The Human Aura Part 3

Read the above statement of Dr. Babbitt, and then compare it with the occult teaching regarding the astral colors, and you will perceive the real basis of the science which the good doctor sought to establish, and in which cause he did such excellent pioneer work. The result of his work is now being elaborated by modern physicians in the great schools of medicine, particularly on the Continent, in Europe--England and America being somewhat behind the times in this work.

The advanced occultist also finds much satisfaction in the interest, on the part of physicians and jurists, in the matter of the influence of color upon the mental, moral and physical welfare of the public. The effect of color upon morality is being noticed by workers for human welfare, occupying important offices.

The American journals report the case of a judge in a large Western city in that country, who insisted upon his courtroom being decorated in light, cheerful tints, instead of in the old, gloomy, depressing shades formerly employed. This judge wisely remarked that brightness led to right thinking, and darkness to crooked thinking; also that his court, being an uplift court, must have walls to correspond, and that it was enough to turn any man into a criminal to be compelled to sit in a dark, dismal courtroom, day after day.

This good judge, who must have had some acquaintance with the occult teachings, is quoted as concluding as follows: "White, cream, light yellow, and orange are the colors which are the sanest. I might add light green, for that is the predominant color in Nature; black, brown and deep red are incentives to crime--a man in anger sees red." Surely a remarkable utterance from the bench!

The effect of color schemes upon the moral and mental welfare of persons is being recognized in the direction of providing brighter color schemes in schools, hospitals, reformatories, prisons, etc. The reports naturally show the correctness of the underlying theory. The color of a tiny flower has its effect upon even the most hardened prisoner; while the minds of children in school are quickened by a touch of brightness here and there in the room. It needs no argument to prove the beneficial effect of the right kind of colors in the sickroom, or hospital ward.

The prevailing theories, and practice, regarding the employment of color in therapeutics and human welfare work, are in the main correct. But, I urge the study of the occult significance of color, as mentioned in this book in connection with the human aura and its astral colors, as a sound basis for an intelligent, thorough understanding of the real psychic principles underlying the physical application of the methods referred to. Go to the center of the subject, and then work outward--that is the true rule of the occultist, which might well be followed by the non-occult general public.

CHAPTER VIII.

AURIC MAGNETISM.

The phenomenon of human magnetism is too well recognized by the general public, to require argument at this time. Let the scientists dispute about it as much as they please, down in the heart of nearly all of the plain people of the race is the conviction that there is such a thing.

The occultists, of course, are quite familiar with the wonderful manifestations of this great natural force, and with its effect upon the minds and bodies of members of the race, and can afford to smile at the attempts of some of the narrow minds in the colleges to pooh-pooh the matter.

But the average person is not familiar with the relation of this human magnetism to the human aura. I think that the student should familiarize himself with this fundamental relation, in order to reason correctly on the subject of human magnetism. Here is the fundamental fact in a nutsh.e.l.l: The human aura is the great storehouse, or reservoir, of human magnetism, and is the source of all human magnetism that is projected by the individual toward other individuals. Just how human magnetism is generated, is, of course, a far deeper matter, but it is enough for our purpose at this time to explain the fact of its storage and transmission.

In cases of magnetic healing, etc., the matter is comparatively simple.

In such instances the healer by an effort of the will (sometimes unconsciously applied) projects a supply of his pranic aura vibrations into the body of his patient, by way of the nervous system of the patient, and also by means of what may be called the induction of the aura itself.

The mere presence of a person strongly charged with prana, is often enough to cause an overflow into the aura of other persons, with a resulting feeling of new strength and energy. By the use of the hands of the healer, a heightened effect is produced, by reason of certain properties inherent in the nervous system of both healer and patient.

There is even a flow of etheric substance from the aura of the healer to that of the patient, in cases where the vitality of the latter is very low. Many a healer has actually, and literally, pumped his life force and etheric substance into the body of his patient, when the latter was sinking into the weakness which precedes death, and has by so doing been able to bring him back to life and strength. This is practically akin to the transfusion of blood--except that it is on the psychic plane instead of the physical.

But the work of the magnetic healer does not stop here, if he be well informed regarding his science. The educated healer realizing the potent effect of mental states upon physical conditions--of mental vibrations upon the physical nerve centers and organs of the body--endeavors to arouse the proper mental vibrations in the mind of his patient.

Ordinarily, he does this merely by holding in his mind the corresponding desired mental state, and thus arousing similar vibrations in the mind of the patient. This of itself is a powerful weapon of healing, and const.i.tutes the essence of mental healing as usually practiced. But there is a possible improvement even upon this, as we shall see in a moment.

The advanced occultist, realizing the law of action and reaction in the matter of the auric colors, turns the same to account in healing work, as follows: He not only holds in his mind the strong feeling and thought which he wishes to transmit to the patient, but (fix this in your mind) he also pictures in his imagination the particular kind of color which corresponds with the feeling or thought in question.

A moment's thought will show you that by this course he practically multiplies the effect. Not only do his own thought vibrations (1) set up corresponding vibrations in the mind of the patient, by the laws of thought transference, but (2) his thought of the certain colors will set up corresponding vibrations not only (a) in his own aura, and thence (b) to that of the patient, but will also (3) act directly upon the aura of the patient and reproduce the colors there, which (4) in turn will arouse corresponding vibrations in the mind of the patient, by the law of reaction.

The above may sound a little complicated at first reading, but a little a.n.a.lysis will show you that it is really quite a simple process, acting strictly along the lines of Action and Reaction, which law has been explained to you in preceding chapters of this book. The vibrations rebound from mind to aura, and from aura to mind, in the patient, something like a billiard ball flying from one side of the table to another, or a tennis ball flying between the two racquets over the net.

The principle herein mentioned may be employed as well in what is called "absent treatment" as in treatments where the patient is present. By the laws of thought transference, not only the thought but also the mental image of the appropriate astral color, is transmitted over s.p.a.ce, and then, impinging on the mind of the patient, is transmitted into helpful and health-giving vibrations in his mind. The healer of any school of mental or spiritual healing will find this plan very helpful to him in giving absent as well as present treatments. I recommend it from years of personal experience, as well as that of other advanced occultists.

Of course the fact that the ordinary healer is not able to distinguish the finer shades of astral color, by reason of his not having actually perceived them manifested in the aura, renders his employment of this method less efficacious than that of the developed and trained occultist. But, nevertheless, he will find that, from the knowledge of the auric or astral colors given in this little book, he will be able to obtain quite satisfactory and marked results in his practice. The following table, committed to memory, will be of help to him in the matter of employing the mental image of the auric colors in his healing work.

TABLE OF HEALING COLORS.

Nervous System-- Cooling and soothing: Shades of violet, lavender, etc.

Resting and invigorating effect: Gra.s.s greens.

Inspiring and illuminating: Medium yellows, and orange.

Stimulating and exciting: Reds (bright).

Blood and Organs-- Cooling and soothing: Clear dark blues.

Resting and invigorating: Gra.s.s greens.

Inspiring and illuminating: Orange yellows.

Stimulating and exciting: Bright reds.

The following additional suggestions will be found helpful to the healer: In cases of impaired physical vitality; also chilliness, lack of bodily warmth, etc., bright, warm reds are indicated. In cases of feverishness, overheated blood, excessive blood pressure, inflammation, etc., blue is indicated. Red has a tendency to produce renewed and more active heart action; while violets and lavenders tend to slow down the too rapid beating of the heart. A nervous, unstrung patient, may be treated by bathing her, mentally, in a flood of violet or lavender auric color; while a tired, used up, fatigued person may be invigorated by flooding him with bright reds, followed by bright, rich yellows, finis.h.i.+ng the treatment with a steady flow of warm orange color.

To those who are sufficiently advanced in occult philosophy, I would say that they should remember the significance of the Great White Light, and accordingly conclude their treatment by an effort to indicate an approach to that clear, pure white color in the aura--mentally, of course. This will leave the patient in an inspired, exalted, illuminated state of mind and soul, which will be of great benefit to him, and will also have the effect of reinvigorating the healer by cosmic energy or para-prana.

Everything that has been said in this chapter regarding the use of color in magnetic treatments, is equally applicable to cases of self-healing, or self-treatment. Let the patient follow the directions above given for the healer, and then turn the healing current, or thought, inward--and the result will be the same as if he were treating another. The individual will soon find that certain colors fit his requirements better than others, in which case let him follow such experience in preference to general rules, for the intuition generally is the safest guide in such cases. However, it will be found that the individual experience will usually agree with the tables given above, with slight personal variations.

CHAPTER IX.

DEVELOPING THE AURA.

When it is remembered that the aura of the individual affects and influences other persons with whom he comes in contact--and is, in fact, an important part of his personality--it will be seen that it is important that the individual take pains to develop his aura in the direction of desirable qualities, and to neutralize and weed out undesirable ones. This becomes doubly true, when it is also remembered that, according to the law of action and reaction, the auric vibrations react upon the mind of the individual, thus intensifying and adding fuel to the original mental states which called them forth. From any point of view, it is seen to be an important part of self development and character building, to develop the aura according to scientific occult principles.

In this work of aura development, there is found to be two correlated phases, namely: (1) the direct work of flooding the aura with the best vibrations, by means of holding in the mind clear, distinct and repeated mental pictures of desirable ideas and feelings; and (2) the added effect of mental images of the colors corresponding to the ideas and feelings which are deemed desirable and worthy of development.

The first of the above mentioned phases is probably far more familiar to the average student, than is the second. This from the fact that the average student is apt to be more or less familiar with the teachings of the numerous schools or cults which agree in the axiom that "holding the thought" tends to develop the mind of the individual along the particular lines of such thought.

This is a correct psychological principle, for that matter, even when those practicing it do not fully understand the underlying facts. Mental faculties, like physical muscles, tend to develop by exercise and use, and any faculty may be developed and cultivated in this way.

Another teaching of these same schools is that the character of the thoughts so "held" by the individual, effects other persons with whom he comes in contact, and, in a way attracts to him objective things, persons, and circ.u.mstances in harmony with such thoughts. This also is in accordance with the best occult teaching--from which, of course, it was originally derived.

I heartily endorse the facts of these teachings, and p.r.o.nounce them fundamentally correct. And, in this connection, I may say that every healer may apply his own methods PLUS this teaching regarding the aura, and thus obtain greatly increased results.

By the faithful, persevering, holding in mind of certain ideas and feelings, the individual may flood his aura with the vibrations and colors of such ideas and feelings, and thus charge it with auric energy and power. By so doing, he gains the benefit of the reaction upon his own mind, and also secures the advantage of the effect thereof upon other persons with whom he comes in contact. In this way he not only builds up his individual character along desirable lines, but at the same time develops a strong, positive, attractive "personality" which affects others with whom he comes in contact.

I do not consider it necessary to go into details here regarding this phase of "holding the thought," for, as I have said, the average student is already familiar with the rules regarding the same. In a nutsh.e.l.l, however, I will say that each individual is largely the result of the thoughts he has manifested, and the feelings which he has harbored.

Therefore, the rule is to manifest and exercise the faculties you would develop, and inhibit or refrain from manifesting the ones you would restrain or control. Again, to restrain an undesirable faculty, develop and exercise its opposite--kill out the negatives by developing the positives. The mind produces thought; and yet, it tends to grow from the particular portion of its own product which you may choose to feed to it--for it not only creates thought, but also feeds upon it. So, finally, let it produce the best kind of thought for you, and then throw that back into the hopper, for it will use it to grind out more of the same kind and grow strong in so doing. That is the whole thing in a nutsh.e.l.l.

The second phase of aura development (as above cla.s.sified), however, is not likely to be familiar to the average student, for the reason that it is not known outside of advanced occult circles, and very little has been allowed to be taught regarding it. But, the very reticence regarding it is a proof of its importance, and I strongly advise my students to give to it the attention and practice that its importance merits. The practice, thereof, however, is extremely simple, and the principle of the practice, moreover, is based solely upon the facts of the relation of color and mental states, as shown in the astral auric colors, as fully explained in the preceding chapters of this book.

In order to intelligently practice the development of the aura by means of flooding or charging it with the vibrations of psychic colors, it is first necessary that the student be thoroughly familiar with the scale of colors related to each set of mental states or emotional feelings.

This scale and its key is found in a number of places in the preceding chapters.

The student should turn back the pages of this book, and then carefully re-read and re-study every word which has been said about the relation of mental states and auric colors. He should know the mental correspondence of the shades of red, yellow, and blue, so thoroughly that the thought of one will bring the idea of the other. He should be able to think of the corresponding group of colors, the moment he thinks of any particular mental state. He should be thoroughly familiar with the physical, mental, and spiritual effect of any of the colors, and should moreover, test himself, psychically, for the individual effects of certain colors upon himself.

He should enter into this study with interest and earnestness, and then by keeping his eyes and ears open, he will perceive interesting facts concerning the subject on every side in his daily work and life. He will perceive many proofs of the principle, and will soon ama.s.s a stock of experiences ill.u.s.trating each color and its corresponding mental state.

He will be richly repaid for the work of such study, which, in fact, will soon grow to be more like pleasure than like work.

Having mastered this phase of the subject, the student should give himself a thorough, honest, self-examination and mental a.n.a.lysis. He should write down a chart of his strong points and his weak ones. He should check off the traits which should be developed, and those which should be restrained. He should determine whether he needs development along physical, mental, and spiritual lines, and in what degree. Having made this chart of himself, he should then apply the principles of charging the aura with the color vibrations indicated by his self diagnosis and prescription.