The Complete Works of Yogy Ramacharaka. William Walker Atkinson
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the mind attracts only such thoughts as are harmonious with its own thoughts - and the Instinctive Mind is influenced against its own interests, only when its owner has admitted his own weakness and lack of ability to master and guard it. You must guard your own Instinctive Mind, and assert your master and ownership of it, as, otherwise, that ownership may be asserted, claimed and usurped by others more masterful than yourself. You have the strength and power necessary within you, if you but assert it. It is yours for the asking, why don't you demand it? You may awaken the "I" consciousness and develop it by the power of assertion, which will aid in its unfoldment. We will have more to say on this point in the following pages.
We will now consider the third form of Psychic Influence, which is known as Mesmerism, Hypnotism, etc. We can merely touch upon that subject here, as its varied forms and phenomena would fill books, if spread out. But we think we can make it clear to you in a few words, as you have followed our thoughts in this and the preceding lessons.
The first thing to remember is that Mesmerism or Hypnotism is but a combination of the two methods just mentioned, plus a greater amount of Prana projected with the Personal Suggestion or Thought Wave. In other words, the Suggestion or Thought Wave becomes charged with Prana to a greater degree than is ordinarily the case, and becomes as much stronger than the ordinary suggestion or thought-wave, as a thought-form is stronger than an ordinary thought-wave. In short, mesmerism or hypnotism is practically the bathing of the person in a flow of thought-forms, kept stimulated and active by a constant supply of Prana, which has in such cases often been called "the mesmeric fluid."
And, another thing to remember is that no person can be mesmerized or hypnotised unless his Instinctive Mind is unguarded or without its proper master, unless the person agrees to be mesmerized and actually consents to it. So that, in the end, it comes down to the fact that no person need be mesmerized or hypnotised unless he is willing or unless he believes that he may be, which is the same thing in the end.
Mesmerism has its uses in the hands of the advanced occultist who understands its laws, but in the hands of those ignorant of its proper use it is a thing to be avoided. Be careful about allowing yourself to be hypnotised by the ignorant pretender. Assert your own power, and you may accomplish for yourself all that anyone else can, on the same plane.
We have, in the brief space at our disposal, touched upon the various forms of Psychic Influence, and may have an opportunity at some future time of going deeper into the subject with you. But we trust that we have said enough to give you at least a general knowledge of the subject, and have at the same time given you a timely warning and caution. We will conclude by saying something to you about the "I" consciousness and its development, which we trust you will read with the attention it merits, and will put into practice that which is indicated.
There is, of course, a still higher form of consciousness than the "I" consciousness - the spiritual consciousness which causes one to be aware of his relation to, and connection with, the source of all power. And those possessing this higher consciousness are far beyond the influence of Psychic Influence of others, for they are surrounded with an aura which repels vibrations on a lower plane. Such do not need the "I" consciousness, as it is included in their higher consciousness. But those on the mental plane of development (and but few of us have progressed further) will find it well to develop and unfold their consciousness of the "I" - the sense of individuality. You will be aided in this by carrying in mind, and meditating often, that you are a real thing - that you are an Ego - a bit of the Universal Life set apart as an individual that you may work out your part of the Universal Plan, and progress to higher forms of manifestation. That YOU are independent of the body, and only use same as an instrument - that YOU are indestructible, and have eternal life - that YOU cannot be destroyed by fire, water or anything else which the physical man looks upon as a thing which will "kill" him - that no matter what becomes of your body YOU will survive. YOU are a soul, and have a body. (Not that you are a body having a soul, as most persons think and act upon.) Think of yourself as an independent being, using the body as a convenience.
Cultivate the feeling of immortality and reality, and you will gradually begin to realize that you really exist and will always exist, and Fear will drop from you like a discarded cloak, for Fear is really the thought weakening the ill-guarded Instinctive Mind - once get rid of Fear, and the rest is easy. We have spoken of this matter in "Science of Breath," under the title of "Soul Consciousness," on page 70. In the same book, on page 61, under the title "Forming an Aura," we have hinted at a plan whereby weak and fearful persons may protect themselves while they are building up a sure foundation of self-confidence and strength. The affirmation or mantram which has proven of more benefit than any other in these cases is the positive assertion of "I AM," which expresses a truth and tends to a mental attitude which is taken up by the Instinctive Mind and renders it more positive to others, and less liable to be affected by suggestions, etc. The mental attitude expressed by "I AM" will surround you with a thought aura, which will act as a shield and a protection, until such time as you have fully acquired the higher consciousness, which carries with it a sense of self confidence and assurance of strength.
From this point you will gradually develop into that consciousness which assures you that when you say "I," you do not speak only of the individual entity, with all its strength and power, but know that the "I" has behind it the power and strength of the Spirit, and is connected with an inexhaustible supply of force, which may be drawn upon when needed. Such a one can never experience Fear - for he has risen far above it. Fear is the manifestation of weakness, and so long as we hug it to us and make a bosom friend of it, we will be open to the influences of others. But by casting aside Fear we take several steps upward in the scale, and place ourselves in touch with the strong, helpful, fearless, courageous thought of the world, and leave behind us all the old weaknesses and troubles of the old life.
When man learns that nothing can really harm him, Fear seems a folly. And when man awakens to a realization of his real nature and destiny, he knows that nothing can harm him, and consequently Fear is discarded.
It has been well said, "There is nothing to fear, but Fear," and in this epigram is concealed a truth which all advanced occultists will recognize. The abolishing of Fear places in the hands of Man a weapon of defense and power which renders him almost invincible. Why do you not take this gift which is so freely offered you? Let your watchwords be: "I AM." "I AM FEARLESS AND FREE."
THE TENTH LESSON.
THE ASTRAL WORLD.
We are confronted with a serious difficulty at the beginning of this lesson, which will be apparent to those of our students who are well advanced in occult studies. We allude to the matter of the description of "planes" of existence. These lessons are intended as elementary studies designed to give the beginner a plain, simple idea of the general principles of occultism, without attempting to lead him into the more complicated stages of the subject. We have tried to avoid technicalities, so far as is possible, and believe that we have at least fairly well accomplished our task of presenting elementary principles in a plain manner, and we know that we have succeeded in interesting many persons in the study, who had heretofore been deterred from taking it up because of the mass of technical description and complicated description of details that met their view upon taking up other works on the subject.
So, in this lesson on the Astral World, and the three lessons that follow it, we will be compelled to deal in generalities instead of going into minute and careful descriptions such as would be needed in a work taking up the "higher-grade" work. Instead of endeavoring to describe just what a "plane" is, and then going on to point out the nice little differences between "planes" and "sub-planes" we shall treat the whole subject of the higher planes of existence under the general term of "The Astral World," making that term include not only the lower divisions of the Astral Plane, but also some of the higher planes of life. This plan may be objected to by some who have followed other courses of reading on the subject, in which only the lower Astral Plane has been so styled, the higher planes receiving other names, which has led many to regard the Astral Plane with but scanty consideration reserving their careful study for the