Genuine Mediumship; or, The Invisible Powers. Atkinson William Walker
such thing possible in the natural world, under natural world, under natural laws—the whole thing is delusion or else deliberate fraud." Such "know-it-all" persons are usually found to really "know much that is not true," and to lack knowledge of much that is true, regarding Nature, her realm and her laws.
An Appeal To Reason
Concluding these statements, let us say that the student of this book will find nothing contained within this book which is contrary to Nature's laws and principles. He will nowhere in it be asked to suspend the exercise of his reason, and to accept as facts things which violate all of Nature's laws. Instead, he will find at each point full natural explanations of even the most wonderful phenomena; and the appeal to accept same will be made always to his reason, and not to his blind faith or unreasoning belief. The student is urged to build his knowledge of this important subject upon this solid rock of natural law and fact, and not upon the shifting and sinking sands of mere dogmatic assertion and appeal to assumed authority ancient or modern.
PART II
Mental Vibrations and Transmissions
In the category of Nature's Finer Forces must be included that class of manifestations which are generally known as Telepathy, Thought Transference, Thought Force, etc., all of which are based upon the fact that there is present in all such mental states as Thought, Emotion, Desire, etc., a certain rate of vibratory motion, which motion is capable of being radiated from the mind of the person manifesting them in such power and force that they may be registered with more or less distinctness upon the minds of other persons are at a greater or less distance from the first person. In the more common forms of its manifestation, such mental force or power is known as Thought Force, Mental Influence, etc., and in its more pronounced and less common phases it is known as Telepathy, Thought Transference, etc., but the basic principle is precisely the same in all of such cases, simple or complex though their manifestations may be.
The Higher Forces
We may say here, frankly and plainly, however, that the advanced occultists regard this class of phenomena as comparatively simple and elementary, and therefore not fully entitled to be included in the same category with the higher phases of Nature's Finer Forces, such as, for instance, Clairvoyance, Psychometry, Communication with the Higher Planes, etc. But notwithstanding this, we are of the opinion that any and every one of the finer forces of nature, i.e., any of the forces which are over and above the plane upon which the ordinary senses of man, normally developed, ordinarily function and operate, should be placed in one general category of the Higher Forces of Nature, particularly in a work of this kind designed for the instruction of the general public upon these important subjects. Accordingly, these lesser manifestations of the finer forces in the natural world shall be carefully considered in this part of this book, so that the student may become acquainted with the scientific principles upon which they are based, and may be enabled to develop the power of manifesting such powers if he choose to do so; and that he may understand the nature of such forces and powers when they are manifested by other persons.
Chitta, or Mind Substance
The Hindu Teachings hold that that which we call "Mind" is not an intangible something different from anything else in Nature, but that, on the contrary, it forms a part of Nature's general manifestation, and is a substantial thing. The Hindus have given to this Mind Substance the name of Chitta. Without going into metaphysical discussion, or entering into technical details concerning this Mind Substance or Chitta, we may say that the Hindus believe it to be one phase of the great Manifestation which we call Nature—just as that which we call Matter is another phase of Manifestation—and, like Matter, having its own particular kind of force, or energy, its own rates of vibrations, and its own attribute of radiating its vibratory force or energy over space. Chitta manifests its activity in creating Thought, Emotions, etc., and also in receiving impressions from the outside world which it translates into perceptions and ideals. Chitta, or Mind Substance, is not regarded by the Hindus as being identical with the Soul, or the Ego; but, on the contrary, they regard it as being an instrument for the expression of the activity of the Ego, or Soul, just as the Body is another kind of instrument. Both Body and Mind are regarded as being intended for the use of the Ego or Soul, and not as identical with the latter. We shall not discuss these distinctions further in this book, this subject being apart from the general field and scope of the present work.
What Modern Science Says
There are many to whom this conception of the vibration energy of Chitta or Mind Substance may seem strange. But such persons will be still more surprised, perhaps, when they are told that modern science has practically admitted the general truth contained in the Hindu teachings concerning the same, though modern science seems to cloak the facts of the case in technical terms so that the ordinary person is unable to comprehend the real facts dwelling beneath these terms. To this latter class we specially commend the following statement made by Professor Ochorowicz, the eminent European scientist, a few years ago. Professor Ochoriwicz says:
A Living Dynamic Focus
"Every living being is a dynamic focus. A dynamic focus tends ever to propagate the motion that is proper to it. Propagated motion becomes transformed according to the medium it traverses. Motion always tends to propagate itself. Therefore, when we see work of any kind—mechanical, electrical, nervic, or psychic—disappear without visible effort, then of two things, one happens, namely, either a transmission or a transformation. Where does the first end, and where does the second begin? In an identical medium there is only transmission; in a different medium there is transformation.
"You send an electric current through a thick wire. You have the current, but you do not perceive any other force. But cut that thick wire, and connect the ends by means of a fine wire, and this fine wire will grow hot—there will be a transformation of a part of the current into heat. Take a pretty strong current, and interpose a wire still more resistant, or a very thin carbon rod, and the carbon will emit light. A part of the current, then, is transformed into heat and light. The light acts in every direction around about, first visibly as light, then invisibly as heat and electric current. Hold a magnet near it. If the magnet is weak and movable, in the form of a magnetic needle, the beam of light will cause it to deviate; if it is strong and immovable, it will in turn cause the beam of light to deviate. And all this from a distance, without contact, without special conductors.
Dynamic Correlate of Thought
"A process that is at once chemical, physical and psychical, goes on in the brain. A complex action of this kind is propagated through the gray brain matter, as waves are propagated in water. Regarded on its physiological side, an idea is only a vibration, a vibration that is propagated, yet which does not pass out of the medium in which it can exist as such. It is propagated only as far as other vibrations allow. It is propagated more widely if it assumes the character which subjectively we call emotive. But it cannot go beyond without being transformed. Nevertheless, like force in general, it cannot remain in isolation, and it escapes in disguise.
"Thought stays at home, as the chemical action of a battery remains in the battery; it is represented by its dynamic correlate, called in the case of the battery a 'current,' and in the case of the brain, I know not what; but whatever its name may be, it is the dynamic correlate of thought. I have chosen the name 'dynamic correlate.' There is something more than that; the universe is neither dead nor void.
"A force that is transmitted meets other forces, and if it is transformed only little by little it usually limits itself to modifying another force at its own cost, though without suffering materially thereby. This is the case particularly with forces that are persistent, concentrated, well seconded by their medium. It is the case with the physiological equilibrium, nervic force, psychic force, ideas, emotions, tendencies. These modify environing forces, without themselves disappearing. They are imperceptibly transformed, and if the next man is of a nature exceptionally well adapted to them, they gain in inductive action."
Answer to Skeptical Critics
The two most likely