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Lesson Six:
The Law of Psychic Phenomena—
Introduction
It is taken for granted that the average person of to-day
is more or less acquainted with the facts concerning psychic phenomena.
It would be useless, in a course such as this, to attempt any exhaustive
research work; this has already been done by those eminently able to furnish
the data.
There is within man a power that can communicate without
the tongue, hear without the ear, see without the eye, talk without the
mouth, move ponderable objects and grasp things without the hand; and perform
many other feats that are usually connected only with the physical instrument.
All these facts have been completely proved, and it is no longer necessary
to produce evidence to substantiate these facts.
While the above stated facts have all been proved, the
reason for their being has not been so thoroughly or logically discussed,
and it is the purpose of this article to explain the fundamental reasons
behind the law of mental action which is called psychic; for if a thing
happens, there must be a reason for its happening and a law through which
it operates.
The only excuse for taking up this topic in a course of
lessons in Mental Science is that, being the phenomena of Mind, it should
come under the category of known mental actions.
PSYCHIC PHENOMENA AND IMMORTALITY
Psychic phenomena are closely associated with immortality
in people's minds for the reason that they deal with those unseen powers
which we think of as being attributes of the soul; and also because many
people have attributed the phenomena largely to the agency of discarnate
spirits.
NO APOLOGIES
While no apologies are made for the ensuing pages, yet,
in justice to the Truth, it must be said that many of the world's eminent
scientists have investigated the subjects to be discussed, and so far,
to the author's knowledge, none of them have ever refuted the ensuing facts.
The powers which are exhibited through the psychic life
do really exist in man, and someday he will make conscious use of them
and will, thereby, be greatly benefited. Meanwhile, every one is urged
to be most careful in his approach to the subject. A little knowledge is
a very dangerous thing, and it is to be regretted that very few people
exhibiting psychic powers appear to know what the law is that underlies
the phenomena. Many are led astray through ignorance, and one should be
most careful in handling the topic. But, as stated above, this subject,
coming under the known laws of mental action, must be dealt with.
God has given us a mind with which to know, and a power
with which to discern, the Truth, and it is a terrible mistake to misuse
that power. The whole end and aim of evolution is to produce a man who,
in his self-conscious state, may depict the Divine Nature. We can do this
only to the degree that we remain ourselves at all times.
We will take up the study of this subject just as we would
approach the study of any other law, with an open mind, without any superstition
and free from any sense of the unnatural. Nature is always natural, and
only those things are mysteries which we do not understand.
Lesson Six: Metaphysical Meanings of Words
Used in Chart No. VI
The upper section represents the Conscious Mind, the Self-Knowing
Mind, which we call Spirit. The middle section represents the Psychic Sea,
that is, the Subjective World; this is the world of thought forms and mental
pictures. This has been called "The illusion of Mind," because it contains
many pictures, which are pictures only, and have no real form behind them.
As a picture that is hung on the wall is not really a person—but is simply
a picture—so the Psychic Sea may contain pictures which, while they are
real as pictures, are not real from any other sense. It does not follow
that everything in the psychic world is an illusion, for it contains much
that is true. We should be very careful to distinguish the false from the
true.
The lower section of the chart represents the objective
world. This world also reflects many false forms, such as disease and limitation.
They are not things of themselves, but are the results of wrong mental
pictures in the Subjective World.
Neither the psychic pictures nor the world of forms are
self-creative; both are effects.
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SPIRIT OR CONSCIOUS MIND
ONE AND ONLY KNOWING
POWER IN GOD OR MAN
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THE PSYCHIC SEA – SUBJECTIVE
FALSE OR TRUE – MIRROR OF MIND
MEDIUM OF ALL PSYCHIC PHENOMENA
THOUGHT FORMS OR MENTAL PICTURES
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OBJECTIVE
ILLUSION OF MATTER
FALSE OR TRUE
MIRROR OF MATTER
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Lesson Six: Metaphysical Chart No. VI.
This is the psychic's chart and should be carefully considered,
as it shows that the Spirit, or Conscious Mind, operates through a mental
field, or law, which is a world of reflections. Thought is first reflected
into Mind and then into matter. Read again the meaning of the conscious
and the subconscious aspects of being. The world of Subjectivity is the
Psychic Sea and the Medium of all subjective action. From the standpoint
of man's thoughts it may be false or true, according to the way in which
he thinks. It is the picture gallery of the soul, both from the universal
and the individual sense. The illusion of matter means that the false mental
pictures will produce a false form in the world of objectivity. Mind is
not an illusion, but might contain false pictures which would be illusions;
matter is not an illusion but may take on false conditions. We must learn
to separate the false from the true.
Lesson Six: Psychic Phenomena
Psyche means soul; psychic phenomena are the phenomena
of the soul. We have already seen that what we call the soul is, really,
the subjective part of us. We do not have two minds, but we do have a dual
aspect of mentality in what we call the objective and subjective phases
of mind. The objective mind is that part of the mentality which functions
consciously; it is the part of us which really knows itself; and without
it we would not be real of conscious entities.
THE SUBJECTIVE MIND
Our subjective mind is our mental emanation in Universal
Subjectivity; it is our individual use of mental law. It is also the avenue
through which Instinctive Man works, carrying on the functions of the body;
for it is the silent builder of the body. The subjective mind of the individual
is the working of Instinctive Man within him, plus all of his conscious
and subconscious experiences.
SEAT OF MEMORY
The subjective mind is the seat of memory and of instinctive
emotion. Being the seat of memory, it contains a remembrance of everything
that has ever happened to the outer man. This memory is perfect and retains
every experience of the individual life. The subjective mind also contains
many of the family and race characteristics which have been experienced
by individualized man. It retains these memories, partly, at least, as
mental pictures or impressions. This is proven by the fact that pictures
have been taken of the subjective thought and definite outlines developed.
This does not necessarily mean that every impression is retained as a mental
picture, but that, in all probability, anything that the outer eye has
definitely seen is retained as a more or less distinct picture.
The subjective mind is a picture gallery, upon whose walls
are hung the pictures of all the people whom the individual has ever known
and all the incidents which he has ever experienced.
SUGGESTION AND SUBJECTIVITY
The subjective mind being deductive only in its reasoning
powers is compelled by its nature to retain all the mental impressions
that it has ever received. It, therefore, contains much that the objective
mind has never consciously known. When we realize that the individual's
subjectivity is his use of the One Subjective Mind, we shall see that a
subjective unity is maintained between all people, and that individual
mentalities which are in sympathetic vibration with each other must, more
of less, mingle, and receive suggestions from each other. This is the meaning
of mental influence, which is, indeed, a very real thing. This also means
that the subjective mind receives suggestions from the race and is, more
or less, influenced by its environment; all this takes place on the silent
side of life and is mostly unknown to the receiver.
Race-suggestion is a very real thing, and each individual
carries around with him, and has written into his mentality, many impressions
that he never consciously thought of or experienced; for there is a silent
influence going on at all times between people under this law.
SUBJECTIVE COMMUNICATION
It is almost certain that between friends there is, at
all times, a silent communication, a sort of unconscious mental conversation
going on subjectively. When this rises to the surface of conscious intelligence,
it is called mental telepathy. This communication with others is going
on at all times, whether the conscious mind is aware of the fact or not.
We are always receiving impressions that are more or less vague, and it
is seldom that they come to the surface; but they are there nevertheless
and are gradually building into our mentalities impressions and forms of
thought that are unconsciously and silently perceived.
SUBJECTIVE MIND AND INSPIRATION
Since the subjective mind is the storehouse of memory,
it retains all that the eye has seen, the ear heard or the mentality conceived.
Since it contains much that the outer man never consciously knew, and is
the receptacle of much of the race-knowledge, through unconscious communication,
it must, and does, have knowledge that far surpasses the objective faculties.
Realizing that the subjective draws to itself everything
that it is in sympathy with, or vibrates to, we see that any one who is
sympathetically inclined toward the race, or vibrates to the race-thought,
might pick up the entire race-emotion and experience, and, if he were able
to bring it to the surface, he could consciously depict it. Many of the
world's orators, actors, and writers have been able to do this; which explains
the reason why many of them have been so erratic; for they have been more
or less controlled by the emotions which they have contacted.
Our greatest speakers are able to contact the subjective
mentality of their audiences and in this way, not only to tell the audience
what it wishes to be told, but also to send out a strong vibration that
will make an equally strong subjective impression on those who are listening.
It is a well-known fact that many speakers are able to connect with the
mentality of an audience in such a manner as to be able to completely control
it. Napoleon seemed to be able to do this, which was one of the reasons
why he had such tremendous influence over his followers.
Singers and poets generally enter into more or less of
a subjective state while singing or writing. In the case of a singer or
actor, this enables him to respond to the emotion of his listeners and
to be able to reflect back to them an equally strong emotion. It might
work the other way; that is, he might, himself, awaken the emotion in his
hearers. This we call temperament, and no singer, speaker or actor can
be a great success without it.
In the case of a writer, this enables him to enter into
the race-thought and perfectly depict race-emotion and race-endeavor. Poets
are an especially good example of this ability;
for poetry, like song, is the language of the soul, and
none can write good poems unless he allows the soul to come to the surface.
We could not imagine a great poem written mechanically. Artists lose themselves
in their work and musicians often do the same; this we call inspiration.
In preaching, it is probable that the orator of the pulpit
often so enters into the longings of men's hearts that he reveals them
to themselves. He is able to depict their thoughts and emotions, and coupling
his own with theirs, give birth to a great discourse; we say that he is
inspired.
Any one contacting the subjective side of the race-mentality
with the ability to permit it to come to the surface, will have at his
disposal a knowledge that many lifetimes of hard study could not possibly
accumulate. But, if one had to surrender his individuality in the process,
he would be better off to remain ignorant.
Enough has been said on this subject to show the source
of human inspiration. There is, of course, a much deeper seat of knowledge
than the subjective mind; that is, the Spirit. But direct contact with
Spirit is Illumination, and is a quality which has been developed in but
few people; the few who have developed this quality have given the world
its greatest literature, religion and law.
MENTAL ATMOSPHERES
Each person has a mental atmosphere which is the result
of all that he has thought, said, done, and consciously or unconsciously
perceived. This mental atmosphere is very real and is that subtle influence
which constitutes the power of personal attraction; for personal attraction
has but little to do with looks; it goes much deeper and is almost entirely
subjective. This will explain the likes and dislikes for those with whom
we come in daily contact. We meet some, only to turn away without a word,
while others we are at once drawn toward, and without any apparent reason;
this is the result of their mental atmosphere or thought vibration. No
matter what the lips may be saying, the inner thought outspeaks them and
the unspoken word often carries more weight
than the spoken. As Emerson said: "What you are speaks
so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
In contacting people, we are instantly attracted or repelled,
according to the vibrations which we feel. A person whose atmosphere is
one of love and sunshine, whose nature is to be happy, who lives a clean,
wholesome life in a free atmosphere, will always attract friends.
Children feel mental atmosphere very keenly and are drawn
to those who are inwardly right, shunning those who are inwardly wrong.
It has been truly said that people whom children and dogs do not like are
dangerous. Animals are almost entirely subjective and feel mental atmospheres
more keenly than do most people. A dog instinctively knows one's attitude
toward him and, acting accordingly, is immediately a friend or foe. Personal
atmospheres vary in their intensity, there being as many varieties as there
are people; for each creates his own atmosphere in Mind.
HOW TO CREATE PERSONAL CHARM
Personal charm may be easily created by learning to love
all and hate none. Truly did the great Emerson say: "If you want a friend,
be one." If one wishes to have friends, he should become friendly; if he
wishes love, he should learn to love. There is no excuse for any one being
without a power of attraction, since it is a mental quality and may be
consciously induced through right practice.
THE ATMOSPHERE OF PLACES
As all people have a mental atmosphere, so do all places;
and as the atmosphere of people is the result of their thoughts, so the
atmosphere of places is the result of the thoughts that have been created
in them. Places are permeated with the thoughts of the people who inhabit
them; in this way, mental atmospheres are created and may be easily felt
by those contacting them.
How often we have had the experience of going into a place,
only to feel that we were not wanted, and became so
disturbed that we wished immediately to leave. How often,
on the other hand, we have gone into places where we felt such a warmth
and inner glow that we wished to remain. This is the result of the mental
atmosphere surrounding the place or room. This is why we love our homes;
they are filled with love and affection and we feel at peace within their
walls. This is why one likes to return home after his day's work; for he
knows that here is a place where he will be away from the world with all
of its cares and worries. It is a wise wife who understands this law and
who keeps the atmosphere of the home pleasant. Such a one will seldom lose
her mate, but will hold him through the strong ties of love and affection
with which she floods his abode. Many an unhappy home could be harmonized
if this law were better understood and practiced.
The atmosphere of the home should never be clouded with
the uncertainties of the outside world. Here, in the palace of human love,
all else should be forgotten and an atmosphere maintained which will be
a shelter from the world. Here love should be the ruling passion and harmony
should reign supreme. Here, above all other places, should the Kingdom
of God be established and families should dwell together in peace and joy.
Too often, jealousy and deceit rob the home of its joy,
while mistrust and doubting make it so unpleasant that it becomes an impossible
place in which to live. But all this can be changed by reversing the wrong
thoughts and in their place creating thoughts of love and tenderness toward
one another.
There is nothing more unfortunate for a child's mind than
to be compelled to live in an unhappy home. The home should stand for heaven
on earth, and unless it does, it will not stand long, but will be buried
in the ashes of dead hopes.
The atmosphere of the desert is wonderful, for it is free
from the thoughts of men's confusion and fear, and so is a place of great
peace. Here, indeed, away from the haunts of men's terrible struggles,
quiet may be found and peach regained. It is the same with the mountains,
the lakes and the trackless deep. This is what we love about Nature; her
marvelous calm and deep peace; for she speaks to us and
tells of a life undisturbed by the strife of man. She
does, indeed, bear a message from On High, and happy is the one who can
talk to her and learn from her, for she is wonderful and filled with light.
Even the slightest things seem to be possessed of a soul,
or subjective atmosphere. How often we see a familiar coat or hat hanging
on a peg, while in it we seem to see the person who wears it; it seems
to look like him, and so it does, for it retains the emanation of his atmosphere,
and really is permeated with his personality. Everything has an atmosphere
which we sense and to which we react accordingly; if it is pleasant we
like it, and if unpleasant we dislike it.
THE RACE MIND
Just as each person, place or thing has a subjective atmosphere
or remembrance, so each town, city, or nation has it individual atmosphere.
Some towns are bustling with life and action while others seem dead; some
are filled with a spirit of culture, while others seem filled with a spirit
of commercial strife. This is the result of the mentalities of those who
live in these places. A city given over to the pursuit of the higher endeavors
will react with an atmosphere of culture and refinement, while one whose
dominant thought is to acquire wealth will react to an atmosphere of grasp
and grab. This is very definite and is felt by all who enter such places.
Just as a city as its atmosphere, so does a whole nation;
for a nation is made up of the individuals who inhabit it; and the combined
atmospheres of all the people who inhabit a nation creates a national mentality
which we speak of as the psychology of that people.
THE MIND OF HISTORY
When we remember that Subjective Mind is Universal, we
will come to the conclusion that the history of the race is written in
the mental atmosphere of the globe on which we live. That is, everything
that has ever happened on this planet has
left its imprint on the walls of time; and could we walk
down their corridors and read the writings, we should be reading the race
history. This should seem simple when we realize that the vibrations of
the human voice can be preserved in the receptive phonographic disc, and
reproduced at will. If we were to impress one of these discs with the vibration
of some one's voice and lay it away for a million years, it would still
reproduce those vibrations.
It is not hard then to understand how the walls of time
may be hung with the pictures of human events and how one who sees these
pictures may read the race history.
TELEPATHY
Telepathy, or thought-transference, is such a commonly
known fact that it is useless to do other than to discuss it briefly. However,
there are some facts which might be overlooked unless we give them careful
attention. The main fact to emphasize is that mental telepathy would not
be possible unless there were a medium through which it could operate.
This medium is Universal Mind; and it is through this medium that all thought-transference
or mental telepathy takes place. Forms in matter and solid bodies may begin
and end in space, but thought is more fluent.
Telepathy is the act of reading subjective thought, or
of receiving conscious thought without audible words being spoken. But
there must be a mental tuning in, so to speak, just as there must be in
radio. We are surrounded by all sorts of vibrations, and if we wish to
catch any of them distinctly, we must tune in; but there is a great deal
of interference, and we do not always get the messages clearly. We often
get the wrong ones, and sometimes many of the vibrations come together
and seem to be nothing but a lot of noises, without any particular reason
for being. It is only when the instrument is properly adjusted to some
individual vibration that a clear message may be received.
This is true of mental telepathy, which is the transmission
of thought. The receiver must tune in with the sender. It does not follow,
however, that the sender knows that he is
being tuned in on; in other words, one might pick up thoughts
just as he picks up radio messages; and just as the one broadcasting may
not know who is listening in, so the one sending out thought may not know
who is listening in. Happily, but few people can listen in mentally, and
these few only with more or less certainty of success. It would be terrible
to be compelled to listen in on all the thoughts that are floating around.
But, fortunately, we can only receive those messages to which we vibrate;
and so the whole thing is a matter of our own choice. We are individuals
in the mental world just as in the physical; and a wise person will protect
himself mentally just as he would physically.
TUNING IN ON THOUGHT
Some seem to have the ability to tune in on thought and
to read it, much as one would read a book. These people we call psychics;
but all people really are psychic, since all have a soul or subjective
mind. What we really mean is, that a psychic or medium is one who has the
ability to objectify that which is subjective; to bring to the surface
of conscious thought that which lies below the threshold of the outer mind.
The medium reads from the book of remembrance; and it is marvelous how
far-reaching this book of remembrance is.
MENTAL PICTURES
As everything must exist in the subjective world before
it can in the objective, and as it must exist there as a mental picture,
it follows that whatever may have happened at any time on this planet is
today within its subjective atmosphere; i.e., the experiences of those
who have lived here. These pictures are hung upon the walls of time, and
may be clearly discerned by those who can read them.
Accordingly, since the Universal Subjectivity is a Unit
and is Indivisible, all these pictures really exist at any, and every,
point within It simultaneously; and we may contact anything that is within
It at any point, because the whole of It is at every point. Consequently
we may contact at the point of
our own subjective mind (which is a point in Universal
Subjective Mind) every incident that ever transpired on this planet. We
may even see a picture that was enacted two thousand years ago in some
Roman arena; for the atmosphere is filled with such pictures. This has
been called "The Illusion of Mind" (the psychic sea). This does not mean
that Mind is an illusion, but that it might present us with an illusion
unless we are very careful and are quite sure that what we are looking
at is a real form and not simply a picture.
It is very important that we understand this; for each
person in his objective state is a distinct and individualized center in
Universal Mind; but in his subjective state every one, in his stream of
consciousness, or at his rate of vibration, is universal, because of the
Indivisibility of Mind. Wherever and whenever any individual contacts another
upon the subjective side of life, if he is psychic, i.e., if he objectifies
subjectivity, he may see a thought form of that person, but it does not
necessarily follow that he would be really seeing the person.
CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR THE BEST RESULTS
The conditions necessary for the best results in psychic
work are faith and expectancy; for the subjective responds to faith and
seems clouded by doubts. Doubt appears to throw dust in its eyes, while
sympathetic faith and willing belief render the veil much thinner and the
consequent messages much clearer. This explains why many unbelieving investigators
fail to receive the desired results, and go away saying that the whole
thing is a fraud. Whatever the nature of the subjective may be, we did
not make and we cannot change it; we shall be compelled to use this force,
like all other forces in nature, according to its own laws, and not according
to the way we think it should act.
It has been completely proved that the subjective mentality
responds
more completely when fully believed in; and any one wishing to investigate
the psychic life would much better accept this fact and act upon it, rather
than dispute it and receive
no results. If the law is complied with the results will
be certain.
Some psychics go into a trance while giving subjective
readings, while some can do this in a normal state. The trance state varies
from a slight subjectivity to a completely submerged mentality, i.e., from
simply getting in tune with thought while in a conscious state of mind,
to becoming completely submerged in an unconscious state in order to get
in tune with thought. It is never good to lose one's self-control, but
many people do this and, in so doing, have brought to light remarkable
evidence of the ability of the inner mind to perform wonderful tasks.
DEEP TELEPATHIC MESSAGES
It is possible at times for a psychic to tell one most
of the incidents that have happened in his life, and also to tell of his
friends and many of the incidents that have happened to them. This is done
by entering the subjective realm of the individual and reading the thoughts
and mental pictures that are hung on the wall of his memory. When a psychic
tells one something about his friends, he is entering their thought through
the sympathetic vibration of the one whose thought he is reading. We are
always in mental contact with our friends on the subjective side of life;
and a psychic, tuning in on these vibrations, reads the thoughts that come
over the mental wireless.
READING THE HISTORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL
Often a psychic will enter a person's mentality and give
him a fairly complete history of his past and of the family from which
he came, going back, perhaps, for several generations, naming ancestors
and the things that engaged their attention while on earth. He is reading
the records of what has already happened and is a subjective remembrance
of his family.
For instance, people have often said to me: "I saw Emerson
standing behind you this morning." Of course they did not
see Emerson; what they saw was a mental picture of him;
the reason being that I am a student of Emerson, and each is surrounded
by the forms of the people he knows and the forms of those whose thought
he studies.
PERSONAL READINGS
One is surprised when he goes to a medium and is told
his own, and perhaps his mother's name, and is told by the medium that
his mother stands beside him. The psychic often tells just how she looked
while in the flesh. Now it might or might not be, that what the medium
says is true; for, while this personality might be consciously near, the
chances are more than even that she is not, but that the medium is simply
looking at a picture of her as she once was while in the flesh.
A medium might, by reading one's subjectivity, be able
to tell something about people who were not present at the time; because
each, through a sympathetic vibration of thought, is connected with the
subjective emanations of those whom he likes, of those with whom he is
associated and of those to whom he vibrates. These people might be in the
flesh or out of it.
The personal reading appears to be limited either to the
immediate individual or to some one with whom he is in contact. The value
of subjective mind reading is more or less uncertain. Generally all that
a psychic can tell is about something that has already happened or something
that might happen as the result of a subjective tendency already set in
motion. There are, however, deeper messages than these.
STREAMS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Each, being an individual identity in Mind, is known by
the name he bears, and by the vibration which he emanates. For, while we
are all One in Mind and Spirit, we each have a separate and an individualized
personality. This is the only way that Spirit can individualize, making
it possible for many to live in the One.
Each, then, is represented by his stream of consciousness;
and each, continuously functioning in Mind, builds around
himself an aura or mental atmosphere, which, in its turn, is constantly
flowing out as a stream of consciousness.
Because of the Unity of Mind, each is one with the All;
and at the point where he contacts the All, he universalizes himself. This
will be easily understood when we realize that man always uses the One
Mind. He is in It and thinks into It; and because It is Universal, his
thought may be picked up by any one who is able to tune in on that thought,
just as we pick up radio messages. A radio message, broadcast from New
York City, is immediately present all around the world. Hard as this concept
may be to grasp, we know it to be the truth.
Let us shift the basis to mentality and we shall see that
the same thing happens when we think. We think into the One Mind, and this
thought is immediately present everywhere. It is in this sense that each
one is universal. According to the Unity of Mind, thought is everywhere
present, and so long as it persists it will be. What is known in one place
may be known in all places.
NO OBSTRUCTIONS TO THOUGHT
Time, space and obstructions are unknown to Mind and thought.
It follows, then, that any one tuning in on our thought will enter into
our stream of consciousness, no matter where we are or where he may be.
And if we still persist after the body shall have suffered the shock of
physical death, this law must still hold good; for past and present are
one and the same in Mind. Time is only the measure of an experience, and
space, of itself, is not apart from, but is in, Mind.
ENTERING THE STREAM OF THOUGHT
A psychic can enter the stream of thought of any one whose
vibration he can mentally contact, be that person in the flesh or out of
it; and since we are all psychic, all having a soul element, we are all,
doubtless, communicating with each other to the degree that we sympathetically
vibrate toward each
other. (This explains the medium through which absent
treatment takes place.)
We do not all have the ability to objectify psychic impressions,
and ordinarily they never come to the surface; however, they are there
just the same. This is the reason why we often feel so uneasy when in the
presence of certain people, or when we mentally contact some condition,
having an uneasy inner feeling but without any apparent reason.
THE VIBRATION OF A BOOK
As we read and study people's thought, we gradually enter
into the current of their consciousness and begin to read between the lines;
we are unconsciously reading their inner mentalities. This is why we enjoy
reading the thoughts of the great mentalities of all ages. More that is
unwritten comes to us than mere words could possibly convey.
WHY SAINTS HAVE SEEN JESUS
Many of the saints have seen Jesus in this way. That is,
through studying His words and works, they have so completely entered His
thought that they have seen a picture of Him; for the pictures of everything
and everybody are hung on the walls of time and any one who can enter may
read. It does not follow that these saints have seen Jesus, but that they
have, without doubt, seen His likeness, or what the world believes to be
His likeness, hung on the walls of time. When we look at a picture of a
person we are not looking at the person, but at a likeness of him.
MANY MENTAL PICTURES
We are all surrounded by mental pictures, and a good psychic
sees these pictures clairvoyantly and reads our thoughts telepathically.
A good medium has the ability, more or less clearly, to bring these pictures
and thoughts to the surface and objectify them; but it does not follow
that he is really communicating with the people whose pictures he sees.
THE HUMAN AURA
Every one constantly radiates some kind of a vibration,
and consequently is always surrounded by some kind of a mental atmosphere.
This is called the aura; it extends from a few inches to a few feet from
the body and sometimes even farther. It varies in color and density with
the varying degrees of consciousness. In moments of spiritual realization
the aura is bright yellow, merging into almost a pure white; and in moments
of rage it is dark and murky in appearance. There are as many colors in
the aura as there are varying degrees of thought-activity in the mentality.
HALO
The halo which artists have portrayed around the heads
of the saints is real, and not an idea of the artists. There is a more
pronounced emanation from the head than from any other part of the body,
because thought operates through the brain more than through any other
part of the human instrument.
It is said that the face of Jesus shone so brightly, at
times, that His disciples could not look upon it without becoming blinded
by its brilliancy.
UNPLEASANT ATMOSPHERES
In a combat of wills the atmosphere sometimes appears
to strike sparks as though a battle were being waged on the subjective
side of life. Unpleasant people always have a disagreeable atmosphere and
morbid people always depress. A radiant aura emanates from the one who
lives a normal, happy life, and who is always at peace within himself.
HABIT
Habits are formed by first consciously thinking, and then
unconsciously acting. But few realize that when one consciously thinks,
something must happen to his thoughts. What
one thinks to-day will to-morrow be a part of his memory;
and since memory is active, what he thinks to-day as a conscious thought
will to- morrow be submerged but active thought.
This is how a habit is formed; first it is a desire, then
comes the expression of this desire, then the desire becomes subjective
and the subconscious action of thought causes it to be performed automatically.
First we control thought, then thought controls us.
"First the man takes a drink,
Then the drinks takes a drink,
Then the drink takes the man."
Constant repetition gradually forms such a thought force
on the subjective side of life that the very force created, in its turn,
controls the one who created it. How careful we should be about what we
let down into the deeper currents of mentality! All habits are formed in
much the same way; they are at first conscious; then they become unconscious
or subconscious. A person may create such a strong desire that it will
compel him to put it into execution; this is called mania.
MANIA
Literally speaking, mania is a desire too strong to be
controlled. We speak of one having a mania for certain things; that is,
he has subjectified so much desire along some particular line that he becomes
controlled by the very power which he has set in motion. Morbid people
are more liable to do this than normally minded ones. For instance, let
a sensitive person become despondent and he may think of committing suicide.
This thought, at first, may be put aside as unworthy, but as it returns
it receives a little more attention, until at last it may become so strong
that it is irresistible.
Most murders are committed from this mental attitude;
and most murderers are people who are mentally sick. Some day this will
be better understood; such people will be considered sick and will be healed
mentally. This shows how very careful we should be to control our thinking,
never allowing the
mentality to conceive ideas which we do not wish to see
manifest. After all, these things are mental attitudes, and the best way
to heal them is through mental treatment.
OBSESSION
Obsession is another form of mental control and may or
may not be conscious at its inception. People may become obsessed with
desires, thoughts, ambitions, habits, suggestions or other mental influences;
and if the spirits of undeveloped entities surround us, it seems entirely
possible that people may become obsessed by them
The obsession of desire produces a mania to express that
desire; for thought demands an outlet. Some are so obsessed by their ambitions
that they are constantly driven to the accomplishment of them. Some are
obsessed by the suggestion of their environment, for the mental atmosphere
of places often obsesses people, compelling them to do certain things and
without any apparent reason. In studying a case of obsession we should
take all the facts into consideration and reason from effect back to cause.
PERSONAL INFLUENCE AND OBSESSION
People often become mildly obsessed by the mentalities
of those surrounding them; this is called personal contagion. Many take
on the color of their environment, and this should be guarded against,
for it is a mild form of hypnotism. It is, of course, brought about through
the suggestive power of unconscious mental action, and may or may not be
malicious. We should never allow ourselves to become controlled by anything
that we do not consciously allow to enter the thought. If one feels an
influence silently demanding attention, he should at once declare that
there is no power, in the flesh or out of it, that can control him except,
of course, the One Perfect Mind.
OBSESSION OF DISCARNATE SPIRITS
If we are surrounded by discarnate spirits, they, also,
might
control us through suggestion; that is, if we allowed
them to do so. By thinking toward us with a strong desire, they might so
implant this desire on the subjective side of our thought that it would
come up from within, causing us to do certain things which we never consciously
thought of doing. This, of course, is hypnotic influence; but all mental
influence is hypnotic, varying only in degree. If it is true that discarnate
spirits are around us (and it appears to be true), we should carefully
guard against the possibility of any mental influence from them. The statement
that ONLY THE ONE MIND CONTROLS will protect us from any and all wrong
mental influences of whatever nature, whether emanating from those in the
flesh or out of it.
GENERAL THEORY OF OBSESSION AND MENTAL INFLUENCE
All obsession, of whatever character, is some form of
mental influence, and can easily be destroyed by making the above stated
affirmation. We should never for one instant allow the suggestions of other
mentalities to control us. The day will come when people will choose the
thoughts that they allow to enter the mind as carefully as they now choose
the food they eat. Staying close to the thought of the One Mind is a safe
and sure protection from any and all wrong mental influence.
INSANITY
Insanity is the complete control of the conscious mind
by the unconscious or subjective mind. Dwelling too long on one idea, or
some sudden shock, seems to produce this state. It is easily healed by
knowing that there is but ONE MIND, AND THAT IT CANNOT FORGET ITSELF. THERE
IS ONE MIND IN GOD, AND THIS MIND OUR MIND NOW.
THE PSYCHIC POWER MUST BE CONTROLLED
The psychic power should always be under full control
of the conscious mind; otherwise, all sorts of influences may be
picked up, which, operating under the guise of seemingly
real individualities, control the one who admits them. When the psychic
power is under full control of the conscious mind, it furnishes a wonderful
storehouse of knowledge; for, being the seat of memory of both the individual
and the race, it contains much that we do not consciously know.
NORMAL STATE
A normal condition would be a complete balance between
the objective and subjective mentalities. This would give an immediate
access to all the wisdom of the human race, and might even extend much
farther, for it could give access to a higher state, which is now more
or less clogged by contrary suggestions.
The subjective side of thought is the sole and only medium
between the relative and the Absolute. If one were in full control of his
inner mentality he could, at once, enter the Absolute, and his every word
would bear fruit. Jesus was such an One.
In attempting to accomplish this we do not have to come
under control of any power other than that of our inner selves and our
higher selves; anything less than this is dangerous. Many seem to think
that simply because they are under control they must be dealing with spiritual
power. NO GREATER MISTAKE WAS EVER MADE. Jesus, Who was fully illumined,
always kept His full state of conscious thought and personal volition.
THE AIM OF EVOLUTION
The aim of evolution is to produce a man who, at the objective
point of his own self-determination, may completely manifest the inner
life of the Spirit. Even the Spirit does not seek to control us, for It
lets us alone to discover ourselves.
The most precious thing that man possesses is his own
individuality; indeed, this is the only thing that he really has, or is;
and for one instant to allow any outside influence to enter or control
this individuality is a crime against man's real self.
THE STATE OF TRANCE
The trance state is any state of mentality that allows
itself to become submerged. It varies in degree from simply allowing the
mind to become receptive, which is harmless, to a complete self-denial
of the objective consciousness, i.e., allowing any and all influences to
be picked up. This is very dangerous.
There are many normal psychics who can, while in a perfectly
objective state, read people's thoughts and perform many other wonderful
feats of the mind. This is normal and no harm can come from it. It is,
indeed, one of nature's ways of working and is most interesting.
NORMAL PSYCHIC CAPACITIES
Any psychic power that can be used while in a normal state
of mind is harmless and helpful; that is, any psychic power which can be
used while one is in a perfectly conscious state of mentality. Many have
this power and find that it is helpful as well as interesting. This power
can be developed by knowing that the WITHIN AND THE WITHOUT ARE REALLY
ONE.
ABNORMAL PSYCHIC POWERS
Abnormal psychic powers are developed in the full trance
state; that is, when the medium becomes controlled by surrounding influences.
In this state some wonderful and hidden powers of mind are revealed.
In certain psychic states people can see, hear and read
others' thoughts; travel abroad and perform many other marvelous feats,
which in the conscious state seem impossible. No doubt the time will come
when all these powers will be under the control of the conscious mind;
man will then be much less limited.
CLAIRVOYANCE
Clairvoyance is a state of mentality wherein the medium
is able to see things that the objective eye cannot see under normal
conditions. It is the physical eye reproduced on the mental
side of life, only with a greatly extended vision. Time, space and obstructions
are swept away, and the operator can as easily look through a closed door
as, in a normal state, he looks through a window.
PSYCHOMETRY
Psychometry is a clairvoyant state wherein the operator
is able to psychometrize, or read from the soul or subjective side of things.
Mention has already been made of the fact that everything has its mental
atmosphere which is the result of the thoughts surrounding it. To psychometrize
anything means to read from this mental atmosphere and to tell what it
radiates. Sometimes the operator seems able to take a piece of ore or metal
and give a perfect description of the location from which it was taken.
This will explain why some mediums wish to hold an object which has been
used by the sitter; for through this avenue the medium is able to enter
the inner thought of the person sitting.
CLAIRAUDIENCE
Clairaudience may be called the ear of the soul; it is
the ability to hear the inner voice speak, and is a most remarkable mental
attribute. Some hear these voices silently, while to some they come as
independent voices.
It appears as though the instinctive man tries to tell
the outer man of certain things or to give him warnings. Sometimes these
warnings come as visions and sometimes in dreams. This power is uncertain
and should be carefully watched, as we are not always able to tell whether
the impression is real or simply some suggestion of a surrounding mental
influence. A good way to test this is to know that all impressions must
come from the Perfect Mind.
INDEPENDENT VOICES
Sometimes independent voices speak forth, apparently from
the air, and may be conversed with by the hour. I have talked
with these voices, but, so far, have not been able to
determine whether or not they ever told anything beyond the subjective
knowledge of those present. I have been unable to satisfy myself as to
whether they were caused by those present in the flesh or whether they
were caused by some form of spirit life. The fact remains that such voices
do speak and that they are real. I have held animated and interesting conversations
with such voices hours at a sitting, and it has been a most wonderful experience;
but, so far, it seems impossible to determine their exact nature. Time
and a more complete investigation alone can give the real proof.
APPARITIONS
Apparitions, or thought forms, often appear during mental
stress. For instance, people often see some friend just before he passes
from this life. Sometimes the apparition appears before the incident takes
place; an explanation of this will be made later in this chapter. This
type of phenomenon is not at all uncommon; nearly every one has some record
of such experiences. When one is asleep he is entirely subjective, and
this will explain why so many of the above referred to incidents take place
during sleep. But impressions received while in the sleeping state do not
always come to the surface.
GHOSTS AND PHANTASMS OF THE DEAD
People often see the forms of those who have passed from
this life. Many have been alarmed over seeing such forms, as though there
might be danger from them; but whether or not we believe them to be the
forms of the dead or the living, they certainly can do no harm.
It is claimed by some that ghosts are always the result
of some form of violent death, and that those who pass out in a state of
peace never leave a ghost behind. Of the truth of this statement I am NOT
absolutely sure, since all must leave behind the forms used while in the
flesh, and each must leave behind him a thought form of himself.
GHOSTS SOMETIMES CAN SPEAK
It is a well-known fact that ghosts sometimes have the
ability to speak or convey some kind of a message to the living. And it
is also generally conceded by those who have investigated such matters,
that once a ghost has had the opportunity to speak, it is seldom ever seen
again.
If we suppose a ghost to be a real entity, we can easily
see how it could speak or telepathically convey a message. If, on the other
hand, we assume that a ghost is only a form of thought, we can imagine
that it might be equipped with the power to convey a message, after which
it would gradually fade away. For thought has some power to express itself.
I hold no brief for either case, since I have been unable to make up my
own mind as to just what a ghost really is.
In such a case as this it is a mistake to assume anything,
other than the fact that such appearances do make themselves known to people
under certain conditions. The matter will have to rest at this point until
further investigation proves what a ghost is.
PROJECTING THE MENTALITY
Under certain states of mentality it is possible to project
the mentality and travel far from the body. Just what it is that projects
is difficult to say; and we are not so much concerned about what it is
that projects as we are interested in the fact that there is something
about the mentality which can project itself. Since there is but One Mind,
perhaps nothing has to project; perhaps we simply see through the One Mind,
which must have and hold, within Itself, all that is.
CRYSTAL GAZING
Crystal gazing is a form of concentrating the mentality
in such a manner as to make it possible for the subjective to come to the
surface. The operator, looking steadily at a bright object, gradually becomes
subjective and consequently able to read thought.
BLACK MAGIC
Black Magic has been taught and practiced from time immemorial.
It is the act of thinking toward some one for the purpose of doing him
an injury.
THE MODERN CURSE
To-day, black magic is called by another name, but "a
rose by any other name would smell as sweet." To-day it is called malpractice.
Malpractice takes several different forms; namely, malicious, ignorant
and unconscious. Malicious malpractice is the act of arguing in Mind that
some certain person is something that he ought not to be. In some cases
it is supposed to even take the form of saying that he is not present in
the flesh. If this were persisted in, and the one being damned should receive
the condemnation, he might begin to feel sick; and if this were carried
to a final conclusion, he would, perhaps, "pass from this vale of tears."
Mention is made of this, not as being something to fear,
but as one of those things which to-day is being more or less discussed
and believed in by many. So far as we are concerned, we believe only in
the One Mind, AND WE KNOW THAT IT CANNOT BE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF. This
will settle the question of malicious malpractice for all time.
We hear of people who live in constant terror of malpractice,
and it seems certain that some do try to use this force to do injury to
others; but no one with real understanding of the Truth will be affected
by it, nor seek to use it; for this would be playing with fire; and we
are the servants to the things which we obey.
If our thought is still operating on a level where such
things are possible, we had better find it out, straighten up our thought
and be healed; for, after all, malpractice is only wrong thought suggestion,
and we do not believe in wrong thought suggestion.
Innocent and ignorant malpractice causes much disease
and discomfort, through sympathy with sickness and fear for people's safety.
We should sympathize with the one suffering, but
never with that from which he suffers; for this would
make him worse instead of better.
AUTOMATIC WRITING
Automatic writing is an interesting phenomenon of the
mind. It is a mental control which uses the arm and hand for the purpose
of writing messages.
There are several forms of automatic writing; one, the
Ouija board, which is small smooth board, upon which is written the alphabet.
Upon this board is placed a small, pear-shaped, three-legged instrument,
which points to the letters and spells out words. Another form is to put
a pencil through the board; and still another form, and one even more interesting,
is when the pen is held in the hand which is controlled by some force not
known, but supposed to be the subjective thought of either the operator
or of some one present.
Some believe that the arm is under control of a discarnate
spirit. Many and long have been the discussions on this point, and I do
not care to enter into them; but one thing is certain, the phenomenon transpires,
and many wonderful messages come through in this manner.
INDEPENDENT WRITING
The most interesting writing of all is what is called
independent writing; that is, where the pencil simply tips up and writes
without any one touching it. I have seen this done and can vouch for its
reality. Here, indeed, is ample cause for speculation, and we are compelled
to admit that either some unconscious force of those present grasps the
pencil, or that some spirit force does.
HUDSON'S THEORY
I am well aware of the theory which Hudson worked out
along these lines, but I have not been able to explain everything on his
basis; and I fear that he overworked his theory.
His idea was that we have no right to assume the presence
of an unknown agency when there is a known one present. In other words,
he said that the phenomenon is caused by some form of mental action which
he called subjective; and that we have no right to assume a spirit to be
the cause when we know that there are people present in the flesh; and
that, since people in the flesh, as well as those out of it, have a mind,
we must assume that the phenomena are caused by those present in the flesh.
By the same token, and with the same logic, it could be proved either way.
That psychic phenomena are caused by some form of mental power, there can
be no question; and the student of the workings of mind will rest content
here, knowing that mental power can operate in independence of the physical
instrument; for this is the great lesson to learn.
SMELLING WHERE THERE IS NOTHING TO SMELL
A most peculiar and interesting phenomenon takes place
in the act of smelling where there is, apparently, nothing to smell. The
mentality, in connecting with the vibrations of a rose, can produce its
odor independently of the presence of the flower.
I have seen a case where the vibrations of a certain man
were brought into the room when he was in an intoxicated condition. The
smell of whiskey was so strong that the influence was asked to remove its
presence. Perhaps this is what is meant by occult perfume.
GRASPING OBJECTS WITHOUT THE HAND
It is a commonly known fact, to those who have spent time
investigating these thing, that objects are grasped and held independently
of the physical touch. This is shown in independent writing and in telekinetic
energy.
TELEKINETIC ENERGY
Telekinetic energy is defined as "the ability to move
ponderable objects without physical contact." This form of energy is displayed
in that class of mental phenomena which cause
objects to move without any physical agency, and is, therefore,
caused by some form of mental energy, or by some agency other than physical.
TABLE TIPPING
Table tipping is so common as to cause but little comment,
but it does help to prove a principle of mind, namely, that an object can
be moved about from place to place without the aid of any physical contact.
RAPPINGS
Rappings on the walls and floor are also too common to
mention, but should be classed in the category of telekinetic energy.
THEORY OF ECTOPLASM
One of the investigators has advanced the theory of ectoplasm,
which is a formless stuff emanating from the body of the medium. I have
no doubt but this theory is correct as far as it goes; but am not willing
to advance it as being sufficient to explain all the phenomena. For instance,
according to this theory, if any one stands in front of the medium the
emanation is blocked and no results will follow. I have sat in a room and
had a glass of water brought from another room and held to my lips while
I drank it. It was a real glass and real water and I was really there,
and in a perfectly normal state of mind. I could not possibly account for
the above-stated incident on the theory of ectoplasm; but I could account
for it through the theory of mental power.
LEVITATION
The theory of ectoplasm certainly will not account for
levitation, where the body of the medium is lifted from a chair and carried
to some other place in the room. This can be accounted for only on the
theory that there is a power that transcends the better-known physical
laws. Experience has taught that there are many things in life that cannot
be accounted
for on any other basis than that of a mind power which
operates independent of any, and of all, physical agencies.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS
It is interesting to realize that we have such marvelous
powers; and no doubt the time will come when we shall make common use of
them. They are for some purpose and, as we live in a Timeless Universe,
this purpose will be made known just as soon as we are ready for it.
WHAT IS THE CAUSE?
Whether psychic phenomena are caused by the agency of
spirits or by some inner power of our own mentality makes no difference.
That they are caused by mind power is apparent; for they are not caused
by what we call physical force at all, but by some finer power than we,
at present, well understand.
CAUSE FOR THOUGHT
It gives reason for thought when we realize that such
inner powers exist. Some power, independent of the body, can see, hear,
feel, smell, touch and taste without the aid of the physical instrument.
Some power of intelligence within us can travel, communicate, project itself,
recognize and be recognized, without the aid of the physical instrument.
That there is a reason for this is certain; that this reason is natural
and normal, no one can doubt, for nature is always natural, and only that
is a mystery which is not understood.
TIME WILL PROVE ALL THINGS
Time and experience, alone, will unravel the mysteries
of the human mind, with its many and varied activities. So far we have
but touched the outskirts of its garments. To deny these inner attributes
is not only intolerant, but is downright ignorance. It is all right to
say that we do not understand
them; but to openly deny them is to place us, not among
the unbelievers, but among those who do not know the facts.
THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY
Subjective mind can deduce only; it has no power of initiative
or self-choice, and is compelled, because of its very nature, to retain
any and all suggestions that it receives. The best illustration of this
is in the creative soil, in which the gardener puts his seed. The soil
does not argue nor deny, but goes to work on the seed and begins to create
a plant which will represent the type of manifestation inherent, as an
idea, in the seed. That is, from a cucumber seed we get cucumbers; and
from a cabbage seed we get cabbages. Always the law maintains the individuality
of the seed as it creates the plant; never does it contradict the right
of the seed to be what it really is. Involved within the seed is the idea
of the plant, as are also those lesser ideas which are to act as a medium
between the seed and the plant. Involved within the seed are both cause
and effect; but the seed must first be placed within the creative soil
if we wish to receive a plant. In the creative soil, or in the seed, the
full and perfect ideas of the plant must exist as a completed thing, else
it could never be brought forth into manifestation.
The idea of the full-grown plant must exist somewhere
in the seed and soil if it is ever going to materialize.
A LESSON IN SUBJECTIVITY
This teaches us a lesson in subjectivity. Thoughts going
into the subjective are like seeds; they are concepts of ideas, and acting
through the creative medium of Mind, have within themselves the full power
to develop and to express themselves. But how could they express unless
they were already known to Mind? They could not, and so Mind must view
the thought as already completed in the thing; and Mind must also contain
the avenue through which the idea is to be expressed. Every thought sets
in motion in Mind the fulfillment of its purpose, and Mind sees the thing
as already done.
Mental tendencies set in motion cast their shadows before
them; and a psychic often sees the complete manifestation of an idea before
it has had the time to materialize in the objective world.
This is what constitutes the average spirit of prophecy;
for prophecy is the reading of subjective tendencies, and seeing them as
already accomplished facts. The subjective mind can deduce only, but its
power of logic and sequence appears to be perfect.
EXPLANATION
For illustration, suppose that there is a window one mile
away; I am throwing a ball at this window, and the ball is halfway to it,
going at the rate of one mile a minute. Now you come in, measure the distance,
compute the speed with which the ball is passing through the air and say,
"The ball is halfway to the window; it is traveling at the rate of one
mile a minute; in just one half a minute the window is going to be broken
by the ball passing through it." Let us suppose that you are the only one
who sees the ball, for the rest are looking at the window; and in half
a minute it is broken. How did you prophesy that the window was to be broken?
By drawing a logical conclusion of an already established premise.
This is much like what happens when a psychic exercises
a spirit of prophecy. They are generally unconscious as to why they do
what they do, because they are getting their own subjective contact with
the condition and simply interpreting what comes to them. But this is the
logical, deductive, conclusive power of their subjective thought, seeing
a thing completed, by first seeing a tendency set in motion, and computing
the time that it will take to complete it. There are but few, however,
who have any reliable spirit of prophecy.
Let us carry this thought further; the race has its subjectivity,
from an individual to a nation. This is its karma, its subjective law set
in motion. Each nation has its subjective causation, and the prophet of
a nation could, and would, read its subjective tendency; and this is what
the old prophets
did, for they were psychics, every one of them, from Moses
down. They were able to interpret the subjective causation of their race
and so predict that certain things must follow.
There is, however, a still higher spirit of prophecy which
but few have perceived, and those who have perceived it have been illumined.
Within the subjective mirror of Mind there must also exist the Divine and
Cosmic Purposes,—the very Thoughts of God. An illumined person, who is
also psychic, might read these great Cosmic Purposes; and in this manner
some of the great prophets have read the destiny of the race. They have
told us that the destiny of man is divine, that he is immortal now, that
he need not die to become immortal, but that HE IS IMMORTAL. It was in
contact with this great Law, and from It, that Moses received the Ten Commandments,
the Mosaic Law. It is through the avenue of subjectivity, which is the
medium between Spirit and man, between the Absolute and the intellect,
that all of the prophets have prophesied and all of the sages have taught;
for it contains Infinite Wisdom, Knowledge and Law.
The subjective mind is the source of much inspiration;
for it contains all the thoughts which the race has ever created, and at
times one contacts these thoughts and becomes inspired by them. The subjective
mind is the source of much revelation because it contains the Purposes
of God, and if the soul were to turn to the One, it surely would reflect
into the outer mind the Light of the Eternal.
SUMMARY
We have shown that mind, independent of the body, can,
and at times does, perform each and every function which we usually associate
with the physical being. While most people may have to go into a trance
state to perform these acts, there are a few who can produce the same results
while in a perfectly normal state, that is, while in a self-conscious state.
I wish to make this very plain, for there is a belief that an abnormal
state must be entered into before these phenomena can be produced. I not
only challenge such a statement, but entirely
refute it as being altogether wrong. I have myself, while
in a perfectly normal state, seen or experienced nearly everything that
has been discussed under this heading.
I am willing to admit that ordinarily a trance state is
developed before the best results can be obtained; but to say that it MUST
be developed is to contradict my own experience and refute my own observations.
I have never, at any time, gone into a trance state, and would no more
consider doing so than I would consider jumping from the roof of a ten-story
building. If, then, I were to refute my sanity during these experiences,
by what manner of judgement could I consider myself to be sane at all?
It is useless for those who know nothing at all about psychic phenomena
to deny its reality. I can understand any one saying that he does not understand
it, but I cannot grasp the position of an individual who denies something
of which he is entirely ignorant.
We will say then THAT EVERY ACT OF THE HUMAN INSTRUMENT
WHICH WE CALL THE BODY CAN BE REPRODUCED THROUGH SOME AGENCY WHICH IS NOT
PHYSICAL, OR THROUGH SOME AGENCY THAT PHYSICS CANNOT EXPLAIN. We will call
this agency some power of mind with which we are not yet well familiar.
It is all simple enough, anyway, for our bodies could not move unless we
were here to move them, and so every act is mental, even though we use
the body as an instrument.
I can find no explanation for the above-stated facts,
unless we suppose that we have a mental body which reproduces the physical
one; and which can function without its counterpart, and is entirely independent
of it.
It makes no difference whether we attribute the phenomena
to spirits or whether we say that we are unconsciously producing it ourselves,
THE FACT WILL STILL REMAIN THAT THE PHENOMENA ARE PRODUCED and can be accounted
for only on the basis that we either have a mental body, which acts independent
of the physical one, or that the power of thought alone, and without any
physical instrument, can operate upon matter. Personally, I prefer to accept
the theory that we have a mental body, since this appeals
to me as being more reasonable and certainly much more
human.
If we assume that spirits have the ability to move ponderable
objects without physical contact, we are assuming that they have a mental
body, or that they operate their thought to produce the phenomena. For,
once granted that the phenomena are really produced, it is self-evident
that some kind of an explanation must be forthcoming.
There are but two possible answers from what is to-day
known: either the minds of departed souls or the minds of those present
in the flesh produce the phenomena. This eliminates any other possible
agency, for the theory of ectoplasm cannot answer all of the facts.
Lesson Six: Psychic Phenomena and Immortality
THE MEANING OF IMMORTALITY
Immortality means to the average person that man shall
persist after the experience of physical death, retaining a full recollection
of himself and the ability to recognize others. If his full capacities
go with him beyond the grave, he must be able to think consciously, to
reason, will, affirm, declare, accept, reject, know and be known, communicate
and be communicated with; he must be able to travel about, see and be seen,
understand and be understood; he must be able to touch, taste, smell, hear,
cognize and realize. In fact, if he is really to continue as a self-conscious
personality, he can do so only to the degree that he maintains a continuous
stream of consciousness and self-knowingness.
This means he must carry with him a complete remembrance;
for it is to the remembrance alone that we must look for the link that
binds one event to another, making life a constant stream of self-conscious
expression. To suppose that man can forget and still remain himself is
to suppose that he could cut off the entire past and at this moment be
the same personality that he was a moment ago. Remembrance alone guarantees
personality. Individuality might remain without remembrance, but not so
with personality; for what we are is the result of what we have been, the
result of what has gone before.
Man, then, if he is to have an immortality worthy of the
name, must continue, as he now is, beyond the grave. DEATH CANNOT ROB HIM
OF ANYTHING IF HE BE IMMORTAL.
WHERE DID MAN COME FROM AND WHY?
It is useless to ask why man is. It can only be said of
man that he is; for if we were to push his history back to some
beginning, we should still be compelled to say that he
is. If man's life is of God, then it comes from a source which had no beginning;
and so the question as to why he is must forever remain unanswered.
God could not tell why God is; to suppose that Life could
give an excuse or reason for being would be to suppose an absurdity. Life
Is, and right at this point all inquiry into Truth starts, and from this
point alone must this inquiry continue.
We are not so much interested in why we are, as we are
interested in what we are. That we are some part of Life, no one can deny
and keep faith with reason. Let us not bother about questions that can
never be answered, but pay attention to those which have an answer.
MAN AWAKES WITH A BODY
When man first woke to self-consciousness, he had a body
and a definite form, showing that Instinctive Life, which is God, had already
clothed Itself with the form of flesh. Body, or form, is the necessary
outcome of self-knowingness. In order to know, there must be something
that may be known; in order to be conscious there must be something of
which to be conscious. Some kind of a body or expression there always was
and always will be, if consciousness is to remain true to its own nature.
WHAT IS THE BODY?
Body is a concrete idea, existing in time and space, for
the purpose of furnishing a vehicle through which Life may express Itself.
The physical universe is the Body of God; it is a manifestation of the
Mind of God, in form. It is that Creation which, while It may have beginnings
and ends, of Itself neither begins nor ends. The Manifestation of Spirit
is necessary if Spirit is to come into Self-Realization; hence, Body.
MATTER
We say that body is composed of matter, but what is matter?
Science tells us that matter is an aggregation of small particles arranged
in some kind of form; we are also told that matter is in a continuous state
of flow. Strange as it may seem, we do not have the same physical bodies
that we had a few months ago; they have completely changed; new particles
have taken the place of the old; and the only reason why they have taken
the same form is, that Instinctive Man has provided the same mold. Our
bodies are like a river, forever flowing; the Indwelling Spirit alone maintains
the identity.
If we assume that immortality simply means persisting
in the physical body, then we already have immortalized ourselves many
times right here on earth.
THE ETHER OF SCIENCE
We are now being taught that the ether is more solid than
matter. We know that the ether penetrates everything; it is in our bodies,
at the center of the earth, and throughout all space. This means that within
our present bodies there is a substance more solid than the body which
we see. This idea is very far-reaching; for it shows that we might have
a body right within the physical one, which could be as real as the one
of which we are accustomed to think. If Instinctive Man has molded the
outer body in form, why should It not also mold the inner one into definite
form? There is every reason to suppose that It does and no reason to suppose
the opposite. In all probability, there is a body within a body to infinity.
"In my Father's house are many mansions."
We do not depart from reason when we assume this; for,
while we used to say that two bodies could not occupy the same space at
the same time, we must remember that we were talking about only one plane
of expression. The new idea of matter and ether has PROVED THAT MORE THAN
ONE BODY MAY OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE AT THE SAME TIME; for it has been proved
that there is a substance
which can occupy the same space that our body does. No
doubt, as time goes on, it will also be proved that there is something
still finer than the ether; this may go on to infinity. There is every
reason to suppose that we have a body within a body to infinity, and it
is our belief that we do have.
THE RESURRECTION BODY
The resurrection body, then, will not have to be snatched
from some Cosmic shelf as the soul soars aloft, but will be found to exist
already WITHIN; EVERYTHING IS FROM WITHIN, FOR LIFE IS WITHIN. The resurrection
body of Jesus shone so that it could not be looked upon, because it was
a more spiritual one than the physical eye is used to beholding.
CONCLUSIVE FACTS
The facts are conclusive that we have a spiritual body
now, and do not have to die to receive one. We now remember the past, and
have already outlived the physical body many times during life. It looks
as though we were already immortal and would not have to die to take on
immortality.
If there are many planes of Life and consciousness, perhaps
we only die from one plane to another. This thought makes a strong appeal
and seems to answer the question completely.
IN WHAT MENTAL STATE DO WE GO OUT?
Some think that death robs us of the objective faculties,
and that we pass out in a purely subjective state; but we are unable to
follow the logic of such an assumption. To suppose that the objective faculties
die with the brain, is to suppose that the brain thinks and reasons. This
is proved to be false through the experience of death itself; for, if the
brain could think, it would think on and on forever. No; the brain does
not think; the thinker thinks through the brain, perhaps; but of itself,
the brain has no power to think or feel. Detach the
brain and it will not formulate ideas, nor work out plans.
THE THINKER ALONE CAN THINK.
It is logical to suppose that we pass from this life to
the next in full and complete retention of all our faculties. Jesus revealed
Himself to His followers after His resurrection, to show them that death
is but a passing to a higher sphere of life and action. To know that we
maintain an identity independent of the physical body, is proof enough
of immortality. This, together with the fact that remembrance maintains
a constant stream of recollection, and the realization that mentality can
operate independently of the body, performing all of its normal functions
without its aid; and that the new theory of matter and ether furnishes
proof of the possibility of a body within a body to infinity; and that
the Instinctive Man is constantly forming matter into the shape of a body,
should prove to anyone that we are not going TO ATTAIN IMMORTALITY; BUT
THAT WE NOW ARE IMMORTAL.
WHAT CAUSES PSYCHIC MANIFESTATIONS?
It would be interesting to know whether the spirits of
the supposed dead cause the manifestations which we see in the séance
chamber. One thing is certain: these manifestations are either caused by
those who are supposed to be dead, or else they are caused by those now
in the flesh; for, since they happen, something must make them happen.
Whether the manifestations are caused by the dead or the living, the agency
used is either a mental body or the direct power of thought operating upon
objects. Of course, in the conveyance of mental messages, telepathy explains
the agency; but in physical manifestations, some kind of contact either
takes place or else thought directly works on objects.
Hudson, in his "Law of Psychic Phenomena," carefully goes
through an elaborate process of reasoning, the result of years of painstaking
investigation, and completely proves that all of the manifestations do
take place. He then goes through an extensive argument to show that they
are not caused by spirits, saying that we have no reason to suppose the
presence
of an unknown agency, when we know that there is one present
who could be producing the phenomena. Now, if our reasoning power is correct,
and it is proved that physical manifestations take place through some power
that is mental, and if it is proved that those who have passed on might
still be near us, then we cannot see where the argument against spirit
agencies could be considered perfect. We are inclined to feel that the
very facts in the case prove that these manifestations could be produced
by either the living or the dead; and such, we believe, to be the case.
TELEPATHY DOES NOT EXPLAIN EVERYTHING
Telepathy does not explain everything. It may explain
much, but certainly not all. Telepathy could not explain certain visions
which people sometimes have when passing out. We once knew a woman who
practically passed out and was, indeed, thought dead for nearly a day and
night; but was finally restored to consciousness to continue here for another
year. She plainly saw and talked to several members of her family who had
gone on some years earlier. It is not strange that those who have gone
before are interested in us and wish to see us when we go over. If we had
friends in London and were to send word that we were coming over, they
would certainly wish to meet us. Our friends on the other side must be
just as interested in us as they ever were.
Telepathy cannot explain how Jesus could take some of
His more advanced disciples aside and let them talk with the departed.
It clearly states that this incident took place; and, if we cannot believe
this, how can we believe any of the other events in the life and experience
of this most remarkable Person?
SPIRIT COMMUNICATION
There are thousands of cases on record where people have
penetrated the veil of flesh and seen into the beyond. If we cannot believe
the experience of so many, how can we believe in any experience at all?
Of course, there is a large field for
deception, and it is not probable that all communications
are real; but, to state positively that they are all illusions, is to throw
the lie into the face of human thought and say that is never sees clearly.
There is certainly more argument and evidence in favor of the theory of
spirit communication that against it, and, so far as we are concerned,
we are entirely convinced of the reality of this evidence.
If spirits really exist, and if we all live in One Mind,
and if mentality can communicate with mentality without the aid of the
physical instrument, then spirit communication must be possible; and since
we know that the above-stated facts are true, we have no alternative other
than to accept the conclusive evidence and realize that while it may be
difficult to communicate with the departed, yet it is possible.
COMMUNICATION MUST BE MENTAL
It is evident that any such communication must be mental;
it would be thought transference or mental telepathy, at best. Now if the
supposed entity knows that we wish to communicate with it, and if it is
consciously present trying to communicate with us, then it must, by the
power of its thought, cause its message to come up through our subjectivity
to an objective state of recognition; consequently how very difficult to
receive a coherent message! For instance, suppose that one tries to think
a lecture to an audience, how much would they receive? Yet this is exactly
what would happen under the very best condition if the departed were trying
to impress our thought. I believe that they do seek to communicate with
us and that they often succeed, perhaps more often than we realize; but
I repeat, "How difficult it must be!"
Whether or not the spirits are present is uncertain. Just
because a psychic sees the picture of a person around us, does not mean
that he is really there; for the pictures of all our friends are always
in our mental atmospheres. It is quite absurd to suppose that at any time
we wish we can call any one we ever knew and make him talk to us. We are
unable to do so here; and psychological and metaphysical laws are the same
on every plane.
WE DO NOT CONTROL SPIRITS
To suppose that we can compel the attention of one out
of the flesh, any more than of one in it, is an absurdity. And if we could,
what would we hope to gain? People out of the flesh know no more than they
did when in the body. I believe that we do communicate with the subjectivity
of those who are departed, whether they know that we are doing so or not;
but the messages that come, in our present state of evolution, are very
incoherent. I believe that an unconscious communication goes on, more or
less, all the time, and that those people whom we have greatly loved are
still conscious of us; and are, without doubt, seeking to influence us;
but it could only be a mental influence. We might feel a vague sense, much
as the niece of Oom Peter did in "The Return of Peter Grimm." She felt
a vague sense of her uncle; that he was trying to impress her with his
thought and desire. She felt a blind groping, and that is probably the
best that we would get.
THE PSYCHIC POWER SHOULD NOT BE FORCED
We all have psychic capacities, but they should never
be forced; for it is only when the subjective comes to the surface while
in a normal state that a normal psychic power is produced. The average
psychic must go into a semitrance to let the subjective come through; this
is never good nor right, but is always destructive. The psychic capacity
is normal only to the extent that it can be used while in a self-conscious
state. Don't misunderstand what I am saying. It is known as the "power
of darkness," but is all right if understood. Many people are bothered
by their psychic powers, constantly seeing things, continually getting
impressions; they are very near the surface of subjectivity, and it bothers
them. This can easily be healed and should be.
There is a normal psychic capacity, and some are able
to discern mental causes with perfect ease. Jesus was such an One; He was
able to tell the woman that she had been married five times, and that the
man with whom she was living was not her husband. He read that out of her
thought; but
He did it while in an objective state; for He was able
to consciously and objectively exercise His subjective faculties. This
is perfectly normal; but to let go of the volitional and choosing faculties,
which alone constitute individuality, and become immersed in subjectivity,
is very dangerous. One might become obsessed by discarnate spirits, earth-bound
entities, elementals, thought forms, desires or other forces floating around;
for we cannot close our eyes to the fact that all of these things do exist.
It is a crime against individuality to allow the conscious
faculties to become submerged. We should control the subjective and not
let it control us. The teaching of the illusion of mind sprang up because
men of wisdom perceived that people might mistake the shade for the reality,
the form for real substance, the hollow voice for revelation, and thereby
be misled. That is why they warned against these things and against having
familiar spirits; and they were absolutely right. Never let any voices
speak to you unless you are in perfect control of the situation. Never
admit any mental impressions or images that you do not wish to receive
or that you cannot receive consciously. Say: "There is no power in the
flesh or out of it but the One, which can enter my consciousness. Any thing
that obeys the One, conforms to the One, believes only in the One and comes
only through the consciousness of the One, is perfectly welcome, but anything
other than that cannot come."
The only value that an understanding of psychic phenomena
can have, is that without it we do not understand the complete workings
of mind. We do not understand experiences people often have; and in a consistent
philosophy which deals with mind, the lack of an understanding of psychic
phenomena would be inexcusable. For any one in this day to say that powers
of clairvoyance, telepathy, thought transference, clairaudience or telekinetic
energy are not exercised, is to admit his own ignorance.
These things do happen and are continuously happening
in more and more instances. The thing to do is not to deny what happens,
but to find a logical and scientific explanation of it. It is our business
to explain all mental action, in so far
as it is explainable; and so we must find and answer which
will cover the law of psychic phenomena. Mind, with the laws governing
It, is the whole answer, for each plane reproduces the one next to it;
and psychic phenomena are reproductions of man's physical capacities on
the mental plane. "What is true on one plane is true on all."
NOTE: Read and carefully study "Law of Psychic Phenomena,"
Hudson; "Life After Death," Hyslop; "The Unknown Guest," Maeterlinck; "Science
and Immortality," Lodge; "The Hidden Power," Troward; "From the Unconscious
to the Conscious," Geley.
Lesson Six: Recapitulation
Psychic phenomena are the phenomena of the soul, or subjective
mind. The subjective mentality is man's atmosphere in Universal Mind; it
is the seat of his memory and the avenue through which Instinctive Life
works.
The subjective mentality, being deductive only in its
reasoning power, is compelled to retain all of the impressions that it
receives, but, of course, these impressions can be erased, consciously.
Man is Universal on the subjective side of life, and in
this way is connected with the subjectivity of all with whom he is in harmonious
vibration.
Mental suggestion operates through the subjective mind,
and a silent influence is always going on through this avenue in the form
of race- suggestion. A silent communication takes place at all times between
friends on the subjective side of life; when it comes to the surface, it
is called mental telepathy.
The subjective mind, being in contact with the race-thought,
has a much greater knowledge than the conscious mind. It is through this
avenue that human inspiration comes. Orators and actors contact the subjective
side of their audiences and, in this way, wield a tremendous influence.
Singers, poets and writers enter the subjective race-thought and interpret
it; this enables them to depict the race-emotions.
Each person has a subjective mental emanation or atmosphere
which is the result of all that has ever been consciously or unconsciously
said, thought or done by that person. The mental atmosphere of a person
is his power of attraction. It is the result of his inner thoughts. The
mental atmosphere of a place is the result of all that has been thought,
said or done in that place. The mental atmosphere of a place is its power
of attraction. We love those places whose mental atmosphere is one of love
and peace; this is why we like our homes. The home should always be kept
sacred and its atmosphere should always be one of love.
Things are possessed of a soul element and continuously
emanate this atmosphere.
Each city or town has a special atmosphere which is the
result of the mental emanations of those who inhabit it. The same may be
said of nations; each has its national mentality.
The history of the whole race is subjectively written
on the unseen walls of time, and may be reproduced by one who can read
the race- mentality.
Telepathy, which is the act of reading subjective thought
takes place through the medium of Universal Subjectivity. In order to mentally
receive a message, and bring it to the surface, one must be in tune with
the vibration of that message.
Since the whole field of subjectivity is Universal, it
follows that everything that has ever been thought, said or done, is retained
in the race- thought; and since this field is a unit, all of the vibrations
are ever present, and may be contacted at the point of any one's mentality.
In his objective state, man is separate and distinct,
but on the subjective side of life he is universal.
The conditions necessary for the best results in psychic
work are faith and expectancy; this is because the subjective mentality
is the seat of the instinctive emotions and responds to feeling.
A psychic, going into more or less of a subjective state,
is able to enter the vibration of an individual's thought and read from
the book of his remembrance. The personal reading seems to be limited to
the subjective remembrance, although this is often very far-reaching.
Each maintains a stream of consciousness in the One Mind,
and any one contacting this stream may objectify it. Because of the Universality
of the Medium, the individual stream of consciousness is always omnipresent,
whether the one from whom it emanated be in the flesh or out of it.
Time and space are unknown in Mind, the past and the present
are one. In reading the thought of people set down in books, we enter their
vibration, and in studying their thoughts we enter their stream of consciousness.
Every one who ever lived on earth has left behind a mental
picture of himself; these pictures are often seen when one is
in a subjective state. This does not mean that we really
see the person; what we see generally is the picture.
The human aura is the mental vibration or emanation of
the individual. The idea of the halo surrounding the heads of the saints
is explained in this way. The personal atmosphere varies with the changing
thought and emotion, and is sometimes pleasant and at other times unpleasant.
Habits are formed through conscious thought becoming subjective,
and in its turn, controlling the one through whom it operates. Mania is
a strong desire, subjectified, which becomes an obsession.
People may become obsessed with their own ideas or with
those that operate through them from some foreign source, whether this
source is from some one in the flesh or out of it. Obsession is always
some form of mental suggestion. Insanity is the loss of the objective faculty.
The psychic power must always be controlled. A normal
state is a perfect balance between the objective and the subjective faculties.
This is the aim of evolution: to produce a man who, at the point of his
objective faculty, may perfectly control the subjective. A trance state
is abnormal, and only that psychic faculty is normal which is under full
control of the self-discerning mind.
Clairvoyance is the ability to see without the physical
eye. Psychometry is a clairvoyant state wherein the medium is able to enter
the subjective side of things and read the atmospheres surrounding them;
this is why mediums often wish to hold some familiar object in their hands
while giving readings.
Clairaudience is the ear of the soul. Independent voices
sometimes come from the air, proving that some inner power is able to express
itself audibly. Apparitions are thought forms, and may come from the living
or from the dead; at times they come as a warning.
Crystal gazing is for the purpose of concentrating the
mind, in order that it may become subjective.
Black magic, the curse of malpractice, all mean the use
of thought power for destructive purposes.
Automatic writing takes place when the arm is under control
of the subjective mind of the operator or by the subconscious
mind of some one else, either in the flesh or out of it; it is a form of
suggestion, either conscious or unconscious. Independent writing is where
the pencil writes without physical contact. This shows that some inner
power has the ability to grasp solid objects without physical contact.
Table tipping and rappings are from the same source. It is thought by some
that these manifestations come from the agency of what is called "ectoplasm,"
or a subtle emanation of the body; this theory, however, does not explain
all of the facts. Mind alone can do this. Levitation or the ability to
move the body is another fact well known to investigators.
The power of prophecy is limited to some subjective tendency
already set in motion; for mental tendencies cast their shadows before
them. There is a higher power of prophecy which contacts the Cosmic Purposes
and reads the thought of God.
Man reproduces, on the mental plane, all of the physical
faculties.
IMMORTALITY
Immortality means that the individual shall persist after
the experience of physical death, carrying with him a complete remembrance
and an unbroken stream of consciousness; for if man be immortal, death
cannot rob him of anything.
Man cannot conceive of himself, either as being born or
as dying; he lives, and cannot think of himself from any other standpoint.
Even though a person should conceive of himself as dying and imagine his
own funeral, he would still have to conceive of himself as consciously
being there, and so prove that he did not die at all. It is the same with
birth; we can imagine being born into this world, but we cannot imagine
the self as being non-existent; for, while thinking of the self as being
born, we are still consciously thinking; thus proving that we were before
we were physically born.
All inquiry into the Truth starts with the self-evident
proposition that Life Is.
When man first woke to self-consciousness on this plane
he already had a body. Consciousness always clothes itself in some kind
of form.
Matter, from which the body is made, is a fluent substance,
forever taking the form that intelligence gives it; it flows in and out
like a river; we yearly immortalize ourselves, so far as the body is concerned.
The ether, being more solid than matter, proves that we
could have a body within the one that we now occupy. Since matter in form
is only a certain rate of vibration, it follows that, in dealing with Infinite
Life, we are dealing with an infinite number of vibrations; consequently,
we might have a body within a body to Infinity.
In reality, the body is a spiritual idea; the flesh simply
covers it for the purpose of providing a physical instrument through which
Spirit may function on this plane.
Man departs this body only to find himself already equipped
with another one. He carries with him every attribute that he now possesses,
and goes forth in complete retention of his individuality.
Since there is but One Mind, it follows that it is possible
to communicate with the departed; but, as the communication must come through
the subjective, it is difficult to receive clear messages; and it is impossible
to know whether or not the ones with whom we think we are communicating
are consciously present.
It is never safe to go into a trance state in order to
communicate with the departed, as in so doing, one might subject himself
to the mental influences of lesser mentalities. Individuality is sacred
and must never be tampered with nor controlled, except by the conscious
mind.
The value of an understanding of psychic phenomena lies
in the fact that they are the phenomena of Mind and must be accounted for.
Every plane reproduces the one just below or just above
it; psychic phenomena are the reproductions, on the mental plane, of the
principle just below the mental, which is the physical.
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