(A.E. Powell, "The Etheric Double", emphasis by me, read it here: http://hpb.narod.ru/EthericDouble.htm)The etheric chakrams have two distinct functions. The first is to absorb and distribute Prвna, or Vitality, to the etheric and thence to the physical body, thus keeping these alive. The second function is to bring down into the physical consciousness whatever may be the quality inherent in the corresponding astral centre. It is the lack of development of the etheric centres which accounts for the failure to bring into the physical brain memory of astral experiences. Many people are fully awake and vividly conscious on the astral plane and lead active lives in their astral bodies.
I've recently been reminded that the development of the etheric body is a vital link between the brain and higher bodies. See also here:
(A.E. Powell, "The Astral Body", emphasis by me, read it here: http://hpb.narod.ru/AstralBodyByPowell-A.htm)As we have seen, for a man to pass in unbroken consciousness from one vehicle to another, e.g., from the physical to the astral, or vice versa, it is a requisite that the links between the bodies should be developed. Most men are not conscious of these links, and the links are not actively vivified, being in a condition similar to that of rudimentary organs in the physical body. They have to be developed by use, and are made to function by the man fixing his attention upon them and using his will. The will sets free and guides kundalini, but unless the preliminary purification of the vehicles is first thoroughly accomplished, kundalini is a destructive instead of a vivifying energy. Hence the insistence, by all occult teachers, on the necessity of purification before true yoga is practised.
When a man has rendered himself fit to be helped in vivifying the links, such assistance will inevitably come to him as a matter of course, from those who are ever seeking opportunities to aid the earnest and unselfish aspirant. Then, one day, the man will find himself slipping out of the physical body while he is wide awake, and without any break in consciousness he discovers himself to be free. With practice the passage from vehicle to vehicle becomes familiar and easy. The development of the links bridges the gulf between physical and astral consciousness, so that there is perfect continuity of consciousness.
The student thus has not only to learn to see correctly on the astral plane, but also to translate accurately the memory of what he has seen from the astral to the physical brain: and to assist him in this he is trained to carry his consciousness without break from the physical plane to the astral and mental and back again, for until that can be done there is always a possibility that his recollections may be partially lost or distorted during the blank intervals which separate his periods of consciousness on the various planes. When the power of bringing over the consciousness is perfectly acquired, the pupil will have the advantage of the use of all the astral faculties, not only while out of the body during sleep or trance, but also while fully awake in ordinary physical life.
An experience reported by Bruce Moen when "phasing" at will with the techniques acquired while attending the Monroe institute.
Coming to think of it I'd say this is equivalent to what Robert Bruce called raising the "base level of consciousness." Instead of temporarily raising your level of consciousness you experience things from that level of consciousness all the time.
(A.E. Powell, "The Mental Body", emphasis by me, read it here: http://hpb.narod.ru/MentalBodyA.htm)In order to bring the consciousness of the mental body into the physical brain the links between the different bodies must be developed. These links exist at first without coming into the consciousness of the man and they are not actively vivified, being like what are called in the physical body rudimentary organs that are waiting to be developed by use. Such links connect the dense and etheric bodies with the astral, the astral with the mental body, the mental with the causal body. The action of the will begins to vivify them, and as they commence to function the man uses them for the passing of his consciousness from vehicle to vehicle. The use of the will vivifying the links sets free Kundalini the Serpent-Fire.
I've been recently been told that the etheric body is somewhat of a "missing link" in this chain - it is the nonphysical aspect of the physical body and its development helps in building this chain of "memory downloads" that is described here.
Oliver
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