What to Think About the Body.

Both Mind and Body, Mental States and Physical Conditions, are the two aspects of the same Reality. Mind is the inner essence of the Body, and Body the outward manifestation of the Mind. 

It is known of our body’s physiology that the greater part of the activities of the body are involuntary, automatic; that is, are independent (or only partly) in the control of the conscious will, or what awareness can control.

The unconscious psychical {mental} activity itself appropriately forms and maintains the body. In the muscular system, nearly all contractions are involuntary. Even in the (so-called) voluntary muscles, the most we can do is to will (desire) results. We do not will the contractions that carry out these results.

Muscles, striped and unstriped, are ceaselessly acting without the slightest consciousness in maintaining the balance of the body, the expression of the face, the general attributes corresponding to mental states, the carrying on of digestion and other processes with a purpose, and adaptation of means to new ends and new conditions, ceaselessly arising, that are beyond all material mechanism.

The unconscious mind shares the conscious will, intellect and emotion; along with the general maintenance of the body.” “The subjective mind has absolute control of the functions, conditions and sensations of the body.  The connection of mind and body is such that a given state of mind tends to echo itself at once in the body. If a psychosis or mental state is produced by a neurosis or material nerve state, as pain by a prick, a neurosis produced by a psychosis, also.

Mental antecedents call forth physical consequences is just as certain as physical antecedents call forth mental consequences.

“In willing any conscious act, the UNCONSCIOUS WILL is evoked to institute means to bring about the effect. The Subconscious Mind acts automatically upon the physical organism. It cognizes external facts, conditions, limitations, and even contagions, quite independent of its active counterpart. One may, therefore, ‘take’ a disease and be unaware of any exposure.

The subconsciousness has been unwittingly trained to fear, and accept it; and it is this quality, rather than the mere inert matter of the body, that succumbs. Matter is never the actor but is always acted upon.

This silent, mental partner, in operation, seems to be a living, thinking personality, conducting affairs on its own account. It is a compound of almost unimaginable variety, including wisdom and foolishness, logic and nonsense, and yet having a working unitary economy. 

It is a hidden force to be dealt with and educated, for it is often found insubordinate and unruly. It refuses co-operation with its lesser but more active and wiser counterpart. It is very ‘set’ in its views, and only changes its qualities and opinions by slow degrees. Not until these two mental factors can be trained together can there be harmony and efficiency.”

In order to understand the important part played in the physical economy by the Subconscious Mind, it is only necessary to understand the various processes of the human system which are out of the ordinary field of the voluntary or conscious mind. Taken from, “Mind and Body” by William Walker Atkins.