The Power of Thought
Chapter 4
THE SECRET OF OVERCOMING
MOULDING AND SHAPING LIFE LIKE CLAY IN THE HANDS OF THE POTTER
WHY is right thought so important? It is important because it influences
our actions. It is important because it builds up character and
a steadfast mind. It is important because upon it our well-being
and the success of our whole life depend. It is important because
it is by right thought that we can overcome harmful suggestion.
First of all we have to realise that thought is the cause of our
actions and decisions. It is largely because of this that our circumstances
depend upon our thoughts. If, for instance, we do not overcome life's
difficulties in our thoughts , then we can never overcome them in
actual experience. By this I mean that our difficulties must be
boldly met and conquered in thought , if ever we are to hope to
overcome them actually. In a way it is good advice to tell people
not to dwell upon their woes but to think of pleasant things instead,
but it is liable to lead to a habit of thought almost as destructive
as brooding over trouble. This negative application of what is meant
to be good advice is responsible for the failure of those who say:
"I have tried right- thinking, but it makes no difference."
The reason "it makes no difference" is that it is not
right-thinking at all, but actually a form of wrong-thinking. Such
people say: "I never indulge in wrong thoughts about my troubles,
I refuse to think about them." Just so, and it is here where
the whole trouble lies. Instead of life's trouble being met boldly
and conquered in thought they are run away from. As soon as the
mind comes up against an unpleasant thought, thought of an irksome
duty that must be done or of a crisis that must be faced, or of
a difficulty that has to be overcome, the mind "dodges"
it and hits on to something more pleasant. The one who says : "I
never think of my troubles" and who runs away from unpleasant
thoughts of this kind finds that he can never overcome the actual
difficulties when they arise. In fact his so-called right thinking
prevents him from making decisions and from dealing firmly and sensibly
with his difficulties. We must first overcome in our thoughts ,
if ever we are to overcome in actual experience.
The world may be divided into two classes of people: (1) those who
overcome life, and (2) those who are overcome by life. Those who
overcome life's difficulties are those who do so in thought. Those
who are overcome by life's difficulties, are those who do not overcome
in thought. If the latter have not deliberately made a practice
of "dodging" unpleasant thoughts in an unfortunate attempt
to follow a form of wrong thinking which they erroneously believed
to be right-thinking, they yet are passive; that is, they fail to
overcome, in thought , the difficulty that must be overcome, sooner
or later, in actual experience.
The secret of overcoming is in thought victory. If we continually
overcome in our thoughts we develop a steadfast mind. Without a
steadfast mind it is impossible to be victorious in life's battle.
On the other hand, there is no difficulty, capable of human solution,
that cannot be overcome by a steadfast mind. Indeed, if a man's
mind is steadfastly directed towards a certain object, not only
will he be truly successful, but the most remarkable things may
happen or be achieved, beyond anything that might be hoped for or
expected.
The mind becomes powerful, growing in strength continually, through
meeting a difficulty, in thought ; moving forward towards the difficulty,
in thought ; and then putting the weight of the mind and will behind
it. Then the "whole man" moves forward, going right through
the difficulty to the other side, victoriously. This generates inward
power, that is cumulative, which, when we come to our difficulty
in actual experience, helps us through it successfully.
Now this is quite different from worrying over things. Worry is
a destroyer. By worrying over our troubles we not only stimulate
fear, one of the most destructive of the emotions, but we also wear
grooves in the brain, round which our thoughts revolve in endless
repetition. The brain becomes so constructed or arranged, through
the practice of worrying, that worry becomes a habit. That is to
say, as soon as a thought of some impending trouble comes to us,
or something goes wrong in our life or work, or we think that something
has gone wrong or will go wrong, or we fear that it may go wrong,
then immediately the cells used by worry are stimulated into action--being
already fully charged with nervous energy, waiting to explode--and
round and round the thoughts go, along the groove prepared for them.
Then good-bye to our peace of mind; good-bye to sleep; and, in time,
good-bye to health.
Some people are of a worrying nature. They inherit it from their
parents. The writer is one of them. Some people, on the contrary,
never worry about anything. If they were sentenced to death they
would probably sit down and read a book; if the executioner stood
beside them they would probably say: "Please wait a minute
or two until I have finished this chapter." A certain man of
my acquaintance had once to be told that he was suffering from a
disease that would rob him of one of his senses. "Now,"
he was told, "you must try not to worry about it." He
laughed a quiet, untroubled laugh and then said: "I shall not
worry; we are not a worrying family; we take things as they come,
and we find they are not so very dreadful after all. There are always
compensations."
This shows the amazing difference there is in people's nature and
temperament. We think, however, that the proportion of people who
worry is much larger than that of those who do not. As the subject
of worry is such an important one, a separate chapter must be devoted
to it.
But while we must not worry about our troubles or imaginary fears,
yet we must meet them boldly in thought and will. On no account
must we run away from them, for there probably is nothing more negative
and destructive than this. Those who refuse to face their difficulties
and who keep on dodging the issue are, generally speaking, the greatest
of worriers. Avoiding the issue in thought increases the trouble,
therefore there is really more about which to worry.
At the risk of repeating myself I must again point out this most
vital and important truth that we must overcome in thought. The
teaching that bids you merely to dismiss your trouble from your
mind and think of pleasant things, or to indulge in a day-dreaming,
can be positively followed, but as usually applied is quite negative.
When applied in a negative way it weakens the will, robs one of
initiative, and destroys one's power to decide and act. Instead
of avoiding the issue, whenever the thought of the impending trouble
or difficulty rises into consciousness, we should meet it boldly,
affirming our ability to overcome it and be victorious. If, every
time the thought arises, it is met with an affirmation of power,
overcoming and victory, then when the time arrives to meet the difficulty
in actual experience, we find that we have ample power to overcome
and go victoriously through the experience. We find ourselves steadfast
in mind and possessed of a reserve of power that surprises us.
Meeting thoughts of failure, difficulty or fear in this way has
an effect upon the subconscious mind. It receives a definite lead
and realises what is expected of it. Being a faithful servant it
does not fail us. These affirmations may be of various kinds and
must of necessity vary according to the type of person using them.
To one no affirmation that is not scriptural and devotional in character
can be of any assistance. To another a "religious" type
of affirmation would not be helpful, but a more psychological form
might be satisfactory. Each must choose that form that appeals to
him. One who starts with a psychological form of affirmation may
finally adopt a religious or devotional one. The form that appeals
to one "at the present time" is the right one at the present
time.
When, therefore, the religiously-minded person encounters a thought
of difficulty, trial or fear he can meet it boldly with the counter
thought or affirmation: "I can do all things through Christ
who strengtheneth me, therefore I will go right through this trouble
in the power of Christ which is mine to use now and always."
At the same time he can picture himself going through his difficulty
with a push, being carried along by invisible powers. In course
of time a mental habit is formed of meeting all difficulties and
fears mentally with a victorious push. Instead of running away from
them in thought, they are met, naturally and habitually, by a "feeling"
of victorious push. One who does this becomes very strong, steadfast,
persevering, persistent and "big" in character.
Another type may not be able to use the religious form of affirmation,
but he may use something similar but in a different form. He may
meet the thought of trouble or fear by merely repeating the words:
Success, victory, overcoming; at the same time picturing himself
going through his trouble or difficulty triumphantly, sustained
and strengthened by powers he does not understand, but which well
up within him.
Through cultivating this habit of mind the life becomes greatly
changed, simply because the character is improved out of all knowledge.
Instead of life's difficulties overwhelming him, the student overcomes
them. When he has achieved this victory he finds fresh fields to
conquer, new and beautiful vistas opening before him. He finds that
he can mould and shape his character, and by this means, mould and
shape his life.
Some people think in the form of mental pictures. The nature of
their life and the character of their circumstances, depend upon
the character of their mental pictures. Therefore, if they are those
of trouble, failure, etc., they should be reversed into their positive
opposite. Some people are naturally given to negative mental picturing.
When they think of quarter-day they picture themselves as unable
to pay their rent, and the awful consequences, such as forced sale,
eviction, and so on. When they think of business, if a proprietor,
they see a picture of bankruptcy, and of themselves in the Court,
being cross-examined by the Official Receiver. If they belong to
the employed classes, they picture themselves as out of work, homeless,
one of the thousands vainly seeking employment, and suffering all
the ills and discomforts that such a position entails. If they see
an accident, they picture themselves as a victim, all mangled by
the roadside. If they see or read of a hospital, they mentally see
themselves as an inmate, undergoing a fearful operation, or saying
good-bye to their weeping relatives, as they pass on to a less terrible
world.
Unfortunately, allowing such mental pictures to occupy the mind
is liable to attract to them the very conditions that they fear
and visualise; therefore, it is of the utmost importance that all
such negative mental pictures should be reversed into their positive
opposites. By this means, not only are the evil effects of such
harmful picturings avoided but the very opposite states are made
possible in one's experience. If instead these mental pictures of
failure, poverty, disaster, accident, disease and death are transmuted
into pictures of success, prosperity, health, protection from danger
and a happy old age, then these desirable states tend to manifest
in the life, in place of the undesirable ones which might have appeared
otherwise. For instance, if instead of seeing a mental picture of
eviction, or of being "sold up" as a result of not being
able to pay the rent, a mental picture is persisted in of rent paid,
a comfortable home, with no care, then this happy state of affairs
is likely to manifest--much more so than would otherwise be the
case. As mental picturing is probably the most powerful form of
thinking, too much importance can hardly be paid to its right cultivation.
The effect of such cultivation is to bring about a state of positive-mindedness,
a most desirable condition. It also builds up character, making
us strong where once we were weak, and able to achieve many things
which we were before quite unable to undertake.
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