The Hexagram
A. S. Raleigh
The Hexagram — the Seal of Solomon — is made by interlacing two triangles, one pointing forward, and the other pointing in such a way as to form a six-pointed star. This has in all ages been one of the most sacred of geometric symbols, representing a number of things; first, in regard to the human soul, it symbolizes Buddhi, the sixth principle, beginning at the bottom going upward. Just as the Pentagram symbolizes Manas, the fifth principle, pointing forward to Buddhi, the Hexagram represents Manas after it has been lost in Buddhi. Just as the Pentagram is the symbol of man as he is, the Hexagram symbolizes the man of the future, who will have six distinct principles functioning in his outer or true consciousness. The psychic, physical threshold will at that time have been pushed back so as to leave Buddhi on this side of the threshold. As it is now, this threshold intervenes between Manas and Buddhi, leaving both Buddhi and Atma beyond the threshold. In the man of the future, this threshold will be pushed back so that Atma alone will be beyond. Buddhi will thus represent the highest attainment of man’s outer consciousness.
Another meaning of the Hexagram is that of the spiritual and material trinities, the triangle always representing a trinity. Trinity…is the symbol of Divinity in unity, being the separation of the one force into two triplicities, electricity and magnetism and the converging of these two principles at a given point; in other words, the Law of Opposites and the Law of Balance working in harmony. It is thus [through] the separation into the two principles, positive and negative, and then the bringing together into united principles, that future manifestation may be made possible.
The figure is usually drawn with one triangle white and the other BLACK, signifying the spiritual and material. These two trinities are interlaced so that all life is the outgrowth of harmonious activity of spiritual and material principles, each acting on the other. Spirit thus raises matter and matter draws down spirit. The universe has not become entirely materialized, neither entirely spiritualized. It is the process of spirit’s descent into matter continually going on.
In the human constitution the spiritual trinity, or triangle, represents, Atma, Buddhi, Manas. The material trinity represents Rupa, Prana, Linga Sharira, being the material principles of same grade. You will notice that Kama, the desire principle, is not included. It is in fact the line which differentiates the two. Thus we see desire expressing itself in two directions; the forward triangle is ever leading Desire forward through Mind, Soul and Spirit, while the lower triangle is life and ether into gross physical sensation.
We may say, therefore, that the direction of the triangle indicates whether desire is acting under physical sensation, or under the higher spiritual gratification. The desire nature is the parting of the ways. Man must express himself according to the nature of his desires, and as is the desire activity in its direction, so will be the course of man’s development.
Again we may look at the hexagram as representing the united body, and then we will get another view of the symbol. The lower triangle will represent the physical body, the magnetic body and the desire body. The upper triangle the Spirit, the Soul and the Causal Body, making the median line pass through the mental body. Thus we will see concrete thought as the parting of the way, between the material and spiritual triangles.
If one allows thoughts to dwell on material things, on the expression of modern nonsense denominated Physical Science, he will be degraded to the level of the animals; he will be ever drawn downward into the material, his whole being becoming merged into matter. The whole trend of physical research is consequently toward materialism. On the other hand, he may turn his thought to philosophy and metaphysics, and by investigating in this way, his mind will be lifted up so that his mind will function in the higher trinity. Man, as we see him, is always represented by the interlacing of these triangles. We do not see one as wholly spiritual, in the sense of the upper triangle, or wholly material in the sense of the lower triangle. He represents the two triangles in a state of interlacement.
If you will notice the two figures carefully, the Hexagram is an improvement over the diamond. The diamond represents the two triangles with their lines together, the base of the upper triangle resting squarely on the top line of the lower one, while the Hexagram represents the lower triangle slipped up half way on the upper one, interlacing the same.
Now, if we continue slipping it up it will ultimately reach a point where the upper line of the lower triangle will exactly touch the base line of the upper triangle. In this way we will have a figure representing in the center a diamond with two “X’s.” so to speak, on either side, forming a diamond. You will see in this way, how they are becoming separated.
Now, a half circle must be described which will bring the two triangles into a state of absolute coincidence, thus being slid up into the spiritual, the spiritual descending into the material, in the sense of taking its place, and this state will represent the drawing up of the lower principles.
Now, we have the Nirvana, one who has drawn his physical principles up into the emotional or astral, and the Para-Nirvani, one whose astral nature has been drawn up into the mental. Thus the Para-Nirvani represents the one who has solved the problem of the Pentagram.
Were one to feel that spirit, soul and causal body would entirely disappear so that he were incapable of anything but concrete thought, this would be the outgrowth of his emotional nature.
If one ruled absolutely by his physical sensations and so incapable of acting differently, we would have one who would accomplish the same work, only the spiritual triangle would have been swallowed up in the material instead of the material in the spiritual. Thus is represented the two great problems which the soul confronts.
We must also understand another aspect of the Hexagram, namely, the macrocosm and the microcosm. In this, one is the Kosmic triangle, the other the Individual triangle. We see thus that man has been partially individual and partially under the sway of the Kosmic. In his constitution the two forces are interlaced. His entire being represents an interplaying of the two forces, Kosmos and Individuality. We see in the lesson on the diamond, that these two are usually in absolute opposition.
We see in the type of the man of the future, and to a certain extent in the highest type of the man of the present, the interlacing of the two forces, the recognition of the Kosmic world – to a certain extent Kosmic Consciousness, finding this great Kosmic force working in and through all life.
But as yet, there is a certain amount of controversy between the individual and the Kosmos. It is possible in time, however, for the revolution to take place which causes the individual triangle to exactly coincide with the Kosmic. In this way we become no longer individuals. Our individuality is lost, we become merely instruments in the hands of the Kosmos, absolutely passive under its control, and in this state of passivity, what do we do? We embody the fullness of the Kosmos. Having renounced individuality, we individualize all things, learn all lessons of life, and live them.
Another lesson taught by the Hexagram is indicated by the inside. You will notice that the interior of the Hexagram is composed of six equal surfaces where all the lines cross these six equal surfaces, forming a hexagonal figure which represent the result of the interlacing of the two triangles.
The individual who has accomplished this work of interlacement, presents the picture of one having six principles in full manifestation instead of five. In other words, an Adept, a Master of Wisdom, and why is this?
To recognize the individual and Kosmic trinities is to recognize the unreality of individual existence and realize that the individual is merely an expression of the universal; that he merely indicates an expression, a channel through which the Kosmos manifests. This means Kosmic Consciousness.
One who has solved the lesson of the Hexagram has, therefore, overcome the illusion of personality, and has recognized the Kosmic relation; has overcome, also, the illusion of time and space and sees that all things are manifestations of a trinity. When he discovers that the individual is always an expression of the universal and that there is always a spiritual and material trinity, he has learned better than to accept the scientific dogma that man has evolved from the lowest forms and that all activity is merely the expression of materiality, recognizing the inter-relation of matter and spirit. Such a person can never be deceived by the dogma of so called science. He has passed through the realm of thought, mind and intellect to that of reason and intuitive intelligence. Thus the Buddha is the result of the recognition of the mystery of the Hexagram. As it represents all individuals in connection with the universe, and the interlacing of spirit and matter in all those individuals, the solving of its problem must necessarily make one master of spirit and matter.
It also teaches us the eternal war between spirit and matter, that is the struggle for supremacy, as was taught by Zarathushtra and all other sages of the past, this war is raging in two opposite directions. If spirit gains the ascendancy then matter will be drawn up into spirit, in other words, spiritualized, completely dominated by spirit. The three planes, or rather principles of matter, will then be only vehicles for the expression of the principles of spirit.
On the other hand, if matter gains the ascendancy over spirit, spirit will be drawn down into matter, be swallowed up. In other words, the three principles of spirit will be completely engulfed in the three principles of matter becoming merely vehicles of expression in a certain sense, completely partaking of the nature of matter.
The eternal is consequently vibrating at all times between these two forces. Neither one seems to gain the ascendancy. There is a balance between the two forces which at all times preserves the equilibrium. The one who is between the two, that is – who has them perfectly balanced in his being, is thus a master of both triangles; master of the realm of spirit and master of the realm of matter, and likewise knows both, and is the Aseka Adept, the Perfect Master, the Perfect Man.
The Hexagram signifies for us, in this sense, the Aseka Adept, whereas, the Pentagram signifies the ordinary man. As the Pentagram is the measure of a man, so is the Hexagram the measure of the Aseka Adept, The Perfect Man.
We can now understand why the hexagram was employed as the Seal of King Solomon, the Perfect Master of Wisdom.
From
Occult Geometry
Lesson VIII
Reprinted by permission of DeVorss & Co. Publications