The Secret of Mental Magic. Lesson 3

The secret of mental magic. A course of seven lessons.
By William Walker Atkinson, 1907.

Lesson 3. Mental suggestion.
What Is Mental Suggestion?—The Phases of Suggestion—Suggestion Entirely Emotional— The Meaning of the Term—My Own Definition—The Power of Words—The Subtle Insinuation—Impression and Induction—Degrees of Suggestibility—Ideas Induced by Feeling—Feelings vs. Reason—The Four Lines of Action—The First Line of Action—Man, An Obedient Animal—The Origin of Obedience to Suggestion—The “Confidence Men”—Extreme Instances—The Keynote—Those Easily Affected—The Degree of Power—The Second Line of
Action—Human Sheep and Apes—Imitative Mental Contagion—The Third Line of Action— Words but Symbols—Associated Feeling—The Art of the Suggestor—The Master‐Key—The Spell of Oratory—The Power of Words—The Actor—How to Protect Yourself—The Fourth Line of Action—The Secret of this Form—Cuckoo Feelings—Mental Impressions—The Force of Repeated Statements—A Warning—The Three Forms of Application—The First Form— Children and Suggestion—The Rule of Involuntary Suggestion—The Second Form—Suggestive Treatment—Hypnotic Suggestion—The Third Form—Feelings vs. Reason—The Psychology of Salesmanship—Agents’ Suggestions—Advertising Suggestions—Illustrative Examples—The Psychology of Advertising—A Striking Example—Suggestion Accepted—Suggestion Among Lawyers—A Dangerous Use—The Suggestive Question—The Suggestive Position—Different Degrees—Suggestion and Personal Influence—The Importance of Suggestion.