Evening star., 1923-01-06
Depicts the, Part Imagination
Plays in Gaining Self-Mastery
Coue Says Viii Is Not the InUincibIe
Force 1t Is Supposed to Be--Discusses
applied Autosuggestion.


know that, in actual fact, it is an
order resulting from mere sugges-
tion which is transmitted through the
nervous system and translated into
action at a speed. Infinitely greater
than that of lightning.
Thousands of examples of the power
of Imagination may be found in every
day life. There is the one given by
Pascal, and so often cited, but which
l cannot help repeating here, because
1t is such a perfect illustration. No
one would have the slightest difficulty
in walking along a foot-wide plank
placed on the ground. But put the
same plank across a street at the
height of one of your American sky
scrapers. Blondel himself would not
have dared trust himself on 1t. Any
one who did would assuredly fall to
death. No clearer proof of the power
of an idea could be desired. There is.
however, another striking example in
the impunity with which sleepwalkers
perform the most pertlous feats, such
as wandering about on roof, hug
ging the extreme edge of 1t. to the
terror of their friends who may
happen to perceive them. II awaken
ed suddenly a sleepwalker in such a
position would inevitably fall.
Another Instance Cited.
Here is another. DR.. Pinaud in his
book, de la Philisophie ct de la
Longevite." relates that in the middle
of a large dinner party the cook
rushed in to announce that she had
made a mistake and mixed arsenic
with the food instead of some other
ingredient! Several persons we're
Immediately seized with pains and
cook came back to say that it was
false alarm; there had been no such
dreadful error!
1 have said enough to prove the
irresistible influence of the idea, or
imagination. over the physical or
ganism. 1t determines pain, move
ment, emotions, sensations. Its effect
is both moral and physical. We may
logically conclude, therefore, that
human ailments, which are nothing
but disturbance of the natural
equilibrium of all the elements of our
being, can be cured by the right kind
of Idea or suggestion.
To begin with, there is in every
disease, of no matter what nature,
moral factor which no doctor can
AFFORD to ignore. Some medical au-
thorities in France estimate this
moral factor as representing from
40 to SO per cent of the chances of
recovery. A patient who says to him.
self Il am getting better" vastly in
creases his vital forces and hastens
his recovery. BY gently putting our
imagination on the right track we
are sure of aiding nature, who mani
tests herself through the medium OF
our subconscious self. The instinct
of self-preservation is but a mani
festation of nature. AT the first
sound of alarm she hastens to the
rescue. 4 cut finger, or other wound,
Is followed by rush of red globules
to the injured part. That wonderful
-anI Cy.sx ~ a
it knows and commands every move
ment of our being, every contraction
OF our heart, the minuteSt vibration
of every cell in our organism. 1t is
the sublime instrument which we are
so apt to misuse by allowing bad.
disturbing or discouraging thoughts
to interfere with its work. instead of
allowing Ii to function smoothly and
harmoniously.
Discusses Alleged Miracles.
Miracles are attributed to the fakirs
OF India. Legend or tact, j know not,
but 1t is certainly true that they do
some most wonderful things simply
because they are taught from their
infancy to know and make use of the
limitless unseen and yet unexplained
forces latent in us-which can be
awakened by thought.
am often asked: What are the
limitations of autosuggestion? i re-
ply, really do not know. The cures
/ have seen have appeared sometimes
SO amazing, so incredible, that I de-
cline theoretically to place any limit
insist nothing must be expected from
autosuggestion which Is obviously
outside the domain of material possi-
bilities. For instance, II would be
absurd to ask for the growth of
new arm or a new leg. despite the
fact that the lobster seems to know
how to grow new claw when it is
necessary
There are persons who by long
practice and concentration have ac-
CURED an amazing power over. their
bodily functions. Cases are known to
the medical faculty of Paris of men
able to increase at will the speed of
their heartbeatS from 90 To 120, or
diminish IT to such a degree that the
heart seems almost to stop still.
VIII Detail Actual Cases.
In another article 1 shall talk of
the diseases actually cured by auto
suggestion, and in general of it's
sphere of curative possibilities. Let
it be thoroughly realized that thought,
or suggestion. is able to moil the hu-
man body. as a sculptor chlsels his
than Bernheim believed when he
wrote: Suggestion is an idea which
can be transformed into action
Certain 1t is that cases declared to
be incurable have been cured by auto
suggestion. And not only diseases of
functional nature. Sores and
wounds of long standing which had
resisted all other treatments have
been healed rapidly by suggestion.
Was 1t not DIR. Carnot who said "the
wounds of victorious soldiers heal
more rapidly than those of the van
Quished?"
/ can declare without hesitation
that whatever the illness the practice
of rational autosuggestion will al
ways effect an appreciable improve
ment in the patients condition, even
IL the disease itself be materially in
durable.
Copyright, 1923. United States. Great Brit
ain, Canada and South America by North
American Newspaper Alliance and New York
World (Press Publishing Company. All rights
reserved. Unlicensed reproduction In full or
in part expressly prohibited.)
--S