Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/83

 under the operator's control, and not till then. When I speak of the harmonic action of one system upon another, it will be perceived that I speak of the relative measure or length of the nerve-undulation which passes between one mind and another. In the nerve-plane there is this method of addressing the nervous perceptions by external means—by language, by signs, by pantomimic representations. And there is the internal method corresponding to inspiration, which consists in coming into nervous sympathy and receiving nervous sensations one from another. A sensitive person looking upon a wound shrinks from beholding the sight, and there are real sensations experienced in his nervous system which have been produced, not because a nerve-influence has acted upon him, but because he has seen the wound. The impression first fell upon his conscious perceptions, and then went to his feelings, which is analogous to the principle that the idea first comes into the thought, and thence reaches the feelings.

In the second plane—the mental or Spiritual plane—the same law prevails. There is the external method of addressing the mind, and there is also an internal method. The external is the method by which the mind is addressed first through the thought, and the internal is that by which the mind is addressed through the feelings. These two methods obtain in the whole plane of manifestation. If I wish to communicate with you, I must adopt one of these two methods; and if I am not in spiritual or nervous rapport with you, I must adopt one of the methods of external communication, and address you by signs or outward represent