Consciousness And The New Soul Principle

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Consciousness occurs when the animating principle, causing life, occupies a central position in the system There is much natural life where, indeed, there is evidence of an animating principle, but this principle does not exist within the life-system, but influences it from without, As a result, no consciousness can be present in such a life-manifestation. We think here, for instance, of plants and insects. Indeed, with most species of animals there is no question at all of an individual animating principle, they exist out of a group-soul.

Other animals have a kind of half-consciousness. The animating principle only partially dwells in it; it does no lie concentrically in the physical vehicle but hangs and vibrates partly outside of it. With some of the higher species of animals such as horses and dogs, the animating principle approaches almost the in-dwelling condition, as is the case with human-beings. Were this evolution of the animal species to continue as to their nature-born state, dogs, horses and human beings would stand on equal footing. Then would occur what many authors during the course of history have fantasized: the manifestation of thinking, consciously living animals and the forming of animal communities. Think of Gulliver's Travels, by the well-known author Jonathan Swift. Gulliver comes upon a community of horses who think and live as humans.

In-dwelling animation, situated concentrically in the vehicles of the personality,makes thought possible, that is, a brain activity in the human sense.

The material body is built up of cell and atoms. It lives and remains vital because it possesses an etheric double. This etheric double continually propels a fourfold life-force into the organism. If this etheric vehicle did not function properly, all kinds of physical difficulties would arise.

The material body with its etheric double are vivified by an animating principle. When the thread between the animating principle and the organism is broken, in some way or other, death occurs and the organism disintegrates because it can no longer maintain itself in the system. We ascertained that life originates out of the co-operation of the animating principle, an etheric double and a material body.

Consciousness occurs when an animating principle is in-dwelling. It is possible to distinguish various conditions of consciousness, half-consciousness, etc., which are caused by the relationship of the soul to the organism. The question is whether the soul principle is situated concentrically or only partially in the vehicles. Our investigation makes it clear that the soul principle transcends life, is superior to mere form and appearance. Everything stands or falls on the basis of the soul principle with its animating activity.

What then, is this soul principle? It is of an astral, or sidereal nature. One can associate it with the astral vehicle of the personality that is drawn around the material body with its etheric double as a mantle.

The astral vehicle is composed of atoms of a higher, finer gradation than the etheric and material atoms. So there are material, etheric and astral atoms which correspond with the three spheres: the material, the etheric and the astral sphere. An etheric sphere surrounds the material  body of the earth and the astral sphere encircles the etheric sphere. The astral body of man resides in this sphere at night; it is drawn up into it. The astral body exists in three conditions, in three grades of density, in three different vibration frequencies.

In duality, (please pay attention to this, for then you will understand what transfiguration is) one of these astral conditions works positively and the other two negatively. The positive pole of the astral body corresponds with the liver-spleen system, more particularly with the liver, while the two negative poles correspond with the hart and the head. In practically all dualistic people the seat of consciousness is centralized in the liver-spleen system and the emotional and thought-life are attuned to it. This condition is fundamental to all nature-born people.

From "Live Out Of The New Soul Principle - The Egyptian Arch-Gnosis, Vol 1 - Jan van Rijckenborgh

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