Give the first of these propositions but a moment’s thought.  You can conceive of no form of accomplishment which is not the result of some kind of bodily activity.  One would say that the master works of poetry, art, philosophy, religion, are products of human effort furthest removed from the material side of life, yet even these would have perished still-born in the minds conceiving them had they not found transmission and expression through some form of bodily activity.  You will agree, therefore, that the first of these propositions is so self-evident, so axiomatic, as neither to require nor to admit of formal proof.

The second proposition is not so easily disposed of.  It is in fact so difficult of acceptance by some persons that we must make very plain its absolute validity.  Furthermore, its elucidation will bring forth many illuminating facts that will give you an entirely new conception of the mind and its scope and influence.

[Sidenote:  The Enslaved Brain]

Remember, when we say “mind,” we are not thinking of the brain.  The brain is but one of the organs of the body, and, by the terms of our proposition as stated, is as much the slave of the mind as is any other organ of the body.  To say that the mind controls the body presupposes that mind and body are distinct entities, the one belonging to a spiritual world, the other to a world of matter.

That the mind is master of the body is a settled principle of science.  But we realize that its acceptance may require you to lay aside some preconceived prejudices.  You may be one of those who believe that the mind is nothing more nor less than brain activity.  You may believe that the body is all there is to man and that mind-action is merely one of its functions.

[Sidenote:  First Step Toward Self-Realization]

If so, we want you nevertheless to realize that, while as a matter of philosophic speculation you retain these opinions, you may at the same time for practical purposes regard the mind as an independent causal agency and believe that it can and does control and determine and cause any and every kind of bodily activity.  We want you to do this because this conclusion is at the basis of a practical system of mental efficiency and because, as we shall at once show you, it is capable of proof by the established methods of physical science.

RELATION OF MIND ACTIVITY TO BODILY ACTIVITY

CHAPTER III

RELATION OF MIND ACTIVITY TO BODILY ACTIVITY

POINT OF VIEW FROM WHICH YOU MUST APPROACH THIS PROBLEM

[Sidenote:  Speculation and Practical Science]

The fact is, one’s opinion as to whether mind controls body or body makes mind-action depends altogether upon the point of view.  And the first step for us to take is to agree upon the point of view we shall assume.