The Technique: A Novel Delving into the Mysterious Realm of the Subconscious Mind

By Robert Cornelius

My book is a culmination of fifteen years of research and field study in an area that not many people are aware of, that being the subconscious mind. Instead of writing another non-fiction, how-to-book, I decided to convey all the experiences I had attained and all the knowledge I had acquired by incorporating them into an autobiographical novel. The information that is offered in my book is done in such a manner that the reader is not only entertained, but more importantly, enlightened toward understanding how to make life a little much easier and satisfying by utilizing a method I have coined "The Technique." Through the use of flash-backs and descriptive narrative, the storyline follows best-selling novelist John Templeton as he embarks upon an adventurous 10-day writing odyssey by delving into the inner world of subconscious awareness and creative intelligence, searching for the elusive fulfillment toward achieving true mental, physical and emotional well-being, harmony and balance. What he discovers along this rare and unusual journey is the very heart of the novel which is divided into 3 parts: Books 1,2 and 3, Book 1 focuses on terminology, book 2 in character development, while book 3 encompasses methodology, all woven into one neat package.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9781467039567

Robert Cornelius

A recognized teacher, coach, and lecturer of attitude, behavior and physical development, Bob Cornelius has followed a long tradition of success during the past 3 decades, setting various records on the athletic field - 100/220-yard undefeated college sprint champion (senior year) - Men's City League basketball scoring leader/most valuable player for 2 years (Dowagiac, Michigan) - Two-time Men's City All-Around Sports Champion (Camarillo, California Rec. Dept. "Super Stars" Competition) - 100 yd sprint and long jump record holder for 2 years (Oxnard, California Sports Festival All-Comers Track Meet).  He received his bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University, his Master's from California State University, Northridge, and has been in education since 1963. He has studied in programs ranging from Psycho Dynamics and Hypnovation in L.A., to student teaching at the Goals Dynamics Foundation in Long Beach, California. He has also had training in the disciplines of acupressure, Swedish massage and holistic health. His background in teaching sessions in altered states of consciousness and self-hypnosis include classes through the Oxnard Rec. Dept. and group seminars in private homes throughout Ventura County, California.  His knowledge in group motivation and goal-setting centers around 30 years of coaching Jr. and Sr. high school athletes (male & female) in addition to completing a year's tape seminar from Success Motivation Institute, Inc., located in Waco, Texas. He is presently the Executive Director, Instructor and Hypnotherapist at S.H.I.C. (Self Hypnosis Institute of Camarillo). He is working on his second book entitled "The Technique II" - a sequel spanning the years 1987 to the present 2011.

Book preview

Contents

B O O K   I

C H A P T E R   1    T H E   T E A C H I N G S   B E G I N

C H A P T E R   2    T H E   T E C H N I Q U E

C H A P T E R   3    T H E   A P P L I C A T I O N

C H A P T E R   4    T H E   T E C H N I Q U E R E V I S I T E D

C H A P T E R   5    T H E   T E A C H I N G S C O N T I N U E

B O O K   II

C H A P T E R   6    T H E   W E E K E N D

C H A P T E R   7    T H E   W E E K E N D   C O N T I N U E S

C H A P T E R   8    T H E   T E A C H I N G S C O N C L U D E

B O O K   I I I

C H A P T E R   9    T H E   A P P L I C A T I O N R E V I S I T E D

C H A P T E R   10   T H E   I N S T I T U T E

C H A P T E R   11    T H E   N A T U R E   O F   M A N

C H A P T E R   1 2   T H E   F A N T A S I C   V O Y A G E

E P I L O G U E

FOR MY SON: CRAIG,

MY DAUGHTER: CRYSTAL, MY

GRAND DAUGHTERS: AUDREY AND

JAIDEN AND MY

DEARLY DEPARTED PARENTS:

RICHARD AND MARGARET

THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK IS BASED ON A TRUE STORY

ONCE LONG AGO, BEFORE THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS TIME, THE WORLD WAS SHROUDED IN DARKNESS. THEN CAME THE SPLENDOR OF LIGHT, BRINGING LIFE AND LOVE INTO THE UNIVERSE. THE LIGHT CARRIED WITH IT THE BELIEF THAT ONLY GOODNESS EXISTED IN THE WORLD.

MAN SOON DISCOVERED THAT THERE CAN BE NO GOOD WITHOUT EVIL . . . NO LOVE WITHOUT HATE . . . NO HEAVEN WITHOUT HELL . . . NO LIGHT WITHOUT DARKNESS.

THE HARMONY OF THE UNIVERSE DEPENDS UPON AN ETERNAL BALANCE. OUT OF THE STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN THIS BALANCE COMES THE BIRTH OF MYTHS . . . OF LEGENDS . . . OF STORIES.

WILLIAM HORTSBERG

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Wise Old Man

MESSAGE TO MY DEAR READER

Ensconced within the confines of the epilogue in this book is an important concept focusing upon your ability to visualize . . . to bear witness to the images that are continuously flashing across your mind’s eye . . . especially when your eyes are closed.

The list below of actors and their characters are the faces I am asking you to visualize as you embark upon reading this manuscript . . . this novel. There are ten essential characters in the story. If this book were turned into a movie, the following personalities would be the people that I have envisioned as playing the various roles. So, here we go . . .

CharacterActor

John Templeton—Cal-‘Berkeley English professor turned best-selling adventure novelist John Cusack

Thomas Albright—Noted teacher of

holistic health, meditative relaxation and

motivational consultant Gene Hackman

Paul Emerson—Corporate executive/

entrepreneur Michael Douglas

Jessica James—Psychologist, counselor and

research therapist at

Emerson Enterprises Catherine Zeta-Jones

Sir Charles Ingram III—‘Retired,’ British anthropologist and archaeologist,

knighted by the Queen Sean Connery

Martha Ingram—‘Devoted wife, part-time

interior decorator and, in her hey day,

an actress and model Meryl Streep

Bob Cornell—Physical Education/Art teacher

turned director of S. H. I. C (Self Hypnosis

Institute of Camarillo) Brad Pitt

Mark Monico—Director of Goals Dynamic Foundation Johnny Depp

Narrator Jeff Goldblum

Voice of Wise Old Man Patrick Stewart

Okay, with that thought in mind, on with the show and enjoy the ride.

Robert A. Cornelius

Author

P R O L O G U E

The sleek, silver, mechanical bird with the initials E E tattooed across its beak, hovered amongst the enormous expanse of restless clouds, then climbed effortlessly beyond the white blanket of confinement.

A voice over the intercom broke his concentration.

Mr. Templeton, this is Lance. We’re about six hours from Zurich. Would you like some lunch?

Not right now, Lance. I’m in the middle of the manuscript. Perhaps in thirty minutes or so.

Okay, Mr. T . . . There was a brief pause. I’m climbin’ to thirty-five thousand to avoid any unnecessary turbulence.

Thanks, Lance.

John Templeton, the lone passenger on the private, luxury jet, pushed away from his typewriter and leaned back into the softness of the sheep skin covered seat.

This is the only way to fly he thought.

As he stared out through the porthole window of the Lear, his mind began to wander back to the summer weekend that he had spent with his good friends. He could see his best pal Thomas. And Paul. There was Charlie and Martha. And, of course, his true love, J.J. If it weren’t for them he would not be flying to Switzerland on his next research adventure. He owed his wonderful success to them. They had made it all possible for him with their support and confidence and, their suggestions and ideas.

He had done it. He had completed the manuscript. What seemed an unattainable dream was now reality—the proof of which nestled on the seat next to him. The Technique had provided a powerful influence and had made a remarkable change in his life, and he was anxious to share his good fortune with the world. His fingers had grown tired during the past five hours of typing and they yearned for a much-needed rest.

Templeton reached to his left and lifted the hand-written manuscript from the seat. As he looked down upon the papers that sat on his lap, his mind drifted to the day he found himself preparing to write a novel, the kind of which he had never attempted before.

He turned to page one and a large, yellow disk began to appear within his mind. He started to read . . .

The early morning sun was a golden ball—its rays reflecting off a blanket of fluffy snow that had softly fallen the night before over the rugged mountain terrain.

John Templeton had decided to leave the insanity of the city once again by escaping into the peace of mind he had discovered so many times before while visiting his A-framed cabin, his home-away-from-home. This morning was no different from the rest, as he comfortably reclined in his over sized, over stuffed, vinyl-covered lounge chair wondrously gazing through a gigantic panoramic window. The view was magnificently breath-taking. It was truly an inspiring site for a poet’s eyes . . . a rewarding challenge for an artist’s brush. It had become a tradition for him to spend the weekends in his mountain retreat, alone with only his creative thoughts to keep him company.

His occupation: novelist, his inspiration and drive: the remarkable success he had achieved from three best sellers—all delving, into the interwoven adventure of high-spy intrigue and counter-espionage—all thoroughly researched—all thrillers with incredible finishes that would leave the reader spell bound.

Yet, this particular weekend trip seemed different. His thoughts during the past year had been altered by some distant, unexplained phenomenon. He was now so totally captivated by it that his writings were not of John Templeton but of some stranger who had periodically entered his thoughts and offered wisdom and insight he had never encountered in his thirty-nine years of existence.

Now, as he sat alone, his eyes staring off into space, he slowly reached toward the table on his right, grasped a freshly sharpened pencil and a clipboard that firmly held a binder of yellow paper, and began to write:

It has taken me a year in which to journey through and sort out in my mind what I am about to relate to the world. The knowledge is of such powerful magnitude that the very acceptance of its messages will most assuredly offer the possessor the opportunity to discover the true meaning of his existence as well as a tool that can be utilized toward finding happiness, success and peace of mind for as long as he or she desires.

These thoughts have emerged from my mind, yet they are not entirely my words. Allow me to explain. Five years ago I met a man who taught me a technique that has enabled me to enter into the subconscious mind. With this enlightened technique, I not only acquired the ability to control stress and anxiety in my life, but I also discovered an avenue—a pathway—that led me to that grey, uncharted territory known as the imagination, or more appropriately labeled—creative intelligence.

I retired from teaching at the untypical age of thirty-four and became a novelist. My dream for total freedom had come true. I am presently my own boss, managing my own time for myself, and not begrudgingly relying on someone to tell me what to do in order to make a living. My innate writing ability nurtured itself into a profitable means of existence.

My source of knowledge? Herein lies the secret—herein rests the answer. By merely using my technique—entering into a state of total relaxation and detaching the mental from the physical—I wandered into a vast horizon of untapped creative intelligence. From this simple, yet practiced, exercise of mind/body manipulation, I have written three best-selling novels during the past four years and my source of knowledge is unlimited.

However, for almost a year, my relaxation sessions have been invaded by a voice—an unfamiliar voice. It is the voice of an old man . . . a very wise old man. Within my mind’s eye he suddenly materializes from nothingness into a shape—a shape with human form. Yet, upon my awakening, the stranger becomes almost impossible to identify. Only his words leave their impression, not only upon the blueprint of my mind, but also on the tape recorder that has captured the sound of my voice during some of my sessions.

One night when I was listening to a particular tape, I could not comprehend what was transpiring. It was my voice, but not my thoughts. The wisdom that was imparted was not mine . . . the words were there, but the words were of a stranger . . . a stranger using my vocal cords. I dare not tell a soul, in fear that my sanity would be harshly judged as that of a madman’s. Yet in my mind—in that reservoir of thought—it happened. It is now unmistakably embedded history within the annals of my mind.

That was a year ago. I have now come to accept this old man as a welcomed fleeting friend, an inner advisor, whose enlightened messages have led me to research many areas of knowledge and mental disciplines . . . from Eastern philosophy to Western psychology. One whose wisdom has not only changed my life in a most positive manner, but has also created an inspirational awareness of how powerfully stronger my mind—any mind—can really be.

John Templeton, deep in contemplation, slowly raised his eyes from the paper. He had witnessed much during the past five years. He had read and learned; had listened intently and responded; had felt a strange sensation—a uniqueness—from a source deep inside him. A source untouched . . . until now.

B O O K   I

C H A P T E R   1

T H E   T E A C H I N G S   B E G I N

Thoughts of wise old man: Humanity’s endless search for happiness . . . the struggle persists, the conflict continues. For some the rewards are plentiful . . . but for most the aimless searching nourishes itself in the grips of pain and suffering. Why must man’s life be preoccupied with the emotional instability of fear, frustration, anxiety and insecurity? What prevents him from attaining harmony between body and mind that can result in continued happiness? The answer to these perplexing questions is surprisingly simple. Remember these words: The answer lies within, not without. Once discovered, all searching becomes non-existent.

Again John Templeton lifted his eyes from his writings. A small but knowledgeable smile cracked his lips.

The answer lies within, not without.

His memory raced back into the past. Upon first hearing this strange message, his bewilderment had gained an impressionable foothold on his intense thoughts. But now he had uncovered the clues; and like a scattered puzzle, he began to piece it together, until a crystallized solution had materialized within his view. His research had led him far, his discoveries had been many.

Slowly, yet very strongly, his thoughts began to drift backward to a point in time when he first encountered the relaxation technique and its instructor, a man named Thomas Albright. What was said—what was shared—what was learned . . . It was now so vivid within his mind, as if he were going back in time and hearing the words once again . . . for the first time . . .

Before I demonstrate The Technique that will enable you to reach total relaxation, it is of utmost importance that you fully comprehend the difference between the conscious and subconscious minds in relationship to your brain wave patterns.

The voice of Thomas Albright loomed strongly among those in attendance. The auditorium, rented by the local Kiwanis Club and offered in hospitality to the knowledgeable speaker, provided a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for the one hundred people that had come to listen and learn from a man who possessed the ability to hold their interest. The charts and diagrams on display provided a simple, yet successful, means to stir the observer’s imagination.

He was positioned at a wooden podium, which stood to the left side of a large elevated stage. His strong jaw characterized a rugged, yet stately face. His graying hair exemplified a man in his late fifties, yet his stature, his mannerisms and, in particular, his personality demonstrated a confident, younger man far less in age. A charcoal gray, three-piece suit rested comfortably on a five foot, ten inch muscular frame of someone who obviously enjoyed lifting weights and jogging. But it was his voice—his medium deep, soft hypnotic voice—that was the most distinguishing feature of this intriguing man.

As he spoke, his relaxing voice echoed into the miniature microphone before him.

Upon my first encounter and exposure to The Technique, I began to see and understand the unusual and unique power that existed deep inside of me by simply becoming aware of my subconscious mind. It became apparent to me that all I needed to succeed in life, whether it be in health, wealth, love or self-expression, centered around my being more aware of what was emanating inside my inner mind and how I could use this knowledge for my own benefit and good.

Albright paused for a moment. A look of deep concern was etched in the strong lines of his face.

"In this country of boundless opportunity, why are so many people unhappy? Of your friends and acquaintances, how many can you honestly say have found true happiness in their lives? The reason why you may answer ‘not very many’ hinges on the fundamental concept that not many people understand how to secure a handle on their lives. They do not comprehend, or are not aware of, how to control their lives in such a manner as not to be dictated by people or circumstances and situations.

"However, the pendulum is beginning to sway in the other direction. Our society is slowly moving from one being dependent upon outside sources—such as doctors, psychiatrists, pills, and the like—toward more inner search and discovery—such as meditation, yoga, holistic health, and other similar disciplines. In fact, we are discovering and finally realizing that most of our physical ailments and problems evolve in the mind and through proper awareness, mental practices and productive programming many of these difficulties can be resolved and conquered.

The purpose of this six-week seminar is to provide and familiarize you with a tool that you can use for the rest of your life toward greater happiness and peace of mind. This tool is called The Technique, and like any tool it can be used to mend and build or it can be left in the tool box unattended and unused.

Again Albright paused, walked away from the podium and continued to speak into the portable microphone he was now holding.

A wise person once told me that the conscious mind of man is similar to a parachute. It can only function properly when it is open. Involve yourself tonight with an open mind. Learn and practice The Technique and you, undoubtedly, will reap the benefits. I am going to begin this seminar by talking to you about the various stages or levels of your consciousness.

Pointing to the large, colorful board to his left, Albright continued to speak. As you can see from the display, there are four states of consciousness. Presently, all one hundred of you seated in this auditorium are in the waking or conscious state of awareness. You are experiencing the first level of consciousness. One level beyond and deeper than your waking state is your subconscious. It is attained through self-transcendence which I’ll explain later in the seminar.

Albright pointed to the third line of words.

The next state of consciousness involves spiritual awareness, referred to as cosmic con-sciousness. And the final level is unconsciousness, simply known as sleep. For the purpose of this seminar, I am only going to talk about the conscious, subconscious and unconscious states. Cosmic consciousness takes years of practice and training to master.

Albright removed the first display board. Behind it was another board with a large circle outlined in black felt-tip pen which stood alone on a white background. He glanced at the display and once again addressed the attentive gathering of on-lookers.

Your thought process, or how you think about things, is divided into two separate, yet related entities: the conscious or outer mind and the subconscious or inner mind. At this very moment you are at the conscious or outer level of awareness. By looking at this circle, the outline or outer edge represents the conscious state. The inner area of the circle extending toward the middle is the subconscious mind. When you function on the periphery of the circle, you are awake, achieving and performing in your everyday world. You are aware of many things such as objects, people, noises and odors. It is possible to measure how awake you are at any particular moment by using a machine—a machine known as an electro-encephalograph.

A third chart was revealed. Printed at the top was BRAIN WAVE PATTERNS.

Of all the concepts to which I will be discussing with you, understanding the one on brain wave patterns is perhaps the most important. The brain emits waves of energy known as beta waves. These brain wave patterns on this graph, Albright pointed to the chart, register a normal range of between twenty-six to fourteen cycles per second. The higher the number, the greater the brain activity. In other words, the higher the range within a person’s brain, the more excitable the nervous system becomes, with the end result being an overload of stress within the body. As you can see, the patterns at the conscious level of awareness appear disorganized and inconsistent, exhibiting extreme ranges of highs and lows, resembling the silhouette of a giant roller coaster.

A raised, waving hand suddenly caught Albright’s eye through the semi-darkness. A deep, somewhat inquisitive, voice followed the gesture for attention. Mr. Albright! Excuse me. May I ask a question?

Of course . . . go ahead.

Why is there such a wide range of brain wave patterns at the conscious level, as exemplified by your chart?

Albright quickly viewed the display board to his right, and then centered his attention on the distant voice in the audience.

The reason for such an inconsistency is due to the fact that, at the outer level, it is very difficult to concentrate on just one thought. In most cases, our brains usually seem to go a mile a minute, and, often times, become very cluttered with all kinds of information. Have you ever had a difficult time falling asleep at night because you just couldn’t slow down all those thoughts that were popping in and out of your mind?

A second voice echoed from the other side of the auditorium.

Mr. Albright . . . Are you saying that there’s a way for me to be able to fall asleep faster, if I could just slow down my beta waves?

That’s exactly what I’m saying, replied Albright with an enthusiastic smile etched across his handsome face.

But how can I accomplish that? came the response to Albright’s statement.

If you allow me to continue with my explanation of brain waves, your question will soon be answered.

Thomas once again turned toward the multi-colored chart sitting on a small metal stand, then stared into the sea of captivated faces.

I assume all of you at one time or another have been around a nervous person. Such an individual is the possessor of a highly active beta mind. What kind of mannerisms does he exhibit? Is he fidgety? Can’t sit still—always moving about—has trouble concentrating? On an electro-encephalograph his beta wave patterns would be in the high twenties. If he could discover a method, a technique to slow down his brain waves, he would be free of tension, distress and anxiety.

But is that possible in this high-pressured, fast-paced society of ours? came another voice from the audience,

"That, sir, is entirely up to you. What you learn from this seminar and how you apply that knowledge will determine whether you can free yourself from distress. However, the one thing that I discovered from my numerous experiences in talking to and dealing with people was that the majority of them, in trying to relax or slow down, turned to . . . you guessed it . . . drugs, like tranquillizers and depressants.

But what’s really amazing, and a proven fact, is that all of us possess the ability and capacity within ourselves to relax without the use of pills or other substances to do it for us. All we need is a particular awareness—a pathway—a means to secure a method or technique and adapt it to our lives.

Albright shifted his attention to the chart once again. After a brief pause he continued to speak.

"Your consciousness is the voluntary portion of your mind. It is actually the only part that you are aware of as functioning. At this level you make decisions, analyze and decipher information, rationalize or justify modes of behavior, formulate judgments, and use logic to reason out problems.

Within these various functions lies the controlling element—that element with which all of us are born—that element known as emotion; and this is where most of our troubles and problems begin—out of emotion. Many of the judgments and decisions we make are a result of our emotions, and, often, the results don’t seem to turn out the way we wished them to be. Then to justify the circumstance and satisfy our egos, we blame it on bad luck.

A gust of wind, the strength of which had caused an outside window shutter to rhythmically pound against the side of the cabin, suddenly broke Templeton’s train of thought. Hours, which seemed like minutes, had passed since his ideas had first been expressed in written form. He sheepishly ascended from his chair, stretched his somewhat stiffened body, and glanced out at the snowflakes as they gingerly fell to the earth.

He found himself being mesmerized by the brief moment of tranquil serenity. But he had no time for such an interlude to interrupt his thoughts. He felt an eagerness to continue his enlightened story. A story of the events that had changed his entire life so completely . . . so completely that he felt an inspiration, no, a compulsion to write . . . Not spy stories or high adventure, but rather to communicate an idea—many ideas—for the benefit of those who would be interested in being exposed to this knowledge and perhaps grow; an inspirational yearning toward expressing how he had discovered a manner of living that created harmony between his mind and his body which produced a seldom-found ability to attain freedom within himself.

Taking a new pencil from the many that stood clustered together in a coffee can, he quickly sank back onto his recliner and entered into deep concentration, allowing his thoughts to flow from the lead tip like water spurting from a broken dam . . .

Throughout my early childhood until my adult years, I had the strong belief that how successful I became was predominantly determined by how much luck I met along the way, being in the right place at the right time. Then I discovered that luck had nothing to do with it. I created my own circumstance by what I believed in. I uncovered a source of knowledge—a power deep inside of me.

The answer lies within, not without

Templeton’s thoughts faded toward those of Thomas Albright:

All of you sitting here tonight have the capacity to alter your brain wave patterns. By simply relaxing, you lower the energy output that stimulates the nervous system. When this occurs you transcend into the level of the subconscious, a level quite different from waking consciousness. At this level the patterns are known as alpha waves. Again Albright pointed to the graph on the display chart. "Registering from thirteen to seven cycles per second, they appear much more uniform, closer together, and with a smaller degree of fluctuation than the beta waves. Here the mind is at peace, the nervous system more calm, and the body at rest. Reaching this point of total tranquility is the basis of meditative relaxation.

"Going beyond alpha leads into sleep or unconsciousness where brain wave patterns, known as theta, measure up to six cycles per second. Unconsciousness can also be reached by being knocked out with drugs or by a blow to the head. At this theta level, you are unaware of anything that is happening other than the information obtained from your dreams.

You literally pass through all three levels of consciousness when you go to bed at night. Initially, you descend from conscious awareness, or the beta level of twenty-six to fourteen cycles per second, into the subconscious state or alpha level. As the mind slows down beyond thirteen to seven cycles, you eventually drift from alpha into sleep or unconsciousness. Here theta wave patterns on a graph register as flat hills on the horizon, moving very slowly and rhythmically.

Albright suddenly stopped talking. He sensed uneasiness within the audience. Don’t inundate them with so many stats, he thought. Keep it simple, good buddy. Don’t lose them now. With but a moment’s hesitation, he continued to speak. All these brain wave patterns and numbers are from a scientific viewpoint. I express this information in these terms so that you may grasp a rudimentary understanding of the various levels of consciousness.

Mr. Albright! A voice from the back of the auditorium reverberated toward the stage.

Yes, do you have a question, sir? replied an interested Thomas Albright.

Well, I was just wondering. I’m still confused about the conscious mind. How can I make my thoughts more powerful? In other words, what can I do to strengthen and expand my mind?

When I was first introduced to this kind of information I also felt the same way. Albright stared into the semi-darkness that enveloped the audience. In order for me to satisfactorily answer your question, we must first take into consideration the fundamental characteristics of thought.

Thomas moved about the stage, carefully choosing his next thoughts.

"Through the laws of nature, it is known that thought flows; therefore, it contains energy. We know that this energy, these vibrations, can be measured by an electro-encephalograph. Thus, one characteristic of thought is that it possesses energy, which enables it to flow.

"A second quality of thought is that it is directed. As we think, we follow its direction. It may lead us to the store or to the gas station. This occurs within our conscious mind. Within this mind we make decisions. With every thought, the conscious mind expresses a choice. This directional choosing aspect of consciousness we recognize as intelligence. Consequently, a thought moves because of energy and that movement follows a directed path because of intelligence. Energy and intelligence are thus essential to both thinking and action.

Behind this energy and intelligence you would logically assume there must lay a source, a governing agent; a powerful force steadfastly expressed in thought and action which continuously maintains the human organism in all its wondrous complexity, sustaining the mind and body in proper working order. Somewhere, within the confines of man’s mind, beyond the level of thinking, must exist an unlimited source of intelligence and energy. This unlimited, this unbounded, this vast reservoir is known as the subconscious mind. The power it possesses is unimaginable.

A mysterious silence hung over the mesmerized gathering of people as Albright paused to glance at his display board. He knew he had reached the most important part of his dissertation. He understood the lack of awareness most individuals possessed pertaining to the subconscious mind. He recognized the immediate interest that was generated whenever he spoke about the power of this inner mind. With a faint sparkle in his eye and an up-lifted voice, Albright turned toward his audience and continued to speak.

"The subconscious mind is literally a working computer within you. Like a computer, it is a storehouse containing countless memory banks of all your knowledge and past experiences. It presides over and controls all the vital, involuntary body processes: your heartbeat, respiration, circulation, assimilation, digestion, elimination and glandular secretions. It operates the body by building, repairing and maintaining it. Under its vigilance, new cells are continuously being created and nurtured. You need not think or be concerned about this functioning; it simply occurs automatically.

At the subconscious level you form habits, many of which stay with you all your life. And, like a computer, the subconscious can form no judgments—feel no emotion. Consequently, it is continuously being programmed by the conscious mind and performs its duties whether the circumstances are negative or positive.

As he spoke, inwardly Albright was experiencing something completely different from that of the two hundred peering eyes before him. He had felt it every time he began to speak to the uninformed about the unique insights they could discover upon passing through the door of subconscious awareness. He knew of the incredible power possessed by the computer inside his mind. The feeling continued to perpetuate itself as he embarked upon offering his fascinated audience some additional bits of knowledge into the remarkable workings of the subconscious mind in relationship to its conscious counterpart.

"Since a computer possesses no ability to reason, it has no choice but to accept the strongest conviction of the conscious mind. It simply embraces all suggestions supplied by the conscious mind, whether they are constructive or destructive, good or evil.

"Herein lies the powerful influence of the conscious mind. The habitual thinking of your conscious mind establishes deep grooves on the tape that is continuously being played in your subconscious. Everything that has existed within the framework of your lifetime has its foundation in thoughts imprinted upon your subconscious mind through belief and suggestion.

"The following analogy will allow you to view this concept in a better light. The conscious/subconscious dichotomy that exists within each of us is comparable to a captain guiding his ship on the rugged seas. It is the responsibility of the captain to make decisions as to what direction, and how fast, his vessel will go. His instructions are sent below to the operator of the ship’s engines. This engineer has no awareness of the position of the ship. He only faithfully obeys the commands of the captain.

"Your conscious mind—the captain—is constantly being presented with choices and a decision is made as to what pathway will be followed. Once the decision has been made, it will then be acted upon. Such an action takes place through the instructions given to the subconscious mind—the engineer—which responds to the particular order or command. Here is where the belief system comes into play. Whatever you believe to be true is true in your mind. If you consciously assume something to be positive or true, although it may in reality be negative or false, your subconscious will accept it as being true, and will proceed to manifest results, which, by natural law, will logically follow. In other words, the subconscious mind receives any belief or idea as a means to work by and progresses toward carrying such beliefs and ideas into your reality.

"An excellent example of such an occurrence would be your common everyday hypochondriac. In fact, I would like to relate a true story about the power of suggestion toward being ill. A friend of mine wanted to play a practical joke on a fellow worker using the assistance of a few cohorts-in-crime. The plan was simple: four ganging up on one—the one being Joe, an office employee. Throughout the morning each of the four was to make some passing comment to Joe about his physical appearance. It went something like this; ‘Hi, Joe, how’s it going? . . . By the way, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale.’ ‘Oh, I feel great,’ replied Joe. But the seed had been planted. ‘Morning’, Joe. How are the kids? . . . You look a little peeked. Are you okay?’ ‘Yeah! I’m fine.’ At this point, Joe is somewhat distracted. His attention is now divided between thinking about how he is feeling and concentrating on his work. ‘Is everything all right Joe? . . . You don’t look too good.’ The final blow was struck one hour later by my friend Frank. ‘Hey, Joe. A bunch of us are going to Tony Roma’s for lunch. Why don’t you join us, if you feel up to it? Maybe some food will bring back the color in your face.’

It was all over but the shouting. Poor Joe never made it to lunch with his buddies. In fact, he went home instead and didn’t return to work that day.

Albright picked up the microphone and walked to the edge of the center of the stage. Why did Joe get sick?

Silence prevailed throughout the auditorium. It was finally broken by the sound of a woman’s voice.

Mr. Albright. I have a question.

Yes, the lovely lady in the sixth row. What’s your name?

An elegantly dressed woman in her mid-to-late-sixties stood and addressed the stage. My name is Martha Ingram. My question is was Joe the type of individual one considered healthy? Did he normally have physical problems or ailments?

Good question, Martha, responded Albright. According to my friend Frank, Joe had never missed a day of work due to sickness. He was the perfect guinea pig. So what happened to him in this particular scenario?

His belief system, came a reply from a voice located close of the stage.

Albright looked down into the sea of faces and spotted a woman standing only three rows from him. The long, black hair that flowed over her shoulders accentuated a statuesque figure that stood with poise and assertiveness. Ah! Another response from the audience, came the quip from the enthusiastic guest speaker.

My name is Jessica James.

May I call you Jessica?

My friends call me J.J., but Jessica will do nicely. The response was made in cheerfulness followed by a smile that seemed to illuminate the semi-darkness that surrounded the platform laden with numerous display charts and diagrams.

Now what was that about a belief system? asked Thomas.

The Joe in your little story did not become ill over his work or something he had for breakfast. He got sick because he was truly convinced that all was not well with him. He actually believed in what the others were telling him. I’ve seen it happen to some of my friends; not out of a joke, mind you, but in true life situations where someone starts off complaining about a headache which gets worse as the day progresses because he or she does nothing to change that belief system.

Thank you for that insight, Jessica, stated Albright. "There’s a saying that goes: ‘Do not claim anything you do not want to accept—by claiming it, it is yours.’ Thus, upon final analysis, we find that the conscious mind decides our fate.

"Lack of awareness of the existence and power of the subconscious mind is the cause of all our failures or near failures within our surroundings.

And here is the intriguing fact. The reason there is so much misery and fear in the world is due to the fact that humanity does not understand the basic interaction of their conscious and subconscious minds. There is no pain, no suffering, no sickness, no imbalance or discord when these two entities work together in peace and harmony.

Albright hesitated for a brief moment. A quick, yet noticeable, stirring could be felt within the attentive gathering. What he had stated to them had to be reinforced by something they could relate to from a past childhood experience—something to further increase their understanding of the inner mind.

"As infants, prior to the development of our conscious reasoning ability, the subconscious functions through heredity and race or cultural instinct. Throughout our childhood, these subconscious activities remain as a result of heredity and the demands of our environment and continue along this pathway unless we have the good fortune to be exposed to an awareness relating to the strength and power contained within the subconscious mind. Thus we can see that the mystery of positive or negative consequences in childhood upbringing is contingent on the fact that whatever training we received as children leaves a strong impression on our subconscious minds and makes the habits obtained in our formative years the foundation for all future actions and encounters unless we consciously and constructively set about to change them.

Since the dawn of civilization, mankind has continually searched for the discovery of the mighty invisible force that governs and controls his existence and has attempted to understand and utilize its power. Anthropologists are continually discovering secrets from the past. Such secrets found in the tomb of Hermes, the Egyptian God of Wisdom, revealed but one profound message: ‘as above, so below; as within, so without.

Wise old man: The answer lies within, not without. Whatsoever you desire . . . whatsoever you want, is yours for but a whisper . . . a whisper aimed within you. Within lies the almighty subconscious and within it lies the power. The power is within you. Touch the power and it is yours. A prolonged whisper reaps the harvest.

John Templeton dwelled on that thought. Memories of that first night in the seminar and what was revealed about the power of the subconscious mind fascinated him. And the information received during his sessions with the distant voice deep inside of him further added to the intrigue. His bewilderment continued as he talked to himself:

"This old man seemed to speak in riddles. Whisper? Power? Harvest? It took me awhile, but I finally figured it out. I came to the conclusion that since my subconscious, or the computer within me, has such fantastic power and strength to fulfill my desires, the answer lied in obtaining the knowledge to tap into that power. Through continuous affirmation, belief and faith, such desires could be manifested into physical form within my reality. So, by coming in direct contact with the subconscious, I create a greater opportunity to obtain what I want—to reap the harvest—instead of merely relying on just the conscious mind. That made a lot of sense.

For four years I had practiced the meditative relaxation technique, and for four years my imagination went wild. Yet I did not know why it was happening, only that my books were selling like hotcakes, as the saying goes. Only recently, after experiencing my sessions with the wise old man, has everything been easier to understand. Why this is suddenly happening to me now, I do not know. But I am basking in delight from the new awareness.

Night had fallen quickly for John Templeton, but he was unaware of its arrival. His thoughts were so riveted to the paper before him, that all outside influences simply remained on the periphery of his mind. Deep at its core, his imagination was consumed by past memories, past experiences, past feelings. Once again his mind and pencil drifted into that first night with Thomas Albright.

A seventy-two year old woman in one of my seminars was a chronic insomniac who literally read herself to sleep. As she began to understand brain wave functioning and practiced her meditative relaxation sessions, she soon learned to alter her beta waves by slowing them down and eventually had no problem falling asleep. She realized that once she quieted her body she could quiet her mind and attain alpha. The next step was simply going deeper, beyond alpha, and consequently theta, or sleep, was produced within her.

The charming figure of Thomas Albright seemed to loom larger than his actual medium frame. His movements and speech harmoniously flowed together as he maneuvered about the stage. He was at his peak form, and everyone in the auditorium could literally feel his energy. As he spoke he found himself reminiscing about those he had helped to change this, of solve that over the past fifteen years.

"Often when we have sessions in my relaxation seminars, some people go so deep into alpha that they actually begin to snore, indicating to me that they have drifted into theta.

"Being in beta or wide awake, as you are now, does not produce any particular sensation. You may experience being involved or bored, being busy or idle, feeling confident or fearful, remaining calm or frustrated; the possibilities in beta are infinite.

"In the deeper levels of alpha and theta, the opportunities of experiencing various sensations are limited for most people. Life has taught them to perform in beta, not in alpha or theta. At these deeper levels, the edges of sleep and sleep itself, people are mostly limited to daydreaming. The reason for this involves their lack of awareness of how they can utilize their inner minds to a greater degree to make living easier, more comfortable and enjoyable.

Those people who can concentrate and allow their minds to slow down have the greatest chance to reach alpha and remain there. The key words here are ‘to remain there.’ This ability to concentrate, to visualize images in the mind, is the foundation for meditative relaxation. How deep you descend, how much you lower your brain waves, is dependent upon your increased suggestibility. With each suggestion that you accept without a conscious challenge, the more directly you can establish contact with your subconscious. You merely leave your conscious mind at home as you journey on a trip into subconscious awareness . . . a trip, if taken regularly, that allows the traveler an opportunity to experience a totally new, exciting and easier way to live.

C H A P T E R   2

T H E   T E C H N I Q U E

Thomas Albright’s instruction had provided a strong influence in John Templeton’s life. The time Templeton had spent during his meditative sessions proved to be of enormous mental benefit. But more importantly, his physical health had substantially improved. There had been a certain amount of stress in his life as an English professor at a major university, but upon becoming initiated into a technique that produced total relaxation, his entire manner of living became more relaxed and stable.

Wise old man: Physical balance—the attainment of harmony of all body processes—has its origin within the spinal cord. The body in its wholeness, has its roots within the spine . . . By keeping the spine young, the body cannot become old. Everything evolves from, depends upon, the spine . . . An enlivened spine, a brilliant mind . . . How does one attain and keep a youthful spine? Through mental and physical discipline. The two are inseparable. Remember this: Whatsoever you do, do it within the realm of calm control.

The morning light, its cascading rays pouring through. the window, brightly bounced off Templeton’s unshaven face. He had fallen into peaceful sleep while writing his manuscript, and the harshness of waking to such remarkable brilliance caught him by surprise. A larger-than-normal yawn spurred conscious awareness. The echoes resounding within his empty stomach provided evidence that it was time for breakfast. He had worked deep into the night, and the memory of how good a cup of fresh coffee would taste made him rise from his chair and proceed to the kitchen.

Time passed slowly. It was a break from the mental gymnastics he had encountered the greater part of yesterday. Whenever he seriously wrote, as in his three novels, time had no meaning for him. It was as if it only visited him when it beckoned him to eat or sleep . . . the visits were normally short. It was imperative for him to complete his manuscript . . . A story that had to be told. Not for his benefit, but for the benefit of others . . . others less enlightened . . . others less aware.

The aroma emitting from the boiling pot stimulated his senses. It permeated the air all around him as if an invisible wall of wondrous smells entrapped him. The moment was drawing near for him to disclose to his readers the relaxation technique he had learned so diligently and which enabled him to communicate with his inner self . . . his subconscious mind. He had but three days to finish what he had begun—a Lear jet would be awaiting his arrival within seventy-six hours—a jet that would deliver him to his next research assignment. It had been over a year since his last spy thriller . . . He owed it to his fans.

During the past year, his research had been prioritized into deciphering and analyzing the words of the stranger within him. Western psychology entertained him—the foolishness of the games people play—but Eastern philosophy fascinated him, lured and tempted him into further research . . . further answers to the riddles of the wise old man. He smiled as he contemplated the immaturity of Western mentality compared to the wisdom of Eastern awareness. Such comparisons were unnecessary . . . How could one assume to compare a pattern of thought based upon two hundred years of existence, to that which has evolved for 2000 . . . 3000 years?

But this was neither the time nor the place for such thinking. His thoughts must return to The Technique . . . the pathway to enlightenment. His knowledge had expanded like an enormous passage of air into a deflated balloon. His balloon had grown to incredible proportions.

Upon his return to the over stuffed chair, John Templeton realized a very significant thought: The Technique he was about to expose to the world might go unrecognized, unheeded—be of no concern or importance to the reader of his manuscript. Then he remembered what the old man had revealed:

Wise old man: There are but two paths to learning: awareness and readiness. He who is unaware is lost, misguided . . . He who is not ready is confined, trapped . . . A man can be aware, yet unready . . . A man can be ready, yet unaware; A man who possesses both has attained the potential for enlightenment.

Templeton realized that The Technique he had learned did work for him. Yet he recognized that there were no guarantees for whoever decided to follow its teachings.

Wise old man: Man lives by rules—rules established by nature . . . rules established by man. Rules come by another name—a name known as law . . . Break a law, accept the consequence. This is basic to living within a society—any society. There are natural/ spiritual laws that, if broken, will produce emotional turmoil and mental anguish. Frustration, depression, anger, hatred, fear, anxiety—they are the results of emotional instability—a weakness within the subconscious mind. Control of the inner self facilitates control of the outer self. Whatsoever you do, do it within the realm of calm control. Such control can only be attained through discovery . . . To discover something, one must follow a path—follow guidelines—pursue a technique—utilize a method—have a plan. It matters not the procedure—as long as it leads into subconscious discovery, into discovery of the inner self. Find The Technique. Tap into the power within. That is man’s destiny . . . Touch the power within.

These words reverberated throughout Templeton’s inquisitive mind. He knew what they meant. He had touched the power within. He had journeyed on the path of discovery using a simple, but effective, tool—a tool, a method . . . a technique. So simple was The Technique, he thought; so simple if practiced correctly. But who has time to practice? Who has time to grow? Who has time for inner peace and freedom? One must follow the dictates of society. One must flow in the river of life; a river guided by the teachings of confused men where which to attain success and happiness judges wealth, power and fame as the motivating forces. How wrong they are; how misguided are their actions; how immature is their thinking.

By acquiring the knowledge of The Technique, John Templeton found an allusive inner freedom. A simple skill developed over a span of five years . . . a skill anyone can acquire and nurture . . . the skill known as meditative relaxation. By utilizing this ability, he uncovered an innate talent that had remained dormant for so very long . . . A talent to write novels in the marketplace, but inwardly, messages of wisdom for inner growth and outer happiness. Now it was time for him to reveal the secret.

Afternoon passed quickly into twilight. The sunset, a variety of red, gold, and yellow hues, was breathtaking—a perfect backdrop for what was about to happen. The small lunch he had eaten while writing served only as a reminder that his body now craved real food. Yet his concentration lay not on taste or on fragrance. His thoughts were on The Technique.

The light from the near by lamp illuminated Templeton’s written manuscript. He would begin the final draft for his publisher while in the air. He enjoyed the solitude, the quietness of flying in the Lear. Yes, he possessed adequate wealth . . . yes, he had acquired fame. But those were on the outside—on the periphery; the solitude he knew while flying was the same he experienced inwardly . . . deep inside of him.

The words appeared again—a flash . . . a blur across the picture screen located behind his eyeballs: Whatsoever you do, do it within the realm of calm control. There they were again as he anxiously began to write . . .

The ability to relax is but a lost skill, hidden from the view of twentieth-century man. Isn’t it amazing, yet tragic, to realize that man causes his own death through lack of emotional control?—Lack of his ability to relax?—Lack of his capacity to remain calm in the eyes of adversity? This lack of control, of being unaware of how to effectively manage his life, is the end product of his ignorance toward learning how to relax. Knowing how to relax is a skill—a learned skill. How do you relax? Drinking a beer? Popping pills? Smoking grass? Or do you take a break by sitting or lying comfortably, closing, your eyes and letting go, breathing deeply and slowly? If the latter is your forte, you are on the correct path. But can such a path be traveled during a period of emotional involvement, during a time of distress?

Wise old man: Stress is functional within the body. Distress is illusion . . . is false . . . does not exist. Distress can only be created from within. Outside sources cannot create stress. That is impossible. Circumstance cannot generate disharmony. It merely is. The perception of circumstance creates either a positive or a negative response. If negative, anguish follows.

A confident grin spread across Templeton’s narrow face, as if to signal laughter taking place inside of him. There came a slight delay in his actions as the pencil momentarily hesitated on the lined paper. He paused to bask in the warmth of his memories—in his accomplishments—in his discovery. The pause was brief as he continued to write:

I have discovered the path . . . The Technique. Depression, boredom, anger, frustration, impatience, hatred, anxiety—all are unwelcome visitors in my mind. They have no right to share my valuable time. I do not acknowledge their presence nor their existence . . . They tempt; they flirt; they beg for attention; they seek companionship, yet I do not allow such victimization to take place. I refuse entrance into the arena to waste unnecessary energy for such worthless enemies. I forbid the use of such unproductive time to be spent on such harmful adversaries. I have learned . . . learned to quiet my nervous system. Herein lies the secret . . . And in so doing, my life is at greater peace and under greater freedom to control my circumstances.

Why are so many rich people, who seem to have everything they want, still dissatisfied with their lives? One would assume they are successful and happy. But they experience failure . . . inner failure. They have failed because they only gather things, which mean nothing. They have missed the opportunity for inner growth. This is why they are dissatisfied. They do not taste inner harmony. They reject deep contentment for artificial belongings. Sooner or later they become bored with such artificiality and crave more belongings, more wealth, more power. More . . . more . . . more. They have failed because they are blinded . . . blinded by more-ness. They have failed because they have missed the opportunity . . . the opportunity to discover their destiny. This can only be accomplished from within, not from without.

There are too many obstacles, too many barriers, too many distractions for the conscious mind of man to truly find the right path toward charting his destiny—toward reaching his true potential—toward achieving his finest hour without first learning how to properly program his inner mind . . . his subconscious mind.

The key that unlocks the inner realm of subconsciousness is through relaxation. Nothing can be accomplished with tense muscles, tightened nerves, or entangled thoughts. The secret to meditative relaxation has been revealed within this manuscript. The secret—The Technique—merely states that he who can effectively alter his brain waves, acquires the ability for total relaxation. To acquire such ability necessitates but two steps: quiet the body; then quiet the mind.

John Templeton stopped his writing. He slowly rubbed one, then both of his eyes with a very tired right hand. Checking the clock on the table that stood but a few feet from his chair, he noticed that it had relinquished its services as timekeeper. It seemed strange to him that such a reliable piece of machinery had suddenly ceased to function. Evening had returned, yet his concern for the passage of time was of no importance.

The dilapidated cardboard box that lay at his feet like a favorite puppy held the notes he had accumulated while listening to his session tapes. Rummaging through a pile of colored paper, he came across what he was looking for—a manila envelope containing a copy of Thomas Albright’s relaxation guidelines. Templeton knew that these guidelines formed the foundation of his manuscript. And with a firm foundation a wondrous building can be created.

He slowly opened the envelope pulled out three typewritten documents, and stared at the first page. Its heading stated:

The Technique: Guidelines toward the Attainment of Mind/Body Harmony through Alpha Reduction.

He began to read . . .

Your mental desire to experience inner contact with your subconscious mind must be positive, not negative. Any deception will only meet with failure. Attaining alpha is the essential goal in any meditative relaxation session. The following guidelines can lead you into alpha. The Technique is simple. Its application may not be as simple.

GUIDELINE # 1

Free yourself from distraction

For best results, the quieter and more peaceful the environment upon initial experimentation, the greater opportunity for brain wave decrease.

GUIDELINE # 2

Be comfortable in your environment

Assume a natural position of comfort conducive to relaxing by either lying down or sitting with your back and neck braced against something. Uncross your legs—circulation is impaired in that position.

GUIDELINE # 3

Apply the finger-touch response

Place the index and middle fingers together with the thumb of both hands. Symbolically, your index finger representing the conscious mind and the middle finger your subconscious, are linked or joined together by the thumb. This finger touch method cues the mind for induction—all systems are going. The journey is about to begin.

GUIDELINE # 4

Allow the closing of your eyes

Let them drop as if the lids were shades being pulled downward. The less visual distraction, the better.

GUIDELINE # 5

Look into your brain

This procedure is the most important. Roll your eyeballs up into your forehead as if you were looking into the cavity of your skull. No longer can basic conscious awareness be determined.

GUIDELINE # 6

Gain control of your breathing

As you stare deep into your brain, hold your breath for as long as you can. This simple procedure literally aids in slowing down the brain wave patterns. Concentrate only on the accompanying pain and pressure being submitted as you continue to look up into your brain and hold your breath at the same time.

GUIDELINE # 7

Utilize deep breathing

Now allow your eyeballs to drop and immediately take three consecutive deep breaths in through your nose. Feel the cool air in and the warm air out.

GUIDELINE # 8

Count yourself downward

As you are breathing deeply, visualize the number 10 positioned directly behind your eyes.