Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

VITAL AIRS, UPPER AND LOWER

A symbol of the life energies which are higher, buddhic, and lower, astral. These become active in the mind (air).

"From the upper vital airs Pragâpati created the gods, and from the lower vital airs the mortal creatures." - Sata. Bráh., VI. 1, 2.

“Pragâpati fashioned animals from his vital airs, a man from his soul (mind). . . Animals are vital airs. The soul is the first of the vital airs; man is the first and strongest of animals. The soul is all the vital airs, for in the soul all the vital airs are established. Man is all animals." - Ibid., VII. 5, 2, 6.

From the higher outgoing energies or soul-qualities (atma-buddhic) the Supreme created the ideals (gods), and from the lower outgoing energies (astral), the instincts, desires, and passions.

The Supreme produced the desires from his outbreathing life on the lower planes; an ego from his spiritual effluence. The desires are energies on the astral plane. The spiritual effluence is the the highest, and is on the plane of atma. The ego is the greatest and most powerful of emotion-energies in his inmost being. The spiritual effluence comprises all the outgoing energies and qualities, for in the ego all the life forces and qualities inhere potentially, whether of the higher or the lower planes. The spiritual ego is a microcosm.

"Cast off the fetters of the senses, the remora of desire'; and making your interests identical with those of the All, rise to freedom, to that spontaneous, creative, artistic life which, inherent in every individual self, is our share of the life of the Universe. You are yourself vital-a free centre of energy -did you but know it. You can move to higher levels, to greater reality, truer self-fulfilment, if you will. Though you be, as Plato said, like an oyster in your shell, you can open that shell to the living waters without, draw from the Immortal Vitality.' Thus only-by contact with the real-shall you know reality." - E. UNDERHILL, Mysticism, P. 37.

See Also

ANIMALS
ASTRAL
BEASTS
BREATH (divine)
CHARIOT
CREATURES
FETTERS
GODS
HIGHER AND LOWER NATURES
LINGAM
LIVER
PRAGÂPATI
PRANAS
PROMETHEUS
QUALITIES
SENSE ORGANS
VESTURES
VISCERA