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Esoteric Healing - Chapter I - The Psychological Causes of Disease
1. Causes Arising in the Emotional-Desire Nature

In A Treatise on White Magic, I gave the world for the first time information as to the nature and the control of the astral body. This book is practically the first one ever given out to the public on this theme. Much has been given in the past on the subject of the physical body and its care, both by exoteric and esoteric science. Much of it is true, and some of it is illusion. It is illusion because it is based on false premises. Modern esotericist have dealt with the subject of the etheric body, and this too has been partially true and partially false, but it is more generally true from the occult point of view than it is exoterically. I may surprise you here if I tell you that A Treatise on White Magic is also true as far as it goes, but it is necessarily limited, and because of these limitations it is also partially incorrect. Does the above statement astonish you? Remember, how can it be entirely true when we consider the limitations of your power to comprehend? It is impossible for me to convey to you the truth, because there exist neither the terminology nor an adequate groundwork of knowledge on your part. This makes my task difficult. This teaching on healing is likewise the hardest I have yet undertaken, and this for two reasons. First (the real nature of) the phrase "subtler bodies" is somewhat meaningless, is it not? They are not bodies like the physical body. They can be regarded as centers or reservoirs of particular types of force, attached to each individual, and possessing their proper inlets and outlets. They are collections of atoms, vibrating at high speed and colored (according to some schools of occultism) by certain definite hues; they emit a certain tone, and are at varying points of evolution. According to others, they are states of consciousness and some regard them as made in the likeness of a man. What is your definition, Brother of mine? [34]

The astral body is, for the majority of mankind, the major determining factor to be considered. It is an outstanding cause of ill health. The reason for this is that it has a potent and predisposing effect upon the vital and etheric body. The physical body is an automaton of whichever inner body is the strongest. When you remember that the vital body is the recipient of the streams of energy, and is in fact composed and formed of such streams, and that the physical body is driven into activity by these streams, it is apparent that that stream which is the most potent is the one which will control the action of the physical body upon the physical plane. There are, however, two streams of energy which must be considered in studying the factors leading to physical plane actions. I would remind you in this connection that disease is an activity of the physical plane.

  1. The stream of life itself, anchored in the heart, which determines the vitality of the man, his capacity for work, and the term of his existence.
  2. The predominating stream of energy coming from the astral, mental or soul bodies. These control his expression upon the physical plane.

With the masses of people throughout the world, and those whom we call the vast unthinking public, the dominating factors are the stream of life and the stream of astral or desire energy. This can be either of a low or medium caliber.

With the thinking public, the dominating factors are these two streams, plus a steady inflowing and increasing tide of mental energy.

With the intelligentsia of the world and the aspirant (those ready for, or already on, the probationary path) [35] we find the above three streams reaching a point of equilibrium, and thus producing an integrating or coordinating personality. These number amongst them also the mystics of the world and the creative workers, who are conscious of the inspiration and the spiritual contact which indicates a beginning of the inflow of soul energy.

With the disciples of the world, we find a group of men and women coming under the control of soul energy, whilst the other three energies are being increasingly subordinated to this higher type of control.

It should be borne in mind that there are two other types of energy with which to reckon, when considering intelligent man.

  1. The energy which is composed of the fused and blended forces of a coordinated personality.
  2. The energy of the physical plane itself, which is finally identified by the aspirant or disciple, and becomes so utterly negated that eventually it constitutes one of the major factors in the release of the centers.

Finally the time comes when the initiate works simply with three types of energy whilst expressing himself in incarnation: the energy of life itself, the negative energy of the personality, and the positive energy of the soul. Thus he is an expression in conscious manifestation of the three aspects of the Trinity.
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