Principalities

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6#12

Within the sacred taxonomy of the Celestial Hierarchy, the Principalities occupy the seventh rank of the ninefold angelic order, standing as the premier choir of the third and final triad.

This order initiates the lowest hierarchy, which also includes the Archangels and Angels. While the first hierarchy (Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones) is unified in its immediate proximity to the Godhead, and the second hierarchy (Dominions, Virtues, Powers) is tasked with the universal government of the cosmos, the third hierarchy is specifically designated for the direct execution of Divine Providence concerning the material world and the affairs of humanity.

As the leaders of this final triad, the Principalities serve as the celestial bridge between the abstract, universal administration of the upper spheres and the specific, localised guardianship provided by the lower orders.

They operate on a scale different from individual thoughts or desires. Unaligned with a higher good, they tend to create conflict.

Subtle Bodies

The concept of a subtle body refers to a form of existence that is neither entirely corporeal nor purely spiritual. This notion is often used in discussions concerning angels and similar beings.

Angels, for instance, do not possess physical bodies as humans do, yet they are not merely immaterial. Saint John Damascene describes angels as an incorporeal race, a type of spirit of immaterial fire, possessing rational, intelligent natures endowed with Free Will.

Unlike physical bodies, they are not extended in three dimensions and are not circumscribed by bodily form. Instead, they exist in mental, metaphysical places and are circumscribed by their assigned roles or activating principles.

Subtle bodies are fundamentally linked to meaning-making and the capacity to energise other bodies through intelligence at a distance.

Every individual possesses a subtle body, which represents how one influences the world without direct physical connection. Examples of subtle bodies in the world include:

Stories: 

A story, though written down, is not contained in its physical form. It is a coherent arrangement of intelligent points that influence people, representing action at a distance through meaning.

The Internet: 

Online interactions, such as writing posts or comments, constitute subtle influences and are an extension of one's subtle body, affecting reality without physical force.

Mind energising a body: 

The act of asking a child to fetch water, and the child complying, illustrates action at a distance through meaning and intelligence, rather than physical coercion.

Prayer: 

Practices such as the Jesus Prayer, which align physical actions (breathing, repetition) with a spiritual aim (making the prayer enter the heart), demonstrate the interplay between the physical and subtle aspects of being.

Higher levels of angels, being more subtle, do not act directly on humans but manage other patterns and lower angels through intelligent means. These other levels can be considered the bodies of higher beings, even if they are not corporeal.

Manifestation and Embodiment

Everything that exists functions as both an agent and a body; it acts upon the world and is simultaneously a body for other entities. Humans serve as bodies for various higher identities such as their family, the state, cities, causes, and political ideologies.

A city serves as a comprehensive example of a principality possessing a body and consciousness. A city indeed has a physical body, albeit one that is larger and less immediately perceivable than a human body. Its intelligence is not confined to its individual parts but manifests through them.

The perception within a city flows upwards through its hierarchy—citizens perceive issues, communicate them to employees, who then relay them up the chain of command. Decisions then flow downwards, affecting the city's physical reality, such as fixing a broken swing.

This process is analogous to a human body reacting to pain, where a sensation (like a stubbed toe) is perceived by a part, communicated to the central consciousness, and a decision is made to address it. Failure to address such issues can lead to internal breakdown, just as a city's neglect of its citizens' complaints can lead to unrest.

Manifestation occurs in direct and indirect ways:

Indirect manifestation: 

A principle's will can imbue its body, leading to a natural and implicit way of being. For example, a household functions as an extension of the parents' relationship, creating implicit rules that children naturally adopt.

Direct manifestation: 

A principle can issue a direct communication or command. For instance, a parent explicitly telling a child to do chores is a direct intervention of the principle's will.

Relationship Between Cosmic and Individual Principalities

The Fractal Symbolic Structure of Reality means that just as a person contains internal "little gods" in the form of thoughts, ideas, and desires that contend for attention and resources, so too do cosmic principalities bind groups and manifest the world on a larger scale.

There exists a direct correlation between the individual's constitution and the cosmos's structure. An individual's indulgence in a passion, such as greed, actively contributes to the growth of that demon in the larger world, illustrating a reciprocal top-down and bottom-up relationship between the individual and the cosmic.

Authority, Hierarchy, and Corruption

For a city's intelligence and being to flourish, it must ultimately align itself with higher goods beyond its own immediate existence, connecting to God.

Corruption arises when the city's constituent parts act solely for their own benefit, rather than towards the common good of the city's higher identity. This leads to social fragmentation and breakdown, where projects falter, infrastructure decays, and services fail. Idolatry, in this context, is the act of prioritising one's own name or self-interest over a higher, unifying purpose, severing the connection to the source of being above.

Individuals can contribute to mending societal breakdown by embodying the ideals of the city or a higher good within their immediate surroundings. By setting oneself as a model of virtuous behaviour, one sends out ripples of transformation that others may imitate or, paradoxically, even react against, yet still be transformed.

Participation in community and functional hierarchies is crucial for spiritual development, as it helps counteract self-delusion by providing external guidance and accountability. Authority figures, such as spiritual fathers, priests, or coaches, bear a degree of responsibility for the actions of those under their authority, enabling individuals to draw upon their capacity to act effectively.

The modern world's prevalent resistance to authority is often an illusion, as authority is an inevitable aspect of reality. While seemingly promoting extreme freedom, this resistance paradoxically coincides with the rise of pervasive, absolute state power.

This creates a dichotomy where individuals feel free to rebel but are simultaneously subjected to extensive bureaucratic controls. True, traditional authority operates in a more fractal and organic manner, involving an ongoing negotiation and observation between different levels.

In such relationships, those under authority derive benefit, and the authority itself is constrained from making excessive demands; without this reciprocal relationship, authority can only be maintained through exhausting brute force. Effective authority, as seen in the best teachers, combines strictness with care and dedication, ensuring that demands are justified and beneficial for those involved.

Lack of Embodiment (Not Enough Body)

The concept of "not having enough body" describes ideas or aspirations that lack sufficient instantiation or manifestation in the world. These ideas remain "too high," unable to land or find practical expression. Examples include:

• Utopian ideals: These are often too lofty to be realised in physical reality.
• Extreme conspiracy theories: Ideas that float unconnected to verifiable reality.
• False scientific theories: These fail to find sufficient evidence or manifestation to be considered real.
• Unfulfilled personal projects: Promises to change habits (e.g., stop smoking, start exercising) or grand aspirations (e.g., becoming a novelist without undertaking necessary preparatory work) that remain lofty dreams and never materialise.

Distinction from God

It is important to understand that analogies drawn between principalities or figures like Santa Claus and God are not accurate. God transcends all words, names, and concepts.

While analogies can aid in understanding modes of consciousness and being beyond the individual, they do not imply that such entities are equivalent to God. Only God is completely unchangeable, whereas all created beings are inherently capable of change.