Part 6

Prof. Balfour Stewart, LL.D., F.R.S., who was present at some of these experiments, though not a member of the committee, expressed great amazement at some of the results. He reports: "The thought-reader was outside a door. The object or thing thought of was written on paper and silently handed to the company in the room. The thought reader was then called in, and in the course of a minute the answer was given. Definite objects in the room, for instance, were first thought of, and in the majority of the cases the answers were correct. Then numbers were thought of, and the answers were generally right, though, of course, there were some cases of error. The names of towns were thought of, and a good many of these were right. Then fancy names were thought of. I was asked to think of certain fancy names, and mark them down and hand them round to the company. I thought of and wrote on paper, 'Blue-beard,' 'Tom Thumb,' 'Cinderella.' and the answers were all correct!"

The committee also conducted a number of experiments with other recipients, with very satisfactory results. Colors were correctly guessed with a percentage of successes quite beyond the average or probable number. Names of towns in all parts of the world, were correctly "guessed" by certain recipients with a wonderful degree of success. But, probably most wonderful of all, was the correct reproduction of diagrams of geometrical and other figures and shapes. In one case, the recipient, in a series of nine trials, succeeded in drawing them all correctly, except that he frequently reversed them, making the upper-side down, and the right-hand side to the left. The Society, has published these reproduced diagrams in its Illustrated reports, and they have convinced the most skeptical of critics. Some of the diagrams were quite complicated, unusual, and even grotesque, and yet they were reproduced with marvelous accuracy, not in a hesitating manner, but deliberately and continuously, as if the recipient were actually copying a drawing in full sight. Similar results have been obtained by other investigators who have followed the lead of these original ones.

So you see, the seal of scientific authority has been placed upon the phenomena of telepathy. It is no longer in the realm of the supernatural or uncanny. As Camille Flammarion, the eminent French scientist, has said: "The action of one mind upon another at a distance--the transmission of thought, mental suggestion, communication at a distance--all these are not more extraordinary than the action of the magnet on iron, the influence of the moon on the sea, the transportation of the human voice by electricity, the revolution of the chemical constituents of a star by the analysis of its light, or, indeed, all the wonders of contemporary science. Only these psychic communications are of a more elevated kind, and may serve to put us on the track of a knowledge of human nature. What is certain is: That telepathy can and ought to be henceforth considered by Science as an incontestable reality; that minds are able to act upon each other without the intervention of the senses; that psychic force exists, though its nature is yet unknown. * * * We say that this force is of a psychic order, and not physical, or physiological, or chemical, or mechanical, because it produces and transmits ideas and thoughts, and because it manifests itself without the co-operation of our senses, soul to soul, mind to mind."

In addition to investigating the above mentioned classes of telepathic phenomena, the English Society for Psychical Research investigated many remarkable cases of a somewhat higher phase of telepathy. They took down the stories told by persons deemed responsible, and then carefully examined, and cross-examined other witnesses to the strange phenomena. The record of these experiments, and investigations, fill a number of good sized volumes of the Society's reports, which are well worth reading by all students of the subject. They may be found in the libraries of nearly any large city. I shall, however, select a number of the most interesting of the cases therein reported, to give my students an idea of the character of the phenomena so investigated and found genuine by the committees having this class of telepathy under investigation.

An interesting case of spontaneous telepathy is that related by Dr. Ede, as follows: "There is a house about a half-mile from my own, inhabited by some ladies, friends of our family. They have a large alarm bell outside their house. One night I awoke suddenly and said to my wife: 'I am sure I hear Mrs. F's alarm bell ringing.' After listening for some time, we heard nothing, and I went to sleep again. The next day Mrs. F. called upon my wife and said to her: 'We were wishing for your husband last night, for we were alarmed by thieves. We were all up, and I was about to pull the alarm bell, hoping that he would hear it, saying to my daughters, "I am sure it will soon bring Dr. Ede," but we did not ring it.' My wife asked what time this had happened, and Mrs. F. said that it was about half past one. That was the time I awoke thinking that I heard the bell."

In this case there was manifested simply ordinary physical plane telepathy. Had the bell actually been rung, and heard psychically, it would have been a case of astral plane hearing, known as clairaudience. As it was, merely the thought in the mind of Mrs. F., and her strong idea to ring the bell, caused a transmission of thought waves which struck Dr. Ede with great force and awakened him. This case is interesting because it is typical of many cases of a similar nature within the experience of many persons. It is seen that a strong feeling, or excitement, accompanied by a strong desire or wish to summon another person, tends to give great power and effect to the thought waves emitted. They strike the mind of the recipient like the sudden ringing of an alarm clock bell.

Another interesting case is that of two ladies, both well known to members of the committee, and vouched for as of strict veracity. This case is unusual for the reason that two different persons received the thought-waves at the same time. Here is an abridgment of the case: "Lady G. and her sister had been spending the evening with their mother, who was in her usual health and spirits when they left her. In the middle of the night the sister awoke in her fright and said to her husband: 'I must go to my mother at once; do order the carriage. I am sure that she is taken ill.' On the way to her mother's house, where two roads meet, she saw Lady G.'s carriage approaching. When they met each asked the other why she was there. They both related the same experience and impression. When they reached their mother's house, they found that she was dying, and had expressed an earnest wish to see them."

Another case of a similar nature is this: "At the siege of Mooltan, Major General R., then adjutant of his regiment, was severely wounded and supposed himself to be dying. He requested that his ring be taken off his finger and sent to his wife. At the same time his wife was at Ferozepore, one hundred and fifty miles distant, lying on her bed, in a state half way between waking and sleeping. She saw her husband being taken off the field, and heard his voice saying: 'Take this ring off my finger, and send it to my wife.'"

This case bears the marks of very strong telepathy, but also has a suspicious resemblance to clairvoyance accompanied by clairaudience. Or perhaps it is a combination of both telepathy and clairvoyance. It is impossible to determine which, in absence of more detailed information. The message of persons dying, or believing themselves to be approaching death, are frequently very strong, for certain reasons well known to occultists. But there is nothing supernatural about the phenomena, and in most cases it is merely a case of strong telepathy.

The Society also reports the following interesting case: "A. was awake, and strongly willed to make himself known to two friends who at that time (one o'clock in the morning) were asleep. When he met them a few days afterward, they both told him that at one o'clock they had awakened under the impression that he was in their room. The experience was so vivid that they could not go to sleep for some time, and looked at their watches to note the time." Cases of this kind are quite common, and many experimenters have had equally good results with this phase of thought transference. You will remember that there is no actual projection of the astral body, in most of these cases, but merely a strong impression caused by concentrated thought.

Another interesting case is that of the late Bishop Wilberforce, and is recorded in his biography, as follows: The Bishop was in his library at Cuddleson, with three or four of his clergy with him at the same table. The Bishop suddenly raised his hand to his head, and exclaimed: "I am certain that something has happened to one of my sons." It afterwards transpired that just at that time his eldest son's foot was badly crushed by an accident on board his ship, the son being at sea. The Bishop himself recorded the circumstance in a letter to Miss Noel, saying: "It is curious that at the time of his accident I was so possessed with the depressing consciousness of some evil having befallen my son, Herbert, that at the last, I wrote down that I was unable to shake off the impression that something had happened to him, and noted this down for remembrance." There is nothing unusual about this case, for it has been duplicated in the experience of many persons. Its chief importance lies in the fact that it is recorded by a man of wide reputation and high standing, and also that the Bishop had taken the precaution to note down the thing at the time, instead of merely recalling it after he had heard of the accident.

You will notice that in many cases of this kind the phenomenon closely approaches the aspect of true clairvoyance, or astral sensing. In some cases there appears to be a blending of both telepathy and astral clairvoyance. In fact, there is but very little difference between the highest phases of ordinary telepathy, and the more common phases of clairvoyance. Here, as in many other cases of Nature's forces, there seems to be a gradual blending, rather than a sharp dividing line between the two classes of phenomena. Moreover, the student developing his telepathic powers will frequently find that he is beginning to unfold at least occasional flashes of clairvoyance.

In the case of telepathy, the recipient merely senses what is in the mind of the projector. In some cases a picture in the mind of the projector may be seen by the recipient, and may thus be mistaken for a case of pure clairvoyance. But, in investigating closely, it will be found that the real scene was slightly different from the impression, in which case it shows that the impression was simply telepathic. Clairvoyant vision shows the scene as it really is, or rather as the physical eye of the recipient would have seen it. The astral sight really sees the scene, and does not merely receive the mental impression of the projector. The first is original seeing; the second, merely a reproduction of images already in the mind of the projector, and colored by his personality, etc.

In the next lesson, I shall give you a number of exercises and methods designed to develop your telepathic powers. You will find the practice of these most interesting and entertaining, and at the same time most instructive. You will find that as you practice the exercises given therein, you will become more and more adept and proficient in producing telepathic phenomena. From the lower stages, you will be able to proceed to the higher. And, in time, you will be surprised to find that almost unconsciously you have passed into the stage in which you will have at least occasional manifestations of clairvoyance, psychometry, etc.

In fact, there is no better way known to practical occultists to develop in a student the powers of clairvoyance than just this method of starting the student with the exercises designed to develop the telepathic power. It has been found by centuries of experience that the student who develops telepathic power, in a systematic way, will gradually unfold and evolve the clairvoyant and psychometric power. It constitutes the first rungs on the ladder of psychic development.

Of course, under the head of clairvoyance, etc., you will be given methods and exercise designed to develop clairvoyant powers--some of them very valuable and effective methods, at that. But, notwithstanding this, I feel that I should impress upon you the importance of laying a firm foundation for such instruction, by developing yourself first along the lines of telepathic power. Such a course will not only keenly sharpen your powers of receptivity to such vibrations as you may wish to receive; but it will also train your mind in the direction of translating, interpreting, and recording such impressions when received.

You must remember that proficiency in a mental art is attained only by means of training the attention to concentrate upon the task. It is the same way in clairvoyance and psychometry. Telepathy trains your attention to concentrate upon the reception of impressions, and to hold them firmly and clearly in consciousness. The result is that when you really develop clairvoyant receptivity, your attention has already been trained to do the necessary work. I need not tell you what an advantage this gives you over the clairvoyant who has not received this training, for your own good common sense will assure you of it.

So, now for our training in telepathy--not only for itself, but also as a means of preparing for the higher stages.

LESSON V.

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, collusion, 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.