English
Thus in a certain sense even the physical plane is co-extensive with space, as represented by the highest, the atomic state of ether. So equally with the astral and Devachanic planes: these, in their highest states, are co-extensive with the ether; and a fortiort higher planes still are co-extensive. From this it will be apparent that matter of every variety, plus all its potentialities, lay within the region in which the sublime power, directing the manifestation of our system, set up the activities already referred to. These activities had for one effect, we are told, that of drawing in from surrounding space, as into a vortex, immense additional supplies of the all-pervading ether. Some scientific difficulties present themselves to the mind in reference to this statement, but solar systems are sufficiently wide apart in their distribution through space to harmonise with the idea that even the ether, though we have to think of it as incompressible to accommodate our prevailing conceptions of matter with some of its attributes, may be attenuated in intersolar space, and relatively condensed in and around solar systems. At all events, the esoteric interpretation of the beginning of our system seems to involve the idea of such condensation, and on the THE SYSTEM TO WHICH WE BELONG. 279 ether in this condition an influence coming down from some higher plane of Nature ultimately converted the condensed mass into a physical nebula—an immense volume of incandescent gas at some inconceivably high temperature. From this condition of things the process imagined in connexion with the nebular theory appears to have come into play. Rings of the nebular substance became detached from the parent mass, and continuing to revolve in obedience to the vortex motion of the whole mass, became aggregated into planets, although not into the actual planets with which we are now familiar, these being of later origin, by virtue of principles operative in the evolution of the system which ordinary astronomy does not as yet take into account. The various planets originally formed were grouped by degrees into seven great schemes-of evolution, and to comprehend these in some approximate measure, we must regard them from our present point of view. The survey we have to carry out would not be materi- ally assisted by attempts to fathom the all but unfathoinable past so far as to investigate the order in which the various schemes were launched. Mean- while, however, we may take note of the fact already referred to that there are within the solar system three schemes of evolution to which no physical planets are attached, so that in truth there are not seven but ten schemes to be thought of; and probably if we possessed a sufficiently exhaustive knowledge of Nature we should find septenary systems constantly merging 280 THE GROWTH OF THE SOUL. themselves in a more embracing system of tens; but wherever the physical plane plays a part in any cosmic undertaking the septenary law appears to hold good. Thus our first task in attempting to understand the solar system has to do with seven schemes in each of which the physical plane is touched. Beginning with that which is the outermost in space, we find that the planet Neptune is concerned with a scheme of a very different character from that which may be assigned to most of the others. In this world- series the evolutionary process is not destined to achieve results commensurate with those which it is the purpose of the other schemes to bring about. ‘The life with which Neptune is concerned is not calculated to attain very high levels, but on the other hand this wonderful cosmic organism is especially interesting for an astronomical reason. Connected in evolution with Neptune there are in fact two other planets physically belonging to our system that have not yet fallen a prey to telescopic research. One of them may ulti- mately be discovered by ordinary means, the outermost lies far beyond the range of physical instruments, for not merely is its distance something appalling to the imagination, but the light it would throw back to us by reflection from the sun is exceedingly feeble. Viewed from Neptune itself the sun would appear a mere speck in the sky compared with the glowing disc we have to deal with, but the two outer planets are at distances from the centre of the system which continue to observe what is called in astronomy “ Bode’s law.” Thus without having yet discovered either of them THE SYSTEM TO WHICH WE BELONG. 281 we know that the radius of the orbit in which the outermost of all is moving is something over 10,000 million miles. (The distance of Neptune from the sun, it will be remembered, is about 2,700 millions.) At that distance the light of the sun would barely make darkness visible. And for any warmth the distant planet may require it must be dependent chiefly on influences with which physical science on this earth at present is ill acquainted. However, little as we can expect just yet to understand the Neptune scheme, we may formulate our thinking on the subject so far as to recognise that scheme as including—at its present stage of advancement—three physical planets. All the other schemes, as we shall see by degrees— excepting our own—are at present represented on the physical plane by only one planet each. But all through this survey of the system it must be remembered that schemes are not equally represented on the physical plane at each of their Manvantaric stages. Our own scheme had but one physical planet in its last Manvan- tara, and will have but one in its next Manvantara, though at present it has a triple manifestation on the physical plane. So other schemes which at present have only one physical planet may have more than one at later stages of their progress, may have had more than one at former stages. The Uranus scheme—for thinking at this date we may as well call each scheme by the name of the visible planet of its present chain—is the next in order to be considered. I understand the Uranus scheme is fairly well advanced, and to be concerned with the evolution 282 THE GROWTH OF THEI SOUL. of a high order of life, but of course the physical condi- tions of Uranus must be widely unlike any with which we have acquaintance. The sun can hardly seem a much larger object viewed from Uranus than Jupiter appears to us, but one of the lessons most strongly emphasised by the esoteric study of the whole system is that life is compatible with conditions of the most diverse character, and that we must never seek to deter- mine the habitablity of other globes in space by inquir- ing how far their meteorological or climatic conditions correspond with our own. The Saturnian scheme is very much less advanced in its Manvantaric development than our own, and the planet Saturn itself is in an early round of its present Manvantara, so that it is not yet physically habitable at all. The family of beings with whose evolution it is concerned are still at an early stage of their descent into matter, even though it must not be supposed that the Saturn scheme, any more than other schemes connected with the outer planets are young in the order of their creation as compared with some of those nearer the sun. ‘The rates of progress of the various schemes are very different. Saturn is slow in its evolution, with Manvanitaras of enormous length. We must be patient yet a while in regard to speculations which would attempt to correlate the rate of progress of the various schemes, though no doubt they are all designed to harmonise their results in some way towards the close of the mighty drama in which they play their several parts. The Jupiter scheme is very interesting, for though THE SYSTEM TO WHICH WE BELONG. 283 it is still young—in advancement, if not in time—it is destined, we understand, to bring forward its family of evolution to a very high level eventually. So far, however, the Manvantara of the Jupiter scheme now in progress is only the third of the septenary series, corresponding to our lunar or last Manvantara, which did not bring our family forward to a very mature stage of development. Moreover, at present the Jupiter family is only in the second round of its third Manvantara, and its physical planet therefore is not yet fitted to be the abode of physical life. It is still hot from its relatively recent condensation, and this condition of things, recognised by ordinary astronomy, is not due, as ordinary astronomers suppose, to the fact that Jupiter is much larger than the inner planets, and has thus taken more time to cool since the original nebula consolidated. Jupiter is a later creation than the earth, but the view of the whole subject with which this fact is connected will more conveniently be dealt with when the general survey of the schemes is com- pleted. Coming inward from Jupiter, the next planetary orbit we reach is that at present occupied by the swarm of asteroids, merely so much raw planetary material to be used up in future chains. The next planet is Mars, but in reaching this interesting world we of the earth chain are comparatively at home, for the scheme to which we belong, at present in its fourth Manvan- tara, is at the stage of its deepest immergence in matter, and is thus represented on the physical plane by three planets, Mars being one. Mars, the Earth, and Mercury 284 THE GROWTH OF THE SOUL. are in evolutionary partnership, Mars being the planet behind the earth in the order of progress rouhd the entire chain, and Mercury in advance of us.