I hope you are enjoying this!
-Diane
page 8
Indigence and indulgence are the two extremes of wretchedness. They
are both equally unnatural and the result of mental disorder. A man
is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and
prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the
result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer, of
the man with his surroundings.
A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile,
and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his
life. And as he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases
to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself
up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against
circumstances, but begins to _use_ them as aids to his more rapid
progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and
possibilities within himself.
Law, not confusion, is the dominating principle in the universe;
justice, not injustice, is the soul and substance of life; and
righteousness, not corruption, is the moulding and moving force in
the spiritual government of the world. This being so, man has but to
right himself to find that the universe is right; and during the
process of putting himself right he will find that as he alters his
thoughts towards things and other people, things and other people
will alter towards him.
The proof of this truth is in every person, and it therefore admits
of easy investigation by systematic introspection and self-analysis.
Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at
the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions
of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it
cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies
into circumstance. Bestial thoughts crystallize into habits of
drunkenness and sensuality, which solidify into circumstances of
destitution and disease: impure thoughts of every kind crystallize
into enervating and confusing habits, which solidify into
distracting and adverse circumstances: thoughts of fear, doubt, and
indecision crystallize into weak, unmanly, and irresolute habits,
which solidify into circumstances of failure, indigence, and slavish
dependence: lazy thoughts crystallize into habits of uncleanliness
and dishonesty, which solidify into circumstances of foulness and
beggary: hateful and condemnatory thoughts crystallize into habits
of accusation and violence, which solidify into circumstances of
injury and persecution: selfish thoughts of all kinds crystallize
into habits of self-seeking, which solidify into circumstances more
or less distressing. On the other hand, beautiful thoughts of all
kinds crystallize into habits of grace and kindliness, which
solidify into genial and sunny circumstances: pure thoughts
crystallize into habits of temperance and self-control, which
solidify into circumstances of repose and peace: thoughts of
courage, self-reliance, and decision crystallize into manly habits,
which solidify into circumstances of success, plenty, and freedom:
energetic thoughts crystallize into habits of cleanliness and
industry, which solidify into circumstances of pleasantness: gentle
and forgiving thoughts crystallize into habits of gentleness, which
solidify into protective and preservative circumstances: loving and
unselfish thoughts crystallize into habits of self-forgetfulness for
others, which solidify into circumstances of sure and abiding
prosperity and true riches.
page 9
A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad,
cannot fail to produce its results on the character and
circumstances. A man cannot _directly_ choose his circumstances, but
he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his
circumstances.
Nature helps every man to the gratification of the thoughts, which
he most encourages, and opportunities are presented which will most
speedily bring to the surface both the good and evil thoughts.
Let a man cease from his sinful thoughts, and all the world will
soften towards him, and be ready to help him; let him put away his
weakly and sickly thoughts, and lo, opportunities will spring up on
every hand to aid his strong resolves; let him encourage good
thoughts, and no hard fate shall bind him down to wretchedness and
shame. The world is your kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations
of colours, which at every succeeding moment it presents to you are
the exquisitely adjusted pictures of your ever-moving thoughts.
"So You will be what you will to be;
Let failure find its false content
In that poor word, 'environment,'
But spirit scorns it, and is free.
"It masters time, it conquers space;
It cowes that boastful trickster, Chance,
And bids the tyrant Circumstance
Uncrown, and fill a servant's place.
"The human Will, that force unseen,
The offspring of a deathless Soul,
Can hew a way to any goal,
Though walls of granite intervene.
"Be not impatient in delays
But wait as one who understands;
When spirit rises and commands
The gods are ready to obey."
EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON HEALTH AND THE BODY
THE body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the
mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically
expressed. At the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body sinks
rapidly into disease and decay; at the command of glad and beautiful
thoughts it becomes clothed with youthfulness and beauty.
page 10
Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought.
Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body.
Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a
bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as
surely though less rapidly. The people who live in fear of disease
are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole
body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease; while impure
thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the
nervous system.
Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigour and
grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds
readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of
thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it.
Men will continue to have impure and poisoned blood, so long as
they propagate unclean thoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a clean
life and a clean body. Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life
and a corrupt body. Thought is the fount of action, life, and
manifestation; make the fountain pure, and all will be pure.
Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts.
When a man makes his thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure
food.
Clean thoughts make clean habits. The so-called saint who does not
wash his body is not a saint. He who has strengthened and purified
his thoughts does not need to consider the malevolent microbe.
If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would
renew your body, beautify your mind. Thoughts of malice, envy,
disappointment, despondency, rob the body of its health and grace.
A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts.
Wrinkles that mar are drawn by folly, passion, and pride.
I know a woman of ninety-six who has the bright, innocent face of
a girl. I know a man well under middle age whose face is drawn
into inharmonious contours. The one is the result of a sweet and
sunny disposition; the other is the outcome of passion and discontent.
As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome abode unless you admit
the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a
bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free
admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and
serenity.
On the faces of the aged there are wrinkles made by sympathy,
others by strong and pure thought, and others are carved by passion:
who cannot distinguish them? With those who have lived righteously,
age is calm, peaceful, and softly mellowed, like the setting sun. I have
recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed. He was not old except
in years. He died as sweetly and peacefully as he had lived.
page 11
There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills
of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for
dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in
thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be
confined in a self made prison-hole. But to think well of all, to be
cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all--such
unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day
by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring
abounding peace to their possessor.
THOUGHT AND PURPOSE
UNTIL thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent
accomplishment. With the majority the bark of thought is allowed
to "drift" upon the ocean of life. Aimlessness is a vice, and such
drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of
catastrophe and destruction.
They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to
petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pityings, all of which are
indications of weakness, which lead, just as surely as deliberately
planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness,
and loss, for weakness cannot persist in a power evolving universe.
A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set
out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing
point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or
it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time
being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his
thought-forces upon the object, which he has set before him. He
should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself
to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into
ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road
to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails
again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must
until weakness is overcome), the _strength of character gained_ will
be the measure of _his true_ success, and this will form a new
starting-point for future power and triumph.
Those who are not prepared for the apprehension of a _great_
purpose should fix the thoughts upon the faultless performance of
theirduty, no matter how insignificant their task may appear. Only in
this way can the thoughts be gathered and focussed, and resolution
and energy be developed, which being done, there is nothing which
may not be accomplished.
page 12
The weakest soul, knowing its own weakness, and believing this
truth_that strength can only be developed by effort and practice,
_will, thus believing, at once begin to exert itself, and, adding effort
to effort, patience to patience, and strength to strength, will never
cease to develop, and will at last grow divinely strong.
As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and
patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong
by exercising himself in right thinking.
To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with
purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only
recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; who make all
conditions serve them, and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly,
and accomplish masterfully.
Having conceived of his purpose, a man should mentally mark out a
_straight_ pathway to its achievement, looking neither to the right
nor the left. Doubts and fears should be rigorously excluded; they
are disintegrating elements, which break up the straight line of
effort, rendering it crooked, ineffectual, useless. Thoughts of
doubt and fear never accomplished anything, and never can. They
always lead to failure. Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong
thoughts cease when doubt and fear creep in.
The will to do springs from the knowledge that we _can_ do. Doubt
and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages
them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step.
He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. His
every thought is allied with power, and all difficulties are
bravely met and wisely overcome. His purposes are seasonably
planted, and they bloom and bring forth fruit, which does not fall
prematurely to the ground.
Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force: he who
_knows_ this is ready to become something higher and stronger than
a mere bundle of wavering thoughts and fluctuating sensations; he
who_does_ this has become the conscious and intelligent wielder of
his mental powers.
THE THOUGHT-FACTOR IN ACHIEVEMENT
ALL that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the
direct result of his own thoughts. In a justly ordered universe,
where loss of equipoise would mean total destruction, individual
responsibility must be absolute. A man's weakness and strength,
purity and impurity, are his own, and not another man's; they are
brought about by himself, and not by another; and they can only be
altered by himself, never by another. His condition is also his own,
and not another man's. His suffering and his happiness are evolved
from within. As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he
remains.
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