The Gnostic Doctrine Of Liberation

 

(clicking on the above picture should allow you to enlarge it)

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In these drawings you can see a two-dimensional impression of something that touches Eternity! The microcosm, shown as a small circle with the latent soul nucleus (the Divine Spark or Rose of the Heart), travels a circular path from the material sphere to the reflection-sphere and back. This circular course is the endless wheel of birth and death upon which the microcosm is trapped. It can only be stopped by the person who inhabits the microcosm deciding to go "the Way of the Stars", thereby breaking through the circular course.

From "The Gnostic Doctrine" - Lectorium Rosicrucianum

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The drawing on the top represents the journey of the microcosm through the twin spheres of the physical world. The drawing on the bottom is a representation of the microcosm itself. We identify the individual components as follows:

The Microcosm

First, we see the recognizable shape of the physical body of the human being. If one looks closer, one will see an outline drawn around this figure. That outline represents the etheric double, which does extend perhaps three-quarters of an inch away from the physical body. The etheric double is also known as the vital body, primarily because it is the vehicle that sustains and vitalizes the physical body.

Next we find an ovoid shape that surrounds the physical and etheric bodies. This is the astral body, which is not a body per se, but can take on the shape of the human figure when necessary.The astral body is the body of feelings, emotions and desires.

Around the head area we see a cloud-like area which represents the mental body. This is the vehicle of thought, sometimes refered to as the consciousness. It is the least developed of man's four bodies.

The area composed of seven circles and twelve points of light is the lipika, or auric-being. This is where the entire karma of the microcosm is kept, spanning hundreds of lives. The twelve lights of the lipika are in resonance with the Twelve Aeons, the zodiac. If you'll look at the lines that lead from the lights of the auric-being you'll notice that they converge at the head area of the human, specifically, the human brain.

Between the lipika and the astral body is the respiration field of the microcosm. This is an astral medium through which the impulses and impressions emanating from the lipika travel on their way to impacting the consciousness of the human. It therefore stands to reason that as go the lights of the auric being, so goes the personality, the physical human being.

At the mathematical center of the microcosm is the Divine Spark, the Rose of the Heart. The earthly personality is built around this latent, yet divine, focal point.

The ray touching the Divine Spark represents the Gnosis, the Christ-radiation which is not of this world. It is the only thing that the Divine Spark has an affinity with. Through unselfish service to others and self-forgetfulness, the personality can assist the Rose of the Heart in attracting this divine radiation. The Rose will awaken and begin to bloom. When one has done this successfully, he or she is said to have attached the Rose (the Divine Spark of the microcosm) to the Cross (the "cross" of matter, the human personality). That is the origin of the name, Rosicrucian.

You may or may not be aware that there are twelve cranial nerves that originate in the brain and extend to animate the entire personality. In the vast majority of men and women, these cranial nerves are under the control of the lights of the lipika, or auric-being.

The Journey of the Microcosm (the two paths)

The drawing on top depicts the journeys of the microcosm. We use the word "journeys" because there are two possible paths that the microcosm can take. The first and most-travelled path, is the path of least resistance, the constant revolutions on the wheel of death and rebirth.

Starting at the birth (lower right), we see the microcosm (big circle), the physical body (shaded circle) and the Divine Spark (the star). Moving from right-to-left through the material-sphere, the microcosm picks up its other three vehicles at seven-year intervals, indicated by the addition of a shaded circle.

Age seven: the etheric body is born (two shaded circles)
Age fourteen: the astral, or desire body is born (three shaded circles)
Age twenty-one: the birth of the mental vehicle (four shaded circles)

This is why twenty-one is considered the "age of majority", for it is at that point the personality has all of its vehicles and is prepared to resume the current life where the previous life left off.

Here's where your attention is required.

If the personality inhabiting the microcosm follows the path of least resistance, floating through physical life without seeking and finding the True Path, at death the physical body is dropped and the microcosm will transition back to the reflection-sphere (three shaded circles). Then, in succession over a period of many earth-years the following will occur:

etheric body dissolves (two shaded circles)
astral body dissolves (one shaded circle)
mental body dissolves (Divine Spark remains)

This is referred to as the "emptying of the microcosm". This emptying is the way of all flesh when a personality fails to awaken the Divine Spark during the physical life and at least begin the process of Transfiguration. The microcosm remains in this state until the time comes for it to be combined with a new personality for a return trip to the material-sphere and another attempt at locating The Path.

The other possibility is that the personality, through long experience, diligent, intelligent seeking and a yearning desire to be rid of this world, finds the One Thing Needful. In humility and self-surrender, he or she begins to walk the Path of Return. Blessed are they who manage to awaken their Divine Spark. By following the fivefold gnostic path of insight, yearning for salvation, self-surrender, new attitude of life and liberation, something miraculous takes place within the microcosm. The microcosm and its personality are in the world, but no longer of the world (depicted in the material-sphere by fully-shaded circle with white star representing the awakened Divine Spark).

At some point, the transmuting personality will still meet its lawful end, the physical body will be dropped. But unlike the first case where the microcosm returns to the reflection-sphere to have its remaining vehicles undergo gradual dissolution, the transmuting microcosm with its remaining personality vehicles will head off to Shamballa (follow the line in the diagram that leads into the reflection-sphere). The Vacuum of Shamballa is a special region of the reflection-sphere set aside for those microcosms that have begun the process of Transfiguration. It is referred to as a "vacuum" because there is an absence of natural ethers there. Instead, it is composed primarily of pure ethers that are closer in vibration to those of the Sixth Cosmic Domain, the Divine Kingdom.

You'll notice that the small, once sleeping Divine Spark has grown to a great size. This represents the New Soul being born. Notice also that the circles which represent the vehicles of the personality are no longer shaded, but white. This attempts to depict two things:

- that there is no dissolution of the personality in Shamballa
- that the personality vehicles have undergone a process of purification

When this process of transmutation is complete, the Divine Man, the Spirit-Soul is reborn. This is represented by the Star within the microcosm (now depicted completely outside of the twin spheres of the physical world) with its new, purified Light-Vesture (the pentagon). The Divine Spirit-Soul-Body tri-unity lives again! The microcosm escapes the wheel of death and rebirth and ascends to the Sixth Cosmic Domain. The personality that assisted in starting this process while in the material-sphere is not dissolved but is absorbed by the glorified microcosm and shares in the Eternal life of the New Man.

This is what your life is truly all about. This is the One Goal of Humanity. This is the only Road to Immortality available to the human personality. So, what will it be? The path of least resistance or the Path of Return?

Sometimes a picture (or two) can be worth a thousand words.

~ g
.