The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-25
MANS SUBLIMINAL SELF.
.n, OTHER HIDDEN NAIURB THAT
the sERTs ITSELF SOMBTIMEs.

ID. !. .,a Their O~rigin-Peopie Who
49, More Than ose Conseio-rness-
....op.,biiit OF One Self Tor Asosher.
...o. Of personality have from time Inn
%.,,., been observed, wondered ~. ana
m".,,mes regarded with fear As being super
"".n,.I. Thi. view was taken By the anoisnus'
~ ,hom the phenomenon OF an sitereu ego
E....,ed as possession by cvi spirits. LAtor'
sppe ~ personality was classified ~ tempo
cnans.a,,v and not until Ribot, Janet, Richet,
rs' rrIn, and other eminent psychologists
hss.n Tho study OF 1t was It properly classified.
", ...s Of hypnotic subjects. IL was clearly
m ~. that some OF them possessed two and
snV" ~. di.tiuct consciousness = patient OF
N ,.ost. who was normally Madame B.,
rty"w.red to tho name Of Ltonie, being In
s,,, ~ublimina consciousness quite . differ
"...,,on. Leontine. and In tho second sub
,.,n.I consciousness or third personality .
i.n, d,sersnt person. Leonore. or these pcr-
".,,,,.. I4onic was conscious only OF her
~. t~sont,ne recognized the existence of
sna,ts though rs a different person. but know
ns,hInv Of Leonore; while Leonore recognized
I'll I sontine and Leonie. and knew nothing
- any deeper personality. II deeper person.
.,uv there we're. The rule holds good In all
.,.,, that each consciousness knows nothing
s,.nv .ublimlnal consciousness further down
tina srale. Dut eNtty
...oapi,es the personalities above II In the
.s.i. Including the original personality.
s,a,tlns from the basis Of knowledge afforded
=. IN. hypnotic experimenters, DIR. X. OsRood
Mason Of this city has written q monograph
.,,,,led Alternating Personalities; Their ORR
lin and Medico.L Legal Aspect" which Is ~ once
careful consideration OF the problems arising
=, dealing with u b-personality. and . plea for
-,dsr. deeper, and moro general study than has
70, been given to the subject by the medical
nrofessiou. DIR. Mason, As an expert In mental
al.,.e., q student Of hypnotism. and q psycho.-
ori,t, has q large experience upon the subject.
n. elassiae, the conditions under which the
,ub,imlnal self has appeared. as follows:
II. There are tho cases Of distinctly alter
mating personalities. In which the change from
one to the other occurs suddenly and sponta-
n,ou,ly. and an entirely new personality comes
upon the scene, entirely sane, with perfect
tnowl.dge Of and In perfect harmony with its
environments, continuing not only for hours.
Int for months and even years, performing the
duties OF life In q wholly normal, useful, and
exemplary manner.
80. There is the very large class Of cases In
which the second personality or subliminal self
n brought to the surface by means Of hypnotism.
II IL this s%ubl!minai self which hears the sug-
restions made by the hypnotizer. and impressos
them upon tho primary self on Its return to
consciousness. 90 as to insure their fulnlment
a post-hypnotic suggestions. It is that. also,
e.usins such marked changes in digestion. cir.
%cuiation. and especially that Observation-Disclosures
90 the vaso-motor system which by suggestion
causes vesication. disqualification. and kindred
80. There are the startling phenomena which
occur In ordinary sleep, namely. mbulism
-. There is the large class of changes in per-
sonality a. well As intelligence brought about
BY recognized patholoEic conditions OF the
BESIDES these classes, there is the whole
ins. writing, and drawing: also Authorization
Of hearing voices and seeing Visions. all oi
which belong 10 the varied action and infu'
After considering briefly the nature and
source OF personality. the author goes on TO pro
pound his theory Of the cause OF subliminalc con
How did these various phases Of our person,
Atty, SO distinct and different claiming fol
themselves separate existences and names, conn
N,n, A. RibQt would describe personality b,
cS ,iss' p vSTatssoi nigh, l: d! ssaalSsp' the S't app %sT'
aneeof a second personality with the singl'
1T is a we'll. recognized fact that certain
clearly defined truths or characteristics. eithsI
physical or mental. existing In ancestors, neal
senersaon.. a, length crop out distinctly and
unmistAkaoly in . later one. Physical peculi
-,krttles or det0rmlNes. tenQency 10 certain dis
Vases. or peculiar mental characteristics Arr
frequently in this manner transposed: also 9
peculiar insight or Rrnius for certain pursuits
life, a military career. msthematlcs. music. act
iog. or scientific pursuits. existing IN . market
H indeed. % Be- 'I iaSer hssi d III csTo IN n. succeed % y,
generation. but on the other hand. IL may pas
ever one or more generations to appear In ~
unmistakable manner In q later one.
Suppose. for instance. that Ave generation,
back there appeared . man of marked and thor
D %ladsd. Oa moral ssirs sy.n ,iis,o married MsG TO . 5iEh =,
wnA yiliner OF morality and religion. proran,
and vicious in life. and interruptions In hi
which Immediately succeeded him came undel
Influences which. aided by inherited character
istics from the mother. led lives OF morality
gprightness. or even conspicuous piety. In tn
who, in the midst Of these moral ant
profanity. vicious life. and interruptions con
Duct, so identical with his remote ancestor o.
Sa this evil tenaency exist during the fou
intervening generations? Let US tap the mail
me between the two extrem" points and se'
"a1t ~iormati may be extracted.
iousiy Inclined woman. but Of unsound hsaltl
,cm. sudden .SocE an .vnsoe. psr I",s ~ coo,c taS.
recovery an entirely new and different person
original one. 1t processes to be . man, and +
nae norrar and eonstsrnAtion of the good peopl
uer sno commences 10 curse
70 WHY everything good. and uphold
senunients and. practices Of tho most of
iensiye and criminal character. This per
IN nae o chain OF memories and q persona
nnlory entirely foreign and unknown to tn
Urinary sell. but quite consistent with those q
SneIemote ancestor whom we have consid cred
nsh hour or day the primary consciousness
- returned. but there 10 not the slightee
Ah9wledge or recollection of tho characte
shieh she has represented In her second per
soIs,ty. and very likely the case Is diAgnose
Sumporary insanity; In . more primitive az
HMNuid have been called possession by an evl
ssRr.L II was In reality the strongly imp-esse
ns'acterlstics OF 4 distinct personality whic
~. IAN dormant In the subconsciou
~ ior three generations. now coming to tn
u..ace temporarily under favorinR circum
nnces IN the fourth. In another generation
sSSaiy appeared, an atavi.m. As the primar
iii IN usual personality. In like manner o person
,.uny VI CONSPICUOUS goodness or conspicuou
ma. w might pass over many generations q
a y or " evil-doers, and appear. q plea,
in,a,IsIh' AFTER one or many generations ha
ba an.heg' Less extreme personalities Nigh
mi,n, ''hed IN like manner. and more than on
esa. % impressed upon individuals In 'sut
msa,s generations, giving rise To the perple,
na,.o much debated condition OF multiple
o,5mith this view OF the origin and nature {
IA no, n as well rs alternating personalities.
asnan ulIncult 10 determine the medico-leRi
Itpe.tiIom which these cases should be vIewet
80, e,utn', Nrst, that The primarv self mui