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CHAPTER XIII. PRACTICE OF SUGGESTIVE HEALING.

In our last chapter we showed how the Body might be affected by Mental States and how the Mind affected the physical being, through the medium of the Instinctive Mind. And, we have called your attention to the fact that just as the physical condition might be, adversely affected by mental conditions, so might it be favorably affected in the same way. Health is contagious as well as Disease, and "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," applies as well to Right-thinking as to Wrong-thinking. And upon this theory or fact, is based the practice of Suggestive Therapeutics.

The task before the practitioner of Suggestive Therapeutics is that of restoring normal mental conditions to those who have dropped into the habit of abnormal thinking about their bodies ; and also to bring about normal conditions by means of the influence of the mind over the cells and parts composing the body. As we have stated, the principal difference between the practice of Mental Healing, and Suggestive Therapeutics consists in the manner of applying the treatment. In Mental Healing, there is little or no verbal suggestions, the healing work if I being done along the lines of Thought-transference or Telepathy. But in Suggestive Therapeutics, the treatment is given to the mind of the patient by means of verbal suggestions or words of the healer. Of course, even in Suggestive treatment the Thought of the healer operates directly upon the mind of the patient, along the lines of Mental Healing, as well as by means of the verbal suggestion. The average Suggestionist will not admit this fact, but it is true nevertheless, and in fact it has very much to do with the cure. The verbal suggestion is often necessary in order to make the deep impression upon the minds of some patients, but the healing mental force goes along with the suggestions, whether or not the healer is conscious of it. The fact that there is a great difference in the work of several suggestionists, in spite of the fact that they are all following the same method and even using the same words, will go toward proving this idea.

Now, right here at the beginning, in order that there may be no misunderstanding, let us say that Suggestive Therapeutics, pure and simple, has no connection with Hypnotic Suggestion or Hypnotism. Of course, there are suggestionists who combine the two, but there is no use in it, and much to be urged against it. Hypnotism plays no real part in the practice of Suggestive Therapeutics. Hypnotists have found that when they obtained the hypnotic condition, they could suggest Health to their patients with effect, and they naturally supposed that hypnosis was a necessary precedent to the treatment and cure. But investigators have proven that the suggestions are just as effective when given to the patient when he is wide awake and conscious, and when there is no attempt to produce a condition of hypnosis. We urge upon our readers to divorce the idea of Hypnosis from that of Suggestive Therapeutics, in their minds. There is no real connection between them, and there are many, reasons why they should not be confounded with each other.

And, now that we have formed an idea of what Suggestive Therapeutics may do, and what it is, let us turn our attention to the methods of applying the treatment.

Receptivity of the Patient. The best results in giving Suggestive treatments, are obtained when the patient is Induced to manifest a receptive attitude of condition of mind. Just as when one wishes to talk earnestly to another about some matter of importance, he seeks to have his hearer in a quiet, thoughtful mood, rather than in the midst of worries perplexities, business cares, etc., when his attention is diverted away from the subject under discussion just so should the healer endeavor to have his patient maintain a calm, relaxed, peaceful frame of mind during the treatment.

Attention. The patient should be induced to give the healer his entire attention, as the measure of the effect of the treatment depends largely upon the degree of attention given, and obtained. Consequently, it is well to get the patient quieted down, before beginning the actual treatment. The healer may talk to him in a quiet low tone of voice, bidding the patient relax every muscle and take the tension from every nerve. He should adapt the conversation to the individual requirements of the patient, speaking only of those things calculated to promote quietness and calmness of mind, and to carefully avoid subjects likely to arouse antagonism and argument. Remember, you are not there to convert the patient to any particular belief of yours - you are to cure him. Let your manner and conversation be Soothing and Quieting.

Voice. The Healer should pay much attention to cultivating a good " Suggestive Voice."

It is difficult to describe just what is meant by this term, but a few words of explanation may be of value. We do not mean. that the Healer should endeavor to become a skilled elocutionist, but we do mean that he should be able to throw feeling and earnestness into his tone. He should endeavor to have his Thought and Desire so permeate his tone that the vibrations may be felt by the patient. His tone should be Vibrant and Strong not necessarily loud, but possessed of that peculiar quality that we call Strength. The words should fairly vibrate, and penetrate into the mind of the patient. A mental state of forgetting one's self, and concentrating the whole mind on the meaning of the words used will produce the result practice, of course, improving the gift and faculty. The tone should be "Intense."

The following exercises will aid the Suggestor:

Imagine yourself as treating a patient by Suggestion. Imagine the patient as sitting in a chair in front of you, or else, reclining on a couch with you standing or sitting by his side. Then give him the suggestions applicable to his case, telling him just what result to expect to accomplish, and telling him firmly and positively that the result "WILL be accomplished. Pick out the key-words of the suggestion that is the strong, vibrant words that you wish to stand out in his mind during and after the treatment, and practice repeating them until you feel that they are vibrant and intense, with the real meaning and intent.

Take the word "STRONG," for instance for it is a word that should be used frequently in suggestive treatment. Repeat the word several times, increasing the intensity and earnestness at each repetition, thus : "Strong; Strong; STRONG; STRONG. Practice until yon can fairly feel the vibration of the word throughout your entire being until the word actually objectifies the Thought behind it. Then take the word "WELL," and practice upon it in the same way. You must not repeat the words like a phonoghaph, or parrot, but must endeavor to FEEL what you are saying.

Practice this frequently, and you will begin to find that you will acquire -a Vibrant Suggestive tone, that will make your words ring with intensity, and cause them to be felt by the patient. Let the two words, Earnestness and Intensity be ever before you in acquiring the Suggestive Voice.

The Eye. The Suggestionist should cultivate a firm, earnest gaze of the eye. Not a stare, but a firm powerful gaze. This may be acquired by gradual practice and thought. A person always gazes earnestly at a thing that holds his attention, so if you will train yourself to look with interest and attention, you will find that the proper gaze will come to you without any further special attention. We advise the cultivation of this gaze, not with the idea of any hypnotic influence, or anything of that source, but with the idea of concentrating the thought, and holding the attention of the patient. Besides this, it is calculated to create confidence in the mind of the patient who feels more or less uncertain and who lacks confidence. And without confidence on the part of the patient, healing by any method or system is rendered more difficult, for in such cases the patient pulls against the healer instead of with him.

The Mental Attitude of the Healer. The Suggestive Healer should cultivate a Mental Attitude of Earnestness. He should not be a trifler. He should have the best interests of the patient at heart, and in so doing his own best interests will be served.

He should act with a purpose, and not scatter his efforts and life in petty non-essentials. We do not mean to indicate that the healer should follow a life of all work and no play quite the contrary, for we believe that Work, Play and Best, are equal necessities to the normal man. We do mean, however, that he should see his purpose, and move accordingly.

He should be Concentrated in his work. A wandering attention and lack of concentration is fatal to good suggestive work. Not only do the suggestions fail to have the proper effect, but the patient subtly feels that something is lacking, and he does not receive the proper vibrations. Use the Will and hold the Mind down to its work.

He should have confidence in himself, and if this be lacking he should build up that confidence by a practice of Auto-suggestion or affirmation. For unless one have confidence in himself, he cannot expect others to have it. Confidence is contagious, and so is lack of it. Remember that.

Position of the Patient. The patient should be placed in an easy, comfortable position. A reclining, or Morris chair, or a couch, is the best thing to use in bringing about the easy condition of physical comfort. The patient should be taught to relax his muscles, the best way to teach same being to ask the patient to allow his hand to be "limp," and then raising it, the healer should allow it to drop of its own weight to the chair, telling the patient to allow an equally relaxed condition to prevail all over the body. Use the suggestion: "Now make yourself perfectly comfortable easy, easy, easy easy and comfortable easy and comfortable, "the suggestion acting not only to cause the physical ease and relaxation, but also the mental relaxation and withdrawal of tension from the nerves.

The healer should either sit beside the patient on a low stool, or else stand by his side, or back of him. Use your own intuition in these matters, as there are no invariable rules necessary to be observed.

Repetition. One of the axioms of Suggestive Therapeutics is that "Suggestions gain increased force by repetition." A constant repetition of the suggestions fastens it firmly upon the mind of the patient, therefore the healer should repeat the key-word of the suggestion again and again not so as to become monotonous but in a different arrangement of words, remembering to bring the key-word, or principal suggestion into each new arrangement. Remember that planting a suggestion is like attacking a fort. It must be attacked from all sides, and so a repetition of the suggestion in different forms is important. In repeating the suggestion, let the key-word ring out strong and vibrant.

Surroundings. The treatment should be given, so far as is possible, amidst surroundings that do not tend to distract the patients attention from the suggestions. Endeavor to shut out all outside noises and sights, so thatthe sense of hearing of the patient may be focussed and concentrated upon: the suggestions that are being given him or her. Pull down the blinds of the room, so as to produce a state of semi-darkness or dusk. These things have a great psychological importance.

Picturing the Expected Condition. In giving the suggestions, it is important to picture in the mind of the patient, the desired condition that is the condition that you wish to bring about. Lead him up to it by degrees, picturing each, process of the expected cure, and winding up with a mental picture of Mm restored to health. In the General Treatment given a little later on, you will see just what we mean. We mention it here that you may understand why the picture is given. Thought takes form in action, and the mind of the patient closely following the picture, in treatment after treatment, unconsciously causes the physical to manifest the suggested thought-picture.

General Remarks. There is no special magic in the words uttered by the suggestionist, and the whole virtue of the suggestive treatment lies in the Thought behind the words. To the degree that this thought is taken and absorbed by the patient, is the degree of the success of the treatment. Therefore it follows that the degree of success lies in the degree of Energy and Earnestness that the healer puts into his thought, and the degree of Earnestness and Energy whereby the thought is conveyed by the words and otherwise from healer to patient. Of course there is a constant mental or telepathic transmission of the Thought, but the effect is heightened by the strong suggestive words of the healer, and the combination of the two is a powerful one. The patient's mind should be constantly directed to the conditions expected and hoped to be realized, and therefore this

IMPORTANT RULE.

Never make any reference to the diseased condition during your suggestions, but always speak of the condition as you wish it to be. Lead the mind away from the present condition, and place it upon the expected condition. You thereby place an ideal in the mind of the patient, which he will, unconsciously, endeavor to live up to.

Do not neglect to observe the above rule, for it is most important. Make no negative suggestions or " denials," but always make positive suggestions or "affirmations." For instance, do not suggest: "You are not weak, etc.", but on the contrary suggest, repeatedly, "You are Strong." Do you see the difference? The reason lies in the fact that by repeating the word of the thing you would deny, you really affirm its existence, and direct the mind of the patient to it.

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