The Soul Tree

First let’s discuss the three distinctions that exist within the thirty principles:  Ascending, Containing and Descending.

I often use a tree as an analogy for these categories. The first 10 principles (numbered 0-9) compose the root system; the second 10 (numbered 10-19) create the trunk; the last 10 (numbered 20-29) constitute the branches and leaves. This visual helps us imagine the human soul as one unified field made up of many unique elements.

Each principle has an inner focus and an outer focus.  This means that each spiritual principle bridges the “in here” and the “out there” in a specific way, and therefore each principle in your garment pattern influences you toward a richer understanding of the interconnectivity of you to The All.  The best way to understand the principle’s ascending, containing, or descending nature is to look at their “out there” anchor points (outer focus.)

Ascending Principles

Starting with the 0 principle, Placement, and noticing the outer focus points of the first 10, you see a step-by-step progression in evolution.

Imagine that all of these principles, because of their direct relationship to nature, are the roots of the soul tree.  They hold the human soul in place; they anchor the soul tree; and they eternally stretch more deeply in the unseen realms for nurturance, security, opportunity to expand.

The Ascending Principles tell the story of creation!  Starting with Placement (perhaps the deepest root) the human soul literally emerges from the elements of form that flared forth at the moment this whole universe began.  As soon as the Initiating Power burst out of the No Thing (about 13.5 billion years ago) a matrix emerged that allows all perceptual reality to unfold.  Placement burst forth in the beginning as the universe established its very existence.

Then came Innocence.  As that Placement matrix began to crystallize into microscopic structures, the universe experienced the absolute freedom (chaos) of ever-expanding light/dark.  Eventually things cooled off enough that particles began to interlock and interplay.  Archetypes emerged in the form of basic laws:  gravitational laws, electromagnetic laws, and nuclear interactive laws.  Although the principle of Innocence has evolved to assist humans in our own psychological and spiritual structures, these laws of physics were the original archetypes.

Then came Purity – the Devic Realms.  As the universe expanded, moments of symmetry occurred which caused aspects of these laws to coalesce into blueprint-like frameworks from which perceptual structures could materialize.  It is perhaps anthropomorphic of me to give these frameworks “deva” personalities, but it’s a workable way of imagining how the rose on the bush in your yard looks so much like “rose-ness” – which follows the laws of “flower-ness” – which follows the laws of “plant-ness” – which follows the laws of “seed-ness” – and on and on back to the Big Bang.  At some point in the story of creation, the possibility of this rose, right here right now in your garden, became a  probability and then a reality within the purview of the principle of Purity.

As you can see, books could be written about each of the 30 principles.  And perhaps one day I (or someone) will do just that.  But for now, just let your imagination be drawn through Creation, step-by-step using the ascending principles as your ladder.

After Purity/Devic Realms came Memory and Beauty, the principles that made the mineral worlds possible.  Then came Extension and Regeneration, and therefore the plant worlds.  Next came Generosity and Goodness, the driving forces behind the many animal species on our planet.  And finally Awareness awakens in the brain so that new levels of “noticing” exist and the human realm begins to evolve.

Containing Principles

The ten principles (numbered 10-19) that create the trunk of the soul tree are the principles that are most human in nature.  One can imagine that these principles allow the nurturance derived from natural realms, and the inspiration from the cosmic realms to flow freely back and forth, sharing experience, information, knowledge, and allowing for ever-expanding consciousness within the human species.

Again, like in the natural/root-system of the tree, one can track the expanding consciousness of the human species by simply observing and understanding the outer focus points of the principles.

As we examine each of these “consciousnesses” we can see that the  Containing Principles influence humans toward wider and wider perspectives.  As we enlarge our view of ourselves, we become more alert to our inextricable responsibilities to Creation itself.  While we may experience ourselves as separated, this new body of information that the angels have given us regarding the purpose of a human incarnation reminds us of the inseparable connection we have with every aspect of life.

It’s interesting and important to notice that Ecstasy and Resistance (principles numbered 14 and 15) sit at the center of the 30 principles.  In a sense, we can say they are the apex of humanity.  Because through Ecstasy we can recognize ourselves as multiple bodies (physical, mental, emotional, ethical, energetic, etheric, cosmic, etc.) operating as one functional organism, we know that we are (I Am.)  Though Resistance – Self Consciousness we bear witness to ourselves as individuated expressions of the unified field called Soul.  We watch ourselves being ourselves.   We interpret ourselves as ourselves.  We analyze our beingness.  This kind of consciousness is what makes us different from all other species.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not taking anything away from the animal kingdom.  I know that my dog experiences herself as  unique from other dogs – other animals.  But I don’t see that she interprets, analyzes, and makes moral decisions the way I do.

As you look at these tree-trunk  principles you can contemplate how evolution has moved forward through the human species to create nuanced ways that Life Force can experience itself through us.

Descending Principles

This last set of principles (numbered 20-29) constitute the branches and leaves of the soul tree.

Just as the roots of the tree reached deep into nature – into the foundational elements of the earth – to ground this tree and find nurturance in the matrix of life on this planet, the branches and leaves stretch to the limits of the cosmos to “eat the light and dark information” and bridge it into human consciousness.

So far we’ve looked at the principles as ladder steps toward expanding dimensions of consciousness.  Even though we can see that expansion continuing as we move into the Descending Principles, it is sometimes interesting to look at these “branch and leaf” principles from the top down.  I often teach them by starting at the 29th principle of Movement, so that we can contemplate how these divine, almost indefinable, cosmic energies contract themselves in order to express through the human species.

Another way to say it is that the Ascending Principles reach upward through evolution to achieve their highest expression through the human realm.  The Descending Principles reach downward through the cosmos to achieve their most efficient expression through the human realm.  I’ll create this table as I have the others, but then I’ll discuss the “descending” nature of these energies by talking about them backwards. Movement to Gratitude.

So if you look at these principles starting with Movement, you’ll see what I mean about these energies narrowing themselves toward human consciousness.  Movement, Love and Peace are almost beyond our grasp.  We can’t really imagine Peace, for example, because the idea of being “beyond the possibility of division” only exists for us in short spurts.  Then you see Silence bridging those highest dimensions into a more “manageable” possibility.  Desire allows us to hear the information of the light – Humility assists us in integrating that information.  Randomness bridges us the light and the dark.  Then Dreaming allows us to perceive the information of the void (the dark – the all-possibility-consciousness), while Harmony lets us integrate that information.

Gratitude, then, becomes crucial.  Gratitude isn’t about being thankful FOR something.  Gratitude is about understanding that all life is a gift, and that gift IS the gift of Gratitude.  Gratitude bridges the most sublime and indefinable aspects of consciousness into the human realm.

Your Ascending, Containing and Descending Threads

It seems to be a human trait, taught to us very carefully by our cultures, to judge ourselves harshly.  I can imagine if you are reading this and you’ve just realized that you have too many of one kind of principle, not enough of another, you are chiding yourself for being broken or at least imbalanced.

Let me assure you that you can’t BE BROKEN.  Your principles define you as unbroken – perfectly created to deliver YOUR GIFT.

If that gifts contains mostly Ascending Principles, that’s great.  You are a nature spirit – an earth angel – a being of profound natural instinct.  If your garment threads are mostly Containing Principles, that’s wonderful.  You are a consummate human and your gift is to BE the trunk of the soul tree.  If you are dominantly Descending Principles, that’s beautiful.  You’ve taken a vow to bring the subtlest energies into expression in this incarnation.  There’s no BAD garment.  That’s the GOOD news (the Gospel according to The Invisible Garment.)

Rejoice in your threads.  Allow yourself the liberation to BE your threads.  Love this information, as it gives you permission to live a life that is simultaneously unique and inter-connected with The All.

I invite you to examine your own threads.  I invite you to go to the pages in https://www.theinvisiblegarment.com/principles/ that correspond to your threads and make comments about how each of these principles chooses to express through you!  This work is dynamic and always growing.  By sharing your piece you may inspire others to live more freely, more joyfully, more BE-ing-ly.  (I love to make up words.)