Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-02-21
THINKING TOO MUCH.
Danger of Overexertion of the Brain
Pointed Out by Specialist
Give It a Rest.

The brain is mans most faithful
friend and would be mans best com
panion if he understood it BETTER" said a
prominent specialist.
4 use the word brain to comprehend
what we term the mind and the process
OF thinking. and not as physical object
or medium which directs our actions or
through which we, or the animate spirit,
directs us, just as theorists please to take
tive will look upon it as a thing with
which he may hold communion and pro-
coed upon that hypothesis.
"On the stage the prize idiot in the
east, usually a young nobleman or
dude, always raises a laugh when with
vacant stare and set features he
I speaks his lines about the effort of think
ing and the Wearying effect such Il men
tai process produces upon his physical
being. He really speaks a greater truth
than either he or the audience takes in,
for thinking is an effort, be the thought
III itself ever so frothy and ephemeral,
and could we lessen the process of
thought at will, as an engineer applies
the air brakes to his train, much of the
trouble and disease in life would vanish
like the meadow vapor before the rays
of the rising sun.
1t is this impossible process entirely
to still what is called the thinking proc
| ess which is one of the most interesting
studies of the specialist. for it is. plainly
speaking, the inability of the individual
to eliminate certain thoughts, or a certain
thought, from the brain cells, or to still
| it into inactivity, which fills the insane
asylums, produces nervous wrecks in OH
er individuals and causes trouble, con-
! fusion and chaos all around in everyday
| life
persons to whom this fact appeals
| should endeavor to take their own brain
| into communion with their own selves;
| to set it up as another person, with
whom they may hold converse, and the
objective and subjective mind admits of
this through conscious action, and in
| some happy and fortunate individuals
| through unconscious action.
"A little practice will make this pos
! sible to the student, though his progress
will be by degrees and not in one jump.
! He should first understand that thinking
is largely a matter of habit; that the
| brain is one of the most willing organs
in his body at his command, and, hon
! est and faithful as it is to him, will
| spond to his calls upon it. He should
therefore give it as much needed rest as
possible by the process of sleep, and
during waking hours by not calling upon
it for thought except when necessary.
The average person will put in a tremen-
| dous amount of unnecessary thought of
| IOII upon tLe SllupleSI CIV yOdy ndLIcl
of life.
Again, he will allow his objective
| mind to cling to one or several thoughts
with persistent tenacity. In this event he
wears out particular cells of his best
friend and where this habit is main
| tanned he often becomes nuisance to his
friends and family by developing into
what is termed crank; and at times
| he eXhausts these same cells in this man
ner and lands in the asylum.
Most people use their brains too
much, either in utter idle waste or in
| overconcentrated work and when their
| best friend begins to show mild resent
ment by showing signs of fatigue they
ply it with StimulantS which science or
! the distillery have placed at their dis
posal. Even under these mean circum-
stances the brain, Disguised though it is
with such shabby treatment, goes on do
| ing the best it can for it's owner until
| temporary insensibility, insanity or death
| enSueS.
1T will be found that co-opera ton with
| the brain in the process of sitting
! thought is not as difficult as would be
| supposed, for the brain will remain
quiescent if you will only permit it, and
become strengthened thereby, just as it
| will respond to the limit of exhaustion
when called upon. This theory is very
! easily evolved into successful practice
and / commend it to men of active
minds, especially professional men, for it
will be found to lessen nervous tension,
! soothe the temper, promote the appetite
! and produce good nature in otherwise
| nervous. touchy and dlsagreeable peo-
| pie. ''-Washington Star.