Man Visible and Invisible - Tapa blanda

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1903. Excerpt: ... Chapter XVIII THE DEVELOPED MAN The term "developed" is a relative one, so it will be well to explain exactly what is here meant by it. The vehicles illustrated under this heading are such as might be possessed by any pure-minded person who had definitely and intelligently "set his affection on things above, and not on things of earth." They are not those of one already far advanced upon the path which leads to adeptship, for in that case we should find a considerable difference in size as well as in arrangement. But they do distinctly imply that the man of whom they are expressions is a seeker after the higher truth, one who has risen above mere earthly aims, and is living for an ideal. Among such some may be found who are especially advanced in one direction, and some in another; this is an evenly-balanced man--simply a fair average of those who are at the level which I describe. We may first examine Plate XXI., which f represents for us his causal body. By comparing this with Plates V. and VIII. we shall see what the man's progress has been, and how it is expressed in his appearance. We observe that by this time many beautiful qualities have been developed within him, for the glorious iridescent film is now filled with the most lovely colours, typifying for us the higher forms of love, devotion and sympathy, aided by an intellect refined and spiritualised, and by aspirations reaching ever towards the divine. Let me quote from the sixth of our Theosophical manuals, p. 80:-- "Composed of matter inconceivably fine, delicate and ethereal, intensely alive and pulsating with living fire, it becomes as its evolution proceeds a radiant globe of flashing colours, its high vibrations sending ripples of changing hues over its surface--hues of which earth knows nothing -- brilliant, soft and...