The akashic records (akasha is a Sanskrit word meaning "sky", "space" or "aether") is a term used in theosophy (and Anthroposophy) to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described as containing all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos. They are metaphorically described as a library; other analogies commonly found in discourse on the subject include a "universal supercomputer" and the "Mind of God". People who describe the records assert that they are constantly updated automatically and that they can be accessed through astral projection[1] or when someone is placed under deep hypnosis. The concept was popularized in the theosophical movements of the 19th century and is derived from Hindu philosophy of Samkhya. It is promulgated in the Samkhya philosophy that the Akashic records are automatically recorded in the elements of akasha one of the five types of elements visualized as existing in the elemental theory of Ancient India, called Mahabhuta. The term akashic records is frequently used in New Age discourse.
Contents |
C.W. Leadbeater, who claimed to be clairvoyant, conducted research into the akashic records. He said he inspected them at the Theosophical Society headquarters in Adyar (Tamil Nadu), India in 1910 and recorded the results in his book Man: How, Whence, and Whither? The book reputes to record the history of Atlantis and other civilizations and the future society of Earth in the 28th century.[2]
Alice A. Bailey writes in her book Light of the Soul on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book 3 - Union achieved and its Results:
| “ | "The akashic record is like an immense photographic film, registering all the desires and earth experiences of our planet. Those who perceive it will see pictured thereon: The life experiences of every human being since time began, the reactions to experience of the entire animal kingdom, the aggregation of the thought-forms of a karmic nature (based on desire) of every human unit throughout time. Herein lies the great deception of the records. Only a trained occultist can distinguish between actual experience and those astral pictures created by imagination and keen desire. | ” |
In The Law of One, Book I, a book purported to contain conversations with a channeled "social memory complex" known to humans as "Ra," when the questioner asks where Edgar Cayce received his information, the answer received is: "We have explained before that the intelligent infinity is brought into intelligent energy from eighth density or octave. The one sound vibratory complex called Edgar used this gateway to view the present, which is not the continuum you experience but the potential social memory complex of this planetary sphere. The term your peoples have used for this is the "Akashic Record" or the "Hall of Records."[3]
In June 1976, Thea Alexander published a science-fiction novel called 2150 AD depicting a future society that has supercomputers capable of routinely accessing the akashic records. People can see scenes from their past lives displayed on video screens attached to the supercomputers.[4]
The manga series Kanna features a storyline about a parallel universe. The main characters unearth a "mokkan" (a wooden tablet) written in an ancient language, though not Sanskrit. Once translated by one of the characters, it turns out to be the akashic records. The concept is described in great detail, with the crucial plot point being that the actual events begin to diverge from the written about twenty years before present day.
The television series Eureka features a story arc involving "The Artifact", supposedly a relic from the universe which existed before the Big Bang, which served as an antenna for the Akashic Field.
Another anime called Betterman makes a continuous reference through-out the series. Several organizations are trying to find man's perfect evolution, and they quote the Akashic Records several times. The characters visit the Ajanta Caves in India when the Records are mentioned.
In Type-Moon series such as Fate/Stay Night and Kara no Kyoukai, a Magi's ultimate goal and their family line's is to seek Akasha, the Akashic record: the root of all things, storing all events, realities and possibilities while existing outside of time. Also in Tsukihime, Roa, nicknamed the Serpent of Akasha due to his ability to reincarnate, where upon death he migrates his knowledge and memories to a preselected new host.
In the WB series "Charmed," a 1999 episode entitled "They're Everywhere" featured a man who was being hunted by warlocks known as the seekers, after he decodes an ancient map that concealed the exact longitude and latitude of the akashic records.
In The Rainbow Children album by Prince the Akashic records are a reoccurring theme, notably in Family Name, which is narrated in part by an voice-activated computer belonging to the Akashic Records Genetic Information Division.
In the novel Blue Moon (Noel novel), Ever goes to Summerland in hopes of finding information to save Damen when she meets twins, Romy and Rayne who lead her to the akashic records.
In the manga "Psycho Buster", the protagonsts travel to a "crack in time" to find the akashic records to save the world.
In the 2004 movie, "Illusion", the Akashic Records are mentioned by Stan, Donald Baines' favorite former movie editor, as the source of the movie clips shown.