The Science of Mind

by Ernest Holmes

  CLAIRAUDIENCE

  Clairaudience may be called the ear of the soul; it is the ability to hear the inner voice speak, and is a most remarkable mental attribute. Some hear these voices silently, while to some they come as independent voices.

  It appears as though the instinctive man tries to tell the outer man of certain things or to give him warnings. Sometimes these warnings come as visions and sometimes in dreams. This power is uncertain and should be carefully watched, as we are not always able to tell whether the impression is real or simply some suggestion of a surrounding mental influence. A good way to test this is to know that all impressions must come from the Perfect Mind.

  INDEPENDENT VOICES

  Sometimes independent voices speak forth, apparently from the air, and may be conversed with by the hour. I have talked with these voices, but, so far, have not been able to determine whether or not they ever told anything beyond the subjective knowledge of those present. I have been unable to satisfy myself as to whether they were caused by those present in the flesh or whether they were caused by some form of spirit life. The fact remains that such voices do speak and that they are real. I have held animated and interesting conversations with such voices hours at a sitting, and it has been a most wonderful experience; but, so far, it seems impossible to determine their exact nature. Time and a more complete investigation alone can give the real proof.

  APPARITIONS

  Apparitions, or thought forms, often appear during mental stress. For instance, people often see some friend just before he passes from this life. Sometimes the apparition appears before the incident takes place; an explanation of this will be made later in this chapter. This type of phenomenon is not at all uncommon; nearly every one has some record of such experiences. When one is asleep he is entirely subjective, and this will explain why so many of the above referred to incidents take place during sleep. But impressions received while in the sleeping state do not always come to the surface.

  GHOSTS AND PHANTASMS OF THE DEAD

  People often see the forms of those who have passed from this life. Many have been alarmed over seeing such forms, as though there might be danger from them; but whether or not we believe them to be the forms of the dead or the living, they certainly can do no harm.

  It is claimed by some that ghosts are always the result of some form of violent death, and that those who pass out in a state of peace never leave a ghost behind. Of the truth of this statement I am NOT absolutely sure, since all must leave behind the forms used while in the flesh, and each must leave behind him a thought form of himself.

  GHOSTS SOMETIMES CAN SPEAK

  It is a well-known fact that ghosts sometimes have the ability to speak or convey some kind of a message to the living. And it is also generally conceded by those who have investigated such matters, that once a ghost has had the opportunity to speak, it is seldom ever seen again.

  If we suppose a ghost to be a real entity, we can easily see how it could speak or telepathically convey a message. If, on the other hand, we assume that a ghost is only a form of thought, we can imagine that it might be equipped with the power to convey a message, after which it would gradually fade away. For thought has some power to express itself. I hold no brief for either case, since I have been unable to make up my own mind as to just what a ghost really is.

  In such a case as this it is a mistake to assume anything, other than the fact that such appearances do make themselves known to people under certain conditions. The matter will have to rest at this point until further investigation proves what a ghost is.

  PROJECTING THE MENTALITY

  Under certain states of mentality it is possible to project the mentality and travel far from the body. Just what it is that projects is difficult to say; and we are not so much concerned about what it is that projects as we are interested in the fact that there is something about the mentality which can project itself. Since there is but One Mind, perhaps nothing has to project; perhaps we simply see through the One Mind, which must have and hold, within Itself, all that is.

  CRYSTAL GAZING

  Crystal gazing is a form of concentrating the mentality in such a manner as to make it possible for the subjective to come to the surface. The operator, looking steadily at a bright object, gradually becomes subjective and consequently able to read thought.

  BLACK MAGIC

  Black Magic has been taught and practiced from time immemorial. It is the act of thinking toward some one for the purpose of doing him an injury.

  THE MODERN CURSE

  To-day, black magic is called by another name, but "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." To-day it is called malpractice. Malpractice takes several different forms; namely, malicious, ignorant and unconscious. Malicious malpractice is the act of arguing in Mind that some certain person is something that he ought not to be. In some cases it is supposed to even take the form of saying that he is not present in the flesh. If this were persisted in, and the one being damned should receive the condemnation, he might begin to feel sick; and if this were carried to a final conclusion, he would, perhaps, "pass from this vale of tears."

  Mention is made of this, not as being something to fear, but as one of those things which to-day is being more or less discussed and believed in by many. So far as we are concerned, we believe only in the One Mind, AND WE KNOW THAT IT CANNOT BE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF. This will settle the question of malicious malpractice for all time.

  We hear of people who live in constant terror of malpractice, and it seems certain that some do try to use this force to do injury to others; but no one with real understanding of the Truth will be affected by it, nor seek to use it; for this would be playing with fire; and we are the servants to the things which we obey.

  If our thought is still operating on a level where such things are possible, we had better find it out, straighten up our thought and be healed; for, after all, malpractice is only wrong thought suggestion, and we do not believe in wrong thought suggestion.

  Innocent and ignorant malpractice causes much disease and discomfort, through sympathy with sickness and fear for people's safety. We should sympathize with the one suffering, but never with that from which he suffers; for this would make him worse instead of better.

  AUTOMATIC WRITING

  Automatic writing is an interesting phenomenon of the mind. It is a mental control which uses the arm and hand for the purpose of writing messages.

  There are several forms of automatic writing; one, the Ouija board, which is small smooth board, upon which is written the alphabet. Upon this board is placed a small, pear-shaped, three-legged instrument, which points to the letters and spells out words. Another form is to put a pencil through the board; and still another form, and one even more interesting, is when the pen is held in the hand which is controlled by some force not known, but supposed to be the subjective thought of either the operator or of some one present.

  Some believe that the arm is under control of a discarnate spirit. Many and long have been the discussions on this point, and I do not care to enter into them; but one thing is certain, the phenomenon transpires, and many wonderful messages come through in this manner.

  INDEPENDENT WRITING

  The most interesting writing of all is what is called independent writing; that is, where the pencil simply tips up and writes without any one touching it. I have seen this done and can vouch for its reality. Here, indeed, is ample cause for speculation, and we are compelled to admit that either some unconscious force of those present grasps the pencil, or that some spirit force does.

  HUDSON'S THEORY

  I am well aware of the theory which Hudson worked out along these lines, but I have not been able to explain everything on his basis; and I fear that he overworked his theory.

  His idea was that we have no right to assume the presence of an unknown agency when there is a known one present. In other words, he said that the phenomenon is caused by some form of mental action which he called subje
ctive; and that we have no right to assume a spirit to be the cause when we know that there are people present in the flesh; and that, since people in the flesh, as well as those out of it, have a mind, we must assume that the phenomena are caused by those present in the flesh. By the same token, and with the same logic, it could be proved either way. That psychic phenomena are caused by some form of mental power, there can be no question; and the student of the workings of mind will rest content here, knowing that mental power can operate in independence of the physical instrument; for this is the great lesson to learn.

  SMELLING WHERE THERE IS NOTHING TO SMELL

  A most peculiar and interesting phenomenon takes place in the act of smelling where there is, apparently, nothing to smell. The mentality, in connecting with the vibrations of a rose, can produce its odor independently of the presence of the flower.

  I have seen a case where the vibrations of a certain man were brought into the room when he was in an intoxicated condition. The smell of whiskey was so strong that the influence was asked to remove its presence. Perhaps this is what is meant by occult perfume.

  GRASPING OBJECTS WITHOUT THE HAND

  It is a commonly known fact, to those who have spent time investigating these thing, that objects are grasped and held independently of the physical touch. This is shown in independent writing and in telekinetic energy.

  TELEKINETIC ENERGY

  Telekinetic energy is defined as "the ability to move ponderable objects without physical contact." This form of energy is displayed in that class of mental phenomena which cause objects to move without any physical agency, and is, therefore, caused by some form of mental energy, or by some agency other than physical.

  TABLE TIPPING

  Table tipping is so common as to cause but little comment, but it does help to prove a principle of mind, namely, that an object can be moved about from place to place without the aid of any physical contact.

  RAPPINGS

  Rappings on the walls and floor are also too common to mention, but should be classed in the category of telekinetic energy.

  THEORY OF ECTOPLASM

  One of the investigators has advanced the theory of ectoplasm, which is a formless stuff emanating from the body of the medium. I have no doubt but this theory is correct as far as it goes; but am not willing to advance it as being sufficient to explain all the phenomena. For instance, according to this theory, if any one stands in front of the medium the emanation is blocked and no results will follow. I have sat in a room and had a glass of water brought from another room and held to my lips while I drank it. It was a real glass and real water and I was really there, and in a perfectly normal state of mind. I could not possibly account for the above-stated incident on the theory of ectoplasm; but I could account for it through the theory of mental power.

  LEVITATION

  The theory of ectoplasm certainly will not account for levitation, where the body of the medium is lifted from a chair and carried to some other place in the room. This can be accounted for only on the theory that there is a power that transcends the better-known physical laws. Experience has taught that there are many things in life that cannot be accounted for on any other basis than that of a mind power which operates independent of any, and of all, physical agencies.

  INTERESTING THOUGHTS

  It is interesting to realize that we have such marvelous powers; and no doubt the time will come when we shall make common use of them. They are for some purpose and, as we live in a Timeless Universe, this purpose will be made known just as soon as we are ready for it.

  WHAT IS THE CAUSE?

  Whether psychic phenomena are caused by the agency of spirits or by some inner power of our own mentality makes no difference. That they are caused by mind power is apparent; for they are not caused by what we call physical force at all, but by some finer power than we, at present, well understand.

  CAUSE FOR THOUGHT

  It gives reason for thought when we realize that such inner powers exist. Some power, independent of the body, can see, hear, feel, smell, touch and taste without the aid of the physical instrument. Some power of intelligence within us can travel, communicate, project itself, recognize and be recognized, without the aid of the physical instrument. That there is a reason for this is certain; that this reason is natural and normal, no one can doubt, for nature is always natural, and only that is a mystery which is not understood.

  TIME WILL PROVE ALL THINGS

  Time and experience, alone, will unravel the mysteries of the human mind, with its many and varied activities. So far we have but touched the outskirts of its garments. To deny these inner attributes is not only intolerant, but is downright ignorance. It is all right to say that we do not understand them; but to openly deny them is to place us, not among the unbelievers, but among those who do not know the facts.

  THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY

  Subjective mind can deduce only; it has no power of initiative or self-choice, and is compelled, because of its very nature, to retain any and all suggestions that it receives. The best illustration of this is in the creative soil, in which the gardener puts his seed. The soil does not argue nor deny, but goes to work on the seed and begins to create a plant which will represent the type of manifestation inherent, as an idea, in the seed. That is, from a cucumber seed we get cucumbers; and from a cabbage seed we get cabbages. Always the law maintains the individuality of the seed as it creates the plant; never does it contradict the right of the seed to be what it really is. Involved within the seed is the idea of the plant, as are also those lesser ideas which are to act as a medium between the seed and the plant. Involved within the seed are both cause and effect; but the seed must first be placed within the creative soil if we wish to receive a plant. In the creative soil, or in the seed, the full and perfect ideas of the plant must exist as a completed thing, else it could never be brought forth into manifestation.

  The idea of the full-grown plant must exist somewhere in the seed and soil if it is ever going to materialize.

  A LESSON IN SUBJECTIVITY

  This teaches us a lesson in subjectivity. Thoughts going into the subjective are like seeds; they are concepts of ideas, and acting through the creative medium of Mind, have within themselves the full power to develop and to express themselves. But how could they express unless they were already known to Mind? They could not, and so Mind must view the thought as already completed in the thing; and Mind must also contain the avenue through which the idea is to be expressed. Every thought sets in motion in Mind the fulfillment of its purpose, and Mind sees the thing as already done.

  Mental tendencies set in motion cast their shadows before them; and a psychic often sees the complete manifestation of an idea before it has had the time to materialize in the objective world.

  This is what constitutes the average spirit of prophecy; for prophecy is the reading of subjective tendencies, and seeing them as already accomplished facts. The subjective mind can deduce only, but its power of logic and sequence appears to be perfect.

  EXPLANATION

  For illustration, suppose that there is a window one mile away; I am throwing a ball at this window, and the ball is halfway to it, going at the rate of one mile a minute. Now you come in, measure the distance, compute the speed with which the ball is passing through the air and say, "The ball is halfway to the window; it is traveling at the rate of one mile a minute; in just one half a minute the window is going to be broken by the ball passing through it." Let us suppose that you are the only one who sees the ball, for the rest are looking at the window; and in half a minute it is broken. How did you prophesy that the window was to be broken? By drawing a logical conclusion of an already established premise.

  This is much like what happens when a psychic exercises a spirit of prophecy. They are generally unconscious as to why they do what they do, because they are getting their own subjective contact with the condition and simply interpreting what comes to them. But this is the logical, deductive, con
clusive power of their subjective thought, seeing a thing completed, by first seeing a tendency set in motion, and computing the time that it will take to complete it. There are but few, however, who have any reliable spirit of prophecy.

  Let us carry this thought further; the race has its subjectivity, from an individual to a nation. This is its karma, its subjective law set in motion. Each nation has its subjective causation, and the prophet of a nation could, and would, read its subjective tendency; and this is what the old prophets did, for they were psychics, every one of them, from Moses down. They were able to interpret the subjective causation of their race and so predict that certain things must follow.

  There is, however, a still higher spirit of prophecy which but few have perceived, and those who have perceived it have been illumined. Within the subjective mirror of Mind there must also exist the Divine and Cosmic Purposes,—the very Thoughts of God. An illumined person, who is also psychic, might read these great Cosmic Purposes; and in this manner some of the great prophets have read the destiny of the race. They have told us that the destiny of man is divine, that he is immortal now, that he need not die to become immortal, but that HE IS IMMORTAL. It was in contact with this great Law, and from It, that Moses received the Ten Commandments, the Mosaic Law. It is through the avenue of subjectivity, which is the medium between Spirit and man, between the Absolute and the intellect, that all of the prophets have prophesied and all of the sages have taught; for it contains Infinite Wisdom, Knowledge and Law.