Life beyond death 6 - The Soul-Slumber

The Life Beyond Death

Chapter VI The Soul-Slumber

In connection with the subject of the soul-slumber, of which we have spoken in the preceding chapter, we take the liberty of quoting from one of our earlier works, in which this subject was briefly touched upon, as follows: The process of sinking into the restful state, and the soundness and continuance thereof, may be interfered with by those left in the earth-life. A soul which has something on its mind to communicate, or which is grieved by the pain of those left behind (especially if it hears the lamentations and constant calls for its return), will fight off the dreamy state creeping over it, and will make desperate efforts to return. And, likewise, the mental calls of those who have been left behind will disturb the slumber, once it has been entered into, and will cause the sleeping soul to rouse itself and endeavor to answer the calls, or at least will partially awaken it and retard its unfoldment. These half-awake souls often manifest in spiritualistic circles.

Our selfish grief and demands often cause much pain and sorrow to our loved ones who have passed over to the other side, unless they have learned the true state of affairs before they have passed out, and refuse to be called back even by those whom they love. Cases are known where souls have fought off the slumber for years in order to be around their loved ones on earth, but this course was unwise as it caused unnecessary sorrow and pain both to the one who had passed on and to those who remained on earth. We should avoid delaying by our selfish demands the progress of those who have passed on,-let them sleep on and rest, awaiting the hour of their transformation. To do otherwise, is to make them die their death several times in succession-those who truly love and understand always avoid this, for their love and understanding bids them let the soul depart in peace and take its well earned rest and gain its full development. This period of soul-slumber is like the existence of the babe in the mother's womb - it sleeps that it may awaken into life and strength.

There is another phase of this particular stage of the soul progress which should be referred to here. Again we quote from what we have previously written on the subject, as follows: It is only the soul of the person who has died a natural death which sinks at once (if not disturbed) into the soul-slumber. Those who die by accident, or who are killed - in other words, those who pass out of the body suddenly, find themselves wide-awake and in full possession or their mental faculties for some time.

They often are not aware that they have died and cannot understand what is the matter with them. They are often fully conscious (for a short time) of life on earth, and can see and hear all that is going on around them, by means of their Astral senses. They cannot realize that they have passed out of the body, and are often sorely perplexed. Their lot would be most unhappy for a few days, until the sleep finally overcame them in due course, were it not for the Astral Helpers, those blessed souls from the higher states of existence, who gather around them and gently break to them the news of their real condition, and offer them words of comfort and advice, and generally take care of them until they sink into the soul-slumber just as a tired child sinks to sleep at night.

These Helpers never fail in their duty, and no one who passes out suddenly, be he or she good or bad is neglected, for these helpers know that all are Gods children and their own spiritual brothers and sisters. Men of high spiritual development and powers have been known to pass out of their physical bodies, temporarily (dwelling in their Astral bodies), for the purpose of giving aid and advice in time of great catastrophes (such as the Johnstown Flood and the Titanic Disaster) or after a great battle, when immediate advice and assistance were needed. Persons dying in the way of which we have spoken, of course gradually fall into theslumber of the soul, just as in the cases of those dying a natural death.

Another matter which should be mentioned in this place is that wonderful phenomenon of the review of the past life of the soul, that great panorama which passes before the mental vision of the soul as it sinks into the soul-slumber. This the authorities inform us really occupies but an infinitesimal moment of time - a moment so brief that it can scarcely be spoken of as a point in time. Yet in this brief moment, the soul witnesses the panorama of the life it has passed on earth.

Scene after scene, of infancy to old age, passes before it in review. The most insignificant incident is reproduced with as much fidelity to detail as is the greatest event. The subconscious planes of memory unfold their secrets to the last. Nothing is reserved or withheld. Moreover, the soul, by its awakened spiritual discernment, is able to know the meaning, cause, and consequence of every event in its life. It is able to analyze and to pass judgment upon itself and its acts. Like an omniscient and impartial judge it judges itself. The result of this process is that the acts of one's past life are concentrated and impressed upon the records of the soul, there to become as seeds which will produce better fruit in the future. These seeds serve to bear the fruits of future character, in future lives, at least, so far as the acquired characteristics and desires will admit of.

To those who may object that it is impossible for the mind to grasp the events of a lifetime in the space of a moment of time, we would say that psychology will inform them that even in ordinary earth-life this is possible. For there are many recorded cases in which a person nodding into slumber has dreamed of events which have occupied an apparent period of many years.

In ordinary dreams time is practically reduced to a small unit, and in the state of which we speak the process of concentration is intensified, and the single point of time covers the period of the longest life.

The soul carries with it into its slumber-state a concentrated record of its entire life, including the seeds of its desires, ambitions, likes and dislikes, attractions and repulsions. These seed-ideas soon begin to sprout and bear blossom and fruit.

Not only in future incarnations are these manifest, but also in the life of the soul on the Astral Plane. For kind Nature does not impose on the soul the task of living out and outliving all of its tendencies in future incarnations, but so arranges that many of these strong impulses shall be manifested and worn out on the Astral Plane, so that the soul may leave them behind when it is re-born into a new earth-life. And it is toward this fruition that the soul-slumber serves. During the soul-sleep the soul is prepared for its entrance into Astral life and manifestation, the details of which we shall see as we proceed. The soul-slumber is just as necessary for the soul in this stage of its progress, as is the slumber of the unborn babe in the womb of its mother.

We have heard of some unreasoning persons who, upon being made acquainted with these teachings, manifested a fear of the soul-slumber state, and who said they feared the sleep in an unknown place, among so many unknown things and creatures.

This objection seems very childish to the advanced occultist, for he knows that there is nowhere in Nature in which an entity is so carefully and fully guarded as in this case of the sleeping soul on the great Astral Plane. So absolutely secure from invasion or intrusion, from harm or hurtful influence, are these sleeping souls that nothing short of a complete revolution of Nature's most sacred laws could affect them. The abode is not a place, remember, but a condition or state. And this state or condition is such that no malign or harmful influence could in any way whatsoever reach or even draw near them. Would that all of us in earth-life were so securely guarded. So secure are these sleeping souls that it would seem as if all of Nature's forces had conspired to guard and protect them. It is a Hindu maxim which runs as follows:

Not even the gods on their high thrones have any power or dominion over the sleeping souls.

To those whose ideals on the subject of the other side have been so influenced by the teachings of current theology that this conception of the soul-slumber may seem strange and unusual, we would say that a little consideration will show that under the popular conceptions of even the most favored theologies will be found many veiled allusions to this blessed state of rest which the soul so sadly requires after one strenuous life and before another. He giveth His beloved sleep; There is rest for the weary;He has gone to his long rest; these and many other familiar expressions and quotations seek to express the innate idea implanted in the human mind regarding a period of rest which shall come to the tired soul. The idea of rest, after the stress and storms of life, is so natural and instinctive that it may be said to represent the strongest inclination and conviction of the human soul in connection with the idea of death. It is as fixed as is the conviction of future life beyond the grave. In the advanced occult teachings alone, however, are to be found the explanation of the idea.

The soul which is instructed regarding the existence and nature of this period of soul-slumber will find nothing but satisfaction in the contemplation thereof. It will learn to regard this stage of its future existence as a blessed balm and comfort.

It will feel toward this state that which we find expressed in the words of the old song: And calm and peaceful do I sleep, rocked in the Cradle of the Deep.

As rest, securely resting, on the bosom of that Great Ocean of Life. Rest, calm, peace, security, protection.this is the condition of the soul-slumber on the Astral Plane.

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