Lesson 9 The Great Subconscious

It formerly was a favorite comment of psychologists that all teaching, theories, systems of practice, etc., connected with the cultivation and training of memory, was but an amplification and enlargement upon the theory and practice of memory training in vogue among the ancient Grecians. Some went so far as to deny that modern psychology had added even a single original idea to the general subject. But we do not hear so much of this kind of comment within the past few years, for the newer knowledge regarding that great field of human mental activity—the great subconscious—has thrown an entirely new light on the subject of memory.

While it is true that the ancient Grecian teachers of memory-development originated some of the leading points in many of the memory systems which have been employed and taught since their times—and strongly emphasized the phase of memory by association, in particular—it is equally true that their theories regarding the mature of memory were crude and lacking in the matter of the rational explanation of phenomena. Some of the Oriental theories came much nearer to the real facts. But it has remained for modern psychology to discover the theory which fully explains the facts of memory. So new is this teaching regarding the subconscious field of the mind, however, that some of the older teachers of psychology still adhere to the old theories, and find it difficult to adjust their conceptions to the newly discovered principles.

So revolutionary is the new teaching regarding the activities of the subconscious field of mental operations, that in my personal instruction on memory and its allied subjects I have insisted upon my students becoming thoroughly familiar with these new principles, in order that they might more intelligently apply the principles of my practical system. Based, as my system is, upon the laws and principles of the subconscious field of mental activity, it becomes highly important that the student should acquaint himself with all the salient points of the new teaching, before he attempts to put in practice the actual practical part of my system.

The theory must be mastered before the principles of practice may be applied to the best advantage. I have thought it proper to follow the above mentioned course in this series of printed lessons, as well as in my private, personal classes. I ask that every student pay close attention to what I shall have to say regarding the workings of the great subconscious field of the mind. It will pay him to do so for the reasons above stated, and, moreover it is a fascinating subject, and one which will throw light upon many heretofore perplexing things regarding the operations of one's mind.

According to the old view, mind and the ordinary consciousness were identical—no consciousness, no mind; no mind, no consciousness. The phenomena of memory were thought to be explained by some reference to brain-tissue, matter, etc., the idea being that the mind passed on an impression to the brain matter, where in some marvelous way it was preserved, and later re-transferred to the mind by the mechanism of memory.

The records of memory were supposed to be passed entirely out of the field of mind, and on to the field of matter. All mind was supposed to be in the field of consciousness, and everything outside of that field was supposed to be entirely outside of the realm of mind. This was the old crude idea of the mind, and of memory. It was recognized as failing to intelligently account for the phenomena of memory, and many similar phases of mental activity, but, no better theory or explanation offering itself, it was generally accepted as correct.

But the increasing volume of observed facts, which seemed to indicate that a very large share of mental activity was performed by some field or plane of the mind under or above the ordinary field or plane of consciousness, began to compel the great thinkers and teachers of psychology to incline to the idea that there might be other fields or planes of mind, under or over, the ordinary field or plane of consciousness.

[In the scan, the corner is folded over, pages 83-84.]

This idea, once suggested and supported by eminent authority, sprung rapidly into favor, and as new facts were discovered with the [illegible] subject was investigated still further [illegible] on, until today the new theory stands practically undisputed by any psychology worthy of the name, and is acknowledged as the best known explanation of the mechanism of memory, as well as affording the only explanation of many other important phases of mental activity.

Briefly stated, the best teaching of today holds that instead of the ordinary consciousness being all there is of mind, it really is but a very small (though highly important) field of the mind's work. The greater part of the mental activities of the individual is performed outside of this narrow field, and only its results are presented to the ordinary consciousness when called for.

The ordinary field of consciousness has been well compared to the field of a microscope or telescope, which covers and takes in only that which is presented to it from the great area surrounding it. On the other planes of the mind, or other fields of its operations—use whichever term you prefer—are performed great quantities of mental work, classification, analysis, synthesis, adjustment, combination, etc. These subconscious planes or fields of mind may be said to grind, digest, and assimilate the facts impressed upon it through the medium of the senses, or ideas from the conscious field itself. And, moreover—and this is most important to us in these lessons—this subconscious plane or field of mind is the great record storehouse of the memory. In it are contained all the records of past impressions, [illegible] in it everything that is remembered, recalled or recollected must come to the conscious mind.

Your mind is a far greater thing than you have been considering it. It has depths and heights which you scarcely realize. It contains a much greater store of knowledge than you have imagined, because you have not known how to extract that knowledge from it. It is capable of performing the greater part of the drudgery of thought, outside of the plane of the ordinary consciousness, if you know how to set it to work. It contains a record, more or less clear and distinct, of whatever you have experienced during your lifetime.

And, finally, all systems of memorizing must be based upon the principles which the subconscious mentality employs in storing away, indexing and cross-indexing its records. Any attempt to run contrary to its principles is doomed to failure, hence the ignominious collapse of so many apparently promising "memory systems" in past and present times. And, from the same reason, we find that many of the old principles of memorizing, those of the ancient Grecians for example, have persisted throughout the centuries—they were in accord with the subconscious laws, although formulated solely as the result of experience, and in ignorance of the real reason for their existence.

[Another corner folded over, page 85.]

At this point, I wish clearly to assert my conviction regarding the nature of the subconscious field of mind. There has been so much written on the "subconscious mind," and about man having [illegible] that much confusion regarding it has arisen. Personally, I hold, [illegible] that I have the very best support in [illegible], that there is no need for dragging [illegible] theories regarding the duality of mind, the idea that man has two minds, etc. The best thought on the subject is that instead of man having two or more minds, he really has but one mind (as the majority of persons have always felt to be the case), but that this one mind has many planes or fields of activity, of which the ordinary consciousness is but one, and a small one at that.

Strictly speaking, I will go still further, for I believe that in the so-called subconscious fields of mind there is manifested varying degrees and forms of consciousness. The subconscious mind is not unconscious, but really has forms and phases of consciousness peculiar to itself. The term subconscious implies merely that it is below the ordinary plane of consciousness—the term is inadequate, but is the best that offers itself, so we use it in place of coming a new one.

So, please, kind students, do not think that I am teaching the duality of mind. Mind is a great unit, of wonderful complexity. It is but one, at the last, but it has many, many sides—many more than two, I assure you. And when I speak of impressions, ideas, or records in and out of consciousness, I am not conveying the idea of passing these mental images from one mind to another, but, rather, of passing them out and in the narrow field of ordinary consciousness, just as the inhabitants of a drop of water under the microscope pass in and out of its field, from time to time; or the stars pass in and out of the field of a stationary telescope, as the earth rotates. I have found, from actual experience with myself and in the cases of my students, that this very idea, held clearly in mind, is a positive aid in bringing things back into the conscious field by an act of will. When one understands the real workings of the subconscious machinery of memory, he is able to secure much better results from it. By so doing he is working in harmony with the laws, instead of against them.

Before passing on to consideration of the working of the subconscious planes of mind, and to its mechanism of memory, I would ask the student to consider the opinions of some eminent authorities on the subject, in order that he may fully appreciate the importance of these wonderful planes of mentality.

Remember, however, that when I use quotations from other authorities I do so not to prove my own statement, or to bolster up any theories of my own. I employ them merely to illustrate my own principles, and, at times, to show the agreement of authority on important principles. It is well that the student should realize that the best psychology is not "a house divided against itself," but rather a firm, harmonious structure built on the true scientific principles.

[page 87 is skewed in the scan, OcR failed, had to to it by hand.]

With this understanding, consider the following words of some great thinkers on the subject:

Lewes says, "The teaching of most modern psychologists is that consciousness forms but a small item in the total of psychical processes. Unconscious sensations, ideas, and judgments are made to play a great part in their explanations. It is very certain that in every conscious volition, the larger part of it is quite unconscious. It is equally certain that in every perception there are unconscious processes—there is a middle distance of sub-consciousness, and a background of unconsciousness."

Taine says: "Mental events imperceptible to consciousness are far more numerous than the others, and of the world which makes up our being we only perceive the highest points—the lighted up peaks of a continent whose lower levels remain in the shade. Outside a little luminous circle lies a large ring of twilight, and beyond this an indefinite night. But the events of this twilight, and this night, are as real as those within the luminous circle."

Maudsley says: "Examine closely, and without bias, the ordinary mental operations of daily life, and you will surely discover that consciousness has not one-tenth part of the functions therein which it is commonly assumed to have. In every conscious state there are at work conscious, subconscious, and infra-conscious energies, the last as indispensable as the first."

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Halleck says: "It must not be supposed that the mind is at any time conscious of all its materials and powers. At any moment we are not conscious of a thousandth part of what we know. It is well that such is the case; for when we are studying a subject, or an object, we should not want all we know to rush into our minds at the same time. If they did so, our mental confusion would be indescribable. Between the perception and the recall, the treasures of memory are, metaphorically speaking, away from the eye of consciousness. How these facts are preserved, before they are recalled by the call of memory, consciousness can never tell us. An event may not be thought of for fifty years, and then it may suddenly appear in consciousness. As we grow older, the subconscious field increases. Where are the images in memory when they are not present to consciousness? The theory is that the full-fledged idea is in the mind, but slumbering beneath the stream of consciousness just as a person is alive when sound asleep, without being aware of the fact. When we are not conscious of an idea, it is believed to disappear just as a diver does beneath the surface of the water; and the one is held to keep its form as intact as the other, during this disappearance."

I trust that my students "get the idea," as the American phrase expresses it.

 

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