MORE MAGNETISM is constantly being generated in a young person than in one who is mature or aged; but vastly more is being lost by excessive waste. For the latter reason we do not think of youth as magnetic. If, however, we can retain the power that the young person develops dailyand turn it to use, we can quickly make ourselves felt in human affairs. But as youth is not able to hold its magnetism, all that we can learn of its abundant fund of vital energy is how it comes about and how to conserve it. On this theory we will take youth as an age and condition of excessive energy, and omit its excessive waste, as applied to the conditions of those who have reached maturer years.

The vitality of youth has often been mistaken for magnetism, but health, vigor and physical power seem to intrude themselves in the place of magnetism and to hold it in check. These qualities are never magnetic.

In a preceding lesson in this Department we have discussed the action of smoothing the forehead, and the sides of the eyes and face, and making this condition a permanent habit. There is a law that is old and yet new. It says: "Restoring a youth condition will restore the condition of youth."

It does not seem to mean much as it is worded. But the term condition has two significations. The first is the physical change that is nought in the body, as where the fecial muscles are made to assume the same smoothness as is present in a young person. This is the restoring of the physical condition that was evident in former years in the face. The return of such shape as prevailed at an earlier stage in life, acts upon the mental and psychological nature of the person in such a way as to stimulate the feeling and characteristics of youth. The law is an old one, and has been proved in a number of ways.

If we can bring back the vitality of youth we can bring back the excessive abundance of magnetism that attends youth. Then, instead of allowing it to run to waste, we need only con-serve it in order to make it useful.

This facial change has been so thoroughly taught in the lessons of this Department of the Magnetic Eye that we shall not deal further with it.

There are several other influences or conditions that belong to youth that may be restored by very little attention, if only they are known. The next most important is the exciting cause of vigorous blood circulation that exists in the medulla oblongata. As words of this character are not readily understood by the average reader, we will call this little master of life by the name of the Third Brain. It is the upper part of the spinal column. The first brain does much of the voluntary thinking; the second brain attends to the involuntary life of the body and the muscular system; sometimes obeying the mandates of the first brain.

But life must go on when there is no thinking and no muscular activity; for the human body must breathe, must carry on the circulation of the blood, and must proceed with digestion, whether of the contents of the stomach or of the intestines. Breathing is always taking place. The blood is always circulating. Digestion never ceases unless the entire alimentary canal is empty, which is very rare. More than half the nutrition that comes from food is derived from the process of intestinal digestion. Patients are often fed by injections at the colon.

This Third Brain attends to all these functions:

Digestion.

Circulation.

Respiration.

We are not intending to teach increased breathing. That is taught in many forms and for many health purposes; and our students should by this time have established a greater range of respiration. But we are going to show that the influence of the Third Brain which alone maintains natural respiration, can be employed to vitalize all breathing which mere practice in the exercises will never do. It is not more air that the lungs need, if they are receiving a full supply; it is vital air that brings new life and with it the magnetism that the body requires.

By reaching this Third Brain with any instrument that interferes with its work as controller of respiration, digestion and circulation, it is possible to immediately stop the heart from beating; or to stop all digestion; or to paralyze the lung-action. This has been done, and can be done as often as the Third Brain is interfered with. In the thinking brain, the pressure on a certain part of the skull, forcing it into the convolutions of that organ, may deprive the person of the power of memory; or may cause loss of speech; or do other injury, depending on what part of the brain the injury falls. So injury or shock of a severe kind that reaches the second brain may paralyze the arm, or the leg, or side. Sometimes temporary paralysis is due to a pressure that, if relieved, will cause the return of the normal condition.

Not only does the Third Brain absolutely and completely control respiration, but it controls also circulation and digestion. As we have stated, digestion occurs not only in the stomach, but in the entire canal, including its adjacent parts, and the intricate arrangement of aids that are found near to the stomach itself. Diabetes is caused by interference of a chronic kind with this out-of-the-stomach digestion; whether by the extreme irritation of too much sugar, starch or other carbon form of food; or by a blow on the back of the neck which has permanently injured the Third Brain which is located there. In fact there are thousands of cases of diabetes arising every decade from blows on the neck, which are cured only by curing the injury at the Third Brain. Worry, which is a mental trouble that depresses all three brains, has caused many cases of diabetes.

Injury to this small Third Brain arising from accident will interfere with one of the three functions. If respiration suffers, then quick tuberculosis takes the victim away. If circulation suffers, then anemia follows. If digestion suffers, it is generally in the intestinal canal as stated.

We have gone thoroughly into the study of the functions depending on this Third Brain in order to impress on the student its importance in the plan of life. We shall now apply it to thedevelopment of magnetism. It does not require an astute mind to see that the involuntary functions of digestion, respirationand circulation are in reality the WHOLE LIFE of the human body; and that this very small section at the back of the neck that ends that part of the spinal column, plays the greatest part in not only sustaining life but in generating its vital powers, and especially in bringing into activity as well as existence all its magnetism.

But what is to be done about it?

It is there well encased in bone, and may not be reached except by some fine-pointed instrument, or by a blow, or by a strain; rarely by a fracture, in which case the chances of survival are too small to be considered.

But the entire spinal column, endowed as it is with the controlling power over various parts of the body, which act as aids to the Third Brain, is composed of small sections, making an electric pile from the base of the torso to the head, charged and supercharged with constantly forming magnetism, and these small sections of bone are tied together with nerves and muscles, andbetween them are small pads of flexible material; the whole structure being capable of being bent to the right, to the left, to the back, to the front, and in a vertical direction.

When we bend the body to the right, this column is flexible enough to shape itself into a curve; and when we bend to the left, the curve is changed to the opposite direction. When we bend back there is a new curve; and when we bend forward this is reversed.

The boy or girl who is normal is as straight as it is possible to be; but with reading and leaning over a book or paper, the forward curve begins to show, and the body seems to be bent at the shoulders, until later in life this stooping and the craning of the neck tell the story of advancing age. Yet all persons in the fifties, with few exceptions, are bent at the upper back; some are bent when much younger; but no person who is above the age of thirty is free from some shrinking of the spinal column.

The small bones that form the spinal column are cushioned, and so separated from each other. This cushioning and the complex interweaving of nerves and muscles are much more marked at the Third Brain; and the flexibility much more pronounced

If you will make a mental picture of your torso, which is the part of the body between the neck and the legs, and if you will find mentally the average central line of the torso, you will soon understand what is to follow. Imagine that there is a center to the neck at its base or where it joins the trunk or torso. Imagine that there is another center at the lower part of the torso, which center would be in the middle position between the right and left hips, and the front and back. Now imagine that a vertical line runs from one center to the other; that it is not only perfectly straight but that it is plumb, or at right angles with the floor, or parallel with the side wall of the room.

This is the carriage of the torso at all times, if you wish the vitality of youth.

Now we must find two more centers. One is the same as our first, which was at the base of the neck, bringing it in the throat back of the larynx or Adam's apple. The other center is at the top of the head midway between the front and back and between the two sides. These centers must unite so that a line running between them would be vertical.

Now unite the two vertical lines.

This will make the imaginary line that runs from the center of the lower part of the torso extend to the center of the top of the head.

Every curve in the spine, shoulders or neck, interferes with the flow of blood and the flow of the nerve vitality or magnetism, through those important controlling agencies of life. You may press against your arm and stop the flow of blood. But you may also press against a nerve in the arm, and put the lower part to sleep. By sitting in a certain position in a chair, as where the front edge of the chair presses against the nerves in the leg, you may put your foot to sleep, and may invite cramps in the legs.

All curves more or less cause similar dangers.

The flow of blood carries new magnetism-forming cells.

The flow of the nerve-currents carries the actual life of the body which includes all its magnetism.

Any curvature of any part of the body that interferes with these flows lessens the energy and vitality of the currents so impeded; as a curvature is more or less of a shutting off of the avenues of travel. But the settling down of the bones that form the structure of the spine, and especially of the section known as the Third Brain, will likewise check the flow of magnetic vitality to the functional centers of the body; such as those of respiration, digestion and circulation.

We have seen several pernicious cases of constipation immedistely cured by skilful manipulation of the top section of the spine, or Third Brain. There are two great curative professions that, employ such methods.

We have seen severe cases of stomach indigestion cured by skilful manipulation of the same top section of the spine.

But some few years ago a very widely known specialist in blood circulation and heart maladies, made the assertion that the circulation of the blood was controlled by this top section of the spine to the extent that when sluggish circulation resulted in cold extremities, as of the feet and hands, he could overcome this trouble by stretching the muscles of the neck in such a way as to pull upon the Medulla or Third Brain; explaining the process by saying: "It requires but slight adjustment of the upper spine to send a very powerful influence to the heart, thereby vitalizing its action and propelling a much more vigorous flow of blood to the feet and hands. This adjustment is made not by another person but by the manner in which the head is lifted. A distance so slight as to be almost unmeasurable will effect such results as we have witnessed."

The manner in which the head is lifted, is the key to this process.

Old age brings all kinds of curves to the spine, neck and shoulders. Youth is straight. Age is bent. Some people curve their backs so much when they get old that they must support themselves with canes when they walk, to prevent pitching over.

But standing straight is not enough.

The centers that we have described must be kept in mind, and the vertical line must be kept perfectly plumb from the center of the top of the head to the center between the hips. This is the preparation only. But let it be made into a habit, so that whether you are sitting or standing, the centers are maintained in a perfectly plumb line. It is a good habit. Magnetism students, whether they are twenty or a hundred years old, will never forget this vertical line. They will never grow old to the beholder; nor in their own feelings.

Having learned to acquire the vertical line position, keeping the center of the head always over the center of the chest, and never craning the neck, the next thing is the important one; that of pulling the top section of the spine, the Third Brain, into a stretched position. The manner in which this was done, as explained by the doctor, was to imagine that you could bring the top of the head slightly nearer the ceiling above by raising the head so as to stretch the neck. The new habit then is to keep the centers vertical and to carry the head so that its top seems to be trying to get nearer to the ceiling, thereby stretching the neck muscles, the nerves, and the medulla that controls circulation, as well as other functions.

If you were to be told that stretching the upper spine would stimulate the heart, vitalize its action, and send warming blood to the hands and feet, thereby overcoming their cold feeling, you would not see in what way this action would bring so decided a result. For this reason we have explained it in detail.

But the fact that concerns us is that it is done, and has been done to our knowledge hundreds of time. All that is necessary is to make the neck respond to the effort at stretching.

We are not teaching any exercises in this lesson.

The things we are setting forth are intended as habits.

An exercise takes time.

A habit takes no time at all. You can do things right just as quickly as to do them wrong.

If the Third Brain controls the circulation of the blood and gives to its flow a new vitality both of magnetism and of material that bears magnetism in its course, it must follow that it will, in thus restoring the conditions of youth, bring back the excessive power of youthful magnetism.

Like all the habits that are taught in this lesson, it is a good one in its influence on the individual in every department of life.

Another habit that belongs to youth and that is lost about the time the man or woman is old enough to vote, is that of avoiding the exhaustion that comes from straining the spinal column, or irritating it. This habit is inborn, but quickly loses itself in the mass of bad methods that attach themselves to the coming adult age. It is that of keeping the strain away from the spine by not using the heels for receiving the weight of the body in walking. No one thinks of doing so when running.

When the act of taking a step is performed by bringing the weight down on the heel, a blow is struck the spine that irritates it and tends to exhaust its magnetism and the vitality of the general body. But it is not only this blow that is harmful; there is a decided strain put upon the spine that is also irritating and exhausting; both of which influences quickly sap the system of its stored up magnetism.

In taking a step, keep the center of gravity of the torso well forward without bending and without losing the vertical line that we have just taught. This will put the weight of the whole body on the ball of the foot, even if the heel touches the floor first in taking such step. When walking in bare feet, the ball of each foot should touch the ground first, but in wearing shoes with heels, the heel may touch first without any weight going on it, or not more weight than enough to merely support it. Wearing heels that are more than an inch thick, or high to use a misnomer, detracts from the power of generating magnetism in walking

This is not an exercise; it is a habit. It may not be easily adopted at first, but soon you will enjoy it, for it not only does away with the irritation and exhaustion of heel-walking, but on the other hand it stores up considerable magnetism. We know of many cases where men and women could not walk six blocks without becoming tired, who now can walk six miles and feel refreshed in so doing.

Thus far we have found three new habits that, while they generate magnetism, also bring new conditions to the body and improve it vastly.

Another habit that has been much written about must be considered in this training. It is the collapse of the neck and of the vital muscles. When the neck muscles weaken, the head is carried forward. This is a position of age, of feebleness of mind and body, and of exhaustion of magnetism. When the vital muscles weaken, the chest falls in, the heart sags, the stomach drops, and the intestines are lowered.

In women this collapse of the vital muscles brings on prolapsus, which is a never-ceasing enemy of magnetism. It can, however, be cured by vitalizing the vital muscles. This is done not by exercises, but by habits. We have promised not to give any exercises in this lesson, and we are keeping our word. Exercises take time. Habits require no time at all; for they are merely ways of living. The process by which the collapse of the vital muscles is cured by new habits is as follows:

First, ascertain if your chest falls down when you are sitting. If it does, raise it as high as you can without raising the shoulders, for they must never rise, never be thrown back, never come forward. Keep them in a central position, force them down, and raise the chest as high as you can. Then hold it there. Hold it there when you are eating, when you are reading, when you are writing, when you are walking, when you are in train or car, and always everywhere.

In the above manner you can overcome the first collapse of your vital muscles.

Next, ascertain if your abdomen projects forward. If it does, pull it in. Not with your hands, but by its own muscles. If they will not do this, then help them with your hands for a while; but soon they will be strong enough to do the pulling themselves. Then make them do it. In a very short time, they will attend to this matter as a habit, and that is what you want.

All athletes, all normal young persons, all strong and vital men and women overcome the collapse of these vital muscles. That condition causes old age and leads rapidly to decrepitude besides resulting in badly misshapen bodies and gross appearances, all repugnant to the eye and not creditable to the person so afflicted. We are sorry to say that more than ninety percent of all persons above twenty-five years of age are victims of collapsed vital muscles.

Thus the good work goes on. These new habits increase the natural flow of magnetism, send much new and vigorous nerve power to the eye, and so fire it with YOUTH. One of the first results in a better heart action, and of decreasing irritation to the nervous system, is the brighter and more youthful glow of the eye. As new life comes to the brain and all the faculties, the eye is the first to respond.

By the term, The Magnetic Eye of Youth, we teach that the vital habits of youth if restored and conserved against waste living will give unusual health, vigor, brightness and brilliance to the eyes, which are the gauge that indicates perfectly how much magnetism has been developed in the body.