Let us now move on from looking at the various types of consciousness an aspirant has to master in their endeavour to walk the Royal Road. We will now take a closer look at the subplanes of the Mental World.
The four lower heavens each have their unique characteristics. However, it is not the case that a person divides their time in the afterlife among these different levels based on their characteristics. Instead, a person becomes conscious in devachan on the level that best matches their level of development, and they spend their entire mental life on that level. This is because the higher level always includes the qualities of the lower levels, as well as its own unique qualities. Inhabitants of the higher level almost always possess these qualities to a greater extent than souls on the lower level.
The lowest heaven, which is on the seventh sub-plane, is characterised by affection for family and friends. This affection must be unselfish, but it is often limited in scope. However, it’s important to note that love is not confined to the lowest heaven; rather, this form of affection is the highest that those on the seventh level can experience. A far nobler and far grander type of love is present on the higher levels.
It might be helpful to provide a few typical examples of the denizens of the seventh sub-plane. One example is that of a small tradesman, who is honest and respectable, but lacks intellectual development or religious sentiment.
Although he had probably attended church regularly, religion was, to him, a sort of dim cloud that he did not really understand, and it had no connection with the business of everyday life. It was never taken into account in deciding his problems. Although he had no depth of devotion, he nevertheless had warm affection for his family. They were constantly in his mind, and he worked in his shop far more for them than for himself. His surroundings in devachan would not be of a very refined type, but nevertheless, he would be as intensely happy as he would be capable of being and he would be developing unselfish characteristics which would be built into his soul as permanent qualities.
In other typical cases, there was a man who died while his only daughter was still young. During his devachan, she was always with him, and at her best, while he continually wove all sorts of beautiful pictures of her future. Another case involved a young girl who was always absorbed in contemplating the many perfections of her father and planning little surprises and fresh pleasures for him. Then, there was a Greek woman who was marvellously happy with her three children, one of whom was a beautiful boy. She delighted in imagining him as the victor in the Olympic games.
According to Leadbeater, this sub-plane has been characterised by a significant presence of Romans, Carthaginians, and Englishmen over the past few centuries. This is because people from these nations typically express their unselfish activities through family affection. In contrast, there are relatively few Hindus or Buddhists on this sub-plane because their genuine religious feelings are more directly integrated into their daily lives, leading them to a higher level.
Among the observed cases, there was an almost infinite variety. Different degrees of advancement were distinguishable by varying degrees of luminosity, while differences in colour indicated the qualities the individuals had developed. Some were lovers who had died in the full strength of their affection and were always occupied with the one person they loved, to the entire exclusion of all others. Others had led quite brutal and private lives, yet had shown some touch of unselfish action.
In all of these cases, the only aspect of their personal lives that could have an impact on their thoughts was their feelings of affection. Typically, the thought-images on this level are quite imperfect, which means that the friends’ true selves are not effectively communicated. Nevertheless, even in the worst cases, as discussed in a previous presentation, the expression is more complete and fulfilling than it ever was in their physical lives.
For those residing in the lowest level of the heavenly realm, there is not much material to develop their abilities, so their progress is limited. Their family bonds will grow and expand slightly, and they will be reborn with a somewhat improved emotional nature, making them more inclined to recognise and respond to higher levels.
The main feature of the sixth sub-plane of the heaven-world can be described as human-like religious devotion. There seems to be a similarity between this level of the heaven-world and the second emotional sub-plane. The difference is that on the emotional plane, there is always an element of selfishness and bargaining in religious devotion, whereas in the heaven-world, devotion is completely free from any such negative aspects.
However, it’s important to distinguish this phase of devotion, which involves constant worship of a personal deity, from higher forms that involve carrying out specific tasks for the deity. Let me give you a few examples to illustrate these distinctions.
A significant number of individuals at this level are followers of oriental religions, with only those included whose devotion is pure but relatively unreasoning and unintelligent. Worshipers of Vishnu, and a few of Shiva, are present, each deeply engrossed in their own thoughts, alone with their god, and oblivious to the rest of humanity except to the extent that their affections may connect those whom they loved on earth with their adoration of their deity. An observer noticed a Vishnu worshiper completely absorbed in the ecstatic worship of the very image of Vishnu to which he had made offerings during his earthly life.
The majority of the inhabitants of this sub-plane are women, providing a characteristic example. Remember, these observations were made over a century ago. One example was a Hindu woman who considered her husband as a divine being and believed that the child Krishna played with her own children. However, while her children were completely real, the child Krishna was simply a wooden image brought to life. In her vision of heaven, Krishna appeared as an effeminate young man playing a flute, but the woman was not confused by this dual manifestation.
Another woman, a worshiper of Shiva, regarded her husband as a manifestation of her god, so that the two seemed to be constantly transforming into each other.
Some Buddhists can be found on this level, but it seems to be those less instructed who view the Buddha more as an object of adoration rather than a great teacher.
Many Christians are found here; an illiterate Roman Catholic peasant, for example, full of unintellectual devotion, or an earnest and sincere “soldier” of the Salvation Army. An Irish peasant was seen absorbed in deep adoration of the Virgin Mary, whom he pictured as standing on the moon and holding out her hands while speaking to him. A medieval monk was observed in ecstatic contemplation of Christ crucified, and the intensity of his yearning love and pity was such that, as he watched the blood dripping from the wounds of the figure of Christ, the stigmata reproduced themselves upon his own mental body. It’s a shame the event never occurred. He went to all that trouble on account of fake news.
One man envisioned Christ seated in glory on his throne, surrounded by a vast multitude of worshippers, including himself, his wife, and his family. Even though he deeply cared for his relatives, his thoughts were primarily focused on adoring Christ. However, his concept of deity was rather material, as he pictured Christ constantly alternating between the form of a man and that of a lamb holding a flag, as commonly depicted in church windows.
The story of a Spanish nun who died at the age of nineteen is quite fascinating. In her vision of heaven, she saw herself accompanying Jesus through his life as described in the gospels. After his crucifixion, she envisioned herself taking care of the Virgin Mary. However, her portrayal of the scenery and attire in Palestine was inaccurate. She depicted Jesus and his disciples wearing the clothing of Spanish peasants, with the hills around Jerusalem resembling mountains covered with vineyards and the olive trees adorned with grey Spanish moss. She also saw herself being martyred for her faith and ascending to heaven, only to relive the same life again and again, as she found great joy in it.
A child who had passed away at the age of seven was believed to be re-enacting in the heavenly realm the religious stories that his Irish nurse had shared with him. He enjoyed imagining himself playing with the infant Jesus and assisting him in creating the clay sparrows, which, according to the stories, Jesus had brought to life and caused to fly.
Even if a person is a materialist and agnostic, they will still have a heaven-world, provided they have been capable of devotion. Deep unselfish family affection, as well as earnest philanthropic effort, are also great outpourings of energy, which must produce their results, and can produce them nowhere but on the mental plane.
Blind, unreasoning dedication, while leaving devotees content, does not elevate them spiritually. However, such devotion does have a positive impact on their future, as it increases their capacity for a higher form of devotion and often leads to a purer life. While blind devotion may not enhance intellect, it does safeguard individuals from certain pitfalls in their next life, making it less likely for them to engage in severe negative behaviour or be swayed by worldly pursuits.
Nevertheless, a survey of the sixth sub-plane distinctly emphasises the desirability of following the advice of St. Peter: “Add to your faith – virtue, and to virtue knowledge.”
In the next presentation, we will examine the remaining two subplanes.