How to Get to the Seventh Heaven

Journey Through the Regions of Devachan

In anthroposophy, a spiritual philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner, the concept of Devachan represents a profound stage in the soul’s journey after death. Often compared to the Christian notion of heaven, Devachan is a spiritual realm where the soul undergoes significant growth, reflecting on its past life and preparing for its next incarnation. Steiner describes Devachan as comprising seven distinct regions, each a unique state of consciousness rather than a physical location. These regions, their importance in anthroposophy, and their connections to the astral, etheric, and mineral realms are explored below, drawing exclusively from Steiner’s works available at Rudolf Steiner Archive.

Just take a look at the first few sentences of the articles available at the Archive to see what you can read. Click on the image to access the lesson.

The Seven Regions of Devachan

Steiner’s descriptions of Devachan outline seven regions, each offering distinct spiritual experiences.

These regions are symbolic, expressed through allegories due to the limitations of human language in describing spiritual realities. As you contemplate each region, you might think about these “areas” as descriptions of experiences you might be having currently in your process of ascension. For example, some of you may already be conscious of the “eternally flowing life force” in the Oceanic Area as you already exist “in the flow” and feel the unity of all living beings.

1. Continental Area

   • Description: This region contains the archetypes of the material world, including minerals, plants, animals, and humans, but they appear as negative or shadow images. For instance, blood, which is red in the physical world, appears green, its complementary color.

   • Significance: The soul contemplates its connection to the physical world, seeing material forms as spiritual counterparts. This region bridges the physical and spiritual, allowing the soul to understand its earthly experiences in a new light.

2. Oceanic Area

   • Description: Characterized by an eternally flowing life force, referred to as "Prana," (note the typo in the chart above) this region has the color of peach blossoms. It represents the creative force that unifies all living beings.

   • Significance: The soul experiences the interconnectedness of life, recognizing the unity that underlies all living forms. This fosters a sense of spiritual harmony and collective existence.

3. Air Area (Atmosphere or Aura)

   • Description: Here, earthly emotions and feelings manifest as atmospheric phenomena. Silent longing might appear as a gentle wind, intense passions as storm winds, and battlefields as thunderstorms.

   • Significance: The soul observes its emotional experiences objectively, gaining insight into its past life’s emotional landscape. This reflection aids in emotional purification and spiritual growth.

4. Fourth Region

   • Description: This region is disconnected from the lower worlds (physical, astral, and lower Devachan). It is inhabited by spiritual beings that rule and organize the archetypes of the lower regions, exerting significant power.

   • Significance: The presence of these organizing beings highlights the hierarchical structure of the spiritual world, guiding the soul toward higher spiritual order and purpose.

5. Fifth Region

   • Description: This region contains the creative forces of archetypes, manifesting as soul-inspired germ cells ready to take diverse forms in the lower realms. These are the spiritual ideas that shape the material world.

   • Significance: The soul engages with the creative processes that give rise to physical forms, deepening its understanding of the spiritual origins of existence.

6. Sixth Region

   • Description: The harmony of the spheres is translated into spiritual language, where things express their "eternal names" through words and tones, revealing their deeper spiritual identity.

   • Significance: This region offers profound spiritual communication, allowing the soul to connect with the essence of beings and objects, enhancing its spiritual awareness.

7. Seventh Region

   • Description: The highest region, where the soul gains insight into the underlying objectives of our world. Archetypes here are germ cells for diverse forms, providing a vision of existence’s ultimate purposes.

   • Significance: As the pinnacle of Devachan, this region offers the soul a glimpse into the highest spiritual truths, aligning it with the cosmic plan and its role within it.

Can you see how letting go of material things that no longer have use or value, as I explain in Swedish Death Cleaning: Preparing Your Exit with Joy and Purpose, is a helpful practice in preparing your soul between death and life? You let go of material possessions in ways that are gentle and initiated by you so that when you enter Devachan you are not “weighted down” with ^thoughts^ of material things you left behind.

For example, you will have a much more productive time in the Air Area if you can resolve earthly emotions and feelings while you are alive, not after you’re dead. In Devachan, the soul prepares the image of its body for its next incarnation, shaping its future life based on the lessons learned in Devachan. By letting go of the density that surrounds you in this incarnation, you prepare yourself for the renewal process in Devachan. This process of reincarnation ensures continuity in spiritual growth across lifetimes.

In upcoming blogs, I will discuss how you can impact your next incarnation. Let’s not wait until we cross the threshold to prepare for our next lifetime. Let’s start today!