Chapter II - Mental and Physical Poles

Some of the writers on the subject of personal magnetism have fallen into the error of considering that the entire secret of personal magnetism is to be found in the phenomena of telepathy or transference of thought.

These writers, however, have been so carried away by the wonderful facts of the mental phase of personal magnetism, that they have entirely overlooked the other phase, i.e. the physical pole of the magnetic personality. This second phase is just as important as is the mental phase, and the person who wishes to cultivate and develop personal magnetism must give this second phase the same careful attention and practice as the first phase.

There are two distinct phases or poles of personal magnetism, (1) the mental and (2) the physical. Do not fail to note this fact, for your success will depend upon the coordination of the force of both poles.

To many, this idea of there being a second or physical phase of personal magnetism will seem strange, so accustomed have they grown to hearing the teachings that personal magnetism is a mental phenomenon pure and simple. But as we proceed in our study of the subject in this book, I hope to thoroughly convince you that this second pole of personal magnetism really exists, and that it is equally potent as the first, or mental phase or pole.

A man is a dual organism, with both mental and physical phases of manifestation, both mind and body, so is his personal force composed of two distinct phases or poles, each coordinating with the other in the work of manifesting energy and creating effects. Some persons have more mental magnetism, while others have more physical magnetism, but the individual who really manifests the highest degree of personal magnetism is the one who is developed along both poles of activity, both phases of magnetism – physical as well as mental.

The mental pole or phase of personal magnetism depends for its force and energy upon the ability of the mind to create thought-waves and to project them beyond the limits of the brain, into the personal atmosphere of the individual, and even beyond the range of his own personal atmosphere when necessary. When accompanied with the physical magnetism generated by the other pole of magnetic activity, this mental magnetism strongly affects other persons coming within the field of action of these thought-waves.

But without a good supply of the physical magnetism, these thought-waves fail to have sufficient strength to produce marked results. It would seem that the physical magnetism were needed to give “body” to the mental magnetism, just as the mental magnetism is needed to give color, character or “soul” to the physical magnetism. The two phases of magnetism must work together to gain the best effects.

It was formerly very difficult to convey to the mind of the student the facts regarding the mental phase of personal magnetism, so strange did the whole thing appear to him. But in these days, when there has been so much written and taught regarding telepathy, thought-transference and mind-power, the average person is so well posted on the general subject that he may readily understand the special features of thought-power as manifested on personal magnetism.

So it is not necessary, now, to first give the student a thorough education regarding the general subject of telepathy, in order to lead him up to the special subject of personal magnetism. In this book, I shall take it for granted that the student knows something of the subject of telepathy or thought-transference, and accordingly I shall not take up space and time in traveling over this old familiar ground. But, nevertheless, I think it advisable to point out to you some of the latest facts discovered by science in connection with the transference of thought.

Science has discovered that the human brain, in the processes of thinking, actually generates and uses up a certain amount of energy in the area of the brain tissue. The generation and employment of this energy produces heat, and actually increases the temperature of the brain areas, as may be proven by the use of the delicate registering instruments. Found in every well-equipped brain is as much an actual force as is electricity or the ordinary magnetism of the lodestone, and is governed by much the same general laws and rules.

And, like electricity or ordinary magnetism, it is not confined to the point at which it is generated, but, instead, it may be, and is, diffused to points beyond. In other words, the thought energy of the brain of a person extends beyond the limits of his brain, creates a thought-atmosphere around him, and registers an effect upon the brains of others coming within his field of energy.