The Complete Works of Yogy Ramacharaka. William Walker Atkinson

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СКАЧАТЬ we are expecting too much when we ask students to accept as truth, the statement that there exists such a thing as Human Magnetism, or Pranic Energy, at all, when we cannot explain its real nature. Replying to this objection, we answer that there are many things which may be proven by their observed effects, although the thing itself cannot be explained in plain terms. Take Electricity, or Magnetism, for instance - we have their existence clearly proved to us every day, by their effects, and yet physical science tells us very little that can be understood, about their real nature. And so it is with this other exhibition of Pranic Energy - Human Magnetism - we must look to its effects for proof, rather than try to solve the mystery of the common source of all forms of force - Prana.

      But, we have had it urged that whereas we can easily observe the effects and outward manifestation of Electricity and Magnetism, there are no such effects and manifestations of Human Magnetism, or Pranic Energy. This objection has always amused us, when we remember that every movement of the body, from the mighty effort of the giant, to the quiver of an eyelash, is a direct effect and manifestation of this Human Magnetism or Pranic Energy.

      Physical scientists call this thing "Nervous Force" or similar names, but it is the same thing that we have called Human Magnetism - a form of Pranic Energy. When we wish to raise a finger, we put forth an effort of the Will, if the desire be a conscious one - r an effort of the Instinctive Mind, if the desire be sub-conscious - and a supply of Human Magnetism is sent to the muscles controlling the movement of the finger. The muscles contract, and the finger raises. And so it is with every movement of the body, both on the conscious and subconscious plane of effort. Every step we take is caused by this same process - every word we utter is produced in this way - every tear we shed obeys the law - even the beating of the heart responds to the supply of Human Magnetism, propelled, in this last case, by the command of the Instinctive Mind.

      The magnetism is sent over the nerves, just as is a telegraph message sent over the wires leading from the central office to all parts of the land. The nerves are its telegraph wires, and the current in the body always travels over these wires. And just as, until a very recent time, it has been thought impossible for messages to be sent without wires, so even to this day, do the physical scientists deny that this Human Magnetism (which they call Nervous Force) can be transmitted except over these wires of the nervous system. And just as the scientists have recently discovered that "wireless telegraphy" is a possibility, and a working truth - so have the occultists known for centuries that this Human Magnetism can be transmitted from person to person, through the astral atmosphere, without the need of the wires of the nerves.

      Have we helped you to form a clearer idea of Human Magnetism? As we have stated, Human Magnetism is taken up by the organism of man, from the air he breathes; the water he drinks; and the food he eats. It is extracted in Nature's laboratory, and stored up in his nervous system, in a chain of storage - batteries, of which the Solar Plexus is the central and chief store house. From these storage-batteries, the magnetism is drawn by the mind and sent forth to be used for the thousands of purposes for which it is intended. When we say, "drawn by the mind," we do not mean that it must be necessarily drawn by an effort of the conscious mind, or will power, in fact, not over five per cent of the amount used is so drawn, the remaining ninety-five per cent, being drawn and used by the Instinctive Mind, which controls the functions of the body - the workings of the internal organs - the processes of digestion, assimilation, and elimination - the circulation of the blood and the various functions of the physical body, all of which are wholly, or in part, under the control and care of the Instinctive Mind.

      Nor must it be supposed that this magnetism is absent from any part of the body, at any time; or is absent until it is sent there by a distinct effort of the mind. The fact is that every part of the body contains a greater or lesser amount of magnetism at all times - the amount depending upon the general vitality of the person, which vitality is determined entirely by the total amount of Prana, or Human Magnetism in the system.

      A brief consideration of the nervous system, with its nerve-cells, ganglia, plexi, etc., will be advisable, at this point, in order to gain a clearer idea of the processes of nature in its distribution of the supply of magnetism.

      The Nervous System of man is divided into two great systems, viz., the Cerebro Spinal System, and the Sympathetic System. The Cerebro Spinal System consists of all that part of the Nervous System contained within the cranial cavity, and the spinal canal, viz., the brain and the spinal cord, together with the nerves which branch off from the latter. This system presides over the functions of animal life known as volition, sensation, etc. The Sympathetic System includes all that part of the Nervous System located principally in the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities, and which is distributed to the internal organs. It controls the involuntary processes, such as growth, nutrition, etc., under the supervision and direction of the Instinctive Mind.

      The Cerebro Spinal System attends to all the seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling, etc. It sets things in motion; it is used by the Ego to think - to manifest consciousness and Intellect. It is the instrument by which the Ego is enabled to communicate with the outside world by means of the physical senses. This system has been likened to a great telephone system, with the brain as the central office, and the spinal column and nerves as cable and wires respectively.

      The brain is a great mass of nerve tissue, and consists of three parts, viz., the Cerebrum, or brain proper, which occupies the upper, front, middle and back portion of the skull; the Cerebellum, or "little brain," which fills the lower and back portion of the skull; and the Medulla Oblongata, which is the broadened commencement of the spinal cord, lying before and in front of the Cerebellum.

      The Cerebrum is the organ of the Intellect, and also of the unfolding Spiritual Mind - the organ of manifestation, remember, not the thing itself. The Cerebellum is the organ of the Instinctive Mind. The Medulla Oblongata is the upper enlarged part of the spinal cord, and from it and the Cerebrum branch forth the cranial nerves which reach to various parts of the head; to the organs of special sense, and to some of the thoracic and abdominal organs, and to the organs of respiration.

      The Spinal Cord, or spinal marrow, fills the spinal canal in the vertebral column, or "backbone." It is a long mass of nerve tissue, branching off at the several vertebrae to nerves communicating to all parts of the body. The Spinal Cord is like a great telephone cable, and the emerging nerves are like the private wires connecting therewith.

      The Sympathetic System is composed of a double chain of ganglia on each side of the spinal column, and scattered ganglia in the head, neck, chest, and abdomen. (A ganglion is a mass of nervous matter, including nerve cells.) These ganglia are connected with each other by filaments, and are also connected with the Cerebro-Spinal System by motor and sensory nerves. From these ganglia numerous fibres branch out to the organs of the body, blood vessels, etc. At various points, the nerves meet together and form what are known as plexi, or plexuses. The Sympathetic System practically controls the involuntary processes, such as the circulation, respiration and digestion.

      Over this wonderful system operates the Human Magnetism or Pranic Energy (or "Nervous Force," if you prefer the term of the physical scientists.) By means of the impulses from the mind, through the brain, the magnetism is drawn from its storage batteries, and sent to all parts of the body, or to any particular part of the body, over the wires of the nervous system. Without this magnetism, the heart cannot beat; the blood cannot circulate; the lungs cannot breathe; the various organs cannot function; in fact, the entire machinery of the body comes to a stop if the supply of magnetism be shut off. Nay, more, even the brain itself cannot perform its functions as the physical organ of the mind, unless a supply of Prana or magnetism be present. And yet, the physical scientists smile at the mention of the subject of "Human Magnetism," and dismiss it by giving it another name, "Nervous Force," but limiting its scope.

      The Yogi teachings go further than does Western Physical science regarding one particular part of the nervous system. We allude to that which physical scientists call "the Solar Plexus," or "Abdominal Brain," and which they consider as merely one СКАЧАТЬ