WisdomLeads #2: As a Man Thinketh by James Allen

Hi,

I am back. And here is explanation of chapter two from As a Man Thinketh for you. I have heavily peppered the text with Allenian quotes to give you the real feel and taste of his epigrammatic style with my style.  And I am very sure, this reading concoction, you would greatly enjoy!

Chapter 2: Effect of Thought on Circumstances

Comparing man’s mind to a garden, Allen says that this garden can either be intelligently cultivated by sowing the seeds of pure and beautiful thoughts or it can be left for the growth of useless weeds which may lead to growth of useless and impure thoughts. A man must therefore be careful in sowing the right thoughts and taking care of the unwanted weedy thoughts. What Allen means to say is that “by pursuing this process, a man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.”

According to Allen, thought and character of an individual are one and his outer conditions are the manifestation of his inner thoughts. However, he further explains that it is not always the case that a man’s environment is complete reflection of his entire character but he says that “those circumstances are so intimately connected with some vital thought- element within himself that, for the time being, they are indispensable to his development.”

There is no element of chance or what we call as luck in the life of a man. He is where his thoughts have led him. The law of his being is everywhere at work and this law “cannot err” says Allen. As long as a person believes that he is created by the outer conditions he continues to be buffeted by circumstances, but the moment this realization and knowledge comes to him that he is the creative magnet and can attract what he wants in his life and can change his conditions and circumstances by changing his thoughts, he becomes the creative power and human magnet. Because “circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself,” says Allen.

 “Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are…His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.”

Explaining the meaning of fighting against one’s own circumstances, Allen says that a man cannot change his outer circumstances without changing the cause. The effect will always be there as long as the cause. So, he says that “men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.” He also says that as long as the man continues to blame other men, incidents and circumstances in his life for changing his fate, he continues to suffer. But the day he decides that he is the maker of his thoughts, he works on mastering the virtues of temperance, self- control, cleanliness, industry and gentleness and forgetfulness for others and takes desired actions to achieve what he wants, he then becomes the master of his destiny and creator of his life and find his circumstances changed the way he desired.

“Nature helps every man to the gratification of the thoughts, which he most encourages, and opportunities are presented which will most speedily bring to the surface both the good and evil thoughts.”

So, I think it is important for us to see if we are happy with our circumstances or not and if not, what are the actions we are going to take to change those circumstances. Rather than just thinking and speaking how bad the people are, how bad the place is, how bad the environment is and how uncomfortable the challenges are in life, It is important that we must know what we want. It is important that we must force ourselves to think the way we want the results in our life to be and not the way our mind wants. Once we master our mind, we can very well master our life and then can create the desired circumstances.

Because, “The human will, that force unseen, the offspring of a deathless soul, can hew a way to any goal, thought walls of granite intervene.”