Physis - Physico-Psycho-Spiritual Nature

Definition: The word physis or "Nature" is used here in Neoplatonism to designate the creative-formative forces behind the world of sense-matter, the lowest emantion and aspect of the hypostases. This is pretty much definition adopted here too. Physis represents the lowest formed plane of prakriti, and the orgin not only of sensation and the objects of sense, but also the physical aspect or resonance or emanation of Psyche (Mind, Emotion, Desire-Will) and even of higher states. Each of these aspects and resonances in turn constitute a distinct plane of physis-existence. Physis thus includes both the inner nature of the objective material universe and innumerable subtle realities around and behind it, including various hierachies of spiritual/angelic archetypes of Nature and distinct subtle hierarchies

Etymology: the Greek spelling is being used to distinguish this principle from "physical matter"

Examples: Apart from the paradigmatic physis of Neoplatonism (especially as described by Plotinus and Proclus), other examples are the world of Asiyah in some forms of Kabbalah (i.e. Asiyah exclusive of the klippot), barzakh or the "interworld" of Sufi and Islamic cosmology, the etheric formative forces of Rudolph Steiner, and the Subtle or Inner Physical of Sri Aurobindo, and Nature according to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother (Mirra)

The Dynamics of Physis

To understand physis it is necessary to get away from the "cartesian-newtonian" idea of an irreconcilably duality of inert objective matter or body on the one hand, and spirit-soul-consciousness on the other (the "ghost in the machine" to quote Koestler who was quoting Ryle). It is also necessary to reject the naive naturalist position (according to which what we see "inside our heads" is a little image or faithful reflection of "the world out there". In following the latter we are in accord with all modern philosophers, even the most physicalist and reductionist ones. Quantum mechanics also agrees that reality is not what we perceieve, it is instead a whirl of probabilistic wave particles.

Following the Neoplatonists, I would define Physis thusly: It is the mediating principle between higher grades, hypostases, and planes of consciousness, and formless matter (Plotinus - hyle; Aurobindo - The Inconscient). This means it has several properties and functons - it is that organising principle which gives material bodies their qualities, as well as empowering them with activity [include Proclus' position on this]

In short, it is my contention (following the Neoplatonists and in keeping with deduction from quantum physics) that matter as inert objects with properties "out there" does not exist. The misconception of objects with sense-properties "out there" is caused by a confusion of the two principles of physis and hyle. Instead of matter in the sense of naive realism there is instead:

physis which is both "in here" (as the nature of the sense-faculty and the individual physical consciousness, since the former is completely embedded in the latter) and "out there" (as formative forces of nature (Steiner's etheric forces, Sheldrake's formative fields, etc),

hyle or bare matter, which is the inert non-consciousness (Aurobindo - Inconscience) of infinitely contracted absolute consciousness.

Thus psychology merges with physics - you can't understand the world without understanding the individual perceiever/observer/experiencer (c.f. The Copenhagen Interpretation)

It is important to understand that this does not mean the world is illusion or unreal. We are not advocating Solipsism or Mentalism (Subjective Idealism). To say that the world only exists "inside our heads" is just as wrong as saying that what we experience is a little reflection of "the world out there". Both the world "inside our heads" (qualia, subjective experience) and "the world out there" are equally the product of Physis.

The Aspects and Planes and sub-hypostases of Physis

I depart from Steiner and Sheldrake in that I see Physis as a very complex and multifaceted reality. In fact, almost everything that Steiner describes through supersensory perception I would interpret as being some of the many aspects of Physis. For that matter, most clairvoyants have not moved beyond Physis (clairvoyance itself is a form of physis-perception); auras, chakras, the subtle body, the astral plane as usually described - these are all or at least almost all physis.

Good definitions of the planes of the Physis Hypostasis are the Terrestrial or Objective (1st Prakritic) Plane of Blavatsky (Theosophy) - note this is not the same as Physical; it is divided into seven sub-planes - and later Theosophists and post-Theosophists (Leadbeater, Steiner, Alice Bail;y, etc), and the 7th or Physical State of Material Reality (Materialisms) acccording to Max Theon

Regarding Theon, a distinction can be made between his primary seven stages of what he calls the "Materialisms" Plane (actually the Cosmos as a whole - transcendent as well as physical) with the physical as the lowest, and the seven subdivision or degrees of that physical plane. It is these subdivisions that are referred to here. For Theon's arrangement of planes within planes, see his representation of the "Materialism" world. Blavatsky says the same thing, she has an almost identical series of planes and subplanes (whether derived from Theon (via the H. B. of L????) or arrived at independently, is not clear.

But it is also necessary to take into account the gradations of Inner Being and True Self to see further modifications of and influences upon Physis. The result is the following diagram:

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Planes of existence	etc - Higher Resonances higher levels of spiritual evolution - not yet actualised							Higher personalities and divinities
	Ideational Universe	(sublevels)	Heavens of Pure Thought / Understanding archetype of mental physis
	Kosmic Affective	(sublevels)	Heavens of Pure Feeling / Love archetype of emotional physis
		(sublevels)	Lower and Higher Astral Planes archetype of astral physis
		Kosmic Physical Universe	etc	Occasional fragments of spiritual intuition	etc - Higher Resonances				Higher Centers and "Permanent Atoms"
			Mental Plane	Surface thoughts and intellect				Spiritual Mind
			Emotional Plane	Surface Emotions			"Soul"
			Astral Plane	Surface Desires and Will		Astral Zones
	Etheric and Physical Plane(s)		Physical Body and sensations	first 3 auras Physical-Etheric World	4th aura "Astral Plane"	higher 3 auras Spiritual-Devachanic World	Transpersonal?	Hara
	Subconscious						not specified
Reality	Universe		Subplane	Outer Being	Inner Being = Physis				Inner Being/Purushas (Aurobindo) = Permanent Atoms (Theosophy)