By
knowing its nature he can learn to stand free from it, and once
this freedom has been gained he will also know how to work on it
when required by circumstances.
When the astral plane is seen for the first time through the 'opened
eye', it will give the impression of a kaleidoscopic world in a
state of utter confusion and for the greater part only vaguely discernable
through a foggy atmosphere, blurring the constantly changing forms
and intermingled colours.
This is the meeting ground of innumerable uncontrolled forces resulting
in apparently total chaos. The astral is the plane of illusion,
of glamour, and of a distorted presentation of reality.
Every individual in the world is to some extent working in astral
matter, resulting in innumerable urges and cravings. It is the outpouring
of this host of human desires into the astral cauldron, which results
in the phantasmagoria of astral scenes and illusions. This conglomeration
of interacting forces arising from humanity also includes numerous
other forces, and all these jointly act upon and influence the human
being.
The response to these impulses will depend on the calibre of the
lower vehicles, and more specifically on the condition and quality
of the etheric centres. Through this illusory labyrinth the aspirant
has to find his way, snatching at every clue which promises to be
of help, and after many years of experience he learns to distinguish
between truth and glamour, the real and the unreal.
Every individual who in the course of time succeeds in liberating
himself, who begins to see more clearly, and who releases himself
from the glamour of illusion, contributes towards the realization
of the Divine Plan.
Great dualities
The pairs of opposites meet and interact on the astral plane, and
this is the terrain where the potent pull of the great dualities
are felt, where the interaction between the soul and the personality
takes its course, and also where numerous lesser dualities play
their part.
Light and darkness struggle for dominance, and so do pleasure and
pain, good and evil, poverty and riches, health and disease, heat
and cold, and so many more.
The light which man has discovered within himself makes him more
aware of the dark; through the good which attracts him, he sees
the evil which is in the line of least resistance; the activity
leading to pain simultaneously permits him to visualize the contrasting
pleasure, and thus he experiences something of both hell and heaven.
And so the wretched aspirant becomes aware of these dualities, and
is constantly pulled hither and thither between the two.
The secret of eventual human liberation lies in the correct balancing
of these opposing forces, and in finding the narrow path between
these dualities which will finally lead him to the Light. The deciding
factor in this Herculean struggle is the divine Will as expressed
through the soul, which so often comes into collision with the selfish
personal will - but though the battle may be long and arduous, the
final triumph of the soul remains inevitable. It is on the astral
plane that these battles are fought which eventually will lead to
the release of the imprisoned soul.
Great reflector
The emotional body of the average man fulfils the role of a great
reflector, but at the same time it is a most unreliable mirror,
ever distorting the image of that which is received. It records
the impulses from every kind of force and influence radiated from
its environment, and mixes all these colours and movements, as well
as every form of desire, emotion, action and sound into a muddled
conglomeration of impressions. The objective of the aspiring individual
should be to bring some measure of order into this chaos, and to
still the agitated surface of the waters of this plane to such an
extent that it can serve as a clear mirror for reflecting the qualities
and impulses from the soul.
It is through the analysing mind that the astral body is brought
under control. No excessive emotion should be permitted, though
strong currents of love for all that breathes should be allowed
to sweep through man's being. Systemic love is constructive and
stabilizing, and does not contain the dangers hidden in sentimental
or emotional love.
The aspirant should rid his emotional body of all fear and worry
by cultivating serenity and stability, and a sense of secure dependence
on Higher Powers. He should never harbour jealousy, dark depression,
greed or self-pity, but instead proceed calmly on the Way with quiet
and joyous confidence in his heart.
Every individual constructs his own astral body from the energies
of the surrounding astral plane, a body which will be responsive
to his particular note and quality, and limited to his specific
point on the ladder of evolution. This emotional body will constitute
his field of response to life experience within defined limits,
but it will also lend itself to tremendous expansion, development,
adjustment and control, harmonizing with impulses received from
a growing mental body, and a soul progressively asserting itself
over its three bodies of expression - the physical, astral and mental.
The astral body is usually animated by forces which can be grouped
under three main headings:
1. Forces of selfish desire.
This forms an essential part of the evolutionary process, because
man has to experience every phase that life in the physical has
to offer, including both the good and the evil; honour and opprobrium;
the pleasant and the distressful; wealth and poverty; leadership
and servility; the pride and glory of position in contrast with
utter humiliation.
It is these desires which constitute the forces which will drive
him on from life to life, and from one experience to another, ever
craving that which he does not possess, that which belongs to others,
whether material possessions, money, power, status or knowledge.
These desires will remain dominant till man is sated with all that
material life has to offer; till the soul has extracted the essence
from all these experiences, and the higher mind takes over from
the lower and the light is seen ahead.
2. The second group of forces are those engendered by sexual
attraction.
There is nothing wrong with the basic principle of physical attraction,
for that is part of nature's way for the propogation of man. But
man has abused this natural urge, and it has deteriorated into emotional
and lustful desire. However, even these hurdles will be surmounted
after the necessary experience has been gained and the needed lessons
have been learnt.
3. The third group of forces impelling man along the way
of life is fear.
This illusory force is displayed daily in its many patterns, causing
excruciating pain, suffering and frustration, sometimes driving
man to the most irresponsible action. These fears may be of a selfish
nature, but often they concern those who are emotionally near to
us. How many torturing hours are spent in anguish on premonitions,
doubts, questionings and imaginary illusions which never come to
pass?
These fears may assume many guises - one's own, family fears, national
and racial fears, including fear of pain, of the future, of death,
and fear of failure.
Authors
Details: Aart Jurriaanse |
