James allen - As a Man Thinketh, 1913

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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

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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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