WELL defined crease, if you will send us the YEAR, DAY OF THE MONTH and HOUR OF THE DAY when the person was born, it will confer a great favor on us. This will give the lines of the yearly zodiac.

The moon's zodiacal lines are equally important to us and much easier to obtain. When the moon was on the line between two signs, the line will be clearly seen across the room down the middle of the forehead, no matter about the above dates, for this may occur on whatever dates the person was born; if you will send us the YEAR, DAY OF THE MONTH, and HOUR OF THE DAY, we will be very thankful. But one word of caution; viz., we do not wish any dates where the lines are not unmistakably visible in the skull-bone from top to base of brain, either front or back. We take occasion to thank our numerous friends for the dates already sent, but we have not enough to remove all possibility of mistake.

Yours, in love of truth,

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

MR. HIRAM E. BUTLER.

Dear Sir,

H. E. BUTLER.

I was born October 17th, hence

according to Solar Biology the Genius of Libra should be my dominant.

Indeed, much of your analysis of Libra, as given in THE ESOTERIC for October, is as a mirror in which I see parts of my nature drawn in true and decisive lines. As to other parts you bear false witness, else I am false to Libra. I suspect the falsehood is mine, for I often discover very much of Aries in myself.

For specific reference let me quote:

:

"If they learn from another, they memorize verbatim because they feel the need of a head and a guide."

My friends say I am exceedingly self-reliant, and as for memorizing verbatim, I cannot, neither is it my habit.

"They are apt to follow the words literally." No! no! I delight in offending the literal sense of words; and am extravagant in metaphor, parable and simile. "Disinclined to reason or muse on metaphysical subjects." Just the opposite is true in my case, metaphysical subtleties are my delight, and abstract truths are my hobbies.

How would you reconcile me to the character of Libra? Will you kindly reply through THE ESOTERIC, being assured that my inquiry is not controversial. Yours fraternally,

M.

Ans. VERY few persons have learned to make the fine distinctions between musing, passively thinking about, and reasoning from analogy. We know very well that has a love for the occult, for anything new and scientific. Then you say "No! no! I delight in offending the literal sense." Yes, no doubt, you do so with all except those matters that you have complete confidence in; then you would go to the other extreme. Libra is liable to extremes in everything; and no doubt through an excessive habit of reading and finding so many errors in literature, you have been true to your nature and reached the other extreme as your letter so well indicates. You need to study well your real nature without regard to culture, and you will find everything stated to be true to a greater or less extent. Libra has more difficulty in understanding its real nature than any other sign. But our friends must remember that each of the twelve divisions is only a basic principle, and one out of eight. So if we should take your date of birth, and read the other characteristics, we probably would find many modifications. BOSTON, OCT. 15.

A short time ago you asked anyone having a straight line across the forehead, from the nose to the hair, to give the date and place of birth. Will you kindly give the significance of the line in your next magazine and oblige, An Inquirer.

Ans. The line in the forehead indicates that the moon was on the line between two signs at the time of the person's birth, and such are characterized by two distinct polarities instead of one, as is generally the case, and possess in degree a double nature, as to their intellectual tendencies; sometimes one and then the other polarity is dominating; or they may even be carrying on two lines of thought at the same time. Where the crease is down the back-brain, it is a sign that the earth was on the line between two signs of the sun's zodiac, this does not alter the polarity, but gives a dual nature to the person's basic quality. For further explanation of the subject see "Lines on the Head page 216; also, note on page 75, August number, especially the third paragraph.

Dear Brothers,

MOUNT GILEAD, O. OCT. 17th. 1888.

I see from THE ESOTERIC you propose organizing a college. (1) What will you teach?

(2) What degrees will be conferred?

(3) How long will it take to finish the course?

(4) Can non-residents participate by correspondence?

(5) What will it cost?

Please write me all about it and when it will commence? Rev. W. T., D. D.

Ans. (1) The teachings will mainly pertain to the methods by which to acquire the mastery over self through an understanding of the laws of Nature and conformity therewith.

(2) The degrees being of a real rather than a nominal character will depend on the capacity of the student to receive and utilize.

(3) The time required will depend altogether on the person.

(4) It is expected that non-residents will be able to participate in degree, but the extent to which this will be found practicable has not yet been fully determined. (5) As to what it will cost, we may say in a general sense: all a man is, or expects to be; all he has, or hopes to possess. As to the time of commencement, watch the new scientific department of THE ESOTERIC, the announcement of which will be found in this issue under head of "To the Awakened,"

MR. HIRAM E. BUTLER.

Dear Sir,

and oblige a student?

ST. HELENE, SEPT. 24, 1888.

Will you please answer a few questions

First, is it the proper thing for a student, during the Wednesday and Friday sittings, to experience intense heat in the feet, sometimes as though on coals of fire? Has this any meaning? if so, what? and should one try to continue the practice, or should one stop concentrating?

Second, could you explain the condition when one goes out of the senses and reads books, pages and pages of matter so engaging that the reading is indulged in with the greatest intensity for quite a period of time, but when returning to the normal condition, only glimpses can be caught of what has been read?

Could you explain such conditions and suggest the better plan for action? My experience differs from others' that I have talked with, which I do not understand.

I have introduced THE ESOTERIC to a number of students who stumble on such articles as "A View of Creation," in January number, 1888, and "Power of Thought-Formation," in November number, 1887, and "Practical Instruction " in September number, 1888.

Third, they ask if your vision is open to behold these things of which you speak. To see the "thought-formations and the elementals," do you speak from actual experience? An answer to this would greatly oblige the class that are seeking atYours very respectfully, L. T.

tainments.

Ans. The heat in the palms and feet are indications of progress (see July No. Vol. II. of THE ESOTERIC, pages 40 and 41).

By continuing and carefully conducting the respirations you can use the breath as a means to draw the fire from the extremities and concentrate it in the trunk of the body where it will be under the control of the will for use.

Second, the reading of the spectral book is a normal state of a soul sufficiently advanced to begin collecting knowledge from the astral zones and is a means by which the soul receives instruction without the intervention of the external senses. The external does not retain the knowledge, first, because of the psychisms with which we are surrounded; second, because no sufficient harmony is established between brain and soul. But the soul will retain the knowledge and work it out in the experience of the external life. You are nearing the door of the Sacred Temple; we would say continue to read and try to unite the two states of consciousness, so as to remember what you thus read.

Your third question, being a personal one, it would not be proper for me to answer, but as this has been asked before, we will say: yes.

ESTEEMED EDITORS,

PHILADELPHIA, PA., OCT. 15, 1888.

Like many, or rather all, your subscribers, I must acknowledge each succeeding number of THE ESOTERIC is better than the last. But what I wish to say is how grand I think the idea of the soul-communion meetings. I regard them each Wednesday evening as well as those of the 27th of each month. But I, as well as others, do wish you would advertise in your journal the subject for each Wednesday evening to be thought of in concert. If the subjects for each succeeding Wednesday were published in THE ESOTERIC first of the month would it not be a link to assist each soul to enter the same chain? I hope for the continued success of THE ESOTERIC.

Ans. The suggestion is a good one and one we have thought to employ, and will probably be inaugurated with our next issue. For the present we adhere to the exercise given in Practical Instruction, September number.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

HAVING printed an extra quantity of THE ESOTERIC for November, to be used for sample purposes, we send each of our subscribers two copies, one of which we earnestly request them to use in accordance with their best judgement to extend the knowledge and circulation of the magazine. We also desire as heretofore the names of all those who are likely to be interested in our work, and shall appreciate any and all aid that our readers can render in this and other directions.

QUITE an important announcement appears in our present issue under head of "To the 'Awakened"", which on the one hand is sufficiently mystical to conserve the higher aims and uses of the new knowledge, yet, on the other, promises to be adequately practical, and demonstrative to meet the requirements of the most literally scientific and utilitarian. We let the communication speak for itself, and have no doubt our readers will watch the development from month to month of this important department with keen interest as well as substantial profit.

To meet the numerous applications of our readers for a more extended list of occult and progressive works, we have added eight pages to the present number

in order to give place to our new catalogue, without encroaching on the space allotted to our reading matter. This will afford our subscribers a favorable opportunity to make selections for their fall and winter reading. As the present number will reach many who were not subscribers to the first volume, we give its table of contents in connection with our catalogue. This comprehensive volume of 446 pages, bound in cloth, will be sent post paid for $2.00.

THE Society Esoteric finds it inexpedient to conduct a corresponding membership, partly on account of the difficulty of securing persons that have both the time and ability to attend to the correspondence properly, and further because the Unity of Desire meetings instituted by THE ESOTERIC together with the series of Practical Instruction and opportunity for questions and answers which THE ESOTERIC affords, serve to a large extent the objects the Society had in view. They consequently voted to turn the corresponding department over to the Publishing Company to conduct or settle with the corresponding members. As we have not the time to attend to it in its present form, all money paid on this account that has not been expended for blanks etc., will be returned, or the amount can be had in books or applied on account of subscription to THE ESOTERIC. We have, however, under way a pamphlet quite definitely setting forth our objects, that will be forwarded to those who desire to become associated with us as workers to aid in the accomplishment of some very important ultimates, as we realize that we have within our reach practical methods and means for results far beyond the ordinary ideal or estimate, that only require co-operation on the part of earnest people for their ultimation.

CLUB PREMIUMS.

Subscriptions may date back commencing with any number desired, as we print from plates and can supply all numbers from the first issue.

Anyone sending us $4.50 for a club of three can have a fourth subscription free of charge.

To any subscriber who sends us $1.50, and one additional name, we will send the pamphlet of "TWELVE MANNER OF PEOPLE," or any fifty cent book in our list. For $3.00 and two new subscribers we will send any $1.00 book you may select..

For $4.50 and three new subscribers we will send Prof. Butler's "SEVEN CREATIVE PRINCIPLES" or its equivalent in other books.

For $6.00 and four subscribers we will send "THE PERFECT WAY," or THE ESOTERIC Vol. I bound.

forwarded as secured, they will be complete. Where members of a should be sent for each copy re

For $12.00 and eight subscribers we will send "SOLAR BIOLOGY.” The names can be all sent at one time, or if placed to the sender's credit until the number is club desire "THE PERFECT WAY" $1.50 extra quired. Foreign subscribers will send 25 cents extra for yearly postage on THE ÉSOTERIC.

Make checks and money orders payable to The Esoteric Publishing Company instead of to individual members of the Company.

ESOTERIC PUBLISHING COMPANY. 478 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, Mass.

THE ESOTERIC.

A Magazine of Advanced and Practical Esoteric Thought.

Copyrighted, 1888.

VOL. II.]

[No. 6.

Nov. 22. To DEC. 21.

SOME OCCULT PHENOMENA AND FORCES FROM
THE SCIENTIFIC STANDPOINT.

BY VIDYA-NYAIKA.

Introductory Article, No. 1.

BEFORE the higher mathematics can be understood, the pupil must master arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry; before quantitative analysis can be made, the chemist must be able to make qualitative estimates and be familiar with the properties and compounds of the elements; and before the reader of these articles can thoroughly comprehend the explanations to be given of some of the occult phenomena and forces, he must make a preliminary study of the general properties and laws, of the actions and reactions of the materials (matter in its different states) concerned in their production. The reader must possess accurate ideas of the meanings of the words used, often in a new sense, and of the elementary principles and facts upon which the exposition will be based. If the articles meet with the approval of the readers of THE ESOTERIC, they may be indefinitely continued. The subject is a very broad one, covering almost the whole domain of physics, and including explanations from a physical standpoint of all occult forces that may be exoterically treated. The student of science will discover that there are indeed "more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy," and will gradually be led to understand that the odium scientificum is just as apt to exclude important facts as the odium theologicum, and that there is a domain of experimental investigation based upon observable facts about which the schools know nothing. This exposition will be made as completely, as will be allowable with our covenant; and in addition to the general purpose which it may serve in the dissemination of knowledge, it is to be hoped that it will lead up to a comprehension of the general character of the scientific teaching, that will be given in the College Esoteric, apart from the other Culture of a more definitely Spiritual character. The patience of the reader must be conserved during the preliminary articles, for without a complete understanding of the facts and the phenomena upon which the laws are based, all the succeeding articles will be understood in a manner entirely different from that which is intended.

The majority of people have no idea that there are many occult phenomena connected with the well-known forces; and think that occult forces are necessarily so mysterious that they must forever remain unexplain