Mind and Body; or, Mental States and Physical ConditionsAtkinson, William Walker
Science
Mind and Body; or, Mental States and Physical Conditions
Atkinson, William Walker
Mental suggestion
Dr. Schofield says: "That life involves mind has, of course, like
all else, been vigorously disputed and equally vigorously affirmed.
'Life,' says Prof. Bascom, 'is not force; it is combining power. _It is
the product and presence of mind._' ... The extent to which the word
mind may be employed as the inherent cause of purposive movements in
organisms is a very difficult question to solve. There can be no doubt
that the actual agents in such movements are the natural forces, but
behind these the directing and starting power seems to be psychic....
There being an indwelling power, not only for purposive action in each
cell, but for endless combinations of cell activities for common ends
not at all connected with the mere nutrition of the single cell, but
for the good of the completed organism." Dr. R. Dunn says: "From the
first movement when the primordial cell-germ of a human organism comes
into being, the entire individual is present, fitted for human destiny.
From the same moment, matter, life and mind are never for an instant
separated, their union constituting the essential work of our present
existence." Carpenter says: "The convertibility of physical forces and
correlation of these with the vital and the intricacy of that nexus
between mental and bodily activity which cannot be analyzed, all lead
upwards towards one and the same conclusion--_the source of all power is
mind_. And that physical conclusion is the apex of the pyramid which
has its foundation in the primitive instincts of humanity."
Having seen the evidences of life and mind in the single cell, let us
now proceed to a consideration of the intelligence or mind inherent
and manifest in the groups of cells, large and small, including the
largest groups which compose the several organs of the body. This
line of investigation will lead us to a fuller understanding of the
influence of the mental states upon the health or disease of the organs
and parts. It will be seen that Mental Healing has a sound biological
as well as a psychological basis of truth, and that it is not necessary
to invade the fields of metaphysics or theology in order to find an
explanation of the effect of mind over body.
CHAPTER IV
THE MENTAL BASIS OF CURE
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