About the subtle planes, William Atkinson in his book "Life beyond death" mentioned the
following:
« One
of the elementary ideas of the Yogi Philosophy most difficult for the ordinary
Western mind to grasp and assimilate is that of the “planes” of life. This
difficulty is most apparent when the Western student attempts to grasp the Yogi
teachings regarding “the other side.” The Western thought insists upon the
concept of the realm of the life of the disembodied soul as a place, or places.
The Western theology
is responsible for this, to a great extent, although there is also to be
considered the tendency of the Western mind to think in terms of objective
existence, even when life apart from the objective is being considered. The
average Western religionist insists upon thinking of “heaven” as a place
situated somewhere in space, containing beautiful mansions of precious stones,
situated on streets paved with gold. Even those who have outgrown this childish
idea find it difficult to conceive of their heaven as a state rather than a
place. The Western mind finds it hard to form the abstract concept, and
naturally falls back on the old idea of a heaven in space.
The Oriental mind, on
the contrary, finds it quite easy to grasp the idea of the several planes of
existence. Centuries of familiar thought on the subject has rendered the
concept as clear and definite as that of place. We have met Western thinkers
who smilingly confessed that they could not divest their concept of “planes”
with that of a level strata, or layer of some kind of material substance. But
this conception is as far from the truth as is the idea of mere place. A plane
is a state, not a place in any sense of the word. And the student must learn to
eliminate the idea of place from that of plane.
A plane is a condition
or state of activity in the eternal energy of spirit in which the Cosmos lives,
and moves and has its being. In any given point of space there may be many
planes of activity. Taking our examples from the physical world, let us use the
ordinary vibration of sound as an illustration.
1. The air may be
filled with many notes of the musical scale. Each note is simply a certain
degree of vibration of the air. The notes occupy the same position in space,
and yet do not conflict with each other so far as space-filling qualities are
concerned. It is an axiom of physics that no two bodies of matter can occupy
the same space at the same time. But thousands of these vibratory notes may
occupy the same space at the same time.
(The detail is that musical notes are not objects but
waves.)
This is borne upon
one when he listens to some great orchestral rendering a musical composition.
Many instruments are playing at the same time, and the air is filled with
countless vibrations, and yet one may pick out any particular instrument if he
choses, and even particular notes may be distinguished. No note is lost, and
yet the entire volume is manifested in the small space of the ear drum. This is
a somewhat rude illustration, but it may serve to accustom the mind to form the
proper concept.
2. Another
illustration, this time on a little higher scale, is that of the vibrations of
light. Light, we know, appears as the result of the vibratory waves of the
ether coming in contact with physical matter.
(This
is false since light is not generated by the contact of ether with matter, as
William Atkinson asserts, but it appears when a process produces luminescence.
And the
ether that Atkinson mentions here is a substance that scientists theorized that
perhaps it served to transport light and other magnetic waves, but the theory
of relativity published in 1905 by Albert Einstein made them completely discard
that idea.
And
this shows that William Atkinson was not updating his knowledge, because by the
time he published this book in 1909, what he wrote was already out of date.)
Each color has its
own place on the vibratory scale. Each ray of sunshine that reaches us is composed
of a great variety of colors — the colors of the spectrum, which may be
separated by means of certain prismatic instruments. All of the colors are to
be found in every point of space in which the ray of sunlight appears. They are
all there, and may be separated and registered apart from the others.
Moreover, beyond the
realm of light visible to the human eye, there are many colors invisible to the
human sight by reason of their vibrations being either too high or two low.
These invisible colors may be detected by means of instruments. Perhaps these
varying rates of color vibrations may help you to form the idea of the
spaceless planes of existence.
3. Another
illustration may be found in the field of electricity, in which we find fresh
instances of various degrees and condition of energy occupying the same space
at the same time. On improved telegraphic apparatus we find many messages
passing in each direction along the same wire, each independent, and none
interfering with the others. In the same way, the air may be filled with a
thousand wireless-telegraphic messages, attuned to different keys and
consequently not interfering with each other.
The various
vibrations interpenetrate each other, each seemingly being unaware of the
presence of the other and not being affected by it.
(These
examples given by William Atkinson are incorrect, because sounds, lights, and
electric currents can interfere with each other when they make contact.
For
example, if you join a positive electric charge with a negative electric
charge, that will produce a short circuit. On the other hand, between the
different planes of existence that does not happen, and this is how a plane
"charged with positive energy" occupies the same space as a plane
"charged with negative energy" without any short circuit occurring.
And
this is possible because the planes of existence occupy the same place, but are
in different dimensions. And William Atkinson understood this, but he could not
explain it.)
It is conceivable,
even, that there might be a dozen worlds occupying the same portion of space,
but each being keyed on a far different vibratory scale of matter, and yet none
interfering with the other, the living things on each being totally unaware of
the existence of those of the other. Scientific writers have amused themselves
by writing fanciful stories of such a series of worlds, and indeed they wrote
better than they knew, for they symbolized a metaphysical truth in physical
terms.
But, it may be
objected, does the Yogi Philosophy teach that these planes of Life are but
varying forms of vibrations of matter?
Not at all. Far from
it. The teaching is that each plane represents a different degree of vibratory
energy — but not of matter. Matter is merely a very low form of vibratory
energy — even the finest form of matter.
There are forms of
matter as much higher than the finest of which the ordinary physical scientist
has knowledge, as his finest matter is higher than the hardest rock. And beyond
the plane of matter rise plane upon plane of super-material energy, of which
the mind of physical science does not even dare to dream. And yet, for the
purpose of the illustration, we may say that it is possible to think of every
one of the planes manifesting in the same point of space at the same time. So
you see, the conception of planes has nothing whatever in common with that of
space.
In view of the
foregoing, the student will see that when we speak of the planes of existence
of “the other side,” we are far from meaning to indicate places or regions of
space. The Yogi Philosophy has naught to do with doctrines of heavens or hells
or purgatories in the sense of places. It knows of no such places, or regions,
although it recognizes the real basis of the teachings which hold to the same.
In this particular
volume, we shall not attempt to consider the general question of the countless
planes of existence manifesting in the universe. The scope of this particular
work confines us to the consideration and description of those particular
planes of the Astral World which are concerned in the manifestation of the
existence of the disembodied souls of the dwellers upon earth — the so-called
“spirit-world” of the human race.
We shall see that there
are many planes and sub-planes of existence on the great Astral Plane of Life —
generally known as The Astral World, in order to distinguish it from the
Physical World below it in the vibratory scale. Each plane and sub-plane has
its own distinguishing characteristics and phenomena, as we shall see as we
proceed. And yet the same general laws, principles, and characteristic
qualities are common to all.
Finally, before we
pass on the consideration of the Astral Plane, let us once more endeavor to fix
in your minds the proper conception of the real nature of that which we know as
“planes.” When we speak of “rising” from a lower to a higher plane, or of
“descending” from a higher to a lower plane, we do not wish to be understood as
picturing an ascent or decent of steps. Nor are we picturing a rising or
descending from one layer or strata to another. Even the familiar symbol of
rising from the ocean depths to its surface, is incorrect.
The nearest mental
picture possible to be made of the transition from plane to plane, is that of
increase or decrease of vibrations as evidenced in sound-waves, light-waves, or
waves of electricity. By tightening a violin string, one may raise its degree
of vibration and therefore its note. The same may be done by heating a bar of
iron causing its color to change gradually from a dull red to a delicate violet
or white. Or in the case of a current of electricity, the power may be raised
or lowered at will.
If a still more
material illustration be required, we have the case of the hardest mineral
which may be changed into an invisible vapor simply by raising its degree of
vibrations by heat. What is true on the lower planes of manifestation, is true
of the higher. The transition from higher to lower, or lower to higher may be
thought of (if desired) as a change of vibration in the energy of which all
things are composed.
This will come about
as near to the truth as our imperfect powers of conception and comparison will
permit. There are no words to express the higher phenomena — all illustration
in terms of the lower planes are crude, imperfect, and unsatisfactory. But even
by these lowly symbols may the mind of man learn to grasp the ideas of things
above the ordinary senses, and beyond the power of ordinary terms to express.
And, now, with the
above firmly fixed in your minds, let us proceed to a consideration of the
Great Astral Plane of Existence. »
(Chapter 3)
OBSERVATION
The explanation given
by William Atkinson about the planes of existence is quite confusing, and if
you read what he detailed in this regard in chapter eight of his book "The Kybalion", you will see that his
knowledge about this topic were very poorly structured and largely wrong (see link). Later I will put it.
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