would perceive me by that representation of form, and not by my presence.
Now then, understanding this law, we will be very careful in all our investigations of communication to distinguish between the presence of the thing itself and the presence of that which represents it. Did I wish to communicate with a Spirit, who has unfolded in him a Spirit-consciousness, which can be addressed in another way than through the physical eye or ear or touch, and being so divested of this physical form that my mind comes in absolute contact with this Spirit-medium which permeates all space, and which internally and spiritually corresponds to light external and physical, and passes freely through bodies opaque to light—then my Spirit-form acts upon that Spirit-medium which is not impeded by this wall, but which passes through it as light through transparent glass, carrying my image with it. We say that glass is transparent, because light passes freely through it, and brings the image of that which it would represent. We see an individual or tree coming freely through the glass into the room. Now if we have a medium which will pass as freely through a board, then that board is as transparent to that medium as glass is to light. The magnetic medium, by which the magnetic needle is influenced, passes freely through a board even; therefore to that medium the board is as transparent as glass is to light. It is also well to understand that this nerve-medium, as well as the spiritual medium corresponding to the mind—which is to the mind what the medium of light is to the eye—passes freely through these opaque bodies. Therefore
