tainly attracts to you the things that you think of the most, still the
power of the attraction depends very materially upon the clearness and
distinctness of the mental image, or thought visualization, of the desired
thing that you have set up in your mind. The nearer you can actually see
the thing as you wish it to happen, even to the general details, the
stronger will be the attractive force thereof. But, I shall leave the
discussion of this phase of the subject until I reach it in its proper
order. For the present, I shall content myself with urging upon you the
importance of a clear mental image, or visualized thought, in the matter
of giving force and direction to the idea induced in the minds of other
persons. In order for the other persons to actually perceive clearly the
idea or feeling induced in them, it is necessary that the idea or feeling
be strongly visualized in the mind originating it; that is the whole thing
in one sentence.

The next point of importance in thought-influence by induction, is that
which is concerned with the process of concentration. Concentration is the
act of mental focusing, or bringing to a single point or centre. It is
like the work of the sun-glass that converges the rays of the sun to a
single tiny point, thus immensely increasing its heat and power. Or, it is
like the fine point of a needle that will force its way through where a
blunt thing cannot penetrate. Or, it is like the strongly concentrated
essence of a chemical substance, of which one drop is as powerful as one
pint of the original thing. Think of the concentrated power of a tiny drop
of attar of roses--it has within its tiny space the concentrated odor of
thousands of roses; one drop of it will make a pint of extract, and a
gallon of weaker perfumery! Think of the concentrated power in a lightning
flash, as contrasted with the same amount of electricity diffused over a
large area. Or, think of the harmless flash of a small amount of gunpowder
ignited in the open air, as contrasted with the ignition of the same
amount of powder compelled to escape through the small opening in the
gun-barrel.

The occult teachings lay great stress upon this power of mental
concentration. All students of the occult devote much time and care to the
cultivation of the powers of concentration, and the development of the
ability to employ them. The average person possesses but a very small
amount of concentration, and is able to concentrate