SSt
s
AC1LITY
A Man
Thinketh
JAMES
ALLEN
"This BooKe is .mi DC. Ahd
yt LooS A^6 you yt
I
1'pRAy you to
home '
jj,i
'
_.'
fir?<X
bARteLy to Be So
see
my
Booke BRothe
-sfe
* AS
A MAN
THINKETH BY JAMES ALLEN AUTHOR OF "FROM PASSION TO PEACE'
AUTHORIZED EDITION
NEW YORK THOMAS
Y.
CROWELL COMPANY
PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THOUGHT AND CHARACTER
7
EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON CIRCUMSTANCES
.
.
11
EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON HEALTH AND THE
BODY
26
THOUGHT AND PURPOSE
THE THOUGHT-FACTOR
30 IN
ACHIEVEMENT
.
.
VISIONS AND IDEALS
34
39
SERENITY
.
2056170
45
THIS
little
volume (the
result of meditation
and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written-upon subject of the
power of thought.
It is
suggestive rather
than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that
"They themselves
are makers of themselves"
by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner 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
ParJ^
lljracombe,
England.
Avenue,
As a Man
Thinketh
THOUQHT THE
APHORISM, "As a man thinketh in his is he," not only embraces the whole of
heart so
a man's being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to condition and circumstance every of his
life.
A
his character
man
is
literally
what he
being the complete
sum
of
thinks, all
his
thoughts. As the
and could not be plant springs from, 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
suffering are its fruits; thus does a man garner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his own
husbandry.
[7]
"Thought
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. .
.
.
.
If
.
In purity of thought, joy follows
As
Man
his
is
artifice,
own shadow
one endure
him
sure."
a growth by law, and not a creation by and cause and effect is as absolute and
undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things.
A
noble and Godlike character favour or chance, but is
not a thing of the natural result of conis
tinued effort in right thinking, the effect of longcherished association with Godlike thoughts.
An
ignoble and bestial character, by the same is the result of the continued harbour-
process,
ing of grovelling thoughts.
Man
is
made
or
unmade by
himself; in the
armoury of thought he forges the weapons by wbich he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. By the choice and true application of thought, right
man
ascends to the Divine Perfection;
by the
abuse and wrong application of thought, he de-
[*]
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 in this light age, none is more gladdening soul
fruitful of divine
that
this
man
to
or
promise and confidence than the master of thought, the
is
moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny. As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love,
and the lord of the
key to every
himself
that
his
own
thoughts, man holds and contains within
situation,
transforming
agency by which he he wills.
and
may make
regenerative
himself what
Man
is always the master, even in his weakand most abandoned state; but in his weakness and degradation he is the foolish mas-
est
who misgoverns his "household." When he begins to reflect upon his condition, and to
ter
search
being
diligently is
for the
established,
Law upon which
his
he then becomes the wise
master, directing his energies with intelligence, and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues. is the conscious master, and man can only thus become by discovering within himself the
Such
[9]
JMAK laws of thought; which discovery is totally a matter of application, self-analysis, and experience.
Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being if he will dig deep into the
maker
mine
of his soul;
of his character, the
and the builder of ingly prove, his
if
his
destiny,
he
thoughts, tracing their effects
and upon and
others,
upon
and
may
his
upon
life
effect
the
is
his life,
unerr-
he will watch, control, and
stances, linking cause tice
and that he
moulder of
alter
himself,
and circum-
by
patient pracinvestigation, and utilizing his every even to the most trivial,
every-day
experience,
means of obtaining that knowlof himself which is Understanding, Wisedge dom, Power. In this direction, as in no other, occurrence, as a
is
the law absolute that
est;
and
to
him
"He
that seeketh find-
that knocketh
it
shall
be
opened"; for only by patience, practice, and Door ceaseless importunity can a man enter the of the
Temple
of
Knowledge.
FFCT OF THOUGHT A MAN'S MIND may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed run wild; but whether cultivated or ne-
to
glected, it must, useful seeds are
and
will, bring forth.
put into
If
no
then an abundance
it,
of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and will
continue to produce their kind. it
Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping from weeds, and the flowers and
free
fruits
growing
which he
requires,
garden of his mind,
so
may a man
weeding out
all
tend the
the wrong,
and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useless,
useful, ess,
a
and pure thoughts. By pursuing this procsooner or later discovers that he is
man
the master-gardener of his soul, the director of He also reveals, within himself, the laws
his life.
of thought, and understands, with ever-increasing accuracy, how the thought-forces and mindelements operate in the shaping of his character,
circumstances, and destiny.
Thought and
character are one,
and
as char-
can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstance, the acter
outer conditions of a person's
life
will
always be
found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. This does not mean that a man's circumstances at
any given time are an indication of but that those circumstances
his
entire character,
are
intimately connected with some vital thoughtelement within himself that, for the time being, so
they are indispensable to his development. Every man is where he is by the law of his being; the thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the ar-
rangement of chance, but
not
err.
his life there
all is
This
is
is
no element
just as true of those
who
feel
"out of harmony" with their surroundings of those who are contented with them.
As
of
the result of a law which can-
as
a progressive and evolving being, man is is that he may learn that he may grow;
where he and
as
he learns the
spiritual
lesson
circumstance contains for him,
and gives place
which any
it
passes to other circumstances.
away
Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but
when he
realizes that
he
is
a
JMAH creative
power, and that he
and seeds of
may command
the
being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.
hidden
soil
his
That circumstances grow out of thought every
man knows who
has for any length of time
self-control and for he practised self-purification, will have noticed that the alteration in his cir-
cumstances has been in exact
ratio
So true
tered mental condition.
with is
his al-
this that
a man earnestly applies himself to remedy the defects in his character, and makes swift
when
and marked
he
progress, passes rapidly a succession of vicissitudes.
The
soul attracts that
bours; that it fears; it
pirations;
which
it
which
loves,
and
reaches the height of to the level of
it falls
through
it
har-
its
cherished as-
its
unchastened
secretly also that which
and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own. desires,
Every thought-seed sown or allowed to
fall
into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and
bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad
thoughts bad
fruit.
The outer world
of circumstance
1*3]
shapes
itself
world of thought, and both pleasant and unpleasant external conditions are factors which make for the ultimate good of the to the inner
As
individual.
man
the
reaper
of his
own
harvest,
both by suffering and bliss. Following the inmost desires, aspirations, learns
thoughts,
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 and fulfilment in ,
the outer conditions of his
life.
The
laws of
growth and adjustment everywhere obtain.
A man does not come to the almshouse or the
by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of grovelling thoughts and base jail
desires.
Nor
does a
pure-minded
denly into crime by stress of any force; the criminal thought had cretly
fostered in the heart,
man
fall
sud-
mere external long been
se-
and the hour of
opportunity revealed its gathered power. Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals
him
to himself.
No such conditions can exist as
descending into vice and
its
attendant sufferings
from vicious inclinations, or ascending apart into virtue and its the pure happiness without
[*]
JMAH
.A
continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations; and man, therefore, as the lord and master of is
thought,
maker of
the
himself, the shaper at birth the
and author of environment. Even
own, and through every step it attracts those comearthly pilgrimage binations of conditions which reveal itself, comes to
soul
of
its
its
which
are the reflections of
Men
its
own
and
purity strength and weakness. do not attract that which they want, its
impurity,
but that which they are. Their whims, fancies, and ambitions are thwarted at every step, but their their ity
inmost thoughts and desires are fed with food, be it foul or clean. The "divin-
own
that
our very
shapes self.
our ends"
Man
is
is
in ourselves;
it is
manacled only by him-
thought and action are the jailers of Fate they imprison, being base; they are also the
self:
angels of
Freedom
noble.
they liberate, being wishes and prays for does a man he justly earns. His wishes and get, but what
Not what he
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]
<A
JMAK
against an effect without, while
all
the time he
nourishing and preserving its cause in his heart. That cause may take the form o a conis
scious vice or
whatever its
an unconscious weakness; but
stubbornly retards the efforts of calls aloud for possessor, remedy. Men are anxious to improve their circumit is, it
and thus
but are unwilling to improve themthey therefore remain bound. The man does not shrink from self-crucifixion can
stances, selves;
who never
to
fail
accomplish the object upon which This is as true of as of
his heart is set.
earthly
heavenly things. Even the man whose sole object is to acquire wealth must be prepared to
make
great personal
complish
his object;
who would Here
is
a
realize a
sacrifices
before he can ac-
and how much more so he strong and well-poised
life?
man who is wretchedly poor. He is
extremely anxious that his surroundings and home comforts should be improved, yet all the time he shirks his work, and considers he is justified in
on the trying to deceive his employer
his wages. Such does not understand the simplest rudiments of those principles which are the basis of
ground of the insufficiency of a
man
and is not only totally unfitted prosperity, to rise out of his wretchedness, but is actually true
attracting
to himself a
still
deeper wretchedness
by dwelling in, and acting out, indolent, deand unmanly thoughts. ceptive, Here is a rich man who is the victim of a painful
and
persistent
He
disease as the result of
willing to give large sums of gluttony. money to get rid of it, but he will not sacrifice his his gluttonous desires. He wants to is
gratify
taste for rich
and unnatural viands and have
Such a man
health as well.
is
totally
his
unfit to
have health, because he has not yet learned the first
principles
of a
healthy
life.
an employer of labour who adopts crooked measures to avoid paying the regulation
Here
is
wage, and, in the hope of making larger reduces the wages of his work-people. man is altogether unfitted for
profits,
Such a
prosperity,
when he
finds himself bankrupt,
both
and
as re-
gards reputation and riches, he blames circumstances, not 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 circumstances, and that, whilst aiming at a good end, he is continually frustrating its accomplish-
ment by encouraging thoughts and
desires
which cannot possibly harmonize with that end. Such cases could be multiplied and varied almost
indefinitely,
the reader can,
if
but
he so
this is
of the laws of thought in his
and
until this
is
not necessary, as
resolves, trace the action
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
so with individuals, happiness vary vastly that a man's entire soul-condition (although it may be known to himself) cannot be
of
judged by
another from the external aspect of his life man may be honest in certain direcalone.
A
yet suffer privations; a man may be dishonest in certain directions, yet acquire wealth; but the conclusion usually formed that the one tions,
man
fails
because of bis particular honesty, and because of bis particular prospers
that the other
dishonesty,
is
the result of a
superficial judg-
ment, which assumes that the dishonest
man
is
almost totally corrupt, and the honest man almost entirely virtuous. In the light of a deeper
knowledge and wider experience, such judgThe dishonest is found to be erroneous.
ment
man may have some
admirable virtues which
I'll
<AS .A JdAH. the other does not
and the honest man
possess;
obnoxious vices which are absent in the other.
The
honest
man
the
reaps
good
results of his
honest thoughts and acts; he also brings upon himself the sufferings which his vices produce.
The
dishonest
man
likewise garners his
own
and happiness. suffering It is
one a
pleasing
to
human
vanity to believe that
suffers because of one's virtue;
man
has
but not until
and extirpated every sickly, bitter,
impure thought from every sinful stain from
his
mJnd, and washed can he be in a
his soul,
to know and declare that his position sufferings are the result of his good, and not of his bad
and on the way to, yet long before he qualities; has reached, that supreme perfection, he will have found, working in his mind and life, the Great
Law which
is
and which
absolutely just, cannot, therefore, give good for evil, evil for good. Possessed of such knowledge, he will
then know, looking back upon his past ignorance and blindness, that his life is, and always was, justly ordered, and that all his past expe-
good and bad, were the equitable outworking of his evolving, yet unevolved self. riences,
Good thoughts and bad
results;
actions can never produce
bad thoughts and actions can never
produce good results. This is but saying that nothing can come from corn but corn, nothing
from
nettles
but
nettles.
Men
understand this
law in the natural world, and work with it; but few understand it in the mental and moral world (though its operation there is just as simple and undeviating), and they, therefore, do not cooperate with it. Suffering is always the effect of wrong thought in some direction. It is an indication that the individual is out of harmony with him-
Law of his being. The sole and use of suffering is to to burn supreme purify, out all that is useless and impure. Suffering There could be no ceases for him who is pure. self,
with the
object in burning gold after the dross had been removed, and a perfectly pure and enlightened
being could not suffer. The circumstances which a
man encounters own mental The circumstances which a man
with suffering are the
result of his
inharmony. encounters with blessedness are the result of
own mental harmony.
his
Blessedness, not mate-
is the measure of right thought; possessions, wretchedness, not lack of material possessions, man may is the measure of wrong thought.
rial
A
be cursed and
rich;
he
may
be blessed and poor.
Blessedness and riches are only joined together the riches are rightly and wisely used; descends into wretchedand the man
when ness
poor
only
when he
regards
his
lot
as
a
burden
unjustly imposed.
Indigence and indulgence are the two extremes of wretchedness. They are both equally unnatural and the result of mental disorder.
man
is
not rightly conditioned until he
is
A a
happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and hapand prosperity are the result of a piness, health,
harmonious adjustment of the inner with the man with his surroundings.
outer, of the
A
man
ceases to
only begins to be a
whine and
revile,
search for the hidden justice life.
And
as
man when he
and commences to
which
regulates his
he adapts his mind to that reguhe ceases to accuse others as the
lating factor, cause of his condition,
and builds himself up
in
and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them and as a as aids to his more rapid progress, strong
means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities
within himself.
Law, not confusion,
is
the
dominating prinin the universe; justice, not injustice, is ciple the soul and substance of life; and
righteous-
ness,
not corruption,
the
is
moulding and mov-
ing force in the spiritual government o the world. This being so, man has but to right himself to find that the universe is right; and
during the process of putting himself right, he he alters his thoughts towards
will find that as
things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him. The of this truth
proof
and
it
therefore admits of
is
in
every person,
easy investigation
by
systematic introspection and self-analysis. Let a
man
radically
thoughts, and he will
alter his
be astonished at the rapid transformation in the material
effect
Men but
it
imagine that thought can be kept cannot;
and habit
it
it
conditions of his
will life.
secret,
into habit, rapidly crystallizes circumstance. Bestial
solidifies into
thoughts crystallize into habits of drunkenness and sensuality, which into circumstances
of
destitution
solidity disease:
and
impure
thoughts of every kind crystallize into enervating and confusing habits, which solidify into and adverse circumstances thoughts distracting :
of fear, doubt, and indecision into crystallize
weak, unmanly, and
irresolute habits,
which
into circumstances of failure, indigence,
solidify and slavish
dependence: lazy thoughts
crystal-
into habits of uncleanliness
lize
which
esty,
into
solidify
and dishon-
circumstances
of
and beggary: hateful and condemna-
foulness
into habits of accusatory thoughts crystallize tion and violence, which into cirsolidify
cumstances of injury and persecution: selfish thoughts of all kinds crystallize into habits of self-seeking,
more or
which
less
solidify
distressing.
into circumstances
On
the other hand,
beautiful thoughts of all kinds into crystallize habits of and kindliness, which
grace
into
solidify
and sunny circumstances:
pure thoughts crystallize into habits of temperance and self-control, which solidify into circumgenial
stances of
repose
age, self-reliance,
manly of
habits,
success,
and peace: thoughts of courand decision crystallize into
which
plenty,
solidify
and
into circumstances
freedom:
energetic
thoughts crystallize into habits of cleanliness and industry, which solidify into circumstances of
pleasantness: gentle into habits
crystallize
and
into
solidify
stances:
and forgiving thoughts of gentleness, which
protective preservative loving and unselfish thoughts
crystalfor others, self-forgetfulness into circumstances of sure and
lize into habits of
which
solidify
circum-
abiding prosperity and true riches.
A particular train of thought persisted in, be good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances. man canit
A
not directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so
indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances. Nature helps every man to the gratification
of the thoughts opportunities
speedily bring evil
which he most encourages, and presented which will most
are
to the surface
both the good and
thoughts.
man cease from his sinful thoughts, the world will soften towards him, and
Let a
and
all
be ready to help him;
let
him put away
his
weakly and ties
and lo! opportunisickly thoughts, spring up on every hand to aid
will
strong resolves; let him encourage good no hard fate shall bind him down thoughts, and his
to wretchedness
and shame. The world
is
your
and the varying combinations of kaleidoscope, it colours which at every succeeding moment presents tures of
to
you
are the
exquisitely adjusted pic-
your ever-moving thoughts.
"You
will
be what you will to be;
Let failure find
its false
content
In that poor word, 'environment,' But spirit scorns it, and is free.
JMAH
<A It
masters time, It
it
conquers space; trickster, Chance, bids the tyrant Circumstance
cows that boastful
And
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."
FFCT OF THOUGH? OH HEALTH THE BODY
is
the servant of the mind.
It
obeys
the operations of the mind, whether they be dechosen or liberately automatically expressed. At the of unlawful thoughts the
body
bidding
into disease and at the comrapidly decay; mand of glad and beautiful it becomes sinks
thoughts
clothed with youthfulness and beauty. Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a of fear have been ily
as a bullet,
sickly body. Thoughts to kill a man as
known
and they
speed-
are
continually killing
thousands of people just as surely though rapidly. are the
The
people
who
less
live in fear of disease
people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to
the entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, if not will soon shatphysically indulged, ter the nervous system.
even
Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigour and grace. The body is a
JMAH delicate
and
plastic instrument,
which responds
to the thoughts readily by which and habits of thought will
it is
impressed,
produce their
good or bad, upon it. Men will continue to have impure and
own
effects,
poi-
soned blood so long as they propagate unclean thoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a clean and a clean Out of a defiled mind
life
body.
proceeds
Thought festation;
a defiled is
life
and a corrupt body. life, and mani-
the fount of action,
make
the fountain pure, and
all
will
be pure.
Change
of diet will not
not change his thoughts. his
help
a
When
man who will a man makes
thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure
food.
Clean thoughts make clean habits. The sowho does not wash his body is not a
called saint
He who
has strengthened and purified does not need to consider the mathoughts levolent microbe. saint.
his
If
you would perfect your body, guard your If you would renew your body, beautify
mind.
your mind.
Thoughts of malice, envy,
disap-
pointment, despondency, rob the body of its health and sour face does not come grace. by
A
chance; that I
made by
it is
mar
are
know
a
sour thoughts. Wrinkles
drawn by
woman
folly, passion, pride.
who
of
has the
ninety-six bright, innocent face of a girl. I know a man well under middle age whose face is drawn into
The one
inharmonious contours. of a sweet and
the outcome
is
the result
the other
sunny
disposition; of passion and discontent.
As you cannot have
is
a sweet and wholesome
abode unless you admit the air and sunshine into freely your rooms, so a strong body and a or serene countenance can bright, happy, only result
from the
free
admittance into the mind
of thoughts of and goodwill and serenity. joy the faces of the aged there are wrinkles
On
made by sympathy;
others by strong and pure thought, and others are carved by passion: who cannot distinguish them? With those who
have lived righteously, age is calm, peaceful, like the sun. I softly mellowed, setting
and
have recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed. He was not old except in years. He died as
he had lived. sweetly and peacefully as There
for
is
no physician
dissipating comforter to
the
ills
like cheerful
of the
thought body; there is no
compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live
continually in thoughts of
ill-will,
and envy, is to be confined made prisonhole. But to think well of
suspicion,
cheerful with
good
in all
very portals
cynicism, in a selfall,
to be
learn to find the patiently such unselfish thoughts are the of heaven; and to dwell day by day all,
to
thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor. in
THOUGH? tAHV UNTIL THOUGHT
linked with purpose there With the intelligent accomplishment. majority the barque of thought is allowed to is
is
no
"drift"
upon the ocean
of
life.
Aimlessness
is
a
and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and vice,
destruction.
They who have no
central purpose in their an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pity ings, all of which are indilife
fall
cations of weakness,
which
as
lead, just as surely
sins
(though deliberately planned ferent route), to failure, unhappiness, for weakness cannot in a persist
by
a dif-
and
loss,
power-evolving
universe.
A
man
should conceive of a legitimate purand set out to accomplish it.
pose in his heart,
He
should
make
this
purpose the centralizing
take the form of a point of his thoughts. It may ideal, or it may be a worldly object, spiritual
but according to his nature at the time being; whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought-forces
upon the
object
[30]
which he has
set
He
before him.
should
make
this
purpose his
supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wanephemeral fancies, longings, and This is the road to self-conimaginings. royal trol and true concentration of thought. Even if der
away
into
he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome) the strength of character gained will ,
be the measure of his true success, and. this will
form a new starting-point
for future
power and
triumph.
Those who
are not
prepared for the apprehen-
great purpose, should fix the thoughts the faultless no performance of their
sion of a
upon
duty,
matter
Only
how
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
its
own weak-
that
strength can only be developed by effort and practice, will, thus believing, at once begin to exert it-
and, adding effort to effort, patience to and strength to strength, will never patience, self,
[3']
cease to (develop,
and
will at last
grow
divinely
strong.
As
the physically
weak man can make him-
strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them self
strong
To
by
himself in right thinking. exercising aimlessness and weakness, and
put away
with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; to begin to think
who make
all
conditions serve them, and
who
think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.
Having conceived of his purpose, a man should mentally mark out a straight pathway to its achievement, looking neither to the right nor the
left.
Doubts and
fears
should be rigor-
eleously excluded; they are disintegrating ments which break up the straight line of effort,
rendering
it
crooked, ineffectual, useless.
Thoughts of doubt and fear never accomplish lead to anything, and never can. They always to do, and all failure. Purpose, energy, power strong thoughts cease creep
when doubt and
fear
in.
The will to do springs from the knowledge we can do. Doubt and fear are the great
that
enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at
every step. has
He who
conquered doubt and fear has His every thought is allied
failure.
conquered with power, and all difficulties are bravely met and wisely overcome. His purposes are seasonably planted, and they bloom and bring forth fruit which does not fall to the
prematurely
ground.
Thought
allied
creative force:
he
fearlessly
to
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
IK ALL THAT to
thoughts.
man
a
achieve
achieves and
the
is
In a
direct
justly
that he
fails
of
own
his
ordered universe, where
equipoise would individual responsibility loss of
all
result
mean
total destruction,
must be
absolute.
A
man's weakness and strength, purity and imare his own, and not another man's; purity, are brought about they by himself, and not by another; and they can only be altered by himself, never by another. His condition is also his
own, and not another man's. His suffering and are evolved from within. As he his happiness 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 in another. but himself can alter his condition.
None It
has been usual for
men
1 34]
to think
anH
to
<A say,
JMAK
"Many men let
oppressor;
however, there
are slaves because
one
us hate the oppressor." is
is
an
Now,
amongst an increasing few a
tendency to reverse this judgment, and to say, "One man is an oppressor because arc slaves; let us despise the slaves."
that
oppressor norance, and,
and
slave are
many The truth
is
in co-operators igto afflict each
while seeming
A
other, are in reality afflicting themselves. the action of law perfect Knowledge perceives in the weakness of the and the mis-
oppressed of the a perfect Love, applied power oppressor; the which both states entail, seeing suffering condemns neither; a perfect Compassion embraces both and oppressed. oppressor He who has conquered weakness, and has selfish thoughts, belongs neither nor He is free. oppressor oppressed. man can only rise, conquer, and achieve all
put away to
A
by
lifting
thoughts. He can only remain abject, and miserable by refusing to
up
weak, and
his
up his thoughts. Before a man can achieve
lift
worldly things, he must
lift
slavish animal indulgence. der to succeed, all
by
thoughts above
He may
not, in or-
animality and selany means; but a portion of it give
fishness,
anything, even in his
up
[35]
must, at
least,
be
sacrificed.
A man whose
first
indulgence could neither think clearly nor plan methodically; he could not find and develop his latent resources, and is
thought
would
fail
bestial
in
any undertaking.
Not
having
commenced manfully
to control his
he
to control affairs and to
is
not in a
position
He
adopt serious responsibilities.
is
thoughts,
not
fit
to
independently and stand alone. But he is limited only by the thoughts which he chooses.
act
There can be no without will
progress,
no achievement
and a man's worldly success the measure that he sacrifices his con-
sacrifice,
be in
fused animal thoughts, and fixes his mind on the development of his plans, and the strength-
ening of his resolution and self-reliance. And the higher he lifts his thoughts, the more
he becomes, the manly, upright, and righteous will be his success, the more blessed and greater enduring will be his achievements. The universe does not favour the greedy, the dishonest, the vicious, although on the mere surface it may sometimes appear to do so; it
the magnanimous, the virtuhelps the honest, ous. All the great Teachers of the ages have declared this in varying forms, has but to
know it a man
and
persist
[36]
in
to
prove and
making him-
.A self
more and more virtuous by
lifting
up
his
thoughts. Intellectual achievements are the result of
thought consecrated to the search for knowlin life and edge, or for the beautiful and true nature.
Such achievements may be sometimes
connected with vanity and ambition, but they are not the outcome of those characteristics; natural outgrowth of long and they are the arduous effort, and of pure and unselfish
thoughts.
achievements are the consummation
Spiritual
of holy aspirations. He who lives in constantly of noble and the conception lofty thoughts, who dwells all that is and unselfish,
upon
will, as surely as
the
moon
character,
and of
its
pure the sun reaches
full,
and
its zenith and become wise and noble in
rise into
a
position
of influence
blessedness.
Achievement, of whatever kind, is the crown effort, the diadem of thought. By the aid of
self-control,
resolution,
purity,
and well-directed thought a
righteousness,
man
ascends;
by
the aid of animahty, indolence, impurity, corand confusion of thought a man deruption, scends.
A man may rise to high success in the world, [37]
and even to
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
difference lies
He who fice little;
sacrifice
must
thought, are governed by the same method the only in the object of attainment.
directed
same law and
are of the
;
would accomplish little must sacrihe who would achieve much must
much; he who would
sacrifice
greatly.
attain
highly
VISIOHS ^HT) 1T>ALS
THE DREAMERS As
are the saviours of tKe world.
the visible world
ble, so
men, through
sustained
is
all
sordid vocations, are nourished visions of their
cannot forget ideals fade
them
solitary
its
and
by the
their trials
by the
dreamers.
dreamers;
and
it
invisi-
sins
and
beautiful
Humanity
cannot
let their
them; it knows shall one day see
die; it lives in
as the realities
which
it
and know. Composer, sculptor, painter, poet, prophet, these are the makers of the after-world, sage, 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 of worlds and a wider universe, multiplicity and he revealed it; Buddha beheld the vision of a
spiritual
world of
stainless
he entered into peace, and
[39]
beauty and perfect
it.
Cherish your visions; cherish your cherish the music that
ideals;
your heart, die that forms in the loveliness mind, beauty your that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of
them
will
grow
all
in
stirs
delightful conditions,
all
heavenly environment; of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve. Shall man's basest desires receive the fullest measure of
gratification,
and
his
purest aspira-
tions starve for lack of sustenance?
Such
is
not
the Law: such a condition of things can never
"Ask and receive." Dream lofty dreams, and
obtain:
as you dream, so you become. Your Vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your Ideal is the of what prophecy you shall at last unveil. The greatest achievement was at first and for shall
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 remain so if you but perthey shall not long ceive an Ideal
and
strive to reach
not travel within and stand
still
it.
You
can-
without. Here
a youth hard pressed by poverty and labour; confined long hours in an unhealthy workshop; unschooled, and lacking all the arts of refineis
ment. But he dreams of better things; he thinks of intelligence, of refinement, of grace and beauty. He conceives of, mentally builds an ideal condition of life; the vision of a up, wider liberty and a larger scope takes possession of him; unrest urges him to action, and he utilizes all his time and means, small though spare the
are, to
development of
his latent powVery soon so altered has his mind become that the workshop can no longer hold him. It has become so out of harmony
they ers
and
resources.
with his mentality that a garment
is
it falls
cast aside, and,
out of his
life as
with the growth of
which fit the scope of his expandopportunities ing powers, he passes out of it forever. Years later we see this youth as a full-grown man.
We
find
him a master
of certain forces of the
mind
which he wields with world-wide influence and hands he holds almost unequalled power. In his the cords of gigantic responsibilities; he speaks,
and
lo!
lives
hang upon acters,
changed; men and women words and remould their char-
are
his
and, sunlike, he becomes the fixed and
luminous centre round which innumerable des-
<AS
<
He has realized the Vision o He has become one with his Ideal.
times revolve.
youth.
his
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 which you, secretly, most love. Into your hands will be placed the exact results of your own thoughts; you will receive that which you earn; no more, no
Whatever your present environment
less.
be,
may
you
will
fall,
remain, or
rise
with your
thoughts, your Vision, your Ideal. You will become as small as controlling desire; as
your
great as your dominant aspiration: in the beautiful words of Stanton Kirkham Davis, "You
may be
keeping accounts, and presently you walk out of the door that for so long has
shall
seemed
to
shall find still
you the
yourself
behind your
and then gers torrent of
barrier of
your
before an audience
ear,
ideals,
and
the pen
the inkstains on your finshall pour out the
and there
your inspiration. You may be driving sheep, and you shall wander to the city bucolic and open-mouthed; shall wander under the
of the spirit into the stuintrepid guidance dio of the master, and after a rime he shall say, 'I
have nothing more to teach you/
And now
JMAH you have become the master, who did so recently dream of great things while driving shall sheep. You lay down the saw and the plane to take the world."
The
upon
yourself
the regeneration of
thoughtless, the ignorant,
lent, seeing
and the indo-
only the apparent effects of things
and not the things themselves, talk of luck, of and chance. Seeing a man grow rich, they say, "How lucky he is!" Observing anfortune,
other
become
intellectual,
highly favoured he is!" character
remark,
they exclaim, "How noting the saintly
And
and wide influence of another, they
"How chance aids him at every turn!"
They do not struggles
see the trials
and
failures
and
which these men have voluntarily en-
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 apparently insurmountable, and realize the Vision of their heart. do not
They
know
the darkness and the heartaches; they the light and joy, and call it "luck"; see only do not see the long and arduous journey, but only behold the pleasant goal, and call it "good
4
JMAK
fortune"; do not understand the process, but
only perceive the In all human
result,
and
affairs
there are efforts,
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 spirare the fruits of effort; they are possessions
itual
thoughts completed, objects accomplished,
vi-
sions realized.
The
Vision that you glorify in your mind,
this the Ideal that you enthrone in your heart you will build your life by, this you will be-
CALMNESS OF MIND jewels of wisdom.
is
one of the beautiful
It is
the result of long and
Its presence is an and of a more ripened experience, than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.
effort in self-control.
patient indication of
A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought-evolved benecessitates the undering, for such knowledge standing of others as the result of thought, and he develops a right understanding, and sees
as
more and more things
by the
ceases to fuss
clearly
the internal relations of
action of cause
and
effect,
and fume and worry and
he
grieve,
and remains poised, steadfast, serene. The calm man, having learned how to govern himself,
knows how
to
adapt himself to
and they, in turn, reverence his spiritual feel that strength, and they can learn of him
others;
and
rely
upon him. The more
becomes, the greater ence, his
power
for
is
tranquil
a
man
his success, his influ-
good.
Even the ordinary
trader will find his business as
he develops a greater
prosperity increase
self-control
and equa-
nimity, for people will always prefer to deal with a man whose demeanour is strongly equable.
The
calm
man
and
is always loved shade-giving tree in a or a in a storm. thirsty land, sheltering rock "Who does not love a tranquil heart, a sweet-
strong,
He
revered.
is
like a
tempered, balanced
whether
it
life?
It
rains or shines, or
does not matter
what changes come
to those
for possessing these blessings, they are always sweet, serene, and calm. That exquisite
poise of character
which we
last lesson of culture; it is
call
serenity
is
the flowering of
the life,
the fruitage of the soul. It is precious as wisto be desired than gold yea, than
dom, more
even fine gold.
How insignificant mere money-
seeking looks in comparison with a serene life a 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 lives,
who
ruin
all
that
explosive tempers, character,
is
who
sour their
sweet and beautiful by of destroy their poise It is a question
and make bad blood!
whether the great majority of people do not
ruin their lives and of self-control.
who
mar
are well-balanced,
which
poise acter!"
is
their
happiness by lack
How few people we meet in life who have
that
exquisite
characteristic of the finished char-
Yes, humanity surges with uncontrolled pasis tumultuous with ungoverned grief, is blown about by anxiety and doubt. Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and makes the winds and the purified,
sion,
storms of the soul obey him.
Tempest-tossed souls, wherever ye may be, under whatsoever conditions ye may live, know this
in the ocean of life the isles of Blessed-
ness are smiling, and the ideal awaits your
sunny shore of your Keep your hand
coming.
firmly
upon the helm
of
thought.
In the
barque of your soul reclines the commanding Master; He does but sleep; wake Him. Selfis
mas-
tery; Calmness is power. Say unto your "Peace, be still!"
heart,
control
is
strength;
Right Thought
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