THEPRACTICEOFAUTOSUGGESTION

BYTHEMETHODofEMILECOU

RevisedEdition

BY

C.HARRYBROOKS

WITHAFOREWORDBY

EMILECOU

"Forwhatmanknoweththethingsofamansavethespiritofthemanwhichisinhim?"

1CORINTHIANSii.11.

NEWYORKDODD,MEADANDCOMPANY

1922

COPYRIGHT1922BYDODD,MEADANDCOMPANY,INC.

FirstPrinting,May,1922SecondPrinting,June,1922ThirdPrinting,June,1922FourthPrinting,July,1922FifthPrinting,July,1922SixthPrinting,Aug.,1922SeventhPrinting,Aug.,1922EighthPrinting,Aug.,1922NinthPrinting,Sept.,1922TenthPrinting,Sept.,1922EleventhPrinting,Nov.,1922TwelfthPrinting,Nov.,1922ThirteenthPrinting,Dec.,1922FourteenthPrinting,Jan.,1923

PRINTEDINTHEU.S.A.BYTheQuinn&BodenCompanyBOOKMANUFACTURERSRAHWAYNEWJERSEY

TOALLINCONFLICTWITH

THEIROWNIMPERFECTIONSTHISLITTLEBOOK

ISDEDICATED

PREFACETOTHEAMERICANEDITION

TomyAmericanreadersaspecialwordofgratitudeisduefortheirgenerositytothislittlebook.Ihopethatithasgiventhemasmuchencouragementandhelpastheyhavegivenme.

InAmerica,thehomeofsomanysystemsofmentalhealing,itisperhapsevenmorenecessarythan in Europe to insist on the distinctive features of M. Cou's teaching. It is based, not ontranscendentalormysticalpostulates,butonthesimpleandacknowledgedfactsofpsychology.Thisdoesnotmeanthatithasnorelationtoreligion.Onthecontraryithasaverycloseone.IndeedIhopeinafuturevolumetopointoutitsdeepsignificancefortheChristianchurches.Butthatrelationshipremains in M. Cou's teaching unexpressed. The powers he has revealed are part of the naturalendowmentofthehumanmind.Thereforetheyareavailabletoallmen,independentlyofadherenceornon-adherencetoanysectorcreed.

Themethod ofM.Cou is in no sense opposed to the ordinary practice ofmedicine. It is notintendedtosupplant itbut tosupplementit.It isanewally,bringingvaluablereinforcementstothecommoncrusadeagainstdiseaseandunhappiness.

InducedAutosuggestiondoesnot involve,asseveralhastycriticshaveassumed,anattackupontheWill.Itsimplyteachesthatduringtheactualformulationofsuggestions,thatisforafewminutesdaily,theWillshouldbequiescent.AtothertimestheexerciseoftheWillisencouraged;indeedweareshownhowtouseitproperly,thatiswithoutfrictionorwasteofenergy.C.H.B.19October,1922.

AUTHOR'SPREFACE

The discoveries of Emile Cou are of such moment for the happiness and efficiency of theindividuallifethatitisthedutyofanyoneacquaintedwiththemtopassthemontohisfellows.

Thelivesofmanymenandwomenarerobbedoftheirtruevaluebytwistsandflawsofcharacterandtemperament,which,whiledefyingtheeffortsofthewill,wouldyieldrapidlytotheinfluenceofautosuggestion.Unfortunately, theknowledgeofthismethodhashithertobeenavailableinEnglandonly in the somewhat detailed and technical work of Professor Charles Baudouin, and in a smallpamphlet,printedprivatelybyM.Cou,whichhasnotbeenpubliclyexposedforsale.Tofillthisgapistheaimofthefollowingpages.Theyaredesignedtopresenttothelaymaninnon-technicalformtheinformationnecessarytoenablehimtopractiseautosuggestionforhimself.

All readerswhowish toobtainadeeper insight into the theoreticalbasisofautosuggestionare

recommended to study Professor Baudouin's fascinating work, Suggestion and Autosuggestion.AlthoughinthesepagesthereareoccasionaldivergencesfromProfessorBaudouin'sviews,hisbookremains beyond question the authoritative statement on the subject; indeed it is hardly possiblewithout it to form an adequate idea of the scope of autosuggestion.My own indebtedness to it inwritingthislittlevolumeisverygreat.

MythanksaredueforinnumerablekindnessestoM.Couhimself.Thatheistheembodimentofpatience everyone knowswho has been in contactwith him. I am also indebted to theRev. ErnestCharles,ofMalvernLink,who, thoughdisclaimingresponsibility forsomeof theviewsexpressedhere,hasmademanyextremelyvaluablesuggestions.C.H.B.

MALVERNLINK,21February,1922.

FOREWORD

ThematerialsforthislittlebookwerecollectedbyMr.Brooksduringavisithepaidmeinthesummerof1921.Hewas,Ithink,thefirstEnglishmantocometoNancywiththeexpresspurposeofstudyingmymethodofconsciousautosuggestion.Inthecourseofdailyvisitsextendingoversomeweeks, by attendingmyconsultations, andbyprivate conversationswithmyself, heobtained a fullmasteryofthemethod,andwethreshedoutagooddealofthetheoryonwhichitrests.

Theresultsofthisstudyarecontainedinthefollowingpages.Mr.Brookshasskilfullyseizedonthe essentials and put them forward in a manner that seems to me both simple and clear. Theinstructions given are amply sufficient to enable anyone to practise autosuggestion for him orherself,withoutseekingthehelpofanyotherperson.

It isamethodwhicheveryoneshouldfollowthesick toobtainhealing, thehealthytopreventthecomingofdiseaseinthefuture.Byitspracticewecaninsureforourselves,allourliveslong,anexcellentstateofhealth,bothofthemindandthebody.E.COU.NANCY.

CONTENTS

PREFACE FOREWORD

ICOU'SNANCYPRACTICE

CHAPTER I THECLINICOFEMILECOUII AFEWOFCOU'SCURESIII THECHILDREN'SCLINIC

IITHENATUREOFAUTOSUGGESTION

IV THOUGHTISAFORCEV THOUGHTANDTHEWILL

IIITHEPRACTICEOFAUTOSUGGESTION

VI GENERALRULESVII THEGENERALFORMULAVIII PARTICULARSUGGESTIONSIX HOWTODEALWITHPAINX AUTOSUGGESTIONANDTHECHILDXI CONCLUSION

ICOU'SNANCYPRACTICE

CHAPTERI

THECLINICOFEMILECOU

TheclinicofEmileCou,whereInducedAutosuggestionisappliedtothetreatmentofdisease,issituatedinapleasantgardenattachedtohishouseatthequietendoftherueJeanned'ArcinNancy.Itwashere that Ivisitedhim in the early summerof1921, andhad thepleasure for the first timeofwitnessingoneofhisconsultations.

We entered the garden from his house a little before nine o'clock. In one corner was a brickbuilding of two stories,with itswindows thrownwide to let in the air and sunshinethiswas theclinic; a few yards awaywas a smaller one-storied constructionwhich served as awaiting-room.Under theplumandcherry trees, now ladenwith fruit, littlegroupsofpatientswere sittingon thegardenseats,chattingamicablytogetherandenjoyingthemorningsunshinewhileotherswanderedintwosandthreesamongtheflowersandstrawberrybeds.Theroomreservedfor the treatmentswasalreadycrowded,butinspiteofthateagernewcomersconstantlytriedtogainentrance.Thewindow-sillsonthegroundfloorwerebeset,andadenseknothadformedinthedoorway.Inside,thepatientshadfirstoccupiedtheseatswhichsurroundedthewalls,andthencoveredtheavailablefloor-space,sitting on camp-stools and folding-chairs. Cou with some difficulty found me a seat, and thetreatmentimmediatelybegan.

Thefirstpatientheaddressedwasafrail,middle-agedmanwho,accompaniedbyhisdaughter,hadjustarrivedfromParis toconsulthim.Themanwasabadcaseofnervous trouble.Hewalkedwithdifficulty,andhishead,armsandlegswereafflictedwithacontinualtremor.Heexplainedthatifheencounteredastrangerwhenwalkinginthestreettheideathatthelatterwouldremarkhisinfirmitycompletelyparalysedhim,andhehadtoclingtowhateversupportwasathandtosavehimselffromfalling.AtCou's invitationherosefromhisseatandtookafewstepsacross thefloor.Hewalkedslowly,leaningonastick;hiskneeswerehalfbent,andhisfeetdraggedheavilyalongtheground.

Couencouragedhimwiththepromiseofimprovement."YouhavebeensowingbadseedinyourUnconscious;nowyouwillsowgoodseed.Thepowerbywhichyouhaveproducedtheseilleffectswillinfutureproduceequallygoodones."

Thenextpatientwasanexcitable,over-workedwomanoftheartisanclass.WhenCouinquiredthe nature of her trouble, she broke into a flood of complaint, describing each symptom with avoluble minuteness. "Madame," he interrupted, "you think too much about your ailments, and inthinkingofthemyoucreatefreshones."

Nextcameagirlwithheadaches,ayouthwithinflamedeyes,andafarm-labourerincapacitatedbyvaricoseveins.IneachcaseCoustatedthatautosuggestionshouldbringcompleterelief.Thenitwastheturnofabusinessmanwhocomplainedofnervousness,lackofself-confidenceandhauntingfears.

"Whenyouknowthemethod,"saidCou,"youwillnotallowyourselftoharboursuchideas.""Iworkterriblyhardtogetridofthem,"thepatientanswered."You fatigue yourself. The greater the efforts you make, the more the ideas return. You will

changeallthateasily,simply,andaboveall,withouteffort.""Iwantto,"themaninterjected."That's just where you're wrong," Cou told him. "If you say 'I want to do something,' your

imaginationreplies'Oh,butyoucan't.'Youmustsay'Iamgoingtodoit,'andifitisintheregionofthepossibleyouwillsucceed."

Alittlefurtheronwasanotherneurasthenicagirl.Thiswasherthirdvisittotheclinic,andfortendaysshehadbeenpractisingthemethodathome.Withahappysmile,andalittlepardonableself-importance,shedeclaredthatshealreadyfeltaconsiderableimprovement.Shehadmoreenergy,wasbeginningtoenjoylife,ateheartilyandsleptmoresoundly.Hersincerityandnavedelighthelpedtostrengthenthefaithofherfellow-patients.Theylookedonherasalivingproofofthehealingwhichshouldcometothemselves.

Cou continued his questions. Those who were unable, whether through rheumatism or someparalyticaffection,tomakeuseofalimbwerecalledon,asacriterionoffutureprogress,toputouttheirmaximumefforts.

InadditiontothevisitorfromParistherewerepresentamanandawomanwhocouldnotwalkwithout support, and a burly peasant, formerly a blacksmith, who for nearly ten years had notsucceeded in lifting his right arm above the level of his shoulder. In each case Cou predicted acompletecure.

During this preliminary stage of the treatment, the words he spoke were not in the nature ofsuggestions.Theyweresoberexpressionsofopinion,basedonyearsofexperience.Notoncedidhereject the possibility of cure, though with several patients suffering from organic disease in anadvancedstage,headmitteditsunlikelihood.Tothesehepromised,however,acessationofpain,animprovement ofmorale, and at least a retardment of the progress of the disease. "Meanwhile," headded,"thelimitsofthepowerofautosuggestionarenotyetknown;finalrecoveryispossible."Inallcasesoffunctionalandnervousdisorders,aswellas thelessseriousonesofanorganicnature,hestatedthatautosuggestion,conscientiouslyapplied,wascapableofremovingthetroublecompletely.

IttookCounearlyfortyminutestocompletehisinterrogation.Otherpatientsborewitnesstothebenefitsthetreatmenthadalreadyconferredonthem.Awomanwithapainfulswellinginherbreast,which a doctor had diagnosed (in Cou's opinion wrongly), as of a cancerous nature, had foundcompletereliefafterlessthanthreeweeks'treatment.Anotherwomanhadenrichedherimpoverishedblood, and increased herweight by over nine pounds.Aman had been cured of a varicose ulcer,anotherinasinglesittinghadridhimselfofalifelonghabitofstammering.Onlyoneoftheformerpatientsfailedtoreportanimprovement."Monsieur,"saidCou,"youhavebeenmakingefforts.Youmustputyourtrustintheimagination,notinthewill.Thinkyouarebetterandyouwillbecomeso."

Counowproceededtooutlinethetheorygiveninthepageswhichfollow.Itissufficientheretostatehismainconclusions,whichwerethese:(1)Everyideawhichexclusivelyoccupiesthemindistransformed intoanactualphysicalormental state. (2)Theeffortswemake toconqueran ideabyexerting the will only serve to make that idea more powerful. To demonstrate these truths herequestedoneofhispatients,ayounganaemic-lookingwoman,tocarryoutasmallexperiment.Sheextendedherarmsinfrontofher,andclaspedthehandsfirmlytogetherwiththefingersinterlaced,increasing the forceofhergripuntila slight tremorset in. "Lookatyourhands," saidCou,"andthinkyouwouldliketoopenthembutyoucannot.Nowtryandpullthemapart.Pullhard.Youfindthatthemoreyoutrythemoretightlytheybecomeclaspedtogether."

Thegirlmadelittleconvulsivemovementsofherwrists,reallydoingherbestbyphysicalforce

to separate her hands, but the harder she tried the more her grip increased in strength, until theknuckles turnedwhitewith the pressure.Her hands seemed locked together by a force outside herowncontrol.

"Nowthink,"saidCone,"'Icanopenmyhands.'"Slowlyhergrasp relaxedand, in response toa littlepull, thecramped fingers cameapart.She

smiledshylyattheattentionshehadattracted,andsatdown.Coupointedoutthatthetwomainpointsofhistheorywerethusdemonstratedsimultaneously:

whenthepatient'smindwasfilledwiththethought"Icannot,"shecouldnotinveryfactunclaspherhands.Further,theeffortsshemadetowrenchthemapartbyexertingherwillonlyfixedthemmorefirmlytogether.

Eachpatientwasnowcalledon in turn toperformthesameexperiment.Themore imaginativeamong themnotably thewomenwere at once successful. One old ladywas so absorbed in thethought"Icannot"asnottoheedtherequesttothink"Ican."Withherfaceruefullypuckeredupshesat staring fixedly at her interlocked fingers, as though contemplating an act of fate. "Voil," saidCou,smiling,"ifMadamepersistsinherpresentidea,shewillneveropenherhandsagainaslongasshelives."

Several of the men, however, were not at once successful. The whilom blacksmith with thedisabledarm,when told to think "I should like toopenmyhandsbut I cannot,"proceededwithoutdifficultytoopenthem.

"Yousee,"saidCou,withasmile,"itdependsnotonwhatIsaybutonwhatyouthink.Whatwereyouthinkingthen?"

Hehesitated."IthoughtperhapsIcouldopenthemafterall.""Exactly.Andthereforeyoucould.Nowclaspyourhandsagain.Pressthemtogether."Whentherightdegreeofpressurehadbeenreached,Coutoldhimtorepeatthewords"Icannot,

Icannot...."Asherepeatedthisphrasethecontractureincreased,andallhiseffortsfailedtoreleasehisgrip."Voil,"saidCou."Nowlisten.Fortenyearsyouhavebeenthinkingyoucouldnotliftyourarm

aboveyourshoulder,consequentlyyouhavenotbeenabletodoso,forwhateverwethinkbecomestrueforus.Nowthink'Icanliftit.'"

Thepatientlookedathimdoubtfully."Quick!"Cousaidinatoneofauthority."Think'Ican,Ican!'""Ican,"saidtheman.Hemadeahalf-heartedattemptandcomplainedofapaininhisshoulder."Bon,"saidCou."Don'tloweryourarm.Closeyoureyesandrepeatwithmeasfastasyoucan,

'Capasse,apasse.'"Forhalfaminutetheyrepeatedthisphrasetogether,speakingsofastastoproduceasoundlike

thewhirrofarapidlyrevolvingmachine.MeanwhileCouquicklystrokedtheman'sshoulder.Attheendofthattimethepatientadmittedthathispainhadlefthim.

"Nowthinkwellthatyoucanliftyourarm,"Cousaid.Thedepartureofthepainhadgiventhepatientfaith.Hisface,whichbeforehadbeenperplexed

andincredulous,brightenedasthethoughtofpowertookpossessionofhim."Ican,"hesaidinatoneoffinality,andwithoutefforthecalmlyliftedhisarmtoitsfullheightabovehishead.Heheldittheretriumphantlyforamomentwhilethewholecompanyapplaudedandencouragedhim.

Coureachedforhishandandshookit."Myfriend,youarecured.""C'estmerveilleux,"themananswered."IbelieveIam.""Proveit,"saidCou."Hitmeontheshoulder."Thepatientlaughed,anddealthimagentlerap.

"Harder,"Couencouragedhim."Hitmeharderashardasyoucan."Hisarmbegantoriseandfallinregularblows,increasinginforceuntilCouwascompelledto

callonhimtostop."Voil,monami,youcangobacktoyouranvil."Themanresumedhisseat,stillhardlyabletocomprehendwhathadoccurred.Nowandthenhe

liftedhisarmasiftoreassurehimself,whisperingtohimselfinanawedvoice,"Ican,Ican."A little further on was seated a woman who had complained of violent neuralgia. Under the

influence of the repeated phrase "a passe" (it's going) the pain was dispelled in less than thirtyseconds. Then it was the turn of the visitor from Paris.What he had seen had inspired him withconfidence; he was sitting more erect, there was a little patch of colour in his cheeks, and histremblingseemedlessviolent.

Heperformedtheexperimentwithimmediatesuccess."Now,"saidCou,"youarecultivatedground.Icanthrowouttheseedinhandfuls."He caused the sufferer first to stand erectwithhis back andknees straightened.Thenhe asked

him,constantlythinking"Ican,"toplacehisentireweightoneachfootinturn,slowlyperformingtheexerciseknownas"markingtime."Aspacewasthenclearedofchairs,andhavingdiscardedhisstick,themanwasmadetowalktoandfro.WhenhisgaitbecameslovenlyCoustoppedhim,pointedouthis fault, and, renewing the thought "I can," caused him to correct it. Progressive improvementkindledtheman'simagination.Hetookhimselfinhisownhands.Hisbearingbecamemoreandmoreconfident, he walked more easily, more quickly. His little daughter, all smiles and happy self-forgetfulness,stoodbesidehimutteringexpressionsofdelight,admirationandencouragement.Thewholecompanylaughedandclappedtheirhands.

"Afterthesitting,"saidCou,"youshallcomeforaruninmygarden."Thus Cou continued his round of the clinic. Each patient suffering from pain was given

completeorpartial relief; thosewithuseless limbshadavaryingmeasureofuserestored to them.Cou's manner was always quietly inspiring. There was no formality, no attitude of the superiorperson;hetreatedeveryone,whetherrichorpoor,withthesamefriendlysolicitude.Butwithintheselimitshevariedhis tone tosuit the temperamentof thepatient.Sometimeshewas firm,sometimesgentlybantering.He seizedeveryopportunity for a littlehumorousby-play.Onemight almost saythathetactfullyteasedsomeofhispatients,givingthemanideathattheirailmentwasabsurd,andalittleunworthy;thattobeillwasaquaintbutreprehensibleweakness,whichtheyshouldquicklygetrid of. Indeed, this denial of the dignity of disease is one of the characteristics of the place. NohomageispaidtoitasaDreadMonarch.Itisgentlyridiculed,itsterrorsaremadetoappearsecond-rate,anditsvictimsendbylaughingatit.

Counowpassedon to the formulationof specific suggestions.Thepatients closed their eyes,andheproceededinalow,monotonousvoice,toevokebeforetheirmindsthestatesofhealth,mentalandphysical,theywereseeking.Astheylistenedtohimtheiralertnessebbedaway,theywerelulledintoadrowsystate,peopledonlybythevividimageshecalledupbeforetheeyesofthemind.Thefaintrustleofthetrees,thesongsofthebirds,thelowvoicesofthosewaitinginthegarden,mergedintoapleasantbackground,onwhichhiswordsstoodoutpowerfully.

Thisiswhathesaid:"Say toyourself thatall thewords Iamabout toutterwillbe fixed, imprintedandengraven in

yourminds;thattheywillremainfixed,imprintedandengraventhere,sothatwithoutyourwillandknowledge, without your being in anyway aware of what is taking place, you yourself and yourwholeorganismwillobeythem.Itellyoufirstthateveryday,threetimesaday,morning,noonandevening,atmealtimes,youwillbehungry; that is tosayyouwillfeel thatpleasantsensationwhichmakesusthinkandsay:'HowIshouldlikesomethingtoeat!'Youwilltheneatwithexcellentappetite,

enjoyingyourfood,butyouwillnevereattoomuch.Youwilleattherightamount,neithertoomuchnor too little, andyouwillknow intuitivelywhenyouhavehad sufficient.Youwillmasticateyourfood thoroughly, transforming it intoa smoothpastebeforeswallowing it. In theseconditionsyouwill digest it well, and so feel no discomfort of any kind either in the stomach or the intestines.Assimilationwillbeperfectlyperformed,andyourorganismwillmakethebestpossibleuseofthefoodtocreateblood,muscle,strength,energy,inawordLife.

"Since you have digested your food properly, the excretory functions will be normallyperformed. This will take place every morning immediately on rising, and without your havingrecoursetoanylaxativemedicineorartificialmeansofanykind.

"Everynightyouwillfallasleepatthehouryouwish,andwillcontinuetosleepuntilthehouratwhichyoudesiretowakenextmorning.Yoursleepwillbecalm,peacefulandprofound,untroubledbybaddreamsorundesirablestatesofbody.Youmaydream,butyourdreamswillbepleasantones.Onwakingyouwillfeelwell,bright,alert,eagerfortheday'stasks.

"Ifinthepastyouhavebeensubjecttodepression,gloomandmelancholyforebodings,youwillhenceforwardbefreefromsuchtroubles.Insteadofbeingmoody,anxiousanddepressed,youwillbecheerfulandhappy.Youwillbehappyevenifyouhavenoparticularreasonforbeingso,justasinthepastyouwere,withoutgoodreason,unhappy.Itellyoueventhatifyouhaveseriouscausetobeworriedordepressed,youwillnotbeso.

"Ifyouhavebeenimpatientor ill-tempered,youwillnolongerbeanythingof thekind;onthecontrary,youwill alwaysbepatientandself-controlled.Thehappeningswhichused to irritateyouwillleaveyouentirelycalmandunmoved.

"Ifyouhavesometimesbeenhauntedbyevilandunwholesomeideas,byfearsorphobias,theseideas will gradually cease to occupy your mind. They will melt away like a cloud. As a dreamvanisheswhenwewake,sowillthesevainimagesdisappear.

"Iaddthatallyourorgansdotheirworkperfectly.Yourheartbeatsnormallyandthecirculationof thebloodtakesplaceas itshould.Thelungsdotheirworkwell.Thestomach, theintestines, theliver,thebiliaryduct,thekidneysandthebladder,allcarryouttheirfunctionscorrectly.Ifatpresentanyoftheorgansnamedisoutoforder,thedisturbancewillgrowlessdaybyday,sothatwithinashort space of time itwill have entirely disappeared, and the organwill have resumed its normalfunction.

"Further,ifinanyorganthereisastructurallesion,itwillfromthisdaybegraduallyrepaired,and inashortperiodwillbecompletely restored.Thiswillbesoeven ifyouareunaware that thetroubleexists.

"Imustalsoaddanditisextremelyimportantthatifinthepastyouhavelackedconfidenceinyourself, this self-distrustwill gradually disappear.Youwill have confidence in yourself; I repeat,youwill have confidence.Your confidencewill be based on the knowledge of the immense powerwhichiswithinyou,bywhichyoucanaccomplishanytaskofwhichyourreasonapproves.Withthisconfidenceyouwillbeabletodoanythingyouwishtodo,provideditisreasonable,andanythingitisyourdutytodo.

"Whenyouhaveanytasktoperformyouwillalwaysthinkthatitiseasy.Suchwordsas'difficult,''impossible,''Icannot'willdisappearfromyourvocabulary.Theirplacewillbetakenbythisphrase:'ItiseasyandIcan.'So,consideringyourworkeasy,evenifitisdifficulttoothers,itwillbecomeeasytoyou.Youwilldoiteasily,withouteffortandwithoutfatigue."

These general suggestions were succeeded by particular suggestions referring to the specialailmentsfromwhichCou'spatientsweresuffering.Takingeachcaseinturn,heallowedhishandtorest lightlyon theheadsof the sufferers,whilepicturing to theirminds thehealthandvigourwithwhich theywould soon be endowed. Thus to awomanwith an ulcerated leg he spoke as follows:

"Henceforthyourorganismwilldoallthatisnecessarytorestoreyourlegtoperfecthealth.Itwillrapidlyheal; the tissueswill regain their tone; theskinwillbesoftandhealthy. Inashortspaceoftime your leg will be vigorous and strong and will in future always remain so." Each specialcomplaintwas thus treatedwith a few appropriate phrases.When he had finished, and the patientswere called on to open their eyes, a faint sigh went round the room, as if they were awakingreluctantlyfromadeliciousdream.

Counowexplainedtohispatientsthathepossessednohealingpowers,andhadneverhealedapersoninhislife.Theycarriedinthemselvestheinstrumentoftheirownwell-being.Theresultstheyhad seen were due to the realisation of each patient's own thought. He had beenmerely an agentcallingtheideasofhealthintotheirminds.Henceforththeycould,andmust,bethepilotsoftheirowndestiny.Hethenrequestedthemtorepeat,underconditionswhichwillbelaterdefined,thephrasewithwhichhisnameisassociated:"Daybyday,ineveryway,I'mgettingbetterandbetter."[1]

Thesittingwasatanend.ThepatientsroseandcrowdedroundCou,askingquestions,thankinghim, shakinghimby the hand.Somedeclared theywere already cured, some that theyweremuchbetter,others that theywereconfidentofcure in the future. Itwasas ifaburdenofdepressionhadfallenfromtheirminds.Thosewhohadenteredwithmindscrushedandoppressedwentoutwithhopeandoptimismshiningintheirfaces.

ButCouwavedasidethesetooinsistentadmirers,and,beckoningtothethreepatientswhocouldnotwalk,ledthemtoacornerofthegardenwheretherewasastretchofgravelpathrunningbeneaththeboughsoffruittrees.Oncemoreimpressingontheirmindsthethoughtofstrengthandpower,heinducedeachonetowalkwithoutsupportdownthispath.Henowinvitedthemtorun.Theyhesitated,butheinsisted,tellingthemthattheycouldrun,thattheyoughttorun,thattheyhadbuttobelieveintheirownpower,andtheirthoughtwouldbemanifestedinaction.

They started rather uncertainly, butCou followed themwith persistent encouragements. Theybegan to raise their heads, to lift their feet from the ground and run with greater freedom andconfidence.Turningattheendofthepaththeycamebackatafairpace.Theirmovementswerenotelegant,butpeopleonthefurthersideoffiftyarerarelyelegantrunners.Itwasasurprisingsighttosee these threesuffererswhohadhobbled to thecliniconsticksnowcovering thegroundata fullfivemilesanhour,and laughingheartilyat themselvesas theyran.Thecrowdofpatientswhohadcollected broke into a spontaneous cheer, andCou, slippingmodestly away, returned to the freshcompanyofsuffererswhoawaitedhimwithin.

[1]The translationgivenhereofCou's formuladiffers slightly from thatpopularised inEnglandduringhisvisitofNovember,1921.Theabove,however,istheEnglishversionwhichheconsidersmostsuitable.

CHAPTERII

AFEWOFCOU'SCURES

Togivethereaderabetter ideaoftheresultswhichInducedAutosuggestionisyielding,Ishallhere describe a few further cases ofwhich Iwasmyself in somepart awitness, and thereafter letsomeofCou'spatientsspeakforthemselvesthroughthemediumoftheirletters.

At one of the morning consultations which I subsequently attended was a woman who hadsufferedforfiveyearswithdyspepsia.Thetroublehadrecentlybecomesoacutethateventhemilk

diet towhich shewas now reduced caused her extreme discomfort.Consequently she had becomeextremely thin and anaemic, was listless, easily tired, and suffered from depression. Early in theproceedingstheaccountsgivenbyseveralpatientsoftherelieftheyhadobtainedseemedtoappealtoherimagination.ShefollowedCou'sremarkswithkeeninterest,answeredhisquestionsvivaciously,and laughed very heartily at the amusing incidents with which the proceedings were interspersed.Aboutfiveo'clockonthesameafternoonIhappenedtobesittingwithCouwhenthiswomanaskedtoseehim.Beamingwithsatisfaction,shewasshownintotheroom.Shereportedthatonleavingtheclinicshehadgonetoarestaurantinthetownandorderedatabled'hteluncheon.Conscientiouslyshe had partaken of every course from the hors d'oeuvres to the caf noir. The meal had beenconcludedat1.30,andshehadsofarexperiencednotraceofdiscomfort.Afewdayslaterthiswomanreturnedtotheclinictoreportthatthedyspepsiahadshownnosignsofreappearing;thatherhealthandspiritswereimproving,andthatshelookeduponherselfascured.

On another occasion one of the patients complained of asthma. The paroxysms destroyed hissleepatnightandpreventedhimfromperforminganytaskwhichentailedexertion.Walkingupstairswas a slow process attended by considerable distress. The experiment with the hands was sosuccessfullyperformedthatCouassuredhimofimmediaterelief.

"Before you go," he said, "you will run up and down those stairs without suffering anyinconvenience."

Atthecloseoftheconsultation,undertheinfluenceofthesuggestion"Ican,"thepatientdidthiswithoutdifficulty.Thatnightthetroublerecurredinamildform,buthecontinuedtoattendtheclinicandtopractisetheexercisesathome,andwithinafortnighttheasthmahadfinallylefthim.

AmongotherpatientswithwhomIconversedwasayoungmansufferingfromcurvatureofthespine.Hehadbeenattendingtheclinicforfourmonthsandpractisingthemethodathome.Hisdoctorassured him that the spine was gradually resuming its normal position. A girl of twenty-two hadsufferedfromchildhoodwithepilepticfits,recurringatintervalsofafewweeks.Sinceherfirstvisittotheclinicsixmonthspreviouslythefitshadceased.

ButthesoundesttestimonytothepowerofInducedAutosuggestionisthatbornebythepatientsthemselves.HereareafewextractsfromlettersreceivedbyCou:

"Attheageofsixty-three,attackedformorethanthirtyyearsbyasthmaandallthecomplicationsattendant upon it, I spent three-quarters of the night sitting onmy bed inhaling the smoke of anti-asthmapowders.Afflictedwithalmostdailyattacks,especiallyduringthecoldanddampseasons,IwasunabletowalkIcouldnotevengodownhill.

Nowadays I have splendid nights, and have put the powders in a drawer.Without the slightesthesitationIcangoupstairstothefirstfloor."D.(MontdeMarsan.)15December,1921.

"YesterdayI felt reallybetter, that is tosay,ofmyfever,soIdecided togoback tomydoctor,whom Ihadnot seen since the summer.Theexamination showedanormal appendix.On theotherhand, the bladder is still painful, but is better. At any rate, there is at present no question of theoperationwhichhadworriedmesomuch.IamconvincedthatIshallcuremyselfcompletely."M.D.(Mulhouse.)24September,1921.

"Ihaveverygoodnewstogiveyouofyourdipsomaniacsheiscured,andassertsitherselftoallwhowill listen.She toldmeyesterday that for fourteenyears shehadnotbeenso longwithoutdrinkasshehasbeenlately,andwhatsurpriseshersomuchisthatshehasnothadtostruggleagainst

adesire;shehassimplynotfelttheneedofdrink.Further,hersleepcontinuestobesplendid.Sheisgettingmoreandmorecalm, in spiteof the fact thatonseveraloccasionsher sang-froidhasbeenseverelytested.Toputthematterinanutshell,sheisachangedwoman.Butwhatimpressesmemostisthefactthatwhenshetooktoyourmethodshethoughtherselfattheendofhertether,andintheeventofitsdoinghernogoodhaddecidedtokillherself(shehadalreadyattempteditonce)."P.(aParisdoctor.)1February,1922.

"For eight years I suffered with prolapse of the uterus. I have used your method ofAutosuggestionforthelastfivemonths,andamnowcompletelycured,forwhichIdonotknowhowtothankyouenough."S.(Toul).[1]

"I have a son who came back from Germany very anaemic and suffering from terribledepression.Hewenttoseeyouforashorttime,andnowisaswellaspossible.Pleaseacceptmybestthanks.Ihavealsoalittlecousinwhomyouhavecured.Hehadanervousillness,andhadbecome,sotospeak,unconsciousofwhatwasgoingonaroundhim.Heisnowcompletelycured."S.E.(Circourt,Vosges.)19October,1921.

"My wife and I have waited nearly a year to thank you for the marvellous cure which yourmethod has accomplished. The very violent attacks of asthma fromwhichmywife suffered havecompletely disappeared since the visit you paid us last spring. The first few weeks my wifeexperienced temporary oppression and even the beginnings of an attack,which, however, shewasabletowardoffwithinafewminutesbypractisingAutosuggestion.

In spite of her great desire to thank you sooner my wife wished to add more weight to hertestimonybywaitingfornearlyayear.Butthebadtimeforasthmahasnotbroughttheslightesthintoftheterribleattacksfromwhichyousavedher."J.H.(Saarbruck.)23December,1921.

"AllthemorbidsymptomsfromwhichIusedtosufferhavedisappeared.IusedtofeelasthoughIhadabandofironacrossmybrainwhichseemedtobered-hot;addedtothisIhadheartburnandbadnightswithfearfuldreams;further,Iwassubjecttoseverenervousattackswhichwentonformonths.Ifeltasthoughpegswerebeingdrivenintothesidesofmyheadandnapeofmyneck,andwhenIfeltI could not endure these agonies any longer a feeling would come as if my brain were beingsmotheredinablanket.Allthesepainscameandwent.Ihadsometimesone,sometimesothers.TherewereoccasionswhenIwantedtodiemysufferingsweresoacute,andIhadtostruggleagainsttheideawithgreatfirmness.

Atlast,havingspentfiveweeksatNancyattendingyourkindlysittings,Ihaveprofitedsowellastobeabletoreturnhomeinastateofnormalhealth."N.(PithiviviersleVieil.)16August,1921.

"AfterhavingundergonefouroperationsontheleftlegforlocaltuberculosisIfellavictimoncemore to thesame troubleon1September,1920.SeveraldoctorswhomIconsulteddeclaredanewoperationnecessary.Mylegwastobeopenedfromthekneetotheankle,andiftheoperationfailed

nothingremainedbutanamputation.Havingheardofyourcures,Icametoseeyouforthefirsttimeon6November,1920.Afterthe

sittingIfeltatoncealittlebetter.Ifollowedyourinstructionsexactly,visitingyouthreetimes.AtthethirdtimeIwasabletotellyouthatIwascompletelycured."L.(Herny,Lorraine.)

"IamhappytotellyouthatabunionthatIhadonmyfoot,whichgrewtoaconsiderablesizeandgavemethemostacutepainforoverfifteenyears,hasgone."L.G.(Caudran,Gironde.)

"IcannotleaveFrancewithoutlettingyouknowhowgratefulIfeelfortheimmenseserviceyouhaverenderedmeandmine.IonlywishIhadmetyouyearsago.Practicallythroughoutmycareermycursehasbeenalackofcontinuousself-control.

Ihavebeenaccusedofbeingalmostbrilliantattimes,onlytobefollowedbyperiodicrelapsesintoaconditionofsemi-imbecilityandself-indulgence.

I have donemy best to ruin amagnificent constitution, and havewasted the abilities bestoweduponme.InafewshortdaysyouhavemademeandIfeelpermanentlymasterofmyself.HowcanIthankyousufficiently?

The rapidity of my complete cure may have been due to what at the time I regarded as anunfortunateaccident.Slippingonthesnow-coveredstepsof the trainwhenalighting,Isprainedmyrightkneebadly.At thebreakfast table,beforepayingyoumyfirstvisit,afellow-guestsaidtome:'TellMonsieurCouaboutit.Hewillputitallright.'

Ilaughedandsaid'Umph!'tomyself,andmoreforthefunofthethingthananythingelsedidtellyou. I remember you remarking 'That's nothing,' and passing on to themore serious part of ourconversation,preliminarytocommencingyourlecturetotheassembledpatients.

Ibecamemorethaninterested,andwhenattheconclusionyousuddenlyturnedroundandaskedme: 'How'syourknee?' (nothavingalluded toknees inparticular), and Idiscovered therewasn't aknee,Ilaughedagain,asdidthosewhosawmehobbleintoyourroom;butIlaughedthistimefromasenseofbewilderedsurpriseanddawningbelief.Thisbeliefyouverysoonfirmlyimplantedinme."G.H.(London.)11January,1922.

[1]This letter, togetherwith the two quoted on page 34, is reprinted from theBulletin de la Socit Lorraine dePsychologieAppliqueofApril,1921.TheywerereceivedbyCouduringtheprecedingthreemonths.TheotherletterswerecommunicatedtomeprivatelybyCouandbeartheiroriginaldates.

CHAPTERIII

THECHILDREN'SCLINIC

IndifferentpartsofFrancealittlebandofworkers,recruitedalmostexclusivelyfromtheranksofformerpatients,ispropagatingtheideasofEmileCouwithasuccesswhichalmostrivalsthatoftheirmaster.Among these helpers none ismore devoted ormore eminently successful thanMlle.Kauffmant.Sheitiswho,atthetimeofmyvisit,wasmanagingthechildren'sdepartmentoftheNancyclinic.[1]

While Cou was holding his consultations on the ground floor, young mothers in twos andthrees,withtheirbabiesintheirarms,couldbeseenascendingtotheupperstory,wherealittledramawasperformedofaverydifferentnaturefromthatgoingonbelow.

Inalargeroom,decoratedwithbrightpicturesandequippedwithtoys,anumberofsilentyoungwomenwereseatedinawidecircle.Theirsickchildrenlayintheirarmsorplayedattheirfeet.Herewasachildwhose lifewaschokedat thesourcebyhereditarydiseaseasmallbundleofskinandbonewithlimbslikebamboocanes.Anotherlaymotionlesswithclosedeyesandadeathlyface,asifpiningtoreturntotheworlditcamefrom.Alittlecrippledraggedbehinditadeformedlegasittriedtocrawl,andnearbyachildoffivewasbeatingtheairwithitsthinarmsinanexhaustingnervousstorm.Older childrenwere alsopresent, suffering fromeye and ear trouble, epilepsy, rickets, anyoneoftheailments,graveorslight,towhichgrowinglifeissubjected.

Inthecentreofthiscirclesatayoungwomanwithdarkhairandakindlykeenface.Onherlapwasalittleboyoffouryearswithaclubfoot.Asshegentlycaressedthefoot,fromwhichtheclumsyboothadbeen removed, she told in a crooning tone,mingledwithendearingphrases,of the rapidimprovementwhichhadalreadybegunandwouldsoonbecomplete.Thefootwasgettingbetter;thejointsweremoresuppleandbentwithgreaterease; themusclesweredeveloping,thetendonsweredrawing the foot into the right shapeandmaking it straightandstrong.Soon itwouldbeperfectlynormal;thelittleonewouldwalkandrun,playwithotherchildren,skipandbowlhoops.Hewouldgotoschoolandlearnhis lessons,wouldbeintelligentandreceptive.Shetoldhimtoothathewasgrowingobedient,cheerful,kindtoothers, truthfulandcourageous.Thelittleboyhadputonearmroundherneckandwaslisteningwithaplacidsmile.Hisfacewasquitecontented;hewasenjoyinghimself.

While Mlle. Kauffmant was thus engaged, the women sat silent watching her intently, eachperhapsmentally seeingher own little one endowedwith the qualities depicted.The childrenwerequiet,somedreamilylistening,sometranquillyplayingwithatoy.ExceptforanoccasionalwordofadviceMademoisellewasquiteindifferenttothem.Herwholeattentionwasgiventothechildonherknee; her thought went out to him in a continual stream, borne along by a current of love andcompassion,forshehasdevotedherlifetothechildrenandlovesthemasiftheywereherown.Theatmosphereoftheroomwasmorelikethatofachurchthanahospital.Themothersseemedtohavelefttheirsorrowsoutside.Theirfacesshowedinvaryingdegreesanexpressionofquietconfidence.

Whenthistreatmenthadcontinuedforabouttenminutes,Mlle.Kauffmantreturnedthechildtoitsmotherand,aftergivingherafewwordsofadvice,turnedtohernextpatient.Thiswasaninfantofless than twelvemonths.While suffering fromno specific disease itwas continually ailing. Itwasbelownormalweight,variousfoodshadbeentriedunsuccessfully,andmedicaladvicehadfailedtobringaboutanimprovement.Mademoiselleresumedherseatwiththechildonherlap.Forsometimethecaresses,whichwereappliedtothechild'sheadandbody,continuedinsilence.Thenshebegantotalktoit.Hertalkdidnotconsistofconnectedsentences,aswiththeelderchildwhohadlearnedtospeak,butofmurmuredassurances,asifherthoughtsweretakingunconsciouslytheformofwords.These suggestions were more general than in the previous case, bearing on appetite, digestion,assimilation,andondesirablementalandmoralqualities.Thecaresscontinuedforabouttenminutes,thespeechwas intermittent, then the infantwasreturned to itsmotherandMademoiselle turnedherattentiontoanotherlittlesufferer.

WithpatientswhoarenotyetoldenoughtospeakMlle.Kauffmantsometimestruststothecaressalone. It seems to transmit the thoughts of health quite strongly enough to turn the balance in thechild'smindonthesideofhealth.Butallmotherstalktotheirchildrenlongbeforethewordstheyuseareunderstood, andMlle.Kauffmant,whose attitude is essentiallymaternal, reserves toherself thesameright.Sheadherestonorigidrule;ifshewishestospeakaloudshedoesso,evenwhenthechild

cannotgraspthemeaningofherwords.This is perhaps the secret of her success: her method is plastic like the minds she works on.

Cou'smaterialtheadultmindismorestable.Itdemandsaclear-cut,distinctmethod,andleavesless room for adaptation; but the aim ofMlle. Kauffmant is to fill the childwithin and enwrap itwithout with the creative thoughts of health and joy. To this end she enlists any and everymeanswithinherpower.Thechilditself,assoonasit isoldenoughtospeak,isrequiredtosay,morningand night, the general formula: "Day by day, in every way, I'm getting better and better." If it isconfined to its bed, it is encouraged to repeat this at any time and tomake suggestions of healthsimilar to thoseformulatedin thesittings.Nospecialdirectionsaregivenas tohowthisshouldbedone.Elaborateinstructionswouldonlyintroducehindersomecomplications.Imagination,thepowertopretend, isnaturallystrongandactive inallchildren,and intuitively theymakeuseof it in theirautosuggestions.Moreover,theyunconsciouslyimitatethetoneandmanneroftheirinstructress.

Butthecentreofthechild'suniverseisthemother.Anysystemwhichdidnotutiliseherinfluencewouldbelosingitsmostpowerfulally.Themotherisencouragedduringthedaytosetanexampleofcheerfulnessandconfidence,toalludetothemaladyonlyintermsofencouragementsorenewingin the child's mind the prospect of recoveryand to exclude as far as possible all depressinginfluencesfromitsvicinity.Atnightsheisrequiredtoenterthechild'sbedchamberwithoutwakingthe little one and to whisper good suggestions into its sleeping ear. Thus Mlle. Kauffmantconcentratesamultiplicityofmeanstobringaboutthesameresult.Inthissheisaidedbytheextremeacceptivityofthechild'smind,andbytheabsenceofthatmassofperniciousspontaneoussuggestionswhichintheadultmindhavetobeneutralisedandtransformed.It is inchildren, then, that themostencouragingresultsmaybeexpected.IwillquotethreecaseswhichImyselfinvestigatedtoshowthekindofresultsMlle.Kauffmantobtains:

A little girl was born without the power of sight. The visual organs were intact, but she wasincapableofliftinghereye-lidsandsoremainedblindtoallintentsandpurposesuptoherseventhyear.ShewasthenbroughtbythemothertoMlle.Kauffmant.Afterafortnight'streatmentthechildbegantoblink;graduallythisactionbecamemorefrequent,andamonthafterthetreatmentbeganshecould seewell enough to findherwayunaidedabout the streets.When I sawher shehad learnt todistinguish coloursas my own experiments provedand was actually playing ball. The detailssuppliedbyMlle.Kauffmantwereconfirmedbythemother.

A child was born whose tuberculous father had died during the mother's pregnancy. Of fivebrothersandsistersnonehadsurvivedthefirstyear.Thedoctorstowhomthechildwastakenheldoutnohopeforitslife.Itsurvived,however,totheageoftwo,butwascrippledandnearlyblind,inadditionto internalweaknesses.Itwas thenbrought toMlle.Kauffmant.Threemonths later,whenIsaw it, nothing remainedof its troublesbut a slight squint anda stiffness inoneof itsknee-joints.Theseconditions,too,wererapidlydiminishing.

Another child, about nine years of age, also of tuberculous parents, was placed under hertreatment.One legwasan inchandahalfshorter than theother.Aftera fewmonths' treatment thisdisparity had almost disappeared.The same child had awound, also of tuberculous origin, on thesmalloftheback,whichhealedoverinafewweeksandhadcompletelydisappearedwhenIsawher.

Ineachoftheabovecasesthegeneralstateofhealthshowedagreatimprovement.Thechildputonweight,wascheerfulandbrightevenunderthetryingconditionsofconvalescenceinapoverty-strickenhome,andincharacteranddispositionfullyrealisedthesuggestionsformulatedtoit.

SincethesuggestionsofMlle.Kauffmantareappliedindividually,themotherswerepermittedtoenterand leave theclinicatany time theywished.Mademoisellewaspresentoncertaindayseveryweek,butthiswasnotthesumofherlabours.Thegreaterpartofhersparetimewasspentinvisitingthelittleonesintheirownhomes.Shepenetratedintothedingiest tenements, thepoorestslums,on

thiserrandofmercy.Iwasabletoaccompanyheronseveralofthesevisits,andsawhereverywherereceivednotonlywithwelcome,butwitharespectakintoawe.Shewasregarded,almostasmuchasCouhimself,asaworkerofmiracles.ButthereputationofbothCouandMlle.Kauffmantrestsonabroaderbasiseventhanautosuggestion,namelyontheirgreatgoodnessofheart.

They have placed not only their private means, but their whole life at the service of others.Neithereveracceptsapenny-pieceforthetreatmentstheygive,andIhaveneverseenCourefusetogiveatreatmentathoweverawkwardanhourthesubjectmayhaveaskedit.ThefameoftheschoolhasnowspreadtoallpartsnotonlyofFrance,butofEuropeandAmerica.Cou'sworkhasassumedsuchproportionsthathistimeistakenupoftentotheextentoffifteenorsixteenhoursaday.Heisnownearinghisseventiethyear,butthankstothehealth-givingpowersofhisownmethodheisableto keep abreast of his work without any sign of fatigue and without the clouding of his habitualcheerfulnessbyeventheshadowofacomplaint. Infact,heisa livingmonument to theefficacyofInducedAutosuggestion.

ItwillbeseenthatInducedAutosuggestionisamethodbywhichthemindcanactdirectlyuponitselfanduponthebodytoproducewhateverimprovements,inreason,wedesire.Thatitisefficientandsuccessfulshouldbemanifest fromwhathasgonebefore.Ofall thequestionswhicharise, themosturgentfromtheviewpointoftheaveragemanseemstobethisIsasuggesternecessary?Mustone submit oneself to the influenceof someother person, or canone in theprivacyof one's ownchamberexercisewithequalsuccessthispotentinstrumentofhealth?

Cou'sownopinionhasalreadybeenquoted.InducedAutosuggestionisnotdependentuponthemediation of another person.We can practise it for ourselveswithout others being even aware ofwhatwearedoing,andwithoutdevotingtoitmorethanafewminutesofeachday.

Hereareafewquotationsfromletterswrittenbythosewhohavethuspractiseditforthemselves.

"Foragoodmanyyearsnowarheumaticrightshoulderhasmadeitimpossibleformetosleeponmyrightsideanditseriouslyaffected,andincreasinglyso,theuseofmyrightarm.Amasseusetoldme she could effect no permanent improvement as there was granulation of the joints and alesion. I suddenly realised two days ago that this shoulder no longer troubled me and that I wassleepingonthatsidewithoutanypain.Ihavenowlostanysensationofrheumatisminthisshoulderandcangetmyrightarmbackasfarastheotherwithouttheslightesttwingeordiscomfort.Ihavenotapplied any remedy or done anything that could possibly have worked these results except mypractiseofCou."L.S.(Sidmouth,Devon).1January,1922.

"AtmysuggestionaladyfriendofminewhohadbeenillforagoodtenyearsreadLaMatrisedesoi-meme.IencouragedheraswellasIcould,andinamonthshewastransformed.Herhusband,returningfromalongjourney,couldnotbelievehiseyes.Thiswomanwhonevergotuptillmidday,who never left the fire-side,whom the doctors had given up, nowgoes out at 10 a.m. even in thegreatestcold.Otherfriendsareanxiouslywaitingtoreadyourpamphlet.L.C.(Paris).17December,1921.

"I am very much interested in your method, and since your lecture I have, every night andmorning,repeatedyourlittlephrase.Iusedtohavetotakeapilleverynight,butnowmyconstipationiscuredandthepillsarenolongernecessary.Mywifeisalsomuchbetterineveryway.We'vebothgotthebitofstringwithtwentyknots."

H.(aLondondoctor).7January,1922.

"Yourmethodisdoingmemoregoodeveryday.Idon'tknowhowtothankyouforthehappinessInowexperience.Ishallnevergiveuprepeatingthelittlephrase."E.B.Guivain(Belgium).23November,1921.

"I have followed your principles for severalmonths and freedmyself from a terrible state ofneurastheniawhichwasthedespairofmythreedoctors."G.(Angoulme).23January,1922.

"My friendMissC.completelycuredherselfofa rheumatic shoulderandknee inavery shorttime,andthenproceededtoturnherattentiontohereyesight.

She hadworn spectacles for 30 years and her left eyewasmuchmore short-sighted than herright.Whenshebeganshecouldonlyread(withoutherglassesandwithherlefteye)whenthebookwasalmosttouchingherface.Insixweeksshehadextendedthelimitofvisionsothatshesawasfarwiththeleftasformerlywiththeright.Meanwhiletherighthadimprovedequally.Shemeasuredthedistanceseveryweek,andwhenshewashereafewdaysagoshetoldmeshehadinthreedaysgained4centimetreswithherleftand6centimetreswithherrighteye.Shehaddonethisonherown."G.(London).5January,1922.

[1]Sincethis time(July,1921), theclinichasbeeninsomerespectsreorganizedandMlle.Kauffmant isnowpursuingherworkindependently.

II

THENATUREOFAUTOSUGGESTION

CHAPTERIV

THOUGHTISAFORCE

Autosuggestion is not a pseudo-religion like Christian Science or "New Thought." It is ascientificmethodbasedonthediscoveriesofpsychology.Thetraditionalpsychologywasregardedby the layman, not without some cause, as a dull and seemingly useless classification of ourconsciousfaculties.Butwithinthepasttwenty-fiveyearsthesciencehasundergoneagreatchange.Arevolutionhastakenplaceinitwhichseemslikelytoprovokearevolutionequallyprofoundinthewider limits of our common life. From a preoccupation with the conscious it has turned to theUnconscious(orsubconscious),tothevastareaofmentalactivitywhichexistsoutsidethecircleofourawareness.Indoingsoithasgraspedattheveryrootsoflifeitself,hasgropeddowntothedepthswherethe"life-force,"thelanvital,touchesourindividualbeing.Whatthismayentailinthefuturewe can only dimly guess. Just as the discovery ofAmerica altered the balance of theOldWorld,shifting it westward to the shores of the Atlantic, so the discovery and investigation of theUnconsciousseemsdestinedtoshiftthebalanceofhumanlife.

Obviously,thisisnoplacetoembarkonthediscussionofasubjectofsuchextremecomplexity.TheinvestigationoftheUnconsciousisascienceinitself,inwhichdifferentschoolsofthoughtareseeking to disengage a basis of fact from conflicting and daily changing theories. But there is acertainbodyoffact,experimentallyproven,onwhichtheauthoritiesagree,andofthiswequoteafewfeatureswhichdirectlyinterestusasstudentsofautosuggestion.

TheUnconsciousisthestorehouseofmemory,whereeveryimpressionwereceivefromearliestinfancytothelasthouroflifeisrecordedwiththeminutestaccuracy.Thesememories,however,arenot inert and quiescent, like themarks on the vulcanite records of a gramophone; they are vitallyactive,eachoneformingathreadinthetextureofourpersonality.Thesumofalltheseimpressionsisthemanhimself,theego,theformthroughwhichthegenerallifeisindividualised.Theoutermanisbutamask;therealselfdwellsbehindtheveiloftheUnconscious.

TheUnconsciousisalsoapower-house.Itisdominatedbyfeeling,andfeelingistheforcewhichimpelsourlives.Itprovidestheenergyforconsciousthoughtandaction,andfortheperformanceofthevitalprocessesofthebody.

Finally the Unconscious plays the part of supervisor over our physical processes. Digestion,assimilation,thecirculationoftheblood,theactionofthelungs,thekidneysandallthevitalorgansarecontrolledby itsagency.Ourorganismisnotaclockworkmachinewhichoncewoundupwillrun of itself. Its processes in all their complexity are supervised by mind. It is not the intellect,however, which does this work, but the Unconscious. The intellect still stands aghast before theproblem of the human body, lost like Pascal in the profundities of analysis, each discovery onlyrevealingnewdepthsofmystery.ButtheUnconsciousseemstobefamiliarwithitineverydetail.

ItmaybeaddedthattheUnconsciousneversleeps;duringthesleepoftheconsciousitseemstobemorevigilantthanduringourwakinghours.

Incomparisonwiththese, thepowersoftheconsciousmindseemalmost insignificant.DerivedfromtheUnconsciousduringtheprocessofevolution,theconsciousis,asitwere,theantechamberwherethecrudeenergiesoftheUnconsciousareselectedandadaptedforactionontheworldoutsideus.Inthepastwehaveundulyexaggeratedtheimportanceoftheconsciousintellect.Toclaimforitthediscoveriesofcivilisationistoconfusetheinstrumentwiththeagent,toattributesighttothefield-glass instead of to the eye behind it. The value of the conscious mind must not be underrated,however. It is a machine of the greatest value, the seat of reason, the social instincts and moralconcepts.Butitisamachineandnottheengine,noryettheengineer.Itprovidesneithermaterialnorpower.ThesearefurnishedbytheUnconscious.

Thesetwostrataofmentallifeareinperpetualinteractiononewiththeother.JustaseverythingconscioushasitspreliminarystepintheUnconscious,soeveryconsciousthoughtpassesdownintothelowerstratumandtherebecomesanelementinourbeing,partakingoftheUnconsciousenergy,andplaying itspart insupervisinganddeterminingourmentalandbodilystates. If it isahealthfulthought we are so much the better; if it is a diseased one we are so much the worse. It is thistransformationofa thought intoanelementofour life thatwecallAutosuggestion.Since this isanormal part of themind's actionwe shall have no difficulty in finding evidence of it in our dailyexperiences.

Walkingdown the street inagloomy frameofmindyoumeetabuoyant, cheeryacquaintance.Themeresightofhisgenialsmileactsonyoulikeatonic,andwhenyouhavechattedwithhimforafewminutes your gloom has disappeared, giving place to cheerfulness and confidence.What haseffected this change?Nothing other than the idea in your own mind. As you watched his face,listenedtohisgood-naturedvoice,noticedtheplayofhissmile,yourconsciousmindwasoccupiedbythe ideaofcheerfulness.This ideaonbeing transferred to theUnconsciousbecameareality,sothatwithoutanylogicalgroundsyoubecamecheerful.

Fewpeople,especiallyyoungpeople,areunacquaintedwith theeffectsproducedbyhearingorreadingghost-stories.Youhavespenttheevening,letussay,atafriend'shouse,listeningtoterrifyingtalesofapparitions.Atalatehouryouleavethefiresidecircletomakeyourwayhome.ThestatesoffearimagedbeforeyourmindhaverealisedthemselvesinyourUnconscious.Youtreadgingerlyinthedarkplaces,hurrypastthechurchyardandfeeladistinctreliefwhenthelightsofhomecomeintoview. It is the old road you have so often traversed with perfect equanimity, but its cheerfulassociations are overlooked and the commonest objects tingedwith the colour of your subjectivestates.Autosuggestioncannotchangeapostintoaspectre,butifyouareveryimpressionableitwillso distort your sensory impressions that common sounds seem charged with supernaturalsignificanceandevery-dayobjectstakeonterrifyingshapes.

Ineachoftheaboveexamplestheideaofamentalstatecheerfulnessorfearwaspresentedtothemind.TheideaonreachingtheUnconsciousbecameareality;thatistosay,youactuallybecamecheerfulorfrightened.

The sameprocess ismucheasier to recognisewhere the resultant is not amental but abodilystate.

Oneoftenmeetspeoplewhotakeadelightindescribingwithawealthofdetailthedisorderswithwhichtheyortheirfriendsareafflicted.Asensitivepersoniscondemnedbysocialusagetolistentoaharrowing account of some grave malady. As detail succeeds detail the listener feels a chillydiscomfort stealing over him. He turns pale, breaks into a cold perspiration, and is aware of anunpleasant sensation at the pit of the stomach. Sometimes, generally where the listener is a child,actualvomitingorafaintingfitmayensue.Theseeffectsareundeniablyphysical; toproducethem

theorganicprocessesmusthavebeensensiblydisturbed.Yet theircause liesentirely in the ideaofillness,which,ruthlesslyimpresseduponthemind,realisesitselfintheUnconscious.

This effect may be so precise as to reproduce the actual symptoms of the disease described.Medicalstudentsengagedinthestudyofsomeparticularmaladyfrequentlydevelopitscharacteristicsymptoms.

Everyoneisacquaintedwiththeexperienceknownas"stagefright."Thevictimmaybeanormalperson,healthybothinmindandbody.Hemaypossessinprivatelifeagoodvoice,amindfertileinideas and a gift of fluent expression. Hemay know quite surely that his audience is friendly andsympathetictotheideashewishestounfold.Butlethimmountthestepsofaplatform.Immediatelyhiskneesbegintotrembleandhishearttopalpitate;hismindbecomesablankorachaos,histongueand lips refuse to frame coherent sounds, and after a few stammerings he is forced to make aludicrouswithdrawal.Thecauseof thisbafflingexperience lay in the thoughtswhichoccupied thesubject'smindbeforehispublicappearance.Hewasafraidofmakinghimselfridiculous.Heexpectedtofeeluncomfortable,fearedthathewouldforgethisspeechorbeunabletoexpresshimself.Thesenegativeideas,penetratingtotheUnconscious,realisedthemselvesandpreciselywhathefearedtookplace.

Ifyouliveinatownyouhaveprobablyseenpeoplewho,incarelesslycrossingthestreet,findthemselves indangerofbeing rundownbyavehicle. In thisposition theysometimes stand foranappreciabletime"rooted,"aswesay,"tothespot."Thisisbecausethedangerseemssoclosethattheyimaginethemselvespowerlesstoeludeit.Assoonasthisideagivesplacetothatofescapetheygetout of the way as fast as they can. If their first idea persisted, however, the actual powerlessnessresulting from itwould likewisepersist, andunless thevehicle stoppedor turnedaside theywouldinfalliblyberunover.

Oneoccasionallymeetspeople suffering fromanervouscomplaintknownasSt.Vitus'Dance.Theyhaveadisconcertinghabitof contorting their faces, screwing round theirnecksor twitchingtheirshoulders.Itisawellknownfactthatthosewhocomeintoclosecontactwiththem,livinginthesamehouseorworkinginthesameoffice,areliabletocontractthesamehabit,oftenperformingtheactionwithoutthemselvesbeingawareofit.Thisisduetotheoperationofthesamelaw.Theideaofthe habit, being repeatedly presented to their minds, realises itself, and they begin to perform asimilarmovementintheirownpersons.

Examplesofthislawpresentthemselvesateveryturn.Haveyoueveraskedyourselfwhysomepeople faintat the sightofblood,orwhymostofus turngiddywhenwe lookdown fromagreatheight?

Ifweturntothesufferersfromneurosiswefindsomewhohavelosttheirpowersofspeechorofvision;some,liketheblacksmithwesawinCou'sclinic,whohavelosttheuseoftheirlimbs;otherssufferingfromafunctionaldisturbanceofoneofthevitalorgans.ThecauseineachcaseisnothingmoretangiblethananideawhichhasbecomerealisedintheUnconsciousmind.

TheseinstancesshowclearlyenoughthatthethoughtswethinkdoactuallybecomerealitiesintheUnconscious.Butisthisauniversallaw,operatingineverylife,ormerelysomethingcontingentandoccasional?Sometimesirrelevantcheerfulnessseemsonlytomakedespondencymoredeep.Certaintypesofindividualareonlyirritatedbytheperformanceofastagecomedy.Physicianslistentothecircumstantialaccountsoftheirpatients'ailmentswithoutbeingintheleastupset.Thesefactsseematfirst sight at variancewith the rule. But they are only apparent exceptionswhich serve to test andverifyit.Thephysicalormentaleffectinvariablycorrespondswiththeideapresentinthemind,butthis need not be identical with the thought communicated from without. Sometimes a judgmentinterposesitself,oritmaybethattheideacallsupanassociatedideawhichpossessesgreatervitalityand therefore dislodges it. A gloomy person who meets a cheerful acquaintance may mentally

contrast himself with the latter, setting his own troubles beside the other's good fortune, his owngroundsforsadnessbesidetheother'sgroundsforsatisfaction.ThustheideaofhisownunhappinessisstrengthenedandsinkingintotheUnconsciousmakesstilldeeperthedespondencyheexperiencedbefore. In the same way the doctor, listening to the symptoms of a patient, does not allow thesedistressfulideastodwellinhisconsciousmind.Histhoughtpassesonimmediatelytotheremedy,totheideaofthehelphemustgive.Notonlydoeshemanifestthishelpfulnessinreasonedaction,butalso,byUnconsciousrealisation,inhisverybearingandmanner.Orhismindmaybeconcentratedonthescientificbearingsofthecase,sothathewillinvoluntarilytreatthepatientasaspecimenonwhichtopursuehisresearches.Thesteeplejackexperiencesnogiddinessorfearinscalingachurchspirebecausethethoughtofdangerisimmediatelyreplacedbytheknowledgeofhisownclearheadandsurefoot.

Thisbringsus toapointwhich isofgreatpractical importance in theperformanceofcurativeautosuggestion.Noideapresentedtothemindcanrealiseitselfunlessthemindacceptsit.

Mostoftheerrorsmadehithertointhisfieldhavebeenduetotheneglectofthisfundamentalfact.Ifapatientissufferingfromseveretoothacheitisnotoftheslightestusetosaytohim:"Youhavenopain."Thestatementissogrosslyopposedtothefactthat"acceptation"isimpossible.Thepatientwillrejectthesuggestion,affirmthefactofhissuffering,andso,byallowinghisconsciousmindtodwellonit,probablymakeitmoreintense.

Wearenowinapositiontoformulatethebasiclawofautosuggestionasfollows:Everyideawhichenterstheconsciousmind,ifitisacceptedbytheUnconscious,istransformed

byitintoarealityandformshenceforthapermanentelementinourlife.This is theprocesscalled"SpontaneousAutosuggestion." It isa lawbywhich themindofman

hasalwaysworked,andbywhichallourmindsareworkingdaily.Thereaderwillseefromtheexamplescitedandfromotherswhichhewillconstantlymeetthat

the thoughts we think determine not only our mental states, our sentiments and emotions, but thedelicateactionsandadjustmentsofourphysicalbodies.Trembling,palpitation,stammering,blushingnot to speak of the pathological states which occur in neurosisare due to modifications andchangesintheblood-flow,inmuscularactionandintheworkingofthevitalorgans.Thesechangesarenotvoluntaryandconsciousones,theyaredeterminedbytheUnconsciousandcometousoftenwithashockofsurprise.

It must be evident that if we fill our conscious minds with ideas of health, joy, goodness,efficiency,andcanensuretheiracceptationbytheUnconscious,theseideastoowillbecomerealities,capable of lifting us on to a new plane of being. The difficulty which has hitherto so frequentlybroughtthesehopestonaughtisthatofensuringacceptation.Thiswillbetreatedinthenextchapter.

Tosumup,thewholeprocessofAutosuggestionconsistsoftwosteps:(1)Theacceptationofanidea. (2) Its transformation intoa reality.Both theseoperationsareperformedby theUnconscious.Whethertheideaisoriginatedinthemindofthesubjectorispresentedfromwithoutbytheagencyof another person is a matter of indifference. In both cases it undergoes the same process: it issubmitted to the Unconscious, accepted or rejected, and so either realised or ignored. Thus thedistinctionbetweenAutosuggestionandHeterosuggestionisseentobebotharbitraryandsuperficial.In essentials all suggestion is Autosuggestion. The only distinction we need make is betweenSpontaneousAutosuggestion,which takes place independently of ourwill and choice, and InducedAutosuggestion, inwhichweconsciously select the ideaswewish to realiseandpurposelyconveythemtotheUnconscious.

CHAPTERV

THOUGHTANDTHEWILL

If we can get the Unconscious to accept an idea, realisation follows automatically. The onlydifficultywhichconfrontsusinthepracticeofInducedAutosuggestionistoensureacceptation,andthatisadifficultywhichnomethodpriortothatofEmileCouhassatisfactorilysurmounted.

Every idea which enters the mind is charged, to a greater or less extent, with emotion. Thisemotionalchargemaybeimperceptible,aswithideastowhichweareindifferent,oritmaybeverygreat,aswhentheideaiscloselyrelatedtoourpersonalinterests.Alltheideaswearelikelytomakethe subjects of Induced Autosuggestion are of the latter class, since they refer to health, energy,successorsomegoalequallydeartoourhearts.Thegreaterthedegreeofemotionaccompanyinganidea, themorepotent is theautosuggestion resulting fromit.Thusamomentofviolent frightmaygive rise to effectswhich last a lifetime.This emotional factor also plays a large part in securingacceptation.

Sofarasonecansee,theacceptationorrejectionofanideabytheUnconsciousdependsontheassociationswithwhichitisconnected.Thus,anideaisacceptedwhenitevokessimilarideaschargedwithemotionof thesamequality.It isrejectedwhenit isassociatedwithcontraryideas,whichare,therefore,contraryintheiremotionalcharge.Inthelattercase,theoriginalideaisneutralisedbyitsassociations,somewhatinthesamewayasanacidisneutralisedbyanalkali.Anexamplewillservetomakethisclearer.

Youareonacross-channelboatonaroughishpassage.Yougouptoasailorandsaytohiminasympathetic tone: "My dear fellow, you're looking very ill. Aren't you going to be sea-sick?"According tohis temperamentheeither laughsatyour"joke"orexpressesapardonable irritation.But he does not become sick because the associations called up are contrary ones. Sea-sickness isassociated in his mind with his own immunity from it, and therefore evokes not fear but self-confidence.Pursuingyoursomewhatinhumaneexperimentyouapproachatimid-lookingpassenger."Mydearsir,howillyoulook!Ifeelsureyouaregoingtobesea-sick.Letmehelpyoudownbelow."He turns pale. The word "sea-sickness" associates itself with his own fears and forebodings. Heacceptsyouraiddowntohisberthandtheretheperniciousautosuggestionisrealised.Inthefirstcasethe idea was refused, because it was overwhelmed by a contrary association; in the second theUnconsciousacceptedit,sinceitwasreinforcedbysimilarideasfromwithin.

But supposing to a sick mind, permeated with thoughts of disease, a thought of health ispresented.Howcanweavoidthemalassociationwhichtendstoneutraliseit?

WecanthinkoftheUnconsciousasatidewhichebbsandflows.Insleepitseemstosubmergetheconsciousaltogether,whileatourmomentsoffullwakefulness,whentheattentionandwillarebothatwork, the tide is at its lowest ebb.Between these two extremes are any number of intermediarylevels.Whenwearedrowsy,dreamy,lulledintoagentlereveriebymusicorbyapictureorapoem,the Unconscious tide is high; the more wakeful and alert we become the lower it sinks. ThissubmersionoftheconsciousmindiscalledbyBaudouinthe"OutcroppingoftheSubconscious."Thehighestdegreeofoutcropping,compatiblewiththeconsciousdirectionofourthoughts,occursjustbeforewefallasleepandjustafterwewake.

Itisfairlyobviousthatthegreatertheoutcroppingthemoreaccessiblethesedynamicstrataofthemindbecome,andtheeasieritistoimplantthereanyideawewishtorealise.

As theUnconscious tide rises theactive levelsof themindareoverflowed; thought is releasedfromitstaskofservingourconsciousaimsintherealworldofmatter,andmovesamongthemoreprimal wishes and desires which people the Unconscious, like a diver walking the strange worldbeneaththesea.Butthelawsbywhichthoughtisgovernedonthissub-surfacelevelarenotthoseof

our ordinary waking consciousness. During outcropping association by contraries does not seemreadily to takeplace.Thus themal-association,whichneutralised thedesired ideaandsopreventedacceptation,no longerpresents itself.Weallknowwhathappensduringa"day-dream"or"brown-study,"whentheUnconscioustideishigh.Asuccessionofbrightimagesglidessmoothlythroughthemind. The original thought spins itself on and on; no obstacles seem to stop it, no questions ofprobabilityarise;wearecutofffromtheactualconditionsoflifeandliveinaworldwhereallthingsarepossible.Theseday-dreamscauseverypotentautosuggestions,andoneshouldtakecarethattheyarewholesomeandinnocent;buttheimportantpointisthatonthislevelofconsciousnessassociationseems to operate by similarity, and emotion is comparatively intense. These conditions are highlyfavourabletoacceptation.

If,ongettingintobedatnight,weassumeacomfortableposture,relaxourmusclesandcloseoureyes,we fall naturally into a stageof semi-consciousness akin to that of day-dreaming. If nowweintroduce into themind any desired idea, it is freed from the inhibiting associations of daily life,associates itself by similarity, and attracts emotion of the same quality as its own charge. TheUnconsciousisthuscausedtoacceptit,andinevitablyitisturnedintoanautosuggestion.Everytimewe repeat this process the associative power of the idea is increased, its emotional value growsgreater,andtheautosuggestionresultingfromitismorepowerful.BythismeanswecaninducetheUnconscioustoacceptanidea,thenormalassociationsofwhicharecontraryandunfavourable.Thepersonwith a disease-soakedmind can gradually implant ideas of health, filling his Unconsciousdailywithhealingthoughts.TheinstrumentweuseisThought,andtheconditionessentialtosuccessisthattheconsciousmindshallbelulledtorest.

Systemswhichhithertohave tried tomakeuseofautosuggestionhave failed to secure reliableresultsbecausetheydidnotplacetheirrelianceonThought,buttriedtocompeltheUnconscioustoacceptanideabyexercisingtheWill.Obviously,suchattemptsaredoomedtofailure.Byusingthewill we automatically wake ourselves up, suppress the encroaching tide of the Unconscious, andtherebydestroytheconditionbywhichalonewecansucceed.

Itisworthourwhiletonotemorecloselyhowthishappens.Asufferer,whosemindisfilledwiththoughtsofill-health,sitsdowntocompelhimselftoacceptagoodsuggestion.HecallsupathoughtofhealthandmakesaneffortofthewilltoimpressitontheUnconscious.Thiseffortrestoreshimtofullwakefulnessand soevokes thecustomaryassociationdisease.Consequently,he findshimselfcontemplating the exact opposite of what he desired. He summons his will again and recalls thehealthful thought, but since he is nowwider awake than ever, association is evenmore rapid andpowerfulthanbefore.Thedisease-thoughtisnowinfullpossessionofhismindandalltheeffortsofhiswill fail todislodge it. Indeed theharderhestruggles themore fully theevil thoughtpossesseshim.

Thisgivesusaglimpseof thenewandstartlingdiscovery towhichCou'suniformsuccess isdue;namely, thatwhenthewill is inconflictwithanidea, the ideainvariablygains theday.This istrue,ofcourse,notonlyofInducedAutosuggestion,butalsoofthespontaneoussuggestionswhichoccurindailylife.Afewexampleswillmakethisclear.

Most of us know how, when we have some difficult duty to perform, a chance word ofdiscouragementwill dwell in themind, eatingawayour self-confidenceandattuningourminds tofailure.Alltheeffortsofourwillfailtothrowitoff;indeed,themorewestruggleagainstitthemorewebecomeobsessedwithit.

Verysimilartothisisthestateofmindofthepersonsufferingfromstage-fright.Heisobsessedwithideasoffailureandalltheeffortsofhiswillarepowerlesstoovercomethem.Indeed,itisthestateofeffortandtensionwhichmakeshisdiscomfituresocomplete.

Sportoffersmanyexamplesoftheworkingofthislaw.

Atennis-playerisengagedtoplayinanimportantmatch.Hewishes,ofcourse,towin,butfearsthathewilllose.Evenbeforethedayofthegamehisfearsbegintorealisethemselves.Heisnervyand"outofsorts."Infact,theUnconsciousiscreatingtheconditionsbestsuitedtorealisethethoughtinhismindfailure.Whenthegamebeginshisskillseemstohavedesertedhim.Hesummonstheresourcesofhiswillandtriestocompelhimselftoplaywell,strainingeverynervetorecapturetheolddexterity.Butallhiseffortsonlymakehimplayworseandworse.Theharderhetriesthemoresignallyhefails.Theenergyhecallsupobeysnothiswillbuttheideainhismind,notthedesiretowinbutthedominantthoughtoffailure.

Thefatalattractionofthebunkerforthenervousgolferisduetothesamecause.Withhismind'seyeheseeshisballalighting in themostunfavourablespot.Hemayuseanyclubhe likes,hemaymakealongdriveorashort;aslongasthethoughtofthebunkerdominateshismind,theballwillinevitablyfinditswayintoit.Themorehecallsonhiswilltohelphim,theworsehisplightislikelytobe.Successisnotgainedbyeffortbutbyrightthinking.Thechampiongolferortennis-playerisnotapersonofherculeanframeandimmensewill-power.Hiswholelifehasbeendominatedbythethoughtofsuccessinthegameatwhichheexcels.

Youngpersonssittingforanexaminationsometimesundergothispainfulexperience.Onreadingthroughtheirpaperstheyfindthatalltheirknowledgehassuddenlydesertedthem.Theirmindisanappalling blank and not one relevant thought can they recall. The more they grit their teeth andsummon the powers of the will, the further the desired ideas flee. But when they have left theexamination-roomandthetensionrelaxes,theideastheywereseekingflowtantalisinglybackintothemind. Their forgetfulness was due to thoughts of failure previously nourished in the mind. Theapplicationofthewillonlymadethedisastermorecomplete.

Thisexplainsthebafflingexperienceofthedrug-taker,thedrunkard,thevictimofsomeviciouscraving.Hismindisobsessedbythedesireforsatisfaction.Theeffortsofthewilltorestrainitonlymakeitmoreovermastering.Repeatedfailuresconvincehimatlengththatheispowerlesstocontrolhimself, and this idea, operating as an autosuggestion, increases his impotence. So in despair, heabandonshimselftohisobsession,andhislifeendsinwreckage.

Wecannowsee,notonlythattheWillisincapableofvanquishingathought,butthatasfastastheWillbringsupitsbigguns,Thoughtcapturesthemandturnsthemagainstit.

Thistruth,whichBaudouincallstheLawofReversedEffort,isthusstatedbyCou:"WhentheImaginationandtheWillareinconflicttheImaginationinvariablygainstheday.""In the conflict between theWill and the Imagination, the force of the Imagination is in direct

ratiotothesquareoftheWill."Themathematicaltermsareused,ofcourse,onlymetaphorically.ThustheWillturnsouttobe,notthecommandingmonarchoflife,asmanypeoplewouldhaveit,

butablindSamson,capableeitherofturningthemillorofpullingdownthepillars.Autosuggestion succeeds by avoiding conflict. It replaces wrong thought by right, literally

applyinginthesphereofsciencetheprincipleenunciatedintheNewTestament:"Resistnotevil,butovercomeevilwithgood."

Thisdoctrineisinnosenseanegationofthewill.Itsimplyputsitinitsrightplace,subordinatesittoahigherpower.Amoment'sreflectionwillsufficetoshowthatthewillcannotbemorethantheservantofthought.Weareincapableofexercisingthewillunlesstheimaginationhasfirstfurnisheditwithagoal.Wecannotsimplywill,wemustwillsomething,andthatsomethingexistsinourmindsasanidea.Thewillactsrightlywhenitisinharmonywiththeideainthemind.

Butwhathappenswhen,inthesmoothexecutionofouridea,weareconfrontedwithanobstacle?Thisobstaclemayexistoutsideus,asdidthegolfer'sbunker,butitmustalsoexistasanideainourmindsorweshouldnotbeawareofit.

Aslongasweallowthismentalimagetostaythere,theeffortsofourwilltoovercomeitonlymakeitmoreirresistible.Werunourheadsagainstitlikeagoatbuttingabrickwall.Indeed,inthiswaywecanmagnifythesmallestdifficultyuntilitbecomesinsurmountablewecanmakemole-hillsinto mountains. This is precisely what the neurasthenic does. The idea of a difficulty dwellsunchanged in his mind, and all his efforts to overcome it only increase its dimensions, until itoverpowershimandhefaintsintheefforttocrossastreet.

Butassoonaswechangetheideaourtroublesvanish.Bymeansoftheintellectwecansubstitutefortheblankideaoftheobstaclethatofthemeanstoovercomeit.Immediately,thewillisbroughtintoharmonyagainwiththought,andwegoforwardtothetriumphantattainmentofourend.Itmaybe that themeans adopted consist of a frontal attack, the overcoming of an obstacle by force.Butbeforewebringthisforceintoplay,themindmusthaveapproveditmusthaveentertainedtheideaofitsprobablesuccess.Wemust,infact,havethoughtoftheobstacleasalreadysmasheddownandflattenedoutbyourattack.Otherwise,weshouldinvolveourselvesintheconflictdepictedabove,andourforcewouldbeexhaustedinafutileinternalbattle.Inafrontalattackagainstanobstacleweuseeffort,andeffort,tobeeffective,mustbeapprovedbythereasonandpreceded,tosomeextent,bytheideaofsuccess.

Thus, even in our dealingswith the outsideworld,Thought is alwaysmaster of thewill.Howmuchmoresowhenouractionisturnedinward!Whenpractisingautosuggestionwearelivinginthemind,wherethoughtsaretheonlyrealities.WecanmeetwithnoobstacleotherthanthatofThoughtitself.Obviouslythen,thefrontalattack,theexertionofeffort,canneverbeadmissible,foritsetsthewillandthethoughtatonceinopposition.Theturningofourthoughtsfromthemererecognitionofan obstacle to the idea of themeans to overcome it, is no longer a preliminary, as in the case ofoutwardaction. In itself it clears away theobstacle.Byprocuring the right ideaourend is alreadyattained.

InapplyingeffortduringthepracticeofInducedAutosuggestion,weuseintheworldofmindaninstrument fashioned for use in the world of matter. It is as if we tried to solve a mathematicalproblembymaulingthebookwithatin-opener.

For two reasons then, effort must never be allowed to intrude during the practice ofautosuggestion:firstbecauseitwakesusupandsosuppressesthetideoftheUnconscious,secondlybecauseitcausesconflictbetweenThoughtandthewill.

Oneotherinterestingfactemergesfromanexaminationoftheforegoingexamples.Ineachcasewefindthattheideawhichoccupiedthemindwasofafinalstate,anaccomplishedfact.Thegolferwasthinkingofhisballdroppingintothebunker,thetennis-playerofhisdefeat,theexamineeofhisfailure.IneachcasetheUnconsciousrealisedthethoughtinitsownway,choseinevitablythemeansbestsuitedtoarriveatitsendtherealisationoftheidea.Inthecaseofthegolferthemostdelicatephysical adjustments were necessary. Stance, grip and swing all contributed their quota, but thesephysical adjustments were performed unconsciously, the conscious mind being unaware of them.Fromthisweseethatweneednotsuggestthewayinwhichouraimistobeaccomplished.Ifwefillourmindswiththethoughtofthedesiredend,providedthatendispossible,theUnconsciouswillleadustoitbytheeasiest,mostdirectpath.

Herewe catch a glimpse of the truth behindwhat is called "luck."We are told that everythingcomestohimwhowaits,andthisisliterallytrue,providedhewaitsintherightframeofmind.Somemenarenotoriously lucky inbusiness;whatever they touch seems to "turn togold."The secret oftheirsuccessliesinthefactthattheyconfidentlyexpecttosucceed.Thereisnoneedtogosofarasthe writers of the school of "New Thought," and claim that suggestion can set in motiontranscendental lawsoutsideman'sownnature. It isquiteclear that themanwhoexpectssuccess,ofwhatever kind it may be, will unconsciously take up the right attitude to his environment; will

involuntarily closewith fleeting opportunity, and by his inner fitness command the circumstanceswithout.

Manhasoftenbeenlikenedtoashipnavigatingtheseasoflife.OfthatshiptheengineisthewillandThoughtisthehelm.Ifwearebeingdirectedoutofourtruecourseitisworsethanuselesstocallforfullsteamahead;ouronlyhopeliesinchangingthedirectionofthehelm.

III

THEPRACTICEOFAUTOSUGGESTION

CHAPTERVI

GENERALRULES

Withourknowledgeofthepowerfuleffectwhichanideaproduces,weshallseetheimportanceof exercising amore careful censorship over the thoughtswhich enter ourminds. Thought is thelegislativepowerinourlives,justasthewillistheexecutive.Weshouldnotthinkitwisetopermittheinmatesofprisonsandasylumstooccupythelegislativepostsinthestate,yetwhenweharbourideasofpassionanddisease,weallowthecriminalsandlunaticsofthoughttousurpthegoverningpowerinthecommonwealthofourbeing.

In future, then, we shall seek ideas of health, success, and goodness; we shall treat warily alldepressingsubjectsofconversation,thedailylistofcrimesanddisasterswhichfillthenewspapers,andthosenovels,playsandfilmswhichharrowourfeelings,withouttransmutingbythemagicofartthesadnessintobeauty.

Thisdoesnotmean thatweshouldbealwaysself-consciouslystudyingourselves, ready toniptheperniciousideainthebud;noryetthatweshouldadopttheostrich'spolicyofstickingourheadsinthesandanddeclaringthatdiseaseandevilhavenorealexistence.Theoneleadstoegotismandtheothertocallousness.Dutysometimesrequiresustogiveourattentiontothingsinthemselvesevilanddepressing.The demands of friendship and human sympathy are imperious, andwe cannot ignorethemwithoutmoralloss.Butthereisapositiveandanegativewayofapproachingsuchsubjects.

Sympathyistoooftenregardedasapassiveprocessbywhichweallowourselvestobeinfectedby thegloom, theweakness, themental ill-health of other people.This is sympathyperverted. If afriend is suffering from small-pox or scarlet fever you do not seek to prove your sympathy byinfectingyourselfwithhisdisease.Youwouldrecognizethistobeacrimeagainstthecommunity.Yetmanypeoplesubmitthemselvestoinfectionbyunhealthyideasasifitwereanactofcharitypartoftheirdutytowardstheirneighbours.Inthesamewaypeopledelivertheirmindstoharrowingstoriesof famineandpestilence,as if thementaldepression thusproducedwereof somevalue to the far-awayvictims.Thisisobviouslyfalsetheonlyresultistocausegloomandill-healthinthereaderandsomakehimaburdentohisfamily.Thatsuchdisastersshouldbeknownisbeyondquestion,butwe should react to them in the manner indicated in the last chapter.We should replace the blankrecognitionoftheevilbythequestofthemeansbestsuitedtoovercomeit;thenwecanlookforwardtoaninspiringendandplacethepowersofourwillintheserviceofitsattainment.

Oh,humansoul,aslongasthoucanstso,SetupamarkofeverlastinglightAbovetheheavingsenses'ebbandflow...Notwithlosttoilthoulabourestthroughthenight,Thoumak'sttheheaventhouhop'stindeedthyhome.

Autosuggestion,farfromproducingcallousness,dictatesthemethodandsuppliesthemeansbywhichthetruestsympathycanbepractised.Ineverycaseouraimmustbetoremovethesufferingassoonaspossible,andthisisfacilitatedbyrefusingacceptationtothebadideasandmaintainingourownmentalandmoralbalance.

Whenever gloomy thoughts come to us, whether from without or within, we should quietlytransfer our attention to something brighter. Even if we are afflicted by some actual malady, weshouldkeepourthoughtfromrestingonitasfaraswehavethepowertodoso.Anorganicdiseasemaybeincreasedahundredfoldbyallowingthemindtobroodonit,forinsodoingweplaceatitsdisposalalltheresourcesofourorganism,anddirectourlife-forcetoourowndestruction.Ontheotherhand,bydenyingitourattentionandopposingitwithcurativeautosuggestions,wereduceitspower to the minimum and should succeed in overcoming it entirely. Even in the most seriousorganic diseases the element contributed bywrong thought is infinitely greater than that which ispurelyphysical.

There are times when temperamental failings, or the gravity of our affliction, places ourimaginationbeyondourordinarycontrol.Thesuggestionoperatesinspiteofus;wedonotseemtopossessthepowertoridourmindsoftheadversethought.Undertheseconditionsweshouldneverstruggle to throw off the obsessing idea by force. Our exertions only bring into play the law ofreversed effort, andwe flounder deeper into the slough.Cou's technique, however,whichwill beoutlinedinsucceedingchapters,willgiveusthemeansofmasteringourselves,evenunderthemosttryingconditions.

Ofall thedestructive suggestionswemust learn to shun,none ismoredangerous than fear. Infearingsomethingthemindisnotonlydwellingonanegativeidea,butitisestablishingtheclosestpersonalconnectionbetweentheideaandourselves.Moreover,theideaissurroundedbyanauraofemotion,whichconsiderablyintensifiesitseffect.Fearcombineseveryelementnecessarytogivetoanautosuggestionitsmaximumpower.Buthappilyfear,too,issusceptibletothecontrollingpowerofautosuggestion. It isoneof the first thingswhichapersoncognisantof themeans tobeappliedshouldseektoeradicatefromhismind.

Forourownsakes,too,weshouldavoiddwellingonthefaultsandfrailtiesofourneighbours.Ifideasofselfishness,greed,vanity,arecontinuallybeforeourmindsthereisgreatdangerthatweshallsubconsciously accept them, and so realise them in our own character. The petty gossip andbackbiting, so common in a small town, produce the very faults they seem to condemn. But byallowing ourminds to rest upon the virtues of our neighbours,we reproduce the same virtues inourselves.

But ifwe shouldavoidnegative ideas forourownsakes,muchmore shouldwedo so for thesake of other people. Gloomy and despondent men and women are centres of mental contagion,damagingallwithwhom theycome incontact.Sometimes suchpeople seem involuntarily toexertthemselvestoquenchthecheerfulnessofbrighternatures,asiftheirUnconsciousstrovetoreduceallothers to its own low level. But even healthy, well-intentioned people scatter evil suggestionsbroadcast,withouttheleastsuspicionoftheharmtheydo.Everytimeweremarktoanacquaintancethat he is looking ill, we actually damage his health; the effect may be extremely slight, but byrepetitionitgrowspowerful.Amanwhoacceptsinthecourseofadayfifteenortwentysuggestionsthat he is ill, has gone a considerable part of the way towards actual illness. Similarly, when wethoughtlesslycommiseratewithafriendonthedifficultyofhisdailywork,orrepresentitasirksomeanduncongenial,wemakeitalittleharderforhimtoaccomplish,andtherebyslightlydiminishhischancesofsuccess.

If wemust supervise our speech in contact with adults, with children we should exercise still

greaterforesight.Thechild'sUnconsciousisfarmoreaccessiblethanthatoftheadult;theselectivepowerexercisedbytheconsciousmindismuchfeebler,andconsequentlytheimpressionsreceivedrealise themselves with greater power. These impressions are thematerial fromwhich the child'sgrowinglife isconstructed,andifwesupplyfaultymaterial theresultantstructurewillbeunstable.Yetthemostattentiveandwell-meaningmothersareengageddailyinsowingtheseedsofweaknessintheirchildren'sminds.Thelittleonesareconstantlytoldtheywilltakecold,willbesick,willfalldown,orwillsuffersomeothermisfortune.Themoredelicatethechild'shealth,themorelikelyitistobesubjectedtoadversesuggestions.Itistoooftensaturatedwiththeideaofbadhealth,andcomestolookondiseaseasthenormalstateofexistenceandhealthasexceptional.Thesameisequallytrueofthechild'smentalandmoralupbringing.Howoftendofoolishparentstelltheirchildrenthattheyare naughty, disobedient, stupid, idle or vicious? If these suggestionswere accepted, which, thankHeaven,isnotalwaysthecase,thelittleoneswouldinveryfactdevelopjustthesequalities.Butevenwhennoword is spoken, a lookor agesturecan initiate anundesirable autosuggestion.The samechild,visitedbytwostrangers,willimmediatelymakefriendswiththeoneandavoidtheother.Whyisthis?Becausetheonecarrieswithhimahealthfulatmosphere,whiletheothersendsoutwavesofirritabilityorgloom.

"Menimagine,"saysEmerson,"thattheycommunicatetheirvirtueorviceonlybyovertactions,anddonotseethatvirtueandviceemitabreatheverymoment."

Withchildren,aboveall,itisnotsufficienttorefrainfromtheexpressionofnegativeideas;wemust avoid harbouring them altogether. Unlesswe possess a bright positivemind the suggestionsderivedfromuswillbeoflittlevalue.

The idea is gainingground that a great deal ofwhat is calledhereditarydisease is transmittedfromparent to child, not physically butmentallythat is to say, bymeans of adverse suggestionscontinuallyrenewedinthechild'smind.Thusifoneoftheparentshasatendencytotuberculosis,thechild often lives in an atmosphere laden with tuberculous thoughts. The little one is continuallyadvisedtotakecareofitslungs,tokeepitschestwarm,tobewareofcolds,etc.,etc.Inotherwords,theideaisrepeatedlypresentedtoitsmindthatitpossessessecond-ratelungs.Therealisationoftheseideas,theactualproductionofpulmonarytuberculosisisthusalmostassured.

But all this is nomore than crystallised common-sense. Everyone knows that a cheerfulmindsuffuseshealth,whileagloomyoneproducesconditionsfavourabletodisease."Amerryheartdoethgoodlikeamedicine,"saysthewriteroftheBookofProverbs,"butabrokenspiritdrieththebones."Butthisknowledge,sinceitlackedascientificbasis,hasneverbeensystematicallyapplied.Wehaveregardedourfeelingsfartoomuchaseffectsandnotsufficientlyascauses.Wearehappybecausewearewell;wedonotrecognisethattheprocesswillworkequallywellinthereversedirectionthatweshallbewellbecausewearehappy.Happinessisnotonlytheresultofourconditionsoflife;itisalsothe creator of those conditions. Autosuggestion lays weight upon this latter view. Happinessmustcome first. It isonlywhen themind isordered,balanced, filledwith the lightof sweet and joyousthought,thatitcanworkwithitsmaximumefficiency.Whenwearehabituallyhappyourpowersandcapabilitiescometotheirfullblossom,andweareabletoworkwiththeutmosteffectontheshapingofwhatlieswithout.

Happiness,yousay,cannotbeorderedlikeachopinarestaurant.Likelove,itsveryessenceisfreedom. This is true; but like love, it can be wooed and won. It is a condition which everyoneexperiences at some time in life. It is native to the mind. By the systematic practice of InducedAutosuggestionwecanmakeit,notafleetingvisitant,butaregulartenantofthemind,whichstormsand stresses from without cannot dislodge. This idea of the indwelling happiness, inwardlyconditioned,isasancientasthought.Byautosuggestionwecanrealiseitinourownlives.

CHAPTERVII

THEGENERALFORMULA

We saw that an unskilled golfer, who imagines his ball is going to alight in a bunker,unconsciously performs just those physicalmovements needful to realise his idea in the actual. Inrealising this idea his Unconscious displays ingenuity and skill none the less admirable becauseopposedtohisdesire.Fromthisandotherexamplesweconcludedthatiftheminddwellsontheideaofanaccomplishedfact,arealisedstate,theUnconsciouswillproducethisstate.Ifthisistrueofourspontaneousautosuggestionsitisequallytrueoftheself-inducedones.

It follows that ifweconsistently thinkofhappinesswebecomehappy; ifwe thinkofhealthwebecomehealthy; ifwe thinkofgoodnesswebecomegood.Whatever thoughtwecontinually think,provideditisreasonable,tendstobecomeanactualconditionofourlife.

Traditionally we rely too much on the conscious mind. If a man suffers from headaches hesearchesout,withthehelpofhisphysician,theircause;discoverswhethertheycomefromhiseyes,his digestion or his nerves, and purchases the drugs best suited to repair the fault. If hewishes toimprove a badmemory he practises one of the variousmethods ofmemory-training. If he is thevictimofapernicioushabitheislefttocounteritbyeffortsofthewill,whichtoooftenexhausthisstrength, undermine his self-respect, and only lead him deeper into the mire. How simple incomparison is themethod of InducedAutosuggestion!He needmerely think the enda head freefrompain,agoodmemory,amodeof life inwhichhisbadhabithasnopart, and these statesaregraduallyevolvedwithouthisbeingawareoftheoperationperformedbytheUnconscious.

Butevenso, ifeach individualdifficultyrequiredafresh treatmentonefor theheadache,onefor thememory,one for thebadhabitandsoonthen the timeneedful topractiseautosuggestionwouldformaconsiderablepartofourwakinglife.HappilytheresearchesoftheNancySchoolhaverevealedafurthersimplification.Thisisobtainedbytheuseofageneralformulawhichsetsbeforethemindtheideaofadailyimprovementineveryrespect,mental,physicalandmoral.

IntheoriginalFrenchthisformularunsasfollows:"Touslesjours,touspointsdevue,jevaisdemieuxenmieux."TheEnglishversionwhichCouconsidersmostsatisfactoryisthis:"Daybyday,ineveryway,I'mgettingbetterandbetter."Thisisveryeasytosay,theyoungestchildcanunderstandit, and it possesses a rudimentary rhythm,which exerts a lulling effect on themind and so aids incalling up the Unconscious. But if you are accustomed to any other version, such as thatrecommendedbythetranslatorsofBaudouin,itwouldbebettertocontinuetouseit.ReligiousmindswhowishtoassociatetheformulawithGod'scareandprotectionmightdosoafterthisfashion:"Daybyday,ineveryway,bythehelpofGod,I'mgettingbetterandbetter."ItispossiblethattheattentionoftheUnconsciouswillthusbeturnedtomoralandspiritualimprovementstoagreaterextentthanbytheordinaryformula.

But this general formula possesses definite advantages other than mere terseness andconvenience.TheUnconscious,initscharacterofsurveyoroverourmentalandphysicalfunctions,knowsfarbetterthantheconscioustheprecisefailingsandweaknesseswhichhavethegreatestneedofattention.Thegeneralformulasuppliesitwithafundofhealing,strengtheningpower,andleavesittoapplythisatthepointswheretheneedismosturgent.

It is a matter of common experience that people's ideals of manhood and womanhood varyconsiderably. The hardenedmaterialist pictures perfection solely in terms ofwealth, the butterfly-womanwantslittlebutphysicalbeauty,charm,andthequalitiesthatattract.Thesensitivemanisapttodepreciatethepowershepossessesandexaggeratethosehelacks;whilehisself-satisfiedneighbour

canseenogoodinanyvirtuesbuthisown.Itisquiteconceivablethatapersonleftfreetodeterminethenatureofhisautosuggestionsbythelightofhisconsciousdesiremightusethispowertorealiseaqualitynotinitselfadmirable,orevenonewhich,judgedbyhigherstandards,appearedpernicious.Even supposing that his choice was good he would be in danger of over-developing a fewcharacteristicstothedetrimentofothersandsodestroyingthebalanceofhispersonality.Theuseofthegeneralformulaguardsagainst this.Itsavesamaninspiteofhimself.Itavoidsthepitfalls intowhichtheconsciousmindmayleadusbyappealingtoamorecompetentauthority.JustasweleavethedistributionofourbodilyfoodtothechoiceoftheUnconscious,sowemaysafelyleavethatofourmentalfood,ourInducedAutosuggestions.

Thefear that theuniversaluseof thisformulawouldhaveastandardisingeffect,modifyingitsuserstoauniformpattern,isunfounded.Arigidsystemofparticularsuggestionsmighttendtowardssucha result,but thegene