Clairvoyance and Occult Powers, William Walker Atkinson [best book clubs TXT] 📗

which has become a matter of history. How Cazotte foretold the coming of the French Revolution, including the fate of eminent personages present at the time of the prophecy. A startling occurrence, well worthy of careful study. The historical case of the assassination of Spencer Perceval, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Other well-authenticated cases. Symbolic visions. Irish and Scotch cases.

LESSON XIV
ASTRAL-BODY TRAVELING
Astral visioning in Clairvoyance, and visioning by means of the Astral Body. The difference between the two phases of clairvoyant phenomena. The characteristics of Astral-Body traveling. How one traveling in the Astral Body may "see all around him," instead of merely gazing at an astral picture. Limitations of Astral-Body visioning. What the Astral-Body really is; and what it is like. How it disengages itself from the physical body, and travels in space. Many persons "travel in the astral" during ordinary sleep. Occult teachings regarding Astral-Body traveling. How dying persons often travel in the astral-body, before death. Many interesting cases cited, all well-authenticated by scientific investigation. Society for Psychical Research's records and reports on such cases. Dangers of uninstructed persons going out on the astral, except in dream state. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." A timely warning. A most important and interesting subject.

LESSON XV
STRANGE ASTRAL PHENOMENA
Additional phases of Astral Phenomena. Projection of Thought-Forms. Something between ordinary Clairvoyance and Astral-Body perception. What a Thought-Form is. How it is created. What it does. Where it goes. How a portion of one's consciousness is projected in a Thought-Form. Using a Thought-Form as at cut-post, or observation point. How things appear when viewed from a Thought-Form. A wonderful phase of occult phenomena. Advantages and disadvantages of this form of clairvoyant visioning. Hindu Psychic Magic, and how it is performed. Remarkable illusory effects produced by Hindu Magicians. All is explained when the principle of the creation and projection of Thought-Forms is understood. Why the Hindus excel in this phase of occultism. An interesting description of Hindu Magic feats. The power of concentrated "visualization." The phenomena of Levitation, or the moving of articles at a distance. The occult explanation of this phenomenon. Natural explanation for so-called "super-natural" occurrence.

LESSON XVI
PSYCHIC INFLUENCE: ITS LAWS AND PRINCIPLES
The laws and principles underlying the power of one mind to influence and affect another mind. More than ordinary telepathy. The inductive power of mental vibrations. Everything is in vibration. Mental vibrations are much higher in the scale than are physical vibrations. What "induction" is. How a mental state, or an emotional feeling, tends to induce a similar state in another mind. Many instances cited. The different degrees of vibratory influence, and what causes the difference. The contagious effect of a "strong feeling." Why a strong desire hag a dynamic effect in certain cases. The power of visualization in Psychic Influence. The Attractive Power of Thought. The effect of Mental Concentration. Focusing your Forces. Holding the mind to a state of "one-pointedness." Why the occultist controls his imagination. Suggestions as to practice, and rules of development. A few easily-mastered principles which give you the key to the whole of this wonderful subject.

LESSON XVII
PERSONAL PSYCHIC INFLUENCE OVER OTHERS
Psychic Influence exerted over others, when in their presence. Different degrees of the influence. Possession of this power by Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, and other great leaders of men. The ability to influence others is a sure sign of the possession of this psychic power. The Three Underlying Principles of Psychic Influence. The importance of strong desire to influence and exert power. The importance of clear, positive mental pictures of what effect you wish to produce. The importance of the firm concentration of your mind on the subject. The creation of a positive psychic atmosphere. The Positive Psychic Aura. How to project your Psychic Power. The Psychic Struggle between two persons. How to handle yourself in such conflicts of Psychic Power. How to Neutralize the Psychic Power of others, and thus disarm them. The Occult Shield of Defence. Valuable directions regarding practice and development of Psychic Power. Scientific Exercises for Development. Important Rules of Practice.

LESSON XVIII
PSYCHIC INFLUENCE AT A DISTANCE
Psychic Influence over others, manifested when they are distant from the person exerting the influence. Distance no obstacle. Psychic Induction at Long-Range. How to create the en rapport condition with the other person. How to protect yourself against such influence at a distance. The Psychic Armor. Psychometric Method of producing Distant En Rapport Condition. To proceed when the en rapport condition is secured. The scientific explanation of the old tales about sorcery, witchcraft, super-natural influence, etc. The effect of fear, and belief, on the mind of the other person. The effect of Denial. The secret of many strange cases made plain. Some typical cases. The Master-Key which unlocks the doors of many Mysteries. Low forms of Occultism, and how they may be defeated. Dangerous Teachings in some quarters. Warnings against their use. The Astral Tube; how it is erected, used and employed. A simple, plain explanation of a puzzling occult manifestation. Self-Protection.

LESSON XIX
LAWS OF PSYCHIC ATTRACTION
How psychic vibrations tend to attract to their creator other persons vibrating along the same lines; and things having a relation to the things thought of. Harmony and Inharmony in the Psychic World. The Law of Psychic Attraction. The Law of Psychic Repulsion. An important phase of Astral Phenomena. The Law works two ways. It draws other persons and things to you; and you to other persons and things. How the men of "big business" operate under this Law of Attraction. How scheming exploiters of the public actually "treat the public" by psychic means. The various forms of psychic influence employed by persons of this kind. The Law of Attraction, and how it works out in Business Life. The scientific facts behind the outward appearance of things. Instances and examples of the working out of these laws and principles. The Law of Psychic Attraction is as constant and invariable as the great Law of Gravitation, or Magnetic Attraction. The Co-Relation of Thoughts and Things. How we may create our own environment by Psychic Influence.

LESSON XX
PSYCHIC AND MAGNETIC HEALING
The Psychic Principles underlying the many forms of psychic or mental healing. Many theories—one set of principles. Psychic Healing as old as the race. The Basic Principles of Psychic Healing. The Physiological Principles involved. How the Astral Body is used in Psychic Healing. Human Magnetism, and what it really is. All about Prana. The Laying-on of Hands in Healing; and what is back of it. What happens in Magnetic Healing. The Secret of Absent Healing. Space no barrier in Psychic Healing. The Human Aura and Psychic Healing. The Secret of Suggestive Therapeutics. The effect of the "affirmations" of the healers. How the Healing Cults obtain good results. Self-Healing by Psychic Power. Absent Healing by Psychic Power. How to "treat" others by Absent Treatment. Valuable Instructions and Practical Methods of Psychic Healing. The whole subject condensed, and made plain, so that it may be applied by any person of average intelligence. No fanciful theories; only plain, practical facts for actual application.

INTRODUCTION.

In preparing this series of lessons for students of Western lands, I have been compelled to proceed along lines exactly opposite to those which I would have chosen had these lessons been for students in India. This because of the diametrically opposite mental attitudes of the students of these two several lands.

The student in India expects the teacher to state positively the principles involved, and the methods whereby these principles may be manifested, together with frequent illustrations (generally in the nature of fables or parables), serving to link the new knowledge to some already known thing. The Hindu student never expects or demands anything in the nature of "proof" of the teachers statements of principle or method; in fact, he would regard it as an insult to the teacher to ask for the same. Consequently, he does not look for, or ask, specific instances or illustrations in the nature of scientific evidence or proof of the principles taught. He may ask for more information, but solely for the purpose of bringing out some point which he has not grasped; but he avoids as a pestilence any question seeming to indicate argument, doubt of what is being taught him, or of the nature of a demand for proof or evidence.

The Western student, on the other hand, is accustomed to maintaining the skeptical attitude of mind—the scientific attitude of doubt and demand for proof—and the teacher so understands it. Both are accustomed to illustrations bringing out the principles involved, but these illustrations must not be fanciful or figurative—they must be actual cases, well authenticated and vouched for as evidence. In short, the Western teacher is expected to actually "prove" to his students his principles and methods, before he may expect them to be accepted. This, of course, not from any real doubt or suspicion of the veracity or ability of the teacher, but merely because the Western mind expects to question, and be questioned, in this way in the process of teaching and learning.

Consequently, in this series of lessons, I have sought to follow the Western method rather than the Hindu. So far as is possible, I have avoided the flat positive statement of principles and methods, and have sought to prove each step of the teaching. Of course, I have been compelled to assume the existence of certain fundamental principles, in order to avoid long and technical metaphysical and philosophical discussions. I have also had to content myself with the positive flat assertion of the existence of the Astral Plane, Akashic Records, Prana, etc., which are fundamental postulates of Hindu philosophy and occult science—for these are established solely by the experience of those who are able to function on the higher planes themselves. But, beyond this I have sought to prove by direct and positive evidence (adapted to the Western mind) every step of my teaching and methods.

In offering this scientific proof, I have purposely omitted (except in a few instances) all mention of occult or psychic phenomena occurring in India, and have confined myself to instances occurring in Western lands to Western persons. Moreover, I have avoided quoting and citing Hindu authorities, and have, instead, quoted and cited from authorities well known and respected in Western lands, such as the Society for Psychical Research, and the prominent scientists interested in the work of the said society. In this way I have sought to furnish the Western student with examples, cases, and illustrations familiar to him, and easily referred to. Had I cited Indian cases, I might be accused of offering proof that could not be easily verified; and quoting persons unknown to my readers. There is a wealth of such cases and illustration in India, naturally, but these as a rule are traditional and not available in printed form; and these would not likely be very satisfactory to the Western student.

I must, however, positively and firmly state that while these cases and illustrations, these quotations and citations, are purely Western, the principles they illustrate and prove are among the oldest known to Hindu occult science and philosophy. In fact, having been accepted as proved truth in India, for centuries past, there is very little demand for further proof thereof on the part of the Hindus. In the Western world, however, these things are comparatively new, and must be proved and attested accordingly. So, as I have said, I have cut the cloth of my instruction to conform with the pattern favored for the Western garment of knowledge. So far as the illustrations and cases, the quotations and citations are concerned—these are purely Western and familiar to the student. But, when it comes to the principles themselves, this is another matter—I must be pardoned for stating that these are the outgrowth of Hindu thought and investigation, and that he who would discover