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Chapter XVIII: The Second Soul-Sleep2269
being the fate of any soul, no matter how humble or lowly it may be. The
lowest as well as the highest comes under the same law, for all are children
of the same parent—all little children in the kindergarten of the Absolute.
All are on The Path, whether they know it or not—and their ignorance is not
counted against them in the reckoning.
In the last chapter of this book, we shall speak of a class of souls that rise
above further reincarnation in earth-life, and ascend to planes and stages of
existence far above anything which the earth can offer. We mention them
here merely to say that even such souls must pass through the second soulslumber
of the Astral Plane before they can proceed further. In such cases
they lose in their sleep all that is left of the confining sheaths of earth-desire,
and throw aside all the fruits of earth action except that which is called
Liberation and Freedom. Such souls never again awaken on earth, nor do
they ever return thereto, unless, perchance, they voluntarily revisit earth in
after ages as great teachers or leaders. Such have worn the garb of men, now
and then throughout the ages, but have always been far more than men in
all but form. There are planes upon planes of existence higher than earth or
its Astral Plane. Blessed indeed is the soul which awakens from the second
soul-slumber and finds itself in even the most humble of these exalted states.
Even the wisest sage bows his head in reverence at the mention of such
spheres of existence, which transcend even the human imagination.