OCCULT VIBRATIONS
A
FRAGMENT OF CONVERSATION WITH H.P.B. IN 1888
The following was written by me at the dictation
of H.P.B. in 1888 with the purpose of printing it at that time. But it was not
used then, and as I brought it home with me it is now of interest. - W.Q.J.
Q. - It has struck me while thinking over the
difference between ordinary people and an adept or even a partly developed
student, that the rate of vibration of the brain molecules, as well as he
coördination of those with the vibrations of the higher brain, may lie at the
bottom of the difference and also might explain many other problems.
H.P.B. - So they do. They make differences and
also cause many curious phenomena; and the differences among all persons are
greatly due to vibrations of all kinds.
Q. - In reading the article ["Aum!"]
in the PATH of April, 1886, this idea was again suggested. I open at
p. 6, Vol. I.
The divine Resonance spoken of above is not the
Divine Light itself. The Resonance is only the outbreathing of the first sound
of the entire Aum.... It manifests itself not only as the power which stirs up
and animates the particles of the universe, but also in the evolution and
dissolution of man, of the animal and mineral kingdoms, and the Solar system.
Among the Aryans it was represented by the planet Mercury, who has always been
said to govern the intellectual faculties and to be the universal stimulator.
What of this?
H.P.B. - Mercury was always known as the god of
secret wisdom. He is Hermes as well as Budha the son of Soma. Speaking of
matters on the lower plane, I would call the "Divine Resonance" you
read of in the PATH "vibrations" and the originator, or that which
gives the impulse to every kind of phenomena in the astral plane.
Q. - The differences found in human brains and
natures must, then, have their root in differences of vibration?
H.P.B. - Most assuredly so.
Q. - Speaking of mankind as a whole, is it true
that all have one key or rate of vibration to which they respond?
H.P.B. - Human beings in general are like so
many keys on the piano, each having its own sound, and the combination of which
produces other sounds in endless variety. Like inanimate nature they have a
key-note from which all the varieties of character and constitution proceed by
endless changes. Remember what was said in Isis Unveiled at p. 16, Vol.
I, "The Universe is the combination of a thousand elements, and yet the
expression of a single spirit, - a chaos to the sense (physical), a cosmos to
the reason" (manas).
Q. - So far this applies generally to nature.
Does it explain the difference between the adept and ordinary people?
H.P.B. - Yes. This difference is that an adept
may be compared to that one key which contains all the keys in the great
harmony of nature. He has the synthesis of all keys in his thoughts, whereas
ordinary man has the same key as a basis, but only acts and thinks on one or a
few changes of this great key, producing with his brain only a few chords out
of the whole great possible harmony.
Q. - Has this something to do with the fact that
a disciple may hear the voice of his master through the astral spaces, while
another man cannot hear or communicate with the adepts?
H.P.B. - This is because the brain of a chela is
attuned by training to the brain of the Master. His vibrations synchronize with
those of the Adept, and the untrained brain is not so attuned. So the chela's
brain is abnormal, looking at it from the standpoint of ordinary life, while
that of the ordinary man is normal for worldly purposes. The latter person may
be compared to those who are color-blind.
Q. - How am I to understand this?
H.P.B. - What is considered normal from the view
of the physician is considered abnormal from the view of occultism, and vice
versâ. The difference between a color-blind signal man who mistakes the
lamps and the adept who sees is that the one takes one color for another, while
the adept sees all the colors in every color and yet does not confuse them
together.
Q. - Has the adept, then, raised his vibrations
so as to have them the same as those of nature as a whole?
H.P.B. - Yes; the highest adepts. But there are
other adepts who, while vastly in advance of all men, are still unable to
vibrate to such a degree.
Q. - Can the adept produce at his will a
vibration which will change one color to another?
H.P.B. - He can produce a sound which will alter
a color. It is the sound which produces the color, and not the other or
opposite. By correlating the vibrations of a sound in the proper way a new color
is made.
Q. - Is it true that on the astral plane every
sound always produces a color?
H.P.B. - Yes; but these are invisible because
not yet correlated by the human brain so as to become visible on the earth
plane. Read Galton, who gives experiments with colors and sounds as seen by
psychics and sensitives, showing that many sensitive people always see a color
for every sound. The color-blind man has coming to him the same vibrations as
will show red, but not being able to sense these he alters the amount, so to
say, and then sees a color corresponding to the vibrations he can perceive out
of the whole quantity. His astral senses may see the true color, but the
physical eye has its own vibrations, and these, being on the outer plane,
overcome the others for the time, and the astral man is compelled to report to
the brain that it saw correctly. For in each case the outer stimulus is sent to
the inner man, who then is forced, as it were, to accept the message and to
confirm it for the time so far as it goes. But there are cases where the inner
man is able to even then overcome the outer defect and to make the brain see
the difference. In many cases of lunacy the confusion among the vibrations of
all kinds is so enormous that there is not correlation between the inner and
the outer man, and we have then a case of aberration. But even in some of these
unfortunate cases the person inside is all the time aware that he is not insane
but cannot make himself be understood. Thus often persons are driven really insane
by wrong treatment.
Q. - By what manner of vibrations do the
elementals make colors and lights of variety?
H.P.B. - That is a question I cannot reply to
though it is well known to me. Did I not tell you that secrets might be
revealed too soon?
Path,
June, 1893
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