Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-01-17
New Body for Man.

William Q. Judge, theosophist, re-
Gently spoke in New York about what
he called "the astral body" He said
that everyone had such body. 1t is
the exact model of the one we see and
is, he said, the means adopted by ma
ture for keeping the physical body in
its present state. He asserted that the
astral body theory explains the prob
lens presented by hypnotism, spiritual
ism, apparitions, dreams, clairvoyance,
clairaudience, second sight, and all
such things. If we knew how to use
our astral body and detach it from the
physical one we could go actually to
the surrounding planets, leaving the
physical body in catalepsy. We
could 90 to Mars and decide the burn
ing question whether the "canals"
are really canals or only great tissues
in an ice crust on the planet, and if the
osophists are right in saying that Mars
has no inhabitants.
But insufficient attempts to detach
our astral body from the physical one
are likely to result in disease, insanity
or death. He referred to the investiga-
tons OF Prof. james, of Harvard, who
published an article in Harper's Maga-
zine stating that experiments in hypno-
tism had convinced him ofthe existence
ola hidden self. Mr.. Judge said this hid
den self, which shows itselfin hypnotic
experiments, is the astral body, and
shat the explanation of it is much easier
than hypnotizers now think. When
the person is hypnotized, the astral body
is temporarily disconnected from the
physical one, but this is done without
the consent of the inner man. and as he
himself is not acquainted with his own
powers, the astral body is, as it were,
drunk, and, therefore, is unable to inn
press the physical one with the facts
occurring, and cannot resist sugges-
ton.
He said that the astral body is made
of matter which is not visible to the or
binary eye, but is sort of matter that
is very thin and strong, in that resem-
bling aluminium, and that it has an
elastic power Of expansion and contrac-
ton. 1t is this power that permits it
sometimes to escape from the body and
present itself as so-called apparition,
and to delude people at spiritualistic
seances with the idea that u once dead
person has returned. As it has the
power to take upon itself the reflection
or picture ofanother person, it may APP
pear at seance looking different from
the physical man. Theosophy teaches
that man is a compound being who may
be said to use three bodies. The first
is the physical; connected with that is
the astral body, and it connects with
the mental body, thus making the chain
complete, for just beyond the mental
body is the real thinker, the man him
self.
If the idea of cut or bruisc or wound is
created strongly enough in the astral body,
it will Immediately react upon the physical
one by means Of the nerves. muscles and cell
lular tissue, producing OH the outer body
counterpart or the wound or cut or mark.
The real organs of hearing and seeing are
located in the astral body, and it can hear and
sec at any distance whatever, through any
obstacle This is how clairvoyance and clair
audience are possible, and also how it is that
IN hypnOtlSm certain wonderful experiments
are possible, such as transmitting thought
to distance. 1t is the real meaning of telc
graphic impact.
In fact, Mr.. Judge claimed that the astral
body theory explains the questions and occur
rences now taking such a prominent place IN
the investigations of tue day, and he said that
if the Psychical Research Society, which at
tempted 10 expose things it knew nothing
about in the Theosophcal Society, would de-
vote itself to the theosophical theories, it
would reach definite results in very short
time But he insisted that any attempts to
hypnotic or to obtain control over the astral
powers in man required absolute purity of
character, unselIishness of motive. And as
such are not the ruling characteristics Of the
day. he thought that harm would sooner or
later result from hypnotic and ali such ex-
pcriments