THE
SCIENCE OF M IN D The Complete Ed i ti o n
TARCHER/PENGUIN TITLES By ERNEST HOLMES 3 6 5 : Science o f M ind A N...
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THE
SCIENCE OF M IN D The Complete Ed i ti o n
TARCHER/PENGUIN TITLES By ERNEST HOLMES 3 6 5 : Science o f M ind A New Design J
ot
Living
The Art o f Life Creative M ind Creative M ind an d Success Discover a R icher Life The Essential Ernest Holmes The H idden Power o f the Bible Living Without Fear Love Sc Law: The U npublished Teachings Prayer
J E R E M Y P. T A R C H E R / P E N G U I N a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. New York
ERNEST HOLMES FOREWORD INTRODUCTION
BY
THE
BY
KATHY
HEARN
REVEREND
JESSE
JENNINGS
JE R E M Y P. T A R C H E R / P E N G U IN Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA * Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 7 0 0 ,Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) * Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England * Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd) * Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) ♦ Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New D elhi-110 017, India * Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd) * Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London W C2R 0RL, England The Science of Mind originally published in 1926 The Science of Mind revised and enlarged, copyright © 1938 by The United Church of Religious Science First Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin edition of both editions in one volume 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. Published simultaneously in Canada Most Tarcher /Penguin books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchase for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, and educational needs. Special books or book excerpts also can be created to fit specific needs. For details, write Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Holmes, Ernest, 1887-1960. The science of mind: the complete edition / Ernest Holmes, p. cm. “Both the 1926 and the 1938 versions of The Science of Mind in one complete edition*— Foreword. ISBN 978-1-58542-842-7 1. New Thought. I. Title. BF639.H635 2010 2010039320 299'.93j—dc22
'
Printed in the United States of America 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Book design t y Stephanie Huntwotk and Nicole LaRoche Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this book. While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Contents
Foreword by K athy H earn
ix
Introduction by The Reverend Jesse Jen n in g s
xi
A bout Ernest H olm es
xv
THE SCIENCE OF MIND
O r ig in a l 1 9 2 6 Text
THE SCIENCE OF MIND
1 9 3 8 E d itio n
Index
l
293
759
Foreword
It is a tremendous boon to have both the 1926 and the 1938 versions of The Science of Mind in one complete edition and available to current and future students and explorers of this lifetransforming spiritual philosophy. The more familiar 1938 edition, what many affectionately call “the textbook,” has been a deeply loved and cherished agent of awakening and learning for people around the world for the past seventy-two years. It was this book that first opened me to an awareness of the Allness of God, my oneness with Life, and the holiness/wholeness of my own being. It was through these pages that I learned that my thoughts are creative, that I attract what is like my thinking, and that I alone— and no one else— set the limit to my dem onstrations of good or expand beyond them. It was in this book that I found a spiritual approach to the challenges of daily living, along with the realization that who I am in God, and what God is in me, are greater than anything I am going through. Here I discovered that I am on earth to walk a path of successive realizations toward full expression of the God-being I have always been. As I look at the underlining and marginal notes I made as a beginning student, I remem ber the amazement I felt as I read for the first time, on page after page, the articulation of what I believed about God and Life. I thought I was the only one who thought this way! It was won derful to realize that there was an entire spiritual philosophy and practice for living these spiritual ideas. Through years of ministry, I have turned to the text for speaking and teaching themes, meditations, illustrations, readings, quotations, and metaphysical Bible interpretations. My book became so well used a number of years ago that students of mine had it re-bound for me. Through time the text stands at the center of my spiritual life and work. Several years into my experience of Science of Mind, I learned about the 1926 edition, referred to as “the original”— or as we might call it today, “the rough, uncut version.” This
FOREWORD
edition has a more personal feeling, with Ernest Holmes making “I” statements and offering the reader insight into his process and realizations. He refers to the authors and thinkers whose works influenced him and thereby gives us an expanded sense of legacy. And he occasionally offers advice to students, transmitting truth to those seeking it. The most discussed chapters contain information and ideas left out of the 1938 edition. In Lesson Six of the 1926 edition, Holmes articulates various kinds of psychic phenomena, cautions about misuse of mental pow ers, and distinguishes between the mystic and the psychic senses. Toward the end of the book we find special articles on the meaning of true love, the emotion of sex, sublimation and re pression and the conflict of desire. What we see in the 1926 edition is material that is less or dered, formalized, and distilled. Yet it reveals the breadth of Holmess study and the full range of his exploration of the human and divine aspects of our being. One thing we witness in com paring the two editions is his evolution from exploring the powers of mind to asserting the Power of Mind— encouraging all of us to “see through the mist to the Eternal and Changeless Reality.” The tendency for us might be to feel that we must decide on a favorite edition, choosing one over the other. But the great blessing of The Science o f M ind: The Complete Edition is that we do not have to do this. Rather, we can read the two together and discover the unique value of each. And in doing so we may arrive at an even deeper appreciation for the man, Ernest Holmes. As we walk our own paths of realization and transformation we see how he awakened and changed, all the while seeking to give words to the great spiritual revelations that filled him and then make them relevant and practicable for daily spiritual living. How fortunate we are to be recipients and inheritors of this great work. — K athy H earn Community Spiritu al Leader, United C en tersfor Spiritual Living
Introduction
Those who associate themselves with Ernest Holmes’s work are called Religious Scientists, and to them this is their “textbook” Until the 1980s, many were unaware there had been an earlier edition than that of 1938, much less that it had contained plenty of eye-opening material that was edited out of the second edition. Here at last, in one volume, are both books. The Science o f M ind was originally published in November 1926, by Robert M. McBride 8c
Company of New York, and copyrighted not by Holmes himself but by his mother, Anna. Robert McBride had an interest in spiritual matters, being the son of the president of the American Bible Union, and his publishing house had brought out Ernest Holmess first two books, Creative M ind and Creative M ind an d Success , as well as his brother Fenwicke’s The Law o f Mind in A ction. The company also published adventure novelist Sax Rohmer, fantasist James
Cabell, and poet laureate Louise Bogan, while McBride himself wrote popular geographies of European countries. The Science o f M ind did well enough that McBride reprinted twice in 1928 and once in 1929.
Then it apparently dropped out of print. This may have been due to the economic climate of the Depression, or perhaps demand was momentarily exhausted, since at that time Holmes s work was little known anywhere but on the West Coast. In any event, it was nine years until a new printing appeared (Holmes was working on it as early as 1936), by which time it had been thoroughly revised, and was about 2 $ o pages longer. For the 1938 edition Holmes had a collaborator, and a highly competent one at that, Maude Allison Lathem, who for many years edited the Institute of Religious Science’s monthly Science o f Mind magazine. Lathem had just partnered with Alberta Smith on a delightful volume of
inspirational articles, / Lift My Lam p (1937), published under the Institute’s own imprint. Smith
INTRODUCTION
had previously worked with Holmes, too, on Questions and Answers on the Science of Mind. Holmess great strengths were as speaker and teacher— in person he had enormous charisma. But his thoughts when written tended to seem formal, even stiff. So he needed a hand, and down through the years Lathem, Smith, Fenwicke Holmes, and Willis Kinnear pitched in on his projects. The 1926 textbook version was a series of lessons, the introductions to which were then grouped together as the general introduction in the 1938 volume. Diagrams in the middle of the 1926 volume went into the appendix of the 1938 edition. Daily meditations and a glossary appeared in the same location in each. But the main change was seen in the extraction of the whole sixth lesson, on psychic phenomena. Fenwicke explains, in his biography of his brother: “When his revision omitted this, he felt no loss of personal conviction as to the authenticity of psychic phenomena but that it was developing into a separate field of research.” Also removed out from the earlier edition is the section on “Repression and Sublimation” which discusses emotion, libido, and the creative urge. Were discussions of sex and spiritualism deemed so indelicate or incendiary as to pose a hindrance to wider readership?This seems unlikely. Holmes never apologized for his thoughts. As it turns out, the material edited out of the 1926 text wasn’t erased altogether, or even lost in a file cabinet. It can be found intact in the “Extension Study Course on the Science of Mind,” fifty-two lessons, typewritten, first issued to correspon dence students in 1939, and containing a lot more interesting material besides, such as papers by an academic on the mysteries of ancient Egypt, Rome, and the Gallic druids. In effect, it was lifted out of the introductory material and put in the hands of more dedicated students who would read it in an appropriate framing context. (The same thing was later done with practitioner training material, in the form of a “Clinical Course”) But now it is all back where we can easily get our hands on it.
Ernest Holmes made a regular point throughout his career of declaring that he had received no special spiritual revelation; that, in fact, he didn’t believe in special revelations, or miracles, or the supernatural. To him, everyone was a revealer of truth. A miracle is a law-abiding event even when most may be oblivious of the law behind it (“Only those things are mysterious which we do not understand,” he wrote.) “Nature” encompasses the paranormal and extraordinary, the arcane as well as the mundane. Within human nature is the resting place of the Divine as it relates to humanity, and one should look within the self for whatever one seeks. If anything appears to impede the experience of the sacred, it is only one’s own unhealed emotional and psychological issues getting in the way, which is better recognized than ignored, to render them accessible to be addressed and transformed from fear into faith. xii
INTRODUCTION
Holmess was a science of spiritual psychology. But just as it wasn’t a supernatural revela tion, nor was it, he said, merely his own opinion, but the condensed wisdom of all time: “We should take Truth wherever we find it, making it our very own. Borrowing knowledge of Real ity from all sources, taking the best from every study, Science of Mind brings together the highest enlightenment of the ages.” i
When Joseph Campbell bought a copy of The Science of Mind, it served as his “first introduction to a version of what Aldous Huxley called the Perennial Philosophy,” according to his biogra phers Stephen and Robin Larsen. Campbell often attended lectures by Fenwicke Holmes. At one of these he asked a question about how to achieve success, and heard it suggested that he jot down notes from his interior dialogue, to find if all his interests would point in one certain direction. As the Larsens tell us, “This would be the precise technique that would allow Camp bell, at a later stage of his development, to know that it was ‘mythology’ that would be his subject.” His enormous achievements in that field were brought into the mainstream by the 1988 Bill Moyers interviews on PBS, which were filmed mostly at Skywalker Ranch; George Lucas had been inspired from reading Campbell to capture and evoke the spirit of the mythic hero’s journey in his Star Wars films. Thus every child everywhere who swings a light saber or drones, “ Luke, I am your father,” unwittingly invokes the universal quest for meaning and purpose as each individual’s divine inheritance. At the same time, a specific piece of modern theater is perform ed, resulting from a series of fortuitous encounters between certain teachers and students— or more exactly, Holmes would say, the eternal circulation o f certain truths is the collective consciousness of our species, which each o f us may be privileged to host.
There is a school of thought— a school to which this book in your hands has very mightily contributed— that there are no accidents, that everything happens for a reason though that reason might be larger than one’s present capacity to grasp it, and that, in Emerson’s words, “We are begirt with spiritual laws which execute themselves.” Read on, and may that which you seek come rushing to meet you. — The Reverend Jesse Jennings
xiii
About Ernest Holmes
He began life the youngest of nine sons of William Nelson and Anna Columbia Heath Holmes, in a mill and quarry town near Maine's Penobscot River. Eighty-five years earlier, only seventy miles downstate, had been born Phineas Quimby, arguably the originator of the metaphysical healing movement in America. Ernest Holmes would come to know Qui mby s work through his brief association with that of Mary Baker Eddy, Quimby s onetime patient/student and founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, with its array of publishing ventures. Eddy’s best-known protegee, but whom she soon fired, was Emma Curtis Hopkins, who moved to Chicago to write and teach for many years her own under standing of Christian Science. Then, not long before her death, Hopkins took rooms at the Iroquois Hotel on West Forty-fourth Street in Manhattan, and welcomed her last private student into a two-week series of conversations that changed his life and, in the long run, many people’s lives. This student was Ernest Holmes, who was advancing the newest New Thought teaching vehicle, an organization he called the Institute of Religious Science. Holmes brought roses to his meetings with Hopkins and noted that she always wore a hat. Concurrently, just up the block, Algonquin Round Table members fashioned the popular culture of the day over their daily lunches. This was 1924. Holmes had two books in print, and The Science of Mind would soon follow.
He had gone West originally in 191 2, with his mother, to help out brother Fenwicke, a Congregationalist minister assigned to a new church in Venice, California. All thre$ then began, or xv
ABOUT
ERNEST
HOLMES
continued, studying metaphysics, primarily via a correspondence course from Christian D. Larson, and the essays and lectures o f Emerson and Thomas Troward. The brothers put together a magazine called Uplift (now Science o f Mind) and tried their hands at a “metaphysical sanitar ium” in Long Beach, though their involvement with that lasted about a year. When Fenwicke left his pastorate to strike out on his own, Ernest accompanied him, and they toured the country as inspirational speakers on the power of the mind to heal. After his tutorial with Hopkins, Ernest returned to Southern California and for the most part re mained there, speaking to increasing numbers o f people at various venues, teaching classes, writing books, and administering the Institute o f Religious Science and its magazine.
The nub o f H olm ess teaching was that “there is a Power for good in the universe greater than you are, and you can use It.” He arrived at this conclusion by virtue o f his own intuitive sense that it was true; by a survey of the faith systems of the world that bore out the existence of an inner, mystical body o f knowledge overlooked by most of their adherents; and by the practical application o f both sets of knowledge in the lives o f the people who came to him seeking answers. He believed that prayer was an act of science, neither arbitrary nor meritbased. If you could bring yourself to believe, then the universal creative process believed with you, and your belief would demonstrate itself in tangible form as changed conditions. This was not a Christian science exclusively, although Holmes often praised Jesus as recorded his tory's most gifted exponent o f it. But your deity could be a cloud or a stone, for all that it mattered. The key was merely believing that something happened whenever you prayed. Holmes believed in belief People by the thousands, o f every religious persuasion or none at all, came to hear him. They felt his teaching brought them peace o f mind, and its application bettered their lot in life, and after a while some said he should start his own religion. At this Holmes balked, being a modest individual who thought the world had enough religions and just needed to practice them. Then the prospect o f carrying the teaching forward beyond his time began to pull at him. The Institute gradually shifted into a church organization, its licensed practitioners (a concept borrowed from Eddy’s structure) now being joined by licensed or ordained clergy, who fanned out up and down the West Coast, and thence countrywide. The Institute’s Los Angeles—area headquarters always felt— and at intervals was— just steps away from the mass media centers o f the world. Holmes and his associates acted as unofficial spiritual advisors to many of the Hollywood set for fifty years. But he never sought to capital ize on this, never parlayed his connections into great fame, or more than moderate wealth.
xvi
ABOUT
ERNEST
HOLMES
While his work has had an incalculable subtle influence throughout American society, relatively few people know his name.
Holmes passed on in April i960, leaving no appointed successor, and an organization that perpetually reinvents itself to more efficiently relay the legacy of his liberating and empower ing teaching, “shorn of dogmatism, freed from superstition, open at the top for greater illumi nation.” Today there are several hundred established Science of Mind meeting-places (now known as “Centers for Spiritual Living”), where the emphasis remains on the teaching of classes and the daily application of the principle that all life is One life. — The Reverend Jesse Jennings
xvii
THE
SCIENCE OF MIND Original 1 9 2 6 Text
These lessons are dedicated to that Truth which frees man fro m him self and sets him on the pathway o f a new experience, which enables him to see through the mist to the Eternal and Changeless Reality,
PEACE BE UNTO THEE, STRANGER
Peace be unto thee, stranger, enter and be not afraid. I have left the gate open and thou art welcome to my home. There is room in my house for all. I have swept the hearth and lighted the fire. The room is warm and cheerful and you will find comfort and rest within. The table is laid and the fruits of Life are spread before thee. The wine is here also, it sparkles in the light. I have set a chair for you where the sunbeams dance through the shade. Sit and rest and refresh your soul. Eat of the fruit and drink the wine. All, all is yours, and you are welcome.
Foreword
In presenting these lessons on Mental Science, I do not claim to have discovered any new Truth. The Truth has been known in every age by a few; but the great mass o f people has never even dreamed that we live in a mental and spiritual world. To-day, however, there is a great inquiry into the deeper meaning of life because the race has reached a state of unfoldment where a broader scope is possible. These lessons are an attempt to put into the spoken word and into print some o f those great truths known to the enlightened of all ages. To suppose that the Creative Intelligence of the world would create man in bondage and leave him bound would be to dishonor that Creative Power which we call God. On the other hand, to suppose that God could make man as an individual, without leaving him to discover him self, would be to suppose an impossibility. Individuality must be spontaneous and can never be automatic. The seed of freedom must be hid within the shell of the human. But, like the Prodi gal of old, man must make the great discovery for himself. Although the journey may at times seem hard and the burden too great to bear, man still feels within a subtle sense, a mystical pres ence, a divine Reality. Thus, the inherent nature of himself is forever seeking to express itself in terms of freedom. We will do well to listen to this inner voice, for it tells us o f a life wonderful in its scope, of a love beyond our fondest dreams, of a freedom which the soul craves. But the great love o f the Universe must be one with the great law o f Its own Being, and we must approach love through the law. This, then, is the teaching,— Love and Law. As the love of God is perfect, so the law o f God is also perfect. We must understand both, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” I wish to express my appreciation to the authors whose names are mentioned following the
£
FOREWORD
different lessons in this course of instruction, as well as to many others whose names are not mentioned. The Truth comes to us from all sources, and our understanding of it is the result o f the time, thought and effort of thousands o f people who have given their lives to its study. I wish to express special appreciation to Miss Anne Shipman, of Boston, Mass., without whose untiring efforts it is not probable that these manuscripts would have ever been gotten in shape for publication; and to my mother whose great faith in these teachings has inspired me with the hope and the belief that they may be of benefit to those who study them. E.S.H .
6
Contents
Peace Be Unto Thee, Stranger
4
Foreword
5
Yourself
17
Part One
THE EVOLUTION OF M A N 'S THOUGHT 19
Instinctive Man ♦ Nature Waits on M ans Self-recognition ♦ The First Great Discovery ♦ The Inner Sense Awakens ♦ The Great Question “Why” * The Greatest Discovery o f All Time— MIND ♦ The Brain Does Not Think * We Do Not See the Thinker ♦ The Body Unconscious Without the Thinker ♦ The Conscious and the Unconscious Thought * A New Basis o f Thought * The Law o f Mind * Unconscious Mind at Work ♦ Another Great Discovery— Thought Reached Others * The Discovery o f RaceThought * A Universal Medium Which All Must Come to Believe In ♦ Another Question Comes Up— Why Are People Poor? ♦ Man Begins to Realize That His Conditions Are Controlled by Thought * Realizes That He Must Think Correctly
Part Two
THE LESSONS LESSON ONE: INTRODUCTION
28
Science 4 How Laws Are Discovered 4 Proof o f Mind 4 Where Our Thoughts Go 4 Suggestion Becomes Memory 4 Mental Medium Through A11 4 Reading Thought 4 Mental Law 4 The WfrrJ of God as Law 4 Threefold Nature o f God 4 Trinity o f Being 4 Conscious Mind in God and Man 4
♦
Worship o f God 4 Many Gods 4 B elief in Duality— Its Results * Duality in Theology * Duality in Philosophy 4 Duality and Science 4 An Awakening * Philosophy Leads Man's Thought 4 A Deep Inquiry 4 The Great Difficulty 4 The Voice o f God in Creation 4 The Word o f God 4 Spirit Knows Itself 4 Law, Servant o f the Word 4 Forms o f Spirit or Creation 4 Meaning o f Creation 4 The Word Alone Is Conscious 4 The Thought o f God 4 Eternal Creation 4 The Universe Is Alive 4 Conclusion
LESSON o n e : m e t a p h y s i c a l c h a r t NO. I
41
LESSON ONE: METAPHYSICAL M EAN IN G OF WORDS USED IN U N IVERSA L CHART
42
Upper Section 4 Middle Section 4 Lowest Section
LESSON o n e : THE NATURE OF BEING
S3
Spirit 4 Soul 4 Two Ways o f Reasoning 4 Body 4 The Changeless 4 Cause and Effect 4 Unity and Multiplicity 4 Immortality 4 Forms 4 Allness o f Truth 4 Volition 4 Only One Mind 4 Individuality
LESSON o n e : r e c a p i t u l a t i o n
60
LESSON TW O: INTRODUCTION
62
The World Has Learned All It Can Through Suffering 4 What Individuality Really Means 4 The Meaning o f Freedom 4 Sin and Punishment. Righteousness and Reward 4 The Incarnation o f Spirit 4 Different Viewpoints 4 The Lesson o f Nature's Laws 4 The Relation o f Man to the Universe o f Spirit 4 Man's Experience 4 Nature Waits on Man 4. Mental and Spiritual Laws 4 God and Man 4 Man Reenacts the Nature o f God 4 The Two Ways to Reason 4 Nothing Happens by Chance 4 Many Are Waking Up to the Facts 4 The Time Has Come to Know the Truth 4 A Wonderful Experiment 4 What Psychology Teaches About Man's Nature 4 The Self-knowing Mind 4 Man's Unity with the Whole 4 Man a Center o f God-Consciousness 4 Unity with Law 4 The Subjective Obeys the Objective 4 The Body 4 Last
Stages o f Matter ♦ The Unity o f All Body * The Formless and the Formed ♦ Individuality Means SelfChoice ♦ The Greatest Discovery Ever Made ♦ A Complete Unity
LESSON TW O: METAPHYSICAL CHART NO. II-A
75
LESSON TW O : METAPHYSICAL CHART NO. II-B
76
LESSON TW O: METAPHYSICAL M EAN IN G OF WORDS USED IN INDIVIDUAL CHART NO. II-B
77
Upper Section * Middle Section ♦ Lowest Section
LESSON TW O: THE NATURE OF MAN
SO
Spirit ♦ Soul ♦ Body ♦ Limitless Medium ♦ Christ and Antichrist ♦ A/an /s Identified in Mind ♦ Treatment ♦ The /lim o f Evolution ♦ Methods o f Treatment ♦ Subjective Law ♦ Thought and the Creative Medium * Each Is the Logical Result o f His Own Thinking * A Law o f B elief ♦
^4re Dealing
with Law ♦ The Cycle o f Necessity and Karmic Law ♦ The Law o f Action and Reaction ♦
in
Mind ♦ Wrong Use o f Mind ♦ Subjective but Not Unconscious ♦ How Habits Are Formed * Law Is Mind in Action * We Are Bound by Our Own Freedom * Oneness with All Law ♦ Demonstration ♦ Karmic Law ♦ Thought Force * Choosing Thought ♦ Inducing Thought ♦ P7ace No Limit on Principle
LESSON TW O : RECAPITULATION
9*
LESSON TH R EE: INTRODUCTION
99
Healing ♦
VFe Understand About Healing ♦ Thoughts Are Things
LESSON TH REE: METAPHYSICAL CHART NO. Ill
103
LESSON TH REE: METAPHYSICAL M EAN IN G OF WORDS USED IN CHART NO. Ill
104
LESSON TH REE: M ENTAL H EALING
105
Individuality ♦ A/an Reenacts God ♦ Not Limited by Principle ♦ Mental Treatment Is Real ♦ Afan Comes Through Subjectivity * Born Perfect ♦ Race-Suggestion ♦ Disease Is Impersonal * How to Heal * Mind Is the Actor ♦ Disease Is Not Always Due to Conscious Thought ♦ Ideas ♦
Dea/ wit/i
No Doubts ♦ Thinking in Treatment ♦ Do Not Try to Go Beyond Your Understanding *
What a Practitioner Must Know ♦ Healing Is Clear Thinking ♦ Only One Law ♦ No Sensation in Treatments ♦ How to Remove Doubt * The Truth Demonstrates Itself ♦ Disease Is Mental ♦ The Medium o f Healing ♦ Depend on Principle * Definite Work in Healing ♦ Repeating Treatments ♦ Remove the Complex ♦ Healing Pain ♦ Headache * What Right Thought Does * How Habits Are Healed ♦ The Seed of Thought ♦ Wfeat Can Be Healed 4
People Get Tired * The Idea Must Take
Form ♦ Resolve Things into Thoughts ♦ Healing Insanity ♦ What a Practitioner Does * Back o f the Appearance Is the Reality ♦ Seeing Perfection ♦ Healing Lung Trouble * We Do Not Send Out Thoughts * Vision ♦ Healing Constipation ♦ Disease Not an Entity ♦ Throat Trouble * Congestion ♦ Paralysis * Growths ♦ Treating Children * Power o f the Word * No Age * Memory ♦ Guidance in Treating * How to H eal * Remove Doubt ♦ No Fear ♦ Psycho-analysis ♦ Deal Only with Thoughts ♦ Nervousness ♦ Stammering ♦ Argument in Treatment
LESSON TH R EE: RECAPITULATION
1J2
LESSON FOUR: INTRODUCTION
134
The Law Is Infinite ♦ The Possibilities o f the Law ♦ Spirit and Mental Law ♦ Demonstration, or Bringing Things to Pass ♦ Our Part ♦ Treatment ♦ Medium Between Man and His Manifestation
LESSON
fo u r:
METAPHYSICAL CHART NO. IV
LESSON
f o u r : t h e c o n t r o l o f c o n d it io n s
law o f Reflection ♦ Attracting Friends ♦ 77ie Principle o f Prosperity ♦
139
140 Dea/ wit/j Absoluteness *
Prayer Is Its Own Answer ♦ I f You Know ♦ No Personal Responsibility ♦ Helping an Inventor ♦ Look Only at What You Want ♦ Definite Plan ♦ Attraction ♦ How to Demonstrate a Home ♦ Resist Not ♦ Healing a Misunderstanding ♦ Fate ♦ Attraction o f Personality * See li/e Expressed ♦ Look to the Ultimate * No Mistakes * Causes and Conditions * Perfect Action ♦ Mental Equivalents * Treating f o r Activity ♦ Receiving Information ♦ No Failures ♦ Opportunity ♦ No Mistakes * Demonstration by P roof * Handling a Schoolroom ♦ 77ie law o f Correspondence
LESSON FOUR: RECAPITULATION
156
LESSON FIVE: INTRODUCTION
15*
7rue Mysticism and the Psychic Sense ♦ WTiat t/ie Mystics Have Taught * No Ultimate Evil ♦ Ultimate Salvation (fA ll ♦ Freedomfrom Burden ♦ Unity (fA ll * Realization ( f Individuality * Normalcy * The Great Light * What the Mystics Have Taught About the Individual * Instinct and Intuition ♦ Illumination and Cosmic Consciousness * The Highest Practice ♦ The Power o f Jesus ♦ Turning Within
LESSON F IV E : M ETA PH YSICA L CH ART NO. V
167
LESSON FIVE: THE PERFECT W HOLE
168
Individuality ♦ Further Evolution ♦ The Truth Is Known ♦ The Answer Is in Man * God— Infinite Personality ♦ Unity ♦ Hold to the Good ♦ The Infinite Is Personal to All ♦ The Christ ♦ Realization * Meditation
LESSON S ix : THE LAW OF PSYCHIC PHENOMENA---- INTRODUCTION
177
Psychic Phenomena and Immortality * No Apologies
LESSON S ix : METAPHYSICAL CHART NO. VI
179
LESSON SIX: METAPHYSICAL M EAN IN G OF WORDS USED IN CHART NO. VI
180
LESSON SIX: PSYCHIC PHENOMENA
180
The Subjective Mind ♦ Seat o f Memory ♦ Suggestion and Subjectivity ♦ Subjective Communication ♦ Subjective Mind and Inspiration ♦ Mental Atmospheres ♦ How to Create Personal Charm ♦ The Atmosphere o f Places ♦ The Race-Mind ♦ The Mind o f History ♦ Telepathy ♦ Tuning In on Thought * Mental Pictures 4 Conditions Necessaryf o r the Best Results ♦ Deep Telepathic Messages * Reading the History o f the Individual ♦ Personal Readings ♦ Streams o f Consciousness * No Obstructions to Thought * Entering the Stream o f Thought ♦ The Vibration o f a hook ♦ Why Saints Have Seen Jesus ♦ Many Mental Pictures * The Human Aura * Halo ♦ Unpleasant Atmospheres ♦ Habit ♦ Mania * Obsession ♦ Personal Iifluence and Obsession ♦ Obsession o f Discarnate Spirits ♦ General Theory o f Obsession and Mental Iifluence ♦ Insanity * The Psychic Power Must Be Controlled * Normal State ♦ The Aim o f Evolution ♦ The State o f Trance ♦ Normal Psychic Capacities ♦ Abnormal Psychic Powers * Clairvoyance * Psychometry * Clairaudience ♦ Independent Voices ♦ Apparitions * Ghosts and Phantasms o f the Dead * Ghosts Sometimes Can Speak ♦ Projecting the Mentality * Crystal Gazing ♦ Black Magic ♦ The Modern
Curse ♦ Automatic Writing *
Independent Writing ♦ Hudson's Theory ♦ Smelling Where There Is Nothing to Smell * Grasping Objects Without the Hand ♦ Telekinetic Energy * Table Tipping ♦ Rappings ♦ Theory o f Ectoplasm ♦ Levitation ♦ Interesting Thoughts ♦
7s t/ie Cause? * Cause f o r Thought * Time Will Prove All
Things ♦ The Spirit ( f Prophecy ♦ A Lesson in Subjectivity * Explanation ♦ Summary
LESSON Six : PSYCHIC PHENOMENA AND IMMORTALITY
206
The Meaning o f Immortality ♦ Where Did Man Comefrom and Why? ♦ Man Awakes with a Body ♦ What Is the Body? ♦ Matter ♦ The Ether o f Science ♦ The Resurrection Body * Conclusive Facts ♦ In What Mental State Do We Go Out? ♦ What Causes Psychic Manifestations? ♦ Telepathy Does Not Explain Everything ♦ Spirit Communication ♦ Communication Must Be Mental * We Do Not Control Spirits ♦ The Psychic Power Should Not Be Forced
LESSON S ix : RECAPITULATION
213
Immortality
P a rt Three
SPECIAL ARTICLES ABSOLUTENESS AND RELATIVITY
217
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
218
THE M EAN IN G OF THE FALL
219
THE GARDEN OF EDEN
219
SALVATION AND GRACE
220
THE PERFECT UN IVERSE
221
IMAGINATION AND W IL L
'
221
HOW TO VISUALIZE
223
THE SEQUENCE OF THE CREATIVE ORDER
224
m a n ’ s CREATIVE POW ER m a r v e l o u s
224
CONCENTRATION
224
TH E M IR R O R O F T H E S U B JE C T IV E
22£
PERSONALITY
,
22J
Factors Necessaryf o r a Dynamic Personality
REPRESSION AND SUBLIMATION
231
The Spirit o f Sex ♦ Desire ♦ The Spirit Is Expressed * Man Reenacts the Divine Nature * Congested Emotions * Irritation, Agitation and Fear ♦ I f We Were Expressed * Emotion and Intellect ♦ The Conflict o f Desire ♦ The Emotion o f Sex ♦ The True Meaning o f Love ♦ Sex Not Necessary to the Expression o f Love * When Sex Becomes Destructive ♦ Male and Female ♦ The Solution ♦ Psycho analysis ♦ Self-analysis ♦ Metaphysics
THE ATONEM ENT
238
Man's Whole Trouble ♦ Careful Preparation ♦ The Vicarious Atonement ♦ The Givingness o f Spirit ♦ The World Has Learned All That It Should Through Suffering ♦ Our Part in the Atonement
THE PERSONALITY OF GOD
242
JESUS AS A SAVIOUR
242
SELF-EXISTENT LIFE
243
THE SUPREME AFFIRMATION
243
CHRIST AND ANTICH RIST
244
EVOLUTION
244
Part Four
DAILY MEDITATIONS FOR SELF-HELP AND HEALING BODILY PERFECTION
247
Come, and Let Me H eal You ♦ He Is Mighty Within Me to Heal * I Do Not Inherit Disease *
No Congestion ♦ No False Growth ♦ No Weariness * Perfect Hearing * Perfect Vision * The Allseeing Eye ♦ The Healing o j the Flesh ♦ There Is No Pain
COMPLETENESS
249
Happiness and Completion * Here and Now ♦ Majestic Calm ♦ No Loss * Oh, f o r a Tongue to Express ♦ 0 Soul o f Mine, Look Out and See ♦ Seeing the Perfect ♦ The Circle Is Complete * The Things That Are
DIVINE COMPANIONSHIP
2£1
A Song o f Hope ♦ Be Still and Know ♦ Cast Aside All Doubt ♦ Divine Companionship ♦ His Eye Is on the Sparrow ♦ Hope Cannot Die * I Am Not Alone * I Went into a Mountain ♦ TheJoy o fth e Soul
FREEDOM
2 S3
Freedom ♦ Freedom fro m Sin ♦ Freefrom Sensitiveness ♦ / Keep t/ie Promise ♦ love Gleams Through the Mist * No Bondage 4 No Condemnation ♦ No False Habit ♦ No Hypnotism Nor False Suggestion ♦ No Mistakes * There Are No Responsibilities ♦ 77ie Time Has Come ♦ VKit/iin Thy Law Is Freedom
H ARM O NY OF LIFE
256
Beauty ♦ Friendship o f the Spirit and o f Man ♦ He JTi/is Afe to Be * I Serve ♦ I Shall Not Doubt Nor Fear ♦ I Was Told to Live ♦ Law ♦ Love ♦ Love Dissolves All Fear ♦ My Affairs * My Business ♦ ^
Profession ♦ No Delays * No Misrepresentations ♦ No Obstructions ♦ No Over-action Nor
Inaction ♦ One with Perfect Action * Peace, Poise and Power ♦ Stillness and Receptivity ♦ Thanksgiving and Praise ♦ The Divine Promises Are Kept ♦ The Inner Light ♦ The Night Is Filled with Peace * The Seal o f Approval ♦ The SecretWay ♦ The Shining Path ♦ The Things I Need Come to Me ♦ The Way Is Made Clear Brfore Me
IM M ANENT POW ER >4s Love Enters, Fear Departs ♦ He
262 Keep 77iee ♦ Iirfinite Lrfe Within ♦ yJfy Feet Shall Not
Falter ♦ No Harm Shall Brfall Thee * Power to Live * The Circle o f Love ♦ The Circle o f Protection * The Power Within Blesses All ♦ The Quick Answer
INSPIRATION
264
i4 Song o jjo y ♦ Born erf Eternal Day ♦ I Arise and Go Forth ♦ Inspiration ♦ The Dawn Has Come ♦ 7i4m Complete in Thee
PRESENCE OF THE A LL GOOD
266
A Marvelous Sense * Complete Confidence ♦ Drawing the Good ♦ I Fear No Evil ♦ I Have Known, Always 4 / Afeet Afy Good ♦ A/y Atmosphere ♦
Good Is Complete ♦ Afy Own Shall Come to
Me * My Own Shall Find Me ♦ My Soul Reflects Thy Life * Out o f the Depths o f Life * Sorrow Flees from Me ♦ Substance and Supply ♦ The Ever and the All ♦ The House o f Love
SPIRIT OF GOD W ITH IN
269
Arise, My Spirit ♦ Birthless and Deathless ♦ Command My Soul ♦ Despair Gives Way to Joy ♦ Free Spirit Within Me * Fulness o f Light * He Who Inhabits Eternity ♦ I Listen ♦ Joy Has Come to Live with Me ♦ Knowledge and Wisdom ♦ My Thought Is in Thee ♦ 0 love Divine * Peace Steals Through the Soul ♦ Stand Forth and Speak ♦ Subtle Essence o f Spirit Within Me ♦ The Christ Within ♦ The Everlasting Arms ♦ The Mantle o j Love * The Voice o f Truth * The Witness o f Truth ♦ Through the Long Night Watches ♦ Thy Strength Is Sufficient * Waiting on Thee * Whose Right It Is to Come
THE POW ER OF THE WORD
2 JS
I Control My Mental Household and Conquer All Fear and Doubt * My Word Comes Back to Me ♦ My Word Shall Bear Fruit ♦ Nothing Can Hinder ♦ 0 Man, Speak Forth Thy Word ♦ The Power o f the Word ♦ The Word o f Power * The Unassailable Truth and the Irresistible Word * I Behold in Thee His Image
U N ITY
277
I See No Evil ♦ / Shall Never Die * Love to the World ♦ My Life Is One with God * No Misunderstandings ♦ The Divine Plan f o r Me ♦ The Personality o f God * The Radiation o f L fe ♦ Unity * Within Thee Is Fulness o f Life
281
The Call
291
YOURSELF
Oh, weary heart, laden with earth s weight and care, Oh, feet, stumbling on the way, bleeding and bare, Oh, arms outstretched, and hands upheld in prayer, Oh, back, which so oft has felt the lash and rod, Oh, soul, which cries aloud for the living God, Oh, life, struggling to free itself from the clod; Know this: there is no power from without, Yourself must answer every fear and meet all doubt With some divine, indwelling power Which you yourself, upon yourself, shall shower; And giving, take, and taking, give Unto that life which you, yourself, shall live.
PART O N E
THE EVOLUTION OF MAN'S THOUGHT
In
s t in c t iv e
M
an
If we traced m ans history back into the dim past we should come to a place where he did not consciously know himself. We should come to a place where Instinctive Man alone existed; for the self-conscious man had not yet evolved. Nothing can be more apparent than that man, as he now appears, is the result of growth and unfoldment. But in order to unfold, he had to have something from which to unfold, and since he is intelligent, he must have unfolded from an intelligent cause. Instinctive Man, then, means that Inner Something, or Life, which we do not see but which is, of course, there. We might say that Instinctive Life is God in man, or the idea of God, w ork ing through man. But if Instinctive Man is an idea o f God, why is he not perfect?The answer is that he is perfect, but that as soon as individuality is evolved he must be left alone to discover himself. Even God could not make a mechanical individuality. If man is created with the at tributes of self-choice and free will, he must be let alone to make the great discovery for himself.
19
THE
N
ature
W
a it s
SCIENCE
on
M
a n
OF
MIND
’s Se lf-r eco
g n it io n
We note, that from the day when Instinctive Life brought man to the point o f self-choice, it let him alone, and from that day Instinctive Life has waited on m ans unfoldment. It is true that during all this time it has carried on the automatic functions o f the body and has even silently told man what to do; but it has let him alone in all other ways. It may, and must, hold man as a perfect being, but it also must let him discover this fact for himself. During all of this time, however, Instinctive Life, or God, must be silently waiting for the great discovery to be made and must always be ready to respond to m ans advancement. We note this to be true along the line of m ans progress. For instance, consider the discovery of any o f nature’s forces; we know that they must have always existed; but, so far as man is concerned, they exist to him only after he has discovered, and learned how to make use o f them. Electricity was a reality in the universe when Moses led the Children of Israel from the land of Egypt, but neither Moses nor any of his followers knew anything about it, and so they did not receive any benefits from its use. This is true of any and all o f the natural laws; they always existed, and as soon as under stood may be used. In this way, Instinctive Life waits upon m ans discovery of the natural laws and his discovery o f himself and his relationship to the great Whole. If this is so evidently true of all the forces in the natural world we must expect to find the same thing to be true o f those inner and finer forces within man. The unfoldment of these inner and finer forces through man is what we call his evolution.
T h e F ir s t G
reat
D
is c o v e r y
The first great discovery that man made was that he could think.This was the day when he rose from the ground and said, “I AM .” This marked the first great day of personal attainment; and from that day man became an individual and had to make all further progress himself; any compulsory evolution stopped when man became an individual, and from that day he had to work in conscious union with Nature and Her forces; but he did not have to work alone, for Instinctive Life has always been with him and will never depart from him. Instinctive Life de sires that man shall express more, and yet more, o f its own limitless possibilities. Man is evolving from an Infinite basis; behind him is the great Unknown but not the great unknowable; for the unknown becomes known through man, and whatever more Instinctive Life is to do for him must be done through him. Nature must work through man in order to work for him. This is true all along the line o f life and endeavor. The first great discovery o f man was that he could think, plan and execute. As the result of this discovery he has built up a great civilization and all that goes with it. He has harnessed
20
THE
EVOLUTION
OF
MAN
S THOUGHT
electricity to his inventions, tied steam and compelled it to do his bidding. He has laid waste forests, built cities, made the desert to bloom, and has thrown the lines of his commerce around the globe; indeed, he has seemed to possess the earth.
T h e In
n er
Sen se Aw
akens
But with all o f m ans powers he has still felt a vague sense o f something more, something greater, something further along; a sort of mystical inner sense o f things, an instinctive urge, a blind groping after a greater light. Disregarding all o f his apparent power, man has still been unhappy, sick, lonely and afraid. The cities which he built have crumbled into dust, the nations which he fostered have, one by one, fallen into ruin, and history alone remains to tell the tale of most o f his endeavors. In spite of m ans apparent power he has suffered greatly, and death has crowned his life and work with a pall o f darkness and uncertainty.
The G
reat
Q
u e s t io n
“W
h y
”
The great question “W hy” has forever been upon his lips. Few indeed have been able to answer this question; and these few have been passed by, unheeded, in the struggle for existence. Man has struggled along the weary road with a heavy heart and bleeding feet, only to be met by the grave. The lack of a sense of completion has beset his every pathway; and in his blind groping he has held up his hands in speechless anguish, and his broken cries have rent the air with supplications to an apparently unheeding Deity. Why the suffering, the sorrow, the sin, the sickness and a lifetime o f trouble, only to be met at last by the grim and sinister tomb? Why, why, why? Man has sought the wise only to discover their foolishness; he has sought the learned only to find a lack o f wisdom. Why, why, why? His cry has appeared to go forth into an empty nothingness. But hark! from somewhere a vague answer has come, some subtle inner sense of things; some unknown presence has given answer and a still small voice has said to him, “Man, know thyself.” The Instinctive Man has again spoken and told him to search more deeply into his own nature; to look deep within himself for the answer to life. The hour has struck in the evolution of man when he can understand this voice and do its bidding.
Th e G
r eatest
D
is c o v e r y
of
A
ll
Tim
e—
M IN D
M ans response to this inner Instinctive Voice has caused him to start on the greatest adventure of his career, the discovery of Mind.
2I
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
M ans first discovery o f his ability to think was set aside as being too evident to take any notice of; he could think, but what o f it. O f course, it was a proof that he was, but that was all; he had always been able to think; this simply gave him the ability to know his needs and try to supply them. This he had always done. The ability to think seemed to be an automatic thing; it came with him and would doubtless die when he died; the brain seemed to be the organ of thought; and, o f course, when death stilled the brain it would no longer operate— this was self-evident.
Th e B r a in D
o es
N
ot
Th
in k
But the day came when some wise man said that it is not the brain that thinks at all; for if the brain, o f itself, could think, then one could cut it out and it would keep right on thinking. No, the brain o f itself could not think; and yet, without a brain man could not think; which simply means that man needs a brain while here, but that the brain, o f itself, does not think. The brain does not think and yet man thinks; so behind the brain there must be a thinker. But where is this thinker? We do not see him. Have we a right to say that there is a thinker when no one has ever seen him? Yes; for can we name a single force o f nature that we can see? Have we ever seen electricity or any o f the other forces o f nature? No; and the only evidence we have of their existence is that we see what they do. We have light and motive power, so we have a right to suppose that there is a force which we call electricity. This is true all along the line, for we see effects and not causes.
W
e
D
o
N
ot
See
the
Th
in k e r
But to return to the thinker; we do not see him, but the proof o f his reality is in the evidence o f his works. We know that the legs do not walk; for, if severed from the body, they could not carry any one very far. Cut off the hand and see if it could still hold anything in its grasp! Pluck out the eye cuid it cannot see; and so it is with all the organs o f the body. There is a thinker and doer back o f the organism who is using it for a conscious purpose.
Th e B o dy U
n c o n sc io u s
W
it h o u t t h e
Th
in k e r
This is a great discovery; for it means that the body without the thinker could neither be sick nor suffer; for without the thinker there could be no movement o f the body. Why then are we sick? This inquiry w ill not be answered until every form o f disease is swept from the face of the
THE
EVOLUTION
OF
MAN’ s THOUGHT
earth and numbered with the things that were once thought necessary. For man has discovered that the body, o f itself, has no life nor power to act. Let us follow the course o f m ans thought since he first made this discovery about the body and began to apply his knowledge. He first realized that Instinctive Man built up the body through evolution; and, after having created and evolved a perfect body, left it in m ans keeping to do with as he willed. At first, man was ignorant of this, thinking that the body was self-operating; but as soon as he discovered that such was not the case he began to formulate certain new theo ries about himself. He discovered that while he could consciously think and decide, something happened to his thoughts after he had thought them.They went somewhere; for soon they would come back as remembrance. Man had now discovered that he could consciously think and that his thought would come back to him again. This led to the conclusion that memory is an active thing, an inner mental action. He said, “Memory is the storehouse of all my conscious thoughts and it is active. My body is not conscious of life, but my thought is conscious of my body; my body is operated upon by my thought; and it must also be operated upon by my memory, since memory is active. But, since memory is only the result of conscious thought, memory, of itself, is an unconscious operation o f what was once a conscious thought.”
The C
o n s c io u s a n d
th e
U
n c o n s c io u s
Th
ought
Since man always has had the habit o f naming things, he named his memory his “uncon scious thought,” and his conscious thought he called his “objective mind.” He now came to the conclusion that he had two minds, one conscious and one unconscious, or sub-conscious. The conscious mind being the one that he used all o f the time in his self-conscious state and the sub-conscious mind being the storehouse o f all his conscious thoughts, as well as the seat o f his memory. It follows, that as conscious thought acts, unconscious thought must also oper ate. This conclusion led to the discovery that the sub-conscious mind is the builder of the body; not that it really made the body in the first place, for Instinctive Man did that; but that the sub-conscious mind keeps the body going and is always acting on the thoughts o f the conscious mind. After carefully watching this process, man discovered that he could consciously think and, by so doing, make such an impression on his unconscious thought that it would do what he directed. From these observations he deduced the law of suggestion to be one of action and reaction. Thus he found how habits are form ed; that they are conscious ideas fallen into the inner thought and carried out to logical conclusions.
23
THE
A N
ew
SCIENCE
B a s is
OF
of
MIND
Th
ought
Therefore, he began to reason: “Instinctive Man within me is perfect and yet I appear to be imperfect. My apparent imperfection must be the result of an imperfect thinking; in reality I am, and always have been, perfect. I will now begin to think differently about myself and see what happens.” And as he began to think from the new basis he found that the body responded and was healed. So he came to this conclusion: “ God made me perfect but He also made me an individual, which means that I can do with myself as I will. I cannot really destroy my body but I can make it most uncomfortable. Since God made me and made me perfect, each one of the organs o f my body represents a perfect idea.” Realizing this to be true, he began to think from this basis, and the organs of the body re sponded. He found that thoughts o f peace produced a peaceful condition while thoughts of fear produced a disturbed condition; that confidence made him strong while fear made him weak. In fact, he was able to trace each mental attitude to its physical correspondent. He discovered that, asleep or awake, the inner mind works all the time. He also found that by analyzing his thought he could discover what ailed him. This he called psycho-analysis.
Th e L aw
of
M
in d
Then another idea came to him: the whole thing was in accordance with law. He had discovered a law of mind just as he, at another time, discovered a law of electricity. If it were law, then he could always use it and it would always respond. From this he gradually built up a definite technique for the practice of right thinking. He found that if he always thought o f himself as being perfect he would always feel better. But what should he do with his body when it appeared sick? How was he to think of himself when he was sick? Could he deny that he was sick when he was suffering?Yes; for his sickness was the result o f thought, and by changing the thought he could change the effect. He learned to turn away from the body when it was sick and go back into mind and think of the body as being perfect; for his thought worked independently of the body. He turned from the image of sickness to the idea o f health and said, “I am perfect, no matter what the appearance may be.”
U
n c o n s c io u s
M
in d
at
W
ork
But some kinds o f sickness had never entered his mind at all; that is, he had never consciously thought of them. How was he to reconcile this fact with his new theory? For a while this was a hard problem to solve; but by a still more careful study of his inner self, he discovered that
24
THE
EVOLUTION
OF
M AN ’ S THOUGHT
what he called his subjective mind took all of his thoughts and did something with them. He found that there were certain combinations of thought which, brought to their logical conclu sions, would produce certain kinds o f diseases. He did not have to consciously think o f a certain disease to have it; but if he thought certain kinds o f thoughts they would produce their logical results. For instance, if he were excited all the time it would produce nervousness; if he became angry it would secrete poison in his system, and so on through the whole category o f the human ailments; somewhere in mind they had their reason for being. Perhaps he could not always tell exactly where, but, by knowing that his body was perfect, he could still heal himself. He knew that as time went on and his knowledge grew he would find out more and more about himself and so be better able to heal himself. He was glad that he had started on the right track; he believed that he would know all in time and never be sick again.
A
n o th er
G
reat
D
is c o v e r y —
Th
ought
R
each ed
O
th ers
Then a new discovery came, which was that he could think o f others and heal them. It seemed to make no difference where they were; he could think o f them and heal them. This was a most astounding fact, for it meant that there was a common mind somewhere through which his thought operated; for he could not reach another unless there were a medium between himself and the other person. This seemed strange; for what he had learned to think of as his individual subjective mind, was, after all, only the personal use that he was making o f something which was around every one. He began to think for others, and found that mind responded to his thinking for them and caused some action to take place in their bodies. He called this medium “Universal Mind,” or “the Law of God.” It seemed to be as omnipresent as the law o f electricity or any of the other forces of nature.
Th e D
is c o v e r y
of
R
ace
-T h
ought
In this way he discovered how it was possible that the whole race might have held certain kinds of thoughts and how they might have operated through any one who was receptive to them. That is, if any one should feel discouraged, other thoughts o f discouragement might gain en trance also and make him feel worse.This he called race-suggestion. But how was he to protect himself from it? By knowing that it could not operate through him; that he was a perfect idea and could not be affected by suggestion; for, after all, it was nothing but thought. He learned to build a mental wall around himself which could not be entered unless he chose. This he called “Divine Protection.”
THE
A U
M
niversal
SCIENCE
W
e d iu m
h ic h
A
OF
MIND
M
ll
C
u st
o m e to
B e l i e v e In
Man had now discovered that he could help and heal himself and others by thinking into some kind o f a Universal Law o f Mind. He found that, like all other forces of nature, it was a great Impersonal Law and could be consciously used whenever he wished to use It and that the use of It was through right thinking. He realized that the time must come when the race would be healed by knowing the Truth about itself. But because the Law was mental it could only work for those who believed in It, and since many did not believe, the thing to do was to heal himself and others who wished to be healed, waiting for the rest o f the world to realize the fact.
A
n o th er
Q
C
u e s t io n
o m es
U
p—
W
hy
A
re
Peo
ple
Po
or
?
But another thought came to him. If he could think into some kind o f a Universal Medium of Mind and heal himself and others; if this Mind could produce such a physical effect on the body, why could it not also produce the same kind o f an effect on conditions and in the affairs o f life? W hy was it that some were rich and some poor? Was this fate, or was it because there was not enough for all? If the One Mind made bodies, why did It not also create conditions? And if It did, why did it not give to all alike? Why were some people happy and prosperous and others unhappy, weak and poor? Could the answer to this also be in Mind? Could it be that just as man had thought of himself as sick, and so made sickness, he had thought of poverty and made this condition possible in his experience? Questions like these and many others came into the mind o f man and caused him to search even more deeply into the nature of things. Looking about, he saw some succeed and some fail, though all was taking place in the same world and under common conditions. So he knew that it must be something in man, and not outside o f him, that made all these things possible. He realized that conditions did not make themselves. Everything in m ans life was run by man himself.
M
an
B e g in s A
re
to
C
R
e a l iz e
Th at H
o n tro lled
by
Th
is
C
o n d it io n s
ought
In this way man realized that even his affairs were controlled by thought working through the avenue o f the One Mind. He discovered that by changing his thought he could remold his af fairs, and that by right thinking he could bring into his life new conditions. But would there be enough to go around should every one become prosperous?Yes, for Instinctive Life is Limitless.
26
THE
R
e a l iz e s
EVOLUTION
Th at H
e
M
OF
M A N ’ s THOUGHT
u st
Th
in k
C
o rrectly
So man discovered that he could control his affairs by right thinking; he could bring into his experience the things he wished to enjoy if he thought correctly; and since this was all in ac cordance with law he could do so consciously. He realized that the time would come when every one would think correctly; and poverty, unhappiness, and all that goes with them, would be swept from the face of the earth. They were never intended to be, but man had misused his power; now that he understood, he would change his whole manner o f thinking and conse quently he would become happy and have plenty. But every one did not believe this. Many said that it was a foolish idea, while others said that it was too good to be true. However, it was soon proven that whoever would believe and comply with the Law could prove it to be true. If some did not wish to believe, that was all right; there were plenty who would, and the direct proofs o f their lives would in time convince others. In this way, eventually, all would be saved from unbearable conditions. The thing to do was to teach the Law to those who did believe. And so the lessons which follow are for this purpose, to teach those who believe in the Law how to use It. The race is made up of individuals, and the place to begin is with the person who believes in the greater possibility. Each one, for himself, must work out the law of his own being. It is within the power o f every man to completely change his environment and completely heal his body. W hether or not he will do this depends entirely upon his own conviction and his own determination. Nature attends him on the way and is always ready to serve; but he is an indi vidual and nothing will ever be forced upon him. Let any one follow the Law, comply with Its nature, and consistently apply himself to right thinking and living, and he will prove to himself that life holds all and more than he has ever imagined.
27
PART T W O
THE LESSONS
LESSON ONE: IN T R O D U C T IO N In presenting these lessons in Mental Science to the public, it is my desire to make it possible for any one, who cares to take the time to study them, to demonstrate the truths that will be discussed. It is, perhaps, hard to set down in writing a complete teaching in Mental Science that will not appear difficult to understand; but this could be said as well o f any science, and the Science o f Mind is no exception to the general rule.
S c ie n
ce
Science is a knowledge of facts built around some proven principle. All that we know about any science is that certain things happen under certain conditions. Take electricity as an ex ample; we know that there is such a thing as electricity; we have never seen it, but we know that it exists because we can use it; we know that it operates in a certain way and we have discovered the way that it works. From this knowledge we go ahead and deduce certain facts about electricity; and, applying them to the general principle, we receive definite results. No one has ever seen the power or the energy that we call electricity; and the only proof we have that it really exists is that from it we receive light, heat and motive power.
28
THE
LESSONS
No one has ever seen any of the great causes that lie back of the manifestations of life, and perhaps no one ever will; but we know that such principles exist because we can use them.
How
L aw s A
re
D
is c o v e r e d
The discovery of a law is generally made more or less by accident, or by some one who, after careful thought and observation, has come to the conclusion that such a principle must exist. As soon as a law is discovered experiments are made with it, certain facts are proved to be true, and in this way a science is gradually formulated; for any science consists o f the number of known facts about any given principle. As more and more facts are gathered and proven, the science expands and gradually becomes accepted by all and used by those who understand it. In this way all o f our sciences have been evolved until to-day we have the use o f powers and unseen forces o f which our ancestors never even dreamed.
Proof
of
M
in d
This is true o f the Science of Mind. No one has ever seen Mind or Spirit, but who could possibly doubt their existence? Nothing is more self-evident than that we live; and since we live, we must have life; yet who has ever seen this life? The only proof of life we have is that we live; and the only proof we have of Mind is that we can think; so we are perfectly justified in believing that we have a mind and that we live.
W
h ere
O
u r
Th
o ugh ts
Go
As we watch the processes of thought we find that we think consciously, and we also find that something happens to our thoughts after we have thought them; for instance, they become memory. This proves that we have a deeper aspect o f mind, which is called subjective, lying just below the threshold o f the conscious. This subjective mind is the place where our thoughts go and from whence they eventually return to us again as memory. Observation proves this to be true; for it always happens this way. Observation has proven that the subjective mind is the seat o f memory and that it contains mental pictures, or impressions, of all that has ever happened to the individual. As these men tal impressions come to the surface o f the conscious mind they are called memories. Moreover observation has shown that the subjective mind is the builder of the body. It has proven that it is not only the seat o f memory; it is also the avenue through which Instinctive Man works. We mean by Instinctive Man that part o f the individual which came with him when
29
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
he was born— that inner something which makes him what he is. For instance, we do not have to consciously think to make the body function; so we say that the inner, or the Instinctive, Man, does this for us. This is true of most of the functions o f the body; they appear to be au tomatic; they came with us and are nature s way o f working through us. So we say that in the unconscious or the sub-conscious or the subjective, there is a silent process forever working away and always doing its duty, carrying on all of the unconscious activities of the body without effort on our part.
Su
g g e s t io n
B eco m
es
M
em o ry
It has been observed that suggestions, planted in the sub-conscious, become memories, and eventually tend to externalize in the body. From this it has been deduced that the sub-conscious mind is the builder of the body and is the creative factor in man. It has also been proven that certain types of thought produce certain kinds of results. This shows that the subjective mind takes our suggestions and tends to act upon them, no matter what the suggestion may be. While the Instinctive Man, or the Natural Man, must be perfect, it is known that the thoughts o f the conscious man may hinder instinctive action, through adverse suggestion. That is, con scious thought, acting as memory, may build a false condition in the body, which condition we call disease. Conscious thought may also erase this memory and thereby heal the disease. Through observations such as these, a science o f the subjective mind has gradually been formulated, many facts have been put together; and, to-day, these facts constitute what we call the science o f the subjective life in its relationship to mental healing,
M
ental
M
e d iu m
Th ro u g h A
ll
It has also been proven that thought operates in such a manner as to make it possible to convey mental impressions from one person to another, showing that there is a mental medium between all people. When we think o f it, how could we talk with each other unless there were some kind of a medium through which we talked? We could not; and so we know that there really is such a medium. While there is a place where our bodies begin and leave off, as form, there does not appear to be a place where our thought leaves off. Indeed, the observations made and the facts gathered show that the medium between m en s minds is omnipresent; that is, it seems to be everywhere present. Radio also shows this, for messages are sent out through some kind o f a universal medium, and all that we can say o f it is that we know the medium is there. So it is with Mind; all that we can say is that everything happens just as though it were there. We have a perfect right, then, to say that such a medium exists.
30
THE
LESSONS
This opens up a far-reaching theory, for it leads to the conclusion that we are surrounded by a Universal Mind which is the Medium o f the communication o f our thoughts. Perhaps this is the Mind of God! W ho knows?That It is there, we cannot doubt.
R
e a d in g
Th
ought
Other observations have shown even more wonderful possibilities. It is known that certain people can read our thoughts, even when we are not aware o f the fact, showing that thought operates through a medium which is universal, or always present. This also shows that the medium is subjective; for it retains our thoughts and transmits them to others. This leads to the conclusion that what we call our subjective mind is really the use that we, as individuals, make of something which is universal. Perhaps, just as radio messages are operative through a universal medium, our thoughts are operative through the medium o f a Universal Mind. In deed, this has been believed for thousands of years by some of the deepest thinkers.
M
L aw
ental
As we think of the medium o f radio transmission in terms of law, so we should think of the Mental Medium in terms of law; for it must be the law of mental action. While we might think o f it as the Mind of God, we surely could not think o f it as the Spirit o f God; for the Mental Medium is automatic, while the Spirit must be Self-Knowing. We could not call the Universal Medium o f Mind God, any more than we could call electricity God. It is but one of the many attributes o f God or the Universe o f Life. It is the avenue through which God oper ates as Law.
Th e W
ord
of
G
od as
L aw
Since man has a self-conscious mind, a subconscious mind and a body, we know that he is threefold in his nature. First, he is conscious mind or spirit; next, he is subconscious mind or mental law; and then, he is body.The conscious mind controls the subconscious; and in its turn, the subconscious controls the body. It is evident that man comes from God, Life or Nature, whichever we choose to call It. It is also evident that we can get from Life only that which is in It. Man must partake o f the D i vine Nature if he comes from It or is made out o f It; for what is true of the Whole must also be true of any o f Its parts. Something cannot come from nothing; something must come from something; for nothing comes from nothing and nothing is the result; but man is something,
3i
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
else he could not declare himself; and since he is something, he must be made from, or come out of, something; and that something must be what we call God.
Th
reefo ld
N
ature
of
G
od
If we study the true nature of man, then, we shall have delved into the real nature of God, or First Cause, from which man springs; and as we have found that man is threefold in his nature, so we must also deduce that God is threefold in His Nature; that is, God is Spirit, or SelfKnowingness; God is Law and action; and God is Result or Body. This is the inner meaning of the teaching o f “the Trinity.” But let us elaborate: God, as Self-Knowing Spirit, means the Divine Being Whom we have always thought o f and believed in; the Being to Whom we have prayed and Whom we have adored. God, as Law, means the way in which the Spirit works; and Law in this sense, would be the servant o f the Spirit. God, as Body, means the manifestation o f the Spirit. We might put it in another form and say, there is the Thing, the way that It works and the result o f Its work. Still another form would be to say, Cause, Medium and Effect.
Tr
in it y
of
B e in
g
A trinity o f being appears to run through all Nature and all Life; for instance, there is electric ity, the way it works and its result, which is light or motive power.There is the seed, the creative medium of the soil and the plant. Turn it as we may, we are confronted with the necessity of a trinity o f being. There must always be the thing, what it does and the way that it operates. A l ways a trinity runs through life and through everything in it. But through the Trinity of God and man there runs a Self-Conscious Spirit, and this is what distinguishes man from the brute, or from a purely mechanical creation; and is the only thing that could make God a SelfKnowing Power.
C
o n s c io u s
M
in d
in
G
od an d
M
an
In God and in man there is a power that, while it may not transcend law, yet consciously uses it for definite purposes. In God this knowledge must be complete, but in man it is, of course, but dimly perceived. Jesus, the wisest Man who ever lived, said that God and man are One in real nature, and no doubt this understanding was what gave Him His marvelous power.
32
THE
U
LESSONS
nity
It is well to remember that the enlightened in every age have taught that back o f all things there is One Unseen Cause. In studying the teachings o f the great thinkers we find that a common thread runs through all— the thread o f Unity. There is no record o f any deep thinker, of any age, who taught duality. One o f the great teachings o f Moses was, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord”; 1and the saying, “I AM that I A M ,”2 was old when Moses was yet unborn; for it had been inscribed over the temple entrances for generations. We may go back much farther than Moses and find the same teaching, for it crops out from the literatures and sayings of the wise o f all ages. Jesus taught this when He said, “I and the Father are O ne,”3 and in the saying, “The Father that dwelleth in m e.”4 This teaching o f Unity is the chief cornerstone o f the Sacred Scriptures o f the East as well as o f our own Sacred Writings. It is to-day the mainspring of the teachings of the modern phi losophies, such as Christian Science, Divine Science, The Unity Teachings, The N ew Thought Movement, The Occult Teachings, The Esoteric or Inner Teachings, and even of much that is taught under the name of Psychology. Without this basic teaching of Unity these movements would have but little to offer. Science has found nothing to contradict this teaching, and it never will, for the teaching is self-evident.
W
o r s h ip
of
G
od
That there is a God or First Cause no one can doubt. That the Being Whom we call God really exists from eternity to eternity is self-evident. In every age people have worshiped some kind of Deity. It is true that as the evolution o f man has progressed the idea of God has expanded, and the more that people have realized of life, and of nature and her laws, the clearer has been the concept o f Deity, for this is the logical result o f an unfolding mentality.
M
any
G
ods
The first stages o f human thought brought out the idea that there were many gods, the natural outcome of a life which experienced many kinds o f misfortune and difficulties. As there were
1 Deut. 6 : 4. 2 Exodus 3 : 14. 3 John 10 : 30. 4 John 14 : 10.
33
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
many gods so there were many devils or evil powers; but as the understanding o f man grew he began to realize that there could not be so many powers, since the Cause back of everything must be a Unity, else It could not exist. More than one power would indicate a universe divided against itself, and this kind of a universe could not hold together. However, it has taken a long time to come to this conclusion, and in the stages between many weird ideas have been for mulated and believed in. At first there were many gods and many devils; but as thought pro gressed, this was narrowed down to One God and one devil or evil power. Duality has been believed in since time immemorial, and, indeed, is still believed in by many. By duality we mean a belief in more than One Power back o f all things.
B e l ie f
in
D
u a l it y
— It s R
esu lts
The belief in duality has robbed theology o f power and has polluted philosophy with untruths; it has divided science against itself and has made countless thousands go through life with sad dened hearts.
D
u a l it y
in
Th
eo lo gy
The belief in duality has given rise in theology to the idea o f a God and a devil, each with equal power to impose upon man a blessing or a curse, and men have worshiped a devil just as truly as they ever worshiped God. Even to-day this monstrous thought is robbing men o f their birth right to happiness and a sense of security. Even to-day, and openly, men still teach that there is an evil power in the universe, that there is damnation to the souls o f those who do not fall down and worship— they know not what. But the time is rapidly coming when such teachings will be thrown on the scrap heap and numbered among the delusions o f a frantic mentality. It has been the habit o f many religious teachers of all times to hold the crowd in awe before a mighty throne o f condemnation and utter destruction, till the poor, ignorant population have rent the air with their lamentations o f complete despair. This, indeed, was a good method to compel the attention with, the hope o f salvation through some sacred rites to be performed by those whom God had appointed. In justice to such an awful performance, we would better give to these religious teachers the benefit o f the doubt and say that they themselves have believed in the atrocious teachings which they have so unhesitatingly given out. Be this as it may, the time has now come for a clearer understanding of the true nature of the Deity, in Whom we all believe, and Whom we all seek to know and to understand. That there is a God no sane person would deny; that there could be a God o f vengeance and hate, having all the characteristics o f a huge man in a terrible rage, no person can well believe and keep his
34
THE
LESSONS
sanity. We will say, then, and without mincing matters in the least, that the most we had better believe about such a God is that there is no such being.
D
u a l it y
in
Ph
il o s o p h y
As the belief in duality has robbed theology o f its greater message, so it has robbed much of the philosophy o f the ages o f a greater truth; for in philosophy the belief in duality has created a confusion that is almost as great as that in theology. It has made a philosophy of good and evil in which men have come to believe. True philosophy in every age, however, has perceived that the Power back o f all things must be One Power; and the clearer the thought of Unity, the greater has been the philosophy. It has shone forth as a beacon light toward which weary souls have traveled, hoping to find reality. To the great philosophers o f all times we owe the advance ment o f the world; for they have been the great way-showers and helpers o f mankind. In rever ence, we humbly bow before them as Messengers o f the Most High; for God has spoken through their lips and has told us that we are not creatures o f the dust but that we are Divine Beings, made in the image o f Perfection and with an endless destiny.
D
u a l it y a n d
S c ie n
ce
The belief in duality has robbed science, in that it has created Spirit and matter; i.e., a dual universe. However, modern science is rapidly giving out a different idea of the universe; for with the passing o f matter into a hypothetical and theoretical ether there is but little left on which to hang any belief in materialism. We now are told that all matter is in a constant state o f flow; that it all comes from one source; and that it will eventually return to that source.
A
n
Aw
a k e n in g
The world is waking up to the fact that things are not at all what they appear to be; that matter and form are but the one substance appearing and disappearing; and that form is simply used to express something which is formless, but self-conscious life. What this life is, science does not attempt to explain. This has been left to theology, and whether or not it has been delegated to those competent to handle the problem time alone will tell.
35
THE
Ph
SCIENCE
il o s o p h y
L
eads
OF
M
MIND
a n
’s Th
ought
Philosophy has always transcended science and always will; for philosophy deals with causes while science deals with effects. A scientist observes the result o f nature’s work while a phi losopher speculates as to its cause. Many things which philosophy has taught for thousands of years are to-day being demonstrated by science.The two should really go hand in hand; for one deals with causes and the other with effects. True philosophy and true science will some day meet on a common basis; and, working together, will give to the world a theology of reality. Then, indeed, will “ God go forth anew into Creation.”
A D
eep
In q
u ir y
The deep thinkers of antiquity as well as the philosophers of all ages have meditated long and earnestly on the nature o f the Divine Being. Knowing that there could be but One Ultimate Reality back o f all things, they have pondered deeply upon the nature of that Reality; and it is a significant fact that all of the greatest thinkers have come to about the same conclusion.
The G
reat
D
if f ic u l t y
The difficulty that has beset the path o f true philosophy has been the necessity of explaining a multiplied Creation with a Unitary Cause. Nothing is more evident than that we live in a world of constant change. Things and forms come and go continuously; forms appear only to disap pear; things happen only to stop happening; and it is no wonder that the average person, unused to trying to discover causes, is led to feel and to believe that there is a multiple cause back of the world o f things. The philosophers o f all times have had to meet the difficulty o f explaining how One Cause could manifest Itself in a multiplicity of forms without dividing or breaking up the One. This has not been easy, yet, when understood, the explanation becomes very apparent.
Th e Vo
ic e
of
G
o d in
C
r e a t io n
The argument has been something after this manner: The Ultimate Cause back of all things must be One, since Life cannot be divided against Itself; the Infinite must be One, for there could not be two Infinites. Whatever change takes place must take place within the One; but the One must be Changeless; for, being One and Only, It cannot change into anything but Itself. All seeming change, then, is really only the play of Life upon Itself; and all that happens must
36
THE
LESSONS
happen by and through It. How do these things happen through It? By some inner action upon Itself. What would be the nature of this inner action? It could not be physical, as we understand physics, but would have to be by the power o f the inner Word o f Life; that is, the Voice o f God, God standing for the First great and Only Cause o f all that Is.
Th e W
ord
of
G
od
It is impossible to conceive o f anything other than the Word o f God being that which sets power in motion. This is why the Scriptures announce that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.”* God speaks and it is done. It is evident that First Cause must be Self-Existent; that is, It must be Causeless. Nothing came before That Which was First; and, while it may be a little hard to understand this, yet we can all grasp the fact that whatever the Being is Whom we call God, It must be Self-Existent.
S p ir it K
now s
It s e l f
God speaks and it is done; but if God speaks, His Word must be Law. The Word o f God is also the Law o f God. God is Word, God is Law and God is Spirit; this is self-evident. We arrive at the conclusion that God, as Spirit, is Self-Conscious Life. That Spirit is conscious is proven by the fact that we have evidence of this consciousness strewn through all time and space. God must know that God Is. This is the inner meaning of the teaching of the “I AM ,” handed down from antiquity. “The Spirit is the Power that knows Itself,” is one of the oldest sayings of time.
L aw , S er v a n t
of th e
W
ord
Spirit knows Itself, but the Law is the servant o f the Spirit and is set in motion through Its Word. It is known that all law is some form o f universal force or energy. Law does not know itself; law only knows to do; it is, therefore, the servant of the Spirit. It is the way that the Spirit works; and is the medium through which It operates to fulfill Its purpose. Did God make law? As it is not possible to conceive a time when law did not operate, it is impossible to conceive that it was ever created; therefore, law must be coexistent and coeter nal with Spirit. We might say that law is one o f the attributes o f Spirit. The Spirit operated through law which is some part o f Its own Nature; therefore, all action
£ John i : 1 , 3 .
37
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
must be some action of Spirit as Law. The Word of Spirit sets Its purposes in motion through the law; and since the law must be as Infinite as the Spirit, we could not think of a time when it was not, or a time when it would cease to be; neither can we imagine the law ever failing to operate when set in motion. We have, then, an Infinite Spirit and an Infinite Law; Intelligence and the way that It works; God, working through Law, which is unfailing and certain.
Form s
of
S p ir it
or
C
r e a t io n
N ext, we come to the forms o f Spirit, which forms we call matter. But what is matter? Science tells us that matter is eternal and indestructible; that, at first, it is an invisible cosmic stuff; and that it gradually takes form through some law working within it. The worlds were formed by the power o f His Word. We know that right now worlds are being formed in the vast reaches o f space, and worlds are also ceasing to be; that is, they are gradually losing their form. In this way Creation is eternally going on. This proves a definite purposefulness, a definite law set in motion to work out this purposefulness, and a definite form as the result of the operation of this purposefulness. In other words, it shows that there is an Intelligence inherent in the uni verse which knows what It is doing, and how to do it, and which knows why It does it; and that there is a law obeying Its will. It also shows that there is something upon which It operates.This “something” we will call matter in its unformed state. Perhaps this is “the ether” of science; it is impossible to say; but surely there is something upon which the Spirit works. The teaching o f the great thinkers of all times is that we live in a threefold universe of Spirit, Soul and Body— of Intelligence, Substance and Form.
M
e a n in g
of
C
r e a t io n
With this in mind, we shall be better able to realize that Creation does not mean making some thing out o f nothing, but means the passing of Substance into form through a law which is set in motion by the Word o f Spirit. Creation is eternally going on; for we could not imagine a time when the activity o f Spirit would cease. It is “the same yesterday, to-day and forever.”6 The whole action o f Spirit must be within Itself, upon the Law, which is also within Itself, and upon the Universal Stuff, or matter, which is also within Itself. The three must in reality be One; hence, “The Trinity.”
6 Heb. 1 3 : 8 .
38
THE
Th e W
ord
A
LESSONS
Is C
lone
o n s c io u s
One o f the main facts to bear in mind is, that, o f the three attributes of Spirit, the Word alone is conscious o f Itself. The Law is force, and matter is simply stuff ready to take form . Since law or energy is proven to be timeless, that is, not added to or taken from; and since matter is known to be o f the same nature, we have a right to suppose that both matter and law are co existent and coeternal with Spirit. But Spirit alone is Conscious. Law, o f itself, is only a force, and matter has no mind o f its own. Law is not a thinker but is a doer, while matter cannot think but is thought upon.
Th e Th
ought
of
G
od
Just what is meant by the Word o f God? This must mean the Inner Consciousness, or SelfKnowingness, o f Spirit; the Thought of God. The word “thought” seems to mean more to us than any other word; it seems to cover the meaning better, for we know that thought is an inner process of consciousness. The Thought o f God must be back of all that really exists, and, as there are many things that really exist, there must be many thoughts in the Mind o f the Infinite. This is logical to suppose; for an Infinite Mind can think o f an infinite number o f ideas. Hence the world o f multiplicity or many things. But the world of multiplicity does not contradict the world o f Unity; for the many live in the One.
Eter
n al
C
r e a t io n
There may be confusion in the minds of men but not in the Thought of God; and so we have a universe expressing the limitless Ideas of a Limitless Mind, and without confusion. We have, then, a Cosmic World, and an infinite and endless Creation. This is the inner meaning of those mystic words, “World without end.” Creation always was and always will be. Things may come and things may go, but Creation goes on forever; for It is the Thought of God coming into expression. This is, indeed, a wonderful concept, for it means that there will always be a manifestation of the Divine Ideas. We need not w orry about whether it will ever cease; it cannot cease so long as God exists; and since God will be forever, there will forever be some kind o f manifestation.
39
THE
SCIENCE
Th e U
n iv e r s e
OF
MIND
Is A
live
The universe is alive with action and power, with energy and life. We touch it only in parts, but from these parts we do catch a glimpse o f the nature o f the W hole, “ He hath not left Himself without a witness.”7 Modern science is revealing many things that the great thinkers of the ages have announced. One o f them is that matter is in a constant state o f flow; it is like a river flow ing in, out and on; it is operated upon by an unseen force or law and takes its form through some agency which science supposes to be the W ill and Purpose o f Spirit. This we call the Word. All things were made by the Word.
C
o n c l u s io n
To sum up: There is a power in the universe which acts as though It were Intelligent and we may assume that It is. There is an activity in the universe which acts as law. We know this to be true. And there is a formless stuff in the universe, forever taking form , and forever changing its form ; this also is self-evident. We have every right, then, to assume that there is a threefold nature of Being which we will call Spirit, Soul and Body. We will think of the Spirit as the great Actor, the Soul as the medium o f Its action, and the Body as the result o f this action. We will think of Spirit as the only Conscious Actor, the only Power that knows Itself. We will think of Soul as a blind force, obeying the W ill o f Spirit; and we will think o f Body as the effect of the Spirit, working through law, thus producing form . We will say that neither the Law nor the stuff from which form comes has any conscious intelligence, but must, because o f its nature, take the form o f the Word. This simplifies the whole matter and enables us to see that in the entire universe One Power Alone really acts, the Power o f the Word o f God. The chart in lesson one o f this series is an attempt to portray the Threefold Nature of the Universe; to show how the Spirit, acting through Law, becomes Form; for this is the inner meaning o f Creation.
7 Acts 1 4 : 17.
40
LESSON ONE: M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. I. This chart, which is called the Universal Chart, shows the Universe as a Trinity o f Being. The upper section designates those attributes o f Spirit which are Self-Conscious. The middle section shows the subconscious aspect o f Law; and the lowest section shows the effect o f Spirit w ork ing through the medium o f Universal Mind. Read and carefully study the full explanation and meaning o f the words used in this chart.
4i
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
LESSON ONE: M E T A P H Y S IC A L M E A N I N G OF W O RD S USED IN UNIVERSAL C H A R T U S p i r i t .—
pper
S e c t io
n
The Intelligent Power back o f and through everything; the First Person o f The
Trinity. A
b s o l u t e .—
F ir st C
The Unconditioned, that which nothing can limit.
a u s e .—
That from Which everything comes. The Cause o f all that is made
manifest on any plane. That Which comes first. The first in any creative series. The Life back o f Things. G
o d .—
The same as Spirit. The Self-Knowing Mind back of everything. The Heavenly
Father and the Eternal Mother o f all. The Being Whom we worship and adore. The One and Only Conscious Mind in the Universe, personal to all who believe in Him. It is impossible to conceive of such a vast idea as God, and the only way that we can conceive of the Divine Being is through our own nature, for His Spirit is Our Spirit. The G
reat
“ I A m .” — Revealed to Moses as the One and Only Real Mind or Power in
the Universe. That beside Which there is no other. I Am is another way of saying God. The “I AM ” in man is the Life o f man; without this “I AM,” man could not be. C
o n sc io u s
M
in d
.—
That Power of Consciousness which knows Itself. That which is
conscious o f Its Own Being. “The Spirit is the Power Which knows Itself.” The Self-Knowing God. The Intelligence in the Universe which reveals Itself in all of Its Creation. If God were not Self-Conscious, then man could not be selfconscious, It is impossible for us to conceive o f such a Universal Consciousness. We touch It only in spots, but the evidence of this Conscious Mind is strewn throughout all time and space; and the eternal activity of the Cosmos is proof enough that such a Conscious Mind really exists. P u r p o s e f u l n e s s .—
When we speak o f the purposefulness of Spirit we mean that Con
scious Mind has the ability to know what It wishes to express and the power to express it. Dean Inge says that there can be no such thing as an infinite purpose because this would be a contradiction of the meaning of Infinite. This is probably true; but it does not follow that there could be no such thing as an element of
42
THE
LESSONS
purposefulness running through the Eternal Mind. Indeed, the evidence o f this quality of being is so complete in the Universe that we cannot deny it. The evolution o f creation on this planet alone would presuppose some kind of a purposefulness. Se lf-P r o
p ellin g
.—
The Spirit must be Its own propelling power, Its own motive
power. To suppose that Spirit had to go somewhere to get energy with which to energize Itself would be to suppose Spirit is not First Cause. Whatever the nature o f that which comes first is, It must have within Itself all that It needs with which to express Itself. We must realize that, in dealing with Causation, we are dealing with That which is the First of everything and is absolutely Unconditioned. It does not need to be energized, but is the energy back o f all form and all manifestation o f Life. S e l f - E x i s t e n t .—
It is difficult to grasp the idea of self-existence; but we can do so
to a degree at least. For instance, we might ask the question, “Why is water wet?” There is no reason why; it is wet simply because it is its nature to be wet. If we were to ask the question, “Who made Life?” , it could not be answered; because if we were to assume that some power made Life we would not be sup posing that Life is First Cause. We must grasp the fact that, in dealing with Real Being, we are dealing with that which was never created. When did two times two begin to make four? Never, of course. It is a self-existent truth. God did not make God; God Is, This is the meaning o f the saying, “I AM THAT I AM .” All in quiry into Truth must begin with the self-evident fact that Life Is. The Truth is that which Is and so is Self-Existent. “Never The Spirit was born; The Spirit sh a ll cease to be never; Never was time It was not; End an d beginning are dreams!'
V o l i t i o n .—
Volition means the power o f conscious choice.
C h o ic e .— Choice means the ability to choose consciously. W i l l .— W ill means decision coming into execution. Volition, choice and will must be attributes o f Spirit. They mean practically the same thing. We must be careful, however, not to think o f these qualities of Spirit in terms of human or limited thought. When we choose, we choose be tween different things; but when Spirit chooses, It simply announces that It is a certain thing. The Spirit does not have to will to make things happen; things hap
43
THE
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OF
MIND
pen because it is the will of Spirit that they should be. This w ill, then, is simply the execution of a purpose; and since Spirit is Absolute, there can be nothing to deny Its W ill. Choice, volition and w ill are necessary and real attributes of SelfExistent Power; for without them there would be no channel through which the Ideas of God could be expressed. In man these qualities o f mentality are limited but in God they are limitless. Po
w er
L i f e .—
.—
The energy by which everything lives.
Life means that Inner Something that makes everything live. Life and Power are
necessary attributes o f a Limitless Being, and go hand in hand to complete a Per fect Being. Life is That Which Lives, and Power is the Energy with which It oper ates. Considering Life and Power as a combined quality of Causation, we see that they combine to make the underlying basis o f all manifestation visible and invis ible. In the objective world, Life is the Power that binds everything together; It is the Intelligent Basis o f all that exists. For instance, in the material world, It is the Power that holds the atoms together that they may produce form. In the mental world, It is the Power that enables us to think; and in the Spiritual World, It is the Power that enables us to live at all. It appears that Life manifests on different levels. In the mineral world, and in the world o f all material form , It seems to be unconscious; that is, It is not mani festing in a self-conscious state. We know, however, that a certain degree of intel ligence runs through all Creation. Chemical Affinity is a manifestation of Life as the attraction o f Itself to Itself. In plant life It seems to have a more developed degree o f consciousness. That is, It manifests in the vegetable world as a power to express in one spot, but without volition to move about. This, however, does not limit The Spirit but is simply one of the ways that It works. In the animal world, we see different degrees o f L ifes manifestation, from the first cell life up to Man. For instance, a dog is more intelligent than a fish, yet each has the power to move about. The fish seems to move by instinct alone; the dog appears to have some degree o f conscious being, although there is a difference of opinion on this score. At least, in most animal life, we find the ability to move about and, either from instinct or self-choice, the ability to express a certain degree o f freedom. In man, Life expresses in terms ofVolition and Self-W ill; It is manifesting at the level o f Self-Consciousness. While The Spirit, o f Itself, must always know Itself, yet we are perfectly justified in saying that It manifests on different levels. This does not limit The Spirit, but on the other hand proves that It is really Limitless. For if It
44
THE
LESSONS
had to manifest on one level only, It would then be limited, but because It can manifest on as many levels as It wishes It is Limitless. When Spirit manifests in the purely mechanical and material world we say that It is Unconscious Life; when It manifests in the animal world we say that It is manifesting in a state of simple consciousness; and when It manifests in and through man we say that It is in a Self-Conscious State. As this Self-Conscious state o f m ans mentality reaches a larger world o f realization and comprehends some thing of Its Unity with the Whole, we say that It is in a Cosmic State. We now know of four different levels upon which Spirit manifests:— Unconscious State, SimpleConsciousness, Self-Consciousness and Cosmic-Consciousness. All of these are but different ways through which the One Power operates. Life, then, is that qual ity o f Being, running through all, which enables anything to be what It is. Tr u t h .—
The Truth is That which Is. It is the Reason, Cause and Power in and through
everything. It is Birthless, Deathless, Changeless, Complete, Perfect, Whole, SelfExistent, Causeless, Almighty, God, Spirit, Law, Mind, Intelligence, and anything and everything that implies Reality. F r e e S p i r i t .—
Means that which cannot be bound; It is free to do as It chooses, but
cannot, o f course, do anything that denies Its own Nature. P e a c e .—
An inner calm so complete that nothing can disturb it.The Peace which comes
only from the knowledge that It is All. Fathomless Peace is meant by the Peace of the Spirit. This is the peace to which Jesus referred when He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.”8The Infinite is always at peace because there is nothing to disturb It. Po is e .— That perfect balance which maintains everything in its proper place without effort. It is the law o f equilibrium without which nothing could be maintained. It is the law o f balance that must exist in the Infinite Mind, since there is nothing to disturb It. Poise or balance is the law back o f what we call “the Law o f Compen sation.” It is Life perfectly balancing Itself. Self-Existent Life alone could produce complete poise. We cannot fathom the full meaning o f poise as it exists in Spirit; but we can understand that it means an Eternal Power, unruffled by conflicting emotions, always sure o f Itself, unhurried and certain. Th e W
o r d .—
The Word means, of course, the ability o f Spirit to declare Itself into
manifestation, into form . The Word o f God means the Self-Contemplation of
8 John 1 4 : 27 .
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Spirit. The Manifest Universe, as we see It, as well as the Invisible Universe that must also exist, is the result o f the Self-Contemplation o f the Lord. “He spake and it was done.” “The Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.”9 The starting point of all Creation is in the Word o f Spirit. The Word is the Concept, Idea, Image or Thought o f God. It is the Self-Knowing Mind Speaking Itself into manifestation. Everything has a Word back of it as its Initial Cause. T h e P e r f e c t L o g o s .—
“The Divine Creative Word.” The Perfect Word of God.
O n l y — A l l .— Beside Which there is none other. That Which has within Itself all that really is. The Life o f everything and the Love through everything. The One Pres ence and the One Infinite Person Whom we call God or Spirit. Within This One all Live. Know
N
ing
o
O
ther
.—
The Spirit could know nothing outside Itself. It is The Cen
ter and Circumference o f everything that exists. It has no enemies, no differences, no otherness, no apartness, no separation from Itself; is Undivided, Complete and Perfect within Itself. It has no opposites and no oppositions. It knows only of Its own ability to do; and, since It is All, It cannot be hindered in any way, shape or manner. It is not possible to conceive o f such a complete Life and Power; but we do catch glimpses-in moments of real inspiration when we realize, to a degree, at least, that God is All. Fa t h e r - M
other
G
o d .—
The Spirit contains within Itself the Life Principle of both
the masculine and feminine. It is both combined in One. U
n i t y .—
The Axioms o f Reason declare that that Which is Infinite cannot be divided
against Itself. The Infinite is, therefore, Indivisible and consequently a Perfect Unit. “Hear, O Israel,' the Lord our God is One Lord.” 10 It is also, “That Whose Center is everywhere and Whose Circumference is nowhere.” All o f It is present at any and every point within It. It is not approaching a point nor receding from it, but is always at it. The W hole o f God is present at any and every point within God. It was to this Indwelling Spirit that Jesus prayed; for God is within man as well as throughout all Creation. It is, “That thread o f the All-Sustaining Beauty Which runs through all and doth all unite.” “His lines have gone out into all places.” 11 “There is no place where God is not.” This concept enabled Job to say,
9 John i : 1 , 3 .
I o Deut. 6 : 4. II Ps. 19 : 4.
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“In my flesh shall I see God.” 12 All Life is bound together by One common law of Love, and Love is the Self-Givingness o f Spirit, manifested in and through all that is visible and invisible. It was the realization o f this One Presence that illumined the saints and sages o f the past. “I and the Father are One.” 13 “The Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.” 14 We must come to sense this Marvelous Presence; for It is the secret o f metaphysical work; God in all and through all. M a c r o c o s m .—
The
Means the Universal World. It is another word for the Whole.
G r e a t H o u s e .—
M a s c u l i n e .—
Another way o f saying The Universal.
The Assertive Principle o f Being. The Self-Conscious, Self-Propelling
Power o f Spirit. The Projective Principle o f Life, impregnating the Universal Soul with Its ideas and concepts. A c t i v e .—
The Self-Realizations of Spirit constitute Its Active Being. It acts upon Itself.
Since we could not conceive of an unconscious consciousness, we could not imag ine an inactive consciousness. The Spirit, by reason o f Its Infinite Capacity to know Itself, must always be acting upon Itself. This action is what we call Creation. Cre ation is eternally going on. It may stop in one place and begin in another, but It is always going on; and, as we know that God will always be God, we know that Cre ation will never cease. This is the meaning o f those mystical words, “World without end.” This point must not be overlooked, for there are people who believe that some day Creation will cease. No more un-philosophical position could be taken than to suppose that the activity of Spirit would ever cease. There is another philo sophical delusion that many believe in, namely, that there are periods when Spirit does not create. This is impossible, since we cannot conceive of a time when Spirit will cease to be conscious of Itself. ITS SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS IS ITS ACTION. We might imagine that It would not create more worlds like the one in which we live; but to suppose that It could stop creating would be to suppose that It could stop Being. P e r s o n a l n e s s .—
We do not think o f God as a tremendous Person, but we do think
of the Spirit as the Infinite Personalness in and through all Life. We must rem em ber that Infinite as Spirit is, It is still Self-Conscious; and Infinite Self-Knowingness is the Infinite Essence of Personalness, or the Abstract Essence o f all personality. To think of God simply as an Infinite Principle would be to resolve the Divine
12 Job 19 : 26. 13 John 10 : 30. 14 John 14 : 10.
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Being into an Infinite It, a cold Impersonal Law containing no warmth or color, and certainly no responsiveness. Such a concept o f God would rob man o f his Divine Birthright and throw him, empty-handed, into an abyss of Law and Ac tion without motive or direction. No worse state o f mentality could be imagined than one in which man thought o f God simply as a Principle. The very fact that man comes from the Universe in a self-conscious state proves that behind all manifestation there is a Power that knows Itself; and a Power that knows It self must be Personal. It is not, o f course, limited but must be Infinite. As wonder ful as the concept may be, God is Personal to all who believe in Him. God is responsive to all who approach Him, and God is the Element of Personalness back C
o f all personality.
o nscio us
Id
ea
No two ideas are alike. The Creative Mind of the Universe, being
.—
Infinite, thinks o f a limitless number of things, and each thing is, therefore, sepa rate and distinct in the great Whole. Just as the atoms o f science are cemented together by the ether, so each idea of Divine Mind is united in One Spirit. No two things are alike; no two roses are alike; no two people are alike. All come from One Life; all are in One Life and all live by It; but each forever maintains its identity in the Perfect Whole. C
The One cannot change by reason o f the fact that, being All, there is
h a n g e l e s s .—
nothing for It to change into but Itself. It, therefore, remains Changeless.The One Cause back o f all never changes, but It does constantly remain active; and so we perceive a changing form within that which is Changeless. Nothing changes, how ever, but the form . We know that matter and energy are indestructible and eter nal, but we also know that within them a change is forever taking place. If we realize that nothing changes but form we will not become confused over the idea o f the Changeless. Water may turn into ice and ice may be melted and again be come water. Where was the water when it was ice? W here was the ice when it was water? Nothing really happened, except that a form took shape and again became formless. The Principle back o f it did not change. .—
O
m niscience
O
m n ipo tence
O
m nipresence
The All-Knowing, All-Perceiving Mind o f God.
.—
The All-Powerful One.
.—
The Constant Presence o f the Undivided Whole. Read again the
explanation o f Unity. R
eason
D
eductive
O n ly .— The Spirit does not reason as man reasons; that is, It
makes no inquiry into Truth, but Itself is the Truth. It knows intuitively; therefore,
48
THE
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It simply announces Itself to be That which It is. If we were to ascribe to It any reasoning power, we should be compelled to say that It reasons deductively only, or from the W hole to a part.
M So
ul
.—
id d le
Sectio n
Used in the sense of the World-Soul, or Medium through which Spirit oper
ates. It is the Holy Ghost or Third Person o f the Trinity. C
reative
M
edium
.—
Like the creative soil in which seeds are planted and from which
plant life grows, the Soul of the Universe is the Creative Medium into which the Word o f Spirit falls and from which Creation arises. We nlust be careful not to think o f Soul and Spirit as separate; for they are really two parts, or aspects o f the same thing, each being Self-Existent and Coeternal with the other. The simplest way to think o f the World-Soul is to think o f It as we would the soil in which we plant seeds. S u b j e c t i v e .—
The dictionary defines “subjective” as “the impression which an object
makes on the mind.” The external object is a percept while the impression is a concept.The concept, or idea, would be subjective; for it would be the impression which the mind receives. In the above chart we are interpreting the word “subjective” as meaning the receptacle o f the thought forms of Spirit. The Soul is Subjective to the Spirit; that is, It receives impressions from It. Subjective always means something that receives. S u b c o n s c io u s M in d .— The same as Subjective. The Spirit is Conscious Mind; the Soul is Subconscious Mind; It is like the soil or ground; It receives and acts. It is not a Knower as Spirit is, but is a Doer, or Executor, of the W ill of the Spirit. U
ncho osing
.—
Unlike Spirit, the Soul has no choice o f Its own. Being subjective, It
is bound to receive but cannot choose. We must always bear in mind that Soul simply reflects the images that the Spirit casts into It. I m m a t e r i a l .—
The Soul is immaterial, as we think of matter; but It is the substance of
Spirit and might be considered to be the Matter of Spirit. As all matter in the physical world is supposed to finally resolve into the ether from which it came, so we may think o f the Substance of Soul as we think about the ether and realize that everything in form finally becomes Soul-Stuff again. Perhaps the simplest way to think of It, however, would be to think of It as the last and final analysis o f matter.
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We know that matter comes from somewhere, and the teaching is that Soul-Stuff is the thing from which it comes. We must, however, distinguish Soul-Stuff from Soul. Soul is Subjective Intelligence; for, while It may not have the ability to choose, It certainly has the ability to intelligently work out the commands of Spirit. We must never think of the subconscious as though it were unconscious. The Soul o f the Universe is next in Principle to Spirit and but little lower than Spirit. Sub-conscious means subjective consciousness but not unconsciousness. While the Soul may not choose, having ho self-knowing consciousness of Its own, yet It has an intelligence of Its own, which is Infinite compared to the power of intelligence which we exhibit. For instance, the whole intelligence of the race could not create a buttercup or a pansy; yet the Intelligence in the creative soil in the earth will produce as many for us as we ask it to; that is, o f course, if we plant the seeds. This same idea holds good in that greater Creative Medium of the Spirit which we call the Soul of the Universe. It has the intelligence and the power to produce things but no choice as to what It is to produce. Soul and Soul-Stuff are two different things; but they belong together and must be placed in the category o f the Creative Medium. Soul is Sub-conscious Mind working on Immaterial Stuff and creating from It the many forms which we see. Think o f It as a seed working in the soil and the soil working on the seed. Il l u s i o n
of
M
ind
.—
This does not mean that Subjective Mind is an illusion, but
it does mean that forms could be projected into It which were not really true. For a more complete explanation o f this, see chart in the lesson on Psychic Phenomena. Im
p e r s o n a l .—
The Creative Medium is Impersonal, having no personality of Its own
as the Spirit has. It neither knows nor cares who uses It, but is always ready to work for any or all alike. Remember this. Fe m
inine
.—
The Universal Medium or Soul has been called the “Womb of Nature” and
“The Holy Mother,” because It is receptive to the Spirit and is impregnated with the Divine Ideas. It gives birth to the Ideas o f the Spirit and is, therefore, the Feminine Principle o f Nature. N
eutral
.—
Soul is neutral. Like the soil it will produce any or all kinds of plants.
Having no conscious mind o f Its own, It receives all ideas and works them out into form . We must always remember that the Creative Medium is neutral. If It could choose, It could reject, and this is just what It cannot do. It is bound to ac cept and act, just as the soil does when we plant cabbages in the ground. It does
THE
LESSONS
not argue, but at once goes to work to produce cabbages. When we plant potatoes it does the same thing. We may plant cabbages and potatoes with roses and pansies; and we shall receive all four plants from the one neutral creative medium which knows neither good nor bad, but is conscious only of its ability to do. P l a s t i c .—
This refers to Soul-Stuff, either formed or unformed. It is entirely an inde
terminate stuff; that is, it has no mind of its own. Matter has no intelligence at all, but is the material which is formed by the power o f the Word. M
aya
.—
Refers to the illusion of mind.
B l i n d F o r c e .—
Some of the early philosophers referred to the Soul or Creative M e
dium as a “Blind force not knowing, only doing.” This we know to be true o f all law. Law knows only to do but has no conscious volition o f its own. L a w .—
It w ill be apparent by now that the Creative Medium o f Spirit is the great Men
tal Law o f the Universe. It is the Law obeying the W ill of the Spirit. It is the Universal Law of Mind. All law is Mind in action. M
edium
of
A
ll
Th o u g h t , Po w e r
and
A c t i o n .—
It is the one Medium through
which all Law and all Power operate. It is the One Law within which all the lesser laws work. C
in em a
P i c t u r e s .—
Means that It is the Medium o f all thought forms. See explana
tion o f chart covering the lesson on Psychic Phenomena. Pa s s i v e R
eason
and
D
R
eceptive
ed uctive
O
.—
Means neutral and feminine.
n l y .—
Being subjective, the Creative Medium cannot analyze,
dissect nor deny. Because of Its nature, It must always accept. Consequently, It is always deductive in Its reasoning powers. K a r m i c L a w .—
Karmic Law means the law o f cause and effect. The Karmic Law works
through the Medium of the World-Soul. The S e r v a n t
of the
S p ir it T h r o u g h o u t
the
A g e s . — The Universal Soul, being
the Creative Principle of Nature and the Law of Spirit, has been called “The Holy Ghost or The Servant of the Eternal Spirit throughout the Ages.”
Let us realize that neither the Soul of the Universe nor the Spirit were ever created. Each is Eternal.
L B o d y .—
owest
Sectio n
The entire manifestation o f Spirit, both visible and invisible, is the Body of
God. Within this One Body o f God is included all lesser bodies, This One Body,
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coupled with the Intelligence running through It, is called the Son, or the Second Person o f the Trinity. This, of course, includes man, both visible and invisible. It also includes every gradation of consciousness from the simple to the complex, from a cell to an archangel. “All are but parts o f One stupendous Whole, Whose body Nature is, and God the Soul ” In short, it is the entire manifestation o f Spirit on any and all planes. “In my Fa ther s House are many Mansions.” 15We do not, o f course, see all these mansions, but science has revealed to us that many exist which we do not see, and revelation has shown that the Universe is Infinite. “For we know in part.” 16 E f f e c t .— That which follows cause. Effect is that which did not make itself, but which must have a power back of it causing it to be. All manifestation is effect and all effect is subject to its cause.The Creator is greater than His Creation. Everything that we see, touch, taste, feel, hear or sense with the physical senses is an effect. “Things which are seen are not made of things which do appear.” 17This means that what we see comes from what we do not see. F o r m .— Form is definite, the result of a definite idea. Form is real as form, but is not self-conscious; it is subjective to the power that created it. Forms come and go, but the power back o f them remains forever and is changeless. Form is temporary, but Mind is Eternal. It is necessary that Spirit should manifest in SOME KIND OF FO RM in order that It may come into Self-Expression through Self-Realization. This is the meaning o f that Creation which is eternally going on. O b j e c t i v e .— M eans the object, the external, the effect. C o n d it io n s .— The result of causes, another word for effect. R e s u l t s .— W hat happens as a necessary result o f the law o f cause and effect. Results follow causes mathematically. T i m e .— D ean Inge says that “Time is a sequence of events in a Unitary Whole.” This is an excellent definition; for, o f course, time is not a thing of itself; it is simply a measure o f experience in eternity. Time does not contradict Eternity, but allows
i £ John 1 4 : 2 . 16 I Cor. 1 3 : 9 .
17 Heb. 1 1 : 3 .
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THE
LESSONS
It to become expressed in terms of definite experience. Time is necessary since it allows experience to take place within the One, but time is never a thing of itself. It is really impossible to measure time; for yesterday is gone and to-morrow has not come, and to-day is rapidly slipping into the past. If we were to attempt to put a finger on any period of time it would be gone before we could point to it. But, illusive as time is, it is still necessary to experience. S p a c e .—
Space, like time, is not a thing o f itself, but is only the outline o f form. It is a
relative distance within the Absolute. Space, also, is necessary to the expression o f Spirit; for without it no definite form could be produced. We must not be confused over the ideas of time and space, as they are not things o f themselves. They are entirely relative, but none the less necessary. T h in g s .— M ean forms in time and space. Things are always results and never make themselves; they are the objectifications o f Spirit. Things are necessary to the manifestation o f Spirit. They are the result o f the Self-Knowingness of the Word o f God. Things vary in size and shape, in time and duration, from the planet to the peanut, from a moment to an eternity. Reflection.— The world of matter reflects the Thoughts of God. Il l u s i o n M
of
M
ultiplicity,
atter
.—
Refers to false forms.
M
.—
From One come many. From Unity comes multiplicity, but
any
multiplicity does not contradict Unity. It is like the soil from which come many plants. We grow many plants from one soil, but the Unity of the soil is never disturbed in the least. So the One Mind, working through the Creative Medium of the Universe, produces many things. R
elative
M
irro r
.—
Both the Absolute and the relative are reflected in the mirror
of matter. E m a n a t i o n .—
Projection of Spirit into form.
LESSON ONE: THE NATURE OF BEING The circle in Chart No. I signifies Universal Life, because it is without beginning and with out end. We have divided it into three parts, calling one Spirit, one Soul and the other Body; not because the nature o f Being is three distinct things, but because It is a Unity with three distinct attributes, i.e., Spirit, Soul and Body.
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Spirit
We treat of Spirit as the Active and the only Self-Conscious Principle. We define Spirit as the First Cause or God; the Absolute Essence o f all that is. It is also called the great, or the Universal, I AM . When Moses asked God who he should tell the Children of Israel had sent him, the answer was, “Thus shalt thou say, I AM hath sent me unto you.” 18 The reason why “I AM ” was given is because this is an absolute statement. Spirit is Conscious Mind, and is the Power Which knows Itself; It is conscious o f Its own Being. The Spirit is Self-Propelling; it is Absolute and All. It is Self-Existent, and has all life within Itself. It is the Word, and the Word is volition. It has choice because It is Volition; It is w ill because It chooses; It is Free Spirit because It knows nothing outside Itself, and nothing different from Itself. Spirit is the Father-Mother God because It is the Principle o f Unity back of all things. The masculine and feminine principles both come from the One. Spirit is all Life, Truth, Love, Being, Cause and Effect; and is the only Power in the Universe that knows Itself.
Soul
The Soul o f the Universe, not as opposed to the Spirit, but as the Principle just beneath It, has always been taught as the receptive medium into which the Spirit lets fall the forms of Its thought. It is subjective to the Spirit; that which is subjective is always impersonal, neutral, plastic, passive and receptive. W herever you find subjective law you will find something that is compelled to receive and to act upon; consequently the Soul of the Universe has been called a “blind force, not knowing, only doing,” and “The servant o f the Eternal Spirit throughout the ages.” It is the medium of the thought, power and action o f the Spirit.
Two
W ays o f R e a s o n in g
There are but two processes o f reasoning known to the human mind; one is inductive and the other is deductive. Inductive reasoning is an inquiry into the truth; it is a process of analy sis. Deductive reasoning is that process o f reasoning which follows an already established prem ise. It is from the whole to a part. Here is an example o f inductive reasoning: I look about and say, “John Smith is good; Mary Jones is good; my neighbors are good; consequently, God must be good.” This is a process of analysis which leads to the conclusion that the Cause back of all things must be Good. Deductive reasoning would operate this way: “ God is Good; conse
18 Exodus 3:14 .
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THE
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quently, Mary Jones, John Smith and my neighbors must be good” ; because God is Good they cannot be otherwise. Since inductive reasoning is an analysis, which is always an inquiry into truth, it follows that God can reason only deductively. That which is Infinite does not have to inquire into the Truth; consequently, there can be no inductive process o f reasoning, either in the Spirit or the soul of the Universe. There cannot be any inductive reasoning in the Spirit, because It already knows all things. There cannot be any inductive reasoning in the Soul o f the Universe, because It is the Creative Medium, and, if It could reason inductively, It could reject certain thoughts, because It could analyze; and soul or subjectivity can never reject; but is bound by its own nature to accept. It is impersonal, and neither knows nor cares who uses it. It is plastic, because It is im material. It is formless, having no mind of Its own. It has been called the Universal Feminine or Holy Womb of Nature, because It is receptive and creative. It is Karmic Law, because It is sub jective to the self-knowing mind. It is the medium o f all Karmic Law and of all race suggestion.
Body
The Universe has been called the Great Trinity, or Triune Unity o f Spirit, Soul and Body. The body is the result, the effect, the objectification o f Spirit. Soul is the immaterial, plastic and receptive medium; It is primordial or Cosmic Stuff; It is unmanifest form . Body is the result o f Spirit working through Soul or Law. There is but one Body o f the Universe; It is both visible and invisible; and within this one body are all of the lesser bodies, all of the manifest Universe, including the body o f man. “But now are they many members yet but One Body.” 19 Spirit is the Absolute Being; and is the only power in the universe which has self-knowingness, volition, choice or will. The soul has no w ill; It has no purpose to execute other than the purpose that is given It. Soul is the servant of the Spirit, while body is the result of the union of Spirit with Soul. There is the Power, the way that It works and the result o f Its operation; the Word, the law, and the effect; Intelligence, substance, and form ; the Active Principle, the passive receptivity, and the relative condition. The Spirit o f the Universe cannot change; the Soul of the Universe cannot change; the Body o f the Universe cannot help changing.
Th e C
hangeless
The Spirit cannot change because there is nothing for It to change into, Spirit being All; this is axiomatic. The Soul o f the Universe cannot change; for it is simply Universal Substance and
19 I Cor. 1 2 : 20.
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
Law; and we know that energy and substance are indestructible and eternal. The Soul o f the Universe cannot change; but, as stated above, the body of the universe is forever changing; and this is what constitutes the eternal activity o f Spirit within Itself. Creation does not mean making something out o f nothing. If by Creation we mean making something out of nothing, there is no such thing; but if we mean the passing of Spirit into form , then Creation is eternally going on. It is necessary to understand that the only Active Principle is Spirit— Self-Conscious, Self-Knowing Life, and that all else is subject to Its will. The Spirit is conscious of Its own Thought, Its own Desire and manifestation; and It is conscious that Its desire is satisfied; con sequently, It is conscious of that which It manifests; but It is not conscious of any effort or process in Its manifestation. It is necessary that Soul and Body should exist, because Spirit, without manifestation, would construct only a dream world, never coming into Self-Realization. Since Spirit must be mani fested, in order to be Spirit, there must be a way in which It manifests, and there must be a manifestation; hence, Soul and Body.
C
ause a n d
E ffect
If all Cause is existent in Spirit, and if the Law which executes the volition o f Spirit is entirely subconscious, or subjective to the W ill o f the Spirit, and if the body is only an effect, it follows that both cause and effect are spiritual. Involved within the seed, which the Spirit drops into the Creative Medium, is everything necessary to unfold the seed into form. This is why the Spirit never thinks o f methods or processes; for that which the Spirit involves must evolve.
U
n ity an d
M
u ltiplicity
From Unity— which is the One back of all things, through the One Law, which is the medium of the One— multiplicity is manifested, but it never contradicts Unity. When we realize that we are dealing with an Infinite Intelligence, and with an Infinite Law within this Intelligence, we see that there can be no limit placed upon Creation. We think o f the world as we see it, but we see it from the viewpoint of only one plane. We see it as matter, which we have divided into eighty or ninety odd elements; but we discover that all of these elements come from one substance. Suppose we should view it from ten different planes, what would happen? We should see ten times as much as we now see. The present hypothesis of science is that the ether is more solid than matter; and this means that there could be a form within the very form that ones body now occupies in space; there might even be a million bodies, each within the other;
£6
THE
LESSONS
and each would be just as real as the one that we now think we occupy. The Universe, as we see it, is not even a fractional part of the Universe that actually is. “Eye hath not seen,” 20 because it sees only on one plane, i.e., in part.
Im m o r t a l i t y
From the standpoint of immortality, we may have a body within a body to infinity; and when this body is rendered useless, and is no longer a fit instrument through which to function, another one may be already there. The physical disappearance of Jesus after His resurrection was the result of the spiritualiza tion of His consciousness. This so quickened His mentality that His body disintegrated; and His followers could not see Him because He was on another plane. Planes are not places; they are states o f consciousness. Is it apparent that the Spirit can know nothing outside Itself; that whatever the Spirit knows must be a definite mental image, concept, or idea, in the Consciousness of the Spirit? Is it clear that as the Self-Consciousness of Spirit knows within Itself, It knows upon Itself as Law? Is it clear that the Law can never say, “I will not,” but can only act? And is it clear that as the Spirit lets fall the forms o f Its thought into the Soul, or Subjectivity of the Universe, these thoughts must manifest as things?
Forms
Let us take a look at these forms. As we look at the many millions of forms, and see that they are all o f different shape and color, and yet we know that they all came from One Stuff, are we not compelled to accept the fact that there is a specific cause, or concrete mental image, back o f every idea or thing, a Divine Mental Picture? In the subjective world there must be a cor respondent of everything in the objective world; and since the subjective world is a receptive or plastic substance, this correspondence can find its initial starting point only in real Intelli gence. Therefore, Intelligence is ultimately all there is in the universe.
A
llness
of
Truth
By a process o f axiomatic reasoning, we arrive at the conclusion that Spirit knows nothing outside Itself. The Truth is that which Is; and being that which Is, It must be Infinite and All.
2o I Cor. 2 : 9.
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THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
Being Infinite or All, the Truth can have nothing outside Itself, other than Itself, or unlike Itself, by which to divide Itself; consequently, the Spirit is Indivisible, Changeless and Complete within Itself. Itself is all that is— both Cause and Effect, the Alpha and the Omega.
Vo litio n
There is but one volitional factor in the Universe, and this is Spirit or the Self-Knowing Mind. God did not make God; this is self-evident; hence God is Self-Existent. God did not make Law; Law is coeternal with God. God did not make Substance; this, also, is coexistent and coeternal with God. But God did make, and does make, and is making, and will continue to make, from eternity to eternity— forms. We live in a universe of Infinite Substance and numberless forms wherein nothing is moved unless Intelligence moves it. Mind is dual in its aspect; it is conscious, as the active principle o f conscious intelligence, and subconscious, as the passive principle o f impersonal receptivity. Body is the result o f the knowing o f Spirit through Soul. Matter, o f itself, has no intelligence, no volition, no power. Since the Law is but a Universal Potential Possibility through which anything might happen, and since it is set in motion by the Word, it follows that every word specializes its own law and carries its own mathematics along with it. It follows that everything that the Spirit thinks must take form . The Spirit, being SelfConscious Life, knows and cannot stop knowing. To suppose that It could stop knowing would be to suppose that It could stop being. Since It cannot stop knowing, It must be forever setting in motion the Law o f Its own Being, which Law must be forever projecting the forms o f Its thoughts, thereby producing things. Creation is always beginning, but never ending.The slight est thought of Intelligence sets in motion a power in the Law to produce a corresponding thing. When we speak of every thought dropped into the Creative Medium, do we think of G od s thought and m ans as the same? We think of each as thought; but, whereas man thinks both inductively and deductively, God thinks only deductively. “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he,” 21 i.e., as he lets fall the forms o f his thought. God is not conscious o f matter, as we are. God is conscious o f Himself as form, but not as size. God is conscious o f Himself as definite purposefulness, but not as space. God is conscious of Himself as definite outline, but not as limitation. God is conscious of Himself as many, but not as division. Would there be any difference between a conscious thought, for the purpose of a direct manifestation, and one that might be thought with no idea o f the form that would be mani
2 1 Prov. 23 : 7.
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THE
LESSONS
fested? There would be a great difference.Trained thought is far more powerful than untrained. If this were not true, the thoughts o f the metaphysical practitioner could not neutralize those that caused his patient to be sick. We know a little right thought puts to rout that which is wrong.The day that you say to yourself, “My thought is powerful,” you would better be careful. Every thought must manifest according to its intensity. Ponder over the meaning of the words in Chart No. I. Think what Self-Existent Life is— Life within Itself; get an understanding o f the Law which is the Servant o f It, and what matter is, until you begin to feel your own self as part o f this great scheme o f Existence.
O
nly
O
ne
M
in d
There is no such thing as your mind, my mind, his mind, her mind and G o d s Mind; there is just Mind in which we all live, move and have our being. There is Mind and nothing but Mind. We think o f Conscious Mind and Spirit as One and the Same. Things are ideas. What else could they be? There is nothing out o f which to make things, except ideas. In the beginning we behold nothing visible; there is only an infinite possibility, a Limitless Imagination, a Consciousness; the only action o f this Consciousness being idea. That which we call our subjective mind is, in reality, our identity in Infinite Mind; in other words, it is the result o f our mental attitudes. It is our mental atmosphere or center in Univer sal Subjective Mind, in which are retained all the images, impressions, inherited tendencies and race suggestions as far as we accept them. We see, then, that this is the Medium through which everything comes to us. There is One First Cause, having three aspects: Spirit, Soul and Body, i.e., Cause, Medium and Effect; the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; Masculine Activity, Feminine Activity and Result. We should not think of three Gods, but o f the Triune Nature o f the One God, the One Cause. We think o f Spirit as Absolute, Self-Conscious Intelligence. We think of Soul as Recep tive to Intelligence; and o f the Intelligence as always acting upon It. Spirit and Soul inter sphere each other; i.e ., both have Omnipresence. The Spirit o f the Universe permeates the Soul o f the Universe, eternally impregnating It with ideas. The Soul of the Universe is the “ Holy Womb of Nature,” producing the forms which appear in the physical Universe. The Body of the Universe is the result o f the thought o f Spirit, operating through the m e dium of Soul. This Trinity is called the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. The Father is Abso lute, Positive Intelligence; the Son is the Offspring of the Father; the Holy Ghost is “the Servant of The Eternal Spirit throughout the Ages.” Spirit is Absolute Intelligence, operating through the Soul of Receptive Intelligence, impregnating It with “The Divine Ideas.” Neither the Spirit nor the Soul o f the Universe can change. That which changes is the Body
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THE
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OF
MIND
of the Universe. Planets may appear and disappear as do people and things; but the Substance from which things are formed is Changeless.
In d i v i d u a l i t y
Individuality emerges from the Universal. Psychology teaches the personification of this indi viduality, which is true as far as it goes; but Metaphysics universalizes individuality by unifying it with the Whole. There is a Universal Nature o f Man, inherent within him, which causes the manifestation of his personality, i.e., The Spirit of God. The next chart will be about man, and when that is explained you will begin to see the way out o f your difficulties if you have any.
Note: Study carefully “The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science,” byT. Troward; “ Creative Mind,” by Ernest S. Holmes; “The Axioms of Truth,” by Burnell; “Philosophy of Plotinus,” by Dean Inge.
LESSON ONE: RECAPITULATION The evolution of man brings him automatically to a time when real individuality is produced. From that day any further evolution must be through his conscious cooperation with Life. All nature waits on m ans self-recognition and is always ready to obey his will; but he must use nature’s forces in accordance with her laws. Science is the knowledge o f certain facts built around some known principle of being. Man never creates; he discovers and uses. In this way all sciences are evolved. We live in a Universe o f Law through which runs an element o f Self-Knowing Intelligence. “A lls Love, yet all’s Law.” The Law has done all that it can do for man automatically. It has brought him to the point of individuality, and must now let him alone to make this discovery for himself. Man is po tentially perfect, but free will and self-choice cause him to appear imperfect. In reality, all that he can destroy is the embodiment o f himself, for the Divine Spark is always intact in In stinctive Man. Man awakes to self-consciousness, finding himself already equipped with a mentality, a body and an environment. Gradually he discovers one law of nature after another until he conquers
60
THE
LESSONS
his environment through his acquisition o f natural forces. Everywhere he finds that nature does his bidding, in so far as he understands her laws and uses them along the lines o f their inherent being; for he must first obey nature, then she will obey him. Man discovers his ability to think, and begins to realize that from within comes a reaction to his thought. He comes to realize that he is threefold in his nature; that he can consciously think; that he has within a mentality which acts upon his thoughts; and that he has a body which is affected by his thinking. He next discovers that he can think for others, causing a corresponding action in and through their bodies. In this way he discovers that there is a mental medium through which thought operates. He now realizes himself to be a thinking center in a Universal Mind. Man next discovers that his affairs are also controlled by thought, and that he can likewise think for others and aid in the control o f their affairs. He now realizes that everything in the visible world is an effect; that back of all effects there are ideas which are the real causes o f these effects. The Divine Ideas are Perfect, but man has the ability to cause them to appear imperfect. Through right thinking he is able to uncover the appearance o f imperfection and reveal the Perfect Idea.
M ans idea o f the Deity evolves with his other ideas. After a belief in many gods, he comes to realize that there is One Mind and One Spirit back o f all manifestation. There is One Spirit or Self-Conscious Life acting through the Medium o f One Mind or Subjective Law, producing many manifestations. Multiplicity comes from Unity without break ing up the Unity of the Whole. Spirit is Self-Knowing, but Law is automatic and obeys the will o f Spirit, having no alterna tive other than to obey. Like all law, the Law of Mind is an Impersonal Force, and because o f Its nature is compelled to act. Soul and Universal Subjective Mind have the same meaning and are the Creative Medium of all thought and action. Soul is also the Substance o f Spirit; i.e ., It is the unformed Stuff from which all forms are evolved. Spirit, acting upon Soul, produces Creation; Spirit, Soul and Substance inter sphere each other; each has omnipresence. Creation takes place within Spirit and is the result of the Con templation o j Spirit. Creation is eternally going on; change is always taking place within that which is changeless; forms appear and disappear in that which is formless. God thinks or knows within Himself; and as the result o f this inner action Creation mani
61
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OF
MIND
fests. Creation is the play of Life upon Itself through Divine Self-Imagination. Spirit must cre ate in order to be expressed. Spirit, Life, Soul, Substance, Law and Unity are all co-existent and coeternal with each other. The only thing that changes is form. Life makes things out of Itself by becoming the thing that It makes; there is no effort in the process. Conscious Mind and Spirit mean the same; they denote that part of the Trinity which is Self-Knowing or God. Subconscious and Subjective Mind, Soul and Mental Medium, Universal Subjectivity or Law, all have the same meaning; they denote that part o f the Trinity which acts as Law. Body, Creation or the manifest Universe, is simply the result o f the Trinity which acts as Law. Body—
Creation or the manifest Universe— is simply the result of the Knowingness of
Spirit through Law. One element alone is really self-conscious and that is Spirit. Both Law and Manifestation are automatic and must react to Spirit. Soul or Subjective? Mind, Substance or unformed matter, and Conscious Spirit permeate all things and all people. There is an Intelligence acting through everything, and everything responds to intelligence. It cannot be too plainly stated that Spirit, or Conscious Intelligence, is the only SelfAssertive Principle in the Universe. “Spirit is the Power that knows Itself,” and is the only power that is Self-Knowing. Everything else is subject to Spirit. The sole and only operation of Spirit is through Its Word. The Word, acting as Law through Substance, produces Creation.
LESSON T W O : IN T R O D U C T IO N Mental Science, which is the Science o f Mind and Spirit, makes a tremendous claim when it states that it can free the individual from the bondage of sickness, poverty and unhappiness; but it makes this statement without hesitation and without qualification; it does not retract from that claim and it never will. It does, however, carefully set forth the conditions under which it operates and the laws governing Life, warning man that, unless he understands these conditions and obeys these laws, he will not receive full benefit from the Science of Mind.
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THE
The W
orld
H
L
as
earned
A
LESSONS
ll
It C
an
Th ro u g h Su ffe r in g
The world is beginning to realize that it has learned all it can through suffering and pain. Per haps they were good in their place, but surely there can be no power in the Universe which wishes man to be sick, to suffer pain, to be unhappy and end in the grave. Surely God could not ordain that man should ultimately be other than a perfect expression o f Life. We should have no intellectual difficulty in realizing that even God Himself could not make an automatic individuality, and this explains why man must suffer on the road to self-discovery. He must suffer, not because pain is a necessity, but because he must have experience in order to become individualized.
W
hat
In d i v i d u a l i t y R
eally
M
eans
Perhaps it would be a good idea to elaborate on this and explain just what individuality really means. Individuality means self-choice, volition, conscious mind, personified Spirit complete freedom and a PO W ER TO BACK U PTH A T FREED O M . We cannot imagine a mechanical or unspontaneous individuality. To be real and free, indi viduality must be created IN THE IMAGE OF PERFEC TIO N AN D LET ALO N E TO M AKE THE GREAT DISCO VERY FO R ITSELF. The answer to the question, “Why did not God make us free and compel that freedom?” is apparent when we realize that even God could not do this. A freedom under compulsion would produce a freedom that would ultimately amount to the very worst kind of bondage. There is no such thing as compulsory freedom; even God Him self could not ordain this; for He could do nothing that would violate His own nature. No; man must be created with the possibility o f limitless freedom and then be let alone to discover the fact for himself. On the road to that discovery he must be subject to the Law of all Life, and if in ignorance he violates that Law, he must thereby suffer. This is not, however, because God imposes the suffering or desires it, but simply because it is the necessity o f the case.
Th e M
ean in g
of
Freedom
Freedom o f will means the ability to do, say and think as one wishes; to express life as one personally desires. To be able only to think and dream o f freedom would not be liberty. To imagine, without the power to manifest that imagination, would be to remain in a sort o f dream world which would never come to complete self-realization. This is not the world in which
63
THE
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OF
MIND
man lives at all, for m ans world is one of self-expression, even though that expression appears at times to destroy him.
Sin
and
Pun
ish m ent
. R
ighteousness an d
R
eward
We do not wish to enter into theological discussions in this course of instruction, but we do wish to make the thought clear to those who care to study it. There is no sin but a mistake and no punishment but an inevitable consequence. W rong doing must be punished, for the Law of cause and effect must be eternally operative. Right doing must be rewarded for the same reason. We do not say that man cannot sin; what we say is, that he does sin or make mistakes and that he is thereby automatically punished, AS LO N G AS HE CO N TIN UES TO M AKE MISTAKES. This does not mean that there is an evil power in the Universe; but it does mean that there is an immutable Law of cause and effect running through everything. Sin is its own punishment and righteousness ITS OWN REWARD. The age-long discussion of the problem of evil will never be answered until we realize that it is not a thing o f itself but is simply A MISUSE OF THE LAW OF FREEDO M . The problem o f evil will be met only to the degree that we cease doing evil and do good, for evil will disappear when we no longer indulge in it. When the whole world sees the right and does it; then, and not until then, will the problem of evil be solved for the entire race.
T h e In c a r n a t i o
n
of
Spirit
To return to individuality; it is that which distinguishes man from the mere brute creation; it is the greater Incarnation of God in the human; the Indwelling Spirit of the Most High. Man is created and left to discover himself, and on the road to this self-discovery he experi ences the creations of his own imaginations which ultimately show him the Truth and lead to real freedom. There is an interesting myth in regard to the creating of man which may serve to point out this fact. It is said that when the gods decided to make man, and make him a Divine Being, they held a long discussion as to where would be the best place to hide his Divinity. Some of the gods suggested that it be hidden in the earth, but others argued that some day man would penetrate the earth and so discover himself; it was then suggested that it be hidden in the depths o f the sea, but this idea was rejected, for man would go under the sea and there discover his true nature; it was next suggested that his real nature should be deposited somewhere in the air, but this also was rejected, for he would surely fly through the air and find himself. After 64
THE
LESSONS
a long discussion it was finally agreed that the best place to hide m ans Divinity would be IN THE IN N ERM O ST N ATURE OF M AN HIMSELF— this being the last place he would look to find it! This discovery would not be made until he had had all the experience necessary to complete a well-rounded life. “The Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” 22 O f course, this is a fable, but how clearly it sets forth the reality o f the case! The word is really in our own mouths, and every time we say “I AM ” we are repeating it; for “I AM ” is the secret of nature and the emblem of Eternity. The story o f “The Prodigal Son” is the story o f m ans return to “His Father s House.” How truly the poet puts it when he says that “Trailing clouds o f Glory do we come from Heaven which is our home.” This is the mystical meaning of that marvelous poem o f Robert Brown ing s called “ Saul.” Saul had lost his sense o f real life and lay in a stupor in his tent when David came to sing to him, to awaken him to the realization o f his true nature. At first David sings of the wonders o f Creation and of the delights o f life; he tells Saul o f his power and glory as a human being; and, as the song expands, he touches the secret spring of Sauls being— “He is Saul ye remember in glory, ere error had bent the broad brow from the daily commu nion.” Then, he plainly tells Saul of the Christ. This revelation finally awakens Saul to “ His old motions and attitudes kingly.” The healing has taken place and the realization of the Truth has freed Saul from the thraldom o f false belief.
D
ifferen t
View
po in ts
Some take the viewpoint that man was cast forth to discover himself; and others contend that man decided to do this for himself. It makes no difference what the case may be; man is cer tainly on the pathway to self-discovery, and everything in his experience points to the truth of this fact. We know that the forces of nature wait on m ans discovery o f them and obey his will as soon as he understands how to make use o f her laws. We certainly have freedom enough when we understand how to use that freedom. The Pilgrim Fathers might have had steam cars if they had understood the nature of steam. It was not pushed into m ans experience by any autocratic power, but served him only after he had discovered how to use it. We might say the same of any and all o f the laws that we now understand and utilize.
ll
Deut. 30 : 14 .
THE
The L
SCIENCE
esson
of
N
OF
MIND
a t u r e ’s
L aws
If we find this to be true o f the laws o f the mechanical world, why should we not also find it true of those Mental and Spiritual Laws which transcend the mechanical world? No doubt, we shall find latent powers and capacities of which we have never dreamed; powers and abilities waiting to be understood and used. “Behold I stand at the door and knock.” It certainly will pay man to spend much time and thought in the study of his own nature; for he will discover things about himself that will cause him to “Arise and shine.” 23 Man is to-day, more than ever before, awaken ing to the real facts o f the case, and from now on his evolution will become very rapid. Nothing is impossible; all things are possible to the Great Whole, and man is a part of that Whole.
The R
elatio n
of
M
an
to th e
U
n iverse
of
Spirit
As the evidence of design in the Universe proves a Designer, so the evidence of self-choice shows a Power that Knows Itself. The Spirit is Self-Knowing; God knows that God Is. But a Universal Self-Knowingness really means a Universal Personalness; and so we see how God can be Personal to every living soul who believes in Spirit. We could truthfully say— so it seems to me at least— that there is One Infinite Person, in whom we all “live, and move and have our Being” ; 24 for we all live in the One.
M
a n
’s Experien ce
Let us assume that man is on the road to self-discovery. What is he to discover?— That he is really free, but that, in order to be free, he must first go through experiences which will teach him how to use his freedom properly; and, after the lesson is learned, he will be free indeed. Everything seems as if this were true. We have traced m ans progress carefully through his journey on this planet from the time when the first face “Was turned from the clod,” to now, and what have we discovered? That all nature waits upon m ans self-discovery and is ever ready to serve him and do his bidding. Laws and forces undreamed of by our ancestors are now being employed; powers and forces which to prehistoric man would have seemed as gods, are to-day called nature’s forces, and we consciously make use o f them. Man has gradually merged with nature and her laws, and to-day stands forth as a new being so far as the mechanical world is concerned. It seems as if he had conquered nature and compelled her to serve him.
23 Isa. 60 : 1. 24 Acts 17 : 28.
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ature
W
LESSONS
aits
on
M
an
Nowhere on this path has he found nature opposed to him. She has silently waited for his rec ognition and as silently done his bidding. She will never contradict herself nor operate contrary to her inherent laws; but she will serve whoever comes to understand and use them along the lines o f her way o f working. Man never created any o f these laws but simply uses them, and he can do this only as he first obeys them. “Nature obeys us as we first obey it” is an old saying and a true one. We learn the fundamental principle o f a law, obey its mode o f operation and then have conscious use o f it. It would be absurd to say that nature punished us because we did not make proper use o f her laws. She simply will not work harmoniously for us until we harmonize with her; she w ill obey us only after we have obeyed her. This is, o f course, true o f any and all law. If we obey, it serves; if we disobey, it seems to punish us.
M
ental and
Sp ir it u a l L aws
It is the same with those great Mental and Spiritual Laws of our Being. We must come to dis cover and utilize the inner forces o f Mind and Spirit, for they are the highest powers. Man will be delivered from sin, sickness and trouble in exact proportion to his discovery of himself and his relationship to the Whole. Law is law wherever we find it, and we shall discover that the Laws o f Mind and Spirit must be understood if they are to be consciously used for definite purposes. THE SPIRIT KNO W S AND THE LAW OBEYS. Hidden away in the inner nature of the real man is the Law o f his life, and some day he will discover it and consciously make use of it. He will heal himself, make himself happy and pros perous, and will live in an entirely different world; for he will have discovered that LIFE IS FROM W ITHIN AN D N O T FROM W ITHOUT.
G
od a n d
M
an
Man is made out o f and from Life; and, as effect must partake o f the nature o f its cause, so man must partake o f the Divine Nature from which he springs.
M
an
R
eenacts the
N
ature
of
G
od
If we realize that God is “Triune” and that man is made in the Image and Likeness of God, we shall see that the whole scheme of Life and the whole nature o f the Divine Being is reenacted
67
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OF
MIND
through man. This, of course, does not mean that man is God; it means that, in his small world of individual expression, his nature is identical with God s. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “As the Father hath Life within Himself so hath He given to the Son to have Life within him self” 2* A single drop of water is not the whole ocean, but it does resemble the ocean and does contain within itself the same qualities and attributes. We might say that man is in God and that God works through man. “I and The Father are One,” 26 “The Kingdom of God is within you” ;27 and we might add, “ G o d s in His Heaven, alls right with the world.”
The
Two
W ays t o R easo n
There are but two processes o f reasoning known to the human mind: inductive and deductive; and from these two ways of reasoning all our knowledge o f life has come. Inductive reasoning is the systematic process o f reasoning from a part to the whole. Deductive reasoning is the process of accepting certain conclusions as truths and drawing other conclusions from them; it is reasoning from the whole to a part. For instance, in inductive reasoning we would say that everything happens just as if there were what we call electricity and that it is everywhere pres ent. Deductive reasoning says that since electricity is everywhere present, it is always where we are and can always be generated from any center. Using these two methods of reasoning to deduce the nature o f God, we may start with the assumption that God IS, drawing all our conclusions from this premise; or we may carefully study the nature o f man and the Universe and so draw the conclusion that a God must exist. Whichever method we use will lead to the same conclusion; namely, that there is a Divine Being and that man is made in His Image and must reenact and portray the same attributes as the Life from which he came.
N
o th in g
H
appens
by
C
hance
Nothing in the Universe happens by chance. All is in accordance with Law, and the Law o f God is as Omnipresent as is the Spirit o f God. This Law is a Law o f Mind, but back o f the Law is the Word.” All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.”28
2g John g : 26. 26 John 10 : 30. 27 Luke 17 : 21 . 28 John 1 : 3 .
68
THE
LESSONS
Back of our lives is the Law of our Being; and through that Law runs the word which we speak; for “What things soever He (the Son) seeth the Father do, these also doeth the Son likewise.” 29
M
any
A
re
W
aking
U
p to th e
Fa c t s
Thousands o f people to-day are beginning to realize this and put it into operation, and the results attained would fill more books than one man could read in a lifetime. Thousands to-day are using the silent power o f Mind to heal their bodies and bring prosperity into their affairs; and the Law is always working in accordance with the belief o f those seeking to use It. As the Universe is run by an Infinite Mind, so m ans life is controlled by his thinking; ignorance of this keeps him in bondage; knowledge will free him. One by one, people will investigate the Truth and put It into operation, and the time will come when disease and poverty will be swept from the face o f the earth, for they were never intended to be. They are simply the by-products o f ignorance, and enlightenment alone will erase them.
Th e Tim e H
as
C
om e to
K
now
the
Tru th
The hour o f freedom has struck, the bell o f Liberty is ringing, and “Let him that is athirst come.” 30 Let us, then, plunge more deeply into our own natures and into the nature o f the Universe and see if we shall not find treasures undreamed of, possibilities never imagined and opportunities which the fond thought— yearning for freedom— has often, in our vision o f the greater Life, given us. “Prove me now, herewith, saith the Lord o f hosts, if I will not open you the windows o f heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”31
A W
o nderful
Experim
ent
It would be a wonderful experiment for any one to make to begin to live as if this promise were true; to talk, think and act as though there were a Limitless Power attending him on his journey through life; as though his every act were directed and guided into expressions of
29 John
s : 19.
30 Rev. 22 : 17. 31 Mai. 3 : 1 0 .
69
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
peace, health, happiness and harmony. It is surely worth while, and understanding will make the way so clear before us that we shall some day come to see the logic of it; and then, indeed, shall we really begin to live. Our lives, fortunes and happiness are in our own hands to mold as we will— provided we first obey the Law and learn how to make conscious use of It. “With all thy getting get understanding”32— an old adage— but to-day as true as ever. It has been the teaching o f all times that man reproduces the Divine Nature; and if he does, we shall expect to find in his nature the same qualities that we suppose must be in the Nature o f Life Itself.
W
hat
Psych o lo gy Teaches A
M
bout
a n
’s N
ature
A study of the psychological nature o f man verifies the belief in “The Trinity” running through all Life. Man is self-conscious; o f this we are sure, for he can say “I AM .” This fact alone proves his claim to immortality and greatness. In psychology we learn that man is threefold in his nature; that is, he has a self-conscious mind, a subconscious mind and a body. In metaphysics we learn that the three are but different attributes o f the same life. M ans self-conscious mind is the power with which he knows; it is, therefore, one with the Spirit of God; it is, indeed, His only guarantee of conscious being.
The Se l f -k n
o w in g
M
in d
It is from this self-knowing mind that man is able to realize his relationship with the Whole; for without it he would be unhuman and most certainly not Divine; but since he has it, he must be Divine. It is the self-knowing mind alone that constitutes reality, personality and individuality. It is the “ Image o f God,” the essence o f Sonship, and the “Personification o f the Infinite.”
M
a n
’s U
n ity w ith
the
W
hole
We recognize, then, in m ans self-knowing mind his Unity with the Whole. For while a drop o f water is not the ocean, yet it does contain within itself all the attributes of the limit less deep. M ans self-knowing mind is the instrument which perceives reality, and cognizes or realizes Truth. All illumination, inspiration and realization must come through the self-knowing mind
3 2 Prov. 4 : 7 .
70
THE
LESSONS
in order to manifest in man. Vision, intuition and revelation proclaim themselves through m ans self-knowing mind; and the Saints and Sages, the Saviours and Christs, the Prophets and Seers, the Wise and Learned, have all consciously perceived and proclaimed this fact. Every evidence o f human experience, all acts of kindness and mercy, have interpreted themselves through m ans self-knowing mind. All that we know, say or think, feel or believe, hope or long for, fear or doubt, is some action of the self-knowing mind. Subjective memories we have, and inner, unexpressed emotions we feel; but to the self-knowing mind alone does realization come. Without this capacity to consciously know, man would not exist as an expressed being; and, so far as we are concerned, would not exist at all. The self-knowing mind of man proclaims itself in every thought, deed or act, and is truly the only guarantee o f his individuality.
M
an
a
C
enter
of
G
od
-C
o nscio usness
With this vast array of facts at our disposal it would be foolish to suppose that m ans self knowing mind is any other than his perception o f Reality. It is his Unity with the Whole, or God, on the conscious side o f life, and is an absolute guarantee that he is a Center o f God-Consciousness in the Vast Whole.
U
n ity w ith
Law
We will say, then, that in Spirit man is One with God. But what o f the great Law o f the Uni-, verse? If we are really One with the Whole we must be One with the Law o f the W hole, as well as One with the Spirit. Again psychology has determined the fact to be more than a fancy. The characteristics o f the subconscious mind o f man determine his Subjective Unity with the Uni verse o f Life, Law and Action.
The Su b jec t iv e O
beys the
O
bjective
In the Subjective Mind of man we find a law obeying his word, the servant o f his Spirit. Sugges tion has proved that the subconscious mind acts upon our thought without question or doubt. It is the mental law of our Being and the creative factor within us. It is unnecessary, at this point, to go into all the details of the Subjective Mind and its mode o f action; it is enough to say that within us is a mental law, working out the will and purposes o f our conscious thoughts. This can be no other than O U R INDIVIDUAL USE OF THAT G REA TER SU BJECTIVE MIND W HICH IS THE SEAT OF A LL LAW AN D ACTIO N, AND IS “THE SERVANT OF THE ETERN AL SPIRIT TH RO U G H A LL THE AGES.”
71
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
Marvelous as the concept may be, it is none the less true that man has at his disposal, in what he calls his subjective mind, a power which seems to be Limitless. This is because he a One with the W hole, on the subjective side o f life. M ans thought, falling into his subjective mind merges with the Universal Subjective Mind and becomes the law o f his life, through TH E O NE GREAT LAW OF A LL LIFE. There are not two subjective minds. There is but one Subjective mind; and what we call our sub jective mind is really Only THE USE THAT WE ARE MAKING OF THE ONE LAW. Each individual maintains his identity in Law through his personal use of It; and each is drawing from Life what HE TH IN KS INTO IT. TO LEARN HOW TO TH IN K IS TO LEARN H O W TO LIVE, for our thoughts go into a Medium that is Infinite in Its ability to do and to be. MAN, BY TH IN KING , CAN BRIN G INTO HIS EX PER IEN CE W HATSO EVER HE DESIRES, IF HE TH IN KS C O R R E C T L Y AN D BECO M ES A LIVING EM BO DIM ENT OF HIS TH O U G H TS . This is not done by holding thoughts but by KNOWING THE TRUTH.
The B ody
But what about m ans body? Is that, too, one with the Body o f the Universe? Let us briefly analyze matter and see what it really is. We are told that matter is not a solid, stationary thing; but is a constantly flowing, formless substance which is forever coming and going. Matter is as indestructible as God, as eternal as Timeless Being; nothing can be either added to or taken from it. The very bodies we now have were not with us a short time ago. As Sir Oliver Lodge says, we discard many o f them on the path through this life, for the material from which our bodies are composed is in a constant state of flow. Vistas o f thought open up along the line of mental healing when we realize this fact; later we will thoroughly discuss and work out a definite technique for the purpose o f healing. Matter is not what we thought it to be; it is simply a flowing stuff taking the form that Mind gives it. How about the matter from which other things than the body are made? It is all the same— O NE SUBSTANCE IN TH E U N IVERSE TAKES D IFFEREN T FO RM S AND SHAPES AN D BECO M ES DIFFEREN T TH IN GS.
L a s t St a g e s
of
M
atter
The last analysis of matter resolves it into a universal ether and leaves nothing more than a stuff which may be operated upon. Matter, in the last analysis, is composed o f particles so fine that they are simply supposed
72
THE
LESSONS
to be. In other words, it disappears entirely, and the place where it once was is again “without form and void.” 33 Matter, as we know it, is only an aggregation of these particles arranged in such order as to produce definite forms, which are determined by something WHICH IS NOT MATERIAL There is no difference between the particles which any one form takes and the particles which all forms take; the difference is not in the minute particles but in their arrangement.
The U
n ity
of
A
ll
Body
Our bodies are One with the Whole Body o f the Universe. Seeds, plants, cabbages and kings are made of the same substance; minerals, solids and liquids are made from THE PRIMORDIAL SUBSTANCEWHICH IS FOREVER FLOWING INTO FORM AND FOREVER FLOWING OUT AGAIN INTO THE VOID.
The Fo rm less
and
the
Formed
Nothing could form a formless stuff, which has no mind of its own, except Intelligence oper ating upon it. Again we come back to the Word as the starting point o f all Creation— God s Word in the Great World, m ans word in the small world. ONE SPIRIT, ONE MIND, AN D ONE SUBSTANCE; ONE LAW BU T M AN Y TH O U G H TS; ONE PO W ER, BU T M AN Y WAYS OF USING IT; ONE G O D IN W HO M W E A LL LIVE, AND ONE LAW W HICH A LL O PERATE; ONE, ONE, ONE. N O G REA TER U N ITY CO U LD BE GIVEN TH AN THAT W HICH IS A LREAD Y VO UCH SAFED TO M ANKIND. But why is man so limited? Why is he still poor, sick, afraid and unhappy? Because he does not know the Truth— that is the only “W hy” But why was he not so made that he would have to know the Truth? The answer is that even God could not make a real man, that is, a real Per sonified Expression o f Himself, without creating him in freedom and leaving him TO DISCOVER HIMSELF. This is the meaning o f the story o f the Prodigal Son and the whole meaning o f it.
In d i v i d u a l i t y M
eans
Self-C
h o ice
Individuality means real individualized being and real personified self-choice. We could not imagine an individuality without self-choice; but what would be the use of self-choice unless the ability to choose were backed with the power to externalize that choice? It would remain
33 Gen.
1: 2. 73
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
simply an idle dream, never coming into real self-expression. A little thought will make it clear that, if man is created to express freedom, he must be left to discover himself. O f course, dur ing the process he will have much experience, but in the end he will come out a real being. The day o f m ans discovery of himself marked the first day of the record of human history on-this planet; and from the day when he first made this discovery he has constantly risen and continuously progressed. All the forces of nature attend him on his way, but he must first dis cover them in order to make use o f them.
The G
reatest
D
isco very
Ever M
ade
The greatest discovery that man ever made was, that his thought has creative power; that is, that it uses creative power. His thought, o f itself, would have no power unless it were operative through a creative medium. We do not have to compel Law to operate; all that we have to do is to use It. The Law o f Mind is just like any and all other laws o f Being. It simply Is.
A C
omplete
U
n ity
We have now discovered a Unity with the W hole on all three sides o f life or from all three modes o f expression. We are One with all matter in the physical world, One with the C re ative Law of the Universe in the Mental World, and One with the Spirit of God in the Con scious World. What more could we ask or hope for? How would it be possible for more to be given? We could ask for no more, and no greater freedom could be given. From now on we will expand, grow and express, only to the degree that we consciously cooperate with the Whole.
74
LESSON T W O : M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. II-A. This chart shows, first, the Universal Spirit; then the Universal Soul or Subjectivity which is the medium o f all thought, power and action; then the particularization or manifestation of Spirit. The point drawn down through the center symbolizes the descent of Spirit into matter, or form. It is necessary that Spirit be manifested in order to express Itself.The word Unity on the descending line shows that all come from the One. Man reenacts the world Universal Life, and his nature is identical with Spirit. What is true o f the W hole is true o f any one o f Its undivided parts. Man comes to a point o f individualization in the W hole and is subject to the Law of the Whole.
IB
LESSON T W O : M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. Il-B. This chart shows how man reenacts the W hole and is subject to the law o f his own being. If the meaning o f this chart is carefully studied it will be made plain that man thinks consciously and that his conscious thought becomes the law o f his life. The upper section stands for the SelfConscious man; the middle section stands for the subconscious man; and the lowest section stands for the man as he appears in the flesh and in the conditions o f his life.
76
THE
LESSONS
LESSON T W O : M E T A P H Y S IC A L M E A N I N G OF W O R D S USED IN INDIVIDUAL C H A R T NO. II-B U S p i r i t .—
pper
Sectio n
That part o f man which enables him to be self-conscious. That which he really
is. We do not see the spirit o f man any more than we see the Spirit o f God We see what man does; but we do not see the doer. C
hrist,
L o g o s .—
The Word of God manifest in and through man. In a liberal sense
the Christ means the Entire Manifestation o f God and is, therefore, the Second Person o f the Trinity. Christ is a Universal Idea, and each one “Puts on The Christ”34 to the degree that he surrenders a limited sense o f Life to the Divine Realization. S o n s h i p .— M
We are all Sons of God and all partake o f the Divine Nature.
icrocosm
Em
m anuel
.—
The individual world as distinguished from the Universal.
— G od-W
P e r s o n a l i t y .—
i t h - U s .—
Means that Christ is in every one.
The external evidence of individualized being.
In d i v i d u a l i t y .—
Each one is a separate identity in Mind and no two are alike. Each
is an Individualized Center o f God-Consciousness. Our personality is the use that we make of our Divine Individuality. C
o n s c i o u s - S t a t e .—
The conscious-state is the self-knowing mind of man. It is the only
thing that distinguishes him from brute creation. Without a conscious-state of mind man would not be at all; or, at least, he would not know that he is. The conscious mind should be carefully guarded, as it is the real man. M
ental
.—
Means that man is mentally conscious.
S p i r i t u a l .—
Means that man is a Spiritual Being.
R e a s o n : In d u c t i v e
and
D
eductive
.—
The conscious mind of man can reason
both inductively and deductively. It can reason from the Whole to a part or from a part to the Whole. W i l l .— Means conscious ability to determine. C h o i c e . — Ability to differentiate and choose. V o l i t i o n .—
Power to act independently.
3 4 Gal. 3 : 27.
77
THE
In t e l l e c t .— P u r p o s e .— D
ecisio n
ul
.—
OF
MIND
Mental quality o f analysis.
Determination with incentive.
.—
Ability to choose.
M So
SCIENCE
id d le
Sectio n
The Subjective Side o f Life. M ans place in the One Subjective Mind of the Uni
verse; his identity in Mind. M ans soul life reenacts the Soul Life of the Universe with which it is at One. S u b j e c t i v e .—
The Soul is subjective. Read again the meaning o f subjectivity as given
in the Universal Chart. S u b c o n s c i o u s .— U
n c o n s c i o u s .—
The Soul is subjective to the conscious thought. Word used in Psycho-analysis to denote soul. It is a poor way of
expressing soul-life, for it really is not unconscious. It is subconscious but cer tainly not unconscious. C
o n s c i o u s n e s s .—
Another way o f saying soul.The Bible says, soul; the psycho-analyst
says, unconscious; the psychologist says, subjective or subconscious; and the metaphysician says, consciousness. All have the same meaning. K a r m a .— The subjective law o f tendency set in motion by the individual. The mental
law acting through him. Karmic Law means the use that man makes of his mental ity. Karma is not Kismet; for Kismet means “fate,” and Karma simply means “the mental tendency.” Karma is both individual and Universal. A u r a . — Mental atmosphere or vibration. It extends from a few inches to a few feet
around the individual and can be seen by many people. M
e m o r y .—
The soul, or subjective mind, is the seat of memory, and retains within
itself everything that the individual has ever said, thought, seen, heard, felt, read or been told; and, indeed, everything that has ever happened to him. It also con tains race memory, and may, or may not, contain much of what we call Cosmic Purposes. Cosmic Purposes mean the Ideas o f God. The soul of man, being in constant contact with the Soul o f the Universe, might contact tremendous powers if it would turn to the One. C
o n f l i c t .—
In the study o f Psycho-analysis, which means the analysis of the soul, we
learn that the subjective side of thought, being the seat o f memory, often retains thoughts and suppressed emotions which more or less tear or bind. This is what is meant by inner conflict. P s y c h e .—
Means soul.
78
THE
I n h e r i t e d T e n d e n c ie s .—
LESSONS
The subjective, being the seat o f memory, contains the
race characteristics and tendencies. We do not inherit diseases, but we do inherit tendencies. This is the way that family and race traits are handed down. R a c e -S u g g e s tio n .—
The tendency to reproduce what the race has thought and
experienced. P r e n a t a l C o n d it io n s .— Im a g e s o f T h o u g h t . —
The tendency to inherit family traits.
The soul, or subjective mind, contains all of our thoughts as
mental images or pictures. A u t o -S u g g e s t io n .— R easo n —
The soul receives the suggestions o f the individual.
Deductive Only.— That which is subjective can reason deductively only.
L B o d y .—
owest
Sectio n
The definite outline o f flesh, containing all o f the ideas which go to make the
complete physical instrument. E ffe c t.—
That which follows cause. The body is always an effect.
A f fa ir s .—
That which happens to the external man.
C o n d it io n s .—
External things, the result of thought.
R e s u lt s .—
Conditions.
H e a lt h .—
Result o f correct thinking.
D is e a s e .—
Result o f wrong thinking.
D
e s t in y
R ic h
.— R esult o f w h at m an thinks.
e s .—
R esult o f a consciousness o f supply.
P o v e r t y .—
Result o f limited thought.
B u s in e s s .— V o c a t io n .—
Also result of thought. The thing that our thought causes us to do.
P r o fe s s io n .— O c c u p a t io n .— R easo n —
Same as vocation. Same as vocation.
None.— Everything in the body o f man, as well as in his affairs, is the result
of what he thinks. Nothing in the external is a cause, and nothing that happens causes itself to happen. Things have no power to reason, but are always the result of some inner cause.
79
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
LESSON T W O : THE NATURE OF M A N In the first lesson we studied the Universal Chart; we are now taking up the individual chart. Whatever is true o f the Universe as a Whole must also be true of the individual as some part of this W hole. Man is evolved from the Universe, and is a self-conscious, thinking center of Living Spirit, and, as such, he must, in his nature and being, reproduce the Universe. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “As the Father hath (Inherent) Life in Himself, so hath he given to the Son to have (Inherent) Life in H im self” 3* Inherent Life means real Life. The whole Cos mic Scheme must be reproduced on the plane o f the individual, if there is ah individual. We must expect to find in man, therefore, the same inherent attributes that we find in the universe from which he springs. Chart No. II-A symbolizes, first, the Universal Spirit; next, the Universal Subjectivity, which is called the Soul of the Universe; and third, the particularization or manifestation of Universal Spirit. We have marked Unity on the descending line, because the Spirit emanates, or particularizes Itself, at the point of our personality becoming what we call man. It is essen tial that we realize the Unity of life, i.e., the Unity of God and man on all three planes. Let us start with the objective plane: matter or body, devoid of mind or intelligence, has no volition; it may be permeated with intelligence, but it is not intelligent. It is one with the Body of the Universe. Now, what do we know about the soul? Remember the things that were discussed in con nection with the qualities o f the Soul of the Universe; and you will find all of them depicted in what is called the psychological, subjective nature of man; for our subjective or subconscious mind reproduces all the attributes belonging to the Universal Mind. When we turn to the spirit o f man, we find that it is one with the Spirit o f God— that is, man is a self-conscious, thinking, choosing center o f individualized intelligence, or God-Consciousness in the great Whole. So we find man is one with all matter in the material world, one with the Soul of the Uni verse in the subjective world, and one with the Spirit of God in the conscious world. What we call our objective or conscious mind is as much as we know of God and Life. The objective mind is the spiritual mind for which we have been looking, but it is not fully developed; if this were not so there would be no mind with which to look. The objective mind must be the spiritual mind o f man, since it is the only thing about him which knows that it has life and is conscious of itself.
3 $ John £ : 26.
80
THE
LESSONS
The whole o f Spirit is potentially focused in our individual, objective consciousness; but we have not yet evolved to a realization of this, except in a small degree. Back of the objective mind is the subjective mind or soul, which is the medium through which intelligence operates. There is but One Universal Subjective Mind or Soul; and what we call our subjective mind is simply our use o f Universal Subjectivity; for our subjective mind is not a thing apart, but is our place in Universal Subjective Mind; and our place in It is the use that we make of It.
Spirit
Turning to the chart of man, Chart No. II-B, we find that the spirit of man is his conscious state of mental and spiritual being; that this mental state is equipped with decision, w ill, choice, volition, intellect and purpose. We find that it is individuality, personality, and is called Em manuel or God with us. It is the microcosm within the Macrocosm, which means the little world within the big world; it is also called the Image o f God; it is Sonship, the Sonship o f the Father; it is the Christ or Logos, which means the Word. It can reason both inductively and deductively, and is the only thing known to us that can reason both ways.
Soul
We find that on the subjective or soul side man is subconscious; but subconscious does not mean unconscious. Subconscious means subjective to the conscious thought, compelled by reason of its subjectivity to receive what is put into it. The term “unconscious” is used by psycho-analysts. Consciousness is the word that some use in speaking of the soul side o f life. It is Karmic Law, because it is the use that we are making o f Universal Subjectivity; Karma means the law of cause and effect. Soul contains the memory, because it is the receptacle for the seeds o f our thought. It is psyche, soul, psychic; this is where we get the word “psycho-analysis,” analysis of the soul. It contains the inherited tendencies, because it is the seat of memory. It also contains race-suggestion; for we are not dealing with a separated and isolated subjective mind, but with the one Subjective Mind. There is a vast difference between thinking o f having three or four minds and thinking of having but One which all use. Its reasoning capacity is deductive only, yet it contains an intel ligence which is infinite compared with the human concept o f intelligence.
Body
Next we come to the body of man, which is simply the effect o f what his thought has been in Mind. Body, effect, affairs, conditions, health, disease, destiny, riches, poverty, business, voca
81
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
tion, profession, results, occupation, any word that stands for the externalization of m ans thought and endeavor, we class as a part of the body. “What a man has, as well as what he is, is the result o f the subjective state of his thought.” The thinker is conscious mind, but when he thinks, he lets fall the forms of his thought into Subjec tive Mind, which is the Universal Medium o f all thought and action, and as the result of this, the Creative Medium at once sets to work to produce the thing thought of. This is the way that Nature works and it is the way that man works, although he is just waking to this realization. Plotinus, who was one o f the Neo-Platonic philosophers, personifying Nature, said, “I do not argue; I contemplate; and as I contemplate, I let fall the forms of my thought.” This is the way Nature creates; It contemplates through Its Conscious Mind. As the result of Its contem plation, It lets fall the seeds of Its thought into the Universal Subjective, which, being Law, produces the thing thought of. Now we must expect to find, and we do find, the same thing reenacted in man. This means that whatever man thinks (whether it is what he calls good or bad) falls into this Universal Creative Medium, is accepted by It, is at once acted upon, begins to take form , and, unless neutralized, tends to become a thing in the objective world.
L im itless M
ediu m
When we realize that as we deal with our own individuality we are dealing with Self-Conscious Mind, and when we realize that as we deal with subjective mind we are dealing with the Uni versal Subjectivity, we see at once that we have at our disposal a Power compared to which the united intelligence o f the human race is as nothing; because the Universal Subjective Mind, being entirely receptive to our thought, is compelled by reason of Its very being to accept that thought and act upon it, no matter what the thought is. Since we are dealing with an Infinite Power, which knows only Its own ability to do, and since It can objectify any idea impressed upon It, there can be no limit to what It could or would do for us, other than the limit o f our mental concept. Limitation could not be in Principle or in Law but only in the individual use that we make of It. Our individual use of It can only equal our individual capacity to understand It, to embody It. We cannot demonstrate beyond our ability to mentally conceive, or to mentally provide, an equivalent. We must have a mental equivalent o f the thing we want, in order to demonstrate. Subjectivity is entirely receptive and neutral, as we have learned, and It can take our thoughts only the way we think them. There is no alternative. If I say, “I am poor,” and keep on saying, “I am poor,” subconscious mind at once says, “Yes, you are poor,” and keeps me poor, as long as I say it. This is all there is to poverty. It comes from impoverished thinking. We deal only with thoughts, for thoughts are things, and if the thought is right the condition will be right. An
82
THE
LESSONS
active thought will produce an active condition. Suppose I have thought poverty year after year, I have created a law, which keeps on perpetuating this condition. If the thought be unerased, the condition will remain. A law has been set in motion which says, “I am poor,” and sees to it that it is so. This is, at first, auto-suggestion; then it becomes an unconscious memory, working day and night. This is what decides the law o f attraction, because the laws of attraction and repulsion are entirely subjective. They may be conscious to start with, but they are subconscious as soon as they are set in motion. Now suppose I did not say I was poor, but came into the world with an unconscious thought o f poverty; so long as that thought operated, I would be poor. I might not have understood the Law, but it would have been working all the time. There is also a race-suggestion which says that some people are rich and some are poor; so we are all born or come into this world with a subjective tendency toward negative conditions. But we are also dealing with a subjective tendency toward ultimate good; because, in spite of all conditions, the race believes more in the good than in the evil; otherwise, it would not exist. It believes that everything will come out all right, rather than all wrong. This is the eternal hope and sense of all life. No matter what may be in the soul, or subjective state o f our thought, the conscious state can change it. This is what treatment does. How can this be done? Through the most direct method imaginable— by consciously knowing that there is no subjective state of poverty, no inherited tendency toward limitation, no race-suggestion operating through subjectivity; noth ing in, around or through it that believes in or accepts limitation in any way, shape, form or manner. The conscious state must now provide a higher form o f thought. What does it do? It supplies a spiritual realization, a self-conscious realization, and says, “I partake of the nature and bounty o f the All Good and I am now surrounded by everything which makes life worth while.” What happens then ?This Soul side of life, this Universal Medium, at once changes Its thought (because Its thought is deductive only) and says, “Yes, you are all o f these things.” What ever is held in consciousness until it becomes a part of the subjective side o j thought must take place in the world o j affairs. Nothing can stop it. The reason we do not demonstrate more easily is that the ob jective state of our thought is too often neutralized by the subjective state. There is more fear of poverty than there is belief in riches. As long as that fear remains it is sure to produce a limited condition. Whatever is subjective must objectify. Matter is immaterial, unknowing, unthinking, and plastic in the hands of Law or Mind; and Law or Subjective Mind, which is entirely unvolitional, but not unintelligent, is compelled by its own subjectivity to receive the thought o f the con scious mind, which alone can choose and decide. It follows then that whatever the conscious mind holds long enough is bound to be produced in external affairs; nothing can stop it, because we are dealing with Universal Law. This is called Divine Principle. It is the Medium in which
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MIND
we all live, move and have our being on the subjective side of life; our atmosphere in Universal Subjectivity; the medium through which all intercommunication takes place on every plane. It follows from what we have said that any suggestion held in Creative Mind would pro duce its logical result, no matter what that suggestion might be. If it were a suggestion of de struction, it would destroy; for this is a neutral field. If it were a suggestion of good, it would construct. / C
hrist an d
A
ntich rist
The Spirit o f Christ means that mentality which recognizes the Law and uses It for constructive purposes only. The spirit o f Antichrist is the spirit o f the individual, or class of individuals who, understanding the Law, use It destructively. The meaning o f the Flood or Deluge (which is recorded in every sacred scripture we have read or heard of) is that a race of people were upon the earth who came to understand psychic, or subjective, law as being the servant of the Spirit. They understood themselves to be Spirit, but they did not understand the harmonious Unity of Spirit. They had arrived at an intellectual concept of the Law,— a very clearly defined men tal concept; but that knowledge and wisdom were not used for constructive purposes. They used it destructively, and what happened? The confusion which took place in the psychic world (or the psychic atmosphere of this planet) caused its physical correspondence in the form of the Deluge or Flood. Psyche also means “sea,” and it was into this psychic sea that Jonah fell. This is the meaning o f the story of Jonah and the whale and is also why, in Revelation, it says: “There was no more sea ”36 It does not mean that Law shall be eliminated, but that the time will come when It will be used for constructive purposes only. The misuse of this Law to-day is called “Malprac tice.” We have no fear o f malpractice, because it can be practiced only upon the person who believes in it. If we say to Mind: “There is no such thing as malpractice,” there being only One Ultimate Reality, as far as we are concerned, we are free from it. “Against such there is no law.”37We recognize Subconscious Mind as the Great Servant o f our thought. It is the Medium through which all treatment operates. How do we contact this Universal Subjective Mind, which is the Medium through which healing and demonstration take place? We contact It within ourselves and nowhere else. It is in us, being Omnipresent. Our use o f It, we call our subjective mind; but It is Universal Subjectivity.
36 Rev. 21 : 1. 37 Gal.
s ■23-
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THE
LESSONS
M a n Is I d e n t i f i e d in M i n d
Mental treatment recognizes that each individual has his identity in Mind and is known in Mind by the name he bears. This Subjective Law knows there is a John Smith and a Mary Jones. Why? Because John Smith and Mary Jones know that there is a John Smith and a Mary Jones. But It only knows about them what they know about themselves. Being subjective to their thought, It could not know anything else; consequently, whatever John Smith and Mary Jones say, It says, accepts and does. This is a marvelous concept. Unless we have thought it out, it may seem rather star tling. But it means this:— that the Law absolutely accepts us at our own valuation. Now this does not mean that it accepts us at an assumption of valuation, but at the actual valuation. It can reflect to us only the actual embodiment of ourselves. It is the deep inner conviction that we carry which decides what is going to happen. So we are each known by the name we bear, and each is daily making some statement about that name. When we say “I am this or that,” we are involving in Mind statements which Mind in turn produces as conditions.
Tr e a t m
ent
In treatment we turn entirely from the condition, because so long as we look at a condition we cannot overcome it. That is why the mystic said: “Behold my face forevermore.” “Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends o f the earth.” 38That is, look up and not down. It is useless to treat ones business, because business is an immaterial thing. It is an unthinking, unknowing thing— a lot of stuff in form , a lot of forms in stuff. That which decides what the business shall be is in Consciousness or Mind. Consequently, we must involve in Mind a correct concept of the busi ness, seeing it as we want it to be; and when we have seen it that way long enough, it will be so. How long will it take? Until the subjective side o f thought accepts the new concept as true, or until we have neutralized the old concept. Jesus had a great understanding and He gave a clew to that understanding when He said: “The Prince o f this world cometh and findeth nothing in me.” 39 He meant that race-suggestion found no mental correspondence or equivalent in Him. His consciousness was so clear that it operated directly from the Spirit.
38 Isa. 4$ : 22. 39 John 14 : 30.
»5
THE
The A
SCIENCE
im
of
OF
MIND
E vo lu tio n
The aim of evolution is to produce a man who, at the point o f his objective thought, may com pletely manifest the whole idea of life— i.e., bring the concept o f Unity to the point of par ticularization, finding nothing in the Law to oppose it. The reason Jesus was able to become the Christ was, that at the objective point of His thought there was a complete realization of the Unity o f the Spirit and the Absoluteness of His word. His spiritual and psychical faculties, His objective and subjective mind, were completely poised and perfectly balanced. It is evident that if this took place in any individual his word would be manifested likewise. It would have to be, because behind the word is Universal Soul, Omnipotent Law. Divine Principle is Limitless, but It can only be to us what we believe It is. Why must we believe It is? Because until we believe It is, we are believing It is not. The reason some people cannot dem onstrate the Truth is, they do not realize It. The whole thing is a matter of belief; but belief is scienttfically induced into a subjective state through conscious endeavor and effort. Treatment is the science o f inducing within Mind concepts, acceptances, and realizations o f peace, poise, power, plenty, health, happiness, and success, or whatever the particular need may be. What does a practitioner do? He sets the Law in motion in Universal Mind. Let us suppose that Mary is sick, and that John is a practitioner. She comes to him, saying, “I am sick.” He, being a metaphysician, understands that Mind is all; she does not understand this. She feels that she is sick. But he knows that all sickness is mental. He does not try to hold a thought over her, nor does he try to suggest anything to her; for that is not mental treatment. He simply declares the Truth about her; he speaks her name and says: “This word is for her; she is perfect; she is well.” In other words, he contradicts what appears to be and declares the Truth about her. What happens? A law is being enacted on the subjective side of life. His word, operative through the Universal Sea of Mind (in which both live) sets in motion a law which objectifies through her body as healing. Mary thinks a miracle has been performed. She exclaims: “I am healed. I did not have a bit of faith, but John healed me.” No miracle has been performed. He used a law which all may use if they w ill. Suppose Mary were perfectly well, but wanted a position,— what would the treatment be? It would be the same. John would state in Mind what should be done for Mary. There is only One Law, and Mary could demonstrate just as well for herself if she understood It, but she must first see It demonstrated to realize It. This is the state of mind of most people who come for healing. They do not know what ails them; they think their condition is due to some external cause. Nevertheless, they are healed and exclaim: “This is a marvelous thing, though I do not understand what it is all about.” Often they become superstitious about it, as people do about the things they do not understand; once they understand the Law, however, healing is no longer a mystery.
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The only reason a man has difficulty in throwing off some weakness o f character, while believing in Spirit implicitly and having faith that he is going to overcome his limitation, is because he has not induced the necessary mental images in Mind. If he had, he would have overcome his trouble; thinking o f his weakness keeps the image o f it before him. In treating, turn entirely away from the condition. Disease and limitation are neither person, place nor thing; they are simply images o f thought. Turn entirely from the condition, or the limited situation, to its opposite; that is, to the realization o f health, happiness or harmony.
M
ethods
of
Tr e a tm
ent
Although several methods o f treatment are used, there are but two distinct methods; one is called argumentative, and the other realization. The argumentative method is a process of mental argument in which the practitioner argues to himself about his patient. He is, conse quently, presenting a logical argument to Universal Mind, or Divine Principle; and if that argu ment carries with it a complete evidence in favor o f his patient, it is supposed that the patient will be healed. The method o f realization is one whereby the practitioner realizes within himself the perfect state of his patient; it is purely a spiritual and meditative process of contemplating the Per fect Man; and if the embodiment o f the idea is really made, it will at once produce a healing. Treatment is for the purpose of inducing an inner realization o f perfection in the mentality of the practitioner, which inner realization, acting through Mind, operates in the patient. Between John and Mary there is One Universal Medium which is also in John and M ary; It is not only between them, but in them. As John knows right where John is (since there is only One), he is at the same time knowing right where Mary is, because his work is operative through a field which is not divided but which is a complete Unit or W hole, i.e ., Universal Subjectivity. As he knows within or upon himself, he is setting in motion the Law, which operates through the person whom he mentions in his treatment, no matter where the patient may be. There is no such thing as an absent treatment, as opposed to a present treatment. Mary must have a consciousness o f health before the healing can be permanent. It w ill have to become a part o f her subjective thought. If the consciousness did not change she would perpetuate the old thought images and would get sick again; and that is why, in treating, people get well for a while and then become sick again. They are not permanently healed unless the consciousness is healed. A treatment begins and ends within the thought ojthe one giving it. The practitioner must do the whole work within himself. He must know the Truth, and as he does that, he sets in motion the Law. A thing which is known by any part o f the Universal Mind is known by every part o f It, for It is
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an Undivided W hole. When you know in one place you know everywhere. When you give a treatment you do not send out a thought, or hold a thought, or give suggestion. A treatment is a positive thing. If you are treating a certain John Smith, you say (if he is not present), “I am treating John Smith of such and such a place.” Then you forget all about him as a personality and give your treatment. It is not necessary to specify the trouble. Once in a great while, you might find yourself mentioning a thing in order to make some statement against it, but probably that is not the best way. O f course there are certain thoughts back of certain things, and a knowledge of the disease might enable you to know better what thought to destroy. It is like this: Mary Jones comes to John Smith and says, “I have tuberculosis.” In answer to this he declares, “This word is for Mary Jones. She is a perfect and complete manifestation of Pure Spirit, and Pure Spirit cannot be diseased; consequently she is not diseased.” This is an argument, trying to bring out the evidence in favor o f perfection. It is an argument which produces a certain conclusion in the mentality o f John Smith, and, consequently, it sets in m o tion a certain law for Mary Jones. As John does this, day after day, he gradually becomes con vinced o f her perfection and she is healed. If he could do it in one minute, she would be healed in one minute. There is no process in healing. It is a revelation, an awakening, a realization of Life. Man exists in Divine Mind as a Perfect Image; but he covers himself with the distorted images of his own thought along the pathway o f his mental experience. If using the method o f realization, say, “This word or this thought is for Mary Jones.” Then begin to realize the Perfect Presence, the Only Perfect Presence. “ God is all there is; there is no other Life” ; very little argument, but more and more a complete realization. This is very powerful, although it makes no difference which method you use, as they produce the same result. It is a good idea to combine both. In the case o f a child, the treatment should be the same. It would have an effect commensurate with the absolute conviction that the practitioner has. But in the case o f an infant, who is subjective to the conscious thought o f the people around it, you must teach those people how to think about the child, and see that they do think that way; else you might heal the child and their thought might make it sick again. In case o f failure, it is probable that the trouble is more with John than with Mary, as far as the immediate healing is concerned. However, diseases are the direct results of certain habitual mental attitudes which people entertain, and unless those mental attitudes are changed, there will be no permanent healing. It is the business o f the practitioner to discover what those at titudes are and to change them. It is also the business o f the practitioner to show people why they are as they are, and to teach them how to overcome undesirable attitudes. In giving a treatment, you talk to yourself about somebody else.
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We must grasp the idea of Universal Subjectivity, the Potentiality o f all things, the Divine Creative Medium. This is the Principle through which we are to demonstrate the healing of the body or o f the conditions; and It acts accurately and mathematically, because It is the Law of cause and effect.
Su bjective Law
When we think, we think from conscious intelligence, or Spirit. We will say that the thought becomes subjectified; i.e., it goes into the subconscious mind. But what is m ans subconscious mind? It is his atmosphere or mental vibration in Universal Subjectivity. There is no such thing as your subjective mind and my subjective mind, meaning two, for this would be duality. But there is such a thing as the subjective state o f your thought and of my thought in Mind. This should be made very clear, for here is where psychology and metaphysics separate; i.e., their understandings are different. When we think, we think into a Universal Creative Medium, a receptive and plastic substance which surrounds us on all sides, which permeates us and flows through us. We do not have to think that we are thinking in It or upon It; for when we think we do think into and upon It; there is no other place that we could think, since It is Omnipresent. As each subjectifies himself in consciousness he is building around himself a mental atmo sphere; and nothing can enter this unless he allows it to,, through the avenues of his own thought; but this thought might be conscious or unconscious; in most cases it is unconscious, but the student o f Truth is learning to consciously control the stream of thought that he allows to enter his inner and creative mentality.
Th o u g h t
and
the
C
reative
M
ediu m
Thought is an inner movement which is the result o f on es perception o f life and his reaction to it. Every time this movement takes place it takes place within Mind, upon Cause, according to law. We are, without question, dealing with the same Power that molds the planets and all that is upon them; and the limit of our ability to prove this is not in Principle, but is in our under standing of It; in our ability to incorporate within ourselves an embodiment o f our ideals.
Each
Is
t h e L o g i c a l R e s u l t o f His O w n T h i n k i n g
We are dealing with a neutral, creative power, just as we would be in the case o f electricity or any other natural force. It is on a higher plane; for it is the power o f intelligence. As we think into this Universal Mind, our thought, in its externalization, w ill reach its own level, just as
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water will reach its own level by its own weight and without effort. This is in line with neces sity; for the Universe, in order to be at all, must be Self-Existent. What is meant by the Self-Existence o f the Universe? This means a Universe which is Its own reason for being; a Universe which exists by virtue o f Itself, being All. Each one o f us is to-day the result o f what has gone before, either consciously or uncon sciously, no matter what kind o f a condition he may be in. As soon as we realize this we shall be better off, because we shall see that since what we now are, or what we now have and ex perience, is the result of what we have thought; the answer to what we shall be is contained in what we now are; for we can change our thinking. Man thinks and supposes that he lets go of the thoughts he thinks. But such is not the case; for thought becomes subjectified in Mind, like a seed planted in the soil; it stays there, unless neutralized, and decides the attraction and repulsion in the experience of the one thinking. There is a constant action on the subjective side o f life; and it is this unconscious process which decides what is going to happen in the outer expression. Whatever we think, act, believe in, feel, visualize, vision, image, read, talk about, in fact, all processes which affect or impress us at all, are going into the subjective state of our thought, which is our individualized use o f Universal Mind. Whatever goes into the subjective state of thought tends to return again as some condition.
A L aw o f B e l i e f Jesus said, “As thou hast believed so be it done unto thee.”4° Knowing the nature of the law, He did not say, “It is done unto you as you wish.” He announced the universality of law when He said, “As thou hast believed so be it done unto thee ”4°
W
e
A
re
D
ealin g
w ith
Law
Some one may say, “I can’t imagine God not caring.” I cannot either; but we are dealing with law. Does the law o f electricity care whether it cooks the dinner or burns the house down? Whether it electrocutes a criminal or warms the feet o f a saint? O f course it does not care at all! Does the urge, which impels people to express, care whether a man kneels in ecstasy or lies drunk in the gutter? We are dealing with law. And it follows that, since we are dealing with law, it will ultimately bring back to us the results o f the forces which we set in motion through it. Consequently, no person who is enlightened would seek to use this law destructively; for he
4 0 M att. 8 : 1 3 .
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would know that, sooner or later, the very power set in motion by himself would ultimately destroy him. “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”41 The Spirit o f Christ is the spirit which constructively uses the law. The spirit o f Antichrist is the destructive use of law. The Spirit o f Christ, being in line with the Cosmic Life, will always transcend, neutralize, destroy, and utterly obliterate the spirit o f Antichrist; and ultimately only the Spirit of Christ can succeed. “ He that hath an ear, let him hear”42
The C ycle
of
N
ecessity a n d
K
arm ic
L aw
The cycle o f necessity means that those things which the individual sets in motion through the law must ultimately swing back to him again. This is the Karmic Law; “The law that binds the ig norant but frees the wise.” This law has been announced by every great teacher who has ever lived. Jesus referred to this law when He said, “As thou hast believed so be it done unto thee” ;43 and when He said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”44 It is the law to which Isaiah referred when he said, “ So shall my word be that goeth forth out o f my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please ”4* This is the law which to-day is called “Divine Principle,” or the law o f cause and effect; it means that once a tendency is set in motion through law, it is bound to objectify at the level o f the subjective concept which entertains it. There is nothing fatalistic about this, for we may consciously change the currents o f subjectivity with the conscious thought. Indeed, this is what treatment does.
The L aw
of
A
ctio n
and
R
eactio n
This is simply the law o f cause and effect, and instead o f getting too occult or mystical a concept of it we would better think o f it simply as something into which we think, and which returns to the thinker what he thinks into it. This law can be applied for concrete purposes, and once it is set in motion the rest works automatically. This is why we may absolutely trust Principle when we understand how it operates. It knows everything and can do anything; but in order to work for us, we must let it work through us. This is the power that Jesus used when He withered the fig tree and when He raised Lazarus from the dead.
41 Matt. 26 : £2. 42 Rev. 3 : 6 . 43 Matt. 8 : 1 3 . 44 Luke 21 : 3 3.
45 Isa. ss :n .
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e
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A
rgue
OF
MIND
M
in
ind
So we argue in Mind; and if we argue toward a belief in health, we will be healed. It isn’t a question o f suggestion or of the power of thought making us well, for this is but a limited sense of w ill power. It isn't something over which we must clinch our teeth and will to be; it is something which we have to know. Water doesn’t have to will to be wet, it is wet; and if we go into it we will get wet. Life doesn’t have to claim to be Life; It simply announces Itself to be what It knows that It Is. So we argue in Mind, not to convince Mind that It is or can accomplish, but to convince ourselves that we are now perfect.
W
rong
U
se o f
M
ind
There have been many controversies about the use and the misuse o f this power. Some claim that we cannot misuse this power, since there is but One Mind, and It cannot act against Itself. Mind cannot act against Itself; and any person who knows this, and who knows that there is no human mind to destroy, or to be destroyed, is immune from malpractice. But let any one be lieve in malpractice, and he will open mental avenues of receptivity to it; for we can receive only that to which we vibrate. Malpractice is the ignorant use of something which o f itself is good. It is the wrong use of mental power and w ill never be indulged in by any one who understands the Truth; neither can one who understands the Truth be affected by it. There could be innocent, ignorant and mali cious malpractice. Innocent malpractice, in the form o f sympathy with disease and trouble, thereby accentuating these conditions, is often prolific of dire results. Ignorant malpractice would be about the same thing; for instance, when one sees a criminal, thinking of him as such helps to perpetuate the state in which he is manifesting. Malicious malpractice would be an act o f centering thought for destructive purposes. When Jesus said, “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me,”46 He meant that he had neutralized all race thought about de struction and so was immune to all false suggestion. This we should all try to do.
Su bjective
but
N
ot
U
n co nscio us
The subjective mind can deduce only; it cannot, o f itself, initiate anything; but this does not mean that it is unintelligent. We must be very careful not to labor under the delusion that
4 6 John 1 4 : 30 .
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because the subjective mind cannot reason it is unintelligent, for it is infinitely more intelligent than our present state of conscious mind, but is, nevertheless, controlled by it. If our subjective consciousness were always clear, that is, if it never received any false im pressions, the Spirit would always flow to the point of objectivity and we would never make mistakes; we would never be sick, poor, or unhappy.
How
H abits A r e Form ed
Back in the subjective are the images of thought surrounding us, all acting as living intelli gences. It is here that habits are formed; for when one has a habit that he cannot seem to break he is hypnotized by the thought and desire back o f that habit; the thought force has grown too strong to be controlled. Habits are healed by neutralizing the thought forces behind them.
L a w Is M
ind
in
A
ctio n
There is One Infinite Life acting through Law, and this Law is mental; Law is Mind in action. We are surrounded by an Infinite, Subconscious, Impersonal, Neutral, Plastic, Creative, EverPresent, Thinking Stuff from which all things come, which, in Its Original State, permeates and penetrates all things. By impressing our thought upon this Substance we can cause It to produce for us that which we think, to the limit of our ability to mentally embody the idea. Impressing our thought upon It is not an external act, for when we impress our thought upon ourselves, we are thinking into It; this is because of the Unity o f all Mind. This is one o f the great lessons to learn; we do not know anything outside ourselves. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.”47When we know within ourselves we are knowing at the point o f that Individualized Spirit which we are; upon the very Heart of the Infinite, the Ever-Present Substance, which is ever responsive to Itself.
W
e
A
re
Bound
by
O
ur
O
w n
Freedom
We are all bound, tied hand and foot, by our very freedom; our free will binds us; but, as free will creates the conditions which externally limit us, so it can uncreate or dissolve them. The Universe, being deductive only, cannot refuse man anything. The very force that makes us sick an heal us; the force that makes us poor can make us rich;
4 7 John 8 : 3 2 .
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MIND
and the power that makes us miserable can make us happy. If this were not true there would be duality in the Universe, and this is impossible.
O
neness w ith
A
ll
Law
When we know of our Oneness with God and Law, what a great burden will be removed which otherwise would cause us to struggle in making a demonstration! The sense of opposition must forever be removed from the consciousness which perceives Unity. Instead o f saying, “Here is a sick man to heal and I shall have to work hard on this case,” we should realize that there is nothing but concept in the Universe and, therefore, say, “I am going to conceive o f this man as being absolutely perfect,” then the same power which made him sick w ill heal him. This is the reversal of thought. That which we call our subjective mind is but a point in Universal Mind where our person ality maintains its individualized expression of Spirit. If we think o f ourselves as being separated from the Universe we will be limited by this thought; for it is a belief in separation from Good which binds and limits; we are bound by nothing except belief. “They could not enter in be cause of unbelief,”48 and because they “limited the Holy One o f Israel ”49 There is but One Mind. Here is the point: everything we experience, touch, taste, handle and smell; environment, bodies, conditions, money, happiness, friends; all are effects. Is it clear that the infinite and limitless possibilities o f that One of which man is a part, depend, in m ans expression, upon his own concepts? If he is a point of personality in limitless Mind, which he is, and if all of his life must be drawn from this One Mind, which it must, there cannot be anything else, can there? And if there is nothing else, if there is nothing to move but Mind, and if man is a thinking center in Mind, nothing is going to happen to him that does not happen through him, whether this is the result of his own erroneous conclusions, those of his grandfathers, or the race to which he belongs. It is impossible to conceive o f anything ever happening to any one unless the force back of it was set in motion by himself, sometime or somewhere. But this is not fatal istic, for we may change the chain of causation which we have set in motion. Everything comes from Intelligence; there is nothing but Unity; there is nothing but free dom; there is nothing but completeness; there is nothing but Totality. Begin at the beginning and reason this out time after time till doubt disappears; for you will be neutralizing that sub jectivity which rises to slay you. It is necessary that each do this for himself.
48 Heb. 3 : 1 9 . 49 Ps. 78 : 41
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LESSONS
em o n stratio n
As far as making a demonstration is concerned, when we get the correct consciousness this is the easiest thing in the world; but we cannot demonstrate beyond our ability to mentally em body an idea. The argument is between our experience, what the world believes, and what we are convinced is the Truth. It should be understood that we can demonstrate in spite o f our own selves, in spite o f all weakness, in spite o f every fear, in spite o f all that is in us, because such is the power of the Truth. If we waited to be good before demonstrating, the wheel might turn a million times; but law is neither good nor bad; law is and responds. The Possibility of demonstrating does not depend upon environment, conditions, location, personality or opportunity. It depends upon ourselves and upon nothing else. The Universe will never deny man anything, unless we conceive that it is possible for man to think of something that it is impossible for the universe to produce. Every one who asks receives, according to his belief.
Karm
ic
Law
Annie Besant said of Karma, “It is the law that binds the ignorant but frees the wise.” That which is called Karm a in the Orient, we call cause and effect. The subjective state of consciousness is our Karma; this is the result of the thinking that has gone before, and o f the race-suggestion operating through us. Karma is not fate; it is mental law; and it can be changed by right think ing and right action. Karma is not Kismet.
Th
ought
Force
Thought force is the movement o f consciousness which sets law in operation. The movement of consciousness upon itself creates a motion or vibration in Intelligence and upon Substance, the force o f which is equal to the reality o f the thought set in motion. For everything that hap pens in the objective world, there must be something in the subjective world to perfectly bal ance it. Just suppose for a moment that the Universe is nothing but water, permeated by an Infinite Intelligence. Imagine that every time this Intelligence moves or thinks an icicle is formed in the water, exactly corresponding to the thought. We might have countless numbers of icicles of different forms, colors and sizes; but these icicles would still be water. If we could heat the whole mass, it would melt, and all the forms would again become fluent; nothing would have changed but form . This is all there is to matter; it is Spirit in Form; and as such is perfectly good; to deny matter is poor logic.
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SCIENCE
OF
MIND
First is Intelligence; then the Word, the vision, the image, the concept; then the movement to the thing. Remember, thought is an actual working power; otherwise there would be noth ing with which the Universe could be run.
C
h o o sing
Th o u g h t
We have a right to choose what we shall induce in Mind. The way that our thoughts are to be come manifested we cannot always see; but we should not be disturbed if we do not see the way, because effect is potential in cause; “I am Alpha and Omega,”*0 and all that comes between cause and effect. Cause and effect are really One, and if we have a given cause set in motion the effect will have to equal this cause. One is the inside and the other the outside of a concept or idea. A practitioner’s work begins and ends within himself. If, in doing mental work, the thought should come that the thing cannot be done, you must treat this thought as having no power, but only as an impersonal suggestion trying to gain entrance to your mentality. Realize that there is nothing in you that can hinder you from demonstrating the Truth. If one says to himself, “I am filled with life, health, strength and vigor,” and then goes down the street saying, “I see a poor blind beggar, a criminal and a sick person,” he is still treating himself just as much as when he affirmed that he was perfect. We are only as perfect as we perceive others to be. This does not mean that we shut our eyes to those who are in trouble; for we may have sympathy with the one having trouble without having sympathy with his trouble. We must have sympathy with all, for, as one o f the great prophets of the new age said, “The Divinity o f Christ was made manifest through the Humanity o f Jesus.” A certain, specific, intelligent form , or idea in Mind, will produce a certain, specific, con crete manifestation in matter, equal to itself. There is one Infinite Principle, One Infinite Thought-Stuff, One Infinite Creative Power and countless numbers o f forms, which appear and disappear as the definite, specific, concrete thought behind them changes. A practitioner is one who changes the false thought and builds on the Principle of Truth, which executes and manifests the truth that the practitioner embodies. He can demonstrate to the limit o f his mental ability and his spiritual capacity to conceive o f the Truth. If one wishes to demonstrate prosperity he must first have a consciousness of prosperity; if he wishes health he must embody the idea of health. A consciousness o f health, happiness and prosperity can be induced within through right mental and spiritual practice. By consciousness is meant the inner embodiment o f an idea; the subjective image o f the idea; the mental and spiritual equivalent of the idea.
go Rev. i : 8.
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THE
In
LESSONS
d u cin g
Th o u g h
t
W hile a certain consciousness may be mechanically induced, o f course, the more spontaneity put into the mechanical word, the more power the word must have. Since we all must begin right where we are, most o f us will be compelled to begin with a mechanical process. This is more than faith, for it is a sure knowledge that we are dealing with Law. Principle is Changeless Reality. That which we call personality is the instrument through which Principle operates, but It can operate for the individual only by operating through him. It is never bound by the form that It takes, but is forever free. Principle fills all form , and not only fills all forms but surges around them, and is in and through them. Ice is water and water is ice; so God and man exist in an Eternal state of Unity. When one realizes that he is depending upon Principle, he should educate himself to the point o f realization o f his ability to use It. We should always be impersonal in mental work. We do not have to be impersonal in life, for we are brought to the point of personality in order that we might enjoy each other. But in mental work we are dealing with an impersonal Principle. It will operate for one just as quickly as for another, because It is Law. Dare to speak and to know that what you speak is the law unto the thing spoken. One, alone in consciousness with the Infinite, constitutes a complete majority. Knowing this in your own thought, work in perfect peace and calm; always expect; have enthusiasm; and have a consciousness of love; that is, a radiant feeling flowing through the personality at all times. If one hasn’t this he should treat himself until he does have it; for with out it, he is diseased in mind. Treat until you feel an inner sense of Unity with the all Good. There is One Mind, and the moving impulse o f this Mind is Love. In choosing words in treatment, say anything that w ill induce the right mental attitude. Giving formulas is a mistake, for how can any one put a spontaneous thought into the mind of another? Any one can stand in front of a dead man and say, “Arise,” but who is going to have the consciousness to make this happen?
P la c e N o Lim it o n P r in c ip le
Know your own mind; train yourself to think what you wish to think; be what you wish to be; feel what you wish to feel; and place no limit on Principle. The word which you speak would be just as powerful as the words which Jesus spoke, if you knew it; but know this within and not only without. After all, all there is, is mental action and reaction. If you have reached the point where the
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inner consciousness produces all things, then your word is simply an announcement o f reality. There will come a time when demonstration will no longer be necessary. Know that when you give a treatment, the act takes place in Infinite Mind. Infinite Mind is the Actor and you are the announcer. If you have a vague, subtle, unconscious fear, get still and think, “Who am I? What am I? Who is speaking? What is my life?” Think right back to Principle until your thought becomes perfectly clear again. Such is the Power o f right thinking that It cancels and erases everything unlike Itself. It answers every question, solves all problems, is the solution to every difficulty. It is like the sunlight o f Eternal Truth, bursting through the clouds o f obscurity and bathing all life in glory. It is the Absolute with which you are dealing and nothing less.
Note: Read carefully “Being and Becoming,” F. L. Holmes; “Dore Lectures,” T. Troward; “From Existence to Life,” James Porter Mills; “Mind’s Silent Partner,” James Porter Mills; “History and Power o f Mind,” Richard Ingalese.
LESSON T W O : RECAPITULATION Man reenacts the Divine Nature on all three planes; he is self-knowing in his conscious mind, creative through his subconscious mind, and has a body. He reenacts the Trinity of Being. Man is in perfect unity with the Whole. His conscious mind is his understanding of God; his subjective mind is the use that he makes o f the Universal Creative Medium; and his body is one with the Body o f God. There is but One Mind in the Universe, and man uses It. Man is an identity in the Universe; he is a center of God-Consciousness. At first he is ignorant o f this and misuses his power, con sequently bringing upon himself misfortune and sickness. M ans thought operates through the medium o f Universal Creative Mind. As he thinks within himself, he thinks upon Creative Mind and sets Law in motion. Since there is but One Mind a person may think for himself, or for some one else, and cause the Law to operate as he directs. The use of Creative Mind is like the use o f the creative soil. Man never creates; he simply uses a Creative Law. Objective, conscious and self-knowing mind, all have the same meaning; they mean that part of man which knows that it exists.
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Subjective, subconscious, unconscious, soul and consciousness have the same meaning; they mean the inner creative medium. Body, effect and outward conditions all respond to the inner thought. The Spirit o f man, which is his self-knowingness, is the only part o f him which has volition or self-choice; all else is automatic law. M ans conscious thought, acting through Law, may change any condition in his experience, provided he can clearly conceive of that condition as being changed. There is no limit to the Law. The limit is not in the Law but in m ans ability to embody the Truth and constructively use the Law. Remember, there is but One Mind and One Law which all people use, consciously or un consciously, constructively or destructively; One Spirit, One Mind, One Law, One Substance, but many forms. There is only One Ultimate Reality, but within this One there are many experiences. Man is within the One and draws from It any and all experiences in which he believes. As man thinks he subjectifies thought and sets Law in motion through the Medium of the Universal Mind. This Law works automatically until It is consciously changed. Man uses a Power which is Infinite as compared with the power o f his conscious thought. Divine Principle means Universal Subjective Law; It is the Medium of all thought and action. Freedom and bondage, sickness and health, poverty and riches, heaven and hell, good and bad, big and little, happiness and misery, peace and confusion, faith and fear and all conditions that appear as opposites, are not really opposing powers, but are the way that the One Power is used. Man has within himself the key to every situation, but he must come to realize his relation to the W hole. That relationship is one of Perfect Unity.
LESSON THREE: IN T R O D U C T I O N H
ealin g
Mental healing means mind healing. The possibility o f healing physical diseases through the power of right thinking rests entirely on the theory that we are surrounded by an Infinite Mind which reacts to our thought.
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That people have been healed through prayer and by faith in all ages, there is no question. But we live in a Universe of Law and Order, and at no time can that Law or Order be broken; therefore, if people have been healed through prayer and faith, it is because they have some where contacted a Law which really exists. To suppose that God would heal one man any more readily than another, would be to suppose that God is human and subject to the changing emo tions that we ascribe to the human mind. To believe that the Divine Power would operate for one man simply because he asked It to, but would not operate for all, would be to believe in a God more human than man himself. It is very evident, however, that many times people have been healed through prayer; and either God has especially answered them, while He left others to suffer, or else by the act of prayer they have complied with some law. Again, many people have prayed and their prayers have not been answered; yet they have prayed to the best o f their ability. Why have some been heard and others not heard? The only possible answer is that some reached a place in their mentality where they believed, while others fell short of this mental attitude. After all, prayer is a certain mental attitude, a certain way o f thinking, a certain way of believing. All prayer is mental; some prayers reach a state of belief, while others fall short of that state. This leads us to suppose that the answer to prayer is in the prayer when it is prayed. True prayer stimulates a belief in Good which nothing else can, and often causes the one who prays to rise to a point in mentality where the healing work may be done according to the Law of the Universe, which is a Law of Mind. We have no objection to any form o f healing. Anything that will help to overcome suffering must be good, whether it takes the form o f a pill or of a prayer. We do not oppose doctors nor medical practitioners, but gratefully acknowledge the wonderful work that they have done and are doing. We hold no controversy with any one on the subject o f healing. We are glad when any one is healed, or helped, by any method. We believe in any and all methods, and know that each has its place in the whole. We know that m ans life is a drama which takes place on three planes— the physical, the mental and the spiritual. We know that each needs to be taken into account. We believe in proper food, proper exercise, proper clothing, proper sanitation and in everything that is real and sensible. We include all and exclude none. But, while we do not hold arguments with any one, neither will we allow any one to hold controversies with us. We know that m ans life, in reality, is spiritual and mental; and that until the thought is healed, no form o f cure will be permanent. We will gladly cooperate with any and all; but we will not accept the judgment of any and all. We know that there is a Law higher than the physical, and we seek to use It. We, perhaps, shall not always succeed, but we shall not become discouraged or confused over the issue, but will continue until we arrive. We hold no arguments over any form of theology. We believe in any and every church and in all forms of worship. Above all, we certainly believe in God. But we will not allow any one
i oo
THE
LESSONS
to tell us how to worship God, nor compel us to worship in any way other than the way we choose. We reject the theory that the Truth has been once and for all time given and that It cannot be added to nor taken from. We know this to be true about the Truth; but we also know that no one, so far, has arrived at a complete understanding o f Truth. We expect more light all along the line, and we repudiate any belief that says that all truth has been given. We know that the authority o f man is, in most cases, an assumption and not a reality, and we refuse to be hypnotized into believing in any man-made mandate.
W
hat
W
e
U
nderstand
A
bout
H
ealin g
We understand that health is a mental and not a physical state. We seek to heal m en s mentali ties, knowing that to the degree in which we are successful we shall also be healing their bod ies. We know that to the degree in which we are able to see a perfect man he will appear. We feel that man is really perfect, no matter how he appears; and we seek to uncover that perfec tion which is within every m ans life, for this is healing. We realize that mental healing must also be spiritual healing, for the two cannot be di vorced. We know that a belief in duality has made man sick and that the understanding o f Unity alone will heal him. We seek to realize that Unity with God in all our healing work. Every treatment must carry with it a realization of God if it is to be a good treatment. We are not superstitious about this, but understand that it is necessary since all Life is One. God stands to us for the One Life in which we all live.
Th o u g h ts A
re
Th in g s
We know that thoughts are things. We know that thought is intelligent and has power within itself to objectify itself. We know that belief makes thought very powerful. We know that our thought lays hold o f Causation and manipulates real Substance. We know that the word o f man is the law o f his life, under the One Great Law o f all Life. We know that thoughts of sickness make man sick, and that thoughts of health and perfection will heal him. We know that a real ization of the Presence o f God is the most powerful healing agency known to the mind o f man. We do not argue over the issue, nor seek to convince any one o f its merits. We have passed the stage o f doubt and uncertainty; for we KNOW. We also know that we can heal only to the degree that we can think from the higher motive; and we know that we should be constantly on the alert, seeking to embody higher thoughts. Meanwhile, we w ill use the best thought that we have and will expect to heal and help all who ask our aid.
io I
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Thought is the conscious activity o f the one thinking, and works as he directs; it works through Law, but that Law is consciously set in motion. We know that Law will operate for us to the fullest extent o f our belief in, and understanding of, it. We realize that since our understanding is not yet complete, it is legitimate to use any and all methods that will help humanity; but we do look forward to the day when Truth alone w ill answer every need. That day will come to the degree that we know it is already here.The men tal healer will do all o f his work in Mind and will give his whole time and attention to correct knowing; but he will leave his patient free to use any method that will help him. In this way he w ill get the best results, for everything is good so far as it goes; but a consciousness o f Truth alone can really and permanently heal.
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LESSON THREE: M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO . III. The upper section o f this chart shows how the conscious mind, or spirit o f man, reflects or contemplates itself, through the medium of soul or subjectivity, into form or matter. The middle section represents the World-Soul or Subjectivity; the M irror o f Mind and unformed matter; the Servant o f the Spirit; the lowest section shows the result o f self-contemplation as it takes form in the world o f matter. Read and carefully study the metaphysical meanings o f the words used in the Individual Chart.
1 03
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LESSON THREE: M E T A P H Y S IC A L M E A N I N G OF W O RD S USED IN C H A R T NO. Ill U n i v e r s a l S p i r i t .— M eans the universe of conscious mind and self-determination. The Universal Subjectivity means the Creative Medium of the Spirit, or the Sub jective Law of the Universe. Particularization means the world of matter and forms. Read again the explanation to Chart Number One. The descent of Spirit means the passing of Spirit into form— the particularization of Spirit into many things. The point, drawn from the top of the chart to the bottom section, symbol izes the Unity of all Life. Spirit passes through Law into Form. Multiplicity comes from Unity, but never contradicts Oneness. The many are within the One.
M ans life partakes of the Divine Nature, and this chart may be used in the Individual or the Universal sense. Our conscious mind is some part of the One Conscious Mind of the Whole. The Complete Nature o f God is reflected in man, and he uses the same law that God uses; for there is but One Law, as there is but One Spirit, Both God and man use the same Creative Medium or the Universal Subjectivity. It is the law o f all thought and all action. Things come from One Source through One Common Law and One Common Creative Medium. We think of our lives as One with the W hole on all three planes o f expression. We are one with the Conscious Mind, one with the Creative Law, and in our bodies we are one with all matter. No matter what we are treating or for what purpose, the Medium o f all thought is the Universal Law. It particularizes Itself through the power of the word that is spoken into It. The word alone is conscious. The Law is Automatic and the form is without self-determination. C
o n s c io u s
M
in d
or
S p i r i t . — M eans the Se lf-K n o w in g M in d o f the U n iverse. C o n -
tem plator, o r R efle cto r, m eans the conscious th ought o f the C o n scio u s M in d. Su
b je c t iv e
M
in d
and
U
n fo rm ed
M
atter
. — M ean the Substance and the Soul
o f the U n ive rse. M i r r o r o f M in d , o r S o u l . —
Means that the Subjective side of life acts like a m ir
ror; that is, It reflects the forms o f thought that are given It. U n c o n s c io u s Fo rm
o r M ir r o r o f M a tt e r .—
Means that the material world
reflects the forms o f thought which the Soul holds before it.
THE
LESSONS
This depicts the Creative Process and sequence— first in the chain of Causa tion is the Word, and this Word is conscious of Itself; next comes the action of Law, reflecting the Word. (This Law is subjective and obeys the Word, reflecting It into form or matter; matter, being at first unformed, or a Universal unformed stuff.) It then takes form , through the power o f the word acting upon It, on the subjective side of life. Soul and Substance are both subjective to the Spirit; and form , or matter in form , has no volition. In the Trinity o f Unity, one attribute alone is really self-conscious, namely, the Spirit, or the Word. This chart may be used in either the individual or the universal sense, for the individual reenacts the Universal on all three planes. The manifest Universe is the result of the self-contemplation of Spirit or God. This self-contemplation, through law, reflects its images into the world o f form or manifestation. M ans world o f affairs and his body are the result of his inner self-knowingness. He is the result of his self-contemplation.
LESSON THREE: M E N T A L HEALING Whatever exists at all must be the result o f a definite image of thought held in the Mind of God or the Absolute, Who is the cause of all. Whether we think of man as a projection o f God, an emanation of God, a manifestation or a reflection o f God, we must realize that God, or the First Cause, holds man in His Consciousness as a Perfect Being, since the Perfect Mind could not conceive o f an imperfect idea. If, on the other hand, we think of man as a part o f God, which some schools o f thought teach, we should then have to realize that man, as a part of the Divine Being, must inherently be perfect. This is a conclusion which is unavoidable. But man does not appear to be perfect; he certainly appears to have many experiences which are far from ideal.There can be no question but the human man suffers, is sick and has pain and even tually dies. To doubt this would be to doubt the evidence of the only quality we possess whereby we may consider ourselves conscious beings at all. We must, then, reconcile our conclusion of perfection with an experience which is apparently not perfect.
THE
SCIENCE
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In d i v i d u a l i t y
While man must be, and is, a Divine Image or a Perfect Idea, yet he suffers and is sick. The answer to this is the same answer which can be given, philosophically, to the whole problem of evil— that man is an individual and does with himself what he wills. The Scriptures say, “ God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions ”s' Individuality cannot be automatically produced but must be spontaneous. It could not be real individuality unless it had the ability to think as it chose; and it could not be individuality unless its ability to think as it chose were backed by a power to produce this choice; because, if nothing ever happened as the result o f m ans choice, he would live in a dream world, and his dreams would never come to objectification. This would be a world of illusion. But man has the ability to choose and is unified with a Law which automatically produces his choice; whereas he does not have the ability to destroy the idea o f himself, he does have the ability to deface it, to make it appear discordant; but he cannot destroy the Divine Image. We live in a Universe o f Love as well as in a Universe o f Law. One is the complement of the other— the Universe o f Love pulsating with feeling, with emotion; and the Universe of Law, the Executor o f all feeling and all emotion. In taking up this lesson on healing, then, let us remember that back o f the man which we see is the Divine Image. There is a Perfect Concept, held in the Mind of the Universe as an already accomplished fact, but man is subject to the law of his own individuality. Let us turn to the Law, and find what It says, in Chart No. Ill, viz., that man is conscious mind or spirit; this stands for his objective faculty. The objective mind o f man is his recognition of life in a conscious state; it is the only attribute of man that is volitional, or self-choosing; conse quently, it is the spiritual man. The conscious mind of man is the contemplator, the reflector. The Universe is the result o f the Contemplation o f the Divine Mind, or the Holy Spirit, which is God. God creates by contemplating His own I-AM-NESS; and this contemplation, through Law, becomes the objectification of the Self-Realization o f the Infinite Mind.
M
an
R
eenacts
G
od
The Divine Nature is reenacted in man; he is conscious mind and spirit; and, as he contem plates, he reflects his thought into the Universal Subjectivity; it is received and acted upon. As Mind, or Soul, accepts these images o f thought, It operates upon unformed substance and causes it to take definite form as body, which is unconscious form . It becomes definite
£i Eccl. 7: 29.
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form , but the form itself is unconscious, because it is made o f immaterial substance. Body of itself, without Mind, has no consciousness nor volition. Devoid of mentality, the body neither thinks, sees, hears, feels, touches nor tastes. Take the mentality away from the body and it becomes a corpse. Having no conscious intelligence, it at once begins to disintegrate and to resolve again into the Universal Substance, or unformed matter, from which it came. Conscious thought or contemplation is a reflector, reflecting through mentality into matter, the forms which consciousness entertains. Although man is inherently a perfect idea, his indi viduality covers this idea with the forms o f thought which he images. O f course, these forms o f thought may, or may not, be conscious. Man comes into this life subjective to the race con sciousness and with a belief in his own environment; and as he unfolds his own personality he begins to create new subjective thought. He thinks and observes, draws certain conclusions and deductions, and incorporates them within his mentality, until, at last, they also become a part of the relative cause o f his objective existence. Healing is accomplished by uncovering, neutralizing and erasing false images o f thought, and letting the perfect idea, or ideal, reflect itself through subjective mind into the body. When one realizes that everything is Mind and that nothing moves but Mind, and that the only instrument o f Mind is thought (which is contemplation in some form or other), he will see that nothing can permanently heal but right thinking. It is the only permanent form of healing that is known, i.e ., mental and spiritual healing.
N ot L im ited by P r in c ip l e Realizing that conscious thought operates through a Power which is Infinite, we see that there can be no limit to the power to heal, other than the limit of our ability to conceive that Power as healing. We are limited, not by Principle, but by our ability to conceive perfection. Our thought can bring out a condition as perfect as we can conceive; therefore, the man whose thought is the most God-like will be the best healer. That is why we cannot divorce true mental healing from true spiritual w ork.The man whose thought is the most God-like, i.e., the truest, the highest, the most noble, the most complete, the most peaceful, will be the best healer because his thought reflects a greater perfection. When thought reaches a higher degree of perfection, it will bring out a still greater development, i.e., as the race consciousness unfolds and evolves.
M e n t a l T r e a t m e n t Is R e a l Never forget that the Conscious Mind is the only Actor in the Universe and in man; that the un conscious or subjective mind is compelled, by reason of its nature, to accept; and that it can never
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reject; that the body is an effect, with no intelligence of its own. We can now see that a mental treatment is a real, tangible, specific operation, working in perfect accord with scientific Law. When a practitioner treats any one, he does not just hope that his patient will get well; he does not ask that he may be healed; he does not simply desire that he may be healed; he is busy doing a definite piece of mental work, bringing out in his own consciousness (in his own selfcontemplative, conscious mind) an understanding that the patient is healed and is perfect. Treatment is the act, the art and the science o f inducing thought within the mentality o f the one treat ing, which thought shall perceive that the body o f the patient is a Divine, Spiritual and Perfect Idea. Treatment does not necessarily treat every organ of the body specifically, but it does declare the body to be harmonious and that every specific idea within it is harmonious. It then pays especial attention to what appears to be the physical disorder. As the result o f this treatment which the practitioner gives, Subjective Mind (which is Universal and Omnipresent) accepts the images of his thinking and reflects them in the direc tion that he specifies. He is not trying to send out a thought, hold a thought, or suggest a thought. Be sure that you differentiate between suggestion (which is all right, so far as it goes, but is limited) and real metaphysical healing. In metaphysical healing we are conscious that we are dealing with a Universal Principle, or Law, which takes the impress of our thought and acts upon it. Nothing can stop It. Some day we shall know that not even the thought of the patient can stop It, and then that argument will be ended! We are dealing with Something that cannot and does not answer back nor argue. We are directing It for definite purposes, telling It to do certain things which It does. This is what happens when we give a treatment. Since the Law is Infinite, there is no incurable disease, as opposed to a curable one.The Law knows nothing about disease. It only acts. The practitioner says: “My word is the presence, power and activity o f the Truth which is within me, which is Almighty, which is God. There is none other.” This word then is the law o f the thing whereunto it is spoken and has within itself the ability, the power, and the intelligence to execute itself through the great Law of all Life. This word, being the spontaneous recognition o f Living Spirit— Infinite, Ever-Present, and Active— is now completely manifested in and through this person, or thing, about which the practitioner is thinking.
M a n C omes Th r o u g h Su b je c t iv it y When man is born, he is born from pure subjectivity into objectivity. He is born from a subjec tive state of consciousness into an objective state, and he gradually grows into intelligent, selfconscious, objective understanding.
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When a baby is born into this world, it is purely subjective; it does not know enough to feed itself; it has no objective faculties, no judgment, no thought processes. But the minute it is born it begins to develop an objectivity through observation; however, it takes a baby longer than it does any other animal, as it is more helpless. A child does not always gain its objective faculties quickly— sometimes it never does during this lifetime. Irresponsible people never become completely objectified on this plane; they are still instinctively subjective.
Born Perfect Since babies are born from subjectivity, they are born, generally speaking, from a perfect con dition.You will find that practically everything, when it comes into the world, is perfect; it then takes on objectivity; but it brings with it, subjectively, certain tendencies. Very seldom does it bring disease. Very few diseases are inherited, in spite o f all the claims that people make that they inherit heart trouble, tuberculosis, etc. They do not! What they do, however, is to inherit a subjective receptivity toward, and a belief in, those things. At first, children are happy, free, spontaneous. That is why we like them; they live instinc tively. As they grow older and their emotions become more complex and they hear people talk about death, trouble, divorce, love and marriage, and everything else that is good, bad or indif ferent, they begin to react to these emotions subjectively. Everything that opposes harmony and Spontaneous Unity will prove disastrous to the child’s health, sooner or later. The inherited part is, simply an inherited subjective tendency.
R a c e -Suggestio n Another prolific source of disease is race-suggestion. R A CE-SU G G ESTIO N M EANS THE ACCU M U LATED SU BJECTIVE TEN D EN CIES OF THE HUM AN JIA CE; these tendencies are operative through any person who is receptive to them. These, then, are the sources from which most diseases come— conscious observations, suppressed emotions, subjective inherited tendencies, and, perhaps three-fourths o f them, from race-suggestion.
D i s e a s e Is Im p e r s o n a l Disease is an impersonal thought force operating through people, which does not belong to them at all. Recognize that it is neither person, place, nor thing; that there is no law to support it; that it is a coward, fleeing before the Truth; that there is nothing but the Truth. There is no
1 09
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limitation imposed upon man anywhere. You must know that the Power you are using is defi nite, scientific, dynamic, Spiritual, Absolute and complete, and that It w ill work. Let no fear come into your thought. Remember that nothing can come through consciousness into objectivity but such thoughts as you claim. The person who has clearly and subjectively realized the Unity of Mind, the Unity o f Good, the Presence of God, the Absoluteness of his own Being, the totality o f things existing at the point o f his own personality, is immune from mental suggestion. He can surround him self with an armor of protection so that false suggestion cannot enter. As a matter o f fact, practically all the world is hypnotized through race concept, and what we need to do is to dehypnotize it.
How
to H eal
Disease is mentally contagious through suggestion; so we must surround our patients with an aura, or atmosphere, o f protection. This is nothing less than the realization of the Presence and the Power o f God, or Spirit, as their Life, as the only Life there Is, as Complete and Perfect in them. First recognize your own perfection; then build up the same recognition for your patient; then directly attack the thought that binds him, recognizing that your word destroys it, stating that it does, taking into account and specifically mentioning everything that needs to be changed, every so-called broken law or false thought. Then finish your treatment with a great realization o f peace, sitting there a few moments in silent recognition that it is done, complete and perfect. The work must not be thought o f as hard; and when we know that there is but One Mind, we shall realize that it could not be hard. Mental treatment is a direct statement in Mind o f what we wish to have done and a complete realization that it is done.
M i n d Is t h e A c t o r We recognize that everything is in Mind and that nothing moves but Mind; that Intelligence is back of everything, acting through a thought force which is concrete, definite and real. The reason people do not realize that mental healing is possible is that they do not understand the meaning o f Causation; they do not realize that Intelligence is back of all things; that there is but One Fundamental Intelligence in the Universe, One Common Mind or One Mind, Com mon to all people. That which we appear to be is simply the point where this Mind manifests through
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us. (Man is an Individualized Center o f God-Consciousness. Remember, all Law is Mind in Action.) Every disease that we have must come through Mind in order to operate through us. There is but One Subjective Mind in the Universe. Upon this understanding alone is mental treatment possible (whether it be present or absent); if there were more than One, it would be impos sible, for then there would be no Common Medium through which to work, think or act. There is but One, and we are always thinking into It; so whether a patient is present or absent makes no difference. The only advantage in having him present is that you may talk to him and teach him, and, by analyzing his thought, remove any mental complex or conflict. The question is often asked: “Is this Subjective Mind, or Law, all that there is to the Divine Nature?” No, o f course not. There is the Spirit and the Soul o f the Universe, a dual aspect o f that which is One; but when you are practicing mental healing, you are dealing with Law, just as definitely as a physicist deals with law.
D i s e a s e Is N o t A l w a y s D u e t o C o n s c i o u s T h o u g h t Any disease, in order to operate through the body, must first be a mental picture in the inner mentality; it must first be subjective, if it is to become objectified. “Disease is an image of thought held in Mind until it appears in the body.” This is all there is to it. While every disease is an effect and must first have a subjective cause, the subjective cause, nine times out o f ten, is not conscious in the thought of the person who has it; but is, perhaps, largely the result of certain combinations of thinking, which, gathering together around and through the individual who thought and received them, becomes operative through him. Certain combinations of thought, coalescing, produce a definite manifestation. So, while it is true that every disease has a direct prototype in subjective mind, it is also true that the individual who suffers from the disease, nine times out o f ten, never thought he was going to have that particular kind of trouble.
W e D e a l w i t h Id e a s You are dealing with ideas only. Let the physicians deal with bodies, if necessary. There is noth ing wrong with medicine or manipulation, provided it relieves suffering, but lest the suffering come again, the mental cause must be removed. Never say to patients: “D on’t take medicine, because if you do, the treatments will do you no good” ; for this is untrue. Say, instead, “If you feel like taking medicine or going to the doctor, do so.” If you follow this method, the time will
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generally come when your patient will realize that he no longer needs the medicine; he will have unfolded out o f the disease, rather than have broken awayfrom it. Actually speaking, no one needs to be healed; that is, health is an omnipresent reality, and when the obstructions that hinder healing are removed, it will be found that health was there all the time. So, in your work, do not feel that you must heal any one. In fact, assume no re sponsibility for any on es recovery.
H ave N o D oubts Suppose, when you treat a patient, you begin to feel a terrible sense of responsibility— what should you do? You should begin at once to treat yourself against that thought, for as long as you have it there is a barrier to healing. Why? Because when you sift that sense of responsibility down to its last analysis, it is a belief that you cannot heal. Do not give in to that belief, because it is nothing but a thought which says that you cannot heal. Nothing but a thought is saying, or could be saying, it. A chair could not say it, and since it is only a thought that says it, it is only a thought that can unsay it. Declare: “My word has the power to heal,” and you will find that doubt has gone.
Th in k in g in Tr e a t m e n t When you are giving a treatment, you are thinking; you are meeting, opposing, neutralizing, erasing and obliterating all suppression, fear, doubt, failure, morbid emotion and sense of loss— whatever the trouble may be. Every time your thought hits fairly and squarely, it erases just as definitely as one would erase a chalk line. Such is the mystery o f appearance and disappearance. Why doesn't God heal us? Because we are independent. We have made ourselves sick and we must heal ourselves. In the great world war ten or fifteen million people suffered agony, pain, sorrow and grief— it staggers the imagination to conceive o f it. But water was just as wet and the birds sang just as sweetly through it all. Nothing happened, except in m ans thought and act; he fought until he tired of fighting; then he stopped. We will be sick until we tire of it; then we will inquire into the cause, eliminate it and be healed.
Do
N o t Try to
Go
Beyond Y ou r U n d erstan din g
Our understanding is not sufficient to enable us to set bones, and, since we cannot walk on the water, we take a boat. We can go only as far as we know. Principle is Infinite, but we can dem onstrate only at the level o f our own concept. II2
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If a man struggles against a habit, he is building up a mental resistance, but if he does not resist it while you treat him, he will soon find himself liberated. People say: “I can’t take off my glasses.” Then wear them; but begin to make the declaration that there is One Perfect Vision seeing through you. This is the Truth. When this statement shall have become a subjective realization,you will be healed and will no longer need glasses. If a plaster will relieve, use it. If a pill does any good, take it; but gradually lead thought from where it is into the higher realms of consciousness where neither plasters nor pills are needed.
W hat a Pr ac titio n er M ust K no w A practitioner knows that disease is mental. He not only knows this; he knows that disease is simply an impersonal thought force, operating through whatever channel it may find. He knows that it is a direct thought force; that there is nothing but Mind in the Universe; nothing to move but Intelligence. He is not dealing with a physical body, nor trying to heal a physical condition. Right here, let me mention that many people think they must put their hands on their pa tients to heal them— that there is a certain magnetism, potent in healing. This has nothing to do with the power of which we are talking. Magnetic healing is the transmission of vital energy from one body to another and soon exhausts itself. We treat man, not as a patient, not as a physical body, not as a diseased condition; neither do we treat the disease as belonging to him, the reason being that if we do, we will fasten the disease to him. We must not think o f the disease as being connected with him or as a part of him. The practitioner realizes that man is born o f Spirit and not o f matter. Spirit is Changeless, Perfect, Complete, and in every respect Pure, Undefiled and Uncontaminated. He realizes this until he sees his patient as a living embodiment of Perfection. A practitioner, then, is one who, recognizing that there is nothing but Mind to move, dtfinitely, spe cifically, concretely and consciously speaksfrom his objective mind into Subjectivity and gives direction to Law, which is the Actor.
H e a l i n g Is C l e a r T h i n k i n g Healing is the result of clear thinking and logical reasoning, which presents itself to cbnsciousness and is acted upon by it. It is a systematic process o f reasoning which unearths the mental cause or idea underlying disease, and presents the Truth about m ans Being, thereby heal ing him. For instance, say to yourself: “ God is All there is. There is only One Life.” When you are
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treating, if there is any little point that is not clear, stop at once and go back to the last analysis o f Ultimate Reality and Absoluteness and build your whole argument upon It, in order to get a clear consciousness. Repeat: “ God is All. There is only One Power, Intelligence and Consciousness in the Uni verse, only One Presence. Now, that One Presence cannot change. There is nothing for It to change into but Itself. It is Changeless and It is My Life now. It is in me now.” Claim that no form o f race-suggestion, belief in limitation, subjective idea o f limitation, thought o f Karma, fatalism, theology or hell, horoscope, or any such beliefs have power. Accept none o f them. If you have ever believed in them; if you have ever believed that the stars govern you, or that your environment governs you, or that your opportunities govern you, if you have ever been led to believe by any one that any o f these things govern you, recognize that it is a hypnotic condition into which you have fallen, and deny every one of them, until there is no longer anything in you that believes in them. This is the way to get your consciousness clear. You see what it does; it induces a clear con cept o f Reality which must reproduce Itself. This process of clear thinking, if carried out every day, would heal any disease, because it would bring a complete recognition of Life.
O n l y O n e L aw The thing that makes you sick can heal you. You do not need to look for a law of health as op posed to a law o f disease; for there is only One Law. This will give a great sense o f relief, since it means that there is no power to oppose a correct mental treatment. People often say to a practitioner: “I want you to hold a strong thought for me.” This is a misconception; for there are no strong and weak thoughts in this sense. The most powerful thought is the one that carries the greatest conviction with it. We do not hold thoughts; we simply think them and let Mind operate upon them. People often say: “It must be a drain to treat so many people; I should think that your will power would become exhausted.” This also is a misconception; for will power has nothing whatever to do with real mental healing; its use would imply that the practitioner exercises a personal thought force over his patient. This is false suggestion, which is always some form of hypnotism.
N o Sen sa tio n in Tr ea tm en t s It is sometimes thought that in giving or receiving a treatment one must experience some physical sensation. A patient sometimes says, after having received a treatment: “I felt nothing 114
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during the treatment.” It is not necessary that the patient should feel anything during the treat ment, neither is it necessary that the practitioner should feel anything, other than the truth about the words that he speaks. When we plant a seed in the ground, we do not have a great sensation, and it is not prob able that the soil has any sensation. But the seed, planted in the creative soil, w ill, nevertheless, produce a plant. “What is true on one plane is true on all.” Know that you are doing things just as definitely as the gardener. It is the person who knows what he is doing who gets results.
How
to Remove D o u b t
All thoughts o f doubt concerning one's ability to heal comefrom the belief that it is the personality which does the healing, and not the Law. Never say: “I am not good enough to heal,” or “I do not know enough to heal,” or “I haven’t understanding enough to heal.” Know that you are dealing with Law and that It is the Actor. Recognize all such arguments as some form o f suggestion and refuse to let them operate through you. You can heal; but you must know that you can. The day will come when the entire world will believe the Truth, because o f the great neu tralizing power which It is exercising upon the race consciousness.
T h e T r u t h D e m o n s t r a t e s It s e l f The reason people do not get better results is that they do not understand that Principle works independently; the Truth demonstrates Itself. At the root o f every on es personality there is One Common Mind. There is but One Subjectivity in the Universe, and all use It. Think of yourself as being in Mind as a sponge is in the water; you are in It and It is in you.
Disease Is M e n t a l Every disease that comes up through subjectivity, or appears in the body, must come up through Mind. Bodies, of themselves, do not get sick. For instance, when the Life Principle deserts the body, it is what we call a corpse— a lifeless and inanimate thing; it no longer becomes sick; we understand that it could not get sick unless there were intelligence there to cognize the trouble. Since the body, o f itself, cannot become ill, or hurt, or contract disease, unless there is intel ligence there to recognize and feel it, disease is primarily a mental thing. Without mentality it is not; and yet with mentality it appears to be. For instance, a contagious disease is physically contagious between two living people; but
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it is not contagious between two dead people. There must be intelligence, even in a contagious disease, for the body to contract it. The dead body cannot catch it from the living because the intelligence has departed.
Th e M e d iu m of H e a l in g The thing to remember always is, that there is just One Subjective Mind in the Universe. This is a point that people often do not realize, and because they do not, they cannot see how a person may be treated without touching him; or that a person can be healed at a distance through absent treatment. If there is but One Subjective Mind in the Universe (and we all remember the meaning of Subjective Mind; It is Deductive, Receptive, Plastic, Neutral, Impersonal and Creative; It is the Stuff from which all things are formed)— you can impress upon It a certain image of thought, or a certain process o f realization, and you will get a result; for It is the Actor.
D epend on Prin ciple Through the proper use of this great Subjective Law you can impress upon It a definite idea; and if you, yourself, do not withdraw that idea, or neutralize it by an opposite one, the law will bring it into manifestation. What we need, then, is to learn the law governing this Principle. When you give a treat ment, you are definitely setting in motion a Universal Law which must not only accept what you say, but the way in which you say it. If your treatment is given with a sense of struggle, it will manifest that way; if it is given with a sense o f peace, then it will manifest in that manner. Remember that you need assume no personal responsibility for the recovery of your pa tient. All that you have to do is to make certain statements which Mind is going to carry into effect through him. One who understands the use o f Divine Principle never tries to suggest, hypnotize nor personally influence any one; he is always impersonal in his work; he is stating in Mind directly what he wishes to have done. When you have occasion to treat yourself, call your own name and then proceed with the treatment, as though you were treating some one else. Disease will be healed, provided you get at its cause and remove it, and provided the one for whom you are working is willing to surrender that cause. You cannot heal any one o j his trouble i f it is the result o f some mental attitude which he will not surrender. In this case, find out what the mental attitude is and remove it. It is a practitioner s duty to uncover false ideas o f Life and
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replace them with the Truth. If this can be done before the disease destroys the body, a healing will always follow.
D e f in it e W o r k in H e a l in g Principle is the Power that made everything; It is Absolute; It w ill not and cannot be denied. The only thing that can deny God is yourself. Do not think o f disease as an entity, but as an impersonal thought-force. In healing, you are separating the false from the true; the work is definite and dynamic, and is consciously done with a clear purpose always in mind. If your own thought is clear, and you are able to completely realize the Presence of Spirit in your patient, all the power on earth cannot hinder you from healing.
R epeat in g Tr ea tm en t s Always come to a complete conclusion while giving a treatment; always feel that it is done, complete and perfect. In the intervals between treatments, do not carry the thought of the patient around with you; to do so is to doubt, and this mental attitude must be completely overcome. Each treatment is a complete statement o f the Reality o f Being. The treatment should be repeated daily until a healing takes place. If it takes five minutes, five hours, five days or five years, the treatment must be kept up until a healing is accomplished. This is the only method that we know. It is not enough to say that everything is all right; this is true in Prin ciple, but in fact, it is only as true as we make it. Treat until you get results. A healing takes place when the patient is no longer sick, and until that time mental work must be done.
R emove the C om plex Suppose one is constantly saying: “Everything is all wrong in the world; people are wrong; things are wrong; conditions are wrong; every one is sick; every one is unhappy; nothing is worth while.” You, as a practitioner, must remove this complex; for these inner emotions cre ate outer conditions in and through the body and are what cause a great deal of the sickness in the world. Treatment straightens out consciousness by clear thinking. When the inner consciousness agrees with the Truth, when there is no longer anything within which denies the outer word o f Truth, then, and not until then, a demonstration takes place. Specifically go over the thoughts that are wrong and use the power of your word to heal them.
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H e a l i n g Pa i n Use the thought of peace and the realization of a Perfect Presence; know that in this Presence there is no tension, there is no struggle, there is no fear, there is no sense of conflict. Know this until there comes to your own consciousness a deep, calm sense of peace and ease, and until every thought o f pain is eliminated. Do the same in the case of fever; treat until it is gone; usually it will go like heat off a stove.
H eadache Suppose that every little while you have a headache. A physician may say that it is caused by some nerve strain; a chiropractor may say that it is something out o f joint; the osteopath may say that it is something else; and some other practitioner may say that it is something else; for each has found some twist in the body to fit his theory. All of these twists may be there; but the body could not twist unless you were there to twist it. The metaphysician goes to the twister and untwists his thought, thus freeing the twists in the body. We recognize all the good that doctors are doing, but we insist that the mentality must also be taken into account. Back o f nearly every disorder there is some complex, or mental knot, that needs to be un tied; generally, some suppressed emotion which, perhaps, is centered around the affections— the likes and dislikes, the loves and passions, and everything that goes with them. All these knots must be untied and it is the business o f the practitioner to untie them.
W hat R ig h t Th o u g h t D oes Right thought, constantly poured into consciousness, will eventually purify it. Disease is like a bottle of impure water; healing might be likened to the process o f dropping pure water into the bottle, a drop at a time, until the whole is clean and pure. Some one might ask why the bottle could not be turned upside down and at once drain out all the impurities. Sometimes this happens, but not often; meanwhile, a drop at a time will finally eliminate the impurities and produce a healing. In treating, go beyond the disease and supply a spiritual consciousness; never leave a person without the Great Realization of Life and Love, o f God and Perfection, of Truth and Wisdom, o f Power and Reality. Sense the Divine Presence in and through the patient at all times.
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H abits A r e H e a le d
What is a habit? A habit is the form that desire takes; it is a desire for something that will give satisfaction. At the root o f all habit is one basic thing, the desire to express life. There is an urge to express in all people, and this urge, operating through the channels o f Creative Mind, looses energy into action and compels the individual to do something. Back of all desire is the impulse o f Spirit to express. In man, this impulse must express at the level of his consciousness: aFor each,fo r the joy o f the working and each in his separate star, Shall paint the thing as he sees Itfo r the God o f things as they are” Some express constructively and some destructively. Suppose a man who has the liquor habit comes to you to be healed. You would not pray that he be healed, for you would know that you are dealing with a man who has the desire to express life and who thinks that he must express it in terms o f intoxication. He once thought this ex pressed reality to him; he now knows that it does not, but he has not the will power to stop; for the habit has appeared to take complete possession o f him. (It is well to remember that unless we control thought, it will control us.) In giving the treatment, first recognize who and what he is, saying something like this: “He is the full and complete expression of the Truth, and, as such, he is free from any sense o f limi tation. He is free from any delusion or fear o f delusion. He knows that the Spirit o f Truth within him is complete and always satisfied. That thing which calls itself the liquor habit has no power over him and cannot operate through him. By the power o f this word, it is now completely destroyed and forever obliterated.” Then see him free and satisfied. Wait until you, yourself, are sure o f the statements made, realizing that the work is done. This is the treatment.
Th e S eed o f Th o u g h t Whether we say our thought goes out, or whether we say it is operated upon by Principle, makes no difference; it is very evident that until a thought is created there is no operation. For instance, a person is sick and he remains sick until some one knows that he is well. It is very evident, then, that as the result of some on es thinking he is healed. We know that the thinking sets in motion some law. Whether the word used heals, or whether it simply sets the Law in motion, really makes no difference. The practitioner is in the same Mind in which his patient lives; consequently, since.each is in One Mind, the patient is sick in the same Medium and, in
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a certain sense, in the same Mind in-which the practitioner lives; and because this Mind is In divisible, the practitioner can, in his own mentality, reach the thought which causes the patient to be sick. Whether we say he sends out a thought, or whether he simply thinks a thought, makes no difference. The simplest way is to say that the practitioner realizes within himself upon the One Mind, through the One Medium, in the One Law. The practitioner realizes a certain truth for his patient— within himself. Therefore he sets the Law in motion for his patient. (The operation o f this Law may be thought o f as the same as that o f the law whereby water reaches its own level by its own weight.) The practitioner knows within himself; and that self-knowingness rises into the consciousness o f his patient. So we do not have to w orry about sending out thoughts. It is just like planting a seed in the ground; the practitioner sows the seed and the Creative Mind produces the plant. Does the ground operate on the seed, or does the seed operate upon the soil? We do not know, but we do know that when a seed is put into the ground, something operates upon it and a plant is produced; and that unless a seed is put into the ground, no plant will be produced.
W hat C an Be H ealed What should we try to heal mentally? If we were dealing only with the power o f our own thought, our limited concept, we could not heal anything mentally; but if we realize that we are dealing with Universal Principles, how can we set any limit to Its Power? People are sick because they cover a perfect idea with imperfect thoughts; for sickness is the result of subjectified thinking. Everything which the objective mind has consciously thought has fallen into the subjective. All suggestions received have also fallen into the subjective thought; these suggestions may or may not have been consciously received. This will explain why people may be taken sick with diseases of which they never heard; somewhere, on the subjective side o f thought, certain forces have been set in motion which, when objectified, produced certain conditions.
W h y P e o p l e G et Tir e d Let a person say to himself: “I have overworked,” and at once there will come up through his consciousness a belief in weariness. People who are constantly complaining of being tired are simply hypnotized into this belief through the law of race-suggestion. Suppose one had dropped complexes into his subjective thought; suppose desires had torn him, and conflicts had entered into his life; what would have happened? He would have been continually dropping opposing thoughts and concepts into his mentality; and as the mental
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action took place, they might produce a twisted body; and if over-chaotic, they might produce what is called nervous prostration. It would not, however, be the body that was sick but would be a condition brought about through wrong thought. Now, if subjective thought were a thing apart from us, if we did not have conscious access to it, we could not change it; but being the result o f the way thought has worked, we can con sciously change it. If this were not true mental healing would be impossible.
T h e Id e a M u s t T a k e F o r m Healing, then, takes place to the degree that we send down the right kind of thoughts into subjectivity. This does not mean that we must sit around holding thoughts. We do not hold a seed in our hand when we wish to plant it, and it is the same in healing; we do not hold the thought but seek to realize it and let it work. By thinking consciously and with deep feeling, we implant the right idea in Mind, and Mind reproduces this idea as effect in the body. We must realize that we are using a Power compared to which the united intelligence of the human race is as nothing. This should not seem strange; for we know that the united intelligence of the entire race cannot produce a single rosebud, yet any gardener may produce as many roses as he wishes, if he goes about it in the right way. We must remember that what is true on one plane is true on all. Involution and evolution are the law, cause and effect. The practitioner involves an idea in Mind; it is Law and must operate. If one wishes to treat a patient, he must first treat himself; as he treats himself, that is, as he treats his own mentality, which is simply a point in Mind, he reaches the mentality o f his pa tient. The practitioner cannot erase the thought in the patient’s mentality until he has first neutralized the idea in his own thought.
R eso lve Th in g s in t o Th o u g h t s A treatment is a specific thing. If you are treating some one against the belief in scarlet fever, you are making your word operate in such a way as to neutralize a belief in this disease. Each treatment must have, in itself, everything necessary to cover the case. When you treat, resolve things into thoughts; bodies, people, objects and all things. Having resolved everything into thoughts, know that disease is neither person, place nor thing; it has no location, does not belong to any one, cannot operate through any one, is not believed in by any one. Know that it is a false belief, a false image, with no power. Know that the whole thing is mental; then mentally dissolve it.
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H e a l i n g In s a n i t y In treating some one whose mind appears to be deranged, realize that there is but One Mind, which Mind is God, and is Perfect. This is the only Mind that is; It is the Mind o f your patient; It is your own Mind. This Mind, being a Complete, Perfect and Indivisible Whole, cannot labor under a delusion, cannot, for one moment, lose Its Self-Consciousness. After you have real ized this Truth about Life, realize that it is also true about the one you are treating; his thought is perfect. If you have this realization in your own mentality, knowing there is just the One Mind, there will be no doubts or confusions; and the mentality o f the patient will cease to be deranged.
W hat a Pr a c t it io n e r D oes What a practitioner really does is to take his patient, the disease and everything that appears to be wrong right into his own mentality, and here he dissolves all false appearances and all erroneous conclusions. He takes the condition, not as a reality, but as a belief; and right at the center of his own being he neutralizes the whole false thought, thus healing the condition. The more completely the practitioner is convinced of the power o f his own word, the more power his word will have. There must be a complete realization that the power of the word, operating as the Truth and the Reality of Being, can do all things. Therefore, the person whose consciousness is the clearest, who has the most complete idea of Life, will be the best healer.
Back o f th e A p pearan ce
Is
the R eality
H EALIN G IS N O T CREA TIN G A P ER FEC T BO DY O R A P ER FEC T IDEA; IT IS R EV EA L ING AN IDEA W HICH IS A LREAD Y PERFECT. H EALIN G IS N O T A PRO CESS. IT IS A REVELATIO N , through the thought o f the practitioner to the thought o f the patient. There may be a process in healing but not a process of healing. The process in healing is the mental work and the time it takes the practitioner to convince himself o f the perfectness o f his patient; and the length o f time it takes the patient to realize this perfectness. It is necessary that the practitioner realize a perfect body; he cannot realize this unless he has already become convinced that the perfect body is there. If he has come to this conclusion, he must not deny it. There is a perfect heart and a perfect idea o f heart; there is a perfect head and a perfect idea o f head; perfect lungs and a perfect idea of lungs. The practitioner must realize that back o f the appearance is the Reality, and it is his business to uncover this Reality. He does this through a process o f obliterating false thought; he must deny false conclusions,
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bring out the evidence o f perfection, and produce the healing. Disease is a fact but not a truth; it is an experience but not a reality.
Seein g Perfectio n When Jesus said to the man, “Stretch forth thine hand,”*2 He undoubtedly saw a perfect hand. Did he see the without or the within as being perfect? If everything is mental, and if He saw an imperfect hand instead o f a perfect one, no good result could have come through His seeing, according to the law o f cause and effect. This is true o f all demonstration in healing. A practi tioner does not treat a sick man; if he does, he not only will not heal him, but he might become sick himself. The reason for this is simple; he w ill have entered into the vibration o f the patient s thought, and w ill, himself, experience the results o f that vibration. This is an experience that many have when they first begin to practice; they take on the conditions o f their patients. So, from what we know, Jesus must have seen only the perfect hand. Even though He might have recognized the false condition, as far as His word o f healing was concerned it must have been a recognition o f perfection, else it could not have healed. We must think o f the subjective state o f our thought as our atmosphere in the Universal Mind; for we cannot separate ourselves from the Universe. There is but One Mind and we are in It; we are in It as intelligence; It accepts our thought and acts upon it. Destructive emotions, desires or ideas, unless they are neutralized, will grow into some bodily condition, and may produce disease. Disease is thought manifested, no matter what the disease may be. We are surrounded by a Receptive Intelligence which receives the impress of our thought and acts upon it.
H e a l in g L u n g Tr o u b le Suppose a person comes to a practitioner and says: “I am dying o f tuberculosis.” What is tuber culosis? It is a belief in lung trouble; but lung itself is a universal idea, a perfect idea; and noth ing has ever happened to it. It was, is, and will be; but man, through the creative medium of his thought, has caused an appearance o f disorder and disease in the lung. Back o f all such trouble is a consuming passion, an unexpressed emotion, a strong desire. Healing will take place to the degree that the practitioner neutralizes this belief and perceives the presence of a perfect lung. He realizes that there is a perfect body, perfect lung, perfect being, perfect God, perfect man, perfect expression; he must bring his own thought up to this perception. The
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word he speaks is law; it is power; it knows itself to be what it is. It is the law unto the case. He is now conscious that the word he speaks will neutralize and entirely destroy the false thought and condition. He says: “There is one body; this body is the Body of God; and it is Perfect; it is never depleted; its vitality is never lowered. There is no wasting away of substance or burning up o f substance; for substance is eternal, changeless and perfect.” He goes on until he covers what in his own thought appears to be the cause of the false condition. If he does this day after day, the patient begins to get better; though the practitioner never thinks o f his pa tient, other than that his word is being spoken for him; and he never wonders whether his word is taking effect, because he speaks into Intelligence and lets It act. Perhaps, if it is a case that requires a great deal o f attention, he treats morning, afternoon, and evening, each time for a few moments; otherwise ten or fifteen minutes each day should be sufficient. Never think that a sick person is one who simply has a sick body. If you do you will find yourself treating the body. Why shouldn't we treat the body? Because the cause o f the disease is not in the body. The body is an effect and not a cause. KN O W THAT BODIES AND CO N D I TIO N S N EV ER M O VE; TH EY ARE ALWAYS M OVED UPON. A sick person is one who has a sick thought. What about accidents? It is part of our belief that as soon as, and to the degree that, our minds become adjusted harmoniously to the Universe, we w ill be less and less likely to have accidents.
W e D o N ot Se n d O u t Th o u g h t s In practice we do not try to send thoughts to our patients; for there is but One Mind in the universe. We will say “A” represents a man who is sick; “B” represents a practitioner. “B” thinks into Mind; and whether we say he is thinking within himself or somewhere else does not mat ter; he is always thinking into Mind, because he is in Mind. “ But,” one might say, “the patient thinks into his own subjective mind” ; yes, but his subjective mind is only his atmosphere in the One Mind. We must get this very clearly, else some day there will be a wall between our thought and its ability to heal some condition, or some person who is at a physical distance. Both the patient and the practitioner think into One Common Mind; therefore when a patient comes to a practitioner for healing the practitioner does not try to hypnotize him or suggest anything to him; he declares the Truth about him. And to the degree that he brings his own consciousness to a true recognition o f perfection— provided there is a receptivity in the thought of the patient— that man will be healed; nothing can hinder it. The practitioner does not try to hold a thought or send out a thought; he simply tries to convince himself of the perfection o f his patient. He does not try to make his word operate through his patient but only 124
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attempts to know the Truth o f what he states. The patient must be receptive to the Truth, and then the Truth will heal him. The practitioner is dealing with Universal Law, backed by O m nipotent Power, which is Divine Principle. This is what Jesus meant when He said: “Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.”53 Every time we think, we are thinking into a receptive, plastic Substance, which receives the impress of our thought. When we stop to realize how subtle thoughts are, how unconsciously we think negation, how easy it is to get down and out, we will see that each is perpetuating his own condition. This is why people go from bad to worse, or from success to a greater success.
V ision Eye trouble is a belief in limited vision; it is a belief in a separated vision. God sees, and His is the Only Mind there is. It is our Mind; consequently, man sees, whether he knows it or not. Do not fear to claim this; because it is the truth. There is no obstruction to vision; there is no near vision nor far vision; there is no false vision; there is no weak vision nor blurred vision. There is One Perfect Seeing, which is Now seeing through and in me.
H e a l in g C o nstipatio n Constipation is due to a belief in limitation or burden and is healed by knowing that there is no restriction, no inaction, no limited action, no bondage, no fear, no congestion. Make the thought realize that there is nothing but freedom; that all action is normal, harmonious and perfect. Very often the word o f healing is spoken and does not appear to operate because some obstruction hinders it. Some people are obstinate, resistant, stubborn; and they must be healed of these beliefs. There is no resistance to Truth, no thought anywhere which can hinder con sciousness from perceiving the Truth. Whatever the false condition is, ARRAY M ENTAL A R G U M EN T AGAINST IT IN AN OPPO SITE M AN N ER. Turn the thought over and over, until, either by reason or by chance, you hit upon the thing that is wrong. Any one can heal if he will do this, just as any one, if he goes into the garden and drops seed into the ground, will cause plants to grow. Any one can heal who can get away from the effect long enough to per ceive a different cause. In every treatment the thought o f fear must always be handled. One should realize that there is no fear, nothing to be afraid of; and that fear cannot operate through man.
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D isease N ot a n E n t it y Man is fundamentally perfect; this is our whole premise; Perfect God, Perfect Man, Perfect Being; this is the whole basis o f the argument. Always separate disease from the person suffer ing with it. Declare very frequently that disease is neither person, place nor thing; that it has no location, no avenue through which to express itself, no expression, no one through whom to express. Never locate disease, because thoughts are things, and if located they will operate. Always separate the belief from the believer, for nothing ails the real man; nothing ever did or ever w ill.
Thro at Tr o u b l e In treating throat trouble the thought to handle is sensitiveness. No one would ever have throat trouble if his feelings were never hurt. You heal a person o f sensitiveness by teaching him that no one desires to hurt him, and that no one could if he did so desire. When one becomes really individualized his feelings cannot be hurt; for he will feel complete within himself.
C o ngestio n In colds, congestion and like conditions, the thought to heal is confusion. There should be a consciousness of poise, a recognition of peace; and when this comes into the individuals ex perience he will no longer have colds.
Pa r a l y s i s People could be healed o f all forms o f paralysis through the elimination o f the belief in bond age. Use the thought that Life cannot become paralyzed or inactive. As in constipation, there is a thought o f restriction back of the thought o f paralysis; and often there is a very emotional nature to deal with; and often, though not always, a lot o f stubbornness and resistance to heal.
G rowths If the thought o f false growths can be erased the manifestation can be healed. Declare, “ Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up.” The Heavenly Father is the Reality o f Man and is Eternal Presence and Perfection. Dissolve the idea of false growths
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by knowing that there is nothing for them to feed upon. Erase the belief in your own mentality and you will remove it from the mentality o f your patient, and thereby heal his body.
Tr e a t i n g C h i l d r e n In the case of children, remember that the thoughts o f the parents influence the child. We will suppose the child’s mother is constantly saying: “The poor thing; the poor, little, sick thing!” From the human standpoint this is natural, but it makes the child sick just the same, no matter how loving it may be. This is called unconscious, or innocent, malpractice. It is malpractice, because it is the wrong use of thought; innocent, because it is not intended to harm; uncon scious, because she doesn’t know what she is doing; ignorant, because she doesn’t know the results o f such mental action. In such a case the practitioner must realize that there is no men tal influence operating through the child, except a belief in perfection.
Po w e r o f t h e W o r d Be specific in treating, be definite and direct in your mental work. You are dealing with Intel ligence, so deal with It intelligently. The treatment must realize the patient as perfect; must recognize the word as power; must know that it breaks down every man-made law and casts it out; that it is the law o f harmony and the recognition of the Presence of Good; that within itself it is unbounded, and equipped with the power to execute itself; and it must know that it does this. It must know that there is nothing that can change it; that there is no belief which can hinder it; that it cannot be reversed, mislaid, misplaced, neutralized or destroyed by any opposing force; but that it does the thing that it is supposed to do. And it must know that it is continuous and will operate until it does all that it is supposed to do. Jesus said: “ Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”*4 Isaiah understood something of this when he said: “ So shall my word be that goeth forth out o f my mouth: it shall not return unto me void.”**
N o A ge There are certain thoughts that should always be handled, such as thoughts o f race-suggestion, inherited tendencies, prenatal conditions, environment, and mental influences and suggestion. 54 Luke 2 1 : 33.
55 Isa. ss : 11.
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A treatment must be so formulated as to recognize that there is but One Mind; consequently, no thought can flow through It of depression, fear, or suggestion of imperfection, Man is Birthless, Deathless, Ageless Spirit; and this should be the consciousness of our work. This leaves nothing to be born, mature, decay and die. When this thought shall be made clear in the consciousness of the race, people will no longer grow old. Life cannot grow old; It is always the same. ) M emory Locke, in “Human Understanding,” defines memory as: “The power to revive again in our minds those ideas which, after imprinting, have disappeared, or have been, as it were, laid aside out o f sight.” Memory is the ability to remember things that have happened; therefore, if something happened two years ago, o f which we are not at present thinking, we can remember it, because it is in our subjective thought. We say that we are getting absent-minded, which means that we cannot recall thoughts. A person may be healed of this belief by knowing that the One Mind never forgets Itself. This Mind is our Mind now.
G u id a n c e in Tr e a t in g If, in treating, it seems impossible to know just what thought to handle, it is well to be still and know that Intelligence within w ill tell you what to say and how to say it. By doing this some idea will come and you will find that, by using it, you will reach the case.
H o w to H eal Never say: “ Here is a patient whom I must heal” ; for, if you see him from this angle, how are you going to heal him? If you see a sick man he will remain sick, so far as you are concerned; you cannot heal while you see sickness. Disease is neither person, place nor thing; nobody believes in it; it has no action or reaction; it is neither cause nor effect; it has no law to support it and no one to operate through; there is no one to talk about it or believe in it. You have nothing to do with the patient s thought as a personality, for as your own thought clears it will heal him. When you give a treatment, first eliminate all doubt and fear from your own thought. Realize that you are a Divine Idea and that your word is the law unto the thing unto which it is spoken. This is what gave Jesus His power; “For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes ”*6
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R emove D oubt Suppose a practitioner is not able to convince himself of the Truth o f the statements which he makes; how is he going to bring himself to the point of belief? By repeating the affirmation, dwell ing on its meaning, meditating upon the spiritual significance of it until the subjective state of his thinking becomes clarified. This is the only reason for repeating treatments; for one treatment would heal anything if there were no doubts. Repeated treatments induce within consciousness a definite concept of an already established fact, even though the fact may not already have become objectified; this is why mental healing is a science. There is no room for doubt in a treatment. Realize that you treat with your understanding through the Law. Never say: “I am not good enough to treat.” There are no good, better and best; this is a delusion; for one is as good as another in the Truth. Do not allow yourself to become superstitious; for you are dealing with a normal, natural law in the mental and spiritual world. This law is just as real as any other known law. Don’t say: “I am not sure that I have enough power to treat” ; you cannot heal with this mental attitude. Say, “As I let fall the forms of my thought they are operated upon by Principles I believe. This is the Law o f God, the law o f man and the Law of the Universe.” Never say: “This disease is hard to heal while another is easy.” If you find yourself saying this, at once heal yourself. This comes from a belief that we are dealing with a limited power.
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Suppose when you begin to treat, a great surge of fear comes over you and attempts to tell you that you cannot give a good treatment. The thing to do is to treat this fear as a suggestion which has no power and which cannot convince you that you lack the power to heal. Say: “There is nothing in me which can doubt my ability to heal.” This will neutralize the fear and free the effort to accomplish. How do we knbw when we have treated a patient long enough? When he is well he will need no more treatments; until this time comes treat every day for a realization of perfection. Does it make any difference whether or not the patient is taking medicine? Not a bit. If this form of healing gives him any relief, let him have it. We all need all the relief we can get. The patient is healed when he no longer needs medicine. Forget the medicine and heal him mentally and he will no longer take pills. Some think that they dishonor God when they take a pill. God knows nothing about pills; this is superstition, pure and simple; mostly simple. Discard all such thoughts and give your entire attention to realizing perfection for your patient.
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Healing is not accomplished through will power but by knowing the Truth; this Truth is that man is already Perfect, no matter what the appearance may be. Holding thoughts has nothing to do with treatment. If you find, when you begin to give treatments, that the process gives you a headache, know that you are doing your work on the mental plane and not through spiritual realization. A treatment should leave the practitioner in a better condition than before he gave it; otherwise it is not a good one. One might ask: “Is all disease a thought held in the conscious mind of the patient?” No, not necessarily; it may be a subconscious thought; or it may be the result of many thoughts which, gathered together, produce a definite result.
P s y c h o -a n a l y s i s It may be necessary for the practitioner to diagnose the thought o f his patient; in fact this is one o f the main points in healing. This is psycho-analysis (from psyche or soul). Psycho-analysis is the analysis of the soul or subjective mind. Its teaching is, that within the soul, or subjective mind, all the seeds o f our thought fall; and that most o f m ans physical troubles are caused by some conflict o f the emotions and the w ill. The conscious mind, desiring certain things which it cannot have, sends into the subjective thought opposing desires, which conflict with each other and mentally tear or bind; and as they manifest in the body, they produce disease. It is claimed that seventy per cent o f all diseases are the results of suppressed emotions; these emo tions are not necessarily sex emotions, but may be any suppressed desires. These suppressed emotions cause what are called complexes. It is probable that when Jesus forgave the man his sins, He realized that the man had a com plex o f condemnation within himself. The sense o f condemnation which the race holds about itself weights it down, and it must be removed. This explains why Jesus said: “Thy sins be for given thee.”*7 It is feeling that hurts. The thinking man thinks things out, resolves everything into its normal parts and so avoids complexes. It has been said: “Life is a comedy to him who thinks, a tragedy to him who feels.” The practitioner talks to his patient, shows him the Law o f Mind, teaches him the way, di agnoses his thought, points out to him that certain mental attitudes produce certain physical results, teaches him how to be harmonious in his thinking, how to be at peace, how to trust and believe in the Good, lifts him up mentally and spiritually and supports his thought until he can stand alone. A practitioner must be filled with a spirit of Divine Compassion; he must have a deep,
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underlying sense o f unity and sympathy, else he w ill do but little good; but he must not have sympathy with the disease. The only guarantee o f our Divinity is in its expression through our Humanity. Consequently an enlightened soul understands the meaning o f sympathy and exer cises it, but not morbidly.
D e a l O n l y w i t h Th o u g h t s In mental treatment, the practitioner deals with thoughts and does not treat bodies or condi tions. He never manipulates, nor need he lay his hands on his patients. He does not hypnotize them; he does not care where they are when he is treating them, or what they are doing; for this would be a limited concept. The practitioner s work begins and ends within his own consciousness.
N ervousness The thoughts to cover in nervousness are ones of peace, poise and power. There is no twitching o f the nerves; there is no strain or struggle in the universe. Things move harmoniously, quietly and normally; and this action, which is the action of Life, is the truth about the one you are treating. A treatment lasts until the one treating is convinced o f the truth which he states; it might last one minute or one hour, or longer.
St a m m e r i n g The treatment for stammering is one that covers the idea o f correct speech. Speech is the Word of God and cannot become impaired, but must be a flow from that One Life which knows Itself to be what it is. Speech is perfect.
A r g u m e n t in Tr e a t m e n t Just a word about argument in treatment; we do not argue to make Principle work but to convince our own thought that it already is operating. To sum up the idea o f treating, then— you are conscious mind: your patient is conscious mind; he has thought, or is thinking, or there has been thought through him, consciously or unconsciously, an idea o f imperfection. You, as conscious mind, remove this something which says that he is imperfect. The treatment begins and ends within your own mentality; it must cover the case and leave nothing to be sick, sin or die; then it will be effective. Meditation in
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treatment; an uplifted receptivity to Spirit will always produce good results. A deep inner sense of the unity o f all life enables one to feel that the Great Conscious Mind and Spirit of the Uni verse, flowing through his mentality, is the Presence and the Power of an Infinite Life, Truth and Love. We should sense that back of the word which we speak is the Power of the Universe surging to express Itself. Then speak the word consciously, knowing that it is Law.
Note: Read and carefully study “Teaching and Addresses,” Edward S. Kimball; “The Law of Mind in Action,” F. L. Holmes; “The Faith That Heals,” F. L. Holmes; “ Christian Healing,” Fillmore; “ Lessons in Truth,” Cady; “Primary Lessons,” Militz; “ Outwitting Our Nerves,” Jackson.
LESSON THREE: RECAPITULATION Sickness is an experience but not an Ultimate Reality; it is an effect and not a cause. The body, devoid o f mentality, could neither know nor have sensation; it is entirely an effect. The body is made of the same unthinking stuff from which all Creation is formed. Instinctive Man is Perfect, but his individual use of Life and Law enables him to cover a perfect idea with an apparently imperfect cloak. Man comes into objectivity with the tendency of the race already subjectified within him, through race-suggestion.The race believes in sickness and limitation, and this suggestion is more or less operative through all people. This suggestion works through the field of the subjective state o f the race thought, and will operate through any individual who is receptive to it. As man becomes individualized, he consciously thinks and continuously pours suggestions into his subjective thought which is the silent builder of the physical body. Through the field of subjectivity thought always works out to a logical conclusion. Man does not, necessarily, consciously think that he is to have a certain type of physical trouble, but the physical correspondent is a logical outcome o f what he thinks. Disease, o f itself, is neither person, place nor thing; it is an image of thought, consciously or unconsciously held somewhere in Mind and will externalize wherever it finds an avenue of operation. Disease is entirely mental in its origin, since no person could be sick unless he had intelligence; it is the result of thinking about, and believing in duality, or a power apart from God. Disease can be healed through reversing the thought and turning to the Spiritual Realization 132
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of Life. It is impossible to divorce real mental healing from true Spiritual Realization, since God is ALL. The use o f mental argument in healing rests upon the theory that we are surrounded by a Universal Mind which reacts to our thought. Right mental practice is the constructive use o f Mind, i.e., a mental argument given for the purpose o f presenting the Spiritual Truth about man. W rong mental practice is the de structive use o f Mind, i.e ., a mental argument given for the purpose o f presenting a false claim about man. Right mental practice is called the Spirit of Christ. W rong mental practice is called the spirit of Antichrist; it is malpractice and may or may not be consciously used. To think of any one in a negative way is some form of malpractice and is harmful. Malpractice may be ignorant, in nocent or malicious. It is always some form o f suggestion. Man is known in Mind by the name he bears, and any statement made in Mind about his name w ill cause some action to take place through Law towards him. This is the basis o f all mental healing. A practitioner is one who recognizes Man as a spiritual reality. Since there is but One Mind, the practitioner does this within himself. Through the medium o f the One Mind these statements rise to objective conditions in his patient, according to the practitioner’s belief and according to the ability o f his patient to receive the Truth. Healing is accomplished through the act of setting Subjective Law in motion. The more Spiritual or Godlike the mentality o f the practi tioner, the more powerful the treatment. A mental treatment begins and ends within the thought o f the practitioner because he is in the same Mind in which his patient lives. Treatment is inducing right concepts within the sub jective side o f life. Absent and present treatments are the same; fo r there is no absence in the One Presence. One disease would be as easily healed as another if the thought were as sure of itself in one case as another. There is no personal responsibility in healing; the practitioner directs the Power and lets It work. One does not hold thoughts in mental healing; he looses thought. A practitioner does not try to suggest, hypnotize or mentally influence; he simply knows that man is now a spiritual being aiid holds to that belief,— no matter what the appearance may be. Right mental treat ment does not tire the one giving it. Personal magnetism has nothing to do with mental healing. The whole basis of the possibil ity of mental healing rests upon the premise that we all live in One Creative Mind which reacts to our belief. It is as though there were a Universal Ear listening to, and hearing, everything that we say, feel or think, and reacting to it.
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Healing is not a process, but a revelation; for the revealing o f the perfect man always heals. The process is the time and thought that it takes to arrive at the correct understanding of m ans perfect state in Spirit. Any one can heal who believes that he can, and who will take the time to put that belief in motion through the Law. To daily see the perfect man and to daily declare for his objective appearance is correct mental practice and will heal. A treatment recognizes that all is Mind and that everything is mental; it resolves all disease into thought; neutralizes the false thought and recognizes the true. Nothing can stop it from operating except a lack o f faith in the reality of the Truth and m ans ability to use It. In giving mental treatment the practitioner first realizes his own being as spiritual; he then recognizes the perfect state o f his patient’s being; then he attacks the false claim and brings the evidence o f Truth to bear against it, thinking in such a manner as to completely destroy the false claim and to realize the Truth.
LESSON FOUR: IN T R O D U C T IO N Mental Science is not a “get-rich-quick scheme,” neither does it promise something for nothing. It does, however, promise the one who will comply with its teaching that he shall be able to bring into his life and experience greater possibilities and happier conditions. The Science o f Mind is based entirely upon the supposition that we are surrounded by a Universal Mind into which we think; this Mind, in Its original state, fills all space with Its Pres ence. Since It fills all space, It fills the space that man uses in the Universe. It is in man as well as outside o f him. As he thinks into this Universal Mind he sets in motion a Law which is cre ative, and which contains within Itself a limitless possibility.
T h e L a w Is In f i n i t e The Law through which man operates is Infinite, but man appears to be finite; that is, he has not yet evolved to a complete understanding o f It. He is unfolding from a limitless potential but can bring into his experience only that which he can conceive. There is no limit to the Law, but there appears to be a limit to m ans understanding o f It. As his understanding unfolds, his possibilities of attainment will increase. It is a great mistake to say: “Take what you wish; for you can have anything you like.” We do
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not take what we wish, but we do attract to ourselves that which is like our thought. MAN M U ST BECO M E M O RE IF HE W ISHES TO DRAW A G R EA TER G O O D INTO HIS LIFE. We need not labor under the delusion that all we have to do is to say everything is ours. This is true in reality; but in fact, it is only as true as we make it. We provide the mold for the C re ative Law, and unless the mold which we provide is increased, the substance cannot increase in our experience; for Mental Science cannot hold forth a promise that will do away with the necessity o f complying with law. The Law is a law o f liberty, but not a law o f license. It is exact and exacting, and unless we are willing to comply with Its nature and work with It, along the lines of Its inherent being, we will receive no great benefit. Every man must pay the price for that which he receives, and that price is paid in mental and spiritual coin. An avenue must be provided through which the Law may work as a law o f liberty, if It is to free us. This does not mean that we must please the Law; for It is impersonal and neither knows nor cares who uses It, nor for what purpose; but, because It is impersonal, It is compelled, by Its very nature, to return to the thinker exactly what he thinks into It. The law of mental equivalents must never be overlooked; for “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”58
T h e Po s s i b i l i t i e s o f t h e L a w The possibilities o f the Law are infinite; and our possibilities of using It are limitless. We may, and should, receive full benefit, and we will to the degree that we understand and properly use It. There is a law o f unfoldment in man which says that he can advance only by going from where he is to the place where he would like to be. This is not because the Law is limited but because It is law. As man unfolds in his mentality, the Law automatically reacts to him .The way to work is to begin right where we are, and, through constantly applying ourselves to the Truth, to gradually increase in wisdom and understanding; for in this way alone will good results be obtained. If, day by day, we have a greater understanding and a clearer concept; if daily, we are realizing more o f Truth and applying it in our actions, then we are on the right path, and even tually we will be made free.
Spirit a n d M e n t a l L aw It is impossible to divorce spiritual understanding from the proper use o f mental law. The Spirit within man is God, and only to the degree that we listen to, and seek to obey that Spirit, shall
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we really succeed. The Law is a blind force, and lest we misuse It, we should be very careful to FO LLO W O NLY A CO N STRU C TIV E C O U RSE. But the Law is Absolute, and we should trust Its impersonal action implicitly. It can do anything for us that we can conceive of Its doing. It is the law of freedom to all who believe in and obey It. The highest realization that we can have is a recognition o f the Omnipresence o f Spirit. This will set in motion greater possibilities and will, automatically, provide a larger concept o f life. We should daily train our thought to recognize the Spirit in everything we do, say, or think. There is no other way, and to try any other way would be to make a complete failure. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are G od s.”*9 A constant realization of the Presence of Spirit will provide a sense of Divine Companion ship that no other attitude could produce. Why should we not take the highest and best? God Is,— and we should Realize this fact and make use of it; as soon as we recognize that God Is, we can turn to the Law and tell It what to do. We have no record of Jesus ever asking God to do things for Him; He gave thanks, and then commanded the Law to work. This is the correct manner o f approach to the Spirit and the Law. This is not superstition but the fact in the case, and we would better realize it. The Law is subject to the Spirit and is Its servant. Man is Spirit, but until he knows this he will be only half using the Law; for he will not have a clear understanding to fall back upon.
D e m o n s t r a t i o n , o r B r i n g i n g T h i n g s t o Pa s s We hold no argument with any one over the possibility of demonstrating the Law. There is such a thing as Universal Law and Mind, and we can use It if we comply with Its nature and work as It works. We do not argue, ask, deny, nor affirm; W E KNOW. Thousands are to-day proving this Law, and in time, all will come to realize the Truth. We can demonstrate to the level o f our ability to know; beyond this we cannot go. But we will constantly expand and increase in knowledge and understanding, thereby continuously growing in our ability to make use o f the Law; in time we will be made free through It. It is a wonderful experiment and a great adventure to make conscious use of the Law, to feel that we can plant an idea in Mind and see it gradually take form. The student should take time every day to see his life as he wishes it to be, to make a men tal picture o f his ideal. He should pass this picture over to the Law and go about his business with the inner assurance that on the invisible side o f life something is taking place. There should
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never be any sense o f hurry nor w orry about this; just a calm, peaceful sense o f reality. Let the Law work through, and express Itself in, the experience. There should be no idea o f compul sion; we do not have to make the Law work; it is Its nature to work, and all that we need to do is to make use o f It. In gladness, then, we should make known our desires, and in confidence we should wait upon the Perfect Law to manifest through us.
O u r Pa r t Our part is to be ready and willing to be guided into truth and liberty. If, in the making o f a demonstration, it becomes necessary to change our mode o f living, then the Law will point the way and we will follow. Our correct choice will be part o f the working out o f the Law. All doubt and fear must go, and in their place must come faith and confidence; for we shall be led by the Spirit into all good.
Tr e a t m e n t Treatment is not for the purpose of making things happen; it is to provide, within ourselves, an avenue through which they may happen. Treatment opens up the avenues o f thought, ex pands the consciousness, and lets Reality through; it clarifies the mentality, removes the ob structions of thought and lets in the Light. We already live in a Perfect Universe, but It needs to be mentally seen before It can become a part o f our experience. Treatment removes doubt and fear; lets in the realization o f the Presence of Spirit; and is necessary while we are con fronted by obstruction or obstacles. Every problem is primarily mental, and the answer to all problems will be found in Spiritual Realizations.
M e d i u m B e t w e e n M a n a n d H is M a n i f e s t a t i o n The subjective state of m ans thought decides what is going to happen to him. The subjective state of his thought is the sum-total o f his thinking and knowing; It is the medium between the relative and the Absolute, between the Limitless and the conditioned. Whatever is involved in it will evolve; therefore, treatment is the act, the art and the science o f systematically and consciously inducing such thoughts as we wish to see expressed. When there is no longer any thing within our mentality that denies our word, a demonstration will be made; nothing can stop it, for the Law is Absolute. The question might be asked: “If this is true, why not affirm that we have what we desire and let it go at that?” This is true in Principle, but in practice and
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in fact, it is only as true as we make it; that is, we cannot demonstrate beyond our ability to know the Truth. We should begin, then, with the things that we do know, and from that basis evolve a greater knowledge. We should approach the Law normally and naturally and with a sense of ease. There is noth ing peculiar or weird about this; it is a natural Law, working in a normal way, and must be thought o f in this light. We should come to consider the Law and the Spirit as friends and think o f them as such; in this way we will gradually go from good to more good and from peace to a greater peace. This is the natural unfoldment o f Reality through man. We should expect the best and so live that the best may become a part o f our experience.
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LESSON FOUR: M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. IV. How
Id e as M a n i f e s t as T h i n g s
This chart is divided into two sides, representing the world o f thought and the world o f re flections. It represents the law o f cause and effect. The world o f thought is the world o f ideas, while the world of reflections means the results o f thought. The world o f reflections is entirely a world o f effects and is, o f itself, unconscious and unknowing. Consider everything on the left side o f this chart to be thoughts or ideas; and consider everything on the right side to be the automatic results of the law as it works out into effects. By using this chart in conjunction with the explanations already given, it will be plain just how the law o f cause and effect works from the idea to the thing.
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LESSON FOUR: THE C O N T R O L OF C O N D IT IO N S In taking up this subject, let us very clearly understand that we do not differentiate between Conscious Mind and Spirit; there is no difference, for they are One. The Spirit o f Intelligence, which is God, in order to do something for us must do that thing through us, and what It is to do must first become a part o f our mentality before it can be come an individual experience. O U R M ENTALITIES ARE BU T THE SPIRIT W O RK IN G TH RO U G H U SA S INDIVIDUALS. In the new schools o f thought there are those who claim to demonstrate only by the Spirit; also those who claim to demonstrate only by the Mind. This is a distinction which is supposi tional rather than real and is impossible, because, if there were two powers, we would at once have duality and our philosophy o f Unity would be contradicted. There is but One Active Intel ligence, whether it be the Universal Intelligence or Universal Spirit individualized in us. We do, however, distinguish between the phase of mind which we call conscious and the phase which we call unconscious or subjective, as has already been explained. In demonstrating conditions, the only inquiries we need to make are: Do the things that we want lend themselves to a constructive program? Do they express a more abundant life, rob none, create no delusion, but instead, do they express a greater degree of livingness? If they do, then all the power in the universe must be behind them. If it is money, automobiles, houses, lands, stocks, bonds, dresses, shirts or shoestrings, cabbages or kings,— all of which come from the same source,— there can be nothing, either in the Law or in the Spirit back of the Law, to deny us the right to the greatest possible expression of life. So we need not hesitate to use the Law for personal motives, for we have a perfect right to do so. It is good for every one to express himself, provided that in so doing, he does not destroy the independence of others.
L aw of R e fle c t io n In turning to the Law, then, realize that It is a Law o f reflection. “Life is the m irror of king and slave.” Chart No. IV is divided into two parts with a suppositional line in the center; on one side is depicted the world o f thought and on the other, the world o f the reflections of thought. The world of thought is the world o f our individuality; it is the part o f us that knows. The other is the world o f soul or receptivity and o f reflections. In the thought is the cause that reflects the effect; the belief that reflects the correspondence. Here is the image; and here is a form. Here 140
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is the limited thought, the result of which reflects poverty. Here is the freed thought, the result of which reflects wealth. Here is a thought of peace which reflects peace. Here is a prayer and here is its answer; the answer to prayer is in the prayer when it is prayed, and the answer is identical with the prayer. Here is Yes and here is Yes; and here is No and here is No. Why is this? Because the Law takes us at our own valuation; if we say “Yes,” It says “Yes” ; and if we say “No,” It says “N o” ; for It can only reflect; It cannot initiate anything. So here is friendship and over here is friendship. Emerson said: “If you want a friend, be a friend” ; and so, as the idea of friend ship dawns upon the consciousness, the law of attraction produces friends; for one is the picture and the other is the thing. This is the great teaching o f Involution and Evolution, the thought involved and the result evolved; one is the treatment and the other is the demonstration. We mean by demonstration, bringing into our experience something which we had not experienced before; bringing it in as the result o f conscious thought; and unless it is possible to do this the whole science is a mistake and a delusion. Unless there is a Divine Principle, Universal Soul or Subjectivity, or Medium, which, of Itself, without any help or assistance, can produce things, and w ill, then there is nothing in this teaching. But there is Divine Principle; and what It does for us, It must do through us. Our part in the demonstration is to set the word in motion, thus compelling, through the law of subjectivity, the result or manifestation.
A ttr a ctin g Friends When we are dealing with Causation, we are dealing with that which has involved within Itself all effect, as it unfolds. We may leave it to the Law to compel right action. With this in mind, let us go on to treatment. Suppose we wish to attract friends. We must begin to image ideal relationships, be they social or otherwise; to sense and feel the presence of friends; to enjoy them in our own men talities, not as an illusion, but as a reality; not as a dream, but as an experience; to declare that their presence is now here; that they know it and that we know it. But we must never look to see if they are here, because this would imply doubt and would neutralize our word. We can attract the kind o f friends we wish if we specifically designate the kind; but we must never think ,o f certain people, or that a particular individual must be one of them, for this would be hyp notic; just thinking the idea will bring the right kind o f friends. In order to have this friendship enduring, true, really worth while and a thing of beauty, we should cultivate an attitude of friendship toward everybody and everything.
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Th e P r i n c i p l e of P r o s p e r i t y We are surrounded by a Universal Subjectivity, a Subjective, Creative Consciousness, which is receptive, neutral, impersonal, always receiving the impress of our thought, and which has no alternative other than to operate directly upon it, thus creating the things which we think. Each one should realize that there is nothing in him that denies that which he desires. Our unity with our good is not established while there is anything in us that denies it. People often say: “How shall I know when I know?” If you knew you would not ask this question; the very fact that you can ask it proves you do not know; for when you know that you know you can prove it by doing. Thought sets definite force in motion in Mind, relative to the individual who thinks. For instance, I am known in Consciousness as Ernest Holmes, for that is my name; and every claim made for me, which I accept, operates through avenues o f mind-activity and returns to me as some condition. In practice, always forget the limitations of individuality. Each treatment should embody a recognition of the W hole, because It is Omnipresent.
W e D eal w ith A bsoluteness We deal with Absoluteness; this is the attitude that we should have. What we need is to know the Truth. This does not mean that we need not be active; o f course we shall be active; but we need not compel things to happen. A good demonstration is made when the Truth, gathering Its own power, lifts one out o f his environment; and until that time comes he should stay where he is, in order that he may know when he has made a demonstration. It is not a good demonstration if, when we give our treatments, we have to struggle just as before. Principle is Absolute, and in so far as any individual can actually induce, within con sciousness, upon Principle, a definite, concrete acceptance o f his desire, it will manifest, even if every thought on earth had to change to compel it. If it were a bit o f information that only one person on earth knew, and he was in the center of Africa, it would be produced.
P r a y e r Is I t s O w n A n s w e r Cause and effect are but two sides of thought; and Spirit is both Cause and Effect. Prayer is its own answer. Now, if the one who prays only partly believes, then there is a tendency to set an idea in motion; if the next day he wholly doubts, this idea must be wiped out. In dealing with Mind, we are dealing with a Force which we cannot fool. We can fool ourselves; we can fool 142
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others; but we cannot cheat Principle out o f the slightest shadow o f our most subtle concept; for this is impossible.The hand writes and passes on, but the writing is left there, nevertheless; and the only thing that can erase it is a writing of a different character. We must either transcend all that has gone before, by walking above it, neutralize it by an opposite state o f consciousness, or endure it. Get a sense o f self-mastery, of being equal to every occasion. There is nothing too great; there is no obstacle that you cannot surmount; no obstruction that you cannot dissipate by the power of Truth, if your concept o f Truth is dynamic enough and clear enough, and if the em bodiment is complete.
I f You K n o w If you know that the Power with which you are dealing is Principle and not personality; if you know and believe that Mind is the only Actor, Cause, Effect, Substance, Intelligence, Truth and Power that there is; and if you have a real embodiment o f your desires, then you can demonstrate. If you lack, if you are poor, if you are without friends, if you are without opportunity, don’t fight anything; but be sure to erase from your consciousness any sense o f that lack. You erase thought from consciousness by pouring in an opposite thought; this opposite thought meets the other and neutralizes it; that is, it rubs it out, just as we rub a chalk mark off a board. Take a consistent, positive, aggressive mental attitude in the Truth. We walk by falling forward; water falls by its own weight; the planets are eternally falling through space; for everything sustains itself in nature. The only reason that man is limited is that he has not allowed the Instinctive Life to come out through him, and the reason why this is possible, is that his own Divine Individuality, as soon as it was evolved, compelled Infinity to appear in his experience as duality, because he believed in duality. Take no personal responsibility for making anything happen. Throw your word into Mind, and know that Mind receives it; Mind believes it; Mind accepts it; Mind acts upon it; and Mind produces it.
No P e r s o n a l R esponsibility No matter how great a responsibility may rest in that which must be done, never let one min ute s responsibility rest in your own thought about it, because that to which the mind gives birth is, and EVERY IDEA IS BO U N D TO PRO D U CE AN EFFECT EXACTLY LIKE ITS CAUSE. When we make a^demonstration we must take what goes with it. Therefore, all demonstra
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tions should be made in peace, confidence and joy and in the realization o f Divine Love and Perfection as permeating everything. The reason for this is evident, for we are dealing with the law o f cause and effect. We are not depending upon chance, but upon Law. We must know that we are dealing with the substance from which all things are made— people, brains, monkeys— everything that is. Nothing moves but Mind, and we are dealing with the Mind that is the Mover, the Creator, the Cause o f all that is or is to be.
H e l p i n g a n In v e n t o r Suppose an inventor came to you and said: “I am trying to perfect a piece of machinery and have not been able to work out the right plan.” You sit with him for treatment; that is, you concentrate in Mind, in order to produce the desired idea through him.You know that all ideas come from Mind and that Mind is always unfolding Its Ideas through man.You say: “John Smith is an inventor; a certain idea is trying to operate through him and there is nothing in him that can obstruct this idea.” Then state that this idea is known in Mind, and is now flowing through him. If you do this, thinking clearly, new ideas w ill begin to operate through him and he will discover the thing he needs.
L o o k O n l y at W h a t Yo u W a n t Never look at that which you do not wish to experience. No matter what the false condition may be, it must be refuted. The proper kind o f a denial is based upon the recognition that, in reality, there is no limitation; for mind can as easily make a planet as anything else. The Infinite knows no difference between a million dollars and a penny. It only knows that IT IS. It would be just as easy to demonstrate a million dollars as it would be to demonstrate ten cents, if the mental concept embodied the idea o f a million dollars. It is the consciousness back o f the word that forms the word. Consciousness means the inner embodiment of an idea through the recognition o f Truth and a direct relationship to the Divine. The greatest Teacher Who ever lived was the most spiritual man; for the more universal and comprehensive the thought, the more Godlike it must become. A good treatment is always filled with the recognition o f the Presence of God or Good. Even in Spiritual Things we are still dealing with the law of cause and effect, for God is Law. The more exalted the thought, the more heavenly, the more boundless, the more Godlike or Christlike the thought, the more power it will have. This is why the greatest Teacher should become the Saviour; He couldn’t help it. A great teacher would have to be a Saviour.
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D efinite P lan We will say that there are four men, “A,” “B,” “ C,” and “D ” “A ” receives $ i £ a week, “B” receives $£o, “C,” $7£, and “ D,” $10 0 . Now these four are all without positions euid they come to a practitioner for mental treatment. The practitioner takes the thought that there is nothing but activity; he neutralizes, in his own thought, any belief in inactivity and declares that each o f these four men is divinely active and occupied. Without question he has set in motion a law which will respond and will reproduce something for each o f these four. We will suppose that his treatment is a good and an effective one; they receive it, and consequently each one of them receives a position. You w ill find that each does not receive the same compensation, for in all probability “A” will receive $ i £ per week; “B,” $^o; “ C,” $7^, and “D,” $ 100. “But.” one might say, “he spoke the same word for each; why did they not all receive $10 0 per week?” Because, while his word was used for each in a like manner, each could receive only his fill, his mental capacity to comprehend. Each was full, and no doubt running over; but the molds which their perceptions of life provided were limited to the subjective remembrance already set in motion by themselves. Each attracted to himself, out o f the Universal Good, that which he could com prehend. It is the old statement that water w ill reach its own level by its own weight, and without effort. So a treatment w ill only level itself in the objective world at the level o f the subjective thought and realization. This does not mean that each of the above-stated men will always have to receive die same compensation; for with an enlarged consciousness he would receive more.
A ttractio n Every one automatically attracts to himself just what he is, and you may set it down that w her ever you are, however intolerable the situation may be, it is just where you belong. There is no power in the Universe but yourself that can get you out of it. Some one may help you on the road to realization, but substantiality and permanence can come only through the consciousness o f your own life and thought. Man must bring himself to a point where there is no misfortune, no calamity, no accident, no trouble, no confusion; where there is nothing but plenty, peace, power, Life and Truth. He should definitely, daily, using his own name, declare the Truth about himself, realizing that he is rejecting his statements into Consciousness, and that they will be operated upon by It. This is called, in mysticism, High Invocation; invoking the Divine Mind; implanting within It seeds of thought relative to on es self. And this is why some of the teachers of older times used to teach their pupils to cross their hands over their chests and say: “Wonderful, wonderful,
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wonderful m e!” definitely teaching them that, as they held themselves, so they would be held. “Act as though I Am and I will Be.” One o f the ancient sayings is that, “To the man who can perfectly practice inaction, all things are possible.” This sounds like a contradiction until one gets down to the inner teachings; for it is only when one completely practices inaction that he arrives at the point of the true actor. For he then realizes that the act and the actor are one and the same, that cause and effect are the same; which is simply a different way of saying: “Know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free ” To reduce the whole thing to its simplest form , whatever one reflects into Mind will be done.
How
t o D e m o n stra te a Home
Suppose you wish to demonstrate a home; daily, looking into Mind, visualize it just as you wish it to be, making the picture as clear as possible; for it is a lack o f clearness of thought that hinders demonstration. Then sit there about ten minutes, saying, “It is, it is, it is.” Perhaps thoughts will come in which say “that it is not.” Pay no attention to such thoughts but return to your meditation, and seeing the picture anew, say again, “It is, it is, it is.” Use no effort, but simply see the picture very clearly and declare for its presence. Never look for results from treatment; for if you do you w ill not find them. This is in ac cordance with law, for what you look for you know that you do not have and are only trying to fool yourself into thinking that you do have. Treatment is not a process of hypnotism; it is a process o f self-knowing; and if you really know you will be sure to demonstrate. Treatment is the art, the science and process o f systematically inducing within consciousness concepts o f definite desires as already accomplished facts and experiences in life.
R esist N ot When Jesus said “ Resist not evil,”60 He meant that non-recognition of evil is the only way to avoid it. This is true according to the law o f cause and effect; for what we persist in recognizing, we persist in holding in place. That which we non-recognize, we neutralize, and it is no longer there, so far as we are concerned. In making a demonstration, don’t try to demonstrate; for demonstrations are not made through effort, because this would contradict one of the funda mental principles o f the universe, which is the Self-Existence o f Causation. In other words,
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nothing can come before that which is, consequently everything must come out of that which is; and within that which is, is the inherent possibility o f that which is to be. All things exist as a potentiality, as a possibility, now. “I Am Alpha and Omega.”61 Try to get a recognition o f your desire and pass the whole thing over to Mind, and let It operate. Just know that the desire is already a fact, and quietly say to yourself, as often as the thought comes into mind: “It is done.” The lighter the thought is, the less care or w orry over it, the better. The best work is done when the element o f struggle is entirely left out.
H ealin g a M isu nd erstand ing Suppose one says: “I have had a terrible misunderstanding with a friend of mine and it has come to a point where we do not even speak to each other.” What is the fundamental error which has brought about this condition? A lack of the realization of the Unity of all life, a belief in duality. Destroy this belief in duality; recognize that there is but One Mind; see God in each, and the trouble will be healed. We all live in the One Mind o f God.
Fa t e If one believes in fate he must be healed of this thought, for there is no such thing as fate. If one believes that planetary forces have anything to do with life he must be healed o f this thought. Break down everything except the recognition of the One Perfect Power, which is not contingent upon any place, person, condition, time o f year, or anything but Itself. A demonstra tion is made when it comes through straight from the Truth. The one who wishes to make a demonstration must first clear up his own subjective atmo sphere; the reason being that he may be objectively making statements which his subjective thought may be denying. In this way we often neutralize our word as fast as it is spoken. A treatment is scientific in that it is the act of inducing into Subjectivity ideas which neutral ize false images of thought and which let the Truth come through into expression. The rea son that we need such a science is that we do not have a perfect faith; for if we had a perfect faith we would have washed clean the subjective thought and no doubts would be there. Until the time comes when one can say to the sick, “ Get up and walk,” and have them do so; or say, “There is money,” and have it appear, he must take the process of inducing thought for the purpose of accumulating a subjective belief in the things which he desires; this belief, as soon
6 1 Rev. i : 8.
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as it is complete, IS TH E D EM O N STRATIO N . The demonstration takes place within and not without.
A ttractio n of Perso n ality One might say, “I have no personality with which to attract people.” There is but One Person; this Person is manifested through every living soul. It is radiant, vibrant, dynamic; It is The Personality; It is Complete; It is, It is. The ones to whom we are the most strongly attracted are not necessarily the ones who are the most beautiful physically; but are the ones from which we receive that subtle emanation, “that something.” What is “that something” ? It is not that which shows, but that which floats through from within. It is the inner recognition of Reality.
S ee L ife E x p r e sse d One should analyze himself, saying, “Do I look at myself from a standpoint of restriction? Do I see life as limited to the eternal round o f getting up in the morning, eating, going to work, coming home, going to bed, sleeping, getting up again?” and so on. Break the bonds of necessity and see life as one continuous expression o f the Infinite Self; and as this conception gradually dawns upon the inner thought, something will happen in the outer conditions to let up on the greater demands o f the law o f necessity. If one were doing the work he should be doing, he would never become tired, because the energy which holds the Universe in place is tireless. The reason why we become tired is that we have cross currents of thought over our work. This arises from a belief in duality. A treatment is the scientific act o f inducing concepts in Mind, which operates upon them and manifests them in external affairs, just as the picture is held subjectively. During the process we meet, contact, neutralize and erase any and all opposing mental forces or conditions which deny our greater good. Never limit your view o f life by what you or any one else has ever accomplished. The pos sibility o f life is inherent within the capacity to imagine what life is, backed by the power to produce this imagery or Divine Imagination. It is not a question o f failing or o f succeeding; it is simply a question o f sticking to an idea until it becomes a tangible reality. The illusion is in the way that we look at things. We have looked at some things and they have looked evil to us; we must look at them until they look good. We have looked at some one and he has looked sick to us; we must look at him until he looks well. We have seen discord; we must see harmony.
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Look at harmony and people will become harmonious. We have looked at poverty, degrada tion and misery until they have assumed a gigantic form . Now we must look at harmony, hap piness, plenty, prosperity, peace and right action until it appears.
L o o k to th e U ltim ate In treating, we conceive o f the ultimate o f the idea, but never o f the process. Never treat a process; never look for one. We plant a seed, and there is in that seed, operating through the creative soil, everything that is going to happen until it comes up, unfolds, and produces a plant. The ultimate o f effect is already potential in cause. This is the mystical meaning of those words, “I am Alpha and Omega.”62 Our word should be the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end of the thing thought of. All cause and effect are in Spirit. Cause and effect are bound together into one complete whole. One is the inside and the other is the outside of the same thing. Once you have driven the peg into the ground, stick to it. Never let anything cause you to doubt your ability to demonstrate the Truth. Conceive of your word as being the thing. See the desire as an already accomplished fact and rest in perfect confidence, peace and certainty, never looking for results, never wondering, never becoming anxious, never being hurried nor w or ried. Those who do not understand this attitude will think that you are inactive, but remember, “To him who can perfectly practice inaction, all things are possible.”
No
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In mental work, we must realize that there is One Infinite Mind, which is consciously directing our destiny. Declare every day that “no mistakes have been made, none are being made, and none can be made” ; declare, “There is One Supreme Intelligence which governs, guides and guards, tells me what to do, when to act, and how to act” ; then act with perfect assurance. Declare, “everything necessary to the full and complete expression of the most boundless experience, joy and life, everything is now” ; know this, see it, feel it and be it. Do this every day for a few minutes; we should all do this until the time comes when it will no longer be necessary. When that time comes, we will know it, because our demonstrations will have been made. Suppose one says: “I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. I had opportunities which I did not grasp.” This is a direct belief that there is but one opportunity which comes to man, and if
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he does not take it he will have no more. This is a belief in limited opportunities, and it must be denied completely and specifically. We exist in Limitless Opportunities, which are forever seeking expression through us, and are expressed in and through us. Know that there is no condemnation; for nothing can condemn unless we believe in con demnation. Destroy the thought that would lay limitation or bondage upon any situation or condition. “ Loose him, and let him go.”63 Talk to yourself, not to the world.There is no one to talk to but yourself, for all experiences take place within. Conditions are the reflections o f our own meditations, and nothing else. There is but One Mind to think, but one thing that It can think; that Mind is our Mind now. It never thinks confusion; It knows what it wishes, and how to accomplish what it desires. It is what It desires.
C auses a n d C o n d itio n s Pay no attention to what happens in the objective world when you are making a demonstration. We interpret causes by conditions only as we realize that a condition must partake of the nature o f its cause. If there appears to be confusion in the condition, then there must have been con fusion in the thought back o f it. Pay no attention to the objective expression so long as you know you are getting the right subjective recognition. The way to work out a problem scien tifically is to take it up in thought daily and conceive o f it as already being an accomplished fact in experience. Get the idea o f the desire as already embodied in the Absolute. Unless one be lieves that there is an Absolute, how can he do this? We must believe that we are dealing with Reality and with nothing less than the Absolute. If we are radiating thought into Divine Mind, what is there that can hinder It from operat ing on this thought? Nothing, for It knows no hindrances. Be sure that there is nothing destruc tive in the reaction; for there must be no element o f destructiveness in our work. Daily hold your desire as an already accomplished fact and go about your business with joy and gladness, with peace and quiet confidence; the Law is then sure to act. During the process many things may happen that will appear to be destructive. You may pass through good fortune and bad; but if you can come to the point where you are not disturbed by what happens on the outside, you have found the secret. If, as Jesus said, we “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment,”64 remembering that “things which are seen were not made of things which
63 John 11 : 44. 64 John 7 : 24.
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do appear” ;6* out o f any chaos we can produce harmony, provided we keep our thought steady. The answer to prayer is already in the prayer when it is prayed.
Perfect A ction Assume a case o f treatment for prosperity. Suppose one comes to you and says: “Business is bad; there is no activity.” How are you going to treat him? Are you going to treat activity or business, customers, conditions or what?There is but one thing to treat, as far as the practitio ner is concerned, and that is HIMSELF. The practitioner treats himself, the reason being that his patient’s and his own mind are in the One Mind. There is but one activity, which is perfect. Nothing has happened to it; nothing can cut it off; it is always operating. There is no belief in inactivity. What is this statement for? To neutral ize the belief in inactivity. A word spoken in Mind will reach its own level, in the objective world, by its own weight; just as in physical science we know that water reaches its own level by its own weight. You must destroy the thoughts o f inactivity. Man cannot become either discouraged or afraid if he realizes that, there is but One Mind which he may consciously use. The real man knows no discouragement, cannot be afraid and has no unbelief. " Who plants a seed beneath the sod And waits to see it turn away the clod, Hasfaith in God!’ And he who knows of the power with which he is dealing, and who plants a seed o f thought in Subjectivity, knows that it will come up and bear fruit. Bring out the idea of Substance. Make consciousness perceive that Substance is Spirit, Spirit is God, and God is all that there is. Once you acquaint the consciousness with this idea, it is implanted in the Creative Power which is externalizing in your life.
M en tal E quivalents The Law is Infinite and Perfect; but in order to make a demonstration we must first have a mental equivalent o f the thing we DESIRE. Consequently, the range of our possibilities at the present time does not extend far beyond the range o f our present concepts. As we bring our selves to a greater vision, we can then induce a still greater concept and thereby demonstrate
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more in our experience. In this way there is a continuous growth and unfoldment taking place. We do not expect to give a treatment to-day and have a million dollars to-morrow. But, little by little, we can unfold our consciousness through the acquisition of greater and still greater mental equivalents, until at last we shall be made free. The way to proceed is to begin right where we are. It is not scientific to attempt to begin somewhere else. This would be chaotic. One who understands the systematic use o f the Law will realize that he is where he is because o f what he is; but he will not say, “I must be where I am because o f what I am.” Instead, he will begin to disclaim what he appears to be. As his statements loosen wrong subjective tendencies and false mentality, providing in their place a correct concept o f life and Reality, he will auto matically be lifted out o f his conditions; and impelling forces, which will sweep everything before them, will set him free, if he trusts in Spirit and in nothing else. Stay with the One and never deviate from It; never leave It for a moment. Nothing else can equal this attitude. To desert the Truth in the hour o f need is to prove that we do not know the Truth. When things look the worst is the supreme moment to demonstrate to yourself that there are no obstructions. When things look worst is the best time to work, the most satisfying time. The person who can throw himself, with a complete abandon, into that Limit less Sea of Receptivity, having cut loose from all apparent moorings, is the one who will always receive the greatest reward.
Tr e a t in g fo r A c tiv it y Suppose you have a store and wish to attract customers, which means activity in this kind of business. Every day see the place filled with people. Make a mental picture of this. You are dealing with Intelligence, so work intelligently. Ask for what you wish and take it. If you were treating for activity in a store in Boston you would not be treating some one in Kalamazoo for the mumps. Remember that you are dealing with Intelligence; IT IS GO IN G TO EVOLVE Y O U R C O N C E PT EXACTLY AS YO U INVOLVE IT. If one could take a picture of his objective circumstances and his subjective mentality, he would find that they would be identical; for one is the cause of the other; one is the image and the other is the reflection of that image.
R e c e i v i n g In f o r m a t i o n Suppose that we wish a special piece of information; we should say, “I wish to know this thing and I do know it. Whatever instrument is necessary to present it to me is now in full opera tion.” This is a direct declaration that we have the desired knowledge, that that which we wish
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to know we do know. Say, “The Spirit of Intelligence within me tells me what I should know,” or, “Everything that I should know I do know.” It does not matter how we get this knowledge; we would not care if we read it on a sign, or in the dictionary, or if it were told us, or if it were sent to us; but we should consider the demonstration complete provided we received it. Say, “Everything necessary for the complete fulfillment o f this idea is now in full operation, and I accept it.”
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If one appears to have failed he should realize that there are no failures in the universe. We should completely erase the idea o f failure by stating that there are no failures. If one believes that he failed last year he will be likely to fail again this year, unless the false thought should be erased. Now here is a place where it looks as though one were lying to himself, but he is not; for he is declaring the truth about the Spirit that indwells him; this Spirit never fails. Affirm , “This word blots from the book o f my remembrance any sense o f lack, limitation, want or fear of failure. There is no failure, no person to fail; failure is neither person, place nor thing; it is a false thought and has no truth in it; it is a belief in lack and there is no lack; it is a belief in a limitation which does not exist.” Thought is very subtle, and sometimes you may find, when you are making such a state ment, that arguments will rise against it. Stop right here and meet those arguments; refuse to accept them.
O pportunity Suppose you are treating your business and something from within says, “There are too many people in this business” ; handle the thought o f competition at once; say, “There is no com petition or monopoly.” You must do something to free the endeavor to express itself. Treat ment is a thing o f itself; it is an entity of Infinite Intelligence, Life and Action, and nothing can hinder its operation except unbelief or a lack o f adequate mental equivalents. “They could not enter in because o f unbelief,”66 and they “tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel”67 Never depend upon people, or say that things must come from this or that source. It makes
66 Heb. 3 : 1 9 . 67 Ps. 78 1 4 1 .
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no difference where things come from. Say that they are and let them come from where they will; and then, if something appears to happen which points to a place for them to come from, it is correct to say, “If this is the place, then there is nothing which can hinder.” This is not hypnotic, for you are simply guarding against the possibility o f some false thought coming in and hindering your demonstration. Nothing moves but Mind. God makes things through the direct act of becoming the things which He creates. This is what we do, for our thought becomes the thing thought of. The thought and the thing are one, in reality. “W HAT A M AN HAS AS W ELL AS W HAT HE IS, IS TH E RESU LT OF TH E SU BJECTIVE STATE OF HIS TH O UGH T.” Keep on subjectifying thought until the balance of your consciousness is on the affirmative side, and nothing can hinder it from demonstrating. This is inevitable, for this is the way that the Law operates.
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Regarding mistakes,— declare that there are none, that there never were and never will be any. Say, “I represent the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth; It is unerring, It never mistakes; there are no mistakes in the Divine Plan for me; there is no fear; there is no limita tion, poverty, want nor lack; I stand in the midst of eternal opportunity, which is forever presenting me with the evidence of its full expression. I am joy, peace and happiness; I am the spirit o f joy within me; I am the spirit o f peace within me, o f poise and power; I am the spirit of happiness within m e; I radiate Life; I am Life. There is One Life; that Life is my Life now.” It is not enough to say, “There is One Life and that Life is God ” We must complete this statement by saying, “That Life is my Life now,” because we must couple this Life with ours in order to express It. We are not becoming This Life, but are now, in, and of, This Life. There is no other Life. God is not becoming; God Is. God is not growing; God is Complete. God is not trying to find out something; God already knows. Evolution is not the expression o f a becoming God, but is simply one o f the ways that a God W ho already Is, expresses Himself; and as such, it is the logical result o f involution and is eternally going on.
D e m o n st r a t io n by Proof If one is in a position which is distasteful, subject to circumstances over which he appar ently has no control at the time, how should he act? He should not leave the place where he is until his thought has drawn him to a better one. In making a demonstration, we should not
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shove anything before us, carry anything with us nor drag anything after us. We should stay where we are until our word takes us somewhere else; for this is the only proof that we have demonstrated.
H a n d l in g a Schoo lro om A teacher, in dealing with the thought o f pupils, should treat their thought as a unit. The indi viduality o f the room , of which each pupil is a part, is a perfect idea. There is One Mind oper ating in, around and through all these pupils, controlling them, directing them and inspiring them; there are peace, calm, satisfaction and enlightenment here. Realize the Active Presence o f the One Mind, working in, around and through all, and you w ill find that this w ill harmonize the most discordant state, provided the teacher, the one who is thinking, really knows the Truth.
The L aw of C o r r e s p o n d e n c e The limit o f our ability to demonstrate depends on our ability to provide a mental equivalent of our desire; for the law o f correspondences works from the belief to the thing. But we can provide a greater mental equivalent through the unfolding o f consciousness; and this growth from within will finally lead to freedom. What we demonstrate to-day, to-m orrow and the next day is not as important as THE T E N D EN C Y W HICH O U R TH O U G H T IS TAKING. If, every day, things are a little better, a little happier, a little more harmonious, a little more health-giving and joyous; if, each day, we are expressing more life, we are going in the right direction. And so we meditate daily upon the Universe of the All Good, that Infinite Indwelling Spirit which we call God, the Father, Incarnate in man; trying to sense and to feel this Indwelling Good as the Active Principle of our lives. This is what the mystics call “The Man o f the Heart,” or “The Angel of G o d s Presence.” This is why they taught that there are always Two; for there is what we seem to be and what we really are; and as we contact this Higher Principle of our own lives— Which is Perfect and Complete, needing nothing, wanting nothing, knowing ev erything, being happy and satisfied,— and as we daily meditate upon this Indwelling God, we shall acquire a greater mental equivalent. For those who have thought small thoughts all of their lives a very good practice is to dwell upon the bigness o f the universe. Think how many stars there are; think o f how many fish there are in the seas, and how many grains o f sand on the beach. Think o f how big the ocean is; of the immensity of space, the bigness o f everything, the grandeur o f everything. Mechanically, if
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necessary, compel the mentality to cognize Reality. Compel the consciousness to recognize the Truth through pure reason, if no other conviction comes. Think, see and feel activity. Radiate Life. Feel that there is that within which is the center and circumference of the universe. The universe is the result o f the Self-Contemplation of the Lord. Our lives are the results of our self-contemplations, and are peopled with the personi fications o f our thoughts and ideas. Accept this without question, for it is true. Nothing is real to us unless we make it real. Nothing can touch us unless we let it touch us. Refuse to have the feelings hurt. Refuse to receive any on es condemnation. In the indepen dence o f your own mentality, believe and feel that you are wonderful. This is not conceit; it is the truth. What can be more wonderful than the manifestation o f the Infinite Mind? “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light”68“Prove Me, now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows o f heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”69 “Be firm and ye shall be made firm .” “Act as though I am and I will be ” “ Onlook thou the Deity and the Deity will onlook thee ” “As thou hast believed so be it done.”70 “Ask and it shall be given unto you.”7' “ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth— it shall prosper.”72
Note: Read and study “That Something” ; “The Edinburgh Lectures,” T.Troward; “The Law and the Word,” T.Troward; “ Creative Mind and Success,” E. S. Holmes; “ How to Visualize,” Behrend; “Financial Success Through Creative Thought,” Wattles.
LESSON FOUR: RECAPITULATION Limitation and poverty are not things but are the results o f restricted ways o f thinking. We are surrounded by a Subjective Intelligence which receives the impress of our thought and acts upon it. This Intelligence is a natural Law in the Mental World, and consequently It is neither good nor bad. It can only be said o f It, that It Is, and that we may consciously use It. The Law is a Law o f Reflection; for life is a mirror, reflecting to us, as conditions, the im 68 Eph.
g:
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69 Mai. 3 : 1 0 . 70 Matt. 8 : 1 3 . 71 Matt. 7 : 7 . 72 Isa.
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ages of our thinking. Whatever one thinks tends to take form and to become a part of his ex perience. The Medium o f all thought is the Universal Mind, acting as Law. Law is always impersonal, neutral, receptive and reactive. A sense o f separation from good causes us to feel restricted; and a sense of our Unity with Good changes the currents o f Causation and brings a happier condition into the experience. Everything in the so-called material universe is an effect and exists only by virtue o f some mental image behind it. M ans individuality enables him to make such use o f the Law as he desires; he is bound, not by limitation, but by a limited thought. The same power which binds him will free him when he understands the Law to be one o f Liberty and not one o f bondage. The power within man can free him from all distasteful conditions, if the Law governing this power is properly under stood and utilized. The Law o f Mind, which is the Medium o f all action, is a Law o f perfect balance; the O bjec tive World perfectly balances the images within the Subjective World. Water will reach its own level by its own weight; and, according to the same law, consciousness will externalize at its own level by its own weight. Cause and effect are but two sides of the same thing, one being the image in Mind and the other the objective condition. The manifest universe is the result of the Self-Contemplation o f the Lord. M ans world of affairs is the result o f his self-contemplation. He is, at first, ignorant of this, and so binds him self through wrong ideation and action; reversing this thought will reverse the condition. There is neither effort nor strain in knowing the Truth. Right action will be compelled through right knowing; therefore, when we know the Truth, It will compel us to act in the correct manner. Attraction and repulsion are mental qualities, and may be consciously utilized for definite purposes. Man, automatically and according to Law, attracts from without the correspondences of his inner mental attitudes. Inner mental attitudes may be induced through right thinking and correct knowing. The subjective state of thought is the power always at work; it is the result of the sum total of all beliefs, consciously or unconsciously held. The subjective state o f thought may be consciously changed through right mental action. The conscious thought controls the subconscious, and in its turn, the subconscious controls conditions. Visualizing, or mentally seeing right action, tends to produce the picture in external affairs. Since the Law is mental, one must believe in It, in order to have It work affirmatively for him; but It is always working according to our belief, whether we are conscious o f this fact or not.
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Demonstration takes place through the field o f the One Universal Mind; we set the Power in motion; the Law produces the effect. We plant the seed and the Law produces the plant. One should never allow himself to think of, or talk about, limitation or poverty. Life is a m irror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it. G o d s plan for man is a perfect one, and when we harmonize with it we will become free from all bondage. The more spiritual the thought, the higher the manifestation. Spiri tual thought means an absolute belief in, and reliance upon, Truth; this is both natural and normal. All is Love yet all is Law; Love is the impelling force and Law executes the will of Love. Man is a center o f God-Consciousness in the great W hole; he cannot deface his real being, but may hinder the W hole from coming into a complete expression through his life. Turning to the One with a complete abandonment and in absolute trust, he will find that he already is saved, helped and prospered. There is One Infinite Mind from which all things come; this Mind is through, in and around man; It is the Only Mind that there is, and every time man thinks he uses It. There is One In finite Spirit, and every time man says, “I am,” he proclaims It. There is One Infinite Substance; and every time man moves, he moves in It. There is One Infinite Law, and every time man thinks he sets It in motion. There is One Infinite God, and every time man speaks to This God he receives a direct answer. One! One! One! “I Am God and there is none else ”73There is One Limitless Life which returns to the thinker what he thinks into It. One! One! One! “In all, over all and through all.” Talk, live, act, believe and know that you are a center in the One. All the Power there is; all the Presence there is; all the Love there is; all the Peace there is; all the Good there is and the Only God that is, is Omnipresent; consequently, the Infinite is in and through man and is in and through everything. “Act as though I am and I will Be.”
LESSON FIVE: I N T R O D U C T I O N A mystic is not a mysterious person; but is one who has a deep, inner sense o f Life and Unity with the W hole; mysticism and mystery are entirely different things; one is real while the other may, or may not, be an illusion. There is nothing mysterious in the Truth, so far as It is under stood; but all things, o f course, are mysteries until we understand them.
73 Isa. 4 5 : 22.
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A mystic is one who intuitively perceives Truth and who, without mental process, arrives at Spiritual Realizations. It is from the teachings o f the great mystics that the best in the phi losophy o f the world has come. The civilization o f to-day is built around the teachings of a few people who have intuitively perceived Spiritual Truth. Our great code o f law was given by Moses, a map who through the mystic sense perceived that we live in a Universe of Law. Our greatest code o f ethics was given through the perception of the prophets, culminating in such teachings as those of Jesus and Buddha. Who was there who could have taught such men as these? By what process of mental ity did they arrive at their profound conclusions? We are compelled to recognize that Spirit Alone was their Teacher; they were, indeed, taught o f God. The mystic intuitively senses Reality and instinctively knows The Truth; and in this way all of the best in literature, music and art have come. Our great religions have been given by a few who climbed the heights o f spiritual vision and caught a fleeting glimpse o f Ultimate Reality. No living soul could have taught them what they knew, and it is doubtful if even they themselves knew why they knew. The great poets have been true mystics and have revealed, through their poems, the Presence o f God. Men like Robert Browning, Tennyson, Wordsworth, Homer, Walt Whitman, Edward Rowland Sill, and others of like nature, have given us poetry which is immortal, because they had a mystic sense o f life: the perception of a Living Presence. All true philosophers are mystics; the old prophets were mystics; David, Solomon, Jesus, Plato, Buddha, Plotinus, Emerson, and a score o f others, all had the same experience: the sense of a Living Presence. The greatest music ever composed was written by the hand of a mystic; and the highest and best in art has come from the same source. Man has compelled nature to do his bidding; he has harnessed electric energy, caught the wind, trapped steam and made them all obey his will. He has invented machines to do the work of thousands; he has belted the globe with his traffic and built up a wonderful civilization; but in few cases has he conquered his own soul. The highest and best that we have in civilization is the result o f the mystic sense which has been perceived by a few in each age. All that modern appliances and inventions give us in the way of comfort and luxury, good and necessary as they are, may be counted as nothing compared to the teachings of Jesus. By this, we do not mean to decry modern civilization, education or anything that goes with it; for we are firm believers in anything and everything that makes life interesting and worth living. We believe in science, art, religion, education, commerce, govern ment, industry, agriculture, and all that goes to make up a well-rounded experience in life; but we repeat, what would they amount to, if thought o f in any other light than as passing things?
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The mystic has revealed things that do not pass as ships in the night; he has revealed Eternal Verities and has plainly taught us that there is a Living Presence indwelling All.
Tr u e M ysticism a n d t h e P sych ic Se n se There is a vast difference between mysticism and psychism, between a mystic and an ordinary psychic. The psychic capacity will be thoroughly discussed in Lesson Six, and the reader will remember that it is the power to read subjectively; it may be dealing with a reality or with an illusion. The average psychic must become more or less subjective in order to do good work. At best, and even though in a normal state o f mind, he can only read subjective pictures and tendencies; at best, he is generally dealing with human thought. Should he penetrate that thought, he would then become a mystic. A mystic does not read human thought but senses the Thought of God. The question might be asked, “How do you know that he senses the Thought o f God?” Because the mystics o f every age have seen, sensed and taught THE SAME TRU TH . Psychic experiences more or less con tradict each other, because each psychic sees a different kind of mental picture; but the mystic experiences o f the ages have revealed O NE AN D TH E SAME TRU TH .
W hat t h e M ystics H ave Ta u g h t Without exception, all of the mystics have taught that there is but One Ultimate Reality; and that this Ultimate Reality is HERE NOW, IF W E C O U LD BU T SEE IT. Strange as it may seem, the great mystics have all believed in a Personal God; that is, a God who is Personal to all who believe in Him. They have not, o f course, believed in an A N T H R O PO M O RPH IC G O D ; but they have believed in a God who consciously works in and through man; and they have adored and worshiped this God. The great mystics have been illumined, that is, they have, at times, seen through the veil of matter and perceived the Spiritual Universe. They have taught that the Kingdom of God is N O W PRESEN T AN D N EEDS BU T TO BE R EA LIZED ; and they have, apparently, sensed that this Kingdom is within. A psychic sees only through his own subjective mentality; consequently, everything that he looks at is more or less colored by the vibration o f his own thought; he is subject to hallucina tions and false impressions o f every description. This is why, generally speaking, no two psy chics ever see the same thing. Mystics have all seen the same thing, and their testimony is in no way confusing; this is because the Spirit within them has borne witness to the Truth.
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U ltim ate E v il
One of the most illuminating things that mysticism has revealed, is that evil is not an ultimate reality. Evil is simply an experience of the soul on its journey toward Reality; it is not an entity but an experience necessary to self-unfoldment; it is not a thing o f itself but simply a misuse of power. It will disappear when we stop looking at, or believing in, it. We cannot stop believing in it as long as we indulge in it; so the mystic has always taught the race to turn from evil and do good.
U l tim a te Sa l v a t io n of A ll The mystics have taught the ultimate salvation o f all people and the immortality of every soul. Indeed, they have taught that immortality IS HERE AN D NOW, IF W E W O U LD BU T W AKE TO TH E FACT. “Beloved, now are we the Sons o f God.”74 Since each soul is some part o f the Whole, it is impossible that any soul can be lost. “ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”7* Damnation has been as foreign to the thought of the mystic as any belief in evil must be to the Mind o f God.
F reed o m from Bu r d e n The great mystics have taught that man should have no burdens, and would have none, if he turned to “The One.” “ Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”76 As Jesus must have known that it would be impossible for all men to come unto Him as a Personality, He must have meant that we should come into His understanding of Life and Real ity; that is, to come unto the Great God. Some day we will learn to lay our burdens on the Altar of Love, that they may be consumed by the fire o f faith in the Living Spirit. Man would have no burdens if he kept his “High watch” toward “The One” ; that is, if he always turned to God.
U n it y of A ll Jesus prayed that all might come to see the Unity o f Life. “That they may be One, even as we are One,”77 was His prayer as He neared the completion o f His great work on this planet. All
74 I John 3 : 2 . jg Matt. 22 : 32. 76 Matt. 11 : 28. 77 John 17: 22.
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mystics have sensed that we live in One Life. “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.”78The Unity o f Good is a revelation o f the greatest importance; for it teaches us that we are One with the W hole, and One with each other. This realization alone will settle the ques tion o f human inequality. The real Fatherhood of God and the Actual Brotherhood of Man will be made apparent on earth to the degree that men realize True Unity.
R e a l i z a t i o n o f In d i v i d u a l i t y No great mystic ever lived who denied the reality o f individuality. The higher the sense of Truth, the greater will be the realization of the uniqueness of individual character and personality. The Real Self is God-given and cannot be denied; it is the place where God comes to a point of Individualized and Personified Expression, and should be thought o f in this light. “I am the Light o f the world.”79
N ormalcy All mystics have been normal people, that is, they have lived just as other people have lived. The only difference has been that they have sensed a greater Reality; namely, the Presence of the Living Spirit. The true mystic in every age has come into the world of affairs and lived among men, sometimes as a teacher, and sometimes in the ordinary walks of life, but always in a perfectly natural way. There is nothing peculiar or strange about a mystic. People who shroud themselves in a cloak o f mystery are not true mystics but are laboring under mental delusions and subjective hallucinations. They may be sincere in their beliefs; but they are none the less wrong in their methods. It is a question if a real mystic would even realize that he is a mystic. He would be more liable to think o f himself simply as one who understands that he is One with the Whole.
Th e G r ea t L ig h t It is impossible, perhaps, to put into words or into print what a mystic sometimes sees, and it is as hard to believe it as it is to put it into words. But there is a certain inner sense which, at times, sees Reality in a flash which illuminates the whole being with a great flood o f light. This, too, might seem an illusion unless the testimony were complete; for every mystic has had this
78 Acts 17 : 28. 79 John 8 : 1 2 .
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experience; but some have had it to a greater degree than others. Jesus was the greatest o f all the mystics; and once, at least, after a period o f illumination, His face was so bright that His followers could not look upon it. In moments o f deepest realization the great mystics have sensed that One Life flows through A LL; and that all are some part of that Life. They have also seen Substance, a fine, white, bril liant stuff, forever falling into everything; a Substance, indestructible and eternal. At times, the realization has been so complete that they have been actually blinded by the light. There are instances where for several days after such an experience, the one having it could not see on the physical plane; for he had seen the Inner Light. Remember, all this takes place when in a perfectly normal state o f mind and has nothing whatever to do with the psychic state. It is not an illusion but a reality; and it is during these periods that real revelation comes. Perhaps a good illustration would be to suppose a large group o f people in a room together, but unaware of each other’s presence; each is busy with his own personal affairs. We will suppose the place to be dark and that some one comes in and takes a flash-light picture o f the room and its occu pants. Should this picture be shown to any one who was in the room before it was taken, it might be hard for him to believe that all of the objects in the picture were actually in the room. This is, o f course, a poor analogy, but it does serve to elucidate a point. In flashes o f illumina tion, the inspired have seen INTO THE VERY C E N T ER OF REALITY, and have brought back with them a picture o f what they have seen and felt. Again, we know that this has not been an illusion or simply a subjective hallucination, for each age has had its mystics, and every age has produced the same results. A LL HAVE SEEN TH E SAME TH ING. The testimony is complete and the evidence is certain.
W h a t t h e M y s t i c s H a v e T a u g h t A b o u t t h e In d i v i d u a l All o f the great mystics have taught practically the same thing. They have all agreed that the soul is on the pathway o f experience, that is, o f self-discovery; that it is on its way back to its Father’s House; and that every soul will ultimately reach its Heavenly Home. They have taught the Divinity to Man. “I have said, Ye are gods; and all o f you are children of the most High.”80They have told us that m ans destiny is Divine and sure; and that Creation is Complete and Perfect NOW. The great mystics have all agreed that m ans life is his to do with as he chooses; but that when he turns to “The One,” he will always receive inspiration from On High. They have told us o f the marvelous relationship which exists between God and man, of a close Union that cannot be broken; and the greatest o f the mystics have consciously walked
80 Ps. 82 : 6.
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with God and talked with Him, just as we talk to each other. It is difficult to realize how this could be; it is hard to understand how a Being, so Universal as God must be, can talk with man; here, alone, the mystic sense reveals the greater truth and knows that, Infinite as is the Divine Being, It is still Personal to all who believe in Its Presence. It is entirely possible for a man to talk with the Spirit; for the Spirit is within men, and “He who made the ears” can hear.
In s t i n c t a n d In t u i t i o n That quality in an animal which directs its action and tells it where to go to find food and shelter, we call instinct. It is, really, Omniscience in the animal. The same quality, more highly developed, makes its appearance in man; and is what we call intuition. Intuition is God in man, revealing to him the Realities of Being; and just as instinct guides the animal, so would intuition guide man, if he would allow it to operate through him. Here again, we must be careful not to mistake a psychic impression for an intuitive one. Psychic impressions seek to control man; intuition always remains in the background and waits for his recognition. “Behold, I stand at the door.”81 All arbitrary control o f man stopped as soon as he was brought to a point of self-knowingness. From this point he must discover himself; but intuition, which is nothing less than God in man, silently awaits his recognition and cooperation. The Spirit is always there if we could but sense Its Presence. Mystics have felt this wonderful power working from within, and have re sponded to it; and, as a sure evidence that they were not laboring under delusions, they have all sensed the same thing; had the impressions been psychic only, each would have seen and sensed a different thing; for each would have seen through the darkness of his own subjective mentality.
Il l u m i n a t i o n a n d C o s m ic C o n s c io u s n e s s There is such an experience as Illumination and Cosmic Consciousness; It is not a mystery, however, but is the Self-Knowingness o f God through man. The more complete the operation o f that Power, the more complete has been m ans conscious mentality; for the illumined do not become less, but more themselves. The greater the consciousness o f God, the more complete must be the realization o f the True Self,— The Divine Reality. Illumination will come as man more and more realizes his Unity with the W hole; and as he constantly endeavors to let the Truth operate through him. But since the Whole is at the point
8 1 Rev. 3: 20.
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of the Inner Mentality, it will be here alone that he will contact It. “ Speak to Him, thou, for He hears.” The only God man knows is the God o f his own Inner Life; indeed, he can know no other. To assume that man can know a God outside himself is to assume that he can know something o f which he is not conscious. This does not mean that man is God; it means that the only God man knows is within. The only place that man contacts God is within; and the only life man has is from within. God is not external, but is Indwelling, at the very center of m ans life. This is why Jesus said that the Kingdom o f Heaven is within, and why He prayed, “ Our Father Which art in Heaven.”82
The H ig h e st P r a c t ic e The highest mental practice is to listen to this Inner Voice and to declare for Its Presence. The greater a m ans consciousness o f this Indwelling I AM is, the more power he will have. This will never lead to illusion but will always lead to Reality. All great souls have known this and have constantly striven to let the Mind o f God come out through their mentalities. “The Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.”83 This was the declaration o f the great Master, and it should be ours also; not a limited sense o f life but a limitless one.
Th e Po w e r o f J e s u s The occult significance of the power of Jesus is easily understood when we study His method of procedure. Consider His raising o f Lazarus from the dead. He stood at the tomb and gave thanks; this was recognition. He next said, “I Knew that Thou hearest me always” ;84 this was unification; then He said, “ Lazarus, come forth” ;8* this was command. The method is perfect and we will do well to study and follow it. This method can be used in all treatment. First, realize that Divine Power Is; then unify with It, and then speak the word as “one having author ity,” for the Law is “the servant o f the Eternal Spirit throughout all the ages.”
8 2 Luke 1 1 : 2. 83 John 14: 10. 84 John 1 1 : 42. 85 John 1 1 : 4 3.
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Tu r n i n g W i t h i n We should turn within, then, as have all o f those great souls who have blessed the world with their presence; we should turn with and FIND GOD. It should seem natural to turn to the Great Power back of everything; it should seem normal to believe in the Power; and we should have a sense of a Real Presence when we do turn toward the One and Only Power in the entire Universe. This method is by far the most effective. It gives a sense of power that nothing else can, and, in this way, proves that it is a Reality. It would be a wonderful experiment if the world would try to solve all o f its problems through the power o f Spirit. Indeed the time will come when every one w ill, “From the highest. . . to the lowest.” A sense o f real completion can come only to that soul which realizes its Unity with the Great Whole. Man will never be satisfied until his whole being responds to this thought, and then, indeed, “W ill God go forth anew into Creation.” “To as many as believed gave He the Power.”
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LESSON FIVE: M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO . V. This is the mystic s chart and shows how the Universal becomes the Particularization o f It self through man. Man comes to a point in the Universal, or God, and is the Idea of God as man. The Father is represented as the W hole just back of, or above, or within, man. This is the Indwelling God to W hom we pray and with W hom we talk. The mystic has the ability to con sciously talk to God and to consciously receive a direct answer from the Spirit. In this chart it is shown that the Absolute contains the relative, within Itself, but is not limited by the relative. We must remember that the relative does not limit, but expresses, the Absolute. All change takes place within the Changeless. All form subsists within the Formless. All conditions obtain within that which is Limitless; and Creation is eternally going on within that which is Uncre ated. All are activities o f the One Mind and Spirit o f God. All people come to a point o f indi viduality within that which is Universal.
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LESSON FIVE: THE PERFECT WHOLE Chart No. V represents the Triune Unity. The other charts were divided into Spirit, Soul and Body, symbolizing the Conscious part of Existence; the Law through which It operates; and the result of the operation. But those lines were entirely arbitrary. No such lines could exist, for the threefold Universe, with all o f Its attributes, inter spheres Itself. We find the Spirit, or Conscious Mind, the Soul or Subconscious Mind, and the Body, which is the manifestation o f the union o f Spirit and Soul, simultaneously present at every point. This chart represents the Indivisible W hole, within which are all of Its parts; the Absolute, within which is the relative; the Uncreated, within which is all Creation. Creation is the giving o f form to the Substance o f Spirit. Spirit, being All and Only, there is nothing for It to change into but Itself; therefore, It is the Changeless, within which must take place all change or manifestation o f Itself. Change is simply motion within Life. The Infinite, o f Itself, is Formless, but within It are contained all o f the forms which are the expressions or the outlines o f Its experiences. Spirit is the Limitless, within which is all space; Spirit is Timeless, within which is all time. “Time is the sequence of events in a Unitary W hole.” Creation and experience are eternally going on, but a particular experience is measured by time and has a beginning and an end. The big circle represents the Universal, within which is the individual; the One Person within Whom are all people. There is really but One Person in the Universe; but within this One Person all people live, “for in Him we live, and move, and have our being.”86 It is the Source and center of all Life, Power, Action, Truth, Love, Mind, Spirit, the Ever and the All. It is, o f course, God.
In d i v i d u a l i t y The point within the big circle represents the personality and individuality o f man, indicating that he is a center in the Divine Mind or God. Man is the Personification o f the Infinite Life; and so we place, just above this point and on the inside o f it, “The Son” ; and just above this (with no line to divide them) are written the words, “ Our Father which art in Heaven,”87 taken from the L ord s Prayer. There is no dif-
86 Acts 17 : 28. 87 Luke 1 1 : 2 .
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ference between God, the Absolute, which is Our Father in Heaven, and the Son, so far as actual Being is concerned. The Son is simply a point where God recognizes Himself as Person ality or Individualized Being. It is within that we find the Unity of God and man; there is no separation. Man, having his existence in the Unitary W hole, which is Indivisible, is compelled to accept the fact that his life is God or Spirit; but to say that man is God, which is equivalent to saying that any part equals the whole, is to contradict logic and reason, and limit the Limitless Idea. It is enough to say that we are at one with the W hole. It is both within and without. In perhaps a more liberal sense we could say man is in God; immersed in God; saturated with God. God permeates all life, and in man we find that this Infinite Mind or Intelligence comes to a point of Individualized Self-Consciousness. Theoretically, we believe that the personality which we possess is on the pathway o f selfdiscovery; for everything bears witness to this belief; as fast as we discover any truth, it is there to use. We never create Truth— we discover and use It. We believe, then, that as man continu ously unfolds his personality, he w ill find latent capacities o f which he has never dreamed.
Furth
er
E vo lu tio n
Since his whole life is the unfoldment of intelligence, according to law, man can only evolve as he recognizes greater possibilities— there could be no other way. The arbitrary process of evolution ceased when man became an individual; and any further evolution will be through self-recognition; but back o f him is the whole o f Life surging to express Itself. This is what is known as the Divine Urge. It is that Instinctive, Omniscient “I am” in man, always pushing him on and up; but It can only express for him as It flows through him. That person has the greatest power who the most completely recognizes himself to be one with this Infi nite Mind. That is why Jesus said: “I speak not o f m yself” (it is not this individualized point); “but the Father, that dwelleth in Me” (that is, God, our Father, Which is in Heaven); “He doeth the works.”88 The evolution of man, which is the unfoldment of Spirit through his personality, will be more complete when his objective and subjective faculties are more perfectly balanced; that is, when he has conscious control of the spiritual forces which surge for expression. The psy chological nature has to change somewhat, and the subjective tendencies that hinder the Whole from coming to a point of conscious contact must be neutralized. This would produce illumina tion or the consciousness o f his Unity with the Whole.
88 John 14 : 10.
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MIND
In treatment, we work until we penetrate the false thought within and break through to Reality. There is no limitation, either in Infinite Intelligence or in Infinite Law. The whole limitation which we experience is not, o f itself, a reality or an entity, but is simply one o f the forms within the formless which we are outlining.
T h e T r u t h Is K
now n
Our conscious intelligence is as much o f Life as we understand. We have stopped looking for the Spirit, because we have found It; It is what you are and It is what I am; we could not be anything else if we tried. The thing that we look with is the thing that we have been looking for. That is why it is written: “I have said, Ye are gods; and all o f you are children of the most High.”89 We have stopped looking for the Law. We have found It. In the Universe we call It Universal Subjectivity or Soul; in our own experience we call It the subjective state o f our thought, which is our individual use of Universal Law. We have found the Law and demon strated It. We find that both the Law and the Spirit are Limitless. What is it that we need for a greater freedom? Nothing but a greater realization o f what we already know. We should never hesitate to say that we know the Truth, because we do; for the realization of the Unity o f God and man is the Truth. We simply need a greater realization o f this. How are we to get it? Only by penetrating deeper and yet deeper into our own Divine Nature; pushing farther and farther back into the Infinite. W here are we to do that? There is no place except within that we can do it. Who is to do it for us? No one. No one can. People can heal us; they can set the Law in motion for us and help us to become prosperous;— that is good and helpful; but the evolution of the individual, the unfoldment o f personality, the enlighten ment o f the Soul, the illumination o f Spirit, can come only to the degree that the individual himself purposes to let Life operate through him. “Let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”90 This is the Mind o f God,-—the only Mind,— the Supreme Intelligence of the Universe.
The A
nsw er
Is
in
M
an
The answer to every question is within man, because man is within Spirit and Spirit is an Indi visible Whole. The solution to every problem is within man; the healing o f all disease is within man; the forgiveness o f all sin is within man; the raising of the dead is within man; Heaven is
89 Ps. 82 : 6. 90 Phil. 2 : s
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within man. That is why Jesus prayed to this indwelling “I am” and said: “ Our Father Which art in Heaven.”91 He also said: “The Kingdom of God is within you.”92 Each o f us, then, represents the Whole. How should we feel toward the Whole? In the old order, we thought o f the Whole as a sort o f mandatory power, an autocratic government, an arbitrary God, sending some to Heaven and some to hell; and “all for His glory.” Now we are more enlightened and we realize that there can be no such a Divine Being. We have meditated upon the vastness o f the Universe o f Law, and we have said: “ God is Law; there is a Divine Principle Which is God.” In the new order, we are liable to fall into as great an error as the old thought fell into, unless we go much deeper than thinking o f God simply as Principle. God is more than Law or Principle. God is the Infinite Spirit, the Limitless, Conscious Life o f the Universe; the One Infinite Person within Whom all people live. The Law is simply a Force.
G o d — In f i n i t e P e r s o n a l i t y God or Spirit is Supreme, Infinite, Limitless Personality. And we should think o f the Divine Being as such— as completely responsive to everything we do. There should come to us a sense of communion, a spontaneous sense of Irresistible Union. If we had that, we would demon strate instantaneously. An evolved soul is always a worshiper o f God. He worships God in everything; for God is in everything. God not only is in everything, but He is more than everything He is in. “Ye are the light o f the world” ;93— that is, God in us. All that we are is God; yet God is more than all we are. The nearer consciousness gets to the Truth, the more Cosmic sweep it has, the more power it has. Angels wait upon individuals who perceive Cosmic Purposes and Powers, because the Whole is crowding forth into expression. Let a man recognize a Cosmic Purpose, which is the expression of Life,Truth and Love; let his thought vibrate to the higher and grander realization of life, and see how— automatically— he becomes more powerful. The process of healing and demonstration is, at first, mechanical and scientific; then the fire of Spirit is added to make it real. One is technique— the other is the pulsating life and glow. We need the recognition o f love, coupled with a scientific understanding o f what we are doing. Thoughts are things, and diseases are the direct result o f specific thoughts somewhere in con sciousness. Poverty is the direct result o f a subjective state o f thought which binds.
9 1 Luke 11 : 2. 92 Luke 17 : 21. 93 Matt.
£:
14.
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U
OF
MIND
n ity
All Manifestation o f Life is from an invisible to a visible plane; and it is a silent, effortless pro cess o f spiritual realization. We must unify, in our own mentalities, with Pure Spirit. To each o f us, individually, God, or Spirit, is the Supreme Personality o f the Universe; the Supreme Personality o f that which we, ourselves, are. It is only as the relationship o f the individual to this Deity becomes enlarged that he has a consciousness o f power. There should always be a recognition in treatment o f the Absolute Unity of God and man; the Oneness, Inseparability, Indivisibility, Changelessness; God as the Big Circle, and man as the little circle. Man is in God and God is in man; just as a drop o f water is in the ocean, while the ocean is in the drop o f water. This is the recognition Jesus had when He said: “I and my Father are One.”94There is a Perfect Union; and to the degree that we are conscious of this Union we incorporate this consciousness in our word, and our word has just as much power as we put in it, no more and no less. Within this Infinite Mind each individual exists, not as a separated, but as a separate, entity. We are a point in Universal Consciousness, which is God, and God is our Life, Spirit, Mind and Intelligence. We are not separated from Life, neither is It separated from us; but we are separate entities in It, Individualized Centers o f G o d s Consciousness. We came from Life and are in Life, so we are One with Life; and we know that Instinctive Life within, which has brought us to the point o f self-recognition, still knows in us the reason for all things, the purpose underlying all things; and we know that there is nothing in us of fear, doubt or confusion which can hinder the flow o f Reality to the point of our recognition. We are guided, daily, by Divine Intelligence into paths of peace wherein the soul recognizes its Source and meets It in joyful Union, in complete At-one-ment.
H
old to th e
G
ood
Such is the power o f clear thought that it penetrates things; it removes obstructions, the reason being that there is nothing but consciousness, nothing but Mind. The only instrument of Mind is idea. See with perfect clearness and never become discouraged nor overcome by a sense of limitation. Know this— that the Truth with which you are dealing is absolute. All o f God, all of Truth, all there is, is at the point o f m ans recognition; and every time you give a treatment, and all the way through it, keep bringing this back to your remembrance.
94 John 10 : 30.
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Never struggle; say, “There is nothing to struggle over; everything is mine by Divine Right; Infinite Intelligence is my Intelligence; Divine Love is my Love; Limitless Freedom is my Free dom; Perfect Joy is my Gladness; Limitless Life is my Energy.” Let us BLIND O URSELVES TO N EGATIO N, as far as we are mentally able to. LET US N O T TA LK, TH IN K, O R REA D A B O U T AN YTH IN G D ESTRU C TIV E, whether it be war, pestilence, famine, poverty, sickness, or limitation of any kind. Looking at this from a practical standpoint, there is all to win and nothing to lose. The rapid progress we would make if we should do this would be wonderful. We are always dealing with First Cause. Nothing else can equal the satisfaction that comes to one when he perceives himself, from the silence o f his own soul and the activity o f his own thought, actually bringing about a condition without the aid o f visible instrumentalities. There is nothing else as satisfying as to heal some disease purely by the power o f thought; this shows that we are dealing with First Cause. We must definitely neutralize confusion and doubt. We should take time, daily, to conceive of ourselves as being tranquil, poised, powerful,— always in control of every situation; as being always the highest concept o f the Divine which we can imagine. We should never hesitate to think o f ourselves in this way. The Ancients used to teach their pupils to say to themselves— “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful m e!”— until they lost sight o f themselves as Mary Smith or John Jones, and perceived themselves as Divine Realities. Then, when they came back to the objectivity o f Mary Smith and John Jones, they brought with them that subtle power which distinguishes Spiritual Growth,— the Atmosphere o f Reality.
T h e In f i n i t e Is P e r s o n a l
to
A
ll
Undoubtedly the power of Jesus lay in His recognition o f the Infinite Person as a Responsive, Conscious, Living Reality; while, on the other hand, He recognized the Law as an arbitrary force, which was compelled to obey His will. He combined the personal and the impersonal attributes o f Life into a perfect whole. The Infinite is Personal to every soul who believes in the Infinite. It is a mistake to so abstract the Principle that we forget the Living Presence; it is the combination o f the two that makes work effective.
The C
h rist
Who is man? He is the Christ. Who is the Christ? The Son, begotten of the only Father— not the only begotten Son of God. Christ means the Universal Idea of Sonship, of which each is a Member.
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MIND
That is why we are spoken of as Members o f that One Body; and why we are told to have that Mind in us “which was also in Christ Jesu s”9* Each partakes of the Christ Nature to the degree that the Christ is revealed through him, and to that degree he becomes the Christ. We should turn to that Living Presence within, Which is the Father in Heaven, recognize It as the One and Only Power in the Universe, unify with It, declare our word to be the presence, power and activity of that One, and speak the word as if we believed it; because the Law is the servant of the Spirit. If we could stand aside and let the One Perfect Life flow through us, we could not help healing people. This is the highest form of healing. We have gone through all o f our abstract processes o f reasoning and have found out what the Law is and how It works; now we can forget all about It, and know that there is nothing but the Word; the Law will be working automatically. We must forget everything else, and let our word be spoken with a deep inner realization o f love, beauty, peace, poise, power, and of the great Presence o f Life at the point of our own consciousness.
R
ealizatio n
We do not dare to throw ourselves with abandonment into a seeming void; but if we did, we would find our feet planted firmly on a rock, for there is a place in the mentality, in the heights o f its greatest realizations, where it throws itself with complete abandonment into the very center o f the Universe. There is a point in the supreme moment o f realization where the indi vidual merges with the Universe, but not to the loss o f his individuality; where a sense of the Oneness of all Life so enters his being that there is no sense of otherness; it is here that the mentality performs seeming miracles, because there is nothing to hinder the Whole from com ing through. We can do this only by providing the great mental equivalents of Life, by dwelling and meditating upon the immensity o f Life; and yet as vast, as immense, as limitless as It is, the whole of It is brought to the point o f our own consciousness. We comprehend the Infinite only to the degree that It expresses Itself through us, becoming to us that which we believe It to be. And so we daily practice in our meditations the realizations o f Life— “Infinite, indwelling Spirit within me, Almighty God within me, Perfect Peace within me, Complete Satisfaction within me, Real Substance within me; that which is the Truth within me.” “I am the Truth,” Jesus said. He said: “I am the way; I am the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”96 How true it is! We cannot come unto the Father Which art in Heaven except through our own nature.
9£ Phil. 2 : g. 96 John 14 : 6.
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Right here, through our own nature, is the gateway and the path that gradually leads to il lumination, to realization, to inspiration, to the intuitive perception o f everything. The highest faculty in man is intuition, and it comes to a point sometimes where, with no process o f reasoning at all, he realizes the Truth intuitively. So we should daily meditate, par ticularly if we are practicing right along.
M
editatio n
Any practitioner should take a certain time every day to meditate within himself, to realize that the words which he speaks are the words o f Truth. Being the words o f Truth, they cannot fail to be fulfilled; they are a law unto themselves within the Great Law. They know themselves to be what they are.They are immutable, irresistible, unassailable; they are eternal and complete, having intelligence, knowledge and understanding within themselves. Every treatment must be a complete thing within itself. It is an unqualified statement of Being and pays no attention to appearances. If it did, it would not be efficacious. It rises above all appearance and may contradict every experience the human race has ever had; but it is real just the same. The treatment begins and ends within the mentality o f the one giving it; and the demon stration takes place within the mentality of the one giving it; and, to the degree that it does take place there, it is a good treatment and will be a good demonstration. If you have a patient who says: “I am sick,” and you are able to neutralize your belief of that man as being sick, or any man as being sick, and can see him perfect, he w ill come to you and say: “I am healed.” The practitioner must know within himself. He never thinks o f projecting his thought, sending it out or holding it. He simply takes the whole condition and brings it into the great realization o f Life. Declare:— “Perfect Life within me, God within me, Spirit within me, Good within me, Almightiness within me, Loving Intelligence within me, Peace, Poise, Power, Happiness and Joy within me, Life, Truth and Love within me, Omniscient Instinctive I am within me, A l mighty God within me.” It is not enough to say that God is.The concept must be brought home to the mentality o f the individual and unified with it, in order to have it expressed through him. If we need financial healing, we should say: “Infinite Substance within me, Infinite Activity within me, flowing through me into everything I do, say or think, quickening into action all those things that my mentality touches; Infinite Activity within me, unerring, never mistaking, always doing the right thing at the right time, always knowing what to do, knowing how to do it and doing it; Infinite Executive Power within me, the Great Executive, the great I am, the AllKnowing and All-Seeing, the All-Wise within me; Infinite Substance within me, forever express ing Itself through me; Infinite Supply flowing through me and flowing to m e;— irresistible
iJS
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
supply, unassailable supply, limitless.” As you say this, stop and think of the things you want— seeing them as realities— much as one would look at pictures on the wall. Repeat:— “Infinite Substance within me, Infinite Supply flowing through me and to me, Infinite Activity around me and within me, Infinite Intelligence within me, directing me, guard ing me, governing me, controlling me; the One and Only within me and through me, that is, Almighty God within me. There is no other, or beside which there is none other. Infinite love within me, seeing all, knowing all, loving all, One in and through all.” Carry this concept out until you see that you live in everybody and everybody lives in you.Then continue: “Infinite One, comprehending, seeing, knowing, understanding, living in and including the All, within me.” Realize what this means. “I am One with all people. There are no enemies. There is only the One, in all and through all.” If we would spend half the time making such affirmations that we spend complaining, find ing fault, fussing, being sad and sorry for ourselves, we would soon be healed. “Infinite Wisdom within me” ; stop and think what this means,— the Intelligence that operates through everything, visible and invisible. “Infinite Wisdom within me; Infinite Intelligence within me; Infinite Power within me” ;— feel what this means:The Power that holds the planets in place; a power to which the united force o f the human race is as nothing. “Infinite Intelligence and Infinite Power within me, the great Executor; Infinite Energy and Wisdom within me,— the All-Knowing, the Unerring Mind of the Universe;— Infinite Peace within me, Infinite Peace, undisturbed and unalterable; Infinite Life, Infinite Peace within me” ; that means there is no disturbance, no commotion, no trouble. There is only Infinite Peace; the power that stilled the waves and told the winds to be calm is the Power with which we deal. “Infinite Peace within me, Infinite Joy within me, the Joy that causes the leaves of the trees to clap their hands.” It is the Joy that sings in the brook, the music of the spheres, the Joy of the sense of completion. “Infinite Joy within me, not somewhere else, but within me” ; It is the Good which is urging Itself forth through every act which we call human or humane. We see it in the hand that gives and in every human act. That is the “Infinite Good that is within me,”— Infinite everything, whatever the need may be. Meditate upon the abstract essence of the thing; then bring it to a concrete point within your own mentality and see what it means as it manifests, declaring that it is. This great teaching plainly shows the way to liberty and freedom. It is a pathway continu ously unfolding from a Limitless Source to a Limitless Source. “Arise, shine, for thy light is come.”97 “I am that I am.”98
97 Isa. 60: 1. 98 Exodus 3: 14.
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Note: Read and study “ Cosmic Consciousness,” Bucke; “Twelve Lessons in Mysticism,” Hop kins; “The Impersonal Life” and “ Creative Process in the Individual,” T.Troward; “Bible Mystery and Meaning,” T.Troward; “Sayings o f Jesus,” Red Letter Testament.
LESSON SIX: THE LAW OF p s y c h i c p h e n o m e n a — In t r o d u c t i o n It is taken for granted that the average person of to-day is more or less acquainted with the facts concerning psychic phenomena. It would be useless, in a course such as this, to attempt any exhaustive research work; this has already been done by those eminently able to furnish the data. There is within man a power that can communicate without the tongue, hear without the ear, see without the eye, talk without the mouth, move ponderable objects and grasp things without the hand; and perform many other feats that are usually connected only with the physical instrument. All these facts have been completely proved, and it is no longer necessary to produce evidence to substantiate these facts. While the above-stated facts have all been proved, the reason for their being has not been so thoroughly or logically discussed, and it is the purpose o f this article to explain the funda mental reasons behind the law o f mental action which is called psychic; for if a thing happens, there must be a reason for its happening and a law through which it operates. The only excuse for taking up this topic in a course o f lessons in Mental Science is that, being the phenomena o f Mind, it should come under the category o f known mental actions.
Psych ic P h
enom ena
and
Im m o r t a l i t y
Psychic phenomena are closely associated with immortality in people’s minds for the reason that they deal with those unseen powers which we think o f as being attributes of the soul; and also because many people have attributed the phenomena largely to the agency of discarnate spirits.
No
A
po lo gies
While no apologies are made for the ensuing pages, yet, in justice to the Truth, it must be said that many of the w orld’s eminent scientists have investigated the subjects to be discussed, and so far, to the author’s knowledge, none o f them have ever refuted the ensuing facts. 177
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MIND
The powers which are exhibited through the psychic life do really exist in man, and some day he will make conscious use o f them and will, thereby, be greatly benefited. Meanwhile, every one is urged to be most careful in his approach to the subject. A little knowledge is a very dangerous thing, and it is to be regretted that very few people exhibiting psychic powers appear to know what the law is that underlies the phenomena. Many are led astray through ignorance, and one should be most careful in handling the topic. But, as stated above, this subject, coming under the known laws o f mental action, must be dealt with. God has given us a mind with which to know, and a power with which to discern the Truth, and it is a terrible mistake to misuse that power. The whole end and aim of evolution is to produce a man who, in his self-conscious state, may depict the Divine Nature. We can do this only to the degree that we remain ourselves at all times. We will take up the study o f this subject just as we would approach the study of any other law, with an open mind, without any superstition and free from any sense of the unnatural. Nature is always natural, and only those things are mysteries which we do not understand.
178
LESSON SIX: M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO . VI. This is the psychic’s chart and should be carefully considered, as it shows that the Spirit, or Conscious Mind, operates through a mental field, or law, which is a world o f reflections. Thought is first reflected into Mind and then into matter. Read again the meaning o f the con scious and the subconscious aspects o f being. The world o f Subjectivity is the Psychic Sea and the Medium of all subjective action. From the standpoint o f m ans thoughts it may be false or true, according to the way in which he thinks. It is the picture gallery o f the soul, both from the universal and the individual sense. The illusion o f matter means that the false mental pic tures will produce a false form in the world o f objectivity. Mind is not an illusion, but might contain false pictures which would be illusions; matter is not an illusion but may take on false conditions. We must learn to separate the false from the true. 179
THE
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OF
MIND
LESSON SIX: M E T A P H Y S IC A L M E A N I N G OF W O RD S USED IN C H A R T NO. VI The upper section represents the Conscious Mind, the Self-Knowing Mind, which we call Spirit. The middle section represents the Psychic Sea, that is, the Subjective World; this is the world of thought forms and mental pictures. This has been called “The illusion of Mind,” be cause it contains many pictures, which are pictures only, and have no real form behind them. As a picture that is hung on the wall is not really a person— but is simply a picture— so the Psychic Sea may contain pictures which, while they are real as pictures, are not real from any other sense. It does not follow that everything in the psychic world is an illusion, for it contains much that is true. We should be very careful to distinguish the false from the true. The lower section o f the chart represents the objective world. This world also reflects many false forms, such as disease and limitation. They are not things o f themselves, but are the results o f wrong mental pictures in the Subjective World. Neither the psychic pictures nor the world o f forms are self-creative; both are effects.
LESSON SIX: PSYCH IC PH EN O M EN A Psyche means soul; psychic phenomena are the phenomena of the soul. We have already seen that what we call the soul is, really, the subjective part o f us. We do not have two minds, but we do have a dual aspect o f mentality in what we call the objective and subjective phases of mind. The objective mind is that part o f the mentality which functions consciously; it is the part of us which really knows itself; and without it we would not be real or conscious entities.
The Su b jec t iv e M
ind
Our subjective mind is our mental emanation in Universal Subjectivity; it is our individual use of mental law. It is also the avenue through which Instinctive Man works, carrying on the func tions of the body; for it is the silent builder o f the body. The subjective mind o f the individual is the working of Instinctive Man within him, plus all o f his conscious and subconscious ex periences. 180
THE
Seat
LESSONS
of
M
emory
The subjective mind is the seat of memory and o f instinctive emotion. Being the seat of m em ory, it contains a remembrance of everything that has ever happened to the outer man. This m em ory is perfect and retains every experience o f the individual life. The subjective mind also contains many o f the family and race characteristics which have been experienced by individu alized man. It retains these memories, partly, at least, as mental pictures or impressions. This is proven by the fact that pictures have been taken o f the subjective thought and definite outlines developed.This does not necessarily mean that every impression is retained as a mental picture, but that, in all probability, anything that the outer eye has definitely seen is retained as a more or less distinct picture. The subjective mind is a picture gallery, upon whose walls are hung the pictures o f all the people whom the individual has ever known and all the incidents which he has ever ex perienced.
Su g g estio n
and
Su bjectivity
The subjective mind being deductive only in its reasoning powers is compelled by its nature to retain all the mental impressions that it has ever received. It, therefore, contains much that the objective mind has never consciously known. When we realize that the individuals subjectivity is his use of the One Subjective Mind, we shall see that a subjective unity is maintained between all people, and that individual mentalities which are in sympathetic vibration with each other must, more or less, mingle, and receive suggestions from each other. This is the meaning of mental influence, which is, indeed, a very real thing. This also means that the subjective mind receives suggestions from the race and is, more or less, influenced by its environment; all this takes place on the silent side o f life and is mostly unknown to the receiver. Race-suggestion is a very real thing, and each individual carries around with him, and has written into his mentality, many impressions that he never consciously thought o f or experi enced; for there is a silent influence going on at all times between people under this law.
Su bjective C
o m m un icatio n
It is almost certain that between friends there is, at all times, a silent communication, a sort of unconscious mental conversation going on subjectively. When this rises to the surface of con scious intelligence, it is called mental telepathy. This communication with others is going on at all times, whether the conscious mind is aware o f the fact or not. We are always receiving im18 i
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
pressions that are more or less vague, and it is seldom that they come to the surface; but they are there nevertheless and are gradually building into our mentalities impressions and forms o f thought that are unconsciously and silently perceived.
Su bjective M
in d a n d
In s p i r a t i o n
Since the subjective mind is the storehouse of memory, it retains all that the eye has seen, the ear heard or the mentality conceived. Since it contains much that the outer man never con sciously knew, and is the receptacle o f much of the race-knowledge, through unconscious communication, it must, and does, have knowledge that far surpasses the objective faculties. Realizing that the subjective draws to itself everything that it is in sympathy with, or vibrates to, we see that any one who is sympathetically inclined toward the race, or vibrates to the racethought, might pick up the entire race-emotion and experience, and, if he were able to bring it to the surface, he could consciously depict it. Many of the w orld’s orators, actors, and w rit ers have been able to do this; which explains the reason why many of them have been so erratic; for they have been more or less controlled by the emotions which they have contacted. Our greatest speakers are able to contact the subjective mentality of their audiences and in this way, not only to tell the audience what it wishes to be told, but also to send out a strong vibration that will make an equally strong subjective impression on those who are listening. It is a well-known fact that many speakers are able to connect with the mentality of an audience in such a manner as to be able to completely control it. Napoleon seemed to be able to do this, which was one o f the reasons why he had such tremendous influence over his followers. Singers and poets generally enter into more or less o f a subjective state while singing or writing. In the case o f a singer or actor, this enables him to respond to the emotion of his listen ers and to be able to reflect back to them an equally strong emotion. It might work the other way; that is, he might, himself, awaken the emotion in his hearers. This we call temperament, and no singer, speaker or actor can be a great success without it. In the case of a writer, this enables him to enter into the race-thought and perfectly depict race-emotion and race-endeavor. Poets are an especially good example of this ability; for po etry, like song, is the language of the soul, and none can w rite good poems unless he allows the soul to come to the surface. We could not imagine a great poem written mechanically. Artists lose themselves in their work and musicians often do the same; this we call inspiration. In preaching, it is probable that the orator of the pulpit often so enters into the longings o f m ens hearts that he reveals them to themselves. He is able to depict their thoughts and emotions, and coupling his own with theirs, give birth to a great discourse; we say that he is inspired.
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Any one contacting the subjective side of the race-mentality with the ability to permit it to come to the surface, will have at his disposal a knowledge that many lifetimes o f hard study could not possibly accumulate. But, if one had to surrender his individuality in the process, he would be better o ff to remain ignorant. Enough has been said on this subject to show the source o f human inspiration. There is, of course, a much deeper seat o f knowledge than the subjective mind; that is, the Spirit. But direct contact with Spirit is Illumination, and is a quality which has been developed in but few people; the few who have developed this quality have given the world its greatest literature, religion and law.
M
ental
Atm
ospheres
Each person has a mental atmosphere which is the result o f all that he has thought, said, done, and consciously or unconsciously perceived. This mental atmosphere is very real and is that subtle influence which constitutes the power o f personal attraction; for personal attraction has but little to do with looks; it goes much deeper and is almost entirely subjective. This will explain the likes and dislikes for those with whom we come in daily contact. We meet some, only to turn away without a word, while others we are at once drawn toward, and without any apparent reason; this is the result of their mental atmosphere or thought vibration. No matter what the lips may be saying, the inner thought out-speaks them and the unspoken word often carries more weight than the spoken. As Emerson said: “What you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” In contacting people, we are instantly attracted or repelled, according to the vibrations which we feel. A person whose atmosphere is one o f love and sunshine, whose nature is to be happy, who lives a clean, wholesome life in a free atmosphere, will always attract friends. Children feel mental atmosphere very keenly and are drawn to those who are inwardly right, shunning those who are inwardly wrong. It has been truly said that people whom children and dogs do not like are dangerous. Animals are almost entirely subjective and feel mental atmospheres more keenly than do most people. A dog instinctively knows ones attitude toward him and, act ing accordingly, is immediately a friend or foe. Personal atmospheres vary in their intensity, there being as many varieties as there are people; for each creates his own atmosphere in Mind.
How
to
C
reate
Personal C
harm
Personal charm may be easily created by learning to love all and hate none. Truly did the great Emerson say: “If you want a friend, be one.” If one wishes to have friends, he should become
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THE
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OF
MIND
friendly; if he wishes love, he should learn to love. There is no excuse for any one being with out a power o f attraction, since it is a mental quality and may be consciously induced through right practice.
The A t m
osphere
of
P laces
As all people have a mental atmosphere, so do all places; and as the atmosphere of people is the result of their thoughts, so the atmosphere o f places is the result of the thoughts that have been created in them. Places are permeated with the thoughts o f the people who inhabit them; in this way, mental atmospheres are created and may be easily felt by those contacting them. How often we have had the experience o f going into a place, only to feel that we were not wanted, and became so disturbed that we wished immediately to leave. How often, on the other hand, we have gone into places where we felt such a warmth and inner glow that we wished to remain. This is the result o f the mental atmosphere surrounding the place or room. This is why we love our homes; they are filled with love and affection and we feel at peace within their w alls.This is why one likes to return home after his days work; for he knows that here is a place where he w ill be away from the world with all o f its cares and worries. It is a wise wife who understands this law and who keeps the atmosphere of the home pleasant. Such a one will seldom lose her mate, but will hold him through the strong ties o f love and affection with which she floods his abode. Many an unhappy home could be harmonized if this law Were better understood and practiced. The atmosphere o f the home should never be clouded with the uncertainties o f the outside world. Here, in the palace of human love, all else should be forgotten and an atmosphere main tained which will be a shelter from the world. Here love should be the ruling passion and harmony should reign supreme. Here, above all other places, should the Kingdom of God be established and families should dwell together in peace and joy. Too often, jealousy and deceit rob the home of its joy, while mistrust and doubtings make it so unpleasant that it becomes an impossible place in which to live. But all this can be changed by reversing the wrong thoughts and in their place creating thoughts of love and tenderness toward one another. There is nothing more unfortunate for a child’s mind than to be compelled to live in an unhappy home. The home should stand for heaven on earth, and unless it does, it will not stand long, but will be buried in the ashes o f dead hopes. The atmosphere of the desert is wonderful, for it is free from the thoughts o f men’s confu sion and fear, and so is a place o f great peace. Here, indeed, away from the haunts of m en’s terrible struggles, quiet may be found and peace regained. It is the same with the mountains,
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THE
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the lakes and the trackless deep. This is what we love about Nature; her marvelous calm and deep peace; for she speaks to us and tells o f a life undisturbed by the strife o f man. She does, indeed, bear a message from On High, and happy is the one who can talk to her and learn from her, for she is wonderful and filled with light. Even the slightest things seem to be possessed o f a soul, or subjective atmosphere. How often we see a familiar coat or hat hanging on a peg, while in it we seem to see the person who wears it; it seems to look like him, and so it does, for it retains the emanation of his atmosphere, and really is permeated with his personality. Everything has an atmosphere which we sense and to which we react accordingly; if it is pleasant we like it, and if unpleasant we dislike it.
The R
ace
-M
ind
Just as each person, place or thing has a subjective atmosphere or remembrance, so each town, city, or nation has its individual atmosphere. Some towns are bustling with life and action, while others seem dead; some are filled with a spirit of culture, while others seem filled with a spirit of commercial strife. This is the result of the mentalities of those who live in these places. A city given over to the pursuit of the higher endeavors w ill react with an atmosphere of culture and refinement, while one whose dominant thought is to acquire wealth will react to an atmo sphere o f grasp and grab. This is very definite and is felt by all who enter such places. Just as a city has its atmosphere, so does a whole nation; for a nation is made up of the in dividuals who inhabit it; and the combined atmospheres o f all the people who inhabit a nation creates a national mentality which we speak o f as the psychology o f that people.
Th e M
in d
of
H
isto ry
When we remember that Subjective Mind is Universal, we w ill come to the conclusion that the history of the race is written in the mental atmosphere of the globe on which we live. That is, everything that has ever happened on this planet has left its imprint on the walls of time; and could we walk down their corridors and read the writings, we should be reading the race history. This should seem simple when we realize that the vibrations o f the human voice can be preserved in the receptive phonographic disc, and reproduced at will. If we were to impress one of these discs with the vibration o f some on es voice and lay it away for a million years, it would still reproduce those vibrations. It is not hard, then, to understand how the walls o f time may be hung with the pictures of human events and how one who sees these pictures may read the race history.
i 8$
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
Telepathy
Telepathy, or thought-transference, is such a commonly known fact that it is useless to do other than to discuss it briefly. However, there are some facts which might be overlooked unless we give them careful attention. The main fact to emphasize is that mental telepathy would not be possible unless there were a medium through which it could operate. This medium is Univer sal Mind; and it is through this medium that all thought-transference or mental telepathy takes place. Forms in matter and solid bodies may begin and end in space, but thought is more fluent. Telepathy is the act o f reading subjective thought, or of receiving conscious thought without audible words being spoken. But there must be a mental tuning in, so to speak, just as there must be in radio. We are surrounded by all sorts of vibrations, and if we wish to catch any of them distinctly, we must tune in; but there is a great deal of interference, and we do not always get the messages clearly. We often get the wrong ones, and sometimes many of the vibrations come together and seem to be nothing but a lot of noises, without any particular reason for being. It is only when the instrument is properly adjusted to some individual vibration that a clear message may be received. This is true of mental telepathy, which is the transmission o f thought. The receiver must tune in with the sender. It does not follow, however, that the sender knows that he is being tuned in on; in other words, one might pick up thoughts just as he picks up radio messages; and just as the one broadcasting may not know who is listening in, so the one sending out thought may not know who is listening in. Happily, but few people can listen in mentally, and these few only with more or less certainty o f success. It would be terrible to be compelled to listen in on all the thoughts that are floating around. But, fortunately, we can only receive those messages to which we vibrate; and so the whole thing is a matter o f our own choice. We are individuals in the mental world just as in the physical; and a wise person will protect himself mentally just as he would physically.
Tu
n in g
In
on
Th o u g h
t
Some seem to have the ability to tune in on thought and to read it, much as one would read a book. These people we call psychics; but all people really are psychic, since all have a soul or subjective mind. What we really mean is, that a psychic or medium is one who has the ability to objectify that which is subjective; to bring to the surface o f conscious thought that which lies below the threshold o f the outer mind. The medium reads from the book o f remembrance; and it is marvelous how far-reaching this book o f remembrance is.
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THE
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ental
LESSONS
Pictu res
As everything must exist in the subjective world before it can in the objective, and as it must exist there as a mental picture, it follows that whatever may have happened at any time on this planet is to-day within its subjective atmosphere; i.e ., the experiences of those who have lived here. These pictures are hung upon the walls of time, and may be clearly discerned by those who can read them. Accordingly, since the Universal Subjectivity is a Unit and is Indivisible, all these pictures really exist at any, and every, point within It simultaneously; and we may contact anything that is within It at any point, because the whole o f It is at every point. Consequently we may contact at the point o f our own subjective mind (which is a point in Universal Subjective Mind) every incident that ever transpired on this planet. We may even see a picture that was enacted two thousand years ago in some Roman arena; for the atmosphere is filled with such pictures. This has been called “The Illusion o f Mind” (the psychic sea). This does not mean that Mind is an illusion, but that it might present us with an illusion unless we are very careful and are quite sure that what we are looking at is a real form and not simply a picture. It is very important that we understand this; for each person in his objective state is a dis tinct and individualized center in Universal Mind; but in his subjective state every one, in his stream of consciousness, or at his rate of vibration, is universal, because o f the Indivisibility of Mind. W herever and whenever any individual contacts another upon the subjective side of life, if he is psychic, i.e ., if he objectifies subjectivity, he may see a thought form of that person, but it does not necessarily follow that he would be really seeing the person.
C
o nd itio ns
N
ecessary
for the
B est R
esults
The conditions necessary for the best results in psychic work are faith and expectancy; for the subjective responds to faith and seems clouded by doubts. Doubt appears to throw dust in its eyes, while sympathetic faith and willing belief render the veil much thinner and the conse quent messages much clearer. This explains why many unbelieving investigators fail to receive the desired results, and go away saying that the whole thing is a fraud. Whatever the nature of the subjective may be, we did not make and we cannot change it; we shall be compelled to use this force, like all other forces in nature, according to its own laws, and not according to the way we think it should act. It has been completely proved that the subjective mentality responds more completely when fully believed in; and any one wishing to investigate the psychic life would much better accept
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THE
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OF
MIND
this fact and act upon it, rather than dispute it and receive no results. If the law is complied with the results will be certain. Some psychics go into a trance while giving subjective readings, while some can do this in a normal state. The trance state varies from a slight subjectivity to a completely submerged mentality, i.e., from simply getting in tune with thought while in a conscious state of mind, to becoming completely submerged in an unconscious state in order to get in tune with thought. It is never good to lose ones self-control, but many people do this and, in so doing, have brought to light remarkable evidence o f the ability of the inner mind to perform wonderful tasks.
D
eep
Telepath ic M
essages
It is possible, at times, for a psychic to tell one most o f the incidents that have happened in his life, and also to tell o f his friends and many o f the incidents that have happened to them. This is done by entering the subjective realm o f the individual and reading the thoughts and mental pictures that are hung on the wall o f his memory. When a psychic tells one something about his friends, he is entering their thought through the sympathetic vibration of the one whose thought he is reading. We are always in mental contact with our friends on the subjective side of life; and a psychic, tuning in on these vibrations, reads the thoughts that come over the mental wireless.
R
ead in g the
H
isto ry
of the
In d i v i d u a l
Often a psychic will enter a person’s mentality and give him a fairly complete history of his past and of the family from which he came, going back, perhaps, for several generations, nam ing ancestors and the things that engaged their attention while on earth. He is reading the records o f what has already happened and is a subjective remembrance of his family. For instance, people have often said to me: “I saw Emerson standing behind you this m orn ing.” O f course they did not see Emerson; what they saw was a mental picture o f him; the reason being that I am a student of Emerson, and each is surrounded by the forms o f the people he knows and the forms o f those whose thought he studies.
Personal R
ead ing s
One is surprised when he goes to a medium and is told his own, and perhaps his m other’s, name, and is told by the medium that his mother stands beside him .The psychic often tells just
188
THE
LESSONS
how she looked while in the flesh. Now it might or might not be, that what the medium says is true; for, while this personality might be consciously near, the chances are more than even that she is not, but that the medium is simply looking at a picture o f her as she once was while in the flesh. A medium might, by reading on es subjectivity, be able to tell something about people who were not present at the time; because each, through a sympathetic vibration o f thought, is con nected with the subjective emanations of those whom he likes, of those with whom he is as sociated and o f those to whom he vibrates. These people might be in the flesh or out o f it. The personal reading appears to be limited either to the immediate individual or to some one with whom he is in contact. The value of subjective mind reading is more or less uncertain. Generally all that a psychic can tell is about something that has already happened or something that might happen as the result o f a subjective tendency already set in motion. There are, how ever, deeper messages than these.
St r e a m s
of
C
o nscio usness
Each, being an individual identity in Mind, is known by the name he bears, and by the vibration which he emanates. For, while we are all One in Mind and Spirit, we each have a separate and an individualized personality. This is the only way that Spirit can individualize, making it possible for many to live in the One. Each, then, is represented by his stream of consciousness; and each, continuously function ing in Mind, builds around himself an aura or mental atmosphere, which, in its turn, is con stantly flowing out as a stream of consciousness. Because o f the Unity of Mind, each is one with the All; and at the point where he contacts the All, he universalizes himself. This will be easily understood when we realize that man always uses the One Mind. He is in It and thinks into It; and because It is Universal, his thought may be picked up by any one who is able to tune in on that thought, just as we pick up radio mes sages. A radio message, broadcast from N ew York City, is immediately present all around the world. Hard as this concept may be to grasp, we know it to be the truth. Let us shift the basis to mentality and we shall see that the same thing happens when we think. We think into the One Mind, and this thought is immediately present everywhere. It is in this sense that each one is universal. According to the Unity o f Mind, thought is everywhere present, and so long as it persists it will be. What is known in one place may be known in all places.
189
THE
No
O
SCIENCE
OF
bstru ctio n s to
MIND
Th
ought
Time, space and obstructions are unknown to Mind and thought. It follows, then, that any one tuning in on our thought will enter into our stream o f consciousness, no matter where we are or where he may be. And if we still persist after the body shall have suffered the shock of physical death, this law must still hold good; for past and present are one and the same in Mind. Time is only the measure of an experience, and space, of itself, is not apart from, but is in, Mind.
En
ter in g
the
St r e a m
of
Th
ought
A psychic can enter the stream o f thought o f any one whose vibration he can mentally contact, be that person in the flesh or out of it; and since we are all psychic, all having a soul element, we are all, doubtless, communicating with each other to the degree that we sympathetically vibrate toward each other. (This explains the medium through which absent treatment takes place.) We do not all have the ability to objectify psychic impressions, and ordinarily they never come to the surface; however, they are there just the same.This is the reason why we often feel so uneasy when in the presence o f certain people, or when we mentally contact some condi tion, having an uneasy inner feeling but without any apparent reason.
The Vibration
of a
Book
As we read and study people’s thought, we gradually enter into the current of their conscious ness and begin to read between the lines; we are unconsciously reading their inner mentalities. This is why we enjoy reading the thoughts o f the great mentalities o f all ages. More that is unwritten comes to us than mere words could possibly convey.
W
hy
Sa in ts H
ave
Seen J
esus
Many of the saints have seen Jesus in this way. That is, through studying His words and works, they have so completely entered His thought that they have seen a picture of Him; for the pic tures o f everything and everybody are hung on the walls o f time and any one who can enter may read. It does not follow that these saints have seen Jesus, but that they have, without doubt, seen His likeness, or what the world believes to be His likeness, hung on the walls of time. When we look at a picture o f a person we are not looking at the person, but at a likeness of him.
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THE
M
any
M
LESSONS
ental
Pictu res
We are all surrounded by mental pictures, and a good psychic sees these pictures clairvoyantly and reads our thoughts telepathically. A good medium has the ability, more or less clearly, to bring these pictures and thoughts to the surface and objectify them; but it does not follow that he is really communicating with the people whose pictures he sees.
Th e H
um an
Au
ra
Every one constantly radiates some kind o f a vibration, and consequently is always surrounded by some kind o f a mental atmosphere. This is called the aura: it extends from a few inches to a few feet from the body and sometimes even farther. It varies in color and density with the varying degrees of consciousness. In moments o f spiritual realization the aura is bright yellow, merging into almost a pure white; and in moments of rage it is dark and murky in appearance. There are as many colors in the aura as there are varying degrees o f thought-activity in the mentality.
H
alo
The halo which artists have portrayed around the heads of the saints is real, and not an idea of the artists. There is a more pronounced emanation from the head than from any other part of the body, because thought operates through the brain more than through any other part o f the human instrument. It is said that the face o f Jesus shone so brightly, at times, that His disciples could not look upon it without becoming blinded by its brilliancy.
U
npleasant
Atm
ospheres
In a combat o f wills the atmosphere sometimes appears to strike sparks as though a battle were being waged on the subjective side o f life. Unpleasant people always have a disagreeable atmo sphere and morbid people always depress. A radiant aura emanates from the one who lives a normal, happy life, and who is always at peace within himself.
191
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
H abit
Habits are formed by first consciously thinking, and then unconsciously acting. But few realize that when one consciously thinks, something must happen to his thoughts. What one thinks to-day will to-morrow be a part o f his m em ory; and since memory is active, what he thinks to day as a conscious thought will to-morrow be submerged but active thought. This is how a habit is formed: first it is a desire, then comes the expression o f this desire, then the desire becomes subjective and the subconscious action of thought causes it to be per formed automatically. First we control thought, then thought controls us. "First the man takes a drink, Then the drink takes a drink, Then the drink takes the man ” Constant repetition gradually forms such a thought force on the subjective side of life that the very force created, in its turn, controls the one who created it. How careful we should be about what we let down into the deeper currents o f mentality! All habits are formed in much the same way; they are at first conscious; then they become unconscious or subconscious. A person may create such a strong desire that it will compel him to put it into execution; this is called mania.
M
an ia
Literally speaking, mania is a desire too strong to be controlled. We speak o f one having a mania for certain things; that is, he has subjectified so much desire along some particular line that he becomes controlled by the very power which he has set in motion. Morbid people are more liable to do this than normally minded ones. For instance, let a sensitive person become de spondent and he may think of committing suicide. This thought, at first, may be put aside as unworthy, but as it returns it receives a little more attention, until at last it may become so strong that it is irresistible. Most murders are committed from this mental attitude; and most murderers are people who are mentally sick. Some day this will be better understood; such people will be considered sick and will be healed mentally. This shows how very careful we should be to control our thinking, never allowing the mentality to conceive ideas which we do not wish to see manifest. After all, these things are mental attitudes, and the best way to heal them is through mental treatment. 192
THE
O
LESSONS
bsessio n
Obsession is another form o f mental control and may or may not be conscious at its inception. People may become obsessed with desires, thoughts, ambitions, habits, suggestions or other mental influences; and if the spirits o f undeveloped entities surround us, it seems entirely pos sible that people may become obsessed by them. The obsession o f desire produces a mania to express that desire; for thought demands an outlet. Some are so obsessed by their ambitions that they are constantly driven to the accom plishment o f them. Some are obsessed by the suggestion of their environment, for the mental atmosphere o f places often obsesses people, compelling them to do certain things and with out any apparent reason. In studying a case of obsession we should take all the facts into con sideration and reason from effect back to cause.
P e r s o n a l In
fluence
and
O
bsessio n
People often become mildly obsessed by the mentalities of those surrounding them; this is called personal contagion. Many take on the color of their environment, and this should be guarded against, for it is a mild form of hypnotism. It is, of course, brought about through the suggestive power o f unconscious mental action, and may or may not be malicious. We should never allow ourselves to become controlled by anything that we do not consciously allow to enter the thought. If one feels an influence silently demanding attention, he should at once declare that there is no power, in the flesh or but o f it, that can control him, except, o f course, the One Perfect Mind.
O
bsession
of
D
iscarnate
Spirits
If we are surrounded by discarnate spirits, they, also, might control us through suggestion; that is, if we allowed them to do so. By thinking toward us with a strong desire, they might so implant this desire on the subjective side o f our thought that it would come up from within, causing us to do certain things which we never consciously thought o f doing. This, of course, is hypnotic influence; but all mental influence is hypnotic, varying only in degree. If it is true that discarnate spirits are around us (and it appears to be true), we should carefully guard against the possibility of any mental influence from them. The statement that O NLY THE ONE MIND CO N TR O LS will protect us from any and all wrong mental influences o f whatever nature, whether emanating from those in the flesh or out o f it.
i 93
THE
G
eneral
Th eo ry
of
SCIENCE
O
OF
bsession
MIND
and
M
ental
In
fluence
All obsession, of whatever character, is some form of mental influence, and can easily be de stroyed by making the above stated affirmation. We should never for one instant allow the sug gestions o f other mentalities to control us. The day will come when people will choose the thoughts that they allow to enter the mind as carefully as they now choose the food they eat. Staying close to the thought o f the One Mind is a safe and sure protection from any and all wrong mental influence.
In s a n i t y
Insanity is the complete control of the conscious mind by the unconscious or subjective mind. Dwelling too long on one idea, or some sudden shock, seems to produce this state. It is easily healed by knowing that there is but ONE MIND, A N D TH A T IT CA N N O T FO RG ET ITSELF. TH ERE IS O N E M IND IN GOD, AND THIS MIND IS O U R MIND NOW.
Th e P sy c h ic Po
w er
M
ust
Be C
ontrolled
The psychic power should always be under full control of the conscious mind; otherwise, all sorts o f influences may be picked up, which, operating under the guise of seemingly real indi vidualities, control the one who admits them. When the psychic power is under full control of the conscious mind, it furnishes a wonderful storehouse o f knowledge; for, being the seat o f m em ory o f both the individual and the race, it contains much that we do not consciously know.
N
ormal
St a t e
A normal condition would be a complete balance between the objective and subjective men talities. This would give an immediate access to all the wisdom o f the human race, and might even extend much farther, for it could give access to a higher state, which is now more or less clogged by contrary suggestions. The subjective side o f thought is the sole and only medium between the relative and the Absolute. If one were in full control of his inner mentality he could, at once, enter the Absolute, and his every word would bear fruit. Jesus was such an One. In attempting to accomplish this we do not have to come under control o f any power other than that o f our inner selves and our higher selves; anything less than this is dangerous. Many seem to think that simply because they are under control they must be dealing with spiritual 194
THE
LESSONS
power. N O G R EA TER MISTAKE WAS EVER M AD E. Jesus, Who was fully illumined, always kept His full state o f conscious thought and personal volition.
The A
im
of
Evo lu tio n
The aim o f evolution is to produce a man who, at the objective point of his own selfdetermination, may completely manifest the inner life o f the Spirit. Even the Spirit does not seek to control us, for It lets us alone to discover ourselves. The most precious thing that man possesses is his own individuality; indeed, this is the only thing that he really has, or is; and for one instant to allow any outside influence to enter or control this individuality is a crime against m ans real self.
T h e St a t e
of
Tr a n
ce
The trance state is any state o f mentality that allows itself to become submerged. It varies in degree from simply allowing the mind to become receptive, which is harmless, to a complete self-denial o f the objective consciousness, i.e., allowing any and all influences to be picked up. This is very dangerous. There are many normal psychics who can, while in a perfectly objective state, read people s thoughts and perform many other wonderful feats o f the mind. This is normal and no harm can come from it. It is, indeed, one o f nature s ways o f working and is most interesting.
N
ormal
Psych ic C
apacities
Any psychic power that can be used while in a normal state o f mind is harmless and helpful; that is, any psychic power which can be used while one is in a perfectly conscious state of mentality. Many have this power and find that it is helpful as well as interesting. This power can be developed by knowing that the W ITHIN A N D T H E W ITH O U T A R E REA LLY ONE.
A
bnormal
P s y c h ic Po w e r s
Abnormal psychic powers are developed in the full trance state; that is, when the medium becomes controlled by surrounding influences. In this state some wonderful and hidden pow ers o f mind are revealed. In certain psychic states people can see, hear and read others’ thoughts; travel abroad and perform many other marvelous feats, which in the conscious state seem impossible. No doubt
*95
THE
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OF
MIND
the time will come when all these powers will be under the control of the conscious mind; man will then be much less limited.
C
lairvo yance
Clairvoyance is a state of mentality wherein the medium is able to see things that the objective eye cannot see under normal conditions. It is the physical eye reproduced on the mental side of life, only with a greatly extended vision. Time, space and obstructions are swept away, and the operator can as easily look through a closed door as, in a normal state, he looks through a window.
PSYCHOMETRY
Psychometry is a clairvoyant state wherein the operator is able to psychometrize, or read from the soul or subjective side o f things. Mention has already been made of the fact that everything has its mental atmosphere which is the result o f the thoughts surrounding it. To psychometrize anything means to read from this mental atmosphere and to tell what it radiates. Sometimes the operator seems able to take a piece o f ore or metal and give a perfect description of the location from which it was taken. This will explain why some mediums wish to hold an object which has been used by the sitter; for through this avenue the medium is able to enter the inner thought o f the person sitting.
C
laira u d ien ce
Clairaudience may be called the ear o f the soul; it is the ability to hear the inner voice speak, and is a most remarkable mental attribute. Some hear these voices silently, while to some they come as independent voices. It appears as though the instinctive man tries to tell the outer man o f certain things or to give him warnings. Sometimes these warnings come as visions and sometimes in dreams. This power is uncertain and should be carefully watched, as we are not always able to tell whether the impression is real or simply some suggestion o f a surrounding mental influence. A good way to test this is to know that all impressions must come from the Perfect Mind.
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LESSONS
dependent
Vo ices
Sometimes independent voices speak forth, apparently from the air, and may be conversed with by the hour. I have talked with these voices, but, so far, have not been able to determine whether or not they ever told anything beyond the subjective knowledge of those present. I have been unable to satisfy myself as to whether they were caused by those present in the flesh or whether they were caused by some form of spirit life. The fact remains that such voices do speak and that they are real. I have held animated and interesting conversations with such voices hours at a sitting, and it has been a most wonderful experience; but, so far, it seems impossible to deter mine their exact nature. Time and a more complete investigation alone can give the real proof.
A
pparitio ns
Apparitions, or thought forms, often appear during mental stress. For instance, people often see some friend just before he passes from this life. Sometimes the apparition appears before the incident takes place; an explanation of this will be made later in this chapter. This type of phenomenon is not at all uncommon; nearly every one has some record of such experiences. When one is asleep he is entirely subjective, and this will explain why so many of the above referred to incidents take place during sleep. But impressions received while in the sleeping state dp not always come to the surface.
G
hosts a n d
Phantasms
of the
D
ead
People often see the forms o f those who have passed from this life. Many have been alarmed over seeing such form s, as though there might be danger from them; but whether or not we believe them to be the forms o f the dead or the living, they certainly can do no harm. It is claimed by some that ghosts are always the result o f some form o f violent death, and that those who pass out in a state o f peace never leave a ghost behind. O f the truth of this state ment I am N O T absolutely sure, since all must leave behind the forms used while in the flesh, and each must leave behind him a thought form o f himself.
G
hosts
So m etim es C
an
Speak
It is a well-known fact that ghosts sometimes have the ability to speak or convey some kind of a message to the living. And it is also generally conceded by those who have investigated such matters, that once a ghost has had the opportunity to speak, it is seldom ever seen again.
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If we suppose a ghost to be a real entity, we can easily see how it could speak or telepathically convey a message. If, on the other hand, we assume that a ghost is only a form of thought, we can imagine that it might be equipped with the power to convey a message, after which it would gradually fade away. For thought has some power to express itself. I hold no brief for either case, since I have been unable to make up my own mind as to just what a ghost really is. In such a case as this it is a mistake to assume anything, other than the fact that such appear ances do make themselves known to people under certain conditions. The matter will have to rest at this point until further investigation proves what a ghost is.
Pro
jectin g
M
the
en tality
Under certain states o f mentality it is possible to project the mentality and travel far from the body. Just what it is that projects is difficult to say; and we are not so much concerned about what it is that projects as we are interested in the fact that there is something about the mentality which can project itself. Since there is but One Mind, perhaps nothing has to project; perhaps we simply see through the One Mind, which must have and hold, within Itself, all that is.
C
rystal
G
azin g
Crystal gazing is a form of concentrating the mentality in such a manner as to make it possible for the subjective to come to the surface. The operator, looking steadily at a bright object, gradually becomes subjective and consequently able to read thought.
B lack M
agic
Black Magic has been taught and practiced from time immemorial. It is the act of thinking toward some one for the purpose o f doing him an injury.
The M
odern
C
urse
To-day, black magic is called by another name, but “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” To-day it is called malpractice. Malpractice takes several different forms; namely, mali cious, ignorant and unconscious. Malicious malpractice is the act of arguing in Mind that some certain person is something that he ought not to be. In some cases it is supposed to even take
198
THE
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the form of saying that he is not present in the flesh. If this were persisted in, and the one being damned should receive the condemnation, he might begin to feel sick; and if this were carried to a final conclusion, he would, perhaps, “pass from this vale o f tears.” Mention is made o f this, not as being something to fear, but as one o f those things which to-day is being more or less discussed and believed in by many. So far as we are concerned, we believe only in the One Mind, AND W E KN O W TH AT IT C A N N O T BE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF. This will settle the question o f malicious malpractice for all time. We hear o f people who live in constant terror o f malpractice, and it seems certain that some do try to use this force to do injury to others; but no one with real understanding o f the Truth will be affected by it, nor seek to use it; for this would be playing with fire; and we are the servants to the things which we obey. If our thought is still operating on a level where such things are possible, we had better find it out, straighten up our thought and be healed; for, after all, malpractice is only wrong thought suggestion, and we do not believe in wrong thought suggestion. Innocent and ignorant malpractice causes much disease and discomfort, through sympathy with sickness and fear for people s safety. We should sympathize with the one suffering, but never with that from which he suffers; for this would make him worse instead of better.
A
uto m atic
W
r iting
Automatic writing is an interesting phenomenon o f the mind. It is a mental control which uses the arm and hand for the purpose o f writing messages. There are several forms of automatic writing; one, the ouija board, which is a small smooth board, upon which is written the alphabet. Upon this board is placed a small, pear-shaped, three-legged instrument, which points to the letters and spells out words. Another form is to put a pencil through the board; and still another form , and one even more interesting, is when the pen is held in the hand, which is controlled by some force not known, but supposed to be the subjective thought of either the operator or o f some one present. Some believe that the arm is under control o f a discarnate spirit. Many and long have been the discussions on this point, and I do not care to enter into them; but one thing is certain, the phenomenon transpires, and many wonderful messages come through in this manner.
In
dependent
W
riting
The most interesting writing of all is what is called independent writing; that is, where the pencil simply tips up and writes without any one touching it. I have seen this done and can 199
THE
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OF
MIND
vouch for its reality. Here, indeed, is ample cause for speculation, and we are compelled to admit that either some unconscious force o f those present grasps the pencil, or that some spirit force does.
H
u d so n’s
Th eo ry
I am well aware o f the theory which Hudson worked out along these lines, but I have not been able to explain everything on his basis; and I fear that he overworked his theory. His idea was that we have no right to assume the presence o f an unknown agency when there is a known one present. In other words, he said that the phenomenon is caused by some form o f mental action which he called subjective; and that we have no right to assume a spirit to be the cause when we know that there are people present in the flesh; and that, since peo ple in the flesh, as well as those out o f it, have a mind, we must assume that the phenomena are caused by those present in the flesh. By the same token, and with the same logic, it could be proved either way. That psychic phenomena are caused by some form o f mental power, there can be no question; and the student o f the workings of mind will rest content here, knowing that mental power can operate in independence o f the physical instrument; for this is the great lesson to learn.
Sm
ellin g
W
here
T h e r e Is N
o th in g to
Sm
ell
A most peculiar and interesting phenomenon takes place in the act o f smelling where there is, apparently, nothing to smell. The mentality, in connecting with the vibrations of a rose, can produce its odor independently o f the presence o f the flower. I have seen a case where the vibrations o f a certain man were brought into the room when he was in an intoxicated condition. The smell o f whiskey was so strong that the influence was asked to remove its presence. Perhaps this is what is meant by occult perfume.
G
raspin g
O
bjects
W
ith o u t th e
Hand
It is a commonly known fact, to those who have spent time investigating these things, that objects are grasped and held independently of the physical touch. This is shown in independent writing and in telekinetic energy.
2 oo
THE
LESSONS
Te l e k in e t ic E
nergy
Telekinetic energy is defined as “the ability to move ponderable objects without physical con tact” This form of energy is displayed in that class of mental phenomena which cause objects to move without any physical agency, and is, therefore, caused by some form of mental energy, or by some agency other than physical.
Ta b l e Tip p in g
Table tipping is so common as to cause but little comment, but it does help to prove a prin ciple o f mind, namely, that an object can be moved about from place to place without the aid of any physical contact.
R apping s
Rappings on the walls and floor are also too common to mention, but should be classed in the category of telekinetic energy.
Th eo r y
of
E
ctoplasm
One of the investigators has advanced the theory o f ectoplasm, which is a formless stuff emanat ing from the body o f the medium. I have no doubt but this theory is correct as far as it goes; but am not willing to advance it as being sufficient to explain all the phenomena. For instance, ac cording to this theory, if any one stands in front o f the medium the emanation is blocked and no results will follow. I have sat in a room and had a glass o f water brought from another room and held to my lips while I drank it. It was a real glass and real water and I was really there, and in a perfectly normal state o f mind. I could not possibly account for the above-stated incident on the theory of ectoplasm; but I could account for it through the theory of mental power.
L
evitatio n
The theory o f ectoplasm certainly will not account for levitation, where the body o f the medium is lifted from a chair and carried to some other place in the room. This can be accounted for only on the theory that there is a power that transcends the better-known physical laws. Expe rience has taught that there are many things in life that cannot be accounted for on any other basis than that of a mind power which operates independent of any, and of all, physical agencies.
20
I
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
In t e r e s t i n g T h o u g h t s
It is interesting to realize that we have such marvelous powers; and no doubt the time will come when we shall make common use of them. They are for some purpose and, as we live in a Timeless Universe, this purpose w ill be made known just as soon as we are ready for it.
W
hat
Is
C
the
ause
?
Whether psychic phenomena are caused by the agency o f spirits or by some inner power of our own mentality makes no difference. That they are caused by mind power is apparent; for they are not caused by what we call physical force at all, but by some finer power than we, at present, well understand.
C
ause
for
Th
ought
It gives reason for thought when we realize that such inner powers exist. Some power, inde pendent o f the body, can see, hear, feel, smell, touch and taste without the aid of the physical instrument. Some power of intelligence within us can travel, communicate, project itself, recognize and be recognized, without the aid o f the physical instrument. That there is a reason for this is certain; that this reason is natural and normal, no one can doubt, for nature is always natural, and only that is a mystery which is not understood.
Tim e W
ill
Prove A
ll
Th ing s
Time and experience, alone, w ill unravel the mysteries of the human mind, with its many and varied activities. So far we have but touched the outskirts of its garments. To deny these inner attributes is not only intolerant, but is downright ignorance. It is all right to say that we do not understand them; but to openly deny them is to place us, not among the unbelievers, but among those who do not know the facts.
The Spirit
of
Prophecy
Subjective mind can deduce only; it has no power of initiative or self-choice, and is compelled, because o f its very nature, to retain any and all suggestions that it receives. The best illustration o f this is in the creative soil, in which the gardener puts his seed. The soil does not argue nor deny, but goes to work on the seed and begins to create a plant which will represent the type
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THE
LESSONS
o f manifestation inherent, as an idea, in the seed. That is, from a cucumber seed we get cucum bers; and from a cabbage seed we get cabbages. Always the law maintains the individuality of the seed as it creates the plant; never does it contradict the right o f the seed to be what it really is. Involved within the seed is the idea o f the plant, as are also those lesser ideas which are to act as a medium between the seed and the plant. Involved within the seed are both cause and effect; but the seed must first be placed within the creative soil if we wish to receive a plant. In the creative soil, or in the seed, the full and perfect idea o f the plant must exist as a com pleted thing, else it could never be brought forth into manifestation. The idea of the full-grown plant must exist somewhere in the seed and soil if it is ever going to materialize.
A L esson
in
Su bjectivity
This teaches us a lesson in subjectivity. Thoughts going into the subjective are like seeds; they are concepts o f ideas, and acting through the creative medium o f Mind, have within themselves the full power to develop and to express themselves. But how could they express unless they were already known to Mind? They could not, and so Mind must view the thought as already completed in the thing; and Mind must also contain the avenue through which the idea is to be expressed. Every thought sets in motion in Mind the fulfillment of its purpose, and Mind sees the thing as already done. Mental tendencies set in motion cast their shadows before them; and a psychic often sees the complete manifestation of an idea before it has had the time to materialize in the objective world. This is what constitutes the average spirit of prophecy; for prophecy is the reading of sub jective tendencies, and seeing them as already accomplished facts. The subjective mind can deduce only, but its power o f logic and sequence appears to be perfect.
Explan atio n
For illustration, suppose that there is a window one mile away; I am throwing a ball at this window, and the ball is halfway to it, going at the rate o f one mile a minute. Now you come in, measure, the distance, compute the speed with which the ball is passing through the air and say, “The ball is halfway to the window; it is traveling at the rate of one mile a minute; in just one half a minute the window is going to be broken by the ball passing through it.” Let us sup pose that you are the only one who sees the ball, for the rest are looking at the window; and in half a minute it is broken. How did you prophesy that the window was to be broken? By drawing a logical conclusion of an already established premise.
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MIND
This is much like what happens when a psychic exercises a spirit of prophecy. They are generally unconscious as to why they do what they do, because they are getting their own subjective contact with the condition and simply interpreting what comes to them. But this is the logical, deductive, conclusive power o f their subjective thought, seeing a thing completed, by first seeing a tendency set in motion, and computing the time that it will take to complete it. There are but few, however, who have any reliable spirit o f prophecy. Let us carry this thought further; the race has its subjectivity, from an individual to a nation. This is its karma, its subjective law set in motion. Each nation has its subjective causation, and the prophet o f a nation could, and would, read its subjective tendency; and this is what the old prophets did, for they were psychics, every one o f them, from Moses down. They were able to interpret the subjective causation of their race and so predict that certain things must follow. There is, however, a still higher spirit of prophecy which but few have perceived, and those who have perceived it have been illumined. Within the subjective m irror of Mind there must also exist the Divine and Cosmic Purposes,— the very Thoughts of God. An illumined person, who is also psychic, might read these great Cosmic Purposes; and in this manner some of the great prophets have read the destiny of the race. They have told us that the destiny of man is divine, that he is immortal now, that he need not die to become immortal, but that HE IS IMM ORTAL. It was in contact with this great Law, and from It, that Moses received the Ten Commandments, the Mosaic Law. It is through the avenue of subjectivity, which is the medium between Spirit and man, between the Absolute and the intellect, that all o f the proph ets have prophesied and all of the sages have taught; for it contains Infinite Wisdom, Knowledge and Law. The subjective mind is the source of much inspiration; for it contains all the thoughts which the race has ever created, and at times one contacts these thoughts and becomes inspired by them. The subjective mind is the source o f much revelation because it contains the Purposes of God, and if the soul were to turn to the One, it surely would reflect into the outer mind the Light o f the Eternal.
Sum
mary
We have shown that mind, independent o f the body, can, and at times does, perform each and every function which we usually associate with the physical being. While most people may have to go into a trance state to perform these acts, there are a few who can produce the same results while in a perfectly normal state, that is, while in a self-conscious state. I wish to make this very plain, for there is a belief that an abnormal state must be entered into before these phe nomena can be produced. I not only challenge such a statement, but entirely refute it as being 204
THE
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altogether wrong. I have myself, while in a perfectly normal state, seen or experienced nearly everything that has been discussed under this heading. I am willing to admit that ordinarily a trance state is developed before the best results can be obtained; but to say that it M UST be developed is to contradict my own experience and refute my own observations. I have never, at any time, gone into a trance state, and would no more consider doing so than I would consider jumping from the roof o f a ten-story building. If, then, I were to refute my sanity during these experiences, by what manner of judgment could I consider myself to be sane at all? It is useless for those who know nothing at all about psychic phenomena to deny its reality. I can understand any one saying that he does not under stand it, but I cannot grasp the position of an individual who denies something of which he is entirely ignorant. We will say thenTHAT EVERY ACT O FTH E HUM AN IN STRUM EN T W HICH W E CA LL THE BODY CAN BE R EPRO D U C ED TH RO U G H SOME A G EN C Y W HICH IS N O T PHYS ICAL, O R TH RO U G H SOME A G EN C Y THAT PHYSICS C A N N O T EXPLAIN. We will call this agency some power of mind with which we are not yet well familiar. It is all simple enough, anyway, for our bodies could not move unless we were here to move them, and so every act is mental, even though we use the body as an instrument. I can find no explanation for the above-stated facts, unless we suppose that we have a men tal body which reproduces the physical one; and which can function without its counterpart, and is entirely independent o f it. It makes no difference whether we attribute the phenomena to spirits or whether we say that we are unconsciously producing it ourselves, THE FACT W ILL STILL REM AIN THAT THE PH ENO M ENA ARE PRO D U CED and can be accounted for only on the basis that we either have a mental body, which acts independent o f the physical one, or that the power of thought alone, and without any physical instrument, can operate upon matter. Personally, I prefer to accept the theory that we have a mental body, since this appeals to me as being more reasonable and certainly much more human. If we assume that spirits have the ability to move ponderable objects without physical con tact, we are assuming that they have a mental body, or that they operate their thought to produce the phenomena. For, once granted that the phenomena are really produced, it is self-evident that some kind of an explanation must be forthcoming. There are but two possible answers from what is to-day known: either the minds of de parted souls or the minds o f those present in the flesh produce the phenomena. This eliminates any other possible agency, for the theory of ectoplasm cannot answer all of the facts.
2 oS
THE
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OF
MIND
LESSON SIX: PSYCHIC PH EN O M E N A AND IM M O RTALITY The M
ean in g
of
Im m o r t a l i t y
Immortality means to the average person that man shall persist after the experience of physi cal death, retaining a full recollection of himself and the ability to recognize others. If his full capacities go with him beyond the grave, he must be able to think consciously, to reason, w ill, affirm, declare, accept, reject, know and be known, communicate and be communicated with; he must be able to travel about, see and be seen, understand and be understood; he must be able to touch, taste, smell, hear, cognize and realize. In fact, if he is really to continue as a selfconscious personality, he can do so only to the degree that he maintains a continuous stream o f consciousness and self-knowingness. This means that he must carry with him a complete remembrance; for it is to the remem brance alone that we must look for the link that binds one event to another, making life a constant stream of self-conscious expression. To suppose that man can forget and still remain himself is to suppose that he could cut off the entire past and at this moment be the same per sonality that he was a moment ago. Remembrance alone guarantees personality. Individuality might remain without remembrance, but not so with personality; for what we are is the result of what we have been, the result o f what has gone before. Man, then, if he is to have an immortality worthy o f the name, must continue, as he now is, beyond the grave. DEATH C A N N O T RO B HIM OF A N YTH IN G IF HE BE IMMORTAL.
W
here
D
id
M
an
C
ome
from an d
W
h y
?
It is useless to ask why man is. It can only be said o f man that he is; for if we were to push his history back to some beginning, we should still be compelled to say that he is. If m ans life is of God, then it comes from a source which had no beginning; and so the question as to why he is must forever remain unanswered. God could not tell why God is; to suppose that Life could give an excuse or reason for being would be to suppose an absurdity. Life Is, and right at this point all inquiry into Truth starts, and from this point alone must this inquiry continue. We are not so much interested in why we are, as we are interested in what we are. That we
2 o6
THE
LESSONS
are some part o f Life, no one can deny and keep faith with reason. Let us not bother about questions that can never be answered, but pay attention to those which have an answer.
M
an
Aw a k es
w ith
a
Body
When man first woke to self-consciousness, he had a body and a definite form , showing that Instinctive Life, which is God, had already clothed Itself with the form of flesh. Body, or form, is the necessary outcome of self-knowingness. In order to know, there must be something that may be known; in order to be conscious there must be something o f which to be conscious. Some kind o f a body or expression there always was and always will be, if consciousness is to remain true to its own nature.
W
Is
hat
the
Bo
dy
?
Body is a concrete idea, existing in time and space, for the purpose o f furnishing a vehicle through which Life may express Itself. The physical universe is the Body o f God; it is a mani festation o f the Mind o f God, in form. It is that Creation which, while It may have beginnings and ends, o f Itself neither begins nor ends. The Manifestation o f Spirit is necessary if Spirit is to come into Self-Realization; hence, Body.
M
atter
We say that body is composed of matter, but what is matter? Science tells us that matter is an aggregation o f small particles arranged in some kind of form ; we are also told that matter is in a continuous state o f flow. Strange as it may seem, we do not have the same physical bodies that we had a few months ago; they have completely changed; new particles have taken the place of the old; and the only reason why they have taken the same form is, that Instinctive Man has provided the same mold. Our bodies are like a river, forever flowing; the Indwelling Spirit alone maintains the identity. If we assume that immortality simply means persisting in the physical body, then we already have immortalized ourselves many times right here on earth.
Th e E t h
er
of
Scien ce
We are now being taught that the ether is more solid than matter. We know that the ether pen etrates everything; it is in our bodies, at the center o f the earth, and throughout all space. This
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means that within our present bodies there is a substance more solid than the body which we see. This idea is very far-reaching; for it shows that we might have a body right within the physical one, which could be as real as the one of which we are accustomed to think. If Instinctive Man has molded the outer body in form, why should It not also mold the inner one into definite form? There is every reason to suppose that It does and no reason to suppose the opposite. In all prob ability, there is a body within a body to infinity. “In my Father’s house are many mansions.”99 We do not depart from reason when we assume this; for, while we used to say that two bodies could not occupy the same space at the same time, we must remember that we were talking about only one plane of expression. The new idea of matter and ether has PROVED THAT M O RE TH AN O NE BODY MAY O C C U P Y TH E SAME SPACE AT THE SAME TIM E; for it has been proved that there is a substance which can occupy the same space that our body does. No doubt, as time goes on, it will also be proved that there is something still finer than the ether; this may go on to infinity. There is every reason to suppose that we have a body within a body to infinity, and it is our belief that we do have.
The R
esu r r ectio n
Body
The resurrection body, then, will not have to be snatched from some Cosmic shelf as the soul soars aloft, but will be found to exist already W ITH IN ; EVERYTH IN G IS FROM W ITHIN, FO R LIFE IS W ITHIN. The resurrection body o f Jesus shone so that it could not be looked upon, because it was a more spiritual one than the physical eye is used to beholding.
C
o n clu sive
Fa c t s
The facts are conclusive that we have a spiritual body now, and do not have to die to receive one. We now remember the past, and have already outlived the physical body many times during life. It looks as though we were already immortal and would not have to die to take on immortality. If there are many planes of Life and consciousness, perhaps we only die from one plane to another. This thought makes a strong appeal and seems to answer the question completely.
In W
hat
M
ental
St a t e D o W
e
Go O
u t
?
Some think that death robs us of the objective faculties, and that we pass out in a purely subjec tive state; but we are unable to follow the logic of such an assumption. To suppose that the
99 John 14: 2.
i
2 o8
THE
LESSONS
objective faculties die with the brain, is to suppose that the brain thinks and reasons. This is proved to be false through the experience of death itself; for, if the brain could think, it would think on and on forever. No; the brain does not think; the thinker thinks through the brain, perhaps; but o f itself, the brain has no power to think or feel. Detach the brain and it will not formulate ideas, nor work out plans. THE TH IN K ER A LO N E CAN TH IN K. It is logical to suppose that we pass from this life to the next in full and complete retention of all our faculties. Jesus revealed Himself to His followers after His resurrection, to show them that death is but a passing to a higher sphere o f life and action. To know that we maintain an identity independent of the physical body, is proof enough o f immortality. This, together with the fact that remembrance maintains a constant stream of recollection, and the realization that mentality can operate independently of the body, performing all of its normal functions with out its aid; and that the new theory of matter and ether furnishes proof o f the possibility of a body within a body to infinity; and that the Instinctive Man is constantly forming matter into the shape o f a body, should prove to any one that we are not going TO ATTAIN IM M O RTAL ITY; BU T TH AT W E N O W A R E IMMORTAL.
W
hat
C
auses
P sych ic M
anifestatio n s
?
It would be interesting to know whether the spirits of the supposed dead cause the manifesta tions which we see in the seance chamber. One thing is certain: these manifestations are either caused by those who are supposed to be dead, or else they are caused by those now in the flesh; for, since they happen, something must make them happen. Whether the manifestations are caused by the dead or the living, the agency used is either a mental body or the direct power o f thought operating upon objects. O f course, in the conveyance o f mental messages, telepathy explains the agency; but in physical manifestations, some kind of contact either takes place or else thought directly works on objects. Hudson, in his “ Law of Psychic Phenomena,” carefully goes through an elaborate process of reasoning, the result of years of painstaking investigation, and completely proves that all of the manifestations do take place. He then goes through an extensive argument to show that they are not caused by spirits, saying that we have no reason to suppose the presence of an unknown agency, when we know that there is one present who could be producing the phenomena. Now, if our reasoning power is correct, and it is proved that physical manifestations take place through some power that is mental, and if it is proved that those who have passed on might still be near us, then we cannot see where the argument against spirit agencies could be considered perfect. We are inclined to feel that the very facts in the case prove that these manifestations could be produced by either the living or the dead; and such, we believe, to be the case.
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Telepath y D
SCIENCE
oes
N
ot
OF
MIND
Explain E ver yth
in g
Telepathy does not explain everything. It may explain much, but certainly not all. Telepathy could not explain certain visions which people sometimes have when passing out. We once knew a woman who practically passed out and was, indeed, thought dead for nearly a day and night; but was finally restored to consciousness to continue here for another year. She plainly saw and talked to several members of her family who had gone on some years earlier. It is not strange that those who have gone before are interested in us and wish to see us when we go over. If we had friends in London and were to send word that we were coming over, they would certainly wish to meet us. Our friends on the other side must be just as interested in us as they ever were. Telepathy cannot explain how Jesus could take some of His more advanced disciples aside and let them talk with the departed. It clearly states that this incident took place; and, if we cannot believe this, how can we believe any o f the other events in the life and experience of
4
this most remarkable Person?
Spirit C
o m m un icatio n
There are thousands o f cases on record where people have penetrated the veil of flesh and seen into the beyond. If we cannot believe the experience o f so many, how can we believe in any experience at all? O f course, there is a large field for deception, and it is not probable that all communications are real; but, to state positively that they are all illusions, is to throw the lie into the face o f human thought and say that it never sees clearly. There is certainly more argu ment and evidence in favor o f the theory o f spirit communication than against it, and, so far as we are concerned, we are entirely convinced of the reality o f this evidence. If spirits really exist, and if we all live in One Mind, and if mentality can communicate with mentality without the aid o f the physical instrument, then spirit communication must be pos sible; and since we know that the above-stated facts are true, we have no alternative other than to accept the conclusive evidence and realize that while it may be difficult to communicate with the departed, yet it is possible.
C
o m m u n icatio n
M
ust
Be M
ental
It is evident that any such communication must be mental; it would be thought transference or mental telepathy, at best. Now if the supposed entity knows that we wish to communicate with it, and if it is consciously present trying to communicate with us, then it must, by the power 2 1o
THE
LESSONS
o f its thought, cause its message to come up through our subjectivity to an objective state of recognition; consequently how very difficult to receive a coherent message! For instance, sup pose that one tries to think a lecture to an audience, how much would they receive?Yet this is exactly what would happen under the very best condition if the departed were trying to im press our thought. I believe that they do seek to communicate with us and that they often succeed, perhaps more often than we realize; but I repeat, “How difficult it must be!” Whether or not the spirits are present is uncertain. Just because a psychic sees the picture o f a person around us, does not mean that he is really there; for the pictures o f all our friends are always in our mental atmospheres. It is quite absurd to suppose that at any time we wish we can call any one we ever knew and make him talk to us. We are unable to do so here; and psychological and metaphysical laws are the same on every plane.
W
e
Do N
ot
C
ontrol
Spirits
To suppose that we can compel the attention of one out of the flesh, any more than of one in it, is an absurdity. And if we could, what would we hope to gain? People out of the flesh know no more than they did when in the body. I believe that we do communicate with the subjectivity of those who are departed, whether they know that we are doing so or not; but the messages that come, in our present state o f evolution, are very incoherent. I believe that an unconscious com munication goes on, more or less, all the time, and that those people whom we have greatly loved are still conscious of us; and are, without doubt, seeking to influence us; but it could only be a mental influence. We might feel a vague sense, much as the niece of Oom Peter did in “The R e turn of Peter Grimm.” She felt a vague sense of her uncle; that he was trying to impress her with his thought and desire. She felt a blind groping, and that is probably the best that we would get.
T h e P s y c h i c Po
w er
Should N
ot
Be Forced
We all have psychic capacities, but they should never be forced; for it is only when the subjec tive comes to the surface while in a normal state that a normal psychic power is produced.The average psychic must go into a semitrance to let the subjective come through; this is never good nor right, but is always destructive. The psychic capacity is normal only to the extent that it can be used while in a self-conscious state. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. It is known as the “power o f darkness,” but is all right if understood. Many people are bothered by their psychic powers, constantly seeing things, continually getting impressions; they are very near the surface of subjectivity, and it bothers them. This can easily be healed and should be. There is a normal psychic capacity, and some are able to discern mental causes with perfect
2
II
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
ease. Jesus was such a One; He was able to tell the woman that she had been married five times, and that the man with whom she was living was not her husband. He read that out of her thought; but He did it while in an objective state; for He was able to consciously and ob jectively exercise His subjective faculties. This is perfectly normal; but to let go o f the volitional and choosing faculties, which alone constitute individuality, and become immersed in subjec tivity, is very dangerous. One might become obsessed by discarnate spirits, earth-bound enti ties, elementals, thought forms, desires or other forces floating around; for we cannot close our eyes to the fact that all o f these things do exist. It is a crime against individuality to allow the conscious faculties to become submerged. We should control the subjective and not let it control us. The teaching o f the illusion of mind sprang up because men of wisdom perceived that people might mistake the shade for the real ity, the form for real substance, the hollow voice for revelation, and thereby be misled. That is why they warned against these things and against having familiar spirits; and they were abso lutely right. Never let any voices speak to you unless you are in perfect control of the situation. Never admit any mental impressions or images that you do not wish to receive or that you cannot receive consciously. Say: “There is no power in the flesh or out of it but the One, which can enter my consciousness. Anything that obeys the One, conforms to the One, believes only in the One and comes only through the consciousness of the One, is perfectly welcome, but anything other than that cannot come.” The only value that an understanding o f psychic phenomena can have, is that without it we do not understand the complete workings o f mind. We do not understand experiences people often have; and in a consistent philosophy which deals with mind, the lack of an understanding o f psychic phenomena would be inexcusable. For any one in this day to say that powers of clairvoyance, telepathy, thought transference, clairaudience or telekinetic energy are not exer cised, is to admit his own ignorance. These things do happen and are continuously happening in more and more instances.The thing to do is not to deny what happens, but to find a logical and scientific explanation of it. It is our business to explain all mental action, in so far as it is explainable; and so we must find an answer which will cover the law of psychic phenomena. Mind, with the laws governing It, is the whole answer, for each plane reproduces the one next to it; and psychic phenomena are reproductions of m ans physical capacities on the mental plane. “What is true on one plane is true on all ”
Note: Read and carefully study ‘‘Law o f Psychic Phenomena,” Hudson; “ Life After Death,” Hyslop; “The Unknown Guest,” Maeterlinck; “ Science and Immortality,” Lodge; “The Hidden Power,” Troward; “From the Unconscious to the Conscious,” Geley. 2I 2
THE
LESSONS
LESSON SIX: RECAPITULATIO N Psychic phenomena are the phenomena of the soul, or subjective mind. The subjective mental ity is m ans atmosphere in Universal Mind; it is the seat o f his memory and the avenue through which Instinctive Life works. The subjective mentality, being deductive only in its reasoning power, is compelled to retain all o f the impressions that it receives, but, o f course, these impressions can be erased, con sciously. Man is Universal on the subjective side of life, and in this way is connected with the sub jectivity o f all with whom he is in harmonious vibration. Mental suggestion operates through the subjective mind, and a silent influence is always going on through this avenue in the form of race-suggestion. A silent communication takes place at all times between friends on the subjective side of life; when it comes to the surface, it is called mental telepathy. The subjective mind, being in contact with the race-thought, has a much greater knowledge than the conscious mind. It is through this avenue that human inspiration comes. Orators and actors contact the subjective side of their audiences and, in this way, wield a tremendous influ ence. Singers, poets and w riters enter the subjective race-thought and interpret it; this enables them to depict the race-emotions. Each person has a subjective mental emanation or atmosphere which is the result of all that has ever been consciously or unconsciously said, thought or done by that person. The mental atmosphere o f a person is his power o f attraction. It is the result o f his inner thoughts. The mental atmosphere o f a place is the result of .all that has been thought, said or done in that place. The mental atmosphere o f a place is its power of attraction. We love those places whose mental atmosphere is one o f love and peace; this is why we like our homes. The home should always be kept sacred and its atmosphere should always be one of love. Things are possessed of a soul element and continuously emanate this atmosphere. Each city or town has a special atmosphere which is the result o f the mental emanations of those who inhabit it. The same may be said o f nations; each has its national mentality. The history of the whole race is subjectively written on the unseen walls of time, and may be reproduced by one who can read the race-mentality. Telepathy, which is the act o f reading subjective thought, takes place through the medium of Universal Subjectivity. In order to mentally receive a message, and bring it to the surface, one must be in tune with the vibration o f that message. 213
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Since the whole field of subjectivity is Universal, it follows that everything that has ever been thought, said or done, is retained in the race-thought; and since this field is a unit, all of the vibrations are ever present, and may be contacted at the point of any ones mentality. In his objective state, man is separate and distinct, but on the subjective side of life he is universal. The conditions necessary for the best results in psychic work are faith and expectancy; this is because the subjective mentality is the seat o f the instinctive emotions and responds to feeling. A psychic, going into more or less o f a subjective state, is able to enter the vibration o f an individuals thought and read from the book o f his remembrance. The personal reading seems to be limited to the subjective remembrance, although this is often very far-reaching. Each maintains a stream of consciousness in the One Mind, and any one contacting this stream may objectify it. Because o f the Universality o f the Medium, the individual stream of consciousness is always omnipresent, whether the one from whom it emanated be in the flesh or out o f it. Tim e and space are unknown in Mind, the past and the present are one. In reading the thought o f people set down in books, we enter their vibration, and in studying their thoughts we enter their stream o f consciousness. Every one who ever lived on earth has left behind a mental picture of himself; these pictures are often seen when one is in a subjective state. This does not mean that we really see the per son; what we see generally is the picture. The human aura is the mental vibration or emanation o f the individual. The idea of the halo surrounding the heads of the saints is explained in this way. The personal atmosphere varies with the changing thought and emotion, and is sometimes pleasant and at other times un pleasant. Habits are formed through conscious thought becoming subjective, and in its turn, control ling the one through whom it operates. Mania is a strong desire, subjectified, which becomes an obsession. People may become obsessed with their own ideas or with those that operate through them from some foreign source, whether this source is from some one in the flesh or out of it. O b session is always some form o f mental suggestion. Insanity is the loss of the objective faculty. The psychic power must always be controlled. A normal state is a perfect balance be tween the objective and the subjective faculties. This is the aim of evolution: to produce a man who, at the point o f his objective faculty, may perfectly control the subjective. A trance state is abnormal, and only that psychic faculty is normal which is under full control o f the selfdiscerning mind. Clairvoyance is the ability to see without the physical eye. Psychometry is a clairvoyant state 2 14
THE
LESSONS
wherein the medium is able to enter the subjective side o f things and read the atmospheres surrounding them; this is why mediums often wish to hold some familiar object in their hands while giving readings. Clairaudience is the ear of the soul. Independent voices sometimes come from the air, prov ing that some inner power is able to express itself audibly. Apparitions are thought forms, and may come from the living or from the dead; at times they come as a warning. Crystal gazing is for the purpose o f concentrating the mind, in order that it may become subjective. Black magic, the curse o f malpractice, all mean the use o f thought power for destructive purposes. Automatic writing takes place when the arm is under control of the subjective mind of the operator or by the subconscious mind o f some one else, either in the flesh or out o f it; it is a form o f suggestion, either conscious or unconscious. Independent writing is where the pencil writes without physical contact. This shows that some inner power has the ability to grasp solid objects without physical contact. Table tipping and rappings are from the same source. It is thought by some that these manifestations come from the agency o f what is called “ectoplasm,” or a subtle emanation o f the body; this theory, however, does not explain all o f the facts. Mind alone can do this. Levitation or the ability to move the body is another fact well known to in vestigators. The power o f prophecy is limited to some subjective tendency already set in motion; for mental tendencies cast their shadows before them. There is a higher power o f prophecy which contacts the Cosmic Purposes and reads the thought o f God. Man reproduces, on the mental plane, all o f the physical faculties.
Im
m o rtality
Immortality means that the individual shall persist after the experience of physical death, car rying with him a complete remembrance and an unbroken stream of consciousness; for if man be immortal, death cannot rob him o f anything. Man cannot conceive of himself, either as being born or as dying; he lives, and cannot think of himself from any other standpoint. Even though a person should conceive of himself as dying and imagine his own funeral, he would still have to conceive of himself as consciously being there, and so prove that he did not die at all. It is the same with birth; we can imagine being born into this world, but we cannot imagine the self as being non-existent; for, while thinking of the self as being born, we are still consciously thinking; thus proving that we were before we were physically born.
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
All inquiry into the Truth starts with the self-evident proposition that Life Is. When man first woke to self-consciousness on this plane he already had a body. Conscious ness always clothes itself in some kind of form. Matter, from which the body is made, is a fluent substance, forever taking the form that intelligence gives it; it flows in and out like a river; we yearly immortalize ourselves, so far as the body is concerned. The ether, being more solid than matter, proves that we could have a body within the one that we now occupy. Since matter in form is only a certain rate o f vibration, it follows that, in dealing with Infinite Life, we are dealing with an infinite number of vibrations; consequently, we might have a body within a body to Infinity. In reality, the body is a spiritual idea; the flesh simply covers it for the purpose of providing a physical instrument through which Spirit may function on this plane. Man departs this body only to find himself already equipped with another one. He carries with him every attribute that he now possesses, and goes forth in complete retention o f his individuality. Since there is but One Mind, it follows that it is possible to communicate with the departed; but, as the communication must come through the subjective, it is difficult to receive clear messages; and it is impossible to know whether or not the ones with whom we think we are communicating are consciously present. It is never safe to go into a trance state in order to communicate with the departed, as in so doing, one might subject himself to the mental influences o f lesser mentalities. Individuality is sacred and must never be tampered with nor controlled, except by the conscious mind. The value of an understanding of psychic phenomena lies in the fact that they are the phe nomena o f Mind and must be accounted for. Every plane reproduces the one just below or just above it; psychic phenomena are the re productions, on the mental plane, o f the principle just below the mental, which is the physical.
21 6
PART THREE
SPECIAL ARTICLES
Note: It is wellf o r the student to carefully read and study thefollowing articles, as they have a distinct bearing on the preceding lessons.
ABSOLUTENESS A N D R E L A T IV IT Y Absolute is defined as, “Free from restrictions, unlimited, unconditioned.” “The Unlimited and Perfect Being, God.” Relativity is defined as, “Existence only as an object of, or in relation to, a thinking mind.” “A condition of dependence.” The Absolute, being Unconditioned, is Infinite and All; It is that Which Is, or the Truth. It is axiomatic that the Truth, being All, cannot be separated, limited nor divided; It must be Changeless, Complete, Perfect and Uncreated. Relativity is that which depends upon something else; and if there be such a thing as relativity, it is not a thing of itself, but only that which functions within the Absolute and depends on It. We wish to affirm relativity without destroying Absoluteness. This can be done only by real izing that the relative is not a thing apart from, but is an experience in, the All-Comprehending Mind. The relative does not contradict the Absolute, but affirms It; and the relative alone guar antees that there is an Absolute. The Absolute is Cause, the relative is effect; the Absolute depends upon Itself, being SelfExistent; the relative must depend upon the Absolute. 217
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We should be careful not to deny the relative, simply because it is not absolute. To suppose that there could be an Absolute without a relative, would be to suppose that there could be an unexpressed God or First Cause; this is unthinkable and impossible. The Consciousness o f God must be expressed, hence the relative. The relative is not apart from, but is in the Absolute; and, as such, it is perfectly good and necessary.Time, space, outline, form , change, movement, action and reaction, manifestation and creation, all are relative; but all are real. Relativity subsists within existence and inherent Life is potential and latent with limitless possibilities. The relative and the Absolute do not contradict each other.
THE PROBLEM OF EVIL Evil will remain a problem as long as any one believes in it. This may sound rather startling until one has taken the time to think the matter through to a conclusion. Evil, of itself, is nei ther person, place nor thing, but is only a certain use that we make o f life. We call that evil which we feel is the wrong thing to do; but our ideas o f good and evil change with the unfoldment o f our thought about, and belief in, life; for what was thought to be good yesterday, is to-day considered evil; and what, yesterday, was considered to be evil, is to-day called good. Generally speaking, we may consider evil to be that which is destructive in its nature, and good to be that which is constructive. Evil, then, will disappear in the exact proportion that we cease using destructive methods; and good will appear to the degree that we embody constructive methods. To turn from evil and do good is the desire of every soul who is consecrated to the Truth; this we can do only as we cease talking about, believing in, or doing evil. The problem o f evil w ill continue to be a problem just as long as we believe in it. Good will appear only as we embody it. Each soul has within a sure test, a something which directs and guides it. This Something is the Spirit o f God and It knows no evil. As there is no sin but a mistake, so there is no punishment but an inevitable consequence. As long as we make mistakes we shall be sinning; and just so long, we shall automatically be punished; for the law is certain and sure. As we turn to the Good, we will stop doing evil and, therefore, stop sinning. The problem is solved as we turn from all that hurts, all that is destructive, all that denies the Good, and turn with our whole being into the Light and toward the Truth. Evil is swallowed up in the Good as we learn to live daily in the Presence of God. “I will forgive their iniquity
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and I will remember their sin no more.” 100 That is, it will be completely blotted out; it will cease to be. With our whole heart, with our whole being, in sincerity and honesty, with a complete trust in the Good, yearning toward It with a soul-desire that will be satisfied, we should turn to God, as the Supreme Presence, as the Complete Life, forsaking any belief in evil; we should turn so completely to the Spirit that our souls will become illumined by the Light Eternal. Evil will cease to be when we stop looking at it; it never really was and is but a supposition. Let us, then, turn to the Path of Light and look to the God Within. Let us say, “Thou Infinite, Indwelling God, within me, knowing no evil, teach me of Thy ways, and in Thy wisdom make me wise. Almighty God within me, direct me into the way o f the All Good.” Let us turn com pletely from any and every belief in evil and do good. The problem will thus be solved and we shall realize that only the Good remains.
THE M E A N I N G OF THE FALL The story o f the fall typifies race-experience as brought about through its belief in duality. Man is created perfect; that is, he starts on his journey as a perfect being, but he also starts as an individual; and this, of course, means that he starts with self-choice. Self-choice would have no real meaning unless it were backed by the power to externalize this choice and experience the effect o f it. Man has the ability to choose and to externalize his choice; for he is a real individual.
THE G A R D E N OF EDEN The Garden o f Eden typifies m ans original state of perfection before he began to have experi ence. The Tree o f Knowledge means the Life Principle which can be used both ways. It bore the fruit o f the knowledge of both kinds o f experience, good and evil, freedom and limitation. Man must choose which kind of fruit he will eat. “ Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.” 101 Man makes his choice consciously but generally in ignorance. The serpent typifies the Life
100 Jer. 3 i : 34. 10 1 Josh. 24: l £ .
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Principle viewed from the materialistic viewpoint; it casts man from his perfect state through his belief in duality and separation. Man chose to depart from Good, and man alone must choose to return to It. God lets him alone; for he is a free agent and may do as he wills with himself. When man decides to return to his Father’s House, he w ill find that his Father is still there. “Act as though I am and I will be.” “ Onlook the Deity and the Deity will onlook thee,” “Be firm and ye shall be made firm .” “As thou hast believed so be it done unto thee.” 102 “Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.” 103 G o d s Creation is Perfect and we must wake to the fact and know that we are now in the King dom o f Heaven.
SALVATION A N D G R A C E As the fall o f man was brought about through his own act, so the rise of man will be accom plished through his own act. God already Is. Salvation is not a thing but a Way; the way o f salva tion is through the realization o f m ans unity with the W hole. Grace is the givingness o f the Spirit to Its Creation and is not a special law, but is a specialized one. In other words, Grace Is, but we need to recognize It. It is not something that God imposed upon us, but is the logical result o f the correct acceptance o f life and o f a correct relationship to the Spirit. We are saved by Grace to the extent that we believe in, accept and seek to embody, the Law of Good; for the Law of Good is ever a Law o f Liberty and never one o f limitation. Limitation is not a thing, but is a belief. Freedom is a Divine Reality, while limitation is an illusion, a false belief. Salvation is an act of man and not an act of God. Man damned himself and man must save himself, if he ever is saved. He will save himself to the exact degree that he stops damning himself. He will live in Heaven when he stops living in hell. He will be healed when he stops being sick. He will become rich just as soon as he stops being poor. He will become as God when he stops masquerading as the devil. He will be happy when he stops being miserable. He will be at peace when he stops becoming confused. He will be filled with joy when he stops thinking sadness. He will live when he stops dying. He will be perfect when he stops looking upon imperfection; and he will be saved when he stops damning himself. HE W ILL BE ONE
i o 2 Matt. 8: 1 3. 103 Matt. 7: 7.
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W H EN HE STOPS BEING TW O. MAN, M AN, MAN, MAN, MAN, MAN, M AN; “The great Thou— /— and the great I— Thou.”
THE PERFECT UNIVERSE We must realize the Perfect Universe if we wish to embody the greatest good. If the Universe were not Perfect It could not exist for a single moment. It is self-evident that we live in a Per fect Universe; and, if so, then everything in It must also be perfect. The Truth is Indivisible and Whole. God is Complete and Perfect. A Perfect Cause must produce a Perfect Effect. Disregarding all evidence to the contrary, the student of Truth will maintain that he lives in a Perfect Universe and among perfect people; he will regulate his thinking to meet this necessity and will refuse to believe in its opposite. At first he may appear to be weak; but as time goes on, he will prove to himself that his position is a correct one; for that which appears imperfect will begin to slip from his experience. To daily meditate on the Perfect Life and to daily embody the Great Ideal is the way to sure salvation; this is a royal road to freedom and is happiness to the soul of man. We cannot afford to believe in imperfection for a single instant. Let us learn to look as God must look, with a Perfect Vision; let us seek the Good and the True and believe in them with our whole heart; let us say daily to our inner selves: “Perfect God within me; Perfect Life within me, Which is God; Perfect Being within me, Which is God, come forth into expression through me and become that which I am; lead me into the paths of perfection and cause me to see only the Good.” By this practice, the soul will become illumined and will acquaint itself with God and be at peace. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father Which is in heaven is Perfect.” 104
IM A G I N A T I O N A N D WILL Coue announced a great truth when he said that imagination is superior to the w ill; but he did not explain the philosophy behind this truth. It is a fact that what he said is true, but we wish
104 Matt.
$ : 48.
22 I
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to analyze the fact and discover the reason back o f it; for if anything is true there is always a reason for its being true. W ill is an assumption, pure and simple. We do not w ill to live; we live because we have life and cannot help living. The use o f the will could not make us anything that we are not; for it is not possible to get out of a bag anything that the bag does not contain. We live because life is within us. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Which o f you, by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature?” 10* We did not make Life and we cannot change It, but we can use It; and the use of Life is through the imagination; because this faculty has, at its roots, the very well-spring of life and action. Imagination carries with it feeling and conviction, which mean life and action; it awak ens within us all the finer forces of nature and stirs into action latent powers which otherwise would never come to the surface. At the very root o f the whole matter we find that the Creative Power of the universe does not create through will, but through imagination; imaging, feeling, and knowing. To suppose that God must will things to happen would be to suppose that God had some opposing force to contend with. W ill power may be necessary in its place, but as a creative agency it is non-existent; it is not creative but directive; and used from this standpoint it is a wonderful force; whereas, used from any other angle, it becomes destructive and will mentally weary the one using it. To feel that we have to will things to happen casts doubt into the face o f Creation and presupposes that Life is not Self-Existent and Self-Propelling. Imagination taps the very roots o f Being and utilizes the same Power that brought the worlds forth from Chaos. “The worlds were framed by the word o f God.” 106 Imagination is the power o f the word, while will is the directive agency, denoting the purpose for which the word is spoken. Man reproduces the power to create and, in his own life, controls his destiny through the activity of his word. This word cannot be willed; but it can be imagined, or imaged forth, into expression.
l o g Matt. 6: 27. 106 Heb. 1 1 : 3 .
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HOW TO VISUA LIZE Visualizing means mentally seeing the things that you wish to have or to do. When you mentally see the things you desire, and see them very clearly, you are presenting Universal Mind with images o f thought; and, like the creative soil o f the ground, It at once tends to project them into form . If the thought image is clear it provides a good mold; if it is imperfect the mold is a poor one. This does not mean that one must set his mind or hold thoughts; it simply means that he must think clearly. There is no power in holding thoughts; indeed, the real secret of successful mental work is to loose thought and let Mind operate upon it. The first thing to do is to decide what you wish to image into Mind. After having become composed in thought, begin to see the complete outcome of your desires, in mental pictures. Suppose that you wish to demonstrate a home; you should know just what kind o f a home you wish. O f course, if you simply thought of house you would get something, but the more defi nite the picture the better the results will be. In order to make the picture complete, decide just what kind o f a home you wish to live in; then, in the silence of your thought, mentally look at this house; go from room to room, stopping here and there to look at some piece o f furniture or at some picture on the wall. Make the whole thing real, as far as possible; enter the house, sit down and feel that you are actually living there, saying, “I am now living in this house.”You have set a word in motion through the Law which will bring a realization o f your desire, unless you, yourself, neutralize the picture by doubting it. Do this every day until the house appears. Use the same process in visualizing anything. In order that you may fully understand just what I mean, I will illustrate by drawing a mental picture which I will ask you to follow as you read these lines. Imagine that you are with me; we will suppose that I am a man about six feet tall, with light hair and complexion. We are sitting on the front porch o f a house that is painted green; it is a two-story house and sits quite far back from the road; there are tall trees standing in front of the house through which the sun is shining. We can see the little shadows as they play upon the porch through the open spaces between the trees.The breeze is gently blowing and the leaves are waving back and forth. I am talking to you, saying, “ Let us take a walk together.” We immediately rise from our seats, which are made of wicker, and walk down three stone steps to a gravel walk, leading to the street. As we go out through a stone gate we are suddenly met by a dog which is running along the street; he is a large, yellow dog, and is running rapidly. We watch him as he runs, barking, down the street, till he turns a corner,— and our picture is at an end. Now, if you have carefully imaged each step in the above picture, you will understand what visualizing means. 223
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THE SEQUENCE OF THE CREATIVE ORDER In the creation of any form it is necessary for its image to exist in Mind before it can come into realization in the external.The Law, being only a neutral force, cannot initiate anything, and can not, of Itself, choose to create anything. It is a Doer only, not a Knower. The Word alone knows; so we may assume that each word is a law unto itself, through the One great Law of all Life.
M A N ' S CREATIVE POWER M A R VELO U S M ans creative power in his world is marvelous; for every time he thinks he sets the Law in motion. As his thought sets the Law in motion it is specializing It for some definite purpose; and in this way his word becomes the law unto the thing which he speaks. O f course man never really creates, but his use o f Creative Power makes his word creative through the Medium of Mind. This should give to all a sense of freedom and a realization that there is neither competi tion nor monopoly. It leaves each to work out his own salvation, not with fear or even trem bling, but with a calm sense of peace and assurance.
CO N CEN TRATIO N To concentrate means to bring to a point. To concentrate the mentality means to bring the thinking to bear on one point of interest and to hold it there. Concentration has little to do with will power. Indeed, the misuse of will often renders concentration impossible. The simplest practice for concentration is always the best. Nature always works along the lines of least resistance; and mental power is only a force of nature and should always be thought of in a natural way. If you wish to concentrate on some particular idea or thought, bring the attention to it; then hold it there, but without effort. At first you may find that the thought wavers; do not oppose this, but mentally brush the wrong thought aside, much as you would brush a fly from the face with the hand. Be sure that you make no great mental effort, feel at ease and at peace, gently bringing the thought back to the point o f attention. 224
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Let us illustrate this by supposing that one is going to concentrate on the thought of happi ness. Taking the word “happy” into the mentality, say, “I am happy” ; without effort or mentally trying, just think the words, “I am happy.” In a few minutes you may find that your thought has begun to wander. Right here be sure and not bring the attention back with a bang; just say again, “I am happy,” making no effort to destroy the other thought, but returning to the starting point, “I am happy.” Make the whole thing easy and natural, and soon you will find that you can hold the attention as long as you desire. It is always a mistake to oppose thoughts that interfere; when one begins to do this he will at once find that he is resisting something, thereby disrupting his whole meditation. It is unnecessary to concentrate on an external object; for CO N CEN TRA TIO N IS ALWAYS FROM W ITHIN AN D N EV ER FROM W ITHO UT. The only place that the mind can know is within itself. In concentrating, lay aside all will power and resistance, letting the thought realize the words upon which you wish to concentrate. This will be found a simple but most effective method, and by far the most prolific o f results. In teaching a child to concentrate, it is well to have him take something in which he is par ticularly interested. As a child’s mind wanders more or less aimlessly about, it is well to have him w rite some thought on paper; and, looking at it, see how long he can center his interest on the mental picture that the words suggest.
THE M IR R O R OF THE SUBJECTIVE It has truly been said that Mind is a mirror. If we could realize how completely this law works, no doubt we would greatly alter our manner o f thinking. It is impossible to create even the slightest thought without causing some reflex action in Mind; and the deeper the emotion the deeper will be the penetration of thought and the more complete will be the reaction. Thought is the most subtle o f all the forces which we know anything about, and but few understand what a tremendous power it has, either for good or for ill. To learn how to control ones thought means knowing how to control on es body and destiny. Subjective mind can reason only deductively; consequently, it is compelled, by reason of its nature, to accept whatever thought gains entrance to it. So the m irror o f Mind is, in reality, the working of the law of cause and effect through the mentality. The subjective mind, being the seat of memory, must contain all the thoughts which have ever gone into it, whether these thoughts have been conscious or not. But when a person is told that he has thoughts which he never con22£
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
sciously created it is a little hard to understand. He must realize, however, that constant contact with life opens the door to many impressions which were never consciously created. This fact, together with the realization that whatever falls into the subjective mind must be acted upon, answers the question. O f course, we do not imagine that certain things are going to happen to us; but we do think certain kinds o f thoughts which, brought to their logical conclusions, would produce definite effects. Remember that the subjective mind reasons deductively only; and all this becomes quite evident. The subjective side o f thought, being the creative agency within, must at once set to work to produce anything which is given it, no matter what the emotion may be. How wonderful! But this shows how very careful one should be in choosing the kind and type of emotion to be made into form ; for something must happen to all the thoughts which submerge. The subjective mind never argues nor contradicts what is put into it; the thought is at once accepted and acted upon. If one says that he is sick, it at once begins to create a sick condition; for, like a mirror, it reflects; and being creative, what it reflects it tends to create and to cast forth as a condition. Like any other natural force, subjective mind was not created by man and he cannot change its mode of operation; but, while he may not change a natural force, he may change his manner o f approach to it. Man cannot change his own inherent nature; but he can, and should, learn to make the best use o f all his forces. Subjective mind will never change its own nature, but will always reflect to the thinker what he thinks into it. Man did not make this law nor can he change it; but, like any other law, once understood, it becomes an obedient servant. The use o f this law is entirely mental and is within the grasp o f every one; it is so simple that all can understand; it is the law o f mind in action, and this law is set in motion by correct thinking and knowing. But how few know why they think or what they think! How few control even the slightest emotion or allow the emotions to express in a constructive manner! No doubt the time will come when a complete control of the subjective will be gained and man w ill then be much less limited. But the race is made up of individuals, and the place to begin is right at home. We, who have affirmed these great laws of mind to be realities in the human experience, must so prove them in our expressions o f life that the rest, looking on, may read the sign and follow the signal. It is possible to do this, and the reward is great. At first the road may be hard and beset with many difficulties; there may be failures and discouragements; but the end is certain. We fall, only to rise again into a greater realization of life and action; and, like the pilgrim o f old, to renew the journey. We shall need a backbone
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instead o f a wishbone here as in all other places. It is not in wishing but in knowing and in doing that we shall find the reward o f true merit. It behooves each one to make the effort to con sciously control the processes of his thought. This does not mean sitting around in some dark corner with the hand at the brow, imper sonating Socrates or Plato; it means out in the world, in the midst of affairs, at home and abroad, wherever our work takes us. We need not leave the world; for we may engage in all of its activities without being controlled by them; we may be in the world o f affairs as masters and not as slaves. Surely this hope, held before the waiting thought, will so stimulate our endeavors that we shall go forth into life and the great game o f living with a new song upon our lips and a new joy within, springing forth into the dawn of a new day.
P E R S O N A L IT Y Personality is the result of m ans experience; it is the sum total o f all that he has said, done, felt, thought, hoped for and believed in; it is the result o f his reactions to the events o f life as they come and go. Factors to be considered in the development of personality are heredity, race-suggestion, environment, child training, education, auto-suggestion and, indeed, anything and everything that impinges upon consciousness. Therefore, we are what we are and where we are because o f the nature of our accumulated consciousness.
Fa c t o r s N
ecessary
for a
D
yn am ic
Perso nality
It goes without saying that all people desire a dynamic, radiant personality; and it is self-evident that certain qualities are essential to produce this result. The external personality really re flects the soul, and its building may be likened to a mental garden where the harvest depends upon the kind o f seed that is sown. Each one chooses for himself just what kind of materials he will use and each builds according to the pattern o f his own desires. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” 107 Just as a fine architect uses only the best materials and plans most carefully how to construct his building, so should we, in the building o f personality, choose most carefully the kind o f materials we wish to use.
107
Gal. 6: 7.
227
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haracter
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
First o f all, it should be founded upon the rock o f high character,
.—
high ideals, and built for Eternity as well as for to-day. S i n c e r i t y .— A
To be a master o f one thing and to daily improve.
b i l i t y .—
Enth
Sincerity in every human relationship is essential.
u sia sm
.—
A keen interest in people and things at home and abroad; it has been
called “The Fortune-Teller o f Life.” Enthusiasm is compelling and sweeps every thing before it. S e r v i c e .—
Service is the keynote to success and implies constructive work; also, loy
alty to your work and to all concerned in it. W
h o l e s o m e n e s s .—
A clean-minded man with high ideals is always sought after. The
reading of fine books, listening to good music and becoming acquainted with the best in art and literature will soon implant in the mentality a quality of wholesomeness that is most desirable. S u c c e s s .—
A consciousness o f success must be developed; this can be done by creating
clear pictures of success and working toward them daily. Decision and assertion are aids to this end and must not be overlooked. Self-C
o n fid e n c e
.—
Implies peace and poise and knowing what to do in every
situation. Po w
er and
Sense
St r e n
Hum
of
o r
gth
.—
.—
Are also born o f peace and poise.
This is most necessary to have, as it lightens the burdens of life
and makes on es self and others happy. Without it things seem dull and drear. This has no barb or sting and implies the ability to laugh at on es own expense. G
ood
M
anners
.—
Not servile but courteous.
T a c t .— Saying or do ing the right thing at the right time. T h o r o u g h n e s s .—
Implies system and the ability to carry things out to a definite
conclusion. This quality is essential to success. C
h arm
.—
Personal charm is that indefinable something which makes every one a
friend. It is the result o f genuine friendliness, sympathy, kindliness and unselfish interest in others. M
a g n et ism
.-— The result o f an abundant vitality on the physical plane; o f intellect and
temperament on the mental plane; and of atmosphere or consciousness on the Spiritual plane. T e n d e r n e s s .— L o v e .— O
Sympathetic union with people; real compassion.
The Universal Urge to express, the Self-givingness o f Spirit.
r i g i n a l i t y .—
Try to create; do not imitate; think for yourself. Read Emerson s
Essay on “ Self-Reliance.” 228
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In
c en t iv e
.—
ARTICLES
Have wholesome ambitions and definite objectives which are construc
tive in their nature. Any ambition is wholesome which brings only good results to on es self and all concerned. S u ita b le H
u m ility,
Sim p lic it y
and
G
e n u i n e n e s s .—
These attributes keep one
from being over-ambitious and from being too aggressive. E m o tio n a l C
o n t r o l .—
S p i r i t u a l i t y .— H
ealth
Vo D
.—
i c e .—
r e s s .—
Presupposes poise and self-mastery.
Looking for the good in all and having faith, belief, and trust.
Is a great factor in creating a dynamic, vibrant personality.
A clear, resonant, well-modulated tone at all times. Clothes reflect on es idea of “The Eternal fitness o f things.” Colors particu-
* larly have a peculiarly subtle effect on the wearer and upon those with whom he comes in contact. Strictly speaking, personality is the use that we make o f our individuality. Individuality means that which we really are; it means the point in Life where we exist and can say, I AM. Perhaps it could be defined as a point in Mind where Life recognizes Itself as some Person. Each person is an Individualized Center of God-Consciousness, a self-knowing center o f Life and Action. It follows, then, that personality is much greater than it seems to be; for it is the use of Divine Individuality and has, back of it, a limitless possibility. It is the coming forth o f God, or Life, into Self-Expression. M ans personality is not a thing to be lightly spoken of or decried as human or ineffective. Within and behind it are boundless possibilities, and few, indeed, realize what a tremendous power it wields, either for good or for ill. To-day we are hearing much about this power and the way to develop it; for as yet we express only in part, being unaware o f the Whole. Latent forces surge to express through man; Divine impulses seek expression through him; a Cosmic Urge forever beats against the threshold of his consciousness, demanding expression; hence, all his subtle longings and unspoken thoughts. To develop or express the self is the great need of the human race; but though feeling, sens ing, inwardly knowing and realizing a greater good, man stumbles blindly along the pathway of life, expressing only in part. Like all the other faculties of the Great Within, personality may be consciously unfolded and expressed, if we let it come through. We all desire a powerful personality, and all may have one if they pay attention to a few fundamental facts o f Being; for personality is the expression of something that already exists and simply needs to be allowed to come forth. 229
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Any one wishing to develop a pleasing personality must first become pleasant. He must think pleasant thoughts. All animosity and vindictiveness must be swept aside if the soul is to express itself in terms of greatness. There is no place for smallness in the full life and no place for meanness in the liberal mind. A broad-minded, tolerant attitude must be maintained toward all. This is not a goody-goody idea but a plain statement o f fact. A sense of calm and peace is essential to a well-rounded personality. The din and roar o f the outer struggle for existence must not find entrance to the soul if Reality is to be expressed. Poise and balance are the mainsprings o f reality and cannot be overlooked. We are not at tracted to people who are always fussed up and fretful, who are never satisfied and are always unhappy. Misery and unhappiness are unknown to the Spirit o f man, and we should make them unknown to the outer man. Sensitiveness and morbidity must be swept aside as unworthy of the great Ideal. Refuse to have the feelings hurt. Friends do not wish to hurt the feelings o f those whom they love, and none but friends need be admitted. Personality is but half expressed until we realize that within we are complete. Wholeness is the keynote to perfection and self-esteem is not egotism but is self-realization. Completion is from within and not from without; and no one can add to, or take from, that which is already complete. The Soul and Spirit are already perfect and whole. Love is the great loadstone of Life; and without this quality o f Spirit, shining through Life’s action, everything becomes dull and drear. Goodness and human kindness are the handmaids o f Love and Life, and cannot be separated from Reality. Irritation, vexation and confusion go hand in hand to rob man o f his birthright to peace, com fort and harmony. As children of the dust they must be brushed aside as unfit companions o f the soul. Anger and malice, revenge and animosity cannot breathe the same atmosphere as goodness and purity, and they will fall away as we climb to those heights where the Indwelling Spirit lives. Self-confidence and courage go hand in hand with real worth and are but the declarations o f m ans Wholeness. There is nothing petty or little about greatness. Mental alertness and animation but signify that man lives in a life o f everlasting interests and activities. Honesty and sincerity show forth the fundamental principles of Being, and without them man expresses only a makeshift o f himself, a false and deluded sense o f Reality. No real person can be dishonest or insincere. Truth alone shines to Eternal Day. The complete, well-rounded, dynamic personality contains all o f these qualities and attri
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butes; and they will come forth into expression to the exact degree that we allow them to flow through us. Personality is not false but real; it is the shining through of the Real Self,— the man God made. Physical appearance has but little to do with those inner, subtle powers of attraction which decide what the Indwelling Ego is to attract to Itself. The Inner Man transcends all that is ex ternal and compels attention without effort. To be conscious o f this Inner Self is to know the Real Man, to know the truth about personality and the power o f attraction. As a rose unfolds, so the personality o f man unfolds and blossoms forth into complete expression. A few simple practices will soon develop such a powerful personality that it will become a magnet, drawing to its center with a force that cannot be denied. THESE PRACTICES BEGIN AN D END W ITHIN M AN ; FO R HE IS THE C E N T ER OF HIS OWN U N IVERSE, AND N O TH IN G HAPPENS TO HIM UNLESS HE LETS IT. Know that Life flows through you and cannot be hindered in Its expression. Know that the All Good is yours now. Act, think, believe, speak as though you were now all that you have ever dreamed. AN D BE SU RE THAT YO U BELIEVE TH E SAME TH IN G ABO U T A LL PEO PLE FO R N O N E O F US LIVES UNTO HIMSELF A LO N E, BU T EACH LIVES UNTO ALL, W ITHIN TH E O N E LIFE. Live constantly from this inner conviction, never stooping to anything less than the All Good; and you will soon discover that something is taking place that never took place before in your experience. DO N O T TRY TO M AKE TH IN GS HAPPEN; SIMPLY KNO W THAT TH EY ARE HAPPENING. Daily realize your Unity with the Whole and the Unity o f the Whole with you. YO U W ILL SO O N D EV ELO P SUCH A PO W ERFU L PER SO N A LITY THAT A LL W HO CO M E IN CO N TA CT W ITH YO U W ILL WISH TO REM AIN IN Y O U R PRESEN CE.
REPRESSION A N D SUBLIM ATIO N The Spirit
of
Sex
We have discovered, from the preceding chapters, that the Universe is threefold in Its nature. It is Spirit, Soul and Body; Spirit as the active, projective, masculine factor; Soul as the recep tive, creative, feminine factor; and Body, which is the result of the union of Spirit with Soul. The Spirit impregnates the Soul with Its Ideas, and the Soul gives form to these Ideas and 231
THE
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clothes them with flesh. But this is the Trinity o f Unity, a Triune Oneness; for the Three are really one. Life is Androgynous, i.e ., It contains within Itself both the masculine and the feminine fac tors. The male and the female o f Creation come from One Principle; all come from the One and all w ill return to the One: all are now in the One and will forever remain in the One.
D
esire
Back of all manifestation must be the desire to create, the urge to express; this is called the “Divine Urge.” But this Urge, operating as Law, produces energy. Desire gathers energy for creative purposes and utilizes power to express itself. So dynamic is this Urge that it will cause a little seed to break open the most solid earth, in order that it may express itself in the form of a plant. It is the coming forth of Spirit into expression, the loosing o f energy into action, and is apparent in all Creation.
T h e S p i r i t Is E x p r e s s e d
The Spirit, being Absolute, is always expressed; It has no unfulfilled desires. IT IS ALWAYS SATISFIED AN D H APPY BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS EXPRESSED. Creation is the result of the desire o f Spirit to express Itself; It is the unfoldment o f the Divine Ideas, Evolution is the time and process o f this unfoldment. Involution is the idea in Mind, and evolution is the coming forth o f the idea into expression. Involution precedes evolution, and evolution follows involu tion with a mathematical precision, propelled by an Immutable Law. That which is involved must evolve, else the Spirit would remain unexpressed. As this is unthinkable, we may set it down that evolution, or the manifestation of desire and energy, is bound to take place whenever desire sets power and energy in motion. From this law we can not hope to escape, and it would be useless to make the attempt.
M
an
R
eenacts the
D
ivin e
N
ature
Man, as we have discussed, reenacts the Divine Nature and makes use o f the same Laws that God uses. We find in man the same androgynous nature that we find in God. This nature we call his objective and subjective faculties. His objective mentality impregnates his subjec tive with ideas; and in its turn, the subjective, gathering force and energy, projects these ideas into forms.
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Back o f every act of man is some form of desire to express. This desire, o f course, is purely mental in its nature. All that man is, is his mentality, both conscious and subconscious, plus what he expresses. The Divine Urge is strong in man and constantly causes him to seek some form o f selfexpression. It is Divine because It is the desire o f Spirit to express Itself through him; and like all the other forces o f Nature, this energy can work through man only at his bidding; con sciously or unconsciously, for he is an individual and has self-choice. This Urge or Energy is called “ Libido,” which means “The emotional craving, or wish, be hind all human activities, the repression o f which leads to psycho-neuroses.”
C
ongested
E m o tio ns
The energy set in motion through this urge is the dynamic power of Mind, and unless it be comes expressed, it will congest and cause a conflict within the mentality. Inhibited action produces conflicts and complexes which mentally tear and bind; and as they manifest their physical correspondents, they produce nervous disorders. It is claimed that a large percentage o f diseases is caused by the suppression o f some form of emotion. This does not necessarily mean the suppression of the sex emotion, but might mean any desire that re mains unexpressed. Some form of desire is back of every impulse that the mind can conceive, some impulse to express life. Any unexpressed desire will eventually cause a complex. Things w ill stand just so much pressure and no more; when the limit is reached an explosion will fol low, unless some avenue for expression is provided.
Ir r i t a t i o n , A
gitatio n
and
Fear
People who are constantly being irritated have suppressed some desire to speak their minds. It may not appear as though this were the cause, but thought is very subtle, and only a careful study of its workings reveals the real facts. All irritation and agitation are mental in their cause, and a sense o f calm and peace alone can heal them. Fear is an intense emotion, and if bottled up, secretes poison in the system. Fear must be removed from the mentality if one is to be healed and is to function normally. Anger, malice, vindictiveness and kindred emotions are but subtle forms o f fear arising from a sense o f inferiority. All o f these emotions must be swept off the board if one is to gain peace, calm and poise. The union of peace, with calm and poise, alone can give birth to power; for without these attributes o f reality, power is dissipated and lost in the shuffle.
233
THE
If W
SCIENCE
e
W
ere
OF
MIND
Expressed
If we were completely expressed we would never become sick or unhappy. The average person goes through life expressed only in part and always with a sense of incompletion and dissatisfac tion. Something must be done to make the individual complete if he is to remain normal and happy and really live.
E
m o tio n
and
In
tellect
Emotion is strong in man, and in the well-balanced person it is controlled by the intellect; but in many people there is a conflict between the emotions and the intellect; and in too many cases the emotion gains the ascendency. Our strongest emotions center around the ideas o f fear, hate, love, sex, and worship, with all of their many ramifications and meanings. Emotion, uncontrolled, produces chaos; unexpressed it produces confusion, conflict and complex; for energy will have an outlet. Bottled up, it creates a pressure that is the cause of much damage to the physical man, and produces most o f our nervous disorders. Expression is normal when the intellect decides how the emotion is going to manifest. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” 108
The C
o nflict
of
D
esire
When an emotion conflicts with the will and becomes suppressed it returns to its subjective state, but remains active; it will come up in some other form ; it w ill not be put down. It may remain in a subjective state for years; but eventually, unless neutralized, it will manifest. Let one go for years with some unexpressed longing and he will have created such a desire that it will have become irresistible in its inclinaton toward expression. People often become seething caldrons within because o f inhibited action. Energy must find an outlet.
Th e E
m o tio n
of
Sex
Human love and the affections often go hand in hand with sex desire, even when not recognized as such. An affectionate nature is generally a passionate one. Love is the most wonderful thing
1 08 Prov. 16 : 32.
2 34
SPECIAL
ARTICLES
in the world and creates the highest form o f energy known to the mind o f man. It will be ex pressed at the level o f the passions or else become transmuted into Spiritual Coin o f real and lasting value. But the ideas on sex are likely to become over-emphasized in modern literature along these lines. Sex is normal in its proper sphere; if it were not, it would not be; for nature does nothing without some good and ample reason.
Th e Tr u e M
ean in g
of
L
ove
The true meaning o f love is a wonderful thing; for it is the desire of the soul to express itself in terms o f creation. Creation is brought about only through the self-givingness o f the lover to the object o f his love. This is why, when we love people, we w ill go to the limit to help or serve them; nothing is too great, no sacrifice is enough.The true lover gives all and is unhappy in not having still more o f himself to give to the object of his adoration. Because o f o u r emotional nature, love is generally expressed through the sex desire. But too great an expression o f this desire is destructive, for it depletes the vitality and demagnetizes the one who overindulges. This is the meaning, and the whole meaning, of the story of Samson and Delilah. “He that hath an ear, let him hear.” 109 All people look, and occasionally some one sees.
Sex N
ot
N
ecessar y to th e
Expressio n
of
L
ove
The sex relationship is not necessary to the expression of real love. Love is the givingness of the self, and if this givingness is complete sex will take care o f itself. But energy must have some outlet. It is only when the unexpressed desire remains in the subjective that destruction follows in its wake and strews the shores of time with human derelicts. Liberty and license, freedom and bondage, heaven and hell, happiness and misery, good and bad, all, all, are tied up in human desires. Energy is energy and will be expressed or blow the top off, just as a pipe w ill stand only so much pressure before bursting. Millions are daily being blown up, mentally, and physically, through the suppression of desires. Desire is a dynamic force and must be taken into account.
W
hen
Sex Beco m es D
estructive
Sex desire becomes destructive only when it remains an unexpressed longing. This theory is not put forth to encourage free love nor to advocate indiscriminate relationships; for neither
109 Rev. 2 : 7 .
23^
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
the one nor the other is believed in by the writer. It is stated as a fact patent to any thinking person. “ Libido,” may be expressed through more than one avenue; through transmutation, freeing life’s energies and lifting them into an avenue of constructive expression; or through sublimation, transfusing the essence o f energy into high action and producing a magnetism that is irresistible and wonderful in its scope. The atmosphere of one thus charged is complete; for the energy then takes the form of real Love and is the highest and most powerful vibration on the physical plane.
M
ale and
Fem ale
Man, coming from Unity, is both male and female, and has, within himself, both attributes of reality. In some the male predominates; in others the female. We have two distinct types in man and woman; but they are types of one fundamental principle.There is also an intermediate sex; that is, one in which the two attributes seem to be almost equally balanced. The greatest men and women o f the ages have belonged to this type, for it is a more complete balance between the two which are really one. But this is too great a topic to discuss in this course o f lessons.
The So lu t io n
The solution to the problem o f desire is to transmute any destructive tendency into some form of action that is constructive. However, an intellectual form o f expression alone will not do this, for only those things to which we may give the complete self will solve the problem. Love is the givingness o f the self to the object o f its adoration. We should all have something that we love to do, something that will completely express the self, something that will loose the ener gies of Life into action and transmute the power into creative work. We should learn to love all people and not just some people. It is very disastrous to feel that we cannot live unless we possess some one individual, body and soul. This is not love but is an idea of possession, which often becomes an obsession. No soul is really complete until he feels complete within himself. This does not exclude the great human relationships which mean so much to all of us; but it does take the sting out o f life and does free the individual to love all, adore some, and find happiness everywhere. To feel that love is unrequited creates a longing so intense that it tears the very heart out of life, and throws the one so feeling into a fit o f despondency from which it is, indeed, hard to recover. This feeling is met in the Truth by knowing that Love is Eternal and Real and cannot be added to nor taken from. 236
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This may seem like a hard teaching; but the problems o f humanity deal largely with the human relationships, and until they are harmonized, there can be no lasting happiness. Happiness is from within, like all the other qualities of the Spirit. Within, Man is already complete and perfect; but he needs to realize this truth. I can imagine some one saying: “This is too impersonal a teaching.” It is not impersonal at all; this does not mean that we care less for people; indeed, we shall find that for the first time in life we shall really care; but the sting will have gone. Refuse to have the feelings hurt. Refuse yourself the pleasure and morbidity of sensitiveness. Come out of the emotional intoxication and be YOURSELF. Never allow the thought to become depressed nor morbid. Engage in some form of activity that will express the better self. Do not attempt to draw life from others; live the life that God gave you; it is ample and complete. “But,” people will say, “I believe in affinities.” If by this one means that each is only one-half o f a real person and must find the other half in order to be expressed, he is mistaken. Such persons usu ally find a second affinity as soon as the first disappears. We all have a natural affinity for each other, since we all live in One Common Mind and in One Unified Spirit. It is all right if we wish to specialize on some particular love; but the hurt will remain unless love has a broader scope than when narrowed down to one single person. Live, love and laugh! Let the heart be glad and free; rejoice in the thought o f life and be happy. Realize God, in and through all, and unify with the Whole. Why take fragments when the Whole is here for the asking?
Psych
o -a n a l y s i s
Psycho-analysis is a system of analyzing the soul, or the subjective mentality. It is a mental process of diagnosis which seems to be technically perfect when used by those who understand it. It goes into the past and unearths the objectively forgotten emotions, brings them to light and causes them to be self-seen and so dissipated. It is based upon the theory that Nature is Perfect and when let alone will flow through man in a perfect state of health. The purpose of the analysis is to uncover the complex and heal the conflict, through removing it. It takes into account every experience that the individual has ever had, paying much attention to his early training, and more especially to his mental reactions to life. It is a wonderful system, and in the hands o f the right people, is prolific of much good. But, in the thought o f the writer, it is a thing without, a soul, a skeleton without flesh. It lacks the warmth, the fire and the reality o f spiritual realization. It is useless to remove a mental complex, unless at the same time we place in its stead a real realization o f what life means. It is useless to tear down unless, at the same time, we build up. The proper analysis
237
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MIND
of the soul, coupled with real spiritual recognition, will do wonders, however, and is well worth while.
S e l f -a n a l y s i s
Go through a process o f self-analysis; look into your own past and carefully remove every complex. This is easily done by the one who is not afraid to look himself in the face. Find out what you are afraid o f and convince the mentality that there is nothing to fear. Look the world squarely in the face; sift the mentality to its depths, removing every obstruction that inhibits the free flow o f those great spiritual realizations, such as will be found in the meditations that follow these lessons.
M
etaphysics
The right kind o f mental work will go beneath the surface and destroy the subjective cause of the complex, thereby easing the conflict. It will then supply a Spiritual Realization that will open the avenues o f thought to the great Whole. This alone is real and lasting.
THE A T O N E M E N T Atonement is defined as reconciliation: “To make an expiation for sin or a sinner,” and “To be at one.” The definition for sin is, “To commit sin, transgress, neglect or disregard the Divine Law; to do wrong or offend.” Literally speaking, sin means missing the mark or making a mis take. “There is no sin but a mistake and no punishment but a consequence.” To assume that man could sin against God would be to suppose that a Divine Law could be broken. To suppose that Divine Law could be broken would be to assume that man has the power to destroy Divine Harmony and w reck the universe with his actions. Man may have power to go contrary to Law, but certainly he has no power to break it. Man cannot break a law, but the law can break him if he goes contrary to it. There is no doubt but that all of m ans troubles come from his disregard o f law, through ignorance. There can be no doubt that much o f his trouble will be over when he comes to understand the law, and to consciously cooperate with it. We live in a Universe of Law and a Universe of Love. The Law o f God is Perfect, and the Love o f God is also Perfect. The Law o f God is the way in which the Spirit works; the Love of
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God is the Self-Givingness o f the Spirit to Its Creation. The unity o f Love and Law produce a harmonious Universe and a Perfect Creation. Man, because o f his individuality and the use that he makes of it, may go contrary to both Love and Law; but so long as he does this he will suffer. This is the real meaning of sin and punishment. Man has gone contrary to the Law of Harmony and Love, and no doubt this is the reason for all his troubles. He will be saved to the degree that he returns to a state of harmony and unity with God and with Life. He can do this only as he first comes to realize that God is Love and that he lives in a Universe o f Law. The greatest lesson that can be taught to the race is the lesson o f Love and of Law. The les son of Love teaches us that Life gives and that God is Good; while the lesson of Law teaches that there is a way to freedom through real Love. If Love is the Self-Givingness o f Spirit, then that man who most completely loves, will most completely give o f himself to Life. The man who loves his work gives himself to it; the one who loves his art gives himself to it. We give ourselves to our friends and to our families and to the causes which we really love. Love is always the giving o f the self to something; but the idea of self-givingness is not a morbid one and should never be thought o f in this light. We have always thought o f the Atonement o f Jesus as the act o f His giving Himself, through suffering on the cross, as a sacrifice for the sins o f the world. But God surely does not need that any man shall suffer for Him, nor sacrifice himself to please Him. This would, indeed, be a limited idea o f the Divine Being. God does not need an At-one-ment, since He is already at one with Him self and with all Creation. It is man; not God, who needs an At-one-ment. The act o f atonement must be on the part of man and not o f God. Man may need salvation, but God is already conscious of Complete Life and Being.
M
a n
’s W
hole
Tro u ble
M ans whole trouble lies in the fact that he believes himself to be separated from the Source of Life. He believes in duality. The At-one-ment is made to the degree that he realizes the Unity o f Good. Man needs, and always has needed, to know the Truth about himself and God; and anything that helps to fill this need would be an act o f atonement. N ow a man who had reached the understanding at which Jesus must have arrived would find the ordinary channels of expression inadequate to portray His concept of Life. Jesus could have had no desire to become rich; neither did He wish to be made a king, nor to receive the plaudits o f the world. He wished to show to the world what the Love of God could really mean in the lives of men; He wished to show that the Self-Givingness of Spirit is complete; to prove
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that Life completely gives o f Itself to Its Creation. This He could do only to the degree that He let God become Man through His own Individuality.
C
areful
Preparation
The whole thought and attention of Jesus was given to the accomplishment of one supreme pur pose: to show that God is a Living Reality in the lives of all men. He must show the Nature of the Divine Being; he must take the place of God and reveal the Love and tender care of the Creator for Its Creation. No more complete plan was ever organized in the mentality of an individual than the plan of Jesus to prove die reality of Spirit. His thought, being psychic, that is, being able to read mental causes, told Him just what would happen if He did this. (See chapter on Prophecy in lesson on Psychic Phenomena.) He knew that he would have to suffer physical agony, and for a time, at least, be misunderstood and abused. He also knew that the lesson would prove for all time that God is Love. He knew that in the end the lesson which He was to teach would be accepted by all; and in this way He would become a Living Witness to the reality o f Divine Love and Goodness. Carefully He worked out His plan and patiently He waited for the right time to come to complete His life work; and when this time came, He unflinchingly gave of Himself to the necessity o f the case. Man must come to understand God if he is ever to realize his own nature; he must come to know Spirit as a Living Reality and not as a myth.
The Vic a r io u s A t o
nem ent
The Vicarious Atonement was the conscious giving of the Self to the needs of the human race— an example for all time that God is Love. Jesus perfectly understood the Law of Life and con sciously chose to make an example of Himself that would cause all people to see what a real At-one-ment could mean. In order to do this, He had to take on the sins of the world; that is, He had to enter into m ens mistakes in order to rectify them; not because God demanded this, but because man needed the example. The suffering o f Jesus, as He contacted the disorders o f m ens minds, was His vicarious atonement for the race. It was a wonderful example of what one man could do in proving the Unity of Good. Any person who contacts the race-mind with the desire to lift it above its own level, will, thereby, go through a vicarious atonement. But the thought of morbidity that theology has given to the message o f atonement is entirely erroneous. It is not a morbid thing but a glorious one. Atonement could not be morbid, but must always produce a realization of Unity and of 240
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Good. The life o f Jesus is not a sad story, but is the account of a Man Who so completely real ized His own At-orre-ment that He had realization to spare and to give to all who believe in His teaching. His life was a triumphant march from the cradle into Eternity, and not from the cradle to the grave. He swallowed the grave in victory, because o f His At-one-ment. Jesus left no grave and no dead man behind Him. The At-one-ment, then, is a glorious recognition o f fulfillment and completion. The vi carious part is lost in the greater realization o f Unity and o f Good. Jesus is the most Triumphant Figure o f all history and the only Man, o f Whom we have record, Who completely knew His own Nature. All thought o f sin, shame, iniquity, poverty, sickness, obscurity and death are swept away with the empty tomb. No wonder that this lesson still remains and His teachings still hold good, for Reality never changes.
The G
ivin g n ess
of
Spirit
As the human side of Jesus gave way, more and more, to the Divine Realization, He more and more completely became Divine; that is, He more completely became God, Incarnated in and through Man. In this mystic way He took the place o f God, and we may, perhaps, bay that through Him God proved the Love o f God. O f course this is a crude way o f putting it, but it does serve to point a moral and is, perhaps, the best way that we can conceive o f the greatest lesson o f all history.
The W
orld
H
as
L
earned
A
ll
That
It S h o u l d T h r o u g h S u f f e r i n g
The world has learned all that it should through suffering. God does not demand that man suf fer; and man suffers simply because he is ignorant of his own nature and because he misuses his power. Jesus proved the Truth and departed this life in joy, having fulfilled His Divine Mis sion. The lesson has been taught and the evidence is complete. The grave has been swallowed up in the Victory o f Life and Love; and the tomb is empty for all time. “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” 110The time has come for rejoicing and not for sorrowing; for the fulfillment of that peace which was promised. “Peace I leave with you.” 111 There need be no more sorrow ing nor crying; for Reality is now known. Life is Triumphant and Love reigns Supreme.
11 0 Luke 24: 1 1 1 John 14: 27. '
241
THE
O
ur
SCIENCE
Pa r t
in th e
OF
MIND
Ato
nem ent
The Vicarious Atonement is over, but the real At-one-ment has only begun. We are just beginning to realize what Love and Life mean. Every time we give of ourselves to others, helping them to overcome their troubles, we are performing an At-one-ment; we are proving the Unity of Good.
THE P E R S O N A L IT Y OF G O D In our metaphysical abstractions we have come to the conclusion that God, or First Cause, must be Infinite; and it is difficult to perceive how a power which is Infinite can, at the same time, be personal. Yet the soul longs for a responsive universe; and the heart yearns for a God Who responds to the human desire. To take from the individual his idea o f God as a personally responsive Intelligence, and leave him only a cold, unresponsive Law, is to rob the individual of his greatest birthright and to throw him, naked and bare, into the midst o f an Eternity which holds no attraction. To think of the Universe in terms o f Law only, is to make o f God only an Infinite It, a cold and bitter Principle, lacking that warmth and color which the soul craves. This difficulty is removed when we realize that the Law of Mind is like any other law; it is a natural force, and, like all law, should be thought o f from this angle. But back of, and working in and through the Law, there is a responsive Intelligence and a knowing Spirit, Which is God, the Father o f all; and Who responds to all. We will think o f Mind, then, as Law, and of God as Love; we will use the Law and love the Spirit back of, and through, the Law. In this way, we will be robbed of nothing, but will see that the way to freedom is. through Love and by Law.
jESUS AS A SA VIO U R Jesus stands forth from the pages o f human history as the greatest Figure of all time. His teach ings contain the greatest lesson ever given to the human race; and His life and works, while on earth, provide the grandest example that was ever given to man. In the Higher Thought no attempt is made to rob Jesus o f His greatness or to refute His teachings; indeed, the Higher Thought Movement is based upon the words and the works of 242
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this, the most remarkable Personality that ever graced bur planet with His presence; and, until a greater figure appears, Jesus will still remain the great Wayshower to mankind, the great Saviour o f the race. Let us not waste time, then, in theological discussions which lead nowhere; but, following the example set before us, let us also do the works which He did. “The works that I do, shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father.” 112
SELF-EXISTENT LIFE The most important thing that any student o f the Truth can understand is the real meaning of self existence. Whatever the nature of First Cause is, It must be Self-Existent, or else It could not be at all. It is, perhaps, hard to comprehend that there must be, and is, a Power which exists simply because It is what It Is; and yet this is the mainspring of all right metaphysical work and endeavor. We must come to believe in, and trust, that Power o f Life and Intelligence which is God, or First Cause. We must understand that we deal with First Cause whenever we think, at any, and at all, times. If we had to gather energy with which to energize the Creative Principle of Life, where should we go to get the energy with which to energize It? We are constantly thrown back upon the fundamental proposition that Life already Is; and that we use a Power which already Is. Let us then, without doubt or fear, throw our word into that Great Receptivity and trust It to do the work.
THE SUPREME A FFIRM A TIO N Strange as it may seem, the human thought can affirm only; it can never deny; for, even at the moment o f denial, it really affirms the presence of that which it denies. We speak o f denials and affirmations as though they were opposed to each other, but such is not the case. Fear and faith are but different ways o f expressing positive beliefs about some thing. Fear is a positive belief that we will experience something that we do not wish to have happen, while faith is a positive belief that we will experience something that we do wish to have happen.
1 1 2 J ohn 1 4 : 1 2 .
H3
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
The nature of Being is such that real denial is impossible; for there is but One Mind in the Universe, and It is always “yea and amen.” We are constantly affirming our way through life; and since affirmation is the only mental action possible, it behooves us to find the greatest affirmation and use it. The Supreme Affirmation is “I AM ” ; and, as such, It was given to Moses. This affirmation is constantly with us, and every time we speak we use it in some form. We must be careful to use it only as an upbuilding force.
CHRIST A N D A N T IC H R IS T The Spirit of Christ is the spirit o f one who understands the Law and who uses It for construc tive purposes only. The spirit o f Antichrist is the spirit o f one who, understanding the Law, uses It for destruc tive purposes. The Law, of Itself, is neither good nor bad, but is a Neutral Force, obeying all, and may be used for any purpose. But those truly instructed in the Law will never attempt to use It destructively; for they will understand that, by so doing, they would subject themselves to the very power which they have set in motion. There is a power surrounding us which can be used either way, that is, constructively or destructively; but one instructed in the Truth will use this power only for the good o f all. A most solemn warning is given to any one who would be so rash as to misuse his power. If the thought is kept close to Good, to Love and to the Spirit, and if there is never any desire to do other than that which is constructive, there is no danger. The Law is there to use and It is a Law o f Liberty to all who constructively contact It. Any thing which makes for a greater expression o f life, either for the individual or for the race, and which has no element o f destruction in it, is good. We should not hesitate to use the Law for the benefit of our personal affairs or those o f our friends or for any who ask our help; but we should be very careful to use It constructively.
EVOLUTION All emerge from that One Whose Being is ever present and Whose Life, robed in numberless forms, is manifest throughout all Creation. 2 44
SPECIAL
ARTICLES
Creation is the logical result of the outpush of Life into self-expression. It is the coming forth o f Spirit into manifestation the externalization of an internal idea, through the objectifi cation of a subjective image. The One encompasses and flows through the All, spilling Itself into numberless forms and shapes.These forms and shapes, propelled by a Divine Urge which brings them into being, seek still further expression because o f the dynamic power with which they are equipped. This is the real meaning o f evolution; for evolution is the result of intelligence and not its cause. Each evolving thing has, within itself, an impulse implanted by the Divine; and since the Divine is Limitless and Perfect, It must and w ill, ultimately, bring all Creation to a state o f perfect manifestation. That which, to the human eye, appears as imperfect, is imperfect only because the human eye sees imperfectly or in part; i.e., the human does not see the real idea back o f the external image. There is a philosophy which states that there is a “Becoming God,” and which attempts to prove this assertion through evolution; but this philosophy is inconsistent with the ultimate nature of Reality; for, if ultimate Reality were in a state o f “becoming,” from what source would It gather Its impulse to become, and from whence would It draw Its power to express Itself? A “becoming” or evolving God, or First Cause, is not consistent with true philosophy; while, on the other hand, an unfolding God, or First Cause, is consistent with Reality. It is one thing to say that God is unfolding through His Idea of Himself but quite another thing to say that He is gradually becoming conscious of Himself. One is true while the other is false. A “becoming” God implies a state o f imperfection, or a state of being which does not recognize its perfection, at the very root o f all being. An unfolding God implies a forever-out pouring Spirit and a forever-manifesting Deity, or First Cause. The unfoldment o f this First Cause is what we call evolution. Since this unfoldment is not yet complete, i.e., since the idea is still in an unfolding state, it appears as though we lived in an imperfect universe. To a few, who have been able to see behind the veil of matter, the perfect idea has been ap parent; and these few have given to the world its greatest code of law, morals and ethics. These few have been the great mystics o f the race, and to them the world owes a debt which can be paid only to the degree that the world comes to understand their teachings. Evolution is the time and the process through which an idea unfolds to a higher state of manifestation; and since ideas are Divine Realities, evolution will forever go on.
PART I O U R
DAILY MEDITATIONS FOR SELF-HELP AND HEALING
In these short meditations I have tried to set forth some ideas which my experiences in mental healing have given me. I have found that a few brief statements, mentally affirmed, followed by a silent meditation, have been most effective in the healing work. Most o f these meditations have been written in the first person in order that those using them may be able to do so just as they are written. It is not claimed that there is any occult power in the words, but that words similar to these are effective in inducing a greater realization o f life. They contain thoughts which I have found to be most helpful. Try them, my good reader, and see if they will not bring to life a deeper meaning and a greater joy. Whatever brings to the mentality a greater realization of life has, within itself, a healing power. I believe that these meditations will help all who take the time to use them. First, decide which meditation you wish to use; then become quiet and composed.The body should be relaxed but the mentality should be active.Then carefully read the meditation several times, phrase by phrase, endeavoring to realize the meaning of the words and trying to enter into the atmosphere o f the thought. After having done this, meditate upon the words, follow ing that meditation until you feel a sense o f realization.
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MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
I am born o f Pure Spirit and am free from
BODILY PERFECTION
the belief in material existence. False ideas cannot be transmitted from one
COME, AND
LET ME H EA L YOU
to another, and I am free from all race-
Come to me and I will heal you. The inner power o f Life within me is God,
suggestion. My Life is from Above, and I remember that
and it can heal anything.
I was always Perfect and Complete.
I will to heal and help all who come to me.
An Inner Light shines forth and frees me
I know that the realization o f Life and Love
from the bonds o f all false belief.
within me heals all who come into Its
I camefrom the Spirit.
presence.
♦ ♦
I love the thought that I silently bless all who
♦
enter my atmosphere. NO C O N GESTIO N
It is not I, but The Father Who dwelleth in me; He doeth the works. I heal all who come near me.
There is no congestion nor stoppage of action. Life, flowing through me, is Perfect and Clear; It cannot be stopped, retarded nor hindered.
H E IS M I G H T Y W I T H I N M E T O H E A L
God within me is mighty to heal.
I feel the One Life flowing through me now. It eliminates all impure secretions and
He healeth me of all my diseases and cures
washes me clean from all suggestion of
me o f all.
false deposits in the flesh.
God within is now healing me o f all my in
I am Clean, Pure and Perfect, and my Word
firmities, sickness and pain and is bring
eliminates all else.
ing com fort to my soul.
There is no congestion.
God is my life; I cannot be sick. I hear the voice o f Truth telling me to arise
♦
and walk, for I am healed. NO FALSE GROW TH
I am healed. ♦
“ Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath
♦
not planted, shall be rooted up.”
♦
There is no false growth and nothing for one I DO NOT IN H E R IT DISEASE
There is no inherited tendency to disease,
to feed on. I am free from all thought of, or belief in,
nor ill health.
anything false or fearsome.
H7
THE
SCIENCE
I cast out all fear and with it all manifestation o f Fear.
OF
MIND
I open my ears to hear. I am receptive to Truth and can under
A false idea is neither person, place nor
stand it.
thing, and has no one to believe in it nor
Open my ears that I may hear.
experience it. I am now One with The Perfect Life o f Complete Wholeness.
PE R FEC T VISION
My Word casts out allfear.
There is One Vision and One ability to see, One perfect seeing. My eyes are open and I see and behold one
NO W EA R IN ESS
There is no weariness.
Perfect Life. No suggestion of imperfect vision can enter
Mind and Spirit do not become tired nor weary, and I am
my thought. I perceive that all people can see, and that
Mind and Spirit.
the One, looking through all, sees and
The flesh cannot become weary, since it has
cannot be limited in vision.
no mind of its own.
I am one with that complete ability to see, to know and understand the Truth.
I am free from all illusions of weariness. My whole being responds to the thought of
I do open my eyes and do see. Nothing in me can hinder this Word from
Life.
operating through me and manifesting
I am alive with the Great Vitality of the
through my eyes.
Spirit. I am alive with Spirit.
p e r f e c t
Open my eyes that I may see.
h e a r in g
My hearing is perfect.
t h e
a l l
-s e e in g
e y e
The Eye o f the Spirit cannot be dimmed,
It is God in me hearing His own voice.
neither can it be impaired in Its ability to
I hear That Voice, and no belief in inaction
see.
can hinder that hearing.
My eyes are the Vision of my Indwelling Lord; they are the Windows o f my Inner
There are no impaired organs.
Spirit and are always open to the Vision
Every idea o f the body is now complete and perfect and functions according to the Divine Law.
o f Truth. I see with the Vision of the Spirit, and that 248
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
ability cannot be weakened nor lost; it is
COMPLETENESS
forever effective. My word which I now speak is the Law of
HAPPINESS AND COM PLETION
Perfect Sight and my eyes are opened and I see.
I am happy and complete to-day and Spirit sees through me.
forever. Within me is that which is Perfect and Complete. It is The Spirit of all Life, Truth and Action.
THE HEALING
OF T H E FLESH
I am happy in the sure knowledge of the
My flesh is the Manifestation of the Spirit in my body.
Inner Light. I cannot be sad nor sorry, but must radiate
It is kept perfect through the Law of God.
Joy and Life, For Life is within me now.
“In my flesh shall I see God.”
I am happy and complete.
The mantle o f flesh is perfect and complete here and now. It is one with the Body o f God, and cannot
HERE AND NOW
be sick, nor suffer. Myflesh is perfect.
Perfection is already accomplished. I do not have to wait for the Perfect Life. I am that Perfect Life here and now. To-day I express the Limitless Life o f the All
T H E R E IS N O P A I N
There is no pain nor inflammation.
Good. To-day I manifest my Completion in every
All fear is swept away in the realization of Truth.
part of me. To-day I am saved.
I am free from every belief in pain.
Here and now I am healed.
The Spirit cannot pain, and I am Pure Spirit and cannot be hurt nor harmed. I amfree from all pain.
MAJESTIC CALM
The Inner Mind is still. The Soul reflects the Most High. The Spirit o f man is God. In the great calm o f the All Good, I rest in peace and security. 249
THE
SCIENCE
My life is now reflecting the Perfect Whole.
OF
MIND
I w ill listen for that Voice and It will tell me o f Life, o f Love and Unity.
I am Peace; I am Calm I am security and complete satisfaction.
Speak to me, Spirit.
I am One with God.
♦ ♦ ♦
I amfille d with peace.
O SOU L OF M IN E, L O O K O U T A N D SEE NO LOSS
0 Soul o f mine, look out and see; look up and know Thy freedom.
There is no loss. Nothing can be lost, misplaced nor
Be not cast down nor dismayed; be uplifted
forgotten.
within me and exult, for Thy Salvation
There was never any loss nor confusion.
has come. Behold the wonders o f the Great Whole and
Creation is Perfect and Complete, and within the One are all
the marvels o f the Universe. Look out and see Thy good. It is not afar off,
things, and all are known to the One. I am now in complete harmony with the
but is at hand. Prepare Thyself to accept and believe; to
W hole and I cannot lose nor misplace anything.
know and live. Let Life enter and live through Thee, Soul of
I am constantly finding more and more Good.
mine, and rejoice that Thou hast vision so fair and so complete.
I know that there is no loss. ♦
Rejoice that the Perfect Whole is so com
♦
pletely reflected through Thee. My light has come.
O H, FOR A T O N G U E TO EXPRESS
Oh, for a tongue to express the Wonders which the Thought reveals! s e e in g
Oh, for some Word to comprehend the
p e r f e c t
My eyes behold the complete and perfect in
boundless idea! Would that some Voice were sweet enough to sound the harmony o f Life.
t h e
all Creation, “In all, over all and through all ”
But Within, in that vast realm o f thought
1 see the perfect; there is nothing else to see,
where the Soul meets God, the Spirit
and no suggestion o f otherness can enter
knows.
my thought.
2£Q
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
I know only the perfect and the complete.
SELF-HELP
HEALING
I rest secure and safe within the Life o f End
I am perfect and whole, now. I see the Good.
AND
less Perfection and Completion. My whole Being responds to the Realization o f the Complete Whole. I am that which Is.
T H E C I R C L E IS C O M P L E T E
The Circle o f Love is complete. It comprehends all, includes all, and binds all
DIVINE COMPANIONSHIP
together with cords of Everlasting Unity. I cannot depart from Its Presence nor wan
A SO N G OF HOPE
der from Its care. My Love is complete within me.
My Life is in Thee, O Inner Presence.
The Love o f God binds me to Itself, and will
I look upon Thee and hope springs forth into
not let me go.
realization.
I shall make a home for you, O my wonder
O Hope within me, undying evidence of Good,
ful Love, and we shall journey through life hand in hand.
Thou dost completely hold me in Thy loving
I shall sit in your Presence and learn the
embrace,
wondrous things You will tell me;
And from this fond caress assurance shall be
For You are God.
born, and confidence and love.
Love sits within me.
My hope is in Thee.
THE THINGS THAT ARE
BE S T IL L A N D K N O W
The things that are, were and evermore
“Be still and know that I am God.”
shall be.
I am still in Thy Presence.
Tim e, Chance and change begone from my
I am quiet and peaceful, for I put my trust
thought!
in Thee.
The Changeless is here to stay, and the Tim e
A great stillness steals over me and a great
less cannot cease from Being.
calm quiets my whole being, as I realize
The things that are shall remain,
Thy Presence.
though heaven and earth should
The heart knows o f Thee, O Most High
pass away.
within.
2*1
THE
SCIENCE
It is still in Thy Presence, and it puts its
OF
MIND
O my kind Friend, how dear to me is Thy presence.
whole confidence in Thee alone. In Thy Presence I am still.
The Spirit within me is my Friend.
♦ ♦
CAST ASIDE A L L D OUBT
Cast aside all doubt, O Soul o f mine, and
his
is
o n
t h e
sp a r r o w
“His eye is on the sparrow and I know He
be unafraid, for Thy power is from On High.
e y e
watches me.” This is a blessed thought, for it means that we cannot wander from His Presence,
He Who sitteth in the heavens shall be Thy
nor depart from His care.
champion; Thou need not fear; Come forth, O Spirit,
Always He will watch over us and com
from within and express Thyself through me and let not my doubts hinder Thy
fort us. Forever we shall sit in His house and cease
approach.
lessly He will care for us.
My faith shall go forth to meet Thee, and my
The All-Seeing Eye cannot overlook any one,
confidence shall embrace Thee.
and all, all shall be kept in His care.
My waiting thought shall bid Thee welcome
All are kept in His care.
to my house o f Love, And Joy shall accompany us through the ages yet to come.
H O P E C A N N O T DIE
I lay aside allfear and doubt.
Hope cannot die. Eternal Hope is forever warm and fresh within me; the death
♦
less Hope built upon the rock o f sure d iv in e
c o m p a n io n s h ip
I have an Inner Friend who walks and talks
knowledge. O Hope Sublime, O Life Supreme, behold I come to Thee as a tired child, and Thou
with me daily.
dost rekindle within me the fires of Faith.
He is not afar off, but is within me, a con stant companion.
Strong, swift and sure, Faith springs forth into action and my entire Being rises to
I shall never become lonely, for my Friend is always near.
meet the Dawn.
I have but to speak and He answers.
Hope, Faith and Love are in me.
Before ever my lips spoke He told me of His love.
2$2
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
Be still within me and behold Him Who I AM NOT ALO N E
I am not alone, for a Presence goes with
sitteth On High. Reflect to me Thy revelation and flood me with Thy marvelous Light.
me and daily accompanies me on my travels.
I rejoice in my Life within me.
Always I shall find this Divine Companion with me. He will not desert nor allow me to go alone. He will always be with me and near me, and
FREEDOM
will always provide for every want. My life is hid with Christ in God.
FREEDOM
Yes, I know that the Truth has freed me from the bonds o f fear. I W E N T INTO A MOUNTAIN
I am not afraid. I adore thee, Most
I have discovered a Secret Place within,
High within me; I trust in Thee and
where the thought goes into a mountain
abide in that hope that knows no fear;
high above the din of the world.
I am Free Spirit and cannot be bound.
I have found in this mountain a Place of
The One Life flowing through me is Perfect
Peace and rest,
and Complete.
A Place o f joy and comfort to the heart.
I am not apart from It. I am One with It in Marvelous Unity and Freedom; One with
I have found that the Secret Place o f God is within my own Soul.
the Complete Whole. I was born free and must always remain free.
I will listenfo r Thy Voice.
The realization of freedom permeates my whole being and sinks into the innermost parts of me.
T H E JOY OF THE SOUL
I love it, I adore it, I accept it.
My Soul within me rejoices at the realization
I amfree.
o f Life.
♦
I am made glad as I behold my inner Light;
♦
I cannot be sad nor depressed, for the All f r e e d o m
Good has claimed me as Its own. O Soul within me, rejoice and become glad,
fr o m
sin
I am free from belief in sin; there is neither sin nor sinner.
for Thy Light has come and Thy Day of Salvation is at hand.
There is no judgment against any one.
2*3
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
God does not condemn, and man cannot.
Soul, telling It that It is wonderful and
All fear of sin is removed from me; all
marvelous; that It is One with the Great
theological belief in punishment is gone
Cause of all Life, Truth, Power and
from me.
Action.
I do not allow m yself to receive such sugges
I shall whisper these things into my Soul
tions, for I perceive that they are lies.
until it breaks forth into songs of joy
I am free from all lies and from all liars.
with the realization o f Its Limitless possi
I live by the One Power, and no thought can
bilities.
enter to disturb me.
I shall assure my Soul.
There is neither sin nor sinner. ♦
♦
♦
♦ ♦
LO VE G L E A M S T H R O U G H T H E MIST FREE FROM SENSITIVENESS
Through the mist o f human fear love gleams
My feelings cannot be hurt. No one wishes to harm me, and there is
and points the way to freedom. I now decree and declare that I am free from
nothing in me that can believe in any sep aration from the All Good.
all sense of bondage. I am made perfect and whole through
I perceive that I am free from all people, and I cannot be harmed nor mistreated. I have such a sense of unity with all that the
knowledge of the Real Life within me. No illusions can enter my thought. I know that there is One Power, and I know
circle is complete and perfect.
that this Power now protects me from
I love my friends and they love me, and that love is in, and of, God, and cannot be
all harm. As Perfect Love casts out all fear, so my fear
marred nor hindered.
flees before the knowledge o f Truth.
I amfille d with joy and love,forever.
I am not cfraid.
I KEEP TH E PROMISE
NO BONDAGE
I shall keep the promise that I have made to myself.
There is no bondage nor limitation. Every part o f me moves in perfect harmony and freedom.
I shall never again tell myself that I am poor, sick, weak nor unhappy. I shall not lie to myself any more, but
I cannot be tied, bound nor made inactive, for I am Free Spirit, and the Power of my Life is
shall daily speak the truth to my inner
from on High.
2£4
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
There is no inaction nor false action, And I am now completely Free. I amfree.
NO HYPNOTISM NOR FALSE SUGGESTION
There is no hypnotism nor false suggestion. I represent the One Mind which cannot act against Itself nor can It act against me. I am immune to all suggestion and cannot
NO CONDEMNATION
There is no condemnation in me nor operat ing through me.
receive false thoughts, nor harbor them. I am surrounded with a circle o f Love and Protection.
I am free from the belief or thought o f men. I walk my own way, immune to all sugges tion o f condemnation. Only those thoughts can enter my mentality which I allow to enter.
Asleep or awake, I am free from false thoughts. I see the nothingness of all belief in, or fear of, otherness; and I know that The One and Only Mind, alone, can act.
I do not, and cannot, receive adverse
Only the Good can enter.
thoughts. Only those thoughts which are helpful and life-giving can find entrance to my house.
NO MISTAKES
There is no condemnation. ♦
♦ ♦
There are no mistakes; none have ever been made and none ever w ill be made. Nothing ever happened in the past to hinder
NO FALSE HABIT
There are no vicious nor false habits. Every desire o f my thought and heart is satis fied in the Truth. I do not long for anything nor feel the lack o f anything.
or hurt. There is no past, and I know, and can see, that there is no belief in any past to rise against me. I live in the Now, free from any yesterdays or to-morrows
I am complete within myself; I am perfect within myself; I am happy and satisfied within myself.
Now, I am Happy, Free and Complete. My Word erases any and all beliefs in mis takes and sets me free.
I am One with All Life within me. I amfree.
I Am Free! I amfree from any beliefs in the past.
THE
SCIENCE
OF
W I T H I N T H Y L A W IS F R E E D O M
T H ER E AR E NO RESPONSIBILITIES
The Spirit has no responsibilities.
Within Thy Law is freedom to all who will believe.
Its work is already accomplished and Its pur poses are already fulfilled. The Spirit knows no want nor fear.
I believe in Thy Law and I love Thy precepts. I know that Thy Law is perfect and It is a de light to my Soul, for It is illumined with
It is complete within Itself and lives by vir
Thy Words o f Power.
tue o f Its own Being. I am Spirit and cannot take on the fears of
MIND
Thy Law is complete freedom to me, and to all for whom it shall be spoken.
the world. My work is accomplished and my ways are
I speak the Word of freedom to all, and all shall receive it.
made straight before me. The pathway of Life is an endless road of
I amfree in Thy Law.
Eternal Satisfaction and Perfect Joy. My Life within me is Complete and Perfect, and has no cares nor burdens. It is Free Spirit and cannot be bound.
H A R M O N Y OF LIFE
I rejoice in that Freedom. I rejoice infreedom.
BEAUTY
I behold the Beautiful and the Pleasant. My eyes see only that which is beautiful to TH E TIME HAS COM E
The time has come, the hour has struck.
look upon. I will not see anything else nor believe in anything else.
The power from within has come forth and is expressing through my word.
I know that beauty has entered into my life, and w ill always remain there.
I do not have to wait; to-day is the time. To-day I enter into all Truth; to-day I am
I see only the beautiful.
completely saved and healed and made happy. To-day I enter into my inheritance.
F R IEN D SH IP OF TH E SPIRIT A N D OF M AN
To-day the Truth has made mefree.
The Friendship of the Spirit and of man is mine now and forever. Even now I see the countless numbers of friends coming and going around me.
2^6
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
I enter into this friendship and this compan I SHALL NOT DOUBT NOR FEAR
ionship with gladness and rejoicing. I receive myfriends.
I shall not doubt nor fear, for my salvation is from On High, and the day of its appear ing is now at hand. I shall not doubt nor fear, for my whole
H E W I L L S ME TO BE
being responds to the realization of Life within and around me.
It was God Him self who willed that I should be.
I shall not fear, for the Hosts o f Heaven are
I have no cares nor burdens to bear,
waiting upon me and the Law o f the Uni
I am reminded o f the great command:
verse is my Salvation.
“ Come unto Me all ye who labor and are
I shall notfear.
heavy laden and I will give you rest.” I do come into the Light and I do know that
♦
all cares I WAS TOLD TO LIVE
And responsibilities fall from me as I let the Light o f Wisdom direct my ways.
I was told to live and to love, to laugh and to be glad.
He wills me to be; therefore, I am.
I was told to be still and know o f the One Almighty Power, in and through all. I was told to let that Power work through
I SERVE
and in me. I believed that voice and I received my Good.
I serve the world. I wait upon the Lord within all men;
I am healed— The joy o f Life.
I call forth glory from On High through the minds of all people. I obey the will o f Him Who inhabits
LAW
Eternity. I do the works of Him Who dwelleth among
I meditate upon the Law of God. It is a Perfect Law and is now working for
the heavens.
me and in and through me.
My Lord within commands and I obey.
“The Law o f the Lord is perfect.”
I do good to all people.
I speak into that Law and it is done unto me. Thy Law is in my heart.
2£7
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
My affairs are controlled by Perfect Intelli LOVE
gence, And cannot be hindered from expression.
The Love o f the All Good is within me and
I know that all that I do is done from
through me.
the One Motive: To express Life;
That Love goes out to meet all who come
and Life will be expressed In and
into my atmosphere.
through me. I cannot hinder it.
It radiates to all and is flowing through all. My Love within me is Perfect.
I am controlled by Intelligence.
Thy Love within me is Perfect.
M Y BUSINESS LO VE DISSOLVES A L L F E A R
Greater than fear is Love. Love dissolves all fear, casts out all doubt and sets the captive free. Love, like the River o f Life, flows through me and refreshes me with its eternal blessings. Love cannot be afraid; it is fearless and
My business is directed by Divine Intelligence. The All-Knowing Mind knows what to do and how to do it. I do not hinder, but let It operate in my affairs. It prospers and directs me and controls my life.
strong, and is mighty in its works.
My affairs are managed by Love, and di
It can accomplish all things through the Inner Light o f that faith in the All Good, Which fills my very Being with a Powerful
rected by W isdom, and they cannot fail to prosper and expand.
Presence.
My affairs are in His hands.
Love casts out allfear.
M Y PROFESSION
MY AFFAIRS
My profession is the Activity o f the Great
My affairs are in the hands of Him Who
Mind working through me.
guides the planets in their course, And
As such It is a Divine Activity and is con
Who causes the Sun to shine.
stantly in touch with Reality.
Divine Understanding attends me on the
I am inspired in my work from On High
Way, And I shall not be hindered in
with lofty ideals,
my work.
2^8
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
And my thought is illumined by the AllNO OBSTRUCTIONS
Knowing One. I am inspired.
There are no obstructions to Life’s Path; no hindrance to man’s endeavors. Let my Word be the Law o f elimination to all thought o f hindrance or delay,
NO DELAYS
And let the thing that I speak come forth into manifestation at once.
There are no delays in the Divine Plan
I behold it and see that it is even now done,
for me.
complete and perfect.
Nothing can hinder the operation of this Law unto my Life and Action.
I receive now.
Obstructions are removed from my path, and I now enter into the realization and manifes
NO OVER-ACTION NOR INACTION
tation o f complete fulfillment o f right
There is no over-action nor inaction in
desires.
Divine Law, for everything moves accord
I do not have to wait, for the Law waits upon
ing to perfect harmony.
me at every turn in L ifes road. Now it is done unto me.
Every idea o f my body functions in accor dance with this Law o f Perfect Life. I now perceive that the action within me is
NO MISREPRESENTATIONS
No one can lie to me; none can mislead me.
perfect, complete and harmonious. Peace be unto every part o f me, and perfect Life to every member of my body.
I am free from the belief in all lies and un
I act in accordance with Divine Law.
truths; I know and speak only the Truth, and the
I am Perfect Life throughout my whole Being.
Truth alone can be spoken to me. I know the false and can understand the Real.
ONE W ITH PERFECT ACTION
I cannot be fooled nor misled; I am guided
I am One with Perfect Action. Everything
by Truth alone.
that I do, say or think is quickened into
There is no lie nor liar.
action through this right understanding and this correct knowing. The harmonious action o f the Great Whole
2£9
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
pperates through me now and at all
the Soul where complete quiet reigns su
times.
preme and where God talks to me.
I am carried along by this Right Action and
I receive.
am compelled to do the right thing at the right time. There is nothing in me that can hinder this
TH A N K SG IV IN G A N D PRAISE
action from flowing through me. The action ojGod is the only action.
I will give thanks to my Inner Life for all Its Marvelous Wonders, and for all Its Wonderful Works. I will sing and be glad, for I know that I am
PEACE, POISE A N D P O W E R
hid with Truth in a Perfect Life.
Peace, Poise and Power are within me, for
Thefullness ofJoy is mine.
they are the witnesses of the Inner Spirit of all Truth, Love and Wisdom. I am at peace within me, and all about re
TH E D IV IN E PROMISES A R E KEPT
sponds to that Great Calm o f the Inner Soul which knows its
The Divine Promises are all kept; not one is changed.
rightful place in the All Good. Power is born from within me and passes into my experience without effort or
God has told me that my Life is Perfect; He will never desert nor leave me to travel i alone.
labor. I rest in Security and Peace, for the
I know that from this day on and forevermore
Inner Light shines forth and illumines
I shall live under Divine Protection and
the way.
Love.
I rest in Thee.
I live under Divine Protection and Love. ♦
♦
STILLNESS AN D R ECEPTIVITY THE IN N E R LIGHT
I am still and receptive to Life. I let Life flow through me into all that I do,
The Light o f Heaven shines through me and illumines my Path.
say or think. I shall let my Life be what it is, and shall not
The Light Eternal is my guide and my pro tection.
w orry nor complain. I am now entered into the Secret Place of
In that Light there is no darkness at all.
260
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
It is a Perfect Light shining from the altar o f a perfect Love.
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
It is the Way of Peace and Love. This Secret Way leads into places o f joy
0 Light and Love within me, Thou art w el come.
And into the house o f good. It is the Way o f the Spirit, and all may enter
Light shines through me and illumines the Way.
who will. I tread the Secret Way of good, the Path of Peace, And I enter into “The Secret Place of The
T H E N I G H T IS F I L L E D W I T H P E A C E
Most High.”
1 wrap myself in the mantle o f Love and fall
The Secret Place of The Most High is within me.
asleep, filled with Peace.
♦
Through the long night Peace remains with
♦
me, and at the breaking o f the new day I shall still be filled with Life and Love. I shall go forth into the new day confident and happy.
T H E S H I N I N G PATH
The Pathway of Life shines before me unto the Perfect Day.
I rest in Thee.
I walk the pathway of the Soul to the Gate of Good. I enter into the fulfillment o f my desires.
T H E SEAL OF APPROVAL
Nothing need be added and nothing can be taken from the All
The Seal o f Approval is upon me, and I am
Good which is forever expressing Itself
not condemned by the thought or the act of man. I will fear no evil, for I know that the Great
in me. Daily shall I receive Its great blessings and my Soul shall rejoice forever more.
Judge o f all controls my every act. Let every fear o f man be removed from me
I am now entered into my good.
and let the Silence of my soul bear w it ness to the Truth. God approves o j me. ♦
T H E T H I N G S I N E E D C O M E TO ME
♦
Whatever I need comes to me from the All
♦
Good. THE SECRET WAY
Divine Intelligence working through me al
There is a Secret Way of the Soul which all
ways knows just what I need and always
may know.
supplies it when I need it. 261
THE
SCIENCE
This Law is unfailing and sure, and cannot be
OF
MIND
I am unafraid and strong in my faith in Him Who keeps me from all harm.
broken. I receive my Good daily as I go along the
Perfect Love casteth out allfear.
pathway o f Life, and I cannot be robbed of my birthright to freedom and happiness. I receive my Good.
HE W IL L KEEP THEE
The Inner Spirit o f man is God, and my Inner Spirit is the Realization of my life. T H E W A Y IS M A D E C L E A R B E F O R E M E
I know that my Inner Spirit will keep me from all harm, and will not let destruc
The Way is made clear before me; I do not
tion come near me.
falter nor fall. The Way of the Spirit is my Way, and I am
I am unafraid in the midst of confusion, and unmoved in the face of calamity.
compelled to walk in it. My feet are kept on the Path of Perfect Life.
I am confident in the presence of seeming danger, and fearless before any sense of
The Way is prepared before me, and that Way
trouble.
is a Path of Peace, o f Fulfillment and Joy.
He will keep me.
The Way is bright with the light o f Love and Kindness. The Way I tread is a pleasant and a happy one.
IN F IN IT E LIFE W IT H IN
I see the Way and I walk in It.
Infinite Life within me, which is God, guard Thou my feet and keep Thou my way. Let me not stray from Thee, but compel me to do Thy will.
IM M A N E N T POWER
I am guarded and governed by an Infinite In telligence and an Omnipotent Power.
AS LO VE E N T E R S , F E A R DEPARTS
No mistakes can be made and none ever have been made.
As Love enters, fear vanishes. I am so filled with Love that no fear can
An unerring judgment operates through me and I am led by the Spirit of Truth into all
enter my thought.
Good and into all Peace and Happiness.
I am not afraid, for I know that a Perfect Intelligence guards and governs my
Iifinite Life within me.
every act. Perfect Love casteth out all fear. 262
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
The Power to live is in me and it cannot MY FEET SHALL NOT FALTER
My feet shall not falter, for they are kept
desert me. It is my power and is continually
upon the path of
present.
Life through the Power of the Eternal Spirit.
I am the power to live.
Guide Thou my feet; compel my way; direct my paths and keep me in Thy Presence. My feet are guarded, and I am guided into
T H E C I R C L E OF LO VE
The All Good. He guides myfeet.
A circle of love is drawn around me and mine, and all. No harm can enter that Sacred Circle, for it is the Love o f God.
NO HARM SMALL BEFALL THREE
No harm shall befall you, my friend, for a
It is a complete protection from all evil. “I w ill fear no evil, for Thou art with m e ”
Divine Presence attends your way and
There is no evil and no harm.
guards you into The All Good.
I am free from all sense of fear.
Loving kindness awaits you at every turn of
Love surrounds and protects me.
L ifes road. Guidance is yours along the pathway of ex perience,
T H E C I R C L E OF P R O T E C T I O N
And an Infallible Power protects you. God, Himself, and no other is your
I draw around me a circle of love and pro tection.
Keeper. I proclaim thisfor you.
No harm can enter nor find place within that charmed circle of life and love, for it rep resents G o d s Loving Care and Eternal Watchfulness.
P O W E R TO LIVE
I will rest within me now, and I will speak comfort to my
I have the power to live the life o f good.
Soul and tell It of all the wonders o f its life,
M y power is from On High; it cannot be taken from me;
safe from the din of strife and fear.
It will not leave me desolate.
I am protectedfrom On High.
Power flows through me and is in me, and I can now feel and sense it.
263
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
I will listen to my song, for it carols to me the TH E P O W E R W IT H IN BLESSES A L L
The Power within me is blessing all man
glad tidings of Great Joy, of Love and Life. It tells me o f the Wondrous Journey of the
kind, and is forever healing all with whom I come in contact.
Soul and the Boundless Life in which my life is hid.
The Power within me is God, and It must
I amfilled with joy.
bless and help and heal all who come near It.
♦
Silently the work goes on, and silently all are B O R N OF E T E R N A L DAY
being helped by this Inner Power which is operating through me.
Child o f All Good, you are born of Eternal Day.
I will give thanks that my Power within is si lently blessing and helping every one to
There is no evening of the Soul, for it shall live forever.
whom my thought reaches. The Life within me blesses all mankind.
It is Deathless and Perfect, Complete and One with the Everlasting. No thought o f to-morrow can disturb the calm of him who knows that Life is one
THE QUICK A N SW E R
My answer comes quickly and surely back to
Eternal Day. No fear can enter where Love reigns, and Reason keeps faith with Hope.
me from On High. My answer will not fail me, for the Law o f
The thoughts o f the to-morrows and the
the Universe is the Power through which
yesterdays are swallowed up in the great
it comes.
realization of the Perfect Here and the Complete Now.
I shall not doubt nor fear, for the answer is swift and certain.
To-day I completely accept my wholeness.
My answer comes.
I ARISE A N D GO FORTH
INSPIRATION
I arise and go forth into the Dawn of the N ew Day, filled with faith and assurance
A SON G OF JOY
There is a Song upon my lips to-day; it sings o f the glad heart and the happy ways of
in the All Good. I arise, I arise, I sing with joy! I proclaim the One Life: “In all and through all.”
Life. 2 64
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
I arise, I arise, I shout with gladness that is
AND
HEALING
For the Lamp of the Soul has been re-kindled
within me.
with the oil of Faith,
I declare this day to be Complete, Perfect
And Love has cleansed the windows
and Eternal.
o f Life with the spirit of gladness.
I respond to Life.
They shall nevermore grow dim with fear, for Perfect Love casteth out all fear.
INSPIRATION
I am renewed in strength through knowing Good.
Come, Thou Great and Infinite Mind and in spire me to do great deeds.
My light has come.
Acquaint me with Thy knowledge and in Thy wisdom make me wise. I would be taught o f Thee, Inner Light, and
I AM C O M P L E T E IN T H EE
inspired by Thy presence.
Almighty God, Everlasting Good, Eternal
I will listen for Thy Voice and it will tell me
Spirit, Maker o f all things and Keeper of
o f great things to be done. I will walk in Thy Paths and they will lead
my Life, Thou art All.
me into All Good.
Infinite Presence within, in Whom all live;
I will be inspired from On High.
Joy Supreme, flooding all with gladness, I
0 Wonderful Presence, flooding me, filling
adore Thee. Eternal Peace, undisturbed and quiet, I feel
me with Thy Light,
Thy calm.
Thou dost inspire me! * Ijeel the inspiration o f Spirit.
0 Thou Who dost inhabit Eternity and dost dwell within all Creation, Who Dost live through all things and in all people, hear Thou my prayer.
TH E DAW N HAS COM E
1 would enter Thy gates with joy and live at peace in Thy House.
Out of the darkness o f the long night the
I would find a resting place in Thee, and in
Dawn has come. 1 rise to meet the new day, filled with confi
Thy presence live.
dence and strength.
Make me to do Thy will and from Thy w is
I arise and go forth into the dawn, inspired and
dom teach me the ways o f Truth. Compel me to follow Thee and let me
refreshed by the Living Spirit within me.
not pursue the paths o f my own
O Day, you shall never die; the sun shall
counsel.
never set upon your perfect glory. i6g
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
shall come to him, for God Himself shall
0 Eternal and Blessed Presence, illumine my
be his Companion and Champion.
mind and command my will that my Soul may be refreshed and that my life may be
I wait on Thee.
renewed. As deep cries unto deep, so my thought cries unto Thee and Thou dost answer.
COMPLETE CONFIDENCE
1 am renewed and refreshed; my whole being responds to Thy love, and I am complete
My confidence in The All Good is
in Thee.
complete.
All my ways are guarded and guided, and I
M y faith in the Power o f Spirit is supreme.
shall live with Thee eternally. O Lover of my Soul and Keeper o f my Spirit, none can separate us, for we are One. So shall Thy Wisdom guide me, Thy Presence dwell within me, Thy Love keep me and
I have no doubts nor uncertainties. I know that my Good is at hand, and I realize that no fear can hinder That Good from making Its appearance in
Thy life envelop me now and forever-
my life and affairs. I know that my Life and Good are complete.
more. I rest in Thee.
Evil cannot touch nor hinder my work. I rest in security, for TH E O NE MIND IS M Y CO M PLETE R EF U G E AN D STREN G TH . I am serene and confident.
PRESENCE OF THE ALL GOOD
♦ ♦
A MARVELOUS SENSE D RAW IN G THE GOOD
A marvelous sense steals over him who waits on Good, and in patience bides his time.
I draw my Good to me as I travel along the Way o f Life, and nothing can keep It
A feeling o f some Unseen Presence silently
from me.
creeps over the waiting thought, and the Voice of God speaks through the mist and
My Good will always follow me.
says: “Be not afraid.”
I accept the Good and rejoice that it is with me.
It is all for a purpose; and when you cannot trace, you must trust. This is not an illu
I accept the Good.
sion, but a reality; for time proves all things, and he who will wait for his time to come shall be rewarded; and Good 266
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
It presses itself against me, and fills me with I FEAR NO EVIL
a great surge o f Life.
“I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”
My Good is at hand.
I will not be afraid, for the All Good is con stantly with me and is always near at hand to guide and comfort.
MY ATMOSPHERE
There is no evil in the Truth, and no power o f darkness to hinder the Light from
My atmosphere is attracting the Good; it is
shining.
constantly on the alert to see and know the Good, and to bring it into my experience.
I will not be afraid, for there is One within Who protects and keeps me from all
There is that within me that calls forth abun dance and happiness from Life. I am sur
harm.
rounded with an atmosphere of Peace,
Ijear no evil. ♦ ♦
Poise and Power. All who come in contact with that great Calm o f my Life are made strong and
I HAVE K N O W N , ALWAYS
I have always known the Truth, and no fear
confident, are healed and blessed. “Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name.”
can keep my inner knowledge from me. My wisdom from within comes forth into
I am hid with Christ in God.
daily expression.
♦
Knowledge from On High is given to me,
♦
and I shall always be led of the Spirit. M Y G O O D IS C O M P L E T E
I know the Truth.
My Good is complete; it is finished; it is now
♦ ♦
here and is conscious o f me and o f mine. I do not have to wait for my Good; it is at
I M EET MY GOOD
hand and ever ready to spring forth and express itself to me.
To-day I meet my Good; it knows me and will not let me depart from it.
I accept my Good and gladly acknowledge it to be my daily companion.
My Good is at hand, and I cannot be robbed of it.
My Good is mine now, and I can see it and feel it and know it.
Good is forever expressing itself to me and mine.
To-day I claim my Good.
I can even now see and hear and feel the All Good in and around me.
267
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
0 Soul o f mine, look out and up and on; and M Y O W N S H A L L COM E TO ME
reflect to me the wondrous Life of the All Good.
From far and near my own shall come to me. Even now it is coming to me, and I re
Look thou upon The One, and be saved.
ceive it.
Behold thou His Face forevermore.
My own is now manifesting itself to me, and
My Soul reflects Thy Life.
I see and know its presence. My own shall know and respond to me. The drawing power o f that inner Spirit
O UT OF T H E D EPT H S OF LIFE
within me is now attracting and drawing into my experience all that is good and
Out of the deep places of life my Soul has cried unto Thee and Thou hast made answer.
perfect. There is nothing within me to hinder nor to delay it.
Out o f the turmoil and struggle and strife I have come unto Thee, and Thou hast
My own cannot be kept from me, neither
heard me and understood.
can I keep my good away from me. I re
1 shall nevermore be sad, for I have found
ceive it now.
what the Soul craves— the Inner Life and
I now receive my good.
Love o f the All Good.
♦ ♦
Thou hast heard. MY O W N SH ALL FIND ME
My Own shall find me; no matter where I s o r r o w
go, It will follow and claim me. I cannot hide myself from my Own.
flees
fr o m
m e
As the Great joy of Life comes into my Soul,
My Own shall come to me, even though I
flooding me with its wondrous light, all
deny it; for there is nothing in me that
sorrow and sadness flee from me.
can hinder it from entering and taking
I shall not grieve, for nothing is lost nor
possession of my Soul. My own is now expressed.
gone from me. My own cannot be kept from me. My own knows me and will follow me wherever I go.
M Y S O U L R E F L E C T S T H Y LIFE
I am filled with the Joy of living and the Great Peace that comes to all who believe.
My Soul reflects Thy Life and rejoices in the
I am made gladforevermore.
happy thought that it looks on Thee alone. 268
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
Joy awaits upon me in the “Secret Place of SUBSTANCE AND SUPPLY
The Substance o f the Spirit is my Daily
the Most High.” My house is built for me by the hand of Love, and
Supply. I cannot be without my Good.
I shall never leave this Home of the Spirit, for it is always present.
I can see that the constant stream o f Life flowing to me brings into my experience
I shall abide in this home forever more.
all that makes Life happy and worthwhile. I rest in security, knowing that Infinite Good
My house is a house o f love.
is within and is expressing through me. I receive my good.
SPIRIT OF GOD WITHIN
THE EVER AND THE ALL
ARISE, MY SPIRIT
Life always was and evermore shall be, “World without end.” All the Power there is, is mine now.
Arise, my Spirit, arise and shine. Let Thy light illumine my path, and let Thy
All the Life, Truth and Love of the Universe is now and forever
wisdom direct my way. Compel my will to do Thy bidding, and
Flowing through my Soul. The All Good cannot change.
command my Soul to look to Thee. I will follow Thee, my Spirit, and will learn
I shall always have access to my Eternal God within me.
o f Thee all that I need to know. I will sit in the Silence and listen and watch, and
I am Changeless Life within me.
I will see Thy light and hear Thy voice. I will follow Thee and will not depart from Thee,
TH E H OUSE OF LOVE
For in Thee alone is Peace. I dwell in the house o f Love;
Arise and shine.
“A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” My dwelling place is filled with peace and
BIRTHLESS A N D DEATHLESS
eternal calm. Love attends me in my home o f the Soul,
The Spirit within me is Birthless and Death
and
less; It was not born and It cannot die.
269
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
the Spirit shines through the clouds of
I have no fear o f death, for I perceive
depression and lights the way to Heaven.
that Death is an illusion and not the Truth.
Thy Joy has made me glad.
I was born of the Spirit, and I live in the Spirit, And shall continue to live in and by the Spirit.
FR EE SPIRIT W IT H IN ME
The Spirit within me livesforever.
Free Spirit within me, Unbound and Perfect,
♦ ♦
teach me Thy ways and make known to
♦
me Thy Limitless Completion. COM M AND MY SOUL
0 Spirit o f Life, control my every action and
Spirit within me, command my Soul to do Thy bidding;
thought. Compel me to follow Thy light that I too may be free and complete.
Compel me to follow the course o f Truth and Wisdom.
1 will follow Thy footsteps and learn of Thee all the wondrous secrets of Life.
Control my inward thoughts and my out ward ways,
I will follow Thy Light into the Perfect Day.
And make me to understand Thy Laws.
Free Spirit within me.
Command my Soul to turn to Thee for guid ance and light; To turn to Thee for wisdom and knowledge.
F U L N E S S OF L IG H T
Let the paths of my Life be made straight and sure;
The Light o f Life is full within me and around me.
Let the Journey o f my Soul find its comple tion in Thee. Command my Soul to do Thy bidding.
It shines forth into the Perfect Day. 0 Light within, lighting my path to peace, 1 adore and love You and I let You shine. Go forth and bless all who come to You, Light within.
DESPAIR GIVES WAY TO JOY
My Light radiates to all and through all.
Despair gives way to joy at the thought of
My Light has come.
Thee, Indwelling Good. I cannot be sad when I think o f Thee. My sorrow is turned to gladness and my shame to rejoicing. My tears are wiped away and the sunlight of 270
DAILY
HE W H O
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
INHABITS E T E R N IT Y
He Who inhabits Eternity keeps watch over
AND
HEALING
JO Y HAS C O M E TO LIVE W I T H ME
Joy has come to live with me. How can I be
me and mine.
sad?
“He Who neither slumbers nor sleeps” for
I do so love Thy presence, which is joy
ever keeps watch over all. I will rest in the assurance o f Love and
within me. It makes me glad, and I sing, for I am so
Protection.
filled with Thy
0 Thou Great Overshadowing Presence,
Spirit that I cannot be depressed nor unhappy.
1 am conscious o f Thy care; I am aware of
I am filled with the joy o f the Spirit, and I overflow with the gladness of life.
Thy loving kindness. I rest in Thee. Be still and know.
Thou art a Happy Companion to travel with me through Life, wonderful Joy, Thou art so radiant and beaming.
I LISTEN
I will listen for Thy voice, Inner Presence.
It is impossible to be sad in Thy presence. I shall give myself to Thee and remain
It will guide me and acquaint me with all
with Thee, for Thou art complete and
knowledge. Thy voice is sweet and tender; it is always
satisfying. I find fulfillment in Thee and joy forever-
kind and gentle.
more.
0 Lover o f my Soul, how I adore Thee! How
I amfille d with the Spirit ofJoy.
I love Thee! How I love Thy voice; it thrills me with glad ness and joy.
K N O W LED G E AND WISDOM
It fills me with peace and calm, and it
All Wisdom and Knowledge is from within,
soothes me.
And my God, Who is All-Knowing, is also
It quiets me and gives me wonderful rest.
within.
1 listen, O Divine Speaker, I listen to Thee
I am guided and guarded along L ifes road
alone.
into the All Good.
I listen for Thy voice.
My Mind is instructed from On High, And my Wisdom cometh from afar. The Spirit within me is All Wisdom.
271
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
STAND FORTH AND SPEAK
M Y T H O U G H T IS I N T H E E
My thought is in Thee, Inner Light .
Stand forth and speak, Spirit within me.
My words are from Thee, Inner Wisdom.
Proclaim Thy presence, announce Thy
My understanding is of Thee, Inner God. I cannot be hid from Thee, my Inspiration and my Life.
course. Declare through me Thy wondrous works and Let the children o f men hear Thy voice.
My thought is in Thee.
Behold, He maketh all things new. The Spirit within speaks words o f Truth and Life to all.
O LOVE DIVINE
The Spirit within me is God.
0 Love Divine within me, I am overpowered
I speak the Truth.
by Thy Presence. 1 am speechless, for words cannot utter the things that Thou hast revealed to me. Why dost Thou love me so, and why clasp me so close to Thy Eternal Heart? 0 Blessed Presence, I know, for Thou hast claimed me as Thine own. 1 shall nevermore walk apart from Thee.
SUBTLE ESSENCE OF SPIRIT W IT H IN
ME
Subtle Essence o f Spirit within me, flowing through me; Elixir o f Life in my veins purifying me with Thy marvelous Life, I let Thy Spirit cleanse me from all false
The love of God is within me.
thought and idea; I let Thy Life flow through me in a complete and Perfect Whole.
PEACE STEALS THRO UG H THE SOUL
lje e l the presence o f Spirit within me.
Peace steals through the waiting Soul, and the com fort o f the Spirit comes into the
♦
stillness of the heart.
THE CHRIST W ITH IN
Peace, like an ocean o f Infinite Life, reflects itself through me and calms every turbu
My Life is “hid with Christ in God” ;
lent feeling.
The Inner Man is the image and likeness of the Spirit of God.
I am at peace and rest in the knowledge of the All Good which is at hand. I rest in peace.
I let that Inner Man come forth into expres sion in my life; He will guide my feet into all Truth and Wisdom.
272
/ DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
The Christ within me is free from all worry, T H E VO ICE OF T R U T H
and cannot be hindered by any opposing
The Voice of Truth speaks to me and
force.
through me.
My Christ within me is now perfect. My Christ is within me.
The Voice of Truth guides me and keeps me on the Path of the Perfect Day. I will listen to the Inner Voice and It will tell me what to do in the hour of need.
THE EVERLASTING ARMS
I shall be told everything that I ought to
His Arms enfold me, His Strength upholds
know when the time of need arrives, and
me,
I shall not be misled.
His Presence fills me with Life and Joy.
The Voice of Truth cannot lie, but always
I shall nevermore be sad nor depressed, for I
speaks to me from On High.
know that I do not walk L ifes path alone.
Nothing enters but This Voice, for it is the Voice of God.
There is One W ho goes with me and tells me all the things that I should know.
God speaks to me.
There is a Presence with me guiding me into the Perfect Way. I rejoice in knowing that I am not alone. ♦
T H E W I T N E S S OF T R U T H
♦
There is a Witness within me who knows the
♦
Truth and who will not let me enter into TH E M A N T L E OF LOVE
falsehood. My Inner Guide keeps me on the Pathway of
Like a cloak His Love is wrapped around me. Like a warm garment It shelters me from
Life and directs me at all times to that
the storms of life.
which is right and best.
I feel and know that an Almighty Love envel
I shall never be without this witness of the Spirit, for I believe in It and accept It as
ops me in Its close embrace.
the Great Companion o f the Soul^
O Love Divine, My Love, how wonderful Thou art. I am open to receive Thy great
The Spirit within me is perfect now.
blessing. Love envelops me.
THRO UGH THE LONG NIGH T WATCHES
Through the long night watches Thou hast been with me.
273
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
In the dark places of human ignorance Thy WA I T I NG ON THE E
hand hath guided me, Thy light hath lighted the pathway o f desolation to a land o f plenty.
In waiting on Thee there is fulness o f Life. I wait on Thee, my Inner Lord; I listen for
I have perceived Thee from afar, and my soul hath yearned to Thee, OThou Mighty One!
Thy voice. I hear Thy word; I do Thy w ill; again I wait on Thee.
The Spirit within me hath urged me on to the goal, and I have not been misled.
And listening, I hear Thee say: “Be perfect, be complete; live love, be glad.”
I have been guided and guarded through the long journey, and
Sit thou in the stillness and let thy Lord speak.
Thy Presence hath been made known to me.
♦
I awake from the dream and reenter the
♦
house o f my Lord clothed with Peace and W H O S E R I G H T I T IS T O C O M E
robed in colors of Light. The Spirit o f Truth watches over me. ♦
He has come Whose right it is. He has made His home within me, and will
♦
nevermore depart from me. I shall walk no more alone, for One walks
T H Y S T R E N G T H IS S U F F I C I E N T
0 Spirit o f man and God within me, Thy
with me Who knows the path of Life, and Whose feet w ill never falter nor fail.
Power is great, and Thy Knowledge goes beyond the range of human experience.
My Inner Light shines through the mist of
Thy Wisdom excels that o f all else, and be side Thee there is none other. In Thy
human beliefs And frees me from the bondage o f fear and limitation.
Strength do I daily walk and live; In Thy Presence do I always rest in
I shall walk with You, my Friend, and shall learn o f You the ways o f Life
peace and joy.
and Freedom.
Spirit within me and without, Powerful Thou art, and Great; Wonderful is Thy Might,
We shall travel together from this day, and
and Complete is Thy Understanding. 1 let Thy Mighty Strength flow through me,
none can part us, For we are united in the perfect bonds o f an everlasting unity.
And out into all the paths of my human endeavors.
I walk with Thee.
Lifefrom within expresses through me.
2 74
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
My Word shall come back to me blessed o f God
THE POWER OF THE WORD
and man. ♦ ♦
I CONTROL MY MENTAL HOUSEHOLD AND C O N Q U ER ALL FEAR AND DOUBT
M Y W ORD SH ALL BEAR FRUIT
I conquer my mental household and cast out
The Word o f my mouth shall bear fruit.
all fear and doubt. Let my Word cast out all sense o f fear
It shall accomplish and prosper, and shall not return unto me void.
and doubt and let my thoughts be lifted unto Him Who lives
My Word is the law unto the thing where -
Within.
unto it is sent, and it cannot come back empty-handed.
My Word has dissolved all fear within me, and has cast out all doubt.
I send out my Word, and it is the law unto
My Word shall guard my thought and
my life.
make me receive only that which is
My Word is Power.
Good and Perfect. I control my life.
NOTHING CAN HINDER ♦
Nothing can hinder my Word from working; M Y W O R D C O M ES BA C K TO ME
My word comes back to me laden with the
It will work, and nothing can stop it. My word is the Law unto that thing where-
fruits o f its own speech.
unto it is spoken, and will become ful
M y word is the Law unto my Life, and the
filled in the right way and at the right
Law unto everything that I speak. O Word, go forth and heal and bless all
time. My Word is complete and perfect, and is the
humanity. Tell them o f their Divine Birthright.
presence and the Power of the One Mind that is in and
Tell the stranger that he is not alone, but that One goes with him Who knows and
through all. I speak that Word and know that it will accomplish.
cares. Tell the sick that they are healed and the
I wait in perfect confidence for the Word to
poor that they cannot want.
fulfill itself in my life.
Tell the unhappy o f the joy of the Soul, and
My Word is law.
break the bonds of those who are in prison.
*1 S
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
Word o f the Great God within me. O MAN, SPEAK FORTH TH Y W ORD
My Word shall accomplish and prosper, and
0 man, speak forth thy word and be not
shall do good unto all who call upon my
afraid.
name.
Did you not know; have you not heard?
My Word is a tower of strength and cannot
His Divinity is planted within thee, and thy word is one with all power. The Spirit of the Most High is thy Spirit, and
be denied. It is complete and perfect here and now. My Word is the Word of God.
the word of God is thy word.
My word is the word o f God.
Thy freedom is hid within thee, and thy inner light shall illumine thy way.
♦
Speak, man, and be free! Announce and pro THE UNASSAILABLE TRUTH AND THE
claim thy works!
IRRESISTIBLE WORD
Let thy word go forth with power, and thy Spirit shall conquer all.
The Truth within me is unassailable, and the
Spirit within me, speak.
Power of the Word is irresistible. I can even now feel that my Word has gone forth with Power and Reality, and that it
TH E P O W E R OF TH E W O R D
will accomplish that purpose for which it was created.
The Word is a mighty Power, and that Word
Limitless is its Power and wonderful are its
is in me and through me now. My Word is one with the All Good and can
works. It can be nothing less than the Almighty
not fail to accomplish the desired ends. My Word goes forth with Power unto every
working in and through me. I will let this Word o f the Spirit go forth
thing that I do, say or think.
from my mouth, and heal and bless the
The Word is my Power by day and by night. 1 will speak that Word and trust in the great
world. It shall be as a strong tower unto all who call
Law of Life to fulfill it. I speak the word infu ll confidence.
upon it. The Truth is Complete and Perfect, and is within me now. My Word is complete and perfect, now.
TH E W O R D OF PO W ER
My Word is a Word of Power, for I know that it is the 276
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
I shall never die, for the Spirit within me is
In thee, my friend, I see God, and through you I feel His presence.
HEALING
I S H A L L N E V E R DIE
I B E H O L D IN T H E E HIS IM A G E
I behold in thee His Image.
AND
God and cannot change. My life is hid within the Universe of Love
I see in the hand that gives, His hand;
and Light, and that Light shall live for
And in the voice that speaks o f Love, I hear
ever.
Him speak.
Go, fear o f death and change; begone
For His lines have gone out into all places,
from my thought, fear of death and
And from the highest to the lowest, all, all
uncertainty.
partake o f His nature.
That which is cannot become that which is
“For He is all in all, over all and through all.” I perceive that God is in all people.
not; and that which I am can never change. The Spirit of Eternity is enthroned within me, and the Life of Endless Ages flows through my being. From Eternity to Eternity my Life flows
UNITV
along its way o f peace and harmony. Time brings but more glory to crown me
I SEE NO EVIL
with its pleasures.
I see no evil; I behold only the good.
My life isforever.
I have seen the drunkard lying in the gutter, and the saint kneeling in ecstasy before the high altar of his faith; but I have found
LO VE TO T H E W O R L D
no difference. I have perceived that each, in his own tongue, is seeking to express the One Life.
My Love goes out to every one in the world; I do not exclude anything, for I love all N a ture and everything that is.
I will not separate and divide; I cannot con demn nor censure, for I know that there
My Love warms and lightens everything that it touches, and it goes out into all places.
is but One in All. I know that all came from the One, and all
The Love flowing through me is a Power to all who come into contact with it, and all
will return to the One.
feel and know that I love.
I know that all are now in the One, and that each is seeking to express the One.
Love within me is Complete and Perfect. Love within me is Complete.
I know and love all.
277
THE
SCIENCE
OF
M Y L I F E IS O N E W I T H G O D
My life is in God; it cannot be hurt nor hin
T H E P E R S O N A L I T Y OF GOD
The Great Personality of God is my Person
dered in its expression.
ality; the Limitless Knowingness of The
God lives and expresses through me; His
Spirit is my Knowingness, and the One
work is complete and perfect in me now. I know His life to be my life, and I know that
Mind is my mind. All, All live in One Infinite Person, and each
my life is complete and perfect. My Ltfe is in God.
MIND
manifests the One Who is formed through and in all. Man is the Personality of God in manifesta tion and cannot be left without the Inner Witness o f the Spirit.
NO M ISU N D ERSTAN D IN G S
I now realize that the Infinite Personalness
There are no misunderstandings.
o f the Spirit is my Personality, and
All is made clear between the ideas o f Good.
I rejoice to know the Truth about
No false sense of separation can come be
myself.
tween people, nor disturb the realization
God is my Personality.
of the Unity o f All Life. I perceive that I am one with all people, and
♦
all are One with me. T H E R A D I A T I O N OF LIFE
There is no separation. There is no separation.
The life of God within me radiates and shines forth from me in a constant stream of Light to all. The One Life flowing through me is Life to
THE D IVIN E P LA N FOR ME
The Divine Plan for me is Perfect. I am held
all who come near. The One Power operating through me is
in the Mind of God as a Complete and
flowing into everything that I contact.
Perfect Expression of Life and Truth.
Life radiatesfrom me.
No power can hinder nor mar this Inner
♦
Image of Reality, for It is God-given and
♦ ♦
God-kept. UNITY
God gave and God will keep.
To-day I realize that I am One with the All Good; my God and I afe One. I cannot be hid from His face. 278
DAILY
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
I behold Thee, O Most High, enthroned in W I T H I N T H E E IS F U L N E S S O F L I F E
my temple o f flesh. Thy secret place is within me. I feel Thy
Within Thee is fulness o f Life. Within Thee is complete Joy and everlasting
presence,
Peace.
I hear Thy voice, I rejoice in Thy Light. To-day my body responds to the Divine Be hest: “Be perfect.”
Within Thee is all. Thou art in me as I am in Thee, and we are all in all.
I know o f my perfection and wholeness; I am complete and perfect now.
My Life is full and complete within me, and that Life I give to all
Let every thought o f disease flee from me,
men freely;
and let Thy Light shine. O Light Eternal, O Light o f my Life, I come
And from all I receive again that which I have given,
into Thy presence with joy and thanks-
For it is One in All.
giving.
I am One with thefulness o j All Life.
So be it.
279
Glossary
This glossary gives the Metaphysical meaning o f the words as used in these lessons. It is not claimed that the definition of the words used in this glossary w ill, in every case, keep faith with the regular dictionary definition.The words are defined in such a way as to bring out the mean ing with which they are used in this course o f instruction. It will be necessary for the student to carefully study the meaning o f these words, together with the explanation of the words used in the different charts; in this way, the desired objective will be obtained, and there will be no confusion. “Free from restriction.” See Chart No. I. The sum total of all that one has ever said, thought, done or seen, consciously or unconsciously. A c t i v e P r i n c i p l e o f L i f e . — The Self-Conscious Spirit. A f f i r m a t i o n . — To state positively and maintain as being true. A l l - G o o d . — God or Spirit. A l p h a . — That which is first. A n a l y s i s . — Resolving things into their first elements. A n d r o g y n o u s .— Having the characteristics of both sexes. A p p a r i t i o n .— “A specter of phantom. The act of appearing.” A t t r i b u t e .— The being, essence, nature and substance of. A u r a .— The mental atmosphere surrounding a person.
A b s o l u t e .—
A c c u m u l a t e d C o n s c i o u s n e s s .—
A x i o m .— A self-evident truth. A x i o m a t i c R e a s o n i n g .— B e i n g .— B i b l e .—
The deductions drawn from self-evident truths.
That which has existence. “The sacred books of any race or people.” 281
G LOSS ARY
Constructive thought directed toward any one. B o d y . — The outward fo rm . B o d y o f t h e U n i v e r s e . — The manifest Creation, the Body of God, both visible and invisible. B l e s s i n g .—
C a u s a t i o n .—
That which stands back of things as the Intelligent Cause. The appearance and disappearance of forms. C h r i s t .— The total manifestation of God, from the plant to an angel; from a peanut to the entire Universe of expression. Christ in Man means the idea of Sonship, the Perfect Man as He must be held in the Mind of God. C l a i r a u d i e n c e . — The ability to perceive sounds without the ear. C l a i r v o y a n c e .— The ability to see mentally. Seeing without the eye. C o e t e r n a l . — Always existing. Uncreated. C o e x i s t e n t . — That which exists with. C o m p e n s a t i o n .— The law of balance in the mental world. Cause and effect. C o m p l e x . — The result of mental struggle, conscious or unconscious. C o n c e i v e . — To give birth to an idea. C o n c e n t r a t i o n .— Bringing the attention to a focus. C o n c e p t .— An idea in mind. C o n c r e t e C a u s e . — Definite idea. C o n d i t i o n s .— That which follows cause; the effect of law. C o n f l i c t .— Inner mental struggle, conscious or unconscious. C o n s c i o u s M i n d . — The self-knowing mind in God or man. C o n s c i o u s n e s s .— The perception of existence. C o n t e m p l a t e .— To know within the self. C o r r e s p o n d e n t . — The mental picture or cause of anything. C o s m i c C o n c e p t i o n .— The Divine Mind giving birth to Its Ideas. C o s m i c C o n s c i o u s n e s s . — Perception of The Whole.
C
h a n g e .—
C
o sm ic
M i n d .— T he Mind o f God.
P u r p o s e . — The ideas of Spirit propelling themselves into outer expression. The desire of Spirit executing itself. C o s m i c S t u f f .— The stuff from which all forms are made. C o s m i c U r g e . — The desire of Spirit to express Itself. C osm os .— The Universal World, visible and invisible. C r e a t i o n . — Passing of Spirit into form. C r e a t i v e M e d i u m . — From the Universal Sense, it is the World-Soul; and from the individual sense, it is the subjective state of mans thought. C r e a t i v e M i n d .— The Universal Soul or Subjectivity. The Feminine Principle of the Universal Life. C r e a t i v e S e r i e s . — Any particular and concrete manifestation of Spirit. C u r s e .— Mentality used to destroy. C
o sm ic
D e d u c t i v e R e a s o n i n g .—
Reasoning from the whole to a part.
D e i t y .— G od.
282
G LOSS ARY
D e n i a l .— D e s i r e .—
The mental act of denying the false appearance. Life wishing to express Itself.
D e v i l .— T he personification of evil. D i a g n o s i s .—
Unearthing mental causes.
D i s c a r n a t e S p i r i t s .— E ntities out of the flesh. D i s e a s e .—
The result of inhibited mental and spiritual action. The Ideas of God.
D i v i n e Id e a s .—
D i v i n e N a t u r e .— T he true nature of all things.
Spiritual Causation operating through Universal Law. The facts known about mental and spiritual law. U r g e .— LThe inner desire to express life. W o r l d . — World of thoughts that are unexpressed.
D i v i n e P r i n c i p l e .— D i v i n e S c i e n c e .— D ivin e D ream
E a r t h - B o u n d .—
An entity unable to leave this plane. That which follows a cause. The result of some inner action. E go .— The real self. The inner man. E l e m e n t a l s . — Unevolved entities in the invisible world. E f f e c t .—
E m a n a t e .— To flow forth from.
“God with us.” E m o t i o n . — Mental energy, set in motion through feeling.
E m m a n u e l .—
E n t i t i e s .— A nything that exists, visible or invisible. E q u i v a l e n t .—
The mental likeness of a thing. The mental cause back of anything. The idea of the thing in the Subjective World. E s o t e r i c . — Inner. E t e r n a l . — Everlasting, without beginning or end. E t h e r .— A universal medium which is supposed to be the last known analysis of matter; it interspheres all things and all space. The fine particles of matter, or electrons, are supposed to be ce mented together by the ether. Ether seems to be, to the material world, what mind is to the mental world; i.e., a universal medium. E v i l .— That which seems destructive. E v o l u t i o n . — The passing of Spirit into form. E x i s t e n c e .— Having real being within itself. The cause of its own being, depending upon nothing but itself. Different from subsistence. E x o t e r i c . — Outer. Fa c u l t y .—
“Any mode of bodily or mental behavior regarded as implying a natural endowment or acquired power— the faculties of seeing, hearing, feeling, etc.” F a m i l i a r S p i r i t s . — Refers to the control of consciousness through the instrument of some invis ible agency. F a t h e r - M o t h e r G o d . — The Masculine and Feminine Principles of Being as included in the An drogynous One, or First Cause. F e m i n i n e P r i n c i p l e . — The Universal Soul. In man, the subjective or subconscious intelligence.
283
GLOSSARY
That which is the cause of all things.The Uncreated, from which all Creation springs. The First Cause is both Masculine and Feminine in Its Nature, and includes the Intermediate Principle of Creative Activity.
F i r s t C a u s e .—
F o r m .— Any definite outline in time and space. Forms may be visible or invisible. In all probability, all space is filled with many kinds of forms.
The ultimate stuff from which all forms are created, universally present, in an unformed state, and acted upon by conscious and subconscious intelligence. It is the nature of the Soul to give form to the ideas with which It is impregnated; hence, Soul contains Substance within Itself. F u n c t i o n .— “The normal action of any organ.” F o r m l e s s S u b s t a n c e .—
G h o s t .—
The mental form of any person in the flesh or out of it.
G od . — The First Cause, the Great I Am,The Unborn One,The Uncreated,The Absolute or Uncon
ditioned, The One and Only. Man comprehends God only to the degree that he embodies the Divine Nature. H a b i t .—
Any act that has become a part of the subconscious mentality.
H a l o .— The emanation that appears around the head. H e a v e n .— A
harmonious state of being. H e l l . — A discordant state of being. H o l y G h o s t . — The third Person of the Trinity. The Servant of the Spirit. Used in the sense of the World,— Soul or Universal Subjectivity. H u m a n i t y .— The multiplied expression of God as people. The many who live in the One. H y p n o t i s m .— The mental control of another. I A m .— From the universal standpoint, means God; and from the individual, means the Real Man. I d e a .— A concept. The Ideas of God are the Divine Realizations of His own Being. The real Ideas are eternal. I l l u m i n a t i o n .— Inspiration reaching a Cosmic state. A direct contact with Reality or God. A com plete intuitive perception. I l l u s i o n o f M i n d . — Means looking at a picture in Mind which may be real, only as a picture, but not as substance. As a picture of a person is not the person, so there are many pictures, drawn in Mind, which are real only as pictures. Mind is not an illusion, but might present us with illusions, unless we are very careful to distinguish the false from the true. I m a g e . — The mental likeness of anything. I m a g i n a t i o n .— T he imaging faculty. I m m a c u l a t e C o n c e p t i o n .— All things are immaculately conceived, as all things come from the One. I m m o r t a l i t y .— The Deathless Principle of Being in all people. I m m u t a b l e L a w .— Absolute in its ability to accomplish. I m p e r s o n a l R e c e p t i v i t y .— The Creative Mind is impersonal receptivity, in that It receives all seeds of thought. I n c a r n a t i o n .— The Spirit of God in all Creation.
284
GLOSSARY
The Real Idea of man, as distinguished from the outer personality. The act of planting seeds of thought in Creative Mind. I n d u c t i v e R e a s o n i n g .— Reasoning from effect to cause. I n d w e l l i n g C h r i s t .— Generic man, manifesting through the individual. The idea of Divine Sonship.The Real Man. As much of this reality appears as we allow to express through us. I n d w e l l i n g E g o . — The Spirit of man as differentiated from his soul or subjective mentality. The Real Man which is the conscious part of him. I n d w e l l i n g G o d .— The Real Man is as much of God as he is able to embody. The Divine Spark, Birthless and Deathless. I n f i n i t e .— That which is beyond all comprehension. I n h e r e n t L i f e .— Real life as distinguished from latent life. In n e r S i g h t .— The spiritual capacity of knowing the Truth. It is a mental quality which brings the mentality to a comprehension of Reality. I n s a n i t y .— The loss of the objective faculties. I n s p i r a t i o n . — From the human side, means contact with the subconscious of the individual or the race. From the Divine, means contact with the Universal Spirit. I n s t i n c t i v e L i f e . — The One in everything. I n s t i n c t i v e M a n .— T he Spiritual Man. I n t e l l e c t . — The reasoning faculty. I n t u i t i o n .— The ability to know without any process of reasoning. God knows only intuitively. I n v o l u t i o n .— Ideas involved in Mind. Involution precedes evolution. I n d i v i d u a l i t y .—
I n d u c e .—
J e s u s .—
The name of a man. Distinguished from the Christ. The man Jesus became the embodiment of the Christ as the human gave way to the Divine Idea of Sonship.
K a r m a .—
The subjective law of cause and effect.
Life that depends upon reality. Distinguished from inherent life. L a w . — Mind in action. L a w o f A t t r a c t i o n . — Subjective tendencies set in motion which are bound to attract. L a w o f C o r r e s p o n d e n c e s . — The subjective image of a desire. In the subjective world there is an exact image of everything that is in the objective world. L e v i t a t i o n .— Where the body is lifted without the aid of any physical medium. L ibid o .— The emotional urge within life which causes it to express itself. L i f e .— The animating Principle of Being. L o g i c . — Reasoning which keeps faith with itself. L o g o s . — The word of God. L ove .— The givingness of the self.
L a t e n t L i f e .—
The Universal World. M a l p r a c t i c e .— The destructive use of Mind Power. It may be conscious or malicious, innocent or ignorant.
M a c r o c o s m .—
28*
G LOSS ARY
M a n .—
The objectification of God in the human form. The idea of God manifested in the flesh. The Sonship of the Father. Generic man is the Type, and the personal man is the concrete expression of the Type. M a n i a . — An irresistible desire controlling personal action. M a n i f e s t a t i o n . — The objectification of ideas. M a s c u l i n e P r i n c i p l e .— The Self-Assertive Spirit, either in God or man. M a t e r i a l M a n . — The objective man. Not opposed to Spirit, but the logical outcome of the SelfKnowing Mind. M a t t e r . — Any form which substance takes in the world of sense and objectivity. M a y a . — World of mental illusion. M e d i u m . — One who objectifies subjectivity. M e m o r y . — The subjective retention of ideas. M e n t a l A t m o s p h e r e . — The mental emanation of anything, any person or any place. Everything has some kind of a mental atmosphere. M e n t a l C o r r e s p o n d e n t s . — The inner image in mind which balances the outer objectification of itself. Every objective thing has an inner mental correspondent. M e n t a l E q u i v a l e n t . — Having a subjective idea of the desired experience. M e n t a l I m a g e . — Subjective likeness. M e n t a l P l a n e .— Just between the Spiritual and the physical. The three planes intersphere each other. M e n t a l S c i e n c e . — The science of Mind and Spirit. A systematic knowledge of the laws of the Mental and Spiritual World. M e n t a l T r e a t m e n t . — The act, art, and science of inducing thought in Mind, which thought, oper ated upon by Mind, becomes a manifested condition. M e n t a l i t y . — An individual use of Universal Mind. There is One Mind, but within this One Mind are many mentalities. The One Mind is God and the mentalities are people. M e s m e r i s m . — The influence of personality. M e t a p h y s i c a l P r i n c i p l e .— The Universal Creative Mind; as Spirit, It is conscious; as Law, it is subjective. M e t a p h y s i c s . — That which is beyond the known laws of physics. M i c r o c o s m .— The individual world or universe of man. M i n d . — Mind is both conscious and subconscious. Conscious Mind is Spirit, either in God or man. Unconscious Mind is the law of conscious Mind acting and is, therefore, subconscious or subjective. M i r r o r o f M a t t e r . — The external form of an inner concept. M i r r o r o f M i n d .— The subjective world, reflecting the images of thought that are projected into it by the conscious mind. M o n e y . — The idea of Spiritual supply, objectified. M u l t i p l i c i t y . — The many things and people which come from the One. All come from the One, and all live in, and by, the One. M y s t i c . — One who senses the Divine Presence. M y s t i c i s m . — Not a mystery, but a mystic sense of the presence of Ultimate Reality.
286
G LOSSARY
Instinctive or Spiritual Man. Not caring which way it works. N e u t r a l i z i n g T h o u g h t .— The act of mentally erasing thought images. N o r m a l .— Natural. N a t u r a l M a n .—
N
e u t r a l .—
O b j e c t i f i c a t i o n .—
The act of objectifying.
O b j e c t i v e M i n d . — T he conscious mind. O b j e c t i v e P l a n e .— T he outer world o f expression. O b j e c t i v e Sid e O b s e s s i o n .—
of
T h o u g h t .— T he conscious side o f thinking.
Being controlled by thoughts, ideas or entities.
O c c u l t .— H idden. O m e g a .— T he last. O m n i p o t e n t .—
All-powerful. Everywhere present. I n s t i n c t i v e I Am.— God in man and things.
O m n i p r e s e n t .— O m n isc ien t
O m n i s c i e n t .— A ll-knowing. T h e O n l y .—
The One Power.
Pa r t i c u l a r i z a t i o n . — Pa s s i v e
Concrete forms produced by the Spirit. R e c e p t i v i t y .— Willing to receive any and all forms of thought.
P e a c e .— A state o f inner calm.
An external object perceived by the mind. Distinguished from a concept which is an inner idea. P e r f e c t i o n . — The real state of being. P e r s o n a l i t y .— The objective evidence of individuality. The man as we see him in the relative world. P h i l o s o p h y .— A mans idea of life. P l a n e s . — Different rates of vibration. P l a s t i c . — Easily molded. P o i s e . — Mental balance. P o t e n t i a l .— Inherent possibility. P o v e r t y . — A limited thought. P o w e r . — The union of peace with poise. P r a c t i t i o n e r .— One who practices mental healing or demonstration. P r e n a t a l .— Conditions before human birth. P r i m o r d i a l S u b s t a n c e .— The ultimate formless stuff from which all things come. P r i n c i p l e .— Any law of nature. P r o p h e t .— One who prophesies. P e r !c e p t .—
P s y c h e .— Soul or subjective. P s y c h i c .—
Subjective capacity. All people are psychic, but all are not mediums. A medium is one who objectifies the psychic sense. P s y c h i c P h e n o m e n a . — Phenomena of the soul or subjective mentality. P s y c h i c W o r l d .— The world of subjectivity.
287
G L O SS A R Y
systematic analysis of the subjective thought. Study of the workings of the human mind. P s y c h o m e t r y . — Reading from the soul side of things. P u r p o s e .— Definite intention. P s y c h o - A n a l y s i s .-— A
P s y c h o l o g y .—
Human beliefs, operating through the mentality of the individual. R e a l i t y .— The truth about anything. R e a l i z a t i o n .— Subjective comprehension of Truth. R e a s o n . — The mental ability to analyze, dissect and figure out the cause of things. The human mind can reason both inductively and deductively. The Divine Mind can reason only deductively. R e i n c a r n a t i o n . — Rebirth in the flesh. R e l a t i v e .— That which depends upon something else. R e l i g i o n .— A Man’s idea of God or gods. R e s u r r e c t i o n .— Rising from a belief in death. R e v e l a t i o n .— Becoming consciously aware of hidden things. R i c h e s . — Idea of abundance.
R a c e - S u g g e s t i o n .—
S a g e .—
One versed in spiritual truths.
S a i n t .— A holy man.
Knowledge of laws and principles. S e e r .— One who sees into causes. S e l f - C o n s c i o u s n e s s .— Personally conscious. Distinguished from Cosmic Consciousness, which is a consciousness of the Unity of the Whole. S e l f - E x i s t e n t .— Living by virtue of its own being.
S c i e n c e .—
S e l f - K n o w i n g M i n d .— T he conscious mind.
Having power within itself. S e l f - R e a l i z a t i o n .— A consciousness of the self as a reality. S il e n c e .— The inner realization of the One Life. S i m p l e C o n s c i o u s n e s s .— Consciousness, as in an animal. S in .— Missing the mark. There is no sin but a mistake and no punishment but an inevitable con sequence. S o nsh ip .— Man as the Son of God. S o u l .— The Creative Medium of Spirit. S o u l o f t h e U n i v e r s e . — The Universal Creative Medium. S p a c e .— The Cosmic World. The distance between two specific forms. Space is a relative condition within the Absolute. S p e c i a l i z e .— To bring into concrete form. S p i r i t .— God, within Whom all spirits exist. The Self-Knowing One. The Conscious Universe. The Absolute.
S e l f - P r o p e l l i n g .—
Spirit
of
Spirit
of th e
S p i r i t s .—
M a n .— G od in man. U n i v e r s e .—
The Self-Knowing Mind of God.
Personalities.
288
G L O SS A R Y
The atmosphere of God. The realization of the Divine Presence. S p i r i t u a l M a n .— Man in a conscious state. S p i r i t u a l R e a l i z a t i o n .— The realization of the Divine Presence. St r e a m o f C o n s c i o u s n e s s . — The automatic, mental emanation of the subjective state of thought. S u b c o n s c i o u s .— The same as subjective. S u b j e c t i v e .— Beneath the threshold of the conscious. The inner side. S u b j e c t i v e A c t i v i t y .— The inner action of the automatic law. S u b j e c t i v e C a u s a t i o n .— The mental law set in motion. S u b j e c t i v e S i d e o f L i f e . — The inner side of life, as law. S u b j e c t i v e S t a t e o f T h o u g h t .-— The sum total of all one’s thinking, both conscious and un conscious. S u b j e c t i v e T e n d e n c y . — The subjective trend of thought. S u b j e c t i v e t o S p i r i t . —-The Law is subjective to the Spirit. S u b j e c t i v i t y o f t h e U n i v e r s e . — The Universal Soul or mental Law. S p i r i t u a l .— Sp i r i t u a l C
o n s c i o u s n e s s .—
S u b l i m a t e .— To transmute energy into another form of action. S u b s i s t .— To live by virtue of spirit.
The formless back of all forms. Receiving the thoughts of another. Suggestion accepts the ideas of others and be lieves in them. It may be conscious or unconscious.
S u b s t a n c e .—
S u g g e s t i o n .—
S y m b o l .— M ental impressions denoting spiritual or mental truths. T e l e k i n e t i c E n e r g y .-— Moving
ponderable objects without physical contact. T e l e p a t h y . — Thought transference. T h e o l o g y . — That which treats of the nature of God. T h o u g h t F o r m s . — All thought has definite form on the subjective side of life. T h o u g h t .— The movement of consciousness. Tim e .— “Sequence of events in a Unitary Whole.” T r a n c e .— A subjective state. T r a n s m u t a t i o n .—
Same as sublimation. The art, act and science of inducing thought on the subjective side of life. Setting the Law in motion. T r i n i t y . — The Threefold Universe.
T r e a t m e n t .—
T r i u n e U n i t y .— T he Trinity. T r u t h . — That which
Is.
U n c o n s c i o u s M e m o r y .— Subjective memory. U n c o n s c i o u s T h o u g h t .—
Unconscious subjective thought. The Oneness of God and man. U n i v e r s a l L a w .— Divine Principle. U n i v e r s a l M i n d . — The Creative Medium o f Spirit. U n i v e r s a l S o u l . — The Universal Subjectivity.
U n i t y .—
289
G LOSS ARY
Conscious Mind of God. The Creative Medium or the Universal Mind. U n i v e r s e .— T he Cosmic World. U n i v e r s a l S p i r i t .— T he
U n i v e r s a l S u b j e c t i v i t y .—
V i b r a t i o n .—
Law in execution. The art of mentally projecting a thought form into the Universal Creative
V i s u a l i z a t i o n .—
Medium. W o r d .—
The thought of God or man.
290
TH E CALL
This I saw, or else some inner presence made it known to me; The Universe is filled with life; the air, the sky, the sea Teem with intelligence, with majesty and might; And deep within me, some subtle inner sight Beholds and sees, comprehends and knows the All, Nor fears nor falters, but answers the Divine Call To be as one beyond the bounds of time and space, To overcome the bondage of the human race, And leap, with trust undaunted, free, Into the deeps of that Infinite Sea Whose waters, calm, are ready to receive Those who, in simple faith, believe.
THE
SCIENCE OF MIND 1938 Edition
These lessons are dedicated to that Truth which frees man from him self and sets him on the pathway o f a new experience, which enables him to see through the mist to the Eternal and Changeless Reality.
PEA CE BE U N T O T H E E , ST R A N G E R
Peace be unto thee, stranger, enter and be not afraid. I have left the gate open and thou art welcome to my home. There is room in my house for all. I have swept the hearth and lighted the fire. The room is warm and cheerful and you will find comfort and rest within. The table is laid and the fruits of Life are spread before thee. The wine is here also, it sparkles in the light. I have set a chair for you where the sunbeams dance through the shade. Sit and rest and refresh your soul. Eat of the fruit and drink the wine. All, all is yours, and you are welcome.
Contents
INTRODUCTION I . THE TH ING ITSELF
309
The Universe Never Plays Favorites ♦ Nothing Supernatural about the Study o j Life * There Are Not Two Minds, Only Two Names ♦ Limitless Power at M an’s Disposal ♦ All Thought Is Creative ♦ The Road to Freedom Is Not Mysterious ♦ Learning to Trust Will Make Us Happy ♦ Divine Nature Is in Every Man.
II. THE WAY IT WORKS
J/6
Universal Mind, or Spirit, Is God ♦ The Seed o f Perfection Is Hidden Within * Spirit WorksJ o r Us by Working Through Us ♦ How Much Can We Believe? ♦ Good Only .. . Not Good and Evil.
III. WHAT IT DOES The Universe Impersonal * A Riddle o f Simplicity * Love Rules Through Law ♦ The Scientific Method * Contains All Knowledge ♦ Mental Work Is Definite ♦ The Principle Re-stated * The Secret Already Known ♦ Treatment Active, Not Passive 4 No Mystery in Truth * Hope a Subtle Illusion ♦ No Limit to Thought.
320
IV. HOW TO USE IT
328
All Principles Are Intangible ♦ The Law Is Infinite ♦ God Does Not Punish the Mathematician, the Unsolved Problem Does ♦ Bring Thought into Line with Reality ♦ Fill the Mind with the Expectancy o f Good * Let Your Conversation Be in Heaven * We Must Trust the Invisible * Treatment a Spiritual Entity in a Mental World ♦ True Thought Deals Directly with First Cause.
Part One
THE NATURE OF BEING What we believe about God and man.
1 . “ i n THE BEG IN N IN G , g o d ! ”
337
The Beginning ♦ The Story o f Creation Simplified ♦ Describing the Infinite ♦ Absolute Intelligence * A Deep Inquiry ♦ The Voice o f God in Creation ♦ The Thought o f G od . . . The Word o f God ♦ Spirit Knows Itself ♦ Volition.
2 . MIND . . . THE GREATEST DISCOVERY
343
Nature Waits on Mans S e lf Recognition ♦ The First Great Discovery ♦ The Greatest Discovery o f All Time ...M in d * Memory ♦ Science ♦ How Laws Are Discovered * The Science o f Mind * Where Do We Get Our Mental Impressions? * Reading Thought ♦ Mental Laws ♦ The Threefold Nature o f God ♦ Trinity o f Being.
3 . SPIRIT
350
The Definition o f Spirit ♦ Its Nature * Spirit, the Changeless * The Action o f Spirit Within Itself ♦ How We Understand Its Operation ♦ Metaphysics and Physics ♦ Only One Mind * The “Personalness”o f God.
4 . SOUL Creative
3S& Medium ♦ Subjective
Intelligence * Law ♦ How We
Use
the
Creative
Principle ♦
Mind and Ether ♦ How Can Spirit Create? * The Soul Reasons Deductively ♦ Subjectivity Never an Entity.
BODY
362
Definition ♦ That Which Changes ♦ Form Within the Formless ♦ Cause and Effect ♦ Unity and Multiplicity ♦ Immortality ♦ ^4 Divine Mental Picture.
6.
m a n ’s relationship to th e spiritual u n iv er se
36#
Afan Re-enacts the Nature o f God ♦ 77ie World Has Learned All It Should Through Suffering ♦ Freedom or Bondage ♦ Punishment and Reward ♦ Spirit, Soul, and Body ♦ Limitless Medium ♦ Christ and Antichrist ♦ Unity ♦ Subjective Law ♦ The Result o f Our Own Thinking * Law Is Mind in Action ♦ The Destructive Use o f the Law ♦ Oneness with All Law.
7 . SUMMARY OF PART ONE: THE NATURE OF BEING
3*4
WTiat we believe about God and man.
P a rt Two
SPIRITUAL M IND HEALING FIRST D IVISION: IDEATION
A recognition o f the Power, an d the thought an d purpose back o f m ind healing.
8. THE POW ER OF THOUGHT
391
Spiritual Mind Healing ♦ The Basisf o r Mental Healing ♦ The Act ofIncarnation ♦ Activity o f the One Mind * It Is Done unto Us * Thought Force * The Atmosphere o f Our Thinking ♦ Inducing Thought ♦ Choosing Thought ♦ Thoughts Are Things * One with God ♦ The Power Within ♦ We Set Our Own Limitations * Understanding.
9 . PRAYER The Difference Between Prayer and Treatm ent ♦ Laws Governing Prayer ♦ Prayer Is Essential to Happiness * Prayer Is Its Own Answer.
399
I O. FAITH
403
The Mental Approach ♦ Always a Power ♦ Misplaced Faith * Understanding Faith ♦ No Confusion * Available to All ♦ Vitalizing Faith ♦ The Technique o f Acquiring Faith ♦ Conviction.
I I . MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL TREATM ENT
409
Treatment: What It Is ♦ 77ie Purpose of Treatment * The Way of Treatment ♦ Treatment Not Explained in the Bible ♦ W'Tiat /s a Practitioner? ♦ The First Requisite * A Practitioner's Business ♦ Different Methods o f Treatment * When and What Is a Demonstration? * Let Us Not Fool Ourselves.
1 2 . SUMMARY OF PART TW O: SPIRITUAL MIND H EALING, FIRST DIVISION: IDEATION
4*9
A recognition o f the Power, and the thought and purpose back o f mind healing.
P a rt T h ree
SPIRITUAL M IND HEALING SECON D DIVISION: PRACTICE
D eterm ining destiny. The technique by which we lay h old o f m ind power, an d prove its practicability.
I 3 . CAUSES AND CONDITIONS
4*5
Mental Practice Deals Only with Thought ♦ Changeless Reality ♦ The Perfect Universe * Turn Entirely from the Condition ♦ Look Only at What You Want ♦ Never Limit Your View ( f Life ♦ Place No Limit on Principle * God Never Compromises.
1 4 . PHYSICAL
PERFECTION
430
What We Understand about Healing ♦ We Are Allowed to Only
Our
Own
Concepts
Limit
Us ♦ Spiritual
Mind
Choose ♦ Man
Healing ♦ Disease
Re-enacts God * Is
Impersonal ♦
Disease Is Not Always Due to Conscious Thought * How to H eal 4 Healing Is Clear Thinking ♦ No Sensation inTreatments * The Medium o f Healing ♦ Treating Children ♦ The Power s)
Jesus tells us that the child-like mind is more receptive to Truth than the over-intellectual who demand too rational an explanation of those truths which must be accepted on faith alone. What man can explain why he lives? The self-evident fact of living is the only explanation possible or necessary. In the whole life, and through the entire teaching, o f this marvelous man, we find a child-like faith in the universe and an implicit trust in the goodness of God. Judging his work by its results, and its influence on succeeding ages, we are compelled to accept the fact that “Wisdom is justified o f her children.”
Th e R e a l Fa t h e r a n d S o n ( M a t t . 1 1 : 2 7 ) “And no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” What reasonable explanation can we find to this passage, unless we look for some hidden meaning behind these words of the great teacher? God alone knows the real Son, forever hid den in the bosom o f the Father. To God, this idea o f sonship must be pure, complete and perfect; divine, holy and indestructible. With our present limited vision, we neither see nor know the real Son, but the Father within knows and understands. “Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” God is revealed through the Son, and the Son reveals himself to other sons when he realizes that God is his life. This implies a direct relationship between God and man. If one would know God, he must penetrate deeply into his own nature, for here alone can he find Him. If he would reveal God to his fellowmen, he must do so by living such a God-like life, that the Divine Essence flows through him to others. The only way to know God is to be like Him; and while this may seem discouraging in our present state o f evolution, we should remember that we have but started on an eternal ladder which ever spirals upward. When Jesus said to come to him and find rest (“ Come unto me all ye that labour and are 606
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heavy laden and I will give you rest . . .”) did he mean that we should, or could, come unto his personality? O f course not. Jesus knew that his human personality would soon be dissolved in his divine individuality. He knew that he was soon to leave this world and go on to a deeper realization of life, truth and beauty. It is evident, then, that he was referring to his understanding o f life, when he told all who are weary to come unto him and find rest. Had he not already explained that God indwells every soul? He was inviting people to penetrate more deeply into their own natures, if they would find peace and comfort. This has ever been the lesson taught by the illumined that we find God only within ourselves, and God can workfo r us only by working through us. God re veals Himself directly through the Son. The Son reveals God, when he realizes that God is al ready within him. This understanding would not produce an undue conceit, nor would it set man in the temple of God as God; but it would place a true estimate o f value on the life of man.
T h e Po
w e r at t h e
H
eart
of
G
od
Peace is the power at the heart of God. It is through the revelation o f the self, to the self, that one understands life; that he approaches the power which is at the heart of God. This comes through a recognition of the unity of the individual, with the Spirit back of, in, and through all. The problem of philosophy is to unite the Infinite with the finite; to join the abstract with the concrete; to find a meeting place between the Absolute and the relative; to unify with First Cause. The same problem confronts religion and is, indeed, its whole purpose: to unify man with God. This is also true o f science, but from a different angle. Science seeks to join causes with effects, and by so doing make practical use o f its knowledge. Science is really spiritual, while philosophy leads to true religion. Science is the handmaid of religion and philosophy.
The G
reat
Search
The world seeks a solution o f its great riddle— the apparent separation between God and man; between life and what it does; between the invisible and the visible; between the Father and the Son— and until this riddle is solved, there can be no peace. Peace is an inner calm, obtained through m ans knowledge o f what he believes and why. Without knowledge, there is no lasting peace. Nothing can bring peace but the revelation of the individual to himself, and a recognition of his direct relationship to the Universe. He must know that he is an eternal being on the pathway of life, with certainty behind him, certainty before him, and certainty accompanying him all the way. Peace is brought about through a conscious unity of the personal man with the inner prin 607
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ciple o f his life— that underlying current, flowing from a divine center, pressing ever outward into expression. But this can never come by proxy. We can hire others to work for us, to care for our physical needs, but no one can livefo r us. This we must dofo r ourselves.
Th e N
eed
of
Spiritu al Ex per ien ce
We need spiritual experience, a first-hand knowledge of life and Reality. There is no medium between God and man, nothing between life and living, between heaven and hell, but an idea. But an idea has no real value until it becomes an experience. In conversation, we assume great knowledge of religion and philosophy, but how much do we really experience? We can know only that which we experience. All great religions have taught truth, but it means nothing to us unless it becomes our truth. We need spiritual experience. We shall never know peace until we embody it, we shall never know Truth until we become Truth, and we cannot know God unless we sense Him within our own being. The Spirit is ever giving, but we must take. What life does for us must be done through us. Spiritual experience is deep, calm and self-assertive; it is the result of actually realizing that Presence which binds all together in one complete Whole. This experience comes in the still ness o f the Soul, when the outer voice is quiet, when the tempest of human strife is abated; it is a quickening of the inner man to an eternal reality. Spiritual experience is a fact. Spirituality may be defined as an atmosphere o f good, the realization of God. It cannot— and does not— borrow its light from another, no matter how great or noble that other may be. It springs from within, coming from that never-failing foun tain of life, which quenches every thirst, whose Source is in eternity; the well-spring of self existence. It is a revelation o f the self to the self, putting one back on the track o f his own self-dependence on Spirit, his own at-one-ment with Reality.
The C
ause
of
H
um an
Tr o u bles
The integrity of the universe cannot be questioned nor doubted. The Spirit must be, and is, per fect. That which is back o f everything must be good, must be complete, must be love and har mony. When we are out o f harmony with some special good, it is because we are off the track along that particular line of the activity of Spirit. But how are we to regain the lost Paradise? Only through soul culture and by careful selfanalysis. What is my viewpoint of life? This is a question each should ask himself. What do I feel my relationship to the great Whole to be? What do I believe about the Cause back o f all? From
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whence come discouragement, fear, doubt and calamity? They cannot proceed from the eternal Source— that perfect fount o f life— the inexhaustible One. Therefore, they must come from my own consciousness. They cannot be born of the Truth. The Truth is God, and God is free, happy, peaceful and ever poised in His own Being. I must set myself right with the universe. I must find the way back to the central fire, if I am to be warmed. I must find the Source, if I am to be supplied. I must be like God, i f I wish to realize His Spirit in my life! A change of consciousness does not come by simply willing or wishing. It is not easy to hold the mental attention to an ideal, while the human experience is discordant, but— it is possible. Knowing the Truth is not a process o f self-hypnosis, but one of a gradual unfoldment o f the inner self.
How
to A p p ro ach th e Sp irit
If we wish to come to the Spirit for the healing o f our wounds, let us come in peace and with spontaneous joy, for the Spirit is joy; let us come with thanksgiving also, for a thankful heart is in harmony with life. But we must come in quiet confidence, with an open and receptive mind, a believing heart, naturally, sanely and expectantly. In this way, we are entering the portals of Reality, clad in garments o f righteousness. We often think what we require is money, friends and physical healing. After these things, do those, who are outside a knowledge of the Law, seek; and they do well, for we need all these things. But they are the effects o f right relationships to life. All people need some form o f healing. Most people are unhappy, few have any realization of permanent peace. We seek fragments, when the whole is at hand. How illogical to think that anything can rise higher than its source. The Universe is a perfect, undivided whole, and healing can take place only when one is unified with It. How can anyone, then, be healed in part? Let us seek wholeness above all else. If we would come to the Universal Wholeness, we must approach it through the law of its own nature. This means that we must give our undivided attention to the spiritual unit back of all things. Since all else is included within this unit, we find our particular good only through unity with life. This conscious unity makes our mind receptive to completion, since Life Itself is complete.This perception is always an inner light, for the individual can use only such knowl edge as he inwardly possesses. In reality, we know God or Truth, only as we ourselves embody God or Truth. AN D SINCE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO EM BO DY A N YTH IN G O UTSIDE O U R SELVES, THIS K N O W LED G E M UST BE AN IN N ER LIGHT. The Truth Itself is Infinite, but we only embody the Infinite in degree. To the degree that we do embody Reality, we become poised and powerful.
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The P u r p o s e of th e Sc ie n c e of M in d The whole purpose of the Science o f Mind is to reconcile the apparent separation o f the spiri tual world, which must be Perfect, with the material world, which appears imperfect.The Spiritual world is the CAUSE o f the material; we are spiritual beings governed by mental law. ONLY THAT W O R LD CAN APPEA R TO US W HICH W E M ENTALLY PERCEIV E. M ans experi ence is the logical outcome of his inner vision; his horizon is limited to the confines o f his own consciousness. W herever this consciousness lacks a true perspective, its outward expression w ill lack proper harmony. This is why we are taught to be transformed by the renewing o f our minds. Since no one lives by proxy, but each unto himself, every individual must make the test in his own soul.
A n d J esus K n e w Th e ir Th o u g h t s (M att, i 2: 2^) “And Jesus knew their thoughts. . . .” That is, he had an extended vision which enabled him to know what others were thinking. He had healed a man possessed of unclean thoughts, and the priests had reasoned within themselves that his power to do this was of the “evil one.” Jesus, understanding what was in their minds, told them that a house divided against itself cannot stand; and that if he cast out evil by the power of evil, then evil would be a house divided against itself. “But,” he said, “if I cast out devils by the Spirit o f God, then the kingdom o f God is come unto you.” We cannot do good while we continue to do evil, nor can we heal evil except by the power o f good. To all sincere students o f Spiritual Science, this lesson is a guide post, pointing to the fact that the thought of good must ever overcome any thought that is less than good. By the presente o f good, evil is cast out, just as by the presence of light, the darkness disappears.
G ood Th o u g h ts a n d a G ood H arvest (M att. 7 : 1 7 ,
18)
A good tree produces good fruit, so good thoughts bear a harvest o f good deeds, while evil consumes itself in the flame o f its own fire. If a m ans life produces good deeds, then the man is himself good; and this, no matter what his particular religious belief may or may not be. The mouth speaks from the heart. It is impossible for a man to conceal himself. In every act, word, or gesture, he stands revealed as he is, and not as he would have himself appear to be. From the universe, nothing is or can be hidden; the very walls have ears and the m irror of life cannot help reflecting back to us that which we really are.
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Jesus plainly tells us that we are held accountable for the very words which we speak. No man ever lived who placed a greater power in the word. By our words we are justified or con demned. The word may be considered to be the complete thought and act o f man. There must be a thought before there can be an act, and a thinker before there can be any thought. The thinker condemns or justifies himself through his thought.
T h e Fa t h e r - M o t h e r G o d ( M a t t . 1 2 : 4 7 , 4 8 ) It is related that while Jesus was talking, he was told that his mother and brethren waited to speak with him. “But he answering said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?” He then told them that whoever does the w ill o f God is his mother, sister and brother. We are not to suppose, by this, that he did not care for his earthly parents or friends. He was explaining that anyone who lives in harmony with the Truth, automatically becomes the brother, the sister or the mother of all. This is a lesson in the brotherhood of man. God is the Androgynous Principle, the Father and Mother of all. Our earthly parents symbolize this heavenly parentage. Jesus was a con sciously cosmic soul, who recognized his unity with all. He knew that love must become uni versal before it can reach its maturity. Hence he said that all who live in harmony with the Truth are brothers in it.
To H im W h o H a t h S h a l l B e G i v e n ( M a t t . 1 3 : 1 2 ) “Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.” This certainly sounds like a very hard saying, and is most discouraging to one who has not fathomed the depths o f its meaning. We appear to have little enough, and to have this little withdrawn from our small possessions seems more than we can bear. And for us to feel that those who already have, are to receive more, sounds unfair. Let us examine this saying in the light of an understanding o f the law o f cause and effect, that subtle reality which lies hidden in the creative power o f m ans mind. Unless one conceives o f himself as possessing good things, he will not possess them. From the objective world of such a one, even that which he has will be taken away. This is but another way o f stating the law o f cause and effect, that immutable principle, which governs all things.
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The C o n c e p t of a Su c c e s s f u l M a n Could we see the mentality of a successful man, we should find the imprint o f success written in bold letters across the doorway o f his consciousness. The successful man is sure of himself, sure of what he is doing, certain o f the outcome o f his undertakings. As much gathers more, as like attracts like, so success breeds greater success, and conviction is attended by certainty.The whole teaching o f Jesus is to have faith and to believe. He placed a greater value on faith and belief than any individual who has ever taught spiritual truth. We are to believe in ourselves because we have first penetrated the invisible Cause back o f the real self. We are to have abso lute faith in our work, because we have positive conviction o f the inner power which enables us to do this work. But to those who believe only in failure, the law comes in corresponding measure, measur ing back to them the logical outcome o f their beliefs. The habitual failure bears, across the threshold o f his thought, an image o f his inability to attain. The old law says that what little he has shall'be withdrawn until he has learned the lesson o f life and action. Each should train himself— and do so consciously— to conceive o f himself as a success. Sailing on that boundless sea o f livingness, upon whose bosom we are all carried forward, we should go from success to greater success. All thoughts o f failure or depression must be erased from the mentality, and positive thoughts o f achievement should take their place. Have faith in God, in life, and in your fellowman. KNO W THAT RIG H T IS MIGHT. Get some degree of real conviction and stay with it. The Cosmic Mind is neither wishy-washy nor willy-nilly. It is positive, certain of Itself and sure o f the outcome.
The Se e i n g E y e (M att. 1 3 : 1 6 ) “ Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.” What is it the eye should see and the ear hear? Do not all people s eyes see and their ears hear? No. But few, indeed, when looking, see, or listening, hear. We are to see that Spirit creates all things by the power o f Its own word, and that we are spiritual beings. We are to hear that inner voice ofTruth, which is ever proclaiming the freedom of all life, the eternal unity of God with man. It is useless for those who have never experienced this inner seeing or hearing to deny its reality. A man might as well say there is no meadow because he has never seen one. The world needs spiritual experience, as it needs bread and butter. Men need spiritual convictions as they need meat and drink. And with spiritual convic tions come all else. To those who have, shall be given.
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ingd o m
and
THE
the
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ustard
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Seed (M
att.
13:31,
32)
“The kingdom o f heaven is like a grain o f mustard seed.” From a knowledge of mental action, we know that a constructive idea, planted or buried in the subjective mind, tends to grow into a real condition. Jesus could not have chosen a more comprehensive way to illustrate his point.
T h e K i n g d o m Is L i k e L e a v e n ( M a t t . 1 3 : 3 3 ) “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven.” We know that thoughts planted in mind have the power to chemicalize opposing ideas, and leaven the whole lump o f subjectivity. In this way, ideas gradually permeate the mind and influence all thought and action. If the idea is o f heaven, it will certainly bring about a heavenly state.
The P e a r l of G reat P r ic e (M att. 1 3 : 4 ^, 46) The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a pearl o f great price, for which a man will sell all that he has, that he may possess it. This, perhaps, best explains the way o f the illumined. To them, the kingdom o f heaven has meant everything, and has been above all else. We find them going away by themselves that they may more completely enjoy this inner realization o f their relation ship to the Whole. A divine companionship has ever attended such, on the pathway o f human experience. The description of the things they have seen, felt and heard, constitutes some of the most valuable lessons the world has ever learned. The only news we have of Heaven has come through the consciousness o f men, and to those few who have penetrated the veil o f illusion and entered the realms of deeper reality, we owe a debt that cannot be paid in any other terms than those o f appreciation and thanksgiving. That the illumined have had experiences which the average man cannot conceive of, is certain; and that anyone who wills to know Truth may know it, is evident to all who make the attempt. But let us not forget that spiritual experiences are normal, natural and rational. The illumined have always had rational intellects and well-balanced mentalities. No experience is salutary, unless it be gained while in a normal state o f mind. Too great a warning cannot be given against any attempt to break through the veil, when in any other but a perfectly normal mental state. Jesus lived in the spiritual world just as normally as we live in the material, and just as consciously. And what is the spiritual world? And where is it? It is right here, could we but see it. Behind everything material, stands the spiritual, supporting it, and without which there could be no material.
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T h at W h ic h D e file s (M att.
ig:i 8 y 1 9 , 2 0 )
Not what we eat or drink, but what we think, defiles. The issues o f life are from within. If a man is clean in his mind, then is he clean indeed. We must keep the mental house free from any thought which contradicts the truth o f being. Life is what consciousness makes it. This is a great realization. Experience may appear to disclaim this fact, but the principle involved is an immutable one, and cannot be shaken any more than the integrity o f the universe can be violated. Let each resolve to be true to himself, true to his inner light, true to the Truth as he under stands It. When every man learns to speak the Truth, a complete salvation w ill come to the world. If one thinks impurity, then his acts will be impure. If his thought dwells on purity and Truth, then his acts— reflecting his mind— will make him pure and true. Every plant which is not o f G o d s planting shall be rooted up. In the long run, everything that does not belong to the Heavenly Kingdom will be destroyed. Truth alone can endure.
W h en th e B lin d L ead th e B lin d (M att. 1 ^ : 1 4 ) “If the blind lead the bliiid, both shall fall into the ditch.” We must be careful what kind of thought we are following. We must test all ideas to see whether they are of the Truth. It is a mistake to accept every m ans philosophy simply because it sounds plausible. We are to be on guard against accepting that which is not true. And let us remember this: the Truth is simple, direct and always self-evident. False ideas heaped upon false ideas make bad matters worse. The whole confusion o f the world arises from fundamental errors of thought. Chief among these errors— and the father to a greater part o f the others— is a belief in duality. The belief in duality supposes that evil is equal to good: that a suppositional devil divides, with Good, the kingdom o f Truth. Such things can not be. Remember the teachings o f Moses, that “ God is One.” If, on the other hand, we accept that evil has a power equal to good, then we must fall into the ditch of our own confusion. To believe in the good alone, may seem fallacious to many, but he who thus believes will find his path lighted by a torch which flickers not, nor fails.
W h o W o u l d S a v e H is L i f e S h a l l L o s e I t ( B a s e d o n M a t t . 1 6 : 2 4 —2 7 ) This is another o f those mystical sayings o f Jesus which must be carefully considered before accepting it. Does God demand that we give up everything if we are to enter the Kingdom of 614
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Heaven? O f course not! To suppose that God wills us to be limited is to contradict the Divine Nature. G od s only will is to Be, and for all to Be, for God can conceive o f man only as part of Himself. It must be, then, that what we are to lose is the sense of living apart from Life. We find our selves in the Divine Idea, immersed in the Infinite Godhead, one with the Perfect Whole. But should we think that we, o f ourselves, without this relationship rightly established, can be, or can express, then we cut the cord that binds us to the main power line and lose what little power we have. We are powerful only as we unite with Power. We are weak when we desert this Power. Not because God is jealous, but because this is the way things work. The idea o f a false renunciation— of the giving up of all pleasure and benefits in this life— is not even suggested in the teachings of Jesus. Self-effacement, the neglect of the body, the belief that we must be unhappy and poor in order to serve the Truth, all these are immature ideas which deny the divine birthright of the soul, the incarnated Spirit of the Most High within us. When we are willing to lose a personal sense of responsibility; when we let go o f the thought of isolation and claim a real unity with God, then we lose the personal and find the Universal. But remember, as the greater always includes the lesser, so the Universal always includes the personal, which is a personification o f Itself. Man is to lose the small estimate o f himself, the isolated person, and is to find the greater reality, the incarnated and real ego. The image o f the Father cannot be defaced nor can all the w it or the sham of man really obliterate this image. The Eternal Light is God, and this Light illumines the pathway of the personal when there are no obstructions. Who leans on the Truth, throwing all— with an undivided attention— on the scales of R e ality, will find them balanced rightly, through the great law o f compensation, which weighs and measures everything exactly as it is.
Fa s t i n g a n d P r a y e r ( M a t t . 1 7 : 2 1 ) We are not to suppose that the physical act o f fasting, or the metaphysical act o f prayer, can move the throne of grace to a kindness which is otherwise withheld. God plays no favorites and the Law of the Universe cannot reverse Its own nature. Fasting and prayer often do bring our thought closer to Reality, not because o f the fasting or the prayer, but because they open up greater fields o f receptivity in our minds. If one wishes to embody an ideal and is willing to give up all else to attain it, then he isfast ing and praying! He is sublimating an old idea with a new and a better one. If he is willing to abstain from the old and cling to the new, then he is giving greater reality to the new, and in this way contacting the Law from a more affirmative angle.
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A steadfast determination to attain some purpose, the letting go o f all that opposes it, a complete reliance upon the Law o f Good, and an unqualified trust in Spirit— this is true fast ing and real prayer. The scientist, in profound thought and meditation before his problem— deserting all to solve it— is praying a true prayer to the principle of his science. The poet, waiting in the silence of his own soul for inspiration, is praying that he may invoke the spirit of poetry to his listening ear. The sculptor, chiselling at his marble, contemplating the beauty to be brought forth, prays to his god of art; and the farmer, kneeling beside his cabbage patch, trusts in the natural Law of Good to bring his seed to harvest. We live in a fasting and praying world, but often we do not read the signs aright. We are too used to the outward sign to realize its inward significance. The world is much better than it knows or feels itself to be.
H e a l i n g t h e L u n a t i c ( M a t t . 1 7 : 1 4 —1 9 ) What majesty and might do we see in the calm words o f Jesus! “ Bring him hither to me.” No doubt is here, no sense of approaching failure, no lack of trust in the perfect Law which governs all. “And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out o f him .” Surely this lesson should teach us that evil is but an obsession and— from the standpoint of eternal Reality— a complete illusion. Could we cast out evil from our thought if evil were a real entity or had actual power? The answer is self-evident, we could not. Evil flees before Reality and to the mind which knows it, evil is not.
As
Little C h ild ren
(M att.
18:3)
We must become as little children. How we long for a return of that simple trust in life which children have; in their minds there are no doubts— they have not yet been told that they are sinners, destitute o f divine guidance and spiritual life. The life of the child is lived in natural goodness. God is natural goodness. The prison walls of false experience soon build themselves into barriers, shutting out the light, and the child grows into a man, often losing his sense of that inner Guide, leading his footsteps aright. We must return the way we came. As little children, who know that life is good and to be trusted, we are to approach our problems as though they were not. Approaching them in this manner, they will vanish. Let not the materialist deny us this right, nor the unbelieving cast any reflection of his blind
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ness before our eyes. There is a wisdom and power not o f the flesh, which springs perennially from the inner life— all-powerful and all-wise.
W h a t s o e v e r Y e S h a l l B i n d o n E a r t h ( M a t t , i 8: i 8) N ext we come to a passage difficult to understand and one which has caused confusion in many minds. “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” A superficial reading o f this passage might lead one to suppose that this earth provides the last chance for the salvation o f the soul. But this is not the meaning o f the text which implies that the experience o f death cannot change all. As a man has lived on earth, so he will continue to live after death. If he has been pure, he will continue to be pure. If he has been otherwise, he will continue to be otherwise. False experience will continue until the lesson is learned, until the soul turns from that which hurts to its greater good. The spirit of man is o f like nature to the Spirit o f God, and it is impossible for the Spirit o f God to remain in darkness. The next life is a logical continuation of this one and could not be otherwise.
D iv in e F o r g iv e n e s s (M att. 1 8 : 2 1 , 22) In the next passage, Jesus clearly explains the meaning o f divine forgiveness. He says that we should forgive until seventy times seven. This is but another way o f saying that forgiveness is eternal and ever available. What a load is dropped from the shoulders of personal responsibil ity, when we realize that the Eternal Mind holds naught against anyone! But, to those who feel that this is unfair, it will be a hard saying. “What,” says one, “are not my virtues to be rewarded above those who have none?” O, foolish one and blind, what do you know about virtue? Has your life always been beyond reproach? Have you never fallen short of the divine calling? Who are you to point the finger o f scorn at your brother? The man who feels self-righteousness rise from his petty virtues, lives a life of self-delusion. Know this: Virtue does not know that it is virtuous, and could it know, it would immediately become vicious. Virtue is sweet as the morning dew, soft as the evening star, and brilliant as the noonday sun. Could the dew tell why it is sweet, the star say why its light is soft, or the sun say why it shines? When we learn to put away our petty virtues with our petty vices, then shall we see clearly— not what either virtue or vice is— but what Truth is! The mind which condemns, understands not the truth of being, and the heart which would
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shut the door o f its bosom to one who is mistaken, strangles its own life, closing its eyes to a greater vision. The biggest life is the one which includes the most. Not that we foster vice or place a premium upon wrong-doing, but that we understand the frailties of human nature and learn to overlook much. To him who loves much, much is forgiven.
A Fo r m u l a fo r E f f e c t iv e P r a y e r (M att. 2 1 : 2 1 , 22) TH E TH IN GS W E NEED, W E ARE TO ASK FO R— and W E ARE TO BELIEVE THAT W E RECEIV E THEM ! This plumbs the very depths o f the metaphysical and psychological law of our being, and explains the possibility o f an answer to our prayers. When we pray we are to believe that we have. We are surrounded by a universal law which is cre ative. It moves from the thought to the thing. Unless there is first an image, it cannot move, for there would be nothing for it to move toward. Prayer, which is a mental act, must accept its own answer as an image in mind, before the divine energies can play upon it and make it productive. As we must plant a seed before we can reap a harvest, so we must believe before our prayers can be answered. Prayer should reach a point o f acceptance, an unqualified and undisputed place of agreement. Let us take the mental images o f our desires to the bosom o f the Creative Life, and here make them known by impressing them upon It with positive belief. If we do this, our prayers will be answered. But let us remember that true prayer is always universal.There can be no good to us alone, only as that good is for all. This does not mean that we are to refrain from asking what we desire, but that we should wish only for that which is good. For instance, it is good to have a home; it is good for all people to have homes while here on earth; it is right to ask for one, but it would not be right to ask for one belonging to another. If we wish to pray for a home, we should take the idea o f a house with us into the silence and meditate upon its actual being. We should believe that we have and own a home, but we should leave the idea free to fulfill itself, without any definite choosing of how, where, why, or when. In this way, we pray aright and when we so pray, we pray effectively. God wills us to have everything. As we express life, we fulfill G o d s law of abundance, but we do this only as we realize that there is good enough to go around— only as we know that all o f G o d s gifts are given as freely and fully as the air and the sunshine . . . alike to all.
T h e T w o G r e a t C o m m a n d m e n t s ( M a t t . 2 2 : 3 6 —4 1 ) The two great commandments are to love God and our brother man. On these hang all the law and the prophets. Love is a complete unity with life, and we cannot enter this state unless we 618
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are in unity with all that lives, for all life is One.To love God alone is not enough, for this would exclude our fellowman. To love our fellowman alone is not sufficient, for this would be too limited a concept o f God. When we realize that God and man are One and not two, we shall love both. We shall love man as an expression o f God, and God as the Life Principle in all. From this teaching, we are not to suppose that we are to love that in each other which does not savor of right, we are to love the right alone. We are to look for God in each other and love this God, forgetting all else. But would this compel us to accept from people that which is not good? O f course not! It is not necessary for one to make a doormat o f himself in proving that God is love, for this would be like suffering for righteousness’ sake, which is always a mistake. We should be wise in the ways of the world, as well as imbued with Divine wisdom. We are not to mistake a counterfeit for the real, nor accept every m ans doctrine lest we disagree. The Truth is positive but non-combative; It is sure o f Itself, but never argumentative. It loves sincer ity and abhors deceit. Above all else, the Truth is wise, It represents the All-seeing Eye, from which nothing can be hidden. The student of Truth will receive all that comes in the name of the Lord, that is, all that is o f the Truth; all else will fall by its own weight.
H isto ry P roves th e R e a lit y o f T r u th (M att. 26:52)
As we glance over the pages of history, this saying o f Jesus stands sure and true: “ . . . for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Those nations who have risen by the sword have fallen among the ruins of their own false hopes. History has proven that strife begets strife, that the way of the transgressor is hard. In international strife, all nations are beaten, in so far as they have taken up the sword in hate, avarice or lust. We do not recognize this apparent power which lasts for a day, for it is but a false gesture, defeating its own purpose as falseness ever must. Jesus speaking from the viewpoint o f Eternal Truth, said that all who take the sword shall perish with it. TH O SE W HO HAVE GIVEN TH E BEST TO TH E W O RLD HAVE A L WAYS BEEN BEST REM EM BERED BY IT, AN D M O ST LO VED TH RO U G H O U T THE AGES. If we attempt to measure existence from this short span of life, it would not be e x plained, and we should find no real answer to life itself, Hate begets hate and strife produces strife. Love alone overcomes all and justifies the eternity o f her dominion.
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G o d T u r n s t o U s as W e T u r n t o Him ( L u k e i
g)
The parable o f the Prodigal Son constitutes one o f the greatest spiritual lessons in the history of religious education. It is an attempt, on the part o f the Great Teacher, to show that God turns to us as we turn to Him; that there is a reciprocal action between the Universal and the indi vidual mind; that the Spirit is ready to help us whenever we turn to It. The greatest lesson we have to learn is the unity of Love and Law; the necessity of law in shap ing a divine individuality and the necessity o f experience in awakening to this divine individuality. God is Love and God is Law; the Love o f God is omnipresent and the Law of God is omni present. The Love o f God is the Divine givingness: the eternal outpouring o f Spirit through Its creation.The Law o f God is the Law o f Cause and Effect, which says that we can have only what we take. Since this taking is a mental and spiritual (as well as physical) act, we can take only that to which we are receptive. Jesus taught that it is done unto us as we really believe. “The thought is ever father to the act.”
T h e Tw o S o n s In presenting the parable o f the Prodigal Son to his listeners, Jesus began by saying that the Father (which is the Universal Spirit) had two sons, meaning that, as the son of God, man has the right o f self-choice. This carries with it the possibility o f an apparent duality (but, o f course, not a real one) and the possibility o f experiencing good and evil. Moses referred to the same thing when he said that he had set a blessing and a curse before the Children o f Israel, and they must choose whom they would serve.The two sons referred to in this story, allegorically denote the two states o f consciousness necessary to real individuality. Man is a conscious, self-knowing mind, equipped with volition and choice; he is an individual and can do as he chooses.
G o d D o e s N o t A r g u e ( L u k e i ^ : i i —3 2) “A certain man had two sons: And the younger o f them said to his father, Father, give me the portion o f goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.” When the younger son asked for his portion o f good, God did not argue with him; did not try to dissuade him; did not suggest that he was using bad judgment. God never argues. To argue is to suppose an opposite and God has no opposite. We argue to arrive at a correct con clusion. God is already the correct conclusion of all things, therefore, He does not need to argue. Plotinus tells us that Nature never argues, that It contemplates Itself; that Its contempla 620
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tion creates aform, through which It may become expressed. Undoubtedly, this is the whole meaning and process of Creation. “And he divided unto them his living” There was no argument. God did not tell the son that it would be far better for him to remain at home. He did not say that he might come to want and suffer, perhaps starve. He did not tell him anything: “He divided unto them his living.” The Universe gives us what we ask; experience alone will teach us what is best to have. “He divided unto them his living.” No clearer statement o f individuality could possibly be inferred than this. The son received exactly what he asked for; no more, and certainly no less. The cup o f his acceptance was filled from the universal horn of plenty; he could do with it as he chose.
T h e Fa r C
ountry
“And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” When the son had received his share o f goods, he went into a “far country.” We are all in this “far country,” for it symbolizes the descent of the soul, or the outer rim of spiritual exis tence. It does not mean a place, but rather a state of consciousness. If God is omnipresent, we cannot escape the Divine Presence, so this “far country” means a state o f consciousness which has separated itself from the eternal good. The “true meaning,” I believe, o f the “far country” would be a conscious separation from God, an isolated state, one in which there appears to be no remembrance o f God as an actual, living, and ever-present Reality; one where man feels himself to be separated and entirely apart from the Eternal Good. This “far country” has as real a meaning today as it had in the hills of Galilee, nearly two thousand years ago, for all o f us have come from heaven and nearly all feel the isolation of this seeming apartness from the Eternal Good. Indeed, the whole endeavor o f mankind is to return to the Father’s House.
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“And there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.” When one separates himself from the Divine Fire, he becomes an isolated spark. We are strong only when united with Life. As soon as our consciousness is detached from spiritual 621
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wholeness, we can no longer draw from that inexhaustible reservoir of eternal existence, so we become exhausted— there is nothing to fall back upon. Life is one perfect Wholeness. The Universe is a Unit. God is One. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FO R MAN TO FEEL SEPARATED FROM TH E SPIRIT W ITH O U T FEELIN G LO ST AN D IN WANT. This is why Jesus said he could do nothing o f himself, but could work only as the cur rents o f divinity ran through his personal mentality. That subtle something which runs through all things and which we call “the Thing Itself” that energy without which nothing can be energized, that Life without which nothing can live, that Power without which nothing can move, and that Spirit without which nothing can be— IS GOD. It is only as we live in conscious union with the Spirit, and consciously let It work through us that we really live.
T h e Fa l l e n M
an
So, the prodigal son “began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen o f that country; and he sent hin> into his fields to feed swine.” The symbolism here is most interesting, for it perfectly depicts the state o f humanity while in the “far country.” The “citizen” referred to means the attempt, on the part of man, to find some cause outside of Spirit. Man seeks to league himself with material forces alone, not realizing that there can be nothing outside the Unity. Most of us seek the cause in the effect and unknowingly put the cart before the horse, not realizing that the flower is already in the seed, and that effects must follow causes. There can be no true alliance apart from life and no good apart from a unity with the Whole. “And he sent him into his fields to feed swine.” Jesus was a Jew. The Jews did not consider the meat of the swine lawful to eat; consequently he used this term to show how completely the prodigal son had fallen from his high estate— he must even be compelled to feed the despised swine. This demonstrated that his state of being was so low that it would be impos sible for it to be any worse. It had reached the outer rim of reality.
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“And he fain would have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.” How true this is; no one can give unto us but ourselves and no one can rob us but ourselves. “There are no gods to say us nay, for we are the life we live.” In our greatest extremity, in the
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moment of great need and dire distress, who can help or serve us? All of our troubles come from an isolated sense of being; we alone can return to the “Father’s House.” The question might be asked, “W here was God and why did He not come to the rescue of His beloved son? Did He not care— was He heedless about His sons welfare?W hy did God allow such a thing to happen?” There is only one answer to all questions o f this nature: God is always God, and man can always do as he pleases. He would not be an individual unless this were possible. The Father is never conscious o f incompletion. The Father’s House is always open, the latch string ever hanging out, the door always ajar, but man must enter, if he wishes to abide within. Harmony can never become discord. The truth can never produce a lie. God can never be less than God. Could God enter into a field of strife, then He would not be God. God cannot enter the pig pen. We cannot contract the Infinite, but we can expand the finite. “And no man gave unto him.” It is always thus.
The G
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“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants o f my father’s have bread enough, and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” “And when he came to himself.” This is the great awakening, the moment in which we now live; in this moment we are asking this question of ourselves! Is there not plenty in the universe? Why do we want? In this divine awakening, there seems to be an inner witness who remembers that we came from a heavenly state. There seems to be an answer from that great within which says the Father’s House is filled with peace, power and plenty. The Universe is not limited. It is abundant, lavish, extravagant. Nothing can be taken from, nor added to, It. Creation is the play of Life upon Itself. We know, by intuition, that there is something beyond what we have so far consciously experienced in this world. Poets have sung of it and there are moments, in the lives of all, when the veil seems thin between and we almost enter into the heavenly estate. This is the meaning o f coming to ones self. We are still in the awakening state, we have not yet consciously entered the state of perfect wholeness. We know that such a state is a reality, and that we shall yet attain this reality. Nothing can dislodge this inner and intuitive perception from our mentality; we know it as certainly as we know that we live. This is God in us knowing Himself. We are awak ening to the realization that the Universe is perfect and complete. It gives. It is love. It is good and wills only good to all alike.
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The prodigal said, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” This represents a theological state of mind which is quite common to all o f us; one of selfcondemnation and personal distrust; it is morbid and detrimental to our welfare; a theological state of introspective morbidity, which might be classed as one o f our worst mental diseases. Self-condemnation is always destructive and should never be indulged in by anyone, it is always a mistake. There is no question but that all o f us have done that which is not for the best. From this viewpoint, all have been sinners, because all have fallen short of the Divine Calling. If we have sinned, it is because we have been ignorant of our true nature and because experience was necessary to bring us to ourselves.
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“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” This is the most perfect lesson ever taught by the Great Teacher. “When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” This means that God turns to us as we turn to Him. A more beautiful thought could not be given than this! There is always a reciprocal action between the Universal and the individual mind. As we look at God, God looks at us. Is it not true that when we look at God, God is looking through us at Him self? God comes to us as we come to Him. “It is done unto us as we believe.” “Act as though I am and I will be.”
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“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. “And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be m erry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” 624
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The great lesson to learn here is that God never reproaches and never condemns. God did not say to the returning son, “You miserable sinner, you are no more worthy to be called my son.” He did not say, “I will see what I can do about saving your lost soul. I will spill the blood of my most precious son in hopes that by this atonement your life may be made eternal.” He did not say, “You are a worm o f the dust and I will grind you under my feet in order that you may know that I am God and the supreme power o f the universe.” No, GO D DID N O T SAY A N Y OF TH ESE ATRO CIO U S TH INGS! What the Father did say was, “Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him: and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.” Here Jesus is showing that God is Love and knows nothing about hate.
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Perhaps the most significant thing in this paragraph is the fact that God did not answer his son when he talked about being a sinner. The Father talked about something else. This is one of the most won derful lessons in the whole story. God does not know evil and therefore cannot talk about, or conceive it in any form. God does not even hear us, could not hear us, when we talk about sin or evil. If He could hear it, He would be conscious of it; if He could be conscious of it, He would not be wholly good. If God could know evil, then evil would be an eternal reality. But God is sinless and perfect and nothing can reflect itself in the Divine, save a perfect image. If God could know sin, He would be a sinner. It is enough to know that this cannot be.
Th e B est R o be
Now, the “best robe” was a seamless garment and typifies a state o f complete unity, as does the ring. The robe is seamless and the ring is without beginning or end. It begins everywhere and ends nowhere. It is like Eternity and Eternal Reality. It perfectly describes the Divine Nature. “The fatted calf ” represents the abundance o f G o d s love and providence.
T h e Fa
th er ’s
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And so the son found everything in the Father’s House just as he had left it. Nothing had changed and he was made welcome to all the divine stores. But he had to return to find joy and peace forevermore. How wonderful is Reality! While we may have seemed to be away from it, it has ever remained the same and is ever ready to reveal itself to us. All we have to do is to go half way; that is, turn to it and it will turn to us. The Truth known is instantly demonstrated; fo r the Truth is Changeless Reality and cannot come and go. No matter how long we may have been
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away from Reality in our thought, It is always here, ready to spring forth, full-orbed, into ex pression. No matter how long a room may have been darkened, the entrance of light instantly illuminates it. What becomes of the darkness when the light enters? Where did it come from and where does it go? It is difficult to comprehend such an infinite possibility as an instantaneous reconciliation with the universe; we demonstrate this only in degrees, because our consciousness is not yet fitted to perceive the wholeness of complete perfection.
T h e St a y -a t - H o m e S o n
“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. “And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him,Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. “And he was angry and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and in treated him. “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee . . . and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. . . . “And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” How human the stay-at-home son was, and what a theological attitude he took in regard to his younger brother! He had not entered himself and he was not willing that anyone else should enter. His real attitude was that God should condemn everything that he, himself, did not like or believe. He was puffed up with self-righteousness and personal conceit, filled with petty vanity, and fuming with anger over his brother’s welcome home. I expect that we meet him in ourselves nearly every day— in our personal experiences with other people— in our intolerant attitude and uncharitableness toward others who do not think as we think. But God knows as little about self-righteousness as He knows about evil, for both are false; therefore, He said unto the elder son, “Thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” This implies that the elder son had missed the mark as well as the younger, for he had been living in the midst of plenty and had not recognized it. He needed but to have asked and he would have received all that the father had. Both sons were foolish but it is a question which was the more completely deluded.
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T h e A p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e St o r y
But to bring this story down to our own experience— for it is a lesson for everyone for all time— we live in the midst of eternal good, but it can only be to us what we believe it to be. We are at the mouth of the river, but we must let down our own buckets if we wish them to be filled with the pure waters of Reality. We are surrounded by a Spirit of living Intelligence, and eternal givingness, love, goodness and power, that wishes to express Itself through us. There is a Divine Urge within, ever pushing us forward to the goal. We are also surrounded by an immutable Law of cause and effect, and because of our divine individuality and the necessity of experience in order to come to a real ization of what, and who, we are, we are subject to the causes which we have set in motion. All is love and yet all is law. Both love and law are perfect and we, as individuals, can experience only what we really believe and act upon.
G od C a n O n l y G iv e U s W h at W e Ta k e
God cannot give us anything unless we are in a mental condition to receive the gift. The Law cannot do anything for us unless It does it through us. Belief is absolutely necessary to right demonstration. We are on the path of experience, just waking to the real fact of our true being; as we awake, we find we are surrounded by many false conditions, but there is something within which remem bers the real state. If one will sit in quiet contemplation of good, as an inner experience, he will experience the good which he contemplates. He can do this only as he turns from that which is evil and dwells on the good alone. The Universe will not be divided.
The U n iv e r s e H olds N o t h in g A g a in st U s
The Universe holds nothing against us. No matter how many mistakes we have made, we are still perfect beings within, and the within may become the without, if we will carefully train ourselves to listen to the inner voice of truth which speaks to us in our moments of quietness and solitude. There is nothing in the Universe that wishes evil to anyone. Indeed, it is only as we experi ence good that God is expressed through us. The more completely we realize good, happiness and success, the more perfectly do we express God and the more of God do we become, that is, the more does God become personified through us. As the prodigal returns to his father’s house, so must we return, not with a morbid mind, 627
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but consciously and definitely, with direct intent and a complete concentration of purpose. The journey back should be fraught with happiness and joyful expectation for we shall be met with a smile from the Universe and shall be folded in the arms of love forever.
The E t e r n a l C o m p le t io n
Substance and supply exist eternally in the Father’s House; health, happiness and success are native to the Heavenly Home, and God Himself shall be our Host. More we could not ask, more could not be given than that which has been given from the foundations of the Universe. Discord, misery, and unhappiness are the result of a misuse of our true nature, the result of ignorance. Ignorance of the law excuses no one from its effects; but knowledge clothes us in the seamless robe, while wisdom puts the ring of completion on our finger and understand ing feeds us with the fat of the land. No one who has tried this has failed; it would be impossible to do so. If any have thought they have failed, let them realize that somewhere they have fallen short of the divine calling. The Truth cannot fail, for it is God, the Absolute and Unconditioned One, who is the Truth. Let us no longer fight the old; let us no longer remember that we were once on the outer rim; let us forget the past and live in the eternal present of Gods happy smile. Today is good; tomorrow will be even better, and that vista of tomorrows that stretches down the bright eternities of an endless future will all be good, for the nature of Reality cannot change.
T h e N e w B i r t h ( J o h n 3 : 3 —9)
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus is referring to the heavenly birth, which means being born into the knowledge of Truth. He refers to this as being born of water and Spirit. The symbol of water is used to express the idea of a complete immersion in Spirit. As water flows in and around, so we are immersed in an everlasting Spirit which flows around, in and through us. To be immersed in water symbolizes our recognition that we are surrounded by pure Spirit. It is the outward sign of an inner conviction. But water alone cannot make us completely clean or whole. We must be born of the Spirit, for “that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” Man partakes of the Divine nature and the Divine nature is man. The recognition of this is being born of the Spirit. But we cannot be born of the Spirit unless we do the will of the Spirit and the will of the Spirit is goodness, peace, mercy, justice and truth. It is conscious union with God. The new birth comes not by observation nor by loud proclamation, but through an inner 628
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sense of reality. We cannot tell where this comes from, if we look to outward things, as it pro ceeds from the innermost parts of our own being.
H eaven (Jo h n 3 : 1 3 )
“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” Here is another of those hidden meanings which places Jesus among the great mystics. He says that no man can go to heaven unless he came from heaven, and that he can neither go to, nor come from, heaven unless he is already there! This is in line with the idea that the Truth knows neither yesterday, today nor tomorrow. It knows sequence but not time. Only that can return to heaven which was born in heaven, and since heaven is not a place, but a state of consciousness, the return must be a recognition that heaven is already within. The son of man, who is also the son of God, is already in heaven and knows it not.
Th e S on of M a n (Jo h n 3 : 1 4 )
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so Jesus tells us must the son of man also be lifted Up. By looking on and believing in this son, we are saved. Jesus could not have been refer ring to his own personality, for he knew that this would soon be taken from the sight of human ity. We must look for a deeper meaning. We must he lifted up, that is we must realize our Divine nature and relationship to the Truth of God. This relationship is one of complete unity. The cross represents the tree of life and may also be thought of as the tree of unity. When Moses lifted up the serpent, those who looked upon it were healed.This understand ing produced a consciousness of unity, which had healing power. The Life Principle is either looked upon as material or spiritual. When looked upon as material, it casts us from the Garden of Eden— the garden of the soul. The Life Principle viewed only as matter is death, but viewed as life and unity, It becomes life everlasting. Moses elevated the Life Principle and Jesus did the same. The son of man must be lifted up, even as Moses lifted up the Life Principle, symbolized by the serpent. We are reminded here of another symbol, one used in the Old Testament, that of the serpent which cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. The serpent meant the outer rim of spiritual existence— the Life Principle viewed from an isolated and materialistic basis. The worship of material existence, apart from God, cast Adam and Eve from the Garden of Perfec tion. The attempt to live in effects, apart from true Cause, always does this. 6 29
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The story of the Fall, taken literally, would be ridiculous to the point of absurdity; hence it is necessary to look for a deeper meaning. The writer was trying to teach a Cosmic lesson . . . the lesson of right and wrong. The Garden of Eden typifies life in its pure essence. Adam means man in general, generic man. Man exists in pure Life and has all of Its agencies at his command. This is the meaning of his being told to till the soil and enjoy the fruits of his labor. The Tree of Life is our real being, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil means the possibility of dual choice— that is, we can choose even that which is not for our best good. Man is warned not to eat of the fruit of this tree, for it is destructive. Eve, the woman in the case, was made from a rib of Adam. This story suggests the dual nature of man as a psychological being. The woman is made from the man. She must have been in him else she could not have been made out of him, and the story clearly states that she was taken from his being. Adam and Eve are potential in all of us. The serpent represents the Life Principle, viewed from a material basis, which beguiles us in this way: he says that evil is as real as good; that the devil has equal power with God; that negation equals positive goodness, and that the Universe is dual in Its Nature. From the acceptance of this argument, we experience both good and evil. And should we come full-orbed into individuality, without having learned the lesson of unity, we should live forever in a state of bondage. This is the meaning of God saying, “He shall become as one of us and live forever.” The eternal Mind does not wish us to live forever in bondage, and this is what would happen unless we first learn the lesson of right and wrong. And so that part of us which can be fooled eats of the fruit of dual experience and in so doing reveals its own nakedness. The native state of man is one of purity, peace and perfection, and it is only when we compare these with impurity, distress and imperfection, that we are revealed as naked. Emerson tells us that virtue does not know it is virtuous. It is only when virtue tastes of impurities that it becomes naked and must hide from itself. The Voice of God, “walking in the garden in the cool of the day,” means the introspective and meditative part of us, which in its moments of pure intuition and reason, sees the illusion of a life apart from God or Good. Error is ever a coward before Truth, and cannot hide itself from Reality, which sees through everything, encompasses all and penetrates even the prison walls of the mind with Its clear effulgence. The conversation between God and Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, represents the arguments that go on in our own minds, when we try to realize the truth.These arguments are familiar to all. The expulsion from the Garden is a necessary and logical outcome of tasting of dual experience. If we believe in both good and evil, we must experience both. But, lest we should become discouraged, we remember that Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness and those who looked upon it were healed. The serpent means the Life Prin 630
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ciple. Viewed from a material basis alone, it casts us from a perfect state. Lifted up, that is, viewed from a true meaning of the Unity of God, it heals. Here is the choice again, only stated in different words. The difference is not in the thing itself, but in the way we look at it. The son oj man is every man who ever lived or ever will live. Our life is from Spirit, not from matter. This viewpoint is the truth and truth alone makes free. We come into everlasting life as we elevate this inner principle to a sense of the unity of man with God. Each must lift himself to the cross of the Tree of Life, thus unifying himself with Reality. The concept is glorious and the reward certain. The revelation of the self to the self— this is the great lesson of lessons.
W hen We A re S tro n g (John 5:19)
“The Son can do nothing of himself.” We are strong only as we are in unity with good, which is God. But the Father showeth the Son, that is, it is revealed to us, through the innermost parts of our being, that there is a complete unity, a perfect wholeness. As this concept of unity takes place, it brings with it great authority. The Father quickens the Son, the Son quickens whom he will. Here is a lesson in the practical application of the Science of Mind. As the subjective state of thought becomes unified with goodness and love, it automatically reflects these in whatsoever direction the thought goes. The tendency of this inner thought sets the tendency o j the outward lije. Let us make this plain. IF ONE IS NOT ATTRACTING GOOD INTO HIS LIFE, THERE IS SOMETHING W RONG WITH HIS UNCONSCIOUS THINKING. The subjective state of his thought is wrong. As the subjective state of his thought constitutes the sum total of his belief, it is his habitual attitude toward life and living. This inner thought content is the sole medium between the Absolute and the relative, between causes and conditions. When this inner thought is clarified, that is, when it knows the truth, it will reinstate the outer man in peace, poise, health and happiness. This inner thought becomes clarified as we unify with good; this is the inner quickening. Following this is the outer quickening— the out ward sign of the inner belief.
T h e W o r d o f P o w e r ( J o h n 5- 126)
As the Father has life, so the son has life. Again we have the teaching that there is but One Life, Mind or Spirit. This Life is now our life, and manifests through us as we believe in It. When our word is spoken in this consciousness of life, power and action, then our word IS life, power and action. THE WORD HAS POWER ONLY AS IT IS ONE WITH POWER. The word is a mold 631
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which decides what form the thought is to take as it assumes shape and becomes a part of our conditions. Mental treatment is for the purpose of forming the word into such shapes and designs as are desirable for experience. The word gives form to the unformed. The greater the consciousness behind the word, the more power it will have. Just words, without conviction, have no power, and just conviction without words, will never stir up latent energy. There must be a combination of the two to make a complete thing. We are surrounded by a spiritual consciousness and a mental law. From combinations of these two, all things are made. We unify with the spiritual consciousness as we become aware of it, we speak it into form as we believe in the power of our own word. In treatment, there should be first a realization of power, then a spoken word. One generates, the other distributes. /
The M eat W h ic h P e rish e th (Jo h n 6:27)
“Labour not for the meat which perisheth.” Jesus knew that we need food to eat while in the flesh, so he could not be referring to literal food, but rather to that inner substance which is spiritual. Starvation takes place on more than one plane. More people are starved spiritually and intellectually than physically. A full stomach will never appease an appetite for learning, nor can a loaf of bread satisfy the inner craving for reality. The whole being needs to be fed— bread and meat for the body, knowledge and wisdom for the soul, atmosphere and consciousness for the Spirit. We live on three planes at the same time. To attempt to desert any one of these, to the cost of the others, is abnormal. To live only on the physical plane is to become a brute. To live on the intellectual plane alone, might produce a learned and a scientific man, but he would lack true perception. To live only on the spiritual plane, n>ight cause one to become a dreamer without any practical way of making his dreams come true.
The Th r ee P lan es
of
L ife
Man is a threefold principle of life and action; he is spirit, soul and body. From the Spirit he receives inspiration and guidance; in the soul he finds a perfect Law of life; and through the body he proves that he is a real individualization of the Invisible Principle. Mans mind should swing from inspiration to action, from contemplation to accomplish ment, from prayer to performance. This would be a well-balanced existence. The Spirit fires
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the soul with energy and understanding; the soul, which is the subjective mentality, vitalizes the body and animates all that we do. No greater mistake could be made than to think we must separate life from what it does. We must unify and not divide. The Spirit must go forth into creation through law and action. Life must enter living, and God must flow through man, if there is to be a real representation of the Divine through the human. Let us feel that our purposes are animated and inspired from on high and then let us go forth and make our dream come true in human experience. With an invisible Intelligence to guide, and an immutable Law to direct, let us take our place in any legitimate activity, and thus cause our dreams to come to full fruition.
Th e L ig h t of t h e W o r ld (Jo h n 8 : 1 2 )
“I am the light of the world.” Jesus was not referring to his human personality, but to the Prin ciple inherent in generic man. They who follow this inner Principle shall have the light of life; for this Principle is life. “I Am” has a dual meaning. It is both individual and universal. God was revealed to Moses as the great “I AM,” the Universal Cause, the Causeless or Self-existent One. Moses taught that “I AM” is the First Principle of all life, and the Law of cause and effect running through every thing. The whole teaching of Moses is based upon the perception of this “First Principle.” Jesus said that he came, not to destroy the law of Moses, but to fulfill it. How could he fulfill it except by teaching the relationship of the universal “I Am” to the individual “I”? In all the sayings of Jesus, we find this thought brought out: that God is Universal Spirit and man is His image and likeness . . . an individualization of His eternity. Therefore, when we understand our own “I” we shall walk in that light which lights the world unto the perfect “I AM.” We can consider this from another viewpoint. Man is the only self-knowing mind of which we are conscious. A self-knowing mind, of course, is one that is conscious of what it knows. Man, the only self-conscious being in this world, must be the light of the world. To know this and to understand why it is so, is to know that Truth which alone can make free. Truth is eter nal and eternity is timeless, hence, if one knows the Truth, he will never see death. Death has nothing to do with life everlasting, and is but an impatient gesture of the soul, wishing to rid itself of a body no longer useful.
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L o v e ( J o h n 1 3 : 3 4 , 3 S)
Love is the central flame of the universe, nay, the very fire itself. It is written that God is Love, and that we are His expressed likeness, the image of the Eternal Being. Love is self-givingness through creation, the impartation of the Divine through the human. Love is an essence, an atmosphere, which defies analysis, as does Life Itself. It is that which IS and cannot be explained: it is common to all people, to all animal life, and evident in the response of plants to those who love them. Love reigns supreme over all. The essence of love, while elusive, pervades everything, fires the heart, stimulates the emo tions, renews the soul and proclaims the Spirit. Only love knows love, and love knows only love. Words cannot express its depths or meaning. A universal sense alone bears witness to the divine fact: God is Love and Love is God.
L et N ot Yo u r H ea r t B e Tr o u b l e d (Jo h n 1 4 : 1 )
“Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me.” His disciples were depressed, having an instinctive sense that Jesus was about to depart from them. They were filled with sadness. It was on the eve of his betrayal that he spoke these words, “Let not your heart be troubled,” v\(ith that calm certainty which has ever been given to the believing. He was not afraid. He had already plumbed the depths of human existence and penetrated into the beyond. He knew that he was an immortal being. Our hearts are troubled over many things and our mental burdens often become unbear able. It seems, at times, as though a cup of bitterness were being held to unwilling lips, with the demand that they drink. Jesus, standing at the threshold of his greatest experience, fore knew that he would turn apparent defeat into glorious victory. From the calm depths of an undisturbed soul, he spoke words of comfort to those of lesser understanding. He told them to believe in God, and because of their belief in God, to believe also in him. Again he is referring to the individual “I” as the outward manifestation of the Universal “I AM.” We are to believe in ourselves because we believe in God. The two are ONE. We are to know that passing events cannot hinder the onward march of the soul. The temporal imperfection of the human cannot dim the eternal integrity of the Divine.
In M
y
Fa
th er’s
H
ouse
A
re
M
any
M
an sio n s
(Jo h n
14:2)
“In my father’s house are many mansions.” This world, with all its wonders, is not the only one that we shall inhabit. There are many others and we shall inhabit each in time. If this life were 634
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the only life, Jesus would have told his followers so. He held out no false promises, never de ceived. He spoke only the Truth. “I go to prepare a place for you.” What more beautiful thought than that those who go before shall be there when we arrive! There is no doubt, only an expansion of the soul, an enlargement of the experience. But Thomas, who was a disciple, said that he did not know where Jesus was going nor did he know the way. Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Again he is referring to the individual “I” the son of the eternal “I AM.” This son is the way to the Father. We approach Reality through our own natures and through no other source. “No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” God is within and it is here that we meet Him. The inward gaze alone can reveal the Father.
W h o Sees t h e S o n Sees t h e F a t h e r ( J o h n
14:9)
“He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” Many think, from this statement, that Jesus was claiming to be God, but such was not the case. God is the invisible Life Essence of all that is, the Intelligent Energy running through all. This Life we feel but do not see. We see only what It does, never the Thing Itself. Life manifests Itself through the individual. Therefore, when one manifests goodness and purity, he is revealing the Father. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” He said that his words were the words of God. As all forms of energy return again into their source, so the word of Truth is the word of God, no matter who speaks it, or when it is spoken. Man reveals, but does not absorb, the Divine Nature. “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.” It could not be otherwise. The nature of Reality was not exhausted in the man Jesus, but made manifest through his life and works. We are to do likewise, and what we ask in the name (which is our own name) be lieving in the Father which is God, and in the son, which is ourselves, we shall receive. In this way, the Father is glorified in the Son.
The H o ly C o m f o r t e r (Jo h n
14:16)
We are told that The Holy Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, will make all things known to us, for He is with us and in us. No more comprehensive statement could be made. The Spirit of Truth is in all people— not unto Jesus alone— but unto all alike . . . again the revelation of the self to the self; a divine awakening to the eternal Reality inhabiting eternity and finding its abiding place in time, through our own natures.
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As the Holy Comforter comes, He makes all things known to us. Intuition is the speech of this Comforter. “I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” The eternal Father begets the eternal Son. This Son is generic, all are members of this Universal Sonship, all are members of the one Tree of Life, from which every individual shoot springs. The Trinity is a Unity. And that peace which comes from the innermost recesses of the Spirit is left with us: a peace which the world cannot take away, for it springs from the bosom of the Father of light, love, life and wisdom.
A b i d in g in t h e O n e ( J o h n
i
$:
j
)
“If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” It is impossible for humanity to literally abide in the man Jesus, so we must look for a figu rative meaning in these words. He is speaking of the spirit of his teachings; and the whole spirit of his teachings is to the effect that man is an individualized center of God-Consciousness. The spirit of man is the Spirit of God, for God is One. When we abide in the One, we cannot ask amiss, but must ask for that which is right and good. Consequently, our prayers to the One will be answered. But let us remember that prayer is answered according to law, and this law is one of liberty and never one of license. True liberty comes only through true harmony; true harmony only through true unity; and true unity can come only through the conscious realization that we are one with God or Good. Jesus implies a power which can and will work for those who harmonize with, and believe in it. But we must first abide in the Spirit ofTruth. And what is the Spirit ofTruth other than that we live in conscious unity with good and do harm to no one? Goodness is natural, while evil is abnormal. To trust in the law of good is to constantly believe that we are surrounded by a Power which can and will cast all fear from our minds, free us from all bondage, and set us safe and satisfied in a new order of living.
That Ye B e a r M
uch
F ru it (Jo h n
i
£:8)
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” When we express a greater living ness, then Life is more completely expressing Itself through us. A barren tree does not express the principle of abundance and production, so a life barren of good does not fully express the divine ideal. Evolution has brought man to a point of self-expression and it can do no more for him until 6 36
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he consciously co-operates with it. Its law is one of growth and unfoldment. God goes forth anew into creation whenever anyone discovers a new truth or increases knowledge about an old one. Each is a center of the All, and each has access to the All, through his own nature. Jesus refers to his joy on the eve of his greatest lesson to mankind. That joy which is full and complete. That joy which no man can take away: the joy of a sense of completion. He was about to lay down his earthly life, as the greatest object lesson ever taught. And what was this lesson? That LOVE knows no bounds and that the Eternal Goodness gives Itself to all. God as man, in man, is man.
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The L aw
of
C
orrespondents
(Ro m an s
1:20)
This teaching incorporates the great law of correspondents. The spiritual world contains an image of the physical; the physical is a counterpart of the spiritual. A true estimate of the out ward symbol points to the spiritual reality behind it. We understand the unseen by correctly viewing the seen.The outward effect must partake of its inward nature. The physical universe is the result of an inner Intelligence, working through Law. Behind form is idea. The Formless creates form, through the creative power of Its own Mind and Spirit. Behind every effect there is a cause, and if this cause is a spiritual idea— which it must be— then it follows that should the spiritual idea be discerned, the physical effect would be like it. The entire possibility of demonstrating the Law of Good depends upon this proposition. The idea is father to the fact. Ideas are real, having the power within themselves to be made manifest. The whole teaching of the Bible is to the effect that God is Universal Spirit, and Universal Creation. He creates by the power of His Word. This Word is the law of His Being. Man repro duces the Divine Nature on the scale of the individual. He also uses creative power which works through the law of his word. From this he cannot escape, he need only to use this power con structively and all will be well. If he uses the creative power of his thought destructively, then it will destroy. In the Science of Mind, we learn that persistent, constructive thought is the greatest power 638
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known and the most effective. If the visible effect in our lives is not what it should be, if we are unhappy, sick and poverty stricken, we know the remedy. The Truth is always the remedy, and the Truth is that the law of liberty is the only real law. When we reverse the process of thought, the effect will be reversed.
T h e r e Is N
o
C
o nd em n atio n
(Ro m an s 8
m
)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them . . . who walk . . . after the Spirit.” As it is impossible for us to be in another man, and as it is necessary that each live his own life, within the One Life, it follows that the writer was not referring to personality but to a universal Principle. We are in Christ when we are in the Truth; we are in the Truth when we live in harmony with It. There is no mystery about this. It is common sense. The law of the Spirit makes us free from sin and death. The law of the Spirit is freedom, and knows no bondage. When we enter the Spirit, we come under Its law of freedom. “To be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Who does not long for life and peace?These are contained in the Spirit, which is the center and circumference of all. The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God because it is a limited concept of Truth. The carnal mind symbolizes anything that disbelieves in the supremacy of Good; it is a belief in isolation, a sense of separa tion from good.
The Spirit That R
aised
J
esus
(Ro m an s 8
m i
)
The Spirit that raised Jesus dwells in all. This Spirit quickens our mortal bodies when we let It. Here is a lesson in mental and spiritual healing. As the Truth dawns upon the subjective state of our thought, it stimulates it into newness of action. Everything works from within out. The body is a reflection of the soul and when the soul, which is the subjective state of thought, is illumined by the Spirit, it quickens the mortal part of us and heals the body. The mortal is al ways an effect, a creature of time but a necessary one, for without it we could not function as objective individuals.
The Spirit
of
A
d o ptio n
(Ro m an s 8
m j
)
We have not received a spirit of bondage but one of adoption. This is a mystical and beautiful saying. It implies that we are adopted by the Supreme Spirit as Its own offspring. How could it be otherwise, since we are made of the same stuff as the central fire? There is no fear in the 6 39
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Spirit, and there will be none in us when we realize who and what we are. God wishes us well and knows only that we are now free and perfect. This is the spirit of freedom whereby we are all born free.
J o in t H eirs w it h C h r ist (R o m an s 8: 1 6, 17)
The inner Spirit, which is God, bears witness to the divine fact that we are the sons of God, the children of the Most High. As sons of God, we are heirs to the heaven of reality; joint heirs with Christ. This means that we are all one in Christ as we are one in God. Christ typifies the Universal Son, of which each is an individual member. Our expectation looks for a more complete manifestation of our own inner divinity. Evolu tion will bring this about, as it does all things. We are an unfolding Principle of life, Truth, perfect law and action. We wait for a more complete unfolding of our inner life. It is already within, the perfect way and the eternal Truth. We wait for the unfolding of ourselves, through the law inherent within our real nature.
T h e In n e r L i g h t ( R o m a n s 8 : 2 1 )
The creature shall be delivered from bondage. As the inner light dawns, it delivers the outer life from bondage. This is in line with the teaching that everything is from within out. When the soul knows freedom, the law will free the body, and the outer life will express health, hap piness and success. All things work for our good. Even that which we call evil is salutary, leading us to the Way, the Truth and the Life. Suffering should teach us a lesson which would cause us to refrain from making more mistakes; it carries a blessing with it when we learn how to garner knowledgefrom experience.
Pr ed e stin a t io n (Ro m an s 8: 29)
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate.” God foreknows His own perfection and the perfection of His entire creation, so it is foreknown and predetermined by the Divine Mind that all shall be sons of God. Man cannot forever ke^p himself from his birthright; all will eventually be saved from themselves— as there can be no such thing as eternal damnation. To believe in such an absurd doctrine is worse than ignorance. Emerson tells us that there is no sin but ignorance. God knows only perfection; when we know as God knows, our troubles will be rolled up like a scroll and numbered with past illusions. 640
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G o d ’ s W i l l f o r H is C r e a t i o n ( R o m a n s 8 : 3 1 )
“If God be for us, who can be against us?” If God is all there is and the universe is One, then there is no power, presence or law against the Truth! One with the Truth is a totality. If our whole
endeavor is to be, and to do, that which is constructive, then we are with God and we may be sure He is ever with us. God knows no outside. He is ever inside. The outer rim o f Reality is exactly at the center o j Itself.
NOTHING can keep us from the love of God. What a comfort! What joy to know that all is well with the soul! What untold sufferings we have had because of our doubts and fears! And we are told not to be afraid, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. Man alone has tried to rob us of our birthright— the glorious liberty of the Sons of the Most High. Let us honor God more and man less. Let us seek within for the cause; it can be found in no other place. There is nothing that can keep us from this inner vision of the Eternal Reality.
Th e R e n e w i n g o f Yo u r M in d (R o m a n s 1 2 : 2 )
“Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Today we know what this means. The re newing of the mind is a scientific act. As the conscious thought pours truth into the subjective channels of creative energy, the body is automatically renewed; this is mental healing. Mental healing is a conscious act, as well as an established fact, in the experience of many people. In stead of the old concepts of disease and failure, we are to inject those of liberty, freedom, health, harmony and success. Mental healing is subject to the exact laws of Mind and Spirit, and is accomplished by cor rect knowing. This knowing is a mental attitude toward the Truth. It is the Truth which makes free and it is the mind which knows the Truth. The body is healed as the inner mind is transformed; as the old and false images of thought are renewed by images of Truth and Life. The process through which this renewing takes place is a conscious one, and may be practiced by anyone who understands the principle involved.
B less a n d C u r s e N ot (R o m a n s 1 2 : 1 4 )
“Bless and curse not.” Here is the whole law and prophets. We are to overcome evil with good. Evil lasts but for a day, while goodness shines to eternity and loving kindness is the very nature of Deity. As the darkness has no power over light, so evil is overcome with good. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” This is a statement of the law of cause and effect. God does not avenge, but the law of cause and effect exacts the uttermost farthing. We 641
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need not worry how things are coming out; the law takes care of everything and returns to each exactly what is his due.
Th e G r ea t Aw a k e n i n g (R o m a n s 1 3 : 1 1 )
“Now it is high time to awake out of sleep.” The belief in a life apart from Good is a dream from which we must awake, if we are to taste the waters of Reality, which flow from the Source of Life. As one awakes from a nightmare, so the mentality awakes from the dream of a living death to a realization of eternal life. We cast off the works of darkness when we realize that evil is not an entity but a fraud. The armor of light is the Truth, the very knowing of which makes free. This awakening is a process of evolution, a little here and a little there, until the whole eye is opened and we see that life is neither separate from God nor different from Good. Life is God, and Good is the only power there is, or can be. To awaken oneself is to be healed, made prosperous, happy and satisfied; to be made every whit whole, to be complete as we were intended to be. God is a God of the living and not of the dead. He sees and knows only perfection and completion; happiness and satisfaction. When we shall think of ourselves as God knows us, then complete salvation will come to us.
T h e L a w o f G o d I s O n e o f L i b e r t y (II C o r . 3 : 1 7 )
The law of God is one of liberty and not one of bondage. The Spirit of the Lord is everywhere. Freedom and liberty are also everywhere if we could but see them. Freedom, like Truth, is self-existent and self-propelling. The Spirit, Truth, and Freedom are co-existent with one another. Whenever we are conscious of God, or pure Spirit, we aj*e made free. This is proven in mental and spiritual healing; when we are conscious of perfect life, the body is healed. We must become unconscious of the imperfect and conscious of the perfect alone. Since our ideas of perfection are limited to our present understanding, we do not yet manifest perfection. With a greater unfoldment of Reality through our consciousness, we shall evolve a more perfect body. In the demonstration of abundance, we seek to realize the liberty of the Sons of God— the freedom whereby God proves His absoluteness. This is done, not by meditation upon limitation, but by contemplating plenty, abundance, success, prosperity and happiness. It i;s unscientific to dwell upon lack, for it will create the undesired condition. It is scientific to meditate on plenty, to bring the mind to a point of conceiving an eternal flow of life, truth and energy through us . . . and through everything that we do, say or think! 642
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H ow to D em o n strate Lib erty
To demonstrate liberty, drop all negative thoughts from the mind. Do not dwell upon adversity but think plenty into everything, for there is power in the word. Meditate on the things you are doing as being already done— complete and perfect. Try to sense the Infinite Life around and within you. This Life is already fully expressed and complete. This Life is your life now and the life of all that you do, say or think. Meditate upon this Life until your whole being flows into It and becomes one with It. Now you are ready to prove your principle by allowing this Life to flow through the thing that you are working on or for. Do not will or try to compel things to happen. Things happen by an immutable law and you do not need to energize the Essence of Being; It is already big with power. All you need do is to realize this fact, and then let it be done unto you, or unto that for which you are working. L-E-T is a big word and an important one. By taking thought, you do not add one cubit to Reality, but you do allow (let) Reality to manifest in the things you are doing. As the power of your meditation is centered on what you are doing, life flows through that thing, animating it with real power and action, which culminates in the desired result. The Spirit of God is loosed in your work. Where this Spirit is, there is liberty.
M e n t a l E x p a n s i o n (II C o r . 3 : 1 8 )
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” As our thought is opened and we behold the image of eternity within ourselves, we are changed by this image into a newness of Life. This is accomplished by the Spirit of God. The subjective state of thought is the creative medium within us, which fact psychology has proven beyond any question of doubt. Emerson tells us that we are inlets and might become outlets to the Divine Nature. We are already inlets, but we must consciously become outlets. A great mystic tells us that the upper part of the soul is merged with God and the lower part with time and conditions. Plotinus says that when the soul looks to God alone for its inspiration, its work is done better— even though its back is turned to its work. And Jesus tells us to seek the King dom of God first and that all else will be added unto us. Now the image of God is imprinted upon each one of us and all reflect the Divine Glory to some degree. Indeed we are part of the Divine Glory. When our thought is turned from limi tation to the greater glory, we then reflect that glory. When the subjective state of our thought receives its images from Reality, it, in turn, re 643
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fleets this Reality into all that we do. Gradually, as this process takes place, the outer man be comes changed, and as his concepts become enlarged, so his conditions and physique take on a newness of life. And this change in the outer is brought about by the Spirit of God.The Spirit of God— being the One and Only Presence in the Universe— brings about events and re-molds conditions after Its own likeness.
The A sc e n d in g S c a le o f Life
(II
Cor.
3: 7—12)
We are changed from glory to glory. This implies that the divine scale is ever ascending. There is no end to the Divine Nature and therefore no end to the possibility of our expressing It. BUT WE MUST BEHOLD IT, we must look steadfastly into this Reality, if we are to image It in our own minds. Here is no forlorn, outlook, no limited concept! All that God has, or IS, belongs to us and is ours to make use of. We are not to separate Life from living, but unite the two into a perfect One. . . . The Thing and the way It works; the glory, and the image of the glory in common affairs of everyday life. Nor hath eye seen nor can tongue tell the greater possibility of any soul. Only God has revealed this through His Son. And this Son is each one of us, from the apparent least to the apparent greatest. The world is saturated with Divinity, immersed in Reality, and filled with possibility. We must take this divine possibility and mold it into a present actuality in everyday experience. This is the way to freedom, the pathway to peace and happiness.
The D iv in e Ideas
(II
C o r . 4 : 8 , 9)
Even in our troubles we are not cast down, and though we appear to be deserted, we are not destroyed. All our experiences are working to the end that we learn the lesson of life and return to the Father s House as freed souls. We should not despise apparent failures— the temporary chagrins of life— for they are salutary, leading the soul to the inner Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. When the expe rience is complete, the lesson will be learned and we shall enter the paradise of contentment. We do not look at the things which are seen as being eternal. Behind the visible and change able is the changeless Reality, the Eternal One, working in time and space for the expression of Itself. The Divine Ideas stand back of all human thought, seeking admittance through the doorway of the mind. If we look at love long enough, we shall become lovely, for this is the way of love. God is 644
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Love. If we gaze longingly at joy, it will make its home with us, and we shall enter its portals and be happy. If we seek the Divine in men, we shall find it, and be entertaining angels unawares. Gods ideas and attributes are eternal and cannot change. In change, is the Changeless. In time, is the Eternal and Timeless. In things, the Creator manifests His power and glory forevermore.
I m m o r t a l C l o t h i n g (II C o r . 5 : 1 — 1 0 )
This body, in which we seem to live, is not the eternal body. We have a body not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. As our thought reaches up and on to that greater truth, we are clothed upon from heaven. That is, we more perfectly pattern the Divine and consequently more completely manifest the Eternal. We do not wish to be unclothed but clothed upon. This is an interesting concept, for it implies that immortality clothes itself in definite forms, more beautiful than those which now appear. We are to know no man after the flesh, but even Christ after the Spirit. Thus are we swal lowed up of life. Death is overcome, not by dwelling upon it, but by contemplating eternal life. It is the belief of the writer that should one become completely unconscious of death and all fear of it, one would never know that he died, even though he went through the experience of passing from this life to the next. Death would be swallowed up of life. It seems probable that when the last enemy is overcome, we shall pass from one experience to another at will; that the soul will clothe itself in a body on whatever plane it finds itself— a body which will express the soul on that plane. We are to know no man after the flesh but after the Spirit.
T h e In n e r M a n ( E p h . 3 : 1 6 )
“To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” The inner man is Christ, and Christ is the son of God. The inner man is revealed by what he does. As we do not see God, so we do not see the real man. We never see causes, only effects; but the effect loudly affirms the nature of its cause. The Spirit of God dwells in the inner man with power and might. The outer man reflects this Spirit in so far as the intellect allows it to come forth into expression. When Christ dwells in us in love, which is unity, we are able to understand the things that the saints have understood. Saint simply means an unusually wise and good man— all saints have been human beings just as we are, for God makes all people alike. The universe plays no favorites. 6 45
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To be filled with the fullness of God is to manifest our true nature, which is Christ, the Son of God— “the power that worketh in us.” This power is the power of God, and if we admitted no other, we should ever be satisfied, happy, prosperous, well and complete.
The E
ndless
C
reatio n
(Ep
h
. 3:20, 21)
“World without end.” This refers to the endless creation of the Almighty. Particular worlds will always begin and end, as do cabbages and kings; but creation itself— the necessity of Gods manifesting Himself in time and in space— will never end. If creation could end, then God would end. As this is unthinkable, it follows that “world without end,” or worlds without end, are necessary to the expression of Spirit.
The U
n ity
of
L ife ( E p
h
. 4 : 1 —7)
The unity of the Spirit is kept through the bonds of peace. Other than peace suggests confusion and separation.The Spirit is a perfect unit and we harmonize with this unity when we maintain a state of peace in our minds. “There is one body and one Spirit.” The entire creation is this body— the Body of God, who is One Spirit. Within this one Body are all bodies; that is, within the one creation— which is the product of the One Spirit— are all bodies. We have learned that all material forms come from one ultimate substance. Any special body is some manifestation of this original stuff. The original substance takes many forms; multiplicity, or many, within unity, or the One. “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” One Lord, who is the indwelling Christ, generic man or the universal Son. There is but one faith, for faith is an affirmative mental attitude toward the universe; and one baptism, which is the realization that we are in the One Spirit. “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” It would be impossible to make a clearer statement of Truth: One Life behind all that lives! One, One, One . . . never two. The unity of all life. To learn this is to know a secret of the ages. Here is a mystical saying: God is in all, through all, and above all, which means that we partake of the One Life . . . It is all of us . . . but we are not all of this Life. No man can exhaust the Divine Nature, but all live by, in, and through It. It is in us but also above us; It is in us but also below us; It is in us but also around us— It is what we are but infinitely more than we are! We shall ever ascend into a greater expression of this One, but we can never completely en compass It. This is a glorious concept, and one which fills us with wonder at the majesty of our own being— forever hid with Christ in God. 646
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T h e R e n e w i n g o f t h e M i n d (E p h . 4 : 2 3 , 24)
We are told to be renewed in mind by the Spirit and to put on the new man, which is created in true holiness. The Science of Mind teaches how to accomplish this. The mind is the creative factor within us, and when the mind takes its pattern after the Spirit, it automatically renews the outer man after true holiness or wholeness. Whatever the mind holds to and firmly believes in, forms a new pattern of thought within its creative mold, as whatever thought is held in the mind tends to take outward form in new creations. This is the secret— and the whole secret— of the creative law of mind.
B e St r o n g i n t h e L o r d ( E p h . 6 : 1 0 )
“Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” To be strong in the Lord is to be sure of ourselves, because we are sure o j the Principle o f Life which manifests Itself through us. We wrestle not against outward things but against inward ideas and beliefs. The power of darkness is the power of false belief and superstition. If a man can change his inner concept, his whole life will be changed. All cause is from within, all effect is forever without.
W ic k ed n ess in H igh P laces (E p h . 6 : 1 2 )
Wickedness in high places means an inverted use of the law of righteousness, the misuse of the powers of the mind. The mental law is neutral, plastic, receptive and creative. There is a right and a wrong use of this law, just as there is a right and a wrong use of any other law.
T h e A r m o r o f G o d ( E p h . 6 : 1 3 — 1 8)
The armor of God is faith in the good, the enduring and the true. Against such, there is no law. That is, against Truth, nothing can stand. The armor of God suggests protection to those who believe in and trust the law of Good. With this armor— knit together by that thread of unity running through all, strong with the strength of the Almighty, burnished with clear vision and true estimates of life and Reality— we are safe. We abide under the shadow of the everlasting Truth. With Moses, we can say, “underneath are the everlasting arms.” The breastplate of righteousness covers and gives sanctuary to the heart of hearts, the in nermost soul of man. The feet, shod with the gospel of peace, can travel and not become weary. With Solomon we are happy when we find Wisdom, for “Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace.” 647
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And we take also “the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” The positive thought of Truth is a shield against which nothing unlike Itself can stand. In the Science of Mind, we learn that no thought of negation can enter a mind already filled with peace and faith. The suggestion of limitations, fear and doubt cannot find entrance to that mental home where God is enthroned as the Supreme Guest. And the sword of the Spirit is the word of Truth. This has also been called a two-edged sword, cleaving the false from the true, cutting its way across the path of confusion, uprooting the thistles and briars, clearing the way for Truth and beauty to flourish in the home of the soul. The Word of God is not a battle hymn of righteousness, but a paean of praise, a psalm of beauty and a song of joy. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
T h e M i n d T h a t J e s u s U s e d ( P h i l . 2 : ^ , 6, 1 3 )
We are to let the mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus. Note carefully the manner in which the expression is used. The mind which was in Christ Jesus. This means the Mind of God. Not our personal mind— marvelous as this is with its different ramifications— but the mind which Jesus used: the Divine Mind of the Creator and Ruler of the universe. To have the same mind that Jesus used, implies a power which is available to all and may be used by all. The mind which was in Christ Jesus was the Mind of Truth; hence, he became the way. But we are also to become the way, and this can be accomplished only when we use the same mind that he used, which is the Mind of God. We have the Mind of Christ in such degree as we trust implicitly in the Universe, and no longer do those things which contradict the fundamental goodness. From this Mind, proceeds the perfect Law, which is the Law of Liberty. This Mind is God working in and through us. God can workfo r us only by working through us. Consequently, there is no other name under heaven whereby a man may be saved— not the name of Jesus, but the Mind o j Christ. The individual is thrown back upon himself and upon the
Universe. Every man has the Mind of Christ, if he will admit it, but he can use this Mind only when he is in harmony with Life! Nature always guards herself against any undue approaches and
the righteous alone may enter the portals of Truth.
A Pa t t e r n f o r T h o u g h t ( P h i l . 4 : 8 , 1 3 )
We are to think on those things which are o j good report. That is, we are to think on those things which are of the Truth. If we do this, we can accomplish because of our own inner mind, which is Christ. This Mind is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all they that dwell therein. 648
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And God will supply all our needs.This is a beautiful thought: that we are fed from the table of the Universe, Whose board is ever spread with blessedness and peace; Whose loving-kindness has never been fathomed; Whose grace and truth are the cornerstones of Reality. WE ARE TO BE FED, CLOTHED, AND SUPPLIED IN EVERY NEED, STRAIGHT FROM THE CENTER AND SOURCE OF ALL. More than this, we could not ask. Greater, could not be given. Low ell tells us that “Heaven alone is given away,” and all is ours for the asking. Shall not this asking, then, include all righteousness and truth?
R e j o i c e E v e r m o r e ( I T h e s s . $ : 1 ^ —2 3 )
We are to rejoice evermore. There is no sadness in the Spirit. It is happy and free, for It knows neither depression nor confusion, and we belong to It, are in and of It. We are to rejoice evermore.
C onstant Prayer
“Pray without ceasing.” This means to be always on the affirmative side of life. To pray without ceasing is to doubt never, but to always trust in the Law of Good. This inner communion is essential to the soul and natural to the mind. It is a constant recognition of our relationship to that Presence in which we live and move and have our being. “In everything gives thanks.” An attitude of gratitude is most salutary, and bespeaks the re alization that we are now in heaven. How we love to do for those who co-operate with, and are grateful for, our small endeavors! Gratitude is one of the chief graces of human existence and is crowned in heaven with a consciousness of unity.
Q u e n c h N ot t h e S p ir it
“Quench not the Spirit.” We are not to be ashamed of our trust in God, nor are we to deny the Inner Light that lights every mans reason to the ultimate reason of all. Spiritual emotion is com mon to all people, and is one of the ways through which the Spirit works. When this emotion is blocked, it hinders the currents of life from flowing and the result is stagnation. In psychology, we learn that congested emotions are disastrous to health. If this is true of the physical emotions, how much more must it be true of those higher emotions which are altogether spiritual! What is true on one plane is true on all. There are ascending scales of being, and each re produces from the lowest to the highest, each plane partaking of the nature of the Whole, since all are in, and of It. If physical emotions unexpressed, can congest the subjective thought, pro ducing mental and physical confusion— and they can— it follows that unexpressed spiritual 649
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emotions can congest the soul and hinder a more complete flow of life through the individual. This is in accordance with Law. If the artist suppressed all spiritual emotion, he would never be a great artist. In art, we call this emotion temperament; in oratory, we call it inspiration; and in purely spiritual things, we call it Illumination. Somewhere the soul must stand naked to the Truth, if it is to receive It in all Its fullness. There must be an outlet as well as an inlet, if there is to be a continual flow. “Quench not the Spirit,” but let the intellect decide to what the emotions are to respond. This is the secret of a well-balanced life. “Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good.” We are not to be afraid of strange ideas or doctrines, but are to prove them and accept only that which is true. We are to analyze, dis sect and investigate until we know the Truth and then hold fast to It. In this way, all advance must come, whether in science* philosophy, religion or anything else.
A s k in F a i t h , B e l i e v i n g (Jam es i : g —1 8 )
If we lack wisdom, we are to come to the Source of all knowledge and we shall receive it. But how are we to ask? In faith, believing. A double-minded man gets nowhere. How true this is! GOD CAN GIVE US ONLY WHAT WE TAKE, and since the taking is a mental act, WE CAN TAKE ONLY WHAT WE BELIEVE WE ALREADY HAVE! This is in accord with the teachings of Jesus: that when we pray, we must believe we already have the answer to our prayer. Anything that is not of faith is sin, or a mistake, as we are told in another passage of this book of wisdom. Faith in God and in ourselves should be consciously generated. All trouble comes from disbelief in the Universe, followed by wrong acts, which are the result of disbelief and ignorance of the Law of Good, which is a Law of Liberty. The lesson is simple enough. When we ask for anything, we are to believe that we have it, but we are to askfor that which is in unity with life. This unity includes health, happiness and suc cess. These are native to the atmosphere of God and to the atmosphere of the inner man, which is Christ. Let us dislodge doubt, fear and unbelief and trust implicitly in Good.
E v i l Is C
reated
by
M
an
(Ja m e s
1:13)
Very emphatically the writer tells us that God never tempts any man. He says that God cannot be tempted and that all temptation is from our own minds. It could not be stated more plainly. Evil is man created, while God— the Eternal Goodness— knows nothing about it. He is too pure to behold evil and cannot look upon it. Evil is the direct and suppositional opposite to good,
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and has no reality behind it, or actual law to come to its support. GOD TEMPTS NO MAN. It is a mistake to say that God tries us to see if we are fit to enter the kingdom of heaven. God tries no man. We make our own mistakes, suffer from our own foolishness, and we must also make our own return journey into righteousness. God was, is and will remain, the Essence of Life, Truth and Purity. Let us enter this Essence in belief and be freed from our unbelief and human mistakes. All goodness and every good gift cometh from the Father of light. Darkness has no father, but is an illegitimate child of superstition and unbelief, having no parentage in Reality. The Universe is not divided against Itself. The good teacher said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” There is no shadow of turning in the Truth. It is just what It is, and there can be nothing either added to or taken from It. It is One and never two. We enter the One through a con sciousness of unity with It.
D o e r s of t h e W o r d (Ja m e s 1 : 2 2 , 27)
“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” This should teach us not to make idle talk about our understanding. What we Jknow, we can do. What we cannot do, we only suppose . . . we only think we know. Unused knowledge is suppositional and unreal; it is an assumption and as such, never produced anything. Not everyone who says Lord, Lord, but those who do the will ofTruth, enter in. But we deceive ourselves when we boast about our understanding, and are unable to prove that we possess any! A silent conviction is worth more than the loudest proclamation from the housetops of those who shout affirmations to the great nowhere. An ounce of conviction is worth many pounds of affirmation. Pure religion manifests itself through acts of kindness and mercy. It is not arrogant— claiming a front seat in heaven— but is humble before the great Whole. It unifies with all hu manity and finds no great difference between saint and sinner. Such a religion as this, the world of today needs, for it is sick of pretense and would like a practical demonstration of a belief in God, made manifest through good works.
T h e L a w Is N o R e s p e c t e r o f P e r s o n s ( J a m e s 2 : 1 —1 1 )
James speaks of being convinced of the law as transgressors. He does not say that God is convinced we are transgressors, but that the law is convinced. This passage is filled with meaning. God is
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natural Goodness, Eternal Freedom, and pure Loving-kindness. But the Law is a cold, hard fact, returning to each the result of his own acts, be they false or true. The Law is a neutral, but an intelligent, force— a doer and not a knower. All law is of the same nature. When we do wrong, the law punishes. When we do right, it rewards. Everything is accord ing to law and order; this is the only way the universe could function. If our thought is of God, or Good, we shall be using the Law in the right way. When our thoughts and acts are opposed to God, or Good, we transgress and are punished. “There is no sin but a mistake and no punish ment but a consequence.” In like manner, Emerson tells us “there is no sin but ignorance,” and this is true, for if we knew the Truth, we should not misuse the law. The law is no respecter of persons and will bring good or evil to any, according to his use or misuse of it. It will be a law of freedom to the righteous and one of bondage to those who misuse it. We cannot escapefrom the creative power of our thought and there is no use in trying to do so. All we need to do is to use the law from the right motive, then we shall be made free.
T h e P r a y e r o f F a i t h (James 5 : 1 $)
The prayer of faith is an unconditional belief in both the ability and the desire of Spirit to hear and answer. The prayer of faith heals the sick through the law which says that whatever images of thought are held in the subjective side of mind will tend to appear in the body, or in the body of affairs. When the prayer of faith penetrates the subjective thought and neutralizes false images, then the sick are raised into health. Even God cannot heal the sick, unless this psychological change takes place in the inner creative thought. All is love but all is law: one balances the other. Law cannot, and will not, depart from its nature. When we pray, believing, we erase false ideas from our inner thought, then the Spirit can make the gift of health. When we admit the light, it comes in, since there is no way it could enter except through a receptive mind. If we could give up our diseases— offer them on the altar of faith to the Giver of all life— we would be healed. It is not easy to release our troubles; we are prone to linger with them. But, by effectual and fervent prayer, we gradually loose false thought into its native nothingness. God is perfect life, and when we enter His light, we are healed.
The C
o nfessio n
of
M
istakes
(Ja m e s £ :
i
6)
James tells us to confess our faults. This thought suggests one of the great psychological truths of the inner nature. Psychoanalysis— which is the analysis of the soul or subjective mind— is
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a scientific method for the erasure of false beliefs. It is often forgiveness of sins, done in a sci entific manner. Our minds are burdened with many things. Often our religions— which should automati cally balance our mentalities— suppress them, and create morbidness on the subjective side of thought. This happens when we feel condemned for our mistakes. The Bible tells us that God will blot out these mistakes and remember them no more against us forever. This is complete removal and erasure of all mistakes. How could it be different? God is of pure eye and perfect mind; He is perfect Spirit. When we enter this Spirit and bare our souls to Its great light, we loose our troubles and are healed. The confession of sins, or mistakes, helps us to let go of troubles, and to feel that the Uni verse holds nothing against us. Sin means making mistakes, and while we continue to make them, we continue to perpetuate their dire results. We should come daily to the Spirit of Good ness for a complete washing away of all mistakes, fears and troubles. The man who feels that his mistakes can be blotted out, is in a better psychological position, than the one who thinks God will not forgive. We should learn to let go of our mistakes and remember them no longer against ourselves. Nothing is gained by holding to past errors. The best thing to do is to let go of and forget them altogether. It is scientific to consciously let go all our troubles. It is most unwise to hold them. Some will say that it is fight that we should suffer for our past errors. It is right that we should suffer; we already have done so and will continue to do so until we pay the last farthing. BUT THE LAST FARTHING IS PAID WHEN WE LET GO AND TRUST IN THE LAW OF GOOD. It is impossible for a sane person to believe that God delights in condemning or damning anyone. God is natural Goodness and eternal Loving-kindness, and holds nothing against anyone. We suffer so long as we make mistakes. We are healed when we come to the Spirit for that cleansing which takes away the mistakes of the world, converting them into great lessons, ever pointing the way to Truth and beauty; to life, health, happiness and success. It is scientific for one to consciously let go of his troubles and errors, feeling that they no longer affect him. He has learned the lesson that false ideas do not pay and is willing and glad to turn from all that hurts to the Great Light. And the Spirit, because of Its nature of Whole ness, is ever ready to take him in Its embrace and make him whole again.
Now A
re
W
e the
Sons
of
G
od
(I J o h n 3 : 1 —4 )
The world does not know the son of God. Material sense cannot recognize the spiritual. Spiritual things must be spiritually understood. Gods love is complete in us, in that we are His sons— the sons of freedom and not of bondage.
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“Now are we the sons of God.” Not in the hereafter, but in the Now, are we just what we are and what we must be— because of our true natures. “Now are we the Sons of God.” The birth of the soul into the light of Spirit is an awakening to the realization that God has been with us all the time. “Now are we the sons of God.” Today is the day of complete salvation, not tomorrow or the day after, but NOW. It does not now completely appear what we really are, for now we see only in part, but when He shall appear we shall recognize Him, for we shall see Him in His true light. This “He” means ourselves— the Christ in us, our hope and assurance of eternal glory. We shall be like Him. We have inwardly been like Him all the time, but when He shall appear, we shall see Him as He is; that is, we shall know, even as we also are known— we shall know ourselves. “We shall see him as he is.” Not as He now appears, for He is hidden in the innermost re cesses of our nature. We shall see Him with the spiritual eye that dims not; with a clear sight that penetrates all suppositional opposites and announces the ever-present Reality. We shall see ourselves as we really are, forever held in the bosom of the Universe— the Sons of God. Who doeth right, is right, even as He is right. This again reveals us to ourselves. This is the great revelation: the revelation of the self to the self. But before this can take place, we must have consciously come into our birthright. We must have returned to the Father s House. This return is a conscious act on our part. When we do right, we are right, and when we are right, we are like Him, for then we shall see Him. This refers to the Christ indwelling every soul. The Son of God in all His beauty and strength. Even if our hearts condemn us, we know that the Spirit, which gave the heart, is greater than Its gift. God is greater than all human mistakes and in God alone is there peace and hap piness. God is natural Goodness and eternal Loving-kindness. “Who is born of love is born of God, for God is Love.” Without love, nothing can be ac complished. With love, all things are possible. And when we love, our prayers are answered and the gift of heaven is made. The gift of heaven is Life and not death; Love and not hate; Peace and not confusion. And we enter into this paradise through the gateway of love toward one another and toward God. Love is greater than all else and covers a multitude of mistakes. Love overcomes every thing and neutralizes all that is unlike itself. Love is God.
6*4
PART SIX
MEDITATIONS
MEDITATIONS FOR SELF-HELP AND HEALING
In these short meditations I have tried to set forth some ideas which my experiences in mental healing have given me. I have found that a few brief statements, mentally affirmed, followed by a silent meditation, have been most effective in the healing work. Most of these meditations have been written in the first person in order that those using them may be able to do so just as they are written. It is not claimed that there is any occult power in the words, but that words similar to these are effective in inducing a greater realization of life. First, decide which meditation you wish to use; then become quiet and composed. Then carefully read the meditation several times, phrase by phrase, endeavoring to realize the mean ing of the words and trying to enter into the atmosphere of the thought. After having done this, meditate upon the words, following that meditation until you feel a sense of realization.
7
T H E
COME, AND
S C I E N C E
OF
to another, and I am free from race-
LET ME H EA L YOU
Come and I will heal you.
suggestion. My Life is from Above, and I remember that
The inner power of Life within me is God, and God has all power.
M I N D
I was always Perfect and Complete. An Inner Light shines forth and frees me
I will heal and help all who come to me.
from the bonds of false belief.
I know that the realization of Life and Love
I camefrom the Spirit.
within me heals all who come into Its
♦
presence.
♦
I silently bless all who enter my atmosphere. NO CO N GESTIO N
It is not I, but the Father Who dwelleth in me, He doeth the works. I heal all who come near me.
There is no congestion nor stoppage of action. Life, flowing through me, is Perfect and Clear; It cannot be stopped, retarded nor hindered.
H E IS M I G H T Y W I T H I N M E T O H E A L
God within me is mighty to heal.
I feel the One Life flowing through me now. It eliminates all impure secretions and
He healeth me of all my diseases and
cleanses my thought from any suggestion
removes all fear from me.
of false deposits in the flesh. I am Clean, Pure and Perfect, and my Word
My God within is now healing me of all sickness and pain and is bringing
eliminates all else.
comfort to my soul.
There is no congestion.
God is my life; I cannot be sick. I hear the voice of Truth telling me to arise and walk, for I am healed.
NO FALSE GRO W TH
I am healed.
“Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” There is no false growth and nothing for
I DO NOT IN H E R IT DISEASE
one to feed on. I am free from all
There is no inherited tendency to disease
thought of, or belief in, anything false
nor ill health.
or fearsome.
I am born of Pure Spirit.
I cast out all fear and with it all manifestation
False ideas cannot be transmitted from one
of fear.
6^8
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
A false idea is neither person, place nor
A N D
H E A L I N G
Open my ears that I may hear.
thing, and has no one to believe in nor experience it. I am now One with The Perfect Life of
PE R FEC T VISION
Complete Wholeness. There is One Vision and One perfect seeing. My Word casts out allfear.
My eyes are open and I behold Perfect Life. No suggestion of imperfect vision can enter my thought.
NO W E A R IN E SS
I perceive that all people can see, and that
There is no weariness.
the One, looking through all, sees and is
Mind and Spirit do not become tired nor
not limited in vision. I am one with a complete understanding
weary, and I am Mind and Spirit.
ofTruth.
The flesh cannot become weary, since it has
I do open my eyes and I do see.
no mind of its own. I am free from all illusions of weariness.
This Word operates even through me and
My whole being responds to the thought
manifests through my eyes NOW.
of Life.
Open my eyes that I may see.
I am alive with the Great Vitality of the Spirit. THE ALL-SEEING
EYE
I am alive with Spirit.
The Eye of the Spirit cannot be dimmed, nei ther can It be limited in Its ability to see. My eyes are the Vision of my Indwelling
PERFECT H EARING
Lord; they are the Windows of my Inner My hearing is perfect.
Spirit and are always open to the Vision
It is God in me hearing His own voice.
ofTruth.
I hear That Voice, and no belief in inaction
I see with the Vision of the Spirit, and this
can hinder that hearing.
sight cannot be weakened nor lost; it is
There are no impaired organs.
forever effective.
Every idea of the body is now complete and
My word which I now speak is the Law of Per
perfect and functions according to the
fect Sight, my eyes are opened and I see.
Divine Law.
Spirit sees through me.
I open my ears to hear. I am receptive to Truth and can understand it.
6^9
T H E
TH E
HEALING
OF THE
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
I am happy and complete.
FLESH
My flesh is the Manifestation of the Spirit in my body. HERE AND NOW
It is kept perfect through the Law of God. “In my flesh shall I see God.”
Perfection is already accomplished.
The mantle of flesh is perfect and complete
I am that Perfect Life here and now.
here and now.
Today I express the Limitless Life of the
It is one with the Body of God, and cannot be sick, nor suffer. Myflesh is Perfect.
All Good. Today I manifest my Completion in every part of me. Today I am saved. Here and now I am healed.
T H E R E IS N O P A I N
There is no pain nor inflammation. All fear is swept away in the realization of Truth. I am free from every belief in pain. The Spirit cannot pain, and I am Pure Spirit. I amfree from all pain.
MAJESTIC CALM
The Inner Mind is still. The Soul reflects the Most High. The Spirit of man is God. In the great calm of the All Good, I rest in peace and security. My life is now reflecting the Perfect Whole. I am Peace; I am calm I am security and complete satisfaction.
HAPPINESS AND COM PLETIO N
I am One with God.
I am happy and complete, today and forever.
I amfilled with peace.
Within me is that which is Perfect and Complete. It is the Spirit of all Life, Truth and Action.
NO LOSS
I am happy in the certain knowledge of this Inner Light. I cannot be sad nor sorry, but must radiate
There is no loss. Nothing can be lost, misplaced nor forgotten.
Joy and Life, For Life is within me now.
There was never any loss nor confusion.
660
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
Creation is Perfect and Complete, within the
A N D
H E A L I N G
Look out and see Thy good. It is not afar off, but is at hand.
One are all things, and all are known to
Prepare Thyself to accept and believe; to
the One.
know and live.
I am now in complete harmony with the Whole and I cannot lose nor misplace
Let Life enter and live through Thee, Soul of
anything.
mine, and rejoice that Thou hast vision so
I am constantly finding more and more Good. I know that there is no loss.
fair and so complete. Rejoice that the Perfect Whole is so com pletely reflected through Thee. My light has come.
O H, FOR A T O N G U E TO EXPRESS
Oh, for a tongue to express the Wonders s e e in g
which the Thought reveals! Oh, for some Word to comprehend the
t h e
p e r f e c t
My eyes behold the complete and perfect in all Creation,
boundless idea! Would that some Voice were sweet enough to sound the harmony of Life.
“In all, over all and through all.” I see the perfect; there is nothing else to see, and no suggestion of otherness can enter
But Within, in that vast realm of thought where the Soul meets God, the Spirit knows.
my thought. I know only the perfect and the complete.
I will listen for that Voice and It will tell me
I am perfect and whole, now.
of Life, of Love and Unity.
I see the Good.
Speak to me, Spirit. ♦
♦ ♦
T H E C I R C L E IS C O M P L E T E O SO U L OF M IN E , L O O K O U T A N D SEE
O Soul of mine, look out and see; look up
The Circle of Love is complete. It comprehends all, includes all, and binds all
and know Thy freedom. Be not cast down nor dismayed; be uplifted
together with cords of Everlasting Unity. I cannot depart from Its Presence nor wan der from Its care.
within me and exult, for Thy Salvation has come. Behold the wonders of the Great Whole and
My Love is complete within me. The Love of God binds me to Itself, and will not let me go.
the marvels of the Universe.
661
T H E
S C I E N C E
I shall make a home for you, O my wonder
OF
M I N D
And from this fond caress assurance shall be born, and confidence and love.
ful Love, and we shall journey through life hand in hand.
My hope is in Thee.
I shall sit in your Presence and learn the wondrous things You will tell me; For You are God.
BE S T IL L A N D K N O W
Love sits within me.
“Be still and know that I am God.” I am still in Thy Presence. I am quiet and peaceful, for I put my trust
THE THINGS THAT ARE
The things that are, were and evermore
in Thee. A great stillness steals over me and a great calm quiets my whole being, as I realize
shall be.
Thy Presence.
Time, chance and change begone from my
The heart knows of Thee, O Most High
thought!
within.
The Changeless is here to stay, and the Timeless cannot cease from Being.
It is still in Thy Presence, and it puts its
The things that are shall remain, though
whole confidence in Thee alone.
heaven and earth should pass away.
In Thy Presence I am still.
I rest secure and safe within the Life of
♦
Endless Perfection and Completion.
♦
My whole Being responds to the Realization CAST ASIDE A L L D OUBT
of the Complete Whole.
Cast aside all doubt, O Soul of mine, and be
I am that which Is. ♦
♦
unafraid, for Thy power is from On High. He Who sitteth in the heavens shall be Thy champion;
A S O N G OF H O P E
Thou need not fear; Come forth, O Spirit,
My Life is in Thee, O Inner Presence.
from within and express Thyself through
I look upon Thee and hope springs forth into
me and let not my doubts hinder Thy
realization. O Hope within me, undying evidence of
approach. My faith shall go forth to meet Thee, and my
Good, Thou dost completely hold me in Thy loving
confidence shall embrace Thee. My waiting thought shall bid Thee welcome
embrace,
to my house of Love,
662
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
And Joy shall accompany us through the ages
A N D
H E A L I N G
All are kept in His care.
yet to come. I lay aside allfear and doubt.
H O P E C A N N O T DIE
Hope canndt die. Eternal Hope is forever DIVINE COM PANIONSHIP
warm and fresh within me; the death
I have an Inner Friend who walks and talks
less Hope built upon the rock of sure
with me daily. He is not afar off, but is within me, a con
knowledge. 0 Hope Sublime, O Life Supreme, behold I come to Thee as a tired child, and Thou
stant companion.
dost rekindle within me the fires of Faith.
I shall never become lonely, for my Friend is always near.
Strong, swift and sure, Faith springs forth
I have but to speak and He answers.
into action and my entire Being rises to
Before ever my lips spoke He told me of
meet the Dawn.
His love.
Hope, Faith and Love are in me.
O my kind Friend, how dear to me is Thy presence. The Spirit within me is my Friend.
I AM NOT ALO N E
1 am not alone, for a Presence goes with me and daily accompanies me on my travels. H I S E Y E IS O N T H E S P A R R O W
Always I shall find this Divine Companion with me.
“His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.” This is a blessed thought, for it means that
He will not desert nor allow me to go alone. He will always be with me and near me, and will always provide for every want.
we cannot wander from His Presence, nor depart from His care.
My life is hid with Christ in God.
Always He will watch over us and comfort us. Forever we shall sit in His house and
I W E N T INTO A MOUNTAIN
ceaselessly He will care for us.
I have discovered a Secret Place within,
The All-Seeing Eye cannot overlook any one, and all, all shall be kept in
where the thought goes into a mountain
His care.
high above the din of the world.
663
T H E
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
I have found in this mountain a Place of FREE FROM SENSITIVENESS
Peace and rest, A Place of joy and comfort to the heart.
My feelings cannot be hurt.
I have found that the Secret Place of God is
No one wishes to harm me, and there is nothing in me that can believe in any
within my own Soul. I will listenfo r Thy Voice.
separation from the All Good. I perceive that I am free from all people, and
♦ ♦
I cannot be harmed nor mistreated. I have such a sense of unity with all that the
T H E JOY OF T H E SOUL
My Soul within me rejoices at the realization
circle is complete and perfect. I love my friends and they love me, and that love is in, and of, God, and cannot be
of Life.
marred nor hindered.
I am made glad as I behold my inner Light; I cannot be sad nor depressed, for the All
I amfilled with joy and love,forever.
Good has claimed me as Its own. 0 Soul within me, rejoice and become glad, for Thy Light has come and Thy Day of Salvation is at hand.
I KEEP THE PROMISE
Be still within me and behold Him Who
I shall keep the promise that I have made to
sitteth On High. I rejoice in my Life within me. ♦
myself. I shall never again tell myself that I am poor,
♦
sick, weak nor unhappy.
♦
I shall not lie to myself any more, but F R E E D O M FRO M SIN
shall daily speak the truth to my inner Soul, telling It that It is wonderful and
I,am free from belief in sin; there is neither
marvelous; that It is One with the Great
- sin nor sinner. There is no judgment against anyone.
Cause of all Life, Truth, Power and
God does not condemn and man cannot.
Action.
All fear of sin is removed from me; all belief
I shall whisper these things into my Soul until it breaks forth into songs of joy
in punishment is gone from me.
with the realization of Its Limitless
1 live by the One Power, and no thought can
possibilities.
enter to disturb me.
I shall assure my Soul.
There is neither sin nor sinner.
664
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
I walk my own way, immune to all sugges LO VE G L E A M S T H R O U G H T H E MIST
Through the mist of human fear love gleams
tion of condemnation. Only those thoughts can enter my mentality which I allow to enter.
and points the way to freedom. I now decree and declare that I am free
I do not, and cannot, receive adverse thoughts.
from all sense of bondage. I am made perfect and whole through
Only those thoughts which are helpful and life-giving can find entrance to my house.
knowledge of the Real Life within me. No illusions can enter my thought.
There is no condemnation.
I know that there is One Power, and I know
♦
that this Power now protects me from
♦ ♦
all harm. NO FALSE HABIT
As Perfect Love casts out all fear, so my fear flees before the knowledge of Truth. I am not afraid.
There are no vicious nor false habits. Every desire of my thought and heart is satisfied in the Truth. I do not long for anything nor feel the lack of anything.
NO BONDAGE
I am complete within myself; I am perfect
There is no bondage nor limitation.
within myself; I am happy and satisfied
Every part of me moves in perfect harmony
within myself. I am One with All Life within me.
and freedom. I cannot be tied, bound nor made
I amfree.
inactive, for I am Free Spirit, and the Power of my Life is from on High.
NO HYPNOTISM NOR FALSE SUGGESTION
There is no inaction nor false action, And I am now completely Free.
There is no hypnotism nor false suggestion. I represent the One Mind which cannot act
I amfree. ♦
against Itself nor can It act against me.
♦
I am immune to all suggestion and cannot receive false thoughts, nor harbor them.
NO CONDEM NATION
I am surrounded with a circle of Love and Protection.
There is no condemnation in me nor
Asleep or awake, I am free from false
operating through me.
thoughts.
I am free from the belief or thought of men. 66^
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
I see the nothingness of all belief in, or fear
I rejoice infreedom.
of, otherness; and I know that The One and Only Mind, alone, can act. Only the Good can enter.
TH E TIME HAS COM E
The time has come, the hour has struck. The power from within has come forth and NO MISTAKES
is expressing through my word. I do not have to wait; today is the time.
There are no mistakes; none have ever been
Today I enter into all Truth; today I am
made and none ever will be made.
completely healed.
Nothing ever happened in the past to hinder
Today I enter into my inheritance.
or hurt. There is no past, and I know, and can see,
Today the Truth has made mefree.
that there is no belief in any past to rise
♦
against me.
♦
I live in the Now, free from any yesterdays or W I T H I N T H Y L A W IS F R E E D O M
tomorrows.
O, My Soul within me, Great is Thy Presence
Now, I am Happy, Free and Complete. There are no mistakes. ♦
♦
Within Thy Law is freedom to all who will believe. I believe in Thy Law and I love Thy precepts. I know that Thy Law is perfect and It is a
T H E R E ARE NO RESPONSIBILITIES
delight to my Soul,
The Spirit has no responsibilities.
for It is illumined with Thy Words of Power.
The Spirit knows no want nor fear.
Thy Law is complete freedom to me, and to all for whom it shall be spoken.
It is complete within Itself, and lives by
I speak the Word of freedom to all, and all
virtue of Its own Being.
shall receive it.
I am Spirit and cannot take on the fears of the world.
I amfree in Thy Law.
My ways are made straight before me. The pathway of Life is an endless road of Eternal Satisfaction and Perfect Joy.
BEAUTY
My Life within me is Complete and Perfect,
I behold the Beautiful and the Pleasant.
and has no cares nor burdens.
My eyes see only that which is beautiful to
It is Free Spirit and cannot be bound.
look upon.
I rejoice in that Freedom. 666
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
I will not see anything else nor believe in
AND
HEALING
I shall not doubt nor fear, for my whole
anything else.
being responds to the realization of Life within and around me.
I know that beauty has entered into my life, and will always remain there.
I shall not fear, for the Hosts of Heaven are waiting upon me, and the Law of the
I see only the beautiful.
Universe is my Salvation. I shall notfear.
F R I E N D S H I P OF T H E SPIRIT A N D OF M A N
The Friendship of the Spirit and of man is
I WAS TOLD TO LIVE
mine now and forever. Even now I see the countless numbers of friends coming and going around me.
By some inner mystic Presence, I was told to live and to love, to laugh and to be glad.
I enter into this friendship and this compan ionship with gladness and rejoicing.
I was told to be still and know of the One Almighty Power, in and through all.
I receive myfriends.
I was told to let that Power work through and in me. I believed that voice and I received my Good.
i serve
I am healed— The joy o f Life.
I serve the world. I wait upon the Lord within all men; I call forth glory from On High through the
LAW
minds of all people. I obey the will of Him Who inhabits Eternity. I do the works of Him Who dwelleth among
I meditate upon the Law of God. It is a Perfect Law and is now working for me and in and through me.
the heavens. My Lord within commands and I obey.
“The Law of the Lord is perfect.” I speak into that Law and it is done unto me.
I do good to all people Thy Law is in my heart.
♦ ♦ ♦
♦
♦
I SHALL NOT DOUBT NO R FEAR lo v e
I shall not doubt nor fear, for my salvation is from On High, and the day of its
The Love of the All Good is within me and through me.
appearing is now at hand. 6 67
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
To express Life; and Life will be
That Love goes out to meet all who come
expressed
into my atmosphere. It radiates to all and is flowing through all.
In and through me. I cannot hinder it.
My Love within me is Perfect.
I am controlled by Intelligence.
Thy Love within me is Perfect. ♦
♦ ♦
MY BUSINESS LO VE DISSOLVES A L L F E A R
My business is directed by Divine
Greater than fear is Love.
Intelligence.
Love dissolves all fear, casts out all doubt and
The All-Knowing Mind knows what to do and how to do it.
sets the captive free. Love, like the River of Life, flows through
I do not hinder, but let It operate in my affairs.
me and refreshes me with its eternal blessings.
It prospers and directs me and controls
Love cannot be afraid; it is fearless and
my life.
strong, and is mighty in its works.
My affairs are managed by Love, and
It can accomplish all things through the Inner
directed by Wiscjom, and they cannot fail to prosper and
Light of that faith in the All Good,
expand.
Which fills my very Being with a Powerful Presence.
My affairs are in His hands. Love casts out allfear.
♦
♦ ♦
M Y PROFESSION m y
a ffa ir s
My profession is the Activity of the Great Mind working through me.
My affairs are in the hands of Him Who guides the planets in their course,
As such It is a Divine Activity and is
And Who causes the Sun to shine.
constantly in touch with Reality.
Divine Understanding attends me on the Way,
I am inspired in my work from On High with lofty ideals,
And I shall not be hindered in my work. My affairs are controlled by Perfect
And my thought is illumined by the
Intelligence,
All-Knowing One.
And cannot be hindered from expression.
I am inspired.
I know that all that I do is done from the One Motive: 668
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
I behold it and see that it is even now done,
NO DELAYS
complete and perfect.
There are no delays in the Divine Plan
I receive now.
for me.
♦
Nothing can hinder the operation of this Law
♦
unto my Life and Action. NO OVER-ACTION NOR INACTION
Obstructions are removed from my path, and I now enter into the realization and
There is no over-action nor inaction in
manifestation of complete fulfillment.
Divine Law, for everything moves
I do not have to wait, for the Law waits upon
according to perfect harmony.
me at every turn in Lifes road.
Every idea of my body functions in accor dance with this Law of Perfect Life.
Now it is done unto me.
I now perceive that the action within me is perfect, complete and harmonious. Peace be unto every part of me, and perfect
NO M ISREPRESENTATIONS
Life to every member of my body.
No one can misdirect; none can mislead me.
I act in accordance with Divine Law.
I am free from the belief in all lies and
I am Perfect Life throughout my whole Being.
untruths; I know and speak only the Truth, and the Truth alone can be spoken to me.
ONE W ITH PERFECT ACTION
I know the false and can understand the Real.
I am One with Perfect Action. Everything
I cannot be fooled nor misled; I am guided
that I do, say or think is quickened into
by Truth alone.
action through this right understanding and this correct knowing.
There is no lie nor liar.
The harmonious action of the Great Whole operates through me now and at all times.
♦
I am carried along by this Right Action and
NO OBSTRUCTIONS
am compelled to do the right thing at the
There are no obstructions to Life’s Path; no
right time.
hindrance to man’s endeavors.
There is nothing in me that can hinder this
Let my Word be the Law of elimination to all thought of hindrance or delay,
action from flowing through me. The action of God is the only action.
And let the thing that I speak come forth into manifestation at once. 6 69
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
I will sing and be glad, for I know that I am PEACE, POISE A N D P O W E R
hidden with Truth in a Perfect Life.
Peace, Poise and Power are within me, for
Thefullness ofJoy is mine.
they are the witnesses of the Inner Spirit
♦ ♦
of all Truth, Love and Wisdom.
♦
I am at peace within me, and all about re sponds to that Great Calm of the Inner Soul which knows its rightful place in the All Good. Power is born from within me and passes into my experience without effort or labor. I rest in Security and Peace, for the Inner Light shines forth and illumines the way.
THE IN N E R LIGHT
The Light of Heaven shines through me and illumines my path. The Light Eternal is my guide and my protection. In that Light there is no darkness at all. It is a Perfect Light shining from the altar of a perfect Love. 0 Light and Love within me, Thou art welcome.
I rest in Thee.
Light shines through me and illumines the Way. ♦
♦
STILLNESS AND R ECEPTIVITY T H E N I G H T IS F I L L E D W I T H P E A C E
I am still and receptive to Life. I let Life flow through me into all that I do,
1 wrap myself in the mantle of Love and fall
say or think.
asleep, filled with Peace.
I shall let my Life be what it is, and shall not
Through the long night Peace remains with
worry nor complain.
me, and at the breaking of the new day I shall still be filled with Life and Love.
I am now entered into the Secret Place of the Soul where complete quiet reigns
I shall go forth into the new day confident
supreme and where God talks to me.
and happy.
I receive.
I rest in Thee.
TH A N K SG IV IN G AND PRAISE
TH E SEAL OF APPROVAL
I will give thanks to my Inner Life for all Its
The Seal of Approval is upon me, and I am
Marvelous Wonders, and for all Its Won
not condemned by the thought or the act
derful Works.
of man.
6 70
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
I will fear no evil, for I know that the Great
AND
HEALING
Daily shall I receive Its great blessings and my Soul shall rejoice forevermore.
Judge of all controls my every act. Let every fear of man be removed from
I am now entered into my good.
me and let the Silence of my soul bear
♦ ♦
witness to the Truth. God approves o j me.
T H E T H I N G S I N E E D C O M E T O MJE
Whatever I need comes to me from the All Good. THE SECRET WAY
Divine Intelligence working through me always knows just what
There is a Secret Way of the Soul which all may know.
I need and always supplies it when I need it.
It is the Way of Peace and Love.
This Law is unfailing and sure, and cannot
This Secret Way leads into places of joy
be broken. I receive my Good daily as I
And into the house of good.
go along the pathway of Life, and
It is the Way of the Spirit, and all may enter
I cannot be robbed of my birthright to freedom and happiness.
who will. I tread the Secret Way of good, the Path of
I receive my Good.
Peace, And I enter into “The Secret Place of The Most High.” The Secret Place of The Most High is within me.
T H E W A Y IS M A D E C L E A R B E F O R E M E
The Way is made clear before me; I do not falter nor fall. The Way of the Spirit is my Way, and I am compelled to walk in it.
T H E S H I N I N G PATH
My feet are kept on the Path of Perfect Life. The Way is prepared before me, and that Way
The Pathway of Life shines before me unto
is a Path of Peace, of Fulfillment and Joy.
the Perfect Day.
The Way is bright with the light of Love and
I walk the pathway of the Soul to the Gate of Good.
Kindness. The Way I tread is a pleasant and a happy one.
I enter into the fulfillment of my desires. Nothing need be added to and nothing can
I see the Way and I walk in It.
be taken from the All Good which is forever expressing Itself in me.
671
THE
SCIENCE
OF
MIND
This Spirit is my spirit now. AS LO VE E N T E R S , F E A R DEPARTS
Guide Thou my feet; compel my way; direct my paths and keep me in Thy Presence.
As Love enters, fear vanishes. I am so filled with Love that no fear can
My feet are guarded and I am guided into
enter my thought.
The All Good.
I am not afraid, for I know that a Perfect Intel
He guides myfeet.
ligence guards and governs my every act. Perfect Love casteth out all fear. I am unafraid, and strong in my faith in that
NO H A R M S H A L L B E F A L L YOU
inner Presence that keeps me from all harm.
No harm shall befall you, my friend, for a Divine Presence attends your way and
Perfect Love casteth out allfear.
guards you into The All Good. Loving kindness awaits you at every turn of Life’s road.
IN F IN IT E LIFE W IT H IN
Guidance is yours along the pathway of Infinite Life within me, which is God, guard
experience,
Thou my feet and keep Thou my way.
And an Infallible Power protects you.
Let me not stray from Thee, but compel me
God, Himself, and no other is your Keeper.
to do Thy will. I proclaim thisfo r you.
I am guarded and governed by an Infinite Intelligence and an Omnipotent Power. No mistakes can be made and none ever have
P O W E R TO LIVE
been made. An unerring judgment operates through me and I am led by the
I have the power to live the life of good. My power is from On High, it cannot be
Spirit of Truth into all Good and into all Peace and Happiness. Irfinite Life is within me.
taken from me; It will not leave me desolate. Power flows through me and is in me, and I can now feel and sense it. The Power to live is in me and it cannot desert me.
MY FEET SHALL NOT FALTER
It is my power and is continually present.
My feet shall not falter, for they are kept
I am the power to live.
upon the path of Life through the Power of the Eternal Spirit. 672
MEDITATIONS
FOR
SELF-HELP
AND
HEALING
Silently the work goes on, and silently all are TH E CIRCLE OF LOVE
being helped by this Inner Power which is
A circle of love is drawn around me and
operating through me.
mine, and all.
I will give thanks that my Power within is silently blessing and helping every one
No harm can enter that Sacred Circle, for it
to whom my thought reaches.
is the Love of God. It is a complete protection from all evil.
The Life within me blesses all mankind.
“I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”
♦ ♦
There is no evil and no harm. I am free from all sense of fear.
THE QUICK A N SW E R
Love surrounds and protects me.
My answer comes quickly and surely back to me from On High. My answer will not fail me, for the Law of
THE CIRCLE OF PR O TECTIO N
the Universe is the Power through which
I draw around me a circle of love and
it comes.
protection. No harm can enter nor find place within that charmed circle of life and love, for it rep
I shall not doubt nor fear, for the answer is swift and certain. My answer comes.
resents Gods Loving Care and Eternal Watchfulness. I will rest within me now, and I will speak /
comfort to my Soul and tell It of all the
A SON G OF JOY
wonders of Its life, safe from the din of There is a Song upon my lips today; it sings
strife and fear.
of the glad heart and the happy ways I am protectedfrom On High.
of Life. I will listen to my song, for it carols to me the glad tidings of Great Joy, of Love and Life.
TH E P O W ER W IT H IN BLESSES A L L
It tells me of the Wondrous Journey of the
The Power within me is blessing all man
Soul and the Boundless Life in which my
kind, and is forever healing all with
life is hid.
whom I come in contact. The Power within me is God, and It must bless and help and heal all who come near It.
673
I amfilled with joy.
T H E
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
B O R N OF E T E R N A L DAY
Child of All Good, you are born of
INSPIRATION
Come, Thou Great and Infinite Mind and
Eternal Day. There is no evening of the Soul, for it shall
inspire me to do great deeds. Acquaint me with Thy knowledge and in Thy
live forever.
wisdom make me wise.
It is Deathless and Perfect, Complete and
I would be taught of Thee, Inner Light, and
One with the Everlasting. No thought of tomorrow can disturb the
inspired by Thy presence. I will listen for Thy Voice and it will tell me
calm of him who knows that Life is one Eternal Day.
of great things to be done. I will walk in Thy Paths and they will lead
No fear can enter where Love reigns, and Reason keeps faith with Hope. The thoughts of the tomorrows and the
me into All Good. I will be inspired from On High. 0 Wonderful Presence, flooding me, filling
yesterdays are swallowed up in the great
me with Thy Light,Thou dost inspire me!
realization of the Perfect Here and the
Ifeel the inspiration of Spirit.
Complete Now. Today I completely accept my wholeness.
TH E DAWN HAS COM E
Out of the darkness of the long night the I ARISE AN D GO FORTH
I arise and go forth into the Dawn of the
Dawn has come. 1 rise to meet the new day, filled with
New Day, filled with faith and assurance in the All Good.
confidence and strength. I arise and go forth into the dawn, inspired and
I arise, I arise, I sing with joy! I proclaim the One Life: “In all and
refreshed by the Living Spirit within me. 0 Day, you shall never die; the sun shall
through all.” I arise, I arise, I shout with gladness that is
never set upon your perfect glory. For the Lamp of the Soul has been re-kindled
within me.
with the oil of Faith,
I declare this day to be Complete, Perfect
And Love has cleansed the windows of Life
and Eternal. I respond to Life.
with the spirit of gladness. They shall nevermore grow dim with fear, for Perfect Love casteth out all fear. 1 am renewed in strength through knowing Good. 674
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
H E A L I N G
There is no evil in the Truth, and no
My light has come. ♦
A N D
power of darkness to hinder the Light
♦
from shining.
♦
I will not be afraid, for there is One
COMPLETE CONFIDENCE
within Who protects and keeps me My confidence in the All Good is complete.
from all harm.
My faith in the Power of Spirit is supreme. Ifear no evil.
I have no doubts nor uncertainties.
♦
I know that my Good is at hand, and
♦ ♦
I realize that no fear can hinder I HAVE K N O W N , ALWAYS
That Good from making Its appearance in my life and affairs.
I have always known the Truth, and no fear
I know that my Life and Good are complete.
can keep my inner knowledge from me.
Evil cannot touch nor hinder my work.
My wisdom from within comes forth into
I rest in security, for
daily expression.
THE ONE MIND IS MY COMPLETE
Knowledge from On High is given to me,
REFUGE AND STRENGTH.
and I shall always be led of the Spirit .
I am serene and confident.
I know the Truth.
DRAWING THE GOOD
I MEET MY GOOD
I draw my Good to me as I travel along
Today I meet my Good; it knows me and
the Way of Life, and nothing can keep It
will not let me depart from it.
from me.
My Good is at hand, and I cannot be robbed
My Good will always follow me.
of it.
I accept the Good and rejoice that it is with me.
Good is forever expressing itself to me and mine.
I accept the Good.
I can even now see and hear and feel the All Good in and around me. It presses itself against me, and fills me with
I FEAR NO EVIL
a great surge of Life.
“I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.”
My Good is at hand.
I will not be afraid, for the All Good is constantly with me and is always near at hand to guide and comfort. 67S
T H E
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
My own is now manifesting itself to me, and MY ATM OSPHERE
I see and know its presence. My own
My atmosphere is attracting the Good; it is
shall know and respond to me.
constantly on the alert to see and know the
My own cannot be kept from me, neither
Good, and to bring it into my experience.
can I keep my good away from me. I
There is that within me that calls forth abundance and happiness from Life. I
receive my good NOW. My own shall find me. No matter where I
am surrounded with an atmosphere of Peace, Poise and Power. All who come in contact with that great
go, it will follow and claim me. I cannot hide myself from my own. My own shall come to me, even though I
Calm of my Life are made strong and
deny it; for there is nothing in me that
confident, are healed and blessed.
can hinder it from entering and taking
“Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is
possession of my Soul.
within me, bless His Holy Name.”
My own is now expressed.
I am hid with Christ in God.
M Y S O U L R E F L E C T S T H Y LIFE M Y G O O D IS C O M P L E T E
My Soul reflects Thy Life and rejoices in the My Good is complete; it is finished; it is now
happy thought that it looks on Thee
here and is conscious of me and of mine. I do not have to wait for my Good; it is at
alone. O Soul of mine, look out and up and on; and
hand and ever ready to spring forth and
reflect to me the wondrous Life of The
express itself to me.
All Good.
I accept my Good and gladly acknowledge it to be my daily companion.
Look thou upon The One, and be saved. Behold thou His Face forever more.
My Good is mine now, and I can see it and My Soul reflects Thy life.
feel it and know it. Today I claim my Good.
SORROW FLEES FROM ME MY O W N S H A LL CO M E TO ME
As the Great Joy of Life comes into my Soul, flooding me with Its wondrous
From far and near my own shall come to me. Even now it is coming to me and I
light, all sorrow and sadness flee
receive it.
from me. 6 76
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
I shall not grieve, for nothing is lost nor
A N D
H E A L I N G
I am Changeless Life within me.
gone from me. My own cannot be kept from me. My own knows me and will follow me
TH E HOUSE OF LOVE
wherever I go. I am filled with the Joy of living and the Great Peace that comes to all who
I dwell in the house of Love; My dwelling place is filled with peace and eternal calm.
believe.
Love attends me in my home of the Soul, and I am made glad forever more. ♦
Joy awaits upon me in the “Secret Place of the Most High.”
♦
My house is built for me by the hand of SUBSTANCE AND SUPPLY
The Substance of the Spirit is my Daily
Love, and I shall never leave this Home of the Spirit, for it is always present.
Supply. I cannot be without my Good.
I shall abide in this home forevermore.
I can see that the constant stream of
My house is a house o f love.
Life, flowing to me, brings into my experience all that makes Life happy ARISE, MY SPIRIT
and worthwhile. I rest in security, knowing that Infinite Good is within and is expressing through me.
Arise, my Spirit, arise and shine. Let Thy light illumine my path, and let Thy wisdom direct my way.
1 receive my good.
Compel my will to do Thy bidding, and command my Soul to look to Thee. THE EVER AND THE ALL
I will follow Thee, my Spirit, and learn of Thee.
Life always was and evermore shall be,
I will sit in the Silence and listen and
“World without end.”
watch, and
All the Power there is, is mine now.
I will SjeeThy light and hear Thy voice.
All the Life, Truth and Love of the Universe
I will follow Thee and will not depart
is now and forever
from Thee,
Flowing through my Soul.
For in Thee alone is Peace.
The All Good cannot change.
Arise and shine.
I shall always have access to my Eternal God within me. 677
T H E
C O M M A N D
MY
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
FR EE
SOUL
Spirit within me, command my Soul to do
SPIR IT
W IT H IN
ME
Free Spirit within me, Unbound and Perfect,
Thy bidding;
teach me Thy ways and make known to me Thy Limitless Completion.
Compel me to follow the course of Truth and Wisdom.
0 Spirit of Life, control my every action and
Control my inward thoughts and my outward ways,
thought. Compel me to follow Thy light that I too
And make me to understand Thy Laws. Command my Soul to turn to Thee for
may be free and complete. 1 will follow Thy footsteps and learn of Thee
guidance and light;
all the wondrous secrets of Life.
To turn to Thee for wisdom and knowledge.
I will follow Thy Light into the Perfect Day.
Let the paths of my Life be made straight
Free Spirit within me.
and sure; Let the Journey of my Soul find its completion in Thee.
f u l l n e s s
Command my Soul to do Thy bidding. ♦
♦
Despair gives way to joy at the thought of Thee, Indwelling Good. I cannot be sad when I think of Thee. My sorrow is turned to gladness and my shame to rejoicing.
l ig h t
The Light of Life is full within me and
♦
D ESP AIR GIVES W A Y TO JO Y
o f
around me. It shines forth into the Perfect Day. 0 Light within, lighting my path to peace, 1 adore and love You and I let You shine. Go forth and bless all who come to You, Light within. My Light radiates to all and through all.
My tears are wiped away and the sunlight of
My Light has come.
the Spirit shines through the clouds of depression and lights the way to Heaven. Thy Joy has made me glad.
h e
w h o
in h a b it s
e t e r n it y
He Who inhabits Eternity keeps watch over me and mine. “He Who neither slumbers nor sleeps” forever keeps watch over all.
678
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
I will rest in the assurance of Love and
S E L F - H E L P
A N D
H E A L I N G
It makes me glad and I sing, for I am so filled with Thy Spirit that I cannot be depressed
Protection.
nor unhappy.
OThou Great Overshadowing Presence, I am conscious of Thy care; I am aware of
I am filled with the joy of the Spirit, and I overflow with the gladness of life.
Thy loving kindness.
Thou art a Happy Companion to travel with
I rest in Thee.
me through Life;
Be still and know.
Wonderful Joy, Thou art so radiant and beaming, It is impossible to be sad in Thy presence. I shall give myself to Thee and remain with
I LISTEN
I will listen for Thy voice, Inner Presence. It will guide me and acquaint me with all
Thee, for Thou art complete and satisfying. I find fulfillment in Thee, and joy forevermore.
knowledge. Thy voice is sweet and tender; it is always
I amfilled with the Spirit ofJoy.
kind and gentle.
♦ ♦
0 Lover of my Soul, how I adore Thee! How I love Thee!
M Y T H O U G H T IS I N T H E E
How I love Thy voice; it thrills me with gladness and joy.
My thought is in Thee, Inner Light. My words are from Thee, Inner Wisdom.
It fills me with peace and calm, and it
My understanding is of Thee, Inner God.
soothes me. It quiets me and gives me wonderful rest.
I cafrnot be hid from Thee, my inspiration and my life.
1 listen, O Divine Speaker, I listen to Thee alone.
My thought is in Thee. I listen for Thy voice. O LOVE DIVINE
0 Love Divine within me, I am overpowered JOY HAS C O M E TO LIV E W I T H
ME
Joy has come to live with me. How can I
by Thy Presence. 1 am speechless, for words cannot utter the things that Thou hast revealed to me.
be sad? I do so love Thy presence, which is joy
Why dost Thou love me so, and why clasp me so close to Thy Eternal Heart?
within me.
6 79
T H E
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
0 Blessed Presence, I know, for Thou hast S U B T L E E S S E N C E OF SPIRIT W I T H I N ME
claimed me as Thine own. 1 shall nevermore walk apart from Thee. The love o j God is within me.
Subtle Essence of Spirit within me, flowing through me; Elixir of Life in my veins purifying me with Thy marvelous Life, I let Thy Spirit cleanse me from all false
PEACE STEALS THRO UG H THE SOUL
Peace steals through the waiting Soul, and
thought and idea; I let Thy Life flow through me in a complete and Perfect Whole.
the comfort of the Spirit comes into the stillness of the heart.
Ifeel the presence o f Spirit within me.
Peace, like an ocean of Infinite Life, reflects itself through me and calms every turbu lent feeling.
THE EVERLASTING ARMS
I am at peace and rest in the knowledge of the All Good which is at hand.
His Arms enfold me, His Strength upholds me, His Presence fills me with Life and Joy.
I rest in peace.
I shall nevermore be sad nor depressed, for I know that I do not walk Lifes path alone. There is One Who goes with me and tells me all the things that I should know.
STAND FORTH AND SPEAK
Stand forth and speak, Spirit within me.
There is a Presence with me guiding me into the Perfect Way.
Proclaim Thy presence, announce Thy course.
I rejoice in knowing that I am not alone.
Declare through me Thy wondrous . works and Let the children of men hear Thy voice. Behold, He maketh all things new. The Spirit within speaks words of Truth and
TH E M A N T L E OF LOVE
Like a cloak His Love is wrapped around me. Like a warm garment, It shelters me
Life to all. The Spirit within me is God. I speak the Truth.
from the storms of life. I feel and know that an Almighty Love envel ops me in Its close embrace. O Love Divine, My Love, how wonderful Thou art. I am open to receive Thy great
680
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
Love envelops me.
A N D
H E A L I N G
THROUGH THE LONG NIGH T WATCHES
Through the long night watches Thou hast been with me. THE VOICE OF TRU TH
In the dark places of human ignorance Thy hand hath guided me,
The Voice of Truth speaks to me and through me.
Thy light hath lighted the pathway of desolation to a land of plenty.
The Voice of Truth guides me and keeps me on the Path of the Perfect Day.
I have perceived Thee from afar, and my
I will listen to the Inner Voice and It will tell
soul hath yearned to Thee, OThou
me what to do in the hour of need. I shall be told everything that I ought to
Mighty One! The Spirit within me hath urged me on to the goal, and I have not been misled.
know when the time of need arrives, and I shall not be misled.
I have been guided and guarded through the long journey, and Thy Presence hath been
The Voice of Truth cannot lie, but always
made known to me.
speaks to me from On High. Nothing enters butThis Voice, for it is the
I awake from the dream and reenter the house of my Lord clothed with Peace and
Voice of God.
robed in colors of Light.
God speaks to me.
The Spirit (rfTruth watches over me.
T H E W I T N E S S OF T R U T H T H Y S T R E N G T H IS S U F F I C I E N T
There is a Witness within me who knows the Truth and who will not let me enter into
O Spirit of man and God within me, Thy
falsehood.
Power is great, and Thy Knowledge goes beyond the range of human experience.
My Inner Guide keeps me on the Pathway of Life and directs me at all times to that
Thy Wisdom excels that of all else, and beside Thee there is none other. In
which is right and best.
Thy Strength do I daily walk and live;
I shall never be without this witness of the Spirit, for I believe in It and accept It as
In Thy Presence do I always rest in peace
the Great Companion of the Soul.
and joy. Spirit within me and without, Powerful
The spirit within me is perfect now.
Thou art, and Great; Wonderful is Thy Might, and Complete is Thy Understanding. 68 i
T H E
S C I E N C E
I let Thy Mighty Strength flow through me,
OF
M I N D
For we are united in the perfect bonds of an everlasting unity.
And out into all the paths of my human endeavors.
I walk with Thee.
Lifejrom within expresses through me.
♦ ♦
I CONTROL MY MENTAL HOUSEHOLD W AITING ON THEE
I conquer my mental household and cast out all fear and doubt.
In waiting on Thee there is fullness of Life. I wait on Thee, my Inner Lord; I listen for
Let my Word cast out all sense of fear and doubt and let my thoughts be lifted unto
Thy voice.
Him Who lives Within.
I hear Thy word; I do Thy will; again I wait on Thee.
My Word has dissolved all fear within me, and has cast out all doubt.
And listening, I hear Thee say: “Be perfect, be complete; live, love, be glad.”
My Word shall guard my thought and make me receive only that which is Good and
Sit thou in the stillness and let thy Lord speak.
Perfect. I control my life.
W H O S E R I G H T I T IS T O C O M E
He has come Whose right it is.
M Y W O R D COMES BACK TO ME
He has made His home within me, and will nevermore depart from me.
My word comes back to me laden with the fruits of its own speech.
I shall walk no more alone, for One walks with me
My word is the Law unto my Life, and the Law unto everything that I speak.
Who knows the path of Life, and Whose feet will never falter nor fail.
O Word, go forth and heal and bless all humanity.
My Inner Light shines through the mist of human beliefs And frees me from the bondage of fear and
Tell them of their Divine Birthright. Tell the stranger that he is not alone, but that One goes with him Who knows
limitation.
and cares.
I shall walk with You, my Friend, and shall learn ofYou the ways of Life and Freedom.
Tell the sick that they are healed and the poor that they cannot want,
We shall travel together from this day, and none can part us,
Tell the unhappy of the joy of the Soul, and
682
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
break the bonds of those who are in
A N D
H E A L I N G
His Divinity is planted within thee, and thy word is one with all power.
prison. My word shall come back to me blessed ojGod and man. ♦
The Spirit of the Most High is thy Spirit, and the Word of God is thy word. Thy freedom is hid within thee, and thy
♦
inner light shall illumine thy way.
♦
Speak man, and be free! Announce and MY W ORD SHALL BEAR FRUIT
The Word of my mouth shall bear fruit.
proclaim thy works! Let thy word go forth with power, and thy Spirit shall conquer all.
It shall accomplish and prosper, and shall not return unto me void.
Spirit within me, speak.
My Word is the law unto the thing whereunto it is sent, and it cannot come back empty-handed.
TH E P O W E R OF TH E W O R D
I send out my Word and it is the law unto
The Word is a mighty Power, and that Word
my life.
is in me and through me now.
My Word is the Law unto the thing whereunto it is spoken, and will
My Word is one with the All Good and can not fail to accomplish the desired ends.
become fulfilled in the right way and
My Word goes forth with Power unto
at the right time.
everything that I do, say or think.
My Word is complete and perfect, and is the Presence and the Power of the One Mind
The Word is my Power by day and by night.
that is in and through all.
I will speak that Word and trust in the great Law of Life to fulfill it.
I speak the Word and know that it will accomplish.
I speak the word inJu ll confidence.
I wait in perfect confidence for the Word to
♦ ♦
fulfill itself in my life. My Word Is Law. ♦
T H E W O R D OF P O W E R
My Word is a Word of Power, for I know that it is the Word of the Great God
O MAN, SPEAK FORTH T H Y W O R D
within me. My Word shall accomplish and prosper, and
O man, speak forth thy word and be not
shall do good unto all who call upon
afraid.
my name.
Did you not know? have you not heard?
683
T H E
S C I E N C E
My Word is a tower of strength and cannot
OF
M I N D
And in the voice that speaks of Love, I hear Him speak.
be denied. It is complete and perfect here and now.
For His lines have gone out into all places,
My Word is the Word of God.
And from the highest to the lowest, all, all
My word is the word o j God.
partake of His nature. “For He is all in all, over all and through all.” I perceive that God is in all people.
THE UNASSAILABLE TRUTH AND THE ♦
IRRESISTIBLE W ORD I SEE NO E V IL
The Truth within me is unassailable, and the Power of the Word is irresistible. I can even now feel that my Word has gone
I see no evil; I behold only the good. I have seen the drunkard lying in the gutter,
forth with Power and Reality, and that it
and the saint kneeling in ecstasy before
will accomplish that purpose for which
the high altar of his faith; but I have found
it was created.
no difference.
Limitless is its Power and wonderful are
I have perceived that each, in his own tongue, is seeking to express the
its works.
One Life.
It can be nothing less than the Almighty working in and through me.
I will not separate and divide; I cannot condemn nor censure, for I know that
I will let this Word of the Spirit go forth
there is but One in All.
from my mouth, and heal and bless the world.
I know that all came from the One, and all will return to the One.
It shall be as a strong tower unto all who call upon it.
I know that all are now in the One, and that each is seeking to express the One.
The Truth is Complete and Perfect, and is within me now.
I know and love all.
My Word is complete and perfect, now.
I S H A L L N E V E R DIE I B E H O L D IN T H E E HIS IM A G E
I shall never die, for the Spirit within me is God and cannot change.
I behold in thee His Image. In thee, my friend, I see God, and through
My life is hid within the Universe of Love and Light, and that Light shall live
you I feel His presence.
forever.
I see in the hand that gives, His hand; 684
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
A N D
H E A L I N G
I know His life to be my life, and I know that
Go, fear of death and change; begone from my thought, fear of death and
my life is complete and perfect.
uncertainty.
My Life is in God.
That which is cannot become that which is not; and that which I am can never change. The Spirit of Eternity is enthroned within
NO M ISU N D ERSTAN D IN GS
me, and the Life of Endless Ages flows There are no misunderstandings.
through my being.
All is made clear between the ideas of Good.
From Eternity to Eternity my Life flows
No false sense of separation can come
along its way of peace and harmony.
between people, nor disturb the
Time brings but more glory to crown me
realization of the Unity of All Life.
with its pleasures.
I perceive that I am one with all people, and My life isforever.
all are One with me. There is no separation. There is no separation.
LOVE TO T H E W O R L D
My Love goes out to every one in the world; I do not exclude anything, for I love all
THE D IV IN E PLAN FOR ME
Nature and everything that is. The Divine Plan for me is Perfect. I am held
My Love warms and lightens everything that
in the Mind of God as a Complete and
it touches, and it goes out into all places.
Perfect Expression of Life and Truth.
The Love flowing through me is a Power to
No power can hinder nor mar this Inner
all who come into contact with it, and all
Image of Reality, for It is God-given and
feel and know that I love.
God-kept.
Love within me is Complete and Perfect. Love within me is Complete.
God gave and God will keep.
M Y L I F E IS O N E W I T H G O D
T H E P E R S O N A L I T Y OF GOD
The Great Personality of God is my Person
My life is in God; it cannot be hurt nor hin
ality; the Limitless Knowingness of The
dered in its expression.
Spirit is my Knowingness, and the One
God lives and expresses through me; His
Mind is my mind.
work is complete and perfect in me now. 6
$s
T H E
S C I E N C E
All, All live in One Infinite Being, and each
OF
I know of my perfection and wholeness; I am complete and perfect now.
manifests the One Who is formed through and in all.
Let every thought of disease flee from me, and let Thy Light shine.
Man is the Personality of God in manifesta tion and cannot be left without the Inner
M I N D
O Light Eternal, O Light of my Life, I come into Thy presence with joy and
Witness of the Spirit.
thanksgiving.
I now realize that the Infinite Personalness of the Spirit is my Personality, and I rejoice
So be it.
to know the Truth about myself. God is my Personality.
W I T H I N T H E E IS F U L L N E S S O F L I F E
T H E R A D I A T I O N OF LIFE
The life of God within me radiates and shines forth from me in a constant stream of Light to all. The One Life flowing through me is Life to all who come near. The One Power operating through me is flowing into everything that I contact.
Within Thee is fullness of Life. Within Thee is complete Joy and everlasting Peace. Within Thee is all. Thou art in me as I am in Thee, and we are all in all. My Life is full and complete within me, and that Life I give to all men freely; And from all I receive again that which I have given, For it is One in All.
Life radiatesfrom me.
1 am One with thefullness ofAll life. UNITY
Today I realize that I am One with the All
I AM C O M P L E T E IN T H EE
Good; my God and I are One.
Almighty God, Everlasting Good, Eternal
I cannot be hid from His face.
Spirit, Maker of all things and Keeper of
I behold Thee, O Most High, enthroned in
my Life, Thou art All.
my temple of flesh.
Infinite Presence within, in Whom all live;
Thy secret place is within me. I feel Thy
Joy Supreme, flooding all with gladness, I
presence,
adore Thee.
I hear Thy voice, I rejoice in Thy Light.
Eternal Peace, undisturbed and quiet, I feel
Today my body responds to the Divine Be
Thy calm.
hest: “Be perfect.” 686
M E D I T A T I O N S
F O R
S E L F - H E L P
0 Thou Who dost inhabit Eternity and dost
H E A L I N G
As deep cries unto deep, so my thought cries unto Thee and Thou dost answer.
dwell within all Creation, Who Dost live through all things and in all people, hear
A N D
I am renewed and refreshed; my whole being
Thou my prayer. I would enter Thy gates
responds to Thy love, and I am complete
with joy and live at peace in Thy House.
in Thee.
1 would find a resting place in Thee, and in
All my ways are guarded and guided, and I shall live with Thee eternally.
Thy presence live. Make me to do Thy will and from Thy wis
O Lover of my Soul and Keeper of my Spirit, none can separate us, for we are One.
dom teach me the ways of Truth. Compel me to follow Thee and let me not
So shall Thy Wisdom guide me, Thy Presence dwell within me, Thy Love keep me and
pursue the paths of my own counsel.
Thy Life envelop me now and forevermore.
O Eternal and Blessed Presence, illumine my mind and command my will that my Soul
I rest in Thee.
may be refreshed and that my life may be renewed.
687
MEDITATIONS, CONCLUDED
The f o llo w in g meditations are printed ju st as they were given in class and group work.
MEDITATIONS
A Tr e a t m e n t
for
A
lco h o lism
or
O
ther
D
rug
A
d d ictio n
There is but one Universal Life, God or Spirit. This Universal Life is a principle of perfect harmony and right action. It is an omnipresent and self-knowing principle, whole and complete within Itself. It is forever calm and peaceful. It is, therefore, a principle of complete satisfaction which knows no unsatisfied desire. The only appetite or desire of Infinite Mind is for the com plete manifestation of Its own constructive contemplation. My life is a part of this Universal Life; Its peace, calm and satisfaction are manifesting in and through me now in absolute perfection. My spirit, being one with Universal Spirit, has nothing to desire or long for— save the natural expression of peace, poise and complete satisfaction. That subjective race-thought, which speaks to me as limitation or a desire for abnormal stimulation, has no answering or recognizing voice within me. I turn from all such inharmonious thoughts toward the reality of my oneness with Universal Life (the Father) realizing here in the formless Realm of Reality, the complete satisfaction of knowingness, the sense of calm well-being, wis dom and understanding. Here within the Realm of Reality (the Kingdom of God) I sense the truth of my complete mastery over all things. My body is that concept of Universal Mind which is composed of the Creator’s perfect ideas (Gods body). Within the form, which is commonly termed the human body, is nothing which can speak to me, demanding anything whatsoever. I 691
T H E
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
dwell within the Realm of the Universal and declare that the calm and complete satisfaction of the Self-Knowing God is expressing in and through me, unhindered and unopposed. I go forth with a complete sense of mastery in the realm of form (my earth experience) unafraid, happy and joyous in my expression of all that is desirable and constructive; knowing that all destructive desires and inharmonious thoughts disappear and dissolve into the nothing ness from which they came, having no power to perpetuate themselves, since they are neither person, place nor thing. I Do Know the Truth and I Am Free
A Tr e a t m
e n t to
H
eal
C
o nfu sio n
or
D
iscord
I know there is a Spirit in me which unfolds Itself to me; and I know that this Spirit— or Infinite Wisdom and Divine Love and Perfect Law— enlightens my consciousness and awakens within me, within the personal, the knowledge of Its meaning, the realization of Its Presence, and the power of Its Law. I am conscious that this Universal IT is an ever-present Being to me and to every man, because where the Universe personifies, It becomes personal. Therefore, there is within me an immediate Presence, the Infinite of the finite self, all-knowing, all-wise, and forever perfect. It is this Real Me that I seek to vision in my thought, that I seek to embody in my consciousness. It is that ME that cannot be sick, knows no lack, has no limitation, never suffered want, and cannot experience fear. The Spirit of Infinite Peace is my spirit now. The Presence of That which is perfect is within me, in every function, in every organ, every attribute and every atom. In each cell, there vibrates the perfect Divine Wholeness. And this comprehension, this application to myself, this knowingness, reveals me to myself and heals the apparent confusion and discomfort, because WHERE THAT PERFECT CIRCU LATION IS KNOWN, IT IS ESTABLISHED! Where that perfect efficiency is known, it is dem onstrated. THE TRUTH KNOWN IS IMMEDIATELY MANIFEST, and I am now conscious of my own wholeness, my own depth of being, the spiritual me, the Divine Self. And now I know that my Divine Self is not separated from the self that appears; that the Universal Self is made manifest because the Word is made flesh and dwells in the midst of my physical me. The Word becomes activity and surrounds me with a harmonious activity— with happy action and perfect reaction. The Word becomes Light and guides me into all good. The Word becomes beauty and surrounds me with beauty. The Word, which is Substance, becomes supply and brings to me everything I need, because “The Word was with God and the Word was God,” and the Word is God. 692
M E D I T A T I O N S
This consciousness of Wholeness, this recognition of the Self, obliterates every belief of confusion and discord from my life.
I A
ccept the
Fullness
of
M
y
O
w n
D
ivin e
W
ell
-B ein g
Within myself is that which is perfect, that which is complete, that which is divine; that which was never born and cannot die; that which lives, which is God— the Eternal Reality. Within myself is peace, poise, power, wholeness and happiness. All the power that there is and all the presence that there is, and all the life that there is, is God— the Living Spirit Almighty— and this Divine and Living Spirit is within me. It is Wholeness. It is never weary. It is never tired. It is Life. It is complete Peace. It is never afraid; It is never confused. It is always poised and peaceful. It is always in a state of perfect equilibrium. This is the truth about myself; there is no other self. Every image of fear is erased from my mind, every sense of confusion leaves my thought. My mind now entertains and reflects the Divine into everything which I do, say and think— into my body, into my affairs. That Divine within me is Wholeness, and my mind reflects this Wholeness into every organ, every function, every action, every reaction of my physical being, renewing it after the Perfect Pattern— the Christ within me. Universal Substance reflects Itself, into my mind, into daily supply, so that everything I need each day is supplied. Before the need, is the thing, and with the apparent need it is met. There is Something within me which goes before me and prepares the way wherever I
go— making straight the way, making perfect the way, making immediate and instant, and permanent and harmonious, every situation. Consequently, my mind reflects the fullness of that Divine Substance, which heals every sense of lack in my life. Peace, poise, power, perfec tion, Living Spirit within me, is me, myself.
1Accept the Fullness of My Own DivineWell-Being
Th e G
ifts
of
G
od
A
re
M
ine
To day
It is the Father s good pleasure to give me the Kingdom of Heaven, or harmony and abundance. Today He opens to me the blessings of His infinite and eternal treasure, inviting me to dip deeply into it. As I believe in my heart, so it is done unto me in all things. As I ask, so do I re ceive, a full measure unto my faith, pressed down and running over. These and other Divine promises and assurances sing in me; the Still Small Voice reminds me that all that the Father hath is mine. This day I listen deeply to that Still, Small Voice and believe Its promises. 693
T H E
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
I fear nothing— neither lack, limitation, disappointment nor distress o f any kind, for is not the Father always with me? What caused the appearance of lack in my life? Simply my fear, or my belief that the Father could forsake me. I do not believe that now, and it no longer matters to me what is the appearance o f today, or what has gone before. Today is new, and I am newly awakened in it, and I believe with dauntless faith that my good, in full measure, comes to me from God today. I now believe that it is, indeed, the Father’s good pleasure to give me o f His bounty. I know that He gives as I ask, without question or limit, and I am ready to receive. The Gifts o f God Are Mine Today
A
bundance
Is M y I n h e r i t a n c e
Abundance is mine. I cannot be deprived o f my supply. The trees do not lack for leaves, nor do the flowers fail to bloom. Am I not as important as they? “ Consider the lilies of the field, they toil not neither do they spin, y e t . . . Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.” I look at the lavish wastefulness o f Nature and know that God intended me to be as abun dantly supplied, with everything that makes for beauty, well-being, progressive living and hap piness. I, myself, am to blame when these “fruits o f the Spirit” fail to appear. Since I know the Truth of my being, I will no longer hinder or retard my good from coming to me. I will expect and accept all that I need to make life happy and worth while; for I am a child o f the Spirit, and every attribute o f It— every attribute o f Good— is my inheritance. Nothing but lack of faith can keep my good from me, for I am one with the Universal Es sence of Life, or Spirit, and Its Substance will manifest in my experience as I believe. No longer w ill I go for my good, carrying only a dipper to be filled.This day, as I turn to the Father within, I bring “all the empty vessels” knowing they will be filled, and my abundance will become manifest. Abundance Is My Inheritance
M y Vibratio n A ttracts F r ien d s
to
Me
I am never alone, never lonely, for I have as companions and friends those people who are drawn to me by the ever-active and immutable Law of Attraction. I desire to be loved, therefore, I allow myself to love greatly, to feel warmly inclined toward people; to be interested in them and helpful on their behalf. I give as I wish to receive. It is not enough that I pr(fess to love 694
M E D I T A T I O N S
people. I must really love people, more dearly than I have ever loved before, because all men are my brothers. I do not outline who shall be my friends and companions, for there is no desire to coerce, compel or suggest to anyone. The Law of Attraction brings into contact and relationship with me all those people in whose company I find the greatest profit and enjoyment and to whom I may give the most. I
am happy and radiant, for I enjoy at all times perfect companionship. I trust implicitly the
Law of Attraction to bring into my environment and atmosphere friends and loved ones, and establish for me a community of interest and helpfulness. As I love and co-operate with my fellowman, so does he love me and give his co-operation to me. I am happy in all of my com panionships and relationships, because they are worked out perfectly by the Law, and the Law is motivated to work for me BY MY LOVE FOR PEOPLE. My Loving Thought of Others Attracts Friends to Me
P e a c e Is
the
Po
w e r at t h e
H
eart
of
G
od
My peace is found at the heart of God. The heart of God, for me, is found at the very center of my being. It does not matter how closely the confusion of the outer world presses against me, I am not even disturbed by the confusion in my immediate environment. I know that the only way to counteract confusion is to bring peace into play. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” These words of assurance stay with me, and I hear them re-echoing in the depths of my being. I
surrender all of my fears— those nameless fears which have beset me for such a long time,
dulling my pleasure and clouding with misery and apprehension all of my days. I am now through with fear. What, indeed, is there for a divine and immortal being to fear. Certainly not people, for as I am a divine and immortal being, so is every man, and every man is my brother.
I recognize the one Life Principle, working in and through and inspiring the motives of every one I contact. I
do not fear sickness, disease or death, because the eternal and perfect Life animates my
body and goes always about Its perfect work, healing and renewing that body. I am not afraid of want or lack, for the one infinite Essence supplies me with everything I need all of the time. There is nothing for me to fear, for I am an inseparable part of God. I live in Him; He lives in me; and I draw upon His perfect peace. My Peace Is Found at the Heart o f God 69 s
T H E
G
od
R
S C I E N C E
estores
M
OF
e to
M I N D
Perfect H
ealth
The Spirit within me is God, that Spirit is perfect.That Spirit is divine, whole, happy, complete. Spirit of Infinite Peace is within me, and that Peace— poised in perfect life, complete in perfect happiness— that Spirit within me is God and is Whole. That Wholeness is perfect now. God is an immediate Presence and an immediate Experience in my mind and soul, and I am conscious of this Perfect Presence, this Divine Wisdom, this Eternal Wholeness. Now I recog nize that the Principle of Life is in me and around me and operates through me; that It has no want, has no fear, has no doubt, has no limitation. There is that within me which guides me into opulence, into success, into harmony and love and beauty and friendship, and It does this in peace, in joy and in certainty. I let that Divine within me— using whatever method It may— restore me to perfect health, perfect happiness and harmony and bring into my experience everything that is good, that is perfect, that is true and successful. I
am not only one with this Spirit, but this Spirit is all that I am. It is my whole being, and this
Divine Wisdom is in my thought, causing me to act and move intelligently, to make right choices and to follow right pursuits. There are no problems in this Divine Wisdom. Therefore, the road is made straight before me; every obstacle is removed and I am led— irresistibly led— to the Absolute, certain goal of Good, of accomplishment, of success. God Restores Me to Perfect Health
I A
llow
M
yself to
D
jp
D
eeply
into
M
y
D
ivin e
N
ature
This meditation is built from the idea that each one of us has within himself a deeper nature, and, of course, this deeper nature, being an eternal unity with God, or with the Living Spirit, is more than man; it is where the being of man, or the nature of man, merges into the Being of God. So, as we dip deeply into our Divine Natures, let us realize that entering the Secret Presence of this Tabernacle of God, we will, like the Pilgrims of old, have to shed that which does not belong to the Kingdom of Good. We have to deliberately drop that which would hurt. We cannot enter this Gate of Good with a sword in our hands. So we let go of everything and turn to that Divine Depth within our own nature, wherein the Spirit of God—-the Spirit of Love and the Spirit of Peace— dwells with calm serenity. We withdraw into that place within us which has never been hurt, nor has ever been sick, has always and forever lived in divine and eternal peace . . . the Kingdom of God, which is Good. And this Inner Kingdom within is all-peace, all-power and all-perfection. We drop all hate, all fear, all animosity, all resentment. We cast out of our consciousness every doubt and every sense of 6 96
M E D I T A T I O N S
uncertainty. We know that we are entering into that atmosphere of Wholeness, of happiness and completion where there is no fear, no doubt, no uncertainty, no lack, no want. Here is wholeness, perfection, peace, power, beauty, love, supply and life. We know that the abundance of this life is showered upon us; that we are guided and guarded into right action, into right decision; daily, hourly, minutely, the Principle of Intelligence directs us, the Presence of Love warms us, the Peace of God covers us. And we are led into the pathway of this peace, into the knowledge of this perfection. We are conscious of the Indwelling God, and we are conscious that the Indwelling God is filling (instantly renewing) our bodies, absolutely eliminating from us whatever there is that does not belong; co-ordinating every function, every organ, every action and reaction (the circulation, the assimilation, the elimination), making it perfect. The Life Principle of every part of our being is perfect and harmonious and now functions perfectly in us. The whole order of discord is changed into the natural order of harmony and wholeness, and we let that Divine Power be exactly what It is in us. We are no longer afraid, for love casts out fear. Our faith de stroys all fear. We awake from the dream of fear to the vision of Reality, where there is no shadow of which to be afraid. We awake from the dream of lack and want and unhappiness to the knowledge of harmony, of abundance and of peace. I Allow Myself to Dip Deeply into My Divine Nature
P e r f e c t In
tellig en ce
D
irects
M
y
Th
ought
We now let go of everything and enter into a state of peace. We know the Spirit within us is God, the Living Spirit Almighty . . . that God Who is Infinite, Perfect and Complete, never needed anything, never had any trouble, never could destroy; the God Who never operated against Himself, Who never condemned Himself— the Spirit that fashions each of us from His own perfect Being. “All in all, we know Thee, God, omnipresent, full and free; one with every pathway trod, our immortal destiny.” That Infinite Wholeness is perfect peace within us. That Infinite Intelligence is working through us and our affairs; our thought is inspired, guided, governed and directed by Divine Wisdom. That Infinite Wholeness is the circulation of ideas, of intelligence, wisdom, truth and life. It is the elimination of every conception of confusion. It is the assimilation of that which is whole, happy, perfect. The Divine Intelligence is the government of our affairs. Each has within himself this guide to truth, to reason, to beauty, to right action, to certainty and to peace. Perfect Intelligence Directs My Thought 6 97
T H E
I A
m
N
ot
S C I E N C E
Bound
OF
by
A
M I N D
ny
M
istake
Let us now let go of everything and enter into the consciousness of that which we believe. The Spirit within each one of us is God, and It is perfect, It is love, reason, life, truth and beauty. It is limitless and perfect and complete and whole. It knows no lack and no limitation. There is nothing we have done, said or thought which rises up against us, which has power over us or which limits us; there is no memory of fear, no condemnation for previous mistakes. With the desire to free ourselves from the further indulgence in the mistake, the effect of the previous mistake is wiped out, just as light dissipates the darkness. The Universe holds nothing against us; It can hold nothing against us, because It can know nothing unlike Itself. Therefore, It only knows us as Perfection.There has never been an occurrence for which we have to suffer! Consequently, every apparent shortcoming— which could be traced to some mental or spiritual infringement of the Law— is not only removed but the effect is healed! That means there is no history to our case. All of its history is this minute wiped out in the knowledge that today the perfect Law— the Law of Freedom— is the only Law there is in our experience. We enter into that freedom with joy, free from every sense of sadness and burden. We enter into it with laughter, with lightness. It is something which lifts us above the heaviness of morbidity and lack and limitation, into that rarer atmosphere where our opinions do not collide, and we enter into it with peace, free from fear. We know that Infinite Wholeness is in us and through us and around us now, and we are conscious that we are renewed this moment, instantly and perfectly, after the image of Perfec tion. We are today guided into right action in every exercise of our affairs. Since there is no great and no small to the Infinite, all that seems of little consequence in our lives has the Divine Guidance just as perfectly and completely as that which we think of as being tremendously important. We are guided into the knowledge of happiness, of certainty, of wholeness and of freedom; and we know that there is that subtle Essence of the Spirit, which emanates from us at all times, healing everything It contacts. I Am Not Bound by Any Mistake
M
y
Id e a l M
erges
in to
the
R
eal
We now let go of everything and enter into the contemplation of peace and good and truth and beauty. We are conscious that God is All there is, there is nothing else. We are certain that the Spirit of Reality is our spirit, flows into our spirit and through our spirit. And we are conscious that Love does guide and direct, lead, maintain and sustain. We know that each one of us is a 698
M E D I T A T I O N S
center of this Divine Life, in this Perfect Peace, this Complete Happiness, and this Absolute Wholeness; and we know that this Perfection— which is the center of our very being— is projected into every atom of our being. We know that the Law of this Being is perfect and there is no obstruction to Its operation. We know that the Principle within us guides us, not only into the way of Truth, but in the way and the performance of that knowledge. WHATEVER IS FOR OUR BENEFIT IS ALREADY PROVIDED. It is all one thing. It is all One Presence, operating through One fundamental Law, therefore, everything necessary to our well-being (whether we think of it as spiritual, mental or physical), everything necessary to remove any belief in obstruction and the inflow and outpush of that Spirit, is brought into our experience. All good, all substance, all supply, all activ ity, all opportunity for self-expression is ours now! My Ideal Merges into the Real
I R
epresent the
Pr in ciple
of
Perfection
In each human being, the Whole is represented, and the entire knowledge of wisdom, of health, and the perfection of every act, manifests— is represented— and it is through this Inner Divine Voice, the Divine Nature within us, that we are able to perceive and trust, and come into con scious contact with, this Divine Principle. In the sight of this Within, we are perfect. We must try to see ourselves as God sees us, free and filled with vitality and sufficiency for every occasion. It is not enough to confess that God is the only Power there is. It is only when this conscious ness of power is hooked to the dynamo of the mind that there is generated, through the imagination, an embodiment of that which is able to loose it in any direction it sees fit. It is not enough merely to say that there is One Mind and that Mind is God. To this we must add: “That Mind is my mind now.” That completes the thought, makes possible a loosing of the Divine Intelligence through our own imagination. Let us not forget that, in treatment, we must sense the embodiment of that which we wish to experience. The statements which are made in the treatment are for the purpose of deliver ing to the imagination, in a certain form, THAT WHICH WAS TRUE BEFORE WE MADE THE STATEMENTS. The whole problem is not one of creation, but one of direction, and there is no direction unless there is first an embodiment. Let us try this in our meditation. We know that we reflect the Divine Perfection and that there is an intuition within us which guides us. We know that all the power there is and all the presence there is, is this perfect Spirit, this Divine Reality, which is around us and through us and in us. Now, each turning directly to his own thought, says: 6 99
T H E
S C I E N C E
OF
M I N D
“The Spirit within me, which is God, the Living Spirit Almighty, is Perfection. It is Whole ness; It is Peace. It is Divine Guidance, Perfect Peace, Complete Wholeness, Absolute Perfec tion, and right now, this moment, this Spirit governs every act of my life. It surrounds me with Light, in which there is no darkness, no gloom, no heaviness and no fear. In this Light, I live and move and have my being. And this Light dispels all darkness and casts out all fear. “This Divine Wisdom within me guides every act, directs everything in my life, toward happiness, toward peace, toward power; and being the Spirit of Love, It surrounds me with beauty, with friendship and with joy. Being the Giver of Life, every day I receive that which is perfect, abundant, happy, joyful and free. Being that Divine Thing which individualizes in me, It is entirely individual, personal and unique. I am the expression of my own complete self, and there is no barrier or bar to that self-expression. Being the Spirit of Substance, that Spirit within me is the Father of Supply, and It brings to me everything necessary to my unfoldment, and keeps me in the wisdom through which It governs me, now and forever.” I Represent the Principle ojPerfection
I Ta k e
the
C
h rist
W
ay to
Fu lfillm
ent
When Jesus said, “No man cometh unto the Father but by me,” of course, he meant the I AM. This I AM, then, means the inner Reality of every mans nature, and when we stop to figure it out, how can we come unto God, the Living Spirit, except through the avenues of our own consciousness, which is the only approach to God we could possibly have? It is another way of saying that the only way we shall ever approach Reality is by uncovering the Divinity already latent within our own consciousness, in our own soul, in the center of our own being. Every man is Divine and the Christ Way is the way of the unfoldment of his Divinity through his humanity; the uncovering of his spiritual individuality and the use that his personal man, or his personality, makes of it. Meditation is for the purpose of consciously recognizing mans Di vinity and uncovering it. In order to come into the Christ Way, into the consciousness of our own Divinity, we lay aside every fear or doubt or worry, and we enter into the silent, peaceful contemplation that the Spirit of the Living God is within us— all the Power there is, all the Pres ence there is, and all the Life there is, is right here. Each one turns to himself, knowing that: “The Spirit within me is God, that Spirit is perfect, and because that Spirit is perfect, my knowledge of that Spirit destroys every doubt, every fear, casts out all uncertainty and all un belief, and fills me with a knowledge of my own perfection. There is that within me which is perfect, Divine, happy and whole and harmonious. There is that within me that has never been afraid, never been limited, and it is this Christ Nature within me that I now recognize and speak 700
M E D I T A T I O N S
into manifestation through my being; that the Spirit within me, which is perfect, shall remove every consciousness of disease, shall stimulate activity and recognize perfect circulation of these Divine ideas, and establish within me, not only the knowledge of that Divine Perfection which I really am, but shall establish in my physical being a manifestation of that knowledge of Real ity, or the realization of that Presence, and whatever there might be within me, which does not belong, is now eliminated, cast out and destroyed. “Divine Guidance IS, and that Perfect Intelligence is now governing the activity of my life into the fulfillment of joy, into the fulfillment of love, of unity, of happiness and success, now and at all times.” I Take the Christ Way to Fulfillment
The E t e r n
al
C ycles
of
L
ife
in
M
o tio n
Fulfill M
y
Fa i t h
This is another way of saying that something happens when a man believes. Faith is operated upon by some principle which is a government of Law and Order, and which has within Itself the power to execute Itself. Prayer is not to ask God to be God.There is a Supreme Intelligence in the Universe, we cannot tell It anything; what little we know, we have drawn from It. There is an Absolute Spirit around us, It does not need our existence. It has already surrendered Itself to us but we have not yet surrendered ourselves to It. That is what prayer— or treatment— is for. We do not pray the Principle of Peace to desist from confusion, but we seek that Peace that it shall enter into our confused souls. Therefore, prayer or meditation is for the purpose of becoming receptive to the Divine Influx, which already owns everything, knows everything, governs all things, and creates what we need— if we but permit it to— in Its own Nature, which is goodness, truth and beauty. Each turns to the within in something after this fashion: We let go of everything, drop every fear from our minds, drop all confusion from our thought, and enter into the inner secret communion with that great Reality, which is our Uni versal Self— God— in Whom we live and move and have our being. We are conscious that this Divine Presence overshadows and indwells. It is both without this physical, mental being and within this physical, mental being. Therefore, It is the spiritual Reality of this being, the I AM, which is Universal, Eternal, and Perfect. Now this Spirit is our Spirit. It is our life from which we now draw full, complete and perfect being. This Divine Intelligence does govern us intelligently; It does direct us consciously, accurately, unerringly. We surrender to It every fear, every sense of uncertainty of the future, every thought of any morbidity of the past. We surrender all confusion and doubt, and we know that this Divine Influx removes every mental obstruction to peace; It removes every sense of 701
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M I N D
condemnation and judgment, and we enter into the fulfillment of Its perfection now. We believe if there is any part of our physical being which needs healing, It heals it; that that Power within us and around us which creates, can recreate, can make whole now. We believe if there is any conflict in our mental being, it can be removed, because the Spirit is higher than the mind and more than the body, and we are dealing with that Spirit which, animating the mind with Divine Intelligence, produces an influx of spiritual life in the body, healing, without effort, both mind and body. We relinquish, we let go, those things which bother us mentally or hurt us physically. We know that the Divine Presence is the Eternal Healer, because It is the everlasting Giver of life. And we know the Intelligence which created the Universe and projected it in form and governs it with perfect Law— that Divine Being directs our movements intelligently, coher ently, constructively, certainly, bringing to each that which he calls success and prosperity, happiness, fulfillment of life, action. And we know that that Divine Being, governing everything out of Its own Nature, works without effort— Birthless and Deathless and Tireless, It moves through us to perfect ends, now. The Eternal Cycles of Life in Motion Fulfill My Faith
702
M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO . I. This chart, which is called the Universal Chart, shows the Universe as a Trihity of Being. The upper section designates those attributes of Spirit which are Self-Conscious. The middle section shows the subconscious aspect of Law; and the lower section shows the effect of Spirit working through the medium of Universal Mind. Read and carefully study the full explanation and meaning of the words used in this chart as found in the glossary.
703
M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. Il-A. This chart shows, first, the Universal Spirit; then the Universal Soul or Subjectivity, which is the medium of all thought, power and action; then the particularization or manifestation of Spirit. The point drawn down through the center symbolizes the descent of Spirit into matter, or form. It is necessary that Spirit be manifested in order to express Itself. The word “Unity” on the descending line shows that all come from the One. Man reenacts the whole Universal Life, and his nature is identical with Spirit. What is true of the Whole is true of any one of Its undi vided parts. Man comes to a point of individualization in the Whole and is subject to the Law of the Whole. 704
M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. II-B. This chart shows how man reenacts the Whole and is subject to the law of his own being. If the meaning of this chart is carefully studied it will be made plain that man thinks consciously and that his conscious thought becomes the law of his life. The upper section stands for the SelfConscious man; the middle section stands for the subconscious man; and the lower section stands for the man as he appears in the flesh and in the conditions of his life.
70s
M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. III. The upper section of this chart shows how the conscious mind, or spirit of man, reflects or contemplates itself, through the medium of soul or subjectivity, into form or matter. The mid dle section represents the World-Soul or Subjectivity; the Mirror of Mind and unformed mat ter; the Servant of the Spirit; the lower section shows the result of self-contemplation as it takes form in the world of matter. Read and carefully study the metaphysical meanings of the words used in the glossary.
7 06
M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. IV. H o w Id eas M a n i f e s t as T h i n g s
This chart is divided into two sides, representing the world of thought and the world of reflections. It represents the law of cause and effect. The world of thought is the world of ideas, while the world of reflections means the results of thought. The world of reflections is entirely a world of effects and is, of itself, unconscious and unknowing. Consider everything on the left side of this chart to be thoughts or ideas; and consider everything on the right side to be the automatic results of the law as it works out into effects. By using this chart in conjunc tion with the explanations already given, it will be plain just how the law of cause and effect works from the idea to the thing. 707
M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T NO. V. This is the Mystic s chart and shows how the Universal becomes the Particularization of It self through man. Man comes to a point in the Universal, or God, and is the Idea of God as man. The Father is represented as the Whole just back of, or above, or within, man. This is the Indwelling God to Whom we pray and with Whom we talk. The mystic has the ability to con sciously talk to God and to consciously receive a direct answer from the Spirit. In this chart it is shown that the Absolute contains the relative, within Itself, but is not limited by the relative. We must remember that the relative does not limit, but expresses, the Absolute. All change takes place within the Changeless. All form subsists within the Formless. All conditions obtain within that which is Limitless; and Creation is eternally going on within that which is Uncre ated. All are activities of the One Mind and Spirit of God. All people come to a point of indi viduality within that which is Universal. 708
M E T A P H Y S IC A L C H A R T 'N O . VI. This is the psychic s chart and should be carefully considered, as it shows that the Spirit, or Con scious Mind, operates through a mental field, or law, which is a world of reflections. Thought is first reflected into Mind and then into matter. Read again the meaning of the conscious and the subconscious aspects of being. The world of Subjectivity is the Psychic Sea and the Medium of all subjective action. From the standpoint of mans thoughts it may be false or true, according to the way in which he thinks. It is the picture gallery of the soul, both from the universal and the individual sense. The illusion of matter means that the false mental pictures will produce a false form in the world of objectivity. Mind is not an illusion, but might contain false pictures which would be illusions; matter is not an illusion but may take on false conditions. We must learn to separate the false from the true.
7 09
Glossary
It is not claimed that the definitions in this glossary will, in every case, keep faith with regular dictionary definitions; but they do give the metaphysical meaning of the words as they are used in this textbook. A glossary, in its wider sense, may be not merely a partial dictionary, but a running com mentary, explaining more fully the words used by the author. In this case, it is the belief (and the deliberate intent) of the writer that a thorough study of this glossary, in conjunction with the Jour chapters oj the “Introduction' to this book, will provide a workable knowledge of the Science of Mind, as well as stimulate a desire for the more complete knowledge embodied in the text of the book. — The Unconditioned— that which nothing can limit; that which forever transcends any conceivable limitation or determination. Unconditioned perfection. Self-Existent, SelfSufficient. Often used as a synonym for God. Truth is absolute and remains unaffected by the opinions, desires or beliefs of men. c c u m u l a t e d C o n s c i o u s n e s s — The sum-total of all that one has ever said, thought, done or seen, consciously or unconsciously. c t i v e P r i n c i p l e o f L i f e — The Self-Conscious Spirit. The Self-Existent Intelligence in the Universe which reveals Itself in all Its creation. f f i r m a t i o n — To affirm anything is to state that it is so, and to maintain this as being true in the face of all evidence to the contrary. Human thought can only affirm, for even at the moment of denial, it is affirming the presence of that which it denies! Repeating an affirma tion is leading the mind to that state of consciousness where it accepts that which it wishes to believe.
A bsolute
A
A
A
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G LOSSARY
— This refers to God or Spirit: All the Substance, Life, Power, Love, Beauty, Intelligence in the Universe, both manifest and unmanifest. A l p h a — That which is first.The beginning. A n d r o g y n o u s — Having the characteristics of both sexes. In connection with Deity, it is ex pressed as “Father-Mother God.” Coleridge conveyed the idea as “The truth is, a great mind must be androgynous.” A n t i c h r i s t — A wrong use of the Law. The spirit of Antichrist is the spirit of one who, under standing the Law, uses It for destructive purposes. A p p a r i t i o n — Thought forms which sometimes are seen by people while experiencing great mental stress. An unexpected or spectral appearance. Sometimes used synonymously with the word “ghost.” A p p e a r a n c e — The word “appearance” is used in this textbook to distinguish that which seems to be, from that which actually is. Negative thinking may produce conditions which appear to be true, but these results have no power, no reality, except as given power BY OUR BELIEVINGTHAT THE APPEARANCE IS THE ACTUALITY. Disease, discord, and limitation have no spiritual prototypes.They are false manifestations which have objectified in the body or in the affairs of human life. A s s u r a n c e — In reality, assurance is having “the mind which was in Christ Jesus.” It is con sciousness of our Oneness with All Good. A t m o s p h e r e ( M e n t a l ) — An influence, or condition, surrounding a place, person or thing. A person whose atmosphere is one of love and cheerfulness will always attract friends. In the same way, places are permeated with the thoughts of the people who inhabit them, and this mental atmosphere of a place or thing may easily be felt by one contacting it. A t o n e m e n t — The theological idea back of the word “atonement” is that of expiation and amends. The sense in which we use it is that of complete harmony: at-one-ment. A t t r i b u t e ( o f G o d ) — We frequently speak of “the attributes of God.” By this, we mean the being, essence, nature of; that which is inherent in. “That which the mind perceives as con stituting the essence of substance.” A u r a — The mental atmosphere surrounding a person. A u t o m a t i c I n d i v i d u a l i t y — There is no such thing.The world should cease asking, “Why did God not make man good?” If there had been a way by which the Divine Creative Process could have compelled man to appear on the scene of experience, with all of his freedom, then this would have been done. The only way God can evolve an individual, spontaneous and free, is to let it alone and allow it to awaken to itself. See definition of individuality. A mechanical or automatic individuality is a contradiction of terms, an impossibility. A u t o s u g g e s t i o n — Suggestion may come from many sources, but autosuggestion means when one makes suggestions to himself, either consciously or unconsciously. Autosuggestion is frequently the result of an expectant belief. A ll-O nly or A ll G ood
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B e in g — That which exists actually or potentially. Generally used as conscious existence. When capitalized— Being, it refers to the Divine Being, God. There is but one Source of being— God— and we are connected with It at all times. B e l i e f — C onviction or feeling of the truth of a proposition or condition. Belief may go no farther than intellectual assent while faith embodies a trust and confidence. “Belief admits of all degrees, from the slightest suspicion to the fullest assurance.”
The sacred book, or books, of any race or people. When we merely refer to “the Bible,” the reference is to our Christian Bible. Any other Bible is identified by name . . . as the “Koran,” the Mohammedan Bible, etc. B l e s s i n g — Constructive thought directed toward anyone or any condition. You bless a man when you recognize the divinity in him. You bless a mans business when you think correctly about that business. B o d y — The outward form.The entire manifestation of Spirit, both visible and invisible, is the Body of God. Within this One Body of God is included all lesser bodies. This One Body, coupled with the Intelligence running through It, is called the Son, or the Second Person of the Trinity. This, of course, includes man, both visible and invisible. It also includes every gradation of consciousness, from the simple to the complex, from a cell to an archangel. It is the entire manifestation of Spirit on any and all planes. Body is the definite outline of flesh, containing all of the ideas which go to make the complete physical instrument. B o d y o f G o d — See explanation above. The manifest creation in its entirety.
B ible—
— Cause is that which occasions or produces an effect.The reason, motive or occasion. Causation, too, is the act or agency by which an ef fect is produced. FIRST CAUSE always means that from which everything comes.The Cause of all that is made manifest on any plane. That Which comes first. The first in any creative series. The Life back of things. e n t e r o f G o d - C o n s c i o u s n e s s — Mans self-knowing mind is his perception of Real ity. IT IS HIS UNITY WITH THE WHOLE, OR GOD, ON THE CONSCIOUS SIDE OF LIFE, and is an absolute guarantee that he is a Center of God-Consciousness in the vast Whole. He is God, expressing through him, as himself. h a n g e l e s s , The— This refers to the One that cannot change by reason of the fact that being All, there is nothing for It to change into but Itself. The One Cause back of all never changes, but It constantly creates forms; and so we perceive a changing form within that which is Changeless. h a n n e l — A channel is that through which anything passes. We speak of man being a “chan nel for good.” We mean that good passes through him. The Divine Urge of Life must be expressed; and as It pushes out into expression through mans life, man becomes the chan nel for the outflow of Divine Wisdom: a channel for all that God is.
C ause
C
C
C
. . . C ausation
. . .F irst
C ause
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G L O S S A R Y
The Word of God manifest in and through man. In a liberal sense, the Christ means the Entire Manifestation of God and is, therefore, the Second Person of the Trinity. Christ is Universal Idea, and each one “puts on the Christ” to the degree that he surren ders a limited sense of Life to the Divine Realization of wholeness and unity with Good, Spirit, God. C h r i s t W i t h i n — Christ in man means the idea of Sonship, the Perfect Man as He must be held in the Mind of God. Christ within each and all. C l a i r a u d i e n c e — The ability to perceive sounds without the ear. Generally associated with the idea of spiritualism, though it is a faculty, or ability, that may be exercised in a perfectly normal state. Extra sensory perception. C l a i r v o y a n c e — The ability to see mentally. Seeing without the physical eyes.The ability to perceive things out of the range of ordinary eye-sight. Extra sensory perception. C o a l e s c e — To unite in one body or product. Growing together. Mingling. C o e t e r n a l — Always existing. Uncreated. Without beginning and without end. Law, Spirit, Substance are coeternal. C o e x i s t e n t — That which exists with. Contemporary existence. C o m m u n i o n — Unity . . . agreement. Interchange of thoughts and purposes . . . concord, participation. We turn to the Father within, knowing He will guide us. This is communion. Mental or spiritual contact. C o m p e n s a t i o n — Recompense, reward, remuneration, balance. The law of balance in the mental world, cause and effect. As you sow you reap. C o m p l e x — An involved or twisted way of thinking. The root word of complex means to en twine. So in mental work when we speak of a complex we refer to an attitude of mind, the result of two or more entangled states of consciousness; usually on the emotional side of life, always a mental state, subjectified. C o n c e i v e — To take into ones mind. Conceive suggests the idea of grasping something, as a thought. To apprehend by reason or imagination. C o n c e n t r a t i o n — Concentration is bringing to a focus. We weed out the undesirable thoughts that the remaining thoughts may have more power. Someone has compared it to the manner of using electricity. A huge stream flowing slowly is measured as voltage in electricity, but when this same stream, through an apparatus termed the coil, is reduced to fine intensity, it is called amperage. Concentration does for the mind what the coil does for the electricity. A particular thought is strengthened in power and intensity by the removal of unrelated thoughts, which would otherwise dissipate the energy. C o n c e p t . . . C o n c e p t i o n — The term “conception” is used to indicate the act of conceiv ing. Throughout this textbook the word “concept” is used as idea. The embodiment of an idea. An inner mental likeness of some desired good. C o n c r e t e C a u s e — Definite idea. C o n d i t i o n — That which follows cause; the effect of law. C h rist, Th e—
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— In the study of psycho-analysis, which means the analysis of the soul, we learn that the subjective side of thought (being the seat of memory) often retains thoughts and suppressed emotions which more or less tear or bind.This is what is meant by inner conflict. A struggle, a mental opposition, generally unconscious or subconscious. o n s c i o u s I d e a — No two ideas are alike.The Creative Mind of the Universe, being Infinite, conceives a limitless number of things and each thing, therefore, is separate and distinct in the great Whole. Just as the atoms of science are cemented by ether, so each idea of Divine Mind is united in One Spirit. No two things are alike; no two roses are alike; no two people are alike. All come from One Life; all are in One Life and live by It; but each forever main tains its identity in the Perfect Whole.
C o nflict
C
C o n s c io u s M i n d — T he Self-knowing Mind in God or in man. The Intelligence in the Uni verse which reveals Itself in all Its creation. It is impossible for us to conceive of Universal Consciousness, but we glimpse it through our use of “the One Mind common to all indi vidual men.”
Mental awareness. Consciousness is both objective and subjective. Objec tive consciousness is a state of conscious awareness, equipped with will, decision, and dis crimination. Its reasoning is both inductive and deductive, therefore it has self-choice. The subjective consciousness is entirely a reaction to this objective volition. It is creative but not discriminative. It is, of course, conscious, but it is not self-conscious. It is conscious in the same sense that the soil is conscious of the seed. It knows how to produce a plant, but it is not conscious that it is producing it. It has no reflective, deductive, or discriminating fac tors. It is compelled by its very nature to accept and create. When we speak of mind in its self-conscious state we mean Spirit, whether we think of it in God or man. When we speak of consciousness in a subjective state, we refer to the mental medium, the Universal Subjec tivity, which is also the subjectivity of man. In referring to the subjective state, the Bible uses the word “soul,” the psychoanalyst uses the term “the unconscious,” the psychologist, “subjective” or “subjective consciousness.” All have the same meaning. o n t a g i o n . . . C o n t a g i o u s — Communication of any thought or influence, as the contagion of enthusiasm. Exciting similar emotion or conduct in others. The contagion of fear. o n t e m p l a t e — To know within the self. To design, propose, meditate. In its deeper meaning, to become one with. Emerson said that the mind which contemplates God, be comes God. o n t r o l l i n g C o n d i t i o n s — Mans affairs are controlled by thought working through the avenue of the One Mind. Conditions are the result of causes . . . another term for effect. Conditions are always effects. Conditions being always the externalization of thought, it follows that they can be controlled by changing the thought— by thinking constructively. o n v i c t i o n — The act of convincing or compelling the admission of a truth. o r r e s p o n d e n c e , T h e L a w o f — The law of correspondence works from the belief to the thing. If we believe we shall have only a little good, only a little good will come into our
C onscio usness—
C
C
C
C C
7
G LOSSARY
experience. The demonstration we make corresponds with our ability to provide a mental equivalent of our desire. C o s m i c C o n c e p t i o n — The Divine Mind giving birth to Its Idea. C o s m i c C o n s c i o u s n e s s — Perception of the Whole. Supreme, intuitive knowledge of the divine order, beyond and above the intellectual faculty of comprehension. C o s m i c M i n d — T h e Mind of God. C
osmic
St u f f —
Undifferentiated Substance. Pure Spiritual Substance from which all things
are made. The ideas of Spirit propelling themselves into outer expression. The desire of Spirit executing Itself. C o s m i c U r g e — The desire of Spirit to express Itself. C o sm o s — The Universal World, visible and invisible. Any self-inclusive system, characterized by order and harmony. C r e a t i o n — The giving of form to the Substance of Mind. Creation always was and always will be. To be conscious is to create, because Spirit has to be conscious, and therefore must have something of which to be conscious. Creation is God making something out of Him self, or Itself, by becoming the thing He creates. The thought of God, coming into expression must go on forever. We must understand that Creation does not mean making something out of nothing, but means the passing of Substance into form, through a Law which is set in motion by the Word of Spirit. There could not be a time when the activity of Spirit would cease. The whole action of Spirit must be within Itself, upon the Law (which is also within Itself) and upon the Universal Stuff, or matter, which is also within Itself. The three must in reality be One; hence, “TheTrinity.” C
osmic
Purpose—
C r e a t i v e M e d i u m — From the Universal sense, it is the World-Soul; and from the individual sense, it is the subjective state of a mans thought. Like the creative soil in which seeds are planted and from which plant life grows, the Soul of the Universe is the Creative Medium, into which the Word of Spirit falls, and from which Creation arises. We must be careful not to think of Soul and Spirit as separate, for they are really two parts, or aspects, of the same Reality, being Self-Existent and Coeternal, each with the other. C
reative
M
ind
— The Universal Soul or Subjectivity. The Feminine Principle of the Univer
sal Life. Series—
Any particular and concrete manifestation of Spirit. God.The immutable, inexorable, unchangeable Principle back of, and responsible for, all existence.The impersonal, Father-Mother God.The Limitless . . .TheWhole.
C
reative
C
reator—
D
eath—
“God is not a God of the dead, but of the living, for in His sight, all are alive.” The Spirit is both birthless and deathless. The Principle of Life cannot know death. The experi ence of dying is but the laying off of an old garment, and the donning of a new one. “There
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GLOSSARY
are bodies celestial and bodies terrestrial, there is a material body and a spiritual body.” This spiritual body is the resurrection body. D e c i s i o n — Firmness, steadfastness, resolve . . . determination. D e d u c t iv e R e a s o n in g — Deductive reasoning is that process of reasoning which follows an already established premise. Inductive reasoning is an inquiry into truth; a process of anal ysis. God, therefore, could only reason deductively. That which is Infinite does not have to inquire into Truth. The conscious mind of man can reason both inductively and deductively.
It can reason from the Whole to the part or from the part to the Whole. That which is sub jective can reason deductively only. D e i t y — G od. D e m a n d -— To make a demand upon the Universe, merely means to request, claim, or to ac cept some good which heretofore we have not been experiencing. When we speak of mak ing a demand upon the Universe, we do not mean coercion, will power, or even mental concentration. We mean the recognition and acceptance of some definite and specific good. The power already exists to create, but it is personal to us only when we first recognize it, unify with it, and comply with its law. Be certain that you are not attempting to force or will anything to happen. “We do not have to struggle, we do not have to strive. We only have to know.” D e m o n s tr a te . . . D e m o n s t r a b le . . .D e m o n s t r a t io n — Through the mental and spiritual activity of thought, directed toward a definite end, we bring about a greater good, a more abundant life, a better condition than existed before. This is called demonstration. We can demonstrate at the level of our ability to know. The treatment which leads to the demonstration is not for the purpose of making something happen , but is to provide an avenue, within ourselves, through which things may happen. Spiritual demonstration is manifesta tion of Reality. D e n i a l — T he mental act of knowing that any negative condition need not be. Denial clears the way for a realization ofTruth; it is a wiping out of wrong reasoning. It is a clearing of the ground, a dredging of the mental channels, preparatory to the building of positive, con structive affirmation. Do not stop with the denial. That is only the preliminary step; deny the false and affirm the Real. The need of denial ceases as thought rises to real spiritual perception. D e s ir e — Half-hearted wishing must not be confused with desire. Our wishing is always capri cious; we long for one thing today and tomorrow our attention is directed elsewhere. Desire is that something which impels us to reach out and take our own. This is the Divine Urge, which operating as Law produces energy. And energy must find an outlet. This is why sup pressed desire often produces discord and discomfort. “Desire for anything is the thing itself
in incipiency.” This means that legitimate desire is the voice of Spirit in you, trying to indi cate that the thing you desire is already on its way to you. “Before they call, will I answer.”
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— The result of what a man thinks. Effect, which has been decreed according to perfect law . . . cause and effect. e v i l — Any thought of duality. Anything that would deny the Oneness and Allness of Good. Any idea which dilutes Truth. The only devil we shall ever know will be that which appears as the result of our negative thinking. The personification of any belief in evil. i a g n o s i s — In medical terms, to make a diagnosis is to recognize the presence of disease from its signs or symptoms. In metaphysics, it may mean judgment based on critical percep tion or scrutiny . . . perception of motives and character. Unearthing mental causes. i m e n s i o n — Measure in a single line, as length, breadth, depth, etc., usually plural, indicating measurable parts. Metaphysically, dimension is the relative extent of consciousness at which we have arrived on our journey. We begin with instinct and travel all the way to intuition. i s c a r n a t e — Stripped of flesh. Disembodied of the physical life. One who has passed on. i s e a s e — Disease is an impersonal thought force operating through people which does not belong to them at all. While in every case disease is an effect and must first have a subjective cause, nine times out of ten it is not conscious in the thought of the person who has it. Man is fundamentally perfect. Our whole premise is Perfect God, Perfect Man, Perfect Being. On this alone do we base all our argument. iv in e C o m p a n i o n s h i p — Man re-enacts the Divine Nature, and makes use of the same Laws that God uses. We find in man the same androgynous nature that we find in God. This nature we call his objective and subjective faculties. His objective mentality impregnates his subjective with ideas; and in its turn the subjective, gathering force and energy, projects these ideas into forms. We are like God, we are God as us, so we experience Divine Companion ship. We walk and talk with the Father within. We have but to speak and He answers. i v i n e I d e a l — Divine Ideas are the ideas of God. The Divine Ideal is the perfect image held forever in the Mind of God. The Perfect Body, the Spiritual Body, is the fulfillment of the Di vine Ideal and is the Real Man which all of us hope to manifest. This is the pattern by which we try to bring out perfection in our lives. In each one of us there exists the Divine Image of ultimate perfection, for God indwells everything which He creates. i v i n e I n f l u x — The continuous inpouring of Gods blessings. When we open our minds to the influx of Divine Wisdom we are allowing our lives to be guided by the Infinite. We are keeping our consciousness open to the Divine Influx. i v i n e M i n d — There is no such thing as jour mind, my mind, his mind, and Gods Mind. There is just Mind in which we all live and move and have our being. We think of Conscious Mind and Spirit as One and the Same. That which we call our subjective mind is, in reality, our identity in Infinite Mind . . . our center in the Universal Subjective Mind. Divine Mind is the One Mind. The Spirit within us is the Divine Mind. “Mortal mind” and “carnal mind” are terms used to describe that mind which gathers its information through the physical senses. Divine Mind is the Real Mind.
D estiny
D
D
D
D D
D
D
D
D
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G L O S S A R Y
— The true nature of all things. — Spiritual Causation, operating through Universal Law. Such is the power of right thinking that it cancels and erases everything unlike itself. Place no limit on Prin ciple. It answers every question, solves every problem, is the solution to every difficulty. We are limited, not by Principle, but by our ability to see perfection. One who understands the use of Divine Principle never tries to suggest or personally influence another. i v i n e P r o t e c t i o n — The Power of the Absolute lives forever within us and delivers us for ever from anything and everything unlike Good. Divine Protection is omnipresent. i v i n e S c i e n c e — The facts known about mental and spiritual law. Organized, orderly ar ranged, knowledge of the operation of the Laws of Infinite Mind; the study of the Creator and His Creation. i v i n e U r g e — The inner desire to express life. The desire to do and accomplish more, to be more completely happy, prosperous and well, is right. It is part of that eternally progres sive spirit of unfoldment, and we should surrender the entire situation to the working of Intelligence, with the conviction that Intelligence will use us as a perfect channel.
D ivin e N a tu r e
D ivin e P r in c ip le
D
D
D
D o g m a — Certain fixed, or set beliefs are signified by doctrines, creeds, dogmas. Doctrine usually refers to something which is taught; and creed is a more or less brief outline of what has been determined by the leaders in interpreting their particular religion. Dogma goes beyond this into the arrogant assertion o f doctrine, even to the point o f indicating its authority to state what others shall think and believe.
There is no room for doubt in a treatment. Realize that you treat with your under standing, through the Law. Meditate upon the spiritual significance of the statements you make, until you induce within consciousness a definite concept of an already established fact, even though the fact may not have become objectified. r e a m W o r l d — This reference applies to the world of thoughts which are unexpressed. u a l i t y — The belief in duality has robbed theology of power and has polluted philosophy with untruths; it has divided science against itself, and has made countless thousands go through life with saddened hearts. Duality has been believed in since time immemorial, and, indeed, is still believed in by many. By duality, we mean a belief in more than One Power back of all things. In theology, the belief in duality has given ,rise to the idea of a God and a devil— each with equal power to impose upon man a blessing or a curse— and men have worshiped a devil just as truly as they ever worshiped God. Even today this monstrous thought is robbing men of their birthright to happiness and a sense of security. But the time has now come for a clearer understanding of the Nature of Deity. That there is a God, no one can deny; that there could be a God of vengeance and hate— having all the characteristics of a huge man in a terrible rage— no person can well believe and keep his sanity. True philosophy in all ages has perceived that the Power back of all things must be One Power; and the clearer
D oubt—
D D
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D
the thought of Unity, the greater has been the philosophy. In science, the belief in duality created Spirit and matter . . . a dual universe. This is rapidly disappearing now as science recognizes that all matter is in a state of constant flow. True philosophy and true science will someday meet on a common basis and recognize that the Infinite must be One. Whatever change takes place, must take place within the One, but the One must be Changeless. If the eye is “single” to the good, if the vision remains steadfast, we become one with it. y n a m i c — Full of power; characterized by action, potency, forcefulness.
That which follows cause. Effect is that which did not make itself, but which must have a power back of it causing it to be. All manifestation is effect and all effect is subject to its cause. The Creator is greater than His Creation. Everything which we see, touch, taste, feel, hear or sense with the physical senses is an effect. “Things which are seen are not made of things which do appear.” This means that what we see comes from what we do not see. If all cause is existent in Spirit, and if the Law which executes the Will of the Spirit is subjec tive, and if the body is only an effect, it follows that both cause and effect are spiritual. E g o — The I Am of the Bible, the Christ, the perfect idea of God. In metaphysical terms, the Ego refers to the Real Consciousness of man. In psychology it carries a slight variation of interpretation, implying an organization or system of mental states. In this textbook we frequently use it merely to convey the thought of the inner man . . . the real self. E m a n a t e — To flow forth from. To originate. E m m a n u e l — “God-with-us.” The Christ in every one. E m e r g e n t E v o l u t i o n — That type of evolution which takes place from the necessity of the condition. When we needed fingers, we grew them. E m o t i o n — Mental energy set in motion through feeling. Any of the feelings of joy, grief, fear, hate, love, awe, reverence. “Emotion is consciousness attendant upon other forms of consciousness (as perception or ideation) to which it gives their feeling tone.” In the wellbalanced person, emotion is controlled by the intellect, but in many people there is conflict between the emotion and the intellect. Emotion uncontrolled produces chaos; unexpressed it produces confusion, conflict, and complexes, for energy will have an outlet. Bottled up, it creates a pressure that is the cause of much damage to the physical man. E n e r g y — Energy is a divine and unfailing attribute and consequently there is never any lack of it. Always the word carries the idea of strength, vigor, potency, vitality. In metaphysics it may sometimes be used synonymously with Life, Spirit . . . Divine Energy. Aristotle used the word to convey the realized state of potentialities, as opposed to their unrealized state. Physics deals with various kinds of energy . . . mechanical, electric, thermal, chemical, etc., etc. Often in this textbook it may mean inherent power. Thought is creative energy, shaping the undifferentiated Substance into form. There is a form of mental energy, defined as “the ability to move objects without physical contact.” This is called Telekinetic energy.
E ffect—
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E n th u siasm —
An exaltation of soul. A lively manifestation of zeal. A keen interest in people
and things at home and abroad; it has been called “The Fortune-Teller of Life.” Enthusiasm is compelling, and sweeps everything before it.The root word from which we get enthusiasm actually means “inspired” and one truly filled with enthusiasm is like one inspired, as if pos sessed with a divine power . . . which one actually is. We become enthused in the conscious ness that we are God-sustained and filled with God-power. Such consciousness makes our enthusiasm irresistible. E ntity
. . . E ntities
— Anything which actually exists, visible or invisible. Being, essence,
existence. Disease is not an entity. E q u ivalent—
Alike in significance and value. To make a demonstration we have to have a
mental equivalent o f our desire. The Eternal Gift is always made. It is meted out to us ac cording to our own measure. If we believe a little, we only receive a little. This we call the Law of Mental Equivalents. As much as we can embody. The reservoir o f God is available. If we use only a one-inch pipe (believing we shall do well to barely eke out an existence) the stream of spiritual substance will trickle through in a tiny stream. We can choose the twelveinch pipe, if we can believe, and allow the pure spiritual substance to flow through to us, “pressed down and running over.” It all depends on how great a consciousness o f God we can embody . . . how great our mental equivalent. E rror—
Error means incorrect thinking. It means thinking based upon the belief in some
power or presence opposed to good. E so teric a n d E x o t e r ic
— Esoteric refers to the inner teachings; the mysterious and hidden
phil osophies and hidden truths of the ages. It refers to that part o f the teachings which have been kept from the multitude. Exoteric means the revealed teachings which have been given to the multitude. The parables o f Jesus were esoteric teachings. Any teaching whose mean ing is hidden is esoteric. It has the same significance as occult; means inner, hidden, only partially revealed, while exoteric means outer, completely revealed. That which was once completely occult and esoteric is today revealed, and we have but little use for the word, since any attempt to conceal the truth would be ridiculous. E t e r n a l ^ —Having no element of time. Without beginning, without end. Also may imply a state or quality other than time. As eternal bliss, eternal glory. Immortal, imperishable, unin terrupted, boundless. One o f the appellations of God. E t h e r — A universal medium which is supposed to be the last known analysis of matter; it inter spheres all things and all space. The fine particles of matter, or electrons, are supposed to be cemented together by the ether. Ether seems to be, to the material world, what mind is to the mental world . . . a universal medium. If-the present theory of ether is true, it means that we now have, within our present bodies, a substance more solid than the one we now see. There is every reason to suppose that we have a body within a body to infinity. E v i l — That which seems destructive. Evil is an experience o f the soul on its journey toward the realization of Reality. Evil will remain a problem as long as we believe in it. O f itself, it 721
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is neither person, place nor thing, and will disappear in the exact proportion that we cease using destructive methods. As long as we make mistakes, just so long we shall be auto matically punished. E v o l u t i o n — The passing of Spirit into form. All emerge from that One Whose Being is ever present and Whose Life, robed in numberless forms, is manifest throughout all creation. Creation is the logical result of the outpush of Life into self-expression. It is the coming forth of Spirit into manifestation. The unfoldment of First Cause is what we call evolution. Since the idea is still in an unfolding state, it appears as though we lived in an imperfect universe. Evolution is the time and the process through which an idea unfolds to a higher state of manifestation; and since ideas are Divine Realities, evolution will go on forever. E x t e r n a l . . . E x t e r n a l i z a t i o n . . . E x t e r n a l i z e — Our living is the externalization of the ideas and beliefs to which we have given our acceptance. External means related to the outside, outwardly perceptible. To externalize is to make manifest. The externalization is that which is objectified. “Any mode of bodily or mental behavior regarded as implying a natural endow ment or acquired power; the faculties of seeing, hearing, feeling, etc.” Personality. Executive ability, efficiency. F a i l u r e — A deficiency, a lack of performance, want of success. Sometimes the death of the old that the new may become manifest. Weakness, imperfection, a falling short. A recogni tion of this is the first step toward progress. Fa it h — “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is a mental attitude, so inwardly embodied that the mind can no longer deny it. Faith is com plete when it is both a conscious and subjective acceptance. Faith may be consciously gener ated. In spiritual terminology, faith means a belief in the presence of an invisible principle and law which directly and specifically responds to us. “Thy faith has made thee whole.” Fa l l , Th e — The story of the Fall in the Old Testament is a symbolic presentation of the evo lution of Man, and his spiritual awakening. Taken literally, this story would be ridiculous. The writer was attempting to teach a cosmic lesson. The Garden of Eden typifies life in its pure essence. The Tree of Life is our real being, and the tree which bore the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, refers to our Divine Intelligence, carrying with it, as it must, the possibility of self-choice, without which possibility we could not be individuals, but would be automatons. We may choose even that which is not best for us, therefore man was warned not to eat from the fruit of this tree. Adam typifies our objective faculties and Eve typifies the subjective. Adam and Eve are potential in all of us. The serpent represents the Life Principle viewed from a material basis and beguiles us in this way; he says that evil is as real as good; that the devil has equal power with God; that negation equals positive good ness, and that the universe is dual in its nature. From the acceptance of this argument we Fa c u l t y —
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experience both good and evil. And should we come full-orbed into individuality without having learned the lesson o f unity, we should live forever in a state o f bondage. This is the meaning of God saying, “He shall become as one o f us and live forever.” The Eternal Mind does not wish us to live forever in bondage and this is what would happen unless we first learn the lesson o f right and wrong. And so that part of us which can be fooled eats o f the fruit o f dual experience and in so doing, reveals its own nakedness. The native state of man is one of purity, peace and perfec tion, and it is only when he can compare these with impurity, distress and imperfection, that he is revealed as naked. Emerson tells us that virtue does not know it is virtuous. It is only when virtue tastes o f impurities that it becomes naked and must hide from itself. The voice o f God, walking in the Garden in the cool of the day, means the introspective and meditative part o f us, which, in its moments of pure intuition and reason, sees the il lusion of a life apart from God or Good. Error is ever a coward before Truth, and cannot hide itself from Reality, which sees through everything, encompasses all and penetrates even the prison walls o f the mind with Its clear effulgence. The conversation between God, and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, represents the arguments that go on in our own minds, when we try to realize the truth. These argu ments are familiar to all and need not be enumerated. The expulsion from the Garden is a necessary and logical outcome of tasting o f dual experience. If we believe in both good and evil, we must experience each. Fa m il ia r
Spirits—
This refers to the control of consciousness through the instrument of
some invisible agency, sometimes supposed to be discarnate spirits. Psychic contacts. Fa t e —
An arranged or predetermined life or event. Foreordination. If one believes in fate, he
must be healed of this thought for there is no such thing. There is One Perfect Power, forever operating, and never contingent upon any place, person, time o f year or anything but Itself. Fa t h e r -M o t h e r G o d — T he Masculine and Feminine Principles o f Being, as included in the Androgynous One, or First Cause. God as the Universal Parent Mind and Spirit. Fear—
“Perfect love casteth out fear.” “Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.” Fear is the antithesis o f Faith. It is the negation of confidence. Like Faith, fear may be conscious or subjective, and if it is to be eliminated, it must be removed both consciously and subjectively. Fem in ine
Prin ciple
— The Universal Soul. In man, the subjective or subconscious intelli
gence. The Universal Medium, or Soul, has been called the “Womb of Nature” and the “Holy Mother,” because It is receptive to the Spirit, and is impregnated with Divine Ideas. It gives birth to the Ideas of the Spirit, and is, therefore, the Feminine Principle o f Nature. F irst C a u se—
That which is the cause of all things. The Uncreated, from which all Creation
springs. The Cause o f all that is manifest on any plane. That which comes first. The first in
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any creative series. The First Cause is both Masculine and Feminine in Its Nature, and in cludes the Intermediate Principle of Creative Activity. F o r c e — Some of the early philosophers referred to the Soul, or Creative Mediujn, as a “Blind force, not knowing, only doing.” This we know to be true of all law. Law knows only to do, it has no conscious volition of its own.Thoughtyorce is the movement of consciousness which sets law in operation. The movement of consciousness upon itself creates a motion or vibra tion in Intelligence, upon Substance, the force of which is equal to the reality of the thought set in motion. Force, used as a verb, means to compel. F o r m — Any definite outline in time and space. Forms may be visible or invisible. In all prob ability, all space is filled with many kinds of forms. Form is the result of a definite idea. Form is real as form, but is not s^lf-conscious; it is subjective to the power that created it. Forms come and go, but the Power back of them remains forever and is Changeless. Form is tem porary but Mind is Eternal. It is necessary that Spirit should manifest in some kind of form, in order that It may come into Self-expression through Self-realization. This is the meaning of that Creation which is eternally going on. Form is always effect ... never cause. Uncon scious Form, or Mirror of Matter, means that the material world reflects the forms of thought which the Soul holds before it. This depicts the Creative Process and sequence: First in the chain of Causation is the Word, and this Word is conscious of Itself; next comes the action of Law, reflecting the Word. (This Law is subjective and obeys the Word, reflecting It into form or matter, being at first unformed, or a Universal Undifferentiated Substance.) It then takes form, through the power of the Word acting upon It, on the subjec tive side of life. Soul and Substance are both subjective to the Spirit; form, or matter in form, has no volition. F o r m l e s s — God as Spirit. Mind as Law. Substance in an unformed state. The unformed is forever taking form. No particular form can be permanent. F o r m l e s s S u b s t a n c e — The ultimate Stuff from which all forms are created, universally present, in an unformed state, and acted upon by conscious and subconscious intelligence. It is the nature of Soul to give form to the ideas with which It is impregnated; hence, Soul contains Substance within Itself. S p i r i t — That which cannot be bound. It is free to do as It chooses, but cannot, of course, do anything which denies Its own Nature. F r e e d o m — Real freedom means that man is created in the image of perfection and let alone and allowed to make the discovery for himself. Freedom of will means the ability to do, say and think as one wishes; to express life as one personally desires. “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” Jesus taught. The understanding of Truth— Infinite Principle— is the emancipator. We are bound by our very freedom; our free will binds us. The Universe, being deductive only, cannot refuse us anything. The very force that makes us sick can heal us. As man realizes his Oneness with Creative Mind, he is released from the bondage of false thinking. He sees, too, that freedom means liberty but not license.
Free
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G ard en
of
E d e n — The Garden of Eden typifies m ans original state o f perfection before
he began to have experience. The Tree o f Knowledge means the Life Principle, whi,ch can be used both ways. It bore the fruit o f knowledge of both kinds of experience, good and evil, freedom and limitation. Man must choose which kind o f fruit he will eat. The serpent typifies the Life Principle, viewed from the materialistic viewpoint; it casts man from his perfect state through his belief in duality and separation. Man chose to depart from Good, and man alone must choose to return to It. God lets him alone, for he is a free agent and may do as he wills with himself. When a man decides to return to his Father’s House, he will find his Father is still there. G od s creation is perfect and we must awake to this fact and know that we are now in the Kingdom of Heaven. G eneric
— Characteristic of; a universal judgment; pertaining to, or having the rank of, a
genus, as a generic name, a generic description, a generic quality. G host
— The mental form o f any person, in the flesh or out o f it. An apparition, a disembod
ied human spirit. Any faint, shadowy semblance. G o d — The First Cause, the Great I Am , the Unborn One, the Uncreated, the Absolute or Unconditioned, the One and Only. Spirit, or the Creative Energy which is the cause o f all visible things. Love, Wisdom, Intelligence, Power, Substance, Mind. The Truth which is real, the Principle which is dependable. G o d -C o nscio usness
— M ans self-knowing mind is his Unity with the Whole, his perception
of Reality. This Unity with God, on the conscious side of life, is the guarantee that man is a Center of God-Consciousness, that he is some part o f the Consciousness o f God. G race—
Grace is the givingness of Spirit to Its Creation and is not a special law, but a special
ized one. In other words, Grace is, but we need to recognize it. It is not something God imposed upon us, but is the logical result o f the correct acceptance o f life and of a correct relationship to the Spirit. We are saved by Grace to the extent that we believe in, accept, and seek to embody the Law o f Good; for the Law of Good is ever a Law of Liberty and never one of limitation. Limitation is not a thing, not an entity, but a belief. Freedom is a Divine Reality. G reat A ctor—
The Spirit.
G reat D iscovery,
T h e — The greatest discovery ever made was the discovery of the creative
power of thought, because upon this hinges m ans entire evolution. The ability to affirm, to say “I am,” to be conscious o f on es relationship to the Universe, is not only a guarantee that man Is, and is some part o f the Universe, it is itself a proclamation of the Universe, since the only knowledge of God we can have must come through the consciousness of man. The consciousness of man is an extension o f the consciousness of God. G reat H ouse, Th e—
H abit—
Another way of saying the Universal.
Any act which has become a part o f the subconscious mentality. Habits are formed
by first consciously thinking, and then unconsciously acting. What one thinks today will
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tomorrow be part of his memory; and since memory is active, what he thinks today as a conscious thought will tomorrow be a submerged but active thought . . . habit. H a l o — The emanation that appears around the head. The halo which artists have portrayed around the heads of saints is real, and not merely an idea of the artist. A mental and spiritual emanation. H a p p i n e s s — A state of well-being or enjoyment of good of any kind.The general term applies to the enjoyment, or pleasurable satisfaction, attendant upon welfare of any kind. In meta physics, it means a state of inner peace, a consciousness of the Goodness of God and the beneficent attitude of the Universe, a realization that joy can come to every man. It has a definite effect on mind, body and affairs. A state of permanent joy. It is never the will of God, or Universal Harmony, that any man should be unhappy. We have a right to any hap piness of which we can conceive, provided that happiness hurts no one, and is in keeping with the nature of progressive Life. H a r m o n y — Concord or agreement in facts, opinions, manners, interests, etc.The secret of all progress is getting into a right relationship with the Universal. “In tune with the Infinite.” In tune with Infinite Order is harmony. Contacting Infinite Intelligence, recognizing the Father within, accepting the underlying laws of Creation and moving in Its mighty rhythm, is harmony. Such harmony adjusts our affairs and enriches our lives. H e a l i n g — Mental healing means Mind healing. To heal means to make whole. We seek to heal mens mentalities, knowing that to the degree in which we are successful, we shall also be healing their bodies. Belief in duality has made man sick and the understanding of Unity will heal him. God stands to us for the One Life in which we all live. MENTAL TREAT MENT IS A DIRECT STATEMENT IN MIND OF WHAT WE WISH TO HAVE DONE AND A REALIZATION THAT IT IS DONE. Healing is the result of clear thinking and logical reasoning, which presents itself to consciousness and is acted upon by it. Realize that you are a Divine Idea and that your word is the law unto the thing unto which it is spoken. The whole idea of healing, when understood, is the substitution ofTruth for sense-testimony. This restores man to a condition of wholeness. H e a v e n — A state of happiness. Heaven is within, it revolves about us; it is the result of that atmosphere of conviction which our thought awakens within us. The Kingdom of Heaven is unformed, unlimited, unconditioned. Heaven is not a place, a locality, “with streets of gold and gates of pearl.” It is the real state of Being. We do not make it real, for it is eternal Reality. If we abide in the Father and He abides in us, in harmony, in power, in peace, in wisdom; and our thought is friendly, happy, confident and open, our Kingdom of Heaven is a good place in which to live. H e l l — A discordant state of being. A belief in duality. A sense of separation from God. A be lief that our good is always to be, and never is. Hell is not a location. H i g h I n v o c a t i o n — Invoking the Divine Mind; implanting within It seeds of thought relative to oneself. 726
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H oly
G h o st
— The third Person o f the Trinity. The Servant o f the Spirit. Used in the sense
o f the World— Soul or Universal Subjectivity. H u m a n ity
— Mankind; human beings collectively; the human race.The multiplied expression
of God as people. The many who live in the One. H u m il it y
— True humility does not mean self-abasement, but is rather that attitude which
Emerson tells us is willing to get its “bloated nothingness out of the way of the Divine C ir cuits.” It is an intelligent recognition that the whole is greater than any one o f its parts. “Stand still and watch the sure salvation of the Lord.” H yp n o tism
— The mental control o f another.
I A m — The “I Am” is both individual and universal, that is, the individual “I” is part o f the Universal “I Am.” The “I Am consciousness” means that part o f thought, both conscious and subjective, which not only affirms its unity with God, but which also understands the mean ing of its affirmation. Id e a
— An idea is a mental concept. Any object o f the mind existing in apprehension, concep
tion, or thought. A theme. The Ideas o f God are the Divine Realizations o f His Own Being. The real Ideas are eternal. No two ideas are alike. The Creative Mind of the Universe, being Infinite, thinks of a limitless number o f things, and each thing is, therefore, separate and distinct in the great Whole. Just as the atoms o f science are cemented together by the ether, so each idea of Divine Mind is united in One Spirit. No two things are alike; no two people are alike. All come from One Life; all are in One Life and live by It, but each forever main tains its identity in the Perfect Whole. Il l u m in a t io n —
Inspiration reaching a Cosmic state. A direct contact with Reality or God.
A complete intuitive perception. It is the Self-Knowingness o f God through man. Illumi nation comes as man more and more realizes his Unity with the W hole, but since the Whole is at the point of the Inner Mentality, it will be here alone that he w ill contact It. “Speak to Him, thou, for He hears.” The only God man can ever know is the God o f his own Inner Life. I l l u s io n — The ancients taught an illusion of mind and an illusion of the material universe. The illusion of mind they called Maya, the great “feminine illusion,” which does not refer to woman, but to the subjective universe, which contains many images which are false, the results of m ans erroneous conclusions. This does not mean that the subjective world of itself is an illusion, but it might present us with an illusion unless we were careful to dis criminate between the false and the true. Jesus said, “Judge not according to appearances.” Even the physical universe is not what it seems to be. As a matter of fact, neither the physical nor the subjective universe are things o f themselves. As Plotinus said, “Nature is the great no-thing, yet it is not exactly nothing,” since Its business is to receive the forms of thought which the Spirit lets fall into It. The illusion is never in the thing, but in the way we look at it.
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Im a g e
— The mental likeness of anything. The soul or subjective mind, contains all of our
thoughts as mental images or pictures. Im a g i n a t i o n
a n d
W i l l — Coue announced a great truth when he said that imagination is
superior to the will; but he did not explain the philosophy behind this truth. Will is an as sumption, pure and simple. We do not will to live; we live because we have life and cannot help living. We did not make Life and we cannot change It, but we can use It, and the use of Life is through the imagination; because this faculty has, at its roots, the very well-spring o f life and action. Imagination carries with it feeling and conviction, which means life and action. It awakens within us all the inner forces of nature and stirs into action latent powers which otherwise would never come to the surface. W ill power may be necessary in its place, as a directive agency, but as a creative agency, it is non-existent. To feel that we have to will something to happen casts doubt into the face o f Creation, and pre-supposes that Life is not Self-Existent and Self-Propelling. Imagination taps the very roots of Being and utilizes the same Power that brought the world forth from chaos. “The worlds were framed by the Word of God.” Imagination is the power of the word, while will is the directive agency, denoting the purpose for which the word is spoken. Man reproduces the power to create, and in his own life, controls his destiny through the activity o f his word. This word cannot be willed, but it can be imagined or imaged forth into expression. I m m a n e n t — Remaining or operating within the subject considered; neither derived from, nor
passing, without; indwelling; inherent. Contrasted with the word transcendent, which means reaching beyond, surpassing. We recognize that God is both immanent and transcendent, which means that He is in us as us, but infinitely more than all that we are. Im m a t e r i a l —
The word actually means not consisting o f matter. The Soul is immaterial as
we think o f matter, but It might be termed the matter o f Spirit, the substance of Spirit. As all matter in the physical world finally resolves itself into the ether from which it came, so we may think o f the Substance o f Soul as we think about the ether and realize that every thing in form finally becomes Soul Stuff again. Im m o r t a l i t y —
The Deathless Principle of Being in all people. For a study of this subject, see
Chapter Twenty-three. Im p e r s o n a l —
Not belonging to any particular person or persons. The Creative Medium is
Impersonal, having no personality of Its own. It neither knows nor cares who uses It, but is always ready to work for any or all alike. It is very important that we remember this. The Creative Mind is impersonal receptivity, in that It receives all seeds o f thought. In c a r n a t i o n
. . . In c a r n a t e
— The Spirit o f God in all Creation. To incarnate is to em
body, to enshrine, to give form to. Any concrete or actual form exemplifying a principle. In d i v i d u a l i t y —
The Real Idea o f man, as distinguished from the outer personality. Each one
is a separate entity in Mind and no two are alike. Each is an individualized center of GodConsciousness. We are born with our individuality. Our personality is the use we make of our Divine Individuality.
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In d u c e
— The act of planting seeds of thought in Creative Mind.
In d u c t iv e
R e a so n in g
— Reasoning from effect to cause. Deductive reasoning is that pro
cess of reasoning which follows an already established premise. It is from whole to part. Inductive reasoning is an analysis, an inquiry into Truth, so it follows that God can only reason deductively, since He does not have to inquire into that which is true. In d w e l l i n g
C h r ist
— Generic man, manifesting through the individual. The idea of Divine
Sonship. The Real Man. As much of this Reality appears as we allow to express through us. Read Chapter Twenty-two for complete elaboration. In d w e llin g
E g o — The Spirit of man, as differentiated from his soul or subjective mentality.
The Real Man, which is the conscious part o f him. In d w e llin g
G o d — The Real Man is as much of God as he is able to embody. The Divine
Spark, Birthless and Deathless. As we recognize His indwelling, the wisdom, the love, the power of God Himself are ours to use. I n f i n i t e -— That
which is beyond human comprehension.The Infinite is God.
In h e r e n t L i f e —
Real life as distinguished from latent life. Inalienable, inseparable; involved
in the essential character of anything; inbred, inwrought, essential. Connected with us as a permanent attribute. Our inherent life, our indwelling God, assures us all the life and health, peace, joy and abundance that we can desire or conceive of. In h e r i t e d T e n d e n c i e s
— Thfe subjective, being the seat of memory, contains the race char
acteristics and tendencies. We do not inherit disease but we do inherit tendencies. This is the way that family and race traits are handed down. I n n e r S i g h t — The spiritual capacity of knowing the Truth. It is a mental quality which brings
the mentality to a comprehension of Reality. In s a n i t y
— A temporary or permanent control o f the conscious mind by the unconscious or
subjective. This control may be complete or in degrees. Psychologists find it difficult to distinguish between sanity and insanity, since we are all insane in such degree as we enter tain wrong conclusions about life; but in its broader sense, insanity means a temporary or permanent loss of the objective faculties. The throne of reason is usurped, while the subjec tive, emotional reaction to life controls the thought. The real mind, o f course, cannot be deranged, and a complete mental treatment for insanity is to know there is but One Mind, which is now functioning, and perfectly functioning, in the individual who appears to be insane. In s p i r a t i o n —
From the human side, inspiration means contact with the subconscious of the
individual or the race. From the Divine, it means contact with the Universal Spirit. In s t i n c t
— That quality in an animal which directs its action and tells it where to go to find
food and shelter, we call instinct. It is really Omniscience in the animal. The same quality in man we call intuition. — The One in everything.
In s t i n c t i v e
L ife
In s t i n c t i v e
M a n — T he
Spiritual Man.
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G L O S S A R Y
— Mental quality o f analysis. That part o f the mentality concerned with the acquisi
In t e l l e c t
tion and retention o f knowledge, as distinguished from the emotions and the will. Emotion uncontrolled produces chaos; unexpressed it produces confusion. When we combine thought with feeling, intellect with emotion, and add to this a recognition of the Father within, we have a power which is irresistible. In t u i t i o n
— Intuition is God in man, revealing to him the Realities of Being. Just as instinct
guides the animal, so would intuition guide man, if he would allow it to operate through him. The ability to know without any process of reasoning. God knows only intuitively. In v o l u t i o n
— Invoking the Law. Setting the Law in motion. Giving a mental and spiritual
treatment. Planting the seed of thought in the Creative Mind of the Universe. Involution precedes evolution and evolution follows involution with mathematical certainty. We deal with the Creative Principle of involution and evolution. Involution is the creation of the concept. Evolution is the time or process it takes for the concept to become manifest. In volution is a conscious act. Evolution is purely mechanical.
J ealo u sy— J esu s—
The result o f an inferiority complex and sensitive nature.
The name o f a man. Distinguished from the Christ. The man Jesus became the em
bodiment of the Christ, as the human gave way to the Divine Idea of Sonship. See Chapter Twenty-two for further elaboration. J o y — The emotion excited by the expectancy o f good. Gladness, delight, exultation. Ju d g m en t
— “Judge not that ye be not judged, for with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged.” Judgment is merely the law of cause and effect operating. The Universe holds noth ing against anyone. “He sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” We are judged by our own acts. Punishment and reward are automatic reactions o f the law. Anna Besant said, “ Karma is the law that binds the ignorant and frees the wise.” If we would wish our judgment to be good, happy, and constructive, then we must make a like use of the law. K arm a—
The subjective law of tendency set in motion by the individual. The mental law act
ing through him. Karmic Law is the use that man makes of his mentality. Karma is not Kismet, for Kismet means “fate,” and Karma simply means “the mental tendency.” Karma is both individual and collective. We do not recognize Karma as inevitable retribution. Since we know that all life is an effect. . . of which mind is the cause . . . we know that at any time we can change our thinking and set in motion new laws which shall govern our lives. When peace, harmony and love rule in our thinking, we know they will register in our lives as effect, bringing health, happiness and prosperity; any previous Karma, different from that, will be set at naught. K in g d o m —
“The kingdom o f heaven” is not a place; it is “within” in our deepest thought. It
is the Reality of our individual awareness and it is the Reality of Universal Mind. It is the recognition of our Oneness with the Divine. It is the Perfect Design which is G od s idea of 7 30
G L O S S A R Y
Creation, and can only be discerned spiritually. It is the real o f everything. The kingdom of God is the consciousness o f God. As we think the thoughts o f God, we shall have a newer, diviner life in our body and in our affairs. We shall have entered the Kingdom. K ism et
— Destiny, fate.
K n o w led ge
— The word “knowledge” as used throughout this textbook means that which
will bear the test in the light of Truth. Real knowledge is the conscious awareness of the indwelling Father, the certainty that God abides at the center o f our being, as perfect health, complete joy, power, wisdom, and goodness, and ready to come forth into manifestation at our bidding. This knowledge is the secret of all power. Ordinarily, in a general sense, the word knowledge merely means the sum-total of facts the mind has perceived and believed. Metaphysically speaking, we can only know that which is true. If we believe that which is false, it may seem to operate as Truth, because “It is done unto us as we believe.” K n o w in g
No
O th e r
— The Spirit could know nothing outside Itself. It is the Center and
Circumference o f everything that exists. It has no enemies, no differences, no otherness, no apartness, no separation from Itself; is Undivided, Complete and Perfect within Itself. It has no opposites and no opposition. It knows only o f Its own ability to do; and, since It is All, It cannot be hindered in any way, shape or manner. It is not possible to conceive of such a complete Life and Power; but we do catch glimpses in moments o f real inspiration when we realize, to a degree, that God is All.
L a c k a n d L im it a t io n
— These are synonymous terms and indicate that something is missing
in our lives. We believe we are without health, wealth, friends or opportunities. Money is an objective representation, a symbol, of an eternal substance W HICH FO R E V ER FLOW S and which is forever manifesting itself in the visible world. We should endeavor to know that there is an Intelligence guiding our affairs, and that this Intelligence is perfect, that the law of this Intelligence is immutable. As we withdraw our attention from the limited world of effect, and dwell unwaveringly on the Limitless Good, we shall have destroyed the only ' reason whereby lack and limitation could manifest in our lives. We enter the Absolute in such proportion as we withdraw from the limited. L a t e n t L ife —
Life that depends upon reality. Distinguished from inherent life.
L a w — Mind in action. The Creative Medium o f Spirit is the great Mental Law of the Universe.
It is the Law of the Spirit. It is the Universal Law of Mind. The Laws o f Mind and Spirit must be understood if they are to be consciously used for definite purposes. There is no limit to the Law, but there appears to be a limit to m ans understanding o f it. The thing that makes us sick is the thing which heals us. We need not look for a law of sickness and a law of health. There is only One Law. Our misuse of this makes it appear that there are many laws. What ever we think, believe in, feel, visualize, vision, image, read, talk about, in fact, all processes which affect or impress us at all, are going into the subjective state of our thought, which is our individualized use o f Universal Mind. The Law is a blind force, and whatever goes
73i
G L O S S A R Y
into the subjective state o f our thought tends to return again as some condition. See the Chapter on “ Control of Conditions” for further elaboration, on Law o f Attraction, Law of Correspondence, Karmic Law, etc. L e v it a t io n
— W here a body, or object, is lifted without the aid of any physical medium.
L ib id o — T he emotional urge within life which causes all expression. L ife
— The animating Principle o f Being . . . that Inner Something that makes everything live.
Life and Power are necessary attributes o f a Limitless Being, and go hand in hand to complete a Perfect Being. Life is That Which Lives, and Power is the Energy with which It operates. Considering Life and Power as a combined unity o f Causation, we see that they constitute the underlying basis o f all manifestation, visible and invisible. In the objective world, Life is the Power that binds everything together. It appears that Life manifests on different levels. In the mineral world, it seems to be unconscious, yet chemical affinity is a manifestation of Life, as the attraction o f Itself to Itself. In plant life, It manifests as a power to express in one spot, but without volition to move about. This does not indicate that Spirit is limited, but merely one o f the ways that It works. In the animal world, we see different degrees o f Life’s manifestation, from the first cell life up to man. For instance, a dog is more intelligent than a fish, yet each has the power to move about. In man, Life expresses in terms of Volition and Self-Will; It is manifesting at the level of Self-Consciousness. While the Spirit, of Itself, must always know Itself, we are perfectly justified in saying that It manifests on different levels, proving It is limitless. If It had to manifest on one level only, then It would be limited. When Spirit manifests in a purely mechanical way, we say It is Unconscious Life; when It manifests in the animal world, we speak of it as simple consciousness; when It manifests in and through man, we say that It is in a Self-Conscious State. As this Self-Conscious State o f man’s mental ity reaches a larger world of realization, and comprehends something of Its Unity with the Whole, we say that It is in a Cosmic State. Thus we know of four different levels upon which Spirit manifests: Unconscious State, Simple Consciousness, Self-Consciousness, and Cosmic Consciousness. All are but different ways through which the One Power operates. Life, then, is that quality of Being, running through all, which enables anything to be what It is. L ig h t —
In flashes o f illumination, the inspired have seen INTO THE VERY C E N T ER OF
REALITY, and have brought back with them a distinct impression of what they have seen and felt. A glimpse o f this Reality illumines the whole being with a flood o f light. Every mystic has had this experience. Jesus was the greatest of all mystics; and once, at least, after a period of illumination, his face was so^bright his followers could not look upon it. In m o ments o f deepest realization, the great mystics have sensed that One Life flows through A LL; and that all are some part of that Life. They have also seen Substance, a fine, white, brilliant Stuff, forever falling into everything; a Substance indestructible and eternal. At times, the realization has been so complete that they have been actually blinded by the light. Light was the first great revelation o f Divine Creative Energy that called all living things into being . . . “ Let there be light and there was light.” There is healing light in the rays of the
732
G L O S S A R Y
sun, which we term a physical light; there is healing power in the wonderful high-powered lamps, but how much greater is the healing power which Jesus recognized in himself and in others! “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light o f l i f e . . I have set thee to be a lig h t. . .” “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light” “ . . . the sons of God, without rebuke . . . ye shine as lights in the world.” . . . L im it le ss—
L im it
In this study o f the Mind, we are dealing with that which is without
limit. “Limitless” is used to indicate Spirit, God. L o g ic
— Reasoning which keeps faith with itself. The science of the laws of thought.
L ogos
— The Word of God manifest in and through man. “The Divine Creative W ord.” An
emanation of the Divine Consciousness to the receptive mind, and may be called the source of illumination. It has been called “the universal source o f light and reason.” “The Word was with God and the Word was God.” It is Spirit; It is Power. It is the same Power by which we create. “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee.” Love—
Love is the self-givingness of the Spirit through the desire of Life to express Itself
in terms of creation. Emerson tells us that Love is a synonym for God. We are also told in the New Testament that “ He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.” Love is free from condemnation, even as it is free from fear. Love is a cosmic force whose sweep is irresistible. L ord
— Another term for the Indwelling God. “And the Lord shall guide thee continually . . .”
My Lord is the Christ within my own soul. M acro co sm —
The Universal World. It is another word for the Whole.
M a n — T he objectification o f God in human form . The idea o f God manifested in the flesh. The Sonship o f the Father. Generic man is the Type, and the personal man is the concrete expression of the Type. The highest expression of God on this planet. M a n ia — An irresistible desire controlling personal action . . . a desire too strong to be con trolled. We speak of one having a mania for certain things; that is, he has subjectified so much desire along some particular line that he becomes controlled by the very power which he has set in motion. This shows how very careful we should be to control our thinking, never allowing the mentality to conceive ideas which we do not wish to see manifest. M a n ife st a t io n —
To manifest, means to show forth or to make evident. Everything we
see— plants, animal, man, every visible thing— is a manifestation of God, differing only in degree, and every manifestation contains, in essence, the whole, as one drop of ocean water is as perfect, in essence, as the entire body. We are not all of God, o f course, but the Reality within us is God. As we make conscious use of the Law, planting an idea in Mind and watch ing it come forth into form , into objectivity, we are producing a manifestation. M a sc u l in e
P r in c ip le —
The Assertive Principle o f Being. The Self-Conscious, Self-
Propelling Power of Spirit. The Projective Principle of Life, impregnating the Universal Soul with Its ideas and concepts. The Self-Assertive Spirit in either God or man.
733
G L O SS A R Y
M a ter ia l M a n
— The objective man, not opposed to Spirit, but the logical outcome of the
Self-Knowing Mind. M a te r ia lism
— Materialism does not exist in spiritual vision, for matter, to it, is soul-substance
in manifestation. The old idea of a solid, static universe is gone, and science gives us instead a dynamic, fluidic energy, everywhere present. M atter
— Any form which substance takes in the world o f sense and objectivity. The illusion
of matter refers to false forms. Science tells us that matter is an aggregation o f small par ticles, arranged in some kind of form ; and that matter is in a continuous state o f flow. Our bodies are like a river, forever flowing; the Indwelling Spirit alone maintains the identity. We are now learning that ether is more solid than matter. M aya
— World o f mental illusion.
M e c h a n ic a l
— Proceeding automatically; done as if by a machine.
M e d it a t io n —
The general acceptance of the term meditation is contemplation or continuous
thought. We mean to convey something more— the recognition of the Father within, the certainty of our Oneness with the W hole, the immediate availability of the Power and W is dom resulting from this Oneness. Such communion with God brings harmony into our lives and affairs; establishes the law of health and prosperity, and makes us a light to all who cross our pathway. M e d iu m —
A middle or intermediate thing; that which lies between; a substance through
which a force acts or an effect is transmitted. The Universal Medium, or Soul, is receptive to the Spirit, and is impregnated with the Divine Ideas. This Creative Medium is neutral. The Creative Medium of Spirit is the great Mental Law of the Universe. It is the One M e dium through which all Law and all Power operate.That which we term our subjective mind is the medium through which we contact the Universal Mind. A person whom we call a medium is one who objectifies subjectivity. M eekn ess
— Means that quality o f Sonship which so consciously recognizes its Oneness with
the Whole that it can effectively practice non-resistance; not only that but forgives with the completeness that gives an actual good in return for an evil given. Such was the meekness of Jesus. M EM O RY^Thoughts today dropped by our conscious mind into subjective mind, tomorrow become memory. The subjective retention o f ideas. The soul, or subjective mind, is the seat o f memory, and retains within itself everything that the individual has ever said, thought, seen, heard, felt, read or been told; and indeed everything that has ever happened to him. It also contains race memory. M ental A tm o sph ere
— The mental emanation o f anything, any person or any place. Every
thing has some kind of a mental atmosphere. M en tal A ttitu d e
— An attitude means a position assumed, or studied, as indicating action,
feeling or mood. Our mental attitude, then, is the general tendency of our mind . . . the tendency our thought takes, as a whole.
734
G L O S S A R Y
M ental C o rrespo ndents
— The inner image in mind which balances the outer objectifica
tion of itself. Every objective thing has an inner mental correspondent. M ental
E q u iv a le n t
— Having a subjective idea o f the desired experience. As we bring
ourselves to a greater vision than the range o f our present concepts, we can then induce a greater concept and thereby demonstrate more in our experience. M e n t a l Im a g e — M ental
Subjective likeness.
In f l u e n c e —
As we recognize our Oneness with the W hole, we are consciously
opening our thought to the highest influence from every direction. We should never allow ourselves to be influenced by anything w;e do not consciously allow to enter our thought. A mental influence which would attempt to plant in our subjective mind a thought which would come up from within and cause us to do things we would not otherwise do, is hyp notic. The statement that O NLY TH E ONE MIND CO N TR O LS will protect us from any and all wrong mental influences. M en tal
L a w — Universal Subjectivity is the avenue through which God operates as Law . . .
the law of mental action. The Mental Medium must be thought o f as the Mental Law. M ental
M e d iu m —
This definition is tied up with the one just preceding it. It has been
proven that thought operates in such a manner as to make it possible to convey mental impressions from one person to another, showing that there is a mental medium between all people. This leads us to the conclusion that we are surrounded by a Universal Mind, which is the Medium of the communication of our thoughts. M ental
Plane
— JU ST BETW EEN TH E Spiritual and the physical. The three planes inter
sphere each other. M e n t a l S c i e n c e — T he Science of Mind and Spirit. A systematic knowledge of the laws governing the Mental and Spiritual World. M e n t a l T r e a t m e n t — T h e a c t, th e a r t , a n d s c ie n c e o f i n d u c i n g t h o u g h t in M i n d , w h i c h thought operated u p o n b y Law , b e c o m e s a m an ifest con d ition . M en t a lit y—
An individual use of Universal Mind. There is One Mind, but within this One
Mind are many mentalities. M esm er ism —
The influence of personality.
M e t a p h y sic s
. . . M et a p h y sic a l
— The scientists of today are closer than ever before to
agreeing with the metaphysician that God is Creative Intelligence, or Mind, everywhere present in the Universe, and manifesting through every created thing. Metaphysics is more than a speculative philosophy. It is the Science o f Being. William James considered it an unusually obstinate attempt to think clearly and consistently. Metaphysics may be termed that which is beyond the known laws of physics. M et a p h y sic a l P r in c ip l e —
The Universal Creative Mind. As Spirit, it is conscious; as Law,
it is subjective. M ethods of Treatm en t—
While several methods of treatment are used, there are but two
distinct methods; one is called argumentative and the other realization. The argumentative
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G L O S S A R Y
is one in which the practitioner argues with himself about his patient, to bring himself to the point o f a complete affirmation. The argument is entirely within his own mind. The method o f realization is where the practitioner realizes within himself— without any argument— the perfect state o f his patient. In either case, treatment is for the purpose of inducing an inner realization o f perfection in the mentality o f the practitioner, which inner realization, acting through Mind, operates in the patient. M ic r o c o s m — T he individual world, as distinguished from the Universal. M in d —
No one has ever seen Mind or Spirit. The only proof we have o f Mind is that we can
think, but we are perfectly justified in believing that we have a mind. Actually, there is no such thing as jou r mind and mj mind, his mind, her mind, and God's Mind. There is just Mind, in which we live, move and have our being. Mind is both conscious and subconscious. Con scious Mind is Spirit, either in God or man. Unconscious Mind is the law of conscious Mind acting and is, therefore, subconscious or subjective. Mind is potential energy, while thought is the dynamic force which produces the activity for manifestation. The One Mind is all of Truth. Our mind, that point in God-Consciousness which we call our mind, is as much o f Truth as we will allow to flow through and bless us. M ir r o r
o f
M atter—
M ir r o r
o f
M in d
The physical universe.
— The subjective world, reflecting the images of thought which are pro
jected into it by the conscious mind. The term is used because the Subjective Side of life acts like a m irror: It reflects the forms o f thought that are given It. M ista k es—
God makes no mistakes. All mistakes rest in the experience of man. “There is no
sin, but a mistake, and no punishment but a consequence.” We must declare that no mistakes have been made, none are being made, and none are going to be made. If mistakes have been made we must neutralize their effect by the direct declaration that they no longer have power over us. M isu n d e r st a n d in g
— A misinterpretation, a disagreement. Can we not see by now, what
fundamental error brings about this condition? Could it be other than a lack of realization o f the Unity of all life? Recognize that there is but One Mind; see God in each, and the trouble will be healed. The symbol o f G o d s Substance; the idea o f Spiritual Supply objectified. As God is
M o n ey—
Spirit, and man is G o d s creation, Spirit is m ans Substance; but Spirit is All, so money is an expression o f Substance. M ortal
M in d — It is what the Bible terms the “carnal mind.” It is a belief in duality. Actually,
there is but the One Mind, the Divine Mind, and that is the Mind we use. M y st ic ism
. . . M y st ic s—
A mystic is one who senses the Divine Presence. Some people
confuse mjsticism with psychism, and it is important that we make a clear distinction. A mys tic is one who intuitively senses Reality. The highest and best that we have in civilization— music, art, religion, philosophy, poetry, science, etc.— is the result of the mystic sense which has been perceived by a few in each age.The psychic capacity, at best, deals only with human
736
G L O S S A R Y
thought; only reads subjective pictures and tendencies. A mystic does not read human thought but senses the Thought o f God. For complete information on this, read the chapter “The Completed Whole.” M u lt ip lic it y
. . . M a n y
— From One come many. All come from the One, and all live in,
and by, the One. From Unity comes multiplicity, but multiplicity does not contradict Unity. It is like the soil: we grow many plants from one soil, but the Unity o f the soil is never disturbed. So the One Mind, working through the Creative Medium of the Universe, pro duces many things. N a t u r a l M a n — Instinctive or Spiritual Man. N ature
of
We have already discovered that the Nature o f God is “Triune” — Spirit,
G od—
Soul, and Body . . . Father, Son and Holy G h o st. . . or The Thing, How It Works, and What It Does. There is an entire chapter devoted to this. N azaren e
— Because Jesus came from Nazareth, he was frequently referred to as “the Naza-
rene,” yet this same Nazarene was the most complete manifestation o f the One Mind who has ever lived. N e c e ssit y
— That which makes an act or an event unavoidable. Irresistible force; something
indispensable. N e g a t iv e
. . . N e g a t io n
— A negative thought is any thought which is untrue. The belief
in duality is the father of most negative thinking. A negation is the act o f denying; a declara tion that something is not. Negative thinking denies the Truth of Being. N eu tral—
Not caring which way it works. All laws are neutral.
N e u t r a l iz in g Th o u g h t — N o n r e sist a n c e —
The act o f mentally erasing thought images.
Fighting any adverse condition only increases its power over us, because
we are making a reality o f it. Someone has said that “the language of resistance is pain, but honresistance finds the harmony o f the universe and swings into its motion, going with the stream of power which nourishes and protects.” Resistance is the offspring o f fear and ig norance; nonresistance is the offspring o f love. N orm al . . . N o rm alcy
. . . N o r m a l St a t e —
The word normal means natural, without
affectation or pretense. Normalcy is the state or fact o f being normal. A normal state, a normal condition o f mind, would be a complete balance between the objective and subjec tive states of consciousness. O a sis—
A green spot in a sandy desert. A refuge.
O b je c t iv e
. . . O b je c t ifie d
— “That which is external to the mind” is the general defini
tion; we mean rather that which is visually externalized. Thought has power to objectify itself. O b je c t if ic a t io n — O b je c t iv e
The act o f objectifying. The effect.
M i n d — T he co n sciou s m in d .
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G L O S S A R Y
O b je c t iv e
Plan e
O b je c t iv e
S id e
— The outer world o f expression.
o f
Th o u gh t—
The conscious side o f thinking.
O b l i g a t i o n — A n y d u t y im p o s e d b y law , p r o m i s e o r c o n t r a c t. O bscu re
— To darken, to hide, to make less intelligible. Misty.
O b sessio n
— To come under the influence of persons, ideas, ambitions, fears, etc. Any thought
influence from any source whatsoever which seeks to usurp the throne o f reason and self-choice. — To obstruct is to impede, to hinder, to stop operation.
O b str u c tio n O b str u c tio n
to
— It must be apparent that there can be no obstruction to
Th o u gh t
thought. Time, space and obstructions are unknown to Mind and thought. Anyone tuning in our stream of consciousness, our thought, will be one with it, no matter where they may be. O c c u l t — H id d e n , c o n c e a le d . O c c u p a t io n O d iu m —
O
ld
— The thing our thought causes us to do. Same as vocation.
Abhorrence, antipathy, reproach. Stigma.
A ge—
Life cannot grow old. When we recognize there is but One Mind, and that no
thought can flow through It o f depression, fear or decay, no suggestion of imperfection; when our consciousness is that Man is Birthless, Deathless, Ageless Spirit, we will no longer grow old. Scientists have proven now that no part of the physical body is more than a few months old. O m n ip o t e n c e
— The All-Powerful One. God.
O m n isc ie n c e —
The All-Knowing, All-Perceiving Mind of God.
O m n ip r e se n c e —
The Constant Presence o f the Undivided Whole. Read again the chapter
on Unity. Omnipresence is everywhere present. O m n isc ie n t
In s t i n c t i v e
I
Am— God in man and things.
O n e , T h e — M eans God. — We have covered this under Mind.
O ne
M in d
O
-A ll—
nly
Beside Which there is none other. That Which has within Itself all that really is.
The Life of everything and the Love through everything. The One Presence and the One Infinite Person Whom we call God or Spirit. Within this One all live. O p p o r t u n ity—
Fit or suitable time; a chance. There can be no lack of opportunity; to be
lieve in lack would be to limit God. In the unseen, the supply for every want awaits demand. “Desire for anything is the thing itself in incipiency.” Life is open, rich and full. As we realize our unity with the Divine, our thought opens all doors to us; Undifferentiated Spirit flows through us, inspires us, and sustains that inspiration through to manifestation. Opportunities are unlimited. O rd er
— A condition in which everything is so arranged as to play its proper part; methodical
or established system. O r ig in a l
. . . O r ig in a l it y
. . . O r ig in
— The origin is that from which anything springs,
the primal cause. The source, the root, the commencement. Original means not copied,
738
G LOSS ARY
imitated, reproduced or translated. The first. Originality is being able to create without a pattern. Thinking for oneself. Read Emerson s Essay on “ Self-Reliance.” O u t lin in g
— It is not our business to outline, to say how our good shall come. Our work is
to specifically set the Law in motion. A right attitude is one which believes there is but One Mind and that this Mind knows exactly what to do, and how to do it, and that It does it at the bidding of our spoken word; that It opens the best channels, using the right agencies, human and divine, for the accomplishment of our desire. We should speak our word and believe that after it is spoken, it gathers unto itself whatever is necessary to its fulfillment. The Law does the rest. Pa r e n t
. . . Pa r e n t M i n d
— Parent is one who brings forth; a begetter; a source. The Par
ent Mind is God. Pa r t i c u l a r i z a t i o n — Pa s s i v e a n d
Concrete forms produced by the Spirit.
R e c e p tiv e —
Pa s s i v e A c t i v i t y
Means neutral and feminine.
— To be passive and also to be active means to be non-resident to those vibra
tions which are inimical to our peace, while at the same time we declare for the condition we desire. This is different from enduring a condition. While in the midst o f things one seems un able to change to his liking, he must practice knowing, with all the God Mind within him, that the condition he desires is present in its fullness. It is present in his consciousness, complete and perfect. A person who is actively conscious that the invisible perfection is present— while being to all appearance in the midst o f imperfection— is practicing activity, while being passive to the imperfection. Emerson must have meant this when he said: “I see action to be good, when the need is, and sitting still to be also good.” In our mind we may sit still in un desirable conditions and at the same time be very active in creating desirable conditions. P a s s i v e R E C E P T i v i T Y ^ - W i l l i n g t o r e c e i v e a n y a n d a ll f o r m s o f t h o u g h t . Pa t e n t — Peace—
That which is obvious. A state of inner calm. An inner calm so complete that nothing can disturb it. The
Peace which comes only from the knowledge that It is All. Fathomless Peace is meant by the Peace of the Spirit. This is the peace to which Jesus referred when he said, “ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” The Infinite is always at peace because there is nothing to disturb It. A realization of our Oneness with Omnipresence brings peace, the peace which is accompanied by a consciousness o f power. Percept
. . . P e r c eiv e
. . . P e r c ep t io n —
Percept is an external object perceived by the
mind. It is distinguished from a concept, which is an inner idea. To perceive is to see, used in connection with the act of seeing with the physical eye; also used to convey comprehen sion by the mind. P er fec tio n —
The real state of being; complete so that nothing is wanting. Ideal faultlessness;
the divine attribute of complete excellence. The only way a treatment can possibly be effec tive is for the practitioner to see only perfection in his patient, regardless o f appearances.
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Per so n al . . . Per so n a lized
— Personal, relating to an individual, his character, his conduct,
his motives, his affairs, etc. Personalize is to make personal; to relate to the individual. Per so n a lity
— That which constitutes distinction of person. Personality is the result of man’s
experience; it is the sum-total of all he has said, done, felt, thought, hoped for and believed in; it is the result o f his reactions to the events of life. Factors to be considered in the development of personality are heredity, race-suggestion, environment, child training, education, autosuggestion, and, indeed, anything and everything that impinges upon con sciousness. Therefore, we are what we are largely because of the nature of our accumulated consciousness. Personality is the objective evidence of individuality. Our Personality is the use we make of our Divine Individuality. Just as a fine architect uses only the best materials, and plans most carefully how to construct his building, so should we, in the building of personality, choose most carefully the kind o f materials we wish to use. Each one builds according to the pattern of his own desires. Perso n aln ess
— We do not think of God as a tremendous Person, but we do think of the
Spirit as the Infinite Personalness in and through all Life. Infinite Self-Knowingness is the Abstract Essence of all personality. To think of God simply as an Infinite Principle would be to resolve the Divine Being into an Infinite IT, a cold, impersonal Law, containing no warmth or color, and certainly no responsiveness. Such a concept of God would rob man of his Divine Birthright and throw him, empty-handed, into an abyss of Law and Action, with out motive or direction. No worse state o f mentality could be imagined than one in which Vnan thought o f God simply as Principle. The very fact that man comes from the Universe in a self-conscious state, proves that behind all manifestation there is a Power that knows Itself; and a Power that knows Itself must be Personal. It is not, o f course, limited. It must be Infinite. As wonderful as the concept may be, God is Personal to all who believe in Him. God is responsive to all who approach Him, and God is the Element of Personalness back o f all personality. We could not be conscious beings unless there were a First-Consciousness in the universe. Ph en o m en a
— The. plural o f phenomenon. That which strikes one as strange, unusual and
unaccountable. P s y c h ic
Ph eno m en a
— Phenomena o f the soul or subjective mentality. Whether psychic
phenomena are caused by the agency o f spirits, or by some inner power o f our own mental ity, that they are caused by mind power is apparent; for they are not caused by what we call physical force at all, but by some finer power than we, at present, understand. Some power, independent of the body, can see, hear, feel, smell, touch and taste without the aid of the physical instrument. Some power of intelligence within us can travel, communicate, project itself, recognize and be recognized, without the aid of the physical instrument. Such things, we call psychic phenomena, but there must be a natural and normal reason for all this. We do not yet understand psychic laws to any great extent. P h ilo so p h y— A
man’s idea o f life. Philosophy has been defined as the science o f things divine
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and human. Practical wisdom. Philosophy has always transcended science, for philosophy deals with causes while science deals with effects. Many things which philosophy has taught for thousands of years are today being demonstrated by science. P ity
( S e l f -P i t y )—
Self-pity can destroy the last vestige o f happiness for anyone. It is folly
for us, knowing that we are Divine, to fashion chains o f self-pity which keep us from com ing into the full and glorious expression of life. We should pour ourselves forth in greater love (whenever we begin to feel sorry for ourselves) and seek every possible avenue for expressing love, looking not to the results, but knowing all the while that love is its own healing. We are one with the eternal good of the Universe and have no reason to ever feel sorry for ourselves! Planes
— Different rates of vibration. When we speak of “different planes” o f existence, we
are not indicating places, localities. We are recognizing certain levels or stages of thought. . . planes of consciousness. As our minds expand, as our awareness increases, we advance from one plane to another, from the animal consciousness to the Cosmic Consciousness. P la st ic
— Easily molded.
P o is e — Mental balance. Poise is that perfect balance which maintains everything in its proper place, without effort. It is the law of equilibrium without which nothing could be main tained. It is the law o f balance that must exist in the Infinite Mind, since there is nothing to disturb It. Poise, or balance, is the law back o f what we term the “Law of Compensation.” It is Life perfectly balancing Itself. Self-Existent Life alone could produce complete poise. We cannot fathom the full meaning o f poise as it exists in Spirit; but we can understand that it means an Eternal power, unruffled by conflicting emotions, always sure of Itself, unhur ried and certain. The activity o f the mind may be so perfectly adjusted, so perfectly poised, that it will give the impression o f suspended motion. P o o r — S e e Poverty. P o sitiv e a n d
N e g a t i v e T h o u g h t — P o sitive an d n e g a tiv e thin k in g are m e r e l y t w o w a y s
o f u s i n g t h e s a m e m i n d t h r o u g h t h e p o w e r o f s e l f - c h o i c e . P o s i t i v e t h i n k i n g is d i r e c t a n d a f f i r m a t i v e , s u r e o f i t s e l f a n d m o v i n g s t r a i g h t t o w a r d it s o b j e c t i v e . L i g h t is a p o s i t i v e p r i n c i p l e , as it w e r e , a n d w h e n s e t i n o p e r a t i o n , t h e n e g a t i v e c o n d i t i o n o f d a r k n e s s is i n s t a n t l y o v e rc o m e . T h e statem ents o f Je su s w e r e alw ays positive. Po t e n t ia l Po v e r t y
— Inherent possibility.
— An impoverished thought. A belief in lack or limitation. A lack o f the knowledge
that substance and supply are spiritual. A result o f the inability to perceive that prosperity is ever-present. A denial o f good. A limited sense o f the Universe. P o w e r — The energy by which everything lives. The Creative Medium of Spirit is the great
Mental Law of the Universe. The Universal Law of Mind. It is the one Medium through which all Law and all Power operate. And m ans creative power is marvelous; for every time he thinks, he sets the Law in motion. As his thought sets the Law in motion, he is special izing It for some definite purpose. This should give to all a sense o f freedom and a realization
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that there is neither competition nor monopoly. It leaves each to work out his own salvation, not with fear and trembling, but with a calm sense o f peace and assurance. Man may trans mute as much of the Infinite Energy into degrees of power as he chooses to use. Pr a c tic e
. . . Pr a c titio n er
— A practitioner is one who practices mental and spiritual
healing; and demonstrates for other than physical healing. The practitioner knows within himself the truth about his patient; and that self-knowingness rises into the consciousness o f the patient. We treat man, not as a patient, not as a physical body, not as a diseased con dition; neither do we treat the disease as belonging to him; we do not think of the disease as being connected with him nor a part o f him. The practitioner realizes that man is born o f Spirit and not of matter. Spirit is Changeless, Perfect and Complete. He realizes this until he sees his patient as a living embodiment o f Perfection. (See chapter on Healing.) P r a ise
— Praise is expressed appreciation and commendation. Applause, laudation, honor. All
o f creation responds to praise. It is said even vegetation grows best for those who praise it; animal trainers would never succeed without praise; children need approbation to stimulate and inspire them. It is even necessary that we praise our own ability. Through an inherent law o f Mind, we increase whatever we praise. Praise yourself from weakness to strength, from ignorance to intelligence, from poverty into abundance! Prayer
— Refer to chapter on Prayer.
Precept
— A law, a mandate, a rule, a principle.
Prenatal
— Conditions before human birth.
Presence,
T h e — “The Presence” is God.To meditate upon the Presence of God is to indraw
the Universe into ones own soul. God is not a person but a Principle personified in each o f us. Spirituality is the atmosphere o f this Principle. Religion is Its outward form. P r im o r d ia l
— First in order; original; a first principle or element. For “primordial substance”
see Substance. P r in c ip le—
The Science of Mind is the study of the Principle o f Being. The source or cause
from which a thing results; a truth which is unchangeable. We first understand a princi ple and then relate it to our problem for a final test. Pro blem —
A question proposed for solution. A matter stated for examination or proof.The
“problem of evil” will be a problem as long as we believe in it. Pro cess—
“ Process” denotes a progressive action, or a series of acts or steps, to make or pro
duce something. There is no “process of healing” though there may be a process in healing. Pro ph ecy
. . . Pro phet
— To prophesy is to tell o f something that is to take place in the
future. The one who makes this prophecy is called a prophet. Pr o sp e r ity—
Prosperity is the out-picturing of substance in our affairs. Everything in the
Universe is for us. Nothing is against us. We must know that everywhere we go we meet friendship, love, human interest, and helpfulness. Life is ever giving of Itself. We must re ceive, utilize, and extend the gift. Success and prosperity are spiritual attributes belonging to all people, but not necessarily used by all people.
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Prototype Psych e
— The original idea of any form.
— Soul or subjective.
P sy c h ic
— A psychic is one who is able to consciously function in the subjective; able to see
that which is pictured in the subjective, whether it be something which occurred in past ages or something at the moment. It might be either. A psychic power should always be under control of the conscious mind; it is not a normal, or balanced condition, to allow the subjec tive to control the conscious mind. When a psychic power is under the control o f the con scious mind, it affords a wonderful storehouse o f knowledge. All people are psychic, but all people are not mediums. A medium is one who objectifies the psychic sense. P sy c h o -A n a lysis— A
systematic analysis o f the subjective thought. It is a mental diagnosis.
It is based upon the theory that Nature is perfect and when let alone will flow through man in a perfect state of health. The purpose of the analysis is to uncover the complex and heal the conflict, through removing it. It takes into account every experience the individual has ever had, paying much attention to his early training, and more especially to his emotional reactions to life. In the hands o f those who thoroughly understand the principle by which it works, recognizing its limitations as well as its beneficial effects, it is prolific o f good. But, in the thought of this writer, it is a thing without a soul, a skeleton without flesh. It lacks the warmth, the fire, the reality o f spiritual realization. It is useless to remove a complex unless at the same time we place in its stead a realization of what life means. We must not tear down without building up. The proper analysis of the soul (the subjective) coupled with real spiritual recognition, will do wonders, however, and is well worth while. Psych o lo gy—
Study o f the workings of the human mind. The science o f mental actions and
reactions. Psych o m etry—
Reading from the soul side o f things. Psychometry is a clairvoyant state,
wherein the operator is able to read from the soul or subjective side o f things. This reading is referred to as being able to “psychometrize.” Everything has its mental atmosphere, which is the result of the thoughts surrounding it. To psychometrize means to read from this men tal atmosphere and tell what it radiates. P sy c h ic P h e n o m e n a — P sy c h ic W o r l d — P u n ish m e n t
This is covered under the title o f “Phenomena.”
The world o f subjectivity.
— There is no sin but a mistake and no punishment but an inevitable conse
quence. Wrong doing must be punished, for the law o f cause and effect must be eternally operative. Right doing must be rewarded for the same reason. We do not say that man cannot sin; that he does not sin and that, therefore, there will be no punishment. What we do say is that MAN DOES M AKE M ISTAKES AND HE IS TH ER EBY AUTOM ATICALLY PU N ISHED. He will continue to be punished until he finds the way. This does not mean that there is an evil power in the Universe. There is only One Power and that is God. But it does mean that there is an immutable Law o f cause and effect running through everything and no human being can escape its operation. Sin is its own punishment and righteousness is its own reward!
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P u r p o s e — D etermination with incentive. Pu rpo sefu ln ess
— When we speak o f the purposefulness of Spirit, we mean that conscious
mind has the ability to know what it wishes to express, and the power to express it. Dean Inge says that there can be no such thing as an “Infinite Purpose” because this would be a con tradiction of the meaning o f the word purpose. This is probably true; in fact it seems selfevident, but it does not follow that there could be no such thing as an element of purposefulness running through the Eternal Mind! Indeed, the evidence o f this quality o f being is so complete in the Universe that we cannot deny it. The evolution of creation on this planet alone would presuppose some kind of a purposefulness. The word purposefulness might be defined, in general terms, as the very antithesis of aimlessness; it is the spirit of significance, of impor tance, a commingling o f desire and determination; an inner recognition o f the Divine Urge. R a c e -M in d —
The race-mind is the subjective thought of the race.
R a c e -S u g g e st io n —
Human beliefs operating through the mentality o f the individual. The
tendency to reproduce what the race has thought and experienced. This race-suggestion is a prolific source o f disease. These accumulated subjective tendencies of the human race are operative through any person who is receptive to them. R ace
-Th o u g h t — T his is another way of expressing race-suggestion. The way to protect
oneself from it is by knowing that it cannot operate through him; by knowing that he cannot be affected by suggestion. R a d ia t e —
To illuminate, to brighten, to irradiate, to enlighten intellectually or spiritually.
R e a c tio n —
Reciprocal, or return, action or influence. Heightened activity and overac
tion, succeeding depression or shock. An action induced by vital resistance to some other action. So when we speak of the Law o f Action and Reaction, it is simply the law of cause and effect. R e a lit y —
The truth about anything. Reality actually means that which is indestructible, in
capable o f decay. Reality is unchanging and everlasting. The self we see is what man has thought about himself, the form he has molded by his thought. The Real Self is Perfection, for God could not know anything unlike Himself. Our Sonship is Reality— Christ abiding in us. The Kingdom of God within is Reality. Reality, as concerning man, is that God in man, as man, is man. R e a liza t io n —
We should turn to that Living Presence within, Which is the Father in Heaven,
recognize It as the One and Only Power in the Universe, unify with It; declare our word to be the presence, power and activity o f that One, and speak the word as if we believed it, because the Law is the servant o f the Spirit. If we could stand aside and let the One Perfect Life flow through us, we could not help healing people; we could not help having a perfect realization of perfection. The word realization, at any time, means an impression of reality on the mind; a clear apprehension; an acceptance by the mind that a thought or condition
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is actual. In this textbook, when we speak o f “a perfect realization,” we are referring to a realization of our Oneness with Good. There is a point in the supreme moment of realiza tion, where the individual merges with the Universe, but not to the loss of his individual ity; where a sense o f the Oneness of all Life so enters his being that there is no sense of otherness. It is here that the mentality performs seeming miracles, because there is noth ing to hinder the Whole from coming through. As immense and limitless as Life is, the Whole of It is brought to the point of our consciousness. We comprehend the Infinite only to the degree that It expresses Itself through us, becoming to us that which we believe It to be. Right here in our own nature is the path that gradually leads to realization. Subjective comprehension of Truth. R e a n im a t e R easo n
— To invigorate.
— The mental ability to analyze, determine and form an opinion. The human mind
can reason both inductively and deductively. The Divine Mind can reason only deductively. This must be apparent. Since inductive reasoning is an analysis, which is always an inquiry into truth and God IS TR U TH , it follows that God can reason only deductively. That which is Infinite does not have to inquire into the truth. So it follows that there can be no inductive reasoning in either the Spirit or the Soul o f the Universe. There can be no inductive reason ing in Spirit, because It knows all things; there can be no inductive reasoning in the Soul of the Universe, because It is the Creative Medium and i f It could reason inductively, It could reject certain thoughts because It could analyzeI Soul or subjectivity can never reject; it is bound by its own nature to accept. Deductive reasoning is that process of reasoning which follows an already established premise. It is from the whole to a part. Spirit simply announces Itself to be That which It is. If we were to ascribe to It any reasoning power, we should be compelled to say that It reasons deductively only, or from the Whole to the part. R e c e p t iv it y —
The power or capacity o f receiving impressions. The quality of being able to
absorb, hold, or contain . . . capacity. The Spirit can only give us what we can take, and since the taking is a mental process it is necessary for us to accept the fact that the SPIRIT HAS ALREADY PROVIDED EVERYTH IN G. We can increase our receptivity by treating our selves something after this manner: “There is that within me which knows, understands, accepts, believes, recognizes and embodies. I know and I know that I know. I believe and am conscious that I believe. I am confident o f the power o f my own word, and have implicit reliance upon the truth. I expect the Truth to operate.” In this manner, one becomes more and more conscious of a Divine Presence, Power and Law responding to his word. Thus one consciously builds up his receptivity of Truth. R e c o m p e n s e — T o g i v e in r e t u r n . R e c o n c ile
. . . R e c o n c ilia t io n
— To cause to be friendly again. To adjust. The removal
o f any inconsistencies, any inharmonies. R e -enact—
To repeat an action which has previously taken place.
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R eflect
. . . R e fle c t io n
— To reflect is to throw, or turn back, thoughts upon anything;
to consider mentally; to think seriously. Reflection is an image given back. Any state in which the mind considers its own conduct. R eg en erate—
R
egret
To give new life or vigor.
— To feel dissatisfaction or grief on account o f something, which has been done or
which has been left undone. A looking back with longing . . . perhaps reproach. R e in c a r n a t io n —
Rebirth in the flesh.To incarnate means to give actual form to, to embody
in some living type. Re-incarnate merely means to incarnate again. The theory o f reincarna tion believed in by many, is that we live again on this earth (after the experience of death) in a different form. R e l a t iv e
— That which depends upon something else.
R e l a t iv it y a n d A b so l u t e n e ss
— Absolute is defined as “free from restrictions, unlimited,
unconditioned.” “The Unlimited and Perfect Being, God.” Relativity is defined as “existence only as an object of, or in relation to, a thinking mind
” “A
condition of dependence.” The
Absolute, being Unconditioned, is Infinite and All; It is that Which Is, or the Truth. It is axiomatic that the Truth, being All, cannot be separated, limited or divided; It must be Changeless, Complete, Perfect and Uncreated. Relativity is not a thing o f itself, but only that which functions within the Absolute and depends upon It. We wish to affirm relativity without destroying Absoluteness. This can be done only by realizing that the relative is not a thing apart from, but is an experience IN, the AllComprehending Mind. The relative does not contradict the Absolute, but affirms It; and the relative alone guarantees that there is an Absolute. The Absolute is Cause, the relative is effect. To suppose that there could be an Absolute without a relative, would be to suppose that there could be an unexpressed God or First Cause. This is unthinkable and impossible. The Consciousness of God must be expressed, hence the relative. Time, space, outline, form, change, movement, action and reaction, manifestation and creation, all are relative, but all are real— not apart from, but within the Absolute. Relativity subsists within existence, and inherent Life is potential and latent with limitless possibilities. The relative and the Absolute do not contradict each other. R e l ig io n
— A m ans idea o f God, or of gods.
R e m issio n — R e pr essio n —
Forgiveness of sins; release. The energy set in motion through the creative urge within man is the dynamic
power of Mind, and unless it becomes expressed, it will congest within the mentality. In hibited action produces inner conflicts, which mentally tear and bind; and as they manifest in physical correspondents, they produce nervous disorders. It is claimed that a large per centage o f diseases is caused by the suppression o f some form of emotion— any desire that remains unexpressed. Things will stand just so much pressure and no more; when a limit is reached an explosion will follow, unless some avenue of expression is provided. All irritation and agitation are mental in their cause, and a sense of calm and peace alone can heal them.
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Fear is an intense emotion, and if bottled up, secretes poison in the system. Anger, malice, vindictiveness and kindred emotions are but subtle forms o f fear, arising from a sense of inferiority. All these emotions must be swept off the board if one is to gain peace, calm and poise— the union of which alone can give power. If we were completely expressed, we would never become sick or unhappy. The average person goes through life expressed only in part and always with a sense o f incompletion and dissatisfaction. Something must be done to make the individual complete, if he is to remain normal and happy and really alive. When an emotion conflicts with the w ill, and becomes suppressed or repressed, it returns to its subjective state, but remains active. It may remain in a subjective state for years, but eventually, unless neutralized, it will manifest. Let one go for years with some unexpressed longing, and he will have created such a desire that it will have become irresistible in its inclination toward expression. People often become seething caldrons within because of inhibited action. Energy must have an outlet. The solution o f the problem o f desire is to transmit any destructive tendency into some form of action which is constructive. However, an intellectual form of expression alone will not do this, for only those things to which we can give the complete self will solve the problem. Love is the givingness o f self to the object of its adoration. We should all have something that we love to do, something that will completely express the self, something that will loose the energies o f Life into action and transmute the power into creative work. We should learn to love all people, not just some people. This does not exclude the great human relationships which mean so much to all o f us; but it does take the sting out o f life, and does free the individual to love all, adore some, and find happiness everywhere. I can imagine someone saying, “This is too impersonal a teaching” It is not impersonal at all; this does not mean that we care less for people; indeed, we shall find that for the first time in life, we really care, but the sting will have gone. R e fuse to have the feelings hurt. Refuse yourself the pleasure and morbidity of sensitiveness. Come out of the emotional intoxication and be YO URSELF. Never allow the thought to become depressed or morbid. Engage in some form o f activity that will express the better self. Do not attempt to draw life from others; live the life that God gave you; it is ample and complete. Live, love and laugh! Let the heart be glad and free; rejoice in the thought of life and be happy. Realize God, in and through all, and unify with the Whole. Why take fragments when the Whole is here for the asking? R esen tm en t—
Anger, displeasure, indignation, hatred, ill-will, pique.
R e sist . . . R e s is t a n c e
— To resist is to obstruct, hinder, check, thwart, counteract, oppose.
Resistance is the act o f striving against. R esolve—
To determine, to conclude, to become of an opinion.
R e sp o n sib ilit y
— The word responsible means involving a degree of accountability. Liable.
And responsibility . . . that for which anyone is responsible. We repeatedly state that we assume no responsibility to make a treatment work. We assume full responsibility for giving
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the treatment. It is the Law which makes it work. We do not create the power by which the treatment does its work. We merely set that power in operation. Therefore, we should not become more anxious over a cancer than over a headache. R esu lts—
What happens as a necessary result o f the law o f cause and effect. Results follow
mathematically. Conditions. R e su r r e c t io n —
Rising from a belief in death. A restoring or a renewal. We recognize that
life is an unfoldment and must necessarily culminate in a victory over death. Jesus made it plain that we should do “even greater things.” He taught us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not reached through the gateway o f death but by overcoming our limited beliefs while here . . . by recognizing the Father within. For further elaboration o f the subject of resurrec tion, we refer you to the chapter on Immortality. R ev ela tio n —
Becoming consciously aware of hidden things. Since the mind that man uses
is the same Mind that God uses, the One and Only Mind, the avenues of revelation can never be closed. But no man can receive the revelation for another. I cannot buy your rev elation and you cannot buy mine. Remember when Simon wished to buy from Peter the power which spiritual understanding gives? “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter; for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” N or does this revelation come any more for begging and beseeching than it does for buying. It is “the gift o f God.” Eventually we shall know that the priceless revelation of “mj Lord and my God” comes only when we turn to the Father within, Who has been there all the time awaiting our recognition . . . waiting to give us our revelation. R ew ard —
The only reward we shall ever receive is that which is the inevitable consequence
of the law of cause and effect. R ic h e s — Ideas of abundance; result of the consciousness o f supply. R itu a l
. . . R e l ig io u s C e r e m o n ia l
. . . R it u a lism
— Emphasizing such things as altar
lights, eucharistic vestments, the eastward position, wafer bread, the mixed chalice, in cense, etc. R o s e m a r y — A n e m b l e m o f fid elity, o r c o n s t a n c y . . . f o r r e m e m b r a n c e .
R u t — A groove; a regular course; a fixed direction. All of us occasionally find ourselves in a
mental rut. We need to pick ourselves up and reaffirm our position in Divine Mind; we need to see ourselves surrounded by everything that makes life worth while, and know that Truth is not bound by any existing conditions. Sa c r if ic e —
To suffer to be lost for the sake of obtaining something else.To make an offering.
S a g e — One versed in spiritual truths. S a i n t — A h o ly m an . Sa lv a t io n —
Salvation is not a thing, not an end, but a Way. The way of salvation is through
m ans unity with the Whole. Grace is the givingness o f Spirit to Its Creation.
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Sa v io r
— Jesus stands forth from the pages o f human history as the greatest figure o f all time.
His teachings contain the greatest lesson ever given to the human race; and his life and works, while on earth, provide the grandest example that was ever given to man. In this philosophy, no attempt is made to rob Jesus o f his greatness or to refute his teachings. In deed, it is based upon the words and the works of this, the most remarkable personality that ever graced our planet with his presence; and, until a greater figure appears, Jesus will still remain the great Way shower to mankind. Let us not waste time, then, in theological discus sions which lead nowhere; but, following his example, let us do the works which he did. “The works that I do shall ye do also; and greater works than these shall ye do; because I go unto my father.” S c ie n c e — Knowledge of laws and principles; organized knowledge. The results of science and the revelations of religion are growing closer and closer together. Sc r ipt u r e s
. . . S c r i p t u r a l — A n y sa c re d literatu re.
S e e r — A prophet. One gifted with spiritual insight. One who sees into causes. S e l f -A n a lysis—
To analyze anything is to resolve it into its constituent parts or elements.
Self-analysis is the act of analyzing oneself. Look into your own past and find out what you are afraid of and convince the mentality that there is nothing to fear. Look the world squarely in the face; sift the mentality to its depths, removing every obstruction that inhib its the free flow of those great spiritual realizations which we have talked about from time to time in this textbook. S e l f -C h o ice—
This term implies that we have the ability to make selection of one or more
things. That is what individuality is: self-choice with the ability to choose backed with the power to externalize that choice. To be an individual, a man had to be created with self-choice. A belief in on es own ability.
Se l f-C o n fid en c e—
S e l f - C o n sc io u sn e ss—
Personally conscious. Distinguished from Cosmic Consciousness,
which is a consciousness o f the Unity with the Whole. Living by virtue o f its own being. Spirit is Self-Existent.
Se l f -E x ist e n t — S e l f -K n o w in g
M i n d — T he co n scio u s m in d .
Se l f -P r o p e llin g —
Having power within itself. Spirit is Self-Propelling.
S e l f - R e a l i z a t i o n — A c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f th e self. Se l f -R ec o g n itio n —
An awareness o f on es Divinity.
S e q u e n c e — T he order in which events are connected or related. Simple succession. “ S ervant
o f th e
S p ir it Th r o u g h o u t
th e
A g e s ”— T he Universal Soul, being the Cre
ative Principle of Nature, and the Law of the Spirit, has been called “The Holy Ghost” or “The Servant of the Eternal Spirit throughout the ages.” S e r v i c e — Service is the keynote to success and implies constructive work; also, loyalty to your work and to all concerned in it. Sile n c e —
This word is used oftener and perhaps less understood than any one word in the
749
G L O SS A R Y
terminology of the metaphysician. There is no place we must go for the silence; there is no particular posture we must assume; there is no formula we must repeat. We enter this “inner tabernacle” by whatever route we may. Some people live in such conscious unity with Good that instantly they can turn within and direct the avenues they wish the Good to take. Oth ers need to approach by prayer, by singing, by reading a verse from the Bible, by repeating an inspirational poem. If we know that God is forever right where we are, we shall not be reaching out in every direction for Him. We enter the inner chamber o f our mind and close the door on all discord and confusion, and commune with our God, our spiritual conscious ness; Our Father within. Our eyes do not see visions and our ears do not hear sounds. The Silence is our communion with Spirit; our awareness of our Unity with Good, our under standing that “the Father within, he doeth the work.” Sim p le
C o n sc io u sn e ss—
The consciousness o f the animal.
S i n — We have tried to show that there is no sin but a mistake and no punishment but a con sequence. The Law o f cause and effect. Sin is merely missing the mark. God does not pun ish sin. As we correct our mistakes, we forgive our own sins. Sin c er e—
Being in reality what it appears to be. Sound, true, honest; free from hypocrisy or
dissimulation; straightforward. So n sh ip
— We are all Sons o f God and all partake o f the Divine Nature.
S o u l — The Creative Medium o f Spirit; the subjective side o f life; the M irror o f Mind, for It
reflects the forms o f thought which are given It. M ans soul life re-enacts the Soul Life of the Universe. Soul is subjective because it takes the thought o f conscious mind and acts upon it. Its nature is subjective and It cannot analyze or reject; It can only carry out the orders given It. Infinite in Its power and ability to do, but not knowing that It does. Soul of the
U n iv e r se —
The Universal Creative Medium.
S p a c e — Space, like time, is not a thing of itself, but is only the outline o f form . It is a relative
distance within the Absolute. Space, also, is necessary to the expression of Spirit; for without it no definite form could be produced. We must not be confused over the ideas of time and space, as they are not things o f themselves. They are entirely relative but none the less nec essary. Space is the distance between two specific forms. The Cosmic World. Sp ec ia lize — S p ir it —
To bring into concrete form.
God, within Whom all spirits exist. The Self-Knowing One. The Conscious Universe.
The Absolute. Spirit in man is that part of him which enables him to know himself. That which he really is. We do not see the spirit o f man any more than we see the Spirit o f God. We see what man does; but we do not see the doer. We treat o f Spirit as the Active and the only Self-Conscious Principle. We define Spirit as the First Cause or God; the Universal I AM. The Spirit is Self-Propelling, It is All; It is Self-Existent and has all life within Itself. It is the Word and the Word is volition. It is Will because It chooses. It is Free Spirit because It knows nothing outside Itself, and nothing different from Itself. Spirit is the Father-Mother-God because It is the Principle of Unity
7So
G L O SS A R Y
back o f all things. Spirit is all Life, Truth, Love, Being, Cause and Effect, and is the only Power in the Universe that knows Itself. S p ir it
M a n — G o d in m a n .
o f
— The Self-Knowing Mind o f God.
S p ir it o f t h e U n iv e r s e
S p i r i t s— Personalities. Sp ir it u a l
— The Atmosphere o f God.
Sp ir it u a l C o n sc io u sn e ss
— The realization o f the Divine Presence.
M a n — Man in a conscious state.
S p iritu a l
Sp ir it u a l R e a liz a t io n
— The realization o f the Divine Presence.
St a g n a t e
— To become
St r a i n —
Tension; excessive stress.
St r e a m
d ull
or inactive.
C o n sc io u sn e ss—
o f
The automatic, mental emanation o f the subjective state of
thought. Su b je c t iv e —
Beneath the threshold of consciousness. The inner side. Subconscious.
Su b je c t iv e A c t iv it y
— The inner action o f the automatic law. — The mental law set in motion.
Su b je c t iv e
C a u sa tio n
Su b je c t iv e
S id e o f L if e
Su b je c t iv e
St a t e o f T h o u g h t
— The inner side o f life, as law. — The sum-total o f all on es thinking, both conscious and
unconscious. Su b je c t iv e Te n d e n c y S u b je c t iv e to Su b je c t iv it y Su b lim a t e S u bsist
— The subjective trend o f thought.
Sp ir it — o f th e
The Law is subjective to the Spirit.
U n iv e r se
— The Universal Soul or Mental Law.
— To transmute energy into another form o f action.
— To live by virtue o f Spirit.
Substance
— The formless back o f all forms. The Primordial Substance is the ultimate formless
Stuff, from which all things come. Su ccess
— The favorable termination o f anything attempted.
S u g g e s t i o n — R eceiving the thoughts of another. Suggestion accepts the ideas of others and believes in them. It may be conscious or unconscious. Su pern atu ral
— That which is considered above or beyond natural law or order. Miracu
lous, superhuman, preternatural. Preternatural exceeds in some way that which is natural, ordinary or explicable, without beingfelt as supernatural. Superhuman, many times used as the equivalent to supernatural, is often used in hyperbole o f what, though merely human, far exceeds ordinary standards, as when we speak of someone putting forth “superhuman effort” in the accomplishment of something. In metaphysics, we learn that much o f what has been termed supernatural, is di vinely natural; is the working out o f natural law. It is only termed miraculous when we do not know the law back of, and governing, it. The supernatural simply means over and beyond or above that which is natural— not a violation o f nature’s laws but a transcendence of them.
IS1
G L O S S A R Y
Supply—
Supply is the general term used to cover every conceivable need. The verb supply
means merely to provide for, contribute to, accommodate with. Supply, the noun, as we use it so often through this textbook is synonymous with substance. And we have already learned that God is the substance o f all things, and this Substance is Itself the supply of every demand that can be made. In political economy we learn that supply is the amount o f a commodity available for a demand. In the Science of Mind, we learn that the supply o f every good awaits our demand: “All that the Father hath.” Somewhere there is already provided a lavish abun dance for every want— a supply equal to any claim that can be made upon it— BU T THE DEM AN D M UST BE M ADE! “As you believe.” Each has the power to demand his share of the gift God has provided o f health, wealth and power. Each is supplied AS he believes. Sy m b o l
— A mental impression denoting spiritual or mental truth. Most Hebrew scholars re
gard the Bible as an allegory, recording the spiritual advancement of the Jewish people. Jesus certainly thought it worth while to present some o f his most important teachings in the form of parables. To him, everything in the natural world was a symbol o f some spiritual truth . . . a representation of how the Cosmic Plan was working out in the unfoldment of man. Ta c t — Tact actually implies delicate and sensitive perception, sympathetic understanding, particularly with reference to that which is fit, graceful or considerate under certain cir cumstances. A discerning sense o f what is right, proper, or judicious. The body o f Jewish civil and canonical law not in the Pentateuch.
Ta lm u d — Ta o ism —
One o f the principal religions of China, founded by Laotse, Chinese philosopher, in
the sixth century Te l e k in e t ic
B.C.
E n er g y—
Telekinetic energy is defined as “the ability to move ponderous
objects without physical contact.” This form of energy is displayed in that class of mental phenomena which cause objects to move without any physical agency, and is, therefore, caused by some form o f mental energy, or by some agency other than physical. Telepath y—
Thought transference. This is so well known that it is only necessary to empha
size one fact: mental telepathy would not be possible unless there were a Medium through which it could operate. This medium is Universal Mind. Ten d en cy
— Proclivity, inclination, bent, bias, leaning in a certain direction. Tenor, on the
other hand, suggests rather the prevailing course, or continuity, of the thing itself. Th a n k sg iv in g
— It has been said that “the prayer o f thanksgiving is the prayer o f appropria
tion.” This was the manner in which Jesus prayed when he raised Lazarus from the tomb: “Father, I thank thee. . . .” Recognition, unification, and realization are the three steps in prayer or treatment. When we speak the words o f thanksgiving to the God within, knowing “ before they ask will I answer,” there is something in this attitude of thanksgiving that car ries us beyond the field of doubt into one o f perfect faith and acceptance, receptivity . . . realization. Appreciation, gratitude and thanksgiving— the motive power which attracts and magnifies the hidden potentialities of life.
7£2
G LO SS ARY
The
O nly—
The One Power . . . God.
T h e o l o g y — That which treats of the nature o f God. That which men have thought about God and formulated into creeds and doctrines and given to the world as reliable principles by which men should live. Theology often concerns itself more with the forms o f worship than the spirit which inspires it, dealing with doctrines rather than life. Let us not be disturbed by any dogmatic announcements but rather seek our own spiritual illumination. Theology may concern itself with how Jesus was born; let us concern ourselves with the truths he taught. Th eo ry—
A general principle offered to explain some phenomena, and rendered more or less
plausible by evidence in the facts. Th eo so ph y
— The “Theosophical Society” in America was founded in 187$. Among its de
clared aims was “To form a nucleus of a universal brotherhood of humanity, without dis tinction of race, creed or color” It embodied some Buddhistic and some Brahmanistic theories. In its modern teaching, it embraces the laws of Karma, Causation, and Reincar nation. It hblds up lofty ideals on the Immanence o f God and the Solidarity of Life. Those who have studied our textbook will know that we agree that we are immortal now; we stress the Immanence of God, but we interpret the teachings of Jesus as plainly instructing that the Law of Karma (Cause and Effect) can be changed at any moment through a knowledge of, and the application of, the principle o f the Science of Mind. Th in g s—
All things are thoughts made manifest. Nothing exists in the universe, whether it be
rock, tree, or human being, that was not first idea; that did not first exist in Universal Mind as a perfect concept. Th o u g h t
— The movement o f consciousness. It works through Law but that Law is con
sciously set in motion. See chapter on this. Th o u g h t Fo rm s—
All thought has definite form on the subjective side o f life.
T im e — “Sequence of events in a Unitary W hole.” An excellent definition given by Dean Inge, for of course, time is not a thing o f itself. It is simply a measure o f experience in eternity. Time does not contradict Eternity, but allows It to become expressed in terms o f definite experience. Time is necessary since it allows experience to take place within the One, but time is never a thing o f itself. It is impossible to measure time; for yesterday is gone and tomorrow has not come, and today is rapidly slipping past. If we were to attempt to put a finger on any period o f time, it would be gone before we could point to it. But, illusive as time is, it is necessary to experience. Tr a n ce—
A subjective state. A state in which conscious, voluntary movement is suspended.
Tr a n sc en d en t— Tr a n sit io n Tr an sm u te
That which is of superlative quality. Reaching beyond. Surpassing.
— Passage from one stage, or plane, or state to another. . . . Tr a n sm u t a tio n
— To change from one nature, form or substance into
another. To transform. Treatm en t—
Treatment is the art, the act, and the science o f consciously inducing thought
753
G L O S S A R Y
within the Universal Subjectivity, for the purpose of demonstrating that we are surrounded by a Creative Medium which responds to us through a law o f correspondence. In its more simple meaning, treatment is the time, process and method necessary to the changing of our thought. Treatment is clearing the thought of negation, o f doubt and fear, and causing it to perceive the ever-presence of God. Tr in it y
— The threefold Universe. A trinity o f being appears to run through all Nature and
all Life. For instance, there is electricity, the way it works, and what it does. There is the seed, the creative medium o f the soil, and the plant. But through the Trinity of God and man, there runs a Self-Conscious Spirit, and this is what distinguishes man from the brute. Man duplicates the Trinity o f God in spirit, soul and body. We are One with all matter in the physical world; One with the Creative Law o f the Universe in the Mental World; and One with the Spirit o f God in the Conscious World. Man as the little circle, God as the Big Circle. We are a point in Universal Consciousness, which is God; and God is our Life, Spirit, Mind and Intelligence. We are not separated from Life, neither is It separated from us; but we are separate entities in It— Individualized Centers of God Consciousness. Tr iu n e Tru th —
U n i t y — T h e T rin ity.
That which is. It is the Reason, Cause and Power in and through everything. It is
Birthless, Deathless, Changeless, Complete, Perfect, W hole, Self-Existent, Causeless, A l mighty, God, Spirit, Law, Mind, Intelligence, and anything and everything that implies Reality. By a process of axiomatic reasoning, we arrive at the conclusion that Spirit knows nothing outside Itself. The Truth is that which Is; and being that which Is, It must be Infinite and All. Being Infinite or All, the Truth can have nothing outside Itself, other than Itself, or unlike Itself, by which to divide Itself; consequently, the Spirit is Indivisible, Changeless and Complete within Itself. Itself is all that is— both Cause and Effect, the Alpha and the Omega. U l t im
a te
— The word means the last; final; most remote in space or time; the extreme; arrived
at as the last result; incapable o f further analysis, division or separation; conclusive. The ul timate of effect is already potential in cause. We should conceive o f our word as being the thing, the beginning and the end o f the thing thought of, the cause and the effect— and both are in Spirit, the Ultimate. There is no ultimate evil, for the ultimate of everything is God— Spirit. Consequently, there is ultimate salvationfo r all. Since each soul is some part o f the W hole, it is impossible that any soul can be lost. U n c h o o sin g —
By this we mean not able to choose.The Soul, unlike Spirit, has no choice of
Its own. Being subjective, It is bound to receive but cannot choose. We must always bear in mind that Soul simply reflects the images that the Spirit casts into It. U n c o n sc io u s
— Not known or apprehended by consciousness.The Soul is subconscious, but
certainly not unconscious. U n c o n sc io u s M e m o r y
— Subjective memory.
U n c o n sc io u s Th o u g h t
— Unconscious subjective thought. A man does not always think
754
G L O S S A R Y
about the particular disease he finds himself experiencing, but his subjective mind may have been entertaining certain combinations o f thought which logically produced certain dis eases. If he were angry much o f the time, poison would be secreted in his system and there would be a tendency to manifest as some disease. The manifestation o f itself might be a disease he had never heard o f and he would say, “How could my thought have anything to do with such a disease when I never even heard the name o f it?” Yet it is not difficult to see how his thought had been the causation back o f the disease. U n it y —
The Oneness o f God and m an.The enlightened in every age have taught that back of
all things there is One Unseen Cause. There is no record of any great thinker who has taught duality. This teaching o f Unity . . . “The Lord our God is One God . . . ” is the chief corner stone of the Sacred Scriptures o f the East, as well as our own Sacred Writings. It is the mainspring of the teachings o f modern philosophies, such as Unity Teachings, the New Thought Movement, the Occult Teachings, the Esoteric or Inner Teachings, o f our own Religious Science, and even much that is taught under the name of Psychology. Science has found nothing to contradict this teaching, and it never w ill, for the teaching is self-evident. An entire chapter in the textbook is available for the further elucidation of this subject. The word Unity, we might explain here, signifies the union o f parts, a result of many drawn together into one perfect harmonious whole . . . Oneness . . . One Life, o f which we are a part; One Intelligence, which we use; One Substance, which is brought into manifold manifestation; One Principle, as Jesus taught: “That they may all be one, even as Thou, Fa ther, art in me and I in Thee, and they also in us.” U n iv e r se
— The Cosmic World. In the entire universe, One Power Alone really acts, the
Power of the Word of God. If the Universe were not Perfect It could not exist for a single moment. It is self-evident, then, that everything in It must be perfect. The student o f Truth must realize and maintain that he lives in a Perfect Universe, among perfect people. “Perfect God, Perfect Man, Perfect Being.” This is our premise. Thus the soul acquaints itself with God and is at peace. U n iv e rsa l
L a w — Divine Creative Principle.
U n iv e r sa l M in d —
The Creative Medium of Spirit.
U n i v e r s a l Po w e r — T his is the entire Power of God. How can an individual use this? Just as an individual, who is only part of the Whole, can breathe the wholeness of the air and partake of the wholeness of the sunshine. Just as the mathematician, who is not the prin ciple of mathematics but who is in unity with it, has access to the totality of numbers. Just so we individualize the Universal Power. We can have and use as much as we wish . . . “As we believe.” U n iv e r sa l
S o u l — The Universal Subjectivity.
U n i v e r s a l S p i r i t — T he Conscious Mind of God . . . the Universe of conscious mind and self-determination. In Chart Number III, this is clearly shown. The Universal Subjectivity means the Creative Medium of the Spirit. Particularization means the world of matter and
7 SS
G L O SS A R Y
forms. The descent o f Spirit means the passing o f Spirit into form— the particularization of Spirit into many things. The point drawn from the top of the chart to the bottom of the section, symbolizes the Unity o f all Life. Spirit passes through Law into form . Multiplicity comes from Unity, but never contradicts Oneness. The many are within the One. M ans life partakes o f the Divine Nature, and this chart may be used in the individual or the Universal sense. Our conscious mind is some part o f the One Conscious Mind o f the Whole. The Complete Nature of God is reflected in man, and he uses the same law that God uses; for there is but One Law, as there is but One Spirit. Both God and man use the same Creative Medium or Universal Subjectivity. It is the law of all thought and action. THINGS CO M E FROM O N E SO U R CE TH RO U G H O N E CO M M O N LAW AN D O N E C O M M O N CREATIVE M EDIUM . We think o f our lives as One with the W hole, on all three planes of expression. We are one with the Conscious Mind, one with the Creative Law, and in our bodies we are one with all matter. No matter what we are treating or for what purpose,THE MEDIUM OF A LLTH O U G H T IS THE U N IV ERSAL LAW! It particularizes Itself through the power of the word that is spoken into It. The word alone is conscious. The Law is automatic and the form is with out self-determination. Universal Spirit means the universe of conscious mind and selfdetermination. U n iv e r sa l
Su b je c t iv it y
— The Creative Medium or the Universal Mind. See further de
scription above under head o f Universal Spirit. U r g e — To urge is to push, drive, impel; to ply with motives, arguments, persuasion, or im portunity; to insist upon; to present in an earnest manner. An urge, then, it is apparent, is a stronger emotion than a half-hearted wish. We refer constantly to “the Divine Urge.” How can we distinguish this from a human impulse? Is there any difference? How are we to know whether our ends are entirely selfish or whether we are really merging with the greater good of the Whole? Although the Universal Urge works through the individual, It never loses sight o f Its own Cosmic Purpose. We must, therefore, ask ourselves whether only selfish ends will be attained by the fulfillment o f our desires, or will it benefit all, at least hurt no one. The Divine Urge is altruistic, serving the many through Its least expression. It deals with spiritual factors, such as love and service for their own sake; It is true to Itself on every plane of expression. V ib r a t io n
. . . V ib r a t e —
Vibration is Law in execution.To vibrate may mean to fluctuate,
to waver. A moving or swinging to and fro. We speak of being in vibration to one thought and then another; we mean being in harmony with one thought and then another, switching from one to another. The vibration of a book is the mental atmosphere o f that book; it is what we “read between the lines” as well as on the lines. We speak o f the high vibration of a room, particularly a room used for spiritual and mental treatment, and we mean the spiritual consciousness which has been engendered there. All phenomena are determined
7S*>
G L O S S A R Y
by their rate of vibration. From what we term inanimate to man— the highest o f G o d s creations— all are made o f the One and Only Substance. The difference in the form is determined by the vibration. Water, ice and vapor are all the same substance, differing only in rate of vibration. The highest vibration which man experiences is from Love. V ic t o r y
— A gaining o f the superiority in any struggle. To the metaphysician, every victory is
won in the silence of his own soul; by turning to “the Father within.” V isio n
— The ability to see. People who close up all their avenues of receptivity, who are not
open to new ideas, who refuse to recognize beauty, who refuse to SEE— frequently find themselves losing the power to use their physical eyes. “Spiritual blindness” is a misnomer for actually there is no obstruction to vision; there is no near vision and no far vision; there is no weak vision and no blurred vision.There is only One Perfect Seeing, which sees in and through us. GO D SEES AN D HIS IS TH E O NLY M IND TH ERE IS. It is our Mind; conse quently, man sees, whether he knows it or not. Perfect identification of the self with that Mind in which Substance and Idea are One w ill forever insure perfect vision. V isu a l iz e
. . . V isu a l iz a t io n
— The art o f mentally projecting a thought form into the
Universal Creative Medium. Visualizing means mentally seeing the things that you wish to have or to do. When you mentally see the things you desire— and see them clearly— you are presenting Universal Mind with images o f thought; and, like the creative soil o f the ground, It at once tends to project them into form. If the thought image is clear, it provides a good mold; if it is imperfect the mold is a poor one. This does not mean one must set his mind or hold thoughts; it simply means that he must think clearly. There are practitioners who use the method o f visualization almost entirely, and this is the manner in which they work. They decide definitely what they wish to image into Mind. They become quiet and begin to see the complete outcome o f their desire in mental pictures, in every detail. If it is a house they wish, they know the exact type of house. In the silence of their thought, they mentally see themselves in this house, living in it, entertain ing their friends in it, etc., and they mentally go from room to room, stopping to admire some picture or some piece o f furniture. Mentally, they make this house just as real as pos sible. They enter it, sit down in it, etc., and they say, “I am now living in this house.” They have set the word in motion, through the Law, which will bring this house into realization, unless they definitely neutralize the thought. They continue this every day until the house appears. The method is the same, whether it be a house or a dress, a position or a husband. This is one way, and is good if we know no better. It is good as far as it goes and there are people to whom this seems an excellent approach. Our only comment about it is that it is a form o f limitation. If we meant to purchase gloves, it is not likely we would approach the clerk with a pic ture of gloves; we would state the kind of gloves we desired, kid or fabric, and the latest style. If we showed a picture only, the clerk might answer that they carried nothing o f that kind, and we would never be shown all the lovely new styles with which their cases were
757
G L O S S A R Y
filled. When we learn to read and w rite, we no longer draw pictures to indicate our needs. Since we recognize our Oneness with Substance, since we know that desire is the thing itself in incipiency— supply and demand are one— we know that we need only turn over to Intel ligence our highest conceptions o f beauty as we make our demand for a home, and there will be delivered to us something much finer than it was possible for us to picture. V it a l it y a n d
E n er g y
— Energy is a divine and unfailing attribute, and therefore is never
depleted, limited, or destroyed. Vitality means that on which life depends, but vitality in man comes from, and is of, God. The vitality o f God is Self-Existent, Self-Propelling. As I become conscious o f my Oneness with Good, I am filled with enthusiasm, and a sense of energy and vitality. God is the Indwelling Power o f my life. As I open myself to the inner, vital Life, and merge myself with Its flow, I find m yself energized and vitalized. Vo c a t io n Vo lit io n
— The thing our thought causes us to do.
— The power to act independently. The power o f conscious choice. There is but the
one volitional factor in the Universe, and this is Spirit, or the Self-Knowing Mind.The Spirit cannot stop knowing. W h o le
— When we speak of “the W hole,” we are speaking o f God, M ans self-knowing mind
is his perception of Reality. It is his Unity with the W hole, or God, on the conscious side o f life, and is an absolute guarantee that he is a Center o f God-Consciousness in the Vast Whole. W ill
— W ill means decision coming into execution. To w ill is to determine by an act of
choice. Volition, choice and will must be attributes o f Spirit.They mean practically the same thing. We must be careful, however, not to think o f these qualities of Spirit in terms of human or limited thought. When we choose, we make a selection, which means there are two or more things to choose from; but when Spirit chooses, It simply announces.The Spirit does not have to will to make things happen; things happen because it is the will o f Spirit that they should be. This will, then, is simply the execution o f a purpose; and since Spirit is Absolute, there can be nothing to deny Its W ill. Choice, volition, and will are necessary and real attributes of Self-Existent Power; for without them there would be no channel through which the Ideas of God could be expressed. In man these qualities— volition, choice, and will— are limited, but in God they are limitless. W ord
— The Word means, o f course, the ability o f Spirit to declare Itself into manifestation,
into form . The Word of God means the Self-Contemplation of the Spirit. The Manifest Universe, as we see It, as well as the Invisible Universe that must also exist, is the result of the Self-Contemplation of God. “He spake and it was done.” “The word was with God and the word was God.”
7^8
Index
See the Contents pagesJ
ot
chapter headings and lists o j meditations.
Such words as are notfound in the Index are located in the Glossaries.
A
power and, g i , j s , 99, 38 $ and reaction, the law of, 91
Analysis psycho-, 130 self-, 238 , 749
Abiding in the One, 636
Active, Definition of, 47
Ability, Definition of, 228
Active, Not Passive,Treatment, 3 2 $
And Jesus Knew Their Thoughts, 61 o
About the Study of Life, Nothing
Activity,Treating for, 1^2
And the Father Saw Him Afar Off, 624
Activity of the One Mind, 393
Answer
Supernatural, 301 Absolute
Actor, Mind is the, 11 o
is in man,The, 170 Prayer is its own, 14 2 , 402
Causation, 36$
Adoption, The Spirit of, 639
Intelligence, $9, 339
Affairs, Definition of, 79
Antichrist, Christ and, 84, 244
Affirmation, The supreme, 243
Apologies, No, 17 7
Against Us, The Universe Holds
Apparitions, 19 7, 21 g
Absoluteness dealing with, 142 and Relativity, 2 17
Nothing, 627
Appearance is the reality, Back o f the, 12 2
Abundance, 309, 694
Age, No, 12 7
Acquiring Faith, The
Agitation and Fear, Irritation, 233
Application of the Story,The, 627
Technique of, 406
Aim of evolution, The, 86, 19 $
Approach,The Mental, 403
Act of Incarnation,The, 392
All Knowledge, Contains, 323
Approach the Spirit, How to, 609
Action
All-Only, Definition of, 7 1 2
Argue, God Does Not, 620
Law Is Mind in, £ 1, 93, 381
All Principles Are as Intangible, 328
Argument in treatment, 13 1
No Mistakes, Perfect, 14 9 , 15 4 ,
All Thought Is Creative, 3 1 3
Arm or of God, The, 647
Allness of truth,
Arm s and Hands, 4^9
Allowed to Choose, We Are, 43 3
As Little Children, 6 16
497 of Spirit within Itself,The, 74, 3^ 2,
363 Action perfect, i $ i ,4 9 7
Altar of Faith,The, $86
Ascending Scale of Life, The, 644
Always Open,The Father’s House, 62$
Ask in Faith, Believing, 6^0
Always a Power, 403
Asthma and Hay Fever, 464
1 S9
INDEX Bladder Trouble, 4 72
Atmospheres Mental, 89, 18 3, 286, £38, 7 1 2 , 7 1 6 ,7 3 4 Thought, $ oo
t
Unpleasant, 19 1 Atmosphere of Our Thinking,
of Evolution, Intelligence Is the, £31
Blind force, Soul as, 40
Evolution Is Effect Only, and
Blind Lead the Blind, When the, 6 1 4
Involution Always, £ 31
Blood Troubles and Skin Diseases, 467
of Human Troubles, The, 608
Bodily perfection, Meditations oh,
Perfect Effect Is Produced by
The, 394 Atmosphere of places, The, 18 4
Cause
Bless and Curse Not, 623
Perfect, 2 21
H 7
True Thought Deals with First, 334
Body
Cause and effect, $6 , 364
Definition of,
Atonement,The, 238 our part in, 242
Form Within the Formless, 364
vicarious, 240
Hereafter, $ $6
713
Attracting Friends, 14 1
Man awakes with a, 207
Attracting Success, £04
The Objective Man Is, 3 7 4
Attraction
The resurrection, 208
The Law of, 8 3, 1 4 1 , 28 5, jo o , 695
Spirit, Soul and, 38, 40
of personality, 14 8, £ o i
That Which Changes, 363 unconscious without the thinker,
Aura
the unity of all, 73
The human, 1 9 1 , 2 1 4
cause of psychic phenomena, 202 Causes and conditions, i$ o , 4 2 5 of psychic manifestations, 209 Center of God-Consciousness, Man a, 7 1 , i$ 8 , 37 8 , 5 19 Chance, Nothing happens by, 68 Changeless,The,
The, 22
Definition of, 78, 2 8 1, 7 1 2
Definition of First Cause, 4 2 , 284,
339 , 3 5 1
Definition of, 48
Auto-suggestion, Definition of, 7 9 '
What Is the, 207, $ $ $
Changeless Reality, 97, 4 26 , 6 2$
Available to All, 40^
Without Mind Has No Volition,
Changeless Spirit,The, £ 8
Awakening, An, 3$ Awakening,The Great, 6 2 3 , 642
Changes, That Which, 363
8 0 ,4 3 4 Boils, 467
Character, high, Definition of, 228
Bondage
Charm
Freedom or, 369
B
There Is No, 2^4, 476
Definition of, 228 How to create personal, 183
Basis for Mental Healing,The, 392
Book, The vibration of a, 190
Child-Like Faith, The, 606
Basis of thought, A new, 24
Bounty,The Divine, £97
Children
Bear Much Fruit, That Ye, 636
Brain does not think, The, 22
As Little, 6 16
Beginning,The, 33 7
Bread Alone, Man Shall Not Live by,
Treating, 12 7
Being, The Trinity of, 32 , 3^6
Wisdom is Justified of Her,
£93 Brief Reminders on How to Give a
Belief
Spiritual Treatment, 5 1 7
in duality, Results of, 34 law of, 90
Bring Thought into Line with Reality,
Believe, How Much Can We, 3 18
6 o£ , 606 Choice Definition of, 7 7 , 749 Individuality and, 73
33 °
Believing, Ask in Faith, 6^0
Burden, Freedom from, 16 1
Choose, We Are Allowed to, 43 3
Be Strong in the Lord, 647
Business
Choosing Thought, 96
Best Robe,The, 625
Definition of, 89
Beyond Your Understanding,
A Practitioner’s, 4 1 3
Christ, The, 17 3
C
■and Antichrist, 84, 244
Explained in, 4 1 1 Bind on Earth, Whatsoever Ye Shall, 6 17
Joint Heirs with, 640 The Triumphant, ££2
Do Not Try to Go, 1 1 2 , 449 Bible, Treatment Not
Christ
Capacities, Normal psychic, 19 $
Logos, Definition of, 77 Cinema pictures, Definition of, £ 1
Causation
Birth,The New, 628
Absolute, 365
Circulation, The Law of, 603
Black magic, 208, 21 £
Definition of, 282
Clairaudience, 196, 282, 7 1 4
7 60
INDEX Clairvoyance, 196, 2 14 , 282, 7 1 4 Clear Thinking, Healing Is, 1 1 3 , 4 3 8 Cloth and Old Garments, New, 603
Conscious Thought, Disease Is Not
D
Always Due to, 1 1 1 , 4 3 8 Dead, Ghosts and phantasms
Consciousness
of the, 19 7
Clothing, Immortal, 64$
Cosmic, 4 5 , 16 4, 1 8 2 ,5 3 2
Colds, Influenza and Grippe, 4 7 1
Definition of, 78
Deafness, 4 7 5
Comforter,The Holy, 6 3 $
Streams of, 189, 289, 7 5 1
Deals with First Cause, True
Commandments, The Two Great, 6 18
Constant Prayer, 649
Communication
Constipation, 4 5 7
mental, 21 o
Thought, 3 3 4 Deals Only with Thought, Mental Practice, 4 2 5
Healing, 12 g
spirit, 21 o
Contains All Knowledge, 323
Decision, Definition of, 78, 7 1 7
Subjective, 18 1
Control, emotional, Definition of,
Deductive reasoning, 54 , 68, 282,
Communication, Is There Spirit, ggS Companionship, Meditations on Divine, 2 5 1, 663
3 6 ° ,7 1 7 ,7 2 9 , 745
229 Conversation Be in Heaven, Let Your, 3 31
Deductively, The Soul Reasons, 360
Completeness, Meditations on, 249
Conviction, 407
Deep Inquiry, A , 36, 340
Completion,The Eternal, 628
Convictions of Life Eternal,
Defiles, That Which, 6 1 4
Complex, Removing the, 460 Compromises, God Never, 429 Concentration, 224, 282
Personal, 563 Correspondence,The Law of, ! $$> 28s , 5 0 8 ,6 9 7 ,7 5 4
Concept of a Successful Man, The, 6 12
Correspondents,The Law of, 638
Concepts Limit Us, Only Our
Cosmic Consciousness, Illumination
Own, 4 3 $
a n d ,1 6 4 , 2 1 3
Definite, Mental Work Is, 3 2 4 Definite Plan, 14 5 , 494 Definition of Spirit, The, 350 Demonstrate a Home, How to, 14 6, 495 Liberty, How to, 643
Condemn, God Does Not, 624
Country, The. Far, 6 21
Demonstrating the Law, 48 4
Condemnation
Create, How Can Spirit, 359
Demonstration, 95, 14 8 , 4 6 7 , 7 1 7
Self, 624
Created by Man, Evil Is, 650
or bringing things to pass, 136
There Is No, 639
Creation
Let Us Not Fool Ourselves
Condition, Turn Entirely from the, 4 2 7 Conditions, Causes and, 1 50, 4 2£
about, 4 1 7
eternal, 39 Forms o f spirit or, 3 8
our part in, 13 7 , 14 1
God’s W ill for His, 641
by proof, 15 4
Definition of Conditions, $ 2 , 79
Meaning of, 38
necessary for best results in psychic
The voice of God in, 36
work, 18 7, 2 1 4 prenatal, 79, 287, 70 $, 742 Confession of Mistakes,The, 6^2 Conflict Definition of, 78, 7 1 5 of desire, 234 Confusion, No, 405
When and What Is a, 4 1 6 Depend upon Principle, 11 6
Creation, God and, 600
Describing the Infinite, 339
In the Beginning, 33 7
Desire, 2 32 , 2 3 5 , 28 3, 7 1 7
The Endless, 646 The Story of, 3 3 8
The conflict of, 234 Destructive Use of the Law, 48 2 Diabetes, 472
Creative medium, Definition of, 49, 282, 7 16 medium,Thought and, 89
Difference Between Prayer and Treatment, The, 399
Congestion, 126
order, sequence of, 224
Different Methods of Treatment, 4 1 4
Conscious
power, Man’s marvelous, 224
Difficulty, The great, 36
and unconscious thought, 23, 4 4 2 ,
£00
Creative, All Thought Is, 3 1 3 Creative Principle, How We Use, 358
Discovery greatest of all time, Mind, 2 1 ,
idea, Definition of, 48
Crystal gazing, 19 8, 2 1 5
mind, Definition of, 4 2 , 282
Curse, modern, 198
first great, 20, 344
mind in God and man, 32, 282,
Curse Not, Bless and, 641
greatest ever made, 74, 72 5
Cycle of necessity and Karmic law, 91
of laws, 3 4 s
7 1S
761
344
INDEX Discovery (cont.)
Ectoplasm, Theory of, 201
Expectancy of Good, Fill the Mind with the, 3 31
of race-thought, the, 2$
Eczema, 467
that thought reached others, i g
Eden, The Garden of, 284
Experience, Man’s, 66
Effect
Experience, The Need of Spiritual, 608
Disease Definition of, 89, 7 18
Cause and, $ 6 ,3 6 4
Experiment, A wonderful, 69
is impersonal, 1 0 9 ,4 3 7
of Intelligence, Evolution
Explained in the Bible, Treatment Is
is mental, 1 1 3 , i i ^ not always due to conscious
A Perfect Cause Must Produce a
Disposal, Limitless Power at Man’s, 312 Disturbances
6 13 ,7 18 Meditations on, 2 £ i, 2^2, 663
The Single, 19 7
Definition of First Cause, 2 84, 7 1 3 Effective Prayer, A Formula for, 6 18 Embodiment, If We Have a Real,
F
1 4 3 ,4 9 0 Emmanuel— God-with-us, Definition
Divine Bounty, The, £97 Divine companionship, 13 6 , 488,
The Seeing, 6 12
Effect, Cause and, £6, 364
Kidney, Bladder and Liver, 4 7 2 Stomach and Bowel, 4 7 3
Expressed, See Life, 14 8, 486 Eye
Perfect, 2 21
thought, 1 1 1 , 4 38 not an entity, 126
Not, 4 1 1
Is an, 5 3 1
of, 77 , 28 3, 72 o
Facts, Many are waking up to the, 69 Factors necessary for dynamic personality, 227
Emotion and intellect, 234
Failures, No, 1^ 3 , £06
of sex, The, 234
Faith, 4 0 3, £03, 722
Emotions, Congested, 2 3 3 , 649
The Altar of, $86
Divine Forgiveness, 6 1 7
Endless Creation, The, 646
Always a Power, 403
Divine Ideas,The, 3 3 1 , 34 2 , 644,
Energy,Telekinetic, 2 0 1, 289, 7^2
Available to All, 405
Entering the Kingdom of Reality, 601
Based on Knowledge, 404
nature, Man re-enacts the, 300
718 , 7 2 3 ,7 3 4 Divine Mental Picture, A , £7, 367
Enthusiasm, Definition of, 228, 7 2 1
Believing, Ask in, 670
Divine Nature Is in Every Man, 31 g
Entity
The Child-Like, 606
Do Not Try to Go Beyond Your Understanding, 1 1 2 , 449 Doers of the Word, 6$ 1
Disease not an, 126
Conviction As Leading to, 407
Soul Never an, 360
Hath Made Thee W hole, Thy, 603
Subjectivity Never an, 360
Knows, 493
Does Not Argue, God, 620
Equivalents, Mental, 1 $ 1, 490
Looks to the Invisible, 493
Done unto Us, It Is, 393
Essential to Happiness, Prayer Is, 401
The Mental Approach to, 403
Doubt
Eternal, Personal Convictions of
Mental Assertion Elevated to
Remove, 129 How to remove, 11 g Doubts, Have no, 1 1 2 Dress, Definition of, 229 Duality and science, 35
Realization, £03
Life, 563 Eternal Completion,The, 628
Misplaced, 404 Must Not Be Lukewarm in Our, 406
Ether Mind and, 359
The Negative Use of, 404
of Science,The, 207, 5 5 7
No Confusion in Healing by, 405 The Prayer of, 4 9 2, 6^2
Evil
The Technique o f Acquiring, 406
in philosophy, 35
God Knows No, 602
Results of belief in, 34
Good Only, Not Good and, 3 1 9
Understanding, 404
in theology, 34
Is Created by Man, 650
Vitalizing, 406
E
No ultimate, 1 6 1 , 7 5 4
Fall, The meaning of the, 219
The problem of, 64, 106, 2 1 8 , 3 7 1
Fallen M an,The, 622
Evolution, 244, 28 3, ^29, 722 Earth The Meek Shall Inherit the, £94 Whatsoever Ye Shall Bind on, 6 1 7
The aim of, 86, 19 5
False Growths (Tumors, Cancer, Gallstones) 12 6 , 4^9 Far Country,The, 621
Further, 169 Expansion, Mental, 643
762
Fasting and Prayer, 61 £
INDEX God
Fate, 14 7 , 723
Formula for Effective Prayer, A , 6 18
Father
Free Spirit, Definition of, 4 $ , 7 2 4
Does Not Argue, 620
Freedom
Does Not Condemn, 624
W ho Sees the Son Sees the, 63£ W ho Seeth in Secret,The, $86 Father-Mother God, $4 , 3^0, 6 1 1 Definition of, 46, 283, 723
or Bondage, 369
Does Not Punish, ygo
Implies Possibility o f Suffering, 370
Does Not Punish the
Law of, 64, 3 7 1
Father and Son,The Real, 606
Is Not Mysterious, The Road to,
Father s House Always Open,
from burden, 16 1
Fatigued, W hy People Become, 4^3 Favorites, The Universe Never Plays, 310
Infinite Personality, 1 7 1 , £47
in the Beginning, 3 3 7
Freedom
In My, 634
Forgives, How, 597
in Creation, The Voice of, 36, 340
3i3
The, 62£ Father’s House Are Many Mansions,
Mathematician, 329
Evil Is the Misuse o f the
Is One of Liberty, The Law of, 642
The meaning of, 63
Knows No Evil, 602
We are bound by our own, 93
Knows No Sin, 642
Freedom to Do, Say and Think, 6 3,
Man Re-Enacts the Nature of, 6 7 ,3 6 8
706
Fear, Irritation, Agitation and, 233 Fear, No, 129
Friends, Attracting, 1 4 1 , g o i
Never Compromises, 429
Fed, They That Hunger Shall Be, £94
Fruit, That Ye Bear Much, 636
N ow Are We the Sons of, 640
G
The Arm or of, 677
One with, 7 1 , 3 1 $ , 37 8 , 397
Feet and Legs, 4^9 Female, Male and, 236
The Father-Mother, $4 , 3^0, 6 1 1
Feminine, Definition of, £0, 2 8 3, 72 3 Fevers, 470
Garden of Eden, The, 2 19 , 7 2 £
The “Personalness” of, 3££
Fill the Mind with the Expectancy of
Garments, N ew Cloth and Old, 603
The Power at the Heart of, 607, 69$
General Summary of Four Sections of
The Pure in Heart Shall See, $ 9 $
Good, 3 31
Science of Mind, £73
First Cause Definition of, 4 2 , 284, 7 1 3
Genuineness, Need for simplicity, humility and, 229
True Thought Deals Directly with, 334 First Great Discovery,The, 20, 34 4 Foes, A Man’s, 6o$
Ghosts and phantasms of the dead, 19 7 sometimes can speak, 19 7 Give Us What We Take, God Can
Fool Ourselves, Let Us Not, 4 1 7
Given, To Him W ho Hath Shall
blind, £ 1, £4, 348, 384, 7 2 4
Gives to Us but Ourselves, No One, 622
Force,Thought, 95, 494, 7 2 4 Forgiveness, Divine, 6 17 Jesus Forgives a Man and Heals Him, 602 Form Definition of, $ 2 , 284, 7 2 4 The idea must take, 12 1 or mirror of matter, 104, 72 4 Form Within the Formless, 364 Body is, 364 Formless and the formed, 73 Forms, $ 7 o f Spirit, or creation, 3 8
The Voice of, 36, 340 The Word of, 34 1 God in creation,The voice of, 36, 340
Father-Mother, Definition of, 46, 2 8 3 ,7 2 3
Be, 6 1 1
Force, Explanation of Soul as
The Threefold Nature of, 32 , 349
Definition of, 1 7 1 , 72 5
Only, 627
Food,Thoughts about, 476
The Thought of, 39, 341
Infinite Personality, 1 7 1 , $4 7 as Law, the word of, 31 The law of, 2£, 3 7 , 68, 238
God Man reenacts the nature of,
and man, 67 and man, Conscious mind in, 3 2
6 7 ,3 6 8 within, Meditations on the spirit
The personality of, 242, £ j 1, 68$ The thought of, 39, 160, 34 1
of, 269 Universal Mind, or Spirit, Is 3 1 6
The threefold nature of, 3 2
Worship of, 3 3
The word of, 3 1 , 3 7 , 39, 4 $ , 46,
God Can Only Give Us What We
7 7 ,2 8 5 , 3 4 i God Turns to Us As We Turn
Take, 627 God-Consciousness, Man a center of, 71 God and Creation, 600
763
to Him, 620, 624 God-with-us, Emmanuel, Definition of, 7 7 , 28 3, 720
INDEX Gods, Many, 3 3 , 6 1 , 385 God’s W ill for His Creation, 641 Good, Fill the Mind with the Expectancy of, 3 3 1
Hath Shall Be Given, To Him
History of the individual, Reading the, 188
W ho, 6 1 1 Hay Fever, Asthma and, 4 6 4
History Proves the Reality of Truth, 6 19
Headache, 1 1 8 , 4 5 3
Good, Hold to the, 17 2
Heal, How to, n o , 12 8 , 438
Holy Comforter,The, 63£
Good Harvest, Good Thoughts
Healed, What Can Be, 120 , 448
Home, How to Demonstrate a, 146,
and a, 61 o
Healing
49 S
Good manners, Definition of, 228
The Basis of Mental, 13 3
Hope a Subtle Illusion, 326
Good Only, Not Good and Evil, 3 19
of the Centurion’s Servant,
House,The Great, Definition of, 47
Good Thoughts and a Good Harvest, 61 o
House Are Many Mansions, In My
The, 601
Father’s, 6 34
Definite work in, 1^2
House Is Always Open,
Governing Prayer, Laws, 400
by Faith, No Confusion in, 40 $
Grace, Salvation and, 220
Intemperance, 488
Great Awakening,The, 6 2 3 , 642
Is Clear Thinking, 1 1 3 , 4 39
How Can Spirit Create, 3^9
Great Commandments, The Two, 6 18
the Lunatic, 6 16
How God Forgives, 597
Great Discovery, The First, 20, 344
The Medium of, 1 1 6 , 442
How Habits Are Acquired and
Great “I A M ,” Definition of the, 42
Must Come First of All, Self-, 600
Great Price, The Pearl of, 6 13
Not Limited by Principle, 107
How Laws Are Discovered, 29, 345
Great Question “Why,” The, 21
Spiritual Mind, 3 9 1 , 4 3 5 , 500, 590
How Much Can We Believe, 318
Great Search,The, 607
What We Understand about, 1 o 1,
How to Approach the Spirit, 609
Greatest Discovery of All Time . . . Mind, The, 2 1 , 34 4 Grippe, Colds and Influenza, 4 7 1 Growths, 13 6 Growths, False, 45:9
How to Demonstrate a Home, 146,
43°
How to Give Treatment, Not
Health
Are Acquired and Treated, How, 4$ 1 are formed, How, 93 are healed, How, 11 9 Halo, 191, 284, 726 Hand, Grasping objects without the, 200
Explained in the Bible, 4 1 1
Definition of, 79, 229
How to Heal, n o , 1 2 8 , 4 3 8 How to Use It, 328 How We Understand Its Operation,
Your, 6 34
Habits
49 S How to Demonstrate Liberty, 643
a n d ,602
Heart Be Troubled, Let Not
Habit, 19 2 , 284, 7 2 $
Treated, 4 5 1
Heals Him, Jesus Forgives a Man
Function of, 4 7 3 , 4 7 4 H
The Father’s, 62 g
3£3
Heart of God, The Power at the, 607, 69
s
How We Use the Creative Principle,
3^8
Heart Shall See God, The Pure in,
Hudson’s Theory, 200
S9 S Heart Trouble, 461
Human Aura, The, 19 1
Heaven, 284, 726
Human Troubles, The Cause of, 608
Let Your Conversation Be in, 3 3 1
Humility, 229, 72 7
Heirs with Christ, Joint, 640
Humor, Sense of, 228
Hands, Arms and, 4^9
Help, Whom Shall We Try to, 604
Hunger Shall Be Fed, They That, £94
Happiness, Prayer Is Essential to, 401
Hereafter
Happiness, Success and, 488
Personal Convictions of Life, 563
Happy, Learning to Trust W ill Make
Shall We Have a Body, $ $ 6
Us, 314
Shall We Rest in the, ^62
Hardening of the Arteries, 4 6 2 , 467
Hidden, Nothing Can Be, 604
Harmony of life, Meditations on
Hidden Within, The Seed of
the, 2^6 Harvest, Good Thoughts and Good, 61 o
Perfection Is, 3 1 7
I
“I AM ,” Definition of the Great, 42 Idea Definition of conscious, 48 must take form, The, 121
High Blood Pressure, 4 6 7 , 469
Ideas,The Divine, 1 83, 644, 7 1 8
High Places, Wickedness in, 647
Ideas, We deal with, 1 1 1
764
INDEX Ideation, Spiritual Mind Healing, 4 19 If We Have a Real Embodiment, 143, 490
Inductive reasoning, 54, 68, 360 Definition of, 28 5, 729
Its Nature, 3 5 1 Its Operation, How We Understand, 35 3
Infinite, Describing the, 339
If We Know, 490
Infinite, The law is, 13 4 , 329 , 482
Illumination, 18 4, 727
Infinite is personal to all, The, 17 3
Illumination and cosmic
Infinite Personality or God, 1 7 1 , 547
Itself, Spirit Knows, 3 7 , 3 4 1 , 352
Influence and obsession, Personal, 193
Itself, The Thing, 309, 3 1 5
consciousness, 16 4, £32 Illusion, Hope a Subtle, 326
Influenza and Grippe, Colds, 4 7 1
Illusion
Information, Receiving, i $ 2
of matter, Definition of, £3
Shall, 594 Inherited tendencies,
Meditations on, 262 Immaterial, Definition of, 4 9 , 728 Immortal Clothing, 645 Immortality, 5 7, 2 i£ , 366, £72 The meaning of, 206, 284, £ 72 , 728 Psychic phenomena and, 17 7 , 206 Impersonal
Jesus, mind of, 648
Inner Man, The, 645
Jesus,The Power of, 16 5
Inner powers cause for thought, 202
Jesus, The Spirit That Raised, 48 4
sense awakens, The, 21 Inquiry, A Deep, 36, 340
Jesus Had Such Power, Why, 593
Treating, 4 5 4
Jesus Knew Their Thoughts, And, 61 o Jesus
Subjective mind and, 182 Instinct and intuition, 16 4 Instinctive man, 19 , 285, 729
In My Father’s House Are Many
Intangible, All Principles Are as, 3 28
Incarnation of Spirit, The, 64 Incentive, Definition of, 229 Incurable to Spirit, No Disease Is, 108, 446 Individual
Careful preparation of, 240 as a Saviour, 242
Meditations on, 264
In the Beginning, God, 33 7
Mansions, 634
Heals Him, 602
Healing of, 128
Inspiration, 28 5, 729
Incarnation,The Act of, 392
Jesus, W hy saints have seen, 190 Jesus Forgives a Man and
Insanity, 19 4, 285, 729
Disease Is, 109, 4 3 7
Mental, 346
Teaching of, 593
Inner Light, The, 260, 549, 640, 670
Insomnia, 4 7 4
Impressions, Where Do We Get Our
Jesus, Lessons from the
Definition of, 79, 729
Definition of, $0, 728
The Universe, 3 21
J Jesus, Joint Heirs with, 640
of Mind, Definition of, 50, 284
Immanent power,
3 * 2 ,363
Inherit the Earth, The Meek
Images of thought, Definition of, 79 Imagination and W ill, 2 2 1 ,7 2 8
Itself, The Action of Spirit Within, 74,
Joint Heirs with Jesus, 640 Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged, 598 Justified of Her Children, Wisdom Is, 605
Intellect Definition of, 78, 28 5, 730 Emotion and, 234
K
Intelligence Absolute, 59 , 3 5 7
Karma, Definition of, 78 , 285, 730
Creative, of the Universe, 309
Karmic law, 5 5 , 78 , 8 1, 95, 348
Subjective, 3 5 7
The cycle of necessity and, 91 Definition of, £ 1
Reading the history of the, 188
Intemperance, Healing, 488
What the mystics have taught about
Intuition, Instinct and, 16 4
Kidney Trouble, Treating, 4 7 2
Intuition Is Spirit Knowing Itself, 37 3
Kingdom Is Like Leaven, The, 6 13
Inventor, Helping an, 14 4
Kingdom and the Mustard Seed,
the, 163 Individuality, 60, 106 and choice, 73
Invisible, We Must Trust the, 332
Definition of, 77, 2 8 5 ,7 2 8
Irritation, Agitation and Fear, 233
The, 6 13 Kingdom of Reality, Entering the, 601
means self-choice, 73
Is There Spirit Communication, 558
Realization of, 162
It, How to Use, 328
Knew Their Thoughts, And Jesus, 61 o
what it really means, 63
It Does, What, 320
Knowing No Other, Definition of,
Indivisible Whole, The, 12 2 , 168, 5 2 1
It Is Done unto Us, 393
Inducing Thought, 9 7, 395
It Works, The Way, 3 1 6
7 *S
46,73i Knowledge, Contains All, 323
INDEX Known,The Secret Already, 32 5
The possibilities of the, 1 3 5
Light,The Inner, 260, 549, 640, 670
Knows Itself, Spirit, 3 7 , 34 1
The word of God as, 31
Like Leaven, The Kingdom Is, 6 13
Knows No Evil, God, 602
Unity with, 71
Limit on Principle, Place No, 97, 428
Knows No Sin, God, 642
We are dealing with, 90, 382
Limit to Thought, No, 327 Limit Your View of Life, Never, 428
Laws
Law, 92 Demonstrating the, 4 8 4
Governing Prayer, 400
Limitations, We Set Our O wn, 397
how discovered, 29, 345
Limitless Medium, 82, 3 7 5 , 570
Mental, 348
Limitless Power at Man’s Disposal, 3 1 2
Mental and spiritual, 67
Is Infinite, The, 13 4 , 482
Lead the Blind, When the Blind, 6 1 4
Limit Us, Only Our Own
Is No Respecter of Persons,
Learned All It Can/Should Through
Concepts, 4 3 5
The, 32 9 , 651 Love Rules Through, 322 Mind in Action Is, 5 1 , 9 3, 381
Suffering, The World Has, 63,
Little Children, As, 6 16
2 4 1 , 369
Live by Bread Alone, Man Shall Not, 593
Learning to Trust W ill Make Us
Liver Trouble, 4 72
Happy, 3 1 4
Law
Logos
of Attraction, The, 2 8 5, 500, 694
Leaven, The Kingdom Is Like, 6 1 3
of Circulation, The, 603
Legs, Feet and, 459
Definition of, 7 7 , 28 5, 7 3 3
Lesson of Nature’s Laws, The, 66
The perfect, 46
o f Correspondence,The, 1 5 5 , 28 $, £ ° 8 ,6 9 7 ,7 5 4
Lessons from the Teaching of
Look Only at What You Want, 14 4,
427
Jesus, 593
o f Correspondents,The, 638 of God Is One of Liberty, The, 642
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled, 634
Lord, Be Strong in the, 647
Oneness with All, 94, 382
Let Us Not Fool Ourselves, 4 1 7
Lose It, W ho Would Save His Life
Spirit and Mental, 13 5 , 487
Let Your Conversation Be in Heaven, 3 31
The Destructive Use of the, 382
Shall, 6 1 4 Love, 106, 15 8 , 2 3 5 , 2 3 8 , 3 2 2 , 5 1 9 , 5 4 5 ,6 2 0 ,6 3 4
Levitation, 2 0 1, 285, 732
Law Definition of, 5 1, 2 8 $, 7 3 1
Liberty, The Law of God Is
Sex not necessary to the expression
One of, 642
is Infinite, The, 13 4 , 482 is Mind in action, 9 3, 381
Definition of, 228, 28 5, 7 3 3
Life
of, 235 The true meaning of, 235
Karmic, £ ' , 5 5 , 9 ^ , 9 5 , 7 3 °
Ascending Scale of, 644
Mental, 3 1 , 13 5 , 3 1 2 , 3 4 8 ,4 8 7 ,
Definition of, 4 4 , 28 5, 732
Love Rules Through Law, 322
expressed, See, 14 8 , 496
Lunatic, Healing the, 6 16
Meditations on the
Lung trouble, Healing, 12 3
73 5 , 7 S ' of action and reaction, 9 1 , 74 4 of belief, A , 90 of correspondence,The, 1 5 5 , 285, £ o 8 ,6 9 7 ,7 5 4 of God, 25, 37 , 68, 238 of Mind,The, 24, 15 7 , 5 6 7 , $70 , 572
harmony of, 256
Lung Trouble, Treating, 4 5 5
Never Limit Your View of, 428 Nothing Supernatural about the
M
Study of, 3 1 1 Shall Lose It, W ho Would
Macrocosm, Definition of, 4 7 , 285,
Save His, 6 1 4
733
of reflection, 140, 15 6 , 502
Self-existent, 243
Magic, Black, 198
Oneness with all, 94, 382
The Three Planes of, 632
Magnetism, Definition of, 295
Only one, 86, 1 1 4
The Unity of, 648
Male and female, 236
Servant of the Word, 37 Spirit and Mental, 13 5 , 48 7
Life Eternal, Personal Convictions of, 563
Man The Concept of a Successful, 6 12 The Divine Nature Is in Every, 3 1 5
Subjective, 89, 3 8 0 ,4 5 0
Life Expressed, See, 14 8, 496
The cycle of necessity and
Light of the World, The, 633
Evil Is Created by, 650
Light, The great, 16 2
The Fallen, 622
Karmic, 91
7 66
INDEX Man’s Self-recognition, Nature Waits
The Inner, 64^
W here from and Why, 206, ggg Man a center of God-consciousness, 7 i , 7 i 3 , 72£,
728, 7*8
and his manifestation, Medium between, 13 7 awakes with a body, 207 born perfect, 109 come from and why, Where did, 206, s s s comes through subjectivity, 108
Memory, 12 8 , 34 $ Definition of, 78, 286, 7 3 4
on, 20, 34 3
The Son of, 629
Mansions, In M y Father’s House Are
Seat of, 18 1 Suggestion becomes, 30
Many, 6 3 4 Many, Multiplicity, Definition of, ^3,
Mental atmospheres, 18 3 , 538
2 8 6 ,7 3 7 Masculine, Definition of, 4 7 , 286,
Communication must be, 210 Definition of, 77
733 Mathematician, God Does Not Punish
Disease is, 11 g equivalents, 1 g 1, 490, 7 2 1
the, 329
influence, General theory of
Matter Definition of, 7 3 4
obsession and, 19 4
Conscious mind in God and, 3 2
illusion of, £ 3, 1 6 1 , 6 9 1, 7 3 4
law, 3 1 , 348 ; Spirit and, 1 3 $ , 4 3 7
God and, 32
last stages of, 7 2
medium through all, 30
is identified in mind, 8$
Resolved into a Universal Ether,
pictures, 18 7 ; many, 19 1
Nature waits on, 67 reenacts the nature of God, 67, 368 The answer is in, 170
72,375
and spiritual laws, 67
subjective mind and unformed, 10 4
Threefold nature of, 32 , 349
unconscious form or mirror
to the universe of spirit, The
of, 10 4, 286, 72 4 , 736
relation of, 66 Man forgiven and healed by Jesus, 602 Man and God, What We Believe about, 33 s Man Re-Enacts God, 106, 4 3 4 Re-Enacts the Nature of God, 67, 361 Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone, £93 Mania, 202, 2 14 , 286, 733 Manifestation, Medium between man and his, 13 7 Causes of psychic, 209
Maya, Definition of, ^ i , 286, 3^8,
734
£ 3 8 ,7 1 2 ,7 1 6 ,7 3 4
of the Fall, The, 2 19
Mental Expansion, 643
o f Freedom, The, 63
Mental Healing,The Basis for, 392
of Immortality,The, 206, ££4
Mental Impressions, Where Do We
o f love, The true, 2 3 $
Get Our, 346
Meat Which Perisheth,The, 632
Mental Law, Spirit and, 13 5 , 487
Meditation, 1 7 $ , 7 3 4
Mental Laws, 348 Mental Picture, A Divine, 367
Medium A universal, 26 between man and his manifestation, 13 7
Man’s
Limitless, 82, 3 j s > s j o
nature, What psychology teaches
Mental Atmospheres, 89, 18 3 , 286,
Mean by, 490
Meaning
creative, 49 , 28 2, 7 1 6
experience, 66
Mental Approach, The, 403
Mental Equivalents, What Do We
Manners, Definition of good, 228
creative power marvelous, 224
state do we go out, In what, 208 treatment is real, 107
of all thought, power and
Mental Practice Deals Only with Thought, 42 g Mental Work Is Definite, 3 2 4 Mental World, Treatment Is a Spiritual Entity in the, 332 Mentality, Projecting the, 198 Merciful Shall Obtain Mercy,
action, g 1 of healing, The, 1 1 6 ,4 4 2
The,
S9S
Thought and the creative, 89
Mercy, The Merciful Shall Obtain,
whole trouble, 239
through all, Mental, 30
Messages, Deep telepathic, 188
unity with the whole, 70
Soul the Creative, 288, 750
Metaphysics, 238 , 286, 7 3 5
Universal Subjectivity Is
Metaphysics and Physics, 3^3
about, 70
Man’s Disposal, Limitless Power at, 3 1 2 Man’s Foes, A, 6o$ Man’s Relationship to the Spiritual Universe, 368
Limitless, 82
$95
Method,The Scientific, 322
Medium of Healing, The, 1 1 6 , 442
Methods o f Treatment, 87, 4 1 4 , 73 $
Meek Shall Inherit the Earth,
Microcosm, Definition of, 7 7 , 286,
736
The, £94
767
INDEX Definition of illusion of, 50, 284
Mind
. in God and man, Conscious, 32,
is the actor, 11 o
or Spirit, conscious, 4 2 , 10 4, 282,
Minds, Only Two Names, There Are Not Two, 3 1 1
Proof of, 29 subconscious, 49, 356
Nervousness, 13 1 Never Limit Your View o f Life, 428
Universe, 31 o
of matter, Unconscious form or the, 10 4, 286, 7 2 4 , 7 3 6
116 , 18 0 ,3 5 6 ,3 7 3 the greatest discovery of all time, 2 1 , 34 4
£72
Nerve Troubles, 465
Never Plays Favorites, The
Mirror
Subjective, 7 1 , 78, 8 1, 83, 10 4,
The law of, 24, 6 1 , 15 7 , 38 5 , 570 ,
Nature Is in Every Man, Divine, 3 1 5 Need of Spiritual Experience, The, 608
2 8 2 ,7 1 5
or Soul, Mirror of, 10 4, 286, 736
7'S
man’s, 70
in action, Law is, 9 3, 38 1
of history, The, 18 5 Only one, 59 , 3 54
What psychology teaches about
New Birth,The, 628
of Mind, or Soul, 104
New Cloth and Old Garments, 603
of the subjective, The, 225
No Confusion, 405
Misplaced Faith, 404
No Failures, 15 3 , 506 No Limit to Thought, 327
Mistakes
The race, 18 5 , 240, 74 4
The Confession of, 652
No Mystery in Truth, 326
The self-knowing, 76, 18 8, 7 1 5 ,
No, 14 9, 1 5 4 ,4 9 7
No One Gives to Us But Ourselves, 622
Perfect Action, No, 497
749 Universal, 25, 13 4 , 289, 7 5 5
Misunderstanding, Healing a, 147
No Personal Responsibility, 14 3 , 50 y
We argue in, 92
Morbidities, Religious, 599
No Sensation in Treatments, 1 1 4 , 441
W rong use of, 92
Mother-Father God, Definition
Normal state, 194, 73 7
of, 46, 28 3, 723
Mind Activity of the One, 393
Multiplicity, Many
Normalcy, 16 2, 73 7 Not Something for Nothing, 481
and Ether, 359
Definition of, 5 3 , 286, 73 7
Nothing Can Be Hidden, 604
and Inspiration, Subjective, 18 2 ,
Unity and* 56, 365
Nothing Can Hinder the Operation of
£37
Nothing Supernatural about the Study
the, 6 13
Healing, A Recognition of the Power of, 4 1 9
N ow Are We the Sons of God, 653
Not, 3 1 3
Healing, Spiritual, 3 9 1 , 4 3 7
Mystery in Truth, No, 326
Only One, 59, 35 4
Mystic, Definition of, 286, 5 23
or Spirit, Is God, Universal, 3 16
Mysticism and the psychic sense,
Mystics have taught, What the, 160, •
Time, 2 1 , 34 4
5 2 3 ; about the individual, 163
the, 3 3 1
of discarnate spirits, 193 Names, There Are Not Two Minds, Only Two, 3 1 1
and mental influence, General theory of, 19 4 personal influence and, 193
Nature, Its, 3 5 1
Obstetrics, 470
Nature
Mind
Definition of, 52
Obsession, 19 3, 287, 738
N
3 1 6 , 3 4 6 ,6 1 0
with the Expectancy of God, Fill
Objective
The subjective obeys the, 71
The Renewing of the, 6 4 1, 647
The Subjective, 180, 1 8 2 , 3 7 3 , 5 3 6
O Obesity, 4 7 1
True, 160
That Jesus Used, The, 648
The Science of, 28, 29, 13 4 , 3 1 1 ,
of Life, 3 1 1
Mysterious, The Road to Freedom Is
in Action, Law Is, 9 3, 38 1
The Greatest Discovery o f All
the Law, 259
Mustard Seed,The Kingdom and
and Inspiration, Subjective, 18 2, 5 3 7
of God, Man reenacts the, 67, 361
Obstructions to thought, No, 190
and unformed matter, subjective,
of God, The Threefold, 32 , 349
Obtain Mercy, The Merciful
104 at work, Unconscious, 24 Definition of conscious, 4 2 , 282
waits on man, 67 waits on m ans self-recognition,
Shall, 597 Occupation, Definition of, 79, 738 Old Garments, N ew Cloth and, 603
2 ° , 343
768
INDEX Omnipotence, Definition of, 48, 738 Omniscience, Definition of, 48, 738 One, Abiding in the, 636 One with God, 7 1 , 397 One Mind Activity of the, 393 Only, £9, 3£4 Oneness with All Law, 94, 382
Poison of Any Kind, 463
Perfection Definition, 28 7, 739
Poor, W hy Are People, 26
Meditations on bodily, 247
Possibilities of the law, 13 5
Seeing, 1 2 3 ,4 4 4 Perfection Is Hidden Within, The Seed
of, 317
Poverty, Definition of, 79, 28 7, 741 Power Always a, 403
Perisheth,The Meat W hich, 632
at the Heart of God,The, 607, 695
Personal
at Man’s Disposal, Limitless, 3 1 2
charm, how to create, 183
of the W ord,The, 12 7 , 2 7 5 ,4 4 4
Only One Mind, 59, 35 4
influence and obsession, 193
The Word of, 6 31
Only Our Own Concepts Limit
readings, 188
W hy Jesus Had Such, 593
Only-All, Definition of, 48, 738
Us, 43£ Open,The Father’s House Always,
6*5 Operation, How We Understand Its,
353 Opinion, Our Estimate of Reality, 373 Opportunity, 1^ 3, £07, 738 Order, The sequence of the creative, 224
Personal Convictions of Life Eternal, £63 Personal Responsibility, No, 14 3 , £ oy
Attraction of, 14 8, £ 01
Definition of, 4 4, 287, 741
Definition of, 78, 28 7, 740
of Jesus, The, 16 5
Factors necessary for a
Man’s marvelous creative, 224
dynamic, 227 of God, 242, £ 7 1 , 68$ God— Infinite, 17 1 Personalness, Definition of, 4 7 , 740
Ourselves, Let Us Not Fool, 4 1 7
“Personalness” of God,The, $ £ £
O wn Answer, Prayer Is Its, 14 2 , 402
Persons, The Law Is No Respecter of, 32 9 , 6 $ i Phantasms o f the dead, Ghosts
Phenomena, The cause of psychic, 740
Healing, 118
psychic, 19 4 should not be forced, The psychic, 2 1 1 and strength, Definition of, 228 of the word, 12 7 , 46 2; Meditations on the, 2 j £
Abnormal psychic, 19 £ cause for thought, Inner, 202
Philosophy
Pain
Meditations on immanent, 262 must be controlled, The
Powers
a n d ,19 7
P
and action, Medium of all thought, £ 1
Personality
Originality, 228, 738
O wn Limitations, We Set Our, 397
Within,The, 397 Power
Practice, Deals Only with Thought,
Duality in, 3$
Mental, 4.2£
Treating, 4^2
leads man’s thought, 36
Paralysis, 1 2 6 ,4 6 3
Physics, Metaphysics and, 3 7 1
Practice, The highest, 165
Part in demonstration, Our, 14 1
Picture, A Divine Mental, £ 7, 367
Practice of Spiritual Mind
Passive and receptive, Definition of,
Pictures (cinema)
51,738 Passive Treatment, 32 5
Definition of, £ 1 Mental, 18 7 , 19 1
Pattern for Thought, A, 648
Place No Limit on Principle, 9 7, 428
Peace, Definition of, 4 $ , 28 7, 739
Places The atmosphere of, 18 4
Pearl of Great Price,The, 6 13
Wickedness in High, 647
People Become Fatigued, Why, 4 5 3
Plan, Definite, 14 $ , 4 9 4
People get tired, Why, 120
Planes of Life, The Three, 632
Perfect Action, No Mistakes, 497
Plastic, Soul as, ^ 1, £ £ , 28 7, 74 1
Perfect Cause and a Perfect
Plays Favorites, The Universe
Effect, 2 2 1 , 4 26 , $70
The Business of the, 88, 1 1 8 , 4 24 ,
453 Definition of, 28 7, 742
Peace of Mind, Treatment for, 480
Perfect Universe,The, 2 2 1 , 426,
Healing, £ 1 o Practitioner
The First Requisite, 4 1 2 What one does, 86, 122 W hat one must know, 1 1 3 , 122 W ho Is a, 96, 1 1 3 , 1 3 3 , 4 1 2 Prayer, 399, 742 Constant, 649 of Faith, The, 49 2, 6$ 2
Never, 31 o Poise, Definition of, 4 5 , 287, 74 1
769
Fasting and, 61 £
INDEX Prayer (cont.) A Formula for Effective, 6 1 8
Psycho-analysis, 130 , 2 3 7 , 288, 743 Psychology teaches about man’s nature, What, 70
Is Essential to Happiness, 401 Is Its O wn Answer, 12 4
Psychometry, 18 6, 18 8, 2 1 4 , 743
Laws Governing, 400
Punish, God Does Not, 329 , 750
Scientific, 600
Punishment
6 7 ,3 6 8 Reflection Definition of, $ 3 , 746 Law of, 140, 1 $6 , £02 Rejoice Evermore, 649
The Secret of, 596
Sin and, 64, 239 , 329
and Treatment, 399
and Reward, 3 7 1 , 730 What of Reward and, ^62
Prayer is its own answer, 14 2 , 402
Re-Enacts the Nature of God, Man,
Relation o f man to the universe of spirit, The, 66 Relativity, Absoluteness and, 2 17
Predestination, 640
Pure in Heart Shall See God,The, $ 9 $
Religious Morbidities, £99
Prenatal conditions,
Purpose, Definition of, 78, 744
Reminders on How to Give a
Definition of, 79, 28 7, 742
Purpose of Science of Mind, The, 61 o
Spiritual Treatment, Brief, £ 17
Preparation, Jesus’ careful, 240
Purpose of Treatment, The, 409
Removing the Complex, 460
Price, The Pearl of Great, 6 1 3
Purposefulness, Definition of, 4 2 , 74 4
Renewing o f Your Mind, The, 6 4 1,
Q
Repeating Treatments, 1 1 7 , 4^2
647
Principle Depend on, 11 6
Repression and Sublimation, 231
Healing power not limited by, 107 How We Use the Creative, 358
Quench Not the Spirit, 649
Place no limit on, 9 7, 428
Quickens or Retards,Thought, £99
No, 6$ i
R
Responsibility, No Personal, 14 3 ,
Principles Are as Intangible, All, 328 Problem o f evil,The, 64, 106, 2 18 ,
37i
Race-Mind,The, 1 8$ , 744 Race-Suggestion, 10 9, £ 37
Profession, Definition of, 79
Definition of, 79, 288, 744
Projecting the mentality, 198
Race-Thought, Discovery of, 2$
Proof
Raised Jesus, The Spirit That, 639 Rappings, 201
of Mind, 29
Reaction, The law of action and, 9 1 ,
Prosperity, The principle of, 142
Reading Thought, 3 1 , 347 Readings, Personal, 188
History, 6 19
Psychic best results in psychic work, 18 7 , 214 capacities, normal, 19 5, 2 1 1 , 5 6 1 manifestations, What causes ,2 0 9 phenomena,The cause of, 202 phenomena and immortality, 17 7 , 208 power must be controlled, the, 19 4 ; should not be forced, 2 1 1
Rest in the Hereafter, Shall We, 562 Result of Our O wn Thinking, The, 380
Definition of, $ 2 , 79, 748 in psychic work, Conditions
744
Proves the Reality of Truth,
Psyche, Definition of, 78, 28 7, 743
4 2 0 , S °7 Re-stated, The Principle, 3 2 4
Results
Demonstration by, 15 4
Prophecy,The Spirit of, 202, ^40
First, 4 1 2 Respecter of Persons, The Law Is
of Prosperity, The, 14 2 Re-stated, The, 32 4
Requisite for Practitioners, The
necessary for best, 18 7 , 2 1 4 of belief in duality, 34
Real Father and Son, The, 606
Resurrection body,The, 208, s s j
Reality
Retards, Thought Quickens or, £99
Back of the appearance is the, 12 2
Reward
Bring Thought into Line with, 330
and Punishment, What of, £62
Changeless, 9 7, 4 26 , 625
of True Visioning, The, 60s
of Truth, History Proves the, 6 19 Realization, 17 4 , 288, 744 of individuality, 162
Righteousness and, 64 Rheumatism, 476 Riches, Definition of, 79, 288, 748 Riddle of Simplicity, A , 3 21
Reason deductive only, 48, s 1, 79, 2 26
Righteousness and Reward, 64
Inductive and Deductive, 68, 77
Road to Freedom Is Not Mysterious,
The two ways to, 68
The, 3 1 3
powers, Abnormal, 19 5
Reasons Deductively,The Soul, 360
Robe,The Best, 6 2$
sense, True mysticism and the, 160
Receptive, and passive, g 1 , 7 3 9
Rules through Law, Love, 322
7 70
INDEX
s
Self-confidence, Definition of, 228,
Saints have seen Jesus, Why, 190
Self-existent
Son,The Stay-at-Home, 626
749 Salvation and grace, 220 of all, Ultimate, i 6 i } 528 , 7 5 4
Would, 6 14
749
Science of Ether,The, 207, ££7
Self-Recognition, Nature Waits on Man’s, 20, 60, 343 Sensation in Treatments, No, 1 1 4 ,
How to Use, 328
441
Definition of, 49, 78 , 86, 288, 750 as immaterial, 49, 728 Mirror of mind or, 104 as neutral, go as plastic, $ 1 as unchoosing, 4 9, 75:4
The, 224 Servant, The Healing o f the Centurion’s, 601 Servant of the Spirit throughout the
The Way It Works, 3 16 What It Does, 320
as blind force, 40
Sequence of the creative order,
The Purpose of, 61 o The Thing Itself, 309
ISO
Sense of humor, 228
Science of Mind,The, 29, 13 4
Ages, £ i , £ 4 , 3 1 2 Servant of the Word, Law as, 37
Scientific Method,The, 322
Service, Definition of, 228, 749
Scientific Prayer, 600
Set Our O wn Limitations, We, 397
Search, The Great, 607
Sex
Soul and Body, Spirit, 3 7 1 Never an Entity, 360 Soul of Man the Creative Medium, $o, 10 4 One with the Soul o f the Universe, 80, 372 Reasons Deductively, The, 360 the Seat o f Memory, 18 1
Seat of memory, 181
becomes destructive, When, 2 3 $
Space, Definition of, g 3, 288, ygo
Secret, The Father Who Seeth in, £96
emotion of, 2 34
Spirit
Secret Already Known, The, 3 2 £
not necessary to the expression of
Secret of Prayer, The, £96 See God, The Pure in Heart Shall,
429 See Life Expressed, 14 8, 486 Seed, The Kingdom and the Mustard, 6 13 Seed of Perfection, The, 3 1 7 Seed of thought, The, 11 9 Seeing Eye, The, 6 12
communication, 2 10 , £$8 Definition of, 4 2 , 7 7 , 288, j $ o
love, 2 3 $
Definition of conscious
spirit of, 2 31 Shall We Have a Body Hereafter, 5 $6
mind or, 4 2 , 282
Shall We Rest in the Hereafter, g 6 i
Definition o f Free, 4 5 , 7 2 4
Simplicity, A Riddle of, 32 1
Definition of Universal, 104, 290,
Simplicity and genuineness, suitable humility, 229 Simplified,The Story o f Creation,
7 SS is expressed,The, 232 knows itself, 37 , 341 of God within, Meditations on the,
338
269
Seeing Perfection, 12 3 , 44 4
Sin, God Knows No, 625
Sees the Son Sees the Father,
Sin and punishment, 64, 239
of prophecy, The, 202, £40
Sincerity, Definition of, 228
of sex, The, 2 31
W ho, 635
N
Soul, 8 1, 3^6
288, 749
Duality and, 3$ The “ether” of, 207, ggy
6*3 Sonship, Definition of, 7 7 , 288,
Self-propelling, Definition of, 4 3 ,
Science, 28, 60, 3 4 $ , $ 1 2 Definition of, 288, 749
Sons, The Two, 620 Sons o f God, N ow Are We the,
of All, 600 Self-knowing mind,The, $ 8 , 70, 288,
Scale of Life, The Ascending, 644 Schoolroom, Handling a, i g g
Son Sees the Father, W ho Sees the, 6 3 $
Life, 243 Self-Healing Must Come First
Saviour, Jesus as a, 242 Saw Him Afar O ff,The Father, 624
Son of M an,The, 629
Definition of, 4 3 , 288, 749
Save His Life Shall Lose It, W ho
Son, The Real Father and, 606
Seeth in Secret, The Father W ho, £96
Single Eye,The, 19 7
or creation, Forms of, 3 8
Self-analysis, 238, 749
Skin, 458
The givingness of, 241
Skin Diseases, Blood Troubles and, 4 67
The incarnation of, 64
Smelling where there is nothing to
The relation of man to the universe
Self-choice, Individuality means, 63,
7 3 ,£ 2 6 Self-Condemnation, 624
of, 66
smell, 200
771
INDEX Story, The Application of the, 627
Suggestion, Race, 109, 5 3 7
Communication, Is There, 558
Story of Creation Simplified,The, 338
Suggestion
Create, How Can, 359
Stream of thought, Entering the, 601
Auto, 79
How to Approach the, 6 18
Streams of Consciousness, 189, 289,
becomes memory, 30
Spirit
Is God, Universal Mind or, 3 16
7S1
and subjectivity, 18 1
Its Nature, 3 5 1
Strength, Definition of power and, 228
Suggestions for Treatments, 447
and Mental Law, 13 5 , 48 7
Strong, When We Are, 6 31
Summary o f Nature o f Being, 384
Strong in the Lord, Be, 647
Summary o f Spiritual Mind Healing,
Spirit of Adoption, The, 639 the Changeless, 5 5 , 426 Knowing Itself Is Intuition, 373 Knows Itself, 37 , 34 1
Supernatural about the Study of Life,
Subjective
not affected by apparent condition,
Definition of, 49 , 78, 7 5 1
Quench Not the, 649
Practice, 5 10
Subconscious mind, Definition of, 49
communication, 18 1
42 6 , 466
Ideation, 4 19
about the, 3 1 1
No Disease Is Incurable to, 4 4 7
of Prophecy, The, 202, 540
4 1 9 ,5 10
Study of Life, Nothing Supernatural
Nothing, 3 1 1 Supply, 4 78 , 752
law, 89, 380 mind, 180, 5 36 ; and inspiration,
T
18 2 , S 37 ; and unformed matter,
Soul and Body, 37 1
10 4; builder of the body, 23, 29,
Table tipping, 2 0 1, 2 1 5
That Raised Jesus,The, 639
30, 16 2 ; not unconsciousj 92;
Tact, Definition of, 228, 752
the Whole of, 8 1, 372
seat of memory, 18 1
Take, God Can Only Give Us What
within Itself,The Action of, 56, 352 Spirit Works for Us by Working Through Us, 3 1 7 Spirits, We do not control, 2 1 1 Spiritual Definition of, 7 7 , 289, 7 5 1 laws, Mental and, 1 3 5 , 487 Spiritual Entity in the Mental World, Treatment Is a, 332 Spiritual Experience, The Need of, 608 Mind Healing, 3 9 1 , 4 3 7 Spiritual Treatment Brief Reminders on How to Give a, 5 17 Mental Treatment and, 756 Spirituality, Definition of, 229
mirror of the, 225 obeys the objective, 71 Subjective Intelligence, 3 5 7
We, 627 Teaching of Jesus, Lessons from, 593 Technique of Acquiring Faith, The, 406
Subjective Law The Divine Creative Medium, 89,
Telekinetic energy, 2 0 1, 2 8 9 ,7 5 2 Telepathic messages, Deep, 188
380 The Potential of All Things, 48 4,
Telepathy, 19 6, 289, 5 3 9 ,7 5 2
S* 9 Subjective Mind, the, 180, 536 Subjective Mind and Inspiration, 18 2,.
does not explain everything, 21 o Tendencies, Inherited, 79, 35 4 , 729 Tenderness, Definition of, 228
£37
That Which Changes, 363
Subjectivity lesson in, 203
That Which Defiles, 6 1 4
Never an Entity, 360
That Ye Bear Much Fruit, 636
The Operation of Law, 504
The Act of Incarnation, 392
Suggestion and, 18 1
The Action o f Spirit Within Itself, 74,
Sublimation, Repression and, 231
3 P , 363
Stages of matter, The last, 72
Subtle Illusion, Hope a, 326
The Altar of Faith, 596
Stammering, 13 1
Success
The Application of the Story, 627
State mental, we go out in, 208 Normal, 19 4, 73 7 of trance, The, 19 5 Stay-at-Home Son,The, 626 Stomach and Bowel Troubles, Treating, 4 7 3
Attracting, 504
The Arm or of God, 647
Definition of, 228, 7 5 1
The Ascending Scale of Life, 644
and Happiness, 488
The Atmosphere o f Our Thinking,
Successful Man, The Concept of a, 6 12 Suffering All It Can/Should, The
394 The Basis for Mental Healing, 392
World Has Learned Through,
The Beginning, 33 7
6 3, 2 4 1 ,3 6 9
The Best Robe, 625
772
INDEX The Brotherhood of Man, 16 2, 526, 6 11 The Cause of Human Troubles, 608
The Light of the World, 633 The Meaning o f Immortality, 206,
The Spirit of Prophecy, 205, 540 The Spirit That Raised Jesus, 639 The Stay-at-Home Son, 626
SS4
The Child-Like Faith, 606
The Meat Which Perisheth, 4 76
The Story of Creation Simplified, 338
The Concept of a Successful
The Medium of Healing, 1 1 6 , 442
The Subjective Mind, 180, 5 36
The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth, 594
The Technique of Acquiring
Man, 6 12
Faith, 406
The Confession of Mistakes, 652
The Mental Approach, 403
The Definition of Spirit, 350
The Merciful Shall Obtain Mercy, 595
The Thing Itself, 309, 3 1 5 , 3 3 4
The Destructive Use of the Law, 48 2
The Mind That Jesus Used, 648
The Thought of God . . .The Word of
The Divine Bounty, 597
The Need of Spiritual
The Divine Ideas, 3 3 1 , 34 2 , 644, 7 1 8 ,
7 2 3 ,7 3 4
Experience, 608 The N ew Birth, 628
The Endless Creation, 646
The Operation of Law, 504
The Eternal Completion, 628
The Pearl of Great Price, 6 13
God, 34 1 The Three Planes o f Life, 632 The Threefold Nature of God, 32,
349 The Two Great Commandments, 6 18
The Ether of Science, 207, 5 5 7
The Perfect Universe, 2 2 1 , 426
The Fallen Man, 622
The “Personalness” of God, 3 5 5
The Two Sons , 6 2 0
The Far Country, 621
The Power at the Heart o f God, 607,
The Triumphant Christ, 5 52
The Father-Mother God, 46, 54 , 283, 350,611,723 The Father W ho Seeth in Secret, 586 The Father’s House Always Open, 625
The Unity of Life, 80, 1 6 1 , 646
69 S The Power Within, 397 The Power of the Word, 12 7 , 275,
444 The Prayer o f Faith, 492, 652 The Principle Re-stated, 3 24
The First Requisite, 4 1 2
The Pure in Heart Shall See God, 595
The Great Awakening, 6 2 3, 642
The Purpose of the Science of
The Greatest Discovery of All Time . . . Mind, 2 1 , 344 The Healing of the Centurion’s Servant, 601 The Holy Comforter, 6 35 The Indivisible Whole, 1 22, 1 6 8 , 5 2 1
340
The Way ofTreatment, 4 10
The Real Father and Son, 606
The Word of Power, 6 3 1
The Renewing of the Mind, 647
The World Has Learned All It Can/
The Renewing of Your Mind, 641 The Result of O ur Own Thinking, 380 The Reward of True Visioning, 605 The Road to Freedom Is Not
Seed, 6 13
Favorites, 3 10 The Voice o f God in Creation, 36,
The Purpose ofTreatment, 409
The Inner Man, 645
The Kingdom and the Mustard
The Universe Never Plays
The Way It Works, 3 16
Mind, 6 10
The Inner Light, 260, 549, 640, 670
The Kingdom Is Like Leaven, 6 13
Us, 627 The Universe Impersonal, 32 1
The First Great Discovery, 20, 344
The Great Search, 607
The Universe Holds Nothing Against
Mysterious, 3 1 3 The Science of Mind, 29, 13 4 The Scientific Method, 322
Should Through Suffering, 63, 241,369 Theology, Duality in, 34 Theory Hudson’s, 200 of ectoplasm, 201 There Are Not Two Minds, Only Two Names, 3 1 1
The Law of Circulation, 603
The Secret Already Known, 32 5
There Is No Condemnation, 639
The Law of Correspondence, 1 5 5 ,
The Secret of Prayer, 596
They That Hunger Shall Be Fed, 594
The Seed of Perfection Is Hidden
Things
285,508,697,754 The Law of Correspondents, 638 The Law of God Is One of
Within, 3 1 7 The Seeing Eye, 6 12
Definition of, 5 3 , 75 3 Thoughts are, 1 o 1, 396
The Single Eye, 19 7
into thoughts, Resolve, 12 1
The Law Is Infinite, 134, 482
The Son of Man, 629
Time will prove all, 202
The Law Is No Respecter of
The Soul Reasons Deductively, 360
Liberty, 642
Persons, 329, 651
The Spirit of Adoption, 639
773
Think correctly, Man realizes he must, 27
INDEX Inducing, 9 7, 395
Colds, Influenza and Grippe, 4 7 1
Body unconscious without the, 2 2
into Line with Reality, Bring, 330
the Complex, 1 1 7 , 460
We do not see the, 2 2
Is Creative, All, 3 1 3
Constipation, 4 5 7
Thinker
Thinking The Atmosphere o f Our, 396 Each is the logical result of his
Mental Practice Deals Only
Deafness, 4 7 5 Diabetes, 4 72
with, 4 2 5
Eczema, 467
Thought of God,The, 39, 34 1
False Growths, 126, 459
Healing is clear, 1 1 3 , 439
No Limit to, 327
Feet and Legs, 459
The Result of O ur O wn, 380
Reading, 3 1 , 347
Fevers, 470
in treatment, 1 1 2
Retards or Quickens, 599
Gallstones, 459
own, 89
Thoroughness, Definition of, 228 Thought
Tuning in on, 1 8 6 , 5 3 8
Hardening of the Arteries, 462, 467 Headache, 1 1 8 , 4 5 3
Thoughts
Choosing, 96
Are Things, 14 4
Heart Trouble, 461
Conditions are controlled by, 26
Deal only with, 4 2 5
High Blood Pressure, 467
and the creative medium, 89
about Food, 476
Insanity, 1 2 8 , 4 5 4
Deals Directly with First Cause,
go, W here our, 29
Insomnia, 4 7 4
and a Good Harvest, Good, 61 o
Intemperance, 488
Definition of images of, 79
Interesting, 202
Kidney, Bladder and Liver
Disease not always due to
And Jesus Knew Their, 61 o
True, 3 3 4
conscious, 1 1 , 4 3 8 does, What right, 11 8
Disturbances, 47 2
Resolve things into, 1 1 1
Lung Trouble, 1 2 3 , 4 5 5
We do not send out, 12 4
Nerve Troubles, 465 Obesity, 4 7 1
Entering the stream of, 601
Threefold nature of God, 3 2, 349
force, 95, 494, 7 2 4
Threefold nature o f man, 32, 349
Obstetrics, 470
Inducing, 97, 395
Throat trouble, 126
Pain, 4 52
Inner powers cause for, 202
Thy Faith Hath Made Thee
Paralysis, 1 2 6 , 4 6 3
new basis of, 24 No obstructions to, 190
Poison o f Any Kind, 463
W hole, 603
Rheumatism, 476
Time
of God,The, 39, 34 1
Definition of, 5 2 , 753
Philosophy leads man’s, 36
has come to know the Truth,
power and action, Medium of all, 5 1 reached others, Another great discovery, 25 Reading, 3 1 , 347 The conscious and the unconscious, 23, 4 4 2 , 500 The seed of, 1 1 9 Thought,Timing in on, 186, 538 Thought, A Pattern for, 648
Skin Diseases, 467 Stomach and Bowel Troubles, 4 73 Tumors, 459
The, 69 will prove all things, 202 Times, The Greatest Discovery o f AH, 2 1 , 34 4 To Him W ho Hath Shall Be
Vision, 1 2 5 , 4 5 6 Weather Conditions, 4 7 5 Treating for activity, 15 2 Guidance in, 128 Treatment
Given, 6 1 1 Trance,The state of, 195, 289, 7 5 3
Argument in, 13 1
Treated, How Habits Are Acquired
of children, 443 Explanation of, 1 3 7 , 146, 289,
and, 4 5 1 Treating
4 0 9 , 7£3 is real, Mental, 107
Thought Atmosphere, 500
Arms and Hands, 459
Thought Back of Mind Healing,
Asthma and Hay Fever, 46 4
Methods of, 87, 4 1 4 , 7 1 7
Blood Troubles, 46 7
Thinking in, 1 1 2
The, 726 Thought, Each of Us Is Today the Result of His, 89 Thought Force, 95, 396
Treatment
Boils, 467 Cancer, 4 59
for Fatigue, 4 3 5 , 4 5 4
Child-Birth, 470
for Peace of Mind, 480
Children, 4 4 3
N o Sensation in, 1 1 4 , 44 1
774
INDEX Treatment
mirid,2 5 , 2 8 9 , 7 5 5
U
spirit, Definition of, 104,
Not Explained in the Bible, 4 1 1 Prayer and, 399
Ultimate, 7 5 4
2 9 0 , 7 55
The Purpose of, 409
Look to the, 149
Repeating, 1 1 7 , 1 2 9 , 4 5 2
evil, No, 1 6 1 , 7 5 4
Suggestions for, 4 4 7
salvation of all, 1 6 1 , 5 2 8
The Way of, 409 What It Is, 409
Universal Mind, or Spirit, Is God, 3 16 Universal Subjectivity Limitless Medium, 82, 3 7 5
Unchoosing, Soul as, 49, 7 5 4
Universe
Unconscious Definition of, 78, 7 5 4
is alive, The, 40
Active, NotPassive, 325
mind at work, 24
The perfect, 2 2 1 , 4 2 6
Brief Reminders on How to Give a
thought, The conscious and the, 23
of spirit, The relation of man to
Treatment
Spiritual, 5 17 Different Methods of, 4 1 4 as a Spiritual Entity in the Mental World, 332 Treatments No sensation in, 1 1 4 , 4 4 1 Repeating, 1 1 7 , 1 2 9 , 4 5 2 Trinity of Being, 32, 346, 349 Triumphant Christ,The, 552
the, 66
Understand about Healing, What We, 1 01 , 430 Understand Its Operations, How We, 35 3 Understanding, 198
Us, It Is Done unto, 193 Use It, How to, 328 Use of the Law,The Destructive, 382 Use the Creative Principle, How We, 358
Do Not Try to Go Beyond Your, 1 1 2 , 4 4 9
Use of mind,The wrong, 92, 13 3 Used, The Mind That Jesus, 648
Faith, 404 Unity
V
Trouble, Man’s whole, 239
of all, 16 1
Troubled, Let Not Your
o f all body, The, 73 complete, 74, 58 4
Vibration of a book, The, 190
Troubles, The Cause of Human, 608
Definition of, 46, 7 5 5
View of Life, Never Limit Your, 428
True Thought Deals Directly with
with Law, 71
Viewpoints, Different, 65
Meditations on, 277
Vision, 1 2 5 , 4 5 6
True Visioning, The Reward of, 605
and multiplicity, 56, 37 5
Visioning, The Reward of True, 623
Trust the Invisible, We Must, 332
with the Whole, Man’s, 70, 220
Visualize, How to, 2 2 3
Heart Be, 634
First Cause, 33 4
Trust Will Make Us Happy, Learning to, 3 1 4
Vitalizing Faith, 406
Unity, 3 3 , 4 6 , 74 how can we reconcile suffering and lack with, 379
Truth Allness of, 57
Modern science teaches, 379
Definition of, 4 5 , 289, 7 5 4
of Life, The, 80, 1 6 1 , 646
demonstrates itself, The, 1 1 5 History Proves the Reality of, 6 19 is known,The, 170 No Mystery in, 326 The time has come to know the, 69
One with the Law of the W hole, j i y $ i S y 378
Two ways to reason, The, 68
Volition, 58, 342
W
The, 627 Impersonal, The, 3 21
Never Plays Favorites, The, 3 10
God, 620, 624
of God in creation,The, 36, 340 Voices, Independent, 197
Holds Nothing Against Us,
Turn Entirely from the
Turns to Us As We Turn to Him,
Definition of, 229
Definition of, 77 , 758
Man’s Relationship to the, 368
Condition, 4 27
Voice
Universe
Tuning in on Thought, 186, 5 38
Turning within, 166
Vocation, Definition of, 79, 758
The Perfect, 2 2 1 , 426 Man One with the Soul of the,
Waits on Man’s Self-Recognition, Nature, 20, 343 Want, Look Only at What You, 14 4,
427 Want, W hy We Are in, 6 21
80,372
Way It Works, The, 3 1 6
Universal medium, 26, 31
7 75
Way of Treatment, The, 4 10
INDEX Ways o f reasoning, Two, 54
Where Do We Get Our Mental Impressions, 346
We Are Allowed to Choose, 4 3 3
of God,The, 37 , 77 , 3 4 1 , 7 1 4 , 733, 755,
as Law, 31
We Must Trust the Invisible, 332
W ho Is Christ, 543
Law as servant o f the, 3 7
We Set Our O wn Limitations, 397
W ho Is a Practitioner, 96, 1 1 3 , 1 3 3 ,
Meditations on the power
What Can Be Healed, 120, 448
W ho Sees the Son Sees the Father, 6 35
What Do We Mean by Mental Equivalents, 490
and, 4 1 6 What Is Incurable, 108, 446
412 What It Does, 320
Doers of the, 6 5 1 of God, The Thought of God,
It, 6 1 4 Whole, The Indivisible, 1 2 2, 168, 5 2 1
The, 341
Whole, Man’s unity with the, 70
of Power,The, 6 3 1
Whole, Thy Faith Hath Made
The Power of the, 127, 275,
444
Thee, 603
What Is a Mystic, $ 2 3 What Is a Practitioner, 96, 1 1 3 , 1 3 3 ,
Power of the, 1 2 7, 444 Word
W ho Would Save His Life Shall Lose
What Is the Body, 207, £ £ £ What Is a Demonstration, When
of the, i j s
412
Weather Conditions, 4 7 5
Wholesomeness, Definition of, 228 Whom Shall We Try to Help, 604 W hy Jesus Had Such Power, 593
The Starting Point of All Creation, 46 Words used in Universal Chart,
What It Is, Treatment, 409
W hy People Become Fatigued, 4 5 3
Metaphysical meaning of
What of Reward and
W hy We Are in Want, 6 21
the, 4 2 , 7 7 , 104, 180
Punishment, £62 What You Want, Look Only at, 14 4
Wickedness in High Places, 647
Work in healing, Definite, 1 1 7
Will
Works, The Way It, 3 1 6
What We Understand about
Definition of, 4 3 , 7 7 , 758
Healing, 1 0 1 , 4 3 0
Imagination and, 2 2 1 , 728
Whatsoever Ye Shall Bind on Earth, 6 1 7
Works for Us by Working Through Us, Spirit, 3 1 7
Will for His creation, God’s, 641
World, The Light of the, 633
Wisdom Is Justified of Her
World Has Learned All It Can/Should
Children, 60$
W hen the Blind Lead the Blind, 6 1 4
Through Suffering, The, 63 , 2 4 1 , 369
When We Are Strong, 6 31
Within,The Power, 397
When and What Is a
Within, Turning, 166
Worship o f God, 32
Word
Writing
Demonstration, 4 1 6 Where Did Man Come from and Why, 206, s s s
Alone Is Conscious,The, 39
Automatic, 199
Definition, 4 5 , 290, 758
Independent, 199
776