1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: The rationale of fascination. In this chapter, I shall proceed 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,200 to lay before you the rationale of fascination, that is, 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,640 an exposition of the principles of its operation. While the 4 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:14,320 phenomena of fascination extends over a very wide area or field, 5 00:00:14,599 --> 00:00:16,600 there is still to be found a certain unity of 6 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,960 principle of operation underlying all of the forms and phases. 7 00:00:20,519 --> 00:00:22,280 From this point of view, we may speak of the 8 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,160 science of fascination as well as of the philosophy of fascination. 9 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,960 The fundamental principle, the fundamental principle of the operation of 10 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,960 the mental phenomena known as fascination, is found in the 11 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,960 theory of mentitative induction, as stated in my work on 12 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,439 mental magic, and which is briefly stated in the first 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,719 chapter of the present book. This theory, you will remember, 14 00:00:42,759 --> 00:00:46,159 holds that each individual mind is a center of meditative energy, 15 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,200 and that the menditative energy of an individual mind may 16 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,200 be and is transmitted from one person to another by 17 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,840 means of menditative waves or currents. That these menditative waves 18 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,119 or currents tend to induce in the minds of other 19 00:00:58,159 --> 00:01:01,200 persons the emotions or feelings existing in the mental states 20 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,680 of the person sending out the waves or currents. In 21 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,560 this connection, we must also remember that there are two 22 00:01:07,599 --> 00:01:11,040 mental poles, known as the motive and emotive poles, respectively, 23 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,680 the motive pole manifesting as willpower and the emotive pole 24 00:01:14,799 --> 00:01:18,920 manifesting as desire force. Desire force acts in the direction 25 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:23,640 of drawing, pulling, attracting, luring, coaxing, charming, et cetera, while 26 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:29,200 will power acts in the direction of compelling, forcing, driving, impelling, commanding, demanding, 27 00:01:29,239 --> 00:01:33,959 et cetera. Desire force always draws its object towards itself, 28 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,200 while will power always overpowers and compels its object, generally 29 00:01:38,239 --> 00:01:42,439 in the sense of driving it into action menditative induction. 30 00:01:43,159 --> 00:01:46,760 This mentitative induction acts along similar lines to the induction 31 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,159 of electricity and magnetism, that is, it sets up similar 32 00:01:50,159 --> 00:01:53,040 states in the object affected, and the resemblance is even 33 00:01:53,079 --> 00:01:55,519 still further marked when we consider that the phenomena of 34 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,640 electricity closely resemble the action of the will inasmuch as 35 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,200 both tend to drive outward in the form of an 36 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:05,799 impelling force, and that the phenomena of magnetism resemble the 37 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,319 action of desire inasmuch as both tend to draw inward 38 00:02:09,439 --> 00:02:13,719 in the form of an attracting energy. An interesting question 39 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:16,919 in this connection, However, I would direct the attention of 40 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,159 the student to one fact concerning the effect of induced states, 41 00:02:20,439 --> 00:02:22,800 which some have failed to grasp in my teachings in 42 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,840 my work on mental magic. The matter may be stated 43 00:02:25,879 --> 00:02:28,080 by the inquiry of a student of the last mentioned 44 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,520 work who inquires, as follows, please inform me how it 45 00:02:31,599 --> 00:02:34,919 is that an induced mental state reproduces the original mental 46 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,680 state of the mentator. In the following case, a man 47 00:02:38,759 --> 00:02:41,439 desires to have another perform a certain act and sends 48 00:02:41,479 --> 00:02:44,240 a meditative current which acts by induction on the mind 49 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,599 of the second person, setting up an induced mental state therein. 50 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,879 The second person then performs the act desired by the 51 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,120 first person. Now, if the induced mental state was the 52 00:02:54,159 --> 00:02:56,759 same as the original one, would not the second party 53 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,199 simply also desire that the first party should do the act, 54 00:03:00,039 --> 00:03:02,520 just as the first party desired that the second should 55 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,000 do it. But it does not work so, for the 56 00:03:05,039 --> 00:03:08,159 second party does not so desire, but instead merely desires 57 00:03:08,199 --> 00:03:10,319 to do just what the first party desired him to do. 58 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,360 That is, he feels within himself a desire to do 59 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,719 that which the first party desires. Shall be done. It 60 00:03:16,759 --> 00:03:18,879 seems to me that the induced state is really the 61 00:03:18,879 --> 00:03:21,319 opposite of the original state. Please set me straight on 62 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,159 this the answer. I am very glad to have the 63 00:03:25,199 --> 00:03:28,360 opportunity to set straight my students on this point. A 64 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,319 careful examination will show that both states are similar. For instance, 65 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,759 A desires that B shall do a certain thing and 66 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,680 induces a similar state in B. The induced state produces 67 00:03:38,719 --> 00:03:41,000 in B a like desire that the things shall be 68 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,159 done as he proceeds to do it. No opposite action 69 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,080 here is there. The essence of the desire in both 70 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,840 cases is the same, namely, that the thing shall be done. 71 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:52,599 The expression of the feeling of the two persons in 72 00:03:52,719 --> 00:03:55,199 the case as one I desire that you shall do 73 00:03:55,439 --> 00:03:59,240 and too, I desire to do, respectively, are merely the 74 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,879 personal forms of expression and not the essence of the 75 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,120 desire or feeling. The desire or feeling in its real 76 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,759 essence is I desire this thing done, and both hold 77 00:04:08,759 --> 00:04:12,000 the same desire. A holding the original desire or feeling, 78 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,520 and be the induced desire or feeling. Think this over 79 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,160 a little until you see the point. Induced will acts 80 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,480 in the same way as the above mentioned instance of 81 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:24,600 the action of the induced desire. Of course, in all 82 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,759 cases of the action of desire, the will is also 83 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,040 called into operation. In the above cited case, it works 84 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,279 as follows. A feels the desire to have the thing done, 85 00:04:34,319 --> 00:04:36,920 and so his will is called into operation to concentrate 86 00:04:36,959 --> 00:04:39,839 the meditative currents and to project them to a focused 87 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,759 point on the mind of B. Then B, feeling the 88 00:04:42,759 --> 00:04:45,319 induced desire that the thing shall be done, awakens his 89 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,319 will and does the thing. Do you see this also, 90 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,040 You had better fix this process firmly in your minds, 91 00:04:51,079 --> 00:04:52,839 for it is the key to the operation of the 92 00:04:52,879 --> 00:04:58,040 principal of fascination and other meditative phenomenon making another feel 93 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,079 like doing. Not to get back to the first principle, 94 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:03,560 which is that one person may make a second person 95 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,759 feel like doing a thing that the first person wishes 96 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,360 to have done. That is the thing in a nutshell, 97 00:05:08,879 --> 00:05:11,720 And in the degree that the second person so feels 98 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,680 like doing the thing, so will be the degree of 99 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,639 desire and will induced in him, and consequently, so will 100 00:05:16,639 --> 00:05:19,959 be the likelihood of his actually doing it. You see, 101 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,839 the matter of feeling like is at the bottom of 102 00:05:21,879 --> 00:05:24,680 it all. And this being so, it is readily seen 103 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:26,519 that if one is able to induce a state of 104 00:05:26,519 --> 00:05:28,920 feeling like in another, he has the secret of the 105 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,920 control of the other person's actions. Now this is the 106 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,639 basis of mental fascination. Now let us see how this 107 00:05:35,639 --> 00:05:38,600 principle works out in a case of mesmerism or hypnotism 108 00:05:38,759 --> 00:05:41,079 so called, which after all, is but a phase of 109 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,720 mental fascination governed by the above mentioned principle. I prefer 110 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,759 the term mesmerism for several reasons, among them being the 111 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,720 fact that it is a recognition of mesmer its discoverer 112 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,199 or rediscoverer, and also the fact that hypnotism means sleep, 113 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,279 while mesmerism covers the whole phenomena in both its waking 114 00:05:57,399 --> 00:06:01,839 or sleep conditions. A case of mesmerism, well, let us 115 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,639 suppose a case of mesmerism. The mesmerist, whom I will 116 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,959 call the operator, faces the subject. The operator assumes a 117 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,519 positive state of mind, his will power being active and 118 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:14,560 concentrated practice having improved him along these lines. The subject 119 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,199 naturally assumes a negative mental state, opening his a motive 120 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:19,399 mental poll to the influence of the mind or will 121 00:06:19,399 --> 00:06:22,920 of the operator, and allowing his motive mental poll to 122 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,279 remain quiescent or relaxed. That is to say, he opens 123 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,639 his desire mind to the influence of the operator and 124 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,600 lets his will remain inactive and relaxed. The operator desires 125 00:06:32,639 --> 00:06:34,879 and wills that the subject be influenced, and the subject 126 00:06:34,879 --> 00:06:38,759 degrees consciously or unconsciously to be so influenced. One wills 127 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,600 and the other is willing, which latter paradoxical expression means 128 00:06:42,639 --> 00:06:47,040 that he is not willing. The operator naturally asserts his 129 00:06:47,079 --> 00:06:50,319 positivity while this subject assumes a decided state of negativity. 130 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,000 One asserts a supremacy of will, and the others submits. 131 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:55,360 I would call your attention to the fact that there 132 00:06:55,399 --> 00:06:57,879 is no physical compulsion or influence in the matter. It 133 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,120 is all a matter of mentation, and both parties fully 134 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:06,399 recognize the reality of the phenomenon the silent conflict. The 135 00:07:06,439 --> 00:07:09,240 above relative mental state of the two persons is apparent 136 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,040 in a greater or lesser degree. Whenever two persons meet, 137 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,279 one is always stronger meantitatively than the other, and a 138 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,360 silent conflict ensues, from which one or the other emerges 139 00:07:18,399 --> 00:07:21,480 a victor, and the result is recognized and acquiesced in 140 00:07:21,519 --> 00:07:25,279 by both victor and vanquished. Ordinarily, however, the distinction is 141 00:07:25,319 --> 00:07:27,560 not nearly so marked or great, as in the case 142 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,600 of a strong mesmerist and his negative subject, the latter 143 00:07:30,639 --> 00:07:33,839 having probably been trained in negativity by repeated trials and 144 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,759 experiments in private and in public. For know you that 145 00:07:37,839 --> 00:07:41,079 even as positivity may be cultivated, developed, and strengthened by 146 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:45,720 practice in actual performance, so alas may negativity be encouraged, developed, 147 00:07:45,759 --> 00:07:48,480 and made habitual by a continued practice of giving in 148 00:07:48,519 --> 00:07:51,319 to the will of another or others. It is all 149 00:07:51,399 --> 00:07:56,839 a matter of habit, positive and negative. It will be 150 00:07:56,879 --> 00:07:59,639 seen at once that given a subject and operator bearing 151 00:07:59,639 --> 00:08:03,079 the state degrees of relative positivity and negativity, the subject 152 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,160 will have a tendency to accept and obey the wishes 153 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,920 and commands of the operator with a minimum degree of resistance. 154 00:08:08,519 --> 00:08:11,040 The operator will strongly wish the subject to feel in 155 00:08:11,079 --> 00:08:13,560 a certain way and to act upon the feeling. To 156 00:08:13,639 --> 00:08:17,519 accomplish this result, he will concentrate his desire by his will, 157 00:08:17,759 --> 00:08:20,160 and then direct a combined and focused attack on the 158 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,360 mind of the subject. He is likely to call suggestion 159 00:08:23,439 --> 00:08:25,800 to his aid in the attack, for by so doing 160 00:08:25,839 --> 00:08:29,040 he is able to obtain an additional advantage for a suggestion. 161 00:08:29,319 --> 00:08:31,399 As I have stated in my work on mental magic 162 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,720 is a physical agent inducing mental states, or an outward 163 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:37,399 invisible sign of an inward feeling or mental state which 164 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,440 tends to induce a similar feeling in the mind of 165 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:45,120 accepting the suggestion the suggestive command the operator gives the 166 00:08:45,159 --> 00:08:48,279 subject in the suggestion by command and in accordance with 167 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,080 the phrase of suggestion known as suggestion through obedience see 168 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,039 my work on mental magic. The subject obeys. It must 169 00:08:55,039 --> 00:08:57,600 not be forgotten, however, that the suggestion is merely the 170 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,960 outward symbol of the inward mental state of the operator, 171 00:09:00,399 --> 00:09:03,159 and becomes effective only by reason of this fact. The 172 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,480 operator throws his intensified desire, force and will power into 173 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,039 the suggestion and receives an effect along the line of 174 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,440 the threefold activity. With his will, he produces a dual 175 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,519 effect i e. One, he captivates the desire of the 176 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,639 subject and induces in it the desired feeling like state two. 177 00:09:19,759 --> 00:09:22,200 He takes captive the will of the subject and subjugates 178 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,879 it to his own, and at the same time, by 179 00:09:24,919 --> 00:09:28,000 his desire, he also produces a dual effect i e. 180 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,320 One he induces a similar desire in the mind of 181 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,360 the subject. By meditative waves or currents and two he 182 00:09:33,399 --> 00:09:35,679 allures or seduces the will of the subject by the 183 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,000 strength of his desire. The result of this combined attack 184 00:09:39,159 --> 00:09:41,480 causes the mind of the subject to act as follows, 185 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:45,519 which adds a third dual effect to the operation, i e. One, 186 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,639 the subject's desire, being induced as stated by the operator, 187 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,799 acts to influence his own will, thus making the latter 188 00:09:51,919 --> 00:09:55,440 fall in with the induced desire. Two, the subject's will, 189 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,360 controlled as stated by the operator, acts upon its own desire, 190 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,960 thus making the latter fall in with this seduced will. 191 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,679 It must be remembered that the three mental operations above 192 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:07,120 mentioned are concurrent, that is, they act at the same 193 00:10:07,159 --> 00:10:09,799 time and exercise joint action and control upon the mind 194 00:10:09,799 --> 00:10:12,679 of the subject, and neither the operator nor the subject 195 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,120 are necessarily conscious of there being three dual actions underway. 196 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,799 The operator simply desires and wills with or without suggestion, 197 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:23,159 while the subject simply feels like as before stated, and 198 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,000 accepts the suggestion if one is given, without recognizing the 199 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,879 various mental operations going on to reduce the feeling like. 200 00:10:29,639 --> 00:10:33,000 The detailed explanation may make the operation seem complicated, while 201 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,679 in reality it appears to both the operator and subject 202 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,679 as quite a simple matter. Indeed, the day dream state 203 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,159 the above process is the same whether the operator merely 204 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,039 produces the simplest result upon the subject, or whether he 205 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,279 secures the most remarkable and startling exhibitions of the control 206 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,279 of one mind by another. The principle of operation is 207 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,279 the same in all cases, with sleep or without sleep. 208 00:10:54,279 --> 00:10:56,559 It is the same in fact, as we shall see, 209 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,679 the very sleep condition is produced just as are the 210 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,399 other facts, and its production merely tends to produce a 211 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:05,399 day dream state in the subject, and thus makes him 212 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,720 act in a day dream like manner with appropriate illusions. 213 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,279 A sleep phenomena are merely one of the side issues 214 00:11:11,279 --> 00:11:16,159 of mesmerism when the true principle is understood. Habit and repetition. 215 00:11:16,879 --> 00:11:21,519 Habit and repetition. In our consideration of the operation of mesmerism, 216 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,919 we must not forget the part that habit and repetition 217 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,720 play in the matter. For instance, the operator may be 218 00:11:26,799 --> 00:11:29,320 able to produce only the simplest effects at first trial, 219 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,840 but at each subsequent trial, in which he gains more 220 00:11:31,919 --> 00:11:34,519 and more control over the subject and a greater acquiescence 221 00:11:34,519 --> 00:11:36,759 and degree of obedience, he is able to obtain a 222 00:11:36,799 --> 00:11:39,919 still more marked effect If you will read my remarks 223 00:11:39,919 --> 00:11:43,399 on the suggestion by repetition in my work on mental Magic, 224 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,360 page one twenty, you will realize the awful force of 225 00:11:46,399 --> 00:11:49,200 repetition and habit, as well as the power of repeated statement. 226 00:11:49,919 --> 00:11:52,600 This psychological fact is like the operation of the wedge. 227 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,399 Admit the thin edge in each additional blow drives it further. 228 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:59,000 In this works along the lines of both good and evil. Remember, 229 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,279 the wise use it to their own strengthening, while the 230 00:12:01,279 --> 00:12:03,919 foolish allow it to be their undoing. Beware of the 231 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:06,440 thin edge of the wedge of undesirable habits of thought 232 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:11,919 and action, a psychological law. The mesmerist understands well, often 233 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,600 too well, the nature and results of the above mentioned 234 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,279 psychological law. He has found out by experience that although 235 00:12:18,279 --> 00:12:21,080 it may be difficult to control a subject the first time, 236 00:12:21,399 --> 00:12:23,360 it will be easier than next, and so on and 237 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:27,120 on until perfect control is obtained. And knowing this, he 238 00:12:27,159 --> 00:12:29,639 bends his endeavors to inserting the very thinnest edge of 239 00:12:29,639 --> 00:12:33,200 the wedge, understanding that in this he has his hardest 240 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,279 task before him. And alas, how many of us know 241 00:12:36,399 --> 00:12:39,120 that the same principle is in operation in everyday life. 242 00:12:39,279 --> 00:12:42,480 Although seemingly having nothing to do with mesmerism. How many 243 00:12:42,519 --> 00:12:44,399 of us are able to regret the day of the 244 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:47,399 entry of the thin edge of the wedge. Another point 245 00:12:47,519 --> 00:12:50,039 to be remembered is that the subject, who is under 246 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,000 a fair degree of control, does not feel as if 247 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,519 he were obeying the commands or wishes of the operator alone. 248 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,399 That is not, in the main. It is true that 249 00:12:57,399 --> 00:13:00,240 he instinctively obeys the command of the suggestion, just as 250 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,399 a horse quickens his gait when spoken to, or a 251 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,720 soldier acts quickly in obedience to orders, et cetera, et cetera. 252 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:09,279 But the motive for the action or feeling seems to 253 00:13:09,279 --> 00:13:11,759 come from within himself. To a great degree, it has 254 00:13:11,799 --> 00:13:14,480 the force and effect of an instinctive action proceeding along 255 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,759 subconscious lines. He seems to want to do the thing 256 00:13:17,799 --> 00:13:21,519 of his own accord. This is the dangerous feature. This, then, 257 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,039 and a general way, is the rationale of mental fascination, 258 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,799 as shown in its phase of mesmerism and its corresponding 259 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,159 exhibitions along less pronounced lines. If you will acquaint yourselves 260 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,399 with these principles of operation, you will have a grasp 261 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,279 on the whole subject. In our next chapter, we shall 262 00:13:35,279 --> 00:13:38,080 have a view of the mental states of operator and subject, 263 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,639 which will throw additional light upon the subject before us.