COMMENTARY ABOUT THE FIRST FEW PAGES OF THE SECRET DOCTRINE

LUCIFEROUS describes the radiance of the first-principle born from the Great Mother and Father-GOD in nearly every ancient cosmogony. Here, we will give a different meaning of lucifer, or the morning star, that is based upon the Graeco-Roman MYSTERIES, known under the titles Phanes, Archeus, Apollo, etc. The arch-angel (god) Lux (or Lucifer) represents beyond the myths of eōsphoros and Venus, an ancient primeval deity, known as Prōtogonos (Gr. Πρωτογόνος). Prōtogonos is Phanes, the myth of the “first-born” light, and concerns the idea of the first-born god in archaic references to Light-gods. PHANES is the principle in the initial stages of the Theogonies (birth of the gods) of every great ancient nation. This principle underwent from its base origins, a change into what has commonly become known as the Sidereal, or Astral Light.

What I refer to as luciferous Prōtogonos based on using a number of foundational mythical characters, and without any allusion to the Christian view of EVIL is:

1. DEITY, in the form of αἰθήρ aithēr and in its essence, Magnes (Lat. prima materia). It is the germ of all things, and the “Son of the DARKNESS” — the Son of CHAOS, Unknown Space in The Secret Doctrine Commentaries; and
2. The first (eldest) God (principle) to emerge out of the Depths of the WATER (Mother-SPIRIT), or from the undifferentiated CHAOS (Space), and the primary aspect of the prima materia. The mystery is referred to as ‘Mother, Father, Son or Daughter’ depending on the myth. The “first-born” is also technically Magnes in the ante-genesis philosophical theogonies. This is the combination of ‘Father-Son’ in the ante-Christian mythologies, esoterically. The Father and Son are referenced often as light or fire-gods. In Occultism, the first stage of the cosmic scene is Fiery, and from this are born worlds.

The shadow of the Prōtogonos, or its magnes (a concept of the Medieval Alchemists and Oracles) is the sidereal LIGHT. This COSMIC ELEMENT or force is called Lucifer by Eliphas Levi. Eliphas Levi termed it Lucifer through Christian terminology; although it is tied to a theory about the medium of light, and not a Biblical angel. The Romanticists and Socialist poets of that era that re-interpreted Lucifer were not in error when recreating this mythic god as a hero. There is no Biblical source for the Lucifer-myth, an invention from various literature, so it is appropriate to re-examine any prejudices.

Technically, he can be interpreted as a hero, because the Lucifer myth partly has its roots in that of Prometheus, the father of humanity. Lucifer is basically a combination of Phaeton and Prometheus (represents mankind suffering, shackled to the world of physical matter). Our explanation bears no semblance to the myth of Lucifer theologians and pastors teach of and accuse others of being in league with, and yet gives the true meaning.

Between the Aether and ether (a technical distinction created by the Theosophists) lies the various planes of Astral matter. It is its astral light or sidereal FORCE, Eliphas Levi calls lucifer, and Levi further stated, that this element can generate force, which can be used by the mage. Hence, H.P.B. tries to remedy what Levi did, by re-identifying Lucifer through Theosophical monism, with the entire cosmic septenate-substance, AETHER itself, because from the macrocosmic view and not from our plane or angle, the sidereal or Astral Light is a part of the AETHER. Hence, not separated as in an anthropomorphic dualism of a God above and a Satan below, but like the threads and knots of one string.

“So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 PETER 1:19)

Theosophy and the Greek Mysteries demonstrate a psychic, physiological and somatic meaning to this principle on the occult side of nature.

The “first-born” was the primal radiation from the Absolute. Before the Gnostics and Hermeticists, the classical Roman poets taught that this was Apollo’s light. Interestingly, this ‘light of Apollo’ was known as Phanes, and its ancient myth and the poets tell us, that this light also exists within Man. The Theosophist’s myth interpretation is thus accurate.

In relation to the Stanzas in The Secret Doctrine and Ancient Theology, Mother (the WATER) produces its first Son (Intelligence), “son of the ‘Dawn’,” and all the prōtogenoi (the hosts) called by the ancients — theos. She is the Universal Soul, the Magnes (primordial matter) of the DEPTHS, originating all beings, and pervades all beings. She is the “Holy Ghost,” or Holy Spirit. Its active Power called Verbum, is the secret wisdom of the Spirit the Greeks called — “daimōn.” Union with the daimon, or genius assimilates supernal wisdom, and the person (mystic, receptor or oracle) is in a sense, invested with degrees and portions of its powers, and an almost omniscience. And yes, that daimōn is PHANES, the light of Apollo, considered of the First principle, the noumenal (first, primal) FIRE that was made alight by friction, or force, and this force is the active Power of The Great GOD.

THE SECRET DOCTRINE identifies three common principle aspects and stages in Theogony:

(a) CHAOS: There was the termless time of Eternal NIGHT when “Nought Was”; then
(b) THEOS: the CREATIVE GOD (a Unity of Potencies) evolves out of the Chaos; and
(c) KOSMOS: the visible, or manifested Universe, the first condition of which is — fiery.

This is why the Unrevealed God is identified with infinite Darkness, or Eternal Night. Those three (CHAOS-THEOS-KOSMOS) are the three aspects of the Great Serpent of Eternity (the Unrevealed God, or SPACE), collectively representing the ONE UNKNOWN SPACE.

In b, THEOS combines the NUMBERS (the order of the gods and the phases, or cycles of creation). The phases of THEOS overlap with KOSMOS, described as the boundless field or playground of universes from a standpoint of omnipresence, perpetually appearing and disappearing. This disappearing and appearing of universes is described as a process of breathing-in and breathing-out in The Secret Doctrine.

The commentaries in The Secret Doctrine are merely elaborating on the Stanzas and comparing ancient notions with it. It explains, that the LIGHT-GOD called in ancient mythologies who is called the “first-born” (Son) god is the first radiation to emerge from Father-Mother (Father-Mother is “Unknown Space”) in the first stage of cosmogony. This exact belief exists in classical Hellenistic and Pre-Olympian mythology.

In the Jewish and Chaldean (Kabbalism), and Hindu cosmogonies, we have the same detail of the formative periods of life from the passive and ineffable principle within termless time. In the next stage, the active period commences, in which the one essence makes it-self visible, secondly expands from the Eternal Cause its latent Force, then thirdly becomes an active Power (Verbum). All of this issued from the “mother of all” the gods, the “Soul of souls.” This “Soul of souls” is the Spirit brooding over primeval CHAOS, that is known as the Water, “the Deep” as described in the Enûma Eliš, and in the exoteric account of creation given in Bere’shith (Genesis).

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SOME SEMBLANCE OF THE IDEA EXISTS IN THE SIPHRA DZENIOUTA

Kabbalism, teaches about a similar idea in the Siphra Dzeniouta§ and Father-Mother, or the Ancient One (SPACE):

“(429.) From a Light-Bearer (one of the seven sacred planets) of insupportable brightness proceeded a radiating Flame, dashing off, like a vast and mighty hammer, those sparks which were the prior worlds.

(430.) And with most subtle ether were these intermingled and bound mutually together, but only when they were conjoined together, even the great Father and great Mother.

(431.) From Hoa, himself, is ab, the Father; and from Hoa, himself, is ruach, the Spirit; who are hidden in the Ancient of Days, and therein is that Ether concealed.

“Father-Mother” (the ultimate nature, SPACE) is the hidden nameless (secret) DEITY throughout ancient Mesopotamia in its highest philosophical conception, but the aspect of the Mother of All (the Divine Feminine) became suppressed and relegated to lesser roles.