Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00704)

 From the glossary for the Voice of the Silence:

(38) Every stage of development in Raja-Yoga is symbolised by a
   geometrical figure. This one is the sacred Triangle and precedes
   Dharana. The is the sign of the high Chelas, while another kind
   of triangle is that of high Initiates. It is the symbol "I"
   discoursed upon by Buddha and used by him as a symbol of the
   embodied form of Tathagata when released from the three methods
   of the Prajna. Once the preliminary and lower stages passed, the
   disciple sees no more the but the -- the abbreviation of the --,
   the full Septenary. Its true form is not given here, as it is
   almost sure to be pounced upon by some charlatans and--
   desecrated in its use for fraudulent purposes.

[20]

(39) The star that burns overhead is "the star of initiation". The
   caste-mark of Shaivas, or devotees of the sect of Shiva, the
   great patron of all Yogis, is a black round spot, the symbol of
   the Sun now, perhaps, but that of the star of initiation, in
   Occultism, in days of old.

Keith:

I have said (as has Blavatsky) that theosophy has been passed down through the
ages in hidden or non-verbal form such as astrological symbolism, numerology and
sacred geometry as well as pictorial mandalas and even representational art.

The voice of the silence has spoken to those of the Pythagorean and latter
schools throug the forms of sacred geometry contained in the yantra or madalas
of Eastern art and in the West through the contemplation of the Platonic solids.

When she says in the Secret Doctrine that she sees a circle, then a circle with
a single dot etc. she is looking at symbols familiar to astrologers as the sign
for spirit and the sun resprectively.  The geometry of the solids gives clues to
the cyrstallization of spirit in matter as an organizing principle.  Initiation
may be a similar crystallization to a new level of consciousness brought about
by the inpouring of the divine organizing forces that one links to when
comtemplating and accesing the voice.

Vinna or the lute also shows music's ability to transform consciousness and
transmute the astral into a channel for the higher energies.  I like New Age
music and use it to still the "monkey mind" and release tension so as to
"paralyze" temporarily the intoxication with everyday concerns and to travel to
levels that otherwise would not be accessible to me at my stage of development
safely.

I often feel an electricity and a sleep-type paralysis enter my body when
listening to this music, yet remain awake and alert.  I especially like Raphael
and am currently listening to his "Angels of the Deep" album which he calls his
"oceanic tantra".  The cut "Initiation" seems to provide, for me, a opening to a
new level of consciousness.   Chanting is a major part of the Buddist tradition
and I am sure Blavatsky was exposed to this form of ritualized yoga of sound in
her travels to the East.

I carry the music in my head throughout the day as a link to the meditative
states and they allow me to access the music of the spheres while in a traffic
jam (which is of great benefit in Houston).

Namaste
Keith Price