Cosmic Will definition

The First Manifestation is the Cosmic Will or Life Principle.

By the term “The Cosmic Will” the Arcane Teaching designates the One Universal Living Creative Principle which has been recognized in all the great philosophies of all times and places.

The Arcane Teaching uses the term “Cosmic Will” to indicate the creative activities of Spirit. Spirit is the essence of the Cosmic Will—the Cosmic Will is the outward activities of Spirit.

This Cosmic Will is the One Life of the Cosmos, which many philosophies mistakenly claim to be the Absolute Itself. It is the Universal Being, but it is under The Law, and relative to It, and is not absolute.

From this Cosmic Will, Logos Demiurge, World-Spirit, or Universal Life Principle, is manifested the Cosmos or Manifested Universe of life, shape and form. The Cosmos is alive in every part, and its real nature vests in the Cosmic Will, which is ever behind, under, and in, all manifestations of the universal activities, from lowest to highest. Here is the World Spirit, or Pantheistic One-All--But it is under The Law!

In the Cosmic Will are inherent the "Three Principles," viz., Substance; Motion; and Consciousness.  In the infinitude of manifestation of these Three Principles by the Cosmic Will is found the explanation of the Cosmos or Universe.  In their play, and interplay, is found the secret of shape, form, variety and degrees of Substance, Motion, and Consciousness. And from these arise LIFE.  Therefore, in considering the Cosmos, in its activities and manifestations, we may now forget the deeper and more subtle metaphysical and philosophical terms which we have been compelled to consider--and, instead, let us see in universal operation and manifestation, a LIVING UNIVERSE OR COSMIC LIFE PRINCIPLE, ever moving, changing, flowing, evolving, proceeding, desiring, attaining, seeking, accomplishing.  This is The Cosmic Will of the Arcane Teaching--possessing all the attributes and qualities of the Universal Being of the Pantheists, except that of Absoluteness; for greater than the human imagination can conceive it though it be, yet it is subordinate to, and ever under, THE LAW.

In this teaching regarding the Cosmic Will, the Arcane

Teaching gives us an intelligible explanation of that most

perplexing idea of the One Life, or Universal Life, which has

appeared in various guises and under various names in the

philosophies of all times and peoples. That all Life, in the end,

is One—that the individual lives are but manifestations of,

and centres in, One Universal Life, has been the Truth taught

by some of the greatest teachers of the race—the illumined

of all ages. The majority of the schools make the fatal error

of ascribing to the One Life the nature of The Absolute. The

moment this is done the thinker is confronted with the paradox

of the Absolute becoming Relative—a logical impossibility.

The best modern thought is fast coming to an agreement with

the original Arcane principle that the Universal Life is not

Absolute—not Independent and Self Governed—not Sovereign

Power—not God, in the highest sense of the word; but instead is

Relative, Subordinate, and under The Law. The Arcane Teaching

that the Universal Life is not its own law, but is under Law and

governed by Laws, is the only explanation consistent with the

highest report of the reason—the highest form of Logic—and

the experience of science, based upon observed facts.