THE SECRETS OF ANIMAL MAGNETISM, MESMERISM, CLAIRVOYANCY MIND and READING HOW TO DEVELOP THE MAGNETIC POWER WITH CHAPTERS ON Thought Reading and Mental A Impressions::^ -BY-".- *• * •* .• *. » t ♦ JOHN D. BARNES Publishers THE PROGRESSIVE PUBLISHING CO. CHICAGO *H $ CO CLASS «^XX«u Wo- 7 copy «. Copyright 1903 by PROGRESSIVE PUBLISHING CO. Chicago, 111. V PREFACE. Many works have been heretofore published on the subject of Magnetism, Mesmerism, and other mysterious powers. The public mind has been awakened to the fact that these powers do exist, and as we advance with time, as those who read and think over what they read, the believers in the existence of these powers are growing steadily in numbers, and were those who have been con- vinced, many of them against a strong prejudice, of the power of the mysterious, they would number a vast army, and among its ranks would be found many of the fore- most thinkers of the day. In the preparation of this work the author has spent many weary months in the researches of Scientific and Historical records, and has endeavored to present the records thus obtained in a concisely published form, and he thereby is enabled to furnish it at a price within the reach of all. History informs us that the principles of Sympathetic or Animal Magnetism were known to the Ancients, but their practices were enshrouded in mystery . The Egyptian Priests used this knowledge in the per- formance of the holy rites of their office, and candidates for holy orders were initiated in its mysteries. It was also made use of by these holy men for the cure of dis- ease, and that celebrated Savant, Gregory Bishop of Tours used this power of Sympathetic Fascination when he declared to those who undertook the pilgrimage to the tombs: "Behold I say unto you, any person, whom- soever he may be, coming to these holy sepulchers, who shall come in faith and prayer, shall be speedily cured of whatsoever illness he shall be possessed." Let us but stop and consider the proofs of the exist- ence of Magnetism as shown in the every day walk of life. Let one of a numerous company give way to laughter, or, if you please, yawning, is it not contagious? Does it not affect others in a more or less degree? Then, again, is it not daily demonstrated how easily one may overcome the anger of another by observing a calm self- possession. Reference is made in this work to the use of Mesmerism as a cure for the simpler ailments to which the human flesh is heir to, but the author would not be understood as advocating the non-use of medical practitioners, but that its practice will serve as a great aid in performing cures, there can be no doubt in the minds of many thinking persons who will honestly, and without prejudice, peruse these pages. The author in conclusion asks your kind consideration of his work, firm in the belief that in its pages you will find both pleasure and great profit. PRACTICAL TEACHINGS OF AND CLAIRVOYANCY MESMERISM PRACTICAL TEACHINGS Clairvoyancy Mesmerism # HOW TO DEVELOP THE MAGNETIC POWER. I To all would say, cultivate and develop the Magnetic power within you to the greatest extent, and render yourself impervious to all other im- if pressions ; this is essential you mean to be a good mesmerist, or else in experimenting when others are present, you may be impressed yourself, and your experiment would then come to a ridicu- lous and premature termination. In the first place avoid strong and intoxicating drinks, spirituous liquors are particularly bad ; cleanse your body thoroughly every week or often er with warm water, rubbing the skin well dry with a rough towel afterwards. Avoid heavy eating and meats of hard digestion, as these render the faculties dull and heavy, the stomach drawing support from the brain to enable it to digest the food. PRACTICAL TEACHINGS OF Avoid anger, fear and passion of every kind ; keep yourself calm, thoughtful, and let your diet be light and easy of digestion, and consisting mostly of fruits or vegetables. If you are diseased or ill, do not Mesmerize at all until you are quite well, or you will inflict a sad injury upon your subject or patient. The healthy may Mesmerize the sick, and with great advantage to the latter, but do not let the sick Mesmerize the healthy. By attending to the foregoing, and keeping your mind calm and collected and attaining to " what is generally called Self possession/ ' you will augment the Magnetic power within you to the greatest possible extent. Then again, in your actions, do not let yourself be persuaded by others, unless you are in the wrong, when it is manly and honorable to confess it, but not otherwise, for it allows the Magnetism of another to overcome your own, and tends to make you "negative," which you should be most careful to avoid. Therefore always aim at per- suading others. The next two points are very important First, ; the Eyes ; these must be practiced so as to render them searching and piercing, and able to with- stand the intent gazing of any other person. To do this it is necessary to gaze steadfastly at objects MESMERISM AND CLAIRVOYANCY. without wavering the eye and as long as possible ; the morning is considered the best time for this practice the mind being then fresh and free from the day's cares. At first the eyes become suffused with water, after which they will gain strength, and you will be enabled to gaze intently at any- thing for any length of time without inconveni- ence. This cultivation of the gaze is very neces- sary. The next point is the cultivation of the mind and the concentration of the thoughts and ideas. To have this power in perfection you should conjure up from memory, some past event of which you have some slight recollection, then turn your attention to it with all the power you possess, and draw it in your mind as though it were present with you, think it steadily over and picture everything in your mind clearly. This concentration of the mind and the thoughts, should be steadily and persistently per- severed in until, after a while, past scenes may be reviewed mentally with all the vivacity and reality of the present. In developing thought-reading this is very necessary. It may be a little difficult at the first, but it is very essential, and may be soon mastered by per- severence. PRACTICAL TEACHINGS OF HOW TO MESMERIZE AND OPERATE ON OTHERS. The following from Dr. Gregory of Mesmeric I celebrity, have found the best method, so will give it : "If you try the experiment of drawing the points of the fingers of your right hand, without contact, but very near, over the hands of several persons, downward from the wrist, the hands of the persons being held with the palms upwards, and your fingers either all abreast, or one following the other, and repeat this, slowly, several times, you will most probably find one or more, who very distinctly perceive a peculiar sensation, which is not always the same in different persons, some will feel a slight warmth, others a pricking, some will feel a tingling, and others a numbness such ; as perceive these sensations most distinctly, may then be tested, and will be found, probably, very if clear and consistent with themselves, even blindfolded, but sometimes blindfolding produces at once a state of nervous disturbance, most un- favorable to clear perception. " You may now, having found a person suscepti- ble to a certain extent, proceed to try the effects of passes, made slowly with both your hands down- wards, from the crown of the head downwards, over the face to the pit of the stomach, or even down to the feet, avoiding contact, but keeping as near as possible without contact or you may ; make the passes laterally, and so downward over the arms. "It is necessary to act with a cool and deter-