The San Francisco call., 1896-09-08
ASTRAL PHOTOGRAPHY
DR.. Jerome Anderson Gives a
Theosophic Explanation of
the Art.
Able and Lucid Presentation OF Sub.
ject Replete With Absorbing
ing Interest.

"Theosophy has never doubted the fact
that an astral model may by thought
power be precipitated upon semi-astral
surface, such as a sensltized film"
Thus did DR.. Jerome Anderson sum up
the theosophic view of mental photography
after reading the article, 1.-The Picture of
Thought" published in yesterday s
issue OF THE CALL.
"Paracelsus says" went on the doctor,
"thst the trained will is the beginning of
all magic. This saying, for theosophists,
means a great deal, since it gives the key
to much that would otherwise be and re-
main concealed from human knowledge
The possessor of one of these trained
wills we call an adept In modern
times Nine. Blavatsky was perhaps the
best-known representative of this privi-
legged class among Western peoples.
ITO delineate the theosophic mode of
dealing with the interesting subject of
Professor Jordan's paper, it will be neces-
sary to recollect that matter has various
degrees A stone or chunk of meat is
physical pure and simple; film or a
nerve pulp is semi-astral, while a yet
higher type of matter imperceptible to
the ordinary human perceptions is that
known as the astral.
"This conception may perhaps be rem
| dered little clearer by an illustration.
| Ii pendulum be swung to and fro until
it reach velocity of thirteen vibrations
| to the second, the result will be musical
note, low in pitch and weak in volume.
Increase the vibration and the note will
ascend in pitch and become louder. When
! a speed of several thousand vibrations per
second shall have been reached, the pitch
will ascend beyond the reach of the sense
of hearing, and a seeming silence will
ensue.
Increase the velocity of the vibrations
! vastly more, and when speed OF several
trllllons OF vibrations per second shall
! have been attained, light will appear,
| first red and then the other colors of the
spectrum In their order as the velocity in
creases, until at last a colorless radiance
| supervenes. Whatever other manifesto
tions may subsequently appear will be OF
the astral order, and imperceptible to the
| normal senses.
THAT is, mutatis mutandis the history
OF matter. The lowest plane of astral
matter is that which lies just above the
sense OF sight. Pure astral matter is SO
much inner than the physical that 1t takes
form almost instantaneously at the bid
ding OF thought. These forms OF astral
matter are perfectly capable OF being pho
tographed upon semi-astral substances,
such as the gelatine of sensitized plate.
They are precipitated upon the plate by the
VIII OF the operator in manner exactly
simi ar to that in which Nine. BlavatskY
could by her superior will power, precipi-
tate color upon ordinary physical matter,
for example, cardboard or paper.
THAT Nine. Blavatsky did produce
| pictures III this manner is undlsputable.
Several of these pictures are in existence
to-day and hope one of these days to see
one. An adept can easily form q model
IN astral matter by the power Of thought,
ana II would seem that the model almost
instantly fills with physical atoms, which
How into it as into mold, thereby Civ
ing 1t visible form. This is the art OF
astral statuary, or, in plain English, the
whole secret of 'materialization' as prac-
ticed by so-called spirit mediums.
''The whole subject is one of the most
absorbing interest, and / am glad to see
that 1t appears to awaken pubic interest,
Ihe truths of theosophy can all be worked
out by thinking mind, and when once
terlesn