As A Man Thinketh

What makes life difficult for man throughout history is that he was born without a manual; all alone to fend for himself, it seems.

And as he strives to follow his bliss to fulfill his inner longings -- that will consequently shape his life -- he finds himself struggling at every crossroad; that is, whether or not to transcend his comfort zone and leave his family and culture that once nurtured him. Thus, begins what Joseph Campbell would refer to as the “hero’s journey.”

From teenage angst to mid-life reevaluations, we cope with personal issues.  And for the most part, on our own. Regardless of our basic support system that may be comprised of family and friends; despite of their well-meaning intentions, suggestions and recommendations, we often base our decisions on the set of thoughts and core beliefs that we alone ascertain for ourselves.

As a Man Thinketh tells us that although we are powerless to change any condition that comes our way, we do, however, have the power to provide its meaning, as well as how and to what extent we will allow this particular condition to affect us. 

But then again, this book argues, most people and conditions that we attract into our life are equivalent experiences of the thoughts we harbor in our mind.

Long before the publication of this book, many had already attested to the power of thoughts to manifest themselves; that our every uttered word and every action taken was preceded by our having thought about it first. Henceforth, everything around us – from our cellphones to the cars we drive — all came from thought.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Emperor of Rome, A.D. 161-180, said, “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly; and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue, and reasonable nature.”

James Allen, in this book, also underscores our innate power to fill our minds with thoughts of what we want to experience in our life, as well as our power to filter out those we do not wish to experience.

He asserts, “Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this – that man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny.”

In essence, we actively participate in creating our destiny through the thoughts we often find ourselves thinking a lot about.

This is a wonderful book that reminds us about a simple truth: We are what we think.

As A Man Thinketh
By James Allen

free downloadable ebook

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