DISCOURSES Volume II - Avatar Meher Baba Trust

THE PLACE OF OCCULTISM IN SPIRITUAL LIFE: I 91inner world of the astral and undertaking journeys through it, if andwhen necessary.The sights, smells, tastes, contacts and sounds which areexperienced through conscious use of the astral body are clear anddefinite, like the experiences gained through conscious use of theEnlarged scope for advancementgross body. They are not vague orsubjective, as in ordinary dreams, but areas objective and effective as otherexperiences of wakeful consciousness. The ability to undertakeastral journeys therefore involves considerable expansion of one'sscope for experience. It brings opportunities for promoting one'sown spiritual advancement, which begins with the involution ofconsciousness.The harnessing of occult forces is not to be regarded in anyway as a substitute for the inner effort which the aspirant mustmake to advance further. When occult experiences are gifts fromOccult experience anaid to intuition, notits substitutethe Masters or spiritually advanced souls,they serve the purpose of unveiling much ofthe hitherto obscured intuition, removingsome of the difficulties on the Path andfilling the aspirant with the great confidence and enthusiasm whichare necessary to cope with the new requirements of each stage ofthe Path. But the aspirant makes real progress by putting intopractice the best intuitions of his heart, not by being the merelypassive recipient of occult experiences.