at least, perpetuate it. So his affirmation never referred to
a specific condition.
Now, there is a lot of logic and sound psychol-
ogy in Couc~>s reasoning. It generally is accepted that the
subconscious mind is like an electronic computer. You feed
information, visual images, emotional feelings, into it and
consciously give it directions. Then, in cybernetic fashion,
it steers the course of your life to bring into reality the
mental images and directions of your conscious mind. It
cannot judge whether they are good or bad, right or wrong.
Its function is solely to materialize them as it interprets
them.
Since the subconscious mind receives and "un-
derstands" only mental pictures, Coue reasoned that the
inclusion of a specific ailment-such as "sore back"-in an
affirmation which was impressed in the subconscious mind,
would steer its course toward the physical realization, or,
in this case the maintenance of, the ailment. Therefore in
his affirmation, "Every day in every way I'm getting better
and better," he avoided all mention of any specific ailments
on the theory that if his patients got "better and better"
their specific ailments also would get "better and better."
He turned specifics into generalities and thereby avoided
them. Ostrich-like.
Which brings us back to the ostrich with its
head in the sand-and people who, ostrich-like, bena over
to hide their heads in the sands of unreality, and thus make
make irresistible targets to tempt a paddle-wielding Fate.
It seems to me unrealistic to deny the existence
of evil. Or unhappiness. Or suffering. Or trouble. To do