296 The Law of the Rhythmic Breath 



fitting 1 it for physical activities. The moon is 

 sometimes designated as the ruling planet of this 

 sheath; but are not all negative conditions influ- 

 enced by the moon? I believe it will eventually 

 be proved that they are. Violet is the color some- 

 times attributed to the moon a marvellously 

 translucent silvery violet, the hue that silver as- 

 sumes in certain conditions and her mysterious 

 power over water has always baffled the scientist. 

 There are no doubt very subtle and strong rela- 

 tions between the moon and Venus. 



The spleens are the vital links between the gross 

 and etheric bodies, for through them Prana is 

 brought forth upon the physical plane. The sub- 

 tle spleen absorbs the vital currents and transmutes 

 and changes them into the coarser particles that 

 become in the gross body its " elemental lives," 

 animating the molecules and cells. The positive 

 connection of these shariras, through motor nerves, 

 is within the medulla oblongata; and the negative 

 union, through the nerves of sensation, is in the 

 solar plexus. Brown-Sequard says, " When a vio- 

 lent sudden emotion causes death, it is by the action 

 on the medulla oblongata." The explanation is 

 that the shock ruptures the union of the physical 

 body with its double and thereby severs connection 

 with the vital force (see Chapter XXII). The 

 thoughtful reader will recall in this connection the 



