The Causal Body and the Ego - Canadian Theosophical Association

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The Causal Body and the Ego by Arthur E. Powell CHAPTER X MINERAL GROUP SOULS DIAGRAM XIV is an attempt to illustrate a Mineral Group-Soul. It will be seen that the wall or envelope of the Group-Soul has three layers: the outermost is composed of physical atomic matter; the central one of astral monadic essence; the innermost one of mental elemental essence, i.e., matter of the fourth mental sub-plane. A mineral Group-Soul may thus be defined as a collection of Triads, enclosed in a triple envelope consisting of mental elemental essence, astral monadic essence, and physical atomic matter. Within the Group-Soul are shown some Lower Triads, attached of course, to their respective Higher Triads, these again being linked to their overshadowing Monads. These Triads within the Group-Soul are not at the moment plunged into any mineral substance. Below the Group-Soul are shown a number of irregular shapes, which are intended to represent groups or blocks of mineral substances. Within some of these blocks are to be seen some Lower Triads, the lines rising upwards from these indicating that they belong to their parent Group-Soul hovering over them. On the extreme right of the diagram is shown a block of mineral substance which is supposed to have been in some way shattered, so that it is broken up into fragments . The Lower Triad, which previously was immersed in it, is shown in the act of withdrawal towards its parent Group-Soul, [as described on page 49 of the book ] The habitat of the Mineral Group-Soul may be said to be that of its densest envelope, i.e., the physical in other words, the most active working of the Mineral Group-Soul is on the physical plane. Every Lower Triad has to pass through the mineral kingdom, this being the place where matter reaches its grossest form, and where the great Life-Wave reaches the limit of its descent, and turns to begin its upward climbing. Furthermore, it is physical consciousness that is the first to be awakened: it is on the physical plane that life must turn definitely outwards and recognised contacts with the external world. The consciousness gradually learns to recognise the impacts from without, to refer them to the outer world, and to realise as its own the changes which it undergoes in consequence of those impacts. In other words, it is on the physical plane that consciousness first becomes Self-consciousness. By prolonged experiences, the consciousness feels the pleasure or pain arising, from the impacts, identifies itself with that pleasure or pain, and begins to regard as not itself that which touches its external Page 40
The Causal Body and the Ego by Arthur E. Powell surface. Thus is formed, the first rough distinction between "Not-I " and " I ". As experiences accumulate, the " I" will retreat ever inwards, throughout the whole of its future evolution, one veil of matter after another being relegated outwards as belonging to the "Not-I ". But, while its ---------connotations steadily change, the fundamental distinction between subject and object ever remains. " I " is the consciousness which wills, thinks, feels, acts; " Not-I " is that about which the consciousness wills, thinks, feels, or acts. Consciousness thus awakens on the physical plane, as we have said, and its expression is through the physical permanent atom. In this atom lies sleeping : "It sleeps in the mineral," according to a well known aphorism; and therein some degree of awakening must take place, so that it may be roused, out of this dreamless sleep, and become sufficiently active to pass on into the next stage - that of the vegetable kingdom, where it is destined to "dream". The responses of consciousness to external stimuli in the mineral kingdom are far greater than many may quite realise, some of these responses indicating, that there is even a dawning of consciousness in the astral permanent atom. Thus chemical elements exhibit distinct mutual attractions, and chemical compounds are continually being broken up, when another element intrudes. Two elements, forming a silver salt, for example, will suddenly separate from one another, in the presence of hydrochloric acid, the silver uniting with the chlorine from the acid, leaving the hydrogen from the acid to form a new partnership or compound with the discarded element, which formerly was united to silver. When such active interchanges take place, there is a slight stir in the astral atom, in consequence of the violent physical vibrations set up by the formation of, and a wrenching apart of, intimate ties. Thus astral consciousness is slowly aroused from the physical, a little cloud of astral matter being drawn round the astral permanent atom by these slight thrillings. This astral matter is, however, very loosely held, and seems to be quite unorganised. At this stage, there does not seem to be any vibration in the mental unit. No detailed list has as yet been made of minerals, plants or animals, of the Seven Rays or types; but the following list of jewels and minerals is a beginning of the classification which will no doubt some day be made. Page 41
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The Causal Body and the Ego - Canadian Theosophical Association

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