Chapter 5
Faith
The Principle of Health is moved by Faith; nothing else can call it into action, and only faith can enable you to relate yourself to health, and sever your relation with disease, in your thoughts.
Faith sets the Principle of Health in motion. Nothing else can activate it. Only faith can help you connect your thoughts with health and separate them from disease.
You will continue to think of disease unless you have faith in health. If you do not have faith you will doubt; if you doubt, you will fear; and if you fear, you will relate yourself in mind to that which you fear.
You will keep thinking about disease unless you have faith in health. If you do not have faith, you will doubt. If you doubt, you will fear. And if you fear, you will connect yourself mentally to what you fear.
If you fear disease, you will think of yourself in connection with disease; and that will produce within yourself the form and motions of disease. Just as Original Substance creates from itself the forms of its thoughts, so your mind-body, which is original substance, takes the form and motion of whatever you think about. If you fear disease, dread disease, have doubts about your safety from disease, or if you even contemplate disease, you will connect yourself with it and create its forms and motions within you.
If you fear disease, you will think of yourself in connection with it. This will produce the forms and motions of disease within you. Original Substance creates the forms of its thoughts from itself. In the same way, your mind-body is original substance, and it takes the form and motion of whatever you think about. You may fear or dread disease, doubt that you are safe from it, or even just think about it. If you do, you will connect yourself with disease and create its forms and motions within you.
Let me enlarge somewhat upon this point. The potency, or creative power, of a thought is given to it by the faith that is in it.
Let me explain this point further. A thought gets its strength, or creative power, from the faith in it.
Thoughts which contain no faith create no forms.
Thoughts without faith create no forms.
The Formless Substance, which knows all truth and therefore thinks only truth, has perfect faith in every thought, because it thinks only truth; and so all its thoughts create.
The Formless Substance knows all truth, so it thinks only truth. Because it thinks only truth, it has perfect faith in every thought. So all its thoughts create.
But if you will imagine a thought in Formless Substance in which there was no faith, you will see that such a thought could not cause the Substance to move or take form.
But imagine a thought in Formless Substance that contains no faith. You will see that such a thought could not cause the Substance to move or take form.
Keep in mind the fact that only those thoughts which are conceived in faith have creative energy. Only those thoughts which have faith with them are able to change function, or to quicken the Principle of Health into activity.
Remember that only thoughts formed in faith have creative energy. Only thoughts accompanied by faith can change how the body functions or awaken the Principle of Health into activity.
If you do not have faith in health, you will certainly have faith in disease. If you do not have faith in health, it will do you no good to think about health, for your thoughts will have no potency, and will cause no change for the better in your conditions. If you do not have faith in health, I repeat, you will have faith in disease; and if, under such conditions, you think about health for ten hours a day, and think about disease for only a few minutes, the disease thought will control your condition because it will have the potency of faith, while the health thought will not. Your mind-body will take on the form and motions of disease and retain them, because your health thought will not have sufficient dynamic force to change form or motion.
If you do not have faith in health, you will certainly have faith in disease. Without faith in health, thinking about health will do you no good. Your thoughts will have no power and will not improve your condition. I repeat, if you do not have faith in health, you will have faith in disease. Under those conditions, you may think about health for ten hours a day and about disease for only a few minutes. Even so, the thought of disease will control your condition. It will have the power of faith, while the thought of health will not. Your mind-body will take on and retain the form and motions of disease. Your thought of health will not have enough force to change that form or motion.
In order to practice the Science of Being Well, you must have complete faith in health.
To practice the Science of Being Well, you must have complete faith in health.
Faith begins in belief; and we now come to the question: What must you believe in order to have faith in health?
Faith begins with belief. So we come to the question: What must you believe to have faith in health?
You must believe that there is more health-power than disease-power in both yourself and your environment; and you cannot help believing this if you consider the facts. These are the facts:—
You must believe that the power of health is greater than the power of disease, both in you and around you. You cannot help believing this if you consider the facts. Here are the facts:
There is a Thinking Substance from which all things are made, and which, in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe.
There is a Thinking Substance from which all things are made. In its original state, it spreads throughout the universe, penetrating and filling the spaces between things.
The thought of a form, in this Substance, produces the form; the thought of a motion institutes the motion. In relation to man, the thoughts of Original Substance are always of perfect health and perfect functioning. This Substance, within and without man, always exerts its power toward health.
A thought of a form in this Substance produces that form. A thought of motion sets that motion in action. Original Substance always thinks of humans as perfectly healthy and functioning perfectly. This Substance is both inside and outside humans, and it always uses its power to promote health.
Man is a thinking center, capable of original thought. He has a mind-body of Original Substance permeating a physical body; and the functioning of his physical body is determined by the FAITH of his mind-body. If man thinks with faith of the functioning of health, he will cause his internal functions to be performed in a healthy manner, provided that he performs the external functions in a corresponding manner. But if man thinks, with faith, of disease, or of the power of disease, he will cause his internal functioning to be the functioning of disease.
Man is a center of thought, capable of original thought. He has a mind-body made of Original Substance that fills his physical body. The way his physical body functions is determined by the FAITH of his mind-body. If a man thinks with faith about healthy functioning, he will make his internal functions work in a healthy way. This is true as long as he performs his external functions in a matching way. But if a man thinks with faith about disease or its power, he will make his internal functions work as they do in disease.
The Original Intelligent Substance is in man, moving toward health; and it is pressing upon him from every side. Man lives, moves, and has his being in a limitless ocean of health-power; and he uses this power according to his faith. If he appropriates it and applies it to himself it is all his; and if he unifies himself with it by unquestioning faith, he cannot fail to attain health, for the power of this Substance is all the power there is.
The Original Intelligent Substance is within each person, moving toward health. It also presses on each person from every side. We live and move in a limitless ocean of health-power. Our very being is in it, and we use this power according to our faith. If we take this power and apply it to ourselves, it is all ours. If we unite ourselves with it through unquestioning faith, we cannot fail to attain health. This is because the power of this Substance is all the power there is.
A belief in the above statements is a foundation for faith in health. If you believe them, you believe that health is the natural state of man, and that man lives in the midst of Universal Health; that all the power of nature makes for health, and that health is possible to all, and can surely be attained by all. You will believe that the power of health in the universe is ten thousand times greater than that of disease; in fact, that disease has no power whatever, being only the result of perverted thought and faith. And if you believe that health is possible to you, and that it may surely be attained by you, and that you know exactly what to do in order to attain it, you will have faith in health. You will have this faith and knowledge if you read this book through with care and determine to believe in and practice its teachings.
Belief in the statements above is a foundation for faith in health. If you believe them, you believe that health is the natural human state. You also believe that people live surrounded by Universal Health. All the power of nature works toward health. Health is possible for everyone, and everyone can surely attain it. You will believe that the power of health in the universe is ten thousand times greater than that of disease. In fact, you will believe that disease has no power at all. It is only the result of misguided thought and faith. If you believe that health is possible for you and that you can surely attain it, you will have faith in health. You must also believe that you know exactly what to do to attain it. You will have this faith and knowledge if you read this book carefully from beginning to end. You must also resolve to believe in and practice its teachings.
It is not merely the possession of faith, but the personal application of faith which works healing. You must claim health in the beginning, and form a conception of health, and, as far as may be, of yourself as a perfectly healthy person; and then, by faith, you must claim that you ARE REALIZING this conception.
It is not just having faith that brings healing, but applying it yourself. You must begin by claiming health and forming an idea of what health is. As far as possible, picture yourself as a perfectly healthy person. Then, through faith, you must claim that you ARE REALIZING this vision.
Do not assert with faith that you are going to get well; assert with faith that you ARE well.
Do not say with faith that you are going to get well. Say with faith that you ARE well.
Having faith in health, and applying it to yourself, means having faith that you are healthy; and the first step in this is to claim that it is the truth.
Having faith in health and applying it to yourself means believing that you are healthy. The first step is to claim that you are healthy.
Mentally take the attitude of being well, and do not say anything or do anything which contradicts this attitude. Never speak a word or assume a physical attitude which does not harmonize with the claim: "I am perfectly well." When you walk, go with a brisk step, and with your chest thrown out and your head held up; watch that at all times your physical actions and attitudes are those of a healthy person. When you find that you have relapsed into the attitude of weakness or disease, change instantly; straighten up; think of health and power. Refuse to consider yourself as other than a perfectly healthy person.
Think of yourself as being well. Do not say or do anything that contradicts this attitude. Never say a word or hold your body in a way that contradicts the claim: "I am perfectly well." When you walk, step briskly, with your chest out and your head held high. Make sure that your actions and posture are always those of a healthy person. If you find yourself slipping back into an attitude of weakness or illness, change immediately. Straighten up and think of health and power. Refuse to think of yourself as anything but a perfectly healthy person.
One great aid—perhaps the greatest aid—in applying your faith you will find in the exercise of gratitude.
Practicing gratitude is a great help in applying your faith. Perhaps it is the greatest help.
Whenever you think of yourself, or of your advancing condition, give thanks to the Great Intelligent Substance for the perfect health you are enjoying.
Whenever you think about yourself or your improving condition, thank the Great Intelligent Substance for the perfect health you enjoy.
Remember that, as Swedenborg taught, there is a continual inflow of life from the Supreme, which is received by all created things according to their forms; and by man according to his faith. Health from God is continually being urged upon you; and when you think of this, lift up your mind reverently to Him, and give thanks that you have been led to the Truth and into perfect health of mind and body. Be, all the time, in a grateful frame of mind, and let gratitude be evident in your speech.
Remember that, as Swedenborg taught, life flows continually from the Supreme. All created things receive this life according to their forms. People receive it according to their faith. God continually offers you health. When you think of this, turn your mind reverently to him. Give thanks that you have been led to the Truth and to perfect health of mind and body. Always be grateful, and let your gratitude show in your speech.
Gratitude will help you to own and control your own field of thought.
Gratitude will help you take ownership of and control your thoughts.
Whenever the thought of disease is presented to you, instantly claim health, and thank God for the perfect health you have. Do this so that there shall be no room in your mind for a thought of ill. Every thought connected in any way with ill health is unwelcome, and you can close the door of your mind in its face by asserting that you are well, and by reverently thanking God that it is so. Soon the old thoughts will return no more.
Whenever a thought of disease comes to you, immediately affirm your health. Thank God for the perfect health you have. Do this so that no thought of illness has room in your mind. Every thought connected in any way with poor health is unwelcome. You can shut it out of your mind by affirming that you are well. Reverently thank God that you are well. Soon, the old thoughts will no longer return.
Gratitude has a twofold effect; it strengthens your own faith, and it brings you into close and harmonious relations with the Supreme. You believe that there is one Intelligent Substance from which all life and all power come; you believe that you receive your own life from this substance; and you relate yourself closely to It by feeling continuous gratitude. It is easy to see that the more closely you relate yourself to the Source of Life the more readily you may receive life from it; and it is easy also to see that your relation to It is a matter of mental attitude. We cannot come into physical relationship with God, for God is mind-stuff and we also are mind-stuff; our relation with Him must therefore be a mind relation. It is plain, then, that the man who feels deep and hearty gratitude will live in closer touch with God than the man who never looks up to Him in thankfulness. The ungrateful or unthankful mind really denies that it receives at all, and so cuts its connection with the Supreme. The grateful mind is always looking toward the Supreme, and is always open to receive from it; and it will receive continually.
Gratitude has two effects. It strengthens your faith and brings you into a close, harmonious relationship with the Supreme. You believe that all life and power come from one Intelligent Substance. You believe that you receive your own life from this substance. By feeling gratitude continuously, you bring yourself into a close relationship with it. The closer you are to the Source of Life, the more readily you may receive life from it. It is also easy to see that your relationship with the Source depends on your mental attitude. We cannot have a physical relationship with God. God is mind-stuff, and we are also mind-stuff. So our relationship with him must be a relationship of minds. Clearly, a person who feels deep, heartfelt gratitude will live closer to God than one who never looks to him thankfully. An ungrateful mind really denies that it receives anything at all. In this way, it cuts its connection with the Supreme. A grateful mind always looks toward the Supreme and is always open to receive from it. It will receive continually.
The Principle of Health in man receives its vital power from the Principle of Life in the universe; and man relates himself to the Principle of Life by faith in health, and by gratitude for the health he receives.
The Principle of Health in a person receives its vital power from the Principle of Life in the universe. A person connects with the Principle of Life through faith in health and gratitude for the health they receive.
Man may cultivate both faith and gratitude by the proper use of his will.
A person may develop both faith and gratitude by using their will properly.