Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/77

 being can not love till he perceives an object to call forth that love or affection. Whether it pertain to unconscious or to conscious nature, he must perceive the object before the affection is known to exist in his consciousness. For instance, a husband can know nothing of conjugal love, neither can the wife, until the object calling it forth exists in his or her perceptions. Neither can the mother love her babe until the object exists in her perceptions. Neither can the brother love brother or sister, or the child love its parents, until they perceive the objects of their affection. So you understand what I mean when I say in all finite natures perception precedes affection as a conscious principle; hence the law of communication pertains to perception and affection. As perception precedes affection, it is more external, view it in what sphere you will. I am now using perception in the sense of thought. The individual, by the means of commnuication, may be addressed externally by first addressing his perceptions, and thence through his perceptions addressing his affections; or he may be addressed by first addressing his affections, and through them his thoughts. I shall use for the purpose of convenience the expression thought and affection.

Then the two methods by which individuals may be addressed are first the external, and second the internal. The external communication flows first into the thought, and the internal first into the affection. The external proceeds from thought to affection, and the internal from affection to thought. The one is by an outward language, by signs, and symbols, and rep