this gaze most helpful to you. It will have the further effect of causing the eye to appear fuller, by increasing the space between the eyelids.
Exercise 2. You may supplement the first exercise with the following, which will add variety, relieve the monotony, and accustom you to gaze into the eyes of others without embarrassment. Stand in front of your mirror and gaze into the reflection of your own eyes, in the manner mentioned in Exercise No. 1. Increase the time as in the previous exercise. This exercise will accustom you to bear the gaze of others, and also will enable you to obtain the best expression of the eye, and in other ways will be useful to you. It will enable you to see the growth and development of the characteristic expression of your eye when it is acquiring the magnetic gaze. By all means practice this exercise, systematically. Some authorities prefer this exercise to the preceding one, but, in my opinion, the best results are obtained by a combination of the two.
Exercise 3. Stand erect, facing the wall at a distance of three feet. Place your sheet of paper in front of you, with the spot directly in front of the eyes. Fix your gaze upon the spot, and then move your head around in a circle, keeping your gaze fixed upon the spot. As this exercise causes the eyes to roll around and keeping the gaze steady, the nerves and muscles receive considerable exercise. Vary the exercise by circling the head in different directions. Use the exercise mildly at first, and avoid tiring the eyes.
Exercise 4. Stand with you back against the wall, and, facing toward the opposite wall, shift your gaze rapidly from one point of the wall to another - right, left, up, down, zigzag, circle, etc. This exercise should be discontinued when the eyes begin to feel tired, the best plan for concluding the exercise being to gaze intently at one point, which will rest the eyes after the previous motion. This exercise is calculated to strengthen the muscles and nerves of the eye.
Exercise 5. After having acquired a firm gaze, you will gain confidence by persuading a friend to allow you to practice your gaze upon him. Place your friend in a chair opposite your own; sit down and gaze calmly, steadily and firmly into his eyes, instructing him to look at you as long as he can. You will find that you will easily tire him out, and that by the time he cries "enough" he will be in an almost hypnotic condition. If you have a hypnotic subject, he (or she) will answer still better. You also may try the strength of your gaze on a dog, cat or other animal, provided that you are able to induce it to stand still or lie still. You will find, however, that most animals will move away, or turn the head, in order to avoid you steady gaze.
You of course will distinguish between a steady, calm gaze, and an impudent stare. The first is indicative of the man of strong psychical power whilst the latter denotes the cad.
You will find, at first, that your strong, steady gaze may somewhat disconcert those with whom you come in contact, and may embarrass those at whom you are directing your gaze, causing them to become uneasy and "rattled" You will soon accustom yourself to your new power, and will use it discreetly, so as to avoid embarrassment to others whilst producing an effect on them.
I would caution you against discussing or speaking of your eye exercises, or practice of Personal Magnetism, to others, as that course would result only in making people suspicious of you, and in other ways proving a serious detriment to the proper use of your powers of influencing people. Keep your own secrets, and let your force manifest itself by results, not by boasting. In addition to these reasons, there are good occult reasons why you should keep your own council about your new accomplishments. A neglect to observe this advice will be a source of regret to you. Take your time in practicing these exercises, and do not rush things unduly. Follow Nature's rule and develop your power gradually but surely.
The Volic Force
Distinction between the adductive Quality of Thought and the Volic Force – Varying manifestations of thought vibrations - Definition of Volation and Volic Force - A most potent force - The real man - The "I Am"- Its recognition - Its importance - Man attains hither to unknown powers - The Soul of Man - The will - The secret of the development of the will - Active and Passive mentation - The projection of thought waves.
In the preceding lessons, I have given you an explanation of the manner whereby one person may attract another, in a personal interview, by means of the power of suggestion, etc. The person thus making the impression upon another is aided in his work by two other forces. The first of these assisting forces is what is known as the Adductive Quality of Thought, of which I will speak in subsequent lessons; the second is the Volative influence of the mind of one person over the mind of another. There is a marked difference in these two manifestations of the power of the mind. In the first instances, the Adductive Quality of Thought, once being set in motion, affects others without a conscious effort of your mind; your mere thinking strongly of certain things, setting a mighty force in motion which influences others. In the case of Volation, the mental vibrations are sent out and impelled by the conscious exercise of the will power of the sender, and are directed toward some special object; when the impelling power is withdrawn, the vibrations cease.
I find no term in general use, which is especially applicable to this form of thought force, and I do not desire to continue to speak of it as "the conscious effort of the will, producing thought- vibrations, and impelling the same toward a given object." I am driven, by necessity, to the coining of a name to express this idea. I shall, accordingly, hereafter use the term Volation, to indicate the idea above defined, the said word being derived from the Latin word Volos, the will. This word must not be confounded with Volition, meaning the free exercise of the will in making a choice. I shall also use the term VOLIC (from the same source), meaning "of the will." The Volic power is one of nature's most potent forces, and at the same time is the least understood. It is exerted, more or less, unconsciously by all men. Some are aware of its effects without understanding the laws of its production and development. It may be greatly increased by intelligent practice and training, if one will devote to the task the necessary time and effort. I will give you exercises for the proper development of this power, in the lesson on Concentration.
To be able to make intelligent use of the Volic Force, it is necessary to understand the real nature of the will; and to understand the real nature of the will; you must realize what is the real MAN.
Many of us have been in the habit of thinking of the Ego - the "I" of ourselves - as merely the physical body. This is the materialistic point of view. Others think of their "I" as a mental creature having control of the body, and having his abode in the brain. This is partially correct, but is only half the truth. Others realize that there is a "higher self" in the man, and a few have recognized that "higher self," and live in accord with its dictates. The real Ego, or "I," is as much higher than Mind, as Mind is higher than the body; and both body and mind are subordinate to it. Both are its tools and are used for its work, when it sees fit to use them. The real self is that which we feel when in times of reverie and introspection, we think or say, "I AM." All of us have felt this consciousness of the real self, at certain times in our lives, but have failed to realize its full importance. Lay down this book for a few moments, and, relaxing the muscles of your body and assuming a passive state of mind, think quietly and calmly on the words "I AM," and endeavor to picture your real self, superior to both mind and body. If you have secured the proper state of mind and body, you will perceive a glimmer of the presence of the real self within you. Continue the practice. It will awaken in your mind a perception of the truth. Nothing can injure or destroy the real self. The body and mind may pass away, but the "I AM" is eternal, and impregnable to harm. It is powerful, and, when the mind has learned to adapt itself to its influence, man becomes like another being, and acquire hither to unknown powers.
The purpose of this series of lessons does not permit me to dwell at length upon this subject. Its importance demands a work of many volumes to do it even faint justice, but I wish, at this point, to direct
