"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.