And now let us consider the subject of the operation of Mind-Power, in the phase of its employment, consciously or unconsciously, to affect the minds of others. It is true that this subject will be considered in detail in the chapter on Personal Magnetism and Telementation, but it will be well for us to take a glance at the general workings at this point. I shall cover the points briefly, the elaboration being made at the proper points in the lessons.

In the first place, let us consider the matter of mentative induction. As you have seen, the currents of Mind-Power flow in vibratory waves from the mind of the individual, and act upon the minds of others according to the laws of mentative induction. They thus set up corresponding vibrations, and therefore corresponding mental states of feelings, in the minds of such people. In other words, these vibrations "induce" or set up by induction in the minds of others, mental states similar to those existing in the mind of the mentator.

These induced mental states are similar in qaality and nature to those in the original mind. But, of course, they are less in degree, for a part of the original energy has been dissipated in many directions, and then again, a certain amount of force is lost according to the degree of resistance in the receiving mind. If the receiving mind sets up, consciously or unconsciously, a considerable resistance to the vibrations, it will either entirely neutralize or repel them, or else rob them of much of their power. If, on the contrary, the receiving mind be in its nature more or less in accord with the vibrations, it will set up little or no resistance, and the induced condition will be very nearly as strong as the original impulse.

The ether, or fine substance filling space, is constantly filled with these mentative currents, of all kinds and degrees, streaming out from the minds of all kinds of people. These currents, of course, come in contact with each other, and often either combine or else act to neutralize each other. For instance, currents of a certain degree or kind of vibration (that is, of a certain mental state) when they come in contact with other currents of similar vibration, will tend to coalesce and combine, there being a harmony and attraction existing between them. But if they are opposing vibrations they will antagonize each other and act in the direction of neutralizing each other's force If they are of equal strength, both will lose power, but if one is much stronger than the other it will lose only in the inverse ratio of its strength, and the weaker will suffer likewise. That is, the weaker will lose twice as much power as the stronger, and the stronger will lose only half as much as the weaker - supposing that the stronger is of twice the strength of the weaker.

In this way is accounted for the well-known fact that places, towns, cities, etc., have their own "personal atmospheres," which affect persons living in them or visiting them. These "personal atmospheres" of towns arise from a combining, neutralizing, etc., of the various vibrations arising from mentative currents from the minds of the people living in the town. An average vibration is struck, which is strongly felt by all within the "field of induction" of that town. A little thought will make it clear to you that this is a correct statement of the mental conditions manifest in various towns, cities, etc., all over the world.

Each place has its own individuality, which soon makes its impression on those taking up their abode in it. It is more than geographical and atmospheric conditions, although, of course, these play their parts, as we all know. The average mental state of the people living in the town strikes the key-note. The stronger vibrations affect the average, and give a mental tone to the place. The best proof of this effect being caused by mental vibrations is found in the fact that two towns only a few miles from each other, each having the same atmospheric and geographical conditions, will manifest entirely differ ent mental atmospheres.

People often ask: "If it be true that the ether is filled with mentative currents, why are we not affected more than we are?" The answer is that they are affected more than they imagine, but they are still affected much less than one would suppose at first thought, for the reason that the currents conflict with each other and rob each other of their force. And then again, Nature instinctively affords a safeguard and sets up additional powers of resistance. Just as Nature protects the hearing sense of those who are surrounded with many and constant noises, until they fail to hear anything but an unaccustomed noise - just as she operates upon the smelling sense of the chemist until he fails to notice the odors which are most apparent to the stranger entering his shop - so does she give additional unconscious resisting power to people situated within an active field of mentative induction.

Bring a person from a quiet place into a bustling, active city, and he is apt to be swept off his feet at first with the "spirit of the place" - he will either be swept into its prevailing life with an almost irresistible impulse, or else he will be repelled by reason of the inharmonious mentative currents. In either case, however, he will be intensely aware of the vibrations. But, the same man, after a time, will fail to be so affected - he will be better able to resist the vibrations and will manage to live with a greater peace and poise than at first, although he will, of course, alter his nature more or less in harmony with the prevailing tone of the place. He will " feel" the vibrations less as time goes on. Some people have so developed this resisting power that they are almost immune, while others have so little power of resistance that they are swept here and there by each strong wave of mentative energy that reaches them - they are always in some field of induction and being swayed by its vibrations.