I am trying to understand the differences in the experiences of human evolution between the schools of Steiner/Heindel/Blavatsky on the one hand and VM Samael on the other. The way I understand it is that Samael says that Self realization can never come about through the mechanical processes of nature, that only the human consciousness can evolve the human consciousness, as is the nature of the work, and realization of the Self in a way goes against nature because one must rise up against the flesh and the laws which govern it. This seems very true to me from my experiences and understanding of work with my consciousness.
However, the theosophists/anthroposiphists seem to understand it in a different sense. They say that with each incarnation of the earth a different faculty is devoloped with man, the physical body being the oldest, and therefore is the most perfect as can be seen when one looks at a bone ect, the etheric body coming next, the kama rupa/desire body next in the next earth incarnation, which is why it is so imperfect, and in the present incarnation, the I AM impulse is being developed brought to Earth by the Christ incarnation. In the future they talk about other faculties coming about as man moves into the astral light ect.
The theosophists seem to talk about the faculties of man which are developed by nature. What accounts for these differences, as Steiner and Blavatsky were masters in their own right, and accomplished seers. Were they mistaken, or was it too early in history to reveal true Gnosticism, or do the two accounts of anthropology speak about different things? I understand it may be silly and a distraction to ask questions of this sort as it truly has to be seen for oneself in the higher worlds, but I am trying to understand how much of the teachings of Blavatsky, Heindel and Steiner should be accepted into the consciousness and how much one should leave as historical mistakes. Thank you so very much for the glorious work of this website.
However, the theosophists/anthroposiphists seem to understand it in a different sense. They say that with each incarnation of the earth a different faculty is devoloped with man, the physical body being the oldest, and therefore is the most perfect as can be seen when one looks at a bone ect, the etheric body coming next, the kama rupa/desire body next in the next earth incarnation, which is why it is so imperfect, and in the present incarnation, the I AM impulse is being developed brought to Earth by the Christ incarnation. In the future they talk about other faculties coming about as man moves into the astral light ect.
The theosophists seem to talk about the faculties of man which are developed by nature. What accounts for these differences, as Steiner and Blavatsky were masters in their own right, and accomplished seers. Were they mistaken, or was it too early in history to reveal true Gnosticism, or do the two accounts of anthropology speak about different things? I understand it may be silly and a distraction to ask questions of this sort as it truly has to be seen for oneself in the higher worlds, but I am trying to understand how much of the teachings of Blavatsky, Heindel and Steiner should be accepted into the consciousness and how much one should leave as historical mistakes. Thank you so very much for the glorious work of this website.
Accepted Answer
There is some discrepancy, but not as much as there may first appear to be.
First of all, we acknowledge that there is some development of the consciousness that can happen mechanically through nature. We are not denying the basic fact that an animal has a greater degree of consciousness than a plant (and the plant, greater than a mineral), and that this development occurred through a mechanical process.
Moreover, the development of different faculties in successive incarnations of the earth is a teaching also found in the works of Samael Aun Weor. He talks about this in The Revolution of Beelzebub. Specifically, the bodies of man are developed in pairs. At the start of this Cosmic Round, in the Saturnian Epoch, the present humanity had only the physical (in a germinal state) and the Spirit. Next, in the Solar period, our humanity received the vital and Buddhic bodies. In the Lunar period, we received the Astral Body and the Body of Willpower.
He does not mention the development of a body in the current Terrestrial period explicitly, but it is easy to extrapolate that the remaining body for man to receive is the Mental Body, the development of which corresponds to humanity developing intellect.
Here are the quotes I'm referring to, and the chapters where they can be found, in case you are curious:
*********************************
**Saturnian Epoch
At that time, our modern human bodies were only germs with the possibility of unfolding. ("The Two Ways")
The present human “Innermosts” (Spirits) were just virginal sparks who were animating the mineral kingdom. ("The Two Ways")
** Solar Epoch
The physical bodies of our present humanity were developed a little more and these bodies received the Vital body, which in the present time serves as a foundation for the whole human biology. ("I Accuse")
When the cosmic night of the Solar epoch approached, after millions of years, the Four Lords of Flame endowed the present human Innermosts (Spirits) with a Spiritual Soul or Buddhic body, which is the body of intuition. ("The Atom Nous, The Solar Period")
** Lunar Epoch
During the Lunar period, the physical bodies of our present humanity reached a high degree in their perfection. We acquired the Astral Body during that period. ("The Lunar Period")
The Innermosts (Monad-Spirits) of this present humanity acquired the body of the Human Spirit, called the Body of Willpower, which Krishnamurti despised so much. ("The Lunar Period")
*********************************
If you follow the pattern on the Tree of Life, you can see that the development is proceeding in two directions: From the Spirit, moving down (through the Divine Soul and Human Soul), and from the physical, moving up (through the vital body and astral body). And the two paths connect in the mental body. But once you receive the mental body, that's it. There are no more bodies to be developed by nature. There are other faculties and stages of development, but those are not accomplished mechanically.
It can be easy to make the mistake that our development may continue mechanically. Simply by looking at past progress and extrapolating, one might be led to believe that the trends we have observed in the past will continue indefinitely. However, this is akin to observing a child over time and saying, "This child has grown taller every year. He must continue to grow taller forever."
In reality, nature never moves strictly in one direction. Everything in nature moves in cycles, and what today is built up, tomorrow will be broken down.
So the teachings of Samael Aun Weor do not disagree dramatically with those other teachers in terms of the historical facts. Rather, the difference is in Samael's recognition of a fundamental law of nature, and the implications of that natural law for the process of evolution (and devolution).
First of all, we acknowledge that there is some development of the consciousness that can happen mechanically through nature. We are not denying the basic fact that an animal has a greater degree of consciousness than a plant (and the plant, greater than a mineral), and that this development occurred through a mechanical process.
Moreover, the development of different faculties in successive incarnations of the earth is a teaching also found in the works of Samael Aun Weor. He talks about this in The Revolution of Beelzebub. Specifically, the bodies of man are developed in pairs. At the start of this Cosmic Round, in the Saturnian Epoch, the present humanity had only the physical (in a germinal state) and the Spirit. Next, in the Solar period, our humanity received the vital and Buddhic bodies. In the Lunar period, we received the Astral Body and the Body of Willpower.
He does not mention the development of a body in the current Terrestrial period explicitly, but it is easy to extrapolate that the remaining body for man to receive is the Mental Body, the development of which corresponds to humanity developing intellect.
Here are the quotes I'm referring to, and the chapters where they can be found, in case you are curious:
*********************************
**Saturnian Epoch
At that time, our modern human bodies were only germs with the possibility of unfolding. ("The Two Ways")
The present human “Innermosts” (Spirits) were just virginal sparks who were animating the mineral kingdom. ("The Two Ways")
** Solar Epoch
The physical bodies of our present humanity were developed a little more and these bodies received the Vital body, which in the present time serves as a foundation for the whole human biology. ("I Accuse")
When the cosmic night of the Solar epoch approached, after millions of years, the Four Lords of Flame endowed the present human Innermosts (Spirits) with a Spiritual Soul or Buddhic body, which is the body of intuition. ("The Atom Nous, The Solar Period")
** Lunar Epoch
During the Lunar period, the physical bodies of our present humanity reached a high degree in their perfection. We acquired the Astral Body during that period. ("The Lunar Period")
The Innermosts (Monad-Spirits) of this present humanity acquired the body of the Human Spirit, called the Body of Willpower, which Krishnamurti despised so much. ("The Lunar Period")
*********************************
If you follow the pattern on the Tree of Life, you can see that the development is proceeding in two directions: From the Spirit, moving down (through the Divine Soul and Human Soul), and from the physical, moving up (through the vital body and astral body). And the two paths connect in the mental body. But once you receive the mental body, that's it. There are no more bodies to be developed by nature. There are other faculties and stages of development, but those are not accomplished mechanically.
It can be easy to make the mistake that our development may continue mechanically. Simply by looking at past progress and extrapolating, one might be led to believe that the trends we have observed in the past will continue indefinitely. However, this is akin to observing a child over time and saying, "This child has grown taller every year. He must continue to grow taller forever."
In reality, nature never moves strictly in one direction. Everything in nature moves in cycles, and what today is built up, tomorrow will be broken down.
So the teachings of Samael Aun Weor do not disagree dramatically with those other teachers in terms of the historical facts. Rather, the difference is in Samael's recognition of a fundamental law of nature, and the implications of that natural law for the process of evolution (and devolution).
Accepted Answer
There is some discrepancy, but not as much as there may first appear to be.
First of all, we acknowledge that there is some development of the consciousness that can happen mechanically through nature. We are not denying the basic fact that an animal has a greater degree of consciousness than a plant (and the plant, greater than a mineral), and that this development occurred through a mechanical process.
Moreover, the development of different faculties in successive incarnations of the earth is a teaching also found in the works of Samael Aun Weor. He talks about this in The Revolution of Beelzebub. Specifically, the bodies of man are developed in pairs. At the start of this Cosmic Round, in the Saturnian Epoch, the present humanity had only the physical (in a germinal state) and the Spirit. Next, in the Solar period, our humanity received the vital and Buddhic bodies. In the Lunar period, we received the Astral Body and the Body of Willpower.
He does not mention the development of a body in the current Terrestrial period explicitly, but it is easy to extrapolate that the remaining body for man to receive is the Mental Body, the development of which corresponds to humanity developing intellect.
Here are the quotes I'm referring to, and the chapters where they can be found, in case you are curious:
*********************************
**Saturnian Epoch
At that time, our modern human bodies were only germs with the possibility of unfolding. ("The Two Ways")
The present human “Innermosts” (Spirits) were just virginal sparks who were animating the mineral kingdom. ("The Two Ways")
** Solar Epoch
The physical bodies of our present humanity were developed a little more and these bodies received the Vital body, which in the present time serves as a foundation for the whole human biology. ("I Accuse")
When the cosmic night of the Solar epoch approached, after millions of years, the Four Lords of Flame endowed the present human Innermosts (Spirits) with a Spiritual Soul or Buddhic body, which is the body of intuition. ("The Atom Nous, The Solar Period")
** Lunar Epoch
During the Lunar period, the physical bodies of our present humanity reached a high degree in their perfection. We acquired the Astral Body during that period. ("The Lunar Period")
The Innermosts (Monad-Spirits) of this present humanity acquired the body of the Human Spirit, called the Body of Willpower, which Krishnamurti despised so much. ("The Lunar Period")
*********************************
If you follow the pattern on the Tree of Life, you can see that the development is proceeding in two directions: From the Spirit, moving down (through the Divine Soul and Human Soul), and from the physical, moving up (through the vital body and astral body). And the two paths connect in the mental body. But once you receive the mental body, that's it. There are no more bodies to be developed by nature. There are other faculties and stages of development, but those are not accomplished mechanically.
It can be easy to make the mistake that our development may continue mechanically. Simply by looking at past progress and extrapolating, one might be led to believe that the trends we have observed in the past will continue indefinitely. However, this is akin to observing a child over time and saying, "This child has grown taller every year. He must continue to grow taller forever."
In reality, nature never moves strictly in one direction. Everything in nature moves in cycles, and what today is built up, tomorrow will be broken down.
So the teachings of Samael Aun Weor do not disagree dramatically with those other teachers in terms of the historical facts. Rather, the difference is in Samael's recognition of a fundamental law of nature, and the implications of that natural law for the process of evolution (and devolution).
First of all, we acknowledge that there is some development of the consciousness that can happen mechanically through nature. We are not denying the basic fact that an animal has a greater degree of consciousness than a plant (and the plant, greater than a mineral), and that this development occurred through a mechanical process.
Moreover, the development of different faculties in successive incarnations of the earth is a teaching also found in the works of Samael Aun Weor. He talks about this in The Revolution of Beelzebub. Specifically, the bodies of man are developed in pairs. At the start of this Cosmic Round, in the Saturnian Epoch, the present humanity had only the physical (in a germinal state) and the Spirit. Next, in the Solar period, our humanity received the vital and Buddhic bodies. In the Lunar period, we received the Astral Body and the Body of Willpower.
He does not mention the development of a body in the current Terrestrial period explicitly, but it is easy to extrapolate that the remaining body for man to receive is the Mental Body, the development of which corresponds to humanity developing intellect.
Here are the quotes I'm referring to, and the chapters where they can be found, in case you are curious:
*********************************
**Saturnian Epoch
At that time, our modern human bodies were only germs with the possibility of unfolding. ("The Two Ways")
The present human “Innermosts” (Spirits) were just virginal sparks who were animating the mineral kingdom. ("The Two Ways")
** Solar Epoch
The physical bodies of our present humanity were developed a little more and these bodies received the Vital body, which in the present time serves as a foundation for the whole human biology. ("I Accuse")
When the cosmic night of the Solar epoch approached, after millions of years, the Four Lords of Flame endowed the present human Innermosts (Spirits) with a Spiritual Soul or Buddhic body, which is the body of intuition. ("The Atom Nous, The Solar Period")
** Lunar Epoch
During the Lunar period, the physical bodies of our present humanity reached a high degree in their perfection. We acquired the Astral Body during that period. ("The Lunar Period")
The Innermosts (Monad-Spirits) of this present humanity acquired the body of the Human Spirit, called the Body of Willpower, which Krishnamurti despised so much. ("The Lunar Period")
*********************************
If you follow the pattern on the Tree of Life, you can see that the development is proceeding in two directions: From the Spirit, moving down (through the Divine Soul and Human Soul), and from the physical, moving up (through the vital body and astral body). And the two paths connect in the mental body. But once you receive the mental body, that's it. There are no more bodies to be developed by nature. There are other faculties and stages of development, but those are not accomplished mechanically.
It can be easy to make the mistake that our development may continue mechanically. Simply by looking at past progress and extrapolating, one might be led to believe that the trends we have observed in the past will continue indefinitely. However, this is akin to observing a child over time and saying, "This child has grown taller every year. He must continue to grow taller forever."
In reality, nature never moves strictly in one direction. Everything in nature moves in cycles, and what today is built up, tomorrow will be broken down.
So the teachings of Samael Aun Weor do not disagree dramatically with those other teachers in terms of the historical facts. Rather, the difference is in Samael's recognition of a fundamental law of nature, and the implications of that natural law for the process of evolution (and devolution).
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