I’ve been doing the Judson exercise as per your instructions and found that, generally, step 2 (Reception of Telluric magnetism) feels stronger in the evening than the morning (like a more accentuated tingling feel in the hands). I did also try the exercise with Judson’s instructions for the 1st and 4th steps: I have to admit that I had to scratch my head to figure out how to do the movement she describes of reaching out and up, palms down (though this is reversed in one of the instructions!) as if gathering up magnetism… I settled on a sort of ‘flapping wings’ gesture and I tried this for a couple of days…I have to say I didn’t find much difference, apart from ending up with sore arms!.. I wonder if you could elaborate on your reasoning for altering this step. One other thing, since I never heard of Judson before I did some research and found some bits and bobs, including other mentions of the exercise in other publications and journals, as well as a bit about our mysterious doctor… Not sure how much of this could be useful or pertinent to you or the readership, please feel free to edit as you see fit:
The earliest description of the exercise I could find was in 1890 in number 49 of The Progressive Thinker (iapsop.com/archive/materials/progressive_thinker/progressive_thinker_v2_n49_nov_1_1890.pdf) where she also mentions Abbott: ‘The writer received these directions from Dr. H. W. Abbott, who was instructed by an exalted spiritual intelligence.’ (No mention of Osseweago yet). This changes in 1891 with the publication of Development of Mediumship by Terrestrial magnetism, which you quoted, where she says: ‘It was in June, 1888, that I began to study with Dr. H. W. Abbott, who was taught this magnetic process by Osseweago, who was king of Atlantis, the sunken continent, about 6,4oo years ago’. In 1893 she publishes an article in Light of Truth, vol XIII, No 8 (iapsop.com/archive/materials/light_of_truth/light_of_truth_v13_n8_aug_26_1893.pdf): this time, she seems to bypass Abbott as a teacher and goes straight to Osseweago: ‘(..) this process was taught to me by the grand Osseweago and my other spiritual guides’ In 1894 she publishes The Bridge Between Two Worlds, where she expands on the nature of the exercise, but no mention is given to Abbott nor the Spirits. In 1898, in a letter to the Banner of Light on Magnetic Harmony (re-issued in A Happy Year, published 3 years before her death in a home fire (iapsop.com/ssoc/1899__judson___a_happy_year.pdf )) , her instructors are only referred as ‘my guides’ (She also mentions she started teaching the technique in 1890 by lessons at Clinton Camp)
Regarding the good doctor himself, the earliest reference I found was an entry in the San Francisco Golden Gate journal in 1886, where it is said: ‘Dr. H. W. Abbott, the magnetic healer, has removed his office to 1047 Mission street [San Francisco]. We hear some excellent reports of Dr. Abbott. He is doing a good work.’ He also advertised in the same number as: ‘H. W. Abbott, (late of Wichitaw, Kansas), NATURAL HEALER. Diagnoses Diseases without one word of information. Nearly all diseases that the human family are subject to, treated successfully. Terms Reasonable & Diagnosis Free.’ (golden_gate_v2_n23_jun_26_1886.pdf (iapsop.com)) He seems to have been touring: in 1888, in the Santa Barbara’s Morning Press, he’s referred as ‘the boy wonder of Kansas and Illinois’ in a brief notice updating the date of his local lecture. (Morning Press 28 April 1888 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu)) In 1889 the Golden Gate informs the ‘well known healer and test medium’ is back in San Francisco after a year and a half absence, where he is ‘holding developing and test circles’ with good success ( golden_gate_v8_n21_jun_8_1889.pdf (iapsop.com)) One year later he seems to be travelling again, he advertises in The Colorado Daily Chieftain as: ‘CLAIRVOYANT. Dr. H. W. Abbott, metaphysical healer and clairvoyant; disease diagnosed without asking questions; occult science taught; sittings daily from 9 am to 8 pm. Room 6, Baxter block.’ (The Colorado Daily Chieftain January 4, 1890 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection) And in 1891 we find out the good doctor might not be as good after all, according to a Kansas paper: ‘News come from San Francisco that the relatives of Mrs. G. C. Williams, a widow worth $750,000, are fearful that she has been hypnotized into a marriage contract with Dr. H. W. Abbott, a spiritualist.’ (Macksville Independent from Macksville, Kansas on December 17, 1891 · 2 (newspapers.com)) (Interestingly, after 1891 Judson drops Abbott’s name when talking about her teachers) Next mention I could find was in Los Angeles Herald, 1898, where it says: ‘Dr. H. W. Abbott, late of Chicago, will deliver an inspirational lecture on “The Power of Harmony” at Truth-seekers hall, 125 ½ S. Spring, followed by spirit messages through the mediumship of the lecturer and other mediums.’ (Los Angeles Herald 2 January 1898 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu)) It also appears that Dr Abbott had a side business as an inventor and seller of a sort of refrigeration system! according to two entries in the San Francisco Call (San Francisco Call 4 March 1900 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu)) and the Hanford Journal (Hanford Journal (Daily) 15 March 1900 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu)), both in 1900. And that’s as much as I could gather, not sure how useful this could be but I enjoyed the detective work nonetheless!
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branchandroot
Judson and Abbott
Date: 2021-04-26 07:19 am (UTC)I’ve been doing the Judson exercise as per your instructions and found that, generally, step 2 (Reception of Telluric magnetism) feels stronger in the evening than the morning (like a more accentuated tingling feel in the hands).
I did also try the exercise with Judson’s instructions for the 1st and 4th steps: I have to admit that I had to scratch my head to figure out how to do the movement she describes of reaching out and up, palms down (though this is reversed in one of the instructions!) as if gathering up magnetism… I settled on a sort of ‘flapping wings’ gesture and I tried this for a couple of days…I have to say I didn’t find much difference, apart from ending up with sore arms!.. I wonder if you could elaborate on your reasoning for altering this step.
One other thing, since I never heard of Judson before I did some research and found some bits and bobs, including other mentions of the exercise in other publications and journals, as well as a bit about our mysterious doctor… Not sure how much of this could be useful or pertinent to you or the readership, please feel free to edit as you see fit:
The earliest description of the exercise I could find was in 1890 in number 49 of The Progressive Thinker (iapsop.com/archive/materials/progressive_thinker/progressive_thinker_v2_n49_nov_1_1890.pdf) where she also mentions Abbott: ‘The writer received these directions from Dr. H. W. Abbott, who was instructed by an exalted spiritual intelligence.’ (No mention of Osseweago yet).
This changes in 1891 with the publication of Development of Mediumship by Terrestrial magnetism, which you quoted, where she says: ‘It was in June, 1888, that I began to study with Dr. H. W. Abbott, who was taught this magnetic process by Osseweago, who was king of Atlantis, the sunken continent, about 6,4oo years ago’.
In 1893 she publishes an article in Light of Truth, vol XIII, No 8 (iapsop.com/archive/materials/light_of_truth/light_of_truth_v13_n8_aug_26_1893.pdf): this time, she seems to bypass Abbott as a teacher and goes straight to Osseweago: ‘(..) this process was taught to me by the grand Osseweago and my other spiritual guides’
In 1894 she publishes The Bridge Between Two Worlds, where she expands on the nature of the exercise, but no mention is given to Abbott nor the Spirits.
In 1898, in a letter to the Banner of Light on Magnetic Harmony (re-issued in A Happy Year, published 3 years before her death in a home fire (iapsop.com/ssoc/1899__judson___a_happy_year.pdf )) , her instructors are only referred as ‘my guides’ (She also mentions she started teaching the technique in 1890 by lessons at Clinton Camp)
Regarding the good doctor himself, the earliest reference I found was an entry in the San Francisco Golden Gate journal in 1886, where it is said: ‘Dr. H. W. Abbott, the magnetic healer, has removed his office to 1047 Mission street [San Francisco]. We hear some excellent reports of Dr. Abbott. He is doing a good work.’ He also advertised in the same number as:
‘H. W. Abbott, (late of Wichitaw, Kansas), NATURAL HEALER. Diagnoses Diseases without one word of information. Nearly all diseases that the human family are subject to, treated successfully. Terms Reasonable & Diagnosis Free.’ (golden_gate_v2_n23_jun_26_1886.pdf (iapsop.com))
He seems to have been touring: in 1888, in the Santa Barbara’s Morning Press, he’s referred as ‘the boy wonder of Kansas and Illinois’ in a brief notice updating the date of his local lecture. (Morning Press 28 April 1888 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu))
In 1889 the Golden Gate informs the ‘well known healer and test medium’ is back in San Francisco after a year and a half absence, where he is ‘holding developing and test circles’ with good success ( golden_gate_v8_n21_jun_8_1889.pdf (iapsop.com))
One year later he seems to be travelling again, he advertises in The Colorado Daily Chieftain as:
‘CLAIRVOYANT. Dr. H. W. Abbott, metaphysical healer and clairvoyant; disease diagnosed without asking questions; occult science taught; sittings daily from 9 am to 8 pm. Room 6, Baxter block.’ (The Colorado Daily Chieftain January 4, 1890 — Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection)
And in 1891 we find out the good doctor might not be as good after all, according to a Kansas paper: ‘News come from San Francisco that the relatives of Mrs. G. C. Williams, a widow worth $750,000, are fearful that she has been hypnotized into a marriage contract with Dr. H. W. Abbott, a spiritualist.’ (Macksville Independent from Macksville, Kansas on December 17, 1891 · 2 (newspapers.com)) (Interestingly, after 1891 Judson drops Abbott’s name when talking about her teachers)
Next mention I could find was in Los Angeles Herald, 1898, where it says: ‘Dr. H. W. Abbott, late of Chicago, will deliver an inspirational lecture on “The Power of Harmony” at Truth-seekers hall, 125 ½ S. Spring, followed by spirit messages through the mediumship of the lecturer and other mediums.’ (Los Angeles Herald 2 January 1898 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu))
It also appears that Dr Abbott had a side business as an inventor and seller of a sort of refrigeration system! according to two entries in the San Francisco Call (San Francisco Call 4 March 1900 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu)) and the Hanford Journal (Hanford Journal (Daily) 15 March 1900 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu)), both in 1900.
And that’s as much as I could gather, not sure how useful this could be but I enjoyed the detective work nonetheless!
Many thanks,
Manuel