How To Put The Subconscious Mind To Work
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Just as there are exact laws and formulae in mathematics, physiology and chemistry, so there are exact formulae and laws governing the mind and body and when we know, understand and work in harmony with these laws, we come face to face with the marvelous and almost unbelievable power and possibilities inherent in every human being.

Hoffman says, in "Psychology and Common Life":

In days gone by disease was treated by external applications, as plasters, poultices, cupping, etc. Later medicines were administered through the stomach, then by hypodermic injections: but in the time to come, the wise physician will apply treatment to the brain, the central power house of the body.

J. W. Frings says:

Thought is that which changes the form and arrangements of the grey matter of the brain. It is a real force capable of doing work--and doing it.

And Maudsley also says:

The connection of mind and body is such that a given state of mind tends to echo itself at once in the body.

When we raise the question, what bearing has the subconscious mind upon disease, we open up the most interesting and illuminating phase of mind healing.

Down in the depths of the subconscious may be memories of sickness, of troubles, of misfortunes, of sorrows, of loss of sexual desire, of love ambitions unfulfilled, negative thoughts of a varied kind which are causing sickness yet all unconsciously to the conscious mind. All habits are rooted in the subconscious. Any sickness, whether it has come into being by contagion, fright, panic, negative thought, unrealized ambitions or misfortunes may become a habit. This habit of sickness may be of an intermittent, periodical or chronic character--the subconscious habit.

The ideas, for instance, belonging to a fright complex, which originally were accompanied by palpitation of the heart, tremor, perspiration, muscular weakness, etc., when reproduced in memory are again accompanied by all these physiological reactions.

If this be true, all of the medicines in Christendom, all of the pills in the Pharmacopoeia, all of the prescriptions in this place or Hades cannot make a person well.

If thinking troubles, fright, fear, panic, sex, unrealized ambition, or any negative thought has first caused sickness, and this sickness has become a habit (subconscious), there is only one way to heal it, that is, by first crowding out the old sick habit in the subconscious mind, by "holding the thought" opposite to that which caused the sickness. Or conform to hygienic laws such as proper eating, regular exercise and deep breathing. Form new acquaintances, new social relationships, take up new kinds of reading (along mental science lines), in short change your environment in every particular helping to make a permanent change in your mental processes so that the habit of sickness will be crowded out by the habit of health.

It is well understood now in the realm of psychology that all intense esthetic emotions and feelings are accompanied by an increase of the vital functions, while on the contrary, certain depressed emotions and feelings are accompanied by a decrease of the vital functions.

It is also generally recognized that most, if not all, ideas have a feeling tone attached to them. Therefore, our emotions and our ideas both, with their feeling tones, either stimulate or decrease the vital functions of the organs of the body.

It has been observed in hypnotic subjects, for example, that where, for any reason, depressive memories and such idea-complexes enter and remain in the mind of the hypnotized subject, no matter what suggestions were given, the patient upon awaking becomes or remains correspondingly depressed.

In the same way in our conscious state, either consciously or unconsciously, we reach the under stratum of mind--the unconscious or subjective --with our emotions and ideas, which in turn react upon the physical condition of the body. This we see is the principle. On the one hand, we have the development of that which tends to lessen the vitality of the body and produce sick- ness, if our thoughts are negative, gloomy, and depressed, while on the other hand there is the development of invigoration, health, strength and courage, according to how our emotions, feelings and ideas are brought into the conscious field of the individual, or to the extent that these same emotions, ideas and feelings may remain submerged in the subconscious.

By entertaining any emotional state, negative conditions or ideas which have their feeling tone, we make so definite an impression upon the subconscious mind that this mental attitude becomes a habit. For example, one who begins today to worry a little, and next week has another streak of worry, and the week after that takes on another fit of it, and the week following basks in it again, finally forms a habit of worrying. Any other emotional state, negative thinking or inharmonious condition which we dwell upon from time to time likewise becomes a habit. This reaches the subconscious mind and then becomes fixed, so you see we get "fixed" in worry, "fixed" in negative thinking, "fixed" in inharmonious conditions, and we are "fixed" to stay inasmuch as the subconscious mind is the seat of habit, unless we take up a counter suggestion and reach the subconscious mind by some other positive, healthful, constructive attitude.

The wrong habit in the subconscious mind may have been caused by fatigue, overwork, emotion, unhealthy ideas, self-pity, self-examination, erroneous beliefs in and apprehension of disease, with all the depressive emotional tones that go with such states, or by habits of introspection and concentration of the mind on the functions of the body, etc. These thoughts produce sickness. THE SICKNESS LIKEWISE BECOMES A HABIT, then we have to reeducate the subjective mind to overcome its habit of sick thinking. The main principle is to substitute healthy for unhealthy conditions.

The therapeutic process is the association, through education of health ideas and stimuli that adapt the individual to his environment. There seems to be some difference of opinion among authorities on mental therapeutics as to the best method of procedure in such cases. Some seem to think that it requires a great deal of skill, a vast amount of time, prodigious study and scrutiny of the patient's mind, feelings, habits, etc. My own opinion is that this is not a difficult procedure--I mean the reeducation of the subconscious mind, but a very simple one. Therein I believe is the key to our uncommon success in healing.

The psychology of it is apparent. If you believe a thing is hard, it will be hard. If you think it is prodigious, you will be expecting mountains hard to remove. In my extensive teaching, I have discovered that intricacies of the mind, although profound, are yet simple and easy to understand. The average proportion of people healed in our classes is over 90 per cent. That is they give their testimony to the effect that they have had demonstrations during our classes. I am sure that this is the case because we make the thing so simple and so easy to understand. Our patients are not expecting trouble "complexes." They are not anticipating unsurmountable obstacles. They are not persuaded that they have the unpardonable sin of sickness. They expect a healing, and they get what they expect. We make it so plain and so simple that the reeducation of the mind is gently effected and they correspondingly respond.

We proceed to ask them as outlined in "Psychoanalysis-Kinks in the Mind" what has caused their sickness. One of four reasons is usually given. When the person affirms it was a fright, a scare, a worry, misfortune, failure, love affair, repressed emotion or ambition, dream or physic condition, the main spring of the trouble is touched, the bottom on the health door of the conscious mind is pressed, and the old obsession of sickness is crowded out by a counter suggestion. I marvel that we have made such a prodigious job out of mental healing. That healing may take place readily in many kinds of sickness in certain individuals is not to be wondered at when we consider that constructive and positive thoughts have so much more force and power than negative, destructive and inharmonious thoughts. To discover one or more of the four reasons why you are sick, and then to take a positive counter suggestion, a constructive opposite suggestion to the negative thought, is so powerful an antidote to the negative, that the expected healing is evident and easy to understand.

We may liken such impressions made upon the subconscious mind to the impressions left on the wax cylinder of a dictaphone or phonograph-- those impressions keep repeating and repeating themselves automatically while certain stimuli prevail. Change the stimuli and you change the trend of thought. The changed trend of thought then reacts upon the physical condition to introduce a normal state and dispel an abnormal sick state.

It is well known by those familiar with the manifestations of hypnotism that a hypnotized subject will continue doing whatever he has been told to do until he is released by the same power which induced the suggestion. For instance, if the operator tells a hypnotic subject that his back itches he will continue to scratch his back until released; or if told to make a speech, to laugh, or to cry, he will scrupulously obey orders. If a suggestion has been passed on to the subconscious mind by the little sentinel at the "trap door," although the suggestion be wholly wrong, the sub- conscious mind holds tenaciously on to that suggestion, picture or image which has reached it, by reason of any one or more of the "four reasons" why people are sick, and remains until, in one way or another, a counter suggestion is sent which takes the place of the wrong one there.

In practicing this method of substituting in the habit corridors of the subconscious mind another counter suggestion, we reach the same goal, namely, that of uprooting the old habit and in its place planting the new.

"When an idea becomes uppermost in the human intellect, when a certain notion becomes set in the mind, there are only two ways of removing it. One is by suggestion, and the other is by the development of the opposite ideas by a process of reeducation.

A suggestion is, we might say at first, an idea which has a power in our mind to suppress the opposite idea. A suggestion is an idea which in itself is not different from other ideas, but the way in which it takes possession of the mind reduces the chances of any opposite ideas; it inhibits them. So all healing is accomplished by suggestion.

It has at last been demonstrated beyond a doubt that we can, by properly directing a patient's thoughts, resist the progress of morbid mental activities, that all negative, inharmonious suppressed thoughts can be radically changed and that remembrances of dreams and psychic, harmful images can be eradicated from the treasure chest of memory, which means that natural conditions of health can be completely restored.

We have pointed out elsewhere that it is impossible for the conscious mind to entertain two contradictory thoughts at the same time and that our conscious mind determines the suggestion which shall reach the subconscious. Therefore, if a person should, for instance, support a continued worried mental attitude in the conscious mind, this in time may reach the subconscious and there become the predominating thought, with all kinds of sickness following.

As we take the counter suggestions--the antidotes--for the reasons which have caused our sickness--we shall not only reach the subconscious mind but we shall unconsciously affect the conscious mind for right thinking, positive thinking and constructive thinking.

Just as a person cannot pout and laugh at the same time, neither can the conscious mind suggest health or constructive and positive thinking with- out the conscious being feeling the effects of the suggestion. So, we see, the conscious and the subconscious are correlated and coordinated, each affecting the other.

Some need Suggestion couched in the mystical terms of some of the cults; others need it garbed in religious drapings, while others prefer some vague metaphysical theory which seems to explain the phenomena. Others still are repelled by any of the above forms, but respond readily to the suggestion of a physician administering "straight" suggestive treatment, without any religious, metaphysical, or mystical disguise. In all of these cases the real healing work is done by the Subconscious Mind of the patient himself, the various forms of Suggestion, serving merely to awaken and rouse into activity the latent forces of nature.

Success in healing by suggestion depends upon the principle that the subconscious mind holds tenaciously to some one predominating thought and, since it always holds the strongest idea presented to it, its hold upon this idea is released only when another is given in its place. Any idea will be given up by the subconscious mind when a stronger one is impressed upon it.

Most sickness has been brought into the body first, by trouble, sorrow, etc.; second, by negative thinking or emotional states; third, by suppressed ambition, desire, love; fourth, by dream or psychic picturing. The subconscious therefore will abandon the old ideas and grasp the new ones --the opposite thoughts, the antidotes--and will begin to work them out in the body, just as soon as the suggestion of health, harmony, growth, peace, love and joy becomes the predominating thought crowding out the old idea of trouble, negation, suppression or dreams. Says Prof. William James:

Habits of all sorts are simply the result of the repetition of an action. Physical habits result from repeating a physical act. Mental habits result in the same manner. Any physical habit can be changed by choosing an act opposite to that which created the wrong habit, and by steadily repeating this act until the new habit replaces the old one. And mental habits can be replaced by choosing a different idea and dwelling upon it until it becomes the habit of the mind to think the new way. Pain, sickness, weakness, unhappiness, and poverty, are all mental habits. So are their opposites. A man's state of consciousness when he has twenty dollars in his pocket is radically different from what it is when he has two pennies in his pocket. Every state of consciousness at-tracts its own kind. Being well is a habit. So is every other desirable condition. Getting the habit is our task.

Since the conscious mind can entertain but one predominating thought at a time, and it cannot hold two mutually contradictory ideas at once, the one thought or idea to which the will holds the attention of the conscious mind as an affirmation, opens the little ''trap door" of the conscious mind and passes into the subconscious this uppermost thought.

Intelligent affirmation (suggestion)—thinking intelligently and strongly of the thing desired, soon becomes the predominant thought in the subconscious mind. This predominant thought becomes the pattern or blueprint which in time is materialized--inwardly and objectively--into the reality of the picture or blueprint of the predominating thought. In other words, whatever we think of oftenest and most strongly, we get. To have health and keep it, health must become a predominating thought. The way to put the subconscious mind to work, is to work on a predominant thought, and thus materialize the thing desired by affirmations, either silently or orally by one's self or in the company of others.

People who do not understand the law of the subconscious mind sometimes get but slight results from affirmations because they think that positive thoughts for health, such as "I am well, whole and complete" are a lie. But, as I say, one does not always understand, the law of the subconscious. It does not reason. It does not argue. It hangs tenaciously to the thought suggested to it and when you give a positive formula for health, you are giving the most direct command to the subconscious mind to get busy on your blueprint of health. You thus become your own health architect to build strength, life, vitality and health into every cell of your being.

Webster's dictionary says that a lie is "a criminal falsehood, an intentional violation of the truth." When you take a positive suggestion or formula for health, you are suggesting that the spirit within--the God-life--the great "I am" is well, whole and complete, which is absolutely correct. The spirit of man does not become sick. It

is his body. We, therefore, talk directly, forcibly and positively to this well spirit (the subconscious mind) which in turn communicates the health thought to every cell of the body. This is itself intelligence which reacts and is made by the thought which the subconscious mind sends to it.

The very act of bringing to the light of consciousness the repressed ideas or the implanted obsession, when the patient's mind is unkinked, gives him an insight into the meaning of his trouble. We let him see new points of view, we introduce fresh ideas and feelings into his complexes. In short, we reimpregnate and thus reeducate the subconscious mind. This in itself has wonderful therapeutic value as will be remembered if you recall how the mind is inextricably interwoven with the conscious and the subconscious and how the subconscious mind controls the functionings of all of the organs and senses of the body. It is apparent on the face of the matter that the mental attitude of patients suffering from any kind of disease which has been produced by wrong thinking, must be changed, new groups of complexes must be formed and this is done almost automatically when we once discover what caused the sickness.

The patient then sees life from another plane ; he regards his condition in a new light and his sickness from another angle and by taking counter suggestions -- opposite thoughts -- new associations and groups of complexes are called into play and the process of rehabilitation and health restoration is a simple, scientific and workable hypothesis.

Bear in mind that the subconscious mind will do anything it is given to do. It will recharge the body with health, vigor, strength--make one all over--as well as alter one's attitude toward life entirely. The subconscious mind will change failure into success, despondency into joy, depression into happiness, futility into achievement; hence the injunction Paul gives us in Philippians 4:8 is truly psychological.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

This, in a word, is psychology. To think only of good things until the subconscious mind is obsessed with the good and so crowds out the bad.

Think of those things until the habit of thought has been changed.

"Suggestion controls the world, and 'All things are ready, if our minds be so.' "

Professor Elmer Gates, of "Washington, has demonstrated this physiologically in his studies of brain formation. He tells us that every thought produces a slight molecular change in the substance of the brain, and the repetition of the same sort of thought causes a repetition of the same molecular action until at last a veritable channel is formed in the brain substance, which can only be eradicated by a reverse process of thought. In this way "grooves of thought" are very literal things, and when once established the vibrations of the cosmic currents flow automatic- ally through them and thus react upon the mind by a process the reverse of that by which our voluntary and intentional indrawing from the invisible is affected. In this way are formed what we call "habits," and hence the importance of controlling our thinking and guarding it against undesirable ideas.

But on the other hand this reactionary process may be used to confirm good and life-giving modes of thought as Paul pointed out above so that by a knowledge of its laws we may enlist even the physical body itself in the building up of that perfectly whole personality, the attainment of which is the aim and object of our studies.

So by taking a thought the opposite to the one or more which has caused our sickness we not only supercede the old with the new (open the "little trap door" to let out the old thought) and by affirmations (suggestions) but we by these affirmations make new grooves of thought, forming new thought habits, thought habits of health, and then health we have.

Or again as Scripture says:

"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

We thus seek to change radically the patient's habit of thought by rousing new mental activities in his brain which shall do away with the old and misdirected thoughts, establish new ones and thus restore perfect conditions of health.

When the antidote is given--the counter suggestion to the one or more kinks in the mind-- and is followed by encouraging, hopeful thoughts more frequently than unfriendly and depressing thoughts, conditions of health are sure to be restored.

It is the repetition of suitable suggestions under proper conditions that relieves pain and cures disease.

Another word which could be used to express the same idea is, "erase." Whatever the mind has produced, it can eliminate. Whatever has been written upon the subconscious mental slate can be erased, wiped out; the mental sponge which does the erasing and wiping away is the counter suggestion passed on to it by the conscious mind, aided by any other agency which stimulates the conscious mind--the sentinel at the gate--to open the little trap door and let in the new thought.

A rather homely, yet understandable expression is "painted over," meaning, of course, that the old, wrong thought is painted over by the new counter suggestion.

Albert T. Schofield, M. D., in "The Unconscious Mind" illustrates this thought in the following manner:

The thought of an acid fruit will fill the mouth with water. A successful way of stopping discordant street music is to suck a lemon within full view of a German band.

Dr. Murchison says there is good evidence that nerve influence may not only cause functional derangement, but also cure structural disease of the liver.

A man who was very sea-sick lost a valuable set of artificial teeth overboard, and was instantly cured.

If the thoughts are actively directed to the intestinal canal, as by bread pills, it will produce strong peristaltic action. Vomiting occurs from mental causes, apart from organic brain disease. Bad news will produce nausea; emotion also, or seeing another person vomit, or certain smells or ideas, or thoughts about a sea voyage, etc., or the thought that an emetic has been taken.

The thought of food produces a copious flow of gastric juice in the stomach and saliva in the mouth.

And Edward Carpenter substantiates this:

It should be as easy to expel an obnoxious thought from your mind as it is to shake a stone out of your shoe; and till a man can do that it is just nonsense to talk about his ascendancy over nature, and all the rest of it.

One of the first things prescribed in physical treatment is a purge. It should also be about the first thing in mental treatment. The mental purge may be called a counter thought or suggestion. It separates the mind from false beliefs. The counter suggestion crowds out the false belief, the wrong thought, and purges the subconscious mind of the false beliefs. Then the action of God takes place.

From the earliest times, cheerfulness--a merry heart--has been recognized as possessing positive therapeutic power. Solomon must have understood the psychology and physiology of faith and mental purge when he wrote the following passages :

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Prov. XV:1S.)

He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

{Prov. XV:15.)

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit, who can bear? (Prov. XVIII:1b.)

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. (Eccl. VII:9.)

The path to a health consciousness is to get the strong, positive idea of UNITY and live under the law of similars.

This can be done. One may not be successful at the first attempt. A week may not see much change, a month may pass before improvement is noted. I have known people who have tenaciously hung on to their healing thought for a year before they derived much benefit, but they succeeded at last!

Begin at once to affirm with all the health and strength of the universe and stick to it in the face of all the opposing negative thought vibrations generated within yourselves or thrown into your mind by others. No matter how fast negative thoughts crowd in upon the mind treading upon the heels of their predecessors, they can be crowded out by a strong positive affirmation of health, happiness and success.

One or more of the "four reasons" why people are sick, will we have seen, eventually succeed in polluting the whole trend of thought, will tincture or inoculate the mind with sick thoughts which in turn depress the whole physical system, and we are sick.

When we take a counter thought or suggestion --antidote--we crowd out the polluting sick thought. Our suggestion then acts as a powerful and all embracing idea which "sweeps through the mind with absolute conviction and utterly vanquishes every opposing thought. This is exactly the sort of intellectual house-cleaning that takes place when one's mind is converted to a new way of thinking."

This counter suggestion or antidote is augmented by magnetic and electrical healing, persuasion, hetero suggestion and silent treatment, which all act as stimulants to arouse the activity of health thoughts in the subconscious mind and health is restored.

There is no doubt that our thinking raises or lowers the rate of our vibration. And each disease has its own rate of vibration.

To some to be healed by vibration may appear miraculous but of course it is the natural operation of a common mental and physical law of vibration. A superstitious or religious belief that the Lord spoke and it was done, or, a bigoted idea of the miraculous power of God could have produced the same effect. Anything, be it rabbit's foot or goosequill, the King's garment or a magic wand, which, by thinking stimulates enough faith to tap the reserve power in the sub- conscious, could have effected a healing just as well and it would have been an operation of a natural law--the natural law of belief and faith that the healing would take place. But in all healings the natural operation of certain laws which always bring certain results implies surely a loftier conception of God and his laws to the thinking person than the superstitious conclusion that God, the miraculous and divine spoke and it was done.

The truth is that all law is divine and all law is God's law, so God becomes nearer and dearer and the conception of Him more clear cut, intelligent and reasonable when we recognize that all things performed in nature conform to and are the result of law and order.

All appeal to the supernatural, to the miraculous or mysterious is misleading--all healing is in accordance with natural laws.

"We know that each word has its rate of vibration, hence every thought has its particular vibratory rate. The positive thought always has a rate of vibration higher than the negative. The health thought a rate of vibration higher than the sick. The cheerful thought a vibratory sensation higher than the discouraged. Hence the moment a person takes a positive, constructive, hopeful, health-giving affirmation, the higher rate of vibration within the individual begins at once. It may at first be imperceptible, but it begins just the same. It will not be noticed or felt for some time, but it has begun, nevertheless.

This higher rate of vibration will unconsciously reach the subconscious mind to change the old habit of sickness into the new habit of health.

To illustrate: sit loungingly in a chair and repeat seven times to yourself in a monotone, "gloomy, downcast and sorrowful." Then sit quiet for a few moments, letting the body become more slovenly in its posture while you repeat seven times again, "gloomy, downcast and sorrowful," still in monotone. Continue to sit slovenly in the chair a few moments and repeat the same thing again, then straighten up in your chair, supporting your body by the spinal column.

Do not lean against the back of the chair, let the head tilt upward, let the hands rest gently in the lap, palms upward, and repeat the positive words, "cheer, courage, happiness." Say them seven times in a spirit of fervor and a tone of confidence, then relax in your chair any way you please for a few moments. Once again take your upright healthful, cheerful position and repeat seven times the words, "cheer, courage, happiness." After which you may again relax, then take your position as mentioned above and repeat the same words seven times again. After you have carried this out faithfully you are bound to feel a higher rate of vibration in the words of "cheer, courage and happiness" than you felt in the "gloomy, downcast, sorrowful."

Dr. Wm. Sadler tells of a friend who would upon seeing a reptile almost have a spasm. We induced this fear-ridden person to go with us one day to a certain drug store in San Francisco where some ten or fifteen living snakes were on exhibition in the front window. It was a difficult ordeal for our friend; but the watching of these reptiles for three-quarters of an hour was sufficient effectually to cure that horrible dread of creeping and crawling things, and so that this person has ever since been able to look at snakes without experiencing the least sensation of fear or feeling of terror."

Thus affirmation--holding a thought—changes the current of our thinking. We may, by right thinking--holding a thought--change the mental, social and physical conditions about us and in us. "Holding a thought" is as scientific, practical and healing as the law which controls the ebb and flow of the tides.

And Morton Prince suggests:

A new setting with strong effects may be artificially created so that the perception acquires another equally strong meaning and interest.

The second way theoretically would be to bring into consciousness the setting and the past experiences of which the setting is a sifted residuum, and reform it by introducing new elements, including new emotions and feelings. In this way the old setting and point of view would become transformed and a new point of view substituted which would give a new meaning to the perception.

"Sidetrackability" is the name which someone has given the condition of those nervous, erratic people whose energies are being diverted from a legitimate and natural source into abnormal and harmful channels.

Should a person notice any of these nervous energy leaks he should instantly treat himself to overcome these little sidetracked abilities. This can easily be done. Take a positive thought the opposite to what nervous habits you may have and keep repeating the thought until you crowd out the old with the new.

Drunkards have often been reformed by the religious appeal alone, as may be seen by a visit to the Bowery Mission, or any similar institution working among the submerged; or by reading Begbie's Twice Born Men. They have often been cured by suggestion alone, as many physicians and experimental psychologists can testify.

Any kind of an experience, action, or thought which may change the current of one's thinking acts as a suggestion and may be taken up by the subconscious mind to form new habits of thinking and living. Therefore Scriptural quotations and religious services are two of the strongest means of suggestion for health success and happiness that we have. The less intellectual or cultured the person the lower the type of religious enthusiasm necessary for purposes of suggestion. The higher the intellectual development and the more cultured the individual, the more reasonable must be the religious appeal as a suggestion.

If we learn instantly to take an antidote—opposite, positive and constructive thought--to the unfriendly suggestion and teach our children so to do (training children in habits of right thinking is of far greater importance than many parents even suspect) we shall prevent much, if not all of these "four reasons" why people are sick from getting hold of us and thus forestall most of the ills that flesh is heir to.

I give the following illustration as a sample that one may always be ready to sweep the mind clear of any kind of "unfriendly" suggestion which may possess one, from fright, fear, panic, accident or "habit" of thought. I know that while keeping in tune with the laws of life nothing can harm me. "No evil can come nigh my dwelling." I follow a hunch as nearly to the letter as possible. I know that if ever I were threatened with disaster, trouble or misfortune, I should have a warning.

Some one who knew that I was taking to my room each night a considerable sum of money had planned to burglarize me. I have always said that if a burglar did get into my house he may, as far as I am concerned take anything I have. He is the type of man against whom I should never try to defend myself single-handed--I mean, the burglar with weapons. I am, however, of the muscular type, I can scrap if I have to. Instinct on one occasion overruled my better judgment, but still I was protected by the law in which I so firmly believe--"no harm can come nigh my dwelling.''

I had a hunch one night that I was to be held up. So I turned over all of the money I had, consisting of a few thousand dollars to some one else and made my way alone to my room. Sure enough, my hunch was right. I awoke to find a man stealthily creeping about the room at the foot of my bed. He evidently had learned where I had been putting my money at night. It wasn’t there; all the money I had in the room was on the bureau, about 40 cents in a little cheap 10c pocket book and about $60.00 in a wallet, these two lay side by side.

When I awoke to see a stranger in my room I instinctively followed the characteristics of my type, although I had nothing to lose and no weapons at hand, I climbed out of bed and asked him what he wanted. He stood erect, silent, in a posture of defiance, but didn't answer. Again I asked him what he wanted and reached down by the head of the bed for the only weapon at hand, an old shoe, as I did this he flashed a gun. I had said I would never attempt to scrap with a burglar if he took me unawares, yet I was doing the very thing I said I wouldn't do. The fire- works of a gun can travel faster and with more deadly effect than an old shoe in the hands of a scared stiff "muscular" but--"no harm can come nigh my dwelling." This was my thought.

Of course thoughts are things and thoughts shape the destiny of our lives. Thought changes our environment as well as our physical condition. When I was looking into the barrel of the burglar's repeater, I confess that I shook like a maple leaf in the frosty air, and wasn't quite sure that my shoe could be well directed, hence I resorted to the only method of self-preservation I could think of on the spur of the moment—my voice, and when the gun was leveled at my "cocoa '' and my arm shivered so that my shoe would certainly go amiss if I let fly. I let out an unearthly yell that I had never heard before, St. Patrick never heard before, Gabriel never heard before, and I am sure the burglar never heard before, I evidently scared him more than I was scared myself, for with the first shriek I shrieked the burglar made for the window, leaped through the open space mid was gone.

I will confess that I was scared as bad as he, if not worse. I had goose pimples all over, cold perspiration squirted out of me like running water from a broken garden hose, and I turned on the light to let him know I was still alive, should he have a thought about returning. When the light flashed on it was revealed to me that only one of my pocket books was gone--the ten-cent one with 40 cents enclosed. Thus again proving the law in which I believe, that intuition and hunch will always protect us.

For two weeks afterwards I would feel cold shivers chase themselves up and down my spinal column, my flesh turn into goose pimples, and cold perspiration squirt from my skin. Unconsciously the experience with the burglar cropped up again and again.

When the nameless visitor hopped out of the window, followed by the bang of my shoe, I began to work my psychology. Never such a fright, such a fear and such a shock I never had before. Knowing that in time of fright or panic the subconscious mind may become obsessed by the horror of the scene, I immediately began suggesting to myself something like the following--"all things are in divine order, peace, power and plenty are mine, I rest at peace in infinite love."

This was about 3:00 o'clock in the morning and needless to say there was no more sleep in my bed chamber that night, nor on the other hand, was any ill effect to follow. I simply repeated my thought and held my affirmation for goodness knows how long, but it was long enough and, furthermore, kept me good company for the rest of the night to prevent any wrong suggestion having been taken up by the subconscious mind.

Whenever anything of any character in any way disturbs the mind always be prepared to hold a strong counter suggestion, and "no ill can come nigh thy dwelling."

It must be recognized not only that disease of divers kinds may be healed by suggestion but also that the chief value in suggestive therapeutics will eventually be found to consist in the almost unlimited power which it gives one to protect himself against contracting disease.

To do that it is only necessary to hold one's self in the mental attitude of denying the power of disease to obtain mastery over him. When the patient recognizes the first symptoms of approaching illness, he should at once commence a vigorous course of therapeutic auto-suggestion.

He will find prevention much easier than cure; and by persistently following such a course he will soon discover that he possesses a perfect mastery over his own health.

Inasmuch as the natural condition of man (contrary to old-theological teachings) is to strive for moral and physical harmony, it is easier and takes less time to plant in the subconscious mind a positive and constructive thought than a negative or destructive one.

Therefore rejoice and be exceeding glad that when you desire to correct any kind of inharmony, the constructive forces of nature and God are on your side. It is easier to build than to tear down. It is easier to climb than to fall. It is easier to achieve than to fail--WHEN ONE FORMS A HABIT OF CONSTRUCTIVE BELIEF AND LIVING.

Remember that nothing is impossible for us, that we are part of the Divine, that the God given power resides in each individual.

F. W. Sears, M. P., in "How to Give Treatments," offers a splendid illustration of how the mind heals.

Having gotten that vision, that idea, and come into a full belief and understanding of the cause of our sickness and of this statement, "that nothing whatever is impossible for us," then we should get to work and displace in our thought world the vision, the idea that we have any disease, and place in its stead the vision or idea of perfect health.

For instance, let me give you a personal illustration that perhaps is more practical and will bring it closer home than anything else. For a number of years I had chronic sick headaches. The attacks occurred every ten days to two weeks. In the old thought world we would say I inherited them from my mother, who is still living at 75 and enduring hers. Her sister, who is also living at 86, has had them all her life. It is evident I came into this incarnation with a well-defined idea of sick head- ache stamped upon the cells of my physical body, and that consciousness was one of the things which related me with my parentage and environment in this incarnation. I carried that idea, that vision, that image of sick headache until about fifteen years ago.

As the years went by the sick headache consciousness became more firmly fixed and deeply imbedded in my physical cells and my headaches increased correspondingly in intensity and severity. On the occasion of my last attack I woke up in the morning with my head feeling as though a thousand tons was pressing down on it; I had so much nausea at my stomach that I could not raise my head from the pillow. I said to myself, "I will be well. I will put into practice these things I have learned, I will fill my thought world with thoughts of health and fill it so full that there will be no room left for disease. I will cure myself of sick headaches; now is the time for me to begin putting into practice, into practical application, the things I know; I will get up," and I did so.

Then I began to affirm--"The All-Health energy of the universe is pouring into my head; I am free, free from sickness; I am free from all aches and pains and all nausea; I am perfect health,"--and many other similar affirmations. The idea in making these affirmations is to materialize, to emphasize in words as well as in thought, the vision of the thing we want in order that the image may be stamped upon the intelligence of the atoms or cells of the body; also that through the vibrations we create in our bodies by these affirmations, we may relate with the currents in which the All-Health energy is found.

I kept up the affirmations, and I also made some denials that I was not sick. At that time I found denials were of some help to me, and we frequently do find that to be the case. I made the affirmations and denials again and again every few minutes during the day; in fact not fifteen minutes went by without my making them and declaring my freedom from disease.

The result was that by five o'clock in the evening I could think of my head without the ache being there, and of my stomach without the nausea; but my head was just as sore as though it had been pounded with a club.

The change in the vibrations of my head was caused by the affirmations and also by the deep breathing which I did. I inhaled long, slow, deep breaths, and with each inhalation I affirmed that "I was breathing in the health energy of the universe now." The making of these affirmations continuously and persistently all day long, although I felt I could not hold up my head, increased the vibrations of the atoms of my body and finally resulted in the headache stopping and the nausea disappearing. I ate quite a hearty dinner, not having eaten anything all day and then went to an entertainment in the evening, after which I danced for a couple of hours, ate ice cream and cake--and have never had any sick headache since.

Twice since then the headache started to come back, but before it got hold I began the same method of treatment, making my affirmations and deep breathing, and it did not last more than fifteen minutes either time, and although that was fifteen years ago, I have never had a sick headache from that day to this.

Now as to my eyes. My trouble was astigmatism and I had to have special lenses made for each eye. When I broke a lens I was in misery until a new one was made. I wore glasses continuously for more than twenty years, and during the last few years of that period I had to have the lenses changed every three to six months, but laid them down finally, on May 1,1906, and have not had them on since. Before taking them off permanently I treated myself for at least a year in order to develop the consciousness which would permit me to get along without them.

When treating myself I would put my hand over my eyes many times a day and make this affirmation: "My eyes are strong and well and my sight is perfect. My eyes are strong and well and my sight is perfect." No matter how at variance with that statement my eyes actually felt, I kept that thought constantly before their cell intelligence for a year before I finally laid down my glasses. I used to begin treating them when I first arose in the morning. At such time I would find that my eyes were pretty clear and I would go without my glasses as long as I could, perhaps fifteen minutes, and then later on, leave them off for half an hour, gradually extending the time I did with- out them until through such extension and the development of the consciousness I was working with all the time, I created the conditions which enabled me to lay them down completely.

The next thing I went to work on was my head, which was as bald and shiny as a billiard ball.

It is true I haven't a very heavy head of hair at the present time, but I have hair. I did not have the overwhelming desire for hair that I had for perfect eyesight. I did want my eyesight because I have always used my eyes so much, and I wanted to continue to use them, but the hair I didn't care so much about. The only thing that ever made me want to grow it was the fact that in the study of my history in this and former incarnations, I saw that baldness was the result of negative energy which I had heretofore generated the same as my defective eyesight, and so I wanted to antidote that now. I knew there was no time when it could be displaced as easily as the present time, because the longer we let these things run on, the more fixed does the habit become, and I wanted to get rid of the habit of registering any negative energy in my life.

I went to work in more or less of a half-hearted way because every one said--"Why you can't grow hair on a door knob," and "I never knew of it having been grown on a bald head before." I used to loosen the scalp through massage, and at the same time affirm that "My hair is growing thick and heavy on top of my head, I have a thick, heavy growth of hair now."

I used every method I thought might help until I got the hair started. Every morning I loosened the scalp with my fingers and stimulated it with a stiff hair brush. Occasionally I applied a little ointment to soften the scalp, after having shampooed my head with some good tar soap. I did this because everything and every method we can use to help restore us to a normal harmonious relationship, is constructive.

On everything else but my bald head my consciousness was strong enough to actualize my vision of perfect health and harmony, but when it came to the bald head it took a whole lot more development, a stronger and more powerful realization than I had then to "get the vision" of a heavy head of hair on it, and as I had no one to "cheer me up" and help me raise my vibrations, but had to "go it alone," I therefore used whatever things would give me even the slightest bit of encouragement or the smallest ray of hope. In that way I began to develop the consciousness which has finally produced what hair I have.

I have a picture of myself which was taken when I was a boy and had a fine head of hair. In trying to "get the vision" of hair on top of my head I would hold that picture before me and try to imagine (image) myself with a head of hair like that now; it was not until about a year ago that I was able to get such a vision but I finally succeeded.

Many attempt these treatments and fail because they are not persistent enough. Many times we expect to change a habit of years, perhaps of incarnations, in a few days or a week or two, but in our present state of consciousness that is impossible. We can develop a consciousness which will enable us to change anything in the "twinkling of an eye," but until we do develop it, we have to go more slowly.

Everything begins and ends in our thought world, and until we have changed our habit of thinking we cannot change its effects on the intelligence of the cells of our bodies, because the physical cells and the atoms of our environment reflect the kind of energy we generate in our thought world.

You see, thought is so dynamic and forceful that when you take an affirmation, you are taking something that will work. That is the nature of affirmations. If the thought you hold expresses your desire or ideal, and if you express that affirmation or ideal with conviction and with persistence it will work. One of the main things to remember in all suggestion and in all affirmations is that one must never give up--must never say die.