Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00421)

>My question to you is this:  Is H.P.B.'s
>inclusion of *Breath* in the scheme an innovation on her part, or is
>*Breath* (or something equivalent) also present in original Kabalistic or
>Eastern writings that you are aware of?   (I.e., were the other versions I
>heard first simply the result of people passing along the incomplete
>saying?)

 Dear Richard,

  I am afraid that I have no clue to the exact source of the quote (but
many kabbalistic works remain untranslated). In eastern sources -
especially the upanishads - this breath is a whole science in itself. Both
in its universal form as atma and its physical form of prana. But I think
your question is related to the quote alone? Anyway it is one of the major
topics of vedantic, esoteric philosophy. Like in the quote the vedantins
are interested in the "motion of the philosophic system" - and follow the
pattern of correlations of force - rather than stay with finite tabulations
of elements/principles (which are valid only for a certain time-epoch or
certain level of evolution. If you are interested in the upanishadic ideas
of "breath", perhaps we could get back to this later (I have managed to
entangle myself in threads just now)
   Your table of correspondences is excellent (in fact more a table of
identification), breath is a common translation of prana.

In friendship,

Kim (was it dry enough  :-)