Published by Good Press, 2019

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      EAN 4057664640208

Table of Contents

       PART I

       NATURE'S FINER FORCES

       PART II

       Mental Vibrations and Transmissions

       PART III

       THOUGHT TRANSFERENCE

       PART IV

       CLAIRVOYANCE AND KINDRED PHENOMENA

       PART V

       CLAIRVOYANCE: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

       PART VI

       MEDIUMSHIP

       PART VII

       MEDIUMISTIC CONDITIONS

       PART VIII

       HOW TO DEVELOP MEDIUMSHIP

       PART IX

       MEDIUMISTIC PHENOMENA

       PART X

       EXPERIENCES IN THE CIRCLE

       PART XI

       HIGHER SPIRIT MANIFESTATIONS

PART I

       Table of Contents

NATURE'S FINER FORCES

       Table of Contents

      One of the most common mistaken conceptions of the average student of the occult sciences, and of so-called "psychic phenomena" in general, is that which may be expressed by the term "supernatural." This term, as you know, is used to express the idea of "that which is outside of the realm of Nature, and of Nature's laws."

      Knowledge Versus Faith

      As a matter of fact, as all the advanced students and teachers of the occult doctrine know full well, we have no direct knowledge whatsoever of anything that is "outside of the realm of nature, and of Nature's laws." It is true that we may, by an act of faith, profess to believe in powers and beings entirely apart from the great realm of Nature—in fact, most persons do believe in such powers and beings in connection with their formal religion—but their belief is entirely within the category of Faith, and is not even pretended to be based upon actual experience and phenomenal manifestation.

      The moment that there appears any manifestation which is possible of being known to, or experienced by, the human senses, ordinary or extraordinary, that moment the phenomena and the immediate cause thereof must be regarded as being properly classed in the category of "natural." This is true not only of such phenomena as are perceived by means of our ordinary five senses, but also of those which are perceptible only to the highest powers of perception, or higher senses, which are latent in all human beings but which are unfolded only in the case of a comparatively few individuals of the race.

      It should be clearly understood by all students of occultism or psychic phenomena that man's knowledge and experience, normal or supernormal, is confined to the realm of Nature. There is a "ring pass-not" around the boundaries of the Kingdom of Nature which mortals cannot pass, no matter how high may be their degree of development and advancement. Even those great mystics whose writings are filled with the startling revelations of "union with the Divine," and of "At-one-ment with Deity," are under no illusion concerning this fact they know full well that only in so far as Deity involves itself in Nature—wraps itself up in the garments of Nature—can it be directly experienced by man, and thus actually known by him.

      Supernormal, Not Supernatural

      Perhaps a clearer understanding of this important subject will be had if we but substitute the term "supernormal" for that of "supernatural." The term "supernormal" is not commonly employed, and but few know that such a word is to be found in the dictionaries, much less know its meaning; but a study of its meaning, and its adoption in our thinking, will serve to give us a clearer conception of the true nature of many strange phases of experience of which we have become conscious, either by reasons of their manifestation by ourselves, or else by the manifestation on the part of others. It will accordingly be well for us to carefully examine this term and its meaning.

      "Subnormal" means: "Beyond, above, or exceeding that which is normal; extraordinary, inexplicable perhaps, but not supernatural." Now, the term "normal" means: "Conforming to a certain standard, rule, or type"; hence, anything that is "supernormal" is something that is above the usual pattern, rule, or type.

      There is an important distinction to be noted here, to-wit: a thing may be outside of the usual pattern, rule, or type, in the sense of being inferior to or under the ordinary standard, and in this case is known as "abnormal," the latter term being employed as a term of depreciation. On the other hand, the "outside of the standard" quality may consist of a superiority to the prevailing standard, and accordingly is entitled to be classed in the category of the "supernormal"—the prefix "super" meaning "above, over, higher, etc."

      It is important that the distinction be made clearly between the use and meaning of these two terms, "abnormal" and "supernormal," respectively. The first named denotes inferiority, and the latter denotes superiority.