The Astral World—Higher Occult Powers: Clairvoyance, Spiritism, Mediumship, and Spirit-Healing Fully ExplainedTiffany, Joel
Religion
The Astral World—Higher Occult Powers: Clairvoyance, Spiritism, Mediumship, and Spirit-Healing Fully Explained
Tiffany, Joel
Spiritualism
in my mind which experiences the pain, from the report of nerves which
come to the surface in my finger. Separate these nerves, and I may hold
my hand in the fire without feeling the least pain; yet if the finger
were pained, it should feel as much after the nerves were separated as
before. Though the sensation appears to be at that point, it is after
all in the mind. The body is but an instrument by which sensations of a
peculiar character reach the mind. Those who have had arms amputated,
have experienced pain seemingly in the fingers at times in consequence
of the exposure and irritation of the nerves which go to the hand. It
is sometimes conjectured that they have spiritual fingers, but it is
not so. There are instances of persons experiencing pain seemingly in
the toes, after the leg has been amputated. This is in consequence
of the exposure and irritation of the nerves which go to the foot.
Furthermore, the individual who has been mesmerized—who has had his
mind separated from the sensuous influences of his body—may have his
body dissected to pieces without experiencing any pain, notwithstanding
the least injury done to the person who is in _rapport_ with him will
be instantaneously felt, as though the sensation were in himself. He
can not be reached through his nerve-system, but you can reach him
through the nerve-system of the operator, whose mental condition is
impressed upon him. The sensation, however, is in his mind, not in
his body, notwithstanding he locates it as though it were in his body.
Numerous other proofs might be adduced to prove that though the body is
the means through which the mind is reached, yet the sensation is all
in the mind. Man makes use of his body for the gratification of all his
sensuous desires; all of which originate in the mind. I do not deny,
however, that a sense of lack, not pain and disease, may be induced in
the body by certain courses of action—by disturbing the nervous system.
But that is a thing entirely of itself. But there are other influences
originating in the mind, leading the individual to seek gratification
in horse-racing, gaming, sexual indulgences, etc. In ten thousand
instances the stimulating influences to various acts arise in the mind,
and form a part of the mind. In the majority of instances the body is
simply made the instrument for the gratification of lustful desires.
Did the usual habits of thought permit, it might be demonstrated, in
various ways, that lustful desires originate in the impure condition of
the spirit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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