LESSON XVII. IDEALS DEVELOPED BY CONCENTRATION
Books: The Power of Concentration"It is a spiritual law that the desire to do necessarily implies
the ability to do."
You have all read of "Aladdin's Lamp," which accomplished such
wonderful things. This, of course, is only a fairy story, but it
illustrates the fact that man has within him the power, if he is
able to use it, to gratify his every wish.
If you are unable to satisfy your deepest longings it is time you
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conscious that you have latent powers within capable when once
developed of revealing to you priceless knowledge and unlimited
possibilities of success.
Man should have plenty of everything and not merely substance to
live on as so many have. All natural desires can be realized. It
would be wrong for the Infinite to create wants that could not be
supplied. Man's very soul is in his power to think, and it,
therefore, is the essence of all created things. Every instinct
of man leads to thought, and in every thought there is great
possibility because true thought development, when allied to
those mysterious powers which perhaps transcend it, has been the
cause of all the world's true progress.
In the silence we become conscious of "that something" which
transcends thought and which uses thought as a medium for
expression. Many have glimpses of "that something," but few ever
reach the state where the mind is steady enough to fathom these
depths. Silent, concentrated thought is more potent than spoken
words, for speech distracts from the focusing power of the mind
by drawing more and more attention to the without.
Man must learn more and more to depend on himself; to seek more
for the Infinite within. It is from this source alone that he
ever gains the power to solve his practical difficulties. No one
should give up when there is always the resources of Infinity.
The cause of failure is that men search in the wrong direction
for success, because they are not conscious of their real powers
that when used are capable of guiding them.
The Infinite within is foreign to those persons who go through
life without developing their spiritual powers. But the Infinite
helps only he who helps himself. There is no such thing as a
Special "Providence." Man will not receive help from the Infinite
except to the extent that he believes and hopes and prays for
help from this great source.
Concentrate on What You Want and Get It. The weakling is
controlled by conditions. The strong man controls conditions. You
can be either the conqueror or the conquered. By the law of
concentration you can achieve your heart's desire. This law is so
powerful that that which at first seems impossible becomes
attainable.
By this law what you at first see as a dream becomes a reality.
Remember that the first step in concentration is to form a Mental
Image of what you wish to accomplish. This image becomes a
thought-seed that attracts thoughts of a similar nature. Around
this thought, when it is once planted in the imagination or
creative region of the mind, you group or build associated
thoughts which continue to grow as long as your desire is keen
enough to compel close concentration.
Form the habit of thinking of something you wish to accomplish
for five minutes each day. Shut every other thought out of
consciousness. Be confident that you will succeed; make up your
mind that all obstacles that are in your way will be overcome and
you can rise above any environment.
You do this by utilizing the natural laws of the thought world
which are all powerful.
A great aid in the development of concentration is to write out
your thoughts on that which lies nearest your heart and to
continue, little by little, to add to it until you have as nearly
as possible exhausted the subject.
You will find that each day as you focus your forces on this
thought at the center of the stream of consciousness, new plans,
ideas and methods will flash into your mind. There is a law of
attraction that will help you accomplish your purpose. An
advertiser, for instance, gets to thinking along a certain line.
He has formed his own ideas, but he wants to know what others
think. He starts out to seek ideas and he soon finds plenty of
books, plans, designs, etc., on the subject, although when he
started he was not aware of their existence.
The same thing is true in all lines. We can attract those things
that will help us. Very often we seem to receive help in a
miraculous way. It may be slow in coming, but once the silent
unseen forces are put into operation, they will bring results so
long as we do our part. They are ever present and ready to aid
those who care to use them. By forming a strong mental image of
your desire, you plant the thought-seed which begins working in
your interest and, in time, that desire, if in harmony with your
higher nature, will materialize.
It may seem that it would be unnecessary to caution you to
concentrate only upon achievement that will be good for you and
work no harm to another, but there are many who forget others and
their rights, in their anxiety to achieve success. All good
things are possible for you to have, but only as you bring your
forces into harmony with that law that requires that we mete out
justice to fellow travelers as we journey along life's road. So
first think over the thing wanted and if it would be good for you
to have; say, "I want to do this; I am going to work to secure
it. The way will be open for me."
If you fully grasp mentally the thought of success and hold it in
mind each day, you gradually make a pattern or mold which in time
will materialize. But by all means keep free from doubt and fear,
the destructive forces. Never allow these to become associated
with your thoughts.
At last you will create the desired conditions and receive help
in many unlooked-for ways that will lift you out of the undesired
environment. Life will then seem very different to you, for you
will have found happiness through awakening within yourself the
power to become the master of circumstances instead of their
slave.
To the beginner in this line of thought some of the things stated
in this book may sound strange, even absurd, but, instead of
condemning them, give them a trial. You will find they will work
out.
The inventor has to work out his idea mentally before he produces
it materially. The architect first sees the mental picture of the
house he is to plan and from this works out the one we see. Every
object, every enterprise, must first be mentally created.
I know a man that started in business with thirteen cents and not
a dollar's worth of credit. In ten years he has built up a large
and profitable business. He attributes his success to two
things--belief that he would succeed and hard work. There were
times when it did not look like he could weather the storm. He
was being pressed by his creditors who considered him bankrupt.
They would have taken fifty cents on the dollar for his notes and
considered themselves lucky. But by keeping up a bold front he
got an extension of time when needed. When absolutely necessary
for him to raise a certain sum at a certain time he always did
it. When he had heavy bills to meet he would make up his mind
that certain people that owed him would pay by a certain date and
they always did. Sometimes he would not receive their check until
the last mail of the day of the extension, and I have known him
to send out a check with the prospect of receiving a check from
one of his customers the following day. He would have no reason
other than his belief in the power of affecting the mind of
another by concentration of thought for expecting that check, but
rarely has he been disappointed.
Just put forth the necessary concentrated effort and you will be
wonderfully helped from sources unknown to you.
Remember the mystical words of Jesus, the Master: "Whatsoever
thing ye desire when ye pray, pray as if ye had already received
and ye shall have."
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Introduction
The importance of the "Koran" lies in the fact that it is a religious book of the East, read and stored in the memory of a hundred millions of people of different races and civilizations, inhabiting countries extending from the western borders of ... Introduction
Buddha is undoubtedly the most potent name as a religious teacher, in the whole of Asia. The propaganda of the Buddhistic faith passed from the valley of the Indus to the valley of the Ganges, and from Ceylon to the Himalayas; thence it traversed ... Is there in this world any man so restrained by
Is there in this world any man so restrained by humility that he does not mind reproof, as a well-trained horse the whip? ... It advantages a Brahmana not a little if he holds
It advantages a Brahmana not a little if he holds his mind back from the pleasures of life; when all wish to injure has vanished, pain will cease ... It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to
It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness ... It is better to live alone, there is no companionship
It is better to live alone, there is no companionship with a fool; let a man walk alone, let him commit no sin, with few wishes, like an elephant in the forest ... It is by avoiding such indulgence that such weariness does
It is by avoiding such indulgence that such weariness does not arise ... It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult
It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness ... It is hard to leave the world (to become a
It is hard to leave the world (to become a friar), it is hard to enjoy the world; hard is the monastery, painful are the houses; painful it is to dwell with equals (to share everything in common) and the itinerant mendicant is beset with pain Therefor... It is only by this moderation that there is effected
It is only by this moderation that there is effected an early return (to man's normal state) That early return is what I call the repeated accumulation of the attributes (of the Tao) With that repeated accumulation of those attributes, there comes th... It is simply by being pained at (the thought of)
It is simply by being pained at (the thought of) having this disease that we are preserved from it The sage has not the disease He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it ... It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and
It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and yet it skilfully overcomes; not to speak, and yet it is skilful in (obtaining a reply; does not call, and yet men come to it of themselves Its demonstrations are quiet, and yet its plans are skilful and effec... It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and
It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency It is not so with the way of man He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance ... It produces them and makes no claim to the possession
It produces them and makes no claim to the possession of them; it carries them through their processes and does not vaunt its ability in doing so; it brings them to maturity and exercises no control over them;--this is called its mysterious operation ... Its upper part is not bright, and its lower part
Its upper part is not bright, and its lower part is not obscure Ceaseless in its action, it yet cannot be named, and then it again returns and becomes nothing This is called the Form of the Formless, and the Semblance of the Invisible; this is called ... KINDS OF FEARS
Fear of Self: timidity, lack of confidence, possible unaccountable states Fear for Self: weakness, anticipated failure, imagined disgrace Fear of Things: animals, inanimate objects, physical forces Fear of Others: human beings, app... Kinsmen, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been
Kinsmen, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been long away, and returns safe from afar ... Knowing that this body is (fragile) like a jar, and
Knowing that this body is (fragile) like a jar, and making this thought firm like a fortress, one should attack Mara (the tempter) with the weapon of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and should never rest ... Knowledge Of The Living Spirit
"Prana, or breath,[16] is Brahman," thus says Kaushitaki. "Of this prana, which is Brahman, the mind is the messenger, speech the housekeeper, the eye the guard, the ear the informant. He who knows mind as the messenger of prana, which is Brahman,... LESSON I. CONCENTRATION FINDS THE WAY
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... LESSON II. THE SELF-MASTERY: SELF-DIRECTION POWER OF
Everyone has two natures. One wants us to advance and the other wants to pull us back. The one that we cultivate and concentrate on decides what we are at the end. Both natures are trying to gain control. The will alone decides the issue. A man by o... LESSON III. HOW TO GAIN WHAT YOU WANT THROUGH CONCENTRATION
CONCENTRATION Man from a psychological standpoint of development is not what he should be. He does not possess the self-mastery, the self-directing power of concentration that is his by right. He has not trained himself in a way to promote his se... LESSON IV. CONCENTRATION, THE SILENT FORCE THAT PRODUCES RESULTS
The ignorant person may say, "How can you get anything by merely wanting it? I say that through concentration you can get anything you want. Every desire can be gratified. But whether it is, will depend upon you concentrating to have that desire ful... LESSON IX. CONCENTRATION CAN OVERCOME BAD HABITS
You will find that the man that concentrates is well poised, whereas the man that allows his mind to wander is easily upset. When in this state wisdom does not pass from the subconscious storehouse into the consciousness. There must be mental quiet ... LESSON V. HOW CONCENTRATED THOUGHT LINKS ALL HUMANITY TOGETHER
IN ALL BUSINESS I want you first to realize how powerful thought is. A thought of fear has turned a person's hair gray in a night. A prisoner condemned to die was told that if he would consent to an experiment and lived through it he would be freed... LESSON VI. THE TRAINING OF THE WILL TO DO
It is within your power to gratify your every wish. Success is the result of the way you think. I will show you how to think to be successful. The power to rule and attract success is within yourself. The barriers that shut these off from you are... LESSON VII. THE CONCENTRATED MENTAL DEMAND
The Will To Do is the greatest power in the world that is concerned with human accomplishment and no one can in advance determine its limits. The things that we do now would have been a few ages ago impossibilities. Today the safe maxim is: "All ... LESSON VIII. CONCENTRATION GIVES MENTAL POISE
The Mental Demand is the potent force in achievement. The attitude of the mind affects the expression of the face, determines action, changes our physical condition and regulates our lives. I will not here attempt to explain the silent force that... LESSON X. BUSINESS RESULTS THROUGH CONCENTRATION
Habits make or break us to a far greater extent than we like to admit. Habit is both a powerful enemy and wonderful ally of concentration. You must learn to overcome habits which are injurious to concentration, and to cultivate those which increase ... LESSON XI. CONCENTRATE ON COURAGE
A successful business is not usually the result of chance. Neither is a failure the result of luck. Most failures could be determined in advance if the founders had been studied. It is not always possible to start a money-making business at the star... LESSON XII. CONCENTRATE ON WEALTH
Courage is the backbone of man. The man with courage has persistence. He states what he believes and puts it into execution. The courageous man has confidence. He draws to himself all the moral qualities and mental forces which go to make up a stro... LESSON XIII. YOU CAN CONCENTRATE, BUT WILL YOU?
It was never intended that man should be poor. When wealth is obtained under the proper conditions it broadens the life. Everything has its value. Everything has a good use and a bad use. The forces of mind like wealth can be directed either for go... LESSON XIV. THE ART OF CONCENTRATING BY MEANS OF PRACTICAL
All have the ability to concentrate, but will you? You can, but whether you will or not depends on you. It is one thing to be able to do something, and another thing to do it. There is far more ability not used than is used. Why do not more men of ... LESSON XIX. A CONCENTRATED WILL DEVELOPMENT
I attended a banquet of inventors recently. Each inventor gave a short talk on something he thought would be accomplished in the future. Many very much needed things were spoken of. One inventor spoke of the possibilities of wireless telephone. Dist... LESSON XV. CONCENTRATE SO YOU WILL NOT FORGET
EXERCISES Select some thought, and see how long you can hold your mind on it. It is well to have a clock at first and keep track of the time. If you decide to think about health, you can get a great deal of good from your thinking besides developin... LESSON XVI. HOW CONCENTRATION CAN FULFILL YOUR DESIRE
A man forgets because he does not concentrate his mind on his purpose, especially at the moment he conceives it. We remember only that which makes a deep impression, hence we must first deepen our impressions by associating in our minds certain idea... LESSON XVII. IDEALS DEVELOPED BY CONCENTRATION
"It is a spiritual law that the desire to do necessarily implies the ability to do." You have all read of "Aladdin's Lamp," which accomplished such wonderful things. This, of course, is only a fairy story, but it illustrates the fact that man has... LESSON XVIII. MENTAL CONTROL THROUGH CREATION
Through our paltry stir and strife, Glows the wished Ideal, And longing molds in clay, what life Carves in the marble real.--Lowell. We often hear people spoken of as idealists. The fact is we are all idealists to a certain extent, and upon th... LESSON XX. CONCENTRATION REVIEWED
New Method. You will find in this chapter a most effective and most practical method of developing the will. You can develop a strong one if you want to. You can make your Will a dynamo to draw to you untold power. Exercises are given which will, if... Let a fool month after month eat his food (like
Let a fool month after month eat his food (like an ascetic) with the tip of a blade of Kusa grass, yet he is not worth the sixteenth particle of those who have well weighed the law ... Let a man avoid evil deeds, as a merchant, if
Let a man avoid evil deeds, as a merchant, if he has few companions and carries much wealth, avoids a dangerous road; as a man who loves life avoids poison ... Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let
Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome all bondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to name and form, and who calls nothing his own ... Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome
Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth! ... Let a wise man blow off the impurities of his
Let a wise man blow off the impurities of his self, as a smith blows off the impurities of silver one by one, little by little, and from time to time ... Let each man direct himself first to what is proper,
Let each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him teach others; thus a wise man will not suffer ... Let him admonish, let him teach, let him forbid what
Let him admonish, let him teach, let him forbid what is improper!- -he will be beloved of the good, by the bad he will be hated ... Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the
Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals (of his nostrils), and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion Let him keep his mouth open, and (spend his breath) in the promotion of his affairs, and all his life there will be no ... Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in
Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in the fulness of delight he will make an end of suffering ... Let him not despise what he has received, nor ever
Let him not despise what he has received, nor ever envy others: a mendicant who envies others does not obtain peace of mind ... Let no man ever look for what is pleasant, or
Let no man ever look for what is pleasant, or what is unpleasant Not to see what is pleasant is pain, and it is pain to see what is unpleasant ... Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his
Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the fool becomes full of evil, even if he gather it little by little ... Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his
Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little by little ... Let no one forget his own duty for the sake
Let no one forget his own duty for the sake of another's, however great; let a man, after he has discerned his own duty, be always attentive to his duty The World ... Let the fool wish for a false reputation, for precedence
Let the fool wish for a false reputation, for precedence among the Bhikshus, for lordship in the convents, for worship among other people! ... Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and
Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and the manes of the departed will not manifest their spiritual energy It is not that those manes have not that spiritual energy, but it will not be employed to hurt men It is not that it could not hu... Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are
Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded bring happiness ... Let them not thoughtlessly indulge themselves in their ordinary life; let
Let them not thoughtlessly indulge themselves in their ordinary life; let them not act as if weary of what that life depends on ... Let us live happily then, free from ailments among the
Let us live happily then, free from ailments among the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments! ... Let us live happily then, free from greed among the
Let us live happily then, free from greed among the greedy! among men who are greedy let us dwell free from greed! ... Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate
Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate us! among men who hate us let us dwell free from hatred! ... Let us live happily then, though we call nothing our
Let us live happily then, though we call nothing our own! We shall be like the bright gods, feeding on happiness! ... Let, therefore, no man love anything; loss of the beloved
Let, therefore, no man love anything; loss of the beloved is evil Those who love nothing and hate nothing, have no fetters ... LIFE
It is because I desire every reader to get this perfect start in our study that I have indulged in the rather general outlook on the world's New Dawn Hereafter our work will be more specific and adressed to the varying conditions of the individua... Life And Consciousness
Pratardana, the son of Divodasa, King of Kasi, came by means of fighting and strength to the beloved abode of Indra. Indra said to him: "Pratardana, let me give you a boon to choose." And Pratardana answered: "Do you yourself choose that boon for ... Life is easy to live for a man who is
Life is easy to live for a man who is without shame, a crow hero, a mischief-maker, an insulting, bold, and wretched fellow ... Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent,
Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly ... Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and without, so
Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and without, so let a man guard himself Not a moment should escape, for they who allow the right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in hell ... Like a well-trained horse when touched by the whip, be
Like a well-trained horse when touched by the whip, be ye active and lively, and by faith, by virtue, by energy, by meditation, by discernment of the law you will overcome this great pain (of reproof), perfect in knowledge and in behaviour, and never f... Long is the night to him who is awake; long
Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law ... Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together, sickly,
Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together, sickly, full of many thoughts, which has no strength, no hold! ... Look upon the world as a bubble, look upon it
Look upon the world as a bubble, look upon it as a mirage: the king of death does not see him who thus looks down upon the world ... MAGNETISM
Hypnotism and magnetism are widely separated Psychic healing occupies another field Clairaudience and clairvoyance are not utilizable by magnetism Telepathy and psychometry are related to its etheric explanation alone Medium...