In connection with the subject of the soul-slumber, of
which we have spoken in the preceding chapter, we take the
liberty of quoting from one of our earlier works, in which this
subject was briefly touched upon, as follows: The process of
sinking into the restful state, and the soundness and
continuance thereof, may be interfered with by those left in the
earth-life. A soul which has something on its mind to
communicate, or which is grieved by the pain of those left
behind (especially if it hears the lamentations and constant
calls for its return), will fight off the dreamy state creeping
over it, and will make desperate efforts to return. And,
likewise, the mental calls of those who have been left behind
will disturb the slumber, once it has been entered into, and
will cause the sleeping soul to rouse itself and endeavor to
answer the calls, or at least will partially awaken it and
retard its unfoldment.
These half-awake souls often manifest in spiritualistic circles.
Our selfish grief and demands often cause much pain and sorrow
to our loved ones who have passed over to the other side, unless
they have learned the true state of affairs before they have
passed out, and refuse to be called back even by those whom they
love. Cases are known where souls have fought off the slumber
for years in order to be around their loved ones on earth, but
this course was unwise as it caused unnecessary sorrow and pain
both to the one who had passed on and to those who remained on
earth. We should
avoid delaying by our selfish demands the progress of those who
have passed on,-let them sleep on and rest, awaiting
the hour of their transformation. To do otherwise, is to make
them die their death several times in succession-those who
truly love and understand always avoid this, for their love and
understanding bids them let the soul depart in peace and take
its well earned rest and gain its full development. This period
of soul-slumber is like the existence of the babe in the
mother's womb - it sleeps that it may awaken into life and
strength.
There is another phase of this particular stage of the soul
progress which should be referred to here. Again we quote from
what we have previously written on the subject, as follows: It
is only the soul of the person who has died a natural death
which sinks at once (if not disturbed) into the soul-slumber.
Those who die by accident, or who are killed - in other words,
those who pass out of the body suddenly, find themselves
wide-awake and in full possession or their mental faculties for
some time.
They often are not aware that they have diedand cannot
understand what is the matter with them. They are often fully
conscious (for a short time) of life on earth, and can see and
hear all that is going on around them, by means of their Astral
senses. They cannot realize that they have passed out of the
body, and are often sorely perplexed. Their lot would be most
unhappy for a few days, until the sleep finally overcame them in
due course, were it not for the Astral Helpers, those blessed
souls from the higher states of existence, who gather aroundthem
and gently break to them the news of their real condition, and
offer them words of comfort and advice, and generally take care
of them until they sink into the soul-slumber just as a tired
child sinks to sleep at night. These Helpers never fail in their
duty, and no one who passes out suddenly, be he or she good or
bad is neglected, for these helpers know that all are Gods
children and their own spiritual brothers and sisters. Men of
high spiritual development and powers have been known to pass
out of their physical bodies, temporarily (dwelling in their
Astral bodies), for the purpose of giving aid and advice in time
of great catastrophes (such as the Johnstown Flood and the
Titanic Disaster) or after a great battle, when immediate advice
and assistance were needed. Persons dying in the way of which we
have spoken, of course gradually fall into theslumber of the
soul, just as in the cases of those dying a natural death.
Another matter which should be mentioned in this place is that
wonderful phenomenon of the review of the past life of the soul,
that great panorama which passes before the mental vision of the
soul as it sinks into the soul-slumber. This the authorities
inform us really occupies but an infinitesimal moment of time -
a moment so brief that it can scarcely be spoken of as a point
in time. Yet in this brief moment, the soul witnesses the
panorama of the life it has passed on earth. Scene after scene,
of infancy to old age, passes before it in review. The most
insignificant incident is reproduced with as much fidelity to
detail as is the greatest event. The subconscious planes of
memory unfold their secrets to the last. Nothing is reserved or
withheld. Moreover, the soul, by its awakened spiritual
discernment, is able to know the meaning, cause, and consequence
of every event in its life. It is able to analyze and to pass
judgment upon itself and its acts. Like an omniscient and
impartial judge it judges itself. The result of this process is
that the acts of onefs past life are concentrated and impressed
upon the records of the soul, there to become as seeds which
will produce better fruit in the future. These seeds serve to
bear the fruits of future character, in future lives, at least,
so far as the acquired characteristics and desires will admit
of.
To those who may object that it is impossible for the mind to
grasp the events of a lifetime in the space of a moment of time,
we would say that psychology will inform them that even in
ordinary earth-life this is possible. For there are many
recorded cases in which a person nodding into slumber has
dreamed ofevents which have occupied an apparent period of many
years.
In ordinary dreams time is practically reduced to a small unit,
and in the state of which we speak the process of concentration
is intensified, and the single point of time covers the period
of the longest life.
The soul carries with it into its slumber-state a concentrated
record of its entire life, including the seeds of its desires,
ambitions, likes and dislikes, attractions and repulsions. These
seed-ideas soon begin to sprout and bear blossom and fruit.
Not only in future incarnations are these manifest, but also in
the life of the soul on the Astral Plane. For kind Nature does
not impose on the soul the task of living out and outliving all
of its tendencies in future incarnations, but so arranges that
many of these strong impulses shall be manifested and worn out
on the Astral Plane, so that the soul may leave them behind when
it is re-born into a new earth-life. And it is toward this
fruition that the soul-slumber serves. During the soul-sleep the
soul is prepared for its entrance into Astral life and
manifestation, the details of which we shall see as we proceed.
The soul-slumber is just as necessary for the soul in this stage
of its progress, as is the slumber of the unborn babe in the
womb of its mother.
We have heard of some unreasoning persons who, upon being made
acquainted with these teachings, manifested a fear of the
soul-slumber state, and who said they feared the sleep in an
unknown place, among so many unknown things and creatures.
This objection seems very childish to the advanced
occultist, for he knows that there is nowhere in Nature in which
an entity is so carefully and fully guarded as in this case of
the sleeping soul on the great Astral Plane. So absolutely
secure from invasion or intrusion, from harm or hurtful
influence, are these sleeping souls that nothing short of a
complete revolution of Nature's most sacred laws could affect
them. The abode isnot a place, remember, but a condition or
state. And this state or condition is such that no malign or
harmful influence could in any way whatsoever reach or even draw
near them. Would that all of us in earth-life were so securely
guarded. So secureare these sleeping souls that it would seem as
if all of Nature's forces had conspired to guard and protect
them. It is a Hindu maxim which runs as follows:
Not even the gods on their highthrones have any power or
dominion over the sleeping souls.
To those whose ideals on the subject of the other side have been
so influenced by the teachings of current theology that this
conception of the soul-slumber may seem strange and unusual, we
would say that a little consideration will show that under the
popular conceptions of even the most favored theologies will be
found many veiled allusions to this blessed state of rest which
the soul so sadly requires after one strenuous life and before
another. He giveth His beloved sleep; There is rest for the
weary;He has gone to his long rest; these and many other
familiar expressions and quotations seek to express the innate
idea implanted in the human mind regarding a period of rest
which shall come to the tired soul. The idea of rest, after the
stress and storms of life, is so natural and instinctive that it
may be said to represent the strongest inclination and
conviction of the human soul in connection with the idea of
death. It is as fixed as is the conviction of future life beyond
the grave. In the advanced occult teachings alone, however, are
to be found the explanation of the idea.
The soul which is instructed regarding the existence and nature
of this period of soul-slumber will find nothing but
satisfaction in the contemplation thereof. It will learn to
regard this stage of its future existence as a blessed balm and
comfort.
It will feel toward this state that which we find expressed in
the words of the old song: And calm and peaceful do I sleep,
rocked in the Cradle of the Deep.
As rest, securely resting, on the bosom of that Great
Ocean of Life. Rest, calm, peace, security, protection.this is
the condition of the soul-slumber on the Astral Plane.
