140 ROSICRUCIANCOSMO-CONCEPTION
there is of it is due to the macrocosmic vital body, the ethers
of which act as a womb for the child's vital body until the
seventh year, gradually ripening it during that period. The
propagative faculty, which works along the positive pole of
the life ether, is also latent. The heating of the body—which
is carried on along the positive pole of the light ether—and
the circulation of the blood are due to the macrocosmic vital
body, the ethers acting on the child and slowly developing it
to the point where it can control these functions itself. The
forces working along the negative pole of the ethers are so
much the more active. The excretion of solids, carried on
along the negative pole of the chemical ether (corresponding
to the solid subdivision of the Chemical Region), is too
unrestrained, as is also the excretion of fluid, which is
carried on along the negative pole of the life ether
(corresponding to the second or fluid subdivision of the
Chemical Region). The passive sense-perception, which is
due to the negative forces of the light ether, is also
exceedingly prominent. The child is very impressionable
and it is “all eyes and ears.”
During the earlier years the forces operating along the
negative pole of the reflecting ether are also extremely
active. In those years children can “see” the higher Worlds
and they often prattle about what they see until the ridicule
of their elders or punishment for “telling stories” teaches
them to desist.
It is dep lorable that the little ones are forced t o lie—or at
least to deny the truth—because of the incredulity of their
“wise” elders. Even the investigations of the Society for
Psychical Research have proven that children often have
invis ib le playmat es, who fr equ ently vis it them u nt il t hey are
several years old. During those years the clairvoyance of the