The three essential principles that constitute the human Monad are:
- Atma — the primordial essence of Spirit;
- Buddhi — the spiritual seed;
- Manas — the principle of mind (corresponding in Buddhism to the Nirmanakaya, or to the Higher Manas associated with Buddhi and spiritual consciousness).
The Monad forms the Causal body, which manifests through the process of human incarnation. In each incarnation, the Causal body requires a new sheath. This sheath is constructed in accordance with the attainments accumulated in previous lives and on the basis of the Mental body of the preceding incarnation.
The Mental body represents the Lower Manas, or Kama-Manas, and is connected with personality, logical reasoning, the brain, and desire.
During the preparatory period preceding a new incarnation, the Causal body establishes a connection with the developing organism in the mother’s womb and exerts an influence upon the embryo’s etheric Double, according to which the physical body is subsequently formed.
Human individuality resides in Manas, whereas the Mental body serves merely as its instrument. In the ordinary incarnated individual, however, Manas manifests only faintly and remains largely silent throughout the course of life.
Most people think primarily through the etheric Double and the nervous system of the brain. After death, when the Mental body transitions into the Subtle World, it remains only dimly conscious.
For this reason, the Mental body requires conscious development under earthly conditions. Such development depends upon a living impulse from Manas—expressed through ideas, imagination, conceptual thinking, and intuition.
The articles presented on this website are intended to serve as instruments for the development of both the Mental body and Manas.