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PRINTED
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NO. 23233
Of ne
BF639 .A42 As
a
man
"
Un
'
VerSi ' y Library
thinketh.
3 1924 029 124 308
The
original of this
book
is in
the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright
restrictions in
the United States on the use of the
text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31 9240291 24308
* AS
A MAN
THINKETH BY JAMES ALLEN AUTHOR OF "FROM PASSION TO PEACE"
AUTHORIZED EDITION
NEW YORK THOMAS
Y.
CROWELL COMPANY
A
PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Qs\rVl~~
COKTCHTS Thought and Character Effect of Thought on Circumstances
7 .
.11
Effect of Thought on Health and the
Body
26
Thought and Purpose
The Thought-Factor
30 in Achievement
.
.
34
Visions and Ideals
39
Serenity
45
FOT(eWO%T> This
little
volume (the
and experience) treatise
the
is
result of meditation
not intended
as
an exhaustive
on the much-written-upon subject
power of thought.
than explanatory,
men and women
its
It is
of
suggestive rather
object being to stimulate
to the discovery
tion of the truth that
—
and percep-
"They themselves are makers of themselves"
by
virtue of the thoughts
encourage; that of the inner
which they choose and
mind is the master-weaver, both
garment of character and the outer
garment of circumstance, and
that, as
they
may
have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they
may now weave in enlightenment and happiness. James Allen
Broad Var\ Avenue, Ilfracombe,
England.
As a Man
Thinketh
=a®»
IHOUQHi: tAHT> CHA%ACT€% The
aphorism, "As a
heart so a
man
thinketh in his
he," not only embraces the whole of
is
man's being, but
so comprehensive as to
is
reach out to every condition and circumstance o£ his
life.
A
his character
man
is
literally
what he
being the complete
sum
of
thinks, all
his
thoughts.
As
the plant springs from, and could not be
without, the seed, so every act of a
man
springs
from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them. This applies equally to those acts called "spontaneous" and
"unpremeditated" as to those which are deliberately executed.
Act
is
the blossom of thought, and joy and
man
gar-
ner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his
own
suffering are
its
fruits;
thus does a
husbandry.
[/]
As a Man
Thinketh
THOUQHi: ^AHT> CH4-T(ACTÂŁX The
aphorism, "As a
heart so a
man
thinketh in his
he," not only embraces the whole of
is
man's being, but
is
so comprehensive as to
reach out to every condition and circumstance of his -his
life.
A
man
is literally
what he
character being the complete
sum
thinks,
of
all his
thoughts.
As
the plant springs from, and could not be
without, the seed, so every act of a
from the hidden seeds
of'
man
springs
thought, and could
not have appeared without them. This applies equally to those acts called "spontaneous" and
"unpremeditated" as to those which are deliberately executed.
Act
is
the blossom of thought, and joy and
man
gar-
ner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his
own
suffering are
its
fruits;
thus does a
husbandry.
[7]
^4S <A
JWAK THIKKCTH
in the mind hath made us. What we are By thought was wrought and built. If a man's mind Hath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comes The wheel the ox behind.
"Thought
.
.
.
If
.
.
In purity of thought, joy follows
As
Man
his
is
artifice,
own shadow
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
one endure
him
sure."
growth by law, and noc a creation by effect is as absolute and
a
and cause and
undeviating in the hidden realm oÂŁ thought as in the
world of
visible
and material things.
noble and Godlike character
is
A
not a thing of
favour or chance, but is the natural result of con-
tinued effort in right thinking, the effect of longcherished association with Godlike thoughts.
An
ignoble and bestial character,
process,
is
by the same
the result of the continued harbour-
ing of grovelling thoughts.
Man
is
made
or
unmade by
himself; in the
armoury of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he tools
also fashions the
with which he builds for himself heavenly
mansions of joy and strength and peace. right choice
man
ascends to the Divine Perfection;
abuse and
By
the
and true application of thought,
wrong
by the
application of thought, he de-
JMAK THIKKeTH
<AS tA
scends below the level of the beast. these acter,
Of
Between
two extremes are all the grades of charand man is their maker and master. all
the beautiful truths pertaining to the
which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than soul
this
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
that
moulder of
man
is
the master of thought, the
character,
and the maker and shaper
of condition, environment, and destiny.
As
a being of Power, Intelligence,
and the lord of
his
own
thoughts,
and Love,
man
holds
the key to every situation, and contains within
himself
that
he
may make
is
always the master, even in his weak-
and most abandoned
state;
weakness and degradation he ter
regenerative
himself what
wills.
Man est
and
transforming
agency by which he
who
reflect
upon
search diligently for the is
but in
established,
his
the foolish mas-
misgoverns his "household."
he begins to being
is
his condition,
When and to
Law upon which
his
he then becomes the wise
master, directing his energies with intelligence,
and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues. Such is the conscious master, and man can only â&#x20AC;˘hus become by discovering within himself the
[9]
JMAK TH1KKÂŁ TH C
<AS cA
C
laws oÂŁ thought; which discover
totally a
is
matter of application, self-analysis, and experience.
Only by much searching and mining and diamonds obtained, and
man can
are gold
find every
truth connected with his being if he will dig deep into_
the mine of his soul; and that he
maker of
his character, the
moulder of
and the builder of his destiny, he ingly prove,
if
he
his thoughts, tracing their effects
upon
and upon
jarhers,
stances, linking cause tice"
life
effect
occurrence, as a
and circum-
by patient prac-
trivial,
is
his every
every-day
Understanding, Wis-
this direction, as in
the law absolute that to
alter
himself,
means of obtaining that knowl-
dom, Power. In and
most
unerr-
and
upon
and investigation, and utilizing
edge of himself which
est;
his
and
experience, even to the
is
may
will watch, control,
the
is
his life,
him
"He
no
other,
that seeketh find-
that knocketh
it
shall
be
opened"; for only by patience, practice, and ceaseless
of the
importunity can a
Temple
man
of Knowledge.
['ÂŤ]
enter the
Door
£FF£CT OF THOU'gHf
OH C^CUMSTAHCeS A man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed run wild; but whether cukiyated. or ne-
to
glected,
it
must, and
will, bring forth.
useful seeds are put into
it,
If
no
then an abundance
of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and will
continue to produce their kind. Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it
free
fruits
from weeds, and growing the flowers and which he requires, so may a man tend the
garden of his mind, weeding out useless,
toward perfection the flowers and
a
the wrong,
fruits of right,
and pure thoughts. By pursuing this proc-
useful, ess,
all
and Impure thoughts, and cultivating
man
sooner or
later,
discovers that he
is
the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his
life.
He also reveals, within himself, the laws
of thought, and understands, with ever-increas-
ing accuracy,
how the thought-forces and mind-
elements operate in the shaping of his character, circumstances, and destiny.
[»]
J\dAK THIKKSrH
<AS <A
Thought and
character are one, and as char-
only manifest and
can
acter
discover
itself
through environment and circumstance, outer conditions of a person's
the
always be
life will
found to be harmoniously related to his inner state.
This does not mean that a man's circum-
any given time are an indication of
stances at
entire character,
his
but that those circumstances are
so intimately connected
with some vital thought-
element within himself
that, for the
time being,
they are indispensable to his development.
man
is by the law of his which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the arrangement of his life there is no element of chance, but all is the result of a law which can-
Every
is
where he
being; the thoughts
not
This
err.
is
just as true of those
who
feel
"out of harmony" with their surroundings as of those
As
who
where he and
as
are contented
a progressive is
with them.
man is may grow;
and evolving being,
that he may learn that he
he learns the
spiritual lesson
circumstance contains for him,
it
which any
passes
away
and gives place to other circumstances.
Man
is
buffeted
by circumstances
so long as
he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions,
but when he
[Âť]
realizes that
he
is
a
<AS <A creative power,
hidden
JMAH THIHK6TH and that he
and seeds oÂŁ
soil
his
may command
the
being out of which
circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.
That circumstances grow out of thought every has for any length of time
man knows who
practised self-control jmd self-purification, for he will
have noticed that the alteration in his
cumstances has been in exact
So true
tered mental condition.
when
a
ratio
man earnesdy applies
cir-
with his is
al-
that
this
himself to remedy
the defects in his character, and
makes swift
and marked progress, he passes rapidly through a succession of vicissitudes.
The
soul_attracts that
bours; that
which
which
it_lpv.es*
and
the height of
it
secretly har-
also that
which
its
cherished as-
pirations; it falls to the level of its
unchastened
it
fears; it reaches
desires,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
which the
and circumstances soul receives
its
are the
means by
own.
Every thought-seed sown or allowed to into the its
mind, and to take root
own, blossoming sooner or
bearing
its
cumstance.
own
thoughts bad
The
later into act,
fruitage of opportunity
Good thoughts
fall
there, produces
bear good
and
fruit,
and cir-
bad
fruit.
outer world of circumstance shapes
['3]
itself
<AS ^4
JUAK THIKK^H
world of thought, and both pleas-
to the inner
ant and unpleasant external conditions are fac-
which make
tors
As
individual.
man
own
both by suffering and
learns
Following the inmost thoughts,
good of the
for the ultimate
the reaper of his
harvest,
bliss.
desires,
aspirations,
by which he allows himself
to
be
dominated (pursuing the will-o'-the-wisps of impure imaginings or steadfastly walking the
highway of strong and high endeavour), a man at last arrives at their fruition
the outer conditions of his
and fulfilment in
life.
The
laws of
growth and adjustment everywhere obtain.
A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail
by the tyranny
of fate or circumstance, but
by the pathway of grovelling thoughts and base desires.
Nor
does a pure-minded
denly into crime by force; the criminal
stress of
man
fall
sud-
any mere external
thought had long been
se-
credy fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed
its
gathered power.
cumstance does not make the man;
him
to himself.
from vicious
into virtue
and
Cir-
reveals
No such conditions can exist as
descending into vice apart
it
its
and
its
attendant sufferings
inclinations,
or ascending
pure happiness without the
JAAH. THIKKeTH
cAS tA
continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations;
and man,
therefore, as the lord
thought,
is
and author soul
of
maker of
the
its
which
of
Men
its
those com-
it attracts
which
conditions
are the reflections of
impurity,
at birth the
own, and through every step
earthly pilgrimage
its
binations
Even
of, environment.
comes to
and master of
himself, the shaper
its
reveal
own
itself,
purity and
strength and weakness.
do not
attract that
but that which they
are.
which
they, want,
Their whims,
and ambitions are thwarted
fancies,
at every step, but
their
inmost thoughts and desires are fed with
their
own
food, be
ity that shapes
our very self:
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
self.
it
foul or clean.
our ends"'
Man
is
is
The
"divin-
in ourselves;
it is
manacled only by him-
thought and action are the
jailers
of Fate
they imprison, being base; they are also the
angels of
Freedom
Not what he get,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
they
liberate,
being noble.
wishes and prays for does a
man
but what he justly earns. His wishes and
prayers are only gratified and answered
when
they harmonize with his thoughts and actions. In the light of this truth, what, then,
is
the
meaning of "fighting against circumstances"? It
means
that a
man
is
continually revolting
[>5]
^LS <A
JMAK THIKKtfH
against an effect without, while
nourishing and preserving
is
scious vice or
whatever
Men
an unconscious weakness; but
it is, it
possessor,
stubbornly retards the efforts of
and thus
calls
are anxious to
aloud for remedy.
improve their circum-
but are unwilling to improve them-
stances,
they therefore remain bound.
selves;
who
the time he
cause in his
That cause may take the form of a con-
heart.
its
all
its
The man
does not shrink from self-crucifixion can
never
fail
his heart
to accomplish the object is set.
This
is
heavenly things. Even the ject is to acquire
make
upon which
as true of earthly as of
man whose
sole ob-
wealth must be prepared to
great personal sacrifices before
complish his object; and
he can
how much more
so
ac-
he
who would realize a strong and well-poised life? Here is a man who is wretchedly poor. He is extremely anxious that his surroundings and
home
comforts should be improved, yet
all
time he shirks his work, and considers he tified in
trying to deceive his employer
ground of the insufficiency of a
man
the
is jus-
on the
his wages.
Such
does not understand the simplest rudi-
ments of those principles which are the basis of true prosperity, and is not only totally unfitted to rise out of his wretchedness,
[,6]
but
is
actually
*AS *A JidAK attracting to himself a
THIKKCTH
still
deeper wretchedness
by dwelling in, and acting out, indolent, deceptive, and unmanly thoughts. Here is a rich man who is the victim of a painful and persistent disease as the result of
He
gluttony.
money
is
willing to give large
to get rid of
it,
He
of
sacrifice
wants to gratify
his
and unnatural viands and have
his
his gluttonous desires. taste for rich
sums
but he will not
health as well.
Such a man
is
totally unfit to
have health, because he has not yet learned the first
principles of a healthy
Here
is
life.
who
an employer of labour
adopts
crooked measures to avoid paying the regulation
wage, and, in the hope of making larger
profits,
reduces the wages of his work-people.
Such a
man
is
altogether unfitted for prosperity, and
when he
finds himself bankrupt, both as re-
gards reputation and riches, he blames circumstances,
npt knowing that he
is
the sole author
of his condition. I
have introduced these three cases merely
illustrative of
the truth that
man
is
as
the causer
(though nearly always unconsciously) of
his cir-
cumstances, and that, whilst aiming at a good end, he
is
continually frustrating
its
accomplish-
ment by encouraging thoughts and
['7l
desires
<AS <A JAATSL
THIKKeTH
which cannot possibly harmonize with that end.
Such
cases could
most
indefinitely,
the reader can,
if
be multiplied and' varied
but
he so
this is
resolves, trace the action
of the laws of thought in his
and
until this
is
al-
not necessary, as
own mind and life,
done, mere external facts can-
not serve as a ground of reasoning. Circumstances, however, are so complicated,
thought
is
so deeply rooted,
and the conditions
of happiness vary so vastly with individuals, that a man's entire soul-condition (although
it
may be known to himself) cannot be judged by another from the external aspect of his alone. tions,
A man
may
be honest in certain
yet suffer privations; a
man may
life
direc-
be
dis-
honest in certain directions, yet acquire wealth;
but the conclusion usually formed that the one
man
fails
because of his particular honesty, and
that the other prospers because of his particular
dishonesty ,
is
the result of a superficial judg-
man is man al-
ment, which assumes that the dishonest almost totally corrupt, and the honest
most
entirely virtuous.
In the light of a deeper
knowledge and wider experience, such judg-
ment
is
found to be erroneous.
man may have some
The
dishonest
admirable virtues which
<AS ^4 J\dAH
rHIHKÂŁTH man
the other does not possess; and the honest
obnoxious vices which are absent in the other.
The
honest
man
good
reaps the
honest thoughts and
he
acts;
results oÂŁ his
also brings
upon
himself the sufferings which his vices produce.
The
dishonest
suffering It is
one a
man
likewise garners his
pleasing to
human
vanity to believe that
suffers because of one's virtue;
man
own
and happiness. but not until
has extirpated every sickly,
impure thought
Eom
liis
bitter,
and
mind, and washed
every sinful stain from his soul, can he be in a position to
know and
declare that his sufferings
and not of his bad and on the way to, yet long before he has reached, that supreme perfection, he will have found, working in his mind and life, the Great Law which is absolutely just, and which are the result of his good,
qualities;
cannot, therefore, give good for
good.
evil,
evil for
Possessed of such knowledge, he will
then know, looking back upon his past ignorance and blindness, that his
life is,
was, jusdy ordered, and that riences,
and always past expe-
good and bad, were the equitable out-
working of
his evolving, yet
Good thoughts and bad
all his
results;
unevolved
self.
actions can never produce
bad thoughts and actions can never
JMAH miHKCrH
<AS <A produce good
This
results.
is
but saying that
nothing can come from corn but corn, nothing
from
nettles
but
Men
nettles.
understand this
law in the natural world, and work with
few understand world (though ple
it
operation there
its
and undeviating), and they,
not cooperate with Suffering
the
thought in some direction. that the individual self,
with the
all
that
ceases for
is
do
of
wrong
an indication
is
is
The
pure.
sole
to purify, to
and impure.
useless
him who
just as sim-
therefore,
effect It is
of his being.
supreme use of suffering out
is
out of harmony with him-
is
Law
but
it.
always
is
it;
in the mental and moral
and
burn
Suffering
There could be no
object in burning gold after the dross
had been
removed, and a perfectly pure and enlightened being could not
The
suffer.
man encounters own mental The circumstances which a man
circumstances which a
with suffering are inharmony.
the" result of his
encounters with blessedness are the result of his
own mental harmony. rial
possessions,
is
Blessedness, not mate-
the measure of right thought;
wretchedness, not lack of material possessions, is
the measure of
A man may may be blessed and poor.
wrong thought.
be cursed and rich; he [
2 o]
rHIHKÂŁ7H
<AS <A J\dAH
Blessedness and riches are only joined together
when
the riches are rightly and wisely used;
and the poor ness
man
when he
only descends into wretched-
regards
his
lot
as
a
burden
unjustly imposed.
Indigence and indulgence are the two ex-
tremes of wretchedness.
They
both equally
are
unnatural and the result of mental disorder.
man
is
not rightly conditioned until he
is
A a
happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health,
and prosperity
are the result of a
harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer, of the
A
man
ceases to
man
with his surroundings.
only begins to be a
whine and
revile,
search for the hidden justice life.
And
as
he adapts
his
man when he
and commences
which
mind
to
regulates his
to that regu-
lating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the
cause of his condition, and builds himself
and noble thoughts;
up
in
to
kick
against circumstances, but begins to use
them
strong
as aids to his
more
ceases
rapid progress, and as
a.
means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities
within himself.
Law, not confusion,
is
the dominating prin-
ciple in the universe; justice, not injustice,
the soul and substance of
[ÂŤ]
life;
is
and righteous-
JMAH THIKKerH
<AS *A
not corruption,
ness",
is
the moulding and mov-
ing force in the spiritual government oÂŁ the
This being
world.
man
so,
has but to right
himself to find that the universe
is
right;
and
during the process of putting himself right, he will find that as
he
alters his
thoughts towards
things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him.
The and
it
proof of this truth
systematic introspection
man
is
in every person,
therefore admits of easy investigation
and
radically alter his thoughts,
and he
be astonished at the rapid transformation
Men but
imagine that thought can be kept
it
it
the material conditions of his
effect in
cannot;
and habit
it
by
Let a
self-analysis.
will will life.
secret,
rapidly crystallizes into habit,
solidifies into
circumstance.
Bestial
thoughts crystallize into habits of drunkenness
and
sensuality,
stances
of
which
destitution
into
circum-
disease:
impure
solidify
and
thoughts of every kind crystallize into enervating and confusing habits, which solidify into distracting
and adverse circumstances: thoughts
of fear, doubt,
and indecision
crystallize into
weak, unmanly, and irresolute habits, which solidify into circumstances of failure, indigence,
and
slavish dependence: lazy thoughts crystal-
[ÂŤ]
^S ^ JWAK THIHKÂŁ7H into habits of uncleanliness
lize
which
^est
y^
into
solidify
and dUhon-
circumstances
foulness and beggary: hateful and
of
condemna-
tory .tiioughtsjcrystallize into 'habits of accusation
and__viglence,
which
solidify
into
cumstances of injury and persecution:
kinds crystallize into habits of
thoughts of
all
self-seeking,
which
more or
cir-
jselfish
solidify into circumstances
On
less distressing.
the other hand,
beautiful thoughts of all kinds crystallize into Jhabits of grace into
genial
and kindliness, which
solidify
and sunny circumstances:
pure
thoughts crystallize into habits of temperance
and
self-control,
stances of repose
which
solidify
circum-
into
and peace: thoughts of cour-
and decision crystallize into which solidify into circumstances
age, self-reliance,
manly of
habits,
success,
plenty,
and
freedom:
energetic
thoughts crystallize into habits of cleanliness
and industry, which
solidify into circumstances
of pleasantness: gentle crystallize
into
,
habits
solidify into protective
stances: loving
and forgiving thoughts of
gentleness,
which
and preservative circum-
and unselfish thoughts
crystal-
lize into habits of self-forgetfulness for others,
which
solidify into circumstances of sure
abiding prosperity and true riches.
[-3]
and
THIKKÂŁ7H
<AS ^i JidAK
A particular train of thought persisted in, be it
good or bad, cannot
fail
to produce its results
on the character and circumstances.
A man can-
not directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirecdy, yet surely, shape his circumstances.
Nature helps every man to the gratification which he most encourages, and opportunities are presented which will most
of the thoughts
speedily bring to the surface both the good and evil
thoughts.
Let a
and
alt
man
cease
from
his sinful thoughts,
the world will soften towards him, and
be ready to help him; let him put away his weakly and sickly thoughts, and lo! opportuni-
up on every hand to aid let him encourage good thoughts, and no hard fate shall bind him down ties
his
spring
will
strong resolves;
to wretchedness and shame.
The world
is
your
kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations of colours
which
presents to tures of
you
at every succeeding
moment
your ever-moving thoughts.
"You
will be what you will to be; Let failure find its false content In that poor word, 'environment,'
But
it
are the exquisitely adjusted pic
spirit scorns
it,
and
is tree.
JMAK
<AS <A
"It masters time, it It
<rHIHKÂŁ?H
conquers space;
cows that boastful
And
trickster,
Chance,
bids the tyrant Circumstance
Uncrown, and
fill
a servant's place.
"The human Will, that force unseen, The offspring of a deathless Soul, Can hew a way to any goal, Though walls of granite intervene. "Be not impatient in delay, But wait as one who understands; When spirit rises and commands,
The gods
are ready to obey."
[>i]
THOUGHT OH HEALTH <AKD TH£ "BODY
£FF£CT OF
The body
is
the servant of the mind. It obeys
the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately
At
chosen or automatically expressed.
the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body
sinks rapidly into disease
mand
and decay;
of glad and beautiful thoughts
at the
com-
becomes
it
clothed with youthfulness and beauty.
Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express
themselves through a sickly body. of fear have been ily as
known
to kill a
Thoughts
man
as speed-
a bullet, and they are continually killing
thousands of people just as surely though rapidly.
The
are the people
people
who
who
get
less
live in fear of disease
it.
Anxiety quickly de-
moralizes the whole body, and lays
it
open to
the entrance of disease; while impure thoughts,
even
if
ter the
not physically indulged, will soon shatnervous system.
Strong, pure, and
happy thoughts build up The body is a
the body in vigour and grace.
[26]
THIKKÂŁ?H
<AS <A JldAK
delicate, and plastic instrument,
readily to the thoughts
which responds by which it is impressed,
and habits of thought
Men
will continue to
soned blood so long
Out
thoughts. life
will
good or bad, upon
effects,
as
proceeds a defiled
Thought
is
have impure and poi-
Out
comes a clean
life
of a defiled
mind
and a corrupt body.
the fount of action,
make
own
they propagate unclean
of a clean heart
and a clean body.
festation;
produce their
it.
life,
and mani-
the fountain pure, and
all
will
be pure.
Change
of diet will not help a
not change his thoughts. his
When
man who will a man makes
thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure
food. habits. The sowho does not wash his body is not a He who has strengthened and purified
Clean thoughts make clean called saint saint.
his
thoughts does not need to consider the ma-
levolent microbe. If
you would
mind.
If
perfect your body, guard your
you would renew your body, beautify
your mind. Thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, despondency, rob the body of health and grace.
its
A sour face does not come by h7l
^LS <A chance; that I
it is
mar
are
know
a
JMAK THIKKCTH
made by sour thoughts. Wrinkles drawn by folly, passion, pride.
woman
well under middle age
and sunny
I
whose face
inharmonious contours. of a sweet
who has the know a man
of ninety-six
bright, innocent face of a girl.
drawn
is
The one
is
into
the result
disposition; the other
is
the outcome of passion and discontent.
As you
cannot have a sweet and wholesome
abode unless you admit the freely into
air
and sunshine
your rooms, so a strong body and a
bright, happy, or serene countenance can only
from the
result
free
of thoughts of joy
On
admittance into the mind
and goodwill and
serenity.
the faces of the aged there are wrinkles
made by sympathy;
others
by strong and pure by passion: who
thought, and others are carved
cannot distinguish them?
With
have lived righteously, age
is
and
softly
who
those
calm, peaceful,
mellowed, like the setting sun.
I
have recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed.
He
was not old except in years. He died and peacefully as he had lived.
as sweetly
There
is
no physician
for dissipating the
ills
like cheerful
thought
of the body; there
is
no
comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow.
[28]
To
live
<as <a jmatsl thihkÂŁt:h continually in thoughts of suspicion,
made
and envy,
prisonhole.
cheerful with
good in
all
all,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
is
But
to
ill-will,
cynicism,
be confined in a
to think well of
all,
self-
to be
to patiently learn to find the
such unselfish thoughts are the
very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will
bring abounding peace to their possessor.
[><?]
THOVQHT\AHT> TUT{VOSÂŁ Until thought no
is
intelligent
is
linked with purpose there
accomplishment.
majority the barque of thought "drift"
upon the ocean of
life.
is
With
the
allowed to
Aimlessness
is
and such drifting must not continue
vice,
him who would
a
for
and
steer clear of catastrophe
destruction.
They who have no life
fall
troubles,
central purpose in their
an easy prey to petty worries,
and
self-pityings, all of
cations of weakness, as deliberately
which
which
lead, just as surely
planned sins (though by a
ferent route), to failure, unhappiness,
weakness cannot
for
fears,
are indi-
and
difloss,
persist in a power-evolving
universe.
A
man
should conceive of a legitimate pur-
pose in his heart, and set out to accomplish
He
should
make
this
it.
purpose the centralizing
may take the form of a may be a worldly object,
point of his thoughts. It spiritual ideal, or it
according to his nature at the time being; but
whichever
it
is,
thought-forces
he should steadily focus
upon the
object
[3o]
which he has
his set
<AS ^4
JUAK
He
before him.
should
<THIKKÂŁTH make
purpose his
this
supreme duty, and should devote himself
to
its
attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wan-
der away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and
This
imaginings. trol
he
the royal road to self-con-
Is
and true concentration of thought. Even
fails
if
again and again to accomplish his pur-
pose (as he necessarily must until weakness
is
overcome) the strength of character gained will ,
be the measure of his true success, and
form a new starting-point
for future
this will
power and
triumph.
Those who
are not prepared for the apprehen-
sion of a great purpose, should fix the thoughts
upon the matter
Only
faultless
how
performanceof their duty, no
insignificant their task
in this
way can
may
appear.
the thoughts be gathered
and focussed, and resolution and energy be developed, which being done, there
is
nothing
which may not be accomplished.
The weakest ness,
soul,
and believing
knowing
this truth
can only be developed by
its
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
effort
own weak-
that strength
and
practice,
will,
thus believing, at once begin to exert
self,
and, adding effort to
patience,
and strength
effort,
it-
patience to
to strength, will never
[3'1
JUAK THIKKeTH
cAS cA
cease to develop,
and
will at last
grow divinely
strong.
weak man can make himby careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking. To put away aimlessness and weakness, and
As
the physically
strong
self
to begin to think
with purpose,
ranks of those strong ones failure as
who
is
to enter the
only recognize
one of the pathways to attainment;
who make
all
conditions serve them, and
who
think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.
Having conceived of his purpose, a man mark out a straight pathway to
should mentally its
achievement, looking neither to the right
nor the
left.
Doubts and
excluded;
ously
fears
should be rigor-
they are disintegrating
ments which break up the straight fort,
rendering
it
crooked, ineffectual, useless.
Thoughts of doubt and
fear never accomplish
anything, and never can. failure.
ele-
line of ef-
They always
lead to
Purpose, energy, power to do, and
strong thoughts cease
when doubt and
all
fear
creep in.
The will we can
that
to
do springs from the knowledge Doubt and fear are the great
do.
<AS <A
JUAH 7HIKKÂŁrH
enemies of knowledge, and he
them,
who
self at
every step.
He who conquered
who
encourages
does not slay them, thwarts him-
has conquered doubt and fear has
failure.
with power, and
His every thought
all difficulties
is
allied
are bravely
met
and wisely overcome. His purposes are seasonably planted, and they bloom and bring forth fruit
which does not
fall
prematurely to the
ground.
Thought
allied fearlessly to
creative force:
he
who knows
purpose becomes this
is
ready to
become something higher and stronger than a mere bundle of wavering thoughts and fluctuating sensations; he who does this has become the conscious and intelligent wielder of his mental
powers.
[33]
1H6 THOUQHT-FACrOli IK ACHIÂŁVâ&#x201A;ŹMÂŁH I' C
C
All THAT
a
achieve
to
thoughts.
man is
achieves and
the
direct
all
result
that he
fails
of
own
his
In a justly ordered universe, where
loss of equipoise
would mean
individual responsibility
total destruction,
must be
absolute.
A
man's weakness and strength, purity and impurity, are his
own, and not another man's;
they are brought about by himself, and not by another; and they can only be altered self,
never by another. His condition
by him-
is
also his
own, and not another man's. His suffering and his happiness are evolved from within. As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.
A
strong
that weaker
man is
then the weak
cannot help a weaker unless
willing to be helped, and even
man must become strong of by his own efforts, develop
himself; he must,
the
strength which he admires
None but It
in
another.
himself can alter his condition.
has been usual for
men
[34]
to think
and to
*AS *A J\dAH say,
"Many men
TtimKeTH
are slaves because
one
oppressor; let us hate the oppressor."
however, there
is
is
an
Now,
amongst an increasing few a this judgment, and to say,
tendency to reverse
"One man
is
many are The truth is
an oppressor because
slaves; let us despise the slaves."
that oppressor and slave are co-operators in ig-
and,
norance,
while seeming to
each
afflict
other, are in reality afflicting themselves.
perfect
Knowledge
perceives the action of
in the weakness of the oppressed
A law
and the mis-
applied power of the oppressor; a perfect Love,
which both states entail, Compassion em-
seeing the suffering
condemns
neither;
a perfect
braces both oppressor
He who put away
and oppressed.
has conquered weakness, and has
all selfish
thoughts, belongs neither
He' is
to oppressor nor oppressed.
A
man
can only
by lifting up
rise,
free.
conquer, and achieve
his thoughts.
He can only remain
weak, and abject, and miserable by refusing to lift
up
his thoughts.
Before a
man
can achieve anything, even in
worldly things, he must
lift
slavish animal indulgence.
above
not, in or-
up all animality and selby any means; but a portion of it
der to succeed, give fishness,
his thoughts
He may
[35l
must, at
least,
thought
be
A man whose first
sacrificed.
indulgence could neither
bestial
is
think clearly nor plan methodically; he could
not find and develop his latent resources, and
would
fail
he
is
Not having
any undertaking.
in
commenced manfully
to control his thoughts,
not in a position to control
adopt serious responsibilities. act independently
and stand
affairs
He
is
alone.
and to
not
fit
But he
to is
by the thoughts which he chooses. There can be no progress, no achievement
limited only
without
sacrifice,
will be in the
and a man's worldly success
measure that he
con-
sacrifices his
fused animal thoughts, and fixes his
mind on
the development of his plans, and the strength-
ening of his resolution and the higher he
lifts
his
self-reliance.
thoughts,
And
the more
manly, upright, and righteous he becomes, the greater will be his success, the
more blessed and
enduring will be his achievements.
The
universe does not favour the greedy, the
dishonest, the vicious, although surface
it
may sometimes
on the mere
appear to do
so;
it
helps the honest, the magnanimous, the virtuous. All the great Teachers of the ages have declared this in varying forms,
and
to prove
and
know it a man has but to persist in making him-
<AS <A JidAK self
THIHK6TH
more and more virtuous by
lifting
up
his
thoughts.
achievements are the result of
Intellectual
thought consecrated to the search
for
edge, or for the beautiful and true in
knowl-
and Such achievements may be sometimes connected with vanity and ambition, but they are not the outcome of those characteristics; life
nature.
they are the natural outgrowth of long and arduous
effort,
and
pure
of
and
unselfish
thoughts. Spiritual achievements are the
of holy aspirations.
He who
consummation constandy in
lives
the conception of noble and lofty thoughts,
who
dwells
upon
all
the
moon
character,
and
its
and
full,
that
is
pure and unselfish,
sun reaches
its zenith and become wise and noble in
will, as surely as the
rise into
a position of influence
blessedness.
Achievement, of whatever kind, of
effort,
the diadem of thought.
self-control,
resolution,
purity,
and well-directed thought a
is
the crown
By
the aid of
righteousness,
man
ascends;
by
the aid of animality, indolence, impurity, corruption,
and confusion of thought a man de-
scends.
A man may rise to high success in the world, [37]
^AS ^A JAATSL and even to
THIHKeTH
lofty altitudes in the spiritual realm,
and again descend into weakness and wretchedness
by allowing
arrogant, selfish,
and corrupt
thoughts to take possession of him. Victories attained
by
right thought can only
be maintained by watchfulness. Many give way when success is assured, and rapidly fall back into
failure.
All achievements, whether in the business, intellectual, or spiritual world, are the result of
definitely directed thought, are
same law and
are of the
governed by the
same method; the only
difference lies in the object of attainment.
He who
would accomplish little must sacriwho would achieve much must much; he who would attain highly
fice litde;
sacrifice
must
he
sacrifice greatly.
[38]
VISIOKS <AKD
The As
dreamers
are the saviours of the world.
the visible world
ble, so
WCALS
men, through
sustained
is
all
by the
their trials
and
invisi-
sins
and
by the beautiful dreamers. Humanity
sordid vocations, are nourished visions of their solitary
cannot forget ideals fade
them
dreamers;
its
and
it
die; it lives in
as the realities
which
cannot
them;
it shall
let their it
knows
one day see
and know. Composer,
sculptor, painter, poet, prophet,
sage, these are the
makers of the after-world,
the architects of heaven.
The world
is
beautiful
because they have lived; without them, labour-
ing humanity would perish.
He who
cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty
ideal in his heart, will
lumbus cherished a he discovered
it;
one day
realize
it.
vision of another world,
Coand
Copernicus fostered the vision
of a multiplicity of worlds and a wider universe,
and he revealed
it;
Buddha beheld the
vision of
a spiritual world of stainless beauty and perfect peace,
and he entered into
[39]
it.
Cherish your visions; cherish your cherish the music that
stirs
ideals;
in your heart, the
beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of
them
will
grow
all
delightful conditions,
main
all
you but
re-
true to them, your world will at last
be
heavenly environment; of
-these, if
built.
To Shall
desire
is
to obtain; to aspire
man's basest
measure of
gratification,
is
to achieve.
receive the fullest
desires
and
his purest aspira-
Such is not Law: such a condition of things can never obtain: "Ask and receive." Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so
tions starve for lack of sustenance?
the
you become. Your Vision is the promise what you shall one day be; your Ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil. The greatest achievement was at first and for
shall
of
a time a dream.
The oak
sleeps in the acorn;
the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul a
waking angel
stirs.
Dreams
are the seedlings of realities.
Your circumstances may be uncongenial, but if you but per-
they shall not long remain so ceive an Ideal
and
strive to reach
not travel within and stand
[4o]
still
it.
You
can-
without. Here
JMAK THIKKCTH
<AS ^L is
by poverty and
a youth hard pressed
labour;
confined long hours in an unhealthy workshop;
unschooled, and lacking
all
the arts of refine-
But he dreams of better things; he
ment.
thinks of intelligence, of refinement, of grace
He
and beauty.
conceives of, mentally builds
up, an ideal condition of
life;
the vision of a
wider liberty and a larger scope takes possession of him; unrest urges lizes all his
they ers
resources.
mind become hold him.
Very soon
that the
has become
It
is
which
fit
set
it falls
cast aside, and,
opportunities
so altered has his
workshop can no longer
with his mentality that a garment
to action, and" he uti-
the development of his latent pow-
are, to
and
him
spare time and means, small though
out of harmony out of his
life as
with the growth of
the scope of his expand-
ing powers, he passes out of it forever. Years later
we find
see this
youth
him a master
man.
We
of certain forces of the
mind
as a full-grown
which he wields with world-wide influence and almost unequalled power. In his hands he holds the cords of gigantic responsibilities; he speaks,
and
lo!
lives
hang upon acters,
are
his
changed;
men and women
words and remould their char-
and, sunlike, he becomes the fixed and
luminous centre round which innumerable des-
<AS *A J\dAH
THIHKeTH
He has realized the Vision of his He has become one with his Ideal.
tinies revolve.
youth.
And
you, too, youthful reader, will realize
the Vision (not the idle wish) of your heart, be it
base or beautiful, or a mixture of both, for
you
will always gravitate toward that
you, secretly, most love.
which
Into your hands will
be placed the exact results of your own thoughts;
you will receive that which you earn; no more, no less. Whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain, or rise with your
You will be-
thoughts, your Vision, your Ideal.
come
as small
great as your
as
your controlling
dominant
desire;
as
aspiration: in the beau-
words of Stanton Kirkham Davis, "You
tiful
may be keeping
accounts, and presendy you walk out of the door that for so long has seemed to you the barrier of your ideals, and
shall
shall find yourself before an still
gers
behind your
—
ear,
audience
and then and there
torrent of
your
—
the pen
the inkstains on your fin-
inspiration.
pour out the
shall
You may be
driv-
ing sheep, and you shall wander to the city bucolic and open-mouthed; shall
—
wander under
the intrepid guidance of the spirit into the studio of the master, and after a time 'I
he
have nothing more to teach you.'
shall say,
And now
<AS <A JMAH.
THIKKetH
you have become the master, who did so recendy dream of great things while driving
You
sheep.
shall lay
down
the saw and the
plane to take upon yourself the regeneration of the world."
The
thoughdess, the ignorant, and the indo-
lent, seeing
only the apparent effects of things
and not the things themselves, talk of luck, of
and chance. Seeing a man grow
fortune,
they say, other
"How
become
lucky he is!"
intellectual,
highly favoured he is!"
they exclaim,
And
rich,
Observing an-
"How
noting the saintly
character and wide influence of another, they
remark,
"How chance aids him
They do not struggles
at every turn!"
and
failures and which these men have voluntarily en-
see the. trials
countered in order to gain their experience; have
no knowledge of the
sacrifices
they have made,
of the undaunted efforts they have put forth, of
the faith they have exercised, that they might
overcome the apparendy insurmountable, and
They do not
realize the Vision of their heart.
know
the darkness and the heartaches; they
only see the light and joy, and
do not
see the long
call it
"luck";
and arduous journey, but
only behold the pleasant goal, and
[ÂŤ]
call it
"good
<AS <A
JUAK 7HIKK6TH
fortune"; do not understand the process, but
only perceive the
result,
and
human
affairs
there are efforts,
In
all
call it
"chance."
and
there are results, and the strength of the effort is
the measure of the result.
Chance
is
not.
"Gifts," powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are
the fruits of effort; they are
thoughts completed, objects accomplished, visions realized.
The
Vision that you glorify in your mind,
the Ideal that you enthrone in your heart
you
will build
your
life
come.
[44
by, this
you
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
this
will be-
Calmness of mind jewels of wisdom.
is
one of the beautiful
It is
the result of long and
patient effort in self-control.
Its
indication of ripened experience,
presence
is
an
and of a more
than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.
A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought-evolved being, for
such knowledge necessitates the under-
standing of others as the result of thought, and
he develops a right understanding, and sees more and more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect, he ceases to fuss and fume and worry and grieve, and remains poised, steadfast, serene. The calm man, having learned how to govern himself, knows how to adapt himself to others; and they, in turn, reverence his spiritual strength, and feel that they can learn of him and rely upon him. The more tranquil a man as
becomes, the greater ence, his
power
is
his success, his influ-
for good.
[45]
Even the ordinary
THmKCTH
iAS ^L JMAK.
trader will find his business prosperity increase as
he develops a greater
self-control
and equa-
nimity, for people will always prefer to deal
with a
man whose demeanour
is
strongly equa-
ble.
The
calm
strong,
He
revered.
is
man
always loved and
is
like a shade-giving tree in a
thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm.
"Who
does not love a tranquil heart, a sweet-
tempered, balanced
whether
it
life?
It
rains or shines, or
does not matter
what changes come
to those possessing these blessings, for they are
always sweet, serene, and calm. That exquisite poise of character last lesson
which we
of culture;
it is
the fruitage of the soul.
dom, more
call serenity is
the flowering of It is
precious as wis-
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
to be desired than gold
even fine gold.
yea, than
How insignificant mere money-
seeking looks in comparison with a serene
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
a
life
the life,
life
that dwells in the ocean of Truth, be-
neath the waves, beyond the reach of tempests, in the Eternal
Calm!
"How many people we know who sour their lives,
who ruin all
character,
is
sweet and beautiful by
who
destroy their poise of
that
explosive tempers,
and make bad blood!
It is a
question
whether the great majority of people do not
*AS <A
JMAH rHIHKÂŁ7H
ruin their lives and
mar
who
are well-balanced,
poise
which
is
their happiness
by lack
How few people we meet in life
of self-control.
who
have that exquisite
characteristic of the finished char-
acter!"
Yes, humanity surges with uncontrolled passion, is
tumultuous with ungoverned
grief, is
blown about by anxiety and doubt.' Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified, makes the winds and the storms of the soul obey him.
Tempest-tossed
souls,
wherever ye
may be, know
under whatsoever conditions ye
may
live,
in the ocean of
isles
of Blessed-
this
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
life
ideal
the
sunny shore of your
ness are smiling, and the
awaits your coming.
firmly
upon the helm
Keep your hand
of thdught.
In the
barque of your soul reclines the commanding Master; control tery;
He is
does but sleep;
strength;
Calmness
"Peace, be
is
wake Him.
Right Thought
is
Self-
mas-
power. Say unto your heart,
still!"
U7\