The ideal made real: or, Applied metaphysics for beginners.
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| The ideal made real |
Excerpt from the author's foreword
True desire and true prayer are synonymous. The true prayer is invariably some immensely strong desire expressed when the human mind feels the sublime touch of the Infinite Mind, and the true desire must be in perfect touch with Infinite life in order to be filled with the invincible power of that life. To cause every wish to come true, we must express all the power of mind and soul through every wish; but we cannot give expression to all the power within us until we awaken our spiritual natures, and we cannot awaken our spiritual natures until we begin to live with the Infinite.
The largeness and immensity of the supreme spiritual life within us comes forth only as consciousness is spiritualized, and we gain spiritual consciousness by living and thinking constantly in the lofty state where we actually feel that God is closer than breathing, nearer than hands and feet.
We cannot desire too much, and when we desire with all the life and power that is within us, our desires shall positively be fulfilled.
The wish must be whole-hearted, not half-hearted; it must contain all the power we have, not simply the limited actions of shallow thinking; and it must contain soul, not simply an emotion, but that deep, spiritual feeling that touches the very spirit of limitless life and power. Third, have faith in God, have faith in man, have faith in yourself, have faith in everything; and have faith in faith. When you have confidence in yourself you arouse everything that is stronger, greater, and superior in yourself. In consequence, the more confidence you have in yourself, the more you will attain and accomplish. But the power of self-confidence is but an atom in comparison with the marvelous power of faith. Faith takes mind and soul into the greater realms of life. It goes out upon the boundless and awakens those interior spiritual forces that have the power to do anything. This is why all things become possible when we have faith. It is the nature of faith to break bounds; transcend limitations, and take life, thought, and action into the universal. It is the nature of faith to unite the lesser with the greater, to unite the mind of man with the mind of God.
Therefore, we shall always require faith; however far we may go into the greater, the superior and the boundless today, faith will take us farther still tomorrow. And that is our purpose; to realize our largest and dearest desires in the present, and then press on to the realization of other and far greater desires in the future. Fourth, depend upon the superior man within for results, and give this greater man the credit for everything you accomplish.
When you depend upon the personal self, you place yourself in touch only with the lesser forces on the surface; you, therefore, will accomplish but little; but when you depend upon the supreme spiritual self, you place yourself in touch with the greater powers within, and results will be greater in proportion. When you give credit to the personal self, you ignore the interior spiritual man; you thereby fail to secure that greater wisdom and power that the spiritual man alone can supply. Instead of being led by that inner light that knows, you are led by the confusion of outer thought; you are turned away from the path that leads to truth, freedom, and the perfect life, and your mistakes are many.
Instead of being taken into the current of that invincible life that can carry you through to your very highest goal, you remain in the hands of mere physical energy, that energy that can do nothing more than simply keep your body alive. Whenever you accomplish something worthwhile and give the praise to your own outer personal self, you immediately lose your hold on those powers through which those results were gained; in consequence, failure will begin, and you will have to retrace all your former steps to again gain possession of that power that can do whatever you may wish to have done.
Contents of the book:
- The Ideal Made Real ...... 9
- How to Begin: The Prime Essentials. . 22
- The First Steps in Ideal Living,. . 41
- The First Thought in Ideal Thinking. . 61
- The Ideal and the Real Made One 77
- The First Step Towards Complete Emancipation. ., 94
- Paths to Perpetual Increase 106
- Consider the Lilies 116
- Count It All Joy 134
- The True Use of Kindness and Sympathy 145
- Talk Health, Happiness and Prosperity.160
- What Determines the Destiny of Man. .170
- To Him, That Hath Shall Be Given 177
- The Life That is Worth Living .187
- When All Things Become Possible. ..197
- The Art of Getting What is Wanted. . .210
- Paths to Happiness 221
- Creating Ideal Surroundings 235
- Changing Your Own Fate 246
- Building Your Own Ideal World 255