After giving a basic explanation of the philosophy of magnetism in the first instalment, Hazrat Inayat Khan now begins to show how magnetism affects our lives, speaking here of physical and of mental magnetism.

Now coming to the question of the practical use of magnetism, whether you are in business or in industry, whether you are in domestic work or in the political work of the State, in whatever condition, you will always find that magnetism is the secret of your progress in life; and as to qualification, to which we give such a great importance, you will find that numberless most qualified people do not make a way through life because of the lack of magnetism. Very often there may be a most qualified man, but before he speaks of his qualification, the person to whom he has gone has enough of him. 

And personality takes such an important place in life that even the absence of qualification is tolerated when the personality has magnetism. Especially in these times, when materialism is on such an increase that personality is given much less importance in society and at such a time when heroism has no place in life, automatically magnetism works and proves to be the most essential thing even now, and will always prove to be so. Only, when there comes the question of magnetism, a person does not go deeper into the subject and he only recognizes a personal magnetism by the attraction that he feels. 

But when we think of the personal magnetism, we divide it into four different classes. The one kind, the ordinary kind of magnetism, is what is concerned with the physical plane, and this magnetism has to do with nourishment, with hygiene, with regular living and with right breathing. Also this magnetism depends upon the regularity of action and repose; besides, this magnetism works with the age, as the ascending and descending of notes in an octave. This magnetism may be likened to the season of spring, which comes and which goes; and at the same time this magnetism is dependent upon all things of this physical world, since this is a physical magnetism. 

Now we come to the magnetism which is called mental. Naturally, a person with a sparkling intelligence becomes the center of his society. The man who perceives well, who conceives well, it is that man who is liked by everyone. The person who has wit, who can express freely, who can understand quickly, that is the person who always attracts others around him. The person who has knowledge of human nature, who knows of things and conditions, it is that person who naturally draws people towards him. And in reality this is ‘qualification,’ if there is any qualification, and without this qualification no other qualification can be of very great use. 

But this sparkling condition of intelligence is born with a person. It is this person who becomes a genius, and it is this person who accomplishes something, if ever anyone accomplishes; and it is this person who helps others to accomplish something, for on his mind others depend. It is this person who can guide himself and direct others. And with all our thought of equality, in which we are so much absorbed, we shall find that it is this person who will win the battle in life, and it is this person who stands above the masses, and it is this person who leads, and without him many are lost. 

Now coming to the question: how can this magnetism be developed? This magnetism is developed by study, by concentration, by a keen observation of life, and by the knowledge of repose. Very many intelligent persons, without knowing how to concentrate and how to take repose in their lives, in time blunt their intelligence; because there is a certain fund of energy which is reserved and which is limited, and when there is too much pressure put upon that limited energy, in the end what happens? A person becomes less and less intelligent, and his power of mind will decrease every day. And whenever you will find a most intelligent man becoming every day more dull, that always proves that the amount of energy that has been there has been spent. 

It is, therefore, when one knows how to reserve one’s energies by repose, and when one knows how to concentrate and sharpen one’s intellect, that this magnetism remains in a right condition. What generally happens is that it is the intelligent person on whom a great responsibility falls. Much more is asked of him than of others who lack intelligence. If he does not give a rest to his mind by knowing the manner of repose, and if he does not concentrate, and by it sharpen his intellect, naturally, just like a knife which is always used, it will become blunted; naturally the continual use of intellect will make him short of funds.

To be continued…