Immortality
Mutable and Immutable Worlds
The Vedas say three-fourths of life takes place within, only one-fourth is external. One fourth is mundane and mortal; it is the perceptible outer world of material manifestations. The other three fourths are immortal and divine; they are the imperceptible higher planes of the subtle inner worlds.
The world of the dense physical plane is mortal in the sense that it is in a state of constant change. The objective world is the outer side of the inner worlds. The mundane is like a precipitate (a substance) that is there for a certain period of time and then recedes. Compared to the external world, the immortal internal worlds are far more beautiful and glorious. The inner does not die; it is always there, at all times.
It is the same with us. There is a part of us that is changeable and mortal, and a part of us that is immortal. The more we delve into our inner being, the more experience we gain and our understanding improves. We become aware that our worldly identity is mortal, while in our supermundane identity as a soul we are immortal. We realize that we are not a mortal being. This realization is not a spiritual concept or belief; it is an experience.
But this awareness of the true identity does not remain with aspirants on the spiritual path. We keep forgetting the experience that we are eternally a soul and have a personality that is impermanent. Therefore, we should always be aware: 'I AM the soul and I have a personality'. This identity with the indwelling Soul must be gained and consolidated. We are all a soul (Atma) and we came forth from the Super-soul or the absolute soul (Paramatma). The soul is an expression of the Super-soul.
We cannot relate to our body and feel 'I AM'. Our body is constantly changing, which becomes very obvious to us over the years as it gets sick and ages. The body is only a projection of the 'I AM', and we live in the body only to have experiences. The soul and the Super-soul are immortal. We are spiritual sparks, and we can perform mortal and immortal actions that lead to mortal and immortal results. It is important to keep this basic knowledge and awareness of what is permanent and what is temporary.
Detaching from Personal Programs
Most of the things we strive for in life cease when death occurs. Everything we have collected in life - not only property but also people - we have to leave again one day. We come together and live together for a while. When time decides that we part, we part ways again and move on.
With the right knowledge, we realise that there is no ownership like our 'own' family or friends. The company of people around us as well as possessions do not give us immortality. But giving and offering helps us to become immortal. It frees us from all the sheaths that surround and bind us. The energy of serving others expands our consciousness.
If we want to attain the state of immortality, it is important that we slowly detach ourselves from our personal programmes and become more and more concerned with the wellbeing of others - people, groups and the life that surrounds us. We ourselves are also part of this; nature also takes care of us. The more we constantly give to life through our work, we become liberated and rise up.
The question for each of us to ponder is, how much is our consciousness focused on worldly things and how much on the supra-worldly. How much are we connected to the unchanging dimension of the soul and how much to the changing dimension of the personality? Our personal agenda keeps us in the personality. In order to ensure that we no longer have a personal agenda, all personal obligations must be fulfilled; otherwise we will not be liberated from them. Fulfilling obligations is a task that involves responsibility and from which we cannot simply disengage. If we always devote ourselves to the immediate duty at hand, things will automatically come to us. We do not need to run after them. Even a wisdom teacher comes to us and leads us on the path of immortality. When the time is right, the correct teacher and the right teachings come to us.
In order to connect with the world of objectivity and have experiences there, we need a body and a personality. From the moment of our conception and entry into the womb of the mother, intelligences have begun to form the body; after our birth, our senses and mind develop. With this equipment we work in the outer life.
Working with Three Bodies
The human body is the only body in nature that has all the mechanism to build a permanent body. We can achieve immortality only with the help of our mortal physical body. This is not possible outside the body; it is not possible for animals either. That is why the human body is considered the most precious body; having it is a great opportunity, not a privilege. We must seize this opportunity to attain immortality and then take a step towards eternity. If we miss the opportunity, we fall into a stronger personality.
We can build a golden body and then a diamond body by working through this physical body. The golden body is the immortal body of etheric substance around which the gross body is formed. The body of diamond light is the developed causal body, called in the East 'Vajranga Sarira', to which Christ refers when he speaks of the 'glorious white robe'. All the great Masters have three bodies with which they work. Saint Germain was unborn and never died. It is the same with every adept: he is never born and never dies. One who is born is a mortal. For immortals there is no birth.
The Masters of Wisdom live in the status of the unchanging I AM and also have a personality that changes. It is said that Saint Germain used the bodies of his incarnations and had Indian, Tibetan, Greek, Hebrew, European and American personalities. He remembers everything he has done since his third initiation at the beginning of the Kali Yuga. So it is with all Masters of Wisdom. For such people, the funeral is only for the body. When the body is burnt, they can create another. This is possible because they have the key for a body of golden or diamond light. The Masters give us their help to build these subtle bodies. In cases of fiery collaborators of the hierarchical work, the Masters have even seen that the bodies of the helpers remained intact until the needed work was done.
Physical Immortality
The fact of immortality and the fact that death is only a shedding of the physical body cannot be known by laboratory experiments, but only by a human being. So it was in the past, so it is today and so it will be in the future. Many have imparted the wisdom of immortality, but only a few are able to give the technique to immortality. It cannot be given by all. For that we need a Master like Jesus Christ, Morya, Koot Hoomi, Djwhal Khul or Pythagoras.
Master CVV has even promised to give immortality to everyone who follows the path given by him. He would repair the physical body and personality for this purpose. He conducted many experiments and found ways and means to shape the human structure in such a way that it can attain immortality. The aim is to shape the body so that it can experience the all-pervading consciousness. The super-consciousness then descends into the mind and further into the denser plane to transform the human being into a Master - an immortal, divine human being. Master CVV calls this 'physical immortality'. If a human being places himself under the guidance of the Master, then through prayer his etheric body experiences the touch of the light current flowing through the Master. Through the yoga given by the Master, the disciple is then led to immortality.
In modern times, the inner dimensions of life have been made more accessible, the higher planes can be experienced more easily Books like 'Music of the Soul' have been published so that aspirants strive to become more oriented towards the inner dimensions and the vertical path. Information and knowledge are not enough, we have to practise and experience.
According to the Plan, in the 20th century, the subtle planes have begun to approach the gross planes. At some point the veil between the two planes is removed and the twofold life becomes one. At the first initiation, subjective thinking is born; we close our eyes and observe the inner activity. As we strive for subjective experience and apply knowledge, we move towards the second initiation. We realise immortality at the gate of the third initiation. Then with the fourth initiation, we achieve continuity of life while continuing to work in all three worlds.
Sources used: K.P. Kumar: Venus. The Path to Immortality; div. seminar notes. Dhanishta Publications, Visakhapatnam, India (www.aquariusbookhouse.com).