MASTERY MENTAL MAGIC

Passing on from the lower animal life to the plane of human life, we find on all sides many manifestations of Mind-Power along the lines of telementation and mentative induction. Now, as never before, is this mighty force being employed for worthy or unworthy purposes in everyday human life. the evolution of all species. the evolution of all species. On the one hand we hear and see it being used for the curing of the ills to which the flesh is heir, many of which ills, by-the-way, having been brought on by improper methods of thinking: by the adverse suggestions of advertisements describing diseases, urging patent medicines, etc.; as well as by the ignorance of the masses of people regarding the effect of negative thoughts and depressing auto-suggestions. We also see Mind-Power employed through the channel of suggestion, being exerted to bring about better and more positive mental states among those who have been manifesting negative mental conditions. We also witness the exploitation of Mind-Power, under various names by numerous cults, sects, and organizations, through many schools, teachers, and publications—under many different names, and backed up by various “authorities.” We also see the same force being improperly used in hypnotic exhibitions, and in other forms calculated to weaken the wills and positive mentality of other persons. But it is all the same power—no matter how used. Like any other natural force, it may either be used for the service of mankind, or for its hurt. I would caution the student of this work from being misled by the many names and terms used by teachers and writers describing some form of Mind-Power, and which the said persons claim to be “something new,” or “something different”—it is always the same old thing—as old as creation, and just as universal as is electricity or light. When you have become acquainted with the fundamental principles underlying this great natural force, you will be able to recognize it, always, beneath its many disguises, garbs, titles and formulas. The same old Mind-Power, you will find it. The supersoul of all soul The supersoul of all soul Whether in the form of personal magnetism, or the subtle fascinating charm of one mind over another—that form of mental force that influences as if by an irresistible charm; that bewitches, allures, charms, enchants, attracts; or in what has been called fascination, in which one person is able to influence another by exercising a powerful influence upon his or her affections, emotions, passions or thoughts; or in some of the other similar forms of the exercise of an unseen, inexplicable influence upon others; or in the phenomena known as “psychologism,” etc., with which all are more or less familiar; or in the phenomena attendant upon the revival of the ancient occultism in the last twenty years, under various names and forms, the fundamental principle of which consists in forms of mental “treatments” of one kind or another, present or “absent”; or in the phenomena of what has been called “suggestion,” of which we hear so much in scientific circles; or in the various forms of mind or faith cures, of which so much has been heard of late years, and upon which a number of religions and cults have been built; or in the repulsive forms of mental influence, known as Black Magic, etc., etc.—we have the same fundamental principle, and manifestation of some phase of the general phenomena of Mind-Power. The same cause is under all its manifestations—”good” or “bad,” “black” or “white.” It is all the operation of the one great law, or principle of Nature. We see on all sides men who seem to exert a wonderful and mysterious mental influence upon others—upon those associated with them, or upon the public mind. Leaders spring into prominence, apparently owing their power to some mysterious influence over the minds and wills of others. Some attain power and position—others attain wealth and social state, by reason of some inner force. When we meet certain people, we become at once impressed by a something about them that makes its power and influence felt by us. They seem to radiate a peculiar force that bends our wills captive, and causes us to fall in with their desires, to a greater or lesser extent. We know that when some people enter a room, they bring with them an indefinable influence that becomes apparent to all. Certain houses and stores have atmospheres of their own, which are perceptible to those entering them. Some places are depressing to all who live or do business in them. Some salesmen impart a sense of confidence and trust at once, while others cause the reverse. Some persons attract—others repel. wonders of mind with nature wonders of mind with nature Some people seem to have a way of influencing the minds of others with whom they come in contact, so that these others will rally around the self-constituted leader, and thus cults, religion, and “isms” are formed. We all know how far a strong “magnetic” leader may carry his followers. We have seen many instances of it during the past twenty years. People have followed some of these leaders like a flock of sheep. And they will always do so, until the underlying principle is understood and people protect themselves. And all of these things go to form part of the phenomena of Mind-Power. Surely the subject is worth investigating. Now, as never before, the subject of the mystic forces of Mind-Power is attracting the attention of the majority of thinking people. In ages past, the knowledge of the subject was possessed by but the few, who jealously guarded it from the minds of the masses, the latter obtaining but scraps of the hidden knowledge, and that adulterated with the grossest superstition and attributed to the particular form of primitive religion prevailing in the particular place, at that particular time. And even now, notwithstanding the popular interest in the subject, but very few have arrived at a scientific understanding of the matter, and the majority take their knowledge of the New Psychology in the capsule of dogma and theory advanced by some particular cult or sect. Mind-Power has been known to the race, in one form or another, from time before history was written. In the earliest records we find many traces of it among all peoples. And, even today, it is known and practiced, in a more or less ignorant manner, by all races, from the people of the highest civilization known to us, down to the ignorant African Bushmen. Many have been turned away from a serious consideration of the subject by the fact that many of its forms have been accompanied by the grossest superstition, and the most absurd repulsive ceremonies. They have failed to see that underlying all the extravagant ideas and methods of application, there was to be found a fundamental law of Nature, as real and as constant as any other natural law or force. natural creation natural creation[/caption] Believing that there is but one answer to this question, this page has been written in order to throw light on a subject commonly left in the dark, or at least in the twilight of the human understanding. I am fully aware of the fact that many ingenious theories have been advanced by modern writers attempting to account for the phenomena of Mind-Power. But all students of the subject are aware that these theories, cleverly as they have been designed, are more or less self-contradictory, and many a reader has thrown aside the subject in disgust after a vain attempt at reconciling the opposing views. And to make the matter worse, various cults and sects and “isms” have sprung into existence, the promulgators and leaders of which have used the accepted phenomena of Mind-Power as a foundation upon which to build airy structures of religion, philosophy, and metaphysics,exception of bhakti-yoga . Many of these cults have practically claimed a monopoly of the great natural force, and have assumed the right to be the sole custodians of the secrets thereof, alleging that they have the “only real article—all others are base imitators,” notwithstanding that all of them show that they have arrived at at least a working knowledge of the force, and are obtaining results—each obtaining about the same percentage of successes, notwithstanding the fact that each denies the other the fact of possessing the information and right to use it. Is it not apparent to any intelligent observer that they are all using the same great natural force, in spite of their conflicting theories—and that their results are obtained in spite of their theories, rather than because of them?

In a former work, which has served as a basis for the present one, I grouped the phenomena of the manifestations of Mind-Power under the general term of “Mental Magic,” the use of the term being justified by the following facts: The word ” Magic” was derived from the Persian word “mag,” meaning “a priest.” The Persian priests were “wonder-workers,” or “magicians,” the latter word being derived from the word “Magi,” the name of the hereditary caste of priests of ancient Persia and Medea. This Magian order, or esoteric cult of the Zoroastrian priesthood, represented the center of ancient occultism at that period of the world’s history, and its influence was felt in all parts of the world, and continues down to this time. So highly were its members respected and considered, that the term “Wise Men,” and “Magi” were synonymous. The “Three Wise Men” mentioned as appearing at the birth of Christ were known as the Magi, or “wise men from the East.” From the word “Magi” came the term “Magic,” which Webster has defined as follows: “The hidden wisdom supposed to be possessed by the Magi; relating to the occult powers of nature; mastery of secret forces in nature; having extraordinary properties; seemingly requiring more than human power, etc.” So we may consider the word “magic” to mean: “mastery of the occult forces of nature,” the term indicating the existence of such forces, and the possibility of the mastery or control of them. And in ancient times, “magic” was always believed to be connected in some way with the use of the mind, particularly in its aspects of will, desire, and imagination. Effects were believed to result because some magician either “willed it”; “desired it to be”; or else “imagined it would occur”;—in each case the result happening as a materialization of the mental conception or wish. “Wishing” was always believed to be a magical operation, and if we examine a “wish” we see it is composed of the use of the imagination, coupled with desire, and backed up with will. And so, I felt that I was justified in using the term “Mental Magic” in considering the various phenomena resulting from the manifestation of Mind-Power. But by the use of the term “Mental Magic,” I meant more than the mere mental control of the “occult forces of nature.” I meant that these “occult forces of nature” are themselves mental in character and nature, and that their control or mastery means simply the conscious use, control, mastery, and application of certain mental forces, called “occult,” that are possessed by the race, and are used by all, either consciously or unconsciously. The mastery or control of these forces means that one may learn to “knowingly” apply that which all have been using blindly and unknowingly. And as knowledge and intelligent use always means Power, the knowledge of the principles of these forces, and the consequent intelligent application of them, brings power to those acquiring it. While it is true that that which is known as “magic” has always been mixed up with a mass of credulity, superstition, and meaningless forms and ceremonies, the close student will see that these excrescences and appendages necessarily arose from the superstitions of the mass of the people, and to the various forms of primitive religions that the lace has fostered during the procession of the centuries and ages. The magicians were nearly always priests in the old days, that being the only career open to them, and one that enabled them to erect the barrier of primitive religious rites between their wisdom and the ignorance of the race. The careful student will be able to trace the possession of something real and true always manifesting among the various forms and ceremonies of the various ancient cults. There was always to be found an esoteric or inner cult, within the mass of the exoteric or ignorant priesthood and followers of the temples. There was always the light of Truth burning in the holy of holies of the temples, for those who were sufficiently advanced to worship at its shrine. And, among the dim records of the ancient mysteries that have come down to us from ancient India, Egypt, Persia, Chaldea, Babylon, Greece, and Rome, and the other old centers of civilization and culture, we may always find the underlying principle of the existence of some mighty force connected with the human mind—or more particularly, the will—that was at the bottom of the mysteries, and magic, and miracles. Back of all the ceremonies, rites, and incantations was the esoteric idea that the will was the real force employed under the mask of incantation and rites assumed to impress the imaginations and minds of the populace. Back of the amulet and charm was the working of the will of the person wearing them, which was called into effect by the faith or imagination (a real power and not a fancy as many believe) of the man ignorant of the real force. ”There being an evident relation between an object and the thought of it, it becomes one of the chief practices of the sorcerer to try to make things happen by thinking about them.” ” width=”500″ height=”352″ class=”size-full wp-image-49″ /> the evolution of all species.[/caption] “The element in Magic, not depending upon ‘spirits,’ depends upon imagined powers and correspondences in nature, of which the adepts avail themselves in order to discover hidden knowledge, and to act upon the world around them by means beyond the ordinary capabilities of men. Thus by mere effort of will,” etc., etc. And the student who will look under the surface, and read between the lines, will be able to see the evidence of “Mental Magic” underlying all the forms of magic, mystery, and wonder-working miracles of all times and ages, and people—of all kinds, character or name. Behind all the masks he will see the features of this use of the Mind-Power of man—always the same, in spite of the fantastic and grotesque masks and trappings. power of nature power of nature I could fill pages with recitals of the many disguises under which Mind-Power masquerades, but I must hurry on the telling “how,” and I can do no more than to hastily call your attention to the many evidences of the use of this power in all parts of the world, and in all times. The ancient mysteries of Egypt, Greece, etc., were systems of forms and ceremonies, wherein were hidden the use of Mind-Power. The sick were brought to the temples and healed. The minds of the populace were filled with the thoughts of victory impressed upon them by the will and subtle suggestions of the priests. What we know in these days as “Mental Suggestions,” including that which we now call “affirmations” or “auto-suggestions,” were understood and skillfully used by the priests, or magicians, in order to control the people. And it must not be for a moment supposed that these forces were used for evil purposes. On the contrary, the priests were the real governing classes— the powers behind the throne—and they felt the responsibility of power, and endeavored by their knowledge of the occult forces of the mind to lead the people in the right path. Of course, selfish men there have always been, and we hear of cases away back in the early days of history where this power was prostituted for evil and selfish purposes, just as power is always capable of wrong application. In all ages we learn of the healing of the sick by mental power, for Mental Healing presents an unbroken line from the earliest days down to the present, concealed often under fancy trappings, but the same in principle always. And what we call “Mental Suggestion” has always been in force in the hands of the leaders of the race to influence, for good or evil, those under them. The great leaders of men have always been adept in the use of Mind-Power, although many of them have never suspected the sources of their power. To many it may seem almost sacrilegious to state that the highest uses of Mind-Power, such as leading the race up to higher ideas, aims and accomplishments—to success, happiness and health—are merely higher forms of the same force that is used by the ignorant and repulsive savage in his rites, and dark practice.