Occult psychology

Front matter

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Foreword

This treatise is the result of thirty-five years' independent, careful study of Psychology. It pertains to both the physical and superphysical states of consciousness and is offered to those who wish to investigate Occult Science.

The conditions under which the contents of this book were gathered and formulated were most favorable for personal investigation and careful observation.

Whatever literary merit the book possesses is due to my pupil, Dr. Ivy M. McAnelly. May she ever be as earnest a worker in the cause of humanity in the future as she has been in the past. I wish to hereby record my appreciation of her valuable assistance.

The frontispiece is inserted by request of my pupils.

George Brown.

Dallas, Texas, October 1, 1919.

PSYCHOLOGY

Chapter I

Mind is the thinking principle, quality or faculty, according to terminology preferred.

The Universal Mind functions through the Ego whose receptivity is proportionate to its age and advancement.

The human mind is that part of the Universal Mind which, functioning through the Ego, is manifested through the physical brain, in accordance with the development of the physical brain. The physical brain is the organ of the mind upon the physical plane.

There are just three major phases of mind — meditation, concentration, relaxation. Meditation is conscious activity of the thinking principle. Concentration is conscious stilling of the thinking principle. Relaxation is unconscious stilling of the thinking principle.

Meditation is thought. A moment's consideration of this subject will readily enable one to comprehend that thought is activity of the thinking principle; therefore, any activity of the thinking principle must be thought.

This major phase of the mind has in itself four sub-phases — intellect, spirituality, morality, desire.

Meditation of itself, while denoting intelligence, is not intellect. Intellect is the sum of the refined, purified experiences of the highest order worked out in previous incarnations. Intellect mingles with and is the controlling element of the combinations which it forms with the other sub-phases of mind — spirituality, morality, desire.

Intellect being the guiding and controlling factor of all the human faculties is the supreme factor. The intellect, however, can work only with and through such instrumentalities as it has at hand. Its combinations form what is known as intelligence. This intelligence may be broadly divided into indirect desire and morality. Each of these may be subdivided into lower and higher, or personal and relative; the lower or personal being those which concern the personal self, as the persons of the family or loved ones.

The higher are those which are applied to relations or friends, although practically all altruistic thoughts are of the two moral classes, which may well be termed the personal and the relative.

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Desire is of two kinds — direct and indirect. Those having reference solely to our physical bodies, such as sleep, hunger and thirst, are direct desires. Those which affect us through combinations with others are indirect desires.

The combination of intellect and indirect desire form the intelligence which is responsible for the development of the simpler and more personal forms of invention and improvement.

Morality is a broad vast reach or expanse of the thinking principle; it lies between spirituality and desire. The cleavage line between spirituality and morality is plain and easily discernible, but the cleavage line between morality and desire is not easily discernible. Morality is so permeated with indirect desire, that naught but the highest type of morality even approaches the cleavage line between it and spirituality. The combination between lower morality and intellect' forms the intelligence which governs our relationship with others — those who are not our immediate relatives or close friends — and forms practical altruism. In combination with the higher morality it produces the higher phase of altruism or philanthropy, and the final conviction of the relationship of all human beings — the brotherhood of man.

There are three major phases of mind and no more. True there are many men of many minds. True also, there are many manifestations of mind in, or rather of, each man. Man manifests this one mind through various channels. Of course the thought current flows along the nerves, but the term "channels" will be used as that term will convey to the reader ;» more definite understanding of the meaning than if the term "nerves" wen- used. These channels through which this mind manifests are the channels which have been worn and deepened through the experiences of ;i Dumber of past incarnations. Let the reader imagine if he can, three large channels cutting through the brain. These three channels are united at the beginning, and are the channels through which the one mind governs the many manifestations of itself. From each of these three large channels branch out smaller channels leading to all parts of the brain.

If the branches from the large channels are used a great deal and worn smooth and deep, and the mind current flows swiftly and evenly along these well worn channels, then the manifestations will be full, free and coherent. It' I In- channel is new, rough and unworn, it is very evident that the manifestations will be feeble, uncertain, and incoherent. Now these worn and unworn channels are in this present stage of usefulness, simply and solely because of the degree of usage during previous incarnations.

In I lie early stages of evolution the desires and selfish tendencies were the ones called into activity. With far greater frequency and as a natural consequence, the channels pertaining to these activities were the ones which were worn deep and smooth, thus accounting for the many apparently odd and uncalled for exhibitions of immoral and dishonest traits and tendencies displayed by well educated and; to all appearances, moral people. The old channels — those of the selfish tendencies — were worn deep and smooth ; the new channels — those of the moral and altruistic powers — were rough and shallow. Naturally when the stress came, the deeper channels carried the greater current, and the man acted accordingly.

It must be understood by the reader that although there is great difference in brain fiber, the activity of the brain is governed by the amount of blood furnished by the heart. The greater the mass of brain devoted to a certain faculty, and the greater its activity, the greater the amount of blood it demands to carry on its work. As its manifestations increase in strength and rapidity, the chief blood vessels grow larger and stronger; the nerves function with greater strength and rapidity, the branches of both arteries and nerves increase in number and complexity, and are more closely interwoven with the brain mass of this particular locality. The functions of this faculty will manifest more rapidly, clearly and smoothly, as the channels have been "worn deep and smooth by reason of previous repeated expression.

The greater the number of deep, smooth channels, the greater the variety of capacities or faculties the man is capable of expressing. A related group of channels worn deep and smooth eventually produces genius. Take for example the group located in the region of the temple; there are time, tune, constructiveness, ideality, and sublimity. This group of fine faculties gives us the constructive, artistic, poetic, tuneful, and rhythmic temperaments, and when these delicate channels have been worn smooth and deep, the mind will manifest through them powerfully, clearly and rapidly.

Usually one or two of these faculties predominates in capacity over the others. Thus if ideality is the largest, and the channel leading to language is also deep and smooth, the man will manifest the poetic powers. The beauty of his composition will depend upon the depth and smoothness of the channel of construction, the beauty of the meter upon that of time, the beauty of his rhythm upon that of tune, and the grandeur of his phrases will be determined by the channel of sublimity. If, however, the channel of language be small, and that of color is large, the man will become the artist; if constructiveness predominates, the man will be the inventor; if tune leads the man will be the musician.

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These faculties embrace what is known as the self perfecting group. It*, however, the self perfecting group as a whole is inactive, and the channels of veneration and language large, smooth, and deep, the man will be a preacher, add wonder and we have the priest, add spirituality and sublimity, and we have the mystic.

Chapter II Meditation

Meditation is thinking. The meditative phase is that phase in which the thinking principle is active.

There is a large number of grades or sub-divisions of meditation. ' This great phase of mind, as is the case with the others is often very much misunderstood, and consequently mistaught.

Very many so-called occult teachers who are practically ignorant of the laws of psychology and psychism pretend that they have both the ability and knowledge to teach these phases. Beware of any so-called teacher, or leader, who prattles glibly about powers which meditation will confer upon anyone who will follow his instructions in these matters. Pay no attention to any claims about functioning within the superphysical consciousness by means of meditation. It can not be done. It is absolutely Impossible to function upon any of the super-physical planes, save through the great phase of relaxation.

There are four minor phases of meditation — intellect, spirituality, morality and desire. Intellect mingles with and is the guiding, controlling factor of t he ot her three minor phases. Spirituality is personal selflessness. Desire is personal selfishness. Morality is relative selfishness. These activities have reference to the physical plane only, as they coordinate with and control the actions of the physical body.

Desires may be divided thus: direct desires and indirect desires. Forming two large phases. Direct desires are composed of those desires which affect us directly. Indirect desires are composed of those which affect us indirectly. Those which affect us directly are the purely bodily desires, Buch as hunger, thirst, sleep. Those which affect us in combination wilb others are the indirect desires. Hunger, thirst and sleep, then, are the direct or elemental desires. When either of these direct desires remains unsatisfied, it will speedily arouse, and bring to its aid, the greater port ion of i he intelligence. The wanderer in the desert who learns that his water supply has unexpectedly become exhausted, at once proceeds to bring his mental power to bear upon the problem, in the effort to relieve the situation. If relief is not speedily secured he becomes a prey to the most dismal forebodings, and as the intensity of the desire increases, all his powers, mental and physical, are called into service.

The three direct desires, hunger, thirst and sleep, are necessary to life, and must be satisfied, before any moral or spiritual progress is possible. We are often told that we should kill out all desires, and many fall into the delusion that by mental and physical starvation they can achieve spirituality. These three direct desires cannot be destroyed, but they can be controlled. Mental power alone can control them. The lower in the scale of evolution the weaker the controlling power of mentality, for not until man has risen high in the scale of evolution, does he even think of controlling these three elementals.

Indirect desires are those which affect us in common with others. A man loves his family, but his love is nevertheless a combination of selfish and moral love. He wants his son to succeed, morally and honestly if he can, but succeed anyway. The morality, being secondary to the desire for success, he would rather have his son achieve a dishonest material success than make an honest failure. He wants his family to be strictly truthful in all their dealings with him. But in their dealings with others he will teach them to lead the parties astray by emphasizing the good points or qualities and by suppressing or hiding the bad points or qualities. They are exhibiting fine business ability by misleading and deceiving the other party by means of indirection and evasion. As long as it is legally honest, it is alright. The man will boast about it to his friends and warn them; "Don't fool with that boy of mine, or he will trip you. He is as sharp as a needle."

The writer has known such men whose sons were ministers of the gospel. Did these men advise their sons as to the moral and spiritual welfare of the community? They did not. On the contrary, the burden of their advice and support was larger salaries, larger church buildings, larger vacations, larger traveling expenses. Strange to relate, the so-called men of God followed this advice. Why?

Morality, being man-made, is enforcible by the aid of man-made laws; hence the prevailing custom of goodness is the moral law of that particular locality.

Morality is the first great check upon desire. It grows steadily in strength, power and activity, and under the guidance of intellect eventually comes into contact with spirituality but does not merge into spirituality.

The moral law is a law of "don'ts" — "thou shalt nots." Morality, in it> ctrly phase, is more of a crouching attitude of fear — fear of the community law, slow evolution, bringing respect for the law and a wholesome respect for Madame Grundy. Man begins to realize that moral law is a chock upon others, just as it is a check upon himself and is thus in his favor and in favor of others. Thus by slow degrees man reaches a high plane of morality because it is good for all.

The attempt of a man to control his own desires and live according to what is morally and not merely legally right — to grant to his neighbor, freely and honestly, all the rights he claims for himself — is the first indication of moral awakening. Through many incarnations man in his efforts to evolve, stumbled and slipped, groping his way slowly onward and upward. Slowly but none the less surely he progressed through many lives, learning through expriences only, until, with the broadening mentality due to the numberless experiences of his former lives, his brain has built itself up in the region of moral power. Now we are building up for ourselves the brain region of spiritual power.

Spirituality is very difficult to deal with intelligently, as mere intelligence cannot comprehend it.

Spirituality, although very difficult to analyze or understand is yet extremely simple to attain, for all that is necessary to achieve spirituality is to do what is right; not simply to think what is right, but to do what is right, in all cases and all circumstances. Then only, has one achieved spirituality.

" Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you," is the basis of all moral law. This is the outer teaching of all great religious teachers, such as Hermes, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed. This outer teaching is for the less evolved — for those who are unable to comprehend the inner teaching the higher teaching, which is: "Do unto others that which i- right." There is a simple sublimity in doing that which is right.

Chapter III Concentration

( oncentration, one <>f the three major phases of mind, is very often considered as being the leading phase of the mind. In reality its chief function consists in drawing together, <>r bringing to a focus, the vibrations uf medil at ive act ivit v.

Concentration does not control., but guides or confines within the desired limits the meditative or thinking vibrations of a minor phase.

Concentration is far easier to understand than either meditation or relaxation. Concentration is very often confused with will power. This error has caused incalculable mischief. Concentration is a personal force or attribute, while will power is an impersonal force and has no attributes and is but poorly comprehended, even by our best of psychologists and occultists.

People who are prone to claim for themselves, supreme knowledge of the function of the mind, are the chief offenders in this unfortunate business of claiming wonderful powers for this phase of mind. We can forgive a layman who applies this term loosely, but not the man who claims a knowledge of the function of the mind.

Concentration begins when a man commences to draw the vibrations of the meditative phase together and to direct them toward an object, or gathers them up and fixes them on a certain definite subject. This applies to the average man and not to the evolved occultist who has developed to a high degree the three phases of the mind. The ordinary man has the power of concentration fairly well developed along the line of his strongest and most active faculties, precisely as the evolved occultist has the power of concentration developed along the line of his strongest and most active faculties. There is this difference, however, the occultist knows what the phase of concentration is, and knows also what his powers and limitations are in respect to this phase of mind.

The ordinary man walking along the street will usually meditate in a heedless manner. His mind will wander in an aimless way from one to another of a dozen different objects. They are usually ordinary things with which he is familiar in every day life — wagons, horses, street cars, buildings, people, the problems of life, familiar scenes of both still and active life. This gives but scant degree of the concentrative power until something occurs to attract the concentrative phase. An accident, a brawl, or an extremely odd or attractively arranged show window may catch his eye, and instantly the mind waves or vibrations draw together and assume a definite degree of cohesion. Thus a fair degree of concentration is effected and held for a few seconds, then the concentrative phase relaxes.

The man has seen something that appeals to his desires or sensibilities ; he has seen something which he thinks his family or some member of it would like to possess, or something which he or they lack, or something about which a friend or acquaintance has spoken to him. At once s OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY

the concentrative mood is gone and the man is thinking again, perhaps idly wandering or letting his mind drift along in its accustomed channels.

Let us suppose that the man is an office man, has arrived at the office and is prepared to enter upon his daily duties. Now will begin, if the man is in his normal condition, the first evidence of sustained concentration. He must keep his mind upon his task if he is to perform his duties acceptably. It' all his affairs are in good order, he can attain a good degree of concentration. He will be able to hold his mind steadily upon his books or the enterprise which he is directing.

A physician, to be successful in his chosen profession, must have the power of concentration fairly well developed. If he is a successful practitioner he must be able to hold all other thoughts in abeyance while he takes the patient's pulse or listens to the action of the patient's heart. To do this successfully requires a great deal of the concentrative phase of mind.

The Architect must be very careful. He knows that the slightest mistake might mean the injury or death of one or more persons. He must concentrate with all his power upon his plans. This is a very good phase of concentration.

The mechanic, especially such as work among delicate or dangerous machinery, usually exhibits a large endowment of this phase. The watchmaker or repairer must of necessity attain great power of concentration. Makers of optical instruments must also have good control of this faculty. The slightest error by a manufacturer of high explosives may cause the death of all his employees, himself and the destruction of his factory.

The American Indian has this phase of mind well developed. In fact, practically all savages and barbarous people have this phase as ;i necessity for people of crude or inferior civilization. The American Indian call lie motionless for hours while awaiting the arrival of the fowl or animal which he desires to capture, or in order to evade an enemy. He exhibits the ^wuv strong development of this phase when he is on

the warpath, in his maneuvers and ambuscades. 'The Negro tribes of Unci exhibit similar development of this phase. Accounts written by travelers and explorers tell of the very large endowment manifested by 'I"' medicine men. and especially the rain makers, who appear, from all accounts, to have a most remarkable development of this phase of mind. I he Bast Indians or Hindus sometimes have this phase of mind well loped. They have succeeded in controlling the mind vibrations along certain lines very successfully. There are instances where one has been able to keep an arm extended above his head until the arm has been virtually paralyzed and remains set and rigid in that position. This, however, is as much an exhibition of will power as it is of concentration.

Concentration as applied by all students of the occult who have a clear understanding of what it really is, is used as a mind discipline, in order to guide the thinking or meditative phase of the mind. This meditation, by the use of concentration, guides itself along the line previously determined by itself, for itself. If there were no guidance of the thinking phase of the mind by means of the concentrative phase, there would be no sustained power of thinking.

Complete concrete concentration would then consist in bringing the mind to a point or focus, say for example, upon the head of a pin. In complete concentration, nothing would be seen, but the head of the pin. All other thoughts would be held in check — nothing in the mind but the head of the pin. There are but few, however, who have developed this phase of mind to such a degree of intensity.

Abstract concentration is something that we frequently hear spoken of, and read a great deal about, but not one of those who speak or write about it give an illustration or even an idea of it.

For example, take the Solar Logos. No one can conceive in the slightest degree, the appearance of the Solar Logos and truthfully affirm that the visualization is correct. Therefore dismissing from the mind all concrete visualization of what the appearance of the Logos might be, bring the forces of the mind to a point — that point being the Logos. Remember that under no circumstances can a thought of the appearance of the Logos be allowed to interfere with the process of abstract concentration upon the Logos. Remember that abstract concentration is concentration upon no thing.

This is an example of the mind that is all but impossible; for very few have either the will or the patience, and fewer still have sufficiently evolved these two attributes of mind — will and patience — to practise it, yet they are absolutely indispensable for the practice of abstract concentration.

CONCRETE CONCENTRATION

For the average person, however ordinary, concrete concentration is a very satisfactory exercise of the concentrative phase of the mind. A very successful method of achieving the development of this phase of the mind is given below. Please remember, however, that it is not advisable for in OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY

every one who wishes to develop the faculty of concentration, to follow this method in a rigid and unthinking manner. Because some have been successful with this method is no reason why others should follow blindly. for as persons differ physically, so they also differ mentally. Each one should find the easiesl and most convenient method consistent with the objective to be gained.

Adjust yourself in an easy, harmonious position; do not place any undue strain upon any muscle of the body; then compose the mind in a (|uiet, orderly manner. Always select a large object with which to begin and gradually decrease the size of the object. Of course the object must always be in plain view. Allow all other thoughts to escape from the mind, keep the gaze fixed on the object but do not glare or frown at it with the apparent idea that glaring or frowning is concentration. Having allowed all other thoughts, save the one in which the object is visualized, to escape, hold the gaze steadily upon the object until the surrounding objects become merged into an unobtrusive background, and the concentrative object itself remains clear and sharp in outline both to the eye and to the mind.

Now coiner the most difficult part, that of keeping this state of mind. which is that of keeping the object in precisely the same position to the eye and mind. This is accomplished by keeping this state of mind for ;i few seconds only, at the beginning, then gradually increasing the time until you can achieve good concentration for about two minutes. After this, begin afresh, and concentrate until all surrounding objects fade away completely, and only the concent rat ive object remains clear and distinct. Gradually increase the lime of the holding period until it is at least five minutes. With this you have achieved practical concrete concentration.

CONCENTRATIVE VISUALIZATION

Concentrative visualization is the next step. Remember that this step is not advised unless you are going to pursue this subject to either one

of Ms ends. These ends are as far apart as the poles, and you must decide

which "iic of them you are going to achieve. One leads to abstract concentration, which has already been mentioned, as in the case of the mystlCS. The other leads to concentrative visualization, some times conducive

• " ■< state "i semi clairvoyance, and is frequently mistaken for real clairance. The reader should always remember that this phase at its best. ithinfl but concentrative \ isualization and is really as directly opposite

!<• clairvoyance as is abstract concentration. The method o^i developing concentrative visualization is given below. Read the instructions which follow, very carefully, before you decide which path you will tread, for you can not pursue both.

Seat yourself comfortably; a large, comfortable arm chair is excellent for this purpose. Close your eyes and bring up before your mind's eye an article of furniture that is in another room. Select for your earlier efforts, something large and plain and with which you are perfectly familiar. Bring this up slowly and carefully until you have visualized it plainly. Keep it constantly before the mind's eye and examine it carefully for marks or peculiarities of any kind. After an earnest, painstaking effort of this kind, you will be surprised at the minuteness with which you can inspect and examine an article. Then turn the article around — this can be done with practice — and as it is revolving in the mind's eye, scan it closely, until it has been revolved and examined on all sides. When the visualization is approximately correct select a smaller and more ornate object. Keep practising this method, until you can without any difficulty call up and visualize any article with which you are familiar.

Then visualize an article that you have seen only a few times. Do this slowly and carefully. Later, examine the article and see how nearly correct your visualization has been. Practise carefully, and in course of time you will be astonished at the marvelous accuracy with which you can reproduce an article which you have seen but once.

Having learned to visualize inanimate objects, proceed to visualize animate objects, such as a dog, cat, horse, cow, chicken, or any fowl or animal. Next try human beings; make them walk, run, laugh, cry, talk, and show all the varied emotions exhibited by mankind. This is a very useful, and in its higher manifestations, a truly beautiful exercise of the mind. Writers and orators noted for the descriptive beauty of their phrases, have this faculty largely developed. Masters in sculpture and painting surpass in this phase of mind.

Chapter IV Relaxation

The greatest misconceptions that exist in Occult Psychology are those regarding relaxation. Some students regard the phase of relaxation as being the same as that of concentration. There is, however, all the difference in psychology between these two phases, as their functions are directly l> OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY

opposed to each other. A thorough knowledge of this phase and the ability to practise it are absolutely necessary before functioning upon the superphysical planes can be considered either safe or reliable.

Normal relaxation is sleep. Sleep being considered one of the three direct desires, and one of the two natural conditions of physical consciousness has led to numerous arguments, ranging from the theory of sleep being a state of physical consciousness, semi-consciousness, dulled consciousness, down to the wonderful sub-consciousness wherein we function in that marvelous sub-conscious mind, whatever that may be. Sleep is normal relaxation. Clairvoyance is abnormal relaxation. Sleep is the normal or natural condition wherein the consciousness is upon the Astral plane, while the body is restoring its disturbed equilibrium.

Relaxation is unconscious stilling of the thinking principle. This produces sleep either normal or abnormal. Normal sleep, that is the sleep or slumber of the average person, interests but very few. Abnormal sleep, which is trance or functioning upon the super-physical planes, has been at all times the most bewildering phase of mind to both the purely physical and to the occult student. As a result, this phase of mind has been jumbled into an incomprehensible mass, by many so-called professors of physical psychology and the so-called teachers of a so-called Occultism.

CHAPTER V THE HUMAN MTND Mind is the universal or ruling principle. The human mind is that which takes COgnizanceof that which disturbs and whose disturbing vibration- find b receiver attuned to themselves. This attunement or receptivity is the order of development achieved by the experiences of the past. The greater and more diversified the experiences of the past, the greater and more varied the faculties of the functioning mind. The functioning mind, however, musl not be confused with the Universal mind. The