The first energy of creation beyond the divine Chit-Ananda is "Ishvara-Tattwa", which emanates Sad-Vidya or the "Holy spirit" of the christian bible, the kabbalistic "flash" of the Sephiroth, the Paramatma-Purusha.

Kashmir-Shivaism knows thirty-six principles or Tattwas which are divided into three majorgroups which go by the name of Chit, Chit-achit and Achit or pure, pure-impure and impure.
1. The first group includes the first five principles namely, Shiva, Shakti, Sadashiva, Ishvara(with the Param-Atma) and Sadvidya, which contains the Atman.
2. The second group contains the next seven principles: Maya, Kaala, Niyati, Raga, Vidya, Kalaa and Purusha.
They are the subtle characteristics of the five grosser elements.
3. The last group contains the remaining twenty-four principles namely, Prakriti, Mahat, Ahamkara, five Tanmattras, Manas, five organs of knowledge, five organs of action and five elements (mental Plane 4)

Hinduism describes this creation as the play of creation, the LILA , the interaction of Purusha and Prakriti.

The buddhic planes then came into existence with the BINDU, when the Atman interacts with the Maya-Tattwa.
This part of creation is under the control of BRAHMA (3.rd ray of forms) - from this fact comes the expression "NADA-Brahman".

Atman together with the Purusha is known as the "higher spiritual self" - a reflection of the higher trancendent divine self which is not touched by its revealed creations.

"The Atman creates illusionary forms in the Maya"(Atma-Puja), which is the lowest und unconscious force created by the Divine.

15. In its identification with the five-sheaths the immaculate Atman appears to have borrowed their qualities upon itself - like a crystal which appears to gather unto itself colour of its vicinity (blue cloth, etc.,);(Shankara - Atma Bodha 15)

There ist still a polarity because of the 5 shells around the Purusha. Therefore introspection watches the polarity of the seven main rays who are active in the lower planes too(seven rays or similar the four spiritual elements: The first ray is in unity, the second ray is in polarity, the third ray determines the forms and therefore limitations -> Shiva-Vishnu-Brahma).

The material of the buddhic plane is MAYA which has been modulated by the atmic plane, and the the Kalaa-Kanchuka is created, and so it vibrates under the influence of time(Nada,OM).

On the mental plane the influence of the "Kanchukas" causes another polarity - of buddhi and manas, the negative pole, the mental mind. Here has the influence of the SELF caused a reverse creation, an individual shell, which is the basis of the evil forces (hinduistic Asuras) in this plane.
Therefore the higher self influences the lower planes only indirectly.
It is silently behind all things but it has no influence on the lower planes as long as it only acts indirectly.

In the atmic plane and above we find the many buddha-lands which are upholded by the various buddhas.

Literature :
Adi Shankara :
Viveka Chudmani( Palladium of wisdom ) : Teachings about the SELF
Atma Bodha : Knowledge of the Self
Tattwa Bodha : The elements of creation

Weblinks :
About the Bindu
A Wiki about Atman
A Wiki about Kanchukas
Newworldencyclopedia about the Atman
Shankara : Atma-Bodha
Atma- Bodha(15)