Reality and Appearance
Dion Fortune
There is a certain concept of occult science which it is absolutely necessary the student should clearly realise if any practical results are to be achieved. It concerns the true nature of the atomic substance of the universe, the bricks out of which all forms are built up on a framework of static force under the moulding pressure of kinetic force. In brief, it is the concept of noumenon and phenomenon – reality and appearance – the actual thing and the mental image of it held in the mind of some entity.
The only realities are cosmic beings, whether infinitely great, like the Great Entities, or infinitely minute, like the cosmic atoms. These are evolved out of pure movement as has already been described, and are really systems of stresses, simple or complex. The universes evolved by the Great Entities are nothing but thought-forms, images in the minds of their creators, and they have no existence apart from the mind conceiving them; which mind determines their nature by its concept of them. This concept, however, is not arbitrary, for the universe is the Logoidal idea of Itself, and, as the Logos evolved under the influences of the cosmic laws, this image must reproduce these laws as faithfully as a reflection in a mirror. Hence the Hermetic dictum – ‘As above so below.’ If the Logos were, by any inconceivable chance, to imagine an untrue image of itself, in that image, the co-ordinated stresses which are the framework of form, would not be fully balanced and compensating, and such a form would not hold together. As a Great Entity does not proceed to the construction of an objective thought-form till all its internal stresses have been adjusted, such an occurrence is impossible. We may, therefore, posit the fundamental and ultimate good of the universe, for, were not the Logoidal Law a law of perfect harmony, our universe would have shaken itself to pieces long ago by sheer friction!

Each new phase of evolution, however, goes through a period of stress when a new set of reacting forces are adjusting and compensating themselves into equilibrium. This is a time of stress and strain, but as the units undergoing this experience are indestructible, such a phase, looked at form the point of view of the Logos, is immaterial, though looked at form the point of view of the units, which have achieved consciousness but not control, it may be hell and the end of the world. Our feelings are in proportion to the range of our perceptions. To a limited consciousness, the stresses appear overwhelming, for it has no periphery of peace; but to an extended consciousness of cosmic scope, they appear but an incident, a passing sensation for such a consciousness contains so much beside them. The intensity of sensation is in proportion to the limitation of the consciousness.
In our universe there are but three types of reality to be reckoned with: The Logos Itself; the Cosmic Atoms, which are at the back of all substance, of whatever plane; and the Divine Sparks of Spirit in the innermost souls of spiritual beings, whatever their state of evolution. All else is but thought-forms, mental images, pictures held in the imagination of some spiritual being. Of these, the Logos and the Cosmic Atoms never abandon the cosmic state in order to participate in the life of the universe, but only project their thought-forms into it; but the Divine Sparks do actually put aside their cosmic consciousness and immerse themselves in the phenomenal universe, opening their consciousness to its sensations, and consequently closing it to cosmic awareness. They do this in order that they may go through in miniature in a universe the experiences which the Great Entities went through during the building up of a cosmos, experiences which are no longer available when once the cosmos is stabilised, and thus become in their turn Great Entities. This is a concept which will yield much to contemplation.

What mind has created, mind can influence. The substance of the universe being but the thought-form of the cosmic atoms, and the framework of its organisation being but the thought-form of the Logos, it follows that when the spiritual beings evolving in such a universe have achieved a state of development wherein the image-making and thought-directing mind comes into function, whether in the normal course of progress, or through the intensive culture of initiation, they, in proportion to their development, will be able to influence the phenomenal universe of thought-forms in which they find themselves. This fact, obvious when once it is pointed out, is the Key of Solomon.
This key unlocks the door of magic. Now it is well known that magic may be both white and black. How, then, is it that such knowledge is not much more freely abused than is known to be the case? And further, how is it that, if the above stated facts be indeed the Key of Solomon, that they can be thus freely put into the hand of the casual reader?
Firstly, all magical processes must proceed in accordance with the Logoidal Law if they are to succeed. If they proceed against it, not only the whole universe is thrown into the scale against them, but the cosmos itself. No part can hope to overbalance the whole any more than it can hope to contain the whole. Magic is but a speeding-up of the course of nature, just as initiation is but a speeding-up of the course of evolution.

If this be the case, then why should the processes of magic be guarded at all? Because all reaction has to proceed round a circle, and although the ultimate outcome of an unlawful cosmic act is self-destructive, much temporary disharmony is caused while the forces are making the necessary circuit before they return to destroy themselves. As the universe,
however, draws nearer to a state of equilibrium, the circuit of cause and effect grows smaller, so that reactions are speedier as evolution advances. Results now follow so quickly upon causes that there is not the same opportunity for disharmony if the laws of magic are broken. In fact, the universe has proceeded too far in its evolution and is too stabilised in its organisation to be any longer in danger from the machinations of the black magician. Man has reached a stage of development when his will and consciousness can co-operate with the Logoidal ideals, and it is therefore necessary that he should understand both these ideals and the powers that are inherent in his nature as a spiritual being. It is the power of the noumenal over the phenomenal which is the secret of magic. It is the power of the spiritual being over the creations of the created which is the wand of the magician. The tide of evolution is now flowing too strongly for any human will or mind, or any aggregation of wills and minds, to be able to dam that tide and send it into the reverse flow. Until, in 1875, the nadir of evolution, the deepest descent into matter, was safely overpast, there was a very real danger that retrograde souls might swing the universe into reverse, for at the nadir, the movement is overcome and the outgoing impulse is extended, and the pace has to slacken to a certain point before the momentum of its movement is overcome and the attraction of the centre can assert itself and draw the evolving life-wave back towards Spirit. This is the point where the Brethren of the Left-Hand Path are dangerous to humanity as a whole. Once that is overpast, they may be dangerous to individuals, but they are no longer dangerous to the Divine Plan.
It is because the danger-point is now safely overpast, that the Guardians of the Divine Wisdom, which makes men literally as Gods, have opened the gates of the temples. Hitherto, they only taught those rare individuals who were sufficiently in advance of their fellows to be ready for such teaching; now, humanity as a species has reached this point, and therefore humanity is being enlightened in order that it may enter into conscious co-operation with the Divine Plan; those individuals who turn to the Left-Hand Path being dealt with as individuals, but humanity as a whole no longer being denied opportunities on account of the risk from its recalcitrant units.
Such organisations as the Theosophical Society were permitted to give out the theory of esoteric science, and such movements as Christian Science were permitted to develop its elementary practice; but for the first fifty years of the new era, the two were not allowed to come together lest humanity, being insufficiently prepared, should eat of the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge and perish.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear
Now, however, the time is arrived when humanity is being called upon to take up the burden of conscious evolution; the age of self-government has come, the time of suzerainty and tutelage is over. The Lords of Mind have gone to another sphere, and the Lords of Humanity, the perfected beings brought to their fullstature by initiation, must bring the human life-wave back up the planes and safe into its fold.
The Great Ones call for the co-operation of human souls in the task of shepherding their awakening brethren, and it is in order that co-operation may be forthcoming that thisteaching is given out. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” is written over the portal of the Temple now, and the gate stands open.