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

This theory of Mind and Substance considered as the two aspects of Something Higher, from which both have originated or emanated, will come to be regarded as the only "thinkable" proposition, in the end. And, with this idea in view, we may use the facts and experiments of the Materialists, while smiling at their theories. And, with but a slight change of words, we may turn against them their own verbal batteries. In this way, we may take Moleschott's famous statement: " Thought is but a motion of Matter ," and render it intelligible by making it read as follows: " Thought produces Motion in Matter ."

This Finer Force of the Mind is in full evidence to those who look for it, and although it may not be registered by the scales or instruments designed to register the coarser grades of Force, still it is registered in the minds of men and women, and in the actions resulting from their thoughts. These living registers of the Force respond readily to it,—and every one of us is such a register. Just as is the Force a much higher grade of Energy than the forms usually considered as comprising the entire range of Energy, so are the instruments required for its registration much higher than those used to determine the degrees of Heat, Light, Electricity, and Magnetism. It may be that the future will give us instruments adapted for the purpose—in fact it begins to look even now as if the same were forthcoming. But whether we have such mechanical instruments, or not, the living instruments give us a sufficient proof of the existence of the Force, and its operation.

Well—the writer still finds himself unable to bring the book to a close. He added this chapter, to show that the property of Dynamic Thought extended to the highest development of Mind, as well as abiding in the lowest. And, now that he has ventured upon the subject, he finds himself impelled to give you a few instances of the workings and operations of that Law, in the case of Human Mental Life. And this means one more chapter—but only one, remember. The book must come to an end sometime remember. And, so we will pass over into another chapter, which will be entitled, "Thought in Action."

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WITHOUT attempting to go into details, or to enter into explanations, the writer purposes taking his readers on a flying trip through the region of "Thought in Action," or "Dynamic Thought in Operation in Human Life." The details of this fascinating region must be left for another and more extended visit, in our next book (before mentioned) which will be called " The Wonders of The Mind ." But he thinks that even this flying trip will prove of interest and instruction.

Let us start with a hasty look at Man himself. Not to speak of his "Seven Planes of Mind," which belongs to the next visit, we find him a very interesting object. Not only has he a physical body, apparent to our senses, but he has also a finer or "astral body," which he may use (unconsciously, or consciously, when he learns how) for little excursions away from the body, during his lifetime. This Astral Body is composed of Substance just as his denser physical body. The field and range of Substance extends far beyond the powers of ordinary vision, as even the Materialists must admit when they talk of "Radiant Matter," "Etherial Substance," etc. Then he has currents of Fine Force coursing through his nervous system, which may be seen by those possessing "Astral Vision," if the teachings of the Occultists be true.

Then he, like the Particle, has an "Aura" or egg-shaped projection of Mind and fine particles of Psychoplasm, which has been thrown off in the process of Thought, and which clusters around him, producing a "Mental Atmosphere," which constantly surrounds him, and makes itself "felt" by those coming in his presence. Those who read these words may remember, readily, the "feeling" they have experienced when coming in contact with certain people—how some radiated an atmosphere of cheerfulness, brightness, etc., while others radiated the very opposite. Some radiate a feeling of energy, activity, etc., while others manifest just the reverse. Many likes and dislikes between people meeting for the first time, arise in this way, each finding in the mental atmosphere of the other, some inharmonious element. These radiations are perceived by others coming into their range.

Occultists tell us that the character of a man's thought vibrations may be determined by certain colors, which are visible to those having "Astral Sight." There is nothing so wonderful about this, when it is remembered that the various "colors" of light, comprising the visible colors of the spectrum, ranging from red, on through orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and terminating in violet, arise simply from different rates of vibration of the Particles of Substance. And as Thought is produced by Mind causing vibrations in the Psychoplasm, why is not the Astral Colors reasonable? We cannot stop to consider these colors in detail, but may run over the ones corresponding to each marked Emotion of Thought, as reported by the Occult teachings.

For instance the shade of the thought manifesting in physical or organic functions, is of a colorless white, or "color of clear water"; and the color of the thought manifesting in Fine Force or Vital Energy, is that of air,—heated air arising from a furnace or heated ground—when it emerges from the body although of a faint pink when in the body itself. Black represents Hate, Malice, etc.; Gray (bright shade) represents Selfishness, while Gray of a dark dull shade represents Fear. Green represents Jealousy, Deceit, Treachery, and similar emotions, ranging from the dull shades which characterize the lower and cruder forms, to the bright shades which characterize the finer, or more delicate forms of "Tact," "Politeness," "Diplomacy," etc. Red (dull shade) represents Sensuality and Animal Passion, while red (bright and vivid) represents Anger. Crimson, in varying shades, represents the phases of "Love." Brown represents Avarice or Greed. Orange represents Pride and Ambition; and Yellow, in varying shades, represents grades of Intellectual Power. Blue is the color of the Religious thoughts, ranging, however, through a great variety of stages, from the dull shade of superstitious religious belief, to the beautiful violet of the highest religious emotion or thought. What is generally known as "Spirituality" is characterized by a Light Blue of a peculiarly luminous shade. Just as there are ultra-red, and ultra-violet rays in the spectrum, which the eye cannot perceive, so Occultists inform us there are "colors" in the Aura or Mental Atmosphere of a person of unusual psychic or occult development, the ultra-violet rays indicating the thought of one who is pursuing the higher planes of occult thought and unfoldment, while the ultra-red is evidenced by those possessing occult development, but who are using the same for base and selfish purposes—"black-magic" in fact. There are other shades, known to Occultists, indicating several highly developed states of Mind, but it is needless to mention them here.

But the influence of these Particles of "Thought-stuff" thrown off from the Mind Psychoplasm under the vibrations produced by the Mind during the process of Thought, does not cease with the phenomena surrounding the Aura. They are radiated to a considerable distance, and produce a number of effects. We will remember how the Corpuscles or Electrons are thrown off by Substance in a high state of vibration. Well, the same law manifests in the vibrations attendant upon the production of Thought. The particles are thrown off in great quantities each vibrating at the rate imparted to it during the process. No these particles of "Thought-stuff" do not compose the "Thought-waves"—the latter belong to a different set of phenomena.