smaragd wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 6:44 pm
"shakti" of manas i.e. kama manas
Well now this is an interesting idea to me; never thought of it like this. But why not – if we follow the ”chain of emanation” with the idea that each step into more defined and detailed creation is also a more defined and detailed manifestation of Shakti, surely kâma manas could be seen as ”shakti of manas”. Perhaps I'd more intuitively put all the seven principles on an equal level with each other ultimately, each one being more or less a similarily unique representation of Shakti itself. But surely this sort of a train of thought can be useful when thinking of the higher and lower triads (linga sharîra & âtma / kâma & buddhi / kâma manas & manas [+ prâna as the "mediator"]). Interesting!
Yes, this point of view can be seen emphasising the vertical axis in the opened up permutation of the Hieroglyphic Key. Dividing the triads in to a higher and a lower is also quite close to the Blavatsky’s Theosophical tabulations of the human constitution in the strictest forms of the status of a principle was saved for buddhi and manas (and the auric envelope if we would follow one of the many Theosophical divisions on these), while atma was not seen in a strict sense as a principle but a ray of the absolute. Thus from this strict point of view the lower four of ours (prana & kama manas, kama rupa, linga sharira), the manasic star of Lucifer, is rather an elemental pentagram than a collection of principles. But this is, again, just one point of view, and in less strict contexts even Blavatsky used the term 'principle' regarding all of the seven principles of human constitution. A even hexagram with a point, a flame or a cross in the middle, on the other hand can be seen a permutation of the principles, of the Hierogylphic Key, perhaps more close to the hearts of Satanists, because it gathers the (elemental) daemons around the same table as possible emphasis points, or rather the gateways to the divine, which could be seen as shaktism in essence.
The falling Star of Lucifer as the elemental pentagram has within the essence of these elements five of the seven sons, which leaves two occulted from view. The five pointed star is thus a symbol of the divine human in it’s current form of the fifth age, where we have developed five senses and capability to perceive five elements of which the visible ”earth”, ”water”, ”air” and ”fire” are only physical symbols of. The remaining two are to a degree withheld for their ages to create their respective touch on the manifested reality to be sensed. According to the idea of emanation-remanation these manifestations could be seen annihilating the manifested world to the bosom of the absolute by reordering life where no detached portions of meaning exist anymore. By perfection the imperfect state of manifestation is annihilated. By any means, this can not be done by force, but the most refined magical operation.
If there are seven ages after which the great night - pralaya - sets in, the fifth can be seen already beyond the middle point (4) and thus the Star of Lucifer as a whole can be seen to have started the annihilation in it's light giving meaning. The fifth shines an unearthly light, where the essential cores of the elements are revealed. Through such a view shaktism looks like a doctrine which creates a bridge from the elementally enchanted ages towards the Luciferian fifth age, as step towards the "annihilating ages". From preparing the elements as tools and our own powers, towards wielding them as a whole towards the strictly defined occult
principles, that are only to be physically sensed through their annihilating perfection. A Gnostic idea of Love indeed, to see it as a principle of annihilation.
Thus the difference between a principle and an element is within their metaphysical qualities. The former guards the gates of the essential unity of all, while the latter could perhaps be seen as the essential bodies differentiated to make way to the lower manifestation. The falling sons also carry with themselves the light of their brothers. All the sevenfold cycles within sevenfold cycles are the seven sons reflected within each others on their own turns. The basic division of angels and demons is another point of view that could perhaps be applied here: angels as beings of the essential cores, and demons as the manifested elemental spirits that fall endlessly to the directions they are pushed without a Will of their own, they are the
powers as such, passive entities.
All these different points of views to the principles come back to the warnings given relating to tabulations and and formulations of human principles. Those tabulations are only one way of looking at things made for a specific purpose. When looking further in to the secret nature of man and reality, it may become important to look in to where each formulation fits best, and ask oneself why to use one form somewhere and another in some other context. To prevent ideas setting unnecessary in to stone one may figuratively drop the number seven in to a vial of Mercury and to see what kinds of permutations there can be observed.
***
I was about to make this a topic or a text of it's own, but when I opened the Poimandres text itself, I saw we had come to the very same themes on the verse of the latter half of this week. There the "preprinciple" and it's relation to elements is opened up. I take the council of god is the "seven sons" of the Secret Doctrine, who, by receiving the word, i.e. taking council as their whole body of members constituting the whole of Logos, seem to have received a vision of creation, which they start to work towards "through [their] own elements". (EDIT: It is very interesting to go back to the original vision in the text and look at these interpretations and elaborations next to them.) I've been recently peeking a bit in to Tolkien's Silmarillion where the Ainur, 'the Holy Ones', are shown a vision of the world which some of them embark on creating. They are thus bound to this creation for the duration of the manifestation and become Valar, it's powers. Again Shiva-Shakti theme is obviously visible here.
Hermes Trismegistus wrote:...through its own elements and progeny of souls.
The latter part also notes how everything in existence and pre-existence are operators or agents within a larger body. There is God, there is Logos, there are angelic forces within Logos, we as humans operate within angelic fabric, our reality is made out of it, animals, metals and whatnot can be seen within us - the divine human, etc.
The text does not say 'create' per se, but 'imitate', which has a tone of dread of the demigod. We come back to the Gnostic ideal of seeking the way back home by rising above the mayavic construction and seeking annihilation by perfecting the mastery of these powers - the maya - and thus also the possibility for self-cancelling order of them.