CHAPTER VII. SECOND MENTAL STEP, RECEPTIVITY. Having by our initial step in the process here taught become gentle, free from all anxiety on every subject, and from all unkind and bitter feeling to every individual in the universe; having become humble, contented, willing to take the lowest place, and willing to please others in any way that is not wrong, we are now ready to enter on the second step. This grows so naturally out of the first one that we shall not need much space to elucidate it. The first step is to be passive, the second is to be receptive. Having cast out all hindrances to the growth of the soul in the right direction, we are now willing to receive all that may come to us from pure and wise influences, whether mundane, celestial, or infinite. We need not fear that in becoming receptive we may become a prey to undeveloped, mischievous spirits. Like is attracted to like. Vengeful spirits will not draw near, for there is no unkindness in our soul to attract them. Greedy, sensual spirits will not come, for we have nothing similar in our own being at this time. Envious, hateful spirits see nothing in us to draw them, and they pass on to some unfortunate sensitive who may become their victim because he has indulged in the same bad feelings. We must here emphasize the strong necessity that is laid on all mediums to cast out persistently all selfish INFLUENCES ON A SENSITIVE. 65 and malicious feelings from their own hearts, so that only pure, peaceful, unselfish and up-lifting spirits may find a foothold there. Letters received from sensitives and mediums in all parts of the United States show me the dangers that such persons run, from the want of self-control and proper instruction. Let us present a case that is repeated thousands of times in Spiritualistic circles. A sensitive, one very susceptible to all outside influences, whether embodied or disembodied, desires to be "developed,” and comes to sit with others. He may be exhausted by a day of hard work and his power of resistance be thus diminished. But it is most likely that he will not think of resisting, for, has he not come in order to be developed? He is passive or negative enough. Perhaps the remains of displeasure against some one who has injured him remains in his heart. Perhaps he is inclined to sensuality and some person present of the opposite sex excites his passions. He may have no feeling of the kind, but in a promiscuous circle, persons present may be filled with malice, revenge, deceitfulness, lust, a desire to drink liquor, to use tobacco, or to eat rich food. Envy of the spiritual gifts, or the fine clothing of some person present, fills another heart. A desire to win money by a selfish trade or a false presentation of goods fills the mind of another All these good, bad, and indifferent-take their seats in the circle, the sensitives among the rest. The lights are darkened, the circuit of magnetism is completed and opens the door to disembodied spirits. A lustful spirit, earth-bound by the desires that he cannot satisfy in his present state, is passing near. He feels a strong emana 999 66 IT IS BETTER TO SIT ALONE tion from some sensual person present and blends his magnetism with his own. Thus re-enforced he takes possession of some unresisting sensitive; and for a long time after this seance this susceptible person is troubled by a tendency to sensual thoughts, that require perhaps more than the strength he can command to keep him from committing what he will never cease to regret. In like manner an envious spirit finds the same quality in some of the sitters, combines their strength with his own, and fills the mediums present with such envy of all who possess greater spiritual gifts, and such jealousy of those who possess any gifts at all, that their feelings are expressed in their conduct, and observers wonder why mediums are so painfully jealous of all others. At the risk of opposing many, we will add that we favor development alone to sitting in company with any other persons, except in rare instances. The methods we inculcate, if faithfully followed, will make one perfectly secure from untoward disembodied influence, while the strength used in resisting the fault-finding spirit, or the self-will of really good men or women present, may nullify all the strength that might have come from their presence. The sensitive has often to turn his mental power to overcome the wrong conditions of some true friend present, instead of opening his heart in unresisting simplicity to the benign influences of the spirit world. No such hindrances can work if he develop alone. To his own master, that is, to his own inner self consciousness, does he stand or fall. Having eliminated all that is bad, and having opened the door to the high and the holy, his quiet, solitary communings do not exhaust him, and "Heaven comes down, his soul to greet.” THAN IN COMPANY. 67 We are aware that there are cases where perfect congeniality between the sitter and his assistants, and perfect consonance of feeling, make it an advantage for him to sit with them, but such cases are rare. A right method and a sincere desire will draw about one disembodied spirits who are wiser than we of earth, and who make no mistakes in assisting the aspirant in his preparation for future usefulness. Where ignorant, mischievous, and sensual spirits find entrance, the blame lies at the door of the sensitive, or of some person present, who has consciously or unconsciously admitted them by a similar condition. The only exception to this is when benevolent spirits bring an ignorant, malicious, or sensual spirit, who desires to improve, in order to be benefitted by the help of a strong, spiritually minded medium. The high counsellors pour the right thoughts onto the sensitive brain of their medium, and as he is still in the body, he can transmit their counsel and strength to the suffering spirit, whose condition keeps him bound to the physical earth, better than they can do. This work is one of the noblest and holiest in which a medium can be engaged. But it is useless for him to reach out after it before the time. will be brought to him by benevolent spirit workers as soon as he is prepared to do it aright. In their philan thropic work of advancing all souls, they use all possible means to accomplish it, thus working in unison with the infinite soul of the universe, whose "ministering angels" they are. To be their instruments, and thus the instruments of the All-Good, is the noblest sphere in which a mortal can be engaged. It |