 During the waking state the conscious ego acts directly upon the conscious, wide-awake mind, while during sleep it acts entirely in the subconscious. When we go to sleep all the principal thoughts, desires, intentions, tendencies, feelings and ideas that have formed during the day are taken into the subconscious, unless we eliminate the undesirable mental material before we permit sleep to take place. Every thought, desire or idea that is taken into the subconscious as mind falls asleep will be impressed upon the subconscious, and will cause corresponding expressions to be brought forth into the personality. To eliminate all undesirable thoughts and feelings from mind before going to sleep is therefore extremely important. Before going to sleep the conscious mind should be thoroughly cleansed from everything that one does not care to reproduce or perpetuate, and the subconscious should be given definite directions as to what should be developed, reproduced and expressed. The hours of sleep may be employed in the development of anything we may have in view, because whatever we impress upon mind when we go to sleep will enter the subconscious and will cause the within to give expression to those effects that we desire to secure in the without. Before going to sleep the subconscious should be given full directions as to what is to be done in the near future, and the exact time for each particular action should be specified as far as possible. In the meantime the subconscious will work out the best plans, methods and ideas, and provide the added understanding, insight and power required to apply those plans in the most effective manner. When the subconscious is properly directed in this way the results from future actions may be increased to a degree that will frequently be remarkable, and, as much produces more, these results will follow the law of perpetual increase. During the waking state the mind forms a definite conception of everything that is given real, conscious attention; these conceptions individualize themselves into ideas and as mind goes to sleep all those ideas are taken into the subconscious. Therefore, what the subconscious is given to work out and develop during sleep will depend upon what we think about during the day, and what we give the subconscious to develop and express will determine what character, mentality and personality are to be. The subconscious makes us what we are, in every respect, but what the subconscious is to make will depend upon what our thoughts, feelings and desires may direct. The more we think during the day, providing our thought has quality, the more good seeds we shall place in the garden of the mind during sleep, and the greater will be the quality and the quantity of the coming harvest. The stronger our desires for wisdom, power, attainments and achievements during the waking state, the more thoroughly will the subconscious work for those things during sleep. The subconscious can provide all the essentials required for the highest attainments and greatest achievements and will do so if directed. The subconscious works during sleep, and works to develop the ideas and the desires that the conscious mind brought into the subconscious while falling asleep, but the subconscious will give the same attention to ideas and desires that are detrimental, just as rich soil will apply the same productiveness to the weed as to the flower. It is therefore wisdom to sow good seeds only; to eliminate all undesirable thought, ideas and feelings before sleep begins. The habit of going to sleep every night with all sorts of thoughts in mind is the principal cause of the continuous mingling of good and evil in the life of the average person. The troubles and the worries of the day are taken into the subconscious at night, along with those thoughts and feelings that have better things in view, and the subconscious, consequently, continues to work for more good things on the one hand and for more troubles and worries on the other. It is the truth that any person may emancipate himself completely from all the ills of perverted life by refusing absolutely to permit a single undesirable thought, feeling or desire to enter the subconscious. To prevent the wrong from entering the subconscious we must, during the waking state, never think, with feeling, of that which is evil, imperfect or wrong, and before going to sleep the conscious mind must be cleansed completely from every undesirable thought or impression that may have entered unconsciously during the day. The imperfect will not impress itself upon the subconscious during the waking state unless we think about it in deep feeling, but everything that is in the conscious mind when we go to sleep will enter the subconscious and produce fruit after its kind. To cleanse the conscious mind before going to sleep, enter a state of perfect mental poise; be still in the deepest sense of the term; forget what you do not wish to retain by entering into the very life and essence of that which you desire to awaken, unfold and develop. Then concentrate upon the subconscious with the deepest possible feeling and the strongest possible desire. What you wish to remove from mind may be removed by directing the subconscious to create and express the opposite, though no thought should be given to that which is not to be retained. When you know what you wish to remove, forget it by giving your entire subconscious attention to, that which you wish to create and realize instead. To carry into the subconscious those ideas that we wish to develop is not all that is necessary, however, as we go to sleep; the subconscious should be given the best possible conditions in which to work. The subconscious is in close touch with all the functions of the body as well as the actions of the mind, therefore, the entire system must be in harmony and order before sleep begins or subconscious action will be confused and misdirected. Before going to sleep the body should be in harmony, the mind in peace and the entire personality relaxed. The circulation should be even, and no part should be too warm nor too cold. Digestion should be practically finished and there should be nothing in the system that might disturb any of the functions during sleep. When physical functions are disturbed during sleep the conscious ego is drawn back to the outer mind, either fully or in part, and its work in the subconscious is interrupted. Such interruptions usually misdirect the subconscious actions to such an extent that the very opposite results to what were intended are produced. This explains why such detrimental results are frequently secured, even when our intentions were the best and our plans carried out with the greatest of care. It also proves that the entire system must be kept in order if every action, conscious or subconscious, is to produce the results desired. |
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