| When the time for transition has come to the | | | | as to the nature of the inhabitants of the realm, |
| incarnated soul--the exact moment of which is | | | | certain events such as personal objects carried on |
| determined and initiated by the Higher Self--the | | | | our astral person at that time which was suddenly |
| physical seed-atom which contains the soul-plan of | | | | amiss made us realize the common problem of |
| the Higher Self, releases certain information to the | | | | those souls living there. Those souls were stuck in |
| endocrine glands via the blood stream to stimulate | | | | purgatory because of their thieving tendencies, |
| the death process. The glands then secrete | | | | and we were there to help them realize and give |
| certain substances that Earlyne Chaney calls the | | | | up their negative habit. Bad habits and desires |
| "death hormone." This hormone then circulates | | | | follow us in the afterlife and they cause us intense |
| around the physical system releasing the | | | | suffering--the result of being unable to completely |
| immaterial aspect from the physical. The mental, | | | | satiate, gratify, or fulfill them. It is for this reason |
| astral and etheric bodies dissociate themselves | | | | that negative habits and desires should be |
| from the physical body, followed by the | | | | extinguished, or at least transmuted in the here |
| seed-atoms. The first to be affected and released | | | | and now, in the physical plane. Before entering |
| is the mental seed-atom. As it leaves the physical | | | | purgatory, a soul may be given a glimpse of the |
| body, the mental records of the soul and | | | | astral heavens so as to awaken its aspirations, its |
| consciousness goes along with it. This is in fact | | | | desires to improve its condition and soul-estate. |
| the commencement of the bardo, of which no | | | | When the soul is dissatisfied with mundane and |
| soul can avoid experiencing, even in a sudden | | | | carnal things in the lower astral and when it |
| impact of death.Once the mental seed-atom | | | | aspires for something better, it commences to |
| escapes from the physical system, the physical | | | | purify its astral body of the lower particles, and |
| body falls into a coma. Although the physical body | | | | suddenly it finds itself within a higher sphere.Souls |
| still reacts to external stimuli, there is no | | | | that are psychologically unsound or mentally and |
| registration in the consciousness of the soul | | | | emotionally disturbed are brought to healing |
| through the brain. Next to be liberated from the | | | | centers in purgatory for the restoration of |
| physical body is the astral seed-atom. With the | | | | harmony among their soul-vehicles. Souls with |
| absence of the astral seed-atom, the physical | | | | crystallized minds and are mentally imprisoned by |
| body lies inert and senseless. The departure of | | | | preconceived ideas concerning life after death are |
| the physical seed-atom marks the beginning of | | | | likewise brought to healing centers for |
| clinical death. Its disappearance from the physical | | | | de-hypnotization, or rehabilitation. Souls that led |
| body causes the dissolution and disintegration of | | | | violent lives fall into suspended animation for a |
| the physical form. In the above process no pain is | | | | lengthy period of time. This enforced |
| involved, for the absence of the mental | | | | unconsciousness is therapeutic in nature, it is a |
| seed-atom prevents any sensation to be noted in | | | | period of soul-healing. These souls are awakened |
| the consciousness. Also, the "death hormone" | | | | from time to time to determine its |
| anesthetizes the whole physical system. Any | | | | attitude--whether it feels guilt or repents of its |
| death struggle or spasms to be seen in the dying | | | | negative deeds. If not, it is once again |
| merely reflects the release of the components of | | | | tranquilized.When ignorant of the existence of the |
| the soul and the physical body's straining to | | | | higher spheres, souls in purgatory and in the hell |
| prevent its departure. As a person is about to | | | | regions are often shown, by guiding souls, of the |
| leave the physical, the astral body increases in | | | | splendour and glory of the upper regions of the |
| luminosity, even in the case of sudden deaths.All | | | | astral and mental worlds. Souls are no more |
| of the seed-atoms as they leave the physical | | | | intelligent or knowledgeable in the astral as they |
| body, are transferred to the astral form. With the | | | | were in the physical. Ignorance in the physical |
| transference of the mental seed-atom, the | | | | concerning Truth and Reality are brought along |
| consciousness of the soul gradually awakens in | | | | with them in the discarnate state. Opinions are |
| the astral state and experiences the bardo. Once | | | | maintained. Souls, therefore, see and experience |
| the bardo is undergone, the soul, the | | | | what they have learnt to believe. Such "lost souls" |
| awareness-principle in average cases, is greeted | | | | are shown the way of ascension to the higher |
| by advance beings and earth-relatives who have | | | | worlds.The astral body is plastic-like in nature and |
| prepared beforehand for the arrival of the soul. | | | | it normally reflects the nature of the soul within. |
| This we know personally having had psychic | | | | Souls with negative tendencies and evil traits |
| contacts when our dad was undergoing the dying | | | | assume forms with facial features reflective of its |
| process. The dying are often instilled peace with | | | | nature. They may take on the appearance of |
| the help of music played by the disembodied | | | | misshapen, grotesque, and monstrous forms. |
| spirits.The departure of every soul from the | | | | Conversely, souls with positive, clean, and pure |
| physical plane is known by spiritual beings, and | | | | natures take on angelic forms. The higher the |
| preparation is always made for their reception in | | | | quality and nature of the soul, the more beautiful |
| the astral world. Even while journeying in the | | | | and scintillating its appearance. Even the clothings |
| bardo the soul is often aided by spiritual guides. | | | | worn by souls reflects the inner state. Referring |
| Divine guides in the higher planes helping the newly | | | | to this principle Swedenborg declares:". . . all the |
| dead is a common belief among ancient | | | | interior affections appear and shine forth from |
| Egyptians.When the physical seed-atom leaves the | | | | the face." (1958:22)He also relates the mystery of |
| physical form and transfers itself to the astral | | | | soul-appearance of evil persons:". . . and wonderful |
| body, the sutratma, the silver cord, snaps and | | | | to tell, those in hell appear to one another as |
| recoils to the physical form where it infuses itself | | | | men, but in the light of heaven they appear as |
| into the bones of the body. Imbued with the | | | | monsters, horrid in face and body, the exact |
| qualities or magnetism of the personality of the | | | | form of their own evil." (1958:66)Among Chinese |
| soul, the sutratma, as it recoils to the bones, | | | | and Tibetan beliefs is that souls could reincarnate |
| impregnates the skeletal structure with the | | | | as animals. Considering the principle mentioned |
| vibrations of the soul. The bones, therefore, | | | | above, we can come to appreciate some truth in |
| acquire a magical quality, especially if the departed | | | | this concept. Men with animal characteristics do |
| soul was a mystic or saint of a high caliber. This | | | | reflect their animal nature in their |
| occult principle is well known among shamans of | | | | astral-forms.Through death the mind retains the |
| various cultures who often utilize bones of | | | | same personality, habits, traits, character and |
| revered men as implements as ceremonial | | | | inclinations, and this is known through one's |
| magicians would use their consecrated wands as | | | | appearance. It is through the facial appearance, |
| tools of their will. We personally possess such a | | | | the quality of the clothings worn, and the |
| magickal object, a very ancient trisula, part of | | | | luminosity and colours of the aura of the soul that |
| which is made by a human bone.During the above | | | | the degree of evolution of the soul may be |
| process of soul-transference, or transition, the | | | | determined. Some beings are so radiant, that it |
| awareness-principle undergoes the bardo, as we | | | | hurts to look at them. We would probably shield |
| have said before. Since we will be considering the | | | | our eyes with our hands to protect our sight |
| bardo at some length in a later section of this | | | | from the glare--this gesture could almost be |
| paper, we will now deal, instead, with the nature | | | | interpreted as a salute--a sign of honor and |
| of the after-death state.Once soul-transference | | | | respect to those beings. These souls are bearers |
| has been completed and the bardo experienced, | | | | of Light, Life and Love. Their presence heals and |
| the astral form drifts to the realm or region in the | | | | vitalizes the younger souls. Overthere, in the astral |
| astral or mental world where it will sojourn for a | | | | and mental worlds, everyone sees us for what |
| time. The etheric body, is however, still connected | | | | we really are, including ourselves. Though we may |
| with the physical form through a remnant of the | | | | be "somebody" in the physical world, in the astral |
| sutratma. It dissolves simultaneously with the | | | | worlds we may be just another "person." In the |
| physical body. With the absence of the higher | | | | higher worlds, our true character stands revealed. |
| principles, the etheric body, like the physical form, | | | | There is nothing of our private thoughts, feelings |
| is but an empty shell, and it may somehow be | | | | and character that we can hide. We are an |
| galvanized into some resemblance of life by astral | | | | opened book that reveals our inner selves to |
| entities using the life-force borrowed from | | | | others around us. Again quoting Swedenborg:". . . |
| incarnated beings. Some forms of vampirism is | | | | an angel who excels in wisdom instantly sees the |
| also related to the etheric body. Corpses | | | | quality of another from his face." (1958:22)Only |
| remaining fresh in their graves is the result of a | | | | virtues, good thoughts, deeds, and a search for |
| vital etheric body animated by some intelligence | | | | Truth confers beauty of appearance. In the higher |
| maintaining subsistence through the act of | | | | worlds we will discover the fact that thoughts are |
| vampirism.Possessing some psychological traits | | | | things. What we think manifests and affects us |
| and memory of its former occupant, the etheric | | | | almost immediately without any time |
| form is often used by malicious entities to | | | | interval.Those with pre-conceptions regarding |
| deceive and mislead living relatives and persons | | | | heaven, such as religious devotees, will experience |
| through channels, psychics and mediums. It is for | | | | the type of heaven of their expectations. These |
| this reason that cremation, from the occult point | | | | various heavenly conditions, however, are illusions. |
| of view, is often seen as a spiritual necessity and | | | | They exist temporarily as dramas played on the |
| a psychically sanitary method for disposing | | | | behalf of the newly-arrived soul for the purpose |
| physical remains. It prevents the occurrence of | | | | of teaching spiritual lessons, such as the errors of |
| negative phenomena such as obsession and | | | | pre-conceived ideas. The dramas are sometimes |
| possession. In burial grounds, the etheric body | | | | played by negative beings with non-benevolent |
| may often be seen as bluish lights hovering buried | | | | motive. These dramas last until the soul awakens |
| bodies; these are often mistaken for ghosts or | | | | to the fact that its concept of heaven as |
| human spirits--the correct term for these are | | | | experienced, hardly reflects the true reality, state, |
| phantoms.In ancient Egypt, the desire for | | | | and nature of the mansions of the Cosmos; or |
| preserving the etheric body may underlie the | | | | conversely, it could entrap him even further. The |
| practice of mummification. Like the bones of a | | | | former condition is brought home when certain |
| deceased person, the etheric body is also often | | | | events occur in their personal "heaven" which |
| used for occult and magical purposes--usually | | | | indicates the artificiality of their paradise. For |
| necromancy or sciomancy, which are forms of | | | | instance, a soul conceiving heaven to be one |
| divination. This is usually done with the use of the | | | | where its inhabitants wear wings and halos, and |
| shedding of blood where it attracts the shades, | | | | play on the harp and sing hymns for all eternity |
| the etheric forms of the dead used not by its | | | | will experience just that . . . until ennui sets in, and |
| former occupant, but by elemental or elementary | | | | voices begin to get hoarse, and harp strings |
| spirits. Blood, as a medium of the life-force, is an | | | | begins to burst, and halos begin to fall, and wings |
| energy source sought after by malicious or | | | | begin to molt . . . In reference to these dramas in |
| mischievous spirits. With the presence of blood | | | | the astral dimensions, Torkom Saraydarian |
| such spirits find it possible to be fully aware of the | | | | comments in The Science of Meditation:"Once you |
| physical plane and materialize and converse with | | | | enter into it, you see that many colorful events |
| material beings; and also possible to satisfy certain | | | | are rapidly forming and dissolving according to |
| base desires.We mentioned before that the soul, | | | | your unnamed urges, aspirations, thoughts, and |
| the awareness-principle, gravitates to the realm | | | | volitions, which are in continuous change and |
| most suited for it in terms of vibration. Mercy | | | | motion and in various intensities. All you see is the |
| does not automatically lead a soul to heaven. A | | | | response of your astral substance, which mirrors |
| soul's personality determines where it would go. If | | | | your desires, urges, dreams, and mental |
| the nature of the soul is of a low type, it will find | | | | modifications. The comic part of this is that you |
| itself in one of the lower astral regions which | | | | do not realize that whatever you see or |
| corresponds to the religious concept of hell. | | | | experience is your creation, your own expression, |
| High-natured souls will be drawn to the high astral | | | | which sometimes becomes the vehicle of astral |
| worlds or to the mental mansions. Swedenborg | | | | entities who perform an illusive play or comedy to |
| speaks of this in his book, "Heaven and Hell":"It | | | | englamour and trap you even more." (1993:208)In |
| ought to be clearly understood that with the | | | | the various astral and higher planes, the soul |
| angels [souls] it is their interiors which cause them | | | | occupies some of its time analyzing its past life |
| to be in one heaven or another. For, the more | | | | and the assimilation of its experience. This |
| their interiors are open towards the Lord, the | | | | introspection is often done with the assistance of |
| more interior is the heaven in which they are." | | | | spiritual guides and group discussions. In the |
| (1958:16)Here Swedenborg says that souls enter | | | | heavenly worlds the soul finds time to do and to |
| the type of heaven that corresponds with the | | | | learn the things that it always wanted to without |
| quality of the inner heaven within them. This | | | | being bothered by the necessities of earning a |
| spiritual principle is a known law among occultists. | | | | daily living. There are Halls of Wisdom and |
| Cornelius Agrippa in the Three Books of Occult | | | | Temples of Learning in all branches of the arts |
| Philosophy, has this to say about the reward of | | | | and sciences, including the science of creation. In |
| lofty souls:"But the spirit of man, which is of a | | | | these schools the soul learns the purpose of life, |
| sacred nature, and divine offspring, because it is | | | | the laws of the spiritual planes and how it may |
| always faultless, becomes incapable of any | | | | function effectively therein in its higher vehicles. |
| punishment; but the soul of it hath done well, | | | | The potential and expressions of one's creativity |
| rejoiceth together with the spirit, and going forth | | | | are also taught. Generally, the average soul will |
| with its aerial chariot [astral body], passeth freely | | | | spend its time studying and serving others, with |
| to the graves of the heroes, or reacheth heaven, | | | | intervals of relaxation and play.In the astral state |
| where it enjoys all its senses, and powers, a | | | | one discovers that it is unnecessary to eat or to |
| perpetual blessed felicity, a perfect knowledge of | | | | drink to nourish the astral form. Nourishment |
| all things, as also the divine vision, and possession | | | | occurs through spiritual osmosis. The astral form |
| of the kingdom of heaven, and being made | | | | automatically absorbs the life-giving energy-fluid |
| partaker of the divine power bestows freely | | | | flowing through the astral ethers. This could be |
| divers gifts upon these inferiors, as if it were an | | | | done physically as well, but it requires intense |
| immortal god . . ." (1995:594)He goes on to say | | | | spiritual training to reach this level. Streams and |
| that the soul of a negative nature is left to the | | | | fountains of energy are to be found in the higher |
| pleasure of the "devil":"Wherefore then this soul | | | | heavens. Muslims call them Salsabil. A dip in them |
| being void of an intelligible essence and being left | | | | also vitalizes the whole spiritual constitution.There |
| to the power of a furious planetary, is ever | | | | are several modes of locomotion available to the |
| subjected by the torment of corporeal qualities." | | | | inhabitants of the heavenly worlds. There are |
| (1995:594)Agrippa alludes here to hell or | | | | vehicles to convey one from place to place. One |
| purgatory. Should there be coarse material in the | | | | may also choose to walk or to use the astral |
| astral form as a result of negative habits, | | | | body's innate capability to fly. This latter mode of |
| negative patterns of thoughts and desires, the | | | | travel requires some mastery though, however, |
| soul sojourns temporarily in purgatory before | | | | once mastered, it offers one of the most |
| transmigrating to its rightful place in the heavenly | | | | convenient methods of mobilization. Once settled |
| regions. Purgatory is a transitional plane of human | | | | in the higher astral, the soul does not possess the |
| souls of various natures and types; for instance, | | | | ability to view or manifest in the earth plane |
| there are those bound there because of their | | | | unless it has acquired the occult ability to do so. |
| unrealistic religious concepts, and they linger in | | | | Generally speaking, it is not possible for the soul |
| purgatory until they accept the truth concerning | | | | to visit the higher worlds beyond its soul-level |
| the spiritual laws governing the higher spheres. | | | | because of the intense fiery vibrations emanating |
| There are those also stuck in purgatory until | | | | from those worlds. Journeying to lower worlds, |
| certain habits or desires are overcome. Atheists | | | | however, is much more easily |
| and intellectuals likewise find themselves in | | | | accomplished.Communication in the subtle worlds is |
| purgatory for a time. Attachment to earthly | | | | done mainly through telepathy, although |
| wealth, position, and power may also be a cause | | | | sometimes normal speech is used. The utilization |
| of bondage to purgatory.In purgatory the soul | | | | of telepathy means that every soul understands |
| strives to rid itself of its moral, mental and | | | | every other soul eventhough in physical terms |
| emotional defects; and also the effects of its | | | | there may be a language barrier. For instance, |
| physical and sensual indulgences, as well as those | | | | through the means of telepathy it is possible for |
| sensual desires itself. In Hindu and Buddhist | | | | an Englishman to understand an Italian, and vice |
| mythology, these souls in purgatory are called | | | | versa. One also eventually learns to communicate |
| Pretas, or "hungry ghosts." Until the astral form | | | | through colours and sounds, these being universal |
| has reached the required degree of purification, | | | | languages. There is, however, a phenomenon that |
| the soul would find it uncomfortable to live | | | | should be noted and expressed clearly by |
| anywhere else in the astral plane. Purgatory is said | | | | Swedenborg:". . . the angels of a lower heaven |
| to resemble the earth plane's slums and ghetto | | | | cannot speak with those of a higher heaven. In |
| areas.The author of this paper once had an | | | | fact when they look towards them, they do not |
| interesting experience in one of the lower astral | | | | see them, the higher heavens appearing like a |
| regions in which he was directed to counsel souls | | | | mist over their heads. Angels of a higher heaven, |
| who were kleptomaniacs. Although not informed | | | | however, can see those in a lower heaven . . . |