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The Planes of Existence

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Many

esoteri

c

teachings propound the idea of a series of worlds or hypostases as cosmic ontological

gradations in theGreat Chain of Being,arranged metaphorically in an "upper andlower" manner.

The idea of a vertical world-axis, a cosmic mountain or tree or pole, is in fact a

common archetype, and the theosophical planes are just one particular version orinterpretation of that. Another is theTantrictheme ofchakras,which are asosciated

with an ascending series of states of consciousness, culminating in the Absolute

Reality located either at or above theCrown.From this perspective then, the Cosmos

can be divided "vertically" into a number of worlds or states or gradations of being.

From the 19th onwards, the term "Planes" has been used byTheosophy,and fromthere off-shoot esoteric systems (such asAlice Bailey)and theNew Agemovement, as

well as Eastern teachings that have some Western influence (e.g. ,Sri Aurobindoand

Sant Mat)to describe these gradations. The originator of this popular occult term is

H.P. Blavatsky,who in The Secret Doctrineand elsewhere taught acomplexcosmologyconsisting ofPlanes and subplanes.However the original source of the

term is the late NeoplatonistProclus,who refers to to platos, "breadth", which was the

a term direct equivalent of the Theosophical use. e.g. en to psuchiko platei[Dodds,cited in Poortman,Hylic Pluralism, vol II, p.54].

Whilst Blavatsky, Aurobindo, and other teachers sometimes use the term "Plane" torefer even to transcendent divine-absolute realities (e.g. Blavatsky's "Kosmic Planes",

the upper three of which represent the ineffable Absolute, and Sri Aurobindo's Upper

Hemisphere (parardha) with the three planes ofSachchidanandaand a fourth

representing theSupermindor Absolute in Manifestation) I would prefer to restrict itsuse to the "vertical" series of prakritis, and "vertical" subdivisions thereof. The

gradations of Absolute and Godhead are instead designated ashypostases

The "Vertical" Cosmological Spirit-Matter Gradation

We thus find established in contemporary esoteric teachings the concept of reality as

made up of a number ofPlanes of Existence, arranged in avertical sequence.This has

even enetered everyday langauge - e.g. "the astral plane".

Sri Aurobindo,whose metaphysical and spiritual insights and roadmaps ofconscioousness have inspired a lot of my own understanding, refers to this as a vertical

or ascending scale of consciousness. However, despite the widespread use of this

"Kosmic Physical" Planes of Existence according toAlice Bailey

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metaphor, I am reluctant to give too much emphasis to the word "vertical" here. The

reason is that the experience of a vertically arranged hierarchy of planes may very well

simply be a side-effect of the organisation of the human physical and etheric body. A

quadrapedal animal for example has chakras arranged horizontally, and so wouldexperience these planes as horizontally organised. Hence my use of inverted commas

when referring to this.

Provisionally, I have retained the term "planes" to describe these gradations, for no

other reason than that it is familar to people coming from a western-esoteric or New

Age background. An alternative term might be "prakritis", which refers to the fact thatthis scale of realities is actually a scale of gradations of prakriti, from the most

"sattvic" and spiritual to the most "tamasic" and material.Gurdjieff's scale of

"hydrogens" in the "ray of creation" is another version of the same thing. Other terms

used are "worlds", lokas, etc. The term Octaves- another Gurdjieffian term, adaptedfrom Gurdjieff's incorporation of the musical scale in his ray of creation - is also

useful, as it refers to the fact that at each hypostasis, each plane of existence, there is a

full complement of subplanes (Theosophy) or resonances, which fractally repeat thewhole.

As to be expected, the number of gradations differs according to which esoteric systemone consults. InKabbalahthere are four (or in the Lurianic school five) major worlds,

whilstTheosophicaland, following them,New Age,cosmologies speak of seven

"planes of existence"; each of these in turn often subdivided into further planes andhypostases. I originally referred to these ontological divisions or worlds as

"Ontocosms" (Being-Universes), but there's enough new jargon as it is. So i decided to

stick with the well known Theosophical and New Age term "plane", supplementing it

with "world" or "uinverse". Various schemas give four, seven, or ten worlds. I haveused here an seven-fold division, which integratesTheon'sTradition,TheosophyandWestern Esotericism,Sri Aurobindo'scosmology,and theI Chingtrigramswhich

provide a mathematical arrangement whereby each plane can be associated with ahexagram.But really, there is no reason why this should be preferred to any other

option.

And all of this says nothing of the subdivisions, of which there are a great many. In

Kabbalah each of the four (or five) worlds is divided into ten sefirot, making 40 or 50

altogether.Madame Blavatsky,the founder of Theosophy, went one better with seven"kosmic" planes, each divided into 7 further planes (the lowest kosmic plane being

made up of seven "prakritic" planes), each of which is divided into seven conventional

planes, each of which in turn is made up of seven subplanes. That gives 74subplanes,

or 2,401 altogether, although only the last few series of planes (and occasionallysubplanes) are really described at all.

Very similar is theTraditionofMax and Alma Theon,with four worlds (this seems tobe based on Kabbalah) of whichthe lowest or Material Worldis made up of eight

"states"., although onlythe lower fourare really described and considered (the higher

four presumably pertaining to transcendent states). Each of these lower four (thehigher four not being considered here) is made of four degrees, and each of these in

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turn consists of four subdegrees, which presumably were in turn sub-divided.

According toMirrathis was an excellent descriptive tool, and one could, by working

on an undeveloped sub-sub-part of the being eventually break through and access

occult or spiritual experiences [I forget the refernce, it may have been one of the earlyvolumes of theAgenda]

The "vertical" series of prakriti as Planes of Existence and Planes of Consciousness

should not be confused with the ""Concentric" "inner-outer"(or depth-surface, figure-

ground, subliminal-conscious) sequence. Both refer to gradations of prakriti, but they

are distinct axiis of being, although they are invariably confused by those traditionsthat recognise only a single parameter. Self and Non-self is another parameter that is

confused - in fact there area gradation of Selves,just as there is a gradation of Planes,

just as there is a gradation of "layers" of subconsciousness ("inner") and of planes or

worlds ("vertical"). One reason esotericisma nd occultism has trouble arriving at aconsistent Map of Reality of any complexity beyond the basic "perennial philosophy"

is because these different parameters keep getting confused (the Theosphical diagram

at the upper left of this page is a typical example of this reduction to a singleparameter). And this is to say nothing of spiritual states like nirvana and liberation

which are usually placed at the top of the hierarchy or holarchy (e.g.Da Free John,

Ken Wilber), but asSri Aurobindo explainsis actually a sort of side-movement.

Understanding and Comparing the Planes of Existence

In tabulating different esoteric cosmic teachings, there is always a danger of puttingthings in a simplistic and procrustean straightjacket (this in fact is one of theshortcomings of indeed anygrand synthesis- e.g.Hegeland his triads,Blavatskyand

her sevenplanes,rounds,etc, orWilberwith hislinear levels and 4 quadrants). The

correspondences given here should therefore not be taken in any way as dogmatic or

conclusive. I am not trying to build a fixed and rigid system; indeed any such attemptis doomed to failure.

That said, it seems that there are two main types of "maps" that esoteric cosmologiststend to use. Both have the Absolute at one pole, and matter at the other, it is the way

the intermediate levels are described that differs.

The first approach maps the levels or hypostases in terms of realities that can be

understood in psychological terms. In the middle (more or less) is (the rational or

verbal) mind; above that are levels of higher intuition and superconsciousness, whilebelow one finds the layers representing the irrational psyche and the life-force or

vitality. Perhaps the earliest example of this arrangement is are the five self levels of

theTaittiriya Upanishad,with the series "food" (body),prana(vitality), manas(mind),vijnana(gnosis), and ananda(bliss, representing Brahman, the Absolute). This had a

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big influence on laterVedanta,although the interpretations of, say,ShankaraandSri

Aurobindo,are light years apart regarding this.

A very similar series is found in the classical West in Middle Platonism, the Corpus

Hermetica (matter - vital spirit (pneuma) - psyche - divine mind (nous)), and

Neoplatonism (matter (hyle) - irrational, rational, and noetic psyche - nous- Absolute).One might say that the psyche is the same as the manas, and the nous as the vijnana

(or the noetic psyche as the Shankaran vijnana kosha).

These two streams met in the Theosophy of Blavatsky and the integral philosophy of

Sri Aurobindo

The second approach understands the hypostases in terms of abstract (to us in the

physical consciousness) visionary realities that have no easy everyday

correspondences, and hence are hard to equate with each other, since we don't really

know (unless we have had the same visionary experiences) what the authors aretalking about. Also, it often happens (because of this) that successive writers in the

same tradition (e.g. Gnostic,Sufi,Kabbalistic) use the same jargon to designate what

certainly seem to be quite different realities.

Here then we have a series of visionary angelological or divine worlds or universes,

each higher of which emanates the one below it, until we are left with the objectivephysical as the most "dense" reality, the congealing of consciousness (the Tantrics use

the example of milk that forms curd (ref Arthur Avalon/John Woodroffe ref xxxx)),

Light becoming form (Suhrawardi,Luria,etc)

Esoteric cosmologists of the visionary sort may assert that these worlds, universes, or

pleromas (nice term suggested by Corbin (ref xxxx), adopted fromGnosticism)can berecognised by the particular colours (Theon)or light and sounds (Sabda Surat Yoga /

Sant Mat), or magical beings (Hermetic Kabbalah- e.g.Golden Dawn)native to each.

Perhaps such anexperiential phenomenological approachcan lay the foundation for atruely universal and empircal esoteric science.

Fortunately it is possible to combine these two approaches, and to see the levels orbands of the former as referring to the microcosmic equivalent of the pleromas or

universes of the latter (indeed such equivalence plays an important part in Lurianic

Kabbalah (e.g. Jacob's Ladder and the ascent of the Soul) and is specifically

mentioned byMirra Alfassa/The Mother(ref xxxx) and in post-Blavatsky theosophicaldiagrams ofC.W. LeadbeaterandAlice Bailey(example of the latterat the top of this

page), as well as the psychological terminology Theon (who was Mirra's teacher in

occultism) used for the lower four cosmic levels.

This gives (Theon, Leadbeater, Mirra, New Age) the equivalence of the emotional or

desire nature (called the Nervous by Theon and the Vital by Mirra) with the "AstralPlane", and therefore the rational psyche or mind with the next universe up, and the

life force principle or prana with an "Etheric plane" that is lies between the physical

and the Astral (re this latter see Steiner - Occult Scienceand elsewhere - and the

http://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/Shankara.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/Shankara.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/Shankara.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Sufism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Sufism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Sufism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Suhrawardi.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Suhrawardi.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Suhrawardi.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Luria.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Luria.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Luria.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gnosticism/Pleroma.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gnosticism/Pleroma.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gnosticism/Pleroma.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Sant_Mat/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Sant_Mat/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Sant_Mat/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Sant_Mat/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/Qabalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/Qabalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/Qabalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/GoldenDawn.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/GoldenDawn.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/GoldenDawn.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/methodology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/methodology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/methodology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Mirra.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Mirra.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Mirra.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Leadbeater.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Leadbeater.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Leadbeater.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Bailey.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Bailey.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Bailey.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/planes.html#AAB_diagramhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/planes.html#AAB_diagramhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/planes.html#AAB_diagramhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/planes.html#AAB_diagramhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/planes.html#AAB_diagramhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/planes.html#AAB_diagramhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Bailey.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/Leadbeater.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Mirra.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/methodology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/GoldenDawn.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/Qabalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Sant_Mat/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Sant_Mat/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gnosticism/Pleroma.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Luria.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Suhrawardi.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/Sufism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/Shankara.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Vedanta/index.html

8/13/2019 The Planes of Existence

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Leadbeater and Bailey cosmic diagrams). In this was one can equate the visionary

universe with specific psychological strata (in addition to phenomena native to that

universe)

However, things are not that simple. The Kabbalists, andfollowing them Theonand

Blavatsky (and from her the whole Theosophical and ex-Theosophical (Steiner,Bailey) tradition), understand reality as in a sense "fractal", in that each plane or

universe or division of reality itself contains a full complement of planes, and so on.

(Gurdjieffalso said the same thing, according toOuspensky(In Search of the

Miraculous), he provbably also got it from Blavatsky ). So, the implication is (and thisis especially evident inTheon's diagramand Blavatsky's concept of "kosmic planes"),

much more so than in the later theosophical and post-theosophical diagrams) that the

psychological attributes may correspond to lower recursions rather than the original

larger universes in themselves.

Thus, it is easier to understand those sub-planes or bands that are "closer to" theobjective physical, and make up our ordinary surface being (what Sri Aurobindo calls

theOuter Being), then it is to understand the larger and more visionary, pure

supraphysical realities. This should be taken into consideration when drawing up any

tabulation or map of universes or pleromas or levels opr worlds of occultconsciosunses and super-cosnciosunses.

Tabulation of Planes of Existence

The following represents a suggested overview of the primary universes or self-manifest modes of the Supreme that constitute the "vertical" or prakritic planes axis of

the Cosmos. This is however only one dimension, and these gradations or hypostases

should also be considered in terms of the"concentric" levels of being.To collapse thespectrum of being to a single ontocline or paraneter is misleading.

In defining these levels or gradations I have borrowed from Neoplatonism,Gnosticism, Tantra, Sufism, Kabbalah, the Theons, and especially from Sri

Aurobindoan concepts. If I rely upon the latter a lot, it is only because in hisLife

DivineandLetters on Yogahe presents such a clear and comprehensive overview of

the spectrum of realities. Even so it is important to remeber that Sri Aurobindo wasconcerned to lay out a practical path and technique to divinization, and for this reason

the states of consciousness in his yoga of ascent refer to states actualised in the

physical body and physical mind, and the metaphysical planes and hypostases (whichare actual states or dimensions of existence in themselves, as distinct universes) were

often more described less thoroughly. Certainly he does not shy away from referring to

these, and in fact is one of the very few Indian teachers who does (perhaps due to hisincorporating Theosophical and Theonist ideas), but he does not distinguish between

http://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/classifications.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/classifications.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/classifications.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Gurdjieff.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Gurdjieff.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Gurdjieff.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Ouspensky.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Ouspensky.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Ouspensky.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/HPB-planes.html#kosmichttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/HPB-planes.html#kosmichttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/HPB-planes.html#kosmichttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Outer_Being.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Outer_Being.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Outer_Being.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/concentric.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/concentric.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/concentric.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Life_Divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Life_Divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Life_Divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Life_Divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Letters.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Letters.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Letters.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Letters.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Life_Divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Life_Divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/concentric.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Outer_Being.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/HPB-planes.html#kosmichttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Ouspensky.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Gurdjieff/Gurdjieff.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/classifications.html

8/13/2019 The Planes of Existence

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these states when actualised in the physical consciousness, and the states as they exist

as autonomous supra-physical hypostases. However there isa distinction, if only in

terms of"octaves" or "resonances",and Sri Aurobindo's descriptions (as

phenomenological exemplars or "type specimens" of consciousness so to speak) isprimarily concerning the phsyical embodiment, integration, and union, of these higher

states.

Very Provisional Table of Planes of Existence

Universe and

Plane

Samkhyan

Guna

s

I

Ching

trigra

m(metap

horic

symbolic

only)

Neoplat

onism(varies)

Sufism(varie

s)

Kabb

alah(varies)

Theon(tenta

tive -

pendi

ng

close

rresea

rch)

Theosophy(generic

)

Sri

Aurob

indo

Divine

Sa

t

t

w

a

Nous(divide

d into

subleve

ls - e.g.Being,

Life

andNous)

Jabar

ut*

Atzilu

t**--

FreeIntellig

ence

Adi/

Divine/

Logoi

c*

Over

mind

Enligh

tened

Spiritu

al

Mind

Divin

e-

Intuitive

Beria

h**

Spiri

t

Anupa

daka*

Intuiti

on

Illum

ined

Intui

tive

Ligh

t

Atmic

*

Illumi

nedMind

Spiri

tual

Intui

tive

Esse

nce

Buddhi

c*

Highe

r

Mind

Ideational

Mind Rationa

l Soul,

NoeticSoul,

etc

Mala

kut*

Yetzir

ah**

Mind

Manasic

Mental

Affecti

ve

High

er

Affec

tive

R

a

j

a

SoulKama/

AstralVital

http://www.kheper.net/integral/vertical.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/vertical.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/vertical.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Neoplatonism/Neoplatonism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Neoplatonism/Neoplatonism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Neoplatonism/Neoplatonism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/cosmology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/cosmology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/cosmology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Kabbalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Kabbalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Kabbalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Atzilut.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Atzilut.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Overmind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Overmind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Overmind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Beriah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Beriah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Intuition.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Intuition.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Intuition.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Illumined_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Illumined_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Illumined_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Illumined_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Higher_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Higher_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Higher_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Higher_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/ideational.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/ideational.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/ideational.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Yetzirah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Yetzirah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/mental_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/mental_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/mental_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/affective.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/affective.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/affective.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Vital.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Vital.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Vital.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/affective.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/affective.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/mental_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/mental_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Yetzirah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Yetzirah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/ideational.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/ideational.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Higher_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Higher_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Higher_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_mind.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Illumined_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Illumined_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Illumined_Mind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/illumination.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Intuition.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Intuition.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Beriah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Beriah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine-intuitive.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/higher_spiritualhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Overmind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/Overmind.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Atzilut.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Atzilut.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/divine.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Aurobindo/SriAurobindo.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theosophy/index.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Theon/Materialisms.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Kabbalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Kabbalah.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/cosmology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Islamic_esotericism/cosmology.htmlhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Neoplatonism/Neoplatonism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Neoplatonism/Neoplatonism.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/I_Ching/trigrams.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/topics/Samkhya/gunas.htmhttp://www.kheper.net/integral/vertical.html

8/13/2019 The Planes of Existence

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Very Provisional Table of Planes of Existence

Universe andPlane

Samk

hyanGunas

IChin

g

trigram(metap

horic

symbo

lic

only)

Neoplatonism(varies)

Sufis

m(varie

s)

Kabbalah(varies)

The

on(tenta

tive -

pendi

ng

close

r

resea

rch)

Theoso

phy(generic

)

SriAurob

indo

Lowe

r

Affec

tive

sIrration

al Soul

Mithal*

Asiyah**

Ner

vo

Univer

se of

Materi

alForm

High

er

plane

s

T

a

m

as

NatureNutritive /

Vegetat

iveSoul Phys

ical

LingaSthula

/

Etheric

Subtle

Physical

Kos

mic

Physi

cal

BodyMulk

*

Malk

ut of

Asiya

h**

--

Dense

Physical

Physical

(Terre

strial

evolution)

Hylic Hyle --

Klippot/

"Husk

s"(not

evil)*

*

-- --Incons

cient--

notes:

*more likely to be be inner (concentric dimension) rather than higher(vertical dimension)

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**these regions in the cartography of spiritual worlds are described

ambiguously enough as to be equally able to be mapped against the

both the concentric and the vertical ontoclines.

These successive universes or "kosmic planes" (as listed above in the left-most

column) can be described in more detail as follows:

Divine or Cosmic Consciousness:The first stage of this metaphysically

vertical parameter, the Divine Universe, the upper World of Atzilut, the planeof Active or Free Intelligence or Logos or Overmind Intuition, includes the

Divine Worlds, Cosmic Gods and Godheads; intermediate between the Infinite Noetic

Godhead (Logos) and the Manifest Temporal Cosmos. Neither eternal, infinite ortranscendent, or finite and dualistic, this important Plane stands between the two. Here

is where the One Light of the Logos or Transcendent Nous becomes a prism of many

radiances, archetypes, gods, sefirot, lights... These in turn supervise the creation

below. In Kabbalah this is best described as theWorld of Atzilut(Divine Emanation),although Sri Aurobindo uses the termOvermind,and Theon Free Intelligence. Moving

up from lower finite existence, this plane or universe is experienced as a place of

profound and subtle cosmic and esoteric mysteries and gnosis hinting at the Unfolding

of the Logos [c.f.Gnosticism,Lurianic Kabbalah,etc], in which there is no distinctionbetween oneself and the cosmos [Sri Aurobindo]. This iuniverse constitutes the union

(in the conentric parameter) of theCausalandSupracausal(the more "outer"

hypostases have alreday been subsumed),

Enlightened Spiritual Mind and Gnosis:The next Universe down from the

Divine Pole of existence is the region of pure Enlightened mind, a series ofSpiritual Worlds of emanated hierarchies. These are the spiritual hierarchies

that emanate from and are the expression and aspects of the Divine world, the

ideational Gods and archetypal or divine-Angelic hierarchies. There is noOuter or

"Gross" Beingequivalent to this hypostasis, onlyInner-Subtle,causal,and beyond (inthe sense of even more "innermost"). In Kabbalah this is the Archangelic Universe, or

the World ofBeriah(Creation). According to Sant Mat and to Theon there are several

universes here, pure spiritual ontocosms beyond the abstract mental plane. This isequivalent to Sri Aurobindo's Higher Mind level (which he locates above the "void

region" above the head). Moving up from lower finite existence, this ontocosm, to

which corresponds in part theSahasrara or Crown chakraabove the head, confers theoption of Liberation from rebirth, should one choose that. Sri Aurobindo refers to

three levels or gradations of spiritual mind - from lower to higher this is the Higher

Mind, Illumined Mind, and Intuitive Mind (the latter intermediate between Mind and

Overmind (Divine or Cosmic Consciousness). Moving up from lower finite existence,these universes are experienced as a great Enlightenment, and humans who have

attained this state are seen as great saints, avatars and buddhas.

Spiritual Mind or Pure Intellect:The next Universe down, the Plane of Pure

Mind or pure intellect, is the region of pure Creative Ideas. This includes the

archetypal or Higher Angelic hierarchies from which originate the gnosticidea-forms that filter down into the angelic ideational planes. The hierarchies of this

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Universe still have a greater demiurgic or Creative power than the Affective

hierarchies below them. These are the spiritual hierarchies that emanate from and are

the expression and aspects of the Enlightened Mind worlds, including spiritual

archetypes which filter down and eventually manifest in the Physical universe. InKabbalah this is the Angelic Universe, or the World ofBeriah(Creation) of Kabbalah,

as well as perhaps the upper part of the world of Yetzirah(Formation) (although theseworlds can equally be identified with theInner-Subtle being). It includes the highestfaculties normally active in even the developed individual, and the higher unconscious

in part, as well as many regions beyond normal human consciousness. TheAjna

chakra(and one might also assume theNirvana or "lower" crown chakra)is associatedhere (i.e. due to the fractal nature of reality, this universecorrespondsto the ajna etc

(just as other universe correspond to their chakras - the spiritual-gnostic to the crown,

the "Physical" or Form universe to themuladhara), but the chakras still (in my

understanding pertain to the subtle or inner Form universe). It includes the highest

faculties normally active in even the developed individual, and the higher unconsciousin part. Sri Aurobindo refers to this as the lowest of the four levels or gradations of

mind - the pure Thinking Mind, or simply Mind or Mental plane. This is in its own

realm pure and unsullied by ignorance; it is only the Mind mixed with the lower levelsthat leads to delusion and doubt, and the limitations of theouter or "gross" surface

consciousness.

Universe of Affectivity:(Pure Psychic Universe(s)). The psychic oraffective

reality, is, like all the planes or universes, a vast region, with many

subdivisions. Most often it is divided into two. The higher levels are heavenregiosn of pure spiritual emotion or Affectivity, can be called the Angelic Universe,

being in part equivalent to the Kabbalistic Yetzirah and spiritualist celestial realms,

and a region of pure Love and Compassion. It includes the Spiritual and Spiritual-Psychic World; the highest faculties normally active in a person; the higher

unconscious in part. This is the lowest of the spiritual heaven realms or "pure

universes", and is represented by theAnahataor Heart chakra, wherein dwells the

Higher Self (henceMax Theonidentifies this region with theSoul degree). The lowersubdivisions correspond to various psychic and occult planes of existence. Many of

the higher psychic experiences, revelations, religious experiences, and so on, come

from here. This is a region of great desires and passions, and a snare for the gullibleand unwary, who mistake the half-luminous denizens of this Plane for an ascended

master or superme deity. In western esotericism such as Theosophy and Hermeticism,

this is or includes theAstral plane.Theon uses the term Nervo or Nervous. The

Psychic and Imaginal also provide the blueprints for the Physical universe.

Universe of Material Form:(Gross and Subtle Physical) The most manifest

universe, the plane of Form or Matter, can also be divided into one or moreupper or more subtle spiritual and a lower or dense subdivision. These are

referred to in Adya Theosophical, Anthroposophical, and some New Age thought as

the Etheric and the Physical. The Etheric region represents the interface between thePsychic (and more subtle realities) and the Physical proper. It also includes many

refined and subtle statesof existence that have little relation to our world, or only

irrupt into the known universe occasionally, as UFOs and other anomalous (Fortean)

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phenomena. In even more subtle dimensions of the physical one finds the physical

Astral region, and beyond that Steiner's Spiritual Heirarchies. In the subtle physical

also there is what inesoteric Islamis widely called theImaginal Realm,theBarzakh

or the Intermediate World, in which "bodies are spiritualitised and spiritscorporalised". In western esotericism such as Theosophy and Hermeticism, this is or

includes the Astral plane. Theon uses the term Nervo or Nervous (perhaps equivalentto "etheric" - nadis etc?). The Etheric and Imaginal also provide the blueprints for thePhysical universe. Below this of course is the dense physical plane is the material

universe, the lower part of the World of Asiyah, which includes physical

consciousness, the mundane mind, higher states of consciousness, and also the veryrestricted state of consciousness in inanimate matter going all the way down to the

inconscience of "formless" matter (only formless when expreinced subjectively) or

hyle; source of physical laws, and theatre for the soul's evolution, crucible of self-

transformation, and the working out of the Divine Plan.

These four (or seven or eight or nine or however many) Universes or Planes can also

be classified into a group of lower ones, corresponding to theEastern(Hindu, Jain,and Buddhist) idea of samsaraor embodied transmigratory existence, and a group of

higher planes of divine consciousness, which can be referred to as the Higher Spiritual

worlds. Note that these higher worlds are notthe same as Nirvana or Moksha,although if you attain this state you are certainly in the condition described as self-

realised or enlightened. But Nirvana is release from all existence - higher and lower,

enlightened and ignorant. Nirvana, Moksha, or Mukti (Liberation) is a state of non-

being, a return to the Supreme (or rather, a realisation that you always were theSupreme). But in realising that you lose your embodied existence. You are no longer a

part of theevolution of the cosmosto the state of Divinization (orSupramentalisation,

in Sri Aurobindo's term). Ultimately it is a matter of choice whether one seeks Nirvanaor Supramentalisation (by choice I mean the choice of one'sHigher Self,not of the

ego or finite personality)

So there are the three Samsaric Worlds or Planes - Gross and Subtle Matter (Form),

Affective, and pure Mind or Spiritual-Ideational (or five or six according toBuddhism

(seewheel of rebirth), but they do not use an equivalent classification to the one used

here), and four Higher Spiritual worlds, which arenoetic.It might be that in sometraditions ofSant Mat / Radhasoamicosmologythere are referred to assaguna (with

form - the lower three) and nirguna (formless, the higher two),although I tend now to

think that Sant Mat, like Gnosticism, pertains primarily to the "concentric" dimension

of consciousness.

The dividing line between Samsaric and Noetic might correspond to what SriAurobindo calls the "void region" above the head; this in other words is the Shunya or

Clear Light ofTibetan Buddhism.Below it, you are caught in samasara and karma,

above it you have fully integratedgnosis,although there is still the karma from pastactions, and theevolutionaryimpetus of the Higher Self.

Further, these planes and subplanes can in turn be grouped into further categories, asfollows:

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Divine Manifestation and Revelation:o The Divineo Enlightenment-Intuition

Higher Spiritual Awakening:o Illuminationo

Higher Mind Intuition Creative and Spiritual Awareness and Spiritual-Psychic existence

o Spiritual Mind or Pure Intellecto Higher Affective/Psychic/Heaven (Spiritual Emotion or Pure Affectivity)

Material and Lower Psychic Expression:o Lower Affective/"Lower Astral"o Higher Physical (Etheric, Imaginal, Astral-Physical, etc)o Lower or Dense Physicalo Hylic / Inconscient

So far we have discussed grouping the planes into larger categories. But each of these

worlds can also be divided into further subworlds. There are in addition otherparameters as well as the ontological series of worlds. All of which contributes to a

foundation or framework for a unifiedEsoteric Science

And just as the Universes of Physical, Astral, Affective, Ideational, etc exist as the

Macrocosm, the cosmic or objective reality as a whole, so they also have their

correlates in the Microcosm, the individual evolving entity (whether human, animal,plant, or whatever). So we have apsychologyof three primary grades of

consciousness, which constitute the individualisation of the entity in that particular

Universe; an Occult Psychology in other words. In Kabbalistic terminology these can

be referred to as the nefesh (in Kabbalah the psychological faculties of the World ofAsiyah (the Physical and Imaginal), and one of several terms for the "soul"), the ruah(the psychospiritual faculties corresponding to Yetzirah, the Psychic World), and the

neshamah (the soul-principle of Beriah, the Ideational World), although - because ofthe confusion between the variousparameters of beingin many esoteric traditions -

these terms can equally (or even more persuiasively) also be applied to the

"concentric"axis of consciousness.

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