MIND POWER THE SECRET OF MENTAL MAGIC/PART 21
Chapter 21.
The Ocean Of Mind-Power
You
will see by reference to previous chapters that the term 'Telementation” is
used by me in the sense of "mentative influence at a distance,” the word
being derived from the Greek word Tele, meaning "afar off”; and the word
"mentation,” which I use in the sense of "mental activity.” You will
also remember that the word "mentation” implies activity of the
Mind-Power, which I hold to be universal in its character. You will also
remember that the action of telementation depends upon the production of
induced mental states by mentative currents. Mentative induction, you remember,
operates along the same lines as magnetic or electrical induction, that is, a
mental state may be reproduced in another mind by mentative induction operating
by means of mentative currents.
I
have explained how mental states may be induced by suggestion, as well as by
mentative currents, and shall not allude to this phase at this place, but shall
consider mentative induction in its phase of manifestation by means of mentative
currents. This mention of technical terms may seem somewhat "dry” to you,
but you should acquaint yourself with the intelligent use and meaning of the
terms for thereby you will be enabled to hold the ideas firmly in your mind.
Terms are "pegs” upon which you may hang thoughts and ideas, so that you
may find them when you need them. Otherwise they are scattered around in
confusion.
In
order that you may more fully understand the wonderful phenomena of
telementation, I think we would better take another look at the fundamental
principle or Mind-Power itself. By understanding the nature of the force
employed you may better understand its effect and laws of operation. You will
remember that I have postulated the existence of a universal Mind-Power, which
is imminent in, and manifested in, all forms of life, energy and mind. I have
also held that all personal manifestations of Mind-Power, in ourselves and
others, are but centers of power in the great Ocean of Universal Mind-Power.
You will remember also that I have claimed that the brain was not a
"creator” of Mind-Power but rather in the nature of a "converter” or
"transformer” of the universal Mind-Power into usable forms and phases.
Well, so far we understand the matter. Now let us pass on to the consideration
of the mentative currents.
In
the first place, the currents must be set into motion somewhere and somehow.
Where and how? Let us see! We must see that the mentative currents have their
origin, or rather, their initial impulse, in and from the mind of some
individual. How? In and from his brain, of course. Why? Because the brain is
the "transformer” or "converter” of the Mind-Power into usable shapes
and phases. What is the nature of the brain's action? Science, as well as the
occult teachings, inform us that in all brain-processes there is a
"burning-up” of brain substance and nervous matter, just as there is a
corresponding "burning-up” of the elements in an electric battery. The
process is very similar in both cases.
Both
brain and battery "convert” or "transform” an energy already existing
in an universal form, which energy cannot be created, added to, nor taken away
from. And both use up material in the process. And both generate
"currents” of force which are capable of affecting changes in other substances,
etc. Science shows us that there is a production or generation of "heat”
in the manifestation of Mind-Power in the brain. The temperature of the brain
rises when it is employed in active thought-work, or other forms of mental
activity, or excitement. And even the temperature of a tiny nerve increases
when it is used. This fact has been fully demonstrated by Science.
What
causes the brain to manifest this energy? Mental states! What is a mental
state! You know what "mental” means—and "state” means "a condition.”
So a mental state is "a mental condition” Then upon what do mental states,
or "conditions,” depend, and why do they vary? Upon the degrees of
vibration of excitement of the mental apparatus! Mental apparatus? Must a thing
have a Mental Apparatus before it can manifest mental states, original or
induced? Yes! but remember this, everything has its mental apparatus, even down
to "the atom, and the particles that compose atoms; everything
"feels” and "responds to feeling,” even among the most material
forms— Science states this emphatically; and everything that "feels” and
"responds,” must manifest desire and Will, if only in an elementary way,
and must have mental apparatus in order to do this; there is mind, and the
machinery of mind, in every atom, and all that is evolved therefrom. This is
not my personal statement alone, but is the last word of Modern Science, as
voiced by her most advanced advocates.
"Vibration
of excitement,” I have said. What is a vibration? It is a state of intense,
rapid movement of a particle. Science informs us that everything is in
vibration, always; and that the differing nature of things depends upon their
respective rate of vibrations. And what is "excitement,” as I use the
term? It means "aroused activity.” So, then, there is to be found a
condition of "aroused vibrational activity” underlying all mental states?
And this aroused vibrational activity communicates motion to the mentative
currents, and starts them toward others in whom they induce similar mental
states. That is the story in full.
Then
if we have a mental state of "aroused vibrational activity” of an
individual, how is it passed on to other individuals without direct contact? By
mentative currents or waves! What are mentative currents or waves, and how do
they operate? Now we are right up to the question with a full understanding of
what it means. Then let us answer it in the light of modern Science.
There
is a great misapprehension in the minds of the majority of people about
"currents” and "waves” of light, magnetism, electricity, heat, etc.
They are aware that waves of heat and light for instance, travel over millions
and millions of miles from the sun to the earth, and are then felt here,
although originating there millions of miles away. They know this fully, but
they seem to think that the heat and light are substances that actually
"travel” in waves over the distance. But this is not the teaching of
Science, which, on the contrary, holds that light and heat do not so travel,
but that the original heat and light vibrations set up "waves in the
ether.” The ether is a suppositious fine form of matter, filling all space,
even between the atoms, as well as between the worlds—nobody knows anything
"actually” about the ether, but Science has been forced to postulate its
existence, in order to account for certain phenomena.
Science
holds that these "waves in the ether,” once set into motion, travel on
until they come in contact with matter capable of taking up their vibrations.
When this kind of matter is found, it takes up the ethereal vibrations, and
reproduces them in the shape of heat and light. In other words, the original
light and heat of the sun does not "travel” to the earth to be then
experienced by the latter, but, on the contrary, the original solar heat and
light set up the "waves in the ether,” which travel along until the earth
is reached, when meeting with the proper material they are reproduced or
"transformed” into heat and light vibrations similar to those of the
original impulse, and we of the earth feel the heat and see the light.
Electricity and magnetism are reproduced in the same way. It is just like the
sound vibrations setting up electrical vibration in the telephone, which travel
along and then are re-transformed into sound vibrations again at the other end
of the line. When you think of this, please remember that the receiving end
vibrations are "induced.”
There
is something else just as much generally misunderstood. People think that these
"waves” actually travel, just as they think that waves in water travel
when we drop a stone in the pond. But they are mistaken in both instances. The
force of the motion of the stone produces the elevation of the water, that you
call a wave. Then the motion is passed on and another wave is formed. Then
another, and another, until you have a series of waves that apparently travel
toward the shore. But the waves don't travel. They merely communicate their
motion to the particles of the water next to them and a continuous moving
effort is exhibited. The real motion of a wave is "up and down” only.
Place a cork in the water and then create waves and you will see that while the
wave motion travels outward the cork merely bobs up and down and does not move
with the waves. Here is how Science illustrates the motion: It bids you take a
rope and tie one end of it to a post or wall, etc., the loose end being
retained in your hand. Now slacken the rope a little and begin to agitate it up
and down. You will then see a wave motion generated, a series of waves passing
over the rope from your hand to the post or wall. And yet you know that the
rope itself has not traveled but has merely moved up and down. It is not a
matter of travel but of communicated and induced motion. All waves are alike in
this respect—light-waves, heat-waves, electrical-waves, magnetic-waves and
mind-waves. All communicate vibrations which move on in a wave motion.
But
these heat and light waves are "waves in the ether,” which ether is a
material thing. Do I hold that Mind-Power and waves are the same? Not exactly.
I hold that Mind-Power is higher even than the finest ethereal substance, and that
it pervades the latter. And I hold that we are all centers in a great Ocean of
Mind-Power. And, therefore, I claim that the mentative currents and waves are
really currents and waves in that Great Ocean of Mind-Power. And the
vibrational activity set up in your mind, my mind, or the minds of thousands,
pass on their vibrations to the great ocean of Mind-Power, and produce
"waves” or "currents” of energy, which travel on until they reach the
mental apparatus of other individuals in which they tend to reproduce the
original vibrations or mental states—by induction, remember. In other words, I
hold that these "waves” and” currents” are like the ocean's waves and
currents—not only of the ocean, but also in it. My idea of the
mentative currents or waves are that they are not only manifestations of the
Universal Mind-Power but also that they travel in the Ocean of that universal
principle. And that great Mentative Ocean is full of currents, and waves, and
eddies, and swirls, and whirlpools, and gulf-streams, and other forms of
activity.
Picture
to yourself a great Ocean of Mind-Power. If you are unable to grasp the idea
then do the next best thing and think of this mental ocean as a great sea of
energy. Or if you prefer, think of it as the great Universal Ether filling all
space. At any rate, the picture must show this Mind-Power filling all space,
even in between the atoms and even in the atoms themselves. Perhaps you had
better commence by forming the picture of all space as being empty of all forms
and shapes and containing nothing but this pure Mind-Power—an Ocean of
Mind-Power must be thought of as an energy or force, capable of setting into
operation all kinds of manifestations when started. Then think of a tiny center
of power being formed in this great Mind-Power Ocean—a little whirlpool, so
tiny that the strongest microscopes can scarcely distinguish it. Then see
countless numbers of similar whirlpools being formed in this Ocean. These
little whirlpools we will call centers of power. They combine, and shapes begin
to appear. Atoms of matter appear being composed of a combination of these tiny
centers, which thus become larger and greater centers. Then come combinations
of these atoms and the various forms of matter result, for all substances, you
know, are composed of atoms in various combinations; all the atoms seemingly
being composed of little particles called electrons, which seem to be like tiny
units of force, but which are attracted and repelled by each other, and seem to
have their "likes” and "dislikes,” thus showing the elements of mind
within them.
And
then these shapes and forms of matter become more and more complex, and the
centers of power more potent. And the forms of living things begin to appear,
mounting from the lowly microscopic cell on to combinations of cells, in plant
life, then animal life, and then human life. And each form, as it mounts
higher, displays more and more Mind-Power. Until at last we see Man with his
wonderful mind as a great center of power. But, remember this always, that all
these shapes and forms, and cells, and plants, and animals and men, have as
their inner essential substance this same Mind-Power principle, of which the
Ocean itself is composed. They are Centers of Power in this Mind-Power Ocean,
but are composed of the same substance as the Ocean itself. You may think of
them as vibratory whirlpools of Mind-Power if you like—and you will not be very
far out of the way if you do. All things are centers of activity and energy in
the Great Universal Ocean of Mind-Power. These centers of power are of varying
degrees of activity. We will call the strong ones "positive,” and the weak
ones "negative.” So according to their varying degrees of power and
vibration each center is positive to some others, and negative to others still.
Each has its degree of positivity. Now think of these centers as human minds,
and you will be able to fill out your picture in detail.
Then
picture each one of these centers manifesting vibrational activity, and thus
converting and transforming the mentative energy from the Ocean of Mind-Power.
And then see them sending out waves and currents of mentative energy, which
induce similar vibrations or mental states in other centers. Then see some of
the strong, positive centers, setting up great rotating currents, resembling
whirlpools in the body of the Mind-Power Ocean, which extend further and
further out from the center and affect other centers far away from it. If you
will examine your picture more closely you will see that these rotary currents are
continually drawing to the centers the things, and persons, and ideas that they
are attracting by reason of their particular rate of vibration, while things of
different vibrations seem to be comparatively unaffected by the currents. This
and other things you may see in your picture as it grows clearer to you. And,
in addition to these currents, you see great waves traveling out in certain
directions toward certain objects to which they have been directed. In short,
you see all the phenomena of the ocean of water reproduced in this Ocean of
Mind-Power. You see the picture of the circulation of Mind-Power. You see the
forming and growing and evolution of centers of activity and mentative energy.
And
when you come to look a little closer at your picture, you will see that each
one of these centers of energy seems to have two poles of activity, one of
which acts in the direction of impelling, driving, pushing, forcing, urging,
directing, etc., the action being always "outward”; and the other acting
in the direction of drawing, pulling, attracting, coaxing, alluring, charming,
leading, etc., the action always being "inward.” One seems to be a
masculine force, the other a feminine force. One seems to act as Will-Power;
the other as Desire-Force.
These
two poles of Mind-Power possessed by each center are called the motive pole,
and the emotive pole, respectively.
I
have described their characteristics several times as we have proceeded in
these lessons. But, once more, let me call your attention to the meaning of the
terms applied to them. "Motive” means, of course, "that which moves;
that which incites to action.” "E-motive” means "that which moves or
excites the feelings.” You will remember that "excitement” means
"aroused activity.” So then, "emotive” means "that which arouses
the feelings into activity.” And the emotive side of the mind always has to do
with "feelings,” and the "motive” with willing. And the best results
always arise from a combination of both feeling and willing—desiring and
acting. As in all other things, a combination of the masculine and feminine
qualities and characteristics produces the best results. Each has its strong
and weak points—but together they are irresistible along all lines or work,
physical, mental and spiritual.
And
now the broad outlines of our mental picture have been drawn, and the general
details filled in. But our picture is more than this. It is a moving picture in
vivid action and spirited motion. It will show us the varied phenomena of
telementation in a series of moving, acting, realistic, thrilling scenes.
And
yet all will occur on and in the picture itself, without going outside of it
for material. The mental picture contains the material for an infinite variety
of action and combination—it is a world within itself.
And
now, I will set the machinery into operation and show you your mental picture
of this Mind-Power Ocean and its centers of energy in full motion and activity.
Kindly give me your full attention while I describe the moving scenes to you!
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