Dr. Paul Edwards, one of the world's most famous mental-healers, whom I met quite often a number of years ago when he was living in Chicago, informed me that the result of his practice has taught him that there was a great difference in the "intelligence*' of the mind in the several organs. For instance, he believed that the heart was very "intelligent," and quite amenable to mild, gentle, coaxing suggestions and advice or orders; while on the other hand, the liver was a most mulish, stubborn, obstinate organ-mind, which had to be driven along by the sharpest and most positive suggestions. I have since investigated along this line, and I am now fully convinced of the correctness of Dr. Edwards' theory in this respect. I have found the heart to be very gentle, and obedient, as he said, and I have moreover found it needed but the slightest word to attract its attention. I have found the liver to be brutish, stubborn, and obstinate, and needing the most forceful, insistent methods - something like driving a stubborn donkey along the road. I have also found the liver to be lazy and sleepy, and needing much effort to rouse it into a receptive condition. The stomach I have found quite intelligent, particularly if it has not been brutalized by "stuffing," and it will readily respond to the treatment. A peculiar thing about the stomach is that it seems to like "jollying," or "flattery" - tell it how good a stomach it is, and how well it can do its work; and how much you trust it to run things right for you; and lo! it proceeds to "make good," and justify your praise and commendations.

The nerves respond readily to this form of treatment, along gentle coaxing lines. The circulation of the blood may be increased to certain parts, or restrained, in this way. In this way the blood can be swept all over the body, creating a pleasant glow; or it may be drawn away from an aching head, or a feverish brow. The bowels respond readily to a firm, kind treatment, in which they are to be told to move regularly - it being well to name a certain time at which you expect them to establish a regular habit, in which case be sure to keep your appointment with them and give them a chance. The organs peculiar to women will respond quite readily to this form of treatment. Regular menstruation has often been established by treating the proper parts in this way a month ahead, and keeping it up every day until the regular period - in this case it is also well to "fix a date." Suggestions of "firm, now - be firm and strong" have relieved many cases of womb weaknesses. Profuse menstruation has yielded to commands of "slow, now; easy, easy; not so free a flow," etc.

There are no fixed forms of treatment along these lines. You must acquire the "knack" by practice. The proper words will suggest themselves to you. The thing to do is to know what you want done, and then command the organ-mind to do that thing; using the same words that you would use in talking to a real person in the place of the organ. You will soon acquire the art, by a little practice. Those who have treated a large number of persons in this way have told me that the mind in the organs and parts seems to instinctively recognize the healer's power over them. Just as a horse or dog will recognize men who are accustomed to managing animals of their kind, so will these organ-minds instinctively recognize their master in one who has studied this art of mental-healing, along these lines.

Remember always that you are mind talking to mind, not to dead matter. There is mind in every cell, nerve, organ and part of the body, and in the body as a whole; and this mind will listen to your central mind and obey it, because your central mind is positive to it - the organ is negative to you. Carry this idea always with you in giving these treatments, and endeavor to visualize the mind in the organs. etc., as clearly as may be, for by so doing you get them in better rapport with you, and can handle them to better advantage.

And, also remember, that the virtue lies not in the mere sound of the words that happen to reach the organ or cells - they do not understand words as words, but they do understand the meaning behind the words - they recognize the mental state of which the word is the outward symbol. But without words it is very hard for you to think, or clearly express the feeling - and so by all means use the words just as if the organ-minds understood their actual meaning, for by so doing, you can drive in the meaning of the word - and induce the mental state conditions necessary to work the cure.

"While this local treatment is adapted especially to personal healing, still it may be also used to great advantage in absent healing, by combining it with the regular general form of absent healing. That is, after giving the general absent treatment, proceed to place yourself en rapport with the organ-mind in the patient, and then talk to it just as you would if the patient were actually present. Visualization will enable you to do this effectively. I have heard of some wonderful cures having been effected by the use of this form of local treatment in absent healing, in connection with the general treatment

And in case of self-healing this local treatment acts with wonderful force. One can, of course, "talk up" to his own cells and organs just as be can to those of another and with equal effect if he goes about it right. This opens up a wonderful field for self-healing. The methods and practice of local treatment in self-healing are precisely similar to those used in treating others. I am personally acquainted with a lady who has learned to make her body obey her perfectly. If the body looks tired or droopy or lacks freshness and beauty, she just "talks up" to it and tells it how much she thinks of it and how much she appreciates all that it is doing for her, etc. and at the same time encourages it to manifest activity and interest, etc. The result is that the next morning after the treatment she will find that all of her suggestions have been accepted and acted upon by the body, and that the latter looks fresh, active and beautiful, manifesting all the appearance of youth and perfect health. I have heard of women managing to retain their youthful appearance in a similar manner. I have known men to "coax up" their bodies, when under the strain of unusual work, with the best of results. In fact, I believe that in this form of treatment of one's own body there are pos-sibilties as yet undreamt of by the race. Perhaps this hint may start some investigator to exploring the field to the limit - I have not found time to carry my investigations along this line quite as far as I would have liked. There is a great unexplored field here. Here is a chance for some fine work for the students of this book.

And now I seem to have reached the end of this chapter. Remember, please, that within its pages I have condensed information sufficient to have filled a good sized volume or two. Read it carefully and do not let the simplicity of my methods lead you to ignore the wonderful possibilities open to those who will practice them. I have not cared to dress up my "treatments" and methods in fancy garb for the purpose of bewildering the eye and creating an impression upon the foolish and childish minds of those who run after these things. I do not want a "following" of this sort - I want, rather, the earnest sympathetic co-operation of my students who appreciate the virtue in these apparently simple methods. As I have said before, these "simple" methods and forms of treatment represent the work and experience of myself and others extending over a number of years. They are the "boiling-down" of many systems, and the result of my own experiments. They embody the simplest, plainest, and yet the most effective methods known to the world of mental healing today. Take my word for this - I base this statement upon eight active years of earnest, patient, careful investigation, experiment and study along these lines under circumstances with which few are fortunate enough to be favored. I say these things not in the spirit of boasting or "booming my own wares," but merely that you may understand just what is behind and under these "simple" forms, methods and treatments.

You will notice, I hope, that in order to practice these methods of mental healing you are not required to "join" anything - nor asked to connect yourself with any new religion or semi-religion. You may adhere to your favorite beliefs, and still make as many cures as the best of those who believe and claim that the healing is done because of some fantastic theory, dogma or belief! There is no more sense in building up a religion around mental healing than there is in building one up around Homeopathy, Allopathy, or Osteopathy, or Hydropathy, or any other "pathy." There is but one healing power of the mind and that is free and open to all. It is the gift of the Infinite to its finite reflections. It is a natural force, working under certain laws - and free to all. Take it and use it toward "the healing of the nations," beginning with yourself.