Our difficulties are largely due to confused
ideas and ignorance of our true interests. The great task is to discover
the
laws of nature to which we are to adjust ourselves.
Clear thinking and moral insight are, therefore, of incalculable value.
All processes, even those of thought, rest on solid
foundations.
The keener the sensibilities, the more acute the
judgment, the more delicate the taste, the more refined the moral
feelings,
the more subtle the intelligence, the loftier the
aspiration -- the purer and more intense are the gratifications which
existence
yields. Hence it is that the study of the best that
has been thought in the world gives supreme pleasure.
The powers, uses and possibilities of the mind under
the new interpretations are incomparably more wonderful that the most
extravagant accomplishment, or even dreams of material
progress.
Thought is energy. Active thought is active energy;
concentrated thought is a concentrated energy. Thought concentrated on
a definite purpose becomes power. This is the power
which is being used by those who do not believe in the virtue of
poverty,
or the beauty of self-denial. They perceive that this
is the talk of weaklings.
The ability to receive and manifest this power depends
upon the ability to recognize the Infinite Energy ever dwelling in
man, constantly creating and recreating his body and
mind, and ready at any moment to manifest through him in any needful
manner. In exact proportion to the recognition of this
truth will be the manifestation in the outer life of the individual.
Part Two explains the method by which this is accomplished.
PART TWO
1. The operations of the mind are
produced by two parallel modes of activity, the one conscious, and the
other subconscious.
Professor Davidson says: "He who thinks to illuminate
the whole range of mental action by the light of his own consciousness
is not unlike the one who should go about to
illuminate the universe with a rushlight."
2. The subconscious’ logical
processes are carried on with a certainty and regularity which would be
impossible if there existed
the possibility of error. Our mind is so designed that
it prepares for us the most important foundations of cognition, whilst
we have not the slightest apprehension of the modus
operandi.
3. The subconscious soul, like a
benevolent stranger, works and makes provision for our benefit, pouring
only the mature fruit
into our lap; thus ultimate analysis of thought
processes shows that the subconscious is the theatre of the most
important
mental phenomena.
4. It is through the subconscious
that Shakespeare must have perceived, without effort, great truths which
are hidden from
the conscious mind of the student; that Phidias
fashioned marble and bronze; that Raphael painted Madonnas and Beethoven
composed
symphonies.
5. Ease and perfection depend
entirely upon the degree in which we cease to depend upon the
consciousness; playing the piano,
skating, operating the typewriter, the skilled trades,
depend for their perfect execution on the process of the sub-conscious
mind. The marvel of playing a brilliant piece on the
piano, while at the same time conducting a vigorous conversation, shows
the greatness of our subconscious powers.
6. We are all aware how dependent we
are upon the subconscious, and the greater, the nobler, the more
brilliant our thoughts
are, the more it is obvious to ourselves that the
origin lies beyond our ken. We find ourselves endowed with tact,
instinct,
sense of the beautiful in art, music, etc., or whose
origin or dwelling place we are wholly unconscious.
7. The value of the subconscious is
enormous; it inspires us; it warns us; it furnishes us with names, facts
and scenes from
the storehouse of memory. It directs our thoughts,
tastes, and accomplishes tasks so intricate that no conscious mind, even
if it had the power, has the capacity for.
8. We can walk at will; we can raise
the arm whenever we choose to do so; we can give our attention through
eye or ear to
any subject at pleasure. On the other hand, we cannot
stop our heartbeats nor the circulation of the blood, nor the growth
of stature, nor the formation of nerve and muscle
tissue, nor the building of the bones, nor many other important vital
processes.
9. If we compare these two sets of
action, the one decreed by the will of the moment, and the other
proceeding in majestic,
rhythmic course, subject to no vascillation, but
constant at every moment, we stand in awe of the latter, and ask to have
the mystery explained. We see at once that these are
the vital processes of our physical life, and we can not avoid the
inference
that these all-important functions are designedly
withdrawn from the domain of our outward will with its variations and
transitions,
and placed under the direction of a permanent and
dependable power within us.
10. Of these two powers, the outward
and changeable has been termed the "Conscious Mind," or the "Objective
Mind" (dealing
with outward objects). The interior power is called
the "Subconscious Mind," or the "Subjective Mind," and besides its work
on the mental plane it controls the regular functions
which make physical life possible.
11. It is necessary to have a clear
understanding of their respective functions on the mental plane, as well
as of certain
other basic principles. Perceiving and operating
through the five physical senses, the conscious mind deals with the
impressions
and objects of the outward life.
12. It has the faculty of
discrimination, carrying with it the responsibility of choice. It has
the power of reasoning - whether
inductive, deductive, analytical or syllogistic - and
this power may be developed to a high degree. It is the seat of the
will with all the energies that flow therefrom.
13. Not only can it impress other
minds, but it can direct the subconscious mind. In this way the
conscious mind becomes the
responsible ruler and guardian of the subconscious
mind. It is this high function which can completely reverse conditions
in your life.
14. It is often true that conditions
of fear, worry, poverty, disease, inharmony and evils of all kinds
dominate us by reason
of false suggestions accepted by the unguarded
subconscious mind. All this the trained conscious mind can entirely
prevent
by its vigilant protective action. It may properly be
called "the watchman at the gate" of the great subconscious domain.
15. One writer has expressed the chief distinction between the two phases of mind thus: "Conscious mind is reasoning will.
Subconscious mind is instinctive desire, the result of past reasoning will."
16. The subconscious mind draws just
and accurate inferences from premises furnished from outside sources.
Where the premise
is true, the subconscious mind reaches a faultless
conclusion, but, where the premise or suggestion is an error, the whole
structure falls. The subconscious mind does not engage
in the process of proving. It relies upon the conscious mind, "the
watchman at the gate," to guard it from mistaken
impressions.
17. Receiving any suggestions as
true, the subconscious mind at once proceeds to act thereon in the whole
domain of its tremendous
field of work. The conscious mind can suggest either
truth or error. If the latter, it is at the cost of wide-reaching peril
to the whole being.
18. The conscious mind ought to be on
duty during every waking hour. When the "watchman" is "off guard," or
when its calm
judgment is suspended, under a variety of
circumstances, then the subconscious mind is unguarded and left open to
suggestion
from all sources. During the wild excitement of panic,
or during the height of anger, or the impulses of the irresponsible
mob, or at any other time of unrestrained passion, the
conditions are most dangerous. The subconscious mind is then open to
the suggestion of fear, hatred, selfishness, greed,
self-depreciation and other negative forces, derived from surrounding
persons or circumstances. The result is usually
unwholesome in the extreme, with effects that may endure to distress it
for
a long time. Hence, the great importance of guarding
the subconscious mind from false impressions.
19. The subconscious mind perceives by intuition. Hence, its processes are rapid. It does not wait for the slow methods of
conscious reasoning. In fact, it can not employ them.
20. The subconscious mind never
sleeps, never rests, any more than does your heart, or your blood. It
has been found that
by plainly stating to the subconscious mind certain
specific things to be accomplished, forces are set in operation that
lead
to the result desired. Here, then, is a source of
power which places us in touch with Omnipotence. Here in is a deep
principle
which is well worth our most earnest study.
21. The operation of this law is
interesting. Those who put it into operation find that when they go out
to meet the person
with whom they anticipate a difficult interview,
something has been there before them and dissolved the supposed
differences;
everything is changed; all is harmonious; they find
that when some difficult business problem presents itself they can
afford
to make delay and something suggests the proper
solution; everything is properly arranged; in fact, those who have
learned
to trust the subconscious find that they have infinite
resources at their command.
22. The subconscious mind is the seat
of our principles and our aspirations. It is the fount of our artistic
and altruistic
ideals. These instincts can only be overthrown by an
elaborate and gradual process of undermining the innate principles.
23. The subconscious mind cannot
argue controversially. Hence, if it has accepted wrong suggestions, the
sure method of overcoming
them is by the use of a strong counter suggestion,
frequently repeated, which the mind must accept, thus eventually forming
new and healthy habits of thought and life, for the
subconscious mind is the seat of Habit. That which we do over and over
becomes mechanical; it is no longer an act of
judgment, but has worn its deep grooves in the subconscious mind. This
is favorable
for us if the habit be wholesome and right. If it be
harmful, and wrong, the remedy is to recognize the omnipotence of the
subconscious mind and suggest present actual freedom.
The subconscious being creative and one with our divine source will
at once create the freedom suggested.
24. To sum up: The normal functions
of the subconscious on the physical side have to do with the regular and
vital processes,
with the preservation of life and the restoration of
health; with the care of offspring, which includes an instinctive desire
to preserve all life and improve conditions generally.
25. On the mental side, it is the
storehouse of memory; it harbors the wonderful thought messengers, who
work, unhampered
by time or space; it is the fountain of the practical
initiative and constructive forces of life: It is the seat of habit.
26. On the spiritual side, it is the
source of ideals, of aspiration, of the imagination, and is the channel
through which
we recognize our Divine Source, and in proportion as
we recognize this divinity do we come into an understanding of the
source
of power.
27. Some one may ask: "How can the
subconscious change conditions?" The reply is, because the subconscious
is a part of the
Universal Mind and a part must be the same in kind and
quality as the whole; the only difference is one of degree. The whole,
as we know, is creative, in fact, it is the only
creator there is, consequently, we find that mind is creative, and as
thought
is the only activity which the mind possesses, thought
must necessarily be creative also.
28. But we shall find that there is a
vast difference between simply thinking, and directing our thought
consciously, systematically
and constructively; when we do this we place our mind
in harmony with the Universal Mind, we come in tune with the Infinite,
we set in operation the mightiest force in existence,
the creative power of the Universal Mind. This, as everything else,
is governed by natural law, and this law is the "Law
of Attraction," which is that Mind is creative, and will automatically
correlate with its object and bring it into
manifestation.
29. Last week I gave you an exercise
for the purpose of securing control of the physical body; if you have
accomplished this
you are ready to advance. This time you will begin to
control your thought. Always take the same room, the same chair, and
the same position, if possible. In some cases it is
not convenient to take the same room, in this case simply make the best
use of such conditions as may be available. Now be
perfectly still as before, but inhibit all thought; this will give you
control over all thoughts of care, worry and fear, and
will enable you to entertain only the kind of thoughts you desire.
Continue this exercise until you gain complete
mastery.
30. You will not be able to do this
for more than a few moments at a time, but the exercise is valuable,
because it will be
a very practical demonstration of the great number of
thoughts which are constantly trying to gain access to your mental
world.
31. Next week you will receive instructions for an exercise which may be a little more interesting, but it is necessary that
you master this one first.
Cause
and effect is as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of
thought as in the world of visible
and material things. Mind is the master weaver, both
of the interior garment of character and the outer garment of
circumstance
James Allen
