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THE ASTRAL BODY AND ETHERIC BODY 121 For this reason it is very important that a medium should be able to live under conditions favourable to a serene condition of mind, and removed from evil influences.*
The three states of consciousness with which we are familiar are : waking, sleeping, and trance. The state of trance is usually induced by an operator, though occasionally it may be selfinduced. Both in sleep and in trance the astral body is partially or completely liberated from the enfolding bonds of physical matter, except for the extremely tenuous filament by which contact is preserved with the body of flesh. In Eastem schools of initiation the astral body is withdrawn from the neophyte under the direction and control of the master, and is thus safeguarded from danger to which that of an unguarded medium is subjected. The advantage of this method of gaining experience of the astral plane is obvious, especially as the pupil is enabled to retain the memory of that experience on returning to waking consciousness. We find that many spiritualist mediums are under the protection and guidance of some being on a higher plane, who charges himself with the care of the entranced subject, and we leam that at times this task is one of difficulty owing to the intrusions of lower entities. * Vide Isis Unciled, Vol. 1.
