THE ARCANE TEACHINGS/PART 6

 

Part VI.

Occult Forces.

Lesson  XVI.  Psychic  Phenomena. Lesson XVII. Mentalism. Lesson  XVIII.  Invocation  and  Evocation.

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson XVI.

Psychic Phenomena.

For the sake of convenience in considering the various phases of the phenomena of the Occult Forces operative in the Cosmos, we have divided the same into three general classes, as follows: (1) Psychic Phenomena, consisting of the manifestation of the phases generally known as Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychometry, Telepathy, etc., the distinguishing feature of which is the “knowing” of  events other than through the ordinary senses; (2) Mentalism, consisting of the manifestations of Mental Influence, Mind‑Power, Thought‑Force, Mental Magic, etc., the distinguishing feature of which is the exerting of the influence of one mind over other minds; (3) Invocation and Evocation, consisting of the “calling upon” supernatural beings, or the “calling forth” of disembodied entities; elementals; vitalized thought‑entities, etc., from the Astral Plane.

These  manifestations,  and  the  force  which  produces  them have been called “Occult” because of the fact that they belong to the less understood phases of natural forces and phenomena. The word “Occult” means: “secret or hidden from the eye or understanding; not seen or understood; mysterious, invisible, unknown, undetected, etc.” To many persons, Occultism is  considered  to  be  concerned with supernatural forces, things, and manifestations. This is erroneous, for there is nothing  super-natural—nothing outside of or over nature, of which we can ever have any knowledge. Every thing in the Cosmos is natural, and under natural laws. The Law is the only super-natural that there is or can be—and we can know It only  as  being  in  actual  existence;  we  can  know  nothing  of  its inner nature, for it is not a “thing” with attributes, qualities or limitations, a we understand those terms.  Everything  in  the Cosmos is natural—the unknown as well as the commonly known. Therefore,  when we say “occult” we mean merely some natural thing, force, or manifestation, not commonly known or recognized by men. When a thing, force, or manifestation becomes commonly known, it ceases to be regarded as “occult.” Electricity was once regarded as an “occult”  force—but  today it is commonly known and employed, although its real nature is still a mystery. To the trained and advanced Occultist the so-called Occult Forces are just as familiar and natural as are the manifestations  of  force  common  to  the  knowledge  of  the  race. The  Occult Forces are simply finer forces of nature, which are not recognized, known or  understood  by  the  average  person of the race, today. We wish this to be thoroughly understood. There are no supernatural forces, things, or manifestations—all are natural, and under natural laws.

Let us now proceed to a consideration of the class of occult phenomena which we have grouped under the sub-title, “Psychic Phenomena,” and which are known severally as Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychometry, Telepathy, etc., the distinguishing feature of which is the “knowing” of events through other channels than the ordinary senses. These several phases are but modifications of one general phenomenon— Astral Sensing.

The majority of modern writers upon the subject of Psychic Phenomena lay great stress upon the “vibrations, waves, currents, etc.,” by which psychic impressions are transmitted from one mind to another, or by which one “senses” occurrences in points of space far removed from him. We have no objection to these terms, for they represent the best available words to describe  the  actual  details  of  the  manifestation—but  these words must be used understandingly. The idea, so commonly advanced, that these “vibrations” or “waves” or “currents” are but forms of etheric vibrations similar in nature to the waves of light, heat, electricity, material magnetism, etc., is erroneous, and gives a materialistic tinge to phenomena which are of a much higher plane than that of material forces and substance. While there is a general resemblance between all planes of the Manifest Cosmos, owing to the Law of Analogy which causes “correspondences”  on  all  planes—“as  above,  so below”—and “from one know  all”—still  the vibrations,  waves and  currents concerned in Psychic Phenomena and Mentalism belong to an entirely different plane from that of those concerned in the manifestation of light, heat, electricity, etc., which belong to lower  planes.

In the preceding lessons, we have shown you that there are three Principles manifesting and active in Cosmos, viz., Substance,  Motion,  and Consciousness. In each of these three Principles, there are manifested  correspondences which we may call “vibrations,”  “waves,”  “currents,” etc. On the plane of Substance, we have vibrations and waves of matter, which result in the various forms, shapes, and action of material objects. This is caused by the Principle of Motion acting upon the Principle of Substance. Much that we call energy or force is but the appearance of fine degrees of Substance energized by Motion. Electricity, for instance, is but a fine form of Substance, so energized. The Ether, itself, is but a fine form of Substance, almost approaching Pure Energy, but not passing over the line which divides Energy from Substance. There are also vibrations and waves of Pure Motion, which may be considered, mentally, as independent of Substance, although we can never know them as such. There is a plane of Pure Motion, which is unthinkable except to minds which have been trained to grasp the subject. And, likewise, there are vibrations, waves, and currents in the Principle of Consciousness, produced by the action of Motion upon that Principle. And it is to this plane that the “vibrations, waves, and currents” concerned with Psychic Phenomena properly belong. They are not  “waves in the Ether,” for the Ether is on the material plane. They are “waves in the Mind Principle” itself, which is quite another thing.

Without attempting to lead you into an extended discussion of the scientific details of the matter, we would call your attention to this one fact which should serve to give you a plain mental picture of the phenomenon—a general outline of a picture, into which you can fill the details as you proceed in the study and experimental work along these lines. This general statement  is  as  follows:  The  Cosmos  is  known  to  be practically a great World‑Brain, in which Thoughts become Things, taking on Substantial Form. With a Cosmos mental in nature—consisting in fact of but One Universal Mind in which all particular things are but  Centres of Consciousness—can you not see that there must be a Circulation of  Consciousness,  or  Currents  of  Thought, just as there is a circulation of water in and by the currents of the ocean; or as there is a circulation of air by reason of the currents therein; or as there is a circulation of electricity, light, and all other forms of what we call Energy.  Consciousness is a Principle, just as is Substance or Motion, and  what is true of one Principle is true of the other two, according to the Law of Analogy. Therefore, there are Vibrations, Waves, and Currents of Consciousness, just as truly as there are corresponding manifestations  on  the  material  plane.  And  you  may  use these terms, very properly—always avoiding the mistake of confusing them with the material  correspondences.

In Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychometry, and Telepathy, we have several forms of manifestation of the existence of these Mental Waves and Currents, for so we shall call them to avoid the  necessity  of  longer  terms.  But  how  does  the  mind  of  the person receive and register the impressions received through these Mental Currents? It is known to be a fact that no mind can receive impressions without the agency and medium of some form of material organ, though that material organ may be extremely subtle and fine. And this rule holds true in the case of the phenomena which we are now considering. And such organs do exist, and are called the Organs of Astral Sense. In the lessons treating of the Astral Plane, you have been informed of the existence of the Astral  Body, the subtle counterpart of the Physical Body. This  Astral  Body  is  endowed with  counterparts of the physical senses, which it may use in sensing the objects and impressions of the Astral Plane. In this way Astral Sensing becomes possible. The average person has not used these Astral Senses sufficiently well to develop them for active use, but  this development is  possible to those who have sufficient interest and patience to undertake the task. But here and there are found persons whose Astral Senses manifest their existence in a degree not known to  the average person. These persons become very sensitive to the impressions of the Astral Plane, and although, as a rule, they are  untrained and do not comprehend the nature of the phenomena, still they afford conclusive proof of the existence of the faculties in question. We shall not attempt to “prove” the existence of Psychic Phenomena in  these  lessons. We have not the space at our disposal, nor is it within the scope of this particular work. Evidence of such nature as to convince any unprejudiced persons may be found in many books on the subject, notably the reports of the English Society for Psychical Research. Moreover many persons have experienced these facts in their own lives. Let us first consider the phenomenon generally called “Clairvoyance,” which is defined as: “A faculty or power by which the clairvoyant is able to see mentally things concealed from sight;  to  see  and  describe  things  happening at a distance.” With the exception of cases in which the person actually travels in his Astral Body to distant scenes, and there witnesses with his Astral Senses the events actually occurring there, all  Clairvoyance results from one general cause, and in the same general way. Let us suppose an event occurring at a distant place. In the manifestation of that event there occurs a constant, regular and continuous series of conscious states on the part of all things concerned therein. Not only on the part of all living things is there consciousness manifested, but there is a consciousness manifested by all inanimate things present upon the scene,—things inorganic as well as organic, in the usual use of these terms. As we have said on (Lesson  IV): “Those who have studied along occult lines have become aware of the existence of mind and consciousness in so-called inanimate objects—the minerals, metals, etc., and even in the atoms—and finally in the Ether. Everything in the Manifest Cosmos has some degree of Consciousness.” This being so, it follows that such Consciousness must follow the natural law, and  transmit  waves  or  currents—waves  and  currents  of Consciousness—which travel and circulate on the Astral Plane where they may be sensed by those astral organs attuned to receive them. Just as the Marconigrams may be received only by instruments keyed to the proper degree of receptivity, so may these currents be received only by those who are in tune with them.

One whose Astral Senses are sufficiently sensitive, and attuned, may receive and register these currents, just as the physical eye registers the light waves of the ether, or the ear the sound waves of the air. There is not necessarily a projection of the Astral Body to the scene of the happening—the Astral Senses may register the impressions received from the currents of Consciousness. To those who may doubt the reasonableness of sensing things and events over thousands of miles,  we would say that it is simply an Astral correspondence of the Physical phenomenon of Sight, whereby impressions are received from the distant stars, over billions of miles—over distances so vast that it requires centuries for the light waves to travel.

And, remember this—the physical eye never actually sees the outer objects themselves, but merely sees the effects produced upon the nerves by the waves of light. Nor does a person fail to see the outside object, but he also fails to see even the light-waves themselves—he merely  sees  certain vibrations of nerve-substance  set  up  in  the  brain  by  the  action  of  the  light vibrations. And this is in every sense no less wonderful than the phenomena of Astral Sensing which we have just described— merely a little more common and familiar, that is all. If we had as full and common a development of the Astral Senses as we have  of the physical, we would consider it no more remarkable to see events occurring in India, than to witness the changes on the planet Mars. One is as natural as the other. Clairaudience is but another phase of Astral Sensing, by which the Astral Senses  receive  the  impression  of  sounds,  instead of sights. The principle involved is the same.

So  far  we  have  spoken  only  of  Clairvoyance  in  its  phase of sensing distant objects. There are other phases, to the consideration of which we shall now pass. But before leaving this phase, we wish to put ourselves squarely on record regarding the nature of the majority of cases of genuine Clairvoyance. In spite of the opinions of many able authorities, we believe that the manifestation of the above form of Distant Clairvoyance is very rare and uncommon. We believe that but few persons ever experience it, even spontaneously. We believe that the majority of recorded cases of Distant Clairvoyance are instances either of Telepathy of a high order, or else of actual Astral Projection, which we believe to be far more common than is usually believed. We believe that a great number of cases of  Clairvoyance  are  due  to  the  unconscious  projection of the Astral Body to the distant scene, if even but for a moment— for time is practically annihilated in Astral Projection. Clairvoyance of Past Events, is explained by the Arcane Teachings as resulting from the fact that in the Cosmic Brain events leave their records and impression, just as the events of the experience of a man leave records and impressions in his brain. These recorded impressions constitute subconscious Memory, in the case of both the man’s brain and the Cosmic Brain—“from one know all”—“as below, so above.” On the Astral Plane there are preserved the records of the Cosmos— the  Cosmic  Subconscious  Memory,  in  fact.  Every  thing,  action, thought, deed, or activity of any kind, degree or description, that has been manifested since the Dawn of the Cosmic Day, is there recorded in the great unforgetting Subconscious Memory of the Cosmos. All occultists know this, and have called this Subconscious Memory Record by different names. Some minds, peculiarly attuned, occasionally enter into conscious relationship with this Cosmic Subconscious Memory, and are able to record, generally more or less imperfectly, what they sense  there. This may be done, either through psychic sensing of mental currents arising from these states of Subconscious Memory, or else by actual contact with them in the Astral Body.  But,  the  phenomena  is  far  less  common  than  is  generally supposed, and many cases are explainable upon the hypothesis of Telepathy—that is the impressions are thought impressions, either emanating from the mind of some person now living in the physical, or else some persistent thought-currents which have maintained their coherent properties over long periods of time.

Clairvoyance of the Future, is a misnomer. It implies actual existence somewhere of a foreknowledge or Foresight of the Future—which does  not  exist.  If  such  existed, then  Fate or Predestination  would  be  true.  The Cosmic Mind does not know before the manifestation—for the knowing causes the manifestation. But the phenomena which is known  by the name of Clairvoyance of the future, does exist, although the theories concerning it are erroneous. It is true that occasionally individuals seem able to foretell with more or less accuracy, the  events which afterward come  true at  least  partially. The secret consists in the  fact that the Laws of Orderly Trend and Sequence being operative, there must always be in existence the “shadows cast by the approaching events”—that is active causes operating in the direction of bringing about certain effects. Among these active causes, Desire  and  Mental  Pictures in the minds of living human beings play an important part. The Clairvoyant perceiving the evidences of these active causes in the Astral is often able to make very good guesses or intuitive conjectures of the events which will follow. Just as one may predict something that will happen tomorrow, from something that is happening today. But there is no  certainty  about the prediction, in either case. For there may be, and generally are, other causes which will play their part at the time of action, and thus defeat the entire prediction. Clairvoyance of the Future perceives  probable effects of existent causes—but no more. The Future is not in existence in the mind of any being—not even in the Mind of the Cosmos. Make no mistake about this. Even Astrology can indicate only “probabilities” of the future.

Psychometry, or the receiving of impressions from inanimate objects, by which one enters into  rapport  (or  psychic connection) with the previous environment of the object—thus learning its previous history, particulars of its environment, etc., is explained by the fact that in the object’s consciousness (for all objects possess a degree of consciousness) there is preserved a memory of its past environment, history, etc., which may be read by the mind attuned to the impressions. Not only this, but the object is still astrally connected by psychic filaments with its previous environment, and the Clairvoyant may thus enter into rapport with the latter and its stored-up memories. The object gives the Clairvoyant “the loose end” of the psychic ball of memory and association, which he then unwinds.

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson XVII.

Mentalism.

Under the head of “Mentalism” we shall group that general class of occult phenomena which consists of the manifestations of what has been called Mental Influence, Mind Power, Thought Force, Mental Magic, Mental Suggestion, etc., the distinguishing feature of which is the exerting of the influence of one mind over other minds. This phase of occult phenomena is well known to the general public of to-day, by reason of the great interest which has been manifested in late years regarding the influence of the mind over physical states, and the investigations and literature which have resulted by reason thereof. But this power, and the  knowledge  thereof,  is no new thing, by any means. We find traces of it in the history of everyone of the ancient peoples, as well as in the records of the nations of comparatively modern times. The hierophants of ancient Egypt, Chaldea and Greece were adepts in all of the various branches of mentalism and understood the true underlying principles far better than do the majority of the teachers and writers upon the subject today. The traditions and legends coming to us from old Atlantis, inform us of the high degree of knowledge of these things were possessed by that wonderful people who inhabited what is now the “Lost Continent.”

To understand Mentalism, one must understand the nature of Telepathy, or Transference of Thought. We hear much of Telepathy in these latter days in the many books and magazines devoted to  the subject, in plays, and in the teachings of the various metaphysical cults which have sprung into prominence. Many are the theories advanced to account for the phenomena, and manifold is the error that has arisen from imperfect and incorrect statements of the underlying principles. On the one hand, we hear much of theories of “the ether waves” which carry the “thought vibrations,” both being likened to, and held as, but higher forms, of the other vibrations of the ether. On the other hand, we hear many theories which seek to account for  the  phenomena  on  supernatural  grounds—the desirable forms being considered the evidences of divine power, and the undesirable being regarded as arising from diabolical sources. But there is nothing supernatural about the matter, nor are the waves and vibrations “etheric.” We have explained the matter in the preceding lesson, and have shown how the Circulation of Mind is sufficient to account for the phenomena.

That  the  Thought  of  man  is  an  actual,  moving  force,  is  a  fact well known to all occultists, ancient and modern. That thought waves travel in currents and waves is a fact not only believed because of the ancient teachings, but also because those who are able to sense on the Astral Plane are able to see  the passage of these thought waves, and currents, as they pass from one mind to others. Not only is thought-force exerted consciously, and with direct intent, but also unconsciously and with direct intent and purpose on the part of the person who exerts it. Thought is as real a force as is electricity, although it operates on an entirely different plane. It may be compared to magnetism and electricity, because it is the correspondence of the physical fine forces, on the mental plane. But one must not make the mistake of supposing that these thought waves or currents, or other forms of influence, travel through  the ether as do light, electricity and material magnetism. On the contrary, they have nothing to do with the ether as a medium. They travel through the Universal Principle of Mind.

We have seen, in preceding lessons, that the Three Cosmic Principles pervade all space—the Cosmos—and one of those Principles is Consciousness—Mind. Do you realize just what this means? That all the space there is, or can be—Infinite Space—is occupied by the Mind Principle of the Cosmos? That pervading all space there is a great Cosmic Ocean of Mind, living throbbing, pulsating with life and energy, in the depths of which there is the quietude of eternal calm and peace—on the surface of which are ripples, eddies, waves, currents and whirlpools— upon and in which there is manifested the phases of the fiercest tempest and of absolute calm, rest and peace. And in this great Ocean of Mind—in the Cosmic Mind Principle—occur all the multitude of manifestations of Consciousness that are known on the lower planes of life—on the human plane—and on the planes far beyond any possible conceptions of beings on the lowly scale of mankind of today?

The would-be authorities and instructors on the subject of Mentalism speak learnedly of the “etheric waves” by which Thought is carried from mind to mind. They do not dream, these founders of latter-day schools  and cults, that for thousands of years the Arcane Teachers have known and taught that even this much vaunted Universal Ether in which is supposed to abide the foundation principles of all things—this Something which Science says is a No-Thing containing  the infinite possibilities of Everything—is but the lowest of the scale of the seven Ethers known to the occultists, and which highest and lowest Ethers are but manifestations in the Cosmic Brain, a result of Mind! And to suppose that Mind needs this lowest Ether to convey its currents of mental energy is as much a folly and inversion of Truth as that conveyed in the materialistic dogmas that “mind is a secretion and by-product of Matter!” These pseudo-mentalists do not know the first principle of Mentalism, when they assert that Mental Currents are but higher forms of “etheric waves” and  energy.

In  time, they will learn that the Ether is the byproduct of Mind, and rests in the Ocean of Mind just as the dissolved salt rests in the Ocean of Water. We do not say this in the spirit of captious criticism—that would be a waste of words and time— but because we realize that unless the fundamental Truth is comprehended and realized the study of Mentalism will be but a phase of the study of physical science, which it infinitely transcends in importance.

Mind requires Substance in order to manifest itself, but it travels in its own medium. Its waves are waves of Mind—its currents  are currents of Mind—its vibrations are vibrations of Mind. Activities in a Centre of Consciousness are not confined to that particular centre of manifestation, but extend in all directions in rapidly widening circles, unless the sender deliberately concentrates his thought force in a special and particular direction, either by conscious intent, or else by reason of  intense Desire. This Thought-force flows out in currents and waves, exerting more or less influence upon all minds with which it comes in contact, the degree depending upon the degree of harmony to the particular vibrations which are manifested in the receptive minds.

But all  this is an old story to the majority of our readers. There is scarcely need for us to write regarding these fundamental facts of Mentalism. They have been told, and often very well told, by the many writers on the subject, who have discovered the facts of the operation of these mental forces, although often in ignorance of the fundamental principles involved in the phenomena. Every student of these lessons has read much regarding the operations of thought influence, and to repeat these familiar facts would be akin to repeating the instructions in kindergarten work, and the alphabet, to advanced students. We shall, therefore, take it for granted that the student is informed regarding these elementary facts in Mentalism, and shall now merely show how they are explained by the underlying principles of the Arcane Teaching. In our supplementary work, “The Arcane Formulas; or, Mental Alchemy,” we shall give the formulas for the actual demonstration and  manifestation  of these principles. These  lessons  are  not  for  beginners,  but  for those who have acquainted themselves with the reality of Mental Influence  and  Thought-Force,  and who  have  passed  the kindergarten stage of occult attainment and knowledge.

The existence of Mental Influence in its various phases has been fully established to the satisfaction of thousands of  investigators. The facts  of hypnotism are now common property. The existence of “absent treatments” and other phases of telepathic influence is now accepted as fact by the majority of students of the subject. What is known as “personal magnetism”  is  now  understood  to  result  from  purely  mental causes. The Attractive power of Thought—the Drawing Power of Mind—the operation of the great Law of Mental Attraction— these things are recognized by students of the subject, and hundreds of books have been written explaining them under one hypothesis or another, and giving more or less valuable instructions in their use. We shall not dwell upon these details at this place—our little book “The Arcane Formulas; or, Mental Alchemy” will furnish the “how” side of this subject, in a condensed, plain, practical and “usable” form. What we wish to do now is to acquaint you with the real underlying principle of Mental Influence—the one fact which illumines the entire subject—which has been known to and taught by the Arcane Teachers for thousands of years, but which  does not seem to be known to the latter-day teachers along these lines. We ask you to pay close attention to what we have to say on this point,  for when you grasp this underlying principle you have the key to the  whole  range  of  phenomena.

The secret of Mental Influence—the effect of one mind over the other minds—lies in the fact that there is sex in mind.

Under the Law of Opposites, in its phase of Sex Polarity, we find the interesting fact that there is to be found evidences of Sex Polarity on all planes of activity and in all forms of activity, inorganic as well as organic. Sex Polarity is manifested even by the atoms, in the attractions and repulsions. In electricity and magnetism the polarity manifested is all along the lines of Sex Polarity. (We explain this in our supplementary work entitled, “The Mystery of Sex; or, Sex Polarity.”) And on the mental plane this principle is found in full operation. The manifestation of Will is the action of the Masculine Principle. Desire and Imagination are phases of the Feminine Principle. Thought, Reason and Intellectual activities result from the union of the two principles. Desire, the female principle of Mind, arouses and  attracts the  Will,  the  Masculine element,  and  draws  it  into action. Imagination, another phase of the feminine principle, acts in the same way. But, yet, the action of Will is the inciting cause of the activities of Desire and Imagination. The Will can create  only by its action upon the feminine principles of Desire and Imagination—it cannot create by itself. On the other hand, the feminine principles of Desire and Imagination cannot produce and create without the union with the Will.  This is merely the general outline of the activities.

But, and here is where the explanation of Mental Influence is seen, both the feminine Desire and, the masculine Will of a person may be incited into activity by the Will or Desire, as the case may be, of another person. The Will of another person may incite and arouse the activities of one’s Desire and Imagination, and render it so active that it will drag into action its own mate, the Will of the person affected. And, in the same way, a strong Desire in the mind of a person, may act to arouse into activity the Will of another, taking the latter away from its lawful mate—the Desire of the person affected. In the same way, two Wills (that of the person affected and that of the person affecting) may struggle for the control, mastery and possession of the Desire and Imagination of the first mentioned person. And, likewise, there is often found the struggle between the feminine principle of Desire in two persons, each wishing to maintain and exert influence over the Will of one of the persons. In this statement is contained the actual secret of the Mental Influence of one  person over another in direct personal relations and contact. It is the secret underlying hypnotism, mental influence, personal magnetism, psychic influence, and all the other forms of direct mental influence.

The same principle is operative in the case of mental influence at a distance. In it is found the explanation of the Law of Attraction; the Drawing Power of the Mind; Absent Treatments; etc., as well as in the various forms of phenomena generally grouped together under the head of Mental Magic. There is found the effect of the masculine Will principle in the thought-waves and mental currents upon the feminine principle of Desire in the minds of those affected. And likewise there is found the attractive force of the strong feminine Desire thought-waves or mental currents, which tend to attract and arouse into activity the masculine principle or Will of those affected. It should be unnecessary to state that  every person, male or female, has this dual-principle of mind within him or her—the masculine and the feminine mental phases of mind.

The feminine principle of mind acts always in the direction of exerting an attracting, drawing influence upon the will; and also in the direction of creating and conceiving ideas, mental images and other forms of mental creative activity. The masculine principle of mind always acts in the direction of inciting activity within the feminine principles of mind. The feminine principles of mind may be said to be dominated and ruled by the masculine principle, so far as the apparent workings of the mind is  concerned; but as a matter of fact, a closer examination will disclose the interesting fact that the masculine principle is always attracted and “managed” by the feminine principle, either its own lawful mate, or else the feminine principle of some other mind. We have seen in a preceding  lesson, that the Will is “free” and theoretically at least may act without restraint from within, but that in reality it never does act unless aroused by Desire. It can “act as it pleases,” but the “pleases” depends upon Desire, the feminine principle. So that in mental phenomena, as in human life, while the masculine is apparently, and theoretically, the master, as a matter of fact, the feminine causes her mate to do as she  “pleases,” at the same time allowing him to think that it is he who  “pleases.”

The men and women of strong Will Power, who dominate all around them, and often those far removed from them in space, really emanate strong currents charged with Will Power, which coming in contact with the feminine principles in the minds of others arouse the latter and cause the desires of those persons to be in accord with the Will of the strong individual. Great masters of men possess this power to a great degree, and then “work their  Will” upon others in this  way. Their influence is felt far and near, and they make people do as they like by making them “want to” do that way, or else by causing them to “fear,” which is but a negative form of Desire, as we have said in another lesson. In the same way, men of strong Desire and Imagination—feminine principles of the mind—may and do exert powerful influence over the minds and Wills of others, and lead them their way. The “magnetic” persons manifest these feminine principles—they attract, allure, draw on, and often actually seduce the Wills of other people. They are emotional, and capture the Will of others, and at the same time produce a consequent reaction on the emotional  natures of the others, by sympathetic vibration. The “electric” persons  manifest the masculine principle and cause others to “want to” do as the person wishes. They are “motional” and not only arouse the Desire in others, but also overawe and terrorize the Will of the others. The men and women of the greatest power are those who manifest both the masculine and the feminine principles and consequently affect others on the lines of both poles of their mentality. One moment they exert the power of Will; the next the attracting, drawing, charming power of  Desire. If you will test all instances and classes of the phenomena of Mentalism by this principle of Mental Sex Polarity, you will see that it affords an explanation and a reason for them all. We shall have more to say on this subject in our supplementary book, “The Mystery of Sex; or, Sex  Polarity,” of which general subject it forms a phase and part. The principle of Sex is strongly in evidence on the mental plane—as  it  is  on  the physical—and as it also is on the spiritual. He who leaves Sex Polarity out of the consideration loses the Master Key to the Creative Activities of the Cosmos. It lies indeed at the very heart of the cosmos itself.

So much for the influence of mind over mind. What of the influence of Mind over Things? The answer to this question is very simple. There is  mind in everything, to respond to the more positive mind. Moreover,  everything is in mind—in the Cosmic Brain. As we have said elsewhere: If Thoughts become Things in the Cosmic Brain, then following the Law of Analogy, it is possible for Thoughts to materialize as Things on other planes of activity. The same principle is involved—the principle of mental creative activity.…With a Cosmos, mental in its nature,  with  energy  and substance; matter and motion; all receptive, responsive, and plastic, and obedient to Mind— what cannot be accomplished by those who understand the Laws of Mentalism? With Will as the great creative Power in the Cosmos—what is not possible to him who understands the Art of Willing? With Desire as the great creative energy, can we not see why Desire should be harnessed, controlled, directed, mastered and employed in our lives, careers and destinies?

 

 

Lesson XVIII.

Invocation and Evocation.

Under the head of “Invocation and Evocation” we shall group that general class of occult phenomena which consists of the “calling upon” supernatural beings; or the “calling forth” of disembodied entities; elementals; vitalized thought entities; etc., from the Astral Plane of Existence. The word “invoke” means “To call for solemnly, or with earnestness; to call upon or address in prayer; to solicit in prayer for assistance or protection.” The word “evoke” means: “To call out or summon forth; often used in the sense of calling forth of the disembodied souls, and similar entities.”

Invocation of the power of superior, or supernatural beings, by means of prayer, offerings, sacrifices, and other ceremonial forms is seemingly as old as the race. All the ancient peoples invoked their greater and lesser deities, and other supernatural beings, and down to the present time we find prayer actively employed in all forms of religious worship. Even outside of the field of religion, we find many instances of invocation of the power of genii and other supernatural beings, by means of ceremonial magic and similar practices. The old works upon the Magic Art are filled with directions for ceremonials of this kind. The modern mind, however, regards these latter things as merely the effects of silly  credulity on the part of ignorant people, the prejudice generally extending to the religious practice of invoking the power of the angels, saints, and other superior disembodied entities.

But, even the most ardent objector to the invocation of lesser beings, if he remain in the bosom of the churches, is apt to adhere to the old and well established custom of calling upon Deity for assistance  in the  affairs  of his life, often going so far as to offer to Deity supposedly valuable hints and bits of advice regarding the conduct, operation and management of the Universe at large. To a mind which has grasped the realization of the  transcendent ideal of the Absolute and the Infinite, it is startling to hear many devout “class-leaders,” deacons and clergymen, particularly among certain  non-ritualistic denominations,  addressing their Deity in terms of easy familiarity and good‑fellowship, giving Him their opinion on things in general; finding fault; administering patronizing commendation and flattery; and in general informing Him how they, the invokers, wish the world to be managed  and  run. Burns’s  poem, “Holy Willie’s  Prayer” gives us an excellent example of this form. This, however, is a statement of an extreme abuse of the principle, and our natural revolt at the same must not blind us to the fact that prayer in other forms constitutes a source of great spiritual  comfort and consolation to many a soul in hours of trouble and pain.

The modern rationalist, seeing no intellectual “reason” for believing in the efficacy of prayer, is apt to dismiss the entire subject as but a part of the outgrown superstition of the race. But this will not do, for an unprejudiced observer will find before him many striking and undoubted instances of “answer to prayer”—of results occurring in almost exact accordance with the nature of earnest and sincere invocation. These instances are too numerous and common to be dismissed as mere coincidence—they  must be admitted, and the cause looked for further. And in the examination and search, we must not lose sight of the too often overlooked fact, that these “answers to prayer” come to people of all shades of heterodox religious belief—heathen, pagan, idolators, in all parts of the globe, and in all times—as well as to “true believers” in the particular faith which happens to be “orthodox” in our particular land at this particular time. The worshippers of the ancient gods of Rome and Greece had their prayers answered; the Egyptian worshippers had the same favors granted them; the Hindus, ancient and modern, received great benefits from prayer; the Mohammedans are a people of great prayers, and many are the answers received by the faithful Moslem.  And so, the investigator must either accept the polytheistic idea of the existence of many gods of many people, all of whom hear and answer the prayers of their worshippers, or else the alternative idea that all of these various worshippers, while worshipping at their respective shrines and altars, in reality bring themselves in psychic communication with higher spiritual powers, and thus set in operation natural psychic forces which tend to bring to them their “heart’s desire.” Which of the two ideas seem the most rational and in accordance with the known facts of the universe?

The Arcane Teachers have always held and taught that every true and earnest prayer coming from the heart of a sincere and devout worshipper, tends to bring that person into a closer relation to the great Cosmic Spirit—the Essence of the One Life of the Cosmos. This, not by a reaching out of the person’s mind toward some far away Something, but by means of an Inward Unfoldment, by which the Spirit within each soul unfolds itself and is recognized as present and existent. This experience of the Indwelling Presence of Deity, or the Union with Deity, is common to the religiously inclined soul of all lands, times, and phases  of belief—it is common to the race. Instances are found in the records of the transcendental of all times.

This experience, when it occurs to one, leaves him with a sense of renewed power and strength, which often operates in the direction of  the  person being able to accomplish that for which he prayed.

Not only does it act as a Comforter, but also as a Source of Power. And this is not to be wondered at, when we realize that it means that the individual is thus brought much closer to the very Essence of  Being—the One Life. An understanding of this fact will enable us to understand many instances of renewed strength resulting from prayer, meditation, and self-communion, which cannot be dismissed lightly as “mere imagination.” All advanced occultists realize the benefits which result from “Meditation,” in which the same principle is invoked. When one comes into close relationship with the Cosmic Will, is it any wonder that Power results?

But there is more to the subject than even this. The person who prays earnestly and with faith in the result, assumes the mental attitude of  Confident Expectation, which is one of the first stages in Attainment by occult methods. Earnest Demand; Confident Expectation; Positive Will—these are the three Co-ordinates of the exercise of Occult Power. And the first two elements are present in all earnest, faithful prayer. And the final stage is very often awakened by the exercise of the two former. Moreover, in demanding earnestly, and expecting faithfully, the person creates the mental image in the Imagination which is an important part in all manifestation of occult power. By exerting these mental forces, all of them important and effective, is it any wonder that the person sets into operation the mental forces which tend to draw to him the things that he needs— and to materialize the ideals that he is holding in his mind? It would be a source of wonder to all occultists if the said results failed to manifest in some degree. The laws of Mentalism are set into full operation by  earnest,  heartfelt,  faithful  prayer—it  is one  of  the  most  potent forms of invoking the operation of well established laws of Mentalism. This is apparent to all advanced occultists—and will be to the student, if he will but analyze the processes and methods employed  unconsciously by the devout worshipper.

And, moreover, none of us can afford to sneer at the tales of the interposition of “the saints” and “angels,” and other “holy beings” of the several religions. These are no mere fantasies, and vain imaginings. While many of the beneficent results attributed to them are really due to the causes above mentioned, still all occultists know that there are many advanced beings on the higher planes of the Cosmos, who are undoubtedly attracted by persons on the lower planes who bring themselves in rapport with them by manifesting the proper mental and spiritual states. “There are many more things in heaven and on earth” than are dreamt of in the philosophies of the day. But, of course, any and all results of prayer are in full accord with natural law, and result through the operations thereof. These things are not supernatural—they are but a part of Nature’s hidden workings.

Let us now consider the subject of “Evocation.”

One of the most common  of all forms of Evocation is the familiar “materialization” of disembodied human beings by means of a “medium,” or person in the flesh, whose vital power is used by the disembodied entity in manifesting itself once more on the material plane. In some of the instances of this form of manifestation the disembodied entity voluntarily and consciously makes  use of the vitality of the medium in order to manifest itself to persons in the flesh for the purpose of communicating with them, or else merely to gratify a desire to assume earthly form and garb once more, and to mingle with persons in the flesh. But all true occultists are aware that a large percentage of these manifestations are not the entities which they purport to represent, but are imposters from the Astral Plane, who assume the image of friends and relatives of those present, copying with more or less perfect detail the mental image of the departed one which exists  in the mind of  the person in the flesh, and which is called forth by memory by the associations and suggestions of the seance.

Another form of Evocation, also quite common in seances, is that where the disembodied entity is actually “called forth” by the strong desire and  affection of some of the visitors attending the seance, in which case the materialization is effected through the vital powers of the medium, inspired into activity by the strong desire of those who wish to communicate with and see once more the form of those who have passed out of the flesh. In these cases the disembodied entity is scarcely conscious of the  manifestation, and is like a person in a dream, or  rather like one who walks in his sleep.  This  fact accounts for the dazed, startled condition of mind often manifested by these materialized entities when they are summoned forth at a  seance. They are dwelling in the life of  the Astral Plane, wrapt in their own dreams and meditations, and it is cruel to disturb them. In fact, it is quite as unnatural to place a disembodied entity in this condition as it is to plunge a person in the flesh into some abnormal psychic state. Advanced occultists, unanimously, condemn the prevalent practice of evoking these entities, and disturbing their Astral life.

There is a class of earth-bound entities on the lowest sub‑planes of the Astral Plane, who hover around their old scenes on earth so long as they are allowed to do so by the laws of the Astral World. These entities  swarm around materialization seances, and other similar psychic performances, taking great delight in manifesting their presence as forcibly as may be, and playing as many pranks as possible. These entities often act the part of some celebrated character of history, or some friend or relative of those present, and make “exhibitions” of themselves by making Shakespeare write doggerel verse; or Napoleon tell someone what  to take to get rid of a cold; or  Plato to warn a maiden to “beware of the ‘light-complected’ woman.” This fact has brought genuine spiritualistic phenomena into disrepute in many quarters where the state of affairs is not known, and caused much pain and heart-burnings among the sincere early followers of spiritualism who were not acquainted with these psychic facts, but who accepted as “gospel truth” every communication reaching them from the “spirit world.”

The average spiritualist of today, however, is much better informed, and is disposed to be quite as particular in forming “spirit” acquaintances and friendships, as he is in forming earthly ones. Much of the testimony given at seances by even reputable and truthful entities is more or less incorrect for reasons that will be apparent to those who have read what we said in our lesson on the “Astral Plane.” That is to say, these entities, as a rule, are familiar only with the particular environment familiar to them by reason of their affiliations and their particular character. The best proof of this is the totally contradictory evidence offered by such entities. Their reports range all the way from the “happy hunting grounds” of the savage, to the state of transcendental bliss of the idealistic soul. And each of these reports are equally true, for each reports “the Thing as he sees it,” for the world “of Things as they are” on the Astral Plane. When these facts are understood, one may begin to reconcile the apparent discrepancies of the reports of the seance.

In some cases disembodied entities may fall in with the desires of those  in the flesh, and will endeavor to aid them in their purposes in the earth-life. But they can accomplish no more than if they were in the flesh—they can employ the thought-force in the same manner—that is all. They cannot affect a person whose thoughts are of a higher degree of vibration, any more than can be done by one still in the flesh. The  influence of these entities has been grossly exaggerated by some  writers on the subject. They are governed by the Law of Attraction, and can go only where they are attracted. Moreover, they are apt to end in tormenting those who have invoked them for unworthy purposes. We caution all against attempting to make use of such aid, even if offered.

There is also the Evocation of what are called in a general way, “the elementaries” or “elemental forces.” We do not consider it wise to enter into a detailed consideration of this subject, for reasons which will be apparent to all advanced students of occultism. We have spoken of it in a previous lesson. Enough to say that in nature there are semi-intelligent living forces, which under certain conditions may be evoked and guided by the intelligence of human beings, in certain forms of Black Magic. Such practices are extremely unworthy, and invariably result in disastrous results to those dabbling in the forbidden practices. We assure the student, however, that these influences can work no harm to  those who stand on the higher plane of thought and life, although those  on the lower planes of thought and life may suffer annoyance from them. The Law of Attraction governs and regulates these things—“like attracts like”; “entities, like water seek always their own level.”

Another form of  Evocation, very common and yet scarcely recognized by many thinkers along these lines, is the evocation of Thought Forms, Desire Nebulæ, etc. These peculiar Things are the result of strong and vital currents of Will and Desire thrown off from the minds of persons who have lived, and who may still be living. They have a tendency to coalesce and combine, and following the Law of Attraction they gather in the vicinity where similar mental influences are being exerted. They are like gathering clouds on the horizon, non-active in themselves, but capable of manifesting lightning and thunder under certain conditions. These lacking conditions are often supplied by persons of strong Desire or Will, who attract them to them and vitalize them by the energy of their own emotions or motive mentality. These thought‑clouds then act as if they had been sent out by the mind of the person animating and energizing them, and manifest all the phenomena of the thought currents. They  may  either be directed toward the accomplishment of certain ends of the person, if he be capable of such direction; or, on  the contrary, they  may  involve him in a psychic whirlwind or tempest until he is almost torn asunder. The consequence is that one often “sows the wind, and reaps the whirlwind” is literal truth. Beginning with manifesting these mental states, one is finally carried off his mental feet by them, and caused great  pain and misfortune. The  lives  of  many  prominent men show examples of this phenomena, although the public does not understand it.

Akin to the above, is the evocation of the Desire Elementals, and  “artificial  entities”  mentioned  in  our  lesson  “The  Astral Plane.”  In  this  case the effect is even more startling that that arising from the evocation of Thought Forms, etc., to which the Desire Elementals are closely related. The difference between the Desire Elementals and active Thought Forms is only a matter of degree, and many writers confuse the two forms of manifestation.

It should be unnecessary for us to add that the Arcane Teachers most positively condemn the practice of evoking the elementals, and forbid it among their students. In fact, they withold the inner teachings on the  subject of certain sub-planes of the Astral, as we have seen, in order to  prevent unworthy persons taking advantage of  certain  of  the teachings. The practice of Evocation often leads directly to Black Magic, which involves the practitioner in whirlwinds and whirlpools of psychic energy and occult forces, and often causes his destruction. There are many today practicing Evocation, under high sounding names, and clothed with the garments of high pretensions. But such will feel the Law of Cause and Effect. The Law is never mocked. It moves with the pitiless and unerring certainty of a machine. Each draws his own to him. None can escape their own good—or evil. Beware of Evocations! Do not play with fire. Do not toy with Edged Tools!