Theosophy
Another fertile source of some key concepts for Damiani was Theosophy, a series of esoteric teachings based on Indian and Tibetan Buddhist texts presented by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, one of the cofounders of the Theosophical Society in 1875. Damiani was quite familiar with the major works of Blavatsky such as The Secret Doctrine and Isis Unveiled, as well as with the writings of Annie Besant and other figures in the Theosophical Society.
Text items highlighted in yellow below are links into the archive for the topics, keywords, and search methods being discussed. Use them as a starting point to explore the archive, and as a shortcut to doing the searches.
Sevenfold Constitution of Man
In the sketchbooks, we find many diagrams in which Damiani correlated the glyphs of the seven Chaldean planets with the sevenfold principles of man in Theosophy: (1) Atman (the universal Self), (2) Buddhi (the Intellect) (3) Manas (the higher mental principle), (4) Kama rupa (desire body), (5) Prana (life force), (6) Linga sharira (subtle or astral body), and (7) Sthula sharira (physical body). He also used these terms symbolically or analogically to refer to principles that are ontologically prior to those that constitute man. For example, he might refer to the deity governing our solar system, the Solar Logos, as also having these same seven constituents.
To see diagrams from the sketchbooks that correlate dignities in the metaphysical chart with Theosophic terms, search the diagram archive using the string “theos” (which will find diagrams with both “Theosophy” and “Theosophic” in the metadata).
Spiritual Evolution of Individuals
Another idea he found in Theosophy (although it’s also present in PB’s The Wisdom of the Overself) is that the universe is a hierarchy of spiritual individuals evolving ever finer vehicles of thought, feeling, and activity in an endless spiral evolution. Moreover this evolution can be described as passing through seven stages, which roughly correspond to the same sevenfold used to describe the constituents of man. Theosophy’s identification of the importance of the number seven in both cosmology and the constitution of man was welcomed and expanded upon by Damiani.
The Logos
Another Theosophical idea that Damiani amplified was that of the Logos, the principle of intelligence manifesting the universe (see, for example, I. K. Taimni, Man, God and the Universe). He later made use of the notion of a plurality of solar logoi in his exposition of cosmic souls in his book Astronoesis.
To find class transcripts that have some discussion of the Solar Logos, search in keywords in the document archive using “Solar Logos.”
T. S. Row’s Essay on the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac
Finally, the article by the theosophist T. S. Row on the meaning of the twelve signs of the zodiac as indicating the way that the Absolute manifests itself in a hierarchy of principles that stretches from the Absolute (Aries) to the five elements (Pisces) was the seed-idea that Damiani unfolded masterfully in his investigations into the metaphysical chart, or the astrological mandala.
The twelve signs of the zodiac as symbolizing twelve Divine Ideas is explored in many classes, as well as in the text of Astronoesis. To find many of these, search in keywords in the document archive using “Metaphysical Chart.”