In the ageless wisdom the emphasis is laid on the unity of humanity.1 Nevertheless is humanity there also placed in different categories or classes. The goal of this contemplation is to thematize these classes.
When a classification of humanity is undertaken it should never be lost from sight that basically humanity is one. And as one it is itself part of a larger classification, namely that of so called 'kingdoms'. The human kingdom has its place between the mineral kingdom, the vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom and the spiritual kingdom.2 In this classification an evolutionary line can be recognized and we find such a line also in the classification of humanity in the ageless wisdom. Humans are basically classified according their points in evolution. This may be considered as a classification on a vertical line. There is also a classification on a horizontal line, where humans are classified according to their ray types,3 but in this contemplation only the vertical line of classification shall be taken in consideration. Now quite a number of classifications on the vertical line of evolution are given in the ageless wisdom. The most important deemed shall be mentioned here.
The classification according to the taken initiations is probably the most sharp and clear in its definitions. Humans are in this classification classified by their taken initiations. There are five of such initiations4 delivering us the categories of the uninitiated, first degree initiates, second degree initiates, third degree initiates and fourth degree initiates. (At the fifth initiation the human kingdom is left and the spiritual kingdom is entered).5 The uninitiated are humans who have not yet taken any initiation and they are developing towards the first initiation. First degree initiates are humans who have taken the first initiation, demonstrating a certain amount of control over their physical body.6 They are working towards the second initiation. Second degree initiates are humans who have taken the second initiation, demonstrating a certain amount of control over their emotions and astral body.7 They are working towards the third initiation. Third degree initiates are humans who have taken the third initiation, demonstrating a certain amount of control over their mind and mental body.8 They are working towards the fourth initiation. Fourth degree initiates are humans who have taken the fourth initiation, sacrificing their former mentioned bodies for the principle of the intuition, which they demonstrate to have mastered to a certain extend.9 They are working towards the fifth initiation at which, as mentioned, the human kingdom is left behind.
Humanity resides in three great halls according to the ageless wisdom. Of these the first (counted from the bottom upwards) is the Hall of Ignorance. Humans residing in this hall are ruled by desire10 and are polarized in their personality.11 This is the class of humans who have not yet undergone any of the in the previous paragraph mentioned initiations.12 At the first initiation man passes from the Hall of Ignorance into the Hall of Learning. In this hall the intellect rules.13 This is the stage in which the soul or ego gains control over the threefold personality.14 This leads eventually to the third initiation in which man passes from the Hall of Learning into the Hall of Wisdom.15 In this hall the spirit rules and gains control,16, 17 leading to masterhood at the fifth initiation where the individual passes out of the human kingdom and enters the spiritual kingdom.18 To these classes or stages also the terms 'human life', 'mystic life' and 'occult life' can be applied.19
In the ageless wisdom humans are also classified according to the type and development of their egoic body. The names applied refer to the lotus forms that egoic bodies have. (More about this has been written in another contemplation).20 The first mentioned are the bud egos which have not yet any petal unfolded. This class of humans does not find incarnation on our planet at this moment.21 Next are the Brahmic lotuses (also called 'third class creators' because they instinctively procreate) who have unfolded the first of the three outer ring of petals, namely the knowledge petal. They are mainly equipped for doing physical labor and for procreation of their class.22 Next come the lotuses of Brahman (or 'second class creators' because they procreate more out of love than the former class) who are unfolding the second, or love, petal of the outer ring. They are more evolved than the former class but still have a long way to go.23 Next in line are the primary lotuses who are opening the first (or knowledge) and third (or sacrifice) but not yet the second (or love) petal(s) of the outer ring. They are a so called "purely intellectual selfish scientific type" of human.24 More developed still are the lotuses of passion or desire. They have unfolded the first two (knowledge and love) petals of the outer ring and regard the bulk of the moderately successful and kind people in the world.25 The more evolved the egoic lotuses become the more complex their classification becomes due to the many varieties in unfoldment of the nine (or twelve) petalled lotus. General mentioned classes are the radiant lotuses, whose light is beginning to shine forth, lotuses with perfume, who have not yet unfolded the final ring of petals but who are nevertheless servers of the race, and lotuses of revelation who are beginning to show the jewel in the lotus. These classes regard advanced humanity, disciples and initiates.26
A kindred arrangement of lotus classes overviews humanity as lotuses of revelation, lotuses with perfume, radiant lotuses, lotuses wherein the flower is on the point of opening, lotuses of closed and sealed condition, the colourless lotuses and lotuses in bud.27
Another way in which humans are classified in the ageless wisdom is by describing their different kinds of consciousnesses. The fist class to mention here is that of the least developed humans who live but whose consciousness sleeps.28 The second class of humans is only aware of the sensations of the physical plane and is still very animalistic in nature.29 Both these classes are relatively rare at this time. Humans of the third class have their awake animal nature linked to an awakened emotional nature and are thus swept by desire for physical satisfaction. Their consciousness corresponds to the old Lemurian consciousness.30 The consciousness of the fourth class corresponds to that of the Atlanteans and humans in this class are primarily emotional. Their physical body is slipping into unconsciousness but their mind nature is not yet much awakened. Millions of humans belonging to this class can be found in incarnation worldwide.31 The fifth class regards the average citizen of the modern world and is described as good, well-intentioned with an over-developed emotional nature oscillating between the senses and the mind. They are ruled by mass consciousness and orthodoxy.32 To the sixth class belong those who have developed their minds. They are the ones achieving success in life and are the world aspirants who are beginning to become aware of the ideal of service.33 The seventh class are those who can enter the probationary path. They are the mystics being aware of a higher self but as yet not able to realize unification with their soul. They are not yet able to control their minds.34 The eighth class is formed by those whose intelligence and love nature is awakening to such an extent that they can tread the path of discipleship as practical mystics and occultists.35 The ninth class consists of those initiates who have realized their soul nature. They are the true initiates (those who have taken the third initiation) of the world.36 As a tenth class are those mentioned who have achieved release from all limitations of the form nature. Individuals in this class are mentioned to be masters of life and perfected adepts.37 Thus this class does not belong to the human kingdom anymore but has its place in the spiritual kingdom.
At the moment of individualisation entrance is made into the human kingdom.38 These moments take place on different times and different places and humans presently incarnating in the fifth (or Aryan) root race39 on earth are in the ageless wisdom also classified according to their time and place of individualisation. The least evolved are those who individualized during the fourth (or Atlantean) root race of our planet.40 Older, and thus more evolved, are those who individualized during the third (or Lemurian) root race of our planet. These two are the only classes having become human on our present planet.41 There are however also humans in incarnation who entered the human kingdom at the previous incarnation of our planetary logos; the moon chain.42 These older class is understandably more evolved than the previous ones.43 Another class of very advanced humans individualized in other (earth related) schemes and comes into incarnation on our earth to fill the vacuum of those who have found liberation.44 Finally there is also a class consisting of rare humans who come from still other schemes to our earthly spheres to do certain work. Often they do not incarnate in a physical body and work primarily on astral and mental levels.45
The ageless wisdom uses a specific terminology to indicate different classes of humans. These terms are not explicitly defined in an overview or tabulation making right interpretations somewhat challenging. This challenge is enhanced when certain terms in one case seem to be used synonymic for a term and in another case distinctive. Although as much as possible the defining words of the Secret Wisdom Teaching are followed should the following classification nevertheless be taken as interpretive to a certain extend. Hopefully have the previous paragraphs prepared us for a right understanding.
The first term to be mentioned here regards 'animal man'. This term is mostly used for humanity at the time of individualisation in Lemurian times,46, 47 but also occurs to refer to man around the threshold of individualisation in general.48 Humans in this class live almost entirely instinctive. This goes also for the class termed as 'low grade human'.49 He has passed the threshold of individualisation already but is still very animalistic in nature.50 This class of humans is also indicated with terms such as 'unevolved man' and 'savage man'.51 A step forward in evolution has been made by the 'average human'. Humans in this class live predominantly in their emotional nature52 and are also indicated by the terms 'ordinary people'53 and 'the masses (of people)'.54 Next on the line of evolution comes the class of the 'developed man'. Humans in this class have developed and use predominantly their mind nature.55 This class is also indicated with terms such as 'intelligentsia',56 'intellectuals'57 and 'high grade human'.58 A step ahead still seem to be the so called 'spiritual people'.59 They have shifted their mind focus from selfishness to unselfishness, or from their personality to their soul.60 When eventually a link is established between the personality and the soul the term 'aspirant' is applied.61 This term is generally applied starting from humans upon the probationary path for discipleship62 but is more strictly applied to those having undergone the first initiation.63 There are more detailed terms used for humans in the various stages from the probationary path onwards (such as 'little chela')64 but these shall not be considered here. Another term applied to this class of humans is 'probationary disciple'.65 The next class then logically is that of 'disciples'. One does not become a disciple with a certain initiation but at least the first initiation should have been taken.66 When a disciple takes the second initiation also the term 'probationary initiate' is applied.67 This until at the third initiation (and first major initiation)68 he enters the class of 'initiates'.69 At the fifth initiation the initiate becomes a Master, leaving the human kingdom and entering the spiritual kingdom.70
Although in the Secret Wisdom Teaching the unity of humanity is emphasized are different classifications of that one humanity given. We set out to contemplate several of these classes. Six of these were thematized. First the most sharply defined classification was explicated, namely that of the five initiations. The classification according to the three halls was still very sharply defined too. Less sharply defined was the classification of the eight categories of egoic lotuses, and sharp distinctions faded perhaps even more in the classification of the nine described consciousnesses (ten if we include the described consciousness of the perfected adept who left the human kingdom and entered the spiritual). Next we found humanity classified by its five different roots of individualisation. And finally an eightfold classification according to technical terms was given.
All of the above information may be a bit overwhelming and for clarity a general overview shall be given in figure 1. This figure should not be read as a strict tabulation and for this reason horizontal borders have been left out. A strict reading would for instance bring one to the conclusion that fourth grade initiates consist only of humans who individualized outside our earth scheme, and this is not true. Hopefully do the places of the different categories nevertheless give a general but good overview of the different classes of humans, their place in the human evolutionary plan, and their relation to each other. May we all soon find ourselves classified in the highest class, and beyond.
"Intellectuals | Positive | responsive to mind | Culture" |
Initiations | Halls | Egoic Lotuses | Described Consciousnesses | Individualisations | Terms |
Fourth grade initiates | Hall of Wisdom | Lotuses of revelation | Initiate | Other scheme individuals | Initiates |
Occult | Earth related scheme individuals | ||||
Third grade initiates | Moon chain individuals | ||||
Second grade initiates | Hall of Learning | Lotuses with perfume | Disciples | ||
First grade initiates | Mystic | Aspirants | |||
Uninitiated | Hall of Ignorance | Radiant lotuses | Mental | Lemurian individuals | Spiritual people |
Developed humans | |||||
Lotuses of passion | Emotionally oscillating between senses and mind | Average humans | |||
Primary lotuses | Emotional | ||||
Lotuses of Brahman | Desire for physical satisfaction | Atlantean individuals | Low grade humans | ||
Brahmic lotuses | Aware of physical plane sensations | ||||
Bud lotuses | Sleeping | Animal men |
Figure 1.