What thousands of millions have believed to be life in the spirit world or the world of the gods, is the life on other planets. This thought, which can be presented with so few words, will be the beginning of more change to the better for all mankind than has taken place down all the ages before.
III
Contact with other planets, i.e. with intelligent life on other planets, is so far from inconceivable as to be a common phenomenon. It takes place, for instance, at every séance. Not only do beings on other planets speak through the psychic at such séances; they may even be able to produce some semblance of themselves. Spiritualists believe that these are the souls of the departed, who can temporarily adopt physical form, due to some special powers of the psychic. But many people have maintained that these materialisations are nothing but the psychics themselves, or illusions, or even that those present at the séance are simply lying. However, the view is now gaining increasing acceptance that the beings in question have in fact appeared at séances. And in truth it is not reasonable to mistrust the testimony of such outstanding scientists as Crookes, who has made an exhaustive investigation of the manifestation “Katie King” and the various events that occur at séances. That will be discussed in another essay.
IV
On this occasion the subject of discussion is the “Egyptian” giant described by Archdeacon Colley. Colley’s account is of such a nature that anyone who has acquired some knowledge of these matters can tell that it is not a confabulation. The “spirit” was 80 inches in height, and correspondingly strong. The giant called himself Mahedi. He knew no English, except now and then. The name Mahedi is very similar to Mahdi, the name used by Muslims for their Messiah, whom they have sometimes been expecting (to come to them). The name Mahdi is also reminiscent of Mahatma, the name used by the Theosophists for the “masters” in whom they have such faith. I do not mean to imply that it is the same word. But I am of the view that the Mahatmas are phenomena of similar nature: manifestations or metamorphoses of beings on other planets. I do not believe that these “masters” reside in the Himalayas, as some say. One may recall in this context the Ancient Greek belief that Zeus and other gods lived on Mount Olympus in Thessaly. These are related phenomena. But it will transpire that it is due to ignorance that people imagine that the “masters” (and the ancient gods) are nothing but figments of imagination.
It is possible to demonstrate that the “masters,”(phenomena such as e.g. that which is described by the founder of the Theosophical Society, H. S. Olcott, in his memoirs Old Diary Leaves pp. 379-80), are mediumistic phenomena, just like those which people interpret as materialisations of departed souls. In ancient times phenomena of this kind were explained in yet other terms; these manifestations were regarded as gods who had descended to earth. According to Herodotus (I, chap. 182) he was told by the priests of the great temple of Baal in Babylon (which was 122 feet square) that the god Baal sometimes appeared in the room of the priestess; and that the same was true in Thebes in Egypt. The Greek historian finds such stories unbelievable; yet these could be mediumistic phenomena, such as were mentioned above. The priestesses were the psychic mediums. It is a step towards a scientific approach to discern links between phenomena which have similarities, although sufficient notice has not been paid to them.
It appears to be not uncommon for people to establish a link via a psychic with an Egyptian or Arab or other Oriental person, whom they believe to exist in another world (plane). And that is not particularly surprising. The mystics of our time in Europe and America have, like people of the East, a great belief in what is termed the supernatural; but they tend to forget that something has been learned in natural sciences since the days of the Ancient Egyptians. They forget Bruno, who blazed a trail for the new age by realising that there were innumerable solar systems, in addition to the one where our Earth is found. Nobody believed him, admittedly, at the start. He did not convince a single person in his lifetime. He was told that he was insane to maintain such palpable nonsense as that the stars were suns.
And the centuries since have paid the price for the way Bruno’s theories were received by his contemporaries, and how they treated him. For there is nothing so dangerous in the long term as being opposed to the truth. The history of mankind serves to prove the rule that every time a truth which was greatly conducive to progress has been trampled upon, a wave of disaster has struck: or, to quote a Persian maxim: when men turn against God, the game is the Devil’s. In general the worst sufferings of mankind are attributable to the belief that the covetous, domineering and cruel are the truly great men; and such men have been loaded with praise and honours, so that people have created their own oppressors and torturers. But those who were on the right path, the true leaders – those who have made the discoveries to which human progress owes most – have generally been despised and sometimes cruelly treated. And the natural consequence of this wrong policy is the Great War, that greatest step toward hell (infernal line of evolution) yet taken by mankind. We can say with certainty, according to the historical law which I mentioned above, that before events took their disastrous course a truth had been discovered, but ignored; a truth which would have been more conducive to a turning-point in human history than any ever discovered here on earth.
V
People have not yet fully applied the ideas of Bruno, and what has been achieved since, by following the direction he indicated. Yet some of it appears so obvious; for instance to apply the working hypothesis in mediumistic experiments that the connection established (there is no need to doubt that it is indeed a connection) is with intelligent beings on other planets. If this approach were applied in experiments, better results would be achieved than now, when progress may be said to be non-existent. All kinds of mysticism have, admittedly, gained growing support in recent years, but understanding of the phenomenon has made little progress, and there are still many people who have no interest in such pursuits, and do not even deem them worthy of study. But it is vital, if progress is to be made, not to become shackled by any belief that hinders research. We must not do as the church did in olden times, when it circumscribed freedom of thought and research, and hence halted the scientific progress which had begun. The only way to move forward is by experiment and research. But there is a great need for sense: the trained intelligence of the scientist is vital. And the greater the ability not to be convinced of what one must not be convinced of, and on the other hand to discern what is so – however unlikely – the better results may be expected. Here in Iceland a considerable number of people apparently dabble in séances; and if experimenters of that type came around to the view that it was, at least, no less reasonable to seek a connection with the inhabitants of another planet than with inhabitants of the spirit world, their experiments might yield more results than is now the case. In addition, such experiments would be less risky. If we seek to establish a connection with the spirit world, we make contact with a plane of existence as bad as the one on earth, and even worse: a plane of existence where the spiritual plane is believed in; and that is not the case, except where knowledge is in a backward state. – But to seek to make contact with other planets is a progressive move. The more perfect the life, the greater and more diverse the connections. One has only to compare the connection between apes in America and in Asia, with the relationship between humans on both sides of the Atlantic – even though that is not always as good as it might be. And the hostility tends to lead towards discord, rather than connection.
VI
It is not an easy matter to believe the accounts of materialisations or manifestations which take place at some séances. And it would appear that some of the people present have had difficulty believing their own eyes; and in some cases people have attacked such a manifestation, immovably convinced that it was simply the psychic him/herself. Yet, the more consideration one gives to this matter, the less convincing it becomes to assume that these phenomena are simply fraudulent or illusory. Materialisations have been photographed, and exhaustively studied by outstanding scientists. Suffice it to mention the aged William Crookes (b. 17 June 1831), one of the leaders of natural sciences. I shall recount another time something of his research into what are sometimes called spiritualist phenomena. I see no reason to doubt that these beings, which may be termed materialisations, have appeared at séances. But people seem to be far from understanding such phenomena correctly; they have been too quick to explain them in terms of humanity’s age-old notions of spirits and the spirit world. People have believed that there were only two alternatives: either to conclude that the phenomena were not authentic, but fraud and illusion; or to subscribe to the spiritualist explanation, thus reverting materially to the medieval way of thinking. But it should be mentioned that it has nowhere been stated, in what I have seen attributed to Crookes, that he endorses the “spiritualist” interpretation of the phenomena: his concern has been with whether or not the phenomena actually occurred. (Crooke’s publications on this research are not available here in Iceland, so far as I know, and I have not yet been able to acquire them.)
VII
All research into what has been regarded as the spirit world has been carried out on the basis of limited knowledge. People have been unaware that the psychic’s trance is essentially the same as the normal sleeping state, and that our dream-world is the same as the psychic’s spirit world. And if people seek to refute this, it is because they have not yet studied this matter sufficiently. Even in normal sleep, materialisation or something like it, appears to be possible. An important law, of which people have been unaware, which must be taken into account in such research as this, may be stated as follows: The influence from the sitters at the séance determines the effects on the psychic from the “spirit world.” They determine which “spirit” enters the psychic, and the nature of their connection. (A “spirit” which enters a psychic is the same kind of being as I have called the dream-giver; dream-life is, as I have briefly discussed in other essays, the result of the sleeper’s participation in the consciousness of other, waking, beings; and this will not be disputed for long, when people begin to study this matter in earnest.)
I have discovered this law, stated here, by research into the nature of dreams; and when that law has been revealed, much which has been deemed mysterious becomes understandable. For instance: relatives of the psychic him/herself are less likely to speak through the psychic in the trance state than the deceased friends and relatives of the sitters. We are no longer surprised by the fact, which was so irritating and incomprehensible to the renowned spiritualist writer and psychic Stainton Moses, that at séances where he was the medium, those who spoke through him were not those he himself longed to contact, and they did not speak of what interested him, but spirits and subjects relating to the sitters. We can understand why an English or American psychic who knows no French can nonetheless speak French when in a trance, if French people are present; why a psychic who knows nothing of Indian languages may speak them in a trance when an Indian person is present, and so on. If one examines accounts of séances one will find many examples of the influence of the sitters determining who speaks through the psychic, and about what. This connection is governed by law of nature: and it is a misunderstanding that “spirits” can enter a psychic at will, in order to talk to those present at the séance.
The most famous example of this nature is from the Acts of the Apostles, which states that the apostles “were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” This is a phenomenon of the same nature as when a psychic who knows no French, or the Indian language, can speak them in a trance. The apostles, like the psychic, speak “as the spirit gave them utterance.” And we are told that the apostles indeed spoke in the languages of the people who were present: a multitude is said to have come together, and been bewildered “because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.” The story is probably true, and there is nothing to preclude its truthfulness.
Also worth mentioning is the woeful influence of Professor Flournoy on an excellent psychic he names Helena Smith: Flournoy’s book De Indes à la Planète Mars/ From India to the Planet Mars” (which should be rightly called From the Planet Mars to India) could be the subject of an informative essay. Helena Smith changed in a noticeable way after Flournoy started attending her séances, and the professor has no idea why those changes took place. Yet he himself was the cause of the changes, in the manner explained above: influence from him (induction) altered the psychic’s connections and her trances. The sentences in an Indian language, which H. Smith began to speak after Flournoy joined the séances, arose from the fact that Flournoy had attended lectures on that language.
VIII
When people start to apply the new studies which have been discussed in this essay and others, research on what some people believe to be the spirit world will be different from at present. I shall mention here some of the changes which I expect to take place, as I think that this may be helpful, if my guidance is accepted. The selection of experimental subjects will be made with far more care than before, both with respect to individuals and to the composition of groups. The importance of each individual person at a séance has not been fully realised. Those who take part in such experiments must, for at least a few days prior to the séance, abstain from consuming tobacco, alcohol and meat. They must strive to think rightly and benevolently. In general such experimenters will seek pursuits which are conducive to harmony at the perfect plane of existence, and avoid others. The more perfect the plane of existence, the greater the understanding that the only way to the right kind of progress is the way of increased knowledge and increased benevolence, and hence the ability to follow that path is enhanced.
The selection of groups too will be carried out with more care: both by avoiding the presence of people who hate or despise one or more of the experimenters; also people will be picked in groups by their knowledge – both by type of knowledge, and level. A group will be selected by type of knowledge, for instance, so that at some séances the psychic will be in the company only of botanists, or physicians or astronomers, zoologists, engineers, mining engineers, geologists, etc. And this selection will be varied in certain ways, for instance so that the group will sometimes comprise both mining engineers and geologists, if the intention is to contact those in the “spirit world” (or more accurately life on other planets) who could provide useful information on the discovery of natural resources. And by way of demonstrating that this can yield results, it may be pointed out that 18 years before astronomers here on earth knew of the moons of Mars, a “spirit,” i.e. a being living on another planet, is said to have told an English general, via a medium, of the existence of those moons. We are told, in the accounts of this event, that the general had studied astronomy; and knowledge of the law mentioned above governing psychic connections would have led us to deduce this fact, even had it not been mentioned.
IX
When people are familiar with the relevant laws of nature, they will pay careful attention to the nature of the connections they themselves have established after séances – or, in other words, what their sleep consciousness is: what they dream. It is possible, when things go well, to establish a telepathic connection with remarkable beings on other planets. This has been called “astral travelling,” travelling in the astral plane, which is an accurate description; however, in mystical cosmology the term “astral plane” does not apply to life on other planets. People have maintained, and still do, that they “leave the body” to travel in other planes of existence. The “astral plane” here is thus much the same as what Swedenborg called the spirit world, mundus spirituum.
But that which people have believed to be their own souls, which have left the body to travel in the spirit world, is in truth another person, who lives on another planet; and in sleep the consciousness merges with that other person (being), so that they feel that they themselves are that other person (being). They may say, like a person under hypnosis: why are you putting salt in my mouth? when in fact the salt does not touch his tongue, but the tongue of the hypnotist: the mind or soul of hypnotised person has merged with that of another. It is no surprise that people have difficulty understanding this, so long as they do not make the effort of learning to study such matters themselves. But once people have realised the truth, when they understand that what I call bioinduction takes place – that one body can undergo induction from the soul of another, so that the two merge, and there is but one ego in both – then they will see how new fields open up to science, which were believed to be beyond scientific scope. One discovery will follow another, each more vital to humanity than the last, once this route has been chosen. Something that will quickly be understood is the nature of the mental illness known as paranoia. The delusions of the paranoid person are dreams, in a sense; and like all dreams they arise from a telepathic connection with another person. It is a sort of paranoia when a hypnotised person tastes the salt which has been placed on the tongue of another person. And the same is true of the delusions of the mentally ill person; he believes he hears and sees things which in fact another being is hearing and seeing; and when the disease is at its worst, he believes he is that other person. Unfortunately, alienists have not been aware of the remarkable research subjects they were treating; they have, due to the shortcomings of psychology, been the most ignorant of doctors in their field. But now this will be rectified. It will not be long before use begins to be made of my research, which will now be continued by others. And the science of telepathy or empowerment will also teach how to cure these problems. There is a great need for progress in this field, for madness, especially of the kind termed paranoia, has become more widespread than ever before in the present time.
Another illness, whose nature will be readily understood, when people are ready to apply the discoveries mentioned here, is hysteria, whose name is entirely misleading. This illness often begins when a person dreams that he suffers an injury, after which the pain persists when he awakens, although there is nothing apparently wrong physically. The explanation is that the person has become a participant in the existence of one who is ill or injured. The two souls merge, so the pain of the “hysteric” is induced by that of another being.
An interesting study of this phenomenon may be found in a paper by Mary Monteith, Communication by Telepathy, 19th century and after, published in September 1918. On page 510 she describes how a Miss M. felt a sudden pain in her arm and found her arm paralysed; at the same time she had a strong premonition that her friend in the army had been wounded. The following day she received a letter from the friend, informing her that he had been wounded in the same manner as the symptoms in her arm had indicated. Miss M.’s pain and paralysis were experienced only briefly. But this account, together with tests on people under hypnosis which show that the hypnotised person feels pain if the hypnotist is pinched or burnt, provides a logical explanation for “hysterical” pain and paralysis. In German this may be stated thus; Sowohl Hysterie als Paranoia sind Induktionskrankheiten; die Paranoia eine Induktionspsykose, die Hysterie eine Inducktionsnevrose.
X
Some of those with whom I have discussed these matters have feared that belief in life after death would be gravely threatened by attributing phenomena which many people believe to spring from the spirit world to the inhabitants of other planets. But the reverse will happen. Nothing can better serve to enhance understanding of these matters than this discovery, which I call bioinduction. By experiments, from which people have not learned as much as they should, it has been demonstrated that the soul of one person may enter into another, or be “induced” into another; from such experiments and other studies it is quite obvious that every person unconsciously seeks to impress him/herself on others, to “load” him/herself onto them: not only thoughts and feelings, but all events of life, whether conscious or unconscious; though without much effect except under special circumstances. It is also now known – and this is a discovery which, more than any other, is conducive to extending human wisdom – that in sleep we enter the consciousness of those who inhabit other planets. And finally, it is now clear that a mediumistic connection is of the same nature as the connection between consciousnesses that leads to dreams. All this makes it understandable that the human soul may survive after the body has perished. And we may even consider how the deceased person may appear on another planet. It is an ancient belief that the soul, or some souls, live on after death on another planet, as Plato maintained: he says that the soul of one who has lived well returns to live on the planet consistent with his/her nature. (Timaeus 42 B “palin eis tên tou sunnomou poreutheis oikêsin astrou”). This is an important theory, and the more important in view of the fact that Plato did not know that the stars are suns, around which other planets orbit. Plato’s statement that the planet shares the same laws as the soul which goes there after death is striking, and this is far more comprehensible to us, now that we know that there are many more solar systems than our own; and that not only is there a gravitational attraction between planets, but a bioconnection between those who inhabit them. There is no reason to doubt that this ancient belief has a basis in reality; and indeed the German philosopher Herder (1744-1803) shared this belief. And before long science will fill the place formerly held by belief alone.
This ancient Greek wisdom will be all the more important when it is correctly adopted and pursued.
XI
In the manner now to be described, one may explain how the soul of a person deceased here on earth can be reincarnated on another planet. As I have discussed, a spiritualist medium is in contact with a person on another planet, in such a way that he/she feels that he/she is that person; the medium is “loaded” or empowered by that person. When this empowerment from the other being is sufficiently powerful, the empowering being, the telepathic object, can produce some approximation of himself or a manifestation resembling him, where the medium is. We can now imagine that this ability to receive another being, to be loaded or empowered by every aspect of his life, conscious and unconscious, may have been developed much further among beings who have evolved much more than humans here on earth; and hence that through such empowerment the deceased may be able to take form on another planet, in a more complete way than materialisations here on earth. The foundation of such a hypothesis – a foundation which is immutable – is the discovery that contact with beings on other planets, in the manner I have described, is a biological law. And the future may tell that no more important law has ever been discovered. Those who believe that I am recounting some imaginary phenomenon which cannot be relied upon will realise, sooner or later, that they are in the wrong.
XII
The departed whom people believe they have contacted at séances may perhaps sometimes have been reincarnated on the planets, in the manner indicated above. The contact would then be with the soul of the departed person in his/her own body. Yet often the case appears to be otherwise: the connection established by the psychic appears to be with a madman on another planet, who is paranoid, and believes that he has lived here on earth and died, and is now in another life. The madman has, if this is correct, received the consciousness of one who has died here on earth, and believes that he is that person. Yet even such a contact would constitute proof that the soul of the departed had not been extinguished: for the madman with whom the medium has a telepathic contact would be mad specifically because the soul of the departed person had been induced in him, so that he received that person’s consciousness and believed he was that deceased person. This form of insanity, where people believe they are dead and in another world, also exists here on earth; it is as if the “spirit” medium’s telepathic state has become chronic.
The view that the spirits of the deceased, with whom people believe they make contact at séances, are sometimes in fact madmen on other planets, can be supported by many arguments, which are sufficient to form a paper on their own; here only a few will be enumerated.
One of the books of Stainton Moses, one of the most important Spiritualist writers, is Spirit Teachings: the author claims to have written it by automatic writing – and attributes this to the influence of spirits. The book is interesting; while it can hardly be said to represent the view of the “spirits” themselves, yet some of it tends in that direction; and in parts one can deduce the direction of the thinking with which Moses is in contact, which has been distorted by passing via him. Page 243 of the book says that undeveloped spirits appear at séances, purporting to be the deceased relatives of those who attend to séance to contact them; he maintains that most stories of deceased loved ones who are supposed to have returned in this way and spoken through the medium, are due to the influence of such spirits.
So far as I can tell, these occurrences are not to be attributed to pranks by the spirits; rather, the contact is with madmen, as discussed above. In his book Raymond, Sir Oliver Lodge describes studies which explain this further. “Raymond” is quoted (p. 264) as saying that he is in a certain place in the fifth plane, and that he enters a sort of temple, where people are bathed in lights of different colours. It appears to me that this is an institution providing colour-therapy to the mentally ill. According to Raymond, the light used for “actual spiritual healing” is blue. The blue light seems to draw me more than other types of light, he says. When he had been there for time he felt “that nothing mattered much except preparing for the spiritual life.” It is hardly to be expected that this should be stated any more clearly, via a medium. But it appears that when Raymond’s madness subsides due to the effects of the blue light, when he stops believing that he is Raymond Lodge, a fallen soldier now in another life, he regains his former interest in the life where he is, and realises that the other, imaginary, life was nothing but illusion. The spiritual life, as he calls it, is life on the planet where that person lives.
What follows is consistent with this explanation. The “spirit,” the person believed to be Raymond Lodge, says that he is already a changed man, thanks to the influence of the blue light; the old Raymond appears to be far away, and he feels (thinking of Raymond) “as though he was looking back on someone else’s life, someone I hadn’t much connexion with, and yet who was linked on to me.” – These are most interesting words, and entirely understandable in view of the theory put forward here: when the “spirit” thinks of Raymond, it is natural that he should feel he is thinking of someone who has been far from him, since he is thinking of a person who has lived on another planet.
And he speaks of Raymond, however, being “linked on to me,” and this too is quite comprehensible, as the consciousness of that person, who had lived on another planet, has been induced in him. And perhaps brought forth precisely due to the influence of the séance.
XIII
A séance is a powerhouse, which can not only be influenced from other planets, but can also, over deep space, have influence on planets billions of miles away.
The book about Raymond recounts an experiment which appears to be interesting in this context: page 212 states that on Thursday evenings Raymond “has to sing hymns,” and it is implied that he does not like it much. We are told that on Thursdays séances are held by Mrs. Leonard, where hymns are sung, and that Raymond and another “spirit” join in. Indeed a most remarkable case of being “linked on.” This story is recounted as an example of what Raymond means by “linked on,” as quoted above. This appears in truth to be a most remarkable form of telepathy; the séance has such power over this person, on another planet, who is believed to be the deceased Raymond; his being has grown so reliant upon the powerhouse which is the séance; that when they sing at the séance this person, billions of miles away, must sing along.
It seems extremely strange that people here on earth can cause insanity on another planet, billions of miles away. Yet we can demonstrate great likelihood that it is so. To judge from spiritualist publications, some have made strenuous efforts to influence the deceased in what they take to be the spirit world, believing that by this they were doing a necessary task. They say, in fact, that it is very common for spirits not to know where they are, and to deny that they are a deceased person who formerly lived an earthly life. On this subject, much interesting material is found in Peebles’ book Demonism of the Ages and Spirit Obsession (10th edition, 1904). A chapter by H. Forbes Kiddie, starting on p. 339, is on Rescue Work in the Borderland of the Invisible World. He recounts how Th. Atwood was asked to hold meetings or religious gatherings of a kind, for the inhabitants of the spirit world; that Atwood did so for years, and that he sometimes (being psychic) sees that there are many spirits present. Atwood says that the “spirits” commonly have no knowledge of being the souls of deceased persons; he sees them perform work of various kinds, like people here on earth; but he gradually succeeds in inducing them to recall their earthly life – sometimes having to make strenuous efforts to awaken the earthly memories of the spirits. It appears to me that what is being recounted here is, in truth, that beings on other planets are driven mad. Kiddle says (p. 342) that he has been asked, at the beginning of a séance, to make a speech to the spirits. He says that, in the medium’s vision, Kiddle sometimes appears to be standing in a street when he gives his oration, and sometimes in a kind of auditorium. Atwood says that once, when preaching to the spirits, he saw that he was in a large church. This must be due to Atwood being in contact with a person giving a speech in such a building – and he believes he is that person; this is a form of paranoia. The person seen by Kiddle’s medium, speaking in the street, is of course not Kiddle, but someone seen by the telepathic contact of the medium. Kiddle tells on p. 362 of his medium being in a street in some city; a man stands outside large house, trying to wake up the people there. The sitters at the séance tell the man that he is dead, and has left his body; but he flatly denies it. But after a while he shouts: Where is my house? I can’t see it, it’s disappeared. Where am I? The sitters at the séance repeat that he is in the spirit world. This appears to be a most interesting case of how a séance can have a most undesirable effect on a person on another planet. When last seen by the medium, this “poor spirit” appears to have huddled himself away into a corner.
XIV
Of all that I have seen on these subjects, Swedenborg’s research is the most interesting. He often mentions that the inhabitants of the spirit world do not know that they are the souls of deceased people. “The spirits all believe,” he says (Diarium Spirituale art. 207) “that they are people, and they grow angry if one disagrees; they imagine that they have eyes, ears, and the other senses of man. And when I told them and demonstrated to them that this could not be so, they grew irritable for some reason.” Swedenborg also says (Diarium Spirituale VII p. 103): “I have often been compelled almost to argue with the spirits, for they believe that what they see and touch is material.” Swedenborg recounts that he has attempted in many ways to convince the “spirits” that in their domain all is spiritual and nothing material.
Undeniably, it is most interesting to make the acquaintance of these “spirits,” to whom it never occurs that they may be “spirits,” and stoutly maintain that what people here on earth believed (and continue to believe) is a spirit world, is precisely NOT a spirit world.
And how remarkable they are, these observations made by Swedenborg more than one-and-a-half centuries ago, these “imaginings” which were something entirely opposite to what he imagined. The philosopher’s conviction that it was correct to apply what was taught by religion about these beings with whom he communicated, and not to pay any attention to what they themselves said, was unalterable. And this bizarre conviction, that a man here on earth would know more of these beings than they themselves, is quite a remarkable example of what obstacle preconceptions can be in the path to knowledge. And the path still remains a steep one. I appeal to those who have preconceptions, of all kinds; not only those who cannot imagine that “spirits” are anything other than spirits, but also to those who are so far from believing that “spirits” are spirits, that they are convinced that what is called by that name by believers is nothing but imagination, and the observations like Swedenborg’s nothing but the fantasies of a madman. The former may be termed with some accuracy the sacerdotal conviction, the latter the medical conviction. I feel it not unlikely that it will be the medical men who will more readily change their incorrect views on this matter, for they are empiricists, more than the clergy. The less willing people are to see for themselves, the more difficult it is to overcome their preconceptions or prejudices. Yet in the history of science one may find many examples of how unreceptive even empiricists, natural scientists, of various kinds, have been to new truths, and to those who have discovered those truths which have, more than others, opened up new vistas and new fields of endeavour. “Die Richtigkeit grosser Entdeckungen wird anfangs meistens bestritten,” says the great physicist and cosmologist Svante Arrhenius.
I feel it is indisputable that it makes more sense to believe what Swedenborg’s “spirits” said about themselves, than what the Swedish visionary believed about them. I see no way to avoid the inference that these beings, who stated that they were not spirits and did not live in a spirit world – but in a place with seas and land, mountains and lowlands, as here on earth – were inhabitants of another planet, or other planets. And one can now understand how Swedenborg could believe he was seeing what was in fact occurring on another planet, although he believed it took place in the spirit world. When Swedenborg speaks of being on a certain hill in the spirit world, this should be taken to mean that Swedenborg’s soulmate or vision-giver (cp. dream-giver) was standing on a hill on another planet, and Swedenborg felt that he was that person, and saw what that inhabitant of the other planet saw, like for instance the “angel” which the philosopher said was flying there; it is evidence of this excellent Swede’s good sense, that in his visions there are no angels with birds’ wings projecting from their backs; they either appear in “flying carriages” or hover in the air of their own accord. This is thus no longer a mystery; but the science is much more extraordinary than the mystical interpretation.
Swedenborg did not apply the scientific approach in these matters. He came closer, however, than any prophet before him; but most of what he sees, he attributes to the spirit world. And even when he writes of life on other planets, he is not following the scientific path, since he always believes that he is in contact with spirits on other planets. Due to this conviction, he misses all the most remarkable phenomena. Misconceptions lead to haziness and illusion; while the more one understands, the more can be seen. Each new observation opens the way to many more; each good thought leads to a better one.
It is a clear indication of how difficult it is to find the right path in these matters, that the true explanation never occurred to such a sage as Swedenborg, although the “spirits” told him explicitly ‒ managed to “get through” to him exactly because he was such a sage ‒ that they were people who lived on other planets. And the irritation Swedenborg reports from these inhabitants of the “spirit world,” when he sought to convince them that they were spirits, and not what they themselves said they were, could reflect the fact that these inhabitants of other planets were not happy when they saw themselves foiled in their attempts to help one of the wisest inhabitants of the earth to discover the remarkable truth. Perhaps some, on the farther side of deep space, who were not sufficiently advanced, had hoped, prematurely, that the great change might take place here on earth, the enlightenment which induces the humanity of one planet to take the right path: To abandon the infernal line of evolution, the path to perdition, which down the ages has been marked out by monuments to greater and greater wars, and to choose the life line of evolution, which leads towards unification of all humanity here on earth, and after that of all life in the universe. It should be mentioned here that in the first half of the 15th century Nikolaus Cusanus predicted that the Second Coming of Christ would occur at the precise time that Swedenborg started to make contact with what he believed was the spirit world, and turned away from mining engineering and “philosophy” towards heavenly wisdom .
XV
The history of knowledge here on earth is to a great and important extent the history of the process of revealing a constantly more complex and extensive connection. Let us consider the progress towards knowledge, from the time that human consciousness first begins to notice those strange, twinkling points of light in the sky, which we call stars; how each extension of knowledge is more knowledge of connection. The discovery of the power of gravity between heavenly bodies, now familiar to every child, has often been deemed the greatest victory of human intelligence; and since then man has discovered energy connections of still other kinds. And then there is the discovery of the connection between species here on earth: the common descent of the different animals and plants; the understanding of how life has progressed for millions of centuries on our earth, in its manifold forms, without ever breaking the continuity. However different the forms of life on earth at different eras, they always comprise parents and offspring, a continuous series of generations. But it proved difficult to grasp this, and yet more difficult to induce others to understand it. This often applies to those discoveries which are the most likely to be conducive to change in human behaviour. But no discovery which has been made has been as conducive to changing human ways of thinking, as the one which is the principal topic of this essay. I put it in similar terms to those used when describing as a discovery the finding of a new continent. This is a major discovery of connection: enhanced understanding of the connection between the heavenly bodies and forms of life; the bioconnection between planets, das bioradiative Aufeinanderwirken der Lebewesen, auch von Stern zu Stern, as I have called it in my essay On Another Planet. And I have made many more discoveries on my journey of research since that essay was written, although small but recurrent ailments have delayed me lamentably, and reduced my powers.
XVI
The history of knowledge also reveals how, through the mists of ancient beliefs and philosophies, truths have emerged which have subsequently been proven by science. One can now clearly understand why this is so. It is now clear how religion arises – all these bizarre and remarkable ideas which remained outside the realm of knowledge. The discovery of the bioconnection between planets makes this clear; religion and ancient philosophy arise from a psychic connection with beings more advanced in knowledge than man here on earth. This is, on the face of it, very similar to the old doctrine of Revelation (although there is in fact a greater difference than between the teachings of Anaximander and Darwin on the origins of man); and this is a good example of how something which begins as an article of faith can become, in considerably altered form, a scientific fact.
The creators of religion, the people who largely shape religious ideas, are bioinductive, in close connection with remarkable beings, whom they may call father. The relationship may be so close that such a man may say: the father and I are one. In the same way a hypnotised person, the recipient of the hypnotist’s perceptions, feelings and thoughts, may say that he feels he is the hypnotist: the hypnotist and I are one; again, the sleeper may say: the dream-giver and I are one; for the sleeper too has, due to bioinduction, connected with the soul of another person, and feels that he/she is that person. However, while the connection between the religious creator and the “God” is so close, the thoughts become greatly distorted in the less-evolved brain; and we can discover the laws of these changes precisely by exploring the nature of dreams.
If the bioconnection with the higher being is less close, and the role of the self greater, those men emerge who shape philosophy. These again may be divided into groups: some are very like the originators of religions: for instance Pythagoras, Plato, and in more recent time Hegel. Others have a more distant connection, such as Democritos, Aristotle and Spencer.
It would be a hugely interesting project to explore premonitions of knowledge in the theories of such men; and much will be written of this later, but a few points will be made here. Pythagoras speaks of the Harmony of the Universe. The Greek philosopher is here expounding a mystical theory. More than 2,000 years later, Kepler too refers to the Harmony of the Spheres; and his excellent pioneering mind found the scientific path by discovering the laws which bear his name. Even more of the mystical theory of the harmony of the spheres took scientific form when Hooke and Newton discovered the attraction between heavenly bodies, and the laws that governed it. And now at last, by discovering the bioconnection between the planets, a greater leap forward is made than ever before, towards replacing mysticism with science. Thanks to the relevant discoveries, a true age of science is heralded on every planet. Much could be written, and much of interest, about how human efforts have led to this discovery of the bioconnection; for there is much to be gained: scientific understanding in this field will transform the circumstances of mankind, and this may truly be called the dawn of a new age on earth.
XVII
According to the Theory of Emanations, all that has happened is attributable to some form of emanation from a supreme being; forms of existence are the more imperfect, the farther from that being. This thinking emerged in places where, due to clear skies, highlands or both, conditions were favourable for communication with a higher being. And in its most perfect form it derives from the Asian highlands, known as Iran, not far from India, in precisely that place where mankind grew up to its zenith, growing straighter in their minds than elsewhere toward the most beautiful and perfect language. We can well understand, once we know that each living being emits bioradiation, and seeks to induce him/herself into others by bioradiation, that the theories of the ancient sages point the way to remarkable truths. We must imagine infinite essence. Precisely because it is infinite, it always adds to itself. The perfect essence rejects that which is imperfect, that which can become evil, the potential for evil. Thus the hyle of Greek philosophy, the material of the world, emerges. The history of the world is such that the perfect essence seeks to induce itself in the imperfect material, to render the imperfect into perfection. The history of the world is a finite chapter in an existence which is infinite. And we can now, by making a more correct evaluation of ancient philosophy, and taking account of new research which has been carried out, gain a better overview than before of this history. The imperfect cannot approach the perfect, and therefore the opposite occurs: in order to make the material more like itself (that which is so imperfect that the Greek philosophers termed it to me on – “that which is not”), the perfect essence must submit to approach the imperfect. This might be termed the law of Nevsis. The radiation from the perfect to the recipient does not induce itself at once, but thrusts the substance forward on the path to essence, and appears as force in various forms: the substance is thus empowered and begins to change; the force of gravity comes into being; heat and light; the primeval clouds of star dust form, then the solar systems. And later, when the solar systems have progressed far enough, the radiation from the perfect is manifested in life on the cooling planets. A tiny fragment of the lifeless substance is, by that force, brought to life, and thus begins the most remarkable story. The radiant force is always the same, while the substance irradiated is empowered more and more, and ever more diverse forms of the energy appear. The farther the empowerment progresses, the more perfect the force which the empowered object can receive. This may be termed the anadrome law. Thus the perfect empowers the imperfect towards itself. It is as if a reciprocal flow takes place; the quest to elevate the imperfect to perfection, and on the other hand a sort of outflow; the creative force adapts to some extent to what it is creating, as if to gain a grip on it: from this spring both the various forces of nature, and the diverse species of animal and plants; here we see what Lamarck understood so clearly. But the objective is perfect harmony: harmonisation of all forces and all forms of existence. This quest towards harmony may be clearly understood, even on so imperfect a plane of existence as here on earth. Plants, which do not feel or think, are, directly or indirectly, the foundation of all animal life: life which perceives, feels, and tends towards thought. The quest for harmonisation is manifested, in a most interesting manner, in the relationship between insects and flowering plants. For insects have made an important contribution to creating the beautiful and fragrant life forms we call flowering plants; they in turn are shaped by the plants; and none so much as the indispensable bee and butterfly, some of which are scented, and more colourful than any flower. Konrad Sprengel was so impressed when he discovered the importance of insects to plants, that he spoke of uncovering the secret of nature; and this was entirely natural, though that excellent botanist did not realise as profoundly as we do now the remarkable tendency towards harmonisation and creative cooperation this reveals. But it is now clear that here on earth the quest for harmony has not triumphed; much is imperfect, and much is the reverse of harmonious: parasitism and predation (feralism). The story of life as it is here on earth is a story of increasing suffering. Harmonisation has not succeeded. We must understand that there are two paths: one is the path of increasing harmonisation, growing similarity to the supreme being, the path of life, the life line of evolution; the other is the path to hell and destruction, the infernal line of evolution, the path of increasing inconsistency and discord. Where this is the tendency, some beings live by damaging or destroying the lives of others, and in the most horrifying way the organism which has acquired the ability to think, and feels by far the most. From the apes to their descendants, Man, is admittedly in some sense a great progression, but mainly it is a negative process. Human life entails more suffering than the life of the ape: humans are hurt, and inflict hurt on others, far more than apes. The process has been following the infernal line of evolution: discord and destructiveness are growing. And where this is the case, it will lead to destruction. Firstly, the most perfect forms of life – those which were the most difficult to create – will disappear; while those life forms will grow and survive best which are fittest to live by torturing the life out of others or destroying their lives. (The survival of the fittest, in hell, means the survival of the fittest for hell.) Finally, all life is extinguished on such a planet, after the most degrading history of decline. The empowering force vanishes, not only from the living beings on such a planet, but also from lifeless nature. What follows in such a place of decline, may be termed devolution. Even the indivisible atoms are dissolved, while the force released may appear as that radiation, recently discovered, known as radioactivity. Here on earth we are on the path to destruction. The life force is becoming diminished on the planet, and the peak of life is beginning to wither. This subject will be discussed further in an essay on the future of mankind.
XVIII
The great English physicist Faraday said, in the middle of the 19th century, that every atom had an influence on every other atom, i.e. on the whole world. This theory was initially greeted with scepticism, but in more recent times scholars have shown more interest in this remarkable assertion: it is mentioned by Henri Bergson in both his principal works (L’Évolution créatrice p. 221, and Matière et Mémoire, 9th edition, p. 26). The theory can apparently be traced back to Ancient Greek philosophy, as the krasis theory of the Zenonists (Stoics) appears to spring from the same origins; it even seems not unlikely that the idea may first have been conceived by Leucippus or Democritus, the greatest scientists of the ancients. We may go on to state: not only does each atom affect the entire world, but also every molecule, every compound, every body. Not only the sun, the controller of our solar system, emits influence throughout the world: the same may be said of the smallest planet in the solar system, and the smallest movement that takes place in the solar system, whether in a living organism or a dead object. And we may go farther than Faraday, the great discoverer of electric induction, appears to have done. We may say where all these influences on everything lead. Every smallest movement that occurs in the world, every smallest particle of matter, seeks to recreate itself throughout the world, to transform the whole world into itself. From each being, from the largest and most complex to the smallest and simplest, radiation is emitted, whose aim is recreation of the self.
This is a fundamental law. It is even more deeply rooted than the law of the gravitational attraction of heavenly bodies. And this extends throughout existence; we can best understand it by studying our own consciousness. When people put sufficient effort into such study, they will discover how the feelings of others flow through their own nerves; and when a person is asleep or under hypnosis, another consciousness, another soul, replaces his own. And one may then, when the subject’s attention has been drawn to this, pursue the nature of his dream-consciousness, and the consciousness of a person on another planet. The future will prove my case, that no more reliable research than this in the natural sciences has ever been carried out. It has revealed the strangest, yet the most reliable, proof for irradiation of living beings. And the influence upon other beings is not apparently subject to any limits of physical distance. I speak with the voice of science when I say: there is a bioconnection between planets. And the laws of that connection are already partly known, although most remain to be researched further. But this is difficult to achieve, when facing widespread opposition. Unity of mind on the right action is necessary, in order to establish connections with good places.
XIX
The bioconnection between planets is a relationship with beings which are more advanced in goodness, and with beings which are more developed in evil, and with those which are at a similar level. The human races which are on the infernal line of evolution do not know this connection, they do not know the nature of dreams, they do not understand how revelations occur. In such human races, religion is informed by telepathy and ideas which spring from the bioconnection between planets. Influence from life on planets which are on, or near, the life line of evolution toward unity, foster religious ideas about heaven and bliss, which the true believer may expect. On the other hand, influence from planets which are farther along the infernal line gives rise to belief in places of torture and eternal punishment in another world. Those who believe in such phenomena often think that what they see are visions from the past or future of their own planet. Striking examples of this are seen in a publication by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbetter: Man: Whence, How and Whither, which reports most interesting telepathic visions of life on other planets, which are interpreted as being visions of what has occurred and will occur on our own Earth. This has been so for thousands of years. The leading Theosophists of our own age make the same mistakes as the Egyptian priest whose account of Atlantis is reported by Plato. But that Atlantis has never existed on our Earth; it was on a far older planet that the island sank into the sea, with all the wonders and abominations that had grown up there. From ignorance, some people maintain that stories of Atlantis are purely imaginary. I may return to this subject in a paper on Plato’s dialogue known as Critias.
Where the life line of unity is followed, people understand the purpose of life, and know where they are heading. But in Hell things are very different. There, people do not realise that they themselves are in Hell; some believe that Hell is in the spirit world, as they call it; others dismiss it all as imagination, and reject all religion, when they see how difficult it is to reconcile religious ideas with the knowledge gained when one is on the right path, i.e. the scientific path. In Hell the sciences are, if they exist at all, weak and lacking in vision, compared with that which is achieved when the scientific path is fully pursued. In Hell there is little support for the drive to attain new knowledge, and “while it is difficult to discover new truths, yet it is more difficult to induce people to see that new truths have been discovered.” In the worse ages, people are so far from understanding how necessary is the task of seeking the truth, that intellectuals are hated and persecuted. In Hell it is domination, and avarice for riches and lands, that motivates. The ignorant have the greatest power and wealth; and the major undertakings, the undertakings which have the greatest following, and which men unite to engage in, are murder and robbery, on an ever-greater scale. In such places people are far from understanding that, if one does not seek to achieve unity and harmony, and to eliminate ignorance and suffering and all ill-will, one is on the path to perdition. In the churches there, admittedly, there is talk of loving God, but in practice he is more likely to be hated and degraded. For if one wants to understand what is meant by such an expression, to hate God is to be opposed to all efforts to follow the right path; and to be opposed to it. The men who burned Servetus and Bruno, who allowed Kepler to starve, who imprisoned Galileo and beheaded Lavoisier, hated God. People sometimes ask: Why does God permit evil? But there is no reason to suppose that the good beings which men have termed gods, let alone the ultimate benevolent essence, permit evil; on the contrary, all efforts are made to eliminate evil. But history demonstrates that this is not easy. When people have overcome difficulties and discovered some great truth, and sought to teach it to others, they have generally been repaid by being dismissed as madmen; and sometimes hated more than the worst of criminals. The story of Bruno is a good example. If Bruno’s contemporaries had been in agreement with him, the average life of humans would be longer than it is today; and, even more importantly, life would be far better. The lack of support for pioneers of knowledge – the way in which their truths have been received with indifference, ignorance and even hostility – although these would be the only way to improve human life, help us more than anything else to understand how difficult it is for the force of good to help. For there can be no help on a “godless” earth, unless people are encouraged to think thoughts which tend toward improvement. Those who think good thoughts, and act accordingly, are envoys of the gods.
XX
The word Hell or infernum must not be taken to have any medieval connotations here. The word is used here in a scientific sense; and it is unavoidable to use it, in the attempt to achieve a more honest overview of nature than has been achieved before. Hell is where suffering and death take place. And when we speak of fauna and flora infernalis, this is a reference to life forms which cause suffering and death to others by their existence. Fauna infernalis include, for instance, poisonous snakes, crocodiles, tigers, hyenas, tapeworms, while flora infernalis include such species as cholera and other viruses, and the rust fungus Puccinia drabae. In these flora and fauna, the potential for evil has become dominant: where progress is on the right path such organisms do not exist. But the closer to the infernal line a planet is, the more appalling the infernal flora and fauna, the predatory and corrupt life forms. There exist predatory plants which are carnivorous; few such exist here on earth; the principal preys of such predatory plants are small crustaceans and insects. But from stories of the “spirit world,” i.e. from other planets, those who have some scientific knowledge of these matters can deduce that such massive carnivorous plants exist on other planets, that they can catch large mammals and even human beings, and devour them alive. This is the nature of some of the sufferings experienced in the worse hells. It will become clear in due course that what has been written here is natural science, and not simply argument.
In the flora and fauna of our earth there is much which tends toward the more favourable, and much could be written of this. Everyone can cite various useful and/or beautiful plants and animals. Many may discern the benevolent, noble countenance of the horse, and the infantile charm of lambs, calves and foals – the offspring of the beasts to which man owes so much, yet which often do not receive the good treatment they deserve. And many people would improve this, if they could. Where the right path is taken, it is likely that humanity takes care of the plant and animal life of the planet in such a way, that even the best we see here on our earth would pale in comparison. But the farther one has progressed along the infernal path, the more humanity conducts itself like a predator and torturer; for on such planes of existence humanity is greatly threatened by various poisonous and predatory flora and fauna. When people come around to my way of thinking, and cease to paralyse me by their attitudes, they will learn to see for themselves that this is truly spoken. Astrobiology will become an important branch of scholarship, far more informative and varied than religious doctrines on places of happiness and of suffering, which are based upon very imperfect and misunderstood study of the matters which will be the subject of astrobiology. And before a hundred years have passed from Mayer’s important discovery that energy is never destroyed, but simply takes a different form, it shall be known with certainty that what is being told of life on other planets tells people of such conditions as they themselves will live in, at some future time. For Plato is correct in many ways, when he, as mentioned before, speaks of the soul journeying to the planet where it belongs – to add a little to the translation of the term astron synnomon. And it will be possible to predict with increasing accuracy, from a person’s character, what his/her ongoing life will be. The life of some will be a continuation of what it has been here on earth, while some will be in better places, and some will enter a life yet more dangerous and difficult than earthly life. People will learn to appreciate all that teaches them how to find their way on this bizarre journey we call life, so that they do not find themselves where humans are devoured alive by more terrifying life forms than those that exist on our Earth. I would find it not unlikely that the murderers of Bruno might find themselves in such a place. The more opposed a person is to enlightenment and the effort to attain a more noble life, the more horrible the future in store for him/her. Their future will be in a place where the opposite of all that they have opposed is dominant. This is a law of nature; one must not conclude that there is a god who exacts punishment. For ideas about angry and avenging deities are one of the features of the infernal line of evolution.
XXI
When culture has progressed some way upon the infernal path, belief develops in what is called Redemption, and it is obvious whence this belief springs. Belief in redemption springs from the sense that it is possible to change direction, to turn away from the infernal path and take the path of life. But what redeems man in fact is no religious doctrine, but increased knowledge, the complete victory of the scientific path. To discover the bioconnection is the beginning of this victory; the first step towards the right path. But this is a hard step to take: the entire history of man’s enlightenment and his unwisdom, the history of religions, philosophy and the sciences, demonstrates how hard it is.
In the times ahead much will be written in history from the viewpoint indicated here, and in a far more informative manner than before. How much more informative will be the history of philosophy, for instance, when people start to understand what it is that the philosophers have always sought, but never found. Plato’s idealism may be cited to explain what I mean. While the word idea is now generally used to mean a concept, Plato sometimes speaks of ideas as autonomous beings, and for him idea has the connotation of that which is seen, an appearance; and indeed the Greek philosopher says that he has seen the ideas with his third eye, the eye of the soul. Ideas exist at the level of the soul (kosmos noetos), while the phenomena of the material world (kosmos aisthetos) are representations of them (mimesis). Plato sometimes terms the ideas paradigms (i.e. models, prototypes), while the copies in the material world are called homoioma or afoioma (copies). This is most strangely stated, if understood in the present-day sense; but that is a misunderstanding. People have been misunderstanding this point for more than 2,000 years. The first to misunderstand was Plato’s great disciple, Aristotle. He dismisses as rhetoric, empty words and poetic imagery Plato’s description of ideas as prototypes; he maintains that the objects of the material world play a part in them (kenologein esti kai metaforas legein poietikas). The Jewish Philo, who at the time of Christ tried to unite Greek and Hebrew philosophies, speaks yet more clearly than Plato of ideas as autonomous; for what he terms ideas in one place, he calls in another place angels or powers (as the Ancients called the gods “powers”.) But much later Bruno says that Plato’s ideas are nothing but fantasy; he likens them to mythical beasts, which have never existed. In the 19th century the renowned ethnologist Tylor was of the same view; he urges philosophers to drag these old concepts of ideas into the daylight, and show that they are false (Primitive culture I, p. 498). Today the majority of scholars are in agreement with Aristotle and Bruno, and there is no doubt that they are right, if this is regarded as a purely philosophical question. But that is not enough; it is necessary to study nature itself better, and discover what Plato did not discover. If this is done, one may reveal the origins of this remarkable misunderstanding, which recurs again and again in the history of philosophy, for instance in a most interesting manner in the philosophy of Leibnitz. Plato’s conception of ideas was derived partly from the Egyptians, who maintained that one of the three persons of the Egyptian Trinity had created the prototypes of all things. This theory emerges in a yet more remarkable form among the “god-speaking” people of the Asian highlands between Persia and India, known as Iran, and elsewhere: they maintained that every object here on earth had its spiritual prototype and equivalent in the heavenly world. This is almost exactly the same as Swedenborg’s theory of correspondence (scientia correspondentiarum). This theory is closer to the truth than Plato’s idealism, yet it has the fault of being hard to comprehend, so long as people’s knowledge reaches no farther than that of Swedenborg. But it is no coincidence that the Swedish visionary’s views should coincide so closely with those of the “god-speaking” Aryans, who termed their sacred texts Gathas. Oðinn was a member of this race, of whom Snorri Sturluson wrote remarkable accounts in his Heimskringla and elsewhere; and he had “heavenly” correspondences on earth, such as Valhöll [feasting hall of fallen warriors], Breiðablik [home of the god Baldur] and Glitnir [shining hall of the god Forseti]. We can now clearly understand that it was an infernal connection with beings on other planets which gave rise to all these bizarre notions. And, due to such a connection, the Greek theory of nous (mind) arose, which has been so utterly misunderstood. Anyone who reads the writings of Plato or Plotinus will see that much of what they say about nous is easy to understand, if one applies the method of understanding indicated here. Kosmos noetus is not only a world of the mind, but also, and far more, the world perceived by the mind, what Swedenborg termed mundus spiritualis, the spiritual world: or in other words, other planets and life there, as it has appeared to men through a telepathic connection in dreams and visions. And ideas are the existential forms of that world perceived by the mind. Once we have discovered the bioconnection between planets, we can see that it is absolutely true that existential forms here had an influence on the ideas; Aristotle was mistaken, when he maintained that this was but empty words. And much that has been written since on this subject might be termed kenology. The connection to the ideas may be greater or less; but the vital point is that the connection to good beings should be as great as possible. Much human effort has been devoted to establishing such connections; and very much of it based upon utter misunderstanding. Ideas are, in fact, although Plato did not realise it, beings which have much in common with those he terms gods and demons (daimón). This was similar to the experience when people believed that the evening star and the morning star were two different stars; until the philosopher Parmenides realised that they were one and the same. In the famous story of the creation in Timaeus, Plato states that the creator or demiurge did not himself create man or human culture, but assigned this to gods he had created. These gods are the prototypes (ideas) of mankind; the radiant force (energy) seeks to create for itself a form like the gods, by creating men. That is why the word líkami (= body) or líkur hamur (“alike body”), is so noteworthy. But in the saying that man’s objective it to become like a god (homoióthenai theó), the same influence is manifested, from the same thoughts of the connected being, as is seen in the statement that man is a memesis or homoióma (copy) of the prototype or idea. The idealism explained here can be entirely consistent with the progress of life on earth, from the primal being to man.
XXII
The famous story of the creation in Timaeus, known to Icelandic readers mainly through Jónas Hallgrímsson’s essay on the nature and origins of the earth, will become much more famous, when people come to understand how well it follows the scientific path. Plato says that the creator has “sown” souls on the planets (which he elsewhere calls the tools of time). And this may in fact be called the true theory of the origins of life on the heavenly bodies. Most probably, life first came into existence due to bioradiation: a power of radiation turned lifeless substances into primitive forms of life, which then evolved further, and came to be influenced by similar living beings on other planets, and grew towards becoming thinking beings, which may play a greater and greater role in governing the world. The demiurge sowed the souls on the heavenly bodies in order that they, by turning lifeless substances to the same nature as themselves, could grow onwards to become the “creatures most devoted to god.” And the younger, created gods were assigned by the maker of the world to shape bodies. These were the ideas, the prototypes, which created bodies to be like themselves; and we can well understand, knowing that bioinduction takes place, that these theories contain a remarkable truth. And the same is true of the theory that the dead live on, on a planet where life is in accord with the direction of their life here on earth. Stallbaum, who has published and commented upon Plato’s writings with such learning and intelligence, says that in such stories the philosopher was giving his imagination free rein, in a field which is beyond human understanding. But when people follow the god´s commandment, and learn to understand something of what happens in their own minds, these matters are no longer incomprehensible. Before half this century has passed, every scientific society will debate what happens to the dead, and life on other planets – unless things take an unfavourable direction. The harmonisation of all power is the purpose of the world; and the harmonisation of human life with similar – but more beautiful, more perfect – life on other planets, is a crucial factor. The history of human religions shows how strong has been the need for contact with higher beings; yet also how the field of religion tends to become, more than others, an area of human misunderstanding. The ancient philosophy approaches the same subject in a rather different way, seeking to apply more intelligence, but fails due to lack of proper observations, and metaphysics becomes what may be termed kenology, derived from kenos = empty. This is precisely one of the features of Hell, where there is no philosophy worthy of the name. For I do not call it philosophy,
where there is no knowledge about life on other planets, and the advancement of life forms beyond mankind. While people do not realise the progress of life, do not know the purpose of life, they have not found that which must above all be found, in order that philosophy should be worthy of the name. The book Science et Religion (1908) by the renowned philosopher E. Boutroux demonstrates well how powerless is the new kenology vis-à-vis the enigmas of existence. The religious consciousness of today, says Boutroux, knows nothing of a being or beings higher than man in the space around him, and it declares all ideas of such things to be invention and imagination (si l’on entend par transcendence une existence en dehors de l´homme, au sense spatial du mot, la conscience religieuse moderne est la première à déclarer qu’un dieu transcendant en ce sens est un concept factice et purement imaginatif, p. 197). The person who writes thus is very far from understanding that the progress of life forms did not end with fish, it did not end with reptiles, not with apes; and thus it does not end with Man, either.
XXIII
Natural sciences are the saviour. Precise study by the realist reveals that dreams are not imaginings of the person him/herself, but that they occur due to bioradiation from another mind (or other minds); and furthermore that this other resides on another planet. This discovery is the beginning of true philosophy, dispersing mists more than all other discoveries which have been made here on this earth. Through the discovery, the light of science is, for the first time on earth, shone upon the field of religions; and if anybody does not like the idea, he should take care that this is not due to any sympathy with the realm of darkness. Such sympathy is typified by two factors: mercilessness, and animosity towards knowledge, and toward those who seek to extend knowledge.
This discovery I mention is a discovery in physics, psychology, biology, astronomy and cosmology, all at the same time. And one may also add comparative religion. How much more enlightening will that scientific discipline be, when people rid themselves of the delusion that the gods, those remarkable beings on other planets, are nothing but imagination.
One can gain an idea of the scale of the threshold that is crossed by understanding the nature of dreams by reading the above-cited work of the French genius, or the most interesting collection of essays on religion and science by several English scientists.
He who has understood the nature of dreams knows that there is a bioconnection between planets with as much certainty as he has seen the sun and stars. And when people’s interest has turned in this direction, it will become clear to them how each person emits his/her own radiation, seeking to empower the whole world with his/her self. It also becomes clear how man, precisely by this radiation, works toward ongoing life and the reincarnation of the body. It is understandable that the continuing life will be in accord with the aim of the radiation. Plato’s creation story mentions this in a most interesting manner, when he states that people are reborn in accord with how they lived their lives; the words even seem to say more than Plato realised, as may be the case for those who have received a telepathic connection from a transcendent being or “revelation” (tropon hon kakynoito, kata ten homoiotete tes tou tropou geneseós, Timaeon, chapter 42.) Also in the karmic teachings of India, there is some understanding of what I have said: yet Indian philosophers believed that people had lived previous lives here on earth. And that is a misunderstanding, as must be obvious to anyone who gives serious attention to certain things in biology and geology that are well-known. I know quite well whence the misunderstanding has arisen that people are reborn here on earth – although I do not intend to discuss it here.
XXIV
I now return to the essential point which was mentioned earlier. As a consequence of every smallest particle, and every single motion, seeking to reproduce itself in the whole world, the closer one approaches to perfect harmony, the more is the energy of the universe found in every unit and every individual, the life-force of all in one, of one in all. To know this and to learn to aim towards this objective is the beginning of the kingdom of God. Doctrines about a god who is a trinity, or even many gods in one, which have naturally been found hard to understand, grow from the knowledge derived from telepathic connections or “revelations” that there are beings who have come close to this objective. They empower each other, so that the force of one is the force of all, and the force of all is the force of each, and yet each is completely autonomous. In the perfectly harmonious world, the unit per se will not be more imperfect than before, but the reverse. Mythology contains much relevant to this matter, such as the story of the divine strength of the gods and the girdle of Þór. Such stories become most interesting when we understand that the science of zoology encompasses far more than natural scientists have believed. The matter in question is an even more extraordinary addition to the history of nature than that which took place in the last century, when people discovered that the majority of living things on this earth exists in the cold and dark of the ocean depths. It had been believed that there was no life at all in that dark world. More mysteries of religion, which have been the most incomprehensible, can now be understood. Professor Carpenter writes in his Comparative Religion (p. 147) of worshippers of Dionysus tearing apart a live ox or goat, and devouring the bloody flesh. This was a communion ceremony of a kind; this was their way of absorbing the god. A misunderstanding of divine empowerment through harmony led to this barbaric ritual. An even more interesting ritual of communion was practised by the Aztecs: they took captive a person of beautiful appearance and high birth, dressed him in the regalia of the god Tezcatlipoca, and then sacrificed him upon an altar. The body was then ceremonially removed, cut into small pieces, and eaten by the priests and other people of high estate, as a “holy” meal.
The story of Christ can help us to understand how this bizarre custom arose. After Christ had acquired a larger number of disciples, which meant that he was empowered more than before, he began to speak most strangely; the disciples concluded that he had gone mad, and most of them abandoned him. “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man,” he said, “and drink his blood, ye have no life in you… He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” But Christ also said that he was in God and God in him, that he and God were one. It is reasonable to assume that in Mexico, the territory of the Aztecs, one of the greatest lands of revelation on earth (this varies greatly according to landscape and climate), there may have been many people who claimed that their god, Tezcatlipoca, was in them; and that such claimants were probably mostly chieftains, who traced their descent from the gods. When such men were captured on the battlefield, the victors then came up with the brilliant notion that if they slaughtered such men, in accord with religious teachings of course, and ate them, god would also be in them. It was a common belief that by eating a person one acquired his attributes.
When one realises the origins of all “revelations,” and how the knowledge acquired through telepathy is distorted in the brain of the more imperfect and more ignorant receptor, and under the influence of such people, it is obvious that this strange talk of eating human flesh and drinking human blood arose from the knowledge in the telepathic partner of reciprocal empowerment and synergy: that the life force of one can be the life force of all, and vice versa. When the disciples (probably those who later abandoned him) indicate that they do not wish to hear such talk, Christ approaches closer to the true path, saying: “It is the spirit that quickened; the flesh profited nothing.” And Christ approaches even closer to this “secret of the Kingdom of God,” reciprocal empowerment and synergy, when he says: “Abide in me, and I in you.” Or when he says that the disciples, and those who believe in him through their words, can all become one, just as he is in God and God in him. And this, that all become one, is also called to be “perfectly united.”
We now understand why Christ reiterates a commandment which seems so absurd, in the present circumstances on earth, as that one should love one’s neighbour as oneself. This is in order that people can “become one,” “be fully united,” and become like gods, like those beings who have achieved that objective, or are close to it. But we imperfect humans here on earth must strive to progress a little in that direction, beginning, for instance, by not hating those who wish us well. And it will be most promising when people understand that all hatred is destruction of energy, destruction of ourselves by all evil we do to others. Through understanding of these important aspects of biology, a foundation is laid for scientific ethics. In order for people to understand the growth of all plants and animals, the excellent Robert Brown and Matthias Schleiden had to discover the cell nucleus, and the cell. But Oken’s thinking had to blaze the trail before them. People also had to acquire that hard-to-grasp knowledge that the highly diverse animals and plants have as ancestors organisms which were a single imperfect cell, which may be termed the primeval organism. The cells did not remain separate when they divided, but formed a community or group, and thus the minuscule primeval organism, invisible to the naked eye, has multicellular descendants such as the trees of the forest, whales, elephants, humans, and so on. The drive to unite is older that the cell. And the most vital matter to understand is that the multicellular organisms in turn aim at a yet more remarkable unification. And where the right way has been taken in this matter, there is, in terms of the natural sciences, the Kingdom of God. While the New Testament often makes reference to the Kingdom of God, for easily-understood reasons we know little about that subject, from what is said. Far more remarkable, and enlightening, descriptions of the Kingdom of God are to be found in Swedenborg’s writings. But in order to find the scientific path in this matter, we had to discover what I call bioinduction. Goodwill is a precondition for this bioinduction to be effective, and so that disempowerment does not take place, instead of empowerment. Yet goodwill is not all that is required: it must be accompanied by correct understanding. The careful thinking of the scientist will be more valued, and more practised, when people realise its crucial importance. Mistaken ideas of existence – imperfect knowledge of human nature, so that people believe e.g. that an evil person is good and vice versa, the wise person a madman or the opposite – as has so often occurred here on earth, exclude people from the Kingdom of God. Or, in other words, where there is little knowledge, there is not the Kingdom of God. The striking words Blessed are the poor in spirit tell us that it is better to be ignorant, than rich in the preconceptions which block the way to understanding of the truth. Such unclear sayings, which may nonetheless contain considerable wisdom, are especially typical of those who speak most directly of telepathic connection, whether in Judea or Greece, or anywhere. In the Nordic countries, and other places where the language was spoken that we now call Icelandic, it was said that men of that kind held the “word of god” (goðorð), and they were known as goðar or goðmálugir (god-speaking). People of this kind often said that the god (or one of the gods) was in them, but sometimes they explicitly claimed to be gods. For comparison let us consider Bishop Grundtvig, one of Denmark’s leading men in the last century. Grundtvig was a great poet and spiritually inspired, and undoubtedly he resembled in many ways the “god-speaking” men of the ancient world. Grundtvig went mad four times, saying that he was the Archangel Gabriel. This is said to have been not uncommon in Thracia – but of course no-one there believed he was Gabriel, or any of the higher beings in whom the Jews believed; they believed they were Thracian gods. But in the Nordic world, Óðinn – that extraordinary man of whom Snorri tells us such incredible tales – apparently believed that a god was in him, and he took the name of that god. The Poetic Edda shows that it happened from time to time that a “god-speaking” man believed he was Óðinn. And perhaps, in King Óðinn, we may identify one of the outstanding founders of a religion, who is far less renowned than he deserves. That man must have lived in an era of progress, similar to those which took place much later in the Nordic world around 800 AD and 1200 AD. At such times, there is a quest to find the right path, and when it fails the decline is great. The efforts of this Óðinn failed, as all such attempts have done; and much of his doctrine was lost or distorted. We would know little of the religious observances of our forefathers, had it not been for the Icelanders. It was a great achievement to write about the Norse gods as Snorri did in the 13th century, at a time when people had come to believe that the gods of their ancestors were evil spirits.
Let us now return to our case, and now in such a way as to be completely convincing – although it cannot be said that I will come straight to the point. But now a means has been found to make it clear to the public the true nature of these misunderstood and vilified beings, whom our ancestors called gods and spirits, and of whom the “god-speaking” men gave their account. But what is written is not a matter of seeking to convince; nor is it philosophy or any form of kenology, but natural science. We now know that it was not false when the “god-speaking” man said that the god was in him. The man had experienced bioinduction from a remarkable being on another planet, and was the imperfect representation (memesis) of that being. The more followers a goði had, the greater the power of his bioinduction, but if he lost support the connection was largely lost. Those who were in greatest communication with gods tended to become leaders of their clans and their nations. This is the origin of both the military leader and the priest. And also the origin of kings – sometimes more from the military power, sometimes from the priesthood. And from this we may infer that the claim made by kings, to rule “by the grace of God” was not completely unfounded. And this throws light also on the reasons why leaders of nations – Roman emperors and others – have been worshipped as gods. Even until our own time, the Emperor of China was called the Son of Heaven (i.e. son of God). And the same is true of the Emperor of Japan – the warrior nation which will become the greatest power here on earth, if the Western nations cannot settle their differences. In Japan, the head of state was both a spiritual leader in contact with god (Mikado) and a military leader (Shogun).
The goði or “god-speaker” was an intermediary between god and man. Through him, his followers could achieve a stronger communication with the gods, thus benefiting from increased bioinduction from the gods. And, on the other hand, the goði, precisely because he had followers, could establish a better contact with the god. The influence was mutual, and benefited both the goði and his followers (later called þingmenn, senators).
We can now consider this from a physiological viewpoint; and when experiments are made in a properly scientific manner, so that preconceptions do not prevent good results, it will be proved that this is correct.
It has often been most harmful to kings and other leaders that they have not been aware of such reciprocal effects; and they have tended to believe that the subjects existed only for their monarch; many kings have seen themselves primarily as warlords, and have been prodigal with their subjects’ lives. Another factor which tends towards the infernal path is the lack of interest in education and science displayed by most monarchs and politicians. Yet it has been obvious for a long time, that nothing serves to moderate the moods of men and improve their lives as much as increased knowledge. Just consider the benefits of increased knowledge over the past 300-400 years, in comparison with the impact of religions throughout human history before that time.
XXV
We can now clearly see that Jesus of Nazareth was an especially fine example of the type of person who has been termed in Icelandic a goði or “god-speaker.” The cosmology he teaches is, admittedly, simple in comparison with Indian, Greek or Persian cosmology. But his ethical theory is so remarkable: his commandments which everyone knows, and by which no-one lives. Much later Bruno preached a gospel far more sophisticated than what we read in the Bible. But people did not understand him. It may have been demonstrated more clearly than ever by the murder to Bruno, how dangerous it is to be opposed to God. He who is opposed to the truth is opposed to God.
Swedenborg, who was in a sense in parallel with Bruno, not his direct follower, lived at a time when, according to a prophecy made 300 years earlier, Christ would return; and he himself believed, at least for a time, that he was the Messiah; the mind of this excellent Swede was much Judaised. Swedenborg too received little attention, and after his death a great age of murder commenced – the French Revolution, and wars which arose as a result; and this story bears the mark of the infernal. And now we are at a turning-point greater than ever before. Never before in human history has murder, injury, robbery and corruption been practised so much in so short a time, as in these last years; the infernal had the power, while the correct way of thinking – for the right way was found before these tragedies struck – was weak, and met with far worse than rejection. But now we see what will happen if such thought is not victorious. Or were not to be victorious, to speak more correctly, for now science has made its appearance. Now all that is needed is for a few people to be of sufficiently scientific bent, to seek by the right means to establish contact with those who are more advanced, on other planets. The truth, here so weak, will become the strongest. And where the truth ceases to be weak, there is no longer Hell.
XXVI
Those of my readers who have thought thoroughly about the above-mentioned attempt to look over the progress of life, and to understand the purpose of that progress, have received a considerable amount of the preparation needed in order to be able to consider with more success than before mythology and descriptions of what people take to be a spirit world. In the following chapters I shall explore various interesting aspects of these matters. Again I quote the above-mentioned book by Sir Oliver Lodge about his son. Raymond states through the medium that he has seen “Christ,” but unfortunately the description of that event is omitted. Nonetheless, what is written in the book is most informative. “I felt when I found myself back in Summerland,” says Raymond, “that I was charged with something – some wonderful power.” – These are most interesting words, and when one knows of bioinduction one can understand that someone much more advanced on the good path of progress has precisely the influence described by Raymond.
The book Spirit Intercourse by J. Hewat McKenzie, 3rd Ed, tells of a similar experiment. Spiritual “spheres” are mentioned on p. 158: the first, the Astral World, is 300, 500 and 750 miles from Earth. The seventh sphere is, he says, 18,000 to 35,580 miles from the surface of the Earth; this is called the Christ Sphere, and the description is reminiscent of the “true earth” or blessed place as described by Socrates in Plato’s Phaedo. There are bright colours, says Socrates, and gold and gems, and the white which is in the earth is whiter than any chalk or snow. Yet, says the philosopher, this is on the same Earth on which we live, simply far higher up, so that it reaches up into the ether (Phaedo 110). Such descriptions will in the future be deemed more important than today, when people imagine that such stories have no basis in reality, and are just fantasy or fiction and invention. – Of the Christ Sphere or the seventh sphere of the spirit world, Mackenzie says that, when seen with the human eye, the foundation appears to be of many-coloured costly stones, and the streets to be paved with gold (p. 229). A “spirit” from the fourth sphere, who is allowed to mount to the seventh sphere, says to MacKenzie (p. 230) that he has not enjoyed the journey. It was so cold, and the brightness blinding. The “spirit” claims to have seen into a temple where someone sat, bathed in radiance, and addressed a gathering of spirits. This is reminiscent of Socrates’ description of the high-towering “true earth,” when he speaks of temples in which the gods really dwell (and not simply images of them). The radiant being glances at the “spirit” newcomer, then holds up the palm of his hand and sends him a ray of light from his hand; the radiation appears to captivate him entirely, so that he experiences a great sense of peace. One may perhaps by comparison mention here the words aistheseis tón theón from the description of the “true earth.”
The more people know of bioaradiation and bioinduction, the more clearly will they see that precisely stories such as these provide clear evidence that they are not simply imagination or invention, for it is not hard to understand how such stories have originated.
XXVII
Swedenborg’s descriptions of Heaven and Hell are of great interest. Much could be said of them, but here I shall confine myself to a few main points, with the intention of clarifying some of the ideas. I expect, however, that some people would find this easier reading if it were written in the spirit of Swedenborg himself, using such terms as are found in his writings, such as “angelic wisdom.” Others, however, would choose that the assumption be made that this was nothing but fantasy. – Swedenborg says that the sun in the sky in Heaven is God himself; that he has been told so by angels, and he has also observed it himself several times. Swedenborg’s description, however, implies that in heaven God is not a single sphere, but two; God is also a moon, brighter than the moon of our Earth, and surrounded by little twinkling moons. God as the moon is far from where he is seen as the sun. The sun in Heaven is reddish, and always in the same place, about 45º above the horizon; and it is particularly interesting to be given this information. Swedenborg says in addition that sometimes a belt of darkness passes over the sun. This belt grows darker and darker, and finally the sun is not red but white, says Swedenborg; the reader would have expected him to say that it had grown dark. But then the white passes from the sun to the left and merges with the moon, which grows brighter than before (De Coelo et Inferno clauses 118 and 159: De Divino amore, clause 104).
It is clear that this is a view from another solar system; and it is hardly surprising that the observations are unclear, and contain a mixture of information, since Swedenborg had no understanding of what it was that he observed. The planets of another solar system are taken by him to be the spirit world (mundus spiritualis), and he believes the sun there (or suns, since it is apparently a system with twin suns) to be God. But the more thought is given to this, the less one will conclude that this is but fantasy. There appear to be three matters which Swedenborg conflates together: 1. Sun spots on the red sun; and if there are many they could look like a dark belt. 2. A solar eclipses, during which the sun is darkened when the moon passes over it. 3. That the white sun passes in front of the red sun, so that the red sun appears temporarily white: and it is understandable that Swedenborg should say that the white, which passes from the sun to the left, merges with the moon. That “moon” is the white sun.
As Swedenborg says that he himself has seen the sun of the spirit world, the implication is that he believes he sees what the inhabitants of another planet, in another solar system, observe. And that planet is very old. Its rotation on its own axis has become fixed, so that it always turns the same face (or almost) to the sun. The progress of the sun across the sky, resulting from the rotation of a planet, appears to have come to an end there. This is also the tendency here on earth. When our solar system is some tens of millions of years older than today, the sun will have become red, the sun-spots on it will be far more impressive than today, and the earth will take a whole year to make a rotation on its axis, so that changes in the position of the sun in the sky will be only those attributable to the slant of the earth’s axis; it is not unlikely that a man on another planet who saw the sun through telepathy would say that it did not move.
Herodotus mentions (IV, 42) that those who sail southwards by Africa have said that the sun is then on their right. Herodotus says that he does not believe this. But once people learned about the shape of the earth and the nature of the movement of the heavenly bodies, they understood that this seamen’s tale also indicates that the story of their journey was true. The same applies to Swedenborg’s stories of what he observed in the “spirit world.” Human life has progressed far there, in two directions, as would be the case where humanity had a far longer history than here on earth. The planet itself now always turns the same face to the sun, as would be true of a planet far older than ours. And the sun had turned red, as suns do as they grow old. And perhaps one could mention the formation of sun-spots, far more than on our sun. On such a planet there would be a world of darkness on one side, where the sun would never be seen; and on the other a world of light, where darkness never fell; and it would be natural, in such circumstances, to speak of a world of light and a world of darkness. One might expect that in the world of darkness strange and monstrous life-forms would exist. And here we should recall that here on earth there is a world of darkness, far more populous than the world of light: for in the darkness and cold of the remote oceans, where no ray of sun shines – so that, until the middle of the last century, people believed no life could thrive there – lives a riotous variety of living organisms.
XXVIII
It was not until a hundred years after Swedenborg wrote his description of Heaven and Hell that it was known that suns change colour over time, being first white, then yellow, and finally red. And Swedenborg is not the only person to report that the light of the sun in the “other” world is red: the words of Virgil in his Aeneid point in the same direction:
Largior his campos æther et limine vestit purpureo.
(Aeneid VI, 640)
And one may also cite the Old Norse poem Sólarljóð (Lay of the Sun):
Sól ek sá
Setta dreyrstöfum
(A sun I saw, beset with blood-red beams)
The Lay of the Sun appears to have originated in the same way as Through the Mists/ En Vandrer in Aandeverdenerne/ (I have seen it only in Danish translation), which contains descriptions of the “spirit world” which will be discussed further below. This poem, which is such a brilliant composition, has sprung from a telepathic communication with an inhabitant of another planet, whom the poet takes to be the soul of a deceased person in the spirit world: it appears that the sun is very red, and that it is not the sun of “this world,” this solar system, is clear from the words:
Máttug leizk
Á marga vegu
Frá því’s fyrri vas
(It appeared more mighty in many ways than it was before)
There is more in the Lay of the Sun which is interesting to compare with the words of the Swedish mystic. Swedenborg believed that the sun he saw through telepathy, in the sky of another planet, was god; he conflated a brightly-shining being, floating in the air, with a shining heavenly body; and here it should be recalled that “god” and “sun” both have the same meaning: shining. And the Lay of the Sun also conflates sun and god:
Sól ek sá
Svá þótti mér
Sem sæjak göfgan guð
(A sun I saw, and it seemed to me that I saw a noble god)
And in the next verse:
Sól ek sá
Svá hon geislaði
At þóttumk vætki vita
(A sun I saw, which shone so brightly that I seemed to know nothing)
This too could refer to the observer being in doubt whether he has seen a sun, or a radiant being in human form. According to Swedenborg, god is in the middle of the sun: the sphere of light receives its radiation from God. And Madame Blavatsky reports, quoting Democritus, that the Deity is a soul, in a fire in the form of a sphere (Secret Doctrine III, p. 323). We can now well understand whence such stories and misunderstandings have arisen.
XXIX
Swedenborg is not alone in recounting that the movement of the sun in the “spirit world” is not the same as in “this world,” but is precisely what one would expect, if the observations in fact come from an ancient planet, where the rotation of the planet has become fixed, and hence the sun does not move in the sky – if we disregard possible “libration” – beyond what is attributable to the slant of the axis. It is said of Elysium, which the Greeks believed to be a place of delight for the dead, that the sun never sets there. And this is mentioned, not uninformatively, in Sir Oliver Lodge’s book Raymond. The telepathic partner of the medium Mrs Leonard says (p. 200) that Raymond finds it mysterious that in the spirit world there is no regular alternation of day and night, as here on earth. But I suppose that you (in the spirit world) see the sun? asks O.J.L. Yes, says the partner through the medium: he sees the sun, but the temperature always seems to be about the same; he feels no heat or cold where he is. The reader rather expects that the answer is: but the light seems to be always the same; he (Raymond) perceives no difference between day and night where he is. But one cannot expect the answer to be better than the question: the questioner has no idea, apparently, that the matter concerns life on another planet, and it is his ignorance and misunderstanding which elicit the answer from the “spirit.” There appears to be good reason to wonder, that those who place any confidence in what “spirits” tell them should not have realised long ago what the “spirit world” is. In Raymond, p. 184, it is maintained, for instance that if one kneels in the mud (in the spirit world!), it appears that one’s clothes are dirtied. Hyslop’s attempt to explain this may be cited as an example of how a highly-qualified spiritualist contrives to avoid understanding what is obvious. We find more informative news of the movements of the sun in another world in the book A Wanderer in the Spirit Lands, by Franchezzo, transcribed By A. Farnese. Translated and published by B.Thorstenson, Skien, 1906. A. Farnese’s foreword is written in London in 1896. This book is in places very verbose, yet the verbiage is not uninteresting, as it clearly originates in the influence of a person on another planet; and in many places one can discern a good deal of what the story would be, if correctly told. The account originates in a similar way to the Lay of the Sun, although there is a great difference in the literary merit. The “spirit” who in this book recounts his experiences after death appears to be a person on another planet, with whom someone here on earth has had a bioinductive connection. Let us recall for comparison the way a “spirit” reported a person here on earth being “linked onto” him. When this person dies, the telepathic partner on the other planet becomes mad (paranoid), and believes that it is he who is dead. The connection between them is of such a nature that he perceives the rotting corpse, which he believes to be his own, and this leads to great fear and torment. Alienists here on earth would be in no doubt about what to call this phenomenon. The person who believes he is the soul of a dead person, now in “another life,” appears to be receiving medical care, and is living in a place (described on p. 37) with innumerable cells and many corridors, which appears to be a lunatic asylum. It is interesting to observe how often something similar occurs in stories of spirits; and people will realise when they come to study this matter scientifically – which has not yet been the case – that nowhere is it easier to establish a connection with such places than precisely at a lunatic asylum. We should also recall here what was said before about what appear to be attempts to cure “Raymond,” or the person on another planet who believes he is Raymond Lodge – dead and now in another life. The “spirit” Franchezzo speaks most informatively of the geography of the spirit world. In the “other world,” according to him, there are zones where the level of light is unchanging. In the third zone of the earth plane is the place called the Twilight Lands, he says (p. 46), where it is always twilight: never fully dark, and never bright daylight (p. 83). There is a valley which he describes slightly: there is not a blade of grass, not one poor stunted shrub; dim, cold, grey hills shut it in on every side, and a twilight sky overhead. And it is quite natural that there should be “eternal twilight” somewhere on a planet where the sun no longer moves across the sky because the planet no longer revolves. The “spirit” speaks of places where there is even less light (p. 57): the sky is almost as dark as night. He mentions that no attempt is made at cultivation, while the people he sees are degraded and bestial. In another place he mentions specifically a Land of Darkness (p. 150). The “spirit” mentions something which “appeared like the crater of a vast volcano” (p. 149): it is consistent with this that in this land he sees in some places rock which he describes very like lava; and in other cases apparently pumice lumps, “as though all the blighted hopes, the dead ashes of misused earthly lives had been scattered there.” I would point out that this poetic sentence must derive from the transcriber of the story, who apparently had very little understanding of the matter, rather than from the spirit. The “spirit” observes in this place huge bats, which may perhaps be creatures like those which fly in the “World of Torment,” according to the Lay of the Sun, where they are described as “scorched birds.” The Icelander composing the Lay could not have been familiar with bats, and thus he must have imagined that these featherless “birds” were scorched. Perhaps these are winged reptiles, such as those that lived on our earth in the Mesozoic Era, the largest known examples of which had a wingspan of 22 feet. The vegetation of the Land of Darkness is also described to some extent by Franchezzo, and quite interestingly. There are dense black forests of gigantic, repulsive-looking trees (p. 195). These “trees” are black, without foliage; from them oozes a thick, foul slime; the roots (mycelium!) are like snakes; the branches are coated in a strange blackened layer (cp. capellitium of some fungi). It is obvious from this description that these are fungal plants, of immense size; and that is precisely the kind of vegetation one would expect in a dark world; it is quite extraordinary how the truth can shine through, in spite of the transcriber’s total lack of comprehension of what he is actually recounting. These fungi are terrifying carnivorous plants. Franchezzo observes “souls” held captive by the “trees.” They cry out pathetically and struggle to escape, but cannot; and it is not unlikely that this is a true report; that the cries of the “souls” which have been caught by the “trees” are like those of people whose strength is at an end. It appears entirely apt to call a place World of Torment, where one may meet such a terrible death as those who fall prey to these carnivorous plants. Some of the “souls” were caught by a root (a strand of mycelium?) shackling their foot: the hand of one was stuck fast to the trunk of a tree, so that it could not be freed; the head and shoulders of one were caught by branches; one was enveloped in a shroud of “black moss” (the fungal capillitium). The spirit sees bats there in the wood, and wild ferocious-looking beasts prowl around the captive “souls,” but without touching them. This is not unbelievable. The branches and “roots” of the predatory fungi can apparently snatch at their prey, and hence the beasts of prey dare not try to seize them. The description of the “spirit world” is here so clear, that it appears possible to deduce that these predatory plants described here are something like the puffball mushroom or lycoperdaceae. Most of these have filets (capillitium), and the spores are the familiar dark dust which is widely believed to be harmful to the eyes. The inference of the description is that these hellish creatures emit massive clouds of this dust, which perhaps helps them to catch their prey. This account of the flora of the dark world of the “other side” is so remarkable because it so clearly indicates that it derives from “another world.” The transcriber, Farnese, is obviously far from being a natural scientist, and has no idea that the “trees” he describes in the Land of Darkness are in fact fungi. And he believes that the unfortunates devoured alive by the fungi are the souls of the dead. The stage of comprehension has not yet been reached.
The “spirit” Franchezzo also describes a zone where the light is always like daybreak. He sees no trees or shrubs, but there are ferns, and “grass,” and some simple flowers; there are masses of clouds on the horizon, and winds in the upper sky, and cloud formations (pp. 99-100). The “spirit” also describes the Morning Land. The description is as inadequate as one might expect, in view of the transcriber’s lack of understanding, yet it contains some interesting points. He talks of “green and golden meadowland” (p. 278); clouds drift in the sky, of various colours, and sometimes the sky is quite clear. Some “spirits” have told him that clouds are never seen in their skies, and it is not incredible that this should be so, where it is always bright daylight. By way of explanation it may be mentioned that the spirit is quoted as saying that there are clouds in his sky, because he enjoys watching the clouds (pp. 307-308). It is often mentioned in descriptions of the “spirit” world that the thoughts of men determine the circumstances in which they are to live; and this is true, but only in the same way as here on earth. It was the prevalent thinking, and the prevalent lack of thought, of their times which prepared a stake for burning Servetus, a prison for Galileo, and exile for Oken, while Nero received a Caesar’s throne, and Calvin a sort of papal authority. It is the prevailing way of thinking which shapes and mis-shapes the circumstance in which people are to live, far more than is generally realised. The absence of railways here in Iceland, for instance, is primarily the result of Icelandic thinking, and Icelandic lack of thought. It does not reflect any immutable necessity of nature that transport within the country is still largely as it was in mainland Europe in the 17th century. If people wish to change their circumstances in a tangible way, they must start by improving their mindset. Much lack of human progress is attributable to the fact that people do not know this well enough; they do not know that original thought is hard work, and they treat those who make new observations and think new thoughts as if they were people of no value, or even harmful to human society; they do not value those who work for enhanced knowledge: the researchers and teachers. Let us now return to our study of the geography of the “spirit world.” The “spirit” says (p. 309) that the spirit world is not the surface of a planet, as in the case of our planets, and thus there is no horizon, as heaven and earth merge into one. This probably refers to the fact that this planet on which the “spirit land” is found always turns the same face to the sun. One terrace follows another, one zone after another, all the way from the places of joy with bright sunshine, down to the dark places of hell. The terraces of the “spirit world” are far better described in Lee’s book, which will be mentioned below. Franchezzo speaks of the earth as “like a star far below” (p. 313); and in another place he states that there are many millions of miles between him and the earth. This indicates, happily, for the transcriber had no idea of it, that this description of the “spirit world” originates from an inhabitant of another planet. And how interesting and important is the nature of this matter. Life here on earth will be different, when the fog is lifted, and the way to a better life will always be clearly visible. –
Then there is a description of the Land of Bright Day, where the sun is high in the sky. It is not clearly stated, unfortunately, that darkness never falls there, but it was quite predictable that specific mention of this might be omitted. The light is brighter in the Land of Bright Day than here on earth, and the trees and plants have lovely hues, and this is not unbelievable. The flowers are more fragrant than earthly flowers, says the spirit (p. 311). He sees blue and purple hills, and on a beautiful lake sail boats, carrying happy “spirits” wearing shining robes of many different colours. –
If we compare Franchezzo’s description of how the “spirit world” comprises zones with different levels of light, which always remain the same, with Swedenborg’s description, which specifically dates that in Heaven the sun is always at the same position in the sky (Sol ille in ea altitudine … apparet constanter, nec dimovetur. De divino amore, clause 104), we see how overwhelmingly likely it is that these descriptions of the spirit world in fact apply to an ancient planet, which always turns the same face to the sun. The origin of these descriptions is hence not mysterious in the slightest; and there is no reason to be surprised that, in these descriptions by writers who had no idea of the real nature of what they were describing, they did not mention the changes in the elevation of the sun which would take place in the “spirit world” over the year, due to the slant of the planet’s axis. We can now readily understand why these descriptions of the spirit world are so consistent with Ancient Greek beliefs about the world of the dead, where in some places there was eternal sunlight and the sun never set, while in others there was eternal darkness. Our own Norse forefathers too appear to have believed in dark world where the sun never shone. The dwarf Brokkur says, when he presents the boar Gullinbursti to the god Freyr, that “it could never become so dark at night, or in the Dark Regions, that there should not be sufficient light where he went, such was the glow from its mane and bristles” (Skáldskaparmál /Prose Edda, chapter 35). – Such stories are so much more interesting, now that we know the origin of the mythological tales.
The more carefully we consider such tales as have been mentioned here, the better it will emerge that all have the same story to tell. But there will never be found a single reason which makes it likely that the explanation expounded here is wrong.
XXX
Let us now make another comparison, no less interesting; and it will emerge why Swedenborg maintained that the sun in the sky of Heaven is God himself. It is vital to be able to apply intelligence in this field, where most confusion has reigned, and to be victorious through the power of good sense, where even the wisest of men have said that no sense could be made.
Let us first consider a description from the third century AD of what the Greeks termed kosmos noetos (κοσμος νοητος) or intelligible cosmos, the world of thought, if translated as has generally been deemed correct.
Fifty-four treatises by the philosopher Plotinus exist, edited by his mentor Porphyry and organised into six sets of nine (Enniads, groups of nine). The most interesting of the treatises to me is no. 8 of the Fifth Enniad, On the Intelligible Beauty (perí tou noetou kallous). Let us consider chapter 10 of that treatise (Enn. V, VIII, 10). The narrative is unclear and not easy to understand, and indeed that is to be expected, since the philosopher was not aware, any more than those who describe the “spirit world,” what he was in fact describing. In order for that understanding to exist, a foundation would have to be laid by the marvellous scientific mechanism which is the psychology of the future. Plotinus tells of Zeus himself going first to see the Intelligible Beauty, followed by gods and demigods (daimones) and such souls as are of strength to see. The god appears before them from some unseen place and, rising loftily over them (the same word is used as for the sun: aneteilas), pours its light upon all things, so that all gleams in its radiance. Those who are below turn away, unable to look on him, any more than at the sun. Some can withstand the light and are able to watch, while others are disturbed – and the disturbance is greater for those who are farther from the god.
Some may maintain that the philosopher is here speaking metaphorically; but it is obvious that this description has arisen from a revelation, which the philosopher has experienced through telepathic contact; he has become a participant in the consciousness of someone who, on another planet, saw a radiant being appear. And, precisely because such visions have often been seen by psychics (originally, if I understand it correctly, both prophet and poet mean: he who has visions), the meaning of most names for god is “Luminous” or “he who glows or radiates.” We can now observe this with the eyes of the natural scientist: and per se it is no more bizarre that luminous people should exist, than luminous arthropods, or squids, such as a species of Enoploteuthis which is said to emit strangely beautiful rays of blue, red and white light.
Some light is thrown on this strange vision of Intelligible Beauty described by Plotinus if we consider Swedenborg’s description of the appearance of God on another planet. We see that the event described is similar in nature; and it is remarkable that, according to Swedenborg, God appears in the same manner in the “spirit world,” as in this world, on another planet. In his book On the Earths in the Universe Swedenborg writes most informatively of how he saw the Lord appear on another earth. A light cloud appeared in the east, and came closer, becoming brighter as it descended. Finally a human form was visible in flaming beams, surrounded by small stars of equal brightness. “In this way the Lord manifested His presence with the spirits with whom I was conversing,” says Swedenborg (Earths, clause 171). He goes on to recount how the good and evil spirits are separated – for, while the theatre here is another planet, the dramatis personae are, Swedenborg believes, spirits. The separation of the “spirits” which takes place when the radiant being appears is also mentioned in Plotinus’ description, though differently phrased. Next Swedenborg sees the radiant being visit the lower regions of that earth, and the radiance is gradually diminished until the being ceases to shine. This point is most interesting, and is one of the factors that demonstrate that Swedenborg was not simply describing fantasies. Swedenborg has here no idea what it actually is that he is describing. When the radiant being goes to those who live in malice and ignorance, this so diminishes the being’s life-force that it loses its radiance. This is a similar fact to that which is mentioned in the story of Christ, where it is said that he could not perform any miracles due to others’ lack of faith. It was for similar reasons that Swedenborg himself could not work miracles; and the ability of the visionary Madame Blavatsky to do so was diminished after investigations by Hodges – carried out with total incomprehension of what should be investigated – led to many or most people believing that she was a charlatan, and that those who believed they had seen her perform miracles had been duped. – Small miracles, in fact, are common; and those who are generally sceptical of such, physicians, perform many such miracles. This is not mysterious to those who are familiar with bioinduction and the “great connection,” and something of the laws that govern such matters. One who has some of that knowledge can say: give me a few people who have the right mindset, do not believe (where they least should) that right is wrong, trust me as necessary, and we will perform what has been termed a miracle. And “miracle” is not a misnomer, for the forces involved will be many times more powerful than electricity, when man learns to utilise them. Where the evil path is followed, people do not realise the empowering nature of belief. People here on earth have often empowered the worst of men through their trust and admiration – literally creating devils of a kind, who ravaged lands with fire and the sword, or tortured thousands, crushing and burning, as was the case in the building in Spain which was known as the Santa Casa (Sacred House). And on the other hand they have paralysed the best of men through their disbelief, even where they did not specifically persecute them; and thus they prevented progress towards the Divine. And that is why we find ourselves in our present state. Due mostly to great lack of insight into human nature, and lack of support for those who most deserved it, human society is a travesty of what it could be.
Let us return to Swedenborg. The cloud he had seen, he says, was a community of angels with the Lord in their midst, the Lord having come to save those who could receive salvation, and create a society which Swedenborg terms societas coelestas. The character of that society is that its members have come to understand the purpose of life, and the reciprocal empowerment and harmonisation which have been mentioned above have attained the level necessary for the energy of all to be the energy of each, and vice versa. This is clearly the same kind of society as Plotinus describes in the essay on Intelligible Beauty cited above, chapter 4. Even the most renowned of philosophers, such as Henri Bergson, have not observed that the same phenomenon is described by both Swedenborg and Plotinus, although one calls it mundus spiritualis (the spirit world) or, in this case, another planet, while the other calls it kosmos noetos (the world of the mind) or Heaven There (panta gar ekei ouranos, Enn. V, VIII, 3). “To “live at ease” is there, says Plotinus, “and, to these divine beings, verity is mother and nurse, existence and sustenance; and they see everything; not only the beginning, but also what is (without beginning and end; the perfect). And they see themselves in others. [This may refer to advanced beings on other planets probably being aware or people, here on earth and elsewhere, in their sleep, becoming participants to some extent in their existence and consciousness]: for all is transparent, nothing dark, nothing resistant; every being is lucid to every other, in breadth and depth; light runs through light. And each of them contains all within itself, and at the same time sees all in every other, so that everywhere there is all, and all is all and each all, and infinite the glory… the sun, There, is all the stars; and every star, again, is all the stars and sun” (V, VIII, 4).
In these terms a god-speaking man describes the situation, a remarkably perfect human society on another planet, though without understanding its true nature. Yet the description is remarkable. Readers should observe how interesting is the sentence about the sun and suns, and important as an example of the knowledge acquired by telepathy. For that which thus appeared in Plotinus’ consciousness must have been the telepathic partner’s knowledge of that which Bruno discovered long afterwards, that the fixed stars, as they were called, are suns. The first part of that sentence may arise from the fact that earths are the offspring of the suns.
Plotinus says also (V, VIII, 3): “The Gods in it [the Heaven of the world of the mind], do not despise men [in that Heaven], nor anything else that is there, because it is what it is (or of what is there), but traverse all that country and all space when they rest [or sleep].” By comparison, let us consider Swedenborg’s story from the spirit world: some spirits rested for half an hour, and when they awoke they said they had been in Heaven and seen things they could not describe.
When we have understood the nature of dreams, and know that they occur due to the consciousness of another (or others) being manifested in the sleeping brain, we can see that such stories are no invention. And before long, the method mentioned here; will be much used here on earth, in order to study life on other planets; and the necessary knowledge will have been gained, in order to apply a scientific approach. Above all, the correct trust in wise men must be learned, and we must know that this may be done. We may expect that, on other planets, there may in some places be those who can take on the consciousness of others to such a degree, that they know even our most secret thoughts. To those who are familiar with some of the fundamental discoveries in psychology, it is clear how this can happen. And those who have progressed far towards wisdom in other places can grant us a share in their consciousness, when our ignorance ceases to be a hindrance. That era will be very unlike this present time of stupidity and disaster. Help is at hand, if people would only accept it. But in the hells it proves difficult to understand this. Even in the milder Hells, there are powerful currents, against which he who has seen the truth, and aims to change minds, must struggle. The worse the Hell, the harder it is for truth to prevail, the greater the resistance to efforts to increase knowledge and wisdom; and the stronger the mindset which was manifested in the burning of Bruno, and the elevation of Calvin.
XXXI
There is a book called Through the Mists, or Leaves from the Autobiography of a Soul in Paradise. Recorded for the Author by Robt. Jas. Lees, 5th impression 1916 (First edition 1898). This is an account of life at a more advanced level, of similar origin to the Lay of the Sun and Franchezzo’s story, discussed above, and it is most interesting to compare it with the stories of Plotinus and Swedenborg. Lees says that he has simply recorded the story, while its author, he says, is a soul in Paradise. And in truth we find in this book enlightening information about life on another planet. The soul recounts (p. 353) a festival in the spirit world (as Lees believes). It is a place of great beauty with magnificent mountain scenery; the mountains tower peak over peak in the far away. Here the soul receives guidance from a certain being from a higher plane of existence. Myhanene (for that is the being’s name) “touched me, and called my attention to an orb of light that was falling like a meteor towards us from over the mountains.” This is very much like Plotinus’ account of a radiant being arising in the World of the Mind. The spirit now turns to ask his guide for an explanation, and finds that he had been transformed in his appearance, and become even more radiant than before. The orb of light, it transpires, was a shining host of beings around their leader; Myhanene has been empowered by the arrival of the shining host. This is consistent with Swedenborg’s account, cited above. Yet there is an interesting difference, in that the “angel chief” is not God himself, or Christ. The name of the angel chief is Omra, and it is quite natural that the name should be Arabic. The role of the shining host is to select the “souls” worthy to be promoted to a higher level, and to take them away with them to a yet more beautiful place in the “spirit world.” It is immediately apparent, from the individuals’ reaction to the arrival of the shining host, who are the worthy. Once again, there is a striking similarity between Plotinus’ account of the world of the mind and Swedenborg’s of another planet. One may well understand, knowing of bioinduction, that intervention by the more perfect in the life of the less perfect will be something like this, where the path towards harmony and hyperzoon (Überorganismus) is followed, by those equipped with knowledge. The more advanced will help those who are able to progress, but some cannot be helped; their minds are too full of wrong images; and when they are affected by the more advanced, the outcome is as Plotinus describes. They are disturbed (tarattonai), and become yet more confused than before. This is an event of the same nature, although on a larger scale, as when someone in an Inferno has, in spite of everything, realised the direction and purpose of life, discerned the truths which have not been told in any religion, nor in any philosophy, made the discoveries which are necessary in order that the age of science may begin in earnest, and the change may be made to that path which leads onward, ever onward to a more beautiful and better life – and yet when they hear or read such news, they imagine that this person is talking nonsense, and is not sane. They then understand life even less than before; they can certainly for a time paralyse the person who has tried to help them, but they continue upon the wrong path, even worse than before, without coming to their senses. It could be worthwhile to draw attention to the fact that many of the problems that overshadow our society in some way, have been dealt heavy blows since the subject has been raised of more important truths than have been told here on earth before, though without meeting any understanding; since precisely those discoveries which will change our course, when the right response is made, began to be recounted.
We have observed how the ancient philosopher Plotinus, the natural scientist and god-speaker Swedenborg 1,500 years later, and the spiritualist Lees around 1900 all speak of a selection to a higher state of life, in such a way that one may understand that this is not only imagination. The consistency of these reports from different worlds greatly enhances the likelihood that true events are recounted, although much is wrongly reported, and more omitted. And this same truth was manifested in a most interesting manner in the religion of our ancestors. In Valhöll, the hall of Óðinn, are men who have been selected to go there. The same is true of Vingólf. Those who had fallen in battle went to these places, and they were known as Einherjar (Warriors). The ideas of our ancestors were wrong and inadequate: they did not know that the Æsir (gods) are people on other planets who are more advanced than we. Yet the names give a most interesting clue to their nature. It seems to me most unlikely that the Einherjar should pursue such foolish games as we are told. There must be many more important tasks to perform with Óðinn. It seems to me more likely that the name Einherjar (ein = one) is a reference to unification, and the harmonisation of a more perfect human society. The story that the Einherjar choose the company of Óðinn is consistent with what has been said before, from various worlds. This subject can be addressed far more informatively when it is possible to make the foundations clear, and mythology will become natural science: zoology and biology. New sciences will also then emerge, which will explain how the connection with other planets is a function of climate, landscape and geographical location. People will understand why religions developed in one way in Egypt, another in India, a third in Peru, not only on racial grounds, but also for the reasons mentioned above. And people will also understand far better than before why some of the doctrines in the Americas were so similar to beliefs in Egypt, and farther east. People will understand why Tibet and Spain have so much in common in terms of religion. People will research, in the context of geology and geography, the differences between Persian and Arab “revelations,” and also as it appears in the stories which have been called in English the 1001 Arabian Nights; for various of those stories are not so much about the Orient as about other planets. In brief, the fog will lift, and people will begin to understand human history.
The soul in Paradise, whose “recorder” Lees claims to be, describes the landscape of the ”spirit world” to some extent better than the “spirit” Franchezzo; yet the descriptions of vegetation given by the latter are lacking; nor does he, like Franchezzo, describe our earth as a “star” millions of miles from the habitation of the spirits. Myhanene takes the “soul” on a tour of the land. It is a landscape of terraces, very beautiful and impressive; and the homes are of great splendour. They see the residence of Omra in the far distance, bathed in radiance; and we can understand from such descriptions how the names of the halls of the gods, such as Glitnir (= Shining) and Breiðablik (= Broad Glow), arose. The “soul’s” description of the landscape leads the reader to think of such a land as Mexico, which was regarded by geographer Carl Ritter as the place on earth with the best long-term prospects; yet the people there still live in the utmost misery. More are killed and tortured to death there, than one would believe on seeing the statistics. The ignorance of the people, most of whom can neither read nor write, and who have for their leaders undereducated priests, and even less educated robbers, outweighs the qualities of land and air. Yet even there Ritter’s predictions may be fulfilled, as they are coming to pass partly in the USA. It appears that on earths where the path of progress is followed, people make detailed study of the history and landscape of their earth, until they know, not only what has happened, but also what is happening, and they know better and better what lies in the future. Geography then progresses so far that men can learn to control the powers of the earth at will. Men then shape landscape increasingly in accord with human needs, yet combining beauty and function. It is not unlikely that in Mexico some attempt in this direction will be tried at a relatively early stage, although it is now a hell worse than most others here on Earth, except where nations are at war, or in its aftermath.
XXXII
1
The Great Connection will become a little clearer still to us, if we consider it from the following viewpoint. The benefit of this view is that one may understand how what we have called nature is but as a little bay vis-à-vis the wide ocean.
As mentioned before, one must presume the existence of an Omni-power. The word essence has been used for this omni-power, but that word will not be used here. One aspect of the nature of the universal power is that it can eliminate any imperfection, every potential of Evil. This opens a path to understanding of the origins of Evil. The universal power repels the potential of Evil, of the imperfect, then at once begins to empower it towards itself. All powers of nature exist due to some form of empowerment or charging of the imperfect – termed by Plato hypodoche (= receptacle) and by Aristotle hyle. Life itself originates from some form of charging or empowerment; what we call life is one part of that path that must be followed, in order that the imperfect may become perfect.
The connection from utter perfection to imperfection is not direct. There are many intermediate stages. This is explained in an enlightening manner in the creation story in Timaeus, according to which the Father of the Universe or demiurge created first other gods, whom he in turn appointed to create lower forms of life, such as humans and animals. Such ideas are commonly found in ancient philosophy. But no true progress occurred. No real progress takes place until the scientific path is followed. While people have nothing to rely upon other than the theories of revelation, outdated ideas about telepathy and synaesthesia, all becomes lost in fog. For instance, let us consider an idea which concerns a remarkable aspect of biology, the Messiah concept. Century after century, millennium after millennium, this idea undergoes no real progress. Consider by comparison the progress made in biology when scientific discoveries are made or, in other words, when people begin to understand for themselves, truly to find the path of truth. Consider the progress made in botany and zoology over a few decades, when Robert Brown discovered what was later called the cell nucleus, and Mathias Schleiden went on to discover the cell. In order that progress may be achieved in knowledge, religious ideas must vanish, and science take their place. I here refer of course to religious ideas such as Häckel’s thanatism or the ignorabimus theory of Du Bois-Reymond. The belief which has been termed scepticism is also far behind us here. By the discovery of bioradiation and bioinduction, cosmology has commenced in earnest here on earth. By this discovery, the evil path is abandoned for the good. A single lifetime after scientists have begun to nurture the truths told in this essay and others, everything on this earth will be changed. People will have come to understand that this is the way forward.
Discoveries in physics have prepared us for understanding bioradiation and bioinduction. By examining our own minds, we make discoveries more extraordinary than any that have hitherto been made. We discover how other “souls” seek to make use of our brain and nerves; we perceive, if we pay sufficient attention, how the “souls” of others replace our own, to a greater or lesser extent, quite regularly, whenever the opportunity arises. We learn to ascertain something which seems more incredible than all that has been deemed incredible: that consciousnesses which appear in our brains are the consciousnesses of people who live on other planets. A view is opened up to us of the extraordinary idea that all consciousnesses are potentially in one – that they can all be in one. When we reach this point, we can easily understand the nature of omens, which have given rise to wonder and hope and fear over thousands of years, and have been the foundation of diverse religion and superstition. The omens of spiritualism cease to be mysterious. When we realise that the history of the world is a history of empowerment, that life has sprung from some form of charging or empowerment – the effort of inexhaustible power to make lower forms become like itself – then we understand that life must surely continue. This is no longer a matter of religious belief. Before many years have passed, in all scientific communities the continuation of life will be discussed; and progress in biology will be as great as when the excellent Brown and Scheilden had made the discoveries mentioned above. Yet there is some resistance still, from both mystics and scientists. Both will initially believe that they are being opposed; both will initially fail to see that this is the way forward which has been discovered – the way to change from the evil path to the good, from dysexelixis to diexelixis. Yet this opposition will be short-lived. It is good to think that we will avoid the horrors of killing, disease and miseries of all kinds which would cascade over us, were we to continue upon our present path.
2
We now find various myths and folk tales more interesting than in the past, since we know that they tell of life on other planets. Yet so little is said in such stories, and so wrongly. This age-old misinterpretation has become so exhausting, and so difficult for those who have learned to understand what may be known and achieved, if agreement could be reached – a reasonable view on these matters. When this has been attained, we can acquire a share in the wisdom of those who have progressed farther than the greatest progress ever achieved here on earth, and in their energy. Then it will be possible to observe, as if one were present there, life on other planets; to grow in vigour and wisdom. To tell of things, which have never been told here on earth; even more magnificent than what the visionaries have called ineffable. These things were ineffable only because the visionaries were not scientists, they lacked knowledge. The inhabitants of other planets might justly have asked, as in the Old Norse Völuspá (Prophecies of the Seeress): Vituð ér enn eða hvat? (Know ye yet, or what?) But now we know. We know how direct bioradiation from others influences us, determines the connection with the medium’s “spirits,” and what “spirit” speaks through him/her; we can foresee a method to establish a lucid telepathic connection with other planets. And more than that: we know that those on other planets can visit us here on earth, if the right conditions prevail on “this side.” And only when such visits are possible is the connection as it should be.
3
People have been very far from understanding that the “gods” of the ancients are more advanced beings on other planets. There is no sign in the writings of Nietzsche that he ever suspected this fundamental truth; yet it is precisely the Übermensch, a more advanced human than humanity is on earth at present, which is the object of all his philosophy – and with great inspiration, as we know. It never occurs to him that the Übermensch or “superman” stage has already been achieved on other planets – and in diverse ways; nor, of course, that such “supermen” have had any impact on human history here on earth. More interesting in this context is the French philosopher Guyau, about whom Professor Ágúst H. Bjarnason wrote a fine doctoral thesis. According to Guyau it is entirely possible that many human races may exist in the Universe, and that perhaps some might be deemed gods in comparison with humans here on earth (Á.H.B. p. 190). He goes on to say that, even if beings existed on other planets, far more evolved than we, it is possible that they could not make themselves known to us on earth, because the planets on which they lived were so far away (Á.H.B. p. 191). That the Norse gods of Ásgarður and the Greek deities of Olympus could be precisely such beings does not occur to Guyau, either. We may say of him, as of Nietzsche, that part of his thinking goes toward creating poetic phrasing and metaphor, while he is less diligent in his quest for the truth. The possibility does not occur to Guyau that the failure of connection between planets might not be attributable to the more evolved beings, but to the imperfection of humans here on earth. However well a telegram is transmitted, it cannot be received if the reception equipment is lacking or out of order.
It will be easy for inhabitants of other planets to establish contact with our Earth, when we apply a sufficiently intelligent approach. But it is not sufficient that some one individual should know the truth of these matters, if the minds of others are so opposed, that people even believe that the one who has discovered more remarkable truths than have previously been known, is out of his mind. Nothing can be worse for a scientist, as a scientist, than for people to believe, although he has spent his life in the quest for knowledge and wisdom, that he is yet more ignorant than other men, and speaks nonsense. Such convictions tend to obliterate the life’s work of the scientist, and establish connections for him with places where evil reigns. People thus do a great disservice, not only to those who are seeking to help them and show them the right path, but also to themselves.
4
In matters of the intellect here on earth, one of the most difficult to grasp is that the lines of evolution are two. Even that great man of the 19th century, who so admirably extended human understanding, Herbert Spencer, did not understand this. And Henri Bergson, who writes in l’Évolution créatrice quite ungratefully of what he terms le faux evolutionisme (false evolutionism) of Herbert Spencer, had no notion of these fundamental truths.
There are two lines of evolution. One is the good path, the gimlic or life line of evolution, which is conducive to growing unification of all powers, constantly enhancing intelligence, energy and beauty. This process may be termed diexelixis. The Greek exelixis has the same meaning as evolutio in Latin; and dia means through, entirely. Diexelixis is thus evolution which is always progressing. The other is the evil path, the path of increasing suffering, the path to Hell, the infernal line of evolution. This evolution, which is in truth no progress, may be termed dysexelixis. That is the path which is followed here on earth; I have made various comments on this is this essay, which I will not repeat here. Herbert Spencer, a man who had a magnificent knowledge of nature, points out in his Principles of Biology (Biologie, clause 114 I, p. 373, in Vetter’s translation) that more than half of animal species (here on earth) are parasites, which live by damaging the lives of other organisms. Yet the same may be said of many other animals than those which are parasites, or on which they live. And then there are even more terrible scourges of the plant world, the germs. Yet this excellent philosopher still believes that we are on a path of progress; that the victory of the fittest will be the same as the victory of the best. He does not see that here on earth the tendency is not towards the victory of the best. Life on earth is a phenomenon which has not yet begun to work; corruption is here, and it extends to humanity also. It is the infernal line, dysexelixis, which reigns here. This is clearly manifested in the great tempests of human history; although a consideration of daily life and animal life here on earth is quite enough to enable us to understand this. So topsy-turvy is the way of thinking in Hell, that many would look upon as parasites on human society, those who are doing work which few are willing to undertake. In Hell it is far easier for murderers and thieves to win friends and influence people, than for those who are creating new understanding. In such places it is he who speaks most truly, he who has discovered that which is needed in order to change direction, about whom prophecies have been made with such little understanding for thousands of years, who has the fewest adherents.
5
Understanding of the great connection is what is lacking in Hell. All that could be conducive to that understanding tends to become caught up in religions and superstitions of various kinds. Those who best clear our way to true understanding are men such as Oken and Lamarck, Scrope and Lyell and Leopold von Buch, Brown and Schleiden, Darwin and Spencer. Other excellent men could also be mentioned here, although I do not do so at present. In an admirable manner, Spencer gives us enhanced understanding of the relationship between things, and the laws of progress. But the path being taken was not clear to this excellent philosopher; he did not understand the great connection. He was of the view that science was limited; but that is not so, where the good path is followed. And the beginning of the good path is precisely to discover how science may be extended beyond the limits to which it is subject in Hell. Henri Bergson’s philosophy is an attempt to move beyond those limits. And the same may be said of William James and other writers of recent times. And Hegel and Schelling and Schopenhauer in the past. And, while all these attempts are remarkable, all have failed. In order to overcome the limits, to reach up to where one can gain a view over diexelixis, scientific discoveries were necessary: precisely those discoveries which have been discussed here, and which will be deemed the more unbelievable, the more dysexelictic the frame of mind.
6
Now the history of human religion may be understood far better than before; religions have been contingent upon landscape and climate, far more, and differently, than has been appreciated. Hundreds of millions of people have found the history of the Jews the most remarkable. And it is, indeed, remarkable. The clear skies over Egypt and the desert played their part in the children of Israel establishing contact with a remarkable being, who was long known as Jehovah. The Jews were ruled by a being on another planet. The prophets and judges were their “god-speakers,” and it shall be freely admitted that they wrote much of importance. For instance Samuel’s words to Saul: And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man (I Samuel, X, 6). It is the statement that Saul will become another man, which is interesting to the scientist who has come to understand the nature of prophecies. When Saul meets with a group of prophecying prophets, he becomes attuned to them, and the consciousness of another is induced in him, so that he too begins to prophecy; in that way he becomes another person and that other person speaks on his behalf. This progress of the Jews reaches its zenith in Jesus of Nazareth. The connection with a remarkable being has become so close, that Jesus believes that he and that being are in fact one. Jesus believed, as we know, that he was the One whose coming had been prophesied so often in Judaism, the Messiah; yet he was not what had been expected. People had generally thought that the Messiah would be a victorious martial ruler in the mould of David or Solomon. And the same is true in our own time. There are probably millions of people who have some sort of Messianic expectations; and all of them expect that the One who comes will be a teacher of religion, like Jesus and others who lived long ago. Ideas similar to the Messianic expectations of the Jews have occurred among Indians and Persians, and elsewhere. These are all distorted notions of telepathic connections, and it is not now hard to understand how they occur. Obviously, such expectations spring from the fact that one can make the change from the infernal path to the good path; that diexelixis can supplant dysexelixis. But it is a great misunderstanding to believe that the person who first teaches these fundamental truths is one of those who are supported by the stream here on earth, one of those who are respected and powerful, where dysexelixis reigns. We must not forget that, where the infernal path is followed, such a man has had to strive with all his might against all that is most opposed to his development; and it is also to be expected that in Hell that voice cannot easily made itself heard, which will resound all over the world when the infernal, the dysexelictic, has been overcome. The less the frame of mind is shaped by dysexelixis, the better will the individual understand me. And those who read this with ill-will or hatred should consider with care, what their influences have been.
7
The history of the Greeks’ connection with beings on other planets is most remarkable; and also remarkable is the literature which sprung from those roots. The verse of Homer and Hesiod may be seen as the Greeks’ equivalent to the Bible. In the case of the Greeks there are more poets and philosophers, and fewer prophets. But in that field of scholarship termed gnosis (knowledge) and in neoplatonism the Jews and Greeks are united; and Indian and Persian scholarship also makes a contribution.
The Greeks were ruled by a god: it is no exaggeration to state that they were in fact under the control of the god they named Apollo. The Oracle of Delphi was internationally renowned. People went to Delphi seeking the counsel of the gods, which was given via the Pythia (priestess). The nature of this is now, in principle, clear. Pythia was a psychic; and the supplicants, together with the priests of the temple, induced in her the consciousness of the god – who may perhaps have lived on the planet of which Homer tells such interesting stories – giving rise to her answers. The law mentioned above may sometimes clearly be seen at work in the answers: for instance when Chaerephon asks who is the wisest man in Greece, and the Pythia replies that it is Socrates. The reply of the gods was not correct: Democritus, Anaxagoras and others were wiser. But Chaerephon was a disciple of Socrates, and his influence affected the psychic’s reply. In Thracia was another remarkable oracle; most interestingly, her place was in the loftiest mountains; in this case also the medium was a woman, through whom spoke the god Dionysus (Herodotus, VII, 111).
Such great advance will be made when people can rid themselves, not only of what may be termed the protomorphic misunderstanding, but also the heteromorphic, and begin to study these matters scientifically; the Balkan peninsula is particularly well suited to such research, as at the islands between Greece and Asia Minor: one of these is named Patmos. Much of great interest will be revealed, when people begin to establish contact with such beings as the Greeks called gods; and long tales will be told.
8
Let us now turn to the Germanic and Nordic people: our closest relatives and our ancestors. Their conditions were far less favourable than in more southerly and easterly areas, and the climate made the connection to the gods far more difficult to attain. In the north there was no centre of communication like the temple of Delphi, but there was a strong belief, here too, in female psychics, who were known as vala or völva (prophetess, seeress). I think it likely that the term vala derives from the idea that the seeress rode through the air with Valkyries and Norse goddesses.
While the conditions for communication were less favourable, some aspects of our forefathers’ beliefs were more remarkable than in any other belief system. Suffice to mention here Valhöll (the Hall of Óðinn) and the Einherjar (fallen warriors); the story of Óðinn’s mother, and the tale of Baldur. The last-mentioned is the most remarkable, because it so clearly indicates that apolytrosis (liberation) was to be attained through overcoming suffering and death. Also the story of Þór’s girdle and the divine strength of the gods; this, like the stories of the Einherjar and the mother of Óðinn, are concerned with the energy connection, the divine focussing of energies, the result of which is that all powers can be in each individual.
The “god-speaker,” he who could bring to the people the word of the gods, was the leader of human society, and the ancestor of kings. The prophetic or psychic quality of the monarch is seen interestingly and repeatedly in the Sagas of the Kings of Norway. In the stories of Harald Fairhair, for instance, there is an incident which appears to be equivalent to the Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness; and like that story it originates in telepathic imaginings. It was in Harald’s imagination (paranoia) that the giant Dofri had promised him that he would rule all Norway; and this recalls how Satan, according to the story, promises Christ all the kingdoms of the world, if he will worship him. This comparison is more enlightening than it may appear at first glance. Even more interesting in this context is “apostolic king” St. Olaf, a tyrant and a great leader in the dysexelixic or infernal way, yet also a prophet, visionary and miracle-worker. In Icelandic history we have a case, more interesting than has generally been realised, where the god-speaker is a secular chieftain.
9
The connection with more perfect beings, which all religions have sought to establish, with such little success, must be made right. The discoveries which have been discussed here indicate the direction which should be taken. The higher we venture, the more difficult it becomes. Consider a comparison with the increased suffering experienced when a prosimian evolves into an ape, and again when the ape develops into a human. In the half million years that may be presumed to have passed since the first descendant of apes grew into a man, since the human stage was reached here on earth, more has been suffered than in all the history of life before that – which we may presume to be at least a thousand times longer than the history of humanity. After the human stage is attained, suffering continues to increase while dysexelixis reigns, and the right path is not taken. But where understanding has been achieved, where the connection to more perfect beings is as it should be, everything tends towards the good – and all leads towards living in accord with the purpose of life, and diexelixis replaces dysexelixis. But the farther the dysexelixis has progressed, the worse the hell, the more the opposite path to the purpose of life is followed, the harder it will be for the wise to be heard, and the greater is the success of the domineering and cruel; the more ignorant determine the fates of nations; and hatred increasingly ferments between individuals, classes and nations. The worse the Hell, the more one can be certain of being alone, by spending one’s life above all in the quest for truth; as people will do the more, the more worthy they are to be called scientists.
10
Mystical movements which arose in America in the last century are most interesting: a reawakening of ancient beliefs about the dead just before the middle of the century; and Theosophy in the 1870s. This is to some extent a renaissance of ancient religious belief. The Theosophists maintain that in the Himalayas are men they call “masters,” who are far more advanced in wisdom and power than other races of humans; they have great, and important, authority over the conditions of humans here on earth. These masters are no less than the equivalent of gods, whom the Ancients also believed lived up in the mountains. Our ancestors believed that the world of the gods was here on earth; and they were sure that it was to be found in the direction (from the Nordic world) of Tibet or the Himalayas. We may also here recall the Greeks’ belief in Olympus, Socrates’ description of the place of pleasure and the place of torment (which he believed to be on this earth), and Plato’s story of Atlantis, the remarkable continent which was supposed to have sunk into the ocean, of which the theosophical writers have so much to say. It is most interesting to observe how, millennium after millennium, people misunderstand in the same way, so long as they have not found the scientific path.
The Theosophists are right in saying that the “masters” are not simply figments of the imagination. However, they do not live in the Himalayas, but on another planet. It will be simple to prove this by experimentation, when people can be induced to adopt the correct research method. The influence of the “masters” has been interpreted by the recipients, the god-speaking men and seeresses of the Theosophists, mostly according to Indian philosophy, but also to a small degree in accord with the understanding of the relationship between things and progress, which Darwin and Spencer have done so much to awaken and promote. The association founded by H. S. Olcott – an American who has achieved more in the East than has yet been noticed in the West, and the Russian seeress Madame H. P. Blavatsky, is interesting for various reasons; not least because the belief has been heard, that soon some very important teachings are to be expected. People have assumed, naturally, that these would be religious teachings, not realising what a turning point lies ahead: in fact, that the age of science will commence in earnest. The closer one is to the Kingdom of God, the less religion, disputes and wars will there be. The closer one is to Hell, the more the situation is reminiscent of the 17th century here on earth, and the 20th, as it would be if no change of direction were to take place. The prospects do not appear promising, where the thinking that is required before a change of direction takes place, does not occur; where the power and the glory are in infernis, and all mankind is against one at first. Understanding of life where dysexelixis reigns, and the most powerful organisations strive to kill, is so limited, that people have no suspicion that by that thinking which they may call madness, they can turn away from all enmity, turn toward saving mankind from the greatest peril, turn towards saving mankind from finding themselves, again and again, for ever and ever, in dysexelixis.
11
The “masters” of the Theosophists are proved to be no figments of the imagination, by one factor: although they do not live here on earth, they have striven to make clear to those whom they have contacted, the god-speakers of the movement, that it is vital to support discoveries and teachings which are to be expected. And they did this precisely at the time when, here in Iceland, the discoveries were made which will be the foundation of a better future. They have of course been much misunderstood, and this is clearly seen in the Order of the Star in the East, founded at the beginning of 1911 on the initiative of the “masters” – the same year, so far as I remember, that H. G. Wells published his story In the Country of the Blind – Wells has written much prophetically – and also two interesting doctoral theses by Icelanders, one entitled Den sympathiske Forstaaelse (Sympathetic Understanding); the title alone suffices to show that a most remarkable subject is approached; the other is a study of one of the few philosophers who had the greatness of mind to mention contact with other planets, as mentioned above. And in fact it is not quite true that the Order was founded on the imitative of the “masters”: the influence from these remarkable people on other planets aimed to try to draw people’s attention to what was to come; to induce people to understand that these were not religious teachings but scientific discoveries; and that the person who brought the new ideas was not to be found in the Orient. However, the idea of founding a numerous society to support important truths which would be made known, is interesting and good, if it could be put into practice; and this has often been needed here on earth. The only problem is the risk that, as a Frenchman writes, as far as I remember, somewhere in the Herald of the Star, even if the “Great Teacher” were among the members of the Order, none of them would recognise him as such. These words are supported by the entire history of human knowledge. No men have been so wrongly judged, none have met with such ingratitude, as those who have worked best in the interests of truth.
12
A human being is a collective organism, a community of cells. Billions of cells are connected and harmonised, and that harmony cannot tolerate much disruption without threatening the health and life of the individual. Far more thought should be given to the extraordinary achievements arising from this relationship formed between minute living things, the cells. The changes which have taken place from the tiny living organism which was Man’s first ancestor here on earth are all but incomprehensibly vast, and we may well suspect, when we contemplate the history of the earth and Man’s genealogical descent, that great things lie ahead. We may well suspect that the progress of life here on earth is but a small beginning; that the path that life has taken is but a tiny part of the path that remains to be travelled. The path is travelled at growing speed. Though the Cambrian Era may seem to us incredibly distant – the time since the crustaceans of the Cambrian lived is certainly millions of centuries – yet the longest chapter of the history of life on earth was before that time.
How strange a journey has been made – and yet not on the right path. For the history of life here on earth has been a history of increasing suffering. But now we are coming to understand what is happening. That which we call life is the result of the quest of the eternal power to destroy the potential of evil, to make the imperfect like itself, to achieve ever greater harmony. The objective may justly be called the Great Connection. Billions of cells have combined together to form a body, which is inestimably more remarkable that the nature of each individual cell would lead one to believe possible. And the quest for unity continues at a higher level. Just as a connection was created among thousands of millions of cells, a connection among thousands of millions of cell communities is to be formed. And the being that evolves will be far more interesting than the nature of each cell community, each individual, gives rise to expect to be possible. And the aim is not only a connection among hundreds and thousands of millions on one planet, but among the inexpressible number of living beings in innumerable solar systems and galaxies. And the nature of the individual will not disappear, but be perfected through this connection.
13
Many mystical words have been spoken and written, with relevance to the Great Connection. This has all been based upon telepathic connections, yet inadequately understood and misinterpreted. Schopenhauer famously upheld this Indian saw: Tat tvam asi: That art thou. But the sentence is not correct. The primal beings which lived before the Cambrian Era, whose descendants would be humans, were not themselves humans. And John is certainly not yet the same as Peter.
The difference between what is said here and all that has been said before on such matters is that here what is said is based upon knowledge. With knowledge of synergy, telepathy, bioinduction, it is now possible to understand how a relationship may be established between communities of cells. All mysticism is thus at an end. Here we are on the scientific path, and can see how diexelixis can come to be. When the right direction is taken, the energy of each enhances the energy of others. But the direction farthest from the good path is where people seek to empower themselves by paralysing or restricting the development of others, and spoiling their lives. Some speak grandly of self-sacrifice; but this must be approached with caution, as in practice it is often the case that people strive to let others sacrifice themselves. But the will to be a healthy individual entity, which advances in the right way to the great harmony, is necessary, and has every right to exist.
14
Indescribably terrible will be the story of life, if the infernal path, the way of increasing suffering, continues to be followed. And it will be more wondrous than we here in the dysexelixis can imagine, if the right path is followed. And now we see the way forward to the Great Connection. This is what must change our direction, to move toward perfection. An earth too, like this one, should be the home of divine life. The reader will beware, I hope, that I use the word divine to mean something rather different, and more, than it has been used to signify in the past; it is a biological term. Divine perfection is where all consciousnesses are in one, and one in all. We can clearly understand how this may be. And now we can comprehend how all the wide world may become our home, and the entire world’s energy our energy. But the world where the power from which life springs has won an absolute victory, will be a very changed world.
The crucial point is to understand what has not been taught in any religion, that this is the way forward. This is the understanding which will give rise to eternal belief in progress. This is Hell, when the wrong path is followed, and here – here also – will be heaven, when the right path is followed.
15
In order to have the full benefit of these essays, the reader must read carefully, and more than once. Many sentences will initially be misunderstood, precisely because the aim is to change views which are very commonly held and very influential in people’s minds.
If people read correctly, and can understand that what is said here is broadly correct, they will soon observe that being right has some benefits. Between good readers, healthy flows will be created, which will facilitate connections to good places. And this will emerge in a satisfactory manner. The mindset will all be better than before. People will write better, compose better poetry and music, and think better, also about those matters relating to the practical. But the opposite will be true, if people read this with the most adverse convictions. People will then establish connections with places where the truths that aim to make good the conditions of humanity, and save it from perdition, are deemed to be meaningless nonsense. These are evil places. These are places of great danger, where periods of peace are little more than times of preparation for war.
In people feel a sense of hostility when they read, they should take this as a sign that they are gravely misunderstanding what they read. Although the aim here is to achieve a huge change, no revolution is planned. The intention here is to make much of people, not to belittle them. Here the primary aim is to induce people to accept the help offered, which is sorely needed. When a connection is established with those who are far wiser and better and mightier than humans here on earth, the objective will be attained that, over many thousand years, people have had a sense that they needed to reach. Then the people of earth will grow in wisdom and energy. People will see innumerable solutions, where they now see nothing.
Unsuspectingly, people walk the path to perdition. Hatred ferments between individuals, between classes within society, and between nations. Even now preparations have begun for the next war, on an even more gigantic scale than the last. A war in human society is like a disease in the human body. It is there that all misunderstanding of life, all wrong ideas are manifested at their worst. It is there that the direction is most opposed to that that which is necessary, in order to attain the purpose of life. It is there that people are farthest from progressing towards that life system which will exist when no person thinks wrongly of another, and nobody has anything but goodwill. Long ago, people thought that peace among all men would be the end of evil, that it would be a sign of a different and better situation here on earth. What they did not know was that, strange as it may seem, religion cannot bring peace to humanity. Only knowledge can do so: the knowledge which is not restricted by any religion; the knowledge which makes comprehensible to people, with no need for religion, what a future people shape for themselves when wishing to attain fame and might through inflicting pain on others; and how only where the will to hurt others has ceased to exist can one move toward attaining the Great Connection.
Chapters I. and II. omitted.