THE POWER OF MIND. William Walker Atkinson
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the dull shades which characterize the lower and cruder forms, to the bright shades which characterize the finer, or more delicate forms of "Tact," "Politeness," "Diplomacy," etc. Red (dull shade) represents Sensuality and Animal Passion, while red (bright and vivid) represents Anger. Crimson, in varying shades, represents the phases of "Love." Brown represents Avarice or Greed. Orange represents Pride and Ambition; and Yellow, in varying shades, represents grades of Intellectual Power. Blue is the color of the Religious thoughts, ranging, however, through a great variety of stages, from the dull shade of superstitious religious belief, to the beautiful violet of the highest religious emotion or thought. What is generally known as "Spirituality" is characterized by a Light Blue of a peculiarly luminous shade. Just as there are ultra-red, and ultra-violet rays in the spectrum, which the eye cannot perceive, so Occultists inform us there are "colors" in the Aura or Mental Atmosphere of a person of unusual psychic or occult development, the ultra-violet rays indicating the thought of one who is pursuing the higher planes of occult thought and unfoldment, while the ultra-red is evidenced by those possessing occult development, but who are using the same for base and selfish purposes—"black-magic" in fact. There are other shades, known to Occultists, indicating several highly developed states of Mind, but it is needless to mention them here.
But the influence of these Particles of "Thought-stuff" thrown off from the Mind Psychoplasm under the vibrations produced by the Mind during the process of Thought, does not cease with the phenomena surrounding the Aura. They are radiated to a considerable distance, and produce a number of effects. We will remember how the Corpuscles or Electrons are thrown off by Substance in a high state of vibration. Well, the same law manifests in the vibrations attendant upon the production of Thought. The particles are thrown off in great quantities each vibrating at the rate imparted to it during the process. No these particles of "Thought-stuff" do not compose the "Thought-waves"—the latter belong to a different set of phenomena.
These particles of vibrating "Thought-stuff" fly off from the brain of the thinker, in all directions, and affect other persons who may come in contact with them. There is an important rule here, however, and that is that they seem to be attracted by those minds which are vibrating in similar thought-rates with themselves, and are but feebly attracted—and in some cases, actually repelled—by minds vibrating on opposite lines of Thought. "Like attracts Like," in the Thought World, and "Birds of a feather flock together," here as elsewhere.
Some of these particles of "Thought-stuff" are still in existence, and vibrating, which proceeded from the minds of persons long since dead, the same being emitted or thrown off during the lifetime of the persons, however. Just as a distant star, which was destroyed hundreds of years ago, may have emitted rays which are only now reaching our vision, years after the destruction of the star which emitted them—and just as an odor will remain in a room after the object causing it has departed the particles still remaining and vibrating—and just as a stove removed from a room may leave heat vibrations behind it—so do these particles persist, vibrate, and influence other minds, long after the person who caused them may have passed out of the body. In this way, rooms, houses, neighborhoods, and localities may vibrate with the thoughts of people who lived there long ago, but who have since passed away, or removed. These vibrations affect people living in these places, to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon circumstances, but they may always be counteracted or changed (if they are of undesirable nature) by setting upon positive vibrations on a different plane of mind, or character of thought.
The mind of a thinker is constantly emitting or throwing off these particles of "Thought-stuff"; the distance and rate of speed, to and by which they travel, being determined by the "force" used in their production, there being a great difference between the thought of a vigorous thinker, and that emanating from a weak, listless mind. These projections of Thought-stuff have a tendency to mingle with others of a corresponding rate of vibration (depending upon the character of the thought.) Some remain around the places where they were emitted, while others float off like clouds, and obey the Law of Attraction which draws them to persons thinking along similar lines.
The characteristics of cities arise in this way, the general average of Thought of their inhabitants causing a corresponding Thought-atmosphere to hang over and around it, which atmosphere is distinctly felt by visitors, and often determines the mental character of the persons residing there, in spite of their previous characteristics—that is, unless they understand the Laws of Thought. Some neighborhoods, also, have their own peculiar Mental Atmosphere, as all may have noticed if they have visited certain "tough" neighborhoods, on the one hand, and neighborhoods of an opposite kind, on the other. Certain kinds of Thoughts and Actions seem to be contagious in certain places—and they are to those who do not understand the Law. Certain shops seem to have their own atmosphere—some reflecting confidence and honest dealing, and others radiating an atmosphere that causes patrons to hold tightly to their pocketbooks, and, in some extreme cases, to be certain that their buttons are tightly sewed on their garments. Yes, places like people, have their distinctive Mental Atmospheres, and both arise from the same cause.
And each person draws to himself these particles of vibrating "Thought-stuff" corresponding with the general mental attitude maintained by him. If one harbors feelings of Malice, he will find thoughts of malice, revenge, hate, etc., pouring in upon him. He has made himself a centre of Attraction, and has set the Law into operation. His only safe course is to resolutely change his thought vibrations.
A most remarkable form of these particles of Thought-stuff is evidenced in the case of what are known among occultists as "Thought-forms," which are aggregations of Particles of Thought-stuff energized by intense and positive thought, and which are sent out with such intensity and positiveness, that they are almost "vitalized," and manifest almost the same degree of mental influence that would be manifested by the sender if he were present where they are. This highly interesting phase of the subject would take many chapters to describe in detail, and we must content ourselves with a mere passing view. To those who are interested in the subject, the writer would say that he purposes considering them at considerable length, in the forthcoming book "The Wonders of The Mind," which has been alluded to elsewhere.
Besides the operation of these particles of Thought-stuff emitted during the production of Thought, there are many other phases of Thought Influence, or Thought in Action. The principal phase of this phenomena arises from the working of the Law of Attraction between the respective minds of different people. Just as are the Particles of Substance united and connected by "lines" of connection, so are the minds of Men connected. And the strong "pull" of Desire manifests along these lines, just as it does in the case of the Atoms. There has been much written of recent years regarding this "Drawing Power of the Mind," and although some of what has been written is the veriest rubbish and nonsense, yet under it all there remains a strong, form, substantial substratum of Fact and Truth. Men do attract Success and Failure to them—people do attract things to them—as strange as it may seem to the person who has not acquainted himself with the laws underlying the phenomenon.
There is no "miracle" about all of this—it is simply that the Law of Attraction is in full operation, and that people of similar thoughts are drawn together by reason thereof. The workings of this Law are somewhat intricate, but all of us are constantly using them, consciously or unconsciously. We draw to ourselves that which we Desire very much, or that which we Fear very much, for a Fear is a Belief, and acts in the direction of actualizing itself, sometimes. But, again, as Kipling would say: "But, that's another story." This phase of the subject is a mighty subject in itself, and "the half has not been told" even by the many who have written of it. The writer intends to try to remedy the deficiency in his next book, however.
Then, again, the "Excitement" of Thought, in the minds of people may be transmitted or communicated to the minds of others, and a similar vibration set up, under certain conditions, and subject to certain restraining influences—just as in the case of the Particles of Substances in a body or Mass of Substance. And, in many ways that will suggest themselves to the reader who has mastered the contents of the earlier chapters of this book, the phenomena of Dynamic Thought in the case of the Atoms, and Particles, may be, and are duplicated in the case of Individual Minds of Men.
The reader will see, readily, that this theory of Dynamic Thought, and the facts noted in the consideration thereof,