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The Life Beyond Death2266
the close of the activities of the soul on the Astral Plane and its passing on
to reincarnation or to higher spheres of spiritual life. And, indeed, such a
phase or period does exist, and forms a very distinct feature of the soul’s
existence on “the other side.” Such phase or period is known to occultists as
the “second soul-sleep,” or slumber.
The second soul-sleep is preceded by a transition state of gradually
declining activity and consciousness, and a corresponding desire for rest on
the part of the soul. The natural processes on the Astral Plane nearing their
close, the soul begins to experience a feeling of lassitude and weariness, and
instinctively longs for rest and repose. It finds that it has lived out the greater
part of its desires, ambitions, and ideals, and in many cases has also out-lived
them. There comes to it that wistful feeling of having fulfilled the purpose
of its destiny, and a premonition of the coming of some newer phase of
existence. The soul does not feel pain at the approach of the second soulsleep,
but, on the contrary, experiences satisfaction and happiness as the
coming of something which promises rest and recuperation. Like the weary
traveller who has climbed the mountain paths, and has delighted in the
experiences of the journey, the soul feels that it has well earned a restful
repose, and, like that traveller, it looks forward to the same with longing and
desire.
The soul may have passed but a few years, or perhaps a hundred or a
thousand years, of earth-time, on the Astral Plane, according to its degree
of development and unfoldment. But, be its stay short or long, the feeling
of weariness reaches it at last, and, like many aged persons in earth-life, it
feels that “my work is over—let me pass on, let me pass on.” Sooner or later,
the soul feels a desire to gain new experience, and to manifest in a new life
some of the advancement which has come to it by reason of its unfoldment
on the Astral Plane. And, from these reasons, and also from the attraction
of the desires which have been smouldering 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 with that soul (which is also a form of