Begun on 9 July 2013; revised and published on 10 June 2018

• INTRODUCTION
• THE SEVEN ASTRAL PLANES
• LOWEST ASTRAL SUB-PLANE
  • The Seventh Astral Sub-Plane
• MIDDLE ASTRAL SUB-PLANES
  • The Sixth Astral Sub-Plane
  • The Fourth and Fifth Astral Sub-Planes
• THE HIGHER ASTRAL SUB-PLANES
  • The Second and Third Astral Sub-Planes
  • The First Astral Sub-Plane
• TRAVEL AMONG THE ASTRAL SUB-PLANES

Dear Ones,

INTRODUCTION

I have been searching for a while now for descriptions of the seven sub-planes of the Astral Plane. I have found some pretty good information in “The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena,” compiled by Arthur E. Powell, published 1927, Quest Book edition 1973, copyright The Theosophical Publishing House, London, Ltd. 1965.

However, this information is spread out, hither and yon, in the book. As this book is under copyright, I cannot quote snippets of text in the blog, out of legal concern. However, I will offer a little information from School of Theosophy sources that are in the public domain, along with page citations of copyrighted information that can be consulted by those who have copies of the book.

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Another way to cover most of the material on the various sub-planes, would be to read …

Citation: “The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena,” compiled by Arthur E. Powell, published 1927, Quest Book edition 1973, copyright The Theosophical Publishing House, London, Ltd. 1965 …

• “Chapter XIV: The After-Death Life: Particulars,” especially pp. 132-133; and
• “Chapter XVI: The Astral Plane,” especially pp. 145-148.

… along with Link: “The Astral Plane: Its Scenery, Inhabitants, and Phenomena,” by C.W. Leadbeater.  (2007). Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 10 June 2018, from https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21080 ..

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At the end of the blog is an explanation of travel from one sub-plane to another, which is useful in an Ascension context, as the Awareness of humankind expands from the merely physical, out into the astral plane, and beyond, to the fifth dimension, the Kingdom of God, where Christed and Buddhic consciousness abide.

Now, on to the compilation on the seven astral planes, according to the School of Theosophy …

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THE SEVEN ASTRAL PLANES

“First of all, then, it must be understood that the astral plane has seven subdivisions, each of which has its corresponding degree of materiality and its corresponding condition of matter. Now numbering these from the highest and least material downwards, we find that they naturally fall into three classes, divisions 1, 2 and 3 forming one such class, and 4, 5 and 6 another, while the seventh and lowest of all stands alone.

“The difference between the matter of one of these classes and the next would be commensurable with that between a solid and a liquid, while the difference between the matter of the subdivisions of a class would rather resemble that between two kinds of solid, such as, say, steel and sand. Putting aside for the moment the seventh, we may say that divisions 4, 5 and 6 of the astral plane have for their background the physical world we live in and all its familiar accessories.

“Life on the sixth division is simply our ordinary life on this earth, minus the physical body and its necessities; while as it ascends through the fifth and fourth divisions it becomes less and less material, and is more and more withdrawn from our lower world and its interests.”

–from Link: “The Astral Plane: Its Scenery, Inhabitants, and Phenomena,” by C.W. Leadbeater.  (2007). Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 10 June 2018, from https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21080 … Search the chapter heading: Scenery  …  [paragraphing is my own. –Alice B. Clagett]

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This excerpt from the book “The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena” describes how far out from Earth the astral world reaches …

Citation: “The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena,” compiled by Arthur E. Powell, published 1927, Quest Book edition 1973, copyright The Theosophical Publishing House, London, Ltd. 1965 … p 146, second paragraph, beginning “The outer limit …” and ending “… sub-lunar world.”

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LOWEST ASTRAL SUB-PLANE

The Seventh Astral Sub-Plane

This excerpt from same book describes the seventh astral sub-plane, the Hellworlds …

Ibid,, p 146, fourth paragraph, beginning “Sub-plane 7 …” through the fifth paragraph ending “… own creation.”

Here is more on the topic, from the public domain …

“Most students find the investigation of this section an extremely unpleasant task, for there appears to be a sense of density and gross materiality about it which is indescribably loathsome to the liberated astral body, causing it the sense of pushing its way through some black, viscous fluid [17] while the inhabitants and influences encountered there are also usually exceedingly undesirable.”

–from Link: “The Astral Plane: Its Scenery, Inhabitants, and Phenomena,” by C.W. Leadbeater.  (2007). Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 10 June 2018, from https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21080 … Search the chapter heading: Scenery

This excerpt from “The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena” clarifies the location of the Hellworlds, within the physical body of Earth …

Citation: “The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena,” compiled by Arthur E. Powell, published 1927, Quest Book edition 1973, copyright The Theosophical Publishing House, London, Ltd. 1965 … p 145, fifth paragraph, beginning “Similarly with …” through the sixth paragraph ending “… of the earth.”

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This excerpt on the Hellworlds, from the same source, mentions the possible haunting, by its inhabitants, of places of ill repute on the physical Earth plane …

Ibid,, p 132, second full paragraph, beginning “On the lowest …” and ending “…vile resorts.”

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Here is more from the same source on types of people that may find themselves in the Hellworlds …

Ibid,, p 147, first full paragraph, beginning with “The ordinary …” and ending “…the like.”

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MIDDLE ASTRAL SUB-PLANES

These are sub-planes 4 through 6, in increasing density. People in these sub-planes, which I might term the Purgatory worlds, find themselves on or near the surface of physical Earth. Here is more on the topic, from the same source …

Ibid,, p 147, second full paragraph, beginning with “Sub-planes 6 …” through the fourth paragraph ending “…their thoughts.”

Here is more from the same source on each of these sub-planes …

The Sixth Astral Sub-Plane

The location of the sixth astral sub-plane, according to the same source …

Ibid,, p 145, last full paragraph, beginning “The sixth …” and ending “…the earth.”

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The inhabitants of the sixth sub-plane, from the same source …

Ibid,, p 132, third full paragraph, beginning “On the next …” through the fifth paragraph ending “…lakes, etc.”

The Fourth and Fifth Astral Sub-Planes

On the consciousness of people finding themselves on the fourth or fifth astral sub-planes, from the same source …

Ibid,, p 132, sixth full paragraph, also beginning “On the next …” but ending “…diminishing degree.”

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THE HIGHER ASTRAL SUB-PLANES

“The first, second, and third subdivisions seem much further removed from this physical world, and correspondingly less material. Entities inhabiting these levels lose sight of the earth and its belongings; they are usually deeply self-absorbed, and to a large extent create their own surroundings, though these are not purely subjective, as in Devachan [the Heaven Worlds], but on the contrary sufficiently objective to be perceptible to other entities and also to clairvoyant vision.

“This region is beyond doubt the ‘summerland’ of which we hear so much at spiritualistic séances, and the entities who descend from and describe it are probably often speaking the truth as far as their knowledge extends.

“It is on these planes that ‘spirits’ call into temporary existence their houses, schools, and cities, for these objects are often real enough for the time, though to a clearer sight they may sometimes be pitiably unlike what their delighted creators suppose them to be.

“Nevertheless, many of the imaginations that take form there are of real though temporary beauty, and a visitor who knew of nothing higher might wander contentedly enough there among forests and mountains, lovely lakes and pleasant flower-gardens, or might even construct such surroundings to suit his own fancies.”

–from Link: “The Astral Plane: Its Scenery, Inhabitants, and Phenomena,” by C.W. Leadbeater.  (2007). Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 10 June 2018, from https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21080 … Search the chapter heading: Scenery

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Here is a further description …

Citation: “The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena,” compiled by Arthur E. Powell, published 1927, Quest Book edition 1973, copyright The Theosophical Publishing House, London, Ltd. 1965 … p 147, from the fifth full paragraph beginning “Sub-planes 3 …” through the first paragraph on p 148 ending “…own fancies.”

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Here is a description of the occupations of people on these higher sub-planes, from the same source …

Ibid,, p 133, first paragraph, beginning “Those living …” through the fourth paragraph ending “…same lines.”

The Second and Third Astral Sub-Planes

Here is how people on the second and third sub-planes can communicate with people still alive …

Ibid,, p 132, last full paragraph, beginning “On the next …” and ending “…a medium.”

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Here is a description of the sort of people on these higher sub-planes, from the same source …

Ibid,, p 148, second full paragraph, beginning “The second …” and ending “…and time.”

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This describes how high ‘Summerland’ extends up into Earth’s atmosphere …

Ibid,, p 146, first paragraph, beginning “The third …” and ending “…the atmosphere.”

The First Astral Sub-Plane

How hard it is to for people on the first astral sub-plane to communicate with people still in physical form …

Ibid,, p 132, last paragraph, beginning “From the …” and ending “…very difficult.”

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With regard to the emotions felt in the first astral sub-plane …

Ibid,, p 14, third full paragraph, beginning “High unselfish …” and ending “… p. 207).”

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About the sort of people who find themselves on the first astral sub-plane …

Ibid,, p 148, second full paragraph, beginning “The first …” through the third full paragraph ending “… astral plane.”

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TRAVEL AMONG THE ASTRAL SUB-PLANES

Here is an explanation of navigating among the various astral sub-planes that I found very interesting. Apparently this has to do with transforming one’s Awareness, rather than movement through space …

Ibid,, p 110, first full paragraph, beginning “When we …” ending “… upon him.”

This is useful in an Ascension context, as our Awareness is expanding outward from the Material Plane (that is, the plane of physical reality), into the Plane of Forces, from thence into the Astral Plane, and thence on into the fifth dimension, the Kingdom of God, where Christed and Buddhic consciousness abide.

According to the above excerpt, expansion of Awareness into the loftier astral realms depends on a person’s ability to change his astral rate of vibration. This is done, according to the teachings of today’s Ascension workers, through creation of loftier emotions, such as love, faith, trust, and joy. The ability to create emotions ‘on the spot’ is a new skill for us humans … it requires diligent practice. See …

Link: “Golden Triangle: Purifying the Third Eye Point,” by Alice B. Clagett, https://wp.me/p2Rkym-3nc ..

We must all ‘learn the ropes’ of the seven astral planes, whether those of the Hellworlds (sub-plane 7, the lowest astral sub-planes); the Purgatory Worlds (sub-planes 6 through 4; the intermediate astral sub-planes); and the Heaven Worlds (sub-planes 3 through 1, which heretofore were the very loftiest abodes of human consciousness).

Once we have this power of astral navigation at hand in our clair ‘tool belts’, it will be much easier to communicate with our Ascension team members in the higher dimensions, and to help those still learning astral navigation skills without getting mired down in ‘sticky wicket’ situations.

Another caveat: It is important to master timeline skills, in case we find ourselves in Hellworld situations that are difficult to pierce through. For this, see my blog category: Timelines – multitemporality – alternate universes – fractals 

In love, light and joy,
I Am of the Stars

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Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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astral planes, Arthur E Powell, C.W. Leadbeater, School of Theosophy, dimensions, fifth dimension, Kingdom of God, Christed and Buddhic consciousness, Hellworlds, Purgatory, Heaven, Heaven worlds, ascension, ascension skills, timelines,