The Hierarchy of Heaven and Earth: A new Diagram of Man in the Universe

This book begins with the question ‘Who am I?’ and immediately sets off in an astonishingly original direction. Why didn’t anyone before Harding think of responding to this question like this? It’s so obvious, once you see it. Harding presents a new vision of our place in the universe that uses the scientific method of looking to see what is true. It turns out that the truth about ourselves is not only true but also very good, and breathtakingly beautiful. We live in a sacred, many-layered, living universe – or rather it lives in us. Though it was completed in 1952, this book is still ahead of its time. One day it will surely be widely recognised for its greatness: its all-encompassing vision, its originality and freshness, its depth of insight, its wide-ranging knowledge, the clarity and poetry of its language, its humanity. It is a world-view not dependent on local culture or religion, but on universally verifiable facts. It is also a world-view that respects our manifest differences whilst celebrating our underlying unity – the unity not just of oneself with other individuals but with all of life, indeed with the whole universe. Harding died in 2007 aged 97, leaving behind him an impressive body of work. He was a highly creative person who was passionate about – he was in love with – this living universe and the immortal treasure that abides at its centre – at our centre. The Hierarchy of Heaven and Earth Preface by C.S.LEWIS Contents PART ONE I. The View Out and the View In II. My Knowledge of the World Outside III. Projection and Reflection PART TWO IV. The Close View V. The Close View, continued VI. The Middle View VII. The Distant View—Humanity VIII. The Distant View—Life IX. The Distant View—Earth X. The Distant View—Sun XI. The Distant View—Galaxy XII. The Whole PART THREE XIII. The Law of Hierarchical Symmetry XIV. The Organization of the Hierarchy PART FOUR XV. Here and Now: There and Then XVI. Time, Motion, and Structure XVII. The Specious Present PART FIVE XVIII. Autobiographical—The Human Phase XIX. Autobiographical—From the Human to the Vital Phase XX. Autobiographical—The Cosmic Phase XXI. Autobiographical—Life beyond Death PART SIX XXII. The New Angelology XXIII. The Three Stages of the Angels’ Descent XXIV. The Angels of Darkness Epilogue Index