In our exploration of the mental envelope, consider this: The entire Solar System is a manifestation of the Logos. Every particle in it is part of His vehicles. Therefore, all the mental matter in the system constitutes His mental envelope. This encompasses not only the mental realm associated with each of the physical planets but also mental realms connected to each of the emotional planets, as well as the purely mental planets, which are commonly referred to as globes A and G in our chain of worlds.
It should be noted that the entity from globe A, in the First Round of our 4th Chain, can hardly be considered a human at all. It is a thought, a precursor to what will eventually develop into a mind-envelope – the seed of a mind-envelope. This is similar to the relationship between an early embryonic form of a foetus at one-month-old and the fully developed human body. At this initial stage, it exhibits remarkably little consciousness.
The mental envelope of the Solar Logos also forms the mental bodies of the seven Planetary Logoi, which are centres of force within the Solar Logos.
Now, within each person’s mind, there are particles of the seven Planetary Logoi, but the proportions vary infinitely, determining each person’s type.
In the seven Planetary Logoi, certain psychic changes occur periodically. These changes affect the bodies of every person in the world because the materials of their bodies are also the materials of the Planetary Logoi. The extent to which a person will be affected depends on the proportion of the type of matter appropriate to that particular Logos in their bodies. Therefore, understanding the movements of these Planetary Spirits is important for humans and forms the basis of astrological science, as mentioned in previous presentations.
The influences of these seven great types affect, among other things, the elemental essence, which, as we have already seen, is vividly active in humans’ emotional and mental bodies. Therefore, any unusual excitement of any of these types may affect, to some extent, either a person’s emotions or their mind, or both, depending on the amount of the particular type of essence they possess in their vehicles. These influences in themselves are neither good nor evil, just like any other natural force; their impact can be beneficial or detrimental based on how we choose to use them.
It’s important to realise that external influences cannot dominate a person’s will. At most, these influences can make it easier or more difficult for a person to act in certain ways. A person with strong determination or someone knowledgeable in esoterics can easily ignore these influences. However, for those with weaker wills, knowing when certain forces can be most advantageously applied may be helpful. As the saying goes, “The wise man rules his stars; the fool obeys them.”
Each globe’s physical, emotional and mental planes exist within the same space and interpenetrate each other, but they do not connect with the corresponding planes of other globes. It is only at and beyond the Unity level (46) that a common condition exists among all the planets in our chain.
Despite what has been said, the atomic makeup of each of these planes has cosmic implications. In essence, the seven atomic sub-planes in our system can be considered as the lowest cosmic plane, also known as the cosmic-prakritic. Consequently, our mental plane is the third sub-division of the lowest cosmic plane, the Cosmic Physical Plane. Regarded from another perspective, the atomic level of our mental plane constitutes the lowest sub-plane of the mental envelope of the Planetary Logos. If the atomic level of our mental envelope is the Planetary Logos’ lowest subplane, then where are the other mental subplanes? The answer is to be found on the subplanes of the cosmic, emotional, and mental kingdoms.
The emotional plane of the earth extends to a little less than the average distance of the Moon from the Earth. The Earth and the Moon are nearly 240,000 miles apart. The mental plane of the earth, which is of course a definite globe, extends even further into space than the emotional plane. It extends further in about the same proportion to the emotional plane as the emotional plane does to the physical plane.
Only the portion of the atomic matter of the emotional and mental planes that is entirely free is coextensive with the interplanetary ether, which consists of ultimate physical atoms in their normal and uncompressed state (49:1). As a result, a person cannot travel from planet to planet of our chain in their emotional or mental envelope any more than they can in their physical envelope. Why? Because we are not conscious yet at the atomic level of these three envelopes: physical, emotional and mental. However, in the causal envelope, when the monad is focused in its 47:2 subplane, this achievement is possible, although not as easily and rapidly as it can be done at the Unity Consciousness (46) level when a monad can be conscious at the atomic level in all three of its lowest envelopes.
Furthermore, the detailed observation of other planets would not be possible using any system of clairvoyance connected with the mental or any lower plane. However, a significant amount of information could be obtained by employing a high magnifying power during clairvoyant vision.
The matter of the lower planes is never carried over from one planet to another. For instance, when we leave this planet to be born on Globe E, only our Monad is carried over. You may then say, well the monad is matter and you would be right, but remember, the monad is only focused into solar system, it does not physically enter it. This is why we need a triad structure to evolve our consciousness in the Cosmic Physical Kingdom. This is why writers would say only the “consciousness” of the monad, which they called the “ego” was carried from Globe to Globe. On Globe E, our “consciousness” will attract mental and emotional matter that is specific to that planet, and we will obtain physical bodies from those who are already living on Globe E. If you remember back to the presentations on Chains, Rounds and Globes, as the Life Wave moves around the globes, from A to G, they leave behind a remnant of monads that were not able to advance with their cohort. Also in the Globe are other monads who have moved ahead of their compatriots. It is an intriguing story, and if you have not already done so, I would urge you to watch that series of presentations to understand the background of what is being presented here.
The mental plane is divided into seven grades, just like the emotional and physical planes. For now, these grades are named after the seven grades of physical matter – solid, liquid, gaseous, etc. The highest or finest sub-division consists of ultimate mental atoms (47:1). The three higher grades of mental matter are referred to as arupa, or formless, while the four lower grades are termed rupa, or having form. This distinction is real and is related to the divisions within the mind itself.
In the rupa levels, consciousness gives rise to specific images or pictures based on vibrations. Each thought appears as a distinct living shape. On the other hand, in the arupa levels, consciousness sends out flashes or streams of living energy without forming distinct images. However, when this energy rushes into the lower mental levels, it creates various forms that share a common condition. In simple terms, the arupa levels deal with expressing abstract thoughts, ideas, and principles, while the rupa levels deal with concrete thoughts and specific ideas.
Words are mostly symbols of images and are part of the operation of the lower mind in the brain. Therefore, it is nearly impossible, if not completely impossible, to convey the workings of abstract thought in words. The arupa levels are related to pure reason, which operates beyond the constraints of language.
A significant difference between the rupa and the arupa levels of the mental plane is that on the rupa levels, a person lives within their own thoughts and completely identifies with their personality from their most recent life. On the arupa levels, they are simply the reincarnating monad who, if sufficiently developed on that level, understand to some extent the evolutionary process they are engaged in and the tasks they have to accomplish.
The energy on the mental plane is much more active than on the emotional or physical plane because mental matter is finer and constantly in motion. It takes shape with every movement of life and easily adjusts to changes. Compared to mental matter, emotional matter seems heavy and dull. The vibrations of mental matter are much faster than physical vibrations, similar to how the vibrations of light are faster than those of sound.
It is possible to say that mental matter moves in response to thought at its speed. Emotional matter moves so quickly after the thought is generated that it’s difficult for the average observer to notice any difference. Etheric matter doesn’t respond to thought as quickly as emotional matter does.
The student will, of course, realise that just as each particle of physical ether floats in a sea of emotional matter, each emotional particle also floats in a mental ocean. Despite the common belief that it is easier to deal with things on the physical plane than on the emotional or mental planes, the truth is quite the opposite. The very fineness of mental matter and its quick response to mental impulses make it far easier to move and be directed by the action of the will than either emotional or physical matter.
In the following presentation, we will revisit the Halls of Ignorance, Knowledge and Wisdom.