Treatise on Cosmic Fire [Hardcover]

Alice A. Bailey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1986 | ISBN-10: 0853300178 | ISBN-13: 978-0853300175

Although this book was one of the first to be written by Alice Bailey in collaboration with the Tibetan, it is probably the most timeless, profound and least understood. "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire" deals with the underlying structure of occult teaching for the present era, with vast cosmic processes reproduced though all areas of life from universe to atom. It is, therefore, no book for the proof-demanding concrete mind, or for those who dabble in the spectacular and the phenomenal. The true student, however, the seriously applied aspirant, will find his mind stimulated and his consciousness expanded. The book is dedicated to Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, and is said to be "the psychological key to the Cosmic Creation". Certainly in its revelation of relationship and correspondences throughout the Cosmos, all aspects of life unfolding through consciousness are included, based on the aphorism - "Having pervaded the entire universe with one fragment of Myself, I remain." The One Life manifests through all form within the universe as fiery energy; and the three main streams of cosmic energy, differentiated into seven systemic rays, are shown in relation to the three aspects of fire controlling all manifested life: Electric Fire, the Fire of Spirit; Solar Fire, the Fire of Mind; Fire by Friction, the Internal Fires. A large section of the book is directed to a detailed exposition of Solar Fire, the Fire of Mind, since this is the dominant energy to be understood and controlled during this second solar system. The cosmic Laws operating through the system are shown in relation to the lesser laws of planetary origin and the laws of nature, operating through substance, as distinct from the life and the consciousness of the planet. In her foreword to the book, the author mentions a five-fold purpose within its teaching; briefly: (a) To provide a compact and skeleton outline of a scheme of cosmology, philosophy and psychology which may serve as a reference and textbook; (b) As an elucidation of the relation between Spirit and Matter, demonstrating as consciousness; (c) To show the coherent development of all that is found within a solar system and to demonstrate that everything evolves; (d) To give practical information about focal points of energy found in the etheric bodies of the Solar Logos, the macrocosm, and of man, the microcosm; (e) To give some information of the place and work of those sentient lives who form the essence of objectivity, and to indicate the nature of the Hierarchies of Existences who form out of their own substance all that is seen and known. These five objectives, and more, the book encompasses; for the effect in the individual consciousness is such that theories become transcended and the mind begins to experience through contemplative thought what the words on paper reveal to the intelligence. The finite human mind can touch its cosmic origins and its fiery essence when it opens to the three cosmic Laws of Synthesis, of Attraction and of Economy. The fire of love, the flame of life within the heart, is the touchstone for all intuitive thought, and the alchemist to the dense materiality of gross substance.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The books of Alice A. Bailey, written in cooperation with a Tibetan teacher between 1919-1949, constitute a continuation of the Ageless Wisdom--a body of esoteric teaching handed down from ancient times in a form which is always suitable to each period. Intended to precede and condition the coming era, the Alice A. Bailey writings offer an unparalleled spiritual approach to such subjects as the teaching on Shamballa and the Path of spiritual evolution; the spiritual Hierarchy; the new discipleship and training in meditation as a form of service; the teaching on the seven rays and the new psychology of the soul; the teaching on esoteric astrology; and the new world religion, which emphasizes the common thread of truth linking all the major world faiths. Alice A. Bailey, (1880-1949) From her conservative British background, Alice Bailey's life led her in many directions, but always in one direction--towards the time when through drastic personal experience of many kinds she had acquired a synthesis of outlook and understanding, and an absolute conviction that one divine life pervades and animates the one humanity; that the Plan for humanity requires the cooperation and service of trained and dedicated human beings intelligently informed about world affairs, in collaboration with those who form the spiritual Hierarchy, the inner government of the p lanet. Her life work became an integral part of this synthesis and this realization. Without in the least losing any of her very human qualities and involvement, her soul took up its commitment to her Master, and her personality provided full cooperation in the field of her accepted service. Basically her work developed as a duality--her discipleship service which included the establishment of an esoteric school; and her initially reluctant agreement to work with the Tibetan, Djwhal Khul, in the writing of a series of books presenting the next phase in the continuity of the Ageless Wisdom teaching for the present and the immediate future. An extract from the Tibetan teacher, written in 1934 briefly explains the intent of these teachings: "The books that I have written are sent out with no claim for their acceptance. They may, or may not, be correct, true and useful. It is for you to ascertain their truth by right practice and by the exercise of the intuition. Neither I nor A.A.B. is the least interested in having them acclaimed as inspired writing, or in having anyone speak of them (with bated breath) as being the work of one of the masters. If they present truth in such a way that it follows sequentially upon that already offered in the world teachings, if the information given raises the aspiration and the will-to-serve from the plane of the emotions to that of the mind (the plane whereon the Masters can be found) then they will have served their purpose. If the teaching conveyed calls forth a response from the illumined mind of the worker in the world, and brings a flashing forth of the intuition, then let that teaching be accepted. But not otherwise. If the statements meet with eventual corroboration, or are deemed true under the test of the Law of Correspondences, then that is well and good. But should this not be so, let not the student accept what is said."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1342 pages
• Publisher: Lucis Publishing Company (June 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0853300178
• ISBN-13: 978-0853300175
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.9 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,034,392 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ALICE A. BAILEY (1880-1949) From her conservative British background, Alice Bailey's life led her in many directions, but always towards the time when she acquired: (1) A synthesis of outlook and understanding leading to an absolute conviction that one divine life pervades and animates the one humanity; (2) A realization that the Plan for humanity requires the cooperation and service of trained and dedicated human beings intelligently informed about world affairs, in collaboration with those who form the spiritual Hierarchy, the inner government of the planet. From that point on, Alice Bailey's life work became an integral part of this synthesis and this realization. Without losing any of her very human qualities and involvement, her soul took up its commitment to her Master, and her personality provided full cooperation in the field of her accepted service. Basically Alice Bailey's work developed as a duality, her discipleship service which included the establishment of the Arcane School; and her initially reluctant agreement to work with the Tibetan, Djwhal Khul, in the writing of a series of spiritual books. A total of twenty-four books were written by Alice Bailey. These books constitute a continuation of the Ageless Wisdom, a body of esoteric teaching handed down from ancient times in a form which is always suitable to each period. Intended to precede and condition the New Age, the Alice Bailey books offer an unparalleled spiritual approach to the teaching on Shamballa and the Path of spiritual evolution; the spiritual Hierarchy; the new discipleship and training in meditation as a form of service; the teaching on the seven rays and the new psychology of the soul; and the common thread of truth linking all the major world faiths. In addition to her work as an author and lecturer, Alice Bailey established the Lucis Publishing Company, making the teachings of Djwhal Khul available to spiritual seekers and students around the world for over 75 years. Reprinting of the books is financed through a revolving Fund under the administration of the Lucis Trust, a non-profit organization also founded by Alice A. Bailey. No royalties are paid and copyrights are owned by the Lucis Trust. Through these organizations, Alice Bailey provided for the continued publication of these teachings beyond her physical lifetime.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding and classifying the Livingness of Matter, January 5, 2000

By 

Dr Geo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treatise on Cosmic Fire (Hardcover)

This truly extraordinary book (abbreviated TCF) contains information at several levels. If you read and understand this book you will know and understand the Secret of Life. Matter is energy, as we know from E=mc(squared) but this book talks of all energy and matter as Life! This Life evolves at the atomic level, human level, planetary level, etc.
TCF has succeeded in describing and classifying many types of life inherent to matter/energy. It talks of the sumtotal of Life on the Physical Plane, the Astral Plane, the Mental Plane. Everything ever written about auras in Theosophical or New Age texts can be understood at depth in TCF. It talks about the chakras; not just the human ones, but those of animal/vegetable/mineral, and of the larger Lives such as for a Planetary Being (Logos).
The reader will soon see that TCF is an ambitious book; its words painting the inner bodies of humanity and a description of the Egoic Lotus or the vehicle of the human soul which "sends down" incarnations.
The remarkable thing about TCF is its coherence as a workable theory. Properly understood, it generalizes just about every New Age and Religious belief system, without being sectarian in any way. It accepts the sanctity of the Buddha, the Christ and other World Teachers. If you understand the "14 Rules of White Magic" from TCF you will have no need for Wicca as all of what it represents is subsumed in the knowledge of various devas and elementals. The "14 Rules" were themselves expanded into AAB's book "A Treatise on White Magic", which is written at a more superficial level than TCF.
My first reflective/meditative reading of TCF took me six months of daily 1 to 3 hour sessions in 1986. Even today, I count this time spent in real terms as an asset more valuable than my joy for knowledge which led me to obtain a PhD in mathematics.
My physical lifespan is of course limited. However, the insight I've gained from this book will serve me long after this incarnation is at an end.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, July 24, 2002

By 

Catherine Gallanti "www.cosmicessence.com" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Treatise on Cosmic Fire (Hardcover)

Deep, profound, complicated and eventually simple, like all truths....I have had this book for several years, I have read parts of many times and I am just about to delve into it yet again. A book to read and digest slowly. The information is so profound it takes time to assimilate and a certain level of previous understanding of metaphysical concepts to grasp at all. Not for the beginner on the path, just as a doctorate level physics text is not enjoyable for someone in secondary school. It takes some patience and dedication but is very much worth the effort. Profound.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lucidity for the Soul, April 9, 2001

By 

Martin O'Connell (Somerville, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treatise on Cosmic Fire (Hardcover)

In my opinion this book was written for the training of the Soul and not the personality. It has been my opinion that this is a book written in a harmonic that resonates in understanding at a level above the concrete mind and should be read through even if not completely understood at the moment of reading.

I have had others verbally express the same opinion as above to me without my input. In my opinion this is a book that will keep coming back at you for a very long time.

Of the hundreds of books of similar orientation that I have read, I consider this one book to be the most Lucid! Of the approximately 1300 pages, the first 6 to 7 hundred addressing the creation of reality through mind, may change the way you participate with life!

As Buckeroo Banzai said, " No matter where you go, there you are!"

Also worth reading (though not at the level of the above, but still superb!) I. K. Taimni (Science of Occultism, and his other books) Torkom Saraydarian (Especially his Science of Meditation, and Science)