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The Fourth Lesson: Mental Control.551
itself at the moment.” The word “Attention” is derived from two Latin words,
ad tendere, meaning “to stretch towards,” and this is just what the Yogis
know it to be. By means of their psychic or clairvoyant sight, they see the
thought of the attentive person stretched out toward the object attended
to, like a sharp wedge, the point of which is focused upon the object under
consideration, the entire force of the thought being concentrated at that
point. This is true not only when the person is considering an object, but
when he is earnestly impressing his ideas upon another, or upon some task
to be accomplished. Attention means reaching the mind out to and focusing
it upon something.
The trained Will exhibits itself in a tenacious Attention, and this Attention
is one of the signs of the trained Will. The student must not hastily conclude
that this kind of Attention is a common faculty among men. On the contrary it
is quite rare, and is seen only among those of “strong” mentality. Anyone may
fasten his Attention upon some passing, pleasing thing, but it takes a trained
will to fasten it upon some unattractive thing, and hold it there. Of course
the trained occultist is able to throw interest into the most unattractive thing
upon which it becomes advisable to focus his Attention, but this, in itself,
comes with the trained Will, and is not the possession of the average man.
Voluntary Attention is rare, and is found only among strong characters. But it
may be cultivated and grown, until he who has scarcely a shade of it to-day,
in time may become a giant. It is all a matter of practice, exercise, and Will.
It is difficult to say too much in favor of the development of the faculty
of tenacious Attention. One possessing this developed faculty is able to
accomplish far more than even a much “brighter” man who lacks it. And the
best way to train the Attention, under the direction of the Will, is to practice
upon uninteresting objects, and ideas, holding them before the mind until
they begin to assume an Interest. This is difficult at first, but the task soon
begins to take on a pleasant aspect, for one finds that his Will-power and
Attention are growing, and he feels himself acquiring a Force and Power
that were lacking before—he realizes that he is growing Stronger. Charles