Exploring and analysing the «Divine Realms», even mentioning the name: «God», may seem to some to be controversial, hare-brained or even superstitious. In other quarters, it will be viewed as shocking, irreverent and possibly blasphemous. However, if THEE is to be a comprehensive account of psychosocial reality, then it must explore and account for divine phenomena. These are not woolly notions, but immensely influential, persistent and universal human experiences. To ignore or reject them would be like shutting your eyes to what exists because of some personal belief. Keep your belief and explore with me: what harm can there be in that? More ►
There is no culture where people have not created religion and divine entities as part of their customs and everyday psychosocial reality. Even in societies where most would say science is dominant, a large number (probably the majority) of people ignore the atheistic and agnostic proclamations from secular (usually scientific) spokespersons.
I am not alone in regarding it as mandatory for any inquiry into the human condition to note experiences that are everywhere developed and sustained by people, individually and in groups. As elsewhere in THEE, I strive to recognize and categorize these experiences, assign meaningful names, and appreciate their function, distinctive properties and relationships. (I recognize that I may make errors in doing so: but these can be corrected.)
My aim here is not to support or criticize any particular religion, theology or conception of the divine; nor indeed to oppose or support any atheistic/agnostic position or group. The present aim is simply to show that the Divine has a natural location within THEE, that heavenly Planes of Existence are apparent, and that their properties and relationships can be validly and usefully formulated.
Although there are only 3Divine Planes in THEE, that seems to be enough to underpin the ideas within the world's numerous religious traditions. Please note that «spirituality» and «religion» are far larger topics dealt with elsewhere within THEE.
Objectively, this structure may look so simple as to be over-simplified. But the complexities that bedevil most studies are inevitable because they are investigating exemplifications. Numerous diverse social, cultural and maturational factors, as well as the nature and bias of the individual author(s), affect what is observed. There is never going to be a simple replica of the basic THEE model.
Many traditional and modern accounts seem to conflate experiential states, existence states, spiritual states, psychopathology, cultural features, attention issues, and personal identity types. However, a popular modern system of numerous spiritual levels/planes based on diligent scholarship has been developed by Ken Wilber after Jean Gebser and others.
I imagine that in practice, once Divine beings within the 3 heavenly planes are taken as existing, the imagination can be set free to embroider, develop and multiply divine beings and realms. Over time, some extremely complicated cosmogonies and esoteric cosmologies would develop, and indeed this is the case: e.g. there is a Buddhist version with up to 31 levels. These schemas are inevitably taken at face value by believers or observers in the absence of any relevant frame of reference.
Many have tried to correlate different schemas of consciousness and divine beings. They are always hierarchical and there is some consistency. However, they are not otherwise easily comparable. See this example.
Ranges within Planes
As you will provide examples from your own experience to flesh out this Framework, you must be aware that each Plane covers an enormously wide range of forms of existence.
One person is a barely literate hotel porter, a savvy taxi-driver or a caring nursing assistant—while another person is a 5 Star General or a distinguished Professor with many books to their name, or a CEO who develops and runs a multinational corporation. In between, there are many grades of functioning. One goal of THEE is to clarify and formulate these grades as they apply within particular domains of psychosocial life.
One person is a simple psychic medium offering comfort via their sensitivity, another person is an accomplished author with a string of beautifully written novels, and yet another is a highly successful producer of mega-budget blockbuster Hollywood films based on reworking classic mythic themes.
On the Awareness Plane, there is a long-recognized distinction between minor and major prophets.
On the Cosmic Consciousness Plane, there is a difference between Buddha and Jesus.
Differentiation of grades within each of the Divine Planes is explained within the particular religious or spiritual system. See more in the «Too Simple» box above.
Planes were developed from the Primal Quests via imagining the Model Beings. However, your operation of a Quest is not aligned to any specific Plane or defined by it. Some alignments seem to jump out but I do not think there is any direct correspondence. In any case, there are only 4 Human Planes to handle 7 Quests, so it's best to think separately about your Primal Quest and the Existential Plane(s) on which you function. Examples
Those on the Pleasure Quest might be attracted to pursue this via life on the Practical Plane, but it also seems compatible with life on the Psychological Plane.
Those who sustain themselves significantly on the Plane of Aware Existence are viewed as sages or prophets by others. However, most people on the Enlightenment Quest are not viewed in that way.
Those on the Spirituality Quest are striving to exist in Cosmic Consciousness as much or as often as possible, but they live most of their lives on the Psychological Plane (and possibly the Practical if social circumstances demand this.)
Moving from Your Plane
Whatever Plane you happen to have made your home, you will become aware of other Planes and be influenced through your interactions with others on those Planes.
Continuing existence on a particular Plane naturally entails willingly meeting the range of ethical and creative demands associated with that Plane. That means developing personal and social structures in accord with these.
You are not stuck on the Plane of Existence where you happen to find yourself. (This follows a general principle that anyone can activate and operate any element within THEE—at least for a limited period of time.) But moving to another Plane transiently is different from making your home there. Movement to a higher Plane might be provoked by pressures from within or without. Motivation and willingness are needed to bear the disorientation and possible discomfort.
As it happens, moving to a higher Plane seems to be a contemporary issue in much of the Western world. I have hypothesized that it defines the 21st Century Enlightenment.