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From Nordan Symposia
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== Origins of the concept ==
== Origins of the concept ==
The concept of planes of existence might be seen as deriving from [[shaman]]ic and traditional [[myth]]ological ideas of a vertical world-axis; for example a [[cosmic]] mountain, tree, or pole or a philosophical conception of a [[Great Chain of Being]], arranged metaphorically from [[God]] down to inanimate [[matter]].
The concept of planes of existence might be seen as deriving from [[shamans|shaman]]ic and traditional [[myth]]ological ideas of a vertical world-axis; for example a [[cosmic]] mountain, tree, or pole or a philosophical conception of a [[Great Chain of Being]], arranged metaphorically from [[God]] down to inanimate [[matter]].
However the original source of the word "plane" in this context is the late Neoplatonist [[Proclus]], who refers to ''to platos'', "breadth", which was the equivalent of the 19th century theosophical use. An example is the phrase ''en to psuchiko platei'' [Dodds, cited in Poortman, 1978, vol II, p.54].
However the original source of the word "plane" in this context is the late Neoplatonist [[Proclus]], who refers to ''to platos'', "breadth", which was the equivalent of the 19th century theosophical use. An example is the phrase ''en to psuchiko platei'' [Dodds, cited in Poortman, 1978, vol II, p.54].
