merely wishes to be at a certain place, and his astral travels there with the rapidity of light, or even more rapidly. Of course, the untrained occultist has no such degree of control over his astral body, and is more or less clumsy in his management of it. People often travel in their astral body in their sleep; a smaller number travel unconsciously in their waking moments, and a few have acquired the knowledge enabling them to travel consciously and at will in their waking moments. The astral body is always connected with the physical body by a thin, silk-like, astral thread, and the communication between the two is maintained.
We will have more to say on the subject of the astral body in our Tenth Lesson, which treats of the Astral Plane. We merely allude to it here, in order to explain that what is called clairvoyance is sometimes accomplished by its aid, although it is a higher form of psychic power than the other forms of clairvoyance mentioned by us so far.
PAST TIME CLAIRVOYANCE.
Time clairvoyance, so far as regards the sensing of past events, is not a rare faculty among advanced occultists - in fact, it may be termed a common one among such people. And the same faculty, imperfectly manifested, is found among many ordinary psychics who are not acquainted with the nature of their power. Among this last mentioned class of people time clairvoyance is more or less unsatisfactory because imperfect and misleading, from causes which will be seen presently.
The statement that one may see past events and scenes, even by astral vision, will readily be seen to require an entirely different explanation from that given of simple and space clairvoyance, for in the latter cases the clairvoyant sees that which is actually occurring somewhere at the time it is seen, or at least, a few seconds previous, whereas, in the latter case, the clairvoyant sees something which has occurred, perhaps ages ago, and after apparently all records of it have perished. Ah, that is just the explanation - "apparently perished." Occultists know that nothing ever perishes, and that there are in existence on the higher planes of matter, imperishable and unalterable records of every scene, act, thought, and thing that ever existed or occurred. These akasic records are not on the astral plane, but are on a plane far above it, but they are mirrored on the astral plane, just as the sky and clouds are reflected in the body of the lake, and the observer who cannot see the sky itself may see its counterpart in the water. And just as his vision may be distorted by the ripples and waves on the water, so may the astral vision of these records of the past become distorted and imperfect impressions by reason of the disturbances in the astral light. Occultists for ages have used "water" as a symbol of the astral light do you see why?
These akasic records contain the "memory" of all that has passed, and he who has access to them may read the past as he may a book. But only the most advanced intelligences have free access to these records - or rather have the power to read them. But many have acquired a greater or lesser degree of power, which enables them to read more or less plainly from the reflections of these records in the astral plane.
Those who have developed time clairvoyance are able to see these reflections of the records as scenes actually occurring before them, just as one hears from the phonograph the voices of people long since passed out of the body, and just as others may listen to our voices centuries hence. It is impossible to explain to beginners the nature of these records - we have no words to explain them even we who write these words have but a partial understanding of the inner mystery of the akasic records - then how may we make ourselves plain to those who are still further back on the path than we are? We can think of but one illustration - and that an imperfect one. In the brain of every human being there are millions of cells, each containing the records of some past event or thought or action. We cannot find these records by the microscope, or by chemical test, and yet they are there, and may be used. The memory of every act, thought, and deed remains, during life, in the brain, although its owner may not always be able to call it up in recollection. Can you grasp the idea of the akasic record from this illustration? In the great memory of the Universe are registered and stored away the records of all that has gone before - those who have access to the records may read - and those who are able to see even the astral reflection of the records, may read with greater or less accuracy and skill. This is the best we can offer you in the way of explaining an unexplainable matter. Those who are ready for the truth hidden in these words will see a glimpse of it; others must wait until they are ready.
FUTURE TIME CLAIRVOYANCE.
Time clairvoyance, so far as "seership" or the seeing into the future is concerned, is even still more difficult to explain. We shall not attempt it, except to say that in the astral light there are to be found faint and imperfect reflections, the workings of the great law of cause and effect, or rather of the shadows cast before the coming events. Some few have the power of a closer viewpoint of the things causing these shadows or reflections, while more have a degree of psychic power enabling them to see with their astral vision these poor reflections, distorted and uncertain, by reason of the waves and ripples on the body of the lake of astral light. There are higher planes of power whereby a few in each age have been able to see partially into the future, but such powers are far above the poor astral plane faculties, which although quite wonderful to the untrained occultist, are not so highly viewed by those who have progressed well along the path. We almost regret to be compelled to pass over this part of the subject in so few words, and with a mere hint of even the small particle of the truth vouchsafed to even the advanced seeker of the way. But we know full well that all will receive the light needed by them, just the moment they are ready - not one moment later - not one moment sooner. All that can be done is for us to drop a word here - a hint there a planting of the seed. May the harvest come soon and be a rich one.
CLAIRAUDIENCE.
Clairaudience is the hearing on the astral plane by means of the astral senses. Nearly all that we have said about Clairvoyance is equally true of Clairaudience, the only difference being. that a different astral organ is used. Simple clairaudience is similar to past time clairvoyance; even future time clairvoyance has a shadow of a resemblance in clairaudient phenomena; the only difference between the two astral manifestations is that they are experienced through two different astral senses. Some clairvoyants are also clairaudients, while others lack the latter power. On the other hand, some hear clairaudiently but are unable to see the astral light. On the whole, clairaudience is a somewhat rarer manifestation than is clairvoyance.
PSYCHOMETRY
Just as we may sometimes recall an apparently forgotten thing, by seeing something which is associated with that thing in our memory, so may we sometimes be able to open up the astral reflection of the akasic records of some particular scene or event by touching some material associated with the event or scene. There seems to be almost an affinity between a bit of matter and the particular portion of the akasic records containing the past history of the thing in question. A bit of metal, or stone, or cloth, or hair will open up the psychic vision of the things previously associated with it in the past. Or, on the other hand, we may bring ourselves in rapport with persons now living, by means of a particle of their clothing, hair, or articles formerly carried by them, the rapport condition thus established enabling us to more easily set up the "astral tube."
Psychometry is merely one or more forms of clairvoyance, brought into operation by means of some connecting link between persons or things, or some object connected with these persons or things. It is not a distinct class of psychic phenomena, but is merely a variation of the other classes, sometimes combining several classes of clairvoyance in its manifestation.
HOW TO DEVELOP PSYCHIC POWERS.
We are often asked the question which is probably in the minds of the majority of our students, at least those who have not yet manifested any marked exhibition of psychic power: "How can one develop the psychic power which is latent within him?"
There are many methods of such development, a few of which are desirable; many of which are undesirable, and some of which are positively harmful.
Among the harmful methods are those in use among certain savage races, and which obtain even among misguided ones of our own race. We allude to such objectionable practices as the use of stupefying drugs, whirling dances, voodoo practices, repulsive rites of the black magicians, and other similar practices which we do not consider it wisdom to even mention. These practices aim to produce an abnormal condition similar to