Some ideas gleamed from occult sources.

In occult theory the physical universe is in fact only the outer most shell of a multidimensional onion. In their eyes it represents both a place of spiritual darkness and inertia, a cave if you will, but also a place of extraordinary opportunity. The physical universe then is not only a prison, but a place for the creation of Gods. Only here, in this world of strife, can the sword of wisdom be sharpened, it is only here that the gem of the soul may be polished. There is a interesting parallel in some Buddhist sutras with this, it is said that the human body is the ideal vehicle and this world the best place for reaching enlightenment. ( In other systems like pure land Buddhism, one can reach enlightenment if one is reborn in a pure land. In Tibetan Buddhism one can gain enlightenment directly after death in the bardo, but most systems agree that the physical world is the best place to practice.)

In occult thought each individual has the potential for visiting these higher layers of reality, but only after developing their inherent potentialities through occult practice. In occult theory the Non-physical body must be built and energised before it is capable of doing anything important or interesting. They say that the non-physical body is composed of particles from each of the seven layers of existence, a undeveloped person is composed of matter primarily from the lower levels, resulting in a prolonged and constant state of spiritual inertia. The more of these lower vibrational atoms one has, the less developed will be ones spiritual faculties. Besides purifying and strengthening the mind, incorporating higher energy particles within this body is the most important work to be done.

The reason people lack access to their spiritual abilities, which includes astral projection, is a lack of these higher intensity atomic particles. The magician keeping this hypothesis in mind, uses a variety of methods to alter his energy body to better uphold spiritual and out of body states. It is said that man is not actually born with a proper astral body, it is a weak and unstable thing, quite inadequate for any real occult work. This makes a great deal of sense when comparing the experiences of a beginner and a master of astral projection. The astral body is not a given, not in its true form, in order for the astral body to 'crystallise' into a stable and easily accessible vehicle for consciousness, it must be developed through occult methods over a long period of time.

This is not fare from Buddhist tantra, Hindu Yoga, or Taoist inner alchemy, these eastern schools hold these energy body systems with the highest regard and see them as effective methodologies for reaching enlightenment. The eastern schools are admittedly much more complex and systematic in their practice of energy body manipulation than most western occult works, besides maybe Franz Bardon, or at least the western occultists are keeping their more advanced methods hidden somewhere.

It is my opinion that in leaving the astral body behind we may have left behind a model with no theory of equal or far reaching pragmatic value. How else does one make the connection between these energy body practices and their heightening effects on 'lucid dreaming' or 'out of body travel', I have thought hard on how consciousness could be drastically amplified and altered by focusing on this 'subtle body' if in fact this subtle body was not real, there is nothing in science I have found which explains this. And if there is no subtle body which there might very well not be, there is no scientific terminology to replace it as of yet and thus it is necessary to postulate one in order to explain the various occult methodologies experiential effects, and these effects on the mind and consciousness are verifiable. The occult methods still work, but in having their theoretical underpinnings taken from them they have been shunned by a community which can no longer explain them, to their great misfortune perhaps.

With highest respect for the scientific perspective, have we in trying to move forward left something behind? These terms like astral body and non-physical realm are distasteful to many of us, but in letting them go have we also let go of the truths they signified? In getting rid of the old occult perspective haven't we also been deprived of its inherent pragmatic value which has yet to be properly replaced?