Can the mind of one man be free from the adverse influences of another, or other minds?

These are questions that have been, and now are, agitating the minds of an ever-increasing number of people. This is especially true of those who are becoming conscious of the influence and power of the mind. They are seriously perplexed over the possibility of becoming victims of unprincipled people who try to use their minds, or Will, in some form of Black Magic, to selfishly influence them for their own benefit.

Much has been written of the evil practices of those who understand the potency of mental forces. This class of literature falls into the hands of those who are interested, but whose knowledge of the subject is vary limited, and instills in them grave fears, doubts, and misgivings.(1)
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(1) An unbelievable amount of harm is being done by the many various and glaring advertisements appearing in newspapers and magazines, promising that "mental influence will bring success." They claim that those who "understand mind power may obtain what they want." These advertisers often make other impossible promises or suggestions.
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The power or force emanating from the mind and intentionally used to harm others, take advantage of them, cause them to commit deeds or be guilty of wrong actions, is referred to by many different terms, such as: Black Magic, malicious animal magnetism, the evil eye, self-seeking thought transference, and other similar terms.

It is freely believed by many, even by some scientists and ultra-materialists who are not interested or engaged in the study of the Occult, or Arcane, that thoughts of one man may be directed to the mind of another to influence that other either for good or evil.

Everyone who has made a study of the subject, especially the Occultist and physician who makes a specialty of treating nervous, neurotic or neurasthenic people, is all too well aware of the powerful influence which the mere belief in such a possibility has on those who believe that one person can be affected or influenced by the mind of another.

The unscrupulous, fully aware of this fact, word their advertisements and literature in such manner that believers in the power of mental influence will be drawn to them, and they, the advertisers, reap the benefits. This is a dishonorable, degrading and demoralizing game in which many are engaged and is successful only because so great a number seek gain without effort; the eternal desire to obtain something for nothing; hence dishonorably, ignobly and unmanfully.

All who have studied this subject are well aware of the change that may be brought about by the action of one Will upon the mind of another. A FACT THAT IS NOT GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD, AND NEVER MENTIONED BY THOSE WHO SEEK TO BENEFIT BY ADVOCATING THE STUDY OF THE SUBJECT FOR PERSONAL, SELFISH BENEFIT, is that like every other activity in which man may engage, THE RESULT IS GOVERNED BY A JUST AND RIGHTEOUS LAW - A DIVINE FIAT THAT IS ABSOLUTE AND NEVER-FAILING IN ITS OPERATION OR REACTION, A LAW THAT IS A PROTECTION TO ALL WHO MEET THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR PROTECTION.

Our purpose is to fully explain this Law which will enable anyone to protect himself, and be protected by the operating Law, against all who might attempt to influence him against his Will or to his detriment in one manner or another.

Thought force, or DIRECTED WILL POWER, like all other forces known to man, may be used for two distinct purposes. The one for the good of the thinker or operator and his fellow men; the other, apparently for the good of the thinker or operator, but to the detriment of others who become the victims. The last, as mentioned, may be apparently, or seemingly, to the benefit or advantage of the operator, but in reality this is only temporarily true. In time, the one against whom the evil or selfish thought was directed, but who is innocent, will regain all and more than may have been taken from him as the result of the action of such influence.

To fully comprehend the potency of the mind or Will, it is essential to also have full knowledge of the hidden weaknesses. To understand both, mental power on the one side, and the inertia of mind on the other, requires that we grasp fully the governing or underlying Law of operation; the Law that controls all mental activity.

This Law governs not only the mind in respect to its receptivity of evil and destructive influences from other mentalities, but also its receptivity to the REACTION of its OWN EVIL THOUGHTS AND DESIRES. THE LAW IS ALWAYS THE SAME, whether it has to deal with admitting undesirable thoughts - no matter what their nature - from other sources, or the reception of THE RETURN OF ITS OWN EVIL, DESTRUCTIVE, DEGRADING THOUGHTS AND DESIRES.

WHAT IS THE LAW?

LET US FIRST GIVE CONSIDERATION TO ITS OPERATION IN RELATION TO DISEASE. ACCEPTING THE TEACHINGS OF PARACELSUS AS FACT, MAN CANNOT CONTRACT DISEASE, EXCEPT BY CONTAMINATION, NOT EVEN THAT BELIEVED CONTAGIOUS, UNLESS HIS BODY IS RECEPTIVE TO DISEASE AS A RESULT OF WEAKNESS OF THE NATURAL OR RESISTIVE POWERS OF THE PHYSICAL BEING, OR THE WEAKNESS WHICH IS CAUSED BY FEAR - FEAR OPENING THE DOOR TO INVASION.

THERE ARE CONTINUALLY COUNTLESS DISEASE GERMS AROUND AND ABOUT US, MANY OF VIRULENT TYPES. IF THE BODY IS IN A NORMAL CONDITION, HEALTHY AND CLEAN, SUCH DISEASE GERMS FIND NO LODGEMENT, BECAUSE NO SOONER DO THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE NATURAL ACIDS AND ALKALIES OF THE HEALTHY BODY THAN THEY ARE DESTROYED BY THESE ACIDS AND ALKALIES, IN THE MANNER OF AN INVADING ARMY BY A SUPERIOR FORCE.

However, when the resistive forces resident in man and normally a part of his being, have become weakened due to uncleanliness, congestion, incorrect and improperly selected and prepared food, dissipation, irregular hours of rest and sleep, lack of exercise, or by an unwholesome attitude of mind such as worry or inordinate sorrow, the evil passions and, above all, FEAR, then natural immunity is that much reduced, THE DOOR IS WIDE OPEN, disease germs, and/or viruses find ready lodgement in the organism and result in some form of disease.

This weakness, whatever its form, is a defiance of Nature's Law. It is disobedience or defiance to Law, and such disobedience is SIN. It is written that the "wages of sin, is, first disease, then death."

Obedience to the natural, protective Law in nature makes it obligatory for us to live in a natural, normal manner and to observe the conditions to be complied with if we desire in turn to be normal and healthy, and live the abundant life.

The prophylactics against disease - their prevention - are found in natural, nourishing, well-selected foods adapted to the individual's occupation, temperament and the demands of his peculiar individual organism; sufficient rest and sleep; plenty of fresh air and sunshine; physical exercise, reasonable variety of recreation and diversion to relieve the strain of toil or the stress of mental activity.

Last, and perhaps of greatest importance, in the requirements making for health in accordance with natural law is THE NECESSITY FOR BANISHING CHRONIC OR HABITUAL STATES OF WORRY, DOUBT, FEAR AND PESSIMISM.

He who takes pains to recognize and honor these requisites for health has nothing whatever to fear from disease germs, irrespective of their nature or virulence. To live in harmony with the laws governing health insures the protection of the laws thus honored. Those who make excuses for themselves prove their weakness and inertia and MUST pay the penalty.

The identical Law that pertains to protection against disease also gives protection against all thoughts created and sent out by corrupt or unenlightened minds. The action, however, is somewhat different. In the case of thought, man WILL NOT receive harmful forces, no matter what their nature may be, and irrespective of how powerful may be the sender, unless he has in his own thought-atmosphere (aura) thoughts, and desires similar to the vibrations directed against him.

The method of protection against both intentional and unconscious thought forces is the Law of Love and freedom from fear. He who bears this in mind and lives in harmony with this Law in all its requirements has nothing to fear.

In the principle underlying love, kindness and forgiveness, we find protection against all injurious influences and destructive forces coming from invisible mental action, whether these be intentionally or sub-consciously directed against us. Let us always remember this mantle of Dinine protection. Let us cultivate the spirit of kindness and generous judgment of the acts of others.

The secret of power of the Master lay in this prayer: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." To root out all feelings of revenge, retaliation, resentment and hatred; to eliminate the desire for every type of "get-even-ness;" - to substitute for all negative, destructive tendencies the positive virtues of kindness, graciousness and correct understanding of truth -indicate clearly the Path we must tread to be able to receive the overshadowing of the Divine Law, though this does not decree that we must be inert in our endeavor to prevent wrong being done to us or others. It is our positive duty to discourage with all our might every attempt to do us harm or injury.

This we may do effectively by the power the Creator gave us. We must have a positive attitude of mind, free from fear of such influences and hold the thought: NO EVIL FORCE IN THE UNIVERSE IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO ENTER MY MIND, HEART OR SOUL.

There is no power on earth strong enough to adversely influence the individual whose heart is enshrined in the armor of pure, unselfish love toward all creatures. As the iron, white with heat, upon which falls a drop of water, instantly dissipates it, so the warmth of a pure heart, toward which thought vibrations of a harmful nature are directed, WILL QUICKLY CHANGE OR TRANSMUTE ALL SUCH EVIL FORCES INTO THOSE OF POWER AND THE MEANS TO ADVANCE AND SUCCEED.

The heart in which love and forgiveness have their dwelling place is mightier than the strongest Will or mentality. The Soul which enshrines the Flame of love and good-Will is so far above that of a perverted, though gigantic Will, and is literally unreachable.

We protect ourselves from invasion by the forces of other Wills or minds in proportion as we cleanse our own hearts and desires of all undesirable inclinations, ungodly thoughts, and ignoble passions. The purity of the heart and the loftiness of desire is THE ASSURANCE OF FULL PROTECTION.

No matter where we may be or what our surroundings, by the cultivation of those qualities leading toward the awakening of the Christos within and the attainment of Soul Consciousness, we will gain that protection which no power on earth can successfully assail.

To hurl the defiance of mind against mind is by no means the most satisfactory or powerful means of resisting the invasion of evil forces and influences. A far better plan is to close our entire being, body, mind and Soul, by a positive mental effort, by the one all-powerful thought: THEY SHALL NOT PASS, and then rest assured it will be as we have decreed. This will be helped greatly by a non-recognition of evil insofar as we are concerned.

We have been repeatedly admonished by the Nazarene and other Initiate Masters not to resist evil. This does NOT mean we should accept it, but that we should refuse to think of it, and instead, think, plan, vision something good and beautiful, and the evil will be absorbed in the good.

The forces of heart and Soul, fortified by thoughts of love and kindness, are forever potent against the unprincipled intentions and efforts of others. We are NEVER to think of ourselves as entering into combat with the evil mental forces sent out by others; but instead, direct our thoughts to that which is exalted and uplifting; toward some desired achievement.

We should make ourselves powerful against the reception of evil mental currents, not simply as a means of self-protection, but more especially because the highest aspiration of the heart is to do good; Because we love to do that which is best. This is real protection against all evil.

As virtue is said to be "its own reward," so likewise is "goodness its own protection." True virtue is its own reward because IT CANNOT BE PERSUADED TO DO OTHERWISE. Impartial, impersonal love and forgiveness are self-adjusting, self-operative weapons, concerning which we need give little thought except to make certain of being free from selfish interests. The Divine Law of love and purity of heart is automatic in its operation.

A clear conscience in respect to our own intentions and purposes, even though we may be guilty of mistakes and missteps, does more toward insuring a sense of security than any deliberate effort to counteract intentional harm from another.

The mind, as well as the heart, acts like a magnet. Only that which is drawn to the mind from the outside by means of some power residing within itself can materially effect it. This is the law. Something within the self is harmonious with, or receptive to, the conditions that persist in coming our way. This may be unconscious on our part; it may be a relic of past lives, nevertheless, it is still part of us and, if undesirable, must be eradicated.

Unwholesome, despairing thoughts and desires become a center about which other thoughts and feelings of the same tendency accumulate. Thoughts of failure, harm, fear, defeat and illness, even if sent us by a master mind, find little chance of entrance or a prolonged stay unless there is already in our nature a center of similar thoughts.

For an individual to admit (within) to himself that he is a failure, is to form an entrance through which the depressing and discouraging thoughts of others may enter and add their intensity to his own vibrations. If these are not eliminated, they bring about failure after failure, all because the thought of failure is continually present to prevent constructive thinking and planning.

These statements are not high-sounding metaphysics. They are practical truths, tested and tried by many individuals of the past and present. To believe otherwise, is to admit that the Divine Lawgiver possesses no knowledge of the ultimate. This would be an injustice; indicating a lack of Divine Law. To be able to break a Divine Law would result in chaos. That which gravitates to us, is of our own making, or is to prevent us from gaining something which might result to our lasting harm.

These principles apply equally to all who are seeking health. Let such not despair or acknowledge permanent failure. There is cause for the lack of health. Let them seek the cause, and finding it, proceed to remove it.

God has not created man to suffer; but to possess health and virility; thereby showing honor to both his Maker and himself. As man establishes in his consciousness the assurance that he is gaining health and strength, the forces that are productive of healthful conditions will gravitate to his aid and assist him. Let him see to it that destructive, unkind thoughts and feelings toward others are not the cause of his difficulties, and that thoughts of self-pity have no place in his heart. Feelings, thoughts and desires such as these not only tend toward disease, but also to suffering in other ways; failure in undertakings and dissatisfaction in general.

The creative forces and the transcendent powers of the universe flock to the aid of all who cleanse the heart of impurity, fear and inertia. Good, kind, noble and generous thoughts radiating from a pure, unselfish heart become a part of the atmosphere, or aura, surrounding the self. These thoughts contribute to the mighty magnetic field of universal love.

Thus, by increasing the ocean, or the atmospheric sea of love and good-will, we both add to the blessings of others and at the same time increase the store from which we ourselves may draw. We are limited in our drawing power only as we limit ourselves.

Thomas Paine never wrote a more potent sentence than: "The greatest religion that man can have is to do good." Basically we must agree with this, since, in doing ennobling deeds, it is necessary for man to possess goodness of heart. There is, however, a negative type of goodness. Many are virtuous not because the heart dictates the acts, but for some ulterior reason. They fear to do otherwise or they seek for the resulting advantages.

This is a purely selfish form of goodness and fails to bring about beneficial results or the protection of Divine Law. The Divine Law functions only through reactionary effects of the radiations of the heart. To outwardly perform good deeds, while internally harboring selfish motives and ignoble purposes, does not meet the requirements of the Law's protection. In this, as in all other respects, the functioning of the Creative Fiat is impartial, impersonal and automatic.

The thought and the motive of the heart determines the effect of the deed. The intent of the heart, rather than the outer act, sets into motion the vibratory forces and finally indicates the channel in which they must travel and operate. If the motive be selfish and ignoble, the vibratory forces enter the great reservoir of selfishness and destruction in the universal magnetic field. If the intention be pure and holy, they become part of the supply of exalted-ness and constructiveness in the vast field of vibratory creation.

Do nobly because you love that which is good; because you desire to do good. Love because you have awakened to the desirability of love. Forgive because your highest aspiration is toward the ultimate of goodness. Seek that which is highest because the lesser can bring neither lasting pleasure nor desirable gain; - at best, but a semblance of these things.

Through the use of his mentality, man is, in great measure, the creator of all things that now belong, or ultimately, should belong, to him. Very often he may be ashamed of his creation, but that aversion alone will not detach him from it. Only as he learns to cleanse his entire nature, and rid himself from all destructive thoughts and desires, will he become a FREE, strong, peaceful, powerful and successful being. Such procedure requires time, patience and effort; long-continued habits of thought cannot be overcome rapidly.

The hardest lesson of all for man to learn is to forgive those who, according to his standards, or those of the world, have actually wronged him. Herein is our greatest enemy. It naturally seems to us that, when we have been wronged, we have just reason for bearing ill-will, malice and thoughts of "get-even-ness." It is necessary to free ourselves from this attitude. In this error fixed aim to reach the plane where we can say from our inmost heart: "I forgive all those who have wronged me."

This does not imply that we should not seek justice or must again offer them the opportunity to take advantage of us; to do this would be a weakness and on a par with the action of a man who displayed his valuables, knowing that they would be temptations to those morally weak.

When we have learned to forgive, we have found the path leading to power, to freedom from undesirable things. This places us on a plane where the thoughts of another, or of many others, be they ever so potent, will have no perceptible effect upon us. The consciousness of a true, pure, kind heart makes man a king, a free man, even in a world of slaves.

Many students have expressed the belief that, in order to become free from the evil influences of other minds, it is necessary for them to have some one - master or adept -who understands the Laws, to create counter influences. It is undoubtedly possible for another to do this; but it is not always a desirable method. It is employing the Mosaic law: "an eye for an eye." The better plan is to learn the truth and always be protected.

There is but one satisfactory way of attaining freedom; free the mind and heart from evil. Once this is accomplished, there will no longer be the creation of any but the most exalted, elevating and ennobling vibrations, thus prohibiting all low, deceitful, malicious and destructive influences from entering within the personal aura.

Even when we know that someone is trying to injure us by the specific use of thought or Will power, we should seek the shelter of the heart plane, and there hold the thought: "Though you are trying to harm me, to bring me misery and failure, yet do I fully forgive your act. Your evil be upon yourself."

If we do this we may rest with a clear conscience and without fear. We are assured that the Divine Law will be our protection; that what might otherwise have brought us harm and distress will actually be the means of bringing us peace and strength. By our attitude of mind we are transmuting into love and power, the forces that would otherwise have been harmful to us.

We may even become conscious that the white heat of love on the altar of our inner sanctuary dissipates the heavy, clogging vibrations directed against us. In such consciousness is found a power well-nigh omnipotent.

The Divine Law is clearly illustrated in the scriptural narrative of Lot and his family. Here we are told the story of a great city, which, because of the constant dwelling in the minds of its citizens of thoughts of lust had become so degraded as to bring upon itself a sentence of destruction. God, however, was just and could not permit anything that would be unjust to a single Soul. Accordingly, He offered safety to the inhabitants if only a few godly Souls could be found in the vast city, these few being potent to protect the rest.

Here is the symbol of the potential power possessed by a clean, exalted, highly developed Soul in the sight of God. However, in that great city there were none righteous except Lot and his family, and the destruction of the city was delayed until Lot and his family were safely away from the city. Here is the evidence that one Soul, pure in its motives, filled with love and forgiveness, is frequently sufficiently powerful to set at naught the combined forces of millions of Souls wholly imbued with evil.

From this, it is not to be concluded that the awakened and conscious Soul is free from apparent failure and sorrow. Man, irrespective of his greatness and goodness, dwells in this material sphere because of his need for further experience and the necessity of greater purification. Through failures and resulting sorrows he is induced to seek the cause thereof and to eliminate it; he gains in wisdom and becomes enlightened. Each and every adverse experience becomes a benefactor and not something to dread and evade; he finally succeeds because he refuses defeat.

When he has succeeded under such conditions, he is indeed a free man, a son of the Father. In the final reckoning, his earthly mission has not been a failure, but a worthy and exemplary success. We are not promised protection against adversity and struggles; but guidance and strength in the midst of them, The Divine Law teaches us to use the undesirable as stepping stones by means of which we may climb to greater heights, to more exalted planes, and to a clearer vision of the truth.

These are the principles leading to freedom from every form of evil - not merely the evil sent out by malicious or self-seeking minds. Do not think it possible to become free, happy and strong through any other means than obedience to the Law of Love and Service. Nor is it, after all, so difficult to attain this plane. Once we are fully convinced that only the good is truly lasting, the work is already largely accomplished. This is the thought making us free; protecting us from all that is non-good.
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