Hindu divine energy of Shakti, the Hebraic ruach, the Cabalist’s Yesod, the Sufis Baraka, the Christian Holy Spirit, the Yogic breath energy, prana, Mesmer’s animal magnetism, Galvani’s life force, Goethe’s Gestaltung, Madam Blavatsky’s astral light, Georg Groddeck’s it, Henri Bergson’s elan vitale, Schr

uestions, hopefully valuable questions, THE NEW YORKER, DECEMBER 12, 2011 31 HOUSE _OVERSIGHT_029926 --- PAGE BREAK --- could "cure" many ailments. Mesmer became highly sought after in Paris, where he would routinely "mesmerize" his followers-one of whom was Marie Antoinette. The King wasn't buying it,