Chapter XVII (part 6)

He is the animal that in the morning (that is to say, in the infancy of humanity) goes on four feet (4 being the number of realization, expresses matter and its instincts, the visible world); at noon (that is to say, in the maturity of his humanity) he walks upon two feet (2, the number of opposition, the image of science, of its contradictions, its doubts, and of the intelligible world); and in the evening (when the day is nearly over) walks upon three feet (3, the number of the divine world, in which the Trinity gives the solution of all the oppositions, of all the antinomies, by the superior term, the harmonious synthesis of the two adverse terms). Apollonius describes the same hour in these words: "Here the Neophyte praises God, utters no injurious words, inflicts no more pain," which means that his theoretic knowledge of the Creation is increased, and that he practises self-control. We will now pause and examine the consistency of these various prescriptions. We have seen that man, having reached the ascending are, has become the object of dispute between the inferior forces of inertia, which he has traversed under the impulse of instinct, and those active forces which draw him upwards; we have noticed that the struggle must now be decided by the intervention of the Will , sufficiently developed by Evolution, and sufficiently free too exert its influence on one side or on the other: man can therefore decide either for the inferior forces of disintegration, or for the superior ones of synthesis, under the names of Good and Evil . And truly evil for him if he redescend, for he will meet the terrors of decomposition, of Death. Good, on the other hand, if be ascend, for he will enjoy the realization of his natural aspirations, the knowledge of the Creation and dominion over it. Now where is the index of the forces of inertia in the human organization?--In instinct, in the passions. Where, on the other hand, is the index of the active forces?--In moral energy, in Virtue . Where is the index of the forces of disintegration, which lead to inertia in the human organization?--In the tendency to isolation, in egoism . Where, on the other hand, is the index of the integrant forces?--In the tendency to joint responsibility, to altruism, in Fraternity . The transcendent world is therefore open to whoever has sufficient Will (or even artificial impulsion) to triumph over the forces which guard it; but woe to that man who approaches it with a passionate and selfish heart; with lowered head he will fall back into the current of decomposition, where he will be dissolved. Nature destroys all Evil ; it is the law of selection! Only the man whose heart is full of charity can raise himself to the true destination of the human being in the region of Principles. This is why the Sphinx prescribes, with the persevering will of the Bull, the courage of the Lion against the forces of the passions; and why Apollonius commands reserve and fraternity, with the Gospels which place self-control at the foundation of all Law. * * * Such then, with the aid of knowledge, is the preparation for Initiation; we shall soon see the importance of these precepts. The Neophyte, sufficiently exercised in these preliminaries of the first hour, then descends the three lower steps as follows-- ARCANUM XI.: Strength . Second hour of Apollonius: " The abyss of fire--the virtues of the stars close as a crown through the dragons and the, fire " ( the magnetic chain ). The Neophyte learns to distinguish universal Force and its double current, positive and negative, in his own organization. The application of this knowledge will be found in the two following hours-- ARCANUM XII.: The Great Work .