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Practical Mental Influence
"Practical Mental Influence" is a William Walker Atkinson's follow-up to the earlier "Thought Vibration" in which he explores the power of mental thought. In "Practical Mental Influence" he continues his exposition on the power of a positive mental attitude through a series of practical exercises designed to put to use the ideas of his new age philosophy. "Practical Mental Influence" is a must for anyone trying to improve his or her outlook on life and is also an excellent companion to Atkinson's earlier work, "Thought Vibration".
- GenresMetaphysicsNonfiction
78 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 1942
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113 people want to read
About the author
William Walker Atkinson
2,488 books399 followersPseudonyms: Theron Q. Dumont, Yogi Ramacharaka, Swami Bhakta Vishita & Swami Panchadasi
William Walker Atkinson (December 5, 1862 – November 22, 1932) was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. He is also known to have been the author of the pseudonymous works attributed to Theron Q. Dumont, Swami Panchadasi and Yogi Ramacharaka and others.
Due in part to Atkinson's intense personal secrecy and extensive use of pseudonyms, he is now largely forgotten, despite having obtained mention in past editions of Who's Who in America, Religious Leaders of America, and several similar publications—and having written more than 100 books in the last 30 years of his life. His works have remained in print more or less continuously since 1900.
William Walker Atkinson was born in Baltimore, Maryland on December 5, 1862, to William and Emma Atkinson. He began his working life as a grocer at 15 years old, probably helping his father. He married Margret Foster Black of Beverly, New Jersey, in October 1889, and they had two children. The first probably died young. The second later married and had two daughters.
Atkinson pursued a business career from 1882 onwards and in 1894 he was admitted as an attorney to the Bar of Pennsylvania. While he gained much material success in his profession as a lawyer, the stress and over-strain eventually took its toll, and during this time he experienced a complete physical and mental breakdown, and financial disaster. He looked for healing and in the late 1880s he found it with New Thought, later attributing the restoration of his health, mental vigor and material prosperity to the application of the principles of New Thought.
Some time after his healing, Atkinson began to write articles on the truths he felt he had discovered, which were then known as Mental Science. In 1889, an article by him entitled "A Mental Science Catechism," appeared in Charles Fillmore's new periodical, Modern Thought.
By the early 1890s Chicago had become a major centre for New Thought, mainly through the work of Emma Curtis Hopkins, and Atkinson decided to move there. Once in the city, he became an active promoter of the movement as an editor and author. He was responsible for publishing the magazines Suggestion (1900–1901), New Thought (1901–1905) and Advanced Thought (1906–1916).
In 1900 Atkinson worked as an associate editor of Suggestion, a New Thought Journal, and wrote his probable first book, Thought-Force in Business and Everyday Life, being a series of lessons in personal magnetism, psychic influence, thought-force, concentration, will-power, and practical mental science.
He then met Sydney Flower, a well-known New Thought publisher and businessman, and teamed up with him. In December, 1901 he assumed editorship of Flower's popular New Thought magazine, a post which he held until 1905. During these years he built for himself an enduring place in the hearts of its readers. Article after article flowed from his pen. Meanwhile he also founded his own Psychic Club and the so-called "Atkinson School of Mental Science". Both were located in the same building as Flower's Psychic Research and New Thought Publishing Company.
Atkinson was a past president of the International New Thought Alliance.
Throughout his subsequent career, Atkinson wrote and published under his own name and many pseudonyms. It is not known whether he ever acknowledged authorship of these pseudonymous works, but all of the supposedly independent authors whose writings are now credited to Atkinson were linked to one another by virtue of the fact that their works were released by a series of publishing houses with shared addresses and they also wrote for a series of magazines with a shared roster of authors. Atkinson was the editor of a
William Walker Atkinson (December 5, 1862 – November 22, 1932) was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. He is also known to have been the author of the pseudonymous works attributed to Theron Q. Dumont, Swami Panchadasi and Yogi Ramacharaka and others.
Due in part to Atkinson's intense personal secrecy and extensive use of pseudonyms, he is now largely forgotten, despite having obtained mention in past editions of Who's Who in America, Religious Leaders of America, and several similar publications—and having written more than 100 books in the last 30 years of his life. His works have remained in print more or less continuously since 1900.
William Walker Atkinson was born in Baltimore, Maryland on December 5, 1862, to William and Emma Atkinson. He began his working life as a grocer at 15 years old, probably helping his father. He married Margret Foster Black of Beverly, New Jersey, in October 1889, and they had two children. The first probably died young. The second later married and had two daughters.
Atkinson pursued a business career from 1882 onwards and in 1894 he was admitted as an attorney to the Bar of Pennsylvania. While he gained much material success in his profession as a lawyer, the stress and over-strain eventually took its toll, and during this time he experienced a complete physical and mental breakdown, and financial disaster. He looked for healing and in the late 1880s he found it with New Thought, later attributing the restoration of his health, mental vigor and material prosperity to the application of the principles of New Thought.
Some time after his healing, Atkinson began to write articles on the truths he felt he had discovered, which were then known as Mental Science. In 1889, an article by him entitled "A Mental Science Catechism," appeared in Charles Fillmore's new periodical, Modern Thought.
By the early 1890s Chicago had become a major centre for New Thought, mainly through the work of Emma Curtis Hopkins, and Atkinson decided to move there. Once in the city, he became an active promoter of the movement as an editor and author. He was responsible for publishing the magazines Suggestion (1900–1901), New Thought (1901–1905) and Advanced Thought (1906–1916).
In 1900 Atkinson worked as an associate editor of Suggestion, a New Thought Journal, and wrote his probable first book, Thought-Force in Business and Everyday Life, being a series of lessons in personal magnetism, psychic influence, thought-force, concentration, will-power, and practical mental science.
He then met Sydney Flower, a well-known New Thought publisher and businessman, and teamed up with him. In December, 1901 he assumed editorship of Flower's popular New Thought magazine, a post which he held until 1905. During these years he built for himself an enduring place in the hearts of its readers. Article after article flowed from his pen. Meanwhile he also founded his own Psychic Club and the so-called "Atkinson School of Mental Science". Both were located in the same building as Flower's Psychic Research and New Thought Publishing Company.
Atkinson was a past president of the International New Thought Alliance.
Throughout his subsequent career, Atkinson wrote and published under his own name and many pseudonyms. It is not known whether he ever acknowledged authorship of these pseudonymous works, but all of the supposedly independent authors whose writings are now credited to Atkinson were linked to one another by virtue of the fact that their works were released by a series of publishing houses with shared addresses and they also wrote for a series of magazines with a shared roster of authors. Atkinson was the editor of a
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August 22, 2013
Excellent read! What I most valued from the teachings of this book are the methods used to 'send a mental message' to another without ever saying a word aloud; to literally send your sentiments into their soul to effectuate a feeling or motive to action. Now, I see how some people may attempt to use these methods for evil design, but one should do so with extreme caution- though not heavily covered in this book, the inverted use of mental influence upon another for selfish reasons will have spiritually destructive consequences. Any time one person attempts to usurp the free agency of another, that evil will eventually come home to roost. (for example using these methods to increase sales in the spirit of dishonesty or greed.)
The methods of practical mental influence are best used, in my opinion, to create peace and love where there was once contention or division. Or for self-protection and preservation of agency. For example, I was recently undergoing a slew of insults from an in-law during a family gathering. For years, the petty insults at my expense have found an easy target with me b/c in the past I allowed it to fluster me and rob me of my personal peace. So I chose to test the power of the methods taught in this book. I knew any vocalized response to this family member would only escalate the contention, so instead, I chose to take a few breaths and say in my mind (directed to the soul of this family member with such intense vibration that I knew he could not deny feeling its influence):
"You will no longer insult me. I will no longer be affected by your crude comments. I love you, and I only wish for there to be peace. You will now cease from directing your ill intentions upon me, for any further attempt to humiliate me will only result in the snaring of your own trap and getting caught up in your own vices."
I sent this message into his soul with a peaceful, soft smile upon my face, looking deep into his eyes and thus effectuating intensity of impression upon his spirit. And within seconds, he appeared to be confounded; after a moment of insult, he appeared to turn to inward thought- then he blinked in silence for a moment and turned his attention to something else. The rest of the evening, his normal onslaught of insults (normally directed at me) were directed generally to the open crowd. Thus his design to obtain attention at my expense had failed him and his off-colored jokes were less attention getting without a subject to inflict them upon.
It had worked! I used mental influence to protect myself from further public scrutiny by a mean-spirited individual; 1. by showing love, 2. by projecting my feeling towards the offender, with near immediate results. The methods in this book really work! But be warned, use them only for good!
The methods of practical mental influence are best used, in my opinion, to create peace and love where there was once contention or division. Or for self-protection and preservation of agency. For example, I was recently undergoing a slew of insults from an in-law during a family gathering. For years, the petty insults at my expense have found an easy target with me b/c in the past I allowed it to fluster me and rob me of my personal peace. So I chose to test the power of the methods taught in this book. I knew any vocalized response to this family member would only escalate the contention, so instead, I chose to take a few breaths and say in my mind (directed to the soul of this family member with such intense vibration that I knew he could not deny feeling its influence):
"You will no longer insult me. I will no longer be affected by your crude comments. I love you, and I only wish for there to be peace. You will now cease from directing your ill intentions upon me, for any further attempt to humiliate me will only result in the snaring of your own trap and getting caught up in your own vices."
I sent this message into his soul with a peaceful, soft smile upon my face, looking deep into his eyes and thus effectuating intensity of impression upon his spirit. And within seconds, he appeared to be confounded; after a moment of insult, he appeared to turn to inward thought- then he blinked in silence for a moment and turned his attention to something else. The rest of the evening, his normal onslaught of insults (normally directed at me) were directed generally to the open crowd. Thus his design to obtain attention at my expense had failed him and his off-colored jokes were less attention getting without a subject to inflict them upon.
It had worked! I used mental influence to protect myself from further public scrutiny by a mean-spirited individual; 1. by showing love, 2. by projecting my feeling towards the offender, with near immediate results. The methods in this book really work! But be warned, use them only for good!
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