William Atkinson - Master Mind (The Key to Mental Power Development & Efficiency)

The above general principle being recognized, the reasoning mind at once applies it to the question of the operation and government of the mental powers and faculties. If the mind is held to be "governed" at all, or to be capable of "government" (and who can doubt this?), then there must be some central governing authority—some Mind Master whose authority, when exercised, is recognized and obeyed by the other mental units, powers, faculties, or forces. This being so, the reasoning investigator then naturally proceeds to the discovery of this Mind Master. Let us play the part of this reasoning investigator, and proceed with him to the discovery of the Mind Master—the central point of authority and power in the kingdom of mind.

Some psychologists would have us believe that the intellectual faculties are the governing powers of the mind. But it will take but little thought to inform us that in many cases the intellectual powers are not the masterful forces in the mental activities of the individual; for in many cases the feelings, desires, and emotional factors of the person run away with his reason, and not only cause him to do things which his reason tells him that he should not do, but also so influence his reason that his "reasons" are usually merely excuses to his actions performed in response to his feelings and emotions.

Other psychologists would have us believe that the desires, feelings, and emotions of the individual are his mental masters; and in many cases it would appear that this is true, for many persons allow their feelings, emotions, and passions to govern them almost entirely, all else being subordinated to these. But when we begin to examine closely into the matter we find that in the case of certain individuals there is a greater or less subordination of the feelings and emotions to the dictates of reason; and in the case of persons of excellent selfcontrol the reason would appear to be higher in authority than the feelings. And in the case of recognized Mental Masters, it is even found that the very feelings, passions, and emotions are so obedient to higher mental authority that in many cases they may actually be transformed and transmuted into other forms of feeling and emotion in response to the orders or commands of the central authority.

The reasoning investigator usually discovers that the Mind Master is not to be found in the respective realms of the first two of the three great divisions of the mental kingdom, i.e., in the division of Thought, or that of Feeling, respectively. The investigator then turns to the third great division of the mental kingdom, i.e., that of Will, in his search for the sovereign power. And at first, it would appear that here, in the region of the Will, he had found the object of his search; and that the Will must be acclaimed the master. But when the matter is gone into a little deeper, the investigator discovers that not in Will itself, but in a Something lying at the very center of Will, is to be found the Mind Master.

While it is seen that the Will is higher in power and authority than either Thought or Feeling, yet it is also seen by the careful investigator that in most cases the Will is controlled and brought into activity by the Feelings; and that in other cases, it is started into action by the result of Thought or intellectual effort. This being so, the Will cannot be considered as being always the Mind Master. And, discovering this, the investigator at first begins to feel discouraged, and to imagine that he is but traveling around a circle; in fact, many thinkers would have us believe that the mental processes work around in a circle, and that like a ring the process has no point of beginning or point of ending. But those who have persisted in the search have been rewarded by a higher discovery. They have found that while many persons are impelled to will by reason of their feelings and emotions; and others by reason of their thoughts; there is a third class of individuals—a smaller class to be sure—who seem to be masters of the willactivity, and who, standing in the position of a judge and sovereign power, first carefully weigh the merits of both feelings and thoughts, and then decide to exercise the will-power in a certain determined direction, and then actually do exert that power. This last class of individuals may be said to really will to will by the exercise of some higher authority found within themselves. These men are the real Master Minds. Let us seek to discover the secret of their power.

There is in the mental realm of every individual a certain Something which occupies the position of Central Authority, Power, and Control over the entire mental kingdom of that person. In many cases —in most cases, we regret to say—this Something seems to be asleep, and the kingdom is allowed to run itself, "higgledy-piggledy," automatically and like a piece of senseless machinery, or else under the control of outside mentalities and personalities. In other cases—in many cases, in fact—this Central Authority has partially awakened, and consequently exerts at least a measure of its authority over its kingdom, but at the same time fails to realize its full powers or to exert its full authority; it acts like a man only half awakened from his sleep, and still in a state of partial doze.

Rising in the scale we find cases of still greater degree of "awakening," until finally we discover the third great class of individuals—a very small class, alas!— in whom the Central Authority has become almost or quite fully awake; and in whom this Mind Master has taken active control of his kingdom, and has begun to assert his authority and power over it. This first class is composed of the masses of the people; the second class is composed of those who occupy positions and places of more or less authority and power in the world's affairs; and the third class is composed of those exceptional individuals who are the natural rulers of the destiny of the race, and directors of its activities—the real Master Minds.

There is only one way of aiding the investigator to discover this Something—this Central Authority—this Mind Master. That one way consists of directing the investigator to turn his perception inward, and to take stock of his numerous mental faculties, powers, activities, and bits of mechanism, and to then set aside as merely incidental and subordinate all that appears to be so. When all these have been set aside in the process of elimination, then there will be found a Something which is left after the process, and which absolutely refuses to be set aside as merely incidental and subordinate—and that Something is then perceived to be the Central Authority, or Mind Master, even though it be halfasleep, and unconscious of its great powers. But for that matter, no Mind Master which is deeply wrapped in slumber will ever discover itself, for it must have been at least partially awakened in order (1) to have thought of the matter at all, or to be capable of thought on the subject; and (2) to have to power of attention and application necessary to pursue the investigation. So, good reader, if you have the desire to find the Mind Master (which is Yourself), it is a sign that you have at least partially awakened; and if you have the determination to pursue the search, it is a sign that you are still further awakened. So you are justified in feeling the courage and the certainty of attainment necessary for the successful termination of the search for the Mind Master—the Something within yourself.

You, the person now reading these words—YOU, yourself—are now asked to make this search of your mental kingdom, this search which has for its aim the discovery of the Something Within yourself which is the Mind Master, and which, when fully aroused into conscious power and activity, makes you a Master Mind. The writer will stand by your side during this search, and will point out to you at each stage of the search the essential points thereof. You will not be asked to accept any metaphysical theories, or religious dogmas: the search will be confined to strictly psychological fields, and will proceed along strictly scientific lines. You will not be asked to accept the authority of anyone else in the matter: your own consciousness will be the court of last appeal in the case.