O'SHEA — ASPECTS OF MENTAL ECONOMY. 173 



on trifling as on momentous occasions. But how can we release 

 these wasteful tensions ? Manifestly the first requisite is to al- 

 leviate the mental attitude which produces them. To many it 

 may seem heretical, but yet it seems to me true that there is too 

 much examination of conscience, too much thinking about self 

 in our American life. One who keeps his errors constantly be- 

 fore his mind's eye pursues the very best course for dissipating 

 his forces. One cannot be looking all J he time upon his own 

 shortcomings without strain and stress of mind and body in the 

 effort to overcome them. And, unfortunately, the more he 

 thinks of them the more securely do they fasten themselves 

 upon him. He rises above his lower self mainly by filling his 

 mind with ideals outside of himself, so that he may grow up 

 toward them. This is the only way, too, in which the machinery 

 of life can be got to run smoothly; which fact is evidenced con- 

 stantly among the people we meet in daily life. You see here 

 a person who lives an outward life. She thinks little relatively 

 of self, does not question unendingly whether What she does is 

 just right and proper, whether she ought not to have done some- 

 thing else, whether other people's actions are intended to injure 

 her. Her mind is full of worthy generous ends to be attained. 

 Then observe her physical expressions : no scowling except when 

 there is occasion for it; no rigidity of features, no constraint 

 and formality of bearing. Rather she is free and unconstrained 

 in all her activities ; the delicate mechanisms of her being work 

 together harmoniously and energy is expended only when work 

 is to be accomplished. Much egoistic-introspective thinking 

 seems to irritate the nervous system, unloosing forces which 

 should be securely held until their services can be profitably 

 utilized. 1 



While bodily relaxation is secured primarily through mental 

 poise, still something may be accomplished by voluntarily striv- 



l We are coming to see that too great self-consciousness is a disease breeder. 

 Faith cure, divine healing, and all the rest accomplish their good work by get- 

 ting the mind of an individual off from himself. The literature of the subject is 

 very extensive ; but for an interesting study and resume of important investiga- 

 tions, see Goddard : The Effects of Mind on Body as Evidenced by Faith Cures ; 

 American Journal of Psychology, April, 1899. 



