4. The Beings of the Astral World

The consciousness, which in the average man continually breaks off, the chela is able to make into a permanent one, when he has attained the gift of having his reflection arise, produce, not merely in the physical body, but in the higher elements of human nature. Out of the solid, physical body arises for the average man the mirror image of his self; one can also say: he becomes conscious of himself. He who has reached the higher stage becomes conscious of his self not merely in the physical, but in the astral; it shines out to him from the astral. Thus, on the astral plane, you will meet above all the chelas, the disciples, who are able to bring their consciousness up into the astral region. To bring up the consciousness into the astral region is that which also forms the content of the theosophical teaching and the content of the instruction which a highly evolved master gives to his disciples. This intercourse between master and chela takes place in the astral space. A translation of the teaching in the astral into physical words, into physical sentences is what theosophy is able to offer.