In the Eastern conception the three states of _jagrata_, waking, _swapna_, dreaming, and _sushupti_, sleeping, are penetrated by the thread of consciousness, the _sutrâtma_, a node of complete unconsciousness separating one state from the next. The centre of consciousness, like a bead on the thread, alternates between the three states as it is impelled by desire or will.
[Illustration of the three states of jagrata]
I have known sickness predicted, both as to time and nature of the malady; the receipt of unexpected letters and telegrams with indications of their contents and resulting incident; changes, voyages, business transactions, deaths, and even changes in the religious views of individuals, all by means of the crystal vision.
It sometimes happens that the visionary state is induced by excessive emotion during which the prophetic faculty is considerably heightened. Some temperaments on the other hand will fall into the clairvoyant condition when engaged in deep thought. The thread of thought seems suddenly to be broken, and there appears a vision wholly unconnected with the subject but a moment ago absorbing the mind. It is as if the soul, while probing the depths of its inner consciousness, comes into contact with the thin partition which may be said to divide the outer world of reason and doubt from the inner world of intuition and direct perception, and breaking through, emerges into the light beyond. In trance there is generally a development of other super-senses, such as clairaudience and psychic touch, as well as clairvoyance. Examples might be multiplied and would but serve to show that the rapport existing between the human soul and the world soul, the individual consciousness and the collective consciousness, is capable of being actively induced by recourse to appropriate means and developed where it exists in latency by means of the crystal, the black concave mirror or other suitable agent. As yet, however, the majority are wholly ignorant of the existence of such psychic faculties, and even those who possess them are conscious of having but an imperfect control of them.
As in the case of genius where nature is opening up new centres of activity in the mind, the casual observer notes an eccentricity hardly distinguishable from some incipient forms of insanity; so the development of new psychic faculties is frequently attended by temporary loss of control over the normal brain functions. Loss of memory, hysteria, absent-mindedness, unconscious utterance of thought, illusions, irritability, indifference, misanthropy and similar perversions are not infrequent products of the preliminary stages of psychic development. These, however, will pass away as the new faculty pushes through into full existence. Nature is jealous of her offspring and concentrates the whole of her forces when in the act of generation, and that is the reason of her apparent neglect of powers and functions, normally under her control, while the evolution of a new faculty is in process. Let it be understood therefore that the faculty of clairvoyance or any other super-sense is not to be artificially developed without some cost to those who seek it. "The universe is thine; take what thou wilt, but pay the price," says Emerson. This is the divine mandate. It is not merely a question of the price of a crystal or a mirror, the sacrifice of time, the exercise of patience: it may mean something much more than this. It is a question of the price of a new faculty. What is it worth to you? That is the price you will be required to pay. And with this equation in mind the reader must consider the use to which, when obtained, he will apply his faculty; for the virtue of everything is in its use. It is reasonable to presume that one's daily life can supply the true answer. To what use are we employing the faculties we already have, all of them acquired with as much pain and suffering, it may be, as any new ones we are ever likely to evolve? If we are using these faculties for the benefit of the race we shall employ others that are higher to even greater effect. In other case it is not worth the effort of acquiring, nor is it likely that anybody of a radically selfish nature will take the trouble to acquire it. Natural selection is the fine sieve which the gods use in their prospecting. The gross material does not go through.