177. Terrestrial mankind's evolution from animal to human being is thus synonymous with the spiritualization and development of organs through which he can become experienced in a practical way in the realities and conditions of those planes of existence which lie outside the physical world and therefore cannot be seen with physical eyes or heard with physical ears. They are planes of existence, the details of which represent combinations of cosmic basic energies different from those comprising any particulars or things in the physical world. Now this kind of sensing, which is the governing one on those planes of existence, shows that the physical world is illusory, meaning that there is nothing whatsoever on the physical plane that is in actuality what it appears to be. And as all physical realities have their cause or origin on the cosmic planes (and moreover the after-effects or results brought about by these realities also fulfil a cosmic purpose), then it must be clear to a cosmic being that a cosmic existence constitutes the true and fundamental way for the experience of life - a form of existence, therefore, which terrestrial mankind cannot experience in essence until after the Great Birth, and compared with which the present life, even for the more advanced human beings, can only be likened to the life of the unborn foetus confronting that existence which will envelop it at its birth into the physical world. So, in spite of their budding spirituality, people on Earth are regarded from the cosmic world as unborn foetuses, and because of this the process which finally releases the individual's sensing ability in that world is expressed here in Livets Bog as the "Great Birth".
      Since mankind's physical existence constitutes in reality an embryo developing towards real existence, then all physical facts and details and the whole of the present-day evolution of humanity on Earth is thus an introductory process to the only true life. And everything which we have touched on in Livets Bog until now can therefore only be rightfully expressed as introductory material to that divine life, that enlightened existence which, through the following sections, we will render in a physical interpretation in order to make it comprehensible on the material plane for the guidance, support and inspiration of all human beings whose understanding, sympathy, enthusiasm and interest are developed enough to receive into their conscious minds the inflow of those energies from higher worlds.