Supersight, or the Third Eye By Ralph M. Lewis, F.R. C. Leisure Hour Series “A” AMORCAAS. JRCRCE &. WETNRAL ‘Box 127, Eaton C New Hampsh Leisure Hour Series “Reapinc timed to your taste” is the purpose of the Leisure Hour Series, Each subject included in this series is concisely and simply presented. It is designed to give the reader the useful essence of the topic of his interest in as few words as possible. Each of the series below is priced at $1.40 (11/9 sterling) for the entire set of six books. When ordering, indicate which Series, A or B. (Kindly do not remit in postage stamps.) SERIES A SERIES B Make Your Own Prophecies | What Is Psychic Power? Learn how to see the future evolve A concise, informative explanation. out of the present, logically. and intelligent. ‘The Art of Mental Creating What Occurs After Death? ‘Making your thoughts work for you. Here is a mystical and scientific pete RSet al | scat tenting fecinate. You. 7 Directing the curative powers of sell Cosmic Consciousness = te eee wergam, the nature end way of de- | Psychology of Mysticism Psychic Phenomena Cie ee ee ee Fo seman ndcving SEARS FTSNE ST | a ase of Bresthing Color—Its Mystical Influence | fiow breathing can quicken the inner Here is explained how color affects | consciousness. your li Supersight, or the Third Eye Inner or psychic perception. Send Order and Remittance to: ROSICRUCIAN SUPPLY BUREAU Rosicrucian Park, San Jose, California 95114 U.S. A. Copyright 1950 by Supreme Grand Ledge of AMORG, Inc. Printed in U.S. A- Mystery of Numbers Numbers as keys to occult forces. G-07A 360Supersight, ot the Thitd Eye By Ratpx M. Lewis, B.R.C. The subject of supersight falls under three divisions: first, tradition—the stories and legends which refer to a Third Eye, or a supersight of man; second, the anatomical and physiological possibilities of the existence of such an organ; third, the function or purpose of the organ. We shall proceed with our explanation in this order. Of all of our sense perceptions or objective faculties, sight seems to be the most dominant and important to us. This is particularly so in the number of qualities which sight assigns to objects. Sight and touch alone of the five facul- ties convey the idea of dimensions. Sight, of course, has its forms, or the shapes and Proportions it confers upon things. Touch also has its qualities, such as hard, soft, cold, hot, et cetera. However, sight makes possible, at the same time, through suggestion and association of ideas, the varied other qualities of our objective senses, with- out bringing them to bear, For example, if we see a beautiful flower at some distance from us, we not only Perceive its form and coloring, but by suggestion we recall other beautiful flowers, the fragrance of which we haveLEISURE HOUR experienced. We then think of this particular flower as pleasant smelling as well. If we look upon an ingeniously made wax apple, without knowing it is a model, we not only see its form and its coloring, but the sight sensations recall memory experiences of the sweet taste of a similar real apple. Sight, therefore, gives the objects we perceive, directly and indirectly, more qualities than do the sensa- tions coming to us through the medium of our other senses, Likewise, we know that in the human certain of our basic instincts are more easily aroused through sight than through any of our other peripheral faculties. On the other hand, a dog will not rely upon his sense of sight to determine whether an individual is a friend or foe, but will resort to his sense of smell, especially if there is something visually unfamiliar in the person's appearance. Since human emotions are aroused more easily through sight, the ancients considered the sight organs, or eyes, as direct channels to the soul, because the soul was thought to be the seat of emotions. In fact, Democritus declared, in his doctrine of images, that our visual perceptions were caused by external objects casting off images or shells of themselves, which entered organs arranged to accommo date them. These images, Democritus contended, after en’ tering the eyes, caused the soul to become shaken, and in consequence ma. had the sensations or sense experiences.SUPERSIGHT OR THE THIRD EYE 3 SS With little modification, this doctrine of images lasted until the time of Locke. The eyes were thought to be windows of the soul, as Leonardo da Vinci said in his now classical expression. They were not only considered by the ancients to be orifices to admit external objects or in- fluences, but permitted the exit of forces or strange powers from the soul. This appeared a verisimilitude, because the eyes, in their expressions, do reveal intense human emo- tions, no matter how immobile the facial muscles, or otherwise motionless is the body. In antiquity, centuries before the doctrines of Mesmer, telesthesia, or mental telepathy were known, it was held that thoughts which engendered intense feeling or emo- tion created an ethereal, invisible substance, which was transmitted from the mortal. Thus certain sentiments and passions were said to be projected through the eyes. Out- standing among these transmitted passions was hatred. There is still the common phrase: “If looks could kill,” implying that the glance was malevolent. This phrase was not just a simile to the ancient Egyptians, nor is it even to- day to superstitious peoples of the Oriental lands. The eyes of a hateful or evil man were conceived to be destruc’ tive to all who came within their range of vision. To have such eyes look upon you was to become accursed with ill fortune. After death, these “evil eyes” separated them- selves from the body, it was believed, and continued toa LEISURE HOUR SURE HOUR exist. The superstitious were in constant terror that the evil eye might look upon them. In accordance with theurgical or magical practices of the time, amulets and fetishes, thought to contain supernatural properties, were worn or carried about to ward off the “evil eye.” Even a color was selected to provide an immunity. In many of the Islamic countries, the traveler will see today upon the outer surface of the tents of the nomads, or painted upon roof tops, stripes of a particular shade of blue. This color is the guardian against the “evil eye.” Camels of the caravans have beads of the color suspended from their necks to protect them and their burdens from the dire effects of a chance glance from the “evil eye.” All of the influences of the eye were not nefarious, however, for the eye could be an instrument of good, a constructive factor as well. Especially the eyes of the gods or of the wise ones. The Egyptian god, Horus, of the early Egyptian religion, according to their mythology, was the son of Isis and Osiris. He had eyes which radi- ated a tremendous power, it is related. The right one was especially efficacious, So respected and awesome be- came this right eye of Horus that it finally was separated from the figure of the god, and apotheosized, that is, it became worshipped itself, not as a god, but as a symbol of the omniscience and omnipresence of God. The all- seeing eye, as we term it, is therefore one of the oldestSUPERSIGHT OR THE THIRD EYE 5 symbols of man, still in constant use and with a meaning that has remained almost continuous for centuries. It is even included in the theological symbolism of some of the present-day Christian sects. To Rosicrucians, and to mys- tics, it means the ever-pervading consciousness, the all- embracing, encompassing Divine sight of God, outside of which nothing exists, and from which nothing is concealed. Concomitant with these powers attributed to the eye were the tales and legends of uni-eyed and multi-eyed be- ings that were said to have once roamed the earth. Most of us are familiar with the Greek Mythological characters, the Cyclopes. According to ancient Greek cosmology, Eros, the spirit of love, brought together pairs of many things, when the world was formed. Two of these brought together were Uranus (heaven) and Gaea (earth). They in turn peopled the earth with hosts of beings. Some of these were Titans, and Cyclopes. Cyclopes were three in number—Brontes, with his thunder; Steropes, with his lightning; and Arges, with his stream of light. They were reported as having one eye, placed at a juncture between the nose and brow. It was, however, a large, flashing eye, as became beings who were personifications of the storm cloud, with its flashes of destructive lightning, and peals of thunder. Early paintings depict a beam of light ema- nating from this sole eye. This revealed that this eyee LEISURE HOUR not only could perceive, but was able to radiate a power. ‘The tales of the Third Eye are related as well to the ancient Lemurians. We are told that this Third Eye was a big knobrlike protrusion, just above the bridge of the nose, by which the individual was capable of discerning the existence of things not visible to the other two eyes. ‘The term eye would thus not really apply, if such an organ as described immediately above existed, for though the organ would have the power of perception, it would not be sight as we ordinarily understand the word. For example, suppose the faculty of imagination were confined in an organ about the size of a small hen’'s egg, and pro- truded from the center of the forehead. By means of it we would have the mental pictures or images associated with the imagination. It would be quite understandable how, through confusion, this organ could be identified as an eye, and yet in the physiological sense it would not be. That such a third organ as an actual eye, or an extra perceptive faculty existed, there is much evidence. Let us digress for a moment to consider primitive eyes, or the eyes of simple animals or organisms. Under the term eyes we include those organs, or in the simplest cases, those sensory cells, which are especially adapted to the perception of light. Nevertheless, sensitiveness to light can frequently be established for animals in which eyes are not demonstrable. In such instances, we mustSUPERSIGHT OR THE THIRD EYE 1 poled EI Ld hy assume that the entire surface of the skin is either sensi- tive to light, or that single sensory cells which are very inconspicuous in their structure, and are bearers of the sense of light perceptions, are scattered in the skin. There are also what are called eye spots, which exist in many species, and are perhaps the simplest form of eye. These eye spots are really photo-sensitive cells. Nature places them in a pit-like depression, thus forming an eye cup (optic cup) for them. These simple cells are perhaps al- ready prepared for perception of direction. By that, we mean they are able to direct the organism of which they are a part to the light. Medusae, star fish, and some an- nelid worms have these eye cups, the little depression in which the sensitive cells are located. In other species of living things, which have more complex organs of sight, there are still vestiges of these early eye cups, or little pit- like depressions to be found. The photo-sensitive cells which once occupied them have been discarded by nature, in the process of evolution. Man, too, then, in his physi- cal development, may have been given a special third kind of eye at one time, which specially served him, when his brain was not adequate to protect him through reason. Since this other kind of organ was commonly used, it may have protruded and could be as easily discerned as our Present ears and eyes. It does not mean, however, that such an eye was sensitive to light or consisted of photo-' LEISURE HOUR sensitive cells. It was, we have reason to believe and to know, sensitive to other external and internal agencies which affect man. Have you ever wondered why you have eyes? To see, you say. Yes, but why must you see? Only because light makes possible to our consciousness the existence of mani- festations of nature essential to our existence, whether they are to be acquired or avoided. There are, however, different kinds of sights, which serve living things in vari- ous ways. Most lower animals enjoy what is known as perception of movement only. They do not recognize or have cognition of an object, unless it moves. A thing which is motionless is not perceived at all by some animals, A hare will display no alarm in the presence of a hunts: man, if he remains still. If he moves, the hare detects the motion and is off. There are insects that have eyes so con- structed as not to be affected, except by the perception of motion. A light can be switched on and off in their Presence, apparently without their perceiving it. There are other animals, those living principally underground, that are affected neither by forms nor by movements. A variation of the intensity of the light or shadows alone produces sensations within them. Thus if the light is diminished or is partly blocked out, their eyes detect it and they are alarmed. Visual perception of direction is possible with most animals. They are able to follow in the direction of theirSUPERSIGHT OR THE THIRD EYE 9 es perception and are thus able to avoid going around in circles. We know the principle of man's perception of direction, He selects an object ahead, in the path of his visual perception, makes toward it, and when he has reached it, selects another still farther. Most lower ani- mals, particularly many insects, do not follow objects, but paths of light. They keep to the right or left of light, and travel parallel to it. Some insects are positively photo- tactic; they are drawn to the light. For example, a bee will fly in a direct line to an open window. On the other hand, a cockroach is negatively phototactic. He will avoid light by traveling away from it. ‘There exist in this universe many factors that are im- portant to our welfare, as physical beings and as beings of a spiritual origin. We have not been left destitute by the Cosmic of a means to utilize these factors. The endocrine glands and psychic centers are some of the instruments, in addition to our usual sense faculties, given us as part of ourselves to direct and control those forces necessary to our health, mentality, and spiritual understanding. One of these is the pineal gland. It is near the center of the brain, and on a line with the center of the forehead, above the root of the nose, When we expand it in ways which we are taught, we have physical sensations of the expansion such as a pulsation, a little throbbing, and a feeling of warmth. These sensations are often transferred to a10 LEISURE HOUR region in the front of the head, or about between the eyes, afore men actually knew, through the means of sur gery and later the X-ray, the exact location of the pineal gland, they imagined that it was in the anterior portion of the cortex, about the center of the forehead. It is a very small organ, about the size of a grain of wheat, and yet it is a most vital one. It is, shall we say, a transformer of the Cosmic Consciousness, of the intelligence of the Cosmic, into rates of vibration, into an energy which is discernible by our objective minds. For further explana- tion, and as an analogy, we may say it is like a little valve that at certain times, depending upon our thinking and our meditation, and because of certain psychic exercises we perform, opens and permits Cosmic inspirations and Divine Wisdom to pass through and become reduced to a means that the brain can translate into comprehensible no- tions and concepts. Again, we may say, it is like a radio receiver that reduces high frequency electrical radiations to sound waves to which our ears respond and which can be conveyed to our brain where we can interpret them. It is a bridge across which the Divine Consciousness passes from the Cosmic to the mortal mind of man. This, then, is the Third Eye. It gives us vision of the Cosmic, a perception of God, and an insight into those divine realms, far removed from the physical. It is the true eye of the soul. The philosopher, Descartes, and the school which followed from his thoughts (the Cartesians), de-SUPERSIGHT OR THE THIRD EYE 14 SUPER EE clared that the pineal gland was the seat of the interaction between mind and body. Upon occasion, it was declared, the soul, through the pineal gland, affected the fine particles of the blood, which in turn caused the mechani- cal motions or physical actions of the body.LEISURE HOUR Part II EYE SUPERSTITION Because a syndicated Sunday newspaper published some foolish detective stories and a motion-picture plot involved the same idea, many wondered whether it was true that the last vision to be seen and sensed by the human eye just prior to transition was permanently photo- graphed upon the retina of the eye and left there as an indelible picture or as a picture that might be seen mo- mentarily before it disappeared. According to the very nice theories of some motion-picture writers, if we lift the eyelids of a person immediately after transition, and with special equipment peer into the pupils of the eye, we can see upon the retina a photographed image or a regis: tered image of the last impression made upon it, and then within a few moments this vision disappears. According to some others the vision remains permanently, and a camera can be used to rephotograph the image that is photographed on the retina. This idea was used in a novel by a writer many, many years ago, and every scientific test proved that it was a fallacy, and a little reasoning on our part would make it plain that it was a fallacy. The retina of the eye, while often compared to a motion-picture screen upon which pic’SUPERSIGHT OR THE THIRD EYE B SUPER tures are projected, is not, after all, a smooth surface like the silver screen on the stage, and the pictures are not thrown upon it in their form and brilliancy as upon a screen, but in light sensations and pulsations which are picked up by the nerves of the retina and carried to the brain area of sight consciousness. If any actual picture is produced anywhere at all, it is in the brain area of sight consciousness, and not upon the retina of the eye. It would be far more logical for the fiction writer to say that he opened the skull and removed a part of the brain where sight consciousness was located, and through some manipu- lation—perhaps pouring chemicals on that part of the brain like one does upon a film in the darkroom—a picture developed on the brain surface. This, as I have said, would be more logical than claiming that a picture was found on the retina of the eye. But even if the retina were like the motion-picture screen, it must be remembered that nothing is permanently registered on the screen in the theater, and that the moment the light behind the motion-picture film is extinguished there is no picture on the screen, and looking at the screen immediately thereafter would reveal nothing at all. =esun Part III SEEING COLORS A word of warning must be uttered at this time, Many persons when beginning the study of occult or Psychic phenomena become so enthusiastic and desirous of obtain- ing results that they are wont to interpret common experi- ences, having purely a physiological foundation, as Cosmic or psychic; thus any uncommon sound is a message, and unusual circumstances or conditions are a sign, or an impression. Such an exaggeration borders on super’ stitious practices, and is most certainly an aberrance. It is unfortunate that many students of mysticism and oc- cultism have not had, as preparation, some basic instruc’ tion in psychology, physiology, and physics before at- tempting the higher aspects of man’s existence. Quite often we can see colors or images which have no actual counterpart outside of ourselves, and which even at the moment may not be related to an external visual impression, and yet they are not psychic in the true sense of the word. For example, there are what is known as after-images, They are the immediate recurrence of identical or similar visual sensations, after the actual stimu lus has been removed. After-images may be divided intoSUPERSIGHT OR THE THIRD EYE Tf SUPER two kinds—negative and positive. Negative are the most common, They can be effected, for example, by staring intensely at a colored object for a half minute, then turn- ing the eyes away to look at a neutral background. On the neutral background will appear to be the same image, but with a different hue. These negative after-images will remain for many seconds before disappearing entirely. Positive after-images resemble the original visual percep- tion in brightness and hue. Further, they retain all of the brilliance of the original for their duration. A negative after-image of a yellow object will appear blue, but a positive after-image will appeer in the same hue; in other words, yellow. Positive after-images last but two or three seconds. Negative after-images are caused by intense stimulation of the optic nerve, such as concentration on a bright light close to the eyes. This sensation is retained for several seconds after the stimulus has ceased. In other words, negative after-images are produced by a continuation of the original excitation, whatever it may have been. Posi- tive after-images are often caused by artificial stimulation, that is, not by actual visual impressions. Thus, excep- tional pressure on the eyelids may produce before the eyes geometrical patterns or figures in various bright hues, such as lavender, deep red, and scintillating greens. Sudden temperature changes and bodily movements may cause ana LEISURE HOUR image to remain as a sensation some time after the stimu- lus has been removed. Now, of course, everyone who is reading this has had the following experience; if you have not, try it. Stare at a bright electric light in your room, after first pulling down all shades, closing doors, and preventing the en. trance of any other light. Stare at it for at least thirty seconds, then suddenly switch it off, so that the room is absolutely dark. Notice the negative after-image—the pic- ture in your eyes of the electric light bulb. This picture or image will continue for several seconds. About it will be a glow of color that does not correspond to the actual color which radiated from the electric light bulb. All of this is quite understandable; yet persons not finding it so, consider it as a token of some psychic phenomenon. How- ever, there are colors and images that we see, or appar’ ently see, psychically, that have no physiological founda- tion whatsoever,The Rosicrucians Invite You... to share the useful knowledge which makes life more enjoyable and free of much of the doubt and confusion that beset the average man and woman today. The Rosicrucians are a nonsectarian fraternity, de- voted to an investigation of the high principles of life as expressed in man and nature. The so-called mysteries of life and death, of the inequalities of people, and of the purpose of our existence here are removed by the sensible exposition of the Rosicrucian teachings. ‘The age-old truths expounded by the Rosicrucians provide men and women with such useful knowledge of the cosmic principles as makes it possible for them to master their lives instead of drifting with the years. 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