Chapter 555: The astral cord, the Sutratma-thread (part II); from my Grimoire.

[spirit affinity]

Early Theosophical writings regarding the silver-cord versus later mentionings:
Neither Annie Besant nor Madam Helena Blavatsky mentioned the silver-cord to any in-depth extent, and nor did Charles Leadbeater, or the others. It seems that very little was ever divulged in regard to the astral-cord, other than the Sutratma-thread, in the classical Theosophical writings. However, great emphasis has been placed upon the astral-cord in more recent metaphysical literature.

Presented below are various excerpts from the books of many different Authors concerning the subject of the astral life-line cord:

Pythagorean and Platonic descriptions of the silver-cord: Incomplete data.

Ancient Chinese descriptions of the silver-cord: Incomplete data.

The cord of life of Puranic Eastern philosophy in correspondence to the solar plexus chakra called Manipuraka: Brahma depicted within a lotus flower, thus receding from an alleged cord or thread, to the Manipuraka center force-center of his body; perhaps symbolized as a disembodied state, and maybe displaying an astral-cord depiction?

Helena P. Blavatsky and the silver-cord: "The astral body is connected to the physical body by a "silver cord", an extended umbilical cord".

The Torah and the Biblical Old Testament in regard to the silver-cord: "When the silver cord be loosed then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God who gave it".

G.R.S. Mead: The Doctrine of the Subtle Body in Western Tradition: An outline of what philosophers thought and Christians taught on the subject: "Perhaps it is then hardly worth while in this connection to remind ourselves of a certain mystic silver cord, or psychical attachment, which is variously* seen and spoken of. This is supposed by a few figuratively to start from between the shoulder-blades; it is also imagined to unroll itself as it were from a point or centre, and contract itself again into a point". -- The subtle vehicle (Lepton Ocliema) of the soul, & quot; quoted by 'Hierocles in his commentary on The Golden Vertes of Pythagoras, xxvi. 67-69. The reference to a silver cord will indubitably remind the reader of the phrase in the magnificent, but exceedingly puzzling, concluding outburst of Koheleth (Eccl. xii. 6). But the treatment of the whole passage. XII. 1-8, \would be too long a story for this occasion. -- "When the subtle vehicle leaves and returns to the body in certain mystic experiences. The phenomenon is very variously described, and the cord has numerous points of attachment according to others".

Edgar Van Oostrum; Astral Projection 101: "Pick a point on your body. Any point will do, but I have found that the point that works best, is your solar plexus, because it's right where your astral vehicle is attached to your body".

Dr. Douglas M. Baker; Techniques of astral projection: "It is said that the cord is made of a silver like material and so long as it is patent, the astral body will always return to its physical counterpart when we awake or return to our physical habitat. There is also the suggestion that if the cord were to snap, return would not be possible. This becomes a real fear to many. In my own instance, many years back, I used to lock my bedroom door before any sort of esoteric endeavour like meditation or astral projection because of this fear. It was widely believed that any sort of interruption whilst out of the body could bring about rupture of the silver cord. Does it exist? Is there any danger linked to its breakage? I can only speak from experience. In all my many projections, I have never seen a cord, either linked to me or to another person. This does not mean that the cord does not exist. It may be that with my nasty scientific mind, I don't or won't accept that a piece of material like the so-called astral cord can be extended indefinitely, perhaps as much as two hundred thousand miles, say, to the Moon. That there is a tug back towards the physical body, I admit. That there is a feeling of linkage near the umbilicus or, in women, as Eileen Garrett describes it, just above the breasts, I will also admit but that it is a cord, that I will not accept. I always say: "If you see a cord, take a pair of scissors and cut it!"

J.D.S.; the Chakra of Exit and the silver-cord: "This last occurrence is absolutely fascinating in that the soul extension and Kundalini exist from the chakra that the person focused on the most in that lifetime. The ideal would be to leave out of the crown chakra or at minimum, the third eye. However, the soul extensions, or personalities, that were very astrally focused in that lifetime will leave out of the soul plexus chakra. If they were love-focused they will leave out of the heart chakra. If they were will- and communication- focused in that lifetime they will leave out of the throat chakra. If they were focused on spiritual sight as their main interest they will leave out of the third eye. If they were God-focused they will leave out of crown. Which chakra the personality leaves out of will also affect the Bardo experience and possibly which plane it will magnetize toward after the Bardo. It is usually the astral seed atom that leaves first, then the mental seed atom, and lastly the head seed atom. When the emotional and mental seed atoms leave, one is no longer conscious of the Earth plane. When the head seed atom leaves, the silver cord then breaks, releasing the soul extension completely. The hear seed atom will leave rather quickly in an initiate, but may remain in the physical body for three days in the case of a less evolved soul extension".

Robert Bruce; Treatise on Astral Projection Vol. II; Energy Flow: "The famed "Silver Cord" does more than just tie the two bodies together. It is a true umbilical cord, transmitting information and energy between the physical and subtle bodies. It is seen by some projectors and not seen by others. Sometimes it is seen emanating from the navel, sometimes from the forehead. The area the cord is seen emanating from may depend on chakra activity. Whichever chakra is the strongest, most active, could have control of energy flow to the subtle bodies. There is also the belief system of the projector to consider and the creative power of the subconscious mind. The cord will usually appear to be wherever you believe it will be, courtesy of the subconscious". Robert Bruce; Treatise on astral projection Vol. 1: "While you are climbing the ribbon imagine you are coming loose from the physical body. Imagine you can feel yourself rising a little with each new hand hold. Feel yourself floating free. You will feel a slight giddy feeling in the pit of your stomach, or solar plexus, as pressure is put on the astral body".

Bod Peterson; Out of Body Experiences versus Lucid-Dreams: "After all, not every OBEer' perceives the legendary silver cord, and of those that do some report it as emerging from different points on the body to the solar plexus, such as the small of the back, the neck or the top of the head to name a few. It seems to depend on where you expect to see it. So, whether a physical body is percieved or not depends on whether you expect to see a body or not, in my opinion"

Matrica; Astral Travel, simplicity itself: "Work on projecting a cloud of your energy out through your solar plexus (some people work better projecting from the 3d eye, I personally project the body through the solar plexus and when I project the consciousness into it, I do it via the 3d eye".

Lee Bladon; Esoteric Knowledge: "When we fall asleep the monad (in the triad) detaches the consciousness thread from the physical-etheric brain and leaves the physical-etheric body, usually via the navel or heart chakra, causing the physical body to become unconscious". – "The monad can leave the physical-etheric body by one of three exits: the navel chakra, the heart chakra or the crown chakra. Primitive and civilised people use the navel chakra, developed and humanistic people use the heart chakra, and enlightened people use the crown chakra. The navel and heart chakras correspond to the lower (2:1–2:3) and upper (2:4–2:6) emotional plane so are obvious points of exit to the emotional world. Exiting through the crown chakra ensures that the consciousness thread is not detached, which not only allows the waking consciousness to remember the monad's out-of-body activities but to actually experience the events as they occur. This is an ability that naturally develops at (or just prior) to enlightenment, but it is possible for fairly well developed individuals to acquire the ability early through the use of specific yogic and meditative disciplines".

Max Heindel; the Rosicrucian Mysteries: "No matter how long we may keep the Spirit from passing out, however, at last there will come a time when no stimulant can hold it and the last breath is drawn. Then the silver cord of which the Bible speaks, and which holds the higher and the lower vehicles together, snaps in the heart and causes that organ to stop. That rupture releases the vital body, and it, with the desire body and mind, floats above the visible body for from one to three and one-half days, while the Spirit is engaged in reviewing the past life, an exceedingly important part of its post-mortem experience. Upon that review depends its whole existence from death to a new birth".

Andrew Jackson: Death and the afterlife: "The golden emanation, which extends up midway to the ceiling, is connected with the brain by a very this, life-thread." – "the fine life-thread continues attached to the old brain. The next thing is the withdrawal of the electric principle. When this thread snaps, the spiritual body is free."

Mike Azreal: The way to achieve OBE: "Now another term you may have come across during your investigations into projection is 'the silver cord'. This is basically a term for the link that is always present (but not always visible) between your physical body and your astral body. You may have already spotted this during your projection and if so then one of the easiest methods you can use to get back to your body is to follow it." – "Believe it or not as your physical body begins to require the routine maintenance tasks such as eating or drinking or needing the bathroom, you will begin to feel a pulling on your astral body much like the one you felt as soon as you got out and were still reasonably close to it. This pulling will increase as the hunger/thirst etc. increases and you'll find it increasingly difficult to stay out." –"transfer your consciousness along the glowing thread."

Edgar Van Oostrum: Astral projection 101: "Once you have energized your whole body like this, concentrate on all the spheres and shafts at once. Be aware of all the colors. After having done this exercise a number of times, you will feel actual tingling in the centres when you energize them. You will feel your solar plexus (in the middle of your body, right between your belly button and ribs) throbbing like crazy. Here's where you will exteriorizing astral substance." – "Now, make a mental resolution to lift this point where you are out of your body, along the line (cord) that links you with your vehicle, into your vehicle,"

Astral travel Wiccan method by an unknown Author: "It seems as though the aka thread which connects the spirit and the body has elastic-like properties. When it is short it is very strong, but as you stretch it, it becomes weaker. Once you have put in about 30 feet of separation it seems you can go anywhere." – "-a thread called an AKA THREAD connects the spirit and the body. (If this thread should ever become disconnected it means that you have passed on). When you first seperate the spirit from the body you will actually see this small white-like thread connecting the two beings)."

Spiritual Journeys: Teachings from another dimension, by Michael Connolly: "On a material level, they are; on an energy level, they are not. All living things, all sentient beings are connected to each other by a fine thread of energy." – "bear in mind that the silver thread does not carry vital energy, but energy impulses. The etheric body uses the chakras - especially the Solar Plexus chakra - to draw the required amount of vital energy from the ether." – "The silver thread is a thin cord of energy that links each unit of energy/consciousness to the Central Sphere, the Source. It acts not only as a link, but also as a conduit for "impulses" of pure energy from the Source to the individual. It is also a conduit for the return of consciousness to the higher planes."

Holotropic mind: By Stanislov Grof, M.D. with Hal Zina Bennet, Ph.D: "Some people also identify with the experience of astronauts floating weightlessly in space, attached to the "mother ship" with the life-giving umbilical pipeline."
Astral projection: A complete guide – unknown Author: Energy Flow: "The famed "Silver Cord" does more than just tie the two bodies together. It is a true umbilical cord, transmitting information and energy between the physical and subtle bodies. It is seen by some projectors and not seen by others. Sometimes it is seen emanating from the navel, sometimes from the forehead. The area the cord is seen emanating from may depend on chakra activity."

Tips for astral projection: Unknown Author: "work on projecting a cloud of your energy out through your solar plexus (some people work better projecting from the 3d eye, I personally project the body through the solar plexus and when I project the consciousness into it, I do it via the 3d eye."

Adventures beyond the body: How to experience out of body travel: By William Buhlman: Silver cord: "The traditional biblical term for the non-physical connection between the first inner energy body and the biological body. In many respects, it is similar to an energy umbilical cord capable of stretching for immense distances. In appearance, though, it is not cordlike but is observed as thin, fibrous filaments connecting the biological body to its densest non-physical counterpart." – "The biblical concept of the silver cord is accurate. According to my observations, it is not actually a cord but a thin, fibrous substance similar in appearance to a spider's web. The silver cord appears to function as the connection between the physical body and the first inner energy-body of all life-forms. Though its complete function is unknown, it's logical that it may act as an inner energy conduit. One thing is certain, when the cord is severed, the biological life ends."
Edgar Cayce and the silver cord: Known as the greatest prophet of the 20th Century; he was able to disconnect from his physical-vehicle in order to channel or to clairvoyantly acquire information for individuals in need, thusly, he was even said to have been capable of speaking through his physical-vehicle as he was astral-projected. Upon interrupting a session where Edgar Cayce was entranced whilst his body was speaking to a patient, a certain friend of Edgar's who was present during this session claimed to witness what he called Edgar's astral-body amidst a materialized state which was connected by a "silver-cord" in which extended from the disembodied shade to what he said was the "solar-plexus" region of his physical-body. When this instance had occurred, Edgar's disembodied form then turned to observe he who had interrupted the session as Edgar's physical-vehicle immediately ceased speaking.

In the Authors perception, Alice Bailey seems to have confused the "silver-umbilical-cord" with the golden-Sutratma-thread in the quoted excerpts which are presented below:

Here is what Alice Ascertains: "The Sutratma is that magnetic link, spoken of in the Christian Bible as the "silver cord," that thread of living light which connects the Monad, the Spirit in man, with the physical brain." – "Sutratma is that magnetic link, spoken of in the Christian Bible as the "silver cord," that thread of living light which connects the Monad, the Spirit in man, with the physical brain." – "as a sphere of radiant fire, linked with the initiate standing before it by that magnetic thread of fire which passes through all his bodies and terminates within the centre of the physical brain."  This "silver thread" (as it is rather inaccurately called in the Bible, where the description of its loosing of the physical body and subsequent withdrawal is found) emanates from the heart centre of the solar Angel, linking thus heart and brain,— that great duality manifesting in this solar system, love and intelligence." – Alice Bailey.  

The words of the Author in counter-debate: "The astral-umbilical-cord manifests immediately during the initial stages of an out-of-body experience – where the golden Sutratma-thread "breaks its electromagnetic cohesion" with the brain of the physical body. Upon breaking energetic cohesion with the brain of the physical vessel, the Sutratma-thread instantaneously shifts and elevates from its stationed grounding point; thusly, to the lower-manas mind center, which fourth-dimensionally threads through the astral crown force-center. The astral-umbilical-cord is a silvery grey color, due to its astral to ethereal prana correspondences; whereas, the golden Sutratma-thread, or spiritual-consciousness-thread, is shimmering golden in color, due to its direct correspondences with "Boddhi-Atma prana," which streams forth from the three dimensional sub-planes of the causal plane, from one's causal-spirit-body. Stately, I am perturbed about disputing a renowned Theosophical Author, but for the sake of the higher good, I cannot cease to refrain from expounding my thoroughly researched disagreement.                              

Can the astral-cord be weakened, deteriorated or broken prematurely to natural causes? Some would claim that the astral-cord cannot be broken; SPIRIT-INFINITY could not disagree more, for the physical-vehicle is merely a biological, electromagnetically charged machine in which grounds the incarnate-spirit-entity, and, thusly, filters that embodied spirit's spiritual-mind and consciousness-principle. For instance, I am quite convinced that the astral-cord defenses become exceptionally weakened during the event of an O.O.B. variant of a N.D.E; therein whirls the prospective vortex emnompassing the infamous gateway of our concern. As with any computer generated security-system-program, its programmed bio-computer functions in which sustain the spiritual-grounding and spiritual-consciousness-filtration processes can be over-ridden, inhibited, and even killed entirely. The astral shield of the ethereal Aura can be circumvented as much as the security-system safe-guards of the astral-umbilical-cord can also be bypassed.

Spiritual walk-ins, channeling/ mediumship, and possession are proof that the astral umbilical cord and the spiritual-consciousness-thread-ground can be infiltrated by a spiritual entity other than the incarnate-spirit who occupies thereof; and some such cases can result in permanent occupancy of such a physical vessel, whereas the originally incarnate-spirit resultantly looses his or her life-line connection thereto.

Note: In worst case scenarios, consequences from etheric-withdrawal as the result of conducting rites of mediumship or rites of etheric-mesmerism can actually kill the medium. Likewise, the risk of spiritual possession over the medium's physical body may also be intimitely greater depending upon the nature of the spirit who is being channeled through the medium's body; herein is a prime example as to how a medium or channel ventures into certain occult areas in which may potentially evoke imminent contact with a near-death-state. Now, apply the esoteric concept of ethereal-absorption to astral life-line-absorption, and thus question what some individuals seem to so naively convey – when they say that the astral-umbilical-cord cannot be broken until death! Wrong!

Considering that you are personally aware of the fact that you are, indeed, an embodied spiritual-being, then seriously ask yourself the following question: How else would possession, walk-ins or advanced states of channeling or mediumship types of phenomena occur if the astral-cord/ life-line were not being somehow infiltrated or otherwise absorbed into by a foreign spirit-entity, regardless of whether this occurrence happens temporarily, permanently, lawfully or unlawfully?

Now, consider the concept of how astral-shield penetration and ethereal-aura-absorption is known to occur during inductions of mediumship, possessions and walk-ins; just as the astral-shield of the ethereal-Aura can be weakened, damaged, or likewise infiltrated, so can the astral-cord aspect of the security-system defenses pertaining to the physical-vehicle. I speak of circumvention followed by infiltration of those energetic functions in which moderate the bio-electro-magnetism of the spiritual-extraction process between a disembodied astral-vehicle and the physical-vehicle. So, if the ethereal aspects of the security-system defenses of the physical body can be weakened, altered, stalled, infiltrated, inhibited, or thus damaged, so the astral/ ethereal-umbilical-cord can also be likewise influenced.

"Given adequate circumstances there are always exceptions for nearly every perceivable phenomenon, as obscure or as rare as such may be in manifested occurrence." There are numerous accounts of possession and walk-in phenomena which involve a permanent occupancy over an acquired physical-vessel; this knowledge strongly indicates that prana flow from through the silver-umbilical-cord is obviously capable of jumping currents/ tracks between harnessed astral-bodies, especially where resonance between two astral bodies is permitted to occur. Rephrased, under the necessary conditions, the silver-umbilical-cord can be cross wired as to exchange the prana-circuits between the astral bodies and physical security-systems when astral body extraction has been triggered. Many recorded occurrences of mediumship, possession and walk-in related phenomena clearly involved the premature severing, or a gradual diminishing, of an originally inhabiting spirit's astral/ ethereal-cord connection to their physical-vehicle. To deny that the silver-umbilical-cord connection can be prematurely dissipated or otherwise exchanged is to stately deny relevant accounts of spiritual mediumship, possession and walk-ins. To argue against the possibility of these concepts very likely indicates that you do not believe that you, yourself, are truly an embodied spiritual-being, for the illusory effigy of physical-vessel is not truly who or what you are as an entity, but merely a program of self image which is perpetuated by hypnosis. This subject is covered more extensively throughout Chapter 4. Circumventionystem of the physical-vehicle is reviewed more explicitly in Chapter 777.

Note: Often times, a near-death-O.O.B.E. is the necessary gateway-experience through which a spiritual walk-in may occur; apply this concept to life-line absorption. Similarly, one of the ways by which the infamous skin-walker sorcerers of Native America were said to have ceased possession over the physical-body an animal or a human victim was by forcibly inducing a near death state through which the physical life-force of the targeted victim's physical-vehicle was made more vulnerable and thereby more accessible. Also, introspectively compare inductions of such phenomena to how a shamanic power-plant ally can be utilized in order to induce near-death-like states under advanced applications of lower-magick based sorcery, and then apply this information to skin-walker sorcery. One does not need to come as close to death as one might think in order to access the desired vortex that inveriably leads to the gateway to an incapacitated physical-vessel, thus through a crafefully staged physical extraction of astral energy. "A sorcerer is one who may willingly defy death in bidding for serious, spiritual-power."

How possession, skin-walking and walk-in phenomena can occur through:
1. Merging astral spirit-bodies.
2. The melding of spiritual-mind bodies and Sutratma-threads; and mind melding.
3. Astral-cord absorption; many cases of walk-ins involve a spirit-entity who absorbs the walk-out's astral-cord connection.
4. Ethereal-Aura-absorption, an Auric energy-exchange, or through mesmeric-sympathy, which is the same as ethereal-veil merging; common in mediumship and channeling.
5. Ill health, imbalanced prana flow through the force-centers, or weakened chi flow may have been the result of incurring ethereal Aura damage.
6. A weakened astral-shield as the result of ethereal Aura damage.
7. A weakened consciousness-filter, which reflects in a combinantion of physical and ethereal brain damage.

Common modes of possession:
1. Absorption through ethereal force-centers or from through the ethereal aura.
2. Astral-cord absorption; similar to the fashion through which spirit-walk-ins occur.
3. Multiple entities collaborating in a tactic of astral-strategy can strengthen astral-infiltration-rites.
4. Rites of black magick or dark sorcery, usually involving skin-walker rites; there are far eastern as well as western variants of such applications.

*The Buddhist Reverend Lobsang Rampa and (transmigration): This spiritual Reverend obviously circumvented his astral-cord connection; also, the Vedic Saint, Rishi Sundaranatha clearly circumvented his astral-cord connection, as well, "under premature circumstances," in the process of forming a new life-line connection with a dying cow-herder.

"Given the adequate circumstances there are always exceptions for nearly every perceivable phenomenon or supposed rule, as obscure or as rare as such may seem." –
777 Spirit Infinity 888.

Under most ordinary circumstances the astral-umbilical-cord is remarkably resilient against relinquishing its link of magnetism to an out-of-body yet incarnate-spirit, hence its natural astral safe-guards for rejecting foreign astral-spirits who might attempt to cease possession over one's unoccupied physical vessel. Review the techniques of security-system circumvention within Chapter 777, and apply such as the necessary application of Occult Alchemy to this equation as a whole; therein whirls the prospective vortex of desire. It is very easy to die in the midst of performing specific Shamanic related sorcery rites for inducing prolonged, states of out-of-body projection. In other words, sorcery can be directly aimed at inhibiting the astral-shield, hence diminishing the spiritual-grounding defenses of one's physical-vehicle, thus weakening one's astral-cord magnetism as a result. A sorcerer is one who views death as being merely an open vortex; he is a priest who may spiritually defy death in acquiring power through the induction of disembodied states.


The astral-cord and astral flight: While flying amidst a state of astral projection, have you ever felt buoyant, springy, or tension-like sensations in which rush up and down your lifeline, as you "will" yourself forward? What about being suddenly jolted back into cohesion with your physical body from amidst a lucid dream or a disembodied state? Furthermore, have you ever noticed any slight to severe convulsions or tremors from within the midsection region of your physical vehicle upon being jolted back to embodied cohesion from amidst an astral state? Is such convulsions resultant of an energetic magnetism in correspondence to opposite moving currents of Fohat-prana mingled with Prana-prana channeling through the lifeline? Have you ever experienced a feeling of energetic resistance within the naval region upon breaking cohesion from the physical vehicle during the initial phases of astral projection? Clearly, the lifeline is a critical element of the security system of the physical vehicle; once the defenses of the physical security system have been activated, the lifeline then triggers an over-powering current and or polarity of electromagnetic energy through which it literally extracts one's astral body. If one were suddenly jolted back into energetic cohesion with one's physical vehicle from being out of body, perhaps due to a traumatic incident, naval region convulsions may occur and thus persist for several minutes upon returning to a state of physical embodiment. The metaphysics behind the lifeline phenomenon certainly requires more in depth research. There may be resistance based upon interplay of positive and negative charged polarity, or otherwise opposite currents, within the lifeline energy-force as the astral vehicle divides from being in cohesion with the physical vehicle. Do you see what I'm inferring here? In order for the lifeline to sustain energetic resonance through oscillating, or magnetism between the dividing energy vehicles; would be to observe the energetic functions of the naval and heart chakra polarities, of which the energy currents of these two chakras are reversed in men as opposed to women. After all, when one is amidst an ordinary state of physical embodiment, there is a circulatory inter-play of both positive and negative charged electromagnetic energy; this fohat mingled with prana and udana, of which currents inwardly as well as outwardly; being an exchange of energy between the astral, mental, ethereal and physical divisions within the auric-field. So, doesn't my metaphysical theory in regard to lifeline manifestation make fervent sense? – "Spirit Infinity."

Astral and psychic defense: