BASICS OF ESOTERISM:
The nervous system
by Aart Jurriaanse

Man's physical body, the sum total of muscles, bone, blood and
various other supporting systems, is correlated and co-ordinated by
the nervous system, and energized by what is vaguely called 'life', that
vital and divine essence which will forever remain inexplicable to the
Earth bound human being.

The nervous system with its complexity of nerves, nerve centres and
interrelated aspects serving to co-ordinate the organisms and to
produce the existing sensitive response between the limbs, organs
and other components of the body, all contributing towards making
man aware of and reactive to his environment, has already been
studied for many years by medicine. For present purposes a different
approach is however indicated, placing the accent on the subjective
rather than on the purely functional side.

Broadly speaking the sensory apparatus can be classified into:
  o The cerebro-spinal system.
  o The sensory nervous system.
  o The peripheral nervous system.

This co-ordinating system of communication, this sensitive network of
interrelating nerves, is the symbol in men of the soul, and therefore the
outer semblance or expression of an inner spiritual reality of which the
average man still remains blissfully unconscious.

The nervous system forms the primary plane of contact between the
ethereal and physical spheres. The etheric body permeates every
separate part of the physical body, and its ramifications terminate in
minute carriers of energy, already described as the 'nadis', and which
are in contact with every single atom. It is this etheric counterpart of
the nervous system which nourishes, controls and galvanizes the
nerves, serving as the channel or bridge between the physical and
ethereal aspects of man.

Apart from the already well known nervous system, there exists a
further micro-network of nerves, atomically reticulated, representing
the direct physical counterpart of the nadi-system, of which medical
science as yet remains unaware.

Briefly, let us consider the brain from the esoteric point of view, and
thus perhaps to see its functions from a somewhat different angle from
the usual exoteric approach.

The brain is the focal point of the whole nervous system. Every
sensation or experience, down to the very faintest perception
registered in any part of the atomically reticulated sensory system, is
instantly relayed and fed into this central computer. Yes, that is
actually what the brain amounts to — a beautifully designed computer
which has been built into the material body of every human being; a
computer conceived and constructed far beyond the imagination and
comprehension of the most highly qualified and proficient physicist or
technician.

This wonderful instrument has been installed in the human
body to serve as a link, transformer, and reciprocal transmitter of
impulses and perceptions of every kind, whether subjective or
objective, and received from both internal and external sources. It
therefore serves to interrelate one part of the body with the other; it
serves as the point of conscious contact between the human being
and external forms of every kind, whether conscious or unconscious;
and finally through 'impressions' received, it links the ephemeral, the
hidden, with the dense physical. These subjective impulses may
originate from several sources, but for the average man who is
beginning to awaken, and is consciously becoming aware of some
deeper spiritual existence, it may be assumed that this subjective
contact usually is with the soul, the inner Christ, who is gradually, and
with increasing resolve, bringing its influence to bear on the three
vehicles of expression — the physical, emotional and mental bodies.
All these contacts are effected via the brain.

This computer can be developed and refined far beyond its present
performance as part of the equipment of the average man. The
capacities and potentialities are built-in attributes of this instrument,
but they will only unfold and function in accordance with real need, and
will then correspond to the stage of development of the evolving
etheric centres. As in the case of a computer, the brain must also be
programmed, and responses and reactions that may be expected, can
only be commensurate with the knowledge, factual data and spiritual
principles which have been fed into it, and subsequently classified,
stored and processed by the instrument.

It could perhaps be briefly mentioned that there are three small
endocrine or ductless glands which are closely associated with the
brain. These are known as the pituitary body, the pineal gland and the
carotid gland. They are related to, and form the objective
correspondences of three energy centres in the surrounding etheric
body, named the eye (ajna), alta major and the head centres. In
primitive man these three glands are as yet unrelated, because the
relative force centres are still dormant. In the spiritually developed
man, on the other hand, they become closely associated through the
centres which have progressively been awakened and energized, and
are then actively transmitting and exchanging soul energy via these
glands to the brain. These are therefore the channels through which
the soul begins to exert its influence over the personality and its three
component bodies.

Aart Jurriaanse, wrote a number of compilations from the books of Alice A. Bailey. Among these are: Of Life and other worlds; Prophecies; Ponder on this; Serving Humanity; The Soul; The Quality of Life; and he is also the author of Bridges which is a Commentary on these teachings.   

Directory of articles by Aart Jurriaanse

"Love is an active force which transforms. Love which does not act is hardly love at all. Love in action is the essence of love. It is an ability to love the world and all that is in it which is the capacity of Maitreya. The deepest desire of the heart of the One who can do that is to unify all. He looks into the world and sees 5.6 billion people: suffering, striving, competing, all the different actions, some positive, some deeply negative. He sees all of that and His urge, His deepest desire, the outflow of His spiritual heart's need, is to bring all of that together, to unify it all." Benjamin Creme, in Maitreya's Mission Vol. III

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