I was talking with someone and explained how somthing can exist on many different planes. For example, how the earth exists on the physical plane, but it also exists when I have an OBE and am on a higher vibrational plane. So my question is...  how does it exist on different planes. My logical guess is that it is made of several different speeds of vibrations, high ones, and low ones, so it can exist in these different planes. Is this a correct assumption? Or is there more to it than that?

Hi Dude-
Imagine walking along the road past an orchard. You look down the rows of trees and see them all aligned in a nice pattern. Then a few steps farther, that view vanishes into seeming confusion. A few more steps, and here comes another line of trees, and again you can look down the rows and see them nicely ordered etc. Each of these views is of the same objective state, but gives a different plane of perspective through that object.

The world begins with a sort of bag of N-space into which little bits and pieces of reality are dumped haphazardly. Depending upon where we place our viewpoint, we can line them up in one way or another. There's no specific ordering to the layout of the universe except that its elements arise sequentially, the complex ones coming from combinations of the less complecated ones. After that, it's up to us to impose an ordering on them.

We impose an order on the universe by perceiving it in a specific manner from a sopecific viewpoint. Our individual viewpoint is unique, shared by no others, but we have many properties that are similar to others, so as we align ourselves with their natures, we also align with their viewpoints, so that we all see the "Orchard of life" in the same general manner, as composed of the same general causes and options. Rather than rows of trees, we tend to see sequences of options and choices as the guidelines and parameters that set off the world as we know it. However, were you to alter your viewpoint, the world would seem to have changed, while remaining the same, like the orchard.

In the end, if we do yoga and meditate on the ultimate nature of everything, because the entire mess began at a single Point, the One, all viewpoints come together. This is samadhi.

Each level of the universe is in balance - were it otherwise, it would be driven to seek balance. It is this balance that ultimately causes things to go from less probable to more probable. Depending on your values, you tend to fit into some layer of checks and balances. The classical Hindu caste system is a simple example. At the bottom are the "harijans", those for whom anything goes. Then we have the merchant caste, all interactions occur through agreement, but anything goes in terms of competition. Next is the warrior caste, a state in which duty and obligation rule, and discipline keeps everything in precise order, providing a sense of justice, and giving to others that which is their due. Finaly the brahmin caste is that in which values are altruistic, growth occurs through giving to others, and through deepening our understanding of love, joy and wisdom until we reach satchitananda  and liberate ourselves from creation of further negative karma. At that level with have the rishis, a collection of saints and sages, gurus and spiritual guides. In principle, this is one normal lifespan, from infancy to maturity, beginning in nescience and ending in enlightenment, samadhi and absorption into the One. In practice ... Oh well.

Because the assumptions and the logic on each level forms a closed system, more or less, it corresponds to one of the angles by which our viewpoint perceives the Cosmic Orchard. Each of the levels of values thus defines a plane of existence. The term is rather crude, since each attitude, such as liking flowers and trees, as oposed to liking metal
and machines, also defines a prspective, hence a sort of plane of reality that encompasses flower nurseries, as opposed to motorcycle shops.

dave

I should have added that the so-called planes of existence are similar in the Spirit World as well. We have a physical level that lokos like a closed system, a mental levl which is more or less self-explanatory, a lower astral level which is where people get stuck as ghosts - these are vaguely analogous to the caste levels, but don't put too much weight on the analogy. Then there is the upper astral, which is where we go once we orient toward the One and to transcendence of the material, as opposed to the all the other levels in which we are oriented toward the many and materialism.

Using the caste analogy, earthbound spirits are here because they're fearful to be anywhere else because "anything goes". These span the various degrees of the lower levels. Then there are those who are working at healing others, and spiritual advancement, and as soon as they drop off the urge for material goals, and take up values in which the highest good is spiritual, universal good, and union with God they get into the uper astral. This occasionally happens during a regression, and is always interesting to watch.

The idea of "planes" remains the same. It's just that the content make a difference.

d