Section 8

The astral plane may be reached in sleep or in trance, natural or induced, #.e., in any case in which the body is reduced to a condition of lethargy. It is in trance that it can best be studied, and here our inquirer will soon - find proof that consciousness can work apart from the’ physical organism, unfettered by the laws that bind it while it works on the physical plane, Clairvoyance and
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clairaudience are among the most interesting of the phenomena that here lie open for investigation.
It is not necessary here to give a large number of cases of clairvoyance, for I am supposing that the in- quirer intends to study for himself. But I may mention the case of Jane Ryder, observed by Dr. Belden, her medical attendant, a girl who could read and write with her eyes carefully covered with wads of cotton wool, coming down to the middle of the cheek (Isis Revelata, vol. i., p. 37); of a clairvoyant observed by Schelling, who announced the death of a relative at a distance of 150 leagues, and stated that the letter containing the news of the death was on its way (tbid., vol. il., pp. 89-92); of Madame Lagandré, who diagnosed the inter- nal state of her mother, giving a description that was proved to be correct by the post-mortem examination (Somnolism and Psychism, Dr. Haddock, pp. 54-56); of Emma, Dr. Haddock’s somnambule, who constantly diagnosed diseases for him (#7d., chap. vii.). Speaking generally, the clairvoyant can see and describe events which are taking place at a distance, or under circum- stances that render physical sight impossible. How 1s this done2 The facts are beyond dispute. They require explanation. We say that consciousness can work through senses other than the physical, senses unfettered by the limitations of space which exist for our bodily senses, and cannot by them be transcended. Those who deny the possibility of such working on what we call the astral plane should at least endeavour to present a hypo- thesis more reasonable than ours. Facts are stubborn things, and we have here a mass of facts proving the existence of conscious activity on a superphysical plane, of sight without eyes, hearing without ears, obtaining knowledge without physical apparatus. In default of any
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other explanation, the Theosophical hypothesis holds the field.
There is another class of facts: that of etheric and astral appearances, whether of living or dead persons, wraiths, apparitions, doubles, ghosts, etc., etc. Of course the omniscient person of the end of the nineteenth cen- tury will sniff with lofty disdain at the mention of such silly superstitions. But sniffs do not abolish facts, and it is a question of evidence. The weight of evidence is enormously on the side of such appearances, and in all ages of the world human testimony has borne witness to their reality. The inquirer whose demand for proof I have in view may well set to work to gather first-hand evidence on this head. Of course if he is afraid of being laughed at he had better leave the matter alone, but if he is robust enough to face the ridicule of the superior person he will be amazed at the evidence which he will collect from persons who have themselves come into con- tact with astral forms. “ TIllusions! hallucinations!” the superior persons will say. But calling names settles nothing. Illusions to which the vast majority of the human race bears witness are at least worthy of study, if human testimony is to be taken as of any worth. There must be something which gives rise to this unan- imity of testimony in all ages of the world, testimony - which is found to-day among civilized people, amid rail- ways and electric lights, as well as among barbarous races.
The testimony of millions of Spiritualists to the reality _ of etheric and astral forms cannot be left out of con- sideration. When all cases of fraud and imposture are discounted there remain phenomena that cannot be dis- missed as fraudulent, and that can be examined by any persons who care to give time and trouble to the investi- © gation, There is no necessity to employ a professional
jis
medium ; a few friends, well known to each other, can carry on their search together; and it is not too much to say that any half-dozen persons, with a little patience -and perseverance, may convince themselves of the exist- ence of forces and of intelligences other than those of the physical plane. There is danger in this research to any emotional, nervous, and easily influenced natures, and it is well not to carry the investigations too far, for the reasons given on previous pages. But there is no readier way of breaking down the unbelief in the exist- ence of anything outside the physical plane than trying a few experiments, and it is worth while to run some risk in order to effect this breaking down.
These are but hints as to lines that the inquirer may follow, so as to convince himself that there is a state of consciousness such as we label “astral.” When he has collected evidence enough to make such a state probable to him, it will be time for him to be put in the way of serious study. For real investigation of the astral plane the student must develop in himself the necessary senses, and to make his knowledge available while he is in the body he must learn to transfer his consciousness to the astral plane without losing grip of the physical organism, so that he may impress on the physical brain the knowledge acquired during his astral voyagings. But for this he will need to be not a mere inquirer but a student, and he will require the aid and guidance of a teacher. As to the finding of that teacher, “ when the pupil is ready the teacher is always theres
Further proofs of the existence of the astral plane are, at the present time, most easily found in the study of mesmeric and hypnotic phenomena. And here, ere passing to these, I am bound to put in a word of warning. The use of mesmerism and hypnotism is surrounded
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by danger. The publicity which attends on all scien- tific discoveries in the West has scattered broadcast knowledge which places within the reach-of the crimin- ally-disposed powers of the most terrible character, which may be used for the most damnable purposes. No good man or woman will use these powers, if he- finds that he possesses them, save when he utilizes them purely for human service, without personal end in view, and when he is very sure that he is not by their means usurping control over the will and the actions of another human being. _Unhappily the use of these forces is as open to the bad as to the good, and they may be, and are being, used to most nefarious ends. In view of these new dangers menacing individuals and society, each will do well to strengthen the habits of self-control and of concentration of thought and will, so as to encourage the positive mental attitude as opposed to the negative, and thus to oppose a sustained resistance to all influ- ences coming from without. Our loose habits of thought, our lack of distinct and conscious purpose, lay us open to the attacks of the evil-minded hypnotizer, and that this is a real, not a fancied, danger has been already proved by cases that have brought the victims within the grasp of the criminal law. It may be hoped that ere long such hypnotic malpractices may be brought within the criminal code.
While thus in the attitude of caution and of self-de- fence, we may yet wisely study the experiments made public to the world, in our search for preliminary proofs of the existence of the astral plane. For here Western science is on the very verge of discovering some of those “powers ”’ of which Theosophists have said so much, and we have the right to use in justification of our teachings all the facts with which that science may supply us.
_—
ag
Now, one of the most important classes of these facts is that of thoughts rendered visible as forms. A hypno- tized person, after being awakened from trance and being apparently in normal possession of his senses, can be made to see any form conceived by the hypnotizer. No word need be spoken, no touch given; it suffices that the hypnotizer should clearly image to himself some idea, and that idea becomes a visible and tangible object to the person under his control. This experiment may be tried in various ways; while the patient is in trance, “suggestion”? may be used; that is, the operator may tell him that a bird is on his knee, and on awaking from the trance he will see the bird and will stroke it (Etudes Cliniques sur la Grande Hystérie, Richer, p. 645); or that he has a lampshade between his hands, and on awaking he will press his hands against it, feeling resistance in the empty air (Animal Magnetism, translated from Binet and Féré, p. 213); scores of these experiments may be read in Richer or in Binet and Féré. Similar results may be effected without “ suggestion,’ by pure concentration of the thought; I have seen a patient thus made to remove a ring from a person’s finger, without word spoken or touch passing between hypnotizer and hypnotized.
The literature of mesmerism and hypnotism in English, French, and German is now very extensive, and it is open to every one. There may be sought the evidence of this creation of forms by thought and will, forms which, ox the astral plane, are real and objective. Mesmerism and hypnotism set the intelligence free on this plane, and it works thereon without the hindrances normally imposed by the physical apparatus; it can see and hear on that plane, and sees thoughts as things. Here, again, for real study, it is necessary to learn how thus to transfer the consciousness while retaining hold of the physical
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organism; but for preliminary inquiry it suffices to study others whose consciousness 1s artificially liberated without their own volition. This reality of thought-images on a superphysical plane is a fact of the very highest import- ance, especially in its bearing on reincarnation; but it is enough here to point to it as one of the facts which go to show the prima facie probability of the existence of such a plane.
Another class of facts deserving study is that which in- cludes the phenomena of thought-transference, and here we reach the lower levels of the mental, or manasic, plane. The Transactions of the Psychical Research Society contain a large number of interesting experiments on this subject, and the possibility of the transference of thought from brain to brain without the use of words, or of any means of ordinary physical communication, ison the verge of general acceptance. Any two persons, gifted with patience, may convince themselves of this possibility, if they care to devote to the effort sufficient time and perseverance. Let them agree to give, say, ten minutes daily to their experiment, and, fixing on a time, Jet each shut himself up alone, secure from interruption of any kind. Let one be the thought-projector, the other the thought-receiver, and it is safer to alternate these positions, in order to avoid the risk of one becoming permanently abnormally passive. Let the thought-projector concentrate himself on a definite thought and will to impress it on his friend ; no other idea than the one must enter his mind; his thought must be concentrated on the one thing, “one- pointed” in the graphic language of Patanjali. The thought-receiver, on the other hand, must render his mind a blank, and must merely note the thoughts that drift into it. These he should put down as they appear, — his only care being to remain passive, to reject nothing,
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to encourage nothing. The thought-projector, on his side, should keep a record of the idea he tries to send, and at the end of six months the two records should be compared. Unless the persons are abnormally deficient in thought and will, some power of communication will by that time have been established between them; and if they are at all psychic they will probably also have de- veloped the power of seeing each other in the astral light.
It may be objected that such an experiment would be wearisome and monotonous. Granted. All first-hand investigations into natural laws and forces are wearisome and monotonous. That is why nearly every one prefers second-hand to first-hand knowledge; the ‘“ sublime patience of the investigator” is one of the rarest of gifts. Darwin would perform an apparently trivial experiment hundreds of times to substantiate one small fact; the supersensuous domains certainly do not need for their conquest less patience and less effort than the sensuous. Impatience never yet accomplished anything in the questioning of nature, and the would-be student must, at the very outset, show the tireless perseverance which can perish but cannot relinquish its hold.
Finally, let me advise the inquirer to keep his eyes open for new discoveries, especially in the sciences of electricity, physics, and chemistry. Let him read Pro- fessor Lodge’s address to the British Association at Cardiff in the autumn of 1891 and Professor Crookes’ address to the Society of Electrical Engineers in London in the following November. He will there find pregnant hints of the lines along which Western science is pre- paring to advance, and he will perchance begin to feel that there may be something in H. P. Blavatsky’s statement that the Masters of Wisdom are preparing to give proofs that will substantiate the Secret Doctrine.
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THE SEVEN PLANES AND THE PRINCIPLES FUNCTIONING THEREON.
7: = e.0: x | | 5. Atma. Spirit. : a : \ Spiritual. 4. Buddhi. Spiritual Soul. | 3. Manas. Human Soul. Mental. 2. Kama. Astral or Desire-Body. Astral. 1. Prana.. Etheric Double. Dense Physical Physical Body. es:
y 833
ANOTHER DIVISION ACCORDING
PRINCIPERS:
Vir Atma.
6. Buddhi.
Principles closely interwoven during |
5. Higher Manas.
4. Lower Manas.
earth-life. Some- times called Higher Psychic Plane. 3. Kama.
2. Prana. Etheric Dosti
1. Dense Physical Body.
LOLs
Spiritual.
» Mental. |
| | |
Astral.
| if
| ‘physical
54 ANOTHER DIVISION, ALSO ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLES.
7 Atma | Spiritual. 6. Buddhi | | 5. Manas. | Mental. | 4. Kama. | Astral. | | 3. Prana.
2. Etheric Double. - Physical.
1. Dense Physical Body.
i |
These two latter divisions are matters of convenience in classification. The first diagram gives the planes themselves as they exist in nature.
PeBOSOPHIC AL SOCIETY:
SATYANNASTI THERE IS NO
RELIGION
PARO DHARMAH 2
gy & HIGHER THAN TRUTH.
*ELiG1oN wir OBJECTS. To form a nucleus of the universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour. To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science.
To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent
in man.
Any person desiring information as to the Theosophical Society
is invited to communicate with any one of the following General
- Secretaries :
America: Alexander Fullerton; New York, 7, West Eighth Street,
Britain: Bertram Keightley, M.A.; London, 28, Albemarle Street, W.
Inpia: Upendra Nath Basu, B.A., LL.B.; Benares, N.W.P.
Soanpinavia; Arvid Knés; Sweden, Engelbrechtsgatan 7, Stock- holm.
AusrraLtia: H. A. Wilson; Sydney, N.S,W., 42, Margaret Street.
New ZEALAND: C: W. Sanders; Auckland, Strand Arcade, Queen
Street. 85
86 HoL_iann; W° B. Fricke; Amsterdam, 76, Amsteldijk. France: Dr. Th. Pascal; Paris, 59, Avenue de la Bourdonnais, IraLy ; ‘‘Societa Teosofica”; Rome, 70, Via di Pietra.
GERMANY: Dr. Rudolph Steiner; 95, Kaiserallee, Friedenanu, Berlin.
THE THEOSOPHICAL SOcIETY is composed of students, belonging to any religion in the world or to none, who are united by their approval of the above objects, by their wish to remove religious antagonisms and to draw together men of good-will whatsoever their religious opinions, and by their desire to study religious truths and to share the results of their studies with others. Their bond of union is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. They hold that Truth should be sought by study, by reflection, by purity of life, by devotion to high ideals, and they regard Truth asa prize to be striven for, not as a dogma to be imposed by authority. They consider that belief should be the result of individual study or intuition, and not its antecedent, and should rest on knowledge, not on assertion. They extend tolerance to all, even to the intolerant, not as a privilege they bestow, but as a duty they perform, and they seek to remove ignorance, not to punish it. They see every religion as an expression of the Divine Wispom, and prefer its study to its con- demnation, and its practice to proselytism. Peace is their watch- word, as Truth is their aim.
TueEOosopny is the body of truths which forms the basis of all religions, and which cannot be claimed as the exclusive possession of any. It offers a philosophy which renders life intelligible, and which demonstrates the justice and the love which guide its evolu- tion It puts death in its rightful place, as a recurring incident in
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an endless life, opening the gateway of a fuller and more radiant existence. It restores to the world the science of the spirit, teach- ing man to know the spirit as himself, and the mind and body as his servants. It illuminates the scriptures and doctrines of religions by unveiling their hidden meanings, and thus justifying them at the bar of intelligence, as they are ever justified in the eyes of intuition.