The Law of Psychic Phenomena: A working hypothesis for the systematic study of hypnotism, spiritism, mental therapeutics, etc.Hudson, Thomson Jay
Philosophy
The Law of Psychic Phenomena: A working hypothesis for the systematic study of hypnotism, spiritism, mental therapeutics, etc.
Hudson, Thomson Jay
Parapsychology
I make these suggestions tentatively, and for the purpose of directing
the attention of those interested to a line of investigation which
should not be ignored by students of the new psychology. It is cognate
with the phenomenon of haunted houses, and may yet be found to be
governed by the same laws. If it is true that a visible ghost is
but an embodied thought of a dying man, may it not be true that any
great emotion can leave its impress upon the locality in which it is
experienced? It may not be visible to the objective senses, but it may
have the power to impress the subjective minds of those who are brought
within its environment, and to create in them the same emotions as
those experienced by the former occupants of the premises. It seems to
be another form of telepathy, cognate with the phantom of the dead,
differing only in the strength and character of its manifestation. It
may not be visible, for the reason that the thought cannot be pictured
by a vision. It may be an abstract thought, idea, or emotion, which
can be transmitted to others by impression only; or the emotion which
created it may not have been strong enough to project a visible phantom.
Telepathy, therefore, appears to be divisible into three generic
classes, differing principally in the methods or means of
percipience,--the processes of projection being the same in all.
The first is a thought sent from one living person to another for the
purpose of communicating information to that one individual. It is
perceived by that person only,--usually by means of visions,--and it
instantly fades away when its mission is accomplished.
The second is a thought sent from a dying person to the world at
large to communicate some fact of portentous import. It is sometimes
made visible to the objective senses, and is always confined to one
locality, which it haunts till its object is accomplished.
The third partakes of the characteristics of the first and second. It
is created by a living person, and is confined to one locality. It is
not sent to any particular individual, but impresses whoever inhabits
the house or room it haunts.
It will be understood by the intelligent reader that these three
classes are not separated by any distinct lines of demarcation, but
that each possesses characteristics common to the others.
In concluding this branch of the subject we have but one further remark
to make concerning those hypothetical spirits which are popularly
believed to be able to make themselves visible to mortal eyes. If
it is true that the power exists in mankind to create phantoms, to
project visions which may become visible to others, objectively or
subjectively, we have the logical right to infer that all so-called
spirits, such as elementals, elementaries, _et id genus omne_, are
creations of the subjective minds of those who believe in their
existence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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