The Theosophical
Society in Australia

The subject with which this letter deals has been suggested in one form or another by a number of members. It has two aspects, which are really interdependent. One aspect has to do with the mystery of personal identity — who we really are. The other aspect concerns the bewildering differences among individuals which we observe on every side. As usual, it will be necessary to over-simplify, since it would be impossible to give a complete explanation in a brief letter. However, a number of references will be given so that you may study the subject further if you so desire.

The true identity of every human being is the monad, which has been called 'a spark from the Divine Flame'. The monad comes forth at the beginning of a period of manifestation in accordance with cyclic and karmic law, limiting itself in matter of varying degrees of density for purposes of developing consciousness or Self-consciousness at every level of manifestation. Theosophical literature speaks of seven levels, calling them 'planes'. But since they are universal and interpenetrating, the scientific term 'fields' has been used in recent years as a more accurate description. ('Plane'" could imply they are one above another, which is often the way they are shown in diagrams, but they must not be thought of as a 'layer-cake'.)

The universe is not a static structure, but a flow of energies which do not interfere with each other because each is vibrating at its own velocity. We now know that the terms matter and energy are interchangeable and that what we call 'solid' matter is really a whirling vortex of energy. At certain velocities, visible matter is transformed into invisible energy. A very crude illustration can be found by watching an electric fan — at high velocities, the blades of the fan become practically invisible so that we can 'see through' to what is on the other side.

Each monad is 'clothed', so to speak, in the matter of these seven planes or fields. More accurately, we should say that each monad becomes the centre of localised foci of the energies of these fields. These foci are usually called 'bodies', which is a convenient term. However, we should not think of them as unchanging vestures, but rather as flowing lines of energy which generally follow certain patterns. The vestures are continually being modified by our thoughts and emotions, by the attitudes we maintain toward life and the world about us, and by the manner in which we react to circumstances and events. It must also be emphasised that the vehicles are not separate and apart from each other, for all of them operate together to make up what we call the human constitution.

These bodies or vestures may be called, quite simply, the physical (which is said to consist of two aspects - the dense physical and its etheric counterpart or model); the astral or emotional; the lower mental; the higher mental; the intuitional and the realm of spiritual Will. You will come across other classifications, but this should not be disturbing, because the same factors are involved in every classification.

The division of the mental into 'higher' and 'lower' is actually an artificial one, used not to indicate two different minds, but rather to designate two different  functions of the mind.  Considering mind as essentially one 'principle', it could be said that when it is dealing with abstract thoughts, the velocities are higher than when it is engaged in the everyday mundane affairs of life.  Another way of saying this is that when the mind is illumined by intuition, it is operating at a 'higher' vibration than when it is influenced by emotion or desire. It is in this sense that the terms 'higher'  and  'lower' minds have come to be used.

For each of us, the monad - working through a centre called the Ego, which is formed of the three higher aspects of will, intuition and higher mind (Atma-Buddhi-Manas) - is the force at the heart of our evolutionary journey. The monad may be described as a continuous urge to 'moreness', seeking through its vestures to fulfil its own individual pattern which is the archetype. In a very real sense, the monad is the archetype, always seeking to fulfil itself in and through conscious experience. So it is the basis for the uniqueness of each one of us.

Of course, the other side of uniqueness is one's difference from every other individual. Several factors are involved in this, but an important one is found in the concept of the 'seven rays'. These are divine energies or powers operating throughout all creation.  In and behind all manifestation, is an appropriate intelligence (called a 'Dhyan Chohan' by H. P. Blavatsky  in The Secret  Doctrine). In our evolutionary scheme, these intelligences, known as the Seven Divine Regents, obeying the cyclic law, ray forth their own substance to create seven human types. Each monad comes forth on one of these rays and, throughout the whole cycle of evolution, this ray will constitute the basic  ideal, the archetypal impulse which most influences the trend and direction of that particular evolution.

It is said that all seven of the rays, or divine energies, are present in every individual  (since ultimately every monad came from the one Divine Flame) but in varying degrees and that the goal  for each of us is the full development of all of these rays. However, the ray that is strongest in the nature of any individual is called that person's ray or basic temperament. The monadic ray will thus be the dominant influence throughout the whole of one's evolution, although in any given incarnation one may be working on the development of qualities of other rays (so that one may have an egoic ray or a personal ray for a particular incarnation). As Professor Ernest Wood has expressed  it in his book, The Seven Rays:

All the universal principles are always exerting their attraction upon all, but each one responds principally to that of their own ray, which then becomes the greatest ideal in one's life and can stir consciousness into the most vivid life of which one is capable.

These basic human temperaments have been classified as follows:

• The individual of will, seeking freedom through mastery of self and environment: the ruler.
• The individual of love, seeking unity through sympathy; the teacher and philanthropist.
• The  individual  of  thought, seeking  comprehension through the study of life; the philosopher.
• The individual of   imagination,  seeking  harmony in a threefold way; the actor, the symbolic artist, or poet.
• The individual of rational thought, seeking truth in the world; the scientist.
• The individual of devotional love, seeking God as goodness in the world; the devotee.
• The individual of spiritual will, seeking the order that is God in the world; the ritualist and ceremonialist.
  
  

It will be noticed that the last three rays are reflections in the objective world of the first three, which have less to do with form. The fourth, or middle ray, is the one in which the others find balance and harmony. The numbers themselves have no significance; they are used only for purposes of classification, but they imply no relative values whatever.

When we realise that in each individual we meet, a predominant divine ideal is pressing toward fulfilment and influencing that individual's attitude toward life, however unaware of it that person may be, we become more conscious of the preciousness of individual uniqueness and less inclined to be intolerant of others. We are all incomplete at this stage of our evolution, perhaps exhibiting more of the weaknesses of a ray than of its strength; when we realise this, we can be more compassionate toward others. Actually, there is no weakness in any ray; what may seem a weakness is only a lack of sufficient development of all the qualities which will eventually make us wholly human!

Inherent in all of this is the paradox and mystery of individual uniqueness and collective unity. We all came from the same source; we will all return to that source, having fulfilled our individual destiny for which we came forth as monads in the beginning. This does not presuppose determinism, but only that each of us is essential to the divine plan. The working out of our individual destiny is up to us; collectively, we are one humanity.

We may remember the words of the Lord Sri Krishna to Arjuna, in the Bhagavadgītā: 'However men approach Me, even so do I welcome them, for the paths men take from every side are mine.'