82

INDIVIDUALITY.

"Insist on yourself: never imitate."

EMERSON.

"No man knows his powers until he has tested them by actual trial."

"Of all the elements of success, none is more vital than selfreliance-a determination to be one's own helper, and not to look to others for support."

MATHEWS.

"The man who dares to think for himself and to act independently, does a service to the race."

JOHN STEWArt Mill.

CHAPTER X.

FIFTH MENTAL STEP, READINESS FOR ACTION.

Having completed the fourth step by realizing your own self-hood, and by consciously taking possession of all your powers, you are ready for the fifth, which is a simple outgrowth of the preceding one. From being positive you become confirmed and settled, and you lock up your resolution within your inner self, and are now ready for action.

To be able, at will, to become successively negative, receptive, aspirational, strongly individual, and settled for the time being, enables one to perform any kind of work that belongs to his mortal career with an ease and an ability that will surprise the persevering aspirant.

We have known a timid, sensitive woman, who had tried to sing in public, but was utterly unable to do justice to her voice and technique, which were really very fine. After learning and practicing this mental process, in connection with the accompanying physical ones which will be detailed later, she was able to sing in public with self-command, with apparent ease, and even delight as she continued her efforts.

Another lady, who was unfortunately married to a very dictatorial, obstinate, and selfish old man, found her home relations much pleasanter by the practice of this process, and declared that she would not surrender the knowledge she had gained for any sum of money.

84

EFFECTS OF THESE PROCESSES.

A teacher whose school had been unruly and almost unbearable, and who had nearly decided to resign her position, found that these methods brought her into a condition that made the pupils desire to please her, instead of the opposite, and her work became pleasant and comparatively easy. Many a business man who loses his head completely would be saved by perseveringly adopting this normal, logical, and natural training.

To further illustrate, the writer of this book is naturally so timid that when a young teacher she found it almost impossible to look at her pupils when asking them the questions. She preferred to walk on solitary roads, for fear of meeting some one that she knew. A member of a church which expected its communicants to speak in meeting, especially in the "covenant meeting," she was forced sometimes to say a few words. The effort would result in a sleepless night.

When informed after the age of fifty that she would speak in public, she considered that quite absurd, knowing her inability to face an audience. She has learned to do so with ease and pleasure, simply by the persistent following of the methods laid down in this book.

When about to speak, she withdraws into an anteroom, and she takes the first mental step by throwing off the audience. She effaces their personality, and she becomes as indifferent to the men and women awaiting her as if they were not there, though of course at the time of speaking their presence and personality become a great aid to her. She throws off every care connected with the whole effort. She then becomes receptive to whatever aid may come from above. Then she realizes the Infinite Life in which she rests, and in that abiding

place invokes the aid of high and pure spirits. She then takes full possession of her own powers, for though aided by them she is to be the active worker for the occasion, and is then settled to carry her resolve into immediate action.

If there is no ante-room, she goes through the mental process quietly sitting on the platform. But an anteroom where she can be alone is far preferable, for two reasons. One reason is that the mental part can be better done when quite undisturbed by the presence of other persons. The other reason is that there is a physical accompaniment of the mental process, that not only expresses in physical action what the mind is seeking to do, thus aiding it materially, but also puts the body into actual harmony with the magnetism of the planet, thus making it a better vehicle for the expression of the soul, and also enabling the disembodied helpers to reach her by these same currents of magnetism. But more of this in a succeding chapter.

CHAPTER XI.

THE PHYSICAL BODY.

The main object of the whole mental process accomplished by these five steps is to put the soul into harmonious relation with the higher intelligences of the spirit world. If we were all soul, and had no body of any kind, either fleshly or psychic, the exposition of the method would be complete, and our present work would be accomplished. But as the soul must express itself through the two kinds of bodies, we shall next explain how to put our outward form into harmony with the magnetic currents of the planet and of its accompanying spirit-world.

So far we have dealt mostly with the means for developing the soul. The second part of the book will describe the process of developing the physical and the spiritual envelop.

I must here emphasize the importance of clearly understanding and accepting what has already been said, before beginning to practice the physical portion. During the four years that have elapsed since the writer began to place this method before the public, it has been practiced by many hundreds, and has benefitted many. But conversations and letters received show that a large proportion began to practice the physical part without sufficient attention to the mental. That is owing to their physical condition and their material environment