In the previous presentation, we provided an overview of the Causal World, also known as the Fifth Heaven, in esoteric circles. But why is it called the Fifth Heaven when there are actually three subplanes in the Causal World? The reason is that for the majority of humanity, it is the lowest of the three causal subplanes, where most monads rest between incarnations. Not all monads sleep here, but those that are awake are few in number. We will delve into this further at a later time.
This is the lowest of the arupa or formless mental sub-planes. It is also the most populous region we are acquainted with, as almost all of the sixty billion souls engaged in human evolution are present here, except for the comparatively small number capable of functioning on the second and first sub-planes.
The soul is represented by an ovoid form, starting as a colourless film and developing into a shimmering iridescence as the soul grows. It resembles a soap bubble with colours playing over its surface. Those connected with a physical body have different vibrations on their causal bodies compared to those in a disembodied state. This makes it easy on this plane to determine if an individual is currently in incarnation or not.
The vast majority of human monads, whether inside (discarnate) or outside (incarnate) the Envelope, are only partially conscious. Few are now in the state of being completely dull and lacking in colour as most of Humanity has evolved past the 1. Young Soul stage of evolution. Those who are fully awake are exceptional and stand out among the less radiant crowds like first-magnitude stars. Between those who are fully awake and those who are least developed, there is a wide range of individuals of varying sizes and beauty, each representing the exact stage of evolution at which they are currently functioning. If there are seven parallel streams of evolution of monads associated with the Earth Scheme, I suspect we have a particular area in the envelope of the Planetary Logos where we, as humans, all reside in the Causal World.
The majority of entities are not yet clear or definite in their consciousness to understand the purpose of the evolutionary laws they are engaged in. They seek to be born in response to the Cosmic Will and Tanha, the blind thirst for life, the desire to find a place where they can feel and be conscious of living. In the early stages, these entities can only sense the slower movements of the heavier matter of the physical plane, and this is the only realm where they feel alive, leading to an intense craving for rebirth into physical life. Remember, this process of rebirth, especially at the first three levels of human development, is entirely governed by our guardian angels, the solar devas, also known as the Augoeides.
During this time, the monad’s desire aligns with the law of evolution as they can only develop through external impacts, gradually arousing their responses, which they can only receive in physical life. Unfortunately, evolution by external impact is usually painful and leaves one with a sore head. As the persona’s ability to respond increases, they gradually become able to perceive higher and finer physical vibrations and then slower emotional vibrations. Their emotional bodies, which were previously only conveying sensations to the soul, become usable as definite vehicles, and their consciousness begins to be centred more on their emotions than mere physical sensations. The transition from being centred in the 49:1 permanent atom to being focused in the 48:1 permanent atom happens automatically with no fanfare. Nevertheless, the world now opened to the developing monad is exponentially more complex.
At a later stage, but always through the same process of learning to respond to external influences, souls learn to focus their consciousness in the mental envelope, focusing through the 47:4 mental unit, also known as the permanent mental molecule. They learn to live in accordance with the mental images they have created and to govern their emotions with their mind. That is the theory and the long-term goal. Unfortunately, for most of us, the emotional envelope seems to be in the driving seat with the inevitable consequences. These are the realms of kama-manas, and we have discussed them already in some detail.
As evolution progresses, the centre moves up to the causal envelope, and the souls realise their true life. When they reach this stage, they will be on a higher sub-plane than the third (47:3), and earthly existence will no longer be necessary for them. However, we are currently dealing with the less evolved majority, who still manifest personalities on the lower planes of life, reaching out tentatively into existence. They are not yet aware that these personalities are the means through which they nourish and grow. They do not see anything of their past or future as they are not yet conscious on their own plane, where they reside in a permanent tertiary structure. Nonetheless, as they slowly gather experience and assimilate it, a sense develops that certain things are good to do and others are bad. This imperfectly expresses itself in the connected personality as the beginning of a conscience, a feeling of right and wrong. As they continue to evolve, this sense formulates itself more clearly in their lower nature and becomes a more effective guide to conduct. Where the monad focuses its attention and where it is objectively conscious are two separate things. We already know we can not become objectively conscious in our three permanent atoms, 47:1, 48:1 and 49:1, until we enter the 5th Kingdom of Nature and become 2nd Selves. This means we are objectively conscious in any of the subplanes of the envelope where our monad is focused. For most of us, that is the emotional envelope. This is why our existence in the Mental World or Devachan is a subjective one and is regarded as a fictitious experience. Nevertheless, subjective awareness is a stepping stone to objective consciousness.
Through the opportunities presented by moments of heightened awareness, which we have mentioned before, the most advanced souls on this plane progress to a stage where they engage in studying their past. They trace the causes that were set in motion and gain valuable insights from looking back into past incarnations. This must be a grim task but a necessary one. As a result, the impulses sent downward become clearer and more defined. These translate into firm convictions and strong intuitions in their lower consciousness. As we only store positive attributes in our causal envelopes, we mercifully only receive helpful prompts. However, we still have to deal with our subconscious memories and proclivities lurking in our permanent structures that are at the apex of each of our envelopes on incarnation in the 1st Triad.
It’s important to note that the mental images of the form levels (47:4-7) are not carried into the higher heavenly realm. All illusions have now passed, and each soul knows its true self, distilled from all the personalities that have manifested over time. It sees these personalities as its collective nature and its self as the true immortal being that moves from life to life with all the ties to its attributes intact.
On this third sub-plane, we can also find the causal bodies of the relatively few individualised members of the animal kingdom. Strictly speaking, as we have seen before, these are no longer considered animals. They are the only remaining examples of the basic causal envelope to be found on the causal plane, which is still undeveloped in size and only faintly coloured by the initial vibrations of newly emerging qualities.
The individualised animal retires into its causal envelope to await the turn of the wheel of evolution, which will see the start of the 5th Chain. This will give it an opportunity for a primitive human incarnation. It loses almost all consciousness of outer things and spends time in a delightful trance of deep peace and contentment for the rest of the 4th Chain of evolution. Even then, interior development of a limited nature is undoubtedly taking place. Its nature is difficult for us to comprehend. In any event, it is enjoying the highest bliss of which, at its level, it is capable. We reviewed the pralaya that various groups of monad entered in the series on Chains, Rounds and Globes, as they were held in an inter-chain Nirvana before being incarnated into the Earth chain when conditions were suitable for their further evolution. Note the term “Nirvana” used here. This is the Theosophical code for what we call the 46th or Unity plane. This is where all monads are held between planetary chain incarnations, and it is also the reason that the first round of the 4th Chain started on plane 46 and not plane 45, which is the highest plane of development for the 4th Chain.
In the following presentations, we will complete our examination of the heavens by looking at the 6th and 7th Heavens and what they hold in store for us.