to the state in which they are enabled to preserve
consciousness in future births, instead of losing it as is the usual
case, and thus they take a conscious part in the selection of the
conditions for rebirth, which is wisely denied persons of a more
material nature and less spiritual development.

The next phase of the question: "Where does the soul dwell between
incarnations?" is one still more difficult of answer, owing to the
various shades of opinion on the subject. Still there is a fundamental
agreement between the different schools, and we shall try to give you
the essence or cream of the thought on the subject. In the first place,
all occultists set aside any idea of there being a "place" in which the
souls dwell--the existence of "states" or "planes of existence" being
deemed sufficient for the purpose. It is held that there are many planes
of existence in any and every portion of space, which planes
interpenetrate each other, so that entities dwelling on one plane
usually are not conscious of the presence of those on another plane.
Thus, an inhabitant of a high plane of being, in which the vibrations of
substance are much higher than that which we occupy, would be able to
pass through our material world without the slightest knowledge of its
existence, just as the "X rays" pass through the most solid object, or
as light passes through the air. It is held that there are many planes
of existence much higher than the one we occupy, and upon which the
disembodied souls dwell. There are many details regarding these planes,
taught by the different schools of occultism, or spiritualism, but we
have neither the time nor space to consider them at length, and must
content ourselves with mentioning but a few leading or typical beliefs
or teachings on the subject.

The Theosophists teach that just when the soul leaves the body, there
occurs a process of psychic photography in which the past life, in all
of its details, is indelibly imprinted on the inner substance of the
soul, thus preserving a record independent of the brain, the latter
being left behind in the physical body. Then the Astral Body, or Etheric
Double, detaches itself from the body, from which the Vital Force, or
Prana-Jiva also departs at the same time, the Astral Body enfolding also
the four other principles, and together the Five Surviving Principles
pass on to the plane of Kama Loka, or the Astral Plane of Desire. Kama
Loka is that part of the Astral P