nn1edited,ss 2edited; 1.3.1brahmacakra

Q: Please define what is meant by the five fundamental factors.

The five fundamental factors are those elements which are formed through the combination of the three gunas to formulate the manifest universe. At first there is the development of mind. Mind is very subtle, but as the extroversial flow and expression continue from the cosmic nucleus, mind becomes crudified as the static principle gains more and more dominance. Cosmic Mind becomes mutated into the etherial factor. So mind is there - Cosmic Mind - and it has several stages of development as it becomes more and more expressed. Then it becomes mutated into etherial factor due to the change in the wavelength produced by the continuing development of rajasic and tamasic factors. So as these operative principles continue to exert greater and greater influence, and the sentient principle begins to exert less and less influence, first there is the etherial factor. Then with further crudification comes the aerial factor, and as the static principle begins to take more influence and the rajasic principle begins to become more dominant, there is the luminous factor. Now then, after this, there is the liquid factor, and as the tamasic or static principle gains further domination and becomes the dominant factor, then the solid factor is formed.

So you see, in the extroversial phase of evolution the five fundamental factors are formed as the configuration of the gunas alter. At the outward, most extroversial development, one has the material universe, and all of these factors are coming into play and the solid factor is fully manifest. Then the material universe exists in full. But life will not exist, chi will not manifest until, in the outermost play, the solid factor becomes so dominant and the tamaguna becomes so dominant upon the consciousness that it is mutated to such an extroverted state that it cannot condense any further without undergoing a certain type of abnormal reaction.

Then consciousness escapes this binding of the static principle and there is the formation of the life force. But in the extroversial phase of evolution, it is the play of these five fundamental factors. And when one is released into another, that interim period when one is released, you will get energy in the physical stratum - physical energy, atomic energy, electrical energy, all of these physically based energies. They are not the same as chi. They are based upon the alteration of the dominance of the gunas within the five fundamental factors. They are not life force, so though energy may play among the factors, still they are the components of the material universe.