Mental Fascination

PREFACE

This book is “Side-Light Manual No. I,” accompanying my main work entitled “Mind Power: The Secret of Mental Magic,” and being in the nature of a sequel, supplement, or “side-light” thereto. The “Side-Light Manuals” of which this is the first, are designed to bring out the details, and special features of several of the “lessons” of which “Mind Power: The Secret of Mental Magic” is composed; and to give something in the nature of Special Instruction regarding the actual operation or workings of the principles referred to in the lessons of my main work. The present manual bears the above mentioned relation to that lesson in my main work entitled “Personal Influence.”

In order to obviate the repetition of the information contained in my main work, I have been obliged to constantly refer to the latter. This would be inexcusable were the present book offered as a separate and independent work, for it might be justly considered as an effort to force my main work upon the attention of the reader, for the purpose of increasing its sale. But, inasmuch as the present book is advertised as a “Side-Light,” and its relation to my main work is plainly stated in every notice—and particularly as its sale will be almost exclusively among those who have already purchased and studied my main work—I think I may reasonably ask to be absolved from such suspicion.

I think that I have condensed much valuable information within the pages of this book, and I trust that my readers will like the work as well as do I. But, be that as it may, I defy anyone to read it without gaining a strong, practical realization of the powerful part, for good or ill, that Mental Fascination is playing in this Twentieth Century world of ours. And I feel that the majority will agree with me that it is time that this potent influence should be studied, understood, mastered and its “sting” extracted by such an universal knowledge of its principles as will serve to destroy its improper employment. To those who may consider this rather “dangerous knowledge” to be spread broadcast, I will say that Ignorance is no protection—I believe that in all cases the best way to dispel Darkness, and all that goes with it, is to Turn on the Light.

And this, then, is the Spirit in which this book has been written. May you so receive it.

William Walker Atkinson. Chicago, Ill, U. S. A., May 13, 1907.

I. WHAT IS “MENTAL FASCINATION?”

“Fascination” means “the act of Fascinating, or state of being Fascinated.” The word “Fascinate” springs from the Latin word “Fascinare,” meaning “to enchant; bewitch, charm by eyes or tongue; captivate, attract,” etc. The definition of the English word, “Fascinate,” is as follows: “To act upon by some powerful or irresistible influence; to influence by an irresistible charm; to allure, or excite, irresistibly or powerfully; to charm, captivate, or attract, powerfully; to influence the imagination, reason or will of another, in an uncontrollable manner; to enchant, captivate or allure, powerfully or irresistibly.”

The above definition is condensed from a number of the best dictionaries, and gives the cream of the idea embodied in the word.

My Definition. In this manual I shall use the term “Mental Fascination” is the sense of: The action of a Mental Force that powerfully influences the imagination, desire, or will of another. This is my own broad definition which includes all the varied phenomena of Personal Magnetism, Psychological Influence, Hypnotism, Mesmerism,

Charming, etc., etc., all of which I hold to be but varying phases of phenomena of one Force. These things are all a “bit off the same piece,” in spite of the claims to the contrary on the part of those who did not like the relationship.

The Nature of the Force. What is the nature of the Force which produces that which we call Mental Fascination, which latter I have defined as “The action of a Mental Force that powerfully influences the imagination, desire or will of another?” Mental Fascination is the manifestation—what is the nature of the Mental Force that powerfully influences?

As you will see in some of the following chapters, there have been many theories advanced to account for this Force, the theories varying from “magnetic fluids” to mere simple suggestions on the part of the influencing person. Nearly every writer on the subject has had his own pet theory. But although these theories varied and differed greatly, the effects produced were about the same, which naturally leads us to look for some common basic principle operating under all the forms, regardless of the many theories advanced by those producing the effects. It is the old story here, as elsewhere.

A man finds that he is able to produce certain phenomena, by certain methods. He works along practical lines for a time, endeavoring to perfect his methods and increase the variety and effectiveness of the phenomena. When he has advanced along these lines, he begins to look around him for a theory to fit the facts of the case, and here is where he usually makes his mistake. He evolves some fantastic theory, which seems to him to account for the effects produced, and then he endeavors to fit the facts into the theory. If the facts will not so fit in, well, so much the worse for the facts—and he either discards the non-conforming facts, or else ignores or denies them. This has been the course of theorists since the beginning. After a while, some man of a more scientific mind examines the recorded facts, and discovers the true underlying principle, and reconciles the differing theories of the original theorists by a new synthesis which combines the true principles in all the other theories, discarding the pet hobbies or prejudices of the previous authorities. And so it is in the case of Mental Fascination, as we shall see.

The Underlying Theory. I shalt not have much to say about theory in this book. I have explained the theory and principle underlying Mental

Fascination, in my larger book entitled “The Secret of Mental

Magic,” of which this little manual is a “Side Light.” In that book

I have explained that the Underlying Force beneath all forms of Mental Magic—and Mental Fascination is one of those forms—is the Universal Mentative Energy, of which, and in which, each Individual Mind is a Center of Activity. I have also explained that the Mentative Energy of each Individual Mind is, and may be, transmitted from one person to another by means of Mentative Currents, or Waves. And that these Mentative Currents and Waves tend to “induce” in the minds of other persons, the emotions or feelings existing in the Mental States of the person sending out the waves or currents.

The Mental Poles. I have also explained that there are two Mental Poles known as the Motive and Emotive Poles, respectively, which manifest Will-Power and Desire Force, respectively. Desire Force acts in the direction of drawing, pulling, attracting, luring, coaxing, charming, etc.; while Will Power acts in the direction of compelling, forcing, driving, impelling, commanding, demanding, etc. Desire always draws its object toward itself; while Will always overpowers and compels its object, generally in the sense of driving it into action. In Mental Fascination both Desire Force, and Will Power are employed—generally in combination. Desire Force has been called the Feminine phase of Mentative Energy; and Will Power the Masculine. And in this as in everything else, the combination of the two qualities produces the most marked results. The student will be able to distinguish between the action of these two phases of the force, as he reads the pages of this book, in which instances of Mental Fascination are given.

This is all that I shall have to say about theory in this book, except where the various points are brought out in illustrating the examples given. I must refer my students to my “Secret of Mental Magic” for details of theory and principle. The present book deals with the “How?” rather than the “Why?”