MIND POWER THE SECRET OF MENTAL MAGIC/PART 18
Chapter 18.
How Suggestion Is Used
Let
us now consider the various forms of application of suggestion in everyday
life. They are several and for convenience I separate them into three forms, or
groups, i. e., (1) Involuntary Suggestion; (2) Voluntary Suggestion; and (3)
Auto-Suggestion. Let us now consider the first form:
Involuntary
Suggestion.—By this term I mean the use of suggestion
involuntarily; without a particular purpose; or unconsciously. We are giving
suggestions of words, manner, action, etc., every moment of our lives. And
these suggestions are constantly being accepted by those around us. We are
constantly influencing those with whom we come in contact, the greater part of
the work being performed unconsciously by us. We are acting as living
inspiration for some, and living discouragement for others, according to
circumstances. Our moods, actions, words, appearance, manners, etc., act as
suggestions to those around us. I am not now speaking of the effect of
mentative currents, etc., but of mental suggestion, pure, and simple.
A business
house is permeated by the personality of its head, and his personal
characteristics impress themselves upon those under him by the means of
suggestion. He sets the gait of the place. If he is active, and enterprising,
so are the workers employed by him; and if he is careless and shiftless, so
will they
be
apt to be. We affect those around us by our mental attitudes, manifested in
action, and they affect us—if we allow them to do so.
Children
are quite amenable to suggestion of this sort, being natural imitators, and
they soon take on the mental attitude of the parents toward them. If the parent
treats the child as being beyond control, the child will respond; if the child
be considered obstinate, etc., he will take on the suggestion, and the original
trouble will be magnified. People talk before their children, little realizing
that the little minds are very suggestible, and are constantly taking
suggestive color from those around them. People should endeavor to present to
their children only the best, positive, helpful, uplifting, and encouraging
mental states. They should avoid giving the child the impression that it is
"bad,” or "mean,” or "deceitful,” or "shy,” or anything of
that sort. The child will be apt to accept the suggestion coming from a source
that it naturally looks to for information, and it will be very apt to proceed
to act upon the suggestion and make the words of the parent come true. I have
heard of children who had become so impressed with their parents' suggestion
that they "would come to some bad end,” that they had to fight against it
the balance of their lives. Sow the suggestive-seeds that you desire to sprout
into reality—be careful to select the right kind. This subject of suggestion to
children can be merely alluded to here, for it would fill a book of itself. I
felt impelled to say a few words about it in this lesson because my experience
has taught me its extreme importance.
This
is the rule of Involuntary Suggestion: Our words, actions, manner, tones,
appearance, and general personality convey suggestions to those around us,
inducing mental states in accordance therewith.
Therefore,
act out only the character that you wish to impress upon the world—and act it
the best you know how. The world will connect you with the part you are
playing, according to the suggestions thus made—sometimes you will get a better
verdict than you really deserve; sometimes a worse one, but in either event,
your mental attitude, reflected by your involuntary suggestions, will have
caused the verdict whatever it may be. Therefore, form a correct mental
attitude, based upon some ideal of the part you wish to play—and then play it
out to the best of your ability. Observe the outward appearance of the part you
are playing, for this is what the world sees first, last and all the time—and
you are judged by your suggestive "make-up,” and stage action. Act well
your part, for thereupon rests the verdict of the audience.
The
second form of the application of suggestion is:
Voluntary
Suggestion.—This form of the application of suggestion
is manifested in cases in which the suggestion is deliberately and purposely
made with the end of impressing other persons. Its manifestations may be
grouped into three classes, as follows: (a) Suggestive Treatment; (b) Hypnotic
Suggestion; (c) Suggestion in the form of Personal Influence.
By (a)
Suggestive Treatment I refer to the practice of Mental Suggestion used as a
form of "treatment” for physical ills, or mental deficiencies, etc. The
treatments for physical ills come under the term of "Mental Therapeutics,”
and will be spoken of in the chapter bearing that title. Treatment by
suggestion for mental deficiencies, etc., is a branch of science that is
rapidly coming to the fore. For some time it was clouded by its mistaken
connection with hypnotism, but now that it has been divorced therefrom it is
being used to a much greater degree by scientists in all parts of the world.
Its principle rests on the fact that brain-centers and brain-cells may be
"grown,” developed, and increased by properly directed suggestions, so
that one may be practically "made over” mentally. New qualities may be
induced, and objectionable ones decreased. Objectionable habits and traits may
be eliminated, and desirable ones substituted or newly induced.
The
wonders of this form of practical psychology are being unfolded rapidly, and a
great era is before us in this branch of science. The broad principle of the
"treatment” lies in the fact that the mental states induced by the proper
suggestion tend to exercise and develop the portion of the brain in which they
are manifested. Hence the theory once understood, and the best method adopted,
the rest of the treatment becomes as simple as developing any muscle of the
body by the appropriate exercise. I call this form of treatment "Brain
Building,” by suggestion, etc.
(b)
Suggestion in Hypnotism is a subject that I shall merely refer
to here, for this is not a manual of hypnotism. Sufficient it is to say that
hypnotism is a combination of the use of mentative energy in a certain form,
coupled with suggestion. It is a proven psychological fact that in the hypnotic
condition all suggestions have a greatly exaggerated effect, and a suggestion
that would scarcely be noticed in the ordinary state becomes a strong motive
force to one in the state of hypnosis. In this state the most absurd suggestions
are accepted, and acted upon— the most extraordinary delusions are
entertained—and the suggestions of future action, or post-hypnotic suggestions,
are made effective. I wish to caution my students against allowing themselves
to be hypnotized for experiments or other purposes. It is conducive to negative
conditions, and I heartily disapprove of the practice. I would not allow anyone
to hypnotize me, and I would urge upon my students a similar attitude toward
"experimenters.” The best effects of suggestion may be obtained without
hypnosis—the latter is merely an abnormal and morbid state, most undesirable to
normal people. Let it alone!
(c)
Suggestion in Personal Influence is referred to in other
parts of this work, and appears more fully in the chapters treating of Personal
Influence, for it belongs to that phase of the general subject.
The
third form of application of Suggestion is what is known as:
Auto-Suggestion.—By
this term is meant self-suggestion, or suggestions given by one to his own
mind. This is a most interesting and important phase of the subject, and will
be dealt with fully in the chapters on Mental Architecture, etc., under which
head it falls. It is by auto-suggestions that so many people have "made
themselves over,” mentally, and have become that which they willed to be. Its
principles are precisely the same as in the other forms of suggestion, except
that the treatment is given by one's self instead of by another person.
The
vehicles of suggestion, i. e., the voice, the manner, etc., have been alluded
to in other chapters as we proceeded.
An
eminent teacher of the use of suggestion in commercial pursuits, in speaking of
the effect of suggestion in inducing mental states, says: "You can make a
man think with you if you work on his feelings or higher nature, even though
you run counter to his ordinary judgment. If in this way you can dazzle his
reason sufficiently, you can spur him to almost any action of which man is
capable.” And this teacher is perfectly right in his statement, although he
follows the old "subjective mind” idea and identifies "feeling” with
the "higher nature,” instead of treating it as belonging to the emotive
pole of mentation. And, if I may be pardoned, I would suggest that the above
statement would be a little nearer the true state of affairs if he had said:
"You can make a man feel with you if you work on his emotive mentality,”
etc.
The
teachers of Business Psychology very ably instruct their pupils in the art of
suggestion in the process of making sales. They instruct the salesmen to first
gain the prospective customer's "attention,” then "arouse his
interest,” then awaken "desire,” and then—close the sale. These steps in
the psychology of salesmanship apply equally well to the science of
advertising, or any other appeal to the minds of people, and are logically
correct. The attention once gained, the mind becomes more or less receptive;
the mind once receptive, interest is aroused and a greater degree of
receptivity is induced; interest is gradually led to desire, induced by the
subtle suggestion of words and the exhibition of the article to be sold; and at
last, when the proper psychological state is aroused, the trained salesman
gently but firmly gives the positive suggestion of authority, or demand,
pointing to the place where the customer must sign his name, thus using
suggestion along both the lines of acquiescence and imitation—and the order is
taken. Did you ever subscribe to a book at the solicitation of a good book
agent? Well, if you did, and will let your mind run backward over the
proceeding, you will see how the above rule works in practice. (1) Attention,
(2) Interest, (3) Desire, (4) Sale—these are the steps of salesmanship by
suggestion; and advertising sales as well. Great is suggestion in business!
I have
known salesmen to gently suggest the closing of a sale by handing the customer
a fountain pen placed at the "suggestive slant,” at the same time pointing
to the space on the order blank, with the "take-it-for-granted” tone and
utterance: "Sign right here, please!”—and it was signed.
The
largest employers of agents have regular training schools in which the new
agents are given the benefit of the experience of the old hands at the business—and
some of these old hands could give a professional suggestionist points on his
own science. The agent is told how the different classes of people act, the
objections they will be likely to raise, and how the trained agent may overcome
these obstacles by clever work, including, of course, an intelligent use of
suggestion. The average person would be surprised at the ideas advanced and the
knowledge of suggestion possessed by some of these men.
One
of these agents once told me that one of the first things he learned when
starting to work was that the agent should never permit the customer to take
his "prospectus,” or sample pages, in his own hands. He said to me:
"I always keep the prospectus in my own hands, for if I let it get away
from me I will have lost the power of controlling the attention and interest of
the customer. He will then have the matter in his own hands, and will have
gotten away from me—he will then do the leading, instead of my doing it. I
always keep the upper hand of my man or woman. I do the leading, guiding,
directing and influencing myself—I keep the controlling gear in my own hands,
always.”
And,
in the science of advertising, also, there is a constant use of
suggestion—usually conscious and premeditated. This is taught in the
"courses” and "schools” of advertising, and the "ad. men” are
well grounded on the subject. The use of the "direct command,” as the
"ad. men” call it, is very common. People are positively told to do
certain things in these advertisements. They are told to "Take home a cake
of Hinky-dink's Soap tonight; your wife needs it!” And they do it. Or they see
a mammoth hand pointing down at them from a sign, and almost hear the
corresponding mammoth voice, as it says (in painted words): "Say, you!
Smoke Honey-Dope Cigars; they're the best ever!!!” And, if you manage to reject
the command the first time, you will probably yield at the repeated suggestion
of the same thing being hurled at you at every corner and high fence, and
"Honey-Dope” will he your favorite brand until some other suggestion
catches you. Suggestion by authority and repetition, remember; that's what does
the business for you! They call this "the Direct Command” in the
advertising schools.
Then
there are other subtle forms of suggestion in advertising. You see staring from
every bit of space, on billboard and in newspapers and magazines: "Uwanta
Cracker,” or something of that sort—and you usually wind up by acquiescing. And
then you are constantly told that "Babies howl for Grandma Hankin's
Infantile Soother,” and then when you hear some baby howling you think of what
you have been told they are howling for, and then you run and buy a bottle of
"Grandma Hankin's.”
And
then you are told that some cigar is "Generously Liberal” in size and
quality; or that some kind of cocoa is "Grateful and Refreshing”; or that
some brand of soap is "99.999% Pure”; and that some pickle man makes
"763 Varieties”; etc., etc., etc. Only last night I saw a new
one—"Somebody's Whisky is smooth,” and every imbiber in the car was
smacking his lips and thinking about the "smooth” feeling in his mouth and
throat. It was smooth—the idea, not the stuff, I mean. And some other whisky
man shows a picture of a glass, a bottle, some ice and a syphon of seltzer,
with simply these words: "Oldboy's Highball—That's All”! All of these
things are suggestions, and some of them very powerful ones, too, when
constantly impressed upon the mind by repetition. They "get in their work”
on you.
A
writer on the psychology of advertising advises, among other things, that
advertisements of articles to eat or drink should contain the words calculated
to induce the feeling of "taste” in the minds of the readers.
"Sweet,” "refreshing,” "thirst-quenching,” "nourishing,”
etc., etc.—how suggestive they are! And how effective! How do they act? you
ask. How? Well, this way—just you read these words: "A nice, big juicy
lemon-tart and strong—I can taste it now!’’ Just imagine these words
accompanied by a picture of a man squeezing the juice of a lemon into his
mouth, and where are you? I'll tell you where— your mouth is filled with saliva,
from the imagined taste of the tart lemon juice! Now, isn't it? Tell this to
some of your friends and see how it works. I once heard a story of a bad little
boy, who would stand in front of a "German band,” with a lemon to his
mouth, sucking away vigorously. Result: The mouths of the musicians became
filled with so much saliva that they could not play on. Exit boy, with
Professor Umpah, the bass-horn player, in full pursuit, the air being filled
with "Dunner und Blitzen!” and worse. Just suggestion!
I
have known of dealers in Spring goods to force the season by filling their
windows with the advance stock. I have seen hat dealers start up the straw hat
season by putting on a straw themselves, their clerks ditto, and then a few
friends. The sprinkling of "straws” gave the suggestion to the street, and
the straw hat season was opened. Business men understand suggestion. Even the
newsboys understand it. The best ones are above asking as the novices do,
"Want a paper, mister?” or worse still, "You don't want a paper,
mister, do you?” The good ones say, instead, boldly and confidently,
"Here's your paper, mister!” sticking it under your nose—and you take it.
Let me tell you a tale about a "barker” at a pleasure resort in Chicago,
several years ago. He was the best I ever heard. Here is the story—it's a true
one:
This
man was the "barker” or "spieler” for one of the attractions of the
place, the "pony ride” attraction. Many were the ponies lined up to carry
the children around the ring, for a nickel a ride. The "spieler” would
wait until a crowd of children, with or without their parents, would enter the
place and then he would begin in the strongest, most strenuous, rasping,
suggestive tone: "Ride, ride ride! Have a ride, take a ride, have a ride, take
a ride! Anybody, everybody; anybody, everybody! Ride, ride,
r-r-r-r-r-r-ride!!!! Anybody rides, everybody rides—rides, rides, rides—rides,
rides, rides—r-r-r-r-r-r-rides! Take a ride, have a ride, take a ride, have a
ride, take a ride, have a ride? Anybody, everybody, anybody, everybody—ride,
ride r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ride! R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ride!
R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ride!’’ He would keep this sort of thing up for
several minutes, apparently without taking a fresh breath. The very air seemed
to quiver and vibrate in the rhythm of his "r-r-r-r-r-r-ide,
r-r-r-r-r-r-ide!” And every child within hearing who could raise a nickel would
surely ride! The word “ride!" positively, authoritatively and constantly
repeated, was one of the most startling exhibitions of this form of suggestion
that I have ever seen or heard. I have heard many imitators of this
"spieler,” but have never met his equal. Perhaps he has now passed on to
some higher form of usefulness—he was worthy of it. He was a master, surely.
I
have seen men in bowling alleys caused to make false plays by some bystander
suggesting the false shot. The same thing is true in shooting galleries, etc.
You have but to look around you and see these, everyday instances of
suggestion, in some form or other. Induced feeling, remember! That is the key
of all manifestations of suggestion. Look out for it! And, in conclusion, I
know of a little boy who exemplified the law of suggestion one April Fool's Day
by placing a sign on the coat-tail of another boy. The sign read "kick
me!” And they did!
The
skillful lawyer uses suggestion in his work in examining or cross-examining
witnesses. He suggests things to a suggestible witness, and coaxes and leads
him on to admissions and statements that he did not intend making—sometimes
statements that are not strictly correct. Such a one will say, "You did so
and so,” or "You saw so and so, didn't you?” etc., the direct statement
made in an authoritative manner, causing the suggestible witness to acquiesce.
Look out for this confident, authoritative manner, in a lawyer or anyone else.
It is calculated to lead one into acquiescence, for man is "an obedient
animal,” and it is "so much easier to say Yes! than No! when you see that
Yes! is expected.”
It
is charged that police detectives have worked false "confessions” out of
suggestible criminals in this way, by keeping hammering away at them until
their wills are worn out, and they would say "Yes!” to escape further
questioning, like the girl who finally accepted the lover's repeated proposal
in order to get rid of him. This firm, decided, authoritative statement or
demand, when allied to the law of repetition has caused much mischief in the
world, and many have "given in” to it, to their sorrow. I trust that these
warning words will save some other trouble of this kind. When the law is once
understood it is comparatively easy to escape the suggestion. The strength in
the suggestor of this kind lies in the ignorance of the person suggested.
Forewarned is forearmed, in this case.
I
have heard of business men who would instruct their clerks to ask questions of
their customers in this way: "You like this pattern, do you not?” or
"This is a beautiful shade, is it not?” etc., etc., etc. Do you see the
point? The statement is made first, and the question is asked right on top of
it. Isn't it easier to say Yes! than No! to this kind of a question? (See
there, now, I asked the question in that way, myself, although I had no
intention of doing so. I took my own suggestion.)
In
this connection I may add that it is a well known psychological fact that, when
two persons are conversing, the one standing, or sitting higher than the other,
has the advantage of a certain positive attitude or position. And the person
seated below the speaker is forced into a relatively passive or negative
condition, or position. That is, everything else being equal, the person
elevated will be positive to the other, and the one seated on a lower level
will be passive, relatively. The raised platform of the teacher, speaker,
preacher, etc., has a good psychological basis. And the power that a lawyer
feels when "talking on his feet” to the jury seated in front of him is a
manifestation of a law that he may not be aware of—but the judge has the best
of the lawyer, for the latter must look up to him when he talks.
Try
the experiment of practicing the above position with some friend, first one
being seated and then the other, and see how you can actually feel the
difference between the two positions. The raised position of clerks in the
large stores, and the low seats so accommodatingly placed for the customers,
have good reasons. If you ever feel that some one is placing you in a negative
or passive condition, rise to your feet, and you will feel doubly strong and
forceful. This is a little hint that may be worth many times the price of this
book to you some of these days. Look over the foolish things that you have been
talked or influenced into, and see if you were not seated and the other person
standing, or seated higher than you. This is a little thing—but it works big
results, sometimes. Better heed it.
There
is a great difference in the suggestibility of persons, some being almost
immune from suggestion, while others are so suggestible that they have but to
be told a thing in a positive, forceful, confident, authoritative tone and
manner, to accept the suggestion, particularly if it be repeated several times.
They will likewise readily absorb the suggestions of imitation and association.
But I have told you about this elsewhere in this lesson. Study those around
you, and you will soon discover the different degrees. The hypnotic
"subject” is at the extreme negative end of the scale.
I
now wish to call your attention to what may be called "future-suggestion,”
or, as the hypnotists call it "post-hypnotism,” etc. Future suggestions
are like seeds planted in the mind, which grow, blossom and bear fruit at some
future time. The hypnotists produce this phenomena by giving the subject, while
in the hypnotic condition, the suggestion that at a certain time, either in a
few minutes, or hours, or days, he will do certain things, or feel certain
things. But the newer school of psychologists have discovered that these future
suggestions may be made in the ordinary receptive state, just as is the case
with any of the other forms of mental suggestions, and the result will be the
same as that obtained by the hypnotists, in spite of their theories and
methods.
I do
not purpose going into detail regarding this class of phenomena, because all
that is necessary to be said can be comprised in the following two statements:
(1) That, generally speaking, all the phenomena of the ordinary immediate
mental suggestion may be produced as future suggestion; and (2) that all the
phenomena of future-suggestion, produced by the suggestor upon another person,
may be likewise produced by auto-suggestions, that is, by the person inducing
suggestions in himself.
Many
foolish suggestions are given in everyday life along the lines of future
suggestion, and alas! Many of them are accepted carelessly, owing to a lack of
knowledge of the principle. How many times has it been said to an
impressionable young bride, "Never mind, you'll grow tired of him after a
while”’ etc. Or to a man, "Wait until the novelty wears off and you'll see
how sick of the job you'll get.” Or, "You'll lose your interest and
enthusiasm, by-and-by.” Or, "You'll find him out after a while and will
see that he's not what he seems.” And so on—you may add to these instances from
your own experience. And too often these suggestions are recalled and have a
tendency to cause the person to "make them come true.” Many
fortune-tellers' prophecies have been made come true in this way by
impressionable and ignorant people. I have given you a key to this principle
now— heed the lesson! If you feel that an attempt at future impression is being
made on you neutralize it with a mental "No, I won't"! That is the
antidote for the bane.
The
second principle in the statement made several paragraphs further back—i. e.,
that all the phenomena of future suggestion may be duplicated by
auto-suggestion, or suggestions made by oneself—is true and worthy of
consideration. You make up your mind that you must awaken to catch a train at
four tomorrow morning and you awake in time. You have set your mental alarm
clock. If you have an engagement at three this afternoon you may set your alarm
as follows (talking to yourself, of course): "Now, see here! Remember that
you must see Smith at three this afternoon—three, three, I say! Remember now,
three, I say”! And if you impress it sufficiently strong upon your mind, a
little before three you will begin to feel uneasy, and then suddenly your Smith
engagement will "pop” into your mind from your sub-conscious region, and
you will reach out for your hat and overcoat Mental alarm-clock, remember! That
tells the whole tale.
You
see, the experimenter giving future suggestions simply sets the mental
alarm-clock going along the lines of suggestion. He makes the mental suggestion
and attaches it to the mental alarm-clock—when the alarm goes off the
suggestion emerges into the field of consciousness and acts just as if it had
been freshly made. That's the whole story in plain, homely terms.
But
don't be frightened, you timid people. Remember this, that you will not accept
a future suggestion unless you would also accept a present suggestion—the
degree of "suggestibility” is the same in both cases. The only reason a
future suggestion has the advantage over a present one is that it is more subtle,
and people are not as much on guard about future things as they are about
things to be "done right now.” You will resent a suggestion that you
"Do this thing right now,” while you pay but little attention to the
earnest suggestion that "in a year from now you will feel so-and-so about
this matter,” and dismiss the subject with a shrug of the shoulders, instead of
saying, at least mentally, "No, I won't"! The present suggestion is
apt to attract your attention the more forcibly, because it is more apparent— while
the future suggestion is more "insinuating.” But now that you know the
facts of the matter you may laugh at them both, and take the sting out of them
by your little “No, I won't”!
And,
just one word more. If you feel that you are harboring any future suggestions
made on you in the past, but upon which the alarm has not yet gone off, you may
kill them by direct self-suggestion, or auto-suggestions to the contrary. That
is, you may say "I shall not act upon any adverse suggestions that may
have been made to me—I will them out of my mind—I kill them this moment by the
power of my Will.” And at the same time make a mental picture of the suggestion
being obliterated by the action of your Will, just as the chalk mark is erased
from the blackboard by the passing over it of the eraser. Try this plan and be
free!
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