Septenary Clairvoyance from the Cosmic Solar Plexus Maureen Temple Richmond

Fall 2020

Betelgeuse: Septenary Clairvoyance from the Cosmic Solar Plexus Maureen Temple Richmond

Abstract recognizable constellations in the night sky that s one of the nine stars mentioned specifi- help humans make sense of the heavens, Orion A cally by the Tibetan Master in his dicta- rates as prime. Perched high in the southern tions to Alice Bailey, Betelgeuse is a celestial night sky during the northern hemisphere’s win- factor of abiding interest and curiosity to the es- ter, and higher yet in the northern sky during the oteric community. In this study, Betelgeuse is southern hemisphere’s summer, Orion presents considered from the angles of observational as- a commanding visual presence that draws all tronomy, esotericism, and mythology. Drawing eyes unto itself. There, minding its own busi- upon specific passages from the writings of Al- ness in a corner location, sits the red star Betel- ice Bailey, this study demonstrates that Betel- geuse. geuse finds place within the solar plexus of The One of the nine stars specifically discussed by One About Whom Naught May Be Said, affects the Tibetan in the now-classic esoteric writings the New Group of World Servers and the senior of twentieth-century Anglo-American meta- members of Hierarchy, is the source for the physical author Alice Bailey, the noticeable star Third Cosmic Path or The Path of Training for Betelgeuse is known to astronomers as Alpha Planetary Logoi, transmits cosmic vision, deva Orionis. A highly-evolved and dramatically hearing, psychic correlation, and septenary variable star in the constellation Orion, Betel- clairvoyance, is profoundly connected with the geuse is, despite its designation as Alpha Ori- Buddhas of Activity, and distributes its energies onis, not always the brightest star in that group- through the constellation and sign of Sagitta- ing. That distinction sometimes goes to Rigel, rius. Hints of the importance of Betelgeuse, this designated as Beta Orionis.1 Yet Betelgeuse is a study confirms, are found in the reverence with stand-out among stars all the same. Classed by which its home constellation of Orion was held astronomy as a red supergiant far along in stel- in ancient times, during which Orion was home lar evolution, massive Betelgeuse as one of the to the heroic Hunter of Greek myth and the sa- largest stars is plainly visible even without bin- cred Osiris of Egyptian religion. Students of es- oculars. The body of the star itself has a radius oteric cosmology and astrology will find in this 887 to 955 times that of our Sun. Astronomers study the key points made by the Tibetan re- estimate that if Betelgeuse were placed at the garding Betelgeuse, as well as a synthesis of ______viewpoints indicating that Betelgeuse as the cosmic solar plexus functions as a source of About the Author greatly enhanced cosmic sensitivity and percep- Maureen Temple Richmond is a lifelong astrologer tion. and esotericist known for her scholarly study titled Betelgeuse in Observational Sirius, a comprehensive examination of the teaching on that great star as revealed in the works of Alice Bai- Astronomy ley. Author of numerous essays, poetry, and fiction, Richmond holds a M.A. in English and Creative nthusiasts of the night sky love learning the Writing from SNHU, and is currently working on a E major and obvious constellations. These Ph.D. program in Heritage Studies at Arkansas State big-figure items hovering in the vast stretches University where she now makes her home. A coun- of night sky make it possible to visually navi- seling astrologer, Richmond advises Anglophone cli- gate the celestial sphere, an essential skill in sky ents around the world. She can be reached at: star- orientation. Of all the largest and most readily [email protected].

center of our solar system, its body would ex- Betelgeuse to explode into a supernova at some tend most certainly to the orbit of Mars, if not point in the next million years, the near future to that of Jupiter. As is evident, Betelgeuse is a in astronomical terms. Astronomy believes that, giant collection of light, eight thousand or more like all red giants erupting into supernovae, times as luminous as the Sun, our local star.2 when Betelgeuse bursts beyond its current Astronomers suspect that Betelgeuse may have boundaries, it will release vast quantities of raw been a binary (if not a triple or quadruple) star elements which will generate a plethora of arrangement only a few hundred thousand years newly-born stars.4 ago; they hypothesize that Betelgeuse engulfed its stellar companions, thus swelling its mass.3 Betelgeuse in Esotericism Indeed, Betelgeuse is huge, but that is not the ertainly, Betelgeuse evidences sufficient only factor making this star astronomically no- C characteristics to rate as a distinguished table. What additionally marks Betelgeuse for celestial character on its astronomical merits special status is pronounced alteration in bright- alone. However, within the field of esoteric ness. In fact, Betelgeuse brightness rating varies studies, something further singles out Betel- rather markedly, making the starshine of Betel- geuse from the other members of the Heavenly geuse at times rival that of Vega and Capella, Host. According to the twentieth-century dis- the fifth and sixth brightest stars in the night pensation of the Ageless Wisdom, as transmit- sky. At other times it dims fainter than that of ted by the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul through Deneb and Mimosa, the nineteenth and twenti- Alice Bailey, Betelgeuse is worthy of special at- eth brightest stars in the night sky. Twenty-first tention. The reason is simple but profound: Be- century observations of Betelgeuse have sug- telgeuse is unique because it finds place within gested that this star expresses two periodicities one of the seven chakram (or centers) in a great in the alternation of its brightness, one of nearly cosmic Existence. There, the star Betelgeuse 388 days and another of approximately 2050 fulfills a special function. This fact is revealed by the Tibetan’s discussion of Betelgeuse as the days. The exact cause of this dual period of var- 5 iability remains under consideration. Astrono- source for one of the Seven Cosmic Paths, all mers think that the variable and alternating of which paths lead to centers in the body of the brightness of the star Betelgeuse was known inconceivably immense celestial life referred to even in antiquity. But the first scientific account in the Bailey presentation of the Ageless Wis- dom as The One About Whom Naught May Be of it in western civilization was recorded in 6 1836 by English astronomer John Herschel, Said. Additionally, the Tibetan distinguishes who reported significant variations Betelgeuse Betelgeuse from many other of the Starry Host brightness in the mid-1800s. Similar periods of by placing it not just generally somewhere in change were noted in the succeeding centuries, the body of a greater life, but in a specific including a dramatic period of dimming in chakra or center within The One About Whom 2020. Naught May Be Said. In fact, it is the solar plexus center of this great cosmic entity in Situated at an approximate distance of 640 to which the Tibetan has said that Betelgeuse re- 724 light-years from Earth and having under- sides.7 Given the peculiar functions of the solar gone its earliest conception point about 10 mil- plexus in any entity, this statement might reveal lion years ago, Betelgeuse is estimated to be a much. Yet, the Tibetan hedged or qualified his relatively young star only 8 to 8.5 million years statement somewhat in this regard, saying of old, making it a youngster amongst stars which Betelgeuse that “This name is a blind.”8 Though frequently live to be 1 to 10 billion years of age. this statement surely casts an aura of doubt over Yet the youth of this star belies its age in expe- the reliability of all information given by the Ti- rience, for Betelgeuse is understood by astron- betan Master about Betelgeuse, the situation is omy to be a massive star that has evolved at a not as hopeless as it might seem, for the term blistering pace and is already approaching the occult blind does not necessarily imply non- end of its life cycle. Astronomers expect sense.

It might be said that an occult blind is consti- emanating from Betelgeuse occurred in the tuted of an element or factor which stands for or early twentieth century, when according to the represents another. In a way, the blind stands in Tibetan, certain waves of cosmic energy related front of and blocks the view of the “real thing,” to this star impinged upon our planet and which is hidden behind it. This being the case, thereby effected a change of consciousness.12 it is highly possible that the name Betelgeuse is In the early twentieth century, just as the ema- a blind only because it actually refers to or nations of Betelgeuse interacted with earth con- stands for the entire constellation in which this sciousness, Alice Bailey was hard at work tak- star is found. If this hypothesis proves true, then ing dictation from the Tibetan for her seminal the cosmic solar plexus center referred to in this works, Initiation, Human and Solar, Letters on connection must include the entire constellation Occult Meditation, and the redoubtable A Trea- of Orion, and not merely the star Betelgeuse. As tise on Cosmic Fire, books that radically ex- a result, the real cosmic solar plexus center to panded the outlooks of generations of esoteric which Betelgeuse belongs may be the constella- students and which ultimately contributed to the tion Orion, the Hunter, the core and heart of the rise of the New Age Movement, evidence suffi- night sky mythology created by western civili- cient to many of a sudden acceleration of con- zation in the northern hemisphere. sciousness. These leaps of consciousness were The constellation Orion thus forms the context developments that transformed religious and for the star Betelgeuse. As all lovers of the night spiritual understandings worldwide, reaching sky know, Orion is a central and dramatic con- out to touch the entire family of Humanity. Per- stellation seen during the winter months from haps this is just to what the Tibetan referred the northern hemisphere, and the summer when he stated that influence from Betelgeuse months in the southern hemisphere. During the spurred a great expansion of consciousness on months Orion is visible, Betelgeuse is seen lo- Earth in the early twentieth century, ultimately cated in the right shoulder area of the upraised affecting all of Humanity. right arm of the great hunter figure, Orion him- According to the Tibetan, Betelgeuse not only self. From this placement in the anatomy of that has a generalized effect upon all of Humanity great sky man, this star was long ago saddled but also acts in particular upon two small and with a homely name signifying its connection specific subgroupings of Humanity—the New with the hunter’s anatomy. As it turns out, the Group of World Servers and senior disciples of word Betelgeuse is a corruption of an Arabic Hierarchy. According to the Tibetan Master, in- word meaning The Armpit of the Central One, a dividuals within these two groups experience reference to the location of Betelgeuse in the the activation of the heart center when touched underarm or general shoulder area of this large by influence from the star Betelgeuse.13 Since and obvious constellation that so dominates the any heart center implies a Second Ray charac- sky at certain seasons and hours of the night.9 teristic, it would appear that Betelgeuse’s effect Betelgeuse has been called by other names in- upon the heart centers of dedicated servers in- dicative of its placement, such as The Shoulder, cludes a Second Ray component. Support for The Arm, and The Right Hand, and by yet others such a notion may be found in the Tibetan’s apparently unrelated to its position in the body statement that Betelgeuse is a system of “the of Orion, called by names such as The Roarer second order,” just as our solar system is one of and The Announcer.10 the fourth-order.14 The fourth-order position of Yet, as descriptive and imagistic as these names our solar system entails a definite correspond- for Betelgeuse might be, none seems to address ence to Fourth Ray qualities; thus, so must the the esoteric promise of this star. Be that as it second-order position of Betelgeuse entail cor- may, the esoteric doctrine holds that Betelgeuse respondence to Ray Two qualities. Surely this is worthy of attention. In fact, Betelgeuse was ray correlation for Betelgeuse reveals some- pointed out by the Tibetan as one of several dis- thing of its nature, but as shall be seen, it hardly tant suns that affect our planet rather forcefully exhausts the nature of influence from Betel- and directly.11 A dramatic instance of influence geuse as described by the Tibetan.

Betelgeuse and the forms altogether and into the realm of pure en- 24 Third Cosmic Path ergy. It is entities such as these who can ap- preciate the “spiritual incentive” or Divine Will erhaps one of the most revealing perspec- that lies behind every type of manifested ap- P tives on the nature of Betelgeuse can be pearance, upon whatever plane such may make found in the Tibetan’s discussion of this star as itself known. Training for this endeavor is car- the source of the Third Cosmic Path, the Path of ried out, according to the Tibetan Master, upon Training for Planetary Logoi.15 However, since the higher planes of our solar system, these be- the Tibetan warned that the name Betelgeuse is ing the buddhic, atmic, monadic, and logoic a blind,16 it must be borne in mind that just as planes.25 Thus, as is evident, only those ad- Aldebaran might be understood in some con- vanced initiates who can function fully on these texts to stand for the entire constellation of Tau- planes are qualified for such training. rus, Betelgeuse’s name may be intended to As remote as such endeavors may seem from evoke the entirety of the constellation in which everyday existence on the physical plane, in it is found. Thus, all that the Tibetan stated fact, the Seven Cosmic Paths remain relevant about Betelgeuse may actually be descriptive of for all Humanity. New information released to- Orion, which entire star grouping may be the ward the end of the Tibetan’s work with Alice real source of the Third Cosmic Path. Even so, Bailey indicated that Humanity had already much may be learned about the star Betelgeuse given sign that it contains potential to evolve from all that the Tibetan said about the Third along any of the current Seven Cosmic Paths (of Cosmic Path. which there may prove ultimately to be nine at The Cosmic Paths, in general, are seven meth- some later point in systemic unfoldment),26 no ods of evolution and service available to initi- matter how divorced from such exalted realities ates of the Sixth Degree17 and beyond. Each of current human evolution may seem. Thus, the these Seven Paths functions ultimately as a path Seven Cosmic Paths generally present avenues of return18 to the Central Spiritual Sun,19 leading toward and into infinity for all who would tread on its way through one or other of the seven star them. groupings which make up the seven centers in the body of the Cosmic Logos,20 The One About Although these Seven Cosmic Paths obviously Whom Naught May Be Said. Inflow of energy and dramatically verge away from particularity from this Great Cosmic Logos was said by the and toward universality, each nonetheless em- Tibetan to literally create or make up the Seven bodies a particular cosmic skill or facility. The Cosmic Paths.21 Thus, these Seven Cosmic Cosmic Path associated with Betelgeuse is no different in this regard. It is called The Path of Paths are immense streams of energies along 27 which units of evolution may pass in their eonic Training for Planetary Logoi, and in this journeys toward reunion with the center of all name, much is implied. Indeed, this path is trod- that is. On their ways, they pass to the centers den by advanced initiates who will in another solar system veritably become Planetary Logoi of the Cosmic Logos by following one of the 28 Seven Cosmic Paths. themselves, taking up the work of the seven Planetary Logoi and that of the their assistants29 On these Seven Paths, the characteristic method in the chains and globes of which any scheme is of progress is constituted of identification with formed, in this manner becoming the guiding the spiritual incentive that lies behind all sub- intelligences of the seven schemes of which any 22 jective phenomena. As the Tibetan put it, solar system is composed. In this role, they will “…the pulsating dynamic vibration which is the do what all Planetary Logoi do: receive and dis- producing cause of both the subjective life and tribute the Will of some Solar Logos. The ca- its qualitative form…becomes the goal of…en- pacity to sense and pass along the intended pur- 23 deavor…upon one of the seven Paths….” pose of a Solar Logos is the cosmic skill learned These Paths are trodden or followed by initiates on this the Third Cosmic Path, the Path of so advanced that they are, as the Tibetan de- Training for Planetary Logoi. scribed, passing out of the realm of substantial

In the words of the Tibetan, when the adepts of Of course, Betelgeuse itself is such a center (or the Third Cosmic Path attain their objectives contained in such a center). Recall that Betel- and become Planetary Logoi themselves, they geuse was identified by the Tibetan as the solar will be “…concerned with the registration of the plexus center of the Cosmic Logos.35 As the so- Purpose and expressed Will of some solar lar plexus of the Cosmic Logos, this star (or its Logos,” and with “ the…impartation of that home constellation, Orion) functions as the Will…to all the forms…” in the planetary “source of conscious sensation” for the Cosmic scheme through which they will function at that Logos,36 much as the solar plexus center does time.30 Therefore, the for the human being. key skill needed by the Betelgeuse is unique because it Just as the individual’s adepts progressing finds place within one of the seven solar plexus registers along this line is, ac- surrounding conditions cording to the Tibetan chakram… in a great cosmic Ex- in the human world, so Master, a highly devel- istence. There, the star Betelgeuse Betelgeuse (and per- oped capacity for im- fulfills a special function… as the haps Orion) works in pression.31 This im- the same way, except at pression has naught to source of one of the Seven Cosmic a much more complex do with discerning the Paths, all of which paths lead to level of organization status or experience of centers in the body of the incon- and upon a far higher individual units such ceivably immense celestial Life return of the spiral. While as human beings, but the individual solar instead has to do with ferred to in the Bailey presentation plexus registers emo- registering the Will of the Ageless Wisdom as The One tion and atmosphere in from above and the about Whom Naught May Be said. the Human Kingdom, conditions and re- Betelgeuse registers the sponses of whole kingdoms and collectives rep- nature of certain conditions within the body of resenting major portions of planetary life.32 the Cosmic Logos. The registration of such impressions involves As is clear, here is a territory that deals with the development of sensory capability sufficient phenomena and its registration, rather than its to the job at hand. Thus, the attributes or abili- complete absence. This involvement with phe- ties garnered on this path have to do with sens- nomena and its registration constitutes one of ing the condition of collective lives in the solar the characteristics distinguishing the Third Cos- system and even beyond; hence these extended mic Path (and the training emanating from Be- sensory capacities were characterized by the Ti- telgeuse) from the other Cosmic Paths and their betan as cosmic vision, deva hearing, and psy- sources. Yet, all the Cosmic Paths feature the chic correlation, as well as cosmic etheric vision attainment of spiritual identification with the and septenary clairvoyance.33 All these terms cause of all phenomena, rather than with the describe new ranges of sensory capacity devel- phenomena themselves. This is true of the Third oped by the adept of the Third Cosmic Path, Cosmic Path, but not exclusively so, for as the who is on the way to becoming the informing Tibetan has revealed, the training given upon intelligence of a planetary scheme. Ultimately, this path requires that certain faculties of sense adepts on this path develop a form of clairvoy- perception be retained, while spiritual identifi- ance that extends to all the seven solar systems cation with that which is beyond sense percep- of which our Sun is one,34 or in other words, to tion is also developed.37 the centers in the body of the Cosmic Logos. Because of this deliberate engagement with lev- This is the “septenary clairvoyance” referred to els of phenomena and their perception, the Ti- above. It is an ability to know the condition of betan Master referred to adepts of the Third the other centers in the body of the Cosmic Cosmic Path as Lords of Cosmic Maya. Again, Logos.

according to the Tibetan, these Lords of Cosmic Such is the initiatory wisdom connected with Maya deal in the relation of the knower to the the influence of the star Betelgeuse, which, as is known,38 an intricate philosophical and occult now apparent, in esotericism is something far matter familiar to students of Eastern metaphys- greater than simply a portion of the classical ics. Thus, the relationship of the knower to the mythology associated with Orion. Instead, Be- known, together with its implications, concerns telgeuse proves itself to be a majestic cosmic the adepts of the Third Cosmic Path, who scru- guru, teaching those that would be Planetary tinize the various degrees of maya (or the many Logoi of the necessary skills for that position. It material sheaths through which Spirit works) by would seem that upon the Path of Training for way of “spiritual vision and hearing,” thus dis- Planetary Logoi, it is necessary to learn how to cerning the exact relationship existing between read all the possible energy characteristics and the Self and Not-Self.39 qualities that can arise from the multitudinous In short, it might respectfully be tendered that combinations of ray energies and their deriva- the adepts of the Third Cosmic Path are given tives. This is undoubtedly necessitated by the to the detection of that which constitutes a faith- fact that those in training to become Planetary ful reflection of the Self within in all forms, as Logoi must prepare themselves for the day opposed to that which does not. Their attention when it is Their particular responsibility to hold to the details of manifestation is evident in the and maintain a specific ray frequency or vibra- occult symbol given by the Tibetan for this Cos- tion during a vast period of time, over and mic Path: a cross formed of alternating bands of against the coming and going of innumerable colored light40 representing all the Seven Rays lesser cyclic ray influences arising within Their in the lengthwise arm, the transverse arm being bodies of manifestation. Such a task will require filled with twelve additional subtle gradations a complete and perfect ability to detect and dis- of colored light not yet known on the physical tinguish the various rays, their color sheaths or plane. The entire cross appears as before a cir- rates of vibration, and the sounds made by their cular radiance of what may be royal blue, and presences. features an indigo (or deep purplish-blue) five- Tutelage in these matters and more comes to pointed star at the juncture of the two arms of adepts of the Third Cosmic Path not only the cross. Surmounting the whole arrangement through Betelgeuse, but also through esoteric appears a phrase in the secret initiatory lan- agencies associated with both our own planet guage of Senzar, written in characters of golden and that of others. For example, adepts training light. on the Third Cosmic Path receive instruction It is said that this complex symbol represents from three channels associated with Earth: 1) the method of evolution followed upon this the Hierarchical department of the Mahacho- path—that of “prismatic identification,” or han, 2) three exalted entities associated with identification with all the variations of light and Shamballa whom the Tibetan termed the Bud- dhas of Activity, and 3) the representative of our color to be seen in manifested creation. As is 42 apparent, the role of color in the training for the Planetary Logos, Sanat Kumara Himself. Be- yond that point, this line of training ushers the Third Cosmic Path is alluded to in full within 43 this symbol (which can be seen on higher planes adept to the planet Venus, where progress is by those prepared), and if the various colors of further advanced. Ultimately, Masters evolving light are understood as references to rates of vi- on this path bring their training to perfection by assuming the role and function of Buddhas of bration, sound may be implied as well. Thus, it 44 may be said that the entire assemblage restates Activity in some planetary scheme, this or an- in visual form the fact that, upon this Path, the other. Thus, the adept of the Cosmic Path to Be- adept receives an intensive training that covers telgeuse receives an ongoing initiation into the color, sound, and the entire nature of duality mysteries of advanced existence. 41 which makes objectivity possible.

The Role of the Buddhas of were nonetheless recruited to train the up-and- Activity on the Cosmic Path to coming young kings of the medieval era. Knowing the ropes, they were in the best posi- Betelgeuse tion to advise and instruct future kings. The s is apparent, the role of the Buddhas of Buddhas of Activity are agents of the same type. A Activity in producing Masters on the Third They understand the telepathic matrix of both Cosmic Path is critical, for adepts of this path the solar system and the planetary scheme. must first be instructed by Them and then as- In fact, the Buddhas of Activity attached to our sume Their functions before becoming Plane- planet are particularly suited to the task of in- tary Logoi themselves. Thus, it is only appro- structing the young, up-and-coming Planetary priate to ask who and what these Buddhas of Logoi, having themselves served as Planetary Activity may be, as presented in the Tibetan Logoi in a previous solar system.50 This is per- Master’s revelation of the Ageless Wisdom. haps an unusual state of affairs, since the Ti- According to the works of Alice Bailey and the betan has stated that those in training for the sta- Tibetan, Buddhas of Activity can be found in all tus of Planetary Logoi normally conclude their the schemes of the solar system, for the term by apprenticeships as Buddhas of Activity before which they are called is a generic one referring going on to the next stage as Planetary Logoi. to a particular role or function in regard to the However, our Buddhas of Activity have been relationship between Solar and Planetary Logoi. there and come back again, bringing with them On our planet, the current Buddhas of Activity their experience as Logoi of three planetary are three of the 107 Kumaras who came from schemes in which the mind principle reached its the Venus scheme at the individualization crisis highest stage of development in the previous so- 18 ½ million years ago.45 In fact, according to lar system. Now They function for Sanat Ku- the Tibetan, these three exalted entities hail ul- mara as do the three levels of mind known to the timately from farther away than simply another student of the esoteric occult doctrine—as con- crete or lower mind, the soul or son of mind, and scheme in our solar system, having their root 51 origin in yet another solar system altogether.46 the higher or abstract mind. This They do, of Now acting as advisors to Sanat Kumara,47 who course, on an immensely higher turn of the spi- is currently functioning one evolutionary step ral, yet the correspondence pertains. 48 ahead of them, the Buddhas of Activity hold Since attainment to the status of a Buddha of in mind the purpose for which our globe ex- Activity normally constitutes the stage from 49 ists, which purpose is of course derived from which adepts on this path graduate to the level the intended place of our globe, chain, and of Planetary Logoi, it would seem that the na- scheme within the body of the Solar Logos. ture of the Buddhas of Activity encapsulates the Thus, the Buddhas of Activity connected to our essence of the Third Cosmic Path, which as globe concern themselves with preserving the stated earlier, is constituted of energy flowing telepathic impression emanating from the Solar from the star Betelgeuse (and perhaps its home Logos, ensuring that this impression is duly im- constellation as well). Thus, both the Third Cos- parted to the planetary situation. This is the mic Path and the Buddhas of Activity reveal function of Buddhas of Activity on all globes in something about the nature of the cosmic solar all schemes, for the Buddhas of Activity link plexus center and the great star Betelgeuse in Solar Will with Logoic Activity. In this sense, the constellation of Orion. Each therefore de- They are assistants to both the Solar and Plane- serves consideration tary Logoi. This is why their tutelage is relevant As the Tibetan Master has revealed, the Third for those who would become Planetary Logoi Cosmic Path or Path to Betelgeuse concerns it- Themselves. It might be said that the Buddhas self with the development of a broad range of of Activity are mentors to the young Planetary vastly enhanced perceptual skills: cosmic vi- Logoi in the making, much as the dukes and sion, deva hearing, and septenary clairvoyance. barons of yore, though not kings themselves, These skills must be mastered by those on the

path of becoming Planetary Logoi before as- creative intelligence or creation,55 and therefore suming a telepathic capacity appropriate to the being triple in essence, as are all things, accord- Logos of a planetary scheme. It is entirely pos- ing to the Ageless Wisdom. So, although the sible that Betelgeuse (or Orion) itself imparts Buddhas of Activity are characterized as those precisely these abilities. Perhaps this is why the who manage certain forms of electrical phe- Tibetan referred to Betelgeuse as the source of nomena (or material appearance) on our planet, “conscious sensation” in the cosmic body Lo- they are also representative of will and con- goic. The term “Conscious sensation” in this sciousness. context might imply the capacity to sense the The fact that the group is made up of three fig- psychic and material environment in which a ures or faces is also significant in another way. Planetary Logos lives. Applying this notion in It is said that the three Buddhas of Activity to- simplest terms, it might be said that Betelgeuse gether constitute a triangle which is to the Plan- and Orion may well impart vastly enhanced per- etary Logos what the Spiritual Triad is to the ceptual ability not only to the greatly advanced personality.56 From this vantage point high in adepts following the Third Cosmic Path, but the planetary Antahkarana, the Buddhas of Ac- also in lesser measure to the more modest yet tivity fulfill a special function. They capture in- striving seekers following the path of disciple- spiration from on high and pass it to the levels ship and initiation while in embodiment as hu- found below. In this sense, it is the work of the mans here on this planet. Buddhas of Activity to be, as the Tibetan stated What kind of enhanced perceptual ability this it, “…impressed by the Will of God as it ener- may be can perhaps be gleaned from a portrait gizes the entire planetary life.”57 Thus, the Bud- of the Buddhas of Activity and how they func- dhas of Activity form a triangle reflecting the tion in regard to our globe. The picture pre- Three Aspects of Deity at a high level within sented by the Tibetan in this regard is complex, our planetary life. suggesting that the Buddhas of Activity fulfill many roles and functions. Theirs is not a simple This high level is, in fact, right at the top of our planetary manifestation, for the Buddhas of Ac- task. tivity are associated with the head center of our At one level, the Buddhas of Activity associated planet. According to the Tibetan, the Buddhas with our planet concern Themselves with ra- of Activity are members of the Great Council at tional response in matter, for according to the Shamballa,58 sharing from that point in the gen- Tibetan, They “…embody within themselves eral work undertaken by Sanat Kumara, partic- the essence of the Ray of Active Intelli- ularly His reception of cosmic intention ema- gence…,”52 which fact surely accounts for the nating from the star Sirius,59 which star is the name by which They are called. As is axiomatic parent system of our Solar Logos,60 and hence in esoteric studies, the Third Ray is equivalent higher even than the One who drives our sys- to the Third Aspect of Deity, the distinguishing temic life. The Buddhas of Activity thus func- characteristic of which is its direct link with the tion to help Sanat Kumara connect with high material forms of creation and the power of levels of being and purpose coming in from matter to respond in meaningful manner, in con- what are even to Him fairly distant sources. In trast to the other two Aspects, which concern this, the function of the Buddhas of Activity as life and consciousness. Arrangements of matter a spiritual triad for Sanat Kumara is made evi- in space and time are the purview of the Third dent. Ray. It is in this Third Ray capacity that the Buddhas of Activity on our planet function In just exactly what phenomenal form these when they manage various Third Ray phenom- three Buddhas of Activity exist, the Tibetan has ena, including electricity53 and devic activity,54 not specified. However, he certainly made according to the Tibetan. Even so, this group of Their function clear enough. They are closer to three exalted entities also contains within itself Sanat Kumara in function than any other known entities, being his very mind, his helpers, and a synthesis of all the Three Aspects of Deity, 61 representing life or will, love or wisdom, and creative agents. They are, as the Tibetan

Master stated, the prime agents who take the or planet,69 for they are in communication with Will from on high made into Sanat Kumara’s the sacred planets, all of which except Mercury Will and then impress that Will upon a group of are in different chains than is our planet.70 Sixth and Seventh degree initiates62 called the Next, the Buddhas of Activity associated with Nirmanakayas63 who bridge between Sham- our planet participate in the consciousness dy- balla and Hierarchy.64 As a result, this Will namics resulting from a planetary triangle made coming from Sanat Kumara and passing of Earth and two other planets,71 one of which through the three Buddhas of Activity is like- may well be Saturn, as identified above, and wise impressed upon the three great depart- possibly Venus the other.72 The resulting im- ments of our Planetary Hierarchy, represented pressions received by the Buddhas of Activity by the Manu, the Christ, and the Mahachohan.65 are then distributed to Hierarchy.73 Thus, the Buddhas of Activity are centrally instrumental in moving the Will from Shamballa Finally, the Buddhas of Activity on our planet to Hierarchy, which is to say, from the planetary reach far beyond the confines of our planetary head center to the planetary heart center. Again, scheme and even our solar system to function as this function is suggestive of the spiritual triad a bridge in consciousness linking our planet in the human individual, since the spiritual triad with our Solar Logos and the informing life of in the human receives impression from the the constellation Libra.74 Thus, They hold monad and in turn, imparts that impression to down one point of a cosmic triangle constituted the mental body for conscious recognition by on the other two points of our Solar Logos on the personality. Thus, the Buddhas of Activity one hand, and the collective life of numerous may be thought of in somewhat the same man- Solar Logoi making up the constellation Libra ner. In short, they are the spiritual triad of the on the other. In this, and the previous functions, Planetary Logos. the Buddhas of Activity can be seen relating to several different evolutionary orders of magni- From Their vantage points high in the planetary tude all at one time. As stated before, Theirs is Antahkarana, the Buddhas of Activity are in not a simple task. touch with a number of distant energy sources, some of a fairly surprising nature. That the Bud- Not only are the Buddhas of Activity engaged dhas of Activity possess such distant celestial with varying evolutionary orders to the upside connections surely serves to substantiate the of the evolutionary arc, but also are they linked statement that the function of these entities is quite fundamentally with equally varying or- complex. Three such connections were identi- ders on the portion of the evolutionary arc fied by the Tibetan. They are as follows: which is downline to Their positions in the scheme of things. For example, the Buddhas of First, the Buddhas of Activity maintain tele- Activity are involved in facilitating the transfer pathic contact with certain of the sacred plan- of souls from other planetary schemes onto our ets,66 the planet Saturn having been specified by globe, when such is required by the over-arch- the Tibetan as one of these.67 Since the visible ing Plan.75 They likewise have a profound rela- planet Saturn is given as the fourth globe of the tionship to the Kingdom of Souls existing on third chain in our planetary scheme,68 this this planet, for it has now been revealed that the would mean that the Buddhas of Activity on our Buddhas of Activity were highly instrumental planet are in communication with other chains in bringing about the crisis of individualization and globes in our planetary scheme, not with eighteen and a half million years ago,76 which just our own chain (which is enumerated as the crisis (among other things) brought into being fourth in the Tibetan’s presentation). Extrapo- the Kingdom of Souls on our planet. lating and generalizing from this information, it is thus possible to say that part of the function In this regard, the Tibetan Master stated, “It is of the Buddhas of Activity on any globe is the these three Buddhas who were instrumental in maintenance of communication with the globes the…process of implementing the mental pro- of other chains. Certainly, this seems true of the cess upon our planet, and who—through their Buddhas of Activity associated with our globe creative meditation—brought our planet, the

Earth, and the planet Venus into direct align- complexity inherent in the role of the Buddhas ment.”77 Here is the connection with Venus of Activity, surely a rich training ground for symbolism (whether that be construed as the those who pass their way. scheme, chain, or globe of that name) so fre- In yet another facet of Their responsibilities, the quently mentioned in the esoteric lore concern- Buddhas of Activity associated with our planet ing that key event of 18 ½ million years ago bring Their enormous perspectives to bear upon called the “individualization crisis” by the Ti- matters which even affect the individual striv- betan. ing disciple, for as the Tibetan has revealed, It was during the 18 ½ million year ago event these great entities who truly have their minds that several related events transpired; our Plan- in the stars also turn their gazes toward specific etary Logos took an initiation, Hierarchy was human individuals and groups. This they do established on Earth, and animal men were when They perform certain important functions given the spark of mind by the Lords of the during the rites of initiation administered by Hi- Flame. Surely, if ever there was a turning point erarchy.80 in the evolution of a globe, this was it, and the Buddhas of Activity were right there, intimately Thus, as is apparent, the Buddhas of Activity carry on multiple duties, tasks, and functions, involved in it all. Note that their function in this spanning a broad range of contacts. These func- momentous happening required that they bridge a gap between another planet (a higher order of tions include the reception of impression from Sirius and the congeries of Solar Logoi to be being) and animal men as they existed at that found in the constellation of Libra, telepathic time (a very much lower order of being). Here is a good example of the complex interactions communication with other planetary schemes in our solar system, converse with other chains in characteristic of the role played by the Buddhas our scheme, projection of impression to the Nir- of Activity. manakayas, the Manu, the Christ, and the Ma- Here on our planet, the Buddhas of Activity re- hachohan, influence upon and supervision of main relevant to processes occurring on this race periods, and even performance of certain globe. According to the Tibetan, They have a duties at the initiation ceremonies of individuals special connection with certain of the race peri- and groups on this our globe. In this multifac- ods, these being the Third, Fourth, and Fifth eted set of skills and function, the Buddhas of Races,78 or the races during which manas is per- Activity seem to cover nearly all the possibili- fected that it may provide a basis for the subse- ties. And, it is in their deep footprints which quent flowering of the intuition in races Six and adepts following the Third Cosmic Path must Seven. This linkage of the Buddhas of Activity learn to tread, for the Buddhas of Activity help with the manasic race periods echoes Their in- train those who would become Planetary Logoi. volvement with the establishment of mind on this planet during the individualization crisis, The Tibetan’s Use of the Term and the general Third Ray characteristic for “Buddhas of Activity” which They are known, since the Third Ray is the ray of manas, as the Tibetan made clear in A he foregoing discussion has demonstrated Treatise on Cosmic Fire.79 T what the Tibetan had in mind when, in dictation to Alice Bailey, he used the term “Bud- Thus, it should be borne in mind that the Bud- dhas of Activity.” However, this term has a his- dhas of Activity are fundamentally involved tory of which it is well to be informed. In this with the furtherance of manas, which is to say, regard there are two main issues of relevance. the Ray of Active Intelligence (itself containing The first concerns the use of this term in con- the four rays of attribute), whether this occurs in ventional Buddhism and its subsequent use in the form of those things which transpire during the Theosophical movement. The second con- a race period or those things which concern the cerns an apparently alternative meaning for this Planetary Logos in His grasp of cosmic inten- term used by the Tibetan himself. tion. Here again is encountered the profound

The entire matter is conditioned by the fact that Tibetan with the term “Buddhas of Activity” in Djwhal Khul was a Tibetan adept, likely Initiation, Human and Solar, A Treatise on Cos- steeped in all the religions and philosophies of mic Fire, Discipleship in the New Age, and The Asia, but especially that of the Tibetan Bud- Rays and the Initiations. Thus, it would appear dhists of the Himalayan region. Certainly, it that the main sense in which the Tibetan used would have been natural for him to select terms this term is not at all consistent with the way in from this tradition, with which he was undoubt- which the term “Pratyeka Buddha” had been edly familiar, when at- used in the past. tempting to embody an Betelgeuse confers dramatic ex- To make matters even abstruse metaphysical pansions of perceptual ability, more complex, there ex- idea in suitable lan- expansions of the Third Ray abil- ists at least one passage guage, especially if his in the Bailey material in intention were to reveal ity to perceive the environment. which the Tibetan him- the previously guarded The environment concerned self apparently used an and inner teaching re- here, however, is the entirety of alternative meaning for garding particulars the solar system, for… the Third the term Buddhas of Ac- veiled by certain exo- tivity. In the version of teric Buddhist concepts. Cosmic Path, climaxes in the de- the Stanzas of Dzyan Such considerations velopment of septenary clairvoy- which appears in the first must always be held in ance, an ability to register spir- few pages of A Treatise mind when analyzing on Cosmic Fire, this the Tibetan’s use of lan- itual conditions in all seven term appears in Stanza guage and terms. schemes of the solar system. IX, written in lower case, Early in his dictations to Bailey , the Tibetan in- and discussed in proximity to “lords of love” dicated that the Buddhas of Activity are also re- and “lords of power.”85 The stanza under con- ferred to by another term as well—as Pratyeka sideration concerns an episode in distant sys- Buddhas.81 Oddly, Pratyeka Buddha is a term temic history when “thirty thousand million” used by certain sects of conventional Buddhist units of evolution refused to immerse them- philosophy to describe a limited degree of spir- selves in form. The story related in the stanza itual advancement in which an individual dis- ends at some point in the future when this situ- covers truth without having been led by a ation shall have been corrected and “buddhas of teacher or teaching, and hence fails to pass activity” (also referred to as “buddhas of crea- along the boon of spiritual instruction to oth- tion” here) shall have been joined by lords of ers.82 Blavatsky understood the term in a love and lords of power in a final perfected closely related sense, describing the Pratyeka statement of manifestation. There are two hints Buddha in her Theosophical Glossary as a de- in this passage which serve to reveal what may gree of attainment recognized only by the be the proper interpretation of its rather obscure Yogacharya school of philosophy, a degree in contents. which an individual of great spiritual discipline First, there is the reference to thirty thousand manages to extract himself from the snares of million units. This phraseology immediately material existence, but lacks the generosity of heart to labor after the same advantage for oth- brings to mind the passage in which the Tibetan ers.83 Both definitions hinge on the connotation specified the number of monads evolving within our planetary scheme.86 There, he stated of the Sanskrit word, pratyeka, which means that our planetary scheme contains approxi- “for oneself alone, ”84 featuring a solitary seeker mately 35 thousand million monads of love, 20 bent on personal but not collective liberation. thousand million monads of activity, and 5 As is clear, in neither the conventional Buddhist thousand million monads of power. The total definition of the term nor the Theosophical us- comes to about 60 thousand million human age is there reflected the grand scope of con- monads, as he said. To speak of so many “thou- sciousness and endeavor associated by the sand million” is a round-about way to say so

many billion of this or that, but that is a second- However, none of this linguistic hairsplitting ary point. The main issue is the similar formula disturbs the fundamental nature of the esoteric in which the numbers are given in the Cosmic teaching concerning the function of the three Fire passage and the passage from Stanza IX. Kumaras found in the Council Chamber at This similarity suggests that Stanza IX concerns Shamballa and the equivalents of Whom, the same matter as does the other passage – in throughout the solar system, instruct adepts in other words, human monads. About half of the attainment of cosmic vision, deva hearing, those 60 thousand million human monads and septenary clairvoyance on the Path of would easily make the 30 thousand million re- Training for Planetary Logoi. These, it might bellious units around whom the story of the be said, are the representatives of the great star stanza revolves. Betelgeuse and its starry home in Orion, for it is energy emitted by this center in a greater Logos If this is the case, then in this particular usage, which constitutes the Third Cosmic Path, the the term “buddhas of activity” means human path upon which the Council Chamber Buddhas monads on the Third Ray, the Ray of Activity of Activity and their counterparts on other of or Active Intelligence, and not just three of globes play such a vital role. What all this im- the original 107 Kumaras who accompanied plies for the nature of the Third Cosmic Path Sanat Kumara when He first arrived on this and therefore for Betelgeuse, its source, is of the planet. In this sense, “buddhas of activity” may essence. It would appear that Betelgeuse, and be used in the Stanzas in a more liberal sense, perhaps its entire home constellation of Orion, meaning “spiritual units colored by the Ray of is the root inspiration for substantive expan- Active Intelligence, and possessing capacity for sions of consciousness and perception required complete spiritual perfection,” i.e., Buddhas, or in the making of a Planetary Logos. potentially enlightened ones. Thus, the reader must be alert to the various ways in which such Sagittarius as the Astrological terms may be used. Intermediary of Betelgeuse Note as well that Stanza IX contains a reference ccording to the Tibetan, the influence of to “buddhas of creation.” Here is the second Betelgeuse (and perhaps therefore that of hint. The word “creation” is associated with the A Orion as well) finds its way into our solar sys- Third Logos and the Third Ray, the only factors tem through the sign Sagittarius.88 As all stu- in the Divine Triplicity which enter into the ma- dents of astrological symbolism know, the terial process, according to the esoteric occult glyph for Sagittarius features an arrow in flight. doctrine. Thus, “buddhas of creation” can only Interestingly, an arrow design is easily per- be units colored by the Third Ray; hence, quite ceived in the stars of the Great Hunter constel- likely Third Ray monads. lation, Orion, in which Betelgeuse is situated. Indeed, the Tibetan used terminology linked This visual similarity may be suggestive of the with the Third Ray in yet another related pas- esoteric link between these factors. However, it sage in A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, but this time should be noted that Betelgeuse and Orion are in reference to the three Buddhas of Activity not at all in the same part of the sky as is the (that is, the three Kumaras closely associated location of the sign of Sagittarius in the ecliptic, with Sanat Kumara), calling them the “Buddhas for the Great Hunter and his starry components of Action.”87 Here he has substituted “action” lie on the approximately opposite side of the ce- for “activity.” Surely this only very slight lestial sphere from the portion of the ecliptic change is nothing but a variation on a theme, but called Sagittarius. So, there is no literal or spa- one worth noting, for it does point out the vari- tial identity between Betelgeuse, Orion, and ous uses of language of which an astute student Sagittarius—only a thematic one, based perhaps of the Ageless Wisdom must be aware. Action on similarities of energy quality. However, is one of the characteristics of the Third Logos. there might be said to exist a line-of-sight rela- Thus, Buddhas of Activity are Buddhas of Ac- tionship between Betelgeuse on one side of the tion, as well. celestial sphere and Sagittarius on the other, for

when Earth can see Betelgeuse as a night star, Obviously, arriving at such elevated attain- an imaginary line drawn from Betelgeuse to ments entails a long evolutionary journey, for Earth and through the Sun would point in the which the traveling sign of Sagittarius is per- direction of Sagittarius. Thus, though Betel- haps an apt metaphor. Diverse evolutionary ex- geuse and Sagittarius are not on the same side periences will be necessitated, and diversity is of the celestial sphere as viewed from Earth, surely the province of the Third Ray. This is the they do sit in approximate axial alignment. This ray distributed by Earth, the esoteric ruler of spatial alignment may form some significant Sagittarius, a fact which again points to the va- portion of the reason why Betelgeuse acts riety of skills and capabilities represented by the through Sagittarius, though the Tibetan did not Buddhas of Activity as mentors for those in offer this explanation. training on the Cosmic Path to Betelgeuse. The Third Ray is also pre-eminently associated with All the same, according to the esoteric astrolog- the Buddhas of Activity, Who light the way on ical doctrine, it is through the sign of Sagittarius the Cosmic Path that leads back to Betelgeuse, that pour the influences of Betelgeuse (and per- and Who call mightily upon the full implica- haps those of Orion). From Betelgeuse and into tions of the Ray of Active Intelligence in their Sagittarius flow the great energies that foster the supervision of manasic development during massive expansions of consciousness required long evolutional cycles. for the development of Planetary Logoi status. Expansion of consciousness is certainly one of As has been shown, under the aegis of Sagitta- the key themes of Sagittarius, a sign symbolized rius and its Third Ray esoteric ruler, an ex- esoterically by the mounted archer shooting an panded territory of diverse experience is availa- arrow of intellectual inquiry at a distant and un- ble to both the advanced adept and the average seen target, only to pursue his quarry of seeker. It would thus appear that not only Sag- knowledge and understanding unto the vanish- ittarian expansion themes, but also Third Ray ing horizon. Truly, the archer of Sagittarius influences and qualities cluster around much mounted on a powerful steed signifies the ca- with which the influence of Betelgeuse is pacity to cover vast territories of thought and linked. This is not to say that the energies emit- action, yet another reason Sagittarius might be ted by Betelgeuse are exclusively of a Third associated with the expansion of consciousness Ray character, but it does point strongly in the theme embedded in Betelgeuse. Further, the ex- direction of the Ray of Active Intelligence as a oteric ruler of Sagittarius is Jupiter, the largest significant contributor to the influence imparted planet in the solar system and hence the very by this stellar entity, and perhaps that of the en- epitome of extensive territory and even of cos- tire constellation in which it is embedded. mic levels of expansion. Here is an additional connection to the expansion of consciousness Betelgeuse and Orion in World themes associated with Betelgeuse through the in Myth and Legend nature of the Third Cosmic Path. The similarity he star Betelgeuse forms part of the hunter of themes between the Sagittarian expansion of figure perceived by ancient peoples in the consciousness and that associated with the Path T constellation Orion; thus, the hunting theme to Betelgeuse is indeed striking, suggesting that dominates classical western mythological sto- the linkage of Sagittarius and Betelgeuse makes ries associated with this region of the sky. These plain good sense. As a result, esoteric consider- stories deal with conflict, aggression, competi- ation of the Sagittarius influence should always tion, sexual adventures, terrifying beasts, ma- include the realization that it may well carry all rauders, and the gory details of slaughter.90 Not that Betelgeuse (and possibly Orion) ultimately much in these western astronomical myths con- promise in the way of cosmic vision, deva hear- cerning Betelgeuse corresponds in any recog- ing, and septenary clairvoyance,89 though such nizable way to the esoteric lore connected with higher gifts fail of even partial realization by this star, except for one fact—Orion’s massive those unprepared.

frame and his reputation as a giant amongst the the ancient civilizations of Greece and Egypt. gods of the night sky. According to H.P. Blavat- To the Greeks, Orion was a mighty hunter, sky, this aspect of the Orion myth is in fact, a while to the Egyptians, he was the embodiment remnant of truth concerning the vastly larger of sacred Osiris. In both cases, the star Betel- human beings and other entities who once geuse figured prominently, and in esotericism stalked the Earth during previous races.91 may occultly represent the entirety of Orion, the constellation in which it is found. Ancient Egypt also saw Orion as a great man in the sky, but in Egyptian conceptualization, For students of the Alice Bailey writings, the Orion was not an only marginally respectable star Betelgeuse rates as important because the roughneck, but rather the deific figure of sacred Tibetan Master mentioned it specifically and by Osiris,92 archetype of resurrection and eternal name in a few key passages. In fact, the Tibetan life. It was unto Osiris, located in Orion, that singled Betelgeuse out, identifying it as the so- rose the ascending soul of the dead king in the lar plexus center in The One About Whom stellar religion of Egypt.93 It was so because the Naught May Be Said. Although little specific whole region of Orion (including nearby Sirius) information regarding the star Betelgeuse and constituted what the religion of ancient Egypt its psychospiritual effect on humans was actu- called the “Duat,”94 an especially significant ally given in the Tibetan’s revelation of the portion of the sky said to contain the gate into Ageless Wisdom, certain understandings about immortal existence. It was to the Duat that all the nature of this star within the cosmology of attention was directed, for it constituted the tar- the Bailey writings might be inferred from the get toward which the liberated soul of the de- discussions in which mention of this star is pri- ceased one was to wing its determined way in marily embedded. These discussions occur in resolute and confident pursuit of eternal life. the Tibetan’s explanation of the Third Cosmic The striking parallel between a spiritual journey Path, the Path to Betelgeuse. Thus, the best path to Orion on the one hand, and the Third Cosmic to knowing Betelgeuse seems to be the cultiva- Path, which leads to Betelgeuse in that same tion of familiarity with the nature of the Third general region on the other, is hard to ignore. As Cosmic Path. in the cases of many other celestial factors, an- The Third Cosmic Path is the Path of Training cient Egyptian religion seems to furnish the nuts for Planetary Logoi. Overseen by the Buddhas and bolts to support the Tibetan’s key conten- of Activity who are strongly representative of tion that there is more real esoteric truth in as- the Third Ray, this path features development pects of astronomical myth than has hitherto of consciousness in a unique way that focuses been thought. Where the ancient Egyptian reli- on the Third Ray theme of perception. Further, gion perceived a path to immortality and eternal all that is said by the Tibetan Master about the union with Spirit through specific stars, the es- Third Cosmic Path and its features constitute oteric teaching identifies a path leading to hints as to the nature of Betelgeuse. Even Higher Evolution, also through specific stars. though Betelgeuse is said to dwell in the cosmic Betelgeuse in Orion figures importantly to both. solar plexus, it appears to be filled with an abun- Conclusion dance of Third Ray correspondences. This fact does not, however, necessarily exclude the pos- s a prominent star in a highly noticeable sible presence of a Sixth Ray component such A constellation, the star Betelgeuse has cap- as would normally be expected with a corre- tured the attention of Humanity since classical spondence to the solar plexus center. At any times. In fact, as one of the fastest evolving stars rate, the Third Ray is in some contexts associ- known to contemporary science, Betelgeuse is ated by the Tibetan with instinct,95 which char- a red giant variable star with a surprising astro- acteristic emanates most decidedly from the so- nomical history. Located prominently in the lar plexus center in the animal kingdom. And well-known constellation Orion, Betelgeuse is so, it is not unthinkable that the Third Ray may also connected with the mythological, religious, find a home in the solar plexus center of a and spiritual themes associated with this star by Greater Logoic Being, just as is implied by its

position as the source and destination of the Buddhas of Activity, who also link our planet Third Cosmic Path. with several of the sacred planets in our system, and with the stars in the constellation of Libra. In keeping with this Third Ray stimulus and as Thus, if the Buddhas of Activity are any indica- suggested by the nature of the skills attained by tion about the nature of Betelgeuse, then Betel- those on the Third Cosmic Path, it might be ten- geuse fulfills a number of functions, just as do dered that Betelgeuse confers dramatic expan- the Buddhas of Activity. Additionally, it is well sions of perceptual ability, these being exten- to know that the Tibetan used the term Buddhas sions of the Third Ray ability to perceive the en- of Activity in his own unique way, to be distin- vironment. The environment concerned here, guished from the use of the same and related however, is the entirety of the solar system, for terms in comparative religion. as has been discussed, the Third Cosmic Path climaxes in the development of septenary clair- Finally, the influence of Betelgeuse is transmit- voyance, an ability to register spiritual condi- ted astrologically through the constellation and tions in all seven schemes of the solar system. It sign of Sagittarius. Although neither the con- is this level of sentient response to surrounding stellation nor the sign Sagittarius is located in life which Betelgeuse must therefore represent the same vicinity of the celestial sphere as are from its place as “the source of conscious sen- Betelgeuse and Orion, the constellation and sign sation” in the body of the One About Whom of Sagittarius can be considered to sit on an axis Naught May Be Said. It is even possible that of alignment with Betelgeuse. Further, Sagitta- this is true of the entire constellation of Orion, rius is certainly thematically appropriate as an which star grouping Betelgeuse might be said to astrological intermediary for Betelgeuse, given represent in the current revelation of the esoteric the Third Ray esoteric ruler of the sign Sagitta- astrological and occult doctrine. rius and the themes of expansion associated with that sign. Further, the Tibetan’s revelations about the Buddhas of Activity may offer insight into the Thus, based on the Tibetan Master’s revelations nature of Betelgeuse and its occult influence. In regarding The Path of Training for Planetary this regard, it is important to consider the fact Logoi, it appears that the star Betelgeuse lo- that the Buddhas of Activity not only train those cated in and representing Orion is a key stellar on the way to becoming Planetary Logoi, but entity, fulfilling the function of a solar plexus also intimately assist our existing Planetary within the body of The One About Whom Logos, as represented by Sanat Kumara. In that Naught May Be Said, imparting powers of role, the Buddhas of Activity receive the Will vastly enhanced cosmic sensitivity and percep- Aspect emanating from Sirius and Our Solar tion to advancing initiates, inspiring the work of Logos as it comes through Sanat Kumara. The the Buddhas of Activity in the Great Council of Buddhas of Activity then telepathically impress Shamballa, and pouring forth consciousness- that Will on a group of high initiates called the expanding streams of energy into our planetary Nirmanakayas, who bridge between Shamballa life through the agency of Sagittarius. There’s a and Hierarchy. Bridging from one location to thought to remember while gazing up at the another seems to be a special function of the twinkling red giant.

1 Julius D. W. Staal, The New Patterns in the Sky forming-betelgeuse-from-a-stellar-merger/ (Roanoke, VA: McDonald and Woodward (accessed August 12, 2020). Publishing Co., 1996), 2, 72. 4 “Hubble Finds That Betelgeuse’s Mysterious 2 Ibid., 62. Dimming Is Due to a Traumatic Outburst,” 3 R.H. Allen, Star Names, Their Lore and Mean- Hubblesite, https://hubblesite.org/con- ing (New York: Dover Publications, 1963), tents/news-releases/2020/news-2020-44 (ac- 312. “Forming Betelgeuse from a Stellar Mer- cessed August 13, 2020). “Betelgeuse,” Star ger,” Nova, American Astronomical Society, Facts, https://www.star-facts.com/betelgeuse/ https://aanova.org/2020/06/22/featured-image- (accessed August 12, 2020).

Initiations (the Revelation and Decision Initia- 5 Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (re- tions, respectively), and so the existence of the print, 1979; New York: Lucis Trust, 1951), Seven Cosmic Paths most certainly constitutes 1255. Here Betelgeuse is given as the source a major factor for the Initiate of the Fifth De- for the Third Cosmic Path, the Path of Training gree, according to the Tibetan as quoted in The for Planetary Logoi. Rays and the Initiations, 391. 6 Ibid., 1242. Nonetheless, the final choice of cosmic path is 7 Ibid., 1253. now made at the Sixth Initiation, which is 8 Ibid., 1255. therefore called the Initiation of Decision. 18 9 Allen, Star Names, Their Lore and Meaning, Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 404. 19 310. Ibid., 391. 20 10 Ibid., 310 – 311. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1242. 21 11 Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology (reprint, Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 423. 22 1979; New York: Lucis Trust, 1951), 15. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1236, 1253. 23 12 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1255. Ibid., 1241. 24 13 Alice A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology II (re- Ibid. 25 print, 1970; New York: Lucis Trust, 1942), Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 391. 26 721. Ibid., 412. 27 14 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1255. Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar 15 Ibid., 1255, 1257; Alice A. Bailey, The Rays (reprint, 1979; New York: Lucis Trust, 1951), and the Initiations (reprint, 1988; New York: 187; The Rays and the Initiations,. 405. 28 Lucis Trust, 1960), 427. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 407. 29 16 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1255. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1254. 30 17 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 410. This, Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 406. 31 the Sixth Initiation, is the point at which the ad- Ibid., 407. 32 vanced initiate decides or settles upon one of Ibid., 406. 33 the Seven Cosmic Paths to tread from that point Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1258; The forward, and hence this initiation is referred to Rays and the Initiations, 427. 34 as the Initiation of Decision. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1257. 35 However, as many careful readers of the Bailey This fact can be discerned by putting together writings will note, The Initiation of Decision information on 1253 and 1257 of A Treatise on was indeed presented in the Tibetan’s earlier Cosmic Fire, on which pages (respectively) the dictations to Alice Bailey as the Fifth Initiation. Tibetan identified the source of the Third Cos- For example, see Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise mic Path as the solar plexus center of the Cos- on Cosmic Fire, 1241. Many years later, the mic Logos, and then the source of the Third Tibetan indicated that evolutionary advances Cosmic Path as the star Betelgeuse. Therefore, had led to the designation of the Sixth Initiation the source of the Third Cosmic Path is Betel- as that of the Decision (The Rays and the Initi- geuse (or the constellation in which it is found), ations, 410), and the Fifth as that of the Reve- which star (or constellation) must therefore lation (The Rays and the Initiations, 643). function as the solar plexus of the Cosmic Logos. According to the Tibetan as quoted in The Rays 36 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1253. and Initiations, 424, at what is now considered 37 Ibid. the Fifth Initiation, “…a revelation of the true 38 Ibid. united goal of the seven Paths and likewise a 39 Ibid., 1254. vision of their varying intermediate, individual 40 Ibid., 1256 – 1258. goals” is accorded; hence the moniker, “The 41 Ibid., 1256. Revelation.” The nature of the Seven Cosmic 42 Ibid., 1255 – 1256. Identification of Sanat Ku- Paths is unveiled at this point, and again accord- mara as the personality expression of our Plan- ing to the Tibetan, it is at this point that the ini- etary Logos is given on 652 of The Rays and tiate gains the first vision of the “door” through the Initiations. Since personality is in general which one must pass to gain entry to the Seven associated with the Third Aspect, this may in Cosmic Paths. See The Rays and the Initia- part, explain why our planet is frequently said tions, 391, on this point. to distribute the Third Ray. Consequently, the effort to discern the nature 43 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 405. of the Seven Cosmic Paths occupies the atten- 44 Ibid., 407. tion of the initiate between the Fifth and Sixth

Theosophist Geoffrey Barborka gives the literal 45 Ibid., 267. translation of the word nirmanakaya in his 46 Ibid. Glossary of Sanskrit Terms ( 46) as “the body 47 Ibid. which is builded; hence, the vehicle that is 48 Ibid., 268. maintained by one who has renounced Nir- 49 Ibid., 267. vana; therefore, a Buddha of Compassion.” 50 Ibid. Blavatsky’s entry on nirmanakaya in the Theo- 51 Ibid., 267 – 268. sophical Glossary (231) gives in a similar vein 52 Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II an extensive treatment of this term, designed to (reprint,1983;New York: Lucis Trust, 1955), dispel what she saw as the numerous miscon- 200. ceptions concerning its definition, which she 53 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 873. This also gave as an enlightened one who has relin- is not only true of all three Buddhas of Activity quished the invitation to eternal bliss in favor in a general sense, but of one of them in a very of remaining in contact with embodied beings particular sense. See A Treatise on Cosmic to help them toward spiritual liberation. Fol- Fire, 74. There the Tibetan mentioned that one lowing upon Blavatsky, her fellow Theosophist of the Buddhas of Activity adjusts the working William Q. Judge also used the term nirmana- of the Third Ray in its manifestation as the fire kaya, but in yet even another sense, as reported of matter. in Volume X, Number 1 (January 2004) of The- 54 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 180. osophical History: A Quarterly Journal of Re- 55 Alice A. Bailey, Telepathy and the Etheric Ve- search, 13. For Judge, the nirmanakaya was an hicle (reprint, 1978;New York: Lucis Trust, astral form used by a deceased adept for the 1950), 185; The Rays and the Initiations, 407. helping of Humanity, particularly in the pro- 56 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 257, 273. motion of Blavatskian Theosophy. This defi- 57 Bailey, Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle, 45. nition would appear to differ significantly from 58 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 206. the standard Buddhist usage, which equates the 59 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 130. For nirmanakaya with the physical vehicle of an an exhaustive study of the nature of cosmic in- enlightened one, for Judge equated it with the tention expressing through the star Sirius, see astral vehicle, or at least whatever was meant M. Temple Richmond, Sirius. by that term in his day, which is not necessarily 60 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 570. See what today’s student of the Alice Bailey writ- also A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 844, and The ings understands by the word astral. All this Rays and the Initiations, 687, for further infor- serves to greatly complicate the matter of this mation. For an exhaustive treatment detailing word nirmanakaya. the role of Sirius in the occult cosmology, see As is apparent, the term nirmanakaya has been Sirius, by M. Temple Richmond. used and defined differently in various con- 61 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 587. texts. It would appear that the Tibetan had a 62 Ibid., 735. particular definition in mind for this term, by 63 Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, 210. which he specifically meant members of Hier- The word Nirmanakaya is of Sanskrit origin. archy of the Sixth and Seventh initiatory de- According to Lama Anagarika Govinda in his grees in regard to the matters discussed above, Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism (213, 222), but also members of the Eighth and Ninth ini- nirmanakaya is a term used by the Mahayana tiatory degrees in regard to mediation between and Vajrayana schools of Buddhism to signify our planet and the planet Venus, as stated in the physical vehicle of an enlightened one (or The Rays and the Initiations, 735. This defini- Buddha), in contradistinction to the dharma- tion does not necessarily exclude the other kaya, which is the universal aspect of an en- meanings used in Buddhist philosophy and lightened one, and the sambhogakaya, which is their echoes or variations in Theosophical ter- the spiritual or ideal nature of an enlightened minology, but the reader should be mindful one on the plane of inner vision. This triple when encountering this term in contexts other structure might be found to conform more or than the Bailey writings. The “nirmanakaya” less to the monad, soul, and personality in the spoken of there may not refer to the Hierar- esoteric occult vocabulary, with the dharma- chical offices specified by the Tibetan under kaya corresponding to the monad, the sam- this word. As ever, the Tibetan’s use of lan- bhogakaya the soul, and the nirmanakaya, the guage is special, perhaps reflecting an inner personality. and Hierarchical tradition that has always

83 H.P. Blavatsky, Theosophical Glossary (re- existed, far pre-dating the appearance of simi- print, 2005; London: Theosophical Publishing Co.,1892), 261. lar terms in subsequent religions and philoso- 84 phies. Geoffrey A. Barborka, Glossary of Sanskrit 64 Terms, 52. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 734. 85 65 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 26. Bailey, Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle, 119 86 – 120. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 579. See 66 Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar also A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1093. 87 Ibid., 874. (reprint, 1979; New York: Lucis Trust, 1951), 88 40. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 1255; The 67 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 269. Rays and the Initiations, 427. In both of these 68 Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 373; Eso- citations, the Tibetan specified the sign, not the teric Astrology, 693. constellation of Sagittarius, so in this case, he 69 Here the words “globe” and “planet’ are inter- was referring to the 30-degree division of the ecliptic identified as the sign of Sagittarius. changeable. 89 70 Mercury is given as the fifth globe in the fourth Here indeed is what might be considered the chain on 373 of A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, and higher component of the prophetic and vision- so it may be in the same chain as is the Earth, ary abilities frequently attributed to the influ- given in the same tabulation as the fourth globe ence of Sagittarius. 90 Staal, The New Patterns in the Sky, 61 – 72. in the fourth chain. 91 71 Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, 43. H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine II (reprint, 72 That Venus is the third planet in this triangle is 1974; Pasadena, CA: Theosophical University Press, 1988), 277. speculatively offered, following upon p. 200 in 92 Discipleship in the New Age II, in which pas- Staal, The New Patterns in the Sky, 64. Recent sage the Tibetan indicated a particular link be- research has re-confirmed this. See Robert tween the Buddhas of Activity and the planet Bauval and Adrian Gilbert, The Orion Mystery (New York: Broadway Books, 1995). Venus. 93 73 Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, 43. See Robert Bauval and Adrian Gilbert, The 74 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 267. Orion Mystery; Robert Bauval and Graham 75 Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, 40. Hancock, The Message of the Sphinx (New 76 York: Broadway Books, 1997). Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 268. 94 77 Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, 200. Bauval and Gilbert, The Orion Mystery, 116; 78 Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, 272. Bauval and Hancock, The Message of the 79 Sphinx, 139, 232. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire, 336. 95 80 Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar,108, 158. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology I (reprint, 1990; 81 Ibid., 38 – 39. New York: Lucis Trust, 1962), 422. 82 John R. Hinnells, ed., A New Dictionary of Re- ligions (reprint, 1998; Oxford, UK: Whiley- Blackwell, 1984), 366.