This Thing Called You, Chapter 4

This Thing Called You, Chapter 4

The universe is one vast system. All the laws of nature conspire to benefit mankind, but these same laws automatically protect the integrity of nature. It is as though nature said, "All right, little man, the game is yours. Play it as you see fit. I am going to serve you, but don't fool yourself. I am going to reflect right back to you with exactness what you really are. If you don't like what is happening, I am not going to be disturbed. You are the arbiter of your fate. You are the captain of your soul. 

"I have given you all. I have implanted freedom, individuality and self-choice within you. Finally, through experience you will learn the better and wiser way. I am love as well as law, beauty as well as reason, feeling as well as intellect. You are set on the path of self-determination. Your fantastic will, seeking good for yourself that you would not willingly give to others, may lead you up many blind alleys, you may meet with disappointment and chagrin, but I have also placed within you a compass and a chart. There is a course you may pursue which leads to happiness, to wholeness, to peace of mind and joy. 

"Someday you will follow this path, because I have placed a spirit within you which is ever seeking to guide, ever standing aside permitting you partially to obliterate that spark which is part of Myself. Through all the rounds of experience I am there. 

"Some day when you sit down by the roadside, weary with struggle, you will listen deeply and you will hear a voice saying, ‘This is the path, follow it.' Even then I shall wait, for you are you and you cannot return to your Father's house other than as a complete and perfect individualization of Myself. Always I shall be waiting. I shall not reproach you when you return. You will be welcome. The time of your return is in your own decision. It may be now or at any time in that vast forever which stretches before you." 

The freedom which the all-creative Wisdom has designed for man is marvelous beyond human perception. Life has given man an intuitive sense of things, it has permitted him to evolve through countless ages of trial and error to the day of his redemption, always knowing that this redemption is certain. But the timing, even of eternity, so far as man is concerned, rests in his present or delayed acceptance. It could be today or tomorrow. It could have been yesterday. We are living in a universal now and this now waits on our acceptance. 

Many people naturally ask, "If God is good, if God is love, if God is peace, why all this confusion?" Don't you think that even God could not have done it any other way? Can't you see that even the Divine I Will, in ordaining man's destiny, was compelled to let man work out his own future? 

The more you think about this proposition, the clearer it will become. Do you think it would have been possible for it to have been any other way? You would not wish to be an automaton any more than would wish to be a cabbage or a wave of the ocean or a knot in a tree. The greatest gift Life could have made to you is yourself. You are a spontaneous, self-choosing center in Life, in the great drama of being, the great joy of becoming, the certainty of eternal expansion. You could not ask for more and more could not have been given. 

Life will be to you what you are to It. Of necessity there is a Divine Pattern at the center of everything. This is the Christ in you waiting your recognition. Somehow, you must link your will, your thought, your intellect, your imagination and your feeling with the Divine Presence which is already there. Between this perfection and completion, which already exists, and your intellect, environment and everyday experience, there is the accumulated experience subconscious mind. 

In reality there is no such thing as your subconscious mind, for what the analyst analyzes and the psychologist psychologizes is not another mind, it is merely the accumulated thought and feeling of the ages operating through you. It is no more a mind apart or separate than the law of gravitation, which holds you to the earth, is an individual law. All laws are universal and may become individualized. The thing that stands between you and the greater good is a thing of thought and nothing else. It is not Reality that you must change, but your mental reaction to It. 

What is called the subjective state of your thought, the accumulated patterns, is automatically attracting or repelling. These patterns are automatically re-sowing their own seeds in the creative medium of mind. They will keep on doing this until you change them. They will do this without volition of your intellect. 

Your hope lies in the fact that you can change these patterns. Perhaps not in a moment or a day, or a month or a year, but you can change them. This is not a process of merely making affirmations or holding thoughts, it is a process of the gradual re-education of your whole mental reaction. It is a process of following the intuition back to the pattern, of feeling toward it, of accepting it, and of acting as though it were there. 

The whole thing is so simple that at first it seems impossible that it could be that way, yet it is. As you watch your mental actions and reactions, particularly those that are rooted in feeling, as you observe your expectations, you will feel impulses rising from within—habits of belief, patterns of thought—too many of which are negative. 

As you carefully weigh and measure the operation of this unconscious expectancy as it comes to the surface, you can detect what has to be changed. If you can accept that these impulsions are thought patterns that have been laid down there by yourself or the sum total of human belief, you will realize that they can be changed by bringing in exactly opposite thought patterns. This will not be a question of struggling with the old patterns so much as it will be one of gradually straining them out. 

You will notice, if you follow a few simple rules and methods carefully, that when thoughts of confusion persist in coming to the surface, statements of peace will neutralize them. When thoughts of fear assail, statements of faith will counteract their action. When thoughts of unhappiness well up from within, thoughts of happiness and joy will transmute them through the alchemy of Spirit. 

First of all, you must arrive at peace of mind. It is only on the basis of peace that you can persist with absolute certainty. Peace alone gives poise. There is an intuition within you which already knows that you are one with good, that your destiny is certain, and you must listen to this intuition for it is the voice of God in you. 

Quite naturally, many ask, "Is there a secret way? Is there an occult way? Is there some great thing that only a few people know, the great and wise ones, that I must learn? Must I fast, concentrate and pray without ceasing? Must I beseech or implore? Must I work out all the mistakes I have ever made to become redeemed? Must I renounce everything to find peace? How am I going to be made whole?" 

Unfortunately, many persons labor under the mistaken idea that there are deep secrets, that there are subtle and unknown pathways which a few people know about, great truths which only a few have realized, and so the search goes on through the pathway of mystery. Many persons sincerely believe that every mistake they have made will be held against them for an indefinite period. Many others believe that God is trying them, and far too many believe in the necessity of devious pathways, strange and weird rites, adherence to certain forms and rituals. 

You are to take a more direct and simple path from your intellect to your true self. Not withholding from any other his way (which no doubt is good for him), you are to become a simple and direct soul. The answer is not in any book but in yourself. 

The time of redemption is not something stretching out incarnations or through equally endless endless purgatories. Jesus, the wise, proclaimed that your kingdom is at hand, that the eleventh hour is not too late, that the time of your redemption is that split second when the sum total of your thinking includes that which belongs to the kingdom of good. 

When the first house was lighted with electricity the darkness did not groan and say, "How long have I been dark. How ignorant have been those who have permitted this darkness. What grievous mistakes they have made." The darkness said nothing when the light spoke; and the light shown in that darkness and the darkness was not. There were no devious paths other than the discovery of the light. There was no judgment of darkness against the light. There was no action of darkness upon the light. The light merely exclaimed, "Behold, I come!" and the darkness disappeared. 

The eternal Giver is equally the eternal Forgiver and love forever counterbalances hate. Joy will always put sadness to flight and good will overcome evil Peace will neutralize confusion, and hope will banish doubt. Could anything be simpler? Do not delay your good by thinking that you have so much evil to overcome. 

The thing that distinguishes the teaching of Jesus in such a glorious manner from that of all his predecessors and most of his followers is this simple fact, this great thought: "Behold, the kingdom of God is at hand." 

Jesus did not say to the thief upon the cross: Miserable sinner that you are, you must suffer through endless ages of retribution. This glorified soul, who sang a great psalm of life, merely said: You are sleeping to the past and waking to the future—"To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." He did not say to the laborer who came in at the eleventh hour: You are a miserable and unproductive man; how can you expect to enter the vineyard at so late an hour? He said: Behold, the fields are ripe unto harvest—thrust in your sickle. The vineyard yields fruit—pluck the grapes. The wine of life waits, the chalice of love overflows—drink. Jesus did not say to the penitent: Your sins are unredeemed. He said, you are forgiven. How dimly have we understood such glorious truth! 

Jesus had no secret teaching, no occult lore. He indulged in no weird performances. The truths he taught were few and simple. He said that the laws of life are repeated on every plane of being. He did teach the necessity, not of repressing our desires, but of constructively expressing them. The teaching of Jesus was that the universe is made up of love and law. God is love. Love is givingness; love is also for-givingness. There is a law of cause and effect which automatically compels man to reap as he sows. The day he ceases to sow error he will begin to reap truth. When he stops sowing hate he will reap love. When he stops sowing unforgivingness he will be forgiven. When he stops sowing fear, he will reap faith. 

There is no mystery here. Simple, direct statements of cause and effect—the inevitable necessity of good finally overcoming evil, the glorious concept that the Kingdom of God, in all its wonder and beauty, exists eternally, changelessly, waiting your recognition. 

Since you are primarily a spiritual and mental being you must rearrange your thoughts to meet, to agree with, to harmonize and unify with, this new concept. No one can do this for you as well as you can do it for yourself. Try to simplify the whole process, make it direct. You are starting out on a great adventure, a wonderful journey. You are guided by love, inspired by truth, and your future will be what you make it. 

This Thing called You, Chapter 4,

Ernest Holmes

This Thing Called You, Chapter 3

This Thing Called You, Chapter 3

When Jesus said, It is done unto you as you believe." he not only announced the law of faith, he explained how it works. First, he implied that there is a law which operates upon your faith. All laws are universal; hence they exist wherever you are. If there is a law of faith, it is right where you are and it will operate like any other law in nature. 

For instance, it will work like the law of gravitation, which automatically holds everything in place. But so far as you are concerned, it will hold things where you place them. You do not change the law of gravitation; you merely change your position in it. This law works automatically. As you shift objects around in the position that seems desirable to you it will hold them there. This law works for you on the scale of your own individual being. 

Suppose you want to change the position of the furniture in your room. You move the piano from one place to another. This is an act of volition on your part. Perhaps you wish to move the stove into the living room. This might seem an eccentric act but the law does not question it. It will automatically hold things where you place them, it will operate upon your decision. 

Jesus proclaimed a law of faith that acts on your belief. And now comes the more subtle and interesting part of this story which, perhaps, you have not analyzed. At the expense of repetition let us look into this a little more carefully, because it is of such importance. It is this little word as that you are to consider the meaning of. Not only is there a law which does something for you (this is easy enough to accept) but in doing so it is limited to your belief, this is the important thing to remember. 

It is only common sense to recognize that what this law does for you, it must, of necessity, do through you. The gift of Life is not complete until it is accepted. If you can believe only in a little good, then the law will be compelled to operate on that little good. Not that the law of itself knows anything about big and little any more than the law of gravitation would know that a mountain is heavier than a marble—it automatically holds everything in place. If you remove a large pile of gravel, it will hold this bulk in place. If you dip up but a few thimblefuls it will hold this smaller amount in place with equal impartiality. 

Now, shift this whole proposition over into the mental plane, realizing that the mental reproduces the physical, but at a higher level. The law is always a mirror reflecting your mental attitudes. Therefore, if you say, "I can have a little good," it will produce this small amount of good for you, but if you say, "All the good there is mine," with equal certainty it will produce a larger good. If you believe that wherever you go you will meet with love and friendship, with appreciation and gratitude, then this will become the law of your life. 

The late Dr. Carrel said that faith operates on its plane as physical laws operate on their plane, reproducing the same action at a higher level. He was careful to explain that the laws of faith do not destroy physical laws. One law of God could not destroy another. Spiritual laws reproduce physical laws at a higher level. The higher law automatically controls the lower. This is equal to saying that the laws of mind can be made to control the physical body and the physical environment when they are rightly used, not through denying body or environment, but by including them in a larger system. 

This is what faith does. You should think of the law of faith just as naturally as you would any other law in nature. Jesus did not imply that faith would obliterate other laws, nor did he mean that faith in that which is not true could create truth out of error. He meant that faith in right must always reverse that which is wrong. So far no one has disproved this theory. All who have acted upon it have received a definite result. Faith is a great adventure, a stimulating pursuit, a worthwhile attempt to utilize the higher laws of your being for definite purposes. 

Jesus was very explicit in his teaching of the use of faith. He said, if you ask for bread you will not receive a stone. This is equal to saying, if you plant a rose bush, it will not become a lemon tree. The law of faith operates with integrity on the definite idea thought, expectancy or acceptance implanted in it. 

But the seed must be left in the creative soil of mind until it can mature. There is a time for sowing as well as a time for harvest. Plants must not be pulled up or interrupted in the process of their growth. They must be watered with hope, fertilized with expectancy and cultivated with enthusiasm, gratitude and joyous recognition. 

If the law operates automatically, then you do not coerce, concentrate or compel it. You provide mental attitudes which it may operate upon. You do not hold the law in place, you hold your ideas in place. This is your individual effort. Your concentration is not on the law, because that is already here, it is right where you are, it is within you as well as around you. This concentration is not coercion but a good-natured flexibility with yourself, gradually eliminating doubt, fear and uncertainty, and replacing them with certainty, assurance, recognition and gratitude. 

This process is not so much a problem of will as it is one of willingness. The only important role the will plays is in a decision to keep thought poised long enough to permit the law to operate. This is not a prayer of beseechment but a recognition or acknowledgment of right action. 

Faith is the most important thing in your life. It is impossible to arrive at the grandeur of its possibility through petty thinking and small ideas. The whole mental scope must be broadened and deepened, the whole expectancy must reach out to more, the whole imagination must lend its feeling to grateful acceptance and joyous recognition. 

All thoughts of suffering for righteousness' sake, all beliefs that you are being tempted or tried to see if you are worthy of the gifts of Life, are mistaken concepts of the way this law works. Life wishes to make the gift because in so doing It is flowing into Its own self-expression. You might say that gravity wishes to hold an object in place because this is its nature. As a matter of fact, it cannot help doing so. But if you place the gas range in the living room and keep it lighted on a hot summer day you will be uncomfortable. If you place it too close to the draperies no doubt they will catch fire. 

This does not mean that the law would have any evil intent. You could as well put the range in the rear garden. You might put an electric heater in your ice-box and the ice would melt, not because the law wishes to destroy the contents of the box, but because laws are always impersonal. Hence, Jesus told his disciples that while there is a law of belief, and of necessity they must always be using it, being individuals with free will they must expect to reap as they have sown.

You wish to reap joy, happiness, love, friendship, health, harmony and success. Could you expect to keep your mind filled with such thoughts for yourself unless it were filled with similar thoughts for others? Of course not. This would not make sense. Therefore, Jesus said to love your enemies, be kind to everyone; "give and to you shall be given." Moreover, he said that when you give, the gift will return to you multiplied. What a marvelous concept this is! It seems too good to be true. Yet plant a seed in the ground and it multiplies its own type many times. 

There is a law of multiplicity in nature. You have a right to expect that what you wish for others will be returned to you through others. You have no right to expect that you can reap where you have not sown. 

The marvelous teaching of Jesus is not quite so soft as it sounds. His words are statements of the great laws of cause and effect; laws that produce justice without judgment—the inevitable result of laws that work with mathematical certainty. You cannot love and hate at the same time, nor can anyone else. Therefore, this man of wisdom said that light overcomes darkness. He did not say that darkness overcomes light. 

Disregarding the softness and beauty of the words of Jesus, the marvelous grandeur of them, you will always find this cold, hard fact staring you in the face— Jesus taught the operation of the law of cause and effect. He said that not one jot or tittle of it could be changed. All the poetry, wit, knowledge and art of the ages cannot alter the fact that love alone begets love, peace alone attracts peace, only that which goes forth in joy can return with gladness—give and to you shall be given, and the type multiplied, good measure, running over and pressed down. 

You need not force or coerce, but you must obey the law. If you can see God in everything, then God will look back at you through everything. This is the meaning of that saying: "Act as though I am, and I will be." This is the law of give and take. 

When the time comes that nothing goes forth from you other than that which you would be glad to have return, then you will have reached your heaven. 

This Thing called You, Chapter 3,

Ernest Holmes

This Thing Called You, Chapter 2

This Thing Called You, Chapter 2

Why, then, if these things are true, is the world still impoverished, mentally and physically ill and apparently unable to become unified? This is the great question—Why, and Why, and Why? Unless this question is adequately answered and its meaning increasingly applied to human conduct, there is danger that the world may destroy its vast system of misconceptions and be compelled to begin over again. 

It seems as though a persistent purpose were being carried out, that anything which does not comply with this purpose must become submerged in the backwash of evolution, that that which is more nearly right may come forward. The world has reached a dramatic climax in its history. It has unlocked so much of the physical resources of the universe that unless this enormous power is used constructively it can well destroy it. The world stands on the brink of a great abyss, a terrific regression, or, if it chooses, faces the horizon of a glorious day, a new age. 

But you may ask, "Why would an Almighty Power and a Divine Intelligence permit such possible disaster?" This is something that you and I have no control over. God, or the Creative Genius of the universe, has placed this prerogative in the mind of man through giving him volition and choice. God Himself could not will it otherwise. For, if there is to be a valid choice, it must be accompanied by the possibility of more than one thing to choose. 

This is what Moses meant when he said that the word is in your own mouth—a blessing or a curse according to the way you use it. Jesus reiterated this when he said that the Father worketh until now, but now the son works; that "whatsoever things the son seeth the Father do, that doeth the son also, that the Father may be glorified in the son." 

Now, you are this son and you wish the Father to be glorified through you. You want Life to live through you. You want joy to express itself in you. You desire peace of mind and happiness, success, health, radiant living. How could you desire these things unless they already exist as possibilities? Is there not an echo within you, as though it came from some invisible source—a deep feeling, an intuitive something? You cannot quite put it into words, yet there it is, definite as your life.

Do not be afraid of this urging. All nature obeys it blindly. The culminating and triumphant result of evolution has placed in you the possibility of accepting or rejecting. In wonder and awe before the grandeur of this possibility the mind stands still, the imagination is staggered, but that hope which springs perennial in man's consciousness, says, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 

You already are a spiritual being. When the mind understands this and embodies its essence, that which you are in the invisible will become more apparent in the visible. You have concluded that this is true. You are reinforced by the wisdom of the ages and are rapidly becoming further reinforced through scientific investigation. Let us see if we cannot discover what blocks the way. We shall not discover any block in Reality Itself, but in our attitude toward It. Now that man has reached the stage of self-choice he can temporarily, but not permanently, block the Divine intention. 

Browning said that man can desecrate but never lose the divine spark. It is always there. "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Let us suppose that you are spirit, soul and body, as the Bible states; that your spirit already is perfect, an individualized center in the consciousness of God. God has made you out of Himself. The only material He had was the Substance of His own being. The only mind He had to implant in you was His Mind. The only spirit He had to impart was His own Spirit. "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands." 

You are a living being by virtue of the fact that through some process which no man knows, needs to know, or can know, Life is incarnated in you, operating through you this moment. This is the gift of Life. This is the Son forever begotten in the bosom of the Father 

But you are an individual, like all other individuals gradually awakening to the greater possibility. If Life made you out of Itself, which It most certainly did, and if you are an individual just a little different from all other individuals who ever lived, then Life not only created you as an independent being, It also implanted a unique something within you. It will never be duplicated. The spirit that accompanies you through your life is just a little different from the spirit of any other person—not different in that it is isolated, because all are rooted in one being, but different in that it is individual. 

Suppose you were to think of it this way: there is a spirit in me and this spirit is God as His own son. Whether or not I understand it, there is a real Myself which forever exists in pure Spirit. I had nothing to do with this. I merely awoke and discovered it. I did not give it to myself, and I cannot withdraw myself from it. I can only accept it. 

Since you are an individual, you can either accept or reject your own spirit. Of course, no one can take it away from you. Somewhere along the line you will be compelled to accept it. However, you can procrastinate, you can divert, you can sidestep or delay this divine event. If you knew beyond question that this is true, your greatest search would be after your own spirit. Well, you do know this. Every desire you have for betterment in life is some echo from that deep within which forevermore proclaims, "Behold, I make all things new." 

It is because your mind has the prerogative of accepting or rejecting that the Bible states: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in and sup with him, and he with me." Suppose with utmost simplicity, you accept the spirit that is in you—not in the mountain, not at Jerusalem, not even in the temple, although it is there also, but in you—the spirit of yourself. Standing between this spirit, your physical body and external affairs, there is the sum total of your thinking, believing, feeling. 

Perhaps, more than anyone understands or believes, the sum total of every man's thought is a mirage of the ages. It would be well to think of it this way that you may not condemn yourself. You are like everyone else, "an infant crying in the night"—something trying to be made whole, something with a deep yearning for security, a deep and unspeakable longing for love, for protection and for peace. 

But the mind is filled with the accumulated doubts of the ages, as though a vast abyss of doubt, fear and uncertainty were standing between you and your desires. Here is where Science of Mind can aid you, where your intellect may reach through to unite with your inspiration, where the conscious use of the laws of mind may break down the barriers which hide the face of love from the fact of unloveliness.

If God created you after His own nature (and there is nothing else He could have made you out of) then the thing you are after is already here, within you. The only things that stand between you and it are the accumulated thoughts, beliefs and emotions of the ages. But there is nothing there that has not been put there either by yourself or the race. What has been put there can be removed. These unbeliefs are thought patterns laid down throughout the ages and accentuated by your own experience, by your inherited tendencies and environment. There is no use wasting time speculating as to what avenue they came through. Your job is to reject them. 

Your intellect has now accepted that you can do this. Are you not, then, like one who has started on a journey to a beautiful city which he knows exists? What if he has to climb a few mountains, make a certain number of detours and cross a desert or ford a stream. Everything that is worth attaining is worth striving toward. It is the goal you are after. You have a vision and you are going to follow it. 

You may not reach your city of good in a single day, but its image out there in your desert is not a mirage. There was never a counterfeit without a reality back of it. Fortunately, your destiny is not external. If it were you could not reach your goal. One by one, without frenzy or impatience, you are going to remove the mental blocks that stand between you and your destiny. What thought has done, thought can undo. The mental patterns laid down in your subconscious throughout the ages can be consciously removed. 

This great thing within you, which is called will or choice, can decide your destiny. It can remove every obstruction and gradually implant new patterns in your mind. 

Suppose you look at the proposition from another viewpoint. Suppose you place your physical environment, including your body and your conscious mind, at one end of a line. At the other end place your spiritual being, God and infinite possibility. At this end of the line everything is already perfect. Jesus called this the Kingdom of Heaven which ought to come on earth. It should make its advent in your experience. It wants to. "The Spirit seeketh such." 

This end of the line is the Kingdom which has been promised. This Spirit is happy, whole, free, filled with joy, eternal in Its existence, and can provide you with everlasting expansion. All your highest hopes and dreams have come from It. The echo of Its being is in your intellect, the voice of Its unspoken word is in your mind, the feeling of Its light and life is in your heart, the emotion of Its imagination is in your soul. 

At the other end of the line is your physical environment, including your body, most of your conscious thoughts, your daily hopes and aspirations, fears and failures. All apparently isolated, wandering in a desert of despair, climbing endless mountains, at times lost in interminable forests through which light does not break, fording rushing streams in the turmoil of life—searching, wondering, hoping, longing, yearning toward that other half of its being which alone can make it whole. 

Don't you think this is a good description of your attitudes and experiences? One-half of you in heaven, the other half on a dense earth. The heavenly willing to come forward and answer your every need, the earthly half striving toward the heavenly—and the apparent barrier. If you knew, as you know that you live, that this barrier was only a thing of thought or belief, the first half of your journey would be accomplished. You would know that you have the tools to cut down the forests, level the mountains, bridge the streams and cause the desert to bloom. 

If you listen to yourself long enough you will know this. With hope and enthusiasm, you will start on your journey. You will never become discouraged or disheartened. Your vision will be on this city of good and your feet, your mind, your intellect, your will, will travel toward this city and you shall surely enter its gates. 

Let us use another illustration. Let us think of a tunnel, one end of which is out in the open where there are fertile valleys, glorious sunshine, verdant vegetation. There is song, laughter, happiness, peace and joy. Let us call this the Valley of Contentment. Let us also call it the Kingdom of God. 

You are at the other end of this tunnel in a deep, dark cavern, overlooking a desert through which no refreshing streams flow. Somehow your attention has been drawn to the open end of this tunnel. With a curiosity that you did not put in your mind, you wish to investigate where this tunnel leads, what is at the other end of it. You peer into the tunnel. At first it seems dark, but occasionally a shaft of light shines through it and you catch a vision of the other side. 

You have a great longing to walk through this tunnel, to leave behind the dismal scene of discontent and unhappiness, and to enter into the joy that your brief glimpse has promised. For in this glimpse, you have seemed to see yourself standing at the other end of the tunnel. Perhaps, in this momentary vision you seem to have seen your own spirit. It seems as though something says, "Yes, this is myself. How am I going to unite myself with myself?" Then darkness closes in. Your vision has vanished. It must have been an illusion. 

Now there are two voices that seem to be talking to you. One voice says, "You are following a mirage, an illusion. There is nothing real but this end of the tunnel. Accept things as they are. Make the best of them. Be as happy as you can, but do not hope." This is the voice of despair. The other voice is saying, "Do not be afraid. Your vision is true. Enter the tunnel and walk through. There is nothing solid in it. That which obstructs your passage is vapor, the vapor of unbelief. It is dense only with the denseness of doubt. It is filled with the thoughts of the ages. There is a lamp within you already lighted. As you walk through the tunnel the darkness will disappear because of this light. You will find that other half of yourself and you will discover that this tunnel is your own mind." 

This is a picture of yourself—your efforts, your hopes and longings, your inspirations and doubts, your fears and faiths. 

The barriers between you and your greater good are not barriers in themselves. They are things of thought. It is because of this that all things are possible to faith. Jesus summed up the whole proposition when he said, "It is done unto you as you believe." In interpreting this saying, however, you must pause after the word as.  Think about its meaning and you will discover that he was saying that life not only responds to your belief, it responds after the manner of your believing, as you believe. It is a mirror reflecting the image of your belief. 

While the laws of mind, like  all laws of nature, are neutral, good must finally overcome evil. Evil is a negation. Good is positive. Like light and darkness—darkness cannot overcome light, but light can neutralize darkness. This is why Jesus said if you seek the Kingdom first everything else will be added, and in this "everything else" is included all things in this life that make for full livingness and joy, peace and happiness, health and harmony, and the success that rightfully belongs to a Divine Being. 

The only warning Jesus made against the use of this highest law of your being was that it should not be used destructively. ". . . for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." The Kingdom of God contains everything that is or could be desirable. This everything already exists as a potential something to be drawn upon. You may use this potential for any good purpose, not only with certainty of success but with safety. It is only when we use natural forces wrongly that they can destroy, and it is ordained that this destruction be of a temporary nature. 

You wish to use the laws of your being in such a way that they cannot bring evil to yourself or others. Therefore, you must be certain that your desire is toward more life for everyone, including yourself. If you follow this rule you cannot use the law wrongly. 

There is a law of faith and belief which is just as definite as any other law in nature. This law utilizes the Creative Principle of Life in such a way that all lesser uses of It become submerged. This is the triumph of Spirit.  

This Thing called You, chapter 2,

Ernest Holmes

This Thing Called You, Chapter 1

This Thing Called You, Chapter 1

You, like all others, are seeking the joy of living. You wish to be needed, to be loved, to be included in the great drama of life. This urge is in every individual.  It is in everything. The rose exists to express beauty. Root and branch conspire with nature to give birth to blossom. An artist will starve in his garret that he may chisel an angelic form from a slab of marble, compelling the unyielding substance to accept his breath of creation. 

Not only human beings, but everything in nature is endowed with this creative urge. When moisture is precipitated the desert receives it with gladness and breaks forth into a song of creation. Making the most of its brief season, it blossoms in joy, storing within its bosom the seed of a future flowering. It is impossible to escape this creative urge. Everything must find fulfillment or perish. 

No man willed this so. Evolution is proof of an irresistible urge which pushes everything onward and upward. Man did not create life, he is something that lives in, from, and by it. He cannot escape life or the necessity of giving expression to it through living. 

In some way which you know not of, through some process which never reveals its face, Life has entered into you and with it the irresistible impulse to create. Divine Intelligence has willed it so, nor you, nor any other person, nor all the wit, science or philosophy of man, nor the inspiration of saints or sages, can change one bit of it any more than man can arrest the eternal circuits of time, the revolutions of the planets or the desire of the fledgling to leave its nest, to soar and sing. 

Create or perish is the eternal mandate of nature. Be constructive or become frustrated, is an equal demand. You cannot escape the conclusion that whatever this thing is which is seeking expression through everything, it can find satisfactory outlet only through constructive and life-giving creativeness. You may call this process good or evil, right or wrong, God or the devil, heaven or hell. Would it not be simpler to say that finally things work out for the best only when they are life-giving. 

We are all some part of a universal order. The very urge for personal gratification is incomplete until it finds a universal outlet. This is the cause back of all upheavals in human history. The pattern is trying to fit the pieces into greater and greater units as though it could not accomplish its purpose through anything other than a democracy of Spirit, a union of all. This union, however, does not mean sameness, for while unity requires conformity to principles, unity never means uniformity. Every blade of grass, every crystal, every drop of water, like every individual, is a little different from any other one of its species. 

Humanity is made up of innumerable individuals, no two alike, and yet society is a composite whole moving gradually toward some ultimate goal. What could this goal be other than that everyone, while remaining individual, shall find a more complete expression in and among all other individuals? This has been the dream of the ages, that the lion shall lie down with the lamb, and "a little child shall lead them." As Jesus said, ". . . that they may be one, even as we are one." 

You belong to the universe in which you live, you are one with the Creative Genius back of this vast array of ceaseless motion, this original flow of life. You are as much a part of it as the sun, the earth and the air. There is something in you telling you this—like a voice echoing from some mountain top of inward vision, like a light whose origin no man has seen, like an impulse welling up from an invisible source. 

Your soul belongs to the universe. Your mind is an outlet through which the Creative Intelligence of the universe seeks fulfillment. 

This is your starting point for investigating the meaning of those impulses, longings and desires which accompany you through life. You may accept that the source through which they come is real. You may accept that the universe is filled with a Divine and Infinite Presence, perhaps the infinite of yourself. Not the infinite of your limited self, but the infinite of the Divine Self you must be. There must be a pattern of yourself in this invisible. 

The greatest minds of the ages have accepted that such a pattern exists. Socrates called it his spirit, Jesus his Father in Heaven. Some ancient mystics called it Atman. Why don't you call it just you, your complete self? For surely this is what they all have meant. 

Just try to catch the larger vision and realize that there have been and are people, many of them, who have wooed and wed some invisible Presence until Its atmosphere and essence have become woven into the fabric of their own existence. Every man is a doorway, as Emerson said, through which the Infinite passes into the finite, through which God becomes man, through which the Universal becomes individual. 

You are to believe with utmost simplicity and with complete faith that there is a pattern of your being, or a real spirit of you, which is as eternal as God, as indestructible as Reality, and as changeless as Truth. This pattern is seeking to manifest through you. Back of it is all the will and purpose of the universe, all the irresistible laws of being. Finally, it will win. 

It is because it is there that you have these irresistible urges—the longing to live more fully, the feeling that life belongs to you. There is something within you beyond all doubt and fear, something which has never been limited by your acts or destroyed by your feeling. This is the only something that can make you whole. 

This Thing called You, Chapter One,

Ernest Holmes

Artificial Intelligence takes a look at 'The Edinburgh lectures' by Thomas Troward

Artificial Intelligence takes a look at 'The Edinburgh lectures' by Thomas Troward

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The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science by Thomas Troward is a foundational work in the New Thought movement, exploring how thought influences reality. Delivered in the early 20th century, these lectures aim to explain the natural principles that govern the relationship between mental action and material conditions.

Troward, a former British judge in India with a deep interest in comparative religion, blends philosophy, psychology, and metaphysics to argue that intelligence and thought are the essence of life, while matter is simply form. He introduces key concepts like:

• The distinction between spirit and matter: Spirit is associated with thought and intelligence; matter with form and limitation.
• Subjective vs. objective mind: The subjective (subconscious) mind is impressionable and creative, while the objective (conscious) mind directs it.
• The law of growth and receptivity: Our mental state determines what we attract or manifest in life.
• Unity of spirit: All life is interconnected through a universal intelligence.

Troward’s work had a lasting influence—not just on spiritual thinkers, but also on early members of Alcoholics Anonymous and even the creators of The Secret. William James, the famed psychologist, called it “far and away the ablest statement of philosophy I have met”.

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Chapter I: Spirit and Matter, since it lays the foundation for the rest of The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science.

Troward begins by challenging the conventional distinction between “living spirit” and “dead matter.” He argues that all matter is in motion, even what we perceive as inert—like a lump of steel. This leads to his central idea: the true essence of life is not motion, but intelligence.

Here are the key takeaways:

• Spirit = Thought: Spirit is defined by its capacity for thought and intelligence.
• Matter = Form: Matter is defined by its limitation and form—it occupies space and has boundaries.
• Degrees of livingness: Life isn’t binary (alive or dead); it exists in degrees, measured by the level of intelligence. A human has more “livingness” than a plant, not because of size, but because of consciousness.
• Beyond time and space: Thought, unlike matter, isn’t bound by time or space. So, spirit (as pure thought) is omnipresent and timeless.

Troward’s goal is to help readers shift from judging reality by appearances to understanding the underlying principles that govern existence. It’s a call to awaken to a deeper, more expansive view of life.

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Chapter II: The Higher Mode of Intelligence Controls the Lower—a powerful expansion of Troward’s core philosophy.

This chapter explores how intelligence is the driving force behind all forms of existence, from the tiniest atom to the vast cosmos. Troward argues that life evolves through a hierarchy of intelligence, and that higher intelligence naturally governs lower forms.

Here are the key insights:

• Cosmic Order Reflects Intelligence: The universe isn’t random—it unfolds in a purposeful, intelligent pattern. From nebulae to humans, everything evolves toward greater complexity and awareness.
• Individual vs. Cosmic Intelligence: While the universe operates under a broad “law of averages,” individuals can rise above this by developing self-awareness and volition. This is where Mental Science comes in: learning to align personal will with universal law.
• Atomic Intelligence: Even atoms possess a kind of rudimentary intelligence. But this “lower” intelligence is responsive to higher, conscious thought—which is why mental treatment (like healing through thought) can work.
• Self-Recognition is Power: The more we recognize our spiritual identity—not just our physical form—the more we can influence the world around us. Ignorance keeps us bound; awareness sets us free.

Troward’s message is both humbling and empowering: you are not separate from the intelligence that governs the stars—you’re a part of it, and you can work with it.

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Chapter III: The Unity of the Spirit—a beautifully meditative section where Troward deepens his metaphysical vision.

This chapter centers on the idea that Spirit is one, infinite, and indivisible. While we perceive a world of separate forms—people, objects, events—Troward insists that beneath all appearances lies a single, undivided essence: Spirit.

Here are the key insights:

• Spirit is infinite and whole: It cannot be divided or multiplied. Any attempt to do so would contradict its nature. So, even though we experience individuality, we are all expressions of the same universal Spirit.
• Omnipresence of Spirit: Because Spirit is not bound by space or time, it is fully present at every point. Wherever your attention goes, Spirit is already there in its entirety.
• Unity is practical, not just poetic: This isn’t just a lofty idea—it has real implications. If Spirit is one, then separation is an illusion, and we can draw on the full power of Spirit in any moment, through focused thought and awareness.
• Spiritual work begins with this realization: To create change in our lives, we must first recognize that we are not isolated fragments—we are individualized expressions of a universal intelligence.

Troward’s message here is quietly revolutionary: you are never alone, never cut off, and never powerless. The same force that animates the stars flows through you.

Would you like to continue with Chapter IV: Subjective and Objective Mind? It’s where Troward starts to map out how our minds actually work within this unified Spirit.

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Chapter IV: Subjective and Objective Mind—a pivotal moment in The Edinburgh Lectures where Troward begins to map the architecture of the human mind.

This chapter introduces the dual nature of consciousness:

• Objective Mind: This is your conscious, reasoning mind. It observes, analyzes, and makes decisions. It’s the part of you that’s aware of your surroundings and can choose what to focus on.
• Subjective Mind: Often called the subconscious, this part does not reason inductively—it accepts what it’s told and acts on it. It’s deeply impressionable and immensely powerful, governing things like habits, emotions, and even bodily functions.

Troward’s key insights include:

• The subjective mind is always active: Even when you sleep, it’s working. It’s the seat of memory, intuition, and creativity—but it doesn’t judge or filter. That’s the job of the objective mind.
• The objective mind is the gatekeeper: It decides what ideas are allowed to pass into the subconscious. Once there, those ideas take root and begin to shape your reality.
• Repetition and belief are the keys to influence: The more often a thought is repeated—especially with emotion—the more likely it is to be accepted by the subjective mind and manifest in your experience.
• Mental Science is about conscious cooperation: By understanding this dual structure, we can intentionally plant ideas in the subconscious to create change—whether in health, relationships, or success. 

Troward’s message is clear: you are not at the mercy of your subconscious—you are its master, if you choose to be.

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Chapter V: Further Considerations Regarding Subjective and Objective Mind—where Troward sharpens the distinctions he introduced in the previous chapter and begins to hint at how we can apply them in daily life.

Here’s what stands out:

• Subjective mind is universal: Troward suggests that what we call the “subjective mind” isn’t just personal—it’s part of a universal intelligence that permeates all space and matter. This means your subconscious isn’t isolated; it’s connected to something much larger.
• It responds to suggestion, not logic: The subjective mind doesn’t reason or analyze. It accepts suggestions as truth, especially when they come from the objective mind with conviction or repetition. This is why affirmations, visualization, and belief can be so powerful.
• It works impersonally: The subjective mind doesn’t judge whether a suggestion is good or bad—it simply acts on it. That’s why negative thinking can be just as effective as positive thinking, but with unwanted results.
• The key is conscious direction: Since the objective mind is the gatekeeper, we must train it to feed the subjective mind only what we truly desire. This is the essence of Mental Science: using conscious thought to shape subconscious belief, which in turn shapes reality.

Troward is building a case for mental discipline—not in a rigid or moralistic way, but as a creative act. You’re not just thinking thoughts; you’re sculpting the invisible forces that shape your world.

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Chapter VI: The Law of Growth—a turning point in The Edinburgh Lectures where Troward begins to show how spiritual principles unfold in real life.

This chapter is all about how ideas evolve into form. Troward argues that growth is not something we force—it’s something we allow, by aligning with the natural laws of the universe.

Here are the key insights:

• Growth is a spiritual law: Just as a seed grows into a tree by unfolding what’s already within it, so too do our thoughts grow into experiences. The process is organic, not mechanical.
• The seed contains the pattern: Every idea carries within it the blueprint of its own fulfillment. Our job is not to “make” it happen, but to nurture the right mental conditions—faith, clarity, and receptivity.
• Mental atmosphere matters: Just like plants need sunlight and soil, ideas need a mental environment of belief and expectation. Doubt, fear, or impatience can choke the process.
• Don’t dig up the seed: Troward warns against constantly questioning or interfering with the process. Once you’ve planted the idea, trust the law of growth to do its work.
• Growth is from within outward: True change doesn’t come from manipulating outer conditions—it comes from inner transformation that naturally expresses itself in the world.

This chapter is a gentle but profound reminder: you don’t have to force your life to bloom—you just have to stop blocking the light.

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Chapter VII: Receptivity—a quietly powerful chapter where Troward shifts from the mechanics of mental science to the inner posture we must adopt to work with it effectively.

Here’s what he emphasizes:

• Receptivity is not passivity: Troward makes it clear that being receptive doesn’t mean being idle or wishy-washy. It means cultivating a mental openness—a willingness to receive new ideas, insights, and inspiration from the universal mind.
• The universal mind is always giving: Spirit, or universal intelligence, is constantly pouring itself into form. The question is: are we mentally prepared to receive what it offers?
• Mental attitude is everything: If your mind is filled with fear, doubt, or resistance, it’s like trying to catch rain with a closed umbrella. Receptivity requires faith, expectancy, and emotional readiness.
• You can’t receive what you deny: If you believe something is impossible or undeserved, you block it from entering your experience. Troward urges us to align our beliefs with what we desire, not what we fear.
• Stillness is a superpower: In a world obsessed with doing, Troward reminds us that quiet, focused thought is often the most creative and powerful act. Receptivity thrives in stillness.

This chapter is like a deep breath—it invites you to stop striving and start allowing. You don’t have to chase the good you seek; you just have to make space for it to arrive.

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Chapter VIII: Reciprocal Action of the Universal and Individual Minds—a chapter where Troward reveals the dynamic interplay between your personal consciousness and the infinite intelligence of the universe.

Here’s the heart of it:

• You are not separate from the Universal Mind: Troward emphasizes that your individual mind is a specialized expression of the universal intelligence. Think of it like a wave on the ocean—it has its own form, but it’s still made of the same water.
• Thought is the bridge: The universal mind responds to your thoughts. When you think with clarity and conviction, you set in motion a creative process that the universal mind carries forward into form.
• The law is impersonal: The universal mind doesn’t judge your thoughts—it simply reflects them back into your experience. That’s why it’s so important to think deliberately and constructively.
• Mental atmosphere matters: Your habitual thoughts create a kind of mental climate that determines what you attract. If your inner world is filled with fear or resentment, you’ll tend to draw experiences that match. But if it’s filled with faith and expectancy, you open the door to greater possibilities.
• You’re always creating: Whether you realize it or not, you’re in constant dialogue with the universal mind. The question is: are you doing it consciously or unconsciously?

This chapter is a powerful reminder that you’re not a passive observer of life—you’re a co-creator. Your thoughts are not isolated—they ripple outward and shape the world around you.

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Chapter IX: Causes and Conditions—a chapter where Troward dives into the subtle but crucial distinction between what truly causes change and what merely conditions it.

Here’s the essence:

• Cause is internal, not external: Troward insists that true cause lies in thought, not in outward circumstances. Conditions—like money, health, or relationships—are effects, not origins. They reflect the mental patterns behind them.
• Conditions are shaped by belief: If you believe a certain condition is necessary for your success, your subconscious will treat it as law. But if you shift your belief, the condition can change—or even dissolve entirely.
• Don’t confuse correlation with causation: Just because something seems to lead to a result doesn’t mean it’s the true cause. Troward urges us to look deeper—to the mental and spiritual patterns that precede every event.
• The creative process is from within outward: You don’t change your life by rearranging outer things. You change it by changing your inner state, which then expresses itself in new conditions.
• Conditions are fluid, not fixed: When you understand that conditions are effects, not causes, you stop being a victim of circumstance. You realize you can reshape your world by reshaping your thought.

This chapter is a wake-up call: stop giving your power away to circumstances. The real work happens in the invisible realm of thought and belief.

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Chapter X: Intuition—a beautifully introspective chapter where Troward shifts from logic and analysis to the inner knowing that transcends reason.

Here’s what he reveals:

• Intuition is direct perception of truth: Unlike reasoning, which moves step by step, intuition is immediate and holistic. It’s how we grasp deeper truths that logic alone can’t reach.
• It arises from the universal mind: Troward sees intuition as a spiritual faculty—a whisper from the universal intelligence that flows through all things. When we quiet the noise of the objective mind, we become more receptive to this inner guidance.
• It’s not mystical—it’s natural: While intuition may feel mysterious, Troward insists it’s a natural function of consciousness. The more we trust and develop it, the more reliable it becomes.
• It requires stillness and receptivity: Just like a radio must be tuned to the right frequency, our minds must be calm, open, and expectant to receive intuitive insight. Anxiety and overthinking block the signal.
• It’s the bridge to higher wisdom: Intuition connects us to truths beyond our current knowledge—truths that can guide our decisions, inspire creativity, and reveal our deeper purpose.

Troward’s message is clear: intuition is not a luxury—it’s a vital tool for living in harmony with the deeper laws of life.

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Chapter XI: Healing—where Troward applies his mental science principles to one of the most personal and profound areas of life: health.

Here’s what he teaches:

• Healing begins in the mind: Troward asserts that disease is not a cause, but an effect—a manifestation of disordered thought. To heal the body, we must first correct the mental pattern that produced the condition.
• The body is plastic to thought: Our physical form is malleable and responsive to the ideas we hold about it. If we consistently think of ourselves as weak or ill, the body conforms. But if we hold thoughts of vitality and wholeness, the body begins to reflect that instead.
• The subconscious governs the body: Since the subjective mind controls involuntary functions (like heartbeat, digestion, and cellular repair), healing must occur at that level. The objective mind’s role is to impress the right ideas upon the subconscious.
• Faith is the activating force: Healing isn’t about wishful thinking—it’s about deep belief. When we truly believe in the possibility of health, we align with the universal mind’s creative power, and healing becomes natural.
• Don’t fight disease—affirm life: Troward warns against focusing on illness, which only reinforces it. Instead, he urges us to affirm the presence of health, vitality, and divine intelligence within the body.

This chapter is a powerful reminder that healing is not something we beg for—it’s something we allow by aligning with the truth of our being.

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Chapter XII: The Will—a bold and empowering section where Troward dives into the creative force of intention and how it shapes our reality.

Here’s what he emphasizes:

• Will is not force—it’s direction: Troward makes a crucial distinction. True will isn’t about straining or pushing—it’s about focused, intelligent direction of thought. It’s the quiet, steady power that holds an idea in mind until it manifests.
• The will works through the subjective mind: Once an idea is accepted by the subconscious, the will sets it in motion. But this only works when the will is in harmony with universal law, not when it tries to dominate or resist.
• Concentration is key: The will expresses itself through concentration—the ability to hold a single idea without distraction. This mental discipline is what gives the will its creative potency.
• The will must be aligned with belief: If you try to will something into being while secretly doubting it, the subconscious picks up on the doubt. Troward stresses that belief and will must work together to produce results.
• The highest use of will is self-direction: Rather than trying to control others or outer events, the most powerful use of will is to govern your own thoughts and emotions. That’s where true mastery begins.

This chapter is a call to inner sovereignty. Troward is saying: you don’t need to force the world to bend to your will—you need to align your will with truth, and the world will respond.

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Chapter XIII: In Touch with the Subconscious Mind—a chapter where Troward brings together many of the previous ideas and shows how to practically engage with the creative power of the subconscious.

Here’s what he emphasizes:

• The subconscious is always active and responsive: It’s not dormant or passive—it’s constantly working, shaping your body, habits, and environment based on the ideas it receives.
• You are always impressing it: Whether you realize it or not, your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs are continually feeding the subconscious. The key is to become conscious of what you’re impressing upon it.
• The subconscious is impersonal: It doesn’t judge or filter—it simply accepts and acts. That’s why it’s so important to impress it with constructive, life-affirming ideas.
• Impression happens through feeling: Troward stresses that emotion is the carrier wave of thought. A dry, intellectual idea won’t take root—but a thought charged with feeling will.
• Stillness and focused attention are essential: To truly connect with the subconscious, you must quiet the objective mind and enter a state of calm, focused receptivity. This is where practices like meditation or affirmative prayer come in.
• You can reprogram your life: By consistently impressing the subconscious with new beliefs, you can reshape your health, circumstances, and identity. This is the heart of Mental Science.

Troward’s message is both subtle and revolutionary: you are not just a thinker—you are a transmitter, and your subconscious is always listening.

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Chapter XIV: The Body—a fascinating chapter where Troward brings his metaphysical insights down to earth—literally—by examining how mind and matter interact within the human body.

Here’s what he emphasizes:

• Mental action affects physical substance: Troward argues that if thought couldn’t influence matter, there would be no such thing as Mental Science. The body is the visible demonstration of invisible mental forces at work.
• The body is a transmutation device: It’s not just a vessel—it’s a mechanism designed to translate mental energy into physical expression. The nervous system, especially the sympathetic and cerebro-spinal systems, serves as the bridge between conscious and subconscious mind.
• The solar plexus is key: Troward highlights the solar plexus (sometimes called the “abdominal brain”) as the center of subconscious activity. It receives impressions from the conscious mind and translates them into bodily functions and conditions.
• Scientific evidence supports this: He references experiments with instruments like the biometre, which allegedly detect “vital currents” influenced by mental states—suggesting a measurable link between thought and physical energy.
• The mind governs health: By understanding how thought patterns influence the body, we gain the power to heal, energize, and transform our physical condition. The body becomes a canvas for the mind’s creative expression.

This chapter is a powerful reminder that your body is not separate from your mind—it’s the echo of your inner world.

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Chapter XV: The Soul—a deeply reflective chapter where Troward turns inward to examine the core of individual identity and its relationship to the universal.

Here’s what he reveals:

• The soul is the point of individuality: Troward defines the soul as the meeting point between the universal and the individual. It’s where the infinite intelligence of Spirit becomes personalized as you.
• It is not a thing, but a function: The soul isn’t a separate substance—it’s a mode of consciousness, a function of the universal mind expressing itself through a particular personality.
• The soul bridges spirit and body: It acts as the intermediary between pure thought (spirit) and physical form (body). Through the soul, the abstract becomes concrete, and the invisible becomes visible.
• It evolves through experience: The soul grows by interacting with conditions, learning through contrast, and gradually awakening to its divine nature. This is the journey of self-recognition.
• True individuality is spiritual: Troward insists that individuality doesn’t mean separation—it means unique expression within unity. The more we realize our oneness with Spirit, the more fully our soul can express its true nature.

This chapter is like a mirror held up to your inner life. Troward is saying: you are not a fragment—you are a focused point of infinite intelligence, learning to know itself.

Would you like to continue with the final chapter—Chapter XVI: The Spirit? It brings everything full circle.

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Chapter XVI: The Spirit—the culminating insight of The Edinburgh Lectures, where Troward ties together the threads of his metaphysical vision into a single, luminous idea.

Here’s the essence:

• Spirit is the ultimate reality: Troward affirms that Spirit is not just a force among others—it is the originating Life-Principle behind all existence. Everything we see, feel, or experience is a manifestation of Spirit in form.
• It is infinite, intelligent, and self-existent: Spirit is not created or dependent—it simply is. It contains within itself the power to think, to create, and to sustain all things. It is both cause and substance, the thinker and the thought.
• Spirit is present in its entirety at every point: Because it is not bound by time or space, Spirit is fully present wherever you are. You don’t have to go anywhere to find it—it’s already within and around you.
• You are a center of spiritual operation: Troward emphasizes that each individual is a focal point of Spirit’s self-expression. You are not separate from the divine—you are its unique outlet, capable of conscious co-creation.
• The goal is conscious unity: The spiritual journey is about awakening to this truth—not just intellectually, but experientially. When you realize your oneness with Spirit, you begin to live with greater power, peace, and purpose.

This final chapter is like a sunrise after a long night of searching. Troward leaves us with the profound realization that Spirit is not something we reach for—it’s what we already are.

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Now that we’ve explored all sixteen chapters of The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science, let’s reflect on the journey and how its ideas might ripple into your own life.

🌱 Core Themes That Echo Throughout

• Thought is Creative: Troward’s central message is that your thoughts shape your reality. Not metaphorically—literally. The subjective mind accepts what you impress upon it, and the universe responds accordingly.
• Spirit is One: Beneath all appearances of separation, there is a single, infinite intelligence—Spirit—expressing itself through you. You’re not a fragment; you’re a focused point of the whole.
• The Mind is Dual: Understanding the objective (conscious) and subjective (subconscious) minds is key. The conscious mind chooses; the subconscious executes.
• Growth is Natural: You don’t have to force transformation. Like a seed becoming a tree, your desires unfold when nurtured with belief, clarity, and receptivity.
• Healing, Will, and Intuition: These are not mystical powers—they’re natural faculties of a mind aligned with truth. Healing is the restoration of harmony. Will is focused direction. Intuition is inner knowing.
• You Are a Co-Creator: Life isn’t happening to you—it’s happening through you. The more you align with universal principles, the more empowered and peaceful your experience becomes.

How You Might Apply It

• Daily Thought Hygiene: Notice what you’re thinking and feeling. Are you planting seeds of fear or faith?
• Affirmative Practice: Use affirmations, visualization, or meditation to impress your subconscious with the life you want to live.
• Stillness as Strategy: Make space for silence. That’s where intuition speaks and receptivity grows.
• Live from Unity: Treat others not as separate, but as fellow expressions of the same Spirit. Compassion becomes natural.
• Trust the Process: Don’t dig up the seed. If you’ve planted the right idea, let the law of growth do its work.

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 A Simple Daily Practice Inspired by Troward

Here’s a framework you can adapt to your own rhythm:

1. Morning Alignment (5–10 minutes)
Set the tone for your day.

• Affirmation: Choose one that resonates, like “I am a center of divine operation. Life flows through me with intelligence and purpose.”
• Visualization: Picture your day unfolding with clarity, ease, and joy. See yourself responding to challenges with calm and confidence.
• Feeling: Let the emotion of success, peace, or gratitude rise up. This is what impresses the subconscious.

2. Midday Check-In (2–3 minutes)
Pause and realign.

• Ask: “What am I thinking right now?”
• If it’s fear, doubt, or frustration—gently shift.
• Use a quick mental reset: “I choose to think thoughts that serve me.”

3. Evening Reflection (5–10 minutes)
Harvest the day’s lessons.

• Gratitude: List 3 things you appreciated today.
• Mental Gardening: What thoughts did you plant today? Which ones do you want to water tomorrow?
• Stillness: Sit quietly for a minute or two. Let your mind settle. This is where intuition whispers.

4. Weekly Deep Dive (Optional)
Choose one chapter or principle to explore more deeply.
Journal about how it shows up in your life. For example:

• How did I use my will this week?
• Did I act from unity or separation?
• What did my body reflect about my inner state?

This isn’t about perfection—it’s about conscious participation in your own unfolding. You’re not just reading Troward—you’re living the philosophy.

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