470. But the ordinary terrestrial person does not see life in such a light. He can only take in what is purely physical. He sees only the outward physical aspect of himself and his surroundings and thus obtains only a very imperfect insight into the complete nature either of himself or those surroundings. He does not recognize the common identity or kinship of all things. He considers all powers outside his own or the world of animals as "inanimate forces of Nature". So all this immeasurable Universe with its gigantic centres of power, suns and star communities, planets and other heavenly bodies seem to him merely lifeless movements, while only plant and animal powers are acceptable manifestations of life. In truth, what an extraordinary example of devotion to death rather than to life! Should the multi-myriad armies of globes and heavenly bodies, suns and sun-communities, shining and sparkling giants through millions and millions of years only have this little group of beings called "terrestrial people" as spectators? Of what importance are 2000 million souls who collectively do not constitutes a bigger manifestation of life than to be contained on a globe which, in this immeasurable ocean of forces, loses itself like a small, invisible microbe? Can it be logical that the Lord of the Universe, that is to say of all life in the Universe, is only floating around in this gigantic manifestation just for the sake of a tiny speck of dust? Isn't there in this something of megalomania when the inhabitants of a "speck of dust" believe that they alone constitute the only living beings in the world, in the whole Universe?
      But this concept is understandable and pardonable when one knows that the latent zone of "cosmic consciousness" has its domain in the very region of terrestrial man's mentality. It is inevitable in this domain which is as out of touch and as far removed as possible from sensory contact with the above-mentioned highest powers, that an individual's cosmic talents and abilities are brought to a standstill. That a being in such a condition must be supremely irreligious or materialistic and finds himself in the "winter" or "night" zone of the spiral, is naturally a matter of course.
      But just as surely as the shoots in all plant life begin to sprout again in springtime, just as surely will all the beings' shoots or abilities for cosmic life and consciousness undoubtedly also begin to burgeon again after the materialistic or "winter" condition in the spiral.