Clairvoyance and Occult Powers by Swami Panchadasi (page 4)

see the principle of induction in full operation and manifestation.

On the plane of ordinary thought and emotion, we find many instances of this principle of induction. We know that one person vibrating strongly with happiness or sorrow, cheerfulness or anger, as the case may be fends to communicate his feeling and emotions, state to those with whom he comes in contact. All of you have seen a whole room full of persons affected and influenced in this way, under certain circumstances. You have also seen how a magnetic orator, preacher, singer or actor is able to induce in his audience a state of emotional vibration corresponding to that manifested by himself. In the same manner the “mental atmospheres” of towns, cities, etc., are induced.

A well-known writer on this subject has truthfully told us: “We all know how great waves of feeling spread over a town, city or country, sweeping people off their balance. Great waves of political enthusiasm, or war-spirit, or prejudice for or against certain persons, sweep over places and cause men to act in a manner that they will afterward regret when they come to themselves and consider their acts in cold blood. They will be swayed by demagogues or magnetic leaders who wish to gain their votes or patronage; and they will be led into acts of mob violence, or similar atrocities, by yielding to these waves of contagious thought. On the other hand, we all know how great waves of religious feeling sweep over a community upon the occasion of some great ‘revival’ excitement or fervor.”

These things being perceived, and recognized as true, the next question that presents itself to the mind of the intelligent student is this: “But what causes the difference in power and effect between the thought and feeling-vibrations of different persons?” This question is a valid one, and arises from a perception of the underlying variety and difference in the thought vibrations of different persons. The difference, my students, is caused by three principal facts, viz., (1) difference in degree of feeling; (2) difference in degree of visualization; and (3) difference in degree of concentration. Let us examine each of these successively, so as to get at the underlying principle.

The element of emotional feeling is like the element of fire in the production of steam. The more vivid and intense the feeling or emotion, the greater the degree of heat and force to the thought wave or vibratory stream projected. You will begin to see why the thought vibrations of those animated and filled with strong desire, strong wish, strong ambition, etc., must be more forceful than those of persons of the opposite type.

The person who is filled with a strong desire, wish or ambition, which has been fanned into a fierce blaze by attention, is a dynamic power among other persons, and his influence is felt. In fact, it may be asserted that as a general rule no person is able to influence men and things unless he have a strong desire, wish or ambition within him. The power of desire is a wonderful one, as all occultists know, and it will accomplish much even if the other elements be lacking; while, in proper combination with other principles it will accomplish wonders. Likewise, a strong interest in a thing will cause a certain strength to the thought-vibrations connected therewith. Interest is really an emotional feeling, though we generally think of it as merely something connected with the intellect. A cold intellectual thought has very little force, unless backed up by strong interest and concentration. But any intellectual thought backed up with interest, and focused by concentration, will produce very strong thought vibrations, with a marked inductive power.

Now, let us consider the subject of visualization. Every person knows that the person who wishes to accomplish anything, or who expects to do good work along any line, must first know what he wishes to accomplish. In the degree that he is able to see the thing in his mind’s eye–to picture the thing in his imagination–in that degree will he tend to manifest the thing itself in material form and effect.

Sir Francis Galton, an eminent authority upon psychology, says on this point: “The free use of a high visualizing faculty is of much importance in connection with the higher processes of generalized thought. A visual image is the most perfect form of mental representation wherever the shape, position, and relations of objects to space are concerned. The best workmen are those who visualize the whole of what they propose to do before they take a tool in their hands. Strategists, artists of all denominations, physicists who contrive new experiments, and, in short, all who do not follow routine, have need of it. A faculty that is of importance in all technical and artistic occupations, that gives accuracy to our perceptions and justice to our generalizations, is starved by lazy disuse instead of being cultivated judiciously in such a way as will, on the whole, bring best return. I believe that a serious study of the best way of developing and utilizing this faculty, without prejudice to the practice of abstract thought in symbols, is one of the pressing desirata in the yet unformed science of education.”

Not only on the ordinary planes is the forming of strong mental images important and useful, but when we come to consider the phenomena of the astral plane we begin to see what an important part is played there by strong mental images or visualized ideas. The better you know what you desire, wish or aspire to, the stronger will be your thought vibrations of that thing, of course. Well, then, the stronger that you are able to picture the thing in your mind–to visualize it to yourself–the stronger will be your actual knowledge and thought-form of that thing. Instead of your thought vibrations being grouped in nebulous forms, lacking shape and distinct figure, as in the ordinary case; when you form strong, clear mental images of what you desire or wish to accomplish, then do the thought vibrations group themselves in clear, strong distinct forms. This being done, when the mind of other persons are affected by induction they get the clear idea of the thought and feeling in your mind, and are strongly influenced thereby.

A little later on, I shall call your attention to the Attractive Power of Thought. But at this point I wish to say to you that while thought certainly attracts to you the things that you think of the most, still the power of the attraction depends very materially upon the clearness and distinctness of the mental image, or thought visualization, of the desired thing that you have set up in your mind. The nearer you can actually see the thing as you wish it to happen, even to the general details, the stronger will be the attractive force thereof. But, I shall leave the discussion of this phase of the subject until I reach it in its proper order. For the present, I shall content myself with urging upon you the importance of a clear mental image, or visualized thought, in the matter of giving force and direction to the idea induced in the minds of other persons. In order for the other persons to actually perceive clearly the idea or feeling induced in them, it is necessary that the idea or feeling be strongly visualized in the mind originating it; that is the whole thing in one sentence.

The next point of importance in thought-influence by induction, is that which is concerned with the process of concentration. Concentration is the act of mental focusing, or bringing to a single point or centre. It is like the work of the sun-glass that converges the rays of the sun to a single tiny point, thus immensely increasing its heat and power. Or, it is like the fine point of a needle that will force its way through where a blunt thing cannot penetrate. Or, it is like the strongly concentrated essence of a chemical substance, of which one drop is as powerful as one pint of the original thing. Think of the concentrated power of a tiny drop of attar of roses–it has within its tiny space the concentrated odor of thousands of roses; one drop of it will make a pint of extract, and a gallon of weaker perfumery! Think of the concentrated power in a lightning flash, as contrasted with the same amount of electricity diffused over a large area. Or, think of the harmless flash of a small amount of gunpowder ignited in the open air, as contrasted with the ignition of the same amount of powder compelled to escape through the small opening in the gun-barrel.

The occult teachings lay great stress upon this power of mental concentration. All students of the occult devote much time and care to the cultivation of the powers of concentration, and the development of the ability to employ them. The average person possesses but a very small amount of concentration, and is able to concentrate his mind for but a few moments at a time. The trained thinker obtains much of his mental power from his acquired ability to concentrate on his task. The occultist trains himself in fixing his concentrated attention upon the matter before him, so as to bring to a focal centre all of his mental forces.

The mind is a very restless thing, and is inclined to dance from one thing to another, tiring of each thing after a few moment’s consideration thereof. The average person allows his involuntary attention to rest upon every trifling thing, and to be distracted by the idlest appeals to the senses. He finds it most difficult to either shut out these distracting appeals to the senses, and equally hard to hold the attention to some uninteresting thing. His attention is almost free of control by the will, and the person is a slave to his perceptive powers and to his imagination, instead of, being a master of both.

The occultist, on the contrary, masters his attention, and controls his imagination. He forces the one to concentrate when he wishes it to do so; and he compels the latter to form the mental images he wishes to visualize. But this a far different thing from the self-hypnotization which some persons imagine to be concentration. A writer on the subject has well said: “The trained occultist will concentrate upon a subject or object with a wonderful intensity, seemingly completely absorbed in the subject or object before him, and oblivious to all else in the world. And yet, the task accomplished, or the given time expired, he will detach his mind from the object and will be perfectly fresh, watchful and wide-awake to the next matter before him. There is every difference between being controlled by involuntary attention, which is species of self-hypnotization, and the control of the attention, which is an evidence of mastery.” An eminent French psychologist once said: “The authority of the attention is subject to the superior authority of the Ego. I yield it, or I withhold it, as I please. I direct it in turn to several points. I concentrate it upon each point, as long as my will can stand the effort.”

In an earlier lesson of this series, I have indicated in a general way the methods whereby one may develop and train his powers of concentration. There is no royal road to concentration; it may be developed only by practice and exercise. The secret consists in managing the attention, so as to fix it upon a subject, no matter how uninteresting; and to hold it there for a reasonable length of time. Practice upon some disagreeable study or other task is good exercise, for it serves to train the will in spite of the influence of more attractive objects or subjects. And this all serves to train the will, remember; for the will is actively concerned in every act of voluntary attention. In fact, attention of this kind is one of the most important and characteristic acts of the will.

So, as you see, in order to be successful in influencing the minds of others by means of mental induction, you must first cultivate a strong feeling of interest in the idea which you wish to induce in the other person, or a strong desire to produce the thing. Interest and desire constitute the fire which generates the stream of will from the water of mind, as some occultists have stated it. Secondly, you must cultivate the faculty of forming strong and clear mental images of the idea or feeling you wish to so induce; you must learn to actually “see” the thing in your imagination, so as to give the idea strength and clearness. Thirdly, you must learn to concentrate your mind and attention upon the idea or feeling, shutting out all other ideas and feelings for the time being; thus you give concentrated force and power to the vibrations and thought-forms which you are projecting.

These three principles underlie all of the many forms of mental induction, or mental influence. We find them in active operation in cases in which the person is seeking to attract to himself certain conditions, environment, persons, things, or channels of expression, by setting into motion the great laws of mental attraction. We see them also employed when the person is endeavoring to produce an effect upon the mind of some particular person, or number of persons. We see them in force in all cases of mental or psychic healing, under whatever form it may be employed. In short, these are general principles, and must therefore underlie all forms and phases of mental or psychic influence. The sooner the student realizes this fact, and the more actively does he set himself to work in cultivating and developing these principles within himself, the more successful and efficient will he become in this field of psychic research and investigation. It is largely in the degree of the cultivation of these three mental principles that the occultist is distinguished from the ordinary man.

It may be that you are not desirous of cultivating or practicing the power of influencing other persons psychically. Well, that is for you to decide for yourself. At any rate, you will do well to develop yourselves along these lines, at least for self-protection. The cultivation of these three mental principles will tend to make you active and positive, psychically, as contrasted with the passive, negative mental state of the average person. By becoming mentally active and positive you will be able to resist any psychic influence that may be directed toward yourself, and to surround yourself with a protective aura of positive, active mental vibrations.

And, moreover, if you are desirous of pursuing your investigations of psychic and astral phenomena, you will find it of great importance to cultivate and develop these three principles in your mind. For, then you will be able to brush aside all distracting influences, and to proceed at once to the task before you, with power, clearness and strength of purpose and method.

In the following chapters I shall give you a more or less detailed presentation of the various phases or forms of psychic influence. Some of these may seem at first to be something independent of the general principles. But I ask that you carefully analyze all of these, so as to discover that the same fundamental principles are under and back of each and every instance presented. When you once fully grasp this fact, and perfect yourselves in the few fundamental principles, then you are well started on the road to mastery of all the various phases of psychic phenomena. Instead of puzzling your mind over a hundred different phases of disconnected phenomena, it is better to master the few actual elementary principles, and then reason deductively from these to the various manifestation thereof. Master the principles, and then learn to apply them.

LESSON XVII.

PERSONAL PSYCHIC INFLUENCE OVER OTHERS

Psychic Influence, as the term is used in this book, may be said to be divided into three general classes, viz., (1) Personal Influence, in which the mind of another is directly influenced by induction while he is in the presence of the person influencing; (2) Distant Influencing, in which the psychic induction is directly manifested when the persons concerned are distant from one another; and (3) Indirect Influence, in which the induction is manifested in the minds of various persons coming in contact with the thought vibrations of the person manifesting them, though no attempt is made to directly influence any particular person. I shall now present each of these three forms of psychic influence to you for consideration, one after the other in the above order.

Personal Influence, as above defined, ranges from cases in which the strongest control (generally known as hypnotism) is manifested, down to the cases in which merely a slight influence is exerted. But the general principle underlying all of these cases is precisely the same. The great characters of history, such as Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Julius Caesar, manifested this power to a great degree, and were able to sway men according to their will. All great leaders of men have this power strongly manifested, else they would not be able to influence the minds of men. Great orators, preachers, statesmen, and others of this class, likewise manifest the power strongly. In fact, the very sign of ability to influence and manage other persons is evidence of the possession and manifestation of this mighty power.

In developing this power to influence others directly and personally, you should begin by impressing upon your mind the principles stated in the preceding chapter, namely (1) Strong Desire; (2) Clear Visualization; and (3) Concentration.

You must begin by encouraging a strong desire in your mind to be a positive individual; to exert and manifest a positive influence over others with whom you come in contact, and especially over those whom you wish to influence in some particular manner or direction. You must let the fire of desire burn fiercely within you, until it becomes as strong as physical hunger or thirst. You must “want to” as you want to breathe, to live. You will find that the men who accomplish the great things in life are those who have strong desire burning in their bosoms. There is a strong radiative and inductive power in strong desire and wish–in fact, some have thought this the main feature of what we generally call strong will-power.

The next step, of course, is the forming of a clear, positive, distinct and dynamic mental picture of the idea or feeling that you wish to induce in the other person. If it is an idea, you should make a strong clear picture of it in your imagination, so as to give it distinctness and force and a clear outline. If it is a feeling, you should picture it in your imagination. If it is something that you wish the other person to do, or some way in which you wish him to act, you should picture him as doing the thing, or acting in that particular way. By so doing you furnish the pattern or design for the induced mental or emotional states you wish to induce in the other person. Upon the clearness and strength of these mental patterns of the imagination depends largely the power of the induced impression.

The third step, of course, is the concentration of your mind upon the impression you wish to induce in the mind of the other person. You must learn to concentrate so forcibly and clearly that the idea will stand out clearly in your mind like a bright star of a dark night, except that there must be only one star instead of thousands. By so doing you really focus the entire force of your mental and psychic energies into that one particular idea or thought. This makes it act like the focused rays in the sun-glass, or like the strong pipe-stream of water that will break down the thing upon which it is turned. Diffused thought has but a comparatively weak effect, whereas a concentrated stream of thought vibrations will force its way through obstacles.

Remember, always, this threefold mental condition: (1) STRONG DESIRE; (2) CLEAR MENTAL PICTURE; and (3) CONCENTRATED THOUGHT. The greater the degree in which you can manifest these three mental conditions, the greater will be your success in any form of psychic influence, direct or indirect, personal or general, present or distant.

Before you proceed to develop the power to impress a particular idea or feeling upon the mind of another person, you should first acquire a positive mental atmosphere for yourself. This mental atmosphere is produced in precisely the same way that you induce a special idea or feeling in the mind of the other person. That is to say, you first strongly desire it, then you clearly picture it, and then you apply concentrated thought upon it.

I will assume that you are filled with the strong desire for a positive mental atmosphere around you. You want this very much indeed, and actually crave and hunger for it. Then you must begin to picture yourself (in your imagination) as surrounded with an aura of positive thought-vibrations which protect you from the thought forces of other persons, and, at the same time impress the strength of your personality upon the persons with whom you come in contact. You will be aided in making these strong mental pictures by holding the idea in your concentrated thought, and, at the same time, silently stating to your mind just what you expect to do in the desired direction. In stating your orders to your mind, always speak as if the thing were already accomplished at that particular moment. Never say that it “will be,” but always hold fast to the “it is.” The following will give you a good example of the mental statements, which of course should be accompanied by the concentrated idea of the thing, and the mental picture of yourself as being just what you state.

Here is the mental statement for the creation of a strong, positive psychic atmosphere: “I am surrounded by an aura of strong, positive, dynamic thought-vibrations. These render me positive to other persons, and render them negative to me. I am positive of their thought-vibrations, but they are negative to mine. They feel the strength of my psychic atmosphere, while I easily repel the power of theirs. I dominate the situation, and manifest my positive psychic qualities over theirs. My atmosphere creates the vibration of strength and power on all sides of me, which affect others with whom I come in contact. MY PSYCHIC ATMOSPHERE IS STRONG AND POSITIVE!”

The next step in Personal Influence is that of projecting your psychic power directly upon and into the mind of the other person whom you wish to influence. Sometimes, if the person is quite negative to you, this is a very simple and easy matter; but where the person is near your own degree of psychic positiveness you will have to assert your psychic superiority to him, and get the psychic “upper hand” before you can proceed further. This is accomplished by throwing into your psychic atmosphere some particularly strong mental statements accompanied by clear visualizations or mental pictures.

Make positive your psychic atmosphere, particularly towards the person whom you seek to influence, by statements and pictures something along the following lines: “I am positive to this man”; “He is negative to me”; “He feels my power and is beginning to yield to it”; “He is unable to influence me in the slightest, while I can influence him easily”; “My power is beginning to operate upon his mind and feelings.” The exact words are not important, but the idea behind them gives them their psychic force and power.

Then should you begin your direct attack upon him, or rather upon his psychic powers. When I say “attack,” I do not use the word in the sense of warfare or actual desire to harm the other person–this is a far different matter. What I mean to say is that there is usually a psychic battle for a longer or shorter period between two persons of similar degrees of psychic power and development. From this battle one always emerges victor at the time, and one always is beaten for the time being, at least. And, as in all battles, victory often goes to him who strikes the first hard blow. The offensive tactics are the best in cases of this kind.

A celebrated American author, Oliver Wendall Holmes, in one of his books makes mention of these duels of psychic force between individuals, as follows: “There is that deadly Indian hug in which men wrestle with their eyes, over in five seconds, but which breaks one of their two backs, and is good for three-score years and ten, one trial enough–settles the whole matter–just as when two feathered songsters of the barnyard, game and dunghill, come together. After a jump or two, and a few sharp kicks, there is an end to it; and it is ‘After you, monsieur’ with the beaten party in all the social relations for all the rest of his days.”

An English physician, Dr. Fothergill by name, wrote a number of years ago about this struggle of wills, as he called it, but which is really a struggle of psychic power. He says: “The conflict of will, the power to command others, has been spoken of frequently. Yet what is this will-power that influences others? What is it that makes us accept, and adopt too, the advice of one person, while precisely the same advice from another has been rejected? Is it the weight of force of will which insensibly influences us; the force of will behind the advice? That is what it is! The person who thus forces his or her advice upon us has no more power to enforce it than others; but all the same we do as requested. We accept from one what we reject from another. One person says of something contemplated, ‘Oh, but you must not,’ yet we do it all the same, though that person may be in a position to make us regret the rejection of that counsel. Another person says, ‘Oh, but you mustn’t,’ and we desist, though we may, if so disposed, set this latter person’s opinion at defiance with impunity. It is not the fear of consequences, not of giving offense, which determines the adaption of the latter person’s advice, while it has been rejected when given by the first. It depends upon the character or will-power of the individual advising whether we accept the advice or reject it. This character often depends little, if at all, in some cases, upon the intellect, or even upon the moral qualities, the goodness or badness, of the individual. It is itself an imponderable something; yet it carries weight with it. There may be abler men, cleverer men; but it is the one possessed of will who rises to the surface at these times–the one who can by some subtle power make other men obey him.

“The will-power goes on universally. In the young aristocrat who gets his tailor to make another advance in defiance of his conviction that he will never get his money back. It goes on between lawyer and client; betwixt doctor and patient; between banker and borrower; betwixt buyer and seller. It is not tact which enables the person behind the counter to induce customers to buy what they did not intend to buy, and which bought, gives them no satisfaction, though it is linked therewith for the effort to be successful. Whenever two persons meet in business, or in any other relation in life, up to love-making, there is this will-fight going on, commonly enough without any consciousness of the struggle. There is a dim consciousness of the result, but none of the processes. It often takes years of the intimacy of married life to find out with whom of the pair the mastery really lies. Often the far stronger character, to all appearances, has to yield; it is this will-element which underlies the statement: ‘The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.’ In Middle-march’ we find in Lydgate a grand aggregation of qualities, yet shallow, hard, selfish Rosamond masters him thoroughly in the end. He was not deficient in will-power; possessed more than an average amount of character; but in the fight he went down at last under the onslaught of the intense, stubborn will of his narrow-minded spouse. Their will-contest was the collision of a large warm nature, like a capable human hand, with a hard, narrow selfish nature, like a steel button; the hand only bruised itself while the button remained unaffected.”

You must not, however, imagine that every person with whom you engage in one of these psychic duels is conscious of what is going on. He usually recognizes that some sort of conflict is under way, but he does not know the laws and principles of psychic force, and so is in the dark regarding the procedure. You will find that a little practice of this kind, in which no great question is involved, will give you a certain knack or trick of handling your psychic forces, and will, besides, give you that confidence in yourself that comes only from actual practice and exercise. I can point out the rules, and give you the principles, but you must learn the little bits of technique yourself from actual practice.

When you have crossed psychic swords with the other person, gaze at him intently but not fiercely, and send him this positive strong thought-vibration: “I am stronger than you, and I shall win!” At the same time picture to yourself your forces beating down his and overcoming him. Hold this idea and picture in your mind: “My vibrations are stronger than are yours–I am beating you!” Follow this up with the idea and picture of: “You are weakening and giving in–you are being overpowered!” A very powerful psychic weapon is the following: “My vibrations are scattering your forces–I am breaking your forces into bits–surrender, surrender now, I tell you!”

And now for some interesting and very valuable information concerning psychic defense. You will notice that in the offensive psychic weapons there is always an assertion of positive statement of your power and its effect. Well, then, in using the psychic defensive weapon against one of strong will or psychic force, you reverse the process. That is to say you deny the force of his psychic powers and forces, and picture them as melting into nothingness. Get this idea well fixed in your mind, for it is very important in a conflict of this kind. The effect of this is to neutralize all of the other person’s power so far as its effect on yourself is concerned–you really do not destroy it in him totally. You simply render his forces powerless to affect you. This is important not only when in a psychic conflict of this kind, but also when you wish to render yourself immune from the psychic forces of other persons. You may shut yourself up in a strong defensive armor in this way, and others will be powerless to affect you.

In the positive statement, “I deny!” you have the Occult Shield of Defense, which is a mighty protection to you. Even if you do not feel disposed to cultivate and develop your psychic powers in the direction of influencing others, you should at least develop your defensive powers so as to resist any psychic attacks upon yourself.

You will find it helpful to practice these offensive and defensive weapons when you are alone, standing before your mirror and “playing” that your reflection in the glass is the other person. Send this imaginary other person the psychic vibrations, accompanied by the mental picture suitable for it. Act the part out seriously and earnestly, just as if the reflected image were really another person. This will give you confidence in yourself, and that indefinable “knack” of handling your psychic weapons that comes only from practice. You will do well to perfect yourself in these rehearsals, just as you would in case you were trying to master anything else. By frequent earnest rehearsals, you will gain not only familiarity with the process and methods, but you will also gain real power and strength by the exercise of your psychic faculties which have heretofore lain dormant. Just as you may develop the muscle of your arm by calisthenic exercises, until it is able to perform real muscular work of strength; so you may develop your psychic faculties in this rehearsal work, so that you will be strongly equipped and armed for an actual psychic conflict, besides having learned how to handle your psychic weapons.

After you have practiced sufficiently along the general offensive and defensive lines, and have learned how to manifest these forces in actual conflict, you will do well to practice special and specific commands to others, in the same way. That is to say, practice them first on your reflected image in the mirror. The following commands (with mental pictures, of course) will give you good practice. Go about the work in earnest, and act out the part seriously. Try these exercises: “Here! look at me!” “Give me your undivided attention!” “Come this way!” “Come to me at once!” “Go away from me–leave me at once!” “You like me–you like me very much!” “You are afraid of me!” “You wish to please me!” “You will agree to my proposition!” “You will do as I tell you!” Any special command you wish to convey to another person, psychically, you will do well to practice before the mirror in this way.

When you have made satisfactory progress in the exercises above mentioned, and are able, to demonstrate them with a fair degree of success in actual practice, you may proceed to experiment with persons along the lines of special and direct commands by psychic force. The following will give you a clear idea of the nature of the experiments in question, but you may enlarge upon and vary them indefinitely. Remember there is no virtue in mere words–the effect comes from the power of the thought behind the words. But, nevertheless, you will find that positive words, used in these silent commands, will help you to fit in your feeling to the words. Always make the command a real COMMAND, never a mere entreaty or appeal. Assume the mental attitude of a master of men–of a commander and ruler of other men. Here follow a number of interesting experiments along these lines, which will be very useful to you in acquiring the art of personal influence of this kind:

SEVEN VALUABLE EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1: When walking down the street behind a person, make him turn around in answer to your mental command. Select some person who does not seem to be too much rushed or too busy–select some person who seems to having nothing particular on his mind. Then desire earnestly that he shall turn around when you mentally call to him to do so; at the same time picture him as turning around in answer to your call; and at the same time concentrate your attention and thought firmly upon him. After a few moments of preparatory thought, send him the following message, silently of course, with as much force, positiveness and vigor as possible: “Hey there! turn around and look at me! Hey! turn around, turn around at once!” While influencing him fix your gaze at the point on his neck where the skull joins it–right at the base of the brain, in the back. In a number of cases, you will find that the person will look around as if someone had actually called him aloud. In other cases, he will seem puzzled, and will look from side to side as if seeking some one. After a little practice you will be surprised how many persons you can affect in this way.

EXERCISE 2: When in a public place, such as a church, concert or theatre, send a similar message to someone seated a little distance in front of you. Use the same methods as in the first exercise, and you will obtain similar results. It will seem queer to you at first to notice how the other person will begin to fidget and move around in his seat, and finally glance furtively around as if to see what is causing him the disturbance. You, of course, will not let him suspect that it is you, but, instead will gaze calmly ahead of you, and pretend not to notice him.

EXERCISE 3: This is a variation of the first exercise. It is practiced by sending to a person approaching you on the street, or walking ahead of you in the same direction, a command to turn to the right, or to the left, as you prefer. You will be surprised to see how often you will be successful in this.

EXERCISE 4: This is a variation of the second exercise. It is practiced by sending to a person seated in front of you in a public place the command to look to the right, or to the left, as you prefer. Do not practice on the same person too long, after succeeding at first–it is not right to torment people, remember.

EXERCISE 5: After having attained proficiency in the foregoing exercises, you many proceed to command a person to perform certain unimportant motions, such as rising or sitting down, taking off his hat, taking out his handkerchief, laying down a fan, umbrella, etc.

EXERCISE 6: The next step is to command persons to say some particular word having no important meaning; to “put words in his mouth” while talking to him. Wait until the other person pauses as if in search of a word, and then suddenly, sharply and forcibly put the word into his mouth, silently of course. In a very susceptible person, well under your psychic control, you may succeed in suggesting entire sentences and phrases to him.

EXERCISE 7: This is the summit of psychic influencing, and, of course, is the most difficult. But you will be surprised to see how well you will succeed in many cases, after you have acquired the knack and habit of sending the psychic message. It consists of commanding the person to obey the spoken command or request that you are about to make to him. This is the art and secret of the success of many salesmen, solicitors, and others working along the lines of influencing other people. It is acquired by beginning with small things, and gradually proceeding to greater, and still greater. At this point I should warn you that all the best occult teachings warn students against using this power for base ends, improper purposes, etc. Such practices tend to react and rebound against the person using them, like a boomerang. Beware against using psychic or occult forces for improper purposes–the psychic laws punish the offender, just as do the physical laws.

Finally, I caution the student against talking too much about his developing powers. Beware of boasting or bragging about these things. Keep silent, and keep your own counsel. When you make known your powers, you set into operation the adverse and antagonistic thought of persons around you who may be jealous of you, and who would wish to see you fail, or make yourself ridiculous. The wise head keepeth a still tongue! One of the oldest occult maxims is: “Learn! Dare! Do! Keep Silent!!!” You will do well to adhere strictly to this warning caution.

LESSON XVIII.

PSYCHIC INFLUENCE AT A DISTANCE

The second phase of Psychic Influence is that called Distant Psychic Influence, in which psychic induction is manifested when the persons are distant in space from one another–not in the presence of each other. Here, of course, we see the principle of telepathy involved in connection with the process of mental induction: and in some cases even the astral telepathic sense is called into operation.

The student who has followed my explanation and course of reasoning in the preceding lessons will readily perceive that the principle involved in this distant phase of psychic influence is precisely the same as that employed in direct personal psychic influence. As I have explained in an early lesson, it matters little whether the space to be covered by the psychic vibratory waves is but one foot or a thousand miles, the principle is exactly the same. There are, of course, other principles involved in the case of two persons meeting face to face and calling into force their psychic powers; for instance, there is the element of suggestion and association, and other psychological principles which are not in force when the two persons are out of the actual presence of each other. But so far as the telepathic or astral psychic powers are concerned, the mere extension of space does not change the principle.

The student who has developed his power of psychic induction in the phases mentioned in the preceding chapter, may begin to experiment and practice psychic induction at long-range, if he so wishes. That is to say, instead of causing psychic induction in the minds of persons actually in his presence and sight, he may produce similar results in persons out of his sight and presence. The person may be brought into presence and psychic contact, for all practical purposes, by using the visualizing powers for the purpose of bringing him into the en rapport condition. That is to say, by using the imagination to bring into the mind a strong clear picture of the other person, you may induce an en rapport condition in which he will be practically in the same psychic relation to you as if he were actually before you. Of course, if he is sufficiently well informed regarding occult matters, he may shut you out by drawing a psychic circle around himself which you cannot penetrate, or by surrounding himself with psychic armor or atmosphere such as I have already mentioned in preceding lessons. But as he will not likely know anything of this, the average person may be reached in the manner just mentioned.

Or again, you may establish en rapport conditions by psychometric methods, by holding to your forehead an article which has been in the other person’s possession for some time; an article worn by him; a piece of his hair; etc. Or, again, you may use the crystal to bring up his astral vision before you. Or, again, you may erect an “astral tube” such as I will mention a little further on in this chapter, and thus establish a strong en rapport condition.

Having established the en rapport condition with the other person, and having thus practically brought him into your presence, psychically speaking, you may proceed to send him commands or demands, just as you did in the phase of personal psychic influence previously mentioned. You act precisely as if the other person were present before you, and state your commands or demands to him just as you would were he seated or standing in your presence. This is the keynote of the whole thing; the rest is simply an elaboration and stating of details of methods, etc. With the correct principle once established, you may apply the same according to your own wishes and discretion.

This phase of distant psychic influence is at the bottom of all the wonderful tales, stories and legends of supernatural powers, witchcraft, sorcery, etc., with which the pages of history are filled. There is of course always to be found much distortion and exaggeration in these legends and tales, but they have truth at the bottom of them. In this connection, let me call your attention to a very important psychic principle involved. I have told you that by denying the power of any person over you, you practically neutralize his psychic power–the stronger and more positive your belief in your immunity, and your denial of his power over you, the more do you rob him of any such power. The average person, not knowing this, is more or less passive to psychic influences of other persons, and may be affected by them to a greater or less extent, depending upon the psychic development of the person seeking to influence him. At the extreme of the sensitive pole of psychic influence, we find those persons who believe firmly that the other person has power over them, and who are more or less afraid of him. This belief and fear acts to make them particularly sensitive and impressionable, and easily affected by his psychic induction. This is the reason that the so-called witches and sorcerers and others of evil repute have been able to acquire such a power over their victims, and to cause so much trouble. The secret is that the victims believed in the power of the other person, and feared their power. The greater the belief in, and fear of, the power of the person, the greater the susceptibility to his influence; the greater the sense of power of neutralizing the power, and the disbelief in his power to affect them, the greater the degree of immunity: this is the rule!

Accordingly we find that persons in various stages of the history of the world have been affected by the influences of witches, sorcerers, and other unprincipled persons. In most cases these so-called witches and sorcerers themselves were under the delusion that they were assisted by the devil or some other supernatural being. They did not realize that they were simply using perfectly natural methods, and employing perfectly natural forces. For that matter, you must remember that magnetism and electricity, in ancient days, were considered as supernatural forces in some way connected with demonic powers.

Studying the history of witchcraft, sorcery, black-magic, and the like, you will find that the devotees thereof usually employed some psychometric method. In other cases they would mould little figures of clay, or of wax, in the general shape and appearance of the person whom they wished to affect. It was thought that these little figures were endowed with some supernatural powers or attributes, but of course this was mere superstition. The whole power of these little figures arose from the fact that they aided the imagination of the spell-worker in forming a mental image of the person sought to be influenced; and thus established a strong en rapport condition. Added to this, you must remember that the fear and belief of the public greatly aided the spell-worker and increased his power and influence over these poor persons.

I will give you a typical case, taken from an old German book, which thoroughly illustrates the principles involved in cases of this kind. Understand this case, and you will have the secret and working principle of them all. The story is told by an eminent German physician of the last century. He relates that he was consulted by one of his patients, a wealthy farmer living near by. The farmer complained that he was disturbed every night by strange noises which sounded like someone pounding iron. The disturbances occurred between the hours of ten o’clock and midnight, each and every night. The physician asked him if he suspected anyone of causing the strange trouble. The farmer answered that he suspected an old enemy of his, an old village blacksmith living several miles away from his farm. It appears that an old long-standing feud between them had broken out afresh, and that the blacksmith had made threats of employing his “hex” (witchcraft) powers on the old farmer. The blacksmith was reputed to be a sort of “hex” or male-witch, and the farmer believed in his diabolic powers and was very much in fear of them. So you see the ideal condition for psychic receptivity was present.

The physician called on the blacksmith, and taking him by surprise, gazing sternly into his eyes and asked him: “What do you do every night between ten and twelve o’clock?” The blacksmith, frightened and disturbed, stammered out: “I hammer a bar of iron every night at that time, and all the while I think intently of a bad neighbor of mine who once cheated me out of some money; and I ‘will’ at the same time that the noise will disturb his rest, until he will pay me back my money to get peace and quiet.” The physician bade him to desist from his evil practices, under threats of dire punishment; and then went to the farmer and made him straighten out the financial dispute between the two. Thereafter, there was no more trouble.

So you see in this case all the necessary elements were present. First there was the belief of the blacksmith in his own powers–this gave him self-confidence and psychic power. Then there was the belief and fear on the part of the farmer–this made him an easy subject, and very susceptible to psychic induction, etc. Then there was the action of the blacksmith beating the iron–this gave force and clearness to his visualization of the idea he wished to induce in the mind of the other. And, finally, there was his will employed in every stroke, going out in the direction of the concentrated wish and purpose of influencing the farmer. You see, then, that every psychic element was present. It was no wonder that the old farmer was disturbed.

Among the negroes of the South, in America; and among the Hawaiians; we find marked instances of this kind. The negro Voodoo men and women work black magic on those of their race who are superstitious and credulous, and who have a mortal fear of the Voodoo. You see the conditions obtained are much the same as in the case of the German case just cited. Travellers who have visited the countries in which there is a large negro population, have many interesting tales to recite of the terrible workings of these Voodoo black magicians. In some cases, sickness and even death is the result. But, mark you this! it is only those who believe in, and fear, the power of the Voodoos that are affected. In Hawaii, the Kahunas or native magicians are renowned for their power to cause sickness and death to those who have offended them; or to those who have offended some client of the Kahuna, and who have hired the latter to “pray” the enemy to sickness or death. The poor ignorant Hawaiians, believing implicitly in the power of the Kahunas, and being in deadly fear of them, are very susceptible to their psychic influence, and naturally fall easy victims, unless they buy of the Kahuna, or make peace with his client. White persons living in Hawaii are not affected by the Kahunas, for they do not believe in them, neither do they fear them. Unconsciously, but still strongly, they deny the power, and are immune. So, you see, the principle working out here, also. Once you have the master-key, you may unlock many doors of mystery which have heretofore been closed to you.

We do not have to fall back on cases of witchcraft, however, in order to illustrate this phase of the use of psychic influence for selfish ends. In Europe and America there are teachers of a low form of occultism who instruct their pupils in the art of producing induced mental states in the minds of others, for purposes of financial gain or other selfish ends. For instance, there is a Western teacher who instructs his pupils to induce desired mental states in prospective customers, or others whom they may wish to influence for selfish reasons. This teacher tells his pupils to: “Imagine your prospective customer, or other person, as seated in a chair before which you are standing. Make the imagined picture as strong as possible, for upon this depends your success. Then proceed to ‘treat’ this person just as if he were actually present. Concentrate your will upon him, and tell him what you expect to tell him when you meet him. Use all of the arguments that you can think of, and at the same time hold the thought that he must do as you say. Try to imagine him as complying with your wishes in every respect, for this imagining will tend to ‘come true’ when you really meet the person. This rule may be used, not only in the case of prospective customers, but also in the case of persons whom you wish to influence in any way whatsoever.” Surely this is a case of employing psychic powers for selfish purposes, if anything is.

Again, in Europe and America, particularly in the latter country, we find many persons who have picked up a smattering of occult knowledge by means of some of the many healing cults and organizations which teach the power of thought over physical diseases. In the instruction along the lines of distant mental healing, the student is taught to visualize the patient as strongly and clearly as possible, and to then proceed to make statements of health and strength. The mind of the patient, and that of the healer, cooperate and in many cases work wonderful cures. As you will see in the last lesson of this course, there is great power in the mind to induce healthful vibrations in the mind of others, and the work is a good and worthy one. But, alas! as is so often the case, the good teaching is sometimes perverted, and applied for unworthy and selfish ends. Some of the persons who have picked up the principles of mental healing have discovered that the same power may be used in a bad as well as in a good direction. They accordingly, proceed to “treat” other persons with the object of persuading them to do things calculated to benefit the person using the psychic power. They seek to get these other persons under their psychic influence, and to then take advantage of them in some way or other.

I hope that it is practically unnecessary for me to warn my students against evil practices of this kind–I trust that I have not drawn any students of this class to me. In case, however, that some of you may have been, or may be in the future, tempted to use your psychic powers improperly, in this way, I wish to caution and warn you positively against so doing. Outside of the ordinary morality which should prevent you from taking advantage of another person in this way, I wish to say to you that anyone so misusing psychic or astral powers will inevitably bring down upon his head, sooner or later, certain occult astral forces which will prove disastrous to him. He will become involved in the web of his own making, and will suffer greatly. Never by any means allow yourself to be tempted into indulging in any of the practices of Black Magic, under any form of disguise. You will live to regret it if you do. Employ your powers, when you develop them, for the good of others; or at least, for purely scientific investigation and knowledge.

The scientific investigator of this phase of psychic influence, will wish to become acquainted with what the occultists call “the astral tube.” In this phase of the phenomena, you manifest upon the astral plane, rather than upon the physical. The astral form of telepathy is manifested, rather than the ordinary form. While there are a number of technical points involved in the production of the astral tube, I shall endeavor to instruct you regarding its creation and use in as plain words as possible, omitting all reference to technical occult details which would only serve to distract your attention and confuse your mind. The advanced occult student will understand these omitted technicalities without being told of them; the others would not know what was meant by them, if mentioned, in the absence of a long stage of preparatory teaching. After all, the theory is not of so much importance to most of you as are the practical working principles. I ask your careful attention to what I have to say in this subject of the astral tube.

The Astral Tube is formed by the person forming in his imagination (i.e., on the astral plane by means of his imagination or visualizing powers), a tube or small tunnel between himself and the person whom he wishes to influence. He starts by picturing it in his mind a whirling vortex, similar to the whirling ring of smoke emitted from a “coughing” engine, and sometimes by a man smoking a cigar, about six inches to one foot in diameter. He must will the imagined vortex-ring to move forward as if it were actually boring a tunnel through the atmosphere. When the knack of producing this astral tube is acquired, it will be found that the visualized tunnel seems to vibrate with a peculiar intensity, and will seem to be composed of a substance far more subtle than air. Then, at the other end of this astral tube you must picture the other person, the one whom you wish to influence. The person will seem as if viewed through the wrong end of an opera-glass. When this condition is gained, there will be found to be a high degree of en rapport between yourself and the other person. The secret consists in the fact that you have really established a form of clairvoyance between yourself and the person. When you have induced this condition, proceed with your mental commands and pictures just as if you were in the presence of the person himself. That is the whole thing in a nutshell.

In order that you may have another viewpoint from which to consider the astral tube, or what corresponds to it, I wish to give you here a little quotation from another writer on the subject, who presents the matter from a somewhat more technical standpoint. Read this quotation in connection with my own description of the astral tube, and you will form a pretty complete and clear idea of the phenomenon. The writer mentioned says: “It is impossible here to give an exhaustive disquisition on astral physics; all I need say is that it is possible to make in the astral substance a definite connecting-line that shall act as a telegraph wire to convey vibrations by means of which all that is going on at the other end of it may be seen. Such a line is established, be it understood, not by a direct projection through space of astral matter, but by such action upon a line (or rather many lines) of particles of that substance as will render them capable of forming a conductor for vibrations of the character required. This preliminary action can be set up in two ways–either by the transmission of energy from particle to particle, until the line is formed, or by the use of a force from a higher plane which is capable of acting upon the whole line simultaneously. Of course this latter method implies far greater development, since it involves the knowledge of (and the power to use) forces of a considerably higher level.

“Even the simpler and purely astral operation is a difficult one to describe, though quite an easy one to perform. It may be said to partake somewhat of the nature of the magnetization of a bar of steel; for it consists in what we might call the polarization, by an effort of the human will, of a number of astral atoms reaching from the operator to the scene which he wishes to observe. All the atoms thus affected are held for the time being with their axes rigidly parallel to one another, so that they form a kind of temporary tube along which the clairvoyant may look. This method has the disadvantage that the telegraph line is liable to disarrangement or even destruction by any sufficiently strong astral current which happens to cross its path; but if the original creative effort were fairly definite, this would be a contingency of only infrequent occurrence. The view of a distant scene obtained by means of this ‘astral current’ is in many ways not unlike that seen through a telescope. Human figures usually appear very small, like those on a distant stage, but in spite of their diminutive size they are as clear as though they were close by. Sometimes it is possible by this means to hear what is said as well as to see what is done; but as in the majority of cases this does not happen, we must consider it rather as the manifestation of an additional power than as a necessary corollary of the faculty of sight.”

I would feel that I had not done my whole duty to the student, or reader of this book, were I to conclude this chapter without pointing out a means of protection against the use of this phase of psychic influence against them on the part of some unscrupulous person; or for that matter, against the meddling influence of any person whatsoever, for any purpose whatsoever, without one’s permission and consent. Therefore, I wish now to point out the general principles of self-protection or defense against this class of psychic influence.

In the first place, you must, of course, refuse to admit to your mind any feeling of fear regarding the influence of other persons–for that is the open door to their influence, as I have pointed out to you. If you have been, or are fearful of any persons psychic influence, you must get to work and drive out that feeling by positive and vigorous denials. The denial, you remember, is the positive neutralizer of the psychic influence of another person, providing you make it in full belief of its truth. You must take the position (which is a true one) that you are immune to the psychic attack or influence. You should say, mentally, “I deny to any person the power to influence me psychically without my consent; I am positive to all such influences, and they are negative to me; I neutralize them by this denial!”

If you feel sudden impulses to act in some way which you have not thought of doing, or toward which you have had an aversion, pause a moment and say, mentally, “If this is an outside influence, I deny its power over me; I deny it, and send it back to its sender, to his defeat and confusion.” You will then experience a feeling of relief and freedom. In such cases you may frequently be approached later on by the person who would have been most benefitted by your action; he will appear surprised when you “turn him down,” and will act in a confused way. He may not have consciously tried to influence you, but may have merely been wishing strongly that you would do as he desired.

It should encourage you to know that it requires much less force to repel and neutralize psychic influence of this kind, than is required to send forth the power; an ounce of denial and protection overcomes a pound of psychic attacking power. Nature gives you the means of protection, and gives you “the best end of the stick,” and it is your own fault if you do not effectively use it. A word to the wise is sufficient.

LESSON XIX.

LAWS OF PSYCHIC ATTRACTION

The third phase of Psychic Influence is that which may be called Indirect Psychic Influence, in which psychic induction is manifested in the minds of other persons coming in contact with the thought vibrations of the person manifesting them, although no deliberate attempt is made to influence the mind of any particular person or persons. Closely connected with and involved in this phase of psychic influence, is that which is called the Psychic Law of Attraction. So closely are these two connected that I shall consider them together in this lesson.

The fundamental principle of this phase of psychic influence is the well-known psychic fact that mental and emotional states not only induce similar vibrations in those who are similar attuned on the psychic vibratory scale, but also tend to attract and draw to the person other persons who are vibrating along similar lines, and also tend to repel those who are vibrating in an opposing note or scale of psychic vibration.

In the preceding lessons I have shown you how by induction we tend to arouse in others mental and emotional states similar to our own. But there is a law in effect here, which must be noted if you wish to thoroughly understand this phase of psychic influences. Omitting all technical explanations, and getting right down to the heart of the phenomenon, I would say that the general principle is this: Psychic induction is difficult in proportion to the opposing quality of the characteristic mental and emotional states of the person affected; and easy in proportion to the harmonious quality thereof. That is to say, in plain words, that if a person’s habitual thought and emotions are along the same lines that you are trying to induce in him, you will find it easy to induce the same in him; if, on the contrary, they are of an opposing nature, then you will find it difficult to so influence him. The many degrees of agreement and difference in the psychic vibrations of persons constitute a scale of comparative response to any particular form of mental or emotional vibrations.

It is hard to change the spots of a leopard, or the skin of an Ethiopian, as we are told on ancient authority. It is almost as difficult to change the characteristic mental and emotional states of a person by psychic induction, except after long and repeated efforts. On the contrary, let a person have certain characteristic mental and emotional habits, then these may be aroused in them with the greatest ease by means of psychic induction. For instance, if a person is characteristically and habitually peaceful, mild and calm, it will be very difficult to arouse in him by psychic induction the vibrations of anger, fight and excitement. On the other hand, if the other person is combative, fierce and easily excited to wrath, it is the easiest possible thing to arouse these feelings in him by psychic induction. So much for ordinary psychic induction; let us now consider indirect psychic induction, in which the same principle operates.

In indirect psychic induction, that is to say in cases in which psychic vibrations are aroused by induction without deliberate attempt or design to influence any particular person or persons, there is noted the manifestation of a peculiar law of attraction and repulsion along psychic lines. This psychic law operates in the direction of attracting to oneself other persons who, actively or passively, vibrate on the same note, or on some note or notes in general harmony therewith. In the same, way, the law causes you to repel other persons who vibrate on a note or notes in general inharmony or discord to yourself. So, in short, we go through life attracting or repelling, psychically, others in harmonious or inharmonious psychic relation to us, respectively. An understanding of this law and its workings will throw light upon many things in your life which you have not understood previously.

You of course understand that you are constantly radiating currents of psychic vibrations, some of which flow out to great distances from you, and affect others often far removed from you in space. But you may not also know that on the astral plane there is manifesting a similar sequence of cause and effect. A strong emotional vibration, or a strong desire or will, tends to manifest on the astral plane by attracting or repelling others in psychic harmony or inharmony with you. This phenomenon is not so common as is that of ordinary thought vibrations from brain to brain, but it is far more common that is generally supposed. It is particularly marked in cases of men of strong desire and will, and strong creative imagination. These vibrations awakening response in the minds of those in harmony with them, tend to draw to one those other persons whose general character will fit in with the desires and ideas of the first person, or to repel those who are not harmonious therewith. This explains the peculiar phenomenon of strong men in business, politics and other walks of life, drawing and attracting to them other men who will fit in with their general plans and aims.

This law works two ways. Not only do you draw such persons to you as will fit in with your plans and purposes, but you are attracted to them by the same law. Not only this, but you will find that through the peculiar workings of this law even things and circumstances, as well as persons, will seem to be moulded by your strong desires and ideas, providing your psychic vibrations are sufficiently strong and clear. Have you never noticed how a strong, resourceful magnetic man will seem to actually draw to him the persons, things and circumstances that he needs to carry out and manifest his plans and designs. To many, not understanding this great law, these things have seemed positively uncanny and mysterious. But, now-a-days, the big men of business and politics are beginning to understand these psychic laws, and to apply them deliberately and with purpose.

Some of the great leaders in the business world, and in politics, are known to deliberately start into operation strong psychic vibrations, and to send out strong psychic currents of attraction, by the methods that I have already explained to you. They, of course, are filled with a more than ordinary degree of desire and will and, in the second place, they create very strong and clear mental pictures of their plans working out successfully to a finish; then concentrate strongly on the thing; and lo! the effect is felt by all hands and on all sides. They “treat the public” (to use the term favored by some of the metaphysical cults of the day) by holding the mental picture of that which they strongly desire to come to pass, and by concentrating their thought and will strongly upon it.

A favorite mental picture of some of these men (who have been instructed by teachers of occultism), is that of themselves as the centre of a great psychic whirlpool, drawing to themselves the persons, things and circumstances calculated to bring success and realization to them. Others picture their thought-vibrations flowing from them like the rings in a pond into which a stone had been dropped, influencing a constantly widening circle of other persons; then they picture the persons being drawn to them in the manner just mentioned. They persist in this practice day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year–is it any wonder that they draw to themselves that which they desire?

Other persons of lesser caliber take similar advantage of the law in the same way, but on a smaller scale. In every community there are certain persons who seem to draw to themselves the patronage and custom of the community, in some peculiar way. In most cases this may be traced back to some form of psychic influence. I do not mean that these persons consciously and deliberately set these forces into operation. On the contrary, many of them do so more or less unconsciously, and without a knowledge of the underlying psychic principles involved. Such persons have stumbled on a portion of the psychic laws, and have used them more or less unconsciously and without understanding the real reason of the happening. They found out that certain mental states and certain mental pictures tended to produce certain results–that they “worked out”–and so they continued them. Some of these men think of the whole thing as something supernatural, and get to believe that they are being helped by some supernatural power; whereas, they are simply operating under a universal psychic law of cause and effect.

In America a number of teachers and writers have devoted much attention to this phase of the general subject of psychic influence. Cults have been formed upon this general basis, the main idea of their followers being that of attracting financial and other success by means of this phase of psychic force. One of the leading writers along this line, says: “An individual who has cultivated the faculty of concentration, and has acquired the art of creating sharp, clear, strong, mental images, and who when engaged in an undertaking will so charge his mind with the idea of success, will be bound to become an attracting centre. And if such an individual will keep his mental picture ever in his mind, even though it be in the background of his mind, when he is attending to the details and planning of his affairs–if he will give his mental picture a prominent place in his mental gallery, taking a frequent glance at it, and using his will upon it to create new scenes of actual success, he will create for himself a centre of radiating thought that will surely be felt by those coming within its field of influence.

“Such a man frequently ‘sees people as coming to him and his enterprises, and as falling in line with his plans. He mentally ‘sees’ money flowing in to him, and all of his plans working out right. In short, he mentally imagines each step of his plans a little ahead of the time for their execution, and he concentrates forcibly and earnestly upon them. It is astonishing to witness how events, people, circumstances, and things seem to move in place in actual life as if urged by some mighty power to serve to materialize the conditions so imaged in the mind of the man. But, understand, there must be active mental effort behind the imaging. Day dreamers do not materialize thought–they merely dissipate energy. The man who converts thought in activity and material being throws energy into the task, and puts forth his willpower through the pictured image. Without the rays of the will there will be no picture projected, no matter how beautifully the imagination has projected it. Thought pictured in mental images, and then vitalized by the force of the desire, and will, tend to objectify themselves into material being.”

The student will be interested in reading and hearing the various theories and explanations given by different writers and teachers to account for the phenomena of psychic influence. Once he has grasped the real scientific principles involved, he will be able to see the same in operation in all of the cases cited by the different teachers and writers, and will find that this fundamental principle fully explains and accounts for all of these cases, no matter how puzzling they may seem, or how mysterious they may be claimed to be by those mentioning them. Truth is very simple when we brush away the fantastic dressings which have been placed around it by those who have lacked knowledge of the true fundamental principles.

We see this same law or principle operating in very many different ways from those previously mentioned. For instance, we frequently find cases in which one person has a strong desire for a certain kind of assistance in his business or other work. He has almost given up hope of finding the right kind of person, for those whom he has tried have failed to measure up the requirements of the situation. If he will (and he sometimes does) follow the general plan just mentioned, he will set into operation the psychic forces which will attract that person to him, and him to that person. In some peculiar way, the two will be thrown together, and the combination will work out to the best advantage of both. In these cases, each person is seeking the other, and the psychic forces of attraction, once set into operation, serve to bring them together.

In like manner, one often draws to himself certain knowledge and information that he requires or is desirous of gaining. But, and you must always remember this, no miracle is worked, for it is simply a matter of the working out of natural laws of cause and effect–attraction and response to attraction–on the psychic or astral plane. Such a person will accidently (!) run across some other person who will be led to give him the key to the knowledge he seeks. Perhaps a book may be mentioned, or some reference to some writer be made. If the hint is followed up, the desired information comes to light. Many persons have had the psychic experience of being led to some book store and induced to examine a particular shelf of books, whereupon a particular book presents itself which changes the whole course of the person’s life. Or, perhaps, one will pick up a newspaper apparently at random, and without purpose; and therein will find some information, or at least a hint in the direction where the information may be found. When one accustoms himself to the workings of psychic forces, these things soon become accepted as a matter of course, and cease to arouse wonder or surprise. The workings of the Psychic Law of Attraction is seen to be as natural and invariable as the law of gravitation, or magnetic attraction, once one has mastered its principles, and learned the methods of its application. Surely such a wonderful law is well worth study, attention, investigation, and mastery, isn’t it?

A writer along the lines of Mental Science, which is really based on the principles which have been stated in this book, has the following to say regarding his system: “Wonderful results arise by reason of what has been called ‘The Law of Attraction,’ by the workings of which each person is continually drawing to himself the people, things, objects, and even circumstances in harmony and accord with his prevailing mental states. Like attracts like, and the mental states determine that which one draws to himself. If you are not satisfied with what is coming to you, start to work and change your mental attitudes and mental states, and you will see a change gradually setting in, and then the things that you want will begin to come your way. * * * A most important fact about the effect of mental vibrations upon people lies in the principle that one is more affected by vibrations in harmony with his own accustomed feelings and mental states, than by those of an opposite nature. A man who is full of evil schemes, and selfish aims, is more apt to be caught up by similar vibrations than one who lives above that plane of thought. He is more easily tempted by evil suggestions and influences, than one to whom these things are abhorrent. And the same is true on every plane. A man whose mental attitude is one of confidence and fearlessness, is not apt to be affected by vibrations of a negative, pessimistic, gloomy nature, and vice versa. Therefore, if you wish to receive the vibrations of the thoughts and feelings of others, you must place yourself in a mental attitude corresponding with those vibrations which you wish to receive. And if you wish to avoid vibrations of a certain kind, the best way is to rise above them in your own mind, and to cultivate the mental states opposite them. The positive always overcomes the negative–and optimistic mental states are always positive to pessimistic mental states.”

Another writer on, and practitioner of Mental Science, in America, several years ago, explained her theory and practice by means of the term “corelation of thoughts and things.” She held that when one thought positively, clearly and forcibly of a thing, he “related” himself to that thing, and tended to attract it to him, and to be attracted toward it. She held that true wisdom consists in so managing our thoughts that we shall relate ourselves only to those things which we know to be desirable and beneficial to ourselves, and to avoid thinking of those which are harmful and detrimental to us. The student of this book will see how this practical Mental Scientist was really using the same principles that we have examined and become acquainted within this book, although she called them by another name, and explained them by another theory. At the bottom of all the teachings and theories you will always find the one same basic principle and universal law.

The advanced student of occultism knows that each and every one of us is really a creator of his own circumstances, environment and conditions, to a great extent. Each of us is able to so modify our mental activities as to bring about such changes in our environment and surroundings as to actually re-create them. The things accomplished by successful men are really but materializations of that which they have previously held in their mental vision. Everything is first created on the psychic plane, and then manifested in the physical world. All the great works of man, the great bridges, great buildings, tunnels, machinery, cities, railroads, canals, works of art, musical compositions, etc., first existed in the mind of their creators, and were then afterward materialized in physical form and shape. And, so you see we are proceeding with our work of mental creations whenever we think and make mental images. This, however, is no new teaching. It is as old as the race of mankind. Over twenty-five hundred years ago, Buddha said to his disciples: “All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts; it is made up of our thoughts.”

I would be telling you but half the story did I not warn you that strong Fear may play the part ordinarily filled by Desire in the production of the psychic phenomena of materialization of mental pictures. Strange as it may appear at first, a strong fear that a thing will come to pass will act much the same as a strong desire that the happening will occur. Consequently, many persons by continually dwelling upon the thing that they fear may happen to them, actually attract that thing to them, just as if they had actually desired and wished for it. I cannot go into occult technicalities in explaining this strange fact; but the gist of the secret may be said to consist in the fact that the person clearly and vividly pictures in his mind the thing that he fears may happen to him. He thus creates a strong mental-picture or image of it, which sets into forces the attractive power of psychic influence and draws the feared thing into material reality. As Job said: “The thing that I feared hath come upon me.” The moral of this is, of course, that persons should learn to stamp out fear and mental images of things feared. Instead, they should make strong positive mental denials of the things that they may find themselves fearing. They should deny the reality of the feared thing, and assert positively their own superiority to the thing, and their power to overcome it.

A great religious cult has sprung into existence which makes a leading doctrine of this ability to materialize the things which one desires, and to deny out of existence undesirable things. Many persons who have witnessed the wonderful success of some of the followers of this cult or organization, have been puzzled to account for the same on scientific and rational grounds. A little understanding of fundamental occult and psychic principles, as given in these lessons, will show the “why and wherefore” of these strange and wonderful manifestations. In this connection you must remember that the combined thought of the thousands of persons composing this cult or organization undoubtedly gives additional psychic force to the mental affirmations and denials of the individual member thereof.

In past and present, and probably in future time, there have been many instances of magical procedures tending to bring about the results that we have herein seen to come about by reason of psychic influence, in some of its many phases. These magic procedures have usually been accompanied by incantations, ceremonies, strange rites, evocations, etc., which were supposed to have great virtue in bringing about desired results. But the true occultists now know that these ceremonies and rites were merely hopes to the imagination and aids to faith, and thus tended to bring about the psychic phenomena. There was no virtue in these ceremonies themselves, and the same results may be secured by simply following the procedure outlined in this book. The wonders of ancient magic have been reproduced by the modern occultists, without all the mumbo-jumbo of the past rites and ceremonies.

A gifted English writer upon the subject of the relation of mysticism and magic, sums up the gist of the principles of Magic as follows:

“The central doctrine of Magic may now be summed up thus:

“(1) That a supersensible and real cosmic medium exists, which interpenetrates, influences, and supports the tangible and apparent world, and is amenable to the categories both of meta-physics and of physics.” [This of course is the astral plane, which is the container of the subtle form or framework of all that exists on the physical plane.]

“(2) That there is an established analogy and equilibrium between the real (and unseen) world, and the illusory manifestation that we call the world of sense.” [By this of course is meant the correspondence and balance between the subtle form of things and the material manifestation thereof. Things created in the astral, tend to materialize on the physical plane. All creation proceeds from the astral to the physical.]

“(3) That this analogy may be discerned, and this equilibrium controlled, by the disciplined will of man, which thus becomes master of itself and of fate.” [The essence of Will consists of strong desire accompanied by a clear mental picture of the thing desired, and held steady and firm by concentration.]

So you see by reference to the above very clear statement of the central doctrine of Magic, and my explanations thereof, that in these lessons you have been taught the very essence of the wonderful, mysterious ancient Magic, and its modern counterpart. As for the various rites and ceremonies, as I have said, these are mere symbols and aids to mental imaging and concentration. As an eminent occultist once said, “Ceremonies being but artificial methods of creating certain habits of the will, they cease to be necessary when these habits have become fixed.” The master of occultism sees ceremonies, rites, and ritual as but the playthings of the kindergarten scholar–useful and important so far as they go, but serving merely to teach the scholar, sooner or later, that he may proceed without them.

In this chapter I have condensed enough information to fill a whole book. I trust that you will study it carefully, and not miss its main points.

LESSON XX.

PSYCHIC AND MAGNETIC HEALING

Probably no phase of psychic influence is more familiar to the average person of the Western world than is that of the healing of physical ills and conditions by means of psychic influence under one name or another. Great healing cults and organizations have been built up upon this basis, and the interest in the subject has taken on the form of a great popular movement.

As is natural in cases of this kind, there have been hundreds of theories advanced to account for the phenomena of psychic healing, and a still greater number of methods of treatments devised to carry out the principles of the theories. Ranging from the teaching of actual divine interposition and influence arising from certain forms of belief and practice, covering many intermediate stages, the theories even include a semi-materialistic hypothesis in which mind is considered as an attribute of matter, but having a magic influence over the forms of matter when properly applied. But it is worthy of note that no matter what the general or particular theory, or what the favored method of application, these healing schools or cults, as well as the independent practitioners, meet with a very fair degree of success and perform quite a number of cures.

Many of these Western advocates and practitioners of psychic healing practically hold that the whole system is of very recent discovery, and that it has nothing whatsoever to do with ordinary occult science. The occultists however are able to smile at these ideas and beliefs, for they not only recognize the general principles involved, but they also are aware that these principles, and their application, have been known to advanced occultists for thousands of years. I do not say this in any dispargement of the moderns schools of psychic healing, for I am in full sympathy with their great work; I merely mention the matter that the student may get the right historical perspective in considering this phase of psychic phenomena and influence.

So far as the methods of application are concerned, the true occultist recognizes that most of the methods and forms of treatment are but outward cloaks or disguises for the real psychic healing principle. The gist of the real methods is to be found in the principles of the application of psychic influence which I have presented to you in these lessons, viz: (1) Strong desire to make the cure; (2) clear mental image or picture of the desired condition as actually present in the patient at this time; and (3) concentration of the attention and mind of the healer, so as to bring to a focus to two preceding mental states. Here you have the real secret of psychic healing methods–the rest are all elaborations thereof, dressed up forms and ceremonies which affect the imagination, faith, belief and confidence of the patient, and thus make the healing process much easier. In fact, with the proper degree of faith and confidence on the part of the patient, there is but little need of a healer, for the patient may treat and cure himself. However, in most cases, the presence of the healer aids materially in arousing the fate and confidence of the patient, and hastens the cure.

Again, so far as the theories underlying the cures are concerned, occultists are able to reduce them all to a single working theory or principle, which includes all the rest. Brushing aside all technical details, and all attempts to trace back the healing process to the ultimate facts of the universe, I may say that the gist of the principle of all psychic healing is that of influencing the astral foundation of the various organs and parts, cells and centres, so as to make it proceed to manifest a more perfect physical counterpart. All psychic healing is really accomplished on the astral body first–then the physical body responds to the renewed activities of its astral counterpart. To get the real significance of this statement it is necessary for you to realize just what the astral body really is. This once grasped, the difficulties vanish, and you are able to form a clear conception of the entire matter and process.

The astral body is a precise counterpart of the physical body, its organs, its parts, its centres, and its cells. In fact, the astral body is the pattern upon which the physical body is materialized. The astral body is composed of an etheric substance of a very high rate of vibration. In one sense it may be considered as a very subtle form of matter–in another as a semi-materialized form of force or energy. It is finer and more subtle that the rarest vapors or gases known to science. And, yet, it has a strong degree of tenacity and cohesiveness that enables it to resist attacks from the material side of nature. As I have said, each organ, part, centre or cell, of the physical body has its astral pattern or basis. In fact, the physical body has been built up, in whole and in all of its parts, on the pattern and base of the astral body. Moreover, in case of impaired functioning of the physical organs or parts, and impaired activity of the physical body, its limbs, etc., if we can manage to arouse the activities of the astral body we may cause it to re-materialize or re-energize the physical body, and thus restore health and activity to it. If the liver, for instance, is not functioning properly, we proceed to start up the activities of the astral counterpart of that organ, to the end that the physical organ may be re-energized, and recreated in a measure. All true psychic healing work is performed on the astral plane, before it manifests on the physical.

At this point, I should also call your attention to the effect of “prana,” or life energy, in some cases of healing. This prana is what Western healers mean when they speak of “human magnetism” in their healing work. So far from being an imaginary force, as claimed by the physical scientists and materialists, it is known to all occultists as an active principle of the human body, and as of great efficacy in the psychic treatment of disease. I shall mention the details of this form of treatment as we proceed–I mention it at this place merely to call your attention to the fact of its existence.

Before passing on to the consideration of other phases of the subject before us, I would like to call your attention to the fact that from the earliest days of history there have been recorded instances of some form of psychic healing. In the earlier days the psychic healing work was left entirely in the hands of the priesthood of the various religions prevailing in the several counties of the world. Claiming to have an exclusive divine sanction to perform healing work, these priests used various ceremonies, rites, incantations, etc., in order to obtain their results. In many cases these priests were ignorant of the real psychic forces invoked and set into operation; they merely practiced methods which had been found to work out effectively, and which had been handed down to them by their predecessors. In other cases, however, the priests undoubtedly were skilled occultists, and had a very full knowledge of the forces they were using; though, as the masses of the people were very ignorant it was impossible to acquaint them with these things so far above their understanding; and, consequently, the priests applied the healing forces under the disguise of their religious ceremonies and rites.

From time to time, however, as civilization progressed, there came into prominence persons who worked cures of physical ills by means of magical ceremonies and other similar methods, but who were outside of the priesthood. Some of these men undoubtedly had a very fair knowledge of the real secret of their cures, though they disguised them to suit the mental condition of their patients, and, also, probably for purposes of self glorification. In other cases, however, it is probable that these healers had merely stumbled across the fact that certain things said in a certain way tended to work cures; or that certain physical objects seemed to have therapeutic virtue. They did not realize that the whole healing virtue of their systems depended upon the strong idea in their own minds, coupled with the strong faith and confidence in the mind of the patient. And so the work went on.

In some of the oldest records of the human race, the scriptures of the various peoples, we find that “laying on of hands” was the favorite method employed by the holy men and priests, and other performing healing work. From the first there seems to have been an almost instinctive recognition on the part of man of the fact that there is a healing power in the touch of the hand. Even ignorant and savage mothers instinctively apply their hands to the hurt bodies of their children–a custom that has its counterpart in civilized races, by the way. The child is taught to expect physical relief from the application of the mother’s hands, and its mind at once pictures relief. Not only is the mental picture created, but the desire and confidence is established in the minds of both persons. The same thing is true of all “laying on of hands,” and thus are the principles of all psychic influence brought into play. But this is not all there is to it. In the first place, there is an actual transference of prana from the body of the healer to that of the patient, which serves to energize and revitalize the cells and centres of the body of the latter. In the second place, there is the effect upon the astral body of the patient, which tends to materialize better physical conditions. In the third place, there is that combination and union of the minds of the two persons, which gives extra force and power to psychic influence. Is it any wonder that cures take place under these circumstances?

In the modern revival of the almost lost art and science of psychic healing among the general public, there has been unusual stress laid upon the feature of “absent healing,” in which the patient and the healer are not in each other’s presence. To many this has seemed actually miraculous, and as a positive proof of divine interposition. But a little thought will show the student that such cures are not unknown in the pages of history, as a casual examination of the sacred books of almost any religion will show. Moreover, the student will see that to the effect of certain principles of psychic influence there needs but to be added the principles of telepathic communication, or, better still, the principles of astral communication by some phases of clairvoyance, to account for the entire phenomena of “absent healing.”

Space is no barrier on the astral plane, as you have seen in the preceding chapters of this book. Once the en rapport condition is established between healer and patient, and the rest is simple–the astral body is induced to energize more actively, and as a result the physical manifestation is improved and normal functioning restored. Of course, all this is wonderful enough–all psychic phenomena is, for that matter; but, we see that we do not have to go outside of established occult laws, principles and facts in order to account for some of these modern miracles which have puzzled and perplexed so many good persons who have not known of the occult teachings, and who fear that the world is being turned upside down, and Nature’s laws overturned by these “new fangled” ideas and methods.

Perhaps the most simple method of healing by psychic influence is that which is at the same time the oldest method, i.e., the “laying on of hands.” This method was revived about twenty years ago in America and Europe by the new school of “magnetic healing” which sprung rapidly into public favor. The other schools of psychic healing, generally known as “mental healing,” “spiritual healing,” “divine healing,” etc., generally frown upon the use of the hands in psychic healing, deeming it “too material,” and too much allied to hypnotism, etc. But this view is quite bigoted and narrow, for this method has no relation to hypnotism, and, moreover, it gives the patient the benefit of the flow of prana from the healer, while at the same time producing the psychic effect on the astral body, as I have just mentioned.

I take the liberty of quoting here something on this subject from my little book entitled “The Human Aura.” In the chapter of that book devoted to the consideration of the subject of “Auric Magnetism,” I said: “In cases of magnetic healing, etc., the healer by an effort of his will (sometimes unconsciously applied) projects a supply of his pranic aura vibrations into the body of his patient, by way of the nervous system of the patient, and also by means of what may be called the induction of the aura itself. The mere presence of a person strongly charged with prana, is often enough to cause an overflow into the aura of other persons, with a resulting feeling of new strength and energy. By the use of the hands of the healer, a heightened effect is produced, by reason of certain properties inherent in the nervous system of both healer and patient. There is even a flow of etheric substance from the aura of the healer to that of the patient, in cases in which the vitality of the latter is very low. Many a healer has actually, and literally, pumped his life force and etheric substance into the body of his patient, when the latter was sinking into the weakness which precedes death, and has by so doing been able to bring him back to strength and life. This is practically akin to the transfusion of blood–except that it is upon the psychic plane instead of the physical.”

But the true “magnetic healer” (call him by whatever name you wish) does not make this pranic treatment the all-in-all of his psychic treatment. On the contrary it is but the less subtle part, which leads up to the higher phases. While treating his patients by the laying on of hands, he, at the same time, strives to induce in the mind of the patient the mental image of restored health and physical strength; he pictures the diseased organ as restored to health and normal functioning; he sees the entire physiological machinery operating properly, the work of nutrition, assimilation, and excretion going on naturally and normally. By proper words of advice L and encouragement he awakens hope and confidence in the mind of the patient, and thus obtains the co-operation of that mind in connection to his own mental efforts. The astral body responds to this treatment, and begins to energize the physical organs and cells into normal activity–and the journey toward health is begun.

[In the little book just mention, “The Human Aura,” I gave some valuable information regarding the influence of colors in psychic healing, which I do not reproduce here as it is outside the scope and field of the present lessons. Those who may feel interested in the subject are respectfully referred to the little manual itself. It is sold for a nominal price by the publishers of the present work.]

In the form of psychic treatment which comes under the head of Suggestive Therapeutics, great insistence is laid upon the verbal suggestion to the patient, on the part of the healer. The patient is told that he will get well; that his organs will function normally; etc., etc. But the student of the present lessons will readily see that the only virtue in the spoken words consists in their power to evoke and induce the mental image of the desired condition in the mind of the patient. The mental picture thus evoked produces a corresponding effect in the astral body of the patient, and sets into operation the materialization of desired results. In addition, the words produce a strong mental picture in the mind of the healer himself, and thus give form and strength to his psychic vibrations which are being poured out toward the patient. This is really the secret of suggestive treatment.

The many cults of metaphysical healing, in America and Europe, lay great stress upon what they call “affirmations,” which are but statements of the patient of his or her faith in the healing power of God, or of Mind, or Spirit, or Principle (different names are used). The patient naturally has confidence aroused, and as naturally begins to picture the desired condition; this in turn reacting upon the astral body, and this upon the physical body or organ. In addition, the healer’s mind is also set to work in the same way, and sets into motion the healing psychic forces in the way just mentioned. You will notice that the same principle is always involved and set into operation and manifestation.

There is no particular virtue in the form of affirmation used by the healer or patient, except the important virtue of being able to arouse strong mental pictures of restored health, proper functioning, etc. There is of course this also: certain forms of affirmations or mental statements are better suited than others to the particular wants of certain persons. For instance, a very religious person will be aroused better by affirmations and statements filled with religious sentiments and ideas; while a person of a purely scientific turn of mind will receive more benefit from affirmations in which the precise physiological functions are specifically mentioned; while the person who is fond of mystery and strange ceremonies will be better served in the affirmations or statements taken in the form of some magical incantation, etc. The difference, however, lies in the mind of the patient, rather than in the words themselves. Words are merely invokers of ideas–symbols of ideas. In themselves, words are nothing–ideas are everything.

If you wish to treat yourself psychically for some physical disorder, or if you wish to do good to others in the same way, you have but to put into operation the general principles of psychic influence herein described. That is to say, you must first be filled with the strong desire and wish to make the cure; then you must make a strong mental image of the desired result, as actually present. (Do not think of it as “going to be;” instead say and think that it “is now!”); then concentrate the attention firmly and positively upon the idea. You may aid yourself and others by affirmations or auto-suggestions (words creating desired ideas and mental pictures) if you wish–you may get better results in this way. In this connection, let me remind you that the healing work in many cases consists largely in placing proper mental pictures in the mind of the patient, thereby displacing improper and harmful mental pictures of disease, etc., which have been given lodgment there before. Many persons are sick because of improper and harmful mental pictures that they have allowed to be placed there by the suggestions of others. Fear and dread of disease often acts to bring about the feared condition, for reasons that you can readily see.

And, now, finally for the work of “absent healing” by psychic influence. I can state this to you very simply; it is this: take what I have just told you regarding personal treatments, and combine it with what I have told you in previous lessons about “long distance psychic influence”–then you will have the whole thing. Here is a sample of an effective distant treatment; or “absent treatment,” to use the popular term–it may be varied and enlarged up to fit individual cases:

Sit quietly in your own room, inducing a calm, peaceful mental attitude and state. Then (in the way already told you in this book) make a mental picture of the patient as sitting opposite to you, or lying down in front of you. If you have never seen the patient, make simply a mental image of a man, or a woman, as the case may be, and think of the figure as being the patient. The best practitioners of distant psychic healing produce such a strong mental image of the patient that they can often actually “feel” his or her presence. (This of course is the result of a simple form of clairvoyance.) Then make a strong mental picture of the condition that you wish to induce in the patient–the healthy physical condition of the organ, or part or body, as the case may be. See this condition as existing at the present time, and not as merely to come in the future. At the same time, you will do well to mentally speak to the patient, just as you would in case he or she were sitting before you in the physical body. Tell the patient just what you would in such case. Pour in the suggestions, or affirmations, or whatever you may wish to call them. In some cases in which an excellent en rapport condition is established, patients become aware of the treatment, and sometimes can almost see and feel the presence of the healer.

A prominent Mental Scientist, of America, instructs his pupils to consider each of the organs of the patient, or of themselves, as having a separate intelligence; and, therefore, to “speak up to it” as if it really understood what was being said to its organ-mind. I would say that such form of treatment would be calculated to bring about very good results, indeed. The principle of concentration and mental picturing would be invoked very strongly in such a case, and the astral counterpart of the organ should respond to such treatment quickly and effectively. It is an occult fact that there is mind in every organ and cell of the body, and if the same is awakened in the astral counterpart, it will respond to the command, suggestion, or direction. The writer in question evidently is well acquainted with this occult law, judging from his other writings, and has simply veiled his knowledge with this easily understood method of treatment which undoubtedly will “do the work,” to use the American term.

Finally, no matter what may be the theory, or method, given in connection with psychic healing of any or all kinds, you will find the same general principles underlying it that have been presented over and over again in this book. In fact, many purely material and physical remedies owe their success to the fact that they appeal to the imagination of the patient, and also inspire confidence in him. Anything that will inspire confidence, faith and hope in the mind of a patient, and will bring to his mind strong mental pictures of restored health and normal functioning of his organs–that thing will make for health for him. So, there you have the whole theory and practice in a sentence!

* * * * *

I would remind the student that these are not lessons to be read but once and then laid aside. In order to get from them all that they contain for you, you will find it necessary to read them several times, with a reasonable interval between readings for the knowledge to sink into your mind. I feel sure that you will find with each reading that there are many points that you over-looked before. The lessons cover a wide field, with many little excursions into bye-paths and lanes of thought. I trust that the reading and study will make you not only a wiser person, but also a stronger and more efficient one. I thank you for your kind attention, and trust that we shall meet again in the future.

FINIS.

The Art and Science of
PERSONAL MAGNETISM
By THERON Q. DUMONT
THE SECRET OF FORTUNE,
FAME AND LOVE

_Success can be made more certain by being able to mold minds and to influence them to act as you wish_.

THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PERSONAL MAGNETISM

By Theron Q. Dumont

A Chicago paper in a recent editorial said: “There are men in this country in abundance, but good men, while in great demand, are as scarce as the clams in chowder at a church supper.”

A man need not be a college graduate if he is to rise to the height of power and success. Personal Magnetism will help to control and influence others.

This book contains 238 pages crammed with most interesting advice on Personal Magnetism–what it is and how to develop it. It contains 21 chapters dealing with the different phases of the subject. Here are a few of the chapter headings:

The Mental Phase–The Physical Phase–Physical Magnetism–Mental Radiation–Mental Atmosphere–The Direct Flash–The Positive Aura–The Direct Command–The Magnetic Duel–Magnetic Self-Defence–The Power of Controlling Others

No. 6, 238 Pages, Cloth Bound, Size 5×7.

Medical Hypnotism and Suggestion By Alexr. Verner, F.A.I.P.

This book is full of secrets. It explains what hypnotism (or mesmerism) is, and gives an interesting outline of its history. It explains the great value of hypnotism in the cure of disease and in surgical operations. It tells how to hypnotise a man, how to put him in a trance for a week. There is an explanation on how to give an hypnotic entertainment for your friends or on the stage, making your subjects do things such as acting, singing, speechmaking, things that, in their ordinary state, they would be unable to do. Further it explains the method of curing bad habits–drinking, swearing, lying, stealing, gambling, betting, smoking, envy, hatred, temper, etc.

The author’s object in writing this book is to give a brief but accurate description of Hypnotism and Suggestive Therapeutics, as practiced by the most advanced schools of the present day; and also to enlighten the public mind on the great advantages of hypnotism in the treatment of disease, as compared with the drug method now used in this and other countries. Size 6 x 4-1/2.

No. 12, 37 Pages, Paper Bound–Price Postpaid Outside U.S.A.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEERSHIP
THE SCIENCE OF KNOWING THE FUTURE
HINDOO and ORIENTAL METHODS
COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEFORE

By Swami Bhakta Vishita (Hindoo Master)

Everyone possesses in the latent state the wonderful faculty of Seership. This can be developed. You can train yourself so you can foresee events and be your own adviser–see your own future.

If you want to make the most of yourself, both in a human and divine sense, you should read this book.

The most profound and conscientious occult work published in years. Teaches how to pierce the veil–enter at will into the spiritual world and converse with your loved ones now across the border.

No. 3. 384 Pages, Cloth Bound, Size, 5×7

Practical Mind Reading
By William Walker Atkinson

_A course of Lessons on Thought Transference, Telepathy, Mental Currents, Mental Rapport, etc_.

This book is full of practical condensed instruction about every phase of Mind Reading, Telepathy, etc. The exercises and directions are so plain and simple that they can be understood and demonstrated by any person of ordinary intelligence.

Here you will find complete instruction in all the latest points about Mind Reading. It tells how Thought Transference is practiced in the scientific laboratory as well as by a public performer. It tells you how to perform feats that will mystify an audience and arouse the deepest interest and enthusiasm, or how you can conduct telepathic experiments with your friends right in your own home.

Here are the titles of the lessons and a few of the subjects treated:

THE NATURE OF MIND READING–A vast, mysterious subject; Power of Etheric Vibrations; Mental wireless telepathy; the mysteries of science; Action of mind upon mind; The mental battery.

THE PROOFS OF MIND READING–The Psychic post office; Wonderful results; A convincing experiment.

CONTACT MIND READING–The two classes of mind reading; The simplest form; Nerve current theory; The truth about public performances.

DEVELOPMENT EXERCISES–How to begin; Rapport conditions–Rhythmic breathing; Details of finding objects.

PRICE POSTPAID–Outside U.S.A.

No. 8–95 Pages, Paper Bound, Size 6×4-1/2

THE SOLAR PLEXUS or Abdominal Brain
BY THERON Q. DUMONT

Man has four brains, and not merely one, as is commonly believed to be the case. Each of the four brains have separate characteristics and distinctive offices and functions.

The Solar Plexus, or Abdominal Brain is situated in the upper part of the abdomen, behind the stomach, in front of the great artery, and in front of pillars of the diaphragm.

The Solar Plexus is the great plexus, i.e., network of nerve-fibres, mass of nerve-substance, etc., of the great sympathetic nervous system. It is composed of both gray and white nervous substance, or brain-matter, similar to that of the other three brains of man. It receives and distributes nerve-impulses and currents to all the abdominal organs, and supplies the main organs of nutrition, assimilation, etc., with nervous energy.

It performs a most important work, supplying the nerve-energy which is required for the process of nutrition, assimilation, growth, etc. In fact, it is the great powerhouse of physical life-energy. The bodily functions cannot be performed without it; when it is injured the entire physical well-being is at once seriously affected; when it receives a severe shock, death often ensues.

Its name, “solar” was bestowed upon it by reason of its central position; its filaments extend in all directions to the important abdominal organs, like the rays of the sun; and it is recognized as being the powerhouse, and great reservoir of “life force,” just as the sun is the great powerhouse and reservoir of material energy of our solar system.

Not alone modern scientific investigators; but also many very ancient investigators, such as the oriental occultists and sages, who many centuries ago recognized certain subtle functions and offices of this wonderful “fourth brain” of man, and taught their students many valuable methods of effectively employing its finer forces and hidden energies.

NO. 9, 64 PAGES, PAPER BOUND, SIZE 6×4-1/2 PRICE POSTPAID–OUTSIDE U.S.A.

HOW TO KNOW YOUR FUTURE by Alexr. Verner, F.A.I.P.

As St. Paul points out, man has a natural (or material) body and a spiritual body. There are also a material world and a spiritual world. With the eye we can only see material things. To see the spiritual world we must cultivate the spiritual sight. Seeing spiritual things with the spiritual sight is called Clairvoyance (or “Second Sight”).

You can if you choose, cultivate clairvoyant faculty. If you do, you may be able to see places and persons in the spiritual world. This may enable you to describe to your friends, people in spirit life that they have known here.

It can also help you to see what is going on at a distance in this world. To see into the past and the future. To obtain hidden information, and to give advice, of the utmost value. This faculty when properly developed enables one to trace hidden treasure, to find lost friends, animals, and property. With the development of Clairvoyance it is also possible to develop Clairaudience (Spiritual Hearing).

Crystal Gazing means looking into a crystal ball or into something else of a like kind. When this faculty is developed one sees a picture or image in the crystal. Presently the picture will dissolve and another will take its place. All the above matter is described in this book.

No. 15, 42 Pages, Paper Bound, Size 6×4-1/2.

Price Postpaid–Outside U.S.A.

How to Converse with Spirit Friends by Alexr. Verner, F.A.I.P.

A medium is a person whose presence is necessary before a spirit can communicate. “How To Converse With Spirit Friends” tells you how you may develop mediumistic powers, so as to be able to receive messages from the other world when sitting alone.

The book also tells you about different kinds of spirits, including apparitions (ghosts) and spirit guides (the spirit friends that are constantly with each of us); about spirit control (how spirits work through the organisms of mediums); and about spirit-given premonitions, warnings, death-signs, etc. The work, moreover, gives other interesting and valuable matter. This work is calculated to “comfort those that mourn.”

This book is printed in very legible type and contains illustrations to bring out points. One of the illustrations shows spirit forms as seen by a medium. Size 6×4-1/2

No. 14, 36 Pages, Paper Bound–Price Postpaid Outside U.S.A./b>

THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION
By Theron Q. Dumont

_It is of the utmost value to learn how to concentrate. To make the greatest success of anything, you must be able to center your entire thought upon the idea you are working on. The person who is able to concentrate, utilizes all constructive thoughts and shuts out all destructive ones. The greatest man would accomplish nothing if he lacked concentration._

TWENTY FAMOUS LESSONS IN CONCENTRATION

In these twenty lessons, this famous author gives you in simple, concrete form the results of his lifetime investigations. He shows you how to acquire that mental quality of concentration which has made world-known leaders. He shows you how to focus your ideas, to get away from mind wandering, to eliminate day dreams–how to use your mind like an ever-ready tool and to accomplish in hours what the man without this ability does only in weeks or months. He tells clearly why some men lead, while others with equal intelligence remain in the ranks. He shows the clear way to make the utmost out of your mentality. No degree of success, within reason, is impossible when one possesses the Power of Concentration.

Read the principles laid down so clearly by Professor Dumont. Practice the exercises which he has so carefully worked out. This training is as much a guarantee of success as any other method known. Simply learn to use your brains–learn to focus, to concentrate and the highway to bigger things is open to you.

A FEW OF THE TOPICS

Opportunities Made Through Concentration. (Shows the plain road to the top.) Self Mastery. (How to centralize attention.) Training the Will. (A mighty force at your disposal.) Mental Poise. (How to command conditions.) Business Success. (How to coordinate forces by concentration.) Attaining Wealth. (How to attract money bringing factors.) How Courage is Gained. (Use of concentration to drive out fear.) Memory by Concentration. (A very valuable lesson.) Practical Exercises. (The actual application of the principles of concentration.) Many more topics all as interesting and important as those listed.

No. 5–186 Pages, Cloth Bound, Size 5×7 Price Postpaid–Outside U.S.A.