Thought Atmospheres – Chapter 3  

From Thoughts Are Things by Edward Walker 

EVERY PERSON HAS A THOUGHT atmosphere, depending upon the general character of his thoughts. And every place, house, room, office, or workshop has its own distinctive mental atmosphere, arising from the general character of the thoughts of the persons occupying it. Proof of this statement is not necessary to persons who have been out in the world of men and women, and who have learned to distinguish that subtle mental emanation surrounding people and producing its effect upon those with whom it comes in contact. This experience has come to nearly every person who may read these words. Who has not felt that strange, unexplainable, but distinct impression regarding strange people the moment they have entered one’s presence? Who has not felt that peculiar sensation of like or dislike; confidence or distrust; attention or aversion; arising from the mere presence of certain people who may not even be known to one? These things do not arise from mere fancy, but are the result of perfectly natural laws that are understood by those who have made a scientific study of the subject. There are certain public speakers, preachers, orators, statesmen, and others accustomed to addressing large numbers of people, who diffuse a thought influence over their hearers merely by standing in their midst and attracting their attention. Some men seem to claim recognition as born leaders by reason of that strange thought influence emanating from them, even before they have uttered a word. Others, perhaps equally brilliant intellectually, fail to produce this effect - there seems to be something lacking in them. There are physicians whose mere entry into the room imparts a feeling of confidence and trust in the mind of the patient and his family, and which changes the entire atmosphere of the room. Other physicians possessing equal knowledge, experience and ability, fail to produce this effect. Some salesmen induce a feeling of good fellowship the moment they come into one’s presence; while others arouse but a feeling of indifference, or even actual repulsion. Some actors need but to appear before an audience, and even before the first words of the lines are uttered something goes out from the man to the crowd that is actually felt as a living force, while other actors produce only a lack of interest, and oft times a feeling of being bored. But why multiply these instances of the manifestations of mental atmosphere? Everyone who has noticed anything about the characteristics of people must have had his or her attention directed to this matter by actual experience, many times. It is a matter of such common experience that the idea has but to be mentioned in order to be recognized and admitted. By some, this personal atmosphere of people has been treated as if it were some strange, unknown force, unconnected with mind or body of the people emanating it. The term magnetism has been used in connection with it, very aptly, and this fact has led many to imagine that it is something other than it is. And, accordingly, many ingenious theories have been devised to account for it. And many have been the methods taught to be conducive to its cultivation. Publishers and teachers have issued high price courses purporting to instruct one in the art of acquiring personal magnetism. Certain methods of breathing, certain modes of diet, certain physical exercises, all these have formed parts of the so- called instruction in the art of acquiring personal magnetism, particularly in its phase of personal atmosphere. But under all of these methods there may be noticed a carefully veiled allusion to the value of the mental attitude of the person practicing the exercise. And in that little side issue really lies all the virtue in the various methods. For personal magnetism is, first, last, and all the time, nothing but the result of mental   energies, and depends entirely upon the character, quality, and degree of thought-energy manifested by the person. One’s prevalent thoughts and feelings, his hopes, fears, and desires, as well as his mental pictures produced in his imagination, are not only projected into space, there to affect others, but they also create around him what some of the old writers called an aura, or atmosphere, of thought vibrations which may be felt distinctly by those with whom he comes in contact. This mental atmosphere varies in degree, character, quality, and extension, according to the characteristics of the person. In some, the extension is great - that is, the mental atmosphere may be felt at a great distance from them; while in others it may be so feeble that it can be noticed only when one is very near to them. Then again, the degree of power differs materially. Some persons radiate such powerful thought vibrations that others are markedly influenced more or less by simply remaining in the presence of the persons emanating the force. Others radiate vibrations of but a feeble character, which are capable of producing but a faint effect. And so far as the character and kind of vibrations emanated or radiated, one may see that the variety is endless, depending as it does upon the specific character and thought tendencies and habits of the persons manifesting them. The whole matter may be summed up in the explanation that each and every person is surrounded by a thought atmosphere, extending some distance from him, in which is reproduced the general character of his mental states, and which atmosphere may be, and is, felt by others with whom he comes in contact. The degree of strength of the thought atmosphere depends upon the degree of strength of the mental states. The degree of receptivity of others to this thought atmosphere depends upon the particular temperamental receptivity of the other persons. This thought atmosphere is composed of subtle vibrations of the ether, just as real and actual as the vibrations which are known to us as electricity, magnetism, heat and light. The matter is not one connected with mystical theories or weird beliefs, but is recognized by the advanced science of today, having its underlying principles and laws of operation, which may be understood by anyone who will take the trouble to investigate the subject scientifically. Beneath the strange theories and wild assertions of some of the leaders of the many cults and schools teaching some of the phenomena of the newer phases of psychology, there is a solid basis of scientific fact based upon experiment and rational investigation. As has been said, not only do persons have their own thought atmospheres, but places also have a similar condition manifested within them. That is, that every house, room, office, store, workshop or other place that is or has been occupied by people, has its own personal and particular thought atmosphere which is perceptible to persons entering within its walls. This thought atmosphere is the result of the thought vibrations of those who have occupied it. This statement, also, is one that has but to be mentioned in order to be recognized as being correct. For nearly every person has had some personal experience of these strange phenomena. Who has not felt, when entering into a strange house, a peculiar feeling or impression about the place, even though its occupants may be utter strangers to the visitor, and may not yet have put in an appearance? Who has not experienced similar sensations when entering a strange room in a hotel, school, railroad station, or other place? Or in an empty house? Who has not felt the atmospheres of the several stores in which one deals? One store gives the impression of activity and energy, while another will convey the impression of sleepiness, non-progressiveness, and lack of interest. Another store will convey the impression of fair dealing and a desire to satisfy the customer; while another will give the indefinable feeling of trickiness, over-shrewdness, and a desire to overreach the customer. Many persons receive the above-mentioned impressions quite readily, and are influenced by them. Some office buildings seem to be thrilling with life and activity, while others give forth a somnolent, drowsy, back number, has-been air that is unmistakable. Ask any traveling salesman whether he does not receive impressions of this kind from the various places of business he visits on his trips. The writer has been informed by a representative of one of the great mercantile agencies, who has acquired quite a reputation for his ability to scent out unfavorable conditions in business,

that the thought atmospheres of places of business, in many cases, have been the first hint he received that there was something strange under way in them. There is an entirely different thought atmosphere around a business place in which things are prosperous and progressive, from that around one in which the opposite conditions prevail. Persons accustomed to entering business places notice these things often, although they may not recognize the source of the impression, and may often attribute it to an instinct or intuition. It is really nothing but the impressions produced by the sensing of the particular mental atmosphere of the place. It may be asked how it is possible that places may possess mental atmospheres even after the persons causing them have departed from the place. The answer is to be found in the well-established scientific law of the persistence of energy. A stove may be removed from a room, and yet its heat vibrations will remain for some time. A distant star may be blotted out of existence, and yet its light will travel for centuries. The light of the distant stars that we see every night left them in the shape of ethereal light vibrations hundreds of years ago. The perfume of the rose, which is but another form of vibration, lingers in the room for hours after the flower is removed. Old closets and bureau drawers retain the faint odor of perfume for years. Old letters, after being hidden away for a quarter-century, give forth the subtle odor of the favorite perfume of the writer, bringing tears to the eyes of one who remembers. The little ebony cabinet that Mary, Queen of Scots, brought over from France several centuries ago, still exhales the odor of the favorite perfume of that unhappy queen. A paper wafer may be laid upon the surface of a new razor, and the metal then breathed upon. When the moisture has evaporated, the wafer may be removed and no sign of its presence is apparent. But, breathe upon it again - a minute after, or a month, or a year - and if the surface has not been previously disturbed, the spectral image of the wafer will reappear. The experiment may be performed upon a good mirror, with fair results. Let a sheet of paper be exposed to the bright sunlight, after placing upon its surface another object, and then carefully kept in the dark for several months after removing the object laid on it. If the sheet then were laid upon a plate of hot metal (still in the dark), the figure of the object will appear on its surface. Science gives us many analogies akin to that of the persistence of thought vibrations. But, as we have said, elsewhere in this little book thought vibrations may be naturalized by others of a more positive character, or those of greater power. So that no matter how negative may be the thought atmosphere of a place, it may be made positive by a change in the thoughts of those frequenting the place. By directing to the place a steady and frequent current of positive thought, the old conditions will disappear gradually, just as the darkness of a room may be driven out by letting in the light of the rising sun. The coming in of a positive person, who radiates vigorous thought vibrations, often changes the entire mental atmosphere of a place, and visitors may distinguish the difference at once. Each of you may charge your room, house, office, or store with strong positive thought vibrations, if you will but begin to send forth the right kinds of thought, and avoid the sending out of thoughts of a depressing, negative character. And just as the thought atmosphere of the place may be changed by right thinking, so may one’s personal thought atmosphere be changed by the same process. Our personal thought atmospheres are just what we have made them by our mental states; and we may alter, change and improve them in the same way, if we will but go about it in earnest. The method of procedure is simple - this book is filled with it - the only thing needed is earnest effort, and perseverance. The work itself becomes a pleasure, and is helpful and power-giving. For the reaction upon one’s self of strong, positive thoughts sent forth to create or improve the mental atmosphere of one’s self, or one’s room, will prove very beneficial, uplifting and strengthening. By action and reaction do we become strong or weak, according to the character of our thoughts and mental state?