THE RAINBOW SWASTIKA - Scattered Seed Ministries

claimed to receive. [One might then question the very notion of "theosophy", which means
"knowledge of God". The answer is that Theosophy identifies the individual created being as
the "god" which needs to be known.]
He (It) is nothing more than an Energy Force which is everywhere (and nowhere), in
everything (and in every non-thing). Everything in the universe is God, and is destined to
become God. (One might think that the first would eliminate the need for the second, but the
former is a universal state of being, while the latter is an individual state of consciousness.)
This godhood includes people (with or without physical bodies), animals, objects, planets,
stars and unseen energies, as well as "Nirvana" or the Great Void - where HPB says "all is
absorbed in the spirit of the most Powerful," and individual consciousness and activity cease.
2. Who is the "Hierarchy"? NA history teaches that they appeared (the word used is
"descended") on earth 18 million years ago, during the Lemurian Age, introducing themselves
in both physical and etheric bodies [presumably apparitions] as "Brothers of Light". They
made their home in "Shamballa" (when on the spiritual plane) and (on the physical plane) in
the Gobi Desert, Shigatse and the Himalayas. They are most often referred to as the
"Hierarchy of Ascended Masters", and sometimes as the "Space Brothers" or just the
"Brotherhood" - a group of ancient beings, many of whom once started out on our (earthly
human) plane, but have now evolved to the level where they are no longer shackled by
physical matter and can be considered divine (to be addressed as "great Lord" or "Master").
The flowchart for the Hierarchy is vast and very confusing, but to simplify the picture, Alice
Bailey presents the Hierarchy in various geometric figures throughout her work
_Externalisation of the Hierarchy_. Directly under "The One about whom naught may be
said", is a committee of 7 "Cosmic Logi", followed by 7 "Solar Logi", followed by 7
"Heavenly Men". There are also 7 "Rays" of pure energy emanations. The "Heavenly Man" in
charge of earth's evolution is "Sanat Kumara". Although he is presented as several levels
down from the Top, we have no way to make contact with this being's "colleagues" or
"superiors"; Sanat Kumara is therefore considered the Head of the Hierarchy as far as
earthlings are concerned (see more below).
2a. Upward Mobility on the Cosmic Ladder: Judging by Bailey's multileveled flowcharts,
these enlightened beings are more rank-conscious than any corporation on earth. [Just the
name "Hierarchy" says it all.] When someone is initiated into the "Ageless Wisdom", he starts
on a very long path (spelled out in detail by Bailey in _Initition, Human and Solar_) which
places a premium on self-propelled upward progress, measured by "service". [Please note that
the NA concept of "service" is frequently misunderstood. It is not the volunteerism freely
rendered out of compassion for the less fortunate, which rightly inspires admiration; NA
"service" resembles the bonded conscription now outlawed in most societies - forced labor to
get out of debtor's prison. In short, the motive for "service" on the part of better-informed
NAers is (pardon the pun) intensely self-serving.] At the 1st level, the task of the initiate is to
serve the Plan as a tiny piece in the vast, huge Design, working off his karmic debt as it comes
to him, without complaint. Most enlightened individuals cannot hope to advance beyond this
level in their present lives. The few elite who become 2nd level initiates must dedicate all
their efforts to serve their "group", working out their group karma as a team. Not much is said
in _Initiation_ about 3rd level initiates, who can be assumed to be working out racial karma
(either individual or group service to their race, to bring them "enlightenment" by swelling the
ranks of "world servers"). It is at the 4th level that the enlightened one (now ranked as a
"Master") finally reaches the break-even point with human karma, and begins to help work off
the "planetary" karmic debt. At the 5th level, the Master sheds the restraint of a physical body