11. The Psychic Element In Mental Disturbance-b

The surrounding country, too, is reduced to a morass, neither land nor water. In other words, the temperament becomes tempestuous and unduly emotional, and the non-emotional factors of the mind, such as judgment and self-control, are demoralised. Such a temperament must of necessity be perpetually in difficulties with life, and periodically the repressed emotions boil over in fits of screaming, crying and convulsive muscular movements, which act as safety-valves and relieve the pressure temporarily. The neurotic differs from the hysteric in certain well-marked ways which need to be carefully borne in mind, as they are very important from the practical standpoint. The troubles of the neurotic start in the same way as those of the hysteric, being due to repressed emotion and failure to adapt to environment; but in his case, the life-forces set to work to cut fresh channels for themselves that shall circumvent the obstacle which blocks their path. Consequently we get what the psychologist calls displacement of emotion. Some comparatively innocuous matter becomes the object of an outpouring of emotion which in no way concerns it, for it has been made a substitute for something else. It is this curious underground tracking of emotion in the mind which causes so much trouble, for the sufferer is not insane, and yet certain sections of his values and reactions to life are perverted. He is an extremely tricky person to deal with because he is given to unexpected and quite irrational loves and hates and fears, and acts accordingly. Similar conditions prevail in the organic insanities; the psychological results are the same, but because the origin is physical, not mental, they are but little amenable to psychotherapy. Certain things can be done to alleviate them, however, even if they are not entirely curable; therefore let us consider them from both the psycho-physical and occult standpoints. The body is the vehicle of the mind. If the vehicle be faulty, the mind cannot express itself accurately; its reactions will be distorted. Orthodox science says that the brain is the organ of the mind, but esoteric science says the brain is the organ of perception of sense impressions and co-ordination of efferent impulses. It is the telephone exchange of the nervous system. It is only one of the points where mind touches body, the others being the ductless glands of the endocrine system, the pineal, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, thymus and gonads; to which may be added the Solar Plexus and Sacral Plexus. The student of Tantric physiology will be very dull if he has not observed that the Chakras coincide in their physical location with the endocrine organs. Now the endocrines have for their task the maintenance of the chemical composition of the blood. They pour into it their secretions, called hormones, in certain balanced proportions. If the balance is in any way upset, either by an overplus of one secretion or shortage of another, profound changes in metabolism take place. The whole of the life processes are regulated by the endocrines, and can be speeded up or slowed down in their different aspects as the balance of the endocrines alters. This endocrine balance is known by physiologists to be intimately associated with emotional states, and especially with the alertness or stolidity of the temperament. Psychologists do not sufficiently appreciate the importance of the recent work upon the endocrines, but occultists have a knowledge of this aspect of psycho-physiology as part of their traditional teaching. The breathing exercises of the yoga system are based upon this knowledge, and are exceedingly potent, as are all occult practices which are brought through correctly to the physical plane.