Tradition has it that these schools exist even today, although in our time they are not as openly professed as they were in the Classical world of the West and in other places. It is said that the fourth or Atlantean root-race was the most material of the races. They produced magnificent civilizations, as hinted by Plato in one or two of his Dialogues. As Atlantis approached its midpoint, the seeds of our present or fifth root-race began to appear, because it is from the midpoint of the previous race that springs the following race. This midpoint is sometimes termed the iron age or kali yuga, an era when life grows increasingly intense.
Time presses, and the lower and higher elements of humankind separate out.
Finally the seeds of the next race are isolated geographically, while the old race in ever diminishing numbers runs out its course. Our fifth root-race had its home in Central Asia, and in the course of thousands of years a variety of civilizations flowered there during the halcyon time of its golden, silver, and part of its bronze age. This iron age is due to last 432,000 years. In the course of time forerunners of the sixth root-race will begin to appear in increasing numbers. In contrast with our fifth root-race, where the mental principle predominates, the sixth race will unfold more of buddhi or spiritual insight.