Mind and Body; or, Mental States and Physical Conditions

SUBCONSCIOUS MIND

"...conscious will, and even in opposition to the conscious will."

Henry Wood Henry Wood (1834–1909) was a prominent American author in the "New Thought" movement, which explored the relationship between mental states and physical health. says of the Subconscious Mind:

"It acts automatically upon the physical body original: "organism". It recognizes external facts, conditions, limitations, and even contagious diseases original: "contagions", quite independently of its active counterpart. One may, therefore, 'catch' a disease and be unaware of any exposure. The subconsciousness has been unknowingly trained to fear and accept it; and it is this mental quality, rather than the mere inactive matter of the body, that gives in original: "succumbs". Matter is never the actor, but is always acted upon. This silent mental partner, in operation, seems to be a living, thinking personality, conducting affairs on its own account. It is a combination of almost unimaginable variety, including wisdom and foolishness, logic and nonsense, and yet it has a unified system of functioning original: "unitary economy". It is a hidden force to be dealt with and educated, for it is often found to be rebellious original: "insubordinate" and unruly. It refuses to cooperate with its smaller but more active and wiser counterpart. It is very fixed original: "set" in its views, and only changes its qualities and opinions by slow degrees. But,"