This section is from the book "Mind-Power: The Secret Of Mental Magic", by William Walker Atkinson. Also available from Amazon: Mind Power: The Secret of Mental Magic.
I now come to a phase of the subject that under-lies all of the phenomena of telementation, and really gives the "key" to much of its wonderful effects. I allude to what occultists know as "Visualization." This visualization is to telementation what the pattern is to the maker of objects; what the plans of the architect are to the builders; what the "mould" or "matrix" is to moulders of metal. It is the skeleton around which the materialization of thought-forms occurs. It is of the greatest importance to you to acquaint yourselves with its laws and effects.
To "visualize" means to "see mentally" - that is, to form a mental image of a thing - to "see it in one's mind," etc., Visualization, along the lines of one's daily occupation is a most important thing, but one that is very poorly appreciated because little understood. The best workmen, writers, inventors, composers, etc., are those who are able "to see the thing in the mind," and then reproduce it in materialized form. Sir Francis Galton, one of the best authorities upon the subject, has said: "The free action of a vivid visualizing faculty is of much importance in connection with the higher processes of generalized thought. * * * A visual image is the most perfect form of mental representation wherever the shape, position,and relations of objects to space are concerned. * * * The best workmen are those who visualise the whole of what they propose to do, before they take a tool in their hand. " * * Strategists, artists of all denominations, physicists who contrive new experiments, and in short, all who do not follow routine, have need of it. * * * A faculty that is of importance in all technical and artistic occupations; that gives accuracy to our perceptions, and justice to our generalizations; is starved by lazy disuse, instead of being cultivated judiciously in such a way as will, on the whole, bring the best return. I believe that a serious study of the best means of developing and utilizing this faculty, without prejudice to the practice of abstract thought in symbols, is one of the many pressing desiderata in the yet unformed science of education."
And all that Sir Francis Galton has said above is equally true of the cultivation of the art of visualization in connection with telementation. The trouble with the majority of people is that they do not know just what they do want. They are not able to form clear mental images of that which they wish to "create" or "materialize." The men who obtain the greatest and most wonderful results through mentative influence, particularly in the form of tele-mentation, are those men who are able to "visualise" most clearly the things that they wish to "materialize" - who are able to form the mental image of the things they wish to manifest.
The secret of visualization lies in the occult and psychological principle that "as is the mental matrix, so is the mental form; and as is the mental form, so is the physical materialization." In other words, the visualized mental image is the matrix or mould into which the Mind-Power is poured, and from which it takes form; and around this mental image the deposit of materialization forms - and thus does the ideal become the real. If you wish to get the best effects from Mind-Power you must create a mental image around which the material or physical materialization is formed - and the way to form the proper mental image is by visualization, which thus builds up the matrix or mould in which the Mind-Power pours. And as is the matrix so is the image, and as is the image so is the materialization.
Before you can draw to you the material needed for building up the things or conditions you desire you must form a clear mental image of just what you want to materialize - and before you can make this mental image, you must realize mentally just exactly what you do desire. And the process of this is called visualization. That is, you build up a mental matrix or mould, little by little, until you have it before you clearly - until it stands out clearly formed as a mental image, just as you would see it if it were actually materialized. Then you must hold this mental image before you constantly, regarding it not as a mere imagination, but as a something real which you have created in your mind, and which will proceed to surround itself with the material necessary to give it material objectivity, or materialization.
If you cannot see the whole thing at first, as a mental image - that is, if you are not able to build up a complete matrix by visualization, then do the next best thing - which is the very best thing for the majority of people - and build a matrix of the first step toward the whole thing, that is, the first thing that is needed. Then concentrate upon this first tiling until the mental image stands out sharp and clear, and you will find that things have been started in motion. Then, you may add little by little to your matrix, and build up your mental image a little larger and in greater detail. And here is an important thing. You must mentally see the thing as actually existing, right now, and not as "going to exist" later on. You must realize that the mental image exists right now, else it will lack clearness and effectiveness.
You must pour into that mental image a constant supply of strong, positive Desire-Force, and Will-Power, all of which will spread out in the proper directions and affect the material needed to materialize your mental image. By so doing you impart to the mentative currents the necessary impetus and direction, and they will operate along these lines, and will proceed to materialize your mental image for you. Things will come your way; people will appear who are necessary to your plans; information will come to you from strange sources, and in unexpected times and places; opportunities will open themselves up to you. But remember this, that you must be prepared to act upon these openings, and opportunities. You must he alert and watchful, and expectant. You will have to do the work, remember, yourself, although the forces you have started into operation will supply you with the material. The door will be opened to you, but you must step in yourself; the tools and materials will be provided you, but you must use them; the information will be laid before you, but you must make it your own. Even Mind-Power will not avail the lazy man. You must learn to "do things" yourself.
This subject of visualization would fill a book by itself, hut I hope that I have been able to give yon a clear idea of its working principles. Remember, always this rule - this Triple-Key of Attainment, as I have often called it: (1) You must desire a thing most intensely; (2) then you must earnestly expect it: (3) then you must use your will in the direction of action tending to bring it about. But first of all, as I have said, you must know just what you do want, and then proceed to create the mental matrix or mould by visualization - that is, you must proceed to mentally see it as already existing.
This chapter must be read and studied in connection with the chapters preceding it, for they blend into each other, and the information "laps." I have given you certain principles, in plain, practical form, which may seem so simple to you as to be passed over without the proper consideration and examination. Do not make this mistake, I pray you. Do not long for high-sounding terms and mystical verbiage. The truth is capable of being expressed without these fancy trappings or drapery. I have tried to tell you the principle of these things - but you must study carefully in order to grasp every point. I have boiled down, and condensed a great deal of information into this lesson - be sure that you do not allow any of the points to escape you. You cannot expect to acquaint yourself fully with this subject in one hasty reading. You must read and re-read many times, with careful study and thought. You must do some thinking on your own account, in order to apply these general principles to your own " symptoms" and needs. You must read carefully, and then think a little. There is no royal road to Mind-Power, or anything else. I have tried to make the road a little easier for you - but you must do the traveling yourself. You cannot reach the heights by proxy. You must digest these things yourself - predigested ideas will do you no good.
Underlying all of these wonderful manifestations of telementation, there is just the simple principle that I have pointed out to you - induction of mental states by Desire-Force and "Will-Power. Everything occurs by reason of this principle. Ton may think that the book that you needed, and which came to you so wonderfully, must have arrived in some other way. Not so, the book was placed here, and moved there, by people, and these people have minds capable of being moved by vibratory waves, and so when once the thing was set into operation, all things worked together toward the given end. Even the present book reached you under the law of attraction. There is no chance in these matters - there are laws in operation everywhere, and always - and over all there is the Great Law.
And, now in concluding this chapter, I would remind you to always realize that you are centers of living mental energy in the great Ocean of Mind-Power. And that you are strong in the degree that you are positive. And that you are positive in the degree that you are an individual. And you are an Individual in the degree that you realize that you are a "center of living will." There is nothing to fear but fear - you are capable of asserting your individuality always, and everywhere - your only chains are those you forge for yourself - you are free right now, here, and always. Do not be deluded by the petty things of personality, that pass away and perish over-night - but rest serene and firm in the consciousness that you are an individual living will center; and fear not to assert the individual "I." There is no Devil but fear - nothing but fear can keep you from your own heritage and birthright. Assert the "I" and banish fear.
 
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