The Law of Psychic Phenomena A working hypothesis for the systematic study of hypnotism, spiritism, mental therapeutics, etc.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Chapter 18130 wordsPublic domain

THE PHENOMENA OF SPIRITISM (_continued_).

The Planchette.--Modifications.--Easily operated.--Automatic Writing.--Governed by the Universal Law.--The Planchette without Spirits.--The Planchette and Telepathy.--Trance.--Ancient and Modern Superstitions relating to Trance.--Religious Systems founded on Trance.--Visions.--Swedenborg.--Oriental Philosophy.--Its Slow Growth and Stupendous Proportions.--Spiritistic Philosophy.--Its Evolution.--All founded on Trance Visions, in Ignorance of the Law of Suggestion.--Cahagnet's Mesmeric Seers.--Their Revelations.--Objective and Subjective Visions.--Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy.--Visions of the Holy Virgin.--The Physical and Mental Attitude of Prayer.--The Prayer of Faith.--Obsession.--Possession.--Casting out Devils.--Devils out of Fashion.--The Influence of Suggestion.--The Element of Telepathy.--Dual Personality.--Loss of Identity.--Characteristics.--The Case of Ansel Bourne.--Possible Explanation.--A Proof of the Dual Hypothesis.--Multiple Personality 251