Healing yourself

Front matter

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Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Full Supply of Vital Energy 1

II. The Super-Physical Breath 8

Chapter I Full Supply Of Vital Energy

The Great Law. — It is absolutely impossible for any form of disease, physical or mental, organic or functional, to enter the human system so long as that system is abudantly supplied with vital energy. And it is absolutely impossible for any form of disease to remain in the human system after a full supply of vital energy has been provided for every part of that system.

The First Essential. — Recognizing the validity and the certainty of the law just presented, we realize that the first essential in the attainment of health, in the regaining of health, or in the maintenance of health, must necessarily be to supply the human system with all the vital energy that mind and body can appropriate and employ. In brief, if we have good health, and wish to continue in good health, we must take immediate steps to keep the system brim full of vital energy under every circumstance; or, if we

I wish to regain health, we must proceed to recharge and revitalize the entire system until the full supply of energy has been secured.

How to Proceed. — Our purpose must be, to so live, think and act that all waste of vital energy may be prevented absolutely; and also, to adopt such methods as may prove directly conducive to the increase of vital energy; that is, we must learn to retain what energy we have, and learn to produce more and more as growth and advancement may demand.

Practical Methods. — The first and simplest rule to observe is that of moderation in all things. Act only in conformity with present capacity; and aim to increase your capacity before you increase your activity. Believe that you can do as much as you like; then do only as much as you know you have the available energy to do at present. Take good care of the energy you have. Permit no waste; but do not permit the least to lie dormant. Use all the energy you have every day. Live and work to full capacity. But do not live and work beyond your present capacity. First, increase your capacity ; and know that you can.

Revitalization. — When all the energy in the system has been used for the day, in wholesome living and constructive work, proper methods must be taken to revitalize and recharge the sys-

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tern. And this is accomplished in the natural way, through change of activity, recreation and sleep. Should you feel the energy of the system running low, the simplest and quickest way to recuperate is to go and do something else, or to turn thought and attention into some other channel. In brief, permit the muscles and the faculties you have been using to relax, and call into action muscles and faculties that have not been used for a time. The practice of turning thought and attention into other channels for thirty minutes several times every day is one of the best methods known for recharging the system with energy, and thus keeping mind and body fully supplied at all times.

Source of Energy. — The real source of vital energy is found in the subconscious mind; and we enter the subconscious whenever we go to sleep, largely for the purpose of gaining a new supply of life, force and energy. It is highly important, therefore, to go to sleep with the expectation of gaining a larger supply of energy than we ever possessed before, because it is always the law everywhere that the more we expect the more we receive. However, we must never permit anxiety to accompany our expectations ; we must, in all things, be calm and serene, and make it our purpose to live and act in the full faith that all our expectations will be realized. The fact is, that there is more power in a calm, serene faith than in anything else in the world.

How to Live. — In order that the system may be full of life and energy at all times, live the serene life, but turn on the full current. Give full, harmonious and constructive expression to all the power there is in you, but see that every action is calm, orderly and in perfect poise. Live a large life and a powerful life, but invariably combine the expression of power with a deep feeling of peace. Try to feel serene and strong at the same time, and at all times. This is most important if you would have an abundance of energy, and retain it all, with full force, in your own system. And you will find that this simple practice of trying to feel serene and strong at the same time will work wonders for you.

How to Work. — Under every circumstance, work in poise. Work with all the energy you have, but apply that energy in poise; and never permit yourself to violate this rule. Avoid nervous rush, regardless of conditions or demands; and also avoid the habit of doing less than you can do; for remember that we always lose what energy we do not use. Use all the energy you have; use it constructively; use it in poise; and use it in the full conviction that you will immediately receive more. Again, we should

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consider the great law of expectation. Expect more ; expect much ; expect everything you want ; then live in the absolute faith that all your expectations will be realized.

Very Important. — All waste of energy must be prevented if we wish to have continuous and perfect health. And, therefore, everything must be avoided that may tend to produce such waste, be the action physical or mental. We must not only avoid the misuse of the body, but also the misuse of the mind. Such states therefore as anger, fear or worry, or similar states of mind must never be tolerated for a single moment. The fact is, that one hour of severe mental depression may lower your vital energy down to a point where you have less than one-fourth as much as you had before. If one hour of such a state of mind can destroy more than threefourths of your energy, we have something here that must not be ignored for a moment. And it is too true that mental depression, or similar states, will have this very effect. We must therefore eliminate such states absolutely, and keep the mind in a clean, lofty, harmonious condition at all times. Remember this: Do nothing to lower your vitality and you will always be well.

Special Exercise. — We find in every human system a tendency to lose energy. In fact, most people are losing vital energy, unconsciously, most of the time. But this loss we must prevent; and we can. We can learn to hold, in our own system, all the energy we generate ; and this may be accomplished in a very short time through the following exercise:

Take a few moments several times every day, and turn attention upon the energy that fills your physical and mental system. Then try to feel that you are holding all of this energy in your own system through the power of your mind. In fact, try to take conscious hold of this energy and keep it all in yourself. In a moment, you will feel more and more energy accumulating in every part of your being until you actually feel as if you were recharged. And you are. You have, for the time being, prevented all loss; and you are beginning to realize what a power you would become if you could always retain all the energy you generate. Repeat the exercise several times every day until it becomes second nature for your mind to hold within your own system all the energy you generate. Thus you prevent all loss permanently, and you will feel far stronger, both in mind and body, than ever before.

Full Supply. — Realizing the fact that the subconscious mind is the real source of energy, and that the subconscious will invariably respond to our conscious directions, we should make it a

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point to direct the subconscious every day to keep the system, physical and mental, absolutely full of vital energy every moment. This may be accomplished by turning attention upon the subconscious at frequent intervals, and actually declaring to the subconscious that this full supply be maintained. Results will positively follow.

Increase of Energy. — The permanent increase of vital energy may be secured by directing the subconscious to express, in mind and body, a larger supply. The subconscious can. The amount of latent energy in the great within is limitless; and, therefore, we may secure more and more as we desire. Turn the positive will upon the subconscious, and will to arouse more and more vital energy from within. Proceed calmly, and with determination ; and fully expect to receive the increase that you have in mind.

The Aim in View. — We know the great law, that no ailment whatever can enter the human system, so long as that system is brim full of vital energy. Our aim in view therefore must be to possess, at all times, this full and abundant supply. And as we learn this great art, we shall always be well; we shall always be strong; we shall live a long, active life, and enjoy every moment to the highest degree.

Chapter II The Super-physical Breath

Important Fact. — The physical atmosphere with which we are surrounded, and portions of which we inhale with every breath, is not composed of physical elements alone. And when we breathe, we take into the system something more besides the air that enters the lungs. The fact is, that the physical atmosphere is charged with certain vital forces, or life energies, that are drawn more or less into the physical system when we breathe; and that invariably tend to increase the vital energy of the system. In some localities the atmosphere contains more of this vital force than elsewhere; and we always find that the population of such localities feel stronger, more energetic and more alive, and accomplish a great deal more, both in the physical and the mental fields of activity. We also find that certain individuals have the happy faculty of drawing into their systems a greater supply than usual of this atmospheric life force, regardless of where they may live; and, in consequence,

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have far more energy, under every circumstance, than the majority.

The Energizing Breath. — It is not aways convenient to select those localities where the atmosphere has the most energy; besides, the atmosphere in every locality may change its energyproducing power with every change in climatic conditions. We cannot depend, therefore, upon conditions as they come and go in the external; but we can depend upon our own power to extract from the atmosphere all the life energy we may desire; for the fact is, that there is an abundance of this life energy in the atmosphere of any locality, regardless of climatic conditions ; and we can, through the energizing breath, or the super-physical breath, draw into our systems as much of this force as we can hold or apply. This must become our purpose, therefore, because the human system does require a certain amount of this atmospheric energy in order to maintain perfect health. And when we can draw into the system a great deal more of this energy than is required for perfect health, we may increase remarkably both our working capacity and our joy of living. This latter fact is most evident, because it is when we feel as if we were literally charged with these highly re-' fined life energies that life becomes nothing less than supreme joy. And it is then that we want io HEALING YOURSELF

to live for an indefinite period, and achieve wonderfully upon this planet.

The New Way. — In the usual way of breathing, we inhale what we can appropriate of the physical atmosphere, so as to supply certain demands of nature; and if the atmosphere happens to be well charged at the time, we draw into the system considerable life energy with every inhalation; but if the atmosphere does not happen to be well charged, we receive but a scant supply of this energy, and in consequence do not feel as strong or as well as usual. In the new way of breathing, however, we do not rely merely upon what energy may be received in the usual manner; we make a special effort to draw into the system an extra supply of life energy with every inhalation. And this we can readily do if we observe a few important laws in connection with general breathing and special exercises in breathing.

How to Begin. — Realize that the atmosphere you breathe is charged with certain vital energies and that a certain supply of these energies is taken into the system with every breath. Then realize that you can draw into your system a far greater supply of these energies; and that your body will have greater vitality and better health with every increase of this supply that you re-

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ceive. The fact is, that, although your body may be too weak to move around, you can, by drawing more energy from the atmosphere into your system, make your body so strong and so vigorous that you will actually feel as if you were electrically charged through and through. You can, through the super-physical breath, restore your physical system to full health and vigor, no matter how low your vitality may be. And you can, in the same manner, increase your physical and mental power remarkably every year for an indefinite period.

General Exercise. — Whenever you breathe consciously, think deeply of the vital energy of the atmosphere; and as you inhale, desire with depth of feeling to draw more and more of this energy into your system with every breath. In ordinary physical breathing, the object is simply to secure oxygen for the lungs; but in super-physical breathing, the object is to secure a greater and a greater supply of that finer life energy that permeates the atmosphere everywhere. And as you make a special and a conscious effort, in your general breathing, to attract more of this finer energy, you will soon develop the faculty of attracting more of this energy at all times, with every breath, whether you think of your breathing or not. The result will be that you will always have more energy than usual, and in every kind of atmosphere or climatic condition.

Special Exercise. — Be seated in a comfortable position, a position that will permit of a free and easy exercise of the lungs. See that there is an abundance of fresh air in the room. Then begin to breathe, gently and deeply, inhaling and exhaling slowly, holding the breath a few seconds after each inhalation, and being particular to note that the lungs are filled comfortably, through and through, with each succeeding inhalation. Continue this mode of breathing for ten or fifteen minutes, and as you do so turn your attention upon the finef life currents of the atmosphere. Try to get into conscious touch with the finer forces of these currents, and try to draw a goodly supply of those forces into your system with every inhalation. In this connection, it is most important to realize that the finer forces of the atmosphere that surround you will obey the desires of your mind. Therefore , if you place your mind and thought in touch with those forces, and deeply desire to draw them into your system as you inhale, those forces will actually obey; and you will receive a far greater supply of life energy from the atmosphere than usual.

The Chief Secret. — In order to draw more and more of this life force into your system as you

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breathe, the chief secret is to get your mind into such close contact with the finer side of that force, that you can actually feel it coming into every atom of your body with every breath. And this closer contact may be secured, by thinking deeply and frequently of the finer energies of the atmosphere, concentrating attention, as much as possible, upon that finer feeling in yourself that can feel the finer forces within you and about you. With practice and perseverance this finer feeling will come; and by using the mind in the attitude of that finer feeling, you can get into perfect touch with that finer force, thereby mastering the chief secret in the super-physical breath.

Further Information. — During this special exercise, try to draw an extra supply of atmospheric energy into your system with every inhalation; then as you hold your breath for a few seconds, try to feel that this finer energy is penetrating every fiber in your being, giving new life and vitality to every nerve and cell; and as you exhale, try to feel that all the extra energy received is retained in the system, as a permanent addition to your physical and mental power. Then inhale again, as before, repeating the entire process again and again, gently and in poise, for ten or fifteen minutes. At the close of this exercise, you will feel that you have a great deal more i4 HEALING YOURSELF

vitality in your system than you ever felt before, even though you did not get fully into the real secret of the exercise. But when you do get fully into the real secret of this exercise, you will actually feel like a "live wire," and you will feel strong enough "to move the world." However, do not permit yourself to be carried away. Be calm and continue in poise.

Positive Results. — This special exercise may be taken twice a day, preferably in the morning and early in the afternoon ; but it is an excellent practice to employ the same process for a minute or two any time during the day when you have the opportunity. The result will be a steady increase of energy and vitality ; and where the body is ailing, this increase of energy will soon provide you with sufficient health-giving vitality to eliminate completely every trace of disease, and restore your system absolutely to full health and vigor. And here it is well to repeat the great fact, that whenever the physical system becomes thoroughly filled with vital energy, it is impossible for any form of disease to remain in that system any more. When the room is filled with light, all darkness must entirely disappear. One of the great secrets to perfect health, therefore, is to fill the system thoroughly with vital energy ; and super-physical breathing can positively do this under every circumstance.

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Further Application. — The reason why we speak of this process as super-physical breathing is found in the fact that it deals with the attraction and appropriation of forces that are finer than the usual physical forces; and that it is a higher form of breathing added to the ordinary physical breathing. It is in every sense super-physical in its application; but it provides those finer life energies that alone can give the physical system that greater measure of vitality and force required for the highest state of vigorous health and power. It is therefore physical breathing extended, advanced and perfected to a much greater degree of effectiveness, and lifted up, so to speak, to a plane of action where we may draw upon the tremendous forces of nature in its finer and inexhaustible domains. This being true, we realize that the further application of the super-physical breath holds, within itself, most remarkable possibilities. We find that we may, through the simpler application of this breathing, supply the physical system with more and more vital energy until the body becomes strong enough to put every form of disease out of the way. And this is indeed a great achievement in itself. But when we find that we are surrounded with a limitless sea of inexhaustible energy, that permeates the atmosphere everywhere, and that we can learn to draw, more and more, upon this vast sea of energy through what we speak of as the super-physical breath, we realize what the further application of this great secret will mean. And our conclusion must be, that we will not delay this practice or study another day, but proceed at once to master this remarkable secret in every form and manner.

Chapter III Psychological Equilibrium

A Remarkable Fact. — If every man, woman and child in the world would attain to what we shall here speak of as psychological equilibrium, and would continue to live in that equilibrium, we should find, in less than a year, that more than ninety per cent of all the ailments of mankind would have disappeared completely.

The Reason Why. — The majority of all the ills that come to the human family have their origin, either in loss of vital energy, or in nervous conditions; that is, interior discord. But psychological equilibrium means interior harmony and balance; and therefore, when such an equilibrium is maintained, all nervous conditions and every form of nervousness will cease to exist in the system.

Wonderful Remedy. — Learn to live continually in a state of psychological equilibrium, and you will cure yourself absolutely of any and every nervous ailment you may have ; and this is of vast importance, as there are very few people to be found that are not addicted to nervousness of some kind. And more than this : continue to live in this equilibrium, and you will avoid all nervous or mental ailments in the future. Your nerves will always be strong, and your mind in perfect harmony and balance. And here we should remember, that when the mind is always well the body will always be well.

A Personal Experiment. — Watch yourself closely for one whole day, with a view of ascertaining whether or not every element in your being has continued to act in perfect harmony and balance. In brief, ask yourself if you can actually feel harmonious in the within during that entire day. Then note the answer. If you do not feel harmonious in the within all through the day, you are addicted to nervousness; you are troubled with interior discord; and interior discord may, at any time, work itself out into all kinds of functional or organic ailments. But if you do feel harmonious in the within all through the day, you are living in a state of psychological equilibrium ; and the spirit of health is abroad in every part of your system.

Remember This. — If you wish to be well, every organ in your body must perform its function perfectly; but no physical organ can perform its function perfectly unless it can act continually in a state of interior harmony and poise. The

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very moment you feel nervous, restless, agitated, disturbed or discordant in the within, you are undermining the natural and harmonious actions of your physical organs ; and they will fail to do their duty. The result is that adverse conditions will arise, which, if not checked, may develop into serious ailments. It is absolutely necessary therefore to maintain interior harmony at all times, and such harmony may be realized through the attainment of psychological equilibrium.

The Two Sides. — There are two sides to the human system : the physiological and the psychological. And the latter governs the former. The physiological side is that part of the human system that can be weighed and measured. The psychological side is the interior, the intangible, the invisible; and, in brief, the sum total of all the forces, under-currents, feelings, emotions, chemical processes and interior activities that live and act and work in the body, but that are finer than the body, being composed, not of physical substance or matter, but of energies proceeding from mind and soul. And whenever the psychological side is disturbed, there will be a corresponding disturbance in the physiological ; that is, any disturbance that you may feel in the within will produce a similar disturbance in the organs of the body, thereby preventing those organs from doing their work as they should.

The Ideal in View. — In the attainment of perfect health, our ideal in view must ever be to maintain that deep interior harmony and calm, wherein we feel that we are inwardly strong and inwardly serene at the same time— and at all times. Our aim must be to keep all the psychological factors within us in harmony and in balance, because this is indispensable to the highest degree of perfect health. The within must be charged with power, and alive through and through with perfect peace.

First Experiment. — Try for one whole day to feel exceedingly strong, and perfectly serene in the within. However active you may be with mind or body, try to feel this interior peace and power combine in your system every moment. But do not try hard. Simply know what you want to do ; then know that you can. The experiment will be extremely interesting, and will mark a most important turning point in your life.

An Even Temper. — We all realize the value of an even temper if we wish to gain or retain perfect health; but an even temper is a state of mind that exists merely on the surface; it is a mere effect of deeper states of poise within. When we speak of the state of psychological equilibrium, however, we are dealing with the deepest state of feeling and life that we possess.

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We are dealing with those factors and forces within us that govern all physical conditions absolutely. And, therefore, we must have equilibrium, balance and harmony among the psychological factors before we can have equilibrium, balance and harmony among the physical factors. The body can be in order only when those finer and deeper forces within us, that govern the body, are in order. Physical health invariably proceeds from interior harmony; and when all the psychological or interior factors are in harmony, every cell in the body will be in perfect health.

General Exercise. — Form in your mind a clear idea of what the psychological factors really are. Then proceed to picture in your mind a state of being wherein all those factors are in harmony and equilibrium. Dwell deeply and constantly upon this mental picture until you can actually feel the spirit of this harmony and equilibrium gaining a deeper and deeper foothold in your system. In brief, try to live in the very soul of this interior state of perfect equilibrium ; and try to realize the active presence of this state in every atom of your being. You will soon begin to feel the harmony you have in mind; and this feeling will become deeper and stronger every day until it becomes a permanent part of your consciousness.

Special Exercise. — Take ten minutes two or three times every day for the purpose of establishing permanently absolutely equilibrium, among the psychological factors, through the power of concentration ; and proceed as follows :

Turn attention upon all the psychological factors in your system, including your feelings, your emotions, the under-currents of all the physical processes, the creative forces of mind and body, the interior workings of your system, the finer forces and elements in your personality, the mental life of every fibre and cell, the mentalities of all the organs in your body, and, briefly, everything in your system that you can think of as being psychological. Then group all of these factors in your imagination, by thinking of them as acting in a finer interior field within your system.

In other words, turn your attention upon the psychological field within your own personality. Then concentrate upon that field, with a deep, strong desire to feel and realize absolute harmony and equilibrium among all the elements and factors in that field. When concentrating, be calm, positive and determined; and hold in your mind the idea of interior harmony so deeply that the feeling of this harmony will penetrate every fibre, nerve and cell in your entire body. Thus you will steadily, and surely, create interior

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harmony throughout your entire system. You will establish psychological equilibrium among all the factors and elements within you; and when this equilibrium has become a permanent state in your deeper life, you will find that order, harmony and perfect health will be realized in your physical life.

Very Important. — Remember this, that so long as there is perfect harmony within you there will be perfect health in every nerve, fibre and cell in your system. The attainment of psychological equilibrium, therefore, is an attainment of the highest importance. But this interior harmony must be perfect.

Chapter IV Nourishing The Body

First Rule. — When you enter the dining room, array yourself in the garment of joy. Forget your troubles, if you have any, and be happy. Talk happiness ; think happiness ; feel happiness ; radiate happiness. Live in the spirit of mental sunshine, and give no serious thought to anything whatever. Light-heartedness and good cheer should prevail at this hour ; and during this hour count it your privilege to eat, drink and be merry. And you can. Realize that when you are in the dining room you are in another world, away from problems, difficulties or weighty themes. You have come to enjoy a feast; so, therefore, make it a feast in every sense of the term.