Septenary (Theosophy)
The Septenary in H.P. Blavatsky's teachings refers to the seven principles of man, In The Key to Theosophy, pp.90-93 she creates a synthesis of Eastern (Advaita Vedanta, Samkhya) and Western (Platonism, 19th century Occultism) ideas, according to which human nature consists of seven principles. These are:
- Atma - Spirit - One with the Absolute, as its radiation
- Buddhi - Spiritual Soul - The vehicle of pure universal spirit
- Manas - Mind, Intelligence - this is two-fold, consisting of a Higher Manas or spiritual, inner, or higher Ego, and a Lower Manas, the ordinary mind
- Kama rupa - the "Desire Form", the seat of animal desires and passions.
- Prana - The Life or Vital principle
- Linga Sharira - the Astral body, the Double or phantom body
- Sthula Sharira - the Gross Physical body
Despite using Sanskrit terminology, many of these concepts are quite distinct from their Indian counterparts. The Atman or Self in monistic Vedanta for example is considered the Universal Self that is the same as, and not just a "ray" of, the Absolute or Brahman.
These seven principles can be grouped into a three-fold division of Monad (transcendent Spirit, consisting of Atma and Buddhi), Ego (the higher immortal spiritual Personality, made up of the Higher Manas only) and Lower Quaternity (the mortal personality, the Lower Manas and the remaining principles). In this, the Lower Manas is a transitional princiople, the soul so to speak, whiuch can choose to to join either with the Kama (Desire) principle to form the "Kama-Manas", which becomes an "elementary" or "astral" spirit after death (equivalent perhaps to the preta or hungry ghost of Buddhism), or link with the higher or Buddhi principle to form a higher spiritual consciousness, the "Buddhi-Manas".
As well as seven subtle bodies, there are also seven Kosmic Planes of existence. However, in Blavatsky's teachings, the Planes and Principles don't match up (post-Blavatskian re-interpreters like C.W. Leadbeater reinterpretd the seven principles so they equate with the seven planes; this interpretation since became standard everywhere but original or orthodox Blavatskyian Theosophy).
While undergoing some changes and modifications in the hands of later esotericists such as Leadbeater, Rudolph Steiner, and Alice Bailey, Blavatsky's description of the seven bodies or principles remained a central part of western esoteric and New Age thinking ever since.
References
H.P. Blavatsky, The Key to Theosophy, pp.90-93
External Links
- [The Seven Principles of Man] by Andrew Rooke