The Astral Plane or Astral Worlds can broadly be defined as a supernatural planes of existence that are comprised of spheres of vibrations in which light, sound, color and rhythm and thus all life and everything ever created and ever will ever be created has its origin. Nothing can exist on Earth without first originating in the Astral worlds. The Astral worlds are therefore an emanation of the Eternal without beginning or end and are therefore timeless, space-less and infinite.
Each plane has its own rules and if an entity wants to exist in a particular plane the entity must respect the rules of the plane . As humans we reside in the physical plane at least this is where our consciousness is focused, we are multi-dimensional beings, we have part of ourselves in different planes but for our survival in the physical plane, our consciousness simply ignores the other existences. For example, as you read this you think of yourself as a man composed of blood and flesh or as a soul expressed into an human body. The physical plane is generated by its inhabitant the humans create their experiences with their emotions, feelings and beliefs. Many things are specific to the physical plane other planes follow other rules. There are no two planes similar as astral travelers know at least two planes the astral plane and the physical plane. The astral plane is much more like an extension of the physical plane, a transition place or doorway to access other planes. Some planes don’t have particles, therefore an entity composed of particle cannot existence there unless this entity has learned how to transcend itself and make the transition. There are planes don’t have polarity good/bad above/below to explore. On such planes an entity must transcend itself to the point that he can navigate and understand this plane. There is a long way to go for a simple man to explore the non-polar plane and non-particles plane. This is the object of ‘long’ studies through many lives. In the sleep, we indeed explore other planes. On those planes there is a fluidity that allows us to create easily without the restriction of our physical plane. The physical plane was set up for learning purposes only, no more and no less. Learning is the reason we entered into the physical plane as human.
You are in physical existence to learn and understand that your energy, translated into feelings, thoughts and emotions cause ALL experience. There are no exceptions.
There is an occult tradition that defines the astral planes in seven parts with exotic names for each realm. Robert Bruce the well-known astral traveler also identified several different astral planes or kingdoms as he calls them. They are as follows:
The Different Layers of the Astral Planes
The “First” Layer – The Ethereal Plane
This layer is closest to the physical earth. It is essentially a fluid, shadow-duplicate of the physical earth. In it, you will see things similar to how they appear in the physical world, only they will be somewhat transparent and insubstantial. Anything that doesn’t have a long presence will come and go in flashes – for instance, small items that we move often might appear and disappear, furniture might move around on its own, and places where new buildings have been erected might flash between as they were and as they are. This layer of the Astral Planes is where most ghosts linger – often they are no more than echoes of strong sentiment and not actual conscious entities at all. There are layers below this, but they are harder to access for conscious beings – which is why it’s being referred to as the “first” here. Remote viewing utilizes the Ethereal plane.
The Second Layer – The Dreamlands
Most of us know what the Dreamlands are like – whether or not that’s what we call them. The Dreamlands are where we all go when we sleep – and dream. Here, everything is highly fluid and malleable. Things change from one instance to the next, often unpredictably and randomly. There are exceptions – as anyone with recurring dreams or shared dreams will be quick to tell you – sometimes there are things that persist in the Dreamlands. Generally, this plane is quite safe for humans – most people will never be harmed in the Dreamlands unless they manage to convince their own psyche that they have truly been harmed.
The Third Layer – The Astral Plane
This is what most of us think of when we think about the Astral Plane. Much like the Dreamlands, this layer is infinitely malleable, though here you will begin to encounter entities that have their own existence completely separate from any part of the physical realm. As with the Ethereal and Dreamlands, things come and go here – constructs and places are likely to dissolve away if energy and concentration is not invested into them to keep them around. The Silver Legion keeps an outpost on this level, with some people there all the time to maintain the outpost as a thoughtform.
Unlike the Dreamlands, this level of the planes can be dangerous to those who have not studied how to protect themselves. However, this plane, as far as planes go, is fairly accessible to most humans who take the time and have the discipline to learn how to reach it. Here on the Third Dimension all types of souls mix and mingle in one plane, so to speak. We have the saint and the sinner, the statesperson and the assassin, Mother Theresa and Jack the Ripper.
The Barrier – Between Astral and Above
There is a barrier between the third level of the planes and those higher. While we do not know exactly who or what created it, from our experiences, not everyone seems equally capable of crossing the barrier. We do not know why this is or how to tell who will be and who won’t be. Some of us have theorized that this is the ‘line’ where 3D ends and 4D begins.
The Fourth to Sixth Layers – The Paths and Realms of Spirit
Beyond the barrier, you begin to enter the Paths and Realms. Paths are exactly what they sound like – spaces that exist between Realms. Realms are discrete ‘areas’ that persist over time. Individuals who have attained a certain degree of mastery may be able to influence the Paths and Realms. That is, if they are willing to commit the energy it takes to do something. Manifestation – the bread and butter of the 3rd layer, is still very much possible here. It is, however, more ‘costly’ in terms of personal energy.
Out in the Paths and the Realms you begin to discover entire worlds of existence that are not based in the physical and have never been. Entire species and races exist out here, including things that many earth humans consider to be mythical and fictitious. The Realms are infinite, and there are many different ways for consciousness to express itself. They have existed since consciousness first sparked.
Some earth humans are able to project past the barrier and into the Paths and Realms. Others can be taken from the 3rd level to the Realms (or beyond). Some earth humans are even incarnated from denizens of the Realms.
The Silver Legion has a Realm of its own here. We consider this our ‘home base’, as it were. We have modified our realm to suit our purposes, including extensive living quarters, recreational facilities, and training grounds. So on the Astral Plane or Fourth Dimension, people are sorted out.
Beyond That-The Outlands The 7the Plane
The Paths and Realms are infinite enough that it could almost make one say “what could possibly be beyond that?” However there are places that exist even beyond the third layer of the Realms. People sometimes call this the Silver Legion or The Outlands. This is the area where the lines between this universe and the next begin to blur-where if you take a step too far you might end up in a world you thought was fictional, an alien place where nothing works as you expect it to. There are pockets of existence here that persist in this realm. Some energies live here after a long journey that started when your own physical three dimensional existence ended. If there is a literal Hell then this would be as close as one would come. The Demonic have a presence here. This could be the most spiritually dangerous place for a soul to dwell This is a place where a souls desires cannot be satisfied because they do not have a physical body to satisfy the. They can see but they cannot touch. Their inability to satisfy their desires is torturous. This stay in the 7th dimension is not eternal though gradually the desires dissipate and the soul moves on to a more evolved state of being and into another realm. This place could better be described as a Purgatory state.
According to occult teachings the astral plane can be visited consciously through astral projection, meditation and mantra, near death experience, lucid dreaming, or other means. Individuals that are trained in the use of the astral vehicle can separate their consciousness in the astral vehicle from the physical body at will.
In most esoteric and occult traditions that are involved with the practice of “Spiritualism” usually consider the Astral worlds to be the “the fourth dimension”, “the beyond” or sometimes the “afterlife”. There really is no such concept as “this life” and the “next life”, or “this world” and the “next world”, which is why “death” as people generally understand it quite simply does not exist, except as a fear in the Consciousness Mind of most humans. As human beings are Spiritually made in the “true image of God”, and therefore of the Universe, each finer, subtle body of a human being, the microcosm, are also “inner bodies”. The physical human body, as with the Universe as a whole, the Macrocosm, is the outer shell, and each successive body, the Etheric, Astral, and Mental bodies are all progressively finer, more subtle inner bodies, existing at progressively inner levels of vibration and lower density, being equivalent to the level of the Universal continuum, in other words the sphere, world, plane, dimension at which they exist. This is why meditation and similar disciplines are considered to be forms of “inner exploration”.
It is believed that the entire Universe originated from the The Prime Creator, The First Cause, God is a continuum, consisting of vibration, Energy from the very highest level of The Source down to the very lowest of the physical world of matter. All Astral planes form an integral and lower aspect of this vast and infinite Energy continuum we call our Universal Existence.
The Astral Plane is designed in such a way (as are all dimensions except the Third) that, if one conducts oneself in a dense manner on a refined plane, one cannot remain on the higher plane. The more vicious one is, the farther down the ladder one might fall. Descending perhaps into The Winterlands.
Just as people who make their vibrations dense in a refined environment must descend, so if people of a dense vibration are allowed to visit the higher realms they will find that, without some sort of protective measure, they cannot stand the higher vibrations there for very long.
Then they die and go to the Astral Plane, at least for a short while. The vicious go to the lower planes; the virtuous to the higher. But all can be said to live on the Astral Plane. That can be confusing to us. Jack the Ripper assumes his place in the basement – the Winterlands or Dark Planes – and Mother Theresa, if she doesn’t go to a much higher plane altogether, goes to the Higher Summerlands.
All Dimensions are designed or created in the last analysis by God, who is All there is. I imagine we can all agree on that. A Dimension can do any work He/She/It wishes it to do, simply by God’s creative decree. The Astral Plane has been designed as a temporary respite between incarnations for a wide range of people. It is sometimes called the “plane of desires,” because on it we get to work out our desires before going to higher planes which are more often of selfless service. We’re able to create through thought, travel wherever we wish, do anything we want, rest, and take time off, so to speak. Many people spend perhaps 100-250 years on the Astral Planes before reincarnating; a very few reincarnate sooner for specific reasons.The Astral Plane is designed in such a way (as are all dimensions except the Third) that, if one conducts oneself in a dense manner on a refined plane, one cannot remain on the higher plane. The more vicious one is, the farther down the ladder one might fall. Just as people who make their vibrations dense in a refined environment must descend, so if people of a dense vibration are allowed to visit the higher realms they will find that, without some sort of protective measure, they cannot stand the higher vibrations there for very long.
Examining these planes helps to acquaint you with the various properties of each plane. In this way you can understand the seemingly chaotic nature of the environment when you actually encounter it yourself. Properties that are common on one plane are not so common on another. Each plane has its own purpose. No one plane is necessarily better than another, but all these planes are necessary to some extent, for consciousness to exist and grow in its evolution. As you move through and into these less rarefied realities, you will need more control over your consciousness to take advantage of the benefits, learning, and information from that plane.
Happy Travels once you reach the other side!
