sub-conscious mind to work out problems, and to render other valuable
service to its owner, have been led to suppose that the aid really came
from some other entity or intelligence. Some have thought that the
messages came from friends in the spirit land, and others have believed
that some high intelligence--God or his angels--was working in their
behalf. Without discussing spirit communication, or Divine messages, in
both of which we believe (with certain provisional reservations) we feel
justified in saying that the majority of cases of this kind may be
referred to the sub-conscious workings of one's own mentality.
Each of us has "a friend" in our own mind--a score of them in fact, who
delight in performing services for us, if we will but allow them to do
so. Not only have we a Higher Self to whom we may turn for comfort and
aid in times of deep distress and necessity, but we have these invisible
mental workers on the sub-conscious plane, who are very willing and glad
to perform much of our mental work for us, if we will but give them the
material in proper shape.
It is very difficult to impart specific directions for obtaining
these results, as each case must depend to a great extent upon the
peculiar circumstances surrounding it. But we may say that the main thing
needed is to "lick into shape" the material, and then pass it on to the
sub-conscious mind in the manner spoken of a few moments ago. Let us run
over a few cases wherein this principle may be applied.
Let us suppose that you are confronted with a problem consisting of an
uncertainty as to which of two or more courses to adopt in some affair of
life. Each course seems to have advantages and disadvantages, and you
seem unable to pass upon the matter clearly and intelligently. The more
you try the more perplexed and worried do you become. Your mind seems to
tire of the matter, and manifests a state which may be called "mental
nausea." This state will be apparent to any one who has had much
"thinking" to do. The average person, however, persists in going over
the matter, notwithstanding the tired condition of the mind, and its
evident distaste for a further consideration of the subject. They will
keep on forcing it back to the mind for consideration, and even at night
time will keep thrashing away at the subject. Now this course is absurd.
The mind recognizes that the work should be done by another part of
itself--its digestive region, in fact--and naturally rebels at the
finishing-up machinery being employed in work unsuited for it.
According to the Sub-consciousing plan, the best thing for the man to do
would be for him first to calm and quiet his mind. Then he should arrange
the main features of the problem, together with the minor details in
their proper places. Then he should pass them slowly before him in
review, giving a strong interest and attention to each fact and detail,
as it passes before him, _but without the slightest attempt to form a
decision, or come to a conclusion_. Then, having given the matter an
interested and attentive review, let him _Will_ that it pass on to his
sub-conscious mind, forming the mental image of dropping it through the
trap-door, and at the same time giving the command of the Will, "Attend
to this for me!"
Then dismiss the matter from your conscious mind, by an effort of command
of the Will. If you find it difficult to do this, you may soon acquire
the mastery by a frequent assertion, "I have dismissed this matter from
my conscious mind, and my sub-conscious mind will attend to it for me."
Then, endeavor to create a mental feeling of perfect trust and confidence
in the matter, and avoid all worry or anxiety about it. This may be
somewhat difficult at the first trial, but will become a natural feeling
after you have gained the confidence arising from successful results in
several cases. The matter is one of practice, and, like anything else
that is new, must be acquired by perseverance and patience. It is well
worth the time and trouble, and once acquired will be regarded as
something in the nature of a treasure discovered in an unexpected place.
The sense of tranquillity and content--of calm and confidence--that comes
to one who has practiced this plan, will of itself be worth all the
trouble, not to speak of the main result. To one who has acquired this
method, the old worries, frettings, and general "stewed up" feeling, will
seem like a relic of barbarism. The new way opens up a world of new
feelings and content.
In some cases the matter will be worked out by the sub-conscious
mind in a very short time, and in fact we have known cases in which
the answer would be flashed back almost instantly, almost like an
inspiration. But in the majority of cases more or less time is required.
The sub-conscious mind works very rapidly, but it takes time to arrange
the thought-material properly, and to shape it into the desired forms. In
the majority of cases it is well to let the matter rest until the next
day--a fact that gives us a clue to the old advice to "sleep over" an
important proposition, before passing a final decision.
If the matter does not present itself the following day, bring it up
again before the conscious mind for review. You will find that it has
shaped itself up considerably, and is assuming definite form and
clearness. But right here--and this is important--do not make the mistake
of again dissecting it, and meddling with it, and trying to arrange it
with your conscious mind. But, instead, give it attention and interest
in its new form, and then pass it back again to the sub-conscious mind
for further work. You will find an improvement each time you examine it.
But, right here another word of caution. Do not make the mistake of
yielding to the impatience of the beginner, and keep on repeatedly
bringing up the matter to see what is being done. Give it time to have
the work done on it. Do not be like the boy who planted seeds, and who
each day would pull them up to see whether they had sprouted, and how
much.
Sooner or later, the sub-conscious mind will, of its own choice, lift up
the matter and present it to you in its finished shape for the
consideration of the conscious mind. The sub-conscious mind does not
insist that you shall adopt its views, or accept its work, but merely
hands out to you the result of its sorting, classifying and arranging.
The choice and will still remains yours, but you will often find that
there is seen to be one plan or path that stands out clearly from the
others, and you will very likely adopt that one. The secret is that the
sub-conscious mind with its wonderful patience and care has analyzed the
matter, and has separated things before apparently connected. It has also
found resemblances and has combined things heretofore considered opposed
to each other. In short it has done for you all that you could have done
with the expenditure of great work and time, and done it well. And then
it lays the matter before you for your consideration and verdict.
Its whole work seems to have been in the nature of assorting, dissecting,
analyzing, and arranging the evidence, and then presenting it before you
in a clear, systematic shape. It does not attempt to exercise the
judicial prerogative or function, but seems to recognize that its work
ceases with the presentation of the edited evidence, and that of the
conscious mind begins at the same point.
Now, do not confuse this work with that of the Intuition, which is a very
different mental phase or plane. This sub-conscious working, just
mentioned, plays an entirely different part. It is a good servant, and
does not try to be more. The Intuition, on the contrary, is more like a
higher friend--a friend at court, as it were, who gives us warnings and
advice.
In our directions we have told you how to make use of this part of the
mind, consciously and knowingly, so as to obtain the best results, and to
get rid of worry and anxiety attendant upon unsettled questions. But,
in fact, every one of us makes more or less use of this part of the mind
unconsciously, and not realizing the important part it plays in our
mental life. We are perplexed about a matter and keep it "on our minds"
until we are forced to lay it aside by reason of some other demand, or
when we sink to sleep. Often to our surprise we will find that when we
next think of it the matter has somehow cleared up and straightened
itself out, and we seem to have learned something about it that we did
not know before. We do not understand it, and are apt to dismiss it as
"just one of those things." In these lessons we are attempting to explain
some of "those things," and to enable you to use them consciously and
understandingly, instead of by chance, instinctively, and clumsily. We
are teaching you Mastery of the Mind.
Now to apply the rule to another case. Suppose you wish to gather
together all the information that you possess relating to a certain
subject. In the first place it is certain that you know a very great deal
more about any subject than you think you do. Stored away in the various
recesses of the mind, or memory if you prefer that term, are stray bits
of information and knowledge concerning almost any subject. But these
bits of information are not associated with each other. You have never
attempted to think attentively upon the particular question before you,
and the facts are not correlated in the mind. It is just as if you had
so many hundred pounds of anything scattered throughout the space of a
large warehouse, a tiny bit here, and a tiny bit there, mixed up with
thousands of other things.
You may prove this by sitting down some time and letting your thoughts
run along the line of some particular subject, and you will find emerging
into the field of consciousness all sorts of information that you had
apparently forgotten, and each fitting itself into its proper place.
Every person has had experiences of this kind. But the work of gathering
together the scattered scraps of knowledge is more or less tedious for
the conscious mind, and the sub-conscious mind will do the work equally
well with the wear and tear on the attention. In fact, it is the
sub-conscious mind that _always_ does the work, even when you think it is
the conscious mind. All the conscious mind does is to hold the attention
firmly upon the object before it, and then let the sub-consciousness pass
the material before it. But this holding the attention is tiresome work,
and it is not necessary for it to expend its energies upon the details of
the task, for the work may be done in an easier and simpler way.
The best way is to follow a plan similar to the one mentioned a few pages
back. That is, to fix the interested attention firmly upon the question
before you, until you manage to get a clear, vivid impression of _just
what you want answered_. Then pass the whole matter into the
sub-conscious mind with the command "Attend to this," and then leave it.
Throw the whole matter off of your mind, and let the sub-conscious
work go on. If possible let the matter run along until the next morning
and then take it up for consideration, when, if you have proceeded
properly you will find the matter worked out, arranged in logical
sequence, so that your conscious attention will be able to clearly
review the string of facts, examples, illustrations, experiences, etc.,
relating to the matter in question.
Now, many of you will say that you would like this plan to work in cases
in which you have not the time to sleep over it. In such cases we will
say that it is possible to cultivate a rapid method of sub-consciousing,
and in fact many business men and men of affairs have stumbled upon a
similar plan, driven to the discovery by necessity. They will give a
quick, comprehensive, strong flash of attention upon the subject,
getting right to the heart of it, and then will let it rest in the
sub-conscious mind for a moment or two, killing a minute or two of time n
"preliminary conversation," until the first flash of answer comes to
them. After the first flash, and taking hold of the first loose end of
the subject that presents itself to them, they will unwind a string of
information and "talk" about the subject that will surprise even
themselves. Many lawyers have acquired this knowledge, and are what is
known as "resourceful." Such men are often confronted with questions of
conditions utterly unsuspected by them a moment before. Practice has
taught them the folly of fear and loss of confidence at such moments, and
has also impressed upon them the truth that something within them will
come to the rescue. So, presenting a confident air, they will manage to
say a few platitudes or commonplaces, while the sub-conscious mind is
most rapidly gathering its materials for the answer. In a moment an
opening thought "flashes upon" the man, and as he continues idea after
idea passes before his conscious and eager attention, sometimes so
rapidly that it is almost impossible to utter them and lo! the danger is
over, and a brilliant success is often snatched from the jaws of an
apparent failure and defeat. In such cases the mental demand upon the
sub-conscious mind is not voiced in words, but is the result of a strong
mental need. However, if one gives a quick verbal command "_Attend to
this_," the result will be heightened.
We have known of cases of men prominent in the world's affairs who made a
practice of smoking a cigar during important business interviews, not
because they particularly cared for tobacco, but because they had learned
to appreciate the value of a moment's time for the mind to "gather itself
together," as one man expressed it. A question would be asked, or a
proposition advanced suddenly, demanding an immediate answer. Under the
watchful eyes of the other party the questioned party tried not to show
by his expression any indication of searching for an answer, for obvious
reasons. So, instead, he would take a long puff at the cigar, then a slow
attentive look at the ashes on its tip, and then another moment consumed
in flicking the ash into the receptacle, and then came the answer,
slowly, "Well, as to that--" or some other words of that kind, prefacing
the real answer which had been rapidly framed by the sub-conscious mind
in time to be uttered in its proper place. The few moments of time gained
had been sufficient for the sub-conscious mind to gather up its
materials, and the matter to be shaped properly, without any appearance
of hesitation on the part of the answerer. All of this required practice,
of course, but the principle may be seen through it all and in every
similar case. The point is that the man, in such cases, sets some hidden
part of his mind to work for him, and when he begins to speak the matter
is at least roughly "licked into shape for him."
Our students will understand, of course, that this is not advice to smoke
cigars during interviews of importance, but is merely given to illustrate
the principle. We have known other men to twirl a lead pencil in their
fingers in a lazy sort of fashion, and then drop it at the important
moment. But we must cease giving examples of this kind, lest we be
accused of giving instructions in worldly wisdom, instead of teaching the
use of the mind. The impressive pause of the teacher, before answering
his pupil's question, is also an example of the workings of this law. One
often says "stop, let me think a moment," and during his pause he does
not really consciously think at all, but stares ahead in a dreamy
fashion, while his sub-conscious mind does the work for him, although he
little suspects the nature of the operation. One has but to look around
him to realize the importance and frequent application of this truth.
And not only may the sub-conscious mind be used in the directions
indicated on preceding pages, but in nearly every perplexity and problem
of life may it be called upon for help. These little sub-conscious
brownies are ever at our disposal, and seem to be happy to be of service
to us.
And so far from being apt to get us in a position of false dependence, it
is calculated to make us self-confident--for we are calling upon a part
of _ourselves_, not upon some outside intelligence. If those people who
never feel satisfied unless they are getting "advice" from others would
only cultivate the acquaintance of this little "home adviser" within
them, they would lose that dependent attitude and frame of mind, and
would grow self-confident and fearless. Just imagine the confidence of
one who feels that he has within him a source of knowledge equal to that
of the majority of those with whom he is likely to come in contact, and
he feels less afraid to face them, and look them fearlessly in the eyes.
He feels that his "mind" is not confined to the little field of
consciousness, but is an area infinitely greater, containing a mass of
information undreamed of. Everything that the man has inherited, or
brought with him from past lives--everything that he has read, heard or
seen, or experienced in this life, is hidden away there in some quarter
of that great sub-conscious mind, and, if he will but give the command,
the "essence" of all that knowledge is his. The details may not be
presented to his consciousness (often it is not, for very good occult
reasons) by the result, or essence of the knowledge will pass before his
attention, with sufficient examples and illustrations, or arguments to
enable him to make out "a good case" for himself.
In the next lesson we will call your attention to other features and
qualities of this great field of mind, showing you how you can put it to
work, and Master it. Remember, always, the "I" is the Master. And its
Mastery must always be remembered and asserted over all phases and planes
of the mind. Do not be a slave to the sub-conscious, but be its MASTER.
MANTRAM (OR AFFIRMATION).
I have within me a great area of Mind that is under my command, and
subject to my Mastery. This Mind is friendly to me, and is glad to do
my bidding, and obey my orders. It will work for me when I ask it, and
is constant, untiring, and faithful. Knowing this I am no longer
afraid, ignorant or uninformed. The "I" is master of it all, and is
asserting its authority. "I" am master over Body, Mind, Consciousness,
and Sub-consciousness. I am "I"--a Centre of Power, Strength, and
Knowledge. I am "I"--and "I" am Spirit, a fragment from the Divine Flame.
THE ELEVENTH LESSON.
SUBCONSCIOUS CHARACTER BUILDING.
In our last lesson (the Tenth Lesson) we called your attention to the
wonderful work of the sub-conscious regions of mentation in the direction
of the performance of Intellectual work. Great as are the possibilities
of this field of mentation in the direction named, they are equaled by
the possibilities of building up character by similar methods.
Every one realizes that one may change his character by a strenuous
course of repression and training, and nearly all who read these lines
have modified their characteristics somewhat by similar methods. But it
is only of late years that the general public have become aware that
Character might be modified, changed, and sometimes completely altered by
means of an intelligent use of the sub-conscious faculties of the mind.
The word "Character" is derived from ancient terms meaning "to mark," "to
engrave," etc., and some authorities inform us that the term originally
arose from the word used by the Babylonian brickmakers to designate the
trade mark impressed by them upon their bricks, each maker having his own
mark. This is interesting, in view of the recent theories regarding the
cultivation of characteristics which may be found in the current Western
works on psychology. But these theories are not new to the Yogi teachers
of the East, who have employed similar methods for centuries past in
training their students and pupils. The Yogis have long taught that a
man's character was, practically, the crude character-stuff possessed by
him at his birth, modified and shaped by outside influences in the case
of the ordinary man, and by deliberate self-training and shaping by the
wise man. Their pupils are examined regarding their characteristics, and
then directed to repress the undesirable traits, and to cultivate the
desirable ones.
The Yogi practice of Character Building is based upon the knowledge of
the wonderful powers of the sub-conscious plane of the mind. The pupil is
not required to pursue strenuous methods of repression or cultivation,
but, on the contrary, is taught that such methods are opposed to nature's
plans, and that the best way is to imitate nature and to gradually unfold
the desired characteristics by means of focusing the will-power and
attention upon them. The weeding out of undesirable characteristics is
accomplished by the pupil cultivating the characteristics directly
opposed to the undesirable ones. For instance, if the pupil desires to
overcome Fear, he is not instructed to concentrate on Fear with the idea
of killing it out, but, instead, is taught to mentally deny that he has
Fear, and then to concentrate his attention upon the ideal of Courage.
When Courage is developed, Fear is found to have faded away. The positive
always overpowers the negative.
In the word "ideal" is found the secret of the Yogi method of
sub-conscious character building. The teachings are to the effect that
"ideals" may be built up by the bestowal of attention upon them. The
student is given the example of a rose bush. He is taught that the plant
will grow and flourish in the measure that care and attention is bestowed
upon it and _vice versa_. He is taught that the ideal of some desired
characteristic is a mental rosebush, and that by careful attention it
will grow and put forth leaves and flowers. He is then given some minor
mental trait to develop, and is taught to dwell upon it in thought--to
exercise his imagination and to mentally "see" himself attaining the
desired quality. He is given mantrams or affirmation to repeat, for the
purpose of giving him a mental center around which to build an ideal.
There is a mighty power in words, used in this way, providing that the
user always thinks of the meaning of the words, and makes a mental
picture of the quality expressed by them, instead of merely repeating
them parrot fashion.
The Yogi student is trained gradually, until he acquires the power of
conscious direction of the sub-conscious mind in the building up process,
which power comes to anyone--Oriental or Occidental--who will take the
trouble to practice. In fact, nearly everyone possesses and actively uses
this power, although he may not be aware of it. One's character is
largely the result of the quality of thoughts held in the mind, and of
the mental pictures or ideals entertained by the person. The man who
constantly sees and thinks of himself as unsuccessful and down-trodden
is very apt to grow ideals of thought forms of these things until his
whole nature is dominated by them, and his every act works toward the
objectification of the thoughts. On the contrary, the man who makes an
ideal of success and accomplishment finds that his whole mental nature
seems to work toward that result--the objectification of the ideal. And
so it is with every other ideal. The person who builds up a mental ideal
of Jealousy will be very apt to objectify the same, and to unconsciously
create condition that will give his Jealousy food upon which to feed. But
this particular phase of the subject, properly belongs to our next
lesson. This Eleventh Lesson is designed to point out the way by which
people may mould their characters in any way they desire--supplanting
undesirable characteristics by desirable ones, and developing desirable
ideals into active characteristics. The mind is plastic to him who knows
the secret of its manipulation.