The Principle of Health

In the personal application of the Science of Being Well, as in that of the Science of Getting Rich, certain fundamental truths must be known in the beginning, and accepted without question. Some of these truths we state here:—

To apply the Science of Being Well, you must first know and accept certain basic truths without question. The same is true of the Science of Getting Rich. Here are some of these truths:

The perfectly natural performance of function constitutes health; and the perfectly natural performance of function results from the natural action of the Principle of Life. There is a Principle of Life in the universe; it is the One Living Substance from which all things are made. This Living Substance permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe; it is in and through all things, like a very refined and diffusible ether. All life comes from it; its life is all the life there is.

Health is the perfectly natural functioning of the body. This natural functioning results from the natural action of the Principle of Life. There is a Principle of Life in the universe. It is the One Living Substance from which all things are made. This Living Substance spreads throughout the universe, filling the spaces between things. It is in and through all things, like a very fine ether that spreads everywhere. All life comes from it. Its life is all the life there is.

Man is a form of this Living Substance, and has within him a Principle of Health. (The word Principle is used as meaning source.) The Principle of Health in man, when in full constructive activity, causes all the voluntary functions of his life to be perfectly performed.

A person is a form of this Living Substance and has a Principle of Health within. (Principle means source.) When the Principle of Health is fully active in a constructive way, it causes all the person's voluntary life functions to work perfectly.

It is the Principle of Health in man which really works all healing, no matter what "system" or "remedy" is employed; and this Principle of Health is brought into Constructive Activity by thinking in a Certain Way.

The Principle of Health in people is what really brings about all healing, no matter what "system" or "remedy" is used. Thinking in a Certain Way brings this Principle of Health into Constructive Activity.

I proceed now to prove this last statement. We all know that cures are wrought by all the different, and often opposite, methods employed in the various branches of the healing art. The allopath, who gives a strong dose of a counter-poison, cures his patient; and the homeopath, who gives a diminutive dose of the poison most similar to that of the disease, also cures it. If allopathy ever cured any given disease, it is certain that homeopathy never cured that disease; and if homeopathy ever cured an ailment, allopathy could not possibly cure that ailment. The two systems are radically opposite in theory and practice; and yet both "cure" most diseases. And even the remedies used by physicians in any one school are not the same. Go with a case of indigestion to half a dozen doctors, and compare their prescriptions; it is more than likely that none of the ingredients of any one of them will be in the others. Must we not conclude that their patients are healed by a Principle of Health within themselves, and not by something in the varying "remedies"?

I will now prove this last statement. We all know that cures result from the many different, often opposite methods used in the healing arts. An allopath gives a strong dose of a counter-poison and cures the patient. A homeopath gives a tiny dose of the poison most like that of the disease and also cures the patient. If allopathy ever cured a given disease, then homeopathy certainly never cured that disease. And if homeopathy ever cured an ailment, allopathy could not possibly cure that ailment. The two systems are completely opposite in theory and practice. Yet both "cure" most diseases. Even doctors in the same school do not use the same remedies. Go to half a dozen doctors for indigestion and compare their prescriptions. Most likely, none of the ingredients in any one prescription will appear in the others. Must we not conclude that their patients are healed by a Principle of Health within themselves, not by something in the varying "remedies"?

Not only this, but we find the same ailments cured by the osteopath with manipulations of the spine; by the faith healer with prayer, by the food scientist with bills of fare, by the Christian Scientist with a formulated creed statement, by the mental scientist with affirmation, and by the hygienists with differing plans of living. What conclusion can we come to in the face of all these facts but that there is a Principle of Health which is the same in all people, and which really accomplishes all the cures; and that there is something in all the "systems" which, under favorable conditions, arouses the Principle of Health to action? That is, medicines, manipulations, prayers, bills of fare, affirmations, and hygienic practices cure whenever they cause the Principle of Health to become active; and fail whenever they do not cause it to become active. Does not all this indicate that the results depend upon the way the patient thinks about the remedy, rather than upon the ingredients in the prescription?

Not only that, but we find that the same ailments are cured in many ways. Osteopaths cure them by manipulating the spine, and faith healers by prayer. Food scientists cure them with diet plans, and Christian Scientists with a formal statement of belief. Mental scientists cure them with affirmations, and hygienists with different plans for living. What conclusion can we draw from all these facts? There must be a Principle of Health that is the same in all people and that actually brings about all cures. There must also be something in all the "systems" that, under favorable conditions, stirs the Principle of Health into action. In other words, medicines, manipulations, prayers, diet plans, affirmations, and hygienic practices cure whenever they activate the Principle of Health. They fail whenever they do not activate it. Doesn't all this suggest that the results depend on how the patient thinks about the remedy, rather than on the ingredients in the prescription?

There is an old story which furnishes so good an illustration on this point that I will give it here. It is said that in the middle ages, the bones of a saint, kept in one of the monasteries, were working miracles of healing; on certain days a great crowd of the afflicted gathered to touch the relics, and all who did so were healed. On the eve of one of these occasions, some sacrilegious rascal gained access to the case in which the wonder-working relics were kept and stole the bones; and in the morning, with the usual crowd of sufferers waiting at the gates, the fathers found themselves shorn of the source of the miracle-working power. They resolved to keep the matter quiet, hoping that by doing so they might find the thief and recover their treasures; and hastening to the cellar of the convent they dug up the bones of a murderer, who had been buried there many years before. These they placed in the case, intending to make some plausible excuse for the failure of the saint to perform his usual miracles on that day; and then they let in the waiting assemblage of the sick and infirm. To the intense astonishment of those in the secret, the bones of the malefactor proved as efficacious as those of the saint; and the healing went on as before. One of the fathers is said to have left a history of the occurrence, in which he confessed that, in his judgment, the healing power had been in the people themselves all the time, and never in the bones at all.

There is an old story that illustrates this point so well that I will tell it here. In the Middle Ages, it is said, a saint’s bones were kept in a monastery and performed miracles of healing. On certain days, large crowds of people suffering from illness gathered to touch the relics. Everyone who touched them was healed. On the eve of one such occasion, a sacrilegious rogue got into the case and stole the miracle-working bones. The next morning, the usual crowd of sufferers waited at the gates. But the fathers found themselves without the source of the miracle-working power. They decided to keep the theft quiet, hoping they could find the thief and recover their treasures. They hurried to the monastery cellar and dug up the bones of a murderer buried there many years before. They placed his bones in the case, intending to offer a plausible excuse for the saint’s failure to perform his usual miracles that day. Then they let in the waiting crowd of sick and infirm people. To the great astonishment of those who knew the secret, the criminal’s bones proved just as effective as the saint’s. The healing went on as before. One of the fathers is said to have written an account of what happened. In it, he admitted that, in his judgment, the healing power had been in the people themselves all along, never in the bones.

Whether the story is true or not, the conclusion applies to all the cures wrought by all the systems. The Power that Heals is in the patient himself; and whether it shall become active or not does not depend upon the physical or mental means used, but upon the way the patient thinks about these means. There is a Universal Principle of Life, as Jesus taught; a great spiritual Healing Power; and there is a Principle of Health in man which is related to this Healing Power. This is dormant or active, according to the way a man thinks. He can always quicken it into activity by thinking in a Certain Way.

Whether or not the story is true, the conclusion applies to all cures brought about by all systems. The power that heals is in the patient. Whether it becomes active depends not on the physical or mental methods used, but on how the patient thinks about them. As Jesus taught, there is a Universal Principle of Life, a great spiritual Healing Power. There is also a Principle of Health in each person that is related to this Healing Power. This Principle of Health is dormant or active, depending on how a person thinks. A person can always bring it into action by thinking in a Certain Way.

Your getting well does not depend upon the adoption of some system, or the finding of some remedy; people with your identical ailments have been healed by all systems and all remedies. It does not depend upon climate; some people are well and others are sick in all climates. It does not depend upon avocation, unless in case of those who work under poisonous conditions; people are well in all trades and professions. Your getting well depends upon your beginning to think—and act—in a Certain Way.

Getting well does not depend on adopting a system or finding a remedy. People with your exact ailments have been healed by all systems and all remedies. Getting well does not depend on climate. Some people are well and others are sick in all climates. It does not depend on your occupation, unless you work in poisonous conditions. People are well in all trades and professions. Your getting well depends on your beginning to think and act in a Certain Way.

The way a man thinks about things is determined by what he believes about them. His thoughts are determined by his faith, and the results depend upon his making a personal application of his faith. If a man has faith in the efficacy of a medicine, and is able to apply that faith to himself, that medicine will certainly cause him to be cured; but though his faith be great, he will not be cured unless he applies it to himself. Many sick people have faith for others but none for themselves. So, if he has faith in a system of diet, and can personally apply that faith, it will cure him; and if he has faith in prayers and affirmations and personally applies his faith, prayers and affirmations will cure him. Faith, personally applied, cures; and no matter how great the faith or how persistent the thought, it will not cure without personal application. The Science of Being Well, then, includes the two fields of thought and action. To be well it is not enough that man should merely think in a Certain Way; he must apply his thought to himself, and he must express and externalize it in his outward life by acting in the same way that he thinks.

The way a man thinks about things depends on what he believes about them. His beliefs determine his thoughts, and the results depend on applying those beliefs to himself. If a man believes a medicine is effective and can apply that belief to himself, the medicine will certainly cure him. But however strong his belief, he will not be cured unless he applies it to himself. Many sick people have faith for others but none for themselves. Likewise, if a man believes in a system of diet and can apply that belief to himself, it will cure him. And if he believes in prayers and affirmations and applies that belief to himself, prayers and affirmations will cure him. Faith cures when applied to oneself. No matter how strong the faith or how persistent the thought, it will not cure without that personal application. The Science of Being Well, then, includes both thought and action. To be well, it is not enough for a man merely to think in a Certain Way. He must apply his thought to himself and express it in his outward life by acting as he thinks.