M.S.manedra Rapid Hand Patter Presentation

R A PPIN G H A N D PATTER - PRESENTATION By M . S. M A H E N D R A

P R I N T E D A N D P U B L IS H E D

Abbott's Magic N ovelty Co. liL ll

C olon 0 M ichigan

I

W ILL ALMA M.I.M.C. (LONDON)

E v er sin ce th e b e g in n in g o f tim e, in ev er y p art o f th e w orld, m ankind has tried to a n sw e r th e q u estio n : “ IF A M A N D IE , D O E S H E L IV E A G A IN ” ? T h is a v ery g r a v e and seriou s q u estio n and one th a t should not be a n s­ w ered lig h tly . I too h a v e pondered over th a t sam e q u estion as w ell as th e m any m illion people o f our p resen t d ay w h o h a v e tried to so lv e th e se c r e t o f life a fte r d ea th . In m y hu m ble op in ion th er e is no one on th is earth w ho has d efin itely and p o sitiv e ly a n sw ered th a t q u estion . I h a v e g o n e out o f m y w ay, m any, m an y tim e s d u rin g m y tra v els tr y ­ in g to find one gra in o f ev id en ce w h ich w ould ab so lu tely co n v in ce m e beyond a sh ad ow o f d oubt th a t it is p o ssib le to talk w ith th e dead. I have v iew e d th e w ork o f m any so called sp ir it m edium s, and I h a v e se en str a n g e and sta r tlin g h a p p en in g s in d eed . Som e o f this app aren t phen om en a, I could ex p la in a s trick ery , o th ers I could n ot exp lain as such, b u t m u st a d m it th a t w h ile it m ig h t n ot be sp irits, it su rely could n o t be trick ery or m a g ic, but som e s tr a n g e p h en o m en a o f th e hum an m ind or th e p h y sical body. I do n o t fe e l th a t I shou ld be p erm itted to sa y to you, a se e m in g ly in ­ te llig e n t a u d ien ce o f la d ies and g e n tle m e n , th a t th ere is no su ch th in g as life a fte r d eath . N o r do I b e lie v e I can sa y p o sitiv e ly , th a t th e r e d oes e x is t a sp ir it w orld th a t m an y people are in clin ed to b e lie v e in, fo r I fe e l th a t th e r e a re m an y w ell learn ed and in te llig e n t people w ho do b eliev e in sp ir it­ u alism . Sir Conan D oyle, E lla W h eeler W ilcox and m any oth er w e ll k n ow n w r ite r s as w e ll a s th o u sa n d s o f oth er noted people h ave ta k en th e stan d for sp iritu a lism and claim th e y h a v e co n versed w ith th eir loved ones. I fe e l th a t th e y are sin cere in th e ir b e lie fs, and I h a v e no in ten tio n o f r id icu lin g th e ir r elig io n . On th e o th er hand, th e r e are oth er as w ell k n ow n and n o ted people, w ho h a v e tak en th e sid e o f m a terialism and say, “ T h at once a m an dies, th a t is th e end o f h is e x is te n c e , both p h y sica l and sp iritu al as w e ll” . I sh all n ot a tte m p t to d isc u ss su ch a q u estio n a b le su b je c t th a t has a t ­ tra cted th e a tte n tio n o f th e w o rld ’s g r e a te s ts in te lle c ts, h o w ev er I do w a n t to tell you ab ou t o n e o f m y s tr a n g e s t e x p e r ie n c e s d u rin g m y tra v e ls in th e O rient. It h appened in L lassa, th e forbidden c ity o f T ib et in w h ich no w h ite person or o u tsid e r w a s p erm itted to en ter fo r m any, m a n y y ea rs. It w a s sim p ly a sto r y told to m e, a sto r y w h ich I heard in ev e ry corn er o f th e O rient. It w a s a story told abou t a v ery fa m o u s sp irit m edium : M adam B la v a tsk y , th e fou n d er o f th e T h eosop h ical S o ciety w h ich still e x is t s today. I t w a s said th a t th is M adam B la v a tsk y a lw a y s w ish ed to be buried in T ibet, th e land o f m y ste r y and o ccu ltism . H er la st w ish e s w e re g ra n ted by th ose in pow er, her body w a s in terred w ith in th e sacred w alls o f L lassa. H ow ­ ev e r a s her c a sk e t w a s low ered in to th e g rave, th e r e cam e a su d d en m an i­ fe s ta tio n , a v io le n t ta p p in g on th e sid e o f th e c a sk et, n ot as in p ro test o f b e in g buried b ut a s th e la st d em o n stration by a very fam ou s m edium ; tr y ­ in g to prove th e e x is te n c e o f life a fte r d eath . T he w ork m en w ho w ere lo w erin g th e ca sk e t in to th e g r a v e becam e

v e r y fr ig h te n e d and dropped it, fle ein g from th e sc en e o f h er in term en t. S om e o f th e h ig h p r ie sts in th e tem p le heard o f it and cam e to th e g ra v e, opened th e ca sk et, and s tr a n g e to say, th e r ig h t hand o f M adam B la v a tsk y seem ed to be a liv e . I t w a s w arm and fu ll o f hum an life . T he r e st o f th e body seem ed to be dead or dorm ant. O f course th is h ap p en ed m any, m any y e a r s ago, and it w a s on ly a ta le, th e kind you w ill h ea r in ev ery land o f m y ste r y su ch as In dia and T ibet. B u t I w an ted a so u v en ir o f som e sort, a little m em en to to a lw a y s rem ind m e o f th e burial p lace o f m adam B la v a tsk y . So I had a hand carved ou t o f w ood from a tr e e near th e burial p lace o f M adam B la v a tsk y , a hand th a t w a s an e x a c t rep rod u ction as n ear as p o s­ sib le o f th is fam ou s sp ir it m edium . I h ave it w ith m e here today and str a n g e as it m ay seem , w hen co n d itio n s on th is ea rth are fa v o ra b le w e do g e t s tr a n g e and s ta r tlin g m a n ife sta tio n s from th is hand o f m y stery . I sh all now p ass th e hand ou t in to th e a u d ien ce fo r your in sp ectio n ar.d ex a m in a tio n . I a sk th a t you h an d le it ca refu lly . P le a se do n ot str ik e it a cross th e back o f y o u r chair. A g en tlem a n did th a t a fe w e v e n in g s ago and alm ost broke th e fin g ers off th e hand. I a ssu re you th e hand is carved out o f w ood ju s t as I sta te , th e r e is n o th in g in sid e th e hand, you m ay e x a ­ m ine it to your h e a r ts co n ten t, h o w ev er p lea se h andle it c a r efu lly . H ere, y ou sir, w ould y o u m ind ex a m in in g th e hand? I see you are q u ite used to h old in g th e han ds o f lad ies, so I ’ll le t you hold th is one as lon g as you like. P a ss it on a s soon a s you g e t tired o f h old in g it, I w a n t sev er a l oth er g e n t ­ lem en here to s e n s e th e thrill o f h old in g th is c erta in la d y ’s hand. N o w th en , w e h a v e p a ssed th e hand for exam in ation . I f you w e r e to g o in to th e parlor o f a sp irit m edium , perhaps th e v e ry first th in g sh e w ould h a v e you do w ould be to p la ce you r h an d s on a table, or if th er e w e r e to be a grou p o f you, sh e w ould have y o u hold h an d s or som e sim ilar procedure. I sh all ex p la in to you la ter on ju s t w h y sh e w ould have you do th is. I t is q u ite im p o ssib le for m e to have all o f you com e up on th e s ta g e and hold hands, also it is im p o ssib le for m e to have a ta b le b rou gh t in to th e aisle o f th is th e a tr e to allow you to p la ce you r h a n d s upon. H o w ev e r I h ave a sm all board h e r e la r g e en o u g h for tw o p eop le to place th eir h an d s upon. B u t first I w a n t so m eon e to e x a m in e th e board and a ssu re y o u r se lf th a t it is q u ite ordinary, ju s t run your h an d s o v er th e su rfa c e and se e th a t th er e are no in v isib le w ires or th rea d s a tta c h e d to it in an y w ay. R ig h t? N o w th en , I sh a ll ask so m e lad y or g e n tle m a n to place th e ir hand on th e oth er sid e o f th e board, I sh a ll hold th e o th e r side, and if con d ition s are fa v o ra b le th is e v e n in g w e w ill p erh a p s r e ceiv e som e sta r tlin g p roof th a t th e m adam is here w ith u s in sp irit a t lea st. W hen w e do r e c e iv e m a n ife s ta ­ tio n s w e u su a lly r e ceiv e raps, and in th e usual sp iritu a listic code, one rap fo r no, tw o rap s fo r y e s, and th r e e rap s for no or dou b tfu l. S o m etim es the m adam b eco m es q u ite a c tiv e and fu ll o f life , so m e tim e s th e hand w ill a c t­ ually jum p off th e board and in to som e la d y ’s lap. H o w ev er i f th is hap p en s th is e v e n in g , do n ot be alarm ed, it w ill n o t harm you. N o w th en , do you h a v e a q u estio n you would lik e to ask ? J u st co n c e n ­ tr a te on you r q u estio n so it can be an sw ered by a y e s or no. Y ou h a v e it? A ll rig h t! B u t first o f all le ts se e i f th e m adam is w ith us th is e v e n in g ,

M adam B la v a tsk y , i f you are w ith u s th is ev e n in g , s ig n ify your p resen ce by ta p p in g on th e board w ith usual sp ir itu a listic code, one tap for no, tw o for y e s and th r e e for, I do n o t k now or d o u b tfu l. (H an d ta p s tw ic e ) Y es, to be sure, m adam is w ith u s th is e v e n in g . N o w m adam th in k o f you r q u estio n and w e w ill h a v e th e m adam a n sw er it. (H and ta p s a n sw er, p e r­ form er u s in g o w n ju d g m e n t a s to a n sw e r .) Sorry, th e a n sw e r is n o t f a ­ vorab le or (Y e s y o u are su re to g e t you r w ish , e tc .) (P e r fo r m e r a n sw e r s sev era l people. N o t too m any. A dozen p eop le in all is p le n ty to a n sw er. D u rin g th e p rogress o f th e p r esen ta tio n th e fo l­ lo w in g or o th er com ed y e ffe c ts should be in tersp ersed to break th e ser io u s­ n ess o f th e e ffe c t, for you do n o t w ish to becom e too serious. You should n eith er try to affirm nor d e n y sp iritu alism . It w ill n ot b en efit you to ta k e a decided sta n d fo r or a g a in st any r e lig io n .)

HUMOROUS ANSWERS T h ere is a lady in th e back o f th e house, I do n ot w ish to rev ea l her nam e, h o w ev er sh e is th in k in g so str o n g o f her q u estion th a t I “ G et” her th o u g h ts p e r fe c tly . A s lo n g a s I do n o t p oin t her ou t or ask h er to r a ise her hand, I can ju s t as w ell tell you w h a t sh e is th in k in g of. T he y o u n g lady w ill k now her q u estio n w h en I tell you w h a t it is. She is ask in g , “ W ill I m arry so o n ” ? (O ne Tap). N o! Oh, I am so sorry M iss, but M adam sa y s you w ill n o t be m arried soon. T h ere is n o th in g m ore I can do ab ou t it. B ut te ll m e M adam , “ W ould th e y o u n g lady lik e to be m arried so o n ” ? (H and ta p s tw ic e v ery q u ick ly ) Y es, sh e w ould lik e to be m arried soon a llrig h t. N o w here is a lad y back h ere v e r y a n xiou s also, h o w e v er o w in g to th e natu re o f her q u estio n sh e d o e sn ’t w a n t to ask h er q u estion in public. T h is lad y w a n ts to know i f her hu sban d still d rin k s. T ell us M adam , does th is la d y ’s husband still drink? (H and ta p s t w ic e .) Sorry, lady, it seem s your husband is still in d u lg in g , I w on d er if he d rin k s v er y m uch. T ell us M adam ab ou t h ow m an y d rin k s d oes th is la d y ’s husband ta k e each d ay. (H a r d sta r ts con tinu al rap p in g. P e rfo rm er appears surprised and a fte r about ten raps, sa y s, “ Stop, stop, M adam , h e ’s had q u ite en ou gh by n o w .) N o w , I w a n t to t e s t M adam B la v a tsk y ’s p ow ers. (In th e m ea n tim e you n o te a y o u n g lad y n ear th e a isle w ho ap p ears to be unm arried and n o te w h e th e r sh e has a w e d d in g r in g or not. I f sh e is w ith a y o u n g m an all th e b etter, you can u su a lly te ll by th e “ s w e e th e a r t a p p ea ra n ce” w h e th e r th ey are m arried or n o t.) N o w M adam te ll us, is th is y o u n g la d y h o ld in g her h an d s on th is board m arried or sin g le ? (H and ta p s o n e .) N o, th a t’s r ig h t is n ’t it. Y o u ’re n ot m arried, are yo u ? ( I f sh e sa y s y e s, th en you r a n sw e r is, “ S tra n g e, th e m adam h as m ade a m ista k e, p erh ap s you h a v e n ot been m ar­ ried lo n g en o u g h for m adam to k now about i t ” . T hen try again la ter o n .) N o te: In a n sw e r in g th e ab ove and a lso “ p h o n e y ” q u e stio n s you w ill a lw a y s b rin g in to p lay th e sta te m e n t th a t som eon e jn u s t h a v e th eir h an d s upon th e board w ith you, th a t a lon e you w ill n o t h a v e as m uch su cc ess as w h en so m eo n e e lse is h o ld in g th e board as w ell. In a n sw e r in g th e q u estio n fo r th e lad y ab ou t m a rria g e or h er husband d rin k in g, you h ave som eon e e lse hold th e board for her and b rin g th e a tte n tio n o f th e au d ien ce to th is

fa c t, th a t you are n ot a n sw e r in g th e lady w h o h as h er hands on th e board b u t th e lady in th e rear, and th a t th e lady h o ld in g her h an d s on th e board is a c tin g a s a so rt o f an a s s is ta n t or co-m edium as it w ere.

CLOSING TEST I h a v e also found ou t so m e th in g e ls e q u ite s tr a n g e ab ou t th is hand. I h a v e d isco v ered th a t i f a person has a w ish he w ould like to m ake, th a t a l­ m o st in ev e r y in sta n c e i f he a sk s th e M adam about his w ish , h e is a lm o st su re to g e t th e w ish a s lo n g as it is p ossib le. So do n o t w ish fo r a m illion d ollars or a n y th in g e lse so absurd. I m y s e lf h ave w ish ed fo r th a t so lo n g I k n ow by now i t ’s im p o ssib le. H ere y o u n g m an, you look as if you h ave so m e th in g to w ish for. (A ll th e tim e you are w o rk in g you are w a tc h in g for j u s t th e tp y e fo r th is closer, and he should be o f th e “ p a n sy ” ty p e .) P u t you r h a n d s on th e board and m a k e a w ish . D o n ot te ll a soul w h a t it is, b u t hold your th o u g h ts upon your w ish as str o n g ly as you can. A ll rig h t, g o t it? F in e . M adam, te ll us, w ill th is g en tle m a n g e t his w ish ? (H an d sta r ts a co n tin u ed v io le n t ta p p in g a s a g ita te d as p o s s ib le .) T h ere, th ere, ju s t - t a k e th e .hand r ig h t off th e board w h ile it ’s tap p in g, i t ’s v e ry good luck to do so. (F orce sp e c ta to r to ta k e th e hand. N in e tim es ou t o f te n he w ill h e sita te or be a fra id to ta k e it w h ile i t ’s in m otion. H o w ev er k eep a fte r h im u n til he does ta k e it. T hen te ll him to seal th e w ish as it w er e by hold ­ in g th e hand b e tw e e n b oth h is ow n . T hen w alk a w a y from him dow n the a isle so he has to hold it .) L a d ies and g e n tle m e n , you h a v e noted th a t w e did n ot g e t e ith e r a p o si­ tiv e or a n e g a tiv e rep ly to th a t q u estion . In stead w e g o t a v io len t ta p p in g , and th is is m uch b etter, th e y o u n g m an is sure to g e t his w ish . H o w e v er I h a v e r a th er ta k en a d v a n ta g e o f th is y o u n g m an and also o f som e o f you p eo p le w h o have b een h o ld in g th e hand ea rlier in th e e v e n in g . I ts ra th er u n fa ir o f m e to ta k e a d v a n ta g e o f you th is w ay, but really, I fo r g o t to m e n ­ tion it b efore, b ut a v e r y s tr a n g e th in g h a s happened ab ou t th is hand. W h ile in In d ia, it w a s a t A g ra , a t the fam ou s T em ple o f L ove, T h e Taj M ahal, th a t a v e r y in te r e s tin g and p o w erfu l Y o g i saw th is hand and w a n ted to u se it. I loan ed it to him fo r a fe w w e e k s and ev e r sin c e th e d ay th a t h e b ro u g h t th e hand back to m e, a stra n g e and m y stic charm h as taken p o ssessio n o f th a t hand. E V E R Y P E R S O N WHO H A N D L E S T H A T H A N D OR H O L D S IT B E T W E E N H IS H A N D S J U S T A S Y O U A B E T H E R E N O W , IS B O U N D TO B E M A R R IE D W IT H IN S IX M O N T H S FROM T H E D A Y H E H O L D S IT. So n ow , y o u ’re in for it y o u n g m an, sta r t s a v in g you r m on ey, y o u ’re g o in g to need it. N O T E : I f th e occasion p erm its, or b o ok in gs are p rofitab le en ou gh , a p la n t can be used a t th is point. H e th r o w s th e h and back to you and le a v e s th e th e a tr e in d isg u st. T h is a ctu a lly h appened to m e m any y ea r s a g o and it w a s a riot. I t s u g g e s te d th e id ea o f u s in g a p la n t if p erm issib le. P erfo rm er n ow retu rn s to s ta g e and la d ies and g e n tle m e n , you h a v e w itn e sse d h a v e am u sed a s w e ll as e n te r ta in e d you. sa m e q u estio n . I f a m an die, does he liv e

c o n tin u e s as fo llo w s: T on igh t, str a n g e p h en om en a w h ich I hope A nd on ce m ore w e com e to th a t again ? I still ca n n o t g iv e you a

p o sitiv e a n sw er to th a t sa m e q u estio n . H o w ever in stead o f ta k in g you into a d ark en ed room w h e r e a th ou san d th in g s could ea sily happen, in stead o f p r e se n tin g th is sea n ce upon th e s ta g e w h ere th e lig h ts can e a sily d eceiv e you r ey es, I h a v e p resen ted in a fu lly lig h ted th ea tre, and in fr o n t o f your v e r y e y e s, so -called sp ir itu a listic p h enom ena. B ut p lea se rem em ber, m y frien d s, th e m ost im p ortan t p art o f th is ex p er im en t— th a t I asked each one o f you to p lace your h and s upon th e board b efo re I ask ed fo r a m a n ife sta ­ tio n . W H Y D ID I DO T H A T ? T h is is th e m ost im p ortan t part and th e v e r y th in g your sp ir it w orld in v e stig a to r a lw a y s overlooks. It is w h a t is k n ow n a s H U M A N M A G N E T IC FO R C E. W ith ou t th is sam e little -u n d e r ­ stood p h a se o f th e hum an body, y o u r sp irit m edium w ould m any tim es be p o w erless, fo r w ith o u t hum an h and s upon th e tab le, th e ta b le w ould n ever w alk in th e parlor o f your sp irit m edium . W ith o u t som eon e to hold his h a n d s upon th e p la n c h e tte or O uija Board it w ould be u n lik ely to w r ite. L ik e w ise i f you did n o t a s s is t m e to n ig h t, it is v ery d ou b tfu l if w e w ould h a v e seen th e hand m ove. H o w ev er, in con clusion , p lea se n ote th a t all th a t it h as required fo r th is e v e n in g ’s d em o n stra tio n is a hand carved out o f wood (A s you are sa y in g th is , g e n tly tap th e hand a g a in st th e board) and a p iece o f w ood upon w h ich th e hand m ig h t r e s t in order to rap. B ut a g a in p lea se note th a t w ith o u t th a t certa in H U M A N M A G N E T IC FO R C E w hich ev ery norm al p erson p o sse sse s, th is hand could n ot p o ssib ly m ove. I thank you.

Abbott’s Magic Novelty Company Colon,

Michigan