Genesis
In the previous section we discussed the pattern of Man and stated that the physical expression of man on the earth is but one instance of manifestation of this pattern. We may now look more closely at this physical pattern, and at its beginnings.
We must begin somewhere, and there is no better place to do so than with Genesis, the first chapter of the Bible.
“Bereshit bara Elohim” (In the Beginning the Elohim created…) - or so begins one of the holiest scriptures given to humankind. The creation story outlined in the Genesis chapter of the Bible has interpretations at multiple levels, all of them simultaneously true. The description offered here dwells on a specific allegoric interpretation of this wonderful text.
Allow us to be a little melodramatic in our narrative:
* * * *
In the beginning, Existence was without form and void, and the universal energy of the Godhead lay dormant. The Godhead then separated out of itself (‘hovered over’) the fabric of material creation - the ‘waters’ of the aethers which form the basis and substrate of all matter. Creative energy pulsated through the aethers and thus was born, Light. Part of the aethers ‘below’ (i.e. of the lower worlds) condensed into primordial matter, ultimately forming all visible matter in the universe. Duality came to life, known figuratively as Day and Night, with a Greater Light of the Day side endowed with more power than a lesser light which rules the Night or darkness (in the final equation, the powers assigned to the positive or cohesive side of Duality exceed that of the negative or divisive side, facilitating an ultimate return to Unity). The Godhead then gave rise to a multitude of life patterns throughout the manifold universes, culminating with the pattern of Man. Each phase required a burst of creative energies through the aethers (day), and its cessation at the end (night). The text identifies six major phases of days and nights.
The second chapter of Genesis is another account of ‘Creation’, seemingly a repetition of the first chapter with a somewhat different order to the events, but this chapter dwells on patterns as they were manifest on the physical Earth:
The pattern of Man took a physical manifestation on the Earth (‘formed from the dust of the earth’). A wave of Being, an out-breathing from the body of God, entered this earthly version of the pattern of Man (‘blew into his nostrils’). Thus physical man (Adam or the Adamic race) became a living soul. This wave of Being incorporated within it both male and female principles (‘In the image of God created he him. Male and female created he them.’) and existed in a blissful state of innocence and beauty, figuratively called the Garden of Eden, adapting itself to physical existence.
In due time, and in preparation for a full descent into Duality, this physical pattern of Man was cloven into male and female - the first prominent experience of separation and duality within the race. Duality exists so that Being may know itself. Therefore a phase of Temptation from the darker side of duality (forces represented by the cunning serpent) asserted itself, and the wave of Being began a process of self discovery (figuratively, they found themselves naked). This came about through succumbing to temptations and desires and experiencing duality, good and evil (figuratively, by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil).
The descent also required a mandatory entry into the cyclical process of death and birth (we’ll discuss this later on) and hence the textual admonition “Ye shall not eat of it, lest ye die”. The descent also resulted in a marked separation or disconnect from the original God source from which the wave of Being emanated. This path or channel was blocked for a time (‘the flaming sword’ in the story) till the plan for humankind’s experience with Duality ran its course, at which time it seeks to return to its source and exit the birth/death cycle (i.e. eat from the tree of Life) and “live forever”. This exit, through a period of Tribulation, is subsequently described in detail allegorically, in the book of Exodus. In narrating events surrounding the exodus of Israelites from Egypt, Moses simultaneously describes, in allegory, this exit process in detail. The final chapter ‘Exodus’ in our book “The God Principle” explores his message succinctly.
The wave of Being that entered the Adamic race had the choice of returning to its God source, or making a descent into Duality knowing its risks and rewards. The human race chose the latter.
* * * *
Note:
We mentioned ‘aethers’. Theories of aether are now making a comeback in physics in new ways. Aether was supposed to have fluid properties. Twentieth century physics threw out aether related theories, not because they were found incorrect, nor because aether could not be detected in Michelson-Morley experiments, but because notions of aether were found no longer required for theories of the time to explain phenomena. Why keep a concept alive when it is not required to explain something? In retrospect, theories of aether could be used to explain electron/positron pairs, the limiting speed of light and even mass/energy equivalence before these were actually discovered.
We must also point out that the notion of time here is dependent on the observer’s perspective (see our earlier discussions on Time). It is possible to view the above process as instantaneous, taking place in stages called ‘days’ and ‘nights’, or as having taken eons of physical time - depending on the observer’s placement.
Next we will discuss some of the important purposes of this wave of Being that we call humanity.