us autosuggestions" against our "bad unconscious
autosuggestions," thus bringing about the disappearance of all unjust
suffering.

If we compare the conscious with the unconscious self we see that
the conscious self is often possessed of a very unreliable memory
while the unconscious self on the contrary is provided with a
marvelous and impeccable memory which registers without our
knowledge the smallest events, the least important acts of our
existence. Further, it is credulous and accepts with unreasoning
docility what it is told. Thus, as it is the unconscious that is
responsible for the functioning of all our organs but the intermediary
of the brain, a result is produced which may seem rather paradoxical
to you: that is, if it believes that a certain organ functions well or ill
or that we feel such and such an impression, the organ in question
does indeed function well or ill, or we do feel that impression.

Not only does the unconscious self preside over the functions of our
organism, but also over _all our actions whatever they are_. It is
this that we call imagination, and it is this which, contrary to
accepted opinion, _always_ makes us act even, and _above all_,
against _our will_ when there is antagonism between these two
forces.

WILL AND IMAGINATION

If we open a dictionary and look up the word "will", we find this
definition: "The faculty of freely determining certain acts". We
accept this definition as true and unattackable, although nothing
could be more false. This will that we claim so proudly, always
_yields_ to the imagination. It is an _absolute_ rule that admits of no
_exception_.

"Blasphemy! Paradox!" you will exclaim. "Not at all! On the
contrary, it is the purest truth," I shall reply.

In order to convince yourself of it, open your eyes, look round you
and try to understand what you see. You will then come to the
conclusion that what I tell you is not an idle theory, offspring of a
sick brain but the simple expression of a _fact_.

Suppose that we place on the ground a plank 30 feet long by 1 foot
wide. It is evident that everybody will be capable of going from one
end to the other of this plank without stepping over the edge. But
now change the conditions of the experiment, and imagine this plank
placed at the height of the towers of a cathedral. Who then will be
capable of advancing even a few feet along this narrow path? Could
you hear me speak? Probably not. Before you had taken