THE CULTIVATION OF MENTAL ATMOSPHERE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5737, 4 November 1905, Page 13

THE CULTIVATION OF MENTAL ATMOSPHERE.

An impressionable reporter who saw the King and Queen of Portugal passing through London on a very foggy day chronicled the fact that the persons of their Majesties seemed to radiate rays of sunshine. Ho suggested that they had absorbed and retained eome of the brilliance or a sunnier clime. This interesting theory is not without a posable foundation iii fact, for a physician had discovered, it is said, that every human being is surrounded by rays which have a distinct colour, and which vary in tone according to the character of the individual. Not everyone—in fact, hardly anyone—is at present able to distinguish, these rays, but with training and custom wo shall doubtless all bo looking hard at our friends to discover the colour of their characters, a much more important subject than the colour of their hats. We shall certainly avoid people who have muddy-brown characters, for brown rays are appropriately the outcome of a debased life. Pale blue rays we shall, of course, admire, these indicating devotional tendencies, while we may find that other friends have rays of too pronounced an orange or red to please us, the former colour denoting strong ambitions, and the latter a passionate tompeyament. It is satisfactory to loam that rays of rosy-pink attenq. on the individual of good character. The discoverer does not say anything in regard to mixed rays, but one would have thought that; some persons would be surrounded with perfect little rainbows of mixed characteristics —red, pink, orange, and yellow. Also it would be interesting to learn if, when the outward life and the inner life are not in accord, whether the rays are entirely the outcome of (lie imjer life. If this is the ease, it seems likely that when we have learned to distinguish the colours of these rays there will be some little surprises in store for us. Dwellers in London will be curious to hoar whether the presence of fog will dull the colour of the rays. Altogether, the idea opens up a very pretty little series of problems, and meanwhile we should all of us try to cultivate rays whioh shall be of a pleasing and becoming tint. As a matter of every-day experience, and quite apart from anything out of the ordinary, everyone is surrounded with a sort of mental atmosphere, which we can all feel, if we cannot see, and by which everyone with whom they come in contact is influenced either consciously or unconsciously. In some people this atmosphere is more easily distinguishable than in others, while, again, some people are more sensitive to this kind of impression than others. Who does not suffer occasionally from the caller who has the effect of producing.a mental fog or a kind of stagnation in the conversation whenever she appears ? After half an hour of her society, one feels as if one's ideas had all been . sponged away; the man who takes her down to dinner is found in a drowsy condition. People of over-vivid personalities often find her society soothing, because they can themselves sparkle more effectively against a toneless background than when brough into competition with another light of equal brightness. It is, asm matter of fact, nothing which she says or does, but an indefinable something which hovers in her neighbourhood, and which effectually dulls the edge of wit. Probably, when we have learned to distinguish thb colour of her rays, we shall discover them to bo of a thick foggy-grey colour. There are, on the contrary, other personalities which have an exactly opposite effect. When they enter a room, the atmosphere in their vicinity at once takes on a pleasant briskness. In their society one has a feeling of appearing at one’s best.-

One of the strangest things about mental atmosphere is that it* is "catching." The stronger personality is. apt, without any direct intention, to impose his mood upon the weaker. One should be on the watch agaipst allowing oneself to be too easily influenced in this way. If someone is depressed or out of sorts—in fact feeling a little "difficult”—instead of immediately yielding to the same spirit, one should endeavour to exert an opposing influence, and in this way assist the other to escape from an unhappy mood. There is also sometimes the danger of yielding to too sympathetic an atmosphere. Most people have had occasion to ponder uneasily—when too' late—as to the reason which could possibly have induced them to unburden their minds quite so freely of their private affairs, and even those of others. This was simply because, the person they were talking to diffused an atmosphere of sympathy, and induced a feeling of trustfulness. and interest. Every house has an atmosphere of its own, which sensitive people perceive almost as soon as they enter it. Most frequently it is from the mistress that the rest of the household take their cue. Children, sick people, dogs, and servants are all especially sensitive to the mental atmosphere. They receive impressions in this way which are stronger—which, in fact very often nullify the effect of the words which accompany them. While the tongue is busily saying one thing, the hearer is noiselessly but accurately receiving quite a different impression. While the new mistress is saying, "I hope you will be happy iu your situation, Mary," Marv feels quite distinctly in the air thai influence which will lead to future conflicts. Most mothers have had occasion to notice tie fact that children will with one nurse bo always happy and contented, apparently without any particular reason, while with another they are invariably irritable and ill-tempered, equally, so far as one can see, without cause. The mental atmosphere which surrounds a nurse is of no little importance, and many a child's disposition has been influenced for life in this way. Medical men wield a strong personal influence. It is quite a common thing to hear a patient say of a doctor, "I feel better‘the moment he enters the room.” The reason why they do not analyse, but it is undoubtedly the atmosphere of confidence and encouraging helpfulness which surrounds the man of healing. This is all regarded as pure imagination by some matter-of-fact people, hut, then, there are people who affect to x-egard as non-existent anything against which they cannot bnmp their heads. When they resort to medical remedies, they like them highly coloured and full-flavoured for preference. Even the invisible wonders of wireless telegraphy fail to convince them that there v are realities that the physical eye tails to discern.—" The Lady.” ,