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The Seven Planes of Consciousness and Matter
Written by Robert Wilkinson
We live in a reality of overlapping frequencies, from dense to subtle beyond our ability to register it. We all have bodies, feelings, and minds to explore as we eternal Soul/Spirits learn in our human experience. So how do all these parts of us and everyone and everything else fit together? Today we explore the seven planes of frequencies which pervade everything we see.
I last gave this to you 10 years ago, and it certainly bears a new look. As usual, I’ve re-written parts to explain some things in a better way. We are told that we humans, as well as planets and stars and more, all have “seven bodies,” with the visible body the most dense, and our other bodies less dense but just as real. While we have a dense physical body, we also have an emotional body which seems to have its own life sometimes, as well as thoughts which go their own way regardless of what we’re feeling or doing.
All we know, see, feel, or experience is vibration. From the grossest to the subtlest, the densest to the most ethereal, everything we think, feel, perceive or imagine is vibration. We are told in esoteric philosophy that there are 7 "frequency zones" which describe our perceptual reality and beyond which are called “the 7 Planes.” These frequencies pervade our entire life system, including those subtle realms which are beyond our 5 senses and our minds.
These 7 fields co-exist and interpenetrate all levels of human and planetary existence. So what are the 7 Planes of our individual and collective existence, and how do they relate to us? We will examine them from the 7th (densest) plane all the way to the 1st (immaterial and all pervasive) plane.
The Seven Planes
Let’s begin with the dense Physical Plane. This is the frequency zone of matter in all its forms where all physical structures exist. It is matter, in all levels and qualities of density, from a butterfly wing to an anvil to a planet. Just as our physical bodies are the most dense of our 7 “bodies,” the same is true for a planet, a Sun, and even a Solar System. The forms we see are the material (slowest) frequencies of Beings that have 6 more bodies of more rarified frequencies. This 7th densest plane is also where our Etheric body exists.
The sixth Plane, less dense and more subtle than the Physical, is the Astral, or emotional plane. This is the plane of feeling, emotions, and instinctive desires. It’s less dense than the Physical, but more dense than the next plane, the Mental plane. We have all sensed the “density” of feelings, both our own and others, depending on the intensity, frequency, and sensory ability as these happened. This is the plane where our “Auric Egg” exists, interpenetrating with the Etheric field of the physical plane. When people see “auras,” it’s usually some elements of the Astral body they are perceiving.
While feelings are less dense than our physical bodies, they are more dense than our thoughts. The Astral plane is the realm of the desire-mind, or kama manas. It is where our mental cravings take shape through the desire body into forms we are driven to make real, whether healthy or unhealthy. This plane is where “gut-knowing,” instinct, and all psychic phenomena take place.
The Mental Plane is the plane of thought, and is divided into two areas, the Lower Mental and the Higher Mental. The lower mind is left brain logical, rational thinking, including concrete thoughts about things, feeling, and ideas. It is mechanistic and knows how to evaluate through sequence and selection, “if-the-else” statements. This is where we try to figure things out in a linear fashion, and try to reason out what we are thinking, or believe we’re thinking.
The higher, less dense part of the Mental plane is the Higher mind. This is the part of the mental plane which is directly in touch with the Soul, which inhabits the Buddhic plane of pure love. The Higher Mind is abstract, subtle, and is idealistic and inspirational, as well as aspirational. It is the frequency of mind which is philosophical, “spiritual,” and aware of things beyond the material, emotional, and rational focus of personality.
This is where our higher aspirations exist and come forth, so that the Higher Self, or “Soul-infused mind,” can identify its more altruistic nature and think what must be thought to make those higher aspirations and ideals real. This 5th Plane is where our “Mental unit” exists, which is the driving force behind what we call the “lower ego.”
The 4th Plane is the even more subtle and rarified Buddhic Plane, or Plane of Soul. Here the dualities of the mind and feelings are left behind in a feeling of Loving Oneness with “All That Is.” These are the frequencies of higher, subtle, evolved loving feelings that we all have all the time, even when the lower thoughts, feelings, and things momentarily distract us from our inherent higher loving feelings. These feelings are altruistic, compassionate, and powerful. This plane is where we are naturally lovingly wise and wisely loving.
Since all duality and dualisms arise on the Mental, Emotional, and Physical planes, this Plane of Consciousness is non-dual and is the residency of the Higher Ego as it is expressed through the Higher Mind. It is also where all true Intuition takes a higher feeling shape. This is the frequency zone where we ARE Love eternal and unconditional. It is the Plane of pure compassion, or “fellow feeling.” It is where we experience universal Love and Wisdom as an undifferentiated unifying feeling.
The 3rd Plane is the Atmic Plane, or the Plane of Spirit. The Atma(n) is our Spirit body, even more rarified and less dense than our Soul body which exists on the Buddhic Plane. It is the highest peak of our Higher Triad. Please reference that article to understand the composition of the lower triad and its relationship to the Higher Triad.
While virtually unsubstantial in a physical, emotional, or mental sense, it is the Plane where "the spark that ignites" originates, inspiring us and changing our lives forever. Some are never sensitive to this plane while alive, while others are touched by it once or even many times. This frequency is where the initial inspiration from Spirit begins the origination of all grand ideas and movements which benefit all.
The 2nd Plane is called the Monadic Plane, our Oneness beyond division, our "Father-Mother God in Heaven which is ONE indivisible." This is the Plane of our Divine Archetype. When we pray to Deity, “God,” or “All That Is,” or have a “revelation of Oneness,” it is this plane we seek to experience and see made manifest. It is associated with the Anupadaka, from the Sanskrit parentless, self-existing, a self-created arising of Eternal existence beyond our pure experience of Soul and Spirit.
The 1st Plane has no name other than the Divine Plane. It is associated with the Adi, from the Sanskrit the first. Other possible associations are the original, the creator, the Source, and the beginning of existence.
The Structure of the Planes and Sub-Planes
Since all vibration is interpenetrating, it is useful to see these not as linear rankings of levels, but as co-existing states of consciousness with the dense being the outer form, and all the others as subtle frequencies equating to our feelings and thoughts all coexisting together with the eternal Soul/Spirit we are experiencing all of it all the time. We are thinking, feeling, and acting at the same time while also being loving and inspired. From one point of view, we are all existing on all the levels and Planes simultaneously in every moment.
In addition to all these levels of awareness being active all at the same time in all of us, each plane has 7 subplanes within its frequency zone. Thus there is a physical sub-plane, an emotional sub-plane, a mental sub-plane, a Buddhic sub-plane and so forth in each of the 7 Planes of Consciousness.
Each sub-plane is a distinct frequency zone in itself. For example, the physical sub-plane of the Physical Plane is matter, the astral subplane of the Physical is water and other liquids, the mental sub-plane of the Physical is air, the Buddhic sub-plane and higher are the sub-planes of Ether in its various stages.
The physical sub-plane of the Astral are where dense feelings reside. These are the frequencies of "emotional thoughtforms." The astral sub-plane of the Astral plane are feelings about feelings, while the mental sub-plane of the Astral are feelings about thoughts, or feeling-infused thoughts. There are feelings about Soul and "higher" feelings, feelings about inspiration and oneness, and feelings about the unknown.
And so it goes, with each Plane having distinct sub-frequencies with their specialized qualities. Various sub-planes resonate with various other sub-planes, as well as Planes, much as certain notes on a piano resonate with other notes, since many similar notes are shared between various keys which may or may not be in harmony or discord with one another.
You can discover more about the obvious and subtle qualities of the subplanes through meditating on how things are different and/or similar. For example, feelings about thoughts are the realm of the mental subplane of the Astral, while thoughts about feelings exist on the astral subplane of the Mental plane. Feelings about the Spiritual life exist on the Buddhic subplane of the Astral, while ideas about the Spiritual life exist on the Buddhic subplane of the Mental plane.
There are other ways to differentiate the various energies of our reality, so please enjoy the journey of exploration. At some point, once we have disciplined our Mental vehicles so we know how to disengage the mind, we can even get beyond thoughts and move into the pure experience of the Higher Planes if we open to that experience by getting out of our own way and allowing the Limitless Light of the Highest Self to move through our various vehicles.
We can also relate these 7 frequency zones to other "7 fold" divisions and classifications of our reality. As we know there are 7 Rays which constitute all the primary energies of Earthly existence, as well as 7 visible planets, 7 colors, 7 tones, and even 7 holes in our heads, the study of these correspondences can yield a lot of realizations about the vibratory structure of what we’re dealing with throughout our lives. I’ve linked to the three part series on the 7 Rays below if you want to know more.
For now, enjoy reflecting on what you've read here, and if possible, allow yourself to experience the higher, more subtle planes of existence as well as the lower ones. You are your body, feelings, mind, Soul, and Spirit all here and now! Sense the differences between your higher thoughts and lower ones, your higher feelings and your lower ones. You can do this in meditation quite easily. They're all there for you to experience as often as you like.
Through it all, the Limitless Light ever shines, and as we learn now to maneuver between our various bodies, purifying each in their own ways and times, tuning each as we would the finest piano in the world, that Light becomes ever more evident in our world. That’s the “Light Body” we aspire to experience. It’s already there – all we have to do is get with our own program, and allow our Highest Self to take command of the lower vehicles. Then we are the Light Beings we aspire to be.
This article explains what the Rays are and how we come to be classified as they are.
The 7 Rays Pt. 1 - Primary Energies of Earthly Existence and Human Relations
This describes the qualities of each Ray and their correspondences.
The 7 Rays Pt. 2 – The Qualities of the 7 Primary Energies of Life and Relationships
This one explores h ow they apply in our lives, how they change as we evolve, and more.
Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with written permission from Robert Wilkinson. Copying this article to other blogs is strictly prohibited. It is copyright protected.
© Copyright 2019-2022 Robert Wilkinson
© 2022 crystalwind.ca. All rights reserved.
© CrystalWind.ca 2024. All content (articles, imagery, fair use) & design protected. Written permission required for copying. All rights reserved.
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