Ten Esoteric Cycles/Stages - Part II (Recreation, Regeneration, Reorientation, and Renunciation)

(HZ: Please note that this ten-part series is just a review of Alice A Bailey’s Esoteric Works in respect to cycles and stages with a few additions plus some experiential heuristic observations and as a rule does not contain reified source impressions received during meditation.)

Four Major Evolution Sub-cycles of Soul Directional Impulses: Recreation, Regeneration, Reorientation, and Renunciation

The Cycle of Evolution, as well as each incarnation (or sub-cycle of evolution), can be seen to be composed of an esoteric cycle consisting of four stages of relationship between the self and the not-self within each incarnation related to the form creation and destruction process. This sub-cycle of evolution is characterized by four related stages: re-creation, regeneration, reorientation, and renunciation. These four stages will only be introduced in this chapter but expanded upon in later chapters. These four terms describe the fundamental four stages of a cycle of form creation, identification, and later dis-identification by a human unit evolving their sheath sensitivity and awareness through substance qualified and organized into forms. This process can be understood as a sequential and directional set of four basic soul impulses or motivations associated to its creative form identification processes.

These four stages can be seen also to take place under the Law of Sacrifice in general operating upon the cosmic physical plane with the larger context of a Cycle of Evolution. This is due to the fact of if deity self-sacrificing Itself to take form to carry out some purpose giving rise to planetary existence and the seven kingdoms.

These four stages can be seen also to be conditioned by all seven Laws of the Soul or the Law of Groups acting upon the individualized human souls in body discussed later. The Law of Sacrifice is the first law of the soul that average man (or human soul) responds to consciously. This becomes apparent outwardly at a certain stage of evolution once they begin to exhibit a sense of responsibility to their inner and reflected outer environments. These seven Laws of the Soul or Laws of the Group Soul are introduced in “Part 6”.

These four stages can be applied to either a complete cycle of evolution, or a series of lives focused on some soul related group purpose intent, or a sub-cycle of evolution pertaining to an incarnation, or a twelve year cycle of Jupiter influences; and basically, any other cycle related to form creation, identification, use, and dis-identification per the form’s life-cycle process. These stages will be progressively discussed and referenced throughout this narrative. The nature of the four stages is due to the underlying purpose and sequentially linked plan symbolized by the goal expressed at the end of the cycle of evolution. The cycle of evolution goal can be seen to be conditioned by various known and unknown laws such as the Law of Economy, the Law of Attraction, Law of Groups, the Law of Synthesis, the Law of Compassion, and the Law of Freedom which are given as overarching spiritual occult laws operating on this planet.

In respect to the human units’ evolutionary point in the cycle of evolution the four stages of re-creation, regeneration, reorientation, and renunciation are descriptive of those spirits-souls-personalities, who are embodied in logoic substance, as to their present integration stage in respect to their degree of personality-soul-spirit integration they are demonstrating. Their progression within an overall cycle of evolution depicts the eventual results of the many astrological cyclical impacts over time upon one’s field of substance (consciousness and matter), reacted to and responded to. These cyclical available influences are either responded to, developed, and expressed or not according to the progressed receptivity of the sheaths and the awareness of the self. Underlying various levels and types of consciousness.

Some major astrological impacts acknowledged and studied by students of astrology are the natal return cycles of Uranus’s based upon a 84 (7 x 12) year cycle; Saturn’s 28 (4 x 7) year cycle, and Jupiter’s twelve year cycle producing its attracting and blending of influences available due to its transiting process through the twelve zodiacal constellations life after life. The maturational cycle and the integration cycle, covered in Chapter III, which will be shown to be basically controlled by astrological cycles and are the sources of the forces underlying the movement through these seasonal stages. Two of these basic astrological cycles are Uranus and Saturn as they work together to condition the form activity potential. For an aspirant, the first three seven-year maturational cycles, or from birth to age-21, symbolizes the form or appearance re-creation stage. It is given that the chakras or sheath potential will again reach the same developed stage from the previous incarnation at around age 21. This chakra level of unfoldment, means that they will have the same level of capacity to demonstrate the three basic aspects and seven basic dual principles as they had in their last life through their personality three sheaths – mental, astral, and physical. This is more fully explored in Chapter III.

The four stages of re-creation, regeneration, reorientation, and renunciation together depict a major overall cycle qualifying the soul’s directional form related creative impulses through the cycle of evolution and also through each of its more obvious sub-cycles or re- incarnation period. The first state of re-creation, or moving into form incarnation life after life, leads eventually to the point in the reorientation stage where the soul begins to move away from form identification per one form or another inherent within the overall three personality sheaths or vehicle of form activity.

The following generalities might be observed, in respect to an overall cycle of evolution, as to the link with the influences of the three crosses in unfolding of the three major periodic (aspect) vehicles – monad, soul and personality. Each major aspect is composed of seven major dual principles and the unfoldment of these major aspect principles are likewise linked to the influences of the three crosses. Each of these three major aspect principles is also dual – subjective and objective principles but combined when in body. This stage is descriptive of the advanced man and the aspirant stage of development. The following quote(s) basically captures this viewpoint in respect to the seven principles.

The first state of re-creation, representing the soul’s impulse to move into some third aspect type of new form activity creation and embodiment. Each if the four stages can be associated with the development and expression some set of aspect related set of principles and associated major cross. This third Aspect Principles (subjective and objective principles): can be associated with this re-creation stage and the mutable cross.

It might be useful here to consider another enumeration of the principles of man as he manifests in the three worlds, the planes whereon the subjective and the objective are united. What have we there? Let us begin where man begins, with the lowest:

The etheric body 1. The vital body.

Prana 2. Vital force.

Kama-manas 3. Desire Mind.

Lower mind 4. Concrete mind.

Manas 5. Higher or abstract mind.

Buddhi 6. Wisdom, Christ force, intuition.

Atma 7. Spiritual Will.

This is the lowest enumeration for little evolved man at the present time.

Regeneration, the first stage where the soul’s impulse now is to expand the maturated form, from its present third aspect principle expression capacity, to also express its developed major second (quality) aspect principle primarily capacity. In general, the regeneration stage potentials are also are partially due to the nascent result of the fixed cross’s influences playing upon the mutable cross’s influences although impulsed by the first aspect. This stage is descriptive of the probationary disciple stage of development. The following quote basically captures this viewpoint in respect to the seven principles.

Third aspect objective principles:

The seven vehicles employed:

The atmic sheath.
The buddhic vehicle.
The causal or egoic body.
The mental body.
The astral body.
The etheric body.
The dense physical.

Two synthesising bodies:

The causal body.

The physical body.

One synthesising body:

The monadic sheath.

TCF, pp.262-265

Second Aspect Principles:

In these various enumerations of the principles we are dealing with them (as H. P. B. has pointed out they must be dealt with) from differing standpoints, dependent upon the stage reached and the angle of vision. We have considered them thus in answering question six because we have sought to emphasize and to impress clearly upon our minds that the three lines of development must be remembered when considering the evolution of the Manasaputras (combined second aspect subjective and objective principles for the disciples):

First Principle The sphere of manifestation, the monadic egg.

Second Principle Atma, Will.

Third Principle Buddhi Pure reason, wisdom.

Fourth Principle Manas Pure mind, higher mind.

Fifth Principle Manas Lower mind.

Sixth Principle Kama-manas

Seventh Principle Pure emotion, or feeling.

Reorientation is due to partially to the nascent cardinal cross influences playing upon the other two crosses influences producing subjective activity particularly conditioned by Aries and Libra. Reorientation is descriptive of the probationary disciple and probationary initiate stages in the overall cycle of evolution. Furthermore, each human unit likewise expresses these four stages when transiting some soul crisis reflected in the personality and wanting to change themselves and thus their environment. This stage is descriptive of the accepted discipleship and probationary initiate stages. The following basically captures this viewpoint in respect to the seven principles from the point of view of the Ego.

Second Aspect Principles (combined subjective and objective)

From the standpoint of the Ego what can be seen?

1. The Absolute…Atma. Pure will-to-be.

2. The Duad: Buddhi………Pure reason, wisdom & Manas……….Pure mind.

3. The causal body.

4. Lower mind.

5. Kama-manas.

6. Prana.

7. The etheric body.

Renunciation in all areas of form life in the three-worlds is the result of the successful blending of the influences of the three crosses and the resultant responses by the initiate leading to new freedoms from matter and form influences. It is also descriptive of the initiate stage.

First aspect Principles (combined subjective and objective principles) from the perspective of the spiritual Unit or Man:

The Absolute The Monad.
Prakriti Active intelligence. The Divine Manasaputra.
Purusha Love-Wisdom. The Vishnu aspect.

On the plane of objectivity.

III 3. Atma The Triad.

Buddhi The Triad.
Manas The Triad.
The life of the Heavenly Man in Whose body the human Monad finds a place.
The life of the Logos in Whose body the Heavenly Man finds place.

The reorientation stage leads to the reversal on the path and takes place once the probationary disciple begins to respond to the Heart of the Sun (the WORD). During the early efforts of the personality towards reorientation there is the first the unconscious and partial response to the Heart of the Sun through the first and up to the second initiation, while on the fixed cross, and at the second initiation the response by the human soul in body and the personality becomes quickly very conscious of the Heart of the Sun’s (or the Word) influences and moves quickly into the world of meaning and from that point forward the disciple begins to live the dual life of the disciple. Once the dual life is consciously demonstrating in brain awareness, and this is required for the accepted discipleship, he can now enter upon the final twelve tests which takes place only upon the path of initiation. The path of renunciation and liberation is undertaken through each of the twelve signs under the influence of all three crosses although the cardinal cross produces those significant dynamic points of crisis and polarization leading to fusion and synthesis upon the path of initiation but particular in those signs of the fixed cross. Up through the third initiation. The regeneration, reorientation, and renunciation stages or impulses directions of the soul which corresponds respectively and in general to the invocations of the esoteric influences of the three crosses. The re-creation stage symbolizes the exoteric influences of the three crosses generically under the soul Law of Sacrifice.

The first major freedom is freedom of the three-worlds demonstrated by the personality in consciousness which takes place during the end of the reorientation stage under the soul Law of Service process before the stage of renunciation beginning under the Law of Repulse. The freedom of the three-worlds is the result of the blending of the lower two crosses. The first major freedom demonstrated upon the path of initiation is freedom of the planet meaning initial awareness’s of their freedom of the lower five planes in consciousness due to the initial blending of the three crosses, but mostly due to the influences of the fixed cross, leading later to an initial awareness’s of freedom of consciousness upon the seven subplanes of the cosmic physical plane due mostly to the conditioning of the cardinal cross after the third initiation requirements met. The experience of the two higher sub-planes of the cosmic physical is limited on the path of initiation except during the training participation within the field of the higher initiations. It is difficult for the initiate to know for sure his consciousness degree of dimensional activity as a spirit-soul-personality without some critical level of experience and higher inner sense unfoldment related to the planes in question. The reason being is that they need to be interpreted within the world of the presence, causation, significance and meaning through the higher mind and later the lower mind and brain and thus very symbolic. The experience of these dimensions through the developing monadic awareness is qualified by Be-ness and divinity identification through one’s own identity with the Father aspect of the Whole or Unknown. This opens one up to cosmic awareness’s not before encountered. These awareness’s are due to those more advanced within the field of initiation which includes all grades of initiates. All expand or evolve through the efforts of all.

Recreation, regeneration, reorientation and renuncuation are expanded on continuously in the following chapters or parts as are the other significant esoteric cycles.

Written by HZ 2018-2023

Ten Esoteric Cycles/Stages – Part I (Cycle of Evolution)
Ten Esoteric Cycles/Stages – Part II (Recreation, Regeneration, Reorientation, and Renunciation)