Mind Reading And Beyond
The simpler forms of telepathic phenomena have received the name "Mind
Reading" and by some have been regarded as something not quite within the
class of real telepathy. This last impression has been heightened by the
fact that there has been offered the public many spectacular exhibitions
of pseudo mind-reading, that is to say, imitation or counterfeit
mind-reading, in which the result has been obtained by trickery,
c
llusion, or clever artifice. But, notwithstanding this fact, genuine
mind-reading is actually a phase of true telepathy.
What is generally known as mind-reading may be divided into two classes,
as follows: (1) where there is an actual physical contact between the
projector and the receiver; and (2) where there is no actual physical
contact, but where there is a close relation in space between the two
parties, as in the case of the "willing game." In the first class belong
all cases in which the projector touches the recipient, or at least is
connected with him by a material object. In the second class belong those
cases in which the recipient seeks to find an object which is being
thought of by either a single projector, or by a number of persons in the
same room. You will notice that both of these classes were omitted from
the experiments of the Society for Psychical Research, because of the
possibility of fraud or collusion. But, nevertheless, the student will do
well to acquire proficiency in manifesting this form of telepathy, not
alone for its own sake, but, also, because it naturally leads to higher
development.
In the case of the first class of mind-reading namely, that in which
actual physical contact is had between the projector and the recipient,
there has been a disposition on the part of some authorities to explain
the whole matter by the theory of unconscious muscular impulse of the
projector; but those who have carefully studied this subject, and who have
themselves performed the feats of this class of mind-reading, know that
there is far more than this to it. Those familiar with the subject know
that there is a decided transference of thought-waves from the projector
to the recipient, and that the latter actually "feels" the same as they
strike upon his mental receiving apparatus. The whole difference between
this and the higher forms of telepathy is that in this the
thought-currents generally run along the wires of the nervous system,
instead of leaping across the space between the two persons.
It is known to all who have conducted this class of experiments, that at
times there will be experienced a change or shifting in the transmission
of the thought-currents. For a time, the thought-waves will be felt
flowing in along the nerves of the hands and arms when, all of a sudden
this will cease, and there will be experienced the passage of the current
direct from brain to brain. It is impossible to describe this feeling in
mere words, to those who have never experienced it. But those to whom it
has once been manifested will recognize at once just what I mean by this
statement. It is a different sensation from any other in the experience of
a human being, and must actually be experienced to be understood. The
nearest analogy I can offer is that feeling experienced by the person when
a forgotten name for which he has vainly sought, suddenly flashes or leaps
into his consciousness--it is felt to come from somewhere outside of the
conscious field. Well, in the case of the thought-current the feeling is
much the same, only there is a fuller sense of the "outsideness" of the
source of the thought.
In order to make you understand the distinction between the two classes of
mind-reading more clearly, I will say that you may think of one as akin to
the ordinary telegraphy over wires; and of the other as akin to wireless
telegraphy. It is the same force in both cases, the difference being
simply one of the details of transmission. Fix this idea firmly in your
mind, and you will have no trouble in always having the right conception
of any kind of case of mind-reading, or telepathy. But, you must remember,
there are cases in which there is a combination of both methods of
transmission, either simultaneously, or else shifting and changing from
one to the other.
I will here remind the student that he will learn more by a half-dozen
actual experiments in mind-reading, than he will by reading a dozen books
on the subject. It is very good to read the books in order to get the
correct theory well fixed in mind, and also in order to learn the best
methods as taught by those who have had a wide experience in the subject;
but the real "how" of the matter is learned only through actual
experience. So, I shall now give you advice and instructions concerning
actual experimental work.
You, the student, should begin by making yourself a good recipient--that
is a good "mind reader," allowing others to play the part of projector.
Later on, you may play the part of projector, if you so desire, but the
real "fine work" is done by the recipient, and, for that reason that is
the part you should learn to play by frequent rehearsals.
I advise you to begin your experiments with friends who are in sympathy
with you, and who are interested in the subject. Avoid particularly all
early experiments with uncongenial or unsympathetic persons; and avoid as
you would a pestilence all those who are antagonistic either to yourself
or to the general subject of telepathy and kindred subjects. As you must
make yourself especially "sensitive" in order to successfully conduct a
mind-reading test, you will find yourself particularly susceptible to the
mental attitude of those around you at such times, and therefore should
surround yourself only with those who are congenial and sympathetic.
You will find that there is a great difference between the several persons
whom you "try out" as projectors. Some will be more "en rapport" with you
than are others who may be equally good friends. "En rapport," you know,
means "in vibrational harmony." When two persons are en rapport with each
other, they are like two wireless telegraphic instruments perfectly
attuned to each other. In such cases there are obtained the very best
results. You will soon learn to distinguish the degree of en rapport
conditions between yourself and different persons--you soon learn to
"feel" this condition. In the beginning, it will be well for you to try
several persons, one after the other, in your mind-reading experiments, in
order to pick out the best one, and also to learn the "feel" of the
different degrees of en rapport condition.
Even in cases of persons in whom the en rapport conditions are good, it is
well to establish a rhythmic unison between you. This is done by both you
and the person breathing in rhythmic unison a few moments. Begin by
counting "one-two-three-four," like the slow ticking of a large clock.
Have the other person join with you in so counting, until your minds both
work in the same rhythmic time. Then you should have him breathe in unison
with you, making a mental count with you at the same time, so that you
will "breathe together." Count (mentally) "one-two-three-four," as you
inhale; the "one-two," holding the breath; and, then "one-two-three-four,"
exhaling or breathing-out. Try this several times, and, you will find that
you have established a rhythmic unison between yourself and the other
person. In the progress of an experiment, if you should find that the
conditions are not as good as might be desired, you will do well to pause
for a few moments and re-establish the proper rhythmic harmony by this
method of harmonious rhythmic breathing.
Begin by having the projector select some prominent object in the room, a
chair, or table for instance. Then have him take your left hand in his
right hand. Raise your left hand, held in his right hand, to your
forehead; then close your eyes and remain passive a few moments. Have him
concentrate his mind intently on the selected object--and will that you
should move toward it. Have him think of nothing else except that object,
and to will you to move toward it, with all his power. Close your eyes,
and quiet your mind, opening your consciousness to every mental impression
that he may send you. Instruct him to think not merely "chair," for
instance, but rather "there--go there." The main thought in his mind must
be that of direction. He must will that you move toward that chair.
After a moment or two, you will begin to feel a vague, general impulse to
move your feet. Obey the impulse. Take a few slow steps in any direction
that seems easy to you. Sometimes this will take you in an opposite
direction from that of the chair, but it will "get you going," and you
will soon begin to feel that the direction is "all wrong," and will begin
to be mentally pulled in the right direction. You will have to actually
experience this feeling, before you will fully understand just what I
mean.
After some little practice, you will begin to feel quite distinctly the
mental direction, or will-force, of the projector, which will seem to tell
you to "come this way--now stop--now turn a little to the right--now a
little to the left--now stop where you are, and put out your right
hand--lower your hand--move your hand a little to the right--that's it,
now you have got it all right." You will soon learn to distinguish between
the "no, that's wrong" thought, and the "that's right" one; and between
the "go on," and the "come on" one. By making yourself completely passive,
and receptive and obedient to the thought and will-impulses of the
projector, you will soon act like a ship under the influence of the rudder
in the hand of the projector.
After you have attained proficiency in receiving the mental impressions
and directions, you will find yourself attracted or drawn, like a piece of
steel to the magnet, toward the object selected. It will sometimes seem as
if you were being moved to it even against your own will--and as if
someone else were actually moving your feet for you. Sometimes the impulse
will come so strong that you will actually rush ahead of the projector,
dragging him along with you, instead of having him a little in advance, or
by your side. It is all a matter of practice.
You will soon discover the great difference between different projectors.
Some of them will be in perfect en rapport condition with you, while
others will fail to get into tune with you. Some projectors do not seem
to know what is required of them, and usually forget to "will" you to the
object. It helps sometimes to tell them that the whole thing depends upon
their will power, and that the stronger their will is, the easier it is
for you to find the thing. This puts them on their mettle, and makes them
use their will more vigorously.
You will soon learn to recognize that peculiar feeling of "all right,"
that comes when you finally stand in front of the desired object. Then you
begin to move your right hand up and down and around, until you get the
right "feel" about that also, when you should place your hand on the place
which seems to attract you most. You will find that the hand is just as
responsive to the mental force, as are the feet. You will soon learn to
distinguish between the mental signals: "up," "down," "to the right," "to
the left," "stop now, you're right," etc. I cannot tell you just the
difference--you must learn to "feel" them, and you will soon become expert
in this. It is like learning to skate, run an automobile, operate a
typewriter or anything else--all a matter of exercise and practice. But it
is astonishing how rapidly one may learn; and how, at times, one seems to
progress by great leaps and bounds. Now I shall give you the different
stages or steps, which you will do well to follow in your exercises,
progressing from the more simple to the more complex--but be sure to
thoroughly master the simple ones, before you pass on to the more complex
one. Be honest and strict with yourself--make yourself "pass the
examination" before promotion, in each and every step.
1. LOCATIONS. Begin by finding particular locations in a room;
corners, alcoves, doors, etc.
2. LARGE OBJECTS. Then begin to find large objects, such as tables,
chairs, book-cases, etc.
3. SMALL OBJECTS. Then proceed to find small objects, such as books
on a table, sofa-cushions, ornaments, paper-knives, etc. Gradually work
down to very small objects, such as scarf-pins, articles of jewelry,
pocket-knives, etc.
4. CONCEALED OBJECTS. Then proceed to find small objects that have
been concealed under other objects, such as a pocket-book beneath a
sofa-cushion, etc.; or a key in a book; or a key under a rug, etc.
5. MINUTE OBJECTS. Then proceed to discover very small objects,
either concealed or else placed in an inconspicuous place, such as a pin
stuck in the wall, etc.; or a small bean under a vase, etc.
The public performers of mind reading vary the above by sensational
combinations, but you will readily see that these are but ingenious
arrangements of the above general experiments, and that no new principle
is involved. As these lessons are designed for serious study and
experiment, and not for sensational public performances, I shall not enter
into this phase of the subject in these pages. The student who understands
the general principles, and is able to perform the above experiments
successfully, will have no difficulty in reproducing the genuine feats of
the public mind readers, by simply using his ingenuity in arranging the
stage-effects, etc. Among other things, he will find that he will be able
to obtain results by interposing a third person between the projector and
himself; or by using a short piece of wire to connect himself and the
projector. Drawing pictures on a blackboard, or writing out names on a
slate, by means of thought direction, are simply the result of a fine
development of the power of finding the small article--the impulse to move
the hand in a certain direction comes in precisely the same way. The
public driving feats of the professional mind-reader are but a more
complicated form of the same general principle--the impression of
"direction" once obtained, the rest is a mere matter of detail. The
opening of the combination of a safe, though requiring wonderful
proficiency on the part of the operator, is simply an elaboration of the
"direction" movement.
Some recipients are, of course, far more proficient than are others; but
each and every person--any person of average intelligence--will be able to
secure more or less proficiency in these experiments, provided that
patience and practice are employed. There is no such thing as an absolute
failure possible to anyone who will proceed intelligently, and will
practice sufficiently. Sometimes, after many discouraging attempts, the
whole thing will flash into one's mind at once, and after that there will
be little or no trouble. If you are able to witness the demonstrations of
some good mind-reader, professional or amateurs it will help you to
"catch the knack" at once.
You will find that these experiments will tend to greatly and rapidly
develop your psychic receptivity in the direction of the higher phases of
psychic phenomena. You will be surprised to find yourself catching flashes
or glimpses of ^higher telepathy, or even clairvoyance. I would advise
every person wishing to cultivate the higher psychic faculties, to begin
by perfecting himself or herself in these simpler forms of mind-reading.
Besides the benefits obtained, the practice proves very interesting, and
opens many doors to pleasant social entertainment. But, never allow the
desire for social praise or popularity, in these matters, to spoil you for
serious investigation and experiment.
THE SECOND STEP OF DEVELOPMENT. The student, having perfected himself
in the experiments along the lines of the first class of mind-reading,
viz., where there is no actual physical contact between the projector and
recipient, but where there is a close relation in space between the two.
Now, the thoughtful student will naturally wish to ask a question here,
something like this: "You have told us that there is no real difference
between telepathy at a great distance, and that in which there is only the
slightest difference in the position of the projector and recipient,
providing, always, that there is no actual physical contact. This being
so, why your insistence upon the 'close relation in space' just
mentioned?--what is the reason for this nearness?" Well, it is like this:
While there is no distinction of space in true telepathy, still in
experiments such as I shall now describe, the physical nearness of the
projector enables him to concentrate more forcibly, and also gives
confidence to the new beginner in receiving mind-currents. The benefit is
solely that of the psychological effect upon the minds of the two persons,
and has nothing to do with the actual power of the telepathic waves. It is
much easier for a person to concentrate his thought and will upon a person
in actual physical sight before him, than upon one out of sight. And,
likewise, the recipient finds himself more confident and at ease when in
the actual physical of the person sending the thoughts and will power.
That is all there is to it. When the persons have acquired familiarity
with projecting and receiving, then this obstacle is overcome, and long
distances have no terror for them.
The best way for the student to start in on this class of mind-reading, is
for him to experiment occasionally while performing his physical contact
mind-reading experiments. For instance, while engaged in searching for an
object let him disengage his hand from that of the projector for a moment
or so, and then endeavor to receive the impressions without contact. (This
should be done only in private experiments, not in public ones.) He will
soon discover that he is receiving thought impulses in spite of the lack
of physical contact--faint, perhaps, but still perceptible. A little
practice of this kind will soon convince him that he is receiving the
mental currents direct from brain to brain. This effect will be increased
if he arranges to have several persons concentrate their thoughts and will
power upon him during the experiment. From this stage, he will gradually
develop into the stage of the Willing Game.
The Willing Game, quite popular in some circles, is played by one person
(usually blind-folded) being brought into the room in which a number of
persons have previously agreed upon some object to be found by him, they
concentrating their thought firmly upon the object. The audience should be
taught to not only to think but also to actively "will" the progress of
the recipient from the start to the finish of the hunt. They should "will"
him along each step of his journey, and then "will" his hand to the object
itself wherever it be hidden.
An adept in the receiving end of the Willing Game will be able to perform
all the experiments that I have just pointed out to you in the contact
mind-reading class. In the Willing Game, you must remember that there is
no taking hold of hands or any other form of physical contact between
projector and recipient. The transmission of the mental currents must be
direct, from brain to brain. Otherwise, the two classes of experiments are
almost identical. There is the same "willing" toward the object on the
part of the projectors, and the same passive obedience of the recipient.
All the difference is that the current now passes over the ether of
space, as in the case of the wireless message, instead of over the wires
of the nervous system of the two persons.
The next step is that of "guessing" the name of things thought of by the
party. I can give you no better directions than those followed by the
investigators in the Creery children, as related in a preceding chapter of
this book. When you become sufficiently proficient in this class of
mind-reading, you should be able to reproduce every experiment there
mentioned, with at least a fair degree of success. It is all a matter of
patience, perseverance and practice.
After you have become very proficient in this class of experiments, you
may begin to try experiments at "long distance," that is where the
projector is out of your physical presence. It makes no difference whether
the distance be merely that between two adjoining rooms, or else of miles
of space. At first, however, nearness adds confidence in the majority of
cases. Confidence once gained, the distance may be lengthened
indefinitely, without impairing the success of the experiments. The long
distance experiments may consist either of the receiving of single words,
names, etc., or else distinct, clear messages or ideas. Some find it no
more difficult to reproduce simile geometrical designs, such as circles,
squares, triangles, etc., than to reproduce words or ideas.
In long distance experiments, it is well for the projector to write down
the word or thought he wishes to transmit, and for the recipient to write
down the impressions he receives. These memoranda will serve as a record
of progress, and will, moreover, give a scientific value to the
experiments.
Some experimenters have been quite successful in experiments along the
lines of Automatic Writing from living persons, produced by means of long
distance telepathy. In these cases the recipient sits passively at the
hour agreed upon for the experiment, and the projector concentrates
intently upon a sentence, or several sentences, one word at a time--at the
same time "willing" the other person to write the word. The famous
investigator of psychic phenomena, the late W.T. Stead, editor of a London
newspaper, who went down on the "Titanic," was very successful in
experiments of this kind. His written records of these are very
interesting and instructive.
You will, of course, understand that in all cases of long distance
telepathic experiments there should be an understanding between the two
persons regarding the time and duration of the experiment, so as to obtain
the best results. Personally, however, I have known of some very excellent
results in which the receiving of the message occurred several hours after
the sending--thus showing that telepathy is in a measure independent of
time, as well as of space. But, as a rule, the best results are obtained
when the two persons "sit" simultaneously.
Do not rest content with accepting the reports of others regarding these
things. Try them for yourself. You will open up a wonderful world of new
experiences for yourself. But, remember always, you must proceed step by
step, perfecting yourself at each step before proceeding to the next.