128 KS8AYS IN NATIONAL IDEALISM.

which we may recognize in honour or courage or any kind!
of heroism."

Here is an illustration of the way in which concentra-
tion is learnt by those brought up in the atmosphere of"
Hindu culture. A part of the sandkya or daily prayer of
the Hindus consists in the mental repetition of certain
prayers (mantras) a certain number of times, in many cases-
108. This might easily become a mind-deadening mecha-
nical process ; but this result is carefully guarded against,,
and it is instead good practice in concentration. For one
thing, the counting is much insisted on; for repetition
without keeping count leads to mental vacuity. Let any-
one, on the contrary, try to repeat any two lines of poetry
exactly 108 times, and see whether it does not require-
mental concentration to do it without failure. With the
mndhya prayers there are also associated physical practices,,
especially that of breathing, retaining and expelling the
breath, while prayers are repeated a certain number of
times; this cannot be done without intense attention.
Many of the prayers too are, it is to be noted, " affirmations"'
of a very positive and beneficial character, practically auto-
hypnotic suggestions. It is not surprising that Sandow
found his most receptive] pupils in India ; for they already
understood the importance of throwing the whole mind into*
every effort, not taking it in slovenly fashion with the body
alone. The sankalpa is a resolve to perform sandhya; a
Hindu writer remarks that upon this strong determination,
of the mental effort depends the efficacy of the worship..
If the mind is not put into the act, it is done mechanically
and loses half its value. The same thing was insisted on<
by Sandow in his system of physical training.

A great and real responsibility rests upon those who*
control education in the East, to preserve in their systems