The Science of Mind

by Ernest Holmes

  DEEP TELEPATHIC MESSAGES

  It is possible at times for a psychic to tell one most of the incidents that have happened in his life, and also to tell of his friends and many of the incidents that have happened to them. This is done by entering the subjective realm of the individual and reading the thoughts and mental pictures that are hung on the wall of his memory. When a psychic tells one something about his friends, he is entering their thought through the sympathetic vibration of the one whose thought he is reading. We are always in mental contact with our friends on the subjective side of life; and a psychic, tuning in on these vibrations, reads the thoughts that come over the mental wireless.

  READING THE HISTORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL

  Often a psychic will enter a person's mentality and give him a fairly complete history of his past and of the family from which he came, going back, perhaps, for several generations, naming ancestors and the things that engaged their attention while on earth. He is reading the records of what has already happened and is a subjective remembrance of his family.

  For instance, people have often said to me: "I saw Emerson standing behind you this morning." Of course they did not see Emerson; what they saw was a mental picture of him; the reason being that I am a student of Emerson, and each is surrounded by the forms of the people he knows and the forms of those whose thought he studies.

  PERSONAL READINGS

  One is surprised when he goes to a medium and is told his own, and perhaps his mother's name, and is told by the medium that his mother stands beside him. The psychic often tells just how she looked while in the flesh. Now it might or might not be, that what the medium says is true; for, while this personality might be consciously near, the chances are more than even that she is not, but that the medium is simply looking at a picture of her as she once was while in the flesh.

  A medium might, by reading one's subjectivity, be able to tell something about people who were not present at the time; because each, through a sympathetic vibration of thought, is connected with the subjective emanations of those whom he likes, of those with whom he is associated and of those to whom he vibrates. These people might be in the flesh or out of it.

  The personal reading appears to be limited either to the immediate individual or to some one with whom he is in contact. The value of subjective mind reading is more or less uncertain. Generally all that a psychic can tell is about something that has already happened or something that might happen as the result of a subjective tendency already set in motion. There are, however, deeper messages than these.

  STREAMS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

  Each, being an individual identity in Mind, is known by the name he bears, and by the vibration which he emanates. For, while we are all One in Mind and Spirit, we each have a separate and an individualized personality. This is the only way that Spirit can individualize, making it possible for many to live in the One.

  Each, then, is represented by his stream of consciousness; nd each, continuously functioning in Mind, builds around himself an aura or mental atmosphere, which, in its turn, is constantly flowing out as a stream of consciousness.

  Because of the Unity of Mind, each is one with the All; and at the point where he contacts the All, he universalizes himself. This will be easily understood when we realize that man always uses the One Mind. He is in It and thinks into It; and because It is Universal, his thought may be picked up by any one who is able to tune in on that thought, just as we pick up radio messages. A radio message, broadcast from New York City, is immediately present all around the world. Hard as this concept may be to grasp, we know it to be the truth.

  Let us shift the basis to mentality and we shall see that the same thing happens when we think. We think into the One Mind, and this thought is immediately present everywhere. It is in this sense that each one is universal. According to the Unity of Mind, thought is everywhere present, and so long as it persists it will be. What is known in one place may be known in all places.

  NO OBSTRUCTIONS TO THOUGHT

  Time, space and obstructions are unknown to Mind and thought. It follows, then, that any one tuning in on our thought will enter into our stream of consciousness, no matter where we are or where he may be. And if we still persist after the body shall have suffered the shock of physical death, this law must still hold good; for past and present are one and the same in Mind. Time is only the measure of an experience, and space, of itself, is not apart from, but is in, Mind.

  ENTERING THE STREAM OF THOUGHT

  A psychic can enter the stream of thought of any one whose vibration he can mentally contact, be that person in the flesh or out of it; and since we are all psychic, all having a soul element, we are all, doubtless, communicating with each other to the degree that we sympathetically vibrate toward each other. (This explains the medium through which absent treatment takes place.)

  We do not all have the ability to objectify psychic impressions, and ordinarily they never come to the surface; however, they are there just the same. This is the reason why we often feel so uneasy when in the presence of certain people, or when we mentally contact some condition, having an uneasy inner feeling but without any apparent reason.

  THE VIBRATION OF A BOOK

  As we read and study people's thought, we gradually enter into the current of their consciousness and begin to read between the lines; we are unconsciously reading their inner mentalities. This is why we enjoy reading the thoughts of the great mentalities of all ages. More that is unwritten comes to us than mere words could possibly convey.

  WHY SAINTS HAVE SEEN JESUS

  Many of the saints have seen Jesus in this way. That is, through studying His words and works, they have so completely entered His thought that they have seen a picture of Him; for the pictures of everything and everybody are hung on the walls of time and any one who can enter may read. It does not follow that these saints have seen Jesus, but that they have, without doubt, seen His likeness, or what the world believes to be His likeness, hung on the walls of time. When we look at a picture of a person we are not looking at the person, but at a likeness of him.

  MANY MENTAL PICTURES

  We are all surrounded by mental pictures, and a good psychic sees these pictures clairvoyantly and reads our thoughts telepathically. A good medium has the ability, more or less clearly, to bring these pictures and thoughts to the surface and objectify them; but it does not follow that he is really communicating with the people whose pictures he sees.

  THE HUMAN AURA

  Every one constantly radiates some kind of a vibration, and consequently is always surrounded by some kind of a mental atmosphere. This is called the aura; it extends from a few inches to a few feet from the body and sometimes even farther. It varies in color and density with the varying degrees of consciousness. In moments of spiritual realization the aura is bright yellow, merging into almost a pure white; and in moments of rage it is dark and murky in appearance. There are as many colors in the aura as there are varying degrees of thought-activity in the mentality.

  HALO

  The halo which artists have portrayed around the heads of the saints is real, and not an idea of the artists. There is a more pronounced emanation from the head than from any other part of the body, because thought operates through the brain more than through any other part of the human instrument.

  It is said that the face of Jesus shone so brightly, at times, that His disciples could not look upon it without becoming blinded by its brilliancy.

  UNPLEASANT ATMOSPHERES

  In a combat of wills the atmosphere sometimes appears to strike sparks as though a battle were being waged on the subjective side of life. Unpleasant people always have a disagreeable atmosphere and morbid people always depress. A radiant aura emanates from the one who lives a normal, happy life, and who is always at peace within himself.

  HABIT

  Habits are formed by first consciously thinking, and then unconsciously acting. But few realize that when one consciously thinks, some
thing must happen to his thoughts. What one thinks to-day will to-morrow be a part of his memory; and since memory is active, what he thinks to-day as a conscious thought will to-morrow be submerged but active thought.

  This is how a habit is formed; first it is a desire, then comes the expression of this desire, then the desire becomes subjective and the subconscious action of thought causes it to be performed automatically. First we control thought, then thought controls us.

  "First the man takes a drink,

  Then the drinks takes a drink,

  Then the drink takes the man."

  Constant repetition gradually forms such a thought force on the subjective side of life that the very force created, in its turn, controls the one who created it. How careful we should be about what we let down into the deeper currents of mentality! All habits are formed in much the same way; they are at first conscious; then they become unconscious or subconscious. A person may create such a strong desire that it will compel him to put it into execution; this is called mania.

  MANIA

  Literally speaking, mania is a desire too strong to be controlled. We speak of one having a mania for certain things; that is, he has subjectified so much desire along some particular line that he becomes controlled by the very power which he has set in motion. Morbid people are more liable to do this than normally minded ones. For instance, let a sensitive person become despondent and he may think of committing suicide. This thought, at first, may be put aside as unworthy, but as it returns it receives a little more attention, until at last it may become so strong that it is irresistible.

  Most murders are committed from this mental attitude; and most murderers are people who are mentally sick. Some day this will be better understood; such people will be considered sick and will be healed mentally. This shows how very careful we should be to control our thinking, never allowing the mentality to conceive ideas which we do not wish to see manifest. After all, these things are mental attitudes, and the best way to heal them is through mental treatment.

  OBSESSION

  Obsession is another form of mental control and may or may not be conscious at its inception. People may become obsessed with desires, thoughts, ambitions, habits, suggestions or other mental influences; and if the spirits of undeveloped entities surround us, it seems entirely possible that people may become obsessed by them.

  The obsession of desire produces a mania to express that desire; for thought demands an outlet. Some are so obsessed by their ambitions that they are constantly driven to the accomplishment of them. Some are obsessed by the suggestion of their environment, for the mental atmosphere of places often obsesses people, compelling them to do certain things and without any apparent reason. In studying a case of obsession we should take all the facts into consideration and reason from effect back to cause.

  PERSONAL INFLUENCE AND OBSESSION

  People often become mildly obsessed by the mentalities of those surrounding them; this is called personal contagion. Many take on the color of their environment, and this should be guarded against, for it is a mild form of hypnotism. It is, of course, brought about through the suggestive power of unconscious mental action, and may or may not be malicious. We should never allow ourselves to become controlled by anything that we do not consciously allow to enter the thought. If one feels an influence silently demanding attention, he should at once declare that there is no power, in the flesh or out of it, that can control him except, of course, the One Perfect Mind.

  OBSESSION OF DISCARNATE SPIRITS

  If we are surrounded by discarnate spirits, they, also, might control us through suggestion; that is, if we allowed them to do so. By thinking toward us with a strong desire, they might so implant this desire on the subjective side of our thought that it would come up from within, causing us to do certain things which we never consciously thought of doing. This, of course, is hypnotic influence; but all mental influence is hypnotic, varying only in degree. If it is true that discarnate spirits are around us (and it appears to be true), we should carefully guard against the possibility of any mental influence from them. The statement that ONLY THE ONE MIND CONTROLS will protect us from any and all wrong mental influences of whatever nature, whether emanating from those in the flesh or out of it.

  GENERAL THEORY OF OBSESSION AND MENTAL INFLUENCE

  All obsession, of whatever character, is some form of mental influence, and can easily be destroyed by making the above stated affirmation. We should never for one instant allow the suggestions of other mentalities to control us. The day will come when people will choose the thoughts that they allow to enter the mind as carefully as they now choose the food they eat. Staying close to the thought of the One Mind is a safe and sure protection from any and all wrong mental influence.

  INSANITY

  Insanity is the complete control of the conscious mind by the unconscious or subjective mind. Dwelling too long on one idea, or some sudden shock, seems to produce this state. It is easily healed by knowing that there is but ONE MIND, AND THAT IT CANNOT FORGET ITSELF. THERE IS ONE MIND IN GOD, AND THIS MIND OUR MIND NOW.

  THE PSYCHIC POWER MUST BE CONTROLLED

  The psychic power should always be under full control of the conscious mind; otherwise, all sorts of influences may be picked up, which, operating under the guise of seemingly real individualities, control the one who admits them. When the psychic power is under full control of the conscious mind, it furnishes a wonderful storehouse of knowledge; for, being the seat of memory of both the individual and the race, it contains much that we do not consciously know.

  NORMAL STATE

  A normal condition would be a complete balance between the objective and subjective mentalities. This would give an immediate access to all the wisdom of the human race, and might even extend much farther, for it could give access to a higher state, which is now more or less clogged by contrary suggestions.

  The subjective side of thought is the sole and only medium between the relative and the Absolute. If one were in full control of his inner mentality he could, at once, enter the Absolute, and his every word would bear fruit. Jesus was such an One.

  In attempting to accomplish this we do not have to come under control of any power other than that of our inner selves and our higher selves; anything less than this is dangerous. Many seem to think that simply because they are under control they must be dealing with spiritual power. NO GREATER MISTAKE WAS EVER MADE. Jesus, Who was fully illumined, always kept His full state of conscious thought and personal volition.

  THE AIM OF EVOLUTION

  The aim of evolution is to produce a man who, at the objective point of his own self-determination, may completely manifest the inner life of the Spirit. Even the Spirit does not seek to control us, for It lets us alone to discover ourselves.

  The most precious thing that man possesses is his own individuality; indeed, this is the only thing that he really has, or is; and for one instant to allow any outside influence to enter or control this individuality is a crime against man's real self.

  THE STATE OF TRANCE

  The trance state is any state of mentality that allows itself to become submerged. It varies in degree from simply allowing the mind to become receptive, which is harmless, to a complete self-denial of the objective consciousness, i.e., allowing any and all influences to be picked up. This is very dangerous.

  There are many normal psychics who can, while in a perfectly objective state, read people's thoughts and perform many other wonderful feats of the mind. This is normal and no harm can come from it. It is, indeed, one of nature's ways of working and is most interesting.

  NORMAL PSYCHIC CAPACITIES

  Any psychic power that can be used while in a normal state of mind is harmless and helpful; that is, any psychic power which can be used while one is in a perfectly conscious state of mentality. Many have this power and find that it is helpful as well as interesting. This power can be developed by knowing that the WITHIN AND THE WITHOUT ARE REALLY ONE.<
br />
  ABNORMAL PSYCHIC POWERS

  Abnormal psychic powers are developed in the full trance state; that is, when the medium becomes controlled by surrounding influences. In this state some wonderful and hidden powers of mind are revealed.

  In certain psychic states people can see, hear and read others' thoughts; travel abroad and perform many other marvelous feats, which in the conscious state seem impossible. No doubt the time will come when all these powers will be under the control of the conscious mind; man will then be much less limited.

  CLAIRVOYANCE

  Clairvoyance is a state of mentality wherein the medium is able to see things that the objective eye cannot see under normal conditions. It is the physical eye reproduced on the mental side of life, only with a greatly extended vision. Time, space and obstructions are swept away, and the operator can as easily look through a closed door as, in a normal state, he looks through a window.

  PSYCHOMETRY

  Psychometry is a clairvoyant state wherein the operator is able to psychometrize, or read from the soul or subjective side of things. Mention has already been made of the fact that everything has its mental atmosphere which is the result of the thoughts surrounding it. To psychometrize anything means to read from this mental atmosphere and to tell what it radiates. Sometimes the operator seems able to take a piece of ore or metal and give a perfect description of the location from which it was taken. This will explain why some mediums wish to hold an object which has been used by the sitter; for through this avenue the medium is able to enter the inner thought of the person sitting.