The koilon in which all these bubbles are formed undoubtedly represents a part, and perhaps the principal part, of what science describes as the luminiferous aether. Whether it is actually the bearer of the vibrations of light and heat through interplanetary space is as yet undetermined. It is certain that these vibrations impinge upon and are perceptible to our bodily senses only through the etheric matter of the physical plane. But this by no means proves that they are conveyed through space in the same manner, for we know very little of the extent to which the physical etheric matter exists in interplanetary and interstellar space, though the examination of meteoric matter and kosmic dust shows that at least some of it is scattered there.

The scientific theory is that the aether has some quality which enables it to transmit at a certain definite velocity transverse waves of all lengths and intensities—that velocity being what is commonly called the speed of light, 190,000 miles per second. Quite probably this may be true of koilon, and if so it must also be capable of communicating those waves to bubbles or aggregations of bubbles, and before the light can reach our eyes there must be a downward transference from plane to plane similar to that taking place when a thought awakens emotion or causes action.

In a recent pamphlet on "The Density of AEther," Sir Oliver Lodge remarks:—

"Just as the ratio of mass to volume is small in the case of a solar system or a nebula or a cobweb, I have been driven to think that the observed mechanical density of matter is probably an excessively small fraction of the total density of the substance or aether contained in the space which it thus partially occupies—the substance of which it may hypothetically be held to be composed.

"Thus, for instance, consider a mass of platinum, and assume that its atoms are composed of electrons, or of some structures not wholly dissimilar: the space which these bodies actually fill, as compared with the whole space which in a sense they 'occupy,' is comparable to one ten-millionth of the whole, even inside each atom; and the fraction is still smaller if it refers to the visible mass. So that a kind of minimum estimate of aetherial density, on this basis, would be something like ten thousand million times that of platinum."

And further on he adds that this density may well turn out to be fifty thousand million times that of platinum. "The densest matter known," he says, "is trivial and gossamer-like compared with the unmodified aether in the same space."

Incredible as this seems to our ordinary ideas, it is undoubtedly an understatement rather than an exaggeration of the true proportion as observed in the case of koilon. We shall understand how this can be so if we remember that koilon seems absolutely homogeneous and solid even when examined by a power of magnification which makes physical atoms appear in size and arrangement like cottages scattered over a lonely moor, and when we further add to this the recollection that the bubbles of which these atoms in turn are composed are themselves what may be not inaptly called fragments of nothingness.

In the same pamphlet Sir Oliver Lodge makes a very striking estimate of the intrinsic energy of the aether. He says: "The total output of a million-kilowatt power station for thirty million years exists permanently, and at present inaccessibly in every cubic millimetre of space." Here again he is probably underestimating the stupendous truth.

It may naturally be asked how, if all this be so, it is possible that we can move about freely in a solid ten thousand million times denser, as Sir Oliver Lodge says, than platinum. The obvious answer is that, where densities differ sufficiently, they can move through each other with perfect freedom; water or air can pass through cloth; air can pass through water; an astral form passes unconsciously through a physical wall, or through an ordinary human body; many of us have seen an astral form walk through a physical, neither being conscious of the passage; it does not matter whether we say that a ghost has passed through a wall, or a wall has passed through a ghost. A gnome passes freely through a rock, and walks about within the earth, as comfortably as we walk about in the air. A deeper answer is that consciousness can recognize only consciousness, that since we are of the nature of the LOGOS we can sense only those things which are also of His nature. These bubbles are His essence, His life, and, therefore, we, who also are part of Him, can see the matter which is built of his substance, for all forms are but manifestations of Him. The koilon is to us non-manifestation, because we have not unfolded powers which enable us to cognise it, and it may be the manifestation of a loftier order of LOGOI, utterly beyond our ken.

As none of our investigators can raise his consciousness to the highest plane of our universe, the adi-tattva plane, it may be of interest to explain how it is possible for them to see what may very probably be the atom of that plane. That this may be understood it is essential to remember that the power of magnification by means of which these experiments are conducted is quite apart from the faculty of functioning upon one or other of the planes. The latter is the result of a slow and gradual unfoldment of the Self, while the former is merely a special development of one of the many powers latent in man. All the planes are round us here, just as much as any other point in space, and if a man sharpens his sight until he can see their tiniest atoms he can make a study of them, even though he may as yet be far from the level necessary to enable him to understand and function upon the higher planes as a whole, or to come into touch with the glorious Intelligences who gather those atoms into vehicles for Themselves.

A partial analogy may be found in the position of the astronomer with regard to the stellar universe, or let us say the Milky Way. He can observe its constituent parts and learn a good deal about them along various lines, but it is absolutely impossible for him to see it as a whole from outside, or to form any certain conception of its true shape, and to know what it really is. Suppose that the universe is, as many of the ancients thought, some inconceivably vast Being, it is utterly impossible for us, here in the midst of it, to know what that Being is or is doing, for that would mean raising ourselves to a height comparable with His; but we may make extensive and detailed examination of such particles of His body as happen to be within our reach, for that means only the patient use of powers and machinery already at our command.

Let it not be supposed that, in thus unfolding a little more of the wonders of Divine Truth by pushing our investigations to the very farthest point at present possible to us, we in any way alter or modify all that has been written in theosophical books of the shape and constitution of the physical atom, and of the wonderful and orderly arrangements by which it is grouped into the various chemical molecules; all this remains entirely unaffected.

Nor is any change introduced as regards the three outpourings from the LOGOS, and the marvellous facility with which the matter of the various planes is by them moulded into forms for the service of the evolving life. But if we wish to have a right view of the realities underlying manifestation in this universe, we must to a considerable extent reverse the ordinary conception as to what this matter essentially is. Instead of thinking of its ultimate constituents as solid specks floating in a void, we must realise that it is the apparent void itself which is solid, and that the specks are but bubbles on it. That fact once grasped, all the rest remains as before. The relative position of what we have hitherto called matter and force is still for us the same as ever; it is only that, on closer examination, both of these conceptions prove to be variants of force, the one ensouling combinations of the other, and the real "matter," koilon, is seen to be something which has hitherto been altogether outside our scheme of thought.

In view of this marvellous distribution of Himself in "space," the familiar concept of the "sacrifice of the LOGOS" takes on a new depth and splendour; this is His "dying in matter," His "perpetual sacrifice," and it may be the very glory of the LOGOS that He can sacrifice Himself to the uttermost by thus permeating and making Himself one with that portion of koilon which He chooses as the field of His universe.

What koilon is, what its origin, whether it is itself changed by the Divine Breath which is poured into it—does "Dark Space" thus become "Bright Space" at the beginning of a manifestation?—these are questions to which we cannot at present even indicate answers. Perchance an intelligent study of the great Scriptures of the world may yield replies.

* * * * *

NOTES

[1] See footnote in next Chapter.

[2] The drawings of the elements were done by two Theosophical artists, Herr Hecker and Mrs. Kirby, whom we sincerely thank; the diagrams, showing the details of the construction of each "element," we owe to the most painstaking labour of Mr. Jinarajadasa, without whose aid it would have been impossible for us to have presented clearly and definitely the complicated arrangements by which the chemical elements are built up. We have also to thank him for a number of most useful notes, implying much careful research, which are incorporated in the present series, and without which we could not have written these papers.

[3] The atomic sub-plane.

[4] The astral plane.

[5] Known to Theosophists as Fohat, the force of which all the physical plane forces—electricities—are differentiations.

[6] When Fohat "digs holes in space."

[7] The first life-wave, the work of the third Logos.

[8] A maya, truly.

[9] By a certain action of the will, known to students, it is possible to make such a space by pressing back and walling off the matter of space.

[10] Again the astral world.

[11] Each spirilla is animated by the life-force of a plane, and four are at present normally active, one for each round. Their activity in an individual may be prematurely forced by yoga practice.

[12] "The ten numbers of the sun. These are called Dis—in reality space—the forces spread in space, three of which are contained in the Sun's Atman, or seventh principle, and seven are the rays shot out by the Sun." The atom is a sun in miniature in its own universe of the inconceivably minute. Each of the seven whorls is connected with one of the Planetary Logoi, so that each Planetary Logos has a direct influence playing on the very matter of which all things are constructed. It may be supposed that the three, conveying electricity, a differentiation of Fohat, are related to the Solar Logoi.

[13] The action of electricity opens up ground of large extent, and cannot be dealt with here. Does it act on the atoms themselves, or on molecules, or sometimes on one and sometimes on the other? In soft iron, for instance, are the internal arrangements of the chemical atom forcibly distorted, and do they elastically return to their original relations when released? and in steel is the distortion permanent? In all the diagrams the heart-shaped body, exaggerated to show the depression caused by the inflow and the point caused by the outflow, is a single atom.

[14] These sub-planes are familiar to the Theosophist as gaseous, etheric, super-etheric, sub-atomic, atomic; or as Gas, Ether 4, Ether 3, Ether 2, Ether 1.

[15] It must be remembered that the diagrams represent three-dimensional objects, and the atoms are not all on a plane, necessarily.

[16] That is, the surrounding magnetic fields strike on each other.

[17] The fifth member of this group was not sought for.

[18] This, with references which appear later (pp. 32, 33, 50, etc.), relates to articles which appeared in the Theosophist, 1908.

[19] Since writing the above I have noticed, in the London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science, conducted by Dr. John Joly and Mr. William Francis, in an article entitled "Evolution and Devolution of the Elements," the statement that it is probable that in "the nebulous state of matter there are four substances, the first two being unknown upon earth, the third being hydrogen and the fourth ... helium. It also seems probable that ... hydrogen, the two unknown elements, and helium are the four original elements from which all the other elements form. To distinguish them from the others we will term them protons." This is suggestive as regards hydrogen, but does not help us with regard to oxygen and nitrogen.

[20] Theosophists call them Nature-Spirits, and often use the mediaeval term Elementals. Beings concerned with the elements truly are they, even with chemical elements.

[21] Quoted in "The Secret Doctrine." H.P. Blavatsky, i, 309.

THE END