Yih-sin The atman, "the child of Dharmakaya (the universally diffused Essence), both male and female" (ML 346). The seventh principle of any being, whether cosmic, microcosmic, or infinitesimal; the spiritual germ-point from which is emanated the subsequent karmically necessary septenary being. It is the spiritual seed or atmic center, beginning its manifested activity as a septenary or duodenary entity.

See also YIN HSIN

(See also: Yih-sin, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Hebdomad (from Greek hebdomas a group of seven)

A group of seven, a septenary; a period of seven days, or seven years, etc., as in Sabbatical periods.

(See also: Heavenly Adam, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Eternal Pilgrim The divine monad of man during its cycle of incarnation, so termed because of its manifold peregrinations downwards and upwards through the seven, ten, or twelve cosmic planes. It is the source of the entire septenary constitution of manifesting entities; and through the various processes of emanation from within itself, it provides itself with the various sheaths, veils, or garments of consciousness, which in their aggregate form the fully manifested septenary.

(See also: Eternal Pilgrim, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Abba Amona (Hebrew, Jewish). Lit., "Father-Mother"; the occult names of the two higher Sephiroth, Chokmah and Binah, of the upper triad, the apex of which is Sephira or Kether. From this triad issues the lower septenary of the Sephirothal Tree.

(See also: Abba Amona, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Theosophy - Consciousness is universal and individual. According to Theosophy, nature does not operate by chance. Every event, past or present, happens because of laws which are part of a Universal Paradigm. Theosophists hold that everything, living or not, is "impregnated" with Consciousness. This paradigm has been called variously God (nonpersonal), Law, Heaven, the Great Architect, Evolution, and Logos. The term used in this article is "paradigm." See also:

Theosophy, Theosophy - The three objects, Theosophy - Basic Theosophical beliefs, Theosophy - Consciousness is universal and individual, Theosophy - Man is provisionally immortal, Theosophy - Reincarnation is universal, Theosophy - Karma, Theosophy - Universal brotherhood, Theosophy - Evolution, Theosophy - The Septenary, Theosophy - A brief history of Theosophy, Theosophy - Music, Theosophy - Early 20th-century literary references to Theosophy, Theosophy - Notes

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Abba Amona (Hebrew) Father-mother; two of the higher Sephiroth, Hochmah and Binah. Together with Kether, they form a triad from which issues the lower septenary of the Sephirothal Tree (TG 2).

(See also: Abba Amona, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Ether (Ancient Greek). With the ancients the divine luminiferous substance which pervades the whole universe, the "garment" of the Supreme Deity, Zeus, or Jupiter. With the moderns, Ether, for the meaning of which in physics and chemistry see Webster’s Dictionary or any other. In esotericism Ether is the third principle of the Kosmic Septenary; the Earth being the lowest, then the Astral light, Ether and Akasa (phonetically Akasha) the highest.

(See also: Ether, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Karshvare (Zend). The "seven earths" (our septenary chain) over which rule the Amesha Spenta, the Archangels or Dhyan Chohans of the Parsis. The seven earths, of which one only, namely Hvanirata - our earth - is known to mortals. The Earths (esoterically), or seven divisions (exoterically), are our own planetary chain as in Esoteric Buddhism and the Secret Doctrine. The doctrine is plainly stated in Fargard XIX., 39, of the Vendidad.

(See also: Karshvare, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

The Forty-nine Fires Refers to the seven states of manifestation of the one life with its various septenary sub divisions -- whether these seven states of manifestation be in the kosmos or in an individualized entity. Thus cosmically it refers to the seven cosmic principles with their respective seven subdivisions. When applied to the individual it refers to its seven principles with their septenary subdivisions:

"To man, it gives all that it bestows on all the rest of the manifested units in nature; but develops, furthermore, the reflection of all its Forty-nine Fires in him. Each of his seven principles is an heir in full to, and a partaker of, the seven principles of the 'great Mother' " (SD 1:291).

To illustrate the meaning in the case of the human being, every one of the seven main elements or principles into which the human constitution may be divided might readily each one be called a fire, subdivided in a septenary way, so that all the seven human principles and elements when thus considered are seen to be the fires of intelligence, life, consciousness, and substance, reflecting as the individual does in his sevenfold constitution the seven kosmic elements and principles subdivided in septenary fashion.

In works such as the Hindu Puranas, the fires are personified in Agni-Abhimani and his 48 descendants, each one of which might likewise be called a brother of Abhimani, each being a particular representation or aspect of fire. The term is also applied to the Dioscuri and kabiri.

Fire or the 49 fires refer not only to the physical kosmic fire or the human vital warmth which is so generally recognized; but more strongly to the fires of vitality and intelligence. Thus for instance the kosmic First Logos might be called the original kosmic fire of intelligence and life as well as substance, dividing in manifestation as it does into its offspring which are likewise in a sense its brothers, the various principles and elements of the manifested universe. In the Gnostic Pistis Sophia the Rabbi Jesus in speaking to his disciples says:

"Nothing therefore is more excellent than the mysteries which ye seek after, saving only the mystery of the seven vowels and their forty and nine powers, . . ." (SD 2:564).

(See also: The Forty-nine Fires, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Sheba` Heichaloth (Hebrew) Shib`ah Heichalin (Chaldean) [from sheba` seven + heichal world]

The seven worlds or habitations of the Zohar, and on a smaller scale the seven zones into which the world or underworld was divided according to the Qabbalah. This corresponds to the theosophical concept of the seven manifested globes of the planetary chain. In the Qabbalah, each world or zone belonging to the lowest of the septenary is inhabited by races of beings, called collectively shells (qelippoth -- often wrongly rendered demons), under the dominion of Sama'el, Prince of Darkness or Angel of Death. The real meaning of these shells is that these races of beings living in the lower globes of each septenary are beings with bodies, imbodied entities as contrasted with purely ethereal spirits; and these bodies are looked upon as shells. In another sense the seven worlds or globes refer to the seven sacred planets of antiquity.

(See also: Sheba` Heichaloth, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

A Theosophical definition of Auric Egg :

Auric Egg

A term which appertains solely to the more recondite teachings of occultism, of the esoteric philosophy. Little can be said here about it except to state that it is the source of the human aura as well as of everything else that the human septenary constitution contains. It is usually of an oviform or egg-shaped appearance, whence its name. It ranges from the divine to the astral-physical, and is the seat of all the monadic, spiritual, intellectual, mental, passional, and vital energies and faculties of the human septiform constitution.

In its essence the auric egg is eternal, and endures throughout the pralayas as well as during the manvantaras, but necessarily in greatly varying fashion in these two great periods of kosmic life.

See also: Auric Egg, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Antaskarana :

Antaskarana

(Sanskrit) Perhaps better spelled as antahkarana. A compound word: antar, "interior," "within"; karana, sense organ. Occultists explain this word as the bridge between the higher and lower manas or between the spiritual ego and personal soul of man. Such is H. P. Blavatsky's definition. As a matter of fact there are several antahkaranas in the human septenary constitution  - one for every path or bridge between any two of the several monadic centers in man. Man is a microcosm, therefore a unified composite, a unity in diversity; and the antahkaranas are the links of vibrating consciousness-substance uniting these various centers.

See also: Antaskarana, Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul)

Upper Triad In a hierarchy of ten planes or principles, the summit is a Three-in-One, which may be called the upper triad to distinguish it from the triad which follows it. These two triads may be spoken of as the uppermost triad and the upper triad respectively. Or in a septenary hierarchy there may be an upper triad and lower quaternary. Again, the first three of the ten Sephiroth of the Qabbalah may be called the upper triad.

(See also: Upper Triad, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Sthula-maya (Sanskrit) [from sthula gross, bulky + maya built of]

Consisting of grosser elements; material, differentiated and conditioned. A Hindu philosophical term also applicable to one of the four principles of the Taraka-Raja-Yoga system, called sthulopadhi, corresponding to the three lower principles of the theosophical septenary classification: prana, linga-sarira, and sthula-sarira.

(See also: Sthula-maya, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Surya-mandala (Sanskrit) Orb or globe of the sun; the sun's circle, all included within the frontiers of the sun's power or range of action, and hence both astronomically and mystically the solar kingdom or solar system.

This kingdom is not merely the visible matter, but the entire Brahmanda (solar egg of Brahma) and therefore the solar system in its septenary range from paramatman to sthula-sarira.

(See also: Surya-mandala, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Governors Hermetic name for a septenate of builders, cosmic evolvers, or planetary spirits; or for more than one such septenate, as the seven rays of a logos each have septenary subdivisions. Usually the reference is to the seven cosmic spirits, according to the Hermetic system; which stimulate and guide the operations of nature and are reflected in the small in mankind. Equivalent terms are rectores mundi, cosmocratores, 'elohim, rulers, etc.

(See also: Governors, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Microcosm [from Greek mikro little + kosmos world]

A little world; applied to man or any other being considered as a miniature copy of the universe or macrocosm. The destiny and origin of man and the universe are said to be coeval, which is the key to understanding and the basis of practical occultism. Man, as a microcosm, is a storehouse of universal types, not merely as a whole, all parts of his constitution included, but any part of his constitution such as his physical body is itself a microcosm. The decad is applicable in each case, as also septenary and duodenary classification.

(See also: Microcosm, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Individuality (from Latin individuum undivided thing, unit)

In philosophy, as well as in theosophy, used for inherent selfhood: monad, ego, atom. Used in theosophy for the higher ego in man as contrasted with the lower ego or personality -- a distinction not made in ordinary parlance, where the two words may even be used in the opposite senses.

The individuality is the immortal spiritual ego or monad; whereas the personality, or lower quaternary of the septenary human constitution, is the mortal human ego which goes to pieces at death.

(See also: Individuality, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Governors Hermetic name for a septenate of builders, cosmic evolvers, or planetary spirits; or for more than one such septenate, as the seven rays of a logos each have septenary subdivisions. Usually the reference is to the seven cosmic spirits, according to the Hermetic system; which stimulate and guide the operations of nature and are reflected in the small in mankind. Equivalent terms are rectores mundi, cosmocratores, 'elohim, rulers, etc.

(See also: Gott, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Tat (Egypt, Egyptian). An Egyptian symbol: an upright round standard tapering toward the summit, with four cross-pieces placed on the top. It was used as an amulet.

The top part is a regular equilateral cross. This, on its phallic basis, represented the two principles of creation, the male and the female, and related to nature and cosmos ; but when the tat stood by itself, crowned with the atf ( or atef ), the triple crown of Horus - two feathers with the ureus in front - it represented the septenary man ; the cross, or the two cross-pieces, standing for the lower quaternary, and the atf for the higher triad. As Dr. Birch well remarks:

" The four horizontal bars . . . represent the four foundations of all things, the tat being an emblem of stability".

(See also: Tat, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Vehicle of Life (Mystic). The "Septeriary" Man among the Pythagoreans, "number seven" among the profane. The former "explained it by saying, that the human body consisted of four principal elements (principles), and that the soul is triple (the higher triad)" . (See Isis Unveiled, Vol. II., p. 418, New York, 1877.) It has been often remarked that in the earlier works of the Theosophists no septenary division of man was mentioned. The above quotation is sufficient warrant that, although with every caution, the subject was more than once approached, and is not a new-fangled theory or invention.

(See also: Vehicle of Life, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )