The Arcane Teaching · 16 of 21

Lesson XVI. Psychic Phenomena

For the sake of convenience in considering the various phases of the phenomena of the Occult Forces operative in the Cosmos, we have divided the same into three general classes, as follows: (1) Psychic Phenomena, consisting of the manifestation of the phases generally known as Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychometry, Telepathy, etc., the distinguishing feature of which is the “knowing” of events other than through the ordinary senses; (2) Mentalism, consisting of the manifestations of Mental Influence, Mind‑Power, Thought‑Force, Mental Magic, etc., the distinguishing feature of which is the exerting of the influence of one mind over other minds; (3) Invocation and Evocation, consisting of the “calling upon” supernatural beings, or the “calling forth” of disembodied entities; elementals; vitalized thought‑entities, etc., from the Astral Plane.

These manifestations, and the force which produces them have been called “Occult” because of the fact that they belong to the less understood phases of natural forces and phenomena. The word “Occult” means: “secret or hidden from the eye or understanding; not seen or understood; mysterious, invisible, unknown, undetected, etc.” To many persons, Occultism is considered to be concerned with supernatural forces, things, and manifestations. This is erroneous, for there is nothing super‑natural— nothing outside of or over nature, of which we can ever have any knowledge. Every thing in the Cosmos is natural, and under natural laws. The Law is the only super‑natural that there is or can be—and we can know It only as being in actual existence; we can know nothing of its inner nature, for it is not a “thing” with attributes, qualities or limitations, as we understand those terms. Everything in the Cosmos is natural—the unknown as well as the commonly known. Therefore, when we say “occult” we mean merely some natural thing, force, or manifestation, not commonly known or recognized by men. When a thing, force, or manifestation becomes commonly known, it ceases to be regarded as “occult.” Electricity was once regarded as an “occult” force—but today it is commonly known and employed, although its real nature is still a mystery. To the trained and advanced Occultist the so‑called Occult Forces are just as familiar and natural as are the manifestations of force common to the knowledge of the race. The Occult Forces are simply finer forces of nature, which are not recognized, known or understood by the average person of the race, today. We wish this to be thoroughly understood. There are no supernatural forces, things, or manifestations—all are natural, and under natural laws.

Let us now proceed to a consideration of the class of occult phenomena which we have grouped under the sub‑title, “Psychic Phenomena,” and which are known severally as Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychometry, Telepathy, etc., the distinguishing feature of which is the “knowing” of events through other channels than the ordinary senses. These several phases are but modifications of one general phenomenon—Astral Sensing.

The majority of modern writers upon the subject of Psychic Phenomena lay great stress upon the “vibrations, waves, currents, etc.,” by which psychic impressions are transmitted from one mind to another, or by which one “senses” occurrences in points of space far removed from him. We have no objection to these terms, for they represent the best available words to describe the actual details of the manifestation—but these words must be used understandingly. The idea, so commonly advanced, that these “vibrations” or “waves” or “currents” are but forms of etheric vibrations similar in nature to the waves of light, heat, electricity, material magnetism, etc., is erroneous, and gives a materialistic tinge to phenomena which are of a much higher plane than that of material forces and substance. While there is a general resemblance between all planes of the Manifest Cosmos, owing to the Law of Analogy which causes “correspondences” on all planes—“as above, so below”—and “from one know all”—still the vibrations, waves and currents concerned in Psychic Phenomena and Mentalism belong to an entirely different plane from that of those concerned in the manifestation of light, heat, electricity, etc., which belong to lower planes.

In the preceding lessons, we have shown you that there are three Principles manifesting and active in Cosmos, viz., Substance, Motion, and Consciousness. In each of these three Principles, there are manifested correspondences which we may call “vibrations,” “waves,” “currents,” etc. On the plane of Substance, we have vibrations and waves of matter, which result in the various forms, shapes, and action of material objects. This is caused by the Principle of Motion acting upon the Principle of Substance. Much that we call energy or force is but the appearance of fine degrees of Substance energized by Motion. Electricity, for instance, is but a fine form of Substance, so energized. The Ether, itself, is but a fine form of Substance, almost approaching Pure Energy, but not passing over the line which divides Energy from Substance. There are also vibrations and waves of Pure Motion, which may be considered, mentally, as independent of Substance, although we can never know them as such. There is a plane of Pure Motion, which is unthinkable except to minds which have been trained to grasp the subject. And, likewise, there are vibrations, waves, and currents in the Principle of Consciousness, produced by the action of Motion upon that Principle. And it is to this plane that the “vibrations, waves, and currents” concerned with Psychic Phenomena properly belong. They are not “waves in the Ether,” for the Ether is on the material plane. They are “waves in the Mind Principle” itself, which is quite another thing.

Without attempting to lead you into an extended discussion of the scientific details of the matter, we would call your attention to this one fact which should serve to give you a plain mental picture of the phenomenon—a general outline of a picture, into which you can fill the details as you proceed in the study and experimental work along these lines. This general statement is as follows: The Cosmos is known to be practically a great World‑Brain, in which Thoughts become Things, taking on Substantial Form. With a Cosmos mental in nature—consisting in fact of but One Universal Mind in which all particular things are but Centres of Consciousness—can you not see that there must be a Circulation of Consciousness, or Currents of Thought, just as there is a circulation of water in and by the currents of the ocean; or as there is a circulation of air by reason of the currents therein; or as there is a circulation of electricity, light, and all other forms of what we call Energy. Consciousness is a Principle, just as is Substance or Motion, and what is true of one Principle is true of the other two, according to the Law of Analogy. Therefore, there are Vibrations, Waves, and Currents of Consciousness, just as truly as there are corresponding manifestations on the material plane. And you may use these terms, very properly—always avoiding the mistake of confusing them with the material correspondences.

In Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychometry, and Telepathy, we have several forms of manifestation of the existence of these Mental Waves and Currents, for so we shall call them to avoid the necessity of longer terms. But how does the mind of the person receive and register the impressions received through these Mental Currents? It is known to be a fact that no mind can receive impressions without the agency and medium of some form of material organ, though that material organ may be extremely subtle and fine. And this rule holds true in the case of the phenomena which we are now considering. And such organs do exist, and are called the Organs of Astral Sense. In the lessons treating of the Astral Plane, you have been informed of the existence of the Astral Body, the subtle counterpart of the Physical Body. This Astral Body is endowed with counterparts of the physical senses, which it may use in sensing the objects and impressions of the Astral Plane. In this way Astral Sensing becomes possible. The average person has not used these Astral Senses sufficiently well to develop them for active use, but this development is possible to those who have sufficient interest and patience to undertake the task. But here and there are found persons whose Astral Senses manifest their existence in a degree not known to the average person. These persons become very sensitive to the impressions of the Astral Plane, and although, as a rule, they are untrained and do not comprehend the nature of the phenomena, still they afford conclusive proof of the existence of the faculties in question. We shall not attempt to “prove” the existence of Psychic Phenomena in these lessons. We have not the space at our disposal, nor is it within the scope of this particular work. Evidence of such nature as to convince any unprejudiced persons may be found in many books on the subject, notably the reports of the English Society for Psychical Research. Moreover many persons have experienced these facts in their own lives.

Let us first consider the phenomenon generally called “Clairvoyance,” which is defined as: “A faculty or power by which the clairvoyant is able to see mentally things concealed from sight; to see and describe things happening at a distance.” With the exception of cases in which the person actually travels in his Astral Body to distant scenes, and there witnesses with his Astral Senses the events actually occurring there, all Clairvoyance results from one general cause, and in the same general way. Let us suppose an event occurring at a distant place. In the manifestation of that event there occurs a constant, regular and continuous series of conscious states on the part of all things concerned therein. Not only on the part of all living things is there consciousness manifested, but there is a consciousness manifested by all inanimate things present upon the scene,—things inorganic as well as organic, in the usual use of these terms. As we have said on page 60 (Lesson IV): “Those who have studied along occult lines have become aware of the existence of mind and consciousness in so‑called inanimate objects— the minerals, metals, etc., and even in the atoms—and finally in the Ether. Everything in the Manifest Cosmos has some degree of Consciousness.” This being so, it follows that such Consciousness must follow the natural law, and transmit waves or currents—waves and currents of Consciousness—which travel and circulate on the Astral Plane where they may be sensed by those astral organs attuned to receive them. Just as the Marconigrams may be received only by instruments keyed to the proper degree of receptivity, so may these currents be received only by those who are in tune with them.

One whose Astral Senses are sufficiently sensitive, and attuned, may receive and register these currents, just as the physical eye registers the light waves of the ether, or the ear the sound waves of the air. There is not necessarily a projection of the Astral Body to the scene of the happening— the Astral Senses may register the impressions received from the currents of Consciousness. To those who may doubt the reasonableness of sensing things and events over thousands of miles, we would say that it is simply an Astral correspondence of the Physical phenomenon of Sight, whereby impressions are received from the distant stars, over billions of miles—over distances so vast that it requires centuries for the light waves to travel. And, remember this—the physical eye never actually sees the outer objects themselves, but merely sees the effects produced upon the nerves by the waves of light. Nor does a person fail to see the outside object, but he also fails to see even the light‑waves themselves—he merely sees certain vibrations of nerve‑substance set up in the brain by the action of the light vibrations. And this is in every sense no less wonderful than the phenomena of Astral Sensing which we have just described—merely a little more common and familiar, that is all. If we had as full and common a development of the Astral Senses as we have of the physical, we would consider it no more remarkable to see events occurring in India, than to witness the changes on the planet Mars. One is as natural as the other. Clairaudience is but another phase of Astral Sensing, by which the Astral Senses receive the impression of sounds, instead of sights. The principle involved is the same.

So far we have spoken only of Clairvoyance in its phase of sensing distant objects. There are other phases, to the consideration of which we shall now pass. But before leaving this phase, we wish to put ourselves squarely on record regarding the nature of the majority of cases of genuine Clairvoyance. In spite of the opinions of many able authorities, we believe that the manifestation of the above form of Distant Clairvoyance is very rare and uncommon. We believe that but few persons ever experience it, even spontaneously. We believe that the majority of recorded cases of Distant Clairvoyance are instances either of Telepathy of a high order, or else of actual Astral Projection, which we believe to be far more common than is usually believed. We believe that a great number of cases of Clairvoyance are due to the unconscious projection of the Astral Body to the distant scene, if even but for a moment—for time is practically annihilated in Astral Projection.

Clairvoyance of Past Events, is explained by the Arcane Teachings as resulting from the fact that in the Cosmic Brain events leave their records and impression, just as the events of the experience of a man leave records and impressions in his brain. These recorded impressions constitute subconscious Memory, in the case of both the man’s brain and the Cosmic Brain— “from one know all”—“as below, so above.” On the Astral Plane there are preserved the records of the Cosmos—the Cosmic Subconscious Memory, in fact. Every thing, action, thought, deed, or activity of any kind, degree or description, that has been manifested since the Dawn of the Cosmic Day, is there recorded in the great unforgetting Subconscious Memory of the Cosmos. All occultists know this, and have called this Subconscious Memory Record by different names. Some minds, peculiarly attuned, occasionally enter into conscious relationship with this Cosmic Subconscious Memory, and are able to record, generally more or less imperfectly, what they sense there. This may be done, either through psychic sensing of mental currents arising from these states of Subconscious Memory, or else by actual contact with them in the Astral Body. But, the phenomena is far less common than is generally supposed, and many cases are explainable upon the hypothesis of Telepathy—that is the impressions are thought impressions, either emanating from the mind of some person now living in the physical, or else some persistent thought‑currents which have maintained their coherent properties over long periods of time.

Clairvoyance of the Future, is a misnomer. It implies actual existence somewhere of a foreknowledge or Foresight of the Future—which does not exist. If such existed, then Fate or Predestination would be true. The Cosmic Mind does not know before the manifestation—for the knowing causes the manifestation. But the phenomena which is known by the name of Clairvoyance of the future, does exist, although the theories concerning it are erroneous. It is true that occasionally individuals seem able to foretell with more or less accuracy, the events which afterward come true at least partially. The secret consists in the fact that the Laws of Orderly Trend and Sequence being operative, there must always be in existence the “shadows cast by the approaching events”—that is active causes operating in the direction of bringing about certain effects. Among these active causes, Desire and Mental Pictures in the minds of living human beings play an important part. The Clairvoyant perceiving the evidences of these active causes in the Astral is often able to make very good guesses or intuitive conjectures of the events which will follow. Just as one may predict something that will happen tomorrow, from something that is happening to‑day. But there is no certainty about the prediction, in either case. For there may be, and generally are, other causes which will play their part at the time of action, and thus defeat the entire prediction. Clairvoyance of the Future perceives probable effects of existent causes—but no more. The Future is not in existence in the mind of any being—not even in the Mind of the Cosmos. Make no mistake about this. Even Astrology can indicate only “probabilities” of the future.

Psychometry, or the receiving of impressions from inanimate objects, by which one enters into rapport (or psychic connection) with the previous environment of the object—thus learning its previous history, particulars of its environment, etc., is explained by the fact that in the object’s consciousness (for all objects possess a degree of consciousness) there is preserved a memory of its past environment, history, etc., which may be read by the mind attuned to the impressions. Not only this, but the object is still astrally connected by psychic filaments with its previous environment, and the Clairvoyant may thus enter into rapport with the latter and its stored‑up memories. The object gives the Clairvoyant “the loose end” of the psychic ball of memory and association, which he then unwinds.