f they so
desire. But those on the lower planes are not able to either see or
visit the planes above them--not that there is a 'watchman at the gate'
to prevent them, but for the same reason that a fish is not able to pass
from the water to the plane of air above that water." The same teachings
tell us that the souls on the higher planes often visit friends and
relatives on the lower, so that there is always the opportunity for
loved ones, relatives and friends meeting in this way; and also many
souls on the higher planes pass to the lower planes in order to instruct
and advise those dwelling on the latter, the result that in some cases
there may be a progression from a lower to a higher plane of the Astral
World by promotion earned by this instruction. Regarding Rebirth, from
the Astral World, the teachings say:

"But sooner or later, the souls feel a desire to gain new experiences,
and to manifest in earth-life some of the advancement which has come to
them since 'death,' and for these reasons, and from the attraction of
desires which have been smoldering there, not lived out or cast off, or,
possibly influenced by the fact that some loved soul, on a lower plane,
is ready to incarnate and wishing to be incarnated at the same time in
order to be with it (which is also a desire) the souls fall into the
current sweeping toward rebirth, and the selection of proper parents and
advantageous circumstances and surrounding, and in consequence again
fall into a soul-slumber, gradually, and so when their time comes they
'die' to the plane upon which they have been existing and are 'born'
into a new physical life and body. A soul does not fully awaken from its
sleep immediately at birth, but exists in a dream-like state during the
days of infancy, its gradual awakening being evidenced by the growing
intelligence of the babe, the brain of the child keeping pace with the
demands made upon it. In some cases the awakening is premature, and we
see cases of prodigies, child-genius, etc., but such cases are more or
less abnormal, and unhealthy. Occasionally the dreaming soul in the
child half-wakes, and startles us by some profound observation, or
mature remark or conduct."

The third phase of the question: "What is the final state or abode of
the soul?" is one that reaches to the very center or heart of
philosophical and religious thought and teaching. Each philosophy and
religion has its own explanation, or interpretation of the Trut