Annie Besant

Seven Principles of Man Annie Besant

Man, according to the Theosophical teaching, is a sevenfold being, or, in the usual phrase, has a septenary constitution. Putting it in yet another way, man's nature has seven aspects, may be studied from seven different points of view, is composed of Seven Principles. Whatever words may be used, the fact remains the same - that he is essentially sevenfold, an evolving being, part of whose nature has already been manifested, part remaining latent at present, so far as the vast majority of humankind are concerned. Man's consciousness is able to function through as many of these aspects, on as many of these planes, as have been already evolved in him into activity. A "plane" is merely a condition, a stage, a state; so that we might describe man as fitted by his nature, when that nature is fully developed, to exist consciously in seven different conditions, or seven different stages, ill seven different states; or, technically, on seven different planes of being. To take an easily verified illustration: a man may be conscious on the physical plane, that is, in his physical body, feeling hunger and thirst, the pain of a blow or cut. But let the man be a soldier in the heat of battle, and his consciousness will be centred in his passions, his emotions, and he may suffer a wound without knowing it, his consciousness being away from the physical plane and acting on the plane of passions and emotions: "when the excitement is over, consciousness will pass back to the physical, and he will "feel" the pain of his wound.."