CHAPTER I

THE PREPARATION OF THE FIELD.

1. THE FORMATION OF THE ATOM.

THE Third Logos, the Universal Mind, begins His creative Activity by working on the matter drawn in from the infinite space on every side for the building of our solar system. This matter exists in space in forms incognisable by us, but is apparently already shaped to the needs of vaster systems. For we have been told by H. P. Blavatsky that the atomic sub-planes of our planes make up the first, or lowest, kosmic plane. If we think of the atoms of that kosmic plane as symbolised by [17] a musical note. Our atoms, as formed by the Third Logos, may perhaps be sym­bolised by the overtones in such a note. What seems clear is that they are in close relation to the “atoms of space”, correspond with them, but are not, in their present form, identical with them. But the seven types of matter, that become our “atoms”, are indicated in the matter drawn from space to form the solar system, and are ultimately reducible again to them. H. P. Blavatsky hints at the repeated seven-fold division into atoms of lower and lower grade, when she writes: “The One Kosmic Atom becomes seven atoms on the plane of matter, and each is transformed into a centre of energy. That same atom becomes seven rays on the plane of spirit... separate till the end of the kalpa and yet in close embrace”.[12]

Outside the limits of a universe this matter is in a very peculiar state; the three qualities of matter, inertia, mobility, and rhythm[13], are balanced against each [18] other, and are in a state of equilibrium. They might be thought of as existing as a closed circle, quiescent. In fact, in some ancient books, matter in its totality is described in this state as inertia. It is also spoken of as virgin; it is the celestial Virgin Mary, the ocean of virgin matter, that is to become the Mother by the action of the Third Logos. The beginning of creative Activity is the breaking of that closed circle, throwing the qualities out of stable into unstable equilibrium. Life is motion, and the life of the Solar LOGOS - His Breath, as it is poetically called - touching this quiescent matter, threw the qualities into a condition of unstable equilibrium, and therefore of continual motion in relation to each other. During the life-period of a universe matter is ever in a condition of incessant internal motion. H. P. Blavatsky says: “Fohat hardens and scatters the seven Brothers … electrifies into life and separates primordial stuff, or pregenetic matter, into atoms”[14].

The formation of the atom has three [19] stages. First, the fixing of the limit within which the ensouling life - the Life of the Logos in the atom - shall vibrate; this limiting and fixing of the wave-length of the vibration is technically called “the divine measure”[15]; this gives to the atoms of a plane their distinctive peculiarity. Secondly, the Logos marks out, according to this divine measure, the lines which determine the shape of the atom, the fundamental axes of growth, the angular relation of these, which determines the form, being that of the corresponding kosmic atom[16]; the nearest analogy to these are the axes of crystals. Thirdly, by the measure of the vibration and the angular relation of the axes of growth with each other, the size and form of the surface, which we may call the surface or wall of the atom, is determined. Thus in every atom we have the measure of its ensouling life, its axes of growth, and its enclosing surface or wall. [20]

Of such atoms the Third Logos creates five different kinds, the five different “measures” implying five different vibra­tions, and each kind forms the basic material of a plane; each plane, however various the objects in it, has its own fundamental type of atom, into which any of its objects may ultimately be reduced.

2. SPIRIT-MATTER.

The epithet, spirit-matter, will perhaps be better appreciated if we pause for a moment on the method of the formation of the atoms of the suc­cessive planes. For each system the matter of space around it is its Root of Matter, Mulaprakriti, as the Hindus graphically call it. The matter of each system has that surrounding matter for its root, or base, and its own special matter grows out of, is developed from, that. The LOGOS, the Oversoul, of the system, drawing round Himself the necessary matter from space, ensouls it with His own life, and this life within this [21] subtle matter, this Mulaprakriti, is the Atma, the SELF, the Spirit, in every particle. Fohat, the energy of the Locos, says H. P. B., “digs holes in space”, and no description could be finer and truer. That whirling energy forms innumerable vortices, each shaped by the divine energy and the axes of growth, and each shelled with the matter of space, Atma in a shell of Mulaprakriti, spirit in a shell of matter, the “atoms” of the Adi, or highest plane, the first. Some of these remain as “atoms”; others join together and form “molecules”; “molecules” join together and make more complex molecular com­binations; and so on till six sub-planes below the atomic are formed. [This by analogy with what may be observed below, since these highest planes are incognis­able.] Now comes the forming of the atoms of the second plane. Their measure and axes of growth being fixed as above described by the Third Logos, some of the atoms of the adi, or first, pane draw round themselves a shell of the combinations of their own lowest sub-­plane; the Spirit plus its original shell of [22] kosmic matter (Mulaprakriti), or the atom of the first plane, is the spirit of the second plane, and permeates the new shell, formed out of the lowest-grade combina­tions of itself. These shells, thus ensouled, are the atoms of the anupadaka, or second, plane. By the ever more complicated aggregations of these the remaining six sub-planes are brought into being. Some of the atoms of the anupadaka plane, in like manner, become clothed with the aggrega­tions of their own lowest sub-plane, and thus become the atmic atoms, the Spirit now being clothed with two shells, inside its atomic wall of aggregations of the lowest sub-plane of the anupadaka, and the original Spirit, or Life, plus its two shells, being called the spirit of the atmic plane, while the wall of its atom is ­regarded as the matter. This atom, ensheathed once more in the aggregations of the lowest atmic sub-plane, becomes the atom of the buddhic plane, Spirit on the buddhic plane having thus three enclosing films within its atomic shell of lowest atmic aggregations. On the mental plane the Spirit has a fourfold sheath within the [23] atomic wall, on the astral plane a fivefold, and on the physical a sixfold, with the atomic wall in each case in addition. But the Spirit plus all its sheaths save the outermost is ever regarded as Spirit, and the outermost sheath only as form or body. It is this involution of Spirit which makes evolution possible, and complicated as the description may sound, the principle is simple and can be easily grasped. Truly, then, may we speak of “spirit-matter” everywhere.

3. THE SUB-PLANES.

Now the ultimate atoms of the physical plane are not the “atoms” of the modern chemist; the ultimate atoms are aggre­gated into successive typical groups, forming “states of matter”, and the chemical atom may be in the fifth, sixth, or seventh of these states, a gas, a liquid, or a solid. Familiar are the gaseous, the liquid, and the solid states of matter, or, as they are often called, the gaseous, liquid, and solid sub-planes; [24] and above the gaseous are four less familiar conditions, the three etheric states of matter, or sub-planes, and the true atomic. These true atoms are aggregated into groups, which then act as units, and these groups are called molecules; the atoms in a molecule are held together by magnetic attraction, and the molecules on each sub-plane are arranged geometrically in relation to each other on axes identical with the axes of growth of the atom of the corresponding plane. By these successive aggregations of atoms into molecules, and of simpler into more complex molecules, the sub-planes of each plane are formed under the directive Activity of the Third Logos, until the field of evolution, consisting of five planes, each showing seven sub-planes - the first and second planes being beyond this field - is completed. But it must not be supposed that these seven sub-planes, as formed by the Third Logos, are at all identical with those which are now existing. Taking the physical plane as an illustra­tion, they bear something of the same [25] relation to the present sub-planes as that which the chemist calls proto-hydrogen bears to the chemical element said to be built up out of it. The present conditions were not brought about by the work of the Third Logos only, in whom Activity predominates; the more strongly attractive or cohesive energies of the Second Logos, who is Wisdom and therefore Love, were needed for the further integrations.

It is important to remember that the planes are interpenetrating, and that corresponding sub-planes are directly related to each other, and are not really separated from each other by intervening layers of denser matter. Thus we must not think of the atomic sub-planes as being separated from each other by six sub-planes of generally increasing density, but as being in immediate connexion with each other. We may figure this in a diagram as follows: [26]

It must be understood that this is a diagram, not a picture i.e., it represents relations, not material facts-the relations existing between the planes by virtue of their intermingling, and not forty-nine separate bricks placed in seven rows, one an the top of another.

Now this relation is a most important one, for it implies that life can pass from [27] plane to plane by the short road of the communicating atomic sub-planes, and need not necessarily circle round through the six molecular sub-planes before it can reach the next atomic sub-plane to con­tinue its descent. As a matter of fact we shall find presently that life-streams from the Monad do follow this atomic road in their descent to the physical plane. If we now consider a physical atom, looking at it as a whole, we see a vortex of life, the life of the Third Logos, whirling with incon­ceivable rapidity. By the attraction between these whirling vortices, molecules are built up, and the plane with its sub-­planes formed. But at the limiting surface of this whirling vortex are the spirillae, whirling currents, each at right angles to the one within it and the one without it. These whirling currents are made by the life of the Monad, not by the life of the Third Logos, and are not present at the early stage we are considering; they develop one after another into full activity in the course of evolution, normally one in each Round; their rudi­ments are indeed completed by the Fourth [28] Round by the action of the Second Logos, but the life-stream of the Monad circulates in only four of them, the other three being but faintly indicated. The atoms of the higher planes are formed on the same general plan, as regards the Logic central vortex and its enclosing currents, but all details are at present lacking to us. Many of the practices of yoga are directed to bring about the more rapid evolution of the atoms by quickening this spirillae ­vivifying work of the Monad upon it. As these currents of the monadic life are added to the Logic vortex, the note of life grows richer and richer in its quality. We may compare the central vortex to the fundamental note, the whirling encircling currents to the overtones; the addition of each overtone means an added richness to the note. New forces, new beauties, are thus ever added to the seven-fold chord of life.

4. THE FIVE PLANES.

The different responses which the matter of the planes will later give under [29] the impulse of consciousness depend on the work of the Third Logos, on the “measure” by which He limits the atom. The atom of each plane has its own measure, as we have seen, and this limits its power of response, its vibratory action, and gives it its specific character. As the eye is so constituted that it is able to respond to vibrations of ether within a certain range, so is each type of atom, by its constitution, able to respond to vibrations within a certain range. One plane is called the plane made of “mind-­stuff”, because the “measure” of its atoms makes their dominant response that which answers to a certain range of the vibrations of the Knowledge Aspect of the LOGOS, as modified by the Creative Activity.[17] Another is called the plane of “desire­-stuff”, because the “measure” of its atoms makes their dominant response that which answers to a certain range of the vibrations of the Will[18] Aspect of the LOGOS. Each type of atom has thus its own peculiar [30] power of response, determined by its own measure of vibration. In each atom lie involved numberless possibilities of re­sponse to the three aspects of conscious­ness, and these possibilities within the atom will be brought out of the atom as powers in the course of evolution. But the capacity of the matter to respond, and the nature of the response, these are deter­mined by the original action of the triple Self on it, and by the measure imposed on the atoms by the Third Logos; He, out of the infinite capacity of His own multitude of vibratory powers, gives a certain portion to the matter of a particular system in a particular cycle of evolution. This capacity is stamped on matter by the Third Logos, and is ever maintained in matter by His life infolded in the atom. Thus is formed the fivefold field of evolution in which consciousness is to develop.

This work of the Third Logos is usually spoken of as the First Life Wave. [31]