In the following article I desire to introduce certain basic ideas and concepts regarding the demonstrated facts concerning that which may be deemed "super-natural," "other-worldy" or otherwise spiritual and esoteric in nature. This is a difficult subject to speak of in an objective, scientific manner, owing to two main reasons: 1. There are certain lines of demarcation which exist within the inner development of people. That is, speaking broadly, a portion of people operate from an emotional-intuitive core, while others are identified more with their mental nature. This general splitting in the psychology of humanity has caused extensive reaction between these opposites, resulting in a plague of mental separatism, isolation and rejection of emotional-intuitive ideas before sincerely investigating their inner significance. 2. The actual nature of esoteric knowledge is subjective. The meaning of this statement is that our Source of Life or God Himself, That Divine Star in Whom we all literally "breathe and live and have our being," is subjective and not objective in nature. Objectivity is an aspect of the dense physical world only, however, truth can be discerned and repeatedly verified in the subjective inner worlds; this is the divine paradox. One of these similarly recognised truths is that reality, as we perceive it, consists of varying degrees of energy vibrating at greatly differing variations of density. This exoteric fact is the cornerstone for the fundamental truth that the dense physical world of solids, liquids and gaseous chemical constituents is not the only "world" which exists. There are countless variations of energy which exist within our system or divine experiment. The dense physical manifestation(of any planet or star) can be likened to a small, dead crystallisation of potent and fluid energy... which is itself dependent upon a great consciousness. It naturally follows that the entire physical manifested universe is dependent on the higher, less limited energies, and those energies are dependent upon a lofty, subjective consciousness or being-ness. I will now endeavor to give a simple outline of the inner esoteric energies which exist as far as human evolution is concerned. In order to remain sensible I will have to use Theosophical terminology. Note that every time I refer to an "energy" or a "force," I have in mind a specific thing or entity which, due to the failings of language, I cannot properly express. There are three broad levels of vibration here and every human being acts as a creative entity on all three; Physical, Emotional, Mental. Each level or "world" being broadly split in half: 1. The Subtle Physical World This is the upper half of our physical world, the lower dense portion of which we are all familiar with. The numerous forces which dwell and act in this area are commonly called the vital or etheric forces in esoteric literature. It is within this vital energy-system that the force-centres of the human body exist-- those force-centres known specifically as the chakras. Each chakra or etheric-centre is simply a formation of various lines of vital force merging and overlapping; a number of these lines combining and meeting across a single place forms a major chakra. These subtle forces have much to do with the proper operation and vitalisation of the physical body. If, for instance, there is an inharmony in the body on the subtle level, it would eventually manifest itself through physical disease. As far as the processes of the physical organism are concerned, our human body with all its intricate workings would be a lifeless sack of meat without the various vital currents constantly nurturing and guiding its operation. Consequently, the various parts of the physical organism would be devoid of all organisation and intelligence. The major split between the upper portions of the physical world(which are subtle) and the lower portions of the physical world(which are dense) may be crudely understood in the raising of gas into plasma. There is a specific type of etheric energy which governs synthesis and manifestation; It is this etheric principle which allows for the existence of dense physical matter, and without which nothing purely physical could ever exist. At the moment, the plant kingdom is in the process of building bodies which respond to the vital currents. 2. The Emotional World Above and beyond the physical world, in all its subtle processes, lies the astral or feeling-world. This is the region where our feelings and desires assert themselves. Both good or appreciable and bad or undesireable feelings exist, the latter being of a much denser vibration. In the body, emotional energy is connected intimately with the chakric centres, the solar plexus in particular. It is this connection which accounts for the sensitivity of people in picking up or sensing the character of people, objects or places. The major split which exists in the astral world is that of binding or selfish(repulsive) desires and freeing or selfless(attractive) desires. Useful understanding of this statement may require a slightly abstract perspective. At the moment, the animal kingdom is in the process of building bodies which respond to the astral vibrations. Humans have already developed their emotional life to a great extent, therefore our God-given evolution now lies within the area of purifying our desires through the direction of the mind. 3. The Mental World As we have been moving upwards from the physical world, our subject matter of thought has become increasingly rare and subtle. Likewise the energy of the mental world, existing on its own level, is exceedingly subtle, tenuous and full of life. When brought down to operate through the physical organism, it becomes dumbed-down, and forgetting that divine privilege which is ours, we have become liable to mis-use it. This is the area where our ideas manifest and reveal themselves. The human mind acts as an antennae in the world of ideas, receiving thought energy and integrating it into an organised whole. At present, the human kingdom is in the process of developing the principle of mind... or rather, we are in the process of uplifting ourselves through the faculty of mind. The mind then begins to act as an intermediary between the higher spiritual nature and the lower personalilty. The great split which exists in the mental world is that of concrete thought and abstract thought. Concrete ideas exist on the lower regions of the mental world, while abstract ideas exist on the upper regions. Much concerning the nature of our solar system can be realised through the understanding that all concrete phenomena are dependent upon abstractions. Minds which are overly concrete in thought are liable to idea-patterns which isolate and separate, instead of unifying and producing synthesis. In regards to these three worlds as a whole, that which is dense, selfish, concrete should be avoided; that which is is subtle, selfless, abstract should be longed for. The contrast between concrete and abstract thought is similar to the contrast between the personality and the Soul(Ego.) Once the Soul becomes active in the life of a man, the lower personalilty does not become inactive. Instead, it becomes increasingly effective in being a conscious agent or instrument in the hands of the Soul or Self. Similarly, the concrete mind is best used while connected to the abstract mind. True abstract thought is not possible until a person has reached an exceedingly high state of development-- an urge towards strong abstract idealism will show itself long before true abstract thought is reached. I'd like to give an abrupt ending on that note and refer the interested reader to a book written by Annie Besant, which acquaints us more comfortably with this subject, focussing on the bodies of man as existing within the aforementioned states of energy: Theosophy : Man and His Bodies by Mahatma Annie Besant : MahatmaCWLeadbeater.org