Thought's Silent Power to Control and Direct Your Forces

The most powerful forces in the universe are the silent forces; and in accordance with the intensity of its power does a force become beneficent when rightly directed, and destructive when wrongly employed. This is a common knowledge in regard to the mechanical forces, such as steam, electricity, etc., but few have yet learned to apply this knowledge to the realm of mind, where the thought-forces (most powerful of all) are continually being generated and sent forth as currents of salvation or destruction.

The most powerful forces in the universe are silent. The more powerful a force is, the more it can help when rightly directed or destroy when wrongly used. This is common knowledge when it comes to mechanical forces, such as steam and electricity. But few have learned to apply this knowledge to the mind. There, thought forces, the most powerful of all, are constantly generated and sent out as currents of salvation or destruction.

At this stage of his evolution, man has entered into the possession of these forces, and the whole trend of his present advancement is their complete subjugation. All the wisdom possible to man on this material earth is to be found only in complete self-mastery, and the command, “Love your enemies,” resolves itself into an exhortation to enter here and now, into the possession of that sublime wisdom by taking hold of, mastering and transmuting, those mind forces to which man is now slavishly subject, and by which he is helplessly borne, like a straw on the stream, upon the currents of selfishness.

At this stage of his evolution, man has gained possession of these forces. His present progress is directed toward bringing them completely under his control. All the wisdom possible to man on this material earth can be found only in complete self-mastery. The command, “Love your enemies,” urges him to gain that sublime wisdom here and now. He can do so by taking hold of, mastering, and transforming the forces of his mind. He is now slavishly subject to those forces. They carry him helplessly on the currents of selfishness, like a straw on a stream.

The Hebrew prophets, with their perfect knowledge of the Supreme Law, always related outward events to inward thought, and associated national disaster or success with the thoughts and desires that dominated the nation at the time. The knowledge of the causal power of thought is the basis of all their prophecies, as it is the basis of all real wisdom and power. National events are simply the working out of the psychic forces of the nation. Wars, plagues, and famines are the meeting and clashing of wrongly-directed thought-forces, the culminating points at which destruction steps in as the agent of the Law. It is foolish to ascribe war to the influence of one man, or to one body of men. It is the crowning horror of national selfishness.

The Hebrew prophets had perfect knowledge of the Supreme Law. They always connected outward events to inner thoughts. They linked national disaster or success to the thoughts and desires that dominated the nation at the time. Knowledge of thought’s power to cause events is the basis of all their prophecies. It is also the basis of all real wisdom and power. National events are simply the psychic forces of the nation playing themselves out. Wars, plagues, and famines result when misguided thought-forces meet and clash. They are the climaxes at which destruction steps in as the agent of the Law. It is foolish to blame war on one man or one group of men. War is the crowning horror of national selfishness.

It is the silent and conquering thought-forces which bring all things into manifestation. The universe grew out of thought. Matter in its last analysis is found to be merely objectivized thought. All men’s accomplishments were first wrought out in thought, and then objectivized. The author, the inventor, the architect, first builds up his work in thought, and having perfected it in all its parts as a complete and harmonious whole upon the thought-plane. he then commences to materialize it, to bring it down to the material or sense-plane.

Silent, conquering thought forces bring all things into existence. The universe grew out of thought. Ultimately, matter is found to be nothing more than thought made visible. All human accomplishments were first worked out in thought and then made visible. Authors, inventors, and architects first build their work in thought. They perfect every part of it in their minds, making it a complete and harmonious whole. Only then do they begin to give it physical form, bringing it into the world of matter and the senses.

When the thought-forces are directed in harmony with the over-ruling Law, they are up-building and preservative, but when subverted they become disintegrating and self-destructive.

When the forces of thought are directed in harmony with the governing Law, they build up and preserve. But when they are turned against the Law, they break down and destroy themselves.

To adjust all your thoughts to a perfect and unswerving faith in the omnipotence and supremacy of Good, is to co-operate with that Good, and to realize within yourself the solution and destruction of all evil. Believe and ye shall live. And here we have the true meaning of salvation; salvation from the darkness and negation of evil, by entering into, and realizing the living light of the Eternal Good.

Align all your thoughts with a perfect and unwavering faith that Good is all-powerful and supreme. By doing so, you cooperate with Good and bring about the solution and destruction of all evil within yourself. Believe and you shall live. This is the true meaning of salvation. It is salvation from the darkness and emptiness of evil, achieved by entering into and experiencing the living light of the Eternal Good.

Where there is fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, trouble, chagrin, or disappointment, there is ignorance and lack of faith. All these conditions of mind are the direct outcome of selfishness, and are based upon an inherent belief in the power and supremacy of evil; they therefore constitute practical atheism; and to live in, and become subject to, these negative and soul-destroying conditions of mind is the only real atheism.

Where there is fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, trouble, frustration, or disappointment, there is ignorance and a lack of faith. All these states of mind come directly from selfishness. They are based on a deep-rooted belief in the power and supremacy of evil. They therefore amount to atheism in practice. Living in and becoming subject to these negative, soul-destroying states of mind is the only real atheism.

It is salvation from such conditions that the race needs, and let no man boast of salvation whilst he is their helpless and obedient slave. To fear or to worry is as sinful as to curse, for how can one fear or worry if he intrinsically believes in the Eternal justice, the Omnipotent Good, the Boundless Love? To fear, to worry, to doubt, is to deny, to disbelieve.

The human race needs to be saved from such conditions. Let no one boast of being saved while they remain a helpless and obedient slave to them. To fear or worry is as sinful as to curse. How can anyone fear or worry if they truly believe in Eternal justice, Omnipotent Good, and Boundless Love? To fear, worry, or doubt is to deny and disbelieve.

It is from such states of mind that all weakness and failure proceed, for they represent the annulling and disintegrating of the positive thought-forces which would otherwise speed to their object with power, and bring about their own beneficent results.

All weakness and failure come from such states of mind. They cancel and break down positive thought-forces. Otherwise, these forces would move powerfully toward their goal and produce their own beneficial results.

To overcome these negative conditions is to enter into a life of power, is to cease to be a slave, and to become a master, and there is only one way by which they can be overcome, and that is by steady and persistent growth in inward knowledge. To mentally deny evil is not sufficient; it must, by daily practice, be risen above and understood. To mentally affirm the good is inadequate; it must, by unswerving endeavor, be entered into and comprehended.

To overcome these negative conditions is to enter a life of power, to stop being a slave and become a master. There is only one way to overcome them: steady and persistent growth in inward knowledge. It is not enough to deny evil in your mind. Through daily practice, you must rise above it and understand it. It is not enough to affirm the good in your mind. Through unwavering effort, you must enter into it and understand it.

The intelligent practice of self-control, quickly leads to a knowledge of one’s interior thought-forces, and, later on, to the acquisition of that power by which they are rightly employed and directed. In the measure that you master self, that you control your mental forces instead of being controlled by them, in just such measure will you master affairs and outward circumstances.

Practicing self-control wisely quickly helps you understand the forces of your own thoughts. Later, it gives you the power to use and direct those forces rightly. The more you master yourself and control your mental forces instead of letting them control you, the more you will master your affairs and outward circumstances.

Show me a man under whose touch everything crumbles away, and who cannot retain success even when it is placed in his hands, and I will show you a man who dwells continually in those conditions of mind which are the very negation of power. To be for ever wallowing in the bogs of doubt, to be drawn continually into the quicksands of fear, or blown ceaselessly about by the winds of anxiety, is to be a slave, and to live the life of a slave, even though success and influence be for ever knocking at your door seeking for admittance. Such a man, being without faith and without self-government, is incapable of the right government of his affairs, and is a slave to circumstances; in reality a slave to himself. Such are taught by affliction, and ultimately pass from weakness to strength by the stress of bitter experience.

Show me a man under whose touch everything falls apart, who cannot hold on to success even when it is placed in his hands. I will show you a man who lives in a constant state of mind that is the very opposite of power. To wallow forever in the bogs of doubt, to be continually drawn into the quicksands of fear, or to be endlessly blown about by the winds of anxiety is to be a slave and live the life of a slave. This is true even if success and influence are forever knocking at your door, seeking entry. Such a man has no faith or self-control, so he cannot manage his affairs properly. He is a slave to circumstances, but in reality he is a slave to himself. Such men learn through hardship and eventually pass from weakness to strength under the pressure of bitter experience.

Faith and purpose constitute the motive-power of life. There is nothing that a strong faith and an unflinching purpose may not accomplish. By the daily exercise of silent faith, the thought-forces are gathered together, and by the daily strengthening of silent purpose, those forces are directed toward the object of accomplishment.

Faith and purpose are the driving forces of life. There is nothing that strong faith and unwavering purpose cannot accomplish. By practicing quiet faith every day, we gather the forces of our thoughts. By strengthening our quiet purpose every day, we direct those forces toward our goal.

Whatever your position in life may be, before you can hope to enter into any measure of success, usefulness, and power, you must learn how to focus your thought-forces by cultivating calmness and repose. It may be that you are a business man, and you are suddenly confronted with some overwhelming difficulty or probable disaster. You grow fearful and anxious, and are at your wit's end. To persist in such a state of mind would be fatal, for when anxiety steps in, correct judgment passes out. Now if you will take advantage of a quiet hour or two in the early morning or at night, and go away to some solitary spot, or to some room in your house where you know you will be absolutely free from intrusion, and, having seated yourself in an easy attitude, you forcibly direct your mind right away from the object of anxiety by dwelling upon something in your life that is pleasing and blissgiving, a calm, reposeful strength will gradually steal into your mind, and your anxiety will pass away. Upon the instant that you find your mind reverting to the lower plane of worry bring it back again, and re-establish it on the plane of peace and strength. When this is fully accomplished, you may then concentrate your whole mind upon the solution of your difficulty, and what was intricate and insurmountable to you in your hour of anxiety will be made plain and easy, and you will see, with that clear vision and perfect judgment which belong only to a calm and untroubled mind, the right course to pursue and the proper end to be brought about. It may be that you will have to try day after day before you will be able to perfectly calm your mind, but if you persevere you will certainly accomplish it. And the course which is presented to you in that hour of calmness must be carried out. Doubtless when you are again involved in the business of the day, and worries again creep in and begin to dominate you, you will begin to think that the course is a wrong or foolish one, but do not heed such suggestions. Be guided absolutely and entirely by the vision of calmness, and not by the shadows of anxiety. The hour of calmness is the hour of illumination and correct judgment. By such a course of mental discipline the scattered thought-forces are re-united, and directed, like the rays of the search-light, upon the problem at issue, with the result that it gives way before them.

Whatever your position in life, you must learn to focus the power of your thoughts by cultivating calm and rest. Only then can you hope to achieve any measure of success, usefulness, and power. Perhaps you are a businessperson suddenly faced with an overwhelming difficulty or possible disaster. You become fearful and anxious, and you are at your wit’s end. To remain in that state of mind would be fatal, because anxiety drives out sound judgment. Take advantage of a quiet hour or two early in the morning or at night. Go somewhere secluded, or to a room in your house where you know no one will disturb you. Sit comfortably and force your mind away from the source of your anxiety. Focus instead on something in your life that brings you pleasure and joy. A calm, restful strength will gradually enter your mind, and your anxiety will pass away. Whenever your mind returns to the lower level of worry, bring it back to a state of peace and strength. Once you have done this completely, you can focus your whole mind on solving your difficulty. What seemed complicated and impossible to overcome in your anxiety will become clear and easy. You will see the right course to take and the proper outcome to achieve. You will see them with the clear vision and perfect judgment that belong only to a calm and untroubled mind. You may have to try day after day before you can calm your mind completely. But if you persevere, you will certainly succeed. And the course that becomes clear to you in that hour of calm must be carried out. When you return to your daily business, worries will no doubt creep in and begin to dominate you again. Then you will begin to think that the course is wrong or foolish. But pay no attention to such thoughts. Let the vision of calm guide you completely, not the shadows of anxiety. The hour of calm is the hour of illumination and sound judgment. Through this kind of mental discipline, your scattered powers of thought come together again. They are directed at the problem, like the rays of a searchlight, and the problem gives way before them.

There is no difficulty, however great, but will yield before a calm and powerful concentration of thought, and no legitimate object but may be speedily actualized by the intelligent use and direction of one’s soul-forces.

No difficulty, however great, can resist calm, powerful concentration of thought. Any legitimate goal may be quickly achieved by intelligently using and directing the powers of one’s soul.

Not until you have gone deeply and searchingly into your inner nature, and have overcome many enemies that lurk there, can you have any approximate conception of the subtle power of thought, of its inseparable relation to outward and material things, or of its magical potency, when rightly poised and directed, in readjusting and transforming the life-conditions.

Only after you have deeply and carefully examined your inner nature and overcome many enemies hiding there can you begin to understand the subtle power of thought. Only then can you begin to understand its inseparable connection to the material world. And only then can you begin to understand its magical power to reshape and transform the conditions of your life when properly balanced and directed.

Every thought you think is a force sent out, and in accordance with its nature and intensity will it go out to seek a lodgment in minds receptive to it, and will react upon yourself for good or evil. There is ceaseless reciprocity between mind and mind, and a continual interchange of thought-forces. Selfish and disturbing thoughts are so many malignant and destructive forces, messengers of evil, sent out to stimulate and augment the evil in other minds, which in turn send them back upon you with added power. While thoughts that are calm, pure, and unselfish are so many angelic messengers sent out into the world with health, healing, and blessedness upon their wings, counteracting the evil forces; pouring the oil of joy upon the troubled waters of anxiety and sorrow, and restoring to broken hearts their heritage of immortality.

Every thought you think is a force sent out into the world. Depending on its nature and intensity, it seeks a place in minds receptive to it. It also comes back to affect you, for good or evil. Minds constantly influence one another and exchange thought forces. Selfish and disturbing thoughts are destructive, harmful forces, messengers of evil. They stir up and increase the evil in other minds. Those minds, in turn, send the thoughts back to you with added power. But calm, pure, and unselfish thoughts are like angelic messengers sent out into the world. They carry health, healing, and blessings on their wings, counteracting the forces of evil. They pour the oil of joy on the troubled waters of anxiety and sorrow. They restore to broken hearts their heritage of immortality.

Think good thoughts, and they will quickly become actualized in your outward life in the form of good conditions. Control your soul-forces, and you will be able to shape your outward life as you will. The difference between a savior and a sinner is this, that the one has a perfect control of all the forces within him; the other is dominated and controlled by them.

Think good thoughts, and they will soon appear as good conditions in your outward life. Control the forces within your soul, and you can shape your outward life as you wish. The difference between a savior and a sinner is this: a savior has perfect control over all the forces within him. A sinner, on the other hand, is dominated and controlled by those forces.

There is absolutely no other way to true power and abiding peace, but by self-control, self-government, self-purification. To be at the mercy of your disposition is to be impotent, unhappy, and of little real use in the world. The conquest of your petty likes and dislikes, your capricious loves and hates, your fits of anger, suspicion, jealousy, and all the changing moods to which you are more or less helplessly subject, this is the task you have before you if you would weave into the web of life the golden threads of happiness and prosperity. In so far as you are enslaved by the changing moods within you, will you need to depend upon others and upon outward aids as you walk through life. If you would walk firmly and securely, and would accomplish any achievement, you must learn to rise above and control all such disturbing and retarding vibrations. You must daily practice the habit of putting your mind at rest, “going into the silence,” as it is commonly called. This is a method of replacing a troubled thought with one of peace, a thought of weakness with one of strength. Until you succeed in doing this you cannot hope to direct your mental forces upon the problems and pursuits of life with any appreciable measure of success. It is a process of diverting one’s scattered forces into one powerful channel. Just as a useless marsh may be converted into a field of golden corn or a fruitful garden by draining and directing the scattered and harmful streams into one wellcut channel, so, he who acquires calmness, and subdues and directs the thought-currents within himself, saves his soul, and fructifies his heart and life.

There is absolutely no other way to true power and lasting peace than through self-control, self-government, and self-purification. If you are at the mercy of your temperament, you are powerless, unhappy, and of little real use in the world. You must overcome your petty likes and dislikes, your changeable loves and hates, and your fits of anger, suspicion, and jealousy. You must also overcome all the changing moods to which you are more or less helplessly subject. This is your task if you want to weave the golden threads of happiness and prosperity into the fabric of life. To the extent that you are enslaved by your changing moods, you will need to depend on others and outside help as you go through life. If you want to walk firmly and securely and achieve anything, you must learn to rise above and control all such disturbing and hindering vibrations. Every day, you must practice putting your mind at rest, or “going into the silence,” as it is commonly called. This means replacing a troubled thought with a peaceful one, or a weak thought with a strong one. Until you succeed, you cannot hope to direct your mental powers toward life’s problems and pursuits with any significant success. This process channels your scattered forces into one powerful stream. A useless marsh can become a field of golden corn or a fruitful garden. It does so when its scattered, harmful streams are drained and directed into one well-cut channel. In the same way, a person who becomes calm and masters and directs the currents of thought within saves his soul and makes his heart and life fruitful.

As you succeed in gaining mastery over your impulses and thoughts you will begin to feel, growing up within you, a new and silent power, and a settled feeling of composure and strength will remain with you. Your latent powers will begin to unfold themselves, and whereas formerly your efforts were weak and ineffectual, you will now be able to work with that calm confidence which commands success. And along with this new power and strength, there will be awakened within you that interior Illumination known as “intuition,” and you will walk no longer in darkness and speculation, but in light and certainty. With the development of this soul-vision, judgment and mental penetration will be incalculably increased, and there will evolve within you that prophetic vision by the aid of which you will be able to sense coming events, and to forecast, with remarkable accuracy, the result of your efforts. And in just the measure that you alter from within will your outlook upon life alter; and as you alter your mental attitude towards others they will alter in their attitude and conduct toward you. As you rise above the lower, debilitating, and destructive thought-forces, you will come in contact with the positive, strengthening, and up-building currents generated by strong, pure, and noble minds, your happiness will be immeasurably intensified, and you will begin to realize the joy, strength, and power, which are born only of self-mastery. And this joy, strength, and power will be continually radiating from you, and without any effort on your part, nay, though you are utterly unconscious of it, strong people will be drawn toward you, influence will be put into your hands, and in accordance with your altered thought-world will outward events shape themselves.

As you learn to master your impulses and thoughts, you will begin to feel a new, quiet power growing within you. A lasting sense of calm and strength will stay with you. Your hidden powers will begin to unfold. Where your efforts were once weak and ineffective, you will now be able to work with calm confidence that brings success. Along with this new power and strength, an inner light known as “intuition” will awaken within you. You will no longer walk in darkness and uncertainty, but in light and certainty. As this vision of the soul develops, your judgment and mental insight will increase beyond measure. You will also develop a prophetic vision that will help you sense coming events. With it, you will be able to predict the results of your efforts with remarkable accuracy. As you change within, your outlook on life will change to the same degree. As you change your mental attitude toward others, their attitude and behavior toward you will also change. You will rise above the lower, weakening, and destructive forces of thought. As you do, you will come into contact with the positive, strengthening, and uplifting currents created by strong, pure, and noble minds. Your happiness will grow beyond measure. You will begin to experience the joy, strength, and power that come only from self-mastery. This joy, strength, and power will continually radiate from you. Without any effort on your part, and even without your being aware of it, strong people will be drawn to you. Influence will be placed in your hands, and outward events will take shape in keeping with your changed world of thought.

“A man’s foes are they of his own household,” and he who would be useful, strong, and happy, must cease to be a passive receptacle for the negative, beggardly, and impure streams of thought; and as a wise householder commands his servants and invites his guests, so must he learn to command his desires, and to say, with authority, what thoughts he shall admit into the mansion of his soul. Even a very partial success in self-mastery adds greatly to one’s power, and he who succeeds in perfecting this divine accomplishment, enters into possession of undreamed-of wisdom and inward strength and peace, and realizes that all the forces of the universe aid and protect his footsteps who is master of his soul.

“A man’s enemies are members of his own household.” Anyone who wants to be useful, strong, and happy must stop passively accepting streams of negative, impoverished, and impure thoughts. A wise householder commands his servants and invites his guests. In the same way, a person must learn to command his desires. He must decide with authority which thoughts he will admit into the mansion of his soul. Even partial success in self-mastery greatly increases a person’s power. Whoever perfects this divine accomplishment gains wisdom, inner strength, and peace beyond his dreams. He realizes that all the forces of the universe aid and protect the steps of one who masters his soul.