Climbing the Spiraling Circle of Existence

Briefly, there were many universal cycles preceding this one in which we are living. They were consummated, completed and their traces obliterated. The divine and creative purpose in them was the evolution of spiritual man, just as it is in this cycle. The circle of existence is the same circle; it returns.

(Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace: 219)

In one of His talks at table ‘Abdu’l-Baha stated: “The Theosophists believe that man on the arc of ascent [i.e. the circle of existence] will return many times until he reaches the Supreme Center; in that condition matter becomes a clear mirror, the light of the spirit will shine upon it with its full power, and essential perfection will be acquired. Now, this is an established and deep theological proposition, that the material worlds are terminated at the end of the arc of descent, and that the condition of man is at the end of the arc of descent, and at the beginning of the arc of ascent, which is opposite to the Supreme Center. Also, from the beginning to the end of the arc of ascent, there are numerous spiritual degrees. The arc of descent is called beginning, [literally “bringing forth”] and that of ascent is called progress.[literally “producing something new” ] The arc of descent ends in materialities, and the arc of ascent ends in spiritualities. The point of the compass in describing a circle makes no retrograde motion, for this would be contrary to the natural movement and the divine order; otherwise, the symmetry of the circle would be spoiled.” (Some Answered Questions: 285-286)

Now, when ‘Abdu’l-Baha says that the “circle of existence is the same; it returns”, and the Theosophists say that a human being “returns many times until he reaches the Supreme Center” a difference in meaning about “return” exists. First, return has nothing to do with either the endless repetition of natural cycles or the reincarnation of the human soul, as many believe. The circle returns, but as spiritual movement it is also progressive, since, as ‘Abdu’l-Baha says: There is no limitation to the spirit of man, for spirit in itself is progressive”, (The Promulgation of Universal Peace: 101) and since the purpose of the return of the circle is “the evolution of spiritual man.”  Putting “return” together with “evolution” gives us the image of cycles—the same yet different.

Hence movement around the circle is more like a spiral—which can be demonstrated in three-dimensions, but not two.  The purpose is to move toward a perfect state, i.e. the “Supreme Center” which must be the highest point on the circle, otherwise “the beginning of the arc of ascent”, which is also the end of Arc of Descent, would not be “opposite to the Supreme Center”—the top of the circle in two-dimensions, the top of the spiral in three.

‘Abdu’l-Baha shows the fallacy of thinking that perfection can be achieved through the simple return of something: “If we say that this reincarnation is for acquiring perfections so that matter may become refined and delicate, and that the light of the spirit may be manifest in it with the greatest perfection, this also is mere imagination. For, even supposing we believe in this argument, still change of nature is impossible through renewal and return. The essence of imperfection, by returning, does not become the reality of perfection; complete darkness, by returning, does not become the source of light; the essence of weakness is not transformed into power and might by returning, and an earthly nature does not become a heavenly reality….Therefore, it is evident that returning and coming back to the material world does not become the cause of perfection. This theory has no proofs nor evidences; it is simply an idea. No, in reality the cause of acquiring perfections is the bounty of God.” (Some Answered Questions: 285)

From another view, the circle of existence is actually two arcs joined, moving in opposite directions to each other, one down, one up, but as one movement when fitted together as a circle.  They join because, as the little homily goes, “opposites attract.”  Too, when they knit together a magnet and field, i.e. the circle, is formed.   The Arc of Descent and the Arc of Ascent meet twice in direct connection to make the circle of existence: once at the bottom of the arc of descent, ending in materialities, which means the material world or world of being, and again at the top of the arc of ascent, which is complete knowledge of being.  It is what James Joyce calls in Finnegans Wake, “double-ends joined”.  The circular form of Finnegans Wake itself, with the last word of the last page connecting with the first word of the first page, being a literary union of the B and the E, the beginning and end which join.

The circle of existence as the union of the Arc of Descent and the Arc of Ascent also presents the progressive creation of being, (i.e. the Arc of Descent) from inward to outward, and the progressive human knowledge of being, (i.e. the Arc of Ascent) from outward to inward, ending in heavenly knowledge.

The circle as two arcs is “these two are the same, yet they are different”, another example of the principle of complementarity, not just as structure but also as process in movement, because each is in the other and moves toward its opposite and finds its realization in the other.  The Yin/Yang symbol is such an image of the structure of complementarity.  It is opposites united.

We have already discussed the two direct connections, the double joining and knitting together of the B and the E.  Spirit is joined with and is infused into matter at the end of descent, and matter unites with spirit through divine knowledge, at the end of ascent.  Traditional Christian theology, and also alchemy, believed that spirit was, through a series of descending dimensions, or emanations, imprisoned in matter, and the way to salvation lead up through the various grades of knowledge of being, often seven in number, (see Baha’u’llah’s discussion is the Seven Valleys) which progressively releases spirit from its prison—knowledge releasing in reverse order to the stages of spirit's materialization.  While descending along the Arc of Descent was progressive materialization, moving up the Arc of Ascent was progressive etherealization.  Descending was an externalization process, ascension was the internal process of progressive enlightenment. 

Let us take the image of the arcs of descent and ascent, not as a metaphor for the creation of the cosmos and humanity’s knowledge of it, but, as the opening quote states, as a metaphor for historical cycles.  Here also, as the Master says, “the circle of existence is the same circle: it returns.”  But their purpose was, again, not mindless repletion, but to progressively move humanity toward achieving a universal cycle and, having achieved this, these cycles were consummated, completed and their traces obliterated. The divine and creative purpose in them was the evolution of spiritual man.  At the center, or heart, of the dual arcs of rise and fall of civilization that form any cycle of history is the Manifestation of God for that time.  The center of the centers, (i.e. the Supreme Center) is Baha’u’llah.  The sphere of influence that He draws, i.e. the effective range of His laws, which is the entire planet, comes from the supreme power released by His Revelation, which elicits a response from all humanity, however unconscious at first.

Each circle of existence draws the boundaries of a field of life.  It has a locus, or center point, which is the highest point and the nexus of all interactions in the field, so progressive movement around the circle, while presented as a spiral upward, is actually inward toward the inmost heart.  We must always remember that, spiritually, inward is not downward, but, metaphorically, upward--it is not directional but of greater or lesser value. Hence the purpose was to reach the “Supreme Center” which is the highest state of the Self possible for that time, which is not God or His Manifestation, but the image and likeness of God within the mid-most heart of the human reality,.  One picture for all this is the wheel of life mandala which, some believe, was first painted by the Buddha Himself.  Similar mandala images were used in alchemical literature to depict the stages of their work, and Jung used mandalas as symbols for the wholeness of self.

Spiritually, moving around the circle of existence has to be an upward/inward spiraling movement since “any movement animated by love moveth from the periphery to the centre” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 197) and because, as the Master explains: “In the world of spirit there is no retrogression. The world of mortality is a world of contradictions, of opposites; motion being compulsory everything must either go forward or retreat. In the realm of spirit there is no retreat possible, all movement is bound to be towards a perfect state. ‘Progress’ is the expression of spirit in the world of matter.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks: 90)