One of the questions most frequently asked by the average
person who considers the question of life on the other side is
this:
What is the experience of the soul immediately after it leaves
the body?h It is somewhat pitiful to hear the answers given to
this question by many of the so.called authorities on the
subject. Verily, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
The average person imagines that the soul simply steps out from
the body and immediately enters into a new world of
activity.a wonderland of strange and mysterious scenes. To many
there exists the hope of being met on the other shore
by all the loved ones who have gone before.a great reunion.
While there is something which corresponds to this, there is
also an entirely different condition to be experienced by the
soul immediately after it passes out of the body. Let us
consider the experience of the soul immediately before, and
immediately after, its passage from the body, so that we may get
a clearer light on the subject.
The person approaching the stage generally called death, but
which is merely a transition stage between two great planes of
life, experiences a gradual dulling of the physical senses.
Sight, hearing, and feeling, grow dimmer and dimmer, and the
glifeh of the person seems as a flickering candle flame
gradually approaching utter extinction. In many cases, this is
the only phenomenon attending the approach of death. But, in
many other cases, while the physical senses are growing dimmer,
the psychical senses are growing wonderfully acute.
It is a common occurrence for dying persons to manifest a
consciousness of what is occurring in another room, or another
place. Clairvoyance frequently accompanies the approach of
death, in some cases being attended by clairaudience, the dying
person being conscious of sights and sounds in distant places.
There are also many instances recorded in the annals of the
societies for psychical research, and far many more related in
the privacy of family gatherings, in which the dying person has
been able to so strongly project his personality that friends
and relatives at a distance have actually seen his form, and
insome few cases have been able to converse with him. A careful
comparison of time shows that these apparitions, in nearly every
case, have appeared before the actual death of the person,
rather than after it. There are, of course, cases in which a
strong desire of the dying person has caused him to project his
Astral body into the presence of some one near to him,
immediately after death, but these cases are far more rare than
those of which we have spoken above. In the majority at these
cases the phenomenon is caused by a process of
thought.transference of such a higher power and degree that the
visited person became impressed with the consciousness of the
presence of the dying friend or relative even while the soul of
the latter still remained in the body.
In many cases, also, the dying person becomes psychically
conscious of a nearness to loved ones who have passed on before.
This, however, does not necessarily mean that these persons are
actually present on the scene. One must remember that the
limitations of space are largely wiped out on the Astral Plane,
and that one may come into close rapport with the soul of
another without there existing any near space relationship.
In other words, while the two souls may not be in what may be
called a nearness in space, they may nevertheless, enjoy the
closest relationship in mind and spirit. It is very difficult
for one still in the flesh to realize this. On the material
plane, the laws of space of course govern. Telepathy gives us
the key to the phenomena of the other side. Two persons in the
flesh may experience the closest relationship by means of the
communion of their mental principles, and yet may be on opposite
sides of the world. In the same way, two souls may enjoy the
closest soul communion and communication, without the question
of space nearness coming into question.
As we have said, the dying person frequently enters into soul
communion and communication with those already on the other
side, and is greatly cheered thereby. And this is a beautiful
fact attending that which we call deatht. This
fact that there really do occur those beautiful reunion of loved
ones, of which good folk discourse so hopefully. But not in just
the way these good folk usually imagine.
The dying person's Astral body gradually disengages itself from
its physical counterpart. The Astral body, as the student
probably is aware, is an exact counterpart of the physical body,
and during life the two dwell together in the majority of cases.
The Astral body, however, leaves the physical body at the death
of the latter, and forms the covering of the soul for some time.
It is really a form of material substance, of a degree, however,
so fine that it escapes the tests which reveal ordinary matter.
Toward the last the gAstral bodyh actually slips from the
physical body and is connected with it only by a slender thread
or cord of Astral substance. Finally this thread snaps, and the
gAstral bodyh floats away, inhabited by the soul which has
left the physical body behind it. But this Astral body is no
more the soul that was the physical body which it has just left.
Both physical and Astral bodies are merely temporary coverings
for the soul itself.
The soul leaving the physical body (in the Astral body) is
plunged into a deep sleep or state of coma resembling the
condition of the unborn child for several months before birth.
It is being prepared for re.birth on the Astral Plane, and
requires time in order to adjust itself to the new conditions
and to gain strength and vigor required for its new phase of
existence.
Nature is full of these analogies.birth on the physical and on
the Astral Plane have many points of resemblance, and both are
preceded by this period of coma. During this sleep.like stage,
the soul dwells in the Astral body which serves as its covering
and protection, just as the womb serves as the protection for
the child approaching physical birth.
Before passing on, however, we should stop to consider certain
features of the life of the soul in this stage. Ordinarily the
soul sleeps in peace, undisturbed by, and protected from,
outward influences. There are two things, however, which tend to
create an exception in some cases, namely that which may be
called the dreams of the sleeping soul. These dreams arise from
two general classes of causes, viz: (1) intense desire filling
the mind of the dying person, such as love, hate, or unfulfilled
tasks or duties; (2) the strong desires and thoughts of those
left behind, providing such persons are in sufficiently close
rapport with the departed soul, by reason of love or other
strong attachments. Either or both of these causes tend to
produce a restlessness in the sleeping soul, and have a tendency
to attract the soul back to the scenes of earth, either in a
dreamy kind of telepathic communication, or else, in a few rare
cases, by something approaching the state of somnambulism or
sleep.walking of the physical life. These conditions are
regrettable, for they disturb the soul and defer its evolution
and development in its new phase of existence. Let us consider
this in a little more detail, before passing on.
A person passing from the material into the Astral Plane in a
peaceful state of mind is seldom disturbed in the Astral sleep
by dream.like states. Instead, he lives naturally through the
coma state and then evolves easily into the new phase of
existence as naturally as the unfolding of the bud into the
flower. It is different with the individual whose mind is filled
with strong desires concerning earth.life, or with strong
remorse, hate, or great love and anxiety for those left behind.
In the latter case the poor soul is often tormented by these
earthly ties, and its Astral sleep is rendered feverish and
fretful. In such cases there is often also an involuntary
attempt made to communicate with, or to appear to, persons still
on the material plane. In extreme cases, as we have said, there
may even ensue the state resembling earthly somnambulism or
sleep.walking, and thepoor sleeping soul may even visit its
former scenes. In such cases, when the apparition is visible to
men it will be noted that there is a half.awake manner and air
about the apparition - a something lacking that was present in
earth.life. The history of ghosts bears out this statement, and
the explanation just given is the only one which really throws
light on the subject. In time, however, these poor earth.bound
souls become tired, and finally sink into the blessed sleep
which is their just lot. In the same way, the strong desires of
those left behind often serves to establish a rapport condition
between such persons and the departed soul, causing it to become
restless and uneasy. Many a well meaning person has acted so as
to retard the natural processes of the Astral Plane in relation
to some loved one who has passed away, and has denied to the
tired soul that rest which it has merited.
