THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
In the previous chapters we have seen that all forms of Radiant Energy,
_viz._, Light, Heat, Electricity and Magnetism, arose from the Motion of
the Particles of Substance. It now becomes important to learn just what
cause this "Motions of the Particles." Science is somewhat hazy and
foggy on this subject, but in a general way decides that it is caused by
"the mutual relations and positions of the particles, arising from their
respective attractive qualities," as a recent writer has expressed it.
Well, this is better than the old way of seeking refuge and retreat in a
mere volume of dense words. It is indeed the only logical conclusion,
this one that the operations of the Law of Attraction are manifested in
the Motion of the Particles.
This great Law of Attraction is the greatest Law in Nature. It operates
on all planes of life. It is always in evidence. Let us consider it.
Let us begin by considering the most magnificent and constant
exhibition of that Law--Gravitation. Gravitation is the Riddle of the
Universe, and the one form of Energy that balks Science--so much a
mystery that Science does not even hazard a "guess" at its nature--no
theory of the origin and nature of Gravitation is to be found in "the
books." Let us see what Gravitation is.
It is more than the power that "pulls things to the earth," as the
average man would define it. It does more than cause water to run
down hill, and turn mill-wheels to drive machinery. Water-power
results from Gravitation, but even the Energy of Niagara Falls is
insignificant when compared to the other manifestations of the Mother of
Energy--Gravitation.
Webster defines Gravitation as: "That attraction or force by which all
bodies or particles in the universe tend toward each other."
Following that definition, let us add that: _Every particle of Substance
has an attraction for every other particle_.
In view of our belief that this "attraction" is a form of mental effort,
let us regard the term "Attraction" as being a form of what we call
"Desire," or even "Love," in the mental world. If you will think of it
in this way, you will be better able to fall in with our lines of
thought.
And, in addition to every particle of Substance having an attraction
(love or desire) for every other particle, _it has the means and power
to draw that other particle toward itself, and to move toward that other
particle at the same time_. Webster gives a very clear idea of this when
he defines Attraction as: "_An invisible power in a body by which it
draws anything to itself; the power in nature acting mutually between
bodies, or ultimate particles, tending to draw them together, or to
produce their cohesion or combination, and conversely resisting
separation_."
The majority of persons, when thinking of "Gravitation," are satisfied
with the idea that it is a power that "pulls things down to the ground,"
and do not think of it as a force that "pulls things" other ways besides
"down," and which is possessed and exercised by the speck of dust as
well as by the whole earth--by the molecule as well as by the mass. The
reason of this is that this power is so slight in small bodies of
Substance that it is unnoticed; and that only when the mass is
sufficiently large to make the "pull" strong does one perceive and
appreciate that the force exists. The lack of information on the part of
the average person regarding this subject is amazing, particularly when
the importance of the knowledge is understood.
The attraction that holds the molecules of Substance together is
Gravitation. The attraction that "pulls" a piece of Substance to the
earth is Gravitation. The attraction that keeps the suns and planets in
their orbits is Gravitation. Let us see the operations of the Law.
In Astronomy you may learn that the movements of the planets around the
sun and the moons around their planets--their regular and constant
relative positions--are caused by the force of Gravitation. If it were
not for this attraction by the Sun, the planets would fly out into
space, like a stone from a sling. The Attraction of Gravitation acts on
the planets just as does the string of the whirling sling that keeps the
stone from flying away during the whirling until the string is released.
Some astronomers think that our sun revolves around some greater sun,
and this again around a greater, and so on to infinity. If this be so,
then the Attraction of Gravitation is that which holds them all in their
orbits and places in spite of their motion.
And in Physics, you may learn that this same Attraction of Gravitation
prevents the people and objects on the surface of the earth from flying
off into space. And that it holds the portions of the earth together,
preventing them from flying apart.
And, remember this, for it is important--the Attraction of the Earth,
great and powerful as it is, is nothing more than the _combined_
attractive power of its constituent molecules, or atoms, or parts. The
centre of the Earth is the Centre of the Attraction, because it is the
centre of the aggregation of its Particles.
It must not be supposed that the Earth simply attracts "downward," that
is, toward its centre. On the contrary, large masses of earth--large
mountains, for instance--exert a certain degree of Attraction of
Gravitation, and experiments have shown that a "plumb" is slightly
deflected by reason of the proximity of a large mountain. And the reason
that bodies "lose weight" as they descend from the surface of the earth
is because they leave "above" them a certain large portion of the
molecules composing the earth, which mass of molecules exert an
attraction proportionate to their mass, which attraction balances the
attraction of the mass of earth "beneath them."
Science teaches that if the earth were hollow in the centre, the weight
there would be Zero, or nothing at all, and that a body would float in
the space at the centre of the earth just as does a balloon in the air,
the reason thereof being that the attraction would be equalized--equal
attraction from every direction, counterbalancing each other.
Considering the earth's radius to be 4000 miles, a body that weighed 100
pounds on the surface would weigh but 75 pounds at the depth of 1000
miles; but 50 pounds at a depth of 2000 miles; but 25 pounds at a depth
of 3000 miles; and Nothing, or Zero, at a depth of 4000 miles, which
would be the Centre of the Earth. This, of course, supposes that the
Substance of which the earth is composed is of uniform density from
surface to centre.
From an equal distance above the surface of the earth, bodies released,
or dropped, will reach the surface at exactly the same degree of speed,
and in exactly the same time--this irrespective of weight or size. In
other words, a cork or piece of lead, no matter what their sizes may be,
will travel with equal rapidity. In case where the "lighter" substance
travels more slowly (compare a feather and bullet, for instance) the
difference is caused by the light object meeting with more resistance
from the air. This apparent exception has been explained away by the
experiment of dropping the bullet and the feather in a vacuum tube, in
which there was no resistance from air, the consequence being that both
descended precisely at the same instant. Another similar experiment is
to place the feather upon a piece of iron whereby the resistance of the
air is prevented, and the feather will maintain its position during the
drop, and will reach the ground resting on top of the iron, just as it
started.
And, remember this please, that the small object attracted by the earth
exerts an attraction on its own account. If the two were of the same
size they would exert an equal attracting power, but as one is smaller
its attracting power is very slight compared with that of the large
mass. But it is true that the particle of dust attracts the earth
precisely as the earth attracts the particle of dust--the difference
being solely a matter of degree depending upon the "mass" of the body.
The amount or degree of the _combined_ attracting power is determined by
the combined total of the two masses. Distance lessens the degree of
attraction--thus as bodies are lifted above the earth the weight
decreases very gradually, and by very slight degrees, but constantly and
invariably. The poles of the earth are flattened, and, consequently, the
weight of an object slightly increases as it is carried from equator to
pole.
Concluding our consideration of Gravitation, it will be well to call
your attention to the fact that Gravitation differs from the forms of
Radiant Energy known as Heat, Light, Electricity and Magnetism in
several very important particulars, which seems to go far in the
direction of proof that the latter are by incidents or consequences of
the former.
In the first place, Gravitation, so far as is known, is not dependent
upon, caused by, or maintained by, any other Force or form of Energy.
Nor does it seem to be derived from some great reservoir, from which it
obtains its supply of Energy. On the contrary, it seems to be a
"thing-in-itself," self-supporting, self-existing--an intrinsic thing,
in fact. It does not seem to be lost to bodies by radiation. And
consequently there seems to be no need of a body replenishing its
supply, as there is no loss. Gravitation seems to be a constant
_something_, remaining always with bodies and neither being lost or
acquired. It exists between the Atoms, Molecules, Masses--all in the
same way. In fact, one is tempted to think of the planets and worlds in
space, as Molecules of some greater Mass held together by Gravitation
just as are the Molecules held together. Remember, that the Molecules
and Atoms are not in absolute contact, _but there is always a "space"
between them_, although the space or distance may be "insensible" to us.
"As above, so below," says the old occult aphorism, and it seems to be
so.
Then again, Gravitation is believed to act _instantaneously_, and does
not require Time to pass between bodies, as does Light, Heat,
Electricity, Magnetism--Radiant Energy. Light travels through the Ether
(as light-waves) at the rate of 184,000 miles a second. The same is true
of Heat and of Electricity. But Gravitation travels instantaneously. For
instance, if a new star were to spring into existence at some
inconceivable distance from the earth it would require thousands of
years for its light to reach us. But its Attraction of Gravitation would
be felt _instantly_. Do you realize what this means? It means that
Gravitation is in some way connected with the Ether, or "conveying
medium," that an impulse communicated at some point of space trillions
of miles away is felt _at once_ at our point in space, and vice versa.
There is some awful mystery here, and the laws of Substance, and Force,
as generally understood, do not account for it. And the theories
regarding the Ether do not throw light upon it. _But wait a bit!_
But more than this. Science holds that Gravitation _does not require a
medium_--that it seems to be its own medium--needing no "Ether" or other
medium to transmit its influence. In this respect also, Gravitation
differs from the form of Radiant Energy. And more, it is not "cut-off"
or interfered with by any intervening body, for its force operates
through such intervening bodies. For instance, in an eclipse of the Sun,
the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, but the Gravitation is
not affected in the slightest, for the bodies would evidence such change
immediately were it to occur.
So Gravitation acts instantaneously; is its own medium, and may not be
interfered with by an intervening body. It, indeed, is in a different
"class" from Light, Heat and Electricity.
And now let us consider the other forms of Attraction.
In the previous chapters we saw that the form of Attraction called
"Cohesion" caused the molecules to tend to each other, and to remain in
more or less close contact, the differing degrees of Cohesion
determining the Density, etc., of the body. Were the Attractive force of
Cohesion suddenly removed, the most solid bodies, as well as the
lightest ones, would instantly fly into very fine powder, thus being
resolved into their constituent molecules. The separation of the
Molecules, that is, the "setting further apart," occasioned by Heat, is
spoken of by Physicists as "Repulsion." But the writer holds that
repulsion is an entirely different thing, and that the heat merely
causes the Molecules to lose a portion of their Attractive power for
each other. Until the heat being withdrawn, the Molecules respond to the
uninterrupted Attraction. The Molecules are like lovers who are
attracted toward each other, and remain attached unless separated
violently, or by some fading of Attraction. Consider Heat as a
disturbing element--a "misunderstanding" between the molecular lovers,
who under its influence draw somewhat apart, and are only reunited when
the obstacle is removed, and harmony again manifested.
As we have shown you in a previous chapter, the so-called "properties"
of Matter, _i.e._, Hardness, Tenacity, Malleability, Ductility, etc.,
are simply evidence of a persistent Cohesiveness of the Molecules--a
strong "love" or "desire" for each other that caused them to adopt every
possible means in their power to resist, and prevent, the separation of
the Molecules forming the mass. It was like a desperate attempt to
prevent the "breaking up of the family."
Each so-called Special Physical Property of Matter is seen to be but the
action of the Molecule resisting separation, in obedience to that law of
its being called "Attraction," or "Gravitation," or "Cohesion," or
"Adhesion"--but which might as fitly be called "Desire," or "Love." And,
remember, that this law does not seem to be merely one of
self-preservation of the Molecule--for it remains intact even after the
separation from its companions or family. It is more, for it is a law
that causes it to bend all its energies in remaining within "molecular
distance" or close companionship with its family, and resisting
disintegration. It is like the "social instinct" in Man, if one may be
pardoned from using the figure.
Now for the Attraction of the Atoms--"Chemical Affinity," or "Chemism,"
as it is called. An Atom, you know, is the chemical unit of Matter, and
the smallest particle of Matter that can enter into combination (leaving
the Corpuscle out of the consideration, for the moment). These Atoms
exhibit and manifest an Attraction for each other that causes them to
form combinations or "marriages," and thus to combine, forming a
molecule. But remember, always, that when Atoms "combine" they do not
merge their identities--they simply "marry," and nothing more. Each atom
maintains its own identity, and is found intact if the "marriage" is
destroyed by chemical process, which might be called the termination of
the molecular marriage, by "divorce," that is, by one Atom forsaking
its mate and seeking a new "affinity" in the shape of some more
attractive (or attracting) Atom. For, alas, the Atoms are more or less
fickle, and often leave their life-partners for some other fascinating
Particle. At times there is manifested a condition of "how happy could I
be with either, were t'other fair charmer away"--there is a conflict of
attractions.
There is more "flirting" and "affairs of the heart" in the world of
Atoms than in the region of the Molecules, for while the latter are apt
to seek only the companionship of their own "family," or some nearly
related family, the Atoms have quite a number of possible "affinities,"
and will invariably desert a lesser attraction for a greater one (thus
forming a new molecule) and leave the deserted one to get along alone as
best it may, or else form a new alliance with some other affinity who is
either impervious to the attraction of the more brilliant charmer, or
else is out of the danger of temptation.
But, if we analyze and carefully consider this "Chemical Affinity,"
"Chemism," we will see that it comes well under the definition of
"Attraction" as given by Webster, and quoted in the first part of this
chapter. It certainly comes under the rule of "_the power in nature
acting mutually between bodies, or ultimate particles, tending to draw
them together_," etc.
The writer thinks that he is justified in asking you to consider
Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion and Chemical Affinity as related forms
of the same thing. If you do not like to call this "same thing" by the
name of "Gravitation," suppose we call it "The Law of Attraction," of
which Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion, Chemical Affinity or Chemism are
but different aspects. (This "relation" is described in Chapter XIII.)
And the writer believes that this "Law of Attraction" is the underlying
cause of all that we call Energy, Force, Power, Motion, etc., in the
Physical world. For if "Gravitation" accounts for all "Mass Motion," or
"Mechanical Motion"--if Molecular Cohesion, and the vibrations
accompanying it, manifest in forms of "Molecular Motion"--and if Atomic
"Chemical Affinity" or "Chemism," manifest in "Atomic Motion"--and if
even the Corpuscles in their movements obey this same "Law of
Attraction" in some form--and if all Force and Energy is but a "Mode of
Motion"--then, if all this be true, are we not justified in claiming
that this "Law of Attraction" is the Basis of All Energy, Force and
Motion? And are we not justified in thinking of this "Law of
Attraction" as always manifesting in the direction of drawing together
particles of Substance--be those particles suns, planets, masses,
molecules, atoms or corpuscles--in pursuance of some basic law imposed
upon All-things, by That-which-is-above-Things?
The following quotation is interesting, in our consideration of this
subject:
"There are other forces besides gravity, and one of the most active of
these is chemical affinity. Thus, for instance, an atom of oxygen has a
very strong attraction for one of carbon, and we may compare these two
atoms to the earth and a stone lodged upon the top of a house. Within
certain limits, this attraction is intensely powerful, so that when an
atom of carbon and one of oxygen have been separated from each other, we
have a species of energy of position just as truly as when a stone has
been separated from the earth. Thus by having a large quantity of oxygen
and a large quantity of carbon in separate states, we are in possession
of a large store of _energy_ of position. When we allowed the stone and
the earth to rush together, the _energy_ of position was transformed
into that of actual motion, and we should therefore expect something
similar to happen when the separated carbon and oxygen are allowed to
rush together. This takes place when we burn coal in our fires, and the
primary result, as far as _energy_ is concerned, is the production of a
large amount of heat. We are, therefore, led to conjecture that heat may
denote a motion of particles on the small scale just as the rushing
together of the stone and the earth denotes a motion on the large. It
thus appears that we may have invisible molecular energy as well as
visible mechanical _energy_."--_Balfour Stewart._
To the writer it seems that the Particle of Substance finds within its
Mind-principle (for you know we have seen that all Substance had
something akin to Life and Mind) a constant craving, imbedded in its
very nature, which causes it to seek Satisfaction. This craving for
Satisfaction results in Unrest, and seeks a solution along two lines.
These two lines are indicated by two entirely different Desires that it
finds within itself--the first being a Desire or Inclination to seek the
companionship of some other Particle--the second being a Desire or
Inclination to be Free of Attachment or Entanglement.
The Desire for Attachment arises from the force of the Law of Attraction
that exists between each Particle of Substance. The Desire for
Non-attachment arises from some inward inclination for Freedom. These
two Desires or Inclinations may be called the Desire for Impression and
the Desire for Expression.
The Desire for Impression (or pressing in) manifests along lines of
action tending toward Attachment, Moreness, Companionship, Combination.
The Desire for Expression (or pressing out) manifests along the lines of
action tending toward Individuality, Freedom, Independence,
Unattachment, etc. And both are strong cravings--and both tend to
produce Unrest, which results in Motion. The "pull" of the Desire of
Impression exists always, and is always modified and counteracted by the
"push" of the Desire for Expression. And, resulting from the play of
these two Desires, or Forces, result Activity, Motion and Change. Like
the two conflicting angels in the Persian mythology--Ahriman and
Ormuzd--these two Desires wrestle with each other in the theatre of the
Universe--constant Motion and Change being the results.
And, if the writer may be pardoned for dropping into Mysticism for the
moment, may it not be that these conflicting Desires for Separateness
and Unity, respectively, are but different forms of the Desire for
Satisfaction through Oneness. Impression seeks Oneness by combination
with other separated Particles, _but finds it not_. Expression seeks
Oneness by drawing apart and endeavoring to realize it in that way,
_but finds it not_. But both are but different aspects of the same
Desire for Satisfaction, and only when the Mind recognizes Oneness in
Diversity does Satisfaction come. And thus the lesson of the Particle
becomes the Lesson of the Man.
These conflicting Desires of Inclinations of the Particles--the one
urging it along the lines of Attraction--the other along the lines of
Separation--produce the Dance of the Atoms--the Motion of the Particles.
When the Particle manifests along the lines of Expression it pushes
itself away from the other Particle, and, consequently, also pushes the
other Particle away. When it manifests along the lines of Impression, it
pulls itself toward the other Particle, and at the same time pulls the
other Particle toward itself. In both cases the "medium" of the pulling
extends over the space separating them, as will be described in future
chapters. This pulling and pushing is called by Chemistry "Attraction
and Repulsion" of the Particles.
It is perhaps unnecessary to state that the Force of the Attraction of
Cohesion or of Chemical Affinity is much stronger than that of
Gravitation, in the case of the same Particles. Otherwise, if one picked
up a piece of iron, the Attraction of Gravitation would cause its
particles to separate and fall to the ground, whereas, the Attraction of
Cohesion and that of Chemical Affinity enable the Particles to
counteract the pull of Gravitation, and thus remain intact. Compared
with Cohesion or Chemical Affinity, the pull of Gravitation is
incomparably weak. The force which holds together two atoms of water
represents a high degree of dynamic power, and the shock of forcible
separation of chemical atoms produces something akin to an explosion. So
we see that the Attraction of the Particles, while of the same nature as
Gravitation, is much higher in intensity.
But notwithstanding the power of the Attraction, it seems to be a matter
inherent in the nature of the Particle, and to represent a something
like Will, in response to Desire.
The varying "push and pull" or the two Desires, would necessarily cause
a revolution of each Particle on its own axis, and a revolution around
each other--besides many instances of rushing together and away from
each other. In these forms of Motion is to be found the cause of the
vibrations producing Radiant Energy, known as Light, Heat, Electricity
and Magnetism.