You will see by reference to previous chapters that the term “Telementation†is used by me in the sense of “mentative influence at a distance,†the word being derived from the Greek word Tele, meaning “afar offâ€; and the word “mentation,†which I use in the sense of “mental activity.†You will also remember that the word “mentation†implies activity of the Mind-Power, which I hold to be universal in its character. You will also remember that the action of telementation depends upon the production of induced mental states by mentative currents. Mentative induction, you remember, operate’s along the same lines as magnetic or electrical induction, that is, a mental state may be reproduced in another mind by mentative induction operating by means of mentative currents.
I have explained how mental states may be induced by suggestion, as well as by mentative currents, and shall not allude to this phase at this place, but shall consider mentative induction in its phase of manifestation by means of mentative currents. This mention of technical terms may seen somewhat “dry†to you, but you should acquaint yourself with the intelligent use and meaning of the terms, for thereby you will be enabled to hold the ideas firmly in your mind. Terms are “pegs†upon which you may hang thoughts and ideas, so that you may find them when you need them. Otherwise they are scattered around in confusion. In order that you may more fully understand the wonderful phenomena of telementation, I think we would better take another look at the fundamental principle or Mind-Power itself. By understanding the nature of the force employed, you may better understand its effect and laws of operation. You will remember that I have postulated the existence of a universal Mind-Power, which is imminent in, and manifested in, all form of life, energy and mind. I have also held that all personal manifestations of Mind-Power, in ourselves and others, are but centers of power in the great Ocean of Universal Mind-Power. You will remember also, that I have claimed that the brain was not a “creator†of Mind-Power, but rather in the nature of a “converter†or “transformer†of the universal Mind-Power into usable forms and phases. Well so far, we understand the matter. Now let us pass on to the consideration of the mentative currents.
In the first place, the currents must be set into motion somewhere and somehow. Where and how? Let us see! We must see that the mentative currents have their origin, or rather, their initial impulse, in and from the mind of some individual. How? In and from his brain, of course. Why? Because the brain is the “transformer†or “converter†of the Mind-Power into usable shapes and phases. What is the nature of the brain’s action? Science, as well as the occult teachings, inform us that in all brain-processes there is a “burning-up†of brain substance and nervous matter, just as there is a corresponding “burning-up†of the elements in an electric battery. The process is very similar in both cases.
Both brain and battery “convert†or “transform†an energy already existing in an universal form, which energy cannot be created, added to, nor taken away from. And both use up material in the process. And both generate “currents†of force which are capable of affecting changes in other substances, etc. Science shows us that there is a production or generation of “heat†in the manifestation of Mind-Power in the brain. The temperature of the brain rises when it is employed in active thought-work, or other forms of mental activity, or excitement. And even the temperature of a tiny nerve increases when it is used. This fact has been fully demonstrated by Science.
What causes the brain to manifest this energy? Mental states! What is a mental state! You know what “mental†means—and “state†means “a condition.†So a mental state is “a mental condition†Then upon what do mental states, or “conditions,†depend, and why do they vary? Upon the degrees of vibration of excitement of the mental apparatus! Mental apparatus? Must a thing have a Mental Apparatus, before it can manifest mental states, original or induced? Yes! but remember this, everything has its mental apparatus, even down to “the atom, and the particles that compose atoms; everything “feels†and “responds to feeling,†even among the most material forms— Science states this emphatically; and everything that “feels†and “responds,†must manifest desire and will, if only in an elementary way, and must have mental apparatus in order to do this; there is mind, and the machinery of mind, in every atom, and all that is evolved therefrom. This is not my personal statement alone, but is the last word of Modern Science, as voiced by her most advanced advocates.
“Vibration of excitement,†I have said. What is a vibration? It is a state of intense, rapid movement of a particle. Science informs us that everything is in vibration, always; and that the differing nature of things depends upon their respective rate of vibrations. And what is “excitement,†as I use the term? It means “aroused activity.†So, then, there is to be found a condition of “aroused vibrational activity†underlying all mental states? And this aroused vibrational activity communicates motion to the mentative currents, and starts them toward others in whom they induce similar mental states. That is the story in full.
Then if we have a mental state of “aroused vibrational activity†of an individual, how is it passed on to other individuals without direct contact? By mentative currents or waves! What are mentative currents or waves, and how do they operate? Now we are right up to the question with a full understanding of what it means. Then let us answer it in the light of modern Science.
There is a great misapprehension in the minds of the majority of people about “currents†and “waves†of light, magnetism, electricity, heat, etc. They are aware that waves of heat and light, for instance travel over millions and millions of miles from the sun to the earth, and are then felt here, although originating there millions of miles away. They know this fully, but they seem to think that the heat and light are substances that actually “travel†in waves over the distance. But this is not the teaching of Science, which, on the contrary, holds that light and heat do not so travel, but that the original heat and light vibrations set up “waves in the ether.†The ether is a suppositious fine form of matter, filling all space, even between the atoms, as well as between the worlds—nobody knows anything “actually†about the ether, but Science has been forced to postulate its existence, in order to account for certain phenomena.
Science holds that these “waves in the ether,†once set into motion, travel on until they come in contact with matter capable of taking up their vibrations. When this kind of matter is found, it takes up the ethereal vibrations, and reproduces them in the shape of heat and light. In other words, the original light and heat of the sun does not “travel†to the earth to be then experienced by the latter, but, on the contrary, the original solar heat and light set up the “waves in the ether,†which travel along until the earth is reached, when meeting with the proper material they are reproduced or “transformed†into heat and light vibrations similar to those of the original impulse, and we of the earth feel the heat and see the light. Electricity and magnetism are reproduced in the same way. It is just like the sound vibrations setting up electrical vibration in the telephone, which travel along and then are re-transformed into sound vibrations again at the other end of the line. When you think of this, please remember that the receiving end vibrations are “induced.â€
There is something else just as much generally misunderstood. People think that these “waves†actually travel, just as they think that waves in water travel, when we drop a stone in the pond. But they are mistaken in both instances. The force of the motion of the stone produces the elevation of the water, that you call a wave. Then the motion is passed on and another wave is formed. Then another, and another, until you have a series of waves that apparently travel toward the shore. But the waves don’t travel. They merely communicate their motion to the particles of the water next to them and a continuous moving effort is exhibited. The real motion of a wave is “up and down†only. Place a cork in the water and then create waves and you will see that while the wave motion travels outward, the cork merely bobs up and down and does not move with the waves. Here is how Science illustrates the motion: It bids you take a rope and tie one end of it to a post or wall, etc., the loose end being retained in your hand. Now slacken the rope a little and begin to agitate it up and down. You will then see a wave motion generated, a series of waves passing over the rope from your hand to the post or wall. And yet you know that the rope itself has not traveled, but has merely moved up and down. It is not a matter of travel, but of communicated and induced motion. All waves are alike in this respect—light-waves, heat-waves, electrical-waves, magnetic-waves and mind-waves. All communicate vibrations, which move on in a wave motion. But these heat and light waves are “waves in the ether,†which ether is a material thing. Do I hold that Mind-Power waves are the same? Not exactly. I hold that Mind-Power is higher even than the finest ethereal substance, and that it pervades the latter. And I hold that we are all centers in a great Ocean of Mind-Power.
And, therefore, I claim that the mentative currents and waves are really currents and waves in that Great Ocean of Mind-Power. And the vibrational activity set up in your mind, my mind, or the minds of thousands, pass on their vibrations to the great ocean of Mind-Power, and produce “waves†or “currents†of energy, which travel on until they reach the mental apparatus of other individuals, in which they tend to reproduce the original vibrations or mental states—by induction, remember. In other words, I hold that these “waves†and†currents†are like the ocean’s waves and currents—not only of the ocean, but also in it. My idea of the mentative currents or waves are that they are not only manifestations of the Universal Mind-Power, but also that they travel in the Ocean of that universal principle. And that great Mentative Ocean is full of currents, and waves, and eddies, and swirls, and whirlpools, and gulf-streams, and other forms of activity.
Picture to yourself a great Ocean of Mind-Power. If you are unable to grasp the idea, then do the next best thing, and think of this mental ocean as a great sea of energy. Or if you prefer, think of it as the great Universal Ether filling all space. At any rate, the picture must show this Mind-Power filling all space, even in between the atoms and even in the atoms themselves. Perhaps you had better commence by forming the picture of all space as being empty of all forms and shapes, and containing nothing but this pure Mind-Power—an Ocean of Mind-Power must be thought of as an energy or force, capable of setting into operation all kinds of manifestations when started. Then think of a tiny center of power being formed in this great Mind-Power Ocean—a little whirlpool, so tiny that the strongest microscopes can scarcely distinguish it. Then see countless numbers of similar whirlpools being formed in this Ocean. These little whirlpools we will call centers of power. They combine and shapes begin to appear. Atoms of matter appear, being composed of combination of these tiny centers, which thus become larger and greater centers. Then come combinations of these atoms and the various forms of matter result, for all substances, you know, are composed of atoms, in various combinations; all the atoms, seemingly being composed of little particles called electrons, which seem to be like tiny units of force, but which are attracted and repelled by each other, and seem to have their “likes†and “dislikes,†thus showing the elements of mind within them. And then these shapes and forms of matter become more and more complex, and the centers of power more potent. And the forms of living things begin to appear, mounting from the lowly microscopic cell on to combinations of cells, in plant life, then animal life, and then human life. And each form, as it mounts higher, displays more and more Mind-Power. Until at last we see Man with his wonderful mind, as a great center of power. But, remember this always, that all these shapes and forms, and cells, and plants, and animals and men, have as their inner essential substance this same Mind-Power principle, of which the Ocean itself is composed. They are Centers of Power in this Mind-Power Ocean, but are composed of the same substance as the Ocean itself. You may think of them as vibratory whirlpools of Mind-Power if you like—and you will not be very far out of the way if you do. All things are centers of activity and energy, in the Great Universal Ocean of Mind-Power. These centers of power are of varying degrees of activity. We will call the strong ones “positive,†and the weak ones “negative.†So according to their varying degrees of power and vibration, each center is positive to some others, and negative to others still. Each has its degree of positivity. Now think of these centers as human minds, and you will be able to fill out your picture in detail.
Then picture each one of these centers manifesting vibrational activity, and thus converting and transforming the mentative energy from the Ocean of Mind-Power. And then see them sending out waves, and currents of mentative energy, which induce similar vibrations or mental states in other centers. Then see some of the strong, positive centers, setting up great rotating currents, resembling whirlpools in the body of the Mind-Power Ocean, which extend further and further out from the center, and affect other centers far away from it. If you will examine your picture more closely, you will see that these rotary currents are continually drawing to the centers the things, and persons, and ideas that they are attracting by reason of their particular rate of vibration, while things of different vibrations seem to be comparatively unaffected by the currents. This and other things you may see in your picture as it grows clearer to you. And, in addition to these currents, you see great waves traveling out in certain directions, toward certain objects to which they have been directed. In short, you see all the phenomena of the ocean of water reproduced in this Ocean of Mind-Power. You see the picture of the circulation of Mind-Power. You see the forming and growing and evolution of centers of activity and mentative energy.
And when you come to look a little closer at your picture, you will see that each one of these centers of energy seems to have two poles of activity, one of which acts in the direction of impelling, driving, pushing, forcing, urging, directing, etc., the action being always “outwardâ€; and the other acting in the direction of drawing, pulling, attracting, coaxing, alluring, charming, leading, etc., the action always being “inward.†One seems to be a masculine force, the other a feminine force. One seems to act as Will-Power; the other as Desire-Force.
These two poles of Mind-Power possessed by each center are called the motive pole, and the emotive pole, respectively. I have described their characteristics several times as we have proceeded in these lessons. But, once more, let me call your attention to the meaning of the terms applied to them. “Motive†means, of course, “that which moves; that which incites to action.†“E-motive†means “that which moves or excites the feelings.†You will remember that “excitement†means “aroused activity.†So then, “emotive†means “that which arouses the feelings into activity.†And the emotive side of the mind always has to do with “feelings,†and the “motive†with willing. And the best results always arise from a combination of both feeling and willing—desiring and acting. As in all other things, a combination of the masculine and feminine qualities and characteristics produces the best results. Each has its strong and weak points—but together they are irresistible along all lines or work, physical, mental and spiritual.
And now the broad outlines of our mental picture have been drawn, and the general details filled in. But our picture is more than this. It is a moving picture in vivid action and spirited motion. It will show us the varied phenomena of telementation in a series of moving, acting, realistic, thrilling scenes. And yet all will occur on and in the picture itself, without going outside of it for material. The mental picture contains the material for an infinite variety of action and combination—it is a world within itself. And now, I will set the machinery into operation and show you your mental picture of this Mind-Power Ocean and its centers of energy in full motion and activity. Kindly give me your full, attention while I describe the moving scenes to you!