Produced by sp1nd, Cathy Maxam, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) PRACTICAL MIND-READING By WILLIAM WALKER ATKINSON A COURSE OF LESSONS ON THOUGHT-TRANSFERENCE, TELEPATHY, MENTAL-CURRENTS, MENTAL RAPPORT, &c. CONTAINING Practical Instruction, Exercises, Directions, etc., capable of being understood, mastered and demonstrated by any person of average intelligence PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY ADVANCED THOUGHT PUBLISHING CO. 168 N. MICHIGAN AVE., CHICAGO, ILL. LONDON AGENTS: L.N. FOWLER & CO., 7 IMPERIAL ARCADE, LUDGATE CIRCUS, E.C. (Practical Mind Reading) Copyright 1907, by THE LYAL BOOK COMPANY Copyright 1908, by ADVANCED THOUGHT PUBLISHING CO. NOTICE--This book is protected by Copyright and simultaneous publication, in Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia and other countries. All foreign rights reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS LESSON I--THE NATURE OF MIND READING 5 A plain, practical, scientific explanation of this Vast, Mysterious Subject, explaining the action of Mind upon Mind, and the Mental Wireless Telegraphy, according to the latest and best authorities. LESSON II--THE PROOFS OF MIND READING 13 The result of the latest scientific experiments and investigations regarding this subject; practical proof and indisputable facts. LESSON III--CONTACT MIND READING 24 Full instruction regarding the "Nerve Currents" passing from the human Transmitter to the human Receiver; stated so plainly that any one may instantly grasp the theory and practice. LESSON IV--DEVELOPMENT EXERCISES 34 How to develop yourself; how to grow proficient in practice; how to find Locations; how to find Objects; how to perform the necessary elementary feats, and thus prepare for Public Work. LESSON V--SIMPLE DEMONSTRATIONS 49 Public or Parlor Demonstrations. Fourteen Practical Demonstrations are explained; full directions for performing them are given, so that the student may reproduce the experiments and demonstrations. LESSON VI--DIFFICULT DEMONSTRATIONS 66 Explanations and instructions given for their performance. The Banknote Test; the Blackboard Feats; Drawing Pictures; Telepathic Chess and Checkers, etc., described, explained, and full instructions given for their reproduction. LESSON VII--SENSATIONAL FEATS 79 The Driving Feat; the Combination Lock Feat; the Office Detective Feat; the Postoffice Box Feat, and many other sensational demonstrations explained, together with an exposure of "Fake Demonstrations." LESSON VIII--HIGHER PHENOMENA 85 Demonstrations without contact. Development Directions. Long Distance Experiments. Automatic Writing. Valuable Suggestions and Advice. LESSON I. THE NATURE OF MIND READING. Only a few years ago the general public was in almost total ignorance of the great truth of Thought Transference, Thought Projection, Telepathy, or Mind Reading. It is true that here and there were to be found a few scientists earnestly investigating and eagerly uncovering the hidden truths concerning the subjects. But the mass of the people were either entirely ignorant of the subject, or else were intensely skeptical of any thing concerning the matter, laughing to scorn the daring thinker who ventured to express his interest or belief in this great scientific phenomena. But how different to-day. On all hands we hear of the wonders of Thought Transference, or Telepathy, as it is called. Scientific men write and teach of its fascinating manifestations, and even the general public has heard much of the new science and believes more or less in it, according to the degree of intelligence and knowledge concerning the subject possessed by the individual. Listen to these words from the lips of some of the greatest scientists of the day. Prof. William James, the eminent instructor at Harvard University, says: "When from our present advanced standpoint we look back upon the past stages of human thought, whether it be scientific thought or theological thought, we are amazed that a universe which appears to us of so vast and mysterious a complication should ever have seemed to anyone so little and plain a thing. Whether it be Descartes' world or Newton's; whether it be that of the Materialists of the last century, or that of the Bridgewater treatises of our own, it is always the same to us--incredibly perspectiveless and short. Even Lyell's, Faraday's, Mill's and Darwin's consciousness of their respective subjects are already beginning to put on an infantile and innocent look." These remarks are doubly significant by reason of their having been made by Prof. James as the president of the "Society for Psychical Research." The eminent English scientist, Sir William Crookes, in his address as president of the Royal Society, at Bristol, England, a few years ago, said: "Were I now introducing for the first time these inquiries to the world of science, I should choose a starting point different from that of old, where we formerly began. It would be well to begin with telepathy; with the fundamental law, as I believe it to be, that _thoughts and images may be transferred from one mind to another without the agency of the recognized organs of sense_--that knowledge may enter the human mind without being communicated in any hitherto known or recognized ways. Although the inquiry has elicited important facts with reference to the mind, it has not yet reached the scientific stage of certainty which would enable it to be usefully brought before one of our sections. I will therefore confine myself to pointing out the direction in which scientific investigation can legitimately advance. If telepathy take place, we have two physical facts--the physical change in the brain of A. the suggestor, and the analogous physical change in the brain of B. the recipient of the suggestion. Between these two physical events there must exist a train of physical causes. Whenever the connecting sequence of intermediate causes begins to be revealed, the inquiry will then come within the range of one of the sections of the British Association. Such a sequence can only occur through an intervening medium. All the phenomena of the Universe are presumably in some way continuous, and it is unscientific to call in the aid of mysterious agencies when with every fresh advance in knowledge, it is shown that ether vibrations have powers and attributes abundantly equal to any demand--even the transmission of thought." Prof. Crookes then went on to say: "It is supposed by some physiologists that the essential cells of nerves do not actually touch, but are separated by a narrow gap which widens in sleep while it narrows almost to extinction during mental activity. This condition is so singularly like that of a Branly or Lodge coherer (a device which has led Marconi to the discovery of wireless telegraphy) as to suggest a further analogy. The structure of brain and nerve being similar, it is conceivable that there may be present masses of such nerve coherers in the brain whose special function it may be to receive impulses brought from without through the connecting sequence of ether waves of appropriate order of magnitude. Roentgen has familiarized us with an order of vibrations of extreme minuteness compared with the smallest waves of which we have hitherto been acquainted, and of dimensions comparable with the distances between the centers of the atoms of which the material universe is built up; and there is no reason for believing that we have here reached the limit of frequency. It is known that the action of thought is accompanied by certain molecular movements in the brain, and here we have physical vibrations capable from their extreme minuteness of acting direct upon individual molecules, while their rapidity approaches that of the internal and external movements of the atoms themselves." A formidable range of phenomena must be scientifically sifted before we effectually grasp a faculty so strange, so bewildering, and for ages so inscrutable, as the direct action of mind on mind. It has been said that nothing worth the proving can be proved, nor yet disproved. True this may have been in the past, it is true no longer. The science of our century has forged weapons of observation and analysis by which the veriest tyro may profit. Science has trained and fashioned the average mind into habits of exactitude and disciplined perception, and in so doing has fortified itself for tasks higher, wider and incomparably more wonderful than even the wisest among our ancestors imagined. Like the souls in Plato's myth that follow the chariot of Zeus, it has ascended to a point of vision far above the earth. It is henceforth open to science to transcend all we now think we know of matter, and to gain new glimpses of a profounder scheme of Cosmic Law. In old Egyptian days a well-known inscription was carved over the portal of the Temple of Isis: 'I am whatever has been, is, or ever will be; and my veil no man hath yet lifted.' Not thus do modern seekers after truth confront Nature--the word that stands for the baffling mysteries of the Universe. Steadily, unflinchingly, we strive to pierce the inmost heart of Nature, from what she is, to reconstruct what she has been, and to prophesy what she yet shall be. Veil after veil we have lifted, and her face grows more beautiful, august and wonderful with every barrier that is withdrawn. Camille Flamarrion, the eminent French astronomer, is a believer in Thought Transference and Mind Reading, and has written the following expression of his convictions on this subject: "We sum up, therefore, our preceding observations by the conclusion that _one mind can act at a distance upon another, without the habitual medium of words, or any other visible means of communication_. It appears to us altogether unreasonable to reject this conclusion if we accept the facts. There is nothing unscientific, nothing romantic, in admitting that an idea can influence the brain from a distance. The action of one human being upon another, from a distance is a scientific fact; it is as certain as the existence of Paris, of Napoleon, of Oxygen, or of Sirius." The same authority has also said "There can be no doubt that our psychical force creates a movement of the ether, _which transmits itself afar like all movements of ether and becomes perceptible to brains in harmony with our own_. The transformation of a psychic action into an ethereal movement, and the reverse, may be analogous to what takes place on a telephone, where the receptive plate, which is identical with the plate at the other end, reconstructs the sonorous movement transmitted, not by means of sound, but by electricity." We have quoted at length from this eminent authority to show once and for all that this great science of MIND-READING is recognized, and approved of by the highest authorities on Modern Science, and also to give our students the benefit of the current scientific theories upon the subject. In this work we have but very little to say about theory, but shall confine ourselves to facts, and actual instruction. Science knows and has proven that thoughts may be and have been transmitted from one mind to another, in some cases over thousands of miles of space, but it has not as yet solved the mystery of the "Why" of the subject, and contents itself with explaining the "How." The nearest approach to a correct theory seems to be the one which compares the mind with the "wireless telegraph," and which supposes that the vibrations of thought travel through the ether, just as do the waves of this high order of electricity. The mind of one person acts like a "transmitter" of the wireless telegraph, while the mind of the other acts as a "receiver" of the same set of instruments. There are undoubtedly vibrations set up in the brain when one thinks, and there are undoubtedly waves of thought just as there are waves of electricity. Science informs us that there is an increase of temperature in the human brain during periods of thought-activity, and also that there are constant chemical changes in the structure going on when the brain cells are active. This is akin to the generation of electricity in a battery, and undoubtedly acts in the same way in producing vibrations, and transmitting them to the brain of another. Sir William Crookes, in the address just quoted, points out the direction of the scientific theories concerning the matter. But, this is all that we shall have to say about the theory of Mind Reading. We shall now pass on to the actual practical instruction. The student is asked, however, to always carry in his mind the fact that Mind travels in waves from one brain to another just as electricity travels from the Transmitter to the Receiver. By holding this picture in your mind, you will have the whole practical theory, in condensed form, right before you, so that you may be able to act accordingly. LESSON II. THE PROOFS OF MIND READING. As we have said in the previous chapter, the general public is gradually awakening to the knowledge of the reality of Mental Transference, and it is scarcely necessary to devote the time and space to a proof of the reality of the phenomena in these days, although a few years ago a work on the subject would have had to be composed principally of evidences and proofs. But, nevertheless, it may be well for us to take a hasty look at the nature of the proof in this work. Nearly everyone has had evidences of Mind Reading or Thought Transference in his or her own life. Nearly every one has had experiences of being in a person's company when one of the two would make a remark and the other, somewhat startled, would exclaim, "Why, that's just what I was going to say," or words to that effect. Nearly every one has had experiences of knowing what a second person was going to say before the person spoke. And, likewise common is the experience of thinking of a person a few moments before the person came into sight. Many of us have suddenly found ourselves thinking of a person who had been out of our minds for months, or years, when all of a sudden the person himself would appear. These instances are so common as to be generally recognized, without question. These occurrences have given rise to the two common "sayings," viz., "Speak of the devil and his imps appear," or "Speak of angels and you hear the rustle of their wings." Mark Twain, in an article printed several years ago, spoke of a plan that he had frequently practiced, i.e., that of writing a letter to a person upon some subject, then addressing the envelope and inserting the letter, and then tearing the whole thing into pieces instead of sending it. He stated that in a large percentage of such cases he would receive within a short time a letter from the person to whom the destroyed letter had been addressed, answering the questions asked, or else speaking along the same lines as those of the destroyed letter. We have known of this experiment being tried on people thousands of miles away from the writer, and also in cases in which the other person had not been heard of for many years. There is a field open for experiment along these lines which some of our students might investigate with profit and satisfaction. Perhaps the best available evidence of Mind Reading at the disposal of the public to-day is that found in the records of the English Society for Psychical Research. The experiments of the members of this Society and other investigators have resulted in the piling up of a mass of facts more than sufficient to fully establish the correctness of the theory of Mind Reading. Series of carefully managed experiments have been conducted, the results of which have conclusively proven that the thought-waves set into motion by the mind of one person may be consciously received by the mind of another. We shall quote here from the reports of those investigators, in order to show you the important results that have been obtained, and to set at rest forever any lurking doubts as to the reality of the phenomena which may still find lodgment in your mind. Remember, please, that these committees were composed of some of the leading scientific authorities of England--men whose standing and reliability, as well as whose judgment, was beyond question. These cases form a part of the scientific records of the English Society. THE CREERY EXPERIMENTS. One of the interesting series of experiments conducted by members of the English Society was that of the family of the Rev. A.M. Creery, of Derbyshire, England. This investigation was made upon hearing the report of the Rev. Mr. Creery regarding a number of experiments he had conducted with his four children. He reported that he had begun by practicing a variation of what is generally known as the "willing game", in which one of the party leaves the room, and the company selects some object to be hidden, after which the person is recalled to the room when the company concentrates its mind upon the hidden object, and the seeker eventually finds it by means of Mind Reading. The reverend gentleman said in his report to the Society: "We began by selecting the simplest objects in the room; then chose names of towns, people, dates, cards out of a pack, lines from different poems, etc., any thing or series of ideas that those present could keep before the mind steadily. The children seldom made a mistake. I have seen seventeen cards chosen by myself, named right in succession without any mistake. We soon found that a great deal depended upon the steadiness with which the ideas were kept before the minds of the thinkers, and upon the energy with which they willed the ideas to pass. I may say that this faculty is not confined to the members of one family; it is much more general than we imagine. To verify this conclusion I invited two of a neighbor's children to join us in our experiment, and very excellent results we secured from them." The Society then began a series of careful investigations extending over a period of one year. The utmost care was taken to obviate the chance of fraud, collusion, mistakes, or outside influences. The experiments were conducted partly in Mr. Creery's house and partly in rooms selected by the members of the investigating committee. Having selected at random one of the children, the child would be taken from the room and accompanied by a member of the committee would wait out of sight or hearing of the room. The remainder of the committee would then select a card from a pack, or else write down a name or number which occurred to them at the moment. The following verbatim report of what followed will give you an idea of the results generally obtained. The report goes on to say: "On re-entering the room the little girl would usually stand with her face to the wall, placed thus by us. But sometimes she would stand with her eyes directed toward the ground for a period of silence varying from a few seconds to a minute, till she called out to us some number, card or what it might be." The report states that in the case of giving the names of objects chosen, the child scored six cases out of fourteen. In the case of naming of small objects held in the hands of members of the committee, she scored _five out of six_. In the case of naming cards she scored six out of thirteen. In the case of stating fictitious names chosen by the committee she scored, at a first trial, five out of ten. One of the experiments is reported as follows: "One of the children was sent into an adjoining room, the door of which was closed. The committee then thought of some object in the house and wrote the name down on paper. The strictest silence was observed. We then all silently thought of the name of the thing selected. In a few seconds the door of the adjoining room opened, and the child would appear _generally with the object selected_. No one was allowed to leave the room after the object had been fixed upon; no communication with the child was conceivable, as her place was often changed. Further, the only instructions given to the child were to fetch some object in the house that we would fix upon and would keep in mind to the exclusion of all other ideas. In this way we wrote down, among other things, a hairbrush--it was brought; an orange--it was brought; a wine-glass--it was brought; an apple--it was brought," etc., etc. The report to the Society sums up the following results: Three hundred and eighty-two trials were made in the series. In the test of naming the chosen letters of the alphabet, cards, and numbers of two figures, the chances against the girl were 21 to 1, 51 to 1, and 89 to 1, respectively. In the case of stating chosen surnames the odds against her were very much in excess of the figures just named. In the cases of the experiments of naming chosen cards it was calculated that a mere "guesser," according to the law of probability, would be able to correctly name _but seven and one-third_ out of a total of the three hundred and eighty-two trials. The actual results obtained by the child were as follows: On the first attempt, _one hundred and twenty-seven_; on the second attempt, fifty-six additional; and on the third attempt, _nineteen additional_--making a grand total of two hundred and two successes _out of a possible three hundred and eighty-two_! On one occasion _five cards straight running_ were successfully named on a first trial. The mathematical chances of a mere "guess" doing this feat, under the Law of Average, or Probabilities, are estimated at over _a million to one against the chance_. And this was not merely an isolated, exceptional case, for there were other "long runs"; for instance, there were two cases in which runs of _eight straight consecutive successes_ were scored, once with names, and once with cards. In the case of the eight consecutive cards it has been figured that the chances against the girl would figure up at least 140,000,000 to 1, according to the Law of Average and Probabilities. To understand just what this means it may help you if you will think that the feat was like picking out one chosen man in a population of one hundred and forty millions, nearly double the population of the United States. And yet there are people who would dismiss matters like this with the remark, "mere coincidence"! The interest in the Creery children attracted the notice of Prof. Balfour Stewart, LL.D., and Fellow of the Royal Society. This distinguished gentleman testifies as follows: "In the first instance, when I was present, the thought-reader was outside a door. The object or thing thought of was written on paper and silently handed to the company in the room. The thought-reader was then called in, and in the course of perhaps a minute the answer was given. Definite objects in the room, for instance, were first thought of, and in the majority of cases the answers were correct. These numbers were thought of and the answers were generally right, but, of course, there were some cases of error. The names of towns were thought of, and a good many of these were right. Then fancy names were thought of. I was asked to think of certain fancy names and mark them down and hand them around to the company. I then thought of, and wrote on paper, 'Bluebeard,' 'Tom Thumb,' 'Cinderella,' and the answers were all correct." Subsequent experiments with the Creery children, at the house of the well known investigator, Mr. F.W.H. Myers, at Cambridge, England, proved equally successful. The children, and their ages, were as follows: Mary, 17; Alice, 15; Maud, 13. The percentage of successes obtained at Mr. Myers' house tallied very well with those obtained elsewhere. One remarkable result was obtained, though, that had not been obtained before. On one occasion the child was asked to name the "suit" of cards chosen one after another. That is, of course, the child was asked to name which suit, "hearts," "diamonds," "clubs" or "spades," were shown of the card drawn and seen by the committee, and then thought of. On this occasion the child scored a run of _fourteen straight running, consecutive successes_. The chances against this success were 4,782,969 to 1. We will close by mentioning another remarkable series of experiments conducted by the same Society. The Mind Reader was M.G.A. Smith, of England. Among other startling feats successfully performed by Mr. Smith, that of the reproduction of Geometrical Figures was perhaps the most remarkable. In this feat Mr. Smith sat blindfolded, in a room belonging to the committee, with a pad of paper before him and a member of the committee on each side of him. A selected member of the committee then would go outside of the room, and behind a closed door would draw some geometrical figure at random. Returning to the room the figure would be shown to the committee, and also to Mr. Douglas Blackburn, who acted as the Transmitter for Mr. Smith, the latter being known as the Receiver. The Transmitter, with closed eyes, now took his position immediately back of Mr. Smith, but at a distance of two feet from him, no contact being allowed, this precaution being taken to obviate charges of confederacy, etc. The Transmitter would then concentrate his mind intently for a few minutes, and in a short time Mr. Smith would receive the impression of the mental image in the mind of the Transmitter, and would begin to attempt to reproduce it on paper. In the series of experiments running over a period of four days thirty-seven drawings were made, of which only eight were considered unsuccessful. _Twenty-nine successes out of a possible thirty-seven, remember._ The committee reports that it took all the precaution to guard against secret signals, etc., and that confederacy, fraud, collusion, or similar methods were out of the question. The eight cases of failure consisted of four cases in which Mr. Smith received no impression, and therefore could not reproduce the drawing; and four cases in which the drawing was so vague and imperfect as to be called a total failure. Some of the figures were grotesque, unusual, and complicated, but all were reproduced in a more or less perfect manner. The drawing was made deliberately and without hesitation, and as if Smith had actually seen the figure shown to the Transmitter a few moments before. On one occasion, in order to be doubly guarded against collusion, they closed Mr. Smith's ears with putty, tied a bandage around his eyes and ears, pulled a bolster-case over his head, and then covered him all over with a blanket which completely enveloped his body and head. _And under these extraordinary conditions he reproduced the figures with his usual success._ We could proceed relating case after case, experiment after experiment, conducted by these scientific bodies of learned and careful men. But the story would be no more convincing than that related above. And, after all, there is a method of satisfying yourself that is far more conclusive than the reading of any results of experiments of others--and that is to learn to perform the feats of Mind Reading yourself. By means of a very little practice you will be able to reproduce many of the demonstrations of the public performers, as well as the experiments of the scientific societies, and then when you have realized that you can do these things you will need no further proof of the reality of the science of Mind Reading. LESSON III. "CONTACT" MIND READING. Mind Reading is divided by the authorities into two general classes, viz., "Contact" Mind Reading and "Telepathic" Mind Reading. The first of these classes, "Contact" Mind Reading, is demonstrated by physical contact between the Transmitter (or active agent) and the Receiver (or passive agent) in order to afford an easy channel for the passage of the vibrations, thought-waves, nerve-currents, or magnetism of the Transmitter (according to the several theories favored by scientists). The second class, "Telepathic" Mind Reading, is demonstrated by the transferral of the "waves," "vibrations," "currents," or "magnetism" of the Transmitter to the Receiver over the ether, through space (often for thousands of miles) without the more convenient "wires" of the nerves of the two agents. You will readily see that two classes of phenomena closely resemble the two classes of telegraphic phenomena, i.e., the "wire" system and the "wireless" system. There is a striking analogy between electric phenomena and mental force phenomena all the way through the subject, and this subject of Mind Reading is simply one of the many forms of the resemblance. We shall begin by giving you instructions in the first form--Contact Mind Reading, as it is the simplest and most easy of accomplishment and demonstration. And besides, the best Telepathists have been trained by means of the practice of Contact Mind Reading at the start. One leads to the other, just as the ordinary wire telegraph naturally led to the "wireless" system, which is even now but in its infancy. At this point we wish to point out to you a most grievous error, and unjust judgment, that certain so-called scientists and investigators have fallen into regarding this matter of Contact Mind Reading. In order to give you a clearer idea of the nature of this error, we must call your attention to the fact that Contact Mind Reading has been given much publicity through the advertisements and performances of several celebrated public performers, and their lesser-light imitators. These performers, like many others, have sought to give an attractive public entertainment rather than a scientific demonstration, and some of them have found it much easier to "fake" some of the demonstrations rather than to perform them according to scientific principles. And the careful investigators soon discovered that in certain cases there was no Mind Reading at all, but only a clever imitation which was styled "Muscle Reading." In other words, instead of the performer receiving his mental impressions from the mind of the Transmitter, over the nervous system of other persons, he would push up against him, and by a clever system of pushing, pulling, leading, and leaning would detect the muscular movements of the Transmitter, and by careful practice would learn to interpret these movements so as to get an indication of the location of the hidden objects and practically be led or pushed toward the spot. But even in these cases, the performer would of necessity have to employ more or less genuine Contact Mind Reading to finish the feats. The only advantage the performer gained by resorting to these unfair methods was that it was less fatiguing to his mind and enabled him to "fake" through the performance with less mental wear and tear. The investigators, easily discovering the above mentioned "faking" performances, came to the conclusion that the whole thing was a "fake," and could be explained by the "muscle reading" theory entirely. And so the news was spread broadcast, and you will find a number of books written explaining Contact Mind Reading on this hypothesis. Of course some of the public may prefer to accept this erroneous theory, but we wish to say here positively that if any person will honestly investigate for himself, and will learn to make the demonstrations personally, he or she will soon discover that "muscle reading" has nothing to do with the genuine phenomena. The proof of the thing is in the doing of it, and you may learn the truth for yourself if you will but try the feats and demonstrations, herein given, just as we teach them. The result of such practice will cause you to feel with us the indignation arising from the attempts to belittle a noble scientific principle, and practice, by an explanation arising from the witnessing of "fake" imitations of the real thing. The truth is that the muscles have nothing to do with the passage of the mental currents or waves from the Transmitter to the Receiver any more than they have to do with the transmission of nervous sensations from body to brain, or the motor impulses from brain to body. When you wish to close your hand you send a nervous current from your brain to the muscles controlling your hand. The current travels along the nervous system, and is by it distributed over the muscles causing them to contract. A current from a galvanic battery will cause the muscles to act in the same way. But the muscle is the machinery affected and set into motion, and the nerves are the delicate telegraphic wires leading to the parts. And so it is with this transmission of the mental waves and currents. The brain of the Transmitter, aroused by his active _Will_, sends a powerful current or wave through his nervous system. When it reaches the extremity of his fingers it leaps over the tiny space separating his nerves from the nerves of the Receiver, and enters the nervous system of the latter, and influences his actions. The Receiver being in a passive condition, and his brain sending practically no impulses over his nerves, he is in a receptive condition to the imparted nervous current, which acts upon him something like an impulse from his own brain, only weaker. That is the whole secret of Contact Mind Reading. It is "Nerve Reading" if you like, but certainly _not_ Muscle Reading. The tips of the fingers of a person of fine sensibilities, and delicate touch, are known by anatomists to be filled with masses of nerve-matter similar to that forming parts of the brain. In fact they are tiny finger-brains, and they will send out, convey, and receive delicate impulses from one mind to another. Those of you who have experienced the peculiar touch of some persons of this kind, can bear witness to the fact that a subtle "magnetism" or current passed from them to you. This is a fact well known to investigators of psychic phenomena, and such people laugh at the crude "muscle reading" theories, for they have disproved them repeatedly in actual careful experiments. And you may do the same, if you will practice the demonstrations given in this book. The fact that the developed Contact Mind Reader usually walks ahead of his Transmitter, instead of being led by him; and that he usually allows the latter's arm to hang limp, instead of muscularly contracted, is another proof of the absurdity of the theory above mentioned. Besides this, wires may be used between the two persons, or even a third person may be placed between them. But, as we have said, after all the best and only real test is to try the experiments yourself and learn that "muscle reading" has nothing to do with the real phenomena. The experimenter will soon find that when he gets into the work and is engaged in a search for a hidden object, by means of Mind Reading, he will forget all about the Transmitter. He will almost forget where he is, and will feel himself floating and gliding over the floor and scarcely touching it with his toes. He will find himself drawn or impelled irresistibly toward the hidden object, as if by some outside energy or fine force. He will feel the hidden object _drawing him like a magnet_, and attracting him to the spot. He will forget his audience, and everything else, in his desire to reach the Centre of Attraction. These experiences cannot well be explained in print, but the investigator will soon learn to know them for himself, and he will be amazed and filled with wonder at the strange psychical phenomena in which he is taking a principal part. And, then, and then only will he be able to intelligently reject the absurd and unjust theories of "muscle reading," and to see the crudeness of the attempted explanation. He will see that the foolish theory is as far out of the way as the ignorant person's idea that the telegraph messages are sent by the wires being "pulled" or "jerked," instead of being but channels for the passage of the electric fluid, or magnetic waves. He will class such pretended scientists with those "doubting Thomases" who, when gas was first introduced in the British House of Parliament, insisted that the pipes rendered the building unsafe, because they would become heated by the passage of the light; and who when the system was seen in actual operation, would gently feel the pipes with their gloved fingers, wondering why they felt no heat. We trust that we have said enough to convince you of the ridiculousness of the "muscle reading" theory, and to give you sufficient interest to demonstrate the matter for yourself. Many of our readers have witnessed the public performances of the several well-known "Contact" Mind Readers who have visited the leading cities of this country and other lands. Of course, the average public performer soon discovers that the average patron of his performance attends principally to be amused, and entertained, rather than to be instructed. And he is apt to gradually add sensational features to the performance, for the purpose of thrilling and mystifying the audience, knowing that by so doing he will better please his patrons than if he were to give them a strictly scientific demonstration of the science of Contact Mind Reading as produced in the psychological laboratories of the great investigators of the subject. Some of these public performers have even gone so far as to add "fake" features to their performance, employing confederates, and in other ways introducing unscientific methods in order to intensify the interest and satisfaction of their audiences. But notwithstanding this fact, the average public Mind Reader, in spite of his sensational additions, generally gives his audience enough of "the real thing" to render his performance of sufficient scientific interest to make it worthy of attendance by the earnest student of the subject. And we believe that the time is approaching when a strictly scientific performance will prove of sufficient interest to the public to render it worth while for a new class of entertainers and lecturers to arise and take the field, instructing the public regarding their great subject and illustrating their theories by striking experiments along scientific lines. And we think that this little book will do its part in the direction of educating the public mind to appreciate such an entertainment, as well as serving to educate future entertainers for their life work. However, in this little book, we shall treat the subject as if a parlor demonstration was all that is desired, and our instructions and directions shall be chiefly toward that end, although we wish to say that any man or woman who will carefully study these instructions and directions, and who will carefully practice the feats and exercises, will be able to gradually develop sufficient ability and skill to give a successful public performance, and perhaps reap a goodly share of fame and financial reward. The principles of the parlor demonstration, and the public performance are the same. These same instructions and directions have been studied and applied by some of the best performers now before the public, illustrating the wonders of Contact Mind Reading. So that if any of the students of this work have ambitions in the direction of public performance, they will find herein the methods calculated to develop them into a successful public entertainer and demonstrator. Anyone may develop himself, or herself, into a good Contact Mind Reader by practice, and perseverance. As in everything else in life, some will succeed better than others; and some will find the work easier than do others, but all may develop quite a respectable degree of proficiency in a short time. A little careful, conscientious practice and experiment will accomplish wonders. Mind Reading feats depend upon the degree of Will and Concentration on the part of the Transmitter, and upon the degree of Receptivity and Passivity upon the part of the Receiver. We are taking it for granted that the student will wish to act as a Receiver (or Performer of the feat of Mind Reading) rather than as the Transmitter (or person called upon to have his mind read). And so we shall address him as such, with this understanding. But we shall also give herein full directions for the Transmitter, as well, in order to give the student the methods necessary to act in either capacity, and to also enable him to instruct the Transmitter in his work. The Receiver should understand the duties of the Transmitter, in order that the best possible results be obtained, and the proper harmony and _rapport_ conditions may be established. LESSON IV. DEVELOPMENT EXERCISES. The student should practice privately with the assistance of a few friends, before he ventures before a parlor audience, for by so doing he overcomes the first lack of confidence in himself, and the awkwardness natural to the beginner along any new line of work. By careful and repeated practice he gains confidence in himself by reason of his growing success in his experiments, and besides wears off the "rough edges" of his actions, etc., so that when he finally appears before an audience he will feel perfectly self-possessed and at ease, and thus be able to devote his entire attention to his work, without annoying self-consciousness and awkwardness. Begin the Development Exercises by selecting one or more friends who are in sympathy with you, and who are interested in the subject. Do not have any unsympathetic or uncongenial persons around when you are practicing, for such people tend to distract your attention from your work, and really exert a detrimental effect upon the preliminary work. Select one of your friends as the Transmitter and take the part of the Receiver yourself. Begin your practice by establishing a Psychic Harmony, or Rapport, between yourself and your Transmitter by means of Rhythmic Breathing. Although this feature of the work has been overlooked by many investigators of the subject, still it is a very important feature of the work, and one that is conducive to the production of the very best results along these lines of psychic demonstrations. The term "Rapport" is one frequently met with in occult and psychic books. The word is defined by Webster as "Relation; conformity; correspondence; sympathetic accord." It is used by occultists in the sense of: "having harmonious vibrations with another," the occult teachings being that every person has his or her own rate of mental vibration which, when in harmonious accord with the vibrations of another, induces the most favorable conditions for the production of mental or psychic phenomena, or mental relations; sympathetic understanding, etc. This "harmonious vibration" does not necessarily mean that the two persons must be attuned to precisely the same key, but that their keynotes must harmonize, instead of producing discord. The comparison of the notes of the musical scale will illustrate the principle thoroughly. When two persons are in "rapport" with each other, there is a mental and psychic harmony between them, which is productive of the best possible mental co-operative work. Hence the necessity of good rapport conditions in Mind Reading. Rhythmic Breathing has been known to occultists of all ages as one of the important adjuncts of Psychic Phenomena, and its use in bringing about Rapport Relations is thoroughly understood by all Practical Occultists. Rhythmic Breathing consists in the person breathing in slow measured regular rhythm. It may be acquired by counting the indrawn breath, the retained breath, and the outgoing breath, by regular beats like the ticking of a large clock. For instance, draw in your breath slowly, counting mentally according to the ticking of an imaginary large clock: "one--two--three--four." Then hold the breath, counting "one--two." Then breathe out slowly: "one--two--three--four." The rule is that the indrawn breath should have the same number of counts as the outgoing breath, the held-breath taking up but one-half the counts of either of the others. The above count illustrates this matter. The advanced occultists get their time-beat from the pulse-beats, but this is not absolutely necessary in this connection. The principal point about Rhythmic Breathing that we wish to impress upon you now is that the two persons, the Transmitter and Receiver, should breathe in unison with each other--that is in perfect time and rhythm. This breathing in unison will soon establish the very best possible rapport conditions between them. From four to seven Rhythmic Breaths will be sufficient to establish the proper conditions in ordinary cases. In the performance of a test, in case you should feel the power of the Transmitter failing, you should stop and ask him to breathe in unison with you for a moment, and then re-start your work. By breathing a little loud the other person will catch your time, so that it is not necessary for you to instruct him in the science or theory of Rhythmic Breathing. Simply tell him to breathe in unison, and keeping time with you. Begin all your practicing with this Rapport Breathing, and start each demonstration with it, also. You will find that it will have a very soothing, calming, quieting effect upon both persons, and will produce in each a mental earnestness and concentration that will help along the demonstration of Mind Reading. We shall not mention this Rhythmic Breathing or Rapport Condition when we proceed to give you the detailed direction, for the demonstration, but you must remember that it should be observed in each case. Of course, you will be able to get results without it--but not so easily, or so thoroughly and satisfying. It is well to conclude your practice by taking a few deep breaths by yourself, and not in unison with the Transmitter. This destroys the Rapport Condition. GENERAL DIRECTIONS. The prime requisite for a successful demonstration of Mind Reading is the acquirement, or possession, by the Transmitter, of a clear idea of _direction_ in his mind. The associated requisite is that the Transmitter be able to _concentrate his will_ upon the mind of the Receiver, impressing upon him the _Sense of Direction_ so strongly that he will move in accordance with the Will of the Transmitter. Remember the two points to be observed by the Transmitter. Begin by having the Transmitter standing beside you in the centre of the room, _you being blindfolded_. Have him mentally select some one corner of the room, saying nothing to you of his choice. Then let him concentrate his mind upon that one corner, forgetting every other part of the room. Then have the Transmitter grasp your Left Hand with his Right Hand, you grasping his fingers in your hand and lifting the hand to your forehead. Hold the hand against your forehead, just above your eyes. Instruct him then to _will_ that you go to the corner of the room that he has selected, shutting out all other thoughts from his mind, and _concentrating_ his entire Attention upon the projection of his Will. He must not content himself merely forming a Mental Picture of the selected corner, but must think of the _Direction_ of that corner, just as he would in case he were to wish to walk there himself. He must not simply think "That Corner"--he must think "_There!_" using the sense of Direction. He must _will_ that you shall _go there_, carrying the words "_Go There!_" in his mind. You, the Receiver, must place yourself in a perfectly _passive_ and _receptive_ state of mind, resigning your own Will for the time being, and being perfectly willing and desirous of being mentally _directed_ or _led_ by the Will of the Transmitter. He is the Active factor, and you the Passive. It is the strength of his Will, and the degree of your Receptivity that makes the demonstration a success. Keep your eyes closed, even though you be blindfolded, for by so doing you induce a Passive state of mind, and even the stray glimpses that you may catch through the handkerchief will serve only to distract you. You must shut out sights, and even thought of sights. Stand quiet a moment or two, awaiting impressions from the mind of the Transmitter, who is making the mental command: "_Go there; go there, I say!_" while at the same time he is _willing_ that you follow his command. After a moment or two of passive and receptive waiting, you will begin to feel an impulse to move forward. Obey this impulse and take the first step, which will often be in an entirely opposite direction from the selected corner. The idea of this first step is to "get started." While you are taking the first step or two, you will feel a clearer impulse toward the real selected corner, and will find yourself swinging around to it. Do not grow impatient, for
{'title': 'Practical Mind-Reading by William Walker Atkinson', 'source': 'Project Gutenberg', 'lang': 'en'}