Shadow Of The Astral

Louis Plante

• Publisher: Jazzybee Verlag
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9783849604226
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Mystik

Here is a book that may be regarded as an extended Commentary and an Object Lesson on that wonderful New Testament text: "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." It is quite true that it contains the usual Romance, Tragedy and strong emotional appeals that characterize the ordinary novel; yet the great central teaching of the book is the emergence of a human soul from "The Shadow of the Astral" into the higher consciousness of Life and Reality. The Theme is, therefore, the greatest that can engage the attention of human thought the Pathway through which the soul climbs from the low grounds of material ideas and ideals upward to the conscious recognition of those Great Spiritual Realities of life which are altogether unknown to the masses of earth's denizens.

The Shadow Of The Astral

A Mystic Narrative

Louis Plante

Contents:

Foreword

Chapter I. Herminio the Seer.

Chapter II. The Character Of Anthony.

Chapter III. Regina the Flower Girl.

Chapter IV. The Courtship of Anthony.

Chapter V. Adventures in the Alps.

Chapter VI. The Meeting With Herminio.

Chapter VII. The Return.

Chapter VIII. The Future Casts Its Shadow.

Chapter IX. The Destruction of Messina.

Chapter X. Chaos.

Chapter XI. Despair.

Chapter XII. The Dark Night of the Soul.

Chapter XIII. A Gleam of Hope.

Chapter XIV. A Subjective Revelation.

Chapter XV. The Master and His Pupil.

Chapter XVI. Alexis the Singer.

Chapter XVII. The Astral Players.

Chapter XVIII. The Picture World

Chapter XIX. The Shadow of the Astral

Chapter XX. CONCLUSION.

The Shadow Of The Astral , L. Plante

Jazzybee Verlag Jürgen Beck

86450 Altenmünster

Germany

ISBN: 9783849604226

www.jazzybee-verlag.de

[email protected]

FOREWORD

Here is a book that may be regarded as an extended Commentary and an Object Lesson on that wonderful New Testament text: "He that overcometh shall inherit all things."

It is quite true that it contains the usual Romance, Tragedy and strong emotional appeals that characterize the ordinary novel; yet the great central teaching of the book is the emergence of a human soul from "The Shadow of the Astral" into the higher consciousness of Life and Reality.

The Theme is, therefore, the greatest that can engage the attention of human thought the Pathway through which the soul climbs from the low grounds of material ideas and ideals upward to the conscious recognition of those Great Spiritual Realities of life which are altogether unknown to the masses of earth's denizens.

While the numerous characters in the story all stand out distinct and clear in their personalities, those of Herminio, the Anchorite, and Anthony, the Truth Seeker, are sketched with masterly hand, and hold the center of the stage throughout the narrative and focalize the interest of the reader.

Lovers of the Metaphysical and the Occult will find herein a wealth of phenomenal experiences and very clear and rational interpretation thereof that will make the volume one of deep interest and value to them.

Here will be found full recognition of the wondrous and far-reaching power of thought; the close relationship in consciousness between minds incarnate and minds discarnate ; the great fact of Spiritual Guardianship and Guidance most effectively set forth ; and many of the occult laws that govern the soul's evolutionary progress stated and expounded.

It may, indeed, be truthfully asserted that every reader of this book who is a genuine seeker after truth, will sit with great delight beside Anthony at the feet of Herminio and drink in gratefully the rich lessons of spiritual instruction from his inspired lips.

All who have uttered Goethe's prayer "Light! more Light," or followed the "Gleam" of Tennyson, a light never yet seen on land or sea, or prayed with Newman, "Lead, Kindly Light," will read with most intense interest of the many lights that manifested in the lives of Herminio and of Anthony and the masterly, yet natural explanations given in the narrative.

To many, doubtless, the most interesting and captivating of all the Chapters will be the description of the midnight entertainment of "The Astral Players" who entertain Anthony in the forest under the silvery moonlight where speech, music, poetry, song, merriment and instruction are delightfully mingled and afterwards expounded to him that is to say, to every reader of the book. It will be difficult, we venture to say, to find in modern fiction any feature more unique and beautiful than this midnight Entertainment of the Astral Players.

The poetic sections of the book are numerous, in some cases extensive, with many gleams of poetic beauty, in not a few instances rising to a high level of thought and beauty of expression.

The book, we believe, will be recognized as a divine Allegory and take its place with Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress."

The reader found its pages interesting and instructive throughout and it is certainly a pleasure to commend it as a book with a mission to humanity.

B. F. AUSTIN. May 25th, 1921

CHAPTER I. Herminio the Seer.

I linger yet with Nature, for the night Hath been to me a more familiar face Than that of man; and in her starry shade Of dim and solitary loveliness, I learn'd the language of another world.

Manfred.

During the closing years of the nineteenth Century, there lived in one of the cantons of Switzerland an old man of peculiar habits, and character of thought. His abode, a small hut, was situated in a solitude of the Alps, well secluded from intrusion, the nearest village being distant about three miles. Here Herminio, for that was the old man's name, lived alone, amid the solitudes of nature. His dwelling was the work of his own hands; being built partly of stone and partly of timber it presented a curious contrast, while the roof was held in place by heavy stones and boulders. At the rear of the hermitage, for such we will now call it, there was a small enclosure, into which Herminio drove his few sheep and goats every evening shortly after sundown. His evening meal consisting solely of nuts, fruit and milk was taken at twilight, after which he spent some time in meditation and retired.

According to the story of the villagers Herminio had lived in the neighborhood forty-five years. Sometimes, however, these statements were contradicted, it being claimed by others that he had always been known as an old man. Be that as it may, the fact remained that the oldest inhabitants of the region had always remembered even their elders speak of him as the venerable recluse, with the snow-white hair and beard. These statements when deeply considered, never failed to throw an air of mystery around the old sage of the mountains. How long he had actually lived in the solitudes so near to them, was not, after all, so important a question. What they would have known was, what were his underlying motives and the chief mainspring of his life and actions. This secret, however much they strove to discover, always eluded them. But what of that? Was it not enough to know he was their greatest friend? Was he not always near them in perplexity, sorrow and death? Were not his words a sweet musical cadence comforting them in affliction? Did they not hear from his own lips the Divine truth: "My children, thank God for your afflictions, for it is only through affliction and sorrow that your hearts can be softened." What man among them could give utterance to such truth and put it forth in so beautiful a form? Surely here was a being above the type of ordinary man. Not only did he comfort them by personal visits in their hours of adversity, for when that was not possible a letter would reach them which had been written by his own hand. How many a mother had been comforted by such messages on the death of her beloved child! How many a father had seen and read the words of comfort when some wayward son had unexpectedly left the home perhaps never to return.

These incidents, as before stated, not only cast an air of mystery around the character of Herminio, but in addition this was accompanied by an attitude towards him of the most profound respect. Of his inner life and practices his friends knew nothing. It was only the outer manifestations of which they had any knowledge. He did not receive any visitors in his mountain home. Here he remained shielded by nature from the lower vibrations, which in the blessed moments of silence he did not wish to receive. Not because of any pride in his heart did he in such a way seclude himself from his friends, for pride was an emotion entirely foreign to his nature, but to co-operate with certain occult laws which controlled and governed his own individual development, it was necessary that he should remain for some hours each day, wrapped in abstract thought. From his reveries he came forth rested and rejuvenated, inspired and uplifted, full of faith and superhuman courage, to help his younger brothers in the Way of Life.

From the description given of the character of Herminio, it seems almost needless to state, that he lived in poverty. His small herd of goats which gamboled over the mountain during the day, and which he drove home so carefully at nightfall, afforded him with almost half his daily sustenance. Many times during the earlier years of his ministrations among the villagers, he had been offered money which he declined to accept, saying that his mot...