OUR course of training now leads us into new fields of practice, although what is presented in this chapter rests upon the previous lesson with a wide difference in the way of tests and results. This must be clearly understood in the start, and we will state that the work previously presented has been designed for two specific missions:

1. To bring the muscles to dead-stillness while the life within is most energetic.

2. To bring the nerves into perfect smoothness while the life within is most energetic.

Statuary work is the combination of the two. In the practice of muscular dead-stillness it is allowable to express life in any form and to use any muscles that are needed. The experiments given in the preceding chapter, called mechani­cal exercises, are for the nerves alone. This distinction must always be understood. Now we unite the two and produce statuary effects.

The definition of a statuary position might be one that embraced the power of complete imitation of a statue. To be sure such training is properly included in other lines of culture. The woman who was told by her husband that she was so restless and uneasy all the time that he was constantly irritated by her presence, did not leave home and go back to her mother; she quietly went to a school of expression and there learned grace and particularly statuary attitudes. Then she was no longer restless and nervous. A home that might have been broken up and joined the long list of disas­ters due to incompatibility of temper, became the bulwark of love. Let husbands and wives do everything possible to retain the home before giving up and separating. If we have no other crown to wear, we are pleased to know that our efforts in carrying the study of magnetism into home-life havesaved many men and women from the misery of failure inmarriage. We know that over ten thousand couples are living happily together at this time, who would have been divorced but for this very study. Husbands and wives who aremagnetic never quarrel.

The statuary exercises of this chapter are not difficult toundertake. If you are capable of interest in anything you cango through all the requirements with relish for the practice.

The fact that they are not easily mastered does not render them uninteresting or hard to try. They are not everything in this study, but only a part of the general structure.

In many cases to be able to perform one or two perfectly might be sufficient. Others wish to take them right through without omissions.

As a good student studies all his life, so there must be a constant use made of the principles involved in this chapter, as long as the pupil lives. The exercises may be abandoned in a few months after they have grown into habit, but do not abandon the results they produce. The dead-still attitudes concentrate the electrical or static forces, giving them an opportunity to accumulate while Internal Energy is going, and by a change of the static into the dynamic form of electricity, intense Personal Magnetism is developed.

Pupils have to grow into this power; they cannot jump at a bound. After the force has commenced to grow it can be kept growing for many years, just as a child grows into manhood.

The pleasantest period of one's study of this art is when he or she experiences the consciousness of the presence of a new power within, the Internal Energy. We would gladly lead the pupil to that happy condition by a flight to the mountain top, avoiding the toilsome plodding through the valley, if we could; but we cannot. Patience is a test of character; you must have character enough to be patient as you go slowly through the tedious drill of this chapter.

Later on we shall commence the formation of Internal Energy. Then the two means of development will work together. For the present we shall introduce exercises that open the way to those that are to constitute the main practice in this chapter.

THE PROGRESSIVE STEPS IN THE STATUARY PERIOD

First Step—Sitting Still.

The movements which lead to the sitting position and those which lead from it are elsewhere described, together with the principles underlying them. This exercise deals only with the attitude of sitting.

FIRST DAY

[Attach to the wall or to some object directly in front of your chair on a height with the eyes, a watch having a second hand. If you do not possess this article, mental counting must be substituted; that is, count silently one to each sec­ond, as nearly as may be estimated in the mind.

Sit down. Take as easy a position as possible, without supporting the back.

1. Looking steadily at the watch (which must be on a level with the eyes), try to avoid winking for five seconds. Rest a few seconds.

2. On resuming you may take the mind from the wink­ing, and think exclusively of the fingers. Look steadily at the watch for five seconds and be sure that no movement of the fingers takes place. Rest a few seconds. Do not hurry, as it will cause a loss of time and labor.

3. Resume and look steadily at the watch for ten sec­onds, without allowing the eyelids to move in the slightest degree. Rest a few seconds.

4. Resume and look steadily at the watch for ten seconds, without allowing the fingers to move in the slightest degree. Rest a few seconds.

5. Resume and look steadily at the watch for fifteen seconds, eyelids dead-still as before.

SECOND DAY

The pupil must now rest until the next day, and then he must repeat the foregoing five exercises. If he is back-ward in any experiment he may spend such time as he has at his disposal in that way.

THIRD DAY

On the third day he may continue the Dead-Still sitting positions as directed below, arriving at the tenth exercise on that day.

6. Resume and look steadily at the watch for fifteen seconds, fingers dead-still as before.

7. Twenty seconds, eyelids dead-still.

8. Twenty seconds, fingers dead-still.

9. Thirty seconds, eyelids dead-still.

10. Thirty seconds, fingers dead-still.

FOURTH DAY

11. Thirty-five seconds, eyelids dead-still.

12. Thirty-five seconds, fingers dead-still.

13. Forty seconds, eyelids dead-still.

14. Forty seconds, fingers dead-still.

15. Fifty seconds, eyelids, dead-still.

Note.—When the eyes begin to water, continue only five seconds after the un­pleasant feeling begins. Do not keep too long at one time on the eye movements. Judicious practice will strengthen the eyes very much.

16. Continue in this way until you can go to eighty sec­onds, fingers dead-still, and eyelids as long as possible.

17. After a few days practice, you will be ready for this and the next exercise.

18. Look steadily at the watch for one minute, not mov­ing a muscle of the body, and keeping the mind upon the feet, and especially the toes. The extremities of the body, the fingers and the toes, and the eyelids are the first parts to show nervousness or leakage. These must be watched at all times during the day, as well as in these exercises.

19. Look steadily at the watch for one minute, keeping the mind upon the entire body, being sure that no motion of any kind occurs in any part. This exercise should be per­formed daily as long as the person lives. The good that grows out of a long continuance of it cannot be estimated.

Notes.—All the foregoing exercises refer to the sitting posture, the back being unsupported at the time.

It is better to have the light behind you.

The watch may be four feet away unless you are near­sighted.

The following exercises will add to your stores of mag­netism, thru the principle of Still Life. Practice these as opportunity permits.

Second Step—Lounging, Dead-Still.

20. Take a sitting position, allowing the body to fall into a lounging attitude of perfect ease; hold this position without a movement of the fingers, toes, arms, eyelids or head.

Maintain for two minutes, watching some object steadily.

Third Step—Standing, Dead-Still.

Arrange a watch, as in the first exercise, on a height with the head and as far away as the hands can be easily seen. In standing allow the arms to hang at the sides as dead weights. If all muscular tension is taken out of them they will hang easily and properly. The weight of the entire body should be borne onthe balls of the feet, the heels merely touching the floor.

21. Stand for thirty seconds, fixing the mind upon the eyelids, fingers and toes. Do not move any of these a hair's breadth.

22. Stand for thirty seconds, fixing the mind upon the entire body, and draw in full and very long and deep inspirations, exhaling when necessary, all without the slightest swayingof the body or rocking to and fro, or movement of any voluntary muscle. It is a good idea to keep the chest fully extended and immovable and the shoulders down, but not back.

Gradually increase these periods until you can stand for sixtyseconds under the conditions named.

23. Stand for ninety seconds dead-still, as to every vol­untary muscle of the body; the hands at the side; the second and third fingers of the right hand touching each other very lightly; the same as to the left hand; the eyes looking fixedly at some object.

This exercise is so important that it should be practiced everyday during life.

Fourth Step—Frozen Movements.

24. Stand for one minute with the entire body dead-still, and the arm raised so as to allow the wrist to rest lightly against the body, near the hip, and a little in front. Either arm will do. Do not move the eyes or lids, or any muscle. of the body.

25. Advance to a table, place the first finger of the hand verylightly upon it, and look steadily for one minute at some ^fixedobject; the whole body being dead-still. As the first inclination to move will be at the fingers, toes, eyes or eyelids, all these points of leakage should be guarded.

It is not intended to include Sunday in the practice days, although the better habits of life should prevail at all times.

Fifth Step—Statuary Positions.

The normal positions just taken are very exacting in their requirements, and must tax the will-power of the pupil to a great degree.

To stand still, however, is not sufficient. This calmness, this repose of conscious strength, becomes the highest type of manhood and womanhood when carried into the activities of life. Excitement is weakness; calmness is strength; ener­getic repose is grandeur.

In after years make it the chief element of your daily habits to adopt the principles involved in these exercises. For instance, when irritated remain perfectly calm, when nervous or fidgety be absolutely in repose, physically and mentally. When others address you adopt the manner of one who is not easily embarrassed or moved by the remarks or actions of another.

Learn the art of perfect self-control. Do not be afraid to look another in the eye; to remain passionless when others are excited; to turn every disturbing influence into an idle wave battering hopelessly against the strong wall of calmness that hems in and protects that sacred essence of being, your personality.

This is the secret of personal magnetism; and it is a secret that all great men and women have acquired.

THE GREAT ROSE LEAF EXPERIMENT

This has never been published, but the author has for many years given it as an exercise to his most accomplished pupils, and it has been the means of affording both pleasure and gain in the control of the nerves. When done in class it is attended by so much enthusiasm that the energy is not lacking within. We think greater progress is made from books; and the expense of hundreds of dollars for class les­sons, or for private instruction, may be avoided. The pres­ent edition of this book is intended to do away with all need of such lessons.

The Rose Leaf experiment should not be attempted until you have graduated from the preceding stage, as time will be lost otherwise. It consists in filling a goblet with water, while holding the goblet in one hand, the arms being free from the body. When the goblet is full to the top, by the law of adhesion it will hold about an eighth of an inch more. To pour this on re­quires very great steadi­ness of nerves. Then the pitcher must be set down upon the table and a rose leaf taken up and floated on the top of the water, without jarring any of the latter from the glass. Thus the one hand will move while the other is held still, and neither must be affected by the other. If a leaf is not easily obtainable for this test, (as would be the case in the winter time) a piece of waxed paper us­ually will do, bending up the edges to prevent it lying wholly flat upon the water.

Now comes the test. When all this can be done easily, the goblet with its extra water and rose leaf must be held out half-arm's length, or about twelve inches in front of the chest, for one minute. Rest.

Next hold it out full arm's length in front of the chest. Rest.

Reverse by taking the leaf away, pouring the water in

Fig. 8. Swinging the Floating Leaf

the pitcher, changing hands; then, holding the goblet in the other hand, fill it full as before, and extra full also, to which the rose leaf should be added.

With hands reversed as just stated, hold the goblet out in front of the chest half-arm's length. Rest.

Next hold it out full arm's length for a minute in front of the chest. Rest.

With the goblet full as stated and the leaf floating on top, pass it to the other hand, then back again. In class work we used to pass it from pupil to pupil un­til some one spilled the water; then we would be­gin over again.

A very difficult task is to pass the goblet from the hand to the table, then from the table to the floor and back again. A stooping position tests the smoothness of the nerves as much as anything can do.

The goblet is then raised to various heights and positions.

Fig. 9. Lowering the Floating Leaf

When connected with much muscular effort, these smooth-nerve tests do not always accumulate magnetism, although they tend that way. When associated with tensing they never fail to develop magnetism rapidly. When done with flabby life of the body, they are neutral, and have no value except to teach control. When done with energy within the chest, they quickly accumulate magnetic power. As we have said before, they are not all.

Other helpful tests are as follows:

1. Dressing. Put on a coat or jacket without the loss of any motion small or great. The fidgety person will have trouble in finding the sleeve-hole, or something will hitch.

Even the bullous must go into place with ease and smoothness.

Wherever the coat may be in the room, lift it from its place, put arms in the sleeves, and button it; all to be done smoothly and easily.

2. Shoes. Put on your shoes that lace, inserting strings in eyelets, or catches, avoiding the loss of any motion, how­eversmall. When this is done, unlace them. Do not use force. Every movement must be smooth and free from hesi­tation.

3. Books. Take a book from a table, open it at any page and turn ten leaves forward. Close the book, place it on the table, and again take it up with the other hand. Open it, turn ten pages forward; shut it; open again at another place, and turn ten pages backward. No leaf must be missed, no motion must be lost, and every detail must count some value. This is a very difficult thing to do successfully.

As irritability destroys magnetism the purpose of smooth­ness in the above exercises is double. There must be gentle­ness of action and placidity of mind in every detail. That which would ordinarily cause you to scold must be welcomed as a test of your perfect self-control.

END OF THE fourth step