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offered us by Carpenter ; a theory that explains nothing at all.

{{Style P-No indent|offered us by Carpenter ; a theory that explains nothing at all.}}

Music, it appears, helps much towards bringing into ''rapport'' 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 Hows 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 J 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.<ref>The honorable and most learned Professor seems determined to award giving{{Style S-HPB SB. Lost| ... }}the name of spiritual, and constantly supplies this word by{{Style S-HPB SB. Lost| ...}} one of mediumistic. We will have to submit to it as to the rest.

Music, it appears, helps much towards bringing into ''rapport'' 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 Hows 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 J 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.

 

H. P. Blavatsky</ref> 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.

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