by Harriette & F. Homer Curtiss

The first Realm above the Physical World, in rate of vibration, we term the Realm of Reflection. Here we find reflected every object which exists in the Physical World, or to be more accurate, the physical object – man, animal, vegetable as well as all so-called inanimate things is the reflection or materialization of its astral duplicate. Here we find the astral pattern of all living things. But everything is seen reversed as in a mirror. For instance a number such as 123 would be seen as 321, etc. This fact caused the editors of Mme. Blavatsky’s manuscript for The Secret Doctrine much labor at first when they tried to verify the quotations made by her from books presented by her Teachers to her astral vision, for she frequently forgot to reverse the number of the page. When the editors learned this, if the quotation was not found on the page indicated, it would invariably be found on the page bearing the reversed number. This feature of the astral alone accounts for many of the mistakes of untrained psychics who are not familiar with this. Day and night are also the reverse of the corresponding periods on earth. Hence it is generally easier for a sensitive to contact the astral at night, although to one who is properly trained it makes little difference.

While the scenery of this Realm is the counterpart of the scenery of earth it is much more, for here there is a luminosity and translucence difficult to describe, which makes familiar objects far more brilliant and beautiful and reveals their true nature far more than does their physical counterpart on earth. While plants, trees, animals and people are all seen here they can also be seen through, just as on earth we can see into and through a glass of water for instance. In the Astral World we can also see all sides at once and not in perspective, and with the glow and colors imparted to everything by the currents of life-force which sweep through them. For the Astral World is a world of four dimensions instead of three. For this reason all attempts to locate the various Realms of this world in space or to limit its phenomena to our three dimensional conceptions, leads to misconception. That which is to manifest on earth descends from the higher Worlds into the Astral World and is embodied on earth.

Since love is the greatest attractive power, one in the astral may choose to remain in close physical contact with a loved one on earth for many years. For instance, a mother may remain so close to her children on earth that she would be able to see into their physical conditions throughout their entire lives, although she would gradually tend to see into the conditions in their hearts and minds rather than their physical conditions. There are, however, certain exceptions. By special training, analogous to that required for a mortal to see into the Astral World, one in the astral may be taught to see into the Physical World; for the astral body when purified emanates a form of radiance which under proper conditions can be projected into dense physical matter and thus make the physical visible. Also the presence of a certain type of physical medium enables the one in the astral to see physical objects and persons. Otherwise the objects of the Physical World are just as non-existent to the dweller in the astral as are the things of the astral to the average dweller in the physical. Those in the astral see the astral bodies of physical objects, animals and people, which are more or less luminous, or more or less foggy or dense, according to their degree of development. But since the consciousness of those dwelling on earth is not functioning in their astral bodies but in the physical, they appear insensible or unresponsive to those on the astral, except when the consciousness of the earth dweller is responding more or less imperfectly to the Astral World during dreams, visions, trances, etc.

The Realm of Reflection being the most objective of the Astral World, may be called the physical aspect of the astral. The astral bodies of the great majority of the lesser evolved humanity who have left the Physical World therefore naturally gravitate to this Realm. Many such so-called “spirits” report through mediums that there is no heaven world or perhaps, since their sensations are far more acute, that they are worse off than when on earth, thus showing that they are living what is little more than an extension of their life on earth, be that life pleasant or unpleasant. For the interests of those dwelling in this Realm of Reflection are largely what they were on earth and they have similar gatherings and organizations, card-parties, clubs, churches, theatres, recreations, etc, which attract those whose desires affinitize them to such gatherings, each one going just where he or she belongs by affinity.

Here also teachers and helpers from the higher Realms descend to help and instruct those who are seeking to understand their changed conditions and surroundings. Many, however, are so absorbed in the earth attractions and in trying to communicate with their friends on earth that they will not listen or pay any attention to such teachers.

One feature of such help should receive special mention. There is an organization in the higher Realms similar to the Red Cross Society which has workers whose duty it is to descend into this lower Realm to aid, care for, comfort and instruct those who are passing over, especially those who know something about the change and are willing to listen and receive instruction. This organization is specially equipped to watch over, help and instruct those who are passing over in great numbers in times of disaster, pestilence and war; indeed many soldiers as soon as they are fully awakened to the astral conditions are enlisted in this astral Ambulance Corps, and most of them eagerly give their services, under the able instruction of appointed teachers, until they can be taught no longer to identify themselves with earth conditions. Those who will not profit by instruction must be left, just as such must be left on earth, to learn through experience, perhaps by suffering, if they will not learn without it.

Those who know of these helpers can therefore be met and be taken care of, students of this Order being met by members of the Order over there acting under the direction of the Teacher of the Order. Such a reception is by no means confined to members of the Order for all that is necessary for anyone in any part of the world is to send out a mental wireless call for the invisible helpers and the loved ones will be gathered to greet the newcomer. Therefore if in the course of your development you should contact a departed one who needs help, instead of allowing him to throw his condition over you or control you, mentally tell him to call for helpers and seek the Light.

It should be clearly understood that no one is confined to this Realm of Reflection except by the density of his astral body and the earthliness of his thoughts and desires, just as no one is confined to materialistic thoughts while on earth unless he so desires. For in this Realm a cry or even a strong desire for Light and help will bring it. While the astral body is still dense and heavy with the magnetism of earth, the recently deceased person is apt to think he can be transported only by walking, running or riding in conveyances. He therefore walks or rides either in the astral counterpart of such vehicles or in the thought-forms of them created either by himself or collectively by all who think they need such vehicles. Later on they learn that so little energy is required that the astral body can be transported by the will, a strong thought of or desire to be in a certain place transporting it there almost immediately. Although there is usually a sense of a definite journey through the air. During such incredibly swift passages the emanations of their auras stream out behind them and are often mistaken for wings by untrained psychics. Many mortals dream of flying through the air because they remember such journeys made in the astral during sleep or because they remember such experiences during their excarnate existence previous to their present incarnation.

The recently deceased thinks he can be nourished only by the same kinds of food which were necessary for his physical body. In fact the glamour of this Realm makes him think that he must carry on life just as he did while on earth and subject to the same laws, and it may be a long time before he learns better. Hence, many of the more ignorant and less advanced, as well as the “high livers” and the gluttonous are found thronging the kitchens of hotels and restaurants and sucking in the vapors and emanations from the food that is being cooked, as do many others in the kitchens of their former homes. The more intelligent are able to draw to themselves duplicates of their favorite dishes, the creative power of their thought forming them not as mere illusions, but from the astral emanations of the physical substances. For while the astral body still contains so much dense earth magnetism and matter the need is still felt for some form even if it be only the less material of physical food.

The law of specific gravity obtains here as well as in the Physical World; just as a physical object or body will sink or float according to its density, so the astral body will sink into the denser strata or will float up into the particular stratum and Realm to which it is affinitized. We are told “As a man thinketh in his heart so he is,” and in the Astral World this fact becomes very apparent. Here we literally find ourselves in the environment our thoughts had created while on earth, with the same kindred Souls and living out the true inmost thoughts and desires of our heart which perhaps on earth we had tried to hide, for here there is no cloak to hide our true inner desires. As we think, so are we. Therefore to some it is hell, to some but an extension of earth life, while just as surely to others it seems to be Heaven.

The more degraded haunt bar rooms and brothels. In an effort still to experience the desired sensations. But as the denser atoms fall away and the earth attraction loses its power the person finds that in some mysterious way he is transported through the air wherever in thought he desires or wills to be, and is nourished by currents of force brought to him by the mere thought of food, and still later he forgets all about the necessity for food.

While the astral body may remain for a long time in this Realm the consciousness can soar into the higher Realms at any time, provided the desire to reach up is present, just as with those still on earth the consciousness can leave business and household cares and soar into the realms of literature, art, science or spiritual thought. In other words, desire is the governing factor in the Astral World even more fully than on earth. But in this more ethereal World the desire promptly brings the condition desired, while on earth its attainment is hampered and delayed by the limitations of the more dense and rigid matter which must be overcome before it can manifest.

The substance of the Astral World is so ethereal that it is molded by thought, hence any entity who understands the mechanism can assume any appearance it desires, even that of an angel of light. For instance, it is quite common for excarnate entities to copy the appearance and ape the manners of some great personage, and to appear to sitters at a séance under high sounding names, generally claiming to be great teachers and endeavoring to gain the confidence of their dupes and ultimate victims through flattery, lust or promises of great attainments or rewards to be granted if they give implicit obedience to them, or more commonly to tell them of some great and important work which they can only accomplish through the help of the entities. Therefore beware of any entity, voice or guide who tells you how great you are, were or are about to become, or who offers you great reward, or who suggests to you that some one is your “soul-mate” and that with this person’s help you can do great things, or who fires your imagination and stimulates your passion by giving you vague and insinuating hints of a lover, soul-mate or affinity, or some other romantic relation; for all such are seeking to enter your aura over the line of flattery, greed or desire, that they may sap your vital life-force and use you as an instrument to gratify their own desires.

Again, elementals or spirits take possession of a cast-off astral body and animate it with a semblance of life and appear to a sitter as his father, mother or some loved one whom they are impersonating. This fraud can easily be detected, however, for such a one although cunning, has but a modicum of reflected human intelligence and can seldom go further than to repeat events or phrases still pictured in the brain of the cast-off astral body, or to repeat some catch phrases used by the medium such as, “I am happy and progressing,” and if asked: “How is Mary?” will say: “Mary is progressing, good-bye.” For it must be remembered that the Astral World is a World of illusion, and just as we find many on earth trying to be something much greater and more important than they really are, so in this World they endeavor to gain importance and a following of dupes on the physical plane by claiming to be other than themselves. It is only dupes in the Physical World, however, whom they deceive, since in the Astral World, as we have explained, it is possible to see through as well as around things and people, hence their true nature is plainly discerned.

Such elementals or entities, if given power through recognition, propitiation or obedience, imbibe sufficient human mind stuff from their followers to make themselves more or less intelligent in a cunning sort of way and often acquire great power over their victims.

Excerpt from Realms Of The Living Dead

See Part I here. See Part III here.