A Mental Exercise

The purpose of mental exercises must not be misunderstood. There is no virtue in charms or formulated strings of words; there is no short cut to development by repeating prayers or incantations. A mental exercise is an exercise, not in repeating words, but in the thinking of certain thoughts. The phrases that we repeatedly hear become convictions, as Goethe says; and the thoughts that we repeatedly think become habitual, and make us what we are. The purpose in taking a mental exercise is that you may think certain thoughts repeatedly until you form a habit of thinking them; then they will be your thoughts all the time. Taken in the right way and with an understanding of their purpose, mental exercises are of great value; but taken as most people take them they are worse than useless.

Do not misunderstand the purpose of mental exercises. Charms and set sequences of words have no power in themselves. Repeating prayers or chants offers no shortcut to development. A mental exercise is not about repeating words, but about thinking certain thoughts. As Goethe says, phrases we hear repeatedly become convictions. And thoughts we think repeatedly become habits and make us who we are. The purpose of a mental exercise is to think certain thoughts repeatedly until thinking them becomes a habit. Then those thoughts will be with you all the time. Mental exercises are very valuable when you practice them correctly and understand their purpose. But when practiced as most people practice them, mental exercises are worse than useless.

The thoughts embodied in the following exercise are the ones you want to think. You should take the exercise once or twice daily, but you should think the thoughts continuously. That is, do not think them twice a day for a stated time and then forget them until it is time to take the exercise again. The exercise is to impress you with the material for continuous thought.

The thoughts in the following exercise are the ones you want to think. You should do the exercise once or twice a day, but keep thinking these thoughts all the time. In other words, don't think them twice a day for a set time, then forget them until the next exercise. The exercise is meant to fix these thoughts in your mind so you can keep thinking them.

Take a time when you can have from twenty minutes to half an hour secure from interruption, and proceed first to make yourself physically comfortable. Lie at ease in a Morris chair, or on a couch, or in bed; it is best to lie flat on your back. If you have no other time, take the exercise on going to bed at night and before rising in the morning.

Choose a time when you can have twenty minutes to half an hour without interruption. First, make yourself physically comfortable. Lie comfortably in a reclining chair, on a couch, or in bed. It is best to lie flat on your back. If you have no other time, do the exercise at bedtime and before getting up in the morning.

First let your attention travel over your body from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet, relaxing every muscle as you go. Relax completely. And next, get physical and other ills off your mind. Let the attention pass down the spinal cord and out over the nerves to the extremities, and as you do so think:—

First, focus on your body from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. Relax every muscle as you go. Relax completely. Next, put physical ailments and other troubles out of your mind. Let your attention move down your spinal cord and along your nerves to your hands and feet. As you do so, think:

“My nerves are in perfect order all over my body. They obey my will, and I have great nerve force.” Next, bring your attention to the lungs and think:-

“My nerves are in perfect working order throughout my body. They obey my will, and I have great nerve strength.” Next, focus on your lungs and think:

“I am breathing deeply and quietly, and the air goes into every cell of my lungs, which are in perfect condition. My blood is purified and made clean.” Next, to the heart:-

“I am breathing deeply and quietly. The air reaches every cell in my lungs. My lungs are in perfect condition. My blood is purified and made clean.” Next, to the heart:

“My heart is beating strongly and steadily, and my circulation is perfect, even to the extremities.” Next, to the digestive system:—

“My heart is beating strongly and steadily, and my circulation is perfect, even in my hands and feet.” Next, turn to the digestive system:

“My stomach and bowels perform their work perfectly. My food is digested and assimilated and my body rebuilt and nourished. My liver, kidneys, and bladder each perform their several functions without pain or strain; I am perfectly well. My body is resting, my mind is quiet, and my soul is at peace.

“My stomach and bowels work perfectly. My food is digested and absorbed, and my body is rebuilt and nourished. My liver, kidneys, and bladder each do their jobs without pain or strain. I am perfectly well. My body is resting, my mind is quiet, and my soul is at peace.

“I have no anxiety about financial or other matters. God, who is within me, is also in all things I want, impelling them toward me; all that I want is already given to me. I have no anxiety about my health, for I am perfectly well. I have no worry or fear whatever.

“I have no worries about money or anything else. God is within me and also in everything I want, moving those things toward me. Everything I want has already been given to me. I have no worries about my health because I am perfectly well. I have no worry or fear at all.

“I rise above all temptation to moral evil. I cast out all greed, selfishness, and narrow personal ambition; I do not hold envy, malice, or enmity toward any living soul. I will follow no course of action which is not in accord with my highest ideals. I am right and I will do right.”

“I rise above all temptation to do wrong. I reject all greed, selfishness, and narrow personal ambition. I hold no envy, ill will, or hatred toward any living person. I will take no action that goes against my highest ideals. I am right, and I will do right.”

All is right with the world. It is perfect and advancing to completion. I will contemplate the facts of social, political, and industrial life only from this high viewpoint. Behold, it is all very good. I will see all human beings, all my acquaintances, friends, neighbors, and the members of my own household in the same way. They are all good. Nothing is wrong with the universe; nothing can be wrong but my own personal attitude, and henceforth I keep that right. My whole trust is in God.

All is right with the world. It is perfect and moving toward completion. I will view the facts of social, political, and industrial life only from this higher perspective. Look, it is all very good. I will see all human beings in the same way, including my acquaintances, friends, neighbors, and family members. They are all good. Nothing is wrong with the universe. Only my own attitude can be wrong, and from now on I will keep my attitude right. I trust completely in God.

I will obey my soul and be true to that within me which is highest. I will search within for the pure idea of right in all things, and when I find it I will express it in my outward life. I will abandon everything I have outgrown for the best I can think. I will have the highest thoughts concerning all my relationships, and my manner and action shall express these thoughts. I surrender my body to be ruled by my mind; I yield my mind to the dominion of my soul, and I give my soul to the guidance of God.

I will obey my soul and stay true to what is highest within me. I will look within myself for the pure idea of what is right in all things. When I find that idea, I will express it in my daily life. I will leave behind everything I have outgrown for the best I can imagine. I will hold the highest thoughts about all my relationships. My behavior and actions will express those thoughts. I surrender my body to the control of my mind. I place my mind under the rule of my soul, and I give my soul to God's guidance.

There is but one substance and source, and of that I am made and with it I am one. It is my Father; I proceeded forth and came from it. My Father and I are one, and my Father is greater than I, and I do His will. I surrender myself to conscious unity with Pure Spirit; there is but one and that one is everywhere. I am one with the Eternal Consciousness.

There is only one substance and source. I am made of that substance and am one with that source. That source is my Father. I came from him. My Father and I are one, and my Father is greater than I am. I do his will. I surrender myself to conscious unity with Pure Spirit. There is only one Spirit, and that Spirit is everywhere. I am one with the Eternal Consciousness.

Form a mental picture of yourself as you want to be, and at the greatest height your imagination can picture. Dwell upon this for some little time, holding the thought: “This is what I really am; it is a picture of my own soul. I am this now in soul, and I am becoming this in outward manifestation.”

Picture yourself as you want to be, at the greatest height you can imagine. Focus on this picture for a little while, holding this thought: “This is who I really am. This picture shows my own soul. I am already this person in my soul, and I am becoming this person outwardly.”

I appropriate to myself the power to become what I want to be, and to do what I want to do. I exercise creative energy; all the power there is is mine. I will arise and go forth with power and perfect confidence; I will do mighty works in the strength of the Lord, my God. I will trust and not fear, for God is with me.

I claim the power to become what I want to be and to do what I want to do. I use creative energy. All the power there is belongs to me. I will rise and go forward with power and complete confidence. I will do great things through the strength of the Lord, my God. I will trust and not be afraid, because God is with me.