The Secrets of Mental Magic

William Walker Atkinson | Summary | Power of Mind

Explore The Secrets of Mental Magic by William Walker Atkinson and discover how to harness the power of thought.

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"The Secrets of Mental Magic" by William Walker Atkinson, explores the concept of "Mental Magic" as a natural force influencing human minds. Atkinson defines Mental Magic as the influence of one mind over another, manifested in various forms such as Personal Magnetism, Fascination, Hypnotism, and even Witchcraft. He argues that this force has existed throughout history and that it is important for people to understand its workings in order to harness its benefits and protect themselves from misuse. Atkinson further examines Mental Suggestion as a key component of Mental Magic, explaining its principles and methods of application, and then delves into Personal Influence, emphasizing the importance of developing one's inner Will Power and Desire Force to achieve influence over others. Finally, Atkinson explores Telementation, a more advanced form of Mental Magic that involves influencing others and the world around them through the transmission of Mental Energy. He argues that Telementation can be used for both positive and negative purposes and stresses the importance of cultivating a positive mental state to counteract potential negative influences.

Main Themes

This document explores the core concepts of Mental Magic as presented by William Walker Atkinson in "The Secrets of Mental Magic." The primary focus is on understanding and utilizing Mentative Energy, a powerful force generated by mental activity, with special emphasis on the roles of Will Power and Desire Force. The document also explores practical applications like Mental Suggestion, Personal Influence, Telementation, Mental Therapeutics, and Mental Architecture.

Key Ideas & Facts

Mentative Energy and Its Poles:

• Definition: Mentative Energy is the force arising from mental activity. It manifests through "Mentative Currents," which are streams of this energy.
• Two Poles: Atkinson posits that Mentative Energy has two poles: the Emotive Pole (Desire) and the Motive Pole (Will).
• Interplay of Desire and Will: Every mental action involves both Desire and Will. Desire precedes and motivates action, while Will directs and focuses the Desire Force.
• “You will find these two phases, Desire and Will, manifest in every mental action. There must always be a preceding Desire, and a responding Will, even in the production of a Thought."
• "The Will acts as the arouser, director, restrainer, concentrator, and manager of the great occult force of Desire."
• Waves of Desire Force: Strong desires can manifest as waves of energy emanating from the mind, influencing people and situations.
• “And not only does Desire incite us to action—move us to accomplish its ends, but it also, when sufficiently strong, surges out from our minds in great waves and clouds of invisible and subtle energy or force, and travels here and there toward the object of its inner urge."

Applications of Mentative Energy:

• Mental Suggestion: A physical agent inducing mental states in others. This can be both active (direct commands) and passive (subtle insinuation).
• "A physical agent inducing mental states.”
• "By Active Suggestion I mean the induction of mental states in others by means of positive command, affirmation, statements, etc."
• "By Passive Suggestion I mean the induction of mental states by the subtle insinuation, introduction, or insertion of ideas into the minds of others."
• Personal Influence: The power of personal magnetism and suggestion, emanating from one's Will Power and Desire Force, to influence others.
• "In all of these cases of Personal Magnetism, and Mental Suggestion, the effect is produced by the Mentator, or Suggestor, obtaining the voluntary attention of the other or others, and thus holding his Will engaged, and his Emotive Pole of mind thus unguarded..."
• Telementation: The projection of Will Currents over distance to influence individuals and situations. This is the basis of phenomena like thought transference and telepathy.
• "Will, the Projector of Mentative Force. As we have seen, the use of the Will as the projector of Mentative Currents is the real base of all Mental Magic, under whatever name it may manifest."
• "The Will Currents of a strong man reaches out far beyond the limits of his brain, and influences people and things, causing them to be inclined toward his wishes."
• Mental Therapeutics: Utilizing positive mental states and directed Mentative Energy to promote healing and well-being in others.
• "Mind in the Cells and Organs. Every cell has its share of mind, and Science shows us that each cell can and does live its life as a separate entity, always, however, subordinate to the whole system of cells, and the Mind controlling it. And the Mind in each cell, or system of cells, may be reached by the Positive Mind of a person, when properly applied."
• Mental Architecture: Deliberately shaping one's mental faculties and character traits using techniques like Auto-Suggestion (self-suggestion) and Visualization.
• "One “impresses” his mind with certain ideas, suggestions, feelings and mental states."
• "Many a person has changed his whole physical and mental condition by a careful, persistent course of Auto‑Suggestion."

Developing Personal Magnetism and Will Power

• Cultivating Desire: Nurturing intense, focused desire towards worthwhile goals is crucial. Desire fuels the Will to act.
• "He knows how to “want” a thing the right way. No mere “wishing” or “sighing” for a thing—when he wants a thing he wants it."
• "Desire is a form of Hunger. And the hungrier a man is for a thing the more Desire‑Force will he manifest and the greater efforts will he make to get that thing."
• Strengthening Will Power: Developing willpower involves cultivating determination, persistence, and focused attention.
• "The secret of the Resolute Will lies in Determination and Persistency. And the first thing to be acquired is Attention for Attention."
• "You must learn to master these temptations even if in so doing you must need act like Ulysses who made his companions stop up their ears with wax lest they be fascinated by the song of the Sirens."
• Physical Manifestation: Acting out the desired qualities and behaviors reinforces the mental work and strengthens the desired traits.
• "And last, and equally as important, if not more so, act out the physical manifestations of it—play the part out. Act your part, earnestly, ardently, constantly, eagerly, steadily."

The Importance of Self-Protection

• Protective Aura: Develop a strong will to repel unwanted mental influences and suggestions.
• “Nature has blessed all of us in this respect—it makes no bane without its antidote, and does not depart from its rule in this phase any more than in any other. It supplies the means of Self‑Protection to everyone, and always furnishes the defensive weapon to match the offensive one."
• Resisting Impulses: Be wary of acting on sudden impulses and take time to determine their origin and whether they align with your best interests.
• "Guard yourself from acting upon “impulses.” When you feel a sudden or unaccountable “impulse” to do this thing, or that thing, stop and assert your Positive Individuality..."

Additional Observations

• Mental Atmospheres: Places, communities, and individuals all possess unique "mental atmospheres" influenced by the prevailing mental states of those within them.
• Thought Forms: Mental states can manifest as "thought forms" – energetic patterns with varying shapes and motions, influencing their targets.
• Law of Attraction: One's prevailing mental states attract corresponding people, circumstances, and experiences.
• "Like attracts like, and the Mental States determine that which one draws to himself."

Conclusion

Atkinson's "Secrets of Mental Magic" provides a detailed framework for understanding and harnessing the power of the mind. By mastering the principles of Mentative Energy, Desire Force, and Will Power, and by skillfully applying techniques like Mental Suggestion and Mental Architecture, individuals can cultivate personal magnetism, achieve their goals, and positively influence their lives and surroundings. However, he also stresses the importance of responsible use and emphasizes the need for self-protection against potentially harmful mental influences.

Glossary of Key Terms

Mentation: Mental activity.

Mentative: Relating to mental activity.

Mentate: To manifest mental activity.

Mentator: One who mentates.

Mentative Energy: The energy arising from mental activity.

Mentative Current: A stream or current of mentative energy.

Mentative Induction: Induction by mentation; influencing another's mental state through mentative energy.

Emotive Pole: The aspect of mind related to feelings, desires, and emotions.

Motive Pole: The aspect of mind related to will, action, and volition.

Telementation: The act of projecting one's will to influence others and things at a distance.

Personal Atmosphere: The combined mental vibrations of individuals in a particular location, creating a collective mental environment.

Visualization: The practice of creating a clear and vivid mental image of a desired outcome.

Active Suggestion: Directly influencing another's mental state through commands, affirmations, or statements.

Passive Suggestion: Subtly influencing another's mental state through insinuation, subtle cues, or environmental manipulation.

Auto-Suggestion: The practice of influencing one's own mind through self-suggestion, affirmations, and mental imagery.

Law of Repeated Suggestion: The principle that repeated exposure to an idea can lead to its acceptance as truth, even without logical proof.

Personal Magnetism: The quality of attracting and influencing others through a combination of mental and physical attributes.

Desire-Force: The energy and power generated by strong desires and cravings.

Will-Power: The ability to focus and direct one's will to achieve desired outcomes.

Mental Architecture: The process of consciously shaping and developing one's mental faculties and character traits.

Thought-Forms: Mental energy projected outward, taking on a distinct shape or form based on the thought or emotion behind it.

Aura: An invisible field of energy surrounding a person, believed to reflect their mental and emotional state.

Affirmation: A positive statement used to impress a desired belief or outcome on the subconscious mind.

Denial: A statement used to reject or negate unwanted thoughts, beliefs, or influences.