The closer they approached the temple of the soul, the more the building revealed of its beauty.

It stood there majestically, high above its surroundings, like a rock in the surf.

There he would be allowed to enter.

What architecture!

The highest towers, he saw hundreds of them, could not be seen entirely.

The top of these towers seemed to dissolve and he knew what it meant.

This, Alcar had explained to him on his previous journeys.

The highest towers were connected with the fifth sphere.

This could not be apprehended on earth, and yet, that was its meaning.

All these high towers dissolved in the universe, and this meant it was possible to evolve further.

Here in the spheres everything had symbolic meaning, but after real life.

A symbol was like nature; it represented life and one could assimilate that.

How this building radiated!

In the spheres everything was alive.

Here man saw and felt God’s sacred life.

This was impossible on earth.

There it was not possible to see the radiation of man and animal, of buildings and nature.

Yet, there too, every object radiated its own strength, though invisible to man.

Here, however, the radiation was visible and reflected the inner level of man and animal.

Everything was amazingly beautiful.

Here he felt the tranquillity of the spirit.

Oh, what beauty!

If only the people on earth could see this!

‘The temple of the soul’, he read, and above this were some signs which he did not understand.

The building was entirely open.

That, too, was an amazing phenomenon.

How could a building be erected in that way?

One could see in all directions.

Alcar led the way and they entered the temple of the soul.

Wherever he looked, he saw spiritual beings.

Each wore his own robe and he saw they radiated light.

How was it possible to build like that?

Was this known on earth?

Did it bear relation to all the spheres and were they the architects of the seventh sphere who, so to speak, innerly bore this building, and maintained it?

It was a miracle to look at.

This building was like man, like nature, like everything living at the side beyond.

Everything was open, like everyone was open; one could see into the depth of the soul.

Slowly they ascended and he felt what it meant.

Surely Alcar went to the higher halls, if halls is the proper word.

But what other word was there for a spiritual space?

This defied all description.

Everywhere in this building were flowers, and he noticed birds of the spheres circling around man.

Many sat down upon the hands that were held out to them and caressed man.

In every hall he saw the well-known spiritual fountain he had seen in every sphere.

This was a symbol of wisdom, of strength and love and this object of art urged the human being to acquire all those gifts.

Here the earthly creature lived, surrounded by flowers and birds; all this was like paradise.

Yet, he was only in the fourth sphere!

Then those higher spheres he all had been allowed to see, for how many journeys hadn't he made already?

He had been in all spheres and had received much wisdom.

But what he would see now, would outdo everything else.

Here, he would be connected with the universe where the beginning of creation would be shown and explained to him.

Alcar still led the way.

He led him towards a plateau where he saw a small building, an exact reproduction of the larger building.

A smaller temple; and here, too, everything was open.

All these smaller temples you see belong to the whole structure and are therefore a part of it.

Every building has the same architecture as the entire building, but only outwardly.

Innerly, every building has its own attunement, a condition, as you will see presently.

In this building, which is the temple of the soul, all spheres are present, from the first to the seventh and down to the profoundest depths of hell onward.

So all the spheres that man knows and possess on this side represent a separate temple and are accommodated in the entirety.

Thus, every temple of the inner building, that you now observe outwardly, represents a sphere, no matter whether it is a higher or a lower one, but all spheres have been incorporated in this mighty entirety.

On descending, or entering into a smaller temple, one is transitioned into that sphere; and observes it and is connected with that sphere, whatever it is like.

Do you understand what I mean, André?’

‘If I have understood you correctly and clearly, all these temples are like man and like a sphere.’

‘Exactly, so when I enter one of these temples, for instance the first sphere, and I wish to be connected with it, it will happen.

‘Not only can we be connected with the spheres, but also with man on earth, with planets, stars, and a thousand other things.

We are then transitioned into that condition and will see what we wish to see.

But there is more.

All degrees of cosmic love are present here.

That is, one can feel that pure love which a spirit living in the seventh sphere possesses.

Do you feel how mighty this is?

Thus, everything is present here.

Here man can be connected with the universe, with planets, stars, and other objects.

One can also take up some study or other here and is given a course in all those laws.

Only the masters living in the seventh sphere know how the entire structure was erected.

Only the masters can connect us with every degree of spiritual strength and attunement.

The masters live, so to speak, in the temple of the soul, and in one temple, therefore one can be connected with a master and be accommodated in the entirety.

Presently, it will be explained to you what happens here and how that connection is made possible.

In this temple we can be connected with the universe and with the beginning of creation.

The entire universe can be shown to us; all those millions of laws and problems can be solved for us here.

The masters can connect us and we see it happen before us.

They thus manifest themselves in this building; they support their sisters and brothers, and they allow them to enter their spiritual domain and to accept it as their own possession for a short while.’

Here, one can see his father and mother, sister and brother.

Wherever they may be.

We can see them again in this building.

Here, one can be connected with the universe when the masters deem it necessary; and the one being fathoms the other.

Then man bends his head and accepts and the mother bends for her child and the child for its mother.

There is quietude and peace, because God lives here so that we can be connected with the Divine.

Here, André, one sees into an other being and one knows that this being, even though one knew this human being on earth, is a wonder of spiritual wisdom.

But how is it on earth?

On earth this means power and personality, social standing and property.

He who has reached a high social position makes himself felt, and rules, nay, dominates everything and everybody within his reach.

He is both master and ruler, and people obey and do what he wants.

But here everything is different.

Here we bend our head for those who possess a higher level than we do and for those living in our own sphere, we feel great respect because they are our sisters and brothers in spirit.

Here, love is might and a law.

They have been on their way for thousands of years and in that time they have attained this attunement.

This is achievement; this is attainment; and all of us can achieve this.

It is a mighty creation, and every human being will acquire this temple, so that the soul – the human being – will be like this mighty building in which he lives and meets his sisters and brothers.

They went again through other halls.

Wherever André came, he saw spiritual beings.

How beautiful all these people were.

‘What are they doing, Alcar?’

‘They are waiting for the great moment and are preparing themselves for that wonderful event.

They are meditating, André; after that, they will see and experience.

Many of them will see their father and mother still living on earth, or at this side.

When beings lose sight of each other, they can be re-connected here.

Wherever these beings may be, they can be seen here.

Even if their ways have been separated for hundreds of years, here they will be found again and from that moment on they are connected again.

They follow this film of life and are thus shown where they are and in what condition the being is living.

When man has attained this level and can enter here, and his own soul – the twin soul which belongs to him – would be born again and thus live on earth, then he will find his twin soul again on earth.

Even if this soul, this life, is not born yet, it is possible to be connected with this young life.

Lantos told about his life, but it was master Emschor who let him experience this.

(footnote in first edition: See: The Cycle of the Soul.)

I can connect you with the past, but others will help me.

Thus, it will be clear to you that a father will find his child, and a mother her child, or vice versa but only with the aid of those possessing this power.

It sometimes happens that parents or beloved ones enter this side and cannot find their beloved ones who preceded them.

It is the temple of the soul which makes it possible.

It is known here where these souls are, and one knows and sees for what purpose the soul returned to the earth.

Some for a study, like us; others to find their beloved ones again, who are on earth or who have descended into the world of the unconscious.

‘We will enter here’, he heard him say inwardly.

‘You will observe, André.’

Immediately, André felt himself sink away and pass into a higher condition.

He started observing straightaway.

Alcar had entered a space.

Nothing could be seen but a bluish light.

But in that light he saw movement.

The entirety was like the firmament; here, however, it was enveloped in a dense haze.

He felt accommodated in this space and there was only air.

He could not describe it more clearly.

He felt himself in a strange but remarkable condition.

Now he saw other colours merging in the blue, and he only saw these colours when he thought about them, which he found very strange.

When he thought of a colour, regardless which one, he immediately observed these shades.

When he concentrated on something else, this would immediately manifest itself.

It was most fantastic; he felt a mighty strength entering himself and he understood its meaning.

Through the gifts and powers of others, he saw into the life interpreted here and it dominates the bluish haze, which remained the original colour.

A strange power was present here, and he felt a great awe.

He asked his leader: ‘Where are we, Alcar?’

A soft voice spoke to him and he heard inside himself:

‘Here I will connect you.

Remember, André, we can only speak mentally here.

Here we feel and go over in what we see and feel.’

‘What is the significance of that bluish haze, Alcar?’

‘It is like the firmament.

The scenes you observed manifested themselves, because you thought of them.

You were connected with yourself; this is the tremendous strength the masters command and which we shall attain ourselves.

Here, man can be connected with himself and this is possible through the intermediary of higher entities.

André waited for things to happen.

He perceived something in this blue haze.

What was that?

Could that be possible?

He saw himself and his leader while on their way to the temple of the soul.

They were approaching the building.

When they were near the temple, he read the inscription at the front of the temple, which he had not understood.

Now he suddenly knew what those figures meant: ‘Man, know thyself.’

Then they entered.

My God, he thought, this is also fixed.

He lived here in reality.

Here one attracted reality and again passed to that reality.

How strange all this was.

Then he heard Alcar say: ‘You see, André, everything is fixed.

We can draw everything to us and pass to it again, even if it happened thousands of years ago.

The smallest things will manifest themselves, however weak your concentration may be.

Here, in the temple of the soul, one can see one’s own film of life.

It is here that I saw my own past and came to know my friend; I have told you about it.

Attention now, here is another scene.

All this serves to explain to you what is possible in the spheres of light.

I concentrate on a certain event, on something that happened, and that event will manifest itself before us.’

André felt that Alcar concentrated himself.

In child-like simplicity, he focused his mind on Alcar.

He was now completely united with his leader, and he heard Alcar say: ‘Don’t think of anything else now, André.

Concentrate on me, and try to maintain this connection.’

André now felt the pure love of his leader coming into him, and waited for further events.

He saw something appearing in the blue haze.

Ah, he thought, how is that possible.

He saw a scene of the earth, where he had been with Alcar.

In that very place, his leader had connected him with the past and he had observed Alcar and his friend.

He now saw the moment when his leader was working at the portrait of his friend.

This scene disappeared and he saw another event manifest itself.

What he saw was amazing.

He saw himself with his leader.

Alcar was absorbed in thought and he began to see the past.

He now saw two different scenes; one had happened three hundred years ago and the other he had experienced himself, although it also belonged to the past.

How miraculous the forces at this side are, he thought.

One concentrated on it and the past became visible.

Now he saw another event.

It was the moment when they took leave of the earth and went towards the spheres of light.

How amazing what he was observing.

Now he felt becoming detached and connected again.

He heard Alcar say: ‘I will now connect you with your own life on earth, you will see that this is also possible.’

He observed and saw the house of his parents.

He saw his mother and father and recognized the surroundings where he was born.

How tremendous this strength is, he thought.

He heard a soft voice in him say: ‘Will you be quiet now, André?

I will show you another scene.

For that I need your full concentration.’

André concentrated his mind on quietness; he did not want to disturb his leader; for how grateful he felt for all this!

Again he saw his mother, and at the very instant he felt a great wonder.

He was entirely one with his mother and felt the great significance of this scene.

His beloved mother was expecting a baby and the young life she carried was him.

He was now moved by an inexplicable happiness.

There was a great wonder in his mother and he conceived her pure thoughts.

Deep was everything he observed; and he had to accept it.

Now he saw another scene.

He saw himself in his youth.

He played as a child, and all these events returned in his memory.

Yes, he thought, that has happened, I know.

He heard Alcar say: ‘See and observe, André.’

What he now saw was surely the most remarkable event of all.

He saw a dense haze beside him, and in that dense haze he saw something appear.

Something took shape and he trembled when he understood what it meant.

How is it possible that, of all things, he recognized his leader Alcar.

Alcar had known him already in his youth.

Alcar had always been his guardian angel.

Again he saw another wonder.

He saw spiritual children in front of him and those children were brought to him in his youth.

He now saw that Alcar brought these small ones to him and that he, as an earthly child, played with these spiritual children for hours on end.

Beside him, he saw his leader.

As the mother receives her child and is one with her child, begotten by the creative power, she shall and must experience this in material life.

This, here, is re-living but by higher powers and forces.

We are here in one of the halls of the spirit possessing the highest attunement; it is the hall of love and the possession of master Miradis.

This mentor puts his strength and personality at the disposal of man at this side and helps him to learn to know himself.

We have now descended into his own life.

All this lies deep in his life.

It is the heart of man living on earth; like the child, yet unborn, lives in the mother and feels what is thought and absorbed by the mother-brain.

Mother-love radiates through the young life in her, and this still unconscious life does absorb all these forces and is sustained.

Mother and child are one.

The child unconsciously, as I said, and the mother in happy expectation.

If the child would now be able to speak, it would tell its mother what it felt.

And this wonder, however incomprehensible it may be, occurs on earth; but the mother is not aware of it.

And yet, this feeling, these thousands of emotions, penetrate the day-consciousness of the mother.

This makes her very sensitive.

All these emotions give her own life an elevated attunement.

I pointed this out to you on earth.

This, however, is the sole picture, André, that I can evoke in your imagination and as a true picture, in order to be able to explain this temple condition of mentor Miradis.

It is mentor Miradis who connects us with our deep inner life, by allowing us to descend into his spiritual home.

Consequently, we are here in this master’s most sacred possession; in that what he is and owns in pure love.

I once showed you my spiritual home, which you entered.

When you had entered, you were absorbed in thought and stamped on the floor to feel what the softness, on which you walked, meant.

Truly, André, I am not trying to depict a symbol of a spiritual or other condition, this means experience; this is truth, for a spiritual home is as we are ourselves and the love we possess.

I invited you in my spiritual home, and I knew you would not know nor understand my spiritual home.

And yet, you entered.

In the hall of love stood my fountain.

In this temple you have seen and recognized this fountain.

You know it means wisdom, strength, and love.

Master Miradis possesses all this.

He is a spirit from the seventh sphere, and the mentor of this one, the fourth sphere.

He knows everything living below this sphere and is his possession, up to the seventh sphere.

Therefore, I can only connect you, because I am connected with him, with his deepest inner life.

I can find and always meet this master in the place where we are now.

As truly as there is a God in heaven watching; as truly as the perfect child of God is Christ, Who will guard all His children until the last one enters the Divine Spheres; as truly I am now connected with one of His children, and this being is guarding me and all who wish to approach him in love.

Do you feel what it means to us to enter the spiritual home of a spiritual prince?

That it is only possible when he or she, wishing to know her own self, is prepared to accept everything, and truly everything?

That the past, which resides in ourselves, is brought to consciousness by him and that we then see into our lives as if it happened that very moment?

That is why this was established.

That is why they created this amazing building, which is alive throughout, and hides our inner being, our past, and all of our conditions.

Is it no wonder then when I tell you that I couldn't explain its overall significance?

Do you feel the profound depth of this mighty building, and that it is the love of these sublime beings?

That they allow us to enter and that it is an immense grace?

So do realize, André, that you are standing on sacred and pure soil.

This is the preparation for still further advancement in order to understand the sacredness of what will be shown to you presently.

We are not yet in the place where the masters are, but we will go there in a minute.

All this is necessary to give you an idea of what awaits you.

You should feel this, my son; and if you can’t, we may as well return to the earth.

The masters will open themselves for us entirely.

However, they demand that we are ready and have prepared ourselves.

This is meant for every spirit living here.

Our entering has a special significance.

We have come here for another purpose and this purpose relates to themselves.

It is they, you know that already, who sent me to the earth to make this known to mankind.

And now the moment has arrived when we can be connected with them and you will learn to know the depth of the soul.

We will now go to another hall, André.’

He followed Alcar, who now entered another hall.

André looked around him.

Here, nothing could be seen either.

This hall was empty.

But he sensed something which made him feel happy.

He felt an awe-inspiring silence absorbing him.

Here he felt the tranquillity of a spirit, who stood far, very far above him.

He felt himself lifted into something sacred, so that he thought he was floating.

He felt that all this differed from a few moments ago, but he could not explain it.

The bluish haze had changed into a silvery light.

He knew this silvery light, as he had observed it in Alcar’s own sphere.

Now he felt that he was connected with Alcar.

His leader opened himself for him.

Alcar allowed him to see into his life.

Alcar’s inner life would presently be open to him.

The strength and love he felt descend in him, told him that this would happen.

He humbly opened himself and he saw the first indications appearing.

What sort of scene would this be?

A strong force went through him and with that force he heard soft organ music.

Through that music which vibrated within him, another scene passed and he understood its meaning.

How is it possible, he thought, Alcar’s marriage!

The most glorious day of his leader’s life on earth, for he became married.

Beside him stood his soul; the woman who loved him on earth.

This picture faded away and another scene manifested itself.

This, too, was a great wonder.

He saw a cradle and in the cradle was a small child.

He saw it trampling and stirring.

The child grew, and scene came after scene.

Now he saw the child again and, look it was his leader, Alcar.

This picture faded also and another appeared.

He saw several people together and he understood the meaning of this picture.

He was in a hall where the earthly master taught his pupils, and he saw that Alcar was a pupil.

This was a true scene and it had happened on earth.

How great this scene was.

The teacher was absorbed in deep thought.

An inner voice told him who it was.

How is it possible, he thought; what wonders of spiritual power.

The silence which came in him, was what his leader owned during his life on earth.

This scene faded also and another one appeared.

Flashes from the past were shown to him.

He consciously saw the past; he need not doubt anything.

He also felt that, if his leader wished to show his life from his birth onward, that would also be possible.

These were scenes, experiences which his soul had experienced and were momentous events.

Now he saw another wonder.

The end of his leader’s life on earth was manifested for him.

Alcar passed away and he saw his friends beside him.

All were sad, for he left life on earth too early.

Nothing was lost of this event.

He felt his leader’s terrible struggle and also felt the cause of his death.

This illness had been in him for years.

He descended deeply into this problem of his transition.

God called his child and death came.

A master of art had left the earth.

Now he felt Alcar returning to himself and that this connection was disrupted.

He looked up at his leader, but could not speak a word.

Alcar said: ‘You see, my boy, I can connect you with my own past.

Everything is fixed, down to the smallest events.

The purpose of all this is, that you will be able to accept the mighty wonder you are about to experience.

So I have done this for a fixed purpose; because we know that what will be shown to you by the masters, is too incomprehensible for the human mind.

That is why I prepared you for the mighty event awaiting you.’

‘Look, André, we shall enter that temple in front of you.’

André saw a small temple; but the entirety looked like the temple of the soul.

A golden light radiated from this magnificent building.

Alcar went inside.

Did the masters live here?

Here nothing could be seen either; but the inner light present here was dominated by that golden light.

He recognized that light, for he had observed that at the border of the seventh sphere, the sphere of mentor Cesarino.

(footnote in first edition: See: ‘A View into the Hereafter’, third volume.)

Would he see a wonder here?

Here, too, he felt himself as in space.

Now he clearly felt that his leader had connected him with the highest at this side.

‘Come close beside me, André.’

Alcar took his hand, and André felt that the great moment had come.

He felt Alcar’s hand and understood he had thus been lifted into his sphere.

He would not be able to enter here by his own strength.

A sacred feeling of quietness came in him.

Now he saw something move in that golden light and manifest itself.

At the same time, that ‘something’ condensed; it was like the rising sun sending her beams over the earth.

A tremendous light radiated over him.

He saw several beings in front of him, and he immediately recognized Alcar’s master.

Cesarino, he thought, I am so grateful to you.

He saw four entities, wearing the most magnificent robes.

They were the mentors of every sphere, and they all belonged to the seventh sphere.

Cesarino wore a robe he could not describe.

All shades of colours, from the first sphere onward, were present, but the golden light dominated this robe.

He saw the soft shade of purple enveloped in a bluish haze, assuming this golden light again.

A spiritual robe was alive and radiated its light, like everything at this side.

He had never seen anything so beautiful.

A spirit, who had been at this side for thousands of years, manifested himself in this way.

And yet, Alcar’s master looked like a young 30 year old man.

The other masters, too, were no older and wore magnificent spiritual robes.

The golden light was predominant in these robes; this reflected the attunement and sphere in which they lived.

My God, he thought, are they human beings?

They were the mentors Cesarino, Mondius, Miradis and Urabis, the masters of the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sphere.

These feelings came in him and he knew how they came to him.

The masters had come to him in a sea of light of a brillance which he could not absorb.

He could not digest it in that short moment, for he felt that the masters would leave.

He noticed, however, their youthful faces and their aureole of purity.

The masters looked at him and smiled.

An indescribable feeling overwhelmed him and he could no longer think of himself.

He felt and experienced this through the powers of others.

This was a tremendous grace for him and he bent his head and waited.

But immediately he heard a voice say: ‘Look at us, André.

We have come to you, to show you our presence here.’

Then he heard the voice say: ‘Now the moment has arrived that you may experience the highest at this side.

Master Alcar has developed you that far, but I supported him with that; for your leader carries out our wish; it is a task we all have to fulfil.

So I know about your life on earth, and how far master Alcar has advanced at this moment.’

Now the moment has come to connect you with the universe, the origin of creation.

Your leader has told you about our life, and you were allowed to see that life at our side.

You descended with him into the dark spheres and you were also allowed to see the highest spheres at this side and to feel the happiness of the spirit there.

All this serves to give man on earth a picture of what awaits him.

You have learned to know the higher spheres, degrees of spiritual love, life on earth, and the astral world.

You have received that already and passed it on to mankind; but now we will connect you with the universe.

This is for man on earth, so that he will receive a complete picture of his life there and at this side.

You will not only be connected with this life, but also descend with master Alcar into the deepest past, and be connected with various planets.

The purpose of this voyage is to show you the origin of everything.

What we will reveal to you presently has also been shown to us; and you will experience what we received at this side.

It is the reality of everything created by God.

However, we shall show you flashes of the true events, and all this serves to convince our sisters and brothers on earth of their Divine connection and attunement.

God created heaven and earth, man and animal but how all this happened will be shown to you.

Everything you received from the side beyond, belongs to our message; also what you are about to see.

We will now retire into our own life but will return to you later.

I beg Him, who gave us our life, for strength for you, so that you will understand everything.

Know, that what you will observe, is meant for those on earth who do not possess these gifts.