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The Mental Body

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Originally published in 1927, this is the third in a series of four books that span four years, from 1925 through 1928. The other books in sequence are:
* The Etheric Double and Allied Phenomena (1925)
* The Astral Body and Other Astral Phenomena (1926)
* The Causal Body and the Ego (1928)

Lieutenant-Colonel Powell references thirty-nine other books, thirty-seven written by Dr. Annie Besant and/or Rt. Rev. Charles Webster Leadbeater between 1897 and 1927. From their careful research and reporting about data associated with the mental body, he has "classified, arranged, and presented" to students a cohesive and sequential compilation, including new illustrations.

Admittedly, Powell makes no attempt to prove or justify the findings from the previous research(ers). Rather, he provides a synthesis of their teachings, while mentioning the alarming consistency and lack of discrepancies among their various works, concluding that their research "constitutes a striking testimonial to the faithfulness in detail of the investigators, and to the coherence of the Theosophical system."

With 34 chapters ranging from Kama-Manas (ie, desire-mind) through the planes of Devachan (ie, heaven) and into Discipleship, his illustrations alone provide insight that eludes most narrative descriptions of the mental forces that affect each of us. His helps distinguish the lower self, typically called the "personality" that is made up largely of the physical, emotional, and lower mental (ie, concrete thinking) from the "ego" that is made up largely of the higher mental (ie, abstract thinking), intuitional, and spiritual dimensions. The difference between personality and ego is emphasized when he states that the person who "realizes that the only important thing is the life of the ego, and that its progress is the object for which the temporary personality must be used . . . thus between two possible courses of action, consider that which will bring greater progress to the person as an ego . . . to forget himself altogether, and to consider what is best for humanity as a whole."

Near the end of the book, he draws upon comparisons of spiritual progress with degrees in Freemasonry, support and symbols of the Catholic Sacraments, and ceremonies from The Liberal Catholic Church, summarizing quite well with an platitude attributed to Lord Buddha, who summed up His whole teaching in one verse:
Cease to do evil ;
Learn to do well ;
Cleanse your own heart ;
This is the religion of the Buddha.

One seeking to better understand the relationship of the lower to the higher self, will be well served by this esoteric research manual.