Awakening the Third Eye

4. an Ego, or Higher Self.
   The astral body (AB) and the Ego are linked, forming an ‘upper
   complex’. The physical body (PB) and the etheric body (EB) are
   linked too, forming a ‘lower complex’. Unless you are an initiate,
   the physical and etheric bodies never fully separate as long as you
   are alive.
   The upper complex (AB+Ego) is the seat of your consciousness.
   While you are awake, this upper complex penetrates the lower one
   (PB+EB), a bit like a hand enters a glove. In other words your
   consciousness cognizes the physical world through the physical
   (and etheric) bodies.
   When you fall asleep the upper complex (AB+Ego) becomes
   disinterested in the lower one (PB+EB). It withdraws from it. Seen
   from outside you lose consciousness, meaning you fall asleep. But
   in reality your consciousness is not lost, it is just somewhere else.
   Instead of cognising the physical world, the upper complex
   (AB+Ego) wanders in different astral worlds, or sometimes in the
   higher realms of the Spirit. A vast range of planes can be
   experienced, some beautiful and regenerating, some grey and dull,
   some really noxious. It depends a great deal on the quality of
   consciousness in which you cross the threshold. If you fall asleep
   drunk after eating sausages and watching horror videos, for
   instance, your sleep may not be too refreshing or enlightening
   because you are likely to be attracted to unclear areas of the astral
   sphere. It is part of the process of transformation to find those
   evening activities and foods that allow you to be directed towards
   higher realms at night.
   Around the time of waking up, you become interested in the
   physical world again and the upper complex (AB+Ego) reintegrates
   into the lower one (PB+EB). The hand goes back into the glove. And
   that is another critical time, for if the reconnection does not take
   place properly you are very likely to be in a bad mood all day. You
   can probably recall certain days when everything seemed to go
   wrong, and when you wished you had not woken up till the
   following morning. To a certain extent, this can be avoided by a
   proper management of the moment of waking up. Just as falling
   asleep is an art, waking up is too.
   What happens at the time of death, in terms of subtle bodies? The
   upper complex (AB+Ego) departs for good. The physical and etheric
   bodies are left to disintegrate. So we find another parallel between

Chapter 13 – Night Practice 1: Theoretical Aspects