We at first understood that it was in its third incarnation; but it is now regarded as possible that it has recently passed from its fifth to its sixth chain, which would account for its alleged disappearance; (2) that of Venus, which is in its fifth incarnation, and also therefore, has only one visible globe; (3) that of the Earth, Mars and Mercury, which has three visible planets because it is in its fourth incarnation; (4) that of Jupiter, (5) that of Saturn, (6) that of Uranus, all in their third incarnations; and (7) that of Neptune and the two unnamed planets beyond its orbit, which is in its fourth incarnation, and therefore has three physical planets as we have.
In each incarnation of a chain (commonly called a chain-period) the wave of divine Life moves seven times round the chain of seven planets, and each such movement is spoken of as a round.

The time that the life-wave stays upon each planet is known as a world-period, and in the course of a world-period there are seven great root-races.

As has been previously explained, these are subdivided into sub-races, and those again into branch-races.

For convenience of reference we may state this in tabular form: 7 Branch-Races make 1 Sub-Race 7 Sub-Races make 1 Root-Race 7 Root-Races make 1 World-Period 7 World-Periods make 1 Round 7 Rounds make 1 Chain-Period 7 Chain-Periods make 1 Scheme of Evolution 10 Schemes of Evolution make 1 Our Solar System It is clear that the fourth root-race of the fourth globe of the fourth round of a fourth chain-period would be the central point of a whole scheme of evolution, and we find ourselves at the present moment only a little past that point.

The Aryan race, to which we belong, is the fifth root-race of the fourth globe, so that the actual middle point fell in the time of the last great root-race, the Atlantean.