In the causal connection between hypersomatic (mind) and hyposomatic
(body) there is at least one link called the imagination. But the fact
that imagination is so broad a term makes the understanding difficult as
to how the various mental mechanisms, mostly unconscious, interact with
each other.
The fact, however, is well known and admitted by all scientists that the
mind does influence the body. It causes changes in the functions of the
bodily organs. A purely mental state caused by external stimulation,
for example, the hearing of some bad news or witnessing of some tragic
occurrence, will alter the internal secretions of some of the endocrine
glands, postpone digestion or upset it, accelerate circulation and
respiration and cause other changes.
Sex phenomena are no exception to this principle that bodily processes
are conditioned, that is, partially caused, by mental processes. Sex
cannot be a part of love until love which is hypersomatic (mental) is in
control.
It would be exceedingly satisfactory if one could devise a mental pattern
for love that would apply to all individuals; but the fact that the
various factors are over twenty in number, making over four hundred
combinations of only two at a time, render it practically impossible to
do more than make a generic verbal formula such as “better and better
every day.”
It is impossible however, to get away from the fact that the sense type
of imagination has not a little influence in the original rapport that
springs up between two persons of opposite sex. Obviously a colour-blind
man could not be much influenced by the iridescent beauty of some young
women. There are people who are tone-deaf, and, to such, a monotonous
voice might not have the deterrent effect it would for some. There are
individual variations in the sensitivity to every one of the twenty-odd
sense qualities that enter consciousness from time to time. Any of these
variations may play a part in the first attraction exerted by young
people on each other.
§ 164
Every one of these twenty-odd different qualities of sense impression
may enter consciousness from time to time as a representation or
reverberation of an original sensation. The commonest of these is sight.
The appearance of some facial expression, for example, of an attractive
woman, will, spontaneously recur to a young man for a long time.
Motivated by pleasurable emotions experienced at the first sight, these
visual memory images will recur again and again, each time accompanied
by, if not caused by, the continuance or reëmergence of the pleasurable
emotions.
But visual images are not the only ones that spontaneously recur. If the
individual belongs to the auditory type, there will be numerous auditory
“images.” He will hear in his mind’s ear the joyous timbre of a woman’s
voice, also perhaps motivated by the same recurrent pleasurable emotion
he experienced when listening to it the first time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account