Human beings experience two distinct realms of existence: the internal or inner world and the external or outer world.
The inner world encompasses our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, perceptions, and subjective experiences. It is the realm of our mind and consciousness. This is where our thoughts take shape, our emotions arise, and our beliefs are formed. Our inner world shapes our perspective, influences our behavior, and colors our experiences of the external world.
On the other hand, the outer world refers to the physical reality that exists independently of our individual perceptions. It includes the tangible and observable aspects of the world around us, such as objects, people, nature, and events. The outer world is objective in nature and can be experienced by multiple individuals.
The notion of inner and outer worlds suggests that our experience of the external world is influenced by our inner mental and emotional state. Our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs shape how we perceive and interpret the external reality. For example, two individuals may witness the same event, but their inner worlds may lead them to have different interpretations or emotional responses to that event.
Understanding the interplay between our inner and outer worlds is essential for gaining insight into ourselves and how we relate to the world around us. It highlights the significance of self-awareness, introspection, and the exploration of our thoughts and emotions. By recognizing the influence of our inner world on our perception of the outer world, we can cultivate a deeper understanding of ourselves and enhance our interactions with others and the environment.
Dreams and the astral world are fascinating phenomena that exist within the realm of our inner world but can have a profound impact on our perception of the outer world. When we dream, we enter a state of consciousness where our thoughts, emotions, and experiences manifest in vivid and often surreal ways. In this ethereal realm, we may encounter different physics and fewer limitations than the physical "real world."
The astral world, sometimes referred to as the astral plane, is believed to be a dimension or level of existence that exists parallel to our physical reality. It is said to be a realm where consciousness can travel, separate from the physical body. In the astral world, individuals may experience astral projection, lucid dreaming, and encounters with spiritual entities or entities from other dimensions.
Exploring dreams and the astral world allows us to delve deeper into the intricate connections between our inner and outer worlds. While these experiences occur within our minds, they have the power to shape our perceptions, beliefs, and understanding of the external reality. They offer glimpses into different possibilities and allow us to tap into our subconscious and explore realms beyond the limitations of the physical world.
There’s a common misconception that the astral realm is the spiritual world and I would confidently suggest that this is incorrect. If we refer to the Four Worlds of Kabbalah, the World of Yetzirah is the one just above Assiah, the physical world. Yetzirah symbolically corresponds with the element of air, the element that represents the mind. The astral realm is often considered to be just above in frequency to the physical world and as we have discussed already there is a connection to our personal inner mental and subconscious world.
Kabbalists as well as Hindu Yogis have often spoken against believing in the illusions of the physical world as well as the illusions of the mind. While the world of the five senses can be easily discerned to carry its own illusions, it’s often difficult for the new psychonaut (one who traverses the astral and spiritual worlds) to discern the illusions of this world that exists just above the physical one.
This “science” of the many worlds theory has already been explored by the many wise people that have come before us and it would be foolish to discount what they have discovered ahead of us incarnating in the present day.
That which we call spirit or God, that which we may say is beyond the archetypal world of Aztiluth is often described as ineffable, unknowable or unborn. Imperceptible, this means that we cannot percieve the spiritual with our senses we can only witness the manifestations of the spirit across every level of consciousness. From the archetypal down through the mental and into the physical world these are the illusions created by the spirit. Illusions which we must overcome.
Just as we might be convinced erroneously that the Astral World is the true reality and that the physical reality is a false one, we might equally be convinced and more commonly convinced that we exist separately from the physical world. That our inner and outer worlds are exclusive.
This is one of the most important teachings of Yogic thought. Yoga means unification. To practice Yoga is to strive for unification with the supreme reality, Brahman or the one Soul, or Spirit.
This means to realise fully, unequivocally and undoubtedly that the inner and outer worlds are one. This relationship described throughout the Bhagavad Gita an ancient sacred text in which the Soul of the human represented by the character Arjuna converses with the Supreme Being or God, represented by Krishna.