
Flying Roll XXV
Essay on Clairvoyance &
Travelling in the Spirit
Vision By Sub.Spe - Zelator Adeptus Minor
The best theory of the phenomenon of Clairvoyance seems to be founded
on the relation between Man as the Microcosm and the Universe as the Macrocosm;
regarding the former as a reflection in miniature of the latter, as in
a grass field full of dewdrops each drop might present a perfect tiny
image of trees and mountains, the sky, clouds, the sun and the stars.
If, then, everything in the Cosmos is somehow reflected or pictured on
each man's own sphere of sensation, or Akashic envelope, it follows that
if he could but be conscious of the pictures so reflected or imprinted
he would at once be possessed of all actual or potential knowledge of
everything in the Cosmos, and further assuming that time itself is merely
an illusion, and that the reality of things is, as it were, one vast picture
along which we travel seeing point after point in succession and producing
the idea of lapse of time, then it further follows that the full and complete
knowledge of all that is reflected in our sphere of sensation includes
all knowledge past, present and future.
The reason, then, why we have not such knowledge consciously to ourselves
must be from the obtuseness of the Sensorium, the actual physical
brain, which cannot perceive the images on the sphere of sensation. If,
then, all knowledge lies within each man's own sphere, it is by looking
within, or intuition, that such knowledge is made available.
Know thyself and thou wilt know everything. But seeing that the brain
and sensorium are physical, it is necessary at first to use physical means
to produce the sensitiveness necessary to consciously perceive the images
on the Sphere of Sensation. And the readiest and safest means is the use
of a symbol. This is familiar in everyday life, but so much so as to escape
notice.
For example—to a depraved and debauched person an obscene word
or figure—carelessly drawn and seen by chance, is a symbol calling
up a host of unclean images and ideas. To a lover the name of his mistress
spoken by chance in his hearing—the sight of a colour she usually
wears, or the scent of a familiar perfume will suffice to raise the
image of the beloved form almost visibly before him and to produce quickened
pulse, heightened colour, etc.
To the soldier the sight of the flag of his country or his regiment,
produces visions of martial glory, ideas of devotion, loyalty, patriotism
and unflinching courage.
In all these cases ideas and visions are produced in the brain by the
symbol, and if the above theory be accepted it follows that the effect
of the symbol is to render one portion of the physical brain more sensitive,
or it may be more translucent, so that the images lying within the corresponding
region of the Sphere of Sensation may be dimly perceived (such sensitiveness
of brain may be produced in other ways, such as by Hypnotism or self-induced
Trance, by Obsession, Disease, etc.—but the method by symbol seems
to remain the surest and the best).
This theory is made use of in the practice of inducing Clairvoyance.
A large number of well known and recognised symbols have a definite relation
to certain portions of the Sphere of Sensation and the corresponding regions
of the Cosmos, and also to the regions related thereto of the physical
brain.
The experimenter should know thoroughly the attributions and meanings
of the symbol employed, as this knowledge produces an immediate concentration
of thought, of vital energy, of nerve force, and of actual physical blood
on the tract of brain related thereto, and thus materially aids the establishment
of a special sensitiveness there.
Thus if the Tejas Tattva card be taken, the knowledge that it belongs
to fire will at once charge with nerve force and with blood all the centres
of the brain relating to fire, and will involuntarily recall the
various Divine and Spirit names which the experimenter has learnt connected
therewith. The actual speaking of these with the solemnity and impressiveness
of the Vibration will increase the effect—gazing fixedly at the
symbol and touching the appropriate implement which is also a symbol of
the same brain tract, momentarily increases the force—vires acquiret
eundo—until every other brain cell is shut down, muted and inhibited;
the whole consciousness is concentrated on the perception of fire.
The physical brains thus become sensitive and translucent in this respect
and able to perceive dimly in the Sphere of sensation the reflection of
the Macrocosmic idea of fire, with all its connotations.
The sensation is as though one stepped out through a window into a new
world.
The reality probably is that the new sensitiveness enables the actual
physical brain to become conscious of ideas and pictures hitherto unknown.
At first it seems as though everything thus perceived were just the product
of one's own imagination—i.e. that one simply took scraps of memory,
scraps of other men's ideas gleaned from books, pictures, etc. and built
them up at will into a composite picture. But a little further experience
generally convinces one that the new country one has become conscious
of has its inviolable natural laws just as the physical world has: that
one cannot make or unmake at wifi, that the same causes produce the same
results, that one is in fact merely a spectator and in no sense a creator.
The conviction then dawns on one that one is actually perceiving a new
and much extended range of phenomena; that, in fact, which is known as
the Astral World or Astral Plane.
Here, then, comes an experimental confirmation of the theory above set
forth, which will probably be deepened and intensified with every experiment
which is carefully made.
Personal experience confirms the foregoing: On taking any symbol whereof
I know the meaning, such as a Tattva—or Tarot card, the abstract
idea of the meaning of the symbol comes first—as fire, or water
in the abstract—and a pose of mind cognate and sympathetic thereto,
a desire for that particular element— not keen but perceptible—gradually
the feeling of the physical effects of the element—as of warmth—moisture—-etc.—and
especially the sound as of the roaring or crackling of fire, the rush—or
patter, or ripple of water. Gradually the attention is withdrawn from
all surrounding sights and sounds, a grey mist seems to swathe everything,
on which, as though thrown from a magic lantern on steam, the form of
the symbol is projected.
(This I conceive is due to the withdrawal of blood and nerve force from
other centres of the brain and their consequent inhibition.)
The Consciousness then seems to pass through the symbol to realms beyond
but, as above-said, I think it more probable that visions and pictures
from beyond come on to the hypersensitive brain centres and, as these
have been sensitised by the symbol and the first effect has been the vision
of the symbol itself on the grey mist, so they seem to take the form of
the symbol and to pass through it. At all events the sensation is as if
one looked at a series of moving pictures, although there are beings in
this new world with whom one can converse, animals that one can dominate,
or that attract one, yet to me personally it is all no more solid than
the pictures of a Kinetoscope or the sound of a phonograph.
Yet when this sensitiveness of brain and power of perception is once
established there seems to grow out of it a power of actually going to
the scenes so visionary and seeing them as solid, indeed, of actually
doing things and producing effects there.
This is what I imagine is termed Travelling in the Spirit Vision.
Whether it is more than an extension of the power of perceiving
the pictures on the Sphere of Sensation or Akashic envelope is very
difficult to determine. The sensation, however, to me personally is first
to become, as it were, dimly conscious of a figure walking among the scenes
of the new country—or the Astral Plane-gradually to become conscious
that it is my own figure I am looking at—gradually, as it were,
to be able to look through the eyes—and feel with the sensations
of this doppel ganger. Further to be able consciously to direct its motions,
to control it, to inhabit it, and in this body to be able to visit the
scenes and persons I had previously only looked at, as it were, through
a telescope.
It is as though my Consciousness had extruded from my own body to take
possession of a body which I had either created for the purpose, or invoked
out of the Astral Sphere as a vehicle for myself.
It seems, however, almost more probable that as the Sphere of Sensation
reflects everything that is in the material Universe so it must needs
contain a reflection also of the material body of the percipient and if
this be so it is not hard to suppose that such reflection can be made
to travel about within the Sphere of Sensation and visit all things therein
reflected with as much ease (or more) as the will of the man can make
his physical body travel to material places on the earth.
The Perception of the Astral plane seems to be peculiarly liable to delusions,
arising probably from defects in the sensorium or physical brain—as
an object seen through faulty glass is distorted, that is to say the personal
element, or what scientists call the ‘personal equation', becomes
so strong as to produce actual error.
As the brain can be rendered sensitive in a particular direction by symbol—so
can these errors also be corrected by symbol. The various qualities in
each man's nature are symbolised by the planets—hence when this
symbology is well known the planetary symbols may be used to correct errors
arising from the particular quality attributed to each. Thus the error
could be that the visions are merely compounded from memory.
In this case build up in brilliant white light in front of any image
which you suspect to be merely a product of memory the letter Tau, the
symbol of the Path of Saturn, ‘The Great One of the Night of Time'—whose
sober and steadying influence will cause a memory picture to disappear.
Similarly Beth for Mercury formulated in the same way will cause to vanish
any product of lying intellectual delusion—or Daleth for Venus is
used for the result of intellectual vanity—Gimel for Luna for a
wavering mind—Resh for the Sun for delusions of haughtiness, vanity,
etc. and Kaph for the path of Jupiter against imagination, and Peh for
the path of Mars against revenge, hatred etc.
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