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The Life Beyond Death2268
soul-slumber, the soul digested the fruits of its earth-life and assimilated
the lessons and experiences thereof, so in this second slumber the soul
digests and assimilates the wonderful experiences of the Astral. For, be it
remembered, the period on the Astral has been not only one of retrospect
on the one hand, and manifestation of latent powers, on the other. It has
also been a period of reconstruction and unfoldment.
Many things have been lived-out and outlived on the Astral, and the soul
leaves the Astral a far different entity from that which entered it. But, and
remember this also, the change is always for the better. Many undesirable
characteristics have been burned away by the fires of repentance and
remorse, and many desirable characteristics have been unfolded in the rich
spiritual soil of the higher planes, aided by the Sun of Spirit which envelopes
the soul on the higher planes. But, there is still needed a process of “stock
taking,” readjustment of mental conditions, and spiritual preparation for a
new life—and this is supplied during the early stages of the second soulslumber.
Just as the child, or the adult, receives the energy necessary for the work
of the new day, when it is wrapped in sleep at the close of the old day, so
does the sleeping soul receive energy from the One Supply, that it may
face the new life with vigor and power. We do not go into the details of
this recuperative work at this place, as we wish to avoid all appearance of
technicality. Enough to say that the soul receives a fresh impetus of energy,
and is also given the “psychic pattern” of its new physical body, during the
second soul-slumber. It is also allowed to experience the attractive power of
its Karmic ties, which leads it into the channel of rebirth in accordance with
the character of its nature—“like attracts like,” is the axiom which expresses
the processes.
Each soul goes to where it belongs by reason of what it is. It is not
subject to the arbitrary dictates of any being in heaven or in earth, but the
absolutely just and equitable law of Karma operates in every case. There is
no favoritism, nor is there the slightest chance of even the faintest injustice