ARCHITECTURE OF THE SOUL # 6

"Play in the exultation of the possible." M. Buber

You are much more than you know but ...

"Anyone who isn't confused here really does not understand what is going on." Anonymous

This journey is a little like a layman trying to explain quantum physics. Even the quantum physicists acknowledge that anyone who thinks they understand quantum physics, does not understand it.

The Ancestors say that our role is not to try and explain the mystery but to be in awe of it. However, it helps to try because the deeper we go the less we know and this exaggerates the awe. When we open Pandoras box the mystery becomes even more mysterious.

The soul and breath from the Creator are pure.

 Both arise as a spark from the 

Flame of the Infinite One.

"Flame of the Infinite One is the Soul-Breath of the human."

Click, play and meditate by focusing on your breath. 

Prolong the phases. The exhale should be longer than the inhale. Be aware of the pauses between inhale and exhale as well as exhale and inhale to connect with your divine spark.

06_Soul_Breath.mp3

"The life breath of the human is the flame of the Infinite One searching through the chambers 

of our core." 

(the heart chakra also incorporates our lungs oxygenating the blood being pumped to the circulation).

Click, play and meditate on the purity the breath we are given to animate us. When the Grim Reaper comes to takes us away, that breath will cease.

04_Life_Breath.mp3

 This is an attempt to examine the architecture of the soul by combining Patanjali's Five Sheaths of Consciousness with a similar concept in Kabbalah - 

the Five Levels of the Soul. 

Unity - the First Level 

 descends from Source down through the Four Worlds until it is housed in the body. 

We are a microcosmic chip of the Supreme Being - a minute holographic representation, each with its own destiny and each fueled from the Flame of the Infinite One, to become our own pure soul-breath. 

The Creator made something out of nothingness. Hence I have given Unity - the first level - the designation of a zero (0). 

Unity then descends adopting the other Four Levels or attributes along the way.

Our purpose in life is to ascend back up again into that realization of Self, made in the image of the Divine. There were two Trees in the Garden of Eden. The Tree of Knowledge (ego and acquisitiveness) which got us got kicked out of the Garden and the Tree of Life by which means if we ascend this Tree we can regain "Eden" (The enlightened or Causal realm or the Pure Land of Buddhism.) These Five Levels correspond not only to the Four Worlds (the next blog) but also to the Tree of Life.

However, it is not easy and on the way up we will be confronted by many challenges. The higher up we go the harder it gets.

 "The gates are wide but few will enter."

The purpose of this blog series is to explain some of the challenges presented to us on our journey back to Unity when we rejoin the Flame.

Patanjali's Five Sheaths or Bodies of Consciousness are almost synonymous with the Five Levels of soul. 

The Food (Physical) Sheath. 

The Energy Sheath. 

The Mind Sheath. 

The Intellectual Sheath. 

The Bliss Sheath (Unity in Kabbalah.)

Patanjali's are represented below as circles going from without inward, somewhat different to Kabbalah's representation on the Tree of Life,  where they manifest from Source above (# 0), to the physical (#4) below.

As above, so below, as below so above.

As without, so within, as within, so without.

The Food or Body Sheath in the Patanjali's figure is the same as the Physical level in Kabbalah. 

The Energy Sheath or Sheath of Prana (Breath) is the same as the Energy Level, also of Breath, Wind or Ruach in Hebrew. 

Mind is the same in both. The shadow side of Mind is Monkey (Narrow) Mind.

The Intellectual Sheath is synonymous with Intellect which houses Spacious Mind.

 Ego is not part of the Five but forms a critical Triad with Mind and the Intellectual Sheaths. Shadow should also be included here. These four are always in flux between the properties of Monkey (Narrow) Mind and The Intellectual Sheath (Spacious Mind.) Depending on which prevails we go inward or remain outwardly directed and bound to Ego.

The Bliss Sheath in yoga is where the Higher Self (Soul) dwells and is the place where duality is replaced by Oneness or Unity Consciousness Ananda (Bliss) - Unity in Kabbalah.

The various qualities ascribed to Patanjali's Sheaths and the Ancestors Five Levels are aligned below. The energy centers or sephirot of Understanding and Wisdom on the Tree of Life embellish Mind and Intellect. 

These Five Levels correspond to the Tree of Life as shown below.

They comprise the architecture, anatomy or structure of these levels  - a map to help us navigate the polarities. By a process of "reverse engineering"- if you like - we ascend up the Tree to Unity - to our rightful place with divinity.

Unity 0 

Intellect 1 (Wisdom)

 Mind 2 (Understanding)

 Energy 3 

Physical 4

There are three triads on the Tree

Keter-Intellect (Wisdom)-Understanding (Mind)

Faith between is not a true sephira but is essential to arrive at Keter.

Energy comprises two of the three triads

The Heart triad 

is balanced by Mercy and Judgment. 

Judgment is harder to control so it is situated above Ego. 

We are told to "sweeten" our judgments with compassion. Moreover the Ancestors teach; 

"When you no longer need to be right the purity of your soul will shine through."

The Ego triad 

is balanced by Attachment and Non Attachment to self-cherishing and the desire for the material.

The Ancestors teach that Netzach - the sephirah of Non-Attachment is the key to spiritual evolution since it opens the sephirah of Love (or the heart chakra.) In yoga the heart chakra is the most difficult one to open. In Kabbalah it is said that when the student has mastered Love he or she can teach themselves.

 

Physical 4 (Earth)

Us in a physical, sensate body living on our planet with the huge task  to not only ascend and Self-realize but also to protect our earth home.

In the next blog we will discuss the Four Worlds with their respective correspondence.

The details do not have to be studied or remembered they are just to give an idea of the miracle and complexity of the Divine plan for us.