Chapter 7b

The Higher and Lower Mind and the 5 Strata

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by Juan | Oct 7, 2025
2 min read 397 words
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Our definition of life is based on the metaphysical expression by nodes which manipulate the waves flowing through it to match its own configuration.

This means that expression is based on subtlety which is caused by the flexibility of waves.

This flexibility comes from the Positive Force.

And so we say that:

  • life and spirituality comes from the Positive Force
  • matter and selfishness comes from the Negative Force

In spirituality, the physical domain is discarded.

So does this mean that metaphysical entities have all the same level of intelligence and subtlety?

The Positive and Negative still work in the same way in the metaphysical domain as in the physical. The only difference is that in the physical domain, the Negative is very dominant.

Moreover, the Asian scriptures, particularly the Buddhist texts, assert that even metaphysical beings, called devas and elementals, have hierarchies between them.

It follows that the 2 domains and 5 Elements stratification is still in force, but with slight differences.

In the metaphysical domain, we call:

  • the upper domain as the higher mind
  • the lower domain as the lower mind
  • the 5 Elements as the 5 Strata

Higher Mind and Lower Mind

Physical Existence is within 2 domains: physical and metaphysical.

Metaphysical existence is within 2 domains: higher and lower mind.

  1. Higher Mind

This is the subtler mind that occupies the higher parts of the metaphysical domain, and is called the soul. Philosophers call this the spiritual mind or subjective mind.

The higher mind is more alive than the lower mind.

  1. A physical mind

This is the mind that occupies the lower part of the metaphysical domain, making it contiguous to the physical domain. This is what scientists believe in. Philosophers call this the crude mind or objective mind.

Recent experiments by scientists have demonstrated that the human being is possessed of a double consciousness or mind. One part operates in our material existence.. The other part operates on the plane of our spiritual existence

William Benham

William Benham

The Laws of Scientific Hand Reading, Part 2, Chapter 1

The 5 Strata

We can discard the names of Air, Fire, Water, Earth in the metaphysical domain as those names denote physical phenomena.

Instead, we use the abstract descriptive names as follows:

Stratum Sanskrit Equivalent Essassani Equivalent
Causal Hiranmaya Oversoul (7th density)
Essential Vijinanamaya Soul
Supramental Atimanasa Higher Mind
Subtle Manomaya Template Reality
Crude Kamamaya Collective Automatic Mind
5 Strata

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