Prana
The orientals account for physical mediumistic phenomena in a similar
way, though their terms are different. Instead of speaking of zoether,
or psychic force, they always employ the term "prana." In the oriental
philosophies "prana" is explained as a subtle form of energy permeating
the universe, but manifesting in a special form in the organism of the
human being. This subtle force, or prana, is held to be capable of being
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transmitted from one organism to another, and is held to be the
energizing power by means of which many forms of occult or magic
phenomena are produced. Prana is very much akin to the "human magnetism"
of the western occultists, and the properties attributed to the latter
are really those which the orientals for centuries past have held to be
among the essential properties of prana; so, at the last, there is found
to be a practical agreement here between the oriental and the western
schools of occultism, respectively, in spite of their differing
terminology.