In previous postings the topic of glamour and illusion has been touched upon as a way of introducing the reader to the ubiquitous forces that reside on the emotional and mental planes. For those of us who are interested in understanding the nature of these forces which keep the hearts and minds of most of us in a constant fog and veil of deception, the present posting might hopefully shed a little more light on the subject.
The mechanism by which all forces/energies are made manifest within the physical world is the etheric or vital body. This is the higher counterpart of the physical body, unseen by physical senses yet ever-present and active. Every solid, liquid and gaseous particle of the physical body is surrounded with an etheric envelope which is a perfect duplicate of the dense form. The etheric plane is composed of an enormous network of energy filaments which serve as a means of communication for all living beings on the planet. This network connects every form to every other, to the planet itself, the solar system, and to the universe at large. The individual etheric body has two main functions: first, it is responsible for the absorption of prana or vitality which radiates from the sun, and for the distribution of this life force to all parts of the physical body, thus keeping it in good health. Secondly, it receives and transmits energy through certain force-centres known as chakras, each with its own distinct function.
The three lower chakras situated along the lower spine of the etheric body, are active in all human beings and act as entrance and exit points for physical sensations and instincts of the dense body and feelings of the emotional (astral) body; they are the means by which consciousness of sense-contacts and instincts are registered in the brain and nervous system, and by which consciousness of feelings in the emotional body are registered. The four higher chakras, situated within the etheric body above the diaphragm, are enlivened at a later stage in the evolutionary journey through the process of conscious inner development through the use of mind, and act eventually as a bridge between the three lower bodies (the physical, etheric and emotional bodies) and the higher bodies which ever lie latent in man. It is difficult for us to encompass the magnitude and potency of the etheric world and of the worlds of higher dimensions. Through aspiration, penetrative study of the ancient wisdom and deep reflection, and and the use of the creative imagination, we begin to sense the very real probability of the existence of higher dimensions. A clue is given to us by our Great Brother when He said: In my house there are many mansions.
The forces of glamour that are active on the astral (emotional) plane constitute the primary battlefield for most people who are polarised in the emotional body. With a little honesty and self-reflection we would accept this premise as an experiential fact. The handling of the emotions is a major challenge for all and the solution lies in the illumination of the mind through the practice of clear thinking. The fogs and miasmas of emotional substance which overpower us in many different ways are dissipated by illumination and the power of discrimination, which are functions of the mind. One needs to distinguish the very real difference in substance and in function – between feeling and thought. The sifting between the two is the key which releases consciousness from the thralls of blind attachments which our feelings engender in most situations. Our thoughts become intertwined with our feelings and in the melee of expression there is no clear delineation between the two, and as a result, we seldom see things as they really are. A thought-form, in its truest sense, is a substance of thought and is distinct from the substance of feeling. The key to the solution of many psychological problems lies in the conscious distinction between thought and feeling . . . whilst immersed in the activities of daily living.
We would do well to wake up to the quality of forces operating in the moment, and in particular, to the beauty and simplicity of That which ever lies in perfect quietude behind all activity. Detached observation of what is actually taking place in the mind and emotions is the required action. In clear and accurate monitoring of our inner world we discover the art of discrimination, realising in the process that we use our feelings blindly to propel and promote our own agendas and to support those strong thoughts to which we are so attached. In the mindless activity of mixing the two – thought and feeling – we let loose legions of force in which we are swept up daily, unconscious of what is taking place within us, within the environment, and within the psyche of those around us.
To dissipate glamour (the feeling substance that distorts perception) one requires a quiet withdrawing mind, thought, and desire from the world in which the personality habitually works, and the centering of the consciousness in the world of the soul, there silently and patiently awaiting developments, knowing that the Light will shine forth and that illumination will eventually take place. Meditation is the key to this process.
There are three common emotional reactions to life and to daily circumstances and they give clues to the presence of glamour in our personal lives; they are breeders of glamour and should be watched carefully as they arise: criticism, separativeness and pride are the three. If we are consciously alert to these usurpers of the Light, we are well on our way to the dissipation of these fogs. Glamour affects those who are more emotionally dominant. The key to the release of glamour over the consciousness is the illumined mind, whereby light can be brought to bear on all conditions of glamour. This is done practically by linking up the mind with the soul and then focussing oneself consciously and with precision in the mind nature. Then, through analysis, discrimination and right thought one proceeds to deal with the problem of glamour, thus speak the Wise.
The forces of Illusion which deceive the minds of men are another matter entirely and are dispelled through the power of the Intuition. World illusion is brought about through an adherence to wrong thinking and affects those who are more mentally dominant. The cause of the major problems in our world today arises from the forces of illusion and the inability to see beyond the material world. It is the soul itself on the higher levels of the mental plane which dispels illusion. Through intuitive revelation one learns to insulate oneself against the unreal; the faculty of the intuition produces the eventual identification with reality as opposed to unreality, which constitutes the plane of illusion of the lower mind in which many of us now dwell.
As more of us become aware of the existence of world glamour and illusion (which comes about through our own personal experience in dealing with it in our own lives), so the power of the collective will approach the problem with greater facility. As this enlightenment occurs we will witness a collective attack upon world glamour and illusion, which will create that much-needed opening for the power of Light to shine through into the consciousness of mankind; the fogs will slowly dissipate by the Light of the collective soul and the solutions to many of our present problems will be grasped.
Resolution for humanity ever comes about when a higher aspect of the consciousness is dimly visioned and we become aware of ourselves as possessing something hitherto unknown. This brings the next stage in the expansion of consciousness.
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