What are the universal spheres?

The term spheres applies to those great belts of spiritual matter, which encircle the earth and other planets. It is likewise applied to those still vaster, more extended thought waves, which circle throughout the entire universe. Thus you may say there are two classes of spheres—those, which are in a measure material and encircle each their own planet or solar system and form the dwelling places of the spiritual inhabitants of each planet. 

These spheres are divided into circles, indicating, like steps on the ladder of progress, the moral advancement of the spirits. The other class of spheres are mental, not material in their constituents and do not belong to any planetary or solar system, but are as limitless as the Universe, circling in ever-widening currents of thought emanations from the Central Point, around which all the Universe is held to be revolving, and which point is said to be the immediate environment of the Supreme Being, from whom these thought waves are held to proceed. 

It may perhaps make my meaning still clearer to say there is one great sphere of the intellectual faculties or attributes belonging essentially to the soul, and then to divide this sphere into circles, such as the circles of philosophy, art, music, literature, et cetera. It is a common mode of expression to call them spheres, but to my mind, it is more correct to describe them as circles. 

These intellectual circles, like great wheels, enclose all those lesser wheels, those spiral rings, which surround each their own solar system or parent planet, wheels within wheels, revolving around the one great Centre continually. In the spirit world, only those who are in sympathy ever remain together, and though the ties of relationship or the links of kind remembrance may at times draw together those who have no common bonds of union, these will be but flying visits, and each will return to their own circle and sphere, drawn back by the strong magnetic attraction which holds each sphere and each circle of a sphere in unison. 

A spirit belonging to the sphere of music or philosophy will be drawn to others of a like disposition who are in the same stage of moral advancement as himself, but his development of a higher degree of music or philosophy will not enable him to ascend into a higher circle of the moral spheres or planetary spheres than his moral development entitles him to occupy. 

The central suns of each of the vast intellectual circles of the mental spheres shine as burnished magnets. They are as great prisms glowing with the celestial fires of purity and truth and darting on all sides their glorious rays of knowledge—

In these rays, cluster the multitudes of spirits who are seeking to light their lamps at these glowing shrines. 

These great spheres of the intellectual and moral faculties are the universal spheres, those around each planet, planetary spheres, and those surrounding the sun centres, solar spheres, the first being understood to consist of thought or soul essence, the others of various degrees of spiritualised matter.