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anima mundi—astral light—and that the airy body is the astral body of man. The next question answered by Isis relates to the various degrees of spiritual enlightenment seen amongst men.
The real difference between a man who has spiritual vision and discernment, and another who does not possess these faculties, is not to be found in the inmost nature of the soul; just as the clearness of vision depends, not on the latent perceptive faculty of the soul or mind, but upon the nature of the organ of vision and the tunics in which it is enveloped, the clearness of spiritual or clairvoyant perception depends, not on the nature of the soul, but on the condition and nature of the Upadhis in which it is placed.
Consequently all progressive development consists in the improvement of the Upadhis; the soul is perfect from the beginning and undergoes no alteration during the course of evolution.
Isis further proceeds to point out differences in national character, physical, intellectual and spiritual, amongst the various races inhabitiug the globe, and attributes them to differences in climate and position of their respective countries. The reference to the constellation Ursa Major has a mystic significance. The ancient Hindus calculated the period of one of their secret cycles with reference to the movements of the stars composing this constellation; and this cycle is related to the evolution of the various races and sub-races on the globe.
Speaking of the agencies which cause "in living men during long maladies an alteration of discernment 'of reason' even of the soul itself," Isis points out "that the soul has affinity with certain elements and aversion for others" and that therefore its functions are sometimes disturbed and affected by changes in either the physical or astral body.
The last chapter of the treatise under review contains the explanations of Isis regarding existence in Devachan or Swarga.
