Lower+Quaternary

Lower Quaternary
The Lower Quaternary consists of: 1. The lower mind. 2. The Emotional or kamic body. 3. Prana, the Life Principle or vital energy. 4. The etheric double of the physical body, or the highest division of the twofold physical body.

This basically represents our vehicles that our consciousness occupies within the three worlds of form. This composes the lower self, or consciousness.

There are several correspondences to the four sides of the Quaternary. One is the city of the New Jerusalem, a city that lies foursquare. The city with the four sides represents the highest perfection that can be achieved in form. Those who enter the city must have the lower quaternary, the four parts of the lower self, dominated by the life of the Spirit.

The four horses of the apocalypse are closely aligned with the lower quaternary, which in turned are aligned with the energies of the lower centers.

Definition by JJ Dewey. Read 1000s of JJ's writings at [|freeread.com]

Some quotes from DK:

Many people are not only under the control of some one or other of their forms but are the captives of all the three. In studying the lower threefold man and the energies or lives that seek to control him it should be remembered that they fall into three categories: The Rays and the Initiations, P 9
 * 1) The individual tiny lives which we call the atoms or cells of the body. These exist in three groups and compose respectively the four **types of bodies: dense physical, etheric, astral and mental**.
 * 2) The aggregate of these lives which constitute in themselves four types of elementals or separate coherent, though not self-conscious, existences. These four lunar lords constitute what the Ageless Wisdom teaching calls "**the four sides of the square**." They are the "**lower quaternary**" "the imprisoning cubes," or the cross upon which the inner spiritual Man is to be crucified. These four elementals have an intelligence all their own, are upon the involutionary arc, are following the law of their own being when they tend to become powerful, and thereby fully express that which is in them.

Our solar system, with the Pleiades and one of the stars of the Great Bear, form a cosmic triangle, or an aggregation of three centers in the Body of //Him of// //Whom naught may be said.// The seven stars in the constellation of the Great Bear are the correspondences to the seven head centers in the body of that Being, greater than our Logos. Again, two other systems, when allied with the solar system and the Pleiades, make a lower quaternary which are eventually synthesized into the seven head centers in much the same way as in the human being after the fourth initiation." (C. F. 182)

The //Personality Ray// deals with the first four spirillae, and is the source of their stimulation. Note here the correspondence to the **lower quaternary** and its stimulation by the ego. TOCF, P 71 Of the various karmic agencies wielded by man in the way of molding himself and surroundings, sound or speech is the most important, for, to speak is to work in ether which of course rules the **lower quaternary of elements, air, fire, water and earth**. Human sound or language contains therefore all the elements required to move the different classes of Devas and those elements are of course the vowels and the consonants. The details of the philosophy of sound in its relation to the devas who preside over the subtle world, belong to the domain of true Mantra Sastra which of course is in the hands of the knowers." - //Some Thoughts on the Gita//, p. 72.

A man contains within himself three major principles, - will, love-wisdom, active intelligence or adaptability - and their differentiation into the seven principles. These, making the eventual ten of perfected manifestation, are in process of vitalization, but have not yet attained full expression. Only four principles in man are active, and he is in process of developing the fifth, or manasic principle. Note how perfect is the analogy between man, viewed as the lower quaternary developing the principle of mind, and the atom with its four spirillae active, and the fifth in process of stimulation. TOCF, P 248

Therefore we have: > Pure Spirit. > The one and only. > First aspect - Atma or spiritual will. > Second aspect - Buddhi, the Christ principle. > Third aspect - Manas, or higher mind. > The body egoic or causal body.  > 1. The mental body. > 2. The astral or emotional body. 8 > 3. Prana, or vital energy. > 4. Etheric body. TOCF, P 262
 * //Monad, the microcosmic absolute//.
 * //The monadic trinity//.
 * //The Son aspect in objectivity//.
 * //The lower quaternary//.

In the third root race came the third Outpouring, the merging and the point of contact between the Spiritual Triad and the Lower Quaternary. TOCF, P 599

The etheric center of our planetary Logos being in matter of the fourth cosmic ether (the buddhic plane) stimulates at present His lower quaternary, our three worlds of human endeavor. TOCF, P 649

As we have seen, the work of the Agnishvattas on the mental plane resulted in a downflow of force or energy from the Monad (or Spirit) and this, in conjunction with the energy of the lower quaternary produced the appearance of the body of the Ego on the mental plane. TOCF, P 712

Spirit uses the Soul, or the Ego, as a vehicle of enlightenment, and the Ego uses the lower Quaternary as its medium of expression. TOCF, P 819

A man, therefore, may take initiation on each plane, but only those initiations which mark his transference from a //lower four into a higher three// are considered so in the real sense of the word, and only those in which a man transfers his consciousness from the lower quaternary into the triad are major initiations. Initiation, Human and Solar, P 180 In the first solar system the three lower centers were developed and with them the occultist has naught to do. They form the basis of the development of the **lower quaternary before individualization**, but are now transcended and the divine fire must be focalized in other and higher centers. Letters on Occult Meditation, P 72 The occult student, therefore, from the standpoint of color has two things to do in meditation. Letters on Occult Meditation, P 241
 * 1) To discover his three major colors as manifested in the Personality, the Ego, and the Monad.
 * 2) To resolve then the **lower quaternary** into the three, the first stage of which is consciously to withdraw into the Ego and so atrophy the lower self. The student begins by eliminating the colors that are not desirable, killing out all low or coarse vibration and eventually so refining his vehicles that the three major colors - of which he is the expression - shine out with perfect clarity. This leads him up to the third initiation. After that, he seeks to resolve the three into the one until he has withdrawn all his consciousness from the lower vehicles into the monadic sheath.

//Untouched by limitation.// He is no longer "cribbed, cabined and confined" by the lower quaternary. He is no longer crucified upon the cross of matter. The four lower sheaths - dense, etheric, emotional and mental - are no longer his prison. They are but instruments which he can use or vacate at will. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, P 48

This sixfold process is the correspondence upon the Path of Discipleship, of the individualizing process, wherein animal man, the lower **quaternary (physical, etheric, astral and lower mental)** received that twofold expression of spirit, atma-buddhi, spiritual will and spiritual love, which completed him and made him truly man. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, P 180

Comments from Readers:

Ruth writes: Lower Quaternary How does "the city foursquare" correspond to this?

First, just off the top of my head:

Base = 12 + 1 = 13 = 1 + 3 = 4

Higher three/Lower Four

Four corners - Earth, Wind, Fire, Water - four points - Angelic builders

City Four square (guess this is a Bible term) - Base of Zion - Base of Christ Consciousness. Base chakra (foundational life energies, lights up all the other chakras), plus sacral, solar plexus and heart.

The Fourth Ray is called the Ray of Harmony through Conflict.

The building of the city foursquare or Zion is perhaps achieved through Ray 4 energies of Harmony through conflict both in the Disciple's process of purification and the process of purification of building Zion, plus with the 7th Ray energies.

"Four and square" when properly synthesized creates the higher triangle shape from that base, hence the symbol of the square, then becoming also the triangle which is the symbol for this Universe etc.

Ruth

Quote from:

http://www.theosoci ety.org/pasadena /etgloss/ q-rec.htm

"Quaternary A group of four; the number four, fourfold. Many quaternary groupings may be made. The septenate is divisible into three and four, usually as the higher triad and the lower quaternary; here the quaternary is terrestrial as opposed to celestial, mortal as opposed to immortal, material as opposed to spiritual. It is seen in the four lower human principles, the four lower cosmic elements, the fourfold shapes in physical bodies, etc. It is the square of the number 2; the first of the regular polyhedra is the tetrahedron or triangular pyramid , having four sides and four corners. The septenate may otherwise be regarded as two triangles and a central point, as in Solomon's seal; and this gives two quaternaries, a higher and a lower, by adding the point to either of the triangles. These two quaternaries are also called the higher and lower -- or celestial and terrestrial -- tetraktys. The higher group is given in Platonism as: to agathon, nous, psyche, and hyle; and the lower group is the four cosmic elements of fire, earth, air, and water. The lower tetraktys is said to be the root of illusion or mahamaya, and this is what the Tetragrammaton, or four-lettered name, becomes in materialized Judaism.

Deity is spoken of as fourfold, the four-faced Brahma, the creative Logos which is a three-in-one with its emanated light as a fourth; or in another system, the ineffable, silence, father, and truth; or again in still another system the three flames and four wicks. Of the seven groups of angels or higher dhyani-chohans, the rupa-dhyanis form a quaternary; often in exoteric writings only four of seven are mentioned, the higher three being esoteric.

The two principal meanings of the quaternary are summed up in the tetraktys; it has four planes, and the fourth plane is in itself a four. The higher triad with the material world added as a pendant unit makes a quaternary; and this material world unfolded makes a new quaternary. There is a celestial or spiritual quaternary, just as there is a material and physical quaternary; and the element-principles of the universe may be so divided that an intermediate quaternary springs into view."

"Revelation 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal."

Bryan writes: In the works of AAB/DK, the words "lower quaternary" are used to described the four (lower quaternary) elements of elements: air, fire, water and earth.

In describing the essential nature of the personality -- or "the lower threefold man" consisting of the three lower elemental aspects of the physical, the astral & the mental -- and the associated energies or lives that seek to control him, in fact DK also states that "many people are not only under the control of some one or other of their forms but are the captives of all the three."

In any event, these three lower aspects of the threefold man -- physical, the astral & the mental -- are made up of four types of "bodies": dense physical, etheric, astral and mental.

In "A Treastis On Cosmic Fire ," the lower quaternary is described as the mental body ; the astral or emotional body; Prana, or vital energy; and, the etheric body.

Overall it appears that "the lower quaternary" is either the casual body or is what creates and/or maintains it -- and also is our three worlds of human endeavor -- or the worlds of form.

As it relates to the city foursquare -- the city "foursquare" is scripturally associated with basic description and "foundation" (literally and figuratively/ symbolically) for "The City Of God" and/or the building of The New Jerusalem -- and/or "that" which is to come from heaven.

In the archived article at:

http://www.freeread .com/archives/ 3471.php

JJ states that this city will be built by those who have overcome the/their lower nature -- indicating that the city cannot be built until there is a group who has overcome their "lower selves."

Therefore, it appears that various correspondences can be made to include, and of course -- not limited to:

Just as the basic building blocks -- or "cubes" comprised of the basic four elements are used to create the foursquare foundation for the "heavenly" city of God (the New Jerusalem ) -- where those who have overcome their "lower selves" (lower quaternaries) -- and which also provides a place for "the spirit of God " to dwell -- that the "lower quaternary" -- when "overcome" or mastered, that the four basic elements of the casual body are used as the building blocks for the creation of "the heavenly man" or "the temple of God " where the (indwelling) "spirit of God" can have a place to lay his head.

The word (and number) "foursquare" also has a numeric correspondence to the building blocks of totality in the universe, and to many other numeric & symbolic of aspects the building, description and the inhabitants of "the heavenly city." (New Jerusalem).

Note in the following AAB/DK quote the correspondences and/or references to the four sides of the square, cubes, the cross, and the four lunar lords:

"The aggregate of these lives which constitute in themselves four types of elementals or separate coherent, though not self-conscious, existences. These four lunar lords constitute what the Ageless Wisdom teaching calls "the four sides of the square." They are the "lower quaternary" "the imprisoning cubes," or the cross upon which the inner spiritual Man is to be crucified. These four elementals have an intelligence all their own, are upon the involutionary arc, are following the law of their own being when they tend to become powerful, and thereby fully express that which is in them."

("The Rays and the Initiations - Part One")

Ruth adds: > In the works of AAB/DK, the words "lower quaternary" are used to described the four (lower quaternary) elements of elements: air, fire, water and earth.

> In any event, these three lower aspects of the threefold man -- physical, the astral & the mental -- are made up of four types of "bodies": dense physical, etheric, astral and mental.

So Earth would be "dense physical/form/ body", Water = "astral/emotional body", Air = "Mind or mental body " and Fire = "etheric"?

Base chakra = Earth Sacral = Air? Solar Plexus = Water Heart = Fire?

So the goal is to control, or rather not be controlled by these lower Devic and elemental lives working through Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, and then building through the higher Devas/ArchAngels who work with Earth, Wind, Fire, Water.

> As it relates to the city foursquare -- the city "foursquare" is scripturally associated with basic description and "foundation" (literally and figuratively/ symbolically) for "The City Of God" and/or the building of The New Jerusalem -- and/or "that" which is to come from heaven.

The Base (chakra) which the square is a symbol of, and the foundation, is also the reversed reflection of the Crown chakra which is Will/Power and Monad, hence the building from the bottom up in this case. Heaven being the Crown chakra or higher consciousness and Monad or Father.