Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00116)

Monday, January 07, 2002


Many thanks Georg.

Here are some more “warnings:” These are quotes taken from
Theosophical literature:

Best wishes,

Dallas

============= QUOTES ===================



ASTRAL BODY STRUCTURE

---------------------------

Re Astral matter -- its constitution (introductory notes)


Astral Matter and electro-magnetic field of forces. It is an
analogy. In reading the current discoveries in astro-physics one
wonders if this analogy is not being seen there in regard to the
arrangements of harmony and balance between Suns and planets,
comets, meteorites, "dust" etc...

To many the answer it is GRAVITY that does this rather then
electro-magnetism on a colossal scale -- because we have a
convention in place that identifies elctro-magnetism to the
phenomena of attraction and repulsion relating to a few elements:
Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Manganese (these 4 I believe).

Other elements hardly react to intense electro-magnetic fields.
Yet when one considers the physical of elementary and sub-atomic
particles, the various separations and differences are achieved
by using electro-magnetism and highly charged beams of various
kinds that, accelerated, are made to impinge on a variety of
selected "targets" the concept of a network of such forces below
and within the physical base is not impossible but highly
probable and it is one of the hypotheses that is still current in
scientific circles.

But to continue this line of Theosophical inquiry, we ought to
further ask: what set limits and parameters to the Astral forms
that underlie the physical ? Are they pertaining to the "Pranic"
and then, below that, to the "Kamic" planes ? Where are the real
limits set ? Who, and how are they set ?

In PSYCHIC AND NOETIC ACTION (Article by H P B in LUCIFER, Oct
& Nov 1890; H P B Articles, U L T Edn., Vol. 2, p. 7;
BLAVATSKY: Collected Works (TPH) Vol. 12, p.350) makes the
distinction between atoms and molecules, placing the atoms on the
astral plane of force whereas the molecules are placed on the
physical plane of MATERIAL FORMS. (see pp 19, 21-2, 24-5,


-----------------------------------

"The inner anatomical structure should also be known.
The
ethereal body has its own currents--nerves, for want of a better
word, changes and methods of growth and action, just as the gross
body has. It is, in fact, the real body, for it seldom alters
throughout life, while the physical counterpart changes every
moment, its atoms going and coming upon the matrix or model
furnished by the ethereal body.

The inner currents emanate from their own centers and
are
constantly in motion. they are affected by thoughts and the
reflection of the body in its physiological changes. They each
act upon the other incessantly. (Every center of the inner body
has its appropriate correspondent in the physical one, which it
affects and through which it is in turn acted upon.) It is by
means of these subtle currents--called vital airs...--that
impressions are conveyed to the mind above, and though them also
are the extraordinary feats of the seance room and the Indian
Yogi accomplished.

And just as one may injure his body by ignorantly using
drugs or
physical practices, so can the finer currents and nerves of the
inner man be thrown out of adjustment if one in pride or
ignorance attempts, uninstructed, to deal with them.

The seeds of disease being located primarily in the
mind, they
begin to exhaust themselves through the agency of the inner
currents that carry the appropriate vibrations down upon the
physical plane. If left to themselves--aside from palliations
and aids in throwing them off--they pass out into the great
crucible of nature and one is free of them forever. Therefore
pain is said to be a kind friend who relieves the real man of a
load of sin." WQJ Art II 440


MIND CURRENTS IN USE


"...the moment the practices of the mind-curer are
begun, what
happens is that the hidden inner currents are violently grasped,
and, if concentration is persisted in, the downward vibrations
are thrown up and altered so as to carry back the cause to the
mind, where it is replanted with the addition of the purely
selfish desires that led to the practice. It is impossible to
destroy the cause; it must be allowed to transform itself. And
when it is replaced in the mind, it waits there until an
opportunity occurs either in this life or in the next rebirth.

In some cases the physical and psychological structures
are not
able to stand the strain, so that sometimes the return of the
downward vibrations is so great and sudden that insanity results;
in other case disease with violent characteristics sets in."
W. Q. Judge Art II 441


"...the practitioner...brings to play certain inner
forces by
virtue of his dwelling on one thing [ it is the concentration
that makes the effect, and not the philosophy ]...When one is
operating on another who is willing, the change of inner nerve
currents is brought about by sympathy, which in these cases is
the same as the phenomena so will known in physics by the name of
induction...Here is the danger again. The school of hypnotists
are teaching how to do it. The mind-curers and "metaphysicians"
are doing the same...already there are those practitioners who
deliberately practice against their opponents...instead of being
taught it ought to be warned against.

The world could get along with what disease there is,
if it only
turned its attention to high ethics and altruistic endeavor. For
after a few centuries of right living the nations would have
purged themselves nd built up a right moral building well founded
on the rocks or true philosophy, charity, and love."
WQJ Art II 441-2


ASTRAL FLUID


"The ancients taught that the astral light--Akasa--is
projected
from the eyes, the thumbs and the palms of the hands. Now as the
elementals exist in the astral light, they will be able to see
only though those avenues of human organism which are used by the
astral light in traveling from th person. The eyes are th most
convenient. So when [a] person directs his glance on any thing
or person, the astral light goes out in that glance and through
it those elementals see that which he looks upon. And so also,
if he should magnetize a person, the elementals will project
themselves from his hands and eyes upon the subject magnetized
and do it injury." WQJ Art I 130



MESMERISM EXPLAINED


"...whether there is or is not any actual fluid thrown
off by a
mesmerizer...HPB declares there is such a fluid...as a subtle
form of matter...composed in part of the astral substance around
every one, and in part of the physical atoms in a finely divided
state. By some this astral substance is called the aura. But
that word is indefinite, as there are many sorts of aura and many
degrees of its expression...This aura, then, is thrown off by the
mesmerizer upon his subject, and is received in a department of
his inner constitution, never described by any Western
experimenter because they know nothing of it. It wakes up
certain inner and non-physical divisions of the person operated
on, causing a change in the relation between the various and
numerous sheaths surrounding the inner man, and making possible
different degrees of intelligence and clairvoyance and the like.
It has no influence whatsoever on the Higher Self [Atma in its
vehicle Buddhi], which it is impossible to reach by such means."
WQJ Art I 526-7


"Many persons are deluded into supposing that the
Higher Self is
the responder, or that some spirit or what not is present, but it
is only one of the many inner persons, so to say, who is talking
or rather causing the organs of speech to do their office...the
words spoken are sometimes far above the ordinary intelligence or
power of the subject in waking state...

When the hypnotic or mesmerized state is complete--and
often
when it is partial--there is an immediate paralyzing of the power
of the body to throw its impressions, and thus modify the
conceptions of the inner being. In ordinary waking life every
one, without being able to disentangle himself, is subject to the
impressions from the whole organism; that it to say, every cell
in the body, to the most minute, has its own series of
impressions and recollections, all of which continue to impinge
on the great register, the brain, until the impression remaining
in the cell is fully exhausted. And that exhaustion takes a long
time. Further, as we are adding continually to them, the period
of disappearance of impression is indefinitely postponed. Thus
the inner person is not able to make itself felt. But, in the
right subject, those bodily impressions are by mesmerism
neutralized for a time, and at once another effect follows, which
is equivalent to cutting the general off from his army and
compelling him to seek other means of expression."
WQJ Art I 527-8


"Instead now of the brain's dealing with the sensations
of the
body, it deals with something quite different, and reports what
these inner organs see in any part of space to which they are
directed. And in place of your having waked up the Higher Self
(Atma-Buddhi), you have merely uncovered one of the many sets of
impressions and experiences of which the inner man is composed,
and who is himself a long distance from the Higher Self. These
varied pictures, thus seized from every quarter, are normally
overborne by the great roar of the physical life, which is the
sum total of possible expression of a normal being on the
physical plane whereon we move. They show themselves usually
only by glimpses when we have sudden ideas or recollections, or
in dreams when our sleeping may be crowded with fancies for which
we cannot find a basis in daily life. Yet that basis exists, and
it is always some one or other of the million small impressions
of the day passed unnoticed by the physical brain, but caught
unerringly by means of other sensoriums belonging to our astral
double. For this astral body, or double, permeates the physical
one as color does the bowl of water...it has all of these with a
surprising power and grasp. Although perhaps a mist, it can
exert under proper conditions a force equal to the viewless wind
when it levels to earth the proud constructions of puny man.

In the astral body, then, is the place to look for the
explanation of mesmerism and hypnotism. The Higher Self
(Atma-Buddhi) will explain the sudden flights we seldom make into
the realm of spirit, and is God--the Father within--who guides
His children up the long steep road to perfection. Let not the
idea of it be degraded by chaining it to the low floor of
mesmeric phenomena, which any healthy man or woman can bring
about if they will only try. The grosser the operator the
better, for thus there is more of the mesmeric force..."
W. Q. Judge Art I 528-9


-------------------------------------------


In the OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY Mr. Judge devotes Chapters 16 and 17
(about 15 pages to a review of the astral plane and the
elementals. That gives a quick survey. The others articles give
more and specific details.

Why not check out some of H P B's articles: --


H P B Articles vol. II 127 ELEMENTALS
"Lucifer" Vol. 12, p. 537, Aug.
1893

H P B Articles II 164 THOUGHTS ON THE ELEMENTALS
"Lucifer" Vol. 6, p 177, May 1890

Modern Panarion p. 146 ELEMENTARIES (and the next
article)

H P B Articles II p. 38, 194 DIALOGUES BETWEEN THE TWO EDITORS
"Lucifer"

W Q Judge Articles Vol. I CONVERSATIONS WITH H P B ON
OCCULTISM
[ see pp. 383, 390, 394, 400, 405, 413, 423, 431,
435, ] "Path"


------------------------------------------------


Hope that this proves to be of some help


Dal

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-----Original Message-----
From: Aqua-----nut
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 5:56 AM
To:
Subject: The Intermediate Zone --- ASTRAL PLANE ?




The above is some more stuff I found very informative. It
basically deals with some of the dangers the practical occultist
needs to watch out for.

I know for myself, when I first started experiencing 'things' in
occultism, I jumped to all sorts of conclusions, had all sorts of
opinions, and held on to many things that I 'knew'(then) to be
the absolute truth.

In the old teachings (the translations I have studied) of the
Zohar, Apuleius, de Villars, and even the Gita, they warn of
taking a gleam of the Truth as Truth Itself. Delusion and Pride
are the first symptoms of this error in consciousness.

Best and Brightest to you all,

Georg ---





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