The theory of dynamic thought. From the preceding chapters, we have learned that
one, the forms of force or radiant energy known as light, heat,
magnetism, and electricity are modes of motion arising from the original motion of the
particles of substance molecules, atoms, corpuscles, or electrons, and that such
original motions of the particles arises from the operation of the law of attraction.
Two that the forms of attractive force or energy known as gravitation, cohesion,
adhesion, atomic attraction, chemical affinity or chemism, and corpuscular attraction also arise
from the operation of the law of attraction. Three that from the above it
follows that all manifestations of force and energy and inorganic substance viz. Both radiant
energy in its forms of light, heat, magnetism, electricity, et cetera,
and also attractive energy in its forms of gravitation, cohesion, adhesion,
chemical affinity, or atomic ilas attraction and corpuscular attraction, arise from the operation
of the law of attraction. It will be well to remember that the fact
that some of the above forms of radiant force or energy, such as heat,
light, magnetism, and electricity may arise from motion transmitted from other substance,
does not alter the matter. For if they arise from waves from some
other substance, it merely follows that the original motion that gave rise to the
waves arose from the operation of the law of attraction. Or if they arise
from interrupted motion, it merely follows that the motion that is interrupted may be
traced back to original motion that arose from the operation of the law of attraction.
So that all mechanical power and all the forms of energy or forced producing
the same omitting for the moment, the forms of energy or force of living
organisms, which will be described later on, arise from the operation of the
law of attraction. Now, for the next step, we have seen that
the operation of the law of attraction results from vital mental action on the part
of the life and mind prints inherent in the nature of the particles of substance.
Consequently, all forms of energy and force arising from the operation of the
law of attraction, the latter being the result of vital mental action. Then
it follows that all forms of energy and force having its origin and the law
of attraction are manifestations of vital mental action. But this is not all,
for we have not considered the energy and force abiding in and manifested by what
are called living organisms, such as human, animal, and plant life,
which are manifested by the physical organisms or bodies of man, animal, and
plant. In order to avoid a long digression into the realms of biology,
we will omit all but a passing reference to the theories that seek to identify
the action of the cells of organic life with those of the particles of inorganic
life. For remember that organic substance has its molecules, atoms and corpuscles,
as well as its higher combinations known as cells. And we will seek the
ultimate source of all forms of force and energy exhibited by organic life, and
that which lies back of physical action. We need no argument here, for
all will readily recognize that behind the physical action of man, animal, and
plant lies life and mind, and that therefore all force and energy arising from
such action must be manifestations of vital mental action. And so, summing up
our conclusions regarding force and energy and motion and then an organic substance, we
arrive at an understanding of the basic proposition of the theory of dynamic thought,
which is as follows. Basic proposition that all forms and exhibition of force,
energy, motion, and power are manifestations of vital mental action, and that
consequently, at the last, there is no force but vital mental force,
no energy but vital mental energy, no motion but vital mental motion, no
power but vital mental power. It is possible that the average reader will fail
to recognize the tremendous importance of the above proposition. It is most revolutionary and
is not only directly opposed to the materialistic theory which makes matter the dominant factor,
the only factor in fact in life, but it is also far different
from the opinion of the average person who has been taught to think of blind
force, dead matter, mechanical energy, power of machinery, engines, etc.
And yet you are invited to go back over the path that leads up
to the theory and test and examine every bit of the road for weak spots,
insecure bridges, etc. The writer feels that the work will bear examination.
He thinks that he has succeeded not only in proving that one the universe
is alive in thinking, and two that mind is dominant, but he believes
also that he has made at least partially understandable the old occult and metaphysical aphorism
that has been heard so much in these later days. The statement that all
is mind, mind is all the only fact need inns now is proof of
the old occult theory that matter or substance blends gradually into mind, and that
in the end is found to have its origin there. So far science has
not given us this proof, but it begins to look that way, although
science does not dream of what lies at the end of the road she is
traveling. She tells us that she sees matter melting into force or energy,
and that perhaps the universe may be found to be energy or force at the
last. But she ignores the fact that her investigations have already proven to those
who know how to combine them, that mind is back of force, that
all force is mental force at the last. And so you see, it
is not so far a cry from matter to mind. In these days of
the twentieth century, the bridge is being erected by the materialists, but the
mentalist will be the first to cross over it. But there are many important
questions ahead of us for consideration and relation to the theory of dynamic thought,
and we must hasten on to them. One of the first questions it must
be considered is that of the trendansmission of force, energy, or motion.
Science has told us that light travels in his contagious, that heat travels in
his contages, that electricity travels in his contages, that magnetism travels in his
contages, But it has failed to find evidences of cohesive force or adhesive force,
or the force of gravitation, or the force of chemical affinity or the
force of corpuscular affinity being contagious. And although it recognizes that they must travel
beyond the limits of the bodies manifesting them, yet it has hazarded no theory
or hypothesis worthy of the name to account for the phenomenon. It informs us
that light, heat, magnetism, and electricity travel via waves of the ether
at the rate of one hundred eighty four thousand miles per second, and that
when they reach their destination, the ether waves set up similar vibrations in the
substance with which they come in contact. The only explanation of the method or
medium of travel is the Aristotle's either theory, which, while generally accepted as
a working hypothesis, never the less brings abroad smile to the face of any
thoughtful scientist who considers it in detail. As for the medium of the transmission
of gravitation, cohesion, chemical affinity, and molecular affinity, science is mute.
All that she says is that gravitation is believed to travel instantaneously over distances,
that it takes light traveling at the rate of one hundred eighty four thousand
miles per second over two thousand years to travel verily. Gravitation defies scientific theories
and estimates, and laughs at the either. Let us see if the dynamic
thought theory throws any light on the subject. The first step in the solution
of the problem of the transferring and communication of energy is the remembrance of the
fact that the energy is purely mental, be it gravitation, affinity, or
attraction on the one hand, or light, heat, magnetism, or electricity
on the other, It is all mental force. Attraction in all of its
forms has been recognized as mental action, and the vibrations that cause light,
heat, magnetism, and electricity have been seen to result from the law of
attraction, and therefore a mental This being the case, would it not be
wise for us to look for a solution of the transmission of force and energy
in the region from which it originated, the mental region. Does not this
seem reasonable? Should not the explanation for mental effects be sought in a mental
cause, and should not the medium between mind and mind be looked for in
the mental region. Taking the liberty of peeping into some of the succeeding chapters
of this book, getting a little ahead of the story, as it were,
let us consider the operation of mind in the higher forms of life without
argument or proof. At this point, let us remember the well founded statements
of fact in the old occult teachings as well, that the mind is not
confined to the limits of the body, but extends as an aura for some
distance beyond its physical form. Let us also remember that the phenomena group together
under the general subject of thought transference, thought transmission, telepathy, or the
best term of all, telesthesia, meaning literally far off. Since the writer
imagines that he hears the yell of derision go up at this point from the
materialistic personage or the man on the street who has been induced to read this
book by some well meaning friend thought transference fiddle sticks, we may hear him
cry in imagination. But let this reader remember, fiddle sticks or no fiddle
sticks, that thought transmission is a proven fact, and that thousands of people
know it to be so absolutely from their own experience. It is too late
in the day for sneers at the mention of the term. Well, then,
since force is mental, and we are looking for a mental explanation for
the phenomenon of transmission of force, does it not seem natural to consider thought
transmission in that connection? Answering a possible objection of some critical reader to the
effect that before sensation may be received, the receiver must have sense organs a
very good objection, but one that is answered by science itself. Let us
read on Hackel, the distinguished scientist, in his endeavor to prove that man's
senses are but a development of something in inorganic, has called our attention to
the fact that molecules and atoms are capable of receiving sensations and responding there too.
He makes quite a point of this in his latest works and remarks,
among many other things, showing his positive view on the subject of sensation in
the inorganic world. I cannot imagine the simplest chemical and physical process without attributing
the movements of the material particles to unconscious sensation, and again the idea of
chemical affinity consists in the fact that the various chemical elements perceive the qualitative differences
in other elements, experience pleasure or revulsion at contact with them, and execute
specific movements. On this ground, He also quotes approvingly the remarks of Negilli,
who said, if the molecules possess something that is related, however distantly,
to sensation, it must be comfortable to be able to follow their attractions
and repulsions, uncomfortable when they are forced to do otherwise. Haekel also says
that, in his opinion, the sensations in animal and plant life are acted
by a long series of evolutionary stages, with the simpler forms of sensation that
we find in the inorganic elements and that reveal themselves in chemical affinity. Is
not this strong enough, Perhaps we may now be permitted, at least to
assume that even the atoms, molecules, and corpuscles have something like sensation.
Someone may now object that Hackel speaks of contact between the particles, and that
sensation by contact, even in an atom, is far different from the sensation
without contact at a short distance. Quite right. But if the objector will
take the trouble to review the teaching of science regarding the relation of the particles,
he will see that the particles are never exactly in contact, except in
moments of collision, which, by the way, they carefully avoid. The
corpuscles, as we have shown, have plenty of room in which to move
about. But they move in orbits around each other the atoms combined, but
there is always room between them, as may be seen by reference to the
teachings regarding the ether which fills up the cracks according to the theory, and
the molecules also have plenty of rooms, may be seen by reference to that
part of the subject, particularly to the comparison of the drop of water magnified
to the size of the Earth, in which the molecules would appear about the
size of the original drop, with more room between each than their own size.
In fact, as we have been shown in a previous chapter, the
particles are attracted only to a certain distance at which they resist the impulsor attraction
and stand off a bit. They will not be forced to near without creating
disturbances and manifestations of force, and if they are separate beyond a certain distance,
the attractive power ceases to operate. But there is always some room between
them, and they bridge over that room and exert and receive the attractive power
in some way. This is true not only of the particles, but of
the great bodies, like the earthen planets, that are attracted and attract over
great distances. Now for the question, how do they exert sense and attractive
power over the great comparative distance? Great comparatively as well in atom, as
in planet and sun. Someone may answer the question closing the last paragraph with
the word electricity. Very good. Electricity, like the ether, comes in
quite handy when one is forced to explain something not known. Electricity, like
the glacial period. Aristotle's either natural laws and suggestion, is a most handy
weapon of argument, and often acts as a preventative to further inquiry and investigation
until some sufficiently irreverend of precedent arises to ask but why and how and starts
the ball rolling again. But electricity will not answer in this case. For
the rate of the travel of electricity is well known one hundred eighty four thousand
miles per second, which fast as it is assumes the crawl of a slow
freight when compared with the instantaneous rate of travel of gravitation. And then electricity
requires a medium and gravitation does not, And in many other ways the two
were seen to be totally different. And in the case of the space between
the atom and molecule and corpuscle, it is no more reasonable to say electricity
than it would be to say heat or light, and magnetism is not available
for obvious reasons. Remember that electricity, light, and heat are caused by
motion resulting from attraction, and the child cannot procreate the parent. Heat,
light, and electricity may beget each other, and they do, And gravitation
may procreate heat, light and electricity, but heat, light and electricity cannot
procreate gravitation never and light, heat and electricity require replenishing from the common source
of energy, but gravitation is self sufficient and asks no replenishing or storage battery
or powerhouse electricity. Heat and light come and go, appearing, manifesting and
disappearing, swallowed up by each other or by substance. But gravitation is always
there, unchangeable, unwavering, immutable, invariable, something above matter, and
force, something majestic, all inspiring, sublime. Does it take a wild
flight of the imagination to see that this something that is not matter and not
force must be a manifestation of mind. Let us first apply this idea of
thought transference to the operation of the law of attraction between the corpuscles, atoms,
and molecules of substance. Particles of substance. Particles are believed to move
to or away from each other in accordance with the workings of attraction and affinity
in its varying degrees. First, they must desire to move, not desire
in the developed sense that we feel it, but still elementary feeling or inclination
or tendency. Call it what you will, but it remains rudimentary mental emotion,
an e motion leading to motion. This is not a pun. Look
up the meaning of the word of motion and you will see its application.
Then, following the desire comes the action in the direction of gratifying it.
The particles act to gratify desire in two ways, acting at a distance.
Remember, they exert the attractive force, which the writer believes to be mental
force transmitted by mind projection, a mental or psychic bond or connection. Being
thus established. By means of this bond of mind, the particle endeavors to
one draw itself to the object, and two to draw the object toward itself.
In the case of the molecule, this desire in movement seems to be
mutual and evidenced by into all molecules alike, providing they be within molecular distance,
as science calls it. But in the case of the atoms it seems
to be different, for there is found a greater degree of choice or elective
affinity. This election or choice is not altogether free, but depends upon the
relative likes and dislikes of certain kinds of elements, as we have seen in
previous chapters. Although to be sure, these elements are all made out of
the same stuff in different combinations. The details of corpuscular attraction are not known,
so it cannot be told whether preferences exist, or whether, in the
words of the Street, all corpuscles look alike to each other. It would
appear, however, that there must be some reasons for preference among the corpuscles.
They would always form in the same combinations, always act alike to each
other, as they are alike in other actions, and thus there would be
but one element or kind of atom formed, instead of the seventy five already
known. To be sure, in this case, it might be that the
one kind of atom formed would be the atom of hydrogen, and that all
other elements or atoms were modifications of that one, just proving the dream of
the scientists of the nineteenth century. But as Kipling would say, that is
another story. To return to the particle which we left trying to draw the
other particle to itself and itself toward the other. There is no material connection
between them, and electricity and magnetism will not answer. So what is to
be done? Evidently the particle knows, for it exerts a drawing power of
force by means of the mental connection, and the two come together. The
particle evidently is able to exert a repelling or moving away power by reversing the
process, the mental bond acting as the medium. This may cause a smile,
because we have never seen an instance of bodies pulling them themselves together by
intangible bonds, haven't we? Then? How about two pieces of magnetized steel
or two electrified substances. Oh that's different, you say, why different?
Isn't the bond intangible? And haven't we seen that both electricity and magnetism were
mental actions? Also? Oh but well, oh, yes, that's it.
Perhaps the attracting force is magnetism or electricity. No, that will not
do, for we have seen that electricity and magnetism were products of this attraction,
not producers of it. The attraction must come before electricity and magnetism,
not after them. You are mixing calls and effect. And even if you
were right, and you cannot be, wouldn't the electrical or magnetic force be
called into operation and directed by the mental action arising from the desire? You
cannot get away from mental action when you study the law of attraction. But
how about the fact that the heat causes particles to change their vibrations and draw
apart, and all that sort of thing, and electricity likewise, you may
ask, surely this takes the matter away from mental action, doesn't it.
Well, the writer thinks that the phenomenon referred to only helps prove his theory,
and he will endeavor to so prove to you. The consideration of the
facts related in this chapter leads us to a supplemental proposition to our basic proposition,
which may be stated as follows. Supplemental proposition one. Not only is
the law of attraction the manifestation of a mental process or idle mental action,
but also the actual force or energy used in bringing the particles of substance in
closer relation in accordance with that law is in its nature of idle mental force
or energy operating between bodies or particles of substance without a material medium