The Arcane Teaching · 15 of 21

Lesson XV. Higher Astral Planes

We have now reached the point where we are called upon to consider the phases of the Astral Plane concerned with the state or condition of the disembodied entities of human beings. We call these the higher Astral Planes, only by way of contrast with the lower planes mentioned in the preceding two lessons, for some of these “higher” planes are quite low indeed as compared with the highest Astral Planes. Let us begin with the consideration of the lowest of these higher planes of the Astral, and then proceed to consider the planes higher in the scale.

In the first place, we must remember that the disembodied human soul leaves the physical in a state or condition akin to sleep. It is carried by the attraction of its nature and character to the highest plane consistent with its nature—that is, to a plane corresponding with the highest qualities existent within itself. And upon that plane it gradually awakens into the Astral life of that particular plane. The conditions of the Astral Life are so different from that of the Material Plane that it is difficult to intelligently describe it in terms of the latter. For instance, the souls on the higher planes are able to enter into conscious relationship with those on the lower planes, but those on the lower planes cannot enter into conscious relationship with those on the higher planes except through the act of those dwelling on the higher. Each plane has planes higher and lower than itself, the above law being operative in all cases. The higher plane souls have access to the lower, but the lower may not invade the higher. And this access is not in the nature of a physical visit from the higher to the lower, but is in the nature of a psychic consciousness, akin to Clairvoyance, in which the soul, while remaining on its own plane, still seems to have traveled to the others, there to converse with other souls on these planes. The soul itself, unless very advanced, does not realize the nature of the connection but thinks that it actually travels to the scene of the lower planes. The analogy of Clairvoyance on the Material Plane will give you the idea of the process.

When a soul awakens on its own plane of the Astral, it finds it difficult to realize that it is not alive in the flesh, and often much time is required before it realizes its true condition. Then it begins to manifest an interest in its surroundings, and pays many visits on its own and other planes (in the manner before mentioned) renewing old acquaintances and relationships, and manifesting the activities quite natural for a human being under such circumstances. But sooner or later this life begins to pall upon it, and it passes into the Idealistic State, which we shall describe a little further on. Enough for the moment to say that in the Idealistic State the soul begins to manifest its ideals—the things it has hoped for, dreamed of, and longed for in its earth‑life. The greater the idealistic quality of the soul, the greater the extent and range of its Idealistic State. But before considering this interesting phase of Astral Life, let us see what happens on the lower planes, to those who have but few ideals, and those of a most material nature.

On the very lowest of these planes of the Astral we find the “earth bound” entities, or souls, of many degrees. These are the souls of those who are so material in their tastes, habits and trend of thought and desire that they can never rise to the higher states and conditions of the Astral. They stay close to the earth, mingling unseen in the scenes which they so loved during their life in the body, and yet being unable to actually participate in the carnal manifestations, unless, indeed, some particularly attractive dweller in the flesh opens his physical organism to the obsession of some affinitive and congenial companion of the lower Astral Planes and allows the entity to manifest through his physical body. These entities are found in great numbers in the astral atmosphere of low resorts, and similar places, where they poison the psychic atmosphere to such an extent that their presence may be felt, and often seen by sensitive persons who happen to visit such places. We may add as a caution to those who are fond of dabbling in the psychic process of Evocation, that it is largely from this class of entities that many of the “spirits” appearing at seances are drawn. It is this class of entities who so often impersonate your disembodied friends and relatives, and whose sneers and ribaldry are scarcely concealed behind the loving messages and “spirit wisdom” which they pass on to the wondering mortal in the flesh who would not dream of associating with their kind in earth life.

The life of these entities on the Astral Plane is not long. They find but little pleasure, and much torment, in life apart from the physical, for their desires are altogether along physical lines. They are filled with dissatisfaction, ennui, and weariness. As a writer has said: “The disembodied learn that the Hades of Immortality is the lack of a physical body.” Their dissatisfaction soon sets into operation the desire to be relieved of the burden, and the “Will‑not‑to Live” manifests itself. They drop into a dream‑state, or somnambulistic condition, in which they dream out their desires and tastes to the end— until they have exhausted every mental longing within their nature. There being nothing left of them, when these mental states have been lived out, they weaken and pass into unconsciousness, which is followed by death on the Astral with consequent disintegration and annihilation as entities. Their dream state is, in a way, their Idealistic State—all the Idealistic State they are capable of, at any rate. This is not in any way a punishment—merely a natural consequent of their nature. As the old saying goes: “One cannot make a silk‑purse out of a sow’s ear.” Nor can one get more than a pint out of a pint measure. Desire is the cause of their life, and of their death. Balance is manifested and preserved. Water cannot rise above the level of its own source. These entities receive “their own,” as much as do those on the higher planes. There is no injustice manifested here.

Rising in the scale we find souls who while attached to material things nevertheless have had ideals during their life—things for which they had hoped, and dreamt, prayed and longed. As the scale advances we find that the nature of the ideals advance from lower to higher—but the principle is the same. And for the lowest to the highest of these ideal degrees, the Astral Life contains that peculiar and wonderful condition or state known as the “Idealistic State.” And this Idealistic State is the real Astral Life of the soul, into which it enters after it has tired of the conditions it finds at first on the Astral Plane. It is composed of a condition or state, or series of such conditions or states, in which it lives out in vivid imagination, or realistic dream‑like states all of its unrealized personal ideals, hopes, expectations, desires, ambitions, aspirations, longings, and inclinations of its nature.

It may be objected to that this is but a state of illusion or delusion, and not a reality. But it must be remembered that even on the Material Plane: “Dreams are true while they last.” On the Astral Plane, in the Idealistic State, these dreams exceed in vividness and reality anything that the embodied mortal ever experiences. So far as the soul is concerned the experiences through which it lives in the Idealistic State are just as real as anything that it ever experienced in physical life. Every element of reality is there. And there is a reality about it that all advanced occultists recognize. At the last, one’s experiences in physical life may be resolved to a “series of mental states”—and what less than this does the Astral dreamer experience? And what more than a Dream, after all is the experience of the earth‑life of three‑score‑and‑ten of the average person? “Like dreams they come, like dreams they go.” In its way, and on its plane, the Idealistic State is just as real as the physical life.

In this Idealistic State, the dreaming soul lives out countless lives, of infinite variety. Just as in an ordinary dream, Time is annihilated and one may live out a lifetime in the space of a second, so in the Idealistic State the soul lives out centuries of experiences in a moment. To all intents and purposes, the soul—every soul in fact—lives an Eternity in the Idealistic State, although the entire experience may occur in a few years (as we know time). Time is measured only by “happenings,” and the happenings of an Eternity may be crowded into a very short space of ordinary time, in the Idealistic State. Every possibility within its personality is lived out, outlived, and exhausted in interest, in the Idealistic State. Just as in the moment of physical death, the soul sees as in a flash its entire earth‑life in one great panorama—past and present being at once—so in the Idealistic State the soul lives out every personal desire, aim, aspiration, hope, ambition, longing, and wish, in an infinite series of states or lives. It realizes every personal ideal inherent within it, to the utmost. Its fullest personal Heart’s Desire is attained. There is no unsatisfied personal longing, or unrealized ideal, left at the end of the Idealistic State of the soul on the Astral Plane. Think what this means, please. Think what it must mean to live out to the full “The Might Have Been,” which is in the life of every human being. Think what it must mean to manifest one’s love to the utmost—to have every wish granted—every ambition satisfied. Think what it must be to live out one’s life as one wishes it had been lived— with all the mistakes corrected, all the errors remedied, all the problems solved, all the atonements made, all the injustices rectified. The Idealistic State is the living over of your life As You Wish It Could Have Been. Nay, more, living it over countless times, each variation bringing out some new point and feature of unrealized ideals, desires, and wishes! It is a state in which the verse of Kipling comes true: “And only the Master shall praise us, And only the Master shall blame; And no one shall work for money, And no one shall work for fame; But each for the joy of the working, And each in his separate star, Shall draw the Thing as he sees it For the God of Things as They are!”

But it is only a dream, you say. Nay, more than a dream as you understand the term. A dream it is, but a dream so real that naught but Omniscience could distinguish the difference. A dream so real that it equals the thing that we call Life, in every element of reality. In the end, one is as Real as the other—Earth Life and the Astral Idealistic State. And, also, in the end, one is as Unreal as the other.

But not only are the high personal desires, aspirations and ideals so lived out in the Idealistic State. The low personal desires, aspirations and ideals are also passed through this threshing‑mill of the Idealistic State. One lives out to the utmost, in some of the series of these dream‑lives, all the possibilities of his nature or character—good and bad alike. In fact, the lowest desires and ideals are the first to manifest, and the first to die out and be lived out. To those who have no others, the end then comes. But to those who have higher ideals and desires mingled with the lower, there then comes a stage of living out the higher part of their nature. And as time passes, the soul rises far above all the dross and grossness of its nature, and lives in the higher regions of itself—enjoying to the fullest the satisfaction which comes only from those higher states. But, the soul must possess the higher in order to manifest it. Unless the higher be involved within the soul, it cannot be evolved. What does not exist cannot be manifested.

While in this Idealistic State, the soul may be attracted by those on earth who are related to it by the old ties or affection or interest, and in such case it may manifest by communications. But these communications can contain only that which the soul knows and experiences at the time. It merely reports what it is experiencing—merely its own personal experiences of the Idealistic State. And even this it reports in a dazed, dreamy fashion. Thus the devout Christian soul will report that it is dwelling in a Heaven of orthodox surroundings—the golden streets, harps, and milk and honey being described in detail. A good Catholic soul will report a Catholic Heaven, with all the saints present; while a good Baptist soul will report a Heaven along strictly Baptist lines—close communion, and only immersed souls being in evidence. A Moslem will describe himself as enjoying all the delights of the Heaven promised by Mohammed. And the soul of the Unbeliever will inform you that “there is nothing in this Heaven business at all”; and that the “after life” is merely a life among congenial companions, thinking along the same lines as himself; and that he is of the opinion that the church people have perished, instead of having gained immortality. And so on, each “painting the Thing as he sees it” as the world of “Things as They Are.” And each is telling the Truth, as he sees it, from his own viewpoint. Strange, but true!

Those who complain of the absence of the qualities of Heaven and Hell in this Idealistic State have not thought deeply enough regarding it. In the attainment of the highest ideals and aspirations, there is contained all that men have pictured as the joys of Heaven—and infinitely more. And in the living out of the consequences of evil desire and low ideals, and all that goes with this state, there is all that the most fervent Calvinist could wish for in a Hell—and infinitely more.

But, remember always, that the Heaven and Hell of the Idealistic State is not a punishment or reward bestowed for good or evil deeds—it is but the working out of Cause and Effect—the fullest manifestation of Desire and one’s Character. And, in the adjustment acts restrained by Fear equal Acts performed. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” in the Idealistic State. In the working out of Cause and Effect in the Idealistic State of the Astral, it is indeed true that: “He who hates is an assassin; he who covets is a thief; he who lusts is an adulterer; that the gist of a crime is the desire behind it.” This Idealistic State of the Astral Plane is not Fate, not Providence, not Destiny, not Reward and Punishment—it is but the operation of natural laws of Cause and Effect, Orderly Trend, and Logical Sequence, on the Astral Plane. “From one, know All.”

And, in the working out of the Idealistic State of the Astral, the most unpleasant experiences are lived through first, and then the higher ideals begin to manifest themselves—the soul rising to higher and still higher flights, until at last it reaches the highest degree possible to it by reason of its constitution, nature and character. And in that Life, if it be prepared to receive it, it may receive instruction from Beings higher in the scale, as well as from the more evolved souls of our own race who are attracted to it by reason of its desires and ideals. Many a soul has received the help which led it to Individuality, in this Idealistic State. Many an Individual soul has so received instruction which led to better conditions for growth in the next incarnation. “When the pupil is ready, the Master appears” on the Astral Plane as on the Material Plane. If you possess the seed of the ideal, the blossom and the fruit will surely be yours.

When the impulses arising from the personal desires, aspirations, and ideals of the soul have expended themselves fully, and the “personality” of the soul has been “lived out and outlived” in the process—when there remain no further impulses of personality to exert themselves in the Idealistic State—then the soul finds that it “has nothing more to live for” along the lines of personality. It feels aged, tired and weary, and the desire for rest creeps over it, and it gradually sinks into a dreamless sleep, which ends in the Death of the Personality. If Egohood has not been attained by the soul, then it never awakens into a new life, for Personality being all that it possesses, and all personality being expended and exhausted, then there is nothing left to persist in new birth. But if Egohood has been attained, and the soul realizes that it is more than the “Me” of itself, then when the “Me” dies away, the “I” finds itself still existent and filled with the impulse of the Will‑to‑Live of the Cosmic Will, which urges it forward to re‑birth in new bodies, to seek further and more advanced experience. Even in this case the soul falls into the deep Astral sleep, but awakens therefrom when it is reborn into a new body, under circumstances and environments in accordance with the Law of Attraction resulting from the essence of the past life, the latter inhering to it. The Ego then will be free from its lived‑out desires and will no longer be hampered by them. It will be attracted toward new scenes and fields of activity. In its new body it will have to combat the inherited impulses and desires of its new “Me,” but it will always feel its superiority to the latter, and will feel the ability to stand aside and look at its personality.

The advanced Ego, in time, reaches the stage of conscious re‑birth, in which the Ideal Life is consciously continuous with the old life, and which is consciously followed by the new birth. We have spoken of these things in our lesson on “Survival of the Fittest,” which you should now re‑read in the light of the present lesson.

There are many planes of the Astral much higher than even these which we have described, but a description of them would be impossible except to highly advanced occultists. Some of these higher Astral Planes transcend the imagination of the average person leading the personal life today, on earth. And yet, over and above the entire Astral Plane, there is the great Spiritual Plane, which we would lack words to even faintly designate. And yet, even these exalted Planes await your coming, O Neophyte, whose feet are now well set upon The Path! Part VI. Occult Forces. Lesson XVI. Psychic Phenomena. Lesson XVII. Mentalism. Lesson XVIII. Invocation and Evocation.