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

from the material side of nature. As I have said, each organ, part, centre or cell, of the physical body has its astral pattern or basis. In fact, the physical body has been built up, in whole and in all of its parts, on the pattern and base of the astral body. Moreover, in case of impaired functioning of the physical organs or parts, and impaired activity of the physical body, its limbs, etc., if we can manage to arouse the activities of the astral body we may cause it to re-materialize or re-energize the physical body, and thus restore health and activity to it. If the liver, for instance, is not functioning properly, we proceed to start up the activities of the astral counterpart of that organ, to the end that the physical organ may be re-energized, and recreated in a measure. All true psychic healing work is performed on the astral plane, before it manifests on the physical.

At this point, I should also call your attention to the effect of "prana," or life energy, in some cases of healing. This prana is what Western healers mean when they speak of "human magnetism" in their healing work. So far from being an imaginary force, as claimed by the physical scientists and materialists, it is known to all occultists as an active principle of the human body, and as of great efficacy in the psychic treatment of disease. I shall mention the details of this form of treatment as we proceed—I mention it at this place merely to call your attention to the fact of its existence.

Before passing on to the consideration of other phases of the subject before us, I would like to call your attention to the fact that from the earliest days of history there have been recorded instances of some form of psychic healing. In the earlier days the psychic healing work was left entirely in the hands of the priesthood of the various religions prevailing in the several counties of the world. Claiming to have an exclusive divine sanction to perform healing work, these priests used various ceremonies, rites, incantations, etc., in order to obtain their results. In many cases these priests were ignorant of the real psychic forces invoked and set into operation; they merely practiced methods which had been found to work out effectively, and which had been handed down to them by their predecessors. In other cases, however, the priests undoubtedly were skilled occultists, and had a very full knowledge of the forces they were using; though, as the masses of the people were very ignorant it was impossible to acquaint them with these things so far above their understanding; and, consequently, the priests applied the healing forces under the disguise of their religious ceremonies and rites.

From time to time, however, as civilization progressed, there came into prominence persons who worked cures of physical ills by means of magical ceremonies and other similar methods, but who were outside of the priesthood. Some of these men undoubtedly had a very fair knowledge of the real secret of their cures, though they disguised them to suit the mental condition of their patients, and, also, probably for purposes of self glorification. In other cases, however, it is probable that these healers had merely stumbled across the fact that certain things said in a certain way tended to work cures; or that certain physical objects seemed to have therapeutic virtue. They did not realize that the whole healing virtue of their systems depended upon the strong idea in their own minds, coupled with the strong faith and confidence in the mind of the patient. And so the work went on.

In some of the oldest records of the human race, the scriptures of the various peoples, we find that "laying on of hands" was the favorite method employed by the holy men and priests, and other performing healing work. From the first there seems to have been an almost instinctive recognition on the part of man of the fact that there is a healing power in the touch of the hand. Even ignorant and savage mothers instinctively apply their hands to the hurt bodies of their children—a custom that has its counterpart in civilized races, by the way. The child is taught to expect physical relief from the application of the mother's hands, and its mind at once pictures relief. Not only is the mental picture created, but the desire and confidence is established in the minds of both persons. The same thing is true of all "laying on of hands," and thus are the principles of all psychic influence brought into play. But this is not all there is to it. In the first place, there is an actual transference of prana from the body of the healer to that of the patient, which serves to energize and revitalize the cells and centres of the body of the latter. In the second place, there is the effect upon the astral body of the patient, which tends to materialize better physical conditions. In the third place, there is that combination and union of the minds of the two persons, which gives extra force and power to psychic influence. Is it any wonder that cures take place under these circumstances?

In the modern revival of the almost lost art and science of psychic healing among the general public, there has been unusual stress laid upon the feature of "absent healing," in which the patient and the healer are not in each other's presence. To many this has seemed actually miraculous, and as a positive proof of divine interposition. But a little thought will show the student that such cures are not unknown in the pages of history, as a casual examination of the sacred books of almost any religion will show. Moreover, the student will see that to the effect of certain principles of psychic influence there needs but to be added the principles of telepathic communication, or, better still, the principles of astral communication by some phases of clairvoyance, to account for the entire phenomena of "absent healing."

Space is no barrier on the astral plane, as you have seen in the preceding chapters of this book. Once the en rapport condition is established between healer and patient, and the rest is simple—the astral body is induced to energize more actively, and as a result the physical manifestation is improved and normal functioning restored. Of course, all this is wonderful enough—all psychic phenomena is, for that matter; but, we see that we do not have to go outside of established occult laws, principles and facts in order to account for some of these modern miracles which have puzzled and perplexed so many good persons who have not known of the occult teachings, and who fear that the world is being turned upside down, and Nature's laws overturned by these "new fangled" ideas and methods.

Perhaps the most simple method of healing by psychic influence is that which is at the same time the oldest method, i.e., the "laying on of hands." This method was revived about twenty years ago in America and Europe by the new school of "magnetic healing" which sprung rapidly into public favor. The other schools of psychic healing, generally known as "mental healing," "spiritual healing," "divine healing," etc., generally frown upon the use of the hands in psychic healing, deeming it "too material," and too much allied to hypnotism, etc. But this view is quite bigoted and narrow, for this method has no relation to hypnotism, and, moreover, it gives the patient the benefit of the flow of prana from the healer, while at the same time producing the psychic effect on the astral body, as I have just mentioned.

I take the liberty of quoting here something on this subject from my little book entitled "The Human Aura." In the chapter of that book devoted to the consideration of the subject of "Auric Magnetism," I said: "In cases of magnetic healing, etc., the healer by an effort of his will (sometimes unconsciously applied) projects a supply of his pranic aura vibrations into the body of his patient, by way of the nervous system of the patient, and also by means of what may be called the induction of the aura itself. The mere presence of a person strongly charged with prana, is often enough to cause an overflow into the aura of other persons, with a resulting feeling of new strength and energy. By the use of the hands of the healer, a heightened effect is produced, by reason of certain properties inherent in the nervous system of both healer and patient. There is even a flow of etheric substance from the aura of the healer to that of the patient, in cases in which the vitality of the latter is very low. Many a healer has actually, and literally, pumped his life force and etheric substance into the body of his patient, when the latter was sinking into the weakness which precedes death, and has by so doing been able to bring him back to strength and life. This is practically akin to the transfusion of blood—except that it is upon the psychic plane instead of the physical."

But the true "magnetic healer" (call him by whatever name you wish) does not make this pranic treatment the all-in-all of his psychic treatment. On the contrary it is but the less subtle part, which leads up to the higher phases. While treating his patients by the laying on of hands, he, at the same time, strives to induce in the mind of the patient the mental image of restored health and physical strength; he pictures the diseased organ as restored to health and normal functioning; he sees the entire physiological machinery operating properly, the work of nutrition, assimilation, and excretion going on naturally and normally. By proper words of advice L and encouragement he awakens hope and confidence in the mind of the patient, and thus obtains the co-operation of that mind in connection to his own mental efforts. The astral body responds to this treatment, and begins to energize the physical organs and cells into normal activity—and the journey toward health is begun.

[In the little book just mention, "The Human Aura," I gave some valuable information regarding the influence of colors in psychic healing, which I do not reproduce here as it is outside the scope and field of the present lessons. Those who may feel interested in the subject are respectfully referred to the little manual itself. It is sold for a nominal price by the publishers of the present work.]

In the form of psychic treatment which comes under the head of Suggestive Therapeutics, great insistence is laid upon the verbal suggestion to the patient, on the part of the healer. The patient is told that he will get well; that his organs will function normally; etc., etc. But the student of the present lessons will readily see that the only virtue in the spoken words consists in their power to evoke and induce the mental image of the desired condition in the mind of the patient. The mental picture thus evoked produces a corresponding effect in the astral body of the patient, and sets into operation the materialization of desired results. In addition, the words produce a strong mental picture in the mind of the healer himself, and thus give form and strength to his psychic vibrations which are being poured out toward the patient. This is really the secret of suggestive treatment.

The many cults of metaphysical healing, in America and Europe, lay great stress upon what they call "affirmations," which are but statements of the patient of his or her faith in the healing power of God, or of Mind, or Spirit, or Principle (different names are used). The patient naturally has confidence aroused, and as naturally begins to picture the desired condition; this in turn reacting upon the astral body, and this