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The Portal of the Unknown by Andrew Jackson Davis, The Seer,
from the Best Psychic Stories, edited by Joseph Lewis French.
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
(00:21):
visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Dale Grothmann. The Portal
of the Unknown by Andrew Jackson Davis, The Seer. When
the hour of her death arrived, I was fortunately in
a proper state of mind and body to produce the
superior clairvoyant condition. But previous to throwing my spirit into
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that condition, I sought the most convenient and favorable position
that I might be allowed to make the observations entirely
unnoticed and undisturbed. Thus situated and conditioned, presus needed to
observe and investigate the mysterious process of dying, and to
learn what it is for an individual human spirit to
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undergo the changes consequent upon physical death or external dissolution.
They were these. I saw that the physical organization could
no longer subserve the diversified purposes or requirements of the
spiritual principle, but the various internal organs of the body
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appeared to resist the withdrawal of the animating soul. The
body and the soul, like two friends, strongly resisted the
various circumstances which rendered their eternal separation imperative and absolute.
These internal conflicts gave rise to manifestations of what seemed
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to be to the material senses the most thrilling and
painful sensations. But I was unspeakably thankful and delighted when
I perceived and realized the facts that these physical manifestations
were indications not of pain or unhappiness, but simply that
the spirit was eternally dissolving its co partnership with the
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material organism. Now, the head of the body became suddenly
enveloped in a fine, soft, mellow, luminous atmosphere. And as
instantly I saw the cerebrum and the cerebellum expand their
most interior positions, I saw them disconnect their appropriate galvanic functions,
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and then I saw them become highly charged with the
vital electricity and the vital magnetism which permeate subordinate systems
and structures. That is to say, the brain as a
whole suddenly declared itself to be tenfold more positive over
the lesser portions of the body than it ever was
during the period of health. This phenomenon invariably precedes the
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physical dissolution. Now the process of dying, or the spirit's
departure from the body, was fully commenced. The brain began
to attract the elements of electricity, of magnetism, of motion,
of life, and of sensation into its various and numerous departments.
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The head became immensely brilliant, and I particularly remarked that
just in the same proportions, as the extremities of the
organism grow dark and cold, the brain appears light and glowing.
Now I saw in the mellow spiritual atmosphere which emanated
from and encircled her head, the indistinct outlines of the
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formation of another head. This new head unfolded more and
more distinctly, and so indescribably compact and intensely brilliant did
it become that I could neither see through it nor
gaze upon it, as steadily as I desired. While this
spiritual head was being eliminated and organized from out and
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above the material head, I saw that the surrounding aromal atmosphere,
which had emanated from the material head was in great commotion.
But as the new head became more distinct and perfect,
this brilliant atmosphere gradually disappeared. This taught me that those
aromal elements, which were in the beginning of the metamorphosis
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attracted from the system into the brain, and thence eliminated
in the form of an atmosphere, were indissolubly united in
accordance with the divine principle of affinity in the universe,
which pervades and destinates every particle of matter, and developed
the spiritual head, which I beheld. In the identical manner
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in which the spiritual head was eliminated and unchangeably organized,
I saw unfolding in their natural progressive order, the harmonious
development of the neck, the shoulders, the breasts, and the
entire spiritual organization. It appeared from this even to an
unequivocal demonstration, that the innumerable particles of what might be
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termed unparticled matter, which constitute the man's spiritual principle, were
constitutionally endowed with certain elective affinities analogous to the immortal friendship.
The innate tendencies which the elements and essences of her soul,
manifest by uniting and organizing themselves, were the efficient and
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immutable causes that unfolded and perfected her spiritual organization. The
defects and deformities of her physical body were in the
spiritual body, which I saw thus developed almost completely removed.
In other words, it seemed that these hereditary obstructions and
influences were now removed, which originally arrested the full and
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proper development of her physical constitution, and therefore that her
spiritual constitution, being elevated above those obstructions, was enabled to
unfold and perfect itself in accordance with the universal tendencies
of all created things. While this spiritual formation was going on,
which was perfectly visible to my spiritual perception, the material
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body manifested to the outer vision of observing individuals in
the room many symptoms of unease and pain, but the
indications were totally deceptive. They were wholly caused by the
departure of the vital or spiritual forces from the extremities
and viscera into the brain and thence into the ascending organism.
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The spirit arose at right angles over the head or
brain of the deserted body, but immediately previous to the
final dissolution of the relationship which had for so many
years subsisted between the two the spiritual and material bodies,
I saw playing energetically between the feet of the elevated
spiritual body and the head of the prostrate physical body
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a bright stream or current of vital electricity. And here
I perceived what I had never before obtained, a knowledge
of that a small portion of this vital electrical element
returned to the deserted body immediately subsequent to the separation
of the umbilical thread, and that that portion of this
element which passed back into the earthly organism instantly diffused
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itself through the entire structure, and thus prevented immediate decomposition.
As soon as the spirit whose departing hour I had
thus watched was wholly disengaged from the tenacious physical body,
I directed my attention to the movements and emotions of
the former, and I saw her begin to breathe the
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most interior and spiritual portions of the surrounding terrestrial atmosphere.
At first, it seemed with difficulty that she could breathe
the new medium, but in a few seconds she inhaled
and exhaled the spiritual elements of nature with Dad the
greatest possible ease and delight. And now I saw that
she was in possession of exterior and physical proportions which
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were identical in every possible particular, improved and beautified with
those proportions which characterized her earthly organization. Indeed, so much
like her former self was she that had her friends
beheld her as I did, they certainly would have exclaimed,
as we often do upon the sudden return of a
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long absent friend who leaves us and returns in health,
why how well you look, how improved you are? Such
was the nature most beautifying in their extent. Of the
improvements that were wrought upon her. I saw her continue
to conform and accustom herself to the new elements and
elevating sensations which belonged to the inner life. I did
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not particularly notice the workings and emotions of her newly
awakened and fast unfolding spirit, except I was careful to
remark her philosophical tranquility throughout the entire process, and her
non participation with the different members of her family in
their unrestrained bewailing of her departure from the earth to
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unfold in love and wisdom throughout the eternal spheres. She
understood at a glance that they could only gaze upon
the cold and lifeless form which she had just deserted,
and she readily comprehended the fact that it was owing
to a want of true knowledge upon their parts, that
they thus vehemently regretted her merely physical death. The period
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required to accomplish the entire change which I saw was
not far from two hours and a half. But this
furnished no rule as to the time required for every
spirit to elevate and reorganize itself above the head of
the outer form. Without changing my position or spiritual perceptions,
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I continued to observe the movements of her ne new
born spirit. As soon as she became accustomed to her
new elements which surrounded her. She descended from her elevated position,
which was immediately over the body, by an effort of
will power, and directly passed out of the door of
the bedroom in which she had been lain in the
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material form prostrated with disease for several weeks. It being
in the summer month, the doors were all open, and
her egress from the house was attended with no obstruction.
I saw her pass through the adjoining room, out of
the door, and step from the house into the atmosphere.
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I was overwhelmed with delight and astonishment when for the
first time I realized the universal truth that the spiritual
organization can tread the atmosphere, which is impossible while in
the coarser, earthly form. So much more refined is man's
spiritual constitution. She walked in the atmosphere as easily and
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in the same manner as we tread the earth, and
ascended eminence. Immediately upon her emergence from the house, she
was joined by two friendly spirits from the spiritual country,
and after tenderly recognizing and communing with each other, the three,
in a most graceful manner, began ascending obliquely through the
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ethereal envelopment of her globe. They walked so naturally and
fraternally together that I could scarce realize the fact that
they trod the air. They seemed to be walking upon
the side of a glorious but familiar mountain. I continued
to gaze upon them until the distance shut them from
my view, whereupon I returned to my external and ordinary condition.
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This account of the facts of what actually happened at
death is confirmed by numerous other witnesses who agree as
to the main details. The end of the Portal of
the Unknown by Andrew Jackson Davis, The Seer