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.



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