What is the astral plane?

The Astral Plane is a non-physical dimension of existence postulated by classical (particularly neo-Platonic), medieval, oriental and esoteric philosophies and mystery religions. This sphere is made of astral matter, a subtle form of matter which is said to be translucent and radiant.

H. P. Blavatsky defined it as the plane immediately higher to the physical in degree of subtlety. This is the plane on which dreams take place. Most people are aware to some extent on this plane, though little remembrance is kept in the physical brain. Clairvoyants are able to integrate the astral consciousness into their waking state. This plane, however, is regarded as misleading and therefore dangerous, especially for those who are not regularly trained to interpret correctly what they perceive.

Later teachers in the Adyar tradition such as Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater had a somewhat different view of the astral plane (also called by them "Emotional Plane"), which seems to be a combination of the second and third planes in Mme. Blavatsky's teachings.

Mme. Blavatsky regards the astral plane as the second (counting from below up), the one that is immediately above the objective or physical, whether on the macrocosmic or microcosmic world. Normal human beings are aware on it when asleep.

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The instinctual mind finds expression through the cerebellum, and is also that of the animals. With man during sleep the functions of the cerebrum cease, and the cerebellum carries him on to the Astral plane, a still more unreal state than even the waking plane of illusion; for so we call this state which the majority of you think so real.

Sensitives, mediums, and clairvoyants can perceive this plane in their waking or "objective" consciousness. However, the nature of this plane is regarded to be illusory and deceptive.

The Astral plane is still more deceptive [than the phsyical], because it reflects indiscriminately the good and the bad, and is so chaotic. That which mediums see, hear, and sense, is "real" but untrue; it is either gathered from the astral plane, so deceptive in its vibrations and suggestions, or from pure hallucinations, which have no actual existence, but for him who perceives them. The first of the prakritic planes is called "Objective Prakritic" or "Terrestrial". It is divided into seven sub-planes, and the second is the astral (objective) plane. This is an "instinctual plane" for those beings that are limited to it, whether by nature or accident.

Astral Instinctual Consciousness.

The consciousness of sensitive plants, of ants, spiders, and some night-flies (Indian), but not of bees. . . . On this plane is the consciousness of idiots. The common phrase, “he has lost his mind,” is an occult truth; for when, through fright or other cause, the lower mind becomes paralyzed, then the consciousness acts on the astral plane. The study of lunacy will throw much light on this point. This may well be called the “nerve plane.” It is cognized by our “nervous senses,” of which, as yet, modern physiology knows nothing. Hence it is that a clairvoyant can read with the eyes bandaged, with the tips of the fingers, the pit of the stomach, etc. This consciousness is greatly developed in the deaf and dumb. On this plane everything is reversed, reflected upside down.