These divisions are more or less artificial and arbitrary, for the truth
is that all of the three divisions are but ascending degrees of the
great scale of Life, the lowest point of which is undifferentiated
Matter, and the highest point that of Spirit. And, moreover, the
different Planes shade into each other, so that no hard and fast
division may be made between the higher phenomena of the Physical and
the lower of the Mental; or between the higher of the Mental and the
lower of the Physical.

In short, the Three Great Planes may be regarded as three great groups
of degrees of Life Manifestation. While the purposes of this little book
do not allow us to enter into an extended discussion of, or explanation
of, the subject of these different planes, still we think it well to
give a general description of the same at this point.

At the beginning we may as well consider the question so often asked by
the neophyte, who desires to be informed regarding the meaning of the
word "Plane", which term has been very freely used, and very poorly
explained, in many recent works upon the subject of occultism. The
question is generally about as follows: "Is a Plane a place having
dimensions, or is it merely a condition or state?" We answer: "No, not a
place, nor ordinary dimension of space; and yet more than a state or
condition. It may be considered as a state or condition, and yet the
state or condition is a degree of dimension, in a scale subject to
measurement." Somewhat paradoxical, is it not? But let us examine the
matter. A "dimension," you know, is "a measure in a straight line,
relating to measure," etc. The ordinary dimensions of space are length,
breadth, and height, or perhaps length, breadth, height, thickness or
circumference. But there is another dimension of "created things" or
"measure in a straight line," known to occultists, and to scientists as