In ordinary social intercourse you will find that women are adepts in this subtle form of insinuative suggestion, as compared to men. Men will blurt out statements and ideas, and attempt to "prove" them, but the woman will gently "insinuate" the idea into the mind of the other person, so that, without having proven a fact, she will have managed to create a definite idea of feeling in the mind of the other by "suggestion." I think I need not give examples of this fact - it is apparent to all who have mingled with people.

And really this "suggestion" resembles the mental suggestion of the psychologists very much. It is true that the practitioner of mental suggestion, in his "treatments," often makes use of direct, forceful statements, such as: "You are strong, cheerful, well and happy," but you will notice even here that he does not "argue the point," or attempt to "prove" bis statements. He simply affirms and asserts the fact, and by constantly repeated suggestions he finally causes the mind of the other person to accept the statement. So you see a "suggestion" may be either a subtle insinuation or a bold, positive statement - but it is never an argument, or process of proof.

The word "impression" is good, as applied to the effect of a suggestion, but I prefer to stick to my own terms, and therefore I shall consider that the effect of mental suggestion is caused by induction. "What," you may say, "I thought that induction was a term used when a mental state was set up in one by mentative currents from the mind of another?" Yes, this is true, but my last statement is true also. An induced mental state is one set up by outside influence of some kind, whether that outside influence be a mentative current or by suggestion through a word, a look, a sight or anything else. The word "induce," you know, means: "to lead; to influence; to prevail on; to effect; to cause," etc. And any mental state that is induced by an outside influence comes clearly under the term.

Any physical agent that tends to induce a feeling in the mind of another may be called a suggestion. Even the well-known instance mentioned in the textbooks on psychology comes under this rule. In that instance it is related that a soldier was carrying some bundles and a pail to his barracks, when some practical joker yelled to him in an authoritative voice, "Attention!" Following the suggestion, which induced in him the "feeling" preceding certain habitual actions, he dropped his pail and bundles with a crash and stood at "attention," with eyes front, chin out, protruding breast, stomach drawn in, and hands at his sides with little fingers touching the seams of his trousers. That was a suggestion! Do you see the point?

The lives of all of us have been moulded largely by induction through suggestion. We accepted this suggestion, or that one, and it changed the whole current of our lives. Certain things induced certain feelings - called into activity certain mental states - and action followed close upon the heels of feeling.

There are varying degrees of suggestive power, just as there are varying degrees of what is called the "suggestibility" of persons - that is the tendency to accept suggestions. There are people who scarcely ever act from motives originating within themselves, but whose entire lives are lived out in obedience to the suggested ideas and feelings of others. The development of the Will-Power regulates the degree of suggestibility. The man of the strong will is not so easily affected by a suggestion as is one whose will is weak, and who accepts without resistance the suggestions coming from all sides. But note the apparent parados, persons of weak will may have their wills so developed and strengthened by scientific suggestive treatment that they may become veritable giants of will.

The careful student may feel inclined to ask me, at this point, why I speak of suggested "ideas," when I have said that suggestion has to do with mental states of feeling and emotion. Are not "ideas," he asks, something connected with thought rather than with feeling? The question is a proper one, and I must meet it. The word "idea" comes from the Greek word, meaning "to see." In its general use it means a mental image, or a general notion or conception held in the mind." An idea is "symbolic image held in the mind." It is a symbol of something thought or felt.

Ideas are not formed by thought alone - feeling contributes its share of these mental images. To tell the truth, the majority of people scarcely "think" at all, in the highest sense of the word. Their reasoning and logical faculties are very rudimentary. They accept their ideas at second hand or second-hundred hand - their thoughts must be pre-digested for them by others, and the handed-down "idea" is the result. The majority of ideas held in the mind of the race arise from feeling and emotion. People may not understand things, but they have experienced feelings or emotions regarding them, and have consequently formed many ideas and "ideals" therefrom. They do not know "just why" an idea is held by them - they know only that they "feel" it that way. And the majority of people are moved, swayed and act by reasons of induced "feelings," rather than by results of reasoning. I am not speaking of intuitional feelings now, but of the plain, everyday, emotional feeling of people.

Do you know what a feeling is? The word, used in this sense, means: a mental state; emotion; passion; sympathy; sentiment; susceptibility; etc." And "emotion" means an excitement of the feelings. " Feelings" belong to the instinctive side of our mind, rather than to the rational or reasoning side, They spring up from the subconscious strata of the mind, in response to the exciting cause coming from without. The instinctive part of our minds are stored with the experiences, feelings, emotions and mental states of our long line of ancestors, reaching away back to the early beginnings of life. In that part of the mind are sleeping instincts, emotions and feelings, our inheritance from the past, which await but the inducing cause to call them into activity. The reason or judgment, by means of the will, act as a restrainer, of course, according to the degree of development of the individual. And these outward agents, if of a "physical" nature, are suggestions of all kinds.

Look around you at the world of men and women.

Then tell me whether they seem to be moved principally by reason or feeling. Are their actions based upon good judgment and correct and careful reasoning? Or are they the results of feeling and emotion! Do people do things because the things are considered right in the light of reason, or do they do them "because they feel like it?" Which produces the greatest motive force - an appeal to the reason of a number of people, or an appeal to their feelings and emotion? Which sways a gathering of people; the votes of a people; the actions of a mob - reason or feeling? Which moves even you, good student, reason or feeling? Answer the questions honestly, and you will have the key of suggestive influence!