planes of being immediately
above the physical plane. The astral senses are really the counterparts of
the physical senses of man, and are connected with the astral body of the
person just as the physical senses are connected with the physical body.
The office of these astral senses is to enable the person to receive
impressions on the astral plane, just as his physical senses enable him to
receive impressions on the physical plane. On the physical plane the mind
of man receives only the sense impressions of the physical organs of
sense; but when the mind functions and vibrates on the astral plane, it
requires astral senses in order to receive the impressions of that plane,
and these, as we shall see, are present.

Each one of the physical senses of man has its astral counterpart. Thus
man has, in latency, the power of seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling, and
hearing, on the astral plane, by means of his five astral senses. More
than this, the best occultists know that man really has seven physical
senses instead of but five, though these two additional senses are not
unfolded in the case of the average person (though occultists who have
reached a certain stage are able to use them effectively). Even these two
extra physical senses have their counterparts on the astral plane.

Persons who have developed the use of their astral senses are able to
receive the sense impressions of the astral plane just as clearly as they
receive those of the physical plane by means of the physical senses. For
instance, the person is thus able to perceive things occurring on the
astral plane; to read the Akashic Records of the past; to perceive things
that are happening in other parts of the world; to see past happenings as
well; and in cases of peculiar development, to catch glimpses of the
future, though this is far rarer than the other forms of astral sight.

Again, by means of clairaudience, the person may hear the things of the
astral world, past as well as present, and in rare cases, the future. The
explanation is the same in each case--merely the receiving of vibrations
on the astral plane instead of on the physical plane. In the same way,
the astral senses of smelling, tasting, and feeling operate. But though we
have occasional instances of astral feeling, in certain phases of psychic
phenomena, we have practically no manifestation of astral smelling or
tasting, although the astral senses are there ready for use. It is only in
insta