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CHAPTER VIII

THE LAW OF RECESSION

            THE hierarchy of moments from the lowest to the highest, belonging to one organized constellation of moments, may be arranged in a series as to intensity and vividness of consciousness, ranging from minimum to maximum through all degrees of intensity and vividness. The maximum of intensity is in the focus or in the nucleus of the moment, the minimum is at the periphery. A moment, through frequent functioning, gradually loses intensity and vividness, and passes by degrees through the intermediary stages from maximum to minimum. The fading moment passes by degrees from the centre to the periphery of consciousness.

            If, however, the intensity and vividness of psychosis decrease from the center to the periphery, the extent of content increases. The further away from the centre the greater is the number of the fading moments, and at the periphery the number of moments is also the greatest. The immense number of outlived moments gradually fade away with greater duration, and tends to pass to the periphery of consciousness. It is clear then that as we pass from the centre to the periphery the number of outlived moments increases proportionately. The deeper the regions of the subconscious the wider the extent of its contents. In hypnosis the intensity of consciousness becomes diffused over lower and lower moments, liberating their pent-up energy, and as with the depth of hypnosis the obscure regions of the subconscious are lightened up, their immense extents stand revealed before the astonished and bewildered eye of the observing self-consciousness.

            A lighting up of the subconscious regions can also be brought about by the use of opium or hashish. The pent-up neuron-energy becomes liberated from lower and lowermost moment, psychosis becomes concomitantly manifested and long forgotten experiences tend once more to the centre of consciousness, outlived moments become resurrected and rise to the surface of full consciousness with all the vividness of a present reality. Thus De Quincey in his “Confessions of an English opium-eater” tells us that “the minutest incidents of childhood or forgotten scenes of later years were often revived. I could not be said to recollect them, for if I had been told of them when waking, I should not have been able to acknowledge them as my past experience. But placed as they were before me in dreams like intuitions and clothed in all their evanescent circumstances, and accompanying feelings, I recognized them instantaneously.” Hypnoidic states, such as described by me in my previous works, also reveal the wealth and extent of psychic content present in the lower subconscious regions. Glimpses into the subconscious are also given in hypnoidal states which are induced by the process of hypnoidization.

            A moment, in passing from the centre of consciousness to the lower regions of the subconscious, is effecting its course gradually through all degrees of intensity, ranging from maximum to minimum. In learning to play a violin, for instance, the movements of adjustments are at first effected with much strain and intensity of attention, but a long course of exercise, practice and repetitions slowly reduce the strain and intensity of attention until the act of playing and the necessary motor adjustments for it require the minimum of consciousness and minimal amount of strain, in other words, the act becomes habitual, automatic. A habit is not formed suddenly. A series of repetitions is requisite, each repetition making the next one easier and reducing the strain and intensity of consciousness, until the minimum is reached.

            Of course, the minimum is relative for the particular moment-consciousness. Some of them have a higher and some a lower minimum, although none of them may pass the absolute minimum. This largely depends on the complexity of the moment. The more complex the moment is the higher the minimum, although they all have a tendency to reach ultimately the absolute limit. In other words, a more complex moment or aggregate of moments takes a longer time and a larger series of repetitions to reach the absolute minimum of consciousness. A simplification in the constitution of the moment makes the process of reduction more rapid, but the moment on its way to the minimum has nevertheless to pass through the different degrees of intensity. The course of this process is the one characteristic of the accumulative moment on its way to the simple form of reproduction, belonging to the type of the desultory moment-consciousness.¹ The passing through intermediate stages is a necessary condition of reduction of a functioning moment to a minimum of consciousness. In other words, the law of recession is the process of a moment’s passing from the conscious into the subconscious, often effected by intermediate gradations.

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¹ See The Foundations, Part II; Multiple Personality; The Psychology of Suggestion.

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