My Library

and with a minimum of effort.... The essential points for study are: The power to concentrate one's thoughts on a single object without being distracted by outside stimuli; the practice of rhythmic breathing; nervous and muscular relaxation; and, finally, the ability to suspend thought completely." These, of course, are counsels for the attainment of control to which the ordinary projectionist does not aspire, in order to achieve the penetration of realms of which he does not dream; and they represent wisdom acquired by the author after fourteen years of venturesome endeavour, in which it seems probable grave risks were run. He made a special study of the "Cord", in order, if possible, to neutralize its annoying sensitivity, which would often, when he was in a state of dual consciousness, cause disturbances in the region of his physical body to react on his Double and destroy its concentration. "The extent to which this cord can stretch seems," he says, "to be limitless, and it resembles the trail of a rocket as it soars into space. Where the cord joins the Double it consists of thousands of very fine, elastic threads, which seem to suck the Double into them." The Double, he tells us, is the more tied to the physical body, the more crude or material its composition; and when he began his experiments he noticed the difficulties caused by using a Double of too material a quality, since all the vibrations which affect the body touch the Double with magnified intensity. Also the ease with which the Double travels is dependent on its character, and according as the Double that one manages to project becomes finer, so do all the normal faculties obtain a proportional development. Not only does it become unnecessary to make any gesture to indicate one's intentions, but the very thought of movement, in the physical sense, disappears.