THE SECRET OF SUCCESS: How to Achieve Power, Success & Mental Influence (Complete William Walker Atkinson Collection). William Walker Atkinson
to maintain a firm, steady, positive gaze. The production of the mental effort will be explained in a subsequent lesson, and we will now speak only of the eye itself. The following exercises are very important, and I trust that the student will closely follow the same. By the practice you will so develop this faculty that few will be able to withstand your gaze. This is a most interesting study, and you will have the pleasure of seeing the increase of the power of your eye manifested by the people with whom you come in contact. You will soon find that people will become restless and uneasy beneath your gaze, and some will manifest indications of something akin to fear, if you concentrate your gaze upon them for a few seconds. When once you have mastered this accomplishment and have acquired the strong magnetic gaze, you would not part with your gift for a large sum of money. You should not content yourself with merely performing the exercises given below, but should experiment on persons with whom you come in contact, and note the results. You can acquire a perfect working knowledge of the power of the eye, only by experiment upon "live subjects."
EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Take a piece of white writing paper about six inches square, upon which you have drawn a circle about the size of a silver quarter-dollar, the circle then being filled in with black ink so that the spot will stand out black and distinct upon the white background. Pin the paper upon the wall at about the height of your eyes when are seated. Place you chair in the middle of the room and seat yourself directly facing the paper. Fix your eyes steadily upon the black spot, and gaze at it firmly, without winking, for one minute. After resting the eyes, practice the exercise again. After resting the eyes, practice the exercise again. Repeat five times. With the chair in its original place, move your paper three feet to the right of its original position. Seat yourself and fix your gaze on the wall directly in front of you, then, without moving the head, cast the eyes to the right and gaze steadily at the spot for one minute. Repeat four times.
Then, placing the paper on the wall three feet to the left of its original position, gaze steadily at the spot for one minute. Repeat five times. Continue this exercise for three days, and then increase the time of the gaze to two minutes. At the end of three more days, increase the time to three minutes; and so on, increasing the time in one-minute increments every three days. Some persons have acquired the power of gazing steadily for twenty to thirty minutes, without winking or having their eyes fill with water, but I do not advise extending the limit beyond fifteen minutes. The man, who can maintain the gaze for fifteen minutes, can direct as powerful a gaze as he who has attained the thirty-minute record.
This exercise is the most important one, and, if faithfully followed up, will enable you to gaze steadily and earnestly at anyone with whom you are talking. It will impart a strong, masterful expression to the eye, and enable you to maintain a steady gaze, which few will be able to withstand. Dogs and other animals will quail before your gaze, and its effect will manifest itself also in numerous other ways. The practice of the exercises is somewhat tedious, but anyone will be amply repaid for the time and trouble bestowed upon it. If you are practicing hypnotism, you will find this gaze most helpful to you. It will have the further effect of causing the eye to appear fuller, by increasing the space between the eyelids.
Exercise 2. You may supplement the first exercise with the following, which will add variety, relieve the monotony, and accustom you to gaze into the eyes of others without embarrassment. Stand in front of your mirror and gaze into the reflection of your own eyes, in the manner mentioned in Exercise No. 1. Increase the time as in the previous exercise. This exercise will accustom you to bear the gaze of others, and also will enable you to obtain the best expression of the eye, and in other ways will be useful to you. It will enable you to see the growth and development of the characteristic expression of your eye when it is acquiring the magnetic gaze. By all means practice this exercise, systematically. Some authorities prefer this exercise to the preceding one, but, in my opinion, the best results are obtained by a combination of the two.
Exercise 3. Stand erect, facing the wall at a distance of three feet. Place your sheet of paper in front of you, with the spot directly in front of the eyes. Fix your gaze upon the spot, and then move your head around in a circle, keeping your gaze fixed upon the spot. As this exercise causes the eyes to roll around and keeping the gaze steady, the nerves and muscles receive considerable exercise. Vary the exercise by circling the head in different directions. Use the exercise mildly at first, and avoid tiring the eyes.
Exercise 4. Stand with you back against the wall, and, facing toward the opposite wall, shift your gaze rapidly from one point of the wall to another - right, left, up, down, zigzag, circle, etc. This exercise should be discontinued when the eyes begin to feel tired, the best plan for concluding the exercise being to gaze intently at one point, which will rest the eyes after the previous motion. This exercise is calculated to strengthen the muscles and nerves of the eye.
Exercise 5. After having acquired a firm gaze, you will gain confidence by persuading a friend to allow you to practice your gaze upon him. Place your friend in a chair opposite your own; sit down and gaze calmly, steadily and firmly into his eyes, instructing him to look at you as long as he can. You will find that you will easily tire him out, and that by the time he cries "enough" he will be in an almost hypnotic condition. If you have a hypnotic subject, he (or she) will answer still better. You also may try the strength of your gaze on a dog, cat or other animal, provided that you are able to induce it to stand still or lie still. You will find, however, that most animals will move away, or turn the head, in order to avoid you steady gaze.
You of course will distinguish between a steady, calm gaze, and an impudent stare. The first is indicative of the man of strong psychical power whilst the latter denotes the cad.
You will find, at first, that your strong, steady gaze may somewhat disconcert those with whom you come in contact, and may embarrass those at whom you are directing your gaze, causing them to become uneasy and "rattled" You will soon accustom yourself to your new power, and will use it discreetly, so as to avoid embarrassment to others whilst producing an effect on them.
I would caution you against discussing or speaking of your eye exercises, or practice of Personal Magnetism, to others, as that course would result only in making people suspicious of you, and in other ways proving a serious detriment to the proper use of your powers of influencing people. Keep your own secrets, and let your force manifest itself by results, not by boasting. In addition to these reasons, there are good occult reasons why you should keep your own council about your new accomplishments. A neglect to observe this advice will be a source of regret to you. Take your time in practicing these exercises, and do not rush things unduly. Follow Nature's rule and develop your power gradually but surely.
The Volic Force
Distinction between the adductive Quality of Thought and the Volic Force – Varying manifestations of thought vibrations - Definition of Volation and Volic Force - A most potent force - The real man - The "I Am"- Its recognition - Its importance - Man attains hither to unknown powers - The Soul of Man - The will - The secret of the development of the will - Active and Passive mentation - The projection of thought waves.
In the preceding lessons, I have given you an explanation of the manner whereby one person may attract another, in a personal interview, by means of the power of suggestion, etc. The person thus making the impression upon another is aided in his work by two other forces. The first of these assisting forces is what is known as the Adductive Quality of Thought, of which I will speak in subsequent lessons; the second is the Volative influence of the mind of one person over the mind of another. There is a marked difference in these two manifestations of the power of the mind. In the first instances, the Adductive Quality of Thought, once being set in motion, affects others without a conscious effort of your mind; your mere thinking strongly of certain things, setting a mighty force in motion which influences others. In the case of Volation, the mental vibrations are sent out and impelled by the conscious exercise of the will power of the sender, and are directed toward some special object; when the impelling power is withdrawn, the vibrations cease.
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