In personal conversation with another you will find it of the greatest value to see as clearly as possible a mental picture, chart or map, of what you are saying to him. By so doing yon will impress most forcibly upon his mind that which you wish him to see, and feel. In this statement is compressed the secret of effective speaking. In the degree that you see and feel the thought that you are expressing in words, will be the degree of impression made upon, and mentative induction produced in, the other person. The secret of course lies in the power of visualization.

You may find an evidence of your increasing mentative influence by trying the psychological experiment of "willing" people to move this way or that way, by gazing intently at them. In this experiment it is not necessary for you to gaze into their eyes. Gazing at their back, preferably at the upper part of the neck, at the base of the brain, will answer. Yon may try "willing" persons to look around on the street, or in public places, etc. Or you may "will" that they turn to the right or left of you, when approaching each other on the street. Or, in stores you may "will" that a certain clerk, from out of a number, will step forward to wait upon you. These and many similar experiments have an interest to the majority of students, and are accomplished with comparative ease, after sufficient practice. The whole theory and practice consists of a steady gaze, and the mental command, and will, that the person will act so-and-so, together with the earnest expectation that he will obey the command, and the mental picture of his doing so. That is all there is to it.

In the use of the eye as a mentative instrument, remember first, last, and all the time, that desire and will are the phases of the mentative energy, and that in the degree that desire is kindled, and will is exerted, so will be the power expressed by yourself, and impressed upon others. Read this book over a number of times, until you have fully grasped the underlying principles. Then commit its exercises and instructions to memory. Then practice frequently, and perfect yourself in the methods pointed out, until you render them "second nature." You will be conscious of a gradual growth and development, along the lines of mentative power and influence. The flame of dynamic mentation once lighted, it will never die out - tend the flame carefully, keep the wick trimmed clean, and fill the lamp with oil, and it will ever burn bright and emit heat and light and power.

The last mentative instrument mentioned in a previous chapter is "the touch." There was a time, in my early stages of experimentation and psychological research, when I laughed at the idea of the touch playing any real part in the work of mental influence. Of course I saw the effect of the touch in certain phases of psychological work, but I believed that it was all "merely suggestion," but I soon learned that the touch was really a most potent instrument of mentative energy. I now explain it by the idea of the nerves being like the wires upon which the elec-tric current travels. The brain is the dynamo, or converter of the energy, and while the latter travels in waves and currents without any wires (just as do the waves of the wireless telegraph) still if there is a wire to be had, then it follows the lines of least resistance and takes advantage of the nerve-wire. Certain parts of the body have nerve-cells very highly developed in them - are in fact miniature brains. In the cases of some persons of sensitive and trained touch, there exist little clusters of nerve cells at the ends of the fingers, that act like miniature brains. The lips are also highly developed in this respect, as the well known phenomena of "kissing" evidences. The fingers and band are excellent polar mediums for conveying the mentative energy that pours down over the nerves from the brain, and through which it passes to the other person.

The use of the touch of the hands as a channel for conveying mentative energy depends greatly upon the development of the hands by the individual. Those who understand this matter, develop the conductivity of the hands by "treating" them, as follows: Think of your hands as excellent conductors of mentative energy, and imagine that you can feel the energy pouring down the nerves of your arms, and out of your hands, obeying your will, when you shake hands with people. You will soon develop your hands to such a degree that some sensitive persons will actually "feel" the current passing into them. Always accompany the passage of the current with the thought or feeling that you wish to induce in the other person, just as you do when you use the "Dynamic Gaze." In fact, the gaze and the hand-clasp should be used together, when possible, for by so doing you double the effect.

When you shake hands with a person throw mind and feeling into it, and do not fall into the mechanical, lifeless method so common among people. Throw your feeling down to your hand, and at the same time make a mental command or statement appropriate to the case. For instance, grasp the person's hand with feeling, and interest, saying, mentally, at the same time: "You like me." Then, when you draw you hand away, if possible let your fingers slide over the palm of his hand in a caressing manner, allowing his first finger to pass between your thumb and forefinger, close up in the crotch of the thumb. Practice this well, until you can perform it without thinking of it - that is, make it your natural way of shaking hands. You will find that this method of shaking hands will open up a new interest in people toward you, and in other ways you will discover its advantage. You never knew a "fascinating" person who did not have a good hand-clasp. It is a part of the fascinating personality.

There are many persons, well grounded on the psychological principles underlying the subject, who use the hands as a medium for mentative energy, without shaking hands. For instance, they sit near the other person and place their hands so that their fingers will point toward him, at the same time willing that the current flow through the fingers and toward the other. They also use their hands in conversation so as to have the tips of their fingers pointing toward the other. This last plan becomes highly effective when used with the appropriate gestures, for it is akin to the mesmeric "pass" of the hands. In this connection I would say beware of the person who is always trying to put his hands on you - beware of the "pawing over" process. Avoid it in the ordinary way, if possible, or else deliberately practice the positive denial toward the person, holding the idea and mental statement that "I deny the power of your magnetism - I scatter it by my denial."