Divine Emanatior

Next will be set out some of the principle truths relating to divine emanation. First of importance to understanding is the overall Wholeness, ... that everything is of One Whole Being. Yet included in this Oneness are many parts, qualities, levels and stages. It is helpful to visualize levels descending from an ultimate Source; or even better, smaller wholes within greater wholes, or spheres within larger spheres. This has been called the great Hierarchy, or it could also be called a great Holarchy, with everything and everyone in some way connected, included and nested together in interpenetrating spheres or dimensions. But even this is not static; for this wholeness is dynamic, everchanging, transforming, and evolving towards evermore integrated and beautiful synthesis. Because of these dynamic properties of the Whole, we call this the Creative Process of Spirit.

First, we begin from the most fundamental Intuition; that there is Only One Being and that everything of the universe must be in and of this One Being. We prefer to call this oneness a Being, rather than merely the Reality, because Being suggests something conscious and living, whereas reality could be non-animate like hydrogen and helium. If we begin with the premise of a Creator, or First-Cause, then everything in creation must be of the same substance as the Creator, since creation could only emerge from the Creator; thus everything must have the One Creator in it, in some way and in some degree. Descriptions of God or Creator may sometimes convey an image of separation between Creator and creation, or that God is emanating Light to creation. This can be a useful image, yet all creation is actually within God; because there is no other reality.

In the beginning, so to speak (because there really is no beginning), there is only One Being, and this we call God. This One Being, God, is all there is. But from this One Being emerges the vast plurality of existence, as things (or beings) and events. Yet this emergence from the One Being, which is called creation, is not an emergence of something outside of the One Being. Rather, it is within the One. Creation is within the One Being, not outside of it. The One Being unfolds Itself, its own potentials, from within Itself. So we are in the One Being. We are actual expressions of the One Being, within Itself. If we can realize this, and remember it, our life and experience will change and take on new meaning. We will realize an essential unity in all creation, and we will realize ourselves as in this Unity, or as a part of this Unity.

Divine Water Cascading through all creation

From the One, the Beginning, the Source, comes the descent (or emanation) of Intelligence, Love, and Will through the many planes of manifestation – the various dimensions of mind, feeling and form. These three 'energies' descend, emanate, spread through the planes, the levels. It can be understood as a descent, an emanation, or simply as a spreading out. This is the dynamic of the Great Cosmic Hierarchy, from the One (God) through all of the levels, climaxing in particular physical events and manifestations.

Each being in this Hierarchy can be understood as a mind, though each being is actually a composite triad of mind, feeling, and form. But in thinking about each being as a mind, we can then understand the whole Universe of Being as a Great Hierarchy of minds, each receiving from the level above while giving to the level below. The level below becomes a micro-particular reflection of the above.

From the One comes the Elixir of Intelligence, Love and Will; which are the three Primary Qualities of Divine Being, the Creative Triad of Divine Being. These Qualities are meant to be realized and manifested. This can all be pictured as a pouring forth the Elixir of Divine Being, or the Divine Water of Life. This Divine Water comes from the One Being (God), the One Source, and it descends and spreads through the whole Hierarchy of Being.

From God, the Ultimate Source, the Divine Water is poured forth through the whole Hierarchy of Being. This is the Water of Life poured forth for thirsty men. First, the Water is poured forth into the primary three containers of Being, and then into the seven containers. Each container for the Divine Water is a being in itself, with mind and feeling, consciousness and form. So the picture to have is of a great pouring forth and of the water descending as in a gradual cascading waterfall. The Divine Water then emanates and spreads forth from each of these primary seven containers into seven subsidiary containers. In other words, each of the original seven forth forth into seven below; and thus, there is now seven times seven. Then each of these pour forth into a lower level of seven; and therefore, there is then seven times seven times seven. And so it goes down through the Hierarchy.

The Divine Water cascades down the levels of Hierarchy; thus spreading throughout all creation. But each step along the way is a moment of potential, depending on how that particular container responsibly receives and gives. Each one along the Great Cascade is a significant centre of responsibility, and a significant link as well, such that those below depend on those above. The Divine Water can only cascade down to the next level and to the next links, if those above pour forth what has been given to them originating from the Original Source, the One God of Whom we are all emanations.

So, Divine Water is cascading through all creation. In its dual aspects, the Divine Water is Life and Consciousness. Esoteric teachings even speak of the two streams of life and consciousness, which also correspond to Shakti and Shiva. Both life and consciousness come into existence through transcendental channels, yet then are developed and integrated under organic processes. There is tremendous significance in the merging synthesis of life and consciousness. Meditate with consciousness on the immediate significance of life.

The Divine Water, in its triadic aspects, is Intelligence, Love, and Will. We each have these aspects in our own being, but our own degree of these is personally limited, though possible to increase. Also, in our personal being the fineness and purity of these aspects can be distorted or tilted towards a self-centered perspective. Thus, the Divine Will can be distorted into a self-centered personal will, even though the Divine Will is the Source energy for this personal will. Likewise, the Divine Love can be distorted into a self-centered love or a love that is dependent on love given to oneself. A personal self-centered love feels and gives love, but only if love is given first; in other words, one feels and gives love if and when love is given, but not unconditionally.

Next, the Great Divine Intelligence will, of course, be miniaturized in each person, but it can also be distorted. It can be distorted into a self-centered intelligence, which is an intelligence primarily used to acquire personal gain and also used to justify self-promoting beliefs. In essence though, there is nothing really bad about personal gain and self-promotion; but people sometimes use their developed intelligence to trick or deceive others for personal gain, and people sometimes use their intelligence to ethically self-justify their personal intentions and actions. In summary, there are many ways to distort the original cascading powers of Will, Love, and Intelligence.

Creation or life itself is the spontaneous emanation of God, the One Being. This creation spontaneously emanates from the Being-Essence of God. Things proceed from God as water from an overflowing spring or reservoir. Generative emanation from the Original Source, the Creator, is naturally spontaneous like the radiant sun, and its outpouring is unlimited and undiminished, like an eternal reservoir. Yet the Source remains independent, while its progeny or outflow remain dependent on it. This has been called the overflowing generosity of God, or it could also be described as the spontaneous emanation of God’s creative and loving nature. So the One is continuously and spontaneously overflowing in generosity. Also, God is like the Sun emanating light, fire and warmth outward in all directions. God is super-abundant in overflow, and all of this creation is super-saturated with the Consciousness and Qualities of God. Thus, there is super-abundant overflowing Consciousness, Love, Creative Power, and Intelligence.

Imagine a balloon, beginning with no air or no space, and then it begins to expand outward. Imagine a flower bud, and see it open up and expand. Imagine a point in a space of nothingness, and see it expand out spherically in all directions. So the Being-Essence expands, like an expanding sphere. This expanding sphere is the creative Breath of Divine Being, the breathing out of absolute Being. This expanding sphere is manifestation, which has emerged from the dimensionless point of absolute Being-Essence. And each degree of expansion is a further degree of particularization and diversity in manifestation. We can also imagine levels of expansion, concentric circles, or spheres within spheres. Some metaphysical systems divide the whole of creation-from-Essence into seven spheres or layers, but some say four and some say ten, while another says there are 70,000 levels or layers. The number depends on how general or specific the description.

The universe of existence is an expansion and unfoldment of the Inner Being of God. It is the External Reality developed from the Internal Reality. It is Cosmic Potential becoming actual. It is the flowering from the Seed. We distinguish Essence from world, Potential from actualization, Inner from outer; but these are intrinsically related. The manifest world ‘emerges out from Essence’, or it can be understood as ‘actualization from Potential. Creation unfolds from the One Being and in the One Being. Neither is absolutely outside of the other. The outer contains the Inner, because the outer is just an expansion of the Inner, and the Inner Seed is within all parts of the outer. And thus, the Unity of Being always remains, even though there are these distinctions.

Everything exists within God. But nonetheless, a relative distinction has to be made between creation-manifestation and God the Essence. Also in this model, it is important to acknowledge that any particular field or event or expression of the manifest world will be a relative unfoldment of the divine absolute Essence – that is, it will be partial to some degree, which means it is an unfoldment of Essence to only some degree of completeness. Thus, particular things or events are actualizations of Essence – in varying degrees. This in fact gives the world depth in its possibilities for value, and it gives us the sense that circumstances and expressions always have some potential for being better or more complete or more integrative with their larger fields of expression.

A second great truth is that things and events of this world must be diverse reflections, modes or aspects of the One and Only Being, because they must have derived from Properties of the One Being. They could not have properties that are alien or strange to the Properties of the One Being; nor could anything be of a substance other than God’s Substance. So, all in the universe must be children of God, or emanations of this One Being, and thus carry that original proto-spiritual Substance. Divine Substance is the reality from which all things are derived, not by a whimsical wish of God, but by the necessity of God’s own Nature. Since all is derived from One Source, the Original Reality/Being; then all material, mental, and emotional phenomena must be, in some way and in some degree, modes and aspects of the One Being.

Imagine the following model. We begin with absolute Essence, but without any manifestation. This is God-Being, without any creation or reflective expression. Neither is there any differentiation within the Being. So we can understand this as pure Light, prior to even any distinctions of quality and prior to active-intelligence. Next, something unfolds from this Essence. Something emerges from nothing (though we call this nothingness ‘Essence’). We can name this ‘the unfolding of Essence’, or it can be called ‘the emanation of Being-Essence’.

A fourth principle is that emanationism necessarily involves a polar relationship. This is not a strictly divided dualism, but rather an intimate relationship between two poles of One Reality. This relationship, and the poles involved, can be described in many ways, depending on what aspects of reality are being discussed. One relationship is between the Light-Source and form-matter. We could also describe a relation between spiritual reality and material reality; with the former giving to the latter. Another description is between the Source of emanation and the beings of emanation. This could also be understood as a relationship between God and creation, with God being the Giver-Creator-Source and creation being the manifestation and receiver of Life. Though we should not confuse the meaning of this relationship with a more complete meaning of God as the Whole Relation Itself.^¹

If we view God as the Whole Relation Itself, then we could describe a relation between God’s Inner and Outer reality, whereby the Inner Aspect of God supplies Energy and Ideas to the Outer [Body] Aspect that is in process of development. This then reminds us of the relationship between Inner and Outer, or between Internal and External, as emanation proceeds from the former to the latter, or it proceeds from mind to matter. Then as well, there is the classical relationship between Higher and lower. This also usually implies a qualitative value distinction; though we could view this as a relation of different purposes, just as the mind and body have distinct and significant purposes. In other words, something significant would be missing if only body or only mind existed; we’d have either a dumb body or a non-manifesting mind. So we have the source and recipient, the spiritual and matter, the inner and outer, the internal and external, the higher and lower.

Another polar relationship is between Unity and multiplicity; ontologically, multiplicity and diversity proceeds from Unity, as the many proceed from the One. Yet we should also remember that multiplicity, or the many, or diversity, are involved in an integrating process towards Unity. Another relationship is between the Universal and particular, or General and specific. These are often dubbed as mere logical relations, but such logical relations reflect real ontological relations; such as the Universal emanates particulars, and the General emanates specifics. We can also speak of Potential emanating creative actualities; making note of the relationship between our manifest world and subsisting Spiritual Potentials. Another relationship is between Depth and surface. Another is between the Creative Unconscious and conscious experience.

We can also understand distinctions between Wider and narrower consciousness, or between holistic-contextual views and particular-focused views. Or we could distinguish between Larger and smaller realities. Beings can be larger or smaller in relation to one another. Views and experiences can be larger or smaller. Or we could make a useful distinction between the more Inclusive vs. the more exclusive, and the more United vs. the more separative. One final relation to mention is between revelation and veiling. Every revelation of Being is also a veiling of undisclosed mystery, while every veiling serves to focus on a particular revelation. Many of these various relations will be further discussed later.

But a few further elaborations will be briefly discussed at this point. One of the most fundamental relations are Higher and lower; and the other fundamental relation is Inner and outer. We can think of energies as being higher or lower, and in the emanationist model Higher Energies from the Source descend downward into the lower world – the world of physical events and manifestation. Essentially the Higher Energies are of three fundamental modes: Light, Love, and Will. And from this Triad different modes of Higher Energy descend; such as Ideas, Guidances, Higher Aspirations, and Spiritual Healing.

Now in the energy model, Higher and lower energies are ways we distinguish kinds of energy along one great continuum. So it is all energy, but some energies are higher than others, and vice versa. Higher Energies have a higher vibration and they work more subtly than the lower vibrational energies. Lower energies often have an immediate dramatic effect in our experience, while the higher energies are more subtle yet also more sustaining in the long run. One helpful simplification is that Spiritual Energies (such as Higher Light, Love and Will) are higher and finer energy vibrations, in relation to the lower and grosser energy vibrations of physical matter. Its all the same great Substance, or Energy, but this one Energy works phenomenally different according to its vibration. Consider Spiritual God Consciousness at one Pole, at the highest vibration way beyond even the speed of light; while dense physical matter is at the other pole with the lowest vibration. In between are the various energies that we most experience in daily life.

The other fundamental relation is Inner and Outer. Here it is useful to imagine One Great God-Being, who has an Inner and Outer reality. Remember that we have an inner and outer reality as well; because God and we are mirror reflections as Macrocosm and microcosm. So God has this Inner and Outer. And also imagine that there is only God. So the external world that we know is the outer aspect of God; while the Inner aspect of God is a mystery. One is the Outer experience of God, and the other is an Inner experience. We could also distinguish this as God-Knowing in relation to God-Manifesting; or God’s Mind in relation to God’s Body.

Now we could stop right here and just say that the Innerness of God, or the Mind of God, is a unfathomable Mystery. And of course it is. But we are not really fully locked out of that Mystery; because deep inside ourselves is this same great Mystery. Deep inside us is the God Mystery. So the Inner experience of God is not completely inaccessible to us. We might not want to go so far as to say that we can acquire complete access to the Innerness of God, that is, to know and experience all of God. But we ought to have the courage and faith that we can at least access a great degree of God’s Inner Experience. This is because we are the progeny of God; we are the microcosms of God-Being. So in the depths of our own inner experience of self, of who we are, we can inwardly experience some of what God experiences inwardly. A final point to mention about the inner and outer relation is that the outer emerges from the Inner; for the Inner is source and sustainer to the outer.

Emanationism proceeds out from One Great Source, and as Light emanates outward there is an inevitable diminishment of its original intensity and a lowering of its original vibration. So as the emanation proceeds outward, there is a qualitative change. But instead of seeing this as an unfortunate circumstance, the outward can be understood as having a different purpose.

Our fifth point is that emanationist cosmology is hierarchical, beginning with the Source and proceeding through various stages of unfoldment and veiling, all the way down to simple matter. Using an analogy, God is like a single unitary root and the hierarchy of worlds are as branches and stems emerging from it. The hierarchical model shows stages/levels between the One Absolute God-Being and the plurality of finite beings. Each qualitative level^², or hypostasis^³, has a dynamic relationship with those levels above and below it. Each preceding level is the soul to the subsequent one; while the preceding level animates and sustains the subsequent levels.

The ^⁴ hierarchy should also be understood as a procession from Inner to outer. Beginning with the innermost Mystery or the Essence of Being-Consciousness, the hierarchy proceeds out through multiple levels of Mind, which for us are levels of inner spiritual experience; then further on are the most outer levels, the physical-material existence. So the spheres range from Inner to outer, and the more inner levels precede and generate the consequent outer levels. Much of what is described in spiritual or esoteric literature, and in this discussion as well, are realities and experiences of the more inner levels, that of subjective mind rather than the material reality studied by physical science. Parallel or analogous relationships between inner and outer realities, between mental and physical experience, can be found; but we need to remember that these discussions do not primarily speak about physical nature, except to point out an important principle that the outer physical world is generally derived from and modeled after the inner worlds.

The most outer level is what we know as the material universe, known by our senses or by physical instruments. This is the most obvious dimension, so it is the easiest for us to agree that it is real. The most outer dimension also has the most laws governing its events, while less laws restrict events in the more inner dimensions. The most inner dimensions are only known by mind through meditation. Mind can know/experience any of these dimensions, though the human mind may be limited in its ability to know the most inner dimensions. The very most inner dimension is God-Knowing.

People have differing abilities developed to experience the full range of inner dimensions, so it is less easy for us to all agree of their reality. But each and all dimensions are here and everywhere present together. Generally, in the process of time, the inner dimensions are unfolding outward; such that each dimension is being gradually transformed, or is evolving, by the efficacious unfolding of the dimension that is inner to it, and this unfoldment continues through the dimensions all the way to final material world. Also, as one traverses more outward from the most inner dimensions, there is more conflict, struggle and suffering, as part of evolutionary change. The more inner dimensions have less change and greater bliss.

Within our manifest physical world there are certainly causes and effects, so there is causation just within the physical world itself, Yet, considering the Whole Metaphysical Reality, causation fundamentally proceeds downwards from inner levels of Divine Mind to the more outer or lower levels. Thus, each level is the cause of the level below it, and is in turn caused by the level above it. Each level is the root of the lower one it generates, and each level is the branching out of the root level above it. Spirit is the root of matter. Matter is caused by Spirit; Spirit isn't just synthesized by matter. Man is created by God; God isn't just imaginatively created by man. Essences precede particulars; rather than particulars manufacturing essences. The evolution of life is actually an unfoldment of higher Divine Qualities.

If we visualize a hierarchy of interpenetrating spheres or fields, the levels are like fields within fields. The higher or preceding levels are like larger fields-spheres encompassing and including the lesser/subsequent fields within them. In this visualized model, lower level/fields are contained within the preceding higher level/fields, so the lower is within that higher/preceding World-Field-Background. This is also known as inter-nesting. The lower levels of hierarchy are nested within the higher, contained by the higher, and spiritually nourished and influenced by the higher.

Each level, though unique in itself, contains the essences of all levels above it. Each level, and as well each being in a level, is a kind of microcosmic reflection of all that is above it. This means that the respective level, or being, in some way contains all of the qualities and patterns from above. Or at least this is within its potential. Thus it is a microcosmic reflection of the Larger Reality. This is also called fractualization, in which nature repeats itself on the many scales of magnitude with the same basic pattern.^⁵

The lower is derived and differentiated from the higher. A higher preceding level acts as the logical ground from which subsequent levels grow; a higher level is the ground of premise, from which subsequent levels are derived and branch into possibilities. A higher level is like a larger field or background, while the subsequent level differentiates into multiple focuses or subjects. In psychological terms, the higher ontological levels are as deeper unconscious ground in relation to lower levels being as more surface content awareness or focus.

The closer a level is to the original Source-Essence; the more general, universal and inclusive it is. The further away a level is from the Source-Essence, or the further out it is in the metaphysical expansion of Being; the more particular, specific and distinct it is. Every higher level, or preceding level, is more universal and undifferentiated in relation to its subsequent level; while the subsequent level is more limited and defined in relation to the preceding higher level. Each subsequent level has more quantitative distinctions, more different distinctive powers and subjects. Each succeeding level is a branching out and furthering of distinctions, from the level above it; adding a new level of complexity and diversity, but without losing the archetypal essences of its parental genus/soul.

The hierarchy of inter-nested levels can also be understood in terms of archetypes. All diversity of creation is derived from spiritual archetypes, universal patterns. In hierarchical terms, any particulars or level of diversity must have emerged from the more universal level above it – which provides archetypes for the levels emergent from it. A more general pattern precedes and generates subsequent levels. So anyone can look up, as it were, or look deeper within their soul-psyche, to find the archetypes from which one came into being. An archetype above in the hierarchy provides a general pattern or quality from which subsequent differentiation and diversity emerge. The subsequent differentiations or particularizations, at the next level, are like possible derivatives from an axiomatic premise, the archetype above. This archetypal pattern, in turn, might be a differentiation itself, derived from an even more universal archetype (pattern, quality, or premise) above it.

An archetype is also like a parent to its subsequent children at the level below it. The children carry their parental qualities and patterns, often unconsciously, but also diversify and create new mixtures of these given qualities; they are not merely copies. As one esoteric saying goes, ‘we are in the Image of God’; not the exact same, but reflective. Yet it should be remembered that not all reflections are equally clear and undistorted. We are not God, but we are in and of God, and to some extent reflections, as we carry forth our Parental given patterns and qualities. The parental analogy here also illustrates a process in time, as each level of progeny is a subsequent unfoldment in the cosmic process of creative diversification.

Each level (or sphere) in the great hierarchy has a unique structure and function, not duplicated by the level above nor by the levels below. There will be some similarity between proximate levels/spheres, like similarity between parents and children, but the levels have their own unique distinction, and the function of each level is uniquely significant in the overall Divine Purpose. A simple analogy would be the four basic levels of a human being: soul, intellect, emotions, and physical body. Each has its own significant, irreducible, irreplaceable function; that is, each provides a unique function in a human being. Yet each has some related similarities in any one person, and each characterizes the others to some degree. In addition, major differentiations within any level are uniquely and functionally significant; though sharing in fundamental characteristics. For example, each of the seven major colors are uniquely significant in their cosmic function and quality; though they all have the common similarity of being light. None are reducible to, or replaceable by, any of the others; and if any ceased to exist, the universe of experience would be significantly diminished.

So the levels below receive their patterning from levels above, and the lower is dependent on the higher. This is the hierarchical picture. The levels below are modeled and reflective of archetypal patterns above. But we should be cautious in not assuming that all derivatives or differentiations of an archetypal pattern above are necessarily perfect reflections, because at each subsequent level of descent there is also more possibility for accident and dis-clarity. The higher levels are closer to Original clarity and Perfect proportion, while each proceeding level is further away and has more possibility of manifesting imbalances. The higher is closer to an Original Clarity and Perfect Proportion, while the lower levels reflect the patterns above – yet have possibility for imbalance and accident in their process of differentiation and diversity.

Thus, the hierarchical model uses terms which make pragmatic distinctions such as greater and lesser, higher and lower, closer and distant, perfect and imperfect, revealing and veiling. But these distinctions are always relative comparisons; in the sense that what is called higher at one level, may be lower at the level above it. The higher always has a more positive quality; yet this does not necessarily imply that lower levels are lacking in divine respect, for the lower levels might just be the elaborative diversified distinctions of the higher level above it. In addition, each level is active in relation to the lower and receptive in relation to the higher. And the lower is dependent on its higher, while the higher remains independent of its lower.

Emanation is like a descent, which also implies a descent of quality; it begins with the infinitely pure and perfect, and at every descending emanating step the levels and beings are less pure, less perfect. It would be misleading to suggest that what proceeds or descends from the Source is necessarily corrupt or bad in some way. Everything will have at least some divine quality in it. But this principle of descending quality means that there are levels of quality, not all being equal in perfection, and that some of creation will inevitably be finer in quality than other parts. So the closer something is to the Ontological Source, rather than being further away in the emanating descent of Being; the more pure and simply perfect it must be, and the more Light it would contain and radiate. Also, the closer a being is to the Source, the more it partakes of Divine Knowing. So the emanation of Being spans from closeness (knowledge) to distance (ignorance).

The closer a level or being is to the Absolute-Source, the more it partakes of the Clarity, Purity and Perfection of the Absolute and its Original Divine Qualities. The closer a level or being is to the Absolute-Source, the more perfect is its reflection or image of that Source. And the further away, down the hierarchy of levels, the more possibility for imperfection, impurity, dis-clarity, and accident. Further down the levels, the Original Divine Light and Emanational Influence becomes lesser, in the same way as an original light or heat weakens as it disperses and differentiates outward further away. That which is closer to the Original Absolute Source is more heated, more energized, more lighted, more directly influenced and nurtured; while that which is further away in the emanational process of differentiation does not receive as much direct light and heat from the Source.

A being who is closer in proximity to the Absolute Source is also closer to divine union; whereas distancing from the Source tends to result in experiences of separation. Essentially, there cannot be any complete separation from the Absolute Source, because if anything were completely separate it could not exist; just as no life could exist without at least some light or life-giving energy. So everything manifest has at least some relation to higher levels and is nourished at least somewhat with a higher energy that is originally streaming from the Absolute Source. In theological terms, God is ever compassionate and caring for all creatures, no matter how lowly or bad character they have become. Nothing and no one is outside of God’s Love, and in every new moment everyone is offered a way to return closer to God – which is the meaning of divine forgiveness. Nonetheless, there is distancing and the possibility for beings to move away from the Source, rather than towards it. There are also degrees of separation from God, at least in experience, and also the possibility for beings to contract into a mode of ego-isolation. This has to be realistically recognized; yet there are always pathways back towards divine proximity and an eventual experience of union.

Also, the further out something is; the more material it is, and the more likely it is to automatize and lose connection to the Divine Impulse originating from the Source-Essence. This tendency for living systems to automatize, or establish a repeating pattern, is found throughout the universe. That which is further out in the creative expansion has more tendency to automatize and become autonomous to its own limited ends, with less tendency to be influenced by the Divine Impulse of the Source-Essence. Each level and each being, within the Unity, is limited in its intelligence and in its motivating aim. But that which is closer to the Essence has wider intelligence and aim, while that which is further away from the Essence has narrower intelligence and aim.

Important to realize, though, is that it is always possible for a living being or a system to have wider intelligence and aim, rather than narrower ones. The wider intelligence encompasses more of the whole of life, and the wider aim is to serve a greater expanse of the whole. {This intelligence might also be called knowledge, such that every being has knowledge and aim (motivating goals) – which is more or less wide and encompassing.} The narrower is the knowledge, the less a being can intelligently act in relation to a greater context. And the narrower is the aim, the less expansive is the will to service. That is, a being with a very narrow aim is more self-serving; while a being with a wider aim seeks to serve a greater field of the whole. Knowledge and aim are also efficaciously related; for greater knowledge helps to better fulfill an aim, and a greater aim motivates one to greater knowledge.

So in the Great Hierarchy, the higher levels are composed of wider, more inclusive and integrated Intelligences; while the lower levels are composed of narrower and less integrated intelligences. In simple terms, the higher levels have greater Holistic Intelligence than the lower levels; and of course the higher is closer to the Primal Divine Wisdom. The lower one descends down the hierarchy, the smaller the intelligences. Yet the lower levels have more multiplicity, more variety, differences and distinctions; though also more conflict and struggle in the interactions of all this multiplicity. In contrast, as one moves up in the hierarchy there is less multiplicity, less differences, and less conflict; for any moving upward is approaching Divine Unity. So in the hierarchy are levels of Intelligence; with Holistic Unity on top and greater multiplicity down lower. In contrast to the greater multiplicity and variety we find at the lower levels of reality, the higher levels exhibit greater unity and integration, with less differing distinctions. Thus, there are fewer groups and beings in the higher realms; and more in the lower realms.

This is important to note, that there are fewer beings the higher up one goes, until finally there is only The One Being. And as one traverses lower in the hierarchy there are a greater number of differences and beings. Then as one traverses higher there are fewer distinct souls. At the near highest levels, there are only a small band of Great Souls; yet these are the Over-souls of those souls underneath them. Imagine starting at the bottom and viewing upward in the hierarchy. A group of lower souls would be connected to and encompassed by a common higher soul – which is their over-soul existing at the next higher level. Then in turn, at this next level a group of these over-souls are connected to and encompassed by a common Over-soul above them. So as one ascends the hierarchy, there are fewer and fewer souls, as souls from the level above encompass groups from below. This is the hierarchy of souls, at least for our common planet.

Now one of the esoteric secrets is that, although we each are an individual soul, stationed at one level or another, our Over-soul above at the next level is really our deeper true Soul – who we really are but haven’t yet recognized it. Then, this deeper Soul is encompassed by an even greater Over-Soul, which is an even deeper level of who we really are – but haven’t yet realized it. So in fact, our spiritual journey is an adventure in realization of our deeper and deeper Soul – of who we really are – but not yet realized because we are still too caught up in surface realities.

So if we consider this Reality, this Existence, which can also be called God-in-Full, it is all One Great Being, and each of us are in It, or part of It, or like miniature waves or like light flashes within the Whole. And if we picture a model of levels, such as a pyramid, then Absolute God Consciousness is at the very top and material manifestation is at the bottom. One might also picture Mind at the top and Body at the bottom, and a vast complexity between. Remember all this is God. Yet also remember about the levels, because at each level of descent towards simple gross matter there is a lowering of Consciousness, a lowering of Knowing. In other words, ignorance increases at each level down. So if we look at our world, or if we look at ourself, we might see that we are not exactly God Conscious all the time (or any of the time), nor God-wise. This is because this level of phenomena is lower down the pyramid of God-Being; so there is more ignorance at this level, or less of the God-Knowing.

Moreover in our model, as we move down the pyramid there is more limitation of consciousness and knowledge, and individual containments are less expansive and more contracted in their small self-concerns. Picture the One Consciousness/Mind at the top, encompassing and permeating all life, but at each level down the pyramid there is an increasing fragmentation, partitioning and exclusive encasing of consciousness/mind; much like an increasing degree of distinct multiplicity of ever smaller parts, whereby each part becomes increasingly ignorant and separative in relation to the greater whole. Thus, there is this continuum from the higher to the lower, and we can find ourselves somewhere along this continuum. Yet there is also movement along the continuum, movement down or up, as consciousness is either contracting into a smaller and exclusive containment, or it is expanding back towards its original wholeness and inclusiveness – back towards the original God Consciousness.

Of course God Consciousness was never really lost, at least from that perspective; but it got lost, or forgotten, in the individual containments, even more so the lower down the metaphysical pyramid. It can be said that everyone is God in essence or in substance; but not necessarily God in present realization or experience. In one sense, there can never be separation from God Consciousness; but in another sense, an individual can be separate experientially by remaining in ignorance. In reality God Consciousness is never away or separate from anyone, because It exists everywhere at all time. But individuals are mostly ignorant of God Consciousness, or they are forgetful, or they are preoccupied with more temporal and limited concerns.

Now if you consider this, there generally isn’t any awful sin in such usual preoccupations; after all, individuals have to take care of temporal and limited needs. That is, we often have to deal with temporal and limited concerns, as part of practical life, like having to focus on accomplishing a certain task. So our earthly human life has many existential demands, which tend to contract the consciousness and bring us down, so to speak, from the more lofty heights of universal consciousness. The general reason for downward contraction in the cosmic scheme is very much like this; its part of practical necessity. But problems arise when such becomes a routine pattern of preoccupation, whereby the individual thoroughly and continuously forgets to return to expansive, universal consciousness.

We need to understand there is purpose in the limitation and contraction of consciousness. It is not merely a fall from Grace, or a sin, or a cosmic mistake. If we think like that, then we soon become confused about who’s fault it all is, God’s or ours. Instead, we need to understand the general purpose in this scheme of going down and up, contraction and expansion, again and again. In one arcane religion it is called the play of Shiva (appropriately translated as God). It would be unfair to generalize that all downward movements are bad, while all upward movements are good, because both have cosmic purpose. What we want to avoid is getting stuck, one way or the other.

If there were no downward movement, from the Absolute Pure Consciousness/Being, then there would be no world as we know it. There would be no limited forms and no diversity of nature. For in order to have form, there must be limitation in the consciousness and identity of this form, or individual. The tree must only have knowledge and identity of tree-ness. It cannot have knowledge and identity with everything; otherwise, it will cease to be a tree. So each life or form in nature must have its limitation and contraction of universal consciousness; otherwise, there would be no diversity of different forms. What makes diverse identities and forms are their distinct limitations and ignorances. Likewise, a person is unique, and people are diverse, because each has their unique limitation and ignorance.

Every unique form or identity requires a unique containment of limited knowledge; it requires being unique in what is known and what is not known. So diversity depends on things having unique knowledge and unique ignorance.

What would God do or experience, if everything and everyone were all omniscient and conscious of everything, with no limitations and no ignorance? Think about it. So what is the purpose of life, from God’s point of view? To experience the unique limitations and ignorances of all life forms and all people. Without these limitations, life would be a bore. There not be any play. Everything would either be enlightened perfection, or everything would be perfectly planned out. There is no play in that. So basically we should remember that life diversity requires a diversity of limitations and ignorance, and unique contractions of consciousness and identity. Going even deeper into profound insight, the world of limited beings, consciousness’s and identities provides God with unique and interesting experiences. We are like entertainment for God Consciousness. Except that the reality is even more profound; God has experience through us, and the variety of limited minds makes for a vast diversity of experience for God Consciousness. If there were no limitations in God Consciousness, then there would be no diversity of individual forms, because diverse individualities depend on such limitation. If each person or thing were fully conscious of all, then there would be no play of relationships. There would be no dance. So there has to be limitations in consciousness or mind, in order for there to be a diversity of forms, relationships and experiences. Picture that God had to become limited in diverse forms, or in diverse individuals, in order to experience diversity; that is, in order to have experience of being a certain tree or animal or human. This is a very purpose of all creation; so God can experience diversity of forms, individualizations, and relationships.

You see, it is all God, and it is all God experiencing. Even if we have this insight, even if we know this is true at some moment, we still will tend to forget it, maybe because this knowing feels to be too intense. God is experiencing through me, through each and everyone. But the next question is, are we experiencing God. For the most part we are probably not experiencing God, because this would entail that we are God Consciousness. We might be experiencing an external part of God, but rarely is anyone experiencing God internally. Yet this is just the very goal of a yogi, or a sufi, or any spiritual seeker. Now someone might argue, theoretically, that we have no right to experience God or be God Consciousness. Yet the very core and reality of our being is God, though what we consciously know as ourself is but a limited fragment of this realty. God Consciousness became limited, which is what we know ourselves to be. So you will think that you are this limited individual consciousness. Yet in essence, or in final reality, you are God Who became limited. You are concealed and veiled in ignorance, to some extent, in order for God to experience this individual limitation and the vast diversity of all life.

We are a limitation, a fragment, so that God can experience this unique fragment. God diversifies, in order to experience diversity. So there is divine purpose in our limitations and degrees of ignorance. But we are not meant to just stay at this level, or at this degree of ignorance. We are here for the experience, but then we should be moving on. There is an experiential purpose in our present degree of ignorance and even sloth, but now we need to move on. Now we need to expand our consciousness, moving up and out of our present level of ignorance, so that we come closer to God Consciousness. Our goal to remember is to become closer to the full God Consciousness, yet understanding that we will never reach the absolute fullness. The coming closer is good enough. This is a coming back, or returning, to who we really are. Moreover, the process and experience of this journey is the very purpose of our existence. It is also a process of liberating consciousness from limited containments, even though each containment has its own purpose for a time. For example, God Consciousness first becomes contained and limited in the body, trapped in the body so to speak. Then it may be somewhat liberated from just body, yet remain limited and contained by social patterns. So the process or journey back home to absolute and full God Consciousness, for us, is liberation. Each step of liberation also forms a new limitation and containment, though on a more expansive level.

For conceptualizing purposes we can make a polarized distinction between Spirit and world, or between the One and multiplicity. Yet Spirit is not apart from the multiplicity of nature; for Spirit is the One Being expressing through this world of multiplicity.

Spirit is also unfolding through time, as the One Spirit unfolds its potential qualities in a gradual creative process. Creation is not a ‘once and for all’ event at an initial beginning, or at a single moment of God’s predetermination plan. Rather, the Divine Spirit, or God, is continuously creative. And this world, including ourselves, is the expression of this creative process. The creative process is the Spirit of God in activity; it is God being creatively active. So the whole creative process, of which the world and ourselves are a part, is all divine.

Essence always remains indivisibly One, like one essential Substance in which everything participates, or from which everything emerges. Yet the manifestations of this One Essence are each unique, at least in some ways. This is because the manifestations of Essence are infinite. Essence has infinite potential, and because this is infinite every moment and every event will be somewhat different and unique from all others. Thus, uniqueness, difference and diversity is the reality of manifestation, the reality of manifesting Essence.

From the One Being comes multiplicity. The One Being makes multiplicity from Itself. This is one of the greatest mysteries. The One Being has un-numbered possibilities. And this world is the realm (or dimension) of those possibilities becoming manifest. So there is this world of multiplicity, and within this there is the dimension of the One Being in its absolute Unity. Both dimensions occupy the same space; both are here and now, God and world, Oneness and multiplicity. It could be said that both co-exist together, like energy and form, like water and container, or like parent and progeny. All multiplicity in the universe derives from the One Source which we have named God. We say that this multiplicity comes out of the One Being, God, yet the multiplicity is still in God. In a sense, it is still God, but in the multiplicity dimension of God.

This world of multiplicity, this manifest world, is ever-changing and transforming. Every moment in time is somewhat different from any other moment. And every thing is somewhat different in one moment from the next. Everything is always in a process of change, transformation. This continual change is the result of two kinds of cause. The first cause is that the One Being is always and continually unfolding newness from Itself, and each moment of Being’s unfoldment (or disclosure) is never exactly the same as any other. This unfoldment from the One Divine Being is not an action from outside of a thing, but rather it is an unfoldment from within each thing. For the within of any thing or person is the Divine One Itself. The second cause for continual change is that every thing or person is continually effected by other forces of the world. No thing or person is independent from the forces of its environment, so every entity is either being influenced by other forces or is reacting to other forces; thus there is continual change in every entity. Both of these cause are inescapable. Furthermore, the change or transformation of any entity is dependent also on its present state or capacity. In other words, how an entity changes in each moment depends on its own present state, as well as the outside forces and the unfolding inspiration from within it.

The creative-expressive nature of God, as The One, is to diversify. In metaphorical-metaphysical language, it is said that God wished to see Himself in all His many beautiful colors.

The first diversification of The One is into a geometry of Self-Attributes, or Qualities. The primary Attributes of the One Being are Consciousness, Love, and Will, which has been called the Spiritual Triad. Then, other Attributes come from combinations of these primary three, such as Intelligence, Beauty and Harmony. Many other Spiritual Qualities are inherently born from the Being-Nature of God, The One. We know these Qualities as Ideal functions or characteristics, and they are what we strive toward. Besides the primary triadic Attributes which are pre-creational, other Attributes/Qualities require time/space existence for their meaning, realization and actualization. For example, intelligence, beauty, harmony, and striving for excellence require a world of inter-relations and process, in order to be realized. Actualized love and active compassion require relations between different entities. So a diversified creation is necessary.

The manifest universe explodes out from the One Being, which fragments the One Being into a scattered plurality of individual entities. Each of these entities has a limited understanding of the Whole One, yet each contains the Essence of The One, and in this inherent Essence are the Divine Qualities as potential. The Essence and Qualities [of Essence] are mostly unconscious in the person or entity. And yet this Essence is always pressing gently upon the person from within, and thus gently unfolding. This Essence is our inner conscience to move towards greater Good, Love and Wisdom, to realize and manifest these higher ideals.

Within the Essence of each individual is a Divine Impulse to integrate and unify with the Greater Life around. This integrating and unifying Impulse is the power of Divine Love, and it is how the scattered and fragmented entities of the One Being gradually come together, back to unity. In other words, after the explosion of the One Being (which was necessary to create plurality and diversity out of the Absolute Unity), the fragmented entities (individuals or souls) are only partially conscious of their essential Wholeness (that is, their knowledge of God/Unity is limited) and so each acts (or manifests) according to their respective degree of Whole-Self Realization/Knowledge; yet during the course of time, whereby these individuals are also interacting with others, there is a gradual evolution of consciousness/realization - which is an expansiveness of consciousness, an expanding realization of the Whole/Unity (God).

This integrating and unifying process has been called the Path of Return. It is a process of both realization and manifestation, since it involves an expansion of individual realization and a gradual harmonization or integration of group manifestation. That is, the world (and on a larger scale, the whole universe) is coming into a more unified realization and a more integrated/harmonious manifestation. This process is gradual, yet for each individual there is nothing to stop one from accelerating the process, which one can do with intentional spiritual work.

One point to note is that we should not morally divide the cosmological polarities described above. The explosion of Oneness into fragmented pluralities should Not be regarded as a moral fall from Grace. It is not something bad, nor was it some cosmic mistake. Rather, this fragmentation is central to Divine Purpose. It is necessary, cosmically and logically, in order for creative diversity and exploration to exist. One has to give this some meditative thought to understand that the fragmentation of Oneness (God), or the scattered individualization of Being, is just as important and spiritual as its antithesis, the Path of Return, the process of re-unification, re-integration and harmonization. But remember that this is our path: the path of Love, the path of expanding realization, the path to Unity.

This shows an organic process of spiritual unfoldment and evolution. On one hand, there is fragmentation, diversification, and individualization of the Unity. Then on the other hand, there is the return to Unity via integration, harmonization, and a widening of consciousness. And as life becomes evermore integrated and harmonious, the divine qualities of beauty and love become evermore manifest.

There is still Just One Being at the Absolute Eternal Dimension, yet Being is fragmented in the dimension of time/space/matter.

Each separated, fragmented piece of the One Being has some degree of freedom and autonomy, and this provides conditions for diversified creativity. Yet diversity is not the only ideal of divine creativity, for there is also the ideal of higher quality, beauty and harmony. These higher ideals are manifested along the process of integration, the coming back together of things to Unity.

We can also think of this process in terms of realizations (or knowledge). The Whole Knowledge [of Being] is first fragmented into semi-separate pieces of knowledge. Each individual is a piece, some pieces being larger than others, yet all pieces are but partial realizations of The One Whole. This is true at any moment and place in the manifested world. Yet however large is a piece of knowledge, or however expansive is an individual's realization, there is a Path ahead which involves the process of piecing together fragments of knowledge in order to realize more of the Divine Wholeness. In other words, the fragmented pieces of knowledge (or partial realizations of the Divine Self) are in process of merging together, integrating together, and becoming more Whole and Complete. Realization and Self-understanding is in process of expansion - being evermore inclusive of the Whole Self. People often get glimpses of their greater Self, as people sometimes suddenly expand in consciousness, and this is part of the process being described here; yet the goal is to build a consistent platform (or level) of Self-knowledge and realization.

The more expanded is the Self-knowledge (or Knowingness), the further is one along the Path of Return. This expansion of Self-knowingness can also be understood as an expansion of Group consciousness. In other words, higher Self-Consciousness is often experienced as a greater Group-Consciousness, since it is an expansion of realization. Also, the greater is the Knowingness, the greater is the Beingness, and the greater is one's presence of Love/Wisdom in the world, and the more Good is manifested.

The greater the Beingness of any individual, the greater the Knowingness and Love-inclusiveness, and the greater is the degree of Goodness in action. Beingness, Knowingness, Lovingness and Goodness are all intrinsically related. And the process of spiritual evolution is the increase of all these Qualities, both in realization and in action. Love increases, knowing increases, and goodness increases. The realization of Being increases, the realization of the Whole Being, the One Being. For each individual is realizing more and more of who they really are. This is the process of returning to the Wholeness of Being. It is an increasing expansion of self-realization, towards full Self-realization. Included in this Self-realization is Love, Knowingness, Goodness, and all of the other finer Qualities of Divine Being.

So if we look at the overall picture of this process at any one moment, we find varying degrees of the Divine Wholeness being realized by individuals. In other words, we find individuals at varying degrees of Self-realization or Divine Realization. And the greater is this degree of realization, the finer is the quality of activity and the more integrated is the activity with the wholeness of life. So, as more and more individuals expand in their self-realization (realizing more of the Wholeness of their true being), the world becomes evermore harmoniously integrated because the activities of these individuals will correspond more with a wider realization of self. That is, the bigger is the realization of self, the more integrated and harmonious is their actions in the world. Thus, there will be more justice, goodness and harmony in the world. As individuals expand in self-realization or in knowing more of who they really are in essence, the better the world becomes. And this is the process of Divine Unfoldment, how the Divine comes into manifestation, how the Divine unfolds Itself in the world, and how everything becomes more loving, harmonious and good.

Spiritual dimensions

The universe is composed of a number of spiritual dimensions. The lowest dimension, which is the most dense of matter, is the physical world in which we live, as known by our normal senses and by physical instruments. The highest dimension, or the most subtle of matter, is the dimension closest to God, while God is the Absolute beyond all dimension and beyond even subtlest matter. From the physical base dimension, the higher dimensions can be invoked and brought down into the lower dimensions.

The highest dimensions are the Source for our manifest world, and at these highest levels are the pure dimensions of Consciousness, Will, Love, and Intelligence. Foremost is Consciousness, and from here emerges the three other Divine Attributes, as a Spiritual Triad. Within this triad of Will, Love, and Intelligence is also the knowing of Divine Purpose. Then, next emerges an archetypal dimension composed of all the Divine Qualities and Intelligences. These have also been called angels, devas, demiurges, and other names as well. When we are in our highest intuitive mind, we are in this dimension.

Below this is the Formative dimension, where important ideas are formulated. These ideas formulate in structural groups (called galaxies or extended families), whereby all ideas are intrinsically related to certain other ideas. Ideas actually emerge in groups. All ideas are thus tied to a wider logical structure and necessarily related to certain other ideas. Also, there are theory (thesis) ideas which help explain experiences and reality, there are value ideas which help define goals and visions-to-be, and there are practical (praxis) ideas which help show methods for accomplishing whatever is needed or intended. It is a particularly human function, role and purposeful destiny to be involved with this formative dimension. Everyone can play some part in this cosmic function, though some people seem to have a special aptitude for it.

The dimension below this is emotional, involving interactive energies. This dimension also connects the dimension of ideas with physical activity. There is not much we will speak about here, except to say that emotions are a kind of living being, and they carry on in their own astral dimension, continually affecting our living world until transformed or transmuted^⁶. And the lowest dimension is the physical reality, though this should not be devalued in our sense of importance, since this is the culminating goal of the higher dimensions.

Now, let us move back just a bit to consider a dimension that was intentionally neglected, because it needs special explanation. This is a level between the Archetypal Quality dimension and the formative idea dimension. It has been termed by some as the Hierarchy. It is the primary dimension for formulating the Great Ideas and Great Ideals for humanity. The Hierarchy is composed of all the highest souls of Humanity, and these highest souls live (though not necessarily physically) under a divine purpose to serve Life and this world-planet. They receive guidance from Divine Purpose and Will, and they are directly inspired by Divine Qualities. They are called a hierarchy because souls exist in a vertical relation, depending on their spiritual level of development.

But what is most interesting is that this Hierarchy [of the most highly evolved souls] is in charge of developing Plans for humanity. These are not completely specific plans, but they are a step intermediating between the general Spiritual Purposes and specific ideas about what is exactly needed.

Energy and dimension

The world is filled and scintillating with energy. Energy is all around us. The universe is energy. We are energy. All is energy. All life, all the universe, and all the dimensions of the cosmos are composed of energies. What makes things different, instead of there being just one uniform energy, are the different kinds of, frequencies of, and materializations of this energy.

The first dimension of energy is the void, the absolute vacuum of nothingness, which paradoxically contains all possibility and infinite energy. This is actually the point of no dimension, unimaginable to the mind. It Absolute Being. From this dimensionless point, which is beyond time or space, comes Light or what can be called pure energy. This Light is the first manifestation. It explodes out of the dimensionless point, extending in all directions, thus creating the first dimension of space, although it is space itself, so cannot be said to be in space. It is time itself, so has no time.

Light is everywhere, it is pre-existent everywhere and unfolds continuously from within the dimensionless point everywhere. Light is continuously unfolding in this space and time, in fact continuously creating space and time. Space and time is the next dimension. It is the universe of possible manifestation, containing manifestation and limiting it in the basic laws of distance-space and duration-time. This is the universe we can sense and measure with the mind. In space and time, light manifests with a limited speed, intensity and range, so that we see light existing in various degrees, depending on the particular place and moment. Light refracts and reflects in the space in the space and time of it’s own creation, thus differentiating into various intensities, frequencies, qualities and colors. This differentiation into qualities and colors are based on geometric, archetypal laws, which exist at this next dimension. These archetypes then mold and guide the dimension of form, which we know as material form and life.

The universe is composed of different kinds and grades of energy. There are different frequencies or wavelengths of energy making up any given section of space-time. The different frequencies interact with each other and are themselves the resulting effects of interacting frequencies. When these frequencies meet various parts of the resulting wave are canceled out or diminished while other parts are enhanced, and thus new waves are created.

At any moment in time-space various parts of a wave are standing or oscillating in a fixed pattern, while other parts are in a time process of transforming - diminishing or increasing in length or frequency. Thus parts or places of the wave are standing still in time because they are cyclically repeating the spacial wave pattern. These places can be called nodal points, but we could just as well call them particles of energy-space-time. Because of the continual interaction of energy waves, or what we can understand as time duration or as spacial change, the standing nodal points would appear to move in relation to the wave transformations of which they are standing within, and thus there is the appearance of particle movement.

We will call this the energy model of the universe. In this understanding the universe is composed of different kinds and grades of energy. There are different frequencies or wavelengths of energy making up any given section of space-time. The different frequencies interact with each other and are themselves the resulting effects of interacting frequencies. When these frequencies meet various parts of the resulting wave are canceled out or diminished while other parts are enhanced, and thus new waves are created. At any moment in time-space various parts of a wave are standing or oscillating in a fixed pattern, while other parts are in a time process of transforming - diminishing or increasing in length or frequency. Thus parts or places of the wave are standing still in time because they are cyclically repeating the spacial wave pattern. These places can be called nodal points, but we could just as well call them particles of energy-space-time. Because of the continual interaction of energy waves, or what we can understand as time duration or as spacial change, the standing nodal points would appear to move in relation to the wave transformations of which they are standing within, and thus there is the appearance of a particle moving in a continuity of space-time.

Matter is formed when these particle elements, or oscillating nodal wave points, merge with others to form a stable wave-nodal system. Though this is a rather primitive model of energy formed matter, it does show that matter is an organized form of energy. Matter, in its most elemental nature, is not energy transformed but is energy making an appearance as particles because of this nodal phenomena of energy waves. Thus, matter remains as energy waves, as waves appear as matter. The power of a certain matter, its tenacity or stability and its mass or causative power, depends on the concentration and amplitude of energy or on the nodes. Greater frequency of energy means a greater frequency of nodes or wave points within a given space-time, and greater amplitude means more convergencies of similar wave patterns or synchronizing nodes. This could also be understood as greater particles converging in an organized, stable pattern within a given space-time. If only we could view in an almost infinitely small space-time this interaction of wave energies and the formation of particle matter, and then view how these interactions and formations are organized in a greater field of space-time. If we could view into infinitely small space-times, we would see the smaller formations which comprise the greater formations. We would see formative patterns within patterns within patterns.

One significant question in all this is how or why the smaller formations are structured as they are to formulate the larger patterns. In other words, we find energy-matter organized in particular ways, and from here we find stars and galaxies being organized, and we find as well a highly organized system of life on earth. Why and how does the energy-matter formulate in this way. The two basic alternative theories are chance and law. Maybe it all happens by chance, and out of infinite chances in infinite time we happen to exist in this particular universe-pattern by-chance. Or, maybe there exists `a priori’ law of pattern formation, whereby the nature of interacting energy-matter is mathematically ruled or an intelligence of energy-matter is universally inherent in the substance itself of time-space. The third alternative is that there must be a strategic intelligence transcending this energy-matter, existing `a priori’ to this universal unfoldment and possesing a greater power to manipulate or pattern the substances and the appearance of life.

We shall take a stance on this philosophical question and state that all three alternatives are partly true. First, there is an unmanipulated, unregulated chance or unintelligent chaos of energy interactions and formations. But second, this `chaos’ is partly regulated or governed by mathematical laws of number which are universally inherent and necessary, and as systems of matter are built up, or as we view more complex systems or formations of space-time, these inherently regulating laws become more binding due to the very nature of systems within systems. And thirdly, a transcendental intelligence and power exists free of the energy-matter interactions to govern and regulate their overall formations. This intelligence-power is many within one, meaning that distinct intelligent-powers enfold distinct systems of formation -- various spacial fields within greater fields of governance: thus, system hierarchies of intelligent-powers, each regulating or generally directing the overall formation of its field, though itself influenced by the surrounding fields of its system level as well as regulated by the larger system encompassing it. Regulation is not determination. It is a determination to actualize some intelligible goal or purpose, as well as the general process to that actualization, but its power acts upon the regulated system from outside impulses and constraints only as forms of adjustment and balancing, rather than determining the direction of all events in the system. Most is unavoidably left to chance and freedom, as well as being organically governed by the inherent laws and tendencies of the system.

Also, these intelligences are not omnipresent or omniscient. Each views only the greater appearance of the system being regulated, though there are many levels of these intelligences and thus, many levels of appearance and regulation. Within all this are great degrees of freedom and chance, and each intelligence has only limited power to regulate or manipulate its system of appearances, due to its inaccessibility to all the various levels and differences of activity comprising what appearance can be known. Each can only regulate the larger elements of its system and certain sub-intelligences or sub-systems of intelligence within its own enfolding. Each is continually learning and discovering as well, discovering more of its own enfolded system and the workings within it and discovering more of its greater purpose in which it is itself intelligibly enfolded. In some words, each intelligence is evolving through a continuous discovery of the elements and functioning of its own enfolded being, as well as evolving an intelligence of its greater purpose and the general direction of the evolving system of which it itself is enfolded within. Thus exist various levels of intelligences within a possible infinity, each evolving its intelligence of what comprises its encompassed being and of what purpose or direction enfolds it. Each exists as a continual unveiling realization, in relation to its particular level or temporal-spacial field of inquiry and unfoldment. We might imagine God at any one moment in this unfolding universe to be in a non-steady state of discovery and re-adjusting plans for the future, which portrays a more open-ended transcendental intelligence than the traditional omniscient, deterministic portrait.

The earth is composed of energy, that is, energy of various sorts in various sorts of interaction. Various sorts of matter, or physical elements and their combinations, are forms of energy and thus effected by other interacting energies.

Some matter is more course, dense, or durable than others, but no matter is completely impenetrable or unalterable. All matter is in a process of transformation when viewed over a long time, such that all life and all matter is within a transformative process, undergoing continual subtle to gross changes. We can all this the first law of life, that all things are as energies interacting in various ways, affecting subtle to gross changes within and about. Nothing is completely isolated from other things. Each thing, or life-form, is energetically and causally related to at least one other thing or system of things, which in turn is related to something else. This doesn’t mean that one small change in the whole will consequentially directly effect all other parts of the whole, but that particular change would effect at least some change elsewhere, which in turn would effect elsewhere, etc. If there is a chain or relation of effects by any given cause we can call this a certain system of causal relations. Yet, this system itself, or at least an element within that internally related system, will interact with something else or some system found in its environment. If not then this system is completely closed unto itself, but this is impossible since no thing or system can exist completely closed. Every system must receive some energy from outside itself, or else it will dissipate energy accordingly, either of which or both will be an interchange of energies. Whatever is or is occurring in any section of space-time will be at least somewhat consequential to other surrounding sections of space-time. Thus, all systems, all things, interact or are effects of interactions, to some degree or in some ways. Ultimately, all things are related in some way, indirectly or directly. Each touches and is touched by at least some things, which in turn touch other things, and since nothing or no system of things can ever be completely isolated and closed off there must be an indirect connection or relation between all things.

Intelligence of earth and HOW mind effects matter.

The earth is a container of energies. Like every living system the earth gathers or receives energies or matter from outside itself, mostly from the sun though also from far reaches of the cosmos, then it transforms these and organizes itself into a self-renewing, perpetuating, evolving system of complex patterns of relationships and processes. The mineral matter and living organisms which make up the earth are organized matter and energy. This is an organized, intelligent living system of energies and processes. The planet exhibits properties of any living organism, and to just think of the earth as a ball of water, gases and inorganic rock is as ridiculous as thinking of ourselves as mere blood, bones and tissues. The living systems, and the energy processes which regulate and sustain these, are governed by an encompassing intelligence. We could call this the earth soul or the wisdom of earth-nature, which is itself an evolving intelligence and actualization of form.

It has purpose and all within its being is guided by this purpose. It also regulates the living patterns found in its biosphere. This patterning of life occurs on a subtle level of electromagnetism. Its field can be called the formative field while the pattern is sometimes called the etheric pattern. This patterning is itself governed by more general geometric patterns or universal formative laws, though the earth intelligence has been creatively designing its own unique patterns of life from those general formative laws.

It is mistaken to think that this earth intelligence or this formative field is outside of the physical planet. Many views mistakenly think of mind or intelligence as outside physical bodies. The intelligence, or `mind’ if you like, transcends the matter and is not the matter itself, nor is it determined or fixed by the matter, but this purposeful intelligence magnetically penetrates the spacial field of matter. Remember the early scientific philosophers thought of matter as solid or at least the atomic structure as solid, but contemporaries understand matter more as interacting sub-particles or as organized energy. So mind or intelligence is thoroughly throughout matter via its regulating patterning force-field.

And yet the question might remain as to where exactly is this intelligence. Neither the particle-matter itself, nor the energies transmitting these formative fields, nor what we might note as intelligent regulating patterns, are themselves what could be called intelligence, for these are only the effects, the energies, and the patterns of intelligence. How do we explain the intelligence itself and where is this? Well again, it is penetrating matter and space-time. It is that subtle electromagnetic field which is and gives intelligent pattern to life, but the intelligence itself is not merely this field or this patterning. That which possesses the property of intelligence is not necessarily the intelligence itself.

Intelligence, in this absolute or essential sense, transcends physical matter. It doesn’t transcend space-time, for each intelligence is to do with a limited section of space-time, and yet within the infinite all of space-time there are a plurality of these temporally-spacially quantumtized intelligences, each existing within a spacial-temporal hierarchy of Absolute Intelligence Itself. The potential for each intelligence to learn and expand from relations with other intelligences shows the potential for space-time transcendence, or shall we say space-time travel, but any one moment of realized intelligence is fixed in a particular space-time.

Once we understand that intelligence itself transcends both matter and the formative energies and patterns, then we find that this essential intelligence has no place in the physical dimension, though there is no reason to think it is “outside” somewhere looking in. Intelligence is where it is at any moment. It is where it manifests, at a certain time or in a certain duration, but is not merely the manifestation. It is involved in the physical realm but is not of the physical. Simply, it is not essentially physical, though we find its effects in the physical.

Intelligence always has some form. Some philosophers believed that mental ideas or thought-forms were of the realm of mind and that patterns or ways of expressing these were work done by the mind in the physical, but this is somewhat a mistaken model. Thought-forms or mental ideas are themselves the expressions of intelligence; they are the patterns, or we could say they are the underlying patterns found in the physical world. We recognize intelligence by its form, by its expression, by its quality of pattern, but intelligence itself is not this what is recognized or understood.

Instead, intelligence should be thought of as the recognition itself. In other words, intelligence is not the thought-form or idea, anymore than it is the matter or pattern of matter. The thought-form and the pattern are virtually the same. But intelligence transcends this. It is not a thing nor a form. It is essentially an ability or a power to understand the purpose and the patterns in which it exists and to intentionally, strategically, and creatively formulate and maintain a variety of patterns for its purpose. It is a power of understanding and creativity, and this doesn’t originate from the physical realm. It not an evolution from the physical, though it requires a physical medium in order for this intelligence to show through and be recognized. Intelligence is a spiritual quality measured out from the greater absolute or from the infinitely greater field of which it emerges, though this “measuring out” depends also on the gradual evolution of that particular physical field. Intelligence, then, is an essence of the spiritual dimension transcending this physical dimension.

We have, thus, a dualistic universe of mind and matter (including the etheric formative fields). And yet this duality is not absolute, because the realm of mind or intelligence is reflected in the great ongoing experiment of ideas and physical expression, whereby each `movement’ of active intelligence, or mind, or consciousness, has its spontaneous reflection in the most subtle formative forces of a particular spacial field in a certain time duration.

Each movement of mind, each understanding, and each thought has its reflection in the very very subtle fields which formulate and regulate life development and the organization of matter, and these most subtle formulations will show their appearance as the intelligent pattern is sustained in mind while the grosser denser matter is gradually regulated and guided by the subtle patterns of its formulated field.

And thus we have evolution of form and expression, as fields of mind or active intelligence realize and reflect itself according to its own evolutionary path and dependent on the present physical situation of its enfolded sphere.

Evolution

Evolution can be defined as the becoming of Being on this planet. This evolutionary becoming has three major aspects, which are diversification, integration, and the transformation of consciousness.

The One becomes diversified into the many unique characterizations of life. The beauty of life is in its complexity of different forms and relationships, and different forms of life have evolved on the planet according to this principle.

Diversification occurs out of the creative will and spontaneity of any life within the greater life. Everything is interconnected and to some extent controlled by a greater field of intention, but each part of a whole has some degree of freedom to spontaneously diversify from the existing order.#

Integration is the evolutionary principle which brings parts diversified from the whole back into a cooperating order. It is the evolutionary force of harmonization, creating order out of the diversification. The transformation of energies and forms brings forth diversification and integration.

In the reality of God, the Total Being of the Universe, and in the Process of Divine Unfoldment, there are two polar opposite forces. One force is unifying and the other is diversifying. These forces are opposites but also complementary. Neither controls the other, so in this sense they are independently opposite; yet in their function and in their dynamic relationship, a greater purpose is fulfilled – which is unity-in-diversity.

But then how can God be One and yet hold a dual-nature? How is God all of this? The One includes the dual forces. They work oppositely, yet in their dynamic mingling and unpredictable relationship, the overall divine purpose is fulfilled. Thus, although they are opposite forces, they both fulfill necessary functions in one common greater purpose. In this way, they are equal parts of the One Being.

The unifying force brings living entities together into a more integral harmony. It is the force of unifying love of God, and cosmically it is like a spiral of gravity.

The force of diversification could also be called the force towards novelty or innovation. It emerges from the Creative Imagination of God. God is exploring possibilities of Being via this Creative Imagination. This force is like a spiraling outward of life into evermore distinct and separate parts. Now this force can result in disharmony and sometimes it can lead to a kind of insanity, but such is simply a possible offshoot of this diversifying force, for there is no divine intention for insanity or disharmonies. It is just the fact that in order for novelty to emerge from Being there must be a freedom of spontaneity and a liberalism towards creative freedom. But this liberalism can lead to negative effects, just as it can lead to positive new forms of beauty. The negatives are inevitable possibilities of this freedom to explore. That is, if creative freedom is allowed, this comes with a price – which is that disharmonies, extremisms and moral insanities become possible. But to keep all of this creative freedom in check, there is the unifying force, which gathers and brings together divergences into a larger system of unity.

So one might picture these two forces at work. One force is breaking things into more individual parts and so creating more diversity and novelty. While the other force, simultaneously, is bringing these diversities together into some form of integrated wholeness. Without the diversifying force, the cosmic unity would be bland, simplistic, and forever uniform. As well, novelty and surprise would never exist. Yet without the unifying force, the cosmos would be a chaos of disharmonious, separately distinct, disjunctive entities. There would be abundant plurality, but no unity. But in their dynamic relationship, these opposite forces make plurality in unity possible.

Plurality and multiplicity unfold from The One, yet The One remains One. Divisions and conflicts in the world of creation are in the process of working out creative reconciliation and harmony; yet there is no conflict at the ultimate dimension of The One. If not for the inherent unity of God, pervading through all existence, there could never be a possible reconciliation and harmony of this great multiplicity.

{ Diversity and the plurality of distinct individuals, each with their own perspectives and processes of awakening, is all necessary so that the One Being can experience these different perspectives and ways of being. “I was a hidden treasure and loved to be known.” Creative plurality and diversity make creation interesting and even surprising.

because the One includes attributes of freedom, self-assertion, and a process of knowledge (with levels of). Thus, there are levels of knowing and levels of evolvement (in the actualization of Divine); this, along with fact of freedom and power of self-assertion, explains problems. Remembering that all is in process.

In the overall divine metaphysics and divine purpose, there is a rhythm of descent and ascent. Both of these cosmic movements are equally divine, equally important to the overall purpose of existence. The divine descent, also called the divine expression, is the creative movement towards individuality, plurality and diversity. Imagine the first cosmic moment of perfect oneness, before any differentiation, before any creativity, before any individuation or plurality of being. This is the state of Being before the great cosmic exhale, before divine creative emanation. From here, the One Divine Being emanates, pluralizes and diversifies Itself. The pure, undifferentiated Oneness becomes differentiated plurality. Though it is important to remember that the pure Oneness of Being still exists, concurrent and simultaneous with this dimension of creative diversity. The Oneness never goes away and is never lost; it remains always subsistent within our dimension of plural diversity. So everything is intrinsically rooted in the Oneness of Being.

Everything originally comes from this Oneness, and nothing ever leaves this Oneness. Though it is possible, and even quite common, that individuals forget and lose touch with the essential Oneness of Being; the One God-Self in which everyone emerges from and lives within. This can simply be called spiritual forgetfulness, or maybe called soul-loss. Though of course the One Divine Self has not forgotten Itself, nor has It forgotten you; rather, it is the individual self that has forgotten or lost touch with its true essential Being, the Oneness of Being. This forgetfulness results in a state of mind whereby there is a belief and feeling that one is separate or divided from the universal Oneness of Being, or God-Self.

This spiritually forgetful state of mind, as a belief or feeling, is called the illusion of separation. This means that the state of separation and dividedness from Divine Unity, the Oneness of Being or God-Self, is Not actual truth at all – it is an illusion. It is somewhat analogous to the illusion produced in a house of mirrors, where one sees a plurality of separate selves around, yet these are simply reflections of our one self. It would be quite a delusion to believe that there are really many different selves, just because of these multiple appearances in the house of mirrors. Likewise, then, the illusion of self-separation from the Oneness of Being is caused and maintained by many appearances-phenomena of separate individual selves and diversified creation, and this illusion is also supported by en-cultured beliefs.

Now it is important to not get into blaming for this forgetfulness and illusion, for it is virtually inevitable at some point in the overall Divine Rhythm. In the movement of divine descent, which is the movement into creative individuation and plurality, the Divine Self-Knowing Consciousness (Unity of Consciousness) becomes somewhat fragmented and particularized.

In the Creative Process - the exhalation of Divine Emanation and the diversification of Divine Being – the God-Self spreads outward, expanding from Itself. And the further outward it goes, the more particularized it becomes, and thus the more limited [in portion] it is in these outward manifestations or individuations. And the more tendency there is to forget (or neglect) the greater portion of Being, the wholeness of Unity, the Oneness of Being. In other words, the more outward is the Divine Emanation, the more particularized and limited is the focus of consciousness.

Each particular individual (as an individuation of the Divine Oneness) can know and understand only a portion of the complete Unity of Being. Each individual is in a divine process of exploring the One Being, or God-Self; and much like a world explorer, each individual can only explore one region of the Whole at any time, and thus at any time in the learning process the individual will be aware of a certain area more than other areas. It’s a matter of focus, or what portion of the whole one is presently aware of or working on. The exploration and the learning cannot be done all at once, just as the explorer cannot be in all places at once.

Now, individualization might be seen as a downward movement, or a movement of the Divine into fragmentation. But we should not mistakenly view this negatively, because it is all about divine creativity and the pluralization of Divine Being. Rather than viewing individualization as a kind of fall from divine grace, it is more appropriate to view individualization as the means by which the One Being can Self-reflect in a plurality of locations. In other words, individualization is how the One God-Self is able to both realize Itself and reflect Itself in many places [individuals] all at once. That is, in the great space of existence, God is able to realize and reflect through a vast plurality of individual centres. Though through each individual centre of God-Being, this realization and reflection will inevitably be somewhat limited and also in process of greater Self-exploration. Nonetheless it is God, but God-limited. Of course, the Absolute God-Gnosis is eternal in its all-encompassing dimension of Oneness; so the plurality, diversity and limitedness of individualized Being does not take away from the Pure Knowing of Oneness Itself.

So this is what is really important about individualization; that each individual is the One Being realizing and reflecting Itself - through that individual. This is inevitably a limitation of Being, yet each individual is in a process of breaking free of limitation and expanding their realization of Self – to encompass a greater and greater portion of the Total Oneness of Being. One of the essential realizations in all of this is realizing one’s unity with all life and the Unity of Being. Beyond saying this, it is up to each individual to explore the truth of Being, and there are many levels/depths to this realization of Unity. Finally, to tie this up for the time being, the process of realization is called the divine ascent, the cosmic movement back to Divine Gnosis and Unity of Being.

*In order for the inherent/potential Qualities of God to be realized or experienced in their distinct meaning, they need to be distinct in creation. The Divine Qualities also need to be possessed by particular forms of creation, either by individuals or by collective groups. So not only is creation necessary, but also distinctions and diversity in creation.

The full multiplicity of Divine Qualities will not be expounded at this time, but the various and diverse character qualities of human beings are like stems from the Primordial Branches.

There are degrees of manifested Love and Goodness, some actions being more loving or more good than other actions, or some understandings being closer to truth than others, or one particular consciousness being more expansive than another. Things and events in the world are not all equal in value. To understand this, one can use the platonic model of participating more or less in The Good, or the container model whereby each person is a container of The Good, more or less. So each person, or each action/event, can be understood as having some variable degree of Good, Love, Wisdom, Being or Consciousness. This could also be understood as degrees of knowing God.

So there are different states or levels of God/Being. The highest is free, independent and pure Consciousness; while the lower states are contractions, fragmentations, and limited encasements. The highest is sometimes called the Great I AM, while the lower states are lesser/smaller I am(s), and in between is the vast hierarchy of Being from smallest to highest.

The whole cosmic existence and purpose is fundamentally based on Breath, the Breath of the One. There are two parts of breath, the inhale and the exhale. As the One breathes out, there is expansion of multiplicity, difference, complexity, and individual freedom. As the One breathes in, there is a returning to Oneness, which is the process of integration, unification, and synthesis. These two processes of the One can be found in existence and also in ourselves. Within ourselves we are breaking into diversity, and then coming back together in unity. Neither of the two processes are superior to the other, because both are essential parts of life’s purpose.

Another way of understanding this is the breath of descent and ascent. The One is breathing into its creation (or into its emanation) with Love and Intelligence. And the one is also breathing back its creation/emanation into Itself, back into the Unity. There is a Divine exhale into the earth, into the physical; then there is a Divine inhale of the physical back into Spiritual Being.

The quality or value of experience can vary from deep to surface. One can have a deeper God experience or self experience, vs. a more surface superficial experience.

Everything and everyone around me is myself. This is a deep and profound subjective experience. Any-thing or any-one around me is not fully equal to the totality of myself, but what is around me is part of myself, though I am speaking about the greater myself rather than a small contained limited ego consciousness. None the less this around is myself, and when this is realized one's whole experience of life changes, which is what makes this experience profound. So one can look at the world from this perspective of myself, or one can look at the world from the perspective of being part the great universal Self. Both perspectives, though appearing to be a opposites, I really just flip sides of the same reality. One perspective sees the world as elements and reflections of one's own greater depth and width of being; while the other perspective sees everything including one's own limited self as being in the great universal Self. And no matter how one looks at all this, the limited self is within the greater Self, and the greater Self is within the limited self. It is difficult to see both perspectives at the same time, yet both are nonetheless true.

The Self has depth, whether we are talking about the Self within oneself or the Self as it is being expressed as the world. This is a depth of meaning and a depth of value. Not everything in the world is equally encompassing of self, and most things are only small parts of the self. So when we speak of experiencing the self, just as when we speak of experience in the world, this experience could range from a very small part of the whole to a much greater part of the whole, any experience could range from being deeply meaningful whereby there is an understanding of the inter-connectiveness and inter-relatedness, or the experience might be more superficial in meaning and thus have very little relevance two other then a small aspect of life. A goal of experience would be to deeper experiences and also wider inclusive experiences.

Subjective knowledge is of a different kind than objective knowledge. Subjective knowledge is a knowing of life from the inside, from experience; whereas objective knowledge is a knowing about the outside of life, the external world. It is the knowledge of facts about things, about external causal relations or about how things functionally fit together in a system. Physical, biological, technological, and ecological knowledge are some of the main categories of objective knowledge. Modern technological society has emphasized in the importance of objective knowledge, which is important to science and technological progress, but it would be unfair to suggest that subjective knowledge is less important. For subjective knowledge is the way in which we experience the world and ourselves from an inner perspective of feelings, thoughts, values, and intentions. It is the direct way we know ourselves and the Divine within us. Surely the knowledge of oneself and the Divine is as valuable as scientific and technical knowledge! Objective knowledge is seeing how something physically fits in with other things or how things causally relate to one another. Now we can apply this to ourselves in relation to the world, and see that we are in social and ecological relationship with the greater context around us. that is, we exist we begin a greater web or system of life, and so in this way we can see our inter relatedness. this kind of insight is profound and important. But it is still merely an objective knowledge, that is, a knowledge about this or that fact. This kind of knowledge is important but it is not enough for self transformation. We need a subjective knowledge of our interrelatedness as well as knowing the objective fact about that relationship. In other words we need to have a direct experience of our relationship with life, with the world, and ultimately with God or the Universal Being itself. We need to have a firsthand experience, an experience of this reality from the inside, rather than just looking at it all from the outside.

So an example of deep experience or an experience of the depth of being, would be the subject to spiritual experience of being in united relation with all life, or seeing the world as one self, reflecting on who I am in varying depth. Nature is true...Naturally.

So this life is the living psyche. All of the lives around me, including the trees plants and rocks and animals, are my relations - and they are sensitive to varying degrees. Feel their sensitivity, their consciousness, their being, and be in conscious relation with your relations.

Ecological knowledge is obviously an important knowledge, but it is merely objective knowledge about life and one self. It tells us about extended ecological relations, how we are all physically and energetically related in one ecosystem. And so we can learn about our interrelatedness, but there would be something missing without a corresponding subjective knowing or an inner experience of this relationship. The subjective knowledge is a direct knowing or direct taste, whereas objective knowledge is always about this or that fact. The fact is outside of us, and you can place a fact a map, so facts are useful for making conceptual maps. But subjective knowledge is the living experience of life from the inside.

This is not something that we have to gain knowledge of by outside authority or religious dogma. It is known by realizing the Nature of ourselves. Teachings can tell us about the True Pattern, but we each still have to verify this by our own experience. So we discover the Divine Pattern of all life by contemplation and reflection on our own Nature and also the Nature of life all around us. We find it in outer nature and inner nature.

The true spiritual teachings tell us that there is an intelligent and perfect Divine Pattern pervasive in all life, and we are meant to come into harmony with this Pattern, and also help the world come into harmony with this. This means that we are not necessarily in harmony with the Divine Pattern. The Divine Pattern is not absolutely enforced on all life. Rather, it is a subsisting potential Pattern that we are in process of coming into. Some parts of ourself, and some parts of the world, may be working in harmony with this perfect Pattern, but other parts may not, due to the indeterminacy of freedom. So we sometimes get out of synch with the Pattern. Thus, a major aspect of the spiritual path is to come into harmony with Divine Pattern – which is equivalent in meaning to Natural Pattern. What we need to do is bring our mind into congruence with the Divine/Natural Pattern. This means that we need to realize or awaken to this Pattern. Then we need to have faith in the Pattern and act in accordance.

There is an implicit, underlying order-structure of existence, which is mathematical and musical. This was the teaching of Pythagoras, who also taught that man’s true purpose is to live in harmonious concordance with this natural-divine order. This Natural Order/Structure is the Divine Law. It’s not like God arbitrarily decides moral laws, which we must hear from Him and then attempt to follow. It’s not like we have to learn and follow Rules from outside of nature. Rather, our moral and spiritual guidance is discovered from natural existence itself, from the natural order in which we live and which is inside of us. So the key to spiritual good living is in discovering this mathematical and musical order, and being in harmony with this.

This was Pythagoras’ meaning of spiritual obedience and responsibility. It involves two aspects, mind and emotion, though purity in body is also essential. The mind needs to be in search of the logical-geometrical order-structure of nature/existence, and then make order in daily life. The community and its architecture and its rituals should follow this logical-geometrical order of nature and the cosmos. This goal gives importance to the scientific study of nature and the divine geometry underlying it. Also the mind needs to contemplate logically and obey Logic/Reason – the higher guiding Intellect (Logos) of Nature. So the mind is meant to discover the underlying order of Nature, its sub-structural geometry and logic, its essential principles and laws. Then one must make one’s life in concordance and harmony with this deeper order. Complimenting the mind, the emotions need to develop sensitivity to the musical order of nature, which is how the natural geometry expresses and feels to the emotions. Then the emotions will come into harmony with this musical/geometric/logical order. So our purpose is to become sensitive and responsive to the musical harmony of the cosmic/natural order, to sense the greater harmony of life and express ourselves in concordance with this. Understand the geometrical order of nature and live in harmony with its musical rhythm.

Once again, this is the meaning of spiritual obedience. There is a sense of conformity in this obedience, since, according to the above teaching, our true purpose is to make our lives harmoniously conform to the logical geometry and music that is already underlying the natural world. In a sense, we have arrived at a musical concert already in progress. This music is already going on, and it is already feeding our souls. Each of us is an instrument that wants to play and express itself. But we should respect the music that is already going on, and our own musical self-expression needs to harmonize with this. This is the meaning of obedience; it is playing/living concordantly with natural geometries and natural rhythms. With our mental abilities we can gain knowledge of these natural geometries. And with our emotional sensitivities we can feel these natural musical rhythms, the music of Nature.

Now this obedience and conformity does not mean that there cannot be any creative freedom in our personal expression. On the contrary, the music of this world can be enhanced and made even more beautiful by our individual unique contributions. We can contribute our own improvisational creativity to the overall concert. We can add to the concert, as long as we respectively conform to its overall harmony. This is the wonderful quality of music, because newly invented harmonies, rifts and beats can be overlaid upon the more basic underlying harmony. So creativity is welcomed in the music of Nature, as long as it is harmonious with the already existing melodies and rhythms. Geometry works the same way; for it is always possible to overlay and elaborate various geometries upon already existing underlying structures. Though any creative elaboration should still conform generally with the macro-geometry. Thus, in both geometry and music there is always flexible open-ended potential for newly creative elaboration and improvisation, as long as the overall integral harmony is sustained.

At each level of Consciousness and Being there are groups of intermediates between the next higher and next lower levels. Each of us are at one of these levels, helping to intermediate between the higher above us and the lower below us. Therefore, those above are as our teachers and those below are as our students. Yet the whole of this great system is inspired by God, Allah, Shiva, or whatever one calls the Supreme Conscious Being from which all levels of Consciousness and Being emerge. God’s Will depends on the mediators. God’s Will depends on us. I do not mean that God depends on us for there to be a Divine Will. Surely, God is the originator of God’s Will. But the fulfillment of this Divine Will depends on us. This is because the fulfillment of Divine Will requires a receptivity and agreement. In other words, we need to be receptive and agree to it. The Divine Will radiates as inspiration, guidance and love. But it does not forcibly dictate or compel. It is like Truth that is always here, but many do not see it.

Manifestation of Divine Will requires a blending and cooperation of two main forces. One is the active energy of Divine Will; the other is the receptive and responsible activity of human will. This is the metaphysical science. Another way to describe it is to say that we need both receptive and active energies, and then the higher energy of Will can enter through us. But the idea that God will do it all is just nonsense. And the idea that God is doing everything, as ‘He Wills’, is also a bunch of nonsense. A related idea, that everything is really perfect, since it is all God’s Will or God’s Plan, is equally nonsense. We have to be ready to give up some of the old religious clichés, in order to understand the real truth. There is a Divine Will, but it waits upon us as receptacles and instruments for its manifestation. This Divine Will inspires, yet waits for us to realize it and act upon it. Eventually everyone will come into this realization, but it takes time and learning and mistakes; which is why our human history is so full of troubles and treachery. Yet, in spite of all of the stupidities and evils around, the servant and disciple of God keeps on working from the Divine Will and Inspiration, trying to bring about more realization and good in humanity.

A Spiritual Metaphysics

Even though all is ultimately Divine, Sacred Energy and One Absolute Being, we can usefully divide the Whole into five different worlds for describing the process of creative manifestation The highest world is The Source, The Divine Being transcending all. This is ultimately the unknown Mystery, but it can be known as the One Energy, One Light, One Consciousness, One Being, One Love, One Power, One Will. These descriptions are the Absolute Properties of the Great Mystery, so they are the next world, the highest world being completely unknowable, let alone describable (in fact the first world of Mystery is beyond "world"). So then, the second world (which is really the first "world", just to confuse you even more), is what can be described, but in absolute terms only, and each term is not really separate from the others, yet we can only understand this Truth by separating the description and relating each to each. It is a world of Absolute Unity, but can only be understood correctly as a Triad. This is called the Divine or Spiritual Triad, or the Holy Trinity. It is Will, Love and Consciousness, or Energy, Being and Purpose, or some other Triad, depending on the system or tradition. What is important is that one doesn't limit their understanding to just one aspect of the triad, like saying God is just energy or just love without recognizing the intelligence and beingness of this Reality. I do not want to be too definite or dogmatic in describing this world, because it would limit your understanding. I'm giving you the sense of it and the keys to understanding, letting you intuit the truth within your own being.

The next world is a little more clearer to us. It is the world of qualities, that is Divine Qualities. It is the Attributes of God, the Rays of Divine Light interpenetrating time and space. It is the world of Divine Ideas and Ideals, the world of Potentials, the Creative Intelligences of Life, the Archetypes of Mind. The higher aspect of Angelic and Devic Beings are in this world, coming out of the Spiritual Triad as Seven Rays, Great Beings and Attributes of The One, then dividing into a whole multiplicity of Pure, Divine Qualities, each interpenetrating eachother with interdependence of power, love and wisdom.

Next, we find the world of energy relationships and patterns. This is the formative world working through the subtle energies and elements on the planet. It is composed of the energies and elements, the basic substances and building blocks which form the manifesting patterns of life on the planet. Included in this world are the Devas, Angels, elementals and nature spirits.

The last world is called the phenomenal or manifested world, where in we find the unique distinctions of material form.

1People often get confused by two different meanings of God; each meaning appropriate only to its onto-logical level. In one sense, there is only God, so the Whole Reality of relationships must be God. But in another sense, we pragmatically speak of God as in relation to creation, or as the Source in relation to recipients.

2{{note that I have examples of 4 basic levels -- collect these. }}

3A hypostasis is both a ‘World’ (a reality, plane, or sphere of existence) and a Dynamic Level of Being, which supports and gives rise to all beings and reality on the levels that are ontologically lesser to It. Each hypostasis is, in turn, derived from and an aspect of the hypostasis above it.

4note that I have continuously moved these parts around, so it may not seem best at this point but I have tried other ways

5?? reverse influence, or one-way top-down street??

6A transformed emotion changes from one kind to another. A transmuted emotion disappears from its level altogether, while its released energy is then used for a higher purpose.