me. This, however, is a habit to be
established and thoughtfully cultivated; it cannot be acquired at once.
More will be said in future chapters as to the process of gaining the
habit.

IV.

OTHER FORMS OF REST

DO you hold yourself on the chair, or does the chair hold you? When you
are subject to the laws of gravitation give up to them, and feel their
strength. Do not resist these laws, as a thousand and one of us do when
instead of yielding gently and letting ourselves sink into a chair, we
_put_ our bodies rigidly on and then hold them there as if fearing the
chair would break if we gave our full weight to it. It is not only
unnatural and unrestful, but most awkward. So in a railroad car. Much,
indeed most of the fatigue from a long journey by rail is quite
unnecessary, and comes from an unconscious officious effort of trying
to carry the train, instead of allowing the train to carry us, or of
resisting the motion, instead of relaxing and yielding to it. There is
a pleasant rhythm in the motion of the rapidly moving cars which is
often restful rather than fatiguing, if we will only let go and abandon
ourselves to it. This was strikingly proved by a woman who, having just
learned the first principles of relaxation, started on a journey
overstrained from mental anxiety. The first effect of the motion was
that most disagreeable, faint feeling known as car-sickness.
Understanding the cause, she began at once to drop the unnecessary
tension, and the faintness left her. Then she commenced an interesting
novel, and as she became excited by the plot her muscles were
contracted in sympathy (so-called), and the faintness returned in full
force, so that she had to drop the book and relax again; and this
process was repeated half-a-dozen times before she could place her body
so under control of natural laws that it was possible to read without
the artificial tension asserting itself and the car-sickness returning
in consequence.

The same law is illustrated in driving. "I cannot drive, it tires me
so," is a common complaint. Why does it tire you? Because instead of
yielding entirely and freely to the seat of the carriage first, and
then to its motion, you try to help the horses, or to hold yourself
still while the carriage is moving. A man should become one with a
carriage in driving, as much as one with his horse in riding. Notice
the condition in any place where there is excuse for some
anxiety,--while going rath