William Atkinson - The Essential Works of William Walker Atkinson - 50+ Books in One Edition

"There are other forces besides gravity, and one of the most active of these is chemical affinity. Thus, for instance, an atom of oxygen has a very strong attraction for one of carbon, and we may compare these two atoms to the earth and a stone lodged upon the top of a house. Within certain limits, this attraction is intensely powerful, so that when an atom of carbon and one of oxygen have been separated from each other, we have a species of energy of position just as truly as when a stone has been separated from the earth. Thus by having a large quantity of oxygen and a large quantity of carbon in separate states, we are in possession of a large store of energy of position. When we allowed the stone and the earth to rush together, the energy of position was transformed into that of actual motion, and we should therefore expect something similar to happen when the separated carbon and oxygen are allowed to rush together. This takes place when we burn coal in our fires, and the primary result, as far as energy is concerned, is the production of a large amount of heat. We are, therefore, led to conjecture that heat may denote a motion of particles on the small scale just as the rushing together of the stone and the earth denotes a motion on the large. It thus appears that we may have invisible molecular energy as well as visible mechanical energy ."— Balfour Stewart.

To the writer it seems that the Particle of Substance finds within its Mind-principle (for you know we have seen that all Substance had something akin to Life and Mind) a constant craving, imbedded in its very nature, which causes it to seek Satisfaction. This craving for Satisfaction results in Unrest, and seeks a solution along two lines. These two lines are indicated by two entirely different Desires that it finds within itself—the first being a Desire or Inclination to seek the companionship of some other Particle—the second being a Desire or Inclination to be Free of Attachment or Entanglement.

The Desire for Attachment arises from the force of the Law of Attraction that exists between each Particle of Substance. The Desire for Non-attachment arises from some inward inclination for Freedom. These two Desires or Inclinations may be called the Desire for Impression and the Desire for Expression.

The Desire for Impression (or pressing in) manifests along lines of action tending toward Attachment, Moreness, Companionship, Combination. The Desire for Expression (or pressing out) manifests along the lines of action tending toward Individuality, Freedom, Independence, Unattachment, etc. And both are strong cravings—and both tend to produce Unrest, which results in Motion. The "pull" of the Desire of Impression exists always, and is always modified and counteracted by the "push" of the Desire for Expression. And, resulting from the play of these two Desires, or Forces, result Activity, Motion and Change. Like the two conflicting angels in the Persian mythology—Ahriman and Ormuzd—these two Desires wrestle with each other in the theatre of the Universe—constant Motion and Change being the results.

And, if the writer may be pardoned for dropping into Mysticism for the moment, may it not be that these conflicting Desires for Separateness and Unity, respectively, are but different forms of the Desire for Satisfaction through Oneness. Impression seeks Oneness by combination with other separated Particles, but finds it not . Expression seeks Oneness by drawing apart and endeavoring to realize it in that way, but finds it not . But both are but different aspects of the same Desire for Satisfaction, and only when the Mind recognizes Oneness in Diversity does Satisfaction come. And thus the lesson of the Particle becomes the Lesson of the Man.

These conflicting Desires of Inclinations of the Particles—the one urging it along the lines of Attraction—the other along the lines of Separation—produce the Dance of the Atoms—the Motion of the Particles.

When the Particle manifests along the lines of Expression it pushes itself away from the other Particle, and, consequently, also pushes the other Particle away. When it manifests along the lines of Impression, it pulls itself toward the other Particle, and at the same time pulls the other Particle toward itself. In both cases the "medium" of the pulling extends over the space separating them, as will be described in future chapters. This pulling and pushing is called by Chemistry "Attraction and Repulsion" of the Particles.

It is perhaps unnecessary to state that the Force of the Attraction of Cohesion or of Chemical Affinity is much stronger than that of Gravitation, in the case of the same Particles. Otherwise, if one picked up a piece of iron, the Attraction of Gravitation would cause its particles to separate and fall to the ground, whereas, the Attraction of Cohesion and that of Chemical Affinity enable the Particles to counteract the pull of Gravitation, and thus remain intact. Compared with Cohesion or Chemical Affinity, the pull of Gravitation is incomparably weak. The force which holds together two atoms of water represents a high degree of dynamic power, and the shock of forcible separation of chemical atoms produces something akin to an explosion. So we see that the Attraction of the Particles, while of the same nature as Gravitation, is much higher in intensity.

But notwithstanding the power of the Attraction, it seems to be a matter inherent in the nature of the Particle, and to represent a something like Will, in response to Desire.

The varying "push and pull" or the two Desires, would necessarily cause a revolution of each Particle on its own axis, and a revolution around each other—besides many instances of rushing together and away from each other. In these forms of Motion is to be found the cause of the vibrations producing Radiant Energy, known as Light, Heat, Electricity and Magnetism.

Table of Content

FROM the preceding chapters we have learned that:

(1) The forms of Force or Radiant Energy, known as Light, Heat, Magnetism and Electricity, are "Modes of Motion," arising from the Original Motion of the Particles of Substance (Molecules, Atoms, Corpuscles or Electrons). And that such Original Motion of the Particles arises from the Operation of The Law of Attraction;

(2) That the forms of Attractive Force or Energy, known as Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion, Atomic Attraction, Chemical Affinity or Chemism, and Corpuscular Attraction, also arise from the operation of the Law of Attraction;

(3) That, from the above, it follows that: All Manifestations of Force and Energy in Inorganic Substance ( viz. , both Radiant Energy in its forms of Light, Heat, Magnetism, Electricity, etc.; and also Attractive Energy in its forms of Gravitation, Cohesion, Adhesion, Chemical Affinity or Atomic Attraction and Corpuscular Attraction) arise from the operation of the Law of Attraction.

It will be well to remember that the fact that some of the above forms of Radiant Force or Energy, such as Heat, Light, Magnetism and Electricity, may arise from Motion transmitted from other Substance, does not alter the matter. For if they arise from "waves" from some other Substance, it merely follows that the Original Motion that gave rise to the "waves" arose from the operation of the Law of Attraction. Or, if they arise from "interrupted Motion," it merely follows that the Motion that is interrupted may be traced back to Original Motion that arose from the operation of the Law of Attraction. So that all Mechanical Power, and all the forms of Energy or Force producing the same (omitting for the moment the forms of Energy or Force of "Living Organisms," which will be described later on) arise from the operation of the Law of Attraction.