The Miracle Within
I went there and found the excellent man, attractive by his goodness and simplicity, who has become my friend.
It was indispensable to see him in his field of action. He invited me to a popular "séance." I heard a concert of gratitude. Lesions in the lungs, displaced organs, asthma, Pott's disease (!), paralysis, the whole deadly horde of diseases were being put to flight. I saw a paralytic, who sat contorted and twisted in his chair, get up and walk. M. Coué had spoken, he demanded confidence, great, immense confidence in oneself. He said: "Learn to cure yourselves, you can do so; I have never cured anyone. The power is within you yourselves, call upon your spirit, make it act for your physical and mental good, and it will come, it will cure you, you will be strong and happy". Having spoken, Coué approached the paralytic: "You heard what I said, do you believe that you will walk?" "Yes."—"Very well then, get up!" The woman got up, she walked, and went round the garden. The miracle was accomplished.
A young girl with Pott's disease, whose vertebral column became straight again after three visits, told me what an intense happiness it was to feel herself coming back to life after having thought herself a hopeless case.
Three women, cured of lesions in the lungs, expressed their delight at going back to work and to a normal life. Coué in the midst of those people whom he loves, seemed to me a being apart, for this man ignores money, all his work is gratuitous, and his extraordinary disinterestedness forbids his taking a farthing for it "I owe you something", I said to him, "I simply owe you everything…" "No, only the pleasure I shall have from your continuing to keep well…"
An irresistible sympathy attracts one to this simple-minded philanthropist; arm in arm we walked round the kitchen garden which he cultivates himself, getting up early to do so. Practically a vegetarian, he considers with satisfaction the results of his work. And then the serious conversation goes on: "In your mind you possess an un-
83
