The Astral Plane by C.W. Leadbeater

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In spite of these manifold subdivisions, there
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are certain properties which are possessed in
common by all varieties of this strange living
essence; but even these are so entirely differ-
ent from any with which we are familiar on the
physical plane that it is exceedingly difficult to
explain them to those who cannot themselves
see it in action. Let it be premised, then, that
when any portion of this essence remains for
a few moments entirely unaffected by any out-
side influence (a condition, by the way, which
is hardly ever realized) it is absolutely without
any definite form of its own, though even then
its motion is rapid and ceaseless; but on the
slightest disturbance, set up perhaps by some
passing thought-current, it flashes into a be-
wildering confusion of restless, ever-changing
shapes, which form, rush about, and disappear
with the rapidity of the bubbles on the sur-
face of boiling water. These evanescent shapes,
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though generally those of living creatures of some
sort, human or otherwise, no more express the
existence of separate entities in the essence than
do the equally changeful and multiform waves
raised in a few moments on a previously smooth
lake by a sudden squall. They seem to be mere
reflections from the vast storehouse of the as-
tral light, yet they have usually a certain ap-
propriateness to the character of the thought-
stream which calls them into existence, though
nearly always with some grotesque distortion,
some terrifying or unpleasant aspect about them.
A question naturally arises in the mind here
as to what intelligence it is that is exerted in
the selection of an appropriate shape or its dis-
tortion when selected. We are not dealing with
the more powerful and longer-lived artificial el-
emental created by a strong definite thought,
but simply with the result produced by the stream
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of half-conscious, involuntary thoughts which
the majority of mankind allow to flow idly through
their brains, so that the intelligence is obvi-
ously not derived from the mind of the thinker;
and we certainly cannot credit the elemental
essence itself, which belongs to a kingdom fur-
ther from individualization even than the min-
eral, with any sort of awakening of the manasic
quality. Yet it does possess a marvellous adapt-
ability which often seems to come very near it,
and it is no doubt this property that caused
elementals to be described in one of our early
books as the semi-intelligent creatures of the
astral light . We shall find further evidence of
this power when we come to consider the case
of the artificial class. When we read of a good
or evil elemental, it must always be either an
artificial entity or one of the many varieties of
nature spirits that is meant, for the elemen-
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tal kingdoms proper do not admit of any such
conceptions as good and evil, though there is
undoubtedly a sort of bias or tendency perme-
ating nearly all their subdivisions which oper-
ates to render them rather hostile than friendly
towards man, as every neophyte knows, for in
most cases his very first impression of the as-
tral plane is of the presence all around him
of vast hosts of Protean spectres who advance
upon him in threatening guise, but always re-
tire or dissipate harmlessly if boldly faced. It
is to this curious tendency that the distorted
or unpleasant aspect above mentioned must be
referred, and mediaeval writers tell us that man
has only himself to thank for its existence. In
the golden age before this Kaliyuga men were
on the whole less selfish and more spiritual,
and then the elementals were friendly, though
now they are no longer so because of man s in-
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difference to, and want of sympathy with, other
living beings. From the wonderful delicacy with
which the essence responds to the faintest ac-
tion of our minds or desires it seems clear that
this elemental kingdom as a whole is very much
what the collective thought of humanity makes
it. Any one who will think for a moment how
far from elevating the action of that collective
thought is likely to be at the present time will
see little reason to wonder that we reap as we
have sown, and that this essence, which has no
power of perception, but only blindly receives
and reflects what is projected upon it, should
usually exhibit unfriendly characteristics. There
can be no doubt that in later races or rounds,
when mankind as a whole has evolved to a much
higher level, the elemental kingdoms will be in-
fluenced by the changed thought which contin-
ually impinges upon them, and we shall find
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them no longer hostile, but docile and helpful,
as we are told that the animal kingdom will also
be. Whatever may have happened in the past,
it is evident that we may look forward to a very
passable golden age in the future, if we can
arrive at a time when the majority of men will
be noble and unselfish, and the forces of nature
will co-operate willingly with them.
The fact that we are so readily able to influ-
ence the elemental kingdoms at once shows us
that we have a responsibility towards them for
the manner in which we use that influence; in-
deed, when we consider the conditions under
which they exist, it is obvious that the effect
produced upon them by the thoughts and de-
sires of all intelligent creatures inhabiting the
same world with them must have been calcu-
lated upon in the scheme of our system as a
factor in their evolution. In spite of the con-
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sistent teaching of all the great religions, the
mass of mankind is still utterly regardless of its
responsibility on the thought-plane; if a man
can flatter himself that his words and deeds
have been harmless to others, he believes that
he has done all that can be required of him,
quite oblivious of the fact that he may for years
have been exercising a narrowing and debas-
ing influence on the minds of those about him,
and filling surrounding space with the unlovely
creations of a sordid mind. A still more seri-
ous aspect of this question will come before us
when we discuss the artificial elemental; but
in regard to the essence it will be sufficient to
state that we undoubtedly have the power to
accelerate or delay its evolution according to
the use which consciously or unconsciously we
are continually making of it.
It would be hopeless within the limits of such
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a treatise as this to attempt to explain the dif-
ferent uses to which the forces inherent in the
manifold varieties of this elemental essence can
be put by one who has been trained in their
management. The vast majority of magical cer-
emonies depend almost entirely upon its ma- [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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