To purchase the print book Mental Alchemy click here

Subheadings:  Free Association    Self Psychoanalysis    The Record Which Reveals Repressions and Complexes    Reconditioning the Compounds Mapped by Birth Chart Constants    Building Into the Character Such Qualities As Might be Mapped by Any Birth Chart Desired    Acquiring Positiveness and Vitality    Acquiring Abundance    Acquiring Good Fortune With the Populace and the Opposite Sex    Acquiring Affectional Success    Acquiring Other Good Fortune

Birth Charts:  Donald Wills Douglas Chart    Dr. Smith Ely Jelliffe Chart

Chapter 6

Just How to Attain Realization

WHEN we recognize that not only our thoughts and physical behavior, but also every event which comes to us, even such events as apparently are due to chance, but which, nevertheless, are herded into our lives through the activities of our thought cells operating from the plane of four dimensions, is due to the release of desire energies from the thought compounds within the unconscious mind, the ancient occult proverb, REALIZE THE TRUTH WITHIN AND THE WITHOUT WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF, is illuminated by a more convincing significance. By the light of this scientific conception, we then perceive that, to the extent we can alter our characters, the cell composition and cell arrangement within our unconscious minds will be changed, the intensity and direction of their desire releases will be different, and our whole fortunes will be correspondingly modified.

Furthermore, we now possess instruments, such as astrological Birth Chart Constants, Progressed Constants, and psychoanalysis, by which we can determine quite precisely both the composition of the thought cells, and their organization, along with the type of energy they are likely to receive at any given time, which will enable them to work more vigorously from the four-dimensional plane than usual. That is, the implements are at hand which enable us to measure all the important factors that comprise the character, to gauge the energy of each, and closely to estimate the direction in which their desire energies will be released at any selected time, and thus what conditions and events at that time will probably affect the life.

And this perception of the thought composition of the astral body which is responsible for each trend of objective thinking, each type of physical behavior, and each event which enters the life, leads immediately to the knowledge of exactly what changes must be made in the thought composition of the unconscious mind to realize any specific condition, to manifest any given talent, or to experience any type of fortune that may be desired.

In the preceding chapters/lessons I have given the method by which, through the use of Conversion, Mental Antidotes and Rallying Forces, each particular trouble or disease toward which Stellar Diagnosis shows there is a predisposition, can be avoided. When the thought composition of the cells or group of cells within the unconscious mind whose release of desire energies are responsible for the affliction, is changed so that the energy releases are more harmonious, the difficulty, whatever it may be, no longer is attracted. But the individual who aspires to live life at its highest is not content merely to thwart some disease, or merely to make a success in business or matrimony. Instead, he desires to get the utmost out of living, to make of his life as complete a success, physically, mentally and spiritually, as possible.

To do this, it is not enough to apply a Mental Antidote to some one or two groups of thought cells which have been attracting trouble. What is required is a thorough overhauling of the character, in which all the weak parts are properly strengthened and, where new parts are necessary to attract the desired conditions and events, these are added. This means, of course, a complete rebuilding of the character; for only as the character is thus completely rebuilt is it possible for the conditions and fortune attracted to be of a correspondingly better grade.

Most people have traits, not conducing to the greatest effectiveness in living, which require nothing more than a little reflection to discern. Whenever there is a tendency, for instance, to overemphasize the importance of anything, as revealed by an abnormally sensitive or violent emotional reaction to certain thoughts or situations, these points to the existence of a complex. It may express as fear, as self-consciousness, as bashfulness with the opposite sex, as a conscious feeling of inferiority or of superiority, as an ungovernable temper, as hysteria, or as touchiness regarding some special subject. And as soon as these are recognized, the methods explained in Chapters 8 and 10 (Serial Lessons 63 and 65), Course V, Esoteric Psychology, should be applied until there is an adjustment in the manner in which the desire energies express; the complex being relieved through the habit of diverting its energies so that they flow through constructive channels.

But in addition to these easily recognized trends which block the way to the highest type of living, most of us, as the result of experiences which we have completely forgotten, possess repressions and conflicts within our unconscious minds, which can be uncovered only by the use of a special technique; repressions and conflicts which quite unknown to ourselves, are hampering influences. Therefore, in the task of reorganizing the character, to the end of attracting the best type of fortune, before attempting to build into the astral body new energies or applying Conversion and Mental Antidotes to other discordant thought compounds, it is well first to handle these desire energies, and put them to some useful work. And in accomplishing this, the discoveries of psychoanalysis will prove a singularly happy aid.

Psychoanalysis first was used as a means of relieving the stress of repressed desires through analyzing the dreams. It was found, and later experience fully verified these findings, that many serious diseases are caused by strong desires which are given no opportunity to express themselves in other ways in the life. That is, the activity being blocked that would permit them the expression they desire, they find a subterfuge expression in some disease. Yet in sleep there is less resistance to their being expressed in fantasy, and they find some satisfaction through draining a portion of their energy into a dream in which the desire is gratified.

Yet owing to the censorship exercised by the waking mind, more often than not the dream, as it is remembered, is pictured in such terms as to conceal its true import; for the waking mind having previously prohibited the realization of the desire in waking life, it will permit even such imaginary realization, as fully explained in Chapter 10 (Serial Lesson 65), Course V, Esoteric Psychology, only when thoroughly camouflaged in symbolism.

Yet by tracing the thoughts that are suggested by a dream, it is found possible to uncover the true meaning and thus discover just what repressed emotions caused it. When the repression is once recognized by the dreamer as the cause of his dream, and also as the cause of his illness, or the other trouble he has been experiencing, it is then revealed in its true light. Such recognition relieves the pressure from the repression, and the energy it contains finds some outlet for its expression through thinking about it. To the extent thinking about the desire in the normal way, without the magnification which repression induces, drains it of the repressed energy, it is relieved and the disease cured.

Free Association

Later investigations revealed that it is also possible to discern the strong repressed desires by having the patient sit listlessly and tell whatever fleeting thoughts come spontaneously into his mind. Those strong desires of the thought groups within the astral body which have found expression in action will have drained, temporarily, their energy. But the powerful desires which have been blocked will have accumulated, under this pressure, sufficient force straining for release, that they deliver a strong impact upon the attention, and thus, as soon as the mind is not deliberately directed to some other subject, they take control of the thoughts.

Thoughts that thus come spontaneously when the attention is relaxed are apt to be those actuated by repressed energies straining for release. Thus by tracing the thoughts which, even though they express the desire in symbolism are nevertheless instigated by it, though more often than not there is no objective recognition of the desire, it becomes possible to discern what desire is chiefly causing the discord. This is called the method of FREE ASSOCIATION.

When repressions are recognized by the patient as having an existence, and are accepted by him as having a meaning in his life; as forces which should find expression; rather than thoughts and impulses which are denied; that they are part of his biological heritage of which he need not be ashamed; that such desires are natural and normal to human beings, although they require directing into proper channels; such thinking about them shows them not to be so painful as was supposed, and not so terrible and serious as had been imagined. And this gives them pleasant Conditioning Energy that works through the process of Conversion to give the whole complex a harmony which it did not have before, in addition to affording some energy release through thinking about the subject of the desires.

The peculiarly discordant compounds, often mapped in a birth chart by a retrograde planet, Conditioned by the pain of forcing the desires from rising into the consciousness, is replaced by rearranging the thought elements through pleasant Conditioning energy, by an equally energetic harmonious compound. The new Conditioning Energy which is responsible for the Conversion is furnished by repeatedly viewing the repressed desires as nothing to be ashamed of, but as energies which when given correct expression are quite normal and healthful. If they are of such a nature that their more gross expression is against the interests of the individual or society, they nevertheless should be recognized for just what they are, and then the effort made to sublimate them so that they will find complete and pleasurable expression on a higher level. It is through such processes that diseases are cured by psychoanalysis.

Self Psychoanalysis

Up to about 1920, this was as far as the most advanced psychoanalyst thought of proceeding. He felt that he could cure the majority of nervous, and some mental, diseases by these methods, and possibly a number of other diseases that were not deep-seated organic troubles; but he saw no particular advantages to the ordinary fairly healthy person in the discoveries of psychoanalysis, astounding though they were.

But about the time mentioned, a number of the most eminent psychologists extended their experiments into the lives of what are considered to be quite normal people. And they attained the most astonishing results. For they found that in every person’s life there have been innumerable painful experiences, which have been entirely forgotten by the objective mind, yet which continue to be responsible for much misery, inefficiency and failure. In fact, it was discovered that almost every experience of life, that at the time of its occurrence was accompanied by strong painful emotions, continues to hamper and restrict the individual, and to influence him in a derogatory manner. As a result of this discovery, they came to advocate Self Psychoanalysis by every person.

In the years since then, more and more the process they advocated has justified their faith in it. And because it thus has stood the test of time warrants the quotation of a paragraph showing what was claimed for it then. It is from an article on the subject by William MacHarg and Wilfred Lay, Ph.D., which appeared in the Cosmopolitan Magazine for September, 1921.

"Self Psychoanalysis takes, ordinarily, half an hour a day for about four months. You will not, however, have to wait so long before you feel the effect of it. Within a few weeks you will begin to feel an increase in your self-confidence, a drawing together of your mental powers and a satisfaction in your contact with the world. At the end of six weeks you will be amazed at the strengthening of your memory, and the incidents of your early childhood that you can recall. When your self psychoanalysis has been completed, you will find so many roads to success and happiness open to you that you will be able to choose what sort of life you want to live."

After thus choosing the sort of life you wish to live, if it be of the type we have been considering, which requires a high physical, mental and spiritual success, in order to live it fully it is probable the character must be still further changed through Conversion and the application of Mental Antidotes; but at least the self psychoanalysis indicated will place your feet firmly on the road leading to such high success.

It will be noticed that special mention is made of childhood memories. Biological changes, as had been demonstrated by laboratory experiments, are very rapid in infancy. At that period one ages greatly in a short space of time; but these changes, and the aging process, progressively slow down with the passing of the years. The biological changes, such as those which exhibit the aging of the individual, may be almost imperceptible during the course of a year in a man of eighty, while during the first year of life they always are vast.

And in a similar way the astral form seems to be more plastic and easily molded by impressions received during the earliest years of life than at subsequent periods. The child seems to feel more intensely, and therefore, through this feeling, to build more powerful desires into his astral form. Furthermore, his lack of experience with the ways of the world permits him often to place an exaggerated importance upon trifles. To the extent he is sensitive, and thus unable to appraise events at their true value, he suffers great mental pain from rather insignificant events. And each time he thus suffers, regardless of the real triviality or magnitude of the suffering’s cause, he adds thought elements to his astral body along with painful Conditioning Energy which causes them to enter into discordant compounds, or if the Conditioning Energy is sufficiently exaggerated, to form a complex.

The fact that, as he grows older, he forgets most of these painful experiences, in no way alters their power to attract him to unfortunate conditions. For just as an organism is repelled by pain, and endeavors to escape from it, so the objective mind also endeavors to escape pain; it being one of the laws of objective consciousness that it ever strives to inhibit the memory of all disagreeable events and emotions.

That is why, looking back upon childhood, we remember it as the time of the Happy Days. This is also the reason that a year after a vacation in the mountains, the wet, the cold, the grinding toil of climbing, the mosquitoes, and the blinding smoke of the campfire, are completely forgotten. Only the joyous camaraderie of camp, the widespread vistas, the noble trees, the singing waters, and the glorious sunsets, are remembered. The disagreeable part remains, but it is held submerged in the unconscious mind, and only the pleasant experiences commonly are recalled.

But there is this difference between the hardships of a vacation and the hardships of childhood: the former are viewed as incidental accompaniments of an effort resulting in pleasure, as all a part of the day’s work and play; while the latter are viewed as serious troubles, as important menaces to life and happiness. It is the mental element, rather than the physical pain, which because of the intensity of its distress in the disagreeable thoughts and emotions of childhood, then contributes Conditioning Energy which is particularly potent to form virulent complexes.

One who is a failure in life, who continually experiences hard luck, may be amazed to learn that the cause of his failure is the fear inculcated into him as a child by the religious teachings of eternal damnation; that it is caused by the inward frustration arising from constantly hearing the word "Don’t!" from his parents; that it is the result of a feeling of inferiority produced by associating with an older brother or sister; or that it is the outcome of the repressed rage felt against members of his own family in childhood. Yet such frequently is the case.

A child is, of necessity, denied so many of its desires, is forced not to do this, and not to do that, and coerced into doing so many things against its inclination, that in the astral body of all ordinary adult human beings there are discordant complexes which have had their origin in the experiences of early life, in addition to thought cells containing discordant thought compounds. And there may also very well be others originating later in life, which have arisen from circumstances of a far more serious kind.

In the complete reorganization of the character, therefore, to the end of making it highly competent and fortunate, it is well to begin with the Reconditioning of the various discordant complexes and repressions within the astral body that have been built by experiences earlier in the life; so that their energies shall be diverted into expressing through some harmonious and beneficial activity. And to facilitate the Reconditioning of each of these complexes and repressions, it is advantageous to remember the experiences which gave them the Conditioning energy which is thus to be changed.

Most of these experiences when they are remembered, and viewed by the light of later knowledge, which enables them to be arranged according to a broader philosophy, will be seen to have been either quite insignificant, merely as the incidents necessary in life’s struggle, or as the avenue through which some important lesson, essential to progress, could be learned. And it has been found in psychoanalytic practice, that whenever a disagreeable experience is thus recalled in memory, and seen to be, after all, a benefit, that the new and pleasurable emotion then imparted to it tends to Recondition the thought elements within the compound, or the arrangement within the complex, so that it expresses more harmoniously.

When one can honestly laugh at his own past misfortunes, the thought elements within the astral form derived from them are subjected to the process of Conversion, and are rearranged to form a constructive compound. And in like manner, in recalling the various annoyances of childhood, if they can be seen as mere trifles, the virulent compounds they have formed will be Reconditioned into those which are beneficial, and their repressed energy diverted into useful work. Thus it becomes an advantage, as an early step in attaining Realization, in the fullest sense of the word, to recall in memory all the disagreeable experiences of the past, and to view them either as events whose importance at the time was ridiculously over estimated, or as a necessary and truly beneficial stepping stone on the pathway to higher things.

It should be understood, however, that any disagreeable event is to be called up in memory only for the transitory purpose of giving it more pleasant Conditioning Energy. For, if recalled in memory to again experience the disagreeable emotions, it will be given new thought elements along with additional Conditioning Energy of the type which will increase the power of its discord. A painful image held in the mind strengthens the compound which it gave form, and tends to attract other similar painful events. But an experience that was once deemed painful, recalled in memory as an experience from which in reality benefit was derived, tends to rearrange the thought elements in the compound associated with it.

At the same time, it is always well to associate every such painful picture with a stronger picture in which there is pleasure; to associate the picture from childhood with a later experience in which there were more agreeable happenings. The end sought should be merely to remember the painful incident long enough to reorganize it by giving it a new polarity; and not to dwell on the image of the experience, for that tends to attract other experiences of a like nature. The experience is to be recalled only to view its pleasurable side, and then having Converted it, to let the matter drop. For the rule is, in all visualizing, that the picture of the desired condition should receive the major portion of the energy and attention.

The Record Which Reveals Repressions and Complexes

To recall the events which were responsible for repressions and complexes which now exist within the astral form, in addition to other methods, Free Association may be used. Under ordinary circumstances the most convenient and effective way of doing this is to set apart a half hour each day. Then, with a notebook and pencil ready at hand, recline in an easy position with the muscles completely relaxed and the mind as much of a blank as possible. Thus, as near to the sleeping state as can be maintained without loss of objective consciousness, permit whatever thoughts may come, to pass freely through the mind. From time to time, arouse sufficiently to make notes of these thoughts and mental pictures; notes that are for no one else to read but yourself. And, as if the psychoanalysis proves successful, before it is finished all the sordid side of the inner nature, the unsublimated primitive desires and impulses, will have contributed their share to the record, these notes should be kept under lock and key.

In addition to what passes through the mind in Free Association, the record also should include an account of all dreams, and all blunders and mistakes made during the day.

For a while it will be quite enough to keep this record without trying to understand it. But after a week or two some of the notes may be read over in the attempt to discern just what repressions and complexes and thought compounds they express. From the Free Associations, one thought suggesting another, gradually there will come remembrances of humiliating experiences and of shameful thoughts and desires. When these are remembered, they can be Reconditioned pleasantly through viewing them in proper perspective; as trivial, as experiences necessary and valuable for the fuller understanding of life, or as primitive propensities not yet sublimated, but which when properly diverted furnish energies that can be used for high purposes of construction.

The cause of little forgetfulnesses, the misplacing of this article, the failure to remember that engagement, the tipping over of the water glass, the various other blunders, may be traced, in each instance, to some disagreeable experience or thought with which the matter is in some way mentally associated. And by tracing the line of thought, by the method of Free Association, which spontaneously passes through the mind, with the blunder as a starting point, the disagreeable event which caused the complex, and through it the error, can be located. When once it is located, it can then be viewed in the light of a broad and optimistic philosophy, laughed at perhaps, and thus Converted into a source of energy which will prove beneficent and constructive.

The dreams will be a little more difficult to unravel. Some of them, and possibly some of the scenes viewed while practicing Free Association, may be actual astral conditions. But commonly more of them will symbolize some strong desire that has been repressed. And by taking each factor of the dream and finding just what other thoughts and images naturally follow it in Free Association, it is possible to learn what is symbolized by each.

In this connection it is well to bear in mind that the parts of the dream soonest forgotten are apt to be the most important from the standpoint of psychoanalysis; for the objective consciousness tends to thrust the portion that arises from a disagreeable complex out of the memory. Thus by writing down the dream immediately upon waking, and then writing it down again later in the day, or on the following day, it will be found considerably altered. And the portion changed or omitted, because there is always a tendency to forget that which is most painful, frequently is the part of greatest symbolic value. It is the part which directly symbolizes the discordant complex.

When the meaning of the dream is made plain: that there is such and such a desire within the astral form which, perhaps, the objective mind would not even recognize as a possible desire; a mental acknowledgment that the desire exists, and as explained in detail in Chapter 5 (Serial Lesson 60), Course V, Esoteric Psychology, the sublimation of its energies so that they will find an acceptable and adequate expression of their basic nature, will convert a source of hindrance and discord into constructive energies which can be used to advance the life along the path selected.

For the best results this process of self psychoanalysis should continue over a period of several months. It is the general training that should precede the more specific application of Conversion and Mental Antidotes to the discordant thought compounds mapped by discordantly aspected planets in the birth chart. Before a gymnast is given drastic exercises to make him especially strong and skillful for some particular feat, it is common to give him a period of general training in which the objects are to build up the entire body to a point of vigorous health, and to remedy any little weaknesses here and there that may, if not strengthened, in time cause trouble.

Proceeding along a very similar line toward full Realization, physically, mentally, and spiritually, before attempting the reorganization of the thought compounds and groups of thought cells which already had been built into the astral body before the moment of birth, and which are specifically mapped by the birth chart planets, and before starting on the work of building into the astral body such compounds and dynamic stellar structures as would be mapped by the birth chart if it could be given the planetary strength and the aspects desired, it seems wise first to prepare for this more arduous work by self psychoanalysis. This will release pernicious repressions and Recondition complexes and compounds of the type that have been acquired since human birth.

Reconditioning the Compounds Mapped by Birth Chart Constants

After the Reconditioning of the desires of compounds and complexes which can be reached through the methods of psychoanalysis has been completed, the next step is to bring about the Reconditioning of the thought compounds and stellar cells in the unconscious mind which are mapped by birth chart Constants which show a predisposition toward specific diseases and difficulties.

As the method of doing this through Conversion and Mental Antidotes has been fully explained in the earlier chapters/lessons of this course/book, it only remains to emphasize that in applying the appropriate kind of thoughts and Conditioning Energy, it is essential to have the precise mental images or thought train ever ready at hand and easy to use, and that steps be taken to insure that they always are used on the occasions selected for applying them to the discordant thought compounds. Just a hazy general notion will not do. If a discordant compound is to be Reconditioned into one harmonious, a definite and effective system of applying the proper thoughts to it must be formulated and strictly observed.

Building Into the Character Such Qualities As Might be Mapped by Any Birth Chart Desired

So far, we have been chiefly considering altering energies that already have been built into the unconscious mind so that they will express, not as discords and conflicts, but in the most harmonious and effective manner. But when it is remembered that all that is within the unconscious mind, whether mapped by the birth chart or acquired since birth, has been added to it through experience, we perceive that merely Reconditioning what already resides within the character is only a portion of the work to be accomplished in gaining complete Realization. It is only repair work, so to speak. And in addition to it, many new parts can be added which will enable the character to function on a level otherwise it could never hope to reach.

Just what these new parts, which are well-organized groups of thought cells added to the astral body through appropriate mental processes, are, which a given individual should acquire for his character, depends upon what he already has, and upon the specific cosmic work he feels he should accomplish. In the limited space here at disposal, it will be possible to indicate only a few of the beneficial character factors, and how they can be built into the unconscious mind, so that they will have all the force of such a dynamic stellar structure as is mapped by a certain planet when it is prominent and harmoniously aspected in the birth chart. But this will indicate the method used. And it will be understood that qualities, through the use of such methods, can be added to the character, if enough energy can be applied in the process, such as are represented by any selected planetary position and aspect in a chart at birth.

Acquiring Positiveness and Vitality

Upon the energy and harmony of the Power thought cells within the astral body depends the vitality and the ability to resist the mental influence of others. Especially people who have the negative planets prominent in their birth charts need an additional supply of the Power thought cells to enable them to keep from being swayed from their purpose and to prevent their domination. They represent the specific mental factors most needed by those who are troubled by psychic forces, more about which will be explained in the next chapter/lesson. Self-esteem and self-confidence are expressions of these Power urges. Self-esteem is essential to anyone who would gain the esteem of others, and self-confidence is necessary to the efficient performance of any worthwhile task.

Self depreciation and lack of pride and firmness all too often are responsible for failure. But to preserve significance it is not necessary to be arrogant nor condescending. Yet it is imperative that one recognize one’s own importance and value. And, as a matter of fact, each human is being fitted to occupy a function in life that he can fill better than any other. Each person is really an important cog in the cosmic scheme; and the proper turning of the mill of the gods depends upon each cog in the universal wheel performing its special function. Thus is each of us being shaped and polished to be able to perform his work in the universal scheme of things with ever greater nicety.

Therefore, each day when the aspirant for Realization retires for his half hour or so, let him spend a portion of the time meditating deeply on these facts. Let him withdraw his attention from the cares of the day, and thinking of these matters, learn to Feel his oneness with the whole universe. Let him feel and know that he is a part of the Universal Life, and that he is in harmony with this All of Life; and being conscious of it, that he is working daily and doing his part to carry out the cosmic program.

He will then feel and Realize that he is working under Divine guidance, and that he has responsibilities to the Mastermind which none but himself can fulfill. And he should permit this Realization of his oneness with all life, and the Realization that he is assisting in the universal work, to fill him with great joy and thanksgiving. Let it inspire him to be conscientious, firm, and self-confident in the performance of life’s work, and let it induce in him a great pleasure through the exercise of these qualities. Then let him go forth and manifest these attributes in action. By so doing he will build into himself those thought cells which give length of life, vitality, and power.

Acquiring Abundance

These Power thought cells attract success through their strength and virile energy. They lead to positions of authority, and give the ability to command others. But there is still another group of thought cells which has a special facility to attract abundance and exceptional good fortune. These are the Religious thought cells. And the most powerfully harmonious compound that can be formed is one in which the Power thought elements combine pleasantly with the Religious thought elements. Therefore, after it becomes possible to Enter The Silence—to turn the thoughts from the external environment to an apprehension of the inner feelings and thoughts—and to realize that you are an eternal spark of Deity, possessing an immortal soul that is working in harmony with all other souls for universal progression; then learn to Feel intensely Devotion, Hope, Cheerfulness, Veneration, Faith and Optimism.

Realizing that you are a part of Deific Life, and working under the direction of the Master Architect it will be easy to bring thoughts of benevolence, hope and faith into association with thoughts of conscientiousness, self-esteem and pride; for you then will inwardly know that one who serves God so faithfully will only reap that which is good. And after the period of Going Into The Silence and feeling this Realization within, then go forth into the world and confirm your Realization by Acts; for when a change has really been made in the astral body, it will manifest in the outward form, and by the act is this inward change then demonstrated.

In this building these new and harmonious compounds into the astral form by the power of thought, the strength of the compound is determined by the volume and intensity of the feeling imparted to it. But the kind of a compound that is organized depends upon the quality of the emotions that accompany its formation.

In the formation of the Religious power compound, for instance, which I have just explained how to construct, if the thoughts accompanying its formation, during the period of meditation and when carried out by appropriate acts, are persistent and mildly pleasant, a Growth compound will be formed. If the thoughts are mildly pleasant, but rather intermittent, and interspersed with some slightly discordant feelings, the compound formed will be of the Expansion variety. If, however, the feelings accompanying the thoughts and deeds of a power and religious nature are of the buoyant and joyous quality, the result will be an Opportunity compound. But if the emotion is more than joyous, being also enthusiastically happy and intensely blissful, then will a Luck compound be constructed. Such a combination is then called a Power-Religious-Luck-Compound; and no more powerful influence exists on earth for the purpose of attracting Good Fortune.

The same principles hold also for the formation of harmonious mental compounds from the other thought elements: the intensity of the pleasure accompanying their formation determines whether they will enter into the construction of a Growth, an Expansion, an Opportunity, or a Luck compound.

Acquiring Good Fortune With the Populace and the Opposite Sex

The next most powerful compound that can be incorporated into the character for the purpose of attaining the highest Realization of success is a harmonious Domestic Power Compound, particularly if it is also a Luck Compound. It is not so potent to bring blind good fortune as a harmonious Religious Power Compound; but it gives greater ability, and is even more beneficial to the health. It causes the vital processes and physical functions to cooperate perfectly, endowing the person both with vitality and a strong constitution. It attracts favors from the opposite sex and from people in power, and gives popularity with the general populace. It thus aids in the accumulation of wealth, in gaining favorable publicity and in the rapid advancement of the social and business position.

To build such a compound into the astral body, a justifiable joy should be felt in one’s own importance, and a particular pleasure should be felt in using whatever station, income, and advantages that are gained to make the home and family more attractive. Few things build up those mental conditions which lead to general unpopularity so rapidly as does a discordant home life. And few things tend so quickly to attract popularity as does the compounds built into the unconscious mind by a happy home. When such a happy home life can be made to inspire a feeling of importance, dignity, and conscientiousness, so that these feelings can be carried strongly into the business world, we have one of the most potent influences extant, not merely for business success, but for honesty, morality, and integrity of character.

Yet in building such a compound, it is important to remember that it is not the actual events which happen in the home, the people in it, or the beauty of its surroundings, that tend to form integrative or disintegrative thought compounds; but the mental attitude toward these things.

Life in a hovel, while surrounded by unsympathetic people, can be made a potent factor in organizing harmonious compounds if one will but search minutely for causes of joy. And, on the other hand, a palace and servants may be made a potent source of discord, if only the disagreeable side of conditions is perceived. It is not the nature of the events which happen that cause the fortunate Conditioning of compounds but the amount of happiness felt due to the event.

Acquiring Affectional Success

The compounds coming third in the order of their potency for good, are the Social Compounds. In the astral body of a man, a Domestic Social Compound is more fortunate, because women have so much to do with making or marring the life of a man, and this is the most fortunate of all compounds for Realizing affectional success, and for attracting good fortune through women. In the astral body of a woman, the Social Power Compound is more fortunate; for it insures her happiness where affectional matters are concerned and also gives her great success in all her dealings with men.

For a man deliberately to set about building a Domestic Social Compound into his astral form, he should grasp every opportunity to associate an interest in providing for, and looking after, his own family, with taking an active part in promoting social activities. He should take a special interest in going out among people accompanied by his family, or if he has no family of his own, with children or people who are helpless and need care. He should learn greatly to enjoy mixing with people, and the mixing of his family with others in social affairs. The custom of whole families paying visits upon other families is good practice, provided, of course, it can be arranged so that all concerned will have a happy time. The man who loves to entertain in his own home will benefit by it both in popularity and in health.

For a woman to build a Social Power Compound into her astral body, she should not confine her interests entirely to domestic duties, but should take a pride in her personal appearance, and in being agreeable company. The cultivation of a feeling of kindness and friendliness toward all persons she meets, will tend to combine the Social and the Power thought elements properly; and if along with this there also is felt a joy in being rather queenly and dignified, this will tend to the Conditioning of a harmonious Social Power Compound. Mirth is as important in this life as is work; and dignity and self-esteem also have their important function.

Acquiring Other Good Fortune

It will be found quite profitable systematically to build any two families of thought elements into the astral body as a harmonious compound. But because of their greater importance in human life, the time and energy may be spent more profitably in adding to the thought cells, compounds in which one of three families of thought elements always are present. The most important family that should be harmoniously combined with as many other families as possible, it that of the Power thought elements. Next in importance to the Power group are the elements belonging to the Domestic thought element family. And third in importance are the thought elements of the Intellectual family.

The etheric energies of the body, that is, the nerve currents and their magnetic field, in their positive phase are governed by the releases of desire energies by the Power thought cells; and the four-dimensional activities of these thought cells, as mapped by the progressed aspects of the Sun in a birth chart, are responsible for attracting many of the events of major importance into the life. In their negative phase the nerve currents and their magnetic field are governed by the release of desire energies by the Domestic thought cells; and the four-dimensional activities of these thought cells, as mapped by the progressed aspects of the Moon in a birth chart, are responsible for attracting many events into the life of sub-major importance.

The electric currents, generated through the release of desire energies by the Power thought cells and Domestic thought cells, in the wavelength of their radiations, are commonly governed by the release of desire energies by the Intellectual thought cells. These thought cells powerfully influence the trend of objective thinking, and the thoughts thus gaining objective attention raise or lower the vibratory rates of the energy radiated; and through this control of the comparative shortness of the wavelengths emitted, the individual tunes in on planetary and other broadcasts of a similar frequency. The energy thus tuned in on, radio fashion, through the thoughts and feelings that at the time are before the objective attention, finds its way over the etheric energies of the nervous system, which are ready conductors of astral broadcasts, to the thought cells in various regions of the astral body. Furthermore, the thoughts and feelings, as this whole course has constantly emphasized, determine what elements are added to the thought cells and how they are Conditioned to act.

It is to the Intellectual thought cells that we must look for the ability to keep the thoughts Directed into the specific channels which will provide Mental Antidotes or produce Conversion, and which will add elements to the astral body only in a manner which will prove constructive and assist in attaining Realization. Therefore, no pains and effort should be spared to insure that these Intellectual thought cells have abundant and harmonious desire energies which with facility can be released.

Birth Charts

Donald Wills Douglas Chart October 27, 1858, 10:58 a.m., 74W00 40N43 1912, model airplane he flew from second story of dormitory hit an admiral in the head and he resigned from U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis: Mercury square Mars p. 1915, job as chief engineer building planes: Venus square Saturn p. 1918, with Glenn L. Martin, produced the famous Martin bomber, first all-American design to be built during war: Venus inconjunct Mars p. 1920, started building his own aircraft: Sun trine Mars r. 1921, non-stop flight of his plane failed: Sun semisquare Venus p. 1922, won competition for navy torpedo plane design, and contract to build 21 such planes: Venus semisextile Venus r, Mars trine Venus r.

Dr. Smith Ely Jelliffe Chart November 30, 1835, 4:45 a.m., 92W00 39N30 (time largely speculative) 1889, started professionally as M.D.: Sun sextile Jupiter p. 1894, married: Mars semisextile Moon r. 1899, given degree of Ph.D.: Sun inconjunct Uranus p. 1900, given A.M. degree: Sun inconjunct Uranus r. 1907, called as alienist in the trial of Harry K. Thaw, and his testimony that Thaw shot and killed Stanford White while suffering from a "brain storm," released the young millionaire and set a legal precedent regarding temporary insanity: Mars semisextile Moon r, Mercury conjunction Sun r, Sun and Mercury sesquisquare Mars p, inconjunct Pluto r. Later became outstanding psychoanalyst.

To purchase the print book Mental Alchemy click here