The Subconsciousness and the Superconsciousness Planes of Mind by W. W. Atkinson

The Subconsciousness and the Superconsciousness Planes of Mind is a book written by Atkinson. I had completed the reading on March 26, 2017. It was started after the completion of the reading of the books by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. I had already read half of the book written by Ved Bharti but when I again began to read that book, I suddenly picked up this book from the compilation of the complete works of W. W. Atkinson. The last book which I had read by the writer was Psychic Healing which I have already reviewed. I wanted to shift away from this writer. As one of the commentators on his writing had recorded that you read his books because of their contents, I felt the desire to return to this writer because of the attraction of the style and content of the books by him. The reading of Ved Bharti is still incomplete. I have picked this new title and have completed its reading. It is because of the ability of the writer to narrate his point of view in a smooth English, that one can continue to read his different titles. No doubt, the Kindle software and technology of internet are also an important factor in accomplishing this task. I have nearly 100 titles by this author. If my affair with his writing continues like this, I will be able to read the whole compilation.

Before coming to the chapters of this book, I would like to comment on the style of his writing. I am repeating my version on it. The present comment will be in a mixed language which includes Hindi and English. No doubt, I wrote those comment in between while I was fully engrossed in reading the book.

Nature of the Style of writing:

Author Inductive Logic का खूब प्रयोग कर रहा है । एक proposition देता है। उस की परिभाषा को बनाता है। उस को प्रभावी बनाने के लिए उस का एक premises तैयार करता है। उस पर फिर शुरू हो जाती है एक प्रक्रिया ।  यह प्रक्रिया क्या है? Testimony पर Testimony, Testimony पर Testimony और Testimony पर Testimony। इस Lord ने यह कह। उस Sir ने यह कहा । इस scholar ने ये कहा । इस प्रकार chapter बनता जाता है। Chapter का अंत अचानक रोक दिया जाता है। अब तक लेखक आप के चित से करामात कर चुका है। यह आप हैं जिस ने निष्कर्ष निकाल लिया है। पर आप उस के बारे में actively conscious नहीं हो। तो फिर यह कैसे कह दिया गया है कि आप ने निष्कर्ष निकाल लिया है?

आप के subconscious से लेखक खेल चुका है। निष्कर्ष आप के subconscious में plant हो चुका है । बस अब तो वक्त की बात है जब आप कह उड़ें - हाँ मैं जनता हुँ कि यह ऐसा ही होता है। यह ऐसा ही है। यह तो बहुत से बुद्धिजीवि भी मानते हैं ।

आप से अगर उन बुद्धिजिवियों का नाम पूछा जाए तो शायद आप एक का भी समरण न कर पायें । पर आप अपने दावे पर अड़ जाएंगे ।  ऐसी है इस लेखक की शैली। ऐसी है इस शैली की करामात । पर इसे आप scientific नहीं कह सकते । 

Influence of Swami Vivekanand

There is enough evidence within the different titles of W. W. Atkinson, that his writings have a connection with the people of Theosophical Society. In this book, we can observe another feature. It is that the visit and views of Swami Vivekananda had left a great impact on the literary society of the American scholarship and influenced the development of the thought of the American thinkers. No doubt, W. W. Atkinson had borrowed a name spelt as Yogi Ramcharaka. He had tried to introduce the American world to the Eastern Philosophy in those terms which could attract the attention of the American world of 1910. Here, is a glimpse that shows that it was the visit and speeches of Swami Vivkenanda which was well received in America. It percolated their thought and started making changes. You find a long quotation from the speeches of Swami Vivekananda while the author explained the concepts which he desired to explain. He had been using the testimonies of the European scholars only. When he quoted Swami Vivekanada, the difference was quite evident and arresting.

The Chapterization:

The book can be divided into two sections.