James Allen, "As A Man Thinketh"

Books, Literature, & Authors
1

http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/di/dianestreasure/1jamesallen.jpg

“James Allen was a philosophical writer and poet. He is best known for his book, As a Man Thinketh. Allen wrote about complex subjects such as faith, destiny, love, patience, and religion but had the unique ability of explaining these subjects in a way that is simple and easy to comprehend. He often wrote about cause and effect, sowing and reaping, as well as overcoming sadness, sorrow, and grief.”
http://www.jamesallenlibrary.com/content/about-james-allen.html

The aphorism, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," not only embraces the whole of a man's being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.

…man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny…

A man does not come to the alms-house or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of groveling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress of any mere external force.

A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities within himself.

Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow; he then becomes the rightful master of himself.

Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life.

The sudden falling, when greatly tempted, into some grievous sin by one who was believed, and who probably believed himself, to stand firm, is seen neither to be a sudden nor a causeless thing when the hidden process of thought which led up to it are revealed. The falling was merely the end, the outworking, the finished result of what commenced in the mind probably years before.

“There is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed,” and every thought that is harbored in the mind must, by virtue of the impelling force which is inherent in the universe, at last blossom into act good or bad according to its nature.

Guard well your thoughts, reader, for what you really are in your secret thoughts today, be it good or evil, you will, sooner or later, become in actual deed.
James Allen, “As A Man Thinketh”

2
The Reign Of Law

The little party gods have had their day. The arbitrary gods, creatures of human caprice and ignorance, are falling into disrepute. Men have quarrelled over and defended them until they have grown weary of the strife, and now, everywhere, they are relinquishing and breaking up these helpless idols of their long worship.

The god of revenge, hatred and jealousy, who gloats over the downfall of his enemies; the partial god who gratifies all our narrow and selfish desires; the god who saves only the creatures of his particular special creed; the god of exclusiveness and favouritism; such were the gods (miscalled by us God) of our soul’s infancy, gods base and foolish as ourselves, the fabrications of our selfish self.

And we relinquished our petty gods with bitter tears and misgivings, and broke our idols with bleeding hands.
But in so doing we did not lose sight of God; nay we drew nearer to the great, silent Heart of Love.

I’m captivated by this book. I’ve read through most of it briefly, and I think much of it fits in well here. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

3

James Allen was a very forward-thinking author and speaker back in his day. And you’re right Diane, his words are as pertinent today as they were when he wrote them - they have always been pertinent from the time these particular laws were first fomented, explored, interpreted and understood by humanity.

4

Thank you for posting James Allen here, Diane. I’ve not read him in depth, but am most impressed with what I already know of him. And your quoting him has prompted me to add his corpus to my library: http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Master-Complete-James-Treasury/dp/1585427691/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368876680&sr=8-3&keywords=james+allen

:slight_smile:

5

His words ground me, much like The Kolbrin. Happy that you both approve, and agree. “it’s all good”.

Bring reason to bear on all things. Test all things. Be eager to know and understand. Be logical in thought. Be consistent in word and action. Bring the searchlight of knowledge to bear on your condition of mind, in order to simplify it and remove its errors. Question yourself with searching scrutiny.

Let go of belief, hearsay, and speculation, and lay hold on knowledge. He who stands upon knowledge acquired by practice is filled with a sublime yet lowly confidence, and is able to speak the word of Truth with power. Master the task of discrimination. Learn to distinguish between good and evil; to perceive the facts of life, and understand them in their relation one to another. Awake the mind to see the orderly sequence of cause and effect in all things, both mental and material. Thus will be revealed the worthlessness of pleasure-seeking and sin, and the glory and gladness of a life of sublime virtue and spotless purity.

6

I think they ground you because they contain fundamentals. When we apply these fundamentals to our lives and thought in a consistent manner, we have laid down the groundwork in which to learn and grow in much greater degrees of complexity, and we can then actually start to practice and experience first hand the Higher Mysteries.

Without the fundamentals, we are only building castles made of sand.

Please continue to share these fundamentals, Diane, anywhere on the forum where you see they are lacking, or are inconsistent, whether they are taken out of James Allen, the Kolbrin, the Bible, or your own heart. ;D

7

Absolutely!

8

Impartiality can be a challenge in life. Try to search for the truth .

By clinging to stubborn prejudice what joys are missed, what friends are sacrificed, what happiness is destroyed, and what prospects are blighted! And yet freedom from prejudice is a rare thing.

There are few men who are not prejudiced partisans upon the subjects which are of
interest to them. One rarely meets a man that will dispassionately discuss his subject from both
sides, considering all the facts and weighing all the evidence so as to arrive at truth on the
matter.

Each partisan has his own case to make out. He is not searching for truth, for he is
already convinced that his own conclusion is the truth, and that all else is error; but he is
defending his own case, and striving for victory. Neither does he attempt to prove that he has
the truth by a calm array of facts and evidence, but defends his position with more or less heat
and agitation. Seventh Pillar - Impartiality - The Eight Pillars of Prosperity - James Allen

9

I wonder how much of impartiality is just that or submissiveness to one’s real/true thoughts and/or feelings on anything.

10

I believe I understand what you mean Lance. When you hear something that goes against truth and logic, bells and whistles go off inside you, and then it’s your choice, (option, free will), to either go with the truth or go with the mind set of your political party, group, whatever. Many times people will go with the flow of their group for the good of all in their minds. But there are some that say , “wait a minute here, I’m on the side of truth, not lies and illusion”. Those people in my opinion are the ones that can change the world.

From my limited experience with this I have to say that it appears to me that some people have not evolved enough yet to have that option open to them. They truly cannot see anything which goes against the direction they’ve accepted as truth even if it’s based on lies. They literally short circuit, blow a fit, and say without a doubt the truth cannot be the truth. No getting through to them, it’s not an option for them, they can’t get out of the prison.

I don’t flow with the idea that we’ve forgotten everything from our experiences before this life. I know old souls, and new souls. You retain some things that just have to be brought back to the surface. No you don’t remember them exactly, they’ve been erased. No you don’t start where you left off so to speak…but you do retain a knowledge, wisdom from past experience that can help you along your path once you connect to it. Some people just know things, and a light bulb goes on after just one reminder lesson, or they need no lessons, others need many more lessons.

Bear no ill-will. Subdue anger and overcome hatred. Think of all, and act towards all, with the same unalterable kindness and compassion. Do not, under the severest trial, give way to bitterness, or words of resentment; but meet anger with calmness, mockery with patience, and hatred with love. Do not be a partisan, but be a peacemaker. Do not increase division between man and man, or promote strife by taking sides with one party against another, but give equal justice, equal love, and equal goodwill to all. Do not disparage other teachers, other religions, or other schools of thought. Do not set up barriers between rich and poor, employer and employed, governor and governed, master and servant, but be equal-minded towards all, perceiving their several duties. By constantly controlling the mind, subduing bitterness and resentment, and striving to acquire a steadfast kindness, the spirit of goodwill will at last be born. James Allen
11

Couldn’t agree more with your viewpoint here Diane. Wonderful.

I remember the first time I came across the extract about bearing no ill-will or animosity towards others, belief systems and so forth and thinking how wonderful our world would be if everyone were able to view life in that manner. However, I know this will never be the case [on Earth, at least] as there are those who are not here for this type of experience.

12
To see others as they are you must not allow impulsive likes or dislikes, powerful prejudices, or egotistic considerations to come between you and them. You must not resent their actions or condemn their beliefs and opinions.

You must leave yourself entirely out, and must, for the time being, assume their position. Only in this way can you become en rapport with them, and so fathom their life, their experience, and understand it, and when a man is understood it becomes impossible to condemn him.

Men misjudge, condemn, and avoid each other because they do not understand each other, and they do not understand each other because they have not overcome and purified themselves. James Allen

Often I’ve found when in a heated discussion with someone it’s best to take a step back, rather than continue. Step back and look at what I said, and then become the person I said it to. See what they see. Many times this can help to understand why the conversation became heated. Not that either said anything really wrong…could be that the person took what I said in a way I didn’t intend, or it could be that their understanding of what I said is different from my own.

Silly and obvious example might be when you joke with someone. When one of my boys was in his early teens he was walking down Main Street with a group of friends. They got the idea tear down the “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” sign down that was hung on the courthouse. It being evening, no one was around the courthouse. They took the sign down and stashed it behind someones bushes.

The headline in our local newspaper the next day was, “The Grinch Stole Christmas”. I had no idea my son was involved with the removal of the sign, until I received a phone call later that day from the police. Well they went on and on about how my son could be charged with defacing public property, and blah, blah, blah. My son admitted what happened, and returned the sign to it’s proper location. They gave the boys some type of probation, and that was the end of the story. That whole acting as a group mentality is something I’d love to dive into here sometime.

20 years go by, my son has grown into a wonderful loving man with a great job and high values. BUT when we see him at Christmas time one of my other boys will always bring up the subject of “The Grinch”, and how we all know who the Grinch really is. Even though it’s an old story, and now we can laugh about it, it hurts my son to bring back those memories. It was something he’d rather not be reminded of every Christmas for the rest of his life. The brothers think it’s hysterical, but I could see the pain in my childs eyes, because I could put myself in his position and know even 20 years later he doesn’t think what he did was very funny. I had a private talk with the, “other brothers”, and hopefully this Holiday Season we won’t see The Grinch, but we’ll see a wonderful grown man who’ll be talking about his future and not his past.

13
Even though it's an old story, and now we can laugh about it, it hurts my son to bring back those memories.

I’m glad to hear that your son’s escapade is global in its essence. No doubt we have all done what could be considered “silly” things in our past, and no doubt varying degrees of guilt have accompanied such acts.

I have to wonder how much of a negative consequence such actions have (albeit your son’s happened to hit the local media thus exacerbating the experience somewhat) as I would hazard to guess your son has been positively influenced by this little stunt with his friends; i.e. does he think twice when confronted with the potential to commit other such tom foolery? Does he now think of the consequences of his actions and the consequences of the actions of those he is with? I wonder whether or not that little incident had a fairly major influence on your son and may account for the way he has turned out today!

14

My oldest, and he was haunting by the whole event for many years. Small town in Pennsylvania. After High School, he moved out to the nearest city. He returned to the area a few times on and off. Eventually he got a job as a photographer in a studio in the city. Within a few years he managed the studio. He’s always had a bubbling and fun personality, the joker on one side of the coin, and the serious warrior on the other. He’s always taken responsibility for his actions, his work, and how he projects himself, very seriously. I hear from many parents how much they miss him. He was amazing with the children, and the photo’s turned out so very real and happy, not all so posed. He can make anyone smile.

So he curbed his mischievous joker routine and used it to his benefit, and others, by making children smile. Not to say he wouldn’t still hide a penny on top of my kitchen cabinets, just to see if I’d find it. Checking on how often I dust I suppose. :wink:

He met a lovely girl at a manager convention held by the portrait/photography firm. He now has his own studio in Michigan with the same company, bought a house with his lovely future wife, (wedding in September), and they have a beautiful baby boy. The best thing he did was move away from our small town. I miss him terribly sometimes though, but we talk often. Time has passed. He could move back without anyone really remembering. But he has a new life and he’s very happy. So the story ended all well…for now. :slight_smile:

15

Ah, onwards and upwards, as a dear friend of mine regularly tells me. What a lovely story. Two new members to your family in one year; fantastic!

And may your son’s final chapters be as glorious as his previous ones.

16
"The schoolmaster never attempts to teach his pupils the abstract principles of mathematics at the commencement; he knows that by such a method teaching would be vain, and learning impossible. He first places before them a very simple sum, and, having explained it, leaves them to do it. When, after repeated failures and ever-renewed effort, they have succeeded in doing it correctly, a more difficult task is set them, and then another and another; and not until the pupils have, through many years of diligent application, mastered all the lessons in arithmetic does he attempt to unfold to them the underlying mathematical principles.

Thus practice ever precedes knowledge even in the ordinary things of the world, and in spiritual things, in the living of the higher life, this law is rigid in its exactions." James Allen

One step at a time. How many times do we hear that? Have you had someone tell you the truth before you were ready to accept it? When this happens, you might call them a liar, and defend your beliefs. Or have you told someone the truth and they respond, “no way, that can’t be true”. Frustrating isn’t it? It’s not until you’re open to the truth that you’ll be able to digest it and accept it.

When I was a child learning simple problem solving I had great difficulty. The books on mathematics gave examples of two children named Dick and Jane. Jane would have have 6 apples. She would give 2 to Dick, and then take 1 back from him. So how many did apples did Jane have left? I would pull my hair out because I couldn’t imagine why Jane would give away only 2 apples, and then take one away from him. If Dick was very hungry, she should have given him all of her apples. You don’t give something to someone and then take it back. So if she gave him 2, then they were his to keep.

Seems like a silly road block to learning a simple math problem doesn’t it? Why couldn’t I get to the answer? Because my feelings were in the way. I had to remove my preset ideas on how children were suppose to behave. My teacher realized my difficulty, and then wrote the equation on a piece of paper. 6-2+1= Bingo! I understood, and then went on to higher math.

Even now while I’m learning new things this lesson comes in very handy. I have to remove my own passion, prejudice, preference, and partiality, to be able to open my mind, so I can even get close to the truth.

17

Last night while driving home a little voice in my head said, “you’re not paying attention”. It was dark, a little mist across the ground, and I was kind of daydreaming while driving along the same road home I always take. So ok already, I’ll pay more attention. Couple seconds after that I spotted a deer in the road. She was standing on about a one foot section of grass between the road and the guard rail. The other side of the rail is a rocky cliff that goes down to a stream. She had only one way to go without breaking a leg…that was in front of my car. Did a quick snake movement around her, and she never had to move. ahhh, thanks little voice. That worked out well.

The one thing I do pay attention to these days is that little voice we all get once in while with either a warning, beware, think twice, whatever it may be. The other thing I pay attention to are little signs and sayings we sometimes miss, or take them for granted, just not paying attention to them.

When I arrived home this was the first thing that came up on my facebook wall tonight.

Let the man of integrity rejoice and be glad when he is severely tried; let him be thankful that he has been given an opportunity of proving his loyalty to the noble principles which he has espoused; and let him think:" Now is the hour of holy opportunity! Now is the day of triumph for Truth! Though I lose the whole world I will not desert the right!"

So thinking, he will return good for evil, and will think compassionately of the wrong-doer. The slanderer, the backbiter, and the wrong-doer may seem to succeed for a time, but the Law of Justice prevails; the man of integrity may seem to fail for a time, but he is invincible, and in none of the worlds, visible or invisible, can there be forged a weapon that shall prevail against him.

Allen, James (2009-03-19). AS A MAN THINKETH Deluxe Collection of Five Favorite James Allen Works [Annotated & Unabridged] (Kindle Locations 958-964). Northpointe Classics. Kindle Edition.

“Now is the day of triumph for the truth… he will return good for evil and will think compassionately of the wrong-doer”.

I can only hope that now is the day for the truth. I’m hoping the compassion will come once I come to terms with why there was ever the untruth. The rare times I get momentarily angry at someone, I put myself in their shoes, and see things from their perspective, understand why they did what they did, and forgiveness and compassion just come naturally that way for me. This time is different. I can’t find who I’m angry at, I can’t put myself in their shoes…can I rest knowing integrity, truth justice will prevail?

Everyday is a reminder of what untruths have done. Christians and Jews being killed, Muslims being killed. Killing each other. People shunning each other because one who doesn’t believe in any religion hates or shuns the one who does. The one who does believe hates or shuns the one who doesn’t. What’s behind it all? Secrets and lies. Why the secrets, why the lies? I may never truly understand, but not a day will pass that I won’t try to while people are dying and hating, while we are blinded by the grand distractions put before us. I believe the truth will eventually lead to the compassion, with me and with any hope at all for a good part of the world. Crazy wishful thinking I suppose. But no hope and surrender, sitting back and waiting, doing nothing, hoping for the best, aren’t part of my program and I doubt a part of the program of healing the world either. The truth can be the weapon to win the battle. More and more people are listening and waking up, there is hope.

18
Why the secrets, why the lies?

In order to begin to understand the why’s of all that is currently going on in the world you will need to do a bit of research on the underpublished concepts of globalisation - reference:
Gary Allan: ( http://www.thestorageroom.com/ndcc.htm ),
Carroll Quigley:
( http://www.wanttoknow.info/war/tragedy_and_hope_quigley_full1090pg.pdf ),
David Icke: ( http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=david+icke&oq=David+Ic&gs_l=youtube.1.0.0l10.160.1773.0.4435.7.5.0.2.2.1.362.1457.2-2j3.5.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.sjzYcO7UKGU ),
to name but a few.

These people and their viewpoints will give you an indication as to why people are as they are in our so-called modern society. If nothing else, you will be given a glimpse as to the machinations around much of what is happening today throughout the world (in particular the effects such programmes have and are having on the American peoples in particular). Over the next few weeks I will set up a website from which you can either read or download the Sirensong Trilogy and Moneymongers - four very good publications outlining why things are happening as they are today. I’ll let you know.

Everyday is a reminder of what untruths have done.

I need to ask here, whose untruths? Yours? Theirs? Mine? I believe that in many instances (certainly nowhere near all instances) there are those who wholeheartedly believe that what they perceive as being the truth for them is indeed so. Whether or not anyone else sees this truth is usually, in their eyes, irrelevant. Indoctrination? Brainwashing? More than likely from my perspective, but not so to many others.

Crazy wishful thinking I suppose.

Your thoughts on this are very valid. To lose hope is indeed a tragedy and to sit back is tantamount to condoning what is happening. There are news avenues you can follow that show just how much people are beginning to awaken from their long-induced soporific slumbering. I look about and see so many people, hurting in most cases, seeking to find the Truth or to glimpse it a little more clearly. And in their quest they have begun showing signs of unrest, both physically and spiritually. I believe those who think they are in charge are becoming a little unsettled, as those of the supposed unwashed majority are beginning to show just how clean they really are.

To heal the world (although I am of the firm belief that the Earth is not the one needing the healing so much as being once again given the opportunity to become what it is supposed to be) you need but start on yourself. From there, ripples radiate outward affecting everything in their path. These ripples do so unobtrusively and without fuss or bother. What they cannot affect, they go around. What they can affect they simply wash over.

One step at a time.

Perfect.

19

Hi Lance, I look into your suggestions about Gary Allen, Carroll Quigley, and Icke over the weekend. I follow a lot of material from another person, similar type of information as the above mentioned distribute. But lately I’ve been frustrated about a certain path of thought my person is on in their research. I’m doing all that I can to prove what they’re saying is wrong. Don’t know if I’ll be able to do that, but I can offer an alternative viewpoint if I can get up enough courage, strength and facts under my belt to do it. I’ll bring up the subject here very soon. I still keep up with the conspiracy theories, truths, world events, etc., whichever thing they turn out to be.

Whose untruths?..whatever it is that drives people to kill others because of their beliefs, skin color, country they live in is insanity. I’d read once that truth is not a function of human emotions. Brainwashing, yes indeed, taps right into emotions and convinces people into believing something someone, or group, believes to be truth. Again we can go back to real truth is not an emotion. So if your truth causes you to go out and kill someone because of who they are or what they believe, the odds are you are not acting on truth, you are acting on an emotion.

Oh I found where I read that truth wasn’t an emotion…in my endless notes. This is from the same link. :slight_smile:

In essence, all of this talk about the mysterious and paranoid-sounding "suppression of the truth" simply boils down to the issue of morality. Human beings fail to realize that morality is not needed for those in power. Only the weak masses need morality, because they are not in complete control of their own destinies, and thus can be punished for any of their unsavory actions. So, when it comes to the matter of dispensing the truth, the ruling elite elect not to tell the masses the real truth about reality because they have absolutely no reason, motivation, or obligation to do so.

If one takes a step back and looks at the general attitude of Earth’s authority figures, they will see that these authority figures do not exude the truth. Rather, when it comes to such tasks as disclosing information, these authority figures have an aura of shadiness. Instead of divulging all of the information that they know (such as Truthism dot com does), they divulge as little information as possible.

So, getting back to the matter of the ruling elite dispensing the truth to the masses, a great analogy for this would be that of a lion nonchalantly swatting away a fly with its tail: The ruling elite will invent any bogus (yet still within reason) religion or scientific theory just to keep the masses from questioning reality. However, more than just temporarily quelling the masses, these bogus belief systems are actually able to control the masses because people foolishly end up believing in them and taking them to heart. So, in other words, instead of people interpreting a bogus belief system as simply being a possible theory or possible explanation of reality, people totally succumb to (that is, adopt) the bogus belief system because not only is the belief system within reason, but it also came from a very powerful authority figure.

The ruling elite are not anchored down by morality. They set the rules, invent the religions, invent the gods, invent the scientific theories, and do as they please. On the other hand, the masses are, by necessity, slaves to morality: If the common man does not behave properly, then, via the ruling elite’s rules, he may be punished.

The logic of a common man is not the same as that of a man in power, because the common man’s logic is infected with morality. http://www.truthism.com

Is that what you were trying to tell me? The above author makes morality sound like it’s a bad quality, an infectious one, one that would prevent people seeing the truth.

So let’s see what James Allen has to say about morality.

Morality is invincible, and he who stands upon it to the end, stands upon an impregnable rock, so that his defeat is impossible, his triumph certain. He will be tried, and that to the uttermost, for without fighting there can be no victory, and so only can his moral powers be perfected, and it is in the nature of fixed principles, as of everything finely and perfectly wrought, to have their strength tested and proved. The steel bars which are to perform the strongest and best uses in the world must be subjected to a severe strain by the ironmaster, as a test of their texture and efficiency, before they are sent from his foundry.

The brickmaker throws aside the bricks which have given way under the severe heat. So he who is to be greatly and permanently successful will pass through the strain of adverse circumstances and the fire of temptation with his moral nature not merely not undermined, but strengthened and beautified. He will be like a bar of well-wrought steel, fit for the highest use, and the universe will see, as the ironmaster his finely-wrought steel, that the use does not escape him. James Allen

So would it be far off to say that if the moral character of a person is based on disinformation, brainwashing and lies it could lead to very misdirected actions and events? But if the moral character of the person was to be based on truth, (the non-emotional, extremely fact base type, subject to change given new facts and truth), the actions of the person would not be as misdirected?

As all truth messengers already know, human beings always stand in the way of one trying to spread the truth, via such tactics as peer pressure and ridicule. If one ever mentions the truth to a human being, the human being will quickly attempt to suck that person back into the mindless reality that is referred to, here on Earth, as the "real world." The truth is an enemy of humanity. So, if you are a slave to the human race, then you will forever keep the truth at arm's length. Therefore, you must pick one: humanity or the truth. truthism.com

I don’t like the options. How about humanity learns the truth? hmmm :wink:

20

Thought I would share this. Now in audio-book free online. Been reviewing a few chapters myself with it. Awesome news enjoy!

“You can listen to James Allen’s book “As a Man Thinketh” using the player below. Click on the play button to listen online or you can download the files to your computer using the links in the download column for use on your iPod or other MP3 player.”

http://www.jamesallenlibrary.com/audio-books/james-allen/as-a-man-thinketh.html