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The Eleventh Lesson: Beyond the Border173
on its mind” to communicate, or which is grieved by the pain of those who
have been left behind (especially if it hears the lamentations and constant
call for its return) will fight off the dreamy state creeping over it, and will
make desperate efforts to return. And, likewise, the mental calls of those
who have been left behind, will disturb the slumber, when it has been once
entered into, and will cause the sleeping soul to rouse itself and endeavor to
answer the calls, or at least will partially awaken it and retard its unfoldment.
These half-awake souls often manifest in spiritualistic circles. Our selfish grief
and demands often cause our loved ones who have passed much pain and
sorrow and unrest, unless they have learned the true state of affairs before
they have passed out, and refuse to be called back to earth even by those
they love. Cases are known to occultists where souls have fought off the
slumber for years in order to be around their loved ones on earth, but
this course was unwise as it caused unnecessary sorrow and pain to both
the one who had passed on, and those who had remained on earth. We
should avoid delaying the process of those who have passed on—let them
sleep on and rest, awaiting the hour of their transformation. It is like making
them die their death several times in succession—those who truly love and
understand avoid this—their love and understanding bids them let the soul
depart in peace and take its well earned rest and gain its full development.
This period of soul-slumber is like the existence of the babe in its mother’s
womb—it sleeps that it may awaken into life and strength.
Before passing on to the awakening, however, we think it proper to state
that it is only the soul of the person who has died a natural death which sinks
at once (if not disturbed) into the soul-slumber. Those who die by “accident,”
or who are killed—in other words, those who pass out of the body suddenly,
find themselves wide-awake and in full possession of the mental faculties
for some time. They often are not aware that they have “died,” and cannot
understand what is the matter with them. They are often fully conscious (for
a short time) of life on earth, and can see and hear all that is going on around
them, by means of their astral faculties. They cannot imagine that they have