,,clairvoyance ,,and ,,occult ,,powers ,,including ,,clairvoyance1 ,,clairaudience ,,premonition ,,and ,,impressions ,,clairvoyant ,,psychometry ,,clairvoyant ,,crystal-,,gazing ,,distant ,,clairvoyance ,,past ,,clairvoyance ,,future ,,clairvoyance ,,second-,,sight ,,prevision ,,clairvoyant ,,development ,,astral-,,body ,,traveling ,,astral-,,plane ,,phenomena ,,psychic ,,influence--,personal and ,distant ,,psychic ,,attraction ,,psychic ,,healing ,,telepathy ,,mind-,,reading ,,thought ,,transference and other ,,psychic ,,phenomena ,by ,swami ,panchadasi ,author of ,the ,human ,aura1 ,the ,astral ,world1 ,etc4 #aiaf ,,synopsis ,,of ,,the ,,lessons ,,lesson ,i ,,the ,,astral ,,senses ,the skeptical person who believes only the evidence of his senses4 ,the man who has much to say about horse sense4 ,common ,sense versus ,uncommon ,senses4 ,the ordinary five senses are not the only senses4 ,the ordinary senses are not as infallible as many think them4 ,illusions of the five physical senses4 ,what is back of the organs of physical sense4 ,all senses an evolution of the sense of feeling4 ,how the mind receives the report of the senses4 ,the ,real ,knower behind the senses4 ,what the unfolding of new senses means to man4 ,the super-physical senses4 ,the ,astral ,senses4 ,man has seven physical senses1 instead of merely five4 ,each physical sense has its astral sense counterpart4 ,what the astral senses are4 ,sensing on the astral plane4 ,how the mind functions on the astral plane1 by means of the astral senses4 ,the unfolding of the ,astral ,senses opens up a new world of experience to man4 ,,lesson ,,ii ,,telepathy vs4 ,,clairvoyance ,the two extra physical senses of man4 ,the extra sense of the presence of other living things4 ,the telepathic sense4 ,how man may sense the presence of other living things apart from the operation of his ordinary five physical senses4 ,this power is strongly developed in savages and barbarians1 but has become atrophied in most civilized men1 by continued disuse4 ,it is now vestigal in civilized man1 but may be developed by practice4 ,animals have this extra sense highly developed1 and it plays a very important part in their protection from enemies2 their capture of prey1 etc4 ,the strange actions of dogs1 horses1 etc41 explained4 ,how the geese saved ,rome by reason of this sense4 ,all hunters have experienced evidences of the existence of this sense on the part of animals4 ,the physical telepathic sense4 ,how it operates4 ,interesting instances of its possession by animals1 and savage tribes4 ,women possess it strongly4 ,the distinction between this form of thought-transference and clairvoyance4 ,,lesson ,,iii ,,telepathy ,,explained ,what telepathy means4 ,the mental process by which one knows at a distance4 ,the sending and receiving of waves and currents of thought and feeling4 ,thought vibrations1 and how they are caused4 ,the part played by the cerebrum1 cerebellum1 and medulla oblongata--the three brains of man4 ,the part played by the solar plexus and other great nervous centres4 ,how thought messages are received4 ,how states of emotional excitement are transmitted to others4 ,the ,pineal ,gland3 what it is1 and what it does4 ,the important part it plays in telepathy and thought-transference4 ,mental atmospheres4 ,psychic atmospheres of audiences1 towns1 houses1 stores1 etc4 ,why you are not affected by all thought vibrations in equal measure and strength4 ,how thought vibrations are neutralized4 ,affinities and repulsions between different thought vibrations4 ,interesting facts concerning telepathy4 ,scientific explanations of telepathy4 ,,lesson ,,iv ,,scientific ,,telepathy ,the important investigations of the ,society for ,psychical ,research4 ,true telepathy and pseudo-telepathy2 how they are distinguished by scientists4 ,strict tests imposed in investigations4 ,the celebrated ,creery ,experiments1 and how they were conducted4 ,the elaboration of the guessing game4 ,seventeen cards chosen right1 in straight succession4 ,precautions against fraud or collusion4 ,two hundred and ten successes out of a possible three hundred and eighty-two4 ,science pronounces the results as entirely beyond the law of coincidences and mathematical probability2 and that the phenomena were genuine and real telepathy4 ,still more wonderful tests4 ,telepathy an incontestable reality4 ,a psychic force transmitting ideas and thoughts4 ,interesting cases of spontaneous telepathy1 scientifically proven4 ,extracts from the scientific records4 ,cold scientific reports read like a romance1 and prove beyond doubt the reality of this great field of phenomena4 ,,lesson ,v ,,mind-,,reading1 ,,and ,,beyond ,what ,mind-,reading is4 ,the two phases of ,mind-,reading4 ,mind-,reading with physical contact2 and without physical contact4 ,why the scientific investigators make the distinction4 ,why science has been over-cautious2 and how it falls short of the full understanding of contact ,mind-,reading4 ,how the thought-waves flow along the nerves of the projector and recipient4 ,like telegraphy over wires1 as compared with the wireless method4 ,how to learn by actual experience1 and not alone by reading books4 ,how to experiment for yourself2 and how to obtain the best results in ,mind-,reading4 ,the working principles of ,mind-,reading stated4 ,full directions and instruction given for the successful performance of the interesting feats4 ,this lesson is really a little manual of practical instruction in ,mind-,reading1 and the higher phases of ,thought-,transference4 ,the person carefully studying and applying the principles taught therein should become very proficient in both private and public manifestations4 ,,lesson ,,vi ,,clairvoyant ,,psychometry ,what ,clairvoyance really is2 and what it is not4 ,the faculty of acquiring super-normal knowledge of facts and happening at a distance1 or in past or future time1 independent of the ordinary senses1 and independent of telepathic reading of the minds of others4 ,the different kinds of ,clairvoyance described4 ,what is ,psychometry8 ,clairvoyant en rapport relations on the astral plane1 with distant1 past or future happenings and events2 by means of a connecting material link4 ,how to obtain the psychic affinity or astral relation to other things by means of a bit of stone1 lock of hair1 article of wearing apparel1 etc4 ,interesting instances of clairvoyant psychometry4 ,how to go about the work of psychometrizing4 ,how to develop the power4 ,how to secure the best conditions2 and what to do when you have obtained them4 ,psychometry develops the occultist for still higher clairvoyant powers4 ,,lesson ,,vii ,,clairvoyant ,,crystal-,,gazing ,the second great method of securing clairvoyant en rapport relations with the astral plane4 ,how the crystal1 magic-mirror1 etc41 serves to focus the psychic energy of the clairvoyant person4 ,the crystal serves the purpose of a psychic microscope or telescope4 ,how crystals tend to become polarized to the vibrations of their owner4 ,why crystals should be preserved for the personal use of their owners4 ,the use of crystals1 or other forms of shining objects1 by different peoples in ancient and modern times4 ,how they are employed in ,australia1 ,new ,zealand1 ,fiji ,islands1 ,south ,america1 etc41 by the primitive tribes4 ,various substitutes for the crystal4 ,full directions for ,crystal ,gazing4 ,complete instructions and warnings4 ,all stages described1 from the first milky mist to the clearly defined psychic photograph4 ,the ,astral ,tube1 and the part it plays in ,crystal ,gazing4 ,a complete little text-book of the subject4 ,,lesson ,,viii ,,clairvoyant ,,reverie ,the higher forms of ,clairvoyance1 and how they may be cultivated and acquired4 ,trance conditions not essential to highest ,clairvoyance1 although often connected therewith4 ,in ,clairvoyant ,reverie1 the clairvoyant does not become unconscious2 but merely shuts out the outside world of sights and sounds4 ,shifting the consciousness from the physical plane to the astral4 ,clairvoyant ,reverie may be safely and effectively induced by mental concentration alone4 ,artificial methods dangerous1 and not advised by best authorities4 ,abnormal conditions not desirable4 ,the one pointed mind4 ,the ,clairvoyant day dream or brown study4 ,false psychic development4 ,use of hypnotic drugs strongly condemned4 ,scientific psychological methods stated and taught4 ,the laws of attention and concentration of the mind4 ,how ,clairvoyance develops by this method4 ,the true occult instruction given fully4 ,,lesson ,,ix ,,simple ,,clairvoyance ,what the ,clairvoyant senses in ,simple ,clairvoyance4 ,perception of the ,aura1 and ,auric ,emanations of others2 ,psychic ,vibrations2 ,astral ,colors2 ,thought ,currents1 ,waves and ,vibrations1 etc41 are features of ,simple ,clairvoyance4 ,the beautiful kaleidoscopic spectacle of the ,auric changes4 ,the ,prana ,aura1 and its appearances4 ,the ,mental and ,emotional ,aura1 and its many interesting phases4 ,perception of ,astral ,thought-,forms4 ,other ,astral ,phenomena4 ,the ,astral ,world1 and its ,myriad ,manifestations4 ,strange aspects of ,astral ,visioning4 ,seeing through a ,brick-wall4 ,the ,x-,ray ,vision4 ,reading from closed books1 sealed envelopes1 etc41 and how it is explainable4 ,seeing into the depths of the earth1 and the occult explanation thereof4 ,the ,laws and ,principles of this ,extraordinary ,power4 ,magnifying and ,diminishing ,clairvoyant ,vision4 ,a wonderful field for experiment opened out for the student4 ,,lesson ,x ,,clairvoyance ,,of ,,distant ,,scenes ,the characteristics of ,space ,clairvoyance4 ,the ,astral ,seeing of ,distant ,scenes2 and through intervening objects4 ,remarkable instances of this power1 well authenticated and established4 ,interesting and instructive historical cases recorded and explained4 ,testimony of the ,society for ,psychical ,research concerning this phase of ,clairvoyance4 ,the interesting case of ,w4,t4 ,stead1 the celebrated ,english writer1 who went down on the ,titanic4 ,the important testimony of ,swedenborg1 the eminent religious teacher4 ,other well-authenticated cases happening to well-known persons4 ,the evidence collected by the ,society for ,psychical ,research4 ,interesting ,german case4 ,why so many cases of this kind happen when the person is on his death-bed1 or seriously ill4 ,why such experiences often occur in dreams4 ,actual appearance of persons at a distance1 and how explained4 ,important and interesting facts recited in connection with this phase of ,clairvoyance4 ,,lesson ,,xi ,,clairvoyance ,,of ,,the ,,past ,the clairvoyant perception of the facts1 events and happenings of past time4 ,there is no difference in the nature of this strange phenomenon1 whether the past time be but five minutes or else five thousand years4 ,how is it possible to see a thing that no longer exists8 ,the just how of this strange happening4 ,nothing could be perceived if it had actually disappeared from existence4 ,but nothing entirely disappears in fact4 ,on the astral plane are recorded all things1 events and happenings since the beginning of the present world-cycle4 ,the ,akashic ,records2 or the ,astral ,light2 constitute the great record books of the past4 ,the clairvoyant gaining access to these may read the past like a book4 ,analogies in physical science4 ,interesting scientific facts4 ,what astronomy teaches on the subject4 ,how the records of the past are stored4 ,how they are read by the clairvoyant4 ,a fascinating subject clearly presented and explained4 ,,lesson ,,xii ,,clairvoyance ,,of ,,the ,,future ,the clairvoyant power manifest in all forms of perception of facts1 happenings and events of future time4 ,explanation of ,prophecy1 ,prevision1 ,foretelling1 ,second-,sight1 etc4 ,these powers not supernatural2 but are merely the development of the clairvoyant faculties4 ,how may a thing be seen years before it really exists4 ,nothing could be seen1 unless it existed in some form1 at least potential and latent4 ,keen perception of the subconscious faculties4 ,subconscious reasoning from cause to effect4 ,coming events cast their shadows before4 ,fate vs4 ,free-,will4 ,time is but a relative mode of regarding things4 ,events may1 in some sense1 exist always1 both past and future4 ,time like a moving-picture reel1 containing the future scene at the present moment1 though out of sight4 ,analogy of dream-time4 ,an ,absolute ,consciousness in which past1 present and future exist as a single perception4 ,a glimpse of a transcendental truth4 ,how to acquire the faculty of ,future-,clairvoyance4 ,,lesson ,,xiii ,,second-,,sight1 ,,prevision1 ,,etc4 ,many persons1 in all times1 in all lands1 have possessed the gift of looking into the future4 ,not a superstition1 but a scientific fact4 ,the ,investigations of the scientific bodies4 ,the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 and its reports on this phase of ,clairvoyance4 ,interesting case told by a leading ,theosophist4 ,tragedy and ,funeral foreseen by ,clairvoyant ,prevision1 or ,second-,sight4 ,historical instances4 ,george ,fox1 the ,quaker1 and his ,second-,sight4 ,the prophecy of the ,death of ,caesar4 ,biblical instances4 ,the celebrated case of ,cazotte1 which has become a matter of history4 ,how ,cazotte foretold the coming of the ,french ,revolution1 including the fate of eminent personages present at the time of the prophecy4 ,a startling occurrence1 well worthy of careful study4 ,the historical case of the assassination of ,spencer ,perceval1 ,chancellor of the ,exchequer4 ,other well-authenticated cases4 ,symbolic visions4 ,irish and ,scotch cases4 ,,lesson ,,xiv ,,astral-,,body ,,traveling ,astral visioning in ,clairvoyance1 and visioning by means of the ,astral ,body4 ,the difference between the two phases of clairvoyant phenomena4 ,the characteristics of ,astral-,body traveling4 ,how one traveling in the ,astral ,body may see all around him1 instead of merely gazing at an astral picture4 ,limitations of ,astral-,body visioning4 ,what the ,astral-,body really is2 and what it is like4 ,how it disengages itself from the physical body1 and travels in space4 ,many persons travel in the astral during ordinary sleep4 ,occult teachings regarding ,astral-,body traveling4 ,how dying persons often travel in the astral-body1 before death4 ,many interesting cases cited1 all well-authenticated by scientific investigation4 ,society for ,psychical ,research's records and reports on such cases4 ,dangers of uninstructed persons going out on the astral1 except in dream state4 ,fools rush in where angels fear to tread4 ,a timely warning4 ,a most important and interesting subject4 ,,lesson ,,xv ,,strange ,,astral ,,phenomena ,additional phases of ,astral ,phenomena4 ,projection of ,thought-,forms4 ,something between ordinary ,clairvoyance and ,astral-,body perception4 ,what a ,thought-,form is4 ,how it is created4 ,what it does4 ,where it goes4 ,how a portion of one's consciousness is projected in a ,thought-,form4 ,using a ,thought-,form as at cut-post1 or observation point4 ,how things appear when viewed from a ,thought-,form4 ,a wonderful phase of occult phenomena4 ,advantages and disadvantages of this form of clairvoyant visioning4 ,hindu ,psychic ,magic1 and how it is performed4 ,remarkable illusory effects produced by ,hindu ,magicians4 ,all is explained when the principle of the creation and projection of ,thought-,forms is understood4 ,why the ,hindus excel in this phase of occultism4 ,an interesting description of ,hindu ,magic feats4 ,the power of concentrated visualization4 ,the phenomena of ,levitation1 or the moving of articles at a distance4 ,the occult explanation of this phenomenon4 ,natural explanation for so-called super-natural occurrence4 ,,lesson ,,xvi ,,psychic ,,influence3 ,,its ,,laws ,,and ,,principles ,the laws and principles underlying the power of one mind to influence and affect another mind4 ,more than ordinary telepathy4 ,the inductive power of mental vibrations4 ,everything is in vibration4 ,mental vibrations are much higher in the scale than are physical vibrations4 ,what induction is4 ,how a mental state1 or an emotional feeling1 tends to induce a similar state in another mind4 ,many instances cited4 ,the different degrees of vibratory influence1 and what causes the difference4 ,the contagious effect of a strong feeling4 ,why a strong desire hag a dynamic effect in certain cases4 ,the power of visualization in ,psychic ,influence4 ,the ,attractive ,power of ,thought4 ,the effect of ,mental ,concentration4 ,focusing your ,forces4 ,holding the mind to a state of one-pointedness4 ,why the occultist controls his imagination4 ,suggestions as to practice1 and rules of development4 ,a few easily-mastered principles which give you the key to the whole of this wonderful subject4 ,,lesson ,,xvii ,,personal ,,psychic ,,influence ,,over ,,others ,psychic ,influence exerted over others1 when in their presence4 ,different degrees of the influence4 ,possession of this power by ,alexander the ,great1 ,napoleon ,bonaparte1 ,julius ,caesar1 and other great leaders of men4 ,the ability to influence others is a sure sign of the possession of this psychic power4 ,the ,three ,underlying ,principles of ,psychic ,influence4 ,the importance of strong desire to influence and exert power4 ,the importance of clear1 positive mental pictures of what effect you wish to produce4 ,the importance of the firm concentration of your mind on the subject4 ,the creation of a positive psychic atmosphere4 ,the ,positive ,psychic ,aura4 ,how to project your ,psychic ,power4 ,the ,psychic ,struggle between two persons4 ,how to handle yourself in such conflicts of ,psychic ,power4 ,how to ,neutralize the ,psychic ,power of others1 and thus disarm them4 ,the ,occult ,shield of ,defence4 ,valuable directions regarding practice and development of ,psychic ,power4 ,scientific ,exercises for ,development4 ,important ,rules of ,practice4 ,,lesson ,,xviii ,,psychic ,,influence ,,at ,a ,,distance ,psychic ,influence over others1 manifested when they are distant from the person exerting the influence4 ,distance no obstacle4 ,psychic ,induction at ,long-,range4 ,how to create the en rapport condition with the other person4 ,how to protect yourself against such influence at a distance4 ,the ,psychic ,armor4 ,psychometric ,method of producing ,distant ,en ,rapport ,condition4 ,to proceed when the en rapport condition is secured4 ,the scientific explanation of the old tales about sorcery1 witchcraft1 super-natural influence1 etc4 ,the effect of fear1 and belief1 on the mind of the other person4 ,the effect of ,denial4 ,the secret of many strange cases made plain4 ,some typical cases4 ,the ,master-,key which unlocks the doors of many ,mysteries4 ,low forms of ,occultism1 and how they may be defeated4 ,dangerous ,teachings in some quarters4 ,warnings against their use4 ,the ,astral ,tube2 how it is erected1 used and employed4 ,a simple1 plain explanation of a puzzling occult manifestation4 ,self-,protection4 ,,lesson ,,xix ,,laws ,,of ,,psychic ,,attraction ,how psychic vibrations tend to attract to their creator other persons vibrating along the same lines2 and things having a relation to the things thought of4 ,harmony and ,inharmony in the ,psychic ,world4 ,the ,law of ,psychic ,attraction4 ,the ,law of ,psychic ,repulsion4 ,an important phase of ,astral ,phenomena4 ,the ,law works two ways4 ,it draws other persons and things to you2 and you to other persons and things4 ,how the men of big business operate under this ,law of ,attraction4 ,how scheming exploiters of the public actually treat the public by psychic means4 ,the various forms of psychic influence employed by persons of this kind4 ,the ,law of ,attraction1 and how it works out in ,business ,life4 ,the scientific facts behind the outward appearance of things4 ,instances and examples of the working out of these laws and principles4 ,the ,law of ,psychic ,attraction is as constant and invariable as the great ,law of ,gravitation1 or ,magnetic ,attraction4 ,the ,co-,relation of ,thoughts and ,things4 ,how we may create our own environment by ,psychic ,influence4 ,,lesson ,,xx ,,psychic ,,and ,,magnetic ,,healing ,the ,psychic ,principles underlying the many forms of psychic or mental healing4 ,many theories--one set of principles4 ,psychic ,healing as old as the race4 ,the ,basic ,principles of ,psychic ,healing4 ,the ,physiological ,principles involved4 ,how the ,astral ,body is used in ,psychic ,healing4 ,human ,magnetism1 and what it really is4 ,all about ,prana4 ,the ,laying-on of ,hands in ,healing2 and what is back of it4 ,what happens in ,magnetic ,healing4 ,the ,secret of ,absent ,healing4 ,space no barrier in ,psychic ,healing4 ,the ,human ,aura and ,psychic ,healing4 ,the ,secret of ,suggestive ,therapeutics4 ,the effect of the affirmations of the healers4 ,how the ,healing ,cults obtain good results4 ,self-,healing by ,psychic ,power4 ,absent ,healing by ,psychic ,power4 ,how to treat others by ,absent ,treatment4 ,valuable ,instructions and ,practical ,methods of ,psychic ,healing4 ,the whole subject condensed1 and made plain1 so that it may be applied by any person of average intelligence4 ,no fanciful theories2 only plain1 practical facts for actual application4 ,,introduction4 ,in preparing this series of lessons for students of ,western lands1 ,i have been compelled to proceed along lines exactly opposite to those which ,i would have chosen had these lessons been for students in ,india4 ,this because of the diametrically opposite mental attitudes of the students of these two several lands4 ,the student in ,india expects the teacher to state positively the principles involved1 and the methods whereby these principles may be manifested1 together with frequent illustrations 7generally in the nature of fables or parables71 serving to link the new knowledge to some already known thing4 ,the ,hindu student never expects or demands anything in the nature of proof of the teachers statements of principle or method2 in fact1 he would regard it as an insult to the teacher to ask for the same4 ,consequently1 he does not look for1 or ask1 specific instances or illustrations in the nature of scientific evidence or proof of the principles taught4 ,he may ask for more information1 but solely for the purpose of bringing out some point which he has not grasped2 but he avoids as a pestilence any question seeming to indicate argument1 doubt of what is being taught him1 or of the nature of a demand for proof or evidence4 ,the ,western student1 on the other hand1 is accustomed to maintaining the skeptical attitude of mind--the scientific attitude of doubt and demand for proof--and the teacher so understands it4 ,both are accustomed to illustrations bringing out the principles involved1 but these illustrations must not be fanciful or figurative--they must be actual cases1 well authenticated and vouched for as evidence4 ,in short1 the ,western teacher is expected to actually prove to his students his principles and methods1 before he may expect them to be accepted4 ,this1 of course1 not from any real doubt or suspicion of the veracity or ability of the teacher1 but merely because the ,western mind expects to question1 and be questioned1 in this way in the process of teaching and learning4 ,consequently1 in this series of lessons1 ,i have sought to follow the ,western method rather than the ,hindu4 ,so far as is possible1 ,i have avoided the flat positive statement of principles and methods1 and have sought to prove each step of the teaching4 ,of course1 ,i have been compelled to assume the existence of certain fundamental principles1 in order to avoid long and technical metaphysical and philosophical discussions4 ,i have also had to content myself with the positive flat assertion of the existence of the ,astral ,plane1 ,akashic ,records1 ,prana1 etc41 which are fundamental postulates of ,hindu philosophy and occult science--for these are established solely by the experience of those who are able to function on the higher planes themselves4 ,but1 beyond this ,i have sought to prove by direct and positive evidence 7adapted to the ,western mind7 every step of my teaching and methods4 ,in offering this scientific proof1 ,i have purposely omitted 7except in a few instances7 all mention of occult or psychic phenomena occurring in ,india1 and have confined myself to instances occurring in ,western lands to ,western persons4 ,moreover1 ,i have avoided quoting and citing ,hindu authorities1 and have1 instead1 quoted and cited from authorities well known and respected in ,western lands1 such as the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 and the prominent scientists interested in the work of the said society4 ,in this way ,i have sought to furnish the ,western student with examples1 cases1 and illustrations familiar to him1 and easily referred to4 ,had ,i cited ,indian cases1 ,i might be accused of offering proof that could not be easily verified2 and quoting persons unknown to my readers4 ,there is a wealth of such cases and illustration in ,india1 naturally1 but these as a rule are traditional and not available in printed form2 and these would not likely be very satisfactory to the ,western student4 ,i must1 however1 positively and firmly state that while these cases and illustrations1 these quotations and citations1 are purely ,western1 the principles they illustrate and prove are among the oldest known to ,hindu occult science and philosophy4 ,in fact1 having been accepted as proved truth in ,india1 for centuries past1 there is very little demand for further proof thereof on the part of the ,hindus4 ,in the ,western world1 however1 these things are comparatively new1 and must be proved and attested accordingly4 ,so1 as ,i have said1 ,i have cut the cloth of my instruction to conform with the pattern favored for the ,western garment of knowledge4 ,so far as the illustrations and cases1 the quotations and citations are concerned--these are purely ,western and familiar to the student4 ,but1 when it comes to the principles themselves1 this is another matter--,i must be pardoned for stating that these are the outgrowth of ,hindu thought and investigation1 and that he who would discover their roots must dig around the tree of the ,wisdom of the ,east1 which has stood the storms and winds of thousands of years4 ,but the branches of this mighty tree are wide-spreading1 and there is room for many ,western students to rest in its shade and shelter4 ,in these lessons ,i have referred occasionally to my two little books1 entitled ,the ,astral ,world1 and ,the ,human ,aura1 respectively4 ,to those who are interested in these subjects1 ,i recommend these little books2 they are sold at a nominal price1 and contain much that will be helpful to the student of ,hindu ,occult ,science4 ,they are not required1 however1 to complete the understanding of the subjects treated upon in these lessons1 and are mentioned and recommended merely as supplementary reading for the student who wishes to take little side excursions away from the main trip covered in these lessons4 ,i trust that my students will find the pleasure and satisfaction in studying these lessons that ,i have in writing them4 ,,swami ,,panchadasi4 ,,lesson ,i4 ,,the ,,astral ,,senses4 ,the student of occultism usually is quite familiar with the crass individual who assumes the cheap skeptical attitude toward occult matters1 which attitude he expresses in his would-be smart remark that he believes only in what his senses perceive4 ,he seems to think that his cheap wit has finally disposed of the matter1 the implication being that the occultist is a credulous1 easy person who believes in the existence of things contrary to the evidence of the senses4 ,while the opinion or views of persons of this class are1 of course1 beneath the serious concern of any true student of occultism1 nevertheless the mental attitude of such persons are worthy of our passing consideration1 inasmuch as it serves to give us an object lesson regarding the childlike attitude of the average so-called practical persons regarding the matter of the evidence of the senses4 ,these so-called practical persons have much to say regarding their senses4 ,they are fond of speaking of the evidence of my senses4 ,they also have much to say about the possession of good sense on their part2 of having sound common sense2 and often they make the strange boast that they have horse sense1 seeming to consider this a great possession4 ,alas1 for the pretensions of this class of persons4 ,they are usually found quite credulous regarding matters beyond their everyday field of work and thought1 and accept without question the most ridiculous teachings and dogmas reaching them from the voice of some claimed authority1 while they sneer at some advanced teaching which their minds are incapable of comprehending4 ,anything which seems unusual to them is deemed flighty1 and lacking in appeal to their much prized horse sense4 ,but1 it is not my intention to spend time in discussing these insignificant half-penny intellects4 ,i have merely alluded to them in order to bring to your mind the fact that to many persons the idea of sense and that of senses is very closely allied4 ,they consider all knowledge and wisdom as sense2 and all such sense as being derived directly from their ordinary five senses4 ,they ignore almost completely the intuitional phases of the mind1 and are unaware of many of the higher processes of reasoning4 ,such persons accept as undoubted anything that their senses report to them4 ,they consider it heresy to question a report of the senses4 ,one of their favorite remarks is that it almost makes me doubt my senses4 ,they fail to perceive that their senses1 at the best1 are very imperfect instruments1 and that the mind is constantly employed in correcting the mistaken report of the ordinary five senses4 ,not to speak of the common phenomenon of color-blindness1 in which one color seems to be another1 our senses are far from being exact4 ,we may1 by suggestion1 be made to imagine that we smell or taste certain things which do not exist1 and hypnotic subjects may be caused to see things that have no existence save in the imagination of the person4 ,the familiar experiment of the person crossing his first two fingers1 and placing them on a small object1 such as a pea or the top of a lead-pencil1 shows us how mixed the sense of feeling becomes at times4 ,the many familiar instances of optical delusions show us that even our sharp eyes may deceive us--every conjuror knows how easy it is to deceive the eye by suggestion and false movements4 ,perhaps the most familiar example of mistaken sense-reports is that of the movement of the earth4 ,the senses of every person report to him that the earth is a fixed1 immovable body1 and that the sun1 moon1 planets1 and stars move around the earth every twenty-four hours4 ,it is only when one accepts the reports of the reasoning faculties1 that he knows that the earth not only whirls around on its axis every twenty-four hours1 but that it circles around the sun every three hundred and sixty-five days2 and that even the sun itself1 carrying with it the earth and the other planets1 really moves along in space1 moving toward or around some unknown point far distant from it4 ,if there is any one particular report of the senses which would seem to be beyond doubt or question1 it certainly would be this elementary sense report of the fixedness of the earth beneath our feet1 and the movements of the heavenly bodies around it--and yet we know that this is merely an illusion1 and that the facts of the case are totally different4 ,again1 how few persons really realize that the eye perceives things up-side-down1 and that the mind only gradually acquires the trick of adjusting the impression8 ,i am not trying to make any of you doubt the report of his or her five senses4 ,that would be most foolish1 for all of us must needs depend upon these five senses in our everyday affairs1 and would soon come to grief were we to neglect their reports4 ,instead1 ,i am trying to acquaint you with the real nature of these five senses1 that you may realize what they are not1 as well as what they are2 and also that you may realize that there is no absurdity in believing that there are more channels of information open to the ego1 or soul of the person1 than these much used five senses4 ,when you once get a correct scientific conception of the real nature of the five ordinary senses1 you will be able to intelligently grasp the nature of the higher psychic faculties or senses1 and thus be better fitted to use them4 ,so1 let us take a few moments time in order to get this fundamental knowledge well fixed in our minds4 ,what are the five senses1 anyway4 ,your first answer will be3 ,feeling1 seeing1 hearing1 tasting1 smelling4 ,but that is merely a recital of the different forms of sensing4 ,what is a sense1 when you get right down to it8 ,well1 you will find that the dictionary tells us that a sense is a faculty1 possessed by animals1 of perceiving external objects by means of impressions made upon certain organs of the body4 ,getting right down to the roots of the matter1 we find that the five senses of man are the channels through which he becomes aware or conscious of information concerning objects outside of himself4 ,but1 these senses are not the sense-organs alone4 ,back of the organs there is a peculiar arrangement of the nervous system1 or brain centres1 which take up the messages received through the organs2 and back of this1 again1 is the ego1 or soul1 or mind1 which1 at the last1 is the real ,,knower4 ,the eye is merely a camera2 the ear1 merely a receiver of sound-waves2 the nose1 merely an arrangement of sensitive mucous membrane2 the mouth and tongue1 simply a container of taste-buds2 the nervous system1 merely a sensitive apparatus designed to transmit messages to the brain and other centres--all being but part of the physical machinery1 and liable to impairment or destruction4 ,back of all this apparatus is the real ,knower who makes use of it4 ,science tells us that of all the five senses1 that of ,touch or ,feeling was the original--the fundamental sense4 ,all the rest are held to be but modifications of1 and specialized forms of1 this original sense of feeling4 ,i am telling you this not merely in the way of interesting and instructive scientific information1 but also because an understanding of this fact will enable you to more clearly comprehend that which ,i shall have to say to you about the higher faculties or senses4 ,many of the very lowly and simple forms of animal life have this one sense only1 and that but poorly developed4 ,the elementary life form feels the touch of its food1 or of other objects which may touch it4 ,the plants also have something akin to this sense1 which in some cases1 like that of the ,sensitive ,plant1 for instance1 is quite well developed4 ,long before the sense of sight1 or the sensitiveness to light appeared in animal-life1 we find evidences of taste1 and something like rudimentary hearing or sensitiveness to sounds4 ,smell gradually developed from the sense of taste1 with which even now it is closely connected4 ,in some forms of lower animal life the sense of smell is much more highly developed than in mankind4 ,hearing evolved in due time from the rudimentary feeling of vibrations4 ,sight1 the highest of the senses1 came last1 and was an evolution of the elementary sensitiveness to light4 ,but1 you see1 all these senses are but modifications of the original sense of feeling or touch4 ,the eye records the touch or feeling of the light-waves which strike upon it4 ,the ear records the touch or feeling of the sound-waves or vibrations of the air1 which reach it4 ,the tongue and other seats of taste record the chemical touch of the particles of food1 or other substances1 coming in contact with the taste-buds4 ,the nose records the chemical touch of the gases or fine particles of material which touch its mucous membrane4 ,the sensory-nerves record the presence of outer objects coming in contact with the nerve ends in various parts of the skin of the body4 ,you see that all of these senses merely record the contact or touch of outside objects4 ,but the sense organs1 themselves1 do not do the knowing of the presence of the objects4 ,they are but pieces of delicate apparatus serving to record or to receive primary impressions from outside4 ,wonderful as they are1 they have their counterparts in the works of man1 as for instance3 the camera1 or artificial eye2 the phonograph1 or1 artificial ear2 the delicate chemical apparatus1 or artificial taster and smeller2 the telegraph1 or artificial nerves4 ,not only this1 but there are always to be found nerve telegraph wires conveying the messages of the eye1 the ear1 the nose1 the tongue1 to the brain--telling the something in the brain of what has been felt at the other end of the line4 ,sever the nerves leading to the eye1 and though the eye will continue to register perfectly1 still no message will reach the brain4 ,and render the brain unconscious1 and no message will reach it from the nerves connecting with eye1 ear1 nose1 tongue1 or surface of the body4 ,there is much more to the receiving of sense messages than you would think at first1 you see4 ,now all this means that the ego1 or soul1 or mind1 if you prefer the term--is the real ,knower who becomes aware of the outside world by means of the messages of the senses4 ,cut off from these messages the mind would be almost a blank1 so far as outside objects are concerned4 ,every one of the senses so cut off would mean a diminishing or cutting-off of a part of the world of the ego4 ,and1 likewise1 each new sense added to the list tends to widen and increase the world of the ego4 ,we do not realize this1 as a rule4 ,instead1 we are in the habit of thinking that the world consists of just so many things and facts1 and that we know every possible one of them4 ,this is the reasoning of a child4 ,think how very much smaller than the world of the average person is the world of the person born blind1 or the person born deaf6 ,likewise1 think how very much greater and wider1 and more wonderful this world of ours would seem were each of us to find ourselves suddenly endowed with a new sense6 ,how much more we would perceive4 ,how much more we would feel4 ,how much more we would know4 ,how much more we would have to talk about4 ,why1 we are really in about the same position as the poor girl1 born blind1 who said that she thought that the color of scarlet must be something like the sound of a trumpet4 ,poor thing1 she could form no conception of color1 never having seen a ray of light--she could think and speak only in the terms of touch1 sound1 taste and smell4 ,had she also been deaf1 she would have been robbed of a still greater share of her world4 ,think over these things a little4 ,suppose1 on the contrary1 that we had a new sense which would enable us to sense the waves of electricity4 ,in that case we would be able to feel what was going on at another place--perhaps on the other side of the world1 or maybe1 on one of the other planets4 ,or1 suppose that we had an ,x ,ray sense--we could then see through a stone wall1 inside the rooms of a house4 ,if our vision were improved by the addition of a telescopic adjustment1 we could see what is going on in ,mars1 and could send and receive communications with those living there4 ,or1 if with a microscopic adjustment1 we could see all the secrets of a drop of water--maybe it is well that we cannot do this4 ,on the other hand1 if we had a well-developed telepathic sense1 we would be aware of the thought-waves of others to such an extent that there would be no secrets left hidden to anyone--wouldn't that alter life and human intercourse a great deal8 ,these things would really be no more wonderful than is the evolution of the senses we have4 ,we can do some of these things by apparatus designed by the brain of man--and man really is but an imitator and adaptor of ,nature4 ,perhaps1 on some other world or planet there may be beings having seven1 nine or fifteen senses1 instead of the poor little five known to us4 ,who knows6 ,but it is not necessary to exercise the imagination in the direction of picturing beings on other planets endowed with more senses than have the people of earth4 ,while1 as the occult teachings positively state1 there are beings on other planets whose senses are as much higher than the earth-man's as the latter's are higher than those of the oyster1 still we do not have to go so far to find instances of the possession of much higher and more active faculties than those employed by the ordinary man4 ,we have but to consider the higher psychical faculties of man1 right here and now1 in order to see what new worlds are open to him4 ,when you reach a scientific understanding of these things1 you will see that there really is nothing at all supernatural about much of the great body of wonderful experiences of men in all times which the horse sense man sneeringly dismisses as queer and contrary to sense4 ,you will see that these experiences are quite as natural as are those in which the ordinary five senses are employed--though they are super-physical4 ,there is the greatest difference between supernatural and super-physical1 you must realize4 ,all occultists know that man has other senses than the ordinary five1 although but few men have developed them sufficiently well to use them effectively4 ,these super-physical senses are known to the occultists as the astral senses4 ,the term ,astral1 used so frequently by all occultists1 ancient and modern1 is derived from the ,greek word astra1 meaning star4 ,it is used to indicate those planes of being immediately above the physical plane4 ,the astral senses are really the counterparts of the physical senses of man1 and are connected with the astral body of the person just as the physical senses are connected with the physical body4 ,the office of these astral senses is to enable the person to receive impressions on the astral plane1 just as his physical senses enable him to receive impressions on the physical plane4 ,on the physical plane the mind of man receives only the sense impressions of the physical organs of sense2 but when the mind functions and vibrates on the astral plane1 it requires astral senses in order to receive the impressions of that plane1 and these1 as we shall see1 are present4 ,each one of the physical senses of man has its astral counterpart4 ,thus man has1 in latency1 the power of seeing1 feeling1 tasting1 smelling1 and hearing1 on the astral plane1 by means of his five astral senses4 ,more than this1 the best occultists know that man really has seven physical senses instead of but five1 though these two additional senses are not unfolded in the case of the average person 7though occultists who have reached a certain stage are able to use them effectively74 ,even these two extra physical senses have their counterparts on the astral plane4 ,persons who have developed the use of their astral senses are able to receive the sense impressions of the astral plane just as clearly as they receive those of the physical plane by means of the physical senses4 ,for instance1 the person is thus able to perceive things occurring on the astral plane2 to read the ,akashic ,records of the past2 to perceive things that are happening in other parts of the world2 to see past happenings as well2 and in cases of peculiar development1 to catch glimpses of the future1 though this is far rarer than the other forms of astral sight4 ,again1 by means of clairaudience1 the person may hear the things of the astral world1 past as well as present1 and in rare cases1 the future4 ,the explanation is the same in each case--merely the receiving of vibrations on the astral plane instead of on the physical plane4 ,in the same way1 the astral senses of smelling1 tasting1 and feeling operate4 ,but though we have occasional instances of astral feeling1 in certain phases of psychic phenomena1 we have practically no manifestation of astral smelling or tasting1 although the astral senses are there ready for use4 ,it is only in instances of travelling in the astral body that the last two mentioned astral senses1 viz41 smell and taste1 are manifested4 ,the phenomena of telepathy1 or thought transference1 occurs on both the physical and the mental plane4 ,on the physical plane it is more or less spontaneous and erratic in manifestation2 while on the astral plane it is as clear1 reliable and responsive to demand as is astral sight1 etc4 ,the ordinary person has but occasional flashes of astral sensing1 and as a rule is not able to experience the phenomenon at will4 ,the trained occultist1 on the contrary1 is able to shift from one set of senses to the other1 by a simple act or effort of will1 whenever he may wish to do so4 ,advanced occultists are often able to function on both physical and astral planes at the same time1 though they do not often desire to do so4 ,to vision astrally1 the trained occultist merely shifts his sensory mechanism from physical to astral1 or vice versa1 just as the typewriter operator shifts from the small-letter type to the capitals1 by simply touching the shift-key of his machine4 ,many persons suppose that it is necessary to travel on the astral plane1 in the astral body1 in order to use the astral senses4 ,this is a mistake4 ,in instances of clairvoyance1 astral visioning1 psychometry1 etc41 the occultist remains in his physical body1 and senses the phenomena of the astral plane quite readily1 by means of the astral senses1 just as he is able to sense the phenomena of the physical plane when he uses the physical organs--quite more easily1 in fact1 in many instances4 ,it is not even necessary for the occultist to enter into the trance condition1 in the majority of cases4 ,travel in the astral body is quite another phase of occult phenomena1 and is far more difficult to manifest4 ,the student should never attempt to travel in the astral body except under the instruction of some competent instructor4 ,in ,crystal ,gazing1 the occultist merely employs the crystal in order to concentrate his power1 and to bring to a focus his astral vision4 ,there is no supernatural virtue in the crystal itself--it is merely a means to an end2 a piece of useful apparatus to aid in the production of certain phenomena4 ,in ,psychometry some object is used in order to bring the occulist en rapport with the person or thing associated with it4 ,but it is the astral senses which are employed in describing either the past environment of the thing1 or else the present or past doings of the person in question1 etc4 ,in short1 the object is merely the loose end of the psychic ball of twine which the psychometrist proceeds to wind or unwind at will4 ,psychometry is merely one form of astral seeing2 just as is crystal gazing4 ,in what is known as ,telekinesis1 or movement at a distance1 there is found the employment of both astral sensing1 and astral will action accompanied in many cases by actual projection of a portion of the substance of the astral body4 ,in the case of ,clairvoyance1 we have an instance of the simplest form of astral seeing1 without the necessity of the associated object of psychometry1 or the focal point of the crystal in crystal gazing4 ,this is true not only of the ordinary form of clairvoyance1 in which the occultist sees astrally the happenings and doings at some distant point1 at the moment of observation2 it is also true of what is known as past clairvoyance1 or astral seeing of past events2 and in the seeing of future events1 as in prophetic vision1 etc4 ,these are all simply different forms of one and the same thing4 ,surely1 some of you may say1 ,these things are supernatural1 far above the realm of natural law--and yet this man would have us believe otherwise4 ,softly1 softly1 dear reader1 do not jump at conclusions so readily4 ,what do you know about the limits of natural law and phenomena8 ,what right have you to assert that all beyond your customary range of sense experience is outside of ,nature8 ,do you not realize that you are attempting to place a limit upon ,nature1 which in reality is illimitable8 ,the man of a generation back of the present one would have been equally justified in asserting that the marvels of wireless telegraphy were supernatural1 had he been told of the possibility of their manifestation4 ,going back a little further1 the father of that man would have said the same thing regarding the telephone1 had anyone been so bold as to have prophesied it4 ,going back still another generation1 imagine the opinion of some of the old men of that time regarding the telegraph4 ,and yet these things are simply the discovery and application of certain of ,nature's wonderful powers and forces4 ,is it any more unreasonable to suppose that ,nature has still a mine of undiscovered treasure in the mind and constitution of man1 as well as in inorganic nature8 ,no1 friends1 these things are as natural as the physical senses1 and not a whit more of a miracle4 ,it is only that we are accustomed to one1 and not to the other1 that makes the astral senses seem more wonderful than the physical4 ,nature's workings are all wonderful--none more so than the other4 ,all are beyond our absolute conception1 when we get down to their real essence4 ,so let us keep an open mind6 ,,lesson ,,ii4 ,,telepathy vs4 ,,clairvoyance4 ,in this work ,i shall use the term clairvoyance in its broad sense of astral perception1 as distinguished from perception by means of the physical senses4 ,as we proceed1 you will see the general and special meanings of the term1 so there is no necessity for a special definition or illustration of the term at this time4 ,by telepathy1 ,i mean the sending and receiving of thought messages1 and mental and emotional states1 consciously or unconsciously1 by means of what may be called the sixth sense of the physical plane4 ,there is1 of course1 a form of thought transference on the astral plane1 but this ,i include under the general term of clairvoyance1 for reasons which will be explained later on4 ,you will remember that in the preceding chapter ,i told you that in addition to the five ordinary physical senses of man there were also two other physical senses comparatively undeveloped in the average person4 ,these two extra physical senses are1 respectively1 7#a7 the sense of the presence of other living things2 and 7#b7 the telepathic sense4 ,as ,i also told you1 these two extra physical senses have their astral counterparts4 ,they also have certain physical organs which are not generally recognized by physiologists or psychologists1 but which are well known to all occultists4 ,i shall now consider the first of the two above-mentioned extra physical senses1 in order to clear the way for our consideration of the question of the distinction between ordinary telepathy and that form of clairvoyance which is its astral counterpart4 ,there is in every human being a sense which is not generally recognized as such1 although nearly every person has had more or less experience regarding its workings4 ,i refer to the sense of the presence of other living things1 separate and apart from the operation of any of the five ordinary physical senses4 ,i ask you to understand that ,i am not claiming that this is a higher sense than the other physical senses1 or that it has come to man in a high state of evolution4 ,on the contrary1 this sense came to living things far back in the scale of evolution4 ,it is possessed by the higher forms of the lower animals1 such as the horse1 dog1 and the majority of the wild beasts4 ,savage and barbaric men have it more highly developed than it is in the case of the civilized man4 ,in fact1 this physical sense may be termed almost vestigal in civilized man1 because he has not actively used it for many generations4 ,for that matter1 the physical sense of smell is also deficient in man1 and for the same reason1 whereas in the case of the lower animals1 and savage man1 the sense of smell is very keen4 ,i mention this for fear of misunderstanding4 ,in my little book1 ,the ,astral ,world1 ,i have said3 ,all occultists know that man really has seven senses1 instead of merely five1 though the additional two senses are not sufficiently developed for use in the average person 7though the occultist generally unfolds them into use74 ,some have taken this to mean that the occultist develops these two extra physical senses1 just as he does certain higher psychic or astral faculties4 ,but this is wrong4 ,the occultist1 in such case1 merely re-awakens these two senses which have been almost lost to the race4 ,by use and exercise he then develops them to a wonderful proficiency1 for use on the physical plane4 ,now1 this sense of the presence of other living beings is very well developed in the lower animals1 particularly in those whose safety depends upon the knowledge of the presence of their natural enemies4 ,as might be expected1 the wild animals have it more highly developed than do the domesticated animals4 ,but even among the latter1 we find instances of this sense being in active use--in the case of dogs1 horses1 geese1 etc41 especially4 ,who of us is not familiar with the strange actions of the dog1 or the horse1 when the animal senses the unseen and unheard presence of some person or animal8 ,very often we would scold or punish the animal for its peculiar actions1 simply because we are not able to see what is worrying it4 ,how often does the dog start suddenly1 and bristle up its hair1 when nothing is in sight1 or within hearing distance4 ,how often does the horse grow skittish1 or even panicky1 when there is nothing within sight or hearing4 ,domestic fowls1 especially geese1 manifest an uneasiness at the presence of strange persons or animals1 though they may not be able to see or hear them4 ,it is a matter of history that this sense1 in a flock of geese1 once saved ancient ,rome from an attack of the enemy4 ,the night was dark and stormy1 and the trained eyesight and keen hearing of the ,roman outposts failed to reveal the approach of the enemy4 ,but1 the keen sense of the geese felt the presence of strange men1 and they started to cackle loudly1 aroused the guard1 and ,rome was saved4 ,skeptical persons have sought to explain this historical case by the theory that the geese heard the approaching enemy4 ,but this explanation will not serve1 for the ,roman soldiers were marching about on their posts and guard-duty1 and the geese remained silent until they sensed the approach of the small number of the enemy's scouts1 when they burst into wild cries4 ,the ancient ,romans1 themselves1 were under no illusion about the matter--they recognized the existence of some unusual power in the geese1 and they gave the animals the full credit therefor4 ,hunters in wild and strange lands have told us that often when they were lying concealed for the purpose of shooting the wild animals when they came within range1 they have witnessed instances of the existence of this strange faculty in the wild beasts4 ,though they could not see the concealed hunters1 nor smell them 7as the wind was in the other direction7 all of a sudden one or more of the animals 7generally an old female7 would start suddenly1 and a shiver would be seen to pass over its body2 then it would utter a low warning note1 and away would fly the pack4 ,nearly every hunter has had the experience of watching his expected game1 when all of a sudden it would start off with a nervous jerk1 and without waiting to sniff the air1 as is usual1 would bolt precipitately from the scene4 ,moreover1 many beasts of prey are known to sense the presence of their natural prey1 even when the wind is in the other direction1 and there is no sound or movement made by the crouching1 fearstricken animal4 ,certain birds seem to sense the presence of particular worms upon which they feed1 though the latter be buried several inches in the earth1 or in the bark of trees4 ,savage man also has this faculty developed1 as all travellers and explorers well know4 ,they are as keen as a wild animal to sense the nearness of enemies1 or1 in some cases1 the approach of man-eating beasts4 ,this does not mean that that these savages are more highly developed than is civilized man--quite the reverse4 ,this is the explanation3 when man became more civilized1 and made himself more secure from his wild-beast enemies1 as well as from the sudden attacks of his human enemies1 he began to use this sense less and less4 ,finally1 in the course of many generations1 it became almost atrophied from disuse1 and ceased reporting to the brain1 or other nerve centres4 ,or1 if you prefer viewing it from another angle1 it may be said that the nerve centres1 and brain1 began to pay less and less attention to the reports of this sense 7trusting more to sight and hearing7 until the consciousness failed to awaken to the reports4 ,you know how your consciousness will finally refuse to be awakened by familiar sounds 7such as the noise of machinery in the shop1 or ordinary noises in the house71 although the ears receive the sound-waves4 ,well1 this is the way in the case of this neglected sense--for the two reasons just mentioned1 the average person is almost unaware of its existence4 ,almost unaware ,i have said--not totally unaware4 ,for probably every one of us has had experiences in which we have actually felt the presence of some strange person about the premises1 or place4 ,the effect of the report of this sense is particularly noticed in the region of the solar plexus1 or the pit of the stomach4 ,it manifests in a peculiar1 unpleasant feeling of gone-ness in that region--it produces a feeling of something wrong1 which disturbs one in a strange way4 ,this is generally accompanied by a bristling up1 or creepy feeling along the spine4 ,the organs registering the presence of a strange or alien creature consist of certain delicate nerves of the surface of the skin1 generally connected with the roots of the downy hair of the body--or resting where the hair roots would naturally be1 in the case of a hairless skin4 ,these seem to report directly to the solar-plexus1 which then acts quickly by reflex action on the other parts of the body1 causing an instinctive feeling to either fly the scene or else to crouch and hide oneself4 ,this feeling1 as may be seen at once1 is an inheritance from our savage ancestors1 or perhaps from our lowly-animal ancestral roots4 ,it is a most unpleasant feeling1 and the race escapes much discomfort by reason of its comparative absence4 ,i have said that occultists have developed1 or rather re-developed this sense4 ,they do this in order to have a harmonious well-developed seven-fold sense system4 ,it increases their general awareness4 ,certain other knowledge of the occultist neutralizes the unpleasant features of the manifestation of this sense1 and he finds it often a very valuable adjunct to his senses of seeing and hearing1 particularly in the cases in which he is approached by persons having antagonistic or hostile feelings toward him1 as in such cases this faculty is particularly active4 ,in connection with the telepathic sense 7to be described a little further on7 this sense operates to give a person that sense of warning when approached by another person whose feelings are not friendly to him1 no matter how friendly the outward appearance of that person may be4 ,these two extra senses co-operate to give a person that instinctive feeling of warning1 which all of us know in our own experience4 ,this particular1 as well as the telepathic sense1 may be cultivated or developed by anyone who wishes to take the time and trouble to accomplish the work4 ,the principle is simple--merely the same principle that one uses in developing any of the other physical attributes1 namely1 use and exercise4 ,the first step 7a7 is the recognition of the existence of the sense itself2 then 7b7 the attention given to its reports2 then 7c7 frequent use and exercise4 ,just think of how you would proceed to develop any of the five ordinary senses--the hearing1 sight1 or touch1 for instance--then follow the same process in the cultivation of this extra sense1 or two senses1 and you will accomplish the same kind of results4 ,now1 let us consider the other extra physical sense--the telepathic sense1 or sense of becoming aware of the thought-waves1 or emotional waves1 of other persons4 ,now1 as strange as this may appear to some persons--the most of persons in fact--this telepathic faculty is not a higher faculty or sense1 but is really a comparatively low one4 ,just like the sense just described1 it is possessed in a higher degree by many of the lower animals1 and by primitive and savage man4 ,that which really is higher in this kind of psychic phenomena is the manifestation of that higher form of telepathy--by use of the astral counterpart of this sense--which we shall consider1 later1 under the name of clairvoyance1 for this is really a particular phase of clairvoyance4 ,as strange as it may appear to some of you1 the lower animals possess a kind of telepathic sense4 ,an animal is usually aware of your feelings toward it1 and your purposes regarding it4 ,domestic animals lose some of this by generations of confinement1 while the wild animals have the sense highly developed4 ,but even some of the domestic animals have more or less of it4 ,you will readily recognize this fact if you have ever tried to cut out a certain animal from a herd or flock4 ,you will find that the animal in some way has sensed your designs upon it1 no matter how indirectly you approach it1 and it will begin circling around the other animals1 twisting in and out in its endeavors to be lost to your sight4 ,the other animals1 likewise1 will seem to know that you are after only that particular one1 and will manifest but little fright or distrust1 comparatively4 ,i have frequently seen this thing1 in my own country and in others1 among poultry raisers4 ,the poultryman will think1 to himself1 ,now1 ,i am going to get that black hen with the yellow legs--that fat1 clumsy one1 and he will move toward the flock slowly and with an air of unconcern4 ,but1 lo6 as soon as he gets near the creatures1 that black hen will be seen edging her way to the outer circle of the flock1 on the opposite side from the man4 ,when the man moves around to her side1 she will be found to have plunged into the crowd1 and it is hard to find her4 ,sometimes she will actually try to sneak off1 and conceal herself in some dark corner1 or back of some large object4 ,every poultryman will smile when this occurrence is mentioned to him--he knows by experience that hens have a way of sensing what he has in his mind regarding them4 ,moreover1 as every farmer knows1 the crow family has a most uncanny way of sensing the intentions of the farmer who is trying to destroy them1 and shows great sagacity in defeating those intentions4 ,but1 while the crow is a very intelligent bird--one of the wisest of the bird family1 in fact--it obtains its knowledge of what is in the mind of the man not alone from figuring on his intentions1 but rather from that instinctive sensing of his mental states4 ,the hen1 as all know1 is a very stupid bird1 showing but little intelligent activity4 ,but1 nevertheless1 she is very quick about sensing the poultryman's designs on her1 though generally very stupid about planning out a skillful escape4 ,every owner of dogs1 cats and horses1 has had many opportunities for observing the manifestation of this sense on the part of those animals4 ,every dog feels the emotional states of his owner1 and others4 ,the horse knows when his owner seeks to throw the halter over his neck1 or when1 on the contrary1 he is merely walking through the field4 ,cats sense their owners' feelings and thoughts1 and often resent them4 ,of course1 the lower animals can sense merely elementary mental states1 and generally only emotional states1 as their minds are not developed so as to interpret the more complex mental states4 ,primitive men likewise almost instinctively sense the feelings and designs of other men4 ,they do not reason the thing out1 but rather merely feel the ideas and designs of the others4 ,the women of the lower races are more adept in interpreting these sense reports than are the men4 ,women are more sensitive1 as a rule1 than are men--on any point on the scale of development4 ,when we come to consider ordinary telepathy in the case of men of civilized countries1 we find a more complex state of affairs4 ,while civilized man1 as a whole1 has lost some of the quick telepathic perception of the lower races1 he has1 in some exceptional cases1 acquired a faculty of receiving and interpreting more complex thought-forms and mental states4 ,the investigations of the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 and those of private investigators as well1 have shown us that a picture of a complicated geometrical design held in the mind of one person may be carried to and received by the mind of another person1 who reproduces the design on paper4 ,in the same way1 complicated thoughts have been transmitted and received4 ,but these are only exceptional cases4 ,in many cases this sense seems almost dead in the ordinary civilized individual1 except when aroused in exceptional cases4 ,but1 nevertheless1 the majority of persons have occasional flashes of telepathy--just enough to make them realize that there is something in it4 ,the renewed interest in the subject1 of late years1 has directed the public mind to the phenomena of telepathy1 and1 consequently1 more persons are now taking note of the cases of thought-transference coming under their personal notice4 ,it must be remembered1 of course1 that all of us are constantly receiving thought-waves1 and feeling thought-influence1 unconsciously4 ,i am speaking now only of the conscious perception of the thought-waves4 ,many investigators have so developed their telepathic sense that they are able1 at times1 to obtain wonderful test results4 ,but1 it has been a source of disappointment to many of them to discover that at other times1 under apparently similar conditions1 their success was very slight4 ,so true is this that many authorities have accepted the theory that telepathy is more or less spontaneous1 and cannot be produced to order4 ,this theory is true as far as it goes1 but there is a side of the case that these investigators overlook1 probably because of their lack of the occult principles involved in the phenomena4 ,i mean this3 that their most brilliant successes have been obtained by reason of their unconscious switching on of the astral telepathic sense1 the clairvoyant sense4 ,while in this condition1 they obtained startling results2 but the next time they tried1 they failed to awaken the astral sense1 and1 therefore1 had to depend entirely upon the physical telepathic sense1 and1 consequently1 their results were comparatively poor4 ,you will understand the difference and distinction between physical-sense telepathy1 and astral-sense telepathy1 if you will carefully consider the nature of each1 as ,i shall now present it to you4 ,i ask your close attention to what ,i shall have to say on this subject in the remaining pages of this chapter4 ,do not pass over these explanations as dry1 for unless you have a clear fundamental understanding of the thing1 you will never be able to get the best results4 ,this is true of every phase of learning1 physical as well as psychical--one must get started right1 in order to obtain the best results4 ,in the first place1 every thought process1 every emotional activity1 every creation of ideas1 is accompanied by a manifestation of force--in fact1 is the result of the manifestation of a force4 ,without entering at all into the question of what mind is1 in itself1 we may rest firmly on the natural fact that every manifestation of mental or emotional activity is the result of an action of the brain or nervous system1 manifesting in a form of vibrations4 ,just as in the case of the manifestation of electricity in which certain chemical elements are consumed1 or transformed1 so in the case of mental or emotional activity there is a consuming or transformation of the substance of which the nervous system is composed4 ,when ,i say nervous system in this connection1 ,i include the brain1 or brains of man--for these are but a part of his great nervous system in which all emotional or mental activity is manifested4 ,moreover1 just as there is no real destruction of matter in any of ,nature's processes--all seeming destruction being but a transformation--so in the case before us there is a transformation of the energy released in the thought or emotional process4 ,we may grasp this idea more clearly if we consider what takes place into transformation of electrical energy4 ,for instance1 transmit a strong current of electricity over a fine wire1 or filament of carbon1 and lo6 the current is transformed into light4 ,use another kind of channel of transmission1 and the current is transformed into heat4 ,every electric light1 or electric heating apparatus is proof of this4 ,in the same way1 the electric current is sent into space in the form of wireless waves4 ,these waves coming in contact with certain forms of apparatus are transformed into forms of force which are registered and interpreted by the wireless operator4 ,in the same way1 the telepathic waves of energy are sent forth by the activity released by the thought or emotion state4 ,these waves travel in every direction1 and when they come in contact with physical apparatus sufficiently sensitive to register them1 they may be reproduced or retransformed into thought or mental states similar to those which originally sent them forth4 ,you talk into the receiver of the telephone1 and the sound waves are transformed into waves of electricity4 ,these electric waves travel over the wires1 and on reaching the other end of the telephone circuit are again transformed into sound-waves which are heard by the ear of the listener4 ,well1 then1 when your brain sends out thought waves1 these travel until they are received by the apparatus in the brain of another person1 when they are re-transformed into thoughts of the same kind that originally caused the thought-waves4 ,i will have much more to say on this subject in the next chapter4 ,i will pause here to point out the difference between the phenomena of this form of telepathy1 and the higher form which is really a phase of clairvoyance4 ,now1 in the case of what may be called a clairvoyant-telepathy1 or astral telepathy1 the ordinary thought-waves play but a small part4 ,instead of these1 there is a transmission of force along the channels of the astral plane4 ,it is almost impossible to describe the phenomena of the astral plane in the terms of the physical4 ,i may illustrate the matter1 in a general way1 by saying that is something like your astral self actually extending itself out until it touches the astral self of the other person1 and thus actually feels the astral activities there1 instead of it being a case of something like waves travelling along space between brain and brain4 ,do you get this clearly8 ,this is about as near to it as ,i can explain it to you at this place4 ,telepathy is simply a matter of the transmission and receiving of waves of vibratory force which have travelled along the ether between two persons4 ,but clairvoyance or astral-telepathy is something like your mind being extended out until it actually touches the mind of the other person and sees what is there4 ,i shall have much to say regarding the working out of the processes of clairvoyance1 as we proceed4 ,i have merely given the above explanation for the purpose of distinguishing between ordinary telepathy and clairvoyance1 so as to prevent you from falling into a common error4 ,now let us consider the phenomena of ordinary telepathy--this is very wonderful in itself1 although it is on a lower plane of activity than its astral or clairvoyant counterpart4 ,,lesson ,,iii4 ,,telepathy ,,explained4 ,telepathy1 meaning ,thought-,transference1 bears a misleading title4 ,literally translated1 it means suffering at a distance1 or1 perhaps1 feeling pain at a distance4 ,the name should really indicate knowing at a distance1 in order to be properly descriptive4 ,but as the term has acquired a forced meaning by reason of years of usage1 it will probably be continued in popular favor4 ,after all1 names do not count1 so long as the meaning is accepted and understood4 ,while the term itself has been generally used in the sense of conscious and deliberate sending and receiving of thought-waves1 there is a far wider field of phenomena really covered by it1 viz41 the unconscious sending and receiving of mental and emotional vibrations4 ,i shall take up this phase of the subject in a moment1 after ,i have called your attention to the mechanism whereby the waves of thought and emotion are transmitted4 ,in the last chapter1 you will remember that ,i called your attention to the fact that there is a manifestation of energy or force 7in the form of vibrations7 in every mental or emotional state4 ,this is true not only in the case of deep thought or vivid feeling1 but also in the case of general mental feelings1 and emotional states4 ,during such manifestations there is a radiation of mental or emotional vibrations from the brain or nervous centres of the system1 which flows out in all directions just as do light and wireless electricity4 ,the principal seats or centres of these radiations are 7#a7 the several brains of man1 viz41 the cerebrum1 cerebellum1 and the medulla oblongata1 respectfully2 and 7#b7 the several great centres of nerve substance in the human system1 called the plexi1 such as the solar plexus1 etc4 ,the vibrations arising from emotional excitement are sent out principally from the plexi1 or great centres of the sympathetic nervous system4 ,those arising from the more strictly mental states emanate from certain centres and points of the brain1 or brains1 of the person manifesting them4 ,certain forms of these vibrations constitute the real essence of what is generally called human magnetism1 which will be treated upon in the proper place in these lessons4 ,i do not think it advisable to go into the technical details of the generation and mechanism of transmission of these thought and emotional vibrations1 in these lessons4 ,to understand the same would require a technical knowledge of physiology and organic chemistry1 which is not possessed by the average person4 ,moreover1 such details are neither interesting nor instructive to the general student of occultism4 ,but1 ,i think it proper to give at least a brief description of the receiving of such vibratory-waves by other individuals4 ,in the first place1 every great plexus1 or groups of nerve ganglia1 in the human system is a receiving station1 as well as a sending station4 ,a person manifesting strong emotional excitement tends to awaken similar states in the nervous centres of other persons in whom the conditions are favorable4 ,this explains why the vibrations of anger1 fear1 panic1 are so contagious4 ,it also explains the strong effect of the vibrations emanating from the nerve centres controlling the reproductive system1 in certain cases of strong sexual excitation4 ,each human sympathetic nervous system contains many receiving stations where emotional vibrations are received1 and where they tend to be transformed into similar feeling in the receiving system1 unless neutralized by other mental and emotional states in the person4 ,when we come to consider the apparatus by which is received the vibrations arising from what may be called purely mental operations of the brain1 such as intellectual thought1 constructive imagination1 etc41 we find a more specialized arrangement1 as might be expected4 ,there are several minor receiving points of mental vibrations1 regarding which ,i do not consider it worth while to go into detail1 because of the technical features involved4 ,the principal apparatus for receiving thought vibrations of this kind is that which is known as the pineal gland1 which ,i shall now describe4 ,the pineal gland is a peculiar mass of nervous substance which is embedded in the human brain1 in a position near the middle of the skull almost directly above the extreme top of the spinal column4 ,it is shaped like a small cone2 and is of a reddish-gray color4 ,it lies in front of the cerebellum1 and is attached to the floor of the third ventricle of the brain4 ,it contains a small quantity of peculiar particles of gritty1 sand-like substance1 which are sometimes called brain-sand4 ,it derives its scientific name from its shape1 which1 as ,i have said1 resembles a pine-cone4 ,physiologists are at sea regarding the function of this strange organ1 and generally content themselves with the statement that its functions are not understood4 ,but occultists know that the pineal gland1 with its peculiar arrangement of nerve-cell corpuscles1 and its tiny grains of brain-sand1 is the physical telepathic receiving instrument4 ,students of wireless telegraphy have noticed a startling resemblance between the pineal gland and a part of the receiving instrument employed in wireless telegraphy4 ,the thought vibrations coming in contact with the nervous system of the receiving person1 set up a peculiar vibration in the substance of the pineal gland and thus the first step in the transformation of these vibrations into thought-forms in the mind of the person is under way4 ,the remainder of the process is too technical1 both in the physiological as well as in the occult sense1 to be taken up in detail at this place4 ,the student will do well to get the idea of the workings of wireless telegraphy well fixed in his mind1 for this will set up the right conception of the working of ordinary telepathy1 without the necessity of complicated technical diagrams and descriptions4 ,and1 now then1 let us see what results from the sending forth and receiving of these mental and emotional waves of force and energy4 ,it is a most interesting subject1 ,i assure you4 ,while the phenomena of the astral plane is probably more fascinating to the average student1 ,i would impress upon you the importance of mastering the occult phenomena of the physical plane1 before passing on to that of the higher planes4 ,in the first place1 as all occultists know1 each person is constantly surrounded with what has been called an atmosphere composed of mental and emotional vibrations which are emanated from his personality4 ,the atmosphere of each person depends upon the general character of the thoughts and feelings of the person in question4 ,consequently1 as no two persons are precisely alike in character1 it follows that no two personal atmospheres are exactly alike4 ,each person has a psychic atmosphere of his or her own4 ,these atmospheric vibrations do not extend very far from the presence of the person1 and1 consequently affect only those coming near to him4 ,in the same way1 every group or crowd of persons has its own psychic atmosphere1 composed of a blending of the individual psychic atmospheres of the persons composing the crowd1 group or assemblage1 and representing the general average of the thought and feelings of the crowd4 ,there are no two group atmospheres exactly alike1 for the reason that no two groups of persons1 large or small1 are exactly alike4 ,actors know that each audience which they face has its own psychic atmosphere1 and the actors are affected by it4 ,preachers1 lawyers1 and speakers in general are quite aware of this fact1 and freely admit it1 though they may not be acquainted with the causes or laws governing the phenomena4 ,following the same psychic law1 it will be found that every town or large city1 or even every small village or section of a larger town1 will be found to have its own distinctive psychic atmosphere1 which is very perceptible to strangers visiting the place1 and which affect those who take up their residence in the place4 ,in large cities1 it has been noticed that every building has its own peculiar vibrations which arise from the general character of those occupying it4 ,different church buildings likewise reflect the character of the general habits of thought and feeling of those worshipping in them4 ,likewise1 certain business streets have pleasant or unpleasant vibrations in their atmosphere1 from the same causes4 ,every person recognizes the truth of these statements1 though but few are able to account for the facts in a scientific manner4 ,the beginner in the study of psychic phenomena often asks how these things can be1 when the thought which has occasioned the vibrations have long since passed away4 ,the explanation is simple1 when properly explained4 ,it is something like this3 just as heat remains in a room after the stove has ceased to throw out heat-waves1 so do the vibrations of thought and feeling persist long after the thought or feeling has died away4 ,or1 if you prefer a more material illustration1 we may say that if a package of perfumery has been opened in a room1 and then removed1 the air will remain charged with the odor for a long time afterwards4 ,so1 you see1 the same principle applies in the case of psychic vibrations4 ,the person carries around with him the general atmosphere of his characteristic mental and emotional vibrations4 ,and1 in the same way1 the house1 store1 church1 street1 town1 or city1 etc41 is permeated with the psychic vibrations of those who have frequented them4 ,nearly every one realizes the different feeling that impresses him when he enters a strange house1 apartment1 store or church4 ,each one has its own difference of psychic effect4 ,and1 so does each person create his or her psychic effect upon those coming in contact with him or her1 or who comes into his or her presence or vicinity4 ,the next question asked by the thoughtful new student is this3 ,if persons are constantly sending forth psychic vibrations1 and if such vibrations persist for some time1 why are we not overwhelmed with the force of them2 and why are they not all so mixed up as to lose all their effect4 ,i shall now answer this very important question4 ,in the first place1 though we are constantly affected more or less by the multitude of psychic vibrations beating upon us1 still the greater part of them do not consciously impress us4 ,for an example1 we have but to consider how few of the sounds or sights of a busy street are impressed upon our consciousness4 ,we hear and see only a few of the things which attract our attention and interest4 ,the rest are lost to us1 although our eyes and ears receive them all4 ,in the same way1 we are impressed only by the stronger vibrations which reach us1 and then only by those which we have attracted to ourselves1 or which prove attractive to us by reason of our own likes and dislikes4 ,in the second place1 the effect of certain thought vibrations is neutralized by the effect of the vibrations of thoughts of an opposite character4 ,just as a mixture of black and white produces the neutral color of grey1 so do two currents of opposing thought vibrations tend to resolve themselves into a neutral vibration which has little or no effect upon those coming in contact with them4 ,you may think of numerous correspondences to this in the world of material things4 ,for instance1 a mixture of very hot and very cold water1 will produce a neutral lukewarm liquid1 neither hot nor cold4 ,in the same way1 two things of opposing taste characteristics1 when blended1 will produce a neutral taste having but little effect upon one4 ,the principle is universal1 and is readily understood4 ,in the third place1 there is that which we may call an affinity between thoughts and feelings of a similar character4 ,not only do the vibrations of similar thoughts tend to coalesce and combine2 but1 more than this1 each one of us attracts to himself or herself the thought vibrations which are in general accord with corresponding thoughts in our own minds1 or feelings in our own nature4 ,like attracts like4 ,in the same way1 the character of our thoughts and feelings act to repel thought or emotional vibrations of an opposite or inharmonious nature4 ,as all occultists know1 everyone draws thought vibrations in harmony with his or her own2 and also repels thought vibrations of an inharmonious nature4 ,these are the general laws and principles governing the phenomena of this phase of telepathic vibrations4 ,there is much more to be said on the subject1 of course1 but if you will note carefully the leading principles and laws of manifestation just mentioned1 you will be able to reason correctly regarding any phase of this class of phenomena which may come before you for attention4 ,once you learn a general rule1 the rest becomes merely a matter of application and interpretation4 ,let us now proceed to a consideration of other phases of the general subject of telepathic influence4 ,we now come to the phase of what may be called direct telepathy--that is where a thought is consciously1 and more or less purposely1 directed toward another person4 ,we come across many interesting cases of this kind where persons find themselves thinking intently of certain other persons1 and afterwards are told by the other persons that ,i found myself thinking intently about you1 at such and such a time1 etc4 ,in some of these cases it is difficult to determine which one started the thinking4 ,again1 how often do we find ourselves thinking of a person1 when all of a sudden the person comes into sight4 ,again1 we think intently and earnestly about a certain question2 and then1 all of a sudden1 other folks whom we meet begin talking to us about the same thing4 ,these instances are too common to need more than a passing notice4 ,a little more purpose is displayed in that class of phenomena in which we intently wish that a certain person shall do a certain thing1 and lo6 we soon learn that that certain person has done it4 ,a number of years ago1 a popular writer wrote an article in which he mentioned what seemed to him to be a curious instance of some form of mental influence or telepathy4 ,he said that he had found out that if he would sit down and carefully write a letter to some person from whom he had not heard for a long time1 and then destroy the letter instead of sending it1 he would be almost certain to receive a letter from that person within a few days4 ,he did not attempt to account for the phenomenon1 he merely called the attention of his readers to it4 ,many persons have followed the suggestion1 often with very wonderful results4 ,there is nothing miraculous1 or supernatural about such occurrences4 ,it is merely one phase of telepathy4 ,the concentrated thought of the writer of the letter is directed toward the other person1 and that person begins to think of the first one2 then he thinks he will write to him2 then he actually does write4 ,distance1 space1 and direction have no importance in this experiment--it is not necessary to even know where the second person is1 in fact4 ,there are often found persons so closely in psychic harmony with each other that they very often are able to ask questions and receive answers from each other1 even though great distances separate them4 ,some particular times there is a better psychic harmony existing between the same persons than is found at other times4 ,all this1 of course1 affects the success of the experiment4 ,it is surprising what wonderful results along these lines may be obtained by almost any person of average intelligence1 after a little careful1 patient1 conscientious practice4 ,but there have been phenomena obtained as the result of long series of careful experiments which are1 in a way1 even more wonderful than these somewhat less deliberate experiments just mentioned4 ,i allude to the experiments of a number of earnest1 careful scientific students1 who surrounded themselves with every precaution against over-enthusiasm1 fraud1 and coincidence4 ,prominent among this class of investigations we find those conducted by the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 of ,england1 which really established a firm basis for the work of other investigators who followed the general methods of the said society4 ,in the following chapter1 ,i shall give you a somewhat extended statement of the results of such investigations1 because this information is important to every student of psychic phenomena1 not only because it establishes a firm scientific basis for his studies and beliefs1 but also because it gives him important information which he may apply in the course of his own experimental work4 ,i may mention that the investigations into the subject of telepathy1 and kindred subjects1 under the auspices of the society just mentioned1 were conducted by men of careful scientific training and experience1 and under the general supervision and approval of the officers of the society1 among which have been numbered such eminent men as ,prof4 ,henry ,sidgwick1 of ,cambridge ,university2 ,prof4 ,balfour ,stewart1 a ,fellow of the ,royal ,society of ,england2 ,rt4 ,hon4 ,a4,j4 ,balfour1 the eminent ,english statesman2 ,prof4 ,william ,james1 the eminent ,american psychologist2 ,sir ,william ,crookes1 the great chemist and discoverer of physical laws1 who invented the celebrated ,crookes' ,tubes1 without which the discovery of the ,x ,rays1 radio-activity1 etc41 would have been impossible2 ,frederick ,w4,h4 ,myers1 the celebrated explorer of the astral planes1 and writer upon psychic phenomena2 ,sir ,oliver ,lodge1 the popular ,english scientist2 and other men of international reputation and high standing4 ,the character of these men at once gives the stamp of honesty and scientific accuracy to all the work of the society4 ,in order that you may understand the spirit which animated these scientific investigators in their work of the exploration of this new and strange region of ,nature1 ,i ask you to carefully read the following words of the presidential address of ,sir ,william ,crookes1 before the ,royal ,society1 at ,bristol1 ,england1 in #ahih4 ,remember1 please1 that this address was made before an assemblage of distinguished scientists1 many of them rank materialists and1 quite skeptical of all occult phenomena--this was nearly twenty years ago1 remember4 ,sir ,william ,crookes1 facing this gathering1 as its president1 said3 ,were ,i now introducing for the first time these inquiries to the world of science1 ,i should choose a starting point different from that of old 7where we formerly began74 ,it would be well to begin with ,telepathy2 with that fundamental law1 as ,i believe it to be1 that thoughts and images may be transferred from one mind to another without the agency of the recognized organs of sense--that knowledge may enter the human mind without being communicated in any hitherto known or recognized ways4 99 99 99 ,if telepathy takes place1 we have two physical facts--the physical change in the brain of ,a1 the suggestor1 and the analogous physical change in the brain of ,b1 the recipient of the suggestion4 ,between these two physical events there must exist a train of physical causes4 99 99 99 ,it is unscientific to call in the aid of mysterious agencies1 when with every fresh advance in knowledge it is shown that either vibrations have powers and attributes abundantly able to any demand--even the transmission of thought4 ,it is supposed by some physiologists that the essential cells of nerves do not actually touch1 but are separated by a narrow gap which widens in sleep while it narrows almost to extinction during mental activity4 ,this condition is so singularly like a ,branly or ,lodge coherer 7a device which led to the discovery of wireless telegraphy7 as to suggest a further analogy4 ,the structure of brain and nerve being similar1 it is conceivable that there may be present masses of such nerve coherers in the brain1 whose special function it may be to receive impulses brought from without1 through the connecting sequence of ether waves of appropriate order of magnitude4 ,roentgen has familiarized us with an order of vibrations of extreme minuteness as compared with the smallest waves with which we have hitherto been acquainted3 and there is no reason to suppose that we have here reached the limit of frequency4 ,it is known that the action of thought is accompanied by certain molecular movements in the brain1 and here we have physical vibrations capable from their extreme minuteness of acting direct upon individual molecules1 while their rapidity approaches that of internal and external movements of the atoms themselves4 ,a formidable range of phenomena must be scientifically sifted before we effectually grasp a faculty so strange1 so bewildering1 and for ages so inscrutable1 as the direct action of mind upon mind4 ,in the old ,egyptian days1 a well known inscription was carved over the portal of the ,temple of ,isis3 ',i am whatever has been1 is1 or ever will be2 and my veil no man hath yet lifted4' ,not thus do modern seekers after truth confront ,nature--the word that stands for the baffling mysteries of the ,universe4 ,steadily1 unflinchingly1 we strive to pierce the inmost heart of ,nature1 from what she is to reconstruct what she has been1 and to prophesy what she shall be4 ,veil after veil we have lifted1 and her face grows more beautiful1 august and wonderful1 with every barrier that is withdrawn4 ,you will notice that this address made nearly twenty years ago1 and from the standpoint of physical science is in full accord with the ideas of occultism as old as the hills4 ,and yet1 the speaker had worked out the idea independently4 ,he also investigated higher forms of psychic phenomena1 with results that startled the world4 ,but1 you will notice that he does not attempt to give any other than purely physical laws the credit for the ordinary phenomena of telepathy4 ,and he was thoroughly right in this1 as we have seen4 ,he escaped the common error of confusing physical-sense phenomena with the phenomena of the astral-senses4 ,each plane has its own phenomena--and each class is surely wonderful enough4 ,and1 again1 remember that both physical and astral phenomena are purely natural2 there is no need for seeking any supernatural agencies to account for these natural facts4 ,,lesson ,,iv4 ,,scientific ,,telepathy4 ,the investigators of the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 of ,england1 started by giving a broad definition of ,telepathy1 as follows3 ,telepathy is the communication of impressions of any kind from one mind to another1 independently of the recognized channels of sense4 ,they took the rational position that the actual distance between the projector and the recipient of the telepathic message is not material2 and that all that is required is such a separation of the two persons that no known operation of the senses can bridge the space between them4 ,they wisely held that telepathy between two persons in the same room is as much telepathy as when the two persons are located at opposite sides of the world4 ,the investigators then ruled out all instances of thought-transmission in which there was even the slightest muscular contact between the projector and the recipient4 ,they held that though there might be genuine telepathy in such cases1 nevertheless1 there was always the possibility of fraud or collusion1 or of unconscious muscular action on the part of the projector4 ,they demanded absolute and actual separation of the two persons1 in order that their experiments might be above suspicion4 ,they were wise in this1 for while there is undoubtedly a psychic communication in the cases in which there is the slight physical connection between the two persons 7as ,i shall point out to you a little further on71 still the element of doubt or suspicion must be entirely eliminated from a scientific test1 in order to render it valuable and valid4 ,they1 therefore1 confined their investigations in ,telepathy to the two following classes1 viz43 7#a7 where actions are performed without physical contact with the person willing2 and 7#b7 where some number1 word1 or card is guessed apparently without any of the ordinary means of communication4 ,the investigators recognized the possibility that in the first of the above-mentioned two classes of experiments there is a possibility of suspicion of collusion1 fraud1 or unconscious suggestion1 in the matter of the motion of the eyes of the party1 or some member of it1 which might be seized upon1 perhaps unconsciously1 by the recipient1 and used to guide him to the object which was being thought of by the projector or the party4 ,they sought to obviate this difficulty by blindfolding the percipient1 and by placing non-conductors of sound over his ears4 ,but1 finally1 they came to the conclusion that even these precautions might not prove sufficient2 and1 accordingly1 they devoted their attention to the second class of experiments1 in which all ordinary means of communication between projector and recipient were impossible4 ,they took the additional precautions of limiting their circle to a small number of investigators of scientific reputations1 and well known to each other1 always avoiding a promiscuous company for obvious reasons4 ,one of the earliest series of investigations by these special committees of investigators was that of the family of the ,rev4 ,a4,m4 ,creery1 in ,derbyshire1 ,england4 ,the children of this family had acquired a reputation in what was known as the guessing game1 in which one of the children1 previously placed outside of the room1 then returned to the room and attempted to guess the name or location of some object agreed upon by the party during her absence4 ,the results were very interesting1 and quite satisfactory1 and have frequently been referred to in works on the subject written since that time4 ,i think it well to give the results of this series of experiments in some little detail1 for they form a basis for experiments on the part of those who read these lessons4 ,prof4 ,w4,f4 ,barrett1 ,professor of ,physics in the ,royal ,college of ,science for ,ireland1 conducted the most of the experiments4 ,the report to the ,society says3 ,we began by selecting the simplest objects in the room2 then chose names of towns1 people1 dates1 cards out of a pack1 lines from different poems1 etc41 in fact1 any thing or series of ideas that those present could keep in their minds steadily4 ,the children seldom made a mistake4 ,i have seen seventeen cards chosen by myself named right in succession without any mistake4 ,we soon found that a great deal depended on the steadiness with which the ideas were kept before the minds of the thinkers1 and upon the energy with which they willed the ideas to pass4 ,i may say that this faculty is not by any means confined to the members of one family2 it is much more general than we imagine4 ,to verify this conclusion1 ,i invited two of a neighbor's children to join us in our experiments1 with excellent results4 ,the report gives the methods of the experiments1 as follows3 ,the inquiry has taken place partly in ,mr4 ,creery's house1 and partly in lodgings1 or at a hotel occupied by some of our number4 ,having selected at random one child1 whom we desired to leave the room and wait at some distance1 we would choose a pack of cards1 or write on a piece of paper a name of a number which occurred to us at the moment4 ,generally1 but not always1 this was shown to the members of the family present in the room2 but no one member was always present1 and we were sometimes entirely alone4 ,we then recalled the child1 one of us always assuring himself that1 when the door was suddenly opened1 she was at a considerable distance1 though this was usually a superfluity of caution1 as our habit was to avoid all utterances of what was chosen4 ,on re-entering1 she stood--sometimes turned by us with her face toward the wall1 oftener with her eyes directed toward the ground1 and usually close to us and remote from the family--for a period of silence varying from a few seconds to a minute1 till she called out to us some number1 card1 or whatever it might be4 ,in the first experiments1 in guessing the name of objects1 the child guessed correctly six out of fourteen4 ,she then guessed correctly the name of small objects held in the hands of one of the committee--five times out of six4 ,she guessed fictitious names chosen by the committee--five out of ten1 at the first trial4 ,the committee then tested her by writing down the name of some object in the house1 fixed at random1 and then1 after all had thought intently of the thing1 they sent for the child and bade her try to find the thing thought of1 the thought-concentration of course continuing during the search4 ,the result is thus reported3 ,in this way ,i wrote down1 among other things1 a hair-brush--it was brought2 an orange--it was brought2 a wine-glass--it was brought2 an apple--it was brought2 and so on1 until many objects had been selected and found by the child4 ,passing over the details of many other experiments we find that the following remarkable results were obtained by the committee3 ,altogether1 three hundred and eighty-two trials were made in this series4 ,in the case of letters of the alphabet1 of cards1 and of numbers of two figures1 the chances of success on a first trial would naturally be #be to #a1 #eb to #a1 and #hi to #a1 respectively2 in the case of surnames they would of course be infinitely greater4 ,cards were far most frequently employed1 and the odds in their case may be taken as a fair medium sample1 according to which1 out of a whole series of three hundred and eighty-two trials1 the average number of successes at the first attempt by an ordinary guesser would be seven and one-third4 ,of our trials1 one hundred and twenty-seven were successes on the first attempt1 fifty-six on the second1 nineteen on the third--,,making ,,two ,,hundred ,,and ,,two1 ,,out ,,of ,a ,,possible ,,three ,,hundred ,,and ,,eighty-,,two6 ,think of this1 while the law of averages called for only seven and one-third successes at first trial1 the children obtained one hundred and twenty-seven1 which1 given a second and third trial1 they raised to two hundred and two6 ,you see1 this takes the matter entirely out of the possibility of coincidence or mathematical probability4 ,but this was not all4 ,listen to the further report of the committee on this point3 ,the following was the result of one of the series4 ,the thing selected was divulged to none of the family1 and five cards running were named correctly on a first trial4 ,the odds against this happening once in a series were considerably over a million to one4 ,there were other similar batches1 the two longest runs being eight consecutive guesses1 once with cards1 and once with names2 where the adverse odds in the former case were over one hundred and forty-two millions to one2 and in the other1 something incalculably greater4 ,the opinion of eminent mathematicians who have examined the above results is that the hypothesis of mere coincidence is practically excluded in the scientific consideration of the matter4 ,the committee calls special attention to the fact that in many of the most important tests none of the ,creery family were cognizant of the object selected1 and that1 therefore1 the hypothesis of fraud or collusion is absolutely eliminated4 ,the committee naturally came to the conclusion that the phenomena was genuine and real telepathy4 ,prof4 ,balfour ,stewart1 ,,ll4,d41 ,f4,r4,s41 who was present at some of these experiments1 though not a member of the committee1 expressed great amazement at some of the results4 ,he reports3 ,the thought-reader was outside a door4 ,the object or thing thought of was written on paper and silently handed to the company in the room4 ,the thought reader was then called in1 and in the course of a minute the answer was given4 ,definite objects in the room1 for instance1 were first thought of1 and in the majority of the cases the answers were correct4 ,then numbers were thought of1 and the answers were generally right1 though1 of course1 there were some cases of error4 ,the names of towns were thought of1 and a good many of these were right4 ,then fancy names were thought of4 ,i was asked to think of certain fancy names1 and mark them down and hand them round to the company4 ,i thought of and wrote on paper1 ',blue-beard1' ',tom ,thumb1' ',cinderella4' and the answers were all correct6 ,the committee also conducted a number of experiments with other recipients1 with very satisfactory results4 ,colors were correctly guessed with a percentage of successes quite beyond the average or probable number4 ,names of towns in all parts of the world1 were correctly guessed by certain recipients with a wonderful degree of success4 ,but1 probably most wonderful of all1 was the correct reproduction of diagrams of geometrical and other figures and shapes4 ,in one case1 the recipient1 in a series of nine trials1 succeeded in drawing them all correctly1 except that he frequently reversed them1 making the upper-side down1 and the right-hand side to the left4 ,the ,society1 has published these reproduced diagrams in its ,illustrated reports1 and they have convinced the most skeptical of critics4 ,some of the diagrams were quite complicated1 unusual1 and even grotesque1 and yet they were reproduced with marvelous accuracy1 not in a hesitating manner1 but deliberately and continuously1 as if the recipient were actually copying a drawing in full sight4 ,similar results have been obtained by other investigators who have followed the lead of these original ones4 ,so you see1 the seal of scientific authority has been placed upon the phenomena of telepathy4 ,it is no longer in the realm of the supernatural or uncanny4 ,as ,camille ,flammarion1 the eminent ,french scientist1 has said3 ,the action of one mind upon another at a distance--the transmission of thought1 mental suggestion1 communication at a distance--all these are not more extraordinary than the action of the magnet on iron1 the influence of the moon on the sea1 the transportation of the human voice by electricity1 the revolution of the chemical constituents of a star by the analysis of its light1 or1 indeed1 all the wonders of contemporary science4 ,only these psychic communications are of a more elevated kind1 and may serve to put us on the track of a knowledge of human nature4 ,what is certain is3 ,that telepathy can and ought to be henceforth considered by ,science as an incontestable reality2 that minds are able to act upon each other without the intervention of the senses2 that psychic force exists1 though its nature is yet unknown4 99 99 99 ,we say that this force is of a psychic order1 and not physical1 or physiological1 or chemical1 or mechanical1 because it produces and transmits ideas and thoughts1 and because it manifests itself without the co-operation of our senses1 soul to soul1 mind to mind4 ,in addition to investigating the above mentioned classes of telepathic phenomena1 the ,english ,society for ,psychical ,research investigated many remarkable cases of a somewhat higher phase of telepathy4 ,they took down the stories told by persons deemed responsible1 and then carefully examined1 and cross-examined other witnesses to the strange phenomena4 ,the record of these experiments1 and investigations1 fill a number of good sized volumes of the ,society's reports1 which are well worth reading by all students of the subject4 ,they may be found in the libraries of nearly any large city4 ,i shall1 however1 select a number of the most interesting of the cases therein reported1 to give my students an idea of the character of the phenomena so investigated and found genuine by the committees having this class of telepathy under investigation4 ,an interesting case of spontaneous telepathy is that related by ,dr4 ,ede1 as follows3 ,there is a house about a half-mile from my own1 inhabited by some ladies1 friends of our family4 ,they have a large alarm bell outside their house4 ,one night ,i awoke suddenly and said to my wife3 ',i am sure ,i hear ,mrs4 ,f's alarm bell ringing4' ,after listening for some time1 we heard nothing1 and ,i went to sleep again4 ,the next day ,mrs4 ,f4 called upon my wife and said to her3 ',we were wishing for your husband last night1 for we were alarmed by thieves4 ,we were all up1 and ,i was about to pull the alarm bell1 hoping that he would hear it1 saying to my daughters1 ,i am sure it will soon bring ,dr4 ,ede1 but we did not ring it4' ,my wife asked what time this had happened1 and ,mrs4 ,f4 said that it was about half past one4 ,that was the time ,i awoke thinking that ,i heard the bell4 ,in this case there was manifested simply ordinary physical plane telepathy4 ,had the bell actually been rung1 and heard psychically1 it would have been a case of astral plane hearing1 known as clairaudience4 ,as it was1 merely the thought in the mind of ,mrs4 ,f41 and her strong idea to ring the bell1 caused a transmission of thought waves which struck ,dr4 ,ede with great force and awakened him4 ,this case is interesting because it is typical of many cases of a similar nature within the experience of many persons4 ,it is seen that a strong feeling1 or excitement1 accompanied by a strong desire or wish to summon another person1 tends to give great power and effect to the thought waves emitted4 ,they strike the mind of the recipient like the sudden ringing of an alarm clock bell4 ,another interesting case is that of two ladies1 both well known to members of the committee1 and vouched for as of strict veracity4 ,this case is unusual for the reason that two different persons received the thought-waves at the same time4 ,here is an abridgment of the case3 ,lady ,g4 and her sister had been spending the evening with their mother1 who was in her usual health and spirits when they left her4 ,in the middle of the night the sister awoke in her fright and said to her husband3 ',i must go to my mother at once2 do order the carriage4 ,i am sure that she is taken ill4' ,on the way to her mother's house1 where two roads meet1 she saw ,lady ,g4's carriage approaching4 ,when they met each asked the other why she was there4 ,they both related the same experience and impression4 ,when they reached their mother's house1 they found that she was dying1 and had expressed an earnest wish to see them4 ,another case of a similar nature is this3 ,at the siege of ,mooltan1 ,major ,general ,r41 then adjutant of his regiment1 was severely wounded and supposed himself to be dying4 ,he requested that his ring be taken off his finger and sent to his wife4 ,at the same time his wife was at ,ferozepore1 one hundred and fifty miles distant1 lying on her bed1 in a state half way between waking and sleeping4 ,she saw her husband being taken off the field1 and heard his voice saying3 ',take this ring off my finger1 and send it to my wife4' ,this case bears the marks of very strong telepathy1 but also has a suspicious resemblance to clairvoyance accompanied by clairaudience4 ,or perhaps it is a combination of both telepathy and clairvoyance4 ,it is impossible to determine which1 in absence of more detailed information4 ,the message of persons dying1 or believing themselves to be approaching death1 are frequently very strong1 for certain reasons well known to occultists4 ,but there is nothing supernatural about the phenomena1 and in most cases it is merely a case of strong telepathy4 ,the ,society also reports the following interesting case3 ,a4 was awake1 and strongly willed to make himself known to two friends who at that time 7one o'clock in the morning7 were asleep4 ,when he met them a few days afterward1 they both told him that at one o'clock they had awakened under the impression that he was in their room4 ,the experience was so vivid that they could not go to sleep for some time1 and looked at their watches to note the time4 ,cases of this kind are quite common1 and many experimenters have had equally good results with this phase of thought transference4 ,you will remember that there is no actual projection of the astral body1 in most of these cases1 but merely a strong impression caused by concentrated thought4 ,another interesting case is that of the late ,bishop ,wilberforce1 and is recorded in his biography1 as follows3 ,the ,bishop was in his library at ,cuddleson1 with three or four of his clergy with him at the same table4 ,the ,bishop suddenly raised his hand to his head1 and exclaimed3 ,i am certain that something has happened to one of my sons4 ,it afterwards transpired that just at that time his eldest son's foot was badly crushed by an accident on board his ship1 the son being at sea4 ,the ,bishop himself recorded the circumstance in a letter to ,miss ,noel1 saying3 ,it is curious that at the time of his accident ,i was so possessed with the depressing consciousness of some evil having befallen my son1 ,herbert1 that at the last1 ,i wrote down that ,i was unable to shake off the impression that something had happened to him1 and noted this down for remembrance4 ,there is nothing unusual about this case1 for it has been duplicated in the experience of many persons4 ,its chief importance lies in the fact that it is recorded by a man of wide reputation and high standing1 and also that the ,bishop had taken the precaution to note down the thing at the time1 instead of merely recalling it after he had heard of the accident4 ,you will notice that in many cases of this kind the phenomenon closely approaches the aspect of true clairvoyance1 or astral sensing4 ,in some cases there appears to be a blending of both telepathy and astral clairvoyance4 ,in fact1 there is but very little difference between the highest phases of ordinary telepathy1 and the more common phases of clairvoyance4 ,here1 as in many other cases of ,nature's forces1 there seems to be a gradual blending1 rather than a sharp dividing line between the two classes of phenomena4 ,moreover1 the student developing his telepathic powers will frequently find that he is beginning to unfold at least occasional flashes of clairvoyance4 ,in the case of telepathy1 the recipient merely senses what is in the mind of the projector4 ,in some cases a picture in the mind of the projector may be seen by the recipient1 and may thus be mistaken for a case of pure clairvoyance4 ,but1 in investigating closely1 it will be found that the real scene was slightly different from the impression1 in which case it shows that the impression was simply telepathic4 ,clairvoyant vision shows the scene as it really is1 or rather as the physical eye of the recipient would have seen it4 ,the astral sight really sees the scene1 and does not merely receive the mental impression of the projector4 ,the first is original seeing2 the second1 merely a reproduction of images already in the mind of the projector1 and colored by his personality1 etc4 ,in the next lesson1 ,i shall give you a number of exercises and methods designed to develop your telepathic powers4 ,you will find the practice of these most interesting and entertaining1 and at the same time most instructive4 ,you will find that as you practice the exercises given therein1 you will become more and more adept and proficient in producing telepathic phenomena4 ,from the lower stages1 you will be able to proceed to the higher4 ,and1 in time1 you will be surprised to find that almost unconsciously you have passed into the stage in which you will have at least occasional manifestations of clairvoyance1 psychometry1 etc4 ,in fact1 there is no better way known to practical occultists to develop in a student the powers of clairvoyance than just this method of starting the student with the exercises designed to develop the telepathic power4 ,it has been found by centuries of experience that the student who develops telepathic power1 in a systematic way1 will gradually unfold and evolve the clairvoyant and psychometric power4 ,it constitutes the first rungs on the ladder of psychic development4 ,of course1 under the head of clairvoyance1 etc41 you will be given methods and exercise designed to develop clairvoyant powers--some of them very valuable and effective methods1 at that4 ,but1 notwithstanding this1 ,i feel that ,i should impress upon you the importance of laying a firm foundation for such instruction1 by developing yourself first along the lines of telepathic power4 ,such a course will not only keenly sharpen your powers of receptivity to such vibrations as you may wish to receive2 but it will also train your mind in the direction of translating1 interpreting1 and recording such impressions when received4 ,you must remember that proficiency in a mental art is attained only by means of training the attention to concentrate upon the task4 ,it is the same way in clairvoyance and psychometry4 ,telepathy trains your attention to concentrate upon the reception of impressions1 and to hold them firmly and clearly in consciousness4 ,the result is that when you really develop clairvoyant receptivity1 your attention has already been trained to do the necessary work4 ,i need not tell you what an advantage this gives you over the clairvoyant who has not received this training1 for your own good common sense will assure you of it4 ,so1 now for our training in telepathy--not only for itself1 but also as a means of preparing for the higher stages4 ,,lesson ,v4 ,,mind ,,reading1 ,,and ,,beyond4 ,the simpler forms of telepathic phenomena have received the name ,mind ,reading and by some have been regarded as something not quite within the class of real telepathy4 ,this last impression has been heightened by the fact that there has been offered the public many spectacular exhibitions of pseudo mind-reading1 that is to say1 imitation or counterfeit mind-reading1 in which the result has been obtained by trickery1 collusion1 or clever artifice4 ,but1 notwithstanding this fact1 genuine mind-reading is actually a phase of true telepathy4 ,what is generally known as mind-reading may be divided into two classes1 as follows3 7#a7 where there is an actual physical contact between the projector and the receiver2 and 7#b7 where there is no actual physical contact1 but where there is a close relation in space between the two parties1 as in the case of the willing game4 ,in the first class belong all cases in which the projector touches the recipient1 or at least is connected with him by a material object4 ,in the second class belong those cases in which the recipient seeks to find an object which is being thought of by either a single projector1 or by a number of persons in the same room4 ,you will notice that both of these classes were omitted from the experiments of the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 because of the possibility of fraud or collusion4 ,but1 nevertheless1 the student will do well to acquire proficiency in manifesting this form of telepathy1 not alone for its own sake1 but1 also1 because it naturally leads to higher development4 ,in the case of the first class of mind-reading namely1 that in which actual physical contact is had between the projector and the recipient1 there has been a disposition on the part of some authorities to explain the whole matter by the theory of unconscious muscular impulse of the projector2 but those who have carefully studied this subject1 and who have themselves performed the feats of this class of mind-reading1 know that there is far more than this to it4 ,those familiar with the subject know that there is a decided transference of thought-waves from the projector to the recipient1 and that the latter actually feels the same as they strike upon his mental receiving apparatus4 ,the whole difference between this and the higher forms of telepathy is that in this the thought-currents generally run along the wires of the nervous system1 instead of leaping across the space between the two persons4 ,it is known to all who have conducted this class of experiments1 that at times there will be experienced a change or shifting in the transmission of the thought-currents4 ,for a time1 the thought-waves will be felt flowing in along the nerves of the hands and arms when1 all of a sudden this will cease1 and there will be experienced the passage of the current direct from brain to brain4 ,it is impossible to describe this feeling in mere words1 to those who have never experienced it4 ,but those to whom it has once been manifested will recognize at once just what ,i mean by this statement4 ,it is a different sensation from any other in the experience of a human being1 and must actually be experienced to be understood4 ,the nearest analogy ,i can offer is that feeling experienced by the person when a forgotten name for which he has vainly sought1 suddenly flashes or leaps into his consciousness--it is felt to come from somewhere outside of the conscious field4 ,well1 in the case of the thought-current the feeling is much the same1 only there is a fuller sense of the outsideness of the source of the thought4 ,in order to make you understand the distinction between the two classes of mind-reading more clearly1 ,i will say that you may think of one as akin to the ordinary telegraphy over wires2 and of the other as akin to wireless telegraphy4 ,it is the same force in both cases1 the difference being simply one of the details of transmission4 ,fix this idea firmly in your mind1 and you will have no trouble in always having the right conception of any kind of case of mind-reading1 or telepathy4 ,but1 you must remember1 there are cases in which there is a combination of both methods of transmission1 either simultaneously1 or else shifting and changing from one to the other4 ,i will here remind the student that he will learn more by a half-dozen actual experiments in mind-reading1 than he will by reading a dozen books on the subject4 ,it is very good to read the books in order to get the correct theory well fixed in mind1 and also in order to learn the best methods as taught by those who have had a wide experience in the subject2 but the real how of the matter is learned only through actual experience4 ,so1 ,i shall now give you advice and instructions concerning actual experimental work4 ,you1 the student1 should begin by making yourself a good recipient--that is a good mind reader1 allowing others to play the part of projector4 ,later on1 you may play the part of projector1 if you so desire1 but the real fine work is done by the recipient1 and1 for that reason that is the part you should learn to play by frequent rehearsals4 ,i advise you to begin your experiments with friends who are in sympathy with you1 and who are interested in the subject4 ,avoid particularly all early experiments with uncongenial or unsympathetic persons2 and avoid as you would a pestilence all those who are antagonistic either to yourself or to the general subject of telepathy and kindred subjects4 ,as you must make yourself especially sensitive in order to successfully conduct a mind-reading test1 you will find yourself particularly susceptible to the mental attitude of those around you at such times1 and therefore should surround yourself only with those who are congenial and sympathetic4 ,you will find that there is a great difference between the several persons whom you try out as projectors4 ,some will be more en rapport with you than are others who may be equally good friends4 ,en rapport1 you know1 means in vibrational harmony4 ,when two persons are en rapport with each other1 they are like two wireless telegraphic instruments perfectly attuned to each other4 ,in such cases there are obtained the very best results4 ,you will soon learn to distinguish the degree of en rapport conditions between yourself and different persons--you soon learn to feel this condition4 ,in the beginning1 it will be well for you to try several persons1 one after the other1 in your mind-reading experiments1 in order to pick out the best one1 and also to learn the feel of the different degrees of en rapport condition4 ,even in cases of persons in whom the en rapport conditions are good1 it is well to establish a rhythmic unison between you4 ,this is done by both you and the person breathing in rhythmic unison a few moments4 ,begin by counting one-two-three-four1 like the slow ticking of a large clock4 ,have the other person join with you in so counting1 until your minds both work in the same rhythmic time4 ,then you should have him breathe in unison with you1 making a mental count with you at the same time1 so that you will breathe together4 ,count 7mentally7 one-two-three-four1 as you inhale2 the one-two1 holding the breath2 and1 then one-two-three-four1 exhaling or breathing-out4 ,try this several times1 and1 you will find that you have established a rhythmic unison between yourself and the other person4 ,in the progress of an experiment1 if you should find that the conditions are not as good as might be desired1 you will do well to pause for a few moments and re-establish the proper rhythmic harmony by this method of harmonious rhythmic breathing4 ,begin by having the projector select some prominent object in the room1 a chair1 or table for instance4 ,then have him take your left hand in his right hand4 ,raise your left hand1 held in his right hand1 to your forehead2 then close your eyes and remain passive a few moments4 ,have him concentrate his mind intently on the selected object--and will that you should move toward it4 ,have him think of nothing else except that object1 and to will you to move toward it1 with all his power4 ,close your eyes1 and quiet your mind1 opening your consciousness to every mental impression that he may send you4 ,instruct him to think not merely chair1 for instance1 but rather there--go there4 ,the main thought in his mind must be that of direction4 ,he must will that you move toward that chair4 ,after a moment or two1 you will begin to feel a vague1 general impulse to move your feet4 ,obey the impulse4 ,take a few slow steps in any direction that seems easy to you4 ,sometimes this will take you in an opposite direction from that of the chair1 but it will get you going1 and you will soon begin to feel that the direction is all wrong1 and will begin to be mentally pulled in the right direction4 ,you will have to actually experience this feeling1 before you will fully understand just what ,i mean4 ,after some little practice1 you will begin to feel quite distinctly the mental direction1 or will-force1 of the projector1 which will seem to tell you to come this way--now stop--now turn a little to the right--now a little to the left--now stop where you are1 and put out your right hand--lower your hand--move your hand a little to the right--that's it1 now you have got it all right4 ,you will soon learn to distinguish between the no1 that's wrong thought1 and the that's right one2 and between the go on1 and the come on one4 ,by making yourself completely passive1 and receptive and obedient to the thought and will-impulses of the projector1 you will soon act like a ship under the influence of the rudder in the hand of the projector4 ,after you have attained proficiency in receiving the mental impressions and directions1 you will find yourself attracted or drawn1 like a piece of steel to the magnet1 toward the object selected4 ,it will sometimes seem as if you were being moved to it even against your own will--and as if someone else were actually moving your feet for you4 ,sometimes the impulse will come so strong that you will actually rush ahead of the projector1 dragging him along with you1 instead of having him a little in advance1 or by your side4 ,it is all a matter of practice4 ,you will soon discover the great difference between different projectors4 ,some of them will be in perfect en rapport condition with you1 while others will fail to get into tune with you4 ,some projectors do not seem to know what is required of them1 and usually forget to will you to the object4 ,it helps sometimes to tell them that the whole thing depends upon their will power1 and that the stronger their will is1 the easier it is for you to find the thing4 ,this puts them on their mettle1 and makes them use their will more vigorously4 ,you will soon learn to recognize that peculiar feeling of all right1 that comes when you finally stand in front of the desired object4 ,then you begin to move your right hand up and down and around1 until you get the right feel about that also1 when you should place your hand on the place which seems to attract you most4 ,you will find that the hand is just as responsive to the mental force1 as are the feet4 ,you will soon learn to distinguish between the mental signals3 up1 down1 to the right1 to the left1 stop now1 you're right1 etc4 ,i cannot tell you just the difference--you must learn to feel them1 and you will soon become expert in this4 ,it is like learning to skate1 run an automobile1 operate a typewriter or anything else--all a matter of exercise and practice4 ,but it is astonishing how rapidly one may learn2 and how1 at times1 one seems to progress by great leaps and bounds4 ,now ,i shall give you the different stages or steps1 which you will do well to follow in your exercises1 progressing from the more simple to the more complex--but be sure to thoroughly master the simple ones1 before you pass on to the more complex one4 ,be honest and strict with yourself--make yourself pass the examination before promotion1 in each and every step4 #a4 ,,locations4 ,begin by finding particular locations in a room2 corners1 alcoves1 doors1 etc4 #b4 ,,large ,,objects4 ,then begin to find large objects1 such as tables1 chairs1 book-cases1 etc4 #c4 ,,small ,,objects4 ,then proceed to find small objects1 such as books on a table1 sofa-cushions1 ornaments1 paper-knives1 etc4 ,gradually work down to very small objects1 such as scarf-pins1 articles of jewelry1 pocket-knives1 etc4 #d4 ,,concealed ,,objects4 ,then proceed to find small objects that have been concealed under other objects1 such as a pocket-book beneath a sofa-cushion1 etc42 or a key in a book2 or a key under a rug1 etc4 #e4 ,,minute ,,objects4 ,then proceed to discover very small objects1 either concealed or else placed in an inconspicuous place1 such as a pin stuck in the wall1 etc42 or a small bean under a vase1 etc4 ,the public performers of mind reading vary the above by sensational combinations1 but you will readily see that these are but ingenious arrangements of the above general experiments1 and that no new principle is involved4 ,as these lessons are designed for serious study and experiment1 and not for sensational public performances1 ,i shall not enter into this phase of the subject in these pages4 ,the student who understands the general principles1 and is able to perform the above experiments successfully1 will have no difficulty in reproducing the genuine feats of the public mind readers1 by simply using his ingenuity in arranging the stage-effects1 etc4 ,among other things1 he will find that he will be able to obtain results by interposing a third person between the projector and himself2 or by using a short piece of wire to connect himself and the projector4 ,drawing pictures on a blackboard1 or writing out names on a slate1 by means of thought direction1 are simply the result of a fine development of the power of finding the small article--the impulse to move the hand in a certain direction comes in precisely the same way4 ,the public driving feats of the professional mind-reader are but a more complicated form of the same general principle--the impression of direction once obtained1 the rest is a mere matter of detail4 ,the opening of the combination of a safe1 though requiring wonderful proficiency on the part of the operator1 is simply an elaboration of the direction movement4 ,some recipients are1 of course1 far more proficient than are others2 but each and every person--any person of average intelligence--will be able to secure more or less proficiency in these experiments1 provided that patience and practice are employed4 ,there is no such thing as an absolute failure possible to anyone who will proceed intelligently1 and will practice sufficiently4 ,sometimes1 after many discouraging attempts1 the whole thing will flash into one's mind at once1 and after that there will be little or no trouble4 ,if you are able to witness the demonstrations of some good mind-reader1 professional or amateurs it will help you to catch the knack at once4 ,you will find that these experiments will tend to greatly and rapidly develop your psychic receptivity in the direction of the higher phases of psychic phenomena4 ,you will be surprised to find yourself catching flashes or glimpses of higher telepathy1 or even clairvoyance4 ,i would advise every person wishing to cultivate the higher psychic faculties1 to begin by perfecting himself or herself in these simpler forms of mind-reading4 ,besides the benefits obtained1 the practice proves very interesting1 and opens many doors to pleasant social entertainment4 ,but1 never allow the desire for social praise or popularity1 in these matters1 to spoil you for serious investigation and experiment4 ,,the ,,second ,,step ,,of ,,development4 ,the student1 having perfected himself in the experiments along the lines of the first class of mind-reading1 viz41 where there is no actual physical contact between the projector and recipient1 but where there is a close relation in space between the two4 ,now1 the thoughtful student will naturally wish to ask a question here1 something like this3 ,you have told us that there is no real difference between telepathy at a great distance1 and that in which there is only the slightest difference in the position of the projector and recipient1 providing1 always1 that there is no actual physical contact4 ,this being so1 why your insistence upon the 'close relation in space' just mentioned8--what is the reason for this nearness8 ,well1 it is like this3 ,while there is no distinction of space in true telepathy1 still in experiments such as ,i shall now describe1 the physical nearness of the projector enables him to concentrate more forcibly1 and also gives confidence to the new beginner in receiving mind-currents4 ,the benefit is solely that of the psychological effect upon the minds of the two persons1 and has nothing to do with the actual power of the telepathic waves4 ,it is much easier for a person to concentrate his thought and will upon a person in actual physical sight before him1 than upon one out of sight4 ,and1 likewise1 the recipient finds himself more confident and at ease when in the actual physical of the person sending the thoughts and will power4 ,that is all there is to it4 ,when the persons have acquired familiarity with projecting and receiving1 then this obstacle is overcome1 and long distances have no terror for them4 ,the best way for the student to start in on this class of mind-reading1 is for him to experiment occasionally while performing his physical contact mind-reading experiments4 ,for instance1 while engaged in searching for an object let him disengage his hand from that of the projector for a moment or so1 and then endeavor to receive the impressions without contact4 7,this should be done only in private experiments1 not in public ones47 ,he will soon discover that he is receiving thought impulses in spite of the lack of physical contact--faint1 perhaps1 but still perceptible4 ,a little practice of this kind will soon convince him that he is receiving the mental currents direct from brain to brain4 ,this effect will be increased if he arranges to have several persons concentrate their thoughts and will power upon him during the experiment4 ,from this stage1 he will gradually develop into the stage of the ,willing ,game4 ,the ,willing ,game1 quite popular in some circles1 is played by one person 7usually blind-folded7 being brought into the room in which a number of persons have previously agreed upon some object to be found by him1 they concentrating their thought firmly upon the object4 ,the audience should be taught to not only to think but also to actively will the progress of the recipient from the start to the finish of the hunt4 ,they should will him along each step of his journey1 and then will his hand to the object itself wherever it be hidden4 ,an adept in the receiving end of the ,willing ,game will be able to perform all the experiments that ,i have just pointed out to you in the contact mind-reading class4 ,in the ,willing ,game1 you must remember that there is no taking hold of hands or any other form of physical contact between projector and recipient4 ,the transmission of the mental currents must be direct1 from brain to brain4 ,otherwise1 the two classes of experiments are almost identical4 ,there is the same willing toward the object on the part of the projectors1 and the same passive obedience of the recipient4 ,all the difference is that the current now passes over the ether of space1 as in the case of the wireless message1 instead of over the wires of the nervous system of the two persons4 ,the next step is that of guessing the name of things thought of by the party4 ,i can give you no better directions than those followed by the investigators in the ,creery children1 as related in a preceding chapter of this book4 ,when you become sufficiently proficient in this class of mind-reading1 you should be able to reproduce every experiment there mentioned1 with at least a fair degree of success4 ,it is all a matter of patience1 perseverance and practice4 ,after you have become very proficient in this class of experiments1 you may begin to try experiments at long distance1 that is where the projector is out of your physical presence4 ,it makes no difference whether the distance be merely that between two adjoining rooms1 or else of miles of space4 ,at first1 however1 nearness adds confidence in the majority of cases4 ,confidence once gained1 the distance may be lengthened indefinitely1 without impairing the success of the experiments4 ,the long distance experiments may consist either of the receiving of single words1 names1 etc41 or else distinct1 clear messages or ideas4 ,some find it no more difficult to reproduce simile geometrical designs1 such as circles1 squares1 triangles1 etc41 than to reproduce words or ideas4 ,in long distance experiments1 it is well for the projector to write down the word or thought he wishes to transmit1 and for the recipient to write down the impressions he receives4 ,these memoranda will serve as a record of progress1 and will1 moreover1 give a scientific value to the experiments4 ,some experimenters have been quite successful in experiments along the lines of ,automatic ,writing from living persons1 produced by means of long distance telepathy4 ,in these cases the recipient sits passively at the hour agreed upon for the experiment1 and the projector concentrates intently upon a sentence1 or several sentences1 one word at a time--at the same time willing the other person to write the word4 ,the famous investigator of psychic phenomena1 the late ,w4,t4 ,stead1 editor of a ,london newspaper1 who went down on the ,titanic1 was very successful in experiments of this kind4 ,his written records of these are very interesting and instructive4 ,you will1 of course1 understand that in all cases of long distance telepathic experiments there should be an understanding between the two persons regarding the time and duration of the experiment1 so as to obtain the best results4 ,personally1 however1 ,i have known of some very excellent results in which the receiving of the message occurred several hours after the sending--thus showing that telepathy is in a measure independent of time1 as well as of space4 ,but1 as a rule1 the best results are obtained when the two persons sit simultaneously4 ,do not rest content with accepting the reports of others regarding these things4 ,try them for yourself4 ,you will open up a wonderful world of new experiences for yourself4 ,but1 remember always1 you must proceed step by step1 perfecting yourself at each step before proceeding to the next4 ,,lesson ,,vi4 ,,clairvoyant ,,psychometry4 ,the word clairvoyance means clear seeing4 ,in its present usage it covers a wide field of psychic phenomena2 and is used by different writers to designate phases of psychic phenomena differing widely from each other4 ,the student is apt to become confused when he meets these apparently conflicting definitions and usages4 ,in the glossary of the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 the term is defined as3 ,the faculty or act of perceiving1 as though visually1 with some coincidental truth1 some distant scene2 it is used sometimes1 but hardly properly1 for transcendental vision1 or the perception of beings regarded as on another plane of existence4 ,mrs4 ,henry ,sidgwick1 a distinguished writer on the subject of psychic phenomena1 in one of her reports to the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 says3 ,the word clairvoyant is often used very loosely and with widely different meanings4 ,i denote by it a faculty of acquiring supernormally1 but not by reading the minds of persons present1 a knowledge of facts such as we normally acquire by the use of our senses4 ,i do not limit it to knowledge that would normally be acquired by the sense of sight1 nor do ,i limit it to a knowledge of present facts4 ,a similar knowledge of the past1 and if necessary1 of future facts may be included4 ,on the other hand1 ,i exclude the mere faculty of seeing apparitions or visions1 which is sometimes called clairvoyance4 ,the above definitive explanation of the term clairvoyance agrees with the idea of the best authorities1 and distinguishes between the phenomena of clairvoyance and that of telepathy1 on the one hand2 and between the former and that of seeing apparitions1 on the other hand4 ,i1 personally1 accept this distinction as both scientific in form1 and as agreeing with the facts of the case4 ,you will1 of course1 see that the acceptance of the existence of the astral senses throws light on many obscure points about which the psychic researchers are in doubt1 and reconciles many apparently opposing facts4 ,all scientific authorities1 as well as the best occultists1 divide the phenomena of clairvoyance into several well-distinguished classes4 ,the following classification is simple1 and indicates clearly the principal forms of clairvoyant phenomena3 7#a7 ,simple ,clairvoyance1 in which the clairvoyant person merely senses the auric emanations of other persons1 such as the auric vibrations1 colors1 etc42 currents of thought-vibrations1 etc42 but does not see events or scenes removed in space or time from the observer4 7#b7 ,clairvoyance in ,space1 in which the clairvoyant person senses scenes and events removed in space from the observer2 and1 often also is able to sense such things even when they are concealed or obscured by intervening material objects4 7#c7 ,clairvoyance in ,time1 in which the clairvoyant person senses scenes and events which have had their original place in past time2 or scenes and events which will have their original place in the future4 ,i shall describe each of these three classes1 with their many variations1 as we reach them in their proper places in these lessons4 ,before doing so however1 ,i wish to explain to you the several methods by which clairvoyant vision is usually induced4 ,these methods may be designated as follows3 7#a7 ,psychometry1 or the method of getting en rapport with the astral plane by means of some physical object connected with the person1 thing1 or scene about which you desire to be informed4 7#b7 ,crystal ,gazing1 etc41 or the method of getting en rapport with the astral plane by means of gazing into a crystal1 magic mirror1 etc4 7#c7 ,clairvoyant ,reverie1 or the method of getting en rapport with the astral plane by means of psychic states in which the sights1 sounds and thoughts of the material and physical plane are shut out of consciousness4 ,i shall now proceed to give the details regarding each one of these three great classes of methods inducing clairvoyant vision1 or en rapport conditions with the astral plane4 ,psychometry4 ,psychometry is that form of clairvoyant phenomena in which the clairvoyant gets into en rapport relation with the astral plane by means of the connecting link of material objects1 such as bit of stone1 piece of hair1 article of wearing apparel etc41 which has had previous associations with the thing1 person or scene regarding which clairvoyant vision is required4 ,without going into technical occult explanations1 ,i would say that the virtue of these articles consists entirely of their associative value4 ,that is to say1 they carry in them certain vibrations of past experience which serve as a connecting link1 or associated filament1 with the thing which is sought to be brought into the field of clairvoyant vision4 ,to reach clairvoyantly a thing1 scene1 or person in this way is akin to the unwinding of a ball of yarn1 when you hold the loose end in your hand4 ,or1 it is like giving a keen-scented dog a sniff at a handkerchief once carried by the person whom you wish him to nose out for you4 ,a well-known authority on the subject of psychic phenomena has said on this point3 ,the untrained clairvoyant usually cannot find any particular astral picture when it is wanted1 without some special link to put him en rapport with the subject required4 ,psychometry is an instance in point4 ,it seems as though there were a sort of magnetic attachment or affinity between any particle of matter and the record which contains its history--an affinity which enables it to act as a kind of conductor between that record and the faculties of anyone who can read it4 ,for instance1 ,i once brought from ,stonehenge a tiny fragment of stone1 not larger than a pin's head1 and on putting this into an envelope and handing it to a psychometer who had no idea what it was1 she at once began to describe that wonderful ruin and the desolate country surrounding it1 and then went on to picture vividly what were evidently scenes from its early history1 showing that the infinitessimal fragment had been sufficient to put her into communication with the records connected with the spot from which it came4 ,the scenes through which we pass in the course of our life seem to act in the same way upon the cells of our brain as did the history of ,stonehenge upon that particle of stone4 ,they establish a connection with those cells by means of which our mind is put en rapport with that particular portion of the records1 and so we 'remember' what we have seen4 ,one of the simplest and most common form of psychometry is that in which the psychometrist is able to tell the physical condition of a person by means of holding to the forehead1 or even in the hand1 some trinket or small article such as a handkerchief recently worn on the person of the individual regarding whom the information is sought4 ,in the case of some very sensitive psychometrists1 the psychic person takes on the condition of the other person whose former article of clothing1 trinket1 etc41 she is holding4 ,she will often actually experience the physical pain and distress of the person1 and will be able to indicate from what ailment the person is suffering4 ,some persons attain great proficiency in this direction1 and are a great assistance to wise physicians who avail themselves of their services4 ,some successful physicians themselves possess this faculty well developed1 and use it to great advantage1 though1 as a rule they keep very quiet about it1 from fear of creating unfavorable comment from their fellow-physicians and from the general public who do not believe in such tom-foolery4 ,a step further is the power of some psychometrists to correctly describe the personal characteristics1 and even the past history of persons with whom they come in contact1 or whose associated article they have in their hands4 ,some very remarkable instances of this phase of psychometry are related in the books containing the history of clairvoyance4 ,an interesting case is that related by ,zschokke1 the eminent ,german writer1 who relates in his autobiography his wonderful experience in this direction4 ,listen to the story in his own words3 ,it has happened to me occasionally at the first meeting with a total stranger1 when ,i have been listening in silence to his conversation1 that his past life up to the present moment1 with many minute circumstances belonging to one or other particular scene in it1 has come across me like a dream1 but distinctly1 entirely involuntarily and unsought1 occupying in duration a few minutes4 ,for a long time ,i was disposed to consider these fleeting visions as a trick of the fancy--the more so as my dream-vision displayed to me the dress and movements of the actors1 the appearance of the room1 the furniture1 and other accidents of the scene2 till on one occasion1 in a gamesome mood1 ,i narrated to my family the secret history of a seamstress who had just quitted the room4 ,i had never seen the person before4 ,nevertheless1 the hearers were astonished1 and laughed and would not be persuaded but that ,i had a previous acquaintance with the former life of the person1 inasmuch as what ,i had stated was perfectly true4 ,i was not less astonished to find that my dream vision agreed with reality4 ,i then gave more attention to the subject1 and as often as propriety allowed of it1 ,i related to those whose lives had so passed before me the substance of my dream-vision1 to obtain from them its contradiction or confirmation4 ,on every occasion its confirmation followed1 not without amazement on the part of those who gave it4 ,on a certain fair-day ,i went into the town of ,waldshut accompanied by two young foresters1 who are still alive4 ,it was evening1 and1 tired with our walk1 we went into an inn called the ',vine4' ,we took our supper with a numerous company at the public table1 when it happened that they made themselves merry over the peculiarities of the ,swiss in connection with the belief in mesmerism1 ,lavater's physiognomical system1 and the like4 ,one of my companions1 whose national pride was touched by their raillery1 begged me to make some reply1 particularly in answer to a young man of superior appearance who sat opposite1 and had indulged in unrestrained ridicule4 ,it happened that the events of this person's life had just previously passed before my mind4 ,i turned to him with the question whether he would reply to me with truth and candor1 if ,i narrated to him the most secret passages of his history1 he being as little known to me as ,i to him4 ,that would1 ,i suggested1 go something beyond ,lavater's physiognomical skill4 ,he promised that if ,i told the truth he would admit it openly4 ,then ,i narrated the events with which my dream vision had furnished me1 and the table learned the history of the young tradesman's life1 of his school years1 his peccadilloes1 and finally1 of a little act of roguery committed by him on the strongbox of his employer4 ,i described the uninhabited room with its white walls1 where to the right of the brown door there had stood upon the table the small money-chest1 etc4 ,the man1 much struck1 admitted the correctness of each circumstance--even1 which ,i could not expect1 of the last4 ,the above incident is typical of this class of psychometry1 and many persons have had at least flashes of this phase of the power4 ,the only remarkable thing about this particular case is its faithfulness regarding details--this shows a very fine development of the astral sense4 ,the feature that makes it psychometric1 instead of pure clairvoyance1 is that the presence of the other person was necessary to produce the phenomenon--a bit of clothing would probably have answered as well4 ,zschokke does not seem to have been able to manifest time-clairvoyance independent of the presence of the person concerned--he needs the associated link1 or loose end of the psychic ball of yarn4 ,next in order in the list of the phenomena of psychometry is that in which the psychometrist is able to describe a distant scene by means of a bit of mineral1 plant1 or similar object1 once located at that place4 ,in such cases1 the psychometrist gets en rapport with the distant scene by means of the connecting link mentioned4 ,having obtained this1 he is able to relate the events that are happening on that scene at that particular moment4 ,some very interesting cases are mentioned in which the psychometrist has been able to spy in on a certain place1 by means of some small article which has recently been located in that place4 ,for instance ,i once gave a young psychometrist a penholder from the office of a lawyer1 a friend of mine1 located about eight hundred miles from the psychometrist4 ,she gave a perfect picture of the interior of the office1 the scene across the street visible from the office window1 and certain events that were happening in the office at that moment1 which were verified by careful inquiry as to persons and time4 ,every occultist1 or investigator of psychic phenomena has experienced many cases of this kind4 ,another phase of psychometry is that in which the psychometer is able to sense the conditions existing underground1 by means of a piece of mineral or metal which originally was located there4 ,some wonderful instances of phychometric discernment of mines1 etc41 have been recorded4 ,in this phase of psychometry1 all that is needed is a piece of the coal1 mineral or metal which has come from the mine4 ,following up this psychic lead the psychometrist is able to describe the veins or strata of the surrounding land1 although they have not yet been uncovered or discovered4 ,still another form of psychometric discernment is that in which the psychometrist gets en rapport with the past history of an object1 or of its surroundings1 by means of the object itself4 ,in this way1 the psychometrist holding in his hand1 or pressing to his head1 a bullet from a battle field1 is able to picture the battle itself4 ,or1 given a piece of ancient pottery or stone implement1 the psychometrist is able to picture the time and peoples connected with the object in the past--sometimes after many centuries are past4 ,i once handed a good psychometrist a bit of ornament taken from an ,egyptian mummy over three thousand years old4 ,though the psychometrist did not know what the object was1 or from whence it had come1 she was able to picture not only the scenes in which the ,egyptian had lived1 but also the scenes connected with the manufacture of the ornament1 some three hundred years before that time--for it turned out that the ornament itself was an antique when the ,egyptian had acquired it4 ,in another case1 ,i had the psychometrist describe in detail the animal life1 and the physical phenomena1 of the age in which a fossil had existed when alive--many thousands of years ago4 ,in the proper place in this book1 ,i will explain just how it is possible to penetrate the secrets of the past by psychometric vision--that is to say1 the psychic laws making the same possible4 ,some of the most remarkable of recorded instances of this form of psychometry known to the ,western world are those related in the works of a geologist named ,denton1 who some fifty years ago conducted a series of investigations into the phenomena of psychometry4 ,his recorded experiments fill several volumes4 ,being a geologist1 he was able to select the best subjects for the experiments1 and also to verify and decide upon the accuracy of the reports given by the psychometrists4 ,his wife1 herself1 was a gifted psychometrist1 and it has been said of her1 by good authority1 that she is able1 by putting a piece of matter 7whatever be its nature7 to her head1 to see1 either with her eyes closed or open1 all that the piece of matter1 figuratively speaking1 ever saw1 heard1 or experienced4 ,the following examples will give a good idea of the ,denton experiments1 which are typical of this class of psychometry4 ,dr4 ,denton gave the psychometrist a small fragment broken from a large meteorite4 ,she held it to her head1 and reported3 ,this is curious4 ,there is nothing at all to be seen4 ,i feel as if ,i were in the air4 ,no1 not in the air either1 but in nothing1 no place4 ,i am utterly unable to describe it2 it seems high1 however ,i feel as though ,i were rising1 and my eyes are carried upwards2 but ,i look around in vain2 there is nothing to be seen4 ,i see clouds1 now1 but nothing else4 ,they are so close to me that ,i seem to be in them4 ,my head1 and neck and eyes are affected4 ,my eyes are carried up1 and ,i cannot roll them down4 ,now the clouds appear lighter and lighter1 and look as though the sunlight would burst through them4 ,as the clouds separate1 ,i can see a star or two1 and then the moon instead of the sun4 ,the moon seems near1 and looks coarse and rough1 and paler and larger in size than ,i ever saw it before4 ,what a strange feeling comes over me6 ,it appears as if ,i were going right to the moon1 and it looks as if the moon were coming to me4 ,it affects me terribly4 ,dr4 ,denton adds3 ,she was too much affected to continue the experiment longer4 ,had this aerolite at some period of its history1 come within the sphere of the moon's attraction1 and had its velocity so increased that its augmented centrifugal force had carried it off into space again1 whence1 drawn by the superior attractive force of the earth1 it had fallen and ended its career forever8 ,at another time1 ,dr4 ,denton tested the psychometrist with a whalebone walking cane4 ,she supposed it to be wood1 but when she began to report her psychic impressions1 they came as follows3 ,i feel as though ,i were a monster4 ,there is nothing of a tree about it1 and it is useless for me to go further4 ,i feel like vomiting4 ,now ,i want to plunge into the water4 ,i believe that ,i am going to have a fit4 ,my jaws are large enough to take down a house at a gulp4 ,i now know what this is--it is whalebone4 ,i see the inside of the whale's mouth4 ,it has no teeth4 ,it has a slimy look1 but ,i only get a glimpse of it4 ,now1 ,i see the whole animal4 ,what an awful looking creature4 ,another time1 ,dr4 ,denton gave the psychometrist a minute piece of the enamel of the tooth of a mastodon1 which had been found thirty feet below the surface of the earth4 ,the psychometrist had not the slightest knowledge of the character of the tiny flake of enamel handed her1 but nevertheless reported3 ,my impression is that it is a part of some monstrous animal1 probably part of a tooth4 ,i feel like a perfect monster1 with heavy legs1 unwieldy head1 and very large body4 ,i go down to a shallow stream to drink4 ,i can hardly speak1 my jaws are so heavy4 ,i feel like getting down on all fours4 ,what a noise comes through the woods4 ,i have an impulse to answer it4 ,my ears are very large and leathery1 and ,i can almost fancy they flap in my face as ,i move my head4 ,there are some older ones than ,i4 ,it seems so out of keeping to be talking with these heavy jaws4 ,they are dark brown1 as if they had been completely tanned4 ,there is one old fellow1 with large tusks1 that looks very tough4 ,i see several younger ones4 ,in fact1 there is a whole herd4 ,my upper lip moves curiously2 ,i can flap it up4 ,it seems strange to me how it is done4 ,there is a plant growing here1 higher than my head4 ,it is nearly as thick as my wrist1 very juicy1 sweet1 and tender--something like green corn in taste1 but sweeter4 ,it is not the taste it would have to a human being--oh no6 it is sickenish1 and very unpleasant to the human taste4 ,these instances might be multiplied indefinitely1 but the principle is the same in each4 ,in my own experience1 ,i gave a small piece from the ,great ,pyramid of ,egypt to a psychometrist who was uneducated and who knew nothing of ancient ,egypt or its history4 ,notwithstanding this1 she gave me such a detailed and complete account of the life of ancient ,egypt1 which was in such complete accordance with the opinions of the best authorities1 that ,i would hesitate about publishing the report1 for it certainly would be regarded as rank imposture by the average scientific authority4 ,some day1 however1 ,i may publish this4 ,there are no special directions to be given the student in psychometry4 ,all that can be done is to suggest that each person should try the experiments for himself1 in order to find out whether he has1 or has not1 the psychometric faculty4 ,it may be developed by the methods that will be given to develop all psychic powers1 in another part of this book4 ,but much will depend upon actual practice and exercise4 ,take strange objects1 and1 sitting in a quiet room with the object held to your forehead1 shut out all thoughts of the outside world1 and forget all personal affairs4 ,in a short time1 if the conditions are all right1 you will begin to have flashes of scenes connected with the history of the object4 ,at first rather disconnected and more or less confused1 there will soon come to you a clearing away of the scene1 and the pictures will become quite plain4 ,practice will develop the power4 ,practice only when alone1 or when in the presence of some sympathetic friend or friends4 ,always avoid discordant and inharmonious company when practicing psychic powers4 ,the best psychometrists usually keep the physical eyes closed when practicing their power4 ,you have doubtless heard the sensing of sealed letters spoken of as clairvoyance4 ,but this is merely one form of psychometry4 ,the letter is a very good connecting medium in psychometric experiments4 ,i advise you to begin your experiments with old letters4 ,you will be surprised to discover how readily you will begin to receive psychic impressions from the letters1 either from the person who wrote them1 or from the place in which they were written1 or from some one connected with the subsequent history4 ,one of the most interesting experiments ,i ever witnessed in psychometry1 was a case in which a letter that had been forwarded from place to place1 until it had gone completely around the globe1 was psychometrized by a young ,hindu maiden4 ,although ignorant of the outside world1 she was able to picture the people and scenery of every part of the globe in which the letter had traveled4 ,her report was really an interesting travelogue of a trip around the world1 given in tabloid form4 ,you may obtain some interesting results in psychometrizing old letters--but always be conscientious about it1 and refrain from divulging the secrets that will become yours in the course of these experiments4 ,be honorable on the astral plane1 as well as on the physical--more so1 rather than less4 ,,lesson ,,vii4 ,,clairvoyant ,,crystal ,,gazing4 ,as ,i have informed you in the preceding lesson1 ,crystal ,gazing is the second method of getting en rapport with the astral plane4 ,under the general term ,crystal ,gazing ,i include the entire body of phenomena connected with the use of the crystal1 magic mirror1 etc41 the underlying principle being the same in all of such cases4 ,the crystal1 etc41 serves to focus the psychic energy of the person1 in such a way that the astral senses are induced to function more readily than ordinarily4 ,the student is cautioned against regarding the crystal1 or magic mirror1 as possessing any particular magic power in itself4 ,on the contrary1 the crystal1 or magic mirror serves merely as a physical instrument for the astral vision1 just as the telescope or microscope performs a similar office for the physical vision4 ,some persons are superstitious regarding the crystal1 and accord to it some weird supernatural power1 but the true occultist1 understanding the laws of the phenomena arising from its use1 does not fall into this error4 ,but1 notwithstanding what ,i have just said1 ,i would be neglecting my full duty in the matter if ,i failed to call your attention to the fact that the continued use of a particular crystal often has the effect of polarizing its molecules so as to render it a far more efficient instrument as time passes by4 ,the longer the crystal is used by one person1 the better does it seem to serve the uses of that person4 ,i agree with many users of the crystal in their belief that each person should keep his crystal for his own personal use1 and not allow it to be used indiscriminately by strangers or persons not in sympathy with occult thought4 ,the crystal tends to become polarized according to the requirements of the person habitually using it1 and it is foolish to allow this to be interfered with4 ,the use of crystals and other bright1 shining objects1 has been common to psychic investigators of all times1 and in practically all lands4 ,in the earlier days of the race1 pieces of clear quartz or shining pebbles were generally employed4 ,sometimes pieces of polished metal were so used4 ,in fact1 nearly every object capable of being polished has been employed in this way at some time1 by some person4 ,in our own day1 the same condition exists4 ,in ,australia the native sooth-sayers and magicians employ water and other shining objects1 and1 in some cases1 even bright flame1 sparks1 or glowing embers4 ,in ,new ,zealand1 the natives frequently employ drops of blood held in the hollow of the hand4 ,the ,fijians fill a hole with water1 and gaze into it4 ,south ,american tribes use the polished surface of black1 or dark colored stones4 ,the ,american ,indians use water1 or shining pieces or flint or quartz4 ,shining pieces of metal are frequently used by the primitive races4 ,lang1 writing on the subject1 has said3 ,they stare into a crystal ball2 a cup2 a mirror2 a blot of ink 7,egypt and ,india72 a drop of blood 7the ,maoris of ,new ,zealand72 a bowl of water 7,american ,indians72 a pond 7,roman and ,african72 water in a glass bowl 7,fez72 or almost any polished surface1 etc4 ,in the present-day revival of interest in crystal-gazing among the wealthier classes of ,europe and ,america1 some of the high-priced teachers have insisted upon their pupils purchasing pure crystal globes1 claiming that these alone are capable of serving the purpose fully4 ,but1 as such crystals are very expensive1 this advice has prevented many from experimenting4 ,but1 the advice is erroneous1 for any globe of clear quartz1 or even moulded glass1 will serve the purpose equally well1 and there is no need of spending twenty-five to fifty dollars for a pure crystal globe4 ,for that matter1 you may obtain very good results from the use of a watch-crystal laid over a piece of black velvet4 ,some1 today1 use with the best effect small polished pieces of silver or other bright metal4 ,others follow the old plan of using a large drop of ink1 poured into a small butter plate4 ,some have small cups painted black on the inside1 into which they pour water--and obtain excellent results therefrom4 ,above all1 ,i caution the student to pay no attention to instructions regarding the necessity of performing incantations or ceremonies over the crystal or other object employed in crystal-gazing4 ,this is but a bit of idle superstition1 and serves no useful purpose except1 possibly1 that of giving the person confidence in the thing4 ,all ceremonies of this kind have for their purpose merely the holding of the attention of the person investigating1 and giving him confidence in-the result--the latter having a decided psychological value1 of course4 ,there are but few general directions necessary for the person wishing to experiment in crystal gazing4 ,the principal thing is to maintain quiet1 and an earnest1 serious state of mind--do not make a merry game of it1 if you wish to obtain results4 ,again1 always have the light behind your back1 instead of facing you4 ,gaze calmly at the crystal1 but do not strain your eyes4 ,do not try to avoid winking your eyes--there is a difference between gazing and staring1 remember4 ,some good authorities advise making funnels of the hands1 and using them as you would a pair of opera glasses4 ,in many cases1 a number of trials are required before you will be able to get good results4 ,in others1 at least some results are obtained at the first trial4 ,it is a good plan to try to bring into vision something that you have already seen with the physical eyes--some familiar object4 ,the first sign of actual psychic seeing in the crystal usually appears as a cloudy appearance1 or milky-mist1 the crystal gradually losing its transparency4 ,in this milky cloud then gradually appears a form1 or face1 or scene of some kind1 more or less plainly defined4 ,if you have ever developed a photographic film or plate1 you will know how the picture gradually comes into view4 ,w4,t4 ,stead1 the eminent ,english investigator of psychic phenomena1 has written as follows regarding the phenomena of crystal-gazing3 ,there are some persons who cannot look into an ordinary globular bottle without seeing pictures form themselves without any effort or will on their part1 in the crystal globe4 ,crystal-gazing seems to be the least dangerous and most simple of all forms of experimenting4 ,you simply look into a crystal globe the size of a five-shilling piece1 or a water-bottle which is full of clear water1 and which is placed so that too much light does not fall upon it1 and then simply look at it4 ,you make no incantations1 and engage in no mumbo-jumbo business2 you simply look at it for two or three minutes1 taking care not to tire yourself1 winking as much as you please1 but fixing your thought upon whatever you wish to see4 ,then1 if you have the faculty1 the glass will cloud over with a milky mist1 and in the centre the image is gradually precipitated in just the same way as a photograph forms on the sensitive plate4 ,the same authority relates the following interesting experiment with the crystal3 ,miss ,x41 upon looking into the crystal on two occasions as a test1 to see if she could see me when she was several miles off1 saw not me1 but a different friend of mine on each occasion4 ,she had never seen either of my friends before1 but immediately identified them both on seeing them afterward at my office4 ,on one of the evenings on which we experimented in the vain attempts to photograph a 'double1' ,i dined with ,madam ,c4 and her friend at a neighboring restaurant4 ,as she glanced at the water-bottle1 ,madam ,c4 saw a picture beginning to form1 and1 looking at it from curiosity1 described with considerable detail an elderly gentleman whom she had never seen before1 and whom ,i did not in the least recognize from her description at the moment4 ,three hours afterward1 when the seance was over1 ,madam ,c41 entered the room and recognized ,mr4 ,elliott1 of ,messrs4 ,elliott ,fry1 as the gentleman whom she had seen and described in the water-bottle at the restaurant4 ,on another occasion the picture was less agreeable2 it was an old man lying dead in bed with some one weeping at his feet2 but who it was1 or what it related to1 no one knew4 ,andrew ,lang1 another prominent investigator of psychic phenomena1 gives the following interesting experiment in crystal-gazing3 ,i had given a glass ball to a young lady1 ,miss ,baillie1 who had scarcely any success with it4 ,she lent it to ,miss ,leslie1 who saw a large1 square1 old-fashioned red sofa covered with muslin 7which she1 afterward found in the next country-house she visited74 ,miss ,baillie's brother1 a young athlete1 laughed at these experiments1 took the ball into his study1 and came back looking 'gey gash4' ,he admitted that he had seen a vision--somebody he knew1 under a lamp4 ,he said that he would discover during the week whether or not he had seen right4 ,this was at #e3cj on a ,sunday afternoon4 ,on ,tuesday1 ,mr4 ,baillie was at a dance in a town forty miles from his home1 and met a ,miss ,preston4 ',on ,sunday1' he said1 'about half-past-five1 you were sitting under a standard lamp1 in a dress ,i never saw you wear1 a blue blouse with lace over the shoulders1 pouring out tea for a man in blue serge1 whose back was toward me1 so that ,i only saw the tip of his mustache4' ',why1 the blinds must have been up1' said ,miss ,preston4 ',i was at ,dulby1' said ,mr4 ,baillie1 and he undeniably was4 ,miss ,x41 the well-known contributor to the ,english magazine1 ,borderland1 several years ago1 made a somewhat extended inquiry into the phenomena of crystal-gazing4 ,from her experiments1 she made the following classification of the phenomena of crystal-vision1 which ,i herewith reproduce for your benefit4 ,her classification is as follows3 #a4 ,images of something unconsciously observed4 ,new reproductions1 voluntary or spontaneous1 and bringing no fresh knowledge to the mind4 #b4 ,images of ideas unconsciously acquired from others4 ,some memory or imaginative effect1 which does not come from the gazer's ordinary self4 ,revivals of memory4 ,illustrations of thought4 #c4 ,images1 clairvoyant or prophetic4 ,pictures giving information as to something past1 present1 or future1 which the gazer has no other chance of knowing4 ,as a matter of fact1 each and every form or phase of clairvoyance possible under other methods of inducing clairvoyant vision1 is possible in crystal-gazing4 ,it is a mistake to consider crystal-gazing as a separate and distinct form of psychic phenomena4 ,crystal-gazing is merely one particular form or method of inducing psychic or clairvoyant vision4 ,if you will keep this in mind1 you will avoid many common errors and misunderstandings in the matter4 ,in order to give you the benefit of as many points of view as possible1 ,i shall now quote from an old ,english writer on the subject of the use of the crystal4 ,i do this realizing that sometimes a particular student will get more from one point of view1 than from another--some particular phrasing will seem to reach his understanding1 where others fail4 ,the directions of the ,english authority are as follows3 ,what is desired through the regular use of the translucent sphere is to cultivate a personal degree of clairvoyant power1 so that visions of things or events1 past1 present1 and future1 may appear clearly to the interior vision1 or eye of the soul4 ,in the pursuit of this effort only1 the crystal becomes at once both a beautiful1 interesting and harmless channel of pleasure and instruction1 shorn of dangers1 and rendered conducive to mental development4 ,to the attainment of this desirable end1 attention is asked to the following practical directions1 which1 if carefully followed1 will lead to success3 7#a7 ,select a quiet room where you will be entirely undisturbed1 taking care that it is as far as possible free from mirrors1 ornaments1 pictures1 glaring colors1 and the like1 which may otherwise district the attention4 ,the room should be of comfortable temperature1 in accordance with the time of year1 neither hot nor cold4 ,about #fj to #fe deg4 ,fahr4 is suitable in most cases1 though allowance can be made where necessary for natural differences in the temperaments of various persons4 ,thus thin1 nervous1 delicately-organized individuals1 and those of lymphatic and soft1 easy-going1 passive types1 require a slightly warmer apartment than the more positive class who are known by their dark eyes1 hair and complexion1 combined with prominent joints4 ,should a fire1 or any form of artificial light be necessary1 it should be well screened off1 so as to prevent the light rays from being reflected in1 or in any manner directly reaching the crystal4 ,the room should not be dark1 but rather shadowed1 or charged with a dull light1 somewhat such as prevails on a cloudy or wet day4 7#b7 ,the crystal should be placed on its stand on a table1 or it may rest on a black velvet cushion1 but in either case it should be partially surrounded by a black silk or similar wrap or screen1 so adjusted as to cut off any undesirable reflection4 ,before beginning to experiment1 remember that most frequently nothing will be seen on the first occasion1 and possibly not for several sittings2 though some sitters1 if strongly gifted with psychic powers in a state of unconscious1 and sometimes conscious degree of unfoldment1 may be fortunate enough to obtain good results at the very first trial4 ,if1 therefore1 nothing is perceived during the first few attempts1 do not despair or become impatient1 or imagine that you will never see anything4 ,there is a royal road to crystal vision1 but it is open only to the combined password of ,calmness1 ,patience1 and ,perseverance4 ,if at the first attempt to ride a bicycle1 failure ensues1 the only way to learn is to pay attention to the necessary rules1 and to persevere daily until the ability to ride comes naturally4 ,thus it is with the would-be seer4 ,persevere in accordance with these simple directions1 and success will sooner or later crown your efforts4 7#c7 ,commence by sitting comfortably with the eyes fixed upon the crystal1 not by a fierce stare1 but with a steady1 calm gaze1 for ten minutes only1 on the first occasion4 ,in taking the time it is best to hang your watch at a distance1 where1 while the face is clearly visible1 the ticking is rendered inaudible4 ,when the time is up1 carefully put the crystal away in its case1 and keep it in a dark place1 under lock and key1 allowing no one but yourself to handle it4 ,at the second sitting1 which should be at the same place1 in the same position1 and at the same time1 you may increase the length of the effort to fifteen minutes1 and continue for this period during the next five or six sittings1 after which the time may be gradually increased1 but should in no case exceed one hour4 ,the precise order of repetition is always to be followed until the experimenter has developed an almost automatic ability to readily obtain results1 when it needs no longer to be adhered to4 7#d7 ,any person1 or persons1 admitted to the room1 and allowed to remain while you sit1 should 7a7 keep absolute silence1 and 7b7 remain seated at a distance from you4 ,when you have developed your latent powers1 questions may1 of course1 be put to you by one of those present1 but even then in a very gentle1 or low and slow tone of voice2 never suddenly1 or in a forceful manner4 7#e7 ,when you find the crystal begins to look dull or cloudy1 with small pin-points of light glittering therein1 like tiny stars1 you may know that you are commencing to obtain that for which you seek--viz41 crystalline vision4 ,therefore1 persevere with confidence4 ,this condition may1 or may not1 continue for several sittings1 the crystal seeming at times to alternately appear and disappear1 as in a mist4 ,by and by this hazy appearance1 in its turn1 will give place quite suddenly to a blindness of the senses to all else but a blue or bluish ocean of space1 against which1 as if it were a background1 the vision will be clearly apparent4 7#f7 ,the crystal should not be used soon after taking a meal1 and care should be taken in matters of diet to partake only of digestible foods1 and to avoid alcoholic beverages4 ,plain and nourishing food1 and outdoor exercise1 with contentment of mind1 or love of simplicity in living1 are great aids to success4 ,mental anxiety1 or ill-health1 are not conducive to the desired end4 ,attention to correct1 breathing is of importance4 7#g7 ,as regards the time at which events seen will come to pass1 each seer is usually impressed with regard thereto2 but1 as a general rule1 visions appearing in the extreme background indicate time more remote1 either past or future1 than those perceived nearer at hand1 while those appearing in the foreground1 or closer to the seer1 denote the present or immediate future4 7#h7 ,two principal classes of vision will present themselves to the sitter--7a7 the ,symbolic1 indicated by the appearance of symbols such as a flag1 boat1 knife1 gold1 etc41 and 7b7 ,actual ,scenes and ,personages1 in action or otherwise4 ,persons of a positive type of organization1 the more active1 excitable1 yet decided type1 are most likely to perceive symbolically1 or allegorically2 while those of a passive nature usually receive direct or literal revelations4 ,both classes will find it necessary to carefully cultivate truthfulness1 unselfishness1 gratitude for what is shown1 and absolute confidence in the love1 wisdom1 and guidance of ,god ,himself4 ,as the student proceeds with the study of these lessons1 he will become acquainted with various details and methods concerned with the various phases of clairvoyance1 which knowledge he may then combine with the above1 the whole aiding him in the successful manifestation of the psychic phenomena of crystal-gazing1 which1 as ,i have said1 is merely one phase of clairvoyance and under the same general laws and rules of manifestation4 ,remember that present1 past and future clairvoyance all is possible to the highly developed crystal gazer4 ,,the ,,astral ,,tube4 ,closely allied with the phenomena of crystal-gazing1 and that of psychometry1 is that which occultists know as the astral tube1 although this psychic channel may be developed in ordinary clairvoyance by means of the power of concentrated attention1 etc4 ,i shall not enter into a detailed or technical discussion of the astral tube1 at this place1 but ,i wish to give you a general and comprehensive view of it and its workings4 ,in case of the strong concentration of the mind1 in cases of psychometry or crystal-gazing1 a channel or line of force is set up in the astral substance which composes the basis of the astral plane4 ,this is like the wake of a ship made on the surface of the water through which the ship has passed4 ,or it is like a current of magnetic force in the ether4 ,it is caused by a polarization of the particles composing the astral substance1 which manifest in a current of intense vibrations in the astral substance1 which thus serve as a ready channel for the transmission of psychic force or astral energy4 ,the astral tube serves as a ready conductor of the vibrations1 currents and waves of energy on the astral plane which carry to the astral senses of the person the perception of the things1 objects and scenes far removed from him in space and time4 ,how these things far removed in space and time are perceived by the astral seer is explained in subsequent lessons of this course4 ,at this place we are concerned merely with the channel through which the currents of energy flow1 and which has been called the astral tube4 ,as a writer well says3 ,through the astral tube the astral senses actually 'sense' the sights1 and often the sounds1 being manifested at a distance1 just as one may see distant sights through a telescope1 or hear distant sounds through a telephone4 ,the astral tube is used in a variety of forms of psychic phenomena4 ,it is often used unconsciously1 and springs into existence spontaneously1 under the strong influence of a vivid emotion1 desire or will4 ,it is used by the trained psychometrist1 without the use of any 'starting point1' or 'focal centre1' simply by the use of his trained1 developed and concentrated will4 ,but its most familiar and common use is in connection with some object serving as a starting point or focal centre4 ,the starting point or focal centre1 above mentioned1 is generally either what is known as the 'associated object' in the class of phenomena generally known as psychometry1 or else a glass or crystal ball1 or similar polished surface1 in what is known as crystal-gazing4 ,another authority tells his readers that3 ,astral sight1 when it is cramped by being directed along what is practically a tube1 is limited very much as physical sight would be under similar circumstances1 though if possessed in perfection it will continue to show1 even at that distance1 the auras1 and therefore all the emotions and most of the thoughts of the people under observation4 99 99 99 ,but1 it may be said1 the mere fact that he is using astral sight ought to enable him to see things from all sides at once4 ,and so it would1 if he were using that sight in a normal way upon an object which was fairly near him--within his astral reach1 as it were2 but at a distance of hundreds or thousands of miles the case is very different4 ,astral sight gives us the advantage of an additional dimension1 but there is still such a thing as position in that dimension1 and it is naturally a potent factor in limiting the use of the powers on that plane4 99 99 99 ,the limitations resemble those of a man using a telescope on the physical plane4 ,the experimenter1 for example1 has a particular field of view which cannot be enlarged or altered2 he is looking at his scene from a certain direction1 and he cannot suddenly turn it all around and see how it looks from the other side4 ,if he has sufficient psychic energy to spare1 he may drop altogether the telescope he is using1 and manufacture an entirely new one for himself which will approach his objective somewhat differently2 but this is not a course at all likely to be adopted in practice4 ,the student will find that1 as we progress1 many of these points which now seem complicated and obscure will gradually take on the aspect of simplicity and clearness4 ,we must crawl before we can walk1 in psychic research as well as in everything else4 ,,lesson ,,viii4 ,,clairvoyant ,,reverie4 ,in the preceding two chapters1 ,i have asked you to consider the first two methods of inducing the clairvoyant phenomena1 namely1 ,psychometry1 and ,crystal-,gazing1 respectively4 ,in these cases you have seen how the clairvoyant gets en rapport with the astral plane by means of physical objects1 in the case of psychometric clairvoyance2 or by means of a shining object1 in the case of crystal gazing4 ,let us now consider the third method of inducing the clairvoyant condition or state1 i4e41 by means of what may be called ,clairvoyant ,reverie1 in which the clairvoyant gets en rapport with the astral plane by means of psychic states in which the sights1 sounds and thoughts of the material and physical plane are shut out of consciousness4 ,the student of the general subject of clairvoyance will soon be impressed with two facts concerning the production of clairvoyant phenomena1 namely1 7#a7 that in the majority of the recorded cases of the investigators the clairvoyant phenomena were obtained when the clairvoyant was in the state of sleep1 or at least semi-sleep or drowsiness1 the visioning appearing more or less like a vivid dream2 and 7#b7 that in the case of the clairvoyant voluntarily entering en rapport with the astral plane1 he or she would enter into what seemed to be a kind of trance condition1 in some cases an absolute unconsciousness of the outside world being manifested4 ,the student1 noting these facts1 is apt to arrive at the conclusion that all clairvoyance is accompanied by the condition of sleep1 or trance1 and that no clairvoyant phenomena are possible unless this psychic condition is first obtained4 ,but this is only a half-truth as we shall see in a moment4 ,in the first place1 the student arriving at this conclusion seems to have ignored the fact that the phenomena of psychometry and crystal gazing1 respectively1 are as true instances of clairvoyance as are those which are manifested in the sleep or trance condition4 ,it is true that some psychometrists produce phenomena when they are in a state of psychic quiescence1 but1 on the other hand1 many clairvoyant psychometrists merely concentrate the attention on the object before them1 and remain perfectly wide-awake and conscious on the physical plane4 ,likewise1 the average crystal gazer remains perfectly wide-awake and conscious on the physical plane4 ,when the student takes these facts into consideration1 he begins to see that the trance condition1 and similar psychic states1 are simply particular methods of inducing the en rapport condition for the clairvoyant1 and are not inseparably bound up with the phenomena of clairvoyance4 ,as the student progresses1 moreover1 he will see that even in the case of ,clairvoyant ,reverie1 the third method of inducing the astral en rapport condition1 the clairvoyant does not always lose consciousness4 ,in the case of many advanced and exceptionally well-developed clairvoyants1 no trance or sleep condition is induced4 ,in such cases the clairvoyant merely shuts out the outside world of sights1 sounds and thoughts1 by an effort of trained will1 and then concentrates steadily on the phenomena of the astral plane4 ,for that matter1 the skilled and advanced occultist is able to function on the astral plane by simply shifting his consciousness from one plane to another1 as the typist shifts from the small letters of the keyboard to the capital letters1 by a mere pressure on the shift-key of the typewriter4 ,the only reason that many clairvoyants manifesting along the lines of the third method1 known as clairvoyant reverie1 fall into the trance or sleep condition1 is that they have not as yet acquired the rare art of controlling their conscious attention at will--this is something that requires great practice4 ,they find it easier to drop into the condition of semi-trance1 or semi-sleep1 than it is to deliberately shut out the outer world by an act of pure will4 ,moreover1 you will find that in the majority of the recorded cases of the investigators1 the clairvoyance was more or less spontaneous on the part of the clairvoyant person1 and was not produced by an act of will4 ,as we proceed to consider the various forms and phases of clairvoyant phenomena1 in these lessons1 you will notice this fact4 ,there are but few recorded cases of voluntary clairvoyance in the books of the investigators--the skilled clairvoyants1 and more particularly the advanced occultists1 avoid the investigators rather than seek them2 they have no desire to be reported as typical cases of interesting psychic phenomena--they leave that to the amateurs1 and those to whom the phenomena come as a wonderful revelation akin to a miracle4 ,this accounts for the apparent predominance of this form of clairvoyance--the secret is that the net of the investigators has caught only a certain kind of psychic fish1 while the others escape attention4 ,all this would be of no practical importance1 however1 were it not for the fact that the average student is so impressed by the fact that he must learn to induce the trance condition in order to manifest clairvoyant phenomena1 that he does not even think of attempting to do the work otherwise4 ,the power of auto-suggestion operates here1 as you will see by a moment's thought1 and erects an obstacle to his advance along voluntary lines4 ,more than this1 this mistaken idea tends to encourage the student to cultivate the trance condition1 or at least some abnormal psychic condition1 by artificial means4 ,i am positively opposed to the inducing of psychic conditions by artificial means1 for ,i consider such practices most injurious and harmful for the person using such methods4 ,outside of anything else1 it tends to render the person negative1 psychically1 instead of positive--it tends to make him or her subject to the psychic influence of others1 on both the physical and astral plane1 instead of retaining his or her own self-control and mastery4 ,the best authorities among the occultists instruct their pupils that the state of clairvoyant reverie may be safely and effectively induced by the practice of mental concentration alone4 ,they advice positively against artificial methods4 ,a little common sense will show that they are right in this matter4 ,all that is needed is that the consciousness shall be focused to a point--become one pointed as the ,hindu ,yogis say4 ,the intelligent practice of concentration accomplishes this1 without the necessity of any artificial methods of development1 or the induction of abnormal psychic states4 ,if you will stop a moment and realize how easily you concentrate your attention when you are witnessing an interesting play1 or listening to a beautiful rendition of some great masterpiece of musical composition1 or gazing at some miracle of art1 you will see what ,i mean4 ,in the cases just mentioned1 while your attention is completely occupied with the interesting thing before you1 so that you have almost completely shut out the outer world of sound1 sight and thought1 you are1 nevertheless1 perfectly wide awake and your consciousness is alert4 ,the same thing is true when you are reading a very interesting book--the world is shut out from your consciousness1 and you are oblivious to the sights and sounds around you4 ,at the risk of being considered flippant1 ,i would remind you of the common spectacle of two lovers so wrapped up in each other's company that they forget that there is a smiling world of people around them--time and space are forgotten to the two lovers--to them there is only one world1 with but two persons in it4 ,again1 how often have you fallen into what is known as a brown study1 or day dream1 in which you have been so occupied with the thoughts and fancies floating through your mind1 that you forgot all else4 ,well1 then1 this will give you a common-sense idea of the state that the occultists teach may be induced in order to enter into the state of en rapport with the astral plane--the state in which clairvoyance is possible4 ,whether you are seeking clairvoyance by the method of psychometry1 or by crystal gazing1 or by clairvoyant reverie--this will give you the key to the state4 ,it is a perfectly natural state--nothing abnormal about it1 you will notice4 ,to some who may think that ,i am laying too much stress on the undesirability of artificial methods of inducing the clairvoyant condition1 ,i would say that they are probably not aware of the erroneous and often harmful teachings on the subject that are being promulgated by ignorant or misinformed teachers--a little learning is a dangerous thing1 in many cases4 ,it may surprise some of my students to learn that some of this class of teachers are instructing their pupils to practice methods of self-hypnosis by gazing steadily at a bright object until they fall unconscious2 or by gazing cross eyed at the tip of the nose1 or at an object held between the two eyebrows4 ,these are familiar methods of certain schools of hypnotism1 and result in producing a state of artificial hypnosis1 more or less deep4 ,such a state is most undesirable1 not only by reason of its immediate effects1 but also by reason of the fact that it often results in a condition of abnormal sensitiveness to the will of others1 or even to the thoughts and feelings of others1 on both the astral and the physical planes of life4 ,i emphatically warn my students against any such practices1 or anything resembling them4 ,while ,i dislike to dwell on the subject1 ,i feel that ,i should call the attention of my students to the fact that certain teachers seek to produce the abnormal psychic condition by means of exhausting breathing exercises1 which make the person dizzy and sleepy4 ,this is all wrong4 ,while rhythmic breathing exercises have a certain value in psychic phenomena1 and are harmless when properly practiced1 nevertheless such practices as those to which ,i have alluded are harmful to the nervous system of the person1 and also tend to induce undesirable psychic conditions4 ,again1 some teachers have sought to have their students hold their breath for comparatively long periods of time in order to bring about abnormal psychic states4 ,the slightest knowledge of physiology informs one that such a practice must be harmful2 it causes the blood to become thick and impure1 and deficient in oxygen4 ,it certainly will produce a kind of drowsiness1 for the same reason that impure air in a room will do the same thing--in both cases the blood stream is poisoned and made impure4 ,the purpose of rational and normal breathing is to obviate just this thing--so these teachers are reversing a natural law of the body1 in order to produce an abnormal psychic state4 ,with all the energy in me1 ,i caution you against this kind of thing4 ,along the same line1 ,i protest and warn you against the practices advised by certain teachers of psychic development1 who seek to have their pupils induce abnormal physical and psychic conditions by means of drugs1 odor of certain chemicals1 gases1 etc4 ,such practices1 as all true occultists know1 belong to the clans of the ,black ,magicians1 or devil worshippers1 of the savage races--they have no place in true occult teachings4 ,common sense alone should warn persons away from such things--but it seems to fail some of them4 ,i assert without fear of intelligent contradiction1 that no true occultist ever countenances any such practices as these4 ,all the true teachers are vigorous in their denunciation of such false teachings and harmful practices4 ,in this same category1 ,i place the methods which are taught by certain persons1 namely1 that of inducing abnormal physical and psychic condition of giddiness and haziness by means of whirling around in a circle until one drops from giddiness1 or until one feels queer in the head4 ,this is a revival of the practices of certain fanatics in ,persia and ,india1 who perform it as a religious rite until they fall into what they consider a holy sleep1 but which is nothing more than an abnormal and unhealthful physical and psychic condition4 ,such practices are a downward step1 not an upward one4 ,it seems a pity that the necessity has arisen for such warnings as these--but my duty1 as ,i see it1 is very plain4 ,to all who are tempted to develop in this way1 ,i say1 positively1 ,,don',t6 ,the scientific1 rational way to develop the astral senses is to first acquire the art of concentrating4 ,bear in mind that in concentration the person1 while shutting out the impressions of the outside world in general1 nevertheless focuses and concentrates his attention upon the one matter before him4 ,this is quite a different thing from making oneself sensitive to every current of thought and feeling that may be in the psychic atmosphere4 ,true concentration renders one positive1 while the other methods render one negative4 ,contrary to the common opinion1 psychic concentration is a positive state1 not a negative--an active state1 not a passive one4 ,the person who is able to concentrate strongly is a master1 while one who opens himself to control1 either physical or astral1 is more or less of a slave to other minds4 ,the student who will begin by experimenting along the lines of contact mind-reading1 and who then advances along the lines of true telepathy1 as explained in the earlier chapters of this book1 will have made a good start1 and considerable progress1 along the road to clairvoyant development4 ,the rest will be largely a matter of exercise and practice4 ,he will be aided by practicing concentration along the general lines of the best occult teaching4 ,such practice may consist of concentration upon almost any physical object1 keeping the thing well before the mind and attention4 ,do not tire the attention by practicing too long at one time4 ,the following general rules will help you in developing concentration3 7#a7 ,the attention attaches more readily to interesting rather than uninteresting things4 ,therefore1 select some interesting thing to study and analyze by concentrated thought4 7#b7 ,the attention will decline in strength unless there is a variation in the stimulus4 ,therefore1 keep up the power of concentration by either changing the object you are observing2 or else by discovering some new properties1 qualities or attributes in it4 7#c7 ,the things you wish to shut out of consciousness can best be shut out by your concentration upon some other thing--the attention can dwell only upon one thing at a time1 if focused upon that one thing4 7#d7 ,the power of applying your attention1 steady and undissipated1 to a single object1 is a mark of strong will and superior mental discipline--weak-minds cannot do this4 ,therefore1 in cultivating concentrated attention you are really strengthening your mind and will4 7#e7 ,to develop concentrated attention1 you must learn to analyze1 analyze1 and analyze the thing upon which you are bestowing concentrated attention4 ,therefore1 proceed by selecting an object and analyzing it by concentrated attention1 taking one part after another1 one by one1 until you have analyzed and mastered the whole object4 ,give it the same attention that the lover gives his loved one2 the musician his favorite composition2 the artist his favorite work of art2 and the booklover his favorite book--when you have accomplished this1 you have mastered concentration1 and will be able to apply the mind one pointed upon anything you wish1 physical or astral2 and1 consequently will have no trouble in shutting-out disturbing impressions4 7#f7 ,learn to concentrate on the physical plane1 and you will be able to concentrate on the astral plane as well4 ,by the one who has mastered concentration1 trances and abnormal psychic states will not be needed4 ,the needle-pointed mind is able to pierce the astral veil at will1 while the blunt-pointed mind is resisted and defeated by the astral envelope1 which while thin is very tough and unyielding4 ,a well-known authority on psychic development has well said3 ,occasional flashes of clairvoyance sometimes come to the highly cultured and spiritual-minded man1 even though he may never have heard of the possibility of training such a faculty4 ,in his case such glimpses usually signify that he is approaching that stage in his evolution when these powers will naturally begin to manifest themselves4 ,their appearance should serve as an additional stimulus to him to strive to maintain that high standard of moral purity and mental balance without which clairvoyance is a curse and not a blessing to its possessor4 ,between those who are entirely unimpressionable and those who are in full possession of clairvoyant power1 there are many intermediate stages4 ,students often ask how this clairvoyant faculty will first be manifested in themselves--how they may know when they have reached the stage at which its first faint foreshadowings are beginning to be visible4 ,cases differ so widely that it is impossible to give to this question any answer that will be universally applicable4 ,some people begin by a plunge1 as it were1 and under some unusual stimulus become able just for once to see some striking vision2 and very often in such a case1 because the experience does not repeat itself1 the seer comes in time to believe that on that occasion he must have been the victim of hallucination4 ,others begin by becoming intermittently conscious of the brilliant colors and vibrations of the human aura2 yet others find themselves with increasing frequency seeing and hearing something to which those around them are blind and deaf2 others1 again1 see faces1 landscapes1 or colored clouds floating before their eyes in the dark before they sink to rest2 while perhaps the commonest experience of all is that of those who begin to recollect with greater and greater clearness what they have seen and heard on other planes during sleep4 ,the authority in question gives the following excellent advice regarding the subject of the development of clairvoyant power and astral visioning3 ,now the fact is that there are many methods by which it may be developed1 but only one which can be at all safely recommended for general use--that of which we shall speak last of all4 ,among the less advanced nations of the world the clairvoyant state has been produced in various objectionable ways2 among some of the non-,aryan tribes of ,india1 by the use of intoxicating drugs or the inhaling of stupefying fumes2 among the dervishes1 by whirling in a mad dance of religious fervor until vertigo and insensibility supervene2 among the followers of the abominable practices of the ,voodoo cult1 by frightful sacrifices and loathsome rites of black magic4 ,methods such as these are happily not in vogue in our own race1 yet even among us large numbers of dabblers in this ancient art adopt some plan of self-hypnotization1 such as gazing at a bright spot1 or the repetition of some formula until a condition of semi-stupefaction is produced2 while yet another school among them would endeavor to arrive at similar results by the use of some of the ,indian systems of regulation of the breath4 ,all these methods are unequivocally to be condemned as quite unsafe for the practice of the ordinary man who has no idea of what he is doing--who is simply making vague experiments in an unknown world4 ,even the method of obtaining clairvoyance by allowing oneself to be mesmerized by another person is one from which ,i should myself shrink with the most decided distaste2 and assuredly it should never be attempted except under conditions of absolute trust and affection between the magnetizer and the magnetized1 and a perfection of purity in heart and soul1 in mind and intention1 such as is rarely to be seen among any but the greatest of saints4 ,yet there is one practice which is advised by all religions alike--which if adopted carefully and reverently can do no harm to any human being1 yet from which a very pure type of clairvoyance has sometimes been developed2 and that is the practice of meditation4 ,let a man choose a certain time every day--a time when he can rely upon being quiet and undisturbed1 though preferably in the daytime rather than at night--and set himself at that time to keep his mind for a few minutes entirely free from all earthly thoughts of any kind whatever1 and1 when that is achieved1 to direct the whole force of his being towards the highest ideal that he happens to know4 ,he will find that to gain such perfect control of thought is enormously more difficult than he supposes1 but when he attains it it cannot but be in every way most beneficial to him1 and as he grows more and more able to elevate and concentrate his thought1 he may gradually find that new worlds are opening before his sight4 ,as a preliminary training towards the satisfactory achievement of such meditation1 he will find it desirable to make a practice of concentration in the affairs of daily life--even in the smallest of them4 ,if he writes a letter1 let him think of nothing else but that letter until it is finished2 if he reads a book1 let him see to it that his thought is never allowed to wander from his author's meaning4 ,he must learn to hold his mind in check1 and to be master of that also1 as well as of his lower passions2 he must patiently labor to acquire absolute control of his thoughts1 so that he will always know exactly what he is thinking about1 and why--so that he can use his mind1 and turn it or hold it still1 as a practiced swordsman turns his weapon where he will4 ,i have given the above full quotation from this authority1 not merely because that from another angle he states the same general principles as do ,i2 but also because his personal experience in actual clairvoyant phenomena is so extended and varied that any word from him on the subject of the development of clairvoyant power must have a value of its own4 ,while ,i differ from this authority on some points of detail of theory and practice1 nevertheless ,i gladly testify to the soundness of his views as above quoted1 and pass them on to my students for careful consideration and attention4 ,the student will do well to heed what he has to say1 and to combine such opinion with what ,i have uttered in the earlier part of this chapter--there will be found a close agreement in principle and practice4 ,and1 now let us pass on to a consideration of the various forms and phases of the clairvoyant phenomena itself4 ,the subject is fascinating1 and ,i am sure that you will enjoy this little excursion into the strange realm of thought regarding the astral phenomena of clairvoyance4 ,but1 be sure to master each lesson before proceeding to the rest1 as otherwise you will have to turn back the leaves of the course in order to pick up some point of teaching that you have neglected4 ,,lesson ,,ix4 ,,simple ,,clairvoyance4 ,in a previous chapter we have seen that there are three well-defined classes of clairvoyance1 namely1 7#a7 ,simple clairvoyance2 7#b7 ,clairvoyance in space2 and 7#c7 ,clairvoyance in ,time4 ,i shall now consider these in sequence1 beginning with the first1 ,simple ,clairvoyance4 ,in simple clairvoyance the clairvoyant person merely senses the auric emanations of other persons1 such as the auric vibrations1 colors1 etc41 currents of thought vibrations1 etc41 but does not see events or scenes removed in space or time from the observer4 ,there are other phenomena peculiar to this class of clairvoyance which ,i shall note as we progress with this chapter4 ,an authority on the subject of astral phenomena has written interestingly1 as follows1 regarding some of the phases of simple clairvoyance3 ,when we come to consider the additional facilities which it offers in the observation of animate objects1 we see still more clearly the advantages of astral vision4 ,it exhibits to the clairvoyant the aura of plants and animals1 and thus in the case of the latter their desires and emotions1 and whatever thoughts they may have1 are all plainly shown before his eyes4 ,but it is in dealing with human beings that he will most appreciate the value of this faculty1 for he will often be able to help them far more effectually when he guides himself by the information which it gives him4 ,he will be able to see the aura as far up as the astral body1 and though that leaves all the higher part of a man still hidden from his gaze1 he will nevertheless find it possible by careful observation to learn a good deal about the higher part from what is within his reach4 ,his capacity of examination of the etheric double will give him considerable advantage in locating and classifying any defects or diseases of the nervous system1 while from the appearance of the astral body he will at once be aware of all the emotions1 passions1 desires and tendencies of the man before him1 and even of very many of his thoughts also4 ,as he looks at a person he will see him surrounded by the luminous mist of the astral aura1 flashing with all sorts of brilliant colors1 and constantly changing in hue and brilliancy with every variation of the person's thoughts and feelings4 ,he will see this aura flooded with the beautiful rose-color of pure affection1 the rich blue of devotional feeling1 the hard1 dull brown of selfishness1 the deep scarlet of anger1 the horrible lurid red of sensuality1 the livid grey of fear1 the black clouds of hatred and malice1 or any of the other hundredfold indications so easily to be read in it by the practiced eye2 and thus it will be impossible for any persons to conceal from him the real state of their feelings on any subject4 ,not only does the astral aura show him the temporary result of the emotion passing through it at the moment1 but it also gives him1 by an arrangement and proportion of its colors when in a condition of comparative rest1 a clue to the general disposition and character of its owner4 ,by simple clairvoyance in a certain stage of development the clairvoyant person is able to sense the presence of the human aura1 by means of his astral sight4 ,the human aura1 as all students of occultism know1 is that peculiar emanation of astral vibrations that extends from each living human being1 surrounding him in an egg-shaped form for a distance of two to three feet on all sides4 ,this peculiar nebulous envelope is not visible to the physical sight1 and may be discerned only by means of the astral senses4 ,it1 however1 may be dimly felt by many persons coming into the presence of other persons1 and constitutes a personal atmosphere which is sensed by other persons4 ,the trained clairvoyant vision sees the human aura as a nebulous hazy substance1 like a luminous cloud1 surrounding the person for two or three feet on each side of his body1 being more dense near the body and gradually becoming less dense as it extends away from the body4 ,it has a phosphorescent appearance1 with a peculiar tremulous motion manifesting through its substance4 ,the clairvoyant sees the human aura as composed of all the colors of the spectrum1 the combination shifting with the changing mental and emotional states of the person4 ,but1 in a general way1 it may be said that each person has his or her or distinctive astral auric colors1 depending upon his or her general character or personality4 ,each mental state1 or emotional manifestation1 has its own particular shade or combination of shades of auric coloring4 ,this beautiful kaleidoscopic spectacle has its own meaning to the advanced occultist with clairvoyant vision1 for he is able to read the character and general mental states of the person by means of studying his astral auric colors4 ,i have explained these auric colors1 and their meanings1 in my little book entitled ,the ,human ,aura4 ,the human aura is not always in a state of calm phosphorescence1 however4 ,on the contrary1 it sometimes manifests great flames1 like those of a fiery furnace1 which shoot forth in great tongues1 and dart forth suddenly in certain directions toward the objects attracting them4 ,under great emotional excitement the auric flames move around in swift circling whirlpools1 or else swirl away from a centre4 ,again1 it seems to throw forth tiny glistening sparks of astral vibrations1 some of which travel for great distance4 ,the clairvoyant vision is also able to discern what is called the prana aura of a person4 ,by this term is indicated that peculiar emanation of vital force which surrounds the physical body of each and every person4 ,in fact1 many persons of but slight clairvoyant power1 who cannot sense the auric colors1 are able to perceive this prana-aura without trouble4 ,it is sometimes called the health aura1 or physical aura4 ,it is colorless1 or rather about the shade of clear glass1 diamond1 or water4 ,it is streaked with very minute1 bristle-like lines4 ,in a state of good health1 these fine lines are stiff like toothbrush bristles2 while1 in cases of poor health1 these lines droop1 curl and present a furlike appearance4 ,it is sometimes filled with minute sparkling particles1 like tiny electric sparks in rapid vibratory motion4 ,to the clairvoyant vision the prana-aura appears like the vibrating heated air arising from a fire1 or stove1 or from the heated earth in summer4 ,if the student will close his eyes partially1 and will peer through narrowed eyelids1 he will in all probability be able to perceive this prana-aura surrounding the body of some healthy1 vigorous person--particularly if the person is sitting in a dim light4 ,looking closely1 he will see the peculiar vibratory motion1 like heated air1 at a distance of about two inches from the body of the person4 ,it requires a little practice in order to acquire the knack of perceiving these vibrations--a little experimenting in order to get just the right light on the person--but practice will bring success1 and you will be repaid for your trouble4 ,in the same way1 the student may by practice acquire the faculty to perceiving his own prana-aura4 ,the simplest way to obtain this last mentioned result is to place your fingers 7spread out in fan-shape7 against a black background1 in a dim light4 ,then gaze at the fingers with narrowed eyelids1 and half-closed eyes4 ,after a little practice1 you will see a fine thin line surrounding your fingers on all sides--a semi-luminous border of prana-aura4 ,in most cases this border of aura is colorless1 but sometimes a very pale yellowish hue is perceived4 ,the stronger the vital force of the person1 the stronger and brighter will this border of prana-aura appear4 ,the aura surrounding the fingers will appear very much like the semi-luminous radiance surrounding a gas-flame1 or the flame of a candle1 which is familiar to nearly everyone4 ,another peculiar phenomenon of the astral plane1 perceived by clairvoyants of a certain degree of development1 is that which is known as the thought-form4 ,a thought-form is a specialized grouping of astral substance1 crystalized by the strong thought impulses or vibrations of a person thinking1 or manifesting strong emotional excitement4 ,it is generated in the aura of the person1 in the first place1 but is then thrown off or emitted from the atmosphere of the person1 and is sent off into space4 ,a thought-form is really but a strongly manifested thought or feeling which has taken form in the astral substance4 ,its power and duration depend upon the degree of force of the thought or feeling manifesting it4 ,these thought-forms differ very materially from one another in form and general appearance4 ,the most common form is that of a tiny series of waves1 similar to those caused by the dropping of a pebble in a pond of water4 ,sometimes the thought-form takes on the appearance of a whirlpool1 rotating around a centre1 and moving through space as well4 ,another form is like that of the pin-wheel fireworks1 swirling away from its centre as it moves through space4 ,still another form is that of a whirling ring1 like that emitted from a smokestack of a locomotive1 or the mouth of a smoker--the familiar ring of the smoker4 ,others have the form and appearance of semi-luminous globes1 glowing like a giant opal4 ,other thought-forms are emitted in jet-like streams1 like steam puffed out from a tea-kettle4 ,again1 it will appear as a series of short puffs of steam-like appearance4 ,again1 it will twist along like an eel or snake4 ,another time it will twist its way like a corkscrew4 ,at other times it will appear as a bomb1 or series of bombs projected from the aura of the thinker4 ,sometimes1 as in the case of a vigorous thinker or speaker1 these thought-form bombs will be seen to explode when they reach the aura of the person addressed or thought of4 ,other forms appear like nebulous things resembling an octopus1 whose twining tentacles twist around the person to whom they are directed4 ,each thought-form bears the same color that it possessed when generated in the aura of its creator1 though the colors seem to fade with time4 ,many of them glow with a dull phosphorescence1 instead of bright coloring4 ,the atmosphere of every person1 and every place1 is filled with various thought-forms emanated from the person1 or persons who inhabit the place4 ,each building has its own distinctive thought-forms1 which permeate its mental atmosphere1 and which are clearly discernible by trained clairvoyant vision4 ,i here take the liberty of quoting a few paragraphs from my little book entitled ,the ,astral ,world1 in which the phenomena of the astral plane are explained in detail4 ,i reproduce them here in order to show you what you may see on the astral plane when your clairvoyant vision is sufficiently developed to function there4 ,the words are addressed to one who is sensing on the astral1 plane4 ,notice that beautiful spiritual blue around that woman's head6 ,and see that ugly muddy red around that man passing her6 ,here comes an intellectual giant--see that beautiful golden yellow around his head1 like a nimbus6 ,but ,i don't exactly like that shade of red around his body--and there is too marked an absence of blue in his aura6 ,he lacks harmonious development4 ,do you notice those great clouds of semi-luminous substance1 which are slowly floating along8--notice how the colors vary in them4 ,those are clouds of thought-vibrations1 representing the composite thought of a multitude of people4 ,also notice how each body of thought is drawing to itself little fragments of similar thought-forms and energy4 ,you see here the tendency of thought-forms to attract others of their kind--how like the proverbial birds of a feather1 they flock together--how thoughts come home1 bringing their friends with them--how each man creates his own thought atmosphere4 ,speaking of atmospheres1 do you notice that each shop we pass has its own peculiar thought-atmosphere8 ,if you look into the houses on either side of the street1 you will see that the same thing is true4 ,the very street itself has its own atmosphere1 created by the composite thought of those inhabiting and frequenting it4 ,no6 do not pass down that side street--its astral atmosphere is too depressing1 and its colors too horrible and disgusting for you to witness just now--you might get discouraged and fly back to your physical body for relief4 ,look at those thought-forms flying through the atmosphere6 ,what a variety of form and coloring6 ,some most beautiful1 the majority quite neutral in tint1 and occasionally a fierce1 fiery one tearing its way along toward its mark4 ,observe those whirling and swirling thought-forms as they are thrown off from that business-house4 ,across the street1 notice that great octopus monster of a thought-form1 with its great tentacles striving to wind around persons and draw them into that flashy dance-hall and dram-shop4 ,a devilish monster which we would do well to destroy4 ,turn your concentrated thought upon it1 and will it out of existence--there1 that's the right way2 watch it sicken and shrivel6 ,but1 alas6 more of its kind will come forth from that place4 ,the above represents the sights common to the advanced occultist who explores the astral plane either in his astral body1 or else by means of clairvoyant vision4 ,to such a one1 these sights are just as natural as those of the physical plane to the person functioning by ordinary physical senses4 ,one is as natural as is the other--there is nothing supernatural about either4 ,but there are other1 and even more wonderful attributes of astral visioning than that which we have just related4 ,let us take a general survey of these1 so that you may be familiar with what you hope to see on the astral plane1 and which you will see when you have sufficiently developed your clairvoyant powers4 ,what would you think if you could see through a brick wall8 ,well1 the clairvoyant is able to do this4 ,for that matter1 the physical ,x ,rays are able to penetrate through solid substances1 and the astral vibrations are even more subtle than these4 ,it seems strange to hear of this kind of visioning as purely natural1 doesn't it8 ,it smacks strongly of the old supernatural tales--but it is as simply natural as is the ,x ,ray4 ,the advanced clairvoyant is able to see through the most solid objects1 and inside of anything1 for that matter4 ,the astral senses register the subtle vibrations of the astral plane1 just as the physical eye registers the ordinary rays of light-energy4 ,you are able to see through solid glass1 with the physical eye1 are you not8 ,well1 in the same way the clairvoyant sees through solid steel or granite4 ,it is all a matter of registering vibrations of energy--nothing more1 and nothing less4 ,it is in this way that the trained clairvoyant is able to read from closed books1 sealed letters1 etc4 ,in the same way1 he is able to pierce the dense soil1 and to see far down into the depths of the earth1 subject to certain limitations4 ,veins of coal1 oil1 and other substances have been discovered clairvoyantly in this way4 ,not every clairvoyant is able to do this1 but the advanced ones have done it4 ,in the same way1 the trained clairvoyant is able to see inside the bodies of sick persons1 and to diagnose their ailments1 providing1 of course1 he is familiar with the appearance of the organs in health and in disease1 and has a sufficient knowledge of physiology and pathology to interpret what he sees4 ,an authority on the phenomena of the astral plane has written entertainingly and correctly regarding this phase of simple clairvoyance1 as follows3 ,the possession of this extraordinary and scarcely expressible power1 then1 must always be borne in mind through all that follows4 ,it lays every point in the interior of every solid body absolutely open to the gaze of the seer1 just as every point in the interior of a circle lies open to the gaze of a man looking down upon it4 ,but even this is by no means all that it gives to its possessor4 ,he sees not only the inside as well as the outside of every object1 but also its astral counterpart4 ,every atom and molecule of physical matter has its corresponding astral atoms and molecules1 and the mass which is built up out of these is clearly visible to the clairvoyant4 ,usually the astral form of any object projects somewhat beyond the physical part of it1 and thus metals1 stones and other things are seen surrounded by an astral aura4 ,it will be seen at once that even in the study of inorganic matter a man gains immensely by the acquisition of this vision4 ,not only does he see the astral part of the object at which he looks1 which before was wholly hidden from him2 not only does he see much more of its physical constitution than he did before1 but even what was visible to him before is now seen much more clearly and truly4 99 99 99 ,another strange power of which he may find himself in possession is that of magnifying at will the minutest physical or astral particle to any desired size1 as through a microscope--though no microscope ever made1 or ever likely to be made1 possesses even a thousandth part of this psychic magnifying power4 ,by its means the hypothetical molecule and atom postulated by science become visible and living realities to the occult student1 and on this closer examination he finds them to be much more complex in their structure than the scientific man has yet realized them to be4 ,it also enables him to follow with the closest attention and the most lively interest all kinds of electrical1 magnetic1 and other etheric action2 and when some of the specialists in these branches of science are able to develop the power to see these things whereof they write so facilely1 some very wonderful and beautiful revelations may be expected4 ,this is one of the ,,siddihis or powers described in the ,oriental books as accruing to the man who devotes himself to spiritual development1 though the name under which it is there mentioned might not be immediately recognizable4 ,it is referred to as 'the power of making oneself large or small at will1' and the reason of a description which appears so oddly to reverse the fact is that in reality the method by which this feat is performed is precisely that indicated in these ancient books4 ,it is by the use of temporary visual machinery of inconceivable minuteness that the world of the infinitely little is so clearly seen2 and in the same way 7or rather in the opposite way7 it is by enormously increasing the size of the machinery used that it becomes possible to increase the breadth of one's view--in the physical sense as well as1 let us hope1 in the moral--far beyond anything that science has ever dreamt of as possible for man4 ,so that the alteration in size is really in the vehicle of the student's consciousness1 and not in anything outside of himself2 and the old ,oriental books have1 after all1 put the case more accurately than have we4 ,i have indicated1 though only in the roughest outlines1 what a trained student1 possessed of full astral vision1 would see in the immensely wider world to which that vision introduced him2 but ,i have said nothing of the stupendous change in his mental attitude which comes from the experimental certainty regarding matters of paramount importance4 ,the difference between even the profoundest intellectual conviction1 and the precise knowledge gained by direct personal experience1 must be felt in order to be appreciated4 ,now1 here at this place1 ,i wish to call the attention of the student to the fact that while the above stated1 phenomena strictly belong to the class of simple clairvoyance1 rather than to space clairvoyance1 or time clairvoyance respectively1 nevertheless the same phenomena may be manifested in connection with that of these other classes of clairvoyance4 ,for instance1 in space clairvoyance the trained clairvoyant is able not only to perceive things happening at points far distant1 but may also 7if highly developed psychically7 be able to perceive the details just mentioned as well as if he were at that distant point in person4 ,likewise1 in time clairvoyance1 the clairvoyant may exercise the power of magnifying vision regarding the object far distant in time1 just as if he were living in that time4 ,so here as elsewhere we find the different classes of phenomena shading and blending into each other4 ,at the best1 classifications are useful principally for convenience in intellectual consideration and reasoning4 ,in the same way1 the clairvoyant may manifest the above mentioned forms of astral sensing in cases when the astral vision has been awakened by psychometry1 or by crystal gazing1 as well as in those cases in which the condition has been brought about through meditation1 or similar methods4 ,i would also call the attention of the student to the fact that in the above description of the phenomena of simple clairvoyance ,i have made no mention of the sights of the astral plane which often become visible to the clairvoyant1 and which have to do with astral bodies1 astral shells1 the disembodied souls of those who have passed on to other planes of existence1 etc4 ,i shall take up these matters in other parts of this course1 and shall not dwell upon them in this place4 ,but1 ,i wish you to remember that the same power which enables you to sense other objects by means of the astral scenes1 is the same that is called into operation in the cases to which ,i have just referred4 ,the astral plane is a wonderful plane or field of being1 containing many strange and wonderful beings and things4 ,the person living on the physical plane may visit the astral plane in the astral body2 and1 again1 he may perceive the happenings and scenes of that plane by means of the awakened and developed astral senses4 ,some clairvoyants find it easy to function in one way1 and some in another4 ,it is reserved for the scientifically developed clairvoyant to manifest the well-rounded power to perceive the phenomena of the astral plane in its wonderful entirety4 ,finally1 you will see by reference to other chapters of this book1 that one may manifest simple clairvoyant powers 7as well as the more complicated ones of time and space clairvoyance7 not only in the ordinary waking state1 but also in the state of dreams4 ,in fact1 some of the most striking psychic phenomena are manifested when the seer is in the dream state4 ,as we proceed1 you will find that every phase of the great subject will fit into its place1 and will be found to blend with every other phase4 ,there will be found a logical harmony and unity of thought pervading the whole subject4 ,but we must use single bricks and stones as we build--it is only in the completed structure that we may perceive the harmonious unity4 ,,lesson ,x4 ,,clairvoyance ,,of ,,distant ,,scenes4 ,let us now consider the phenomena of the second class of clairvoyance1 namely1 ,clairvoyance in ,space4 ,in space clairvoyance the clairvoyant person senses scenes and events removed in space from the observer--that is to say1 scenes and events situated outside of the range of the physical vision of the clairvoyant4 ,in this class also is included certain phenomena in which the clairvoyant vision is able to discern things that may be concealed or obscured by intervening material objects4 ,some of the many different forms and phases of space clairvoyance are illustrated by the following examples1 all taken from the best sources4 ,bushnell relates the following well-known case of space clairvoyance3 ,capt4 ,yount1 of ,napa ,valley1 ,california1 one midwinter's night had a dream in which he saw what appeared to be a company of emigrants arrested by the snows of the mountains1 and perishing rapidly by cold and hunger4 ,he noted the very cast of the scenery1 marked by a huge1 perpendicular front of white-rock cliff2 he saw the men cutting off what appeared to be tree-tops rising out of deep gulfs of snow2 he distinguished the very features of the persons1 and their look of peculiar distress4 ,he awoke profoundly impressed by the distinctness and apparent reality of the dream4 ,he at length fell asleep1 and dreamed exactly the same dream over again4 ,in the morning he could not expel it from his mind4 ,falling in shortly after with an old hunter comrade1 he told his story1 and was only the more deeply impressed by him recognizing without hesitation the scenery of the dream4 ,this comrade came over the ,sierra by the ,carson ,valley ,pass1 and declared that a spot in the ,pass exactly answered his description4 ,by this the unsophistical patriarch was decided4 ,he immediately collected a company of men1 with mules and blankets and all necessary provisions4 ,the neighbors were laughing meantime at his credulity4 ',no matter1' he said1 ',i am able to do this1 and ,i will1 for ,i verily believe that the fact is according to my dream4' ,the men were sent into the mountains one hundred and fifty miles distant1 direct to the ,carson ,valley ,pass4 ,and there they found the company exactly in the condition of the dream1 and brought in the remnant alive4 ,in connection with this case1 some leading1 occultists are of the opinion that the thought-waves from the minds of the distressed lost persons reached ,capt4 ,yount in his sleep1 and awakened his subconscious attention4 ,having natural clairvoyant power1 though previously unaware of it1 he naturally directed his astral vision to the source of the mental currents1 and perceived clairvoyantly the scene described in the story4 ,not having any acquaintance with any of the lost party1 it was only by reason of the mental currents of distress so sent out that his attention was attracted4 ,this is a very interesting case1 because several psychic factors are involved in it1 as ,i have just said4 ,in the following case1 there is found a connecting link of acquaintance with a person playing a prominent part in the scene1 although there was no conscious appeal to the clairvoyant1 nor conscious interest on her part regarding the case4 ,the story is well-known1 and appears in the ,proceedings of the ,society for ,psychical ,research4 ,it runs as follows3 ,mrs4 ,broughton awoke one night in #ahdd1 and roused her husband1 telling him that something dreadful had happened in ,france4 ,he begged her to go asleep again1 and not trouble him4 ,she assured him that she was not asleep when she saw what she insisted on telling him--what she saw in fact4 ,she saw1 first1 a carriage accident1 or rather1 the scene of such an accident which had occurred a few moments before4 ,what she saw was the result of the accident--a broken carriage1 a crowd collected1 a figure gently raised and carried into the nearest house1 then a figure lying on a bed1 which she recognized as the ,duke of ,orleans4 ,gradually friends collected around the bed--among them several members of the ,french royal family--the queen1 then the king1 all silently1 tearfully1 watching the evidently dying duke4 ,one man 7she could see his back1 but did not know who he was7 was a doctor4 ,he stood bending over the duke1 feeling his pulse1 with his watch in the other hand4 ,and then all passed away1 and she saw no more4 ,as soon as it was daylight she wrote down in her journal all that she had seen4 ,it was before the days of the telegraph1 and two or more days passed before the newspapers announced ',the ,death of the ,duke of ,orleans4' ,visiting ,paris a short time afterwards1 she saw and recognized the place of the accident1 and received the explanation of her impression4 ,the doctor who attended the dying duke was an old friend of hers1 and as he watched by the bed his mind had been constantly occupied with her and her family4 ,in many cases of clairvoyance of this kind1 there is found to exist a strong connecting link of mutual interest or affection1 over which flows the strong attention-arousing force of need or distress1 which calls into operation the clairvoyant visioning4 ,in other cases there seems to be lacking any connecting link1 although1 even in such cases there may be a subconscious link connecting the clairvoyant with the scene or event4 ,an interesting example of this last mentioned phase is that related by ,w4,t4 ,stead1 the ,english editor and author1 as having happened to himself4 ,mr4 ,stead's recital follows3 ,i got into bed and was not able to go to sleep4 ,i shut my eyes and waited for sleep to come2 instead of sleep1 however1 there came to me a succession of curiously vivid clairvoyant pictures4 ,there was no light in the room1 and it was perfectly dark2 ,i had my eyes shut also4 ,but1 notwithstanding the darkness1 ,i suddenly was conscious of looking at a scene of singular beauty4 ,it was as if ,i saw a living miniature about the size of a magic-lantern slide4 ,at this moment ,i can recall the scene as if ,i saw it again4 ,it was a seaside piece4 ,the moon was shining upon the water1 which rippled slowly on to the beach4 ,right before me a long mole ran into the water4 ,on either side of the mole irregular rocks stood up above the sea-level4 ,on the shore stood several houses1 square and rude1 which resembled nothing that ,i had ever seen in house architecture4 ,no one was stirring1 but the moon was there and the sea and the gleam of the moonlight on the rippling waters1 just as if ,i had been looking on the actual scene4 ,it was so beautiful that ,i remember thinking that if it continued ,i should be so interested in looking at it that ,i should never go asleep4 ,i was wide awake1 and at the same time that ,i saw the scene ,i distinctly heard the dripping of the rain outside the window4 ,then1 suddenly without any apparent object or reason1 the scene changed4 ,the moonlight sea vanished1 and in us place ,i was looking right into the interior of a reading-room4 ,it seemed as if it had been used as a school-room in the daytime1 and was employed as a reading-room in the evening4 ,i remember seeing one reader who had a curious resemblance to ,tim ,harrington1 although it was not he1 hold up a magazine or book in his hand and laugh4 ,it was not a picture--it was there4 ,the scene was just as if you were looking through an opera glass2 you saw the play of the muscles1 the gleaming of the eye1 every movement of the unknown persons in the unnamed place into which you were gazing4 ,i saw all that without opening my eyes1 nor did my eyes have anything to do with it4 ,you see such things as these as if it were with another sense which is more inside your head than in your eyes4 ,the pictures were apropos of nothing2 they had been suggested by nothing ,i had been reading or talking of2 they simply came as if ,i had been able to look through a glass at what was occurring somewhere else in the world4 ,i had my peep1 and then it passed4 ,an interesting case of space clairvoyance is that related of ,swedenborg1 on the best authority4 ,the story runs that in the latter part of ,september1 #agei1 at four o'clock one ,saturday afternoon1 ,swedenborg arrived home from ,england1 and disembarked at the town of ,gothenburg4 ,a friend1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,castel1 met him and invited him to dinner1 at which meal there were fifteen persons gathered around the table in honor of the guest4 ,at six o'clock1 ,swedenborg went out a few minutes1 returning to the table shortly thereafter1 looking pale and excited4 ,when questioned by the guests he replied that there was a fire at ,stockholm1 two hundred miles distant1 and that the fire was steadily spreading4 ,he grew very restless1 and frequently left the room4 ,he said that the house of one of his friends1 whose name he mentioned1 was already in ashes1 and that his own was in danger4 ,at eight o'clock1 after he had been out again1 he returned crying out cheerfully1 ,thank heaven6 the fire is out1 the third door from my house6 ,the news of the strange happening greatly excited the people of the town1 and the city officials made inquiry regarding it4 ,swedenborg was summoned before the authorities1 and requested to relate in detail what he had seen4 ,answering the questions put to him1 he told when and how the fire started2 how it had begun2 how1 when and where it had stopped2 the time it had lasted2 the number of houses destroyed or damaged1 and the number of persons injured4 ,on the following ,monday morning a courier arrived from ,stockholm1 bringing news of the fire1 having left the town while it was still burning4 ,on the next day after1 ,tuesday morning1 another courier arrived at the city hall with a full report of the fire1 which corresponded precisely with the vision of ,swedenborg4 ,the fire had stopped precisely at eight o'clock1 the very minute that ,swedenborg had so announced it to the company4 ,a similar case is related by ,stead1 having been told to him by the wife of a ,dean in the ,episcopal ,church4 ,he relates it as follows3 ,i was staying in ,virginia1 some hundred miles away from home1 when one morning about eleven o'clock ,i felt an overpowering sleepiness1 which drowsiness was quite unusual1 and which caused me to lie down4 ,in my sleep ,i saw quite distinctly my home in ,richmond in flames4 ,the fire had broken out in one wing of the house1 which ,i saw with dismay was where ,i kept all my best dresses4 ,the people were all trying to check the flames1 but it was no use4 ,my husband was there1 walking about before the burning house1 carrying a portrait in his hand4 ,everything was quite clear and distinct1 exactly as if ,i had actually been present and seen everything4 ,after a time1 ,i woke up1 and going down stairs told my friends the strange dream ,i had had4 ,they laughed at me1 and made such game of my vision that ,i did my best to think no more about it4 ,i was traveling about1 a day or two passed1 and when ,sunday came ,i found myself in a church where some relatives were worshipping4 ,when ,i entered the pew they looked very strange1 and as soon as the service was over ,i asked them what was the matter4 ',don't be alarmed1' they said1 'there is nothing serious4' ,then they handed me a post-card from my husband which simply said1 ',house burned out2 covered by insurance4' ,the day was the date upon which my dream occurred4 ,i hastened home1 and then ,i learned that everything had happened exactly as ,i had seen it4 ,the fire had broken out in the wing ,i had seen blazing4 ,my clothes were all burned1 and the oddest thing about it was that my husband1 having rescued a favorite picture from the burning building1 had carried it about among the crowd for some time before he could find a place in which to put it safely4 ,another case1 related by ,stead1 the same authority1 runs as follows3 ,the father of a son who had sailed on the ',strathmore1' an emigrant ship outbound from the ,clyde saw one night the ship foundering amid the waves1 and saw that his son1 with some others1 had escaped safely to a desert island near which the wreck had taken place4 ,he was so much impressed by this vision that he wrote to the owner of the ',strathmore' telling him what he had seen4 ,his information was scouted2 but after a while the ',strathmore' became overdue1 and the owner became uneasy4 ,day followed day1 and still no tidings of the missing ship4 ,then like ,pharaoh's butler1 the owner remembered his sins one day1 and hunted up the letter describing the vision4 ,it supplied at least a theory to account for the ship's disappearance4 ,all outward-bound ships were requested to look out for any survivors on the island indicated in the vision4 ,these orders were obeyed1 and the survivors of the ',strathmore' were found exactly where the father had seen them4 ,the ,society for ,psychical ,research mentions another interesting case1 as follows3 ,dr4 ,golinski1 a physician of ,kremeutchug1 ,russia1 was taking an after-dinner nap in the afternoon1 about half-past three o'clock4 ,he had a vision in which he saw himself called out on a professional visit1 which took him to a little room with dark hangings4 ,to the right of the door he saw a chest of drawers1 upon which rested a little paraffine lamp of special pattern1 different from anything he had ever seen before4 ,on the left of the door1 he saw a woman suffering from a severe hemorrhage4 ,he then saw himself giving her professional treatment4 ,then he awoke1 suddenly1 and saw that it was just half-past four o'clock4 ,within ten minutes after he awoke1 he was called out on a professional visit1 and on entering the bedroom he saw all the details that had appeared to him in his vision4 ,there was the chest of drawers--there was the peculiar lamp--there was the woman on the bed1 suffering from the hemorrhage4 ,upon inquiry1 he found that she had grown worse between three and four o'clock1 and had anxiously desired that he come to her about that time1 finally dispatching a messenger for him at half-past four1 the moment at which he awoke4 ,another1 and a most peculiar1 phase of space clairvoyance is that in which certain persons so awaken the astral senses of other persons that these persons perceive the first person--usually in the form of seemingly seeing the person present in the immediate vicinity1 just as one would see a ghostly visitor4 ,in some cases there is manifested double-clairvoyance1 both persons visioning clairvoyantly2 in other cases1 only the person visited astrally senses the occurrence4 ,the following cases illustrate this form of space clairvoyance4 ,w4,t4 ,stead relates the case of a lady well known to him1 who spontaneously developed the power of awakening astral perception in others4 ,she seemed to materialize in their presence4 ,her power in this direction became a source of considerable anxiety and worry to her friends to whom she would pay unexpected and involuntary visits1 frightening them out of their wits by the appearance of her ghost4 ,they naturally thought that she had died suddenly and had appeared to them in ghostly form4 ,the lady1 her self1 was totally unconscious of the appearance1 though she admitted that at or about the times of the appearances she had been thinking of her friends whom she visited astrally4 ,the ,german writer1 ,jung ,stilling1 mentions the case of a man of good character who had developed power of this kind1 but also was conscious of his visits4 ,he exerted the power consciously by an effort of will1 it seems4 ,at one time he was consulted by the wife of a sea captain whose husband was on a long voyage to ,europe and ,asia 7sailing from ,america74 ,his ship was long overdue1 and his wife was quite worried about him4 ,she consulted the gentleman in question1 and he promised to do what he could for her4 ,leaving the room he threw himself on a couch and was seen by the lady 7who peered through the half-opened door7 to be in a state of semi-trance4 ,finally he returned and told her that he had visited her husband in a coffee-house in ,london1 and gave her husband's reasons for not writing1 adding that her husband would soon return to ,america4 ,when her husband returned several months later1 the wife asked him about the matter4 ,he informed her that the clairvoyant's report was correct in every particular4 ,upon being introduced to the clairvoyant1 the captain manifested great surprise1 saying that he had met the man in question on a certain day in a coffee-house in ,london1 and that the man had told him that his wife was worried about him1 and that he had told the man that he had been prevented from writing for several reasons1 and that he was on the eve of beginning his return voyage to ,america4 ,he added that when he looked for the man a few moments afterwards1 the stranger had apparently lost himself in the crowd1 disappeared and was seen no more by him4 ,the ,society for ,psychical ,research gives prominence to the celebrated case of the member of the ,london ,stock ,exchange1 whose identity it conceals under the initials ,s4,h4,b41 who possessed this power of voluntary awakening of astral sight in others by means of his appearance to them4 ,the man relates his experience to the ,society as follows3 ,one ,sunday night in ,november1 #ahha1 ,i was in ,kildare ,gardens1 when ,i willed very strongly that ,i would visit in the spirit two lady friends1 the ,misses ,x41 who were living three miles off1 in ,hogarth ,road4 ,i willed that ,i should do this at one o'clock in the morning1 and having willed it1 ,i went to sleep4 ,next ,thursday1 when ,i first met my friends1 the elder lady told me that she woke up and saw my apparition advancing to her bedside4 ,she screamed and woke her sisters1 who also saw me4 7,the report includes the signed statement of the ladies1 giving the time of the appearance1 and the details thereof47 ,again1 on ,december #a1 #ahhb1 ,i was at ,southall4 ,at half-past nine ,i sat down to endeavor to fix my mind so strongly upon the interior of a house at ,kew1 where ,miss ,v4 and her sister lived1 that ,i seemed to be actually in the house4 ,i was conscious1 but was in a kind of mesmeric sleep4 ,when ,i went to bed that night1 ,i willed to be in the front bedroom of that house at ,kew at twelve2 and to make my presence felt by the inmates4 ,next day ,i went to ,kew4 ,miss ,v4's married sister told me1 without any prompting from me1 that she had seen me in the passage going from one room to another at half-past nine o'clock1 and that at twelve1 when she was wide awake1 she saw me come to the front bedroom1 where she slept1 and take her hair1 which is very long1 into my hand4 ,she said ,i then took her hand1 and gazed into the palm intently4 ,she said1 ',you need not look at the lines1 for ,i never have any trouble4' ,she then woke her sister4 ,when ,mrs4 ,l4 told me this1 ,i took out the entry that ,i had made the previous night and read it to her4 ,mrs4 ,l4 is quite sure she was not dreaming4 ,she had only seen me once before1 two years previously4 ,again1 on ,march #bb1 #ahhd1 ,i wrote to ,mr4 ,gurney1 of the ,psychical ,research ,society1 telling him that ,i was going to make my presence felt by ,miss ,v41 at #dd ,norland ,square1 at midnight4 ,ten days afterwards1 ,i saw ,miss ,v41 when she voluntarily told me that on ,saturday at midnight1 she distinctly saw me1 when she was quite wide awake4 ,the records of the psychic researchers are filled with numerous accounts of cases in which similar astral projections have occurred when the person was on his or her death-bed1 but was still alive4 ,it would seem that under such circumstances the astral senses are very much freer from the interference of the physical senses1 and tend to manifest very strongly in the form of appearances to persons in whom the dying person is attached by the ties of affection4 ,many who read this course have known of cases of this kind1 for they are of quite frequent occurrence4 ,the student will notice that in the majority of the cases cited in this chapter the clairvoyant has been in a state of sleep1 or semi-sleep--often in a dream condition4 ,but you must not jump to the conclusion that this condition is always necessary for the manifestation of this phenomenon4 ,on the contrary1 the advanced and well developed clairvoyants usually assume merely a condition of deep reverie or meditation1 shutting out the sounds and thoughts of the physical plane1 so as to be able to function better on the astral plane4 ,the reason that so many recorded cases have occurred when the clairvoyant person was asleep1 and the vision appeared as a dream1 is simply because in such a condition the physical senses of the person are stilled and at rest1 and there is less likelihood of interference from them1 and a better opportunity for the astral senses to function effectively4 ,it is like the familiar cases in which one becomes so wrapped up in viewing a beautiful work of art1 or in listening to a beautiful musical rendition1 that he or she forgets all about the sights and sounds of the world outside4 ,one sometimes gets into this same condition when reading an interesting book1 or when witnessing an interesting play4 ,when the psychic powers are concentrated upon any one channel of vision1 the others fail to register a clear impression4 ,the same rule holds good on the astral plane1 as on the physical4 ,there are certain psychic conditions which are especially conducive to the manifestation of clairvoyant phenomena1 as all students of the subject know very well4 ,these conditions are somewhat hard to induce1 at least until the clairvoyant has had considerable experience and practice4 ,but1 in the state of sleep1 the person induces the desired conditions1 in many cases1 though he is not consciously doing so4 ,as might naturally be expected1 therefore1 the majority of the recorded cases of clairvoyance have occurred when the clairvoyant person has been asleep4 ,i should also state1 once more1 that in many cases in which the clairvoyant has witnessed the appearance of another person1 as in the cases such as ,i have just mentioned1 there is always the possibility of the person having actually appeared in his astral body1 unconsciously to himself of course4 ,no one but a skilled occultist is able to distinguish between cases of this kind4 ,the line between this class of clairvoyance and astral appearance is very thin1 and1 in fact1 the two classes of phenomena shade and blend into each other4 ,in reality1 when one gets down to bottom principles1 there is very little difference between the actual appearance in the astral body1 and the strong projection of one's presence by means of will1 conscious or unconscious1 along the lines of awakening the clairvoyant vision of others4 ,to attempt to explain the slight points of difference here1 would only involve the student in a mass of technical description which would tend to confuse1 rather than to enlighten him--from this ,i refrain4 ,,lesson ,,xi4 ,,clairvoyance ,,of ,,the ,,past ,the third great class of clairvoyant phenomena1 known as ,time ,clairvoyance1 is divided into two sub-classes1 as follows3 7#a7 ,past-,time ,clairvoyance2 and 7#b7 ,future-,time ,clairvoyance4 ,the characteristics of each of these sub-classes is indicated by its name4 ,past-,time ,clairvoyance1 as indicated by the name1 is that class of clairvoyant phenomena which is concerned with the perception of facts1 events and happenings of past time4 ,whether the happening is that of five minutes ago1 or of five thousand years ago1 the principles involved are precisely the same4 ,one is no more or less wonderful than is the other4 ,many students confess themselves perplexed when they are first confronted with this class of phenomena4 ,while they find it comparatively easy to see how by astral vision the clairvoyant is able to sense events happening at that moment1 though thousands of miles away from the observer1 they cannot at first understand how one can see a thing no longer in existence1 but which disappeared from sight thousands of years ago4 ,naturally1 they ask to be informed how this is possible1 before proceeding to develop the faculty itself4 ,believing that this question is now being asked by you1 the student of these lessons1 ,i shall pause for a few moments and show you just how this wonderful thing becomes possible to the clairvoyant4 ,in the first place1 it would undoubtedly be impossible to perceive a thing1 even by astral vision1 if it had entirely disappeared at some time in the past--this would be beyond all natural powers1 astral as well as physical4 ,but1 as a matter of fact1 the things of the past have not entirely disappeared1 but1 on the contrary1 while having disappeared on the physical plane they still exist on the astral plane4 ,i shall endeavor to explain this wonderful fact of nature to you in plain terms1 although it belongs to one of the most mysterious classes of the occult facts of the universe4 ,in the occult teachings we find many references to the ,akashic ,records1 or what is sometimes called the records of the ,astral ,light4 ,without going into technical occult definitions and explanations1 ,i will say to you that the gist of this occult teaching is that in that high form of the universal substance which is called the ,universal ,ether there is found to be recorded all the happenings of the entire ,world ,cycle of which the present time is a part4 ,all that has happened from the very beginning of this ,world ,cycle1 millions of years ago1 is preserved on these astral records1 and may be read by the advanced clairvoyant or other person possessing occult powers of this kind4 ,these records perish only with the termination of a ,world ,cycle1 which will not happen for millions of years yet to come4 ,to those who cannot accept the reasonableness of this occult fact1 ,i would say that there are analogies to be found on other planes of natural manifestation4 ,for instance1 as astronomy teaches us1 a star may be blotted out of existence1 and yet its light will persist long after 7perhaps until the end of world-time7 traveling along at the rate of #ahf1jjj miles each second4 ,the light that we now see coming from the distant stars has left those stars many years ago--in some cases thousands of years ago4 ,we see them not as they are now1 but as they were at the time the ray of light left them1 many years ago2 ,the astronomers inform us that if one of these stars had been 99,transcribers ,note3 ,text missing from original sands7 of years ago1 we would still see it as in actual existence4 ,in fact1 it is believed that some of these stars which we see twinkling at night have actually been blotted out hundreds of years ago4 ,we will not be aware of this fact until the light rays suddenly cease reaching us1 after their journey of billions of miles and hundreds of years4 ,a star blotted out of existence today would be seen by our children1 and children's children4 ,the heat from a stove will be felt in a room long after the stove has been removed from it4 ,a room will long contain the odor of something that has been removed from it4 ,it is said that in one of the old mosques of ,persia there may be perceived the faint odor of the musk that was exposed there hundreds of years ago--the very walls are saturated with the pungent odor4 ,again1 is it not wonderful that our memories preserve the images of the sounds and forms which were placed there perhaps fifty years and more ago8 ,how do these memory images survive and exist8 ,though we may have thought of the past thing for half a lifetime1 yet1 suddenly its image flashes into our consciousness4 ,surely this is as wonderful as the ,akashic ,records1 though its commonness makes it lose its wonderful appearance to us4 ,camille ,flammarion1 the eminent ,french astronomer1 in a book written over twenty-five years ago1 and which is now out of print1 ,i believe1 pictured a possible condition of affairs in which a disembodied soul would be able to perceive events that happened in the past1 by simply taking a position in space in which he would be able to catch the light-waves that emanated from a distant planet at that particular time in the past the happenings of which he wanted to perceive4 ,the little book was called ,lumen--,i advise you to read it1 if you can find it in your public libraries4 ,another writer has written somewhat along the same lines4 ,i herewith give you a quotation from him1 that you may get the idea he wishes to express--it will help you in your conception of the ,akashic ,records4 ,he says3 ,when we see anything1 whether it be the book we hold in our hands1 or a star millions of miles away1 we do so by means of a vibration in the ether1 commonly called a ray of light1 which passes from the object seen to our eyes4 ,now the speed with which this vibration passes is so great--about #ahf1jjj miles in a second--that when we are considering any object in our own world we may regard it as practically instantaneous4 ,when1 however1 we come to deal with interplanetary distances we have to take the speed of light into consideration1 for an appreciable period is occupied in traversing these vast spaces4 ,for example1 it takes eight minutes and a quarter for light to travel to us from the sun1 so that when we look at the solar orb we see it by means of a ray of light which left it more than eight minutes ago4 ,from this follows a very curious result4 ,the ray of light by which we see the sun can obviously report to us only the state of affairs' which existed in that luminary when it started on its journey1 and would not be in the least affected by anything that happened after it left2 so that we really see the sun not as it is1 but as it was eight minutes ago4 ,that is to say that if anything important took place in the sun--the formation of a new sun-spot1 for instance--an astronomer who was watching the orb through his telescope at the time would be unaware of the incident while it was happening1 since the ray of light bearing the news would not reach him until more than eight minutes later4 ,the difference is more striking when we consider the fixed stars1 because in their case the distances are so enormously greater4 ,the pole star1 for example1 is so far off that light1 traveling at the inconceivable speed above mentioned1 takes a little more than fifty years to reach our eyes2 and from that follows the strange but inevitable inference that we see the pole star not as or where it is at this moment1 but as and where it was fifty years ago4 ,nay1 if tomorrow some cosmic catastrophe were to shatter the pole star into fragments1 we should still see it peacefully shining in the sky all the rest of our lives2 our children would grow up to middle-age and gather their children about them in turn before the news of that tremendous accident reached any terrestial eye4 ,in the same way there are other stars so far distant that light takes thousands of years to travel from them to us1 and with reference to their condition our information is therefore thousands of years behind time4 ,now carry the argument a step farther4 ,suppose that we were able to place a man at the distance of #ahf1jjj miles from the earth1 and yet to endow him with the wonderful faculty of being able from that distance to see what was happening here as clearly as though he were still close beside us4 ,it is evident that a man so placed would see everything a second after the time it really happened1 and so at the present moment he would be seeing what happened a second ago4 ,double that distance1 and he would be two seconds behind time1 and so on2 remove him to the distance of the sun 7still allowing him to preserve the same mysterious power of sight7 and he would look down and watch you doing not what you are doing now1 but what you were doing eight minutes and a quarter ago4 ,carry him to the pole star1 and he would see passing before his eyes the events of fifty years ago2 he would be watching the childish gambols of those who at the same moment were really middle-aged men4 ,marvellous as this may sound1 it is literally and scientifically true1 and cannot be denied4 ,flammarion1 in his story1 called ,lumen1 makes his spirit hero pass at will along the ray of light from the earth1 seeing the things of different eras of earth-time4 ,he even made him travel backward along that ray1 thus seeing the happenings in reverse order1 as in a moving picture running backward4 ,this story is of the greatest interest to the occultist1 for while the ,akashic ,records are not the same as the light records1 yet the analogy is so marked in many ways that the occultist sees here another exemplification of the old occult axiom that as above1 so below2 as below1 so above4 ,i take the liberty of quoting here from my little book1 ,the ,astral ,world1 in order to give you some further idea of the nature of these records in the ,astral ,light4 ,the reader is supposed to be travelling in his astral body1 having the phenomena of the astral pointed out to him by a competent occultist acting as his guide4 ,the occultist-guide says to the student3 ,changing our vibrations1 we find ourselves entering a strange region1 the nature of which you at first fail to discern4 ,pausing a moment until your astral vision becomes attuned to the peculiar vibrations of this region1 you will find that you are becoming gradually aware of what may be called an immense picture gallery1 spreading out in all directions1 and apparently bearing a direct relation to every point of space on the surface of the earth4 ,at first1 you find it difficult to decipher the meaning of this great array of pictures4 ,the trouble arises from the fact that they are arranged not one after the other in sequence on a flat plane2 but rather in sequence1 one after another1 in a peculiar order which may be called the order of ',x-ness in space1' because it is neither the dimension of length1 breadth1 or depth--it is practically the order of the fourth dimension in space1 which cannot be described in terms of ordinary spatial dimension4 ,again1 you find upon closely examining the pictures that they are very minute--practically microscopic in size--and require the use of the peculiar magnifying power of astral vision to bring them up to a size capable of being recognized by your faculty of visual recognition4 ,the astral vision1 when developed1 is capable of magnifying any object1 material or astral1 to an enormous degree--for instance1 the trained occultist is able to perceive the whirling atoms and corpuscles of matter1 by means of this peculiarity of astral vision4 ,likewise1 he is able to plainly perceive many fine vibrations of light which are invisible to the ordinary sight4 ,in fact1 the peculiar ,astral ,light which pervades this region is due to the power of the astral vision to perceive and register these fine vibrations of light4 ,bring this power of magnifying into operation1 and you will see that each of the little points and details of the great world picture so spread before you in the ,astral ,light is really a complete scene of a certain place on earth1 at a certain period in the history of the earth4 ,it resembles one of the small views in a series of moving pictures--a single view of a roll-film4 ,it is fixed1 and not in motion1 and yet we can move forward along the fourth dimension1 and thus obtain a moving picture of the history of any point on the surface of the earth1 or even combine the various points into a large moving picture1 in the same way4 ,let us prove this by actual experiment4 ,close your eyes for a moment1 while we travel back in time 7so to speak7 along the series of these astral records--for1 indeed1 they travel back to the beginning of the history of the earth4 ,now open your eyes6 ,looking around you1 you perceive the pictured representation of strange scenes filled with persons wearing a peculiar garb--but all is still1 no life1 no motion4 ,now1 let us move forward in time1 at much higher rate than that in which the astral views were registered4 ,you now see flying before you the great movement of life on a certain point of space1 in a far distant age4 ,from birth to death you see the life of these strange people1 all in the space of a few moments4 ,great battles are fought1 and cities rise before your eyes1 all in a great moving picture flying at a tremendous speed4 ,now stop1 and then let us move backward in time1 still gazing at the moving pictures4 ,you see a strange sight1 like that of 'reversing the film' in a moving picture4 ,you see everything moving backward--cities crumbling into nothingness1 men arising from their graves1 and growing younger each second until they are finally born as babes--everything moving backward in time1 instead of forward4 ,you can thus witness any great historical event1 or follow the career of any great personage from birth to death--or backward4 ,you will notice1 moreover1 that everything is semi-transparent1 and that accordingly you can see the picture of what is going on inside of buildings as well as outside of them4 ,nothing escapes the ,astral ,light ,records4 ,nothing can be concealed from it4 ,by traveling to any point in time1 on the fourth dimension1 you may begin at that point1 and see a moving picture of the history of any part of the earth from that time to the present--or you may reverse the sequence by travelling backward1 as we have seen4 ,you may also travel in the ,astral1 on ordinary space dimensions1 and thus see what happened simultaneously all over the earth1 at any special moment of past-time1 if you wish4 ,now1 ,i do not for a moment wish you to understand that the above experience is possible to every clairvoyant who is able to sense past-time events and happenings4 ,on the contrary1 the above experience is possible only to the advanced occultist1 or to the student whom he may take with him on an astral trip1 in the astral body4 ,the clairvoyant merely catches glimpses of certain phases and fields of the great astral record region or state4 ,for that matter1 the ordinary clairvoyant merely sees a reflection of the true ,astral-,light pictures--a reflection similar to that of a landscape reflected in a pond4 ,moreover1 this reflection may be 7and frequently is7 disturbed as if by the ripples and waves of the pond in which the landscape is reflected4 ,but1 still1 even the ordinary clairvoyant is able to secure results which are wonderful enough in all truth1 and which far transcend the power of the person functioning on the physical plane alone4 ,past-time clairvoyance is frequently induced by means of psychometry1 in which the clairvoyant is able to have the loose end to unwind the ball of time4 ,but1 still1 in some cases the clairvoyant is able to get en rapport with the astral records of past-time by the ordinary methods of meditation1 etc4 ,the main obstacle in the last mentioned case is the difficulty of coming in contact with the exact period of past-time sought for--in psychometry1 the vibrations of the associated object supplies the missing-link4 ,lacking the associated object1 the clairvoyant may obtain the link by bringing into the imagination some associated scene of that time--something else that happened about the same time4 ,all that is needed is to get hold of something associated in space or in time with the sought for scene4 ,all that is needed is the loose end of association4 ,sometimes the clairvoyant senses some past-time experience1 the place and time of which is unknown to him4 ,in such cases1 it is necessary for him to get hold of some loose end by which he may work out the solution4 ,for instance1 the picture of a certain building or personage1 or historical happening1 may give the key to the mystery4 ,in very high forms of past-time clairvoyance1 the clairvoyant is able not only to perceive the actual happenings of the past1 but also to actually sense the thought and feelings of the actors therein--for these1 too1 are recorded on the astral plane4 ,in other cases1 the clairvoyant person is able to picture scenes and happenings relating to his past incarnations1 even though he is not able to sense other past-time events and scenes4 ,but1 here again1 many good past-time clairvoyants are not able to catch these glimpses of their own past lives1 though able to perceive those of other persons4 ,all these variations are due to certain technical differences into which ,i cannot go into detail at this place4 ,again some persons are able to perceive events that have happened to persons present before them1 but are not able to contact past-time events in the ordinary way4 ,there are a thousand-and-one variations in clairvoyant work4 ,only the highly advanced occultist is master of all of them4 ,but1 still every one may develop himself or herself1 from humble beginnings4 ,in concluding this lesson1 ,i wish to call your attention to the following advice from a man well advanced in the knowledge of the astral plane4 ,he says3 ,it would be well for all students to bear in mind that occultism is the apotheosis of common-sense1 and that every vision that comes to them is not necessarily a picture from the ,akashic ,records1 nor every experience a revelation from on high4 ,it is far better to err on the side of healthy skepticism1 than of over-credulity1 and it is an admirable rule never to hunt about for an occult explanation of anything when a plain and obvious physical one is available4 ,our duty is to endeaveor to keep our balance always1 and never to lose our self-control1 but to take a reasonable1 common-sense view of whatever may happen to us1 so that we may be wiser occultists1 and more useful helpers than we have ever been before4 ,we find examples of all degrees of the power to see into this 'memory of nature1' from the trained man who can consult the records for himself at will1 down to the person who gets nothing but occasional vague glimpses1 or has perhaps had only once such glimpse4 ,but even the man who possesses this faculty only partially and occasionally still finds it of the deepest interest4 ,the psychometer1 who needs an object physically connected with the past in order to bring it all into life again around him2 and the crystal-gazer who can sometimes direct his less certain astral telescope to some historic scene of long ago1 may both derive the greatest enjoyment from the exercise of their respective gifts1 even though they may not always understand exactly how their results are obtained1 and may not have them fully under control under all circumstances4 ,in many cases of the lower manifestations of these powers we find that they are exercised unconsciously4 ,many a crystal-gazer watches scenes from the past without being able to distinguish them from visions of the present4 ,and many a vaguely-psychic person finds pictures constantly arising before his eyes1 without ever realizing that he is in effect psychometrizing the various objects around him1 as he happens to touch them or stand near them4 ,an interesting variant of this class of psychics is the man who is able to psychometrize persons only1 and not inanimate objects as is more usual4 ,in most cases this faculty shows itself erratically1 so that such a psychic will1 when introduced to a stranger1 often see in a flash some prominent event in that stranger's earlier life1 but on similar occasions will receive no special impression4 ,more rarely we meet with someone who gets detailed visions of the past life of nearly everyone whom he encounters4 ,it may easily happen1 moreover1 that a person may see a picture of the past without recognizing it as such1 unless there happens to be in it something which attracts special attention1 such as a figure in armor1 or in antique costume4 ,its probable1 therefore1 that occasional glimpses of these astral reflections of the akashic records are commoner than the published accounts would lead us to believe4 ,i would say to my students1 make haste slowly4 ,do not try to rush development too rapidly4 ,perfect and develop yourself in one line of psychic power1 before seeking another4 ,take things cooly1 and do not lose your head because you happen to achieve some wonderful phenomena4 ,do not become conceited and vain-glorious4 ,and1 finally1 do not prostitute your powers to ignoble ends1 and make a cheap show of them4 ,by cheapening and prostituting the higher psychic powers1 the student frequently ends by losing them altogether4 ,moderation in all things is the safe policy4 ,and it always is well for the occultist to resist temptation to use his powers for unworthy1 sensational1 or purely selfish purposes4 ,,lesson ,,xii4 ,,clairvoyance ,,of ,,the ,,future ,future-,time ,clairvoyance1 as indicated by its name1 is that class of clairvoyant phenomena which is concerned with the perception of facts1 events and happenings of future time4 ,in this class of clairvoyant phenomena naturally fall all genuine cases of prophecy1 prevision1 foretelling1 second-sight1 etc4 ,history1 theological and secular1 is filled with instances of the foretelling of the future by prophets1 wise men1 and others4 ,by many1 such powers are generally regarded as supernatural or divine4 ,without wishing to combat such theories and beliefs1 ,i would say that the advanced occultists account for all such phenomena under the general laws of clairvoyance4 ,but while the phenomena itself is very well known1 and is accepted as genuine in even many cases in which past-time clairvoyance is doubted1 still it is even more difficult to explain than is past-time clairvoyance based on the ,akashic ,records or the ,astral ,light4 ,to the person not well versed in occult knowledge1 and esoteric principles1 it is deemed impossible to intelligently account for the perception of an event before it has actually happened--perhaps years before its actual happening4 ,while ,i cannot hope to make this matter absolutely clear to the person who is not an advanced student of occultism1 still ,i shall try to throw at least some light on the underlying principles of this wonderful class of occult phenomena4 ,the main point for the student to realize is that there are natural laws underlying this phenomenon1 and that it is not a matter of supernatural power1 or necessarily of divine special dispensation4 ,in the first place1 in some of the simpler forms of future-time clairvoyance1 there is merely a high development of subconscious reasoning from analogy4 ,that is to say1 the subconscious mental faculties of the person reason out that such-and-so being the case1 then it follows that so-and-so will result1 unless something entirely unexpected should prevent or intervene4 ,this is merely an extension of certain forms of reasoning that we perform ordinarily4 ,for instance1 we see a child playing with a sharp tool1 and we naturally reason that it will cut itself4 ,we see a man acting in certain ways which generally lead to certain ends1 and we naturally reason that the expected result will occur4 ,the more experience that the observer has had1 and the keener his faculty of perception and his power of deductive reasoning1 the wider will be the range of his power in the direction of predicting future results from present happenings and conditions4 ,in this connection1 we must remember that the ordinary clairvoyant has easier access to his subconscious mentality than has the average person4 ,the subconscious mind perceives and notes many little things that the conscious mind overlooks1 and therefore has better data from which to reason4 ,moreover1 as all students of the subconscious know1 these wonderful subconscious mental factulties have a very highly developed power of reasoning deductively from a given premise or fact4 ,in fact1 the subconscious faculties are almost perfect reasoning machines1 providing they are supplied with correct data in the first place4 ,much of the so-called intuitive reasoning of persons arises from the operations of the subconscious mental faculties just mentioned4 ,but1 you may say1 this is very interesting1 but it is not clairvoyance4 ,certainly1 good student1 but still clairvoyance plays an important part even in this elementary form of prevision and future-seeing4 ,you must remember that by clairvoyant vision the real thoughts and feelings of a person may be perceived4 ,but1 unless the attention of the clairvoyant is specially directed to this1 the conscious mind does not note it1 and the matter reaches the subconscious faculties without interference or conscious knowledge on the part of the clairvoyant4 ,this being so1 it will be seen that the subconscious mind of the clairvoyant is able to reason deductively1 in such cases1 far beyond the power of even the subconscious mind of the ordinary person--it has fuller data and more complete material to work upon1 of course4 ,it has become a proverb of the race that coming events cast their shadows before2 and many persons frequently have little flashes of future-time seeing without realizing that they are really exercising elementary clairvoyant powers4 ,the combination of even a simple form of clairvoyance and an active subconscious mind will often produce very wonderful results--although not of course the more complex phenomena of full clairvoyance and prevision4 ,some persons have claimed that even this form of prevision implies something like fate or predestination1 but this is not fully true1 for we must remember the fact that in some cases it is possible to so act in accordance with a clairvoyant warning of this kind that the impending calamity may be escaped4 ,but1 on the other hand1 we must also remember that every event is the result of certain preceding events1 without which it could not have happened1 and which existing it must happen unless some new element intervenes4 ,there is such a thing as cause and effect1 we must remember--and if we can reason clearly from one to the other with sufficient clearness1 then we may actually prophesy certain things in advance1 always making allowance for the intervention of the unexpected4 ,an authority says on this phase of the question3 ,there is no doubt whatever that1 just as what is happening now is the result of causes set in motion in the past1 so what will happen in the future will be the result of causes already in operation4 ,even on this plane of life we can calculate that if certain actions are performed1 certain results will follow2 but our reckoning is constantly liable to be disturbed by the interference of factors which we have not been able to take into account4 ,but if we raise our consciousness to the higher planes we can see much further into the results of our actions4 ,we can trace1 for example1 the effect of a casual word1 not only upon the person to whom it was addressed1 but through him on many others as it is passed on in widening circles1 until it seems to have affected the whole country2 and one glimpse of such a vision is more efficient than any number of moral precepts in impressing upon us the necessity of extreme circumspection in thought1 word1 and deed4 ,not only can we from that plane see thus fully the result of every action1 but we can also see where and in what way the results of other actions apparently quite unconnected with it will interfere with and modify it4 ,in fact1 it may be said that the results of all causes at present in action are clearly visible--that the future1 as it would be if no entirely new causes should arise1 lies open before our gaze4 ,new causes of course do arise1 because man's will is free2 but in the case of all ordinary people the use which they make of their freedom may be calculated beforehand with considerable accuracy4 ,the average man has so little real will that he is very much the creature of circumstances2 his action in previous lives places him amid certain surroundings1 and their influence upon him is so very much the most important factor in his life-story that his future course may be predicted with almost mathematical certainty4 ,with the developed man the case is different2 for him also the main events of life are arranged by his past actions1 but the way in which he will allow them to affect him1 the methods by which he will deal with them and perhaps triumph over them--these are all his own1 and they cannot be foreseen even on the mental plane except as probabilities4 ,looking down on man's life in this way from above1 it seems as though his free will could be exercised only in certain crises in his career4 ,he arrives at a point in his life where there are obviously two or three alternative courses open before him2 he is absolutely free to choose which of them he pleases1 and although someone who knew his nature thoroughly well might feel almost certain what his choice would be1 such knowledge on his friend's part is in no sense a compelling force4 ,but when he has chosen1 he has to go through with it and take the consequences2 having entered upon a particular path he may1 in many cases1 be forced to go on for a very long time before he has any opportunity to turn aside4 ,his position is somewhat like that of a driver of a train2 when he comes to a junction he may have the points set either this way or that1 and so can pass on to whichever line he pleases1 but when he has passed on to one of them he is compelled to run on along the line which he has selected until he reaches another set of points1 where again an opportunity of choice is offered to him4 ,but1 interesting and wonderful as this phase of future-time clairvoyance undoubtedly is1 it pales before the fuller and more complete phases4 ,and1 in the latter1 we must look elsewhere for the explanation--or approach to an explanation4 ,the explanation of this higher form of future-time clairvoyance must be looked for in a new conception of the nature and meaning of time4 ,it is difficult to approach this question without becoming at once involved in technical metaphysical discussion4 ,as an example of this difficulty1 ,i invite you to consider the following from ,sir ,oliver ,lodge1 in his address to the ,british ,association1 at ,cardiff1 several years ago4 ,while what he says is very clear to the mind of a person trained along these lines of subtle thought1 it will be almost like ,greek to the average person4 ,sir ,oliver ,lodge said3 ,a luminous and helpful idea is that time is but a relative mode of regarding things2 we progress through phenomena at a certain definite pace1 and this subjective advance we interpret in an objective manner1 as if events moved necessarily in this order and at this precise rate4 ,but that may be only one mode of regarding them4 ,the events may be in some sense of existence always1 both past and future1 and it may be we who are arriving at them1 not they which are happening4 ,the analogy of a traveller in a railway train is useful2 if he could never leave the train nor alter its pace he would probably consider the landscapes as necessarily successive and be unable to conceive their co-existence 99 99 99 ,we perceive1 therefore1 a possible fourth dimensional aspect about time1 the inexorableness of whose flow may be a natural part of our present limitations4 ,and if we once grasp the idea that past and future may be actually existing1 we can recognize that they may have a controlling influence on all present action1 and the two together may constitute the 'higher plane' or totality of things after which1 as it seems to me1 we are impelled to seek1 in connection with the directing of form or determinism1 and the action of living being consciously directed to a definite and preconceived end4 ,sir ,oliver's illustration is somewhat akin to that of a person who sees a moving-picture show for the first time1 and does not know how it is produced4 ,to him it looks as if the events of the pictured story actually were developing and happening in time1 whereas1 in reality the whole picture is existing at one time4 ,its past1 present and future is already pictured1 and may be seen by one who knows the secret and how to look for the past or future scene2 while1 to the ordinary observer1 the scene progresses in sequence1 the present being followed by something else which is at this moment in the future1 and therefore1 unknowable4 ,to the senses of the ordinary observer only the present is in existence2 while1 in fact1 the future is equally truly in existence at the same time1 although not evident to the senses of the observer4 ,think over this a little1 and let the idea sink into your mind--it may help you to understand something concerning the mystery of future-time clairvoyance1 prevision1 or second-sight4 ,time1 you know1 is far more relative than we generally conceive it4 ,it is a scientific fact that a person in the dream state may cover years of time in a dream that occupies only a few seconds of time4 ,persons have nodded and awakened immediately afterwards 7as proved by others present in the room71 and yet in that moment's time they have dreamed of long journeys to foreign lands1 great campaigns of war1 etc4 ,moreover1 a loud sound 7a pistol shot1 for instance7 which has awakened a sleeping person1 has also set into effect a dream-state train of circumstances1 constituting a long dream-state story which1 after many events and happenings1 terminated in the shot of a firing-squad--and then the man awoke4 ,now in this last mentioned case1 not only has the dreamer experienced events covering a long time1 all in the space of a second of time2 but1 also1 the very sound which terminated the dream1 also induced it from the very beginning--the last thing caused the first things to appear and proceed in sequence to the last6 ,persons under the influence of chloroform1 or laughing gas1 have similar experiences--often the first sound heard at the moment of recovering consciousness seems to be the last thing in a long dream which preceded it1 though the long dream was really caused by the final sound4 ,now1 remember1 that here not only did past1 present and future exist at the same moment of time2 but1 also1 the future caused the past and present to come into being4 ,on the physical plane1 we have analogies illustrating this fact4 ,it is said that in every acorn rests and exists1 in miniature1 the form of the future oak4 ,and1 some go so far as to say that the oak is the ultimate cause of the acorn--that the idea of the oak caused the acorn to be at all4 ,in the same way1 the idea of the man must be in the infant boy1 from the moment of birth1 and even from the moment of conception4 ,but1 let us pass on to the bold conception of the most advanced metaphysicians--they have a still more dazzling explanation1 let us listen to it4 ,these occultists and metaphysicians who have thought long and deeply upon the ultimate facts and nature of the universe1 have dared to think that there must exist some absolute consciousness--some absolute mind--which must perceive the past1 present and future of the universe as one happening2 as simultaneously and actively present at one moment of absolute time4 ,they reason that just as man may see as one happening of a moment of his time some particular event which might appear as a year to some minute form of life and mind--the microscopic creatures in a drop of water1 for instance2 so that which seems as a year1 or a hundred years1 to the mind of man may appear as the happening of a single moment of a higher scale of time to some exalted ,being or form of consciousness on a higher plane4 ,you remember that it is said that a thousand years is but as a day to the ,lord2 and the ,hindu ,vedas tell us that the creation1 duration1 and destruction of the universe1 is as but the time of the twinkling of an eye to ,brahman4 ,i shall not proceed further along this line--,i have given you a very strong hint here2 you must work it out for yourself1 if you feel so disposed4 ,but there are certain consequences arising from this ultimate universal fact1 which ,i must mention before passing on4 ,the high occult teachings hold that there is a plane of the higher astral world which may be said to carry a reflection of the ,universal ,mind--just as a lake contains a reflection of the distant mountain4 ,well1 then1 the clairvoyant vision at times is able to penetrate to the realm of that astral reflecting medium1 and see somewhat dimly what is pictured there4 ,as the future may be discerned in this reflected picture1 by the clairvoyant mind1 we see how future-seeing1 prevision1 and second-sight may be explained scientifically4 ,a writer has said3 ,on this plane1 in some manner which down here is totally inexplicable1 the past1 the present1 and the future1 are all there existing simultaneously4 ,one can only accept this fact1 for its cause lies in the faculty of that exalted plane1 and the way in which this higher faculty works is naturally quite incomprehensible to the physical brain4 ,yet now and then one may meet with a hint that seems to bring us a trifle nearer to a dim possibility of comprehension4 ,when the pupil's consciousness is fully developed upon this higher plane1 therefore1 perfect prevision is possible to him1 though he may not--nay1 he certainly will not--be able to bring the whole result of his sight through fully and in order into his physical consciousness4 ,still1 a great deal of clear foresight is obviously within his power whenever he likes to exercise it2 and even when he is not exercising it1 frequent flashes of foreknowledge come through into his ordinary life1 so that he often has an instantaneous intuition as to how things will turn out4 ,the same writer says3 ,short of perfect prevision we find that all degrees of this type of clairvoyance exist1 from the occasional vague premonitions which cannot in any true sense be called sight at all1 up to frequent and fairly complete second-sight4 ,the faculty to which this latter somewhat misleading name has been given is an extremely interesting one1 and would well repay more careful and systematic study than has hitherto been given to it4 ,it is best known to us as a not infrequent possession of the ,scottish ,highlanders1 though it is by no means confined to them4 ,occasional instances of it have appeared in almost every nation1 but it has always been commonest among mountaineers and men of lonely life4 ,with us in ,england it is often spoken of as if it were the exclusive appanage of the ,celtic race1 but in reality it has appeared among similarly situated peoples the world over1 it is stated1 for example1 to be very common among the ,westphalian peasantry4 ,sometimes the second-sight consists of a picture clearly foreshowing some coming event2 more frequently1 perhaps1 the glimpse of the future is given in some symbolical appearance4 ,it is noteworthy that the events foreseen are invariably unpleasant ones--death being the commonest of all2 ,i do not recollect a single instance in which the second-sight has shown anything which was not of the most gloomy nature4 ,it has a ghastly symbolism of its own--a symbolism of shrouds and corpse-candles1 and other funeral horrors4 ,in some cases it appears to be to a certain extent dependent upon locality1 for it is stated that inhabitants of the ,isle of ,skye who possess the faculty often lose it when they leave the island1 even though it be only to cross to the mainland4 ,the gift of such sight is sometimes hereditary in a family for generations1 but this is not an invariable rule1 for it often appears sporadically in one member of a family otherwise free from its lugubrious influence4 ,there may be still some people who deny the possibility of prevision1 but such denial simply shows their ignorance of the evidence on the subject4 ,the large number of authenticated cases leave no room for doubt as to the fact1 but many of them are of such a nature as to render a reasonable explanation by no means easy to find4 ,it is evident that the ,ego possesses a certain amount of previsional faculty1 and if the events foreseen were always of great importance1 one might suppose that an extraordinary stimulus had enabled him for that occasion only to make a clear impression of what he saw upon his lower personality4 ,no doubt that is the explanation of many of the cases in which death or grave disaster is foreseen1 but there are a large number of instances on record to which it does not seem to apply1 since the events foretold are frequently trivial and unimportant4 ,in the following chapter ,i shall present to your consideration some very remarkable cases of future-time clairvoyance1 prevision1 or second-sight2 some of these are historical cases1 and all are vouched for by the best authorities4 ,i quote these cases not merely for their own interesting features1 but also to give you an idea of how remarkable some of these instances are2 and also to give you a clear conception of the way in which this form of clairvoyance tends to manifest itself4 ,before passing on to these interesting cases1 however1 ,i wish to remind you that in future-time clairvoyance1 as well as in past-time clairvoyance1 the phenomenon may be manifested in many ways and according to several methods4 ,that is to say1 that in future-time clairvoyance the vision may come in the state of meditation or reverie2 it may come along the lines of psychometry1 some associated object or person supplying the connecting link2 or1 again1 it may come as the result of crystal-gazing1 etc4 ,this is as we might naturally expect1 for this form of clairvoyance is merely one special and particular phase of clairvoyance in general1 and of course1 comes under the general laws and rules governing all clairvoyant phenomena4 ,future-time clairvoyance1 prevision and second-sight may1 like any other form of clairvoyance1 be developed and unfolded1 by means of the same rules and methods that ,i have already suggested to you in the preceding lessons4 ,it is all a matter of attention1 application1 patience1 exercise and practice4 ,i may say1 however1 that the strong desire and wish for the perception of future events1 held firmly in mind during the practicing and exercising1 will tend to unfold and develop the clairvoyant faculties in this particular direction4 ,strong desire1 and earnest attention in the desired direction1 will do much to cultivate1 develop and unfold any psychic faculty4 ,just as meditation and reverie about past times and things tend to develop past-time clairvoyance1 so will meditation and reverie about future time and things tend to develop prevision and the seeing of future things4 ,this1 indeed1 is the very first step toward the attainment of this form of clairvoyance4 ,the attention clears the psychic path1 over which the astral faculties travel4 ,in the astral1 as on the physical1 the rule is3 always look where you are going--look ahead on the path over which you wish to travel4 ,,lesson ,,xiii4 ,,second-,,sight1 ,,prevision1 ,,etc4 ,notwithstanding the difficulties in the way of an intelligent explanation of the phenomena of future-time clairvoyance1 second-sight1 prevision1 etc41 of which ,i have spoken in the preceding lesson1 the human race has always had a lively reminder of the existence of such phenomena2 and the records of the race have always contained many instances of the manifestation thereof4 ,among all peoples1 in all lands1 in all times1 there have been noted remarkable instances of the power of certain persons to peer into1 and correctly report from1 the mysterious regions of the future4 ,passing from the traditional reports of the race1 and the minor instances known to almost every person1 we find that the scientific investigators of psychic phenomena have gathered together an enormous array of well authenticated cases of this class4 ,the reports of the ,society for ,psychical research contain hundreds of such cases1 which the student may read and study with interest and profit4 ,it is not my intention to present a full history of the reports of this character4 ,rather1 ,i shall call your attention to a few striking cases1 in order to illustrate the phenomenon clearly and forcibly4 ,there is such a wealth of material of this kind that it embarrases one who wishes to select from it4 ,however1 ,i shall do the best ,i can in that direction4 ,following1 to commence with1 ,i give you extracts from a well known case reported by a prominent member of the ,theosophical ,society1 which has attracted much attention4 ,it was related to this person by one of the actors in the scene4 ,it happened in ,india4 ,a party of ,english army officers was entering a dense jungle4 ,then follows the story1 as below3 ,we plunged into the jungle1 and had walked on for about an hour without much success1 when ,cameron1 who happened to be next to me1 stopped suddenly1 turned pale as death1 and1 pointing straight before him1 cried in accents of horror3 ',see6 see6 merciful heavens1 look there6' ',where8 what8 what is it8' we all shouted confusedly1 as we rushed up to him1 and looked around in expectation of encountering a tiger--a cobra--we hardly knew what1 but assuredly something terrible1 since it had been sufficient to cause such evident emotion in our usually self-contained comrade4 ,but neither tiger nor cobra was visible--nothing but ,cameron pointing with ghastly haggard face and starting eyeballs at something we could not see4 ',cameron6 ,cameron6' cried ,i1 seizing his arm1 'for heavens sake speak6 ,what is the matter8' ,scarcely were the words out of my mouth when a low but very peculiar sound struck upon my ear1 and ,cameron1 dropping his pointing hand1 said in a hoarse1 strained voice1 ',there6 you heard it8 ,thank ,god it's over6' and fell to the ground insensible4 ,there was a momentary confusion while we unfastened his collar1 and ,i dashed in his face some water which ,i fortunately had in my flask1 while another tried to pour brandy between his clenched teeth2 and under cover of it ,i whispered to the man next to me 7one of our greatest skeptics1 by the way71 ',beauchamp1 did you hear anything8' ',why1 yes1' he replied1 'a curious sound1 very2 a sort of crash or rattle far away in the distance1 yet very distinct2 if the thing were not utterly impossible1 ,i could have sworn that it was the rattle of musketry4' ',just my impression1' murmured ,i2 'but hush6 he is recovering4' ,in a minute or two he was able to speak feebly1 and began to thank us and apologize for giving trouble2 and soon he sat up1 leaning against a tree1 and in a firm1 though low voice said3 ',my dear friends1 ,i feel that ,i owe you an explanation of my extraordinary behavior4 ,it is an explanation that ,i would fain avoid giving2 but it must come some time1 and so may as well be given now4 ,you may perhaps have noticed that when during our voyage you all joined in scoffing at dreams1 portents and visions1 ,i invariably avoided giving any opinion on the subject4 ,i did so because1 while ,i had no desire to court ridicule or provoke discussion1 ,i was unable to agree with you1 knowing only too well from my own dread experience that the world which men agree to call that of the supernatural is just as real as--nay1 perhaps even more real than--this world we see about us4 ,in other words1 ,i1 like many of my countrymen1 am cursed with the gift of second-sight--that awful faculty which foretells in vision calamities that are shortly to occur4 ',such a vision ,i had just now1 and its exceptional horror moved me as you have seen4 ,i saw before me a corpse--not that of one who has died a peaceful1 natural death1 but that of the victim of some terrible accident2 a ghastly1 shapeless mass1 with a face swollen1 crushed1 unrecognizable4 ,i saw this dreadful object placed in a coffin1 and the funeral service performed over it4 ,i saw the burial-ground1 ,i saw the clergyman3 and though ,i had never seen either before1 ,i can picture both perfectly in my mind's eye now2 ,i saw you1 myself1 ,beauchamp1 all of us and many more1 standing round as mourners2 ,i saw the soldiers raise their muskets after the service was over2 ,i heard the volley they fired--and then ,i knew no more4' ,as he spoke of that volley of musketry ,i glanced across with a shudder at ,beauchamp1 and the look of stony horror on that handsome skeptic's face was not to be forgotten4 ,omitting the somewhat long recital of events which followed1 ,i would say that later in the same day the party of young officers and soldiers discovered the body of their commanding officer in the shocking condition so vividly and graphically described by young ,cameron4 ,the story proceeds as follows3 ,when1 on the following evening1 we arrived at our destination1 and our melancholy deposition had been taken down by the proper authorities1 ,cameron and ,i went out for a quiet walk1 to endeavor with the assistance of the soothing influence of nature to shake off something of the gloom which paralyzed our spirits4 ,suddenly he clutched my arm1 and1 pointing through some rude railings1 said in a trembling voice1 ',yes1 there it is6 that is the burial-ground of yesterday4' ,and1 when later on we were introduced to the chaplain of the post1 ,i noticed1 though my friends did not1 the irrepressible shudder with which ,cameron took his hand1 and ,i knew that he had recognized the clergyman of his vision4 ,the story concludes with the statement that in all the little details1 as well as the main points1 the scene at the burial of the commanding officer corresponded exactly with the vision of ,cameron4 ,this story brings out the fact that the ,scotch people are especially given to manifestations of second-sight--particularly the ,highlanders or mountain people of that land4 ,it is hard to find a ,scotchman1 who1 in his heart1 does not believe in second-sight1 and who has not known of some well authenticated instance of its manifestation4 ,in other lands1 certain races1 or sub-races1 seem to be specially favored 7or cursed1 as ,cameron asserted7 with this power4 ,it will be noticed1 usually1 that such people dwell1 or have dwelt in the highlands or mountains of their country4 ,there seems to be something in the mountains and hills which tends to develop and encourage this power in those dwelling among them4 ,the story is also remarkable in the fact that the impression was so strong in the mind of ,cameron that it actually communicated itself by clairaudience to those near to him--this is quite unusual1 though not without correspondence in other cases4 ,otherwise1 the case is merely a typical one1 and may be duplicated in the experience of thousands of other men and women4 ,george ,fox1 the pioneer ,quaker1 had this faculty well developed1 and numerous instances of its manifestation by him are recorded4 ,for instance1 he foretold the death of ,cromwell1 when he met him riding at ,hampton ,court2 he said that he felt a waft of death around and about ,cromwell2 and ,cromwell died shortly afterwards4 ,fox also publicly foretold the dissolution of the ,rump ,parliament of ,england2 the restoration of ,charles ,,ii2 and the ,great ,fire of ,london--these are historical facts1 remember4 ,for that matter1 history contains many instances of this kind3 the prophecy of ,caesar's death1 and its further prevision by his wife1 for instance4 ,the ,bible prophecies and predictions1 major and minor1 give us semi-historical instances4 ,a celebrated historical instance of remarkable second-sight and prevision1 is that of ,cazotte1 whose wonderful prediction and its literal fulfilment are matters of ,french history4 ,dumas has woven the fact into one of his stories1 in a dramatic manner--but even so he does not make the tale any more wonderful than the bare facts4 ,here is the recital of the case by ,la ,harpe1 the ,french writer1 who was a personal witness of the occurrence1 and whose testimony was corroborated by many others who were present at the time4 ,la ,harpe says3 ,it appears as but yesterday1 and yet1 nevertheless1 it was at the beginning of the year #aghh4 ,we were dining with one of our brethren at the ,academy--a man of considerable wealth and genius4 ,the conversation became serious2 much admiration was expressed on the revolution in thought which ,voltaire had effected1 and it was agreed that it was his first claim to the reputation he enjoyed4 ,we concluded that the revolution must soon be consummated2 that it was indispensible that superstition and fanaticism should give way to philosophy1 and we began to calculate the probability of the period when this should be1 and which of the present company should live to see it4 ,the oldest complained that they could scarcely flatter themselves with the hope2 the younger rejoiced that they might entertain this very probable expectation2 and they congratulated the ,academy especially for having prepared this great work1 and for having been the rallying point1 the centre1 and the prime mover of the liberty of thought4 ,one only of the guests had not taken part in all the joyousness of this conversation1 and had even gently and cheerfully checked our splendid enthusiasm4 ,this was ,cazotte1 an amiable and original man1 but unhappily infatuated with the reveries of the illumaniti4 ,he spoke1 and with the most serious tone1 saying3 ',gentleman1 be satisfied2 you will all see this great and sublime revolution1 which you so much desire4 ,you know that ,i am a little inclined to prophesy2 ,i repeat1 you will see it1' ,he was answered by the common rejoinder3 ',one need not be a conjuror to see that4' ,he answered3 ',be it so2 but perhaps one must be a little more than conjuror for what remains for me to tell you4 ,do you know what will be the consequences of this revolution--what will be the consequence to all of you1 and what will be the immediate result--the well-established effect--the thoroughly recognized consequences to all of you who are here present8' ',ah' said ,condorcet1 with his insolent and half-suppressed smile1 'let us hear--a philosopher is not sorry to encounter a prophet--let us hear6' ,cazotte replied3 ',you1 ,monsier de ,condorcet--you will yield up your last breath on the floor of a dungeon2 you will die from poison1 which you will have taken in order to escape from execution--from poison which the happiness of that time will oblige you to carry about your person4 ,you1 ,monsieur de ,chamfort1 you will open your veins with twenty-two cuts of a razor1 and yet will not die till some months afterward4' ,these personages looked at each other1 and laughed again4 ,cazotte continued3 ',you1 ,monsieur ,vicq d',azir1 you will not open your own veins1 but you will cause yourself to be bled six times in one day1 during a paroxysm of the gout1 in order to make more sure of your end1 and you will die in the night4' ,cazotte went on3 ',you1 ,monsieur de ,nicolai1 you will die on the scaffold2 you1 ,monsieur ,bailly1 on the scaffold2 you1 ,monsieur de ,malesherbes1 on the scaffold4 ',ah1 ,god be thanked1' exclaimed ,roucher1 'and what of ,i8' ,cazotte replied3 ',you8 you also will die on the scaffold4' ',yes1' replied ,chamfort1 'but when will all this happen8' ,cazotte answered3 ',six years will not pass over1 before all that ,i have said to you shall be accomplished4' ,here ,i 7,la ,harpe7 spoke1 saying3 ',here are some astonishing miracles1 but you have not included me in your list4' ,cazotte answered me1 saying3 ',but you will be there1 as an equally extraordinary miracle2 you will then be a ,christian6' ,vehement exclamations on all sides followed this startling assertion4 ',ah6' said ,chamfort1 ',i am conforted2 if we shall perish only when ,la ,harpe shall be a ,christian1 we are immortal2' ,then observed ,madame la ,duchesse de ,grammont3 ',as for that1 we women1 we are happy to be counted for nothing in these revolutions3 when ,i say for nothing1 it is not that we do not always mix ourselves up with them a little2 but it is a received maxim that they take no notice of us1 and of our sex4' ',your sex1 ladies' said ,cazotte1 'your sex will not protect you this time2 and you had far better meddle with nothing1 for you will be treated entirely as men1 without any difference whatever4' ',but what1 then1 are you really telling us of ,monsieur ,cazotte8 ,you are preaching to us the end of the world4' ',i know nothing on that subject2 but what ,i do know is1 that you ,madame la ,duchesse1 will be conducted to the scaffold1 you and many other ladies with you1 in the cart of the executioner1 and with your hands tied behind your backs4 ',ah6 ,i hope that in that case1 ,i shall at least have a carriage hung in black4' ',no1 madame2 higher ladies than yourself will go1 like you1 in the common car1 with their hands tied behind them4' ',higher ladies6 what6 the princesses of the blood8' ',yea1 and still more exalted personages6' replied ,cazotte4 ,here a sensible emotion pervaded the whole company1 and the countenance of the host was dark and lowering--they began to feel that the joke was becoming too serious4 ,madame de ,grammont1 in order to dissipate the cloud1 took no notice of the reply1 and contented herself with saying in a careless tone3 ',you see1 that he will not leave me even a confessor6' ',no1 madame6' replied ,cazotte1 'you will not have one--neither you1 nor any one besides4 ,the last victim to whom this favor will be afforded will be--' ,here he stopped for a moment4 ',well6 who then will be the happy mortal to whom this prerogative will be given8' ,cazotte replied3 ',it is the only one which he will have then retained--and that will be the ,king of ,france6' ,this last startling prediction caused the company to disband in something like terror and dismay1 for the mere mention of such thing was akin to treason4 ,the amazing sequel to this strange story is that within the six years allotted by the prophecy1 every detail thereof was verified absolutely4 ,the facts are known to all students of the ,french ,revolution1 and may be verified by reference to any history of that terrible period4 ,to appreciate the startling nature of the prophecy when made1 one needs but to be acquainted with the position and characteristics of the persons whose destinies were foretold4 ,this celebrated instance of highly advanced future-time clairvoyance1 or prevision1 has never been equalled4 ,the reason1 perhaps1 is that ,cazotte indeed was an advanced and highly developed occultist--the account mentions this1 you will notice4 ,this class of persons very seldom prophecy in this way1 for reasons known to all occultists4 ,the ordinary cases recorded are those in which the manifestation is that of a person of lesser powers and less perfect development4 ,advanced occultists know the danger of a careless use of this power4 ,they know that 7omitting other and very important reasons7 such revelations would work a terrible effect upon the minds of persons not sufficiently well balanced to stand the disclosure4 ,moreover1 they know that if the average person knew the principal details of his future life on earth1 then he would lose interest in it--it would become stale and would lose the attraction of the unknown4 ,in such a case1 the pleasant things to come would lose their attractiveness by reason of having been dwelt on so long that their flavor was lost2 and the unpleasant things would become unbearable by reason of the continual anticipation of them4 ,we are apt to discount our pleasures by dwelling too much upon them in anticipation2 and1 as we all know1 the dread of a coming evil often is worse than the thing itself--we suffer a thousand pangs in anticipation to one in reality4 ,but1 as ,i have intimated1 there are other1 and still more serious reasons why the advanced occultists do not indulge in public prophecies of this kind4 ,it is probable that ,cazotte decided to1 and was permitted to1 make his celebrated prophecy for some important occult reason of which ,la ,harpe had no knowledge--it doubtless was a part of the working out of some great plan1 and it may have accomplished results undreamed of by us4 ,at any rate1 it was something very much out of the2 ordinary1 even in the case of advanced occultists and masters of esoteric knowledge4 ,another case which has a historic value is the well-known case concerning the assassination of ,spencer ,perceval1 the ,chancellor of the ,exchequer1 in ,england1 which occurred in the lobby of the ,house of ,commons4 ,the persons who have a knowledge of the case report that some nine days before the tragic occurrence a ,cornish mine manager1 named ,john ,williams1 had a vision1 three times in succession1 in which he saw a small man1 dressed in a blue coat and white waistcoat1 enter the lobby of the ,house of ,commons2 whereupon another man1 dressed in a snuff-colored coat1 stepped forward1 and1 drawing a pistol from an inside pocket fired at and shot the small man1 the bullet lodging in the left breast4 ,in the vision1 ,williams turned and asked some bystander the name of the victim2 the bystander replied that the stricken man was ,mr4 ,spencer ,perceval1 the ,chancellor of the ,exchequer4 ,the valuable feature of the case1 from a scientific standpoint1 lies in the fact that ,williams was very much impressed by his thrice-repeated vision1 and was greatly disturbed thereby4 ,his anxiety was so great that he spoke of the matter to several friends1 and asked them whether it would not be well for him to go to ,london for the purpose of warning ,mr4 ,perceval4 ,his friends ridiculed the whole matter1 and persuaded him to give up the idea of visiting ,london for the purpose named4 ,those who had a knowledge of the vision were greatly startled and shocked when several days afterward the assassination occurred1 agreeing in perfect detail with the vision of the ,cornishman4 ,the case1 vouched for as it was by a number of reliable persons who had been consulted by ,williams1 attracted much attention at the time1 and has since passed into the history of remarkable instances of prevision4 ,in some cases1 however1 the prevision seems to come as a warning1 and in many cases the heeding of the warning has prevented the unpleasant features from materializing as seen in the vision4 ,up to the point of the action upon the warning the occurrence agree perfectly with the vision--but the moment the warned person acts so as to prevent the occurrence1 the whole train of circumstances is broken4 ,there is an occult explanation of this1 but it is too technical to mention at this place4 ,what is known to psychic researchers as the ,hannah ,green case is of this character4 ,this story1 briefly1 is that ,hannah ,green1 a housekeeper of ,oxfordshire1 dreamt that she1 having been left alone in the house of a ,sunday evening1 heard a knock at the door4 ,opening the door she found a tramp who tried to force his way into the house4 ,she struggled to prevent his entrance1 but he struck her with a bludgeon and rendered her insensible1 whereupon he entered the house and robbed it4 ,she related the vision to her friends1 but1 as nothing happened for some time1 the matter almost passed from her mind4 ,but1 some seven years afterward1 she was left in charge of the house on a certain ,sunday evening2 during the evening she was startled by a sudden knock at the door1 and her former vision was recalled to her memory quite vividly4 ,she refused to go to the door1 remembering the warning1 but instead went up to a landing on the stair and looked out the window1 she saw at the door the very tramp whom she had seen in the vision some seven years before1 armed with a bludgeon and striving to force an entrance into the house4 ,she took steps to frighten away the rascal1 and she was saved from the unpleasant conclusion of her vision4 ,many similar cases are recorded4 ,in some cases persons have been warned by symbols of various kinds2 or else have had prevision in the same way4 ,for instance1 many cases are known in which the vision is that of the undertaker's wagon standing before the door of the person who dies sometime afterward4 ,or1 the person is visioned clad in a shroud4 ,the variations of this class are innumerable4 ,speak to the average dweller in the highlands of ,scotland1 or certain counties in ,ireland1 regarding this--you will be furnished with a wealth of illustrations and examples4 ,this phase of the general subject of clairvoyance is very fascinating to the student and investigator1 and is one in which the highest psychic or astral powers of sensing are called into play4 ,in fact1 as ,i have said1 there is here a reflection of something very much higher than the astral or psychic planes of being4 ,the student catches a glimpse of regions infinitely higher and grander4 ,he begins to realize at least something of the existence of that ,universal ,consciousness in which we live1 and move1 and have our being2 and of the reality of the ,eternal ,now1 in which past1 present and future are blended as one fact of infinite consciousness4 ,he sees the signboard pointing to marvelous truths6 ,,lesson ,,xiv4 ,,astral-,,body ,,traveling ,there is much confusion existing in the minds of the average students of occultism concerning the distinction between astral visioning by means of the astral senses in clairvoyance1 and the visioning of the astral senses during the travels of the astral body away from the physical body4 ,there is such a close connection between the two several phases of occult phenomena that it is easy to mistake one for the other2 in fact1 there is often such a blending of the two that it is quite difficult to distinguish between them4 ,however1 in this lesson ,i shall endeavor to bring out the characteristics of astral body visioning1 that the student may learn to distinguish them from those of the ordinary clairvoyant astral visioning1 and recognize them when he experiences them4 ,the main points of distinction are these3 ,when visioning clairvoyantly by means of the astral senses1 as described in the preceding chapters of this book1 the clairvoyant usually perceives the scene1 person or event as a picture on a flat surface4 ,it is true that there is generally a perfect perspective1 similar to that of a good stereoscopic view1 or that of a high-grade moving picture photograph--the figures stand out1 and do not appear flat as in the case of an ordinary photograph2 but still at the best it is like looking at a moving picture1 inasmuch as the whole scene is all in front of you4 ,visioning in the astral body1 on the contrary1 gives you an all around view of the scene4 ,that is to say1 in such case you see the thing just as you would were you there in your physical body--you see in front of you2 on the sides of you1 out of the corner of your eye2 if you turn your head1 you may see in any direction2 and you may turn around and see what is happening behind you4 ,in the first case you are merely gazing at an astral picture in front of you2 while in the second place you are ,,actually ,,there ,,in ,,person4 ,there are some limitations to this seeing all around when in the astral body1 however1 which ,i should note in passing4 ,for instance1 if when in the astral body you examine the akashic records of the past1 or else peer into the scenes of the future1 you will see these things merely as a picture1 and will not be conscious of being present personally in the scene4 7,an apparent exception is to be noted here1 also1 viz41 if your past-time visioning includes the perception of yourself in a former incarnation1 you may be conscious of living and acting in your former personality2 again1 if you are psychometrizing from fossil remains1 or anything concerned with a living creature of the past1 you may take on the mental or emotional conditions of that creature1 and seem to sense things from the inside1 rather than from the outside4 ,this1 of course1 is also a characteristic of the ordinary clairvoyant vision of the past47 ,but when1 in the astral body1 you perceive a present-time scene in space1 you are1 to all intents and purposes1 an actual participant--you are actually present at the place and time4 ,the sense of being actually present in the body is the leading characteristic of the astral body visioning1 and distinguishes it from the picture seeing sensing of ordinary clairvoyance4 ,this is stating the matter is as plain and simple form as is possible1 ignoring many technical details and particulars4 ,you1 being a student of occultism1 of course know that the astral body is a fine counterpart of the physical body1 composed of a far more subtle form of substance than is the latter1 that under certain conditions you may travel in your astral body1 detached from your physical body 7except being connected with it with a slender astral cord1 bearing a close resemblance to the umbilical cord which connects the newborn babe with the placenta in the womb of its mother71 and explore the realms of the astral plane4 ,this projection of the astral body1 as a rule1 occurs only when the physical body is stilled in sleep1 or in trance condition4 ,in fact1 the astral body frequently is projected by us during the course of our ordinary sleep1 but we fail to remember what we have seen in our astral journeys1 except1 occasionally1 dim flashes of partial recollection upon awakening4 ,in some cases1 however1 our astral visioning is so distinct and vivid1 that we awaken with a sense of having had a peculiar experience1 and as having actually been out of the physical body at the time4 ,in some cases1 the person traveling in the astral is able to actually take part in the distant scene1 and may1 under certain circumstances actually materialize himself so as to be seen by persons in their physical bodies4 ,i am speaking now1 of course1 of the untrained person4 ,the trained and developed occultist1 of course1 is able to do these things deliberately and consciously1 instead of unconsciously and without intention as in the case of the ordinary person4 ,i shall quote here from another writer on the subject1 whose point of view1 in connection with my own1 may serve to bring about a clear understanding in the mind of the student--it is always well to view any subject from as many angles as possible4 ,this writer says3 ,we enter here upon an entirely new variety of clairvoyance1 in which the consciousness of the seer no longer remains in or closely connected with his physical body1 but is definitely transferred to the scene which he is examining4 ,though it has no doubt greater dangers for the untrained seer than either of the other methods1 it is yet quite the most satisfactory form of clairvoyance open to him4 ,in this case1 the man's body is either asleep or in a trance1 and its organs are consequently not available for use while the vision is going on1 so that all description of what is seen1 and all questioning as to further particulars1 must be postponed until the wanderer returns to this plane4 ,on the other hand1 the sight is much fuller and more perfect2 the man hears as well as sees everything which passes before him1 and can move about freely at will within the very wide limits of the astral plane4 ,he has also the immense advantage of being able to take part1 as it were1 in the scenes which come before his eyes--of conversing at will with various entities on the astral plane1 and from whom so much information that is curious and interesting may be obtained4 ,if in addition he can learn how to materialize himself 7a matter of no great difficulty for him when once the knack is acquired71 he will be able to take part in physical events or conversations at a distance1 and to show himself to an absent friend at will4 ,again1 he will have the additional power of being able to hunt about for what he wants4 ,by means of the other varieties of clairvoyance1 for all practical purposes he may find a person or place only when he is already acquainted with it2 or1 when he is put en rapport with it by touching something physically connected with it1 as in psychometry4 ,by the use of the astral body1 however1 a man can move about quite freely and rapidly in any direction1 and can 7for example7 find without difficulty any place pointed out upon a map1 without either any previous knowledge of the spot or any object to establish a connection with it4 ,he can also readily rise high into the air so as to gain a bird's eye view of the country which he is examining1 so as to observe its extent1 the contour of its coastline1 or its general character4 ,indeed1 in every way his power and freedom are far greater when he uses this method than they are in any of the lesser forms of clairvoyance4 ,in many well authenticated cases1 we may see that the soul of a dying person1 one whose physical end is approaching1 visits friends and relatives in the astral body1 and in many cases materializes and even speaks to them4 ,in such cases the dying person accomplishes the feat of astral manifestation without any special occult knowledge2 the weakened links between the physical and the higher phases of the soul render the temporary passing-out comparatively easy1 and the strong desire of the dying person furnishes the motive power necessary4 ,such visits1 however1 are often found to be merely the strongly charged thought of the dying person1 along the lines of telepathy1 as ,i have previously explained to you4 ,but in many cases there can be no doubt that the phenomenon is a clear case of astral visitation and materialization4 ,the records of the ,society for ,psychical ,research contain many instances of this kind2 and similar instances are to be found in other records of psychical research4 ,i shall quote a few of these cases for you1 that you may get a clear idea of the characteristics thereof4 ,andrew ,lang1 an eminent student and investigator along the lines of the psychic and occult1 gives us the following case1 of which he says1 ,not many stories have such good evidence in their favor4 ,the story as related by ,mr4 ,lang in one of his books is as follows3 ,mary1 the wife of ,john ,goffe of ,rochester1 being afflicted with a long illness1 removed to her father's house at ,west ,mailing1 about nine miles from her own4 ,the day before her death she grew very impatiently desirous to see her two children1 whom she had left at home to the care of a nurse4 ,she was too ill to be moved1 and between one and two o'clock in the morning she fell into a trance4 ,one widow1 ,turner1 who watched with her that night1 says that her eyes were open and fixed1 and her jaw fallen4 ,mrs4 ,turner put her hand to her mouth1 but could perceive no breath4 ,she thought her to be in a fit1 and doubted whether she were dead or alive4 ,the next morning the dying woman told her mother that she had been at home with her children1 saying1 ',i was with them last night when ,i was asleep4' ,the nurse at ,rochester1 widow ,alexander by name1 affirms that a little before two o'clock that morning she saw the likeness of the said ,mary ,goffe come out of the next chamber 7where the elder child lay in a bed by itself71 the door being left open1 and stood by her bedside for about a quarter of an hour2 the younger child was there lying by her4 ,her eyes moved and her mouth went1 but she said nothing4 ,the nurse1 moreover says that she was perfectly awake2 it was then daylight1 being one of the longest days of the year4 ,she sat up in bed and looked steadfastly on the apparition4 ,in that time she heard the bridge clock strike two1 and a while after said3 ',in the name of the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost1 what art thou8' ,thereupon the apparition removed and went away2 she slipped out of her clothes and followed1 but what became on't she cannot tell4 ,in the case just mentioned1 ,mr4 ,lang states that the nurse was so frightened that she was afraid to return to bed4 ,as soon as the neighbors were up and about she told them of what she had seen2 but they told her that she had been dreaming4 ,it was only when1 later on1 news came of what had happened at the other end of the line--the bedside of the dying woman1 that they realized just what had happened4 ,in a work by ,rev4 ,f4,g4 ,lee1 there are several other cases of this kind quoted1 all of which are stated by ,mr4 ,lee to be thoroughly well authenticated4 ,in one of the cases a mother1 when dying in ,egypt1 appears to her children in ,torquay1 and is clearly seen in broad daylight by all five children and also by the nursemaid4 ,in another1 a ,quaker lady dying at ,cockermouth is clearly seen and recognized in daylight by her three children at ,seattle1 the remainder of the story being almost identical with that of the ,goffe case just quoted4 ,in the records of the ,society for ,psychical ,research1 the following case appears1 the person reporting it being said to be of good character and reputation for truthfulness and reliability4 ,the story is as follows3 ,one morning in ,december1 #ahcf1 ,a4 had the following dream1 or he would prefer to call it1 revelation4 ,he found himself suddenly at the gate of ,major ,n4,m4's avenue1 many miles from his home4 ,close to him was a group of persons1 one of whom was a woman with a basket on her arm1 the rest were men1 four of whom were tenants of his own1 while the others were unknown to him4 ,some of the strangers seemed to be assaulting ,h4,w41 one of his tenants1 and he interfered4 ,a4 says1 ',i struck violently at the man on my left1 and then with greater violence at the man's face on my right4 ,finding1 to my surprise1 that ,i had not knocked down either1 ,i struck again and again with all the violence of a man frenzied at the sight of my poor friend's murder4 ,to my great amazement ,i saw my arms1 although visible to my eye1 were without substance1 and the bodies of the men ,i struck at and my own came close together after each blow1 through the shadowy arms ,i struck with4 ,my blows were delivered with more extreme violence than ,i ever think ,i exerted1 but ,i became painfully convinced of my incompetency4 ,i have no consciousness of what happened after this feeling of unsubstantiality came upon me4' ,next morning1 ,a4 experienced the stiffness and soreness of violent bodily exercise1 and was informed by his wife that in the course of the night he had much alarmed her by striking out again and again in a terrific manner1 'as if fighting for his life4' ,he1 in turn1 informed her of his dream1 and begged her to remember the names of those actors in it who were known to him4 ,on the morning of the following day 7,wednesday7 ,a4 received a letter from his agent1 who resided in the town close to the scene of the dream1 informing him that his tenant had been found on ,tuesday morning at ,major ,n4,m4's gate1 speechless and apparently dying from a fracture of the skull1 and that there was no trace of the murderers4 ,that night ,a4 started for the town1 and arrived there on ,thursday morning4 ,on his way to a meeting of magistrates1 he met the senior magistrate of that part of the country1 and requested him to give orders for the arrest of the three men whom1 besides ,h4,w41 he had recognized in his dream1 and to have them examined separately4 ,this was at once done4 ,the three men gave identical accounts of the occurrence1 and all named the woman who was with them4 ,she was then arrested and gave precisely similar testimony4 ,they said that between eleven and twelve on the ,monday night they had been walking homewards altogether along the road1 when they were overtaken by three strangers1 two of whom savagely assaulted ,h4,w41 while the other prevented his friends from interfering4 ,h4,w4 did not die1 but was never the same man afterwards2 he subsequently emigrated4 ,stead1 the ,english editor and psychical researcher1 relates the following case1 which he accepts as truthful and correct1 after careful investigation of the circumstances and of the character and reputation of the person relating it4 ,the story proceeds as follows3 ,st4 ,eglos is situated about ten miles from the ,atlantic1 and not quite so far from the old market town of ,trebodwina4 ,hart and ,george ,northey were brothers1 and from childhood their lives had been marked by the strongest brotherly affection4 ,hart and ,george ,northey had never been separated from their birth until ,george became a sailor1 ,hart meantime joining his father in business4 ,on the #hth of ,february1 #ahdj1 while ,george ,northey's ship was lying in port at ,st4 ,helena1 he had the following strange dream3 ,last night ,i dreamt that my brother was at ,trebodwina ,market1 and that ,i was with him1 quite close by his side1 during the whole of the market transactions4 ,although ,i could see and hear which passed around me1 ,i felt sure that it was not my bodily presence which thus accompanied him1 but my shadow or rather my spiritual presence1 for he seemed quite unconscious that ,i was near him4 ,i felt that my being thus present in this strange way betokened some hidden danger which he was destined to meet1 and which ,i know my presence could not avert1 for ,i could not speak to warn him of his peril4 ,the story then proceeds to relate how ,hart collected considerable money at ,trebodwina ,market1 and then started to ride homeward4 ,george tells what happened to his brother on the way1 as follows3 ,my terror gradually increased as ,hart approached the hamlet of ,polkerrow1 until ,i was in a perfect frenzy1 frantically desirous1 yet unable to warn my brother in some way and prevent him from going further4 ,i suddenly became aware of two dark shadows thrown across the road4 ,i felt that my brother's hour had come1 and ,i was powerless to aid him6 ,two men appeared1 whom ,i instantly recognized as notorious poachers who lived in a lonely wood near ,st4 ,eglos4 ,they wished him ',good night1 mister6' civilly enough4 ,he replied1 and entered into conversation with them about some work he had promised them4 ,after a few minutes they asked him for some money4 ,the elder of the two brothers1 who was standing near the horse's head1 said3 ',mr4 ,northey1 we know you have just come from ,trebodwina ,market with plenty of money in your pockets2 we are desperate men1 and you bean't going to leave this place until we've got that money2 so hand over6' ,my brother made no reply except to slash at him with the whip1 and spur the horse at him4 ,the younger of the ruffians instantly drew a pistol1 and fired4 ,hart dropped lifeless from the saddle1 and one of the villains held him by the throat with a grip of iron for some minutes1 as thought to make assurance doubly sure1 and crush out any particle of life my poor brother might have left4 ,the murderers secured the horse to a tree in the orchard1 and1 having rifled the corpse1 they dragged it up the stream1 concealing it under the overhanging banks of the water-course4 ,then they carefully covered over all marks of blood on the road1 and hid the pistol in the thatch of a disused hut close to the roadside2 then1 setting the horse free to gallop home alone1 they decamped across the country to their own cottage4 ,the story then relates how ,george ,northey's vessel left ,st4 ,helena the next day after the dream1 and reached ,plymouth in due time4 ,george carried with him a very vivid recollection of his vision on the return voyage1 and never doubted for an instant that his brother had been actually murdered in the manner and by the persons named1 as seen in the vision4 ,he carried with him the determination to bring the villains to justice and was filled with the conviction that through his efforts retribution would fall upon the murderers4 ,in ,england1 justice was at work--but the missing link was needed4 ,the crime aroused universal horror and indignation1 and the authorities left nothing undone in the direction of discovering the murderers and bringing them to justice4 ,two brothers named ,hightwood were suspected1 and in their cottage were found blood-stained garments4 ,but no pistol was found1 although the younger brother admitted having owned but lost one4 ,they were arrested and brought before the magistrates4 ,the evidence against them was purely circumstantial1 and not any too strong at that2 but their actions were those of guilty men4 ,they were committed for trial4 ,each confessed1 in hopes of saving his life and obtaining imprisonment instead4 ,but both were convicted and sentenced to be hanged4 ,there was doubt in the minds of some1 however1 about the pistol4 ,the story continues3 ,before the execution1 ,george ,northey arrived from ,st4 ,helena1 and declared that the pistol was in the thatch of the old cottage close by the place where they had murdered ,hart ,northey1 and where they had hid it4 ',how do you know8' he was asked4 ,george replied3 ',i saw the foul deed committed in a dream ,i had the night of the murder1 when at ,st4 ,helena4' ,the pistol was found1 as ,george ,northey had predicted1 in the thatch of the ruined cottage4 ,investigation revealed that the details of the crime were identical with those seen in the vision4 ,it is a fact known to all occultists that many persons frequently travel in the astral body during sleep2 and in many cases retain a faint recollection of some of the things they have seen and heard during their travels in the astral4 ,nearly everyone knows the experience of waking up in the morning feeling physically tired and used up2 in some cases a dim recollection of walking or working during the dream being had4 ,who among us has not had the experience of walking on the air1 or in the air1 without the feet touching the ground1 being propelled simply by the effort of the will8 ,and who of us has had not experienced that dreadful--falling through space sensation1 in dreams1 with the sudden awakening just before we actually struck earth8 ,and who has not had the mortifying dream experience of walking along the street1 or in some public place1 and being suddenly overcome by the consciousness that we were in our night-clothes1 or perhaps without any clothing at all8 ,all of these things are more or less distorted recollection of astral journeyings4 ,but while these dream excursions in the astral are harmless1 the conscious going out in the astral is not so4 ,there are many planes of the astral into which it is dangerous and unpleasant for the uninstructed person to travel2 unless accompanied by a capable occultist as guide4 ,therefore1 ,i caution all students against trying to force development in that direction4 ,nature surrounds you with safeguards1 and interposes obstacles for your own protection and good4 ,do not try to break through these obstacles without knowledge of what you are doing4 ,fools rush in where angels fear to tread1 remember2 and a little learning is a dangerous thing4 ,when you have reached the stage of development in which it will be safe for you to undertake conscious astral explorations1 then will your guide be at hand1 and the instruction furnished you by those capable of giving it to you4 ,do not try to break into the astral without due preparation1 and full knowledge1 lest you find yourself in the state of the fish who leaped out of the water onto the banks of the stream4 ,your dream trips are safe2 they will increase in variety and clearness1 and you will remember more about them--all this before you may begin to try to consciously go out into the astral as do the occultists4 ,be content to crawl before you may walk4 ,learn to add1 multiply1 subtract and divide1 before you undertake the higher mathematics1 algebra1 geometry1 etc41 of occultism4 ,,lesson ,,xv4 ,,strange ,,astral ,,phenomena4 ,there are several phases of astral phenomena other than those mentioned in the preceding chapters1 which it will be better for the student to become acquainted with in order to round out his general knowledge of the subject1 although the manifestations are comparatively rare1 and not so generally recognized in works on this subject4 ,one of the first of these several phases of astral phenomena is that which may be called ,thought-,form ,projection4 ,this manifestation comes in the place on the psychic scale just between ordinary clairvoyance on the one hand1 and astral body projection on the other4 ,it has some of the characteristics of each1 and is often mistaken for one or the other of these phases4 ,to understand this phenomena1 the student should know something regarding the fact that thought frequently takes on astral form1 and that these manifestations are known as thought-forms4 ,i have spoken of these in some of the preceding lessons4 ,the ordinary thought-form is quite simple1 as a rule1 and does not bear any particular resemblance to the sender thereof4 ,but in some cases a person may1 consciously or unconsciously1 strongly and clearly think of himself as present at some other place1 and thus actually create a thought-form of himself at that place1 which may be discerned by those having clairvoyant vision4 ,moreover1 this thought-form of himself is connected psychically with himself and affords a channel of psychic information for him4 ,as a rule these thought-forms are only projected by those who have trained their minds and will along occult lines2 but occasionally under the stress of strong emotion or desire an ordinary person may focus his psychic power to such an extent that the phenomena is manifested4 ,here ,i will quote from an ,english investigator of astral phenomena1 who has had much experience on that plane4 ,he says3 ,all students are aware that thought takes form1 at any rate upon its own plane1 and in the majority of cases upon the astral plane also2 but it may not be so generally known that if a man thinks strongly of himself as present at any given place1 the form assumed by that particular thought will be a likeness of the thinker himself1 which will appear at the place in question4 ,essentially this form must be composed of the matter of the mental plane1 but in very many cases it would draw round itself matter of the astral plane also1 and so would approach much nearer to visibility4 ,there are1 in fact1 many instances in which it has been seen by the person thought of--most probably by means of the unconscious influence emanating from the original thinker4 ,none of the consciousness of the thinker would1 however1 be included within this thought-form4 ,when once sent out from him1 it would normally be a quite separate entity--not indeed absolutely unconnected with its maker1 but practically so as far as the possibility of receiving any impression through it is concerned4 ,this type of clairvoyance consists1 then1 in the power to retain so much connection with and so much hold over a newly-created thought-form as will render it possible to receive impressions by means of it4 ,such impressions as were made upon the form would in this case be transmitted to the thinker--not along an astral telegraph line1 but by a sympathetic vibration4 ,in a perfect case of this kind of clairvoyance it is almost as though the seer projected a part of his consciousness into the thought-form1 and used it as a kind of outpost1 from which observation was possible4 ,he sees almost as well as he would if he himself stood in the place of his thought-form4 ,the figures at which he is looking will appear to him as of life-size and close to hand1 instead of tiny and at a distance as in the case of some other forms of clairvoyance2 and he will find it possible to shift his point of view if he wishes to do so4 ,clairaudience is perhaps less frequently associated with this type of clairvoyance than with the others1 but its place is to some extent taken by a kind of mental perception of the thoughts and intentions of those who are seen4 ,since the man's consciousness is still in the physical body1 he will be able 7even when exercising this faculty7 to hear and to speak1 in so far as he can do this without any distraction of his attention4 ,the moment that the intentness of his thought fails1 the whole vision is gone1 and he will have to construct a fresh thought-form before he can resume it4 ,instances in which this kind of sight is possessed with any degree of perfection by untrained people are naturally rarer than in the other types of clairvoyance1 because the capacity for mental control required1 and the generally finer nature of the forces employed4 ,i may mention that this particular method is frequently employed by advanced occultists of all countries1 being preferred for various reasons4 ,some of the reasons of this preference as follows3 7a7 ,the ability to shift the vision1 and to turn around almost as well as in the case of actual astral-body projection--this gives quite an advantage to this method over the method of ordinary clairvoyance2 7b7 it does away with certain disadvantages of going out into the astral in the astral-body1 which only trained occultists realize--it gives almost the same results as astral-body clairvoyance1 without a number of disadvantages and inconveniences4 ,in ,india1 especially1 this form of clairvoyance is comparatively frequent4 ,this by reason of the fact that the ,hindus1 as a race1 are far more psychic than are those of the ,western lands1 all else considered2 and1 besides1 there are a much greater number of highly developed occultists there than in the ,west4 ,moreover1 there is a certain psychic atmosphere surrounding ,india1 by reason of its thousands of years of deep interest in things psychic and spiritual1 all of which renders the production of psychic phenomena far easier than in other lands4 ,in ,india1 moreover1 we find many instances of another form of psychic1 or astral phenomena4 ,i allude to the production of thought-form pictures which are plainly visible to one or more persons4 ,this phase of psychic phenomena is the real basis for many of the wonder tales which ,western travellers bring back with them from ,india4 ,the wonderful cases of magical appearance of living creatures and plants1 and other objects1 out of the clear air are the result of this psychic phenomena4 ,that is to say1 the creatures and objects are not really produced--they are but astral appearances resulting from the projection of powerful thought-forms from the mind of the magician or other wonder-worker1 of whom ,india has a plentiful supply4 ,even the ignorant fakirs 7,i use the word in its true sense1 not in the sense given it by ,american slang7--even these itinerant showmen of psychic phenomena1 are able to produce phenomena of this kind which seems miraculous to those witnessing them4 ,as for the trained occultists of ,india1 ,i may say that their feats 7when they deign to produce them7 seem to overturn every theory and principle of materialistic philosophy and science4 ,but in nearly every case the explanation is the same--the projection of a strong and clear thought-form on a large scale4 ,although ,i have purposely omitted reference to ,hindu psychic phenomena in this book 7for the reason given in my ,introduction71 ,i find it necessary to quote cases in ,india in this connection1 for the simple reason that there are but few counterparts in the ,western world4 ,there are no itinerent wonder-workers of this kind in ,western lands1 and the trained occultists of the ,west of course would not consent to perform feats of this kind for the amusement of persons seeking merely sensations4 ,the trained wills of the ,west are given rather to materializing objectively on the physical plane1 creating great railroads1 buildings1 bridges1 etc41 from the mental pictures1 rather than devoting the same time1 energy and will to the production of astral though-forms and pictures4 ,there is a great difference in temperament1 as well as a difference in the general psychic atmosphere1 between ,east and ,west1 which serves to explain matters of this kind4 ,an ,american writer truly says3 ,the first principle underlying the whole business of ,hindu wonder-working is that of a strong will2 and the first necessary condition of producing a magical effect is an increase in the power of thought4 ,the ,hindus1 owing to that intense love for solitary meditation1 which has been one of the most pronounced characteristics from time immemorial1 have acquired mental faculties of which we of the ,western and younger civilization are totally ignorant4 ,the ,hindu has attained a past master's degree in speculative philosophy4 ,he has for years retired for meditation to the silent places in his land1 lived a hermit1 subdued the body and developed the mind1 thus winning control over other minds4 ,in ,india1 ,i have seen scenes of far distant places appearing as a mirage in clear air1 even the colors being present to the scenes4 ,this1 though some what uncommon1 was simply a remarkable instance of thought-form projection from the mind of a man highly developed along occult lines4 ,you must remember that in order to produce a picture in the astral1 of this kind1 the occultist must not only have the power of will and mind to cause such a picture to materialize1 but he must also have a remarkable memory for detail in the picture--for nothing appears in the picture unless it has already been pictured in the mind of the mind of the man himself4 ,such a memory and perception of detail is very rare--in the ,western world it is possessed by only exceptional artists2 however1 anyone may cultivate this perception and memory if he will give the time and care to it that the ,hindu magicians do4 ,you have heard of the ,hindu ,mango ,trick1 in which the magician takes a mango seed1 plants it in the ground1 waves his hands over it1 and then causes first a tiny shoot to appear from the surface of the ground1 this followed by a tiny trunk1 and leaves1 which grow and grow1 until at last appears a full sized mango tree1 which first shows blossoms and then ripe fruit4 ,in short1 in a few moments the magician has produced that which ,nature require years to do--that is he apparently does this4 ,what he really does is to produce a wonderful thought-form in the astral1 from seed stage to tree and fruit stage2 the astral picture reproducing perfectly the picture in his own mind4 ,it is as if he were creating a moving picture film-roll in his mind1 and then projecting this upon the screen of the air4 ,there is no mango tree there1 and never was1 outside of the mind of the magician and the minds of his audience4 ,in the same way1 the magician will seem to throw the end of a rope up into the air4 ,it travels far up until the end is lost sight of4 ,then he sends a boy climbing up after it1 until he too disappears from sight4 ,then he causes the whole thing to disappear1 and lo6 the boy is seen standing among the audience4 ,the boy is real1 of course1 but he never left the spot--the rest was all an appearance caused by the mind and will of the magician1 pictured in the astral as a thought-form4 ,in the same way the magician will seem to cut the boy into bits1 and then cause the severed parts to spring together and reassemble themselves4 ,these feats may be varied indefinitely but the principle is ever the same--thought-form projection4 ,western visitors have sought to obtain photographs of these feats of the ,hindu magicians1 but their plates and films invariably show nothing whatever except the old fakir sitting quietly in the centre1 with a peculiar expression in his eyes4 ,this is as might be expected1 for the picture exists only in the astral1 and is perceived only by the awakened astral senses of those present1 which have been stimulated into activity by the power of the magician--by sympathetic vibration1 to be exact4 ,moreover1 in certain instances it has been found that the vision is confined to a limited area2 persons outside of the limit-ring see nothing1 and those moving nearer to the magician lose sight of what they had previously seen4 ,there are scientific reasons for this last fact1 which need not be gone into at this place4 ,the main point ,i am seeking to bring out is that these wonderful scenes are simply and wholly thought-form pictures in the astral1 perceived by the awakened astral vision of those present4 ,this to be sure is wonderful enough--but still no miracle has been worked6 ,i may mention here that these magicians begin their training from early youth4 ,in addition to certain instruction concerning astral phenomena which is handed down from father to son among them they are set to work practicing visualization of things previously perceived4 ,they are set to work upon1 say1 a rose4 ,they must impress upon their memory the perfect picture of the rose--no easy matter1 ,i may tell you4 ,then they proceed to more difficult objects1 slowly and gradually1 along well known principles of memory development4 ,along with this they practice the art of reproducing that which they remember--projecting it in thought-form state4 ,and so the young magician proceeds1 from simple to complex things2 from easy to difficult2 until1 finally1 he is pronounced fit to give public exhibitions4 ,all this takes years and years--sometimes the boy grows to be a middle-aged man before he is allowed to publicly exhibit his power4 ,imagine a ,western boy or man being willing to study from early childhood to middle-age before he may hope to be able to show what he has been learning6 ,verily the ,east is ,east1 and the ,west is ,west--the two poles of human activity and expression4 ,another phase of psychic astral phenomena which should be mentioned1 although it is manifested but comparatively seldom1 is that which has been called ,telekinesis4 ,by the term telekinesis is meant that class of phenomena which manifests in the movement of physical objects without physical contact with the person responsible for the movement4 ,i understand that the term itself was coined by ,professor ,cowes1 with whose works ,i am not personally familiar4 ,it is derived from the two ,greek words ,,tele1 meaning far off1 and ,,kinesis1 meaning to move4 ,this class of phenomena is known better in the ,western world by reason of its manifestation in spiritualistic circles in the movement of tables1 etc42 the knocking or tapping on tables and doors1 etc42 all of which are usually attributed to the work of spirits1 but which occultists know are generally produced1 consciously or unconsciously1 by means of the power in the medium or others present1 sometimes both4 ,i would say here that ,i am not trying to discredit genuine spiritualistic phenomena--,i am not considering the same in these lessons4 ,all that ,i wish to say is that many of the phenomena commonly attributed to spirits are really but results of the psychic forces inherent in the living human being4 ,under certain conditions there may appear in the case of a person strongly psychic1 and also strongly charged with prana1 the ability to extend a portion of the astral body to a considerable distance1 and to there produce an effect upon some physical object4 ,those with strong clairvoyant vision may actually perceive this astral extension1 under favorable circumstances4 ,they perceive the astral arm of the person stretching out1 diminishing in size as it extends 7just as a piece of flexible rubber shrinks in diameter as it expands in length7 and finally coming in contact with the physical object it wishes to move or strike4 ,then is seen a strong flow of prana along its length1 which 7by a peculiar form of concentration7 is able to produce the physical effect4 ,i cannot enter into the subject of astral physics at this place1 for the subject is far too technical to be treated in lessons designed for general study4 ,i may at least partially explain the phenomenon1 however1 by saying that the projected astral arm acts in a manner almost precisely like that of an extended physical arm1 were such a thing possible in nature4 ,this astral-body extension produces spirit raps on tables2 table-tilting and movement2 levitation1 or the lifting of solid objects in the air2 playing upon musical instruments such as the guitar1 accordian1 etc4 ,in some cases it is able to actually lift the person himself from the floor1 and carry him through the air1 in the same way4 ,it may also cause the movement of a pencil in a closed slate1 or bit of chalk upon a blackboard4 ,in fact1 it may produce almost any form of movement possible to the physical hand4 ,in the case of the levitation of the person himself1 the astral arms1 and sometimes the legs as well1 extend to the floor and push up the physical body into the air1 and then propel it along4 ,there are many complex technical details to these manifestations1 however1 and in a general statement these must be omitted4 ,some who are firmly wedded to the spiritistic theory resent the statement of occultists that this form of phenomena may be explained without the necessity of the spirits4 ,but the best ground for the statement of the occultists is that many advanced occultists are able to produce such phenomena1 consciously1 by an act of pure will1 accompanied by the power of mental picturing4 ,they first picture the astral extension1 and then will the projection of the astral and the passage of the prana 7or vital force7 around the pattern of the mental image4 ,in the case of some very highly developed occultists the astral thought-form of their body becomes so charged with prana that it is able to move physical objects4 ,there are not mere theories1 for they may be verified by any occultist of sufficiently high development4 ,i do not wish to intimate that the mediums are aware of the true nature of this phenomena1 and consciously deceive their followers4 ,on the contrary1 most of them firmly believe that it is the spirits who do the work2 unaware that they are unconsciously projecting their astral bodies1 charged with prana1 and performing the feat themselves4 ,the best mediums1 however1 will generally tell you that they strongly wish that the thing be done1 and a little cross-examination will reveal the fact that they generally make a clear mental picture of the actual happening just before it occurs4 ,as ,i have already stated1 however1 the best proof is the fact that advanced occultists are able to duplicate the phenomena deliberately1 consciously1 and at will4 ,i do not think that detracts from the wonder and interest in the so-called spiritistic phenomena2 on the contrary1 ,i think that it adds to it4 ,again invading the realm of the spirits1 ,i would say that occultists know that many cases of so-called materialization of spirit-forms take place by reason of the unconscious projection of the astral body of the medium4 ,moreover1 such a projection of the astral body may take on the appearance of some departed soul1 by reason of the mental picture of that person in the mind of the medium4 ,but1 it may be asked if the medium has never seen the dead person1 how can he or she make a mental picture of him or her4 ,the answer is that the minds of the persons present who knew the dead person tend to influence the appearance of the nebulous spirit form4 ,in fact1 in most cases the medium is unable to produce the phenomenon without the psychic assistance of those in the circle4 ,in this case1 also1 ,i would say that the advanced occultist is able to duplicate the phenomena at will1 as all who have enjoyed the privilege of close acquaintance with such persons are aware4 ,the fact the medium is usually in a trance condition aid materially in the ease with which the phenomena are produced4 ,with the conscious mind stilled1 and the subconscious mind active1 the astral phenomena are produced with much less trouble than would be the case if the medium were in the ordinary condition4 ,now1 ,i wish to impress upon the minds of those of my readers who have a strong sympathy for the spiritistic teachings that ,i recognize the validity and genuineness of much of the phenomena of spiritism--,i know these things to be true1 for that matter2 it is not a matter of mere belief on my part4 ,but ,i also know that much of the so-called spiritistic phenomena is possible without the aid of spirits1 but by1 the employment of the psychic astral forces and powers as stated in these lessons4 ,i see no reason for any honest investigator of spiritism to be offended at such statements1 for it does not take away from the wonder of the phenomena2 and does not discredit the motives and power of the mediums4 ,we must search for truth wherever it is to be found2 and we must not seek to dodge the results of our investigations4 ,there is too much wonderful phenomena in spiritism to begrudge the explanation that the occultist offers for certain of its phases4 ,while ,i am on the subject of materialization however1 ,i would direct the attention of the student to my little book entitled ,the ,astral ,world1 in which ,i have explained briefly the phenomena of those planes of the astral in which dwell the cast-off shells of souls which have moved on to the higher planes of the great astral world4 ,i have there shown that many astral shells or shades1 or other astral semi-entities may be materialized1 and thus mistaken for the spirits of departed friends4 ,i have also explained in the same little book how there are certain powerful thought-forms which may be mistaken for spirit materializations4 ,i have also shown how many a honest medium is really a good clairvoyant1 and by reading the records of the astral light is able to give information which seems to come from the departed soul4 ,all of these things should be familiar to the earnest investigator of spiritism1 in order that he may be able to classify the phenomena which he witnesses1 and to avoid error and disappointment4 ,in this connection1 before passing on to the consideration of other phases of psychic phenomena1 ,i would say that one of the best mediums known to the modern ,western world--a medium who has been consulted by eminent men1 university professors1 psychologists1 and others--and whose revelations regarding past1 present and future astounded careful and intelligent men of international reputation--this medium at the height of her professional success made a public announcement that she felt compelled1 from conscientious motives1 to assert that she had come to the conclusion that her message came not from departed spirits but rather from some unknown realm of being1 brought hither by the exercise of some faculty inherent in her and developed to a high power in her for some reason1 which power seem to manifest more effectively when she shut off her ordinary physical faculties and functioned on a plane higher than them4 ,i think that the student of the present lessons will be able to point out the nature of the phenomena manifested by this medium1 and also the source of her power4 ,if not1 ,i shall feel disappointed at my work of instruction4 ,,lesson ,,xvi4 ,,psychic ,,influence2 ,,its ,,laws ,,and ,,principles ,one of the phases of psychic phenomena that actively engage the attention of the student from the very beginning is that which may be called ,psychic ,influence4 ,by this term is meant the influencing of one mind by another--the effect of one mind over another4 ,there has been much written and said on this phase of the general subject in recent years1 but few writers1 however1 have gone deeply into the matter4 ,in the first place1 most of the writers on the subject seek to explain the whole thing by means of ordinary telepathy4 ,but this is merely a one-sided view of the truth of the matter4 ,for1 while ordinary telepathy plays an important part in the phenomena1 still the higher form of telepathy1 i4e41 astral thought-transference1 is frequently involved4 ,the student who has followed me in the preceding lessons will understand readily what ,i mean when ,i say this1 so there is no necessity for repetition on this point at this place4 ,at this point1 however1 ,i must ask the student to consider the idea of psychic vibrations and their inductive power4 ,it is a great principle of occultism1 as well as of modern science1 that everything is in a state of vibration--everything has its own rate of vibration1 and is constantly manifesting it4 ,every mental state is accompanied by vibration of its own plane3 every emotional state or feeling has its own particular rate of vibration4 ,these rates of vibrations manifest just as do the vibrations of musical sound which produce the several notes on the scale1 one rising above the other in rate of vibration4 ,but the scale of mental and emotional states is far more complex1 and far more extended than is the musical scale2 there are thousands of different notes1 and half-notes1 on the mental scale4 ,there are harmonies and discords on that scale1 also4 ,to those to whom vibrations seem to be something merely connected with sound-waves1 etc41 ,i would say that a general and hasty glance at some elementary work on physical science will show that even the different shades1 hues and tints of the colors perceived by us arise from different rates of vibrations4 ,color is nothing more than the result of certain rates of vibrations of light recorded by our senses and interpreted by our minds4 ,from the low vibrations of red to the high vibrations of violet1 all the various colors of the spectrum have their own particular rate of vibration4 ,and1 more than this1 science knows that below the lowest red vibrations1 and above the highest violet vibrations1 there are other vibrations which our senses are unable to record1 but which scientific instruments register4 ,the rays of light by which photographs are taken are not perceived by the eye4 ,there are a number of so-called chemical rays of light which the eye does not perceive1 but which may be caught by delicate instruments4 ,there is what science has called dark light1 which will photograph in a room which appears pitch dark to the human sight4 ,above the ordinary scale of light vibrations are the vibrations of the ,x-,rays and other fine forces--these are not perceived by the eye1 but are caught by delicate instruments and recorded4 ,moreover1 though science has not as yet discovered the fact1 occultists know that the vibrations of mental and emotional states are just as true and regular as are those of sound or light1 or heat4 ,again1 above the plane of the physical vibrations arising from the brain and nervous system1 there are the vibrations of the astral counterparts of these1 which are much higher in the scale4 ,for even the astral faculties and organs1 while above the physical1 still are under the universal rule of vibration1 and have their own rate thereof4 ,the old occult axiom3 ,as above1 so below2 as below1 so above is always seen to work out on all planes of universal energy4 ,closely following this idea of the universality of vibrations1 and intimately connected therewith1 we have the principle of induction1 which is likewise universal1 and found manifesting on all planes of energy4 ,what is induction8 you may ask4 ,well1 it is very simple1 or very complex--just as you may look at it4 ,the principle of induction 7on any plane7 is that inherent quality or attribute of energy by which the manifestation of energy tends to reproduce itself in a second object1 by setting up corresponding vibrations therein1 though without direct contact of the two objects4 ,thus1 heat in one object tends to induce heat in another object within its range of induction--the heated object throws off heat vibrations which set up corresponding vibrations in the near-by second object and make it hot4 ,likewise1 the vibrations of light striking upon other objects render them capable of radiating light4 ,again1 a magnet will induce magnetism in a piece of steel suspended nearby1 though the two objects do not actually touch1 each other4 ,an object which is electrified will by induction electrify another object situated some distance away4 ,a note sounded on the piano1 or violin1 will cause a glass or vase in some distant part of the room to vibrate and sing1 under certain conditions4 ,and1 so on1 in every form or phase of the manifestation of energy do we see the principle of induction in full operation and manifestation4 ,on the plane of ordinary thought and emotion1 we find many instances of this principle of induction4 ,we know that one person vibrating strongly with happiness or sorrow1 cheerfulness or anger1 as the case may be fends to communicate his feeling and emotions1 state to those with whom he comes in contact4 ,all of you have seen a whole room full of persons affected and influenced in this way1 under certain circumstances4 ,you have also seen how a magnetic orator1 preacher1 singer or actor is able to induce in his audience a state of emotional vibration corresponding to that manifested by himself4 ,in the same manner the mental atmospheres of towns1 cities1 etc41 are induced4 ,a well-known writer on this subject has truthfully told us3 ,we all know how great waves of feeling spread over a town1 city or country1 sweeping people off their balance4 ,great waves of political enthusiasm1 or war-spirit1 or prejudice for or against certain persons1 sweep over places and cause men to act in a manner that they will afterward regret when they come to themselves and consider their acts in cold blood4 ,they will be swayed by demagogues or magnetic leaders who wish to gain their votes or patronage2 and they will be led into acts of mob violence1 or similar atrocities1 by yielding to these waves of contagious thought4 ,on the other hand1 we all know how great waves of religious feeling sweep over a community upon the occasion of some great 'revival' excitement or fervor4 ,these things being perceived1 and recognized as true1 the next question that presents itself to the mind of the intelligent student is this3 ,but what causes the difference in power and effect between the thought and feeling-vibrations of different persons8 ,this question is a valid one1 and arises from a perception of the underlying variety and difference in the thought vibrations of different persons4 ,the difference1 my students1 is caused by three principal facts1 viz41 7#a7 difference in degree of feeling2 7#b7 difference in degree of visualization2 and 7#c7 difference in degree of concentration4 ,let us examine each of these successively1 so as to get at the underlying principle4 ,the element of emotional feeling is like the element of fire in the production of steam4 ,the more vivid and intense the feeling or emotion1 the greater the degree of heat and force to the thought wave or vibratory stream projected4 ,you will begin to see why the thought vibrations of those animated and filled with strong desire1 strong wish1 strong ambition1 etc41 must be more forceful than those of persons of the opposite type4 ,the person who is filled with a strong desire1 wish or ambition1 which has been fanned into a fierce blaze by attention1 is a dynamic power among other persons1 and his influence is felt4 ,in fact1 it may be asserted that as a general rule no person is able to influence men and things unless he have a strong desire1 wish or ambition within him4 ,the power of desire is a wonderful one1 as all occultists know1 and it will accomplish much even if the other elements be lacking2 while1 in proper combination with other principles it will accomplish wonders4 ,likewise1 a strong interest in a thing will cause a certain strength to the thought-vibrations connected therewith4 ,interest is really an emotional feeling1 though we generally think of it as merely something connected with the intellect4 ,a cold intellectual thought has very little force1 unless backed up by strong interest and concentration4 ,but any intellectual thought backed up with interest1 and focused by concentration1 will produce very strong thought vibrations1 with a marked inductive power4 ,now1 let us consider the subject of visualization4 ,every person knows that the person who wishes to accomplish anything1 or who expects to do good work along any line1 must first know what he wishes to accomplish4 ,in the degree that he is able to see the thing in his mind's eye--to picture the thing in his imagination--in that degree will he tend to manifest the thing itself in material form and effect4 ,sir ,francis ,galton1 an eminent authority upon psychology1 says on this point3 ,the free use of a high visualizing faculty is of much importance in connection with the higher processes of generalized thought4 ,a visual image is the most perfect form of mental representation wherever the shape1 position1 and relations of objects to space are concerned4 ,the best workmen are those who visualize the whole of what they propose to do before they take a tool in their hands4 ,strategists1 artists of all denominations1 physicists who contrive new experiments1 and1 in short1 all who do not follow routine1 have need of it4 ,a faculty that is of importance in all technical and artistic occupations1 that gives accuracy to our perceptions and justice to our generalizations1 is starved by lazy disuse instead of being cultivated judiciously in such a way as will1 on the whole1 bring best return4 ,i believe that a serious study of the best way of developing and utilizing this faculty1 without prejudice to the practice of abstract thought in symbols1 is one of the pressing desirata in the yet unformed science of education4 ,not only on the ordinary planes is the forming of strong mental images important and useful1 but when we come to consider the phenomena of the astral plane we begin to see what an important part is played there by strong mental images or visualized ideas4 ,the better you know what you desire1 wish or aspire to1 the stronger will be your thought vibrations of that thing1 of course4 ,well1 then1 the stronger that you are able to picture the thing in your mind--to visualize it to yourself--the stronger will be your actual knowledge and thought-form of that thing4 ,instead of your thought vibrations being grouped in nebulous forms1 lacking shape and distinct figure1 as in the ordinary case2 when you form strong1 clear mental images of what you desire or wish to accomplish1 then do the thought vibrations group themselves in clear1 strong distinct forms4 ,this being done1 when the mind of other persons are affected by induction they get the clear idea of the thought and feeling in your mind1 and are strongly influenced thereby4 ,a little later on1 ,i shall call your attention to the ,attractive ,power of ,thought4 ,but at this point ,i wish to say to you that while thought certainly attracts to you the things that you think of the most1 still the power of the attraction depends very materially upon the clearness and distinctness of the mental image1 or thought visualization1 of the desired thing that you have set up in your mind4 ,the nearer you can actually see the thing as you wish it to happen1 even to the general details1 the stronger will be the attractive force thereof4 ,but1 ,i shall leave the discussion of this phase of the subject until ,i reach it in its proper order4 ,for the present1 ,i shall content myself with urging upon you the importance of a clear mental image1 or visualized thought1 in the matter of giving force and direction to the idea induced in the minds of other persons4 ,in order for the other persons to actually perceive clearly the idea or feeling induced in them1 it is necessary that the idea or feeling be strongly visualized in the mind originating it2 that is the whole thing in one sentence4 ,the next point of importance in thought-influence by induction1 is that which is concerned with the process of concentration4 ,concentration is the act of mental focusing1 or bringing to a single point or centre4 ,it is like the work of the sun-glass that converges the rays of the sun to a single tiny point1 thus immensely increasing its heat and power4 ,or1 it is like the fine point of a needle that will force its way through where a blunt thing cannot penetrate4 ,or1 it is like the strongly concentrated essence of a chemical substance1 of which one drop is as powerful as one pint of the original thing4 ,think of the concentrated power of a tiny drop of attar of roses--it has within its tiny space the concentrated odor of thousands of roses2 one drop of it will make a pint of extract1 and a gallon of weaker perfumery6 ,think of the concentrated power in a lightning flash1 as contrasted with the same amount of electricity diffused over a large area4 ,or1 think of the harmless flash of a small amount of gunpowder ignited in the open air1 as contrasted with the ignition of the same amount of powder compelled to escape through the small opening in the gun-barrel4 ,the occult teachings lay great stress upon this power of mental concentration4 ,all students of the occult devote much time and care to the cultivation of the powers of concentration1 and the development of the ability to employ them4 ,the average person possesses but a very small amount of concentration1 and is able to concentrate his mind for but a few moments at a time4 ,the trained thinker obtains much of his mental power from his acquired ability to concentrate on his task4 ,the occultist trains himself in fixing his concentrated attention upon the matter before him1 so as to bring to a focal centre all of his mental forces4 ,the mind is a very restless thing1 and is inclined to dance from one thing to another1 tiring of each thing after a few moment's consideration thereof4 ,the average person allows his involuntary attention to rest upon every trifling thing1 and to be distracted by the idlest appeals to the senses4 ,he finds it most difficult to either shut out these distracting appeals to the senses1 and equally hard to hold the attention to some uninteresting thing4 ,his attention is almost free of control by the will1 and the person is a slave to his perceptive powers and to his imagination1 instead of1 being a master of both4 ,the occultist1 on the contrary1 masters his attention1 and controls his imagination4 ,he forces the one to concentrate when he wishes it to do so2 and he compels the latter to form the mental images he wishes to visualize4 ,but this a far different thing from the self-hypnotization which some persons imagine to be concentration4 ,a writer on the subject has well said3 ,the trained occultist will concentrate upon a subject or object with a wonderful intensity1 seemingly completely absorbed in the subject or object before him1 and oblivious to all else in the world4 ,and yet1 the task accomplished1 or the given time expired1 he will detach his mind from the object and will be perfectly fresh1 watchful and wide-awake to the next matter before him4 ,there is every difference between being controlled by involuntary attention1 which is species of self-hypnotization1 and the control of the attention1 which is an evidence of mastery4 ,an eminent ,french psychologist once said3 ,the authority of the attention is subject to the superior authority of the ,ego4 ,i yield it1 or ,i withhold it1 as ,i please4 ,i direct it in turn to several points4 ,i concentrate it upon each point1 as long as my will can stand the effort4 ,in an earlier lesson of this series1 ,i have indicated in a general way the methods whereby one may develop and train his powers of concentration4 ,there is no royal road to concentration2 it may be developed only by practice and exercise4 ,the secret consists in managing the attention1 so as to fix it upon a subject1 no matter how uninteresting2 and to hold it there for a reasonable length of time4 ,practice upon some disagreeable study or other task is good exercise1 for it serves to train the will in spite of the influence of more attractive objects or subjects4 ,and this all serves to train the will1 remember2 for the will is actively concerned in every act of voluntary attention4 ,in fact1 attention of this kind is one of the most important and characteristic acts of the will4 ,so1 as you see1 in order to be successful in influencing the minds of others by means of mental induction1 you must first cultivate a strong feeling of interest in the idea which you wish to induce in the other person1 or a strong desire to produce the thing4 ,interest and desire constitute the fire which generates the stream of will from the water of mind1 as some occultists have stated it4 ,secondly1 you must cultivate the faculty of forming strong and clear mental images of the idea or feeling you wish to so induce2 you must learn to actually see the thing in your imagination1 so as to give the idea strength and clearness4 ,thirdly1 you must learn to concentrate your mind and attention upon the idea or feeling1 shutting out all other ideas and feelings for the time being2 thus you give concentrated force and power to the vibrations and thought-forms which you are projecting4 ,these three principles underlie all of the many forms of mental induction1 or mental influence4 ,we find them in active operation in cases in which the person is seeking to attract to himself certain conditions1 environment1 persons1 things1 or channels of expression1 by setting into motion the great laws of mental attraction4 ,we see them also employed when the person is endeavoring to produce an effect upon the mind of some particular person1 or number of persons4 ,we see them in force in all cases of mental or psychic healing1 under whatever form it may be employed4 ,in short1 these are general principles1 and must therefore underlie all forms and phases of mental or psychic influence4 ,the sooner the student realizes this fact1 and the more actively does he set himself to work in cultivating and developing these principles within himself1 the more successful and efficient will he become in this field of psychic research and investigation4 ,it is largely in the degree of the cultivation of these three mental principles that the occultist is distinguished from the ordinary man4 ,it may be that you are not desirous of cultivating or practicing the power of influencing other persons psychically4 ,well1 that is for you to decide for yourself4 ,at any rate1 you will do well to develop yourselves along these lines1 at least for self-protection4 ,the cultivation of these three mental principles will tend to make you active and positive1 psychically1 as contrasted with the passive1 negative mental state of the average person4 ,by becoming mentally active and positive you will be able to resist any psychic influence that may be directed toward yourself1 and to surround yourself with a protective aura of positive1 active mental vibrations4 ,and1 moreover1 if you are desirous of pursuing your investigations of psychic and astral phenomena1 you will find it of great importance to cultivate and develop these three principles in your mind4 ,for1 then you will be able to brush aside all distracting influences1 and to proceed at once to the task before you1 with power1 clearness and strength of purpose and method4 ,in the following chapters ,i shall give you a more or less detailed presentation of the various phases or forms of psychic influence4 ,some of these may seem at first to be something independent of the general principles4 ,but ,i ask that you carefully analyze all of these1 so as to discover that the same fundamental principles are under and back of each and every instance presented4 ,when you once fully grasp this fact1 and perfect yourselves in the few fundamental principles1 then you are well started on the road to mastery of all the various phases of psychic phenomena4 ,instead of puzzling your mind over a hundred different phases of disconnected phenomena1 it is better to master the few actual elementary principles1 and then reason deductively from these to the various manifestation thereof4 ,master the principles1 and then learn to apply them4 ,,lesson ,,xvii4 ,,personal ,,psychic ,,influence ,,over ,,others ,psychic ,influence1 as the term is used in this book1 may be said to be divided into three general classes1 viz41 7#a7 ,personal ,influence1 in which the mind of another is directly influenced by induction while he is in the presence of the person influencing2 7#b7 ,distant ,influencing1 in which the psychic induction is directly manifested when the persons concerned are distant from one another2 and 7#c7 ,indirect ,influence1 in which the induction is manifested in the minds of various persons coming in contact with the thought vibrations of the person manifesting them1 though no attempt is made to directly influence any particular person4 ,i shall now present each of these three forms of psychic influence to you for consideration1 one after the other in the above order4 ,personal ,influence1 as above defined1 ranges from cases in which the strongest control 7generally known as hypnotism7 is manifested1 down to the cases in which merely a slight influence is exerted4 ,but the general principle underlying all of these cases is precisely the same4 ,the great characters of history1 such as ,alexander the ,great1 ,napoleon ,bonaparte1 and ,julius ,caesar1 manifested this power to a great degree1 and were able to sway men according to their will4 ,all great leaders of men have this power strongly manifested1 else they would not be able to influence the minds of men4 ,great orators1 preachers1 statesmen1 and others of this class1 likewise manifest the power strongly4 ,in fact1 the very sign of ability to influence and manage other persons is evidence of the possession and manifestation of this mighty power4 ,in developing this power to influence others directly and personally1 you should begin by impressing upon your mind the principles stated in the preceding chapter1 namely 7#a7 ,strong ,desire2 7#b7 ,clear ,visualization2 and 7#c7 ,concentration4 ,you must begin by encouraging a strong desire in your mind to be a positive individual2 to exert and manifest a positive influence over others with whom you come in contact1 and especially over those whom you wish to influence in some particular manner or direction4 ,you must let the fire of desire burn fiercely within you1 until it becomes as strong as physical hunger or thirst4 ,you must want to as you want to breathe1 to live4 ,you will find that the men who accomplish the great things in life are those who have strong desire burning in their bosoms4 ,there is a strong radiative and inductive power in strong desire and wish--in fact1 some have thought this the main feature of what we generally call strong will-power4 ,the next step1 of course1 is the forming of a clear1 positive1 distinct and dynamic mental picture of the idea or feeling that you wish to induce in the other person4 ,if it is an idea1 you should make a strong clear picture of it in your imagination1 so as to give it distinctness and force and a clear outline4 ,if it is a feeling1 you should picture it in your imagination4 ,if it is something that you wish the other person to do1 or some way in which you wish him to act1 you should picture him as doing the thing1 or acting in that particular way4 ,by so doing you furnish the pattern or design for the induced mental or emotional states you wish to induce in the other person4 ,upon the clearness and strength of these mental patterns of the imagination depends largely the power of the induced impression4 ,the third step1 of course1 is the concentration of your mind upon the impression you wish to induce in the mind of the other person4 ,you must learn to concentrate so forcibly and clearly that the idea will stand out clearly in your mind like a bright star of a dark night1 except that there must be only one star instead of thousands4 ,by so doing you really focus the entire force of your mental and psychic energies into that one particular idea or thought4 ,this makes it act like the focused rays in the sun-glass1 or like the strong pipe-stream of water that will break down the thing upon which it is turned4 ,diffused thought has but a comparatively weak effect1 whereas a concentrated stream of thought vibrations will force its way through obstacles4 ,remember1 always1 this threefold mental condition3 7#a7 ,,strong ,,desire2 7#b7 ,,clear ,,mental ,,picture2 and 7#c7 ,,concentrated ,,thought4 ,the greater the degree in which you can manifest these three mental conditions1 the greater will be your success in any form of psychic influence1 direct or indirect1 personal or general1 present or distant4 ,before you proceed to develop the power to impress a particular idea or feeling upon the mind of another person1 you should first acquire a positive mental atmosphere for yourself4 ,this mental atmosphere is produced in precisely the same way that you induce a special idea or feeling in the mind of the other person4 ,that is to say1 you first strongly desire it1 then you clearly picture it1 and then you apply concentrated thought upon it4 ,i will assume that you are filled with the strong desire for a positive mental atmosphere around you4 ,you want this very much indeed1 and actually crave and hunger for it4 ,then you must begin to picture yourself 7in your imagination7 as surrounded with an aura of positive thought-vibrations which protect you from the thought forces of other persons1 and1 at the same time impress the strength of your personality upon the persons with whom you come in contact4 ,you will be aided in making these strong mental pictures by holding the idea in your concentrated thought1 and1 at the same time1 silently stating to your mind just what you expect to do in the desired direction4 ,in stating your orders to your mind1 always speak as if the thing were already accomplished at that particular moment4 ,never say that it will be1 but always hold fast to the it is4 ,the following will give you a good example of the mental statements1 which of course should be accompanied by the concentrated idea of the thing1 and the mental picture of yourself as being just what you state4 ,here is the mental statement for the creation of a strong1 positive psychic atmosphere3 ,i am surrounded by an aura of strong1 positive1 dynamic thought-vibrations4 ,these render me positive to other persons1 and render them negative to me4 ,i am positive of their thought-vibrations1 but they are negative to mine4 ,they feel the strength of my psychic atmosphere1 while ,i easily repel the power of theirs4 ,i dominate the situation1 and manifest my positive psychic qualities over theirs4 ,my atmosphere creates the vibration of strength and power on all sides of me1 which affect others with whom ,i come in contact4 ,,my ,,psychic ,,atmosphere ,,is ,,strong ,,and ,,positive6 ,the next step in ,personal ,influence is that of projecting your psychic power directly upon and into the mind of the other person whom you wish to influence4 ,sometimes1 if the person is quite negative to you1 this is a very simple and easy matter2 but where the person is near your own degree of psychic positiveness you will have to assert your psychic superiority to him1 and get the psychic upper hand before you can proceed further4 ,this is accomplished by throwing into your psychic atmosphere some particularly strong mental statements accompanied by clear visualizations or mental pictures4 ,make positive your psychic atmosphere1 particularly towards the person whom you seek to influence1 by statements and pictures something along the following lines3 ,i am positive to this man2 ,he is negative to me2 ,he feels my power and is beginning to yield to it2 ,he is unable to influence me in the slightest1 while ,i can influence him easily2 ,my power is beginning to operate upon his mind and feelings4 ,the exact words are not important1 but the idea behind them gives them their psychic force and power4 ,then should you begin your direct attack upon him1 or rather upon his psychic powers4 ,when ,i say attack1 ,i do not use the word in the sense of warfare or actual desire to harm the other person--this is a far different matter4 ,what ,i mean to say is that there is usually a psychic battle for a longer or shorter period between two persons of similar degrees of psychic power and development4 ,from this battle one always emerges victor at the time1 and one always is beaten for the time being1 at least4 ,and1 as in all battles1 victory often goes to him who strikes the first hard blow4 ,the offensive tactics are the best in cases of this kind4 ,a celebrated ,american author1 ,oliver ,wendall ,holmes1 in one of his books makes mention of these duels of psychic force between individuals1 as follows3 ,there is that deadly ,indian hug in which men wrestle with their eyes1 over in five seconds1 but which breaks one of their two backs1 and is good for three-score years and ten1 one trial enough--settles the whole matter--just as when two feathered songsters of the barnyard1 game and dunghill1 come together4 ,after a jump or two1 and a few sharp kicks1 there is an end to it2 and it is ',after you1 monsieur' with the beaten party in all the social relations for all the rest of his days4 ,an ,english physician1 ,dr4 ,fothergill by name1 wrote a number of years ago about this struggle of wills1 as he called it1 but which is really a struggle of psychic power4 ,he says3 ,the conflict of will1 the power to command others1 has been spoken of frequently4 ,yet what is this will-power that influences others8 ,what is it that makes us accept1 and adopt too1 the advice of one person1 while precisely the same advice from another has been rejected8 ,is it the weight of force of will which insensibly influences us2 the force of will behind the advice8 ,that is what it is6 ,the person who thus forces his or her advice upon us has no more power to enforce it than others2 but all the same we do as requested4 ,we accept from one what we reject from another4 ,one person says of something contemplated1 ',oh1 but you must not1' yet we do it all the same1 though that person may be in a position to make us regret the rejection of that counsel4 ,another person says1 ',oh1 but you mustn't1' and we desist1 though we may1 if so disposed1 set this latter person's opinion at defiance with impunity4 ,it is not the fear of consequences1 not of giving offense1 which determines the adaption of the latter person's advice1 while it has been rejected when given by the first4 ,it depends upon the character or will-power of the individual advising whether we accept the advice or reject it4 ,this character often depends little1 if at all1 in some cases1 upon the intellect1 or even upon the moral qualities1 the goodness or badness1 of the individual4 ,it is itself an imponderable something2 yet it carries weight with it4 ,there may be abler men1 cleverer men2 but it is the one possessed of will who rises to the surface at these times--the one who can by some subtle power make other men obey him4 ,the will-power goes on universally4 ,in the young aristocrat who gets his tailor to make another advance in defiance of his conviction that he will never get his money back4 ,it goes on between lawyer and client2 betwixt doctor and patient2 between banker and borrower2 betwixt buyer and seller4 ,it is not tact which enables the person behind the counter to induce customers to buy what they did not intend to buy1 and which bought1 gives them no satisfaction1 though it is linked therewith for the effort to be successful4 ,whenever two persons meet in business1 or in any other relation in life1 up to love-making1 there is this will-fight going on1 commonly enough without any consciousness of the struggle4 ,there is a dim consciousness of the result1 but none of the processes4 ,it often takes years of the intimacy of married life to find out with whom of the pair the mastery really lies4 ,often the far stronger character1 to all appearances1 has to yield2 it is this will-element which underlies the statement3 ',the race is not always to the swift1 nor the battle to the strong4' ,in ,middle-march' we find in ,lydgate a grand aggregation of qualities1 yet shallow1 hard1 selfish ,rosamond masters him thoroughly in the end4 ,he was not deficient in will-power2 possessed more than an average amount of character2 but in the fight he went down at last under the onslaught of the intense1 stubborn will of his narrow-minded spouse4 ,their will-contest was the collision of a large warm nature1 like a capable human hand1 with a hard1 narrow selfish nature1 like a steel button2 the hand only bruised itself while the button remained unaffected4 ,you must not1 however1 imagine that every person with whom you engage in one of these psychic duels is conscious of what is going on4 ,he usually recognizes that some sort of conflict is under way1 but he does not know the laws and principles of psychic force1 and so is in the dark regarding the procedure4 ,you will find that a little practice of this kind1 in which no great question is involved1 will give you a certain knack or trick of handling your psychic forces1 and will1 besides1 give you that confidence in yourself that comes only from actual practice and exercise4 ,i can point out the rules1 and give you the principles1 but you must learn the little bits of technique yourself from actual practice4 ,when you have crossed psychic swords with the other person1 gaze at him intently but not fiercely1 and send him this positive strong thought-vibration3 ,i am stronger than you1 and ,i shall win6 ,at the same time picture to yourself your forces beating down his and overcoming him4 ,hold this idea and picture in your mind3 ,my vibrations are stronger than are yours--,i am beating you6 ,follow this up with the idea and picture of3 ,you are weakening and giving in--you are being overpowered6 ,a very powerful psychic weapon is the following3 ,my vibrations are scattering your forces--,i am breaking your forces into bits--surrender1 surrender now1 ,i tell you6 ,and now for some interesting and very valuable information concerning psychic defense4 ,you will notice that in the offensive psychic weapons there is always an assertion of positive statement of your power and its effect4 ,well1 then1 in using the psychic defensive weapon against one of strong will or psychic force1 you reverse the process4 ,that is to say you deny the force of his psychic powers and forces1 and picture them as melting into nothingness4 ,get this idea well fixed in your mind1 for it is very important in a conflict of this kind4 ,the effect of this is to neutralize all of the other person's power so far as its effect on yourself is concerned--you really do not destroy it in him totally4 ,you simply render his forces powerless to affect you4 ,this is important not only when in a psychic conflict of this kind1 but also when you wish to render yourself immune from the psychic forces of other persons4 ,you may shut yourself up in a strong defensive armor in this way1 and others will be powerless to affect you4 ,in the positive statement1 ,i deny6 you have the ,occult ,shield of ,defense1 which is a mighty protection to you4 ,even if you do not feel disposed to cultivate and develop your psychic powers in the direction of influencing others1 you should at least develop your defensive powers so as to resist any psychic attacks upon yourself4 ,you will find it helpful to practice these offensive and defensive weapons when you are alone1 standing before your mirror and playing that your reflection in the glass is the other person4 ,send this imaginary other person the psychic vibrations1 accompanied by the mental picture suitable for it4 ,act the part out seriously and earnestly1 just as if the reflected image were really another person4 ,this will give you confidence in yourself1 and that indefinable knack of handling your psychic weapons that comes only from practice4 ,you will do well to perfect yourself in these rehearsals1 just as you would in case you were trying to master anything else4 ,by frequent earnest rehearsals1 you will gain not only familiarity with the process and methods1 but you will also gain real power and strength by the exercise of your psychic faculties which have heretofore lain dormant4 ,just as you may develop the muscle of your arm by calisthenic exercises1 until it is able to perform real muscular work of strength2 so you may develop your psychic faculties in this rehearsal work1 so that you will be strongly equipped and armed for an actual psychic conflict1 besides having learned how to handle your psychic weapons4 ,after you have practiced sufficiently along the general offensive and defensive lines1 and have learned how to manifest these forces in actual conflict1 you will do well to practice special and specific commands to others1 in the same way4 ,that is to say1 practice them first on your reflected image in the mirror4 ,the following commands 7with mental pictures1 of course7 will give you good practice4 ,go about the work in earnest1 and act out the part seriously4 ,try these exercises3 ,here6 look at me6 ,give me your undivided attention6 ,come this way6 ,come to me at once6 ,go away from me--leave me at once6 ,you like me--you like me very much6 ,you are afraid of me6 ,you wish to please me6 ,you will agree to my proposition6 ,you will do as ,i tell you6 ,any special command you wish to convey to another person1 psychically1 you will do well to practice before the mirror in this way4 ,when you have made satisfactory progress in the exercises above mentioned1 and are able1 to demonstrate them with a fair degree of success in actual practice1 you may proceed to experiment with persons along the lines of special and direct commands by psychic force4 ,the following will give you a clear idea of the nature of the experiments in question1 but you may enlarge upon and vary them indefinitely4 ,remember there is no virtue in mere words--the effect comes from the power of the thought behind the words4 ,but1 nevertheless1 you will find that positive words1 used in these silent commands1 will help you to fit in your feeling to the words4 ,always make the command a real ,,command1 never a mere entreaty or appeal4 ,assume the mental attitude of a master of men--of a commander and ruler of other men4 ,here follow a number of interesting experiments along these lines1 which will be very useful to you in acquiring the art of personal influence of this kind3 ,,seven ,,valuable ,,exercises ,,exercise #a3 ,when walking down the street behind a person1 make him turn around in answer to your mental command4 ,select some person who does not seem to be too much rushed or too busy--select some person who seems to having nothing particular on his mind4 ,then desire earnestly that he shall turn around when you mentally call to him to do so2 at the same time picture him as turning around in answer to your call2 and at the same time concentrate your attention and thought firmly upon him4 ,after a few moments of preparatory thought1 send him the following message1 silently of course1 with as much force1 positiveness and vigor as possible3 ,hey there6 turn around and look at me6 ,hey6 turn around1 turn around at once6 ,while influencing him fix your gaze at the point on his neck where the skull joins it--right at the base of the brain1 in the back4 ,in a number of cases1 you will find that the person will look around as if someone had actually called him aloud4 ,in other cases1 he will seem puzzled1 and will look from side to side as if seeking some one4 ,after a little practice you will be surprised how many persons you can affect in this way4 ,,exercise #b3 ,when in a public place1 such as a church1 concert or theatre1 send a similar message to someone seated a little distance in front of you4 ,use the same methods as in the first exercise1 and you will obtain similar results4 ,it will seem queer to you at first to notice how the other person will begin to fidget and move around in his seat1 and finally glance furtively around as if to see what is causing him the disturbance4 ,you1 of course1 will not let him suspect that it is you1 but1 instead will gaze calmly ahead of you1 and pretend not to notice him4 ,,exercise #c3 ,this is a variation of the first exercise4 ,it is practiced by sending to a person approaching you on the street1 or walking ahead of you in the same direction1 a command to turn to the right1 or to the left1 as you prefer4 ,you will be surprised to see how often you will be successful in this4 ,,exercise #d3 ,this is a variation of the second exercise4 ,it is practiced by sending to a person seated in front of you in a public place the command to look to the right1 or to the left1 as you prefer4 ,do not practice on the same person too long1 after succeeding at first--it is not right to torment people1 remember4 ,,exercise #e3 ,after having attained proficiency in the foregoing exercises1 you many proceed to command a person to perform certain unimportant motions1 such as rising or sitting down1 taking off his hat1 taking out his handkerchief1 laying down a fan1 umbrella1 etc4 ,,exercise #f3 ,the next step is to command persons to say some particular word having no important meaning2 to put words in his mouth while talking to him4 ,wait until the other person pauses as if in search of a word1 and then suddenly1 sharply and forcibly put the word into his mouth1 silently of course4 ,in a very susceptible person1 well under your psychic control1 you may succeed in suggesting entire sentences and phrases to him4 ,,exercise #g3 ,this is the summit of psychic influencing1 and1 of course1 is the most difficult4 ,but you will be surprised to see how well you will succeed in many cases1 after you have acquired the knack and habit of sending the psychic message4 ,it consists of commanding the person to obey the spoken command or request that you are about to make to him4 ,this is the art and secret of the success of many salesmen1 solicitors1 and others working along the lines of influencing other people4 ,it is acquired by beginning with small things1 and gradually proceeding to greater1 and still greater4 ,at this point ,i should warn you that all the best occult teachings warn students against using this power for base ends1 improper purposes1 etc4 ,such practices tend to react and rebound against the person using them1 like a boomerang4 ,beware against using psychic or occult forces for improper purposes--the psychic laws punish the offender1 just as do the physical laws4 ,finally1 ,i caution the student against talking too much about his developing powers4 ,beware of boasting or bragging about these things4 ,keep silent1 and keep your own counsel4 ,when you make known your powers1 you set into operation the adverse and antagonistic thought of persons around you who may be jealous of you1 and who would wish to see you fail1 or make yourself ridiculous4 ,the wise head keepeth a still tongue6 ,one of the oldest occult maxims is3 ,learn6 ,dare6 ,do6 ,keep ,silent666 ,you will do well to adhere strictly to this warning caution4 ,,lesson ,,xviii4 ,,psychic ,,influence ,,at ,a ,,distance ,the second phase of ,psychic ,influence is that called ,distant ,psychic ,influence1 in which psychic induction is manifested when the persons are distant in space from one another--not in the presence of each other4 ,here1 of course1 we see the principle of telepathy involved in connection with the process of mental induction3 and in some cases even the astral telepathic sense is called into operation4 ,the student who has followed my explanation and course of reasoning in the preceding lessons will readily perceive that the principle involved in this distant phase of psychic influence is precisely the same as that employed in direct personal psychic influence4 ,as ,i have explained in an early lesson1 it matters little whether the space to be covered by the psychic vibratory waves is but one foot or a thousand miles1 the principle is exactly the same4 ,there are1 of course1 other principles involved in the case of two persons meeting face to face and calling into force their psychic powers2 for instance1 there is the element of suggestion and association1 and other psychological principles which are not in force when the two persons are out of the actual presence of each other4 ,but so far as the telepathic or astral psychic powers are concerned1 the mere extension of space does not change the principle4 ,the student who has developed his power of psychic induction in the phases mentioned in the preceding chapter1 may begin to experiment and practice psychic induction at long-range1 if he so wishes4 ,that is to say1 instead of causing psychic induction in the minds of persons actually in his presence and sight1 he may produce similar results in persons out of his sight and presence4 ,the person may be brought into presence and psychic contact1 for all practical purposes1 by using the visualizing powers for the purpose of bringing him into the en rapport condition4 ,that is to say1 by using the imagination to bring into the mind a strong clear picture of the other person1 you may induce an en rapport condition in which he will be practically in the same psychic relation to you as if he were actually before you4 ,of course1 if he is sufficiently well informed regarding occult matters1 he may shut you out by drawing a psychic circle around himself which you cannot penetrate1 or by surrounding himself with psychic armor or atmosphere such as ,i have already mentioned in preceding lessons4 ,but as he will not likely know anything of this1 the average person may be reached in the manner just mentioned4 ,or again1 you may establish en rapport conditions by psychometric methods1 by holding to your forehead an article which has been in the other person's possession for some time2 an article worn by him2 a piece of his hair2 etc4 ,or1 again1 you may use the crystal to bring up his astral vision before you4 ,or1 again1 you may erect an astral tube such as ,i will mention a little further on in this chapter1 and thus establish a strong en rapport condition4 ,having established the en rapport condition with the other person1 and having thus practically brought him into your presence1 psychically speaking1 you may proceed to send him commands or demands1 just as you did in the phase of personal psychic influence previously mentioned4 ,you act precisely as if the other person were present before you1 and state your commands or demands to him just as you would were he seated or standing in your presence4 ,this is the keynote of the whole thing2 the rest is simply an elaboration and stating of details of methods1 etc4 ,with the correct principle once established1 you may apply the same according to your own wishes and discretion4 ,this phase of distant psychic influence is at the bottom of all the wonderful tales1 stories and legends of supernatural powers1 witchcraft1 sorcery1 etc41 with which the pages of history are filled4 ,there is of course always to be found much distortion and exaggeration in these legends and tales1 but they have truth at the bottom of them4 ,in this connection1 let me call your attention to a very important psychic principle involved4 ,i have told you that by denying the power of any person over you1 you practically neutralize his psychic power--the stronger and more positive your belief in your immunity1 and your denial of his power over you1 the more do you rob him of any such power4 ,the average person1 not knowing this1 is more or less passive to psychic influences of other persons1 and may be affected by them to a greater or less extent1 depending upon the psychic development of the person seeking to influence him4 ,at the extreme of the sensitive pole of psychic influence1 we find those persons who believe firmly that the other person has power over them1 and who are more or less afraid of him4 ,this belief and fear acts to make them particularly sensitive and impressionable1 and easily affected by his psychic induction4 ,this is the reason that the so-called witches and sorcerers and others of evil repute have been able to acquire such a power over their victims1 and to cause so much trouble4 ,the secret is that the victims believed in the power of the other person1 and feared their power4 ,the greater the belief in1 and fear of1 the power of the person1 the greater the susceptibility to his influence2 the greater the sense of power of neutralizing the power1 and the disbelief in his power to affect them1 the greater the degree of immunity3 this is the rule6 ,accordingly we find that persons in various stages of the history of the world have been affected by the influences of witches1 sorcerers1 and other unprincipled persons4 ,in most cases these so-called witches and sorcerers themselves were under the delusion that they were assisted by the devil or some other supernatural being4 ,they did not realize that they were simply using perfectly natural methods1 and employing perfectly natural forces4 ,for that matter1 you must remember that magnetism and electricity1 in ancient days1 were considered as supernatural forces in some way connected with demonic powers4 ,studying the history of witchcraft1 sorcery1 black-magic1 and the like1 you will find that the devotees thereof usually employed some psychometric method4 ,in other cases they would mould little figures of clay1 or of wax1 in the general shape and appearance of the person whom they wished to affect4 ,it was thought that these little figures were endowed with some supernatural powers or attributes1 but of course this was mere superstition4 ,the whole power of these little figures arose from the fact that they aided the imagination of the spell-worker in forming a mental image of the person sought to be influenced2 and thus established a strong en rapport condition4 ,added to this1 you must remember that the fear and belief of the public greatly aided the spell-worker and increased his power and influence over these poor persons4 ,i will give you a typical case1 taken from an old ,german book1 which thoroughly illustrates the principles involved in cases of this kind4 ,understand this case1 and you will have the secret and working principle of them all4 ,the story is told by an eminent ,german physician of the last century4 ,he relates that he was consulted by one of his patients1 a wealthy farmer living near by4 ,the farmer complained that he was disturbed every night by strange noises which sounded like someone pounding iron4 ,the disturbances occurred between the hours of ten o'clock and midnight1 each and every night4 ,the physician asked him if he suspected anyone of causing the strange trouble4 ,the farmer answered that he suspected an old enemy of his1 an old village blacksmith living several miles away from his farm4 ,it appears that an old long-standing feud between them had broken out afresh1 and that the blacksmith had made threats of employing his hex 7witchcraft7 powers on the old farmer4 ,the blacksmith was reputed to be a sort of hex or male-witch1 and the farmer believed in his diabolic powers and was very much in fear of them4 ,so you see the ideal condition for psychic receptivity was present4 ,the physician called on the blacksmith1 and taking him by surprise1 gazing sternly into his eyes and asked him3 ,what do you do every night between ten and twelve o'clock8 ,the blacksmith1 frightened and disturbed1 stammered out3 ,i hammer a bar of iron every night at that time1 and all the while ,i think intently of a bad neighbor of mine who once cheated me out of some money2 and ,i 'will' at the same time that the noise will disturb his rest1 until he will pay me back my money to get peace and quiet4 ,the physician bade him to desist from his evil practices1 under threats of dire punishment2 and then went to the farmer and made him straighten out the financial dispute between the two4 ,thereafter1 there was no more trouble4 ,so you see in this case all the necessary elements were present4 ,first there was the belief of the blacksmith in his own powers--this gave him self-confidence and psychic power4 ,then there was the belief and fear on the part of the farmer--this made him an easy subject1 and very susceptible to psychic induction1 etc4 ,then there was the action of the blacksmith beating the iron--this gave force and clearness to his visualization of the idea he wished to induce in the mind of the other4 ,and1 finally1 there was his will employed in every stroke1 going out in the direction of the concentrated wish and purpose of influencing the farmer4 ,you see1 then1 that every psychic element was present4 ,it was no wonder that the old farmer was disturbed4 ,among the negroes of the ,south1 in ,america2 and among the ,hawaiians2 we find marked instances of this kind4 ,the negro ,voodoo men and women work black magic on those of their race who are superstitious and credulous1 and who have a mortal fear of the ,voodoo4 ,you see the conditions obtained are much the same as in the case of the ,german case just cited4 ,travellers who have visited the countries in which there is a large negro population1 have many interesting tales to recite of the terrible workings of these ,voodoo black magicians4 ,in some cases1 sickness and even death is the result4 ,but1 mark you this6 it is only those who believe in1 and fear1 the power of the ,voodoos that are affected4 ,in ,hawaii1 the ,kahunas or native magicians are renowned for their power to cause sickness and death to those who have offended them2 or to those who have offended some client of the ,kahuna1 and who have hired the latter to pray the enemy to sickness or death4 ,the poor ignorant ,hawaiians1 believing implicitly in the power of the ,kahunas1 and being in deadly fear of them1 are very susceptible to their psychic influence1 and naturally fall easy victims1 unless they buy of the ,kahuna1 or make peace with his client4 ,white persons living in ,hawaii are not affected by the ,kahunas1 for they do not believe in them1 neither do they fear them4 ,unconsciously1 but still strongly1 they deny the power1 and are immune4 ,so1 you see1 the principle working out here1 also4 ,once you have the master-key1 you may unlock many doors of mystery which have heretofore been closed to you4 ,we do not have to fall back on cases of witchcraft1 however1 in order to illustrate this phase of the use of psychic influence for selfish ends4 ,in ,europe and ,america there are teachers of a low form of occultism who instruct their pupils in the art of producing induced mental states in the minds of others1 for purposes of financial gain or other selfish ends4 ,for instance1 there is a ,western teacher who instructs his pupils to induce desired mental states in prospective customers1 or others whom they may wish to influence for selfish reasons4 ,this teacher tells his pupils to3 ,imagine your prospective customer1 or other person1 as seated in a chair before which you are standing4 ,make the imagined picture as strong as possible1 for upon this depends your success4 ,then proceed to 'treat' this person just as if he were actually present4 ,concentrate your will upon him1 and tell him what you expect to tell him when you meet him4 ,use all of the arguments that you can think of1 and at the same time hold the thought that he must do as you say4 ,try to imagine him as complying with your wishes in every respect1 for this imagining will tend to 'come true' when you really meet the person4 ,this rule may be used1 not only in the case of prospective customers1 but also in the case of persons whom you wish to influence in any way whatsoever4 ,surely this is a case of employing psychic powers for selfish purposes1 if anything is4 ,again1 in ,europe and ,america1 particularly in the latter country1 we find many persons who have picked up a smattering of occult knowledge by means of some of the many healing cults and organizations which teach the power of thought over physical diseases4 ,in the instruction along the lines of distant mental healing1 the student is taught to visualize the patient as strongly and clearly as possible1 and to then proceed to make statements of health and strength4 ,the mind of the patient1 and that of the healer1 cooperate and in many cases work wonderful cures4 ,as you will see in the last lesson of this course1 there is great power in the mind to induce healthful vibrations in the mind of others1 and the work is a good and worthy one4 ,but1 alas6 as is so often the case1 the good teaching is sometimes perverted1 and applied for unworthy and selfish ends4 ,some of the persons who have picked up the principles of mental healing have discovered that the same power may be used in a bad as well as in a good direction4 ,they accordingly1 proceed to treat other persons with the object of persuading them to do things calculated to benefit the person using the psychic power4 ,they seek to get these other persons under their psychic influence1 and to then take advantage of them in some way or other4 ,i hope that it is practically unnecessary for me to warn my students against evil practices of this kind--,i trust that ,i have not drawn any students of this class to me4 ,in case1 however1 that some of you may have been1 or may be in the future1 tempted to use your psychic powers improperly1 in this way1 ,i wish to caution and warn you positively against so doing4 ,outside of the ordinary morality which should prevent you from taking advantage of another person in this way1 ,i wish to say to you that anyone so misusing psychic or astral powers will inevitably bring down upon his head1 sooner or later1 certain occult astral forces which will prove disastrous to him4 ,he will become involved in the web of his own making1 and will suffer greatly4 ,never by any means allow yourself to be tempted into indulging in any of the practices of ,black ,magic1 under any form of disguise4 ,you will live to regret it if you do4 ,employ your powers1 when you develop them1 for the good of others2 or at least1 for purely scientific investigation and knowledge4 ,the scientific investigator of this phase of psychic influence1 will wish to become acquainted with what the occultists call the astral tube4 ,in this phase of the phenomena1 you manifest upon the astral plane1 rather than upon the physical4 ,the astral form of telepathy is manifested1 rather than the ordinary form4 ,while there are a number of technical points involved in the production of the astral tube1 ,i shall endeavor to instruct you regarding its creation and use in as plain words as possible1 omitting all reference to technical occult details which would only serve to distract your attention and confuse your mind4 ,the advanced occult student will understand these omitted technicalities without being told of them2 the others would not know what was meant by them1 if mentioned1 in the absence of a long stage of preparatory teaching4 ,after all1 the theory is not of so much importance to most of you as are the practical working principles4 ,i ask your careful attention to what ,i have to say in this subject of the astral tube4 ,the ,astral ,tube is formed by the person forming in his imagination 7i4e41 on the astral plane by means of his imagination or visualizing powers71 a tube or small tunnel between himself and the person whom he wishes to influence4 ,he starts by picturing it in his mind a whirling vortex1 similar to the whirling ring of smoke emitted from a coughing engine1 and sometimes by a man smoking a cigar1 about six inches to one foot in diameter4 ,he must will the imagined vortex-ring to move forward as if it were actually boring a tunnel through the atmosphere4 ,when the knack of producing this astral tube is acquired1 it will be found that the visualized tunnel seems to vibrate with a peculiar intensity1 and will seem to be composed of a substance far more subtle than air4 ,then1 at the other end of this astral tube you must picture the other person1 the one whom you wish to influence4 ,the person will seem as if viewed through the wrong end of an opera-glass4 ,when this condition is gained1 there will be found to be a high degree of en rapport between yourself and the other person4 ,the secret consists in the fact that you have really established a form of clairvoyance between yourself and the person4 ,when you have induced this condition1 proceed with your mental commands and pictures just as if you were in the presence of the person himself4 ,that is the whole thing in a nutshell4 ,in order that you may have another viewpoint from which to consider the astral tube1 or what corresponds to it1 ,i wish to give you here a little quotation from another writer on the subject1 who presents the matter from a somewhat more technical standpoint4 ,read this quotation in connection with my own description of the astral tube1 and you will form a pretty complete and clear idea of the phenomenon4 ,the writer mentioned says3 ,it is impossible here to give an exhaustive disquisition on astral physics2 all ,i need say is that it is possible to make in the astral substance a definite connecting-line that shall act as a telegraph wire to convey vibrations by means of which all that is going on at the other end of it may be seen4 ,such a line is established1 be it understood1 not by a direct projection through space of astral matter1 but by such action upon a line 7or rather many lines7 of particles of that substance as will render them capable of forming a conductor for vibrations of the character required4 ,this preliminary action can be set up in two ways--either by the transmission of energy from particle to particle1 until the line is formed1 or by the use of a force from a higher plane which is capable of acting upon the whole line simultaneously4 ,of course this latter method implies far greater development1 since it involves the knowledge of 7and the power to use7 forces of a considerably higher level4 ,even the simpler and purely astral operation is a difficult one to describe1 though quite an easy one to perform4 ,it may be said to partake somewhat of the nature of the magnetization of a bar of steel2 for it consists in what we might call the polarization1 by an effort of the human will1 of a number of astral atoms reaching from the operator to the scene which he wishes to observe4 ,all the atoms thus affected are held for the time being with their axes rigidly parallel to one another1 so that they form a kind of temporary tube along which the clairvoyant may look4 ,this method has the disadvantage that the telegraph line is liable to disarrangement or even destruction by any sufficiently strong astral current which happens to cross its path2 but if the original creative effort were fairly definite1 this would be a contingency of only infrequent occurrence4 ,the view of a distant scene obtained by means of this 'astral current' is in many ways not unlike that seen through a telescope4 ,human figures usually appear very small1 like those on a distant stage1 but in spite of their diminutive size they are as clear as though they were close by4 ,sometimes it is possible by this means to hear what is said as well as to see what is done2 but as in the majority of cases this does not happen1 we must consider it rather as the manifestation of an additional power than as a necessary corollary of the faculty of sight4 ,i would feel that ,i had not done my whole duty to the student1 or reader of this book1 were ,i to conclude this chapter without pointing out a means of protection against the use of this phase of psychic influence against them on the part of some unscrupulous person2 or for that matter1 against the meddling influence of any person whatsoever1 for any purpose whatsoever1 without one's permission and consent4 ,therefore1 ,i wish now to point out the general principles of self-protection or defense against this class of psychic influence4 ,in the first place1 you must1 of course1 refuse to admit to your mind any feeling of fear regarding the influence of other persons--for that is the open door to their influence1 as ,i have pointed out to you4 ,if you have been1 or are fearful of any persons psychic influence1 you must get to work and drive out that feeling by positive and vigorous denials4 ,the denial1 you remember1 is the positive neutralizer of the psychic influence of another person1 providing you make it in full belief of its truth4 ,you must take the position 7which is a true one7 that you are immune to the psychic attack or influence4 ,you should say1 mentally1 ,i deny to any person the power to influence me psychically without my consent2 ,i am positive to all such influences1 and they are negative to me2 ,i neutralize them by this denial6 ,if you feel sudden impulses to act in some way which you have not thought of doing1 or toward which you have had an aversion1 pause a moment and say1 mentally1 ,if this is an outside influence1 ,i deny its power over me2 ,i deny it1 and send it back to its sender1 to his defeat and confusion4 ,you will then experience a feeling of relief and freedom4 ,in such cases you may frequently be approached later on by the person who would have been most benefitted by your action2 he will appear surprised when you turn him down1 and will act in a confused way4 ,he may not have consciously tried to influence you1 but may have merely been wishing strongly that you would do as he desired4 ,it should encourage you to know that it requires much less force to repel and neutralize psychic influence of this kind1 than is required to send forth the power2 an ounce of denial and protection overcomes a pound of psychic attacking power4 ,nature gives you the means of protection1 and gives you the best end of the stick1 and it is your own fault if you do not effectively use it4 ,a word to the wise is sufficient4 ,,lesson ,,xix4 ,,laws ,,of ,,psychic ,,attraction ,the third phase of ,psychic ,influence is that which may be called ,indirect ,psychic ,influence1 in which psychic induction is manifested in the minds of other persons coming in contact with the thought vibrations of the person manifesting them1 although no deliberate attempt is made to influence the mind of any particular person or persons4 ,closely connected with and involved in this phase of psychic influence1 is that which is called the ,psychic ,law of ,attraction4 ,so closely are these two connected that ,i shall consider them together in this lesson4 ,the fundamental principle of this phase of psychic influence is the well-known psychic fact that mental and emotional states not only induce similar vibrations in those who are similar attuned on the psychic vibratory scale1 but also tend to attract and draw to the person other persons who are vibrating along similar lines1 and also tend to repel those who are vibrating in an opposing note or scale of psychic vibration4 ,in the preceding lessons ,i have shown you how by induction we tend to arouse in others mental and emotional states similar to our own4 ,but there is a law in effect here1 which must be noted if you wish to thoroughly understand this phase of psychic influences4 ,omitting all technical explanations1 and getting right down to the heart of the phenomenon1 ,i would say that the general principle is this3 ,psychic induction is difficult in proportion to the opposing quality of the characteristic mental and emotional states of the person affected2 and easy in proportion to the harmonious quality thereof4 ,that is to say1 in plain words1 that if a person's habitual thought and emotions are along the same lines that you are trying to induce in him1 you will find it easy to induce the same in him2 if1 on the contrary1 they are of an opposing nature1 then you will find it difficult to so influence him4 ,the many degrees of agreement and difference in the psychic vibrations of persons constitute a scale of comparative response to any particular form of mental or emotional vibrations4 ,it is hard to change the spots of a leopard1 or the skin of an ,ethiopian1 as we are told on ancient authority4 ,it is almost as difficult to change the characteristic mental and emotional states of a person by psychic induction1 except after long and repeated efforts4 ,on the contrary1 let a person have certain characteristic mental and emotional habits1 then these may be aroused in them with the greatest ease by means of psychic induction4 ,for instance1 if a person is characteristically and habitually peaceful1 mild and calm1 it will be very difficult to arouse in him by psychic induction the vibrations of anger1 fight and excitement4 ,on the other hand1 if the other person is combative1 fierce and easily excited to wrath1 it is the easiest possible thing to arouse these feelings in him by psychic induction4 ,so much for ordinary psychic induction2 let us now consider indirect psychic induction1 in which the same principle operates4 ,in indirect psychic induction1 that is to say in cases in which psychic vibrations are aroused by induction without deliberate attempt or design to influence any particular person or persons1 there is noted the manifestation of a peculiar law of attraction and repulsion along psychic lines4 ,this psychic law operates in the direction of attracting to oneself other persons who1 actively or passively1 vibrate on the same note1 or on some note or notes in general harmony therewith4 ,in the same1 way1 the law causes you to repel other persons who vibrate on a note or notes in general inharmony or discord to yourself4 ,so1 in short1 we go through life attracting or repelling1 psychically1 others in harmonious or inharmonious psychic relation to us1 respectively4 ,an understanding of this law and its workings will throw light upon many things in your life which you have not understood previously4 ,you of course understand that you are constantly radiating currents of psychic vibrations1 some of which flow out to great distances from you1 and affect others often far removed from you in space4 ,but you may not also know that on the astral plane there is manifesting a similar sequence of cause and effect4 ,a strong emotional vibration1 or a strong desire or will1 tends to manifest on the astral plane by attracting or repelling others in psychic harmony or inharmony with you4 ,this phenomenon is not so common as is that of ordinary thought vibrations from brain to brain1 but it is far more common that is generally supposed4 ,it is particularly marked in cases of men of strong desire and will1 and strong creative imagination4 ,these vibrations awakening response in the minds of those in harmony with them1 tend to draw to one those other persons whose general character will fit in with the desires and ideas of the first person1 or to repel those who are not harmonious therewith4 ,this explains the peculiar phenomenon of strong men in business1 politics and other walks of life1 drawing and attracting to them other men who will fit in with their general plans and aims4 ,this law works two ways4 ,not only do you draw such persons to you as will fit in with your plans and purposes1 but you are attracted to them by the same law4 ,not only this1 but you will find that through the peculiar workings of this law even things and circumstances1 as well as persons1 will seem to be moulded by your strong desires and ideas1 providing your psychic vibrations are sufficiently strong and clear4 ,have you never noticed how a strong1 resourceful magnetic man will seem to actually draw to him the persons1 things and circumstances that he needs to carry out and manifest his plans and designs4 ,to many1 not understanding this great law1 these things have seemed positively uncanny and mysterious4 ,but1 now-a-days1 the big men of business and politics are beginning to understand these psychic laws1 and to apply them deliberately and with purpose4 ,some of the great leaders in the business world1 and in politics1 are known to deliberately start into operation strong psychic vibrations1 and to send out strong psychic currents of attraction1 by the methods that ,i have already explained to you4 ,they1 of course1 are filled with a more than ordinary degree of desire and will and1 in the second place1 they create very strong and clear mental pictures of their plans working out successfully to a finish2 then concentrate strongly on the thing2 and lo6 the effect is felt by all hands and on all sides4 ,they treat the public 7to use the term favored by some of the metaphysical cults of the day7 by holding the mental picture of that which they strongly desire to come to pass1 and by concentrating their thought and will strongly upon it4 ,a favorite mental picture of some of these men 7who have been instructed by teachers of occultism71 is that of themselves as the centre of a great psychic whirlpool1 drawing to themselves the persons1 things and circumstances calculated to bring success and realization to them4 ,others picture their thought-vibrations flowing from them like the rings in a pond into which a stone had been dropped1 influencing a constantly widening circle of other persons2 then they picture the persons being drawn to them in the manner just mentioned4 ,they persist in this practice day after day1 week after week1 month after month1 year after year--is it any wonder that they draw to themselves that which they desire8 ,other persons of lesser caliber take similar advantage of the law in the same way1 but on a smaller scale4 ,in every community there are certain persons who seem to draw to themselves the patronage and custom of the community1 in some peculiar way4 ,in most cases this may be traced back to some form of psychic influence4 ,i do not mean that these persons consciously and deliberately set these forces into operation4 ,on the contrary1 many of them do so more or less unconsciously1 and without a knowledge of the underlying psychic principles involved4 ,such persons have stumbled on a portion of the psychic laws1 and have used them more or less unconsciously and without understanding the real reason of the happening4 ,they found out that certain mental states and certain mental pictures tended to produce certain results--that they worked out--and so they continued them4 ,some of these men think of the whole thing as something supernatural1 and get to believe that they are being helped by some supernatural power2 whereas1 they are simply operating under a universal psychic law of cause and effect4 ,in ,america a number of teachers and writers have devoted much attention to this phase of the general subject of psychic influence4 ,cults have been formed upon this general basis1 the main idea of their followers being that of attracting financial and other success by means of this phase of psychic force4 ,one of the leading writers along this line1 says3 ,an individual who has cultivated the faculty of concentration1 and has acquired the art of creating sharp1 clear1 strong1 mental images1 and who when engaged in an undertaking will so charge his mind with the idea of success1 will be bound to become an attracting centre4 ,and if such an individual will keep his mental picture ever in his mind1 even though it be in the background of his mind1 when he is attending to the details and planning of his affairs--if he will give his mental picture a prominent place in his mental gallery1 taking a frequent glance at it1 and using his will upon it to create new scenes of actual success1 he will create for himself a centre of radiating thought that will surely be felt by those coming within its field of influence4 ,such a man frequently 'sees people as coming to him and his enterprises1 and as falling in line with his plans4 ,he mentally 'sees' money flowing in to him1 and all of his plans working out right4 ,in short1 he mentally imagines each step of his plans a little ahead of the time for their execution1 and he concentrates forcibly and earnestly upon them4 ,it is astonishing to witness how events1 people1 circumstances1 and things seem to move in place in actual life as if urged by some mighty power to serve to materialize the conditions so imaged in the mind of the man4 ,but1 understand1 there must be active mental effort behind the imaging4 ,day dreamers do not materialize thought--they merely dissipate energy4 ,the man who converts thought in activity and material being throws energy into the task1 and puts forth his willpower through the pictured image4 ,without the rays of the will there will be no picture projected1 no matter how beautifully the imagination has projected it4 ,thought pictured in mental images1 and then vitalized by the force of the desire1 and will1 tend to objectify themselves into material being4 ,the student will be interested in reading and hearing the various theories and explanations given by different writers and teachers to account for the phenomena of psychic influence4 ,once he has grasped the real scientific principles involved1 he will be able to see the same in operation in all of the cases cited by the different teachers and writers1 and will find that this fundamental principle fully explains and accounts for all of these cases1 no matter how puzzling they may seem1 or how mysterious they may be claimed to be by those mentioning them4 ,truth is very simple when we brush away the fantastic dressings which have been placed around it by those who have lacked knowledge of the true fundamental principles4 ,we see this same law or principle operating in very many different ways from those previously mentioned4 ,for instance1 we frequently find cases in which one person has a strong desire for a certain kind of assistance in his business or other work4 ,he has almost given up hope of finding the right kind of person1 for those whom he has tried have failed to measure up the requirements of the situation4 ,if he will 7and he sometimes does7 follow the general plan just mentioned1 he will set into operation the psychic forces which will attract that person to him1 and him to that person4 ,in some peculiar way1 the two will be thrown together1 and the combination will work out to the best advantage of both4 ,in these cases1 each person is seeking the other1 and the psychic forces of attraction1 once set into operation1 serve to bring them together4 ,in like manner1 one often draws to himself certain knowledge and information that he requires or is desirous of gaining4 ,but1 and you must always remember this1 no miracle is worked1 for it is simply a matter of the working out of natural laws of cause and effect--attraction and response to attraction--on the psychic or astral plane4 ,such a person will accidently 767 run across some other person who will be led to give him the key to the knowledge he seeks4 ,perhaps a book may be mentioned1 or some reference to some writer be made4 ,if the hint is followed up1 the desired information comes to light4 ,many persons have had the psychic experience of being led to some book store and induced to examine a particular shelf of books1 whereupon a particular book presents itself which changes the whole course of the person's life4 ,or1 perhaps1 one will pick up a newspaper apparently at random1 and without purpose2 and therein will find some information1 or at least a hint in the direction where the information may be found4 ,when one accustoms himself to the workings of psychic forces1 these things soon become accepted as a matter of course1 and cease to arouse wonder or surprise4 ,the workings of the ,psychic ,law of ,attraction is seen to be as natural and invariable as the law of gravitation1 or magnetic attraction1 once one has mastered its principles1 and learned the methods of its application4 ,surely such a wonderful law is well worth study1 attention1 investigation1 and mastery1 isn't it8 ,a writer along the lines of ,mental ,science1 which is really based on the principles which have been stated in this book1 has the following to say regarding his system3 ,wonderful results arise by reason of what has been called ',the ,law of ,attraction1' by the workings of which each person is continually drawing to himself the people1 things1 objects1 and even circumstances in harmony and accord with his prevailing mental states4 ,like attracts like1 and the mental states determine that which one draws to himself4 ,if you are not satisfied with what is coming to you1 start to work and change your mental attitudes and mental states1 and you will see a change gradually setting in1 and then the things that you want will begin to come your way4 99 99 99 ,a most important fact about the effect of mental vibrations upon people lies in the principle that one is more affected by vibrations in harmony with his own accustomed feelings and mental states1 than by those of an opposite nature4 ,a man who is full of evil schemes1 and selfish aims1 is more apt to be caught up by similar vibrations than one who lives above that plane of thought4 ,he is more easily tempted by evil suggestions and influences1 than one to whom these things are abhorrent4 ,and the same is true on every plane4 ,a man whose mental attitude is one of confidence and fearlessness1 is not apt to be affected by vibrations of a negative1 pessimistic1 gloomy nature1 and vice versa4 ,therefore1 if you wish to receive the vibrations of the thoughts and feelings of others1 you must place yourself in a mental attitude corresponding with those vibrations which you wish to receive4 ,and if you wish to avoid vibrations of a certain kind1 the best way is to rise above them in your own mind1 and to cultivate the mental states opposite them4 ,the positive always overcomes the negative--and optimistic mental states are always positive to pessimistic mental states4 ,another writer on1 and practitioner of ,mental ,science1 in ,america1 several years ago1 explained her theory and practice by means of the term corelation of thoughts and things4 ,she held that when one thought positively1 clearly and forcibly of a thing1 he related himself to that thing1 and tended to attract it to him1 and to be attracted toward it4 ,she held that true wisdom consists in so managing our thoughts that we shall relate ourselves only to those things which we know to be desirable and beneficial to ourselves1 and to avoid thinking of those which are harmful and detrimental to us4 ,the student of this book will see how this practical ,mental ,scientist was really using the same principles that we have examined and become acquainted within this book1 although she called them by another name1 and explained them by another theory4 ,at the bottom of all the teachings and theories you will always find the one same basic principle and universal law4 ,the advanced student of occultism knows that each and every one of us is really a creator of his own circumstances1 environment and conditions1 to a great extent4 ,each of us is able to so modify our mental activities as to bring about such changes in our environment and surroundings as to actually re-create them4 ,the things accomplished by successful men are really but materializations of that which they have previously held in their mental vision4 ,everything is first created on the psychic plane1 and then manifested in the physical world4 ,all the great works of man1 the great bridges1 great buildings1 tunnels1 machinery1 cities1 railroads1 canals1 works of art1 musical compositions1 etc41 first existed in the mind of their creators1 and were then afterward materialized in physical form and shape4 ,and1 so you see we are proceeding with our work of mental creations whenever we think and make mental images4 ,this1 however1 is no new teaching4 ,it is as old as the race of mankind4 ,over twenty-five hundred years ago1 ,buddha said to his disciples3 ,all that we are is the result of what we have thought2 it is founded on our thoughts2 it is made up of our thoughts4 ,i would be telling you but half the story did ,i not warn you that strong ,fear may play the part ordinarily filled by ,desire in the production of the psychic phenomena of materialization of mental pictures4 ,strange as it may appear at first1 a strong fear that a thing will come to pass will act much the same as a strong desire that the happening will occur4 ,consequently1 many persons by continually dwelling upon the thing that they fear may happen to them1 actually attract that thing to them1 just as if they had actually desired and wished for it4 ,i cannot go into occult technicalities in explaining this strange fact2 but the gist of the secret may be said to consist in the fact that the person clearly and vividly pictures in his mind the thing that he fears may happen to him4 ,he thus creates a strong mental-picture or image of it1 which sets into forces the attractive power of psychic influence and draws the feared thing into material reality4 ,as ,job said3 ,the thing that ,i feared hath come upon me4 ,the moral of this is1 of course1 that persons should learn to stamp out fear and mental images of things feared4 ,instead1 they should make strong positive mental denials of the things that they may find themselves fearing4 ,they should deny the reality of the feared thing1 and assert positively their own superiority to the thing1 and their power to overcome it4 ,a great religious cult has sprung into existence which makes a leading doctrine of this ability to materialize the things which one desires1 and to deny out of existence undesirable things4 ,many persons who have witnessed the wonderful success of some of the followers of this cult or organization1 have been puzzled to account for the same on scientific and rational grounds4 ,a little understanding of fundamental occult and psychic principles1 as given in these lessons1 will show the why and wherefore of these strange and wonderful manifestations4 ,in this connection you must remember that the combined thought of the thousands of persons composing this cult or organization undoubtedly gives additional psychic force to the mental affirmations and denials of the individual member thereof4 ,in past and present1 and probably in future time1 there have been many instances of magical procedures tending to bring about the results that we have herein seen to come about by reason of psychic influence1 in some of its many phases4 ,these magic procedures have usually been accompanied by incantations1 ceremonies1 strange rites1 evocations1 etc41 which were supposed to have great virtue in bringing about desired results4 ,but the true occultists now know that these ceremonies and rites were merely hopes to the imagination and aids to faith1 and thus tended to bring about the psychic phenomena4 ,there was no virtue in these ceremonies themselves1 and the same results may be secured by simply following the procedure outlined in this book4 ,the wonders of ancient magic have been reproduced by the modern occultists1 without all the mumbo-jumbo of the past rites and ceremonies4 ,a gifted ,english writer upon the subject of the relation of mysticism and magic1 sums up the gist of the principles of ,magic as follows3 ,the central doctrine of ,magic may now be summed up thus3 7#a7 ,that a supersensible and real cosmic medium exists1 which interpenetrates1 influences1 and supports the tangible and apparent world1 and is amenable to the categories both of meta-physics and of physics4 ,this of course is the astral plane1 which is the container of the subtle form or framework of all that exists on the physical plane4 7#b7 ,that there is an established analogy and equilibrium between the real 7and unseen7 world1 and the illusory manifestation that we call the world of sense4 ,by this of course is meant the correspondence and balance between the subtle form of things and the material manifestation thereof4 ,things created in the astral1 tend to materialize on the physical plane4 ,all creation proceeds from the astral to the physical4 7#c7 ,that this analogy may be discerned1 and this equilibrium controlled1 by the disciplined will of man1 which thus becomes master of itself and of fate4 ,the essence of ,will consists of strong desire accompanied by a clear mental picture of the thing desired1 and held steady and firm by concentration4 ,so you see by reference to the above very clear statement of the central doctrine of ,magic1 and my explanations thereof1 that in these lessons you have been taught the very essence of the wonderful1 mysterious ancient ,magic1 and its modern counterpart4 ,as for the various rites and ceremonies1 as ,i have said1 these are mere symbols and aids to mental imaging and concentration4 ,as an eminent occultist once said1 ,ceremonies being but artificial methods of creating certain habits of the will1 they cease to be necessary when these habits have become fixed4 ,the master of occultism sees ceremonies1 rites1 and ritual as but the playthings of the kindergarten scholar--useful and important so far as they go1 but serving merely to teach the scholar1 sooner or later1 that he may proceed without them4 ,in this chapter ,i have condensed enough information to fill a whole book4 ,i trust that you will study it carefully1 and not miss its main points4 ,,lesson ,,xx4 ,,psychic ,,and ,,magnetic ,,healing ,probably no phase of psychic influence is more familiar to the average person of the ,western world than is that of the healing of physical ills and conditions by means of psychic influence under one name or another4 ,great healing cults and organizations have been built up upon this basis1 and the interest in the subject has taken on the form of a great popular movement4 ,as is natural in cases of this kind1 there have been hundreds of theories advanced to account for the phenomena of psychic healing1 and a still greater number of methods of treatments devised to carry out the principles of the theories4 ,ranging from the teaching of actual divine interposition and influence arising from certain forms of belief and practice1 covering many intermediate stages1 the theories even include a semi-materialistic hypothesis in which mind is considered as an attribute of matter1 but having a magic influence over the forms of matter when properly applied4 ,but it is worthy of note that no matter what the general or particular theory1 or what the favored method of application1 these healing schools or cults1 as well as the independent practitioners1 meet with a very fair degree of success and perform quite a number of cures4 ,many of these ,western advocates and practitioners of psychic healing practically hold that the whole system is of very recent discovery1 and that it has nothing whatsoever to do with ordinary occult science4 ,the occultists however are able to smile at these ideas and beliefs1 for they not only recognize the general principles involved1 but they also are aware that these principles1 and their application1 have been known to advanced occultists for thousands of years4 ,i do not say this in any dispargement of the moderns schools of psychic healing1 for ,i am in full sympathy with their great work2 ,i merely mention the matter that the student may get the right historical perspective in considering this phase of psychic phenomena and influence4 ,so far as the methods of application are concerned1 the true occultist recognizes that most of the methods and forms of treatment are but outward cloaks or disguises for the real psychic healing principle4 ,the gist of the real methods is to be found in the principles of the application of psychic influence which ,i have presented to you in these lessons1 viz3 7#a7 ,strong desire to make the cure2 7#b7 clear mental image or picture of the desired condition as actually present in the patient at this time2 and 7#c7 concentration of the attention and mind of the healer1 so as to bring to a focus to two preceding mental states4 ,here you have the real secret of psychic healing methods--the rest are all elaborations thereof1 dressed up forms and ceremonies which affect the imagination1 faith1 belief and confidence of the patient1 and thus make the healing process much easier4 ,in fact1 with the proper degree of faith and confidence on the part of the patient1 there is but little need of a healer1 for the patient may treat and cure himself4 ,however1 in most cases1 the presence of the healer aids materially in arousing the fate and confidence of the patient1 and hastens the cure4 ,again1 so far as the theories underlying the cures are concerned1 occultists are able to reduce them all to a single working theory or principle1 which includes all the rest4 ,brushing aside all technical details1 and all attempts to trace back the healing process to the ultimate facts of the universe1 ,i may say that the gist of the principle of all psychic healing is that of influencing the astral foundation of the various organs and parts1 cells and centres1 so as to make it proceed to manifest a more perfect physical counterpart4 ,all psychic healing is really accomplished on the astral body first--then the physical body responds to the renewed activities of its astral counterpart4 ,to get the real significance of this statement it is necessary for you to realize just what the astral body really is4 ,this once grasped1 the difficulties vanish1 and you are able to form a clear conception of the entire matter and process4 ,the astral body is a precise counterpart of the physical body1 its organs1 its parts1 its centres1 and its cells4 ,in fact1 the astral body is the pattern upon which the physical body is materialized4 ,the astral body is composed of an etheric substance of a very high rate of vibration4 ,in one sense it may be considered as a very subtle form of matter--in another as a semi-materialized form of force or energy4 ,it is finer and more subtle that the rarest vapors or gases known to science4 ,and1 yet1 it has a strong degree of tenacity and cohesiveness that enables it to resist attacks from the material side of nature4 ,as ,i have said1 each organ1 part1 centre or cell1 of the physical body has its astral pattern or basis4 ,in fact1 the physical body has been built up1 in whole and in all of its parts1 on the pattern and base of the astral body4 ,moreover1 in case of impaired functioning of the physical organs or parts1 and impaired activity of the physical body1 its limbs1 etc41 if we can manage to arouse the activities of the astral body we may cause it to re-materialize or re-energize the physical body1 and thus restore health and activity to it4 ,if the liver1 for instance1 is not functioning properly1 we proceed to start up the activities of the astral counterpart of that organ1 to the end that the physical organ may be re-energized1 and recreated in a measure4 ,all true psychic healing work is performed on the astral plane1 before it manifests on the physical4 ,at this point1 ,i should also call your attention to the effect of prana1 or life energy1 in some cases of healing4 ,this prana is what ,western healers mean when they speak of human magnetism in their healing work4 ,so far from being an imaginary force1 as claimed by the physical scientists and materialists1 it is known to all occultists as an active principle of the human body1 and as of great efficacy in the psychic treatment of disease4 ,i shall mention the details of this form of treatment as we proceed--,i mention it at this place merely to call your attention to the fact of its existence4 ,before passing on to the consideration of other phases of the subject before us1 ,i would like to call your attention to the fact that from the earliest days of history there have been recorded instances of some form of psychic healing4 ,in the earlier days the psychic healing work was left entirely in the hands of the priesthood of the various religions prevailing in the several counties of the world4 ,claiming to have an exclusive divine sanction to perform healing work1 these priests used various ceremonies1 rites1 incantations1 etc41 in order to obtain their results4 ,in many cases these priests were ignorant of the real psychic forces invoked and set into operation2 they merely practiced methods which had been found to work out effectively1 and which had been handed down to them by their predecessors4 ,in other cases1 however1 the priests undoubtedly were skilled occultists1 and had a very full knowledge of the forces they were using2 though1 as the masses of the people were very ignorant it was impossible to acquaint them with these things so far above their understanding2 and1 consequently1 the priests applied the healing forces under the disguise of their religious ceremonies and rites4 ,from time to time1 however1 as civilization progressed1 there came into prominence persons who worked cures of physical ills by means of magical ceremonies and other similar methods1 but who were outside of the priesthood4 ,some of these men undoubtedly had a very fair knowledge of the real secret of their cures1 though they disguised them to suit the mental condition of their patients1 and1 also1 probably for purposes of self glorification4 ,in other cases1 however1 it is probable that these healers had merely stumbled across the fact that certain things said in a certain way tended to work cures2 or that certain physical objects seemed to have therapeutic virtue4 ,they did not realize that the whole healing virtue of their systems depended upon the strong idea in their own minds1 coupled with the strong faith and confidence in the mind of the patient4 ,and so the work went on4 ,in some of the oldest records of the human race1 the scriptures of the various peoples1 we find that laying on of hands was the favorite method employed by the holy men and priests1 and other performing healing work4 ,from the first there seems to have been an almost instinctive recognition on the part of man of the fact that there is a healing power in the touch of the hand4 ,even ignorant and savage mothers instinctively apply their hands to the hurt bodies of their children--a custom that has its counterpart in civilized races1 by the way4 ,the child is taught to expect physical relief from the application of the mother's hands1 and its mind at once pictures relief4 ,not only is the mental picture created1 but the desire and confidence is established in the minds of both persons4 ,the same thing is true of all laying on of hands1 and thus are the principles of all psychic influence brought into play4 ,but this is not all there is to it4 ,in the first place1 there is an actual transference of prana from the body of the healer to that of the patient1 which serves to energize and revitalize the cells and centres of the body of the latter4 ,in the second place1 there is the effect upon the astral body of the patient1 which tends to materialize better physical conditions4 ,in the third place1 there is that combination and union of the minds of the two persons1 which gives extra force and power to psychic influence4 ,is it any wonder that cures take place under these circumstances8 ,in the modern revival of the almost lost art and science of psychic healing among the general public1 there has been unusual stress laid upon the feature of absent healing1 in which the patient and the healer are not in each other's presence4 ,to many this has seemed actually miraculous1 and as a positive proof of divine interposition4 ,but a little thought will show the student that such cures are not unknown in the pages of history1 as a casual examination of the sacred books of almost any religion will show4 ,moreover1 the student will see that to the effect of certain principles of psychic influence there needs but to be added the principles of telepathic communication1 or1 better still1 the principles of astral communication by some phases of clairvoyance1 to account for the entire phenomena of absent healing4 ,space is no barrier on the astral plane1 as you have seen in the preceding chapters of this book4 ,once the en rapport condition is established between healer and patient1 and the rest is simple--the astral body is induced to energize more actively1 and as a result the physical manifestation is improved and normal functioning restored4 ,of course1 all this is wonderful enough--all psychic phenomena is1 for that matter2 but1 we see that we do not have to go outside of established occult laws1 principles and facts in order to account for some of these modern miracles which have puzzled and perplexed so many good persons who have not known of the occult teachings1 and who fear that the world is being turned upside down1 and ,nature's laws overturned by these new fangled ideas and methods4 ,perhaps the most simple method of healing by psychic influence is that which is at the same time the oldest method1 i4e41 the laying on of hands4 ,this method was revived about twenty years ago in ,america and ,europe by the new school of magnetic healing which sprung rapidly into public favor4 ,the other schools of psychic healing1 generally known as mental healing1 spiritual healing1 divine healing1 etc41 generally frown upon the use of the hands in psychic healing1 deeming it too material1 and too much allied to hypnotism1 etc4 ,but this view is quite bigoted and narrow1 for this method has no relation to hypnotism1 and1 moreover1 it gives the patient the benefit of the flow of prana from the healer1 while at the same time producing the psychic effect on the astral body1 as ,i have just mentioned4 ,i take the liberty of quoting here something on this subject from my little book entitled ,the ,human ,aura4 ,in the chapter of that book devoted to the consideration of the subject of ,auric ,magnetism1 ,i said3 ,in cases of magnetic healing1 etc41 the healer by an effort of his will 7sometimes unconsciously applied7 projects a supply of his pranic aura vibrations into the body of his patient1 by way of the nervous system of the patient1 and also by means of what may be called the induction of the aura itself4 ,the mere presence of a person strongly charged with prana1 is often enough to cause an overflow into the aura of other persons1 with a resulting feeling of new strength and energy4 ,by the use of the hands of the healer1 a heightened effect is produced1 by reason of certain properties inherent in the nervous system of both healer and patient4 ,there is even a flow of etheric substance from the aura of the healer to that of the patient1 in cases in which the vitality of the latter is very low4 ,many a healer has actually1 and literally1 pumped his life force and etheric substance into the body of his patient1 when the latter was sinking into the weakness which precedes death1 and has by so doing been able to bring him back to strength and life4 ,this is practically akin to the transfusion of blood--except that it is upon the psychic plane instead of the physical4 ,but the true magnetic healer 7call him by whatever name you wish7 does not make this pranic treatment the all-in-all of his psychic treatment4 ,on the contrary it is but the less subtle part1 which leads up to the higher phases4 ,while treating his patients by the laying on of hands1 he1 at the same time1 strives to induce in the mind of the patient the mental image of restored health and physical strength2 he pictures the diseased organ as restored to health and normal functioning2 he sees the entire physiological machinery operating properly1 the work of nutrition1 assimilation1 and excretion going on naturally and normally4 ,by proper words of advice ,l and encouragement he awakens hope and confidence in the mind of the patient1 and thus obtains the co-operation of that mind in connection to his own mental efforts4 ,the astral body responds to this treatment1 and begins to energize the physical organs and cells into normal activity--and the journey toward health is begun4 ,in the little book just mention1 ,the ,human ,aura1 ,i gave some valuable information regarding the influence of colors in psychic healing1 which ,i do not reproduce here as it is outside the scope and field of the present lessons4 ,those who may feel interested in the subject are respectfully referred to the little manual itself4 ,it is sold for a nominal price by the publishers of the present work4 ,in the form of psychic treatment which comes under the head of ,suggestive ,therapeutics1 great insistence is laid upon the verbal suggestion to the patient1 on the part of the healer4 ,the patient is told that he will get well2 that his organs will function normally2 etc41 etc4 ,but the student of the present lessons will readily see that the only virtue in the spoken words consists in their power to evoke and induce the mental image of the desired condition in the mind of the patient4 ,the mental picture thus evoked produces a corresponding effect in the astral body of the patient1 and sets into operation the materialization of desired results4 ,in addition1 the words produce a strong mental picture in the mind of the healer himself1 and thus give form and strength to his psychic vibrations which are being poured out toward the patient4 ,this is really the secret of suggestive treatment4 ,the many cults of metaphysical healing1 in ,america and ,europe1 lay great stress upon what they call affirmations1 which are but statements of the patient of his or her faith in the healing power of ,god1 or of ,mind1 or ,spirit1 or ,principle 7different names are used74 ,the patient naturally has confidence aroused1 and as naturally begins to picture the desired condition2 this in turn reacting upon the astral body1 and this upon the physical body or organ4 ,in addition1 the healer's mind is also set to work in the same way1 and sets into motion the healing psychic forces in the way just mentioned4 ,you will notice that the same principle is always involved and set into operation and manifestation4 ,there is no particular virtue in the form of affirmation used by the healer or patient1 except the important virtue of being able to arouse strong mental pictures of restored health1 proper functioning1 etc4 ,there is of course this also3 certain forms of affirmations or mental statements are better suited than others to the particular wants of certain persons4 ,for instance1 a very religious person will be aroused better by affirmations and statements filled with religious sentiments and ideas2 while a person of a purely scientific turn of mind will receive more benefit from affirmations in which the precise physiological functions are specifically mentioned2 while the person who is fond of mystery and strange ceremonies will be better served in the affirmations or statements taken in the form of some magical incantation1 etc4 ,the difference1 however1 lies in the mind of the patient1 rather than in the words themselves4 ,words are merely invokers of ideas--symbols of ideas4 ,in themselves1 words are nothing--ideas are everything4 ,if you wish to treat yourself psychically for some physical disorder1 or if you wish to do good to others in the same way1 you have but to put into operation the general principles of psychic influence herein described4 ,that is to say1 you must first be filled with the strong desire and wish to make the cure2 then you must make a strong mental image of the desired result1 as actually present4 7,do not think of it as going to be2 instead say and think that it is now672 then concentrate the attention firmly and positively upon the idea4 ,you may aid yourself and others by affirmations or auto-suggestions 7words creating desired ideas and mental pictures7 if you wish--you may get better results in this way4 ,in this connection1 let me remind you that the healing work in many cases consists largely in placing proper mental pictures in the mind of the patient1 thereby displacing improper and harmful mental pictures of disease1 etc41 which have been given lodgment there before4 ,many persons are sick because of improper and harmful mental pictures that they have allowed to be placed there by the suggestions of others4 ,fear and dread of disease often acts to bring about the feared condition1 for reasons that you can readily see4 ,and1 now1 finally for the work of absent healing by psychic influence4 ,i can state this to you very simply2 it is this3 take what ,i have just told you regarding personal treatments1 and combine it with what ,i have told you in previous lessons about long distance psychic influence--then you will have the whole thing4 ,here is a sample of an effective distant treatment2 or absent treatment1 to use the popular term--it may be varied and enlarged up to fit individual cases3 ,sit quietly in your own room1 inducing a calm1 peaceful mental attitude and state4 ,then 7in the way already told you in this book7 make a mental picture of the patient as sitting opposite to you1 or lying down in front of you4 ,if you have never seen the patient1 make simply a mental image of a man1 or a woman1 as the case may be1 and think of the figure as being the patient4 ,the best practitioners of distant psychic healing produce such a strong mental image of the patient that they can often actually feel his or her presence4 7,this of course is the result of a simple form of clairvoyance47 ,then make a strong mental picture of the condition that you wish to induce in the patient--the healthy physical condition of the organ1 or part or body1 as the case may be4 ,see this condition as existing at the present time1 and not as merely to come in the future4 ,at the same time1 you will do well to mentally speak to the patient1 just as you would in case he or she were sitting before you in the physical body4 ,tell the patient just what you would in such case4 ,pour in the suggestions1 or affirmations1 or whatever you may wish to call them4 ,in some cases in which an excellent en rapport condition is established1 patients become aware of the treatment1 and sometimes can almost see and feel the presence of the healer4 ,a prominent ,mental ,scientist1 of ,america1 instructs his pupils to consider each of the organs of the patient1 or of themselves1 as having a separate intelligence2 and1 therefore1 to speak up to it as if it really understood what was being said to its organ-mind4 ,i would say that such form of treatment would be calculated to bring about very good results1 indeed4 ,the principle of concentration and mental picturing would be invoked very strongly in such a case1 and the astral counterpart of the organ should respond to such treatment quickly and effectively4 ,it is an occult fact that there is mind in every organ and cell of the body1 and if the same is awakened in the astral counterpart1 it will respond to the command1 suggestion1 or direction4 ,the writer in question evidently is well acquainted with this occult law1 judging from his other writings1 and has simply veiled his knowledge with this easily understood method of treatment which undoubtedly will do the work1 to use the ,american term4 ,finally1 no matter what may be the theory1 or method1 given in connection with psychic healing of any or all kinds1 you will find the same general principles underlying it that have been presented over and over again in this book4 ,in fact1 many purely material and physical remedies owe their success to the fact that they appeal to the imagination of the patient1 and also inspire confidence in him4 ,anything that will inspire confidence1 faith and hope in the mind of a patient1 and will bring to his mind strong mental pictures of restored health and normal functioning of his organs--that thing will make for health for him4 ,so1 there you have the whole theory and practice in a sentence6 99 99 99 99 99 ,i would remind the student that these are not lessons to be read but once and then laid aside4 ,in order to get from them all that they contain for you1 you will find it necessary to read them several times1 with a reasonable interval between readings for the knowledge to sink into your mind4 ,i feel sure that you will find with each reading that there are many points that you over-looked before4 ,the lessons cover a wide field1 with many little excursions into bye-paths and lanes of thought4 ,i trust that the reading and study will make you not only a wiser person1 but also a stronger and more efficient one4 ,i thank you for your kind attention1 and trust that we shall meet again in the future4 ,,finis4 ,the ,art and ,science of ,,personal ,,magnetism ,by ,,theron ,q4 ,,dumont ,,the ,,secret ,,of ,,fortune1 ,,fame ,,and ,,love ,success can be made more certain by being able to mold minds and to influence them to act as you wish4 ,,the ,,art ,,and ,,science ,,of ,,personal ,,magnetism ,by ,theron ,q4 ,dumont ,a ,chicago paper in a recent editorial said3 ,there are men in this country in abundance1 but good men1 while in great demand1 are as scarce as the clams in chowder at a church supper4 ,a man need not be a college graduate if he is to rise to the height of power and success4 ,personal ,magnetism will help to control and influence others4 ,this book contains #bch pages crammed with most interesting advice on ,personal ,magnetism--what it is and how to develop it4 ,it contains #ba chapters dealing with the different phases of the subject4 ,here are a few of the chapter headings3 ,the ,mental ,phase--,the ,physical ,phase--,physical ,magnetism--,mental ,radiation--,mental ,atmosphere--,the ,direct ,flash--,the ,positive ,aura--,the ,direct ,command--,the ,magnetic ,duel--,magnetic ,self-,defence--,the ,power of ,controlling ,others ,no4 #f1 #bch ,pages1 ,cloth ,bound1 ,size #ex#g4 ,medical ,hypnotism and ,suggestion ,by ,alexr4 ,verner1 ,f4,a4,i4,p4 ,this book is full of secrets4 ,it explains what hypnotism 7or mesmerism7 is1 and gives an interesting outline of its history4 ,it explains the great value of hypnotism in the cure of disease and in surgical operations4 ,it tells how to hypnotise a man1 how to put him in a trance for a week4 ,there is an explanation on how to give an hypnotic entertainment for your friends or on the stage1 making your subjects do things such as acting1 singing1 speechmaking1 things that1 in their ordinary state1 they would be unable to do4 ,further it explains the method of curing bad habits--drinking1 swearing1 lying1 stealing1 gambling1 betting1 smoking1 envy1 hatred1 temper1 etc4 ,the author's object in writing this book is to give a brief but accurate description of ,hypnotism and ,suggestive ,therapeutics1 as practiced by the most advanced schools of the present day2 and also to enlighten the public mind on the great advantages of hypnotism in the treatment of disease1 as compared with the drug method now used in this and other countries4 ,size #f x #d-a_/b4 ,no4 #ab1 #cg ,pages1 ,paper ,bound--,price ,postpaid ,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,,the ,,development ,,of ,,seership ,,the ,,science ,,of ,,knowing ,,the ,,future ,,hindoo and ,,oriental ,,methods ,,coming ,,events ,,cast ,,their ,,shadows ,,before ,by ,swami ,bhakta ,vishita 7,hindoo ,master7 ,everyone possesses in the latent state the wonderful faculty of ,seership4 ,this can be developed4 ,you can train yourself so you can foresee events and be your own adviser--see your own future4 ,if you want to make the most of yourself1 both in a human and divine sense1 you should read this book4 ,the most profound and conscientious occult work published in years4 ,teaches how to pierce the veil--enter at will into the spiritual world and converse with your loved ones now across the border4 ,no4 #c4 #chd ,pages1 ,cloth ,bound1 ,size1 #ex#g ,practical ,mind ,reading ,by ,william ,walker ,atkinson ,a course of ,lessons on ,thought ,transference1 ,telepathy1 ,mental ,currents1 ,mental ,rapport1 etc4 ,this book is full of practical condensed instruction about every phase of ,mind ,reading1 ,telepathy1 etc4 ,the exercises and directions are so plain and simple that they can be understood and demonstrated by any person of ordinary intelligence4 ,here you will find complete instruction in all the latest points about ,mind ,reading4 ,it tells how ,thought ,transference is practiced in the scientific laboratory as well as by a public performer4 ,it tells you how to perform feats that will mystify an audience and arouse the deepest interest and enthusiasm1 or how you can conduct telepathic experiments with your friends right in your own home4 ,here are the titles of the lessons and a few of the subjects treated3 ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,,mind ,,reading--,a vast1 mysterious subject2 ,power of ,etheric ,vibrations2 ,mental wireless telepathy2 the mysteries of science2 ,action of mind upon mind2 ,the mental battery4 ,,the ,,proofs ,,of ,,mind ,,reading--,the ,psychic post office2 ,wonderful results2 ,a convincing experiment4 ,,contact ,,mind ,,reading--,the two classes of mind reading2 ,the simplest form2 ,nerve current theory2 ,the truth about public performances4 ,,development ,,exercises--,how to begin2 ,rapport conditions--,rhythmic breathing2 ,details of finding objects4 ,,price ,,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,no4 #h--ie ,pages1 ,paper ,bound1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b ,,the ,,solar ,,plexus or ,abdominal ,brain ,,by ,,theron ,q4 ,,dumont ,man has four brains1 and not merely one1 as is commonly believed to be the case4 ,each of the four brains have separate characteristics and distinctive offices and functions4 ,the ,solar ,plexus1 or ,abdominal ,brain is situated in the upper part of the abdomen1 behind the stomach1 in front of the great artery1 and in front of pillars of the diaphragm4 ,the ,solar ,plexus is the great plexus1 i4e41 network of nerve-fibres1 mass of nerve-substance1 etc41 of the great sympathetic nervous system4 ,it is composed of both gray and white nervous substance1 or brain-matter1 similar to that of the other three brains of man4 ,it receives and distributes nerve-impulses and currents to all the abdominal organs1 and supplies the main organs of nutrition1 assimilation1 etc41 with nervous energy4 ,it performs a most important work1 supplying the nerve-energy which is required for the process of nutrition1 assimilation1 growth1 etc4 ,in fact1 it is the great powerhouse of physical life-energy4 ,the bodily functions cannot be performed without it2 when it is injured the entire physical well-being is at once seriously affected2 when it receives a severe shock1 death often ensues4 ,its name1 solar was bestowed upon it by reason of its central position2 its filaments extend in all directions to the important abdominal organs1 like the rays of the sun2 and it is recognized as being the powerhouse1 and great reservoir of life force1 just as the sun is the great powerhouse and reservoir of material energy of our solar system4 ,not alone modern scientific investigators2 but also many very ancient investigators1 such as the oriental occultists and sages1 who many centuries ago recognized certain subtle functions and offices of this wonderful fourth brain of man1 and taught their students many valuable methods of effectively employing its finer forces and hidden energies4 ,,no4 #i1 #fd ,,pages1 ,,paper ,,bound1 ,,size #fx#d-a_/b ,,price ,,postpaid--,,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,,how ,,to ,,know ,,your ,,future ,by ,alexr4 ,verner1 ,f4,a4,i4,p4 ,as ,st4 ,paul points out1 man has a natural 7or material7 body and a spiritual body4 ,there are also a material world and a spiritual world4 ,with the eye we can only see material things4 ,to see the spiritual world we must cultivate the spiritual sight4 ,seeing spiritual things with the spiritual sight is called ,clairvoyance 7or ,second ,sight74 ,you can if you choose1 cultivate clairvoyant faculty4 ,if you do1 you may be able to see places and persons in the spiritual world4 ,this may enable you to describe to your friends1 people in spirit life that they have known here4 ,it can also help you to see what is going on at a distance in this world4 ,to see into the past and the future4 ,to obtain hidden information1 and to give advice1 of the utmost value4 ,this faculty when properly developed enables one to trace hidden treasure1 to find lost friends1 animals1 and property4 ,with the development of ,clairvoyance it is also possible to develop ,clairaudience 7,spiritual ,hearing74 ,crystal ,gazing means looking into a crystal ball or into something else of a like kind4 ,when this faculty is developed one sees a picture or image in the crystal4 ,presently the picture will dissolve and another will take its place4 ,all the above matter is described in this book4 ,no4 #ae1 #db ,pages1 ,paper ,bound1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b4 ,price ,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,how to ,converse with ,spirit ,friends ,by ,alexr4 ,verner1 ,f4,a4,i4,p4 ,a medium is a person whose presence is necessary before a spirit can communicate4 ,how ,to ,converse ,with ,spirit ,friends tells you how you may develop mediumistic powers1 so as to be able to receive messages from the other world when sitting alone4 ,the book also tells you about different kinds of spirits1 including apparitions 7ghosts7 and spirit guides 7the spirit friends that are constantly with each of us72 about spirit control 7how spirits work through the organisms of mediums72 and about spirit-given premonitions1 warnings1 death-signs1 etc4 ,the work1 moreover1 gives other interesting and valuable matter4 ,this work is calculated to comfort those that mourn4 ,this book is printed in very legible type and contains illustrations to bring out points4 ,one of the illustrations shows spirit forms as seen by a medium4 ,size #fx#d-a_/b ,no4 #ad1 #cf ,pages1 ,paper ,bound--,price ,postpaid ,outside ,u4,s4,a4_/b ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,concentration ,by ,theron ,q4 ,dumont ,it is of the utmost value to learn how to concentrate4 ,to make the greatest success of anything1 you must be able to center your entire thought upon the idea you are working on4 ,the person who is able to concentrate1 utilizes all constructive thoughts and shuts out all destructive ones4 ,the greatest man would accomplish nothing if he lacked concentration4 ,,twenty ,,famous ,,lessons ,,in ,,concentration ,in these twenty lessons1 this famous author gives you in simple1 concrete form the results of his lifetime investigations4 ,he shows you how to acquire that mental quality of concentration which has made world-known leaders4 ,he shows you how to focus your ideas1 to get away from mind wandering1 to eliminate day dreams--how to use your mind like an ever-ready tool and to accomplish in hours what the man without this ability does only in weeks or months4 ,he tells clearly why some men lead1 while others with equal intelligence remain in the ranks4 ,he shows the clear way to make the utmost out of your mentality4 ,no degree of success1 within reason1 is impossible when one possesses the ,power of ,concentration4 ,read the principles laid down so clearly by ,professor ,dumont4 ,practice the exercises which he has so carefully worked out4 ,this training is as much a guarantee of success as any other method known4 ,simply learn to use your brains--learn to focus1 to concentrate and the highway to bigger things is open to you4 ,a ,,few ,,of ,,the ,,topics ,opportunities ,made ,through ,concentration4 7,shows the plain road to the top47 ,self ,mastery4 7,how to centralize attention47 ,training the ,will4 7,a mighty force at your disposal47 ,mental ,poise4 7,how to command conditions47 ,business ,success4 7,how to coordinate forces by concentration47 ,attaining ,wealth4 7,how to attract money bringing factors47 ,how ,courage is ,gained4 7,use of concentration to drive out fear47 ,memory by ,concentration4 7,a very valuable lesson47 ,practical ,exercises4 7,the actual application of the principles of concentration47 ,many more topics all as interesting and important as those listed4 ,no4 #e--ahf ,pages1 ,cloth ,bound1 ,size #ex#g ,price ,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,,dynamic ,,thought ,how to ,develop your ,personality ,by ,henry ,thomas ,hamblin ,this book develops your personality and the personal power that sways and compels and gives you a powerful influence over the minds of others4 ,dynamic ,thought reveals new and marvelous facts about the human system4 ,men and women achieve success according to the development of their own powers4 ,you have as much power within you as anyone1 but it is lying dormant2 and this development can be attained4 ,there are certain definite principles that rule human beings in their attitude toward each other4 ,when once you understand these principles you can convert enemies into friends and can make almost everyone be friendly toward you4 ,no #a #bih pages1 ,cloth ,bound1 ,size #ex#g4 ,price ,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,mental ,influence ,by ,william ,walker ,atkinson ,a course of ,lessons on ,mental ,vibration1 ,psychic ,influence1 ,personal ,magnetism1 ,fascination1 ,psychic ,self-,protection1 etc4 ,,lesson #a4--,why one mind can be made to influence another4 ,,lesson #b4--;,how thought waves manifest1 and how they affect other persons4 ,,lesson #c4--;,how mental states are transmitted4 ,,lesson #d4--,what mental concentration is1 and how it works4 ,the occult teachings regarding developing the powers of concentration4 ,a course of training described and explained4 ,,lesson #e4--;,how occultists form a mental image4 ,,lesson #f4--,the secret of mental fascination and personal magnetism4 ,why some have such a charming1 irresistible influence4 ,how it can be cultivated4 ,,lesson #g4--;,difference between fascination and hypnotism4 ,how hypnotic influence upon others affects the person4 ,the truth about hypnotism4 ,,lesson #h4--;,influencing at a distance4 ,how you can exert a mental influence upon others at a distance4 ,how distant treatments are given4 ,the most effective occult methods and practices4 ,,lesson #i4--;,how mental influence may be used to affect a great number of people at the same time4 ,,lesson #aj4--,the need of instruction on the part of the public4 ,no4 #g--if ,pages1 ,paper ,bound1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b ,,success ,,and ,,happiness ,,by ,,swami ,,brahma ,a guide to ,success in matters relating to ,health1 ,friendship1 ,love1 ,marriage1 etc4 ,success and ,happiness tells you how to develop magnetism and to strengthen your will4 ,it tells you how to influence people to act as you so desire4 ,it gives suggestions on how to relieve pain without medicine4 ,no matter what your condition or position may be1 ,success and ,happiness tells you how you may improve it4 ,it gives you plain directions as to how to achieve success tin friendship1 love1 matrimony1 and business2 how to make money and how to secure happiness4 ,send for this book at once and learn how magnetism and will-power enable people to achieve success4 ,no4 #af1 #dj ,pages1 ,paper ,bound1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b ,price ,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,,genuine ,,mediumship ,,the ,,invisible ,,powers ,,by ,,swami ,,bhakta ,,vishita ,this book will prove invaluable to anyone who feels that they might have any kind of psychic power4 ,it contains lengthy discussion of the following3 ,mental vibrations and transmission--,thought transference--,clairvoyance and kindred phenomena--,mediumship--,mediumistic conditions--,how to develop mediumship--,mediumistic phenomena--,higher spirit manifestations4 ,this work explains clearly how to develop mediumship4 ,it tells how to form a medium circle4 ,questioning the spirits1 the spirit communication code1 persistent watchful waiting1 building lines of communication4 ,no #b1 #bgg pages4 ,cloth ,bound1 ,size #ex#g4 ,,practical ,,psychomancy ,,and ,,crystal ,,gazing ,,by ,,william ,,walker ,,atkinson ,a ,series of ,eleven ,lessons on the ,psychic2 ,phenomena of ,distant ,sensing1 ,clairvoyance1 ,psychometry1 ,crystal ,gazing1 etc4 ,,partial ,,synopsis ,,of ,,contents3 ,scientific principles underlying ,psychomancy1 ,sensing objects by the ,astral ,senses4 ,projection of the ,astral ,body4 ,,how ,,to ,,develop ,,yourself4 ,development ,methods4 ,concentration4 ,visualization4 ,psychometry4 ,how to use the ,crystal and ,mirror4 ,general ,instruction4 ,simple and ,space ,psychomancy and their difference4 ,seeing ,through ,solid ,objects4 ,seeing ,down ,into the ,earth4 ,diagnosis of ,disease by ,psychomancy4 ,,the ,,astral ,,tube4 ,,psychometry4 ,five ,methods4 ,various forms of ,crystal ,gazing4 ,directions of ,how to ,do ,it1 etc4 ,,astral ,,projection4 ,what the ,trained ,experimenter may do4 ,,space ,,psychomancy4 ,what may be accomplished by means of it4 ,sensing the scenes1 occurrences and objects of the ,past1 by ,astral ,vision4 ,,future ,,time ,,psychomancy4 ,future events cast their shadows before4 ,,dream ,,psychomancy4 ,this lesson will explain many instances in your own experience4 ,this most interesting study is stated clearly1 so that all may readily understand the fundamental principle of ,psychic communication4 ,no4 #bj--,paper ,bound1 #ic ,pages1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b ,price ,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,,table ,,rapping ,,and ,,automatic ,,writing ,by ,alexr4 ,verner1 ,f4,a4,i4,p ,founder and ,principal of the ,british ,psychological ,institute ,if a man die1 shall he live again8 ,does death end all3 or is it merely the gate of life8 ,if there be a next world1 can we communicate with those that are in it8 ,these are questions that have agitated the minds of millions4 ,table ,rapping and ,automatic ,writing answers the questions4 ,it also does more1 it tells you how you can answer them4 ,it tells you how to prove there is another life1 and how to open up communication with those who dwell therein4 ,to the ,materialist it says3 ,belief is unnecessary4 ,you demand evidence--here it is4 ,table ,rapping and ,automatic ,writing gives full instructions on how to form a ,circle for receiving messages from spirit friends2 how to enable spirits to make themselves visible to ordinary sight2 how to get written messages1 drawings1 etc41 from those who have passed over4 ,no4 #ah--be ,pages1 ,paper ,bound1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b ,price ,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,,the ,,astral ,,world ,its ,scenery1 ,dwellers and ,phenomena ,by ,swami ,panchadasi ,containing treatment on such matter as the following3 ,,chapter ,i4--,the ,seven ,planes of ,being4 ,what is meant by a ,plane4 ,a state rather than a place4 ,,chapter ,,ii4--,astral ,regions4 ,what is meant by an ,astral ,region4 ,where located4 ,,chapter ,,iii4--,reality of the ,astral4 ,what one encounters on an astral journey4 ,,chapter ,,iv4--,passing the ,border4 ,passing out of the physical body4 ,alone in the astral body4 ,,chapter ,v4--,some ,lower ,sub-,planes4 ,why the soul sheds4 ,the ,astral shell1 bodies without souls1 still seemingly alive and conscious4 ,,chapter ,,vi4--,disembodied ,souls4 ,the resting place of the souls4 ,not dead1 but sleeping4 ,,chapter ,,vii4--,scenes of the ,astral4 ,how the low entities pass their time4 ,punished by their sins not for them4 ,,chapter ,,viii4--,life and ,work on the ,astral4 ,character and occupations of the ,astral ,dwellers4 ,,chapter ,,ix4--,higher ,planes and beyond4 ,the true home of the soul4 ,the ,heaven worlds4 ,,chapter ,x4--,the ,astral ,light4 ,what the astral light is4 ,a startling presentation of a wonderful occult truth4 ,,chapter ,,xi4--,astral ,entities4 ,non-human dwellers on the astral4 ,no4 #aj1 #id ,pages1 ,paper ,bound1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b ,,price ,,postpaid--,outside ,u4,s4,a4 ,,practical ,,psychometry ,by ,alexr4 ,verner1 ,f4,a4,i4,p4 ,there is a great demand for good ,psychometrists at the present time1 and in the near future there will be a greater demand for the vast amount of good that can be done by the ,god-given science of ,psychometry 7pronounced ,si-com-et-rie74 ,a ,psychometrist is a person able to see these scenes1 hear these sounds1 read these thoughts1 and sense these feelings4 ,if therefore1 a lock of hair1 a letter1 a pocket-knife1 or anything belonging to a stranger be handed to a ,psychometrist1 he will be able to understand much of the person's past1 present1 and future--about their character1 disposition1 health1 surroundings1 capabilities1 friends1 marriage1 business1 etc4 ,in this way very valuable information and advice can be obtained for oneself or given to others4 ,can you ,psychometrize8 ,if not1 why not learn8 ,you will benefit yourself1 and also astound and help your friends4 ,full and complete particulars are contained in this book4 ,no4 #ag--be ,pages1 ,paper ,bound1 ,size #fx#d-a_/b