Every smatterer, every expert in psychology, will answer: "That cause lies in your brain."
English children (pace the Education Act) are taught that the Universe lies in infinite Space; Hindu children, in the Akaśa, which is the same thing.
Those Europeans who go a little deeper learn from Fichte, that the phenomenal Universe is the creation of the Ego; Hindus, or Europeans studying under Hindu Gurus, are told, that by Akaśa is meant the Chitakaśa. The Chitakaśa is situated in the "Third Eye," i.e., in the brain. By assuming higher dimensions of space, we can assimilate this fact to Realism; but we have no need to take so much trouble.
This being true for the ordinary Universe, that all sense-impressions are dependent on changes in the brain,[1] we must include illusions, which are after all sense-impressions as much as "realities" are, in the class of "phenomena dependent on brain-changes."
Magical phenomena, however, come under a special sub-class, since they are willed, and their cause is the series of "real" phenomena called the operations of ceremonial Magic.
These consist of
(1) Sight.
The circle, square, triangle, vessels, lamps, robes, implements, etc.
(2) Sound.
The invocations.
(3) Smell.
The perfumes.
(4) Taste.
The Sacraments.
(5) Touch.
As under (1).
(6) Mind.
The combination of all these and reflection on their significance.
These unusual impressions (1-5) produce unusual brain-changes; hence
- ↑ Thought is a secretion of the brain (Weissmann). Consciousness is a function of the brain (Huxley).
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