Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of

Mind, Memory and Personality
BY NKADO JOSHUA ....NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality a "forgotten" self-growth training system of 15 lessons now available to be read online for free!

General Supplement

THIS GENERAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE PELMAN COURSE IS FOR REFERENCE AS THE STUDENT PROCEEDS WITH EACH OF THE FIFTEEN TEXT-BOOKS IN THEIR SEQUENCE FOREWARD The lasting value to you of your course in Pelmanism is vested in the tuition. The individual guidance by your examiner, through the Progress Sheets, constitutes specialized training of your mind as a whole.

The exponents of a method and system that adjusts favorably the mental attitude of a person undertake no small measure of responsibility.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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That Pelmanism achieves this objective is proven by the sustained enrollment of students whose fathers and mothers or guardians took former editions of the Pelman Course. Individual idiosyncrasies cannot be developed, retarded, canalized or otherwise adjusted merely by reading generalized treaties on the working of the mind. There are no two minds exactly alike, hence the need for this progressive course embodying the basic text-books, the student’s progress sheets, the Pelman examiner’s corrections, comments—and instruction. Therefore, it follows that for the student to derive those invaluable benefits accruing from the application of the principles of Pelmanism, the examiner, who is the student’s guide and sympathetic friend, needs to have the progress sheet that goes with each lesson, in order to analyze specific requirements revealed by the student’s reactions as indicated through his, or her, co-operation in working through the sheets. This General Supplement to the Pelman Course has been written for an important reason. We, of the Pelman Institute, know, from results recorded over a period exceeding forty years, that we have tested seeds of success to sow; seeds that will germinate and yield the fruits of peaceof-mind provided the soil in which the seeds are to be sowed is prepared. Therefore we desire to clear away, should clearance be necessary, what may be called debris of the mind—those things that hamper the cultivation of straight thinking and purposeful procedure. If you cannot control your thinking, your thinking will control you. You can and you will direct your thoughts once you know how your mind works either for or against you. So let this Supplement link-up with each of the fifteen lessons of your Pelman course, then your investment in Pelmanism will yield dividends for the rest of your life.

PELMANISM FOR EVERYONE Pelmanism is a true philosophy of living for everyone. The majority of those who enroll for the Pelman Course are ordinary sensible people who wish to make the best of themselves. They are not prone to chronic states of worry or anxiety, and they deal with the problems and duties of their lives unhindered by these drawbacks to effort. Even so, one may possess a calm mind and yet make errors of interpretation and judgment due to false direction of one’s thinking, without being nervous. Lesson No. 9 adequately deals with this aspect. Nevertheless, numbers of folk are handicapped gravely by viewpoints that hamper clear thinking and confident action. The earlier pages of

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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this General Supplement will enable those given to disturbing attitudes of mind to adjust their thinking processes so that maximum benefit may be derived from the Pelman Course. Subsequent sections show the student how to enhance the gift of a mind that may not be trammeled with any lack of self-confidence, yet still needs direction. The Pelman Course is for Everyone.

PELMANISM The Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality BARRIERS OF THE MIND There are recognized fundamental herd instincts, inhibitions and other mental barriers to progress and happiness, many of which are due to early influences which, as seeds sowed in the soil of impressionable years, hamper most of us at one period or another. Probably one of the most handicapped brakes on self-confidence is Anxiety. The Dictionary tells us the word Anxiety means a condition of mental uneasiness arising from fear. Let us be clear in our conception of this word fear.
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Wholesome fear that prompts caution and prudence inducing foresight, forethought and action calculated to prevent, or to circumvent, threatened misfortunes is Wisdom, whereas Irrational fear that arises from nervous anticipation, negative thinking and unnecessary worry is both unwise and harmful in view of the known reactions of the organs of the body to a disturbed mind.

This supplement to the Pelman Course is concerned with uneasy states of mind which have no foundations of fact, yet act as powerful deterrents to one’s poise, personality and progress. Such condition is Exaggerated Anxiety. In the experience of most of us, when perhaps a rung on the ladder of success has been within our grasp, we have lost grip and let it go. Notwithstanding an excellent quality of character, there has operated a powerful deterring factor that has robbed us of successful achievement in our hour of opportunity. To be reasonably conscientious is admirable. It is wise to weigh the pros and cons of a proposition before coming to an important decision, yet it is by no means uncommon in many

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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individuals to carry caution too far and to permit nervous apprehension to become a habit of mind.

INFLUENCES FROM THE PAST A number of things we dread never happen. In the past, annoyances and upsetting circumstances and frustrations have happened to all of us; for many of us in years gone by there have been injustices, losses—and sorrows. Perhaps time has healed. Consciously we have forgotten these blows, but the submerged memories remain in the storehouses of memory—the associated zones. For many people, fortunately, recollection does not take place. These are they who have learned that to keep their minds turned outwards toward other people and other things and to be interested in a creative occupation admit of no turning of the mind inwards on the self and feelings; to permit: 1. morbid self-analysis, 2. negative comparison with others, and 3. self-pity …constitutes the withering condition known as Introspection. If and when one has allowed oneself to become an Introvert there is an ever-present predisposition to draw on episodes of the past. It is the emergence of these into the awareness at a given moment that provides the source of most of our anxious fears. Text-Book No. 6 of the Pelman Course gives an exposition of the subconscious mind, a collective name popularly connoting the association areas. It is the working of the law of association-of-ideas that exerts so great an influence on our views, feelings, thoughts, will and actions.

THE POWER OF SUGGESTION FROM OTHERS For the most part, we are to-day what we were thinking yesterday; to-morrow we shall be what we are thinking to-day. Our life pattern was shaped to a considerable extent by HeteroSuggestion—that which was suggested to us by other people. Our daily actions are prompted, to a degree we do not realize, by Auto-Suggestion—that which we suggest to ourselves. But it is most important that the student shall understand what follows.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Much that you suggest to yourself has as its origin an idea that was projected on to the screen of your receptive mind by adults during the character-formation period of childhood, before you had come to think for yourself and when you were so dependent on parents, guardians, relatives, school-teachers and others in authority. Of course this influence works both ways. Many great men and women owe their success entirely to the foundations of Faith and Character and to the principles of right living inculcated by those who were responsible for their upbringing. On the other hand, unfortunately, domineering, egotistic, unsympathetic and ill-informed adults, some of whom may have had temperaments of an over-strung, neurotic nature, sowed the seeds of fears, doubts, over-caution, self-consciousness and anxieties in the soil of the impressionable years. It is these retained ideas, pictures held in mind, that can and do work on through the years as centers of disturbance in the associated zones, acting as ‘phantasms’ influencing from the past our present reactions and attitudes toward life and affairs.

"LIFE IS A BATTLE WITH PHANTOMS OF THE MIND" (Ibsen.) Ibsen wrote truly, yet modern mind-training teaches one to avoid trying to fight these enemies to progress and, rather, to eradicate them altogether. To oppose these phantoms of the mind with the attention necessitated if there is to be a fight gives rise to a resistance that strengthens the enemy. To uproot them and destroy them is the only form of strategy leading to victory over these harassing foes. The tactics following this wise strategy must be as follows— Invade the position the phantom holds, clear it out and consolidate the position won by establishing a new habit of mind, preferably an exact opposite one. Thus, you will see that this method rules out the focusing of attention on the enemy and, instead, concentrating thought and action as allies in the army of occupation. There can be no vacant space in your mind, therefore it is useless to try to eliminate any habit unless you have the better and more profitable habit ready to take the place of the undesirable one. It will be helpful if you realize your mind can hold but one idea or thought at a time. Let us remind you of the slogan of Pelmanism—

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Remember—Everything you do is preceded by your attitude of mind. Everything you DO—this implies action; action wins.

Lesson 01: THE SOUL of PELMANISM

FOREWARD

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Each Lesson of the Pelman Course has its own purpose or purposes. This first lesson points out that your training as an individual is a joint effort, a collaboration to a definite end between you and the Pelman Institute. It shows you: 1. that there is an attitude of mind that is favourable to success, 2. discusses the means by which that attitude is created, maintained and strengthened, and 3. outlines the mental processes by which it is made effective in action. The lesson introduces you to some of the laws that govern feeling and thought. It emphasizes: 1. the importance of habit, 2. defines memory and its place in mental efficiency 3. and sets the first of the exercises that will: 1. quicken your perceptions, 2. enlarge your mental resources and 3. at once start to build up your self-confidence.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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The emphasis is once more on mutual effort. We help you to apply Pelmanism to your own needs and circumstances but you, yourself, must practice the exercises. Only by doing so can you get the full benefit of the training.

The Purpose of Pelmanism "Our ordinary training is a training in knowledge: what the world needs is a training in power." Matthews’ Principles of Intellectual Education.

I. A GOOD BEGINNING MEANS A GOOD ENDING You as pupil and the Pelman Institute as instructor are now at the beginning of an association, the object of which is to enlarge your mental resources and so to develop your aptitudes that their employment in a chosen direction will be pleasureable and successful. The association begins under the happiest auspices. We are to work together to a common end. Our part is to make available to you, clearly and sympathetically, specialiased knowledge, supplemented by fifty-one years’ experience, equally specialiased. Your part is to master the theoretical teaching in each text-book, and to practise faithfully the perception and mind-training exercises set.

Theory The theory is most quickly and permanently mastered by making application of each section: 1. to your own circumstances, 2. to the circumstances of others known to you, or 3. to a hypothetical set of circumstances. By doing this the knowledge given in each lesson will: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. become a personal possession, light will be thrown on your difficulties, you will learn to do your own thinking, your mental horizon will expand, and your powers of judgment will be increased.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Importance of Quickened Perceptions At the same time the significance of the Perception exercises must be emphasized. Faithful practice of these exercises establishes habits that make effective, immediately and at command, knowledge already possessed, and makes the acquisition of fresh knowledge very much easier. In addition to developing the sense which each is designed to develop, the exercises quicken the nervous reactions generally. The physical act of close and long-continued sense perception, particularly sight and hearing, is no longer fatiguing, whilst speed and accuracy are markedly increased. These improvements and enlargements are at once, and increasingly reflected, in the mental faculties and in the personality. It is on these that concentration, will-power and lively interest are based, and they are an integral part of legitimate self-confidence. In the proper exercises of such qualities the appropriate faculties, strengthened by training and use, respond with less effort to the demands made upon them. In those cases in which a conscious and long continued effort is necessary, the harmonious response of the appropriate faculties reduces fatigue and makes for certainty. Acts involving decision and judgment are made easier by cultivated sense perception. Our facts are more numerous and more clearly defined to the inner eye. Selection of what is pertinent and useful becomes almost automatic.

In Social Intercourse Again, every one of us is concerned not only with facts and things but also with people, and quickened perceptions make objective thinking—thinking apart, away from and outside ourselves—a more or less normal process.
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We notice more about things and so think less about ourselves. We notice more about people and so are less likely to give unwitting offence.

The two combined make us more acceptable and agreeable to other people. As a safeguard againse possible misunderstanding it may be pointed out that the term "objective," as we use it here, does not exclude those higher reaches of the aesthetic, artistic and philosophic life which to a highly cultured minority are matters of predominant interest.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Lesson 01: The Soul of Pelmanism (Part Two)

II. PURPOSEFUL USE OF YOUR POWERS As your natural powers are developed and enlarged you will naturally think of the uses to which they can be put. Implied in every paragraph of every lesson of the Pelman Course is the principle that strength must be profitably used, that when engaged in any purposeful activity every faculty must be exercised and every ounce of necessary energy put forth. The Course does not ignore the value of relaxation and it teaches the purpose of leisure, but it gives one lesson almost entirely to the establishment of a definite aim which will serve both as a standard of values and as a stimulus to action. Your aim may be service to the community in which you live, the consolidating of the position which you now hold, advancement in the organization to which you belong, starting in business for yourself, or adventure into an entirely new life. Or you may be satisfied that your ability and the nature of your position are such that security is certain and you wish to develop known aptitudes and tastes in leisure time.

Definition of Aims Whatever your aim may be you must define it as clearly as the nature of the case permits. You must call it frequently to mind. A brief formula which you can repeat to yourself will help you. Your aim may even now be clear in your mind, but it is certain that as your range of consciousness widens, so will your horizon widen, and your aim without alerting in either character or direction will both broaden out and define itself more clearly.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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As you go through the lessons your development in some directions will be quicker than you now suppose possible. This may even be so in all directions. But let us go together step by step, reinforcing understanding of theory by personal application of it, and attaining a reasonable proficiency in every one of the exercises in each lesson before going on to the next lesson. Pelmanise every day, however little, in order to maintain continuity and take advantage of the momentum that regular effort gives. The daily effort is worth while. A thoroughly trained and efficient mind is the only universal asset in the world. Even money cannot compete with it, and is powerless without it. Every country, every trade, every profession is eager to welcome and employ it. It is the open sesame to the best society; it is the key to every kind of success.

The Emotional Drive But the uses to which you put your mind are determined by what is known as "the emotional drive." The emphasis is on the strength and quality of your feelings. What you think is of importance, but what you desire is of greater importance: the stronger your desire and the more clearer your aim, the more powerful will be the emotional drive. You should dwell on this. A strong emotional drive will help you to get somewhere, thinking ability by itself will not. But if you have the drive you can employ your thinking ability to direct your energies safely and with some certainty towards an end that will satisfy you, an end that will, in fact, constitute for you your particular success.

The Constitution of the Mind—a Unity It is important to understand that the mind is a unity. It comprises three phases, Feeling, Thought and Will. It is shown in later lessons that there is no manifestation of the mind that cannot be classed under one of these headings, and that there is inter-dependence between them, particularly between Thought and Feeling. If Feeling is strong and uncontrolled, energy is misdirected or, by its very strength, over-runs and defeats its own object. On the other hand, if Feeling is weak, energy is intermittent, and either dies down altogether or goes so faintly that it takes too long to reach its object and the favourable occassion passes. Thus Feeling may be so strong that, if not controlled,
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it may act before the minds of others are properly prepared,

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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it may give full reign to impulses of speech or deed that will close the minds of others against us, banish opportunities and wreck fair-seeming ventures; or it may be so weak that defined courses of action are not pursued, opportunites are lost, the minds of others closed against us and hopeful undertakings doomed.

The Function of Thought It is the function of Thought to guide and control Feeling, to restrain it in one place and encourage it in another. Broadly speaking, the extent of your capacity for Feeling, the strength of your desire to do or to be, determines your success and happiness, but the emphasis is on the truth that the mind is a unity of three parts—Feeling, Thought and Will. Feeling in the form of "drive" will, as we have already shown, get you somewhere: Thought, harmonising with Feeling and resulting in true Will Power, will get you to the right place. Every paragraph, every sentence, every word in the text-books themselves and in the instructional notes is intended to produce a harmonious development of these three constituents of the mind, and, as far as is practically possible, to develop them simultaneously.

Application No. 1 You will be greatly helped in your progress through the Course by a complete understanding and acceptance of the fact that the mind is a unity, and you are asked to read again the last two subsections. Having done so, discover in your own life: 1. a set of circumstances in which restraint of feeling by thought is, or would have been, advisable; and 2. existing circumstances in which encouragement of feeling would increase the "emotional drive." Do this honestly and then reflect on the following axiom: The synthetic cultivation of the mental faculties—the development of the whole mind—will result in the automatic dissolution of many of the difficulties that now stand in the way of your progress.

Community of Effort in the Mind

to the geologist. engages our involuntary attention because of its strangeness. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM We will now consider some qualities. They all see the conformation of the surrounding country. A botanist would look for plant growths.. but each reads into it a meaning entirely different from that of the others. and to the artist they are pictures waiting for a canvas. there is amongst the forces of the mind a community of effort that soon prepares us to understand and use some of the vast amount of material that is around us but outside the mind itself. but its consideration is left for a more advanced lesson. the thoughts and ideas which these excite and the businesses. Undulations. size or an inherent dramatic quality. from the start. Only part of this material is apparent to our consciousness. Selection of Material Very little of this material is the subject matter of the perceptions of any one individual. possessions or conditions of the mind that help us to put our desires into effect. This makes the training of other powers easier and so.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. trades. by shock tactics. institutions and numberless creations which are the outcome of thoughts and ideas. Outside Material This material consists of people and things. for.. This development is not difficult. A geologist. in achieving the particular purpose of an exercise or other process of training we experience a heightening of the perceptive faculties generally and an enlargement of the personality as a whole. Also.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . We have spoken of the progressive and simultaneous development of the three phases of the mind. Some of it is that which. Thus our perceptions are exercised on that part of the material around us that can be related to our interests and to previously accumulated knowledge.  Many men would see nothing. as appears over and over again throughout the Course. tell of hidden rock formations. to us or from us. an artist and a farmer walk along the same short half mile of strange road. material that is in one sense ordered and fixed and in another sense always moving with us. it is not possible to train one quality or attribute without at the same time training some others. Much of this may be useful as food for original thinking. Our concern now is with the material that is always round and about us. organisations. to the farmer they speak of drainage and pasturage or cultivation.

. 5. (a) Your Mental Magnet Interest quickens the power of selection of what is useful. Opportunities. good ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . that of attraction. the mental magnet the aim at excellence the ability to concentrate the organization and use of leisure the study of the signs of the times. THE MEANS OF PURPOSEFUL USE OF POWERS There are six means to the purposeful use of our powers. 2..NKADOJ@GMAIL. and intense interest so enlarges the power of selection that it sets up a greater power. 4. 6. They are: 1. and belief in yourself.COM Lesson 01: The Soul of Pelmanism (Part Three) III. 3.

. You can draw them to you if your power of attraction is great enough. There is no attraction. They are near you. The Power of Attraction Let us look at attraction in one or two of its aspects. because of its descriptive quality and its convenience. "Please notice the beauty of my eyes and the perfect symmetry of my features?" She gets attention without effort. we will use that term. To do so. attracted to themselves help from all kinds of sources and people at all kinds of times and in all kinds of places. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 2.COM things.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The people who do not know what they want. the love of individuals and of whole communities.. On the other hand history is studded with notable men who were without physical grace and yet attracted to themselves riches. the strength of the desire the development of the faculties. men who by force of character and mental ability. 3. How does a handsome woman attract attention to herself? Not by saying.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the clearness of the aim. Power of attraction is a mental attitude. and the degree of expectancy and receptivity. The power of attraction is sometimes spoken of as the mental magnet and. favourable circumstances are in the material of consciousness all about you. simply because beauty is compelling. Beauty itself is a magnet. 4. You must find your magnet. Good things pass them by. ask this question: What do I desire to have or to do more than anything else in the world?" We are not now concerned with the nature or the value of the desire. power. Like Attracts Like . in the work you do and in the place in which you live. but we do wish to emphasize that you must know what you want. and by knowing what they wanted.. useful things. Its force depends upon: 1. It is already within you and can be enlarged and made more and more powerful. who have no inner harmony and are destitute of strong desires are without a magnet.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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The man who has a strong desire to make money sets up a magnet in himself, and money begins to come his way. The men who want fame, publicly, to hold office in societies and associations, set up magnets in themselves, pressmen begin to take notice of them and fellow members are conscious of them at election time. Initial success gives them confidence, exercises and develops ability, makes their magnets more powerful, and they get more and more money, greater and greater publicity and more and still more positions. In the realms of industry, business and the professions the departments of effort are frequently so varied that for the observant man or woman there is likely to be opportunity near at hand for the exercise of aptitudes if the desire is strong enough. But the desire must be strong and related to aptitudes. This is discussed in the next lesson.

Good Things are Looking for Ability Observation and experiment show that opportunity looks for and comes towards ability. It will look for you if you yourself are right, and if you also are seeking it. And when you are really expectand and receptive you will not be content merely to garnish the house and make the guest room ready, you will go out to meet and welcome the visitor.

Success is First Inside You A little thought—and we hope you will give more than a little—will show you that success comes to men and women of all kinds. Look amongst the successful men of your acquaintance, amongst business and professional men known to you by repute, amongst men prominent in public life, the managers, supervisors and foremen in shops and factories, and you will find that each has his own dominant characteristic differing from that of most of the others.

The Power of Anticipation
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They are alike, however, inasmuch as they all have the power of anticipation; they are alert to see what is likely to happen in the field of their desires; they are expectant, they are confident that some benefit from what they see will come to them; they are receptive, they are prepared to take in and use what comes; and they are active, too.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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The opportunities are around and about them, but outside them until they make those conscious and unconscious movements that bring them and opportunity together. Their success is first a success within. The intention of the Pelman Course is to create in you these qualities of anticipation, expectancy and receptivity, to remove the self-consciousness, fear, mind-wandering and weakness of will that may have cluttered up your intelligence and prevented you from seeing the financial and social possibilities which come close to you and almost brush you as they pass.

(b) Aim at Excellence Further thought about people who are in positions of prominence or authority, the statesman, the bankers, the artists, and the manufacturers, merchants, builders, engineers, managers, foreman, and successful people of all kinds—discloses that each knows one thing supremely well. They aimed at excellence and won it. And as like attracts like, excellent things are always coming their way. It is a question of mastery. There is something inspiring about excellence in action. It has been said that nothing gives such a feeling of elation, such complete forgetfulness of self, as the spectacle of perfection in man, machines or animals working at top speed to a definite end. For the time being we identify ourselves with the rhythm, the uprush of power and the supreme joy of perfectly co-ordinated action which, in living things, is felt by the performers themselves. At the time we do not think. We simply feel. But later, recollection of Pouishnoff at the piano, Menuhin with his violin and Bradman at the wickets makes us wish that we could do some one thing with the same perfect technique. Training, effort, practice are necessary. They create the habit of aiming at excellence. Sincerity of intention carries us a long way but it is not sufficient in itself. Two men address an audience on the same subject. Each is completely sincere, each has much the same emotional reaction to the subject, each has a full knowledge, and, in many situations, the effectiveness of their personalities would be equal. But one has mastered the art of public speaking.
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He says much the same thing as the other, perhaps in much the same language, but he groups his thoughts so that they are more easily understood, he chooses his words a little more carefully, he arranges them so that emphasis is properly distributed, his gestures are true, his voice controlled, and

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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his bearing easy.

He is, in fact, exercising an art of which he is master, and he is entirely unself-conscious. It is almost as if he were merely a vehicle for the transference of thought and emotion from one place to another. The other man’s very sincerity, the depth of his feeling, hampers him because his power to express it is inadequate. Sincerity always has its value but it must have a technique to make it fully effective, and technique must be fostered, until it enters the realm of the unconsciousness, by aiming at excellence. Each kind of work has its own purpose and not every kind is concerned with directly influencing the minds of others. It may be law, bookkeeping, philosophy, the grocery business, railroading, flying, radio, gardening, house-building, poetry, farming, tailoring, salesmanship; the thing itself does not matter. It is the excellence of our knowledge and skill, one or both, that is important. "An excellent man" in any kind of work will always sooner or later, and generally sooner, find full employment for his ability and energy. Work goes out to find him.

Lesson 01: The Soul of Pelmanism (Part Four)

(c) The Power of Concentration

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The importance of being able to concentrate need not be emphasized. William James said, "What tells in life is the whole mind working together." This defines and describes concentration. In effective concentration we put into action every faculty we possess, our perceptions, memory, imagination, power of will. You may confidently look for betterment in your life when you can sit down and examine facts, get at their true inwardness and make use of them. Concentration is got by exercise and training. It is the sum total of many faculties working together to a definite end. The Pelman perception exercises are the first step.

(d) Organize and Use Your Leisure Time There are 8760 hours in a year. Analyse the way in which you spend your 8760. So many for sleep, so many for work, for journeying here and there, for recreation, for leisure. Take pencil and paper and do this bit of arithmetic. You will possibly be surprised. Perhaps the most astonishing item will be the amount of leisure time at your disposal. Equally astonishing may be the sudden realisation of the way in which you are spending it. It is poor economy to be thrifty with your money and prodigal of your time. You feel you could do so much more if you had proper counsel and guidance. Well, that is what we are working together for, to organise your mind and make effective all its activities, to prevent you from wasting your time by showing you how to value it. You will then turn the passing hours to good account, not only in a commercial but also in a cultural sense. That is not all. You will thereby prepare yourself for the opportunities which are coming your way. They will come because of the fitness which wisely used leisure imparts. Without that fitness the good passes you by. You are not ready. The needed qualifications are absent. Thus, the problem is easily stated: Distinguish time wisely spent from time spent otherwise.

(e) Study the Signs of the Times The faculty of anticipation is exercised in reading the signs of the times. In these days of quick transport and almost incredibly swift means of communication the mutability of human affairs is very strongly emphasised.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Occurrences in one part of the world may within an hour affect the course of nations, institutions, businesses and individuals thousands of miles away. The repercussions may be never ending. Inventions and discoveries have much the same effect.

At Your Door Local and provincial happenings are just as significant. They may be more significant and certainly their effects are often more easily forecast.
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The creation of new bus routes and services, the wrecking of old buildings and the erection of up-to-date office or business premises, the coming of a new firm or chain store, the opening up of a new business by active-minded and energetic people, the closing down of an existing business, any one of these may cause a drift of trade from one part of the town to another, may create a new sentiment amongst the people or alter the ways of doing business, and may appreciate or depreciate the value of property according to position.

There is no end to the changes—some dramatic and some hardly perceptible—that are constantly taking place where people live and work. Watchfulness and quickness of perception enable us to anticipate at any rate some of them, to appraise them, countering those that are inimical to our interests and using those that are favourable. The alert man (or woman) with the faculty of anticipation asks himself these questions in regard to his calling:  1. What is happening now? 2. What is going to happen? 3. How can I be ready? Consider these questions in relation to your affairs. You probably know the answer to Question 1. Question 2 is difficult. If you can answer it, Question 3 is made easier. New developments may be on the surface or deeper down. Fashion in clothes, advertising, furniture and slang are surface changes, but with the talking picture (television/movies) we had a profound change that affected the fashions in everything and created new standards of living. Radio has brought a fundamental change that has benefited those who appraised its possibilities early. New things gravitate to the men who have seen them coming. Alfred Harmsworth saw the idea of a new kind of morning newspaper when on his way to his office in Fleet Street. Why was that idea compelled to move in the direction of the man who later became Lord

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Northcliffe? Because he had read the signs of the times. He was prepared to offer a welcome. His mental magnet was charged, and attracted the idea. Your own kind of work will be affected by the obvious material changes that are always taking place and by the consequent but more subtle changes in habits, customs and mental responses of men, women and children everywhere. If you can divine the coming changes, the advantage will inevitable be yours.

(f) Believe in Yourself The good—benefits, advantages, realisable opportunities— does not gravitate towards the mind that is full of doubts and fears; it moves in the direction of the man who believes. There is no magnetic force in a brain which believes life is not worth living, or that the world in general is going to the dogs. Such a man has no faith; not even in himself. He repels the good instead of attracting it. What is meant by this "believing in yourself"? It is, broadly speaking, self-confidence. In some people it is instinctive; they accept themselves and the world with satisfaction, and proceed to live their life with zest. They have natural faith—sometimes so intense that it persists in spite of the evidence of the senses. If you belong to the class of people who doubt themselves and other people, be assured that Pelmanism will make a vast difference in the quality of your self-feeling. Doubt will disappear and self-reliance will takes its place.

Our Joint Aim In concluding this part we say that success in life is not made by performing miracles. It comes by science and (common) sense. That is fundamental in Pelmanism, which seeks to show you how to get the best out of yourself, by understanding and applying certain natural laws, and by training given through exercise. It does not say that to succeed you must speak five languages and be able to explain Einstein and relativity, or to know or practise anything that may be outside your field of practical endeavour. But it does say that you can so prepare your mind that good things that are within the field of your interest will feel the attraction and be drawn towards you.

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You may want to do, and feel fitted to do, some difficult form of work, you may resent the excessive drudgery of the work you do now; you may even regard the formation of a definite aim, immediate and ultimate, as old fashioned. It is our joint business, yours and ours, to consider your present work in relation to other possible openings, so that you can:
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decide on a programme of effort and discover the proper use of facilities and leisure; to create within you the conditions favourable to success so that progress will lessen the drudgery; to help you in the defining of an aim, the decisive mental act that is at one and the same time: 1. the promoter of courage, 2. the builder of confidence, 3. the creator of joy in industry and 4. the strongest magnetising influence in the world of effort.

IV. INCREASED ABILITY—INCREASED INCOME We would like you to read the preceding pages again and again until the ideas are part and parcel of your mind itself. It is necessary that you realize the fundamental conception, viz.,… that the best way to succeed in life is not to go here and there seeking for success, but so to develop your powers that success comes through their full and effective use. If you wish to increase your income, the one thing to do is to increase your ability. The mistake scores of men and women make is to try for larger emoluments without developing their capacity. These larger emoluments will undoubtedly arrive when a greater knowledge and proficiency have been obtained—by preparing for the advance. The extra income is a "something good" which comes to them as soon as they are ready for it. More often people get there step by step, but the more quickly by making each step an aim, thus reinforcing his (or her) power of attraction so that all along the line he draws from people, material and circumstances everything that will help him. That is the fact behind the success of so many Pelman students. They did not put money first. They learned this lesson: …that if they acquired greater ability to do things, the money would "come." And it did come. Further: there were benefits in addition to money:

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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an addition to culture, for instance, a larger and more intimate social life, a greater awareness of the significance of happenings, local and world-wide.

Pelmanism, truly carried out, enriches the individual’s whole life.

Lesson 01: The Soul of Pelmanism (Part Five)

V. THE PLACE OF MEMORY IN MENTAL EFFICIENCY Impression, Retention, Recollection Memory, that is to say, the power to remember, comprises three factors—Impression, Retention and Recollection—and if any one of these three factors is impaired, the memory is in a corresponding degree defective. You are earnestly requested to pay very close attention to this portion of your First Lesson, since it forms a groundwork upon which much of your future success will be built. Impressions are of two kinds: 1. those coming to the mind from outside; and 2. those arising within the mind itself, by the working of thought and imagination. (Of course, even an internal impression may have roots in previous external impressions, but that does not concern us just now.) Ease of recollection depends upon the strength and vividness of the first impression, as well as upon its emotional coloring and the associations it sets up. When an idea originates within the mind, it is good exercise to trace the train of thought that led up to it. Ask yourself:
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"Why did that idea occur to me? How did it come?"

Do not hurry away from it. Turn it over. Ask yourself what bearing it has upon the department of life, or study, or business, with which it may be concerned. If it is an idea likely to prove of value, recall it to mind after a brief interval and so make the act of recollection at any time easier.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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This is the reflective process and is applicable to what is read and heard in lectures and addresses as well as to ideas originating in the mind itself. Purely sense impressions can be strengthened by close attention at the time and by visual or auditory imagery repeated a few times as soon as the occasion is past. Later on in the Course we describe various methods of association by which you will be able, so long as the mind retains its normal vigor, to recall an idea in spite of a considerable lapse of time. But there are other things which you must learn first, and for the present you must treat impressions with the means already at your disposal. We aim at developing your natural memory, not at giving you an artificial one.

External Impressions Although there is a certain class of impression which originates within the mind itself, there is another and very large class which comes from outside. These impressions reach the brain through the senses. Sometimes impressions are conveyed to the brain by two or more senses simultaneously. Thus, when you meet a stranger who begins at once to talk to you, your brain will receive impressions of his appearance and of his speech, and these impressions arrive together. Individuals vary much in their susceptibility to impressions through the different senses, some receiving their most intense impressions by sight and others by hearing. If you want a perfect memory, you must train not only your powers of reason and association, but also your senses. Take a sheet of paper and try to draw upon it the Roman figures exactly as they appear on the face of a clock, and then compare carefully the figure you have placed at "four o’clock" with the figure as represented on the dial of a watch or clock. A large percentage of persons will not succeed, and to fail is indicative of faulty observation. On which side are the buttons on a man’s coat and on a woman’s respectively? Many such details as these have come constantly before your eyes, but have you seen them? To train your sense of hearing, try to recognize your friends by their footsteps when they are within hearing but out of sight. Notice rapidity, regularity and weight.

Retention

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The second stage in the process of memory is Retention. This, so far as it depends upon the physiological condition of the nervous system, may be beyond the direct control of the student. However, we may say that whenever a vivid impression conveying a definite meaning and coloured somewhat by emotion is made, retention is vastly more probable than when the impression is slight and superficial. Of course, if no impression has been made upon the mind, no impression can be retained. When people say they have "forgotten," they frequently suppose that their retentive power has broken down. The failure, however, is usually found to be not in the retentive power, but in the third stage, which is the power of Recollection. A multitude of small details or occurrences which would ordinarily be described as "forgotten," require only the right stimulus to bring them vividly back into consciousness. The stimulus need not even be of great intensity; for often the passing fragrance of a flower, as everybody knows, will give us back the picture of the peaceful country of our early days.

Recollection Recollection is the name given to such a revival of an impression made upon the mind and retained by it. Frequently the word is used as though it were synonymous with "memory," but in truth recollection is only the third and final stage of the complete process. Facility in recollection depends primarily upon the intensity of the first impression.
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Sometimes it is stimulated by a recurrence of the conditions which originated the first impression. Thus if you "forgot" an idea you will often find you are able to "remember" it if you return to the exact spot where the idea first occurred to you. Sometimes a single circumstance will recall a whole group of ideas, as when the name of a novelist brings instantly to your recollection incidents in various books of which he is the author. Sometimes an idea is recalled when its exact opposite is presented to the mind.

Various theories have been suggested to account for the way in which ideas recall one another into consciousness. It is enough here to say that everything happens as though the rise to consciousness of each idea were accompanied by the excitation of some group of nervous elements in the brain, and as though the nervous current were liable to strike across from one group of nervous elements to another.¹ 1 MacDougall, Outline of Psychology.

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WHAT TO AVOID Avoid the idea that your difficulties are insuperable. Be hopeful. Avoid all complaining about your memory; that is the way to make it worse. Avoid the saying, "I can’t concentrate." It will make you less able to concentrate tomorrow. Avoid the feeling that you are too old. Mental age is a matter of training and discipline. Avoid haste. Master every sentence. We teach the science and art of mental efficiency in the least possible number of printed pages. And if you have the notion that you can become mentally efficient by means of one or two Lessons, get rid of it. There are fifteen Lessons and some work ahead of you and of us.

WHAT TO DO Work patiently. There is no magic in Pelmanism, but if you will stick to it the results will be so surprising as to take on the appearance of magic. Begin to exercise your Will-power now. Resolve to master this Lesson in 14 days or less. Mental Training means the training of the whole mind; so begin at once to follow out our instructions in this respect. You may not see immediately how each Lesson can train the whole mind, but you will realize it later. The mind is a unity, not a group of completely separate utilities. Emphasize the personal element. Tell yourself that the Pelman Course has a message for you; has also a discipline, an illumination, and a deliverance from error. "I have a future with promise in it." Turn that phrase over in your mind. It is true enough for most people at any rate, but we want you to feel it. Then you will act accordingly.

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Lesson 01: The Soul of Pelmanism (Part Six)

EXERCISES Exercises and Experience There are two methods of developing your personal powers: 1. by the acquiring of knowledge about mental operations, and 2. by the practice of exercises. Both methods are necessary. That is how your mind becomes experienced: and experience has been defined as "the process of becoming expert by experiment."

 The wrong way is to think that they do not matter. is a little more important. That fact alone should make it an ideal that is worth while. Practice of the first and simpler exercises makes the following exercises less difficult.COM Exercises and the Right Point of View It is essential at the outset to regard all the prescribed exercises in the right way. Opposite each name write: 1. A few of the Exercises appear to be so simple that the student may imagine they will be of little service to him.. There is another point to be remembered. Exercise I The first step in scientific mental training is to educate the powers through which most of our information comes. if anything. Mental Training should be pursued in the same way. What we stress more than anything is the immense advantage which steady and regular practice will be to you personally. which so developed the visualizing power of the Student that he was able to carry in his mind’s eye whole groups of figures and the result was a sixty per cent reduction in the time required for his daily task.. You would practice daily.. really. the absence or presence of beard and mustache. This is a serious mistake. Take a sheet of paper and write down the list of the names of six of your friends—three of each sex. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the color of the eyes.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 4.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The teaching is important. and in the case of the men. We do not wish to over-emphasize this requirement. 5. and gazing at the illustrations of body movements. is indicated in the report of a student whose daily duty it was to transfer at night many lists of figures from a rough day-book to a permanent record book. namely. The Exercise in question is Exercise 3. without a doubt. sight and hearing. You would not think of taking a course of physical training and confining your attention to reading the instructions. Add also a note as to any particular article of clothing worn on the last occasion you saw the person concerned. the manner of wearing the hair. 3. carried out faithfully and regularly. The practical value of a simple exercise. continuous and regular practice is needed. but practice. 2. and that the teaching of the lessons is the one important thing. the nature of the complexion. .

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Repeat the process with the three other cards. and in the same place if possible. and often of inattention. if on a first attempt you can hear a watch ticking on a table five feet off. side by side. face downwards. and it is worth while to increase by inches the distance between you and a watch. stand a foot farther away. Wind from S. Heard a strange sound several times. and so on. so as to determine the ratio of improvement. or otherwise experienced. and as you gain in confidence gradually increase the number. Saw a swallow fly past the window. indeed.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Others find it rather difficult: their powers need training. There were five. heard. Use the same watch always. Acuteness of hearing can be cultivated. Smelt frying bacon from next door and wondered on what food the pigs had been fed... Turn up the first and note what it is.E. experiment with five cards.. Exercise II Take up a position inside the home or outside—anywhere. heavy clouds coming up.COM Some people find an exercise of this kind very easy: they are naturally acute observers. Exercise IV Deafness is a matter of degree. Counted the shades of green in the foliage." Exercise III Deal out four playing cards. It is the object of this exercise to discover the extent to which you observe people and things.. taking different cards each time.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. replacing it face downward. after two minutes.—You might write something like this: "I heard a train whistle. . until you fail to hear the sound. As this is an exercise for the visual imagery we want you to rely as much as you can upon the visual impression. When you can do this correctly. Specimen of Report. where sense appeals are possible—and after five minutes write down what you have seen. then. and to stimulate you to build up a habit of personal observation. a motor car "honked" in the distance. temperature cooler than yesterday. try to recall the four in order. but could not identify it. then another foot. Thus.

 Canada 3. White 5. A special Lesson on these relations will be given later on in the Course. 1.. At present we shall do no more than illustrate the fact that such a connection does exist. this time a list of eighteen words. Sculptor . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. Students who have reason to doubt whether sight and hearing are normal are advised to have their eyes and ears tested by qualifed practitioners. because such a development means a real intellectual advance.COM These exercises in Perception are not intended to discourage the student by showing him wherein he is deficient. Tin Here is a second list. Exercise V Whenever there is a connection between two ideas. Bottle 11. keep a note of the number of your errors in attempting to repeat the list. As you read it examine the connections carefully. America 2. all we aim at is to develop efficient sense-power in each case. the second to the third. then repeat them. Black 6. Landscape 15. Artist 16. Please. Negro 7. Paper 10. Prizes 5. for instance. Flower 3. and so on.. Lynching 8. Can 4. the connection is based on certain relations grouped under the general heading of Association. Rose 2. noting the way in which the first is related to the second. Money 6. Bill 7. Here. Show 4. is a list of eight words. By way of exercise read them through once.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Glass 12. After a single reading try to repeat the list and again record the number of errors:— 1. Lens 13. therefore. or as many of them as you can. Photograph 14.

 This does not refer to trivial details.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Lesson II will help you to find those answers. from the moment of waking.. Pen 9. and so on. although these will occur to you as you pass from one event to another. in the order of its happenings..NKADOJ@GMAIL. resolves. Marble 18. PELMAN LESSON II What is your aim in life? Have you a definite purpose which you are carrying out with enthusiasm? Or. or at periods during the day. and it is one of the best. are you steering a course for a chosen destiny? These are real questions demanding real answers. news items.. Ink 17. Palace Exercise VI At the end of each day. we mean the more significant items such as conversations. This is the oldest of mental training exercises. dates for future action. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . as you will prove by experience. decisions. review all that has happened.COM 8. are you drifting—just going where the tide of circumstances takes you? Or. interviews. HEALTH CULTURE EXERCISES especially designed to assist in the development of MENTAL EFFICIENCY .

both in mind and body. . 4. MASON and Dr. 2. WILLIAM L.. Recreational—Golf Drive—Swimming—Fencing.NKADOJ@GMAIL. is as follows:— 1. ANDERSON INTRODUCTION The exercises given in connection with this and the following Lessons are designed to help the student to maintain or improve his physical efficiency. a progressive development of mental and physical power as you go from one Lesson to the next. The exercises are planned on a system extensively used by Medical Gymnasts. that of emphasizing the use of some particular group of muscles under the direction of some special kind of mental effort. This special purpose is indicated at the beginning of each of the twelve sets of exercises. and for success in all walks of life. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . happy living. Introductory—Elevators—Getting Up. Corrective—Stretching—Stand Straight. Keep this in mind as you work. There is no idea of "get strong quick" or "get thin quick" in this course. There is. The process of restoring and increasing efficiency will also take time. and also to aid those students who feel that their efficiency needs to be increased. The exercises are primarily for the purpose of obtaining the greatest value and efficiency of the highest kind. etc. for healthful. therefore. etc. etc.. 3. The breaking down of physical efficiency has been gradual.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Hygienic—Warming Up—Windmill—Frog Jump. Briefly and technically stated..COM according to the principles of PELMANISM Arranged by APPLETON A. But while each Lesson follows this general scheme it also has a special purpose. etc. the order of progression in each individual set of twelve Supplementary Health Culture Lessons.

. If you will guard against overdoing them at first.NKADOJ@GMAIL. As you become accustomed to the movements..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind... you will obtain results more quickly. We advise that you should take each exercise very easily for the first time—more with the idea of getting the position and movements correctly than of exerting any great amount of energy.COM WARNING: Each student must judge his own strength in doing these exercises. gradually increase the energy with which you do them. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..COM ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.

...Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM .NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM .

.COM Lesson 01: The Soul of Pelmanism (Part Seven) . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..

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NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM ..

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Look at your life as a whole.COM Lesson 02: YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE FOREWARD This is one of the most vital Lessons of the Course.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Some students will be able to answer it off-hand.. Many will require time for consideration.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It asks a question that demands an answer. and ask this question: WHAT AM I AIMING AT? Have you a ready answer? Have you an answer at all? . It strikes a note that will be heard again.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

We do not mean that you are a failure. And study it cheerfully.. Your growth. What we desire to make evident is that if you are devoid of a crystal-clear purpose you are not getting the best out of yourself. So study the following Lesson closely. is retarded. to be everywhere is to be nowhere. enter the field of big business. or purpose..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. There are many reasons for this.NKADOJ@GMAIL. both mental and moral. You are drifting." Montaigne. A wish is not an aim. or . As it is highly important that this truth should be realized to the full. but a particular aim not a mere desire to be successful in everything that you undertake. Far from it. imply? It implies that you are moved by a specific desire or feeling.. develop a useful invention. Purpose: or. Remember that a better day is dawning. abolish intemperance. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Consciousness of Aim What does an aim. you are losing ground all the time. even if it shows where hitherto you have missed the mark. make a name for yourself in politics. to…       be an artist. we propose to discuss it in greater detail. What is Your Aim? "The soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost. write a distinctive novel. In order to get the best out of yourself you must have an aim in life:   not a general aim.COM If not. but a definite purpose to accomplish a definite end. and chief among them is that without a proper plan of life your mental ability will not be developed.

as a mental function. and it manifested itself in two ways: 1.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . is this Feeling? In a general sense it is Interest. then. which means that your intellectual powers are intimately concerned with your aim. . If you will read the biographies of leaders of thought and men of action. purposeful. 3. Take games as an illustration. 2..NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The significance of Feeling.. I. means for attaining that end were devised. but the idea is so suffused with emotion that one naturally calls it a Feeling rather than a Thought. you will find that in every case the motive power was that of Interest. There are good desires and there are bad ones: there are others which might be described as neutral. WHAT WE MEAN BY INTEREST What. to languages or to public affairs? Simply because you and they have an interest in these things.   Why do you sit for hours watching a football match? Because you are interested in the play and wish your side to win. an end was in view. unhappiness. conquer. Consequently. and often disaster. achieve. 4. In your mind there must be a clear idea. Why do you and others devote two evenings a week to physical drill or to games. There is more heart in it than head. when formulated and acted upon. attain. master. some are found to be beneficial in results just as others are obviously injurious. But the desire that is truly effective is no simple willingness to receive: it is more than a mere wish to possess: it is positive. It spells mental decay. In every case it will be found that Feeling is the motive-power that stimulates the intelligence and prompts the will to action. becomes evident when it is realized that a strong desire to: 1. Other men have other interests and act accordingly. —is the basis of every plan of life.COM  simply and properly make some headway in your present calling and thus obtain an increase in income. energetic. and 2. The tragic thing is to have no defined interest at all.

 The newspaper critic who sometimes has an anonymous fling at self-made men and other persons objectionable to him." They have ideals to aim at—purposes to be fulfilled—ends to be achieved. He contributes to published magazines and trade journals and. is moved by a great purpose just as surely as an astronomer who is determined to solve the mystery of sun-spots. 3.. although he may not care to acknowledge it in so many words. The Forward Look All progressive men and women. is eager to do finer work. is secretly indulging hopes of being an editor. to us. or Oil and Railway magnates. Sometimes it is called "the emotional drive. Why not? 1. 4. We do not regard money-getting and success synonymous terms. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . or a pathologist who wills to discover a cure for cancer. or would-be Members of Parliament. the Navy. feel this inward something urging them forward. We are all ambitious. even though it may fall short of actual achievement. it is the more modest aim to secure a competency for old age . or of owning a newspaper himself some day. a kind of success is inherent in the very effort to achieve a great purpose. A grocer’s assistant who hopes and strives for a big shop of his own in ten years’ time. whether in the Army.. He has formed a plan of action. or we should be—so long as our ambitions are just. whose first book was a success. He is interested in his work. Do not imagine that only Statesmen with world-designs are ambitious. The young poet. 2. and has his eye on a professorship.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. again. he is just as ambitious as a lawyer or doctor is to increase his clientele or a business merchant to enlarge his profits. the Church or the Law.COM They were ambitious.. The student who has secured his Arts degree passes on to the Doctorate.    In Literature it is the writing of a book In Commerce it may be the possession of a world-wide business In other cases. and by great purposes we mean purposes that are great relative to the mind that conceives them.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. INTEREST AND MENTAL SYNTHESIS We have now to show how this Interest and Aim help you in the development of your mental ability.. insurance. and begins to look about for some form of employment. . or some other from of recreation. but his examination-work has been so absorbing that he has had no real opportunity to probe the matter to its depths. billiards. and the rest. to be followed by importing. tennis. A. Let us imagine a case. Now and again he has thought of this and that as offering some attraction. and he finds it something of a worry. the automobile industry has advantages and disadvantages. estate agency. Lesson 02: Your Purpose in Life (Part Two) II.. There is a pull here and a pull there.COM A few will look forward to becoming amateur champions in golf. A young man has just left college. First they give the mind Unity of Action.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The opportunity has now arrived. and just as he tries to weigh them impartially a friend recommends the Stock Exchange.. this goes through the same process. This Feeling at the basis of our more significant actions is manifested in an Interest that discovers itself in a plan of campaign (taking action).

It fulfills the demand for a synthesis of abilities. his will—all the functions he can exercise act unitedly in the direction of his purpose. his mind has no focus and the power of interest is practically suspended except in the form of a desire to find a suitable calling. not to say drift.. and yet its importance is often overlooked:—       Without a purpose we are sure to be drifters—going with the stream. Here is a specimen case: "What is your trouble?" we ask our visitor.COM In this state of indecision.. Finally. In other words. We do not say that he never has a thought which is not connected with his work—let us hope. Life has no center. . This is so obvious that it hardly needs attention. all the powers of his mind are under the governance of a definite idea—the idea of becoming a banker. his judgment.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. for the sake of his sanity. We are without a policy or a plan. his imagination. he has set up a magnet in himself. that he has—but that the one aim of his life gives his whole mind unity of action." Interest and Concentration B. Concentration. The effort to realize a purpose develops one of the specific functions of the mind. Moore. Robert Burns. We then get a glimpse of what we might have been. in a letter to Dr.NKADOJ@GMAIL. We work because we must. but when work is over we look around for something to pass the time. his memory. and he resolves to go into banking. Instantly. and a large percentage of them are due to aimlessness. the great decision is made. The effect is plain to the seeing eye—our abilities lose their edge—and there comes a day when we realize that we are not what we once were. We have dealt with hundreds of cases of mind-wandering. His perceptions. and good things begin to move in his direction.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . says "The great misfortune of my life was to want an aim.

my mind has drifted to something else.m. As for ambition—that was knocked out of me years ago. After two years of it he began to feel a lack of concentration—he had to read a letter twice to comprehend its meaning—and he caught himself "wool-gathering" during most important interviews.m. he would become permanently enfeebled." We inquire as to how long this has been going on. It is the same in conversation.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. People talk to me and when they suddenly ask ‘Don’t you think so yourself?’ I don’t know what they refer to. he worked at number two.COM "Well. a scheme of discipline—to be outlined later in the Course—will do wonders. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . he worked at number three. when I sit down to do some figures or to read a book. I suppose I’m just jogging along. they will be focused on ways and means of increasing his efficiency and developing new ideas. or in life? Are you just jogging along or have you a plan—an ambition?" "Well..30 p. not only now but for the future. mainly by reconstructing his inner life in the service of a clear purpose. and in three months’ time this self-distrustful man will tell us that he hardly knows himself: he could not have believed a cure could be so speedy and so effective. but where it was too much for him.m. to 7. . and slowly get together the data of the case. We advised something more drastic.m. From 1. he worked at number one. Whilst at numbers one and two he had to think and act quickly. Further. one in which a man’s aim was clear. but it’s easier said than done. to 1 p. my mind won’t stay on it—it runs away—and at the end of page I have to begin again. He will set up a mental habit. I should like to increase my income. and told him that unless he cut down his working hours. He had three businesses slightly different in character:    From 9 to 10.NKADOJ@GMAIL... his brain worked at high pressure.30 a. and instead of his thoughts flitting hither and thither without his knowing how or why. definite and intense.30 a. The Folly of Overworking Take a very different case. At last we come to the real question—"What would you say is your particular aim in business. and partly by practice on approved lines. From 10.m. He admitted that he needed a rest.30 p." With this little revelation before us we proceed to show him how mind-wandering may be overcome.

not caring whether he was successful or not..NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and therefore memory would be indistinct. or indifferent. He desires very fervently to pass his examinations. he aims at mastery.COM    his purpose was too big. The pursuit of a Purpose develops Recollective Ability. and the difficulties of understanding and recollection tend rapidly to disappear. Were he otherwise influenced. The stricter the attention. hence.. the value of interest is fully demonstrated. the scheme was beyond his strength. To one who complimented him on his genius he replied that if he had made any discoveries it was owing more to patient attention than to any other talent. the deeper the interest. . And as attention in the form of concentration means all the difference between great results and none at all. the stricter the attention. that the one is capable of the application of a more continuous attention than the other… This is. and the cause of his weakness lay in the consequent dissipation of his energy to an extent that made careful attention almost an impossibility To have no aim is to drift:—to have too many aims is to waste energy. with equal modesty and shrewdness. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . himself admitted. being interested. and Purpose begets Concentration. The power of Memory has the same story to tell about the value of purpose and interest. The Law of Interest is too clear to be misunderstood: The deeper the interest. he would read his law books with a wandering mind." Interest and Memory C.. in fact. unready and unreliable. Sir William Hamilton declared that: "the difference between an ordinary mind and the mind of a Newton consists principally in this. Interest begets Purpose. attention would be weak. what Sir Isaac. The young law student who hopes soon to be called to the Bar pursues his study with zest.

dates. a merchant." Memory and Emotion Pain-memories are outside our purview. whether a student. may be weakened while interest remains unimpaired. professionals. About these matters he was a walking encyclopedia. is certain to have a weaker memory during illness than when in health. overwork or some other cause has brought about an eccentricity in the recollective powers. of a business.. however. for instance. . Memory. Is it not clear that the details of a study. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . or a doctor.NKADOJ@GMAIL. a case of sudden mental elevation on a Swiss mountain.. The stages are now as follows: Interest—Purpose—Concentration—Memory. illustrating this statement:— "The three facts I remember best are a case of a pal being drowned before my eyes—(I nearly went under myself). who. of a profession. but we found he knew practically everything about football—dates of matches. as Dr. His heart was in football. such as posting letters. telephone messages. Johnson puts it: "Attention is the mother of memory. There are also those cases in which shock. and orders. not in business: and where your heart is there is your memory also. To secure memory. We are dealing with a form of pleasure-memory which is associated with some plan. aim or purpose that lies near our heart. even though interest-power is normally well-developed. or any enterprise in which we are interested will be far more easily remembered than details toward which we are either indifferent or hostile? We were interviewing a young man of twenty-five who complained of weak memory for business matters. Here is an extract from a correspondent’s letter." Is there a further development? Yes.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Or.. and the exact results of play. secure both her mother and her grandmother. There is the sick man. and interest is the mother of attention.COM Look back in your life and ask yourself: What are the thoughts and things that I remember most vividly? You will find they are the thoughts of things happy or unhappy that were emotionally experienced. names of teams. and a case of utter astonishment during my first peep through an observatory telescope.

and still are. prepare the conditions of originality. Let one instance suffice. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the celebrated light-cure specialist." Helvetius said it was "only prolonged attention. It repeated the process several times.    Buffon said that "genius is no more than great patience... You will perhaps say: Is not this a case where attention developed interest rather than the other way about? No. but how and why? At last he felt himself on the track of a great discovery. Genius and Concentration It is remarkable how confident many writers have been. The shadow from a neighboring building reached the cat and it moved into the sunshine again.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . saw a cat reclining lazily on a roof in the genial sunshine. and this interest caused a concentration on the why and wherefore of the whole affair. It has been our good fortune to have the opportunity to study the records of genius. He knew the cat must have received some benefit from the light and heat. reflection. and eventually his new ideas found expression in the famous Finsen cure. The new idea is the offspring of the subconscious sphere of intellect.COM Interest and Ideation D. instead of to some ability that is altogether superior to the ability of even a talented mind. to a feeling or emotion that passes easily from a state of interest into a plan of action." But these are only half-truths. energy. Finsen.NKADOJ@GMAIL." Matthew Arnold said it was "mainly an affair of energy.. There is an increase in the Fertility of Ideas. mentalindustry. Finsen became interested and his interest deepened and widened with attention to the subject. Finsen became interested in the movements of the cat. We shall later on deal with the interest that springs out of attention. The whole truth is this: Attention. and in almost every case we have found that the originalities and discoveries of great men have been due primarily to this impulse. that genius with all its glories is due to concentration in some form.

.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and that (with certain assumptions concerning the ether) these waves would travel with the velocity of light. because you will always be inquiring into the origins and relationships of your business. your ideas will grow in number and quality.. the total outcome of Interest is: INTEREST causes greater:      ATTENTION POWER MEMORY POWER FERTILITY of IDEAS SELF-CONFIDENCE WILL-POWER .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. Once more it is: Interest—Attention—Memory—Ideas. Still. who produced very rapidly oscillating electric currents by means of sparks between the plates of a condenser. the value of attention is not diminished: rather it is increased. Marconi then became interested. Clerk-Maxwell showed that a repeated electrical or magnetic disturbance. or calling. but it can give him the full 100 per cent. when. It cannot turn a man of average intelligence into a genius. In this way came the great wireless system as we know it. The experimental proof of this theorem was made by Hertz. The question then arises: how much am I losing by lack of concentration? The Growth of Ideas With your powers of interest working at a high but not abnormal pressure. Upon this is based his electro-magnetic theory of light. value of his abilities. or change would set up and radiate waves of an electro-magnetic nature in the ether.COM That is why the new idea "comes":—it makes its appearance suddenly. the mind is engaged on something quite different. perhaps. To summarize then. and in his turn began to experiment in order to test some ideas of practical use which deep reflection had brought to him. as well as into those that are external to it. profession.

 The law of stimulus has been formulated in the following words: "The efficiency of a feeling as a motive power is determined by its intensity and duration. a season of mental plenty is succeeded by one of comparative poverty. they have bungled a few things where precision of utterance and fineness of taste were needed. or has gone through a course of training.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Attention. You have lost force. and it arose from the enthusiasm they possessed for the work in hand. We often have been astonished at the exceedingly clever manner in which quite uneducated men have managed a business. But it is equally probable that A has not the same amount of stimulus as B. nearly always follows a creative period.. long or short. attention has not elsewhere been explicitly drawn in this connection. 2. That is intellectual rhythm: a point to which. A stagnant period. 1. Results are fewer. True. A has done his best and yet B always excels him.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. These men had force.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but the essential ideas were involved and carried out with real executive power. and that when he is on the same level in this respect. But the more serious reason is this: that the fires of interest have died down.COM Lesson 02: Your Purpose in Life (Part Three) Stimulus Have you not heard A say of B: "I wonder where he gets all his ideas?" It is a remark with some grudge and envy in it. The cure is obvious: increase the stimulus and ideas will come. or organized a campaign where considerable issues were involved. generally. Concentration weakens. Why? Probably because B has a cleverer brain." . so far as we are aware. is slacker. he will be equal to B’s output of ideas both in quality and quantity. Why are you sometimes destitute of ideas? There are two reasons. Apply these facts to your own affairs. or works harder.

there is generally one sphere. and altogether lacking in initiative in public affairs. we propose to investigate it fully. A boy at school may know the right answer but be too shy to speak. We are all of us confident enough when we know: and we usually do know something about our own calling. This brings us to a point the fuller treatment of which we must postpone till we come. The habit of intensity must be acquired. has not enough steam behind it: its force is irregular. "trust in one’s own strength. when expressed in action. and concerning which we speak and act without self-mistrust. He secretly longs to push ahead. A shoemaker may be painfully shy in social life. You are a changeable person. one week enthusiastic about this or that. How Temperament Affects Us . When he becomes a man the habit is still there.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and although he has the knowledge and ability to advance his interests. to the more precise consideration of the nature of will-power. Interest-power. First. but if you venture to criticize his opinions about leather. As this is matter of extreme importance. otherwise you gain nothing. in the next lesson. he may end by saying that you talk like a fool. the more assertive man gets ahead of him.COM    Your interest must be permanent and it must be strong. This is because his temperament is reserved. is one of the bases of complete Self-Confidence. Your interest. what is meant by self-confidence? The dictionary defines it as.. but he hates the pushing spirit. though permanent. or powers. or the competence of one’s own powers. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . without other aid. relying on the correctness of one’s own judgment. Interest and Self-Confidence E. and the next week as cold as ice." No one is absolutely lacking in this desirable quality of mind and character. he always hangs back. consequently. (usually our business or profession) in which we are at home.NKADOJ@GMAIL...

We do not want to see a world chuck-full of "climbers" who desire nothing but selfish advantage. .NKADOJ@GMAIL. In some cases the action consisted of:    writing books and pamphlets. he cannot expect the rules of the game to be altered to suit his convenience. But there is a sense in which Interest-power can bring more action and vim into any life. Should a man follow his temperament.COM Temperament. We duly appreciate the value of the reserved temperament. almost pugnacious.. and go in and win. They are not to be blamed for this. For instance. and are not blind to the merits of men of energy. But these average men are superior in one particular: they are of an energetic and selfconfident disposition. and a desire to abolish it in every form. often stands in the way of a certain kind of progress. neither do we desire to see hundreds of persons who are too timid to strike out for themselves. who calmly take up the responsibilities of leadership. so on any plane of human life there may be healthy rivalry conducted on the basis of the highest honor. it was seen in their vigorous political campaigns. Occasionally it happens that the cleverest men are in the second and third positions.. It has been said that there are men who by no possible agency could change their mental tendencies from deep reserve to forceful activity: we have known scores of others who have succeeded in so doing. By nature they were retiring and contemplative—by personal decision they became active. and in the energetic folk. an interest in the subject of slavery. in others it took the form of lectures. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . He must accept the position as he finds it. as seen in the life and work of many an idealist. especially in circumstances where competition rules.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. In doing so he need not cease to be a gentleman. therefore. and the average men in the first. But if a man of hesitant mind desires to enter the sphere in which he must pit his abilities against those of other men. or adjust it to his needs? That is a question which no one can decide except the man himself. brought many men and women of reserved temperament into the sphere of action during the last century. neither are the others to be blamed because their reserve prevents them from taking part in the struggle of competitive life. Just as in the tense struggle of a boat race we see mind and muscle pitted against mind and muscle in the spirit of true sportsmanship. and adapt a policy of progress to every temperament..

.. In this way self-confidence is developed. Here it is:— Sir James Barrie had a commission from Mr. Such is the estimate that the author often puts on his own work. You know your subject. it will surely find opportunities of expression.COM All temperaments were affected. changes will occur tending to reduce the opposition."¹ . "I will produce both plays. How is it done? By arousing some Feeling in the form of Desire. and which will compensate you for any loss of the one I am so eager to have produced. the natural desire to hold back is giving way to experience. A Barrie Illustration A student once wrote to us. If you really resolve to master a timid disposition. Let there be no mistake. and all expressed themselves accordingly." It made several fortunes. but if it is intense.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and even if your temperament is an obstacle. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. you can. but it gradually weakens and soon dies.. perhaps to banish it altogether." Now the extraordinary thing about this episode is. or you are getting to know it." At first the old feeling returns. Say to yourself: "This sort of thing must stop. Charles Froham to write a play." "Do not trouble about that. and when he delivered the manuscript to Froham he said: "I am sure it will not be a commercial success. But it is a dream child of mine and I am so anxious to see it on the stage that I have written another play which I shall be glad to give you. The Place of Knowledge in Self-Confidence Now your interest may be. The manuscript he offered Froham to indemnify him from loss was "Alice Sit-by-the-fire" which lasted only a season. that the play about whose success he was so doubtful was "Peter Pan. however strong the resolution. and. much less ambitious than the abolition of a great evil." said Froham. Your self-respect demands that when you go before a superior to ask a favor you shall not stammer out your words and knock your knees together. probably is. and by expressing it in some definite aim. and he sent us an entertaining case by way of illustration. It is not dignified. saying that there were cases where self-confidence in the sense of "relying on one’s own judgment" may be seriously at fault.

" 1 Charles Froham. . "I really can’t write a play for you—not one that’s good enough. and out of these come trust and confidence. he was simply mistaken in estimating the boxoffice value of a new play. generated by enthusiasm. has a tendency to pass over to other spheres.. is the thing about which you will have no difficulty as to take action. Instead of putting it in that way he produced two plays. Marcosson & Daniel Frohman. by I. and he who trusts himself thoroughly in his business or profession realizes that the same power can be obtained in other and new directions.COM This is extremely interesting in itself.. as we have seen already. not its literary and human qualities. for it was "a dream child. 169. he would have said to Froham. A man feels he can do certain things when called upon. Thus Barrie was not lacking in self-confidence.. I mistrust my powers. because he has prepared himself to do them." which an author treasures above everything else. and tested by his own experience. The thing you want to do with all your heart. and has succeeded. T. Interest increases Will-Power. gives:    the mind unity of action. Your enthusiasm will carry you through. Though you find you have to work early and late you will do it. This feeling of confidence. whose money-bringing power he doubted. shown in one sphere. but if Sir James Barrie had been lacking in the selfconfidence we are talking about. advantageous to you and to others.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. simply because he has faith in his abilities. p. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . it also leads to concentration and other developments. Manager and Man. Interest and Will-Power There is a final benefit to be considered. one of which he felt sure would compensate for the losses of the other. F. because you believe it is a good thing. Now interest-power.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

We do not deny that there are other aspects of the relationship. the chief factor is Interest. Or. but here we confine our attention to the interest which has an end in view. or stimulus. necessarily. lazy or unresponsive.NKADOJ@GMAIL. indifferent. a man who conquers here will be apt to conquer there. without concentration and without will. but its importance is often not realized. therefore without a purpose. so that the exercise of Willpower shall become a habit. But that Will has its first origin in the feeling of interest—and not only its origin but its continued sustenance. It is a case of cause and effect. 1. Are you as eager as you were? 2.. So if you one day feel that your Will is weak. concentration is not so strong All these things are intimately connected. power of Will.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and every psychologist has told us about it in plain words. But not necessarily. and which develops all-round mental ability by the effort to attain it.COM This fact is one of the simplicities of mental life. despite good health and the absence of anxiety. examine it to see whether it retains its original compelling force. just go back to your real purpose in living. Part of that ability is. Those men who find themselves languid.. desire has decreased. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. There can be no doubt that the habit of overcoming difficulties in the attainment of a lifeambition will exert a healthy reflex influence throughout the whole mind. are usually men:     without an interest. has life lost its savor? In most instances it will be found that weak Will is due to:    loss of impetus. and although there are other factors which cannot be ignored. We have known men who possessed .

NKADOJ@GMAIL. for instance. In that case the aim is made still more clear and definite.. but were without any resolution at all in other departments of life. in which it was often badly needed.. She may.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. wish to develop her mental abilities in order to be the companion of her children when they grow up and begin to think for themselves. A wife and mother.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . has already a mission to accomplish. we must know something about the person who asks it. HOW TO GET AN AIM We are sometimes asked the question: "How can I obtain an interest in life and form a plan of action?" Now before that very reasonable question can be answered.COM great strength of will in business. and none can be higher than the proper training of children in the principles of right living. Lesson 02: Your Purpose in Life (Part Four) III. . however.

he thinks. so far as he himself is concerned. education. the work you are doing now. What is an Aim? Before we consider other classes of people to whom the decision of an aim in life is a difficulty.. and the interest connected with it. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Not a few people of both sexes may be found among our students. 2. should be largely influenced by his aptitude for some particular line of work. therefore. for. they are much more modest than that.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. whose general purpose in the world. their plans are consequently connected with reading. the obtaining of a sound education might be the primary object of life. or doing better. social service. It may mean no more than doing well. but there are certain auxiliary aims open to them which may be included under the heading of a broader mental culture. At this point we come in contact with the serious question of vocational choice. and their value does not lie in their height so much as in their intensity. imagine that aims must be dizzy ambitions..   It does not necessarily mean a great mission. a man’s aim in life. let us critically examine the phrase itself. for effort has brought experience and decisions have a better chance of being intelligently adapted to one’s abilities. Do not. and in the miner’s case. . The two rules to be followed are these: 1. A miner may believe that he has no aim in life. When one purpose has been achieved it is comparatively easy to form another.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. whereas an aim. obviously. is a vast ambition: such as to own a mine or become a Minister of Labor. for getting coal is merely work. if you are not in the right job. He may be right or wrong. Some Cases Considered Men and women who have assured incomes do not need an aim or purpose which concerns itself with earning bread and butter. keep working at it industriously until you find the right one. but it is practical wisdom to have an immediate purpose as well as a distant one. Church work or politics. never let go with one hand until you have gripped with the other. may be regarded as fixed. so far as business or profession is concerned.

after due reflection. happy and useful lives. they frequently pass through the deep waters of suffering. Again. but it often happens that although the general nature of their destiny is decided. extending. he can. lawyers. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and they live their real life at home among books. but it cannot always be said of them that they have made the best of their possibilities. Some of them look on their calling as a necessary labor. Such people often live long. over a number of years. doctors. but also as a nuisance. When Purpose Is "Discovered" There is still another difficulty in connection with the formulation of a personal purpose. but what kind of a doctor?      A specialist? And a specialist in what branch? A general practitioner? A surgeon? A medical author? In which direction does interest lead him? When that question is decided. We can best explain it by saying that in some cases the life purpose. professional men may be said to possess already sufficient directive influence to satisfy the claims of interest and purpose. experiences which a true mental attitude towards work would either have spared them altogether. the selection of a calling or a line of action wherein enthusiasm is possible. There are thousands of persons whose general future is settled. . it may be. is arrived at only after repeated efforts.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. but who have no particular interest beyond the daily round and common task. or specimens. surveyors. the particular element in it is not. editors or accountants. or flowers. A doctor may have resolved to be a doctor always. They are clergymen.COM The nature of the avocation does not affect the question in the least: any sort of interest power that is of a worthy character will tend to bring out the hidden possibilities of mind as well as to develop its more obvious powers.. or have enabled them to endure with courage and an even mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. If the business fails or hard times come. begin to formulate plans of action...

 A manuscript is accepted. Self-Realization A consideration of what has been said should leave every reader cheerful and confident. Such cases are bewildering in their number and variety. if he is of literary bent and has always most readily devoted his leisure to literature. will make a vast difference.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . With practice he develops a method and style of his own. But his bent might have been mathematical. "will not mental ability decline during the aimless period?" Not if a man is doing the best he knows. Lord Reading’s actual start in life was on the Stock Exchange.COM A young man. In all spheres of work there are cases where men. D. he yields to the stirrings of inspiration. finds himself in the Department of Public Treasury at Washington. to become cynical or despairing. before you took up this book.. let us suppose. no doubt.C.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and his friends advise him this way and that until he is utterly confused. So we counsel patience. There is always work to be done. and women. and ultimately he would have found himself in an Insurance Office as an Actuary. Naturally. He discovers that the more he draws upon it the more copious is the stream of his ideas. do not really live their full lives until the passing of time has brought the right opportunity. and to aim at excellence while doing it is to keep the feelings active and the mind alert. One day. . He is an author now and for always. know him no more. "But. with a forceful interest in control.C.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or you may still be undecided." it may be urged. the real purpose was in the law and diplomacy. believing that in the majority of instances the true calling will be found. and no doubt in many respects this is true. the advent of a clear-cut aim. D. His powers will deteriorate. He was told the Civil Service was a good thing.. After a while he realizes that he has found his true vocation in life and soon the resounding corridors of Washington. if he allows himself to drift. USA..    You may have had your aim. or you may have received from it just the kind of guidance you needed to help you in formulating your plan. but he soon begins to kick against the routine. clear and unmistakable. All the while he is restless: he has a hemmed-in feeling.

will promote every interest you have at heart. and that." "I have allowed inferior men to leave me behind. He is indeed a point upon which many forces converge in accordance with the laws which govern them. you can go forward full of expectancy. for the present. Failure and Half-Success Saint Paul as he approached the end of his historic career and looked back. and those which follow. towards the end. are obliged to say:       "I have wasted my time on unessentials." "I have not come up to the expectations of my friends and have rejoiced my enemies. said: "I have fought the good fight. Take yourself in hand and resolve that in spite of every difficulty you will arrive—not in the limelight of public opinion but in the sense of self-realization.   If you know what you want.. Don’t lose a day. occupy a position special to themselves.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The main object of . Elderly students who have enrolled for the purpose of restoring waning powers and of maintaining them in full vigor." It is not too late to arrange a plan of life that shall make such confessions impossible in your case. But begin the arranging now. this Lesson." "I have sought the easy line in all things." It was a reflection based on acts and sufferings to which he was urged by an overpowering force of conviction. So dispense with the pessimism which tempts you to believe that the world is against you! Thrust aside the cynicism which says progress is the special mirage created for the delectation of fools.NKADOJ@GMAIL. If you do not know what you want. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . as well as the gospel of luck which affirms that all life’s benefits are bestowed by the god of chance! In a universe governed by law there is a sense in which man alone is a law unto himself. Many men." "I have missed the substance to embrace the shadow. but he alone with the resources he has at his command is capable of modifying his reactions to their impact in accordance with his own highest interests." "I have not quite failed but my success has been insignificant... you know at any rate that the needed knowledge will come.COM But in no case should there be anything akin to dismay and hopelessness.

make sure that your clutch of the new rope is firm and sure. 6. whereas he is himself a force capable of resisting. IV.. Weakness of will. 2. Let them bring imagination into play for the revival of their pristine zest. which therefore denies full scope for self-expression. And see that when you leave you carry with you the respect and good will of your former employers. A native changeability of disposition—no power of concentrated effort. 7. Pessimism: sometimes arising out of a deep study of one aspect of life. and they will renew their grip upon life.NKADOJ@GMAIL. compelling. their mental attitude. . The slackening of which they were conscious will give place to keenness—and the feeling of weakness will yield to growing confidence. Such a change should not be attempted unless in exceptional circumstances and with a reasonable prospect of betterment.. Fatalism: which regards the individual as the helpless victim of circumstances. causing disinclination to effort. CAUSES OF AIMLESS LIVES Among the chief causes responsible for a lack of aim are these: 1. predisposing to inaction. Let them change a little their point of view. 8. 3. It has been pursued without success or with partial success.. An absence of training in early initiative. The after-effects of nervous illnesses. Before you release your hold on the rope which is supporting you. restraining. as a mere point upon which forces converge. 4. Perhaps you are beginning to think it desirable to exchange your occupation for another.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or is already on the way to automatic realization. which has culminated in too many negatives. A shy and reserved temperament. A profession or business chosen without sufficient reference to ability or aptitude.COM life has long been settled. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 5.

. A change even from one town to another has the effect of widening the range of consciousness. This is particularly so in new countries where class distinctions are not marked. A change of environment often means a change of outlook. contact with people of different modes of life and thought. and where the conditions of life and work demand active intelligence. your magnet will do the rest.COM Decision vs. The newcomer is always an object of interest. Indecision As a rule. Sometimes it is not necessary to go to another country or town. The other people don’t. when ready. they are undecided. if not hastily. sharpening the vision and removing those inhibitions that make us hesitant and self-conscious in seeking new kinds of work in our old surroundings and among old acquaintances. the analysis of businesses and industries different from that in which you are engaged. and. and give you standards of comparison that will enable you better to understand yourself. and as a result we get the round pegs in square holes. If you are preparing yourself for better work and have a definite aim. but we ourselves are judged without preconceptions.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Now the round pegs can very often get out of the square holes if they play their part with caution and skill. Such practices will diminish self-consciousness. Visits to:     different parts of the town in which you live. initiative and adaptability rather than specialization.. But these people usually have one great advantage mentally: they know what they want..NKADOJ@GMAIL. For not only are our eyes freshened to observe new things or to find in old things a new interest. can migrate and better themselves. the need for earning a living causes the majority to choose a calling. Change of Environment In some communities or circumstances it is possible for a man to change his occupation without prejudice. In their leisure time they can prepare themselves for new work and new positions. —will all enlarge your knowledge of men (and women) and of affairs and bring you into touch with favorable opportunities. yet with little chance of adaptation. different restaurants.

Nearly all healthy people love progressive movement for its own sake. Testing an Aim You can gauge the quality of an aim by asking the following questions:— 1.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 3.. a purpose. 2. Life is an imperfect affair. 7. and the contrasts will always be in evidence. They revel in the thrill of ideas that transform.. "Why should everybody be honest? Why not have a few thieves and rogues by way of variety?" We have them. a programme? Why not have a few people who are without these things for the sake of contrast?" This is as much as to say.COM The Voice of the Cynic The cynic may say: "Why should everyone have an aim. 6..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . not merely for what is at the end of it. 4. unfortunately. 5. But the true reply to the cynic is this: Success in achieving an aim lies more in the educative power of making the effort than in the actual achievement itself. Is its achievement desirable? Is it possible or impossible? Is it possible or impossible to me? What are the obstacles? Can they be surmounted? Will victory be too costly? Can I find any happiness in the effort if it fails? .

COM Lesson 02: Your Purpose in Life (Part Five) V. 2. and in order to estimate your success you feel obliged to listen to yourself as you talk. you will have to: 1.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. To encourage this habitual looking within is the last thing we desire. use the searchlight of introspection. You are suddenly called upon to second a vote of thanks. without definite purpose. INTROSPECTION—ITS USE AND ABUSE There can be no doubt that in order to make this lesson a success. for its own sake.NKADOJ@GMAIL. . examine yourself closely. these two activities of speaking and listening do not run side by side.. an interest where one is not conscious of self. Take a simple illustration. turn your attention inward and 3. and become unpleasantly self-conscious instead of thinking only about the subject and the occasion. and the whole trend of the Lesson is toward an outside interest. You want to speak well. You are not accustomed to speechmaking.. Perhaps a hundred and twenty pairs of eyes look at you and you feel hypnotized.  So are we—when it is habitually indulged. or to say a few genial words at a dinner. Some people are afraid of introspection. Self-Consciousness Perhaps it will not be amiss at this juncture to say a word about the evil of selfconsciousness. There comes a moment when: 1.

2. We have known self-conscious people who have delivered thrilling speeches. form a plan for carrying it out. They should realize that a healthy balance of life requires a man to come out of his reserve.. …that is the moment when a speaker loses the thread of his remarks and comes to a full stop. and the desire completely overcame the habit of thinking of self. the give-and-take of social existence. and the speaking fails to get its due. will suffice in time to cure the evil. you will find yourself much more fluent. even if it exists in a radical form. they must be told that there is a little vanity in their attitude.COM 2. does not attract them: indeed. 3. such people avoid everything that would jar their inward peace.NKADOJ@GMAIL. concentrate upon it —this. if you can forget yourself in the subject and the occasion.. Now. the chaff and the joking. and being sensitive. and self was lost in the glow and fervour of speaking for a great object. the reason being that they were supremely anxious to advocate the claims of a particular cause that was very close to their hearts. develop an interest. A Specimen Self-Examination . However much they shrink from publicity it is not all due to fear. speak without listening critically. with such social recreation as life usually offers. People who are naturally shy and reserved have a tendency to live a good deal within themselves. and 3. the rough and tumble of everyday life. The one way to do this is to: 1. Of course self-consciousness is often temperamental: even a very self-confident man may be painfully embarrassed if suddenly called upon to speak before an audience. hinders his progress and increases other people’s pity toward him. otherwise he becomes so self-conscious that he stands in his own light. Whether they know it or not.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. you allow the listening too much scope. in other words. They forgot themselves in the passion of the moment. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..

 I fizz and foam with enthusiasm for awhile. To lament one’s defects and to do nothing to remedy them is fatal. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . I allow others to do my thinking. I’ve got energy for short periods. 1. and it should be followed by equal courage in setting your mental house in order. "I have some energy. and incapable of enthusiasm.¹ Thus." Let us take a few negative answers. For instance. I am essentially an employed person. then fall as flat as ditch water. you must "see it through. here is a practical question: "Do you possess energy— impelling force?" To test yourself once." 3. Britling. Occasional practice of it for a definite purpose is the chief method of self-knowledge." Research has provided that there is a relationship between intelligence and the ability to judge oneself. The courage demanded in self-examination is to "see all and not to be afraid". "No. 13. 1929. on that basis. Like Mr. I am cold. VI.. frigid." There is more hope for men who thus know themselves than for men who have never faced an honest self-analysis.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. are you taking suitable steps for the improvement of health? Do you find that the knowledge of a weakness stimulates you to fresh energy in order to compensate for the defect? Is this true of mental as well as physical defects? . provided steps are taken to turn the knowledge to good account. and thoroughly." 2.. Vol.. 1 Journal of Applied Psychology. But I’m like a Seidlitz powder. lacking in broad sympathies. but only as a routinist.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Are you thoroughly sound physically? If not. I render obedience because I never had the force to lead. I’m like an icicle. QUESTIONS FOR SELF-DRILL 1. the answering of the following Self-Drill questions should be self-revealing in a new and interesting manner. "Yes. No energy.COM To return to introspection. is to obtain encouragement if you can say "Yes"—illumination and guidance if you have to say "No.

" To which do you belong? 14. for success in anything. or did you simply "let things go"? 15. or commercial—you may have felt an occasional pang of envy? If so. the stationary. and those which you would classify as not so good.COM 2. Have you proved the truth of the statement that.. for yourself. for whose success—intellectual. fairly? 6. Can you now reproduce the mental and other conditions of those successful periods in order to obtain similar results? 5. social.. do you not lose much in consequence? 10. with what result? 3. Do you welcome responsibility or shirk it? 12. What were the most successful and happy periods of your life? Do your best and most progressive periods synchronize with your best health periods? 4. 8. did you keep up a plan of formal study. also your more immediate aim? 9. Have you made the production of new ideas a definite aim? Or have you been content to accept other people’s ideas with a "thank you" for saving you the trouble? 17. too retiring? If so. Have you discovered what. Have you ever examined your mental qualities in comparison with those of other people. Lavater says: "There are three classes of men: the retrograde. Do you realize how the acceptance of responsibility contributes to the development of mind and the making of character? 13.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . When you left school. the sort of reflection that leads to advantageous action? 7. What is your remote or distant aim. or college. Do you waste energy: . and the progressive. Draw up a list of your good qualities. the usual programme is continuous hard work? 11. is the best hour for calm reflection. can you blame anyone else. Do you perform any kind of work for others where financial reward is out of the question? Do you recognize a moral obligation to pay your benefactors by benefiting others as you have opportunity? How long is it since you did something really kind and generous? 16. If there have been no such periods do you blame yourself? If not.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Are you too sensitive.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . due to individual idiosyncrasies and to factors in local conditions. when these are assembled. and aims at excellence. by imagining misfortunes and how you would meet them? 2. He will arrive eventually even though by a circuitous route. Your own case may have its peculiarities. is it not because they have shown you where your weakness lies? Is not that a hopeful thing inasmuch as you can begin at once to provide a remedy? We attach great importance to these Self-Drill questions. Do not make a hurried decision on so important a matter. the next step for the student is to: 1.. prospects and so forth.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. the exceptions being those cases in which the future is already. income. If the use of these Self-Drill questions has depressed you. or nearly. or by thinking pessimistic thoughts on general lines? 18. expenses. gather together all the facts which relate to his (her) possible future 2. begin a line of action accordingly All this usually calls for serious and careful attention. but as a means of organizing your energies. If your life is not advancing. if nothing takes shape after long inquiry and reflection. adequate ability. finally. to place them in their order of importance 3. Don’t say they are for others and not for you.   Don’t skip them.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. The adjustment of these requires close scrutiny and a good deal of patience. decided. Consider everything germane to the position you want: deep interest. endurance. not as questions only. it is probably because there is some lack of plan which the SelfDrill questions will discover. or by going through imaginary battles with your enemies? 3. Concluding Reflections Having now surveyed the whole position. The man who develops his powers. If you cannot see your way ahead.COM 1. . it becomes his duty to value them: that is. he must come to a conclusion. and 4. do not despair. has something good coming his way.

Hendon You will see there is an appointment for 2. Jones came at 2. Lunch. as the saying goes Forgetfulness has exacted a heavy toll in human lives and a still heavier toll in money.55 p. Paper supply. Below is a page showing the appointments of a Mr.COM VII. The business man may sometimes forget an important item even when he has taken pains to enter it in his diary and to keep that diary open before him. July 8th.m. m.30 and brought information of a serious import. m.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Jones was not particularly pleased at the sudden termination of the interview. Williamson was fifty minutes late in arriving at his destination.30 was the most important one of the day. 1 p. Jones Interview. Those minutes cost him exactly $250 apiece.30 p. with Blake. as he was not present in time to see that his claim was properly presented.30. Johnson’s case.NKADOJ@GMAIL.30...30 appointment until 3. Williamson became so absorbed in the possibilities of money-making that he forgot all about the 3. 194_ Sales Manager.30 p. .. Williamson for the day: Monday. Mr. The one at 3. 2. This kind of forgetfulness frequently occurs with men who have good memories. but when Mr.m. We will give you an instance founded on fact.. MEMORY TRAINING The Cost of Forgetfulness Forgetfulness is both irritating and costly in any sphere of life.m. Simpson’s. and another some distance away at 3. and Mr. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and this is particularly true in the world of business. Mr. 3. for a contract he had hoped to obtain fell through. Willington. Interview. as well as with men who have not good memories.     You miss an appointment and lose a big contract You forget to show a customer a certain line of goods and lose an order You arrive on the spot without material or some necessary implement You decide to go fishing without the bait. 10 a.

trained by necessity. The reason why I remember this incident is its unique variation from the ordinary meal to which I was accustomed. No doubt. a man says: "If you ask me what I had for luncheon ten days ago I can only say I have completely forgotten. had reached a very high point of efficiency. The point to be noted is that if we are to remember a thing at the right time.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. he would not have allowed the interview with Mr. we have need of more than a good memory. because the matter in itself was unimportant. I forget the ordinary meal because it is so ordinary. Jones to absorb his interest to the full. A clerk may have a poor memory for general things." Selection: Conscious and Unconscious We have heard it said by an Australian bushman that at the end of a day’s journeying he could recall in minutest detail all that he had seen between the rising and the setting of the sun. a greater number who have fair memories.. and I have no food faddisms to trouble me. I can tell you all about it. For instance. consequently mental impressions about luncheons are weak. his powers of observation. a slightly better memory for the ledger accounts which he handles every day. as we pointed out previously.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Degrees of Memory There is no man who has no memory at all: there are thousands who have poor memories. Jones to know it.. Thus. There is much in life that is too trivial for a permanent record. we need a systematic handling of our attention. although it happened nearly twenty years ago. . if Mr.. but the good and the excellent are not so plentiful. "But if you ask me when I first tasted venison. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and I remember the unique meal because it was unique. I can tell you the people who were at the table and what we all said.COM The bad memory forgets entirely. Williamson had kept a watch on himself. the good memory forgets because something unusual happens and for the moment crowds out of mind the thing that was to be remembered. an excellent memory for the personalities and records of football or cricket. and. I have luncheon every day of my life. In this Course of Lessons we are speaking to men and women who have not succeeded as yet in remembering things they want to remember. he would have had an eye on the clock without allowing Mr.

it discriminates even in the act of observing. those that were relevant to his purpose. Even though no definite purpose be presented in consciousness. and so many different aspects of it will be recorded. to the commercial traveler. been selecting. that those impressions are strongest that have most intimately associated themselves with previous experience and with matters in which we are habitually interested. from among the multitude of impressions that were streaming in upon him through the sense of sight. it will be found that. in the fullest sense of the word. on the other hand. all through the hours of his traveling. This is unconscious selection. Our mind is not like a sensitized plate or a cinematographic film. when we come to review our pilgrimage.COM But a strict analysis would reveal that the great multitude of objects which he could plainly recall were themselves but a very small proportion of those that had actually met his eye.NKADOJ@GMAIL. with a definite intention of observing all we can of whatever kind. WHAT TO AVOID . we shall still discover. certain have set a definite mark. Governed by the definite purpose of finding his way to his destination.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. of objects that have come into view. only those things that have some definite meaning for us. it is ever choosing the material that is akin to its predominant interest. to the historian. This principle of Selection will doubtless be illustrated in your report on Exercise VIII.. to the botanist. To the geologist. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . to the poet. to the farmer—one and the same landscape presents many different meanings. and those masses of organized knowledge that are already most richly furnished are the most avid of new material. Even if we set out. and perhaps of surveying the country so as to be able to retrace his steps. he had. In accordance with this principle at the end of a walk undertaken without any special purpose of observation. Its operations are governed always by some purpose more or less explicit. to the hunter. We see..

COM Avoid being a grumbler. it may just as easily attract the confidence of the man of the world as that of the philosopher. Adjust your ambition to your abilities. Avoid bewailing your lot..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . You may not always see how we are going to help you. Self-expression is the chief method of attraction. but proceed confidently. use it to find a better position. friends.. Draw up your scale of values. service to others. adequate money. To obtain these values you must work. . The loss is not important if you secure the gain: so know clearly what you want. Be sure that in the mental world all things may be brought to work together for good. It has a close connection. and the whole plan will become plain. There is a loss and a gain in every step forward. WHAT TO DO Accustom your mind to the fact that the working methods of the PELMAN Institute are based on long years of experience and research. Avoid the notion that the counsel of the four preceding paragraphs has no connection with the development of mental efficiency. Among the things of most worth are health of body and mind. they seldom come of their own accord. Avoid the fear of being laughed at. inward peace.. then begin the task cheerily. Instead of thus wasting your energy. books. but aim high enough. and your ambition will grow accordingly. or in other ways to enlarge your interests. The man with an everlasting grievance usually grieves his chances out of existence. Avoid being satisfied with a low ideal. Aim at harmony of all functions both of body and of mind. Avoid aiming too high.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Hence psycho-synthesis. Something must be left behind.

but keep your eyes and ears open for anything that is out of the common. of course. the same kind of people wearing the same kind of clothes. either in town or country.. Deliberately search for sights and sounds with an element of newness to you. see much that is familiar. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. and hear them using the same kind of talk. You will.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Lesson 02: Your Purpose in Life (Part Six) EXERCISES Exercise VII When next you take a walk abroad. When you have returned from your walk. quickly go over in your mind the route you took.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. . resolve to notice as much as you can of the things that are in any degree unusual. then begin your memory exercise by starting at the end of your journey and going backwards mentally over the ground all the way to the beginning.

10. but in reporting your results to the Institute. Policeman at corner on point duty. Why? Is it from the west wind? 3. Obviously students whose walk is confined to the town will have a different variety of sights to record. (Found out afterwards that OA are the registration letters for Birmingham. but not.)" . Motor-cyclist in trouble. 4. 7. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . in inverse order. What happens when science is overdone? 9.) (We need not complete the list. because they may reveal memory defects which call for attention. Rather uncommon. Never saw one there before. memory. Clock had never stopped for 40 years. Seemed to be biting a piece of copper wire all the time. during the process of reconstructing your journey from the end to the beginning. A is the starting point. It is Friday and people agitated. all that is needed is something like this: "I was able to reconstruct the whole walk mentally. In order to show how this exercise can be worked we included a diagram drawn by a student (see above). Bullfinch in the hedge. 5. perhaps. 2. The numbers are explained below: 1." (Inquiry later showed a strike had begun that morning.. Rector’s front garden being bedded out in carpet fashion. and reproductive imagination. Noticed a big Rolls-Royce with No.COM This method of the return journey is a little difficult at first.Sign at entrance of cottage garden says: "Jinger Beer" (simplified spelling. omitting… facts which I had noted at the time (as proved by a second walk.) You can probably follow this example. Fowls looked too cramped together. points at which recollection is difficult. Effective in a way.) 2. but it is one of the finest mental exercises ever prescribed. Church clock stopped at 12 noon. you are also training your concentration. They have one side dark green or mossy—the other side quite brown. In the direction of S—I noticed the three factory chimneys were not "smoking. Old women quite superstitious and filled with foreboding. You are: 1. you observe weak connections.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. developing your powers of observation.. study those weaknesses very closely. the best way. Clump of Fir trees.NKADOJ@GMAIL. G—’s poultry farm. If..) 6. The arrow shows the direction out and home. OA318. 8.

Ice. Subaltern. 3. Tub. Tree. Ask a friend to read aloud to you a list of words like the following. Embalm. The next time you visit a friend’s house. and when you get home take four sheets of paper and by means of rough designs or squares. Care. 4. Fig. Card. or the room of any building to which you are a stranger. Fix. 4. Fustian. Tobacco. and if there are more "slips" in recalling them. Women. It is upon the sound of the words that we wish you to concentrate your attention. practice with longer lines of words—like the list which follows. Fix. to discover the span of your immediate ear memory. Skill. take two glances round the room. Duke. 5. 3. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Ear memory work is excellent training for conversation in foreign languages. Keep an account of the number of your mistakes for purposes of report to the staff of the Institute (and for your own progress). Joy. Paper.. Job. 1. Marry. Read one line at a time. put down the position of the furniture of the room and indicate the number of tables.. Tube. Cigar. Mill. Jay. Simply. Cork. Mix. Carry. China.. Fob. 1. Joss. Home. it should be remembered that practice in ear memory will develop more power. Emboss. Exercise IX The aim of this exercise is two-fold: 1. Relay. Cost-accounts. Ring. . Day.COM Exercise VIII The use of a pen and pencil in recording observations is an excellent training in both speed and accuracy. Star. Ham. and other articles. 2. Indeed it is a great advantage in every trade or profession to develop to the utmost this valuable memoryfactor. Room. 2. Teaser. These are naturally more difficult than the shorter ones.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Gibraltar. Fat. Don’t. Jam. next.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. to train that memory until its efficiency is greatly increased. On a fifth sheet. Toil. Scrap. 2. indicate what you can remember of the pictures on the walls. Later. chairs.

adapt the exercise to the sounds of the city. allow their plans to suffer because of their feelings: "I’m not in the mood for duty. If you cannot easily get into the country.—You should endeavor to practice every day the exercises belonging to the Lesson in hand. a word in the wrong place. compare your knowledge of sounds with that of the author. ." they say. right and ." Other people complain that they have no difficulty in making a start. Listen to the sounds you can hear. ..COM The way in which you should report results is as follows: "In the first list I had . right and ." "Wrong" means either an incorrect word.    From what direction do they come? How many are there? What is the difference between them? Afterwards when reading nature descriptions." "In the second list I had .. and many others. one or two daily. Others. but I never seem able to make a start. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . . . . All of these aspects of weakness in will-power.. PELMAN LESSON III You have heard people say. again. but they never finish. Exercise X Take a walk in the country and sit down. . . we advise you to practice the earlier exercises in rotation. . wrong. "There are so many things I want to do and ought to do. as you are able to.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Note. . wrong. In addition. or inability to recall a word. are dealt with in Lesson III.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

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... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Lesson 02: Your Purpose in Life (Part Seven) .

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.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

. This is a quality of mind and character you desire to develop to the full.COM Lesson 03: THE WILL TO CONQUER FOREWARD What is the one thing which carries a man (woman) through difficulties to Success? You know the answer: WILL." but in Pelmanism we have records of students who have achieved the seemingly impossible. It need not be a loud and violent will. "Nothing is impossible to the man (woman) who can will. But it never changes.. As often as not it is a quiet will. Add your name to the number. Make this Lesson part of your consciousness. It may be a slight exaggeration to say. It is relentlessly persevering.. The Will to Conquer .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

. in mind. Do you believe that it is possible to obtain control of the body and mind. is to deny that man can be "master of his fate" and "captain of his soul. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. there are two intimate questions to be asked and answered. But as he turned back again. as carrying out resolves which have not as yet become completed acts. which should be master of the other? To be skeptical about the matter in so far as it concerns your own life. WILL AND EFFORT Before you begin to study this very important Lesson. Learning by Effort The exertion of effort is something which has to be learned. is there some lingering doubt on this point? 2. . and skill and perseverance to carry it out. instead of always imagining failures of will.. So begin this Lesson by forming a mental picture of yourself as possessing the self-control in which you may be lacking. He was swimming in the sea and." You may not have reached that condition of mastery as yet.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Further. grow better and better is a condition of moral expectancy which. They are: 1. but it is a great thing to believe you can reach it." Goethe. has a strong tendency to become actual. I. and thus guide all their activities according to an accepted standard? Or. that is..COM "The main point is to have a great will." He did so. resolved with the impulse of youth "to swim round her. you cannot but develop your powers of resolution if. as you will realize later. you imagine success. There is a vivid illustration of such an experience in the Autobiographical Notes of Mark Rutherford. he was overtaken with the mad conviction the he would never reach the shore. of body and mind. It may not take you long to learn it. seeing a small vessel at anchor about two hundred yards from the shore. This habit of seeing yourself. one experience might be sufficient to reveal its secret.

rabbits have learned to climb trees to reach tender leaves. . also.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. victory was tenfold easier. when man arrived on the island. found its way to the island of Mauritius. The next time I was in extremity.. Only by some form of strenuous activity can they be kept in a state of efficiency. "Notice. such as mine. "I strove. it was not long before the species was extinct.. to bring my will to bear directly on my terror. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . A grown-up man who accepts a subsidy or allowance from his parents usually relies upon it to his own detriment." Note carefully the last sentence. but determined to make one desperate effort." He thought he was dying. ought never to say that he has done all that he can do. it was not nature or passion which carried me through. "but my heart began to beat furiously. in spite of its increased size. Here food was abundant and obtained without difficulty." he says. In an instant that horrible excitement was at an end and there was a great calm. and I gave myself up as lost. the shore became dim. There is an analogy between these conditions and those under which we live as human beings. Effort and Evolution Effort in itself is not only educative in a progressive or educative sense. and altogether life became so easy and effortless that the Dodo. a bird of the pigeon tribe. but a conviction wrought by reason.. it helps to preserve the powers you already possess. in a way I cannot describe. however chequered that progress may have been during certain periods. under drought conditions. His power of exertion was increased tenfold by one strong effort to replace fear by confidence. To the effort to conquer and prevail is due the progress that has marked human history. there were no enemies to fight. On the other hand. Natural history offers some interesting illustrations of this principle. Consequently. The Dodo.NKADOJ@GMAIL. lost its ability to fly and defend itself.COM "There was no real danger of failure. in Australia. A life where effort becomes needless is one in which our powers lose their vigor. This story is worth telling because it shows that a person with tremulous nerves. A conviction that we have a reserve of strength will carry us through many a crisis.

as we might take a flower and seek to know all about it. will be none the worse for the lead which is here given. So do not covet the easy life as if it were ideal. that the scheme of this Course is determined by the pressing needs of the moment. The question is a very proper one and we shall answer it at once. of a few moments’ duration may develop inward vision and elasticity of mind that will serve us for a lifetime." The throe. this Course is an analysis of our mental powers from the dynamic point of view. Browning somewhere speaks of this matter in his vigorous way. Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Two) II. therefore. the agonizing effort. that the psychology of the future..NKADOJ@GMAIL. that is why it is here taken out of its usual order. THE DYNAMIC OF WILL The student who has already studied psychology may ask us why we are giving so early a place to Will and its cultivation.. . seeing that in the most orderly treatises on mental science.COM Struggle is not the sordid thing many would have us believe.. It is not. You will see. it is man’s effort to realize himself and to fulfill his destiny. we are concerned far more with the mind as expressed in action than in repose. and we may lie this unction to our souls.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. As men and women. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Will generally comes last of all. First. in its applied forms. We approach psychology with certain practical problems in need of urgent solution: therefore the emphasis is finally on the dynamic side. and urges us not to "grudge the throe. and among them the problem of Will assumes a leading place. we do not take the human mind as an object of study. not by considerations of theoretical propriety. Next. By it he has evolved those powers which place him at the apex of creation. we want specific forms of assistance in dealing with our personal problems. There is also a third reason: concentration becomes an easier discipline if there has been a prior training in the matters of Will by means of habit-formation.

They look upon Will as something that is quite separate from the other functions of the mind just as the bicep is separate from the quadriceps extensor femoris." They regard Will as a sort of mental or moral biceps muscle which may be flabby.. The alarm goes off. it cannot.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Intellect and Will—that the three functions interact in such a manner that no one of them can work in isolation. for all the functions of the mind form a unity. and thus to deprive Feeling of intelligence. I find them easily. Will-Power Illustrated In order that these contentions may be made perfectly clear. Yet Will never acts "on its own" so to speak. we shall trace through all its stages what we call an act of Will. and can be developed in comparative isolation.NKADOJ@GMAIL. I have an appointment out of town tomorrow and set the alarm. in order to make the truth plain to every reader. rather simply.COM What is the Will? We have heard many people say. .. I put the other excuses through their paces and do not like them any the better for it. or of bulging power.. the muscle that extends the leg. Here we are about to consider Will as directed effort. and. the difficulty of rising when one ought to do so. illustration: the difficulty of early rising. or of average firmness. but apposite. I must get up at once. To deal with Will in its fullness would require a larger volume. strong Will. (with ungenerous muttering as to the misplaced genius of its inventor). It should be clearly understood that the mind of man is a complete unity of Feeling. for the train does not stop at C—. we will select a very homely. This fact will be explained in Lesson V. This is an error. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . just to wait until I can get my bath. I fall back in order to find some mental excuses for further delay. "I want to develop a big. and after stifling it until it ceases. Then I begin to doubt them. that notion about catching a later train (which seems to approach divination in its acuteness) turns out to be quite hollow. But before doing this. let it be said that the present Lesson treats of only one aspect of the whole subject of Will. or rather. For instance. I do so. and as the weather is cold I slip into the sheets again. and discover that I have lost my turn in the bathroom. although sometimes the Will may seem to be so preponderant as to obscure the Intellect almost completely.

that is. or 3. you know you are only beguiling yourself. put it this way: RF + RT = RW The "Rightness" we have in mind here is a rightness of proportion. A strong Will.COM You know the feeling no doubt? I wait—and sleep. Consequently the Will has to fall into line with the strongest motive.. and there is no effective Will. the engine that works my mental forces. An hour afterwards the maid knocks at the door to say the breakfast is nearly cold. Again. But why is it weak? It may be due to: 1.. My desire for a comfortable feeling of warmth and rest. and. may be clogged up. essentially evil. in dealing with early-rising difficulties." It is my thought which says that to me: not my Will. whilst I am procrastinating. Now what is the matter with me? Weak will? No doubt. But this aspect of the subject belongs to the ethical sphere. if he enters the bed again. not of proportion. and therefore. THE FORMULA OF WILL Right Willing comes from Right Feeling and Right Thinking. . I have not formed a good habit but a bad one. possible ill-health.NKADOJ@GMAIL. none of that. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . my profession or my duty. if Thinking should be disproportionate. There is of course a lack of rightness in some feelings and thoughts which is one of quality. To remember it. and of the state of half-awakeness. is at the moment stronger than any other desire as to my appointments. Therein lies the origin of many a dark deed. Let us take an illustration of wrong proportion. does not act as an external supervisor or controller like the cartoonist’s clock machine-driven bedstead. which throws the procrastinator out on to the floor if he refuses to get up. Feeling will be dissipated. or 2. and … That day everything goes wrong. says: "Now. my Feeling-power. A disproportion in Feeling—as in a case of uncontrolled anger—inhibits thought and produces rash action. folds up and nips him! III.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. the feeling may be malicious or vicious. The Will is not a mental something which.

Carpenter tells a story about Gauss. it is because he knows too much and thinks too deeply. which involved profound thought. or the two hind ones. one best way. "Leave off thinking.COM The subject is a man of great education and ability. The servant came again with more urgency. in a word. with the assurance that her mistress was dying. "Tell her to wait until I come"—a form of words he had probably used on other occasions. and walk. He seemed to hear the news but went on with his work. the great mathematician. The Tyranny of Thought 1. one of those men who seem to know everything. one for and one against. it is because Thought stifles the proper functions of Feeling and Will. He deals with his own affairs in much the same way. When you put a proposition to him and ask for a decision.. and probably is. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . who was approached by a servant with the disquieting news that his sick wife was much worse. He raised his head and calmly answered. We naturally seek to find that best way. seem to be so equalized that decision is made extremely difficult. ." said he. as his friends say. At the end of a week he may still be undecided. He thinks so much that. he is too deep a philosopher.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or it may be trivial and the manner of doing it of little account. "I will come presently. he invariably puts it off as long as he can. Two factors (he says). What is his real trouble? 2. Why is he so long in coming to a decision and in taking action? 3. who philosophized too much about the way to walk. he has no "go" in him? Not exactly. "Shall I. or all four at once. in the form of deep concentration. can prevent right willing.." she commanded. In practical matters there may be. and how?" The old she-bear chipped in with a peremptory order. or the two front paws first. "move my right paw first or my left. therefore he asks for time to consider the matter. There is a fable about a speculative young bear. Is it because." and at once relapsed into thought.. for ordinary life. demanding immediate action. This time he said. but the matter may be urgent. where the average man sees only two. A third time the servant came to him. Dr. and who spend all their time gathering ideas—or else in silent argument. This story shows how an excess of thought. he sees six sides to it. when he has to do anything. it would seem.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

then go again. He readily admits he spends more money than he can afford. If we assume that he is a lover of pleasure rather than a serious student of dramatic art.. It is pure quackery to tell him to develop his Will-power. we fall into the best way after making a start. and so long as that state of things continues. He will make a mighty resolve to stay away a couple of nights. He cannot get away from the fascination of the footlights. PELMAN methods of psychosynthesis transform this discord into harmony. There is thus being waged a kind of civil war among the mental powers. like the little bear. Frequently. He wishes to reform.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. but every attempt is a failure. but he think he cannot. . as evidenced by an extravagant devotion to theatrical sights and sounds.NKADOJ@GMAIL. we may outline the position as follows: "Weak Will." Now what is the source of mischief here? Simply that the feeling for pleasure is stronger than the feeling for reform.. the result being that he will be worse off than before. due to excess of Feeling.. that is. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The fact on which attention must be centered is this: that all the difficulties concerning weakness of Will arise out of wrong Feeling or wrong Thought. and that some of the time thus taken up might be spent to better advantage. so long will reform be unaccomplished. Any failure in this respects means that some function of the mind (desire for instance) is usurping rights which belong to other functions. has become obsessed with a passion for the opera theater. somehow or other. and which causes an outlay of money beyond his means. There is a better way. Against his better judgment he pursues a course of action which he knows to be in many respects injurious to the health of body and mind. Some Cases Analyzed Let us analyze a few case in which not Thought but Feeling is excessive. and before the Lesson is over we shall outline it fully. Will-power is essentially direction and control. because he will have lost faith in himself. Here is a youth who. He even admits that he would like to "reform".COM Time then is of more importance than the precise method and we take what appears at short notice to be the best way. wrong in the sense previously described.

and what is as important. and a hundred other forms tell the same story of conflict The Need for True Perspective Why should there be any conflict at all? Because the mind has not been trained in true perspective—it does not work synthetically—feeling (or thinking) has been allowed to go beyond the right limits.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Three) IV.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . You will discover the mischief eventually. one that is ineffective or sins by excess.COM For the moment we want to use this case as a sort of parable.. investigate the feelings and the power of reflection. or else it has been depressed and not allowed its due position in the economy of intellectual procedure. refusing to play because to continue at work means more of the gold we worship these. Is it not true that nearly all cases of weak Will refer to some form of self-indulgence?       the smoke we cannot give up the luscious dish we cannot refuse the drink that has been forbidden the excessive love of emotion the yielding to play when we ought to be at work. HOW TO TRAIN WILL-POWER Control the Body . that is.. To diagnose a diseased Will..

and all the time these ideas are forging themselves into an aesthetic ideal that urges conformity for its own sake. and this control comes by the operation of mental law. against those conditions that bring disease it avoids conduct that is injurious. The physical pulls one way—the mental pulls the other. and he will conquer. and aims at the complete control of every bodily function. The Will to be healthy results. But Thought. These are the conflicts in which personal suffering reach the level of tragedy. during the process. in physical righteousness:   it creates a prejudice against disease and. perhaps. Take the case of the inebriate. The victory is to be won by a regime that is partly physical and partly mental. When one reflects on some of the troubles that afflict humanity today. his body is vitiated. Such a man is deeply influenced:    by the need of more respect for himself and of the advantages to be derived from the respect of others. because total abstinence is his only safety.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.) His may be a case in which physical desire and mental desire are in conflict and. not at once. It is clear. finds that although his intentions are of the strongest possible kind. is not an absentee. by rational anxiety about his health also. the former will win. and that slowly the body will yield to the victor. a desire which is stronger than the desire to drink.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Begin by acquiring bodily control. but in due time.. therefore. Let the man who is victim of inebriety possess a desire to reform. if the latter is not the stronger. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The man who by doctor’s orders has to give up smoking—no easy thing after 20 or 30 years’ indulgence—has a similar struggle. is it not clear that the weakness lies in the loss of bodily control? The man who is pathetically anxious to give up intoxicants.. Control of Mind But mental control is the more excellent way. as a rule. . therefore. and is in open warfare against his mind. that the battle is primarily mental. (We choose illustrations from narcotic habits because such illustrations are easily understood..

stark will-power can effect it at one stroke by a great expenditure of energy. To a wise man. But the practical psychologist knows another way. . when it was endangering health. Side-tracking Bad Habits If a medical embargo on cigarettes has to be observed. or you must gradually reduce them to nil. Suppose your doctor. meanwhile giving attention to other things. it means that. let us consider the tobacco-smoking. if strong enough. Experience proves that in most cases the habit-formation cure is the safer. getting them to make their own cigarettes. by: 1. and in order to vary the illustration. good. not by the formation of a new habit. It is the old principle of overcoming evil with good. says: "You must smoke no more cigarettes. inasmuch as our lives are characterized by habits.. to hold an unlighted cigarette in the mouth. developed for that very purpose. who takes alcohol in moderation. but to a toper it is a temptation indeed. but how do you propose to carry out the doctor’s rule? Stark Will-power can do it. but it does it by means of a stern decision.. Herein habit and will have to work together. an invitation to consume half a bottle of whiskey at a sitting is not a temptation—it is sheer foolishness. after using the stethoscope on your chest or examining your eyesight.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Medical men have told us that they have cured patients of the cigarette habit.COM Habit and Will-Power His aim in this self-drill is to change his habit. or not at all. "No more cigarettes after next week!" Yes. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . because he has formed the habit of imbibing freely.. bad and indifferent. or 2. That is a very important word in all training of Will-Power. To cure a bad habit we must begin to form a better one." What does the new rule mean? That you must get your Will-power to work. A strong Will means a group of strongly ingrained habits of a coherent kind. The bad habit is pushed out of existence by a new habit. and say.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. It costs us less in energy. The Will is needed no doubt. "Stark Will" "Stark Will?" What is that? It is inflexibility of opinion and resolution.. orderliness in our rooms. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . they have something to do. or else the cigarette is thrown down in disgust. Other patients. They are things of the past. and the quondam cigarette-smoker looks upon a box of his favorite cigarettes with a indifference. The principle is the same in both cases. the lips and the palate are not left idle. We accomplish by its aid all we set out to accomplish. All the time the habit of resistance is growing.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. use confections of some kind. Once it was a struggle to say No. and the physical demand is artfully side-tracked by mental ingenuity. . The tendency develops until it becomes automatic. the regular practice of the physical exercises.. because it is effortless. but we do not expend so much on the process. and we do it more effectively than if we just decided to "face it out" by stark Will. the cultivation of a good speaking voice. during the formative period of the new habit. Whatever new and desirable habit is created is the more easily established if we define clearly the pleasures and the advantages it will bring. Each of us has his own method of life. —all have their appropriate satisfactions. The Opposing Habit The establishment of a desired habit is very much helped by defining clearly in words its advantages. now it is no struggle at all. and habit is a tendency to renew past conduct.       Earlier rising gives an hour before breakfast for study or exercise in the open air. Resistance is complete. A brisk walk before going to bed punctually at night. Thus it comes to pass that habit is an economy of mental effort. the daily recording of our personal expenditure.COM After a time the disposition to light up passes away.

 (You may remember the cynical analysis of St. you may remark." Will-Drill It is only fair to record. without haste. "I find it hard to breathe evenly and am distracted. The materials required are a box and a hundred bits of cardboard. It depresses me. I have to watch myself lest I jerk or do it hastily. but the number is not a large one.  The characteristic Will-feeling was not much in evidence. or to a form of religious endeavor. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . braced up mentally. Simon Stylites in Tennyson’s poem bearing that title. Introspection was a little hard.) Here is a specimen exercise from a competent writer of the type referred to.. too. that the rigor of the exercise was in his case mitigated by interest arising from a definite scientific purpose. "I find no pleasure in dropping in slowly. wearisome. He succeeds. also. ‘I shall do it contently. He raises his arm aloft and vows he will never lower it again. not physically. replace in the box (one by one) the hundred bits of cardboard. The following resolution is formed: "Each day. We Westerners may call it foolish. it may be used to enforce adherence to rational vows and principles. and distressing. For a moment I cheered myself up. On the other hand. It is a Will exercise.. and some psychologists believe in this kind of Will-training.’ but this feeling of contentment disappeared. all the same.COM In the absence of a rational motive it can hardly be distinguished from obstinacy. but it is a marvelous display of Will-power exerted to show forth a religious belief.. saying. head-achy feeling. I experienced a tired. I will calmly and deliberately. Stark Will-power can accomplish great things. distasteful. Consider. We are quite willing to allow that some people will receive a vast amount of good from such Spartan exercises. one by one. the pieces of card. that the same man finally felt his Will was "toned up. or he may close his hand and vow he will never open it. formerly member of a Society which is world-famous for its corporate discipline. It is painful because it goes against my natural tendency to impetuosity.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "I feel. I dislike this task very much." And here is an extract from the diary of a man who practiced it:     "Task very unpleasant." It should be observed. Even so. Feeling and Thinking are never entirely absent. . which certainly cannot be classed among the virtues. in the face of this not very inspiring report.NKADOJ@GMAIL. for the next ten days. for instance. how the Hindu sadhu (holy man) answers the question.

however.. the cardboard bits. They go against their own inclination in a hundred different ways in order to have complete control of themselves.. expressed a desire to naturalize the ascetic principle. ‘self-denial. Drill is a method that extends from the simple and homely endeavor to overcome a minor fault of behavior to the all-comprehensive regime of a soldier preparing for active service.. rationally conceived and carried out. and feel that the punishing process was doing him good. Any kind of formal discipline is drill. does develop Will-power on a methodical basis. inflict severe pains on their bodies by various means. which are meaningless in themselves. or feel disgusted.NKADOJ@GMAIL. At least it may serve to convince him that a thing is not impossible because it is unpleasant: a fact of which most people need from time to time to be reminded." Power Where Needed If a man draws up for himself a programme of discipline and compels himself to live up to it. we call it drill. a period of abstinence and occasional fasting of every kind.’ a gymnastic of the Will. For the grave and sober-minded individual. Such mortification is so admirable and so essential that in every age the Church has taught and practiced it. It is commonly known as the ascetic principle. ‘selfstrengthening. or skeptical. and the exercise would lose all its potency. The writer previously quoted says: "Ascetics. He might laugh. a bitter opponent of Christian values. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . A system of drill. but not all drill is good drill. but the aim should . "People have scarcely got the courage yet to bring to light the natural ability and necessity of asceticism for the purpose of the education of the Will." The Philosophy of Discipline Nietzche. He said: "I would substitute the old intention of asceticism. and harshly refuse the dearest yearnings of their hearts. He may practice it as we may practice gymnastic exercises. but make the body strong and supple for more important purposes. as we know. may mean the realization of a good habit on other lines. even in things intellectual. and the box to put them in.COM Any man with a sense of humor would find it well-nigh impossible to put a hundred bits of cardboard into a box.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.’ by my own intention.

there are difficulties of the Will other than those that concern the habits we have hitherto noticed. who has difficulties in carrying out his resolves.. which is simply a regular supply of Will-power to secure a predetermined end. as to develop power for the particular purpose of the individual." When. —are cases in point. The Three Steps Every reader of this Lesson.   The business man who starts an enterprise and has not Will enough to carry it on. by an act of deliberate judgment. Step by step this effort becomes less in virtue of the formation of a habit. should now know the programme of success. you have determined the nature of the habit you need to form. There is the weakness of Will shown in what we may call general irresolution. three maxims are to be observed in the process of its formation:— 1. Arrange your life and social arrangements in . as seen in practical endeavor to carry out the Resolve.COM be not so much to develop power in general. We are afraid that in most instances such discipline as moving a chair about a room for five minutes—an action without sufficient intrinsic significance to commend it to some minds— would not do much good in developing Will for the business man or for the student. and habit passes into character.. Irresolution For instance..NKADOJ@GMAIL. First there is the Desire. Accumulate all possible circumstances which may enlist Feeling as the fellow worker of Thought which has shaped the judgment. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 2.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Then comes the Effort. which has been defined as "a completely fashioned will. 1. Next comes the Affirmation: "I can." 3. and the student who takes up a new language and cannot persist long enough to master it. They must use self-suggestion and form the habit of perseverance.

every effort is an effort to strengthen Will-power just where it is wanted. or forming the mind of the rising generation. Whether you are behind the counter or "on the road." an artisan or a farmer. an accountant. Never suffer an exception to occur while habit is still in process of formation. and make use of every emotional prompting you may experience in the direction of the habit to which you aspire. The principle applies not least to those who bear the heavy responsibility of running a home. Here is your chance for the regime of drill. or indeed." Autosuggestion . except selfindulgence. will give him a new range of power..m. Every calling offers similar opportunities. For instance. any kind of professional man. it is a recognized fact (to quote William James once more) that. The former is the method of drastic drill. In such a plan (commended by Professor William James) there is:    no waste of energy in trying to develop Will-power as a mere end in itself. Moreover.? There is no reason. To do so is to lose more ground than many acts will enable you to recover. do something in the line of duty or advantage which you would otherwise shirk.. Next Friday morning you will make a start with the new hour. the latter is the method of service and common sense. Be on the look out for.COM such a way as to favor the new habit to the utmost. "a single successful effort of moral volition. 2.. Then why not be in your place at 9 a. it might be a great gain if on Fridays (mail day) you began work at 9 a.NKADOJ@GMAIL.m. such as saying ‘No’ to some habitual temptation. Every week. every day if need be. a lawyer. will launch a man on a higher level of energy for days and weeks. instead of 9. and welcome. you will be able to discover some kind of method by which time and energy may be economized. and recall to mind frequently the motives which have determined your choice.30. or performing some courageous act. 3. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . But you may use both methods in combination. every opportunity of acting on the resolution you have made.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and a new feeling of can will come over you in consequence.

. and safer. and his letter says: "I carried out your suggestion.. You are pleased with the result. There is the systematic use of the principle for medical and educative purposes. and has shown you the right way to realize it. This is well understood by Governments which.COM For the harmonization of Thought and Feeling." To suggest. and speaking to a friend about it. acts on the advice. Unspoken Suggestions In the life you live from day to day you are acting out the principles of suggestion. exercise a censorship over the press.. The Unspoken Suggestions of Life. of which we may not be fully conscious. upon which depends the will to form advantageous habits.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. It is easier. They are simply different aspects of one thing. Spoken Suggestions in general. Why do you not wear the clothes of an Englishman of the Elizabethan period with all their wealth of color? Because you would be inconveniently conspicuous. The headings under which this most vital subject can be discussed are: 1. believing in your judgment. you "suggest" that he ought to follow your example. 3. The friend. There is the kind also that comes from objects and persons around us. to dress as others do. is exceedingly effective if the circumstances are propitious. .g. education.    There is the kind of suggestion which comes from one person to another on the everyday plane. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ." etc.. in days of a national crisis. An effort to persuade others to believe or to act. commercial). But this word "Suggestion" has attained a new and more specialized meaning during the last forty years. 2. one aspect of which is imitation. is to convey to the mind of another person the idea of saying or doing something. These are not different things. you will need the help of "autosuggestion. Spoken Suggestions in particular (e. For instance. in ordinary speech. this Course of study has already helped you to formulate one of your ideas.

within a certain range.    You do not allow a child to play with another child afflicted with St. because you know the child will feel a suggestion to imitate the contortions of the other’s nervous tricks.NKADOJ@GMAIL. as seen by the example they set us. to choose your own patterns. . he may urge me to make a purchase.. but he acts on the principle all the same. imitate other men servilely. However strong may be the influence of environment. The Imitative Tendency We also have a tendency to do things which individual people do.. But if a friend comes up whilst I am looking. admire the goods. Spoken Suggestions Spoken suggestion is not very different. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . I may look at a shop window. indeed you have full liberty. and pass on. think of buying something. it is not so strong as that which is exerted by the human factor. of course. the others will follow suit.. The main feature about it is that it is direct and therefore stronger. but the garments themselves must be of the conventional kind or you are in danger of being labeled a freak. You know yourself that if you spend half an hour with a confirmed stammerer. Vitus’ dance. you feel a tendency to stammer also.COM You need not. The window-dresser may never have heard the word in this sense.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. As well when one member of the family circle yawns. for his artistic display of the goods has but one end in view—to suggest a desire of possession and consequent purchase. The rule is this: we have a tendency to do what the great majority of people suggest we should do. and the silent suggestion is reinforced by a personal appeal. A walk through any shopping district is a lesson in suggestion.

his mind is made to reflect on their interesting qualities. SUGGESTION IN EDUCATION AND BUSINESS How is suggestion used in these departments? It is used to overcome difficulties in precisely the same way as the physician uses it to increase his patient’s power of resistance. and he is requested to tell himself he can. instead of being encouraged to think these things difficult.. .. A boy who says he cannot do his sums is taken in hand and quietly shown the how and why of decimals or equations.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. He is told that he can.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Four) V. and.

but whereas he believes he can ultimately succeed.." You. on the other hand. What you need is training in the Pelman methods of autosuggestion. have a sort of half fear you will fail. affirmed and reaffirmed. Take your own case. He must tell himself ten times a day he can.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . believe it. you have a special aim and you are working hard to realize it. George knows as keenly as anybody what is before him. speak it. but if he allows his mind to dwell on them he gets the negative suggestion that he cannot overcome them. and conquest. and when he feels that he can.COM A man in business with adult intelligence may train his mind in the same way. fall into doubt and say. attain his desire?" No. suggest power. in addition. Think success. after all. tends to become an Action—repeated actions transmute themselves into habit. "Do you mean to tell me that if a man believes he can succeed in any legitimate desire. The difficulties ahead are real enough. he will.. act like it—and success begins to come your way. not altogether.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Remember the law: Every Thought. "I may not. If every morning and evening. Your friend George is also working hard to realize his ambition. you will appreciably reduce the tone of your system and actually become ill. in spite of your diligence. therefore. holding your head in your hands. but doubt and fear eat some of the strength out of your resolve. especially Thought charged with feeling. mastery. The Skeptic Answered The skeptic will say. dream success. one that is within the range of his natural abilities. The scientific basis is this: Every thought. but let us put the matter in a nut-shell. you assume the languor of a sick man. . When you rise in the morning and when you retire at night. tends to become an action. but every day he says "I can. bemoaning your wretched constitution. The same law holds good the other way. you tell yourself you look and feel ill: and if. he will. you." You do not consciously relax a single effort.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. What makes the difference between you? Suggestion.

   It is here that imagination is needed. muscle and sinew. what will be the result? Why. acts on them. Gravitation. If you will create a mind-picture of your future work. and engineers to execute. the issue of success. stories. and then by steady daily concentration focus it in sharp detail. "see yourself" engaged upon that work. Visualize yourself. the air and the ocean depths were fantastically mastered. you will come to play successfully a greater part. The Story of a Big Deal . not your body. Upon your prevailing frame of mind depends for you. Your thought is as real as blood. Ideas then.. and it might also be said that nothing under the sun is impossible but that which it cannot imagine.      Mental attitude is a far more powerful factor in your daily. that you will be to-morrow what you are thinking to-day. a knowledge of certain principles of mind action is required. moves and influences them.COM Remember for your own part that you are to-day what you were thinking yesterday. some of them. enable scientists to forecast.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. therefore. of failure. so also you will soon be your own builder. Form an "idea" of your future activity. It is the first step in all achievement. as successfully filling the coveted position—doing that very thing.NKADOJ@GMAIL. in which war and business took on new forms and gigantic proportions. they are realities to-day. Imagination possesses a certain creative power.. hourly existence than perhaps you may imagine. and what are known as physical laws in general.. This is your real power. Mind is the creative force. or. more than anything else. So also is it with the laws governing mind. It goes from you to others. Carry your mind back to those story-books you used to get from the school library: romantic yarns of scientific inventions whereby space and time. To control circumstances instead of allowing circumstances to dominate you. is your real self. and as you learn how to control and project it. Your thought. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . that as you are now your own architect.

"Let me give you a leaf out of my own experience. Last week I formulated a sales plan which somewhat staggered even my confidence in myself. So long as I could convince myself that the sale of my goods to a certain buyer was not impossible. you will see what an advantage the use of Suggestion has been to my affairs. it lay with circumstances in the prospective buyer’s life or business which I could not control.. if you will contrast my present policy with that which I had followed twenty years previously.) A few business men. we at once join issue with such an objection. The result was that I lived in a state of hopefulness all day long. I always went to do the selling with the feeling that I had already succeeded in making a sale. It went through all right. "I started in this way. were gathered together at luncheon.COM You will perhaps say that all this looks very well on paper. after hearing how one man had failed to carry through a certain scheme. said: "If you will pardon me. but that it cannot be reduced to practice. At first I laughed at it. but I have the consolation of knowing that the failure was not due to any fault of my own.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . my memory for details was always in instant readiness. (The commercial nature of the illustration is quite accidental. "I frankly admit that I sometimes failed.NKADOJ@GMAIL. interchanging their experiences. and proceed to give an account of how a sales manager applied suggestion to the putting through a big deal. and of its kind it was the biggest deal ever done in my line. and this enabled me to get the best out of my abilities. and it was some time before I could convince myself the scheme was feasible. all of them in their forties. Now. I adopted the plan and proceeded to put it into operation. and began to carry out some of its principles. believing it was already a success. a spirit which must not be confused with that of braggadocio or conceit. I had been selling goods for twenty years before I ever heard of the Law of Suggestion. There are similar illustrations in every professional sphere. I will tell you why you did not succeed. You did not go forward in the spirit of confidence. "Finally. but when one of my friends gave me a book about Suggestion I began to think there was something in it. I studied the book thoroughly. however. As the PELMAN Course is nothing if not practical. How the Salesman Thinks . and I carried with me the atmosphere of the man who can..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "Every faculty was alert. The sales manager to whom we refer.

 I myself always go out in the spirit of certainty. "Nowadays. but I am afraid not.. 4. and therefore why he could not sell. I am certain I shall make a sale." Here the sales manager paused. but ask him to suggest that he can.’" The "Contradiction" of Suggestion Here the sales manager paused again.. than if he started out full to the brim with ‘I might’ or ‘I can’t. at any rate. "but it seems to me you make a man into a walking contradiction. "In one part of his brain he has a conviction that he might not or that he cannot sell my goods. I have no man on my staff who says ‘I can’t. and I instruct my men to cultivate the same frame of mind." he said. ‘I am certain I cannot.’ and it is ten to one the ‘turndowns’ will award the palm to ‘can’t. "The second man might give excellent reasons why people would not buy.’ I should dismiss him if I had. to the effect that he can sell my goods. I don’t think I shall sell any goods. He will go out on the road with two distinct and contrary ideas. I might sell some. but proper mental training would show him that positive sales can never spring from negative convictions. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . for argument’s sake. and to act as if he can. If one of your men went out saying. although I’ll try’—which man would send in the orders? The first man. In another part of his brain is a second conviction.’ and another went out saying.’ and ‘can’t. 3. when I was on the road. so that as he works for me there is a continual strife in his mind between ‘can. I had the following states of mind with regard to selling goods: 1. I have abolished the first three states of mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. "He might be quite sincere in his belief that he could not sell your goods.COM "In the first period of my salesmanship. ‘I am certain I can sell these goods. I have a good chance of selling goods. 2. and I tell him to use autosuggestion. growing in strength.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. far more. he will. and behold.’ Is a man likely to do much with such an acute contradiction inside his head?" . he will sell more. that I have such a man. but suppose. and the other man said: "But what is the use of being certain if in your heart of hearts you know there can be no certainty?" The sales manager smiled agreeably and replied: "You are a practical man—look at this matter in a practical way. of course.. and the other man interposed: "That sounds right enough.

medical or surgical skill. "There are many things which seem too big. or sell yourself.’ and the big thing that frightened us is a realized achievement because the thing is possible.’ and the contradiction is only seeming.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . too difficult to accomplish. then financial ability.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or some other of a thousand useful things. forensic acumen. and we therefore say we cannot. This is a matter which belongs to what may be styled the psychology of expression and persuasion. but in nine cases out of ten. You cannot sell goods.. until you are capable of transferring to the mind of your prospective client."  There is a difference between the practice of autosuggestion and the popular idea of mesmerism or hypnotism..’ it is better for your profits. too ambitious. you must first possess. the victory goes to ‘can.NKADOJ@GMAIL. By "I can" I mean ‘I can.COM The sales manager rubbed his hands gleefully and replied: "My dear sir.’ there looms before us this contradiction of yours. legal knowledge. a belief in the value of the goods. Such belief. and better for the man’s commissions. and when we say we ‘can. Autosuggestion abolishes the spirit of fear that paralyzes effort and enterprise and in its stead creates the energetic "I can. or employer. such confidence. In all cases there is a party to sell and there is a party to buy." We All Sell Something This is a true narrative. if possible. or the services. educational technique. . and is rich in reflection for every man or woman who has a living to earn. The mind needs training before the technique of selling can be mastered. you are offering. "Let me say here that courses in salesmanship do not necessarily make salesmen. you must admit that if the outcome of this contradiction is a victory for ‘can. We must believe that everybody who earns a living is selling something:         if not consumable goods. literary or artistic talent.

. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. did not say "can’t. "How does all this concern me?" It concerns him because every man has at some time in his life. and to solve them he needs the liberal use of positive suggestion. namely. indeed you are fulfilling one of the mind’s great laws. When the British Admiralty was faced with the problems of unrestricted submarine warfare. there being no special machinery ready for handling the new danger on a large scale." but "can. he would have to be entirely under your control.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. otherwise he fails. "every thought. because to do that you would have to deprive him of normal consciousness and Will-power. you are not interfering in the least with the normal operations of the mind." "I Can" vs. "I Can’t" The student who is not interested in salesmanship may say. persistently held. if not continually. the Sea Lords.. casting about for new engines of defense." The same principle is still active in the rivalry of offense and defense in the air (and space!). but in making suggestions to yourself for your own advancement. tends to become an action. to face problems of supreme difficulty.COM    To suggest a purchase to any man is not to mesmerize him.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

can secure a control beyond their expectations. First.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Five) VI.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. irritation or new noises. such as:    "I am becoming sleepy" "I shall soon be asleep" "I am falling asleep. Gladstone. and contrast it with the turning and tossing of the man who cannot forget the turmoil and anxieties of the day.. SLEEP AND SUGGESTION The ability to sleep at will is one of the most valuable of the practical arts of life. It may be true that certain nervous and highly-strung people will not succeed to their complete satisfaction." . The one is a captain of the consciousness—the other is its unwilling servant. could leave behind him the excitement of a debate in the House of Commons. except in circumstances that are full of alarm and danger. Those who possess it as a sort of inheritance have much to be thankful for. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . a Member of Parliament. and on retiring. Think of the economy of energy implied in such an art of sleep-control. The essential question is this: Is sleep-control a gift. but those who are destitute of it need not imagine that their efforts are bound to end in failure. but the majority of people.. forget all about it in immediate sleep. or is it a power that can be developed? It is a gift in some cases. the mind should be conditioned by strong self-suggestive affirmation. the physical surroundings should be free from discomfort. There are two sets of conditions to be observed. consequently it is worth more than a little effort to acquire. in other cases it has been acquired. Secondly.

awoke either ten minutes before the appointed time.m. This is usually due to over-anxiety. Remember: no habit is formed by a single act.30.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ... WAKING AT WILL The converse ability is to acquire the power to wake in the morning at a time decided upon the night before. So do not allow a few failures to discourage you. they wake at 6 a. even without willing to do so. To have a quarter-of-an-hour’s sleep after a tiring day. Some persons. It is necessary to go through a series of actions successfully before the tendency to repeat those actions can be set up. and like Dr. or ten minutes after. but perseverance will make a welcome difference and the habit of control will begin to form itself. otherwise the subconscious knowledge that wakefulness must begin at a specific hour may induce a more or less troubled sleep. and at 5. Some people find that on resolving to wake at 6 a.m. Its Practical Value The joint ability to sleep and wake at will has practical values of a high order in regard to health. and efficiency. Keep on. but some minutes elapsed before the normal consciousness fully realized the fact. but it needs confidence and a peaceful mind. again. will determine to awaken at 6 and will wake at 4. on several mornings in succession.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. A Pelman student writes: . If this is the results of your experiments you are advised to experiment no more.30. as if the carrying out of these instructions were quite useless.. and again at 4. Never fight wakefulness. whose results were tabulated and analyzed. VII. As a rule this is not difficult. We presume that the alarm clock in the brain rang at the decisive hour. At first there may be a feeling of futility. and with a long evening’s special work before us. is a boon indeed. and the breathing should be deep and regular. energy. chiefly after. for the first minutes of the sleeping state are the most recuperative. the famous expert in mental diseases.. and at 5. Savage.COM Mental pictures of the state of sleep should be made to pass before the eyes of the mind. they succeed too well. A very large number of students.

.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL. or that his knowledge of French shall rapidly increase. as a consequence of saying he knows French he will be endowed with a knowledge of it. Let us suppose that a man has read in a book that if he will mentally picture the thing he wants. Nothing startling happens. "I knew that the slightest irregularity in the working of the engine would wake me instantly. or that. to stop the tap… One evening I was extremely sleepy (I often worked very late) and decided to take a nap. but how could I know when to turn the tap off? I tried it.. some mystery will immediately be unveiled. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It is moonshine to suppose that he can:    effectually autosuggest more replies to an advertisement." VIII. or that.COM "I once put in two years looking after an engine and machinery… One of my duties was to fill a tank with oil and when it had run in to a certain mark on the gauge glass. and each time I awoke almost to the second. Things do not happen that way. Why? Because he does not understand the technique of suggestion. or that the scientific secret which he seeks shall be revealed to him. What he can do (in the case of an advertiser) is to suggest to himself as follows: . —and he uses autosuggestion to further the effort. and ardently desire it—something reasonable and good—he will inevitably succeed in getting it. we must know what those difficulties are. What is the reason?" First. by his merely affirming the existence of a scientific discovery. although I was asleep in another room. He therefore desires that:    his advertising shall yield larger returns. thus making the study of it superfluous. WHAT ABOUT FAILURES? Occasionally we receive letters from students who say: "I have tried autosuggestion with my personal difficulties and have not succeeded. however. He is uncritical and too easily led.

I know I am offering good value. I know the minds of my customers. 4. sound. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . I will use crisp. Failure is due either to: 1. it is a law. in the right place. if an uneducated man of 35 uses autosuggestion to enable him to do work in five years which would in ordinary circumstances have taken him from ten to fifteen years. if your experiments in autosuggestion are at first not a success. not a miracle.NKADOJ@GMAIL. until the whole mind is brought into a state of increased efficiency. in the right way. attempting altogether impossible tasks. To do this successfully I must put myself in the place of a purchaser and analyze the chief selling points in the light of what I know of my own and of other people’s minds. A man who has no keen sense of form and color can never suggest himself into being an artist. Remember. know this fact through my well-considered announcements.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. So. I can present my case logically because I know my business. but still not impossible. . I know my own mind. Therefore I will never draw up an advertisement without visualizing the probable mental attitude of my prospective customers. so that one morning he might wake up possessed of the power to understand the binomial theorem. he is setting himself a task that is beyond his powers. Not a Miracle. starting at the age of 21. There must be a basis on which to work. ask yourself whether you are using the law in the right way. or the discovery of one of Nature’s secrets... or 2. and other traders’ customers. I must let my customers. if a man who has no mathematical ability whatever were to try to suggest the existence of such an ability. are matters requiring much time and attention. but Law Similarly. Thus. but a method of making its work easier and more synthetic. a purpose may be difficult. 3. Nevertheless. and autosuggestion is not a means of dispensing with the needed ability. The practice of autosuggestion does not give new power in chunks—it develops ability from within like leaven. to the right people. to a misunderstanding of what autosuggestion means.COM 1. an improved method of working—not a bit of Arabian magic. almost without studying it. plain English and just tell the truth at the right time. he would be asking for the impossible.. the mastery of a language. Impossibilities Again. 2.

.. They have the disposition to say "Yes" or to say "No" to the majority of life’s questions. that it becomes part of his very mind. Every mental power is favorably affected towards the early realization in actual deed of all that the picture stands for. and although this is in the medical sphere. and "I can’t" does not. And it must be admitted that the "Nay" men and women render valuable services. or Everlasting Nay. The Psychology of "I Can" The reason why "I can" succeeds. Yet the best things seem to grow up round the "Yea’s. the record of history is brilliant with deeds of men and women who said "I can. Time must be allowed for the law to do its work. Men and women might almost be constitutionally classed according to Carlyle’s Everlasting Yea. Let your body and mind become accustomed to the new method." while concerning those who said "I can’t. Such failures often occur in the application of autosuggestion to physical ailments.. at any rate as to its intention. and therefore outside our purview. The failure that comes from skepticism belongs to another category. sinking into the subconscious sphere and thence influencing him in thought and deed without his being aware of the fact. and in most cases this calls for time and patience. is quite simple. however. we may be permitted to say that before success can be achieved (except in cases where the patient is highly suggestible by temperament) it is necessary to create new and facile nerve paths from the brain to the affected part of the body.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. remembering that all personal conquests are results of such importance to justify strenuous and persistent effort. Thus a failure may occur for no other reason than that of haste. They keep the rest of the world from believing that the Moon is made of green cheese. The "I can" individual forms a vivid mental picture. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM The Causes of Failure Failure. and looks at it so often and with such feelings of desire." Anyhow. may follow a genuine effort carried out in the right way.NKADOJ@GMAIL." it is for the most part silent. Doubt places us outside the scope of the law of suggestion in its positive aspects and enrolls us under the negative banner. and put a brake upon any tendency on the part of others to rush headlong into premature generalizations or rash action.

and all his abilities suffer a consequent inhibition. Choose the best times for affirmations.. after willing to do a thing. for. Rather you should fortify your mind by dwelling occasionally on the picture of compliance with your intention.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM The man who says "I can’t" sees a picture of impotency. They do not apply the correct technique. after all. fail to obtain satisfactory results. Seize your quietest moments. whereas "My mind is calm and poised" is a positive affirmation. Center your attention on the vision of what you want to be.. Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Six) IX. to have. Remember to contemplate the picture when you use suggestion. and make the affirmations with gentle persistence. .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or before they have taken the Pelman Course. RULES FOR AUTOSUGGESTION 1. force is accumulating for the purpose in hand whilst you are asleep or when engaged during the waking moments in the normal duties of life. For example:—"I am not worrying so much now" is incorrect and self-suggestion. Look at the Picture It is the same with all other applications of autosuggestion. Many people who begin to use autosuggestion before they understand it. Consequently.. The First Rule is this:—Do not permit any mention of the thing or state you desire to eradicate to enter into the formula. it is the mind in its unconscious energies that does the work. Decide what is the precise opposite and concentrate on that. watch yourself to see whether you will be tempted not to do it.     Divert your thought from the trouble by concentrating attention upon the remedy. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . You must not. and to do.

or the solving of a knotty problem in finance. The autosuggestion must be practiced regularly.. the mind must concentrate itself on the suggestion. or of the art of social intercourse. Avoid anything like anxious concentration of thought on a difficulty that distresses you. and must not be tempted to wander off into speculations as to the ultimate advantages which will accrue. Then take another topic.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 5. . This is not necessary.COM Again. Solution of Practical Problems From early experiments you may advance to others more complex. repeat portions of the autosuggestion aloud. Repeat the autosuggestion to yourself during the daytime. 4. and before retiring suggest that you can.. and will. find a way out. 2. but "I can focus my thoughts" is definite and will be fruitful. —select your toughest problem. Do not let any feeling of fatigue induce you to omit it. such as that of suggesting you can overcome a difficulty—let it be:    the mastery of calculus.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. In making an autosuggestion. Do not allow a formula to become mechanical. "My thoughts do not wander" is useless by way of suggestion. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Be content to rely on the cumulative effects of suggestion. 3. 6. You may change its words but not its substance. If you can do so conveniently. but it is sometimes an additional assistance. Persevere with the same subject for a series of nights.

and provided for in the following Exercises.. CONCLUSION We confidently believe that if you have any difficulties in reference to Will-power. We have shown the use of exercises in Will-power. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . To get rid of it. He knows where he is weak.COM Do it fairly. by which we mean all that is base in the range of human nature. . Don’t "Fight" Evils The way to overcome any sort of evil. you will find them dealt with in the preceding pages. Perhaps your weakest point is cynicism—the blase outlook on life—to which nothing is pure and nothing is real: everything is hollow. You are changing yourself from a limp nothing into a man or woman. but mainly we urge the student to practice in the direction in which he wishes to succeed.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. however. we recommend the following method of procedure. is not so much to fight the evil. there is considerable hesitation in identifying a personal defect in oneself with a description of it in words.. and assuming it in others. Fear is conquered by practicing courage.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Sometimes. this should happen. let his principal effort be to substitute strength for his specific weaknesses by using the principles laid down in this Lesson. unfortunately. This is character-building in reality. and practice the prescribed method with a due sense of its truth and advantages. but to develop the opposite quality.. or at least seven-eighths of it. If. cultivate greater generosity of disposition by affirming the existence of such a quality in your own nature. selfishness by practicing charity.

. but on I go. It is a friendly discourse addressed to you personally. For what kind of betterment have I a difficulty in forming resolutions? Where lies the difficulty I have in carrying out such resolutions? Does occasional failure depress me unduly. not necessarily for us. My head erect beneath the tragic years.COM Supply answers to each of the following questions below. 5. . and cause me to give up in despair? Do I realize that developing will-power is a progressive education.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. And this is one of the first steps towards self-realization. and it deals with your private difficulties. 6. not a sudden miracle? Have I really made up my mind to conquer? Have I any real courage—not in the form of being stout-hearted. these are tremendously real. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but for the sake of clearly understanding yourself:— 1. It will make you see yourself without illusions. 4. But you will have felt that it is something more than a mere lesson—a doctrine taught and enforced." To do so is to enfeeble it.. Occasionally. but as a practiced policy? Put yourself through this drill. 3.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 2.." WHAT TO AVOID Avoid saying "My Will is weak. Here the Lesson ends. Some students may have learned from experience what John Davidson meant when he wrote:— "My feet are heavy now." But even these should foster in their hearts the belief that: "The Best is yet to be.

Face all your problems boldly. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Avoid the fear of failure. It is both possible to exercise such control and a duty that you owe to yourself.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Fear hinders action. The mental picture of a desired condition should be vividly realized. that you be not as a reed that is shaken by the wind. Review your strategy and renew the attack from another angle. See that it be a just and reasonable aim. Unless you are demoralized. There is a wide difference between a set-back and a defeat. Avoid over-reliance on the judgment of others. Avoid anxieties as to the future. Avoid the effort to develop a strong Will without regard to Thought and Feeling. the Will will be right. and persistence enables you to secure his further fortified positions. This disposition is one to be cultivated assiduously. Its strength depends upon their adjustment. Thought and Will working in perfect harmony. . If the Feeling and Thinking are right. Self-respect is a potent factor of Will. WHAT TO DO Accept the truth that conquest implies control alike of body and mind. Keep the idea of psycho-synthesis before you: Feeling. in the spirit of confidence that the best is yet to be. Violence and obstinacy are alike signs of weakness.COM Avoid the mistake of thinking that the violent man is a strong-willed man. A courageous effort carries you past the enemy’s first trenches. you are not defeated.. then little by little strive to make it actual. Will the right thing and do it.NKADOJ@GMAIL..

it gives power where power is needed. and this being the case.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it is. Take action. then is the time for drill. The enemy may be inertia or illness. and to prevent such an accumulation in future. to write a letter to a friend abroad. Take the unexpected as an illustration. But if there is no caller. Jot down one or two of these unfulfilled intentions. and you just feel out of the mood for Pelmanizing when seven o’clock comes. or to respond to some public appeal to your patriotism. but which we avoid as much and as often as we can. so long as you really desire its accomplishment. Whatever be the nature of the resolve. You have just prepared to Pelmanize from 7 to 8 p. not general.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. It is possible that you have often resolved to view some property. You have developed the habit of irresolution. when a friend calls who must see you. or factors out of our control.. never allow a week to pass without fighting inertia in its many guises. It may be the carrying out of a decision to clear up an accumulation of papers. but it is easy to fool yourself. the unexpected. and yet you have done nothing at all. Exercise XII By way of intelligent drill. This is one of the unavoidable contingencies. .. He keeps you for twenty minutes inquiring about an "affair" in connection with the local club. Something more than arrangement is required. m.COM Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Seven) EXERCISES Exercise XI There is generally some one thing (perhaps more than one) in our daily round which we know we might do. This is a form of Will-drill which is particular. We do not say that the mood for work is not valuable.    It may be the need of getting down to business early on Fridays (mail day). begin the work at once. begin to systematize your doings. One needs persistent action.

choose the greatest offender of all.COM Exercise XIII Where formal drill is felt to be necessary (and sometimes it is necessary in cases when men and women come to the point of doubting whether they really possess a will at all) carry out the following regime: 1. under suitable conditions. Resolve. From among the people whom you find boring or irritating. See the diagram below. and accept the first opportunity of conversing with him (or her). 2...Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. On each square write a number. . Display a genial and accommodating attitude throughout. extending the time by one minute until you can perform the exercise for five minutes. Add the columns horizontally and perpendicularly. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .) 3.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. (It may be a revelation to both parties. Arrange the numbers in solid groups with six squares in the top row and three lines of six below. to extend your right arm at right angles to your body for one minute. Take a sheet of blank paper (or several) and cut it up into several squares.

What is the service rendered by such exercises? They help to restore the individual’s belief in himself. If he is capable of doing a tedious task that serves directly no useful end. much more is he capable of doing things equally unattractive but useful in themselves. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. before retiring for the night. The student feels that if he can perform so uninteresting a task he has not lost his will entirely. take a 20-minutes’ walk. irrespective of weather. and in his powers... .COM 4. The exercise with squares of paper does nothing to enlarge knowledge. Transfer the new power to your task of conquering the real difficulties of everyday life. If you have good health. but it may do a great deal in the way of fostering self-control. Finally do not regard such formal drill as an end in itself.

and our wide experience in dealing with the personal difficulties of students.COM PELMAN LESSON IV Lesson IV on "CONCENTRATION and MENTAL CONTROL: The Remedy for MindWandering. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . We can therefore help you to get the best out of yourself..NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. have given us a true understanding of concentration.. Keep the fire of enthusiasm burning! .." carries you forward another step in the acquisition of mental power and moral stamina. Our researches into the subject. You are rapidly developing a conquering will—if you have not already done so—and you now intend to acquire the ability to focus your attention on any fact or idea as circumstances may dictate.

NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..COM .

NKADOJ@GMAIL... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Eight) .NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

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COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Lesson 03: The Will to Conquer (Part Nine) ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind...

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Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ....COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM .. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..

you will almost certainly obtain it. increased self-confidence. This time it is the power to focus attention. Study it closely. "If you only care enough for a result. the measure of your desire and resolve will be the measure of your success. and this Lesson gives you the secret. remember this: that the vagaries of a wandering mind explain half the failures of our modern life." said Prof.. Practice all the exercises.COM Lesson 04: CONCENTRATION and MENTAL CONTROL: The Remedy for MindWandering FOREWARD Once more the aim before us is the development of Personal Power. The first thing you have to do is to realize its importance.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Probably you have already realized it. if not.. Therefore. It is easy when you know how.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. but. and new ideas. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . . Resolve to be master of the thought process: not its slave. Attention ensures sound knowledge. William James. and sound knowledge means a better memory.. You will soon begin to feel an increase in mental grip.

The idea. light your pipe. There is a little figure work on the back of an envelope—and you emerge from your calculation triumphant. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but they are not our chief concern here. heat for the winter. you felt you must have a greenhouse of your own. repairs. of building a greenhouse in the garden. but let us explain. you saw a new greenhouse being built. Then there comes the cost of stocking the structure with plants—the particular kinds of fruits and flowers you will cultivate. and so forth." LEONARDO BIANCHI Foundation of Mental Health (1930) I. came to you in the train. Difficult ones are plentiful.. So you find a quiet spot. MOVEMENT vs. The Circle of Related Ideas Now what has happened in your mind during this little bit of concentrated effort? We shall say nothing about the ideas. A little more figure work. Next. but we shall take an easy one of practical kind. No doubt that sounds like a contradiction in terms.NKADOJ@GMAIL. You sit down to solve a problem. any kind of problem. First. FIXATION It is erroneous to imagine that concentration means fixation.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. When these and similar items are satisfactorily settled. and begin to think the matter out. and you resolve to place an order forthwith. .COM Concentration and Mental Control "Brains slightly exercised possess less potentiality than those which are more energetically exercised. it means a controlled movement. or otherwise. you find you can decide the issue in the affirmative. hopes. they are not unimportant. desires.. there is the cost of upkeep. or doubts which momentarily came into consciousness before you finally solved the problem. and you reach another favorable decision. and it fused together vague wishes of the past.. you have to decide whether you can afford the outlay. in its persistent form. because it serves our present purpose: it is the desirability. painting.

 This means that for the time being you forget the greenhouse altogether in order to discover how much money you can spare. You moved your attention from one aspect of the subject to another. you will admit on reflection that you did not focus your attention like an astronomer on a star. and each part in turn must receive attention. If you make the attempt you simply become unpleasantly and increasingly aware of the fact that there is a problem.NKADOJ@GMAIL. A.COM We are dealing with your determination to fix attention on the greenhouse question until you had solved it one way or another. . and if you are candid. until you proved that concentration was not fixation but controlled movement. the center of the circle..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. to be or not to be? It is manifest you cannot solve anything by fixing your attention on the problem itself.. is the problem itself: the greenhouse. then to a new aspect altogether. Every problem is made up of parts. Let us see if we can make a diagram of it: Concentration and Change In this figure the circle stands for the area in which the mind moves freely among the intimate relationships of the problem. then back again to the starting point.. which deals with the cost of the building. So you may wisely move from A to A1. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

you return immediately to A. a love affair. his income-tax statement. Back again at A you are switched off to A3. and almost instantaneously find yourself at A2. Is it really possible to fix the attention exclusively on any one thing? . or anything at all. gave you a statement of his annual expenses in this matter. Attention vs. What Psychologists Say You have. which means the cost of upkeep.. your friend at Putney. you add up the various items together and conclude you can meet the bill. You remember that Rhodes. Returning to the thought of cost. to find himself jerked to Q. He is the slave of association. but you believe you can get a cheaper form of heating. when he should be its master. but those we have examined are sufficient for our purpose. One thing leads to another. but a free movement among all the items of which it is composed. Mind-Wandering We desired to show that concentration on a problem does not mean a hypnotic gaze at it. There is lack of mental control. perhaps. and there may be some difficulty in getting rid of the idea. and he follows the leading like a lamb. We shall later on show by what means he may become the master instead of the slave. what is orthodox teaching on the subject? and 2. been taught to believe that concentration means fixing the attention on something.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . which is outside the radius. pausing for a moment. and then to A4.COM When this point is settled. and may mean gold. Very well. A man with good powers of attention can go from point to point and return to the original center. then with lightning speed he is back again to A.    He is thus guilty of mind-wandering..NKADOJ@GMAIL. and your mind travels to a place in the city where you looked at a stove which seemed to be just the thing.. let us ask two questions: 1. A man with poor abilities goes from A to A1 like a flash. we have not specified them all.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL. The subject changes when your mind travels over the various aspects of the thing looked at.. divert you from the book itself to bindings. and these points. Just try the experiment..COM The first question is easily answered. They had been trying to fix the attention on one thing. but controlled in all its movements by the will. i. for all authorities are practically unanimous in saying that attention cannot be fixed on anything. just as when you fix the eye on a bright disc you "go off" eventually. If you did succeed in fixing your attention on one object. but your mind changes as you gaze at it. your attention is caught. The object changes when you fix your attention on the screen in a cinema movie theater. then its gilt top. say. Self-Hypnotism This also answers the second question. What they lacked was control. It involves the synthetic working of the whole mind. and subjects. and because they had failed they became exceedingly depressed. You will discover that although you concentrate on the book. The book itself does not change. even momentarily considered. as such.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Self-Control The practical effect of this teaching ought to be highly encouraging. you would reduce the area of consciousness and develop a dreamy mental state of which the ecstasy of the mystic or the poet is an exceptional instance on a higher plane. titles. . Let that thing be a book lying on a table. directed to one end. by its binding first. there must be a change in the subject or object. in the mind itself or the thing looked at. for we have met with hundreds of cases in which men and women have wrongly accused themselves of lack of concentration. then by its title. Even were you to close your eyes and focus attention on a single thought. it would not be concentration but self-hypnotism. The kind of concentration we are dealing with in this Lesson has nothing mystic about it.e.

much to my disgust. and I get my books and papers together. the second man is a prey to mood and fancy of the moment. the first makes some semblance of effort to guide the streams of consciousness. the second ships his oars and lets the stream take him whither it will Lesson 04: Concentration and Mental Control (Part Two) II. shipping and submarines. which tells me that the late Sir Alfred Jones was keenly interested in the growing of bananas in Jamaica.COM   They could not order their thoughts and keep them revolving round a central issue. CAUSES OF MIND-WANDERING What are the causes of these conditions? They may be classified as follows: . and I begin to draw figures or to write a story." Examine these two cases. my mind is a medley of earthquakes. At last I have to turn back and read the whole page again.. They are both alike in lack of control:     the first man has a mind which is at the complete mercy of association. bananas. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "I resolve to work at my mathematics. but as soon as I open them my mind goes off to something else. "If you can dose me with something that will lift me out of this chaos I’ll take it and thank you. Attention wandered off into numerous by-paths.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. I go on to the next sentence. The only kind of book I can read without mind-wandering is a novel with a deep plot in it. "All the time my eye is taking in the print of sentence after sentence. Here are two specimen letters from this type of mind-wanderer: "When I read a book I grasp the first sentence.." Here is another letter: "What does a fellow have to do who cannot settle down to anything for more than five minutes at a time? This is my complaint.. for the name Jamaica brings to mind the earthquake which caused immense damage and suffering there. but before I have finished it I have lost the little bit of meaning it conveyed.

puts into the mouth of a schoolmaster of the sterner type the aphorism: "It doesn’t matter what you teach the little beggars so long as it is something they don’t like.COM    Physical causes: such as nervous illness of various kinds. a mind that works over rapidly. the effects of shock or accident. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . we may suspect that it must operate prejudicially to concentration. are constantly being emphasized.NKADOJ@GMAIL." . which is probably due to the ever-increasing pressure of modern life.. an excessive profusion of interests.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or highly specialized duties narrowing the mental sphere. whether you like it or not. for the youthful mind is not trained. "It is the first lesson which ought to be learned. the habit of drifting. natural indolence. the emotions of pleasure. Mental causes: for instance. where each lesson is much shorter in duration than was the case a century ago. Although we recognize that the balance of argument favors this practice. morbid anxiety. as it formerly was. This propensity is fostered in the schools of to-day. There seems to be a tendency to throw off self-restraint and to give way to impulse. Huxley said that "perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it has to be done. which is a frequent obstacle to concentration. Some Causes Analyzed This is not a complete list. it is probably the last he learns thoroughly. while every effort is made to render the subject of instruction as pleasant as possible to the student. restlessness. Let us look more closely into certain of them. H. There is the love of excitement. lack of interest. Professor T." And a prominent novelist of our own day. and however early a man’s training begins.. who happens to be his grandson. excitable temperament. but it embodies the majority of causes. As a natural result. Social causes: such as monotony of daily work. or of dislike. to devote its continued attention to matters not inherently pleasing to it. for instance..

in tennis. continue in that spirit to the end. Unless a student has already trained his power. or to avoid them. but it is not so free as to be able to forget entirely the task before it. They joyfully assert that they are interested in business. The mind has a tendency to wander off at its own sweet will.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Aim at mastery for the sake of self-respect. skip. in old china. and carried it through up to now. Monotony of Work Among economic causes of mind-wandering none is more potent than monotony of daily work that can be done almost without thinking about it. and intensify your focus. . but they usually conclude their letter by saying. If we can attend only to a few subjects so as to do well in them. and a year or two of that kind of mental life. Having commenced this Course seriously. "Somehow or other it seems impossible to focus the mind on anything." No wonder.. if you suffer from it. with no effort to correct the habit in leisure hours. At any moment it may be called back to adjust an error. he is disposed to sidetrack these exercises. Trace Your Own Cause It is of some importance to know what is the cause of your mind-wandering. Attention has got into the habit of distributing itself over a very wide area. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. or to notch a gauge. in chess. and we must not attempt to enlarge it except in proportion as the power of attention is brought habitually under control. in art. Narrow your range. It is a case of too many irons in the fire. We have enrolled students who glory in this fact. because mastery is a worthy ideal as well as a real advantage. Our capacity for versatility is not unlimited. the programme is a continual hop. and jump from one thing to another.. a radical change in method is necessary.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. in church work. That is folly. makes concentration exercises rather difficult at first. but it is soon off again. and many other things. to tighten a screw.COM Too Many "Interests" Then there is the mind-wandering brought about by a profusion of interests.

when young..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. says: "Some of the most efficient workers I know are of the ultra-scatterbrained type." We are bound to admit the type is not very plentiful.COM Should it be traced to a nervous breakdown you cannot afford to put very heavy pressure on yourself at first. it is your duty to do so. may be restless and feel confused. Our mind may enjoy but little comfort. and usually belongs to people who." Some people seem to do very well by this method. has in fact confessed to me that.. Should it be traceable to indolence. and no student should plume himself on belonging to this unusual group. and Prof. One friend. you can then follow a more Spartan regime. you must go slowly and be content with steady progress.NKADOJ@GMAIL. speaking of such men and women. James. "Quick" Intellects The rapidly-working mind is one that is met with occasionally. but I think seriously that no one of us needs to be too much distressed at his own shortcomings in this regard. or to a wrong method of schooling. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . if he wants to get ideas on any subject. and gradually extending the time by five minutes to thirty minutes in each hour. move with a speed that is abnormal. and probably forget them just as quickly. and yet always "on the move. Does Genius "Mind-Wander"? . then having a rest or a change to do something else. "This is perhaps an epigrammatic exaggeration on his part.    Their minds. he sits down to work at something else. could quickly learn their lessons. focused here and there. however often you may fail during the first attempts. They never "continue in one stay. you should time yourself for thirty minutes at once." and can seldom concentrate in the ordinary sense. but it may be extremely efficient all the time. like a searchlight. in fact. They try to make up for the defect by very close attention for brief periods. even now. and resolve to see thing through. Instead of concentrating for ten minutes. his best results coming through his mind-wanderings.. who does a prodigious quantity of work.

announce the solution to the conscious mind.  It is as if they acted intuitively. consisting of men who never seem to ponder some of their problems. which means many hours of really close concentration. It is the ideal method.COM But the type does exist. Henri Poincare. men of genius are not models for the majority of people. it is attainable only by giving each function its appropriate training on the lines of these Lessons.. for most people. How is it done? The answer is twofold: First. memory and imagination. Lesson 04: Concentration and Mental Control (Part Three) . especially when testimony as to their methods is conflicting. Poincare himself.. in them mental functions like analysis. in his Science and Method. later on. then a change to other work or to recreation. without concentrating on the matter and reasoning it out. do not work in semi-separation. With most of us controlled attention is the only way to the achievements that are possible. What Poincare did believe in most strongly was the duty of concentration for a period. the uncontrolled. On the other hand. but unitedly as a whole.. is said to have been one. says that he often worked a whole night at a problem. The late Prof. and this is far removed from the spasmodic. Secondly: these decisions are fine examples of psycho-synthesis. and apparently follow the first notion that comes. famous as physicist and mathematician. and the unstable. much more common. although specimens are few and far between. unstable and uncontrolled—just the qualities which would have made him a writer of novels instead of the writer of profound books on science and mathematics. and would.NKADOJ@GMAIL. About Intuitions There is also another type. They find a solution at once. the idea being an unsolved problem would be solved in the subconscious sphere during the interval. or something with which long experience has made him familiar. and the verdict was that the famous mathematician’s power of abstraction could only be described as flighty. such decisions usually concern a man’s business or profession. Still. His mental methods were closely analyzed by an expert. and. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

recalling similar objects or ideas. or on anything about which you have some knowledge already. its value lies in the opportunity it gives to the functioning of our mental powers. or one idea. Observant Attention . Until we give real attention to phenomena we cannot truly know them. testing theories and accepting or rejecting them. for example. but even a searchlight cannot throw its beams in to the sky without the help of the mechanism which makes light and focus possible. you are unconsciously exercising your memory. or the blue-black ink that flows from it.. singly or as a whole. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. but we propose to do so in order that the reader may grasp the salient facts more firmly. and you will find all these mental processes at work. There is no limitation in it per se. but do not know them. and that is what concentration does for the mind. One can see many things without really seeing them.. or we think so superficially about an idea that it is always vague. even though the phenomena be no more than the pen which we write. It Brings Accurate Knowledge The second advantage of controlled attention is that it brings accurate knowledge. There is no merit in concentration itself. THE ADVANTAGES OF CONCENTRATION It may seem hardly necessary to enlarge further on the importance of the power of concentration. We sense them. The act of attention means that whilst you examine one subject. You are all the time comparing and contrasting.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Concentrate on a new pattern in golf clubs. You are using your imagination in conceiving improvement by change.COM III. as a reconstruction of your thinking will show. Development of the Mental Functions The first and most obvious advantage of controlled attention is that the whole of the mental functions are thereby developed to the limit of their capacity..

are seldom sure whether the animals rise with their fore or hind legs first.. the majority were "sure" that the cats had descended as they were never known to do." Only two hands were raised. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . who have often seen cows and horse lie down and rise. sometimes because a hurried hour is unfortunately selected for the purpose.. The elm-tree has about its leaf a peculiarity which all ought to notice the first time they see it. must summon the will to its aid to concentrate attention. below. There was unanimity of opinion that the cats went up head first. yet only about five percent of a certain school could incorporate this peculiarity in a drawing. Perception.NKADOJ@GMAIL. . and sometimes because time is short and signatures are awaited. and in order to do that had been forced to concentrate their attention upon the animals. Farmers’ boys. When asked whether the cats came down head or tail first. or in front of her horns. although it is so easily outlined on paper. Fifteen pupils were sure that they had seen cats climb trees and descend them. Their owners had drawn cows. Only the smallest part of what falls upon our senses at any time is actually perceived. behind. Lawyer’s Agreements The reading of a lawyer’s agreement is too often done perfunctorily:    sometimes in a spirit of trustfulness.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. to achieve satisfactory results. all of whom had often seen cows: "I should like to find out how many of you know whether a cow’s ears are above. or whether the habit of the horse agrees with that of the cow in this respect. I want only those pupils to raise their hand who are sure about the position and who will promise to give next week’s pocket-money to charity if the answer is wrong. Anyone who had ever noticed the shape of the claws of any beast of prey could have answered that question without seeing an actual descent..COM A master once said to the pupils of a large school.

he can diagnose new circumstances because he is proficient in his knowledge of similarities and differences in connection with his subject. Keep this ideal of mastery before you and you will find that the habit of concentration is the more easily formed. even in winter. not foolish pride or offensive self-assertion. 6. Aim at Mastery It is cheering to know that most of us can be experts in something. Many of us begin life with a lack of training in attention. The Mind of the Expert All the way through life this want of attention exacts its penalties. because his past training has taught him the significance of minutiae as well as having imparted the ability to detect the difference between the seeming and the real. The memory was misinformed because it never received a true knowledge of the most important clause. 5. 2. is to become possessed of a kind of intellectual self-respect. .COM But later. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . however humble. but it is something of a refinement in tragedy to suffer and yet not to know it.NKADOJ@GMAIL. when trouble begins. his mastery is the direct outcome of his concentration. and that the secret of it lies in developing the simple habit of close attention. most of which would have escaped the untrained ear. An expert is one who: 1.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. If he is a man of science he can evaluate a new hypothesis in a convincing manner. not egotism or vanity.. and 3. the want of a little concentrated attention is painfully evident. but a feeling that in some way we have justified the existence of our intelligence by causing it to serve an ideal. If he is skilled in woodcraft he knows the trees by their outlines. To be a master in one sphere of knowledge. If he is a keen musician he can point out the failures and successes of two or more renderings of a pianoforte sonata. and the agreement is taken out of the safe... Over against this ineffective type of mind is that of the expert. 4. has become a master in discrimination. We may not be conscious of them every time we suffer. and we have industriously followed up a false start.

Concentration and Originality The fourth advantage of controlled attention is the aid in which it gives to discovery and originality. If you sow inattention you must not look for a rich harvest of recollections. its outward benefits as well as its inward experiences. We forget a good deal because we never really knew what we now desire to recall. Let your mind wander and you get a mass of vague and unorganized data. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . it was because he was thoroughly versed in strategy and tactics. again. an idea which ultimately opened up a new aspect of warfare. one has to put some conscience into living.. You can make it what you will.. was sketchy. we did not aim at mastery or accuracy." says Pillsbury. To get the best of what the world offers. If the original experience is vague.. This is not so. or the person. It may be taken as a good general rule that attention means memory. . concentrate. If you sow indifference to life. you cannot hope to reap the fruits of a fine sensibility. we meet with the ethical element in mental training—you reap that which you have sown. "All training of memory is through training the attention. the result of the attempt to recall it will be vague also. neither definite nor vivid. No man gets brilliantly original ideas about that of which he has thought little. Here. from which it is too often inferred that they are pure inspirations. New ideas often come unexpectedly and unbidden. and of which he knows nothing at all. and this is nowhere more manifest than in the way in which the valued stores of memory are dependent on the conscientious discharge of the duty of attention. and the mass is changed into a classified and easily recollected whole.    If you sow carelessness you cannot expect to reap accuracy. Your memory power is largely in your own hands. If Napoleon received an inspiration on the battle-field. the idea.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. You cannot recall what you have never known.COM Attention Facilitates Retention The third advantage of controlled attention is that impressions are more securely retained. and therefore completely beyond our control. The first impression of the fact.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

for hours altogether. and to devote the whole mind to some problem calling for solution. Lesson 04: Concentration and Mental Control (Part Four) The Mark of Great Minds It is a commonplace in psychology that one of the chief differences between a mind of great caliber and one of less is this power of concentrated attention.COM The garbage-man is often a valued member of the community.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The Required Preparatory Work . that the one is capable of the application of a more continuous attention than the other. vol. but we do not expect him to show originality in painting or political economy. To quote from Sir William Hamilton: "The difference between an ordinary mind and the mind of Newton consists principally in this. without fatigue.256.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Men whose names are associated with distinctively original conceptions. Newton replied that. Indeed. it was owing more to patient attention than to any other talent. to connect inference with inference in one long series towards their logical end. while the man of inferior quality is soon obliged to break or let fall the thread which he had begun to spin… "To one who complimented him on his genius. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the immediate things of time and space. like Sir Isaac Newton. that a Newton is able. have been remarkable for the ability to forget. he is more likely to have ideas on that subject than anybody else. We do expect him.. if he had made any discoveries.. unless it be the manufacturers. p. 1. to have an open mind for ideas on dustbins with cat-defying lids. however."¹ 1 Lectures on Metaphysics.

 Yet it is equally true that without concentration neither genius nor talent can reach the summit of its possibilities. It was Newton’s genius which was mainly responsible for his power of concentration. In Newton’s case it was:     a sense of profound wonder in the presence of Nature. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . for experience shows that the new idea will often come suddenly and unexpectedly. In the case of James Watt it was a close familiarity with many mathematical instruments and with waterways engineering that formed the basis of his discoveries in steam-power. Concentration gives the creative impulse its full opportunity. An emotional warmth suffuses action.. As Anatole France says in Thais." Relativity of Interest . and a consuming desire to discover the secrets of the heavens.. a deep knowledge of physical force. as in a vision. But it is also true that those new ideas seldom come unless a certain amount of close attention has preceded them. not his concentration which made him a genius. That opportunity may not be fruitful during the period of concentration." But he added three vital words: "first of all.COM This does not mean that any man by concentrating long enough could have made the same discoveries. Carlyle is often quoted as saying that "genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains. the outline of an entirely new machine. They supplied the raw material for the new meditation which the presence of Newcomen’s waterlifting engine stimulated within him. an extraordinary gift for generalization. or indeed during several periods.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." They change the definition completely. "It is not by reflection and intellect but by feeling that we attain to the highest and purest truths. In every genius creation follows the brooding over chaos! In this brooding there is more than dry intellect at work. There is a preparatory condition. perhaps when the mind is occupied with an altogether different matter.. or that by merely focusing on his own affairs an engineer will suddenly see. Both Newton and Watt possessed that aptitude for becoming absorbed. which is really the primary agent in producing new ideas.

 Anything may be interesting in a relative sense—that is to say. for instance. and. The fundamental fact. Circumstances may not permit of delay.. therefore. it scotches irrelevant ideas the moment they intrude their uninvited faces above the threshold of consciousness. although we commonly speak as if it did.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Nothing is interesting in an absolute sense. overbears the primary opposition. with practice and discipline. which it indicates is a certain attitude of mind. Interest does not. it must be admitted that even under the most fortunate conditions a man is frequently called upon to concentrate his attention on matters which are not congenial to his mood. that of two students of equal ability who have undergone similar courses of training. It is not an impasse. Let us be quite clear as to the meaning of this word Interest. having done this.. one may find it easy to immerse himself in Mathematics while he loathes Anatomy. stand for a quality inherent in the object. We may consider the contents of the mind as consisting of: . and the mind is capable. what is one to do? It looks like an impasse. however. a man may depend upon himself to find interest even in the most unpromising material. It gives the initial impulse in a certain direction.       It is here that Will plays its part. moreover. But if it is impossible to concentrate for any considerable time on a matter in which one is not interested. After a while. In such cases it is useless to wait for the distaste to pass away. It serves as a sentry to keep out intruders. of adjustment within a very wide range. and thus to maintain attention in perfect focus. Why is it. it enables one to resist the solicitations that are apt to throng upon one from other quarters. in this matter.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM While the ideal condition is that one should be engaged on work which is naturally attractive. the distaste may grow rather than diminish. based on the interplay of Thought (or judgment) and Feeling. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Some of our students may find it interesting to pursue this question of Interest a little further. in relation to a given individual. Often it is not practicable to do so. and the other is enthusiastic about Anatomy and finds Mathematics repellent? The reason for the difference is bound up in the whole mass of the previous experience of the one and the other.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." to use a word which by some psychologists has been accommodated to this sense Such complexes have grown from a small nucleus by absorption of ideas which they are capable of building up into their substance.   the Will comes into play for the protection of the latter against its powerful rivals.. to master subjects which are uncongenial to them. if you are a lawyer philosophy and theology. In a highly specialized mind. knowledge increases. and the whole structure has become a very elaborate affair. Will. if you are a clergyman medicine. if you are a soldier or sailor Each comprises many minor complexes. but in its direction is the resultant of the mental forces that we segregate under the headings of Thought and Feeling. Interest (that is to say. 2.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM 1. THE MORALS OF CONCENTRATION . if you are a physician strategy and tactics. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . some particular complex has come to dominate the whole personality:     law. in order to qualify for a profession. The larger they have grown the greater has become their power of assimilation and the more greedy are they for new food. As under its shelter. Upon this respect of the matter we would lay special stress for the encouragement of students who are constrained. if it is necessary to foster a minor complex. with the result that. a readiness to attend to a particular matter) increases also. Resistance tends constantly to diminish as the new complex grows stronger by comparison with those that are already well-established. given sufficient motive either of self-interest or of some other instinctive urge. and the mathematician a master of anatomy. which may indeed be counted a thing in itself. a number of "complexes. Against its power of self-assertion. IV. we may suppose.. the anatomist becomes in addition a mathematician. a number of masses of co-ordinated knowledge tinged with emotion..

as will be shown when. and upon this the principle explained in the preceding paragraphs has its bearings.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM The mind of man is an arena in which is being fought out a moral conflict. we must answer at any rate for those that we allow to stay there. we have overcome evil with good. in a later lesson. .    As soon as mental control is thus established. the emotional element is the compelling power.. HOW TO DEVELOP CONCENTRATION The power of interest is of great importance in this connection. Lesson 04: Concentration and Mental Control (Part Five) V. Yet there is a sense in which we are responsible for some at least of our involuntary thoughts. we are so deeply interested in the right thing. The function of the psychologist is to show us how to displace the less desirable thoughts by concentrating on the more desirable. that the other never gets a chance. But there is also an interest which is the offspring of attention. At first they had no interest in the game. that is. and laboriously went round the links in order to fulfill a promise to the doctor.. we try to explore a little the region of the Subconscious. Thus. There are many middle aged men who have acquired a liking for golf..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the plague of unwholesome ideas is at an end. or the thing that is useful. if we are not directly and immediately responsible for the thoughts that enter our minds. active attention springs from interest. As a rule. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

need to acquire the ability to concentrate anywhere.. The chief are: 1. however.. interest began to grow: and. and it may be written down as a law that voluntary attention (i. tends eventually to give place to spontaneous attention. Physical Conditions Ideal conditions include:     a body and a brain in a state that is without pain or fatigue a bodily position that is free from discomfort an atmosphere that is hygienic no distraction(s) arising from continuous and irritating noises It may be said that one cannot always command such conditions. walked after the little white ball. This habit is the ultimate aim of all training. General Conditions of Success Apart from interest. 2. 3. Concentration should be so easy that there is no great sense of effort in applying oneself to any object or idea which calls for attention.NKADOJ@GMAIL. especially. slowly. Journalists. Livingstone tells us that he did all his early studying amid the roar of a factory. is keen on winning a prize. Later. there are certain other conditions on which concentration depends for its success. attention to the game demanded less effort. it is now interest which sustains attention.. The practice of exercises on approved lines. But the majority of men and women can secure most of them.. That is true.e. The transformation of effort into habit. as it grew.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and so far as they cannot do so. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The right physical and mental states.COM But. this middle-aged person who grumblingly. Although in the first place attention created interest. and often angrily. Concentration and Digestion . all can learn to adapt themselves to the actual conditions of their lives. attention depending upon an impulse of the will).

and the whole mind becomes incapable of prolonged attention. the underlying intention of every exercise and of all formal discipline is to develop ease of working. This boy was at the top of his class. into a state of close attention. This is a time which should be given up to reading. It is the same with mental exercises. but their continuance is not assured. . or some kind of social recreation. when answering questions. Mental and Physical Conditions There are some conditions which are partly physical and partly mental. always fingered a particular button on his waistcoat. As already explained. or mental work that is more or less mechanical. You may possibly tempt a tired mind. afterwards.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but a habit of seeking and finding interest in whatever may be the matter at hand.COM Then there is the unwise effort to concentrate immediately after a substantial meal.. Open-air exercise of a non-strenuous nature. to the effect that as a boy at school he was beaten in class by another boy who.. At first he "feels" for his notes. Exhaustion of energy should be followed by a period of repair. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. A beginner with the violin uses finger exercises to give him mastery over that part of the technique. he finds them automatically. the mental are bound to have a good start. by interest. or the collection of facts.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. There are other factors also at work. This is brought out in a story told of Sir Walter Scott. but it is not wise to do so if the time for rest has arrived. so that we may be able to do almost unconsciously what before required much conscious effort. There is the mistake of trying to force concentration upon a mind already tired. A bit of bad news may break in upon our otherwise satisfactory effort. and to some of the more important we shall now direct your attention. Mental Conditions If the physical conditions are right. is often the best way of taking rest and of adjusting bodily conditions to mental needs. We practice in order that concentration may not be a conscious and formal effort.

and so are free to give your whole mind to news or ideas. They complied.. concentrates. and resolves in an effortless manner. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and. and one of the characters in Wells’ "Tono Bungay" found it no longer possible to work in his study after his wife had redecorated it. Hardheaded business men in London and New York have been known to favor a particular chair. He should so train his abilities that he perceives. and in this way we accomplish a true economy of action. But do not depend on it. the great philosopher. remembers. he could not think properly. imagines. Ibsen had curious little images on his desk which he used as ‘helps’ to creative thinking.COM Scott maliciously cut off this button.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. so. You obey its rules unconsciously. when the tower became obscured by the rapid growth of trees. Scott himself went to the top of the class! Kant. and learn to think without it. you would find half-an-hour’s talk ending in exhaustion. when engaged in conversation. If. Ease and Economy The idea is so to obtain the control of thought as to be able to turn attention in any direction we desire. It is a great gain when mental control becomes automatic. After explaining some figures he says: . in which to focus on some problem of sales or accounts. you had to think of the grammar of every expression you used. he asked the city authorities to cut down the trees and allow the old tower to become visible again. or room. This is the condition referred to by Prof. And. Joseph Conrad preferred to write in the bathroom of his new house rather than in the wellappointed library. or outside situation. used to concentrate by gazing through his study window at an old tower..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Whitehead in his Introduction to Mathematics. for once. Dispense with it occasionally. and the result was that the boy could not answer questions in class with his usual faculty: his concentration "help" had gone. the saving of energy is so considerable that every student should try to increase the number of mental powers that may be relied upon to act spontaneously. If you have a "help" of this sort.. seemingly without the other boy’s knowledge. use it.

perfect concentration is unconscious: the mind in a condition of complete focus is unaware of its act of attention. He nurtured that idea until it became a real power.. yielding a kind of knowledge that is vivid and permanent. once a mighty effort. never thinks about the exercises themselves. which would otherwise call into play the higher faculties of the brain. all in a moment. "I must keep my eyes and ears open today.. is now almost a lightning process. that we should cultivate the habit of thinking of what we are doing.NKADOJ@GMAIL. thoroughly. he moves because he must. and now. This is the kind of control that Pelmanism imparts to all its serious students. Today he is hard at work trying to embody it in action. or else he never wondered at all. "Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. but he seldom expresses it in words. when he rises in the morning. but reflective observation became a habit. Ambition is a habit with him. and thinks. and notices." He used to do that once—when he was a learner. It is the same with his thought forces. It is …repeated by all copybooks and by eminent people when they are making speeches. The "Least Effort" in Observation Take observation. Previously he cast about here and there.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. he sees. by the aid of symbolism. even to himself. and he does these things with much greater efficiency than ever before..    The man who has worked through our exercises. wondering what it would be best to "take-up". . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . He has no need to say. we can make transitions in reasoning almost mechanically by the eye. because spontaneous attention and concentration are ready servants of his Will." In other words. The precise opposite is the case. quietly without premeditation. Recollection.COM "This example shows that. until the training began to have its due effect. he observes men and things with a keenness heretofore unknown. He toiled with exercises and methods for a season. Memory has the same story to tell. Then he got an idea with some soul in it.

.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Let us suppose that a task to be performed is the arranging of a local concert. and one that is spoiled by its monotony. What is the best way of accomplishing it? Out of these two questions many others will arise. What is the work to be done. understanding the nature of concentration. you will be master. the hiring of a hall. the practical part of the scheme can be set in motion. which everybody expected would be half filled. and when this is exercised on right lines the concert hall.. Make it a serious business. Success in such an enterprise calls for the use of the imagination. or the aim to be achieved? 2. And to show how practical such mental exercises can be. brochures and tickets. If you resolve to be a master of your mental processes. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . study the following section. Then set to work to create the right habit.NKADOJ@GMAIL.    There is a right method of selecting artists. The Secret of Organization There are two chief questions before every Organizer: 1. and that it devolves upon someone who has had no experience in such enterprises. search for the cause of the trouble. on persistent practice of the exercises. the printing of advertisements. Success depends on: 1. and a wrong one. the engagement of artists. there is a properly varied program. Don’t potter about this with important matter. As often as not. may prove to be too small. and a score of other items. temporarily or finally. Question 2 needs to be applied to every one of these items. e. Question 1 should be answered in minute detail.. it is merely a bad habit.g. as explained in the preceding pages. and 2. and when these two have been answered. You will soon find it.COM Apply This Lesson If your power of concentration is not what it ought to be. you can pay as much for poor artists who have no power of filling the house as for others whose names will crowd it. ..

g. Go to the bottom of the subject. you fail to concentrate. 6. Remember that the adage about "too many irons in the fire" is still true... 5. Avoid the notion that Concentration can become a habit without regular practice. and will. 2. WHAT TO DO Form the ideal: "I can. however ordinary it may appear. choose a subject from the list below as a home exercise in concentration and imagination. Designing and furnishing a three-room ground-floor apartment for a bachelor. The formation of a Literary Society. Avoid the temptation to neglect the causes of your mind-wandering. Avoid superficiality. for the sake of practice. Slipshod. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . An ideal Broadcasting programme—between 6-11 p. 3. concentrate whenever I have occasion to do so. 1. until you are sure that you have grasped every idea contained in it. preparation for an examination.. To know them is to be half-way to success. as well as in organization.COM Everyone has to organize something. at first.m. Let us have done with "muddling through. despite everything.. Resolve to see the thing through. So. Become an expert in something. Hold on to a sentence. Avoid chastising yourself if. the extension of his clientele. "anyhow" methods have gone for good. WHAT TO AVOID Avoid the effort to screw down your powers of attention. e. the furthering of his business." We are now the disciples of system. his personal expenditure. Avoid haste. An improvement in the latest street-crossing rules. a transit from one house to another. and system is method applied to life’s affairs.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 4. Arranging a railway excursion for a party of twenty." Make the attainment of this ideal a matter of conscience and self-respect. .NKADOJ@GMAIL. Applying for a work employment situation.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but it is quite secondary in this connection. and during the whole of that time your attention will not have wandered from the subject. and if you keep on writing about it you are likely to succeed. If you feel you must answer one of your questions. "Did this young man’s belief in his sanity prove it?" 3. Aim at ease in concentration.NKADOJ@GMAIL. will serve the purpose at least as well. Avoid all wandering attentions.. journalism. From the newspaper select some case that offers scope for argument. Your question is: Can a sane man ever commit suicide? Write down your thoughts just as they come. or philosophy. of exploitation of natural resources. What you are aiming at is not literature. Keep your mind on the search. Thus the exercise has justified itself. of social reconstruction.   International complications of the moment (unfortunately it is seldom that some matter of controversy is not pressing). do so.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . analyze the conditions. Suppose it is one in which a youth committed suicide (leaving a letter declaring he was sane). Your present aim is to concentrate on one subject for say a quarter of an hour. "What great men have justified self-destruction?" It is not of course necessary that you should select a case in which crime plays a part.COM If concentrative efforts fail. "Are there any semi-insane people about?" 2. It saves time and energy.. perhaps you will write for twenty minutes or half an hour without difficulty. a question of boundaries. You jot down the question: "What is insanity?" Then almost at once you add: 1. of public finance. but mindtraining. The accuracy of your questions and answers is not unimportant. and in which the jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity. Lesson 04: Concentration and Mental Control (Part Six) EXERCISES Exercise XIV Take a pencil and a sheet of paper.. never mind their lack of sequence.

7. Nevertheless. but control of mental operations. Exercise XVI Paraphrasing. A little discipline of this kind is good for all of us. is not knowledge. Or you may write an analysis.COM Such an exercise should be practiced until the student feels he can do it easily. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 6.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 9. What is the matter with education? Are dustless roads possible The effects of space travel on tourism. And inasmuch as all of us. 3. Have we seen the last war? Exercise XV Choose a subject that strikes you as quite unattractive. as before. Strengths and weakness of Democratic Government. on occasion. 8. 5. The method may be illustrated as follows: Butler in his Hudibras says. asking questions and writing answers.. Does the Press give too much space to Crime Stories? Laws that ought to be abolished. The aim. 4.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. rewriting a sentence or paragraph so as to give the same sense in other words. You will find that. have to concentrate upon some matter which is less attractive than others (for the time being to be kept out of mind) it is important to convince ourselves that it is possible to do so. of course. aim at understanding the author’s meaning. . 2. Be thorough. is an excellent exercise in concentration.. that is. There ought to be no difficulty in finding subjects in the daily press. and concentrate upon it by trying to follow its arguments as set out by the writer whose words you propose to study. but in their absence one of the following topics might be substituted: 1.000 in cash. You had better use the pencil and paper method. a certain glow of interest will make itself felt.as attention is steadily maintained.. How can the world recover its balance? What I would do with an extra 100.

it will practice and improve your powers of selfexpression.." FERRERO. Below we give other passages for this purpose. and. In the case of a passage taken from a classic author you will hardly expect to be able to do so. sentences from books or from newspaper leading articles. to give it direction. it will build up the analytical habit upon which clear thinking depends.. and never take your hand off until the very end. but that is not the point. by rummaging your vocabulary. We have to paraphrase his meaning and thus exercise our powers of concentration. It is not to be supposed that you will always be able to improve upon the original." GUICCIARDINI. You must follow it up.COM "Money. whether it creates beauty. whether it creates riches.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and assuring yourself you understand it. in Modern Unrest. th’ only power That all mankind fall down before. develop your ability in this type of exercise by paraphrasing. orally. .    But the effort will fix your attention. make a note of the number of times you transgress in this way. (2) "The profound fault of modern civilization is that in everything it does not know when to stop. finally. It is not enough to set a business going. Take sufficient time to complete the work. After reading a passage through.. and. (1) "Persistency is everything. but this method will help you in finding new words. try to state its meaning aloud. whether it increases the population. if your mind wanders. it is always carried still farther. Afterwards." or: "One Power only is Supreme—to Money bends every knee. You may not succeed at first." It may be said that Butler was mistaken in his estimate of all mankind. Whether it manufactures munitions." Rewritten it might be rendered thus: "The Money King alone receives homage from all men. whether it searches for truth. and none seems final.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. with as little hesitation as possible. and a start. No result is sufficient.

" You have a strong desire to achieve this end. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. ..NKADOJ@GMAIL..COM LESSON V The policy of advancing the student’s personal interest is pursued further in the Lesson on "The Science and Art of Self-Realization. Mental efficiency and inefficiency are dealt with in detail. and self-realization is success in its best form. and there is an answer to the question: "What is Mental Ability?" Opportunities are afforded for the kind of self--measurement which does not end in depression of spirit.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

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.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Lesson 04: Concentration and Mental Control (Part Seven) ...Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

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Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. but also how it is unlike them.. The younger man was heard to say." The other two walked together in the opposite direction. Each man used forceful gesticulations as he stated his view. on parting. In the pages that follow we shall deal with your mental self. .NKADOJ@GMAIL. We’re all different. or hidden. but in a psychological sense he is right. one of the young men turned and shouted.." This lesson is one about your Self: how it is like the majority of human selves." The older man’s rejoinder was. and Frederick is himself. You have a self to realize. And. "He’s a bit conceited. I am I. "It may be so. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . To an observer at a distance it was evident that their opinions were divergent. not one to be buried. You are you. "I’m different. A later lesson will cover the ground of the social self: the road to popularity.COM Lesson 05: THE SCIENCE & ART of SELF-REALIZATION FOREWARD Two young men and a man of middle age were conversing at a street corner.

however. is not so vile a sin As self-neglecting.. for the body is assuredly a constituent of that separate existence we speak of as "I. my liege.NKADOJ@GMAIL. A poet said: "Man by man was never seen. it is not necessary to engage in meta-physical dissertation. his face. indeed. We may know a man for forty years and yet never see what we call the Ego. he meant that we never really see each other’s self: all we see is the encasing body. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the football field—everywhere.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." In some ways. And the "Self" of this lesson is the larger self of the individual as we find him in the home." Presumably.. the factory. in their relation to outward realities. have been explained and enforced to this end. to contribute certain aids in the work of self-realization. 4. as viewed from the standpoint of the practical man. I. is a compound of body and mind. We shall not avoid references to the mystery of personality. We have now to pause awhile and give some attention to the nature of the Self whose realization we seek: that "I" which is the sum and substance of all we refer to as personal. Be assured. Act 2. the church. the office. . namely. THE SELF AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS The previous lessons of the Course have had one aim." Henry V. it is the one and only visible evidence of the self. but as our purpose is to prepare the way for better action. the "I" within him. A careful survey of the ground we have covered would show the facts of the inner life. We recognize him by these external indications.     We observe his body. The Firm called "Body and Mind" The self.. We notice his actions. that we shall not attempt to draw you into a profound discussion. Sc. Pelmanism is always practical.COM The Science and Art of Self-Realization "Self-love. We hear his physical voice.

like a:     fine poem. every profession is eager to welcome and employ it. and we have more than suggested the dependence of mental energy on the presence of physical energy. it is the key to every kind of success.      Few persons realize that a thoroughly trained and efficient mind is the only universal asset in the world.. and ultimately to the world. You owe it to yourself. Develop the mind and the higher results are inevitable.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Every distinctive achievement. and neglect no opportunity for its development.NKADOJ@GMAIL. or remunerative invention. to realize the combined self. as we know it. We now proceed to turn the student’s attention inwards. On the mental side we shall endeavor still further to remove hindrances to self-understanding and self-confidence: we have prepared the way for an enlargement of external interests and also for an increase of personal power in will and concentration. He should continue the work of acquiring mental efficiency.COM The inner spirit of him is invisible. It is the open-sesame to the best society. Every country. The self. is a body and mind affair and. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . we have provided suitable exercises and urged the practice of them. Even money cannot compete with it. prosperous business. What the Mind Originates Begin your reflections on this subject by a right view of the place of mind in all the affairs of life.    We have emphasized the importance of health and physical culture.. and is powerless without it. Already we have taken steps to do this. To aim at mental efficiency is not a selfish thing. every trade. so that he may grasp the importance of the mental factor. both elements must be taken into account. as was said in Lesson I. to your family. beautiful picture.. …had its first origin in the mind.

a hammer toe.. beautiful eyelashes.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and 2. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . You may have a Roman nose. and in some measure to harness the forces of nature to his ends. Physiology deals with the operations of the body. or that when you sit down to read a book you may begin to think about the sport cricket. Here again. and victory still goes to the most efficient brain and the strongest character. Next.. they say nothing about the bodies of individuals. Yet he has been able to subjugate the animal world. namely: 1. for however clearly Bayliss or Sherrington or Julian Huxley may expound the truths of physiology. To describe some of these properties common to every human intelligence is our first aim. or a double finger-joint. This still involves him. or John Smith’s mind. THE MECHANISM OF MIND We now propose to deal with two very closely connected issues. Transfer the idea into the world of mind and you will see our intention clearly. because they are concerned only with bodies in general. but they make no reference to the fact that you may have a good memory for faces. then essayed to show where your own personal strength lies. however.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. we desire to say something about individual differences. psychology is concerned with the operations of the mind—not your mind.. It is just as if we proposed to give an outline of some of the most important functions of the body. but all minds. . in competition. Lesson 05: The Science & Art of Self-Realization (Part Two) II. an analysis of the chief constituents of mental ability. McDougall and Spearman have devoted themselves to the investigation of the laws that govern mental operations.COM As compared with the rest of the animal creation. but they are silent about these things. the physical analogy helps us. man is the most defenseless animal on the face of the earth and should have been exterminated ages ago. a description of the mental appartus in some of its most important aspects.

3. You cannot use your mind in a manner that could not be classified under one of these three headings. What word best describes this state of mind? Thinking. in the main.. where comparisons with English are made he must trace the analogies. because of certain advantages that will accrue. that is. there are a number of truths which we are reasonably certain.COM These are individual matters.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. He has a strong desire. and. Now Feeling. He must understand what the text-books say.. and. We know that the Mind is a Unity. 1. Here is a youth who is very anxious to learn the Russian language for commercial purposes. and 3. and next. Now we propose to render you such a service in this Lesson. personally. that somebody should deal with them. that of the psychologist who explains the laws of mind. We will now suppose that he has set to work to memorize the grammar and vocabulary in the time-honored fashion. 2. What word best describes his state of mind? The word Feeling. although a psychologist cannot possibly deal with individuals when writing a treatise. it is of the utmost importance to you. 2. undoubtedly. that of the doctor who prescribes for the ills from which you suffer. Now Russian is not an easy language. a deep longing to master Russian. our student may become discouraged. he exerts his Will. in other words. we shall in a sense combine two functions:   first. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Thought and Will are the three chief forms in which the human mind manifests itself. he must remember the rules. Every mental product is. For instance: A. He finds many difficulties and is obliged to concentrate closely. Unity of Mental Function What do we know about Mind? Amid much that is extremely mysterious. What then? After a struggle he resolves to persevere and to obtain complete mastery..NKADOJ@GMAIL. as the difficulties increase. 1. or .  a Feeling. Take an illustration from the learning of languages.

and you will be called upon to defend your person against a counterattack. Feeling. but Thought is not absent. that enables us to recognize this threefold distinction? It is experience of a momentary preponderance of one or another of the three functions.. and you realize that the excuse you made. Note that very carefully. "is this matter so important after all? What has it to do with my mental training?" Its importance lies in this fact: that it has a direct bearing on your mental development.e." If I ask you to recall the events of yesterday you cannot comply without using your powers of concentration and reproductive imagination. and Feeling is also to be discerned in the desire to review the whole matter. Besides. He is thinking about you. But there is only one Mind.. very rapidly. Three Functions Interact What is it. But. is also clearly manifest. and you cannot use these powers without the exercise of Will. and is seen in the tactics adopted by the enemy to fight you into a corner and have you at his mercy. or even three distinct and separate compartments of the mind. There are not three minds.. But Thought is not absent." is no justification. It is decidedly present.. memory is not a single "faculty. Thinking is preponderant. Will is present in the guidance of your Thoughts.NKADOJ@GMAIL. When it is all over. and you sit down at home to reflect. In that event Will is preponderant. Psycho-synthesis: Its Meaning "But. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "he has no right to wear a straw hat in March. and it is just possible that in a second or two Will may assert itself. you know that that man’s mind will be supercharged with Feeling—a feeling of anger and indignation will preponderate. i." argues a critic. . in the form of desire to recall.COM   a Thought or an act of Will. but one mind variously manifest.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. For instance. even so. If you approach a man in the street and deliberately knock his straw hat into the mud. of course. then.

not only in matters intellectual but moral. You see a man at the top of his profession. we feel humiliated by the comparative futility of our own lives. The man who stands in the dock (courtroom) charged with embezzlement owes his position. to some faulty relation between Feeling. but it is there. It is the function of Psycho-synthesis (the method of training developed by the Pelman Institute and contained in this Course). When we read a narrative of cruelty we have the Feeling of an indignation that makes us change countenance. to bring harmony out of these discords of the mental and moral nature. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Meanwhile. and as he was at school with you (but always near the bottom of your class). and infirmity or distortion of Will. or are stirred to emulation. Feeling in the form of desire is always urging us forward to action. First. primarily.NKADOJ@GMAIL. or to a wrong environment. these intimate connections show the importance of a proper realization of the mind’s unity.   You see a beautiful house on a hillside in the country.. We know that Feeling is the Most Fundamental of our Psychical Functions.     When we study the stars we have a Feeling of the immensity of space and of vast worlds unnumbered. . Take another aspect of the subject as seen in Desire.. what is meant by Feeling or Emotion?—for we shall use both words as if they meant the same thing. When we stand by the graveside of one who lived strenuously or died nobly for the sake of his fellow men. deciding for or against every scheme for which a plea is made. and Thought sits in judgment. Feeling is Fundamental B.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. you see no reason why you should not equal him— especially as you were always at the top. Intellect and Will.. For departures from honesty—even carelessness in work—point to misapplication of Thought. The relation may be faulty owing to a bad inheritance. When we look upon an exquisite painting or listen to a finely rendered song or symphony we feel emotion of the kind called aesthetic. and you long to have one like it.

Coleridge and Shelley. Byron.. But it is clear that the atrophy of these tastes was felt by him as a personal loss.NKADOJ@GMAIL." Darwin’s candor and modesty in this place are refreshing. is certain to suffer loss. and music very great delight. it is important in its bearing on mental training. although he possessed scientific imagination. Darwin on Himself It follows. What a sorry affair it often is when your narrow-minded or one-idea’d person is called upon to address a gathering on any subject other than business! He can hardly string three sentences together. Gray. I have also said that formerly pictures gave me considerable. W. for instance. and. that anyone who neglects this aspect of his mentality. It would take us too long to trace the "Natural History of the Intellect. I have also almost lost my taste for pictures and music. but the position just assigned to Feeling is not only true in theory. What has music or poetry or painting to do with it?" A great deal. Darwin. poetry of many kinds. we know at once that he sacrificed a part of his mind in the pursuit of knowledge. or beyond it. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . You may not think so at first. it may be that a more systematic training in literature and in art would have given him even greater efficiency for the co-ordination of the facts he had so brilliantly observed. but it is. permitted himself a lamentation in the following words: "Up to the age of thirty. and even then they have no really intelligible connection with the subject in hand. his Feelings.COM Now this deep. varied.. Emerson’s phrase.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Feeling and Culture We imagine we hear a reader saying. . and complex life of Feeling is older and more profound than the life of Thought. and the establishment of a great theory. "But I am taking this course of training in order to help me to increase my income. therefore. "But now for many years I cannot endure or read a line of poetry." to use R. and. gave me great pleasure. after reading this confession.. such as the works of Milton. Wordsworth.

but useful in business. that your neglect of the imagination in matters of art. . and who take on a new consciousness as Oliver Hood. poetry. That is a statement which in these days needs no proof. music. you would be dressed one morning. because retention and use of experience would be impossible. Remember the aim of Pelmanism: a synthetic working of all functions in the individual in relation to the environment in which he may be placed. increase that power for business purposes? It will increase it. and Daniel Clay. Suppose you should lose your memory—not in the relative but in the full sense—what would be your mental condition? You could have no intelligence.. The result is that he loses prestige. but the latter has a margin for things that have no immediate cash value. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but the next morning when your clothes were brought to you they would have no meaning: you would stare at them blankly. and he scores in consequence. will give you additional imaginative powers in business? Will the cultivation of any power outside business. We know that without Memory there can be no Intelligence. Success in business is due to a large extent to a scientific use of the imagination. where a well-informed man would gain it. but only partially. Both are keen enough in concluding bargains.. For instance. for you would not remember having seen them before. therefore. Is it likely. or which he aspires to reach.NKADOJ@GMAIL. But those cases we read about in the press are cases of men who have not lost memory completely. Even within his profession or trade a man is judged very largely by what he knows outside it.COM He is frequently at a loss on social occasions when he might show another and more agreeable side of his nature. painting.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Memory and Mind C. They are men who are suddenly deprived of their consciousness as John Smith and William Brown. It is true indeed that a man may lose his memory and yet lead an intelligent life under the impression that he is somebody else.

Untrained senses mean little knowledge and that of poor quality. silent as the tomb. You could see nothing and hear nothing.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. we reap what we have sown.. representing years of study. writing and arithmetic. . that there can be no true mental life without memory. trained senses mean wider knowledge of the best type. We repeat. Therefore. We know that in the mental sphere.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the knowledge of language and of the common things of life. therefore. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and in our handling of that subject we show:   how both its defects can be remedied and how the power of recollection may be developed on psychological lines. We know that since most of our knowledge comes through Sight and Hearing.COM But the great mass of acquired knowledge remains: the arts of reading. Imagine the loss of sight and hearing. Is there any need to prove that most of our knowledge comes through the senses of sight and hearing? You can easily prove it to yourself. is a very different thing from what we were supposing. Importance of Sense Training D.. even while it lasts. the full activity of these senses is an important element in mental growth. The logic of the situation is this: If most of our knowledge comes through sight and hearing. we must train the eye to see and the ear to hear. You are already practicing exercises for this purpose. remain intact. for instance. and think what a closed-in existence you would live. yours would be a world that was black with a darkness deeper than that of night. All you could do would be to feel your way about with your hands and feet. Cause and Consequences E. the wider and the more discriminating will be the range of our experience. then the better trained those senses are. as in the physical. Such a loss of memory.

likewise. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Mental Sowing and Mental Reaping Psychology has the same story to tell. be carried on into the future. This is not preaching: it is science. The kind of mental life we are living now will decide the kind of mental life we shall live in the years to come. Therefore (as William James advises) we should. certain effects have been left behind which he carries in his constitution. and what you did. If a trader has had several attacks of a tropical fever. or neglected to do. What you are to-day is due to what you were. What you will gain from Pelmanism will. for a developed power continues its efficiency if kept alive by practice. A poignant bereavement may reduce one’s brains to a state of inertia. all the more reason why we should put as much care into the training and preservation of the mental powers as we put into the training and preservation of the physical powers. there are events for which we are not solely responsible. and guard against growing into ways that are likely to be disadvantageous to us as we should guard against the plague.    A nervous breakdown may follow an effort to save a declining business. "make automatic and habitual as many useful actions as we can.. An accident to the body may rob the mind of its pristine vigor.COM To put it another way.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. But in these no less than in other circumstances the law is inexorable. We bear in our bodies the benefits of a previous physical training and effort. Thus the attention we give to games and recreation during the years from 14 to 20 renders us valuable services when we have a strenuous period in the thirties.. therefore." . The process is continuous throughout. we should affirm that all mental history is continuous—like physical history. Another aspect of this truth is seen in the case of a sufferer from small-pox. There is. for the pitted marks on his skin will go on reproducing themselves according to the laws of physiology. in years gone by.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Of course. But the law of cause and effect works for good as well as for evil.

we know that to achieve any kind of permanent success that there must be a balance between Character and Intellect.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and even when he escapes conviction he may have to suffer the contempt of those whose good opinion he would value. and the language of their psalm-writer is echoed in our midst to-day. he is sometimes caught and his doom is sealed. Wells’ imagination. Wells showed them as possessed of superlative intellects but without heart... True." and in them the finer feelings of humanity had never come into existence.. were an extraordinary clever people. but his picture of highly developed unmitigated intelligence is one we should not have like to have missed. G. Wells? If so. for lack of which many civilizations have perished in the past. The Jews noticed the fact. their growth had been such that they had "run to brains. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . But these Martians appear to have had no moral conceptions. consequently their warfare was ruthless: they were not supermen but super-devils. Mr. their implements of warfare were so overpowering that even one Martian was almost a match for an entire naval squadron. some three thousand years ago. and lamented it. and a mental annuity for the years to come. Probably there are no Martians at all outside Mr. . Wickedness and its Alleged Prosperity The "prosperity of the wicked" is an old story. it emphasizes the need of balance between mental ability and moral principle. who invaded this planet. you will remember that the Martians. Character and Intellect F. Did you ever read The War of the Worlds.COM Disciplined effort to-day will bring you efficiency to-morrow. and the crafty man takes good care to keep on the right side of the law. But why rail against it? Is it not patent that in our imperfect world a supremely clever but rather tricky individual can amass money more quickly than a conscientious man with a sense of honor and decency? There are all sorts of dishonesties for which there is no legal redress. Finally.NKADOJ@GMAIL. by H. It helps us to form a regulative measure.

. it is pleasant to know that there are thousands of men who prefer to earn a smaller income while safeguarding their honor and self-respect. ...NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Though the chances of making dishonest money are still too many. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . scruples are thrown to the winds. moral disaster in the first place. or the ambition to create a family name of national and international distinction overpowers him. there is a tremendous plunge. and the result is disaster.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. That the superior ability which nature and experience have bestowed upon some men is prostituted to the pursuit of gain by dubious means is owing to the lack of adjustment between intellect and moral principle.      The desire for great fortune consumes a man. the sense of all finer considerations is lost. Most of the great tragedies of commercial and professional life come from the lack of such a balance. sometimes followed by monetary and social collapse.

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Lesson 05: The Science & Art of Self-Realization (Part Three)

III. WHAT IS MENTAL ABILITY? We now turn from Mind in general to your mind in particular. Suppose we were to ask you the question, "What is Mental Ability?" could you answer it satisfactorily to yourself and to others? A definition is needed, because the development of ability is one of the aims of this Course. Mental ability is defined, by Pelmanism, as: 1. 2. 3. 4. that emotional response to stimuli which causes the intellectual comprehension of a problem, leads to appropriate action, and so to a successful issue.

There are three factors here: 1. Energy, due to interest, which, in its turn, is due to internal or external stimulus; 2. Intelligence, i.e. brain power pure and simple; and 3. Action, or Will-power. Let us analyze these three. Energy occupies the primary place; other words sometimes used are inward urge, zeal, and enthusiasm, but more particularly, sensibility. In measuring your mental ability, or that of any man or woman, you have to decide first of all:


what is the depth and power of feeling, or emotion, as evidenced by 1. a purpose, 2. an ambition, 3. an inward urge, toward some aim which is to be achieved, or by the measure of sensitiveness to the existence and nature of a given problem.

It may be that the urge is:

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    

to expand in business, to paint pictures, to relieve the lot of the oppressed, to get into politics, or it may be simply to do well, or better, the work you are doing now.

The chief point is: that mental ability is primarily emotional. All the other powers—those we call purely intellectual—may be said to form the machinery of mind; the inward urge is the force that drives it.

Questions to be Answered But how are we to decide whether we possess urge, zeal, sensitiveness, or stimulus? By a little self-analysis. For instance:
   

Have you had, from the earliest years, a definite tendency toward some line of thought or action? Is there anything you can do really well? Did you desire to follow your present calling? What is it you want to be, or to do, more than anything else in the world?

Answers to these questions may be infinite in variety, but if you can say positively that you take a deep and lasting interest in some sphere of thinking, or of practical work, you will be more capable of developing ability in that direction than in any other.

"Brain" Power Now the second element in mental ability is usually regarded as containing the whole of what we mean by the possession of "brains." The power to:
  

create a vast business, or solve a profound problem in mathematics, or discover a great law like that of Relativity,

—is said to be the offspring of Thought, but every success in thinking has two accompaniments: the inward urge, and hard work.

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We have known men who for sheer brains were difficult to match, but they had no enthusiasm for anything in particular; it is as though they had been born lazy. To get the success you want, all your functions must work together in complete harmony.

Work—Ability We have called the third element Work, or Action. It simply means the effort you make to carry out the ideas you have arrived at through thought in connection with the enthusiasm which moves you. To feel and to think are two parts of the process: to will is the final component. Action completes desire. Looking at the three constituents in their unity, we see that in spite of some complexity they are simple as to fundamentals. In popular phrase, mental ability has three constituents: 1. driving power, 2. a good engine, and 3. hard work and perseverance. We can see now why some clever men seem to be failures:




They have splendid engines (i.e., brains) but: 1. no force, 2. no perseverance, 3. no power for hard work. Other men have less ability, but with plenty of "pep," so to speak, and a will to conquer, they leave their cleverer colleagues far behind.

A thoughtful writer has said that, "a great exclusive interest in, or an intense desire for a certain object, joined to a little ability, can accomplish much more in that direction than a great ability guided by a feeble interest." The man with little ability but intense enthusiasm is sometimes mistaken for a genius.

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Lesson 05: The Science & Art of Self-Realization (Part Four)

IV. TWO PRIMARIES: CONFIDENCE AND WORK To obtain the best results two conditions must be fulfilled. These are embraced in the words "confidence" and "work." Few things are so fatal to achievement as doubt and self-distrust. You may climb safely to any height on a steeplejack’s ladder so long as you retain absolute confidence in your own power, but the moment you begin to feel nervous of yourself, giddiness may supervene, and you will be in danger of falling. Therefore, we say, continue this course of training with boldness, trusting us and trusting yourself. Your mental abilities are probably better than you thought they were. You may still imagine that you have a poor memory. As a matter of fact, your memory may be quite normal, and a normal memory has great possibilities. The defect of which you complain is not so much in your memory as in your use of it. Feel certain in yourself that, however unlikely it may appear to you at the moment, you have the material, and we have the means of showing you how to employ it to your utmost advantage.

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Progress By Effort For success in realizing the Self, there is one other qualification even more important than confidence, and that is work; work in the sense of effort. Continued effort is the price we have to pay for progress. You have already made up your mind to achieve mastery. This means work, and work is the easier if we realize the extent to which the issue of success or failure in life depends upon the full development of mental efficiency.

The Value of Mental Efficiency To the scholar, the statesman, the student, the scientist, and the teacher, the value of mental efficiency is self-evident. Its paramount importance is less obvious, though not less real, for those engaged in commercial pursuits, or occupations in which physical effort plays a larger part. For the student, mental efficiency means not only more perfect apprehension and recollection but also an immense saving of time, which is set free for further work. To the business man the benefits are no less great; since a power to:
     

grasp details, hold them in the mind, compare them, remember prices, contracts, with the names, addresses, and peculiarities of clients, the extent of stock in hand at the moment, and foresee the probable future movements of markets,

…must clearly give a man an inestimable advantage over competitors. Here we may point out that the marketing of goods or of ability (salesmanship) is governed by mental laws which need to be understood if they are to be effectively applied. Every achievement is first of all an idea; each visible successful act is primarily an invisible thought. Consequently, right thinking—in the broad sense—means right action; and it is for this reason that mental efficiency is the foundation of every other kind of efficiency. Organize Your Time

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You know what leisure you have after the day’s duties are done. If it be little, there is all the more need to work according to a time-table. If you have not already done so, draw up a weekly plan. Some of this time will be earmarked for social engagements, and the importance of these from more than one point of view must be recognized. Every allowance being made for these, there still remains many free hours and these should not be wasted. Let us suppose that you have evenings only from 6 p.m. You need your evening meal and some form of recreation. You need also to map out your time in relation to Pelmanism and other literature. No one can decide those matters for you, but if you can begin with Pelmanism at 7:30 and go onto 8 or 8:30, then turn to the book you are in the course of reading, and finally take a brisk walk before turning in the night, you are dividing your hours wisely between work and play. In this way throughout the week you know what you have to do and the time for doing it is set apart. Interruptions will sometimes occur, and you will have to cancel part of your programme, but in the long run systematic work will bring its own reward. A wise teacher has said, "We all know men who would be transformed if they only knew what to do with themselves when not at work."¹ 1 Aristotle on Education, by Prof. John Burnet. V. CAUSES OF MENTAL INEFFICIENCY Whatever handicap a man may suffer on account of a parentage which might have been better than it was, he may be certain of this: that the success of his future is largely in his own hands. No doubt it is good to be "well-born" in the sense of coming from a healthy stock, but scores of men have overcome the handicap of a poor heredity. So if the reader is afraid that his parental inheritance is responsible for his:
   

mind-wandering, defective memory, changeability of disposition, and lack of interest,

…he can at once disabuse himself of the notion.

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He should remember that his forbears are as numerous as the sands of the sea, and that fine positive qualities which have remained latent through many generations are awaiting an invitation to activity in him.

Defective Education Wrong methods of teaching, where they exist, wrong ideals of education, haste to attain results, the practice of crowding the young mind with ill-assorted knowledge, have a direct effect in the atrophy of the reasoning powers. The sense of "why and wherefore" sometimes has too little chance of development in the rush for acquiring information and the effort to remember it for examination purposes, and, as has been said, in "the training of boys, like race horses, to win scholarships." In no way is the injury more evident than in the stunting of creative thought. A large number of our students attribute:
  

their mind-wandering, their defective memories, and their lack of originality,

…to the bad mental habits fostered by out-of-date school methods. This opinion we have reason to believe is shared by the most enlightened of the devoted men and women who adore the teaching profession; an increasing number of whom, year by year, we are glad to remark, enroll themselves among the students of Pelmanism.

Lack of Self-Discipline Again, lack of discipline after the school years and up to the age of 25 often gives rise to mental inefficiency. Whatever advantage school routine has offered, in the way of attention to prescribed lessons at certain hours, is in that period frequently lost. There is no longer a master to supervise effort outside the round of daily duties; reading becomes an indulgence of curiosity rather than a fixed plan for the training of intelligence. Thus, at 25, or later, men and women find themselves unable to concentrate, because they have not continued the mental discipline which in their case the school may have begun. They have developed certain bad habits, intellectually; and consequently they need a course of training by way of corrective.

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Other Causes Illness, particularly of a nervous kind, is another source of mental inefficiency—concentration and memory being the functions that suffer most. In such cases, physical and mental remedies should be used together, cautiously, slowly and hopefully. Any kind of negative suggestion, such as "I don’t think my memory will ever improve," is of course prejudicial to success, and any kind of physical neglect will exert a mischievous influence on the powers of the mind. There should be,
 

first, a strong determination to become physically fit; next, a re-training of the defective functions on scientific lines,

…care being taken not to press the exercises too keenly, for over-exertion would defeat the end in view.

Lesson 05: The Science & Art of Self-Realization (Part Five)

VI. AGE IN RELATION TO MENTAL EFFICIENCY "Am I too old to increase my mental efficiency?" This is a serious question, which many an after-forty reader addresses to himself and to us; occasionally we receive the question from a man of 35. The answer a man generally gives himself is, "Yes, I am too old." Often this is a mere excuse for mental indolence. The answer we give is neither yes nor no. First, the age limit for mental efficiency depends on the individual. If a man allowed his mind to run to seed, it will naturally take him longer to remedy the defects from which he suffers; but he can, at least, stop the mental drift that has set in; he may, indeed, recover a good deal of what he has lost—a result which he ought, as matter of conscience, to secure. If, on the other hand, the man of 50 has kept his intelligence active, he is justified in believing that he can increase his mental acumen. The results of inquiry into this matter show that many of the world’s great men have done their best work after the age of 50. A lady once remarked to Professor Emile Boutroux, the famous French philosopher, "I do not believe in age." Boutroux, in writing to the Pelman Institute about it, says that there is no

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doubt we take age too seriously, in expecting decreased powers at 55, 60, 65, or some later age; that experience shows that with proper care age has not as much say in the matter as we had been led to imagine. The point is more precisely treated by Professor A.I. Gates, who in his Psychology at Work says that, "there is evidence that many school subjects such as history, science, philosophy, economics, literature, and others may, in considerable measure, be learned more effectively after 35 than before… There are probably some industrial and business enterprises in which the adult above 40 can excel persons of younger years."

VII. THE COURSE IS PERSONAL Some students have asked the question: "Do I not need a Course special to myself?" The question is natural, for it would appear to be impossible by means of one Course to supply the needs of men (and women) so different as, say, a lawyer, a butcher and a bricklayer. But if these three men were suffering from the same bodily disease, they would usually get the same kind of medical treatment, simply because all human bodies function in the same way. There is an analogy in the world of mind. A memory weakness in these three men calls for treatment on identical lines, because every mind works according to mental laws. The fact that a lawyer’s cases form very different material from a butcher’s prices, or the bricklayer’s duties, does not affect the issue. In every instance the same kinds of operation are performed; and they are expressions of the human mind in its efforts to think. Dr. J. G. Hibben, of Princeton, has stated in brief form the essentials of the art of thinking:— "To know the various devices by which a mass of bewildering facts may be reduced to order and system:
     

to discover the trail and follow it to the heart of an unknown region; to command a situation by understanding it; to see the point; to interpret aright what is only implied or suggested; to know where to place the emphasis; to discriminate between what is essential and what is accidental—

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that is the art of thinking!"¹ 1 A Study of Prejudice, p.127. Your Unsuspected Self PELMANISM endeavors to develop the personal powers of every one of its students, recognizing the diversity of individual qualities and needs. Only by a realization of yourself can you attain to the foremost rank of success. It is safe to assert that never since the beginning of the world have any two men or women possessed precisely the same characteristics. You are unique, and in that very fact lies most of your value to society.
    

In the world of business, in the world of science, in the world of art, in the world of thought, in the world of pleasure,

…every day and on every hand, one great cry of need goes forth, the cry for originality. If only you would hear it aright, it is the cry of the world for you. Unsuspected, perhaps, as yet by yourself, there is in you some power, some combination of qualities which no one but yourself possesses, and the world wants you to use that power, those qualities, for its benefit. Because you alone can fill this need the world will pay you, and pay you generously, to do so; but it will have little use and still less pay for you if you permit your originality—which in the true sense means the expression of your realized self—to remain inarticulate. We are not inviting you to develop an unhealthy self-assertion, or to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think; we are only asking you to be faithful to all your possibilities. This may lead to distinction, or they may not; but that, after all, is not the point. Fidelity to your self is a high duty; and obedience may be as meritorious in a position of comparative obscurity as it is in the halls of fame. Are you awake, and alert in every activity which promotes the well-being of body, mind and soul? WHAT TO AVOID

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Avoid the tendency to allow your resolutions to crumble; just continue in the spirit with which you began the Course. Avoid the complaint that you are a born "mind-wanderer." You may be, but conquer the habit by discipline. Hundreds have succeeded before you. Avoid "skimming." Go over every lesson until you know it. Avoid the "know-it-all" spirit. Be ready to learn. Avoid being satisfied with a half-knowledge of anything. Be thorough. Avoid misconceptions. Remember that the formal exercises we prescribe will, if practiced, enable you to do unconsciously what required at first a conscious effort.

WHAT TO DO In all mental training, effort should be carried out in a rational manner. Therefore, however diligently you work, see to it that your mind has its periods of "play." The four words in this Lesson which should be mastered in all their ramifications, are: Efficiency, realization, psycho-synthesis and ability. Test your knowledge by self-questioning. Use your leisure hours wisely. If you still suffer from mind-wandering, make it a matter of conscience, of pride even, to work for certain prescribed hours with real concentration. Remember that mental training involves moral training. The virtue Perseverance is really the power of concentration in one of its many forms of expression.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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Lesson 05: The Science & Art of Self-Realization (Part Six)

EXERCISES Exercise XVII The first question which a thoughtful student addresses to himself, after reading the preceding pages, is this: "Am I, or am I not, taking steps to recognize all the possibilities in me? "If I am not, where is the defect and how can it be remedied?" To assist in the answering of these questions we have drawn up a simple questionnaire. A. Physical. 1. Am I damaging a good constitution by careless living? 2. Do I give proper attention to the fundamentals of health: diet, the right liquids, deep breathing, exercises, games and recreation? 3. Have I any special physical gift—such as speed or a fine sense of balance—which is not doing all it could for me? 4. Is my physical energy intermittent and not as regular as it ought to be? B. Mental. 1. Am I giving my abilities I know I possess a fair share of my time for purposes of development, or am I leaning too much on past records? Or am I about to become like the tennis player who complacently regarded his prowess in last year’s games, and by neglecting practice lost miserably to a new and more enthusiastic player? 2. Have I a mental readiness to experiment in new directions so that hidden abilities, if they exist in me, shall be revealed? 3. As between the life which is supplied with pleasures, and that which is dutiful yet sometimes dull, do I too often yield to the attractiveness and ease of agreeable sensations as against the life which though not disagreeable is one with periods of rigid discipline? In short, am I becoming "soft," and thus failing to realize myself? 4. Am I seeking—and finding—a balanced mental life, with Feeling, Thinking, and Willing in proper proportions? Or is there too much effervescence and froth in the form of excessive sensation and perception; that is, seeing and hearing much but without due reflection, and with the will in a state of inaction?

 Cultural. part and parcel of success? 5.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the virtue of intellectual honesty? Or am I forgetting such things in the search for other things? 2. If all knowledge is power. Busy as I am. or do I realize with La Bruyere that "manners which are neglected as small things are often those which decide men for or against us"? 4. Have I for my personal guidance a sense of the values of existence? I mean those things which are worthy but which have no cash value—e. not to say trivial. is my knowledge of business and affairs always advancing. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . or religion? If I neglect these sources of inner contentment. believing them to be effeminate. can I hope to realize my higher self? .COM 5. 1. such as the enlargement of mind and soul by means of poetry. systems. so that I may advance with it? 6. Do I become stale too often and too easily? 7. 1. or do I believe that good talking may be good business? 3.. as such. Am I forgetting the reflex-influence of social life on business and the professions? Is not the knowledge of people. or rules? 4. Do I keep an eye on the signs of the times in the business I am engaged in. How much am I losing by a lack of affability when in society of other people? Or what did I gain in one year’s determined efforts to try the virtue resident in "the soft answer" as a remedy against wrath? 2. Commercial. what is the reason. Am I conscious of an emotional drive in the direction of achieving my aim in life? Or have I forgotten it? Or is it still there but inactive? 2.. If I am lacking in the sociable spirit. 1. Have I reached the possible maximum in my present calling? E. for changes. Have I access to the best guide books in all subjects so that I do not waste my time on second-rate volumes? C. Have I a rather ill-concealed contempt for good manners. Have I developed the habit of looking for opportunities of improving processes.NKADOJ@GMAIL. i. do I give really good service to things as they are? 5..g. Social. desirable as it is. Do I look down on the art of conversation as a something that is socially artificial. have I drawn a margin down the side of my life and reserved it for spiritual ends.. art. Meanwhile. new developments. and how can I remedy the fault? D. new chances? 3.e. methods..

and they press forward to realize the larger self. They grow. in the amount of attention bestowed. In some cases the latter will be more numerous than the former. You are asked to complete it.. but what if the interpretation is wrong? and what if a lack of selfknowledge has allowed defects to escape unnoticed? Those students. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . How many hours a week do I give to serious reading and meditation? If my time is so occupied that very little remains for this. and it demands attention—like any other kind of culture: agriculture. yet very often these are the cases which eventually are the most successful. To go through a questionnaire and feel that it does not hit you anywhere is possibly a cause for self-congratulation.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. therefore. Be generous. on the other hand.. Self-expression Self-abasement Self-assertive Self-control Self-culture Self-educated Self-righteous Self-abnegation Self-condemned Self-complacency Self-confident Self-denial Self-evident Self-sacrifice ..COM 3.NKADOJ@GMAIL. They see the self as it is. or horticulture. Exercise XVIII Draw up a list of words which are directly connected with the idea of Self. can I revise my hours so as to give more time to so estimable a source of self-culture? The result of a thorough self-examination on these lines will be two-fold: there will be reasons for satisfaction and reasons for dissatisfaction. As an indication of what we mean a brief list is given below. All growth is an adjustment of one fact to other facts in a close working association. who are prepared to be candid with the inward monitor have a better chance of forging ahead.

Questions for Self-Practice In your Note Book write answers to the following questions: that is. Is there a difference between a man who is opinionated. What is our guide in all matters of self-repression and self-expression? 5. as fully developed. and yet continuously selfdenying? If so. in the writing of advertisements. It concerns your personal development in a manner which is peculiarly intimate. and a man who is conceited? If so. and a few rather subtle—which have a practical bearing on the subject of this lesson. Is it possible for a man to be continuously self-assertive. The self-sacrifice which causes a man to renounce his immediate personal interests for what he believes is a higher good has been called true self-expression? Do you agree? 4.. cannot but be of deep interest to you. . some of them slight. or the unconscious. and in addressing appeals to the public. is to trace the differences of meaning—some of them obvious. The second aim is to show the importance of studying words in associated groups. Is there.g. after due research and reflection: 1... and we invite your attention to the exposition and exercises provided.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . a higher self? Or is the term merely an indication that the one self is growing better? PELMAN LESSON VI That part of your mental life which is called the subconscious. really and truly. how? 3.NKADOJ@GMAIL. It is a preparation for work—as business men now know. Words govern the imagination.COM The first aim of this Exercise. what? 2.. This is not an academic study. e.

.COM .. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

COM ...Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ....Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

NKADOJ@GMAIL....Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Lesson 05: The Science & Art of Self-Realization (Part Seven) .

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM ..

NKADOJ@GMAIL...COM ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...COM ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ..NKADOJ@GMAIL..

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Lesson 05: The Science & Art of Self-Realization (Part Eight) .

..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM .. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..COM .. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...

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NKADOJ@GMAIL. to protect Unconscious Thought from unfavorable influences. when you are asleep. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. so far as this is possible..COM Lesson 06: YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS LIFE FOREWARD The following pages contain much that is very important in the training of your mental powers.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. A third reason is that this Subconscious Mind (so termed for want of a better expression) influences conduct in a subtle manner. Another reason is that your Abilities. . and steps should be taken. and we must ask you to give its teaching your close attention. The life that is lived beneath the mind’s conscious level is one that affects:  your general ideas. one of which is that you do some of your thinking without knowing you do it. are often more alert than when you are awake. It is important for several reasons.. These and other points will be carefully considered in the Lesson.

 If we suppose for argument’s sake that he knows a million facts or details. they respond immediately and present themselves within the focus of consciousness. and the words "coconscious. and it has a great deal to do with our success and our general welfare.. yet so soon as the call is made. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . a kind of memory chamber where the experience and gains of the past are stored." It may be truly said that man does not live by consciousness alone. as to the terms we shall use.." "subliminal. although that particular group may be succeeded by others in rapid succession. then of this vast number only a small group can be present in consciousness at a given moment.NKADOJ@GMAIL. There is a hidden world within us. but the word "unconscious" often conveys the same idea. like the ever-changing views on the screen of a picture theater. SUB-CONSCIOUS First. The word "subconscious" means "below the level of consciousness"..COM    your attitude to the world. The Ante-Chamber of Memory A man is not conscious of all he knows at one and the same moment." "foreconscious.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. CONSCIOUS vs. all we want to make clear is the fact that certain operations of thought are outside our normal consciousness. and in some respects beyond our control. Your Subconscious Life I. seeing he is not momentarily conscious of them? They are in the subconscious sphere. We shall now produce evidence which makes the existence of the Subconscious a necessity of thought." and others have also been used to describe operations and results which are out of the truly conscious sphere. For our purposes it is not necessary to discuss these words in detail. your income. There they wait the call of some specific association that shall bring them again into the sphere of conscious knowledge. Some of them may have been lying undisturbed for years. Where are the other details which he knows so well. and your happiness. . These we shall call "subconscious.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. but we do not know them in mass." In many cases this association comes accidentally. and. . your subconscious thinking will catch you unawares and give you away by producing clever play. It may be days before we succeed in recalling that man’s name. 63." to the question. we know only the multiples singly." To recall the name of the man with whom we played tennis during a summer holiday four years ago may require a longer time still.. but it is really stored up in the subconscious sphere.   Where was it all the time? The usual answer is: "In the memory. we may fail to get it. although these things. and. because it works in secret. Not quite so rapidly perhaps do we answer "In Korea." Then why could we not recall it at will? The answer is: "Because we cannot recall by resolving to do so. we know. Then one day it suddenly comes when we are talking about something else. to 9 times 7 we respond on the instant. for instance. we must set up the right association. on being asked to play before strangers. We have probably noticed that some items are more easily recalled than others. however clumsily you take up the cue and use it. of any kind. you profess you know little about the game.. or what we did with ourselves last Easter Monday. "Where is Chemulpo?" Distance and Recall Possibly a greater length of time is required before we can recall the details of Grimm’s Law. although several times it may be on the tip of our tongue.. The Psychology of Skill Skill.COM We have proved this for ourselves no doubt. and yet we may not have followed the fact to its final conclusions. here. a keen eye will soon detect a sign of the expert hand.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. mainly because we have not since then given him a thought. the multiplication tables are recalled instantaneously. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . For us. If you are a highly proficient billiards-player. then. can be consciously manifested. the point is that there is a part of our mental world which is outside our immediate control. Thus. are "in our minds. as we require them. or the details of the Treaty of Locarno.

he had been compelled to think of every element in the process. being absent-minded. When Little approaches Walker’s house and ascends the steps of the front door. indeed. for if he had consciously to trace each note from the score to the keyboard. feels in his pocket for his own latchkey.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. finds it easy to say yes or no. but he attributed most of his success to constant practice.m. "What an ass I am!" he mutters to himself as he pockets the key and rings the front-door bell.COM Cinquevalli’s skill is balancing billiard balls was the outcome of years of unremitting labor. Such cases are not uncommon among mathematicians. produces it.. is the interesting feature of the event. like a beginner. A part of his mind was working without his being conscious of its action. after which we shall proceed with our argument. His exquisite sense of balance and his sureness of nerve were no doubt partly natural. and is about to use it when he suddenly remembers that this is not his own house. So also a business man who cannot decide to buy a house property that is offered to him resolves "to sleep it over". For the same reason a pianist does most of his work subconsciously. he. To interpret a great composition the mere note-taking must be spontaneous. and in the morning. and Walker has asked Little to dine with him at 7 p. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. If. There was a door to be opened and for the moment he regarded it as his own door. that. . John Little has made a new friend in the person of Henry Walker.NKADOJ@GMAIL. he would have failed ingloriously. he would not be a pianist. when he views the pros and cons. we propose to furnish him with a homely illustration of subconscious action. A Latchkey Incident If the reader should say that he possesses no skill that can be analyzed in this way. as the case may be. There are few people who have not had experiences of a similar kind. Analysis and Synthesis During Sleep Further evidence of the subconscious mental life is found in the fact that men and women during sleep have sometimes solved problems that have baffled them during waking hours. The attention is centered almost wholly on the interpretation of feelings and ideas: the elementary functions are well-nigh automatic. during a display of his powers.

or a new way of bedding out the celery. often discover their inability to recall anything. The effort may be no more than an idea for a cooking recipe. too. It opens thus: "In Xanadu did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure dome decree. It is a sense of having lost the result of a constructive effort.. on wakening from which he wrote it down.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. To have done this was in itself a considerable performance. even though such dreams. and which he finds useful. the sacred river. Of course." This poem. The occasion may not occur very often. Coleridge’s "Kubla Khan" You have doubtless read Coleridge’s "Kubla Khan" and marveled at the wonder of its verbal music. who on waking know that they have arrived at conclusions about important matters which must be recorded at once. was composed by Coleridge during sleep. but that does not affect the nature of the mental process under view. have their significance. Where Alph. we know.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . ran. all they realize is a feeling of having forgotten a vital experience. This is different from forgetting a grotesque dream of no consequence. Through caverns measureless to man Down to a sunless sea. Subconscious Possibilities It is certain that during sleep the mind has. used in the form of strong affirmations directed towards a specific need. on occasion.. but that it does occur from time to time there is no doubt. we know that auto-suggestion. Average people. or as much of it as he could remember. . possibly because we do not know the conditions necessary to produce it. but this is only one condition. is likely to produce a favorable mood for subconscious creation.COM If he is asked why he believed in sleeping over it he will probably say that something happens in sleep which enables him to see the proposition more clearly.. an ability to generate ideas and to solve problems which it does not possess in its fully conscious moments. that it is merely a habit he has fallen into.

and he answers in the negative.NKADOJ@GMAIL. during sleep.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . it vastly enlarges your view of the mind’s possibilities. When this fact is fully realized. is an impressive conclusion. We arise from a contemplation of subconscious action with a feeling of wonder. which are as yet an uncertain if not an unknown quantity. Here. Certain questions naturally arise:   Where is the suggested idea from the time of its inception to the time it becomes operative? How is it that the individual is totally unconscious of the origin of the suggestion? .COM There are others both physical and mental. and according to its native ability and education. he will write a letter to a friend with whom he has not corresponded for years. But the next day at 3 o’clock he first becomes restless and then begins to write that letter under the impression that it is entirely his own idea. There have been too many experiments of this kind to leave room for doubt as to their genuineness. Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Two) II.. a power of using consciously gathered mental material in a constructive manner.. at 3 p. Let us take the case of the man who on being hypnotized is told that on the following day. then... Your mind has. HYPNOTISM AND SUGGESTION The phenomena of Hypnotism and Suggestion are most readily explicable by the hypothesis of the Subconscious.m. On being awakened out of the hypnotic condition he is asked whether he can recall anything which has been said to him.

of course). Extended Vision Of the more advanced experiments in hypnosis—those which allege distant vision in the form of clairvoyance—we can say nothing definite except that many interesting cases are on record. When hypnosis supervened and the patient was "asleep." she was asked to walk upstairs (mentally. We are not going to attempt to criticize this experiment or to offer an explanation as to how she did it. He was blindfolded and his hand was pricked. they still await their answer. take an experiment referred to by Coriat. He did so. One of these experiments concerns an illiterate girl who was hypnotized by a doctor in his own house. and describe the rooms she entered. and on this occasion the defective hand was pricked a definite number of times. If we reject it. but as her conscious mind at the close of the experiment was totally unacquainted with the upstairs rooms. what part of her mentality was it which saw those rooms and described their contents? . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. a house to which she was a perfect stranger.. How can we explain this result? By subconscious perception. The patient was then asked to name the first number that came into his head. Asked whether he had felt anything. A Curious Experiment Again.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM  What enables him to act at the right moment? These questions are practically answered if we accept the hypothesis of the Subconscious. quite accurately. he said "No. He knew (without knowing that he knew) what had been done to him and how many times.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and she herself was said to be unable to remember anything on being awakened. The patient was a hysteric who had lost all sensation in the right hand." The process was repeated. A number of people were present to witness the experiment. It was the number of times his hand had been pricked. She did so. Coriat asserts that this experiment always yields the same result. with their contents..

NKADOJ@GMAIL. which simply means that in tracing the origin of ailments. however. but he is not inclined to accept the doctrine that in some cases hypnosis induces a real clairvoyant vision. who could see a room in a distant house during a somnambulistic state is dealt with by Dr. Dr. PSYCHO-ANALYSIS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS In recent years the school of medical psychologists based on the work of Freud and others who have more or less diverged from him has created a world-wide interest in the Subconscious. It would take too long even to outline their doctrines. as they prefer to call it.. Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Three) III.. both physical and mental. The method used is called Psycho-analysis." Many similar cases have been collected by Dr. Osgood Mason in his Hypnotism and Suggestion. or the severe criticisms which have been passed upon them.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the Unconscious. is moving in that direction.. Charles Richet in Thirty Years of Psychical Research. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . a French school teacher. .COM The only possible answer in the opinion of the experimenter is "the Subconscious. an inquiry is made into the history of the patient’s thought. Milne Bramwell reviews sympathetically the evidence for a secondary consciousness. The case of Janicaud. The drift of opinion. so we shall be content with the exposition of the central idea. or.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the numerous and far-reaching applications of the method employed are so striking that even its critics acknowledge the significance of the underlying idea: they see in it a theory as impressive in the field of psychology as Natural Selection is in the field of biology. neglecting the laws of physical hygiene. if not the sole. with its emotional accompaniment. his body will contain the evidence of his conduct. A man who has reached his prime has a mind which is the outcome of natural ability. and a fine sensibility is found in union with great diligence. If he has been mentally lazy he has depreciated the value of his native talents. The like may be said concerning the mind. . On that we are agreed. as to theory. But if there is a weakness in his heredity. On the other hand. It is clear that this hypothesis postulates the existence of an unconscious sphere of mental action. he has lived a careless life. His body is his history.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The Underlying Theory First. in addition. We do not agree with all the conclusions of the psycho-analysts (nor do they all accept the conclusions of one another). It will be agreed that the body of a man at any period of his life is the outcome of his past. Out of the conflict still raging around the subject will arise a body of truth that will certainly further the progress of mental science. as will be seen later. we perceive a mind that has developed new powers of work as well as gathered the fruits of culture. but this does not preclude an interest in their work nor confidence in their ultimate accomplishment of much good service.COM in the belief that the chief. both to psychology and medicine. plus the use he has made of his opportunities.. and the point of it is this: a man’s physique is the sum-total of the inheritance received from his forbears plus the use he has made of physical laws in relation to his environment. and has obeyed physical laws. he is likely to possess a fine constitution and a healthy mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL. cause of his trouble is to be found in some experience of which the record. If he has been born of a good stock. and if. and has lost proportionately by his indifference to the laws of intelligence and to the chances that have met in his way. has in some way become detached or split off from the main stream of his conscious life.. small or great. when an inborn gift is brought into operation by strenuous effort. and.

the combined effect of everything that has happened to us—good. Had he not been well balanced. He might.. Then he might find himself in the doctor’s hands. and by "bad. shocks. may have suicidal thoughts for a while. Mental Effects of Trouble "But. the tragedy would have left a deeper mark. a past in which.. have taken a sudden dislike to a bookcase. all of us. a man’s body and mind are still the outcome of his past. we mean the struggles. But. or have discovered an aversion from walking on pavements which are divided by parallel lines. let us suppose. Now it is chiefly the bad with which Psycho-analysis concerns itself. Now it is the function of the psycho-analyst to explore the mental history of his patient in order to light upon some intense bit of experience which has practically become detached from consciousness and which is causing all the trouble. and the struggle to repress desires for self-destruction might have developed consequences the full import of which would not have disclosed themselves until a period of time had passed. stone from stone. such as the one referred to. His mind is his history. crises. even so. and agonies which appear to be inseparable from mortal life.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM The point here is the same as before: that a man’s mind is the sum-total of the inheritance received from his progenitors near or remote plus the use he has made of mental laws in relation to his environment." in this connection. . "what about illnesses?? May not a man born of good stock fall a prey to disease? And what about grief and sorrow? May he not be called upon to endure mental agonies?" Undoubtedly. and a clear intellect was robbed of its efficiency by grief. bad and indifferent. an excellent constitution was undermined by malaria. for instance. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . We are." you urge. but he finally suppresses them and takes part in the normal life of his social circle. due.. or part from part. suffering from a curious malady which seemed to be inexplicable. to a daughter’s tragic death on the railway. especially when his sense of personal loss is acute. Value of the Balanced Mind A bereaved father. let us say.

 In some cases they declare themselves in the form of abnormal symptoms and must be removed. But this is certain: the general reader need not worry about his unconscious and need not try to psycho-analyze himself. the bookcase with its parallel shelving. Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Four) ." Dangers of Psycho-analysis If the experiments of modern analytical psychology prove anything.COM He may be successful in showing that as the patient’s chief sorrow in life was:   connected with his daughter’s tragic death on the railway. To realize this.. to incorporate it with conscious experience and thus put an end to the mischief. But this delicate task should be left to an expert. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . There may often be sound reasons why they should be left undisturbed.. The technical term used for this kind of detached activity is Complex. that is. He has hated railways ever since. …is a kind of echo from the past. this hypothesis may now be said almost to have passed the stage of negative criticism and to have become one of the greatest discoveries of modern times. of the pavement with its parallel lines. indeed. thoroughly.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and without being conscious of it.. the dislike of 1. is to incorporate a split-off portion of his mental life with the larger whole. Into this big controversy we cannot enter here. Some aspects at least of this dim psychical region seem to involve numerous memories and feelings belonging to past experiences that have been "repressed" because they were too painful to be retained in the consciousness. they prove that the hypothesis of a subconscious or unconscious sphere is necessary to account for the facts of our mental life. Among psychologists there is a wide divergence of opinion as to the real nature and scope of the unconscious and as to its impact on ordinary life.NKADOJ@GMAIL. which is defined as a "series of emotionally accentuated ideas in a repressed state. when his daughter was killed between the parallel lines of the railway. and 2. he has set up an aversion toward parallel lines of every sort.

further. Byron in Childe Harold.NKADOJ@GMAIL. It gives the only rational interpretation of the phenomena of Hypnotism and Suggestion. It accounts for skill which demands no effort for its execution. indicates the possession of the same feeling. but there is always a residue that defies expression because it is inscrutable.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. It offers the only rationale of the ability to solve profound problems. Try to express these feelings in words. or to originate new ideas during sleep.. says: "There is a pleasure in the pathless woods. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . in part. from another standpoint. To mingle with the universe..COM IV. near Tintern Abbey and his memories of it. You succeed. This is one of the facts that explain the mission and power of poetry. and feel What I can ne’er express.. yet cannot all conceal. By the deep sea and music in its roar! I love not man the less but nature more From these our interviews. to scrutinize as closely as you can some of the deeper feelings that possess you when thinking of the infinity of Space and Time. in which I steal From all I may be." Wordsworth. he says: . There is a rapture on the lonely shore. SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE If the student will now turn back and re-read the evidence we have accumulated he will have little or no difficulty in accepting the existence of the Subconscious:—       It shows how we gain experience without knowing it. There is society where none intrudes. or of the mystery of Life and Death. Speaking of the region. The Inscrutability of Feeling We would ask you. or have been before. It is vindicated by the striking success achieved in certain cases of the psycho-analytical treatment. It supplies the best working explanation of how knowledge is retained in the mind.

As may have had no trivial influence On that best portion of a good man’s life. Wordsworth approaches the subject from a different angle. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . subconsciously. And passing even into my purer mind With tranquil restoration. trying to create a more complete unity. we know much that we cannot analyze.. However. In hours of weariness. feelings. He seems to say that exalted feelings." Inability to express a feeling... The Subconscious is mainly beyond your control. except try to understand the value it may have for you. His little nameless unremember’d acts Of kindness and of love. too. . Really.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. such. it sometimes gives you hints that will add to your conscious scheme of values. they sink deep down into the Subconscious and at a later time express themselves symbolically in acts of kindness and love. perhaps. in lonely rooms and mid the din Of towns and cities. it means that.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The "Subconscious" Mind The reader might here produce a question: "What am I to do with my subconscious mind?" The answer is "Do nothing. and it is this fact which is the basis of all mysticism. Of unremembered pleasure. when confessed by a poet of Byron’s capacity.COM "But oft. What is a "feeling of unremembered pleasure"? One can only say that such feelings would never be possible if the life of the mind were restricted to the Conscious sphere. But at this juncture it is the process that appeals to us. simply means that there is a form of consciousness in which the power to appreciate is greater than the power to embody thought in words. such as he experienced near Tintern Abbey. He is right. sensations sweet Felt in the blood and felt along the heart. so producing a more harmonious balance." The conscious and unconscious aspects of the essential you are working together in a complementary way. are not lost. I have owed to them.

it is hidden. we must not forget that the essential self is not on the surface. and an increase of the ability to compass it. but the results that are invisible are not the less significant. combine in unity of action until the new effort has been matured. and when. it is part of your very self. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. says of the crisis of 1914: "It is not always easy for a man to trace the inward path and steps by which he reaches his own conclusions: so much of the working mind is subconscious rather than conscious. As Viscount Grey of Fallodon. to judge justly. vivid imagination. Sometimes. you get a new idea. an "inspiration. you are hardly conscious that your life has a definite end in view. And as seamen are aware. it is the submerged portion that threaten disaster. Close observation. indeed.COM This undoubtedly occurred with the poets quoted above. critical reflection.. The principles which guide our life are subconscious for most of the time. . You have magnetized it. in the morning.. …but the larger part of us lies submerged like the larger part of an iceberg. Nevertheless. because except at rare moments. we endeavor to reason accurately. and it is drawing together all the new gains from the events of the previous day. This energetic period probably has results that are visible. in his personal narrative Twenty-Five Years (1925). In our waking moments    we study facts.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and also when some deep thinker has some wonderfully new idea. While you sleep lightly it is dealing with those things. we use the scientific method. you exclaim. "That’s just what I’ve been wanting.." which springs apparently from nowhere. You do not go about telling other people what your purpose is in order to keep it alive. It does so in all true artistic creativeness." The Tendency to the Unconscious There is yet another aspect of the subconscious life. In the Subconscious there has been a strengthening of your life’s aim. Why didn’t I think of it before?" A fresh outburst of energy follows. deep concentration. but the Subconscious does not forget.

either at customary moments or on high social occasions. as the skill of the pianist. essentially. It is the artificial variety that has no depth. If the heart as a physical organ can work for seventy or even a hundred years without stopping. feeling and will. Part of that economy is effected by the sleeplessness of the subconscious sphere. The function of the Subconscious seems to be synthetic. But the knowledge is subconscious rather than conscious.    "What ought I to do now?" "Was that right?" "Shall I speak or not?" …She is an artist and knows.. that "other self. and her skill in playing upon the chords of human nature. ." True. producing harmony and unity of impression.COM Every well-regulated effort of the conscious mind clears the way and makes it possible for the unconscious. Manners that may truthfully be described as charming proceed from the Subconscious. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Seldom will it do so unless we have made the maximum use of conscious knowledge. Manners and the Subconscious One finds the same result in matters of conduct when viewed as a part of the art of living. "Defect in manners is usually a defect in fine perceptions. A woman with personality and a captivating manner seldom debates about what she must do and not do... it improves our abilities after the fashion of compound interest. they well up from the depths of the hidden soul. and these fine perceptions are not the sudden offspring of conscious experience. She has no time.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. has the same origin.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and it unites all functions into one harmonious working. although manifested consciously. to ask and answer such questions as. in the swift whirl of things. there should be no difficulty in accepting the doctrine that one section of the mind is never at rest. Thus we ensure the soundest economy in the mind." to supply its quota.

without thinking. Just as you diet yourself carefully. A man appearing in dock (courtroom). He simply has not sought the right relationship with it. qualities not quantities. for it will go its own way. may plead that he did it "suddenly.NKADOJ@GMAIL. avoiding dangerous concoctions as well as others that are good but which may not suit you..." He may be speaking more of the truth than his accusers will admit. but somehow. The impulse came from beneath. yet we can best enlist its great resources by training the Conscious. Indeed its more evil side may gain possession of him. in the final issue. after being dealt with on the conscious plane. or could see if he chose to look more keenly.. Abilities are. It is because they do not reach the Subconscious. cannot expect his unconscious to rectify his mistakes and losses. these tests do not tell us everything. ACTIVATING THE SUBCONSCIOUS Though we cannot train the Subconscious. Psychological Tests and the Subconscious There is no doubt that psychological tests can tell us a good deal about an individual’s mental abilities. A man who    neglects opportunities which he can see. and they are not as certain in what they do tell as we should like them to be.COM Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Five) V. and any attempt to measure them must take this fact into account. so you select the mental material which. the sphere in which the greatest abilities reside? Possibly. . sinks in and makes the most fruitful contact with the unknown forces below the surface. and it will not work in his favor. or who is too sluggish and dull of feeling to listen to the voice of his own conscience. for as likely as not there was a considerable amount of unconscious suggestion in what he did.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . For it embraces the action of the Subconscious.

The Law of Interaction . but how? Perhaps not always as anger. this is the philosophy of the saying about the straw that breaks the camel’s back. had tormented him without provoking a syllable of complaint. A trifle will often be sufficient. the novelist. and a later Teacher said: "Let not the sun go down on your wrath. It needs at any rate in some sense to be worked off. Lord Lytton. but it is none the less rational when viewed in the light of what we know of the methods of the Subconscious.." Evidently there is an anger which ought to be expressed. One hundred and twenty months of repression were followed by an explosion—and flight.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and so it is in some respects. whether of anger or fear or of any other kind.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but in some guise." Ten years of bottled-up indignation burst forth in action. Repression and Expression Intensely angry feelings crushed and crammed into a memory are not dead and done with: they are very much alive down below. and simply await the convenient moment for a forceful exit. or in nervous disorder. is to lay the foundation of a mental ulcer. says that this retiring person "threw his family into consternation by going off.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or by harmless expenditure of physical effort. Many would call it irrational conduct.. as we say. for instance. for ten years. none knew whither. For to thrust unexhausted emotion. violently into the Subconscious. referring to a shy friend. indeed. and sending his lawyer with a deed of separation to the unsuspecting wife who. perhaps almost as surprising to the husband as to the wife. in laughter. The Buddha was a true psychologist when he stipulated that his disciples should not allow anger a place in consciousness.COM Lord Lytton’s Story Here is an illustration. An accumulation of such memories is liable to result in such explosive acts as that recorded of Lord Lytton’s friend.

If we desire health. we are helped in this way to describe what would otherwise be indescribable. but when they know how these conflicts originate. which assert themselves often against our knowledge and intention. It is much more unwholesome to regard them merely with horror and refuse to acknowledge them than to look them in the face and recognize them. This is a metaphor borrowed from the geologists. But having seen them in all their primordial violence.. perhaps the deepest. since it may be wiser than the self which we think we know so well. sensual gratification. they belong to each other. of course. then. as a measurable physical object. healthy or otherwise." Quite true. All the same. greater ability. so many apparently contradictory things stated about the "dark part of the mind " that we do well on the whole to use an old familiar figure of speech and refer to the various layers of the unconscious. as though it consisted of different strata of rocks and soil like the earth. and in reality. They are shocked to find that the tendencies which they thought had been destroyed are still alive and active. we must work for these things and think of them on the conscious plane and the Subconscious will fall into line and help us to achieve our purpose. Thus we have no reason for disbelieving the old saying that we reap what we sow. even in good psychological text-books.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. we need not allow them to rule our lives. primitive instincts of the race. Readers will insist— "I thought the Subconscious or Unconscious was the repository of all savage.COM There is. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . like Plato and St.. Certain layers of the unconscious are concerned with these crude undesirable urges and feelings. and aggression. may be thought of as belonging to one layer.NKADOJ@GMAIL. especially those of reproduction. the mind does not exist anywhere in space. the "inspirational" power. It is easy to find. The forces that mainly compliments and enriches our awareness. to a struggle between the flesh and the spirit. Paul. there is less of selfchastisement because there is more of self-understanding. No man or woman is to blame for possessing these bad motives and impulsions. Although they are unlike in character. between Conscious and Subconscious. and this is the reason why people with fine moral standards confess. finer appreciation of all that is best in life.. But it is only in the conscious sphere that we have control. . Objections Considered Here we are sure to meet with many objections. a certain interaction. like a husband and wife.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . in fact. When we have initiated a new line of behavior. and in this alone. on a higher plane of action. . the ungainly heavings of the libido or life energy. We have already cited as examples of this the transference of the primitive "libido" to the arts. or even in the waking condition. It may be taken to include the diversion of this stream of energy into any new channel of a harmless kind. It has. The "Old Adam" Returning to the more savage and unruly contents of the unconscious. of the energy that has its source in the instincts. We cannot kill them.." nearer to the surface. Such irruptions in consciousness are simply the manifestations of the Old Adam.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. an abominable thought surprises him. we can speak of supplying the Subconscious or "near-conscious" with the right material derived from the Conscious. and to literature. but all knowledge of the decision disappears from the upper regions of the mind. is an overcoming of what is relatively evil with good. How Neuroses Begin In earlier lessons we have said something about this principle of sublimation. Let us repeat here that it is not to be understood in the sense in which the word is used by the chemist. In this sense. And the importance of such diversion may be readily exemplified. The process of "sublimation. to science. after making some act of will. after a time the behavior continues and progress is made." the raising of the manifestations of the life energy to a higher plane.. It has sunk below the surface and functions almost automatically. which is a reflection of the Conscious. become a built-up system.COM It might even be possible to speak of one "unconscious layer. As it is used in modern psychology. but we can disarm them according to the measure in which the conscious motives become finer in quality and more social. taking some decision. we see that no one need be dismayed if spontaneously. in a dream. it entails the manifestation..

. Hence the necessity for discovering alternative fields of action and objects of interest. Whatever his troubles in other directions.. manifesting itself in various forms of eccentricity or irrational behavior. A state of inward fermentation sets in. every man is happy in the act of riding his hobby-horse. This is the best justification for games and sport and for the various hobbies which play a part in the lives of many men and women. and is sent to bed. however he may find himself cribbed up in the narrow circuit of his daily duties. The child becomes naughty. is scolded. it can hardly be supposed that since man has lived in society for many hundreds of generations these instincts have come down to him in an altogether crude and unmodified form. and for cultivating a broad outlook. which may perhaps find relief in tears. A state of great tension follows. It is impossible to doubt that the citizen of modern Europe is more capable of adjusting himself to the demands of his highly complex environment than would have been one of his distant progenitors born out of due time into the 20th century. For hundreds of generations every individual has been compelled to submit to the restrictions involved in the very fact of living in association with others.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Suppose the case of a child who. our energy has its source in our fundamental instincts. as has been said. on account of the state of the weather.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Adaptability and Survival Value Though." Hence the process of time and of social development. to impose obligations and restraints upon their members. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . as a condition of their existence. By the harmless occupation which this provides many a nervous breakdown has been averted. on pain of being wiped out if he fails to do so. it may reasonably be assumed. and if natural outlet for some primitive impulse is closed to him. Adaptability to the conditions under which alone social life is possible must evidently have possessed what biologists call "survival value. What is known as a "neurosis" may follow. is refused permission to take his usual exercise or play his usual games out of doors. Even the most primitive communities have been bound.. mischievous consequences are liable to ensue. if he is compelled to repress or bottle up his energy.. Such simple reaction is usually excluded in the case of an adult. has tended to increase such adaptability as part of the racial heritage.

. and on the other. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . another in sport. or when we cannot recall the details of a book we have read.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. a date. another in mechanics. And similarly.COM The Trend Towards Sublimation Moreover. 1. That we reap most advantage from its deep from its deep potentialities if we allow a free give-and-take between the hints it gives us on the one hand. MEMORY STUDIES Forgetting and the Subconscious We use the word "forget" in two slightly different senses. We say we have "forgotten" when we are unable to bring back to consciousness a name. one is more apt to one form of sublimation. For it is only too certain that many nervous cases can be traced to the failure of parents to open up channels through which the superabundance of energy might have been most easily diverted. another into another. it is a matter of common experience that of children who are born into the world. a welltrained conscious mind. Parents who are fully alive to their responsibility must needs bear this mind in arranging for the education of their offspring. every man who would secure a just balance in his own mental and moral life should see to it that energy which his work provides no adequate outlet shall not lack suitable channels for its diversion. or of a conversation in which we have taken part. The student will leave this Lesson with the following convictions:    That these subconscious processes look after themselves. another in painting. a number. that one will find a natural vent for his energy in music. and so forth.NKADOJ@GMAIL. beyond the possibility of our supervision.... This the reader can accomplish by strictly following the PELMAN programme. Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Six) VI.

in examples of the second group. One may "forget" to mention some important detail in conversation.NKADOJ@GMAIL. poems. "recall. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . is not always open.COM 2. sometimes word for word. the conscious Ego plays the part of master. For instance. I carry letters in my pocket for days instead of posting them. on returning home I should have been reproached with a failure of memory. it has been overlaid and obliterated by subsequent experiences. Acts of forgetfulness of the second group (2) have this in common: that they are concerned with an action which one should perform at a particular moment. Defective working of the Subconscious or near-conscious. When the order is given to oneself. In the first group we are dealing with failures of memory proper. It is for my Subconscious to bestow upon the idea such force as to enable it to penetrate into consciousness. on crossing a road I remember all of a sudden a letter that I put into my pocket for posting. having had no occasion to recall it for a long time. for the road. "I still remember very well after fifteen or twenty years. 2. is more or less in view throughout the Course. Or because. the Subconscious is the executant. my matchbox. But one may be liable to "forget" also one’s umbrella in a train. I leave to my Subconscious the responsibility of providing that the idea of the telephone shall present itself at the desired moment. in the former sense of the word (1). is that the thing has not been built into the mind. But it is often people who are endowed with a notably excellent memory who are most liable to this kind of forgetfulness. verses. ." Memory. the address of a friend. the plot of a story.. The factors which cause such failure as this are of three kinds:— 1." writes a Pelman student. Recall of such things implies a conscious mental action.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. greater or less. as we shall see in a moment. or a cooking recipe. The reason why one does not remember the details of an historical event. is spontaneous. Now supposing this idea had not presented itself to me at the right moment. An order given to oneself is very like an order given to somebody else. We do not propose to deal with it here. They may be characterized as a failure to execute a suspended order. or to do something that one is required to do during the day. to switch off the light on leaving the room." if it arises at all... The fashion in which the Command is given. the name of its author. Failure to train and trust. "but forget my umbrella. On the other hand. one is obliged to make an effort. In deciding in the morning to call up X on the telephone at 3 in the afternoon.

 We must enlist the Subconscious and accustom it to help us carry out orders correctly. therefore. In this way.NKADOJ@GMAIL. .COM 3. A state of preoccupation on the part of the Conscious at the moment when the action ought to be executed. forming a mental picture of the person. otherwise called Distraction.. with the greatest precision. and place this particular action among them. In order not to forget to deliver a letter to a certain person whom you will meet to-morrow at a friend’s house.. to yourself at the moment when you lay it down: "I put it in such a fashion on the table of such a color or such a form. insignificant in itself. concise. therefore. Consider it as a kind of sport. In order that it may well be executed. and I shall pick it up when I leave the house. This is the moment at which the orders given to oneself have a special chance of acquiring suggestive force. the command should be given in a clear. The following exercises are therefore recommended. When you enter a house you mechanically lay on the table a book that you are carrying. and as far as possible endowed with suggestive force. Form a habit of repeating and enumerating sotto voce in bed before you sleep. you will give to the incident. and in as detailed a fashion as possible. Think well of the actions that are likely to accompany it.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Treat each case as it presents itself to you with all the interest possible. Efficient working is the result in great part of habit. Say. the actions which you propose to do the next day: that is to say such as those actions which lie outside the routine of your occupation. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. and you are liable to forget it when you go away. precise way. the action that you are anxious to recall. Determine. (2) The Subconscious. The conditions of an effective order are exactly the same whether in the case of the head of a department or of Conscious acting upon Subconscious. announce your decision in a low voice with your eyes fixed upon the letter. and thus evoke a sportsmanlike desire to succeed in it." Associate at the same time the image of yourself in the act of going out of the hall with that of the book which was on the table. Picture yourself offering him your right hand and with the other hand drawing the letter out of your pocket. Advice for Combating Forgetfulness (1) The Command. an "affective charge" which will play an important part in the dynamism of the Subconscious.

otherwise they will cumber the mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. for a habit that is left inactive tends to weaken and finally fade out. Do not leave things half done. one that is not connected with an event as in the previous exercise. 8. Make sure of a sufficient quantity of sleep. 2.. 5. From time to time have a mental spring cleaning. as restated in this Lesson in confirmation of previous Lessons.. Form the habit of employing your time in a definite way. Avoid barren reverie. 6. taking account of your purposes and of the progress that has been won.. You may do so by methodical discipline of your attention. Do not turn needlessly from one action to another. 3. WHAT TO AVOID Avoid forgetting the importance of right thinking. To combat distraction:— 1.) (3) Distraction at the moment when the action ought to be produced. 4. As much as possible complete every action. Guard against excessive impression-ability and emotionalism. This is an essential condition of keen sensation and capacity for attention. Never dawdle over things that have to be done. fix an hour at which you will perform a certain action.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Exercise I Order yourself to perform a certain act at a moment fixed beforehand. 7. Exercise II Look at your watch. at the moment when you have got off the omnibus that you take in the afternoon. for hesitation invites distraction. (Once these exercises have been successfully carried out they ought to be repeated from time to time. make an examination of conscience. to take your pen from your pocket. Guard against indecision. For example. . Do them now if circumstances permit.

Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Seven) . Your history is a story of cause and effect. Avoid playing tricks with hypnotism. Avoid being disappointed if you learn slowly... Aim at a healthy expression of your emotions. You may be. Leave the Subconscious to take care of itself.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Every day you are making history: your own. Avoid overlooking the law which says that we reap what we sow. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. Ability to learn quickly comes from training. Avoid prying into your subconscious.COM Avoid thinking you are a genius in your sleep. Leave it to the doctors. but trust mainly in your conscious intelligence. WHAT TO DO Get right principles for the guidance of your conscious life. The Subconscious will follow suit. Recognize evils. Entertain only the best thoughts: indulge only those feelings which are worthy.. but don’t make demons of them by fearing them. Avoid unnecessary self-condemnation. Then live them.

 He then inserted a finger in the liquid. We shall now introduce some more advanced exercises. and the other is with new ones. There are two ways of finding this out whether this is the case. a horrible dose of asafoetida. in restrained silence. and afterwards was observed to put a finger in his mouth.COM EXERCISES Seeing and Not Seeing The exercises up to the present have had the object of training the perceptive powers in a general sense with a view to the acquisition of accuracy and speed. The pupils were requested to file past the table. has not been forgotten. but to do so under normal conditions. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. so that you are always observing well." Real observing has another meaning. A General Test The idea of efficient Sense Perception is not merely to perceive completely under test or special conditions... accurately to repeat his action and then to return to their seats. One is with old objects.   Very few men can describe the pattern of the paper on the walls of the rooms in which they live or work. no less interesting and profitable than those which have already been given. Of course.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the professor. you did not observe that the finger I put into the graduated glass was not the finger I put in my mouth. Taking a graduated glass he filled it with a certain liquid. but emphasis has been laid on the difference between mere seeing and real observing. with a weary smile: "Gentlemen. Very few women indeed could match from memory the pattern of the dinner set they have upon the table every day. each man receiving from his finger. after scanning them sadly for a moment. For this your senses must be in a state of perpetual efficiency. A professor once undertook to show his pupils the difference between these two visual acts.NKADOJ@GMAIL. remarked. the notion of comprehensive vision. They did so. which he was careful to see his successor should not miss. When the class had all resumed their seats with pallid faces and sinking stomachs. seeing and hearing all that is worth while. namely interpretation.

anything. Scudder. Their senses are not highly efficient. and in the evening try to visualize each object with as much detail as possible. by and by I will ask you what you have seen.. With reference to new subjects: let us suppose you had an interview with Mr. indeed. that makes an appeal to you. yesterday. But Agassiz had left the building. eventually. Lee. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . This was the method of Agassiz in training the perceptive powers of his pupils. During the next three days inspect the selected objects closely. again because your senses are not efficient. H. of the Cape Linen Co. Exercise XIX Analyze some object very closely." Scudder says that in ten minutes he had seen all that could be seen in that fish and started to find the Professor to tell him so. Scudder returned to the . and when you feel you know it in this intimate manner. Then select some object connected with your calling. many other of the thousand and one things which your senses sensed? You can remember very few. a certain stationer’s shop or a building. your senses will reach.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. in time... They see the general effect. and 2. a very high state of efficiency. who afterwards became Professor S. You will.COM o o o They might recall the color or have some vague idea that there were flowers in it. Study Details Think of three objects which you see daily: your breakfast table. Agassiz said to a pupil. The value of all this is twofold: 1. "Take this fish and look at it.NKADOJ@GMAIL. add other objects and treat them in the same way. accumulate an enormous treasury of observational material. the face of a friend. but not the details.. Can you remember:        the details of his face? the color of his eyes? the cut of his clothes? the tone of his voice? the table? the room? or.

. and said. but he went on looking. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .." If Agassiz had been an inferior teacher. but he still advocated the policy of looking at the fish for further discoveries. lower costs.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Scudder was inclined to feel angry. Agassiz’s pupils say that after he had compelled them to find out a world of interesting matter about it. You are now in a position to choose some small object for close analysis.¹ 1 Professor Lane Cooper. A cigarette carton. look again. the remedying of which greatly increased the utility of the article. "You have not looked very carefully. Scudder thought he would draw the fish. was disappointed. the poise of the head. in Louis Aggasiz as a Teacher. Analysis in Business This method of close analysis is of high commercial importance. lidless eyes and so forth. a lock. and began again next morning. such as the fringed gill arches. and naturally increased demand. "This was the best lesson I ever had.—anything will do that possesses detail. however. the movable operculum. A further half hour passed. a pencil is one of the best eyes. after taking the fish once more out of the alcohol in which it was preserved." and he went away. a fountain pen. he might have been afraid of being charged with wasting his pupil’s time. At last he made a discovery and said to the Professor. they would sometimes go to hear him deliver a popular lecture. This meant increased production. then another. and more profit. and whilst doing so the Professor returned. what is it like?" He listened attentively to Scudder’s findings. .COM fish and continued to look at it for another half hour. In order to kill time. a matchbox." and Agassiz was thoroughly pleased. The Professor. and Professor Scudder says. "Well. "The fish has symmetrical sides with paired organs. The grasshopper is to most persons merely an oblong insect capable of jumping. preferably an object that is of importance to you in some way. a lesson whose influence has extended to the details of every subsequent study. They noticed that the audience became as much interested in the grasshopper as if they were reading a romance. fleshy lips. and he might have answered questions which the pupils should have asked their own senses alone.NKADOJ@GMAIL. He said. We have known of cases where minute investigation of a commodity supposed to be perfect has revealed defects. "That is right." adding. but no Professor returned to see how he was getting on.

 In reporting on the exercise you should state the object selected. is there nothing that upon a close analysis reveals defects? If there is something in your own department. The Exercise may be applied to the observation of a building.. for instance. Observe some star groups. etc. A "discovery" is. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . shuffle the flowers about and. Then close your eyes. Take up each in turn and note its scent. the length of time spent in analysis.COM As you make your discoveries one by one. or a paper bill. Exercise XXIII . of course.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. and the number of new discoveries you made.NKADOJ@GMAIL. different kinds of wood. Exercise XXII Determine to learn something by observation alone. set your wits to work for a way of correcting it. something you did not know before. after an inspection lasting ten minutes. write them down on a slip of paper. Exercise XX Another object for observation by close analysis is a coin. or longer. the exact appearance of a carpet or wall-paper. try to identify it by its smell. The exercise should be practiced until the habit of analysis has been developed. linking each up with the flower to which it belongs. If you are in business. perhaps. Exercise XXI The Sense of Smell Put a half a dozen flowers on the table before you. perfume. refer to a star atlas and learn the names. taking up each one. and then. such as articles of food. or the relative positions of countries or provinces (states) shown on a map. The exercise may be varied by taking other kinds of material.. Reconstruct these images of smell afterwards. See what discoveries will reveal themselves.

the ability to remember the cards played in a game. . and notice the exact position of fixtures. a shoe. a watch." or. say.COM Close your eyes and move about your room. a span of the hand would serve the purpose. The ability to do this depends on two things: trained observation. a handkerchief.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and the power of undivided attention for the time being. taking.. and learn its measurements. etc.. One constantly hears the remark: "I have no memory for cards. An excellent illustration." There should be no difficulty about this. You can then use it as a standard of measurement to test the training of your capacity to estimate dimensions. as a gauge.NKADOJ@GMAIL. You must see things exactly as they are and you must not allow yourself to think about anything else. endeavoring to identify objects precisely by touch alone. a pair of glasses. but which must be remembered with great accuracy. a walking-stick. etc. The trouble is that they do not know how to go about it. Estimate dimensions and weight. In many ways this transient memory is particularly useful. APPENDIX CARD MEMORY (1) There are many things that one wishes to remember for only a short time. hinges. such as keyholes. a bank-note. A pencil or fountain pen. locks. and the want of it is keenly felt by those who do not understand the secret of it. Exercise XXIV Take some familiar object. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "I never can remember what is out. Do the same with respect to weight. preferably one carried on the person. ornamentals.. and one which will doubtless appeal to a large class of people (others may omit this appendix) is what is called "card memory".

 Let us suppose there are two hearts in the dummy and three in your hand. Three spades in dummy and five in your hand. and lay it face up on the table to represent the dummy. before they venture to cut into a rubber with strangers. Count up the number of cards in each suit. the proper leads. That is eight spades. but it must be cultivated under favorable circumstances. one suit at a time. Bridge players learn the conventional bids. looking at your own as a guide. you can train yourself." Do not wait until you are engaged in an actual game. is one of the things absolutely essential to success.. Four diamonds in dummy and three in your hand. and see if you can recall the manner in which each suit was divided between the two hands. That is six clubs. so that it shall act in accordance with the principles already laid down for the recollection of other things.. and see if you can recollect how many there were of each suit in the combined hands. Remembering cards is no different from any other memory. in private lessons. Card memory should be acquired in the same way. shuffle thoroughly. Now sort the other thirteen into suits and hold them in your hand as if you were the declarer. because other things will then distract your attention.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it depends:    on the proper exercise of the comparative faculty upon the ability to see differences and agreements to classify. but you do not need a teacher. and you wish to improve your "card memory. That is seven diamonds. Now turn all dummy’s cards face down in a bunch. . Four clubs in dummy and two in your hand.COM Let us suppose that the game is Bridge. and all such things. Take a pack of cards. in order to see of which suit you have the greatest number. This attention. based on interest. Let us see how we can apply the mind to this problem of remembering cards. until such time as it becomes a pleasure. That is five hearts. Sort one of them into suits. Then turn your own cards face down. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and deal out two hands of thirteen each..NKADOJ@GMAIL. rather than a task.

. ten and small. until you feel confident of yourself. try the comparison.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. queen. king. Then turn down your own hand also. After one careful comparison of dummy’s cards with your own. your memory will be at fault.NKADOJ@GMAIL. so that only queen. When you can do this first exercise with ease. Again: dummy has the jack of clubs. so that ace. Dummy has king. and it is the comparison that fixes the attention and makes the impression that is so easy to recall. so that ace. whether in the observation of the hands or in your recollection of them. and how they were divided. the number in the dummy and the number you held.. You can then try turning down your own cards and recalling the whole hand.. for at least a week. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . occasionally reverting to the first exercise on the division of the suits. Never forget the element of division. as a guide. They are in the hands of your opponents. Now turn down dummy’s cards and see if you can recall the honors it held in the various suits. but instead of counting the suits. ten are against you in spades. queen. Suppose dummy’s hearts are ace and small. you should be ready to try the combination of the two. see what honors you have and compare them with the honors that are out against you in each suit. because there has been no comparison. yours king. jack of spades. ten are against you in clubs. Practice in this way for a few minutes every day. . you have king. ten. you have no honor. jack are against you. Having become fairly proficient in this. comparing with your own cards. you have ace and little ones. Dummy has nothing in diamonds. because therein is the comparison. Unless you do this. or until you find yourself expert enough to recall the number of each suit in hand after looking at them once only. Observe that the queen and jack are against you in hearts. shuffle and deal two hands as before.COM Pay more attention to the manner in which the suits are divided. and see if you can name all the honors in the two hands combined. and then turn down both hands simultaneously. you should be able to turn down dummy’s cards and recall both the number of each suit and the honors in it. noting how much of the distribution of suits and honors you can recall. After training the memory with this second exercise for some time.

and there are others who admit it readily enough and are anxious to discover a remedy. With internal hindrances out of the way. . In the next Lesson we shall put the reader in possession of facts which will set him right on this important issue..NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Trouble of this kind affects many who would be slow to admit its existence. PELMAN LESSON VII Our study of the Subconscious has prepared the way for one aspect of it which is of special interest to those who are troubled with a disabling sense of Inferiority. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM In Lesson VII (Appendix) we shall deal with analysis of the hand and with its possibilities.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the road is cleared for action leading to success.. which makes it difficult for them to hold their own or to win the just appreciation of others.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind...NKADOJ@GMAIL.

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..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Eight) ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

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NKADOJ@GMAIL...COM Lesson 06: Your Subconscious Life (Part Nine) . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

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simply because he does not suffer deeply from inferiority consciousness. while for another and perhaps more numerous type of student the Lesson will open the way to a solution of his personal problems. Driving Out the Inferiority Complex ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . especially those which arise from a lack of adjustment between the life within and the life without..COM Lesson 07: DRIVING OUT THE INFERIORITY COMPLEX FOREWARD One of the principal aims of modern Psychology is the solution of our inner conflicts. The most common conflict is that which proceeds from the feeling of Inferiority.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. For one type of student this Lesson will illuminate the lives of other people rather than his own.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind, Memory and Personality
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"The superiority complex is never more than a smoke screen about an inferiority complex." WOLFE, How to be Happy though Human.

I. WHAT IS A COMPLEX? That Word "Inferiority" One of Pelmanism’s first aims is the removal of internal barriers to success. The external barriers can wait. They will go down more easily when the student has obtained freedom within. And the powers of the mind itself will develop more rapidly when emotional hindrances have been quelled. Among these hindrances the feeling of Inferiority is perhaps the most intractable. That is why the treatment of it occupies a conspicuous place in the Course.

II. THE GOOD COMPLEX—AND THE BAD Not long ago two men met by chance at the seaside; and the conversation, which of course began with the weather, traveled through various stages—fishing, cricket, boarding houses, business, and boxing—until, by a kind of contrast, the last mentioned topic landed them into the discussion of the Inferiority Complex. One of the men, with some pretence to size and strength, ejaculated: "I sometimes think I might have been a boxer if it had not been for the fact that I have an inferiority complex you could cut with a knife." Let us stop there. The rest of the conversation does not concern us. Was he mistaken? He was. What he suffered from was a combination of influences which caused him occasionally to feel inferior. For the time being he was a defeatist—resigned to his fate, yet not without feelings of regret, even of indignation. But when he used the phrase "inferiority complex" he evidently did not know what the word complex signified. He was unaware that there are normal as well as abnormal complexes; or, as one might reasonably say, the healthy and the morbid complexes.

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For instance, that particular form of mental and manual dexterity which enables a pianist to play a difficult piece of music at sight is the outcome of an acquired skill; and that skill, although consciously exercised, is for the most part a subconscious activity. In other words, it is a healthy complex in action. All its factors act in combination to produce a result which often evokes great admiration. Naturally, good complexes exist in many varieties. The morbid mental complex is very different. There is, for instance, the Father complex. In a familiar form it is seen in cases where a daughter has allowed her affections for her father—a widower—to become so exaggerated as to take on an aspect of absurdity.
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He is the center of her solar system. She will hardly allow him out of her sight. She worries over his food. She is never satisfied with the dryness of his changes of underclothing, and well-nigh scorches them at the fire. Yet, although she vows she will never leave her father, she is engaged to be married.

What are the chances of future happiness for her fiance—for herself—for anyone who has to live in close proximity to her? Without knowing it she is governed by a feeling which comes from a hidden emotional center deep in her nature. And she does not dare to disobey its behests. So you can see that a morbid complex is a rather serious interference with the normal workings of the mind and heart. The people who say quite cheerfully, but with some affection of sorrow, "I suffer badly from an inferiority complex" are usually mistaken. All they suffer from is a feeling of inferiority. The really bad cases do not know they have a complex of any kind: the reason being that the complex itself is hidden away deep down in the unconscious. "How can there be such things in us of which we know nothing?" it is asked. First, because there is a part of the mind which is unconscious—as we have already seen—and, second, because all strong efforts to forget unpleasant experiences cause those experiences to be thrust into the unconscious. They are not absolutely out of recollection, but the wires between the conscious and the unconscious are cut, so to speak. Conceive of this complex as a sort of radio receiving set submerged in the unconscious, which, when a thought or feeling enters consciousness, with the right wave length, causes an instant contact and response, yet without announcing itself, as such, to the individual concerned.

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Thus if you suggested to the daughter aforesaid that she was devoted to her father to an unwholesome degree, she would resent the suggestion fiercely without realizing that the peculiar virulence of her anger was evidence of the fact. It may be true that some complexes are milder than others; but what we wish to make clear is that men and women who say they have a complex are often self-deceived. The worst sufferers are those who are ignorant of the origin of their plight. To obviate unprofitable discussion, we shall, as far as possible, avoid the word complex, and adopt the term inferiority-conscious to indicate all those who are troubled by the inferiority feeling in whatever degree.

Lesson 07: Driving Out The Inferiority Complex (Part Two)

III. INFERIORITY TROUBLES The man whose early life created conditions favorable to inferiority troubles, and whose later experiences turned these conditions into a complex, manifests himself first and foremost a pronounced egoist. Not an egotist, vocal and aggressive, but a man of intense "I" feelings: quiet in expression it may be, but none the less strong. He is very "touchy"; which means that anything, even the merest trifle, may be regarded as an insult on his dignity. For instance, a well paid employee of a company was being questioned one day by an investigator into a section of the company’s affairs. "Let me see," said this enquirer as he looked among his papers for the employee’s agreement with the company, "I believe you are a servant of the Company?" The employee flushed, and shot back the information that he was paid by the Company for certain work but that he was not a servant of any Company. The other man stared for a moment, then went on to other matters. He had a suspicion that this "touchy" fellow was in a queer state of mind which might easily become exaggerated still further.

Political Rancor

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In its raw and uncontrolled condition the inferiority feeling is a menace to the individual’s peace and progress. Its manifestations are various, but all of them aim at securing conditions which impart a feeling of elevation. Here is an illustration. An American woman from New York, staying at Claridge’s in a fine suite, objected to an ink stain on the carpet. On being told that efforts would be made to remove the stain, but that the King of — when occupying the suite did not object to the stain, the lady said, "An ink-spotted carpet may be good enough for a king, but not for me."¹ Think of the egoism in this remark, and of the intense effort to exalt the self as a means of compensating for a feeling of another kind. It is this, of course, that is significant; not the resentment against second-class service in a first-class hotel. Nor has nationality anything to do with the matter, or political tradition. As soon as human minds and hearts become troubled with a morbid complex the behavior is modified in some way. An insignificant detail—like the ink spot—may become an occasion for jealously and boastfulness. 1 Mrs. Williamson’s The Inky Way, p.252.

Kleptomania A lecturer on Psychology at the 1934 Conference of the British Association said: "A girl who was given to stealing always bought sweets, which she haughtily distributed to her schoolfellows, and this led to the discovery that she and her companions knew that she was illegitimate, and that she was ashamed of the fact and resentful of the attitude it aroused in others. She stole in order to be able for a fleeting moment to patronize those who usually patronized or looked down on her." These instances evince the resolve to escape from an isolated position in life, and to acquire equality, if not superiority.

IV. THE INFERIORITY-CONSCIOUS MAN IN HISTORY For our better understanding of the subject it will be necessary to observe notable men of history who were inferiority-conscious. The first case that comes to mind is that of Demosthenes.

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As a youth, he stammered and suffered from the drawbacks that go with this defect. He was mimicked by some boys, jeered at by others: the result being that at times his chances of doing anything in the world appeared but slender. But he determined to overcome his defect. He succeeded magnificently, as we know: but what concerns us here is the effect of this inferiority on his mind. It does not seem to have depressed him unduly. And instead of making him hopeless it appears to have made him all the more determined. We get the impression that somehow it did him good. 1. Does this feeling of inferiority in all its forms act like that? 2. Or is there a form which takes away a man’s hope and confidence? 3. If so, what is this form, and how does it differ from the one which contains an urge for improvement?

We may as well answer this question now. The effect of an intense inferiority feeling depends largely on the type of mind and personality involved. In some, the feeling of inferiority takes on the aspect of angry and ruthless rebellion. Thence appear the gangster and his associates. In cases where a higher type becomes inferiority-conscious, one usually sees the evidence of efforts to attain superiority on rational lines. The large intermediary type are affected in a variety of ways, but principally by 1. a reduction in the quality of their mental powers, 2. also of their feelings. There is no outward rebellion, neither is there a sufficient supply of determined effort to advance. A period of dejection is followed by a period of feverish aspiration, succeeded too quickly by more profound dejection.

The Case of Napoleon Then there is the case of Napoleon. He said that as a youth he employed the hours of recreation in working, and often passed the nights in meditating upon the day’s lessons. So far, so good.

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His enthusiasm, however, was not due to his ardent love of knowledge. He candidly stated the real reason in these words: "My nature could not bear the idea of not being at once first in my class."¹ To be second or third galled him; was, in fact, intolerable. He must be first, always. 1 Maxims of Napoleon, p.9: Plutarch writes that on one occasion Caesar averred "that he had rather be first in a village than second in Rome." Milton makes Satan say that he would rather "reign in hell than serve in heaven," thus awarding him the first of all inferiority complexes.

"But isn’t that the sign of a superiority complex?" you demand. No. It is an urgent search for superiority to atone for the feeling of inferiority. Napoleon as a boy experienced the fear which comes from organic defect—maybe his small stature—and this fear stung him into action. He made a protest against limitation, just as Demosthenes did: and his every effort was to satisfy an inward craving for distinction and leadership. There is nothing new in this attitude. Thousands of ambitious people in the world to-day are, or have been, inferiorityconscious. They may not be fully aware of the extent of this feeling, but it is there. We may cheerfully admit that although a sense of inferiority may in some cases generate a peck of troubles, it can be used for good ends—in fact, as often as not, it does serve those ends. It becomes a stimulus to excellence. Hence, it is foolish to talk about having an inferiority complex as one might talk of a tumor. The tumor in the body should be taken out; and so should every morbid complex: but, as we shall see, the inferiority feeling has in it something that can be changed into a good for the service of the Self. It has possibilities of sublimation.

Daniel Webster Consider now the case of Daniel Webster (1782-1852). In his early life he felt so different that on one occasion, when writing to a friend, he said, "My abilities are small, very small." The language is that of a youth who has contrasted the powers of grown men with his own undeveloped ability; and the result has been depressing.

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He has gazed at some distinctive height and given up the hope of ever reaching it for lack of talent. And yet we know that Webster, as a grown man, became one of the greatest of transatlantic orators: and as a jurist and American statesman he took a very high place. Every young man should beware of his self-estimates, whether they are too modest or too complacent: for while life deals out correctives most liberally to those whose vanity needs them, it does not necessarily deal out hope and encouragement to the youth who in a pessimistic moment has come to believe in an inferiority in himself which is not justified by facts.

Lesson 07: Driving Out The Inferiority Complex (Part Three)

V. HOW INFERIORITY FEELING BEGINS Having now described and discussed some of the characteristics and effects of the inferiority feeling, it will be interesting to inquire into its origin. 1. Where does the feeling come from? 2. And, how and why does it exist? There are several answers to these questions, and the first is this: that physical defects inevitably create a depression in consciousness. It could not be otherwise.
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The cripple, the hunchback, the man of diminutive stature, the people with notably ugly faces, or with minor defects of speech

…are certain to be affected in mind: that is, their shortcomings carry a kind of humiliation which must be got rid of or subjected to some form of remedial treatment. If not, it is liable to fester and become injurious to the individual’s thoughts and actions.¹ 1  "Deformed persons commonly take revenge on Nature."—Bacon, in De Augmentis Scientiarum.

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The case of Talleyrand is instructive. During his infancy a careless nurse allowed him to fall to the ground, with the result that he was crippled for life. And when the time came for him to become a soldier, according to the tradition of his house, he had the mortification of seeing his birthright go to his younger brother. "Why so?" he demanded, yet knowing full well the reason why. "Because you are a cripple," was the cold-blooded answer. It is said that the bitterness of these words lingered in his heart until the last days of his life. From the hour in which they were spoken, his disposition gradually changed: he became taciturn, callous, calculating, sparing neither man nor woman that stood in his way.
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He himself had not been spared: why should he spare others? He therefore set about the task of getting revenge. He sought distinction and power: and he succeeded.

But his reputation, although great, was often vitiated. Had he not been crippled he might have been content to live the conventional and comparatively uneventful life of the princely family to which he belonged.

Influence of Bodily Defects There are psychologists who believe that all inferiority feelings have their origin in the knowledge of body defects, and the distress arising out of the experience of those defects. It cannot be denied that a man who is stone deaf, or a woman who is absolutely ugly, will suffer from a lowered self-esteem, which creates a problem: What are they going to do about it? But it is just as certain that there are thousands of normal people everywhere who suffer deeply from inferiority feelings. They have no serious organic defects: in fact hundreds of them have no physical defects at all. Why then do they suffer? Simply because their inner self does not receive from other people or from life in general the amount of "importance" which alone affords satisfaction. Take a simple case. John and James are in the same office. They have served the company for five years, and their status with the management is about the same. Suddenly James is promoted and given an advance in salary. John is jealous. After two month he applies for an advance and is refused. He becomes furious.

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At the end of a year, still without promotion, and with some "slips" to blemish his record, he is more than half convinced of his inferiority, although his judgment tells him that he is as good as James. It needs but a few more humiliations to turn John into a very soured young man, with grave possibilities of a deterioration in mind and character. Practically all inferiority feelings, with the evils which follow in their train, come from comparisons between the self and other people. Take the case of the young man who discovers that he is of illegitimate birth. If he has already developed inferiority he will probably have a sudden increase of the feeling, an increase of such size that he is in danger of becoming an Ishmael—his hand against every man. If, fortunately, he has developed health of mind and body before the unwelcome news is communicated to him, and if he has also some achievement or great promise in his record, he will take the new fact less tragically: he has something to set over against it. Perhaps, too, he remembers that Leonardo da Vinci, one of the really great intellects of history, was illegitimate. And he may also recall that Erasmus, the scholar of the Reformation period, and other distinguished men, belong to the group: so that whatever drawback there may be in the social sense, there may be compensation in other directions.

Envy and Jealousy Comparisons are responsible for a long train of consequences. How much happiness have you lost by despairing comparisons between your lot and the lot of the people you know best? Goldsmith, in his Good-Natured Man, says that, "inferiority among strangers is easy: but among those that once were equals, insupportable." Bain defined envy as "the feeling of inferiority with a malevolent sentiment towards the rival." Investigate your past experience, or your observations of other people. Isaac Disraeli asks: "Why does Plato never mention Xenophon, and why does Xenophon inveigh against Plato, studiously collecting every little rumor which may detract from his fame? "They wrote on the same subject. The studied affectation of Aristotle to differ from the doctrines of his master Plato, while he was following them, led him into ambiguities and contradictions which have been remarked."¹

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Let us not imagine that modern history is totally different. It is possibly not so crude, but the tale of the inferiority-conscious in our own age is a real story nevertheless. The daily newspaper and the periodical press are never for long without narratives of masculine and feminine egos in conflict; men and women whose sensitive natures—or is it their love of combat?—compel them to defend their reputations for learning and accuracy, or to resent attacks, real or fancied, on their official positions. Even in the serene atmosphere of a Cathedral Chapter a distinguished dignitary admits that in his dealing with his ecclesiastical subordinates he must force himself occasionally to eat humble pie.² 1 Literary Characteristics of Men of Genius, p. 155. 2 Evening News, August 31st, 1934.

Lesson 07: Driving Out The Inferiority Complex (Part Four)

VI. THE DEMAND FOR "IMPORTANCE" We referred a moment ago to the amount of "importance" which gives satisfaction. The meaning is that each individual is born with a certain degree of demand for importance—some for much, some for little. The self, the ego, insists
  

on attention, on status, or on equality in circumstances.

One can observe the factor at work in the minds of children, often quite young children. Freddy the eldest was four years old when Clarice was born: and for the whole of that period he enjoyed exclusively the affection of both parents. But the advent of a girl baby completely eclipsed him. Clarice is now the center of regard, much to his disgust. Not only is he made to feel inferior, but the feeling is accompanied by a sense of injustice.

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Why so much fuss about a little girl, who can’t talk? Of course, in certain ways he feels an interest in her, in spite of his other feelings: but he resents the transfer of importance from himself to her. It leaves him well-nigh desolate. And, if his parents are unwise, they may easily cause him to develop an inferiority sense with serious possibilities of future mischief. We may say at once that an appreciable percentage of inferiority troubles can be traced to defective home training. When a little girl overhears her mother whisper to a neighbor, "Minnie is often very disobedient—and George and I have often wished she was a boy," we know that the seed of inferiority has been sown in a young and tender heart. Again, the child who notices the affectionate behavior of other parents to their children—so different from the "snappy" time at home—is cultivating envy at high pressure: and this feeling of inequality may, in certain conditions, slowly develop into an insidious inferiority. A recent confession contained these words: "As a kid I often wished I had a different father and mother—nice ones like Jim and Fred had. I hated to go home from their homes." The only child, on the other hand, is often surrounded with too much attention and grows up with an over-weening idea of his own importance.

The Unmarried Daughter If the child, in spite of its immaturity, demands a satisfactory amount of importance, how much does the adult demand? A great deal more, especially if bodily defects accentuate the situation, or some social condition embitters it. Take a case in which the eldest of four daughters is unmarried. Her three younger sisters have been married some time: and she feels that there must be something inferior in her personality to explain her continued celibate condition; for, as often happens, she is not seeking a career in which compensation could be found. She has an inner solitude of soul which only those who know it could fathom. Further, unless she can discover a solution, this poignant feeling may become prejudicial to both mind and body. There are cases on record in which grave illnesses have supervened. You can think a thousand thoughts—such as "will it be fine tomorrow?"—without affecting the physical system or the welfare of the mind; but if, for instance, you persist in thinking thoughts emotionally charged with

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  

fear, or deep anger, or bitter hatred,

…you are penetrating the physical side of your body with influences adverse to its well-being.¹ 1 See Dr. W.B. Cannon’s Bodily Changes in Fear, Hunger, Rage and Pain.

Tolstoy and Dreiser The adult’s demand for a feeling that he is important is more or less decided by his natural egoism. Tolstoy tells us that as a child he believed the world had been made for his particular benefit, and that he was the center of the Universe. Even as a growing boy of eight, he believed he could fly by leaping from a height and waving his arms in the air; but an experiment changed his belief, for he fell 16 feet from the window out of which he had expelled himself, and was seriously injured. Very often, however, children’s minds are cowed by a feeling of smallness and feebleness amid the immensity of things around them; and this feeling is fertile ground for the growth of the other feeling dealt with in these pages. Later, there may be an almost painful sense of isolation and insufficiency. Thus Theodore Dreiser, in one of his autobiographical books, says, "I was almost crucified when I realized how unimportant I was." The contrast here was between knowledge of ability and delay in its recognition. Yet more normal and less able people go through periods of such contrasts without much difficulty. They look at the stars and feel like worms crawling on the earth: yet when pretty annoyances disgust both mind and soul they look at the stars again and feel refreshed—the heavens have put earthly things in their true perspective.

VII. DRIVING OUT THE FEELING OF INFERIORITY We now come to the practical work of driving out the feeling of inferiority. There are three methods in operation: perhaps there are more, but only three ask for our attention here.

but everybody only laughed at her. but we wonder how many men or women can attain it. or is it understandable. "a fish’s mouth. Sparta’s historic rival) carries its own appeal. There is a story of a French actress who was not beautiful but who determined to be equal to her comrades in this respect. We cannot help admiring it. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . How can I adopt the frontal attack when all the time I want to become an artist. "my only defect is myopia. apologized by saying that he had taken him for an orang-outang! And Foscolo accepted the "insult" gleefully! Is it strange. Ugo Foscolo (1778-1827). He met his inferiority face to face—and prevailed. a sylph’s figure. brilliant Italian poet and prose writer. All the money she earned she spent on cosmetics." you argue.. I have very short-sighted eyes.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.    Her plan was to obtain notice by exploiting her lack of beauty. but eventually they admired it. "I have animal’s eyes. The Spartan bravery of this method (though as a matter of fact Demosthenes was a citizen of Athens. so lacking in beauty of feature himself. should have become the apostle of Beauty? "But. that Michael Angelo.. all the more because she proved to be witty. It is seen in the case of Demosthenes already referred to:    He desired to be an orator.COM The first may be called the method of direct challenge. who affected not to recognize him at first entering a restaurant. and an ogre’s foot." she gloated. More than 70 percent of students in schools of art (the investigation was made not so long ago) were found to be suffering from defects in eyesight. He therefore challenged it. Compare me with anyone you like—you will find no one uglier. for he was so ugly that an acceptance of the horrid fact was the only way out of a painful situation. He found that when he dressed himself as a dandy he was a complete failure.." That is an easily answered question. At last she resolved to overcome her inferiority by a direct frontal attack. but his stammer stood in his way. adopted the same tactics. In all these cases the men and women . She paraded her defects. So he not only allowed his friends to joke about his ugliness but encouraged them to do so." Audiences were at first rather taken aback by this bold procedure.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and proceeded by rigorous discipline to conquer it. Once an acquaintance of his.

with shelves of books so extensive that one is inclined to speak of their mileage. To a young and keen seeker after knowledge the effect is staggering. cast your eyes along the neat volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica and imagine the extent of its information on all topics. despite the fact that he had to use his crutch. then to forget it. He said: "One of the best methods of rendering study agreeable is to live with able men and to suffer all the pangs of inferiority which the want of learning always inflicts. Similarly.COM concerned had determined to compensate for this organic deficiency by cultivating excellence of observation.. And yet it is a wise thing to induce that feeling. His inferiority feeling is intense—almost like being dwarfed by the stars. And in the 1930’s an American one-legged youth took second place in a jumping match.NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. . if you prefer it. Think of the facts and ideas embodied in these hundreds of thousands of volumes! Or." This is a face to face attack. Go into a large library. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Lesson 07: Driving Out The Inferiority Complex (Part Five) Live with the Superior Another phase of the policy of challenge is seen in the counsel given by Sydney Smith. men of shy and reserved natures have become public speakers of renown.

Sometimes.COM The feeling of inferiority sometimes presents itself in a paradoxical form. The youth who does not shine in his examinations. In such company he has his own moments of inspiration. He is not without regrets when he witnesses a stirring performance in the sports field. Similarly. and who never expected to shine because an inward conviction is ever telling him that he is no good. or drawing. suffering from a feeling of inferiority. in which he can take no part. and. or creating an equivalent.. of a man who pooh-poohs a scientific theory because he cannot understand it. although it hurts to see his name so very low down in the examination lists. This equivalence is one reason why some people. This he resents.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the plaudits she gains for other qualities atone for the absence of beauty. in fact. manages to get into the limelight in athletics: and. on the other hand. but at his best. those regrets might be very bitter. What we shall say. and appears therefore not at his worst. the compensation is in the form of a mere day-dream: it has no reality. . Creating an Equivalent The second method of driving out the inferiority feeling is that of compensation. he is able to subtract a good deal from the poor showing in Latin and English by the splendors of leaping and racing. the youth who is too delicate to take part in sports will acquire an unusual proficiency in science. A superiority is developed in another direction and the inferiority is side-tracked. Thus.NKADOJ@GMAIL. if he had no compensatory facts to console him. and greater characters. and she dances divinely. however.  The poor man imagines himself in a position of wealth. She ceases to be troubled about her features. does not exclude the humility which predisposes us to reverence greater minds than our own. for instance. He is uneasy in the presence of such as are his intellectual superiors. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . are unaware they have an inferiority feeling or not.. when asked. in the best of company.. and may surprise by a well-found word not only others but also himself. the girl with an ultra-plain face acquires a superb gift of conversation. and the attitude of contemptuous pomposity is a form of over-compensation for the uneasy feeling arising from his lack of understanding. Self-respect. A man who truly respects himself is not depressed but exhilarated. or the logical grounds on which it rests? The true explanation of such a case is that though he assumes a superior attitude he is. or mathematics.

The Remedy of the Love-Interest . in the large. and tackle in real earnest the problems of a progressive future. asked the barrister: "Which is wots (oats) and which is barley?" The candidate guessed boldly. Consequently. the hard-worked domestic girl becomes a princess with more hats and dresses than she can wear The mischief of this "wish-thinking" is that it enfeebles those who indulge in it for actual life. mounted the platform at the end of the meeting.NKADOJ@GMAIL. And the farmers’ feeling of inferiority was turned into superiority. They do it unconsciously. He talked too much about the intricacies of tariffs."  There may be overstatement here. and more and more inclined to live in their day-dreams. fresh from the market. But there is a better way. it is a delusion and a snare..COM   the would-be writer solaces his failure by dreaming of bestsellers. and. Adler. of wealth.. he became a little too learned for the farmers who were listening. the first exponent of the Inferiority Complex. holding two open bags before him." The one and only remedy is to cease the practice: then to face all realities. is in the last resort a pitiful affair. A story is told of a barrister who was Liberal candidate for a Northern agricultural constituency. The farmers felt outclassed altogether. But one of them. But the habitual day-dream of magnificence. They become more and more afraid of realities. as a remedy. of coefficients. of statistical averages. Tens of thousands of people create equivalents to atone for their feelings of inferiority. The other equivalents we referred to did have some actuality: and although as such they were imperfect. but. and what not. and guessed wrong. of greatness. During one of his election addresses. they nevertheless yielded some satisfaction.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. has stated that "the key to the entire social process is to be found in the fact that persons are always striving to find a situation in which they excel. it is true. of honor. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and of his name on everybody’s lips. "What I cannot get.." it says. "I will enjoy by imagination.

In his Maxims and Reflections he says. even among the great and wise. your business? If you can." they write to each other. This method comes straight from Goethe. is the remedy against the superiority of another. or home. shall dwarf our own possessions or performances. The Austrian violinist who takes a foreigner to hear Kreisler may feel that Kreisler causes other violinists to despair: yet as he listens the love of supreme excellence takes possession of him: and he forgets his own efforts in the joy of a masterly rendering. This spirit of antagonism could be made more vivid by the recital of modern instances in literature. "Is it not sad.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and become impersonal: that is. Newton should have become overclouded by the loss of reason?" And these two eminent men in one letter after another wept crocodile tears with obvious relish. your inferiority trouble. thus accentuating an already keen feeling of inferiority. Not enough of this non-competitive element has appeared in the world. i. art and politics. As a matter of fact. who no doubt adopted it from Eastern sources. The real point is this: Can you cease to be competitive and lose yourself in the love of your subject. "that the incomparable genius of Mr. in the form of impersonal and ennobled interest. We must willingly acknowledge superiority when we see it.. your calling. Thus. is an Austrian.. .." What did he mean? He meant that we should drop the personal element. there are numbers of letters lamenting the supposed fact that Newton had become insane. he is moved by national pride. or invested funds. or poetry. in the correspondence of Leibniz and Huygens. will soon be at an end. or fiction. and. and as he converses with the foreigner. "Against the superiority of another there is no remedy but love.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Besides. or music. too. should you have one. if somebody else’s car. there is an obvious satisfaction in knowing that Kreisler. Newton’s mind was still functioning nobly.COM The third method may be called the remedy of love. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . love in the form of a highly elevated and purified interest.. science.e. we should cease to be competitive. Leibniz appears to have been unwilling to allow the greatness of Newton. In this way love.

" She did. Final Words A Pelman Lesson is not an impersonal study of mental facts: and whether the subject is memory. false imaginings. and he also laughed as he said. hates. and from anything that looks like a complex. Very often this settlement is a joint work: we. In other words." immediately turned to her mother and asked whether her father had one. "My husband has an inferiority complex. If there is a conflict between you and a business place because they have sent you a different article from the one you ordered and paid for. What remains to be done now is to emphasize the importance of inner harmony of mind. but you yourself must do the greater part. and pretenses. That medicine for the mind is obtained by following Goethe’s advice: which is a sincere search for intellectual honesty combined with a love of one’s fellows." Perhaps an absorption in some enterprise is a form of the love-interest which gives all inferiorities their quietus. the aim is to deal with it.COM A little girl who had heard a woman say in the train.NKADOJ@GMAIL. you proceed in person to the shop and get the matter "adjusted. here. The mother laughed and said. "I don’t know. "I may have had something like it when I was young. You’d better ask him when you get home. imagination." Your mental conflicts demand a similar treatment: they cry aloud for settlement so that you may have inward peace. however. you create the desire for freedom of the self from bad complexes. or anything else. but I’ve been too busy for twenty years to bother about it. finally. jealousies.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. For instance. and to be unselfish. you need a mental cathartic—a purging which banishes errors. envies. in its connection with the student.. can do something. will. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Pause to examine the word adjusted." Before that can happen.. This aim has been kept in view throughout the preceding pages. you make up your mind:    to be true.. . You are ready to say with an old Jewish writer: "Give me truth in the inward parts. You cannot get far so long as there are deep conflicts within which can be and ought to be adjusted. to be charitable.

The alternative remedies to this which we have called that of the Love Interest. Avoid the repeated analysis of any depressive feeling: it tends to accentuate the feeling: yet— Avoid the temptation to run away from your troubles. They follow on your heels. to be exact.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Avoid the idea that your case is infinitely worse than others.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Avoid egoism. financially. and you will do something to avoid the inferiority feeling. and. WHAT TO AVOID Avoid the excessive use of those scales by means of which you measure other people. They demand a broad progressive personal training which by developing all the individual’s powers and resources will justify confidence in himself and in his own destiny. mentally and morally. soberly.. temperament and opportunity. . indulgent. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . that is. are: 1.. These also should be applied according to circumstances. There is always one that is superior in agony to yours.. Think justly of yourself. in fact you cannot run away from them. giving yourself credit for what is good without being blind to your shortcomings.COM The primary outcome of this discipline will be that you will see yourself in a new light. just. if need be. that of Compensation. the method of Direct Challenge. and 2. Avoid the fear of comparison—the dread that you may be outclassed. WHAT TO DO Learn to judge other people in the spirit of science plus appreciation: that is. You will no longer be so anxious to stand well with other people that you become afraid of being thought inferior.

the sycamore from the plane. Exercise XXV In the country. Go forward until you find it. .COM Maintain a hopeful attitude. Learn to tell an elm tree from a hornbeam and a beech. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . We now propose to introduce exercises which will develop sense powers on wider and more comprehensive lines. There is a superiority for you. a pear.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Lesson 07: Driving Out The Inferiority Complex (Part Six) EXERCISES The previous exercises in the training of the Senses were. but much to avert its less agreeable consequences. Observe until you can tell the difference from the blossoms on an apple tree and those on a peach. Learn to distinguish. Keep your mind fixed on the possibilities ahead of you. if you cannot distinguish already. in the main. give attention to the trees. the pine from the larch. Nothing can be done to change the past. but they contain basic principles of method which are capable of an almost infinite number of variations. These sight-training exercises are not outlined in the belief that they represent finality.. even in days that are dark and dreary. The discovery of these variations is in itself a pursuit both attractive and profitable.NKADOJ@GMAIL. intended to help you in analytical observation. although more extended views were not forgotten. You were urged to examine objects closely. somewhere. Face the unpleasant fact with courage. never with fear. the horse-chestnut from the Spanish-chestnut. or a cherry. and we commend it to the student’s earnest attention... and at the same time we shall offer suggestions for cultivating sight and hearing as needed in your own calling.

and look for those which are happy. How many tobacconists’ shops? 7. but a facility for noticing things which. For instance. .. How many banks? 3. …. and on its ideal side is an invaluable contribution to culture. if you watch the faces of people whom you pass in the street.How many hair salons? The object of the exercise is to test your practice in general observation. but the majority had that indefinable expression which suggests merely a tolerant acceptance of events without emotion of any kind.How many fast food stores were there? 11. How many places of worship? 9.. How many pharmacy shops are there in it? 2. At the end of the week you could say: I saw …. How many drapery shops? 5. faces and …. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . you would find an attraction in every one. Exercise XXVII It might not be true to say human faces are always interesting in themselves.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM We know from years of experience that the conscientious observer of such exercises as are found in this Lesson is certain to produce not only a vast amount of detailed and accurate information. per cent were evidently not happy. per cent were obviously happy. Write answers to the following questions from memory: 1. How many grocers’ stores? 6. How many boot and shoe shops? 4.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but they can become interesting by being made the subject of an inquiry.. How many mail boxes on the sidewalk? 8. on its real side. is more often than not equivalent to hard cash. Exercise XXVI For this exercise it is necessary that you should select a street which you know very well indeed—or a section of a street if the one chosen be a very long one. How many booksellers’ and news-agents’ shops? 10.

whether it is protruded in a straight line. Exercise XXVIII—Observation as Applied to Callings Below we give an example of the way in which an M. 2. observe his manner of walking. Are there any peculiarities in the shape of the ear. 4. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .D. Is there any want of symmetry in the head? 2. the presence or absence of fur. would you classify it as: o spastic (spasmodic).) 4.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 3. For example. you would find every face interesting. or o reeling? A very acute observer will be able to write fully on all these points after a momentary glance. o ataxic (disorderly). I. and whether the surface is dry or moist.. The ideal Greek facial angle is a right angle. the build: spare. will find it very useful to observe any anatomical peculiarities. IV.. We suggest that you should fix upon some quality or fact in human physiognomy. the shape and color. or does he tend to deviate? If his gait is abnormal. whether or not the tongue is tremulous II. 2. to the extent of your purpose at any rate. Are the two sides of the face alike? 3. or in the manner in which it is united to the head? III. if you resolved to discover (merely for the sake of an exercise in observation) what is the percentage of people with blue eyes among the men and women you meet. What is the facial angle? (The angle formed by a line drawn down-ward from the forehead to the nostrils and another drawn horizontally from the nostrils to the ear. On a patient being announced. medium or full habit. does he walk straight.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and make it an exercise to glance (not to stare) at other people in order to carry out your plan. On shaking hands. glance at him and note: 1. a careful observer should note instantly: .COM Similarly. and the student of Medicine. A brief examination should enable one to note: 1. (Glasgow) student of the PELMAN Institute adapted the principles of perception to his own professional needs. and the character of the papillae. The artist. Examine the Tongue.. the shape of the head and face offers much scope for observation: 1.

4. 4.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. He notes the destination boards on public vehicles in the crowded streets of towns and cities. . 2. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . shape: stunted. we now present an application of PELMAN teaching in the use of Observation when driving a car.. V. spade-like. Is the skin dry or smooth? Undue pallor or redness? Any want of symmetry? When he smiles. syllable-stumbling? VI."      The eye of an alert car-driver takes in signs. For. 4. tremor. 2. any clamminess or heat.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM 1. He deduces probabilities and controls his wheel accordingly. 3. VII. His ear detects at once not only that something is amiss but what is amiss in the running of the car. the condition of the Sclerotic (the "white"). whether or not Ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid) is present. joints large. 2. it sharpens all the senses. thus checking his route.. His manner of speech: Is it: 1. 3. sounds and sights with the acuity of an experienced scout. 3. is there any sign of paralysis? Driving a Motor Car To take a very different example. whether the pupils are equal or not. The eye. "the Pelman discipline makes him see quickly. as The Spectator (October 10. The face: 1. the strength of the grip. 2. slurring. 3. Every significant sign is sensed almost automatically by the observant driver. enlargement of the finger ends. hear acutely. drawling. 1925) said in a brief review of the Pelman Course. hasty." Pelmanism inculcates "road-sense.. A glance should suffice to determine: 1.

but to the place where he spent his childhood.. It is possible not only to tell whether a man hails from Scotland or from Devonshire. all of them indicative of change of feeling and thought on the part of the speaker.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. of Lancashire and of Yorkshire. tones. There are notable difference between the English of the United States as a whole and that of Canada. from Wales or from Essex. the Church. The compass of the human voice covers about four octaves.. It is about this that its inflections should occur. A Yorkshire man would be able to tell you from what riding of the country the speaker comes. for to talk habitually above this pitch or below is to produce an inferior quality of tone. and somewhere about the middle of this is the note which it produces most freely and musically. The result is that in comparatively few cases does the voice "find itself. is the information that to a discerning auditor is conveyed by the peculiarities of diction. Students from any great seat of learning have their peculiarities by which they are differentiated from similar groups elsewhere. however. Similarly. would be able to discern dictional differences between towns and villages but a few miles apart." had devoted himself with scientific precision to the study of local and provincial peculiarities. the Navy. there are differences characteristic of various professions—the Army. but to distinguish between natives of Northumberland and of Cumberland. Exercise XXIX—Ear Training The human voice offers an unusual opportunity for training the sense of sound. and it is probable that one who. between the speech of New Zealand and that of Australia.. Every individual organ has its own compass." What we would insist upon mainly here. for the most part. like Bernard Shaw’s "Pygmalion. since it provides a great number of inflections. without guidance. and half-tones. Draw up a plan for your own calling and the duties involved. the Theater Stage and the Law. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . . To develop these efficiencies is the open road to excellence.COM No matter what your employment may be it has efficiencies which depend on the rapid and accurate use of senses. It is unfortunate that the development of the voice is left. Thus the voice gives a clue not only to:   the character and present mood of the speaker.

Ask your friend to give you a few verbal orders one day with the object of your reproducing these orders the next day. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. without having committed them to paper during the intervening period. then try to repeat the three: 1. Shuffle and deal two hands of thirteen cards each. holding the other thirteen in your hand. and his profession. Thus:— "Send a complete set of Dickens’ works to Adam Smith.NKADOJ@GMAIL. their business. immediately after hearing them. five minutes after hearing them. APPENDIX CARD MEMORY (2) The next exercise consists in analyzing the hand. . this fact allows so much the more scope for original observation in your practice of character-reading from the voice. Beckenham. checking them afterwards from the printed reports. 2.. the details of the orders are of no consequence. 3. What correspondences do you find between these and the facts known to you about their place of origin. It is unfortunate that there is no book dealing with this subject. with a view to possibilities. and place dummy’s face up before you. Manor Lodge Road.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. if these are available. sort them. Ask a friend to give you verbally the telephone numbers of three people known to him. and their disposition? 2. or listen to a lecture and write down afterwards the most striking sentences. and write to Judge." The orders may be varied in many ways. try to:    recollect a conversation or a remark heard on the previous day. Recall the voice and diction of six of your acquaintances. their education..COM   the kind of schools through which he passed. Kent. If a friend’s help is not available. 1. requesting him to forward for inspection the Diodati New Testament. On the other hand. but as long as the rules laid down are carried out.

Now turn dummy’s cards down and see if you can recollect these possibilities. if you are really interested in cards.. because it demands close and accurate observation. after getting in with the club king. combined with attention. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . you hold ace and one. and you have ace. After a little practice of this kind every day. and one small. and then look for the possible tricks." It does not matter whether that is the right declaration or not. which is the secret of all memory. the division of the honors. the score and the possible tricks." When you sit down for the actual play at the card table. no matter how or when. Do the same. In that suit it is possible to make six tricks if the king is on your right.COM Suppose the declaration is "no trumps. and see if you cannot recollect the possibilities of the combined hands. Now count up the certain tricks in the combined hands. every time you get the declaration and play the dummy. and how they should be played. as well as dummy’s.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. small in diamonds. After you have tried the experiment a number of times. You cannot be sure of a spade trick by any manner of play. Dummy has jack. You should soon be able to go over the whole ground after one good look at the two hands. by leading the high diamonds from the hand that is short in that suit. be sure to put your newly acquired powers to the test. Let us suppose that dummy has king and two small clubs.. .NKADOJ@GMAIL. All good players study the combined hands carefully before they play to the first trick. queen. It is manifestly impossible for you to make more than two tricks in that suit. you will be astonished at the improvement in your "card memory. but if the adversaries lead that suit. ten. Dummy has three spades to the queen and you have three to the jack. Dummy has four small hearts. This comparison of the two hands is the whole secret. turn down your own cards. There is nothing in that suit but one sure trick. you must make either queen or jack. no matter how you manage it. Take your time.. noting     the distribution of the suits. because that has nothing to do with training the memory. while you hold six to the ace.

 Dummy has three hearts. begin with the suit you open. Begin with the hands in which an opponent starts with a trump declaration. Note the number. It is beside the mark to say that you have a good memory for some things. and train it in the right way. and the hearts are all gone. if it is not in dummy or your own cards. at least.. and say to yourself. If it is two. see if you cannot recollect the salient points in the hand you have just played. and he must have three of them. but not for cards. "He has five of that suit. If you forget any particular suit. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL. There is no great difficulty about it. A simple exercise: At no-trump.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . train yourself to remember dummy’s cards and to compare the cards your partner leads or plays with what you see between your own hand and dummy. and by whom played. you can place the residue in the hand of the other. If this limit is one. with what you do not know. and you have two." you will try your skill on such inferences as depend entirely on memory. if there is one. By watching the suits in which one player fails. Your memory is alike for all things if you are interested in them. When you are playing against the declaration." Begin with the trump suit. and observe how it will instantly recall what you had yourself. the rest of his hand is diamonds. and trumps have been led twice. As you begin to feel more and more confidence in your "card memory. Then add to your practice a memory of the suit the declarer starts with. and finally you will get to observing all the suits.COM After the hand is over. it all depends on your proceeding in the right way. "If the declarer has two clubs left and no spades. Then the declarer must hold four. and try to remember every card in it. your partner leads the deuce of hearts. while the cards are dealing for the next hand. add five to it." Count the dummy’s trumps and your own. or your partner leads. which is the remainder of the suit still to come. and you will see that there is a limit to the number your partner can hold. If not. do not expect him to trump a suit twice. comparing what you actually know of the cards laid on the table by dummy or played to the tricks. and towards the end of almost every hand you will be able to recall the fact and say to yourself for instance. do not expect him to trump at all. showing only four in suit.. ask your partner what he had in dummy.

conversation. We believe it is the road to popularity. and reflection. .NKADOJ@GMAIL.. The garnerings of observation. In the next Lesson we describe the PELMAN way. they form part of the self.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. are to be used as material for intelligent interchanges with other people.. As to how this expression is best carried out there are several opinions. These garnerings have become individualized. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM PELMAN LESSON VIII After impression comes expression.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL...

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...COM ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Lesson 07: Driving Out The Inferiority Complex (Part Seven) ..

NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ..

..COM ..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM .

COM ....Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL.

. They may not be able to define the word. but these leave ample room for individual differences of thought and action. A possible personality has failed to arrive. Why should we always cut and trim ourselves in order to please others by acts of slavish imitation? To the social customs that corporate life demands we must conform ourselves. pleasantly so.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Nature’s intentions have been frustrated.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. In the following pages we endeavor to show:   how self-assertion is to be reconciled with consideration for established convention. They want to be themselves. but they know what they want. how individual freedom is to be combined with due regard for the similar rights of all. It is a very rational desire. and in that way to be unlike others. An unrealized character is a scientific failure.COM Lesson 08: SELF-EXPRESSION and PERSONALITY FOREWARD Every man and woman desires to possess Personality. .NKADOJ@GMAIL.

. builders. What.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. to satisfy their natures and indicate their personalities. there is not so much as a sprightly thought comes into my mind that it does not grieve me to have produced it alone. engineers. all seek to express themselves. until it is disclosed in their relation to other people." MONTAIGNE. Artists. is this self—or personality as it is more popularly called? 2.. Expression follows Impression. It develops personality. But many people truly express themselves:    in deeds. and that I have no one to tell it to. 2. words were the medium of self-expression..COM Self-Expression and Personality "There is no pleasure to me without communication. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . …the only way in which we can express abstract ideas or supply detailed information is by words.. indicate our opinions by gestures and give instructions by signs. however.NKADOJ@GMAIL.    for whilst we can often show our intentions by acts. 3. How much of it ought we to express. sculptors. and how much keep to ourselves? 3. the old-time shoemaker and many others. then. There is a simpler way. 1. I. in the work they do. How is self-expression related to happiness and popularity? We could go on asking these questions until the whole subject becomes clouded and obscure. "SELF" AND "EXPRESSION" Montaigne was a writer and to him as such. Thus speech has come to be regarded as the primary means of self-expression. Personality leads to popularity and success. We shall follow this outline: 1. by what they do and by the manner in which they do it. The manifestation is not complete. carpenters.

and mental indigestion is a natural consequence. from reading. They are most avaricious in acquiring knowledge. and when you told your friends about it. But what kind of self is it?     Is it a self that is always growing because it is being continually enriched by an access of new impressions gathered from diverse sources. "I have a self to be expressed." Let us examine it a little closely. you had an impression both new and striking. they try to store it.NKADOJ@GMAIL. when you first saw a squadron of airplanes in formation. . but they do not use it in the right way. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . then we shall try to point out the way to better conditions. There are men and women who try to develop mentally without this adjustment.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and from debate? …If so. Thus. fancies.. the capacity of the reservoir being limited.. The student may say.   By impression we mean. But if you had bottled up your impressions. reading. for. The inflow and the outflow must have a definite relationship to each other. the ideas. the information they absorb is unassimilated. you were giving expression to the emotions of delight and wonder. business. Impression and Expression Can you imagine a reservoir into which tons of water are poured continually but out of which no water is drawn? Possibly not." Very well. By expression we mean an attempt more or less successful. in a general way. As a result. any excess of water would overflow unless steps were taken to run it off by means of sluices or taps. the world of nature. social life. and feelings which come to us from our environment. or first heard a wireless concert. if not.COM As to the first point it need hardly be stated before we can express anything there must be something to express. well and good. It is a sound psychological rule which says: "No impression without proportionate expression. and travel. thoughts. from conversation.. to indicate outwardly the thoughts or feelings which we have inwardly experienced. but the accommodation is inadequate.

each person manages somehow. We all use the same script and the same words. we shall confine our use of the word to those characteristics which are in a peculiar sense the property of the individual.   A man’s handwriting may be dissimilar from that of every other man. so to individualize his penmanship in such a way that he can pick it out from among thousands of other specimens. and yet it may be quite insignificant. it may be profoundly impressive. however. That is why we are giving considerable space to it here." as Individual . …you would have been breaking the rule: "No impression without proportionate expression. A useful illustration is found in handwriting. nevertheless.¹ In this sense everybody has personality. or assemblage of qualities. or. And we have now to consider all that is involved in this complex idea of self or personality. on the other hand. that are of most account. In this lesson.. without intention." Thereby you would have been doing your mind an injustice. Now it is these differences. in their number and significance.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. In like manner a man’s personality may be different from that of his fellows. 1 The Oxford Dictionary defines Personality as "that quality. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . nor committing your thoughts to paper.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but mainly because in the last analysis personality is itself inscrutable. and which have the effect of arousing the emotional interest or antagonism of other people. and yet it may be weak and ill-formed.. Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Two) II. full of character. or. partly because the several meanings of the word are often confused. which makes a person what he is as distinct from other persons.COM   never saying a word to anyone of what you had seen." "Manner. and the expert can almost infallibly distinguish it from any but the most skillful imitations. WHAT PERSONALITY IS The subject of Personality is confessedly difficult.. for this habit of expression is an important factor in developing mental power.

. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . which shapes those qualities that mark him off from his fellows.COM We therefore begin our investigation with this assurance: that to have personality does not mean the possession of an additional faculty which is denied to a large number of people.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and one who is decidedly lacking. That difference was in the seed. bodies. The Mystery of Personality Although personality is not a separate "faculty.      George is an optimist.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. In one family of sons and daughters. Self-Forgetfulness . duties. incomes. friends. one can see a variety of personalities. Two seeds may have the same outward appearance. but when they have been put in earth and the plants have sprung up. Fred is the most genial of cynics.. or in his manner of speaking. Dora lives for dresses. the result of various factors in heredity and environment. It means that the powers we possess. although we may not be able to detect it. which distinguish him from the ordinary person. votes. He may possibly not have mental ability equal to that of the man who is without a striking personality. they may be as different as it is possible for two plants of the same species to be. minds. and so on. owing to the possible change in the combination of these factors. and Alice combines mysticism with service for others. Harry is a youth who believes in nothing but "cash down. but he uses what he has with such dexterity that he often gains the reputation of being superior. If you consider a man with a striking personality."." it must be admitted that the primary origin of the difference between one person and another is as yet undiscovered. you will find that on general lines they have the same possessions. or in what he says.   He may have distinctive touches in his dress.. must be possessed in a manner that is somehow different from the manner of the majority. manners. Deep down in the mind of the individual man there is apparently a determining principle. but the man with personality handles his possessions in a way all his own.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Cardinal Newman’s idea of a gentleman as one who will never intentionally give pain to others. Shelley.NKADOJ@GMAIL. To be our natural selves is the real road to individuality in thought and action.. and it prevents those differences from jarring upon the sensitiveness of any member of the company. Social etiquette is a means of harmonizing the differences which make up the personalities of a group. They learn one by one his little tricks of expression. have personality in the highest degree. or what impression was caused by his life and manners. and the world knows him as a poseur. is fundamentally correct. or using a walking-stick. and watch with amusement his wonderful way of raising his eyebrows. People see through him. But the assumer is found out. and he who in social moments is unconscious of himself has a better chance of remembering others. He is then labeled." there is no doubt. and is. May not differences.COM At this point.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. unfortunately. they are quite unconscious of the exact kind of impression made upon people with whom they come in contact. The truest form of personality is combined with self-forgetfulness. . Geniuses. soon or later. for the most part. generally. be assumed? They may. not self-conscious. Poseurs are of many varieties. and it may safely be said of them that. That he knew he was "different. of the kind referred to. surely... They know to a nicety how he will enter a room or address a meeting on social topics. The "Poseur" Another question arises. was totally unaware of the precise effect of his presence and conversation in the social circles in which he moved. the obvious questions are:   "Does a man know he has personality?" "Is he conscious of it?" These questions are not easy to answer satisfactorily without a good deal of explanation. And if he has acquired "tact" (the aptitude for putting himself in touch with others) he will not give unnecessary pain to others even without intention. but even he could not know how the tones of his voice affected his hearers. therefore.

 Some people attract us and interest us deeply. glares at you with gimlet eyes.. who. Then three more words are thrown at you. on the contrary. and the like may be true of attractive people. What is the pose here? The strong man of few words.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it is all around them. "Sit down. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . That is the only way in which it can become a natural possession. "PERSONAL MAGNETISM" Nobody seems to know what "personal magnetism" really is in itself. Later on we shall show how far. "Yes. asks a final question. any characteristic for which allowances must be made is not indicative of personality. The repellent people sometimes carry with them qualities which may account for our aversion. But allowing for this we must still confess that in many cases the influence is elusive. Negative People . He thinks sternly..COM There is the "great" business man. You tell him. manifesting itself outwardly." and the thing is done. just as others unfailingly repel us. We realize that it is a pose and make allowances accordingly. we cannot put on personality as we put on our clothes. it can be developed by conscious effort. Positive vs. and jerking a hand towards a chair. when you go to see him. No." You sit down obediently. Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Three) III. but before that we desire to describe some of the phenomena connected with the influence of one mind on another. Nevertheless. "What is it?" he gruffs again. and in what sense. the latter have characteristics which we call pleasing. it is something that grows from within. vague and invisible.. But everybody knows about it. but we have all experienced what goes by this name. says gruffly. it implies an element of weakness. like an atmosphere or aura. says.NKADOJ@GMAIL. He uses his eyebrows eloquently.

If you have ever met a man or a woman who has impressed you as a superior.COM As a rule. The Impression of Superiority It can also be seen in a less dramatic form where the impression is one of superiority. It is most strikingly manifest in the influence of great men: Emerson for instance. and if you have ever asked the reason why. The effect of this attitude on the whole of their activity is progressive."¹ 1 Woodbury’s Talks with Emerson. and a gift of utterance.NKADOJ@GMAIL. keen eyes. a sympathetic voice.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 2. 4. We see it in every sphere of society. The difference is due to a compound of:— 1. they are more keen on Yes than No.. and the effect on other men and women is exhilarating. . deeper experience. higher education. 3. and the gift of understanding human nature in the large. they are all for movement and expression.. and not least in circles where one does not look for educated intelligence may one find pronounced character. an impression which is the joint outcome of:—      a striking personal appearance. like life itself. they are far more ready to affirm than to deny. stronger will and self-reliance. 5. people with strongly marked personalities are:       positive. not negative. you will have traced the feeling (social position excluded) to the factors just mentioned. of whom an intimate friend said that "no one who met him was ever the same again. 75. a wide range of ideas. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. keener mental penetration. p.

 His eyes are turned inward. such as self-reliance. or self-confidence. enthusiasm. Let us look at these. but the more he struggles against it the more deeply becomes involved. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . By an habitual attitude of mind we mean a specific mental quality. In short. On Managing the "Self" Self-reliance. courage. forms of action. not others. and winces at criticism.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. sincerity. Egotism What is the origin of his confusion? It may be a shy nature. not only because it eventuates in courage. His main occupation. which is one of the first of virtues. is the most important element. and we shall find that they are of two kinds: 1. He is anxious to be well thought of. Our reference to him here is to show how impossible it is for such a man to express latent personality. Probably he strongly objects to being self-centered. habitual attitudes of mind. he is something of an egotist. A self-conscious man on entering a room full of people may not be so distressed in spirit as to make a fool of himself. but whilst he is speaking he is also listening critically to what he says. By forms of action we mean specific methods of giving expression to the states of mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL. THE CONDITIONS OF PERSONALITY We now come to a study of the conditions which make the expression of personality possible.COM IV. is himself. and wondering whether he is saying the right thing in the right way. With either or with both may be found an ultra-sensitive disposition. and purpose. but because it makes self-consciousness next to impossible. yet the social occasion demands that he . therefore. and more than a dash of rational recklessness. he needs less introspection.. or it may be social inexperience.. not outward. and 2.

so behind the staff and in every activity of a great business there is a personality which they reflect.COM shall listen to others. and feels his failure acutely.. Everyone is sensible of the difference in the atmosphere of an establishment which is on the up-grade and that of one which has seen its best days. The cause of all the trouble is lack of self-confidence. Personality may exist where moral scruples are few and far between. or to escape altogether. just as it can seal our lips. he is unable to meet these demands.. It may be a very serious problem or one which merely ruffles our serenity. not watch himself. resulting in divided attention. The quiet forms of courage are in danger of being undervalued. We also mean the woman or girl who resigns her post and returns home to nurse a mother suffering from cancer or other life-threatening disease. In making these statements we are not confusing moral character with personality. as in the need for administering a reproof—but fear can destroy our judgment. The point is that this sort of fear has no part in a strong personality. self-confidence implies courage. Courage has been defined as "equality to the problems before us. Just as a building which has been sanctified by the religious thoughts and emotions of many generations has a certain power of kindling the religious emotion in the heart even of the skeptical visitor. but our ideal personality includes those mental and moral characteristics which in universal opinion carry the greatest weight. All parents know the importance which is rightly attached to the ‘tone’ of a school. Courage Further. We mean the man who will take the line of right and duty. consequently..    We do not refer to the man who uses strong language." Fear is the feeling of inequality. let it cost what it may.NKADOJ@GMAIL. he is often merely theatrical. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. at one and the same moment he tries to forget himself and to remember himself. and bangs the table with his fist. . Such a personality may be either of a positive or of a negative type. the problem looms so large that we have a desire to draw back.

so long as fear dwells in his soul. This does not mean blatant self-assertion. It is perfectly rational. the goods are in his bag but his heart in his mouth. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Right and Wrong Fear is a fact about which several misconceptions exist. or tremble in the presence of a trifling danger. Fear paralyzes what personality he has. it means self-respect. How can you respect yourself if:    you are fearful of meeting other people. Fear of an indigent old age begets a rational desire to make provision for the future. Fear of Ridicule The destroying kind of fear is a different thing altogether. The like is true of the professional man and of the junior clerk. and may resolve itself into an insurance or superannuation scheme for that purpose. but it often imposes a course of conduct that is undignified.COM Fear. some of them rather serious.. for instance. Take the fear of ridicule.NKADOJ@GMAIL. or cringe before superiority? . We do not agree. How much will he sell? Very little. and equally rational to take preventative measures as quickly as possible. we must first have confidence in ourselves.   Here is a man who feels he ought to learn a new subject.. If we would bring out of the depths that of which we are capable. "Trust Thyself" What is true of the salesman is true of all of us. Here is a salesman who approaches a possible buyer nervously and with halting steps. It exercises a certain useful function in preserving the necessary uniformities of life. We have read books which teach that the slightest element of concern should be instantly repressed.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. to fear the evil consequences of being drenched to the skin. but he is afraid to join a class lest his enemies—and friends—should laugh at him. it prevents hidden possibilities from coming to the surface.

this very pretense imposed upon us by a social convention intensifies our aversion from such social necessities. "we but half express ourselves. your games. affect an interest we do not feel. Personality is a thing of warmth and life.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. as the Hebrew writer phrases it. You may have noisy enthusiasm or quiet enthusiasm. Such people are often brilliant conversationalists. and the attractiveness which might win permanent respect and confidence is reduced to the level of a mere passing entertainment. preferably the latter. and are sought after on that account. It is far better." If you prefer "lively interest. Do not be misled by that word "enthusiasm. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It would be false to say that men and women with a little crop of insincerities can have no personality.NKADOJ@GMAIL. You may be enthusiastic about everything:     About your life purpose. in courtesy. but you must have one or the other. "But what have I to be enthusiastic about?" you ask. Every heart vibrates to that iron string. and are ashamed of that diverse idea which each of us represents.." use that phrase instead. Trust thyself. and although during a boring talk we may. to "have truth in the inward parts. about your hobbies. Those people who freeze you on a near approach are out of the question.COM Emerson has it that." Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Four) Avoid Insincerity Another state of mind which is necessary to the expression of personality is Sincerity. and possess the virtue of self-confidence? Strong personality demands a basis that is devoid of hypocrisy and sham." How else can we believe in ourselves.. The Emotional Drive Enthusiasm is another of the states of mind which we have to notice. but beneath the glitter one eventually detects the base metal. your social recreations.. .

however artfully it may be concealed. and you will find: . The Success Atmosphere Examine any man you know from the standpoint of the analysis just conducted. and that meaning gives color to all you do and say. will give point to every activity which engages your attention. not only for such realities of life as money and prosperity. especially the finer arts which minister to happiness. They are:—     Self-confidence (in which we include courage).COM    your reading. to words. such as it is. but for ideal things also. Let us now sum up these states of mind. and to deeds.NKADOJ@GMAIL. you will bring the best out of yourself. We do not say that if you cultivate these qualities you will become a man of influence. on the other hand. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . And your purpose—there may be several—will add significance to appearance. and Purpose.. to you at any rate. which could not be obtained by merely drifting with the stream.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and imparts a quality. but we do say that:    you will be on the right road to develop to the full the force of personality of which you are capable. Sincerity. Purpose Lastly. This purpose gives coherence to her actions. A listless mind and drooping emotions will destroy every vestige of personal influence of which you are capable. Enthusiasm. your music.. there is a vital association between personality and purpose. and your work for others.. enthusiasm. Your life has meaning. Even the society butterfly who cultivates charm and aims at social popularity has a purpose.

4. situated above the kidneys. The Thyroid is in front and on both sides of the trachea. In every trade and profession there is a success atmosphere. the organism possesses a full tone. we may hope. commercial. 5. they are usually anxious to secure a distinctive position.COM 1. As matter of fact. that the issue of success or failure in life depends mainly upon mental attitude. but increased knowledge of the secretions of certain ductless glands has thrown light already. So long as it functions actively... 2. whereas depressed. but are unwilling to pay the price of a steady progress. heartbeat. Some semi-cynical people affect to ignore its existence and believe themselves to be above and beyond it. but common sense. The Pituitary: a comparatively small gland situated at the base of the brain and behind the root of the nose. some other important rhythms. Avoid these people. breathing. the most brilliant successes. social and political are of the class described. How Temperament is Conditioned It is obvious from experience and observation. and in the future will throw.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. still further light. moody. and enables the organism to . upon the mystery of the personality. and 6. time of sleep and time of waking. 3. while 2. 3. The mechanism involved is only partly understood. They liberate into the blood stream adrenalin. intellectual. which increases the activity of the heart and respiratory organs. professional. and already criminologists are taking account of it in the investigation of crimes and the examination of criminals. Get into touch with better men than yourself. the growth of the frame in childhood and adolescence. who can teach you something. You find a better player. 2. but strive to be worthy of your company.NKADOJ@GMAIL. they want to arrive by a flying leap. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the body’s rhythm. This is not snobbery. Of these glands the most important for our purpose are: 1. If you wish to learn golf you do go round the course with a man who knows less than you do. It is believed that it controls in some sense: 1. the failures are those who lack one or more of the four qualities. summed up in preceding paragraphs. Endocrinology is the name given to the science of the ductless glands and their secretions. Of primary importance for their influence upon our daily life are the Adrenal glands.. and "negative" life is indicative of a low standard of efficiency in its working.

 The practical application of this formula secures the self-confidence that is one of the most important elements in personality. It is not only interesting in theory.. You are already at a high pitch of tension.COM respond vigorously in its characteristic way to the very limit of its capacity. and he is right." In this way you will have controlled your feelings in accordance with the Pelman formula RF + RT = RW. as well as in other ways. You begin to burn with a desire to cut in with a scathing remark. but has a practical bearing upon the development of those qualities of which personality consists. The most effectual plan for inhibiting a thought of which our judgment disapproves is the substitution of another of a contrary tendency. Should a foreigner speak in the same tone of Great Britain. we are responsible for those which we deliberately foster. for these. lest by hasty words you spoil the general harmony.. your breathing accelerates. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It is pride in his origin and love of his country which cause this man to speak disparagingly. the consensus of opinion is that the British exhibit was a poor show for a nation with our traditions. in animals which normally seek safety in flight it ministers to speed. he would probably be the first to defend her.. As has been said elsewhere. Our emotions—anger. By way of safeguard you might suggest to yourself this thought: "After all. Thoughts may be of such a nature as to retard or accelerate endocrine activity. beware.NKADOJ@GMAIL. He is over-zealous—that is all: he feels that our exhibit should have struck a more dominant note. for instance—are preceded by or accompanied with thought. In a moment your opinion will be asked. Hence the importance of selecting wisely the thoughts that we harbor in our mind. although we are not directly responsible for all the thoughts that arise in the mind to the level of consciousness. by their influence upon the nervous system in its relations with these glands. even as I wanted to defend her just now. govern our behavior. Here is an example. To it is largely due what is distinguished as animal courage in combative animals. Your pulse beats faster. As you listen to a man freely expressing opinions unfavorable to the British exhibit at some international exhibition. .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. your hands are clenched. you begin to think he is belittling Great Britain. on the other hand. Glands and Personality We have introduced the subject into this lesson because of its essential connection with personality.

COM Adrenalin and Concentration It may not be amiss to point out here that adrenalin plays a certain part in intellectual as well as in muscular effort. therefore—if all goes well and. . according to nature’s plan—to become easy and delightful. at the expense of a considerable effort) tends. since.. 3. because. and this is a condition favorable to the continuance of a sufficient discharge of the secretion into the blood stream. 1. Though this is the case. it is obvious. But it is important to bear in mind the nature of the process. remembering it.. Interest being stimulated. Thus there is a kind of cyclic relation of cause and effect. however. as it were. There comes a time. when the reserves are exhausted and fatigue overcomes the worker. normally. There is a close analogy. The increased flow eliminates fatigue and makes concentration easier. Interest thereupon grows more intense.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 2. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . it is to a certain extent under the control of the will. Work undertaken half willingly (that is to say.. It has been experimentally demonstrated that its flow neutralizes the toxins to which fatigue is more copious in proportion as interest is developed. we are less liable to be discouraged if in the earlier stages of our work we feel fatigue to be growing upon us with an accompanying temptation to desist. Interest. the flow of adrenalin increases. depends on various factors. that this process can be continued indefinitely.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. It is not intended to imply. as has been shown. It is more easy to develop in one direction than another. we become interested in any matter on which our attention is concentrated. with the "second wind" upon which the athlete depends. no doubt.

we shall now devote some attention to the question: "How is personality developed?" With many people it is not developed at all. Self-Expression Develops Ability . lack of a sense of adjustment.. and just as effective in its results as it is simple in its operation. …are responsible for repressed personality.NKADOJ@GMAIL. indeed. unhelpful surroundings. and. This fact will become increasingly clear as the regime is unfolded. the absence of good friendships.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the remedy is at hand. it is repressed. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Now the remedy in such cases is to find some suitable form of expression. HOW TO DEVELOP PERSONALITY Having outlined what we may call the elements of personality and some of its factors. This may be unintentional on their part..COM Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Five) V. as will be seen in a moment or two. The values of Self-expression are many and important. but there can be no doubt that:     inherited tendencies. and other factors.. they may not be conscious of the fact.

there are many notions in our minds of which the defectiveness is practically unrealized until they are expressed.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and to compare ideas. Have you ever been disconcerted by the fact that a story which appeared to be really funny while it reposed in the recesses of your mind.COM In previous Lessons we have had a good deal to say about Observation.. yet. . One ought to make certain that every opportunity of expression shall be both welcomed and used. You will probably find your knowledge is not so extensive and intensive as you imagined it was. it does not somehow seem to be quite what you thought it was. to exchange impressions. and the classification of facts. 2. It drags them out of the inner recesses of the mind into the light of day.. Thus. our memory of it more reliable. You may have mentally outlined a policy for the better conduct of your business. the understanding. general and particular. It is now time to pay a little more attention to the social aspects of intelligent life:    the desire to communicate with others. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and may feel quite enthusiastic about it.   It is a clarifier of conceptions. So valuable a service must not be idly ignored. but with sense and judgment. when you come to explain this policy to a friend. and we see them as really are. and in a flash he smites it with a fatal objection which you wonder had never occurred to you before. and 3. Write Your Thoughts If you wish to discover how much you really know about a subject. In those Lessons we dealt with the accumulating. fell quite flat when you tell it to your friends? Now the habit of expression enables us to avoid ambiguities and uncertainties.. begin to explain it or to write an essay on it. not absurdly as the manner of some is. increases their power.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The educational value of this social policy is that the use of our mental gifts: 1. our knowledge becomes clearer. Concentration and Reflection.

but rather him who. He tosseth his thoughts more easily. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . transmuting them into words —these are some of the benefits of converse.NKADOJ@GMAIL. We have not in mind the man who can make his meaning clear and forcible in private but not on the platform. "I know exactly what I mean.. Either extreme is to be regretted..   "I do wish I could express my meaning". finally. he seeth how they look when they are turned into words. Bacon says: "Whosoever hath his mind fraught with many thoughts. is nearly always tongue-tied. we are intent on showing the intellectual advantages of reasonable social intercourse. Some of us talk too much. for want of experience in putting his thoughts into words for other people.." This may or may not prove that we think without words. Take the last mentioned. but I can’t put it into words. and almost at once you think of people who say. he marshalleth them more orderly. Here. he waxeth wiser than himself.    Facility in thinking. but it does prove that neglect of practice in expression is a real disadvantage. but loquacity as a vice must be left to the tender mercies of the minor moralist. .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. a few of us talk too little. his wits and understanding do clarify and break up. or." Three Advantages There are some points in this quotation to which close attention should be given. organization of thoughts. in the communicating and discoursing with one another.COM Conversation What are the more popular forms of expression? Conversation is an easy first.

Nothing can be more unpleasant than a drawing-room debate with angry disputants challenging each other’s facts. and he is probably one whose tastes are allied to your own. 2. avoid spiteful gossip. in conversing with a friend. seek to discover less dangerous and less personal subjects that are interesting to others. and there is no better way of starting it than by finding out the predominant interest of the group." Errors to Avoid There are two kinds of talk which should be avoided: 1. Naturally. by self-suppression. the first is that which is too frequently composed of trivial nothings. so that you can plunge at once in whatever notion is uppermost. and. but be discreet in approaching such inflammatory topics as politics and religion. Discover Personal Interests "But we must have something to talk about.. not an intellectual fight with a tendency to lapse to the low levels of personal abuse. the second is that which generates into a debate.. Rules for conversation have something repellent about them that makes us hesitate to act upon them. and asserting empty heads on the shoulders of all those who are in opposition. and who probably is astonished to find that his thoughts look quite different when embodied in language. the subconscious being that we feel we ought to be free from artificialities during our moments of social intercourse. Hence Bacon’s phrase: "he seeth how they look when they are turned into words. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . To be a good listener often requires that one should know how to start a conversation.COM This is the kind of individual who.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the problem is easier. In conversation the aim should be an interchange and comparison of opinions. Relegate debates to the Debating Society. with a chairman to see fair play. ." it is urged. because it is not conducted under formal rules. is retarding his development. of course. Yes.. The "debate" usually ends in mutual recriminations.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. you know him well to begin with.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. but on the mental importance of expression. . or at least are compelled to realize what can be set against them. this lesson is not a lesson on the technique of behavior. by "reviewing" every book you read.    Instead of jumbling our ideas into a shapeless heap. and even easier than. because we see them in relation to other things. and expressing ideas in writing. If that has been fully realized.. I write a book on it. There can be no doubt that writing one’s opinions is a fine exercise in thinking. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It is impossible to doubt that the "general reader" seldom or never systematizes his final opinions.. not in review form so much as in the form of opinions put down in their logical order." We may take the statement as a cynical criticism of a certain type of author. but because it brings up all those associations which tend to modify or augment one’s beliefs. We view propositions with better judgment. or takes the trouble mentally to define his impressions. "Review" Your Books How is expression by writing best practiced? First. There was once a man who said: "When I don’t know anything about a subject. Training by Writing The next form of expression is as simple as. the art of asking questions. We break up our prejudices. not only because it clarifies one’s thoughts. conversation—it is writing.NKADOJ@GMAIL. we place them in a more or less orderly sequence. being one of the most effectual means of clearing the mind. or we may take it as an epigram based on a mental fact. we may safely leave the student to find out for himself in what way he shall acquire the arts of conversation.COM Consequently.. What the writer probably meant is that writing a book on a subject:     is the best way to learn all about that subject.

music. all these and many more. and ask: . or tend to arouse the emotion of fear. STUDIES IN SELF-KNOWLEDGE Coming now to those things which hamper self-expression. How nebulous one’s notions of a book may be. Other Forms of Expression Of course. no matter from what source it has come. not merely in one’s own mind.. but with pen and ink. Study the list. lecturing.NKADOJ@GMAIL. they constitute for the majority the easiest and most profitable sources of self-realization.COM Thus. Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Six) VI. we invite you to draw up a list of those things which arouse. much less every article or story in a magazine. religion.. The writing out of an opinion. it is advisable to summarize one’s ideas about an author’s work. painting. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . long or short. increases the aptitude for self-expression and for the exact use of words. arguing the question on paper. as the case may be. can be known only by those who have made the experiment. Such a practice is the death of vague thinking. we mean every good book. but the two that stand out from among the rest are conversation and writing. until it comes to the point where they have to be written down. To avoid this.. sculpture. literature. with many. We do not mean every book. there are many other forms of expression that could be noticed—dancing. reading degenerates into a mere absorption of print.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

Analysis:—This is a characteristically "sick" viewpoint when it becomes intense and constant. which I cannot afford to do. and tackle it with resolution and a cheerful heart. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . they may overcome it by further knowledge of the sources of fear in childhood and by ceasing to fear being afraid. Fear and the Will Select the duty or task which on any one day appears to you the most difficult. Analysis:—This man proved to be highly-strung. or why. I am afraid of the boss. I am always thinking of things that bring fear—death. 2. A Second List Here is a list sent by another student: 1. because all my efforts in the past have been failures. modest. I have really tried. but he possessed many good and valuable qualities.COM     Why do these things make me afraid? Is it a justifiable feeling in each case? If so.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 3. Like this student... That I shall lose my situation and be unable to provide for self and family. 2. These had a physical basis in part. 4. disease. The latter feeling is absolutely essential. I often feel afraid. need it be so always? A Specimen List Below is given a list supplied by a student just as he wrote it: 1. I am always afraid I shall never succeed in anything. and self-distrustful. who have some traces of it. however.. I am afraid to meet people. 3. You may have . yet I do not exactly know what I am afraid of. injury. His great failings were lack of ambition and a readiness to be discouraged by untoward events. why should I abolish it? If it is justifiable now. whose savage manner makes me nervous and unable to do justice to myself. but the Pelman discipline made him a new man in body and mind. There are many people. and often avoid them in the street. That I shall fall ill and lose my salary.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

 Such loose analogies are worse than useless.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. There are some teachers who say you must abolish all negatives. Seek out your insincerities. not in a spirit of cynicism. of course. train your powers for more serious work by taking up the unpleasant skirmishes with the enemy.COM to fight a grim battle one of these days with your back to the wall. in the sense of a reasonable doubt concerning things dubitable. and your horse will follow. who promptly reported it to Johnson." They then argue that as you get rid of darkness by turning on the light. but honestly. Result: you did not get the business but got an unfortunate reputation for hypocrisy. and cultivate only the positives. They illustrate the doctrine by saying." .. found you out. But if imagination dwells habitually upon the hopeful elements of a situation the probability of a successful issue is thereby increased. As the old huntsman said to the young squire: "Throw your heart over. Drag them into the daylight and slay them. and throw all insincerities to the winds. and it will not be a cheerful heart so much as with teeth set and fists clenched.. Darkness has its place and function in the economy of life. Hence. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and without turning a hair. Johnson. You are bound to have a few hidden away in the recesses somewhere. Proportions of Positive and Negative One of the greatest secrets of mind training for success is to know when to be positive and when to be negative. is as rational as the virtue of hope. If you have to go out and collect a bad debt from a bad man. for instance.NKADOJ@GMAIL. go out and collect it with all the cheerfulness of posting a love-letter. so you get rid of pessimism by turning on optimism. But in a weak moment you let out your real opinion to a stranger. sir. You wanted his business. and pessimism. darkness and pessimism are negatives. do it tactfully. "light and optimism are positives. You told him he was in your opinion the best judge of antiques in New York. If your mission is to apologize to a very angry customer. So introduce a mental stock-taking. They are no good to you or to anybody else..

in literature.. The desire to dominate is a common manifestation of the ego instinct. In the aesthetic appreciation and imitation of natural beauties. It demands a large tolerance. equally assigned to either sex. and the second to the well-being of society. The primary objective of the instinct as found in man differs in no wise from its objective in the lower animals. in music.COM Personality and Sex Side by side with the instinct of Self-preservation. and there are occasions in which dominance may justly be asserted. in religion itself— he has found for the overflow of this energy sublime forms of expression. . This right is. In its highest manifestations it implies an attack upon the citadel of egoism. elevated. and by those organized dispositions that we call the sentiments. to bear all things. that he has been able to divert into a thousand channels a great part of the energy which has its source in this deep recess of his being. As the first is essential to the survival of the individual. it involves selfsacrifice. but not for the mere gratification of self-love. and even in his relations with the appalling mystery which surrounds his life—that is.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. nor without regard to others’ rights and reasonable claims for opportunities of self-expression. to endure all things.. it presents new opportunities for the flowering on both sides of a stronger and richer personality. The ideal is neither the submergence of one by the other. and with the instinct of the Herd which makes us members one of another. rather. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. the play of his intellect.. so is the sex instinct essential to the persistence of the race. pleasure. the Sex instinct has its source deep in the most primitive stratum of human nature. or a willingness to sacrifice self when occasion shall arise—to forgo ease. And it is with the lastnamed that we are for the moment concerned. which nowhere else in the realm of organized life is approached. a quick understanding. thwarted. a steady balance in the elements of thought and feeling. sympathy and tact. nor yet the crippling or truncation of either. in the modern conception of love. But in him its expression is limited. modified. diverted. by that which mainly differentiates him from his humble congeners. It is in virtue of his possession of a power of constructive thought. leisure.

.COM Humor A sense of humor is common to all mankind although not in the same degree. In some people gravity is so much in excess that laughter. And that is about the only part of it which is open to instruction.. Yet these very people are sensitive to a limited circle of humorous appeals. saying. "The man who hides behind his wife’s skirt is not a coward: he is a magician." And "No banker likes to have a run for his money.   It is willing to give and to take. there is no precise educational rule which will cause you to say. if someone else says it. Not many men are so witty as the public man who in the early days of short dresses said. and if their names are on the invitation list it is for other reasons than the possession of a sense of humor.NKADOJ@GMAIL. is difficult to arouse. Its raillery is good-natured and its laughter contagious. For the rest. tender.. as did Sydney Smith. fellow-feeling with all forms of existence. To enjoy humor is one thing." But never mind. There is a fine communism in our social interchanges. "Now that is funny." An attempt on the part of unqualified to emulate such speakers is likely to end in disaster. to create it is another. the company gets the benefit. That applies to wit also. What you laugh at tells what you are." wrote Carlyle. "is sensibility: warm. even mild amusement. and oils the wheels of social movements. Such people are usually voted "dull". Nor is it necessary to emulate them. . If someone in the company remarks that one of the giraffes at the Zoo has got a sore throat. "Fancy a giraffe with a yard of sore throat." as if in unconscious excuse of the rather long periods during which they never smiled.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." That is the kind of feeling which rules out spiteful remarks. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "The essence of humor. and they will then give themselves up to great enjoyment. humor is an individual affair. What we are called upon to do is to appreciate the expressions of human nature in the spirit of good will. Humor is a test of character.

COM Beauty We have no intention of entering into the vexed question of what constitutes beauty in line and color. set upon the features a permanent mark. Every race. in the first place. of physical fitness.. and upon this supply it depends for its vitality and for the vigor which it dispenses in its course through the arteries. for instance—as we have been reminded—have taken place among ourselves since the days of Reynolds and Gainsborough. because they are compelled to live a sedentary life. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . it may be roughly said. The whole of the blood is pumped. Such drill is particularly important as inculcating the habit of correct breathing. which—especially in the case of those who. and. Feeling. has its ideals. and. are unable to enjoy sufficient outdoor exercise—has proved itself to be of great value. It is hardly conceivable that its laws shall ever be reduced to a mathematical formula of light-waves and angles.NKADOJ@GMAIL. For the sake of the first we have supplied throughout this Course a system of physical drill. we may add. Taste in such matters is not uniform. Every time it reaches the lungs it is charged afresh with oxygen. a thing of the mind. a face may be attractive in virtue of an intelligent mind and an amiable disposition at the back of it. of mental fitness as well. as we advance in years. In spite of irregularities and flaws. But beauty is also. as we have already said. they are largely also a matter:    of health. by the heart. Thought and Will govern facial expression.. and even these change from time to time. For in a sense it is true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. through the body every five minutes or thereabouts. Physical and Mental Origins While good looks are. Remarkable changes. a matter of symmetry and coloring. in whose work we see expressed (even when they are portraying contemporaries) the ideals of our forefathers of a few generations back. ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

. Very far otherwise. deceit. hope and charity. the face is impressed with the seal of a serene conscience. or faith.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. have shaped the mouth and eyes to tenderness and sympathy. just balance and poise. are not of themselves enough to convince the experienced man of the world. so it springs also from a root of happiness in the individual. Physiologically. for these. The quality of charm also is twofold. while the countenance of the decrepit roue repels us. and. suffices. The process of modification is going on all through the years of active life. suspicion. no less than that evasive abstraction which we name Charm. is largely a matter of the poise which is the essential condition of a prevailing personality.   which through long years have expressed emotions of one kind or another which. Charm It may be stated as a law that the quality of injurious thoughts is twice damned. and such happiness implies due measure in the elements of thought and feeling. during which the face has been registering pride. of course.. therefore.COM The worn and weary face of the aged man or woman. Beauty. Mental and physical suffering also no doubt grave their mark upon the countenance. this comes of the habitual play of the facial muscles. the flattering word. in the other. By their intention they are hurtful to those against whom they are directed. the stock-inthe-trade of the self-seeker or the sycophant.. the doctor in his treatment. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The point upon which we would insist is that it is only so far as manner is a just expression of what is going on beneath the surface that it is truly effective and constitutes real charm. But where suffering has been bourne with philosophic or religious fortitude. be supposed that for this reason we have any intention of deprecating an agreeable manner. and thus may well arouse suspicion that defeats their purpose. and they come back to roost bearing with them the ill-will that by their expression or their felt presence they provoke. As it radiates happiness. have been fatigued by the incessant pursuit of sensual pleasure. has a peculiar beauty that touches the heart. It will not. in the one. the ingratiating smile. . after a well-spent life. Even in the ordinary processes of business the principle holds good. Not the soft voice.NKADOJ@GMAIL. greed.   The lawyer must believe in his case.

. Charm implies:  emancipation from the influence of others. In this one after another of the puny souls gathered in a Bloomsbury boarding-house is transfigured by just such an influence. There is in every man a latent desire to live up to the level of those who think well of him. but even than they are accustomed to esteem themselves.     an idea of force held in reserve. as a means of cultivating the spirit of sympathy and tact. and even to attack.¹ It is the very converse of the spirit of cynicism. patient. to repel.COM  the salesman in his goods. It is this belief that induces. By a paradox it may be asserted that prestige is favored rather by the habit of over-rating than by that of under-rating the humane qualities of those with whom we have to do. and this should by no means be ignored. Mental equilibrium implies:    power of swift accommodation to circumstances. through the positive personality of which it is an ingredient. The Desire for Excellence We have so long been been accustomed to deplore the innate depravity of man that. or prospective customer. Efforts to ingratiate will otherwise win but a half-contemptuous tolerance from men who can be effectively handled only by bold opposition. . There is. another side to charm. it is well to remind ourselves that men are sometimes better. adjustment to the moods and to the individual peculiarities of others.. not only than they are generally esteemed. however.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. conviction into the mind of the client. of power to withstand. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in a remarkable little play by one who in his day was an enthusiastic advocate of PELMANISM. except so far as such influence is sanctioned by right judgment. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. It implies in its conception..

the victim takes. in stimulating his imagination with maddening suggestions. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .K. and it is his right—it may be even a duty that he owes to himself and to the suspected person—to follow up the trail. of coming to an understanding.COM  accessibility at the same time to the force of rational argument.. confirmations strong As proofs of Holy Writ. by his office-boy. Jerom Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Seven) Jealousy— Jealousy is one of those words which in the course of time have undergone a process of degradation.. A man may have serious ground for the suspicion that he is being played false by his wife. an explicit question. by his partner.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the direct antithesis to the blind obstinacy that masquerades as firmness and determination. however. It may thus lead to a happy readjustment. The case happens to be his own." …and in this sense the word stands for a passion which is held in universal contempt.NKADOJ@GMAIL. . in fact. While he would repudiate the charge.. It may very well happen in such a case that a face-to-face accusation." its use for us is fixed by the familiar lines from Othello:— "…trifles light as air Are. Such a policy. Originally but a variant of "zealous. he would be as ready as anyone else to point out the advantages of frankness and the need for dispassionate judgment. If it were the case of another. 1 The Passing of the Third-Floor Back. may clear up the ambiguity and afford an opportunity. to the jealous. is the last which the victim of the passion of jealousy is willing to adopt. by J. a delight in irritating the sore. welcome to both parties.

 Many a domestic catastrophe has come about in this way. The treatment must be radical. and is liable to strike at the root of their co-operation in a cause which is equally dear to both. when autosuggestion has appropriated and made much of the idea—that it will exercise a mischievous influence over the life. it must be plucked out by the roots. Attempts to mask jealousy may serve as a temporary disguise. he has been more successful than himself. but. but incidentally disguises the sexual rivalry itself to which life owes so much of its salt. and honored by an habitual attitude of jealous rivalry. and even when this is not manifestly the case. the art or business or career of the one is by the other erected to the dignity of a person. or by a business man on the methods of another whose only crime it is that. It is perceived in the malevolent criticism passed on the work of a brother artist. in the interests of personality. Auto-Suggestion as a Remedy The student of this Course will not fail to note the importance of the part that is played here by Suggestion. The combative spirit characteristic of the male shows itself in the complex life of a highlydeveloped community in other forms than those of swordplay and fisticuffs. Nothing less than a complete change of mind. The poisonous idea which is the root of bitterness is usually sown from without. author. Such heterosuggestion can of itself do nothing.COM —takes Many Shapes Jealousy. even as between the sexes. It is only when it is fostered—in a word. can cause it to wither away. to be brought about by similar means exercised in a contrary sense. That process of sublimation to which we have already alluded not only draws off into new and strange channels a great part of the energy that has its source in instinct. is most commonly associated with sex relations..NKADOJ@GMAIL. in a sphere which offers no occasion of direct competition with him. it may well be that a perfect analysis would bring to light a sexual element.. Fads and Foibles . or musician. it is true. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The unwholesome passion may be discerned in the jealousy which from time to time mars the relations between the members of the same profession. Frequently it is sown maliciously.. Not infrequently.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

inasmuch as it seems to arise from contempt. usually afford a range of choice sufficient for the expression of individual taste. of the sound of church bells. on the other hand. it may be added." it may be remarked. "temperamental". although it may be formally admitted. and wins our confidence. Obstinate and ostentatious singularity in dress and bearing. It has even given birth to an adjective.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . is characterized by poise. We purpose therefore to touch upon certain defects. may justly be regarded as having the nature of a sin against society. however.. In innumerable ways it manifests itself:—    in an abhorrence of certain dishes. in which the failure to realize such poise is wont to reveal itself: faults which it is customary to attribute to peculiarities of temperament. to be justified by such self-pitying epithets as "highly-strung. It is not. It may be excused in cases of chronic suffering (and it is worthy of note that chronic sufferers are often the last to claim our indulgence on this score).NKADOJ@GMAIL. and these. It is characteristic of a well-balanced man that in minor matters he habitually confines himself within social conventions.. Moreover. that in fact it should be held to excuse an absence of that equipoise in the elements of thought and feeling which it is one of the purposes of the PELMAN discipline to secure or to conform. Poise Irritability. that compels admiration. of the ticking of a clock. and the application of this epithet in a tone of affected abasement purports to serve as a sufficient apology for a good deal of paltry eccentricity. . a tendency to hastily show anger out of all proportion to the cause. does not as a rule carry conviction.    This word "temperament.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the plea. or. Irritability vs. We do not admit. you may well make a little voyage of exploration with a view to tracking the vice of its source. similarly indicates a lack of poise. has acquired in common parlance a special sense.COM The personality that rivets attention." If you find that you personally are prone to irritability.

it would become evident that the spontaneous expression of the Self in thought. word and deed. then.NKADOJ@GMAIL. of securing attention. The reader may say: "But what if my natural self is not exactly pleasant to others.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The true self would still defy our efforts to analyze it. if one were to go very deeply into the subject. Fits of causeless depression are apt to arise from the habit of absorbing into oneself outer doings and reacting to them as though they were of direct personal concern. All of these are examples of the lack of poise which PELMAN principles of thought and action will correct. Indeed. RESUME It is clear. or who see them reflected as from a mirror by the harmless things about them. There are individuals too   who.COM  in other little fads which have arisen from experiences long buried in the unconscious …these are fostered half-consciously for the sake of exciting interest. or of winning indulgence. or . but we see quite plainly that naturalness. What has already been explained about the working of the Subconscious will naturally return to the student’s mind in this connection.. that the primary secret of personality is to be natural. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . as distinct from artificiality. constitutes what we mean by personality.. and the answer is that to correct:  oddities. conversely.. is the first quality to be sought after. project into others faults from which they vainly imagine themselves to be immune. or to myself?" This is quite a sensible question.

 It is time that it were revived. …you must fulfill the conditions previously mentioned. When these are working in harmony with the former conditions there is bound to be an abolition of the unpleasant excrescences of character. and yet your intercourse will not be fraught with insincerity. It is one thing to receive and to hoard. it is another to receive and to give. One of the real faults of our generation is lack of expression.. and a readiness to consider other people’s point of view.. Not that the man with personality is a coward or a weakling: in speech he is courageous no less than diplomatic.NKADOJ@GMAIL. You will cease to be a kill-joy or a social wet-blanket. . Avoid masks and mental make-up. but the art of conversation is dead or moribund.COM   faults in conversation.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Letter-writing used to be one of the departments of Belles Lettres. There will be a pleasant lack of egotism. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . There is plenty of talk. the first of which is Sincerity. or manner that jar upon the sensibilities of other people. They are no effectual substitute for personality. Friendly correspondence seems to be dwindling down to the exchange of picture-postcards. He does not fear ridicule. Believe that you can find interest in other people. To enrich one’s essential self there should be a proper relation between Impression and Expression. and unselfishness is one of the secrets of charm. and that even the dullest have a brighter side. Social lies will become very difficult. and in situations which demand plain speaking he will not sacrifice sincerity to subservience. It will also tend to divert your interest from yourself to other people. The other conditions of personality enumerated were Enthusiasm and Purpose. That will prevent you from becoming a poseur. WHAT TO AVOID Avoid giving way to unsocial feelings. Practice in writing good letters is an excellent all-round discipline for mind and heart alike..

Avoid envy or jealousy of those who have something you have not. not recessive. certain articles or objects that are easily seen (such as a picture or an ornament) shall be moved .NKADOJ@GMAIL. Avoid prejudice.. not a self that is "put on. and give no place to blind partisanship." Learn from your mistakes. Progressive. It flourishes by intercourse with others. It cannot be undone. That is vanity.COM Avoid the cynicism which belittles others for the glorification of the cynic. Avoid worry about the past. You may make a bad "howler" at a social gathering.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. In isolation his personality wilts. Aim at making a good impression on others without watching to see how the impression is getting on. Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Eight) EXERCISES Exercise XXX Make an arrangement with some member of the household that. Be positive.. Rid yourself by reason and by habitually using autosuggestion of unwise and groundless fears.. WHAT TO DO Get truth in the inward parts. during a specified week. but instead of wasting energy in lamenting it. Then you will express your real self. But its evil consequences can often be averted. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Cultivate sociability. Man is a social animal. not negative. use it for personal betterment.

. where Ide stood waiting nervously. got up and went to the door. "On a mild evening.NKADOJ@GMAIL." a large Angora cat. a boy." Opening the red envelope. clean shaven. it commanded a magnificent view over the Pennine Hills. Richard Ide was sitting on a three-legged stool. after rubbing his hands. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . throwing his machine against the hedge. after leaning back and stretching among the cushions. "The last red rays of the setting sun were pouring into the window as Richard heaved a sigh. At his feet lay "Toy." Gasping out." he fell heavily to the ground. As the clock struck the half-hour. and a tear trickled silently down his nose until it found a haven in his grizzled moustache. blue with cold.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Do not make any special effort to observe the change. gazing pensively into the fire. "He was just re-entering the door when the sound of a bicycle. You know that some object will be placed in a different position. clanked noisily with his hob-nailed boots on the flags approaching the door. "Oh. no notice to be given as to the day when the change shall be made. The wind rattled the window. with a large window facing south-east. and as the cottage stood on the top of the hill. sometime after 6 o’clock. "Is it to be success or failure?" "The rider. about the beginning of February." remarked the man. Richard. some two or three hundred yards away caught his ear. my boy. making a note of any discrepancies that occur to you. 1926. "At last." Exercise XXXII .. he read with horror the astounding words: "Your daughter married to-day at noon. He was a man of about thirty years of age. my Phyllis. dismounted and. strong. taking a turn along the grass path that led to the gate. as far as the silvery streak of the Thames." he murmured. Read it a second time. The room was a small one. "The boy. but endeavor to notice the change without deliberate effort. "help yourself. galloped down the hill. in order to discover further discrepancies. "Thank you. eventually handed Ide an envelope containing the anxiously expected telegram." pointing to the heavily laden gooseberry bushes: "And now for it. ‘Toy’ sprang up and barked. Exercise XXXI Read the narrative below.COM from its accustomed place to another..

but you are certain to approximate to the truth. draw up a statement of merits and defects belonging to each person.. and this Lesson will have found a useful and illuminating application. . 2. courage. Appearance Dress Voice Manner Conversational gifts. 3. Is not this a high value as the outcome of an exercise? Further. You will find the Self-Drill questions (Lesson II) helpful for this purpose. Alternatively. Finally.. Then having obtained a summary of these characteristics. The result may not be as satisfactory as you would like. sincerity. enthusiasm. 4. Exercise XXXIII Put your own character through the same tests as those employed in the previous exercise. well known to you and possessed of personality. proceed to estimate the deeper qualities: purpose. but you have the great advantage of knowing where your failures are and how they may be overcome. you will be at liberty to report to us on this matter. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . You may not be infallible in your findings. Study them (as by the practice of Exercise I you will be prepared to do) according to the following plan: 1. 6. 5.NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Select two men and two women. and we shall help you out in any item that presents a difficulty. you may analyze the characters in great dramas or novels with which you are familiar. and Tact.

COM PELMAN LESSON IX The Ninth Lesson is a study of Good Judgment in Business and Affairs.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The whole subject is examined and discussed fully. and you will do well to ponder every word of it... The Lesson is practical throughout.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . .

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ...NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

COM .. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..

. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Lesson 08: Self-Expression and Personality (Part Nine) .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..

NKADOJ@GMAIL...COM ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM ....NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL...

..COM . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL..

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...NKADOJ@GMAIL..COM .

You are asked to give close attention to the pages which follow. according to Montaigne..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..COM LESSON 09: GOOD JUDGMENT IN BUSINESS & AFFAIRS FOREWARD Good judgment has always been given a place in the list of qualifications for success. Good Judgment in Business and Affairs "Judgment is. the dominant faculty of every well-trained man. .NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . when the increasing complexity of life has taxed reasoning powers to the utmost. But it has never had the high place that is its due until modern days." GABRIEL COMPAYRE in Michel de Montaigne.

and that as far as possible. the issue of ultimate success or ultimate failure is determined far more by a multitude of minor judgments than by a few isolated major judgments. Competition. we approached a number of representative men in commerce and other spheres in order to obtain their views upon the relative importance of Judgment in comparison with other qualities. the same good judgment that will enable him to settle successfully questions of immediate significance in his daily life will enable him to take. policies. the mental horizon of all classes of people is constantly widening. Our object is to: 1. systems. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. is keener than ever before... nations. Knowledge of facts. such as Imagination. and our purpose in this Lesson is: to train the student to a sounder exercise of judgment in the almost innumerable situations in which he is faced with alternative courses of decision. and altogether life is become so complex that our reasoning powers are taxed to the utmost.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. most of them small but nevertheless extremely important and far-reaching in their cumulative effect. and 2. help the student to maintain consistently the progress he is making in the improvement of his abilities and in his practical and social life. for the great majority of people at any rate. people. We are called upon to-day to form judgments upon things. Will Power. THE IMPORTANCE OF JUDGMENT Good judgment has always been given a place in the list of qualifications for success. Concentration and Patience. its precesses should be understood. It is true that. .COM I. societies.NKADOJ@GMAIL. at home and abroad. As it might reasonably be assumed that good judgment has contributed to the achievements of most of the eminently successful men of the day. Its importance was never greater than it is now. some of them great. As Pelmanism is a personal training we consider always the aims and needs of the individual. as a citizen. institutions. It is therefore necessary that the importance of the nature of judgment should be realized. a sound view of the broader issues that claim some of the attention of every world-minded man and woman to-day.

. vivid and controlled Imagination and a healthy Will. JUDGMENT DEFINED Judgment is an operation of the mind involving comparison and discrimination. we feel sure. as individuals. It discriminates: 1. As we all have to judge. what is unwise and harmful. facts. as could be expected. We know. when serious issues are involved that touch us and ours intimately. as of the community. Very many students. yet the welfare of the individual. we turn. between truth and error. This is a proper view to take. although it appraises and values. or brilliant Imagination …may compel our admiration.. justifying their opinion and valuation by pointing out that a man of good judgment may be presumed to possess other valuable qualities that make his judgment possible. sound Concentration.NKADOJ@GMAIL. no great measure of success can be expected. there was no strict unanimity of opinion as to the precise order in which these qualities should be placed in a scale of values. Without quick and accurate Perception.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. there was unanimity in giving judgment a very prominent place in the scale. Judgment is not mere opinion and. II. because it always includes action or intended action. qualities. it is highly important that we should equip ourselves to judge rightly. ideas.. probably depends much more upon sound judgment than upon any other factor. 2. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the fine product of nearly all the other faculties of the mind. it is more than valuation. as the students in question rightly believe.   It compares things.COM Whilst. with the object of discovering their relations and attributes. between what is wise and profitable and 3. that whilst the man of:    strong Will Power. to the man who can give us the guidance and support of good judgment. for judgment is.. would unhesitatingly place judgment at the top of the list. or superb Concentration.

2. but there are always one or two that have a particular significance. too. Observe. although outside our control. Many of these judgments require so little thought that they are almost automatic. that any judgment consists of a number of minor judgments as to the position of some factor in the complete judgment. "Information" includes not only ascertainable and provable facts but also facts and conditions that are only partly disclosed or that are hidden entirely and are discoverable only by comparing known facts. comfort. It is apparent that into the simplest judgment many factors enter. also every day. Applying the Socratic Method The application of the Socratic method to a subject of common interest will enlighten us. What at the outset may seem to be a minor consideration may in the process of judgment become the most significant factor. . all leading to decision and action. processes or conditions are so well known that decision and performances appear to occur without debate. and conditions of one kind or another that. Such a subject.NKADOJ@GMAIL. inasmuch as we all live somewhere... happiness and general well-being are influenced every day of our lives by almost innumerable individual judgments. to gather the information.COM Our health. 3. A conscious mental effort has to be made: 1.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. to chose what is pertinent.. Information: Choice and Order of Importance But. The facts. It also frequently includes possible acts of others. to put it in its order of importance. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . we are called upon to judge and decide on matters that demand consideration and reflection if proper action is to be taken. can nevertheless be estimated or valued. is the choice of a place of residence. None of them can be discarded nor unexamined without risk to the conclusion.

4. Cost and expenses Health Proximity to work. and an exploration of possibilities often shows that we can.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. however. If so the choice must be very carefully considered. then (c) generally takes precedence of (d). Shall I build. Do I really want to go to bed early and get up early to catch trains? Assuming that it is decided to move farther out the following questions might be asked:— 1. The nature of the subsoil. 2. 3. Frequently the order of importance of the questions is itself an act of judgment. If. might be the only reason for considering a change. Do I want to move farther out and have a larger house with ground? or 2. consciously or unconsciously. (b). 2. ask ourselves questions.. the first questions are:— 1.NKADOJ@GMAIL. elevation. Assuming that a married man finds himself in the fortunate position of being able to choose a better place in which to live. If we cannot improve on our present place without paying more. the choice of a place of residence. because change and distance always affect our associations. drainage. What means of transport should I prefer? What would transport cost and what time would it take? Shall I lose touch with friends and with cultural and other associations? Will the outdoor pleasures of the weekend compensate for the possible dullness of weekday evenings? 5. we can make a change for the better. damp or dry air. A conscious application of the Socratic method is advisable in important issues. rent or lease? .. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . considerations of change may. What district serves the largest number of interests of the family? 2. 3. by making us restless and dissatisfied. We are seeking information. in some cases. 4. (d) is important. About the first question might be asked:— 1. Do I want to move farther in and be nearer the center of things? The choice between these two questions above may be easy but before a decision is made it is wise to ask a few questions about each. and we are unable to pay more and have little prospect of paying more in the future. in which for most people there are four main questions which in order of importance relate to:— 1..COM In forming a judgment we. This is so in our subject. deplete energy. however. shops and other needs Social advantages (a) or (b) may decide the issue at once. the surroundings and the way the house faces are first considerations.

Do I want a modern house? 5. If importance is given to the wrong part a faulty judgment is made... The importance each part assumes depends upon the end in view. How much more per annum is this going to cost? and. always with the object of attaining a desired end. They are: 1. is offered a senior position in a business in process of being established where:  the salary is better. . It analyzes its information.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 2. Two would often come to mind. What are the districts with good transport service? 4. An Example A man. occupying a good but secondary position in an old-established business with a reputation for treating its employees with consideration. breaks it up into parts.COM 3.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Is it wise to make a change just now? Lesson 09: Good Judgment in Business & Affairs (Part Two) III. How much land do I want? Many other questions could be asked. THE MATERIAL OF JUDGMENT Analysis and Selection Judgment is an act of reasoning and reasoning has always as its object some particular conclusion.

to his friends But he will have to adjust himself to new conditions and new people. The Essential Parts Another man offered a position by the new firm.. adventure and the glamor of new things and new people may attract him momentarily but he has given "hostages to fortune" and his reasoning is towards one end: a choice—a judgment—which will ultimately give him the greater security.. Discovering Similarities . and perhaps envy. he will have more influence and greater power. and he does not accept the offer what will be his position then? On the other hand opposition may stimulate his present business to greater effort and there may then be as big a salary and as much influence and power as the new business offers. he will for a time be an object of interest. may be for the object of satisfying his desire for adventure. 2. what the conditions are likely to be? who the promoters and the people already appointed are? are they likely to face the difficulties ahead of them calmly and courageously? have they real ability and experience? have they sufficient capital? He will also ask himself whether the new business. and if it does.NKADOJ@GMAIL. His analysis.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. he will be stimulated by fresh contacts. he will have the satisfaction of helping to build something new. 4. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . He asks himself: 1. his breaking up of the problem into parts. 3.COM       the responsibility greater. 5. will prejudice the business he is now in. novelty and the immediate enlargement of his experience. married and has children. is 25 and without dependents. He may ask the same questions and his analysis may disclose the same parts but his choice of parts for full examination will not be the same as that of the former. Change. It will be colored less by security than by other considerations. Each man extracts those parts that appear to him to be essential to a correct judgment. This colors all his thinking. This man is thirty-five years of age. if conducted successfully..

cost. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. the order in which we will do appointed tasks. what books and magazines to read.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. too. suitability. food. But this is not the only part of deliberation. The mind then groups a number together as likely to have similar consequences and. circumstances and temptations weighed. the frequency of business calls. . differences looked for. things. Further alternation of attention. Perception of Differences This is an important part of deliberate procedure.             The choice of wearing apparel of all kinds. tools of trade.NKADOJ@GMAIL. They may affect the consequences of similarity and provide material for criticism of previous results. should be to bring together in the mind those parts that are likely to produce similar consequences. the employment of our leisure. This is done by giving the attention as quickly as possible to one part after another until similarities appear. furniture. thereafter. sport.COM The extraction of the essential parts is helped very much by the discovery of similarities between one part and other parts. especially food for the entertainment of others. the investment of money …are all subjects for judgment by the same general methods. first to one group and then to another. each of these parts is not examined in detail but becomes one of a group to be considered in its relation to other groups. We must perceive differences. Without a perception of similarities we cannot with certainty pick out analogous instances or circumstances which include points identical with the matter under consideration.. Differences in people. as a judgment is being sought. The object. In proportion to the thoroughness with which we carry out the processes does our power of judgment grow.. where to go for holidays. purposes. circumstances and conditions are a check. means of transport. may unite a number of groups until there is one complex mass favoring one course or opinion and another complex mass opposed to it. Similarities are discovered.

 The attractive power of interest will. . 6. 3.COM    Discrimination becomes finer and taste truer. personal.. 5. …looking for facts. occupational. with effort. If we are wise we seek deliberately to increase the number of associations. When we present our minds with a subject for judgment a number of apparently pertinent thoughts. is enlarged. we draw not only our own experiences but also on the recorded experiences of others. The search must be a conscious effort to accumulate as much as we possibly can that has any bearing on the subject.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 8. 7. isolated instances. experiences and ideas that will help us. political. successes and failures spring to our consciousness. experiences. the will is educated and the ability to hold in the mind at one time a number of considerations. 2. space. Our minds must search every avenue of thought and experience to which they have access for comparisons that will help us.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Search a Conscious Effort The association of mere contiguity—the relation of things or events in order of time or place to each other—is not sufficient. some in agreement and some in opposition. bring into consciousness many things that were apparently forgotten. 4.. analogies. The Value of Numerous Associations The value of our perception of agreements and differences is largely determined by the number of associations present in the consciousness at the same time. In our best moments consciousness ranges widely through: 1. recorded and unrecorded. history. In furnishing these from its store the subconscious mind plays its part. social and scientific. We accumulate as many instances as possible that have any analogy with our subject.NKADOJ@GMAIL. time.

Widening the Range of Consciousness We should seek to increase the number of available associations. he is likely to remain a bookkeeper. The business man knows his customers. By far the greater number of more important judgments are concerned with people. he will gather information which will enlarge his understanding of the business as a whole and give him facts which will enhance his powers of judgment and extend them to other matters besides figures and accounts.. The manufacturer says it is a good cloth. But if we wish to become more than skilled technicians. The two judgments are inter-mingled. The quality of the article in relation to its first cost and its maker’s faith in that quality are always ingredients of the judgment made by the man who buys in order to sell it. But if he knows Madras. . we must extend and vary our interests.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or good anything that he knows to be technically well-made. THE SUBJECTS OF JUDGMENT Knowledge of Things and of People The subjects of judgment include both inanimate things and people.. good jam. but his final decision rests on its utility: the number of people who will pay to use it. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. A bookkeeper’s experience and knowledge may be such that his judgment of the cause of a discrepancy in a set of figures is quick and definite. Madagascar. But if he sets out to enlarge his knowledge of these places generally. a good egg cup. The effect will be to color his associations with his superiors so that first on small matters and then on larger issues his opinion will be sought and reasons for proposed actions given. experience and interests.COM Lesson 09: Good Judgment in Business & Affairs (Part Three) IV.. their tastes and the conditions that determine those tastes. Cape Town and Manchester only as places from which invoices come. This means enlargement of knowledge. a good axe. Work of any kind provides a number of definite associations upon which in forming a technical judgment we may rely. as well as with reference to business.

 THE STATE OF MIND Mental Detachment In considering this material we must attain as great a degree of mental detachment as possible.NKADOJ@GMAIL. from all that interests us in reading or in actual experience we shall draw that which will help us to realize that aim.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. V. Thus. a game. We often deceive ourselves by phrases. not by what we wish. We overlook. Our interests and our reading should be of such a nature that our analogies will be drawn both from facts about things and from knowledge of thoughts and reactions of people.. . emotional and mental life are all contributory to our power of judgment. an expedition. …when what we really wish is that the circumstances were such that a mere show of strength by a leader would disintegrate the opposing forces. We can help ourselves to an impartial consideration of the issue by defining exactly what our wish is and then making due allowance for it. If our aim in life is clear and definite. Sooner or later the phrase shapes the thought and the very material of a sound judgment is eroded and ultimately destroyed. too. some of the components of strength in leadership. We should seek to be guided by what is. in any circumstances whatever in which there is team work. a business venture. namely. a delegation. When feeling is running high this is not easy.. we may wish that we had a strong leader in:       a national situation. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Then our premises are wrong and we drift to a wrong conclusion. Our physical.. One’s work comes first. If we persist in phrasing our wish wrongly we end by regarding a complex situation as a simple one. but that alone is not sufficient.COM Interests and Associations There must be variety of interests.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. at a time when Germany was making very serious trouble for us by destroying our trading ships. a proposal was made to the Admiralty (UK) that ships sailing to Great Britain should be "convoyed. in his essay on "The Education of the Judgment. is wonderfully great.COM 1." Feeling has its place in some judgments. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and to disregard those which oppose them.. but we may reasonably pause at the word prejudice. wisdom. patience. and strategy —and thus in the formation of other judgments these qualities may not be included in the group denominated by the word "strength. such as:    our choice of the people we will work with or for. . generally. and not a few of our judgments are unconsciously affected by it. and the shops we will trade with." A wish may be partly subconscious. The last-mentioned element is too far from our purpose to be considered here. Avoid Wishful Thinking Wishful thinking is very subtle in its action. But.." that is. Take an illustration. Faraday.. A Lloyd George Judgment During the war. caution. 5. warships should accompany them. 2. 3. Material advantages may then be outweighed by other considerations. we ever make the wish the father to the thought. 4. bias and irrelevant prejudice should be eliminated when considering the material of a judgment. subtlety. in the form of prejudice. and fully conscious in the form of fanaticism. the place we will live in." says that: "the force of temptation which urges us to seek for such evidences and appearances as are in favor of our desires.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. an aversion from the origin of the convoy system proposal. the doctrinaire system of their training. Yet prominent Admirals defended them. And it was a matter on which their judgment could be regarded as that of experts… What was to be done? The answer is given in Mr. and arriving at a just and forcible conclusion. they said the convoy system was bound to fail. Lloyd George’s judgment on this occasion is a classic instance of looking at grave facts with mental detachment.NKADOJ@GMAIL. When the naval men’s arguments (as the author presents them) are examined they are found to be so weak that one wonders how they ever stood up at all. and 2. Lloyd George’s War Memoirs. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..COM The proposal was that of a layman. Lesson 09: Good Judgment in Business & Affairs (Part Four) . Why? Because subconsciously they were influenced by: 1. they suffered from unconscious prejudice.. Mr.. it had come from a layman. and arrayed against him was the opinion of the naval Lords. In short.

 In Great Britain the density is 494 to the square mile. We may never have been in Yorkshire or Lincolnshire and yet. Yet if his goods were general household lines. Turning to New Zealand. The knowledge may exist but there is failure to see its bearing on the case. We might say it never happens. which adds very greatly to the cost of distribution. Analogous but not identical It rarely happens that analogous instances are identical. a flat county. the fault would be partly corrected by the fact that more than half the population of Australia is concentrated in the capital cities of each state. Per square mile. and comparing it with Australia. while in Australia it is only 2. because of a grouping in our minds..5.A. and this imposes another check.A. would make a faulty judgment.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Australia and New Zealand. the U. The population is more evenly distributed throughout New Zealand than it is in Australia. and Australia are much the same in area but the density of population varies to a marked degree. in spite of similarities in language and in race.. In the more populous countries of Europe it is something like ten times that number. the country is more mountainous and transport much more difficult and expensive. anxious to export to Australia. This condition. our manufacturer might note with satisfaction that the density of population is 15 per square mile. The wider and more varied our associations the better are we able to measure the effect of differences. their customs and general outlook on life are in many ways different. Similarities between the English-speaking countries are very numerous and would readily occur to most people. the tastes of the people in Great Britain. . we know at once that the cost of a mile of railway in Yorkshire.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it is 42 in U. who failed to check these similarities by the significance of the difference in density of population. apparently more favorable to distribution of goods is checked by another difference. Thus not only the similarity must be sought but also the difference.S.NKADOJ@GMAIL. will exceed that of a mile in Lincolnshire. but a manufacturer in England. Europe. Again. a hilly country.COM The Significance of Detail Other errors in judgment are due to lack of appreciation of a significant detail.S.

judgment must be suspended. so we ought to be cautious. If we do join. we should be careful in    making statements. "It may be very distasteful and great fatigue. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . to the time limit. Take as long as you can without missing the tide. however. If after joining we leave it. expressing an opinion.COM When to Suspend Judgment If the evidence offered in support of a proposal or a theory is not convincing because it is incomplete. "but as we are not infallible. This ability to refrain from adhering to any cause that may at first "blush" attract us is a canon of wise living." Similarly.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Many people "take sides" in moments of feeling and soon afterwards find themselves in a false position. may uncover objections which reduce their attractiveness. We may remain on friendly and useful terms with all kinds of people as long as we do not join their party. we are counted "turncoats" and renegades and lose our friends. until we have got the information and applied to it the processes of judgment. Suspend your judgment. when presented to us by one who is enthusiastic about them appear to have a claim to our acceptance. Take Time To take time is to give to the wish element an opportunity of subsiding so that you may see the facts in a clear light. there is always the possibility of rivalry and dissension. or unanticipated circumstances may arise that discredit the proposal action. Before pledging allegiance to any proposal. to suspend a conclusion. if any reasonable doubt remains. . Many theories.." wrote Faraday.. You may be put into possession of entirely new facts. In the interval the subconscious mind may disclose unrealized connections or uncover associations that materially alter the consequences.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Reflection. or accepting one. creed or society we should in quietude apply the Socratic method and seek in the proper quarter for the answers to any questions that do not answer themselves.. social and political.

The second may be just as important as the first. . the various means—personal contact. The danger is that because of excitement we may think that a judgment is urgent when. actually. disturbing and depressing.. letters. government. The extreme importance of similarities then becomes apparent together with the countervailing effects of the differences which exist side by side with them." One of the objects of all education is to reduce the incidence and the strength of emotional agitation. religion.. particularly in business. there are two judgments: 1. to enable us to "ride the storm". discipline. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the influences of force. supply and demand in its modern relation to production and distribution. loyalty Give some time to each and you will discover similarities and differences that will in themselves be among the associations that will help you to make sound judgments. and often enough this happens when the mind is excited.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The Danger of Agitation and "Moods" Avoid decisions while the mind is in a state of agitation or is distinctly "moody. and to make the period between "moods" longer and longer. the first principle of business.. and 2. it can very well wait. if it is at all possible. advertising—of inducing people to trade. In every life there are times when a judgment must be made at once. We should. a sale. Other subjects for reflection are:      the laws of averages. make no decisions until the effects of those influences are either no longer felt or are clearly understood. At the same time you will increase your ability to find analogous instances contributory to a judgment on any matter presented to you.NKADOJ@GMAIL. a purchase or a policy.COM In many issues. But external influences. Study Basic Principles Try to find the basic principle involved in any matter in which you are interested. one on the issue itself. may at any time touch us and affect our judgment. the basic principles of finance. one on the time of making it effective.

it is said that in a judgment the proportion of reason is 90 per cent. reason is the most pronounced. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. A Three-Fold Formula What has been said may be summarized in a three-fold formula:— 1. critical. Very often mistakes arise from the wrong handling of the remaining 10 per cent which concerns the action of feelings. As far as an estimate can be made. We should make a practice of considering other people’s judgments and of reviewing our own acts. and out consciousness must range widely for what will help us.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The other factors are frequently vocal: o they are full of allurements and guile. Of the mental powers exercised. Interpretation lies largely in perception of similarities and of differences.   Reason is cool. impersonal. Use all the mental powers in the interpretation. 2. Interpret them accurately. above all. Gather together all the facts. and we are not likely to tell something that might prejudice us in another matter. seek to establish the habit of deliberation so as to avoid the evil results that often come from snap judgments. . so we present to others only what is relevant. noiseless. We should.. too. 3.. as we discard from our minds all that is not relevant. scientific. may lead us to make a quick decision without having all the facts before us. then with a crescendo. o they insinuate their claims at first softly. To gather all the facts the power of association must be developed. Three Good Effects An effect on the development of the power of judgment is that.COM Vanity. In this way we may develop the power of bringing to the mind quickly a large number of associations from which to select what is for and what is against. there is less risk of tiring or boring other people. Similarities show possible consequences and differences check those consequences.. This makes for effective emphasis.

 CONNECTED THINKING The worst mind-wanderer in the world has thoughts which are intimately connected in this way. and have a right to be heard. their claims often receive as much consideration as Reason.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. too. and the good judge is the man or woman who can become so mentally detached that the lure of an emotional side issue has no influence upon his or her decision.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . even though in a five minutes’ reverie he may begin with a thought about margarine and finish up with a speculation about the planet Mars. are functions of the mind. In The Merchant of Venice.. and. The mind must not be drilled unceasingly. But when business or study is before us. as in the conversation of a social evening. however. Lesson 09: Good Judgment in Business & Affairs (Part Five) THE PELMAN PRINCIPLES OF MENTAL CONNECTION I." When you have to decide a grave issue bear this aphorism in mind. self-confidence decreases in corresponding ratio. A man who uses his thinking powers in this listless fashion becomes: 1. Therefore judge slowly. In this section we shall deal with the laws of association under the general heading of the Pelman Principles of Mental Connection. it must on occasion move at ease. is often serious. . as a consequence. and we have a programme to fill. unable to fix his attention on anything for long. or accept the drift in which we find ourselves. and take full advantage of the time limit. 3. hour by hour. 2. No doubt there are times when we should allow the mind to take its own course..COM And. Thus it often happens that there is a conflict between Judgment and Desire. The mischief. his memory develops deplorable weaknesses due to inattention. because they. the more consistently we answer the demands upon our attention. the better it is for our mental powers generally. the Prince of Aragon finds in the casket he has chosen the written words:— "Seven times tried that judgment is That did never choose amiss. since they have real truth to convey.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Now the object of this section is to provide a regime whereby you will be able not only to think in a concentrated manner. The introduction of method by means of grammatical arrangement. white.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. he wrote: Life. like a dome of many-colored glass.. As a mere list of words it seems to convey no meaning—but when Shelley used them (see Adonais). eternity. and if you are at all keen about it you will easily master the elementary technique of subsequent pages. and the infusion of exalted feeling. because they are not grouped as to be an organic whole. stains. life.. of. but to reap the harvest of your mental efforts. of. glass. So there may be in your mind much that is excellent in itself but fails to find expression because the material is not arranged. like. Stains the white radiance of Eternity. Facts and ideas that should be gathered in fertile groups are scattered in barren isolation. the. a. Such a result is worth working for. turns an unmeaning group of words into poetry of the highest order. many. Read through the following fifteen words.. once only. radiance.COM Connected and Unconnected Facts and Ideas If you take an unordered list of words you find it rather difficult to recall them. and see how many you can write down in the order given:                Town Camera Cat Island Window Fur Photographer Warm Lens Continent Glass Man Africa House Animal . Here is such a list: dome. colored. thus avoiding the waste of mind--andering.

once only. after reading through the list thoughtfully.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and that is the sphere of classification. Let us rearrange them. II.   The first list shows the difficulty of remembering unconnected ideas.. in a connected order. The first list was a higgledy-piggledy affair. whether we know it or not.COM In all probability your efforts will not be a conspicuous success. The second list exhibits the ease of recollection when a natural association exists. and with the idea immediately following it. In the second we arranged the words according to the Principles of Mental Connection.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. There is another sphere in which order is the secret... Each idea in the rearranged series of fifteen words has an obvious association with the idea immediately preceding it. try to write them down from memory. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . however. THE PELMAN PRINCIPLES OF MENTAL CONNECTION Order of Classification The superiority of the second list of words lies in the effect of order. .                Town House Window Glass Lens Camera Photographer Man Animal Cat Fur Warm Africa Continent Island This time your success may possibly surprise you. then. We are all classifiers. and the "anyhow" element gave place to system.

but enables him to find at once whatever is required by a purchaser. Both boys are classifiers: they do not grab an armful of papers.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 5. Classifying Connected Words The PELMAN Principles of Mental Connection are named as follows: 1. 6. As we do so. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 9. Cause and Effect. 4.. in such a manner as to visit some streets three times over. General and Particular. 3. 2. Common Denominator.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. though he never calls himself by that name. and if he were to ask the boy from a competing newsagent’s whether he had "classified" his customers. So may:  poor and indigent. while classes 9 and 10 comprise associations of a merely accidental or of a personal kind. Synonym. Object and Attribute. 10. . going here. 8. there and everywhere. (1) Synonymy. Similarly the boy at the railway bookstall is a classifier: he arranges his magazines and papers in a manner that not only appeals to the customer’s eyes.Concatenation. it will be noticed that the first eight classes range in diminishing degrees of intimacy from Identity or sameness to pointblank contrariety (Opposition). Complement. or Identity. For example.COM The boy who brings the newspapers round every morning is a classifier. ghost and apparition may be regarded as synonymous. Whole and Part. Similarity of Sound. 7. Like the postman.. they classify their addresses and organize the whole journey so as to deliver the newspapers without going over the same ground twice. We shall explain these one by one. or Identity. the second boy might see in it some dark insult calling for immediate and forcible protest. Opposition. then begin to deliver them. In this case the two words represent approximately the same idea: the word can be used (at least under one aspect of its meaning) in place of the other without any great alteration in the sense.

so are:           dog and terrier. for they are both trees. year and month. (3) General and Particular..NKADOJ@GMAIL. speak and shout. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . obtain and procure. (2) Whole and Part. Other examples are:         man and arm. cat. lion and mane. for they are both colors.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. tired and weary.COM       gleeful and merry. Canada and Ontario. loaf and crust. atmosphere and oxygen. Horse and Head would be an instance of Whole and Part. The relation to one another of individuals existing within the same class. empty and vacant.. fish and cod. For example: Animal would be General. Oak and elm are of Common Denominators. forest and tree. elephant would each be Particular. move and run. Sunday and Monday (both days of the week). The relation of a class to the individuals that constitute it. and dog. tree and oak. walk and run (both being kinds of movement). author and Shakespeare. Other examples are:     London and Paris (both capitals). city and New York. work and labor. book and leaves. school and high-school. (4) Common Denominator. . horse being Whole and head the Part. flower being the General and daisy being the Particular.. Flower and daisy are another example. move and run. dog and cat (both domestic animals). question and query. color and green. Red and Blue are of Common Denominator. This includes all those cases in which one of the ideas is a part of the other.

however.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and the others. shepherd and flock. and themselves have been more or less successfully classified. sandy.. clear. For example:     ice and cold. This is applied to cases in which either of two ideas implies the existence of the other. heat and oppressive. desert and dry. for our present purpose to distinguish from one another "efficient" cause. It is not necessary. (5) Object and Attribute. "instrumental" cause. as:      parent and child. teacher and pupil. cod and herring (both fish). man and woman. The causes of everything that is are innumerable. man and walk (or laugh). gold and heavy. mother and nurture. ancestor and descendant.. Under this heading are included those cases in which one idea is that of a mode of action. (6) Complement. "final" cause.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Here one of the two words will be found to denote a person or thing. (7) Cause and Effect. while the other expresses some quality or attribute either characteristic of the class or distinctive of the individual. colonel and captain. or a function characteristic of the other:       fish and swim.. boot and stocking. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Shakespeare and Milton (both poets). starry.COM          terrier and poodle (both dogs). wrought. night and dark. coat and hat. river and sea. bird and fly. . Nothing exists in virtue of any single cause. lecturer and audience. New York and Halifax (both ports). laziness and foolish.

and so would East and West. wood and iron must not be classified under Opposition. cigar and smoke.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. hide and leather. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . caterpillar and chrysalis. but hard and soft form an instance of Opposition. chrysalis and butterfly. (8) Opposition. lime and mortar. For example. The following miscellaneous examples may serve. steel and knife. Another example would be printing-press and book. North and South would be a case of Opposition. cloud and rain. as water to animal or vegetable life. Compare:            corn and flour. The following are additional examples:         illness and fretful. author and book. tailor and clothes. It is not sufficient that the two ideas shall be unlike one another. enmity and war.NKADOJ@GMAIL. they must be absolutely contrary to one another. in which labor is the cause and weariness the effect. natural or artificial. though they are unlike one another. marble and statue. The following are examples of Opposition: . because they represent opposite extremes. but North and West would not be Opposition nor would South and West. iron and steel. as. Labor and weariness.. the printing-press being the cause and the book the result. In this case the connection is not one of mere difference.. In order to be classified under Opposition. artist and picture. army and battle. flour and bread. Under this heading are included also cases in which material takes on a new character in virtue of some process.. they are not the exact opposite of one another (they should be placed under "Common Denominator").COM All are included under this heading. to which it has been subjected. grass and hay. which embraces besides any "condition" essential to a thing’s existence. tadpole and frog.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. or else in the accented syllables. ocean and notion. feet and feed. for it can be removed entirely without in any way altering the room itself. strong and weak. well and ill. (10) Concatenation or External Connection. Under this heading are comprised cases in which one word (or a part of a word) expressing one idea. idle and industrious. flock and flog. brother and another. Notice that in Similarity of Sound the likeness should occur either in the whole word. yet the . Bird and burden are another good example of this class. stock and stocking. short and long. so that when one of them is present in consciousness. Under this heading are included all those cases in which the connection is due to the fact that the two ideas happen to have been presented to the mind under circumstances likely to bind them together. fool and tool. tie and tile. friend and enemy.. thick and thin. great and grade. The following are examples:              Relax and axiom. tent and attentive.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. (9) Similarity of Sound. day and night. knight and night are perfect in Similarity of Sound. sounds very much like a word (or part of a word) expressing another idea.. the other readily presents itself. Again.COM           light and dark.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . son and sun. bright and bride. for one can scarcely think of Wellington without thinking of the Battle of Waterloo. ape and April. room and chair would be an example of Concatenation: the chair is not a part of the room. giant and dwarf. For instance. war and peace. Wellington and Waterloo are examples of Concatenation.

and depend upon the special knowledge or experience of the individual. The examples given should be closely studied.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. To a man who kept a tame monkey in his garden the example "garden. in the absence of a determining context.. might be a strong instance of Concatenation.NKADOJ@GMAIL. .COM thought of the chair almost always bring into the mind the thought of room. and we advise students to become familiar with them.. city and traffic. watch and pocket. holiday and country. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . in order. Purely literary associations are extremely numerous in this category. alternatively under more than one of the above headings. Other examples are:     water and can. The following series of words will help you to memorize the list. For the series comprises. Connections by Concatenation are often purely personal in their character.. though for the majority of persons the connection would be unnoticeable. The above principles of Mental Connection are of real importance. that it sometimes happens that a pair of words may be classified. one example of every form of Connection from Synonymy to Concatenation:— It may be well to point out here what the student will presently discover for himself. monkey".

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. In the following example you should reason out carefully for yourself each connection.NKADOJ@GMAIL. we write "Part and Whole" when the word denoting the Part precedes the word denoting the Whole. The conscious and deliberate analysis of the connections would have made the task still more easy and the remembrance more nearly permanent.COM In such a case you should use that classification which seems strongest (probably that which occurs first) to you personally. It was by means of a subconscious recognition of these Laws that you were enabled to remember the list so readily. Lesson 09: Good Judgment in Business & Affairs (Part Six) The Application of Analysis Let us now proceed to examine the application of these Principles of Mental Connection to the list of fifteen words as rearranged above. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. this will be the most effective.. For the sake of clarity." "Cause and Effect": . For the purpose of ensuring that the one word shall recall the other into consciousness. and this principle is applicable no less to the classes "General and Particular." "Object and Attribute.

The Repetition of a "Series" When repeating any similar "Series" of connected words.. forward or backward. If you study the following series of one hundred words carefully. taking about a dozen words at a time and analyzing the connections as you did in the "Town" Series. so that afterwards you can repeat the Series itself without recalling the classification. Such an exercise is of great value to all who are studying foreign languages..COM Now.NKADOJ@GMAIL. you will find that you can translate the "Town" Series into that language and repeat it forward and backward as easily as in your native tongue. to learn a Series of connected words merely by several repetitions of the words." the Series from "Island" to "Deep" may be translated into any language. Never attempt. Continuation of the "Town" Series .. and forming a definite mental image. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ." This you will probably be able to do without hesitation. but always by classifying in accordance with the principles explained in the Lesson. without reading this series of words again. beginning with the word "island" and working back to the word "town.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Like the words "Town" to "Island. endeavor to write the list backward. say the words of the Series alone and do not repeat or trouble to think about the classification. however. The classification enables you to learn the Series in the first instance. Examples of Similarity of Sound contained in a series should not be translated unless an equally striking Similarity of Sound exists between the two words after translation. The Translation of "Series" If you know a foreign language. you will find that you can immediately repeat the whole Series from memory.

etc. so long as the repetition demands the exercise of thought and has not become purely mechanical. Thank you." Island Water Drink Eat Breakfast Morning Night Sleep Bed Soft Hard Diamond Sapphire Blue Green Leaf Plant Garden Bird Eagle Strong Steel Battleship Gun Shell Explosion Wound Surgeon Physician Medicine Quinine Bitter Sweet Pleasant Holiday Voyage Ship Sail Canvas Cotton* Needle Sew Garment Coat Sleeve Arm Hand Finger Ring Marriage Church Organ Music Song Words Book Author Pen Ink Black Coal Sting Mine Bee Quarry Queen Stone King Monument Crown Great Gold Small Money Child Wealth Girl Luxury Pinafore Motorcar Apron Wheels Dainty Round Delicate Earth Fragile Sun Care Sun-dial Careless Clock Lazy Time Punish Space Whip Wide Birch Deep * Before translating into French.COM Please read these 100 words top to bottom.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Water. if persevered in. Example: "Island. an invaluable aid towards the cure of mind-wandering. Drink.. column by column… from left to right. of a Series such as the above is.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Mind-Wandering The regular. it would be necessary to place "thread" (fil) between cotton (coton) and needle (aiguille).. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . . from memory.. daily repetition forward and backward.

but a little thought will discover them. never to be sure that he knew them all. liquid. and the Series may be profitably studied by students who have no Latin as well as by others.NKADOJ@GMAIL. it would be unwise to write "Island. . and if he carefully compares each pair before proceeding to the next pair. water. Thus. When constructing a Series you should take care that each word you add has a more intimate connection with the word immediately preceding it than with any word a few steps earlier in the Series. if the ideas. in the "Island" Series." III. come within the Principles of Connection.COM Under no circumstances should a series be repeated when the repetition of the whole." it would suggest that when you wrote the word "liquid" you had failed to drive out from your mind the idea of "water": your attention being still centered more strongly on "water" than on "drink. drink. or any part of it. when taken two at a time. USEFUL APPLICATIONS OF ASSOCIATION Suppose that you have to learn thirty-six exceptions to the rule that in Latin all nouns of the third declension ending in -is are feminine... liquid. The connections may not be so obvious as in the first Series. he can remember a Series of a thousand words as easily as he remembers a Series of twenty. If the student cares to construct a Series of his own. has been automatic and thus has ceased to require conscious thought. Many a schoolboy has labored hard and long over these thirty-six words. It is obvious that there is practically no limit to the number of words that might be committed to memory in this way. he will find that.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.." for although there is a connection between "liquid" and "drink" there is still closer and more obvious connection between "liquid" and "water. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Let us arrange these thirty-six exceptions in pairs so that we shall have to pay attention to only two of them at a time. because the mind is never troubled with more than two ideas at a time. drink." If you were to write "water.

and that "annex" was not. piscis. because... a peculiarity about a list of words learned in this manner is that it is not necessary to repeat the whole list to discover whether any particular word is in it or not. provided you know the exact meaning of the Latin words.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. if the word is in the series. nor the second series to tell us whether or not ensis. it will immediately recall the word with which it was associated.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. If it is not. . finis or cassis are exceptions. You do not need to repeat the "Town" series of words to tell us that "cat" was in it. Speaking Without Notes How this principle of comparing and classifying ideas may be applied easily and interestingly to the infinite various problems of memory will be shown as the Lessons proceed. Whether you learn the series in English or Latin makes no difference.COM Now. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . it will recall nothing.

IV. the remembrance of which cannot be awakened easily by any other means. If you do not know what comes next in your discourse. and means will be furnished for meeting occasional difficulties in its application. it may recur to you if you think of what preceded it. has to say about the way in which actors and actresses remember their "parts. For example." She says: . The preacher. the arrangement of your topics must be shockingly inept. If you have "forgotten" the funny story told you by a friend. If you are a public speaker. such as in speaking without notes.NKADOJ@GMAIL. he has only to write them down and compare them two at a time. or the lecturer. Such occasional associations depend chiefly upon Propinquity of Time and Place. regardless of their number. the lawyer. The reproduction of some of the component elements in a situation tends to revive in the mind the impressions made by other component elements which may not be actually reproduced without such stimulus. try it. If these divisions follow one another logically.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the celebrated actress. does not jump from the idea with which he starts to something totally foreign to his subject. with appropriate illustration. An Actress on Memory In this connection it is interesting to record what Mrs. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . His line of thought and argument. in order to remember each of them in its exact order. is planned out beforehand and divided into headings. classifying the connection. you may remember where you placed them if you go back to the place where you know you last used them. if you have mislaid a bunch of keys.COM Some applications will be immediately obvious. THE RECOLLECTION OF ISOLATED FACTS The subconscious action of Association may sometimes be employed effectually in the effort to recall an isolated fact. What are notes for? To remind you of that which comes next.. In a later Lesson the method will be further developed... The method is to return to the surroundings in which you last were of the fact you wish to remember. Kendall.

WHAT TO AVOID Avoid slipshod phrases. and the clothes. will bring it back to you. Cultivate mental detachment. Decisions made on the spur of the moment may be beautifully right or tragically wrong. thus. Avoid as far as possible making decisions when in a state of emotional agitation. Avoid multiplying snap judgments. it is an enormous help. brought it back. the memory of the past returns. We have what is called the ‘business’ of the scene. . the re-reading of it.. and sit at the same place and at the same table. and speaking about it a little. We have so much to help our memory on the stage. who used to come upon the stage at rehearsals. Fear is an enemy of sound judgment. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . ‘C’est la meme chose sur la scene. but he would come at night. brought the words back to him. "The most extraordinary instance of memory that I personally remember was that of old Mr.’ "A little bit of ‘business’ brings back a speech. The fact of putting on the clothes. and dressing for the part. like any other faculty. the one helps the other.. the remembrance of a speech brings back a bit of ‘business’." Time and place are. three or four times only. reading his part and not knowing a word. Avoid the temptation to impress others by making a quick decision on inadequate information. up to a certain pitch.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Still. Avoid as far as possible the fear of making mistakes. Avoid wishful thinking. If you have not played a part for years. "The fact that you have to do certain things brings a certain line back to your memory.COM "The memory can be cultivated. and the situation. Buckstone.. and the whole thing. Often when you enter your home.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. highly important factors in recollection. though an exceptional memory is not absolutely necessary. I am speaking of the repetition of an old part. but Prudence is its friend. Practice works wonders. Define exactly the question upon which you have to make a judgment.

" He replaced it. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Suspend judgment until you have sufficient information. he rushed to the bedroom and told Ronald and Kenneth. Acquire the art of self-encouragement. "He who never makes a mistake. This enables you to live on in spite of mis-judgments. The groundfloor was inhabited by two sisters and a baby. You are asked to consider the evidence.NKADOJ@GMAIL.75).. aged 36). aged 18. "never makes anything. Frank states that. nothing untoward happening. Develop self-confidence in judgments." Lesson 09: Good Judgment in Business & Affairs (Part Seven) EXERCISES Exercise XXXIV The following narrative comes to us on the unimpeachable authority of Mr. Kenneth states that. on his placing an empty tray on the kitchen dresser. it "jumped back at me as if it was in a temper. it again jumped back. and to pronounce a judgment upon it. "only in a more harder way.. Learn the secrets of judgment by analyzing the circumstances of any good judgment that are accessible to you. The scene was a basement flat (apartment) whose occupants at the time were Ronald (a writer. or rather to bridge any gap. ." Frightened. We sometimes have no choice but to act on probability if we are to act at all. This means in effect that you must be ready to face an issue. Kenneth (in business. Seek balanced judgments. James Agate (Ego 2). aged 30). Kenneth then left for his office. and Frank (house-boy. given here in a highly condensed form. to reassure Frank. said to be sleeping. he placed the tray several times on different spots on the dresser. Ronald meanwhile getting up. Counsel on the other side can always make a case of some sort.." it has been said.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM WHAT TO DO Prepare to cross all bridges.

Ronald’s statement was in essence: "At first I refused to hurry down. Frank. will be found to disagree in their account of what happened and in what order. Ronald ordered Frank to go back and pick up the tray. there are five possibilities to be taken into consideration: 1. 5. and about two minutes later descended with Frank. but without any sign of movement." He finished shaving. 2.. Mr. The whole thing is part-truth and part-hoax. The whole thing is an invention. and "from the door I saw the tray lying on the dresser in its usual position.. I certify that from the moment Frank came into the bathroom he never was out of my sight." Frank rushed to the bathroom to report to Mr. I should have seen them from the bedroom. "If anybody had come down to replace the tray. 3. Hastening there from the adjacent scullery." ." They left the tray where it was and retired to the bedroom—which adjoined the kitchen on the side opposite to that of the scullery. or alternatively any one of the factors (b). who immediately rushed in from the scullery. My two sisters and the baby were still asleep. is the story. The facts are as stated. (d). writing their account of even so simple a matter as a conjuring trick. but nobody could have come down at any time without being seen and heard. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Some totally unknown factor is present. Ronald. On his flat refusal. Agate points out:— "In all Poltergeist stories. The narrators believe the facts to be as they state them. though they may be otherwise. If somebody had thrown the tray on the floor. and (e) may be present singly or in any combination. he found the tray "lying on the floor and shaking violently. would have seen them.COM Frank’s story continues to the effect that a quarter of an hour after Kenneth had left the house a terrific bang came from the kitchen." That. 4. "In each and every investigation it is to be borne in mind that the case may belong to (a) or (c). as the door was left wide open and the end of the staircase is in full view.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. as I know him (Frank) to be a highly-strung boy. then. "There are people in the flat on the second floor. for it is well known that two highly intelligent observers.. and "saw the tray lying on the floor. they went together to the kitchen.

. 1. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and act forthwith. "Then came the inevitable ‘but on the other hand’ and the Cabinet listened to an equally logical and well-informed presentation of the case against. Moral cowardice which shirks responsibility? 3. He saw both sides too clearly to be able to come readily to a conclusion. why? Exercise XXXV Speaking of Lord Balfour. decide now. and weighing them according to the five possibilities enumerated. Vol. by D. then I must say I feel perplexed."¹ 1 From War Memoirs. 36.COM Carefully considering the alleged facts. Lloyd George. looked vaguely at the window and in hesitant tones would say.. II. A tendency to shrink from decision because decision involves action? 2. Exercise XXXVI Personal Problems . He then paused. ‘But if you ask me what course I think we ought to take. threw up his head. Mr. Or to some other cause? If you have some problem outstanding. Chap. and anyone not accustomed to his methods would have thought he was weighing-in heavily on that start.’ "Often have I heard him discuss matters on these lines. at what conclusion do you arrive? and 2.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL. "When his turn came to express an opinion he carefully and lucidly marshaled the arguments for taking a given course. Examine yourself in the light of this incident: If you find in yourself a tendency to procrastination do you attribute it to: 1. Lloyd George says.

is an effort to show the student how to be scientific both in thought and in practice. but with fairness and justice to all. C— D— has been made Office Manager. Continue as before. Refuse to comply with the Chief’s request. 4. He is not popular and knows it. name them.G. decide which one in your opinion. John H. A clerk in a shipping firm. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . He is already busy preparing quietly for Matriculation. Study for a new kind of work. 4. 2. . He might: 1. if any. 3. with no tastes for languages. is ordered to become proficient in Spanish. Answer advertisements. How To Handle Your Facts" is the title of Lesson X. Show his power at every opportunity.. Suspend the Matriculation Course and begin Spanish. 1. Try to do both.COM After analyzing the proposed lines of action in the cases outlined below. Turn right round and try to please everybody. 3. Accept the instruction and delay the learning of the language. Several courses of action come into his mind. 2. 2. 3. Lesson X. 3. a more particular understanding of its principles is highly desirable. Select two favorites to act as spies.. therefore. Seek a loan. Become a bookkeeper. is the best. Be in a position to give reasons. PELMAN LESSON X "The Scientific Method. He is married and has two children. He can therefore: 1. He ought therefore to: 1. 4. The term is one which has been resounding in our ears for many generations. and while a general knowledge of it is universal.NKADOJ@GMAIL. If other alternatives occur to you. Smythe is an accountant who has lost his job. 5. It is important both for the sake of increasing the sum of our knowledge and for the handling of our affairs. 2.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Advertise for a position.. or.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL...COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..

.COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL..

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Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Lesson 09: Good Judgment in Business & Affairs (Part Eight) ... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...COM ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL...

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL..COM ..

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..COM ..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..

.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..COM .

How is such equipment to be secured? By careful practice on approved lines. it is the outcome of many processes. So grip the ideas and methods contained in the following pages and carry out all our instructions.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The complete truth in many things may still elude the seeker: but the approximate. the joy and the education which arises out of the search. It presupposes an acquaintance with the principles of evidence.COM Lesson 10: THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD: or HOW TO HANDLE YOUR FACTS FOREWARD Thinking is not one process.. It calls for a knowledge of the facts involved.NKADOJ@GMAIL. sometimes the exact truth will be his. and he will have at least have the interest.. . It demands a study of words and their uses.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It demands a knowledge of human nature. It requires certain states of mind.

and stay it did. It was not a heavy fine.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 2. Of course. Manifestly. Wait awhile. Even at Oxford University there was once a law to the effect that any teacher who was known to deviate from what was taught in the works of Aristotle would be fined half-a-crown. What is the Method of Science? You may say: "What is the use of the Scientific Method to me? I have to work for a living. The Royal Society was founded in 1645. He died in 1626.. That was the beginning of the analysis of nature in these islands by the direct study of things as they are. this kind of thing had to have an end.." That is where you make a mistake. and 3. Very briefly stated the method is this:— 1. A classification of these facts. Science is organized knowledge. If the knowledge of any subject has been obtained by following the method of science. not only in the world of material nature. Mental Qualities Needed . The scientific method had come to stay.. even in sports. THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD For hundreds of years in Europe and in England. and probably now and then some frisky and daring professor would indulge himself in two-and-six-penny worth of deviation by way of getting a thrill. then that knowledge can legitimately claim to be science. but in the immaterial world of the mind. in business.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM The Scientific Method: or How to Handle Your Facts I. it had its enemies—but this did not make any difference. and it will become plain. and the progress of knowledge on a scientific basis obtained a new start after the work of Bacon began to take effect. too. A gathering together of all the necessary facts. the name of Aristotle dominated all our seats of learning. And when we say dominated we mean that: nothing less. An effort to arrive at their meaning by using the principles of logical reasoning. Science is for you. And it was soon to result in the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton. and science is out of my range. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It aims at the discovery of truth.

reach. to turn round suddenly and smite him. when the giant was thus off his guard. You can then compare and contrast the two jobs and reason your way to the right conclusion. however. and of all other geographical text-books we have seen.R. fondness to meditate. carefulness to dispose and set in order.. reveals no possible answer to the question: "Why has the jute industry sprung up in Dundee?" . "Jute" in Dundee In H. He massed together the facts about the giant’s height. No. But let us find a better illustration. England and the other in India. climates.     You can use them when you have to decide between two jobs. But one object of this lesson is to show you how to use them all.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The main point was to pretend to rush away from Carnera. and hating every kind of imposture.3): "In many instances. and at the same time steady enough to fix and distinguish their subtle differences… endowed by nature with the desire to seek. hours." You may now ask: "Do I ever use those qualities?" Some of them. You can group these facts and place the advantages and disadvantages over against each other.COM Work of this kind calls for certain qualifications of mind. endurance.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the patience of doubt. It is said that Max Baer conquered Carnera by using the method of science. You can collect all the facts—salaries. until a plan was evolved.. and pension possibilities. best described by Bacon in these words: "A mind nimble and versatile enough to catch the resemblance of things (which is the chief point). one in Birmingham. the great jute manufacture in Dundee. Mill’s Elementary Commercial Geography." A close examination of Mill’s text-book. for example. to name a few. That is precisely what happened. several of them. chances of promotion. …neither affecting what is new or admiring what is old. which is one of the most distant seaports of the United Kingdom from the source of raw material. slowness to assert. the following passage occurs (p. And the giant never recovered his aplomb. readiness to consider.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the reason for industries being centered in particular towns does not appear until the commercial history of the locality has been studied. Yes. idiosyncrasies and so on: then put these facts through their facings. then.

as well as jute. The hypothesis does not tell us why 39 out of every 43 people who work in the jute industry in Great Britain should be employed in Dundee. A hypothesis is a good guess at the Truth: one that is considered good enough to be tested. 3. Climatic conditions are favorable for spinning the jute yarn. 3. marmalade. Can it be possible that the secret is connected with one of these facts? Hypothesis No. 2. some of which appear to be more relevant than others: 1. Dundee is the chief seat of the manufacture of coarse linen fabrics. Hypothesis No. but there does seem to be any reason for supposing that Dundee is the only place in the United Kingdom where jute could be manufactured.. Some conditions other than climatic have specially favored the industry. 2. 3. Dundee provides something which is very necessary in the manufacture of jute products. It is the center of the whaling and seal-fishing industry.. Results: 1.. 2. How shall we test this hypothesis? What occurs to us at once is to read up the articles in the encyclopedia upon the following subjects: 1. linen. jute. whaling and seal-fishing. The article on linen brings us no nearer the solution of our problem.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The sentence is: "In order to lessen the harsh and brittle character of jute it is subjected to a softening process on a kind of crushing mangle. trusting that in the end all false theories will have been discredited and that we shall be left with one which to a high degree of probability explains the problem under notice. therefore. This is obviously so.COM We must. 4. The article on marmalade contains no light. 1. 2." . From its pages we learn the following facts. Hypothesis No. from cisterns attached to the top of which oil and water are at the same time sprinkled evenly upon it. frame our own hypotheses and put them to the test. It is the seat of a great marmalade industry.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The article on jute contains one very significant sentence which would have meant nothing at all for us had the foregoing fact (c) been overlooked. In order to test the truth of this theory we shall need to read up the history of Dundee. 3. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and so we consult an encyclopedia.

that the jute industry was centered in Dundee because it was the center of the whaling trade which provided what was in the early part of the 19th century an essential agent in the process of manufacture. They probably represent all shades of religious belief and unbelief. Why? Because opinions and convictions do not spring primarily from reason. for instance. HINDRANCES TO THE USE OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD Some students before they had learned the value of this lesson have asked why if the method of science is such a wonderful thing (we are using their phrase) learned men do not more often agree in their conclusions? For instance. two are business men and two are skilled mechanics. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . they may have used the same text-books in logic and graduated in the same year. or some similar mineral oil has been largely substituted for it. four are professors. but in testing its plausibility we may be sure of narrowing the field of speculation and thus of arriving somewhat nearer to the truth. Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Two) II.. why do so many men and women—some of them with logical and well-trained minds—fail to agree on such vital issues as politics and religion? The question can be answered best if we state a case.. . whale-oil was used for the purpose. in a group of twelve men.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it further appears. Can we be surprised if they became antagonistic when discussing a highly debatable topic? The Professors may have been to the same University.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Formerly. likewise they are of diversified political opinions. though of late years a heavy paraffin oil. It may not contain the truth.. but from feeling and self-interest. a change which caused a great fall in the price of whale oil. This short example shows us that what a hypothesis does for us is to indicate a direction in which our thoughts can be profitably set to work. they are also profoundly affected by temperament and training. So that we arrive at the truth we sought. Suppose. The article on "whaling" (iv) tells us in confirmation that whale oil was formerly in great request for "batching" jute. yet their studies do not prevent them from coming to diverse conclusions. four are clergymen.

and methods of government. have a free run through human consciousness. even in matters of the highest importance. witness the battles we fight in economics. We might have a much more correct world if this were not the case. It is just in testing our inferences from facts. that formal logic is of service. it would not be quite so interesting. find themselves at a loss for conclusive arguments in support of their opinion. there are scores of matters on which it is not possible to arrive at the truth in a manner that convinces everybody. as well as openmindedness and love. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . by which we estimate the accuracy an argument. philosophy. even though one or both of its premises be false.. religion. Few things are more conclusively proved than that the earth is round. In many of these spheres there is room for what we call "two opinions". and false premises may. a kind of foot-rule. How Different Opinions Arise Outside of mathematics and self-evident truths (such as the knowledge of our own existence).NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Does Reason Guide Us? This explains why some Economists are Free-Traders and others are not.. but we cannot argue that therefore the laws of logic are of no value.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or measure. by a happy chance. and as a means of detecting deceit or confusion of thought. if submitted to a ruthless cross-examination by an ingenious flat-earther. but. and prejudice and hate. A "deductive" argument may be quite logical in structure. At any rate we have to admit that few of us follow the dictates of pure reason. and two quite different ideas may be equally rational. yet even men and women with some claim to education. We like to think that we do. Besides. The student’s methods should be two-fold: . Consequently we have a diversity of judgment. as a world. who find it impossible to harbor a doubt on the subject. in art. lead to a true conclusion. But life is a very complex affair. But nearly all our disputes are not about logic. they are about facts.. might. Indeed on most questions we must be content with a high degree of probability. and why some professional men are reactionary whilst others are progressive. They are a test of our reasoning processes. human opinions present the spectacle of a mass of contending forces.

in the exercise of that responsibility which covers not only the present but the future. although being hungry. and 2. and the reply is two-fold: 1.. sir. As matter of fact. Dr. and he will suffer just as really from neglect to do so. If your business books show a loss instead of a profit.. keep just as careful a watch upon his outgoings and incomings as though he were administering funds entrusted to him by another person. the arrival at right conclusions from these data. many a man. and. but a little inquiry soon arouses a feeling of doubt. Superficial Reasoning The second reason offered by the great Lexicographer is more superficial still. you may eat as much beef as before. or the money you lay out on satisfying it. Income and Responsibility Is it not true that even when a man is spending his own money he must exercise care. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ." We ask why. The act of writing down what you spent on beef yesterday does not affect your appetite to-day. He must. through correct inference. it may be stated that he is accountable to himself. Such a man has no one to whom he is accountable. is compelled to eat "less beef" because his recorded accounts will not allow him the luxuries in which he once indulged. and has nobody to whom he is to account.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." This sounds clever and almost conclusive. You won’t eat less beef to-day because you have written down what it cost yesterday. The first statement is: "Account keeping is of no use to a man who is spending his own money. lest he should exceed his income? That being so. If he disregards them he may find himself reduced to bread and cheese. is of no use when a man is spending his own money. 2. in a figurative sense.COM 1. your general . you cannot very well afford to have the extended holiday you took last year.. He is his own auditor.NKADOJ@GMAIL. an inquiry into the data of the case. Johnson to Boswell Let us take an illustration. Johnson to Boswell: "Keeping accounts.

. The man who finds his losses greatly exceed his winnings at bridge is far more likely to play with discretion than the man who says: "Keeping bridge accounts.. sir.    Formal logic as a means of testing conclusions is admirable. on the other?" This is a reasonable question and was answered in the following way.COM spending is modified by the painful discovery of a serious deficit. Further.NKADOJ@GMAIL. to this effect: "What am I to do with an argument where there are six good authorities on one side and six. is of no use to a man who is spending his own money and has nobody to whom he is to account. some time ago. equally good. remembering that there are authorities and authorities. if you have to earn your money. it seldom happens that six men of the highest rank disagree totally on vital points with six men of the same rank. On the Use of Authorities A student wrote. The study of formal logic is not really necessary in order to accomplish this end. There may be divergences in matters of detail and still greater differences in speculative matters which of their nature are not susceptible of rigid demonstration." As a matter of fact.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. clearly the employment of ordinary analysis is sufficient.. you probably do. Take the authorities one by one and examine their credentials. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . experts and experts. but as a means of discovering truth it is purely secondary. In his own sphere a practical chemist of high standing carries more weight than a philosopher who has studied chemistry merely by the way. or to raise serious doubts as to the inferences that have been drawn. the study of it tends to orderly thinking. It is the same in personal accounts.. You do not play bridge less to-day because you have made a note that you lost $50 yesterday. It frequently happens that a little investigation into the statement of an argument is enough to disclose its inherent fallacies.

doubtful.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. an inquiry into the data of the case. as in politics. Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Three) III. The party stands for a solution of pressing problems on certain broad principles.. through correct inference. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Party Government When the subject advanced has immediate practical issues. if acted upon. are they positive. even if they do not make him fully proficient in the art of right thinking. Go to their own words in their own books.. Draw up a statement showing agreements and differences. Is it in a positive direction. Note carefully the tone of their statements. or a negative. and in what sense it votes upon.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Next: study closely what the authorities say. a quality we have referred to in a previous lesson. Here is one. the arrival at right conclusions from these data. or emphatically negative? Lastly: find the general drift of authoritative opinion. and 2. or does it incline to suspension of judgment? In such a subject as Telepathy one perceives that the general drift of opinion is in a positive direction. and the fortunes of a State are dependent on how far democracy understands. which it applies on behalf of those who have little or no time to look closely into particular matters for themselves. MENTAL DETACHMENT It is not difficult to provide an illustration of the lack of mental detachment. This is one of the reasons why Party Government came into being. and the two simple rules repeated again being:— 1. however. action is of course necessary. . the difficulties of the situation. and in one’s private reading. In regard to other psychic phenomena it is mainly one of suspended judgment. will. one must do one’s own thinking. In one’s own calling. save the student from many mistakes.. do not be content with extracts divorced from the context.

he cannot discuss a subject apart from his own personal feelings in connection with it. that life came to earth originally from inorganic matter.NKADOJ@GMAIL." The Personal Equation What is wrong with this man’s intellect? First.. At this some of the women laugh. The answer is: "Leave them out of account when you are seeking the truth of things. someone suddenly proposes the question: "Are women less truth-seeking than men?" Instantly a champion of women asserts that he cannot allow the subject to be discussed in his presence because it is a slur on womanhood: as such he protests against it. and he will be obliged to leave the room. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . he fails in discrimination. thinking that truthseeking means telling the truth. and of men by women. would be whether or not women were more given to lying than men." Huxley was anxious that scientific experiments should prove the theory of spontaneous generation. Murmurs and objections are offered but without avail. the "slanging" of women by men. the discussion. he has no mental detachment.. expecting the women to follow him. The Truth of Things "Then what am I to do with my personal feelings?" a reader asks.. especially in desultory conversation.COM You are discussing general questions with a group of men and women. referring to a casual remark. Next. without injecting one’s own personal feelings. needs an occasional demur. nevertheless such a topic as that suggested is not only possible but has most interesting associations of a psychological and sociological nature. and he replies: "Already women are becoming shameless. Now we admit that in some circumstances his protest might be perfectly justified. and not from some extraneous source. when. and one ought to be able to approach it. as an inquiry. If the subject is discussed (he says) it constitutes an attack on the good name of his mother and his wife.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. to him.

this is the chief mark of men of genius: "the objective tendency of the mind as opposed to the subjective which is directed to one’s self. He will say: . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . at this stage. for the time being. Shakespeare. absorbed in the motives and in the actions of mankind. Darwin.. World-Truth Now it is this personal or subjective attitude which often prevents the intellectual advancement of the average man and woman. In Schopenhauer’s opinion.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. This is a case in which reason. but to hold back from the work of inquiry. immersed in the possibilities of a pendulum. eagerly carrying out investigations in biology. was able to maintain a detached and unprejudiced view. and to be deficient in the love of truth for its own sake. freed from the trammels of sentiment. if it could be established. Take a few illustrations of seekers after world-truths:     Newton. or to deny the good faith of those who engage in it because their truth.. for we are all liable to limit ourselves to the kind of truth which brings an advantage to ourselves. conclusive.COM He was disappointed when experiments failed to demonstrate the possibility. —all these are typical of selfless thought where the whole mind was concentrated on some external object. Galileo. Genius and Self-Interest We can imagine a reader. When these phenomena have been divested of their charlatanism—and on all hands it is admitted that there is a good deal of nonsense to be got rid of—there remains a residuum which at any rate is worthy of investigation. would call for the painful overhauling of long-established convictions on other matters.NKADOJ@GMAIL." Possibly this is a reason why genius is sometimes comparatively unconscious of its great gifts. urging an objection. but accepted the results as.. We see the same attitude manifested by thousands of people in regard to what is called psychic phenomena. lost in the contemplation of the heavens. is to allow personal feeling to stand in the way of knowledge.

Darwin and Theology When Darwin published his Origin of Species. whereas the average mind is always self-interested." as we call it. moreover.COM "I grant that genius is disinterested. and maybe. but if their appearance or their non-existence were discussed with a keen eye to their possible utility as guides to hidden treasure. where the University Of Oxford stood in the sixties of the last century.. many people with strong religious convictions took up a hostile attitude toward his teaching. and all people who have to work in order to gain a living are compelled to think on the lines of advantage to self and to those for whose welfare they are responsible. probe it to its very center. but is it not self-interest and all that comes from it of the very essence of PELMANISM?" Quite right. mainly because they feared his findings would undermine the foundations of faith. Even if a new theory of life or conduct seems to impinge unpleasantly on some favorite conception. It is not many years since an obscure American town gained a certain notoriety by showing itself to stand. consider it apart from self and in the light of Truth. face the question boldly. it will not affect your bank account if you decide that ghosts do or do not occasionally obtrude themselves on our notice. hence there was an absence of that disinterested spirit which is one of the primary conditions of clear and accurate thought. a little concern. that possibility would have an unjust influence on the formation of your conclusions. But in this section we are. Both argued the whole question. because the purpose would not be the illumination of an obscure question.. for the moment. So cultivate "the open mind. You would be lacking in mental detachment. we desire to arrive at conclusions about phenomena which do not represent a cash value. . and all the hot argumentations of four decades might have been spared us had the men and women of those days ventured to look at Darwinism with a sense of detachment. not in the interests of truth. It is. they will think all the better if their interest-power is bright and joyous. To-day faith is still found on the earth. so long after the event. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but in the interests of their own tradition. leaving all personal considerations behind. For instance. but a means of money-making.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or increase personal prestige.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. causing irritation.

 Ask an English boy in the country if a rabbit can swim a river or climb a leaning tree." Self-adjustment means that there has been successful effort to adapt the old functions to new circumstances. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and we have to adjust ourselves to them if we are to possess security of life and peace of mind. But when it was necessary to do so in Northern Australia the rabbit learned the trick quite easily. according to the measure of his ability.NKADOJ@GMAIL. For instance.. The late St. most fit for all the new conditions of existence in which by various changes they may be placed. a sense best expressed by the word adjustment. and adjustment is the only safe policy to pursue.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." it has been said.S. . George Mivart. and he will laugh derisively. once said that: "of all races of men they are the mightiest and most noble who are. to see that this optimistic outlook shall be justified. Environment Now we ourselves are continually in need of adaptation. It proved itself to be capable of adjustment.COM "Great is Truth. For instance. MENTAL ADJUSTMENT The word adjustment may need some explanation. we find ourselves in antagonism to certain facts in our environment. "and it shall ultimately prevail. and we cannot do better than give an illustration of its use in the sense that is here proposed. Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Four) IV.. or by self-adjustment can become. one element is in enmity with another element. there is often an internal conflict in the center of our very being. when transported to Australia... adapted itself in a striking manner to the new conditions. Again. F." It is for every man.R. the English rabbit. although in a profounder sense.

. in politics he would be at the mercy of any orator who knew how to appeal effectively to his emotions at the expense of his reason. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . By allowing too much rope to his desires. his judgment) were robbed of their rightful voice in arriving at a decision. in which all the forces are so arranged that right conduct is inevitable? Certainly not..NKADOJ@GMAIL. If by chance he heard a deprecatory remark. Harsh words sink deep into his consciousness.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . Take this simple figure as a study in proportion: needless to say there are no such exact divisions between mental powers. and his conscience.. his thoughts (i.e. Lack of Mental Perspective But how many of us are as free as we might be from these maladjustments? All our intellectual errors. his thoughts. and when he takes his place in the dock (courtroom) it may be truthfully said of him that he is there because of a mental adjustment. and all our aberrations in conduct are due to failures in settling the claims of those elements which go to make up the self.   Do you suppose a man with a mind of such unequal proportions can arrive at right conclusions? Would you call it a synthetic mind. he would be in haste to apply it to himself and it is not unlikely that a wakeful night would ensue. congenital and acquired.COM A man who steals may be said to have failed in the somewhat difficult art of adjudicating between the claims of his desires. Such a man would probably be a reader of sentimental novels almost exclusively. and he feels them acutely.

and he will probably find it difficult to read poetry or fiction. but there is a danger that his life of feeling may die down.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.   He is not necessarily heartless. He would not be a safe judge of the common people. So also of music and the drama. We find compensation everywhere. indeed his opinions of them would be vitiated by failure to appreciate in them qualities in which they are in fact superior to himself. What does all that prove? he might ask. A very learned person.. he would probably be highly sensitive to impressions and influences which flattered his self-esteem.COM On the other hand. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The Man of Action The third type is not unfamiliar to us.. no doubt. and that with it will go some of the best things that are possible to human experience. but he has to some extent failed in his adjustment.NKADOJ@GMAIL. His interests are wholly intellectual. . "Pure Intellect" What does the figure below stand for? It stands for another disproportionate individual..

that is of more value than all the profundities of other men. In a moment or two we shall offer some suggestions under that heading. Were it not for men like him we might be content merely to debate a commercial policy. Unfortunately it is not always action based on the best information. movement and action delight him.. Nevertheless this fact ought not to prevent the average man from seeking the best adjustment that is possible. and at ’em. as well as the men of vigorous action. meanwhile we must refer to the maladjustments which have their origin in the tribulations of life.NKADOJ@GMAIL. it is Wellington’s "Up. Some Disproportion Inevitable These are brief indications of those disharmonies which are more or less native to individuals.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. nor is it always well reasoned. whereas whilst we are talking he and his fellows are engaged in action. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM What does he say? He says "Get on or get out. But he has a definite value for the community. It is frequently unscientific. guards. in his eyes. we need the men    of fine sensibilities. There is one alleged saying which he regards as the true universal motto. his ideal is to be active." To him.. though sometimes effective for the moment. being due to their dispositions." Force has a great attraction for him. But it must be confessed that in the specialized work of the world a certain amount of disproportion is unavoidable.. The emotional man and the man of thought. are poor things to be tolerated. . of profound thought.

totally unfitted for the pleasures of society or the work of the world. the stolen energy being used by the Intellect. and yet. No one who has suffered at all will have anything but sympathy for such a man. A great sorrow will drive a man into close seclusion. If he can hold out. True. drive men into the mental home. some sorrows.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. had he learned the secret of self-adjustment ere the trouble overtook him.. but they are not a numerous company. and even unacknowledged by themselves. . as PELMANISTS. however logical in quality. but we have observed that those people who creed has for its central article "a power outside ourselves making for righteousness" are enabled both to endure reverses of fortune and to preserve their mental perspective. even though illness had somewhat depleted his physical energy.. usually in criticism of men who are more fortunate. resolving to retrieve his health and his position. The Value of a Creed To know how to think about the events which happened to us is to have knowledge that is priceless. he might have preserved the original balance of his powers.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The partial loss of hope. consequent upon a failure in business. and the definite curtailing of energy are certain to end in a maladjustment wherein Feeling is robbed of its right proportions. ends in pessimism and leaves the individual resourceless and alone. the advent of cynicism.COM A man who passes through a severe illness. and their valor depends on a form of positive belief which. there are some brave spirits who love the notion of fighting against odds. with his powers working at a lower tension and with a faulty synthesis. he may be none the worse for his misfortunes. where he becomes a hermit. We are not concerned. he will have to begin life again. Synthesis and Salvation The vicissitudes of life are responsible for much of the mental lopsidedness discoverable in the world. is bound to suffer a great strain on his powers of mental endurance. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . is implicit in their actions. with the direct inculcation of moral and religious teachings.. Any rational view of life which promotes optimism is better than one which. but if he fails. indeed. although unformulated and unspoken.

just as all the colors of the rainbow are fused in the sun’s white light. Having done this. poetry..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. possibly in the majority of them.COM Are these tragedies avoidable? In many cases they are. somewhat after the time-table in Lesson V. How is he to know? Well. and one of the questions in the worksheet for this Lesson will deal with this matter from a strictly individual point of view. First take a sheet of paper and map out the hours you can call your own. studying pictures and other works of art. We cannot abolish the storm but we can learn to avoid shipwreck. Feeling is dominant in an immense variety of activities. "No Leisure" A more serious objection is that the student. Thought and Will have a many-sided life. and before you can apportion rightly the leisure hours now under scrutiny you must classify properly. Begin by crossexamining yourself. if they followed the synthetic method. from the total hours per week devoted to each section. Hours in which the life of Thought mainly is developed. you can then judge. but do not jump to conclusions. they would come through their trials victoriously. The Regime for Adjustment Now a word or two about the regime which makes adjustment an easier thing. however. such as worship. or pleased with the apparent symmetry. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . When you have done this you may be unpleasantly surprised at the seeming disproportion. Hours in which the life of Feeling mainly is developed. Next. it is our duty to help him. even though with permanent marks of the conflict. Bear in mind.. and giving the dramatic element its opportunity. that in every deliberate act all three elements have a place. Similarly. in apportioning his hours to various activities. whether or not the way you spend your time is lacking in proportion. Hours in which the Will mainly is strengthened by action. If men only knew the value of cultivating all their mental powers. reading.. make an analysis on this basis: 1. musical expression in any of its forms. 2. . is not always sure when he has secured the right division. 3.

Thought and Will. making a suitable allowance for journeys. that what is needed is more Thought. he can decide how much attention is given to the activities of Feeling. How many hours in a week can he claim for himself? Much depends on the time he rises and goes to bed.. 14 hours to amusements.m. that a vast amount of time is consumed in self-regarding thoughts. At the end of one day he would say: "I read Estate Law for an hour before breakfast. Probably he can count on 40 hours in a full week. who is keen on making headway. indoor games and the like. The Leisure Hour Time-Table With this rough apportionment of leisure hours.m.. How does he spend them?     At least 15 hours will be given to some form of physical recreation and to meals. unless extra pressure at the office interferes. lectures.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.30 p. On this particular day.. meetings. and not a little on his ability to use odd moments to advantage. Henry’s hours are from 9 a.m. If. and so forth. 6 to reading. and 2." By estimating the length of time taken up by these occupations. Here is Henry Budlake (engaged in the office of an Estate Agent). Went with Smith to see the new Portrait gallery at 6 p. some time also will be spent in lounging about. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and in journeys. to 5. and with Tregelles to see the new comedy in the evening. instead of going to the opera theater or cinema. he had spent two hours in municipal duties.. Will would not appear to be prominent. Our experience with this kind of critical self-investigation shows: 1. and more Will or action. and on Saturday afternoons or Sundays his time is his own. how would he set about answering the question before us? By a simple analysis of the doings of each day for a week. sometimes later. After the evening meal he has a few hours’ leisure. he could claim that social action had been part of his program. probably innocent forms of Feeling. Thought and Feeling are well represented.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM Let us imagine a case..

a course of action that is not unreasonable but can hardly be described as conclusive. quite a number of issues on which not only we are called upon not to form an opinion.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and this makes it all the more necessary that we should be acquainted with the science and art of estimating the value of "proofs. another group will say that a prima facie claim has been set up. the ideal is to be able to form one’s own opinion by a personal scrutiny of the evidence. yet the conclusions arrived at are vastly different. The average man and woman. . there is a good deal of material which is asserted to be evidence for telepathy." real or alleged. These are instances in which little difficulty is met with. We do not say that this can be done in every case. The same evidence is weighed by all sides. one or two will confess that the evidence is completely satisfactory. One group of men of science will consider it flimsy. we have to rely on the diagnosis and advice of an expert. If we state that the shape of the earth is an oblate spheroid. but to act accordingly. will naturally accept the verdict of those leaders of opinion with whom they find themselves in agreement on other vital points of experience. as in medicine or law. There are several spheres indeed in which. Telepathy For instance. or that in every case it would be wise to attempt it.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. THE PRINCIPLES OF EVIDENCE We have said something on this subject before—when dealing with Judgment. but there are others in which opinions are widely and sometimes bitterly divergent. we make the statement on the basis of certain scientific experiments which we describe as the evidence or proof. however.. unversed in the weighing of evidence. By evidence we mean material of any kind which constitutes the proof of any claim or proposition. Strictly speaking. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . There are. and the man found in possession of the coins immediately after their loss may be said to carry evidence of his crime in his pocket.COM Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Five) V. A series of thefts from a cash-box may be traced to the right quarters when the coins have been cunningly marked...

 To aid the student in his work of valuation we offer the following suggestions. Look for the Essentials (a) In analyzing any questions look first for the essentials. It is not so easy as it sounds. is naturally anxious to get at the truth for himself. whether physical or moral. that because prosperity has followed the institution of Free Trade or of Protection. for there are causes of various kinds: the "efficient" cause is not identical with the "instrumental cause" or with the "final" cause (i." to "miss the point. the other side points with equal confidence to certain facts as demonstrating the fallacy of the arguments by which it is maintained. in facing practical problems." For every cause. Short of this there is evidence that induces an opinion of various degrees of certitude and leaves room for wide differences of opinion among men equally qualified to form a judgment. however reasonable in some cases may be the presumption. One or both of these extremist views. Now the student. if not both. is itself the effect of a long series of causes.." some are "remote. or the interpretation of it. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Some causes are "proximate. He knows that either the presentation of evidence." Learn to distinguish the trivial from the important. For it does not follow. The same evidence is studied by two classes of politicians.e. Of this kind are the evidences for most of our philosophical and political opinions..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. therefore Free Trade or Protection is the cause of the prosperity. and to one class it is overwhelmingly evident that Free Trade is the only sound system. the purpose which supplies a motive).COM Evidence Classified Evidence may be either (a) demonstrative.. viewed in relation to the past. must be infected with fallacy. Distinguish between mere sequence and the relation of cause and effect. Even this word "cause" itself needs to be used with care. . any more than it is easy at all times to avoid the confusion of words with things. as carries absolute conviction to the mind of the normal man.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The former is such evidence." or to "confuse the issue.. To employ other tactics is to "beat about the bush. is wrong. or (b) probable. for those facts or principles or methods which make things what they are.

a sudden transition from certainty to doubt. say in religion. In weighing evidence. Faraday.COM Avoid Prejudice (b) Seek the Truth. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . . and if those ideas concern living questions. But later the growing weight of evidence may undermine cherished ideas... to love Truth for its own sake. not only in things of natural philosophy. the main weakness of the average man is that he accepts that which accords with his predisposed ideas and rejects everything else. therefore. until they are proved to be right is the most important of all. It is infinitely better for our manhood that we should arrive at a state of certainty after a close and critical scrutiny of the evidence than that we should maintain an illusory "certainty" by turning a blind eye to evidence which we fear will be fatal to our position. he may for a long time be convinced of his entire absence of prejudice.. A gradual transition and progressive accommodation is more in accordance with the laws of mental health.NKADOJ@GMAIL. We should accustom ourselves in good time. and in its interest willingly to sacrifice our prepossessions. He may not know that he does this. Faraday on Right Thinking The giving up of what we thought was a truth is commonly accompanied by a sense of loss. That the same evidence is accepted as conclusive by one man and repudiated by another often arises from a loose analysis on the one side and close scrutiny on the other. indeed. Evidence can be rightly interpreted only after the strictest analysis." A Ghost Story Follow the available evidence rather than your wishes. and not what you wish should be true. has some emphatic remarks on this point: "I will simply express my strong belief. is often extremely demoralizing. or politics. and from doubt to chaos. but in every department of daily life. ethics. that the point of self-education which consists in teaching the mind to resist its desires and inclinations.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. in his lecture on The Education of the Judgment.

’ I jocularly excused myself for this unintentional rudeness. What bearing has this on the theory? To deal satisfactorily with these questions calls for the use of the principles of historical and scientific evidence. . old chap. as you know. for. a good deal of evidence calls for a combination of the scientific and historical methods if it is to be accurately judged. Problem: was it a hallucination? Tentative theory: Probably it was. The first deals with the value of testimony. is their testimony reliable? 3.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. What are the facts? Two men. being predisposed towards morbid or abnormal impressions. and he was in a normal condition. A sees a shadowy ghostly form and is alarmed. If they assert that they have. the other (we shall call him B) bright and cherry. but could see nothing. breathing quickly. It was to him an objective reality.. ‘What is it?’ I urged. but he maintains what he saw was no subjective fancy. But he would not let me. I saw nothing and felt nothing. and tried to change the subject. Questions: 1. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .’ I affirmed confidently.COM Further. ‘Hallucination. sorrowful eyes. and stooping figure. Suddenly he stood up and exclaimed excitedly. and as we both sat down again he said: ‘You walked right through him. Here is a letter from a PELMAN student: "Last evening I was trying to cheer up J— after his great loss. Have people who are sound in mind and body ever seen such appearances? 2. physically and mentally. expectantly.’ he gasped. no figment of the brain. "He held his arm over his eyes as I returned to my seat. On the other hand B could neither see nor feel anything. ‘A ghost." Critical Questions Examine this narrative. for A’s mind was not quite normal. he is normally more level-headed than most men. the second with the intrinsic credibility of alleged events.. ‘Look there!’ I looked in the direction indicated. He described the ghost— that of an old man with a long beard. B can neither see it nor feel it. I looked again and walked into the corner of the room.NKADOJ@GMAIL. one of them (we shall call him A) in a sorrowing mood. What did it mean? Another death? His own? "He quieted down after a time. We were in my sitting room smoking and talking of old times..

.NKADOJ@GMAIL. because hitherto there has been discovered no exception to the law of gravitation.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . we should have to inquire into the moral character. intelligence and trustworthiness of the witnesses who affirmed it and the circumstances in which the observation was made.COM Testimony that in some part of the world a river was observed to be flowing uphill would probably be rejected without hesitation on the latter ground.. If nevertheless it were decided to assume that the thing was not impossible. Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Six) .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

 In forming such an estimate he will do well to be guided rather by the esteem in which they are held by their equals and rivals than by his natural tendency to accept the verdict of that group whose opinions he accepts on other matters of policy. Our ultimate aim. and we want to discover in what way the preceding pages have helped us..NKADOJ@GMAIL. But where there is weighty authority on the side opposite to the one which he elects. and when learned and experienced disputanarets to be found on both sides. therefore. as always. This brings us to the question of how to use authorities when their verdicts are in conflict on matters speculative or practical. Of course. he can form his own opinion to some extent from a personal knowledge of both sides of the subject. is mental efficiency. has its obscurities. what is the average man to do in order to arrive at a proper conclusion? He can begin by estimating the authorities themselves. is more than an application of formal logic. in every sphere. Truth..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. A famous astronomer devoted many years to investigating the rotation of the planet Mercury." But a similar discussion on Free Trade or Imperial Preference may give rise to action. Logical analysis can test a truth.COM RESUME Let us see how far forward this lesson has brought us. In our references to Logic we showed you the great importance of facts and of drawing right inferences from these facts. training and education.. When asked what was the practical importance of it. and practical logic is the science by which we clear them away. the whole truth cannot be in the hands of any single group of claimants. inasmuch as trade is affected in various ways by freedom or by restriction. but it does not necessarily discover it. The reason why eminent men do not agree in their findings on matters of extreme importance is to be found in the presence of factors like temperament. we are not likely to arrive at the truth. Unless we can pursue an inquiry apart from any individual interest we have in the subject. at any rate. Accurate reasoning. he ought to possess sufficient conscience to feel that here. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . he cheerfully replied: "None whatever. Again. it is difficult to eliminate this personal element .

It is evident. and to feel the want of it when it is away. Nevertheless. The scientific method has had a great history. And it is equally erroneous to be guided wholly by Feeling. There is a final reflection.. And they are none the less effective for that." . "almost all the most important propositions in mathematics have been obtained in the first instance by methods subsequently found to be fallacious. Huxley’s desire that the mind should be a cold engine of logic purposely excludes the element of feeling.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or in drawing right inferences from them. but its infusion is not likely to help us in the discovery of the facts.. we must seek with the whole of our abilities. Yet his controversial essays frequently show signs of strong emotion. for we are creatures in whom Feeling and Intellect are intended to work in harmony for the guidance of the Will. The development of such powers is the subject of this Lesson. When we seek the truth about anything. which may serve to buttress it. be it a simple matter temporarily obscure. we need brains for all kinds of reflection. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but it is not a perfect instrument. All our thinking which deals with facts of which the meaning is not immediately clear should be conducted on the basis of the scientific method of which we have given an elementary example. however discredited.. This was referred to in the last Lesson. A man who is a mass of emotions will drift in the direction of some ideology in which will be embodied any theories. but that the practice of them means that he is treading the right road towards complete mental efficiency. Method? It has been well said that. He is less trustworthy than one who tries to solve his riddles by reason alone. consequently our pursuit of truth should be regulated by this synthetic method. however. is of paramount importance. If we are to understand life in its length and breadth.NKADOJ@GMAIL. It is a mistake to set Reason as the sole authority if there are other powers of the mind which have claims to be heard.COM from the search. Both are wrong. therefore. or a difficult issue requiring considerable time and trouble. The ability to acknowledge evidence when it is produced. we must cultivate mental detachment. not only that the methods taught in this lesson are of the greatest interest to a student. Failure in this respect is just as real to the man of business as it is to the scientist or the psychologist.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. You will agree that these two aims are worthy of achievement. 2. Catenation The word "Catenation" is derived from the Latin word catena. or are you keen on a further treatment and application of the principles of Mental Connection? We hope you are.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM MEMORIZING UNCONNECTED THINGS We now desire to return for a time to the subject of unconnected words or ideas. To make recollection sure. "head" and "overhead. while between "overhead" and "sky" the connection would be classified as Object and Attribute..."    "Horse" and "head" are connected under the division of Whole and Part. Between "head" and "overhead" the connection is Similarity of Sound. we can assure you. . let us suppose you wish to remember together the two unconnected words "horse" and "sky." and the method of uniting "extremes" is by the insertion of "intermediates" between them. and the work involved. To illustrate the process of Catenation. and a chain consists of a number of links.. which means a chain. "horse" being the first extreme. we desire to show you the advantage of this additional study in the technique of mental training. Does this announcement create a feeling of dismay. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but if not. and "sky" the other extreme. and they may be united by inserting between them the two intermediates. to assist in the unifying of knowledge. the two unconnected ideas which are to be joined together are called "extremes. In Catenation. is really interesting as well as profitable. Its function is the accomplishment of two aims: 1." Thus the whole catenation would run: HORSE—head—overhead—SKY This is practically a short "series." These two words are the extremes.

again. Thus. the English word should be the first extreme. When so employed. you would not use catenation for any word which you could remember without difficulty by means of etymological or similar associations..g. a lamp. Suppose you are going shopping and wish to dispense with the little paper list of things you want to buy. an umbrella.COM If you desired to set up a connection between the words Window and Lion. What you need are a few connecting words. are involved. a hat.. a note-book. and a pair of gloves.NKADOJ@GMAIL. weights and measures. you would look upon them. a pair of opera-glasses. and the foreign word the other extreme." you may catenate as follows: HOUSE—stone—mason—MAISON. like the stepping-stones from one bank of a stream to the other. A reader may object that if the hat and the gloves were to be purchased at the same shop there would be some danger of buying the former and forgetting the latter unless the list were repeated at each stage of the journey. We give a selection of examples of words from various languages: . and if there is anything in it. It is not a serious objection.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. while the intermediate immediately preceding the final extreme should be connected with the foreign word by Similarity of Sound. Of course.. namely. to remember that the French word for "house" is "maison. Foreign Words Catenation may be used as an easy and certain method of remembering foreign words. The old-fashioned paper list has its uses where minute details. as the first and last words of a short series. You can catenate these words into a series. but even these can be compassed after a little practice. So you say: WINDOW—wind—roar—LION You can use Catenation to connect together any two or more unconnected words or ideas. e. The illustration just given is merely an indication of how foreign words which you find obstinately resistant to the memory may be linked together in such a way as to make recollection unfailing. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the shopper can catenate the objects to be purchased according to the route that will be traversed and the establishment where purchases will be made. thus: HAT—covering—book cover—NOTE-BOOK—paper—burn—LAMP—glass—OPERAGLASSES—seeing—sea—wet—UMBRELLA—handle—hand—GLOVES.

and they are introduced here only to illustrate the method that can be used for words presenting memory difficulties.NKADOJ@GMAIL. or Latin words like siccus.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind... ... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM For most students it will not be necessary to catenate French words like livre. or Greek words like chronos.

to repeat the catenation forward and backward from memory. and in most instances two are sufficient.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. that each stepping-stone or "intermediate" must take you farther away from your starting point. be a single word. To take the two extremes. as far as possible. Even then. A Socialist might catenate in this way: HANDS—labor—Socialism—DESTINY." No two persons will catenate in the same way unless they possess the same education and experience.. It is rarely necessary to use more than three intermediates. there will be differences which are decided by knowledge and temperament. Each intermediate should.. the last "extreme". 4. and 2. or first "extreme. The Personal Element Follow your own methods in selecting "intermediates. To connect the word "hands" with "destiny" a philosopher might say: HANDS—clock—time—eternity—DESTINY. that you should not have more stepping-stones or "intermediates" than are required. 2. 5. to insert suitable intermediates to connect the extremes. 3. and to repeat the two extremes together from memory without repeating the intermediates.NKADOJ@GMAIL." and nearer to your destination.COM How to Catenate The proper method of making catenation and fixing it in the mind is: 1. the chief facts to be borne in mind are: 1. to analyze or classify mentally the nature of the connections. She might say: HANDS—palmistry—DESTINY. In making a catenation.. . A woman might be briefer. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Often indeed a catenation can be effected by one intermediate only.

you can examine yourself on them by taking the cards out one at a time. When you come to it again you will probably remember it. are repeated more frequently. the foreign words are soon fixed in the memory. etc. with the intermediates. nor say.. Never be content with inadequate connections.. put it aside. Applied to Foreign Languages The same system of card examination will be found very useful in learning foreign languages. and on the other. By going over a box of these cards once a day.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. thou art. etc.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. If you can. an excellent plan is to write one extreme on a card. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "I’ll make it do. I am. and on the back write out the paradigm. If all these cards are kept in a box. Those wherein you fail more than once are probably bad catenations and need substitution. Write on the face of the card the verbs. and seeing whether you can recall what extreme is on the back of the card by looking at the face. tu es. being put back in the box." It will not do eventually. if you fail. Endeavor to connect the extremes by intermediates which appeal to you strongly at the moment they occur to you.COM A Card Method When you have before you a task which requires you to recall a great number of these catenations in connection with the same object. For instance: write in English on one side. beginning with the auxiliaries. .. and on the back of the card write the other extreme. The best plan is to avoid bad catenations at the start. Continue until you can go through the whole box without putting any of them back. and those you hesitate about. Je suis. restudy the catenation on the reverse of the card and then put it back in the box among the others.

but if we write down the height from memory there is nothing to show us that the figures 13. but such is not absolutely the case.787. The intermediaries.COM How Catenation Supersedes Itself It has been asserted that a catenation once made and committed to memory will never be forgotten. the number 63 means nothing to us until it is made objective by being attached to something concrete." we should be aware at once in writing it if we transposed any of the letters. Their ghosts will not "walk. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . we have something definite with which the mind can deal with. though you may remember the places themselves. The mind then makes a short cut from extreme to extreme. They will thus be set free for use in other connections. may well be allowed to sink into oblivion. they may pass completely out of recollection. the greatest crater of Mexico.783. A mere number is in itself an abstraction. they have a meaning in whatever order they stand.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. unlike the letters comprising a word. Another difficulty in connection with figures is that. having served their purpose." Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Seven) Memorizing Figures We have now to consider the question of the memorization of figures. A person may commit to memory a great number of catenations for the purpose of mastering some specially difficult problem. . Thus. if we take the phrase "the greatest crater of Mexico. But though the intermediates ultimately fade away it by no means follows that the connection they have built up between the extremes is loosened. For example. is 17.. are less correct than 17. On the other hand. the height of Popocatepetl.. but when we speak of 63 horses. examples of which will be given later. and so are liable to be transposed without any apparent indication of the change. just as you may forget entirely the way from one place to another if you have not traveled it for many years. or even 18.737. but in the course of a year or two.783 feet above sea level. Here at once we find ourselves faced with special difficulties if we have no system to aid us. if they are not occasionally revived and used.NKADOJ@GMAIL..

we have seen that a collection of letters forming a word or sentence is recalled with ease while a collection of an equal or lesser number of figures might be quite forgotten.COM Very few persons could recall these figures with accuracy after the lapse of a week without repeating them occasionally during the interval. 2.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. then. it may not be out of place to make a few general remarks about the memory for numbers. we could substitute words for figures under such conditions.. a single date can sometimes be remembered easily by writing it in large characters in red or green ink. but this device is apt to defeat its own ends if employed frequently. it is possible to commit these figures to memory with such certainty that they may be recalled without hesitation after a considerable period of nonrevival. Several varieties of this device have been suggested from time to time. Devices for Remembering Dates Before explaining in detail the method which we particularly recommend for the memorization of figures. It is more than 300 years old. that if 1.NKADOJ@GMAIL. THE FIGURE ALPHABET . therefore. it is only in rare and exceptional circumstances that the memorization of figures is assisted by any intrinsic property or peculiarity. so that the words would always give us the figures for which they stand. This case can be accomplished by means of a Figure Alphabet. there is usually a corresponding facility in remembering them. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . With some persons this is naturally developed to a much greater extent than with others. We have. Unfortunately. we should have made considerable progress towards a solution of the difficulty.. however. but experience has shown that the most convenient is that given below. By the PELMAN System. In cases where visual impressions are received vividly and retained strongly. Now. It is obvious. and if there is an innate or acquired interest in figures. to find a more general method of dealing with them..

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind...COM .NKADOJ@GMAIL..

as in cat. chair. chord. and thus the figure value of stitch is 016. gentle.. G is soft when it sounds like j.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Ch is hard when it sounds like k. chorus. as in gem. Tch stands for 6.NKADOJ@GMAIL. . coat.COM C is soft when it sounds like s. cistern. as in choir. as in cease. good. Ch is soft when it sounds as in church. agent. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . great. recent. cheer. C is hard when it sounds like k. G is hard when it sounds as in gay..

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it represents 26 instead of 7. s. M has 3 down-strokes. Ng stands for 7 when it is a simple sound. u with w. sh. but a little patience will soon dispense that erroneous conception.COM Dg. such as t. also if the capital letter S were cut into two parts. N has 2 down-strokes. and c soft is also a sibilant and is shaped like an incomplete o. 5. e. represents 6." not only in English but in most languages such as: 1. Sometimes ng has the sound of ng-g. the word road will always give you the figures 41. h. therefore. and ch. th and d are likewise identicals. German: vier.. in such a case the value of ng is 77. Z is a cognate sound of s. You will see that t stands for 1. H has no figure value. 4. as th. 3. the ng is a single sound. which sounds as if it were spelt "l-i-ng-g-e-r". as in stranger. y) have no figure value. which will remind us of 2. when translated into figures will always give you the figures 12. and commences the word "cipher".NKADOJ@GMAIL. 2. and the bottom half attached to the top half. French: quatre. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . z is also the first letter of the word "zero. or c. and ringer represents 474. Latin: quattuor. and n for 2. so that linger represents 5774. as in ring. In ringer. and that the vowels (a. as in linger. not 574. the use of the alphabet in Algebra should not be overlooked. when it sounds like nj.." T is similar to 1 in form. Swedish: fyra. Dutch: vier. If the assignment of numbers to letters should appear arbitrary. as in ledge. The word tone. The word universe will always give you the figures 2840. . o. A small written s has some similarity to the figure o. Hints on Learning the Figure Alphabet The following remarks will help you to remember by what consonants the figures are represented.. R is the last consonant in the word "four. All this may appear to be outside the radius of practical use to men and women in the pursuit of their everyday calling. i. Again. except in combination with another consonant. it would make naught (0). so that the figure value of ledge is 56.

and k. so they must not be represented by figures. When turning words into figures. you may use a word beginning with s. Pleasure sounds like "plezhur. silent letters are ignored. the word lamb is sounded like "lam. the s in this case representing the decimal point and not the figure 0." so its figure value is 9564. j. (soft) for 6. Follow Sounds. we must choose for 6 and 7 those two groups which occur most often in English.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. and ng for 7. so the figure value of box is 970. P looks like 9. but with the loop turned the other side. then.COM 6. in the Roman alphabet L stood for 50. Passion is sounded like "pashon. . not two sounds. 7. not 9114. not 1114. weigh. and g. b is a cognate sound of p. so as to secure the greatest selection of words when we want to represent figures by words. not 902. owe. not 9504. X sounds like ks. We take sh. you." and its figure value is 148." and its figure value is 962. L stands for 5. ch. have no figure value." and its figure value is 11. Sanskrit: catur. Special Uses of "S" at the Beginning of a Word When you are dealing with matters involving the use of decimals. g (hard)." and its figure value is 53. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Written f looks something like 8. Not Letters When turning words into figures always treat the word as it sounded rather than as it is spelt. thought sounds as if it were "thaut. Trough sounds like "trof. Words like I. in remembering figures is to turn the figures into words. 8. Italian: quattro.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The first step.. Thus. when ng is one sound. Of the consonants left. Letters which are doubled in any words are counted only once. Spanish: cuatro.. v is a cognate sound of f. eye. c (hard). and totter is 114. Thus better is 914. not 539.

 Look on both sides of your gold shield which the other man says is silver. when dealing with decimals. you may use a word beginning with s to denote a date B. Avoid the continuous search for Maladjustments. sand would represent .. Prejudice may lurk in ambush. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . In Appendices to later Lessons we shall give a number of illustrations showing the use of Catenation in conjunction with the Figure Alphabet.21. C. Attend to those that you know already. s represents the figure 0. . Thus. Avoid the notion that you have always a complete mental detachment..     the word sand would represent 021 under ordinary circumstances. the words such sacks would represent 6/70. When memorizing dates near the period of the beginning of the Christian Era. It underlies all valid reasoning. and where dates about the commencement of the Christian Era are concerned. Avoid dogmatism. In ordinary circumstances.COM When dealing with vulgar fractions. WHAT TO AVOID Avoid the idea that logic is a medieval superstition. Later you will find that you can attach various arbitrary meanings to s when it occurs at the beginning of a word. Notice that this paragraph refers only to special uses of the letter s when beginning a word. but you are asked to go through them in order to familiarize yourself with the system so that you may be able to apply it to your own purposes in the hope of finding some application which may be of service to you in your calling or your recreations.. Avoid all doubts about the scientific method except this: that there is a boundary beyond which reason cannot go. and swim sailor would stand for 3/54. in this case the initials s’s will have no value of any sort. even when beginning a word. you may use two successive words beginning with s. sand would represent 21 B. You are not required to learn all these.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. but the first of the two words beginning with s will give you the numerator and the second the denominator. while end or knot would stand for 21 A.C. Thus.D.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Make internal harmony your ideal: the synthetic working of all your powers...COM Avoid useless questions but ask this one: How can I use this Lesson for personal culture and to my benefit in my calling?" WHAT TO DO Aim at the Truth. Am I given to hasty conclusions? 2. Understand words: their popular and technical meanings. Endeavor to find out weaknesses in your own reasoning: then follow the recommendations in the Lesson in order to apply a remedy. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . cost what it may. Note for your own guidance examples of mental disproportion in men and women you know. also their history.. Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Eight) EXERCISES Exercise XXXVII A. Does the wish for certain things to happen make me more than half-believe they will happen? or can I detach myself from the matter and arrive at a just opinion? Devise further questions of your own. Here are two specimen questions:— 1. It may save you from misunderstanding and talking at cross purposes. . Learn by practice to catenate rapidly. You cannot afford to ignore any factor of efficiency.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but do not make it a cult. Use every device in this Lesson which will accelerate and assure Recollection.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. all the people we have mentioned ought to learn on occasion to view their opponents’ case without prejudice. to weigh the claims of the Free Trader. Consequently. being a man. perhaps. Exercise XXXVIII Criticize the following arguments: 1. Both are highly instructive. and. Indeed.’ But. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . that ‘all men are liars.’" 2.. what he said was true.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "Good laws are for good people. Ask yourself why convictions so opposed to your own (well reasoned as you believe them to be) appear to persist. Exercise XL . Always study your failures and successes in forming conclusions. David was not a liar. or why not? Exercise XXXIX Select a subject on which you have so pronounced a conviction that opposite convictions are viewed with impatience or with positive irritation. It is useless to offer good laws to bad people.. of course. But if David was not a liar. Leave pages in your notebook for entries under this heading.COM B. namely. this exercise removes the blind spot which prevents us from seeing any truth or merit in the conviction of others. For instance:   the Free Trader can reflect once more on the claims of the Protectionist. From this it follows that what David said was not a true.. David. was a liar. ‘All men are liars." What conclusion is suggested? Does it follow? Why. if all men are liars. The devotee of the Baconian origin of Shakespeare can view again the arguments for the generally accepted authorship of the famous sonnets and dramas. "David said in his haste. and. to increase in power. dispassionately. As an occasional effort to correct errors due to one’s own individual prejudice. the Protectionist should try. and even without the hostility which is the outcome of what is believed to be sound reasoning.

 Try to express clearly the fact or idea on which evidence is to be collected.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. science.. Occasionally he reads a novel. but without success." For a business man it could be this: "That our ignorance of foreign languages and customs is responsible for the loss of tens of thousands of dollars annually. or points. Exercise XLI You have friends and acquaintances whose intellect. character and personality you can study in a friendly spirit. you proceed to collect the evidence. plodding fellow. and his mother thinks no girl is good enough for him. A theme for a lawyer might be: "That experience teaches the advisability of reform in legal phraseology. They may belong to business. Now for Norah. The aim is to discover their maladjustments as well as their harmonies. Joseph is a solid. The proof can come only when all available facts have been found and analyzed. Intellect.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and Will in his particular case. On week evenings he will go for a walk. or attend the theater. in which you are deeply interested. Having thus defined the subject. steady.. From these details draw a figure. Do not set out with a desire to "prove" a contention. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Let us suppose you select two: Joseph Waite and Norah Vining (obviously names invented for the purpose of this exercise).." The evidence for any of these should be collected from accessible sources." giving you what you believe to be the proportions of Feeling. . and saves a substantial sum yearly. visit his friends. similar to those found on previous pages with the 3 different element images on "thought. His friends have tried to persuade him to buy a car. He goes to Church on Sunday mornings. art. politics.COM On a sheet of paper draw up a list of the subjects. He earns a good salary.

but it is not yet definitely happy... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . setting forth the proportion of the three elements in her make-up. even in ordinary matters she easily bubbles over with quick talk. and her gestures are animated.NKADOJ@GMAIL. trying to see their point of view in forcibly removing a mark which was an infringement of their rights. what. Her general condition of life is not without some elements of happiness.COM She is petite and dark. supposing the two should link their fortunes together.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. so they removed the inscription. They found on examination that the watch was not of their manufacture. She earns enough money to live upon decently. Intellectually. Exercise XLII A well-known firm of watchmakers. 2. The owner said they had no right to do so and took legal action for damages. but her dearest friends accuse her of obstinacy. she lives in music and on novels. It was brought to them because their name was inscribed in it as the makers. for the moment. Ignoring. 3. old age—although as yet she is only 28. At times she is very excitable. Argue the case on behalf of the manufactures. and would prefer to have a home. as in the previous case. but not enough for her ideas. She is not in love with the idea of economic independence of women. 1. and estimate the chances of harmony. received a gold watch for repairs. and is a stenographer in Joseph’s firm. She helps to keep her widowed mother. She has one great dread. in your opinion. Place this diagram and that of Joseph side by side. famous throughout the world.. and a husband to earn a living for two. and endeavor to realize his objection to the removal of the inscribed name. the law on the subject. She boasts that she has a strong will. Argue the case on behalf of the owner. ought the law to be in such a case? . Will she ever reach it? Draw a diagram. the contract being for repairs only.

. painting or mathematics. . An enumeration of the mental qualities to be discovered in people with "the talent for money" will enable all students to compare their equipment with that of men who have been notably successful in commerce and finance.COM PELMAN LESSON XI We talk of a natural gift for poetry. can live without it.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Inasmuch as most people are necessarily interested in money and no one. in our modern society... Can we talk also of a natural gift for finance? Is there a "Money Brain"? These words are the title of Lesson XI. music. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. Ethical aspects of the subject will not be overlooked. it is likely to interest you.

.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM .

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ...

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ....COM Lesson 10: How To Handle Your Facts (Part Nine) .

. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...COM .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

COM .. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ...Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

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money is an absolute necessity of daily life. the destinies of people. unfortunately. Its absence is distressing: its presence is comforting.. aside from all other questions. THE MONEY BRAIN .NKADOJ@GMAIL. also to examine its nature as well as its effects.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. there is for many people a subtle attraction in money as a source of Power. has always been a source of speculative interest. it may be assumed. mainly because. however. But the brain of the money-maker. They desire to control the destinies of things—sometimes..COM Lesson 11: THE MONEY BRAIN: AN INQUIRY INTO ITS QUALITIES FOREWARD Money? The word evokes a quick response on the part of the public. In the pages that follow an attempt has been made to diagnose its qualities. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . I. too. Apart from that elementary fact..

what are the signs of it." wrote a student called Donald Smith. . Meanwhile. That. Is There a Money-Making Gift? The title of this lesson can be best explained by asking the question: 1. with apparently equal abilities and opportunities. If there is a brain for mathematics—and it would seem that there is—can we say that there is a brain for money-making? Answers to this question in its various forms are not unanimous. it will be interesting to inquire into the reason why the question has been asked at all. luck prevailed. We shall refer to them later on. surely. Far from it. and men of commerce..)" It looks as if Mary had listened to Donald’s letter while he read it aloud. This view has aroused opposition. have operated at the same time in similar circumstances with strangely different results. mechanical invention. and how far it can be developed by disciplinary exercises.. and other expressions of the human mind? 2. the goddess of fortune. the question is asked because it would not be difficult to find men who.NKADOJ@GMAIL. It has been asked because authors and critics after analyzing the careers of some of the best financiers. art. Donald enclosed Mary’s question in brackets—a delicate way of suggesting that he was not quite in sympathy with it. but not genius: alleging that fortunate circumstances entered into every case in which wealth was amassed: in other words. have not hesitated to use the word genius as accurately descriptive of the mental qualities displayed. follow in the train of money-love.. and had herself interposed a pointed question based on the evils which. Is there a gift for money-making as there is for music. (My sister Mary desires to know how far it ought to be encouraged. an old authority assures us. had been busy. prose literature and poetry. The Mystery of Success and Failure Again. Tyche. or not. unlike many other people—who appear to be afraid of the subject—he was prepared to discuss money-making ability in all its aspects. "but I should very much like to know what it is. He himself was eager for information: and.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM "I don’t know whether I have the money brain. is an intelligent attitude. Against the authors and critics is a group of men who will admit great industry and talent. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

" This is doubtless an attempt to solve a psychological problem on the results basis: and it raises a further question: 1.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or high talent. If there is such a brain an unusual accumulation is the best proof of its existence. Of course certain social philosophers would advocate taking steps for the discovery. Perhaps the difficulties to be overcome are well-nigh insuperable. then for the extinction of such ability. What do financiers themselves say about the matter? 2. results should decide the issue about the money brain. that should its existence be proved. The position taken up could well be phrased in this way:   How does an artist prove his gift for art? By the production of works of art which justify the use of the word genius. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . there has been no professional investigation of the problem by psychologists. for the sake of pure knowledge. might benefit from its presence and activity.. How does a man prove that he has the gift for poetry? By writing it. while another man.. handling apparently similar opportunities. and if it does represent the professional attitude we may have to adopt it. so that the community. or only indicated. but it is no part of our undertaking to discuss proposals of such a nature. it may be contended.NKADOJ@GMAIL. This sounds very practical. Or it may be that the idea does not appeal to the inquiring mind. The Answer of "Results" Unfortunately. not merely the individual. This contrast has occurred so often that it has led to the inquiry: Has the financially successful man a gift which is denied to the other man? Lastly. or deny it.. whether or not such a native power exists.COM One man would seem to have a "touch" which turned opportunities into gold. accomplished nothing spectacular. of course. If they believe they have genius will they admit it. said somewhat brusquely that "the only way one could recognize in any man the gift of money-making was if he made it. In the same way. the question about the money brain is put forward in the sole interests of truth: we desire to know. It might happen. a transatlantic banker. known to everybody. when approached on this matter. steps of a more practical nature might be taken for its education and training. or evade the issue? . Curiously enough.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and increasing it. or is it due to the use of ordinary abilities plus unusual knowledge and experience? 2. own the major part of the country’s capital.COM A Questionnaire on the Money Brain An enterprising writer decided to draw up a questionnaire and submit it to leaders in finance and commerce. namely. If a gift. Could it be truthfully claimed that every financier worthy of the name has a decided mathematical gift (which is something more than being an arithmetician) and that his aptitude in money matters is really applied mathematics? 5.. and a good many readers will be ready to argue that a man like Henry Ford. who makes cars. for whatever differences there may be between buying and selling money (as bankers and financiers do) and buying and selling merchandise (as the big merchants do) the fundamental basis in both cases is the same. plus great knowledge and experience.. . is as good at handling money in large concentrations as any financier we might mention. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The main questions were these:— 1. If it is only the use of average abilities. And it may be true of other leaders in commerce. Moreover. how is it that financiers in all countries are comparatively few in number? 4. must be credited to them in any comparison with regard to ability. In your opinion. Do you believe that a man of business—say a merchant or a manufacturer—has precisely the same faculty for finance as a man who deals in a large way with money and with nothing else? Brains for Commerce vs.NKADOJ@GMAIL. as distinct from finance. the men in business. buying and selling.. is the successful handling of finance in large amounts due to a gift. Brains for Money The last question is probably the easiest of the five. This is certainly convincing on the face of it. is it as distinct and different as a gift for music and mathematics? 3. and their knowledge of its nature in conjunction with their facility in handling it.

And the money urge has been seen in boys at boarding schools and colleges: witness the approach of a budding magnate to a truckshop proprietor suggesting that the two of them might "get together" in a scheme for increasing business by the issue of meal tickets—of course with considerations to the promoter of the scheme! . but this is not possible in our space.. and so in making money. At school she assisted in the publication of a monthly magazine. Among the more prominent—perhaps we ought to give it the first place unhesitatingly—is what has been called the financial urge. wheels and axles. or inquiries relating to financial deals. so-called. An envelope marked "urgent" is opened at once because the adjective is one that demands immediate and serious attention.NKADOJ@GMAIL. And that is precisely what the phrase "financial urge" means as a quality of mind. and the contributors printed their penmanship to make it look as much like type as possible. that is. Just as another kind of man has the urge for mechanical things. schemes. Emerson declared as much in his well-known remark that. but we shall not hesitate to place the commercial brain. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . In fact. pulleys. inasmuch as both of them are specially engaged in money-making. and is always thinking and dreaming of something new in valves. It would be interesting to follow the questionnaire in detail. to inquire into the observable qualities which mark the mind of the money-maker.COM In these pages the brains for finance will not be forgotten. so is the moneyminded person immersed in plans. Money seems to be in him.. Lesson 11: The Money Brain (Part Two) II. on the same level..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. There is to be no waiting. for money. THE FINANCIAL URGE The word "urge" needs no comment. There is an impelling force which moves the individual towards achievements with money." The urge to write was in Charlotte Bronte at an early age. levers. "There is always a reason in the man for his good or bad fortune. Consequently we turn aside and pursue a less difficult line of investigation.

in the middle ages and in modern history. That is why we stress it again and again. whatever it may be. whether the urge be connected with finance. other men might even detest it. Now the emotional drive at work in a case like that is tremendous (recall Lesson II) and every mental power—perception. As a result he gets the best out of himself. Further. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . memory. I simply love this business!" We ourselves might be unable to take the slightest interest in it. "We may say. Manifestly. Emotion and Ability This is no new thing in psychology. 2. that the degree of love in a man is the measure of the genius he possesses. Have we not heard men say. "You know. the intensity of the interest in money.NKADOJ@GMAIL." says Turck in The Man of Genius. in planning and 3. as a fact..COM The financial urge exists in varying degrees.. an object. The leaders in these departments of life—the men of genius and talent—are all characterized by a feeling-force which cannot be distinguished from love: they have a profound affection for the thing-in-itself. decides the depth and power of the passion itself. as in the passion so is the ability. or deep affection for. science. art or literature. trade. And his business prospers. in thinking. a plan an endeavor—call it by which name you will. If you would develop your mental abilities you must have a motive in the form of a profound interest in. for one particular man. imagination. in their confidential moments. it is heaven. It is as old as the hills.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. in others it is modified by the presence of urges of a different kind. will—is keyed up to concert pitch. .. We meet it in the records of the distant past. in action. This outcome is one which we cannot afford to ignore in these lessons. but. at any rate there is no distinctive achievement in fortune-making without this engrossing interest as manifest: 1. In some men it is a consuming passion. a purpose.

. he is a leader primarily because he has been and still is a follower. He knows.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. international. It sees facts as they are. and. Is there not a time for everything under the sun? At any rate we have always accepted that view on the authority of a sage of the Old Testament. His judgment is keen because it is based on vibration. This is obvious enough.. It is knowledge of money in its technical. he is intimately acquainted with realities. for it applies to progress and excellence in every department of life. . A Leader is also a Follower The knowledge evolved in the money brain is that of penetration. as a follower. He penetrates behind appearances. he mingles with his fellows so closely that he understands them as he could not do if he confined his attentions to directing human or financial destinies while sitting on a pedestal—separate. social and personal aspects. It is not supreme knowledge of money in its technical aspects. But in financial transactions this ability approaches divination. Why? Because every leader is also a follower. In fact.COM III.. isolated and judging from afar.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The men at the head of the Bank of England and the Mint could give points to financiers in this regard. there is a time to buy and a time to sell. national. The last item is as important as the others. But we draw attention to it here because of the kind of knowledge which the previously mentioned factor brings into existence. and business in its money associations. also its connections with times and seasons. The factors which rule decision have an elusiveness which the forecaster in his heart of hearts knows he can never quite overtake. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF FACTS The second quality observable in men with the money brain is a deep knowledge of their subject—that is. Thus. finance in all its ramifications. and he who can rightly decide those times for commercial produce is in a position to forge ahead of the majority of his fellows. his mind is "keyed" to the same rate as that of the vast majority of people.

 There is no mention of the money brain in Lombroso’s Man of Genius. So far as he lacks it he makes more costly mistakes than the man with superior qualifications. who. as he wants to find them. a certain political party to win the next general election. loans and bonds? The answer is "Yes" and "No.. pleasant and unpleasant. as an auditor of the books of financial houses.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and of the accountant and auditor on the other hand.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. He may have a tendency to look at things desiringly. Perhaps to him no commercial or financial magnate ever had any genius. Both the facts and the events are then examined with all their clothes off.. i. EXPERIENCE: ie. or makes money in trade. Feeling and Distorted Facts Not every man who deals in money.." It is a kind of experience which has many points of contact with that of the shoe manufacturer on the one hand. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ... and that desire has a tendency to color every bit of evidence put forth as justifying an expectation of victory.e.COM IV. in some ways the experience is identical.   It gathers up the facts. with the result that he colors events in a manner which completely distorts them. let us say. They were strenuous realists—too level-headed to be included. Yet there is one way in which the experience of the money brain is different—perhaps higher: it excels in the interpretation of facts and events. and therefore any eccentricities. Many of us are occasionally visited by the same motive: we desire. but as they really are.    What kind of experience? Does it differ in any serious way from the experience of a man who makes shoes in a big way? Or. It views the events with complete mental detachment. is so fortunate as to have this power of clarified vision. This is scientific nudism: seeing things. He interprets his data wrongly because he has analyzed them wrongly. INTERPRETATION OF FACTS It was to be expected that experience would be the third observable quality of the money brain in action. . knows a thing or two about stocks and shares. not as popularly portrayed. but this word experience is open to certain objections on the ground of its vagueness.

this word "intuition." If you were to ask him his reasons he would probably be unable to give them. too.COM The man with the money brain has his desires.. A subtle. Its distinguishing property is not thought but feeling: what the Americans call a hunch. quite expert in forgetting them when an unimportant and unbiased decision has to be given. .. as a rule." Perhaps one ought to use flair instead.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Lesson 11: The Money Brain (Part Three) V.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. what is meant here is the existence and use of an ability which arrives at conclusions instantaneously without pursuing a course of reasoning. "I have a feeling that (and here he mentions the name of a country) will soon be funding its loans. but he is. Thus a financier may say. Logic did not appear in the working of his mind. INTUITION Intuition is the fourth quality of the money brain.. not to say tricky word. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Obviously. To speak of a sixth sense is to be more obscure than when speaking of intuition.

COM But the subconscious. We cannot even affirm that the subconscious has not a logical method of its own. affect the market for securities. How will the murder of a European monarch. has been the outcome of following the flair—which. and 3. the value of a Stock Exchange security is not fully told by the story of its "highest and lowest" quotations as revealed in some financial year-book. in what the world thinks of it. This sort of "thinking" might be regarded as too treacherous for safe action. but it is preeminently a sphere in which not reason but feeling prevails—something like the sixth sense of which one hears so much and knows so little. in dealing with the mass of data furnished to it. but more particularly the market for a new issue? Here is a sphere for keen judgment. but no less. 2.. however authoritative. and this is in itself a fine art which can be practiced only by the man with a gift of intuition. They have to be estimated. and yet.. they are scrutable as facts. hence cannot be handled. apart from any other exercise of the mind. There may be no psychic gifts accompanying the money brain. as powers. What will be the effect of a bumper crop on market prices? The answers of some men will be loudly confident. or a political scandal. but there is very often a curious willingness to listen to an inward voice. overlooking the subtle effect of another factor which for the moment has escaped their attention and may vitiate their action. they are inscrutable. the security is in itself. but highly profitable. Judging Intangibles Again. and yet there is abundant evidence to show that action not only safe.. but they cannot be weighed or calculated like quantities. and very often it is an influence. it is told by those figures plus the intangible constituents as seen in what 1.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. is the scent of events in the process of taking shape. may have applied to them the laws of logical reasoning before sending up the conclusions ready-made into the region of conscious thought.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Now the man with the money brain is an adept in valuing those intangibles—an intangible being literally something that cannot be touched. It is an invisible accompaniment of a visible fact. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . . in the personnel of its leaders. of course. no more. Influences are traceable.

 Very true. but it does not quite cover the ground in every case.. He does not act without knowledge. and often is." This is helpful. His is a contest with fate. or without fear. COURAGE Courage is yet another observable quality of the money brain in action. the other form of courage may be. and without effort.COM VI. It is exceptional in the sense that nobody else is prepared to carry out the policy in the same way and at the same time. there would be no losses at all. a movement forward for the benefit of a State or the local community. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. but. There is a courage which comes naturally. He knows. often he has to act alone.. When to the average mind all seems lost. If money in all its maneuvers were an exact science. Naturally. Nor of course would there be any gains.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. All this is very different from the so-called courage of the gambler who risks his all at the Casino tables. if he can see further into realities than his fellows. There is a Latin proverb which says that in a battle the eye is defeated first. and it requires a form of courage to fight on alone when others have forsaken the field. It is because the incalculable element intrudes itself that uncertainty creeps in and the presence of uncertainty decides the amount of courage entailed in some plan to pluck safety out of the nettle danger. there are dangers to be faced and risks to be run.NKADOJ@GMAIL. That goes without saying. it may be that his courage is rather a form of wisdom.   How far can a man see the working of the factors involved? How deeply can he penetrate into the meaning of the events? If his vision and his understanding are extraordinary prescient. The dictionary defines courage as "that…which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness. It is his business to know. the man with the money brain is content to wait patiently. for his own benefit only. . from a man’s faith in his own vision and powers: it might indeed be called self-confidence in the very act.

 Possibly. and he may have died rich according to some standards. for evidently (he thought) a vast amount of canvas was used by artists.COM VII. the mathematical brain.. alternating with spasms of deep respect when he has given lavishly to some social ." Yet he had no soul to offer: his inner life was non-existent.. It was one of the wealthiest men in the world who said. To say that they are redeemed by the glories of their literary and artistic achievements is to urge claims that must be respected. "He who dies rich dies disgraced. Some of their scientific foundations for research in the interests of human happiness and general culture are praiseworthy in the highest degree. especially as the money brain is none too well equipped with similar atonements. Yet the benefactions of millionaires must not be forgotten. and the art brain who have not been destitute of repellent qualities." Riches are relative. In a place where there was a demand for inward response he had none to give. Suffice it to say that in all ages these people have in particular instances measured up badly against the demands of social morality. Lack of Soul Unfortunately. the money-brained man is liable to develop a concentration of mind. the poetry brain. tells his readers that when he went into an art gallery to look at the pictures he did not feel the effects of beauty. or purpose. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . like everything else. A New York business man. DEFECTS OF THE MONEY BRAIN It may be averred that the man with the money brain in distinctive degree is not an attractive person. Money Mind Now Better Understood In all ages the man with the money brain has been excoriated by certain classes of the community. but then there are men with the music brain. but not before he had bequeathed a large proportion of his gains for the benefit of his fellow men. "This night is thy soul required of thee. but began to wonder what profit there would be in buying and selling canvas.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. It is needless to quote names and to offer evidence.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. writing his mental history in a popular magazine. which leaves no room for anything else.

They are like the artist who loves a big canvas: they are painting a picture in brick and stone. They were active for themselves and for their own interests. whether it is more appreciated or not. They had no finely conceived and carefully carried out plans for the creation of industries. Shady Financiers We shall admit that there are "financiers" of a kind who cannot be included among the money brain group. or the establishment of a commercial house. and from ownership of interests that were worth 4. with homes and recreation grounds.COM enterprise. but in the building of a great concern which shall last throughout the years. disillusioned and broke in health.NKADOJ@GMAIL. his mentality is becoming more understood.000. but the social values and artistic quality are a source of satisfaction too. and not merely to possess. and the subsequent dividends. and were possessed of a highly aggressive spirit. There are indeed merchants and manufacturers (some names will readily present themselves to the reader’s mind) whose real interest is not in the profit and loss account. White was defeated. But to-day. and. the money value being no exception. when matters reached a climax they fought each other on the Stock Exchange like two Kilkenny cats. The money brain we have been talking about is vastly different from this display of savagery in the handling of financial securities. but. when he saw that he had lost his all.000 British pounds. and even this is giving place to the idea that the amassing of a fortune. Murray Edgar were doubtless gifted with knowledge of money manipulations. they were gamblers.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. is an expression of the creative instinct: the desire is to make something. The difference is immense. 1934. He died there in October. The old collective. In this respect the growth of artistic appreciation in modern times has exercised an influence on values of every description. not men of finance. he poisoned himself.. There was nothing instructive in their work.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . although by no means immune from criticism. financially speaking. Scrooge-like mania has been replaced by the notion of a contest of wits for the big prizes of life. Men like James White and Sir E. And yet there are people in the world who appear to delight in associating deals in money with the tactics of such men as those just mentioned. . is a fundamental item. in essence. Edgar did not long survive his victory. or for the promotion of general welfare. he descended to life in a country cottage—poor. In fact. The profit from a fine display in ten windows facing the main street or a factory covering many acres.

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forgetting that the policy and the activities of national institutions—the banks especially—are necessarily preservative, not destructive.

Lesson 11: The Money Brain (Part Four)

VIII. THE PERSONAL EQUATION Now comes a natural question which the reader addresses to himself at the end of this exposition: "Have I the Money Brain, or Not?" There are two possible answers, or rather, two ways of handling the question. One is the direct way. It consists of making a rapid survey of the qualities just outlined: 1. "Have I this high degree of financial urge?" No, although the desire for ampler funds is pretty strong, sometimes purely insistent. 2. "Have I this realistic method of examining facts and events, and can I get at their meaning? Am I able to divest occurrences of their wrappings and see their naked actuality?" Perhaps not. 3. "Have I a flair for money, or business?" Scarcely, you say, for your efforts have resulted in quite moderate successes or in the rank failure. You conclude, therefore, that you have the money brain to some extent but nothing to boast about. This comparison between a group of mental qualities on the one hand and your own qualities on the other hand is as natural as it is direct. As already intimated, there is another way, and we shall outline it in a moment. But the direct method has virtues of its own, and we must deal with them. Thus, almost every man feels that, at bottom (and provided he is trained in the right school, so to speak), he can make a much better showing than he has done up to the present. In this he is right. No one is using the full percentage of his energy and ability in anything: there is a mental slackness everywhere which has not escaped the eyes of psychological critics, and of the exponents of scientific management. Here, indeed, is one lesson that can be learned from the present pages:

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you can, and you ought to be, make the financial element in your life more secure; not because you have the money brain—you may not have it—but because this is a civilization in which money is an absolute necessity; and because to acquire a sufficiency, as distinct from an excess, becomes something like a duty.

Sensible Views Money, as a recognized equivalent for commodities for which individuals readily exchange goods or services, is one of the bases of our economic and social life. We could not do without it—unless we returned to common barter; and that has been found impossible. Sensible people take sensible views on money; but there are others who, because of the part which money has played in history—often an inglorious part—are so unwise as to try to abolish money altogether. It cannot be done. That being so, it is wise to adopt rational views on the subject—the views of the realist. Make the idea of a sufficiency for yourself and your family a definite part of your programme.

What is Sufficient? But what is a sufficiency? That is a question which only the individual can answer. One man will demand enough to live according to his station in life, and also to provide for the future of himself and his family. Another man demands the same level of well-being, but as he is garden-minded, almost to excess, he requires a conservatory in which to keep and to raise curious, costly and exotic plants and flowers. His standard of sufficiency is thereby raised. Are we to deny him? If so, on what grounds? A discussion would soon take us into the barren subject of equality versus inequality. Until political and social philosophy have together evolved a science and art of governing which shall satisfactorily determine our individual rights and responsibilities—and it sounds like a dream—we shall have to do the best we can to arrange our own affairs without injustice to the claims of our fellows.

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Yourself and the Money Brain But deep down in some hearts lies the hope that there may be, after all, clearer signs of the presence of the money brain. The past pages may have not only awakened an interest but aroused a strange desire. Visions of a future rise up in imagination. There is, as it were, an inward voice calling; and a response is heard saying, "Some day." It is no part of our business to diagnose these misty feelings, and to point the way to an absolutely certain future. It is not possible. All we will say is this: that the man with the money brain generally knows he has it, even while it is only in embryo. He will not need help from us or from anybody else. He will go forward in his own self-confidence. If a student should ask whether he has the brain for poetry, for music, or for mathematics he will be able in most cases to answer the question immediately. He knows at once whether he has any interest in one or more of these subjects; and a few experiments will decide the presence or absence of ability. An effort to write a sonnet, to play a Chopin nocturne on the piano, or sing a song, to solve a mathematical problem, will be truly illuminating. It evidences exactly what the experimenter can do, and what he cannot do, in any one of these directions. In the same way events have a rough and ready way of testing the presence or the absence of the money brain. If there is no absorbing interest in profit-making or financial operations there is hardly likely to be ability which calls for development; and, further, the very presence of the urge is itself a guarantee that every mental function will be pressed into action. What the student should inquire into more carefully is whether or not he understands the financial aspects of the calling or business in which he is engaged. There is a money side to all undertakings, and it is highly important to have men who know that side from A to Z. Such men may be said to possess the money brain in its applications to commerce and accounts. It is administrative, not creative; but as every newly created plan demands right administration, it follows that the brain to guide and control is a valuable asset.

How the Money Brain is Superseded

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At this point we leave the direct method of answering the question, "Have I the money brain?" As a method it has its merits; and perhaps for the majority, it is the only way. The indirect way, however, is different:
  

It is not concerned with money at all. It focuses attention on the value of ideas. It says something like this: "You need not worry yourself about the presence or absence of a gift for making large profits: develop in your mind the power to produce ideas of supreme value and the money will come."

For instance, take a much used commodity like petrol (gasoline), or rubber. Is it not clear that if your private researches enabled you to put petrol on the market at a third of its present price, or a really good synthetic rubber at the same reduction, you would not have to trouble about increasing your income, or whether you had a flair for this or that? The yield from the result of your research would be large enough to satisfy almost anybody.

Brains Win One of the slogans of the last century was "Brains win." And it is true, always and everywhere. For that reason it is not a bad slogan for this century. It tells us to give first place to values, then to seek and to find those values. And let it not be forgotten that the greatest accumulations of national wealth have come not from the money brain per se, but from the skilled handling of much used commodities. The fortune maker has been an expert in rendering services to his fellows. Now this is the point at which the service brain rises superior to the money brain. Superiority lies first in the point of view; secondly, in the outcome. The point of view with the service brain is this: that it does not seek a profit before anything else; it looks for a public benefit, then for a means of offering it to the said public at a reasonable profit. Experience shows that this is the quickest road to material wealth for all who are moved by the desire for large accumulations. To discover the needs of the public, or to be able to decide what it would call a service and what it would not, demands a trained mind; one whose perceptions, concentration, imagination and will have been subjected to close discipline, in which the more subtle element of intuition has not been neglected.

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You are now following such a discipline, and it is important not to miss a single step of it.

WHAT TO AVOID Avoid persistent and depressing comparisons with other people. They are not constructive, and they injure the emotional life. Avoid the habit of isolating yourself from the crowd, as if you were called upon to dwell apart. He who knows the multitude has the key to many doors. Avoid debt, extravagance and the gambling spirit. Avoid superficial consideration of facts and hasty judgments. Sometimes second thoughts are best. Avoid the wastage of energy in useless regrets. Press forward to new ventures. Avoid every temptation to allow yourself to become cold and to lose interest. Keep the home fires burning.

WHAT TO DO Keep in close touch with human nature. Do your own thinking about money as about any other important matter. But do not fail to learn from the experience of others. When you have worked hard at a plan and believe you have made it complete, act upon it. Tomorrow may be too late. Give patient consideration to every promising idea that presents itself. One such idea, if it is followed up, may open the way to fortune. As you are the architect of your own life, build it according to a good plan, and use the best materials. Endurance is a virtue to be cultivated. In boxing, one of the serious questions is "How much punishment can he take?" How much trouble can you bear? You are living your life, not somebody else’s. Try to make it yours, not an imitation.

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Lesson 11: The Money Brain (Part Five)

EXERCISES Exercise XLIII Money in its varied and extensive associations is one of the most difficult subjects in the world. If this were not the case the world’s economic depression stretching from 1929 onwards would have been more easily handled. Yet the best brains were unable to find an immediate solution; and some countries will be a long time before they are out of trouble. Turn over in your mind the following questions: 1. Is the difficulty with money, as money, such as transferring gold from one country to another, and deciding the value of it in the British pound, or the franc in Paris, or New York? 2. Or is it due to inequitable rules of trade and commerce, compelling countries to set up tariff walls to protect their own industries, with all the troubles which follow? 3. Or is it a matter of economic nationalism whereby one country resolves to prosper at the expense of another? If a country called, say, Ruritania, can outsell every other country in many classes of goods, because of improperly cheap labor, what is to be done by the country whose industries are threatened with a general closing down? 4. Or is the recurrent depression due to what is called human greed? And is an International Economic Council the only way out? or… ?

Exercise XLIV

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Accustom yourself to the use of what has been called the all-round method. It is as simple as it is effective. All you have to do is to put every serious proposal—especially in money matters—through the test of Who? Why? How? What? Where? and When? For instance, if the prospectus of a new gold mining company reaches you, asking you to take shares in it, you may find that it passes all critical inquiries except one. Its geographical position, its yield of ore, its percentage of gold, its nearness to transportation facilities, its climate—all are satisfactory; but when you ask "Who are the men behind it?" you find yourself brought to a full stop.? You remember certain facts; and you do not invest.

PELMAN LESSON XII Originality of Ideas, treated in Lesson XII, is a fascinating subject. And not only fascinating but really important. "New ideas" in commerce, in literature, art, and the other professions, mean progress. The next Lesson will therefore appeal to you very forcibly.

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Lesson 11: The Money Brain (Part Six)

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not so clear or vivid as if you were looking at it with your eyes. there arises instantly in your mind a picture of the buildings as you saw them and of the animals that impressed you most. You can see the figure of George Arliss on the stage. but still clear enough to be definite in outline and detailed in some particulars. mentally. of course. Auditory Images. You may have a lively recollection of a play. or the figure of some great elephant. If you have never been there.. Images Described Thus there are: 1. But the images here referred to are. We can reproduce. We explain this more fully later on. IMAGES AND IMAGERY The first part of the word "imagination" is "image".NKADOJ@GMAIL. but his movements also may be reproduced in muscular feelings in the corresponding parts of your own body. The recollection of sounds is accomplished by means of images. Visual images are not necessarily purely visual. Motor images. If we say: "Can you see. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . .COM Lesson 12: Creating New Ideas (Part Two) II. like the white plaster images carried by Italian peddlers. if you know the place only by photographs of it. Visual Images. your imagining power is restricted to that. and we shall now go into the matter a little more fully. 2. This means that in some instances the motor images may be as strong as either visual or auditory images.. perhaps the giraffe. These are mental reproductions of things seen. Already we have had something to say about mental imagery. The word motor refers to movement. you have no images in your mind. 3. only that which in some way we have known by means of the senses. or. the place where you were born?" you instantly visualize it and all its surroundings. when we ask you if you have been to the Zoo. For instance.. such as The House of Rothschild.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or the religious images of saints and holy persons used for devotional purposes. faintly or vividly. An image is often thought of as a concrete object. You have an inward vision of it. purely mental.

or she. In passing his fingers over the cloth.. 5. to identify many different but closely grouped kinds of clarets. or Sir Charles Santley. which.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. In the parlor game of "Odors. . needs a trained sense of touch. at first tense and then vociferous. the enthusiastic applause of the audience. the images being reproduced by the aid of palate memory. King Edward VII is said to have been an exceptional connoisseur of wines.. in memory. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . has good odor images. Images: An Elementary Difficulty To speak of an image of sound may at first suggest a contradiction in terms.. and is able to reconstitute a past experience so clearly. however. The skill of the tea-taster similarly is based upon associated taste images. or Touch Images. and the winner usually has a good nose-memory. it may be. or Taste Images. for he has a memory of the great multitude. Gustatory. nutmeg and other objects possessing a distinctive smell are hung up in little bags for identification. if he recalls the lady who sat next to him and who reeked of Almura Club—a scent he abhors." This means he listens again. he is (without being fully conscious of the fact) relying upon the images of previous touches and pressures. and these. that in this revivifying of the past. as a cutaneous sense. He was able to do this because of the vivid taste images associated with previous experiences of such wines. he also gets motor or movement images. 6. but if you ask an old lover of music whether he ever heard Melba sing. if I think of the Albert Hall. He can recall the songs that were sung. for he feels the singer’s constantly changing attitudes and vocal efforts. fortunately." condiments like pepper. burgundies and champagnes. You will notice. enable him to estimate the quality of the article before him. or of cloth. being able. and in feeling its weight. is capable of a greatly detailed treatment. he not only gets auditory images but also visual images. as for the moment almost to be living it over again. is outside our present programme. He may chance to have an image of smell. A good judge of the quality of a piece of paper. Images of Smell. as well as the coming in and the going out of the people. Touch. he will probably say he has. blindfolded. which means that he.COM 4. however. working in conjunction with sight. and he will add: "I can hear them again.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Tactile.

 He might express himself in this way: "John Jones put down his pen. but in order that the mind may work synthetically and evenly. On the other hand. Imagery and Mental Efficiency It follows. a man who is very careful and economical in small things.NKADOJ@GMAIL. by means of a phrase. it is probable that your dominant image power is visual.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. To some extent the exercises contained in the past Lessons have given you this opportunity.. then. and you have to play some music without the score. turned down the gas. Such use is called the Reproductive Imagination. If you are an extremely sensitive musician. if your auditory images are good but your visual images weak. Let us suppose a novelist wishes to suggest to his readers. that the ability to use the sense images of our past experience is of real importance. or for commercial purposes. auditory images are probably stronger than any of the others. If you are weak in auditory images and have to learn to speak a foreign language in order to pass an examination. and you should seize every chance of enriching your memory for sounds. As a rule.COM Thus. thereby gathering a rich harvest of images of all kinds. and we have now to show how the ability to reproduce them. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .     If you play chess exceedingly well. to recall an experience of the past. it is important that you should develop your auditory power. and the habit of expressing them. one act of memory followed out in detail may entail the use of four out of the six imagery functions we have mentioned. Observation and keen perception lay the foundation of a fruitful mentality by fostering a full and complete sense life. it is highly desirable that these two groups of images should work together so far as the nature of the object permits. not one only. and was soon walking quickly down Oxford Street. But the practical issue is the thing that concerns us most." . In it are engaged many factors of memory. visual images are stronger in most of us than auditory images. you should amplify the sight-training exercises already provided by inventing others suited to your personal needs. contribute their quota to the development of mental efficiency. and also should develop your "kinetic" or movement imagery.. Dominant Images There are often strongly marked individual differences respecting the kinds of images that are dominant.

That is one reason why some of Dickens’ characters. . To turn down the gas is something. Mr.. he must have lived the life of observation so fully that when he writes about people and things he can see them. We can illustrate it in this way.. There can be no doubt that the most fruitful cause of the combining of images is what Bain called "the fetch of similarity" . By way of contrast notice how Arnold Bennett expresses the idea in one of his novels: "He dropped his pen. more real. the analogy arising out of suggestions consequent upon association. about which you are enthusiastic. but they are so intensely interesting that we shall attempt to answer them at any rate in part. You have a something in your life. reduced the gas to a speck of blue. and in half a minute was hurrying along Oxford Street. to a certain type of mind. for instance. He must also make his readers "sense" them.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Lesson 12: Creating New Ideas (Part Three) III. but "reduced it to a speck of blue" makes us see the thing realistically. a calling.. hear them. a scheme. than an absent relative could be. are as real as if they had actually lived. Take the last question first. indeed." The difference is at once discernible.NKADOJ@GMAIL. if anything. One of the primary qualifications of a novelist is the power of reproductive imagination. Micawber and Mark Tapley are. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and "sense" them in every possible way. thus producing new conceptions? These are not easy questions to answer.COM The sentence is bald and bare. THE IMAGINATIVE PROCESS     But what is the method of imagination itself? How does it work out its results? What is the internal process? What causes images to combine. for by so doing we may answer some of the others. a hobby. have you not? Very well.

it was so rapid and forcible that the images cohered. both transcending analysis. Hamilton’s Quaternions The classical instance of this type is one connected with a mathematical discovery made by Sir W. You may not do this consciously. acts like a magnet.. and you got your new idea. The attraction was not a slow affair. or the people you conversed with. You are pleased with the new idea. but mystified as to how and why it came. indeed.COM Now this feeling of deep interest in your cherished purpose. you thrust it continually into your stored experience. or light. called memory. as often as not the process is unconscious. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . If you could analyze your thoughts closely enough. and similar results follow. They started into life. and this image being analogous to others concerning which you had a real enthusiasm. was immediately attracted by the magnet.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The explanation. however. whatever it is. "To-morrow will be the fifteenth birthday of the Quaternions. the things you saw. at the same time marking out the other things that are in vivid contrast.. R. It is permissible to speak of an idea as flashing into the mind. 1843. there is perhaps a closer relation than can be accounted for by our habit of applying the terminology of the one to the operations of the other. on the 16th October. You also bring the new experiences of your everyday life within the magnet’s range. to arise in your mind.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or conversing with a friend. and it draws to itself anything that is analogous. Indeed between Electricity and Thought. like an intruder. you suddenly get a new idea about some matter to which you had given close attention previously but without success. or reading a novel. seemingly from nowhere. The word expresses with sufficient accuracy what happens when two images collide and (as we may say) "electrically" combine into a new image. Hamilton. and . and the curious thing is that this new idea had no apparent connection with what you were doing or talking about at the moment of its advent. is simple: the magnet did it. The Magnetism of Vital Ideas Whilst you are taking a country walk.. full-grown. you would find that just before the new idea came. caused an image. as I was walking with Lady Hamilton to Dublin.

the mischief arises when you have none to exchange. A man who cannot obtain more than a few ideas that are relatively new should find out why.. and the second being selections from poetry.. or the incubation period be fifteen years. I felt that it might be worth my while to expend the labor of at least ten (or it might be fifteen) years to come. What is important is the quality of the magnet. "I pulled out."¹ 1 Gore’s Art of Discovery. 1. Let us take two illustrations. we use the Imagination in a constructive sense. The subject may be your profession. Is it being superseded by another aim growing stealthily in the subconscious? To change magnets is not a crime. That is to say. your hobby. pp. . He should at once examine the nature and power of the interest which moves him into action. and the period of previous reflection may be only fifteen hours instead of fifteen years. on which. your trade. and the sparks which fell from it were the fundamental equations between I. Is it losing intensity or clearness of purpose? 2. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. I then and there felt the galvanic circuit of thought closed. a pocket-book. the first being an invention. on the spot. an intellectual want relieved. which still exists. Have You a Magnetic Aim? It is not necessary that the subject should be mathematics. at the very moment. exactly such as I have used them ever since.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. K. J. or when you allow magnetic energy to decline. But then it is fair to say that this was because I felt a problem to have been at the moment solved. which had haunted me for at least fifteen years before.COM came up to Brougham Bridge. and made an entry. 365-6.. which means the loss of its power of attraction. THE CONSTRUCTIVE IMAGINATION When our images are reproduced and then combined so as to form new ideas. The subject and the time are not important. IV. as suggested in Lesson I of the Course. Once again you are called upon to realize the great importance of Lessons II and III.

But the thought of combining these two processes. at the same time. and one that would have precipitated the coming of printing by two thousand years.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Poetic Imagination Let us now take images as used by the poet. That is how the imagination is used in the production of all inventions. was not simply reproducing two mental images..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or what were known as books in those days. Shelley defines the spirit of Spring as: . Freedly. indeed. was thinking about penmanship. and this naturally caused him to think of ink and pens. from their psychological point of view. the query arose in his mind: "Why dip? Would it not be possible to have ink and pen together in one instrument?" Here we see the combination of two images: that of a pen and of an inkwell. It is the first traceable origin of the fountain pen. whether they belong to the world of real things. or the world of ideal things. like poetry or any one of the fine arts.COM In the year 1859 a practical business man of reflective disposition. Suddenly.. visualization. Such study affords innumerable examples of the value of PELMAN principles in the use of observation. however useful it may be. is not only highly interesting but educative. although it was a very simple matter. it is the method of all originalities. and imagination. Imagination was once regarded as solely his function. The study of the history of inventions. bricks were marked with the names of their makers by means of movable characters or stamps. Tarde has reminded us that in Babylon. but to-day this view is no longer held. did not occur to them. E. Mr. The Loss of 2000 Years The failure to fuse two images together. authors were at work composing books. as we see.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and thus to create a new unity. and the author of it. T. It is usually considered a greater thing to combine certain images into fine poetry than to combine other images into some prosaic invention. in conjunction with the power of expressing thought both in words and in action. like business or politics. but joining them together to make a totally new conception. he knew not how. and thus multiplying books by means of movable characters. although it is admitted that the work of the poet has an ideal value peculiar to itself. may greatly hinder the progress of knowledge and the development of civilization.

an objective reality. In the one case. is the same process as that which is more material. it may deal with any kind of reality. but the aim is a combination of images.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The new conception is not. is one reason why the poet has been accustomed to claim imagination as his own particular gift. and as used by a poet. and (b) still waters. so using them as to invent new combinations in the concrete. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. into a spiritual conception.COM "Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air. it deals with concrete realities. In a sense he is right. the woman’s eyes and the stilled waters. and yet the combining of the two ideas. machinery and rubber. it is a subjective reality. i. A new combination is made by the poet: the Spirit of Spring is the shepherd." He says of her that: "Her eyes were deeper than the depth Of waters stilled at even. and the pasture is the air. New Facts vs. the chief difference is that the poet moves on a higher plane. . The main difference is in the subjectmatter with which imagination may be concerned. Still. emotional and illuminating. the buds are the sheep. even a poem has its mechanism and technique. in another sense he is wrong.. New Feelings It will be observed that this difference between imagination as used by an inventor of new commodities.. and analysis shows us the method of combining images into new unities. for poetry is addressed through the intellect to the feelings.." Here there are two chief images: the new buds of Spring and the flocks driven to pasture. the value of which is chiefly mental. a hard fact or a pure feeling. A Rossetti Illustration One of the most beautiful examples is found in Rossetti’s "Blessed Damozel. In the other case." Here he has combined two images: (a) a woman’s eyes. of course.. as at even-tide. like the union of a pen and an inkwell. Analyzed in this precise manner the line loses much of its beauty.e. like ink.

Imagination in the World of Affairs But there is a use of imagination in ordinary life which does not violate reality. Action that is unnaturally slow or fast. These exaggerations have been classified. both somewhat inefficient and yet crowded.. the man of imagination has recourse to an extravagant treatment of reality. 5. The Union of Impossible Components. Impossible Degree. Illustration: The Story of Rip Van Winkle. Illustration: Aladdin’s Magic Lamp. Illustration: The Sphinx as a composite of several forms of life. There are no golf links. 3. chiefly by postulating some impossibility or improbability of relationship. it can show some of the various ways in which this power usually works. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. Here is an illustration. 4. Objects are gifted with properties they could not possess. Illustration: The dialogues between animals in Aesop’s Fables. and they are set out as follows: 1..NKADOJ@GMAIL. mainly because they so frequently and designedly violate the reality with which we are familiar. METHOD IN IMAGINATION At first sight it would appear quite wrong to speak of a methodical imagination. A man is visiting a seaside resort. Size is made infinitely small or large. In the effort to combine images in a startling fashion. 6. in the course of development. 2. or even of method as being in any way characteristic of imaginative activity. Wonder stories have a charm all their own.COM Perhaps it might be said that imaginative writers stick at nothing so long as they can produce a state of interest in the mind of their readers.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. There are two hotels. but sufficient . Illustration: Swift’s Lilliputians and Brobdingnagians. a new one. Illustration: Jupiter in Greece has Eyes that see what is taking place in Italy. Lesson 12: Creating New Ideas (Part Four) V. although no analysis can define the limits of imagination. Effects and Causes are disarranged. but on reflection it will be evident that. with a view to causing a deep impression on the mind of the reader or hearer.

are all "Nowheres" formed by imagination.’ Detailed Analysis Before imagination can fuse two or more images together. no matter what his calling. More’s Utopia. the more readily do they coalesce into new ideas. but a scheme is proposed for realizing what is at presently only possible. a new arrangement of Logarithm Tables. Wells’ The Shape of Things to Come.     How would a new and efficient hotel be received? How many more inhabitants would S— have in five or ten years’ time? Are the present attractions of the place likely to last. and as the estimate is favorable. It happens to any man who contemplates present conditions with a desire to improve them. and H. 1 Imagination is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as ‘the mental consideration of actions or events not yet in existence. the syndicate is formed. Harrington’s Oceana.. 1 .NKADOJ@GMAIL. He presently sets his imagination to work. and are new ones in prospect? Would not the possession of the only golf course be a great asset to the proposed new hotel? He makes a careful estimate of all that is contained in these and other questions.G. The more clear and vivid your present conceptions are. reality is not violated by supposing the absurd. Campanella’s City of the Sun.   It happens to the publisher who believes there is room for a new book on Botany. ANALYSIS No. Plato’s Republic. it is advisable that the facts immediately concerned should be understood and valued. Samuel Butler’s Erewhon. The same thing happens in every sphere..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Study the following as examples of what is possible. or a revised statement of the meaning of Humanism. This is a case where imagination deals with the might-be element in life¹. thus making them into a new conception. the hotel is built and success is achieved. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . most of it within sight of the sea.COM ground can be had for the purpose quite near.

check book. We provide another analysis dealt with in less detail. etc. ANALYSIS No.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. signal book. gift book. address book. 4. 6. price list. 7. illustrated book. note book. novelette. liber. 9. score book. arithmetic book. toy book. lesson book. washing book. album. blue book. General and Particular: Bible. autograph book. dictionary. hymn-book. Vanity Fair. letter book. manuscript book. bank book. diary. library book. encyclopedia.COM Co-ordination Subject: A Book Synonymy: Volume. 2 Analysis by Questions Subject: A Fountain Pen 1. cash book. table book. code book. pass book. fly book. 2. novel. he would be a dull man indeed who could not discover some aspect that had hitherto escaped his attention. music book. missal. spelling book. magazine. hand-book. if he has before him a complete analysis of his product on these lines. prize book. red book. atlas. ledger. 5. horn book. tome.. copy book. wages book. prayer-book. livre. yellow book. Using it with vigorous questionings. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . play book. tradesman’s book. cookery book. birthday book. manual. law book. blotting book.NKADOJ@GMAIL. route book. etc. Oliver Twist. story book. directory. Statue book.. Such an analysis cannot be worked out in a moment: it requires time and labor. game book. catalogue. buch. geography book. memorandum book. gazetteer. exercise book. visitors’ book. stamp book. history book. day book. grammar. chant book. Parliamentary report log book.. psalter. journal. account book. road book. housekeeping book. pocket book. picture book. What is a fountain pen? How many parts has it? How many kinds of fountain pens are there? What are their relative merits? What are the necessary materials for making a fountain pen? Where are the materials found? What is their cost? At what cost can they be made? Who first thought of making a fountain pen? . doomsday book. year book. scrap book. But consider the great advantage to a man who is seeking new ideas. guide book. 8. garden book. 3. child’s book.

Take the case of the lawyer. It enables the mind to seize unperceived analogies.What are the chief difficulties of the business? 20. 2.What is the probable future of the fountain pen? Note: These questions are not arranged in the order of their importance. It classifies ideas already in the mind.Or a feeling in favor of them? 16. for instance. of actions.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 4. A Matter of Universal Importance "How does all this concern me?" asks a reader. It paves the way for a true synthesis. hitherto hidden.What is the effect of the sale of cheap pens on better and highly-priced pens? 18.To whom are sales most frequently made? 11. for essential similarities are often curiously disguised. or in arriving at the probable truth out of a mass of contradictions? .Is there a time in the year when sales are better than at other times? 19.Is design an important factor in selling? 17. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It must be evident to every reader that this close analysis of known facts is valuable in several directions: 1. all analysis carefully carried out almost always involve the drawing of inferences. brought us radium. involving a study of motives. who may be practicing law.How much advertising is necessary? 22.COM 10.   Has he not to deal with a complexity of cases..Is there a growing prejudice against the use of these pens? 15. and the detailed study of the forms of book-keeping resulted in the art of cost-accountancy. and of counteractions in relation to the law? How is he to succeed in bringing order out of chaos. but just as they occurred to an inquiring mind. indeed..Do fountain pen producers get a good return on their money? 13. Chemical analysis. Our reply is: it concerns everybody who has any thinking to do. It leads to the discovery of new facts.What steps are being taken to overcome them? 21.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Does production necessitate highly skilled labor? 12. 3.What does experience prove to be the best way of selling fountain pens? 14..

 But.. Lesson 12: Creating New Ideas (Part Five) VI. or The water. what was wrong? Was it the tea? or the way it was made? or the water? or the price? or the poor salesmanship of the traveler? Here. IMAGINATION AND DISCOVERY We now come to the use of the imagination in the work of discovery. These items are therefore ruled out. is the analysis. on "making" the tea in the poor selling districts. Now. 5. and we propose to supply illustrations of this procedure from several different sources. and may have doubts as to whether the power of imagination is capable of rendering them any service. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . or The salesmanship The tea is always the same. one where the tea was popular and one which it was not. 4. The cause must be found in: 1. so is the price. and anybody could have tested the truth by visiting the two districts. We shall begin with one or two from the world of business. 3. This duty applies to you also. whatever be the nature of your calling.COM The answer is: by analysis and syntheses. . There was no doubt whatever about the fact. especially as a considerable number of Pelmanists are engaged in trade operations of various kinds. and this means a considerable use of the imagination. discovery of every possible kind.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The tea. the accounts proved it.NKADOJ@GMAIL. A "Tea" Illustration A certain tea merchant was very much astonished to find that in some districts his tea was highly appreciated and in other districts people practically refused to drink it. the firm’s travelers proved it. or The price. in these questions. The best salesmen are employed: and they do not increase the orders. or The making. they find its taste is different from its taste when made in districts in which it sells freely... But the primary duty is to get to know the facts. 2.

like many other things. . the result being that a tea is blended which will suit the local water supplies. and. the water is responsible. On such evidence as observation and experiment had provided he formed his theory and proceeded to work in the light of it. It is the method employed in all scientific research. prepared a zone map of Great Britain.. for you hold a gauge in your hand. also his success with his firm. then." "soft. as it is for a man of science. Suppose your profits are decreasing. Tea drinking has its topography. and at the end of the inspection find yourself no wiser. The advantage of having something by way of a criterion is that you do not grope about wonderingly.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Here is a clue. What are you to do next? Begin another inspection. Samples from all districts are obtained and analyzed.NKADOJ@GMAIL. A sigh of relief is embodied in his declaration: "Here. but this time with a definite theory such as: "The advertising is wrong. after a general inspection of the business. you advance confidently. Readers of Darwin’s Life and Letters will remember that it was his habit to form a theory on every subject. who has kept in close touch with the Institute ever since he worked his way up from a traveler to sales manager in an old-established tea house in London. after he had obtained gallon jars of the local water from the agent in each center." He attributed his idea. I at last got a theory by which to work. The Creative Value of Theory Always form a theory when you are inquiring into a business or professional problem. it may be advisable to form several theories and test them all. you cannot discover the cause.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." and test the whole ground from this standpoint. the chances are you come across the very thing which has caused a decline in profits. indeed. although you may find that the advertising is all right." Be a theorist is just as good a rule for a business or professional man." or "The goods are wrong.. to the Pelman Course. and." or "medium. That is the best way to get at the truth. which showed the districts where water was "hard. A Pelmanist. The Use of Analogy Every reader of science is struck by the important place given to Analogy in the work of discovery.

He thought a while. The younger generation. Watt solved it by imagination plus analogy.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. or vice versa. Many a man has lost his money by embarking on propositions of this kind. but to inaccurate thinking. it has been said. therefore. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . an important position is claimed for James Watt because of his ingenuity in devising "governor balls. You cannot safely argue that because an article sells well in London it is sure to sell well in New York. was there a situation at all like.. The history of science is a history of the discovery of general laws of ever-widening scope. a miner who had been in the California gold rush. Into this wider aspect of the subject we are called upon to enter. but the trouble is to persuade men and women to regard thinking as an art that needs to be cultivated. It is due neither to the one nor to the other. was struck by the similarity of certain surface formations in Australia to those he had seen in the Far West.NKADOJ@GMAIL. just as others are. and started the great gold boom of the island continent. and he proceeded to put that notion to the test of the experiment. sees farther than its forefathers because it stands upon their shoulders. as we have so often stated. and to show the value of analogy as a means of intellectual advancement. of the utmost importance. based on a superficial. he asked. This failure he attributes to bad luck or to the stupidity of the public. Where in Nature. as distinct from a real.. Our purpose is:   to illustrate the principle itself. Hargreaves. Laws which it has taken many centuries to discover become the heritage of the human race. that before him? . It was a new problem in mechanism. if not identical with. We shall begin by showing how a miner used his imagination and sense of analogy. Of course the law is open to a false estimate.COM This place is not bestowed arbitrarily: analogy stands where it does as an aid in research simply because the Universe is based upon order. The Genius of James Watt In the evolution of the steam engine. This is a good instance of reasoning by analogy: like conditions promise like results. He found gold at once. The ability to think in the right way is." The problem was to open and close a valve in proportion to an increase or decrease of speed in the revolution of a wheel.. analogy. then he got the notion of gold.

. But this is only trick originality.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Lesson 12: Creating New Ideas (Part Six) VII. turn to some other work. For instance. the places. Bain says: "I am not aware of any stroke of mechanical invention surpassing this in intellectual reach. where two revolving bodies separate. These are your rhythms. All Quiet on the Western Front is followed by something called Not So Quiet on the Western Front. there are times when you feel mentally exalted. or to some form of recreation. 525. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ." Again."¹ Comparison. sooner or later. and to be used effectively. What is asserted in the one is denied by the other. your intellect is keen in its insight and 2. so that as far as possible you may know the circumstances. ORIGINALITY Some of Its Conditions The mental processes which eventuate in new ideas are not as yet understood in all their bearings. after all. . p. At other times you are just as flat and unfertile. and you ought to study them.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the hours when: 1. Landor’s Imaginary Conversations is followed by Archer’s Real Conversations. if you cannot reach a desired solution after careful and persistent investigation. Speaking of the achievement from the psychological point of view.COM He found the answer in the action of a centrifugal force. accordingly as the rate of revolution is accelerated or retarded.. and you will find that in most cases the desired solution will "come. the mood for ideas comes upon you.. but a considerable number are clear enough in their working to be followed intelligently. leads to contrast. fruitful in its conceptive power. or come together. if such a power of bringing together the like out of the unlike were of usual occurrence the progress of discovery would be incalculably more rapid. 1 The Senses and The Intellect. and you can do anything.

study them.. You not only know it better than if you had relied on opinions borrowed from others. 1. but you are more likely to arrive at an original conclusion. those have won the greatest distinction who have been actuated by thirst for knowledge for its own sake. 2. has made a brilliant discovery. and upon which your thoughts most readily converge. Some subjects may be closely scrutinized in this way because it is a duty. though he has no financial profit in view. physics. the advantage is all the more pronounced. following up the new lead. Many a man working in the direction of something we will call B has been attracted to another something we will call A. a period in which the spirit of utility . In chemistry. too. It gives new energy to the inward urge towards the one thing in life in which you are mainly interested. science in the hands of the Greeks grew more rapidly in one or two brief centuries than elsewhere in Europe in the previous five thousand years. don’t rely wholly on books. It brings out hidden abilities. or on the advice of friends. Yet it is truly educative to take this step. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . But perhaps the greatest gain of all lies in the growth of self-confidence. and science generally.    It requires a little courage and some self-confidence to begin so real a change of method as this. is a factor you must not ignore.. Thus. get all the facts. ascertain their meaning and form your own conclusions.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Self-Reliance The final rule of all creative thinking is Think for yourself. on reports. are two men. You gain a sense of certainty when you have studied a thing for yourself. on the newspaper. Which of the two is the more likely to be inspired with new ideas and make brilliant discoveries? The latter. Knowledge for Its Own Sake Here. for most people rely on somebody or something other than themselves or their own ideas—they find it difficult to strike out on their own. But if he had not been interested in B the possibilities of A might have escaped his attention altogether. undoubtedly. for instance. one engaged in trade chemistry experiments and one in chemical research to which he is devoted.COM Chance. but where you can do the work because you love it. that is.

"Profit" Lest this principle should be thought of as applying to only one department of life. It is this excellence. The Greeks.. that puts him ahead of his competition. and out of their love of beauty all their art work was born. Beauty was to them a natural expression of the religious sentiment. he aims at excellence.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "Excellence" vs. arising out of sheer delight in his business for its own sake. not a contribution to the art-gallery. "How much can we get?" If you want external power you must first get internal power.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM in various forms had reigned supreme. thousands of employees. Get your mind and heart filled with feeling-thoughts about some one thing for its own sake. In "big business" to-day it is recognized that "How much can we give?" has greater investment value than the crudely self-seeking question. legitimately anxious for family reasons to increase their income. You may then reasonably expect ideas to crowd in upon you: . They should first develop their ability. now. it had been well said. As previously intimated.. because he is thereby enabled to offer the public a superior value and better service. the excellence without must primarily be an excellence within." Such an attitude was quite foreign to their nature. We see the same thing in the causes which produced Greek culture. we will create a statuary that shall be the wonder of all time by reason of our insight and our skill. did not say: "Go to. in the assurance that increased emoluments will follow. That is one reason why in Lesson II we have enlarged on Interest. make the mistake of thinking more about the financial side than about any other. and why we have repeatedly drawn attention to it in the intervening Lessons. Take business: in the majority of cases the man who makes the greatest profit does not aim at profit making first and foremost. and not merely for the gain that is associated with it. let us try to find its analogies elsewhere. Their statuary was part of their devotion to the gods.

a very pleasant discovery. training the imagination means the practice of exercises that will at once awaken more interest in such activity. Admittedly." Further. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . But the complexity is not a burdensome matter to the individual himself. day in. even to the world that is awaiting them. in his Professional Education. "I thought imagination belonged only to poets. and. "but I have now realized I have an imagination of my own. Dr. from year’s end to year’s end. It can. and give great facility in the use of the power as applied to the needs of the individual. Of course I knew it before in a vague way. the training referred to means.. T. material is exceedingly plentiful. day out." Speaking for ourselves. need arousing from this unimaginative life. it has been done already. Lesson 12: Creating New Ideas (Part Seven) VIII. both real and ideal. the training is more difficult than that of other mental powers. For instance. "One of the ablest of our headmasters said to me that if he were called upon to educate the imagination of his boys. . some of them new. with scarcely ever a sustained thought outside it.. "Can this be done?" asks the incredulous person. but still original in the sense of being your own discoveries. those people who follow strictly a prosaic routine. that is. he is not conscious of the deep intricacy of the imaginative process during the moments of its action." writes a Pelman student.NKADOJ@GMAIL. In most cases this can be done by showing them where they are neglecting their opportunities. now I realize it.COM   some of them old.. partly because imagination itself is one of the most complex of functions. by showing them a panorama of what is being missed in life. first of all. TRAINING THE IMAGINATION What is meant by training the imagination? The question is not as easy to answer as some people have claimed. once he is awakened to his opportunities. Clifford Allbutt. he would scarcely know how to begin. by the neglect of a great mental function.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the deliverance of the mind from dominance by the actual. says.

Mental Attitudes This brings us to the question: What attitudes of mind. the states of consciousness that are advantageous to imagination. perhaps unconsciously. and. Naturally. extending them as opportunity permits. whereas you ought to be rich. sounds. impart a peculiar liking for some line of action. what processes.. moods or surroundings. and it is equally dependent on the proper use of the feelings. you would be deficient in the data with which imagination works: you would be poor in images. every student who has carefully followed the Lessons up to the present has been fostering. especially during walks in the country. No opportunity should be lost.. and out of this activity new ideas come forth. feelings. more particularly. odors. tastes. however.     Can you not now see how the total effect of these exercises is in favor of increasing the sensibility by which you obtain the material on which imagination works? Is it not clear that to get the best and highest results the mind’s functions must act synthetically? If you did not train your senses and classify your knowledge. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . of enlarging the boundaries of knowledge.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and knowledge depends on the activity of the senses. and practiced the Exercises. there is observable in the history of men and women of imaginative ability a certain reliance on feeling and on environment as sources of inspiration.. will already have a rich fund of mental images. a liking which soon passes into sympathy and insight? A work which you love is one around which imagination and fancy are in constant play. these inspirations depend on knowledge. and touch-sensations—for the service of imagination. so as to provide material—sights. and . The Synthetic Principle Again Training the imagination is thus something more than the practice of approved exercises:   it depends primarily on the previous training of other mental functions. or visits to strange towns or foreign lands. as explained in Lesson II.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Does not the power of interest. Look back at the Exercises in Lessons II and VI.COM Apart from training by means of Exercises. The student who has thoroughly mastered Lesson V. are favorable to imagination? As a matter of fact.

and it takes the form of Sympathy. We do not mean sympathy in the sense of feeling for others in distress. Take Sympathy. but sympathy in the sense of feeling with others in circumstances of any kind whatever. Death—these are impressed on a highly sensitive intelligence. and it is difficult to trace their respective contributions to the formation of a new idea.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. As this matter is important.   How does a poet write sonnets or lyrics full of verbal music and striking thoughts? By logic? By reasoning the thing out? No. the only difference being that they use it in a different way for different purposes. Feeling comes first. perhaps more keenly than does the object of his attention. and instead of showing a spirit of indifference or antagonism. employs sympathy in order to be able to be able to put himself into the mind and heart of the accused. A judge. have the same need of sympathy as the poet. Human Joy. however. Suffering. but the motive power is that of sympathy.COM  on cultivating the right mental attitudes. Sympathy is identification with the object: the word Empathy is now used to denote this projection of the self into the object. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . as it were.NKADOJ@GMAIL. We can feel with people who are dancing. Beauty. We get out of ourselves. Nature... and is the primary secret of genius and talent of every kind. since he is a man of exceptional sensibility. This "getting out of ourselves" is the work of imagination. let us look into it more closely. The two function together.. . the poet enters into each fact with such wholeness of mind and heart that he suffers or rejoices. just as truly as we feel for people suffering from a hostile invasion. and function through other people’s feelings for a time. Sorrow. engaged in unraveling the evidence of a complicated criminal case. and the man of business. and it is this act which enables us to understand what is otherwise a closed book. The Priority of Feeling Feeling comes first. Sympathy in Law and Business Now the professional man.

these will have gone. one that is fruitful in conception. 4. The selling price. insipidity.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. as if by the avoirdupois scale. as a matter of fact.. and for Humanity in its multitudinous aspects. 2.. he must have the power to feel with—he must be an Empathist. 3. might result in a miscarriage of justice. must be: 1. purpose. and in their place you will have a life that is worth living. The two are inseparable. 2. 5. both the Judge and the man of business obtain new ideas as to the solution of immediate problems. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the distributor.COM and to estimate the credibility of the witnesses on both sides. accompanying this feeling is imagination. and 3. a man of sympathy first. but obtaining the right mental and emotional qualities. you will have aroused new feelings for Nature in all its moods. But. every man (and woman) who wishes to have what is called a creative mind. Its probable appeal to— 1. or interest. the user. and if you have trained your senses. The Emotional Quality In this manner. A purely intellectual estimate of the selling chances of a newly-invented lawn mower (one that will cut the grass without making a noise that renders life next door impossible) may easily have discovered fallacies in it. Anything about which you are enthusiastic is bound to be a subject with which you have real sympathy. antagonism. The efficiency of the machine. cynicism. The cost of production. The margin for advertising appropriation. You ask now? "How am I to develop this power of sympathy?" You have it already in respect of one thing: your chief aim. By sympathy and imagination he puts himself in their place.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but sympathetic insight will enable the prospective purchaser of the manufacturing rights to look at the proposition from every point of view: 1. To decide the issue by merely weighing the evidence. The business man uses sympathy too. . So you see how the training of imagination is not primarily a matter of practicing exercises.. and sees it with their eyes. Dullness. 2. ennui.

COM Sympathy must not be allowed to degenerate into imitation. We do not mean a theorist who does nothing but theorize. "A chief was one day going over a mountain path. It was based on such facts as we had before us. The theory may be right or wrong. then the fog theory is wrong." If you are to imitate anybody it had better be this daring islander who. they can account for the facts before us. Spontaneous theories to explain matters of which we are wholly or partly ignorant are tracer bullets of thought shot out to discover how well. and how they did what the chiefs did. or ill. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. Bagehot. when he happened to stumble and fall: all the rest of the people immediately did the same except one man. We mean a man who takes pains to discover the reason why of matters that are important to him. if you would be practical and obtain results. be a Theorist. Yet it was not unintelligent. followed by a long string of his people. Thus a theory as to why the night express is ten minutes late may be at once explained: it is due to the prevailing fog. Finally. was prepared to be himself.. and I am doing much less than he? Is he advertising more than I do? Has he a better staff? Or what? Form your theories by way of answers: and you will come near the truth—to your advantage. why this loss compared with last year? Why did my chances multiply six months ago in contrast with the deadness of the present moment? Is it because I am losing ground? Am I getting slack? How is it that S— J— is forging ahead.NKADOJ@GMAIL. tells us about the Fiji Islanders of previous generations. or who lives in theories. . Theories are attempted explanations: and your Note Book should give some evidence of your mental activities in this respect. For instance. against great odds. he can ask:     Why am I making more progress this year than last? Or. When a tracer bullet is fired from a gun it leaves a trail behind it which shows its direction and nearness to the object aimed at. in his Physics and Politics.. The individual should not lose his identity in mimicry.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. who was at once set upon by the rest to know whether he considered himself better than the chief. But if the morning or afternoon newspaper tells us of a slight accident to the express which was not due to fog.

. sometimes in unlikely places. That is more than knowing it. Avoid saying that you are no good for original thinking. especially the manner in which the enthusiastic aim affects imaginative effort. new ideas are slow in coming. but to apply it. There will be a tendency to combine thought into new wholes. You will notice a great increase in this form of activity.. Old ideas are the parents of the new. You will. at any rate until you have given your ideas a fair chance. the while using your imagination to get at the truth. or some detail of it. WHAT TO AVOID Avoid the skeptical notion that a new idea is utterly impossible. you can easily decide which kind of images is dominant. Avoid being impatient if. further. so with this: Live it. This is accomplished by going through it and testing yourself. Avoid the fear of inventing a theory." Old ideas are good till new ideas prove themselves to be better.NKADOJ@GMAIL. so important in arriving at personal and original views.. With Imagination you enroll the aid of your powers of Sympathy. For instance. not perhaps in inventions. The seed that is sown must have time to germinate. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Avoid the tendency to be influenced by superficial analogies. and you will then be hot on the trail of some discovery. the inventive ability will manifest itself.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Note differences as well as agreements. as such.COM APPLICATION The best way to obtain the full benefit of this Lesson is not only to know it. experiment will discredit it and you will be a stage nearer to the truth. item by item. If it is a wrong one. Avoid "the trick of singularity. . at first. but in all sorts of initiative. Then you can review the effect of mastering Lesson V. take pains to collect and classify all the facts of your calling. thus increasing the power of insight. New and valuable ideas are born every hour of every day. that is. a few interesting experiments will settle that question. As with the previous Lessons.

 Originality depends a good deal on the life of Feeling. Do what you can to ensure that your visual and auditory Images shall be clear and stronger. if the image was vivid.    consequently the recollection of the knowledge thus obtained depends to a large extent on the vividness of the images involved. social. Watch for analogies. Another question that is worthy of repeated use is: "What might be?" How can the things that are be changed into something better? Herein lies training of imagination. Be human. In any case. Study the physical. for the development of new ideas. for we thereby increase the number and quality of our mental treasures—the raw material. for.. Develop the habit of what we may call Mental Expectancy.COM WHAT TO DO Every man has his best moments. To be satisfied with faint impressions is to weaken the chances of obtaining new images. if they are weak. the recall is weak. not merely to show your friendliness but in order to keep your emotional centers active. out of which new ideas are made. Lesson 12: Creating New Ideas (Part Eight) EXERCISES It will be remembered that most of our knowledge comes through the senses of sight and hearing. Enter into common pleasures with spirit. so to speak.. You cannot expect poor images to coalesce into bright conceptions. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. the recall is likely to be vivid also.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it is wise occasionally to recall those image which we wish to retain permanently. Show yourself a cordial host and new ideas will be the more ready to accept your invitation. "What is it like?" is a good question to ask.. . On the other hand. and mental associations of such moments in your own case.

And quench its speed in the slushy sand. the quick. thro’ its joys and fears. "The gray sea and the long black land. with the images in italics. As I gain the cove with pushing prow.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . In tune their merry whetstones ring. sharp scratch And blue spurt of a lighted match. at noon. ." —COLERIDGE. large and low. And the startled little waves that leap In fiery ringlets from their sleep. A tap at the pane. "Then a mile of warm. And a voice less loud. from three poets. and try mentally to reconstruct the images they suggest." —BROWNING. "All in a hot and copper sky the bloody sun.. Behind. With even strokes their scythes they swing.. "I watch the mowers as they go Through the tall grass.COM Exercise XLV Below are given some verses. And toss the thick swaths in the sun. no bigger than the moon. a white-sleeved row. Select other passages and treat them in the same way. You will not only learn the beauties of English poetry. Study these quotations carefully. And the yellow half-moon.. Than the two hearts beating each to each. the nimble youngsters run. Right up above the mast did stand. Three fields to cross till a farm appears. sea-scented beach. but develop your power of imagery.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

.. A writer of novels or short stories draws upon his stock of visual. The partridge beats his throbbing drum. Her chickens skulk behind the rail. There is a practical aspect of such an exercise as this. If you find that your auditory images are very poor (and your daily work entails much interviewing). warm and still. while.COM The cattle graze. where summer breezes break. Quickly before me runs the quail. although one may be ready to start? 2. Sweet woodland music sinks and swells.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. When it is out of sight. Slopes the broad pasture.." —TROWBRIDGE Exercise XLVI Imagine you are standing on a train station platform: 1. it behoves you to improve the quality of these images by training. What sounds would you hear. The butterfly and bumble-bee Come to the pleasant woods with me. auditory. Exercise XLVII There are two primary objects in building a house: . High up the lone wood-pigeon sits. The swarming insects drone and hum. what additional sounds assail your ears? 3. and motor images. presuming no train is in motion. ultimately coming to a standstill in the station. When it is signaled to go ahead. The brooklet rings its tinkling bells. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The green wheat crinkles like a lake. depends to a large extent on the accumulated image memories of his past experiences.NKADOJ@GMAIL. And bright. and a man of business who desires to form an accurate judgment about the possible sales of a new article. gained in this way by carefully trained powers of observation. basks the hill. another draws near. What sounds does its arrival bring? This exercise may equally well be applied to an airport. which should be kept in mind. And the woodpecker pecks and flits.

 Do not stop to analyze your list in order to find out how far the questions overlap each other." with the object of providing an exercise in discovery by means of the imagination: You are to reveal the symbolism of the picture. Tabulate these. the old ship will sail the seas no more. the painter uses symbols. however obvious. Take any house you know. Turner did the right thing. and how the artist may have used them to convey feelings and express ideas. Thus. 5. Manifestly..COM 1. When you have done this. 4. set them out on paper. What is advertising? When did it originate? Who issued the first advertisement? Was it in a newspaper? Does advertising pay? . and analyze it in the light of this twofold standard. in matching a retiring ship with a setting sun. Take a word like "Advertising" and write down as many questions as you can about it. Both have one end in view. Exercise XLIX 1. Exercise XLVIII Study a famous picture. and. in the Fighting Temeraire. Imagine improvements in the efficiencies of the house and in its external and internal attractiveness. A painter uses natural objects like clouds.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. to secure a suitable dwelling place. 2. The exercise will be no less serviceable in educating the power of concentration than it will be in developing constructive imagination. the setting sun is a symbol of "Goodbye". if you can draw. just as a writer uses words for the same purposes. Suppose your question list is as follows: 1. the clouds. to appeal to one’s sense of beauty. just write down what comes to mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and 2. begin to study each question in relation to the others... like Turner’s "Fighting Temeraire. flowers. the moon? Try to imagine their meaning. to have painted the sun at the moment of rising would have been a mistake. ships and mountains to convey impressions and ideas. But there may be other symbolisms in the picture. namely. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . What of the tug. 3. expression: the writer seeks to obtain his by language.

No.Will advertising gradually disappear? Now these questions. 12 is an attempt to peer into the future.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 3. 2.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. for. and 8 are more practical. and where shall I find them? 2. Is excess in advertising ever given as the cause of business failure? 9. The next step is to analyze the list something after this fashion: No. Now. 2. 5. thus reduced. and 4 are not so important. 9 is a special question. when accepted and acted upon. or should I rely on the services of an experienced agent? 3. to get at its essentials. how much ought I to spend in advertising? You should continue in this way until you had written down twelve more questions. Then comes "the tug of war. Nos. although the history of advertising may teach us a good deal. Nos. There are few operations more educative in a mental sense. Responsibility. No.Do they not advertise indirectly? 12. is to go a long way towards answering the other questions. they should be included in that number. . is a great teacher. How much a year is spent on advertising? 7. So are Nos. such as would be used when thinking interrogatively about a practical issue. 7.. To define the word.. If my gross income in business is $100. are stated in colloquial language." You must decide: you must arrive at conclusions and act on them. Can one spend too much on it? 8. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . consequently. What are the best books on advertising. Consequently. 10 and 11. 1 is certainly fundamental. Is experience the best teacher. it will be observed. enough remains in the list of questions to keep the average man busy in finding answers. and it will be observed that 7 and 8 are included more or less in 5.000.COM 6.Why should professional men not advertise? 11. What kind of advertising is best for an outfitter’s store? 10. 6. the immediate question is how to advertise successfully now.. a second question list suggests itself:— 1.

 The more deeply the fact is hidden. the more stimulating it grows. "As a mental and moral tonic.. What do we mean by research work? We mean an ordered and systematic inquiry into some obscure matter. Sanitation 5.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "nothing can be more effective than the search for facts.Greek drama 11. . A business man has usually an ample supply of material for his purpose. A man of science would find his problems in chemistry or physics."¹ 1 Oxford at the Cross Roads. memory. the Socratic method (for this is what it is) develops every aspect of the mind: observation. The value of Poetry 3. Below we give a few topics suitable for this kind of exercise: 1.Village life 12." says Prof. either out of pure interest in the subject. analysis and synthesis... and the qualities which it inculcates—patience.Future Developments of Broadcasting and Television 13. or because of the value of a possible discovery. imagination.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Personal Efficiency 9. Civilization 10. An increase of annual turnover 2. p. the longer and severer the search. one finds keys which will unlock door after door.How can I get ahead? Exercise L Some kind of research work is advisable as a means of developing imagination. as one learns how to proceed. By degrees. Novels 6. Percy Gardner. Chambers of Commerce 4. 60. Competition 8. It is almost impossible to exaggerate the mental worth of such discipline. Will-power 7. distrust of mere theories. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .    The "obscure matter" might be the secret of a new glaze in pottery manufacture. delight in what will bear the test—are of great value in life.COM Moreover.

Have I really analyzed my calling. "Not in mine. How long is it since I deliberately employed the "what might be" principle in preparing estimates and deciding my policy? 3. "Yes.NKADOJ@GMAIL. especially the technical research which is to end in producing a better supply. others not at all." says an employee whose work is cut out for him. it is sometimes advisable to employ a formal method.COM    Are you engaged in a calling wherein large supplies of packing cases are an absolute necessity? Let us suppose you say "Yes. It is possible to argue the matter from the standpoint of economic history.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Exercise LI If the search for new ideas has not been rewarded. Hence you tabulate a few questions thus: 1. This applies to anything which offers suitable problems... and the first gain is undoubtedly to the imagination. without either totally exhausting its possibilities or finding those newer and more vital conceptions which you may covet as the reward of your labors. and do I know all its constituent elements? 4. but confidently. such questions. and if an employee’s ideas are better than his employer’s. Is there anywhere a question which can be called synonymous or identical? . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . There is nothing that can for long hold down superior ideas. Take the question of Profit-sharing. In any event. In what way does imaginative effort further the interests of men in my vocation? 2. they may immediately put you in possession of ideas of great value. use the Socratic method of questions and answers until you find a suitable problem. But the research work is an education in itself. 1. If the desired research is to be associated with your business. here are a few queries. the employee will eventually win. and at a cheaper price? These are questions requiring long and careful investigation.. and of ethical standards. For instance. are certain to be productive in the course of time. on the other hand. Have I ever considered these constituents one by one in their possible new associations. of modern business. as an occasional drill." Then ought you not to make your own? Can you not produce a better article than any you can buy. respectfully. as well as in their general unity? A first use of these questions may not at once yield advantages that are important. and in yours" we must reply. some of which you may not have asked yourself for a long time.

NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. If we regard the question as a whole. as such.. and commercial values of trained powers of perception. and points out the cultural. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . have all the parts of it been enumerated and considered? 4. is general. . It deals mainly with the knowledge that reaches us through the senses. Have all the possible causes or effects been dealt with? 5. professional.. and do they throw any light on the question before us? 3. What teachings are in opposition to that implied in the question? PELMAN LESSON XIII Five Wits as a person is the Drama of Everyman is the subject of Lesson XIII. what are the particular kinds of profit-sharing.COM 2.. If the question.

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Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM ...NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..COM ..

. the windows of the soul.. and we assume that you have already succeeded by conscientious practice in enlarging the scope of your observation and quickening your perception.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. as it were.NKADOJ@GMAIL." the inner self. however." These five wits or means of knowledge are. by means of certain exercises and instruction to look outwards also. through which it looks upon the sea over which it is voyaging.COM Lesson 13: THE WORLD OF PEOPLE and THINGS and HOW TO KNOW THEM FOREWARD Hitherto we have engaged mainly with the "little world of man. You have been encouraged. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. In this lesson we propose to deal in some detail with what the old morality play Everyman personifies in the character "Five Wits. .

must precede the understanding—because it is the foundation upon which all understanding is built. is to be alive to external appeals:   so that when we walk down the street or the country road. The senses themselves can in the nature of the case but furnish it with sensation. "Five Wits.COM It cannot steer a wise course by the light of its inner consciousness.. but this response to stimuli. we shall be alert to notice details while observing the broader features. In this Lesson we deal with the Knowledge that comes from sense activity. otherwise mental life becomes a mere catalog of happenings without meaning. What do we mean by Knowledge? We mean all the information that comes to us from various sources either through the senses or by reflection. but to watch and tenderly cherish the intellectual and moral sensibilities. he will miss one half of life." therefore. The World of People and Things "It is not… new dogmas. The idea of PELMANISM.. for instance. One must understand that which is seen and heard. those fountains of right thought. A thousand things which ought to appeal to him and evoke the answer of intelligent recognition. and upon our concepts we Reason. and a logical exposition of the world. If the senses of sight and hearing.. Through sensation we Perceive. through perception we Conceive. are unresponsive. Reason must have material for its exercise. for sensation is the activity of the senses. will be passed by.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and at the outset we desire to remind the reader of the fact that his range of Knowledge is largely determined by the range of his sense impressions. professional or commercial. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It is the function of reason to interpret their message. in reference to the senses. and woo them to… make their home with us. Apart from the senses it could form no conception of the world in which it has its being. the sights and sounds that solicit eye and ear shall meet with proper attention: and so that when engaged in work.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. that are our first need. . from without." EMERSON. is an indispensable person of the drama of Life.

to the consideration of other people and other things.e. Have you suffered? The common things of life are full of consolation. we have emphasized the development of inner powers like will and concentration. the mist in the valley. In previous Lessons we have prepared the way. the song of the nightingale. a workman may see a domestic need in his own home and make new and simple provision for it. just accepting life without so much as a query? If so.     A chance word from a wise man can give a favorable turn to your life. many years have passed.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. you shall find here new and unsuspected values. this Lesson is intended to be an awakener. We are about to turn our attention outwards: i. Recall Lesson II. External facts like sunsets. perhaps. but these are inanimate substances. You can grow. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and a wax image will melt before the fire. lakes seen in the moonlight.    Response? What answers are you giving to events as they come and go? Are you living on the mere surface of things. . and their response is due to the action of natural forces. judgment and imagination. A magazine illustration may suggest modifications in the design of furniture.. every Lesson is concerned with the Self. Up to now the main interest of the Course has been with the Self: that is. but the time has come to consider afresh the Self in connection with its surroundings.   Do you lack general interests? The Lesson will discover them for you. You are a living person. then it will further quicken your sensibilities. which you shall value the more. the importance of which may not be realized to the full until. And if life is for you a record of successful endeavor. even the very self within—if you will only see and hear. the fantasy of an author read by the fireside may lead to the manufacture of an entirely new product.. In your field of interest opportunities are waiting in unexpected places for your magnet to pick them up.. and the perfume of flowers can change the outlook of your soul. finally. Of course.NKADOJ@GMAIL. if not.COM Life and Response A football responds to a kick.

. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM I. for instance—to act in conjunction with the taste. their heat. You would be dimly conscious of other things. your senses of taste and touch and smell are only moderately developed. their coldness.. the most important of all. adding itself to those of taste and smell. smell and touch already working. You would come out into the normal state of ordinary human beings with senses alive to all the joys of social intercourse. Add still another sense. their shape and texture. and Hall Caine has pictured such a possibility in his "Naomi. and the advent of sight would release you entirely from your "senseless" prison. The mind would have a considerable increase in data about which to exercise its powers. would be to have your mind locked in from the outside world. 3. You might as well be walled up in a narrow cell in solitary confinement. and that would bring communion with others. Should another sense suddenly come—hearing. Out of a Sense Prison Let us suppose. 2. THE SENSES AND MENTAL EFFICIENCY To explain more fully the work of the senses in relation to mental efficiency.    the outside world would become more and more real. but the complete absence of the powers of sight and hearing would form an insuperable barrier against any further advance." the heroine of The Scapegoat. it will be well to begin by supposing that: 1..NKADOJ@GMAIL. however. and to be able to taste and feel inadequately.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. voices would bring language into being. Helen Keller’s is a case somewhat on these lines. You could then learn a great deal more about external things. you cannot see or hear anything. Not to be able to see or hear at all. but the delight of communion with them would be denied you. that the sense of touch was fully restored to you. you are almost destitute of sense power. .

 But we do know that the first stage towards knowledge is by sensation and perception. A newspaper reporter.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but of little practical importance. will say it made a "sensation. describing a scene in court where a witness makes a remarkable statement. "By means of the senses. It is an interesting subject of philosophic speculation. then.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. particularly. "How do we get our knowledge?" the answer is.. the earth. of smell and of touch.. our business concerns.NKADOJ@GMAIL. There are sensations of sight. . and consequently there is a perception belonging to each.COM Lesson 13: The World of People (Part Two) II. the cities. our recreations—become subjective (that is. The word "sensation" often presents a difficulty on account of its varied associations. our friends. for perception does not refer to sight only. of taste. of hearing. SENSATION AND PERCEPTION When we are asked the question. chiefly sight and hearing." As to how the objective realities outside of our bodies—the sun." But the sensation referred to in this Lesson is really the immediate effect of the action of objects on any one of the senses. realized in consciousness)—nobody knows.

and this vagueness of the life of sensation and perception is responsible for much mind-wandering and bad memory. It will not be necessary to trouble ourselves with minute questions respecting the physical mechanism of the senses.. "What hour did it strike?" it is sometimes possible to tell exactly the number of strokes by consulting the record in our memory.. because they introduce us to a smaller range of interests. But where attention is paid to a sensation it may be taken for granted that perception follows upon sensation with a rapidity that eludes the closest analysis. Such perception may. Without this action there could be no such sensation. how they work in general. What. . This record of sensations of sound is kept for a few moments. Thus. one may see and hear a great deal without comprehending it.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. be of various degrees according to the knowledge the mind possesses. of course. is the preceding sensation? It is the effect of the action of the smoke particles on the nerves of smell. subconsciously.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. and that they are not so certain on account of their relative nature. and without sensation no perception. and how nerves are the paths by which knowledge of the outer world is communicated to the mind.COM The odor of a lighted cigar is perceived. the perceptions are so weak that they fail to become truly conscious. If. the sound acts on the nerves of hearing. which in turn enables us to perceive the fact that the clock is chiming the hour. and 2. Priority of Sight and Hearing It has been said that taste and smell are inferior to the other senses. we desire to know: 1. if we hear a clock striking. Our point of view is restricted to the use of the senses. or if they do. Pure Sensations It is possible to have sensations that do not at once become perceptions. Thus. although perception of the number of sounds was not instantaneous. after paying no particular attention to the number of the strokes. how they may be trained for the cultivation of the mind with a view to securing all-round efficiency. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . then. we ask ourselves.

In Culture and Art The values of sense training are mainly: 1.     When sensations are weak or inaccurate. lives and perceives. "Matter is." To this one might well add: "Man is. "This tastes like musk smells.COM For instance. and there is apt to be confusion between smell and taste. and.. Of these we should place sight and hearing ahead of touch. our knowledge also will be weak and inaccurate. perceives and knows". .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. we should like to commend to the student who loves to carry his reflections a little deeper than usual the suggestive sentence of a writer on perception. a moderately sweet drink is hardly sweet at all if we have just partaken of a very sweet drink. and good knowledge depends on good sensation and perceptions. We remember well that which we have "known" well. from which it follows that memory also will be confused. and we know well that which we have "sensed" well." For all ordinary purposes. sight and hearing and touch are the most important senses.NKADOJ@GMAIL. He says. therefore a good memory depends on good knowledge.. but before setting out on its analysis. of sight and hearing. THE VALUE OF EFFICIENT SENSES The importance of training the senses may be explained in the following way. the plant is and lives. we should place sight first. as well as for business life.. This assumption may justify the selection of sight as the first of the powers to receive systematic treatment in these pages. educational. It is usually assumed that a man deprived of the other senses and retained his vision would be in a better position to prevail over difficulties than a man who has lost his sight but retained all other senses unimpaired. the animal is. lives. in the form of culture. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . III. You have possibly heard somebody say. the extent of his knowledge being largely determined by the extent and accuracy of his perceptions.

and were walking along the road by the gardens of Chelsea Hospital.COM 2. ‘Now see if I have learned it. utilitarian invention. whether art. I offered him my note book. and soon there came another picture which appealed to me even more than the former. with windows and shops showing golden lights through the gathering mist of twilight. be quiet. saying. then. when he suddenly stopped. We had left the studio when it was quite dusk. At the age of 24. he said. financial or commercial. with his back to the scene at which I was looking at." This incident. and said.’ was the answer. ‘No no. one thing at a time. . and after a long pause he turned and walked back a few yards. he did not possess sufficient knowledge to draw animals or figures from memory with the correctness to make them convincing. or the church. an old public-house at the corner of the road. but he would not look at it. All the geniuses of the world have been marked by comprehensive vision of the facts involved in the line of thought or action which they have selected as their life work.. and to remedy this he practiced observation exercises. It is recorded of Whistler that he was the most exacting in the care with which he trained his observational powers. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and there on the easel was the realization of the picture. years elapsed before Rembrandt had mastered his details so completely that it became impossible to tell whether a figure in his work was drawn from a model or from memory. ‘Look!’. professional. hence the existence of numerous studies of beggars and models.. in spite of this constant practice. literature. Yet. "As he did not seem to have anything to sketch or make notes on. and 3. and pointed to a group of buildings in the distance. coupled with a vigorous use of the pencil. seems to throw a considerable light on the aim of the artist. "Form" Memory The same is true of Rembrandt.. no. I tried to call his attention to it. and to explain in no small measure the abiding charm of his work.’ and repeated a full description of the scene. The biographies of men of thought and men of action could be quoted by the dozen to emphasize the educational value of keen observation. One of his biographers says: "I shall never forget a lesson which he gave me one evening.NKADOJ@GMAIL. which illustrates Whistler’s capacity for rapidly taking in a subject as a whole and retaining the impression until he could realize it in painting. even as one might repeat a poem one had learned by heart. the law.’ In a few days I was at the studio again.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "Then he went on. ‘No.

COM Nature and Poetry Take a poet’s case." Burroughs says of Tennyson: "A lady told me that she was once walking with him in the fields when they came to a spring that bubbled up through the shifting sands in a very pretty manner. whither he was often wont to wander and to ramble for hours… "I have heard him say that his faculty for observation at that time would not have appeared despicable to a Seminole or an Iroquois—as he saw and watched everything—         the bird on the wing. the green fly darting hither and thither like an animated seedling. well. got down on his hands and knees and peered a long time into the water. the passage of the wind through the leaves or across grass.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and dewy eve.. "…He never forgot the bygone sunsets or great stars he saw in those days of his fervid youth. at Hatcham. The bird experts said that young snipe run about as soon as they are hatched. and upon Wimbledon Common. the spider weaving her gossamer from twig to twig. Browning remarked once that the romance of his life was in his own soul. ‘Ah.’ Browning thought that romance still clung to his birthplace because his youth was trained there in the right way. by dawn. sundown. in order to see exactly how the spring behaved. to someone’s vague assertion that in Italy only there was any romance left. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . An illustration of what can be done by close observation is found in the way in which a boy of twelve. the woodpecker heedfully scrutinizing the lichen and gnarled oak-bole. the motions and the shadows of the clouds. upset the pet theories of some leading ornithologists respecting the habits of young snipe. and Tennyson. . I should like to include old Camberwell. and on another occasion I heard him smilingly add. the snail dragging its shell up the pendulous woodbine. and so forth. His biographer says: "It is interesting to know that many of the nature touches were indirectly due to the solitary rambles.. the bee adding to his golden treasure as it swung in the bells of the campanula. that of Robert Browning. by persistent watching. in the wooded districts south of Dulwich.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.." The incident is worth recording as showing how intently the poet studied nature.

 PROFESSIONAL VALUES Professor Adam Sedgwick and Charles Darwin once visited Wales together. but were fed by the mother for several days after leaving the egg. Olbers directed his instruments in the direction of the constellation Virgo. and Darwin afterwards said: "I had a striking instance of how easy it is to overlook phenomena. as Sedgwick was anxious to find fossils in them. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . When Dr. but neither of us saw a trace of the wonderful glacial phenomena all around us.COM The boy insisted that they did not. the lateral and terminal moraines.. he might have agreed with the expert opinion. Lesson 13: The World of People (Part Three) IV. examining the rocks with care.. "I have read very little about snipe." Had he been content with reading. Readers of Edgar Allan Poe may remember how. we did not notice the plainly scored rocks. We spent hours at Cwm Idwal." he tells us.NKADOJ@GMAIL. a document eludes observation by being placed in a very prominent position. yet those phenomena are so conspicuous that… a house burned down by fire could not tell its story more plainly than did this valley. and as a result confounded the authorities who finally had to admit that he was correct. "I just wrote down what I saw. adding rather significantly. Yet the unexpected happens. especially in "noticing" items which are so obvious that they have been overlooked by everybody. in the story entitled The Purloined Letter. And he found the planet Pallas. the perched boulders. He will realize afresh the value of response.. but instead of being satisfied to derive his information from pictures and printed descriptions. he was looking for Ceres. he examined bird life for himself. The Artist as Observer ." There is excellent counsel to the student in this delightfully candid confession on the part of a great scientist.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. however conspicuous before they have been observed by anyone.

he says that "in order to acquire a true notion of the form of things he must begin by studying the parts which compose them. An ostler. he allowed what he saw to sink into his mind. who was the horse doctor of those days. Not every response ends. to which we owe the white ware now so familiar. Some responses contribute to our being.. burned a piece of flint. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and will most certainly protract his studies. in that way." Leonardo then gives some of his own observations.. and a fine invention was the outcome.     Wedgewood did not merely see what happened. and having reduced it to fine powder applied it as a specific to the afflicted eyes. Students who wish to know what we mean by response should reflect on this discovery. looking thoughtfully at the beautiful white powder. he reflected on its possible application in his own field of interest.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. He was traveling to London on horseback and had to halt en route because his horse had developed inflamed eyes. Wedgewood.COM Many striking illustrations of the value of the trained eye are furnished by that many-sided genius Leonardo da Vinci in his Treatise on Painting (London edition 1877). tried to imagine what would happen if it were combined with the clay used in his craft. and not pass to a second till he has well stored his memory and sufficiently practiced the first. one of which shows that the cartilage which raises the nose in the middle of the face varies in eight different ways. Others yield a contribution to doing: they end in action.. or should end. our inner life. The Wedgewood Discovery A chance observation in the eighteenth century laid the foundation of Josiah Wedgewood’s future eminence as a potter. Later he made the experiment and it resulted in a brilliant success. otherwise he loses his time. Observation: Distributed and Focused It will have been noticed that there are two observational attitudes: . To a young man of artistic susceptibilities.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

and its application. 4.. The observation of the eccentricities of the planet Uranus led to the discovery of Neptune. Newton is a classic instance of the former attitude. He discovered that: 1. the clock of Westminister Abbey marks the time by a single hand. 3. minus saddle and girth. a statue equipped with an umbrella—that to the memory of Sir Sidney Waterlow. that which is keenly alert but is not at the moment looking for anything in particular. the vapor forced it backward against his effort to hold it still. 21. and saw 5. England writer who wrote in the Observer (Oct. Before that discovery. that which is absorbed in a definite search. the George IV monument in Trafalgar Square "rides his horse seated upon a blanket. Yet those other people. in Palace Street. his legs dangling stirrupless. These are "finds" by which the Londoner may be expected to test himself.". As an illustration of focused attention we may refer to the findings of a London.. 2.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Other people may be excused. a public clock in Oxford Street—a few yards from the Circus—with two XI’s but no IX. 1934). it was impossible to use electricity for motive power. if they cared to put the same intense observation into their surroundings. From that hint he developed the steam engine. and 2. forestalling perhaps another of historical significance.NKADOJ@GMAIL. a church in Fulham Palace Road in which the "East" window faces North. In the realm of industry and mechanics there is the familiar story of Watt. would reap a similar crop of results..COM 1. It was observation of the fact that an electric current meets with greater resistance when it has to pass through a coil of German-silver wire that made electric traction possible by the invention of the rheostat. at any rate so far as the falling apple is concerned. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Westminister. who observed that when he held a teaspoon in front of the spout of a kettle. . as there was no way to graduate admission of the power for starting the engine.

always and everywhere. but you have at hand agencies on which business men agreed to place a worth represented by money. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . as you inevitably will do if you follow PELMANISM conscientiously.. If you go through life with trained senses. and the student may congratulate himself that this Course of training introduces him to the scientific method as applied to mental efficiency. And what is true of him is true of thousands of other persons. his employer asks. how they are getting on with the plastering and whether they have done the second coat yet. you not only fill the treasure-house of your inward resources. this is quite an unscientific outlook. Nothing is so annoying to an employer as inaccuracy on the part of his staff due to want of attentive observation of detail.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. To speak plainly. He doesn’t know. They leave this important matter of training to the chances of experience and to such inward urgings as may by nature move them...COM Lesson 13: The World of People (Part Four) V. Training Left to Chance Now the man who did not notice in a case like this may be in reality a clever fellow only he has never taken the trouble to develop a habit of observation. SENSE VALUES IN MONEY We said that the value of sense-training was also financial and commercial. and that these two leading senses never call for practiced discipline. Other things being equal. he has never realized the importance of doing so. A young man is sent to a job with some message for the foreman. . as he opens the foreman’s answer. He didn’t notice. enabling you to hear more and see more than the average man. it is the trained mind that wins. When he comes back. In this we are grievously mistaken.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and hear everything that is worth hearing. We seem to imagine that we see everything that is worth seeing. In spite of all our boasted love of science we seem seldom to apply that science to our development. How different the impression made on the employer’s mind by a young man who could tell him promptly that they had done the second coat on all but the ground floor.

but when anything comes within range of his eyes he sees all there is to be seen.. says a lady went into a certain store to buy a lace collar. The tradesman soon saw that she could not tell the difference between a fine and a coarse grade. The head of a large firm.COM Ponder this fact: that men looked at the potato for three hundred years before they saw its food possibilities. between a machine-made and a hand-made article. when asked why he employed such an ignorant man for a buyer.. every one of us without exception—the student. It so happened that only the cheaper grades were in stock. replied. and these did not suit her.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "It is true that our buyer cannot spell correctly. but we are in constant need of a reminder. He noticed that she was better pleased as the price rose. or any feature which would be likely to render them unsaleable. because he will never see anything unless a book first points it out to him.. Of course such sharp practice is not consistent with business morality or with the policy of our modern shopkeepers. The "Buyer’s Eye" One reason why some uneducated men are so successful in business is because they are such excellent observers. Two Interesting Cases The value of a trained eye has often been referred to. "I shall never put in a bookish man as a buyer. and he has probably never read a book through in his life. an American psychologist. and I cannot recall a single instance when he failed to notice a defect in any line. learn facts at first hand. Instead of poring over books. "He buys over one million dollars’ worth of goods a year for us. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ." . which was nearly $10. but the case may serve as an example of the general principle insisted upon in this Lesson.50. these men.00 more than he had at first asked her for the same quality of goods.NKADOJ@GMAIL. so he sold her a "fine imported" specimen at $12. even the woman who goes shopping. the business man. Halleck. moving around the busy world. so he kept making new discoveries in his stock and raising the price each time.

 There are rubies—and rubies. such a combination is too seldom encountered. Nearly every object. if it be subjected to close analysis. will yield a similar discovery. With the aid of a jewelers’ microscope.NKADOJ@GMAIL. was superior to theory.C. the artificial can be distinguished from the real gem with absolute assurance... has drawn up a little guide to "ruby reality.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. While there is nothing that forbids a proper combination of book knowledge with a use of our senses at first hand. This is a wide sphere in itself. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Sc. B. Precious Stones Another instance of the financial value of keen powers of observation is seen in the ability to distinguish the artificial from the real.COM This business man’s verdict was a tribute to the value of observation. he said. but let us take one example that sometimes concerns us individually—precious stones. Mr.. Noel Heaton.S... and of the certainties that arise from such a study. F. Out of any random group of average men and women. . how many can tell the politely termed "synthetic" ruby from the real thing? Probably not one per cent." The passage italicized in the third column bears striking witness to the value of a study of detail. which.

" Later.. 3112. .NKADOJ@GMAIL. one of which is Accuracy and the other is Speed. or imagine that you see it. some persons remember more easily those circumstances presented to their minds through the sense of sight. This point has been anticipated in a previous lesson. or whether or not they change color. All these operations depend on accuracy in noticing difference and agreement. Every sense plays a part in the problem of memory. If. Until you have. Often the memory of individuals is keenly responsive to the senses of touch. According to the relative development of their senses.   Thus. you should repeat aloud several times. you remember what you hear better than what you see. you should look well at the telephone number in print or in your own handwriting. smell and taste. ACCURACY AND SPEED There are two desirable attributes in the power of observation. One of the first. while others more readily remember through impressions of sound. and also one of the most difficult things in training the senses is to separate the action of one from the other.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM You may persuade yourself you know all about your business or profession.. but there is generally a region of detail where surprises are possible. "3112. if your memory is better for visual inspections. by considerable practice. Sometimes a very close inspection of material is necessary in order to discover defects. on the other hand. you should entrust the task to the mind through the better developed sense. when you have trained the senses to work together.. and this accuracy is the direct result of attention. Let us suppose that you want to remember the telephone number. you should combine both impressions. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but these are of less general utility in ordinary everyday life. It is necessary to look at some things very carefully in order to be sure whether or not they move. Lesson 13: The World of People (Part Five) VI. trained sight and hearing to work in perfect co-operation.

. taking note     not only of the meaning of the words but also of their appearance. their relative position on the paper. The student should be able to use any one sense to the full. A Deficient Sense There are very few people who have an equally good memory for sights and for sounds. try reading it aloud to yourself. Thus. naturally. recalling them by their relations. therefore it is necessary that the sense which is deficient should be developed. and their actual sound. .. of whole and part. The natural tendency is to put all the work on the sense which seems to do it more easily.COM In many cases what may be termed the sense memory is weak but a strong ratiocinative memory exists—that is. or by kindred associations explained in Lesson IX. a memory depending upon the intellectual faculties alone and dealing with ideas through processes of reasoning. and with them you will also be uniting a better mental impression of the meaning of what you are studying.. a boy may have a poor memory. If. To do so. yet as a stamp collector may be able to identify thousands of stamps.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. By mental impression we mean the result of reflection on the material supplied by the senses. because his physical or sense impressions have been strengthened by the mental impressions arising out of his love for philately. and this works to the detriment of the other functions.NKADOJ@GMAIL. You would thus be sending to the brain a visual impression and an aural impression at the same time (both being physical impressions). you find it difficult to remember anything in writing or in print. which should be compelled to bear a share of the burden. therefore. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . will increase not only the accuracy but also the speed with which he assimilates information.    of cause and effect. but he should also be able to compel other senses to assist in acquiring exact knowledge and in memorizing it. and assign their values.

    What do these sections and divisions amount to? What is there effect upon you? How are they going to improve your mental abilities and impart moral interests? In what way can they increase your finer sensibilities as well as your emoluments? . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL.. to the eye at least. on returning. try to remember everything that has appealed to your senses. odors. the better it is as a guide to facts. The formula may be stated: "Train separately. and found that it has all the appearance of being genuine.COM Similarly another boy may be able to name every car that passes him on the road. he at once notes its differences from other cars known to him and his mental magnet soon picks up its name and its qualities and characteristics. But this does not prove that you must educate the senses together. After you have carefully examined a coin about which you are doubtful. and the more highly developed each sense is. however. No more does the fact that when you examine a piece of cloth to see that it is all wool you do not trust to your sight alone... If a car strange to him appears. This development can be secured by training the sense in isolation from other senses—at any rate as much as possible. and the method of securing this separate and individual training is an important point in laying the foundation of mental culture. Summary and Personal Application Look back upon the pages you have read and pondered. In practical work. use unitedly. it is best found to train the senses separately. you call in the aid of the sense of hearing by ringing the coin on the table to compare its sound with your recollection of the true ring. sounds. Train Separately: Use Unitedly In one way all the senses may be trained together. if you take a walk and. or test it with a genuine coin.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." We lay stress upon this principle because its importance has hitherto been generally ignored. and mental images of touch. you are reproducing sights. but run your fingers along the edge to compare it with your recollection of the peculiar feeling of wool. Thus. To use the senses together is one of the precautions necessary to obtain accurate knowledge.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. I saw him for just one minute. and we will deal with them at once. ‘how are you and all the friends in Omaha?’ He seemed quite staggered. therefore. ‘Good morning. you will enjoy the succeeding exercises. Begin to act. if not. as they are set out here. "He probably expected it would be necessary for him to recall our meeting. This Lesson shows you how to train the senses—especially those of sight and hearing. the circumstances and routine of your life will suggest many useful applications of them. that these efforts are fraught with great value and consequence to your future career. you will go through them perfunctorily and receive only a fraction of the possible benefit. . "Two years ago I was introduced to a Mr. or worse still. and 2. readily interpreting the material presented by quickened sensibilities." said a New York man one day as he stood in his store. Lesson 13: The World of People (Part Six) MEMORY TRAINING HOW TO REMEMBER NAMES AND FACES "My memory for names and faces has served me well.COM These are the personal questions you ask yourself. When you have studied the Memory Training section which follows. and profit accordingly. When you have practiced them formally. and I sold him more goods than if I failed to locate him. Determine that your senses shall be acute and that your mind shall be a keen instrument.’ I said. Have you made up your mind to do that training? If you have. that much depends on your own efforts.. Brown in Omaha.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Now we want you to realize two facts: 1.. Yesterday morning he opened my office door and I recognized him instantly. plunge into the exercises with judgment and enthusiasm. pretended to and bungled it. Brown. Of course he was all the more pleased that I saved him the trouble. Mr.

" The key to the whole position is found in the last phrase "never forgot… really seen it. are always associated with the name. especially when they are usually presented to our attention in immediate connection with the face to which they belong.COM "Yes.. and either the name or the face instantly recalls the other. And now I never forget a face—once I have really seen it. We are in the habit of seeing both together. or whom we meet casually in society or business. We seldom forget the names of persons with whom we correspond.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. if you think it over. Sound and Spelling . for instance. are easily remembered because we have the visual memory of them to help us. the names of people just introduced to us. memory is good business. Certain faces used in magazine advertisements. Whenever you find yourself unable to recall the name of a person that you have met dozens of times. as well as try to get a general impression. and whose name has never been to you anything but a sound." Names by Sound: Faces by Sight The great difficulty in remembering people’s names arises from the fact that the name is a "hearing" while the face is a "seeing.. and it has gradually blended with the general memory of the person to whom it belongs. I always look for a distinguishing mark." We have little or no difficulty in remembering names that we are in the habit of seeing in print or in writing." "Of course you practiced a good deal?" "Yes.. you will usually discover that is a person to whom you have never written. Names of famous persons. Brown has a blue mark on the bridge of his nose and his eyes are fiery. I tell you. they have been presented so often to the mind as ideas of equal strength. It is the names that we never see written or printed that we forget. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . because we are familiar with the visual appearance of the written name. which are continually before us in the newspapers.NKADOJ@GMAIL. that they have been blended into one idea.

if you have contracted it. . and using proper names when speaking to or of the people concerned.. even if it is not necessary to address him by it. paying particular attention to the spelling and to any peculiarities that the name suggests. They are under the impression that it is impolite to show a desire to have the names repeated. try for a while to get a stronger impression of names than of faces. He should also pronounce it aloud. MUSIC AND MEMORY It has sometimes been asserted that the memorization of music depends upon conditions entirely different from those involved in the ordinary mental processes of recollection. In order to cure yourself of this habit. and. Whenever you think of a person. and mentally to spell it. above all.NKADOJ@GMAIL. At fifty the memory for proper names begins to decline. the purely conventional arrangements of the score are apprehended through sight. do not forget to combine with the sound of the name an image of its written appearance. recall the name. so that one shall recall the other. the student should concentrate his efforts chiefly upon paying attention to the name when he hears it. just as are the letters on the printed page. when you meet people for the first time. and. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . does not represent a clearly defined set of ideas. Do not be content with such phrases as "Mr.COM In order to bring the sight memory of a face and the sound memory of a name into the same class. to make music a thing outside reason or intelligence. in recalling it.." It is useful at this age to devote a few minutes daily to the recall of personal names in groups associated with particular places and various periods of life: as it were to overhaul one’s stock of names and to see that they are all in their proper niches. Every time you meet a person whom you know. but an effective remedy is found in carrying out the hints just given. Music. and entirely upon feeling would be absurd. Nevertheless.. to establish some connection between them. …many persons are singularly careless in this respect and do not really hear the names. be sure to recall the name at the same time. This practice allows the sight impression of the person to be so much stronger than the sound impression of the name that the ideas do not unite.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.       Let him ask how it is spelled if he does not know. try to get the visual memory of it. Moreover. The stronger completely obliterates the weaker. It is important to pay attention to the name upon first introduction. or spell it to yourself. it is true. What’s-his-name. It cannot correctly be said to portray thought in the way in which language portrays it.

searching for the tiny cottage he had left as a lad of fifteen some twenty years before.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Phrase Divisions Take any musical composition and divide it into phrases. Take the first phrase of four bars. here is a sentence: "On a blazing afternoon in July. Open the book again. while his eyes ranged over the view spread before him. William Gerrish." This sentence can be dissected into over a score of ideas all of which are linked together into a single grammatical structure.COM Musical Analysis You can learn to read and remember music as you learned to read and remember your native tongue. Now close the book. In Sinding’s "Rustle of Spring"—to take a simple example—the divisions would naturally occur at the 4th... 8th.NKADOJ@GMAIL. In learning to read books you used first little words in short sentences. as before. without a break (i. begin at the first bar (that is..e. play it over and over again from the music. will naturally depend upon the type of composition. and later longer words in longer sentences. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The length of the phrase. and so on. and as far as possible each division should contain one musical phrase. . A phrase may include from four to eight bars. 12th bars. and as a general rule eight should be the maximum. commence with the third phrase (bars 9-12) and play that phrase ten to twenty times. stood mopping his forehead with a huge red pocket-handkerchief. ten times. When you can play the two phrases successfully from memory open the book again. and play the two phrases from memory. play the second phrase from the music ten to twenty times.. For instance. the commencement of the piece). without a break. Now there is an analogy between this process and that concerned with reading and remembering music. until you could take in ideas with great rapidity. dusty and tired from his long tramp across the Wiltshire downs. from the first to the eighth bar) trying it over ten times. however. Close the book and play the three phrases together. say ten to twenty times—then close the book and play the phrase ten times from memory.

 After giving this method a thorough trial with two or three compositions. muscular memory. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . intellectual or analytical memory. 5. initially. auditory memory. it will be to your advantage to co-ordinate them as far as you can. visual memory. and emotional memory. Obviously. 3. first playing it ten to twenty times from the music and then going back to the beginning of the piece and playing from memory down to the last phrase you have memorized. Take such a chant and look at it intently for about a minute. in music. but the student will find that having memorized one composition by this means he is developing the habit of memorizing music. the printed page of music should be regarded somewhat in the light of a picture.COM Continue in this way. and groups of notes. For the law of repetition has a much larger place in memory for music than in any other sphere of knowledge or practice. and so eventually it will be necessary to play each phrase only two to four times instead of ten to twenty times. you are invited to report progress.. Then shut your eyes and try to visualize the appearance of the chant itself. To make use of it. Visual Memory in Music This form of memory in general has been dealt with in earlier portions of the Course. Observe the appearance of chords. and the second composition attempted will present fewer difficulties. This method demands some time. 2. You may begin your practice in this direction with what is known as the Anglican single chant. scale passages. . and a little later you can proceed to deal with a double chant in the same manner. 4. adding a new phrase each time.. Notice the contour of runs. After a little practice you will be able to shut the chant-book and yet to remember the chant distinctly as a result of your visual impressions. The Five Forms of Musical Memory There are five forms of memory which may be employed either separately or all together or in various combinations.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. As your facility increases you can diminish the length of time during which you look at the printed chant.NKADOJ@GMAIL. and afterwards with still larger sections of music.. They are: 1.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. in the case of the pianist. try to reproduce the melody on the instrument. rhythm. This power can be developed by practice. and then try to reproduce the sound of it mentally without using the instrument or looking at the music. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM Auditory Memory in Music This form of musical memory depends upon the power of the brain to recall in imagination a succession of sounds. or by physiologists. Now it is a curious fact not yet fully explained by psychologists. The organists uses the same muscles as the pianist. but he employs constantly the muscles of his lips. but his provision of two-and-a-half octaves of pedal notes brings into considerably more extensive play the muscles of his legs and feet. though not quite in the same way. tongue and chest.. the two pedals of the piano necessitate a slight use of the muscles of the foot. and that it is not actually a property of muscle itself.NKADOJ@GMAIL." Muscular Memory The reproduction of music. no matter what the explanation. It will probably be recognized eventually that this muscular memory exists subconsciously. However. affords a useful material for early practice. by a human performer. Then. Begin with a simple melody. more or less independent of the memory centrally resident in the brain. play it through once on your instrument. this form of memory may here be styled for convenience "muscular memory. Here again the Anglican single chant. involves the use of certain muscles of the human body. The player on a wind instrument has no need to exercise the muscles of his legs when playing.." .. increase the difficulty by taking a passage of simple harmony instead of melody. the muscles employed are mainly those of the arm and hands. It is this form of musical memory which is evinced by those who "play only by ear and not by note. When this can be accomplished with some degree of certainty. from its structure. still without referring to the music. two or three lines in length. that a certain modified form of memory seems to reside in the muscles themselves.     In the case of the violinist. and the limitations of its compass.

again. you should observe throughout the occasions where the thumbs pass under the fingers. and also the relative positions of the hands and their motions to and from each other. Emotional Memory in Music Emotional memory is by far the most subtle of all forms of musical memory. and from thence to a chorale or hymn tune. Intellectual Memory in Music The intellectual or analytical form of musical memory is open to you only if you possess some knowledge of harmony and counterpoint. No effort of the muscles. It depends upon the fact that all music has an emotional value. Contrast the effect of the progression from the leading note to the tonic with the progression from the subdominant to the dominant. should pass unnoticed.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The importance which music teachers attach to correct fingering supports our teaching here. Every melodic progression and every harmonic combination has its own particular emotional significance. of inversion. concentrating your attention upon the movement of the fingers. If you have such knowledge you should analyze each chord and each harmonic and melodic progression. that muscle or set of muscles will in future have a tendency to reproduce the act automatically. This is particularly likely to be the case if some concentrated. you can best begin your practice upon an Anglican single chant and then pass on to a double chant. . conscious attention is devoted to the earlier repetitions of the muscular action. When. Here. and that there is an incessant variation from chord to chord and from bar to bar in the nature and strength of the emotion stimulated by the music as it advances.. play the piece two or three times. as the case may be. or lips. however slight.COM Its operation is evidenced in the circumstance that when a muscle or a set of muscles has repeatedly performed the same act.. you wish to make use of muscular memory in the memorization of a piece of music. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and afterwards to more florid and complicated examples.. therefore. and so forth.NKADOJ@GMAIL. If it is the piano you are playing. Attention should be paid carefully to the division into musical phrases and sentences—usually of 2 or 4 or 8 or 16 bars. feet. Compare the unrest of the interval of a seventh with the repose of the major third. The observation of this constant fluctuation of the emotional factor will be found in practice to facilitate to a considerable degree the memorization of music. Notice instances of sequence.

. Avoid working moodily in the spirit of "I suppose I must. Avoid that failing which neglects to adapt the Perception Exercises to the needs of your calling. It is based on forty years’ experience. Some star groups.NKADOJ@GMAIL. An Atlas of the Heavens will help you.. Strive to understand the meaning of the significant things you see and hear.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Proficiency is simply a question of time. Avoid every tendency to undervalue Perception in this system of mental training." Keep cheerful and press on. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . To catalog them in the mind is not enough. . and act up to your belief. Remember that what we know influences what we do.COM WHAT TO AVOID Avoid saying "My senses are naturally keen" until you can work all the exercises with speed and accuracy. Believe in your possibilities.. WHAT TO DO Determine to learn something purely by observation—so far as this can be done. for instance. Avoid the temptation to train in your way: follow ours. Avoid worry if progress is slow at first. Strive also to discover the important things which camouflage themselves in the apparel of the unimportant. Genius has unusual perceptive power as one of its primary characteristics. Ask yourself what new and undiscovered thing there is in your calling that might be brought to light by developed senses.

 It is important that. better. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The advantages of Ambition.. as well as in the art of written expression. and set apart an hour for concentration on it. Examine yourself as to your knowledge of the various points enumerated in Exercise I... Select three people whom you have met recently. Endeavor to maintain your attention for the full period. you should succeed in this exercise.COM Lesson 13: The World of People (Part Seven) EXERCISES Exercise LII Turn back to Exercise I. if possible. Exercise LIV As an exercise in clear and orderly thinking. Choose a room. Exercise LIII Select a subject or an object in which you are interested (or. Make notes if necessary. that is quiet.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 2. Who leads the world? . as you are nearing the end of the course. one to which you are indifferent). but have not had the opportunity of coming to know intimately. write a brief essay of not less than 250 but not more than 500 words. where you are not likely to be interrupted. on one of the following subjects: 1.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

catenation may often be profitably employed as a means of recalling the headings and important facts of study after these have been mastered. 5. . 4. An essay on any one of these subjects may be forwarded for criticism. as well as for the recollection of material for general knowledge or for examination purposes. which tests and supplies a clear understanding of the subject.D. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the preparation of the precis entails a careful analysis. secondly. Possible future developments of Wireless Communications.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the use of the catenation recalls the key-words in their correct sequence. Memorizing Instructions We will take comparatively simple examples first. A. A precis may be made. and lastly the key-words may be linked by catenation. 6. then key-words be supplied to represent each of the headings (important facts) of this precis..COM 3. Educational possibilities of the Cinema Theater. 2020. your own country) Social Life.. The value of this process is twofold:   First.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. APPENDIX I While it should never be regarded as a substitute for attentive study. The following groups of related instructions have been abbreviated from Infantry Section Leading. It will be evident that this procedure is well adapted for the preparation of a speech or sermon to be delivered without notes.. while the key-words recall by association their respective contexts. The World in A. Desirable changes in British (or. where the substance is already tabulated.

 These keywords are shown below in capital letters. 3. 4.NKADOJ@GMAIL. On line of march:— 1. 4.. 2. 2. Personal cleanliness to be ensured. 5. After the march:— 1. See food evenly distributed. When suitable. collars to be undone.COM CARE OF MEN 1.s to superintend rinsing mouths with water during halts only. After meal. In hot weather. Foot and sock inspection. Keep men in step and at even pace. No drinking of water from unauthorized sources. 7. There are five points to be remembered. clothing inspected for deficiencies.C. Fatigue must be equally allotted. Sections to change places after halts. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 4.O. 3. etc. At hourly halt. Encourage men to bring complaints to section commander. equipment. We will represent each by a key-word. 5. ... Smoking should be restricted. N. Equipment must be inspected. Arms. 2. superintend comfort of sleeping quarters. encourage singing. 6. 3. the intermediates in small letters. have men lie down. Emphasize importance of sanitation. FATIGUES—COMPLAINTS—illness—SANITATION—CLEANLINESS—water—FOOD MARCH DISCIPLINE Before starting:— 1.

important. Populates it with discontented persons from neighboring regions. . The catenation which follows should be compared step by step with this precis.COM In this case. Memorizing a Precis Below is a condensed summary of the early mythical period of Ancient Rome. Aenea reaches Italy.. Descendants of Aeneas rule country for three centuries. we will alternate each key-word with a single intermediate. Establishes himself in Latium after war with Turnus. and fails to kill his grand-nephews Romulus and Remus. Mars. 3. Romulus founds Rome in 753 B.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.C. there are as many as twelve points to consider. As men. they destroy usurper. and gives them wives by means of the Rape of the Sabines.NKADOJ@GMAIL. B. however. groundwork of much literature. There he marries daughter of the King Latinus. and he is henceforward worshiped as the god Quirinus. Then Amulius usurps throne. his matrimonial rival.. The key-words shown in italics represent numbers expressed in the Figure Alphabet.. Romulus is finally transported to the gods by his father. part and parcel of Roman religion. EQUIPMENT—soldier—REGULAR—terrier—LIE DOWN—berth—PLACE—plaice— WATER—pipe—SMOKING—fire—HEAT—singeing—SINGING—dancing—FEET— socks—CLOTHING—shrinkable—DRINKABLE—rum-ration—COMFORT. Beginning of this "history" is mythical. FACT—fancy—LITERATURE—culture—RELIGION—joy—TROY—horse—knee— AENEAS—Assisi—ITALY—Latin—LATINUS—LATINUM—umpire—over—TURNUS— turn—show—AMUSES—AMULIUS—Julius—USURPER—Serpentine—stream—REMUS and ROMULUS—boys—MEN—menace—KILL—capital—Capitol—ROME—Horatio— Nelson—COLUMN—solemn—DISCONTENTED—sour-grape—RAPE—rapine—war— MARS—Marseillaise—choir—QUIRINUS. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and their correct sequence is important. possible foundation in fact. Actually it employs relatively more key-words than will be found necessary as the student becomes familiar with the use of this method. Fleeing from Troy. To avoid possible ambiguity. 2. in connection with: 1.

 Two men at a club look very much alike. To remember the difference between the complement and the supplement of an angle in geometry: the "complement" is what remains after subtracting from "one" right angle. In an examination in geography. One is named Weissmann and the other Gardner.." which agrees with the number of right angles in each term. ." one of which is an adverb." and none in "Rockies" or "broad. simply by the perception of a naturally-existing connection. and you select the peculiarity to distinguish them. the "supplement" is what remains after subtracting "two" right angles.NKADOJ@GMAIL. he will discover a great many cases in which he can find the elements of recollection in the things themselves. It is in the little things of life that the ability to remember without a note-book is the most useful... The only difference between the words themselves is in the final letters." and that there are two in "supplement." 2). the Rockies or the Andes. There is an "i" and also a "g" in "Cambridge" and in "light": there is neither in "Oxford" and in "dark. while the other is a preposition." 5). a little girl could never remember which mountain chain had the broader plateau." the idea was fixed.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind." Compare the alphabetical order of these final letters with the alphabetical order of the initials of the words "adverb" and "preposition." and the agreement is at once apparent. but their use. Weissmann wears glasses. In this case it is not the meaning of the words that you wish to fix. Let us suppose that they are the German words "unten" and "unter. and has trained his mind to act under the control of the will. "n" and "r. 4). Two foreign words confuse you. because there are two s’s in "Weissmann" and also in "eyeglass. and you can never recollect which is which. 3). When it was pointed out to her that there was an "n" in "Andes" and in "narrow. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The "Oxford" color is dark blue and the "Cambridge" is light blue.COM APPENDIX II Recollection in Things Themselves If the student has conscientiously practiced the exercises given in the preceding Lessons. 1). Observe that there is only one "p" in "complement.

 It means also greater pleasure in reading. This implies wise choice. LESSON 14: THE USE AND ABUSE OF READING: HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR MENTAL LIFE FOREWARD .NKADOJ@GMAIL..COM PELMAN LESSON XIV To read to the best advantage you must economize time and energy. It will help you in the organization of your mental life. That is one reason why we call them good. The next lesson is a little treatise on the art of reading. for it is a popular error that good books are dry.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. They are in fact easier to read than bad ones of similar scope. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ... with suggestions on taking notes.

A book is a look at life through another man’s eyes. whatever value you give to the printed volume. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Or it is a mirror that reflects from an individual angle the thought and manners of the age in which it was written. a greater value—for you—must come from your own vision and reflection.. the mirror may be more or less true.COM Scores of books have been written telling us how other books should be read. The author may see clearly or dimly. At any rate. Therefore. What is your verdict? Probably that from most of them one may learn something.. The Use and Abuse of Reading: How to Organize Your Mental Life I. Your reverence for great authors will be conditioned by the quality of your response. if the writer has made a close study of the life about him and has written honestly what he believe..NKADOJ@GMAIL. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS . But how can we know how to judge him? Only by looking at life ourselves. he is so far worthy of our attention. You have perhaps inspected some of them.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

NKADOJ@GMAIL. he does not know where to find them.. but. because he is a stranger to the art of note-taking. of course. The "Know How" of Books If you have already formed sound habits in this respect you are to be congratulated. It is. he has no idea how to use the index for this purpose. still more pronounced. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . he writes at unnecessary length. speaking from long years of experience. observation. a concern of no little importance that we should know how to make the best use of the time devoted to reading. mainly because it deals with an entirely different subject. Do not say you have no time for such things. Besides. You have time. This Lesson is rather different from the previous lessons. It will be found to be a quiet book.COM First. . but great numbers come from reading of printed matter. We receive ideas from several sources. a book which invites the student to a series of sober reflections on Reading and Study. the PELMANIST’S ideal includes the life of thought as well as the life of action. and if he wishes to keep a record of his reading. if you will but organize your spare moments.. and the course of instruction would not be complete without a lesson on the meaning and value of books. therefore. If he is compelled to consult six books in a hurry. he is like a mariner without chart or compass. a word of explanation. we can say positively that even he whom we may call the practiced student is often discovered wasting energy.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. conversation. if he desires to know the authorities on a specified subject. and this Lesson is an effort to ensure that the student shall do so. in its numerous forms. reflection. With the unpracticed man this defect is.     If he wants a group of facts to use in a speech or an address..

astronomy: how few people there are who have really mastered them! In the years to come it is possible that there will be a multiplication of those realms of knowledge which must be left to the specialist while the great majority must be satisfied with little more than the name and a sketchy description. and follow us step by step as we try to disclose what are to us the secrets of efficiency in the use of books. One great book. however charmingly they may be embodied in language. One fine idea. II. and to exclaim: "I shall never know anything about it. thoroughly mastered." They are.COM The Power of an Idea So please betake yourself to some quiet corner. Take geology.. or else poison the springs of our being.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but the general bearings of whole spheres of knowledge in relation to other spheres may be comprehended in part.. and it will also prevent us from accepting the inaccuracies of the past and present. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . To take up a subject for investigation and to see its innumerable ramifications as evidenced by the library catalog compels one to heave a sigh. But it is a mistake in action to imagine that one must submit readily to what appears inevitable.. even though the mass of detail may defy us. THE VASTNESS OF KNOWLEDGE One of the hindrances that stand in the way of many students is a sense of the vastness of knowledge." This is a natural feeling. free from interruptions. and it applies to many educated men and women.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. entering into your very being. "Thoughts are things. To be able to value the thoughts found in literature is to have an ability which gives us the best reflections of the ages in their true perspective. no doubt. The field of knowledge. biology. . may become a turning-point in your life. as well as to those who could not be classified as such. in the sense that they become those invisible realities which drive us forward and move us to finer issues. is vast beyond conception. physics. It is often said. may transform your existence. and we can specialize in no more than a small section of it.

and therefore useless. Herbert Spencer. J.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Spencer on Knowledge-Masses In this connection it is interesting to recall a confession made by that eminent Victorian. that a knowledge of detail which might be spoken of as encyclopedic is not always an advantage. if measured by the number of facts known. but to say that a smaller modicum of knowledge is superficial. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . is wholly to mistake what superficial knowledge consists in and what education aims at. not of the knowledge you acquire. One need not then be afraid of the change of superficiality. and to be able to put it to the best use.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Balfour. You may know very little and not be superficial. it might have been called the reverse of superficial if measured by the quality of facts."² 1 Autobiography. indeed. 335. clouding vision and preventing fertility of imagination. and in this connection Lord Balfour spoke some very apposite words... 107. then. it may be a positive disadvantage. p. p."¹ Balfour on Superficiality We see. 2 The Mind of A. He says: "My acquaintance with things might have been called superficial. "A friend who possessed extensive botanic knowledge once remarked to me that had I known as much about the details of plant structure as botanists did. "Knowledge of the general principles may be obtained by those who have neither the time nor the ability to master all the details of any particular branch of science. I should never have reached those generalizations concerning plant morphology which I have reached. Superficiality is a quality of yourselves. .. The real secret is to know well what we do know.

Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . there are some who have leisure in the morning only. Very few people organize their leisure so as to use it to the best advantage. Systematize Your Leisure PELMAN Students embrace every type of leisured and non-leisured individual.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it becomes ever more difficult to find time for all that we must or would do. and every economy in the disposal of time is valuable.. There is the married woman who hardly knows when there may be an hour to spare. money will not buy time. and at the same time to make the best use of their opportunities for intellectual and social culture? The answer is this: only by re-casting a time-table already in use and adapting it to changing circumstances. and perhaps.      There is the man or woman who has an hour or two in the evening. Nevertheless. For instance. and a few who never know whether it will be morning. after all. a time-table that has been in use for some months may be found to be defective because it gives more time to less important subjects than to those which are more important . but. and. there is the man who has nothing special to do.COM Lesson 14: The Use and Abuse of Reading (Part Two) III. there is often room for slight improvements. and there is the youth who says he never has a moment he can call his own! How are these individuals to organize their mental life in such a way as to conserve health and happiness. at mid-day. Our allowance of time is strictly limited.. In the fifth Lesson we gave some hints as to the formation of a Time-table.. THE DIFFICULT QUESTION OF TIME Proverbial philosophy says vaguely that time is money. you have succeeded in bringing your spare-time hours into something like formulation and efficiency. ere this.NKADOJ@GMAIL. as life becomes increasingly complicated. or in the evening.

but. you are too tired. the advantage of which must not be lost. for a mood sometimes indicates a valuable disposition. your mood is to take up the last subject on the list instead of the first. When real fatigue (as distinct from mere disinclination) overtakes you. In such circumstances it is wisdom to desist. when you sit down to your evening’s work.    go out into the open air. In a book published forty years ago we find a bibliography of no less than fifty-two "Guides to Reading. that the order of the subjects is not the best. or have a game of billiards or. until he confesses (as many well-read people must) that he has not read them. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Occasionally..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Fatigue Further. even so. there is the question of fatigue. you may find you cannot complete your evening programme. no man can successfully prescribe another man’s reading in its entirety. and that recreation instead of coming at the end of a two hours’ period. also.. Why? Because the selection of books is largely a matter of personal preference. . take up the last. or because of some need which has only recently manifested itself. a romp with the children. If. should intervene. "BEST" BOOKS Advice on reading used to be a good deal more prolific in the past than it is to-day. It is possible. and there is also a truly scientific method of gaining knowledge from books.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. No doubt there are certain books which every well-educated person is presumed to have read.COM by reason of their intrinsic worth. if you are a parent. A time-table should not be too rigid. and yet you strongly desire to continue." but nobody seems to pay any attention to them nowadays. IV..

and thus with a clear conscience we may consult our individual tastes and pursue culture along the lines of our temperament and disposition. but until experts shall have arrived at an agreement as to the lines which it should be best to follow. . or the much older volume by Archbishop Trench On the Study of Words. but partly in the mood of Professor Weekley’s Romance of Words. we cannot hope for its realization. Nevertheless.. Word Study The enjoyment of literature is enjoyed by careful attention to the nature. R. meanings and uses of words.L. and should be frequently recalled. either at the moment or at the close of his reading. so that even men whom literature is a matter of lifelong interest are now and then at a loss. not in the sense of studying philology. (a) in the light of dictionary definitions. hence the free use of a dictionary is recommended. and (b) of synonyms.NKADOJ@GMAIL. we may most easily fix the right spelling in our memory. and he should make a point of consulting the dictionary. It is by reading and appreciating this information that. and partly.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. At the same time the image of the word correctly spelled should be vividly impressed. he has time to look up new or difficult words when he meets them. Stevenson confessed that he was one of this class.COM Our literary heritage is so vast that no man can read all that he would. Correct Spelling Here it may be noted for the benefit of those who are conscious of weakness in this direction that English spelling is notoriously difficult to master. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . we have to do our best to master the anomalous standard orthography. and we agree with him. Any dictionary of greater than pocket size gives something of the history of a word and tells of cognate words in other languages.. The difficulty arises from the conflict of two principles: the phonetic and the etymological. It is much to be desired that a reform should be taken in hand. Meanwhile. To look up a word in a dictionary implies a good deal more than a momentary settlement of the question whether it contains a double consonant or whether a obscure vowel sound is represented by an a or an e. But the average readers says he has no time for this detailed investigation. To write it several times enlists the aid of "motor imagery": the hand comes at last almost automatically to form the right letters.. in nine cases out of ten.

Evolution in the Light of Modern Knowledge (Blackie)—a collective work in which every branch. He will read Libby’s Introduction to the History of Science.COM Dictionaries that are at once popular and scholarly are plentiful. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. writing. Rose’s An Outline of Modern Knowledge (Gollancz) is a useful all-round guide. (Williams & Norgate). Jeans’ The Stars in Their Courses (C. He might begin with Hudson’s Introduction to English Literature (Harrap). We would specially recommend for the use of those who already possess a clear general idea of the trends of modern science. Eddington’s The Nature of the Physical World (Dent). or any other section of the subject.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Physics." as explained and illustrated in the Oxford or any other considerable dictionary. for information as to principles and methods. Press). A note should be made of: 1. Dent). or thinking. the only true plan is to study the actual books of that period. Thus equipped. whether in speaking. what used to be called "a bird’s-eye view. He needs a comprehensive survey. would never be guilty of using so important a word inaccurately. not to confine ourselves . and 3. and to the same author’s Biology for Everyman (2 volumes. If a close acquaintance with a period of English Literature is desired.. Chemistry. Andrade & Huxley’s Simple Science (1934) is a notable introduction to our knowledge of Nature.. How ought he to carry out this recommendation? By choosing a good book to act as an introduction to the whole subject. English Literature The same method is employed in LITERATURE. W.U. A reader who masters the word "Law.. he can easily choose books dealing with Botany. and the greater dictionaries can generally be consulted at a library. is treated by an eminent specialist. Introductions to Science Let us suppose the reader of these pages has been advised to study the record of SCIENCE." He may therefore turn to Professor Thomson’s Introduction to Science. (Harrap) for an account of the development of these principles from the earliest times to the present day. including Psychology. 2.

. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . the Cambridge History of English Literature. But no period can be severed from those which go before and come after it.. edited by Ward & Waller in fifteen volumes.M. picked up by chance. can be recommended.E. Webb’s History of Philosophy.COM to summaries or analyses written by historians and critics.H. and desires to know more about what philosophers have thought and written. The wide sweep of such a volume gives the student a sense of perspective. a reader has had his curiosity aroused. Muirhead.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. For lengthy passages from all authors The World’s Best Books (Newnes). Along with this an introduction to the problems of philosophy should be taken in hand. Bertrand Russell’s Problems of Philosophy. The Oxford Companion to English Literature (Oxford University Press). which of late years been brought up-to-date. say. Or he might read Contemporary British Philosophy. C. Such a survey is found in: 1. Durant’s Story of Philosophy. consequently here again the comprehensive survey should be undertaken first of all.. Joad’s Guide to Modern Thought (Faber) is a useful exposition. which contains personal statements by many of the leading thinkers of the present day. though these also have their legitimate use. 2. especially as likely to inspire a wish to study certain authors in a more comprehensive way. . and Sellar’s Essentials of Philosophy. is a good guide to general study. he is less likely to estimate falsely the importance of any special period he has chosen. also in Stopford Brooke’s little book English Literature. How ought he to proceed?   He should first read a general history. Philosophy The subject may be PHILOSOPHY. and more likely to interpret its authors in the light of the influence which then prevailed. Having read a book on Platonism. After this. are modern and very competent account of matters as they stand at present. edited by J. or get out of the library Lewes’ Biographical History of Philosophy.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the student will be in a position to appreciate:     William James’ Pragmatism or Henri Bergson’s Creative Evolution.

 HOW TO READ (a) Read with the spirit of Expectation.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Books on HISTORY are not so difficult to select as in other subjects. for too often it betokens confused thinking. e.. It is to be presumed that the author whose work is before you and whose name is well known. . a good general introduction is G.. one might well begin with Salomon Reinach’s Apollo (English translation. Architecture. hence detailed advice is not needed. and such a style is always suspect. for new and better books are continually appearing. In reference to Events. Lesson 14: The Use and Abuse of Reading (Part Three) V. has given a good deal of time and reflection to the matter and to the form of his expression. Taylor’s Great Events in History (Cassell’s). authors. and the members of the Literary Staff of the Institute are always ready to advise you on any branch of study you may wish to take up. Some authors have a difficult style. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . may result in your losing much that is good and beneficial. Poetry. consequently you are justified in your expectant attitude. or antagonism. What is of consequence here is an apprehension of the right method. You will never take the trouble to do this if your mind is full of antipathies. But we shall not burden our pages with numerous titles.R. To approach the book in the spirit of prejudice.. Heinemann). but their thoughts are often worth digging out.S. passing thence to the more sectional studies. Text-books of these give the reader a bird’s-eye view of the whole subject.g. The Fine Arts In ART. and publishers.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Painting.

with a fixed bayonet. Are they true? Are they expedient? Are they useful? Are they well expressed? That is. and see and feel with him. 4. in order to understand his intention. divorced from its context and read aloud to the company. we must sit by his side. But this is very different from the spirit of the reader before whose mind there is a sentry-box. consequently. 3. A man picked up a book from the drawing-room table. but with an open mind. and who himself. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 2. for we cannot in that position look through his eyes and feel with his heart. which. to confront the author. as it were.. we do not perceive his meaning. for that book—a novel—was written by a distinguished author and is highly regarded by all competent critics. Everybody was amused—and misled. 1. They compel us. To preserve our own individuality we must put his views to the test. fights against the entrance of other men’s ideas. . we must exercise the spirit of friendly challenge. seemed the very apex of absurdity. "What’s this fool writing about?" He opened the book. and his influence is in excess of his worth or his services to truth.COM A certain measure of sympathy is necessary for the interpretation of any author. so to speak. saying.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. It is infinitely better to possess the spirit of the Greeks on Mars’ Hill and to give a ready ear to every new teacher..NKADOJ@GMAIL. and we cannot do that with success unless we line up with him and face life from the same standpoint. Unfair Verdicts The man who is perpetually challenging authors and speakers in this military fashion often wins a false reputation for acuteness.. No man gets into the limelight more easily than the iconoclast. not with the intention of accepting as a matter of course all he has to say. and evaluate his results. Prejudice and antagonism prevent this mental maneuver. and instantly fell on a rather weak sentence. A Friendly Challenge to Authors The publication of a book is really an invitation by the author to share his reflections.

 Your interest in the Gulf of Mexico and the islands adjacent is deepened. you may harbor a doubt whether the alleged cause is sufficient to account for the result. if you are closely critical.. 2. Here you have an immense stream of warm water pursuing a northward course from the Mexican Gulf. its northward course.. it is another method of unifying our knowledge. if you are not very critical. you accept the explanation at once. and it is symptomatic of the manner in which many readers have formed their literary opinions. not a serious attitude towards a well-known novel. is it?" and 1. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . They are guided too much by the dogmatic assertions of men and women with nimble minds and acid tongues. Have these volcanic islands no connection with the origin of the Gulf Stream? .COM You may say. and there falls into your hands a book describing the earthquake at Martinique. 1. As a guide to proper critical attitudes study Ratcliffe’s Prose of Our Time (Nelson). "Oh! that’s the cause. and of purple during the penning of Salammbo. Thus. This means that we have to compare and contrast what the writer says with our previous information or ideas on the same subject." You say. and you were quite satisfied with the knowledge of its starting-point in the Gulf of Mexico. you can inquire into the possible relationship between colors and ideas. only in this case we bring the past and the present together with the express purpose of evolving a new idea. when you read that Flaubert was dominated by the color of sepia while writing Madame Bovary. and its effect on the climate of Western Europe. At school you learned something about the Gulf Stream. At this point you bring your past reading into line with your more recently obtained ideas. and in the same region you have volcanic islands.. or indulge in the imaginative exercise of deciding the colors of modern novels. Creative Reading: New Ideas (b) We must also read Creatively. In later years you were curious to know more about the origin of this stream of warm water. "But this was a joke. Let us take another illustration of the critical spirit in reading. Some months pass.NKADOJ@GMAIL.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and on looking into the subject you found that scientists and geographers believed "the chief cause of its existence is the heating up of the waters of the warm Equatorial current." It was a joke which—temporarily—affected the judgment of more than one person in that company.

Or your new idea about the volcanic origin of the Gulf Stream may be neither true nor new.. the mental process is the right one. you do not study them from text-books as if they were bundles of disconnected facts.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Lichtenberg." Both theories may be in some measure true. although we may not know the degree of truth each contains. If you are studying Geography. It is one thing to know where to find the Straits of Dover on a map of Europe. it may prove to be an old and long-discarded idea.NKADOJ@GMAIL. it brings together your past and present reading into a creative union. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . it is another thing to know the effect of that stretch of water on the making of Britain. says. however. But too many of our thoughts and facts are land-locked. you study their interrelations. A moderate idea might become a good idea by communication with associated ideas if easy access were possible. Truth or not. Is not the ocean bed rather thin in these parts. Geography and History   What is the influence of mountains on the growth of Thought? How have the Alps affected History and Commerce? . so that the internal fires heighten the temperature of the sea? Should the answer be in the affirmative. or Political History. Economics. in his Reflections. But this is not the point. so as to accelerate the internal traffic between my stocks of thought!" A mental canal system is not a bad idea to keep in mind. Unify Your Knowledge Let us take another illustration which brings out the value of direct interrogation. "If only I could mark out canals in my head. it will not necessarily destroy the theory of "equatorial currents.COM 2.. indeed.

responsible for its favored development of genius? These. Bascom’s Comparative Psychology. may unveil some hitherto hidden law of the solar system. but one that deals with what we call mind..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. A. the pleasure and illumination of reading. inquiring into Professor Jevons’ idea there is a casual relation between the recurrence of commercial crises and the appearance of sun-spots.COM  Was the position of Greece in the Mediterranean Sea. And it may chance that some private investigator. and the drought in Australia may take money out of the pockets of men all the way from Sydney to Cairo. for every life is affected by it. or its broken coastline. it is matter that often concerns you. Sayce. hang together in the scheme of existence. Buckle showed us that the number of marriages was in his day governed by the price of corn. and. The solidarity of material things has its analogy in the studious contemplation of other and more spiritual phenomena. every science and art has its manuals of the comparative method." We can recall. even though no fully satisfactory answer be forthcoming.    A shortage of some commodity in the East is the cause of suffering in the West. and from Cairo to London. the bankruptcy of certain firms in Europe may have its origins in Kentucky or Louisiana. and a hundred other questions. may be asked by an inquiring mind. The Value of Comparative Study For this purpose no books are so helpful as those which belong to the "comparatives.. mark well. there is usually answer enough to demonstrate the unity of all human interests. this unity is not merely matter for the philosopher to reflect upon in the quietude of his study. Principal Lloyd Morgan’s later book with a similar title has the same comprehensive treatment on more modern lines. the lower the price the higher the marriage and birth rates.. And. years ago.   For the student of words there is the Comparative Philology of Prof. not a law respecting matter. H. The Solidarity of Existence All things.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the medical student has Bell’s Comparative Anatomy: indeed. . for instance. high and lowly. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

" Similarly Botticelli’s formula was "neutrality". Lesson 14: The Use and Abuse of Reading (Part Four) The Value of the Formula (c) The formula method of reading and study." So Shakespeare has been described as "a poet whom circumstances made into a dramatist..NKADOJ@GMAIL. what I need is to have the formula of my subject. An illustration is found in the work of Henri Taine.. His biographer says of him that before writing on any subject. his qualities. for we find him adopting the same method. Needless to say. judiciously practiced. it will not only unify his knowledge and introduce him to an excellent method of inquiry." He then gives an illustration. however. Evidently it appealed to Walter Pater. we do not necessarily recommend the purchase and study of these books: they are used here as illustrations of an idea. that of . after analyzing Merimee. In a letter (1855) to DeWitt. but it needs guarding. What is the peculiar sensation." The ingenuity of this idea will not be denied. In short.COM But if the reader can get a hold of treatises which trace an idea or a fact throughout many different spheres. he will have an additional gain. What is this man’s or that object’s real self? 2.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. is often fraught with excellent results. All his faults. Pater decided that the French writer’s formula was. but help him to memorize on a logical basis. it was his invariable plan to ask himself: 1. "a delight in the crude naked form of man. the peculiar quality of pleasure which his work has the property of exciting in us and which we cannot get elsewhere? 3. "An orator who becomes a historian. by comparison and contrast.. what is the formula? Thus. he said: "The difficulty which I experience in an investigation is to discover a characteristic and dominant feature. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . his influences… may be traced to that. from which everything can be geometrically deduced: in a word. The formula for Livy is. One cannot "deduce geometrically" when qualities not quantities are involved.

though you can often find a formula which will greatly assist in the interpretation of a person. John Galsworthy. but we do desire to know in what sense the method employed is sound. write down a few distinctive impressions of each. Taine wanted to deduce everything geometrically.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. There was a purpose. Aldous Huxley.COM Leonardo was "clairvoyance. for each writer separately. and P. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Wells. Anyhow. one for St. and you can begin to think of phrasing the formula. The result of this search ought to bring you near to the predominating conceptions.. and the formula is an attempt to define it in language." It is not for us to agree or disagree with these findings. . This. G. When the investigation is complete.B. that such a formula would embody the whole man. so take a list of their works.NKADOJ@GMAIL.  not their chief incidents only. No one supposes. of course. Hugh Walpole. Priestley. J. There is doubtless a formula for Plato. Most people have read H. and we can think of no exercise more intellectually fascinating than the attempt to discover the formula of writers in whom one is interested. it will be found interesting to compare your conclusions with those of other investigators. It is sound in this sense: that every mind which has impressed itself on the world must have an inward urge towards some specified idea. Wodehouse. but in spite of his brilliance he did not succeed. the one property that is common to all his novels. however. Joseph Conrad.. in the final issue. The similarities will confirm themselves. but the differences may require a good deal of harmonizing. Arnold Bennett. may be an advantage of considerable importance. then seek.G. it can do no more than indicate the significance of that side of him which is expressed in his work. Fiction Should one’s interest be more exclusively modern. Paul. You cannot cram a personality into a formula. attention can be given to the prominent novelists of the day. Limitations of the Method The danger lies in pressing the method too far.. one for Herbert Spencer. and one for Winston Churchill. you will know the works of these novelists as you never knew them before.

rather than appealing to pure intellect. the writer’s works disclose. The Classics (d) There is a right way. or 3. Sometimes it is vague.   Sometimes it is a shoddy affair. in their unity. Micawber’s. the poem itself. as in the case of the dark-horse politician who poses as a statesman and causes onlookers to ask: "What’s his game?" It means that he refuses to disclose his formula... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Meanwhile. or 2.    Now this is the wrong way to study a classic. On the other hand.COM   not merely the events of the World of William Clissold. The first reading should be given up to the enjoyment and appreciation of the poet’s music and message.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but the philosophy of life which. you have selected an edition of Spencer’s Faerie Queene. for instance. is held up until these details have been settled. Suppose.. .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. you turn to the "notes" to learn the meaning of this and that. you consult also a Classical Dictionary and a book on English History. the Old Wives’ Tale. whether it be a great book of ancient wisdom or a more modern utterance. Let details stand over until the second reading. or the scheme of: 1. The Forsyte Saga. After reading a stanza or two. Every PELMANIST who has mastered Lesson V has a formula that is as crystalline in its clearness as it is forceful in its activity. like Mr. just as there is a wrong way of approaching a classic. although picturesque. the story of Nostromo. He is speaking to the whole man. which is the one reality. Every Man Has His Formula Remember this: that every man has his formula. duly supplied with an introduction and notes by some competent scholar. the assignment of a formula such as "wait and see" or "my spiritual home" for the purpose of discrediting a particular statesman is a cheap device from which many a prominent man has suffered.

the school editions of classics. social and otherwise. he intends the reader to keep pace with him and thus to share his feeling and his flights of imagination. have set up the habit of mastering details during the first reading. with the result that a class of students "doing" Hamlet or Macbeth will spend weeks over a single Act. definitions." .. Obsolete words. ancient and modern. However. and the mind is apt to weary of philological wrangles and archaeological minutiae. nor did he write to provide unpleasant hours for schoolboys and students. The study of literature must not be allowed to degenerate into drudgery. but such matters should be quite subordinate to the message of the work itself." he does not desire us to interrupt the flow of thought and feeling by asking him what a "limbeck"¹ is. Shakespeare did not write to furnish scholars with employment. now need some explanation. It is true that his English. but primarily for his countrymen.. not to puzzle but to inspire them. a change for the better is taking place. Unfortunately.COM A Shakespeare Illustration When Shakespeare says: "That memory. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . over which no one would have laughed so heartily as himself. he wrote for all mankind. and the allusions. for literature is a thing of joy and illumination. and classical allusions can be considered when we give the classics a more leisurely study.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the warden of the brain Shall be a fume. and the receipt of reason A limbeck only. As Dean Inge in England (Modern World Series) remarks: "He has been half-buried under a talmud of commentary..NKADOJ@GMAIL.

of engineering. It may be:      a fact of history. checking. which is a glass or copper vessel formerly used in distillation. 1 A contradiction of alembic. a political imbroglio. adjusting.      From an encyclopedia article to the authors referred to by the encyclopedist in his bibliography. on a subject. the gaps left by another. the private life of an historical figure. Perhaps a man is anxious to write a letter to the newspapers. comparing. filling up from information supplied by one. Apart from its primary purpose. Breathe their spirit. in fact. read as a whole to consolidate and unify your knowledge of the work.. Afterwards. Finally.. with more leisurely steps turn aside to investigate their obscurities and to discover their hidden beauties. collatings. contrasting. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .COM In this manner. all-round mental discipline. the gathering of information and its orderly presentation are admirable training in analysis and synthesis. a moot point of currency. harmonizing. noting coincidence. from magazine article to magazine article. of economics. It provides. Topical Reading (e) This implies search in many quarters for ideas bearing upon some matter in which one is interested. a famous trial. from book to book..NKADOJ@GMAIL. which idea he desires to investigate with a view of some important change. and discrepancies. absorb their philosophy. the hunter pursues his way. Perhaps he has an idea for the technical side of his business. then.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . divine their attention. study the great utterances of the past and present. or an article.

amid a multitude of novels. Every publishing season. You cannot well afford to ignore the English Bible and Shakespeare. not another. as we have said already. well. and in addition you would be wise to make a survey of the authors included in the Everyman Library and the World’s Classics. for instance. and it is a sound rule of reading. Among those you may indulge your personal preference to the full.COM Personal Preferences (f) Follow your inclinations is an injunction which everyone will welcome. to read a book which has no attraction to you. You are you. There are. on the other hand. in the first place. make the search. Books to Read So choose your sphere and rejoice in it. the books of the moment which everybody is talking about. particularly biographical and autobiographical works of recent years have been so prolific. or in the historical development of Christian doctrine.     If you wish to study poltergeists (mischievous ghosts). in its day. why not? If your neighbor. If you feel you would like to see the pictures of the dolls which amused little girls hundreds of years ago. But do not forget that there are books which it is a kind of duty to read. we live in an age in which the best of this is accessible in cheap and good reprints. Indeed all through one’s life.. Then there are English and other classics. it may create an interest where one did not exist... produces one or two which may win a permanent place in literature.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Happily. was a new book. he has no right to impose the same subject on you.NKADOJ@GMAIL. If you are interested in Comparative Religion. Unless you have read some of the books upon which generation after generation has set the seal of its approval. but it is sound practice to follow your preferences courageously. . you will remain without a sound standard of criticism. Whatever be your line. accept it. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . or books on children’s toys. For there are many people who do not care to confess that they revel in theology or psychism. whatever else one may read. It may be good sometimes. study them. is keen on the history of the Opera Theater. every one of which. one should always be increasing one’s knowledge of the standard literature of the world and particularly of one’s own people and tongue.

. also. unless a book is read with deliberation. but the chances are that the recall will be somewhat fragmentary. and forceful. take up your pen and write in your note-book a summary of your impressions. This is a point to which reference has already been made in a previous Lesson.COM Lesson 14: The Use and Abuse of Reading (Part Five) Written Expression (g) Read with a due regard for the claims of Self-Expression. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . when you came to write them. . writing. and then try to give account of it.. you may experience a considerable amount of hesitation when the moment arrives to express your idea in words. it means only that your impressions exist more as feelings than as reasoned conclusions. At first the task may be rather difficult. for although you appear to have a definite idea of the argument or pleas of the author. possibly.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it is not possible to systematize one’s reflections. but you did not trouble to arrange them in logical order. We advise you now to recall the title of some book which you have read with close attention. This is not necessarily a serious fault.. namely. if possible. Your recollections. some of the ideas are far more vague than you had imagined. you thought they were clear. Why is this? Because as yet you have not learned how to organize the ideas arising out of your reading. Writing Clarifies Ideas Further. We now desire to enlarge more fully on the relationships between reading and one of the arts of self-expression. you realized how misty some of them were. You garnered a good many of them. When you have finished a good book. Indeed. nevertheless. definite. may be rather like the fragments of a jigsaw puzzle with a good many of the pieces missing. a few of the criticisms which have occurred to you.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The other arts belonging to the group have been treated in the lesson on Self-Expression and Personality. You will succeed to some extent.

But to adopt this method all the time. Now a word as to the form in which this work should be carried out. not our version of them.g. and probably with many added associations due to the reflection which accompanied and colored your study of it. the paragraph or page is transferred literally to the notebook. tends to destroy initiative and originality. which is perfectly natural and undersigned? May not a man be serious without being a hypocrite? Darwin was a man of gravity. if you have just finished reading the Maxims of La Rochefoucauld. and its ." Notes Alphabetically Filed Such then are the methods of note-taking. and wish to record the words. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . if the quotation is to be used argumentatively. the amount of time consumed in literal copying is often unjustifiable. invented to cover the defects of the mind.. It is better for ordinary purposes to make an abstract or precis of the chapter or paragraph concerned. it is important that the writer’s exact words should be used. For instance.. its contents would have been recalled with logical coherence. e. for.. but his gravity was not invented to cover the ‘defects’ of his mind. then. you condense the words but preserve the idea. Besides.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "Is there no gravity. (whether a literal copy or a precis). There is generally something in a good book which one desires to make a note of. The Ideal Method The ideal method is to make the kind of record required. and found expression in the written commentary.. every page should be numbered. and we now propose to discuss the various methods by which the results of your reading may be recorded. On Note-Taking (h) Read with a note-book handy. If an exercise-book is used. but you add some critical remarks. Usually. "Gravity is a mysterious carriage of the body.COM Had the book been valued on the method herein advised.NKADOJ@GMAIL. that is for every kind of printed opinion. passages are copied verbatim." you naturally make an exact copy. This is often strictly necessary. plus a critical opinion of your own.

. VI.NKADOJ@GMAIL. the entries on the outside of the envelope are intended to facilitate the finding of a particular cutting. Suppose. is recommended for separate cuttings from newspapers and journals. There will be no obscurity in this respect if you have already thought out your own scheme. each one being numbered. In this way it is a focus of all your intellectual activity. The index serves as a guide to the record of your reading of (a) Books. a more intricate scheme would be necessary. with flaps removed. Envelope Cases The use of large envelopes. . as you collect items one by one you index them in the manner suggested. every cutting inserted in the open envelope is entered in the index book.. These paragraphs on notetaking illustrate the principles of classification. for instance. You get a large envelope." Your own collected information is soon put into shape. and (b) Magazines. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and also of (c) the written quotations or abstracts in your note-books. What action do you take when you get there? It depends a good deal on whether or not you have a clear idea of what you want.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Naturally. On the front of the envelope every new addition can be indexed and numbered. with great masses of data. the fixed position is very inconvenient when two or more cuttings have to be used at the same time. and you repair to the local library for a further supply. and the PELMAN laws of Mental Connection should therefore be held steadily in view. schemes to attain the perfectibility of the race. with certain pages alphabetically cut. Detachable Notes vs. Fixed To have all your cuttings for detachable use is much better than to have them pasted in a book. For private purposes the system thus outlined is sufficiently exact.. you are interested in Utopias. but for large schemes. HOW TO USE A PUBLIC LIBRARY Let us suppose you have decided to write an article on "Unused Sources of Energy.COM contents entered into a separate Index book. and. This book may be of the "Where is it?" kind.

you should have a knowledge of its contents.. Article in Magazine some years ago on "Harnessing the Sun. you consult that also. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . you have definite points to look up. published periodically.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The problem is to find them and read them again. you know then where to find your facts. and. or in a note-book.COM To go to the reference room with merely a general notion is to waste a lot of time unprofitably.NKADOJ@GMAIL. you can direct your attention to the most likely quarters. and under the words "Energy. Of recent years the Encyclopedia Britannica has published annual supplements which keep such information constantly up to date. but these are articles you can remember reading at the time they appeared.. Article on "Using the Tides. may also be consulted. Finally. . but if on your slip of paper." "Tides. if Potter Briscoe’s Subject Index is handy. turning last of all to the catalog of the Library itself." by a man of science. You next consult the London Library Subject Index in the same way. you ask for      The Reader’s Guide. From this or some other you may obtain more or less complete information on the subject and its literature. You have other entries. all the volumes. Index to Periodicals Let us imagine your notes contain the following:— 1. You therefore ask for Poole’s Periodical Index. The Cumulative Book Index or Fortescue’s Subject Index. of which the most exhaustive is the Encyclopedia Britannica. there are the Encyclopedias. The Reference Library In order to use the wealth of a Reference Library in an advantageous manner.. and when you have found the references you ask for the bound volumes of the journals concerned." you may discover that writers have expressed views on the subject which are entirely new to you. The English Catalogue of Books. even though eventually you may have to reject some of them. Prosecuting your search in other directions." "Sun." and probably "Efficiency." 2.

does not look through the lengthy catalog. Literature.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. He must be able to value ideas as he would value an article of furniture or any other commercial commodity. "hoping to find something that will help me. will tell you just those things about dictionaries. For life is more than the meat that sustains it.COM Most Reference rooms will contain a copy of Kroeger’s Reference Books. . guides. then read its history. or some equivalent book. the body more than the raiment with which it is clothed. and see it in its true relations. a reader who is anxious to understand political science. The field of knowledge is so vast that we cannot expect to conquer more than a small portion of it. and a perusal of it. A discussion of the meanings and applications of the word Right is full of surprises. it is necessary to organize our time-table of leisure hours.. Else we shall fail to grasp the unity of the whole and the coherent significance of human knowledge. (3) A study of our mother tongue should occupy a premier position in the programme. we find we are much nearer harmony than we had supposed. Lesson 14: The Use and Abuse of Reading (Part Six) RESUME As previously indicated. or the Fine Arts be selected for study. If a special subject like Science. (2) To do this. with a view to taking an active part in a local society of politicians. But while we should determine to master some such small portion we should not neglect altogether to make at least a superficial survey of a wider field. and often. one must first understand what is the scope of the subject. The chief points of the Lesson may be stated then as follows:— (1) Superficiality is not synonymous with ignorance.. when these meanings are cleared up. and to follow discreetly the leading of our moods. Thus equipped. even to those who think they always use the word in its true connotation. Many of our disputes and differences on vital subjects center in the meaning of words. and so forth." The staff of a public library may always be consulted as to the books actually available. text-books. the true PELMANIST is an idealist as well as a realist. In this way one is able to separate the subject from allied subjects. Philosophy. which you can discover in no other way except by long and hard-earned experience.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

but that the devices chosen should be so used that the books you read shall provide you with a harvest that can be reaped at any time you desire. as books. on the one hand. In this there may be some consolation to students who have but little time for reading. before you are sufficiently acquainted with his work. There have been men of no education and of little reading who have had this inner wealth. by reflection on life as they saw it lived and found it reflected in a few great books which were their life companions. notes. but all books of serious purport should be so read that we can discuss the ideas with some exactitude of language. and incidentally to his general well-being. the advice to the student as to how he should read is given on progressive lines.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. They obtained it by meditation: that is. 2. and. transcription of brief passages—all of these are useful. but it has rare advantages in the way of developing insight." That is a state of affairs which must be avoided at all costs. Two ideas are set in contrast here: 1. You should be careful not to formularize your author prematurely. If you do so you may hamper yourself in further study of him. We get the feeling. that of the formula is probably the most difficult. A Parting Word One thong the student must not allow to happen: he must not. precis. Finally. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and getting at the soul of things. become "deep-versed in books but shallow in himself.NKADOJ@GMAIL. . on the other.COM (4) So far as is possible. Hence the importance of reducing our impressions to writing. we are persuaded that no student can pursue the counsel of this lesson without great profit to his cultural life.. and the knowledge of ideas contained in books. It is not necessary that every book should be treated in this manner. in Milton’ words. that is. the knowledge of books. We do not mean that you have to purchase an elaborate note-taking and filing apparatus. (5) Of all the methods provided. inner wealth of mind and soul. (6) Too much of our reading is evanescent. the more elementary rules have been given a primary position. that is... for it suggests that wisdom lies in using well what we know already. (7) The sections covering note-taking and the use of a Public Library should have the kind of attention that is followed by suitable action. but we never crystallize it into exact phraseology.

as you have opportunity.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. Avoid the temptation to neglect the occasional reading of your own Note Books. Always try to get ideas over and above those which the author offers you. Avoid keeping your knowledge in water-tight compartments. in any dispute. Avoid. Even a small one is the result of expert selection.NKADOJ@GMAIL..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. . Unify it. Always make a point of discussing. Read critically. and that you can get into touch with these by reading. fallacies arising from the ambiguous use of Words.COM WHAT TO AVOID Avoid slavish reliance on Books and remember that the judgment of even the most eminent author is not infallible. Many books are valuable as a record of what men have thought than of what they know to-day. the good books that you read. Avoid the loss of courage when you enter a great Library. Avoid indifference towards the Public Library. Secure the best results of your reading by a proper system of note-taking. WHAT TO DO Realize that good books contain the personalities of great writers. so that you may not be put off with second-rate arguments. To recall earlier ideas is to invite new ones. Learn to distinguish between the sincere emotion and cheap sentimentality.

. being attracted by the fame of its author and the modest sum asked for the book. Let him divide it into two: 1.COM Lesson 14: The Use and Abuse of Reading (Part Seven) EXERCISES Exercise LV A PELMAN student with keen literary interests is enjoying a day in town.NKADOJ@GMAIL. but that is a secondary affair.." The question immediately leaps to his mind: "What constitutes rational liberty?" The student is not prepared to answer the question himself. …it unifies all the impressions and ideas of all the history and sociology the student has ever read. in comparison and contrast. In the second paragraph his eyes catch the sentence: "I do most heartily wish that France may be animated by a spirit of rational liberty. He picks up a copy of Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke. He may not be satisfied with his tentative answers to the question. Accordingly he buys the book in order to find out.. but to conduct a critical inquiry. Well and good. if pressed for an opinion he would take refuge in a declaration of his incompetence.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. first of all. What constitutes liberty? 2. and valuation. What qualifications are implied when we use the term rational liberty? The first question alone is matter for a fine exercise:      in concentration. But he will find out all the more surely if he tries. he did not set out to be satisfied. in judgment. and of course must find time to browse among the bookshops. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . in memory. . to answer the question himself.

any kind of books will do. Here. he can appreciate all the more deeply the critical valuations of other readers and critics. 8. he may profitably turn again to Burke’s illuminating essay. Smith’s Plasterer’s Manual.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. for instance. 9. Tait’s Rules for Electrical Engineers. where has he failed? How does this effort stand in relation to similar efforts by other authors? Exercise LVII Choose a dozen books from your shelves. 6.. Whipple’s Antiques. For instance. 4. 5. 5. unless it is supported by real evidence.NKADOJ@GMAIL. 7. James’ Outlines of Theology.. 6.Toper’s History of Baseball. 3. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 4. No. 2. 11.COM When he has done his best to answer both questions. Quibell’s Guide to Siberia.Waffer’s Evolution of Clothing. 2. Some books can be included under two headings. 10. Exercise LVI In testing the value of any book you may read. Thompson’s Chess Tactics. 8 would come in the class of educational . Dobson’s How to Run a Store.Darden’s National Psychology. Why profitably? Because he has formed his own opinions. 12. The work of classification is not so easy as it might at first sight appear. Dod’s Hotel Book-keeping. Who is the author? What are his qualifications? What is his aim in this book? Has he succeeded? If not. and is not prepared to accept every statement made by another man. and because. Cope’s The Doctrine of Manifest Destiny in America. use the following list of a Reviewers’ questions: 1. is a list of imaginary books: 1. 3. having made some attempt to probe the subject. and classify them according to the branch of knowledge to which they belong.. and How to Buy Them.

with understanding. of articles of clothing. History and the like. We have known men who carried out this exercise and made vast strides in consequence. the trade journal. at the rate of 250 words a minute. are comparatively neglected. whether you use the items there gleaned for the profit of yourself and others. The records of the Public Libraries show that. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .. but it also has a claim to be included in History. like Finance. We do not refer so much to the large spheres of enterprise and activity. The aim of the Exercise is not to teach library classification as an art (that is a task in itself). at least this has been the rate of a rapid reader who could.COM works. and it is desirable for several reasons that he should remedy this defect. and so forth. Literature. The chief sources of information are.NKADOJ@GMAIL. . Exercise LVIII Not every business man is acquainted with the literature of his calling. So look around and see whether or not you are missing real opportunities. but to accustom your mind to the "placing" of individual books according to genus and species. of special foods. and books written by competent authors. the newspaper.. but it is also classifiable as belonging to the literature of Business. Exercise LIX Experiments have proved that it is possible to read. Art. the trade journal. but to narrower function such as the production of leather. and if so.. Every bookman should be able to put his books into groups.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. No. It shows that he possesses an acquaintance with the areas and borderlines of the great provinces of knowledge. see that for the future you do so. as already suggested. but have you made your payments yield a return of information-dividends? If not. Ask yourself whether you draw upon these sources. the volumes devoted to Science. and the book provide material of such importance that no man can afford to neglect it. while the fictional department is subject to an ever-increasing demand. To rely on experience solely may not be unwise altogether. You pay for the upkeep of a public library. greatly exceed that figure. under test conditions. 12 would have to appear under Sociology. but nowadays the newspaper.

because you must remember three things in connection with each card dealt: . Card Homograms If you are asked to remember the order of ten playing cards from a shuffled pack. He may then try to accelerate it without sacrificing the appreciation of the author’s meaning. and some of these will now be introduced to your notice. you are practically called upon to remember thirty distinct things.. instead of ten. the condition being that articulation and expression shall be as such as would make the passage intelligible to an imaginary hearer. you will modify the form of the report accordingly. In that case an increase of speed is desirable.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. The name "Homogram" is applied to a word which comprises a number (in the letters of the Figure Alphabet) together with some other letters which serve as a reminder of that to which the numbers refer. but there are many problems of memory in which it is necessary to bring two or even three things into one extreme of the Catenation. This. read against time for five or ten minutes. Report:— 1. Homograms usually combine names and figures. is a double test and the number recorded will be less. It is interesting to make this test aloud. After ___ days’ practice it reached ___ words a minute. aloud) was ___ words a minute. the process is simple. 2. unless his reading is so slow that he loses time.COM There is no reason why rapid reading per se should be urged on the student. then reckon the number of words read and strike an average for a minute.. numbers and dates. APPENDIX I Homograms and Their Uses When the two extremes of a catenation are single words or ideas.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . My rate (silent. by way of experiment. State in your report which method you have chosen. of course. In either case the aim should be to see words and phrases as wholes.NKADOJ@GMAIL. He should. If you prefer to test yourself by both methods.

that the card is a heart.NKADOJ@GMAIL. make a homogram for every card in the pack by taking the initial letter of the four suits. STaTe. By means of homograms for the cards. One student went to the trouble of making a Catenation for every possible combination of any homogram with any other. If the squares of the chessboard are numbered as shown in the following diagram. SaiL. and omit the 4-5 and 4-6 when you come to the fours.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. SuDS. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . The 11. and that it is the second card dealt.D. It is a very difficult problem to take the Knight through all the 64 squares of the chess board in 64 moves. Clubs. Diamonds. SoRe. some students are able to remember the whole thirtytwo cards of the euchre pack when dealt out slowly. and so on.C. H. SaFe. SaSH. for if you begin with the sixes. called the "Knight. that it is the king. One suit will suffice for an example: SighT. SToNe. or at any rate you have heard of it. taking the initial letter for one end of the Stone and another consonant for the other end. the following is the order of the squares into which the Knight will move in accomplishing this feat. you omit the 5-6 when you come to the fives. and finding words which begin with those letters. that it is an eight. and so on. SaCK. (Hearts.. followed by a consonant that will give the figure value of the card. he could recall the Catenation without having to make a new one each time. Observe that it is not necessary to have seven of each. and once only. so that the moment he saw any two cards dealt in succession.. so that it goes into every square once. Queen. Chess You no doubt know something of the game of chess.. and Spades). one of the pieces. SuN. To simplify their problem..S. and know that the chessboard on which the game is played is divided into 64 squares." moves in a rather curious "round the corner" fashion. SeaM. In the game of chess.COM   that the card is a club. STeM. Read from left to right: . Homograms for dominoes may be made in the same way. 12 and 13 stand for the Jack. SoaP. moving in its proper manner. and that it is the first card. and King.

and you will find that the figures are those already given.. . The "Oath" Series will enable you to memorize this complicated evolution.. The (Oath) Series All you have now to do is to turn the words mentally into figures.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. representing and solving the difficult problem of the Knight’s Tour.COM Obviously the tour may start from any square and end on the same. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

COM You may perform this feat before your friends. Here (reading down) is the Oath Series: Oath Deity Allah Idol Man Rogue Share Lair Chase Lasso Mule Ride Enjoy Boy Home Adam Weak Honor Mob Welsh China Run Leap Lamb Jamb Roof Moat Ditch Hutch Tiny Royal Homes Noisy Meek Nun (none) Enough Muff Hand Homage Tip Annual Oats Ear Dear Wife Name Rose Lily Shade Light Lying Mare Arab Roam Life Lion Rage Nip Roar Neighing . Your friends can check you by the diagram. but in this case you will not repeat aloud the words of the series.NKADOJ@GMAIL.. or place counters on a chess board to show the squares covered.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but only the figures...

to remember that the Battle of Crecy was fought in the year 1346 you need only to translate the figure 346 into a word.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and subsequent Catenation. unless you think you are liable to make a mistake of a thousand years...NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and the catenation would run: CRECY—cress—marshland—MARSH 1346 We will now give some examples of historical dates.. You might choose the word "marsh" to give these figures. arranged methodically.COM Hen Duck Mum Deaf (Oath) APPENDIX II Remembering Dates by Catenation In memorizing dates by translation into words. which is hardly likely. Thus. the first figure may be omitted. .

the first sounded consonant only in each word having a figure value.NKADOJ@GMAIL. In such a case a short sentence may be used.. ..COM APPENDIX III The Figure-Sentence Method Occasionally it is difficult to find a word in which all the sounded consonants express exactly the figures required.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .

it may be called the "Figure-Sentence Method. have as close and as exclusive a bearing as possible on the facts to which the figures relate.. the sentence should. morphia was discovered by a French chemist named Sertourner in the year 1803. For convenience. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Thus.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. m 3. s 0.. in its meaning. This method is not catenation. the s in songs representing 0. though it is in some respects similar to it. the sentence The Songs Named Vedic may be used:     the th in the the representing 1. to remember that the number of hymns in the Rig-Veda is 1028. Applied to Dates To take another example. the n in named representing 2. f 8. Notice that the sentence has a very close reference to the fact in question.COM When figures are expressed by a sentence in this manner." .. and to no other fact. This date may be embodied in the sentence: They found Sertourner’s Morphia—th 1. and the v in Vedic representing 8.NKADOJ@GMAIL.

NKADOJ@GMAIL.4 Length of the Seine River..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. 470 miles:   SEINE—Paris—siege—bombardment—WRECKS. 65. Thus. if the number to be remembered is 871. and the number 871 may be represented by the word "fact.COM Rules for Large Numbers When dealing with numbers running into tens and hundreds of thousands and containing no numbers below a thousand. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . 470 .. the last three "0’s" expressing the hundreds.4:   ZINC—sink—rise—SHELL SOAR.. 55.9:   IRON—axe—regicide—LOYAL SOB. tens. the last three ciphers may be disregarded. and units need not be expressed in the figure-word or figure-sentence.000." The following are some additional instances of numbers as they may be memorized by Catenation or by figure-sentence:— The atomic weight of iron is 55.9 The atomic weight of zinc is 65.

1813—Found Future Music.. APPENDIX IV Latitudes and Longitudes Latitudes and Longitudes may be committed to memory in a similar manner. In cases of South Latitude. either by catenation or by the use of figure-sentences. and also of West Longitude. born 1813. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . but merely serving to distinguish South Latitude from North Latitude.NKADOJ@GMAIL. or West Longitude from East Longitude.COM Richard Wagner. figure-words beginning with the letter "s" may be used. Thus:— . died 1883:   Formed Dramatic Music.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. the "s" in this instance having no figure value... 1883.

..COM PELMAN LESSON XV The last Lesson of the Course will not only contain a summary of PELMAN principles.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.. but will introduce new matter of practical service to the student. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL.. It will give you an opportunity of estimating your progress and perhaps of assisting us in the light of your experience of PELMAN ways.

Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind... Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA ..NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM LESSON 15: PELMANISM IN ACTION FOREWARD .

it is because of its importance that it has become a commonplace. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and that means the building up of habits in accordance with the teaching with which you have become familiar. is not falsified by familiarity. it contains also some new proposals for personal application. Pelmanism in Action I.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. It means that you know it as a science and have begun to practice it as an art: the art of self-realization.COM You have now arrived at the last Lesson of the Course.. . The existence of two worlds. Does this mean that Pelmanism is over and done with? It does not.. the world within and the world outside ourselves. Indeed.. Let us now survey it. This concluding Lesson contains a survey of facts and principles. TWO WORLDS—EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL A commonplace is not necessarily unimportant.NKADOJ@GMAIL. What you have now to do is to use PELMAN principles in your life. though it may be staled by repetition.

 Further. Why do so many of these people fail? Simply because they have not realized that external success must first be internal success.COM We are more apt to fall short of our life’s purpose because we are not faithful to what we know than because of the many gaps in our knowledge. and a poet’s poem is often a transition from thought to printed expression which involves planning and organizing as well as wide knowledge and fine feeling. and of the secret ways in which they interact. Successful men in the sphere of action are characterized by this adjustment between the world within and the world without. so far as we are able to. In this way the world within became more real to you. What we did was to give a glimpse of the dynamic functions of the mind in action. the ideas were embodied in stone and marble. They have vast opportunities before them. How Ideas are Realized St. There is no proper correspondence between the idea itself and the power to make it an objective reality. They have better ideas than the average man because their . selecting those which were of value for the purposes of training. Success Begins in the Mind Now there are tens of thousands of men and women to-day who have the initial idea for accomplishing great things. and you felt the force of our contention that the excellence seen in the impressive works of man was first an excellence in the mind. such as interest-power.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and greatly to our knowledge. it is one thing to have a new idea. etc. however. Paul’s Cathedral and the London County Hall were primarily ideas. An artist’s picture passes through various stages ere it is ready for the public view.. will. What is needed in so many instances is an increase of practical ability.. It is our manifest duty therefore. a knowledge of both worlds.. chances of success beyond their highest dreams. We made no attempt to provide an outline of psychology. quite another thing to make it actual. Then they came into existence as architects’ plans. Their ideas are insufficiently developed. Finally. is that the idea always comes first. You will remember that early in the Course we stated a few truths about the working of the mental machine. The main point. concentration. to acquire. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL.

It demonstrates the fact that achievement is first mental and afterwards actual. we must increase the efficiency of our powers. the feeling is undoubted. Therefore we now turn to those more intimate relationships out of which spring our inner conflicts. the one and only rule is to seek first the things that are first by nature. that to increase the values of civilization. It offers valuable suggestions as to the living of a complete life. and they can devise ways and means for making those ideas "go. The "Complete" Life Now one of the aims of PELMANISM is to abolish these inner conflicts.." Psychology and Civilization All the impressive facts of civilization. Besides. It follows. Frequently. therefore. Inner Conflicts There are several kinds of conflict. Whatever the origin. but many of them imply a lack of adjustment between the facts of the world outside and the world of mind within. must begin the advance within.NKADOJ@GMAIL. A conflict rages.     It sets to work to reconstruct the student’s mind by showing him how the mind operates.COM abilities have had a better training. and open a way to freedom of action. the feeling is one of an inequality which is brutally unfair. pressing heavily on the unequipped man and on those who are easily depressed. its huge commercial interests. its great buildings. He who would advance. have had their origin in the mind of man. Very often conflict is due to a feeling of inferiority. A high price is put on skilled thinking. In the development of a nation the sum-total of the progress of the individuals who compose it is the most important factor. its literature and its inventions. Sometimes a sense of the hardness of the conditions of existence occasions a despairing attitude.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. its science and its art. other things will be added.. It reveals the need of an aim to create and develop interest.

 Existence means a something. and the Use and Abuse of Reading. There is a saying to the effect that "it is not what happens that is important—it is what we think of it. Of this more anon. it can only be because our treasure lies in some external fact rather than in some internal reality: for where our treasure is there will our heart be also. Self-Expression and Personality. At any rate once more we will go over some of the ground already covered. in order to vitalize out first impression. A new scale of values appears. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .NKADOJ@GMAIL. and with an absence of that inward disturbance which militates against his success.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM If it is true.. not a nothing. attained. In this connection are the associated Lessons dealing with Self-Realization. The wealth is within. that we have mastered the powers of nature but over our own souls we have no mastery at all. and we are no longer measure achievement solely by material or social standards but by one that is personal.. and by this time the student should feel himself adjusted to life—able to meet its demands cheerfully and confidently. not so much without.. and often more naturally. as Havelock Ellis has asserted. Whatever success there is in the achievement of fame and wealth—and they are distinctions for which a sacrificial price is paid—the success of self-realization is one which is more easily." Right thinking has been our aim all along.

 The future is full of promise. The day is not long enough for the work he wants to do and for the pleasures he would enjoy.. The world within and the world without are harmonized. particularly that connected with interest and aim..NKADOJ@GMAIL. Lessons II and V. Life has ceased to be uninteresting. in which the student has already considered the question of his vocation from many angles. The secret. Life then acquired a new meaning.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. it may not be news to you if you have not. THE POWER OF PURPOSE On the emotional side. He is not a nonentity. Have you experienced the quiet joy of feeling that your energies are developing and your abilities growing stronger because you know what you want of life. and instead of dissipated energies there develops a steady growth in mental powers. Some Searching Questions This is not news to you if you have truly lived on right lines. and because you are working hard to get it? . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . where we drive this truth home. Even difficult cases. Mental abilities begin to develop. yet has failed to find a satisfactory solution.. have changed the course of hundreds of lives. 1. indeed. working cohesively toward an intelligent end. he discovers his work and is enthusiastic about it. You have read Lessons II and V and know their teaching. Work is an enthusiasm. He knows what he wants and how to get it.COM Lesson 15: Pelmanism in Action (Part Two) II. Instead of mental drift there comes a definite purpose. The range of power was extended… All the while the student is realizing himself. one of PELMANISM’S most distinct feature is the place given to the emotional life. These highly desirable results are brought about because the student finds his right position in the world. have been successfully solved. however. lies in its practice.

The life described is for you.    The temptation not to finish a work we have begun must be overcome. The best form of training the power to resolve is undoubtedly by the use of autosuggestion.COM 2. III. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . These men are called upon to conquer themselves by will-power. go through your PELMAN books and exercises again. and we found that they could do it by means of autosuggestion." Conflict calls forth the exercise of will-power as an effort to attain an ideal. Submit to drill for specific habits. and it creates an atmosphere of conquest. CAPTAINS OF THE SOUL We now turn to the problem of self-mastery and self-control.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Do you get out of bed in the morning with the feeling that life is a good thing and that you would not miss it for worlds? 3. and this desire must be quelled. So much for our teaching. Is there a progressive ability to master difficulties and a perpetual notion of "I can"? If not. Never tell yourself you can’t. The question now is: Have you carried it out in your daily life? It is one thing to know what to do—another thing to do it.. It helps to strengthen your will. We desire to speak words and to perform actions which are against our own interests. Every day do without compulsion some little thing that you do not want to do. They developed a new habit. The feeling that prompts us to skip an exercise must be squashed.. Do you feel an increasing sense of grip? 4. Tell yourself you can. . if you will only have it. Between our thought-world and the world outside us there is often antagonism.NKADOJ@GMAIL. The desire to stop when we know we ought to go on must be conquered. We saw this fact illustrated in the cases of men who had been ordered to give up tobacco and alcohol. the habit of "doing without..

may make discoveries that come as a surprise even to the expert. to the exclusion of other and unrelated subjects or facts. IV. Picture to yourself the kind of man that you wish to be. and identify yourself with this image. but the mindwanderer can generally tell you how he is led from one thought to another. Gain a vision of your life minus the undesirable elements.NKADOJ@GMAIL." Occasionally the emphasis is on doing. then begin to realize that life in practice. To develop this ability to concentrate we may have to employ will-power to develop interest. from the moon to cigars and from cigars to the origin of life.." Yet life is for action as well as for reflection and aspiration. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . therefore. You will settle for yourself the right proportions between thought and action in your life— between "being" and "doing. He is at the mercy of his momentary impressions and of every chance association. and the efficient life. It will be hard work if you are easy with yourself. upon what we will. Mind-wandering is straying outside that circle. and for as long as we will. Exercise yourself in details that are not important. Failure in these matters is one of the greatest mental weaknesses of the age.. and reflect thoughtfully on what he sees. and to develop the habit. Actually we need a measure of both: but when doing is over-stressed the protest is sure to be that being is the more important "in an age like ours when" it has been said. Attention wanders from football to the moon. Be hard. for the average man who can look long and continuously at a thing. it will be easy work if you are hard with yourself." is a universal complaint. just for the sake of discipline. . There may be no apparent connection between these things. begin to practice action in a small way. Thus the means are as simple as the results are profound.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. men of high voltage. Concentration is the art of thinking about a subject or a fact in its intimate associations. "I can’t concentrate. THE SECRET OF CONCENTRATION We gave considerable space to the power to focus attention when we will. sometimes on being. It is a free movement within the circle of associated and relevant ideas. The tragedy for him is that he cannot freely center his attention for long on any definite line of thought.COM If doing is your difficulty. "it is so fatally easy to glorify over much great aggressiveness..

which you have mastered for yourself.COM Attention! Attention!! Whatever else you learn from PELMANISM you must learn the secret of attention. It is only when attention is interrupted or diverted that we become aware of the fact that up to a certain moment our attention has been held. or memory: it is control. that is.. There is no doubt that feeling in the form of desire must be present. Psycho-Synthesis Another vital truth of PELMANISM is that all our powers can be made to work synthetically.. . Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . for concentration is not itself a power like imagination. Malebranche once said that. and must find its cause in the will. harmoniously and in unison.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. "the attention of the intellect is a natural prayer by which we obtain the enlightenment of reason. better conception. The repetition of the word attention at the heading of this paragraph is not a mere fancy.." That would be the moment when mind-wandering began. and we cease even to be aware that we are concentrating. not on paper merely but as a practical art. it never occurs to us to think or to say. and that you are losing valuable time and opportunities. But essentially focused attention is a kind of will-power which thrusts out all extraneous considerations and seeks light and help from the combined use of the other mental functions. It represents our sense of the importance of the fact that until you can concentrate you do not get the best out of your abilities. Voluntary concentration tends to become spontaneous concentration. and better ability in analysis. "I am concentrating. better memory. or in working out a plan. Remember that concentration means:     better perception." It was well said.NKADOJ@GMAIL. When we are deep in the mysteries of an exciting detective story.

rises above its persecutors. From this habit in the minds of leaders have come our discoveries in science. in queenly contempt. She stands.COM Mind and body interact. General education comprises teaching in many subjects.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and a resolve to concentrate. there may be in them is more likely to respond to inquiry than if this mental unifying had not been carried out. a captive. a nervous headache will affect the powers of concentration and memory. Another. is good for moral discipline as well as for mental power. but it is in the essence of mental training.. a developed will can be used for purposes of impression and memory. and a vigorous mental act of autosuggestion will bring wearied nerves into new activity. John Huss at the stake. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . This is the point at which the student realizes the difference between PELMANISM and education as ordinarily understood. . All these and other similar events may occur to a single well-furnished mind. the wealth of our criticism. These personalities and events are now keyed together to form a background to the incident actually portrayed.. Whatever of value. So from psychology we learn about the mind. whose face suggests the noble superiority of a great nature that. in the moment of its abasement. education is a process of informing the mind. Besides.NKADOJ@GMAIL. That may not sound very important. and much of our commercial prosperity. As commonly interpreted. Another. the Jesuit Father Campion before delivering himself to be butchered by the hangman at Tyburn. What analogies occur to the mind?    One will say Galileo uttering his celebrated though apocryphal "Nevertheless it does move" to the judges who condemned him for asserting that the earth revolves round the sun. duly carried out.. PELMANISM is a method of forming the mind. The mental functions themselves interact. the student’s mind has had a lesson in discovering analogies: and in the process of time the habit is developed. for the work of interpretation. Here is a painting which represent a tall regal woman leading a child by hand. The employment of comparison and contrast involves the exercise of a large group of abilities which could not be exercised in any other way with the same benefit or the same result. The focus of the picture is the woman. on the other hand physical culture trains it. Physiology and anatomy teach us about the body’s structure and chemical processes. before a barbaric Teuton Court.

in any act or thought which is raised above the practice or the opinions of mankind. in a study of the lives and writings of great men. in any effort of mind which calls forth some latent power.. MENTAL SENSIBILITY Another vital truth is summed up in the word Sensibility. in the final issue.NKADOJ@GMAIL. in the pursuit of some new or original inquiry.COM What Pelmanism does is to train the mind. These impressions may be lost upon us unless we train our senses up to the efficiency standard. and 3. and in social groups. wrote the renowned Jowett of Balliol." So in his Introduction to Plato’s Republic. Lesson 15: Pelmanism in Action (Part Three) V. it consists:          "in learning to see ourselves as others see us. which means quickness of understanding and response to external impressions. in seeking out the society of superior minds. 2.. from nature. There are impressions coming to us: 1. in observation of the world and character. Who carries out this programme of mental training? Admittedly. Jowett on Self-Education Self-education consists in a thousand things commonplace in themselves—adding to what we are by nature something of what we are not. in judging. Other aspects of self-education are plentiful in the lessons of this Course.. so much the better. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . . the student has to train himself. in receiving kindly the natural influences of different times of life. not by opinion but by the evidence of facts. and if he can obtain expert guidance on methods of training. from men and women individually.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. from our general surroundings.

in consequence. Inability to use the senses of sight and hearing with speed and accuracy..COM A considerable financial success may stare us in the face and yet we may not see it. he has so many sights and thoughts that he can afford to select the best from among them. if there is a village or a city.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. He sees it in places where the average man sees nothing. if there are other men and women to talk to. They are limned in from the confessions of those who have thankfully contributed to our records of success. particularly if the persons concerned have been educated to a great degree by experience. He would discover something to think about even:    if there is nothing but space to look at. entails losses of every kind—financial. of artistic enjoyment. we may hear and not hear. we perceive that which escapes the average eye and ear. Life and Opportunity A jaundiced critic will say. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . he can discover new depths of consciousness. artistic. and restriction within a narrow sphere of action. Dullness everywhere. These descriptions of character are no fancy efforts written to whet the appetite for achievement..NKADOJ@GMAIL." This man’s inner world is undeveloped or he would find the outer world more interesting. Minute things in business. scientific. and the poetry of life is lost to us. No scenery. "There’s nothing where I live to attract the attention. literary. and of human welfare. and. we gain immeasurably. and the chances to which others are blind display themselves invitingly. No life. Proper training has imparted mental sensibility. The people are not interesting. To the man who is alive it throbs with interest. which to most men is merely a pleasant picture of green. and offers untold chances of wealth. We may see and not see. The world is a dull place to those whose mind-life is confined to a few daily and identical impressions. and. to speak of different things. are seen to be items with immense possibilities.. The failure to notice a detail may mean the difference between getting a contract and losing it. the foliage of spring. conveys a subtle message of joy that brings happiness to the soul. The alert business man is never far away from opportunity. which other people thought unimportant. . oft repeated. But when training has sharpened the senses and made them responsive.

from which it is clear that there is a natural ability to arrive at a certain kind of truth. then he must master the elementary principles of evidence.. 2. The thinking may be the solving of a problem. nationality. and acquaint himself with the scientific method. and to know it for the sake of knowledge. owing to the influences of temperament. that if the student desires to make some progress in the art of thinking. You know the details of your business very well: then resolve to know some other subject equally well. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "Close your eyes that you may see. To judge correctly is to think about facts or ideas without straying from the truth concerning them.. And yet it is an important element in the intellectual life. THE ART OF THINKING The material that we gather by means of the Senses. If you wish for something over and above success in business or professional life. VI." said Joseph Joubert. In fact. We do not say that no man can think rightly who does not follow our instructions. especially sight and hearing. not for what you can make out of it. begin to reeducate yourself forthwith. Think. In other words. but to think about a subject and to wait for light upon it is a "wise passiveness" with which the modern world has few sympathies. must be rightly understood. and the light will come. . The tendency to stray is so strong. he must: 1. first obtain the detachment of mind and the mental adjustment referred to in a previous Lesson.. Persons who have never been to school at all have been able to think and to reason correctly about many things. But here we are referring to the difficulty of finding the truth about higher things—things in which we are deeply interested for their own sake. and chance events. a famous French philosophic writer. or an effort to discover a new idea. To reason rightly about such matters it is necessary to overcome prejudices and to acquire the technique of reflection.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. we may sometimes permit ourselves to dispense with the life of the senses and commune with our minds and hearts. education. properly classified and correctly judged in its relation to other material.NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM At the same time we must not forget that the mind may be made as sensitive to ideas as the senses are to the sights and sounds of Nature.

Imagination is the power of picturing "what might be". and the result of its exercise is often an original and perhaps highly remunerative idea. making bargains is not the sum-total of existence. Three hours spent in true imaginative effort may bring more grist to the mill than three years of dull "slogging. The men who have made their mark as constructors of the thought and work of civilization have necessarily been men of imagination. or in the planning of a vacation. Allow no temporary disappointment to change your purpose. Create new conditions in affairs. There is scope everywhere for the advantageous use of imagination. and we give prominence to the fact here in order to impress upon you the great importance of following in their footsteps so far as you can. such as a door lock.. ." On the contrary. but it is not a condition that satisfies the progressive mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL." To perform conscientiously and uncomplainingly the daily round and the common task is doubtless meritorious." objects a reader. Go right on until you succeed. after all. Witness the question: "What may I become?" It is evident in the improvement of small things. and we should be the last to decry it. as the complexity of life becomes more pronounced... originality finds a wider field. You can see it in deciding the broad issues of your own career. The world is crying out for ideas. VII. IMAGINATION AND ORIGINALITY Imagination and originality now come into the picture. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . "but there is so little originality possible in this advanced civilization. Venture beyond it. but it is more dramatically evident in a new method of bridge building or the shaping of a political policy.COM You will be no less keen at making a bargain for feeling that.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Originality and the Future "All very well. then begin to translate the thought into action.

If you cannot discover the epoch-making idea..NKADOJ@GMAIL.COM   When primitive man first discovered the use of metals. Look at the world with your own eyes.. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and think out its problems with your own mind. get into line with the originators of developments. unnumbered possibilities of further originality were placed before us..Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. Nearly everything new occasions astonishment that it was never thought of before. When the Wright brothers invented a practicable flying machine. . a whole new world of advancement was opened up.

With some people.. Words may be spoken and deeds may be done for the sake of impressing the public. or for some other event which demands that you should show yourself at your best. You may not care for that self very much—for nearly everybody likes to fancy himself somebody else. That is where the evil resides. there is a strong desire for great distinction. if any. nonentities.." This colloquialism expresses a truth that is very active in the minds of the majority of men and women. Such people love the limelight.NKADOJ@GMAIL. there are cases where the whole thing is so natural that no harm is done and we look on with amusement. rather than for the good that may be accomplished or the genuine interest that may be aroused. Admittedly. for it is the basis of self-respect. Be Yourself If you would have personality you must be yourself. THE DESIRE FOR PERSONALITY "Everybody wants to be somebody. even the most modest. temporarily anyhow (until he realizes that the idea is a meaningless one)—but you have to live that self just as you have to live in your own body.COM Lesson 15: Pelmanism in Action (Part Four) VIII. however. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . This is quite right. It is selfconsciousness as a form of self-worship. which is a disease. and are never happy unless its beams are focused on them amid the plaudits of the crowd.. . But in many other cases the desire is morbid. although the desire may be achieved eventually. without harm to the individual or injury to the community. You will do well to refresh your memory of this Lesson VIII on the evening before the day fixed for an important interview. are content to be ciphers. and. and that this is essential to charm.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. there is always a possibility of serious mischief. nobodies: all want to have personality and to be of consequence. There is a vein of self-importance in all of us. In the Lesson on Self-Expression and Personality we saw that self-forgetfulness is the way to naturalness. It means that few people.

perhaps a bad reason. . Remember Walt Disney’s story of the mouse who got wings because he wanted to fly. although you might like to do both. What must concern you is not the attention of the world in which you live and move and have your being. and. "held his head on one side like Alexander. there must be a reason for it. his wig he wore in the manner of Dr.. Your personality may not be as impressive as you could wish. The one is an evolution. Many people obtain public attention by false pretenses. had to be awakened. courage. There is a story about a would-be genius who aped great men in order to be considered great himself.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. To wear a sham diamond because it impresses other people (who think it is a real one) is to introduce the shoddy element into your character. like him. the other may be no more than a trick of manner. and always left one of his buttons undone like Cervantes. sincerity. rather than in the manner of the poseur..COM You cannot borrow another person’s good digestion. He. enthusiasm. What you can do is to learn from others." Do we not all of us know at least one person who is not himself but a composite of others whom he admires? Conditions of Personality Personality will take care of itself. perhaps a good one. which are purpose. if you will take the trouble to observe its conditions. but was glad to return to earth when the birds and the bats chased him away as a nothing and a nobody.. but you cannot improve it by borrowing plumes. but they are usually found out.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Avoid artificiality. If the world pays more attention to somebody else than to you. invariably had some ornament nestling in his hair like Caesar. and to imitate is to borrow permanently. You improve the self from within instead of adding to it from the outside. but the honesty of your inner life. and when he was once settled in his armchair forgot all about eating and drinking—like Newton. This is not borrowing: it is adaptation. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Develop on these lines and the natural self will express itself in a natural way. Johnston. whose sole anxiety is to create so favorable an impression that the claims of other persons to the notice of the public are rendered insignificant. neither can you borrow his mind. could drink coffee like Leibnitz.

for this is one of those higher pleasures which do not stale with use.COM There are even individuals who talk immorality in their speeches in order to obtain notoriety and a reputation for daring. Room should be made in your life for the helpful friendliness of books. The real gain. while mental poise.. while they are careful not to carry out any of their suggested social irregularities.. and even happiness. and the biography of a merchant may be more entrancing than a play. Personality will develop itself if you keep to the conditions. and contentment are increased. not the money side only. BOOKS AND READING The Lesson on the Use and Abuse of Reading is one of several indications that PELMANISM appeals to every side of the mind’s activities. 2. the ability to assess their comparative values. when the skies are dark and dreary.. courage. just as a boy will grow up strong and manly on plain food and plenty of exercise. You will be able the better to create new ideas of your own. You will then never have to look for a means of killing time. which indeed is a kind of intermittent suicide. however. although it does not overlook that. IX. is: 1. and 3. THE SUBCONSCIOUS . in the broadening of your mind. and will think more deeply and comprehensively about your business and personal concerns. X. The story of the stars and the mystery of the atom are more romantic than a novel.NKADOJ@GMAIL. You will never have time enough for all the books you wish to read. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . Hypocrites are not all of one die. The more unconsciously you develop your personal characteristics the more likely are they to be sound and attractive.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. To know something of the history of men’s thoughts as recorded in all kinds of books is to have inspiration for business as well as solace. the increase of its range of ideas.

 It is. . Just as personality expands more naturally and safely the less we trouble about it. however. 2.. That we must use all our powers together in a kind of mental team-work. it is in the subconscious that the root of it should be sought. That without aim or purpose we cannot get the best out of ourselves.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. are qualified to give. 3. Develop the needed mental ability and success is assured. and in such cases it is wise to have recourse to the guidance of those who. Nor need anyone plume himself that he can educate his subconscious by direct effort so as to increase his mental ability or his chances of achieving success. 4. normal and abnormal. There is a further analogy. is always a topic of interest to thoughtful people. as they reveal themselves in various phenomena. On the other hand. That the success we desire. That to be mentally alive we must have trained senses. make an exciting appeal to the imagination. especially sight and hearing. we saw that extreme attention to self may be an evil and result in self-conscious display and artificiality. Its mystery is part of its attraction. The individual may be incapable of discovering it for himself. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . In discussing the question of personality. We drift. 5.. by special study and experience. So in regard to the subconscious life: perpetual introspection will do more harm than good.NKADOJ@GMAIL. so the subconscious life will act more satisfactorily the more we forget it and concern ourselves with the right conduct of our conscious moments. The danger we have to avoid therefore is that of forming a habit of introspection—a habit of peering inward to discover evidence of subconscious influences.. XI. The only effectual method of getting the best out of the life below the level of consciousness is to make our conscious operations increasingly efficient. and its ungauged powers. That the will-power to guide and control our abilities should be one of the first aims of mental training. an appeal that needs safeguarding. must first exist in the mind. VITAL TRUTHS OF PELMANISM A review of the past pages gives us the following principles of guidance: 1. hidden away in the Subconscious.COM The deeper life of the mind. where there is reason to suspect the existence of definite mischief manifesting itself in neurotic habits and conditions.

Memory and Personality a "forgotten" self-growth training system of 15 lessons now available to be read online for free!     Home 15 Lessons Course Synopsis The Art of Thinking Lesson 15: Pelmanism in Action (Part Five) XII. because of their rising and falling temperature. and where you are astray... That in the pursuit of Truth the love of Truth is the supreme need. 8. that is. Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. See how far you are conforming to them. The first is in reference to those elusive feelings which. GOVERN YOUR RHYTHM There are one or two aspects of life and action which we should like to discuss briefly ere in this course is brought to a conclusion. We ask you to test yourself from time to time by reflecting on these truths. the whole of the mind’s powers working together.. 3. There are three possible feelings open to us every day. especially in the morning when we rise from our beds. or ill-health. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . If we did not think they were important. 7. we should not invite attention to them. They are: 1. arising from loss of physical and mental energy— depleted resources due to overwork. . 2. have a definite although temporary effect on our abilities and on our happiness. being optimistic. anxiety. a somewhat depressed feeling.NKADOJ@GMAIL. what a student rather aptly describes as "the usual feeling of everydayness"—what might be called the routine feeling of the average citizen faced by the duties of another day. That if the conscious mind is properly trained all the subconscious elements will naturally reap the advantage and follow the lead thus given. That to focus attention at will is the chief condition of synthetic ability.COM 6.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.

no matter what happens. I’ve a something within which enables me to go ahead. if depression or anxiety in one of its many forms is predominant we may be tempted to oust it by recourse to temporary distractions which alleviate it for the moment at heavy cost for the future. Now one fact about them which we all know very well is that they are constantly interchanging. we can have doses of the second in quantities which we do not relish. I suppose it is made up of several interests I follow. anxiety and peace. But what we aspire after is a permanency of the best and happiest feelings. such is life. All we claim is that one or other of these three is indicative of our prevailing mood. worry and felicity. but hard to describe.. I do. The Life Invulnerable We declare emphatically that it is possible to attain a condition of the inner life which in a great measure makes us independent of the rhythms of feeling. ward or factory. Yet such are the fluctuations of feeling that we despair of ever attaining any such condition.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. I don’t say I never feel troubles or a big happiness. and of the third which we welcome heartily. which are life itself. This condition may be due to one particular and significant fact. The rhythm between    exaltation and depression.. and of the hope that one day I shall make the great discovery in electricity on which I have set my heart. "Well. or the prospect of a trying day in the office. seems to be unalterable: and we think we can do no more than moodily settle down to accept the inevitable. People have asked me about that something. We do not affirm that there are not shades of feeling which can hardly be classified under one alone of these three general headings. In one week. Nothing can. . occasionally in one day.NKADOJ@GMAIL. It’s real enough. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . or the spectacle of a misty rainy morning. or it may be due to the combination of several..COM It may persist in spite of a headache. But when they come I accept them. remarking." Moreover. and push ahead. Listen to the testimony of a man who was fortunate in this respect:— You can’t sink me.

and all adverse feelings. and which would like to pursue its course with greater independence of rhythmic emotional effects. We have met men and women of every creed. C. Not necessarily. sufferings. the degree of this predominance varying considerably. plans. Can it be done? . from one subject to another. the chief problem is to overcome the effects of worries. the chief clause of which is. anxieties. produced the following result: "Nine subjects kept a detailed record of their affective life for 30 days or more. Even joys are "accepted" and then lost in the greater joy of pursuing an ideal… It will be said that his is a special case." But this does not satisfy an alert and sensitive mind—the mind which asks more of life than mere existence. is a conqueror because he has aims. J. The results show in every case a predominance of pleasure over unpleasure. conducted by Dr.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. than the waves of the other kind. entering in this record the intensity of the feelings that were experienced and the qualitative nature of the chief affective mental states. and researches which are so engrossing as to impart an immunity from the destructive effects of adverse feeling.COM Actually.. A few of them were even able to hold the emotions at arm’s length.. Proportions in Pleasure and Pain An investigation into the proportion of pleasure and pain in human lives. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . and of no creed. There is nothing in his method which is not open to the majority. and then you will not be disappointed.. and will last longer. This being the case. and who because they ask little for themselves are less inclined to criticize adversely that scheme of things which we call an earthly existence. and complain when the opposite element attacks them. "Don’t expect much. so to speak—they did not allow an entry… And we have met men and women who accept life as they find it. who have refused to go under when assailed by alien emotions and vindictive circumstances. They welcome pleasure. but they have evolved from experience a kind of dull and negative creed." It would appear legitimate. therefore. this man with a quality which makes rhythm no more than a wash of the waves on the rocks. schemes. however. Flugel. fears.NKADOJ@GMAIL. to expect that pleasure waves will be more numerous.

 What we have to do now is to point out the way in greater detail. XIII. This means that he can possess convictions." And while we who pursue smaller enterprises may find ourselves quite naturally and properly declared vulnerable at the bridge table. we ought to be invulnerable when In the fell clutch of circumstance the approach of what looks like disaster sets the imagination at work conjuring up pictures of a dark destiny a week or two ahead.COM There is plenty of evidence to justify an affirmative—as we have already suggested.. it was expected that he would "quit"—to use a brief Americanism. constitute his real self.    It may be a religious conviction. On the contrary. This is the something untouchable by fate or fortune.. Needless to say the possession of such a center of strength within mind and soul is an asset which every student who is without one will covet with all the earnestness of which he is capable. he said in later years. beliefs. When Henry Ford. It may be simply the will to survive until a plan has been achieved. it must be a something that is treasured above all else. interests of such an intense character that they. developed into a habit. the student should seek and find a center of certainty in himself. And. failed to achieve his plans. and characterized by such words as highest and best: that which is truly superlative. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . It may be the interest of a life’s aim and purpose. ultimately produces an attitude: that is. "I was not even discouraged.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.NKADOJ@GMAIL. at the outset. It can rise above every adverse circumstance which seeks to destroy. Its special forte is resistance. Whatever it is in its nature. more than anything else. ABOLISH FEARS .. it is not our custom to yield weakly to an overplus of any kind of feeling. Resistance. in his early days.

now nearing its conclusion. "I don’t somehow see myself succeeding. LIFE IN THE WHOLE If there is one word which sums up the various aspects of this course. 1. The first and second successes. XIV. Ask.. or 3. by way of conquest. And reflection supplies him with answers that are feeble. "What is this fear of mine…?" "Why do I put up with it…?" "If I know it is foolish." confesses a student. Analyze them first. developing an opposite quality?" Then begin a course of action in direct opposition to the fear. why do I not devise some method of ousting it…?" "Cannot I displace it— 1. are often traceable by analysis to the subconscious. 2. or 2.. will impart a fine sense of freedom. circumventing it. 3. forget it and press forward to further victories. and are imaginary in origin. although they assume definite shape in consciousness. by defying it. As a matter of fact most of the fears which have been dealt with at the Institute are baseless: that is. But the majority of fears can be self-cured. You will remember how significantly some of the poets and writers have used the word. they have no real foundation. 4. .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind.COM Fears. such as." We admit once more that some fears are tenacious. and if a failure should supervene. "I fear failure. Why? He has no ready answer.. and need expert psychological treatment. it is the word Whole.NKADOJ@GMAIL. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . We are not advocating the undertaking of such a task.

COM "A whole is planned.. Real happiness is within. of the arts. In the Fifteen Lessons of this Course. We need not pinch ourselves to prove that we exist. but to qualities that are guileless.e. the higher is the quality and permanence of our satisfactions. that the ideal life is the complete life. And for want of these it sometimes happens that honest men and women end their lives in penury. like the effects of the varying spectacle of Nature in all her moods.Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. and if we may offer a final counsel. not the life devoted to a single idea and therefore neglecting utterly values of a different kind. Goethe had previously urged the world of men to keep the Whole before their minds. then those which may serve him during seasons of special difficulty. the Good and the True. and. and his strongest imperative is. we must be idealists. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA . If we clothe these bare terms in garments which will enable us to recognize them more easily. harmless and honest we are expected to add the wisdom of the serpent. sorrows and pains. i. being more intimately concerned with the self than any other of our experiences.. In the second place he meant that we should see the whole in a part. it is this: that the student should abstract from the Lessons those thoughts and expressions which he desires to remember habitually. Well defended and well armed on one side. Their preparation was incomplete. they lay open to attack on the other. an enterprise of mind and soul which we cannot undertake here and now. There are others. Honesty is not the sum total of the attributes which fit us for the struggle. we get something like this: that as practical men and women we must first be realists. against this. or kick the stone as Dr. for the Whole includes the real and the ideal. and the better the soul is prepared and disciplined.NKADOJ@GMAIL. To live in the Whole therefore is to accept and profit by the ministry of all those influences which are immeasurable." What did he mean? He meant:   In the first place. We have an inner life with illuminations and joys. vainly—to prove the reality of matter. the appeals of poetry. exaltations and depressions: and the whole of these experiences. Next.." says Browning. Johnson did. we have endeavored to maintain the balance between the real and the ideal.. "To live resolutely in the Whole. are thus of more grave concern. and of devout aspiration. men persist in glorifying a part. .

Lawrence. The object of this Course is first the promotion of the Self: so that a new and better self may be available for social and national obligations.. Many of them write periodically to the Institute with reference not only to their difficulties but also to their successes. This concludes Lesson 15 of "The Pelman System. in whatever part of the world they may be found. The Staff is ever ready to advise in regard to the former." Feel free to re-read any/or all of the Lessons anytime. For we want to keep in touch with all PELMANISTS. Memory and Personality BY NKADO JOSHUA .Pelmanism: Pelman System for the Training of Mind. A Parting of the Ways When a student has finished his formal course of training with us he goes his way and we bid him farewell. fostering in them the qualities which make of them good citizens of the world. while from records of achievement on the part of former students it draws courage and inspiration for persevering effort. the struggle continues. but to prepare us to meet it with confidence. What special training does is not to abolish the struggle. and. for most students. Our students are found in all the nations of the earth.COM For so long as life lasts. and still is.. Not to be forgotten is the idea of service to others. that is best realized as service to civic welfare and the State. especially in seasons of stress or danger.. and we are happy in the knowledge that PELMANISM has been. Thank you. but with no implication of final severance.NKADOJ@GMAIL.  .