思想是永恒的主宰
人的精神具有一种在万物中唯有他才具有的属性,即思考。
思考所表达出的思想即是创造力的不断彰显,思考的过程就是创造的过程。
我们所见的世间的一切都可称之为思想的产物。
当思想的创造力缔造出对人类有益的、人们所向往的结果时,我们就称这个结果是“善”的。
当思想创造力缔造出对人类自身有害的、人们所不希望见到的结果时,我们就称这个结果是“恶”的。
创造只不过是思想的过程,而无论是善,还是恶,都是思想的伟大创造所产生的不同“结果”。
不同的思想决定着人类的种种行为,人们的不同行为又产生出他们自迥异的人生之“果”。
- 精神与我们同在
精神是永恒的。我们因为表现出自己的精神特征而证实际上自己的存在。精神再现出何种样式,我们也就的确具有这种样式的自我。精神与我们同在,如果精神消失,那么我们也就不复存在。一个人越是能够深刻领悟到精神的主观能动性,他就越是会因此受到激发并变得更加活力四射。
- 认识你的精神世界,并且运用它
我们越是对一件事物熟悉,我们对它的运用就会越是恰当得体,就像我们知道我们拥有财富,便会使用财富去改变我们的生活。精神世界具有无尽的潜能,它是一种完全真实的存在,但如果我们不去利用它,它就不会为我们创造更有价值的东西,所以,如果想发挥你的潜能,就要认识、了解你的精神世界,并且熟练地运用它。
- 创造力来自于思考的过程
- 潜能通过思考得以释放
人们生存的价值往往可以通过他的思考体现出来,通过思考,人可以释放他的巨大的潜能。终其一生,每一个人在每一分钟,无不是依赖着他思想和意识的创造性活动而存在。
- 无知导致贫乏
不爱思考的人在生命的路程中必将走更多的弯路,比思考者付出更多完全无必要的艰辛与苦难。
- 永恒不变的法则
当我们明白“思考可以创造一切、思想并能够改变一切”的自然法则,我们就得到了最真的真理,可以完全信任并且使用它,因为一切法则从古至今都没有改变过。
- 思考可以带来福音
当我们信任并且使用这种法则,它自身的真理性就会得到彰显,给我们的生活带来福音,我们可以借助于思考与宇宙精神保持连接,去体悟和实践它的能量,同时,宇宙精神也会依靠我们个体去彰显自己,创造和改变世间万物。
- 点燃你生命中所有的激情与能量
当你逐渐体悟到你完全可以通过努力的思考与宇宙精神本质融为一体,那么此时此刻的你就将成功转变为宇宙精神的信使。你的所作所为皆是宇宙精神的意图在世间的真实再现。开始行动吧,此时你手中正执着一把金光闪闪的利剑,它赋予你无穷的力量,创造性的思考正如熊熊燃烧着的火焰将你生命中所有激情与能量点燃,释放!
- 营造平和而又宁静的内心环境
要想获得这种强大的能量,就要给自己营造出一种平和而又宁静的内心环境。只有在这种静默之下,我们才能真切而又具体地感知到这种力量的源泉。宇宙精神仿佛是在海面上漂泊的五色瓶,惟有平静的海面才可以使它惬意而舒缓地漂流,让其在阳光的照射下反射出迷人的光芒。
- 反复地训练
当你领悟了这种力量的使用方法,你就要去不断地琢磨和思考这种方法的整个过程。
- 深入自己的内心世界
当你相信我们内在世界的存在并去认真找寻、揣摩、练习它的时候,你就会发现其实只有它才是一切存在的最根本支点。不仅你自己,同进也可以帮助身边的所有人慢慢了解他们的内心,了解一切人、事、环境的内在与外在,从而缔造出自己内心中的王国,并通过自身的努力将美好的“天国”梦想变为现实。
- 混乱的思考带来的是混乱的结果
这永恒不变的法则同时也为我们带来了另一个难题,即:什么样的思维就会产生什么样的结果。有其因必有其果,因果始终如影随形。
- 恰当地使用思想的力量
借助于这种无穷的力量,我们可以自信而勇敢地去实践自己的希望与想法,以往生活中我们常常挥之不去的恐惧、担忧、自卑等等负面的观念,都会烟消云散,你会发现灵感与天才已绝非普通人一生都不敢想象的梦,你会充满灵感,你即天才。
- 要拥有打破常规的勇气
创造性思维为我们带来非同凡响的灵感。我们要拥有打破常规的勇气,非常的想法也必须借助于非常的手段和方法去付诸于实施。一旦我们认识到一切力量都是源于我们自身的内心,灵感就会随之源源不断而来。
- 关于灵感
灵感是一种超现实的艺术。是个体精神通过与宇宙精神的合而为一而彰显力量的结果,但它并非高高在上,相反,它懂得根据世间的事物做出调整与适应。它懂得怎样利用有效机制去保障自己运行通畅,从而将世间的一切坷途变成坦途。通过将思维转化为有形的再现,它可以将不完美变成完美,将无形变为有形,将不可能变成可能,将理想变成现实。我们正是借于灵感的迸发完成我们实现自身的过程。
- 强大的力量无处不在
- 在情感上与这种力量产生共鸣
理性与情感从来都是一对密不可分的伙伴。当我们已经从理智上完全接受并信任这种力量时,我们的情感是否已经准备好了接纳并且信任它呢?一种观念或方法的植入需要全面而良好的土壤,当情感与理性一起发挥作用时,思想之树才会焕发现勃勃生机。
- 在“静寂”中孕育灵感
当我们准备孕育灵感时,就一定要为它创造和谐而安静的环境。让自己的肌肉放松,停止一切活动,进入到休眠状态,此时,我们可称得上是完全的“静寂”。在“静寂”中,你会自然而然地体验到自身的潜能,此时,你就可以放心愉快地去接受智慧与灵感的洗礼。
- 灵感带来机缘,改变我们的命运
- 调整自己的状态
无意识、无目的的生活与自主地、有意识地去调整自己的生活,会产生完全不同的结果。当我们意识到了这一点,我们就要调整自己的意识状态,去主动地寻找那种最理想的精神状态,并且在情感上坚信自己一定能够实现,以确保自己的信念能够被持久且坚定地执行。
- 潜能会被自然地激发
需求带来相应的供给。当我们有意识地去彰显自己的需求,那么身体的力量也会自然地配合我们去发掘这种需求。生命因此而变得更加富有积极性,能量、活力较之以往会大大增强。
- 生命的奥秘
- 万物有“灵”
是否有人曾经告诉过你,有这样一种物质,它充盈于我们整个的生活当中。我们生活并存在于“它”的包容之中,呼吸着“它”,感受着“它”,与它朝夕相处。“它”就是“灵”。“灵”不仅充满生命的能量,也充满了爱。因此每当我们呼吸,吸纳到体内的都是它的生命力、它的温暖的爱意。
- 与“灵”共在
- 与宇宙精神保持和谐一致
- 体验“真我”的精华
宇宙精神借助于我们的身体可以自由地发芽、扎根、生长,它存在于我们的体内,可以为我们的身体自身成长提供养分和创造力。因为它的存在,我们只要稍加体会,就会感受到那种超自然存在的生命气息,体验到“真我”的精华。
- 何所想,何所得
思想的创造性本身有一种永恒不变的规律,那就是“何所想,何所得”。我们思考什么,最终体现于外部环境中的创造时,我们就会得到什么样的收获。无论我们创造的好坏,那都是我们自身思考的结果。
- 怎样才能始终进行正确的思考?
如果想始终保持思考的正确性,使它不致于偏离正确方向而产生自己不愿意看到的结果,那么比较简单也是最有有效的办法就是始终如一地与宇宙精神保持一致。宇宙精神是永恒的真理,与它一致就不致因混乱不堪的思想,产生出破坏性的结果。一旦做到这一点,你就如同掌握了点石成金的金手指,你可以用它来造福自身,宇宙精神为你所用,永不枯竭。
- 与宇宙精神保持一致
只要我们真诚地去理解、领悟宇宙精神,与其达成实质上的和谐统一,才能在最大程度上激发出我们内在潜能,一个又一个地创造出生命中的奇迹。
本课重点
1、在外物之中只有人才具有的属性是什么?
——思考。
2、真正永恒的是什么?
——精神。
3、我们的潜能通过怎样的方式得以释放?
——人们生存的价值往往可以通过他的思考体现出来,通过思考,人可以释放他的巨大的潜能。
4、那一项永恒且不变的自然法则是什么?
——思考可以创造一切、思想并能够改变一切。
5、什么是宇宙精神?
——宇宙精神是一切存在的基础与本源。
6、怎亲才算是正确地理解了宇宙精神?
——认识它、领悟它,与其保持和谐一致。
7、为什么生活中会出现局限、疾病等各种不良的结果?
——一切皆有困果,错误的思想方式会导致破坏性的结果,而正确的思考方式会产生正确的结果。
8、怎样才能孕育灵感?
——当我们准备孕育灵感时,就一定要为它创造和谐而安静的环境,在“静寂”中孕育灵感。
9、那种充盈于我们整个的生活当中,我们生活并存在于“它”的包容之中,呼吸着“它”,感受着“它”,与它朝夕相处的东西是什么?
——最有生命力的、最有活力的“灵”。
10、思想的创造性本身有一种永恒不变的规律,那是什么?
——那就是“何所想,何所得”。
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Part Twenty
For many years there has been an endless discussion as to the origin of evil. Theologians have told us that God is Love, and that God is Omnipresent. If this be true, there is no place where God is not. Where, then, is Evil, Satan and Hell?
Let us see:
God is Spirit.
Spirit is the Creative Principle of the Universe.
Man is made in the image and likeness of God.
Man is therefore a spiritual being.
The only activity which spirit possesses is the power to think.
Thinking is therefore a creative process.
All form is therefore the result of the thinking process.
The destruction of form must also be a result of the thinking process.
Fictitious representations of form are the result of the creative power of thought, as in Hypnotism.
Apparent representation of form are the result of the creative power of thought, as in Spiritualism.
Invention, organization and constructive work of all kinds are the result of the creative power of thought, as in concentration.
When the creative power of thought is manifested for the benefit of humanity, we call the result good.
When the creative power of thought is manifested in a destructive or evil manner, we call the result evil.
This indicates the origin of both good and evil; they are simply words which have been coined in order to indicate the nature of the result of the thinking or creative process. Thought necessarily precedes and predetermines action; action precedes and predetermines condition.
Part Twenty will throw more light upon this important subject.
PART TWENTY
1. The spirit of a thing is that thing; it is necessarily fixed, changeless and eternal. The spirit of you is -- you; without the spirit you would be nothing. It becomes active through your recognition of it and its possibilities.
2. You may have all the wealth in Christendom, but unless you recognize it and make use of it, it will have no value; so with your spiritual wealth: unless you recognize it and use it, it will have no value. The one and only condition of spiritual power is use or recognition.
3. All great things come through recognition; the scepter of power is consciousness, and thought is its messenger, and this messenger is constantly molding the realities of the invisible world into the conditions and environments of your objective world.
4. Thinking is the true business of life, power is the result. You are at all times dealing with the magical power of thought and consciousness. What results can you expect so long as you remain oblivious to the power which has been placed within your control?
5. So long as you do this you limit yourself to superficial conditions, and make of yourself a beast of burden for those who think; those who recognize their power; those who know that unless we are willing to think we shall have to work, and the less we think the more we shall have to work, and the less we shall get for our work.
6. The secret of power is a perfect understanding of the principles, forces, methods and combinations of Mind, and a perfect understanding of our relationship to the Universal Mind. It is well to remember that this principle is unchangeable; if this were not so, it would not be reliable; all principles are changeless.
7. This stability is your opportunity; you are its active attribute, the channel for its activity; the Universal can act only through the individual.
8. When you begin to perceive that the essence of the Universal is within yourself -- is you -- you begin to do things; you begin to feel your power; it is the fuel which fires the imagination; which lights the torch of inspiration; which gives vitality to thought; which enables you to connect with all the invisible forces of the Universe. It is this power which will enable you to plan fearlessly, to execute masterfully.
9. But perception will come only in the Silence; this seems to be the condition required for all great purposes. You are a visualizing entity. Imagination is your workshop. It is here that your ideal is to be visualized.
10. As a perfect understanding of the nature of this power is a primary condition for its manifestation, visualize the entire method over and over again, so that you may use it whenever occasion requires. The infinity of wisdom is to follow the method whereby we may have the inspiration of the omnipotent Universal Mind on demand at any time.
11. We can fail to recognize this world within, and so exclude it from our consciousness, but it will still be the basic fact of all existence; and when we learn to recognize it, not only in ourselves, but in all persons, events, things and circumstances we shall have found the "Kingdom of heaven" which we are told is "within" us.
12. Our failures are a result of the operation of exactly the same principle; the principle is unchangeable; its operation is exact, there is no deviation; if we think lack, limitation, discord, we shall find their fruits on every hand; if we think poverty, unhappiness or disease, the thought messengers will carry the summons as readily as any other kind of thought and the result will be just as certain. If we fear a coming calamity, we shall be able to say with Job, "the thing I feared has come upon me"; if we think unkindly or ignorantly we shall thus attract to ourselves the results of our ignorance.
13. This power of thought, if understood and correctly used, is the greatest labor-saving device ever dreamed of, but if not understood or improperly used, the result will in all probability be disastrous, as we have already seen; by the help of this power you can confidently undertake things that are seemingly impossible, because this power is the secret of all inspiration, all genius.
14. To become inspired means to get out of the beaten path, out of the rut, because extraordinary results require extraordinary means. When we come into a recognition of the Unity of all things and that the source of all power is within, we tap the source of inspiration.
15. Inspiration is the art of imbibing, the art of self-realization; the art of adjusting the individual mind to that of the Universal Mind; the art of attaching the proper mechanism to the source of all power; the art of differentiating the formless into form; the art of becoming a channel for the flow of Infinite Wisdom; the art of visualizing perfection; the art of realizing the omnipresence of Omnipotence.
16. An understanding and appreciation of the fact that the infinite power is omnipresent and is therefore in the infinitely small as well as the infinitely large will enable us to absorb its essence; a further understanding of the fact that this power is spirit and therefore indivisible will enable us to appreciate its present at all points at the same time.
17. An understanding of these facts, first intellectually and then emotionally, will enable us to drink deeply from this ocean of infinite power. An intellectual understanding will be of no assistance; the emotions must be brought into action; thought without feeling is cold. The required combination is thought and feeling.
18. Inspiration is from within. The Silence is necessary, the senses must be stilled, the muscles relaxed, repose cultivated. When you have thus come into possession of a sense of poise and power you will be ready to receive the information or inspiration or wisdom which may be necessary for the development of your purpose.
19. Do not confuse these methods with those of the clairvoyant; they have nothing in common. Inspiration is the art of receiving and makes for all that is best in life; your business in life is to understand and command these invisible forces instead of letting them command and rule you. Power implies service; inspiration implies power; to understand and apply the method of inspiration is to become a superman.
20. We can live more abundantly every time we breathe, if we consciously breathe with that intention. The IF is a very important condition in this case, as the intention governs the attention, and without the attention you can secure only the results which every one else secures. That is, a supply equal to the demand.
21. In order to secure the larger supply your demand must be increased, and as you consciously increase the demand the supply will follow, you will find yourself coming into a larger and larger supply of life, energy and vitality.
22. The reason for this is not difficult to understand, but it is another of the vital mysteries of life which does not seem to be generally appreciated. If you make it your own, you will find it one of the great realities of life.
23. We are told that "In Him we live and move and have our being," and we are told that "He" is a Spirit, and again that "He" is Love, so that every time we breathe, we breathe this life, love, and spirit. This is Pranic Energy, or Pranic Ether, we could not exist a moment without it. It is the Cosmic Energy; it is the Life of the Solar Plexus.
24. Every time we breathe we fill our lungs with air and at the same time vitalize our body with this Pranic Ether which is Life itself, so that we have the opportunity of making a conscious connection with All Life, All Intelligence and All Substance.
25. A knowledge of your relation and oneness with this Principle that governs the Universe and the simple method whereby you can consciously identify yourself with it gives you a scientific understanding of a law whereby you may free yourself from disease, from lack or limitation of any kind; in fact, it enables you to breathe the "breath of life" into your own nostrils.
26. This "breath of life" is a superconscious reality. It is the essence of the "I am." It is pure "Being" or Universal Substance, and our conscious unity with it enables us to localize it, and thus exercise the powers of this creative energy.
27. Thought is creative vibration and the quality of the conditions created will depend upon the quality of our thought, because we cannot express powers which we do not possess. We must "be" before we can "do" and we can "do" only to the extent to which we "are," and so what we do will necessarily coincide with what we "are" and what we are depends upon what we "think."
28. Every time you think you start a train of causation which will create a condition in strict accordance with the quality of the thought which originated it. Thought which is in harmony with the Universal Mind will result in corresponding conditions. Thought which is destructive or discordant will produce corresponding results. You may use thought constructively or destructively, but the immutable law will not allow you to plant a thought of one kind and reap the fruit of another. You are free to use this marvelous creative power as you will, but you must take the consequences.
29. This is the danger from what is called Will Power. There are those who seem to think that by force of will they can coerce this law; that they can sow seed of one kind and by "Will Power" make it bear fruit of another, but the fundamental principle of creative power is in the Universal, and therefore the idea of forcing a compliance with our wishes by the power of the individual will is an inverted conception which may appear to succeed for a while but is eventually doomed to failure - because it antagonizes the very power which it is seeking to use.
30. It is the individual attempting to coerce the Universal, the finite in conflict with the Infinite. Our permanent well-being will be best conserved by a conscious cooperation with the continuous forward movement of the Great Whole.
31. For your exercise this week, go into the Silence and concentrate on the fact that "In him we live and move and have our being" is literally and scientifically exact! That you ARE because He IS, that if He is Omnipresent He must be in you. That if He is all in all you must be in Him! That He is Spirit and you are made in "His image and likeness" and that the only difference between His spirit and your spirit is one of degree, that a part must be the same in kind and quality as the whole. When you can realize this clearly you will have found the secret of the creative power of thought, you will have found the origin of both good and evil, you will have found the secret of the wonderful power of concentration, you will have found the key to the solution of every problem whether physical, financial, or environmental.
The power to think consecutively and deeply and clearly, is an avowed and deadly enemy to mistakes and blunders, superstitions, unscientific theories, irrational beliefs, unbridled enthusiasm, fanaticism.
Haddock
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Study Questions with Answers
191. Upon what condition does power depend?
Upon recognition and use.
192. What is recognition?
Consciousness.
193. How do we become conscious of power?
By thinking.
194. What then is the true business of life?
Correct scientific thinking.
195. What is correct scientific thinking?
The ability to adjust our thought processes to the will of the Universal. In other words, to cooperate with Natural laws.
196. How is this accomplished?
By securing a perfect understanding of the principles, forces, methods and combinations of mind.
197. What is this Universal Mind?
The basic fact of all existence.
198. What is the cause of all lack, limitation, disease and discord?
It is due to the operation of exactly the same law, the law operates relentlessly and is continually bringing about conditions in correspondence with the thought which originated or created them.
199. What is inspiration?
The art of realizing the omnipresence of Omniscience.
200. Upon what does the conditions with which we meet depend?
Upon the quality of our thought. Because what we do depends upon what we are and what we are depends upon what we think.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Part Twenty
For many years there has been an endless discussion as to the origin of evil. Theologians have told us that God is Love, and that God is Omnipresent. If this be true, there is no place where God is not. Where, then, is Evil, Satan and Hell?
Let us see:
God is Spirit.
Spirit is the Creative Principle of the Universe.
Man is made in the image and likeness of God.
Man is therefore a spiritual being.
The only activity which spirit possesses is the power to think.
Thinking is therefore a creative process.
All form is therefore the result of the thinking process.
The destruction of form must also be a result of the thinking process.
Fictitious representations of form are the result of the creative power of thought, as in Hypnotism.
Apparent representation of form are the result of the creative power of thought, as in Spiritualism.
Invention, organization and constructive work of all kinds are the result of the creative power of thought, as in concentration.
When the creative power of thought is manifested for the benefit of humanity, we call the result good.
When the creative power of thought is manifested in a destructive or evil manner, we call the result evil.
This indicates the origin of both good and evil; they are simply words which have been coined in order to indicate the nature of the result of the thinking or creative process. Thought necessarily precedes and predetermines action; action precedes and predetermines condition.
Part Twenty will throw more light upon this important subject.
PART TWENTY
1. The spirit of a thing is that thing; it is necessarily fixed, changeless and eternal. The spirit of you is -- you; without the spirit you would be nothing. It becomes active through your recognition of it and its possibilities.
2. You may have all the wealth in Christendom, but unless you recognize it and make use of it, it will have no value; so with your spiritual wealth: unless you recognize it and use it, it will have no value. The one and only condition of spiritual power is use or recognition.
3. All great things come through recognition; the scepter of power is consciousness, and thought is its messenger, and this messenger is constantly molding the realities of the invisible world into the conditions and environments of your objective world.
4. Thinking is the true business of life, power is the result. You are at all times dealing with the magical power of thought and consciousness. What results can you expect so long as you remain oblivious to the power which has been placed within your control?
5. So long as you do this you limit yourself to superficial conditions, and make of yourself a beast of burden for those who think; those who recognize their power; those who know that unless we are willing to think we shall have to work, and the less we think the more we shall have to work, and the less we shall get for our work.
6. The secret of power is a perfect understanding of the principles, forces, methods and combinations of Mind, and a perfect understanding of our relationship to the Universal Mind. It is well to remember that this principle is unchangeable; if this were not so, it would not be reliable; all principles are changeless.
7. This stability is your opportunity; you are its active attribute, the channel for its activity; the Universal can act only through the individual.
8. When you begin to perceive that the essence of the Universal is within yourself -- is you -- you begin to do things; you begin to feel your power; it is the fuel which fires the imagination; which lights the torch of inspiration; which gives vitality to thought; which enables you to connect with all the invisible forces of the Universe. It is this power which will enable you to plan fearlessly, to execute masterfully.
9. But perception will come only in the Silence; this seems to be the condition required for all great purposes. You are a visualizing entity. Imagination is your workshop. It is here that your ideal is to be visualized.
10. As a perfect understanding of the nature of this power is a primary condition for its manifestation, visualize the entire method over and over again, so that you may use it whenever occasion requires. The infinity of wisdom is to follow the method whereby we may have the inspiration of the omnipotent Universal Mind on demand at any time.
11. We can fail to recognize this world within, and so exclude it from our consciousness, but it will still be the basic fact of all existence; and when we learn to recognize it, not only in ourselves, but in all persons, events, things and circumstances we shall have found the "Kingdom of heaven" which we are told is "within" us.
12. Our failures are a result of the operation of exactly the same principle; the principle is unchangeable; its operation is exact, there is no deviation; if we think lack, limitation, discord, we shall find their fruits on every hand; if we think poverty, unhappiness or disease, the thought messengers will carry the summons as readily as any other kind of thought and the result will be just as certain. If we fear a coming calamity, we shall be able to say with Job, "the thing I feared has come upon me"; if we think unkindly or ignorantly we shall thus attract to ourselves the results of our ignorance.
13. This power of thought, if understood and correctly used, is the greatest labor-saving device ever dreamed of, but if not understood or improperly used, the result will in all probability be disastrous, as we have already seen; by the help of this power you can confidently undertake things that are seemingly impossible, because this power is the secret of all inspiration, all genius.
14. To become inspired means to get out of the beaten path, out of the rut, because extraordinary results require extraordinary means. When we come into a recognition of the Unity of all things and that the source of all power is within, we tap the source of inspiration.
15. Inspiration is the art of imbibing, the art of self-realization; the art of adjusting the individual mind to that of the Universal Mind; the art of attaching the proper mechanism to the source of all power; the art of differentiating the formless into form; the art of becoming a channel for the flow of Infinite Wisdom; the art of visualizing perfection; the art of realizing the omnipresence of Omnipotence.
16. An understanding and appreciation of the fact that the infinite power is omnipresent and is therefore in the infinitely small as well as the infinitely large will enable us to absorb its essence; a further understanding of the fact that this power is spirit and therefore indivisible will enable us to appreciate its present at all points at the same time.
17. An understanding of these facts, first intellectually and then emotionally, will enable us to drink deeply from this ocean of infinite power. An intellectual understanding will be of no assistance; the emotions must be brought into action; thought without feeling is cold. The required combination is thought and feeling.
18. Inspiration is from within. The Silence is necessary, the senses must be stilled, the muscles relaxed, repose cultivated. When you have thus come into possession of a sense of poise and power you will be ready to receive the information or inspiration or wisdom which may be necessary for the development of your purpose.
19. Do not confuse these methods with those of the clairvoyant; they have nothing in common. Inspiration is the art of receiving and makes for all that is best in life; your business in life is to understand and command these invisible forces instead of letting them command and rule you. Power implies service; inspiration implies power; to understand and apply the method of inspiration is to become a superman.
20. We can live more abundantly every time we breathe, if we consciously breathe with that intention. The IF is a very important condition in this case, as the intention governs the attention, and without the attention you can secure only the results which every one else secures. That is, a supply equal to the demand.
21. In order to secure the larger supply your demand must be increased, and as you consciously increase the demand the supply will follow, you will find yourself coming into a larger and larger supply of life, energy and vitality.
22. The reason for this is not difficult to understand, but it is another of the vital mysteries of life which does not seem to be generally appreciated. If you make it your own, you will find it one of the great realities of life.
23. We are told that "In Him we live and move and have our being," and we are told that "He" is a Spirit, and again that "He" is Love, so that every time we breathe, we breathe this life, love, and spirit. This is Pranic Energy, or Pranic Ether, we could not exist a moment without it. It is the Cosmic Energy; it is the Life of the Solar Plexus.
24. Every time we breathe we fill our lungs with air and at the same time vitalize our body with this Pranic Ether which is Life itself, so that we have the opportunity of making a conscious connection with All Life, All Intelligence and All Substance.
25. A knowledge of your relation and oneness with this Principle that governs the Universe and the simple method whereby you can consciously identify yourself with it gives you a scientific understanding of a law whereby you may free yourself from disease, from lack or limitation of any kind; in fact, it enables you to breathe the "breath of life" into your own nostrils.
26. This "breath of life" is a superconscious reality. It is the essence of the "I am." It is pure "Being" or Universal Substance, and our conscious unity with it enables us to localize it, and thus exercise the powers of this creative energy.
27. Thought is creative vibration and the quality of the conditions created will depend upon the quality of our thought, because we cannot express powers which we do not possess. We must "be" before we can "do" and we can "do" only to the extent to which we "are," and so what we do will necessarily coincide with what we "are" and what we are depends upon what we "think."
28. Every time you think you start a train of causation which will create a condition in strict accordance with the quality of the thought which originated it. Thought which is in harmony with the Universal Mind will result in corresponding conditions. Thought which is destructive or discordant will produce corresponding results. You may use thought constructively or destructively, but the immutable law will not allow you to plant a thought of one kind and reap the fruit of another. You are free to use this marvelous creative power as you will, but you must take the consequences.
29. This is the danger from what is called Will Power. There are those who seem to think that by force of will they can coerce this law; that they can sow seed of one kind and by "Will Power" make it bear fruit of another, but the fundamental principle of creative power is in the Universal, and therefore the idea of forcing a compliance with our wishes by the power of the individual will is an inverted conception which may appear to succeed for a while but is eventually doomed to failure - because it antagonizes the very power which it is seeking to use.
30. It is the individual attempting to coerce the Universal, the finite in conflict with the Infinite. Our permanent well-being will be best conserved by a conscious cooperation with the continuous forward movement of the Great Whole.
31. For your exercise this week, go into the Silence and concentrate on the fact that "In him we live and move and have our being" is literally and scientifically exact! That you ARE because He IS, that if He is Omnipresent He must be in you. That if He is all in all you must be in Him! That He is Spirit and you are made in "His image and likeness" and that the only difference between His spirit and your spirit is one of degree, that a part must be the same in kind and quality as the whole. When you can realize this clearly you will have found the secret of the creative power of thought, you will have found the origin of both good and evil, you will have found the secret of the wonderful power of concentration, you will have found the key to the solution of every problem whether physical, financial, or environmental.
The power to think consecutively and deeply and clearly, is an avowed and deadly enemy to mistakes and blunders, superstitions, unscientific theories, irrational beliefs, unbridled enthusiasm, fanaticism.
Haddock
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Study Questions with Answers
191. Upon what condition does power depend?
Upon recognition and use.
192. What is recognition?
Consciousness.
193. How do we become conscious of power?
By thinking.
194. What then is the true business of life?
Correct scientific thinking.
195. What is correct scientific thinking?
The ability to adjust our thought processes to the will of the Universal. In other words, to cooperate with Natural laws.
196. How is this accomplished?
By securing a perfect understanding of the principles, forces, methods and combinations of mind.
197. What is this Universal Mind?
The basic fact of all existence.
198. What is the cause of all lack, limitation, disease and discord?
It is due to the operation of exactly the same law, the law operates relentlessly and is continually bringing about conditions in correspondence with the thought which originated or created them.
199. What is inspiration?
The art of realizing the omnipresence of Omniscience.
200. Upon what does the conditions with which we meet depend?
Upon the quality of our thought. Because what we do depends upon what we are and what we are depends upon what we think.