The Complete Works of Yogy Ramacharaka. William Walker Atkinson
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use of their power is a form of black magic, and is attended with certain psychic penalties and punishments. But no one can be thus drawn upon, either by the unconscious demand of others, or by conscious design, after they have once learned something about this Human Magnetism, and its laws.
Human Magnetism, or Pranic Energy, is a most potent therapeutic force, and, in one form or another, it is found in the majority of cases of psychic healing. It is one of the oldest forms of natural healing, and it may be said to be almost instinctive in the race. A child who has hurt itself, or who feels a pain, at once runs to its mother who kisses the hurt part, or places her hand on the seat of the pain and in a few moments the child is better. When we approach one who is suffering, it is very natural for us to place our hands on his brow, or to pass our hand over him. This instinctive use of the hand is a form of conveying magnetism to the afflicted person, who is usually relieved by the act. The holding of a babe to its mother's bosom, is another instinctive act for the same purpose. The mother's magnetism goes out, propelled by her loving thought, and the child is soothed, rested, and strengthened. Human Magnetism may be thrown off from the system by means of a desire or thought, or it may be more directly passed to another by means of the hand; contact of the body; a kiss; the breath; and similar ways. We will speak of this matter, again, in our Eighth Lesson, on "Occult Therapeutics."
It is impossible to give a plain, clear explanation of just what this Human Magnetism is, unless we go into the deeper occult teachings, which are not fitted for the beginner. To tell what Human Magnetism is, we must explain what Prana is, and in order to tell what Prana is, we must go right to the root of the matter and discover the true nature and origin of "Force," something which modern physical science has failed to do, but which the deeper occult teachings are able to explain, at least to those who have reached that stage of understanding, by slow, laborious and gradual steps.
It may be urged that we are expecting too much when we ask students to accept as truth, the statement that there exists such a thing as Human Magnetism, or Pranic Energy, at all, when we cannot explain its real nature. Replying to this objection, we answer that there are many things which may be proven by their observed effects, although the thing itself cannot be explained in plain terms. Take Electricity, or Magnetism, for instance - we have their existence clearly proved to us every day, by their effects, and yet physical science tells us very little that can be understood, about their real nature. And so it is with this other exhibition of Pranic Energy - Human Magnetism - we must look to its effects for proof, rather than try to solve the mystery of the common source of all forms of force - Prana.
But, we have had it urged that whereas we can easily observe the effects and outward manifestation of Electricity and Magnetism, there are no such effects and manifestations of Human Magnetism, or Pranic Energy. This objection has always amused us, when we remember that every movement of the body, from the mighty effort of the giant, to the quiver of an eyelash, is a direct effect and manifestation of this Human Magnetism or Pranic Energy.
Physical scientists call this thing "Nervous Force" or similar names, but it is the same thing that we have called Human Magnetism - a form of Pranic Energy. When we wish to raise a finger, we put forth an effort of the Will, if the desire be a conscious one - r an effort of the Instinctive Mind, if the desire be sub-conscious - and a supply of Human Magnetism is sent to the muscles controlling the movement of the finger. The muscles contract, and the finger raises. And so it is with every movement of the body, both on the conscious and subconscious plane of effort. Every step we take is caused by this same process - every word we utter is produced in this way - every tear we shed obeys the law - even the beating of the heart responds to the supply of Human Magnetism, propelled, in this last case, by the command of the Instinctive Mind.
The magnetism is sent over the nerves, just as is a telegraph message sent over the wires leading from the central office to all parts of the land. The nerves are its telegraph wires, and the current in the body always travels over these wires. And just as, until a very recent time, it has been thought impossible for messages to be sent without wires, so even to this day, do the physical scientists deny that this Human Magnetism (which they call Nervous Force) can be transmitted except over these wires of the nervous system. And just as the scientists have recently discovered that "wireless telegraphy" is a possibility, and a working truth - so have the occultists known for centuries that this Human Magnetism can be transmitted from person to person, through the astral atmosphere, without the need of the wires of the nerves.
Have we helped you to form a clearer idea of Human Magnetism? As we have stated, Human Magnetism is taken up by the organism of man, from the air he breathes; the water he drinks; and the food he eats. It is extracted in Nature's laboratory, and stored up in his nervous system, in a chain of storage - batteries, of which the Solar Plexus is the central and chief store house. From these storage-batteries, the magnetism is drawn by the mind and sent forth to be used for the thousands of purposes for which it is intended. When we say, "drawn by the mind," we do not mean that it must be necessarily drawn by an effort of the conscious mind, or will power, in fact, not over five per cent of the amount used is so drawn, the remaining ninety-five per cent, being drawn and used by the Instinctive Mind, which controls the functions of the body - the workings of the internal organs - the processes of digestion, assimilation, and elimination - the circulation of the blood and the various functions of the physical body, all of which are wholly, or in part, under the control and care of the Instinctive Mind.
Nor must it be supposed that this magnetism is absent from any part of the body, at any time; or is absent until it is sent there by a distinct effort of the mind. The fact is that every part of the body contains a greater or lesser amount of magnetism at all times - the amount depending upon the general vitality of the person, which vitality is determined entirely by the total amount of Prana, or Human Magnetism in the system.
A brief consideration of the nervous system, with its nerve-cells, ganglia, plexi, etc., will be advisable, at this point, in order to gain a clearer idea of the processes of nature in its distribution of the supply of magnetism.
The Nervous System of man is divided into two great systems, viz., the Cerebro Spinal System, and the Sympathetic System. The Cerebro Spinal System consists of all that part of the Nervous System contained within the cranial cavity, and the spinal canal, viz., the brain and the spinal cord, together with the nerves which branch off from the latter. This system presides over the functions of animal life known as volition, sensation, etc. The Sympathetic System includes all that part of the Nervous System located principally in the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities, and which is distributed to the internal organs. It controls the involuntary processes, such as growth, nutrition, etc., under the supervision and direction of the Instinctive Mind.
The Cerebro Spinal System attends to all the seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling, etc. It sets things in motion; it is used by the Ego to think - to manifest consciousness and Intellect. It is the instrument by which the Ego is enabled to communicate with the outside world by means of the physical senses. This system has been likened to a great telephone system, with the brain as the central office, and the spinal column and nerves as cable and wires respectively.
The brain is a great mass of nerve tissue, and consists of three parts, viz., the Cerebrum, or brain proper, which occupies the upper, front, middle and back portion of the skull; the Cerebellum, or "little brain," which fills the lower and back portion of the skull; and the Medulla Oblongata, which is the broadened commencement of the spinal cord, lying before and in front of the Cerebellum.
The Cerebrum is the organ of the Intellect, and also of the unfolding Spiritual Mind - the organ of manifestation, remember, not the thing itself. The Cerebellum is the organ of the Instinctive Mind. The Medulla Oblongata is the upper enlarged part of the spinal cord, and from it and the Cerebrum branch forth the cranial nerves which reach to various parts of the head; to the organs of special sense, and to some of the thoracic and abdominal organs, and to the organs of respiration.
The Spinal Cord, or spinal marrow, fills the spinal canal in the vertebral column, or "backbone." It is a long mass of nerve tissue, branching off at the several vertebrae to nerves communicating to all parts of the body. The Spinal Cord is like a great telephone cable, and the emerging nerves are like the private wires connecting therewith.
The Sympathetic