THE POWER OF MIND. William Walker Atkinson
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Century. But, as Kipling would say, "that is another story."
To return to the Particle which we left trying to draw the other Particle to itself, and itself toward the other. There is no material connection between them (and Electricity and Magnetism will not answer), so what is to be done? Evidently the Particle knows, for it exerts a "drawing" power or force by means of the Mental-connection, and two come together. The Particle evidently is able to exert a repelling or "moving away" power by reversing the process, the Mental-bond acting as the medium. This may cause a smile, because we have never seen an instance of bodies pulling themselves together by intangible "bonds." Haven't we? Then how about two pieces of magnetised steel, or two electrified substances? Oh, that's different, you say. Why, different? Isn't the bond intangible? And, haven't we seen that both Electricity and Magnetism were Mental Actions also? Oh,—er—but well,—oh yes, that's it—perhaps the Attracting Force is Magnetism or Electricity. No, that will not do, for we have seen that Electricity and Magnetism were products of this Attraction, not producers of it—the Attraction must come before Electricity and Magnetism, not after them—you are mixing Cause and Effect. And, even if you were right—and you cannot be—wouldn't the Electrical or Magnetic Force be called into operation, and directed by the Mental Action, arising from the Desire? You cannot get away from Mental Action when you study the Law of Attraction.
"But, how about the fact that Heat causes the Particles to change their vibrations, and draw apart, and all that sort of thing—and Electricity, likewise?" you may ask. "Surely this takes the matter away from Mental Action, doesn't it?" Well, the writer thinks that the phenomenon referred to only helps to prove his theory. And he will endeavor to so prove to you.
The consideration of the facts related in this chapter, leads us to a supplemental proposition to our Basic Proposition, which may be stated as follows:
Supplemental Proposition I.—Not only is the Law of Attraction the manifestation of a Mental Process, or Vital-Mental Action; but also the actual Force or Energy used in bringing the Particles of Substance in closer relation, in accordance with that Law, is in its nature a Vital Mental Force or Energy, operating between bodies or particles of Substance, without a material medium.
CHAPTER XII
THE LAW OF VIBRANT ENERGY
IN previous chapters we have seen that the phenomena of Radiant Energy, known as Light, Heat, Magnetism and Electricity, had their origin in the Motion of the Particles, the different classes of phenomena depending upon the particular degree and nature of the aforesaid Motion of Particles.
We have seen also that Radiant Energy could be communicated or transmitted from one body of Substance to another. And that the communication of transmission might be accomplished not only by close contact of the bodies, but by "waves" of some sort which were caused in some "medium" (the Ether) by the vibrations of the Particles of the body, and which "waves," when they reached the other body, were transformed into vibrations of the Particles corresponding to those manifested in the first body. The idea has been illustrated by the sending telephone, the sound waves in the diaphragm of which were transformed into waves of the Electric current, and thus passing along the wires were transformed again into sound-waves by the diaphragm of the receiving instrument.
We have seen, also in the preceding chapter, that the medium by which these vibrations were transferred, transmitted, or communicated, might be supposed to be Mind, the operation being akin to Thought-transference. Now let us examine into the workings of the matter.
In the first place, we assume a certain state of vibration, existing in a certain body of Substance—Heat, or Electricity for instance (either illustration will answer.) Another body of Substance is brought in close contact with the first body, and the vibrations of Energy pass on to the second, not by "waves" but by a seeming actual passing of vibrations without the need of intervening "waves." This, Science calls transmission by Conduction, the theory being that the particles rapidly "pass on" the vibrations from one to another. Convection or conduction along other forms of Substance, such as hot-air, hot-water-steam, etc., is but a variation of the above, as Substance is the medium in both cases. The third form of transmission is by Radiation, whereby the vibrations are transmitted by "waves" in some medium other than Substance (according to the theory), as we have described in a preceding paragraph, as well as in previous chapters. As a matter of fact, a careful analysis of the matter will show that even in the "Conduction" of the most solid Substance, there must be a "medium not Substance" between the Particles of the Substance, for the Particles always have Space between them—this being true of the Particles of Air, as well as those of Iron. So there is always Space to be traversed by a "medium not Substance." But we need not stop to split-hairs regarding this question, for the general explanation will explain this also.
Now, to get back to our body of Substance vibrating with Radiant Energy, separated from a second body of Substance by a great distance—thousands of miles in fact—millions would be better—let us take two worlds, for instance—the Sun and the Earth. Ignoring for the moment the explanation of Gravitations (which will be given later) and realizing that there is no medium of Substance existing between the two bodies, we must grant that there is a "medium not Substance" existing between them, either permanently or thrown out for the purpose of this special transmission. We shall assume a medium existing before the need of the transmission (for reasons to be seen later.) Our Theory of Dynamic Thought, and Thought-Transference between bodies of Substance, compels us to suppose that this medium is a Mental Connection, or Mental Relation, existing between the two bodies of Substance. So, we must consider the question of this medium of Mind transmitting the vibrations of Radiant Energy from the Sun to the Earth. How can Mind conduct Radiant Energy? It does not conduct Radiant Energy, but it does transmit—not Radiant Energy—but the Mental State that causes Radiant Energy Vibrations.
This statement of a "Mental State causing Radiant Energy Vibrations" seems rather startling at first sight—but let us examine it. We have seen that the Radiant Energy was caused by the Motion or Vibrations of the Particles, which Motion or Vibration was the result of the workings of the Law of Attraction, and which Law was but the manifestation of Vital-Mental Action. And, at the last, the Vibrations of Radiant Energy are the result of peculiar or particular "states" of the Life and Mind of the Particle. The word "State" is derived from the Latin word Status, meaning "position; standing," and is used generally in the sense of "condition."
This Mental State of the Particle may be described as a state of "Emotional Excitement." Let us pause a moment to consider the meaning of these words—it often helps us to understand a subject, if we examine the real meaning of the words defining it. "Emotion" is derived from the Latin word Emotum, meaning "to shake; to stir up"—the Latin word being made up of two other words, i.e., E, meaning "out"; and Motum, "to move." "Emotion" is defined as "a moving or excitement of the mind." "Excitement" is derived from the Latin word Excitare, meaning "to move out"—the English word being defined as "a calling to Activity; state of Active feeling; aroused Activity." So you see that the idea of Active Motion, and Aroused Activity, of Mind, permeates the term "Emotional Excitement," that is used by the writer in connection with the Mental State causing vibration of the Particles of Substance. The single word, "Excitement," will be used by the writer, hereafter, in the above connection, in order to avoid complex terms. To those who still object to the use of a mental term in reference to motion of Substance, he might remark that Science makes use of the term—"Excite," and "Excitement"—in reference to Electrical phenomena, so that he is not altogether without support in the use of the word.
Now to return again to our body of Substance—the Sun—the Particles of which are manifesting a great degree of "Excitement," evidencing in Vibrations producing the phenomenon of Radiant Energy. The excitement is shared equally by its Particles, the "contagion" having spread among them. Even the Particles of its atmosphere are vibrating with Excitement, and evidencing Radiant Energy. The Sun is in direct Mental Connection