says Sinnett in his great work on “Esoteric Buddhism,” And he then adds:  “I have been astonished to find, since my own connection with the subject, how numerous such chelas are.  But it is impossible to imagine any human act more improbable than the unauthorized revelation by any such chela, to persons in the outer world, that he is one; and so the great esoteric school of philosophy guards its seclusion.”

QUESTION III:  “Does the Yogi Philosophy teach that there is a place corresponding to the ‘Heavens’ of the various religions?  Is there any basis for the belief that there is a place resembling ’Heaven’?”

ANSWER:  Yes, the Yogi Philosophy does teach that there is a real basis for the popular religious beliefs in “Heaven,” and that there are states of being, the knowledge of which has filtered through to the masses in the more or less distorted theories regarding “heavens.”

But the Yogis do not teach that these “heavens” are places at all.  The teaching is that they are planes of existence.  It is difficult to explain just what is meant by this word “plane.”  The nearest approach to it in English is the term or word “State.”  A portion of space may be occupied by several planes at the same time, just as a room may be filled with the rays of the sun, those of a lamp.  X-rays, magnetic and electric vibrations and waves, etc., each interpenetrating each other and yet not affecting or interfering with each other.

On the lower planes of the Astral World there are to be found the earth-bound souls which have passed out from their former bodies, but which are attracted to the earthly scenes by strong attractions, which serve to weight them down and to prevent them from ascending to the higher planes.  On the higher planes are souls that are less bound by earthly attractions, and who, accordingly, are relieved of the weight resulting therefrom.  These planes rise in an ascending scale, each plane being higher and more spiritual than the one lower than itself.  And dwelling on each plane are the souls fitted to occupy it, by reason of their degree of spiritual development, or evolution.  When the soul first leaves the body it falls into a sleep-like stage, from which it awakens to find itself on the plane for which it is fitted, by reason of its development, attractions, character, etc.  The particular plane occupied by each soul is determined by the progress and attainment it has made in its past lives.  The souls on the higher planes may, and often do, visit the planes lower in the scale than their own, but those on the lower planes may not visit those higher than their own.  Quoting from our own writings on this subject, published several years ago, we repeat:  This prohibition regarding the visiting of higher planes is not an arbitrary rule, but a law of nature.  If the student will pardon the commonplace comparison, he may get an understanding of it, by imagining a large screen, or series of screens,