The Power of Thought-Henry Thomas Hamblin

8/14/2019 The Power of Thought-Henry Thomas Hamblin

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The Power of Thought

by Henry Thomas Hamblin

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Electronic Edition Published in 2001 by Cornerstone Publishing.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIONChater 1 ! T"OU#"T T"E C$U%E O& $CTIONChater 2 ! 'ICTI(% O& I#NOR$NCEChater ) ! 'ICTI(% O& %U##E%TIONChater * ! T"E %ECRET O& O'ERCO(IN#Chater + ! CRE$TOR% O& OUR O,N E'I-Chater / ! RI#"T T"OU#"T $ND $ RI#"T $TTITUDEChater ! T"E E&&ECT O& T"OU#"T ON "E$-T"Chater ! T"E $TTR$CTI'E PO,ER O& T"OU#"TChater ! T"OU#"T!CONTRO- $ND %PIRITU$- $TT$IN(ENTChater 10 ! T"E O'ERCO(IN# O& &E$RChater 11 ! NOT DE($ND3 4UT O4EDIENCEChater 12 ! &IR%T %TEP%

INTRODUCTIONYou are the architect of your own life: it is yours to make or to mar.By the power of thoughts you are building; are you building aright?

The o5er o6 thought3 as E7erson says3 is a siritual o5er. It is thegreatest o5er that 7an has at his disosal. The 5orld today is in itsresent state si7ly as a result o6 7an8ind9s collecti:e thin8ing; eachnation is in its resent state o6 either eace and roserity3 or o:erty37urder and anarchy3 si7ly as a result o6 its thin8ing as a nation; andeach indi:idual is 5hat he is3 and his li6e is 5hat it is3 and hiscircu7stances are 5hat they are3 si7ly as results o6 his thoughts.,hat a 7an thin8s3 he beco7es; 5hat a 7an thin8s is the 7ainsringo6 all his actions; 5hat a 7an thin8s attracts to hi7 his circu7stancesand en:iron7ent; 5hat a 7an thin8s deter7ines 5hat tye o6 6riendsand co7anions 5ill gather around hi7; 5hat a 7an thin8s decides5hether he shall be hay or 7iserable3 success6ul or unsuccess6ul3healthy or unhealthy3 roserous or o:erty!stric8en3 hated or lo:ed.
http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#introduction%23introductionhttp://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#Chapter1%23Chapter1http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter2%23chapter2http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter3%23chapter3http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter4%23chapter4http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter5%23chapter5http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter6%23chapter6http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter7%23chapter7http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter8%23chapter8http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter9%23chapter9http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter10%23chapter10http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter11%23chapter11http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter12%23chapter12http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#Chapter1%23Chapter1http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter2%23chapter2http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter3%23chapter3http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter4%23chapter4http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter5%23chapter5http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter6%23chapter6http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter7%23chapter7http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter8%23chapter8http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter9%23chapter9http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter10%23chapter10http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter11%23chapter11http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#chapter12%23chapter12http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tpot.htm#introduction%23introduction


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,hat a 7an thin8s either builds u his character or ulls it do5n. ,hata 7an thin8s can o:erco7e 6ate or strengthen it3 can bring hi7 intoalign7ent 5ith his glorious destiny3 or 7a8e hi7 an outcast and a5anderer in desert laces. Indeed3 there is no li7it to the o5er o6thought3 because it is a siritual o5er o6 intense otency. It is the

o5er 5hich distinguishes 7an 6ro7 the brute3 it is the o5er by 5hichhe can 7ount u to #od3 it is the o5er 5hich can 7a8e theunsuccess6ul success6ul in the battle o6 li6e3 it is the o5er 5hich can7a8e the lo6tiest achie:e7ent ossible3 it is the o5er by 5hichdiicts us3 or the lac8 thatrestricts our li6e3 can ne:er be o:erco7e3 sa:e by a change o6 7ind3habit o6 thought3 and 7ental attitude.

In the 6ollo5ing ages an atte7t is 7ade to sho5 ho5 the reader can3by changing his thoughts and 7ental attitude3 ?re:erse the le:er? andco7e into har7ony 5ith the Di:ine Idea. ,hen this is acco7lished3his li6e 5ill blosso7 li8e the rose3 ?he shall be led 6orth 5ith eace; the7ountains and the hills shall brea8 be6ore hi7 into singing3 and all thetrees o6 the =eld shall cla their hands.?

Chapter 1

THOUGHT THE CAUSE OF ACTION

T"ERE is the conscious 7ind and there is the subconscious 7ind. Theconscious 7ind gathers 8no5ledge and e@erience through the senses.It learns 6ro7 boo8s3 con:ersation and e@erience. It reasons and6or7s conclusions. &inally its thoughts ass do5n into the subconscious7ind. The subconscious 7ind is the 7ind o6 action. It is resonsible 6orall that 5e do. It is the seat o6 7e7ory and o6 instinct. It is a reser:oir


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o6 tre7endous o5er3 it is o6 e@traordinary intelligence3 it carries outall the co7licated rocesses 5ithin the body3 5hich 7a8e li6eossible. The 5isest and 7ost learned o6 7en cannot begin to 6atho7its 5onder6ul o5ers3 but in site o6 this 5e 8no5 enough about its7anner o6 5or8ing to enable us to control it3 and by controlling it3 5e

control our actions3 and by controlling our actions 5e shae our li6e3and o:erco7e 5hat is called 6ate.

The subconscious 7ind3 although so 5onder6ully intelligent andossessed o6 such e@traordinary o5ers3 acts entirely uon suggestion.That is to say3 it 6ollo5s blindly and 6aith6ully the thoughts that are sentdo5n into it. There6ore uon our thoughts deends 5hat sort o6 actionsare brought 6orth. I6 e:il thoughts are sent do5n into the subconscious7ind3 then e:il3 destructi:e action 5ill be the natural result. I6 thoughtso6 5ea8ness and 6ailure are entertained3 then 5ea8 actions leading to6ailure 5ill ine:itably 6ollo5. On the other hand3 i6 good thoughts are

entertained3 then constructi:e good action 5ill result3 and i6 strong3success6ul thoughts are entertained3 they bring 6orth robust3constructi:e action3 5hich leads to success and achie:e7ent. It isi7ossible to thin8 e:il thoughts and bring 6orth good actions. (anyha:e tried it. They ha:e said3 I 5ill be out5ardly resectable andbla7eless in li6e3 but in secret I 5ill thin8 this thought3 I 5ill hug it to7y boso7 because it is leasant3 but I 5ill let it go no 6urther3 becauseI 8no5 that e:il action leads to shi5rec8 and disaster. There6ore I 5illdecei:e e:en 7y best 6riends. Out5ardly I 5ill be all that I ought to be3but in 7y thoughts I 5ill be e:il. (ine 5ill be a double li6e3 to outsidersI shall be one thing3 and in 7y thought!5orld so7ething diAerent. Thus

I shall be able to enBoy e:il in thought3 and escae its enalties

%uch an one does not rec8on 5ith the o5er and 6aith6ulness o6 thesubconscious 7ind. E:ery e:il thought 5hich is entertained andgloated o:er3 acts as a o5er6ul suggestion to this atient giant3 untilat last it can stand it no longer3 and bursts out into the li6e in the 6or7o6 a course o6 e:il action3 5hich is an e@act relica o6 the thoughts5hich ha:e been entertained. This e@lains 5hy so o6ten eole 5hoha:e al5ays been so e@e7lary in their conduct all at once go 5rong3and co7e crashing do5n to ruin; they are si7ly reaing the har:esto6 their thoughts.

,hile this is true o6 the 7aBority o6 those 5ho indulge in secret e:ilthin8ing3 there are yet those 5ho3 either through lac8 o6 courage oroortunity3 do not3 or cannot3 ?brea8 out? into a course o6 e:il action.4y their e:il thoughts they arouse certain e7otions 5hich cannot besatis=ed and 5hich there6ore ha:e to be reressed. The eAect o6reression is either chronic ill!health 5hich no 7edical s8ill can e:ercure3 or organic disease that is beyond the art o6 7an to heal. The


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reader 7ust not i7agine3 ho5e:er3 that e:eryone 5ho suAers in this5ay has been guilty o6 e:il thin8ing3 but the ractice is certainly one o6the 5ays by 5hich so7e eole can3 and do3 literally destroythe7sel:es.

This e@a7le is 7erely gi:en as an illustration o6 the eAect o6 e:ilthin8ing3 and 7ost eole ha:e seen e:idences o6 it a7ongst their6riends and relations. (ost o6 7y readers 5ill doubtless be abo:e this8ind o6 thin8ing3 but the sa7e la5 acts 5ith e:ery 8ind o6 thought thatis sent do5n into the subconscious 7ind. There are t5o 8inds o6thought3 :i.3 constructi:e and destructi:e3 so7eti7es called ositi:eand negati:e. It deends uon 5hich class o6 thought 5e ersistentlyd5ell uon and ass to the subconscious 7ind3 5hat our actions in li6eare to be. I6 5e allo5 our 7ind to d5ell on destructi:e3 negati:ethoughts3 and this3 un6ortunately3 is o6ten the case as it reuires noeAort3 then destructi:e and negati:e action 5ill be the ine:itable

result. On the other hand3 i6 5e thin8 ositi:e or constructi:ethoughts!!and3 to do this3 eAort is reuired3 Bust as eAort is reuired incli7bing a hill!!constructi:e action ta8es lace as a natural result.

Thus a 7an 5ho gi:es 5ay to hate and broods o:er his 5rongs3 5ill beled to thin8 o6 7urder3 and i6 he gloats uon thoughts o6 7urder a ti7e5ill co7e 5hen he 7ay atte7t 7urder. On the other hand3 i6 thesa7e 7an 5ill 8ee his 7ind oA his 5rongs and thin8 thoughts o66orgi:eness3 or3 better still3 i6 he 5ill lo:e3 or hold in thoughts o6 good!5ill the one 5ho has 5ronged hi73 then his li6e 5ill beco7e hay andeace6ul3 and in its highest sense3 success6ul.

$gain3 a 7an 5ho gi:es 5ay to 5ea83 6ear6ul thoughts3 5ho 6ears thathis business 5ill 6ail3 5ho 6ears that his luc8 7ay gi:e out3 5ho 6earsthat co7etition 5ill arise 5ith 5hich he 5ill be unable to coe3 such a7an 5ill robably 6ail3 because all his actions 5ill be 5ea8 andhesitating and lac8ing in that strength and decision 5hich arenecessary 6or the achie:e7ent o6 success. On the other hand3 i6 he 5illbanish e:ery 5ea8 negati:e thought3 e:ery thought o6 ossible 6ailure3and constantly brace his 7ind by a


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beco7es sooner or later translated into action; and as uon our actionsour li6e deends3 it 5ill be seen that it is ossible by thought!control togo:ern our li6e. &or by controlling our thoughts 5e go:ern our actions;by go:erning our actions 5e 7ould our li6e and circu7stances3 thusshaing our 6ate.

-i6e is not a 7atter o6 chance or luc8; it is not so7ething out o6 ourcontrol; it is largely the result or eAect o6 our thoughts. There6ore3 bycontrolling our thoughts!!and this3 than8 #od3 can be done!!5e cango:ern and direct our li6e to an al7ost unbelie:able e@tent. $sconscious thin8ing beings3 created3 the 4ible says3 in #od9s li8enessand i7age3 or in other 5ords3 a 7icrocos7 o6 the 7acrocos73 5eossess one o6 the greatest o5ers in the uni:erse. and this o5er isthought. It deends uon ho5 5e use this 5onder6ul o5er 5hat ourli6e shall be. The engine dri:er sends his engine either bac85ard or6or5ard3 but it is the sa7e o5er that is used in each case. In the sa7e

5ay3 thin8ing 7an can either build u or destroy hi7sel6 by the use or7isuse o6 the otent o5er o6 thought. It deends uon ho5 he usesthis o5er3 either 6or good or ill3 as to 5hether his li6e shall besuccess6ul3 healthy3 hay or har7onious3 or lac8ing in de=niteachie:e7ent3 true success and hainess. ?,hatsoe:er a 7an so5eth3that shall he also rea.?

Chapter 2

ICTI!S OF IGNORANCE

,E do not belie:e that there are 7any 5ho deliberately thin8 negati:ethoughts. (ost eole 7ean 5ell and 5ant to do good and be goodGnot goody3 goodyH. 4ut3 ne:ertheless3 7ost o6 us are 5rong thin8ers37ore or less3 and this is due3 so 5e =r7ly belie:e3 7ainly to ignorance.4ecause it is not generally 8no5n that negati:e thoughts are highlydestructi:e3 5e ignorantly indulge in the73 thin8ing that they do nohar7. $ctually3 thoughts o6 i7urity3 anger3 re:enge3 hate3resent7ent3 en:y3 brooding o:er 5rongs3 brooding o:er sorro5s3 lossesand grie6s; thoughts o6 6ear3 6ailure3 5ea8ness3 enury3 sic8ness3disease3 decay3 7ortality and death3 are all highly destructi:e. They

are destructi:e o6 health3 o6 hainess3 o6 circu7stances3 o6 li6e in allits deart7ents. They brea8 do5n the ner:ous syste7; they aralyseendea:our; they under7ine the 5ill; they 7a8e 6or 5rong decisions. It5ill be ad7itted that this is a 7atter o6 ri7e i7ortance3 yet neitherchildren nor the general ublic are instructed in these :ital 7atters.4ecause o6 this al7ost uni:ersal ignorance 5e 7ost o6 us go onindulging in negati:e thin8ing3 7uch to our detri7ent.


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"o5 7any o6 us3 6or instance3 realise that it is thought that 8ills andnot lac8 o6 6ood in 7ost cases o6 death through alleged star:ation I6 aerson cannot get 6ood to eat he dies in a :ery 6e5 days3 as a rule; yeta erson 5ho 6asts :oluntarily in order to cure hi7sel6 o6 so7e organicdisease can do so3 i6 the 6ast is 5isely underta8en3 6or 6orty or e:en

7ore days3 not only 5ithout inBury3 but 5ith greatly bene=cial results.,hy is it that in the 6or7er case a 6e5 days9 co7ulsory 6ast ends indeath3 5hile a :oluntary 6ast o6 si@ 5ee8s or so results only in goodThe ans5er is o6 course that it is the state o6 the 7ind and thecharacter o6 the thoughts that 8ill3 and not the lac8 o6 6ood.

$gain3 a6ter a 6e5 days9 ?star:ation? a erson is generally in a state o6great 5ea8ness and rostration. et one 5ho sub7its hi7sel6 to a:oluntary 6ast generally continues his 5or83 and it is only at the laterstages that he 5or8s less hard than usual. The certain re:erendgentle7an 5ho recently 6asted 6or 6orty or =6ty days3 articulars o6

5hich 5ere gi:en in our daily ne5saers3 not only carried on his usualduties3 but3 in addition3 5rote a boo8 on a subBect reuiring greatconcentration and 7ental eAort. Contrast all this 5ith the state o6 astar:ing 7an3 5ho3 a6ter a 6e5 days3 is reduced to a condition o6collase and e@haustion3 uic8ly 6ollo5ed by death3 and 5e see ho5great is the o5er o6 7ind and thought. In the case o6 the ?star:ing?7an3 he thin8s that he is dying3 because he has no 6ood3 andconseuently :ery soon does die. The 6asting 7an thin8s that by6asting he is i7ro:ing his health3 and his health is i7ro:ed inconseuence3 e:en to the o:erco7ing o6 incurable Gso!calledH organicdisease. There ha:e been reorted in the aers lately 7any cases o6

i7ortant eole undergoing3 :oluntarily3 a long 6ast3 and by so doing5inning their 5ay to health. 4ut this is not ne5 by any 7eans. To 7y8no5ledge this 7ethod o6 cure 5as uite 5ell 8no5n in certain circlesa uarter o6 a century3 or 7ore ago; but its 7ental asect does notsee7 to ha:e been areciated at its true :alue.

There is no reason 5hy a star:ing 7an3 i6 he 5as 5ell nourished at theco77ence7ent3 should not li:e as long as a 6asting 7an3 and he5ould do so i6 he could only control his thoughts and thin8 in the sa7e5ay that a 6asting 7an thin8s. 4ut =rst o6 all he 5ould ha:e to becon:inced that 6asting is bene=cial to health3 and this 5ould not be

easy3 6or ignorance and reBudice die hard. $lso3 because 7an is roneto loo8 to the 6uture 5ith an@iety he 5ould robably be consu7ed 5ith5orry3 6earing that he 5ould be unable to obtain 6ood a6ter hisco7ulsory 6ast had got beyond the bene=cial stage or li7it.

4ut the 6act re7ains that it is not the absence o6 6ood that 8ills astar:ing 7an3 so 7uch as his state o6 7ind. It is his 6ear thoughts that


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8ill hi73 Bust as it is the thoughts and e@ectation o6 cure that 8ee the6asting 7an ali:e and 7aintain his strength and ability to 5or8.

It 7ust not be assu7ed 6ro7 these 6e5 re7ar8s that I a7 in 6a:our o6ro7iscuous 6asting3 6or an ill!considered 6ast 7ight do a great deal o6

har7. &asting in so7e cases is bene=cial3 but it should be ta8en undere@erienced suer:ision.

There is also 7uch ignorance on another oint3 5hich is the ossibilityo6 controlling thought. It is not generally 8no5n that our thoughts canbe controlled and regulated in 7uch the sa7e 5ay that a -ondonolice7an controls and regulates the tra


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,E are all :icti7s3 7ore or less3 o6 suggestion. %trong!7inded andunscruulous eole deliberately inJuence others by suggestion3 inorder to ta8e ad:antage o6 the7. Counsel in Court says to a 5itnessF ?Isuggest to you3? and then 6ollo5s a suggestion that 7ay be bothuntrue and un6air3 yet it 7ay so o:er5hel7 or con6use a 5itness as to

destroy the :alue o6 his e:idence. Thus does a strong 7ind do7inate a5ea8er by 6orce o6 5ill and suggestion.

The hynotist suggests to his :icti7 that a iece o6 cold 7etal aliedto his bare bac8 is a red hot iron3 and i77ediately the Jesh is scorchedand blistered3 7uch the sa7e as 5ould be the case i6 the 7etal 5ereactually red hot. Or he 7ay suggest to his :icti7 that a cu o6 ara


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:alue. Pictures o6 eole sneeing3 and o6 others doubled u 5ithain6ul bac8s3 can ha:e only one eAect3 and that is to 7a8e eolei7agine that they ossess the ail7ent described.

I re7e7ber 5hen a boy3 reading in the aers o6 that day3 long

ad:ertise7ents 5hich 5ere headedF ?,hat is this ne5 disease that isco7e uon us? I 5as so aAected that I beca7e con:inced that I hadthe disease3 and badly too. I beca7e so alar7ed that I 5ould no doubtha:e seedily beco7e really ill i6 I had not told 7y arents 7y 6ears.Ne:er shall I 6orget the shouts o6 7erri7ent that greeted 7ycon6ession. It see7ed as though they 5ould ne:er cease laughing. 4utthey laughed 7e out o6 7y 6ears3 and I ha:e 8et a ositi:e 7indto5ards or against atent 7edicine ad:ertise7ents e:er since.

(any o6 7y readers 7ust ha:e read the late Kero7e L. Kero7e9shu7orous account o6 his e@erience 5ith a 7edical 5or8 o6 sy7to7s.

"e said that by the ti7e he had =nished reading the boo8 he 6ound hehad e:ery disease under the sun e@cet "ouse7aid9s Lnee. ,ritten3 nodoubt3 to raise a laugh and to a7use3 yet containing a 7odicu7 o6truth3 5hich3 i6 realised by the 7asses3 5ould uic8ly cause thenostru7 7ongers to shut u sho.

Then there is 5hat is ter7ed ?7ass suggestion?. ,e are all inclined tothin8 the sa7e thoughts as the 7ob3 and to ha:e the sa7e e7otionsaroused 5ithin us as s5ay the 7asses o6 the eole. It is :ery easy 6ora ositi:e erson to s5ay the thoughts and e7otions o6 a cro5d o6eole. It is di


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&inally3 5e co7e to the subBect o6 te7tation. $ll o6 us are te7ted inso7e 5ay or other. ,hat 5ould te7t one se:erely 7ight not aAectanother at all3 but each is te7ted in a 5ay eculiar to hi7sel6. ,hat iste7tation3 but suggestion ,e need not argue as to 5here3 or 6ro75ho73 the suggestion co7es; it is surely su


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," is right thought so i7ortant It is i7ortant because it inJuencesour actions. It is i7ortant because it builds u character and astead6ast 7ind. It is i7ortant because uon it our 5ell!being and thesuccess o6 our 5hole li6e deend. It is i7ortant because it is by rightthought that 5e can o:erco7e har76ul suggestion.

&irst o6 all 5e ha:e to realise that thought is the cause o6 our actionsand decisions. It is largely because o6 this that our circu7stancesdeend uon our thoughts. I63 6or instance3 5e do not o:erco7e li6e9sdi


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stead6ast 7ind it is i7ossible to be :ictorious in li6e9s battle. On theother hand3 there is no di


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5orry is such an i7ortant one3 a searate chater 7ust be de:oted toit.

4ut 5hile 5e 7ust not 5orry about our troubles or i7aginary 6ears3 yet5e 7ust 7eet the7 boldly in thought and 5ill. On no account 7ust 5e

run a5ay 6ro7 the73 6or there robably is nothing 7ore negati:e anddestructi:e than this. Those 5ho re6use to 6ace their di


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in:isible o5ers. In course o6 ti7e a 7ental habit is 6or7ed o6 7eetingall di


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one9s e@erience. I6 instead these 7ental ictures o6 6ailure3 o:erty3disaster3 accident3 disease and death are trans7uted into ictures o6success3 roserity3 health3 rotection 6ro7 danger and a hay oldage3 then these desirable states tend to 7ani6est in the li6e3 in lace o6the undesirable ones 5hich 7ight ha:e aeared other5ise. &or

instance3 i6 instead o6 seeing a 7ental icture o6 e:iction3 or o6 being?sold u? as a result o6 not being able to ay the rent3 a 7ental ictureis ersisted in o6 rent aid3 a co76ortable ho7e3 5ith no care3 then thishay state o6 aAairs is li8ely to 7ani6est!!7uch 7ore so than 5ouldother5ise be the case. $s 7ental icturing is robably the 7osto5er6ul 6or7 o6 thin8ing3 too 7uch i7ortance can hardly be aid toits right culti:ation. The eAect o6 such culti:ation is to bring about astate o6 ositi:e!7indedness3 a 7ost desirable condition. It also buildsu character3 7a8ing us strong 5here once 5e 5ere 5ea83 and able toachie:e 7any things 5hich 5e 5ere be6ore uite unable to underta8e.

Chapter (

CREATORS OF OUR O)N EI$*

Do 5e li:e in an e:il uni:erse and are 5e the :icti7s o6 a 7alicious andun8ind 6ate Or do 5e li:e in an orderly uni:erse 5hose underlyingrincile is hel6ulness or lo:e ,e cannot hel thin8ing that 7ost o6us belie:e in5ardly that the 6or7er is true3 and not the latter. It isbecause o6 this that 5e harbour subconscious 6ears; it is because o6this that 5e are essi7ists3 although out5ardly 5e 7ay aear to be

the re:erse.

,ho can tell 5hat dire6ul eAects are caused by this in5ard essi7is7$s I ha:e said else5here3 a belie6 in e:il tends to bring e:il to ass. $belie6 in 6ailure tends to roduce 6ailure; a belie6 in disease tends toroduce disease3 and so on.

,hat is needed is a change o6 belie63 a6ter 5hich a change o6 thought6ollo5s al7ost auto7atically.

The 6act o6 the 7atter is that 5e li:e in an orderly uni:erse3 but 5e are

not orderly oursel:es. ,e are not in corresondence 5ith our trueen:iron7ent. Our true en:iron7ent is an orderly and er6ect uni:erse.The hidden la5 o6 li6e is lo:e or co!oeration. Rheinhei7er the biologistteaches that all through nature3 in both lant and ani7al3 health androgress 6ollo5 5hen this la5 o6 co!oeration is obeyed3 and thatdisease and disorder 6ollo5 its :iolation. That is3 5hen redatory orarasitic ractices are 6ollo5ed3 instead o6 those o6 ser:ice and co!oeration.


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,e ha:e =rst to belie:e that 5e li:e in an orderly uni:erse and that li6eis based on -o:e. ,e ha:e3 also3 to belie:e and ac8no5ledge that thecause o6 our o5n e:il3 or the disorder in our li6e3 is to be 6ound inoursel6. The truth o6 the 5hole 7atter is that 5e are not in har7ony5ith li6e and 5e are not li:ing in obedience to its 6unda7ental la5.

"ar7ony3 eace3 true success3 and a care 6ree li6e are ossible only tothe e@tent that 5e co7e into corresondence 5ith li6e3 5ith the orderlyuni:erse in 5hich 5e li:e3 and 5or8 in con6or7ity 5ith the la5 o6 li6eand the uni:erse 5hich is lo:e3 or co!oerati:e hel6ulness.

There 5ill co7e a ti7e3 so Isaiah the rohet tells us3 5hen this la5 5illbe uni:ersally obser:ed; 5hen the lion shall eat the sa7e 6ood as theo@3 and 5hen ?they shall not hurt nor destroy in all 7y holy 7ountain F6or the earth shall be 6ull o6 the 8no5ledge o6 the -ord e:en as the5aters co:er the sea.? This ideal state 7ay be a long 5ay ahead3 but

5e 5ho 8no5 the truth can ut it into ractice here and no5. 4y sodoing 5e cannot 6ail to bring har7ony and eace into our li6e3 such ascannot be described. ,e can than8 "ea:en e:ery day that 5e li:e inan orderly uni:erse; 5e can ray e:ery day that 5e 7ay be broughtinto corresondence 5ith it; 5e can thin8 and act e:ery day accordingto its underlying rincile or la5 o6 co!oeration and hel6ul ser:ice.Our =rst thought in e:ery circu7stance o6 li6e 5ill be3 not 5hat can Iget out o6 it3 but ho5 7uch can I hel This3 o6 course3 is 6oolishnessaccording to 5orldly standards3 but it is really the highest 5isdo7 andit leads to the attain7ent o6 a li6e o6 true har7ony3 satis6action andeace.

There 5as once a 5ise 7an3 5ho li:ed in a certain s7all to5n and to5ho7 7any ca7e 6or ad:ice and in6or7ation. One day a ne5co7er tothe to5n 5ent to the 5ise 7an and saidF ?,hat sort o6 eole are they5ho li:e here? The 5ise 7an relied by as8ingF ?,hat sort o6 eole.5ere they in the to5n you co7e 6ro7? The ne5co7er reliedF ?Oh3they 5ere a 7iserable lot3 un6riendly3 7ean3 un!neighbourly and 7ostdi


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lo:e and har7ony3 according to our thoughts. Our li6e is =lled 5ith e:ilto the e@tent that 5e 6ail to har7onise 5ith the Di:ine Order 5hich isthe only Reality.

-i6e is essentially good3 although it 7ay contain 7any disaoint7ents

and 7any blo5s. (any o6 these3 ho5e:er3 are o6 our o5n creation. Do5e not rea3 in 7iddle and old age3 the 6ruits o6 the errors or sins o6our youth

-i6e is good3 although a 7oulder o6 character. I6 5e har7onise 5ith it3bearing 5illingly its discilines3 5e a:oid 7uch 7isery and trouble. Inother 5ords3 5e cease creating our o5n e:il.

Chapter +RIGHT THOUGHT AND A RIGHT ATTITUDE

THE ,ASIS OF SUCCESS AND %ROS%ERIT'

T"O%E 5ho succeed ossess a certain tye o6 7ind. It is true that theyha:e a7bition3 :ision and dri:ing o5er3 caacity 6or 5or83 and astrong 5ill. $lso they ne:er sare the7sel:es3 and3 in addition3 theyseie each oortunity 5hen it co7es. 4ut their rincial cause o6success is their tye o6 thin8ing. They thin8 in ter7s o6 success andachie:e7ent3 abundance and roserity. The li6e tends3 in course o6ti7e3 to e@ress the tye o6 thought habitually d5elt uon. I6 5e thin8consistently in ter7s o6 success and roserity3 then3 sooner or later35e e@ress these things to a greater or lesser degree in our li6e. That is

to say3 according to our ability3 5e achie:e the greatest successossible in our case. ,e cannot all be at the to o6 the tree3 but 5e caneach rise to the best osition 6or 5hich our articular genius =ts us.E@cet in the case o6 those eculiar eole 5ho thin8 they can doanything and e:erything3 5hereas they can do nothing roerly3 5ecan all acco7lish 7uch 7ore than 5e could e:er belie:e ossible.There are abilities hidden 5ithin us that are undrea7ed o6. Ourcaabilities see7 to increase as our resonsibilities gro5 greater. -i6ecalls on us 6or higher achie:e7ent3 and lo the o5er and ability are6orthco7ing3 in a 5ay that is surrising to oursel:es and3 robably3 still7ore so to our 6riends.

I ha:e urosely con:ersed 5ith a great nu7ber o6 unsuccess6uleole. 4y unsuccess6ul eole I 7ean those 5ho though sober andhard!5or8ing and 5ho 5ant to get on3 al5ays sin8 to the botto73 no7atter ho5 7uch one 7ay hel the73 and in site o6 slendidoortunities ut in their 5ay. In all o6 the7 I ha:e 6ound the sa7etye o6 thought!habit. They thin8 in ter7s o6 enury and 6ailure.4ecause o6 this3 all their actions and decisions3 un8no5n to


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the7sel:es3 are o6 such a 8ind as to bring about enurious conditionsand 6ailure. (en o6 eual abilities are not eually success6ul. One 7ayaear to be luc8y3 5hile the other 7ay aear to be 7ost unluc8yF butI a7 con:inced that the cause o6 the diAerence is to be 6ound in the7ind. The one has a =@ed idea o6 success and achie:e7ent 5hich acts

as a centre around 5hich his thoughts3 both conscious andsubconscious3 re:ol:e; 5hile the other has a =@ed idea or 6ear o66ailure3 around 5hich his thoughts continually turn. The one isenergised and insired to success6ul achie:e7ent3 5hile the other9seAorts are under7ined and his energies saed by a hidden idea or6ear o6 6ailure and ruin.

No53 5hile it is true that one 7ay be born 5ith a success6ul tye o67ind3 5hile another 7ay inherit a 6ailure tye3 yet it does notnecessarily 6ollo5 that the latter 7ust al5ays re7ain a 6ailure. "is tyeo6 7ind can be changed. In order that this 7ay be acco7lished he

does not ha:e to enlist the ser:ices o6 an e@ensi:e 7ental secialistor ractitioner; he does it hi7sel63 by a change o6 thought. 4y changinghis thought he gradually trans6or7s the =@ed idea o6 6ailure into one o6success. The attitude o6 the 7ind is changed and the thoughts aretrained to Jo5 in a ne5 direction. This3 in ti7e3 changes the 5hole7an3 so that he rises li8e a cor8 in 5ater3 instead o6 sin8ing li8e astoneF he co7es to 5hat to hi7 is the to o6 his ro6ession3 or calling3instead o6 gra:itating to the botto7. "e =nds that there is lenty o6roo7 at the to3 si7ly because so 6e5 e:er use their 7ind in aconstructi:e 5ay. "e beco7es one o6 the 6a:oured 6e53 si7ly becausebe uses his 7ind as a creati:e instru7ent and not 7erely 6or the

urose o6 doing routine 5or8.

It 7ust not be 6orgotten that true success is based on ser:ice. It is onlyby our co!oerati:e hel o6 the 5orld that 5e can e:er =nd hainess3and this is in itsel6 true success. (oney and 6a7e are useless i6 they6ail to bring hainess and satis6action. %er:ice and co!oerati:ehel6ulness bring the truest and 7ost lasting success. Co7bined 5ithe


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$art 6ro7 all this3 the 6act re7ains that thin8ing in ter7s o6 successand achie:e7ent3 at the sa7e ti7e 7aintaining a consciousness o6abundance and roserity3 tends to attract these things to us. The7ind is creati:e to a degree undrea7ed o6 by 7ost eole3 and ourthoughts attract things to us a6ter their 8ind!!oortunities 6or

achie:e7ent and 7ore abundant circu7stances on the one hand3 or6ailure and lac8 on the other.

The inner cause o6 success6ul achie:e7ent3 then3 is in the 7ind.Instead o6 allo5ing it to 5ander any5here it leases3 5e ha:e to train itto thin8 constructi:ely. ,hile others are sending their sare ti7e6oolishly 5e 7ust3 on the contrary3 co7el the 7ind to thin8 ositi:elyin ter7s o6 achie:e7ent. ,e can hold an ideal in the 7indcontinuously3 around 5hich the thoughts 5ill re:ol:e3 naturally andeasily. Constructi:e thin8ing such as this co7els us to 5or8 andstri:e3 5hile other eole 5aste their ti7e in leasure. It is no

hardshi3 ho5e:er3 but a great Boy. It arouses our enthusias73 a6ter5hich e:ery tas8 beco7es co7arati:ely easy. %ooner or later3 Bust5hen 5e are ready 6or it3 oortunity co7es our 5ay3 Bust as surely asthe rising and setting o6 the sun. The la5 is in6allible. ,hen 5e areready the oortunity aears.

In closing this chater 7ay I gi:e one 5ord o6 5arning. %uccess is liableto beco7e our 7aster and 5e its sla:e. There6ore3 it is i7ortant that5e choose the highest 6or7 o6 success3 i6 5e can. $s a rule3 ho5e:er35e ha:e no choice3 because our a7bition is3 as it 5ere3 born in us. ,eha:e in 7ind the case o6 a oor boy 5ith only a country ele7entary

school education3 5ho is no5 an ordained 7issionary3 aarently anutterly i7ossible 6eat 6or one in his osition. ,hether he chose hiscalling or 5hether his calling chose hi7 it is i7ossible to say3 but ineither case3 his li6e o6 toil3 sel6 sacri=ce and ser:ice3 though it 7eans5eariness3 6e:er3 o:erty and derision by the 5orld3 5ill bring hi7 thetruest satis6action. "e is 7ost truly success6ul 5ho =nds his success inser:ice and in trying to 7a8e the 5orld a better lace 6or others to li:ein. Then it does not 7atter i6 his success does beco7e his 7aster andhe its sla:e3 6or such sla:ery beco7es the highest Boy and gi:es thegreatest satis6action.

These are the treasures that no 7oney can buy and 5hich e:er eludethose 5ho see8 the7 through the acuire7ent o6 riches and 6a7e.

Chapter -

THE EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON HEA$TH


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T"OU#"T aAects our health 6ar 7ore than is generally realised. ,hileit is true that hereditary taints3 de:italised 6oods3 and unhealthy 7odeso6 li:ing lay an i7ortant art3 yet I belie:e that thought is thegreatest 6actor. ,hen I say ?thought? I include the e7otions3 6or theyare aroused by our thoughts3 and yet it is ossible to a:oid arousing

e7otional energy by training the thoughts to thin8 along diAerent linesthan those suggested by ri7iti:e desires or ro7tings.

#enerally3 in 5or8s o6 this 8ind3 the reader is told to cease thin8ing o6sic8ness3 ill!health disease3 etc.3 and to thin8 instead o6 health :igour35holeness3 and so on. This is good ad:ice as 6ar as it goes3 6orbrooding o:er disease and ill!health creates a 7orbid conditionconduci:e o6 disease. It is a =ne thing to thin8 o6 onesel6 as 5hole3healthy3 radiant and =lled 5ith li6e3 Boy and energy. %uch a 7entalicture can do nothing but good. Thus the beginner 7ay say ?I a7 inradiant health? and try to 6eel li8e it3 and icture hi7sel63 7entally3 as

the i7age o6 er6ect health and :itality. 4y doing so he ta8es the =rstste to5ards better health. This3 although good in its 5ay3 is by no7eans an ideal 7ethod; there6ore3 better 7ethods should be adotedas soon as ossible.

4ut there is 6ar 7ore in this subBect than this. The root causes o6 ill!health go 6ar deeer. In this little 5or8 5e cannot go into a ro6oundstudy o6 the underlying cause o6 all disease and disorder3 but 5e can7ention t5o or three that are 6unda7ental and o6 the ut7osti7ortance.

It 7ust =rst be understood that health is a state o6 ?nor7ality?; that is3it is nor7al to be 5ell3 and abnor7al to be un5ell. There are threee7otional states that rob us o6 health. They areF G1H sensuality3 G2Hresent7ent3 and G)H an@iety. They can be o:erco7e or neutralised byculti:ating the habit o6 thin8ing thoughts o6 G1H urity3 G2H good5illGincluding 6orgi:eness and seeing the other 6ello59s oint o6 :ie5H3 andG)H rest.

G1H $lthough 7edical 5or8s see7 to attribute 7ost disease to syhilisand syhilitic taints3 yet 5e thin8 that one o6 the rincial causes o6 ill!health3 i6 not o6 disease3 is i7urity in thought3 or the indulgence in

sensual thought3 in thoughts o6 a7ati:eness and si7ilar things. Thee:ils o6 sensual conduct are bad enough3 but 5e belie:e that the e:ileAects o6 indulging in sensual or a7ati:e thoughts are eually gra:eand 6ar reaching. The e:il3 6ro7 a health3 as distinct 6ro7 a urely7oral3 oint o6 :ie53 is that such thoughts arouse ?desire?3 and this3 inturn3 generates e7otional energy. This energy has to be reressed3 andthis is robably the cause o6 7uch bodily disorder.


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No53 to reress or sta7 uon all natural desires as so7ething 5ic8edand unclean is not the best 5ay o6 dealing 5ith the di


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a5ay in the ca:erns o6 the 7ind3 causing dishar7ony3 5hich istranslated into out5ard sic8ness or disorder.

G)H ,e do not thin8 that any 7edical 7an 5ill disagree 5ith us 5hen5e state that care3 strain3 5orry3 grie63 an@iety3 and si7ilar states o6

7ind are the underlying3 or at least the contributory cause o6 7anygra:e diseases. (any serious ail7ents aear a6ter a eriod o6 strain3an@iety and susense. E:en diseases due ri7arily to alcoholic andother e@cesses are reciitated by 7ental 5orry or shoc8. In site o6the atients9 e@cesses no disease 7ay attac8 the7 until they 7eet5ith loss3 disaoint7ent3 or so7e an@iety or 5orry. Then do5n theygo at once. 4ut those 5ho co77it no e@cesses beco7e a>icted also3in site o6 their sobriety and restraint. The 5orry and grie63 susenseand an@iety caused by an erring son; the grie6 and e7otional usete@erienced by a betrayed and deserted 5i6e; or the long continued=nancial 5orries o6 a business 7an in di


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its o5n unish7ent. 4eing searate 6ro7 the Di:ine order accounts 6orit all. The rodigal son 5as not unished by his 6ather3 he unishedhi7sel6 by searating hi7sel6 6ro7 his 6ather9s house and 5andering ina 6ar country. ,hen he returned he 5as 6orgi:en and all 5as har7onyand Boy. Put into 7odern language 5e ha:e to return 6ro7 our li6e o6

searateness in thought3 desire3 e7otions and the aAections3 to theCentre o6 all li6e3 order and har7ony3 and beco7e at!one 5ith it. This7eans that3 =rst3 5e 7ust ossess the desire to do so3 and3 secondly3that 5e 7ust bring all our thoughts into line 5ith the Di:ine Inner7ost.

%uch a thing 5ould3 o6 course3 be i7ossible i6 it 5ere not 6or the 6actthat one 5ho asires recei:es hel 6ro7 "ea:en itsel6. $ll the o5ers o6dar8ness rise u to re:ent us3 i6 they can3 but there is ONE 5ho hasbeen along this ath be6ore us3 5ho 5as te7ted in the sa7e 5ay3 yet5ho 5on a great :ictory. ?Not I3 but Christ3? said %t. Paul3 and this is thesecret o6 success6ul thought control.

Chapter .

THE ATTRACTIE %O)ER OF THOUGHT

T"ERE are t5o old ro:erbs 5hich are 5ell 8no5n and o6ten uoted3but 5hose ro6ound sychological i7ortance is not erhas 6ullyareciated. They are theseF ?4irds o6 a 6eather Joc8 together3? and?ou can tell a 7an9s character by the co7any he 8ees.? The sourceo6 this attraction is largely in a 7an9s thought. I6 5e thin8 thoughts o6 a

certain tye3 then 5e attract to oursel:es eole o6 a si7ilar tye o6thought. ,e are dra5n together by the in:isible 6orces o6 attraction. Itis true that the character o6 our thoughts beco7es3 in course o6 ti7e35ritten on our 6ace3 so that all the 5orld can see i6 5e are ure or=lthy3 strong or 5ea83 lo:ing or hard3 noble or base; but it is largely theattracti:e o5er o6 thought that dra5s eole to us.

Our thoughts not only attract eole to us a6ter their 8ind3 but theyalso attract other thoughts a6ter their 8ind3 and also oortunities andcircu7stances. The hu7an 7ind3 although in one sense it can becalled creati:e3 is 7ore o6 a recetacle o6 thought than a generator o6

the sa7e. ,e ha:e as it 5ere3 t5o doors to our 7ind3 one oening to astrea7 o6 hea:enly3 good3 beauti6ul3 ennobling3 health6ul and5holeso7e thoughts; the other oening to a strea7 o6 undesirable35ea8ening3 destructi:e thoughts. It is i7ossible to ha:e both o6 thesedoors oen at the sa7e ti7e. ,hen 5e thin8 thoughts o6 urity35holeness3 charity3 etc.!!in other 5ords3 thoughts o6 a "ea:enlycharacter!!then the door to "ea:en and all that is beauti6ul is oened3allo5ing a Jood o6 si7ilar thoughts to enter. This is 5hy rayer is so


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:aluable. Prayer is the raising o6 the thought and attention3 also theheart and aAections3 to "ea:en. In resonse there is a return Jo5 orinJu@ o6 Di:ine li6e3 thought and ideas. One 5ho erse:eres in thisractice beco7es3 in course o6 ti7e3 so changed by this Di:ine inJu@as to be hea:enly 7inded. Then the other door leading to all that is

undesirable re7ains shut al5ays. During the transition stage3 the doorleading to e:il thoughts 7ay be burst artly oen3 leading to 5hat 5e8no5 as te7tations. I6 5e try to shut the door and =ght the attac8ing6orces3 or thoughts3 or suggestions o6 e:il3 5e =nd that it oens e:en5ider. The only 5ay o6 dealing 5ith the situation eAecti:ely is to raisethe thoughts3 attention3 7ind and heart to the #ood and "ea:enlyReality. ,hen our attention is =@ed in this 5ay uon Reality or "ea:en3#od or Christ3 then the other door beco7es shut again. The onlyreason 6or it being burst oen is that our attention on the #ood andPure beco7es 5ea8ened at ti7es. The inJu@ 6ro7 the Di:ine3 ho5e:er3continually strengthens and changes us3 so that it beco7es

increasingly ossible to 8ee our thoughts on a "ea:enly lane; andthis3 in turn3 8ees the other door 7ore eAecti:ely shut.

The negati:e asect o6 all this is that i6 5e allo5 the door o6 5ea8 ore:il thought to oen3 the door o6 Di:ine #ood beco7es closed. "ea:en3in site o6 all its good intentions and desires3 cannot hel us i6 5e allo5out thoughts and attention to be engaged by lo5er things.

Thus 5e see here the :alue o6 6aith. I6 5e raise our heart and thoughtabo:e our troubles3 then 5e oen the door "ea:en5ards3 so that aninJu@ o6 ne5 li6e3 o5er and good Jo5 into us3 enabling us to

o:erco7e. Directly3 ho5e:er3 that 5e loo8 do5n3 to brood o:er ourtroubles3 the door to5ards "ea:en beco7es shut3 5hile the other dooris oened3 thus allo5ing a strea7 o6 5ea8ening destructi:e thoughts toenter. Thus by re6using to brood o:er our troubles and di


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star:e. The sa7e thing 5ould haen in any ro6ession. $ doctor3 ala5yer3 a clergy7an3 5ould attract a large 6ollo5ing3 i6 he ossessed anattracti:e at7oshere3 but 5ould ha:e only a scanty 6ollo5ing i6 hehad a reellent at7oshere.

In order to create or de:elo an attracti:e at7oshere 5e 7ust 6eelgood5ill to5ards those 5ho7 5e 7eet3 5e 7ust be an@ious to ser:eand hel3 and 5e 7ust thin8 the right thoughts. There is no need 6ortoadyis7!!indeed3 this should be a:oided at all costs!!!instead3 5e7ust re7e7ber that 5hile it is true that 5e ha:e to ser:e3 no 7atter5hat our calling or osition 7ay be3 yet 5e are the 7agnet and thatothers are dra5n to us3 not by co7ulsion or against their 5ill3 but bythe 7agnetis7 o6 good5ill and in5ard 6riendliness.

,e 7ust also bear in 7ind that 5e are dra5ing others to us not inorder to ser:e our o5n sel=sh ends3 but in order to bless the73 hel

the7 and 7a8e the7 haier. There 5as once an underta8er 5ho 5asso sy7athetic he did 7ore 6unerals than any o6 his co7etitors. "issy7athy attracted eole because it 5as RE$-. I6 it had been ?ut on?it 5ould ne:er ha:e rung true and he 5ould ha:e been a:oided as ahu7bug and hyocrite. "e had no desire to get business 5ith hissy7athy3 he 5ould ha:e hated the thought3 but he si7ly could nothel being sy7athetic3 because he had a big heart o6 lo:e oen to all5ho 5ere in trouble. There6ore3 5e should attract eole si7ly inorder to bless. I6 it 7a8es us roserous3 5e cannot hel it3 our obBect7ust be to bless and ser:e.

No5 so7e readers 5ill say that the teaching o6 this chater is uitei7ossible. They 5ill say3 and rightly3 that soon a6ter a 7an begins tothin8 rightly and asire a6ter better things he is subBected to anin:asion 6ro73 aarently3 all the o5ers o6 e:il3 and that it see7s asthough the Joodgates o6 hell 5ere let loose uon hi73 thus 7a8ing6urther rogress i7ossible. This is true enough3 but there is anotherside to the story 5hich is that the one 5ho asires recei:es hel 6ro7abo:e. E:ery ti7e that 5e loo8 u3 raising our thoughts to a higherlane3 li6e and health3 strength and blessing Jo5 into us. It does not7atter ho5 7uch 5e 7ay be te7ted3 5e recei:e greater strength6ro7 our Elder 4rother than the o5er o6 e:il that assails us. This #reat

One has been be6ore us3 conuering and o:erco7ing3 and "e it is 5hocan and does hel us in our eAorts to rise to higher and better things.

?&or greater is "e that is in you3 than he that is in the 5orld.?

Chapter /


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THOUGHT0CONTRO$ AND S%IRITUA$ ATTAIN!ENT

IN this little boo8 I ha:e d5elt too 7uch3 erhas3 uon 7aterialachie:e7ent; but the rincial reason 6or doing this has been that it isour duty to ser:e our day and generation and to be as big and use6ul in

ser:ice as 5e ossibly can. I do not ad:ocate a sel=sh success. Oura7bition should be3 not ho5 7uch can I get3 but ho5 7uch can I gi:e3in ser:ice and in doing things 6or the 5orld. Thus the success andachie:e7ent that I ad:ocate need not be the 7a8ing o6 7oney or the5inning o6 osition at all3 6or it 7ay 7ean gi:ing one9s li6e in7issionary ser:ice3 or other 6or7s o6 sel6!sacri=ce and de:otion toone9s 6ello5s. 4ut no 7atter 5hat our calling in li6e 7ay be3 the o5ero6 thought and the control o6 thought are o6 great i7ortance. $ young7an 7ay beco7e a 7issionary3 in site o6 oosition anddiscourage7ent3 si7ly because his 7ind is stead6ast and his thoughtsdirected to5ards the goal o6 his a7bition. $arently insuerable

di


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7any3 si7ly through directing his thoughts to5ards #od3 anderse:ering3 in site o6 their liability to 5ander.

It is ossible 6or us really to ray i6 5e ossess a 7easure o6 thought!control. ,e direct our attention to #od and this 6or7s a ladder by

5hich our thoughts and aAection ascend u to #od. Thought!control isreally a =@ation o6 the attention uon a gi:en obBect and 8eeing itthere. %o long as our attention is =@ed on #od3 Bust so long 5ill ourthoughts tra:el u the ladder thus set u.

Those 5hose o5ers o6 attention and thought!control are so 5ea8 as tobe al7ost entirely lac8ing should reeat rayers. This is not as good asraying onesel63 but it is a beginning and a ste in the right direction.One 5ho ?says? or reeats his rayers3 night and 7orning3 ossesses aconnecting lin8 bet5een hi7sel6 and "ea:en that others 5ho ne:er7a8e any such atte7t lac8. 4ut really to ray by directing the

attention and thoughts to5ard #od is a :ery diAerent thing. It is a7uch greater thing; it is a siritual e@ercise o6 the highest order. It isnot an easy thing to do ho5e:er3 6or until our thoughts ha:e beco7ediscilined they 5ander a5ay. The cares o6 li6e3 or its a7bitions3 lureour thoughts a5ay so that 5e soon =nd oursel:es thin8ing o6 things7aterial3 instead o6 things siritual. Our thoughts 7ust3 o6 course3 bebrought bac8 again and again3 until a habit is set u 5hich then 7a8esreal rayer ossible.

There are 7any grades o6 real rayer. There is sulicatory rayer;there is the rayer o6 raise and than8sgi:ing; there is the rayer o6

7editation; there is conte7lation. The last t5o are :ery ad:anced.They beco7e ossible only 5hen an al7ost er6ect degree o6 thought!control has been de:eloed.

It is not only during ti7es o6 rayer3 ho5e:er3 that thought!control isneeded in the ursuit and de:elo7ent o6 siritual 6aculties ando5ers. ,e need it Bust as 7uch during the day 5hen engaged in the?7ud and scu7 o6 things?. ,e too can share the e@erience o6 4rother-a5rence3 5ho 6ound that his 5or8 5hich he disli8ed3 in the ordinary5ay3 beca7e enBoyable because o6 the Di:ine resence. Tas8s3 also35hich be6ore 5ere di


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6ello5shi and co7anionshi. ,e are not alone3 6or there is One 5ithus heling to 7a8e li6e a nobler thing3 to beco7e 7ore 6aith6ul 5or8ersand ser:ers3 to do things 6ro7 a higher 7oti:e.

The result o6 all this is that a ne5 and =ner character is built u3 and

this is eternal3 6or character can ne:er die. $nd3 in addition3 5e beco7eentirely ne5 creatures. ,e 7ay not be religious3 as generallyunderstood3 or sancti7onious3 but 5e can beco7e nobler3 truer3 =nertyes o6 7en and 5o7en3 6or 5ho7 the 5orld 5ill ha:e cause to bethan86ul.

The inner3 or siritual3 li6e is a :ery real thing. T5o eole 7ay beco7esiritually a5a8ened3 and through it 7ay desire to li:e a nobler andhigher li6e. One 7ay be success6ul 5hile the other 7ay a6ter a hard=ght go bac8 to his old li6e. The reason is that the 6or7er 8ees ali:ethe Ja7e o6 his inner li6e3 5hile the latter allo5s it to go out. The

6or7er erse:eres 5ith real rayer and directing his thoughts to #od3raising the7 continually to higher and better things; 5hile the latterneglects his raying3 does not erse:ere in the control o6 his thoughts3so that his siritual li6e 5ithers a5ay and beco7es dead through lac8o6 nourish7ent. Then te7tation co7es in li8e a Jood and the battle istoo 7uch 6or one 5ho is not 6orti=ed by rayer. "e gi:es in and goesbac8 again to the sa7e old hoeless li6e3 si7ly because it does notsee7 ossible to do anything else. The 6ault is not that te7tation istoo strong but that he cuts hi7sel6 oA 6ro7 the One %ource o6 in=nitePo5er through his neglect o6 rayer3 and his lac8 o6 erse:erance inthought!control.

The i7ortance o6 training the thoughts to turn a5ay 6ro7 un5orthythings to the things that are noble3 true3 beauti6ul and really5orth5hile is so great3 is it any 5onder that I 5rite boo8s and ublish a7againe on the subBect

Chapter 1

THE OERCO!ING OF FEAR

&E$R is robably the cause o6 7ore o6 the 7ishas o6 li6e than 5ei7agine. $ secial rotection see7s to shield those 5ho are absolutely5ithout 6ear. It is a 5ell!8no5n 6act that a dog 5ill not attac8 one 5hois co7letely una6raid o6 hi7. (y o5n li7ited e@erience o6 sorts isthat i6 one is entirely 5ithout 6ear3 then the 7ore rec8less one 7ay be3the 7ore li8ely is it that one co7es oA 5ithout e:en a scratch.


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It is 7y belie6 that the lions in the den into 5hich Daniel 5as cast 5ereunable to hurt hi73 si7ly because he 5as 5ithout 6ear. It 5as onlynecessary 6or the -ord to ta8e a5ay entirely his 6ear3 in order to 7a8eDaniel er6ectly sa6e. Proo6 o6 this is to be 6ound in the e@erience o67issionaries. ,hen they ha:e 6aced 7obs o6 ar7ed cannibals3 thirsting

6or their blood3 6ear has been ta8en a5ay 6ro7 the7 so utterly andco7letely3 that to ad:ance unar7ed to5ards 5hat see7ed certaindeath 5as Bust as easy as 7eeting a Joc8 o6 la7bs3 or attending arayer 7eeting. In no such case 5as the 7issionary har7ed.

4ut an entire absence o6 6ear is not only a rotection 6ro7 7ishas indangerous sorts3 6ro7 =erce ani7als and 7urderous 7en3 it is also arotection 6ro7 in6ection and contagion. Naoleon :isited those sic8 o6the Plague in order to sho5 others that the disease could not aAectone 5ho 6eared it not. I once 8ne5 a 7an 5ho used to :isit s7allo@and lague hositals3 but 5ho ne:er contracted either disease3

although he used to 8neel do5n and ray by the atients9 bedsides3inhaling 7icrobes by the 7illion. "is only sa6eguard 5as his thoughtFhe re6used to ad7it that the 7icrobes could har7 hi7; in other 5ords3he trusted in #od3 and so 5as entirely 5ithout 6ear. "e de7onstratedthe absolute truth o6 the 1st Psal7.

Thus 5e see that in one sense it is not 7icrobes that cause us to 6all arey to eide7ic diseases3 but that a thought o6 6ear is the deciding6actor. T5o eole are e@osed to the sa7e in6ection. One contractsthe co7laint3 the other is unaAected. ,hy ou 7ay say that the one5ho escaes is 7ore robust and hardy3 but this is not al5ays so3 6or

6reuently the strong are ta8en and the 5ea8 are le6t. ou 7ay say36urther3 that the one 5ho escaes ossesses greater o5ers o6resistance. Kust so3 but is not this largely due to the 7ind It is the one5ho is 7ost ositi:ely 7inded 5ho is i77une.

#ranted then the necessity 6or and desirability o63 an absence o6 6ear3ho5 are 5e to o:erco7e our hereditary 6ailing (ost o6 us harbour 6earo6 so7e 8ind; 6or although 6earless in so7e things 5e 7ay yet ha:eother 6ears lur8ing in the hidden ca:erns o6 our 7ind. ,e 7ay behysically bra:e and yet ha:e 6ears 6or our business3 our ro6ession3 orour e7loy7ent. The gaunt sectre o6 une7loy7ent3 o6 ban8rutcy3

o6 6ailure to 7a8e good3 7ay haunt us night and day. On the otherhand3 5e 7aybe una6raid o6 these things3 yet 6ear disease3 in6ection3contagion3 draughts3 etc.3 so that e:ery 6resh eide7ic =lls us 5itharehension and dread. "o5 then are these 6ears to be o:erco7e Ine@actly the sa7e 5ay as you 5ould cal7 the 6ears o6 your little child5ho 7ight a5a8en during the night and be a6raid o6 the dar8. ou5ould =rst say ?There is nothing to be a6raid o6.? ou 7ight then reason5ith the73 sho5ing hi7 that the roo7 is Bust the sa7e 5hen it is dar8


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as 5hen it is illu7inated3 and that the things he 6ears are 7erely in hiso5n 7ind. Then i6 this is not su


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NOT DE!AND ,UT O,EDIENCE

T"E beginner 7ight thin83 uite naturally3 that ha:ing disco:ered thei77ense o5er o6 thought3 all that he has to do is to 7a8e use o6 itaccording to his o5n s5eet 5ill. There is robably no greater error than

this. It is because thought is so o5er6ul3 and its eAects so 6ar!reaching3 that 7a8es it i7ortant that 5e train our thoughts tocorresond to the inner la5s o6 the uni:erse. ,e each 6or7 art o6 oneco7lete 5hole. #od is our &ather or Centre and e:ery 7an ourbrother. ,e are ser:ants one o6 another. Until 5e realise this 5e areout o6 har7ony 5ith li6e and the uni:erse3 not only in our actions but inour thoughts; 6or3 i6 5e ha:e a 5rong idea o6 li6e3 then all our thoughts7ust naturally be 5rong also.

It has been said that 5e can conuer Nature only by obeying her la5s.It is eually true that 5e can o:erco7e li6e only by obeying the la5s o6

li6e. I6 5e do not thin8 in har7ony 5ith the motif o6 li6e 5e beco7elaue sots in the Cos7ic body. It is only 5hen 5e beco7e brothers o6hu7anity3 li:ing in har7ony 5ith the la5s o6 li6e and the great sche7eo6 things3 it is only then that 5e can e@erience har7ony oursel:es3and it is only then that our li6e can beco7e really and truly success6ul3in the highest sense o6 the 5ord.

It is ossible to 7a8e de7ands uon li6e and to get 5hat one de7ands.This leads to achie:e7ent3 5on o6 course at the cost o6 hard 5or8 andsacri=ce. ,e ha:e all to ay 6or our achie:e7ents. Those 5ho are not5illing to ay are not able to achie:e. It is because achie:e7ent

de7ands so 7uch o6 us in the 5ay o6 character!!atience3erse:erance3 stead6astness3 sacri=ce!!that 7a8es it :aluable as abuilder o6 character. To 8ee one9s success and to re7ain unsoilt by itde7ands yet greater ualities o6 character than does its achie:e7ent.4ut all such achie:e7ent can bring neither hainess nor har7ony i6 itis de7anded 6ro7 li6e sel=shly3 5ithout any thought 6or others3 5ithoutany thought o6 #od.

No hainess3 eace or har7ony can e:er result 6ro7 7a8ing sel=shde7ands uon li6e. It is true that there is a ti7e in our li6e 5hen itsee7s that e:erything is in our o5n hands3 and that 5e are 7aster o6

our 6ate3 catain o6 our soul. This 7ay sur us on to achie:e andconuer3 and to 7eet 5ith e@eriences that are a necessaryrearation 6or greater things. $ll this is good as 6ar as it goes3 and7ay be a :ery necessary hase in our li6e3 but sooner or later 5erealise that3 although in one sense 5e are 7aster o6 6ate3 in that 5ecan choose either good or e:il3 yet3 all the ti7e3 ?there is a Di:initythat shaes our end3 rough he5 it though 5e 7ay?. There is an internalhar7ony to 5hich 5e 7ust corresond. ,e belong to a co7lete


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5hole3 in 5hich 5e ha:e a lace3 and o6 5hich 5e 6or7 a artF 5e canco7e into corresondence 5ith the har7ony o6 this ?5hole?3 only bybeco7ing less sel=sh and 7ore uni:ersal. In other 5ords3 5e ha:e tolo:e #od3 and lo:e our neighbour. Instead o6 6orcing our 5ill uon li6eFinstead o6 7a8ing oursel:es a centre around 5hich e:erything else

7ust re:ol:eF instead o6 de7anding and co7elling3 i6 5e 5ould =ndreal hainess and true satis6action at all3 5e 7ust lo:e and ser:e #odand 7an3 li6e and the 5orld3 and thus enter into the har7ony o6 the,hole.

The inner la5 o6 li6e is lo:e3 but it is better 6or us to thin8 o6 this as co!oeration. To the e@tent that 5e thin83 5or83 act and 6eel incorresondence 5ith this la53 do 5e =nd true hainess3 eace3satis6action and the things 5hich are recious abo:e rubies and 5hichno 5ealth can buy.

,e see3 then3 5hy 5e should train oursel:es to thin8 thoughts o6good5ill3 instead o6 those o6 hate and resent7ent; o6 co!oerationinstead o6 sel=sh acuisiti:eness; o6 ser:ice rather than ersonal gain.It is only thus that 5e can beco7e brothers o6 hu7anityF it is only bybeco7ing brothers o6 hu7anity that 5e can e:er enter intocorresondence3 or a state o6 at!one!ness3 5ith the internal har7onythat is Di:ine.

,e li:e in an orderly uni:erse3 6or behind the disorder on the sur6ace o6li6e is an internal Di:ine Order. This Di:ine Order 5ould =nd e@ressione@ternally i6 e:ery 7an 5ere to co7e into har7ony 5ith it. 4ut ?sel6?

stands in the 5ay. -o:e3 good!5ill3 co!oeration3 these 6or7 the 8ey by5hich 7an indi:idually can =nd entrance to this inner har7ony andorder; and 5hich by reason o6 his o5n entrance he can 7a8e it easier6or his brother to =nd entrance also.

There is sychology being taught today3 7ostly in boo8s 6ro7 $7erica3that is hurt6ul and 7alicious. It teaches the 7isuse o6 7ind o5er by7eans o6 suggestion. The 7ind and 5ill are used to co7el others toact as desired by the ?oerator?. &or instance3 a sales7an 5ants to getan order 6ro7 a buyer o6 a certain house. ,hile the latter isconsidering the 7atter the sales7an uses strong 7ental suggestion

that the buyer should sign the order. Unless the buyer is acuainted5ith this sort o6 thing he 7ay be co7elled to act against his betterBudg7ent. This ractice o6 7ental coercion is really cri7inal3 althoughat resent not legally so. It is ractised in a :ariety o6 5ays3 but theone 5ho suAers 7ost is the one 5ho ractise the 7ethod and not his:icti7s. Ne7esis a5aits all 5ho 7isuse their 7ind o5ers in this 5ay.,e can ne:er 5or8 against the la5s o6 li6e 5ithout suAering 6or it :eryse:erely. %uch 7ental 7alractice as I ha:e described is in co7lete


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oosition to the inner la5 o6 co!oeration already 7entioned;there6ore it brings disorder and suAering in its train.

Chapter 12

FIRST STE%S

"Who hath despised the day of small things" (ech. !: #$.

,E cannot beco7e adets in right thin8ing and thought!control all atonce. ,e all ha:e to gro5 6ro7 s7all beginnings3 gradually increasingin strength and stature. In other 5ords3 5e all ha:e to 7a8e a start inan aarently s7all and hu7ble 5ay. I say ?aarently? ad:isedly3 6oralthough it 7ay see7 to be a s7all thing deliberately to thin8 thoughtsoosite in character to those 5hich our 6eelings and natural or lo5er

nature ro7t us to thin83 yet it is really a big underta8ing and3 i6 5eare success6ul3 a high achie:e7ent. It 7ay see7 to be a s7all thingdeliberately to thin8 thoughts o6 good5ill about one 5ho has 5rongedus3 or uset us3 but it is really a tre7endous thing o6 eternali7ortance. I6 5e 7erely gi:e 5ay to the ro7tings o6 our earthnature 5e re7ain on ar 5ith the beasts3 allying oursel:es 5ith7ortality3 death and decay. 4ut i6 5e deliberately thin8 thoughts o6good5ill 5e ste out in the ath o6 liberation and 6reedo73 5hich hasno end3 reaching u to the stars.

It 7ay aear to be a s7all thing to thin8 deliberately thoughts o6

things ure and noble in lace o6 thoughts o6 sensuality; yet3 in realityit is a great achie:e7ent3 6or thoughts o6 the latter 8ind 6or7 the :erytaroot o6 7an9s unhainess3 5ea8ness and 5oe.

It 7ay aear to be but a s7all thing to thin8 thoughts o6stead6astness and o:erco7ing3 in the 6ace o6 aarent de6eat and6ailure3 yet it is not such a s7all thing a6ter all3 6or uon it the successo6 our li6e largely deends.

It 7ay see7 to be a s7all thing to thin8 deliberately o6 #od and thingseternal in lace o6 thoughts o6 7ortality and things te7oral; yet to do

so is o6 i7ortance 6or it is only thus that 5e can enter into eternal li6e3through beco7ing at one 5ith that 5hich 8no5s no decay.

It 7ay see7 to be a s7all thing to thin8 deliberately o6 one9s unity andone!ness 5ith the %ource o6 all -ight and -i6e3 instead o6 as seerateand alone3 but this also is a 7atter o6 i7ortance3 6or through this 5eenter into a realisation o6 the Truth.


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It 7ay see7 to be a s7all thing to thin8 deliberately o6 health35holeness and the Boy o6 li:ing3 instead o6 brooding o:er disease3sic8ness and death; but the results o6 such thin8ing are 6ar reaching36or uon it our health largely deends3 and 5ithout health it is :erylittle 5e can acco7lish.

4ut 5hile it is true that 5e are engaged in a great ad:enture3 yet 5eha:e to co77ence in a s7all 5ay3 being satis=ed at =rst 5ith s7allachie:e7ents. That is to say3 satis=ed in one sense3 but not in another.,e ha:e to be satis=ed i6 5e can at =rst 5in see7ingly s7all :ictories3si7ly because it is i7ossible to 5in greater ones; but in our heart 5eyearn 6or greater things3 and 7ean to achie:e the7 5hen 5e arestrong enough. The better art o6 us3 5hich is eternal and hea:enly3and 5hich is 6ed by right thin8ing3 in har7ony 5ith the la5s andractices o6 "ea:en itsel63 is at =rst but a 5ea8 babe3 so to sea8. Thelo5er art o6 us 5hich is ?natural? Gi.e.3 belonging to the lo5er natureH

and the re:erse o6 hea:enly3 is strong and 5ell gro5n. "o5 then is the5ea8 babe o6 goodness and hea:enly nature to o:erco7e the strongtyrant o6 the lo5er It cannot do so o6 itsel6. It 5ould 6ail i6 it 5ere not6or the 6act that 5e can dra5 uon ine@haustible 6ountains o6 li6e ando5er. E:ery ti7e that 5e raise our thoughts abo:e the things o6 ti7eand sense to the eternal real7s o6 the good3 the beauti6ul and the true35e oen oursel:es to recei:e an inJu@ o6 Di:ine li6e and o5er. E:eryti7e that 5e thin8 thoughts that are hea:enly and strong in characterin lace o6 those that are de:ilish or 5ea8 5e ally oursel:es 5ith"ea:en; and then all the Di:ine &orces hasten to 7inister to us andhel us.

There6ore3 although the ne5 and hea:enly nature is 5ea83 and the oldnature is strong3 yet the 6or7er 5ins in the long run3 i6 5e are stead6astand erse:ering in raising our thoughts to higher and better things3thin8ing the best thoughts that 5e can3 in site o6 the clai7s o6 the oldestablished habit o6 thin8ing. &inally3 the ne5 nature s5allo5s u3 as it5ere3 the old nature3 but it is a long dra5n out struggle. ,hat 5e callright thin8ing is not 7erely thin8ing ositi:e thoughts in lace o6negati:e ones. It is this and a great deal 7ore. Right thin8ing hasdiAerent 7eanings to diAerent eole. To the beginner it consists inthin8ing ositi:e thoughts in lace o6 negati:e ones3 together 5ith a

call to high hea:en 6or hel. The negati:e thought and itscorresonding ositi:e oosite are the negati:e and ositi:e oles o6the sa7e thing. ,e can li:e at either end according to our thoughts."ere 6ollo5s a negati:e train o6 thought in one colu7n3 together 5ith aPositi:e counteracting oosite3 that 5ill I hoe3 ser:e as a 8ey to6uture right thin8ing and o:erco7ing.


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NE#$TI'ETho34ht orS344estion

5$i6e is e7il an8 9r3el5

)hat terrible thin4 ore7il is it that maya:e9tme at any moment*Fail3re ban;r3pt9ylosso6 employment


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the day it is eually necessary to chase a5ay the ad:erse suggestion3and in this case it 7ust be done uic8ly. The 7editation 5ould be 6artoo long to be 7ade use o6 in the 7idst o6 the rush and tear o6e:eryday li6e. ,hat is needed is a short a


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The Power of Thought-Henry Thomas Hamblin

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