The magician must recognize the four; note in his work the shade of violet they evidence, and thus construct the shadow. When this is so, the shadow clothes itself, and the four become the seven.

The Quaternaries to be Recognized

This rule is for me one of the most difficult to explain, the reason for this being threefold:

One: The number of people in physical incarnation at this time who can work in a truly creative manner and profit by the information given in this Rule is exceedingly few. Only to the white magician, and he experienced in his work, can the real interpretation be given. There is much danger in imparting the significance of these rules to those who are not qualified in themselves to work correctly. We will, therefore, consider the qualifications required of those who are entitled to this knowledge so that the student can begin to develop in himself that which may be lacking.

Two: The danger of minute and detailed instructions consists in the fact that were they now to be given to the world, we should be flooded with thought-forms and these thought-forms would be created in order to express purely selfish desire and mental matter would be swept into activity in line with the fancies and the whims of the undeveloped along spiritual lines. It must be remembered that every human thought, whether the potent mass thoughts or individual dynamic ideas, must eventually emerge objectively on the physical plane. This is an inevitable and unalterable rule and due consideration of this law which governs mental substance will show the danger of wrong thought and the power of right. The potency of human thought at this time is primarily of mass description, for few there are who can think creatively. Public opinion, mass ideas, the tendencies of [542] human desire and thought, are not at this time of the highest order, and the physical precipitation of these vague and inchoate thoughts distinguished by a vast similarity, and colored by selfish intent and personal behest, and based upon likes and dislikes, prejudices and longings, can be seen in the most interesting precipitation. The vast assembly of insects which now haunt our planet and cause increasing concern to the scientist, agriculturist, and all those dealing with the welfare of the human animal, are the direct result of thought precipitation.

I have not time to enlarge upon this fact, but I can assure you that as men learn to think with more unselfishness and with greater purity, and as malice and hatred and competition give place to brotherhood, kindness and cooperation, the insect pest, as it is now called, will most surely die out.

These three difficulties of:

1. Lack of qualification,
2. Dangers inherent in unconscious form-building,
3. Etheric blindness,