Changes

Thus, we find in the chronicles of Spiritualism several recorded cases, where the most ''anti''-mediumistical persons received the gift of mediumship after having been present at several seances, with a very powerful medium. It becomes evident thus, that this faculty can become contagious, like many nervous diseases. I am perfectly aware of the fact that from a physiological standpoint the above explanation is deficient; but it is hard to think of any other which could better describe the existing facts. I cannot accept the explanation of it, which Faraday attempted, some twenty years ago, —that it is simply an unconscious action of the muscles; or the profoundly absurd theory of “unconscious cerebration,” offered us by Carpenter; a theory that explains nothing at all.

Thus, we find in the chronicles of Spiritualism several recorded cases, where the most ''anti''-mediumistical persons received the gift of mediumship after having been present at several seances, with a very powerful medium. It becomes evident thus, that this faculty can become contagious, like many nervous diseases. I am perfectly aware of the fact that from a physiological standpoint the above explanation is deficient; but it is hard to think of any other which could better describe the existing facts. I cannot accept the explanation of it, which Faraday attempted, some twenty years ago, —that it is simply an unconscious action of the muscles; or the profoundly absurd theory of “unconscious cerebration,” offered us by Carpenter; a theory that explains nothing at all.

Music, it appears, helps much towards bringing into ''rapport, or ''perfect harmony of disposition, the persons present with their medium. At the seances at which I was present, we usually had a small music-box. The manifestations never failed to grow stronger and more definite, when it played, and generally decreased in power when it stopped; with the exception, of course, of those periodical ebbs and flows to which they are subject. Very often we found that the raps followed, or kept time to the airs played by our box, and once witnessed how the table actually and literally jumped for some moments, keeping time, as in a dance, to the sounds of a ''Khiva ''March. Very naturally, then, anything that will throw the harmonious relations of the circle into disorder, will arrest also the progress of the mediumistical phenomena*. Loud talking, quarrelling, some unexpected noise, or rapid, sharp, angular movements, all interfere with the phenomena or stop them altogether. I suppose it must be one of the reasons why nearly all spiritual seances are held in the evening, at which time all confusing outside noises die out.

Music, it appears, helps much towards bringing into ''rapport, or ''perfect harmony of disposition, the persons present with their medium. At the seances at which I was present, we usually had a small music-box. The manifestations never failed to grow stronger and more definite, when it played, and generally decreased in power when it stopped; with the exception, of course, of those periodical ebbs and flows to which they are subject. Very often we found that the raps followed, or kept time to the airs played by our box, and once witnessed how the table actually and literally jumped for some moments, keeping time, as in a dance, to the sounds of a ''Khiva ''March. Very naturally, then, anything that will throw the harmonious relations of the circle into disorder, will arrest also the progress of the mediumistical phenomena{{Footnote mark|*}}. Loud talking, quarrelling, some unexpected noise, or rapid, sharp, angular movements, all interfere with the phenomena or stop them altogether. I suppose it must be one of the reasons why nearly all spiritual seances are held in the evening, at which time all confusing outside noises die out.

The predisposition and state of mind of the persons forming the circle, have an enormous influence on its success, especially at the beginning of the seance, when the manifestations are in what might be termed a state of initiation or preparation. In such cases as I had the opportunity to observe, persons who are the most mediumistic should sit opposite each other, after which, those who are the more so must sit in turn opposite those who are most deficient in that power, thus establishing an equilibrium. I noted more than once how the manifestations were difficult to develop, or events produce themselves at all if the parties present were not carefully selected and placed each at his proper post. Spiritualists commonly leave the settlement of this question to the table itself, but at the beginning of a seance, its directions are frequently very ambiguous, and understood with difficulty.

The predisposition and state of mind of the persons forming the circle, have an enormous influence on its success, especially at the beginning of the seance, when the manifestations are in what might be termed a state of initiation or preparation. In such cases as I had the opportunity to observe, persons who are the most mediumistic should sit opposite each other, after which, those who are the more so must sit in turn opposite those who are most deficient in that power, thus establishing an equilibrium. I noted more than once how the manifestations were difficult to develop, or events produce themselves at all if the parties present were not carefully selected and placed each at his proper post. Spiritualists commonly leave the settlement of this question to the table itself, but at the beginning of a seance, its directions are frequently very ambiguous, and understood with difficulty.

{{Footnotes start}}

{{Footnotes start}}

 

{{Footnote return|*}} The honorable and most learned Professor seems determined to avoid giving these manifestations the name of spiritual, and constantly supplies this word by the more prudent one of mediumistic. We will have to submit to it as to the rest.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> The honorable and most learned Professor seems determined to avoid giving these manifestations the name of spiritual, and constantly supplies this word by the more prudent one of mediumistic. We will have to submit to it as to the rest.

 

{{Style P-Signature in capitals|H.P. Blavatsky}}.  

{{Style P-Signature in capitals|H.P. Blavatsky}}.  

{{Footnotes end}}

{{Footnotes end}}