VlSIONS OF THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON
During the 7 years while I had the great privilege of being the only pupil of the greatest Master who has lived for the last 1900 years (and yet he was unknown to the world generally) he would gladly and willingly explain to me the laws behind the various phenomena that we call "mystic" or "cosmic." But I could never induce him to teach me how to perform any of the bigger tasks along certain lines. Whenever I appealed to him to do so, he would invariably answer: "My son, I am teaching you how to understand the ancient history of man. I cannot go beyond that, with you, for you have not been pre pared for it."
As I have shown, he gave me frequent practical demonstrations of his teachings, with full explanations of the phenomena, but further than this he would not go. One day I asked him,"Is it really possible to see beings who have long since passed on through death? Do they actually appear before us, or are such visions a mirage of the brain?" He answered: "MY son, these things do not come from imagination, nor from mirage of the brain. It is an actual fact that some people, at times, do receive visitors from the world beyond. All people have not the faculty of seeing them, for this faculty depends the quality of their inner vibrations. Again, it may be that some are never visited at all."
The rishi went on: "There are various ranks of beings who may reveal themselves to your vision: First, those who had attained the rank of Master here on earth before passing on to the world beyond. Such a one can come before you, because he has the power of lowering his vibrations to a plane where they can be tuned in with yours, and you, by vision, become aware of his presence. More often the one who appears to you is a near and dear relative or friend, with whom you have been intimately associated on earth. The reason for this is that your inner vibrations and theirs were attuned together in the earth life, and the returning visitant can easily adjust his vibrations to yours as before, and become visible to your eyes. These visitations are not infrequent when two hearts have been united as one on earth, which shows you, my son, that Love is the great ruler both on this earth and in the worlds beyond. God is Love, God rules the universe, therefore Love rules the universe. The great reflection of Love is embodied in man."
I then said to him, "Have you not told me that by and by these visitors may cease to come? Where do they go?" He answered, "Where they have gone, I cannot say. I do not know. It may be that they have gone to other worlds; they may be reincarnated here on earth, or it may be they have returned to the Great Source. This is a closed book we cannot open."
After waiting and meditating a little while he continued, "It is more common for people to feel the presence of visitors from the world beyond without seeing them. Occasionally they seem so close that you feel like extending your hand to welcome them."
I asked him what prevented our seeing these invisible guests. He answered, "Because their vibrations, although so closely in tune with yours, are neither close enough or powerful enough to produce vision, and sometimes it would almost appear as if they did not wish to be seen. Personally I have come to the conclusion that those who are approaching you thus are those who were great Masters, and that they wish to use you as an instrument for communicatioa and information from the world beyond to this world."
I asked him if there were any examples or illustrations. He answered: "Yes, it occurs among writers, artists, sculptors and musicians, but specially writers. The Master, or whoever it may be, keys his vibrations, or tunes in on the writer's brain, and by means of these vibrations expresses his desire, or command, as to what shall be written. The brain of the writer, receiving them, while under this control, can produce nothing else. If he tries to break off, and to follow his own mundane reasoning, he pens only nonsense. He is under a spell, governed by the unseen Master. This is what the ancients termed inspired writings, which are merely writings from the world beyond, expressed through a selected agent."
On another occasion I asked the rishi if it were actually possible for a man to so far advance himself in this ancient science as to separate the inner man from the corporeal body and send the inner man on long iourneys to bring back information. He replied, "Yes, it is perfectly easy to do this, for one who has mastered the Sciences, but to one not perfectly accomplished it is more than dangerous. For, not being perfected in the learning, the inner man might possibly fail to find his way back to the body. Then the body would have to return to mother earth. It takes a lifetime to become thoroughly proficient in this part of the Sciences."
I again asked him to teach me this science. He very emphatically refused to do so, saying: "Your time with me wlll not be long enough to do so."

THE JOURNEY
Quietly and at unexpected times, he gave me many practical exhibitions of the ancient Sciences. One evening, when I was preparing to leave India, he addressed me, saying: "Would you like to take a long journey with me tonight?" I quickly accepted, and at the appointed time (8 p.m.) I arrived at the Temple. One of the attendants received me and took me directly to his sanctum. The room was dimly lit; some incense burners were sending their pungent smoke through the room. On my entering, he rose from a divan, came forward and took my hand. Dismissing the attendant, he gave orders that we were not to be disturbed until morning call. When the door closed he took me to the divan where he had been sitting and said: "My son, we are going back to look at ourselves during our last incarnation." This was the first intimation I had received from him that we had ever been on earth together before.
He held my hand in his as we sat there. He told me to concentrate on him and pick up his vibrations. Gradually consciousness appeared to leave me, and suddenly he and I were floating across a great flat land with many large cities. To what appeared to be the principal one we floated. Here we came to earth and walked through its crowded streets.
Days, weeks, months and years seemed to pass. I seemed to see myself all this time on one quest or another. My whole life appeared to pass like a panorama. On many occasions, the rishi who was a high official appeared as my father.
At last I came out of my trance or whatever it may have been, and shortly became my usual self. I shall make no comment on this journey. Each of you must make up your own minds for yourselves as to whether my inner self was actually separated from my material body and went back to my last incarnation or whether the whole thing was a mesmeric or hypnotic trance.

J. Churchward
Mount Vemon, New York, 1931