Worlds of God

In the majority of esoteric studies since the late 1800's, the Euro-western mystery schools have taught using a system of four worlds to represent the cosmology of being. Such was also used in early Arabic schools of thought. On page 25 of "Seven Valleys" by Baha'u'llah, (in the Valley of Unity) He utilizes this same example as was familiar to the recipient of His answer, when inquired by Shaykh Muhyi'd-Din.

One may note, each person understands in accord with his own perspective. Consultations with another may confirm, broaden, enlighten, or dispute such view-points. This may be comprehended as one of the meanings in, "It is clear to thine Eminence that all the variations which the wayfarer in the stages of his journey beholdeth in the realms of being, proceed from his own vision."(page 18 - Valley of Unity). And again repeated as a hidden meaning in the two paragraphs that follow the quotation.

Likewise, on page 49 of the Book of Certitude by Baha'u'llah, He makes mention that all "these symbolic terms and abstruse allusions (examples), which emanate from the Revealers of God's holy Cause, hath been to test and prove the peoples of the world; that thereby the earth of the pure and illuminated hearts may be known from the perishable and barren soil."

The colors designating this example of a four world system of study, are found given by Him in the Tablet of All Food. In this He also infers that there are more worlds than exemplified in this perspective. His son, the Master ('Abdu'l-Baha, Servant of the Glory) confirms this in "Some Answered Questions", page 287, "The idea that existence is restricted to this perishable world, and the denial of the existence of divine worlds, originally proceeded from the imaginations of certain believers in reincarnation; but the divine worlds are infinite." And again on page 288, " For in this universe of God, which appears in the most complete perfection, beauty, and grandeur, the luminous stars of the material universe are innumerable! Then we must reflect how limitless and infinite are the spiritual worlds, which are the essential foundation."

Western esoteric schools have attempted to discern the origin of all creation in meditations upon the pre-existence of God. In this, they have perused the planes of existence with the study of kabalistic commentaries for contemplations. Such they note as the three levels of negative existence. In like fashion, the Sufis enter into discourse upon Hahut.

As each example of a World of God has both King (Prime Mover, or Primal Point) and Kingdom (the sphere of 10, or the earth of each world), we understand the earth of one world is the Primal Point of the next [1]. With this in mind, one may traverse the Worlds of God into infinity, as man is a beginning without an end (immortality of true being - soul). However, man may seek, or supplicate, to envision and comprehend such worlds, only to discover the same glyph repeated as the Perfect Man, the Messenger of God, the Prophet of God, the Sadrata'l Muntaha, the Divine Lote Tree, the Tree of Anisa (life), the Tree of Knowledge, the Burning Bush, etc.

The above glyph has been arranged with each world's interior symetrical. This is merely as "artistic license" and is noted upon a work in my posession by an unknown Persian artist.

Further study shows the Christian cosmology was simplified to reflect a perspective of Heaven and Earth, adding the possible scenarios of a Haides, or Hell. The Hebrew Rabbinical system contemplated four worlds with additional thoughts as the Ain, Ain Soph, and the Ain Soph Ur, the "Hahut" of Islamic scholars.

Baha'i Writings often refer to that which is above, that which is below, and all that dwells between. Baha'i Tablets written by the Master, 'Abdu'l-Baha, son of Baha'u'llah, vary in complexity, even unto a system of Five Worlds as alluded by His Father, the Glory of God. Were we, in studies, to also add the "Infernal Tree", or the World of Zaqqum (as noted in the Baha'i Glossary by Marzieh Gail), we arrive at a system for contemplation that includes Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Baha'i Writings.

The World of God, the Essence, the Unknowable is herein depicted as "blue" simply because mankind may only discern Its existence by way of the Spirit of Faith through the teachings of the Holy Spirit as reflected from a "Perfect Mirror", a Manifestation of God. This also contrasts the grammarian definition of a "mystic" from that of a "mystic wayfarer" in the Baha'i Faith.

Should a believer allow Baha'u'llah to take his hand and walk through the Kingdom of Baha he may be permitted to gaze from the Summit of A and look towards the Kingdom of God.

[1] Such are the teachings in Western esotericism of the past and do not necessarily reflect the insights of advanced esoteric thoughts from a Baha'i perspective.