REINCARNATION/PART 7
CHAPTER VII.
Between
and Beyond Incarnations.
One of the first
questions usually asked by students of the subject of Reincarnation is:
"Where does the soul dwell between incarnations; does it incarnate immediately
after death; and what is its final abode or state?" This question, or
questions, have been asked from the beginning, and probably will be asked so
long as the human mind dwells upon the subject. And many are the answers that
have been given to the questioners by the teachers and "authorities"
upon the subject. Let us consider some of the leading and more
"authoritative" answers.
In the first place,
let us consider that phase of the question which asks: "Does the soul
incarnate immediately after death?" Some of the earlier Reincarnationists
believed and taught that the soul reincarnated shortly after death, the
short period between incarnations being used by the soul in adjusting itself,
striking a balance of character, and preparing for a new birth. Others held
that there was a period of waiting and rest between incarnations, in which the
soul 'mentally digested' the experiences of the last life just completed, and
then considered and meditated over the mistakes it had made, and determined to
rectify the mistakes in the next life—it being held that when the soul was
relieved of the necessities of material existence, it could think more clearly
of the moral nature of its acts, and would be able to realize the spiritual
side of itself more distinctly, in addition to having the benefit of the
spiritual perspective occasioned by its distance from the active scenes of
life, and thus being able to better gauge the respective
"worth-whileness" of the things of material life.
At the present time,
the most advanced students of the subject hold that the average period of rest
between incarnations is about fifteen hundred years, the less advanced souls
hastening back to earth in a very short time, the more advanced preferring a
long period of rest, meditation and preparation for a new life. It is held that
the soul of a gross, material, animal-like person will incarnate very shortly
after death, the period of rest and meditation being very short, for the reason
that there is very little about which such a soul could meditate, as all of its
attractions and desires are connected with material life. Many souls are so
"earth-bound" that they rush back at once into material embodiment if
the conditions for rebirth are favorable, and they are generally favorable for
there seems to be always an abundant supply of new bodies suitable for such
souls in the families of people of the same character and nature, which afford
congenial opportunities for such a soul to reincarnate. Other souls which have
progressed a little further along the path of attainment, have cultivated the
higher part of themselves somewhat, and enjoy to a greater extent the period of
meditation and spiritual life afforded them. And so, as the scale
advances—as the attraction for material life grows less, the period of purely
spiritual existence between incarnations grows longer, and it is said that the
souls of persons who are highly developed spiritually sometimes dwell in the
state of rest for ten thousand years or more, unless they voluntarily return sooner
in order to take part in the work of uplifting the world. It must be
remembered, in this connection, that the best teaching is to the effect that
the advanced souls are rapidly unfolding into the state in which they are
enabled to preserve consciousness in future births, instead of losing it as is
the usual case, and thus they take a conscious part in the selection of the
conditions for rebirth, which is wisely denied persons of a more material
nature and less spiritual development.
The next phase of the
question: "Where does the soul dwell between incarnations?" is one
still more difficult of answer, owing to the various shades of opinion on the
subject. Still there is a fundamental agreement between the different
schools, and we shall try to give you the essence or cream of the thought
on the subject. In the first place, all occultists set aside any idea of there
being a "place" in which the souls dwell—the existence of
"states" or "planes of existence" being deemed sufficient
for the purpose. It is held that there are many planes of existence in any and
every portion of space, which planes interpenetrate each other, so that
entities dwelling on one plane usually are not conscious of the presence of
those on another plane. Thus, an inhabitant of a high plane of being, in which
the vibrations of substance are much higher than that which we occupy, would be
able to pass through our material world without the slightest knowledge of its
existence, just as the "X rays" pass through the most solid object,
or as light passes through the air. It is held that there are many planes of
existence much higher than the one we occupy, and upon which the disembodied
souls dwell. There are many details regarding these planes, taught by the
different schools of occultism, or spiritualism, but we have neither the
time nor space to consider them at length, and must content ourselves with
mentioning but a few leading or typical beliefs or teachings on the subject.
The Theosophists
teach that just when the soul leaves the body, there occurs a process of
psychic photography in which the past life, in all of its details, is indelibly
imprinted on the inner substance of the soul, thus preserving a record
independent of the brain, the latter being left behind in the physical body. Then
the Astral Body, or Etheric Double, detaches itself from the body, from which
the Vital Force, or Prana-Jiva also departs at the same time, the Astral Body
enfolding also the four other principles, and together the Five Surviving
Principles pass on to the plane of Kama Loka, or the Astral Plane of Desire.
Kama Loka is that part of the Astral Plane nearest to the material plane, and
is very closely connected with the latter. If the soul is filled with hot and
earnest desire for earth life, it may proceed no further, but may hasten back
to material embodiment, as we said a moment ago. But if the soul has
higher aspirations, and has developed the higher part of itself, it presses on
further, in which case the Astral Body, and the Animal Soul which is the seat
of the passions and grosser desires, disintegrate, and thus release the Triad,
or three-fold higher nature of the soul, namely the higher human soul, the
spiritual soul, and the spirit—or as some term them, the intellect, the
spiritual mind, and the spirit. The Triad then passes on to what is known as
the plane of Devachan, where it rests divested of the lower parts of its
nature, and in a state of bliss and in a condition in which it may make great
progress by reason of meditation, reflection, etc. Kama Loka has been compared
to the Purgatory of the Catholics, which it resembles in more ways than one,
according to the Theosophists. Devachan is sometimes called the Heaven World by
Theosophists, the word meaning "the state or plane of the gods."
Theosophy teaches
that the Soul Triad dwells in Devachan "for a period proportionate to the
merit of the being," and from whence in the proper time "the being is
drawn down again to be reborn in the world of mortals." The Law of Karma
which rules the earth-life of man, and which regulates the details of his
rebirth, is said to operate on the Devachnic Plane as well, thus deciding the
time of his abode on that plane, and the time when the soul shall proceed to
rebirth. The state of existence in Devachan is described at length in the
Theosophical writings, but is too complex for full consideration here. Briefly
stated, it may be said that it is taught that the life on Devachan is in the
nature of a Dream of the Best that is In Us—that is, a condition in which the
highest that is in us is given a chance for expression and growth, and
development. The state of the soul in Devachan is said to be one of Bliss, the
degree depending upon the degree of spiritual development of the soul, as the
Bliss is of an entirely spiritual nature. It may be compared to a state of
people listening to some beautiful music—the greater the musical development of
the person, the greater will be his degree of enjoyment. It is also taught that
just as the soul leaves Devachan to be reincarnated, it is given a glimpse of
its past lives, and its present character, that it may realize the Karmic
relations between the cause and effect, to the end that its new life may be
improved upon—then it sinks into a state of unconsciousness and passes on to
rebirth.
The Western school of
the Yogi Philosophy gives an idea of the state between incarnations, somewhat
eclectic in its origin, agreeing with the Theosophical teaching in some
respects, and differing from it in others. Let us take a hasty glance at it. In
the first place it does not use the terms "Kama Loca" and
"Devachan" respectively, but instead treats the whole series of
planes as the great "Astral World" containing many planes, divisions,
and subdivisions—many sub-planes, and divisions of the same. The teaching is
that the soul passes out of the body, leaving behind its physical form,
together with its Prana or Vital Energy, and taking with it the
Astral Body, the Instructive Mind, and the higher principles. The
"last vision" of the past life, in which the events of that life are
impressed upon the soul just as it leaves the body, is held to be a fact—the
soul sees the past life as a whole, and in all of its minutest details at the
moment of death, and it is urged that the dying person should be left undisturbed
in his last moments for this reason, and that the soul may become calm and
peaceful when starting on its journey. On one of the Astral Planes the soul
gradually discards its Astral Body and its Instinctive Mind, but retains its
higher vehicles or sheaths. But it is taught that this discarding of the lower
sheaths occurs after the soul has passed into a "soul-slumber" on a
sub-plane of the Astral World, from which it awakens to find itself clothed
only in its higher mental and spiritual garments of being, and free from the
grosser coverings and burdens. The teachings say: "When the soul has cast
off the confining sheaths, and has reached the state for which it is prepared,
it passes to the plane in the Astral World for which it is fitted, and to which
it is drawn by the Law of Attraction. The planes of the Astral World
interpenetrate, and souls dwelling on one plane are not conscious of those
dwelling on another, nor can they pass from one plane to another, with this
exception—that those dwelling on a higher plane are able to see (if they so
desire) the planes below them in the order of development, and are also able to
visit these lower planes if they so desire. But those on the lower planes are
not able to either see or visit the planes above them—not that there is a
'watchman at the gate' to prevent them, but for the same reason that a fish is
not able to pass from the water to the plane of air above that water." The
same teachings tell us that the souls on the higher planes often visit friends
and relatives on the lower, so that there is always the opportunity for loved
ones, relatives and friends meeting in this way; and also many souls on the
higher planes pass to the lower planes in order to instruct and advise those
dwelling on the latter, the result that in some cases there may be a
progression from a lower to a higher plane of the Astral World by promotion
earned by this instruction. Regarding Rebirth, from the Astral World, the
teachings say:
"But sooner or
later, the souls feel a desire to gain new experiences, and to manifest in
earth-life some of the advancement which has come to them since 'death,' and
for these reasons, and from the attraction of desires which have been
smoldering there, not lived out or cast off, or, possibly influenced by the
fact that some loved soul, on a lower plane, is ready to incarnate and wishing
to be incarnated at the same time in order to be with it (which is also a
desire) the souls fall into the current sweeping toward rebirth, and the
selection of proper parents and advantageous circumstances and surrounding, and
in consequence again fall into a soul-slumber, gradually, and so when their
time comes they 'die' to the plane upon which they have been existing and are
'born' into a new physical life and body. A soul does not fully awaken from its
sleep immediately at birth, but exists in a dream-like state during the
days of infancy, its gradual awakening being evidenced by the growing
intelligence of the babe, the brain of the child keeping pace with the demands
made upon it. In some cases the awakening is premature, and we see cases of
prodigies, child-genius, etc., but such cases are more or less abnormal, and
unhealthy. Occasionally the dreaming soul in the child half-wakes, and startles
us by some profound observation, or mature remark or conduct."
The third phase of
the question: "What is the final state or abode of the soul?" is one
that reaches to the very center or heart of philosophical and religious thought
and teaching. Each philosophy and religion has its own explanation, or
interpretation of the Truth, and it is not for us to attempt to select one
teaching from the many in this work. The reader will find many references to
these various explanations and teachings as he reads the several chapters of this
book, and he may use his own discrimination and judgment in selecting
that which appeals to him the most strongly. But he will notice that there
is a fundamental agreement between all of the teachings and beliefs—the
principle that the movement of the soul is ever upward and onward, and that
there is no standing still in spiritual development and unfoldment. Whether the
end—if end there be—is the reaching of a state of Bliss in the presence of the
Divine One—or whether the weary soul finds rest "in the Bosom of the
Father," by what has been called "Union with God"—the vital
point for the evolving soul is that there is "a better day coming"—a
haven of rest around the turn of the road. And whatever may be the details of
the Truth, the fact remains that whatever state awaits the soul finally, it
must be Good, and in accordance with Divine Wisdom and Ultimate Justice and
Universal Love.
The majority of
occultists look forward to an end in the sense of being absorbed in the Divine
Being, not in the sense of annihilation, but in the sense of reaching a
consciousness "of the Whole in the Whole"—this is the true meaning of
"Nirvana." But whether this be true, or whether there is a place of
final rest in the highest spiritual realms other than in the sense of absorption
in the Divine, or whether there is a state of Eternal Progression from plane to
plane, from realm to realm, on and on forever Godward, and more and more
God-like—the End must be Good, and there is nothing to Fear, for "the
Power that rules Here, rules There, and Everywhere. And remember this, ye
seekers after ultimate truths—the highest authorities inform us that even the
few stages or planes just ahead of us in the journey are so far beyond our
present powers of conception, that they are practically unknowable to us—this
being so, it will be seen that states very much nearer to us than the End must
be utterly beyond the powers not only of our understanding but also of our
imagination, even when strained to its utmost. This being so, why should we
attempt to speculate about The End? Instead, why not say with Newman:
"I do not ask to see the distant scene.One step enough for
me—Lead Thou me on!"
It is said that when
Thoreau was dying, a friend leaned over and taking him by the hand, said:
"Henry, you are so near to the border now, can you see anything on the
other side?" And the dying Thoreau replied: "One world at a time,
Parker!" And this seems to be the great lesson of Life—One Plane at a
Time! But though the Veil of Isis is impossible of being lifted entirely, still
there is a Something that enables one to see at least dimly the features of the
Goddess behind the veil. And that Something is that Intelligent Faith that
"knows," although it is unable to explain even to itself. And the
voice of that Something Within informs him who has that Faith: All Is Well,
Brother! For beyond planes, and states, and universes, and time, and space, and
name, and form, and Things—there must be THAT which transcends them all, and
from which they all proceed. Though we may not know what THAT is—the fact
that It must exist—that It IS, is a sufficient guarantee that the LAW is in
constant operation on all planes, from the lowest to the highest, and that THE
COSMOS IS GOVERNED BY LAW! And this being so, not even an atom may be destroyed,
nor misplaced, nor suffer Injustice; and all will attain the End rightly, and
know the "Sat-chit-ananda" of the Hindus—the Being-Wisdom-Bliss
Absolute that all philosophies and religions agree upon is the Final State of
the Blessed. And to the occultist All are Blessed, even to the last soul in the
scale of life. And over all the tumult and strife of Life there is always that
Something—THAT—silently brooding, and watching, and waiting—the Life, Light,
and Love of the All. Such is the message of the Illumined of all ages, races,
and lands. Is it not worthy of our attention and consideration?
NEXT CHAPTER
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