The Geo-Cosmic Vitality of Polar Regions
Relates to the Sun and the Centre of the Earth
The Theosophical Movement
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Editorial Note:
The following
article is reproduced from
the June 2018 edition
of “The Theosophical
Movement”
magazine, Mumbai, India. We thank
the editors of
the magazine for the authorization
to reproduce it.
In the text, “S.D.” means the book
“The Secret
Doctrine”, by Helena P. Blavatsky.
(CCA)
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Every planet has
geographical poles. If, like the earth, a body generates a magnetic field, it
will also possess magnetic poles. The two geographical poles of our earth are
the North Pole and South Pole. The North Pole, also known as Geographical or Terrestrial North Pole, is defined as the point in the Northern
Hemisphere of the earth, where the earth’s axis of rotation meets its surface.
It is lying diametrically opposite to the South Pole. It lies 90 degrees north
from the earth’s equator. The
geographical north pole is also known as the “true north.” This is a spot in
the Arctic Ocean where all lines of longitude converge.
Likewise, the Geographical South Pole of our earth is
the southernmost point where the earth’s axis of rotation meets its surface,
being 90 degrees south from the earth’s equator. The North Pole is located in
the middle of the Arctic Ocean, amid waters that are almost permanently covered
with constantly shifting sea ice. The South Pole lies on a continental land
mass. Thus, the Geographical North and South poles are places on the earth’s
surface through which the earth’s imaginary spin axis passes.
Sunrise at the North Pole is just before the March
21st or the time of Vernal Equinox, after which the sun takes three months to
reach its highest point of elevation at the summer solstice or on June 21st.
After that the sun begins to sink, so that there is sunset, when the sun sinks
below the horizon after the autumnal equinox or on September 23rd. Thus, at the
North Pole the sun is continuously above the horizon during the summer, and
continuously below the horizon during the winter. Likewise, during the period,
March to September, the South Pole receives no sunlight. Although between
September to March the sun is continuously above the horizon, much of the
sunlight that reaches its surface is reflected by the white snow. This lack of
warmth from the sun, combined with high altitude means that the South Pole has
one of the coldest climates on earth. Thus, the region of the South Pole has
been described as being cold and dark. It has six months of complete daylight
and six months of total darkness each year.
According to the Hindu tradition, Meru, the sacred
mountain is placed in the centre of seven
continents. The Theosophical Glossary says that Meru is the name of the mountain
that is supposed to be in the centre of the earth, which is the abode of the
gods, swarga or heaven. The occult
teachings place it in the very centre of the North Pole. The nether region or Patala was supposed to lie in the South.
Thus, the North and the South Pole were regarded as “Mountain” and “Pit” or
Heaven and Hell respectively. The Polar Regions surrounding the North and South
Poles are respectively, the Arctic and the Antarctic regions. H.P.B. explains
that since the ancients knew too well the topography and geography of these two
regions, they named one of the poles as “Mountain”
and the other as “Pit”. One of the
reasons why the North Pole is called the abode of the gods is that it was the
site of the first continent on our earth, after the solidification of the
globe.
The first continent on our earth is called the
“Imperishable Sacred Land”. As the name suggests the first continent or island,
which is “the cap of the North Pole”, has never perished; nor will it perish to
the end of the Seven Races (S.D., vol.
II, p. 372). It is stated that “it is the only one whose destiny it is to last
from the beginning to the end of the Manvantara
throughout each Round. It is the cradle of the first man and the dwelling of
the last divine mortal, chosen as Sishta for the future seed of humanity.”
Of this mysterious and sacred land very little can be said, except that the
“pole-star has its watchful eye upon it, from the dawn to the close of the twilight
of ‘a day’ of the GREAT BREATH” (S.D.,
vol. II, p. 6). The “Day” refers to the Day
of Brahma, which equals fourteen manvantaras.
Thus, it appears that this continent, which is at the North Pole, will last
till the evolution on the earth chain of globes is completed, and will be the
dwelling of the divine mortals, the
Buddhas and Christs, of the seventh Round and the Seventh Race.
In the article “Where
is the North Pole?”, that appeared in “Theosophy” magazine (April 1926), we
read that H. P. Blavatsky meant something else by the “North Pole” than the
present geographic pole. It is indicated that the unknown land was the polar
continent at the time of the first
race humanity of the Fourth Round.
However, as per the Theosophical doctrines, since the poles of the earth are
continually perambulating it is not possible that the polar land of that day
should be at the present pole.
On page 400 (S.D.,
vol. II) we read that in the first beginnings of human life, the only dry land
was on the Right end of the sphere. The footnote explains that the two poles
are called the right and left ends of our earth - the right being the North
Pole or the head, and the left being the South Pole or the feet of the earth.
“Every beneficent (astral and cosmic) action comes from the North; every lethal
influence from the South Pole. They are much connected with and influence ‘right’ and ‘left’ hand magic.” Further, Occultism teaches that the land or
island which crowns the North Pole like a skull-cap, is the only one which prevails
during the Manvantara of our “Round”.
Other continents and lands will emerge from the sea bottom many times, but this
land will never change. Thus, “this first continent which came into existence
capped over the whole of North Pole like one unbroken crust, and remains so to
this day, beyond that inland sea which seemed like an unreachable mirage to the few arctic travelers who
perceived it” (S.D., vol. II, p. 401).
In the Commentaries quoted on page
401 there is a hint that with the appearance of the Fourth or Atlantean Race
and the Atlantis, “the eternal land was now hid, for the waters became solid
(frozen)…”
The Commentaries
state that “She [earth] broke towards the setting sun from her neck downward
(to the south west), into lands and islands, but the eternal land (the cap)
broke not asunder.” Here, our earth, or “mother earth” is compared to the body
of a woman. We are told that when the Second Race of humanity came into
existence, “more land emerged from under the waters as a continuation of the
‘head’ from the neck.” Here, “neck downwards” refers to the south-west, or from
inland sea which is now beyond the impassable barrier of ice. It seems to refer to the second continent, described
as the Hyperborean Continent, the site of the Second Race of humanity. On page
7 (S.D., vol. II) it is described as
the land which stretched out its promontories southward and westward from the
North Pole to receive the Second Race, and comprised the whole of what is now
known as Northern Asia. H.P.B. points out that this shows that Northern Asia is
as old as the Second Race. (S.D., vol.
II, p. 401)
Besides geographical poles our earth has magnetic
poles because according to science, our earth has a magnetic field produced by
the swirling motion of molten metal in the earth’s outer core. It is also due
to electric currents flowing in the earth’s crust and atmosphere. Since these
motions are changing all the time, the magnetic field is also changing, causing
the movement of the magnetic poles. The movement is also ascribed to electric
currents flowing in the ionosphere, and the earth’s magnetosphere.
The movement of geographical north and south poles is
ascribed to changes in the inclination of the axis of the earth. We have
several statements in the Secret Doctrine
indicating the shifting of the poles. Thus: “The Egyptian priests assured
Herodotus that the Pole of the Earth and the Pole of the Ecliptic had formerly
coincided” (S.D., vol. II, p. 332).
“That even since their first Zodiacal records were commenced, the Poles have
been three times within the plane of the Ecliptic, as the Initiates taught” (S.D., vol. II, p. 368). “Occult data
show that even since the time of the regular establishment of the Zodiacal
calculations in Egypt, the poles have
been thrice inverted” (S.D., vol.
II, p. 353). Further, due to axial inversion and the shifting of the poles, at
certain periods of time the tropical climate and vegetation was found at the
poles.
In Isis Unveiled
(vol. I, pp. 30-31), we are told that at the close of each “great year” which
consists of six sars or saros, our planet is subjected to a
thorough physical revolution. In the article, “Ancient Doctrines Vindicated by
Modern Prophecy” (H.P.B. Series No.
1, p. 46) we read that the “great year” consists of 21,000 odd years (the
latter varying) or six Chaldean saros
consisting of 3,500 years each. During these 21,000 years, the polar and
equatorial climates gradually exchange places, with polar region moving slowly
toward the equatorial line with exuberant vegetation and animal life replacing
the icy poles. This change of climate is necessarily attended by cataclysms and
earthquakes. This year was called the Heliacal
by the Greeks. Regarding complete change of climates at the tropics and poles
H.P.B. points out that during the Miocene Age, Greenland and even Spitzbergen,
the remnants of the Second or Hyperborean Continent had almost a tropical climate, with abundance of trees such as the
Redwood, the Sequoia, Oaks, Poplars, Walnuts etc.; the Southern plants unknown to
Northern regions. (S.D., vol. II, p.
11)
H.P.B. writes that the old Hindus divided the face of
the globe geographically into seven zones, dwipas,
and into seven hells and seven heavens, allegorically. The North Pole, or
country of “Meru” is the seventh division and represents the region of Atma, of
pure soul and Spirituality (S.D., vol.
II, p. 403). There is a statement in the Secret
Doctrine which seems to refer to the magnetic North and South Poles. Thus:
“The abodes of Fohat are many…. He places his four fiery (electro-positive)
Sons in the ‘Four circles’; these Circles are the Equator, the Ecliptic, and
the two parallels of declination, or the tropics….” Then again, “Other seven
(sons) are commissioned to preside over the seven hot, and seven cold lokas (the hells of the orthodox
Brahmins) at the two ends of the Egg of Matter (our Earth and its poles). The
seven lokas are also called the
‘Rings’, elsewhere, and the ‘Circles’. The ancients made the polar circles seven instead of two… for Mount Meru, which
is the North Pole, is said to have seven gold and seven silver steps leading to
it.” (S.D., vol. I, p. 204)
On page 145 (S.D.,
vol. I) we are told that the seven Sons of Fohat are also his brothers, and
that these seven “Sons-brothers” are seven forms of Cosmic magnetism, and they
are called “Seven Radicals” in practical
Occultism. It is these seven radicals which produce seven energies, namely,
Electricity, Magnetism, Sound, Heat, Light, Cohesion, etc. and they are called
progeny of the Sons of Fohat. H.P.B. explains that Fohat is the symbol of
universal, unpolarized electricity, whereas his sons are 7 radicals of
electro-magnetism, which are polarized forces.
There are five major circles of latitude. The Equator;
then in the northern hemisphere at 23 ½ degree latitude is the tropic of
Capricorn; then at 66 ½ degree latitude is the polar circle of Arctic.
Likewise, in the southern hemisphere, at 23 ½ degree latitude from the equator,
there is the tropic of Cancer, and at 66 ½ degree latitude is the polar circle
of Antarctic. H.P.B. refers to four circles: the Equator, which is a circle
passing through the middle of the earth, and divides the earth into northern
and southern hemispheres. The second circle is the ecliptic. The last two
circles are the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. Ecliptic is the imaginary line
which marks the path of the sun, and along which lie 27 constellations divided
into 12 zodiac signs. The four Sons of Fohat are placed in these four circles.
They are being described as electro-positive. These four circles must be
covering regions with strong electro-magnetic currents and therefore they are
presided over by Sons of Fohat which represent cosmic magnetism. Magnetism
being a force with polarity, we are told about electro-positive sons presiding
over these regions. These are intelligent forces and therefore, probably,
represented as mystical entities, and are shown to regulate and preside over
the climates.
What are the seven hot and seven cold lokas? We are told that the other seven
Sons of Fohat preside over seven hot and seven cold lokas and these are seven heavens and hells of the Hindus, and they
are taken to be situated at the two ends of the Egg of Matter, i.e., at the two poles of the earth.
These refer to polar circles referred to above. While the westerners speak of
only two polar circles, namely, Arctic and Antarctic; the Hindus speak of seven
circles at each pole, being referred to as seven hot and seven cold lokas. These are also referred to as
seven silver and seven golden steps leading to Mount Meru which is the North
Pole. In the Secret Doctrine Commentaries
we read that the region between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole consists
of 28 degrees which they divided into seven circles that are four degrees apart
from each other. These are seven hot lokas
or golden steps to Meru. Likewise, the region between the Antarctic Circle and
the South Pole consists of 28 degrees and is divided into seven circles that
are four degrees apart from each other. These are seven cold lokas and seven silver steps.
The North and South magnetic poles are said to be the
storehouses, receptacles and liberators at the same time, of Cosmic and
terrestrial electricity. The Northern and Southern lights Aurora Borealis and Australis
are owing to these magnetic and electric forces. The two poles are called
storehouses and also natural “safety valves”. In the Secret Doctrine (vol. II, pp. 400-404), we are told that mount Meru
is not “the fabulous mountain in the navel or centre of the earth”, but its
roots and foundations are in that navel, though it is in the far north
itself. The North Pole is called the
country of “Meru”. “Occult teaching corroborates the popular tradition which
asserts the existence of a fountain of life in the bowels of the earth and in
the North Pole. It is the blood of the earth, the electro-magnetic current,
which circulates through all the arteries; and which is said to be found stored
in the ‘navel’ of the earth.” Thus, it appears that the centre of the earth and
the North Pole are both regarded as the fountains of electrical and magnetic
currents.
Particles discharged from the sun travel towards the
earth and are drawn irresistibly towards the magnetic North and South Poles. As
these particles pass through the Earth’s magnetic field they mingle with atoms
and molecules of oxygen, nitrogen and other elements and that results in the
display of lights of various colours in the sky. The lights at the North Pole
are called Aurora Borealis and at the
South Pole are called Aurora Australis.
The two poles may be said to receive and store the cosmic and terrestrial
Vitality both from the centre of the earth as also from the Sun. When there is
surplus of vitality, it remains stored in these poles and if these were not
there our earth would be destroyed, and hence they are called safety valves.
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The above text
was published in our associated websites on 21 August 2018.
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Click to see the
article “Human Ethics and Earthquakes”,
by Damodar K. Mavalankar.
Read the texts “The Causes of Glaciation”, by
John Garrigues; “Direful Prophecies”, by William
Q. Judge; “Al Gore, Theosophy and the Cycle”,
by Carlos Cardoso Aveline; and “Climate Change in Ancient Times”,
by Helena P. Blavatsky.
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