Having by this time acquired the technique of the "direct flash," by your mirror-practice; and having, also, mastered the art of cultivating the positive aura, you should be able to manifest what is known as "the direct command," without much additional instruction.

By "the direct command" is meant the flashing of a direct command or demand to the mind of another person, backed up by the concentrated power of both your mental and physical magnetism. Do you see now why I have first taught you to acquire the technique by means of the mirror-practice, and have then next taught you how to generate and maintain the positive aura? Certainly, you have seen the point! a moment's thought will show you that the "direct command" is really a combination of the methods of the mirror-practice, and that of the positive aura. The mirror-practice taught you the technique, and the practice afforded by the positive aura methods have served to give you ease, self-confidence, and an almost instinctive use of your magnetic powers in the direction of influencing other persons. You will also see the part played in your development by the special exercises in the direct flash, which I gave you in a preceding chapter. You now begin to see why I have led you to the present point by degrees, do you not?

The "direct command" is really a high form of the "direct flash," and is the method whereby the latter may be used to the highest degree of effectiveness.

In the "direct command" you flash your command to the mind of the other person, mentally, of course, but in exactly the same way that you would make an actual command by spoken words, if the conditions admitted of the same. You form the words of the command in your mind, carrying with it as strong a mental picture as you can create, and then mentally flash the command to the other person with as much magnetic force as you can muster.

You will find it an aid to effectiveness, in the case of a contemplated demand upon some particular person, for a certain thing, to practice it before the mirror, using your own image as a "target" - just as you did in the exercise previously given you. You will find that a rehearsal of this kind will tend to increase your power at the time of the actual manifestation or command.

It is impossible to give you specific instruction for the carrying out of this program in special cases, for each person will have his or her own special requirements, the same depending upon the special circumstances of the case. All that I can do is to give you the general rules to your own particular cases and requirements. The general rules I have already given you. Perhaps I can illustrate the application of the same by citing a few cases, which have actually come under my own observation and experience.

One of the most interesting cases of the kind that I have ever met with was that of a professor in one of the American universities. This man, a specialist in his particular line of scientific research, and a thorough master of his own particular subject, commanded a large audience of readers of his books and magazine articles, but, at the same time was almost a failure in his class work, owing to his inability to gain and hold the attention of his students. He came to me, in Paris, and explained his trouble. I gave him my short course in mental influence, etc., and drilled him well along the lines laid down in this book. I made him practice before an imaginary roomful of students, sending them a strong direct command of "Give me your full attention!" "Steady, now, your attention-your full and complete attention to my words!" and "That's right, you are giving me your full attention - now hold it firmly fixed on me!" and a similar stock of direct commands. These commands were directed commands were directed first to the "bell-wethers" of the class - those natural leaders who are to be found in each class, and then scattered among the class at large. The professor told me that, after a number of these imaginary classroom scenes, each face being distinct and plain, and that he could almost see the flash of his command reaching them.

When I thought that he had mastered the general principles, and acquired the technique, I dismissed him, and he returned at once to the university in America. I received several letters from him during the following year, and he testified to the complete success of the plan when put into actual effect. From the first day of his return he obtained and held the attention of his class, and today he is one of the best personal instructors in his university, or elsewhere for that matter. In this case he applied the direct command to special individuals of the class, but the principle was the same as in the case of a single special individual, and differed from the positive aura method.

Another case was that of a promoter, now of international reputation, who formerly was unable to "close" many of his plans, owing to a lack of something in his mental makeup, he thought. He could evolve plans, which attracted the attention of prominent men and others, and he could also manage to fascinate them by his general talk regarding hi enterprises. But he found it most difficult to induce them to take the final step o "coming in," or signing the contract, or entering the subscription, as the case might be.

I labored with this man, experiencing much trouble in overcoming his fixed and stubborn idea that there was, "something wrong" with his mental makeup. Finally, after a long period of careful drilling before an imaginary "prospect" (this term being applied to prospective customers) he began to feel that he had the missing element, after all. From that moment he was filled with new courage, and threw new life and energy into the exercises. So powerfully magnetic was this man, and so high a degree of concentrated force did eh generate, that I could actually feel the force of his power while present in the room directing the exercises. I actually, myself, felt like subscribing to some of his stock, and am sure that had he approached me on the subject it would have required the exercise of my full power of self-protection and resistance to have overcome his magnetism.

When this man finished his instruction at my hands, he at once plunged into the floating of a new great enterprise, and carried the same to a most successful conclusion. He "closed" nearly every "prospect" that he approached, and soon dropped all the smaller "prospects," and devoted his entire attention to the "large fish." I do not feel at liberty to state here the exact words of the "direct command" used by him, for he paid me a large fee for my services, and the secret should be his own, under the circumstances-but this I will say, that his direct command was a straight out from the shoulder mental DEMAND upon the "prospect" to "come in."

Another interesting case was that of a now well-known actress, who lacked "fascination." She was a magnificent actress, of fine presence and a thorough knowledge of her art, but for some reason her acting seemed to lack soul. She came to me to learn how to influence her audience by personal magnetism, but I saw at once that her art, if fully exercised, would be sufficient to carry her audiences with her. Her trouble lay in the fact that there was a certain "fascination" lacking. I set her to work, training her so that she would actually fascinate the actors playing with her, and an air of reality would be thus created. She progressed rapidly, so quick were her perceptions. When she left me she was able to throw such a degree of fascination into her voice and manner, that the actor playing with her would be fairly swept off his feet; the result being that the audience would catch the same by a kind of mental contagion. She simply hurled mental direct commands at the actors, while reciting her lines, and while approaching them. Her success is now assured, but I cannot resist the temptation of mentioning that she has had the greatest trouble with her "leading men" in her companies-they all insist and persist in falling in love with her, and she has had to change them frequently to get rid of their unwelcome attentions, for her heart is "taken" elsewhere.

I fell that I am justified in calling the attention to another case - that of a leading statesman who took my instructions by means of a series of letters, several years ago. This man wanted MASTERY. He got it. I gave him the cue, and keynote, and he did the rest. So masterful did he become, by the employment of my suggested direct commands, that he dominated all who came near him. In fact he carried the thing a little too far-he grew to be regarded as dangerous and tyrannical, and powerful interests conspired against him. He is in temporary retirement at this time - but he is really but biding his time. It is impossible to remain in this man's presence for any time - particularly if his attention is directed toward you - without acknowledging him to be a MASTER.

I now ask you refer to the last pages of the chapter on the "direct flash." You will find there a number of sentences given as practices before the mirror. Study over these sentences carefully, and you will find therein a strong hint of the idea, which you should weave into your own direct commands. Students of mind, under my direction, have effectively employed all of these sentences; in actual practice-and all of them have the germ of success in them. You may use them singly, in combination, or as a general pattern around which you may weave your own ideas. Practice each of them, until you catch the spirit, and you will then have no trouble in creating your own commands in the most approved style. You will notice the DIRECTNESS and POSITIVENESS of each of these commands - these are the two essential qualities to be observed and used in this work of the direct command. Put all your magnetic force behind them, and flash them out right to the point-squarely into the mentality of the persons whom you wish to influence.