Chart No. 1: The Vital Creative Flame

process, in the same manner as the gross physical deeds have gros s physical reactions, either pleasant or unpleasant, according to the deed.

Psychiatry is the art of bringing these troublesome impressions to the surface of the conscious mind in an endeavor to balance them with the other three conscious mind faculties of reasoning and discrimination, of thinking and of the executive action of the will to do something about it.

The process of Hypnosis, on the other hand, disconnects the three conscious mind faculties from the subconscious mind substance and substitutes another mind's control from the outside upon this field of neutral mind material, laden with impressions. Then, by means of suggestions or mental pattern projections into this unconscious energy material, the mind of the operator sets up blocks so the subject cannot reach the conscious mind. That is popularly considered a helpful, temporary measure by some advocates.

In reality, Hypnosis is worse than wishful thinking because it weakens the link of the individual's own mind power which is its natural positive pole over the negative subconscious reflex representations and their control. Such an individual only becomes weaker and further involved by not facing facts and working on the problem of directing his own vital mind energy, consciously, to watch what he thinks and sows now as well as to pull out a few weeds of the past while learning and struggling in this valley of tears.^[1]

Were it not for our previous neglect or ignorance of controlling this negative mind of our own, with all its loaded dice of scheming for pleasure and selfish gain, the conscious mind and the soul would not be conditioned thus now. Even if we don't remember, the facts are there and we merely seek an escape from them by lending the mind to hypnosis. How can we ever grow by postponing to face facts? How can we learn to govern our own serpent of mind power and all of its undulations of selfish and slinking impulses, but by directing the positive mind current consciously? Is strength ever gained anywhere without RESISTANCE AND EFFORT TO OVERCOME THE WEAKNESS?

It is true that the subconscious is the basic substance of the mind and is as unyielding in its impressions stored as seeds of weeds in the soil. Merely having them blocked out by forgetfulness is no cure at all. They are only covered up or hidden temporarily, like dirt under a rug, and will have to be faced eventually. In the meantime that poor mind becomes still more involved in ignorance, and further entangles itself in difficult situations and circumstances.

*****
¹ Or "veil of tears", a phrase used to describe the trials of daily life that can only be ended when one leaves the earth and enters the afterworld.