CHAPTER VII.

AUTO-MAGNETISM; OR, SELF-HEALING.

Self-magnetization Practicable-Professional Seers - Spontaneous Somnambulism — The Essential Thing - How to Induce the State-Passes Unnecessary - Method of Mr. Braid - How the Condition may be Self-induced — Oriental Method - Natural Sleep-Directions to be followed in Auto-magnetism How to become Mentally Perceptive- Transference of the Senses - Psychometry — Philosophy of Self-healing — Susceptibility of the Body to Mental Influences - How to Relieve yourself of Pain Also of Disease - How to make a Weakened Organ Strong - The Way to Increase Vital Action - How to change our Mental States- Mental Contrasts.

F any one cannot find a person in whom he has suffi

cient confidence to entrust himself to his care in the interior impressible state, or, for any reason, a good assistant is not at hand, and no foreign aid is available, he may be taught how to induce it in himself. Self-magnetization, with proper instruction, is easily practised. The patient's own mind has always much to do in producing the impressible state, and even the sleep. Thousands of persons, without any assistance from others, throw themselves into the somnambulic condition of the brain. It is witnessed every day, and in all parts of the country. We have seen hundreds of persons who could induce upon themselves the conscious magnetic state in a few minutes. Some can go into it almost instantly, and with some it has become well-nigh a normal and

permanent condition. Many professional clairvoyants throw themselves into a state of artificial somnambulism in a minute, and bring themselves out of it at pleasure. This proves that the state is under the control of the will, and may be self-induced, if we acquire a knowledge of its nature and the laws governing it. The frequent occurrence of natural or spontaneous somnambulism, which is identical with the magnetic sleep, proves that it arises from some power or cause residing within the system of the subject. If so, it is not unreasonable to suppose, that, like ordinary sleep, it may, by following the right course, be voluntarily induced. The more it is practised, the easier it becomes. Any one can readily put himself into the impressible conscious state, which is all that is requisite to the practice of self-healing.

Let it be remembered that the essential thing, in the magnetic or impressible condition, is the quiescence of the large brain, and the suspension of its vital activity. When this is the case, the consciousness, and all the mental functions of thought and sensation, are performed by the cerebellum, or little brain, which is the organ of the involuntary life. This becomes the organ by which we think, will, and act. It is a state of extreme sensitiveness to mental impressions, whether arising from within ourselves or from others. But how can this change be effected, and this transference of the vital force from one department of the cerebral structure to the other, be accomplished? Mr. Braid, of Manchester, England, a successful and distinguished practitioner of magnetism, under the name of hypnotism, appears to have been among the first who doubted the necessity of any influence foreign to the patient, in order to induce the magnetic state, with all its characteristic phenomena. It has been found that gazing steadily at an object, held

a little above the eyes, and in front of the upper part of the forehead, will induce the state, without the use of the prescribed passes that have continued to be used from the time of Mesmer downward. By gazing in this strained position, necessitating the rolling up of the eye, the action of the cerebrum is soon suspended, and the passive impressible state, which is only an introverted condition of the mind, is induced. This position of the eye would effect the same, without gazing at anything, but it might be more difficult for some in this way to control the attention. Now all this one can do alone, although I am not prepared to say that the presence and influence of a good assistant might not facilitate the process, especially before one has become accustomed to it. The method of inducing interior perception, long practised by the magicians of the East, was by gazing at an ink-spot. Steadily looking at some small object or figure on the ceiling of the bedroom, will induce sleep, when a person is inclined to wakefulness. This I have often tried with success. The sleep in this case may be partly somnambulic, but is extremely tranquil and refreshing. The late Dr. Gregory gives the same testimony, from his own experience, regarding it.

As previously directed, in the instructions given respecting the induction of the interior sensitive state by another, let the patient assume an easy position, and be quiet and passive. A recumbent posture is a good one. Then direct the attention to some object, so situated as to require the eyes to be somewhat elevated in order to see it. Abstract the attention from everything else, and gaze steadily at it, with the eyes partly closed, for a few moments. As soon as the eyes feel a tendency to close entirely, and the room seems dark, or the vision blurred and obscure, shut them at once.

Continue to gaze mentally at the same object, after the eyes are closed, and you will find that you can see it nearly as well as before. This is an interior vision, and the dawning of spiritual perception or vision independent of the external organs of sight. Continue perfectly passive and quiet. You are now in the state of sleepwaking, and on the boundary of both worlds. It is a condition of mental exaltation, of quickened perceptions, and great psychological sensitiveness. If it is your wish to become mentally perceptive, direct your thoughts to some distant and familiar object or person, or to some place where you would love to be. You will perceive objects with the interior eye, as certainly and as really as you ever saw them with the outward organ. You will perceive not only what you have seen before, but what now exists, though you never before saw it. The accuracy of this you may be able to test, if you desire it. I have done it many times, and found it as reliable as our ordinary vision. While in this state, you can, by an effort of will, transfer the interior sense of vision to any distance,- even to another continent. For this wonderful power is not subject to the limitations of time or space. It is not imagination merely, it is a real interior or spiritual perception. The power we call imagination may be, and without doubt often is, an inward seeing. All the senses may act independently of their material organs, and be transferred to any distance. By fixing the attention upon the organ of hearing, and listening, you can sometimes hear what persons, many miles away, are saying. The sound is distinctly heard, though not with the outward ear. In fact, incredible as it may appear, their very thoughts become audible. This has been called clairaudience. The same is true of the sense of smell, and even taste.

It is only the mind asserting its freedom from material restraint. A little practice, and a due share of perseverance, will render all this easy, and you will be able to enter upon this state without any preliminary process of gazing. Some, undoubtedly, will succeed better than others; but no one need fail entirely.

While in this state, if you turn your attention to any persons at a distance, or near by you, by closely watching your sensations, you will find that their states, bodily and mental, will affect you. If they are sad, you will feel it. If they have a pain, you will be affected with it by sympathy, in the same place, and in a perceptible degree. By holding in your hand an autograph letter from a person, many miles away, you will be influenced by his states, and will have an indescribable perception also of him and his surroundings, and even his past history and character. This is sympathetic clairvoyance or psychometry. By means of it you will be able after a while to tell the condition of your absent friends and others, though they may be thousands of miles distant. In this state all the senses are reduced to a unity, an indefinable inward perceptivity.

You are now in the impressible state. The body and all its organs are extremely sensitive to mental influences, either from yourself or others. Your disease will be found, to a great extent, under your own control. Your silent suggestion will now be a spiritual force that will influence the physiological action of the various organs. If you imagine a pain in any part, you will feel it more or less, according to the degree of your sensitiveness. If your head aches, suggest to yourself that it is gone or is leaving you, at the same time calmly willing it to depart, and it will be instantly relieved. If your feet are cold, and consequently the opposite pole