rted the discovery (!) of a nebulous, hazy,
radio-active energy or substance, around the body of human beings. In
short, they now claim that every human being is radio-active, and that
the auric radiation may be registered and perceived by means of a screen
composed of certain fluorescent material, interposed between the eye of
the observer, and the person observed.

This aura, so discovered (!) by the scientists, is called by them the
"human atmosphere," and is classified by them as similar to the
radiations of other radio-active substances, radium, for instance. They
have failed to discover color in this atmosphere, however, and know
nothing, apparently, of the relation between auric colors and mental and
emotional states, which are so familiar to every advanced occultist. I
mention this fact merely as a matter of general interest and information
to the student, and not as indicating, even in the slightest degree, any
idea on my part that the old occult teaching, and the observed phenomena
accompanying the same, regarding the human aura, require any proof or
backing up on the part of material scientists. On the contrary, I feel
that material science should feel flattered by the backing up by occult
science of the new discovery (!) of the "human atmosphere." A little
later on, material science may also discover (!) the auric colors, and
announce the same to the wondering world, as a new truth.

CHAPTER II.

THE PRANA-AURA.

Many writers on the subject of the human aura content themselves with a
description of the colors of the mental or emotional aura, and omit
almost any reference whatsoever to the basic substance or power of the
aura. This is like the play of Hamlet, with the character of Hamlet
omitted, for, unless we understand something concerning the fundamental
substance of which the aura is composed, we cannot expect to arrive at a
clear understanding of the phenomena which arises from and by reason of
the existence of this fundamental substance. We might as well expect a
student to understand the principles of color, without having been made
acquainted with the principles of light.

The fundamental substance of which the human aura is composed is none
other than that wonderful principle of nature of which one reads so much
in all occult writings, which has been called by many names, but which
is perhaps best known under the Sanscrit term, _Prana_, but which may
be thought of as Vital Essence, Life