Part Seventeen
The kind of Deity which a man, consciously or unconsciously,
worships, indicates the intellectual status of the worshipper.
Ask the Indian of God, and he will describe to you a powerful
chieftain of a glorious tribe. Ask the Pagan of God, and he will
tell you of a God of fire, a God of water, a god of this, that, and
the other.
Ask the Israelite of God, and he will tell you of the God of
Moses, who conceived it expedient to rule by coercive measures;
hence, the Ten Commandments. Or of Joshua, who led the Israelites
into battle, confiscated property, murdered the prisoners, and laid
waste to cities.
The so-called heathen made "graven images" of their Gods, whom
they were accustomed to worship, but among the most intelligent, at
least, these images were but the visible fulcrums with which they
were enabled to mentally concentrate on the qualities which they
desired to externalize in their lives.
We of the twentieth century worship a God of Love in theory, but
in practice we make for ourselves "graven images" of "Wealth,"
"Power," "Fashion," "Custom" and "Conventionality." We "fall down"
before them and worship them. We concentrate on them and they are
thereby externalized in our lives.
The student who masters the contents of Part Seventeen will not
mistake the symbols for the reality; he will be interested in
causes, rather than effects. He will concentrate on the realities of
life, and will then not be disappointed in the results.
PART SEVENTEEN
1. We are told that Man has "dominion over all things"; this
dominion is established through Mind. Thought is the activity which
controls every principle beneath it. The highest principle by reason
of its superior essence and qualities necessarily determines the
circumstances, aspects and relation of everything with which it
comes in contact.
2. The vibrations of mental forces are the finest and
consequently the most powerful in existence. To those who perceive
the nature and transcendency of mental force, all physical power
sinks into insignificance.
3. We are accustomed to look upon the Universe with a lens of
five senses, and from these experiences our anthropomorphic
conceptions originate, but true conceptions are only secured by
spiritual insight. This insight requires a quickening of the
vibrations of the Mind, and is only secured when the mind is
continuously concentrated in a given direction.
4. Continuous concentration means an even, unbroken flow of
thought and is the result of patient, persistent, persevering and
well-regulated system.
5. Great discoveries are the result of long-continued
investigation. The science of mathematics requires years of
concentrated effort to master it, and the greatest science -- that
of the Mind -- is revealed only through concentrated effort.
6. Concentration is much misunderstood; there seems to be an idea
of effort or activity associated with it, when just the contrary is
necessary. The greatness of an actor lies in the fact that he
forgets himself in the portrayal of his character, becoming so
identified with it, that the audience is swayed by the realism of
the performance. This will give you a good idea of true
concentration; you should be so interested in your thought, so
engrossed in your subject, as to be conscious of nothing else. Such
concentration leads to intuitive perception and immediate insight
into the nature of the object concentrated upon.
7. All knowledge is the result of concentration of this kind; it
is thus that the secrets of Heaven and Earth have been wrested; it
is thus that the mind becomes a magnet and the desire to know draws
the knowledge, irresistibly attracts it, makes it your own.
8. Desire is largely subconscious; conscious desire rarely
realizes its object when the latter is out of immediate reach.
Subconscious desire arouses the latent faculties of the mind, and
difficult problems seem to solve themselves.
9. The subconscious mind may be aroused and brought into action
in any direction and made to serve us for any purpose, by
concentration. The practice of concentration requires the control of
the physical, mental, and physical being; all modes of consciousness
whether physical, mental, or physical, must be under control.
10. Spiritual Truth is therefore the controlling factor; it is
this which will enable you to grow out of limited attainment and
reach a point where you will be able to translate modes of thought
into character and consciousness.
11. Concentration does not mean mere thinking of thoughts, but
the transmutation of these thoughts into practical values; the
average person has no conception of the meaning of concentration.
There is always the cry "to have" but never the cry "to be"; they
fail to understand that they cannot have one without the other, that
they must first find the "kingdom" before they can have the "things
added." Momentary enthusiasm is of no value; it is only with
unbounded self-confidence that the goal is reached.
12. The mind may place the ideal a little too high and fall short
of the mark; it may attempt to soar on untrained wings and instead
of flying, fall to earth; but that is no reason for not making
another attempt.
13. Weakness is the only barrier to mental attainment; attribute
your weakness to physical limitations or mental uncertainties and
try again; ease and perfection are gained by repetition.
14. The astronomer centers his mind on the stars and they give
forth their secrets; the geologists centers his mind on the
construction of the earth and we have geology; so with all things.
Men center their minds on the problems of life, and the result is
apparent in the vast and complex social order of the day.
15. All mental discovery and attainment are the result of desire
plus concentration; desire is the strongest mode of action; the more
persistent the desire, the more authoritative the revelation. Desire
added to concentration will wrench any secret from nature.
16. In realizing great thoughts, in experiencing great emotions
that correspond with great thoughts, the mind is in a state where it
appreciates the value of higher things.
17. The intensity of one moment's earnest concentration and the
intense longing to become and to attain may take you further than
years of slow normal and forced effort; it will unfasten the prison
bars of unbelief, weakness, impotence and self-belittlement, and you
will come into a realization of the joy of overcoming.
18. The spirit of initiative and originality is developed through
persistence and continuity of mental effort. Business teaches the
value of concentration and encourages decision of character; it
develops practical insight and quickness of conclusion. The mental
element in every commercial pursuit is dominant as the controlling
factor, and desire is the predominating force; all commercial
relations are the externalization of desire.
19. Many of the sturdy and substantial virtues are developed in
commercial employment; the mind is steadied and directed; it becomes
efficient. The principal necessity is the strengthening of the mind
so that it rises superior to the distractions and wayward impulses
of instinctive life and thus successfully overcomes in the conflict
between the higher and lower self.
20. All of us are dynamos, but the dynamo of itself is nothing;
the mind must work the dynamo; then it is useful and its energy can
be definitely concentrated. The mind is an engine whose power is
undreamed; thought is an omni-working power. It is the ruler and
creator of all form and all events occurring in form. Physical
energy is nothing in comparison with the omnipotence of thought,
because thought enables man to harness all other natural power.
21. Vibration is the action of thought; it is vibration which
reaches out and attracts the material necessary to construct and
build. There is nothing mysterious concerning the power of thought;
concentration simply implies that consciousness can be focalized to
the point where it becomes identified with the object of its
attention. As food absorbed is the essence of the body, so the mind
absorbs the object of its attention, gives it life and being.
22. If you concentrate on some matter of importance, the
intuitive power will be set in operation, and help will come in the
nature of information which will lead to success.
23. Intuition arrives at conclusions without the aid of
experience or memory. Intuition often solves problems that are
beyond the grasp of the reasoning power. Intuition often comes with
a suddenness that is startling; it reveals the truth for which we
are searching, so directly that it seems to come from a higher
power. Intuition can be cultivated and developed; in order to do
this it must be recognized and appreciated; if the intuitive visitor
is given a royal welcome when he comes, he will come again; the more
cordial the welcome the more frequent his visits will become, but if
he is ignored or neglected he will make his visits few and far
apart.
24. Intuition usually comes in the Silence; great minds seek
solitude frequently; it is here that all the larger problems of life
are worked out. For this reason every businessman who can afford it
has a private office, where he will not be disturbed; if you cannot
afford a private office you can at least find somewhere, where you
can be alone a few minutes each day, to train the thought along
lines which will enable you to develop that invincible power which
is necessary to achieve.
25. Remember that fundamentally the subconscious is omnipotent;
there is no limit to the things that can be done when it is given
the power to act. Your degree of success is determined by the nature
of your desire. If the nature of your desire is in harmony with
Natural Law or the Universal Mind, it will gradually emancipate the
mind and give you invincible courage.
26. Every obstacle conquered, every victory gained, will give you
more faith in your power, and you will have greater ability to win.
Your strength is determined by your mental attitude; if this
attitude is one of success, and is permanently held with an
unswerving purpose, you will attract to you from the invisible
domain the things you silently demand.
27. By keeping the thought in mind, it will gradually take
tangible form. A definite purpose sets causes in motion which go out
in the invisible world and find the material necessary to serve your
purpose.
28. You may be pursuing the symbols of power, instead of power
itself. You may be pursuing fame instead of honor, riches instead of
wealth, position instead of servitude; in either event you will find
that they turn to ashes just as you overtake them.
29. Premature wealth or position cannot be retained because it
has not been earned; we get only what we give, and those who try to
get without giving always find that the law of compensation is
relentlessly bringing about an exact equilibrium.
30. The race has usually been for money and other mere symbols of
power, but with an understanding of the true source of power, we can
afford to ignore the symbols. The man with a large bank account
finds it unnecessary to load his pockets down with gold; so with the
man who has found the true source of power; he is no longer
interested in its shams or pretensions.
31. Thought ordinarily leads outwardly in evolutionary
directions, but it can be turned within where it will take hold of
the basic principles of things, the heart of things, the spirit of
things. When you get to the heart of things it is comparatively easy
to understand and command them.
32. This is because the Spirit of a thing is the thing itself,
the vital part of it, the real substance. The form is simply the
outward manifestation of the spiritual activity within.
33. For your exercise this week concentrate as nearly as possible
in accordance with the method outlined in this lesson; let there be
no conscious effort or activity associated with your purpose. Relax
completely, avoid any thought of anxiety as to results. Remember
that power comes through repose. Let the thought dwell upon your
object, until it is completely identified with it, until you are
conscious of nothing else.
34. If you wish to eliminate fear, concentrate on courage.
35. If you wish to eliminate lack, concentrate on abundance.
36. If you wish to eliminate disease, concentrate on health.
37. Always concentrate on the ideal as an already existing fact;
this is the germ cell, the life principle which goes forth and sets
in motion those causes which guide, direct and bring about the
necessary relation, which eventually manifest in form.
Thought is the property of those only who can
entertain it.
Emerson |