OFS OF THE ASTRAL BODY.

Certain normal and abnormal or morbid phenomena in man have proved the
existence of this vehicle, which we will call the _higher_
consciousness, for it is far greater than normal, waking
consciousness, that of the brain. In the somewhat rare cases in which
this consciousness is expressed in the physical world, it is forced to
make use of the brain. Now, in the majority of men, the latter is
still incapable of vibrating harmoniously with the matter which forms
the astral vehicle; this is because the density of the atoms of the
brain cells which preside over thought is incapable of reproducing the
rapid vibrations of the finer matter belonging to the body immediately
above it. By special training (the _yoga_ of the Hindus), by a
particular constitution of body (_sensitiveness_), by certain special
methods (_hypnotism_), or in certain maladies (_somnambulism_), the
brain may become receptive to these vibrations, and receive from them
an impression, though always an imperfect one. The rarity of this
impression, its imperfection, and especially the necessity for the
vibration of the physical brain that it may be manifested in our
environment; all these have made it very difficult to prove the
existence of this higher vehicle; still, there are certain
considerations which show that it exists, and that it alone is capable
of explaining the most characteristic phenomena of the higher
consciousness.

Let us first define these two states of consciousness rather more
completely, and fix their limits.

Normal consciousness is that which functions during waking hours, when
the brain is in full physiological activity, freely and completely
related to the outer physical world. This consciousness is more or
less developed according to the individual, but its component
parts--sensation, emotion, sentiment, reason, intelligence, will,
intuition--do not exceed known limits; for instance, we do not find
clairvoyance, the prophetic faculty, and certain other abnormal
faculties, which we shall class under the higher consciousness.

The higher consciousness works in the astral body, whether
externalised or not; it seldom manifests itself, and then
incompletely; it is accompanied by the more or less complete
inhibition of the senses, and by a kind of sleep in which the
relations of the subject with the physical world are wholly or
partially suspended. The characteristics of this state are greater
keenness of the