Tattvas and the development of the embryo
Last Friday, Martin Kirk was giving his anatomy workshop on the spine. He briefly took us through the fascinating creation story of how an embryo develops. The telling was fluid, poetic and spiritual. As I was listening to him talk about how one cell starts to divide and become many, I kept thinking about the Tattvas. I raised my hand and said that the development of the embryo seemed incredibly similar to the Tattvas. He very generously told me to write something about it and send it to him. So here is a really rough draft of what I wrote...
In Tantric philosophy the Tattvas are the principles of existence. The Tattvas (literally "that-ness") are a map that show how the universe organizes itself. The top 5 Tattvas describe the Absolute Realm: Siva (pure being), Sakti (creative power of becoming), Sadashiva/Iccha (Divine Will), Ishvara/Jnana (Divine Knowledge) and Shuddavidya/Kriya (Divine Action).
There is the one cell (Siva), who out of its own desire and freedom to experience life chooses to attain the universe. So it divides and starts the dance of creation (Sakti). The One becomes the Many.
This growing clump of cells folds back inwards. Sutra 2 of the Pratyabhijna-hrdayam states, "By the power of her own will, She (Consciousness) unfolds the universe upon a part of herself." The microcosm is the macrocosm. Just like the universe, the blastula reorganizes itself into a trilaminar ("three-layered") structure known as the gastrula. Each one of these three layers -the endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm- ends up becoming specific tissues and organs in the developing embryo. Iccha, Jnana and Kriya correlate to the three layers of the gastrula.
Iccha Tattva has to do with fullness of the heart and being. The Ectoderm is the layer that becomes our Central Nervous System and our skin, which allow us to be in this body.
Jnana Tattva has to do with knowing. The Endoderm is the layer which produces our internal organs which help us know, assimilate and understand our world.
Kriya Tattva has to do with action and expression of what is. The Mesoderm is the layer that gives rise to our skeletal muscles, our bones, and our connective tissues. All those parts that helps us act.
In the map of the Tattvas, right underneath the Absolute realm comes the zone of differentiation. This is Maya. Maya is the veiled power of the Absolute which allows for difference and multiplicity. Just about now in the development of the embryo the Notocord starts to form. Cells migrate to it, surrounding it. This is the moment where suddenly cells know exactly where they need to go and proceed to divide and organize.
There is a grand, pulsating intelligence of goodness which permeates our universe. The same energy that creates and becomes the planets, also creates and becomes our first cell. The Tattvas are experienced in the tiniest cell, in a grain of sand, in the Milky Way.
Wow! What thought went into this correlation. I'm sure Martin will be impressed and I'll be curious about his reaction -- keep us posted.
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Maria, this is BRILLIANT. Congratulations on your amazing insight and poetic expression of it. I loved reading this and will share with my students!
Love!
Emma Magenta
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Oh gosh, thank you so much!!!
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