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| ‘As A Man Thinketh’, by James Allen |
The maxim, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” embraces the whole of a man’s being, both his condition and circumstances in life. A man is literally what he thinks, and his character is the sum total of all his thoughts.
Man is made or unmade by himself. In the armory of thought, he either forges
the weapons by which he destroys himself or fashions the tools with which he
builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy, strength and peace. Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the
soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more
gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this – that man is
the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of
condition, environment, and destiny. Man
is the maker of his character, the molder of his life, and the builder of his
destiny; he may unerringly prove, if he will watch, control, and alter his
thoughts, tracing their effects upon himself, upon others and upon his life and
circumstances, linking cause and effect by patience, practice and
investigation.
A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, and
just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds and growing
the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his
mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless and impure thoughts, and cultivating
toward perfection, the flowers and fruits of right, useful and pure thoughts.
Thoughts and character are one, and as character
can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstance, the
outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously
related to his inner state.
A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to
whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which
regulates his life. As he adapts his
mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his
condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts, ceases to kick
against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid
progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities
within himself.
Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he
will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material
conditions of his life. Men imagine that
thoughts can be kept secret, but it cannot.
It rapidly crystallizes into habits and habits solidify into
circumstances.
Thoughts of fear, doubts and indecision
crystallize into weak, unmanly, and irresolute habits, which solidify into
circumstances of failure, indigence, and slavish dependence. Lazy thoughts crystallize into weak habits of
uncleanliness and dishonesty, which solidify into circumstances of foulness and
beggary. On the other hand, beautiful thoughts of all kinds crystallize into
habits of grace and kindliness, which solidify into genial and sunny
circumstances. Thoughts of courage,
self-reliance, and decision crystallize into manly habits, which solidify into
circumstances of success, plenty, and freedom.
Let a man cease from his sinful thoughts, and all the world will soften
towards him and be ready to help him.
The body is the servant of the mind, so thought
has effect on the body and health.
Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves
through a sickly body. Thoughts of fear
have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet. The people who live in fear of disease are
the people who get it. Anxiety quickly
demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease, while
impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will sooner shatter the
nervous system.
If you would perfect your body, guard your
mind. If you would renew your body,
beautify your mind. Thoughts of malice,
envy, disappointment and despondency, rob the body of its health and grace.
There will also be no intelligent accomplishment
if thought is not linked with purpose. Aimlessness
is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of
catastrophe and destruction. They who
have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries,
fears, troubles, and self-pitying, all of which are indications of weakness,
which lead to failure, unhappiness, and loss.
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