The following planes are often listed in Theosophy teachings from the early 20th century. I don’t personally ascribe to this theory, preferring to use planes from more specific systems like Aristotelian Science’s Planets, Yoga nidra’s Lokas, Kabbalah’s Sephiroth and Merkabah’s Hekhaloth. I tend to find theosophy is often full of stuff that contradicts them which is often channelled by very flawed individuals. It also has not stood the test of time having only lasted 100 years in the same way other things have. Frequently, Theosophy attempts to mash different traditions together without respect for their differences, it often has many books which simplify them to the point of inaccuracy. It then sells well because it is easy to understand rather than thoroughly thought through or accurate. Easy to understand strokes people’s egos and often replaces more accurate teaching due to capitalism’s market forces. It is however still worth keeping awareness of this system in case it comes in handy sometimes, but remember it is only one mashed-up, bastardized system in a group of many more ancient and philosophically sound systems. It is not “the system”.
| Name | Description |
| Physical Plane (Comprises the Material Plane and Etheric Plane, the Ether or Real-time plane) | Normal Mundane reality. Our first initiation/awakening guides us through this plane. The densest plane of energy. This might consist of 2 planes called the Material and the Etheric. It is possible the etheric plane is where energy is. Robert Bruce mentions a realm he calls the real-time realm which is probably closely tied to what theosophists call the etheric plane. On the real-time plane, Robert Bruce suggests the etheric body exists which he divides into the bioenergetic component which is enmeshed with the physical body, the pure-energetic component which is more related to the subtle body and the expanded energetic component which is the body created and heightened when the individual reaches trance. The first state in OBE, according to Robert Bruce, is the generation of the real-time double. |
| Astral Plane and the Enochian Aethyrs | Books suggest this plane occurs after several lifetimes seeking enlightenment when the heart opens up and the initiate develops their compassion. (I feel this description is easier to convince oneself of than to achieve. The vocabulary can be easily confused for simple earthly experiences which are less divine.) While the Enochian Aethyrs are described as layers and planes going up like the Astral Planes, but the name Aethyr suggests they were considered something similar to Ether (remember in 1500s spelling was inconsistent) so at least the lower levels would be considered etheric planes. |
| Mental Plane or Causal Plane | On this plane, we obtain total control of mental, emotional and physical aspects of the self. Annie Besant suggests this world is unencumbered by matter. This realm is considered the seed or the cause of the subtle body, but since it has no matter there is not a shape of body in this plane. This plane still has concepts of time, beginnings and ends, but probably transcends space. |
| Buddhic Plane | Books suggest this plane occurs after several lifetimes seeking enlightenment when the heart opens up and the initiate develops their compassion. (I feel this description is easier to convince oneself of than to achieve. The vocabulary can be easily confused for simple earthly experiences which are less divine.) This is often described as a realm of pure consciousness where the illusion of self, as something separate, is dissolved. |
| Atmic Plane | Apparently, The Soul and the Monad merge into one which is odd because the Monad itself is the universe including the person already represented as one being so it should not be able to merge with anything. |
| Monadic Plane or Anupadaka (Spiritual Plane A) | All things merged into one. Initiate ascends and becomes a being of pure light. This seems strange to me because the Monad (from which Monadic is derived) is already mentioned in the previous plane. The Anupadaka are related to the Cosmic Buddha, of which boddhisatvas are considered to be an avatar. |
| Logoic Plane, Divine Plane or Adi (Spiritual Plane B) | Far beyond normal comprehension the initiate merges with the planetary logos. (The Logos is not limited to a planet so how is it planetary? We should be beyond a state of unity where there is no distinguishing between planets when you’re thinking of a logos). |
Originally this article came from my attempt to read a beginner book on channelling because I had some plans to write a session on channelling for some beginners in my Coven. The content came from Channelling by Lita De Alberdi, but I have expanded on it with some references to other people. I am not sure I recommend this book at this time, there only being one chapter that really stands out as potentially beneficial to my coven at this time. If you want to you can order it from the Amazon link on my website. If memory serves there is better content in Astral Dynamics by Robert Bruce which is a book I definitely recommend. I ave begun to add things from Robert Bruce’s writing to this table.
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4 responses to “Theosophy’s Planes”
[…] as the astral double of the earth / Malkuth. For me, there’s a slight difference between the Etheric Plane which often acts like a double of the earth, which I would associate with Malkuth, and the Astral […]
[…] as the astral double of the earth / Malkuth. For me, there’s a slight difference between the Etheric Plane which often acts like a double of the earth, which I would associate with Malkuth, and the Astral […]
[…] clairvoyance? Clairvoyance is as simple as the ability to see other planes, at least, the etheric layer of reality. In the etheric layer, we see all energy which allows us to perceive how the astral layers and […]
[…] into an energy double of the world we live in, and meet and communicate with people in the ether. Like many dreams, our ability to recall our memories from this consciousness is often difficult […]