Evolution of Earthly and Cosmic Substances
According to science, all substances existing today came out of “an
extremely hot and dense state” [1] – an infinitely condensed point, which one
scientist named ‘the primeval atom’ [2]. After the Big Bang we have the
following succession: extremely rapid expansion of energy and forming of
subatomic particles (within a second) – much slower forming of atoms of
hydrogen and helium – extremely slow process of synthesis of heavier
elements while the gaseous clouds are cooling down (in millions of years).
We could summarize this evolution of substances in the following way: out of
the explosion of cosmic fire we get first gas, which then condenses and
forms heavier, liquid and solid conditions of matter.
According to cosmic evolution from a spiritual-scientific
perspective, there were three previous
states of the universe, called Old Saturn, Old Sun, and Old Moon, before the present state of the Earth came into existence.
“First we have the Saturn existence, inweaving in the fiery element.
Then comes the Sun existence, with its addition of the airy element. But
in Occult Science [3] you can read how with the addition of the air something else
is associated. The fine warmth element of Saturn condenses to a gaseous
element. But every such densification is accompanied by a
counter-process of refinement. Condensation to the gaseous element is a
descending process, but on the other side there is an ascent to the
light element. Thus, speaking of the transition from Saturn to Sun, we
must say that Saturn still weaves solely in the element of warmth,
whereas during the Sun evolution something denser, the gaseous element,
is added, but so also is light. The light element makes it possible for
the warmth and the air to manifest themselves in outward radiance.” [4]
In the first phase of cosmic evolution – on Old Saturn – there
existed only the cosmic fire. It is the primeval substance out of which
all other substances have developed. On Old Sun we have already
three states of matter – warmth, air and light.
In the consequent cosmic condition, on Old Moon, part of the
air condensed further into the element of water; parallel to this the
chemical ether (also called sound/tone ether or number ether) came into existence. In
this phase of cosmic evolution we have all together
five kinds of
matter. On the present Earth, part of the water element condensed into the
element of earth; parallel to this came into existence life ether. Thus
we have on the present earth seven types of matter,
each having its own specific characteristics.
Seven Conditions of Matter
According to physical science we have four fundamental states of matter:
solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma. [5] The state of
any physical substance is determined by temperature. In spiritual science we characterize these states
as four earthly conditions of matter (also called ‘four elements’):
- Earth Element comprises everything that is solid, mineral, crystalline, salt-like.
- Water Element comprises everything that is liquid, fluidic.
- Air Element comprises everything that is gaseous, aeriform.
- Fire Element comprises warmth – that is, physical heat or fire.
Above these we have four spiritual/etheric conditions
of substance:
- Warmth Ether comprises warmth; in comparison to
physical warmth, we can designate it as soul-spiritual warmth.
- Light Ether contains light which enables us to see the material world.
- Chemical or
Sound/Tone Ether contains forces which govern the
chemical affinities and combinations of material substances.
- Life Ether is permeating the sound ether as the source of life.
Thus we can say that “in ordinary life we differentiate the solid, the
fluid and the gaseous or airy. Spiritual-scientific writings add to
these, four other finer conditions of matter. The first element which is
finer than the air is the one which causes it to expand, which always
increases its spatial content. What expands the air in this way is
warmth; it is really a fine etheric substance, the first grade of ether,
the warmth ether. Now follows the second kind of ether, the light ether.
Bodies which shine send out a form of matter which is described in
spiritual science as light ether. The third kind of ether is the bearer
of everything which gives form to the finest matter; this is the formative
ether, which is also called the chemical ether. It is this ether which
brings about the union of oxygen and hydrogen. And the finest of all the
ethers is that which constitutes life:
prana, or
life ether.” [6]
The nature of ethers can be grasped gradually when we observe
carefully and patiently beings, phenomena and substances in the world
which surrounds us. For example, “when we enumerate
what we call the elemental conditions on earth we
begin with the solid element and follow that with water, gas or air, and
then warmth. These constitute as it were the densest conditions of
matter. But these are not all of them. If we ascend further we meet with
finer conditions, but just calling them finer substances does not tell
us much about them. The main thing is to recognize them as relatively
finer than the denser ones of gas, warmth, and so on. They are usually
called etheric conditions, and we have always described
light as the
first above the warmth. So if we descend from warmth into the next stage below
it in density we come to gas, and if we ascend we come to light.
Going up a stage beyond light we come to an even finer etheric
condition, to something which is not actually directly there in the
ordinary sense world. We are only presented with a kind of external
reflection of it. From the occult point of view one can say that the
forces in this finer ether are those which govern the chemical
affinities and combinations of material substances, the organization of
matter such as we can observe if, for instance, we place a fine powder
on a metal plate and then draw a violin bow down the edge of the plate
and obtain the so-called Chladni's plate-patterns. Space is
differentiated, and is filled with the movement of forces which are more
rarefied than light. So when we ascend from warmth to light and from
there to this finer element, we can speak of a
chemical or
sound ether,
which contains the forces to differentiate matter, to separate and
combine substances, but in reality is of the nature of sound of which
the sense perceptible sound heard by the ear is only the outward
expression, namely the expression of its passage through the air.
If we ascend from the sound ether to an even higher, more rarefied
etheric condition we come to the finest etheric state of all, weaving
within the sound or chemical ether. This even finer ether permeates the
sound ether just as the sound our mouth utters is permeated with the
meaning of our thought, turning the sound into word. Try to comprehend
what it is that makes a sound into a meaningful word, and then you will
have a picture of this finer etheric element moving cosmically through
the organizing universal sound, giving it meaning, as it reverberates in
space as the creative Word. This Word, streaming through space, pouring
itself into the sound ether, is the source of life, is vigorous,
vibrant, life.” [7]
Fire element and warmth
ether are two sides of the same condition
which is the bridge between earthly and cosmic substances. For that reason
“we differentiate in nature
the solid, the fluid, the gaseous, the warmth ether, light ether,
chemical ether and the life ether. These are seven stages of matter.” [8]
Ethers can be characterized as cosmic formative forces because of
their nature, in that they provide a supersensible matrix for the
existence of the various kingdoms of nature. Ethers are basically cosmic
forces, the sources of life energy. But they can also be in a more
passive state as spiritual substances. This should not surprise us, for we can encounter this twofold
nature of substances and forces also in the physical realm, where we
have substances which exist in a state of matter or in a state
of energy. This double polarity of substances and forces can be seen in the Yin
– Yang symbol. [9]
Yang refers to active and heavenly – that is, spiritual forces. Yin
refers to passive and earthly – that is, substances. And each of
them contains also its opposite. This means that in earthly substances which are
essentially passive (Yin) there is hidden an active nature (energy). In
a similar manner we can find passive nature (substance) also in the
spiritual realm where there is otherwise the dominant active (Yang) principle
of world existence.
