SORCERY OR SUGGESTION
YOU
AND I, as enlightened and sophis
ticated citizens of the world, know that there is no such thing as
sorcery.
Don't
we? Of course, all of us have read of certain persons in various parts of the
world who possess strange powers
to
cause certain things to happen. especially to other people. But we know, don't
we, that all things are
subject
to natural laws and that no persons can circumvent those natural
laws. This is why we call them laws.
Sorcery
is defined as "alleged employment of supernatural agencies; magic; any
remarkable or inexplicable means
of
accomplishment."
Yet,
there are thousands of stories about seemingly impossible occurrences involving
people; some are centuries old and some are recent enough to be substantiated by
photographs. Can we simply continue to deny them? Shall we close our eyes to
them or "sweep
them under the rug"? Can we afford to lose faith
in the invincibility of natural laws? If there can be one exception to, or one
circumvention of, a natural law, then surely there can be others.
In our brave
defense of natural laws, we should endeavor to become thoroughly familiar with
as many natural laws as possible. This would better qualify us to speak
authoritatively. In our search we will discover one natural law that may help us
to understand this apparent contradiction; it is the law of suggestion. Stated as simply as possible, this law is
operating when the attention and mind of man are coaxed into a relaxed state and
a feeling of trust and confidence; then the subjective aspect of the mind will
accept any subtle suggestion made to it as reality equivalent to actuality.
Suggestion is not hypnosis. but hypnosis depends utterly upon the law of
suggestion.
The law of
suggestion is as old as man. But the principles involved came
to
the attention of the masses probably with the advent of the Austrian doctor
Franz Anton Mesmer in Paris in 1778, when he caused a sensation with his
66animal magnetism."
Mesmer
was a sincere and dedicated man who believed that his "animal
magnetism" was an invisible fluid which flowed from him to other persons or
things. So great were the numbers of afflicted who came to him for healing that
he once "magnetized" a tree in order that thousands could contact the
tree and receive the "animal magnetism" on a larger scale than he
could extend personally. We now know that mesmerism,
like hypnotism. was an application of the law of suggestion. The
afflicted placed their trust in the sincere Dr. Mesmer and accepted the
suggestion that the strange "animal magnetism" improved or cured their
ailment. and most often it DiD!
It
was Dr. James Braid of England who coined the word hypnotism
and began to give public demonstrations of
it in 1841. But the public was slow to accept
hypnotism as an application of natural law. Because it was little understood
and because the majority of people were superstitious, if not ignorant, only
in relatively recent times has hypnotism become acceptable for its valuable and
constructive part in the healing arts. Whether used as a form of anesthesia or
to prod psychological blocks loose from the subconscious of a disturbed person,
hypnotism depends upon the skilled use of subtle suggestion.
The
key factor in the use of suggestion is subtlety.
It can never succeed with a harsh or abrasive command; this will have the
opposite effect. The correct use of suggestion must be delicate, confident,
skillful, and artful.
I
once lectured publicly in a country where witchcraft was not tabooed. The
lecture contained the statement that witchcraft depends upon the law of
suggestion. At the conclusion, a very gentlemanly witch doctor in the audience
challenged my statement about witchcraft. After a friendly exchange of mutual
respect and love, the witch doctor said while gazing into my eyes, "Tonight
I am going to eat out your insides." My reply was, "Enjoy a good
feast, friend." The gentleman showed no sign whatever of surprise or
confusion at my remark. I am convinced that, had it not been for my
understanding of the law of suggestion, I might have experienced some kind of
discomfort in the visceral region that night. I am the first to admit that this
witch doctor knew his business.
But
how many of us realize to what extent we use, or are subject to, the law of
suggestion daily? It is so much a part of our lives that we take no notice of
it. A devoted housewife and mother prepares the family food and her table with
special flavors., colors, and artful arrangements to enhance the appeal of her
meals. The same foods could be boiled, baked, or fried without all of that extra
work. However. the loving housewife has employed the law of suggestion to create
a prior state of anticipation and eagerness in the family to relish the
delicious and savory food.
Consider
the friendly morning smile. A warm and lilting smile with "Good
Morning" says, "H' ! I like you. I want you to have a pleasant and
happy day. Life is good and I want to share my happiness with you."
Regardless of previous mood, the recipient of the friendly smile will, or must,
accept the suggestion that life is indeed better than it was thought to be
moments previously. No person wants to be unhappy, but some of us need to be
encouraged frequently.
The most obvious successful use of the law of suggestion is through advertising. Advertising is both a science and an art. Those who wish to become skillful in the use of suggestion need only review critically the various forms of advertising. The epitome of subtle suggestion is experienced especially in television commercial advertising. Sight and sound are cleverly used to create in us an almost irresistible desire to possess whatever is being offered and without which we have managed to exist previously. The dreams and goals of almost everyone are portrayed vividly and offered to us in terms that apparently any self‑respecting person can afford, plus the conviction that our lives can never be fulfilled until we
BUY!
And
you and I, who have been living normally and satisfactorily, sooner or later
"discover" that we have been denying ourselves all these treasures and
adventures needlessly, and we accept the suggestion that we need these things
even if we have to create ways to afford them. Is this remarkable or
inexplicable means of accomplishment sorcery or suggestion?
