The Astral Body
But, to understand the Astral Senses, one must be made acquainted with
the existence of that which Occultists know as "The Astral Body." There
is no point in the Occult Teachings better established; longer held; or
more thoroughly proven than that of the existence of the Astral Body.
This teaching of the Ancient Occultists is being corroborated by the
experiments, and investigations of the Psychic Researchers of the
pr
sent day.
The Astral Body, belonging to every person, is an exact counterpart of
the perfect physical body of the person. It is composed of fine
ethereal matter, and is usually encased in the physical body. In
ordinary cases, the detaching of the Astral Body from its physical
counterpart is accomplished only with great difficulty, but in the case
of dreams; great mental stress; and under certain conditions of occult
development, the Astral Body may become detached and sent on long
journeys, traveling at a rate of speed greater than that of light
waves. On these journeys it is always connected with the physical body
by a long filmy connecting link. If this link were to become broken,
the person would die instantly, but this is an almost unheard of
occurrence in the ordinary planes of action. The Astral Body exists a
long time after the death of the physical body, but it disintegrates in
time. It sometimes hovers around the resting place of the physical
corpse, and is mistaken for the "spirit" of the deceased person,
although really it is merely a shell or finer outer coating of the
soul. The Astral Body of a dying person is often projected to the
presence of friends and loved ones a few moments before the physical
death, the phenomenon arising from the strong desire of the dying
person to see and be seen.
The Astral Body frequently travels from its physical counterpart, in
Psychomantic phenomena, and visits scenes far distant, there sensing
what is occurring. It also leaves the body during what are known as
Psychomantic dreams; or under the influence of anaesthetics; or in some
of the deeper phases of hypnosis; when it visits strange scenes and
places, and often holds mental conversation with other Astral Bodies,
or else with disembodied entities. The jumbled and distorted
recollections of these dreams are occasioned by the brain not having
received perfect impressions transmitted to it, by reason of lack of
training, development, etc., the result being like a blurred or
distorted photographic plate.
In order to intelligently grasp the underlying principles of the
phenomena of Psychomancy, and its allied subjects, you must familiarize
yourself with the truth concerning the Astral Senses, which we have
just stated. Unless you understand and accept this truth and fact, you
will not be able to grasp the principles underlying the phenomena in
question, but will be lost in the quagmire of idle theories, and
fantastic "explanation" hazarded by investigators of psychic phenomena
who have not made themselves acquainted with the Occult Teachings which
alone give the student an intelligent key to the mysteries of the
Astral Plane.